Martin Luther King Jr. Day Marked With Parade In Atmore (With Gallery)
January 17, 2017
Martin Luther King Jr. Day programs were held across the area on Monday. In Atmore, a parde wound through the streets Monday morning.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Last Man To Walk On The Moon Dies; Remembered By Local Friend
January 17, 2017
Former U.S. astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the surface of the moon, died Monday at age 82.
Cernan was a Navy captain that trained in Pensacola. NASA chose him and 13 other astronauts for the pioneering Apollo program, created after President John F. Kennedy announced the goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. When Cernan stepped off the moon in December 1972, he left his footprints and his daughter’s initials in the lunar dust.
“He was very kind and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and experiences,” pilot David Gehman of Atmore said. Gehman and Cernan met a few years ago at a Learjet pilot meeting Kansas. They became friends, years after Gehman had watched him blast off of Kennedy Space Center on Apollo 17.
“He was a Navy pilot, and flew out of Pensacola. He was familiar with Atmore. We talked about having him come to Atmore but it never happened,” Gehman said.
“He was very kind and enjoyed sharing his knowledge and experiences.”
Cernan flew on Apollo 10 in May 1969, the final test flight before the actual moon landing two months later.
He was part of the last manned moon mission in December 1972 — Apollo 17.
“We had a lunar rover, we were able to cover more ground than most of the other missions. We stayed there a little bit longer. We went to a more challenging unique area in the mountains, to learn something about the history and the origin of the moon itself,” Cernan later recalled of the mission.
Just before leaving the moon as the last man to walk on it, Cernan said man would return there one day “with peace and hope.”
He was still waiting at the time of his death. Speaking on the 40th anniversary of the last mission, Cernan said he is not proud to be the last man to walk on the moon because of a fading interest in space travel.
“It is tremendously disappointing that here I am, 40 years later, and still hold that title,” he said.
Cernan retired from the Navy and NASA in 1976 and later did television commentary for early space shuttle flights.
Pictured top: Cernan on the moon. Pictured bottom: Cernan in the lunar module of Apollo 17. NASA photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Lady Royals Advance To Regional Weight Meet
January 17, 2017
Five members of the Jay High School ladies weightlifting team competed last week in Baker and advanced to regionals at Choctaw High School on Wednesday. They are (L-R) Trinity Palmer, sixth in her division; Kara Douglas, sixth in her division; Haven Target, fourth in her division; Haylee Watson, district champion in her division. Also pictured are their coaches, Melvin Kersey (left) and Hunter Wyrdoisk. Not pictured is Trinity Palmer, who placed fifth in her division.
Most Of Century Loses Power After Hit And Run Wreck
January 16, 2017
Most of the town of Century lost power this morning due to an apparent hit and run accident.
About 800 Gulf Power customers lost power about 7:15 a.m. due to an apparent hit and run accident involving a utility pole at North Century Boulevard and Hatties Boulevard. A vehicle apparently hit the pole, sending a power line across Highway 29 and damaging additional poles. North Century Boulevard was closed for an hour while crews worked to repair the dmage.
Power was restored about 8:15 a.m.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Hits Semi, Fence On Highway 97 Near Walnut Hill
January 16, 2017
The driver of a Honda Passport escaped serious injury in a crash with an semi-truck Monday morning in Walnut Hill.
The driver was northbound on Highway 97 at Pelt Road when she apparently rear-ended the semi, which was making a left-hand turn onto Pelt Road. The Passport continued north, leaving the roadway and striking mailboxes and a fence, stopping short of a house. The semi came to a stop on Pelt Road.
The Passport driver was transported to Atmore Community Hospital with injuries that were not considered severe. The semi driver was not injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Voter Registration Ends Tuesday For Century Special Primary Election
January 16, 2017
Residents of Century have until Tuesday to register to vote in a special election next month to fill two council seats.
Seat 2 on the council is currently held by Kevin Stead. Stead was appointed as the temporary replacement for Annie Savage, who passed away in late October. Savage had just been re-elected for another term beginning January 2017, so the election will fill the seat until 2021.
Seat 3 is currently held by Ben Boutwell. Boutwell was forced to resign his seat effective January 2 when he ran unsuccessfully for mayor during the recent election. But he was re-appointed as his own temporary replacement by the remainder of the council.
There will be a primary election February 14 if three or more candidates qualify for one or both seats. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates will face off in a general election on February 28.
If only two candidates quality for one or both seats, then there will be only a general election on February 28.
Voter registration will close Tuesday for the February 14 primary election and January 30 for the special election on February 28.
