ECSO Neighborhood Watch Academy Accepting Applications
September 4, 2013
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is training a new generation of Neighborhood Watch leadership as part of their comprehensive approach to preventing crime.
Applications are now being accepted for the 16thNeighborhood Watch Academy to be held Tuesday, September 17 in the ECSO Administration Building at 1700 West Leonard Street in Pensacola.
The free training is being provided to neighborhood volunteers for new and existing Neighborhood Watch programs, or anyone interested in preventing crime.
The one evening seminar begins with a complementary meal at 5:00 pm and ends at 9:00 pm.
Should you wish to start a Neighborhood Watch group or simply make yourself less likely to be a victim of crime, organizers say this class is for you. Much of the curriculum covers basic safety and security tips for the home, anonymous reporting and crime prevention through environmental design.
To register or for more information, contact David Craig in the Community Services Unit at (850) 436-9281 or email gcraig@escambiaso.com.
Dozier School Dig Unearths Two Bodies
September 4, 2013
University of South Florida researchers have turned their focus to the arduous task of identifying the remains of two boys exhumed from half-century-old unmarked graves before returning to unearth more bodies from a now-closed Panhandle reform school.
A team of 10 USF researchers and graduate students Tuesday wrapped up a weekend of excavating a burial site that sits just outside the Boot Hill cemetery at the former state-run Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys, which is in the Jackson County community of Marianna.
The remains of the two boys are among at least 50 sent to the school between 1900 and 1952 who were buried in unmarked graves, said Erin Kimmerle, a USF anthropologist who is one of the leaders of the excavation.
Others have claimed the body count could top 100.
“We found coffin hardware, a little bit of coffin wood, that was unexpected given the amount of time that has passed,” Kimmerle said. And “dental and skeletal remains, so we have samples to send off for DNA.”
The researchers intend to return in October or November — the drier the weather the quicker the return — to exhume bodies from unmarked graves in other locations on the once 1,400-acre campus that now sits closed behind chain link fencing topped with barbed wired.
The state hopes to eventually sell the land, a move that has been put on hold. With the approval of Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet, the university researchers have a one-year window to search the grounds for reportedly unaccounted-for bodies.
Questions have arisen about whether boys, who reportedly died of pneumonia and other natural causes, were killed at the school.
The work Tuesday included recovering the coffins. The bones of the two long-dead boys, one identified as having died after the 1930s, have been sent to USF’s secured Forensic Anthropology Laboratory. The hope is to determine who they were.
Finding the additional bodies isn’t expected to be that difficult as much of the ground has already been scanned and locations of potential grave shafts have already been mapped out. But Kimmerle acknowledged that identifying any remains will be a long-shot.
“As children, they didn’t have direct descendants and the parents had their last known address over 50 years ago,” Kimmerle said. “So you really have to find aunts and uncles, and then the cousins and go down a generation or two and find where these people are living today.”
So far, the researchers from the Tampa-based university have received voluntary DNA samples from 10 families that believe they have relatives who died at the reform school.
The Florida Emergency Mortuary Operations Response System provided assistance during the dig, while the search for relatives is being aided by cold-case members of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Century Public Hearing To Discuss New Playground For Showalter Park
September 3, 2013
The Town of Century will hold a public hearing next Monday to consider a recommendation from the Century Recreaton Advisory Committee to submit a grant application to renovate the existing playground area at Showalter Park.
The town is submitting two grant applications to the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program. FRDAP is a competitive program which provides grants to local governments for outdoor recreational projects. The grants are administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
A public hearing was previously held August 19 on a $125,000 grant application for a splash pad at the Anthony Pleasant Sportsplex.
The public hearing next Monday will be for a grant application for $50,000 to replace playground equipment at Showalter Park. The current equipment is in poor repair and is not designed for disabled users. If the grant is awarded for the playground equipment, no matching local funds will be required.
The public hearing will be held Monday, September 9 at 7:10 p.m. during a regular meeting of the Century Town Council. The hearing and the meeting are open to the public.
Grant applications are due September 30. The 2014-2015 FRDAP grants are contingent upon approval of an annual appropriation by the Florida Legislature.
Pictured top: A conceptual drawing showing a potential splash pad at the Anthony Pleasant Sportsplex in Century. Courtesy graphic for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
$3.7 Million Project Making Safety Improvements On Jacks Branch Road
September 3, 2013
A $3.7 million project will enhance the safety of Jacks Branch Road.
The Florida Department of Transportation is funding the design and construction of the safety enhancements as a “Local Agency Program” project. Escambia County has bid the project, awarded the construction contract to Roads, Inc., and the county will manage the construction.
The work includes widening the travel lanes to 11 feet and added four-foot paved shoulders, along with some minor draining improvements. Escambia County will fund and perform milling and crack relief concurrently with the planned construction.
The project will begin at Muscogee Road to the south and end at Barrineau Park Road to the north.
Pictured: The intersection of Jacks Branch Road and Schifko Road. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Iconic Silver Screen Theatre Closes After 30 Years
September 3, 2013
An iconic Escambia County business announced its closure on Monday.
“After the end of the day, The Sliver Screen Theatre will be closing the doors for good. This will be the last day to watch a movie at The Silver Screen. We thank all of you for everything over the last 30 years,” the movie theater posted on its Facebook page about noon. “We hope to see you one last time.”
Over the years, The Silver Screen in Pensacola operated as a normal movie theater, a 99-cent theater and often advertised dinner and a movie combos. And it was known at one time for regular showings of the 1975 cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”.
“So sad to hear,” Jimmy Henry said on Facebook. “So many memories from my childhood as well as memories with my children.”
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Summer Of 2013 Was 4th Wettest Ever
September 3, 2013
According to the National Weather Service in Mobile, Pensacola recorded 34.41 inches of rain this summer (June 1 – August 31). This was 13.64 inches above the normal summer rainfall of 20.77 inches. This made the summer of 2013 the fourth wettest on record. The wettest summer ever recorded in Pensacola was just last year when 39.19 inches was recorded.
A volunteer observer for the National Weather Service in Gonzalez recorded 47.01 inches of rainfall June through August.
Mobile recorded 23.25 inches of rain this summer. This was 2.93 inches above the normal summer rainfall of 20.32. The wettest summer in Mobile was way back in 1900 when 35.70 was recorded.
Pictured: Flooding on July 11 at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia 4-H To Hold Adult Volunteer Program Open House
September 3, 2013
There will be a 4-H volunteer recruitment open house session this Thursday for persons interested in the 4-H Youth Program in Escambia County.
Attendees will lean about requirements and guidelines, training opportunities, volunteer activities and the role of 4-H volunteers in the community. These 45 minute sessions will include a program overview, learning stations and projects exhibits; session times are 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Escambia County Extension Office at 3740 Stefani Road.
For information on the Escambia County 4-H Adult Volunteer Program or the open house, contact Escambia County Extension at (850) 475-5230.
Northwest Escambia Sweeps Baker
September 3, 2013
The Northwest Escambia Eagles swept Baker in their season opener on Saturday.
The NWE Freshmen defeated Baker 37-0. Kaden Dove, Liam Hatcher, Jackson Simmons and Zyonne Wesley all scored for the Freshman Eagles.
The NWE Sophomores defeated Baker 14-7. Kaden Odom scored one touchdown and extra point. Luke Bridges recovered a Baker fumble which resulted in Wright scoring a touchdown and Odom scoring the extra point.
The NWE Juniors beat Baker 40-7. Jaden Cunnigham ran in two touchdowns and one extra point. Jaheem Durant scored two touchdowns, running one back for more than 50 yards. Jayden Jackson also scored two touchdowns one a defensive touchdown after striping the ball from a Baker player. Michael Merchant scored one extra point.
The NWE Seniors beat Baker 44-0. Trent Kite scored two touchdowns, Seth Killam threw a long touchdown pass to Keeton Solmonson. Killam also returned an interception for a touchdown, Aunterio Minor ran in one touchdown and Cameron Cloud threw a touchdown pass to Tanner Deese.
Northwest Escambia’s Eagles will travel to Uriah this Saturday with games beginning at 2 p.m.
McDavid Man Charged With Shed Burglary
September 3, 2013
A McDavid man is facing multiple charges for allegedly burglarizing a shed on Sandy Hollow Road in Walnut Hill.
Haden Brock Howard, 19, was charged with felony burglary and grand theft charges for stealing a generator, chainsaws, a pressure washer and other power tools. Howard allegedly knew the victim’s family and knew that they were out of town during the weekend in which the items were stolen.
The family’s 14-year old son told deputies that he and Howard owed money to Howard’s drug dealer on Cypress Street in Walnut Hill, and the stolen items were traded for spice, marijuana and crack cocaine.
Howard was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor for allowing the 14-year old son, another 14-year boy and his 15-year old girlfriend the means to purchase and use crack cocaine, marijuana and spice in his presence.
Howard was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $14,000 bond.
Escambia Commission Schedules Extra Meetings In September
September 3, 2013
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners has scheduled additional meetings in the month of September. Below is a complete listing of the Board’s upcoming meetings:
- Thursday, September 5, Agenda Review, 9 a.m.
- Thursday, September 5, Public Forum and BCC Regular Board Meeting, 4:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 10, Budget Hearing 1, 5 p.m.
- Thursday, September 12, Committee of the Whole Workshop, 9 a.m.
- Monday, September 16, Agenda Review, 9 a.m.
- Monday, September 16, Public Forum and BCC Regular Board Meeting, 4:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 24, Budget Hearing 2, 5 p.m.
All meetings will be held in the Board Chambers, 221 Palafox Place.