Escambia, Santa Rosa Christmas Closures
December 24, 2015
The following closures are planned due to the Christmas holiday:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Below is a listing of the offices and departments closing Thursday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 25, for the Christmas holidays. Normal operations resume on Monday, Dec. 28.
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- West Florida Public Library System
Exceptions
- Escambia County 911 Dispatch, EMS and Fire Rescue services will remain operational.
- Escambia County Tax Collector will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24, Friday, Dec. 25, and Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. The office will be open for normal business hours on Thursday, Dec. 31.
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24, Friday, Dec. 25, and Friday, Jan. 1, 2016. The office will be open for normal business hours on Thursday, Dec. 31.
- Perdido Landfill will be open for normal business hours on Thursday, Dec. 24, and Thursday Dec. 31.
Escambia County Area Transit:
- Administrative office will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24, Saturday, Dec. 26, and Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. The office will be open for normal business hours on Thursday, Dec. 31.
- No bus service and administrative office will be closed on Friday, Dec. 25, and Friday, Jan. 1, 2016.
- UWF Trolley and express shuttle service will be suspended on Friday, Dec. 25, and Friday, Jan. 1, 2016.
- UWF Trolley Express Shuttle service will resume Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, and regular UWF Trolley service will resume Monday, Jan. 4.
- Details for specific routes are listed on www.goecat.com
ECUA
ECUA offices will be closed Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday, and on Friday, January 1, 2016, in observance of the New Year’s holiday.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY ONLY:
Residential Customers: Garbage, Yard Trash & Recycling Services
• Friday pick-ups will be on Saturday
Commercial Customers: Dumpster Services
• Friday pick-ups will be on Saturday
SANTA ROSA COUNTY (NORTH-END) ONLY:
Residential Garbage, Yard Trash & Recycling Services
• No garbage, yard trash or recycling collection on Dec. 24 & 25, & Jan. 1.
• Garbage and yard trash will be collected on the next normally scheduled collection day for those routes (Monday or Tuesday).
• Please place real wreaths and Christmas trees, free of stands and decorations, at the curb for pick-up with regular yard waste collection.
• Recycling collections scheduled for Dec. 24 & 25 will be collected on Saturday, December 26, and Recycling collections scheduled for Jan. 1 will be collected on Saturday, Jan. 2.
All other holiday week collections will remain on normal schedule. Customers may call ECUA Customer Service at 476-0480, if they require further information.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
The following offices and departments are closed Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25 in observance of Christmas. Regular hours of operation resume Monday, Dec. 28.
· Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners, including the library system and animal shelter
o The Central Landfill located on 6337 Da Lisa Road will be open from 7 a.m. – noon Thursday, Dec. 24.
· Santa Rosa County Clerk of the Court
· Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser
· Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections
· Santa Rosa County Tax Collector
Flooding Closes Barrineau Park Road At The Perdido River
December 24, 2015
Barrineau Park Road at the Perdido River has been closed due to flooded bridge approaches.
Standing water creates a serious road hazard, even when only a portion of the roadway is flooded, according to Escambia County. Motorists should always avoid crossing flooded streets and should never attempt to cross flooded bridges.
This is the only weather related road closure in Escambia County. Any additional road closures will be announced as they occur.
Pictured: The Perdido River crosses Barrineau Park Road late Thursday afternoon. Photo by Rhonda Corley for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Driver Cited After Three-Vehicle Highway 95A Crash
December 24, 2015
An elderly driver was cited by the Florida Highway Patrol following a three vehicle crash Wednesday night in Cantonment.
According to the FHP, 73-year old Joann Elliot Reeves of Cantonment was traveling north on Highway 95A at Old Chemstrand Road about 5:30 p.m. when she failed to stop her Toyota Avalon at a stop sign and rear-ended a Chevrolet driven by 24-year old Mercedes Kay Byrd of Pensacola. The Impala then collided with a 2005 Toyota Tacoma drive by 34-year old Christy Lee Davis.
Reeves, Byrd, and a four-year old passenger in Byrd’s vehicle were all transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries. Davis and an eight-year old passenger in her vehicle were not injuries.
Reeves was cited for careless driving, expired registration and no proof of insurance, according to a FHP report.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Two Injured In Escambia River Bridge Crash
December 23, 2015
Two people were injured in a single vehicle wreck Tuesday night in Century.
A driver eastbound on Highway 4 lost control and hit a guardrail on the approach to the Escambia River Bridge about 10 p.m. The vehicle’s passenger was ejected in the crash. Both were transported by ambulance to an area hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details have not been released.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and emergency crews from Santa Rosa County also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Driver Charged With DUI Manslaughter In Death Of Atmore Woman
December 23, 2015
A Cantonment woman has been charged with DUI manslaughter in connection with the Friday night traffic death of a retired teacher from Atmore.
Debra Marlene Ahearn, 52, was booked into the Escambia County Jail today on charges brought by the Florida Highway Patrol. According to court documents, Ahearn’s initial blood alcohol level was .291 — over three and half times the legal limit.
According to the FHP, Ahearn was traveling southbound in a 2006 Town and Country van on Highway 29 near Muscogee Road when she made a turn directly into the path of a northbound Chevrolet Tahoe driven by 56-year old John Edward Ryland of Atmore. The Tahoe was then struck by a northbound Chevrolet Cobalt driven by 21-year old Dontavious Rashwn Anderson of Cantonment.
