Pedestrian Killed On Mobile Highway
September 17, 2014
A pedestrian was struck and killed on Mobile Highway in front of Walmart this morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 46-year old Leonard Roy Deloach of Mobile was crossing Mobile Highway about 5:50 a.m. when he walked into the patch of a 2003 Ford F-150 driver by 44-year old Daniel Scott of Summerdale.
Deloach was pronounced deceased at the scene. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash, according to the FHP.
Northview Chiefs Name Players Of The Week
September 17, 2014
The Northview Chiefs have named Players of the Week from last Friday night’s 24-6 win over Chipley. They are:
OFFENSE
Keondrae Lett –
16 rushes, 221 yards, 3 TD, 13.8 YPA, 1 catch, 3 yards
DEFENSE
Tydre Bradley — 6 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FR
SPECIAL TEAMS
Zach Payne– Onside kick recovery, solo tackle on KO
DOMINATOR
Cameron Newsome — block on 4th touchdown
One Of Two Defendants Enters Plea In Molino Murder
September 17, 2014
One of two people charged with a Molino murder has entered a plea and is set for sentencing.
Debra Burge, 24, has pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of second degree murder charge in the death of Harvey Ray Smith. She was originally charged with first degree murder. She will be sentenced in December.
Her co-defendant, 24-year old Zachary Greer, is still awaiting trial on first degree murder charge. He is due back in court in November.
The body of Smith, age 43 of Pace, was found stuffed into a trunk behind a Motel 6 on Davis Highway the morning on May4. Smith had been reported missing in Santa Rosa County. Family members located his vehicle at the motel and then discovered the body.
Reports state Burge and Greer conspired to rob Smith. Burge allegedly lured Smith, her acquaintance, to her home in the 3900 block of Highway 97 in Molino. She told deputies she went inside while Smith and Greer remained outside. When she later exited the home, she found Smith on the ground of the Molino home bleeding. She told Sheriff’s investigators that Greer told her he stabbed Smith and put his body in the trunk of the car that was later driven to the Motel 6 on Davis Highway in Pensacola.
Florida DOE Drops Young Elementary Reading Test
September 17, 2014
A test given to young elementary school students will not be used this year, according to the Florida Department of Education. The agency said the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading, or FAIR, assessment will not be administered to students in kindergarten through second grade because of a technical issue.
“With the implementation of new technology this year related to FAIR in grades K-2, some districts have experienced challenges. … Because of this technological glitch and based on the input of superintendents, Commissioner Stewart took action on this matter,” Joe Follick, a spokesman for the department, said in a statement.
The department also emphasized that the “diagnostic” test is used by teachers to help decide how to teach students; it doesn’t determine, for example, whether a student passes or fails.
by The News Service of Florida
Nine Mile Road To Be Four-Laned From Highway 29 To Beulah Road
September 17, 2014
A long awaited project has been funded that will widen Nine Mile Road to four lanes from Beulah Road all the way back to Highway 29.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s Five-Year Work Plan includes $42 million for the project that, coupled with funds from Escambia County, will complete the entire project, including a a previously unfunded section of the roadway between Pine Forest Road and Highway 29.
The inclusion of the new phase for the widening project is the result of a partnership between Escambia County and the FDOT, with the county funding $1.2 million for project development and environmental studies, as well as a design update using Local Option Sales Tax Funds.
Over the next year, the FDOT plans to spend $1.2 million to acquire rights of way to widen the road and to complete environmental work.
Last summer, the FDOT held a public meeting to discuss the widening of Nine Mile Road from two to four lanes along the section of road between at U.S. 90/Mobile Highway and Pine Forest Road – a length of about 5.8 miles – including access management, changes or the design and construction of medians and median openings and storm water treatment ponds. The continuation of the project to Highway 29 will effectively ease congestion and improve traffic flow along the crowded commercial corridor.
Increasing traffic counts and congestion as the area continues to develop caused the reclassification of the road from “rural” to “suburban” and necessitated the redesign of a project originally slated for construction almost a decade ago.
Construction could begin as early as 2015 and, once complete, will support the continued growth of Navy Federal Credit Union, proposed development at the site currently known as Outlying Landing Field 8 and ease access for Nature’s Trail and other residential neighborhoods.
Appliance Sales Tax Holiday Coming This Weekend
September 17, 2014
Another sales tax holiday is on the way this weekend…this time on certain energy saving appliances and fixtures.
Florida shoppers will be able to avoid sale taxes on the first $1,500 the price of new Energy Star and WaterSense products from September 19-21.
The exemption is limited to a single purchase for each specific type of qualifying item having a sales price of $500 or more. There are no quantity limits on qualifying items with a sales price of less than $500.
Items that will be tax free include:
Qualifying Energy Star Products
- Air purifier
- Ceiling fan
- Clothes washer
- Dehumidifier
- Dishwasher
- Freezer
- Light bulbs (packages)
- Refrigerator
- Room air conditioner
- Swimming pool pump
- Water heater
An Energy Star item must be designated bythe United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy as meeting or exceeding the requirements under the Energy Star Program. An Energy Star label must be affixed to the product.
