Warning Issued After Rabid Raccoon Attack In Escambia County
January 31, 2019
Local health officials are warning residents and visitors to avoid contact with wild and stray animals after a rabid raccoon attacked someone in Escambia County.
The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County health specialists collected tissue samples from the raccoon and have forwarded the samples to the state laboratory, which has confirmed the presence of the rabies virus.
Officials did not release the location in the county of the incident.
Rabies is a viral disease that infects the central nervous system. Without proper treatment, rabies can cause brain infection and death. Rabies is transmitted by a rabid animal by a bite, a scratch, or by contact with mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. A series of “rabies shots” can protect a bite victim from developing the rabies infection, if given soon after the bite occurs.
“Rabies is a fatal infection but is preventable,” notes FDOH-Escambia’s director, Dr. John J. Lanza. “It is important to not feed or pet wild and stray animals, to avoid animals that appear to be acting strangely, and to keep pets vaccinated against rabies. Persons who are bitten by a wild animal or an animal who has not been vaccinated against rabies should seek immediate medical care. Proper medical treatment of an animal bite can be life-saving.”
In Florida, raccoons, foxes, bats, and cats are the animals most frequently diagnosed with rabies. Other animals that are at high risk for rabies include dogs, bobcats, skunks, and otters. Because of their proximity to people, stray and unvaccinated cats and dogs pose a special risk.
Individuals cannot always tell if an animal has rabies by looking at it. To guard against rabies, the health department recommends residents follow these steps:
- Teach your children not to go near wild and stray animals, and never keep them as pets.
- Vaccinate your dog, cat, ferret, or horse to protect against rabies. Keep vaccinations up-to-date.
- Do not feed your pets outside. The food may attract wild animals.
- Make sure your garbage is securely covered. Open garbage attracts wild and stray animals.
- Spay or neuter your pet to reduce its tendency to roam or fight.
- Do not let your pets roam freely or allow them to interact with wild or stray animals. Keep them in a fenced yard or on a leash at all times.
- Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come into contact with people and pets.
- Call Escambia County Animal Control, at 850-595-0097, to remove stray dogs and cats from your neighborhood.
- If your pet is bitten by another animal, immediately seek veterinary assistance for your pet and contact Escambia County Animal Control.
- If you are bitten by a wild animal, or by any animal that is acting strangely, seek medical care as soon as possible so that a physician can evaluate your risk of rabies infection and administer the rabies vaccine, if appropriate.
DOH-Escambia’s Environmental Health division investigates animal bite reports, tests animals for rabies through the state laboratory, and orders animal quarantine as necessary. For more information, or to report an animal bite, contact the FDOH-Escambia Environmental Health office at (850) 595-6700 or visit www.EscambiaHealth.com.
File photo.
Wood Heater Blamed For McDavid Mobile Home Fire
January 31, 2019
A wood heater is being blamed for a mobile home fire Wednesday night in McDavid.
The fire in the single-wide home was reported about 9:15 p.m. on Worley Road, near the Mystic Springs Boat Ramp.
The minor fire was contained to the area around the stove pipe and roof. There were no injuries.
The McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Jay Fire Department, Flomaton Fire Department, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded. Several fire units were canceled before arrival.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
T.C. Venom Minor League Football Team To Call Century Home
January 31, 2019
The new T.C. Venom minor league football team will call Century home this year in a season that begins in a few weeks.
The Venom will play four home games at Anthony Pleasant Park off East Highway 4. They are the newest team in the Amateur to Professional Development Football League, the AFDFL.
The APDFL is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the promotion and advancement of adult minor league football teams throughout the Southeast, according to their website. Players are between the ages of 18 and 30 looking to obtain a second chance of reaching their college or professional football dreams. The APDFL provides these athletes a place to improve their football skills and a platform to showcase their talents by attracting scouts from the collegiate and professional levels.
Team owner Luis Waters said he currently has 53 players on his roster, many that played during their high school days on local teams like the Northview Chiefs and the Flomaton Hurricanes.
“I’m here to give these guys a second chance,” Waters said.
Other teams in the league include the Greater Pensacola Jets, Crescent City Rampage from New Orleans, and the South Alabama Dolphins from Mobile.
The T.C. Venom will open play on Saturday March 2 on the road against the Tuskegee Ayrmen, followed by games in New Orleans and Thomasville, GA. Their first home game in Century will be Saturday, March 23 at 7 p.m. as they host the Steel City Raptors of Birmingham. A complete schedule is below.
