Two Airlifted After Highway 29 Wreck In McDavid
May 7, 2017
Two Pensacola residents were airlifted to area hospitals after a single vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on Highway 29 at Highway 164 in McDavid.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 40-year old Sarah Walton of Pensacola was southbound on Highway 29 in a 2004 Chevrolet Suburban when she swerved to miss an unknown vehicle that pulled in front of her.
The Suburban left the roadway, struck a sign, entered a deep ditch and overturned several time. The roof of the vehicle hit a utility pole before the vehicle came to rest upright in the ditch. Two people in the Suburban were trapped until being extricated by firefighters. One male, a backseat passenger, was trapped until firefighters were able cut off and remove the roof from the vehicle.
Jay Byfield, 32, and Jared Leve, 37, both of Pensacola, were airlifted by LifeGuard and LifeFlight helicopters to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola in serious condition. Passenger Christina Walton, age 37 of Pensacola, was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
Driver Sarah Walton was not injured in the 2:24 p.m. crash.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Escambia County EMS and the McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
NorthEsambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Good Samaritans Save Injured Eagle
May 7, 2017
Good Samaritans worked to save a an eagle Saturday near Cantonment.
The injured eagle was left in the roadway after it flew into a car ahead of Alexis Rivers on Beulah Road, near the Perdido Landfill. The eagle did not try to get out of the road, so Alexis’ husband Rotario stepped up to carefully move it off of the asphalt.
The eagle is now recovering at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida.
Photos courtesy Alexis Rivers for NorthEcambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Runners Place At State Meet; Spencer In Fifth
May 7, 2017
A Northview runner was on the winner’s stand Saturday at the state meet in in Bradenton, FL.
Brandon Spencer placed fifth in the state Saturday in the boy’s 200 meters.
Last year, he attended the state meet as a spectator, and this year he is coming home with a medal,” said Northview coach Natalie Nall. “He worked over outside of the season to earn this. I’m proud of this work ethic and dedication.
Also for Northview,
– 800 meter — Brandon Korinchak placed 14th in the state
– Boys 4 x 100 – Brandon Spencer, Tim Bush, Keaton Solmonson, Joseph Wright – placed 11th
– Girls 4 x1 00 — Audriene Odom, Crystal Douglas, Nene Findley, Celeste North — placed 14th
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Large Crowds Attend Century’s Sawmill Festival And Car Show (With Photo Galleries)
May 7, 2017
Large crowds attended the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society’s 27th Sawmill Day and Car Show in Century Saturday in Century’s Historic District.
The day included a vintage and custom car show organized by the Bad Boys Car Club, plus arts and crafts booths, and plenty of historic exhibits. Boston Butt sandwich meals were available, and entertainment was scheduled all day.
For a photo gallery from the car show, click here.
For a photo gallery from the day’s other events, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Thousands Attend Mayfest (With Photo Gallery)
May 7, 2017
From beautiful babies, cute dogs, arts and crafts, entertainment and plenty of fun, Mayfest 2017 had a little bit of something for everyone Saturday at Tom Byrne Park in Atmore as thousands attended the annual event.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Quintette Community Center Holds Annual May Day Event
May 7, 2017
The annual Quintette Community Center May Day was held Saturday. The event features arts, crafts, food, entertainment and more. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Brush Fire Consumes One Acre
May 7, 2017
Escambia Fire Rescue battled a small bush fire in Molino Saturday afternoon off Highway 29 near Jimmy’s Grill. The fire consumed about one acre. There were no injuries reported and no word of any structural damage. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The Top 10 Big Issues Of The 2017 Florida Legislative Session
May 7, 2017
Florida lawmakers will gather Monday at the Capitol to pass a new state budget. But for the most part, the annual legislative session ended Friday night when the House and Senate adjourned after a final round of negotiating and maneuvering.
As always, the Legislature considered hundreds of bills during the session, with many passing, many dying quietly and others flaming out because of disagreements between the House and Senate.
Here is a quick look at 10 big issues:
BUDGET: House and Senate leaders struggled to reach agreement on a spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1, with the sometimes-contentious process forcing them to extend the session through Monday. Lawmakers will vote on an $82.4 billion budget, though that figure does not include some costs tucked away in other bills. The budget will provide a modest increase for the main formula for school funding, give state employees their first raise since 2013 and take into account a package of tax cuts.
DEATH PENALTY: Florida’s death penalty has been on hold since January 2016 because of rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Florida Supreme Court. But lawmakers moved quickly during the session to address one key legal issue. They passed a measure that requires unanimous jury recommendations before defendants can be sentenced to death. The Florida Supreme Court last year struck down a law that required only 10 of 12 jurors to agree on recommending death sentences.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Gov. Rick Scott spent the final days of the legislative session traveling the state in a last-ditch effort to pressure lawmakers on the issues of funding economic-development agency Enterprise Florida and tourism-marketer Visit Florida. But Scott, who battled throughout the session with House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, about the programs, got little of what he wanted. That has led to widespread speculation that Scott could go so far as to veto the budget.
