Molino Christmas Parade Is Saturday; Register Now
November 30, 2015
The 13th Annual Molino Christmas Parade is set for 11 a.m. this Saturday, and there is still time to register to take part.
The parade route starts at the west end of Crabtree Church Road and ends and the Molino Ballpark were Santa Will be waiting to visit with all the good little boys and girls.
To participate in the parade, preregister at Jimmy’s Grill or register the day of the parade. Registration fees are $30 for floats; $20 for vehicles, motorcycles, tractors or golf carts; and $10 each for horses. No 4-wheelers or go-carts. All proceeds go directly back to the community to help children in need.
For more information, contact Charity at (850) 324-4463 or Jimmy’s Grill at (850) 754-0041. Donations such as toys and non-perishable foot items can be dropped off at Jimmy’s Grill.
The rain date will be Sunday, December 6 at 2:30 p.m.
Pictured: The 2014 Molino Christmas Parade. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Car Race At Over 115 Mph Ends With Five Vehicle Crash
November 30, 2015
A 19-year old was arrested following a race that exceeded 115 mph on I-110 Saturday night that ended with a five-car pileup.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, all five vehicles were traveling southbound on I-110 just north of Cervantes Street. Prior to the crash, 19- Dequan Young was clocked traveling 117 mph in a 55 mph zone in his 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse, along with a group of cars racing and driving recklessly.
The FHP said 24-year old Jonathan Hale in a 2011 Hyundai Genesis and 20-year old Christopher Reids were also involved in the racing.
Young lost control and collided with a concrete barrier wall on the shoulder of I-110 before colliding with Hale. Young’s vehicle bounced back onto I-110 and collided with Reids’ vehicle. The three-car collision caused traffic to come to a sudden stop, causing 33-year old Rebecca Digangi in a Hyundai Tiburon to collide with a fourth vehicle that fled the scene.
Young was arrested for causing the crash and charged with reckless driving resulting in property damage and racing on a highway. He was also cited for speeding.
Hale and Reids were given court dates for racing on a highway.
There were no serious injuries.
Single Vehicle Wreck Claims One Life In Cantonment
November 29, 2015
A single vehicle crash in Cantonment claimed the life of a Cantonment man Saturday night.
About 9:15 p.m., 25-year old Michael Justin Jarrell was westbound on Well Line Road approaching the intersection of Santa Rosa Road in his 1998 Ford Ranger pickup. He failed to negotiate a curve, entered the shoulder of Santa Rosa Road and struck a large tree.
Jarell was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash by Escambia County EMS. There were no passengers in the vehicle.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Cantonment and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Planned Water Service Interruption: Bristol Park And Devine Farms
November 29, 2015
Water service to ECUA customers located in the Bristol Park and Devine Farms subdivisions will be interrupted on Monday, November 30, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., as water utility lines are relocated to facilitate an Escambia County drainage project.
Customers may choose to store some water ahead of time for drinking and cooking purposes. Lines will be flushed thoroughly following the utility work, but residents in the area may experience some temporary discoloration of the water as a result of turbulence created by the displaced utility main.
The ECUA recommends flushing the home’s lines by running their taps and outside spigots for a few minutes.
If customers are still experiencing discoloration in their water by late evening after flushing internal plumbing, they are asked to call the ECUA at (850) 476-5110 for assistance.
Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office Warns Of Scam
November 29, 2015
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office has received information related to an adult male representing himself as a member of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
This individual was seen wearing a grey polo shirt with the Skyline Fire Department logo. It is believed he has been asking citizens to inspect their home alarm system. This individual does not represent the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and or Skyline Fire Department. Reports came from Milton and Pace.
The sheriff’s office is asking citizens to be “Scam Smart” when solicitors visit your home. All solicitors in Santa Rosa County are required to carry and display a Solicitation Permit which contains a photo ID issued by Santa Rosa County.
Northview Mini Cheerleader Camp Begins Monday
November 29, 2015
The Northview High School Cheerleaders will hold a mini-cheerleader camp this Monday and Tuesday from 3:30-5:30 in the school gym.