The “T.C.” in T.C. Venom is stands for “Tri-County.”
T.C. Venom Schedule
Sat Mar 2 — Tuskegee Ayrmenc — Tuskegee, AL, TBD
Sat Mar 9 — @ Crescent City Rampage — New Orleans, LA, TBD
Sat Mar 16 — @ Georgia Cobras — Thomasville, GA, TBD
Sat Mar 23 — Steel City Raptors — Century, FL, 7 p.m. CDT
Sat Mar 30 — Crescent City Kings — Century, FL, 7 p.m. CDT
Sat Apr 6 — Greater Pensacola Jets — Century, FL, 7 p.m. CDT
Sat Apr 27 — @ South Alabama Dolphins — Mobile, AL, TBD
Sat May 4 — @ Tri-City Savages — Hattiesburg, MS, 7 p.m. CDT
Sat May 11 — Florida Phoenix — Century, FL, TBD
Sat May 18 — @ Mississippi Raiders — Waynesboro, MS, 7 p.m. CDT
Bob And Bess: You Can Learn A Lot From A Couple Of Byrneville Ducks
January 31, 2019
At Byrneville Elementary School, there’s a plenty of learning about reading, writing and math, and there’s a lot of learning from Bob and Bess.
Bob and Bess are a couple of ceramic ducks that sit in the hallway near the front door. Each and every school day, there is a message taped to each, usually a conversation between the duo.
“Gosh, Bess it really is cold this morning. I am glad that we live inside the school,” Bob’s message greeted Byrneville students on a freezing cold Wednesday morning.
“Me too, Bob. I don’t think it will stay this cold much longer, but the boys and girls need to be prepared if it does,” was the reply from Bess.
They’ve spread their messages for many years, thanks to Byrneville Principal Dee-Wolfe Sullivan. Bob and Bess are a Byrneville Braves tradition and are often a first stop for students arriving at school.
“If I had saved all the messages and stacked them up, they would probably reach up to here,” she said, holding her hand above her waist.
“The kids just really love them,” Sullivan said with a smile.
Pictured: Bob (top) and Bess (below) at Byrneville Elementary School Wednesday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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Century’s Mayor, Council At Odds Over Choice For Billing Clerk Job
January 31, 2019
Century’s town council and mayor are at odds over his choice of a new billing clerk.
Mayor Henry Hawkins recommended the town promote Netanya Simmons from within. She has worked with the town for just over a year as a clerk tech. She was previously employed for six months as a cashier at Odom’s Bar and Package, and six months as a desk clerk at Performance Tire & Wheel in Brewton. She is certified in Office, PowerPoint and Excel.
Council president Ann Brooks said she did not believe Simmons is the most qualified candidate. Brooks attended interviews on behalf of the council and ranked her choices:
- Leslie Howington, who currently works in leasing and marketing with Lincoln Property in Pensacola. She previously worked for 7.5 years as Century’s town clerk. She is a certified municipal clerk, pursuing ceritifcation as a master municipal clerk. She listed an understanding of the town’s billing process, meter reading budget and income analysis. She was a member of the Florida Association of City Clerks for eight years and served as district director. She also holds an associates degree in paralegal studies.
- Kenneth Kirk, who has worked for Adcomm in Mary Ester since 2011 as an account payable lead and accounting specialist. He also has experience as an office manager at Jackson Hewitt and an agent licensing clerk and licensing analyst with Universal American. He holds an associate degree in electronic engineering and an associate degree in business administration, both from Pensacola Junior College.
- Guindolyn Cosey, who has worked with the East Brewton Police Department since 2016> Her experience also includes six months as a case manager with Judicial Correction Services, and a front end coordinator and clothing manager with Dirt Cheap in Brewton from 2012 to 2013. Her listed skills included calculations and proficiency in a Word and PowerPoint.
After strong discussion, Hawkins stood by his recommendation of Simmons and refused to recommend one of the other candidates.
“I made mine (recommendation). I am through,” he told the council “Y’all do my job for me.”
Hawkins said Simmons was his choice because she has some training with the town’s billing software and the billing clerk’s duties, Hawkins said.
Brooks said training is available from the town’s software vendor for $4,000 for any qualified candidate.
The council instead chose for the entire council to interview Simmons, Howington, Kirk and Cosey at a not yet announced date.
The previous billing clerk, Angela Suggs, resigned her position after seven years.
