Molino Man Sentenced After Wreck With Escambia County Deputy
December 29, 2015
A Molino man has been sentenced on a drug charge after causing a traffic accident with an Escambia County Sheriff’s sergeant last summer in Cantonment.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 24-year old Douglas Joseph Hadley was traveling east on Muscogee Road in a 1996 Ford Windstar van when he made a wide right turn onto Highway 29 and into the path of a marked Escambia County Sheriff’s Office 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe on July 27.
Sgt. Marc Dewees received minor injuries in the crash. Hadley was not injured. Both were wearing their seat belts.
Hadley was sentenced to 180 days in the county jail, with credit for time served, and his driver’s license was suspended for one year for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Additional charges of DUI and possession of a synthetic cannabinoid were dropped. He was also ticketed for an improper turn by the FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
ECUA Cleans Up Sewer Overflow On Harlington Street
December 29, 2015
A Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) occurred on December 28 at a manhole located near 9905 and 9925 Harlington St. following a sewer main break. The overflow was estimated at 7,650 gallons.
ECUA crews repaired the main and the overflow area was then cleaned and disinfected with a biocide agent that abated any contamination concerns, per State protocol. The Escambia County Health Department, the State Warning Point, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were notified.
Earn Your GED At The Molino Community Center
December 29, 2015
GED classes will begin January 11 at the Molino Community Center.
Classes will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays in Room 124. Tuition is $30; register by visiting www.georgestonecenter.com or get help at the Molino Community Center on January 11 from 5-8 p.m.
The program offers teachers and tutors, not just sitting behind a computer self-teaching.
For more information, call the George Stone Technical Center at (850) 941-6200.
2015 In Photos: February
December 29, 2015
Today, we continue our look back at the year 2015 in photos with a look at February.
Northview High School teacher Anna Barry was named the Escambia County Teacher of the Year.
The Town of Century adopted a new slogan — “A Century that lasts forever”.
These are the newest members of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Team — Deputy Doug Burgett and K-9 Zurki with the photobomb.
Students moved into the new Ernest Ward Middle School in February for the first day of classes in the new building.
The Tate High School Drama Department presented a three-night run of “The Addams Family: A Musical Comedy”.
A portable meth lab was found in a wooded area just off Dortch Road in Bratt.
Northview High School sophomores won a powder puff football tournament on a cold February evening. After defeating the freshmen team, the sophomores easily handled the senior team.
The Tate High School Lady Aggies shut out the West Florida Jaguars in a February game.
Traffic in Atmore was brought to a standstill due to work on railroad crossings.
The Northview Chiefs opened their 2015 season with wins over the Pensacola High School Tigers.
An organizational meeting was held to make plans for the second Reimagine Century event on May 16.
Work neared completion in February on a $2.6 million project to widen and resurface Jacks Branch Road from Muscogee Road to Barrineau Park.
FFA members at Northview High School celebrated with a variety of events, including a breakfast for teachers and staff.
The Chipley Tigers defeated the Northview Chiefs 70-55 in the District 3-1A championship game.
Barrineau Park Road was paved in Escambia County to the Baldwin County, AL, line.
TripAdvisor named Pensacola Beach as one of the top five beaches in the United States.
Children from Highland Baptist Church recently visited with residents of the Health Care Center of Pensacola. The children delivered handmade Valentine’s cards with a special message.
Students at Escambia Westgate School received new picnic tables to enjoy, thanks to inmate labor at the Century Correctional Institution.
A very special Mardi Gras parade was held for the special needs students of Escambia Westgate School.
A wildfire near Flomaton, AL, consumed over 500 acres.
The Northview Lady Chiefs dropped their first softball game of the season to the Pace Patriots.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Eighth Green Bulb Replaced On Safety Fire Wreath
December 29, 2015
Escambia County Fire Rescue recently responded to a fire incident on the 1600 block of Governors Drive, resulting in the eighth green light being replaced for the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign.
The the first 911 call was received Sunday at 4:10 p.m., with on-site crews reporting light smoke showing from the entry way. The fire was brought under control at 4:26 p.m., and the residents of the home were displaced due to water damage from the sprinkler system. Escambia County Fire Rescue reminds citizens to never leave cooking food unattended and to keep cooking areas clean and free of grease and other combustibles (such as potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging), which can catch fire easily.
The “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign is a collaborative initiative with City of Pensacola and Santa Rosa County to promote fire safety during the month of December. During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths will be on display at 23 different county fire stations. Every time firefighters respond to a residential fire, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by holiday decorations.
New Law Puts Spotlight On Human Trafficking
December 29, 2015
Signs intended to raise awareness about human trafficking are expected to be prominently displayed at rest areas, airports, emergency rooms and strip clubs starting Friday, as a law passed during the 2015 legislative session goes into effect with the new year.
Another new law revises requirements for athletic trainers, while a portion of a tax-cut package also is put in place.
The new laws taking effect this week are almost the last of 232 bills that came out of the 2015 session. The bulk went into effect July 1.
The last of the 2015 bills (HB 1215) — repealing the Alachua County Boundary Adjustment Act, which is a law regarding annexations — takes effect Feb. 29.
The law (HB 369) aimed at raising awareness about human trafficking requires signs to be posted in a wide range of places, including rest areas, turnpike service plazas, weigh stations, welcome centers, airports and strip clubs.
The requirement was part of a series of proposals approved this year and signed by Gov. Rick Scott as the state tries to crack down on human trafficking for sex or forced labor. Attorney General Pam Bondi has made the issue one of her priorities.
“Raising awareness is a key component to stopping human trafficking and helping victims get the help and services they desperately need,” Whitney Ray, a spokesman for Bondi, said in an email.
The law, in part, requires the Florida Department of Transportation to display English- and Spanish-language signs that are at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches at every rest area, turnpike service plaza, weigh station, primary airport, passenger rail station and welcome center open to the public.
Evelyn Hernandez, a Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said in an email that the agency is working with airports and rail stations to determine the number of public-awareness signs needed at each facility.
“Some of these facilities have chosen to make and install their own public-awareness signs and some facilities have chosen to use the FDOT’s public-awareness signs,” Hernandez said.
The signs, which include phone and text-message numbers to report trafficking, are also required to go up in hospital emergency rooms and to be “in a conspicuous location that is clearly visible” at strip clubs, adult entertainment establishments and massage parlors.
The law doesn’t impose penalties for failure to comply with the law. However, the measure gives county commissions the ability to set noncriminal fines of up to $500 for strip clubs, adult entertainment establishments and massage parlors.
A trio of other trafficking-related measures from the 2015 session went into effect Oct. 1. They increased criminal penalties for people who solicit others to commit prostitution (HB 465) and created public-records exemptions to protect the identities of human-trafficking victims and to shield the location of safe houses for victims of sexual exploitation (HB 467 and HB 469).
Also taking effect Friday is a law dealing with regulation and licensing of athletic trainers. In part, it would remove a requirement that applicants to be licensed as trainers must be at least 21 years old.
The measure also includes other changes, such as requiring that people who apply to become athletic trainers as of July 1, 2016, undergo criminal background checks and be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators.
Also taking effect Friday is a piece of a $428.9 million tax-cut package approved in a June special session.
The bill keeps active, starting Friday, a tax credit for groups such as Habitat for Humanity and Building Homes for Heroes for certain projects within areas of former enterprise zones. Lawmakers in the 2015 session agreed not to reauthorize the enterprise zones program, but through the tax-cut package the credits will remain available through Dec. 31, 2018.
The majority of the tax cut package (HB 33-A) — highlighted by a reduction in the communications-services tax on cell-phone and cable-TV bills became active July 1.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Florida Court System Seeks To Bolster Communications
December 29, 2015
Pointing to issues such as the emergence of social media and efforts to build support for the judicial branch, the Florida Supreme Court on Monday released a multi-year plan to try to bolster communications about courts throughout the state.
