Habitual Traffic Offender That Hit Deputy’s Cruiser Is Sentenced
February 1, 2014
A convicted habitual traffic offender has been sentenced to 12 months probation after hitting an Escambia County deputy’s cruiser during an April traffic stop near Bratt.
The deputy stopped 31-year old Willie Wade Steverson of Atmore for speeding on West Highway 4 at Canoe Creek, about 2.5 miles east of Northview High School, about 8:20 a.m. on April 18. Steverson stopped his Mitsubishi Galant on a moderate incline, several feet in front of the deputy, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. At some point, Steverson removed his foot from his brake, and his vehicle rolled backwards into the deputy’s cruiser.
Steverson was arrested for driving with a suspended license as a habitual traffic offender, a felony charge. After a no contest plea, Judge Joel W. Boles withheld adjudication in sentencing Steverson to 12 months probation and ordering him to pay $568 in costs and fees.
A short time after being sentenced to probation, Steverson was arrested again on third degree petit theft charges. Now he’s facing a violation of probation hearing next month in the traffic accident case in addition to the theft charge.
There were no injuries in the accident. Damage to the deputy’s cruiser was unnoticeable, while Steverson’s vehicle suffered only very minor damage.
Pictured: A convicted habitual traffic offender was jailed in April after his vehicle rolled backwards into an Escambia County deputy’s cruiser on West Highway 4 at Canoe Creek. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Emergency Rooms See Numerous Ice-Related Injuries
February 1, 2014
Our winter ice storm sent a lot of people to the emergency room for falls.
Over a two-day period, Sacred Heart’s ER treated nearly 70 people for slip and fall related injures. They ranged in age from children to senior citizens. Many of the injuries occurred as the patients walked in their own yards.
Sacred Heart also said they had expected to see numerous car accident victims. But those numbers were down, probably because most people heeded the warnings and stayed off the roads.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Scott Proposes Hurricane Holiday; Tops $500 Million In Tax, Fee Cuts
February 1, 2014
Gov. Rick Scott reached his proposed $500 million in election-year tax and fee cuts as he rolled out his support for a 15-day hurricane sales-tax holiday projected to save taxpayers $20 million.
If approved, it would be the first sales-tax holiday on hurricane supplies since 2007.
“This tax holiday will allow families to better protect and safeguard their homes during a storm,” Scott said in a prepared statement.
The recommended discount pushes Scott’s tax- and fee-cut proposals to an estimated $514 million for the upcoming legislative session.
The bulk of the savings would come through a $401 million proposal to cut a controversial 2009 hike in vehicle registration fees. That hike was approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by Scott’s potential November gubernatorial challenger Charlie Crist, who is running this year as a Democrat.
Scott will also ask lawmakers — as they craft the fiscal plan for the next year — to extend a popular three-day back-to-school sales tax holiday on clothes, supplies and electronics to 10 days, and to shave about $33 million in state revenue by cutting approximately 50 different corporate filing fees.
The school sales tax has been estimated as being a $60 million hit to state and local revenue.
The hurricane season holiday was enacted from 2005 through 2007, following the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons in which seven named storms made landfall in Florida. But as the housing market went bust, and state coffers were no longer flush, the idea of the storm season tax break was set adrift.
The governor’s hurricane-tax holiday proposal tops a 12-day tax break period included in a measure (SB 362) filed by Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island.
In November, state economists, sitting as the Revenue Estimating Conference, projected that Bradley’s proposal would save taxpayers about $3.8 million.
At the time, economists said the calculation was difficult as many Floridians already have the storm-preparation items around the house as standard parts of hurricane kits.
Items that would be free of the sales tax during the period would include flash lights and other self-powered lights selling for $20 or less; portable self-powered radios, two-way radios, or weather band radios that sell for $50 or less; tarps or other flexible waterproof sheeting that sells for less than $50; first-aid kits that cost under $30; packets of AA, C, D, 6-volt, and 9-volt batteries that sell for under $30; and portable generators worth less than $750.
Bradley’s proposal has its first legislative hearing Feb. 3 before the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee.
The House companion bill (HB 567) by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, has yet to be scheduled for a committee appearance.
A big factor in how much of the tax and fee cuts make it into the next budget depends on projections that economists will update as the legislative session gets underway. The current projection is the state will enter the budget process with a roughly $1 billion surplus.
