Peace Out: Century Health And Rehab Celebrates National Hippie Day
August 18, 2016
The residents at the Century Health and Rehabilitation Center recently celebrated “National Hippie Day”. Residents event tie-dyed their own shirts. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Burglar Busted After Getaway Vehicle Breaks Down
August 18, 2016
An alleged burglar was busted after his getaway vehicle broke down the next town over from his crime.
The burglary of the Texaco Station in Flomaton was captured on camera during the early morning hours Wednesday. While Flomaton Police Department officers were still on the scene conducting their investigation, the Brewton Police Department came in contact with 49-year old Ray Allen Capterville in a disabled vehicle in downtown Brewton.
Brewton officers reporting finding items in the vehicle that had been stolen from the store in Flomaton. Flomaton officers also identified him as their suspect from surveillance video.
Capterville as charged with burglary third, criminal mischief second and theft of property fourth degree. He was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton.
Escambia County To Host Low Impact Design Workshops
August 18, 2016
Escambia County is hosting two workshops Wednesday, Aug. 24 and Thursday, Aug. 25 to cover topics including mixed-use development, low impact design and an overview of Florida’s stormwater treatment program. Each workshop is offered twice. There is no charge for attending, and pre-registration is not required. The workshops will take place at the Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place in Pensacola.
Workshop participants should bring a laptop computer to the afternoon session. Participants should also download the BMPTRAINS software prior to the conference by clicking here.
A total of six continuing education credits will be offered through the University of Central Florida through the LID workshops. In order to obtain the credits, participants will need to: 1) attend both a morning and afternoon session, 2) bring their laptop with BMPTRAINS installed and 3) bring a check for $25 made payable to UCF Continuing Education.
Low impact design is a site design approach that utilizes Green Infrastructure to meet a project’s post-development stormwater runoff water quality requirements. The workshops and the county’s low impact design manual for development were a result of recommendations made by the Stormwater Advisory Team. Escambia County, in conjunction with the city of Pensacola, established SWAT in 2014 as part of a goal to reform the county’s stormwater policy after the historic 2014 April Floods. The LID manual and workshops were made possible through a Section 319 Grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Who should attend?
The LID workshops are open to the public, but are especially recommended for:
- Architects
- Engineers
- Environmental professionals
- Planners
- Developers
- Contractors
- Anyone interested in the application of low impact design principles in Escambia County
Session I – LID Overview Workshop is scheduled for:
- Wednesday, Aug. 24, 8:30 a.m. to noon or
- Thursday, August 25, 8:30 a.m. to noon
LID Overview Workshop Objectives – To ensure that participants have a good understanding of:
- Florida’s water resource management program framework
- Florida’s stormwater program legal and technical framework
- The principles of Low Impact Design and LID BMPs
- How improved site planning and using LID BMPs can increase development flexibility, environmental benefits, and cost benefits.
- The design criteria, stormwater treatment mechanisms, construction and operation/maintenance of the LID BMPs in the Escambia County LID Manual.
- How LID BMPs have been used successfully locally and in Florida
- How the BMPTRAINS Model can be used to evaluate the costs and treatment effectiveness of LID BMPs use in BMP Treatment Trains.
Session II – LID Case Study Design Workshop is scheduled for:
- Wednesday, Aug. 24, 1-4:30 p.m. or
- Thursday, Aug. 25, 1-4:30 p.m.
LID Case Study Design Workshop Objectives – To ensure that participants have a good understanding of:
- The design and construction of LID BMPs.
- The advantages and disadvantages of conventional BMPs and LID BMPs.
- The use of the BMPTRAINS model.
- The costs and treatment effectiveness of conventional BMPs and LID BMPs using the BMPTRAINS model.
For more information, contact Brent Wipf, Environmental Programs Manager at 850-595-3445 or bawipf@myescambia.com.
Eight Days Of Early Voting Begins Saturday In Escambia County
August 18, 2016
Early voting begins Saturday, with seven sites available for eight days in Escambia County for the August Primary Election.
Early voting is available each day Saturday, August 20, through Saturday, August 27 at the following locations:
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A North, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Escambia County Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 N. 9th Avenue, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Bellview-Saufley, 916 W Michigan Avenue, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Main Library, 239 N. Spring Street, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Early voters cast paper ballots through digital scanners and may choose any one of the seven sites.
