NC Company Finds Utility Savings For The Town Of Century
May 19, 2016
The Town of Century recently contracted with a North Carolina company to audit the town’s electric bills and look for potential savings.
The company, Utility Management Services, recently reporting finding a rate saving of $1,478 per year. Under their contract, the town will pay one-half the annual savings — $739 — to the company for their services.
The savings were calculated “using a metric of measure kilowatt demand, total usage, load factor percentage and on peak usage,” according to the town.
Crawfish Company Donates $5K To Tate Showband’s Hawaii Trip
May 19, 2016
Cordova Crawfish Company presented a $5,000 donation to the Tate High School Showband of the South. The donation came after the boosters and students helped volunteer for CCC during their inaugural year as vendors at the 2016 Crawfish Festival. The Tate Showband is raising funds to perform in Hawaii in a mass band to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 2016. Pictured are Showband Director Mike Philley, along with Chad Bonner and Shelby Phillips from Cordova Crawfish Company. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Students Named Florida State FFA Degree Candidates
May 19, 2016
The Florida FFA has announced the names of students who have been selected as candidates to receive the coveted State FFA Degree. The State FFA Degree is highest honor bestowed upon any regular member of the Florida FFA Assocation.
Each candidate will be recognized and will receive their degree on the main stage during 88th Florida FFA Convention on Friday, June 17 in Orlando.
2016 State FFA Degree candidates from Escambia County Schools are:
Northview High School: Kaitlyn Nicole Kleinatland, Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds, Haylee Alease Weaver, Courtney Bryce Weekly.
Tate High School: Owen Phillip Carter, Rachel Joy Grammer, Heath Haydon Herndon, Bricen Trace Iannone, Victoria Lynnne Kent, Patra Nicole Miller, Michael Austin Rising
West Florida High School: Miranda Marie Vidak
State To Study End Of ‘No-Fault’ Insurance
May 19, 2016
The state plans to undertake a study that would determine what would happen if Florida’s no-fault auto insurance program is scrapped.
According to a request for proposals posted by the Office of Insurance Regulation, the study is expected to find “the potential impact to Floridians if the personal injury protection coverage requirements were repealed and replaced with varying levels of bodily injury coverage, or if the current requirements to purchase auto insurance were completely repealed.”
The no-fault system is commonly referred to as “PIP,” which is shorthand for personal-injury protection coverage.
The objective of the study, which was first reported by The Palm Beach Post, is also to determine the effect of a 2012 law intended to reduce fraud in the no-fault system. An actuarial consulting firm is expected to be awarded the contract for the study on May 27, with the study expected to cost up to $125,000. A draft of the study’s findings is expected to be completed by Aug. 26, with a final report presented to Gov. Rick Scott, the Senate president and House speaker on Sept. 2.
Under the decades-old no-fault system, motorists are required to carry personal-injury protection coverage that includes $10,000 in medical benefits.
by The News Service of Florida
Escambia Holds Exercise To Prep For Hurricanes
May 19, 2016
Category Hurricane Kimo slammed into Escambia County Wednesday with winds of 150 mph — in a drill. The Escambia County Emergency Operations Center was activated for the annual exercise as dozens of agencies came together to sharpen their response and recovery skills. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Win With Three-Run Rally In Eighth
May 19, 2016
Kyle Parker hit a blooper that landed between the second baseman and right fielder for a double to snap an 0-19 slump and drive in the go-ahead run.
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos first baseman then ultimately scored the winning run when second baseman Brandon Dixon hit a sharp liner to right field, as the Cincinnati Reds Double-A affiliate pulled out a come-from-behind victory, 3-2, over the Mississippi Braves Wednesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola has now won all four series at home this season, taking three of five games from Mississippi. They are 24-16 and in second place in the Southern League South Division.
The 26-year-old Parker, who has 64 games of Major League experience with the Colorado Rockies, said he remained positive throughout his slump the past six games.
“You can’t let what happens in the past dictate what happens,” Parker said. “You just have to kind of forget about your failures and hope for something good to happen. It was nice to get lucky.”
