Hawkins Sworn In As Century’s New Mayor; Boutwell Appointed To Seat
January 3, 2017
Century’s first new mayor in nine years was sworn into office Monday night, and a council member that resigned was temporarily appointed back to his seat hours later.
In November’s election, former council member Henry Hawkins defeated incumbent two-term mayor Freddie McCall. Hawkins took the oath of office before a small crowd of supporters Monday night during the Century council’s first meeting of the year.
Re-elected incumbent council member Ann Brooks was also sworn in Monday night for her third term.
The council also appointed Ben Boutwell to the council temporarily to fill the seat from which he resigned. Boutwell ran unsuccessfully for mayor last fall. That required him to resign effective January 1.
The council voted 3-1 to reappoint Boutwell back to his seat. Council member Gary Riley voted unsuccessfully to appoint outgoing mayor Freddie McCall to the council.
A special election will be held in February to permanently fill the seat to which Boutwell was reappointed and the seat temporarily held by Kevin Stead. Stead was appointed to fill a vacancy created by the death of Annie Savage.
Pictured top: Henry Hawkins (center) is sworn in as mayor of Century Monday night by Town Clerk Leslie Howington as Bishop Russell Fountain holds the Bible. Pictured bottom: Ann Brooks (center) is sworn into office for a third term. Pictured inset: Hawkins at the council table. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Road And Bridge Closures Due To Flooding
January 3, 2017
The following roads in Escambia County were closed, or not safely passable, due to flooding as of Tuesday morning:
- South Pineville Road at Brushy Creek Bridge
- Occie Phillips Road at Brushy Creek Bridge
- Mobile Highway at Fairfield Drive
- Woodrun Road from Woodrun Lane To Woodrun Road
- Barrineau Park Road at the Pedido River bridge
- University Parkway at Hillview Drive
- North Navy Boulevard at New Warrington Road
This report was compiled with information from Escambia County, the Florida Highway Patrol and verified NorthEscambia.com reader reports.
Pictured top: Gibson Road in Molino. Pictured below, in top to bottom order: South Pineville Road at Brushy Creek, Occie Phillips Road at Brushy Creek, Highway 196/Barrineau Park Road at the Perdido River into Alabama. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
State Fire Marshal Investigating Molino Vehicle Fire
January 3, 2017
The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a suspicious vehicle fire Monday night near Molino.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call on Highway 95A near Adams Road about 10:30 p.m. to find the SUV involved in fire. Area residents told firefighters that the vehicle had been abandoned on the roadside several hours before the blaze.
There were no injuries reported. The fire closed Highway 95A for about an hour.
Reader submitted and Kristi Barbour photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Legislative Delegation Public Hearing Is Wednesday
January 3, 2017
The Escambia County State Legislative Delegation will hold a public hearing Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio, located at 1000 College Boulevard in Pensacola.
Delegation members will consider local bills, hear presentations from government entities and take public testimony on proposals for the 2017 Legislative Session. Any member of the public is welcomed to attend. The signup deadline has passed for those wishing to make a presentation or provide testimony.
The Escambia County State Legislative Delegation includes Senator Doug Broxson, Representative Clay Ingram, and Representative Frank White.
Gun Issue, Stand Your Ground To Get Airing In Senate
January 3, 2017
State lawmakers will have their first chance to discuss a controversial measure that would expand how and where Florida’s more than 1.67 million concealed-weapons license holders can carry handguns.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Greg Steube, is scheduled Jan. 10 to take up the measure (SB 140), which would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry handguns in public and also would allow them to be armed on college and university campuses.
Under the bill, they also could carry guns at airport passenger terminals; in elementary and secondary schools; and at legislative and local government meetings.
Steube is sponsoring the bill, which is matched in part by separate proposals in the House.
During the 2016 session, open-carry and campus-carry measures failed to advance through the Senate Judiciary Committee, which was chaired by former Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami. He lost a re-election bid in November. The campus-carry proposal has been opposed by university and college leaders, campus law-enforcement officials and faculty members.
Also on the Jan. 10 agenda is a measure (SB 128) that would shift the burden of proof in “stand your ground” self-defense cases. The bill would shift the burden of proof to prosecutors during evidentiary hearings in such cases.
The bill stems from a Florida Supreme Court ruling in 2015 that said defendants have the burden of proof to show they should be shielded from prosecution under the “stand your ground” law. In “stand your ground” cases, pre-trial evidentiary hearings are held to determine whether defendants should be immune from prosecution.
