District 5 Commissioner Barry To Hold Walnut Hill Town Hall Monday Night
September 12, 2014
District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry will hold a joint town hall meeting and Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at the Walnut Hill (Ruritan) Community Center at 7850 Highway 97, just north of Ernest Ward Middle School.
Six Department Of Corrections Staff Arrested And Fired
September 12, 2014
Six Florida Department of Corrections employees have been arrested and fired for alleged wrongdoings at a Panhandle facility.
The DOC announced Thursday that five members of its staff, Sergeant William Finch, Sergeant James Perkins, Sergeant Robert Miller, Sergeant Christopher Christmas, and Sergeant Dalton Riley, were arrested by the Office of Inspector General for charges of felony battery on an inmate, and a sixth staff member, Captain James Kirkland, was arrested with additional charges of official misconduct.
The staff worked at Northwest Florida Reception Center in Chipley. All six have been dismissed from DOC as a result of their actions.
“These arrests and terminations send a very clear message: we have zero tolerance for criminal activity by our staff. I expect everyone to do what is right and I have restated my commitment to hold those who do not to meet our expectations accountable for their wrongdoing. Our staff should be held to the highest standards, and those who fail to do the right thing will no longer work for this agency. As I have emphasized to our staff in my meetings around the state, we will not let the bad actions of a few undermine our culture of professionalism and tarnish the reputations of all the hard working men and women in our department,” DOC Secretary Mike Crews said.
Crews Crews and Deputy Secretary Tim Cannon met today with the command staff at Northwest Florida Reception Center as part of Crews’ commitment to personally visit every Department of Corrections institution to emphasize his expectations for transparency, accountability and professionalism.
Senator: Make Florida Students Pass Financial Literacy Class To Graduate
September 12, 2014
A Port Orange senator has announced that she will introduce legislation during the 2015 session that would require Florida students to take a half-credit course in financial literacy.
The proposal by Sen. Dorothy Hukill is intended to help students better manage their money and, if signed into law, would become a graduation requirement.
“Requiring a personal finance course will prepare our high school students heading to college or entering the work force with the tools and insight they need to be well-equipped to handle their personal finances,’” Hukill said in a press release. A similar effort in the 2014 session failed to advance beyond the Education Committee, where it received approval on a 6-3 vote.
by The News Service of Florida
Century Camp Fire Youth Learning Center Kids Observe 9/11
September 12, 2014
The children of the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center took the time to gather around their American flag to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing “God Bless America” Thursday in observance of 9/11. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Football: Wins For Tate JV, Ernest Ward Middle
September 12, 2014
The JV Tate Aggies and the Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles both recorded wins on the road Thursday night.
The junior varsity Tate Aggies beat Escambia 22-20 in a come back win at Emmitt Smith Field. The JV Aggies (2-1) will host Pine Forest September 25.
In middle school action, Ernest Ward beat the Bay Minette Middle School Tigers 38-20 in Bay Minette. Ernest Ward will be on the road again Tuesday against the Hurricanes of Flomaton. The Eagles will play their first home game on Thursday, September 25 at 6 p.m. as they host Spanish Fort.
NAS Pensacola Marks 9/11
September 11, 2014
Naval Air Station Pensacola held a ceremony at the National Naval Aviation Museum Thursday to commemorate the events of September 11, 2001.
NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Captain Keith Hoskins was the guest speaker for the event, which included the traditional “Two-Bell Ceremony” and the playing of “Taps” performed by the NASP Honor Guard.
Photos courtesy NASP, Mike O’Conner, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Damaged Shed Near AL/FL State Line
September 11, 2014
A grass and brush fire also damaged a shed Thursday afternoon in Flomaton. The fire was reported about 12:30 p.m. on Highland Avenue near Alabama Street, just north of the Alabama/Florida line. There were no injuries and no immediate word on the cause of the blaze.The Flomaton Fire Department, the Century and McDavid stations of Escambia (FL) Fire Rescue and Escambia County (FL) EMS were among the responding agencies. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Teens Seriously Injured When Car, ATV Collide In Cantonment
September 11, 2014
Two teenagers were serious injured when they drove their ATV in to path of a car Wednesday afternoon in Cantonment.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Marjorie Martin, age 79 of Cantonment, was southbound on Jacks Branch Road about 4:45 p.m. The Yamaha ATV, driven by a 14-year old male with a 14-year old female passenger, failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of Annie Bell Drive and Jacks Branch Road. The ATV traveled directly into the path of the Saturn.
The 14-year old male was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight in serious condition, while the 14-year old female was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital, also in serious condition. Their names were not released by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Martin was not injured in the crash.
Charges in the accident are pending, according to the FHP.
Reader submitted photos (inset, below) and courtesy WEAR 3 (top) for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Murder After Infant Dies
September 11, 2014
A young child who was hospitalized September 1 after her babysitter said he found her unresponsive has died, and her babysitter has been charged with her death.
Dariyana Durant, 14-months old, died in a local hospital at 4:35 p.m. Tuesday after being removed from life support.
Alfred Simpson, 19, of 500 E. Fairfield Drive, was charged with first-degree felony murder Wednesday afternoon. He was still in the Escambia County Jail on a $75,000 bond after being arrested September 2 and charged with one count of aggravated child abuse. Simpson now is being held without bond.
Simpson was identified in police reports as being the boyfriend of the child’s mother.
Police initially were dispatched around 11 p.m. September 1 to Pensacola Village on the emergency call. Upon arrival, officers learned the baby was unresponsive. Simpson and the child’s 18-year-old mother were on the scene.
The child was taken to a local hospital where it was determined she had blunt force trauma injury on the rear of her head.
Simpson told police the child’s mother had a headache and had left the child in his care while she took a nap. He said while the mother was sleeping he cooked dinner for him and the child. He also said he left the apartment for several minutes and when he returned, he went to pick the child up from the living room floor. He said the child was having problems breathing and her body was limp.
Simpson told police he used an inhaler on the child in an attempt to get her to breathe and that when the mother awakened, he told her an ambulance needed to be called.
Vehicle Fire Shuts Down Tate School Road
September 11, 2014
Fire destroyed an older model vehicle Wednesday afternoon, shutting down Tate School Road at North Highway 95A. The fire was reported about, and the vehicle was fully involved when the first firefighters arrived on scene. There were no injuries reported. Reader submitted photo by Shane Carter (inset) and NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
