Century, Flomaton Celebrate The Fourth With A Bang
July 4, 2013
Fireworks lit up the night Wednesday with an early celebration at Flomaton’s Hurricane Park. The fireworks show was a joint effort of both the Town of Flomaton and the Town of Century. The towns alternate hosting the festivities each year. Photos by Ditto Gorme for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Forester To Lead Probe Into Arizona Firefighter Deaths
July 4, 2013
Florida State Forester Jim Karels has been named the lead investigator for the review of the tragic deaths of 19 firefighters in Arizona this week. The Arizona State Forestry Division announced the members of the Yarnell Hill Investigation Team that will investigate the deaths of the Granite Mountain Hotshots killed Sunday in the Yarnell Hill Fire. The investigation begins immediately.
“Our hearts go out to the people of Arizona, especially to the families of the 19 men who tragically lost their lives while protect the lives of others,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “Jim Karels is a nationally recognized firefighter who will use his decades of experience to lead this team to better understand what happened and how to possibly prevent such a terrible loss in the future.”
A wildfire in Yarnell, Arizona, northwest of Phoenix, claimed the lives of 19 wildland firefighters on Sunday. The fire started on Friday and spread to more than 6,000 acres in two days. Sunday was the deadliest day for U.S. firefighters since Sept. 11, 2001, and the deadliest wildfire since 1933.
Karels will lead the independent investigation, and Mike Dudley, Acting Director of Cooperative Forestry of the U.S. Forest Service, will be the secondary team lead. Others participating in the investigation include the U.S. Forest Service Missoula Technology and Development Center, the Missoula Fire Department, the Bureau of Land Management and the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health. The local liaisons to the nine-member Yarnell Hill Investigation Team are Arizona State Forester Scott Hunt and Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo.
Karels, appointed Florida State Forester in 2008, is director of the Florida Forest Service, which manages 1 million acres of public forest land while protecting more than 26 million acres of homes, forestland, and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.
He has more than 30 years of experience in land management and wildfire suppression, including four fire seasons with the U.S. Forest Service. He represents all 50 states as the National Association of State Foresters Wildfire Committee Chairman and serves on the Wildland Fire Leadership Council providing support for the implementation and coordination of national fire management policies. He is a member of the Governor’s Land Acquisition and Restoration Council and sits on numerous national boards and associations dealing with wildland fire suppression and forest land management.
Karels also organized and directed the interagency review team into the Blue Ribbon Fire, which took the lives of two Florida wildland firefighters on June 20, 2011. The team, comprised of representatives of the Florida Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service, Georgia Forestry Commission and Office of State Fire Marshal, worked together to gather all factual information regarding the Florida Forest Service’s response to the Blue Ribbon Fire and to discover and define the environmental, management and human factors that contributed to the tragic incident, as well as identify steps to take to prevent similar incidents in the future.
In addition to Karels, one Florida Forest Service firefighter has been assigned to the Yarnell Hill Fire, and one mitigation specialist/public information officer was assigned to assist efforts in Colorado.
Pensacola Food Worlds Closing; Atmore Belle Foods To Remain Open
July 4, 2013
A bankruptcy judge ruled Wednesday that Belle Foods can close a dozen Food World stories in Alabama and Florida, including four in Pensacola. The Belle Foods stores in Atmore and Brewton will remain open.
Belle will begin the process of closing the four Pensacola Food World stores immediately with plans for the stores to be closed by August 3.
Belle will have 44 stores remaining — included Atmore and Brewton — when the closures are complete. Plans call for Belle to sell the assets of the closed Food World stores as it tries to pay more than $42 million in debt.
The company cited lower than anticipated revenues due to higher payroll taxes and increased competition from newer grocery stores as reasons for the bankruptcy.
The Food World in Atmore and the Piggly Wiggly in Brewton were rebranded as Belle Foods in January.
Pictured top: The Belle Foods store in Atmore Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Corrections Union Files Complaint Against State Over Holidays
July 4, 2013
The state is trying to illegally take away time off from corrections officers, according to a complaint filed Wednesday by the workers’ union.
Teamsters Local 2011, a union representing 17,000 employees of the Department of Corrections, filed the eight-page complaint with the Public Employees Relations Commission, which referees disputes over labor practices that involve state workers.
The union’s complaint focuses on corrections officers who work holidays. Under a previous agreement between the union and the state, the officers would have to forfeit the time they earn for working those holidays if they don’t take the days off within a certain time frame.
Instead, the union wants to make sure that employees get paid for working holidays if, for safety reasons, the agency can’t allow workers to take those days off. After negotiations between the union and the state failed to produce an agreement, the Legislature approved the state’s proposed language as part of its annual bill resolving labor disputes.
Teamsters International Vice President Ken Wood said his organization tried to work with the state during negotiations.
“It’s unfortunate that the state’s representatives showed an unwillingness to do the right thing,” Wood said in a news release announcing the action. “Our correctional officers should not be required to work and then have their earned time taken away from them. We will pursue all legal avenues to have the problem corrected and our dedicated officers made whole.”