Qualifying WaterSense Products
- Bathroom sink faucet
- Faucet accessory
- High-efficiency toilet or urinal
- Showerhead
- Weather or sensor-based irrigation controller
A WaterSense item must be recognized as water efficient by the WaterSense Program sponsored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A WaterSense label must be affixed to the product.
This sales tax holiday does not apply to the rental or repair of any of these items.
NWE Takes 3 of 4 From W.S. Neal, Set To Face Jay Saturday
September 17, 2014
Northwest Escambia Youth Football and Cheer hosted the W.S. Neal Eagles this past Saturday at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium on the campus of Northview High School.
- Freshman won 13-0
- Sophomores lost 38-19
- Juniors won 13-7 in OT
- Seniors won 32-6
Northwest Escambia Youth Football and Cheer Welcomes the Jay Royals to Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Game times are as follows.
- Freshman – 3:00 pm
- Sophomores – 4:15 pm
- Juniors – 5:45 pm
- Seniors – 7:15 pm
Admissions is $3 per person, 12 and under is free. Proceeds help pay for officiating crew.
Ernest Ward Middle Names September Students Of The Month
September 17, 2014
Ernest Ward Middle School has named September Students of the Month. They are Libby Pugh (pictured left), sixth grade; Bailey Van Pelt (pictured right), seventh grade; and Aurora McCann (not pictured), eighth. Photo for Northscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Marvel Comics Creates New ‘Captain Citrus’ For Struggling Industry
September 17, 2014
Florida’s homegrown superhero, Captain Citrus, has undergone a $1 million head-to-toe makeover with the help of comic-book giant Marvel Entertainment.
The muscled-up Captain Citrus, powered by the sun and intended to help boost Florida citrus sales while fighting evil, was unveiled Tuesday by the Department of Citrus at a comic-book store in Tampa.
“Raising awareness of the amazing nutritional benefits of Florida citrus, especially among families, is a priority,” department Executive Director Doug Ackerman said in a prepared statement.
Through the work of Marvel, Captain Citrus is no longer a rotund creature — basically an animated orange — from the Planet Orange as first designed by the state agency to be an educational tool to help the struggling citrus industry in 2011.
Now he’s John Polk, empowered by mysterious solar pods found growing in his family’s Central Florida citrus grove. In a debut issue of a digital comic, Polk joins members of the Avengers — Captain America, Thor, Iron Man and Black Widow — to battle a “gamma enhanced evil genius” known as the Leader whose minions have attacked Orlando.
Oh, and clad in a muscle-skimming citrus-hued suit Captain Citrus is still spreading the message of the nutritional value of orange juice.
In the inaugural issue, just before Polk answers the call to help the Avengers, he advises his sister on the need to drink her orange juice as she is soon off to a cheerleading tryout.
The state agency is also providing a teacher’s guide to offers lesson plans that highlight making smarter nutritional choices.
“Captain Citrus will show readers that while they may not be able to fly or shoot solar blasts, they can make healthy choices in their everyday lives and unleash the hero within,” Bill Rosemann, who oversaw the development of Captain Citrus as Marvel Entertainment’s creative director and editor, said in a statement.
Two additional digital chapters are planned. All will be available at CaptainCitrus.com.
The new face of orange juice comes as sales have declined due to increased costs and a shift in the eating habits of Americans.
Numbers published by the state department found that during a four week period in June and July, 36.11 million gallons of orange juice were purchased. The total represented an 8.3 percent decline in sales from the same period a year earlier.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that Florida, which is the top source of U.S. orange juice, earlier this year completed its smallest harvest in 29 years, with the industry suffering from the spread of an incurable plant disease called citrus greening.
The forecast for the coming year, which isn’t expected to show any turnaround, is due in October.
The state agency finalized the contract with the Disney-owned Marvel this summer, using marketing dollars that were freed up as the department halted longer, high-volume TV time for ads, a move expected to free up about $13 million for branding and marketing programs.
The department’s funding mostly comes from a tax on the sale of oranges and other citrus.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Century Council Approves $5.1 Million Budget At Public Forum…With No Public
September 16, 2014
The Town of Century Monday night gave final approval to a budget for the next fiscal year that’s up about 16 percent over this year and $2.2 million greater than the previous budget year.
The approval came after a public forum…with no member of the public present. There was no one but our NorthEscambia.com staff in the audience for the budget meeting and entire regular council meeting that followed. It’s extremely rare for no members of the public to attend a regular council meeting in Century.
Seats were also empty at the council table without two of five members. Council members Jackson McMurray Jackson and Annie Savage did not attend the meeting.
The town council approved a $5,107,641.34 budget for 2014-2015 that is up $722,850 over the current fiscal year. The increase is due to grant income and expenditures included in the budget of $2,280,296. To view a summary of the budget in pdf format, click here.
There will be no increase in ad valorem taxes this year to meet the budget for fiscal year 2014-2015, which begins October 1. The millage rate set was .8707, which is equal to and does not exceed the rolled-back rate.
Pictured top: The Century Town Council chambers were empty Monday night for a budget public hearing and regular council meeting. Pictured: The Century Council meets Monday night to approve a $5.1 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