Scott challenged lawmakers in September to reduce taxes and fees by $500 million. Meanwhile, he also has proposed spending increases in areas such as education, tourism promotion and protection and improvements for the state’s natural springs and the Everglades.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Northview Boys Beat Tate
February 1, 2014
The Northview varsity and junior varsity boys ending their regular seasons Friday night be defeating the Tate Aggies.
Northview 81 Tate 43
In varsity action, Northview downed Tate 81-43. Scoring for Northview were Neino Robinson 27, Cameron Newsome 16, Tony Mcaroy 11, Nick Lambert 9, Tydre Bradley 7, Eric Williams 6, Tanner Plant 3, and Dalton Tullis 2.
Next for the Chiefs is the District tournament beginning February 3 in Chipley.
Northview 62, Tate 57 (JV)
The junior varsity Chiefs finished the season at 5-5 with a 62-57 win over the JV Tate Aggies Friday night. Leading scorers for the Chiefs were Tony Harrison 17, Luke Ware 15, Montivas Odom 10, Bradley Van Pelt 11, Bethea 5, Dunsford 2, Sampson 2.
Blue Angels ‘Rock N Fly’ 5K Planned
February 1, 2014
The first ever Blue Angels Rock N Fly Half Marathon and 5K (3.1 miles) will be March 29 aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, and it promises to bring out the hidden rocker in everyone.
Both races will start at 8 a.m. and the courses will be entirely on NAS Pensacola, home of the Blue Angels and one of the most historical and scenic Navy bases in the country.
All proceeds from the event will go towards the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, which provides financial support to Sailors and Marines, and the 2014 Pensacola Area Navy Ball.
The Blue Angels Rock N Fly will not just be about running, but will also provide entertainment for spectators and runners throughout the entire event.
“The Rock N Fly Half Marathon and 5K is not just a race, but an event with live music and contests,” said Cmdr. Mike Kohler, director of Health Benefits, Naval Hospital Pensacola, and the race director. “The race is also an opportunity for our community to come out and enjoy NAS Pensacola while supporting the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, dress up as a rock star if they like and listen to some great music. It should be fun for everyone.”
While there will be awards for top finishers in different age groups, the Blue Angels Rock N Fly is more about having fun than competition. Runners will hear a cornucopia of music throughout the courses from classic rock to modern pop to keep them motivated. After the half marathon, runners and spectators will be entertained with performances by local Pensacola bands on the main stage. There will also be a mullet and best dressed rocker contest, but please keep spandex to a minimum because this is a family event.
Registration cost for the half marathon is $65 by March 16 and $32 for the 5k if also done by March 16. Everyone that registers will receive a poster and t-shirt and all half marathon finishers will receive a medal. For more information or to register, please visit www.runrocknfly.com.
Thanks For Turning To NorthEscambia.com For Winter Weather Info
January 31, 2014
Thank you for turning to NorthEscambia.com for our coverage of our once in a lifetime ice storm coverage this week.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were among our highest traffic days ever, with 6.2 million page views over just a portion of the three day period. Plus thousands upon thousands of Facebook views. It was amazing to see the area turn to NorthEscambia.com for the latest updates 24 hours a day.
When we asked for your winter weather photos, you responded. We published several hundred photos of the thousand or two we received. The photos became a valuable tool for officials to quickly see what kind of weather was being experienced in our communities.
Social media, our Facebook page in particular, became a place for the community to come together and share — from road and bridge info to those all important pictures of our little ice man/snowman creations.
Don’t forget to “Like” our Facebook page (click here). Sometimes we publish news and info on our Facebook page that never appears on NorthEscambia.com, and sometimes we first publish breaking news there until we have enough details for a full story.
Hundreds asked questions about the closure of their school or business, and we did our very best to answer. Some questions went unanswered — we apologize that with our limited staff we were unable to respond to everyone.
And in the midst of our rare Florida ice storm came what could have been a major disaster is our own backyard — a large train derailment in McDavid. Minutes after first responders had surveyed the situation and determined what exactly was happening, we published the very first breaking news and continued to update the situation live into the evening and following morning until we knew our friends and neighbors in the area were safe.
Thanks again for being part of the NorthEscambia.com family.
Escambia Students Won’t Have To Make Up Missed Days; Santa Rosa Will
January 31, 2014
Escambia County public school students were out three days for this week’s winter storm, but they will not have to make up the days. Across the river in Santa Rosa County, students will have hour for hour makeup days, losing part of spring break.
