Molino Woman Kills Dog To Stop Attack
March 4, 2017
A Molino woman won’t be charged with a crime after she shot and killed her neighbor’s dog Friday morning.
The incident occurred about 9 a.m. in the 5700 block of Cedartown road.
The woman tried to stop a dog from attacking one of her puppies. The dog turned an the woman and she shot and killed it, according to county officials. The dog did not bite her.
The owner of the dog had previously been cited numerous times by Escambia County Animal Control, officials said.
Century Vote Certified
March 4, 2017
It’s now official…Luis Gomez, Jr. has been elected to the Century Town Council.
The Century Canvassing Board met Friday morning with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office to certify the results of Tuesday’s special election for Seat 2 on the council.
The board certified that a hand count of the vote by mail and election day ballots matched preliminary totals that were announced Tuesday night. Gomez received 119 votes, while Kevin Stead received 86.
One additional ballot was determined to be an “undervote” with the voting machine unable to read which candidate was selected. The voter marked the ballot with an “X” that did not cross into either circle for a candidate. In the event the ballot would have made a difference in the election outcome, the canvassing board would have considered which candidate the voter intended to select.
There were 205 total votes cast from among Century’s 986 registered voters….a 20.8% turnout. During last fall’s general election for mayor, Century saw a 57.6% turnout.
Bill Would Increase Pay For Jury Service
March 4, 2017
A Senate Democrat filed a proposal Friday that would increase the amounts of money that Floridians get paid to serve on juries.
The bill (SB 1606), filed by Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, would raise the basic rate from $15 a day to $64.80 a day. Jurors who serve more than 10 days would be paid $97.20 a day, under the bill. Currently, jurors who serve more than three days get paid $30 a day.
The payments are made to jurors who are not regularly employed or who do not continue receiving their regular wages while serving on juries. Also, under the bill, payment rates would be ad
justed annually based on the inflation rate. The bill is filed for the legislative session that starts Tuesday.
by The News Service of Florida
Nine Mile Widening Project Update
March 4, 2017
Work on the Nine Mile Road widening project, between Beulah Road and Pine Forest Road, is focused on relocating utilities and clearing stormwater pond sites.
A new 16-inch water main extends the full length of the work zone, between Beulah Road and Surrey Lane (pictured top).
Work to construct one of eight stormwater retention ponds is underway. Pictured left, heavy equipment is used to clear trees and other vegetation.
The retention ponds are designed to collect storm water runoff. This reduces the potential for lowland flooding by stemming the flow of storm water to downstream areas. It also allows for natural filtration that helps remove potentially damaging contents like sediment, petroleum residue from the roadway, and pesticides from adjacent areas.
Pictured below, crews are working to install a new 16-inch water main along the south side of Nine Mile Road, adjacent to the Nature Trail subdivision. The new water main must be installed and the existing water main must be taken out of service so the new eastbound roadway can be constructed.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Extension Service: Wait Until April For Lawn Fertilizer
March 4, 2017
Most North Escambia residents want an attractive lawn this season and recent warm has weather encourages people to act now.
But, the Escambia County Extension service says to be cautious not to act too quickly with your fertilizer application. Despite warmer temperatures, it is still the recommendation to wait until April for applying nitrogen fertilizer. UF studies show that nitrogen applied before April 15 easily leaches through soil and that can lead to potential water pollution.
Escambia Extension says go ahead and use a pre-emergent herbicide in March but wait until Tax Day for fertilizer.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Green Eggs And Ham — Molino Park Elementary Celebrates Dr. Seuss
March 4, 2017
Students at Molino Park Elementary School celebrated all things Dr. Seuss on Friday.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Savanna Calhoun, ECSD, and Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Chipley Slips Past Northview
March 4, 2017
The Chipley Tigers slipped past the Northview Chiefs 6-5 Friday night Bratt with late run in the top of the seventh.
The Chiefs took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first and added additional scores in the fourth and fifth. Chipley tied the game with three runs in the fifth before their go-ahead run on an error in the seventh.
Quinton Sampson 2-4, R; Chandler Lowery 0-2, 2R, RBI; John Chivington 0-4; Zach Payne 1-4, R: Blake Reid RBI; Josh Neese 2-3, R; Seth Killam 1-3; Jared Alif RBI; Devin Stabler 0-3.
