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.
Appeals Court Upholds Doctor-Patient Gun Law
July 29, 2015
For the second time in little more than a year, a federal appeals court Tuesday upheld a controversial Florida law that restricts doctors from asking questions and recording information about patients’ gun ownership.
The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was a victory for the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights advocates and a defeat for medical groups that argued, at least in part, that the law infringed on doctors’ First Amendment rights.
The appeals court last July also upheld the 2011 law but issued a revised ruling Tuesday. After last year’s decision, medical groups continued challenging the law, including asking for a rehearing before the entire Atlanta-based appeals court.
Dubbed the “docs vs. glocks” law, the measure includes a series of restrictions on doctors and other health providers. As an example, it seeks to prevent physicians from entering information about gun ownership into medical records if the physicians know the information is not “relevant” to patients’ medical care or safety or to the safety of other people.
As another example, the law says doctors should refrain from asking about gun ownership by patients or family members unless the doctors believe in “good faith” that the information is relevant to medical care or safety. Also, the law seeks to prevent doctors from discriminating against patients or “harassing” them because of owning firearms.
A federal district judge in 2012 sided with opponents of the law and issued an injunction against it. But the appeals court last July and again Tuesday overturned the injunction.
“The purpose of the act, as we read it, is not to protect patient privacy by shielding patients from any and all discussion about firearms with their physicians; the act merely requires physicians to refrain from broaching a concededly sensitive topic when they lack any good-faith belief that such information is relevant to the medical care or safety of their patients or others,” said the majority opinion, written by Judge Gerald Tjoflat and joined by Judge L. Scott Coogler.
But Judge Charles Wilson wrote a lengthy dissent arguing that the law violates the First Amendment rights of physicians.
“Simply put, the act is a gag order that prevents doctors from even asking the first question in a conversation about firearms,” Wilson wrote. “The act prohibits or significantly chills doctors from expressing their views and providing information to patients about one topic and one topic only, firearms.”
The Republican-dominated Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott approved the law after hearing accounts of doctors unnecessarily asking questions about gun ownership or even refusing to continue providing care if such questions were not answered.
In Tuesday’s majority opinion, Tjoflat repeatedly pointed to instances in which doctors can continue justify asking about firearms, such as in the case of a patient considered at risk of suicide.
“Thus, a physician may make inquiries as to the firearms-ownership status of any or all patients, so long as he or she does so with the good-faith belief — based on the specifics of the patient’s case — that the inquiry is relevant to the patient’s medical care or safety, or the safety of others,” the majority opinion said. “If, for example, the physician seeks firearm information to suit a personal agenda unrelated to medical care or safety, he or she would not be making a ‘good-faith’ inquiry, and so the act plainly directs him to refrain from inquiring.”
But Wilson’s dissent raised questions about whether the law stemmed from anecdotal incidents. He also argued that doctors should have the right to ask questions about guns in addressing the well-being of patients.
“There is nothing to suggest that the doctors’ inquiries or messages regarding firearms were not genuinely believed to be in the patients’ best medical interest when given,” Wilson wrote. “But there is evidence in the legislative history to suggest that the harassment provision (of the law) is designed to prevent these conversations from taking place in the future. That is certainly the result it will achieve. Doctors will largely cease inquiring into and counseling on the topic of firearms, lest they be accused of crossing the line between providing life-saving preventive medical information and promoting an anti-firearm political agenda.”
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Traffic Shift For I-10 Near Scenic Highway
July 29, 2015
Interstate 10 (I-10) eastbound traffic near U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway) in Escambia County will be shifted to the south near the Scenic Highway overpass beginning this week. The shift will allow crews to place a large crane in the median needed for the demolition and reconstruction of the Scenic Highway overpass. The traffic shift will be in place until the end of 2015.
Drivers destined for Scenic Highway will continue using the I-10 on-and-off ramps. The speed limit on I-10 eastbound near Scenic Highway will be reduced to 60 mph.
All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Injured Teen Airlifted After Cantonment ATV, Vehicle Crash
July 29, 2015
At teen was airlifted to the hospital following an ATV crash with a vehicle Tuesday afternoon in Cantonment.
The accident happened about 5:20 p.m. at the intersection of Nowak Road and Country Road 97 when the ATV and a SUV collided. According to the FHP, the 2000 Yamaha ATV driven by 16-year Timothy Trouch of Cantonment was traveling northbound on County Road 97 in the right turn lane. As Trouch attempted a right turn onto Nowak Road, he pulled into the path of a 2006 Lexus RX 400 driven by 46-year old Tammi Hill of Cantonment.
A passenger on the ATV, 17-yar old Morgan Long of Cantonment, was airlifted by Lifeguard helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Trouch received minor injuries.
Hill and her passenger, a 14-year old female, were not injured.
Trouch was cited by the FHP with driving an all terrain vehicle on the roadway.