The 41-page plan partly addresses nuts-and-bolts issues such as working with the news media and the public, while it also seeks to ensure a “unified statewide message” about the court system.
“The goal for communications should focus on promoting the public’s understanding of the role of the court to preserve the rule of law and its critical role in safeguarding the fundamental constitutional and legal rights of all individuals,” one section of the plan said. “Whether these communications are addressing routine court matters or special crises, it is important that courts speak with one voice delivering the same message.”
The document, developed by the Supreme Court’s Judicial Management Council, also calls for finding ways to use social media and other newer technologies in the system’s communications efforts.
“New media such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are transforming the way people seek out information and understand the world,” the plan said. “These communication tools provide opportunities for courts to promote openness and accountability, and can encourage conversation between the courts, journalists, and citizens. Most importantly, they present opportunities for courts to listen to public concerns.”
The Supreme Court operates an extensive public-information operation, posting large numbers of court documents on its website and updating reporters about high-profile cases. The court’s longtime communications chief, Craig Waters, became somewhat of a national figure in 2000, when he served as a spokesman during the legal battles surrounding the presidential recount.
But public information about appeals courts and circuit courts has been spottier, particularly as courts and other government agencies have moved from paper to digital.
The new plan lists goals and strategies to carry out through 2019.
During 2016, for example, it says one strategy is to promote and improve relations with the Legislature and government agencies to “ensure the accuracy and adequacy of their understanding and perception of the judicial branch.” That includes developing “mechanisms to inform policy makers about accomplishments of the judicial branch, the judicial branch strategic plan, and the judicial branch’s budget priorities and proposed substantive law changes approved by the Florida Supreme Court.”
But those efforts could come at a time when many Republican lawmakers are unhappy with the Supreme Court about issues such as redistricting. Also, some GOP lawmakers, including powerful incoming House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, have called for seeking voter approval of term limits for members of the judiciary.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Stolen Vehicle Involved In Cantonment Wreck
December 28, 2015
A vehicle stolen Saturday night in from the Ensley area was recovered after it was wrecked in Cantonment Monday morning.
The owner said the Nissan Juke (pictured top) was stolen out of their yard. It was involved in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Highway 29 and Muscogee Road about 9:15 a.m. Monday, and it also hit a pedestrian crossing signpost.
Witnesses said the driver of the vehicle fled on foot after the crash.
There were no injuries reported.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Photos Show Morning Tornado
December 28, 2015
There were no injuries reported as multiple tornado warnings were issued for the North Escambia area Monday morning. Here are photos of the storms from NorthEscambia.com –
Pictured above: Looking toward Molino, reader photo by Christopher Dell.
Pictured above: This photo was taken as radar showed a rotation crossing over I-10 in Beulah as the storm headed toward Molino. NorthEscambia.com photo by Ramona Preston.
Pictured above: Looking toward Molino, reader photo by Travis Hill.
Pictured above: View from Salter Road in Chumuckla, reader photo by Tanner Lunsford.
Pictured above: Gulf Power works on a downed line near the intersection of Chavers and Molino roads in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Price.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
IP To Award $75,000 In Community Grants
December 28, 2015
Interntional Paper Pensacola Mill (IP) will award $75,000 in Foundation Grants in 2016, in honor of the mill’s 75th anniversary. The foundation normally awards $50,000 per year, but the amount was increased this year due to the anniversary.
The deadline for all 2016 grant applications is Monday, January 11, 2016.
Grants are awarded by the IP Foundation in Memphis which focuses on environmental education, literacy, employee involvement, and critical community needs. Applicants must be a registered 501c3 non-profit organization, school, or qualifying government entity to apply.
For more information about the Foundation and/or to apply online, interested applicants should visit www.ipgiving.com.
For more information on the grant process, contact Janice Cooper Holmes, communications manager, at 850-968-4203 or e-mail janice.holmes@ipaper.com.