Candidates interested in either seat must be a resident of Century. Pre-qualifying will continue through January 20 at the Supervisor of Elections Office. Qualifying will be held at Century Town Hall on January 23 and January 24 from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
The qualifying fee is $35.84 (one percent of salary), plus a council fee of $15 for a total of $50.94.
If a seat is decided during the February 14 special election, swearing in will be Friday, February 24. If a seat is not decided until the February 28 election, the swearing in will be Friday, March 10.
Thief Strips Wheels From Mustang, Leaves It On Blocks In Front Of Dealership
January 16, 2017
An Atmore car dealership is asking for the public’s help in finding the person or persons responsible for stealing tire and rims off a Mustang and leaving the vehicle up on blocks in front of the business.
The car was a Mustang Shelby GT350, parked right next to Highway 21, just a few yards north of the Florida state line. The tires and rims were stolen sometime between 10 p.m. Saturday and 2:45 a.m. Sunday. The car was left up on landscaping blocks that were covered in dirt as if they were used and had been removed from a yard or business.
While an expensive loss, the dealership said these are not the $15,000 plus carbon fiber wheels found on the GT350R.
Johnson Ford is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Teen Pizza And Game Night Tuesday At The Molino Library
January 16, 2017
Teens are invited to the Molino Branch Library Tuesday at 6 p.m. for fun an pizza.
Teens 13-17 are invited to join the event at Kristi Bush from TBS Comics will teach everyone how to play the game “Codenames”.
The Molino Branch Library is located at 6450-A Highway 95A in the Molino Community Complex.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
January 16, 2017
Drivers will encounter traffic variations on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Chipley– Drivers will encounter traffic variations on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
· 12th Avenue over Bayou Texar Bridge Project- Southbound lane restriction over Bayou Texar from 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 through 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 as crew remove and repair pipe. Traffic flaggers will be on site to assist with traffic control.
· Interstate 10 (I-10) Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge-Alternating eastbound lane closures between Scenic Highway (U.S. 90/Exit 17) and Davis Highway (State Road (S.R) 291/Exit 13), from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the week of Monday, Jan. 16 to replace raised pavement markers.
· Fairfield Drive (S.R. 727/295) Resurfacing from Mobile Highway to North Pace Boulevard- Traffic on Fairfield Drive will encounter lane restrictions, a shift, and temporary detour from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 and Monday, Jan. 16 as crews perform paving operations. The westbound inside, left lane will be closed just east of Ruby Avenue and traffic shifted to the outside lane. New Warrington Road Spur under the Fairfield Drive overpass, will be temporarily closed and traffic detoured to Mobile Highway, south to the on ramp leading back to New Warrington Road.
Drivers traveling eastbound on Fairfield Drive will encounter a lane shift just west of the overpass over the New Warrington Road Spur. Traffic will be transitioned to the westbound travel lanes to bypass the Overpass, transitioning back to the eastbound lanes at Ruby Avenue. Law enforcement will be on site to assist with traffic control. Motorists are reminded to obey the posted speed limit and to watch for construction vehicles and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
· Garden Street (U.S. 98) Parade Festivities from “A Street to Tarragona Street – Garden Street will be closed to traffic between “A” Street and Tarragona Street from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16 for parade festivities. Traffic will be detoured. Law enforcement will be on site to assist with traffic control.
· U.S. 98 Maintenance Operations from the ramp from New Warrington to S. Pinewood Lane- Alternating lane closures from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16 through Thursday, Jan. 19 as crews make repairs to the roadway.
· Perdido Key Drive (S.R. 292) Resurfacing from the Alabama State line to the ICWW (Theo Baars) Bridge- Paving operations resume Tuesday, Jan. 17 beginning at the Alabama State line proceeding east. For the next two weeks lane closures will be in effect 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition there will be lane restrictions on the ICWW (Theo Baars) Bridge at the west end of the project Tuesday, Jan. 17 and Thursday, Jan. 19 as crews perform concrete work. Drivers can expect delays.
· Gregory Street (U.S. 98) Utility Work from Palafox Street to Tarragona Street- Westbound, outside lane will be closed between Palafox Street and Tarragona Street from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 and Wednesday, Jan. 18 as ECUA performs underground utility operations.
· U.S. 29 (S.R. 95) Underground Utility work from N Palafox to south of Fairfield Drive- Southbound, outside lane will be closed from the intersection of N. Palafox and Murphy Lane south to Fairfield Drive from 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 to 6 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 as crews repair a manhole.
· Davis Highway (S.R. 291) Underground Utility Work from Fairfield Drive to Brent Lane- Southbound, outside lane closed between Fairfield Drive and Brent Lane from 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19 to 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20 as crews perform underground utility work.
· U.S. 29 (S.R. 95) Widening from I-10 to 9 Mile Road- Alternating lane closures north and southbound U.S. 29 and east and westbound 9 Mile Road near the U.S. 29/9 Mile Road overpass from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews continue work on barrier wall installation and preparation for the bridge construction.
· 9 Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest to U.S. 29- Alternating lane closures continue on Untreiner Avenue as crews drive temporary sheet pile.
Santa Rosa County:
· I-10 Resurfacing from east of S.R. 87 to the Okaloosa County Line- Intermittent and alternating inside lane closures between the S.R. 87 interchange and the Okaloosa County line from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 through Thursday, Jan. 19 as crews mill and pave. Motorists are reminded the speed limit is reduced to 60 MPH within the lane closure.
· S.R. 87 Parade Festivities from Elva Street to Raymond Hobbs Street – S.R. 87 will be closed to traffic between Elva Street and Raymond Hobbs Street from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16 for parade festivities. Motorists will be detoured and law enforcement on site to assist with traffic control.
· I-10 Widening from Davis Highway (S.R. 291) to the Escambia Bay Bridge-Alternating lane closures on I-10 eastbound, between Scenic Highway (U.S. 90/Exit 17) and Davis Highway (State Road 291/Exit 13), from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the week of Monday, Jan. 16 to replace raised pavement markers.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the construction zone, and to pay attention for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work area. All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Florida House Set To Look For Ways To Cut Budget
January 16, 2017
House members are expected to consider how they would cut the state budget by anywhere from $1.1 billion to $2.2 billion as part of an exercise toward making the next spending plan balanced.
Plans for the exercises were unveiled Tuesday by House Appropriations Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, as he tried to stress the chamber’s message that the state budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1, will be incredibly tight.
“Our spending pattern is unsustainable, and this is the time to address it,” Trujillo said.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, has taken a tough line on the budget, saying that the already-small projections of a state surplus don’t take into account factors like $300 million pledged by law to be spent on counties affected by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Trujillo said Tuesday that state agencies have also pitched $594 million in additional spending that’s not accounted for by the official budget forecast used to project a surplus and that any new proposals by Gov. Rick Scott would also eat into the state’s growing revenues.
The state is expected to take in more money during the next budget year than in the current one, which ends June 30. In fact, state economists recently added $141.9 million in projected tax revenue over the next 18 months. But that represents a sliver of the state’s annual spending — less than 0.2 percent of the current budget.
And much of the expected increases in tax revenues would be eaten up by the usual cost increases for items like education funding and health-care programs.
And those trends could lead to a shortfall as soon as the 2018-19 budget year, when projections show the Legislature will be $1.3 billion short, followed by a nearly $1.9 billion hole the following year.
“Our real goal and our real task throughout the course of this committee and throughout the course of this year is going to be (finding) ways to cut, to save in order for us to meet our long-term financial obligations,” Trujillo said.
That led to the budget exercises set to be considered by House budget subcommittees, Trujillo said. The first would make a set of modest assumptions about budget growth and try to put the state on track to fix the future shortfalls over a three-year period; the other would be based on more aggressive spending by lawmakers and the resulting need to make deeper cuts to avoid the shortfalls this year.
The subcommittees are expected to report back by Feb. 13.
The House maneuver adds to a simmering question about precisely how lawmakers should approach budget decisions in the spring session, which begins March 7. It could also reignite tensions between Republicans and Democrats about how to deal with a shortfall.
For example, Rep. David Richardson, D-Miami Beach, asked Trujillo to have House staff members prepare a look at the impact of recent tax cuts on the state’s budget picture.
“I’m wondering if we have done or we can do some analysis to look back over the last four years at these tax cuts and determine which of those tax cuts have truly stimulated the economy the way they were intended to, and if they have not, whether or not we want to look at repealing that tax cut,” Richardson said.
But that suggestion drew concern from Rep. Bill Hager, R-Delray Beach.
“To repeal a tax cut means that we would be voting for tax increases,” Hager said.
Tax increases have generally been a nonstarter for Republicans.
Trujillo said he would have House staffers follow up on Richardson’s request but suggested that he didn’t believe it would solve the budget problems.
“I think it’s undisputed that our expenditures, even if we wouldn’t have cut taxes, would be much higher than the tax cuts, than the revenues we would receive from (not having) those tax cuts,” Trujillo said.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida