Free School Supplies, Groceries, Haircuts And More Saturday In Molino
July 30, 2015
Free school supplies, groceries and even a back to school haircut will be available Saturday in Molino.
A free Day of Hope will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Victory Assembly of God at 1895 Victory Road, just south of Barrineau Park Road on Highway 29. The event will offer free groceries, haircuts, backpacks, school supplies, a kids zone and a hot lunch. Items are available while supplies last, rain or shine. No identification is required, but children must be present to receive school supplies.
For more information, call Victory Assembly of God at (850) 5587-2295.
Pictured top: A young lady receives a back to school haircut during last year’s Day of Hope at Victory Assembly of God. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Teen Charged With Burning Home In Attempt To Kill Her Family
July 30, 2015
A 17-year old Escambia County, AL, teen is charged as an adult after authorities say she set fire to the family’s mobile home with four relatives inside.
Love Freedom Rutledge of Brewton is charged with four counts of attempted murder and one court of first degree arson. She remained in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center Wednesday with bond set at $200,000.
The Appleton Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fully involved mobile home fire on McGougin Road northeast of Brewton about 1:00 Sunday morning. The mobile home was a total loss.
A man was transported to the University of South Alabama Medical Center Burn Center in Mobile, while three family members received injuries that were not serious.
After realizing Rutledge was missing, K-9 units, including one from the Century Correctional Institution, were called to the scene. Rutledge was located in a wooded area a short distance away.
Authorities have not released a motive or other details in the incident as their investigation continues.
Gambling Regulators Make Concession Impacting Poarch Creek’s Gretna Racing
July 30, 2015
Gambling regulators have backed down on a number of proposed changes to the state’s pari-mutuel rules after a legislative oversight panel and industry representatives challenged the Department of Business and Professional Regulations’ authority to issue the mandates.
The agency’s Division of Pari-mutuel Wagering on Tuesday published the latest modifications, which deal with issues such as jockey requirements and track sizes. The division folded on a number of issues raised by industry operators at a hearing last week.
But the proposal may not go far enough to prevent legal challenges.
The proposed rule changes were originally published last month, but the revised version includes a number of concessions to the controversial barrel-racing industry. Gambling regulators in 2011 granted a pari-mutuel license to Gretna Racing in Gadsden County for the rodeo-style matches, which, in turn, allowed the facility open a more lucrative card room. An appeals court later ruled that the state erred in granting the barrel-racing license — the first of its kind in the nation. The state and Gretna Racing entered a settlement agreement authorizing “flag drop” races in which two riders compete against each other but without any obstacles in the arena.
Gretna is managed and operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Atmore..
Tuesday’s changes do away with a requirement in the original proposed rule that would have forced all tracks to have starting gates, an expensive addition that Donna Blanton, a lawyer for the association representing the barrel racers, at last week’s meeting said was too cumbersome.
The proposed rule would still ban obstacles, including barrels, on race courses.
Regulators also scrapped a proposed regulation that would have limited jockeys to 135 pounds, which also would have had an adverse impact on the rhinestone-studded barrel racers. Instead, Tuesday’s revised plan would require that jockey weights take into account “the humane treatment of the racing animal” and be published in the racing program.
The revision also eliminates a proposed requirement for “secured wagering” areas, which also could have affected the Gretna facility, where workers take bets from the window of a trailer located near the arena’s bleachers.
The latest version of the proposed rule also would make changes to the required lengths of horse tracks and lower the minimum number of entrants in a race from six to five, still more than the two riders that historically participated in the Gretna races.
And the new proposal also drops a potential requirement that tracks have “break-away rails,” something nearly all operators complained would be too costly and possibly dangerous for horses and jockeys.
Regulators also appear to have taken into consideration some of the objections regarding the publishing of horses’ qualifications.
The original proposal would have required that at least three published past performances were available to the public prior to a race.
That wouldn’t give bettors enough information, Tom Ventura, president of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company, said last week. Tracks or owners can “pick and choose” the data they want published, he said.
Tuesday’s amended proposal would require the track’s racing secretary to make available to the public a horse’s three most-recent published outings, whether in races or workouts, and include at least one from within the past 45 days.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Ernest Ward Cheerleaders Attend Summer Camp; Five Named ‘All American’
July 30, 2015
The 2015-2016 Ernest Ward Middle School Cheerleaders attended a three-day Universal Cheerleaders Association camp at the school this week, learning new cheers, stunts, chants and dances for the upcoming year.
Five of the girls were chosen as UCA All-American and will have the opportunity to to cheer in the Thanksgiving Day Parade at Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando.
Award presented included:
- Anna Adams- All American and Most Improved
- Lexi Broadhead- All American
- Jada Crabtree- All American
- Ashlan Harigel- All American, Dancing Diva and Camp MVP
- Cloe Smith- All American and Best Attitude
Pictured: Ernest Ward Middle School UCA All-American cheerleaders (L-R, standing) Cloe Smith, Ashlan Harigel, Lexi Broadhead, Jada Crabtree, and (kneeling) Anna Adams. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Win In Extra Innings
July 30, 2015
It took 10 runs, 16 hits and seven pitchers, but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (18-14, 43-57) got back into the win column after a 10-9 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts (12-18, 55-43) at AT&T Field Wednesday night.
With multi-hits from four different players, Pensacola registered season-highs in runs, hits and RBIs in the extra-inning game. Both Juan Perez and Beau Amaral went 3-5 with a run and three RBIs while Juan Duran went 3-5 with two runs and a RBI. Seth Mejias-Brean went 2-3 with two runs, an RBI and a walk.
The Blue Wahoos started the game by scoring two runs on three hits in the first inning for an early lead. After a leadoff single, Ryan Wright scored off of Duran’s RBI single. Duran later scored off of Perez’s single to shallow left field.
Starting pitcher Tim Adleman left the game in the second inning with an elbow injury after giving up one hit in 1.2 innings. RHP Jacob Johnson came into relief and threw 3.1 innings of work allowing two runs on five hits in his first appearance for the Blue Wahoos since being transferred back from Louisville.
With two-outs in the second inning, Pensacola added two more runs to the scoreboard as Duran got his second single of the game and Seth Mejias-Brean notched his 12th double of the season. Perez knocked them in with a double to the right field wall. Perez’s three RBIs are a season-high and the most since July 20, 2014 for the Bakersfield Blaze.
The Lookouts got on the board in the fourth inning as Stuart Turner was walked by Johnson and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Levi Michael doubled on a line drive to right-center field to score Turner.
In the fifth inning, Marquez Smith was walked and advanced to third on a deep double to left field by Duran for his third hit of the night. Smith scored on a sacrifice fly by Mejias-Brean as the Blue Wahoos took a 5-1 lead.
Heiker Meneses scored for Chattanooga in the bottom of the fifth off of a RBI double by Max Kepler to make the game 5-2. LHP Joel Bender came into the game for the Wahoos in the sixth inning and gave up two runs on three hits to make it 5-4.
After a few quiet innings, the Lookouts went on a scoring rampage in the eighth. Meneses started the inning with a single. Patrick Shuster came in to replace Miguel Celestino on the mound. Celestino promptly gave up a home run to Kelpler. After a single, fielding error and two walks, Aderlin Mejia drove in two runs to take an 8-5 lead.
The Blue Wahoos began a comeback and tied the game 8-8 in the ninth inning. Beau Amaral hit a one-run single to score Ray Chang. Smith double to right field to drive in both Cam Maron and Amaral.
In the top of the 10th, the Blue Wahoos scored two runs on Amaral’s double to right field scoring both Mejias-Brean and Perez.
Zack Weiss, who came into the game in the ninth inning, registered his first career Double-A win going 2.0 innings recording three hits, one run, one walk and one strikeout.
The Blue Wahoos are on a 10-day road trip against the Chattanooga Lookouts and Jacksonville Suns.
Man Charged With Recording Women In Hospital Bathroom
July 29, 2015
An Alabama man has been charged with using his phone to record women in a bathroom at Atmore Community Hospital.
Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks told NorthEscambia.com Tuesday night that 49-year old Curtis Overstreet of Jackson, AL, was a part-time employee at the hospital. He was charged with three counts of criminal surveillance and later released on bond.
