Gun Sales Soar After Orlando Shooting
June 20, 2016
Gun sales have dramatically increased in Florida in the wake of Sunday’s mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub that left 49 people dead and dozens wounded.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement ran 9,854 background checks Sunday, Monday and Tuesday on people hoping to buy firearms, more than double the 4,468 during the same time frame in 2015. Another 3,956 background checks were conducted Wednesday, according to state numbers. Also, gun ranges and businesses offering concealed-weapons classes said they are seeing a spike in business.
“Anytime there is a tragedy around the United States, where people perceive that had they been armed they could have made a difference, it increases our feeling of vulnerability,” said Charlie Strickland, co-owner of the Talon Training Group gun range in Tallahassee. “In our country, you’ll see a corresponding increase in the purchase of firearms and an increase in training.”
Last year, more than 885,000 background checks were conducted for gun purchases in Florida, a record number. The state is on track to break that record in 2016, as month-to-month background check comparisons show an increase for every month when compared to the same time in 2015.
Pensacola First Half South Division Champions
June 20, 2016
On Father’s Day, Eric Jagielo had his dad, Steve, in the stands watching him play.
He treated his dad to one of the best Father’s Day gifts possible by hitting a walk-off single with two outs that hugged the third base line and bounced over the third base bag, scoring Pensacola second baseman Brandon Dixon for a 2-1 victory over Mobile.
Not only did his dad celebrate but the 18th sellout crowd of 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium went wild. The Blue Wahoos went wild after the game mostly spraying each other with about three dozen bottles of iced champagne.
Jagielo came in for Kyle Parker to play first base in the ninth inning. He came to the plate hitting .198 before the game-winning hit that upped his average to .202.
“My dad was in the stands on Father’s Day,” Jagielo said. “I just let my instincts take over as who I am as a baseball player. I’m not going to say it’s a storybook ending but it left a good feeling for the entire day.”
The Blue Wahoos improved Sunday to 41-29 – the most victories by Pensacola in a half in its five-year history. The Blue Wahoos were also perfect at home winning all seven series.
Meanwhile, Biloxi lost the opening game of a doubleheader, 2-1, against the Jacksonville Suns, so Pensacola knew it won the division crown in the bottom of the first inning. The Shuckers finished 39-30, 1.5 games back of Pensacola.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said he preferred winning it the “Wahoo Way” as his players have dubbed it. It means winning on a walk-off hit, which Pensacola has done in five of the last 10 games and they tied the club record with seven walk-offs on the year.
The win was even more special to Kelly, he said, because they won the division by earning a victory.
“This team just finds ways to win,” said Kelly, who was drenched with champagne by his players, while conducting an interview with the media on the field. “We’re not doing anything all game but we stay close and have a chance to win in the ninth. We turn it on in the last three innings.”
It was a not-so-secret secret that the Blue Wahoos had won their second straight South Division title with players giving each other high fives and hugs in the dugout near the beginning of the game. The team broke the news in the middle of the eighth inning to the Pensacola fans by projecting “South Division Champions” on the scoreboard. The sold out crowd gave the team a loud standing ovation.
Like it has done a lot lately, Pensacola tied the score, 1-1, when left fielder Tony Renda hit a high pop up half way between third base and left field near the line. Mobile shortstop Ildemaro Vargas and left fielder Cody Regis collided and the ball dropped to the ground. Neither Vargas or Regis moved to pick up the ball as Renda raced around the bases for an inside the park home run. It was his first homer of the year for Pensacola.
It was his first inside the park home run since T-ball, said Renda. His .326 average gave him the Southern League first half batting crown.
“It was always drilled into me to run hard because you never know what’s going to happen,” said Renda, who has hit in 20 of his last 22 games at a .413 clip. “I thought, ‘You know, you should run. I saw them both lying on the ground. It was good.”
The Southern League All-Star added, “It’s fun. One of the best feelings you can have is cold champagne running down your back. What a way to win the game.”
The BayBears led, 1-0, in the second inning when Vargas doubled in the right center gap with two outs and then scored on catcher Ronnie Freeman’s bloop single.
Pensacola also got a quality start by Nick Travieso, who was the Blue Wahoos opening day starter. Travieso threw six innings, giving up one earned run on three hits, two walks and struck out two. He lowered his ERA to 4.91, which is below 5.00 for the first time since May 28.
Travieso said he’s been working hard with Pensacola pitching coaches and in the weight room to get back to his form that made him the Cincinnati Reds’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2014.
“In the second inning, I saw the guys celebrating,” Travieso said. “I knew I had a job to take care of. I wanted to come in and win it. We have a bunch of guys who are hungry.”
