One Killed In Escambia Crash
June 21, 2013
One person was killed in a three vehicle crash at noon Thursday on Barrancas Avenue.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the fatality, 79-year old Charles C. Smoote,was a passenger in a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by 28-year old Michael A. Smoote of Pensacola. A second passenger, 71-year old Eunice P. Smoote of Pensacola, was seriously injured.
The FHP has not released details on happened in the accident.
Also injured were 26-year old Ruelas A. Braulio of Pensacola, who was driving a 2009 Infinity G37, and a passenger in the vehicle, 29-year old Kimberly McClain of Pensacola. The driver of a third vehicle, John H. Hinman of Birmingham, was not injured.
The accident remains under investigation by the FHP.
Local Soldier’s Body Returned Home From Afghanistan
June 21, 2013
The body of a local solider who died in Afghanistan arrived in Pensacola on Thursday.
Staff Sgt. Jesse Thomas, 31, was killed June 10 while serving in Helmand Province, but the Department of Defense has not released exactly what happened. Thomas is a Pensacola native, joining the Army after graduating from Pensacola High School.
Friends and family gathered Thursday as members of the Patriot Guard stood at attention on the tarmac at the Pensacola airport. The Patriot Guard escorted the flag-draped coffin to Joe Morris and Son Funeral Home.
Funeral services for Staff Sgt. Jesse Thomas will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at East Hill Church of God in Christ at 400 East Jordan Street. Visitation will precede the service at noon.
After a procession escorted by the Patriot Guard, burial will follow at the Barrancas National Cemetery.
Pictured top: The flag-draped coffin of Staff Sgt. Jesse Thomas arrives in Pensacola on Thursday. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Poarch Creeks Donate $150K To Hospital, Mennonite Group, Others
June 21, 2013
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Council presented checks Thursday totaling $150,000 to four organizations, as part of its planned giving campaign. These contributions will fund local healthcare and community services. The tribe’s contributions will help to balance funding cuts in organizations as varied as the D.W. McMillan Hospital, Mennonite Disaster Relief, Volunteers of America, and the Hannah Grace Foundation.
“One of the most important things we can do is give back to the community,” said Tribal Chairman Buford L. Rolin. “It is important that we help these organizations, they do so much for so many by helping those in need and improving the lives of people in the community and our State.”
The Tribe’s donations include:
- $50,000 to the Mennonite Disaster Relief
- $50,000 to the Volunteers of America
- $25,000 to the D.W. McMillan Hospital
- $25,000 to the Hannah Grace Foundation
“Most all rural hospitals in Alabama are currently experiencing significant financial challenges. This gift from PCI will enable us to replace our mammography equipment with a new ’state of the art’ digital mammography machine,” said Chris Griffin, D.W. McMillan Memorial Hospital administrator.
U.S. Farm Bill Rejected
June 21, 2013
The U.S. House of Representatives has rejected a $500 million farm bill because of bipartisan opposition to cuts in food stamps.
The bill was defeated Thursday on a vote of 234 to 195, just a week after the Senate passed its own version of the bill.
House Democrats objected to the bill’s $2 billion cut in food stamps, which poor people use in supermarkets to help pay for groceries. They said millions of Americans would lose those benefits.
Republicans who voted against the bill said the cuts were not deep enough.
Thursday’s defeat means Congress is highly unlikely to reconsider another farm bill before the end of the fiscal year. The Senate’s version of the bill included continuation of an international food aid program and expanded crop insurance to help farmers survive when grain prices fall.
Farm bills are typically authorized in five-year increments, but an agreement on this latest installation of the legislation has eluded Congress.
[VOA]
Gindl Gets MLB Start
June 21, 2013
Molino’s Caleb Gindl made his first Major League start and looked for his first hit Thursday afternoon for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Gindl was up to bat in second, hitting a drive where it appeared Houston Astros’ center fielder Justin Maxwell was distracted by a padded support structure that juts onto the field. The baseball bounced out of Maxwell’s glove and two runners scored for a 2-0 Brewers leader. Gindl made it to third on what was ruled an error, not a hit.
The Astros went on to win 7-4 over the Brewers in Houston.
Escambia Solid Waste Employees Win At Equipment Rodeo
June 21, 2013
Three Escambia County Solid Waste Management Department employees were recognized Thursday night by the Escambia County Commission.
The trio represented Escambia County at the Solid Waste Association of North America Battle on the Bay Road-E-O, held in St. Petersburg back in April.
Winners were:
- Dennis Rigby, Fleet Maintenance Supervisor – First Place Award, Mechanic
- Paul Steve Dutton, Equipment Operator III – Third Place Award, Heavy Equipment – Track Dozer
- Gary Gunn, Equipment Operator IV – Third Place Award, Heavy Equipment – Compactor
Pictured top: Fleet Maintenance Supervisor Dennis Rigby of Walnut Hill received a first place award in mechanics at a recent solid waste rodeo. Pictured below: Gary Gunn, Paul Steve Dutton and Dennis Rigby at Thursday night’s Escambia County Commission meeting.
Florida Gators, Alabama Crimson Tide To Play Baseball In Pensacola
June 21, 2013
The Pensacola Sports Association will host two NCAA Division I baseball games next spring. The University of Florida Gators will play the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Tuesday, March 4 and the Alabama Crimson Tide will play the Troy Trojans on Tuesday, March 25.
Both games will be played at the waterfront stadium at the Community Maritime Park. Tickets will be available beginning in December.
“This will be a great event to showcase our great city and beautiful waterfront ballpark,” commented Ray Palmer, PSA Executive Director. “All four of these programs have great support and a large alumni base in Northwest Florida. We feel these games will not only benefit our local sports fans, but will also be a sports tourism event for the area.”
“We are excited about the opportunity to bring our team to Pensacola for a game at a great waterfront ball park. It should be a good game between two good baseball programs. We have a couple players from the Pensacola area, so it will be nice to give them an opportunity to play in front of their family and friends. Also, we have a large Alabama fan base in that region of Florida, so it will give them an opportunity to come to the local ball park and support the Crimson Tide,” said University of Alabama Head Coach Mitch Gaspard.
“We are looking forward to our program having an opportunity to compete next spring in Pensacola against a quality Southern Miss baseball program. “We are excited to travel and play in front of the Gator Fans in Northwest Florida’s Panhandle and compete in a beautiful stadium, it should be a tremendous environment,” said University of Florida Head Coach Kevin O’Sullivan.
Biscuits Edge Wahoos 3-1
June 21, 2013
The Montgomery Biscuits got home runs from Todd Glaesmann and Cameron Seitzer which proved to be enough as the home team evened the series with a 3-1 win over the Blue Wahoos on Thursday night at Riverwalk Stadium.
Montgomery starter Mike Colla held the Blue Wahoos to just one hit over his seven innings of work. The lone hit, however, was a solo home run by Theo Bowe in the third which tied the game at 1-1. It answered the Biscuits run from the bottom of the second when Seitzer scored from second base on a two-out single from Mark Thomas.
Glaesmann hit, what proved to be, the game winning home run leading off the bottom of the fourth before Seitzer belted his first home run of the season in the sixth.
Pensacola got its leadoff man on in each of the last two innings against Biscuits closer C.J. Riefenhauser (S, 10), but the Wahoos were kept off the scoreboard both frames. Yorman Rodriguez singled to leadoff the ninth, but was stranded at first when the next three batters were retired. Marquez Smith nearly tied the game with a deep fly out to the right field corner for the first out. Travis Mattair battled to extend the game, but he struck out after an 11 pitch at bat. The Montgomery closer finished off the game with a strikeout of Tucker Barnhart to nail down his 10th save of the season.
Ryan Dennick (L, 3-8) allowed all three Biscuits runs over his six innings. He walked just one and struck out five despite taking the loss. Colla (W, 2-0) picked up the win for the Biscuits. The Biscuits lefty walked three and struck out three over his seven one-hit innings of work.
Pensacola will try to bounce back on Friday night. RHP Daniel Renken (1-5, 3.88) will get the nod for the Wahoos against Biscuits LHP Enny Romero (6-2, 2.86). First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Pensacola Storm 10U Major Win 8th Tournament Title
June 21, 2013
The Pensacola Storm 10U Majors team won the North Florida Championship recently in Destin, their eighth first place tournament win out of 14 USSSA tournaments.
The Storm 10U team beat the West Florida Hammerheads 8-2 before defeating the Dirtbags of Montgomery 14-7. The wins gave the Storm the number one seed for the tournament.
On Sunday, the Storm beat the Dirtbags again in the semifinals 4-3 and then went on to win the North Florida Championship with a 9-4 victory over the Pace Mudcats. The tournament win gives the Pensacola Storm a USSSA 40-13 overall record.
Pictured top: (bottom, L-R) Aaron Noack, Josh Turner, Trenton Norton, Tanner Rouchon, (top, L-R) Jordan Jarman, Ian Ladieu, Jordan McCants, Damarius McGhee, Hunter Pierson, Coleman Dorsett and Jordan Peacock. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
War Of Words Continues Over The Escambia County Jail
June 20, 2013
Words continue to fly over the Escambia County Jail as county commissioners and the sheriff make public letters between their respective sides.
On Wednesday, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan sent a response letter to Commissioner Grover Robinson concerning the jail (click here to read). The sheriff was responding to an earlier letter from Robinson (click here to read).
The letters started with a June 13 correspondence from the sheriff to the commission (click to read), in which he said he was returning the jail to their control on September 1.
The Sheriff’s Office and the county commission remain deadlocked on how to best bring the Escambia County Jail into compliance with a Department of Justice report and pay for the changes.