Parker was at bat when Pensacola’s Alex Blandino, who earned a two-out walk to start the rally, scored from third on a wild pitch in the eighth to tie the game, 1-1. Parker then hit his blooper that scored center fielder Phillip Ervin to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 2-1. Parker was 1-4 with an RBI and run scored.
However, the game was not over. Pensacola called on its closer Alejandro Chacin to pitch the ninth. He gave up three singles and a walk and got one out but also gave up his second run of the season when second baseman Johan Camargo singled to score Jacob Schrader and pull Mississippi within one run, 3-2.
Chacin then walked pinch hitter Levi Hyams to load the bases with one out. The righty then got lead-off hitter Matt Lipka to pop out weekly to first base for the second out. He then faced shortstop Dansby Swanson, the overall No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft, who had blistered the Southern League’s best pitching staff all series, going 7-20 or .350 with one game-winning homer and three RBIs. But Chacin got Swanson to line out to right field to end the game and leave the bases loaded.
It was the fourth one-run game in the five-game series between the two evenly matched teams.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly praised his closer for coming through to get his team-leading seventh save of the year.
“He showed no fear,” Kelly said. “He might have been the only one in the ballpark who wasn’t afraid.”
Kelly also said “grit” was a good word to describe the Blue Wahoos team that seems to never give up. In six of the eight innings, they got at least one runner on base and couldn’t bring them around to home until the two-out, three-run rally in the eighth.
“They are very determined,” Kelly said. “They’re going to find a way. Grit is a great word to describe them.”
Dating back to his first win of his Double-A career on April 25, Garrett has pitched 29.2 innings in his last five starts and allowed only four earned runs for a 1.21 ERA, while striking out 31. He got a no-decision Wednesday. In his three wins this season, Pensacola has scored 20 runs but in this three losses the team has scored only three runs. They were shutout when he left the game after working six innings, allowing four hits, giving up one earned run, walking three and striking out six.
Kelly said he liked Garrett’s effort Thursday. During the series that matched the two best pitching staffs in the Southern League, Mississippi hit just .191 against the Blue Wahoos’ pitchers, who have a 3.06 team ERA. Meanwhile, Pensacola hit .217 off the Braves pitching staff that boasts a 3.24 ERA.
“I don’t know that (Garrett) was 100 percent today,” Kelly said. “But to go six innings and give up one run is fantastic. We saw two really good starting pitchers today.”
Inmate Assaults Correctional Officer At Century Prison
May 18, 2016
An inmate assaulted a correctional officer Tuesday morning at Century Correctional Institution.
According to the Florida Department of Corrections inmate Willie J Shannon attacked a correctional officer at about 5:45 a.m. at Century Correctional Institution.
Officials said Shannon was being counseled by an officer when he took an aggressive stance and struck the officer several times, refusing to comply to the commands of staff.
Following the initial assault, several officers responded and were able to successfully bring the inmate into compliance. The injured officer was examined by medical staff who suggested that the officer receive treatment at an outside medical facility for a contusion to the left eye and abrasions to the arms.
Shannon will receive a disciplinary report for this assault.
The Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General will investigate this incident.
Shannon is serving a five year sentence for attempted robbery and grand theft on a 2007 conviction out of Palm Beach County, according to DOC records. He was schedule
Deadline Approaching For Tornado Recovery Federal Disaster Loans
May 18, 2016
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, June 6 is the deadline to businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters to submit low-interest disaster loan applications for the physical damages caused by the severe storms and tornadoes in Century and Ferry Pass last February.
Low-interest disaster loans are available in Escambia County, FL, and the adjacent counties of Santa Rosa in Florida; Baldwin and Escambia in Alabama.
Businesses of any size and nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small aquaculture businesses and private, nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. EIDL assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.
Interest rates are as low as 4 percent for businesses, 2.625 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 1.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may now include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Disaster loan information and applications may also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at www.sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is June 6, 2016. The deadline to return economic injury applications is January 9, 2017.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
May 18, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending May 12 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Allgood assisted Naval Air Station (NAS) base police and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office regarding a man who fled. Officer Allgood arrived at the location where the man was about 150 yards from the beach in chest-high water. He refused to turn himself in for allegedly beating his 9‑year‑old daughter. As the sun was starting to set, Officer Allgood immediately went out in the water and apprehended the suspect. Officer Allgood escorted him to land and turned him over to NAS Police.
