Florida Killer Executed
August 6, 2013
John Errol Ferguson, who was convicted of murdering eight people in the 1970s but whose lawyers argued that he wasn’t sane enough to be put to death, was executed by lethal injection Monday at Florida State Prison near Starke.
Ferguson, 65, was sentenced to death for the 1977 murders of six Carol City residents who were killed execution style following a drug-related robbery. Six months later, Ferguson abducted and killed a pair of high-school students in Hialeah.
The execution was set by Gov. Rick Scott on July 23 after the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay that had been issued last year because of questions about Ferguson’s sanity.
Attorneys argued that Ferguson’s execution would violate the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, contending that an individual must have a rational understanding of why he is being put to death.
Neiko Robinson Reports To Penn State Football Camp
August 6, 2013
Northview High School graduate Neiko Robinson was at Penn State Monday as the Nittany Lions opened their first day of camp.
The cornerback was due to be on campus in June with the rest of his class, but was not. PennLive.com reported Robinson was not enrolled in classes at Penn State due to “confusion” with his Northview High School transcript, forcing him to stay back home and finish a class.
But a spokesman for Penn State confirmed that the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Robinson was on the Penn State practice field.
Robinson will wear number 20 for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State opens their season Saturday, August 31 at 3:30 ET against Syracuse in a game scheduled to be televised on ABC/ESPN2.
Pictured top: Neiko Robinson receives his diploma from Northview High School principal Gayle Weaver on June 1. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
LaMarre’s Inside The Park Homerun Sparks 6-2 Wahoos Win Over B’ham
August 6, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were led by Ryan LaMarre’s inside the park home run in the third inning in their 6-2 win over the Birmingham Barons on Monday night at Regions Field. Pensacola has won three out of the first four in the five-game set, securing a series win over the Barons. It’s just the third time the Barons have lost a series in their new home.
Already leading 3-2, Pensacola opened up their lead with three runs in the eighth. An error by the shortstop allowed Devin Lohman to reach to open the inning and the door for the Wahoos’ late rally. Travis Mattair delivered the big blow with a two-out two-run double, and scored a batter later on Tucker Barnhart’s double.
LaMarre got the scoring started in the in the first inning, he scored on a sacrifice fly from Mike Costanzo after he doubled to start the game. In the third, LaMarre hit an inside the park home run with a line drive down the third base line.
The Barrons got a pair of solo home runs from Cody Puckett and Trayce Thompson in the third and fourth innings respectively, but that’s all they got while the Blue Wahoos scored four unanswered. Pensacola went up for good when Barnhart scored on a bases loaded ground out by Lohman.
Birmingham’s solo home runs were the only blemishes on the line for Blue Wahoos starter Josh Smith (W, 9-8). He was finished after 6.2 innings and struck out seven against just one walk to earn the win. Barons starter Chris Bassitt (L, 2-2) took the loss after giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits over seven innings.
The Blue Wahoos will look to make it four out of five in the series finale on Tuesday. The Blue Wahoos will turn to RHP Carlos Contreras (1-1, 2.87) against LHP Scott Snodgress (11-7, 3.70). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. from Regions Field in Birmingham.
Story by Tommy Thrall
One Hurt In Cantonment Wreck
August 5, 2013
One person was injured in a two vehicle accident about 8:30 Sunday night at the intersection of South Highway 97 and Muscogee Road in Cantonment. The injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The Molino and Beulah Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded to the crash. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details were not released.
Pictured: One person was injured in this two vehicle accident about 8:30 Sunday night at the intersection of South Highway 97 and Muscogee Road in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
County, Sheriff’s Office To Discuss Jail Transfer Wednesday
August 5, 2013
The next meeting concerning the transfer of control of the Escambia County Jail from Sheriff David Morgan to Escambia County will be open to the public this Wednesday.
The joint meeting between Escambia County and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that was originally scheduled for Monday, but was rescheduled for Wednesday to continue negations for the transfer of the Jail and Central Booking operations. The workshop will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at 221 Palafox Place in the fourth floor training room within the Escambia County Administration office. This meeting will have limited space and is open to the public.
