Oak Grove Land Clearing Pit Permit Renewal On Hold
July 17, 2014
The renewal of land clearing disposal pit permit is on hold for a county-owned facility in Oak Grove, but for now it’s business as usual.
The 20 acre disposal area is on a 26 acre piece of property and operates as the Oak Grove Land Clearing Debris Disposal Pit next to the Oak Grove Convenience Center. The first permit for the facility was issued in 1996 and must be periodically renewed. The disposal pit is owned and operated by Escambia County for the purposes of county road and drainage maintenance activities.
The Escambia County Commission is considering a six-month moratorium and permitting or permit renewals for borrow pits, borrow pit reclamation facilities, construction and demolition debris facilities, and land clearing disposal facilities. A final decision on the temporary moratorium will come after public hearings set for commission meeting on July 24 and August 21.
The push for the moratorium has come from residents of the southern half of the county that live near several pits. Before approving the moratorium the commission approved an expansion of the existing Shortleaf borrow pit on Longleaf Drive, with Commissioners Steven Barry and Lumon May voting against..
The current permit for the Oak Grove Land Clearing Debris Disposal Pit does not expire until July 9, 2015. The commission tolled, or essentially froze, the permit renewal, allowing the facility to continue to operate as normal until the moratorium issue is settled.
The moratorium has no impact on the adjacent Oak Grove Convenience Center at which area residents dump their own solid waste for transfer to the Perdido Landfill.
Atmore’s Tiger-Sul Expands With Employee Designed Rail Tank System
July 17, 2014
H.J. Baker’s Tiger-Sul Products in Atmore has developed and built a new molten sulphur unloading system which increases capacity on their dedicated rail spur.
The employee designed initiative built a molten sulphur unloading manifold system the length of the spur, which allows for increased capacity, increased safety and decreased service time of the rail cars. This, in addition to the recent installation of a 1,500 ton molten sulphur storage tank and heating pumping system dramatically increases the production efficiency of the Atmore facility.
“We have seen a dramatic increase in demand for our sulphur bentonite fertilizer products in the domestic southeast, especially Florida. As the sulphur market grows, we want to ensure we are able to meet current customer needs and that we are in the best possible position to meet the needs of our customers in the future. The added capacity on the rail spur is another example of our continued commitment to deliver outstanding products and superior customer service,” said H.J. Baker Fertilizer Group President Don Cherry.
Appeals Court; Convicted Felon Could Use ‘Stand Your Ground’
July 17, 2014
An appeals court Wednesday said a convicted felon could use the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law to seek immunity from prosecution in the shooting of another man.
The decision by the 4th District Court of Appeal came as the Florida Supreme Court prepares to consider whether felons — who are barred from possessing guns — can use “stand your ground.”
Wednesday’s decision, which was issued by the full appeals court, stemmed from a Palm Beach County case in which convicted felon Harvey Hill was charged with aggravated battery with a firearm. Hill said he fired a gun in self-defense during an altercation with two other men on his front porch. One of the other men was shot in the stomach.
Part of the “stand your ground” law says that a person “who is not engaged in an unlawful activity” can use deadly force if attacked.
An earlier ruling by the 4th District Court of Appeal in the Hill case found that he was barred from using a “stand your ground” defense because he was engaged in an unlawful activity by possessing a gun as a convicted felon. But Wednesday’s decision by the full appeals court pointed to another part of the “stand your ground” law.
Under that part, the court said, “a defendant engaged in an unlawful activity is not necessarily disqualified from seeking self-defense immunity.” It sent the case back to a lower court to determine if Hill was justified in using deadly force under the law.
The Supreme Court early this month said it would consider the issue, which also has emerged in cases in other parts of the state.
by The News Service of Florida
List Of PSC Applicants To Be Whittled; Escambia’s Murzin Among The Hopefuls
July 17, 2014
A state panel will meet July 31 to decide which candidates to interview for two spots on the Florida Public Service Commission.
The terms of commissioners Eduardo Balbis and Julie Brown expire in January, which will lead to Gov. Rick Scott making appointments later this year. Brown is seeking another four-year term on the commission that regulates utilities, while Balbis did not re-apply.
The Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council, which makes recommendations to Scott, is considering a list of 32 applicants, including state Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, and former Rep. Dave Murzin, R-Pensacola. Murzin now works as an aide to state Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker.
The council will meet July 31 in Orlando to designate a list of the “most qualified” applicants that it will interview, according to a notice released Monday.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Pictured: Dave Murzin.
Fall Tryouts Set For West Florida Elite Softball
July 17, 2014
Fall tryouts are coming up soon for West Florida Elite softball.
West Florida Elite was established in 2003 with a mission to assist female athletes in the development of their softball skills to prepare them for a future as a college student athlete. The organization has had over 100 players play at the collegiate level and is recognized as one of the top softball organizations in the Gulf Coast Region.
Their goal is to provide athletes an opportunity to compete at the highest level possible by playing the most competitive tournaments throughout the southeast. The 2014 West Florida Elite class had 18 players sign a National Letter of Intent to play at the next level.
Tryouts for 12U and 14U will be held Saturday, July 26 at Tate High School. Tryouts for 10U, 16U and 18U will be held August 9 and 10 at Tate.
For more information and a registration form, click here.
Century Camp Fire Kids Get ‘Wild & Wise’
July 17, 2014
The Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center’s “Wild & Wise Day Camp” recently paid a visit to the Turtle Point Science Center in Flomaton. The students were able to get up close and personal with several animals, including snakes. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos, Suns Rained Out
July 17, 2014
Due to heavy rain, and more expected on the way, the Blue Wahoos and Jacksonville Suns series opener at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville has been postponed. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader beginning at 5:35 p.m. Thursday night.
Both games will be seven inning contests with the second game beginning approximately 45 minutes after the completion of game one.
The Blue Wahoos are expected to go with RHP Daniel Corcino (8-7, 4.40) in game one and RHP Jon Moscot (5-8, 3.10) is expected to follow in game two. The Suns are going to start Major League rehabber RHP A.J. Ramos in game one followed by RHP Robert Morey (1-0, 2.79) in the second game. Ramos is only expected to pitch one inning and will be followed by Suns scheduled starter RHP Jay Rogers (4-2, 4.06).
by Tommy Thrall
Woman Shot, Killed Inside Pensacola Business
July 16, 2014
A motive remains under investigation for a domestic violence related shooting that claimed the life of a Pensacola woman Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the suspect – Dearin Jameel Leggs, 28, of 1607 Gary Avenue, Pensacola – turned himself in at the Escambia County Jail less than an hour after the shooting. He has been charged
with first degree murder and is being held without bond.
The victim has been identified as Angela M. Covington, 37, of the same address. Leggs and Covington were boyfriend and girlfriend, according to Pensacola Police Department Sgt. Kevin Christman.
The shooting occurred just before noon inside Ann Marie’s All That and More, 2405 West Cervantes St., a clothing store owned by Covington. Christman said Leggs shot Covington inside the business and then left the area in a vehicle.
A woman who was inside the business at the time of the shooting ran to a business next door and reported the incident.
Pictured: A woman was shot and killed inside the business seen to the left of the ambulance Wednesday about noon in Pensacola. Photo courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Deputies Seek Suspect In Armed Robbery Of Dollar General Store
July 16, 2014
The search is continuing today for the suspect in the armed robbery of a Dollar General store Tuesday night just off Nine Mile Road.
An armed male entered the Dollar General in the 4000 block of Pine Forest Road, just north of Nine Mile Road, about 10 p.m. and demanded that the clerk open the register. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the clerk was unable to open the register.
The armed man then robbed a customer before fleeing the store on foot. There were no injuries.
Anyone with information on the armed robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
File photo.
Escambia Deputy Fired, Investigated For Alleged Non-Consensual Sex Act
July 16, 2014
The Escambia Sheriff’s Office has fired a deputy trainee for an alleged “non-consensual sex act” against a woman while he was answering a call.
After an adult female made a complaint with the Sheriff’s Office that Chris Majors had committed the sex act, an investigation was immediately launched by the ECSO and the State Attorney’s Office. When questioned by investigators, Majors “admitted to engaging in a sexual act on duty, although he denied it was non-consensual,” according to a written statement from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Physical evidence, including DNA, is still being evaluated and based upon the joint investigation Majors is potentially facing multiple, severe felony charges, the statement says.
“Majors was a probationary employee,” Sheriff David Morgan said in a written statement Tuesday. “That means there are fewer hoops to jump through to terminate this employee, which is exactly what I did this morning.”
“Majors betrayed the trust that the community and I placed in him. He has brought disgrace to the Sheriff’s Office, to the community, and to our profession. Good riddance. We will actively work with the victim in this case to ensure justice is served,” Morgan continued.
Majors was hired at the Escambia County Jail in 2008. Shortly after the transfer of the jail from the Sheriff’s Office to the Escambia County Commission last October, Majors applied to become a law enforcement officer with the ECSO. He had just completed the department’s field training program five weeks ago. Prior to that, he would have answered calls only with a senior officer, the Sheriff’s Office said.