Two Hurt In Nine Mile Road Crash
April 24, 2013
Two people were injured in a three vehicle crash early this morning at Nine Mile Road and University Parkway.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 37-year on Jon Kelly Osborne of Pensacola was traveling east on Nine Mile Road at 1:26 a.m. when he failed to stop his 1992 Jeep Cherokee at a red light.
Osborne’s Jeep collided with a 2004 Toyota Camry driven by 18-year old Villardia Philistin of Pensacola. Osborne’s Jeep overturned several times before hitting a curb and stopping in a ditch. A third vehicle, driven by 19-year old Alexander Keiley of Pensacola, collided with debris from the original accident.
Osborne was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries. Philistin was seriously injured and taken to Sacred Heart, while Keiley was not injured.
Charges are pending in the crash, according to FHP.
Charges Dropped In Shooting Outside Cantonment Grocery Store
April 24, 2013
Charges have been dropped against and Alabama man arrested in connection with a shooting in the parking lot of the Grocery Advantage on Highway 29 in Cantonment in August 2012.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Coy Edward Carter, age 34 of Roberstdale, met his estranged wife in the store’s parking lot to return his children to their mother. During the exchange, deputies said a fight broke out between Carter and victim Robert Slay, who was dating Carter’s estranged wife at the time. At some point during the altercation, witnesses reported a gun was fired, and Slay was struck in his leg.
Carter was also transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained during the fight. Deputies said he was not shot.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, all charges against Carter were dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Pictured: The scene of an August 2012 shooting in the parking lot of the Grocery Advantage in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Ransom Knights Chess Team Recognized For National Ranking
April 24, 2013
The Ransom Knights chess team was recognized Tuesday night by the Escambia County School Board for their national ranking.
Four of the the Knights — Devon High, Nicholas ZaBelle, Joshua Moody and Rodriguez Smith — placed third in the nation in the Supernationals V Scholastic Chess Tournament in Nashville. With 5,335 students competing, it was largest chess competition in history.
“This is the first time in the history of the Escambia School District that we have had a chess team come back nationally ranked,” Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. Thomas presented the entire Knights team with their trophy Tuesday night.
“I want each of you to look up there at those young men, courageous men,” an emotional chess team sponsor John Lowe told the school board. “This is the proudest moment of my career.”
Lowe said the board should investigate avenues to fund chess clubs in all schools because it appeals to all demographics regardless of ability. As an example, he said a highly autistic student that was unable to control himself transferred into his class.
“I sat him across a chess board, showed him how to play. And now he behaves,” Lowe said. “He does his work, because at the end of the week, he knows he gets to play me in chess,.”
Members of the Ransom Knight chess team are Devon High, Shacorey Moss, Nick Zabelle, Connor Stuckey, Ryan Carty, Dillan Frisbie, Joshua Moody, Devin Searcy, Tristan Taylor, Rodriquez Smith, Travis King, Dawson Margeson, Zachary Donaldson, Isaiah Hansen, Johnathan Hendren and Paul Ashton.
High is currently ranked 19th in the nation, while Zabelle is ranked 20th.
Pictured top: Ransom Knights sponsor John Lowe with team members at Tuesday night’s Escambia County School Board meeting. Pictured inset: Superintendent Malcolm Thomas (right) and board member Bill Slayton presented the group’s trophy. Pictured below: The Ransom Knights chess team. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Seven Qualify To Run For Ford District 2 House Seat
April 24, 2013
Six Republicans and one Democrat qualified this week to run in a special election to replace state Rep. Clay Ford, a Gulf Breeze Republican who died in March. The Republicans are Ed Gray of Gulf Breeze; Mike Hill of Pensacola; Scott Miller of Gulf Breeze; Jack Nobles of Pensacola; David Radcliffe of Gulf Breeze; and Mark Taylor of Pensacola.
The Democrat is Jeremy Lau of Pensacola.
The elections will be in House District 2, which includes Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Perdido Key and the remainder of the southern area of Escambia County.
Qualifying in the House District 2 race began Monday and ended Tuesday. The Republican primary will be held May 14, while the general election is scheduled for June 11.
The May 14 primary election will be open only to registered Republicans in House District 2, due to Florida’s closed primary law. All registered voters in House District 2, regardless of party affiliation, will be eligible to vote in the June 11 general election.
Pictured top: This graphic shows House District 2.
Senate Passes Restore Act Bill: Bondi Seeks $5.48 Billion From BP
April 24, 2013
A Senate committee Tuesday approved setting up a non-profit organization to oversee money that might be recovered in the case. But the plan drew skepticism from northwest Florida officials, who are concerned it could infringe on money that counties are supposed to control under the federal Restore Act.
The plan, which the Senate Appropriations Committee approved as an amendment to an economic-development bill would create the non-profit Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., within the state Department of Economic Opportunity. The organization would make awards for projects and programs in Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Wakulla counties.
The plan, backed by Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, comes after a highly publicized case in Okaloosa County about the misuse of some Deepwater Horizon-related money. But officials from some of the counties expressed repeated concerns Tuesday to the committee about the new non-profit organization.
Wakulla County Commissioner Ralph Thomas said, for example, they are concerned that federal Restore Act money could be diverted to the state or to Triumph Gulf Coast. But lawmakers approved additional bill language that they said should alleviate those concerns.