Overstreet reportedly confessed to video recording three women in an employees-only bathroom inside the hospital in Atmore. He would allegedly leave his phone in the female employees’ bathroom where one employee reported finding the phone in record mode. The phone was traced to Overstreet, and a search warrant was served at his home in Jackson, AL, where no evidence of the alleged video recordings was found.
According to Infirmary Health, parent company of Atmore Community Hospital, Overstreet is no longer employed with Atmore Community Hospital.
Pictured top: Atmore Community Hospital, NorthEscambia.com file photo. Pictured inset: No booking photo of Curtis Overstreet was available, but he is seen here in a Facebook photo.
Escambia County Business Tax Bills In The Mail
July 29, 2015
Business tax bills have been mailed.
Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley was set to mail over 20,000 business tax receipt renewal notices on Tuesday. Business owners can renew through September 30 without a delinquent penalty.
Business tax receipts can be renewed online, but other options are available including payment by mail, by phone or in person at any one of three tax collector offices.
Applications and information for business tax receipts are available at www.escambiataxcollector.com. For more information or to make an appointment, visit the tax collector’s website or call (850) 438‑6500, ext. 3252.
One Injured As Kitchen Fire Damages Century Mobile Home
July 29, 2015
A kitchen fire damaged a Century mobile home Wednesdays morning and sent one man to the hospital.
The kitchen fire, caused by cooking, was reported about 7:10 a.m. in the 9400 block of Ivey Street. The first firefighters on scene reported some smoke inside the trailer when they arrived.
One resident of the mobile home was transported by Escambia County EMS to Jay Hospital for smoke inhalation and burns.
The Century, McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Flomaton Fire Department and the Jay Fire Department were dispatched to the fire.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
The New Ernest Ward: Where To Park, And Where Is The Front Door?
July 29, 2015
As the new Ernest Ward Middle School nears completion, and the new school year nears the first day, here’s a look at where to park and how to find the not-so-obvious front door.
Since students moved into the school back in February, parents and visitors have used a side parking lot and door to enter the school. That side door is now locked on a regular basis, and that parking lot is for employees and will be closed to the public.
Parents and the public should enter and exit from the northernmost gate on Highway 97. That’s the one farthest away, not actually in front of the school, all the way up near the fire department (pictured above).
The other Highway 97 gate, located in front of the school, is closest to the front door. But it’s the wrong way in. This gate (pictured above) is only for buses to exit and is marked “Do Not Enter”.
Back to that northernmost gate for the public, up near the fire department. After driving through the gate(pictured above), it’s still hard to even see the front door. But it’s there. Just keep driving and find the parking spaces, which, by the way, still are not in front of the front door.
The awning, and the driveway the loops around to the right of the above photo the student drop-off and pick-up line. The parking lot is to the the left (look for the arrow to the left of the picture). It’s still very hard to see and find the front door from here, but it’s there.
From the public parking lot the front of the school looks like this. Over on the bottom left of the photos, at the end of the awning, is the elusive front door of Ernest Ward Middle School. The awning, and the driveway that loops around by the front door, is the student drop-off and pick-up line for parents.
And finally, here are the front doors — the only doors that will be unlocked for the rest of the summer and during the school year for the public to use.
There are plans to install signage to help those entering the campus, but those signs may not be completed in time for the first day of school.
Second Motorcylist Dies Following Saturday Crash Near Century
July 29, 2015
An Alabama man died Tuesday afternoon from injuries he received in a motorcycle crash Saturday evening that claimed the life of his wife.
Wilmer Rankin Barnes, age 54 of Stockton, was pronounced deceased at 1:39 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Wilmer Barnes was westbound on a 2015 Harley Davidson motorcycle on Highway 4 near Canoe Creek just after 7 p.m. Saturday. The Harley left the roadway in a curve and struck a culvert, causing the motorcycle to overturn. Barnes and his passenger, 55-year Linda Ann Barnes of Stockton, were both ejected from the motorcycle. Linda Barnes was pronounced deceased at the scene by Escambia County EMS.
Both occupants were wearing their helmets.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