Another option for voters is to cast a vote-by-mail ballot, which can be requested through the online form at EscambiaVotes.com, or by e-mail (votebymail@escambiavotes.com), phone (850) 595-3900, mail, or fax (850) 595-3914. Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and address, and must be received no later than Wednesday, August 24. Voted ballots must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location. The Postal Service recommends voters mail ballots at least one week before the due date. Vote-by-mail participants may track the status of their ballot at EscambiaVotes.com.
The third option for voters is to cast a ballot at their precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, August 30. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Florida is a closed primary state. In a primary election, voters may only vote for candidates in their party of registration unless there is a universal primary contest, a nonpartisan contest, or other issue on the ballot. Voters are reminded to bring their photo and signature ID with them to the polls and are encouraged to visit EscambiaVotes.com for complete voting information or contact the Elections Office by phone or e-mail with any questions.
Fall Ball Registration Saturdays At Molino Ballpark
August 18, 2016
The Molino Ballpark will hold registration for Fall Ball on the next three Saturdays.
Registration will be 10 a.m. until noon August 20, August 27 and September 3. Registration is $55 per child. T-ball is for ages 4-6; baseball for ages 7-15 and softball for ages 7-16.
Blue Wahoos Drop Opener To The Mississippi Braves
August 18, 2016
With a four-run inning in the fifth, the Mississippi Braves won the first game of the series, 6-3, at Trustmark Park over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Southern League South Division leader Mississippi improved to 32-18, while Pensacola drops to 25-26 in the second half.
Mississippi was powered by first basemen Jacob Schrader who hit two blasts and drove in three runs. He was 3-4 and now has 12 homer and 38 RBIs for the Braves this season.
Mississippi overcame Pensascola when it scored four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Pinch hitter Levi Hyams singled to lead off the inning and second baseman Ozzie Albies also singled. Pensacola starter Jackson Stephens struck out the next two batters but then gave up the game-winning single to third baseman Carlos Franco that drove in both Hyams and Albies for a 4-3 Braves lead.
Schrader, who is hitting .318 in August, then put the game away by jacking his second home run of the game, a two-run shot to left center field, that also brought in Franco to put the Braves ahead, 6-3.
The game matched Pensacola right hander Jackson Stephens against Mississippi lefty Sean Newcomb who are the top two strikeout artists in the Southern League.
All six Braves runs were scored off of Pensacola’s Stephens. Schrader’s second long ball chased him from the game. The 22-year-old righty worked 4.2 innings and gave up nine hits and struck out five for 120 on the season, which is good for second in the Southern League. Stephens dropped to 8-11 on the year and his ERA jumped to 3.29 this season.
Braves southpaw Newcomb, who had been pitching strong in August allowing opponents just a .175 average, evened his record to 7-7 with a 4.10 ERA. In his previous three starts, he had pitched 17.2 innings and given up just two earned runs, while striking out 25. He leads the Southern League with 133 strikeouts this season.
Pensacola went ahead, 3-2, in the fifth inning when right fielder Sebastian Elizalde hit a deep fly ball to center field to drive in second baseman Alex Blandino.
Mississippi tied the game, 2-2, in the bottom of the third inning when center fielder Connor Lien tripled in Albies, who had doubled to center field.
The Blue Wahoos center fielder Brandon Dixon doubled to center field to drive in Elizalde in the top of the third inning to put Pensacola on top, 2-1.
Mississippi’s Schrader hit his first homer of the game when he jacked a solo shot over the center field wall in the bottom of the second inning to tie Pensacola, 1-1.
Pensacola scored first when they loaded the bases in the first inning. Shortstop Zach Vincej grounded into a force out that allowed Blandino to score from third.
Phillip Ervin and Elizalde both had two-hit games Wednesday to lead the Blue Wahoos. Ervin was 2-4 and stole his 32nd base of the season. Meanwhile, Elizalde had his team-leading 26th multi-hit game of the season and his eighth in the last 11 games by going 2-3 with a run scored and driving in his 39th RBI of the year.
Century’s Historic District To Remain; About $1 Million For Tornado Rehab
August 17, 2016
The repair or replacement of about 30 percent of the residential properties in the in the Alger-Sullivan Historical District due to the February tornado will likely not impact the area’s listing on then National Register of Historical Places.
That was the word Tuesday afternoon from Jason Aldridge, deputy state historic preservation officer from the Florida Department of State, Bureau of Historic Preservation, Division of Historical Resources.
The historic district includes 45 buildings on about 230 acres, and is roughly bounded by Pinewood Avenue, Front Street, Jefferson Avenue, Church Street and Mayo Street. Numerous structures in the historic district were damaged or destroyed by the EF-3 tornado that struck Century six months ago.