A passenger in the Tahoe, 61-year old Barbara M. Ryland of Atmore, was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where she was pronounced deceased shortly after the 6:11 pm. crash. The driver of the Tahoe, John Ryland, was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital where he was listed in critical condition.
Ahearn was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital where she treated and later released., while Anderson was taken to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries.
Barbara Ryland was not wearing a seat belt, according to a FHP report; everyone else involved in the crash was properly restrained.
Barbara Ryland was a retired teacher with 30 years of service to the Escambia County (FL) School District. She continued as a substitute teacher following her retirement.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Tuesday Murder Under Investigation; Man Sought For Questioning
December 23, 2015
The murder of a 36-year old man in Escambia County Tuesday is under investigation.
Raymond Stokes was found by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office with multiple gunshot wounds in the 4000 block of West Jackson Street about 1 a.m. Tuesday. He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
The case is being worked by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office as a homicide.
Wednesday morning, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said they are looking for 24-year old Marcus Dewayne Collins (pictured) for questioning only in the murder.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Three Arrested On Drug Charges After Atmore Traffic Stops
December 23, 2015
Three people were arrested on drug charges after two different traffic stops early Sunday morning in Atmore, the Atmore Police Department announced Tuesday.
Officers conducted a traffic stop at 1:22 a.m. due to vehicle with one headlight. A search of the vehicle led to the confiscation of three scales, two grinders, two marijuana cigarettes, a pipe, a plastic bag containing Xanax and a “substantial” amount of cash.
Matthew Purvis, age 31 of Pensacola, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana first degree and possession of a controlled substance with a prescription. He was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton.
At 1:30 a.m., Atmore Police Officers stopped a Kia Sportage on South Main Street. A search of the vehicle turned up a clear rock substance believed to be crystal methamphetamine, a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine, several
syringes believed to contain methamphetamine, and other illegal narcotics were located in items belonging to the passenger.
The driver, 37-year old Charlie Halum of Pace, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia second degree. The passenger, 36-yar old Christy Martin of Seminole, AL, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia first degree.
Both were booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton.
No Serious Injuries In Highway 29, Barrineau Park Road Crash
December 23, 2015
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle wreck late Tuesday afternoon south of Molino. The accident was reported about 4:45 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 29 and Barrineau Park Road. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Bratt Pre-K Class Visited By Frosty The Snowman, Santa
December 23, 2015
Mrs. Cloud’s Pre-K class at Bratt Elementary school was visited by Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus last week. The students also grew their own magical candy canes. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gretna Racing, Poarch Creek Indians Could Be Center Of Florida Slot Machine Battle
December 23, 2015
Rural Gadsden County, Gretna Racing and the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore might seem an unlikely legal battleground for slot machines.
But as the Florida Supreme Court considers a potentially far-reaching case about slot machines at a pari-mutuel facility in the Gadsden County city of Gretna, local officials hope they can help sway the court in favor of a voter-approved gambling expansion.
The Supreme Court on Friday approved a request from the city of Gretna to file a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of allowing lucrative slot machines at the pari-mutuel, Gretna Racing operated by the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore. That was followed Monday by Gadsden County seeking to formally intervene in the case or, at a minimum, be allowed to file a friend-of-the-court brief that would back a 2012 slots referendum in the county.
In a motion filed last week, the city pointed to the economic stakes of allowing slot machines at the pari-mutuel. It said a “master plan” ultimately envisions building one or more convention hotels, along with restaurants and shops.
“The city of Gretna has a vital economic interest in ensuring that the master plan will come to fruition and the success of the plan depends on the issuance of the (slots) permit that is at issue in the case before the court,” said the motion, written by Philip Padovano, a former 1st District Court of Appeal judge representing the city.
The Supreme Court agreed Dec. 1 to decide whether Gretna Racing should be allowed to have slot machines without the express permission of the Legislature. The racetrack took the case to the Supreme Court after a divided 1st District Court of Appeal in October sided with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Gov. Rick Scott’s administration in ruling that legislative approval was needed for slots.
The October ruling undid an earlier ruling from the appeals court that favored Gretna Racing.
The issues in the case focus on disputed interpretations of a 2009 gambling law. But while ground zero in the case is Gadsden County — which is west of Tallahassee and had a population last year of roughly 46,000 people — the outcome could also determine whether slot machines are allowed in Brevard, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach and Washington counties.
In each of those counties, voters approved referendums to allow slot machines. In its motion to intervene Monday, Gadsden County argued it had the right to authorize a referendum that would clear the way for slots.
“In the majority opinion, the First DCA (District Court of Appeal) found that Gadsden County did not have the authority to authorize the conduct of a binding gambling referendum without further statutory or constitutional authorization, and that the referendum was a non-binding expression of voter sentiment,” the motion said. “The majority opinion on these points is contrary to established Florida law.”
The Supreme Court has not set a date for oral arguments in the case. Attorneys for Gretna Racing filed a brief Monday outlining their positions on the legal issues, and the state is expected to reply in mid-January.
Already lining up with the state, however, is No Casinos, Inc., which has received approval to file a brief with the court.
“The movant (No Casinos) is concerned that if this expansion of gambling devices is allowed (and by logical extension, allowed for similar facilities in other counties), that will lead to proliferation of such devices, and will generally encourage casino-type gambling, contrary to the public interest and contrary to the law,” the Orlando-based group said in its motion seeking to file a brief.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida