Fire Damages Cantonment Home
August 24, 2015
Fire damaged a home in Cantonment on Bur Oak Drive, just north of West Kingsfield Road near Ransom Middle School, this morning. There was no immediate word of any injuries, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Reader submitted photos by Brandy Lombardino for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County, Community Group Team Up For Cantonment Computer Lab
August 24, 2015
Old computers no longer used by Escambia County are being put to good use in Cantonment.
Residents can now take advantage of a new computer lab at the Carver Park Resource Center, thanks to the cooperative work of several Escambia County departments and the Cantonment Improvement Committee.
“We are very appreciative of the computers,” said Josh Womack, Cantonment Improvement Committee chairman. “We are just getting started with all the ways we can put the computers to good use.”
Escambia County’s Information Technology (IT), Neighborhood and Human Services and Facilities departments worked to convert a building at the request of District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry’s office. The lab consists of 10 computers refurbished from the 911 dispatch center that were donated by the county’s Public Safety Department.
“One of the ways we hope to use the computers, maybes with help from Careersource EscaRosa, is for people in the community to look for jobs,” Womack said. “And we hope to one day offer GED classes.”
Earlier this summer, IT and Facilities teamed up to make sure the electrical system was adequate for the setup that was needed. Facilities worked with a local electrical contractor to get the proper electrical and data lines put in place along with an alarm system. Once the electrical and data lines were in place, the IT department went to work tidying up the data lines and installing computers.
At the end of the project, the Center has 10 computers with internet connection to provide online learning, training and research for members of the community who do not have the same resources at home.
Carver Park is a two-acre neighborhood park at 208 Webb Street with a covered pavilion, playground, basketball courts, security lights, benches and picnic area. The park also has a small community building and some of the most historic oak trees in Escambia County.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Needs Appointees For Committees
August 24, 2015
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering for appointments to the Escambia County Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) and the Human Services Appropriations Committee (HSAC).
Merit System Protection Board
The MSPB was created to provide a fair and equitable mechanism for the expeditious review of appeals and grievances of the classified employees of the County before a non-partisan deliberative body. County Ordinance 2005-38 provides the means for a classified, permanent employee under the jurisdiction of the MSPB to appeal disciplinary actions, and provides that these employees may file an appeal or grievance for perceived violations of the Ordinance or the Rules. Presently, the classified employees under the jurisdiction of the Board of County Commissioners, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Supervisor of Elections are covered under the MSPB. The term of office is three years.
Qualifications of Board Members
No person shall be appointed to the Merit System Protection Board as a member who:
- Has not been a resident of Escambia County for two or more years preceding appointment to the MSPB.
- Is holding an elective or appointive office in federal, state, county or municipal government provided that prior appointment as a member of the MSPB shall not disqualify a person from being reappointed.
- Held political office in, or was a salaried or hourly employee of Escambia County during the 12 months preceding appointment to the MSPB.
- Is a member of the immediate family of a current employee or elected official of Escambia County.
- Is a current officer of any union representing employees of Escambia County.
- Is working for any vendor who has a current contractual agreement with any participating appointing authority.
- Has been convicted of, or has had adjudication withheld of, a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude.
Qualifications must be maintained throughout the members’ tenure or the member must resign his position on the MSPB.
Attendance
Any member of the MSPB shall be removed and replaced after being absent from more than three consecutive meetings during any calendar year. The MSPB shall determine whether any member’s absence is unexcused.
Compensation of Board Members
The MSPB members shall serve on a voluntary basis and not be financially compensated for their service.
Meeting Schedule
MPSB meetings are held once per month on the second Tuesday; the meeting is generally less than one hour. Hours will vary depending on whether an appeal is being heard from an employee. If hearings are scheduled, they would be held immediately after the meeting. There has been less than one appeal/hearing in the past years.
Human Services Appropriations Committee
The HSAC shall concurrently review agency funding requests to Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, making funding recommendations individually to both bodies in accordance with policy and procedure agreements with each. No members of the Committee shall be a member or employee of, or serve on any board of, any of the requesting agencies reviewed by the Committee. The term of office is three years.
HSAC Process*
The coordination of applications, site visits and oral presentations by United Way of Escambia County takes place from January-May. The partner agencies applying for funding from the Human Services Appropriations Committee are required to submit an application that has the designated HSAC-related application questions, as well as a program budget. Additionally, applying programs are required to host a site visit and provide an oral presentation on their proposal to the HSAC. The funding schedule for the HSAC was changed three years ago to run parallel with the United Way’s Funds Distribution Process. This change was able to create efficiencies in United Way’s staff and volunteer efforts to facilitate this process.
Time Committment
The following is a breakdown approximation of hours served on this Committee:
- Planning meeting and training for upcoming grant review process: November (2 hours)
- Grant Application Review and submission of questions to applicants: March (1 hour per application- number of applications vary from year to year)
- Site Visits/Oral Presentations: April (1.5 hours per applicant plus 15-20 minutes travel time between visits)
- Scoring of applications and/or site visits: March-Late April (10-15 minutes per application)
- Final Deliberations/Funding Recommendations meeting: May (2 +/-hours)
*Prepared by: Marlena Davis, Partnership Manager- United Way
Escambia County residents interested in serving on the Merit System Protection Board or the Human Services Appropriations Committee are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve on the applicable Board/Committee by the close of business on Monday, August 31, 2015. Resumes should be submitted to Judy Witterstaeter, Program Coordinator, Board of County Commissioners, P.O. Box 1591, Pensacola Florida 32502.
