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.
FEMA Flood Assistance Deadline Fast Approaching
July 16, 2014
The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance following local flooding is fast approaching.
Residents affected by the storms and flooding from April 28 to May 6 in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Jackson and Walton counties have until next Monday, July 21, to register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Survivors can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or at m.fema.gov on a smartphone. Survivors may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Century Seeking Federal Housing Rehabilitation Grant
July 16, 2014
The Town of Century is seeking a federal grant for housing repair.
The town intends to submit a Housing Preservation Grant application to the USDA’s Rural Development Housing Services requesting $90,000 to provide basic housing repairs.
If grant funds are award, it is anticipated that funds will be available in the range of $2,000 to $5,000 per home, providing enough funds to rehabilitate about 15 homes within the town limits.
It is too early for residents to apply for housing assistance. If the town is awarded the grant, it will then advertise an open application period during which Century homeowners may request assistance through the program. That information will be published on NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured top: One of the homes in Century rehabilitated through a different grant program back in 2012. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
New Walmart Neighborhood Market Opens In Pensacola; Atmore Walmart Open Soon
July 16, 2014
A new Walmart Neighborhood Market opened in Pensacola Wednesday, and a new Walmart in Atmore is still on track to open early next month.
The new Walmart Neighborhood Market is located at the corner of Pine Forest Road and Mobile Highway and will be open from 6 a.m. until midnight every day. Walmart Neighborhood Market stores are smaller than a traditional Walmart store and offer products mostly in line with the average grocery store. The store will employee about 95 people.
August 6 is the grand opening date for the new Walmart in Atmore. The 70,000 square foot store at 911 North Main Street will include a full line of groceries and a wide assortment of merchandise….almost everything in a Walmart Supercenter except for an auto care center or fine jewelry department. The smaller prototype store will be open 24 hours a day. The store will employee nearly 150 people.
Pictured top: The new Atmore Walmart. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.