EDUCATION: Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, had two different sets of education priorities — but both largely got what they wanted. Lawmakers will vote Monday on what is known as a budget conforming bill that includes Corcoran priorities such as the “schools of hope” program, which will encourage charter schools to open near academically struggling traditional public schools. Negron, meanwhile, focused on bolstering the university system and got agreement on issues such as expanding the Bright Futures scholarships program and requiring universities to offer block tuition, which involves students paying a flat fee per semester rather than a credit-hour charge.
GAMBLING: With the incentive of trying to reach a new gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the House and Senate worked on plans that could have revamped the state’s gambling industry. But the efforts collapsed early in the final week of the session, with House and Senate negotiators unable to reach a compromise. Among the key differences was the Senate’s support for allowing slot machines at pari-mutuel facilities in eight counties where voters have approved the machines in referendums — an issue opposed by the House, which wanted to take a more status-quo approach to gambling.
GUNS: Second Amendment supporters got a win late Friday when lawmakers approved a plan to shift a key burden of proof in “stand your ground” self-defense cases, an issue backed by groups including the National Rifle Association. But other high-profile gun issues got bottled up in the Senate early in the session and did not pass. Those issues included a proposal to allow people with concealed-weapons license to carry firearms on college and university campuses and a proposal to allow license holders to openly carry firearms in public.
HEALTH CARE: Corcoran and other House Republican leaders pushed for easing health-industry regulations, arguing a more free-market approach would help improve access to care. But the Senate scuttled high-profile House proposals such as eliminating what is known as the “certificate of need” approval process for building hospitals. Similarly, the Senate never took up a House proposal that would have changed criteria for the addition of hospital trauma centers, long a contentious issue in the hospital industry.
INSURANCE: After regulators last year approved a 14.5 percent increase in workers’ compensation insurance rates, lawmakers faced pressure from business groups to make changes that would hold down rates. But the House and Senate could not agree on a plan, with the differences largely focused on proposals to limit fees for injured workers’ attorneys. Lawmakers also did not move forward with a proposal to repeal the state’s no-fault auto insurance system and could not reach agreement on an issue known as “assignment of benefits,” which property insurers blame for increased homeowners’ rates.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA: The House and Senate adjourned Friday night without approving a plan to carry out a November constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana in the state. Negotiations about the issue continued through the final days of the session, but the failure to agree on a bill will leave implementation of the voter-approved amendment to state health officials. A key difference between the House and Senate centered on how many marijuana dispensaries the state should have.
WATER: Along with pushing for changes in the university system, Negron made a top priority of building a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. The issue hit home for Negron: Polluted discharges from the lake have fouled waterways in Stuart’s Treasure Coast district, and the reservoir could help alleviate the problem. Negron’s proposal initially drew heavy opposition from farmers, including the sugar industry, and some community leaders south of the lake, but the Senate and House ultimately agreed on reservoir plan after Negron made changes.
Photos: Branden Penegar Memorial Car Show
May 7, 2017
The annual Branden Penegar Memorial Car Show was held Saturday at the Gonzalez United Methodist Church on Pauline Street in Cantonment. Penegar, the “Gentle Giant” was a 2011 graduate of Tate High School, an assistant coach for the freshman Aggies’ football program and varsity tennis team, and a member of the Tate High School Student Hall of Fame. He passed away in March 2013 at the age of 20.
Penegar was a active member of the Gonzalez United Methodist Church and youth program.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Lose To The Lookouts
May 7, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped Saturday’s game, 5-1, to the Chattanooga Lookouts and now have lost 10 of their last 12 games.
The team’s slump includes three straight losses to Chattanooga at AT&T Field. Pensacola’s losses come after winning a franchise record eight in a row.
Pensacola is now 15-13 and just one game ahead of the Mississippi Braves, who are 14-14, in the Southern League South Division.
Part of the reason for the losses are a lack of hitting. Pensacola’s one run Saturday came on just three hits.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Josh VanMeter was 1-4, DH Angelo Gumbs was 1-4, and first baseman Brian O’Grady was 1-3. Pensacola’s only run came when third baseman Alex Blandino, who was 0-2, smacked a fly ball to left field that scored Gabriel Guerrero, who reached first on an error by Chattanooga second baseman Nick Gordon. Gumbs singled Guerrero to third.
Chattanooga went up 5-0 in the first four innings. They scored twice in the second inning when Gordon singled to right field and drove in both DH LaMonte Wade and left fielder Travis Harrison.
In the fourth inning, Chattanooga’s right fielder Edgar Corcino doubled to centerfield scoring center fielder Tanner English and shortstop Engelb Vielma. The Lookouts tagged on another run when first baseman Jonathan Rodriguez singled to left field to score Corcino to go ahead 5-0.
Chattanooga starter Matt Tracy allowed all three Blue Wahoos’ hits in his six innings of work. He allowed one unearned run, didn’t allow a walk and struck out four. He improved to 2-2 with 2.60 ERA.
Meanwhile, Keury Mella allowed all five Chattanooga runs in 3.2 innings. He allowed six hits, walked five and struck out two. He fell to 0-3 on the season with a 4.76 ERA.
Pensacola’s bullpen – Ismael Guillon, Ariel Hernandez and Jimmy Herget – shutout Chattanooga the final 4.1 innings on two hits, four walks and nine strikeouts.