Candidate Pre-files For Valentino’s District 2 Commission Seat
July 2, 2013
The first candidate has pre-filed to run for the District 2 Escambia County Commission seat currently held by Gene Valentino.
Democrat Raymond “Ray” Guillory, 38, pre-filed Monday for the 2014 election. A chef, Guillory ran unsuccessfully in 2006 for Florida House of Representatives District 6. He is an Escambia County Democratic Executive Committee member, and served as Canvassing Coordinator for the Lumon May for Florida House District 3 campaign in 2008.
Valentino has not publicly announced if he will seek re-election.
Update: Lonely Highway Dog Has A Home
July 2, 2013
Last week, we brought you the story of a lonely dog that spent days seemingly sitting and waiting for someone to return alongside an Alabama country road. Today, we can report that the dog — now named Charlie — is safe at a home in Flomaton.
“I was so happy and relieved just knowing he’s finally safe,” Hughes said Monday afternoon. “I want to thank everyone that has taken the time to feed & water him and tried to catch him.”
“I wish I could keep him and if I knew he would stay in my yard I would keep him,” she said. “But I don’t have a fenced in yard and he would end up in the same spot he’s been sitting in all week.”
Here is our earlier story about the lonely highway dog, first published on June 28:
The saga of a lonely dog is playing out on Facebook, capturing the hearts of hundreds of people, as he sits and waits alone by a country road.
On Sunday, Molly Hughes of Flomaton posted a couple of photos of dog on a roadside off Highway 113 near Flomaton.
“He has been sitting in the same spot for 2 days like he’s waiting on his owner to show up to get him,” Hughes wrote in her post, believing someone dumped the dog on the roadside. “It’s so sad.” She stopped and put out food and water for the dog, but she was unable to get very close to him.
But no matter what, the dog has continued to sit by the road, seemingly waiting for someone he loves to come back.
“It’s day 5 of this poor dog sitting in the same spot waiting on his owner to show back up to get him,” Hughes posted on Facebook on Wednesday. “We have put food and water out for him every day and tried to get him to come with us but he’s scared and won’t leave this spot.”
By Thursday, other Facebook members had begin to help Hughes take care of the roadside dog. Several people visited with the dog and provided food and water. They have been able to pet the dog, but so far he’s too frightened to allow anyone to take him to a new home.
“I want to thank everyone in the community that has helped out with this poor fella,” Hughes said. “It’s so heartwarming to know that many people actually care and will take the time out of their day to help an animal.” On Thursday, Hughes was able to spend about 45 minutes with the dog, providing him not only with more food and water, but a bone and some much appreciated treats.
“Please keep him in your prayers and pray that he will decide to trust someone enough to go home with them soon,” she said.
If anyone has any information about the roadside dog, email us your contact information at news@northescambia.com and we will put you in touch with Hughes.
Pictured: A dog waits by the roadside near Flomaton. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Belle Foods, Food World Stores File Bankruptcy
July 2, 2013
Belle Foods, operator of six grocery stores in Pensacola, Atmore and Brewton under the Belle Foods and Food World names, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday.
The chain has a total of 57 stores and over 2,800 employees, has debts of $10 to $50 million and assets within the same range, according to court documents.
The company cited difficulties with paying creditors from revenues as the reason for bankruptcy.
““Additionally, higher payroll taxes in 2013 have led to a decline in purchases by the (Belle’s) customer base,” the court filing said. “Furthermore, (Belle) has also seen an increased amount of competition in several of its markets from other grocers. With older locations, Debtor has had difficulty competing with the newer grocery stores that have moved into its markets.”
Belle operates stores under the Belle Foods, Piggly Wiggly and Food World names in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi. Most of the stores were purchases from Southern Family Markets in June 2012. Southern Family took control of numerous Food World and Bruno’s stores after a Birmingham grocer filed for bankruptcy.
The Food World in Atmore and the Piggly Wiggly in Brewton were rebranded as Belle Foods in January.
Editor’s note: The Piggly Wiggly store in Davisville is not owned by Belle Foods.
Pictured top: The Belle Foods store in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Rally Past Jacksonville In Rain-Shortened Game
July 2, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos used a four-run fourth inning to rally past the Jacksonville Suns 4-3 in a rain-shortened, six-inning affair on Monday afternoon at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Rains forced the tarp onto the field with one out in the sixth before the game was eventually called approximately an hour later with no end to the rain in sight. The win snapped Pensacola’s two-game skid and moved them to within a game of first place behind Jacksonville.
Trailing 3-0 after three frames, the Wahoos came to the plate in the fourth inning without a hit against Jacksonville starter Adam Conley. Donald Lutz changed that with a single to right to spark the rally. Marquez Smith walked to follow Lutz and both runners moved up a base on a groundout by Matt Kennelly. Travis Mattair then put the Wahoos on the board with a solid single up the middle, cutting the lead to 3-1. Ryan LaMarre was plunked by a 1-2 pitch following Mattair to load the bases with just one hit.
Brodie Greene brought Pensacola closer by reaching on catcher’s interference when his swing made contact with the glove of catcher J.T. Realmuto. Greene was credited with an RBI and made the score 3-2. Dennick finished off the rally with a two-run single through the left side, putting the Wahoos on top 4-3.
Dennick battled his command early in the contest before settling down and keeping Pensacola in the game. Jacksonville plated three runs in the last of the first against Dennick on a two-run single from Mark Canha and an RBI single from Danny Black. Despite walking three in the frame, Dennick stranded a pair to keep the deficit at three. Jacksonville stranded two more runners in both the second and third innings before the Wahoos southpaw took control by retiring the final seven batters he faced.
Dennick (4-9) was credited with a complete game by tossing five innings and allowing three runs on five hits with four walks and no strikeouts. Conley fell to 7-3 but also went the distance, giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 5.1 frames.
The series continues on Tuesday night at 6:05 p.m. CT. Pensacola will send Daniel Renken (2-6, 3.97) to the mound against Jacksonville’s Anthony DeSclafani (2-0, 2.08).
story by Kevin Burke
Want To Sponsor The Blackwater Trail?
July 2, 2013
Want your company name on the Blackwater Trail in Milton? Now you can.
A year after lawmakers agreed to allow advertising on state greenways and trails, the Florida Park Service has announced that sponsors are being sought for seven multi-use, paved trails from the Panhandle to the Florida Keys. The trails announced Monday are the first to be put up for potential sponsorship from the July 2012 law that some critics argued would diminish hiking in serene, uncluttered natural habitats.
With the negotiated sponsorship comes pre-approved, logo-covered signs at trailheads and access points that could be either 4 square feet or 16 square feet, depending upon the type of access point. A mandatory teleconference call is planned for July 15 for those interested in sponsoring a trail.
The seven state trails are: Blackwater Heritage Trail near Milton in the Florida Panhandle; Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail south of Tallahassee; Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail in north-central Florida; Nature Coast State Trail from Cross City to Chiefland crossing the lower Suwannee River; Withlacoochee State Trail south of Dunnellon; General James A. Van Fleet State Trail through Central Florida’s Green Swamp; and the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail from Key Largo to Key West.
By The News Service of Florida
Fire Rages Though Wheat Field, Combine Damaged
July 1, 2013
Fire raged though a Walnut Hill wheat field this afternoon, and a John Deere combine was damaged.
The combine, still smoking when the first fire truck arrive on scene, was removed from the field and did not appear to be heavily damaged. The wheat field fire on Lemon Road off South Highway 99 consumed about 10 acres.
There were no injuries reported.
The Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze. The Florida Division of Forestry was also dispatched to the fire but canceled.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Arrested After Sunday Night Drive-by Shooting
July 1, 2013
Multiple charges have been filed on a Pensacola man after a drive-by shooting occurred Sunday night.
Robert D. Bruster, 18, of 2606 W. Gonzalez St. was charged with fleeing/eluding a law enforcement officer with lights/siren active, driving with license suspended, child neglect
without great bodily harm, resisting an officer, possession of cocaine, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.
Just after 10 p.m. Sunday, a drive-by shooting occurred in the area of DeSoto Street and Sixth Avenue where a 30-year-old male was shot in the hand. A description of the vehicle was broadcast to officers, and Officer David Rogers saw a vehicle matching its description at Pace Boulevard and Jackson Street. Rogers followed the vehicle to B and Gadsden streets where the driver – later identified as Bruster – jumped out and began running. Bruster was taken into custody nearby.
Officers found two children ages 13 and 14 in addition to some crack cocaine and marijuana inside the vehicle.
The shooting remains under investigation.
Man Pushes His Way Into 92-Year Old’s Home
July 1, 2013
Escambia Sheriff’s investigators are looking for clues after a suspect pushed his was into the home of an elderly woman over the weekend.
The home invasion occurred in the 10400 block of Lillian Highway about 1 p.m. Sunday. The 92-year-old victim told deputies a man had knocked on her door inquiring about an item for sale. As they were standing on the porch talking, the suspect pushed the victim inside of the home and began rummaging through her house. The victim tried to flee, at which time the suspect grabbed her and pushed her back inside of the house. The suspect was observed fleeing in a red, two-door, unknown model car with an unknown Florida tag number.
The suspect was described as a white male in his late 20’s, about 6-feet tall with an athletic build. At the time of the incident he was wearing a blue t-shirt with a cross design and dark pants. Anyone with any information about this crime is asked to contact the Escambia Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9630 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850)433-7867.
4-H Task Force Completes Report On Potential Future Locations
July 1, 2013
A task force on a fact-finding mission about potential future land for Escambia County 4-H has issued its findings in a report to a University of Florida dean.
After reviewing the report, UF/IFAS Extension Dean Nick Place could choose to act on the task force’s findings or ask the group to continue its fact-finding research. The task force was created following the sale of the 240-acre Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal Credit Union for $3.6 million. From the sale proceeds, $2 million was placed in an endowment fund with interest used to support Escambia County 4-H, and $1.6 million was reserved for 4-H use under the guidance of UF/IFAS.
The group was tasked with identifying options for meeting the 4-H’s animal science and outdoor education needs while complementing the new 4-H Center to be constructed next to the Extension office on Stefani Road.
The report contains multiple detailed proposals about land purchase options as well as “non-land” options that would use existing property and facilities to meet current and future 4-H needs. There is no timetable for a decision by Place.
Some of the land facilities considered by the task force and their findings included:
LAND OPTIONS
Bayer Crop Science Facility, Molino. The 250 acres are owned by Bayer Crop Science with an expected purchase price of $1.3 to $1.5 million. The facility has existing land, three ponds, three office buildings, three bands and state of the art greenhouses. Many areas of 4-H could be done in one place. With existing amenities and room to expand, the property would continue to serve 4-H well into the future. This facility will be capable of hosting such as 4-H livestock shows, livestock camps, agriculture workshops, large and small animal demonstrations, competitions, and other 4-H educational programs.
Cottage Hill State Forest, Cottage Hill. About 31 acres; the state is willing to deed the property to Escambia County. Site would support environmental and horticultural sciences, outdoor education, forestry and other 4-H activities. Currently has horse trails.
Escambia County Equestrian Center, Mobile Highway. Owned by Escambia County, includes 151 acres. Not currently equipped to handle any livestock except horses. A memorandum of understanding would ensure the 4-H could use the facility for animal shows.
Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds. Livestock facilities currently in a state of disrepair, but no cost for use. 4-H would be responsible for building structures and manure disposal. Would support livestock showmanship programs.
Highway 196. Four unimproved parcels ranging from about 40 to 85 acres. $2,800 per acre, currently owned by United Bank. Land would need to be cleared and structures constructed. “Unimproved raw property can have long-term potential. However, without more specific knowledge about this particular piece of property, it is difficult to say how it would exactly directly support 4-H programs,” the task force found.
IP-ECUA/Becks Lake. Unknown number of acres. Purchase price unknown. Can meet livestock needs and includes a lake. Space would allow for needs of outdoor environmental education activities.
NON-LAND OPTIONS
Privately Owned Land. The Barrineau Park 4-H and the Livestock 4-H currently use the facilities of private landowners for livestock. By recruiting other members of the agriculture community, more sites could be developed with leases and grants to provide opportunities for 4-H club members to have off-site raising facilities. No cost to 4-H.
National, State and Local Parks. This option is low cost and does not involve land ownership or maintenance.Allowing 4-H Clubs to visit state parks and have the opportunity to use the park as an educational site opens up various topics that address outdoor education and natural resource topics.Many of the parks also have youth programs open to the public on various topics that are included in 4-H project areas.
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center. About 20 acres, owned by the Escambia County School District. Usage fees unknown. Would provide space for livestock and other activities.
To download the complete 4-H Task Force report, click here (4.8Mb, 121 page pdf).
Pictured: Two of the buildings located on the Bayer Crop Science Facility in Molino, one of the properties being considered by a task force for Escambia County 4-H. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Seaching For Yearbooks
July 1, 2013
Ernest Ward Middle School is searching for yearbooks from 1957, 1994 and 1995 in order to complete their library’s collection of Ernest Ward High/Middle School yearbooks.
The three books would complete the library’s collection from 1948 to the present. If anyone would like to donate the books to the library, call the school at (850) 327-4283.