Ann Howard, a spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections, said the agency had not seen the allegations.
“We have not received any official notice of this complaint being filed,” she wrote in an email.
It’s not the first time the union and the state have clashed over wages and working conditions. The Teamsters announced last month that 700 current and retired corrections officers had reached a $600,000 settlement with the state over allegations that DOC violated wage and hour rules.
The officers had worked in Raiford, home to the Union Correctional Institution, and will get compensation for the overtime they worked between December 2009 and December 2011.
by The News Service of Florida
Man Gets 40 Years For Burglarizing Deputy’s Home
July 4, 2013
A Santa Rosa County man will spend the next four decades behind bars for a burglary last year at the home of a sheriff’s deputy.
Everly Scott Lippwe was sentenced by the Circuit Judge David Rimmer to 40 years in state prison after his conviction by a Santa Rosa County jury on multiple counts of burglary, theft and dealing in stolen property.
On April 21, 2012, the home of Lt. Chris Watson, a deputy with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, and his wife Bonita Watson, a Santa Rosa County Probation Officer, was burglarized and set on fire while they were out of town. The fire was started in one of the bedrooms and was contained to that room.
During the course of the crime, guns, bulletproof vests, and other law enforcement equipment as well as jewelry and electronics were stolen from the home. Lippwe traveled to Atlanta where he sold the jewelry and negotiated on the sale of the guns and bulletproof vests.
Joseph Cameron was also arrested for his involvement in this crime. He cooperated with investigators and testified at trial against Lippwe. He was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Escambia Extension Urges Smart Grilling For Food Safety
July 4, 2013
Safety is an important consideration when operating a grill. Improper use can cause a fire or explosion. Keep the area around a lighted grill clear of combustible materials, and never use a grill in an enclosed area such as a sheltered patio or a garage. Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing that may catch fire. The cooking grids should be cleaned after every cookout. The last thing you want to do is cause someone to become ill due to improper cleaning or unsafe food preparation practices.
Wash your hands with hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds before starting to prepare any foods, and wash your hands again if you do anything else—change a diaper, pet an animal, or blow your nose, for example. Cover any cuts or sores on your hands with a bandage, or use plastic gloves. If you sneeze or cough while preparing foods, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and turn your face away, or cough into your sleeve. Always wash your hands afterwards.
Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature. Most food-borne illness-causing bacteria cannot grow well at temperatures below 40°F or above 140°F. Thaw foods in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Never leave foods out at room temperature.
Keep everything that touches food clean. Bacteria can hitch rides around your kitchen on all sorts of things—plates and cutting boards, dirty utensils, dish rags and sponges, unwashed hands.
Never chop fresh vegetables or salad ingredients on a cutting board that was used for raw meat without properly cleaning it first. If possible, keep a separate cutting board just for the preparation of raw meat, poultry, and fish.
Wash cutting boards thoroughly with hot soapy water, and then sanitize with a solution of household bleach and water.
Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices from coming into contact with other foods during preparation, especially foods that will not be cooked. Wash all utensils and your hands with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat.
Marinate meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator in a covered, non-metal container. Throw away any leftover marinade.
Grill food to a safe internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to assure correct doneness of the food being grilled.
Safe minimum internal temperatures:
- Poultry (whole, ground, and breasts): 165°F
- Hamburgers, beef: 160°F
- Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks, roasts and chops):
- Medium rare: 145°F
- Medium: 160°F.
- All cuts of pork: 160°F.
Hold meat at 140°F until served. Use a clean platter for transferring cooked meat from grill to serving table.
Summer is the time for getting together with friends and family and cooking outdoors. Make your outdoor grilling experience safe and enjoyable.
For further information regarding food safety and other related topics, go to the University of Florida’s Solutions for Your Life website: http://www.solutionsforyourlife.com.
Dorothy C. Lee, CFCS, is an Extension Agent II, Family & Consumer Sciences with the Escambia County Extension Service. Reference: Safe Food Handling Fact Sheet, United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Series.
Fourth Suspect Arrested In Christmas Eve Murder
July 4, 2013
Police have arrested the fourth and final suspect involved in a December 24, 2012, kidnapping and homicide.
Anthony Lamar Wilson, 29, no permanent address, was arrested Wednesday night at a home in Ensley with assistance from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Wilson will be booked into the Escambia County Jail on a grand jury indictment for capital murder.
“The arrest of Anthony Wilson is the result of the hard work and persistence of our officers to put the fourth suspect and final suspect behind bars to answer for this crime,” said Pensacola Police Chip W. Simmons.
On June 5, Deontrez Levon Kitt, 27, was taken into custody around 2:30 p.m. at a residence in the 5300 block of North Blue Angel Parkway. He was charged with capital murder on a grand jury indictment.
Two other males – Deavis Saulsberry, 24, and Trevon Nelson, 28, both of Pensacola – also have been charged with capital murder for kidnapping and murder of Torrance Hackworth, 32, of 1321 North J St., Pensacola.
Around 2:45 a.m. on December 24, the suspects approached Hackworth when he arrived at his residence. They then forced him into the apartment, bound him with duct tape and held him in the apartment.
One of the males awakened Hackworth’s 36-year-old girlfriend and their four children, ranging in age from four to 10, and ordered them at gunpoint into the living room. As all six residents were held hostage, the suspects ransacked the house, demanded money and stole various items.
When Hackworth insisted he didn’t have any money because he had bought Christmas presents for the children, the suspects said they were going to kill him. The suspects then beat and struck Hackworth several times with a firearm in front of the woman and children before dragging him outside and putting him into the truck of the woman’s vehicle, which they used to flee the scene.
Approximately two to three hours after the abduction, the woman’s vehicle was found partially submerged at the Sanders Beach boat launch. Hackworth was shot several times and his body was found December 26 in a vacant lot in the 1600 block of North S Street. The incident is believed to have been drug related.
Agencies that assisted the Pensacola Police Department with the investigation were the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Gun Crime Response Team, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and State Attorney’s Office.
Fourth Of July Picnic About $6 Per Person This Year
July 4, 2013
A Fourth of July picnic of Americans’ favorite Fourth foods including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk is affordable this summer at less than $6 per person, according to an informal survey conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The average cost for a summer picnic for 10 is $57.20 or $5.72 per person according to AFBF.
“Although retail food prices have increased modestly over the past year or so, most Americans should be able to find summer picnic foods at close to the average prices found by our volunteer shoppers,” said John Anderson, deputy chief economist at AFBF.
“For many of us, nothing says the Fourth of July more than firing up the grill to prepare a meal,” Anderson said. “We’re fortunate here in America to have a consistent, high-quality supply of meats and poultry that can be grilled or prepared any number of different ways.”
AFBF’s summer picnic menu for 10 consists of hot dogs and buns, cheeseburgers and buns, pork spare ribs, deli potato salad, baked beans, corn chips, lemonade, chocolate milk, watermelon for dessert, and ketchup and mustard.
A total of 60 AFBF volunteer shoppers in 22 states checked retail prices for summer picnic foods for this informal survey.
AFBF’s July Fourth Picnic Survey is part of the organization’s marketbasket series, which also includes an annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey and two “everyday” marketbasket surveys on common food staples that can be used to prepare a meal.
Featured Recipe: Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats
July 4, 2013
Looking to spend some time with the kids in the kitchen? Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats are a fun, easy and patriotic way to celebrate.
The recipe is not only easy, but it also lots of fun. It’s terrific for a “just-because” snack or as a sweet way to finish off a family picnic. And kids of all ages can help – from pouring and stirring to dipping and decorating, there’s something everyone can do.
Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 package (10 ounces, about 40) regular marshmallows OR 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal OR 6 cups Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies® cereal
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- Red-, white- and blue-colored sprinkles
Preparation
- In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Add cereal. Stir until well coated.
- Using buttered spatula or wax paper, evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Crosswise cut in half, forming two 9 x 6 1/2-inch rectangles.
- Meanwhile, in small saucepan melt white chocolate morsels over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in oil. Add powdered sugar, stirring until combined. Add water. Stir until smooth.
- Spread chocolate mixture over one cereal rectangle. Top with second rectangle. Sprinkle with red, white and blue sprinkles, pressing lightly into cereal mixture. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Cut into 3 1/4 x 1-inch strips. Best if served the same day.
Serves
Servings 18
Preparation Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour
Man Convicted Of Robbery, Faces 10 Years To Life
July 4, 2013
An Escambia County man has been convicted of robbery.
Arion Lavon Goble was convicted by an Escambia County jury of robbery with a firearm wearing a mask, burglary of a dwelling armed with a firearm wearing a mask, and grand theft wearing a mask.
On August 10, 2012, Goble and Jeffery Pruitt entered into the victim’s apartment with masks over their faces. They both entered the bedroom and awoke the sleeping victim. Goble forced the victim to the ground and held a shotgun to his head. Pruitt then searched the bedroom and stole $800. Afterwards, both Goble and Pruitt fled the scene and split the money. Both Pruitt and Goble made admissions to other persons shortly after the crime. Additionally, Goble was identified by the victim due to a distinct tattoo on his neck.
On April 4, 2013, Pruitt pled to the crimes of principal to robbery armed With a firearm and principal to burglary of dwelling armed with a firearm and was sentenced to 10 years state prison. That sentence was conditioned that he testify truthfully regarding the involvement of other persons in this case. At trial, Pruitt did testify that he and Goble committed the crimes.
Goble is set for sentencing on August 8, 2013 in front of Judge Ross Goodman.
Goble faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years state prison and possible maximum of life in prison.