Josh Smith 4IP, 4H; 2R, 1E, 1K; Josh Neese 3IP, 3H, 4R, 2E, 4K.
Up next. Northview hosts W.S. Neal on Monday.
Boil Water Notice: Portion of Kingsfield Road And Area
March 3, 2017
THIS BOIL WATER NOTICE WAS LIFTED Sunday, March 5, 2017.
Effective immediately, a Precautionary Boil Water Notice -PBWN- has been issued by the ECUA to customers located within the following area due to loss of water pressure from a broken 8-inch water main.
The area includes:
- Kingsfield Rd., from Riddle Rd. to Portebella Place
- Ryale Drive, north of Kingsfield
- Cricket Ridge Dr.
- Cricket Cir.
- Riddle Rd.
- Summer Shade Lane
- Portebella Place
Precautionary Boil Water Notices are issued as a part of the standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs.
Residents located in the specified PBWN area are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use 8 drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes. Two independent bacteriological samples have been initiated and the advisory will be lifted as soon as possible. This process routinely takes 48 hours.
ECUA crews isolated the broken main section by inserting valves on either side of the break in order to restore service as quickly as possible, and have flushed out the lines. Residents are advised that there is a possibility of discolored water as a result of the utility work, and to flush their home’s plumbing by running their taps for a few minutes. If problems persist, customers are asked to contact ECUA Customer Service at 850-476-0480 for assistance. Precautionary boil water notice guidelines are available on the ECUA website at www.ecua.fl.gov/water-quality/boil-water-notices-and-why-we-issue-them.
$1.3 Million In State Tornado Aid Still Has Not Reached Victims
March 3, 2017
The Town of Century was awarded $1.3 million in state grants for tornado recovery and other housing assistance last November. But NorthEscambia.com learned this week that not a single dime of that money has reached Century tornado victims.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity made $600,483 in emergency funding available for recovery efforts following the February 15, 2016, EF-3 tornado. The application process for Century was basically a formality…the state announced that Century was the only local government eligible to apply for the funds.
Century was also awarded a $700,000 small cities Community Development Block Grant for housing rehabilitation and replacement that can be used for tornado recovery.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity notified the Town of Century that it had been awarded the grants in letters dated November 17, 2016. The DEO letter notified the town that the grant agreement and other required contract documents would be emailed to the town. The executed contract was required before checks would be written.
As of Thursday morning, town officials told NorthEscambia.com that, despite multiple requests, the contract documents had not yet been received by the town. Without the contracts and without checks for $1.3 million, the town had been unable to provide much needed financial assistance to tornado victims, many of which had no insurance to cover their loses.
We contacted the Florida DEO Thursday morning looking for an explanation. Director of Communications and External Affairs Erin Gillespie emailed NorthEscambia.com a short time later, advising that the director of the state program was in a meeting at Cape Canaveral until 2 p.m., and that she was unsure if we would have answers to our questions by the end of the day.
We also contacted Rep. Clay Ingram and the office of Sen. Doug Broxson.
“The grant process is very cumbersome and we are pressuring the agencies involved to streamline the process because the end result, particularly in this case, is that the people in need are not receive the funding in a timely fashion. And that is tragic,” Ingram said.
The Town of Century notified NorthEscambia.com late Thursday afternoon that the Florida DEO had finally emailed the needed contract documents on the $600,483 emergency grant. Town officials said that they expect to execute the contract and have the funding in hand shortly, at which time they should be accepting citizen aid requests.
More information on the aid application process will be posted as it become available.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Crashes Into Wooded Area Near Bratt
March 3, 2017
One person was injured in a single vehicle crash early Friday morning near Bratt.
The driver lost control while northbound on North Pine Barren Road at Jerkins Road about 1:45 a.m. The vehicle entered a wooded area off the roadway and became airborne. The driver was reported to be trapped in the vehicle but crawled out as first responders arrived on scene.
The driver was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola by Atmore Ambulance. His condition was not immediately available.
Further information has not been released by the Florida Highway Patrol as they continue their investigation.
The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