Escambia County EMS and the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Fall To Lookouts
July 29, 2015
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos (17-14, 42-57) got off to a hot start but fell to the Chattanooga Lookouts (12-17, 55-42) at AT&T Field Tuesday night.
Wahoos starter Daniel Wright (7-8, 4.66) fell after three consecutive wins on a night in which he gave up seven runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings. Most of the damage came in the decisive fourth inning, when the Lookouts had seven runs on six hits and a pair of walks. He was relieved by Wandy Peralta, newly a member of the bullpen, who went 3.0 and gave up a run on four hits.
Chattanooga’s Brett Lee (1-4, 4.25) earned his first Double-A win in nine tries this season as he went 5.0 innings while allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits.
The Wahoos struck first in the second with a three-run inning keyed by a two-RBI double from Seth Mejias-Brean, who lead the Wahoos at the plate as he went 2-4. He would later score on a throwing error to make it 3-0.
After a few frames of quiet baseball, the Lookouts made some noise in the bottom of the fourth as they scored seven runs on six hits, taking a 7-3 lead and chasing Wright out of the game in the process.
The Wahoos attempted to cut into the lead in the top of the fifth as they loaded the bases without a hit, but they came up empty as Lee was able to hold strong.
The Lookouts added to their lead as Shannon Wilkerson drove in a run on a double to right field, making the score 8-3.
The Wahoos threatened again in the eighth as Juan Duran’s double and Mejias-Brean’s single put runners at the corners with nobody out. However, the Wahoos came up empty.
RHP Kevin Shackelford did not give up a hit in the eighth inning as he made his 20th appearance since April 25. Since then, he’s gone 1-3 with a 1.50 ERA (four earned runs in 24.0 innings of work) with nine walks and 12 strikeouts.
The Wahoos have now dropped four straight after reaching the top of the division last week at 17-10.
The Blue Wahoos are on a 10-day road trip against the Chattanooga Lookouts and Jacksonville Suns.
Millions Available For RESTORE Projects For Individuals, Businesses, Organizations
July 28, 2015
Individuals, businesses and organizations in Escambia County have the opportunity to submit projects for millions of dollars in RESTORE projects to be funded with civil penalties from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Monday evening, a Distirct 5 pubic workshop was held at the Langley Bell 4-H Center to give residents an opportunity to learn more about using the project portal, answer questions regarding application preparation and submission, and encourage collaboration.
The Escambia County RESTORE Project Application Portal is now open and can be accessed by visiting restore.myescambia.com until September 30.
Submitted projects must:
- Meet at least one of the eligibility criteria outlined in the federal RESTORE Act (see eligible activities)
- Include a project budget
- Address the evaluation criteria which can be found at www.myescambia.com/restore
Once the application portal closes, project proposals will be evaluated by the technical review team consisting of subject matter experts, the RESTORE Act Advisory Committee and the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners.
During the review process, applicants may be contacted for more information. Once all projects have been ranked, a list of recommended projects will be posted on www.myescambia.com/restore. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments on the project list. The Board of County Commissioners has the final authority for approval of the project list before it is submitted to the U.S. Department of Treasury for federal level review.
For more information, contact Shelly Marshall, RESTORE coordinator for Escambia County, at (850) 595-5460, email restore@myescambia.com.
One additional public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August 11 at the Gull Point Community Center at 7000 Spanish Trail Road.
Pictured: A Monday evening District 5 RESTORE project meeting at the Langley Bell 4-H Center in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Court Orders Resentencing For ‘Gravely Ill’ Sex Offender
July 28, 2015
An appeals court Monday ordered a new sentencing hearing for a “gravely ill” Santa Rosa County sex offender who could face nearly five years in prison for failing to report a new address.
The inmate, 50-year old Anthony Paul Childers, sought to have his 57.6-month sentence reduced because of severe medical conditions including cirrhosis of the liver and internal bleeding. His attorneys pointed to part of state law that allows such reductions when inmates have physical disabilities and are “amenable” to treatment.
A Santa Rosa County judge turned down Childers’ request.
But a three-judge panel of the 1st District Court ordered resentencing because it said it was “unable to discern from the record why the trial court rejected (Childers’) request for a downward departure sentence.” The ruling said Childers pleaded no contest to a charge of failing to report or register a change in address. It said a circuit judge should determine whether Childers meets the legal requirements for a reduced sentence and, if so, whether that is the “best sentencing option” for him.
Northview Grad Weeks Inks With Jeff Davis Baseball
July 28, 2015
Northview High School graduate Brett Weeks has signed a full baseball scholarship with Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton. Weeks was part of Northview’s district and regional championship teams and the’s first appearance in the state final four. Pictured: Brett Weeks (center), his mother Julie Weeks, father Ray Weeks (right) and Northview Coach Marty Lister (standing). Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.