Resurfacing, Widening Projects Underway On Hwy 99, Barrineau Park Road
May 10, 2016
Projects are now 70 to 80 percent complete to widen and resurface several miles of County Road 99 and Barrineau Park Road.
Work is 70 percent complete on a project to widen and resurface seven miles of Highway 99 from Barrineau Park Road north to Highway 97A in Bay Springs, according to Escambia County. Construction on the project began in October 2015 and will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration Agency (FHWA) for reimbursement at an estimated project construction cost of $2.87 million. Work is expected to be completed by November 2016.
The second project is 80 percent complete to widen and resurface Barrineau Park Road from Highway 99 to Jacks Branch Road. Escambia County will seek reimbursement for $1.2 million when work is completed in December 2016.
The contractor for both projects, Panhandle Grading and Paving, is continuing to add paved shoulders and widen the road to 11-foot travel lanes, and also install driveway pipes The project also includes other work typically associated with resurfacing and widening, including drainage, sodding and pavement striping.
Both roads will be resurfaced with in final layer of asphalt.
In addition to the two county projects, the Florida Department of Transportation upgraded the railroad crossing on Highway 99 south Highway 97A.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Night Lane Closures Planned For Nine Mile Road
May 10, 2016
East and westbound traffic on Nine Mile Road west of I-10 near Heritage Oaks Drive and Navy Federal in Escambia County will encounter intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday as crews perform striping operations and place reflective pavement markings.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the work zone.
All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are encouraged to obey the posted speed limit, be mindful of construction equipment entering and exiting the roadway, and refrain from texting while driving.
Molino Forestry Workshop: Does Money Grow On Trees?
May 10, 2016
There is money to be made in trees and interested landowners will have an opportunity to learn more about it at an upcoming workshop. The Florida Forest Service and Florida Tree Farm Committee are hosting the free event May 20 in Molino.
The workshop will cover timber sales, thinning, threats to timberland and certification. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network with forestry professionals. Lunch will be provided.
Pre-registration for the workshop is required by May 17. To register, call Cathy Hardin at (850) 587-5237. The workshop will take place 8:45 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Molino Community Complex at 6450 Highway 95A North.
New Plant, 35 Tech Jobs Headed To Atmore
May 10, 2016
Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded $300,000 to help a company specializing in high technology machinery and fabrication build a manufacturing plant in Atmore. When in operation, the plant will provide 35 new jobs for the area.
The Community Development Block Grant will assist Brown Precision Inc., a Huntsville-based company, to build a 60,000-square-foot building in the North Rivercane Industrial Park.
“Alabama continues to make a name for itself in the high-technology field and the second addition of Brown Precision is further evidence of that,” Bentley said. “I am pleased to award this funding and I take delight in the job opportunities this will provide in southwest Alabama.”
Brown Precision manufactures precision parts of metal, plastic, glass and other materials for aerospace and medical companies like G.E. Aviation, G.K.N. Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Wright Medical Group and Smith and Nephew.
CDBG funding will be used to provide water and sewer services to the plant. The city has obtained additional funds to provide road access to the plant and new turn lanes off Alabama Highway 21 at the plant’s entrance. The city of Atmore has pledged $73,900 in local funding for the projects.
Bentley notified Mayor Jim Staff that the grant had been approved.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, recreation, energy conservation, and water resource management.
County Plans Final Tornado Debris Sweep In Ferry Pass
May 10, 2016
The Escambia County Commission has approved an additional sweep of the Ferry Pass area for debris generated by the tornado in February. In cooperation with Escambia County, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority crews will make a final pass through the impacted neighborhoods on Monday, May 16. Residents in the unincorporated areas of Ferry Pass with storm related debris are asked to move all debris to the right of way no later than Sunday, May 15.
Residents are asked to remember that:
- All storm generated debris must be separated and be placed in the right of way. Residents should avoid placing debris near power poles, fire hydrants, water meters, mail boxes or other utilities. Crews are not allowed on private property so all debris must be in the right of way area, typically the area from a power pole to the curb.
- No demolition debris will be picked up, please consult with your insurance company and/or contractor for demolition debris removal.
- Do not place household garbage with storm debris. ECUA residential customers will receive normal garbage collection on their normal pickup day.
- Storm generated debris must be sorted and placed curbside in the following categories:
- Construction – furniture, carpet, tile, steel, glass, brick, concrete, asphalt roofing material, pipe, gypsum wallboard, lumber or anything used in the construction, renovation, and demolition of a structure.
- Vegetative debris – Tree limbs, leaves, logs, pallets, and tree branches.
- White goods – washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, microwaves, water heaters, freezers and small AC units.
- Electronics – T.V.s, computers, monitors, fax machines, stereos, speakers, etc.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) – Cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemicals, oils, oil-based paints and stains and pesticides.
- Commercial customers, please contact your contracted waste services provider for disposal services. Commercial waste should not be placed on the right of way.
Debris pickup continues in the Town of Century, and City of Pensacola residents should contact their waste service provider for any debris removal services.
Northview’s McGahan Named ‘Top Senior’ Out Of 48 NJROTC Programs In Five States
May 10, 2016
Northview High School NJROTC Company Commander Cadet LCDR Moriah McGahan has been selected as the Navy JROTC “Top Senior” in the Area 8 Region. She was named the Top Senior from 48 high school NJROTC programs in Northwest Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Judge Rules Death Penalty Fix Unconstitutional
May 10, 2016
A Miami-Dade County judge ruled Monday that a state law allowing the death penalty to be imposed without a unanimous jury decision is unconstitutional, adding to the challenges facing Florida’s capital punishment structure.
In his 18-page opinion, Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch said a recent change to death-penalty sentencing means Florida prosecutors now need the votes of all 12 jurors to impose the death penalty, instead of a majority or supermajority.
“A 21st-century Floridian seeking to argue that the right purported to be protected by (the state Constitution) does not include the requirement of a unanimous verdict must be prepared to rebut the unequivocal expression of the common law, the received wisdom of 19th-century Florida lawyers and judges, a handful of reported Florida opinions, and a century-and-a-half of shared understanding,” Hirsch wrote. “And he must be prepared to do so without any ammunition at all, for he will find no Florida cases, no Florida law-review articles, and no Florida history to support his position.”
Hirsch’s findings in the case of Karon Gaiter, who is charged with one count of first-degree murder, came after the Legislature approved changes to Florida’s death-penalty system during the annual session that ended in March. Those changes were prompted by a U.S. Supreme Court decision that tossed the state’s previous regime for instituting the death penalty.
Under the old system, a majority of jurors could issue a death-penalty recommendation that could be followed or ignored by the judge in the case. But under the new law, at least 10 members of the jury must vote for capital punishment in order for a convicted murderer to be put to death; the judge can instead sentence the defendant to life in prison, but can’t impose the death penalty if the jury hasn’t recommended it.
That, Hirsch wrote, essentially changed the jury’s decision from a “straw poll” to a verdict, which has always been understood to require a unanimous vote.
“Every verdict in every criminal case in Florida requires the concurrence, not of some, not of most, but of all jurors — every single one of them,” he wrote in the ruling, posted online by the Miami Herald.
During the spring legislative session, the state Senate pushed to require a unanimous vote for the death penalty, but the state House balked, and Attorney General Pam Bondi and state prosecutors also opposed the proposal. In a compromise, the two chambers settled on requiring 10 jurors to vote for the death penalty. Hirsch’s ruling is almost certain to be appealed.
Somewhat ironically, it was a different part of the sentencing process that drew the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Florida’s death penalty process. The high court’s 8-1 decision, in a case known as Hurst v. Florida, found that the state’s system of giving judges — and not juries — the power to impose death sentences is an unconstitutional violation of defendants’ Sixth Amendment right to trial by jury.
The Hurst decision dealt with what are known as aggravating circumstances that must be determined before defendants can be sentenced to death. A 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in a case known as Ring v. Arizona, requires that determinations of such aggravating circumstances must be made by juries, not judges.
Under Florida’s new law, juries will have to unanimously determine “the existence of at least one aggravating factor” before defendants can be eligible for death sentences. The law also requires at least 10 jurors to recommend the death penalty in order for the sentence to be imposed.
At the time that the law passed, some legislators raised the possibility that a non-unanimous jury recommendation could come back to haunt the Legislature. But prosecutors and victims’ advocates said the Supreme Court hasn’t ruled that unanimity is required.
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments on whether convicted murderers who were sentenced to death before the Hurst decision are entitled to automatically have their sentences reduced to life in prison without the chance for parole. That case doesn’t revolve around the unanimity issue.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service Of Florida
Demolition Of Former Century High School Is Well Underway
May 9, 2016
Work is well underway to demolish the former Century High School on Hecker Road due to tornado damage.
During the EF-3 tornado that struck Century on February 15, the main potion of the old high school was heavily damaged, with windows broken and window frames pushed inward. The football stadium, including the press box, was also structurally damaged.
The main school building was constructed in 1937. Century High School closed 20 years ago after being merged with Ernest Ward High School in Walnut Hill to form the current Northview High School.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Voter Outreach And Election Worker Drive This Week In Century
May 9, 2016
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office will hold a voter outreach and election worker recruitment drive Wednesday in Century.
The event will be held from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Century Town Hall. Florida residents can register to vote or, if already registered, make sure the elections office has their most current information on file.
Florida residents attending the event should bring their Florida driver’s license, Florida ID card or the last four digits of their social security number.
For more information, call (850) 595-3900.
Pen Wheels Disabled Fishing Rodeo Held In Walnut Hill
May 9, 2016
The 42nd annual Pen Wheels Fishing Rodeo was held Saturday in Walnut Hill.
Over the history of the fishing rodeo, it has been held at locations ranging from Ft. Pickens to the Three Mile Bridge in Pensacola. Since 2001, it has been held at Jantz’s Catfish Pond on South Highway 99, just off Highway 97.
Dozens of volunteers stood ready Saturday to help the disabled. They baited hooks, tossed a line and offered words of friendly encouragement, while dozens of disabled people were registered in Saturday’s fishing rodeo. They were from around the area, including Pensacola and Century.
The Pen Wheels Fishing Rodeo is provided to the disabled for free as a project of the Pensacola Fiesta of Five Flags organization.
Pictured: The Pen Wheel Fishing Rodeo for the disabled Saturday in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