The ever-popular Ray Chang made his second appearance in a game in June in the sixth inning. He walked and hit an infield single to shortstop. He also showed flashy fielding in the hot corner picking up a slow roller with his bare hand in the seventh inning to get the speedy Mobile shortstop Ildemaro Vargas. In the eighth inning, Chang back handed a hard hit grounder behind the third base bag and robbed a hit from first baseman Kevin Cron.
Asked which division title was more fun, Chang hesitated. It was his second game in a row that he’s played this month. He said he had the jitters just like he did when he played his first game ever.
“Probably the second time,” said Chang. “You kind of know what to expect. I don’t know. It’s a tie. It’s awesome.”
Unemployment Rate Drops In North Escambia
June 19, 2016
The latest job numbers released show the employment rate falling in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida, while inching upwards in Alabama.
Escambia County’s seasonably adjusted unemployment rate fell from 4.7 percent in April to 4.4 percent in May. There were 6,188 people reported unemployed during the period. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 5.7 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment decreased from 4.2 percent to 4.0 percent from April to May. Santa Rosa County had a total of 2,905 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 4.8 percent.
In Escambia County, Alabama, unemployment increased slightly from 6.0 percent in April to 6.3 percent in May. That represented 928 people unemployed in the county during the month. One year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County, Alabama, was 7.0 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.8 percent in April to 4.7 percent in May, with the new rate representing an estimated 457,000 people being out of work, according to state Department of Economic Opportunity figures released Friday. The numbers reflect a projected 16,000 fewer people qualified as unemployed from April to May, while the workforce of 9.8 million has shrunk by 30,000 in the same time. The state unemployment mark now matches the federal rate, which dropped from 5 percent to 4.7 percent between April and May.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 6.1 percent in May, was unchanged from April’s rate of 6.1 and was also unmoved from the year-ago rate of 6.1 percent.
The jobless numbers released by Florida and Alabama do not include persons that have given up on finding a job and are no longer reported as unemployed.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Birthday Party Held For Rescue Horse
June 19, 2016
Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment held a 32nd birthday party for Sky, their second rescue horse, and an open house event on Saturday.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Crews Deploy To Restore Power In Alabama
June 19, 2016
Following a round of Friday night storms that left customers without power across the Southeast, Gulf Power crews headed north Saturday to help sister company Alabama Power restore power in the Montgomery area.
A storm team of more than 60 crew and support staff from Gulf Power along with 15 distribution line contractors will assist in storm restoration after a state of emergency was declared due to widespread power outages caused by Friday’s storms.
According to a release from the office of the Alabama governor, Robert Bentley, the declaration will allow crews from other states, including Gulf Power, to assist in the restoration of power until Tuesday. Alabama Power crews worked overnight to restore 42,000 power outages statewide, with the majority of the outages in Mobile, where 13,500 customers were still without power by Saturday morning.
“Our crews worked through the night to restore power here in Northwest Florida due to the same storm system,” said Rick DelaHaya, Gulf Power spokesperson. “Once we have completed our restoration efforts, our crews will travel to help our sister company. That’s the power of being a part of Southern Company — to be able to call on sister companies for help . We make every effort to respond as quickly and safely as possible to unforeseen weather events, whether right here at home or for our neighbors.”
The Gulf Power crews deployed from various company locations including Pensacola, Crestview and Chipley.
File photo.
Couple Hosts Appreciation Picnic For Beulah VFD
June 19, 2016
The Beulah community turned out Saturday afternoon for a Beulah Volunteer Fire Department Appreciation Picnic.
The event was hosted by Donna and Joe Meeks at their Live Oak Plantation in Beulah and included grilled Conecuh Sausage, hot dogs, other food, games and music.
“Joe and I thought it would be fitting to show them just how much everyone in Beulah appreciate them and their families for all their hard work, time and effort they give for all of us with little or no recognition,” Donna Meeks wrote on Facebook.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bear Hunt Proposal Ready For Wildlife Commission
June 19, 2016
A bear hunt this fall would be broken into three four-day periods, with hunters applying on a first-come, first-served basis for permits that would be specific to dates and areas, under a staff recommendation that will go before the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday.
The recommendation to hold the state’s second bear hunt in the past 20 years expands on a proposal from state biologists without offering hard numbers of bears that could be killed or suggesting a number of permits that could be made available or the costs of permits.
Tammy Sapp, a spokeswoman for the commission, said more specifics will be discussed when the commission begins a two-day meeting Wednesday in the Franklin County community of Eastpoint.
The staff recommendation, posted online, is among four proposals that have been put before the commission, including holding a hunt similar to one last October, delaying another hunt until 2017 or prohibiting a hunt for the next several years.
“The staff recommendation is to continue to use hunting to slow the growth of bear populations,” said the recommendation by Diane Eggeman, director of the Division of Hunting and Game Management. “The new hunt format, which would begin in 2016, would be modified to increase precision and accountability.”