The camp is $15. Girls may wear the mini-cheerleader shirts from football season or any white shirt. They will cheer with the Northview cheerleaders during the December 3 “white out” basketball games as Northview hosts Jay.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Forest Service Does Battle With Invasive Cogongrass
November 29, 2015
Listed as one of the world’s worst weeds, cogongrass is throughout Escambia County and the Gulf Coast. County, state and private landowners are attempting to stop its spread. Information and programs are available to those who are willing to join in the fight.
Cogongrass is not the only invasive plant in our area, but it is arguably one of the worst. For instance, cogongrass can easily choke out native plants and grasses and prevent the establishment of trees. It also changes fire behavior making prescribed burning more difficult and wildfires burn much hotter. It reduces habitat for native wildlife and is not normally used as a food source by wildlife or livestock.
Many private landowners are treating cogongrass using herbicides, disking and planting other vegetation. Some of these landowners have received treatment recommendations from a Florida Forest Service’s County Forester or other professional. Additionally, approximately 130 acres of cogongrass on private land was treated through state or federal cost sharing programs. Escambia County’s Division of Natural Resource Conservation recently received a grant to begin treating county rights of way. Florida Department of Transportation treats cogongrass on state rights of way.
Because of its aggressive, invasive nature, it is illegal to sell, transport or plant cogongrass. It is spread by seed or rhizomes and readily invades disturbed sites, such as construction sites, timber harvests, crop fields or road edges. In addition to natural means of dispersal, seeds and rhizomes are often unwittingly spread by equipment working in or driving through cogongrass.
Help prevent the spread of cogongrass by cleaning equipment before moving it to another location if it has been used in an infested area. Do not use cogongrass in landscaping and be careful about the source of fill dirt and mulch. Plant disturbed areas in native vegetation as soon as possible. More information about cogongrass can be found at http://bit.ly/1GLFXy4 .
If you have cogongrass and need help fighting, the Florida Forest Service is taking applications for the Cogongrass Treatment Cost Share program. For more information on that program, call the Escambia County Forester at (850) 587-5237.
Cathy Hardin works for the Florida Forest Service as the Escambia County Forester. She has 11 years of experience with the state and a degree in Forest Resource Conservation from the University of Florida. This article is part of a quarterly series highlighting forestry practices and programs focused on our area.
Despite Gains, Florida Still Has High Rate Of Uninsured Kids
November 29, 2015
The number of uninsured children in the U.S. has dropped to a “historic low” under the federal Affordable Care Act — but Florida, while showing improvement, still has one of the highest rates of children without coverage.
A report released by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute’s Center for Children and Families found that in 2014 — the first year for which numbers were available on the impact of the law known as Obamacare — 6 percent of U.S. children were uninsured, down from 7.1 percent in 2013.
In Florida, 9.3 percent of children were uninsured, down from 11.1 percent in 2013, said the report, which was based on U.S. Census data. Roughly 378,000 Floridians under age 18 lacked health care coverage in 2014, down from more than 445,000 the year before.
Florida went from being ranked 49th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2013 to 46th in 2014 for its overall percentage of uninsured children.
“It (the rate) is the lowest in the six years’ worth of data that I have,” said Laura Brennaman, policy and research director for the advocacy group Florida CHAIN.
The number of uninsured children in Florida declined from 667,758 in 2008 to 377,987 in 2014. Approximately 4.4 million children remain uninsured in the U.S.
According to the report, the states that saw the greatest gains were those that had expanded Medicaid under Obamacare.
The findings show that expansion states saw a decline in the number of uninsured children of 21.7 percent, while the rate for states that didn’t expand Medicaid was 11.6 percent.
“Children ride on the coattails of their parents,” Brennaman said. “Children whose parents have insurance are much more likely to have insurance, too.”
In a conference call with reporters, Joan Alker of the Georgetown Health Policy Institute said Obamacare had spread among families as some members gained coverage.