Before the recommendation of candidates, town accountant Robert Hudson explained the importance of the position.
“I think it’s unfortunate we don’t have somebody who we can train,” Hudson said. “It’s the bread and butter for the town, about $1.6 million in revenue.”
Editor’s note: All employment history and experience information for applicants was taken from their employment applications.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Celebrating Literacy Week
January 31, 2019
It’s “Literacy Week” at schools across Escambia County, with plenty of activities to celebrate and enjoy reading.
At Kingsfield Elementary School Wednesday, Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas shared his love of reading with kindergarten students (pictured above and below). And at Ransom Middle School, Wednesday was “Character Day” (below).
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Report Details Ethics Allegations Against Gillum
January 31, 2019
The Florida Commission on Ethics released documents Wednesday supporting the panel’s unanimous finding of probable cause that Andrew Gillum, last year’s Democratic nominee for governor and a former Tallahassee mayor, violated ethics laws with trips to Costa Rica and New York and tickets to the Broadway hit musical, “Hamilton.”
In a 41-page report, the commission’s advocate, lawyer Elizabeth A. Miller, rebuked the former mayor for allegedly accepting gifts from Tallahassee entrepreneur Adam Corey and undercover FBI agents posing as developers. Corey had been a close friend of Gillum and lobbied the city commission.
Failing to report the gifts “is an obvious attempt to either conceal the gifts from the public or hide the fact that he accepted gifts from a lobbyist and principals of a lobbyist — both prohibited donors,” Miller said.
In a closed-door meeting Friday, the commission found probable cause that Gillum “accepted things of value based on an understanding his official action would be influenced and when he knew or should have known they were given to influence action in which he was expected to participate,” according to a news release distributed Wednesday.
The panel also found probable cause to believe the former mayor “misused his position to accept things of value for himself and others in return for access and influence.” And the commission found probable cause to believe Gillum accepted gifts with a value of more than $100 from a lobbyist or vendor of the city and failed to report the gifts. No probable cause, however, was found that Gillum solicited gifts.
The five charges carry potential sanctions of a public censure and reprimand and fines of up to $10,000 each.
Gillum, who will request a hearing in the case, has steadfastly maintained that he hasn’t broken any laws or committed any wrongdoing.
“I am confident that as we move through this and as a judge looks at the facts, they will determine that I have acted in complete compliance with the law,” Gillum told CNN host Chris Cuomo Tuesday night.
Most of the communiqués revealed in Miller’s report had already been made public by Corey’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, in the days leading up to the November gubernatorial election, in which Republican Ron DeSantis narrowly defeated Gillum.
An FBI investigation into city corruption dogged Gillum throughout the final months of the campaign despite his insistence that he was not a subject of the probe.
The race against DeSantis placed Gillum, who had hoped to make history as the state’s first black governor, on the national stage, where the Democrat remains in the spotlight. The day before the ethics commission released the report about finding probable cause, Gillum joined CNN as a political commentator.
When asked about the probable cause findings Wednesday, DeSantis said he’s “moved on.”
“The fact of the matter is, if you’re doing that, you’re going to run afoul and there’s going to be a problem. But I’m not, like, rooting for him to fail. Look, the process will work, but I mean, I don’t have any ill will. I think he’s a talented guy. What I said in the campaign I think was accurate. But I’ve moved on,” he said.
The ethics commission investigation was sparked by a complaint filed by Tallahassee businessman Erwin Jackson and focused on New York and Costa Rica journeys, both made in 2016 while Gillum was still the city’s mayor and as he was pondering a gubernatorial bid.
Gillum and his wife, R. Jai, “accepted a ‘thing of value’ (i.e., gifts) when they received transportation, accommodation, services of a chef, and meals in regard to the Costa Rican trip with a value of $941.94,” Miller wrote in the advocate’s report.
Gilllum claimed he paid Corey — who made the arrangements for a luxury villa — $480 in cash, or $120 per night, to cover his and his wife’s share of the trip. But Corey, who submitted an affidavit to the ethics commission but refused to appear before the panel because he had been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury in the city corruption probe, swore that he never received any money from his onetime pal.
Gillum also received a “thing of value” when he received a ticket to “Hamilton” and a private Statue of Liberty boat cruise, Miller found. The events totaled a minimum of $750, she wrote.
