Elderly Driver Killed In Nine Mile Road Crash
May 6, 2015
An elderly Pensacola resident was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Nine Mile Road at Chemstrand Road Tuesday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 85-year old Sidney H. Dees, Jr. was in the northbound left turn lane of Chemstrand Road in a 1994 Dodge Spirit, while 24-year old Courtney S. Brown of Cantonment was in her 2006 Hyundai Sonata in the inside eastbound lane of Nine Mile Road. According to the FHP, both drivers entered the intersection at the same time believing they had a green traffic signal. The vehicles collided in the intersection.
Dees was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital were he succumbed to his injuries. Brown was not injured.
The FHP investigation into the crash is continuing.
Century Hires Former Memphis, TN, Gas Services Supervisor
May 5, 2015
The Town of Century voted Monday night to hire a new gas superintendent, a man that held a similar position in an area nearly 550 times larger than Century. Walter B. Kellett is expected to be on the job in Century within a month, coming from Memphis, TN, where he retired from the municipal utility a little over a year after his federal lawsuit against his employer was dismissed.
Kellett worked for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division in Memphis, from 1990 until this year, and was the department’s Supervisor of Gas Services from 2001 to 2015, according to his resume. At Memphis Light, Gas and Water, he was responsible for the direction of nearly 50 employees in a system with 313,000 meters. During his tenure, he also worked as a commercial and industrial service representative, a commercial and industrial gas welder installer and a gas utility technician. He holds numerous industry-related professional licenses and certifications, his resume states.
According to Century Mayor Freddie McCall, Kellett said in his employment interview that he recently retired from Memphis Light, Gas and Water and was looking to move to Florida with his wife. McCall said Kellett did not mention anything about problems that led him to file a federal complaint and lawsuit against the Memphis utility. The mayor said the town was unaware of the lawsuit.
According to federal court records, Kellett filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against Memphis Light, Gas and Water claiming that he was the victim of reverse racial discrimination. The EEOC was unable to reach a determination on the claim, and Kellett filed suit in federal court against the municipal utility in November 2011 alleging discrimination and retaliation.
In the complaint, Kellett, who is white, claimed he was disciplined by a black supervisor after a verbal altercation with a black female employee. After he filed an internal complaint, Kellett claimed he did not receive a timely job evaluation as compared to black employees and that he was not adequately compensated as black employees were after receiving additional job duties.
Kellett’s complaint was dismissed in January 2014, according to federal court records.
In Century, Kellett will replace a longtime employee who retired recently.
Pictured top: The headquarters of Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division in Memphis, TN. Pictured below: A portion of Walter Kellett’s employment discrimination complaint against his former employer, Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division. Pictured inset: A Town of Century natural gas powered truck, NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Volunteer Florida Awards $150K In Grants
May 5, 2015
Volunteer Florida announced $150,000 in grant funding for 15 nonprofits and service organizations in Florida, including two in Escambia County.
The Volunteer Generation Fund program will help local nonprofits recruit, manage, and support approximately 2,200 skills-based volunteers throughout the state. The volunteers will serve Florida students and job-seekers, work to make Florida families healthier, restore and protect Florida’s natural resources, and support critical emergency management efforts.
“Volunteers significantly improve the quality of life in our communities, and helping local agencies more effectively use volunteers to serve more Floridians is a smart investment,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Chester Spellman. “As Florida continues to become a global destination for jobs, we are making communities from Pensacola to the Keys better places to live, work, and raise a family.”
The 2015 Volunteer Florida VGF sub-grantees in Escambia County are:
Community Organizations Active in Disaster (BRACE), Escambia County
Projected Impact: Recruit 150 skills based volunteers, provide 1200 hours of service
BRACE is a community based disaster coalition that works with families before, during, and after disasters to prevent homelessness.
Pensacola Promise (Chain Reaction), Escambia County
Projected Impact: Recruit 150 skills based volunteers, provide 1200 hours of service
Chain Reaction is a character education program that is teen-directed, teen-driven and teen-organized using volunteerism as its teaching tool. Since 2003, Chain Reaction has provided local teens ages 13 to 18 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with safe, meaningful and educational volunteer activities.
Letter Carriers Plan Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
May 5, 2015
On Saturday, letter carriers will join forces to help Stamp Out Hunger in our community. In its 23rd year, the annual food drive has grown to be the largest national single-day effort that benefits millions of Americans who struggle to put food on the table.
Residents are encouraged to leave a sturdy bag of non-perishable foods, such as canned soup, canned vegetables, pasta, rice or cereal next to their mailbox prior to their regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 9. Escambia and Santa Rosa letter carriers will collect food donations for local food banks including the Bay Area Food Bank and Manna Food Pantries. Last year, organizations received a total of 159,625 pounds of food from the community during the food drive.