“There was enough time built into the regular school year that we can afford for students to miss those three days,” Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. But, he warned, if the school district misses any other days for emergencies this year, students may be required to make up the time.
In Santa Rosa County, two of the three days will be made up on March 14 and March 17, the first two days of spring break, with the third date to be determined later.
A decision was made Monday that students would be out Tuesday and Wednesday for the impending rare Florida ice storm. By Wednesday, it was apparent that there would be no school Thursday with inches of ice on the ground and lows forecast in the teens.
“It began to melt quickly once the sun came out,” Thomas said Thursday afternoon. “We knew then that we would be a go for Friday.”
Students in Escambia County, Ala., will also not be required to make up the missed winter emergency days.
Pictured top: Inches of ice still covered a closed Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill early Thursday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Photos: Yes, Even More Reader Ice, Snow Photos
January 31, 2014
NorthEscambia.com readers submitted literally hundreds of snow and ice storm pictures. We’ve included almost 500 of those photos in the galleries below.
- For a photo gallery of Thursday snow/ice storm photos, click here.
- For a photo gallery of more photos, click here.
- For a photo gallery of Wednesday snow/ice storm photos, click here.
- For more photos, click here
- For a photo gallery of Tuesday night ice storm and snow photos, click here.
- For photos from earlier Tuesday, click here
Picture this page: NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Winter Weather Ices Escambia’s Plans To Name New Adminstrator
January 31, 2014
Escambia County’s best laid plans to name an administrator by today were put on ice — very literally — by this week’s winter storm.
The Escambia County Commission was set to hold one-on-one job interviews with each of the five finalists for the county administrator position yesterday. Each finalist was to have met separately with individual commissioners in their offices prior to public interviews with the full board in the afternoon. A second special board meeting was to have been held this morning to pick a new top boss for the county if one had not been named on Thursday.
But the winter weather caused the postponement of the interviews. They will be rescheduled for sometime during February, most likely toward the end of the month.
The five finalists for Escambia County administrator, as recommended by a citizens advisory committee, are:
- Jack Brown — Perry, FL. County Administrator, Taylor County BOCC.
- Ted Lakey — Graceville, FL. County Administrator, Jackson County BOCC.
- Albert Penska — Gettysburg, PA. County Manager, Adams County.
- William Reynolds — Pensacola. Former City Administrator, City of Pensacola.
- John Weaver — Murrells Inlet, SC. Attorney, Thomas & Brittain
The original pool of candidates was compiled by the Waters Consulting Group before being cut to five by the citizens committee.
Gulf Power Completes Power Restoration; EREC Spared By Ice
January 31, 2014
Gulf Power crews braved wintry storm to complete power restoration.
Thursday afternoon, Gulf Power Company restored power to the last pockets of customers impacted by this week’s winter storm.
Since the winter storm began Tuesday afternoon, crews restored power to 47,873 customers. Escambia River Electric Cooperative, the electric provider for 10,000 customers in northern Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, reported on 10 outages during the ice event.
“It was a monumental effort by the entire Gulf Power team,” said Jeff Rogers, Corporate Communications manager. “We appreciate customers’ patience as our crews worked long hours in the harsh conditions to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.”
Gulf Power brought in 155 utility workers from other parts of the company to assist line crews and support personnel in the hardest hit areas — Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. In addition, 169 utility workers from sister companies Mississippi Power and Alabama Power, as well as other contract utilities, were brought in as reinforcements.
Extra line crews weren’t the only help the utility received —the Florida Highway Patrol and the Emergency Operations Centers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were invaluable helping crews find passable roads to reach customers who lost power.
“The experience our crews garnered in North Texas restoring power after their December winter storm proved to be a very important factor,” said Rogers. “There’s no doubt that storm trip gave us the edge for faster, safer power restoration.”
• All Gulf Power customer offices are open.
• All collection activities have been suspended through Monday, Feb. 3.
• Representatives in the Customer Care Center are ready to assist customers 24/7. Just call 800-225-5797.
Customers can view an online outage map by computer, smartphone or tablet at MyGulfPower.com and report or check on an outage. They also can check their power usage on MyGulfPower.com by logging into their account. Customers can create an account online or call the Customer Care Center and a representative will help. Customer Care Center: 1-800-225-5797.