Backyard Gun Range Bill Headed To Scott
February 8, 2016
The Florida House unanimously approved a bill aimed at curbing recreational shooting in residential areas. The bill (SB 130), which also unanimously passed the Senate last week, is ready to go to Gov. Rick Scott. The measure, in part, seeks to prevent backyard gun ranges in neighborhoods. Rep. Julio Gonzalez, R-Venice, said Wednesday that such backyard ranges are a problem in his Southwest Florida district and that police have been in a “quandary” about how to handle them. Rep. Darryl Rouson, a St. Petersburg Democrat who helped sponsor the bill in the House, said the measure is important for safety in urban areas and other densely populated residential areas. The bill creates a first-degree misdemeanor for people who recreationally fire weapons in areas with densities of one home per acre or greater. The bill includes exemptions for such things as firing weapons to defend life or property and for accidental discharges.
by The News Service of Florida
Molino Road To Be Closed For Bridge Replacement
February 7, 2016
The temporary closure of Molino Road for the replacement of a 58-year old bridge has been approved.
The Florida Department of Transportation and Escambia County have signed off on the project to replace the bridge over Penasula Creek, west of Highway 29 between 4 Star Farm Road and Sunshine Hill Road.
The bridge has reached a level of deterioration to warrant replacement and is next on the list of the FDOT’s Five-Year Work Plan. During construction, Molino Road will be closed for about six months to minimize costs and construction time. The project will be funded and the construction work will be performed under contract for the Florida Department of Transportation. After completion of the structure, Escambia County will be responsible for the maintenance of the bridge..
The wood piling supported Molino Road Bridge over Penasula Creek was constructed in 1958. A start date for the road closure and bridge replacement project has not yet been announced.
Pictured top: The Molino Road bridge over Penasula Creek. Pictured: The deteriorating wood pilings that support the bridge. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
February 7, 2016
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties this week as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
I-10 Widening, Escambia County – Alternating east and westbound lane closures near U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway/Exit 17) from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the week of Feb. 8 as crews perform bridge deck work for the new Scenic Highway overpass. Drivers are reminded that the speed limit on I-10, between Davis Highway and Scenic Highway, is reduced to 60 mph.
State Road (S.R.) 4, Escambia County – Temporary road closure just east of the intersection of S.R. 95 (U.S. 29) in Century from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9 and Wednesday, Feb. 10 as CSX repairs and replaces railroad ties. Eastbound traffic will utilize East Hecker Road, Jefferson Avenue. Westbound traffic will detour on Jefferson Avenue, East Hecker Road.
S.R. 289 (9th Avenue), Escambia County – Crews continue paving operations between the intersection of Bayou Boulevard and Creighton Road. Lane closures will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Motorists will also encounter intermittent and alternating daytime lane closures between Fairfield Drive and Cervantes Street as crews adjust manholes and valves.
U.S. 29, Escambia County – Intermittent and alternating lane closures within the town of Century and from Champion Drive north continue.
U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway) at the intersection of Scenic Highway Circle, Escambia County – Emergency repair work continues. New stormwater pipe will be installed beneath Scenic Highway. Traffic flaggers will be on site to assist with traffic control as construction vehicles enter and exit the work area. The repair work will take about two months to complete.
U.S. 90 Marquis Bayou Bridge Project, Santa Rosa County – Intermittent lane closures on U.S. 90, near the west end of the Marquis Bayou Bridge in Milton, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5 as crews work on the shoulder of the roadway. In addition, drivers will encounter alternating lane closures on U.S. 90, near the east end of the Marquis Bayou Bridge, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 and Sunday, Feb.7 as crews perform widening and paving work.
U.S. 98, Santa Rosa County- Alternating lane closures between Central Parkway and the Gulf Breeze Zoo from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday beginning Sunday, Jan. 31. Crews will mill and pave crossovers and side streets through the end of February.
S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard), Santa Rosa County – Interment lane closures from north of I-10 to south of the Moors Oak subdivision from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Thursday, Feb. 11 as crews complete construction activities.
I-10 Widening, Santa Rosa County – Alternating lane closures on I-10 between the Escambia Bay Bridge and S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 7 through Thursday, Feb. 11 as crews perform construction activities. The Florida Department of Transportation reminds drivers that the speed limit on I-10, between the Escambia Bay Bridge and Avalon Boulevard, is reduced to 60 mph.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling in a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Kids Learn To Make Valentine’s Lollipops At The Library
February 7, 2016
Children had the opportunity to make their own Valentine’s lollipops Saturday afternoon at the Molino Brnach Library. Two miniature candy canes, melted white chocolate, sugar sprinkles and a lollipop stick– the recipe for easy kid’s activity. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
4-H Kids Learn To Shop For Healthy Foods With Small Budget
February 7, 2016
Members of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club recently learned how to shop for healthy foods on a limited budget.
After the educational tour through the Grocery Advantage in Cantonment with UF/IFAS Extension leaders, Barrineau Park 4-H Club members and parents put their knowledge of reading food labels, picking whole grains, comparing prices, and much more into action.
Each participant successfully completed the $10 Challenge. With the $10 they were given from a UF/IFAS/Share Our Strength grant, they bought a fruit, a vegetable, a whole grain, a lean protein, and a low- or no-fat dairy product all for $10 or less.
Pictured: Members of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club learn how to shop for healthy foods on a limited budget. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High’s Hoskins Named ROTC Cadet Of The Year
February 7, 2016
Tate High School’s Alexis Hoskins had been named Northwest Florida’s Cadet of the Year and has received a full ROTC scholarship to the University of West Florida. Hoskins is pictured with Tate High Principal Rick Shackle. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Robs Store With Fake Gun, Gets Shot By Clerk’s Real One
February 7, 2016
The morning didn’t go too well for a man who decided to use a fake gun to rob a store and was shot in the neck by a store clerk before he fled the business.
The incident occurred around 2:25 a.m. at the Beacon Store, 1101 W. Cervantes Street. A store clerk told police he shot the suspect during the robbery. The clerk – Abed Alslaq, 20, of Pensacola – said the suspect entered the store wearing camouflage, a hat and a bandana over his face. The clerk said he told the suspect to remove the bandana but he refused. During the robbery, the suspect went behind the counter, pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the clerk, who believed it was real.
The armed robber managed to get some cash and 10 cartons of cigarettes before he fled the business. The suspect – Jarell Blackmon, 24, of the 7900 block of Beaber Road, Pensacola – was later seen in the area of E and Gadsden streets by Officer Matthew Mercado. Blackmon, who was bleeding from his neck, fled from Mercado despite being ordered to stop.
Officers set up a perimeter and Officer Patrick Kelly and his K-9 did a track. Blackmon was found hiding in the 600 block of North E Street. He was taken to a hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound that entered and exited his neck.
Blackmon was charged with armed robbery, grand theft, public order crime (wearing a mask or hood during commission of a felony), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and resisting without violence. Blackmon told police the firearm he used was fake.
No charges have been filed on Alslaq.
FWC: Deer Hunting Continues Through February 28
February 7, 2016
There’s still time to head to Florida woods to enjoy the cooler weather and seek deer. General gun season remains open on private lands in Zones D (including Escambia and Santa Rosa counties) through February 21. In Zone D, those who hunt with a bow, crossbow or muzzleloader get an additional week ̶ from February 22-28 ̶ to participate in a late muzzleloading gun season. This unique late season, which occurs on private land only in Zone D, was established to give hunters the chance to hunt the rut, which occurs from mid-January through February in the Florida Panhandle.
A $5 muzzleloading gun permit is required to hunt during this season. Of course, you’ll also need a hunting license, which costs residents $17 for an annual one – or you might opt to purchase the five-year license for only $79.
On wildlife management areas, this post-season is referred to as the archery/muzzleloading gun season. Hunters can use bows or muzzleloaders, but no crossbows – unless they possess a disabled crossbow permit. Hunters who choose to hunt with a bow must have the $5 archery permit, and those using a muzzleloader need the $5 muzzleloading gun permit.
Legal to take; bag limits
The most common things to hunt during this season are deer and wild hogs. Only legal bucks may be taken, even if you use a bow. South of Interstate 10 in Deer Management Unit-D1, one antler must have at least two points. North of I-10 in DMU-D2, all bucks must have at least three points on a side or have a main beam of at least 10 inches long to be legal to take.
And if you’re hunting deer, make sure you have the $5 deer permit. On private land, the daily bag limit is two. Season dates, bag limits and antler regulations for deer on WMAs can differ, so consult the wildlife management area brochure at MyFWC.com/Hunting before heading out.
On private lands, wild hogs can be taken year-round with no bag or size limits. On most WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limits, and hogs are legal to take during most hunting seasons except spring turkey. On selected WMAs, specific bag and size limits do apply, so again, please check the area’s brochure to make sure.
Hunting regulations
During this season, dogs may not be used to hunt deer. However, you may use a leashed one to track a wounded deer if necessary. And it’s important to note that no turkeys may be taken during this season.
Bows and crossbows must have minimum draw weights of 35 pounds. Hand-held releases on bows are permitted. Broadheads used in taking deer must have at least two sharpened edges with a minimum width of 7/8 inch.
During this late season, the only muzzleloaders allowed are those fired by wheel lock, flintlock, percussion cap or centerfire primer (including 209 primers). Muzzleloaders that can be loaded from the breech are not legal during this time. For hunting deer, muzzleloading rifles must be at least .40-caliber, and muzzleloading shotguns must be 20-gauge or larger.
Legal shooting hours are between a half-hour before sunrise and a half-hour after sunset. You’re allowed to take deer and hogs over feeding stations on private land, but it is illegal to use such feed on WMAs.
Public hunting opportunity
In Zone D, 12 of the WMAs have a February archery/muzzleloading gun season, and if you plan to hunt any of ’em, you must have the $26 management area permit. Those areas are Apalachicola, Apalachicola River, Beaverdam Creek, Blackwater, Chipola River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Escambia River, Perdido River, Point Washington, Tate’s Hell and Yellow River.
You can get all of the licenses and permits you’ll need at any retail outlet that sells hunting and fishing supplies, by calling 888-HUNT-FLORIDA or by going online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
Submitted by FWC.
Suspect Used Girlfriend As Shield From Gunfire; Piggly Wiggly Robbery Unclear
February 6, 2016
Law enforcement officials in several states are still piecing together the story of a Missouri couple that was dubbed by the national media and federal authorities as a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. But one piece of the puzzle that has not fallen into place just yet is the Wednesday robbery of the Piggly Wiggly grocery store on Highway 97 in Davisville, just yards south of the Alabama/Florida state line on Highway 97.
The end of their story is very clear – Brittany Nicole Harper is recovering from gunshot wounds to the legs and ankles. Blake Fitzgerald was pronounced deceased in the backyard of a Santa Rosa County home early Friday morning. In his final moments, he used his girlfriend and crime partner Harper as a human shield from the hail of gunfire that claimed his life, as confirmed by Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. Six of his deputies are on administrative leave following the shooting, which is standard procedure. Escambia County deputies were the only ones that fired after a chase ended in Santa Rosa County.
Harper (pictured left) was booked into the Escambia County Jail’s medical unit late Friday night where she was being held on a $1.16 million bond.
Many of the couple’s alleged crimes in Alabama, Georgia and Florida are also very clear. They allegedly kidnapped a hotel clerk in Tuscaloosa, stole his car, drove to Vestavia Hills, AL, released the hostage, and abandoned the stolen car. Law enforcement believes Fitzgerald then entered a residence while the family was present, displayed a handgun and stole the family’s Ford Edge in Vestavia Hills, forcing the wife to go with him in the stolen vehicle against her will. The woman was later released unharmed by the couple outside of an emergency room.
On Monday, the Joplin, MO, couple is believed to have robbed a convenience store in Perry, GA, also kidnapping and later releasing a clerk from the store.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Fitzgerald was their suspect in Wednesday’s armed robbery of the Alvin Island’s store in Destin. The business at 1000 U.S. Highway 98 was robbed at gunpoint shortly after noon. The man was accompanied by a white female who left the store just prior to the holdup.
And it appears they were responsible for the robbery of Famous Footwear store on Davis Highway in Pensacola Thursday night that set into a motion an hours-long cat and mouse game and a couple of high speed chases.
But as far as the Piggly Wiggly goes, State Attorney Bill Eddins is moving cautiously forward. Unless federal charges are brought against Harper, Eddins is the man in charge of her prosecution. Harper, he said, won’t be extradited to other states “until we are done with her” in Northwest Florida, Eddins said.
“There is the possibility of a matter involving the Piggly Wiggly in North Escambia County, although those matters remain under investigation and it will be necessary to gather additional information. We have some conflicting evidence as it relates to the matter in North Escambia,” Eddins said during a press conference Friday morning at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
When asked to elaborate, Eddins answered with a single word – “No”.
However, he said warrants had been issued for Harper for home invasion robbery, false imprisonment and grand theft auto — crimes with solid evidence related to Thursday night’s actions by the couple in which they held a couple hostage and stole their truck during Pensacola manhunt, before leading deputies on a final high speed chase to their ultimate demise in Santa Rosa County. Those warrants will carry such a high bond, he said, that Harper will remain in jail.
“We are going to be very particular and very methodical in investigating the other incidents — the Alvin’s Island, the Famous Footwear, and particularly the Piggly Wiggly in the north end, because we have got conflicting information about the Piggly Wiggly matter and we have got to be very careful that we only charge crimes that we know that we can prove,” he said.
Piggly Wiggly employees said a white male walked into the store about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, pulled back his shirt to show a gun and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. He was described as a white male with a thin build and a shaved haircut. He was wearing a black American Eagle sweatshirt, blue jeans and a black hat. He reportedly fled in a black Ford F-150 pickup truck with a busted-out window driven by a white female in a hoodie. They were chased briefly by a store employee north on Highway 97 across the state line into Atmore. There were no injuries reported.
Piggly Wiggly employees identified Fitzgerald from photographs shown to them on a law enforcement bulletin about the couple.
After the press conference, Eddins told NorthEscambia.com that the conflicting information about the Piggly Wiggly robbery involves those witness descriptions of the holdup. One discrepancy, he said, was that physical description of Fitzgerald provided by the Piggly Wiggly employees. Multiple employees described the Piggly Wiggly bandit as being thin; however, Eddins said Fitzgerald was anything but thin.
U.S. Marshals, in a press release Thursday afternoon, did state that Fitzgerald and Harper were responsible for the Piggly Wiggly robbery. Their reasoning for that conclusion is unknown, but no warrants related to the North Escambia robbery have been issued.
For an earlier story and more information, click here.
Pictured top: State Attorney Bill Eddins addresses the Wednesday robbery of the Piggly Wiggly in Davisville during a press conference Friday morning with Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. Pictured top inset: Morgan describes the events that have transpired involving Blake Fitzgerald and Brittany Nicole Harper. Pictured bottom inset: The Piggly Wiggly robbery. Pictured below: The home were a chase involving the Missouri couple came to an end on Saragon Lane off Garcon Point Road in Santa Rosa County. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
A Very Special Mardi Gras Parade (With Photo Gallery)
February 6, 2016
A very special Mardi Gras parade was held Friday morning for the special needs students of Escambia Westgate School.
With plenty of beads, Moon Pies, stuffed animals and smiles, the parade rolled through the school parking lot for students that might not otherwise be able to attend a regular Mardi Gras parade.
Courtesy Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