“This is a critical food drive because it comes at a time when donations are typically low and the need has increased,” said DeDe Flounlacker, Manna Food Pantries’ executive director. “During the school year, many children get a healthy meal through the free or reduced breakfast and lunch programs. During the summer, those programs aren’t available. The generous donations from the community allow us to provide nutritious food to hungry families and children throughout the summer months.”
Tate’s Simmons Signs With Alabama State
May 5, 2015
Tate High School senior Regine Simmons has signed a volleyball scholarship with Alabama State University. Simmons is pictured being congratulated by Tate High Principal Rick Shackle. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fallen Florida Law Officers Honored
May 5, 2015
Bagpipes played “Amazing Grace” at the state Capitol on Monday as hundreds of law-enforcement officers from across the state attended an annual memorial ceremony for fallen officers. The names of six officers were read aloud, and surviving family members each put a red rose on a map of Florida in memory of their loved ones.
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, who had one of his deputies killed in the line of duty in 2014, said police have taken undue criticism in recent months from isolated incidents between law enforcement and citizens across the country.
“We have to be careful not to create an environment in this nation in which officers fail to act out of fear of criticism, when they should act,” Demings said. “That hesitation might cost them their life.”
Also Monday, the Florida Sheriffs Association held a ceremony that included adding three names of fallen officers to a memorial wall. Those three, who died in 2014, were Orange County Deputy Jonathan Scott Pine, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer Mark H. Larson and Leon County Deputy Christopher Smith.
by The News Service of Florida
Pictured top: A capitol ceremony Monday in Tallahasee to honor fallen law officers. Photo by Tom Urban, NSF, for NorthEscambia.com. Pictured below: Bagpipers play “Amazing Grace” in honor of fallen Florida law enforcement officers. Pictured inset: Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tickets Still Available For ‘Hairspray’ Musical
May 5, 2015
Tickets are still available for the Northview High School Theatre Department presentation of the Broadway musical “Hairspray” this weekend.
It’s 1962, and pleasantly plump Baltimore teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire – to dance on the popular “Corny Collins Show.” When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star. It is a show that’s great for the entire family.
Performances will be at 7 p.m. in the Northview Theatre on Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9. Advance tickets are available in the Northview front office.
Tate To State: Lady Aggies Hit The Road
May 5, 2015
The Tate Lady Aggies hit the road Monday for Vero Beach and the state semifinals. The Lady Aggies will face the Bartow High School Yellow Jackets in the Class 7A state semifinals Wednesday afternoon. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jackson Tops The Pcola Blue Wahoos 15-4
May 5, 2015
For the third time in the five-game series, the Jackson Generals hung six runs in an inning Monday on the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
After five innings, Jackson led the game, 14-1, on two three-run home runs by designated hitter Jabari Blash and third baseman Jody Lara on the way to winning the rubber match in the five-game series, 15-4, from Pensacola at The Ballpark in Jackson.
It was the most runs in a game the Generals have scored this season, going down in order in just two of eight innings. That included the eighth when Pensacola infielder Ray Chang made his third career relief appearance and first since July 7, 2009, and preserved his 0.00 ERA.
Despite the loss, a few Blue Wahoos did perform well. Right fielder Kyle Waldrop went 1-3, hitting a 320-foot, three-run blast to right field in the sixth inning. He scored a run and had four RBIs total. In his last nine games, Waldrop is batting .364 (12-33) with four doubles, a homer, eight RBIs, and three runs. For the season, he has three homers, batted-in 14 runners, and hit .259.
In addition, Pensacola first baseman Marquez Smith, who had two singles Monday, had a good series against Jackson. Smith hit .429 (9-21) in five games, including four multi-hit games to raise his batting average from .182 to .246 on the season.
Pensacola second baseman Ryan Wright, who went 2-4 with two runs, has hits in nine of his last 10 games. He’s batting .333 (11-33) since April 26.
Meanwhile, Blue Wahoos shortstop Juan Perez’s leadoff double in the sixth inning against the Generals Monday pushed his hitting streak to six games. He’s hitting .346 (9-26) during the streak and now leads Pensacola with a .308 average and is second in on-base percentage at .366.
But Monday was really all about the Generals, who had four hits, including a two-out, three-run blast by Blash, two walks and an error to go up, 6-0, after two innings. In all, Jackson sent nine batters to the plate.
Jackson tacked on three more runs to go up, 9-0, in the next inning, thanks to catcher Steve Baron. He smashed a double to left that scored two runs in the third. Baron then stole third and scored on Blue Wahoos catcher Chris Berset’s throwing error to second.
Finally, Jackson took a, 14-1, lead when Lara crushed a three-run blast in a five-run fifth inning.
Semi Trailer Cut In Half In Train Collision
May 5, 2015
The trailer of a semi-truck hauling auto parts was literally cut in half in a collision with a train Monday afternoon in Brewton. There were no injuries in the 4 p.m. crash at the Highway 31 and Highway 41 intersection. Photo by Alisa Hart for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.