Under the staff recommendation, the first hunting period would begin Oct. 21, with the second four-day period starting Oct. 26 and the third Oct. 31.
A hunt last October was planned for up to seven days but was called off after two days as hunters quickly approached the quota of 320 bears.
The overall number of bears targeted this year could be up from last year as the state has increased its estimate of adult black bears to 4,350. For the 2015 hunt, in which 304 bears were killed, the agency estimated there were about 3,500 bears in the state.
Saying the state should focus on non-lethal ways to reduce human-bear interactions, the group Stop The Florida Bear Hunt contends the proposed changes offer little difference from last year’s controversial hunt.
The group has implored members on it Facebook page to voice objections to commission members and plans to hold a series of protest rallies across the state on Saturday.
“The upcoming meeting is most likely a dog and pony show to act like they care what the public thinks,” the group said on Facebook. “There is no way they can enforce any of these rules. It is left up to the trophy hunter using the honor system.”
Kate MacFall, Florida state director for The Humane Society, wants the commission to reject the hunt.
“I think the commissioners will have an open mind, and I hope they will listen to the will of the people of Florida,” MacFall said. “Clearly it’s a very unpopular hunt and just to cater to the will of the trophy hunters doesn’t make sense.”
Last year, the state sold 3,778 permits at a cost of $100 to state residents and $300 for out-of-state residents. The state did not limit the number of permits sold, and hunters were allowed to pick any of the areas of the state open for the hunt, regardless of the number of hunters or bears believed to be in the regions.
The staff recommendation for this year seeks to refine the hunting zones to areas where calls and incidents about human-bear conflicts are more common and would limit the number of hunters allowed in each zone at one time.
“This limited hunt option would allow FWC to hold a more precise bear hunt using the data and information collected including the latest bear population science,” Eggeman wrote in her recommendation.
Gun-rights organizations have urged the commission to increase the number of days from the 2015 hunt as a way to reduce the bear population and the potential for human-bear conflicts.
The staff recommendation would impose additional rules against hunting near game-feeding stations and would prohibit killing bears if other bears, including cubs are nearby. Hunters would also be issued tags that they would be required to place on bears immediately after the kill to enhance enforcement.
Based on a map that will be shown to the commission on Wednesday, hunting could be opened in 32 counties from the Panhandle counties of Bay, Jackson and Washington counties east to the Atlantic Ocean, omitting Nassau and Duval counties.
In Southwest Florida, the hunt would be allowed in Collier, Lee and Hendry counties, according to the map.
New Traffic Signal Now Active At Hwy 297A And Pine Cone Drive
June 19, 2016
A new traffic signal is now active at Highway 297A and Pine Cone Drive. The signal was installed by Escambia County at a cost of $167,705.50 to Ingram Signalization, Inc. It was funded with Local Option Sales Tax monies. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Robbery Suspects Arrested; SWAT Nabs 3 At Hotel, Two Arrested Later
June 18, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has arrested five people in connection with the robbery of a Nine Mile Road gas station.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said one 18-year old adult and two teen juveniles were taken into custody at the Magnuson Inn on Pensacola Boulevard by the ECSO SWAT team and the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force.
The Sheriff’s Office later arrested Ryan Cheney and Michelle Gagne in the Perdido Key area. He allegedly fired his weapon during the armed robbery of the Raceway Gas Station on Nine Mile Road and Fowler Avenue near Lowes about 8:20 Wednesday night. There were no injuries in that robbery.
Gagne was described as an accomplice by Morgan.
Cheney was charged with robbery, as was 18-year old Hunter Lafoe of St. Laconia, NH. Gagne was being held in the Escambia County Jail as a fugitive from justice. All three were also wanted in Hancock County, MS, according to jail records. Details on charges against the two teen juveniles have not been released.
The sheriff said the suspects may have been involved in robberies in other states, including Mississippi and along the East Coast, but he declined to provide exact locations.
Gagne and Cheney were tracked down after tips received after their images were posted by NorthEscambia.com and two other media outlets, according to Morgan.
“You were picking up your phones, you were texting us, you were calling in telling us where these suspects were at,” Morgan said just after the arrests. “It (the arrests) were due solely to our community involvement….thank you Escambia County, we can rest easier tonight.”
For more information on the Raceway robbery, click here.
Photos by Kristi Barbour, Johnathon Hilliard and others for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Highway 29, Highway 97 Crash
June 18, 2016
One person was injured in a two vehicle crash Friday night at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino.
One vehicle came to rest on Highway 97 at the intersection, while the second came to rest north of the intersection in the edge of a wooded area alongside Highway 29.
The driver of the vehicle in the wooded area was transported by Escambia County EMS to a Pensacola area hospital with injuries that were not considered serious. The driver of the other vehicle refused medical treatment at the scene.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details. including the names of the drivers, have not been released. The Molino and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