The report shows that Corey told Gillum the Hamilton tickets were provided by “Mike Miller,” an undercover FBI agent who also arranged the boat cruise for Corey, Gillum, and the mayor’s brother, Marcus.
In a sworn declaration to the commission, Gillum acknowledged he had received a text from Corey saying, “Mike Miller and the crew” had obtained tickets to “Hamilton” — which averaged around $750 each at the time.
“He did not say that Miller was treating anyone to the show and, in keeping with our consistent practice, I assumed we would each pay for our tickets,” Gillum said.
Gillum said his brother handed him the ticket, that the only information he had about Mike Miller paying for the tickets “is in the report of investigation filed in this matter,” which relies on information from Corey.
The New York trip was “a social excursion and no business was discussed at any time,” the former mayor said.
Gillum also said he not only paid Corey in cash for the Costa Rica lodging, but “left an additional $150 in cash on a table to cover my share of tips for the cooks and cleaning staff.”
But the advocate Miller wrote that Corey and the undercover FBI agent courted Gillum with the hope that he would support their city-related endeavors.
The two men “had the requisite intent to gain access, familiarity, influence, and possible indebtedness with respondent when they provided gifts to him, his wife, and his brother,” she wrote.
“Respondent or his relatives were the recipients of those gifts while respondent simultaneously participated as a voting member on an entity that was approving issues that could benefit or harm the donors. Thus, the respondent either knew or should have known that the gifts were being provided to garner favor because respondent was in an official position to make decisions in matters directly involving Corey’s clients, Miller and Sweets,” she wrote, referring to another undercover FBI agent who went by the name of Mike Sweets.
Gillum was legally required to publicly disclose certain gifts, Elizabeth Miller wrote, noting that he disclosed free tickets to a “Jazz and Blues Festival” as gifts worth more than $100 in September 2016.
“Interestingly, respondent disclosed these tickets but chose not to report free transportation, services of a chef, meals, accommodations in a ‘beautiful mansion,’ Broadway tickets and a private boat cruise he accepted a month earlier and disclosable on the same form as the ‘Jazz and Blues Festival’ tickets. This omission is an obvious attempt to either conceal the gifts from the public or hide the fact that he accepted gifts from a lobbyist and principals of a lobbyist — both prohibited donors,” the advocate wrote.
Accepting the gifts, concealing their acceptance or “alleging without substantiation” that he or his brother reimbursed their hosts “demonstrates a wrongful intent and actions inconsistent with the proper performance of his public duties,” Miller found.
But, in a response to the advocate’s recommendation, Gillum’s lawyer Barry Richard wrote that the Gillums “did not, in fact, receive any gifts from Mr. Corey or any other lobbyist during the Costa Rican trip.”
Richard said the allegations against Gillum “hang on a very slender thread,” backed up only by Corey.
Gillum personally paid for airline tickets to and from Costa Rica and for expenses at restaurants and bars, and equipment rental while in the country, Richard wrote.
Gillum’s lawyer disputed other allegations made by Corey regarding expenses the former lobbyist claimed to have covered during the trip.
Richard accused Corey of a “false claim that the entire trip was a business expense of his corporation,” saying his accounting of the trip “is completely fictional.”
The trip to Costa Rica “was strictly a social gathering of a disparate group of Mr. Corey’s friends” in which no business was discussed, Richard wrote.
Gillum will have a public evidentiary hearing before an administrative law judge, Richard told The News Service of Florida on Wednesday.
“I have a high level of confidence that ultimately he’ll be exonerated. I don’t believe he did anything wrong, and I don’t believe there is any evidence to support any wrongdoing,” Richard said. “There’s no evidence he ever did anything for anybody in return for a gift. … This is all, frankly, trivial stuff.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Pictured: Andrew Gillum during a Pensacola campaign appearance last October. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Standard Furniture Cutting 185 Jobs In Bay Minette
January 30, 2019
Standard Furniture in Bay Minette is cutting about 185 jobs in Bay Minette, according to Furniture Today.
The company will end the manufacture of laminated case goods in Bay Minette on or about March 31. Home accessories and warehousing operations in Frisco City, AL, will be moved to Bay Minette. Drivers, warehouse, and distribution center operations will continue to operate and will not be affected.
Bay Minette will remain Standard Furniture’s corporate headquarters with 1 million square feet of warehouse space.
Fire Simultaneously Rips Through Two Atmore Homes Miles Apart
January 30, 2019
Firefighters battled two simultaneous structures fires about 2.5 miles apart before sunrise Wednesday morning.