The same proposal passed the Senate during the 2016 session but failed to get to the House floor.
by The News Service of Florida
Driver Buries Wrecked Vehicle Deep Into Wooded Area
January 3, 2017
A driver buried his vehicle deep in the woods late Monday night.
A passerby found the man wandering around Highway 95A at Quintette Road just before midnight. Firefighters arrived to find that the man had wrecked his vehicle, and it came to rest well over 150 feet into a wooded area.
The man refused medical treatment.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the call.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2016 In Photos: August
January 3, 2017
Today, we continue our look back at the year 2016 in photos with a look at August.
One person was killed during an explosion at the Airgas plant in Cantonment.
The Tate Aggies hit the road for a season opener win against Biloxi.
The Northview Chiefs opened their season with a loss on the road to Crestview.
Century Mayor Freddie McCall announced that the town was applying for $1.3 million in housing and tornado recovery grants.
The Florida Department of Transportation installed signage on two dangerous curves in Century.
ECUA and Escambia County held a held a kick-off ceremony to mark the opening of ECUA’s Interim Materials Recycling Facility, or IMRF, at the Perdido Landfill.
The State Attorney charged four members of a Century Citizens Advisory Task Force with a non-criminal Sunshine Law violation.
“We Back The Blue” yard signs aooeared across the North Escambia area to show support for local law enforcement. This sign was on Mayo Street near Hecker Road in Century.
It was announced in August that many historic homes would be repaired or rebuilt following a February tornado.
Students headed back to class in the North Escambia area.
Free backpacks and school supplies were distributed in Century to hundreds of children in need, thanks to a family honoring the memory of one of their own, in a program called “Dedria’s Gift”
Fire destroyed a mobile home near Walnut Hill.
An open house was held at the new Century Academy, a private, non-profit K-12 school that will specialize in teaching children diagnosed with autism and other related learning disabilities.
The City of Atmore officially signed off on an agreement with Hunstville-based Brown-Precision that will bring 100 new jobs and a multi-million dollar investment to a new industrial park. And officials say they hope it is just the beginning of the job announcements in a new aerospace corridor.
A thunderstorm brought heavy rains, flooding the Highway 29, Highway 97 intersection.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held a “Milkshake With A School Resource Officer” event at Chick-fil-A on Nine Mile Road.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Car Strikes Downed Tree In Cantonment
January 2, 2017
The driver of a vehicle struck a tree as it fell on Highway 95A behind Faith Chapel Funeral Home in Cantonment this afternoon. The person was not injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
An individual with a large truck had pulled the tree out of the roadway prior to these photographs. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Pineville Road, Occie Phillips Bridges Flooded
January 2, 2017
A small number of residents of South Pineville Road in northern Escambia County are nearly stuck at home tonight due to the flooding of two bridges on two different access routes to their area.
The Brushy Creek Bridge on South Pineville Road is complete impassable due to flood waters (pictured top), while a second route to the area on Occie Phillips Road (below) is also flooded at Brushy Creek.
Unless the dirt Pineville Road floods or becomes impassable, the residents do have a lengthy detour to Arthur Brown Road to leave their homes.
Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Recovery Begins After Sunday Storms
January 2, 2017
Recovery efforts were underway Sunday afternoon after a damaging thunderstorm blew through the Old Chemstrand and Ten Mile Road areas about 4 a.m.
For a recovery effort photo gallery, click here.
For a storm damage photo gallery, click here.
Here’s the latest information on Sunday’s storm in the Ensley area:
Damage/Injuries
- The American Red Cross completed their needs assessment of the impacted area. They are providing short term housing assistance to six families living in the most severely damaged homes.
- Gulf Power reports that all of their feeder lines in the area have been repaired.
- An estimated 30 homes are expected to have some level of damage in the Ensley area. A more accurate damage assessment will be available as assessments are complete.
- Ashton Brosnaham Park is closed until further notice. Two buildings sustained roof damaged, several fields have fence and bleacher damage, and the fields are unsafe due to debris.
- Lipscomb Elementary School was observed to have damage to the building.
- No injuries have been reported.
Road Closures
- All roads are now open.
- If you see standing water, do not drive through it. Turn around, don’t drown. Standing water creates a serious road hazard, even when only a portion of the roadway is flooded. Motorists should always avoid crossing flooded streets and should never attempt to cross flooded bridges.
Reader submitted and NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
