Ramp Closures At I-10, Hwy 29 Tonight Until Tuesday
March 23, 2014
The exit ramp from eastbound I-10 to northbound U.S. 29 will be closed from 10 p.m. on Monday, March 24, to 6 a.m. on Tuesday, March 25. Motorists will be directed to use the southbound U.S. 29 off ramp during the temporary closure. Drivers are reminded to use extreme caution when traveling through the work zone.
This work is part of the I-10 resurfacing project which extends from U.S. 29 to east of Palafox Street. The project also includes the milling and resurfacing of all ramps and ramp shoulders associated with the U.S. 29/I-10 interchange, shoulder widening, guardrail upgrades, crash cushion replacement, removal of portable traffic monitoring sites (PTMS), installation of new signs, pavement markings and sodding. The entire project is slated for completion summer 2014.
During construction drivers will encounter overnight lane restrictions on both I-10 and the U.S. 29/ I-10 interchange. Lane closures on I-10 and intermittent closures or restrictions on the interchange will be limited to 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
All planned construction activities may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
March 23, 2014
Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekend ending March 20:
Escambia County
Officers Livesay and Pettey worked an area that appeared to have been previously baited for illegal turkey hunting. After waiting in the area most of the morning, the officers decided to change locations to a nearby field. While walking to this area, they noticed a hunter sneaking through the woods. The hunter set up and called for turkeys. Officers Livesay and Pettey approached the hunter and discovered he was hunting on a second baited spot. The subject admitted putting out bait in both spots and was charged with turkey hunting over bait.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week;however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.
Law Enforcement Torch Run Is Monday For Special Olympics
March 23, 2014
The 2014 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics will be in Century Monday morning and continue in Pensacola.
The Torch Run will begin at the Alabama/Florida line on Highway 29 about 7:00 Monday morning and continue south through Century with runners from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Century Correctional Institution.
From about 9-10 a.m, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department and other law enforcement agencies will carry the torch from ECSO Administration Building at 170 West Leonard Street to Bartram Park.
Over 300 Florida agencies participate in the state-wide torch run to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Florida. Each year, over 5,000 officers carry the torch on a 1500-mile relay through 66 counties in Florida.
Motorists can expect traffic delays during the run.
Pictured: The 2013 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics begins in Century last March. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: March Tips
March 23, 2014
Here are gardening tips for the month of March from the University of Florida IFAS Extension office:
Flowers
- Annual flowers that can be planted in March include: ageratum, alyssum, amaranthus, asters, baby’s breath, begonia, calendula, celosia, cosmos, dahlia, dusty miller, gaillardia, geranium, hollyhock, impatiens, marigold, nicotiana, ornamental pepper, pentas, phlox, rudbeckia, salvia, sweet Williams, torenia, verbena, vinca and zinnia.
- Caladium bulbs are extremely sensitive to cold soil. There is no advantage to planting early. Purchase caladiums while there is a good selection, but wait until late March or April before planting them in shady beds.
Trees and Shrubs
- Finish pruning summer flowering shrubs such as althea, hibiscus, abelia, oakleaf hydrangea and oleander.
- Delay the pruning of azaleas, camellias, spiraeas, gardenias and other spring flowering shrubs until after flowering is complete.
- Prune any cold weather-damaged plants after new growth appears.
- If needed, fertilize shrubs and small trees with a slow release fertilizer. A good general-purpose landscape fertilizer is a 15-0-15.
- Mature palms should receive an application of granular fertilizer. Use a special palm fertilizer that has an 8-2-12 +4Mg (magnesium) with micronutrients formulation. Apply one pound of fertilizer per 100 sqft of canopy area or landscape area.
- Last opportunity to spray shrubs with dormant horticultural oil.
- Pick up all fallen camellia blossoms and remove them from your property. This practice helps to prevent petal blight next season.
- Prune ornamental grasses.
- If you are in the market for specific colors of azaleas, visit the local nurseries and garden centers this month. Though this is not the most ideal planting time you are assured of the right flower color without having to wait until next blooming season.
Fruits and Nuts
- Time to finish planting bare-root fruit trees.
Vegetable Garden
- This is the month for establishing a spring vegetable garden. Early March plantings have about an even chance of avoiding a late frost.
- The warm season vegetables that can be planted this month are: bush beans, pole beans, lima beans, cantaloupes, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, southern peas, peppers, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, summer squash, winter squash, tomatoes and watermelon.
- The cool season vegetables that can be planted this month are: beets, carrots, celery, collards, endive, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, bunching onions, parsley, English peas, Irish potatoes, radish and turnips.
- More conservative gardeners might wish to wait until the middle to latter part of the month to risk tender plants such as tomatoes and peppers.
Lawns
- Remove excessive accumulation of leaves from the lawn. This will increase the effectiveness of fertilizers and pesticides applied to the lawn.
- If a preemergence lawn herbicide is needed to control summer weeds, it should be applied in early March. Make certain to choose one that is safe on your kind of grass.
- Keep lawn herbicides away from the root zones of desirable flower, shrubs and other plants.
- Fertilize the lawn only after the danger of frost has passed and when the grass has greened up. Fertilize using a complete fertilizer applied at 0.5 lbs nitrogen per 1000 sqft containing 50% soluble and 50% slow-release nitrogen.
- Service the lawn mower: include a sharpening of the blade and adjusting of the cutting height for your type of grass.