Repairs Begin On Chestnut Road Bridge In Molino
August 24, 2015
The Chestnut Road bridge at Dry Creek, located in Molino, is undergoing repairs and maintenance.
The bridge on Chestnut Road is one-eighth of a mile north of Molino Road.
Project duration for repairs and maintenance is estimated to last 30 days, weather permitting. During construction, there will be single-lane closures with flagman present. The current posted load for this bridge is five tons.
NJROTC Cadets Attend Leadership Training Camps
August 24, 2015
Navy Junior ROTC Cadets from seven Escambia and Santa Rosa county schools attended two camps before school started at Naval Air Station Pensacola — a Leadership Academy and a Basic Leadership Training camp.
The NJROTC cadets and instructors from Northview, Escambia, Pine Forest, Washington, Navarre, Milton and Pace high schools took part in the camps with their days staring at 5 a.m. and continuing until 9:30 p.m. The cadets also had to stand barracks watches throughout the night.
Each camp included academics, orienteering and first aid, drills, a physical fitness test and daily fitness training, personnel inspections, daily room and locker inspections and tours of the various active duty training facilities.
The 53 cadets attending the Leadership Academy also had the opportunity to participate in a Leadership Reaction Course and a Marine Corps obstacle course. The 50 cadets in the Basic Leadership Training camp were able to observe demonstrations of aviation fire fighting training, rescue swimmer training, and participate in the USMC circuit course.
Both camps competed in a Jeopardy style academic brain brawl that covered topics covered in the NJROTC curriculum.
Cadets graduating from the camps received a certificate of completion and ribbon, while those completing the Leadership Academy also earned a silver cord that is worn with their uniform.
Northview cadets that successfully completed Leadership Academy were (with awarded medals listed):
- Moriah McGahan — Distinguished Cadet (Top Cadet for the camp, 2nd Sit-ups, 3rd Push-ups, 1st Mile run, 3rd Room Inspection, 1st Overall Physical Fitness Test)
- Katie Cmehil — 1st in Sit-ups
- Sara McCreary — 1st in Knockout competition
- Ureil Codrington
- James White — 4th Overall in the Male Physical Fitness test
Northview cadets that successfully completed Basic Leadership Training Camp were:
- Wyatt Morris — 3rd in Sit-ups
- Oreblis Rodriguez — 2nd in Push-ups
- Hunter Witt
- Zachary Sheldon
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
U.S. Attorney Resigning
August 24, 2015
The top federal prosecutor in much of North Florida announced Thursday she is resigning after five years in the job. U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh, who oversees cases in 23 counties stretching from Escambia to Alachua, will leave the post effective September 4, according to a news release from her office. The news release did not detail Marsh’s reasons for the resignation or what she plans to do next.
An appointee of President Barack Obama, Marsh was the first woman to hold the top prosecutor’s job in the Northern District of Florida. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Canova will serve as acting U.S. attorney after Marsh leaves.
Pensacola Falls To Mississippi
August 24, 2015
It was Princess Night at the ballpark and all the Pensacola Blue Wahoos wished for was its first dance at the ball – the playoffs that is.
In its first game in franchise history with post season implications, Pensacola didn’t get its fairytale ending Monday.
Despite Phillip Ervin slugging his second home run in two games, the Mississippi Braves held on in the opener of the five-game series for a 3-1 win in front of 4,357 fans, including several little “Frozen” princesses, at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Mississippi took back first place in the South Division over Pensacola by a half game in the second half of the Southern League season. The Braves, who have recorded a better second-half record than first-half record the past seven seasons, are now 31-24 and Pensacola is 31-25.
Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly said with 14 games left this season and Pensacola playing both Mississippi and the Mobile BayBears at home, he knows the Blue Wahoos can qualify for the playoffs.
“We just have to win every series,” he said. “It’s a pretty simple formula.”
Mississippi starter Lucas Sims was coming off a 1-0 victory in which he threw 5.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball against the Birmingham Barons.
Throwing a steady stream of 90-plus mph fastballs against Pensacola, Sims allowed just three hits and recorded a season-high 10 strike outs against the Blue Wahoos. His only run was on Ervin’s solo blast.
The Braves’ Sims improved to 3-2 this season with a 4.19 ERA and now has allowed just two runs in his last 17.1 innings for a 1.06 earned-run average.
“Sims pitched a helluva game,” Kelly said. “He had really good stuff.”
Meanwhile, Pensacola starter Daniel Wright also gave the Blue Wahoos a strong outing, throwing seven innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits, while striking out seven Braves batters. The right-hander retired the first seven Mississippi batters he faced, striking out four, all on off-speed pitches.
