Town Of Century Honors Local Veterans
November 11, 2015
The Town of Century honored veterans on Tuesday with a special program.
The program included guests Rep. Mike Hill, the Byrneville Elementary School Chorus and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Honors Veterans
November 11, 2015
Northview High School honored veterans Tuesday with their annual Veterans Day program.
The guest speaker was Captain Carl Mock, United States Navy, retired. Captain Mock served 38 years before retiring in June 2005. During his 38 years of service he rose through the ranks from E-1 to O-6. His final active duty tour was as Commanding Officer, Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training, NAS Pensacola .
Photos courtesy Northview Yearbook for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Man Charged With Fleeing From Deputies, Weapons Offenses
November 10, 2015
A Century man is facing numerous felony charges after allegedly fleeing from deputies in Pensacola.
Christopher Torrey, Jr., 23, was charged with fleeing and eluding police, carrying a concealed firearm, grand theft of a firearm, resisting arrest and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning without bond due to a violation of probation charge.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy attempted a traffic stop on Torrey’s vehicle on Pace Boulevard due to illegal tint and an expired tag. The deputy, with lights and siren activated, followed Torrey for a short distance as Torrey failed to stop and increased his speed to an estimated 70-80 mph. The deputy did not give chase; instead deputies circulated the area looking for Torrey.
Torrey was located by deputies a short time later at the Morrie Court Apartments and taken into custody.
He was also issued traffic citations for illegal window tint and not wearing seat belt and a verbal warning for an expired registration.
Student Athletes Honored At FCA Banquet
November 10, 2015
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes “Go the Distance” Awards were presented Monday night at a banquet hosted by the First Baptist Church of Pensacola.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Athletes from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were honored for their participation in cross country, golf, swimming and volleyball.
Honored were:
Northview
Hannah Ging, Volleyball
Bethany Reynolds, Cross Country
Brandon Korinchak, Cross County
Tate
Shelby French, Swimming
Kelly Kennedy, Swimming
Kaylee Jackson, Golf
Earnest Morgan, Golf
Hope Tourney, Volleyball
Emma Shows, Cross Country
Kerry Avant, Cross Country
West Florida High
Alexis Tinker, Swimming
Jason Ogle, Swimming
Elizabeth Wright, Golf
Chase O’Conner, Golf
Miranda Taylor, Volleyball
MacKenzie Desposito, Cross Country
Von Little John, Cross Country
Jay High
RayAnne Free, Cross Country
Austin Gonzales, Cross Country
Pine Forest
Rachel Rudd, Golf
Daniel Taylor-Limerick, Golf
Alexis Lucas, Volleyball
East Hill
Kaylie Dickson, Volleyball
Ella Griffith, Cross Country
John Mobley, Cross Country
Pensacola High
Brittany Daigle, Golf
Jack Myslack, Golf
Ariel Noethlich, Volleyball
Carla Dias, Cross Country
Will Langhorne, Cross Country
Escambia High
Daniel Kelso, Golf
Laurie McCoy, Golf
Kallie Lewis, Volleyball
Washington High
Jenna Luth, Swimming
Pensacola Catholic
Caroline Sears, Swimming
Ryan Dockery, Swimming
Abigail Herrmann, Golf
AJ Panyko, Golf
Kiley Brady, Volleyball
Carson Montana, Cross Country
Grant Kemp, Cross Country
University of West Florida
Karisa Kostecki, Swimming
Autumn Day, Volleyball
Gulf Breeze High
Ally Post, Swimming
Carl Lehman, Swimming
Olivia Hepworth, Volleyball
Madison Thompson, Cross Country
Josh Thompson, Cross Country
Milton High
Amber Gilley, Swimming
Chase McLean, Swimming
Chloe Dawson, Golf
Beau Martin, Golf
Mallory Bramel, Volleyball
Becky Ward, Cross Country
David Brammer, Cross Country
Navarre High
Jordan Gilliard, Swimming
Patrick Keele, Swimming
Laurel Emerson, Golf
Pace High
Trevor Easley, Golf
Gillian Rabold, Cross Country
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Fellowship of Christian Athletes “Go the Distance” award winners in cross country and volleyball. Pictured below: Winners from golf and swimming. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pine Forest High Evacuated Due To Gas Leak
November 10, 2015
Students at Pine Forest High School were evacuated briefly Monday afternoon due a gas leak.
The students waited outside while manteniance employees and the fire department search for the source of the leak.
The leak was reportedly traced to a pilot light that had gone out. The problem was repaired and students were allowed to return to class.
Man Gets 15 Years For Robbing Two Convenience Stores
November 10, 2015
An Escambia County man is headed to prison for the robbery of two convenience stores.
Joshua Rodriguez pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and was sentenced by Judge Edward P. Nickinson to 15 years in state prison as a prison releasee reoffender. As such, he will be required to serve his sentence day for day without the possibility of parole.
About 4 a.m. on August 21, 2014, Rodriguez entered the Shell gas station on North Davis Highwway, pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the clerk, and demanded all the money in the register. He stole approximately $100 from the store and fled.
Approximately five hours later, Rodriguez entered the Lucky 68 also on North Davis Highway and pointed the same weapon at the clerk and demanded all the money in the register. Rodriguez stole exactly $251 from that store. Rodriguez was caught by law enforcement a few blocks away and had the stolen money on him. A BB gun matching the description of the weapon was recovered in the area. The store clerk identified Rodriguez as the perpetrator.
Molino Christmas Parade Set For December 5
November 10, 2015
The 13th Annual Molino Christmas Parade is set for Saturday, December 5 at 11 a.m.
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.
Sheriff’s Office: Do You Know This Man?
November 10, 2015
Do you recognize this man?
Escambia County Sheriff’s investigators are working to identify him. They said he was seen exiting a stolen vehicle on Friday and possibly has connections to other stolen vehicles.
If you have any information about the man in the photos, contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9630 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Photos courtesy Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Scott Budget Boss: State Can Afford Tax Cuts, Incentives
November 10, 2015
The state has more than enough money to cover Gov. Rick Scott’s push for business incentives and tax cuts while funding agency requests, his budget chief said in a memo Monday.
As Scott embarked on a statewide tour to push for his proposed $1 billion in mostly business-friendly tax cuts, Office of Policy & Budget Director Cynthia Kelly wrote that rather than the $635.4 million surplus state economists have predicted for the next fiscal year, “a more appropriate ’surplus’ ” is $1.6 billion.
Kelly’s projection, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times, is based on the state being on track to bring in a record $29.8 billion in general revenue next year, including $1.3 billion in “new” revenue.
“Bottom line, there is more than sufficient revenue to fund all of the state’s mandatory increases, as well as the governor’s priorities for your agencies, the Florida Enterprise Fund and the proposed $1 billion in tax cuts,” Kelly wrote in a memo to Scott’s agency heads.
Kelly also noted that an increase in revenue the past couple of years has come as the state has made about $900 million in tax cuts.
The intent of Kelly’s memo was to reduce fears by agencies leaders that they’ll have to make cuts to accommodate Scott’s requests.
Kelly’s letter was spurred by comments from lawmakers and the media that Scott’s request for tax cuts and $250 million in incentives for the state’s public-private corporate recruitment agency Enterprise Florida would quickly exceed the surplus projected in a long-range financial outlook presented in September by the Legislature’s chief economist.
Economists have noted that about two-thirds of the projected 2016-2017 budget year surplus will come from one-time, non-recurring money. They have also predicted that the surplus will drop to $583.7 million the following year and $222.2 million the year after that, due in part to the continuing cost of recent tax cuts supported by Scott and Republican lawmakers.
After Scott announced his proposed tax-cut package Thursday, Senate President Andy Gardiner told reporters that while many of the governor’s proposals are already moving in bills by members of his chamber, lawmakers will need to see the rest of Scott’s budget proposals before making any commitments.
“At the top of our list is going to be the tax cuts, certainly, but we’ve just got to figure the balance,” Gardiner said Thursday.
Gardiner has said $250 million would be a starting point in discussions on tax cuts when lawmakers return to Tallahassee in January for an earlier-than-usual regular session. That session will include crafting the 2016-17 budget, which will take effect July 1.
The bulk of Scott’s proposed cuts, which would be amassed over a two-year period, involve permanently eliminating the income tax on manufacturing and retail businesses, a cut the governor’s office estimates at $770 million.
Scott’s proposals also would make permanent the elimination of a tax on manufacturing equipment, reduce a commercial lease tax and extend a temporary elimination of sales taxes on college textbooks.
For most Floridians, the cuts will be seen through a pair of sales-tax “holidays,” which total just over $70 million. A 10-day back-to-school “holiday” would lift sales taxes on certain school supplies, clothes and some electronics. A separate nine-day period would be set aside to remove sales taxes on hurricane supplies.
House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, predicted last week that fulfilling Scott’s requests would require spending cuts to areas such as the environment and education.
Scott’s tax-cut tour started Monday with stops in Melbourne, Clearwater and Miami. Additional stops this week will be made in West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Jacksonville and Panama City. He will be in Jupiter with the state Cabinet on Tuesday.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Escambia (FL) EMS To Continue Service To Flomaton
November 10, 2015
Escambia County (FL) has renewed an agreement with an Alabama agency to provide ambulance service for the Flomaton area.
Since 1981, Escambia County (FL) EMS has provided ambulance service to the Flomaton area through an interlocal agreement with the Escambia County (AL) Healthcare Authority. A three year agreement approved in 2010 expired in 2013 and was renewable to two additional one year periods.
Escambia County (AL) Healthcare Authority pays Escambia County EMS for the ambulance service, while Escambia County (FL) EMS then bills patients for services rendered.
A similar agreement is in place between Escambia County (FL) and the privately owned Atmore Ambulance service. Atmore Ambulance provides emergency medical services in the Walnut Hill and Bratt areas. Escambia County (FL) pays Atmore Ambulance a monthly fee, and Atmore Ambulance also directly bills patients for services rendered at an amount not greater than that billed by Escambia County EMS, which provides ambulance service for the rest of the county.The agreement has been in place since 1978.
Pictured: Two ambulances assigned to Escambia County EMS Post 50 in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