FWC officers, along with U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officers, participated in a joint training day at the USCG Station in Pensacola. This training consisted of search and rescue (SAR) policy and procedure and proper search techniques and patterns commonly used by the USCG on SAR missions. Training was conducted in the classroom and on the water.
Officer Allgood and Investigator Livesay worked several days offshore conducting resource inspections. They issued three notices to appear citations for undersized triggerfish, amberjack, and red snapper. Additionally, FWC Pilot Tolbert observed two vessels returning from federal waters and followed them in to state waters. Officer Allgood and Investigator Livesay conducted a vessel stop at the Pensacola Pass. The operators of both vessels were in possession of red snapper. They were issued federal citations for possession of red snapper in federal waters. Several other related warnings were issued.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
While on patrol in Navarre, Officer Land witnessed an individual fishing from a dock, throwing a cast net. Officer Land watched as the individual pulled the net in from the water and shook a fish out onto the dock. The man hesitated, looked around the area and then picked the fish up and placed it in a five‑gallon bucket. Officer Land made contact to see what the man had caught. The fisherman said that he had not had any luck that day. After inspecting the bucket, the officer found an undersized red drum measuring 14 inches. The fish was released to the water and the fisherman was issued a notice to appear for the violation.
While patrolling the Escambia River by vessel, Officer Hutchinson observed two men pulling their vessel up to a boat ramp. He made contact with them and noticed that they were both acting nervous. He observed several fishing poles and live bait in the boat. After Officer Hutchinson conducted a vessel safety equipment inspection, he asked them if they had caught any fish. The owner of the vessel said that they had caught several bream. After Officer Hutchinson inspected the fish, he asked both subjects if they had anything else that they had caught onboard the vessel and they both said, “No.” After further inspection of the vessel, Officer Hutchinson discovered a large live alligator snapping turtle hidden inside one of the compartments on the vessel. When he asked the subjects why they didn’t tell him about the turtle, the owner of the vessel said, “Because I didn’t know if it was legal to keep or not.” Officer Hutchinson seized the turtle and the owner of the vessel was charged with illegal possession of an alligator snapping turtle. The turtle was released alive back into the Escambia River.
Officer Ramos was working in Blackwater State Park when he was approached by a Park Ranger about two men who camped in the campground and did not pay the fee. When approached by the Park Ranger, one subject refused to identify himself and sped out of the campground, nearly colliding with another vehicle. The man’s license plate number was recorded and matched a vehicle that was also involved in a disturbance at a local convenience store. The subjects circumvented the gate at the park and entered illegally. Officer Ramos determined that the one subject was stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola. He contacted NAS Police and with their assistance and made contact with the subject, who later admitted his wrongdoing. Both subjects were issued citations for fee evasion.
Officer Land responded with fire/rescue to the report of a wrecked personal watercraft (PWC). Two individuals were on board a PWC when it rolled over. Due to the current, they were unable to get back to the vessel and they held onto a channel marker. A Good Samaritan on shore witnessed and reported the incident. Both individuals were returned to shore unharmed, and the PWC was recovered undamaged.
Officers Pettey, Barnard, FWC Pilot Tolbert and Lieutenant Berryman assisted the National Park Service on the Gulf Islands National Seashore on a report of a missing person. Utilizing FWC aircraft, ATVs and patrol vehicles, officers located the missing subject from the air walking down the beach.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
More Rain The Next Few Days
May 18, 2016
Localized heavy rain along the Alabama/Florida line caused street and lowland flooding Tuesday afternoon. In Atmore, numerous streets were closed by the police and fire departments due to high water being pushed into homes and businesses. Heavy rains also fell in Walnut Hill, Bratt, Byrneville, Flomaton, Century, McDavid and Jay.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. North wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Pictured: Flooding in Atmore Monday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