“He pitched seven innings for us and allowed us to rest our bullpen a bit,” Kelly said. “That was good. He did a great job, he just had that little hiccup there in the fourth inning.”
Mississippi scored first getting three in the fourth. Braves second baseman Levi Hyams scored on a ground out and third baseman Rio Ruiz hit a two-out, two-run line drive over the left field wall to put Mississippi ahead, 3-0.
Ervin, the Cincinnati Reds No. 9 prospect according to MLB, hit two of Pensacola’s three hits off Sims. He went 2-3 with a double and solo blast to left field in the fourth inning Sunday that pulled Pensacola within, 3-1, of Mississippi.
He had four hits in a row between his third and fourth games in Double-A – two of them home runs. Ervin has 14 home runs and 66 RBIs this season counting his numbers for the High-A Daytona Tortugas.
Ervin said he’s relaxing more at the plate after going 0-5 in his first two games and 4-7 with a double, two homers and three RBIs in the last two.
“I like it right now,” Ervin said, chuckling, about Double-A pitching. “I was putting pressure on myself to get that first hit. Once I got it, I’ve been able to relax and have a little more fun.”
Area Unemployment Rates Steady Or Slightly Increasing
August 23, 2015
The latest job numbers released Friday show the unemployment level holding steady to slightly increasing in the three county North Escambia area.
Escambia County’s unemployment rate was steady from June to July at 5.7 percent. There were 7,984 people reported unemployed during the period. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 6.8 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment increased, from 4.9 to 5.0 percent from June to July. Santa Rosa County had a total of 3,7530 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 6 percent.
In Escambia County, Alabama, unemployment increased from 8.0 percent in June to 8.1 percent in July. That represente 1,182 people unemployed in the county during the month. One year ago, the unemployment rate in Escambia County, Alabama, was 8.9 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate for July stood at 5.4 percent, down 0.2 percentage points from revised June numbers. The latest monthly unemployment mark represents 517,000 jobless Floridians from a workforce of 9.5 million, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity. In June, there were an estimated 532,000 Floridians out of work with the workforce standing at 9.55 million.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 6.2 percent in July, was up from June’s rate of 6.1 percent and was below the year-ago rate of 6.6 percent.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
August 23, 2015
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending August 20 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Cushing was dispatched to a search and rescue late Saturday night in Perdido Bay. It was reported that two inexperienced adults (Father and Son) launched a 17’ Hobie Cat from a vacant lot on the north side of Perdido Bay around 1700 and had not returned. Officer Cushing drove his patrol boat approximately twenty miles to get to the area. Within seconds of his patrol boat settling in the water Officer Cushing could hear persons yelling for help. Officer Cushing moved toward the voices and found both subjects in good condition sitting on top of the capsized vessel in the middle of Perdido Bay, approximately 200 yards from where he began his search.
Officer Cushing was working in Bayou Texar in the early hours of Sunday morning. He conducted a marine fisheries inspection at Bayou Texar Boat Ramp of a vessel returning from a fishing a trip. When asked if the subject had any fish he stated that he had some “trout” and “red fish”. Officer Cushing asked him how many he had and he stated that he had yesterdays and todays bag limit. The subject was in possession of five red fish and one speckled trout. He was issued a citation for being over the bag limit.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Barnard wrapped up an investigation regarding a boat that was dumped in the Yellow River. The boat turned up just down river from a primitive boat launch near Log Lake Landing. The registration numbers were removed, but Officer Barnard was able to determine them from the adhesive. He located the last registered owner just a few miles away. The owner had the trailer in his yard, but claimed that he gave the boat to a scrapper. The man could not provide any valid contact information for the man, and witness accounts did not match his story. The man removed the boat from the river, but claimed that the scrap man he gave the boat to must have dumped it. However, all of the motor and stern drive, along with various other pieces of aluminum and stainless steel were still attached to the boat. Officer Barnard obtained a warrant and the man was booked on the charge of littering.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
Man Sentenced To 15 Years For Burglary, Grand Theft
August 23, 2015
An Escambia County man convicted on burglary related charges will spend the next 15 years in state prison.
Anthony McPherson was sentenced by Circuit Judge Linda Nobles to five years in state prison for violating his probation on previous charges of burglary and grand theft, was sentenced by Circuit Judge Michael Jones to 10 years in prison to run consecutive to the violation of probation sentence. McPherson had previously pled guilty to burglary of an occupied dwelling, grand theft auto, theft from a person 65 years of age or older, criminal mischief, trespass and resisting officer without violence.
On January 4, McPherson and his co-defendant, Trenton Fails, knocked on the door of an 87-year old woman and briefly spoke with her before forcing their way into the residence. The defendants took her purse, along with cash and her car keys, before stealing her car.
When deputies spotted the vehicle on Belmont Street, they attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle by initiating their lights and siren. A brief chase ensued before McPherson and Fails abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot. A K-9 track led deputies to a residence on Frisco Road where McPherson and Fails were apprehended.
Fails is scheduled to appear in court on September 16.
The investigation was conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorney Jeremiah Monahan prosecuted the case.