- Anyone considering establishment of centipedegrass from seed should hold off until the soil warms up and stabilizes above 70°F. Add Item Here…
Northview Grad Moretz Assigned To Sea Duty On USS Kearsarge
March 23, 2014
Machinist Mate Fireman Jonathan A. Moretz, a 2013 Northview graduate and former NJROTC cadet, is headed to his first sea duty assignment onboard USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) home ported in Norfolk, VA. Aboard Kearsarge, he will be assigned to the ship’s main propulsion division.
MMFN Moretz graduated from basic training at the Navy’s Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, IL, on October 4, 2013. He then attended Basic Engineering Common Core and Machinist Mate Strand training at Naval Station Great Lakes, where he graduated second in his class on March 12, 2014.
At Northview, MMFN Moretz was the cadet commander for the school’s NJROTC program during his senior year. Having successfully completed four years of NJROTC, newly enlisted sailors, like Moretz, are advanced to E-3 upon completion of basic training. Advanced pay grade awards former cadets for their NJROTC experience, which places them 18 months ahead of their peers in advancement progression.
He is the son of James and Lisa Moretz of McDavid.
Cantonment Man Gets Seven Years In Prison On Drug Charges
March 22, 2014
Another North Escambia resident has been convicted and sentenced to prison in connection with last year’s Operation Blister Pack 2.
William Bradley Edmonson, 26 of Booth Avenue, Cantonment, was found guilty by an Escambia County jury of conspiracy to traffic in amphetamine or methamphetamine between 28 and 200 grams, and possession of a listed chemical. He was sentenced to seven years, the mandatory minimum, in state prison. He was also ordered to pay $106,625 in costs and fines.
Operation Blister Pack 2 targeted nearly 80 individuals on methamphetamine and pseudoephedrine related charges. Many of those arrested were involved with drug groups dubbed “The Village Group”, centered around “The Village” area of Forrest Street and Lakeview Avenue in Cantonment; and “The Ayers Group”, a group centered around Ayers Street in Molino, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Flomaton Police Seek Person Of Interest In Armed Robbery
March 22, 2014
The Flomaton Police Department is looking for a person of interest in a Thursday night armed robbery. The man is seen on surveillance video shortly before the robbery of the Dollar General on Sidney Manning Boulevard. He has not been named a suspect in any crime; he is wanted for questioning only at this time.
The man was driving a white colored sport utility vehicle, similar to a Ford Explorer or Jeep Cherokee. He appeared to be wearing a black golf-style hat, according to Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis.
Anyone with information about the person pictured is asked to call the Flomaton Police Department at (850) 296-5811.
For an earlier story about the robbery, click here.
Escambia Man Charged With Leaving Gun Within Reach Of Shot Toddler
March 22, 2014
An Escambia County man has been charged in connection with the self-inflicted shooting death of his son after leaving a gun within his reach.
Sheldon Cleavon Salter, 28, was charged with culpable negligence in the death of his 2 year old son on March 1. The Escambia Count Sheriff’s Office said Salter left a loaded firearm within the reach of the child, making him capable of inflicting the injury that resulted in his death. Salter was also charged with one count of possession of drug paraphernalia in the incident which occurred in the 1500 block of Fairfield Drive.
Salter was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $17,500 bond.
Two Indicted In Three Escambia County Murders
March 22, 2014
An Escambia County man has been indicted for the murder of his wife.
State Attorney Bill Eddins said Friday that an Escambia County Grand Jury indicted Antoine Tyshawn Banks, 34, for first degree premeditated murder with a weapon in the death of his wife, Alexis Banks.
Banks shot 29-year old Alexis Monique Banks in the head March 7 at their home on McKinley Drive, just off Mobile Highway near the Osceola Golf Course. That’s where Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies discovered Alexis Banks dead with apparent gunshot wound.
Banks was arrested by Biloxi Police and booked in the Harrison County (MS) Jail the following Saturday morning. Banks as waived extradition and is now in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Boulder Avenue Indictment
Eddins also announced Friday that an Escambia County Grand Jury indicted Henry Payton for two counts of first degree murder with a weapon. The victims, 36-yearold John Edward Gibbons and 34-year old Christopher Lee Fehl, were found deceased of apparent gunshot wounds at their residence on Boulder Avenue.
Impact 100 To Make Over $1 Million In Grants To Non-Profits
March 22, 2014
IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, a local women’s philanthropy group, is pleased to announce that its 2014 Membership Drive has successfully concluded with 1025 members. The organization will give back to the community by awarding 10 grants of $102,500 each to non-profit agencies in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in October.
This will be the 11th year that IMPACT 100 will award grants to local non-profit agencies. Since the inception of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area in 2004, the organization has awarded 47 grants to 39 different non-profit agencies for a total of $5.151 million.
“We are thrilled to have such a tremendous response from our community and we can’t wait to see what innovative projects the non-profit agencies submit this year,” said Holly Jurnovoy, president of IMPACT 100. “Thanks to every one of our members, the Pensacola Bay Area shines once again as the largest Impact 100 organization in the world.”
Two grants will be awarded in each of the following five focus areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Recreation & Preservation; Family; and Health & Wellness.
Non-profit organizations interested in applying for a grant are invited to attend this year’s Nonprofit Education Workshop: “Million Dollar Impact – Got Grants?” at First Baptist Church, 500 N. Palafox St. on April 22nd. All non-profit organizations in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties are invited to learn about the grant process, get tips to writing a more successful grant, be inspired to dream big and create a winning project. Letters of Intent to Apply for a grant are due April 30th. Grant Applications must be submitted by June 27th.
Additional information is available on the IMPACT 100 website at www.impact100pensacola.org.