About $800,000 to $1 million in grant and housing funds are expected to be available to make the repairs or replacements for needy homeowners, most of which did not have insurance on their shotgun-style houses that were built as worker housing about 100 years ago by the lumber company.
“You still have a historic core here,” Aldridge said. “We want to rehab these houses as possible, but you won’t lose your status (on the National Register)…generally we don’t like to remove things.”
Pensacola architect Carter Quina will design the replacement homes — historically accurate with modern amenities and compliance for the disabled. Most of the homes will be on Front Street.
“We have photos of all the current houses that will be replaced,” he said. “(In the replacement home) there may be a little image of the original house in there, but less grand old wasted space.” And true to the shotgun houses of the period, each home will have a front porch “for the sitters that like the share the news up and down the street”.
Once funding is approved, it should only take a matter of weeks to obtain permits and four to five months to construct a home after a lot is cleared, Quina said.
Pictured top: A typical tornado damaged shotgun house on Front Street in Century. Pictured inset: Alger Sullivan Historical Society member Jerry Fischer (seated) listens to Jason Aldridge, deputy state historic preservation officer during a meeting Tuesday at the Leach House Museum. Pictured below: Historic district residents review a district map. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Arrested For March Murder
August 17, 2016
An Escambia County man was arrested Tuesday afternoon for a March murder.
William Hurst Peters III, 35, was charged with homicide for the March 11 murder of Cynthia Finney. Escambia County firefighters found Finney’s body inside her burning home.
DNA evidence played a major role in the homicide investigation, leading to Peters’ arrest, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Peters was already serving time in jail on child abuse charges. He has been arrested 21 times previously, including two juvenile felony arrests, deputies said.
He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $
Child Abuse Charge Upgraded To First Degree Murder
August 17, 2016
An Escambia County man is now charged with murder in connection with a child’s death.
Alonzo Thompkins, 26, has been in the Escambia County Jail since last week on two counts of aggravated child abuse. Now, one count has been upgraded to first degree murder for the death of 2-year old Cornelius Savage who died August 8. The charged was upgraded based upon a preliminary autopsy report that showed the child died in Thompkins’ care.
Police were dispatched to the residence around 9 a.m. August 8 after the child’s mother returned home and found her two-year-old son was not breathing. Thompkins had been left alone with the 2-year-old male, who was the son of Thompkins’ girlfriend.
Thompkins was arrested August 8 after the child died. The second charge was placed on him August 9 after an investigation determined a three-year-old child in the residence had multiple bruises on her body and a broken collar bone.
The investigation is continuing, according to authorities.
Gulf Power To Seek Rate Increase
August 17, 2016
Gulf Power plans this fall to seek an increase in base rates for electricity, saying current rates “do not produce sufficient revenues for us to be able to continue adequately serving our customers and maintain the company’s financial integrity,” according to a filing with the Florida Public Service Commission.
The Pensacola-based utility, which serves larges parts of Northwest Florida, did not provide detailed figures but indicated it likely will seek an increase of $115 million to $125 million. The filing also indicated a full rate proposal will be filed with the Public Service Commission in October.
The regulatory commission later will hold a detailed hearing before deciding whether to approval the proposal, a process that takes months.
“Securing our customers’ energy future requires a balanced energy mix that includes renewables and 24/7 energy sources like natural gas and low-cost coal that’s cleaner than ever,” said Stan Connally, Gulf Power chairman, president & CEO. “Energy security also includes reliability — since 2010, Gulf Power has improved its reliability by 40 percent and we must continue that trend of improvement.”
Gulf Power last requested an increase in 2013. In 2012, the utility’s customers saw the largest price decrease in Gulf Power’s history, a decrease of nearly $10 per month for the typical customer. Again in January 2016, customers received a decrease that lowered the bill $3.71 per month.
“As we continue to secure future energy needs for our customers, we have to make sure our systems are resilient so that we can continue to deliver safe, clean and reliable energy and continue to meet the energy needs of our customers today, tomorrow and into the future,” Connally added.
In a five-page document notifying the commission of its plans, Gulf Power pointed to factors such as investments in its infrastructure and slow sales growth
“As evidenced by our strong levels of customer satisfaction, Gulf continues to provide safe, reliable service to our customers,” said the document, filed Friday. “However, the fact remains that growth in base rate revenues has not kept pace with the cost of providing service to our customers. Adequate rate relief through an increase in base rates is necessary now in order for Gulf to have the capability to continue providing our customers with safe and reliable electric service at reasonable prices.”
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.