New Burlington Coat Factory Store Now Hiring
August 15, 2013
[Updated] A new Burlington Coat Factory store opening soon in Pensacola is now hiring with the assistance of Workforce Escarosa.
The off-price apparel and home furnishings retailer is hiring retail associates and supervisors. The positions offer an associate discount, competitive wages and benefits, paid time off and a company-matched 401k.
Interested individuals must first apply online at www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com for positions with the Pensacola store. After completing the online application and assessment, applicants are invited to attend a one-day hiring event on Friday, August 16, between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. inside the Amos Performance Studio on the Pensacola State College Main Campus located at 1000 College Blvd. in Pensacola. Representatives from Burlington Coat Factory will be on-site at the event reviewing applications and conducting interviews.
The new Burlington Coat Factory will be located at University Town Plaza, the site of the former University Mall on Davis Highway. The store is expected to open in October.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Chloe Channell Done On ‘America’s Got Talent’; She’s Singing Again Friday At Olive
August 15, 2013
She wowed America and the judges for weeks on American’s Got Talent, but when it came down to the wire Wednesday night, everyone’s favorite 11-year old super-enthusiastic country girl was headed back to Pace.
“Chloe was electric last night on America’s Got Talent,” The Band Perry tweeted about her Tuesday night cover of their hit “Done” live at Radio City Music Hall in NYC.
The Band Perry and America had to wait literally until the final seconds of Wednesday night’s results show to find out if Chloe was done. Chloe and Taylor Williamson, as the fourth and fifth place acts from Tuesday night, faced the judges’ vote to see who would continue on to the America’s Got Talent semifinals.
Shock Jock Howard Stern and comedian Howie Mandel voted for Williamson, while supermodel Heidi Klum and singer Melanie Brown voted for Chloe. With a judge’s tie, the decision went to the yet unknown America’s vote as the closing credits rolled. After a stage hand ran out with the results envelope, host Nick Cannon read the verdict — Williamson was moving on and Chloe was headed home.
“I want to thank you all for everything,” Chloe said Wednesday night via Facebook. “This is only the beginning. The out pour of support has been amazing.”
Chloe Channell will be back on a local stage Friday night at 6:30 at her church as Olive Baptist presents the “Opry at Olive”, an event scheduled before Chloe’s moment in the national spotlight. The benefit concert for the Olive Ministry Village will feature a mixture of bluegrass and folk music from the Sawmill Band and the voice talents of Chloe Channell. Admission is free, but a love offering will be taken.
Pictured: Chloe Channell during a going away party in Pace before her trip to Radio City Music Hall in New York City. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Prayer Walk Held At Molino Park Elementary School
August 15, 2013
The annual back to school Prayer Walk was held Wednesday evening at Molino Park Elementary School. Dozens of students and adults prayed for the Lord’s blessings on their upcoming school year.
This year’s prayer walk, led by Highland Baptist Church, took on extra meaning as the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office continues their search for suspects that sometime last Saturday night vandalized the school and stole many thousands of dollars worth of computers and other electronics used in the school’s educational programs.
Pictured: A student prayer walk Wednesday evening at Molino Park Elementary School. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ACLU Battles Dept Of Corrections Over Santa Rosa Correctional Records
August 15, 2013
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has gone to court to try to get records related to a Panhandle prison, after being rebuffed by a state agency that admits to working with “antiquated” technology.
The ACLU filed a lawsuit this month against the Florida Department of Corrections, claiming the agency rejected public records requests in November and May that involved computerized information about housing assignments and cell or bunk assignments for inmates at Santa Rosa Correctional Institution.
Sara Latshaw, ACLU Northwest Florida regional director, said in an email that it’s “ludicrous” for a government agency to skirt Florida’s public-records laws by pretending employees don’t know how databases work.
“Today, more and more public information is stored in databases instead of reams of paper,” Latshaw said. “Yet the Department of Corrections denies any duty to extract this information because it has not done so before. The truth is that it is 2013 and records like this should be easier to retrieve than ever.”
Latshaw declined to say why the records have been requested.
Misty Cash, the Department of Corrections deputy director of communications, said Tuesday that the state agency doesn’t comment about ongoing litigation. However, she noted the agency is limited by its own technology.
“We have a fabulous IT team and they do everything and anything possible to supply records and things that they can,” Cash said. “However, we have a very antiquated system and often times it’s not easy to use that system and find what is there.”
The ACLU requested two years worth of demographic and housing records from Santa Rosa Correctional on Nov. 29, 2012, only to be told on April 17 that the state agency “disagrees with your position that a query of the department’s database is the same as providing existing public records.”
“A query of the department’s database for specific information that you are seeking appears to be a request for the department to provide information or perform research,” the DOC wrote to the ACLU on April 17.
The ACLU’s housing information request was narrowed on May 23 to data from a single day — the Santa Rosa Correctional demographics from Nov. 30, 2012 — along with an instruction manual and the software name for the database.
The state refused the request on June 21, in part claiming the department doesn’t have to answer questions, perform research, give out public records or create new records “when a requestor seeks information not already contained in an existing record.”
