Jacks Branch Rezoning Case Withdrawn
January 23, 2016
Escambia County Planning and Zoning announced Friday that the applicants in case Z-2015-19 (1700 block of Jacks Branch) have requested that the case be withdrawn until further notice.
The adoption hearing for the case, which falls within the Escambia County Sector Plan, was scheduled to take place during the February 2 Board of County Commissioners meeting.
Residents of surrounding properties are asked to disregard the mailing they received regarding this case.
Escambia Man Gets 23 Years For Burglaries
January 23, 2016
An Escambia County man on trail on for burglary pleaded guilty to nearly a dozen burglaries.
Michael Collins’ was tried before Circuit Judge Jennie Kinsey. Collins was charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, grand theft and criminal mischief.
This trial pertained to one of the 11 homes that Michael Collins burglarized in Escambia County during June and July 2014. Prosecutors said Collins would break into the homes during the daytime while the home owners were absent and primarily steal jewelry.
After the state presented their case, Collins pleaded guilty to that case as well as 10 additional burglary cases.
Kinsey sentenced Collins to 23 years in state prison as a prison releasee reoffender and habitual felony offender. He was also ordered to pay $121,034 in restitution.
Gulf Power Crews Head Toward Winter Storm
January 23, 2016
While much of the East Coast deals with the impact of Winter Storm Jonas, Gulf Power storm crews deployed to North Carolina to prepare for possible widespread outages due to the storm that is expected to dump anywhere from 18-24 inches of snow from Virginia to Washington D.C.
Crews and support staff from Gulf Power left Friday to help Duke Energy should their customers experience outages due to ice and heavy snow. The crews headed out from various locations about noon Friday including Pine Forest, Milton, Crestview and Panama City.
“This is a monster storm with power crews along the Mid-Atlantic states already preparing for ice by cutting limbs down over power lines,” said Rick DelaHaya, Gulf Power spokesperson. “Our crews are very experienced at storm restoration and we are always happy to help other utilities in the face of a major storm. While we don’t train in the cold weather and snow, our customers benefit as our crews are able to hone their skills should anything happen back here at home. This is what we do — restore power and hope, whether right here at home or for our neighbors.”
The last time Gulf Power storm crews deployed was in July 2015 to help sister company Alabama Power after severe storms swept through the area leaving more than 35,000 customers without power in the state, including 23,000 in the Birmingham metro area.
Florida DOT Has Snow Plows On The Ready
January 23, 2016
A few very light snow flurries fell in portions of the North Escambia area Friday night…with no accumulation. But if the snow had accumulated, the Florida Department of Transportation would have been ready.
Back in 2014, FDOT purchased snow plows, salt and spreaders for use in Northwest Florida The purchases came on the heels of a freak ice storm in January 2014 that paralyzed the area.
The DOT spent $22,000 for five snow plows that will attach to the front of current DOT vehicles, $12,400 for 42 tons of salt, $26,400 for 10 salt spreaders to attach to dump trucks and $26,400 for 4,400 gallons of the ice-melting chemical potassium acetate.
The equipment can be used in mutual aid effort in other areas, and the snow plows can be used to remove beach sand from the roads after strong storms and hurricanes.
“FDOT is ready for winter weather,” the department posted on Twitter on Friday.
Pictured above: One of FDOT’s snow plows. Pictured inset: Two jack-knifed 18-wheelers on an icy Highway 29 south of Century and (below) an impassable Highway 97 near Davisville in January 2014. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Ball Registration Info: Cantonment, Century, Molino, NWE
January 23, 2016
Registration is underway, or beginning soon, at area ballparks:
Cantonment — Registration is underway for baseball and softball at the Cantonment Sportsplex. In-person registration dates will be every Saturday in January and the first two Saturdays in February from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Teams will be available for ages 3-14. The registration fee will be $85. Online registration is available at www.cantonmentbaseball.org/Register. Donations of new and gently-used equipment will be accepted on registration Saturdays. The Sportsplex is located at 681 Well Line Road in Cantonment.
Century — Little League registration will be held Saturday, February 6 from 9-11:30 a.m.; Thursday, February 11 from 5-7 p.m.; Saturday, February 13 from 9-11 a.m.; and Saturday, February 20 from 9-11:30 a.m. at Showalter Park in Century. Registration fee is $50 for the first child, $45 for each additional sibling. Birth certificate needed at registration. Teams available for ages 3 and up. For more information, contact Terry Levins (251) 656-6044, Nathan Brown (850) 377-0962, Brandy Carter (850) 619-4915 or Charity Miller (850) 501-9663.
Molino — Molino Ballpark registrations will be held Saturday January 23, January 30 and February 6 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Don Sutton ballpark. Registration is $60 for the first child, $55 for the second and $50 for the third. Birth certification needed at registration. Ages 3-17. For more info, call Luman at (850) 698-4396 about t-ball; Karen at (850) 281-4748 about softball; of Tommy at (850) 449-7578 about baseball.
Northwest Escambia – Registration will be Saturday January 30, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m; Friday, February 5, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m and Saturday, February 6, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Teams will be available for ages 4-18. Registration cost for ages 7 years and older is $100 for first child, $85 for second child and $75 for third child. For 5-6 year olds, (T-Ball), registration cost will be $95 for first child; $80 for second child and $70 for third child. Price includes registration fee, $30 for Jersey and hat and $25 concession stand fee. Payment options are available. Bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate to registration. For more information, contact Brad Sullivan at (850) 324-5692 or Sara Knighton at (850) 572-5000.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Teens Arrested In Vehicle Burglary Ring
January 23, 2016
Five teenage suspects have been arrested in Escambia County in connection with numerous vehicle burglaries and vehicle thefts.
DKelvin Dwayne Craft 17, Maurice Jones Jr., 17, Detravious Ontario Morrell, 17, Deontrerrious Palmore, 17, and Noah Simms, 18, were all charged with burglary of a vehicle, criminal mischief, grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle, petty theft and fraud.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators said they were part of a vehicle burglary ring that targeted subdivisions from Perdido Key to Beulah. All of the vehicles that were burglarized were unlocked, according to deputies, and all of the stolen vehicles were taken using the owner’s keys that were left inside the unlocked vehicles or inside another vehicle parked in the same driveway.
All total, 60 arrest warrants were served on the five suspects. Authorities said more arrests are expected.
Storms Leave Minor Damage Across Area (With Photos)
January 22, 2016
Strong storms rattled nerves but left behind only scattered mostly minor damage across the area Thursday night.
In Byrneville, a metal barn at a home on Highway 4A was destroyed by strong winds (pictured above).
In Walnut Hill, scattered power outages were reported, including a large outage that included Highway 97 north of Walnut Hill, Arthur Brown Road, Highway 99A , Highway 97A and surrounding areas. The outage was traced to loose wire on a pole at the Walnut Hill Fire Station, which suffered minor damage to a sign and a door awning. A small tree was downed onto Highway 97 just north of the fire department, and traffic signs in a nearby bridge construction zone were tossed about.
Much of the damage in the area was in Flomaton, were a large tree was reported down on Jackson Street and a tree was reported on another house at the end of Jackson Street. Highway 31 was closed from Bondurant Lumber to Hurricane Park for several hours while first responders cleared downed trees and power lines. Highway 31 was back open at 1:15 a.m.
In Nokomis, AL, the false roof was blown of a fireworks stand but the owner reported that the structure’s main roof was still intact with no leaks.
Numerous small trees and power lines were reported down across the area.
In Santa Rosa County, the Florida Highway Patrol reported Highway 4 was closed east of the Berrydale Forestry Camp at James Jernigan Road due to water flowing over the roadway.
Wind gusts of 73 mph were reported at official weather stations in Myrtle Grove and at Pensacola NAS. A wind gust of 57 mph was reported at a weather station near Walnut Hill.
After the height of the storms, Gulf Power reported about 5,500 customers without power in Escambia County, including a large outage on Perdido Key and about 140 customers on West Kingsfield Road west of County Road 97.
Scroll down the page for multiple damage photos.
A metal barn on Highway 4A near Byrneville was destroyed.
Tree on a house in Flomaton.
False roof and sign off a fireworks stand in Nokomis, AL.
Tree down on Jackson Street in Flomaton.
A tree down on utility lines on Jackson Street in Flomaton.
The Flomaton Fire Department worked to clear a downed tree on MLK Drive in Flomaton.
Tree split on Jackson Street in Flomaton by Thursday night’s storms.
Downed trees and power lines closed Highway 31 in Flomaton from Bondurant Lumber to Hurricane Park. Power was detoured for several hours while first responders and Alabama Power worked to clean it all up. The roadway was reported re-opened at 1:15 a.m.
Trampoline versus house in Flomaton.
In Perdido, AL, on the Escambia (AL)/Baldwin County line, reader Felicia Overton took this photo of a trampoline and dog fence tossed around by the storms.
Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Felon Gets 10 Years For Weapon Possession
January 22, 2016
An Escambia County felon is headed back to prison for possessing a weapon.
Ronnie Clausell was convicted by an Escambia County jury of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Following the verdict, Circuit Judge Jennie Kinsey sentenced Clausell to 10 years in state prison.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a tip of illegal activity at Clausell’s residence. When the officers arrived, they spoke with Clausell who ultimately consented to a search of his home. The search revealed a .22 caliber rifle and live ammunition. Clausell admitted ownership of the ammunition, according to prosecutors.
Thousands Lose Power In Thursday Night Storms
January 22, 2016
Thousands of people lost power as a storm system moved through the area Thursday night.
The entire cities of Atmore, Flomaton and Bay Minette reportedly lost power about 10:50 p.m. due to the storms. Many customers had their power restored by 11:30 p.m., while hundreds more remained in the dark until early Friday morning.
After the height of the storms, Gulf Power reported about 5,500 customers without power in Escambia County, including a large outage on Perdido Key and about 140 customers on West Kingsfield Road west of County Road 97.
Highway 31 in Flomaton was closed from Bondurant Lumber to Hurricane Park for several hours while first responders cleared downed trees and power lines. Highway 31 was back open at 1:15 a.m.
Hundreds of EREC customers lost power, including a large area along Highway 97 north of Walnut Hill, Arthur Brown Road, Highway 99A , Highway 97A and surrounding areas. The outage was traced to loose wire on a pole at the Walnut Hill Fire Station. Power was restored to Walnut Hill area customers by about 1:30 a.m.
Pictured: An Escambia River Electric Cooperative lineman works to repair a power line along Highway 97 in front of the Walnut Hill Fire Station about 1:15 a.m. Friday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
‘Stand Your Ground’ Shift Ready To Pass Senate
January 22, 2016
Taking issue with the Florida Supreme Court, state senators next week could approve a bill that would shift the burden of proof in “stand your ground” self-defense cases. The Senate on Thursday took up the bill (SB 344), filed by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, and put it in position for a vote as soon as Jan. 28.
The bill stems from a Supreme Court ruling last year that said defendants have the burden of proof of showing they should be shielded from prosecution under the “stand your ground” law. In “stand your ground” cases, pre-trial evidentiary hearings are held to determine whether defendants should be immune from prosecution.
Bradley’s measure would place the burden of proof on prosecutors in the evidentiary hearings.
“It’s a fundamental tenet of our criminal-justice system that the state has the burden of proof throughout the criminal prosecution — you’re innocent until proven guilty, I think we can all agree with that — so this bill applies this fundamental tenet of criminal law to the self-defense immunity hearing,” Bradley said.
But while the Senate appears poised to pass the bill, it remains unclear whether the shift will get approval in the House.
The House version (HB 169), filed by Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, was blocked in November by the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on a 6-6 vote.
by The News Service of Florida