“Even states that didn’t expand Medicaid saw what we like to call a ‘welcome-mat effect’ from the ACA generally, that you get from covering the whole family,” Alker said. “But in our report we did find that states that expanded Medicaid saw a larger welcome-mat effect.”
Key Florida Republican leaders have opposed Medicaid expansion, arguing that the federal program is “broken” and unlikely to keep its financial commitments to Florida.
During the 2015 session, the Florida Senate fought to use Obamacare dollars to extend coverage through private insurers, but Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida House strongly opposed the effort, and they prevailed.
A quarter of the Florida children who remain uninsured are under age 6, Brennaman said — “and that’s that critical age when screening and preventive services can really have major implications for them, in terms of warding off big problems and allowing those children to reach their full potential.”
by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida
Shots Fired Disturbance Leads To Fiery Crash On Highway 29
November 28, 2015
[Updated] A shots fired disturbance and a burglary in McDavid ended with a fiery two vehicle crash that injured five people on Highway 29 near Molino early Saturday morning.
Witnesses said two or three males were breaking into vehicles on Highway 164 off of Highway 29 in McDavid. They were spotted by residents of one home who reportedly gave chase southbound on Highway 29. Witnesses said as they followed the vehicle down Highway 29, they were on the phone with 911 emergency operators as someone in the suspects’ vehicle fired multiple shots at their pickup. By the time the vehicles reached Molino, the distance between the car and the following pickup had reportedly increased substantially, with the pickup following at a long distance behind.
As the suspects’ southbound vehicle reached Barth Road, they reportedly pulled across the Highway 29 median into the direct path of another pickup truck.
Following the 5 a.m. collision, the suspects’ vehicle burst into flames with at least two people still inside. Bystanders said they used a bucket to retrieve water from a ditch and attempted to douse the flames. The three vehicle occupants were able to escape. One was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital in critical condition; the conditions of the other two people in the vehicle were not available.
The pickup truck involved in the crash left the roadway and overturned down an embankment, coming to rest on its side at the edge of a wooded area. The two occupants of the pickup truck were trapped until extricated by firefighters. They were transported to area hospitals by Escambia County EMS with injuries that were not considered immediately life threatening.
The pickup truck that originally gave chase from McDavid had at least three obvious bullet holes — one in the driver’s door, on in the side panel of the bed, and one in a taillight.
The vehicle occupied by the suspects had reportedly been stolen earlier in the morning from a home on Barth Road. A gun was recovered at the scene of the accident.
The investigation into the incident and the crash are being conducted by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
UPDATES: Story updated at 2:30 p.m. to reflect the vehicle occupied by the suspects was stolen. And updated to reflect that the pickup following the car was at a distance away at the time of the crash. Updated 3:30 p.m. to reflect a gun was recovered from the scene.
Pictured top and inset: Three people were injured when this vehicle crash and burst into flames on Highway 29 at Barth Road early Saturday morning. Pictured below: The vehicle collided with this pickup, in which two people were trapped. Pictured bottom two photos: Bullet holes in a pickup that was reportedly following the car down Highway 29 after an attempted burglar in McDavid. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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#AGGIENATION: Graffiti Bridge Proclaims ‘Tate To State’
November 28, 2015
Pensacola’s iconic Graffiti Bridge was painted in support of the Tate High School Aggies early Saturday morning, following Tate’s 21-20 win over Niceville to claim the 6A Regional 1 championship.
We are told that a few Tate Showband of the South Color Guard painted the bridge to show their love and support for the Aggie football team as they are just two games away from a state championship.
The bridge was painted with the hashtag #AGGIENATION, “Tate to State” and “Love, Your Showband”, along with numerous football player numbers.
(Editor’s note: If you are unfamiliar, it is an acceptable practice to paint the 17th Avenue Trestle, better known as Graffiti Bridge. Every day, there’s a new coat of paint and a new message. It’s been happening for years, and it’s considered a local landmark. It’s led to art exhibits and even a book project. It is Pensacola’s public canvas.)
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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