Escambia Man Facing 30 Years For Cutting Over Social Secuity Benefits
August 5, 2013
An Escambia County man that cut a another man with a box cutter over his social security benefits is facing up to 30 years in state prison.
Jessie Lee Shumaker was found guilty as charged on one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon by an Escambia County jury.
On February 12, 2012, Jessie Lee Shumaker cut Edward Lewis on the side of his face and back side of his ear with a box cutter. Lewis requested Shumaker return his social security benefits card. After stating that he would call the police for assistance, Shumaker pursued and attacked Lewis with the weapon.
Sentencing is currently scheduled for September 19. Shumaker qualifies as both a habitual felony offender and prison releasee reoffender. He could be sentenced to up to 30 years in state prison, with 15 years as a mandatory minimum by Judge Michael Allen.
No Injuries In Highway 29 Wreck Near Molino
August 5, 2013
There were no injuries in a single vehicle accident Sunday afternoon on Highway 29 near Barth Road in Molino.
The driver of a pickup truck hauling a trailer with logs appeared to have ran off the road and over-corrected, causing the truck to overturn. The truck came to rest upright back on the highway. The two occupants of the truck were not injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured: There were no injuries in this late Sunday afternoon accident on Highway 29 in Molino. Reader submitted photos by Jane Byrd Franklin, click to enlarge.
Experts Visit Sites For Industrial Certification
August 5, 2013
Gulf Power Company’s site certification program took a step forward last week when consultants visited 14 sites in six Northwest Florida counties to evaluate whether the sites are good candidates to be certified for industrial development.
Gulf Power kicked off the program earlier this year to identify public and private lands that could be prepared ahead of time for the location of new or expanding companies. The consulting firm evaluates the properties, identifies improvements that must be made and then certifies the sites once they have met all the program requirements.
“The program is moving forward, right on schedule with the site visits,” said John Hutchinson, Gulf Power’s director of Public Affairs and Economic Development. “Getting out and kicking the dirt gives the consultants the opportunity to identify which sites are best suited to be certified.”
Six sites were visited in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, including land at the Pensacola International Airport, Whiting Field and four sites in or near the Santa Rosa Industrial Park in east Milton.
McCallum Sweeney will evaluate the data collected during the site visits and report back to landowners in September whether or not their sites are candidates for certification and what additional requirements must be met. Once a site is evaluated and selected to move forward, site owners will have up to a year to complete the program requirements. Gulf Power is paying half the consultant charges for publicly owned sites with private landowners paying the full amount.
The Gulf Power program is the first of its kind in Florida. Once a site is certified it becomes much more attractive to prospective businesses and having certified sites allows Northwest Florida to be more competitive with neighboring states.
“Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi all have certified sites — as well as other states,” Hutchinson said. “If we are going to compete for new jobs, we have to have sites that are ready to go with infrastructure plans and permits in place and sites that are located near transportation corridors.”
Once certified, the sites will be marketed by local, regional and state economic development agencies to prospective companies to bring new jobs to Northwest Florida.
Back To School Prep: Church Members Hold Prayer Walk At Byrneville Elementary
August 5, 2013
Sunday night, members of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church held their annual prayer walk at Byrneville Elementary School. Participants walked around the school and held prayer at various classrooms and around the campus. Prayers were said for students, teachers, staff and administrators for the coming year with safety and success. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Critically Injured In Flomaton Highway 31 Wreck
August 5, 2013
One person was critically injured in a wreck involving a car and a semi-truck Sunday afternoon in Flomaton.
The accident happened about 4:50 p.m. on Highway 31 near Sidney Manning Boulevard. Firefighters were forced to use the Jaws of Life to extricate the unknown age female driver from her vehicle. She was transported by Escambia County (FL) EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola as a “trauma alert”.
The accident remains under investigation. Further details were not available.
The Flomaton Fire Department, Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Flomaton Police Department responded to the crash.
Pictured: One person was critically injured in a two vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on Highway 31 in Flomaton. Submitted photos by Robbie Lynn Burkett, click to enlarge.