The DOC also noted in a letter on June 21 that the database manual for the department’s Bed Space Management System is confidential and exempted from public disclosure.
According to the ACLU, inmate housing assignments along with cell or bunk assignments are public records, regardless of how they are stored.
“That the past housing assignments and cell or bunk assignments are stored in a database, as opposed to being printed on reams of paper, does not alter the department’s duty,” the lawsuit said.
Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, supported the ACLU, calling the state’s stance “kind of convoluted.”
“The DOC has a constitutional and statutory duty to provide access to its public records,” Petersen said. “The fact that they have stored these records in a manner that makes them irretrievable is their problem.”
by Jim Turner and Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Most Pensacola Food Worlds Sold; Belle Foods Stores To Be Auctioned Off
August 15, 2013
Bankrupt Belle Foods will sell seven stores — including several Pensacola Food Worlds — for over $1.3 million, while the company’s 44 other stories are set to be on the auction block next month.
Belle already has buyers for three of four Food World stores in Pensacola. Autry Greer & Sons, which operates Greer’s Market and Cash Saver stores in three states, has offered $100,000 for the Barrancas Avenue Food World in Pensacola. Malloy Grocery has offered $150,000 for North Davis Highway Food World in Pensacola, while there is a $150,000 offer for the Lillian Highway Food World from Fisher Douglas LLC. There has been no reported offer for the Food World on Pine Forest Road in Pensacola.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama has approved a new debtor-in-possession agreement between Belle Foods and its primary lendor, C&S Wholesale Grocers. Belle owes C&S $38.3 million, including $5 million to increase shelf stock and clean up 44 stores to be sold at a court- approved auction on September 24. C&S hopes to recover its money with auction proceeds.
The auction includes all remaining Belle Foods stores, including Atmore and Brewton.
Pictured: Belle Foods in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Correctional And Partners Donate School Supplies, Bicycles
August 15, 2013
Century Correctional Institution partnered with Quantum Resources, S&S Construction and the Ensley Walmart to provide school supplies and bicycles for area children. CCI delivered $3,000 in school supplies and 64 bicycles for Bratt Elementary, Byrneville Elementary, Jay Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle, Northview High and the Camp Fire USA program in Century. The bicycles are typically used by the schools as education prizes or incentives.
Pictured: Century Correctional Institution and partners delivered bicycles and school supplies Wednesday to (top) Byrneville Elementary, (inset) Bratt Elementary, and (below) Camp Fire USA in Century and Jay Elementary. Pictured bottom: School supplies loaded up in a CCI van ready for delivery. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jay Royals All Sports Season Passes On Sale Now
August 15, 2013
All sports season passes are one sale now at Jay High School through August 23.
Passes are $175 for a family (anyone living in the same household), or $100 for an individual pass.
To purchase a pass, see Lynn Atkins in the Jay High School main office. These all sports passes are good for admission to all sporting events at Jay High School, except tournaments.
Victim Identified In ‘Suspicious Death’ At Car Dealership
August 14, 2013
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a “suspicious death” Wednesday morning at a Pensacola car dealership.
Adnan Mohamed Dali Glelati, age 53 of Pensacola, was found deceased about 10 a.m. from unknown injuries at 7 Stars Auto at 5401 North W Street, next door to the Fast Eddies Fun Center on Michigan Avenue. The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Escambia County EMS received an unconfirmed report of a shooting in the area at the time.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: A man was found dead at 7 Starts Auto on W Street in Pensacola Wednesday morning. Photos by Amber Southard, WEAR 3, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UPS Cargo Plane Crashes In Birmingham, Two Dead
August 14, 2013
A UPS cargo plane crashed near the Birmingham, AL, airport Wednesday morning, reportedly killing the pilot and co-pilot.
The plane crashed in grassy field outside the airport fence and about a half mile from the runway just before 5 a.m., missing homes located not far the site. There were no injuries on the ground. The plane, an A300, was enroute from Louisville, KY, to Birmingham.
“As we work through this difficult situation, we ask for your patience, and that you keep those involved in your thoughts and prayers,” UPS said in a prepared statement.
Photos courtesy the Tarrant (AL) Police Department.
Century Man Arrested On Drug Trafficking, Possession Charges
August 14, 2013
A Century man driving without a license was arrested on multiple felony charges — including trafficking — after a Pensacola traffic stop.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop for improper window tint on Old Spanish Trail at the Moorings Apartments. The driver, 33-year old Kevin Lamar Brown of Ramar Street in Century, admitted to deputies that he did not have a valid driver’s license.
Inside the vehicle, deputies reported finding a plastic bag containing an unmarked pill bottle containing a large quantity of acetaminophen-hydrocodone pills and a digital scale.
Brown told deputies that he and a female had found the bag while visiting Wayside Park at the foot of the 3 Mile Bridge. He said he was taking the pills to a friend to see if they could be sold for money, according to an arrest report. Deputies also reported finding a plastic bag with crack cocaine and marijuana.
Brown was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (hydrocodone), possession of drug paraphernalia, cocaine possession and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. He also received citations for driving while license suspended, felony possession of a controlled substance while in physical control of a motor vehicle and a written warning for the window tint violation.
He remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $14,000.