A fire about 6:10 a.m. left four people without a home in the 100 block of Martin Luther King Avenue, near the Houston Avery Park.
Fire was rolling from the attic and windows of the brick home when firefighters arrived on scene. Atmore Fire Chief Ronald Peebles said it appeared the fire started with a space heater in a bedroom. The home was heavily damaged.
A fire about 5:45 a.m. gutted a mobile home on South Road at Cross Road, just south of Highway 31 and Industrial Drive.
The single-wide trailer had no electricity and was “packed with junk,” Peebles said, greatly hampering the firefighting effort. No one was known to be living in the trailer.
“There was so much junk we could not access a back bedroom and had to cut through an outside wall to get to it,” the fire chief said. He expected it would take hours to remove the junk from the trailer to fully extinguish the smoldering fire and being their investigation into the cause.
Peebles said it was highly unusual to have two involved structure fires in Atmore at the same time.
“It was kind of odd for that to happen,” he said. “I’m lucky I’ve got mutual aid with Walnut Hill and Poarch. We probably had 20-25 firefighters at the two fires because of their help.”
The Atmore Fire Department, Poarch Fire Department, Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Atmore Police Department were among the responding agencies.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
State And County Leaders Discuss Cantonment Train Delay Solutions
January 30, 2019
Florida Sen. Doug Broxson and Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry met with CSX and International Paper Tuesday to discuss trains blocking local roads for extended periods of time.
“I’m very pleased with the outcome, and very optimistic that there will be a better outcome in the Cantonment and Cottage Hill areas,” Barry said, a sentiment echoed by Broxson.
“CSX will work out how they can be more of a good neighbor, and hopefully do that before we meet again in 60 days,” Broxson said.
The first step will include real time communication between Escambia County and the railroad. County officials and emergency dispatchers “will have the ability to have real time contact with a knowledgeable person (at CSX) and not wait for three days,” the senator said.
The real time communication and an increased operational awareness by CSX is also expected to lead to improvements for residents of Cantonment and Cottage Hill neighborhoods that have been blocked for hours by trains with no way in or out. Barry said CSX will work to open at least one crossing that will allow access into the neighborhoods.
One Cantonment neighborhood, east of Highway 95A from Countri Lane to McKenzie Road, has been completely blocked for hours by a stopped train. There are documented incidents where fire trucks and EMS units were unable to respond to medical emergencies in the neighborhood due to stopped trains.
“Highway 29 should also change,” Broxson said. “I’m convinced there shouldn’t be any reason it would be closed for an inordinate amount of time; we should see a reduction in that soon.”
Currently, trains in and out of International Paper often block Highway 29 just south of Muscogee Road for long time periods, backing up traffic for miles.
There are four parallel tracks beds on the IP property just west of the crossing that merge into a single track across Highway 29. For the first time, Broxson and Barry learned Tuesday that the tracks are not managed by CSX; they are operated by the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway (AGR), and they are expected to become involved in ultimate solutions.
AGR is a mid-sized railway owned by Genessee & Wyoming that operates 348 miles of track from Pensacola to Columbus, MS, and uses other tracks into Mississippi and south to Mobile. AGR makes a connection to CSX in Cantonment.
“IP is kind of a victim in all this,” Broxson said, referring to trains blocking Highway 29. “They have no control over the rail system other than making sure their product is ready to roll.”
“We want to thank both Senator Broxson and Commissioner Barry for working to rectify this situation,” Whitney Fike, communications manager for International Paper in Cantonment, said. “This is a significant inconvenience for local residents and our employees at the mill. We look forward to a swift resolution to the problem.”
“Being able to come over today and speak with the commissioner and the senator and listening to their specific concerns, on behalf of their constituents, will help us work with the county to put together a plan,” CSX Regional Vice President for State Government Affairs Craig Camuso said.
Trains blocking local roadways is quality of life issue, Barry has said, because people can spend 30 minutes or more each day waiting for a train blocking Highway 29 near Muscogee Road. And Barry said it’s an obviously a public safety issue when first responders are blocked from reaching citizens in need.
Broxson said that while he expects significant improvements, there will never be a complete end to crossings blocked by trains in Escambia County.
“We will never be able to always guarantee every roadway will not be blocked because train traffic in this country is vital,” he explained.
Pictured: Escambia County Fire and EMS vehicles blocked from responding to emergency calls by a train on Highway 29 in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