“This is the double-dog guarantee,” Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, said of an amendment designed to resolve the questions.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Florida is seeking $5.48 billion for lost revenue – past and future – from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Bondi, who has filed a federal lawsuit against BP Exploration & Production Inc., BP America Production Co., and Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., made a settlement offer for the same amount three months ago but she said on Tuesday that the proposal has been ignored.
The lawsuit, filed Saturday in the Northern District of Florida, in Panama City, on the three year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, seeks to recoup actual and potential lost revenue from the spill that impacted: lost sales and use taxes; corporate taxes; documentary stamp taxes; cigarette surcharges; cigarette excise taxes; beer, wine, and liquor taxes; fuel taxes; rental car surcharges; and utility taxes.
A majority of the state’s claim is for expected economic losses.
A spokesman for BP declined to comment on the suit or Bondi’s settlement offer.
Molino Park Raises $1,028 With Math-A-Thon For St. Jude
April 24, 2013
About 40 first and fourth grade students at Molino Park Elementary School recently took part in the St. Jude Math-A-Thon.
Students were asked to complete a workbook full of math problems and collect pledges from sponsors. The school worked to make sure that every student that completed a workbook had a sponsor — including some faculty and staff teaming up to sponsor some students.
The event raised a total of $$1028.91 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“The students learned more than math problems,” said Molino Park first grade teacher Angie Bodiford. “They learned a valuable lesson of giving.”
This was the first year Molino Park had participated in the fund raiser.
Pictured: Molino Park first grade student Matthew Dix works on Math-A-Thon problems. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bill That Bans Permanent Alimony Heads To Scott’s Desk
April 24, 2013
The debate over a bill that bans permanent alimony isn’t over — it’s just shifting, with the bill now headed to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott.
The measure (SB 718) has passed in the House and Senate and went to the governor on Tuesday, with thousands of Floridians urging Scott to sign or veto it.
The bill also limits alimony payments based on income and the length of marriage.
The sponsors, Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, and Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, called on Scott to sign it quickly.
“He’s never indicated he’s had a concern about it,” Workman said at a press conference Tuesday. “So this isn’t about a concern. This is about encouraging him to do it right away. Let’s get this law on the books as soon as possible.”
“It’s going to be good for families to have that consistency, where they’re not going to be litigating for years and years and years to the point that nobody has any money except for the attorneys,” Stargel said.
As the measure marched to passage, lawmakers heard painful tales of ex-spouses who have suffered financially due to either too much alimony or not enough. Workman brandished a binder he said was full of such horror stories supporting the measure.
Opponents – including the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar – say the bill is unfair to those who have been out of the workforce for years to raise children, predominantly women.
“Last year there were billboards up in Tallahassee that said ‘Don’t Get Divorced in Florida,’” said Carin Porras, chair of the Family Law Section. “If this legislation is signed, they’ll all be flocking here for divorces.”
Scott’s poll numbers have been underwater with women. According to survey results released last month by Quinnipiac University, 32 percent of women approved of his job performance and 51 percent disapproved, with 17 percent saying they were unsure.
Workman insisted his bill is family-friendly.
“If he needs the women’s vote, this is not the bill to veto,” Workman said of Scott.
Porras said one aspect of the bill that troubled her was the addition of a provision giving equal time with children to both parents. Currently the law requires that if the parents can’t agree, the judge will decide what is in the best interests of the child after considering a number of factors.
“So this (bill) appears to be saying it’s really not about what’s in the best interests of the child,” Porras said. “It’s presuming all children are the same. It’s a cookie-cutter approach.”
Scott said Tuesday he’s still reviewing the bill, noting that Saturday had been his 41st wedding anniversary.
“I like being married,” he said.
Scott has seven days to decide on the bill.
by The News Service of Florida
District Baseball Roundup: Wins For Northview, Tate; Loss For WFHS
April 24, 2013
Here’s a look at district baseball playoff scores from across the area Tuesday:
In District 2-1A tournament action at Baker, the Northview Chiefs defeated Freeport 4-2, and Bonifay downed Baker 4-0. No 1. seed Bonifay will face No 1. Northview Thursday for the district championship.
In District 1-6A play at Tate, the Tate Aggies beat Pine Forest 4-2, and Pace downed Washington 6-5 in eight innings. Pace will play Navarre at 4 p.m. today, and Tate will play Escambia at 7 p.m. in the District 1-6A semifinals.
And in District 1-5A, No. 2 seed West Florida fell to Gulf Breeze 8-4, and Rutherford slammed Arnold 10-0. No. 1 seed Rutherford will play No. 3 Gulf Breeze on Thursday at Arnold.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Billy G. Ward Courthouse Receives ‘Community Pride’ Award
April 24, 2013
The Century Chamber of Commerce’s Community Pride Award for April has been presented to the county’s Billy G. Ward Courthouse and Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office at 7500 North Century Boulevard. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Generals Down The Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2-1 In 13 Innings
April 24, 2013
Blue Wahoos outfielder Ryan LaMarre homered on the third pitch of the game to give the Blue Wahoos their only run of the game in a 2-1 loss in 13 innings at the Ballpark in Jackson on Tuesday night. The home run was LaMarre’s first of the season.
After that, the Blue Wahoos never got another runner past second base in the game. Generals starter Chance Ruffin surrendered only four hits and the one run over seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two, but didn’t get a decision.
The Generals tied the game in the fifth inning, cashing in on a leadoff triple from Jack Marder. He scored on a groundout to second base by Gabriel Noriega to even the game at 1-1. That was the only run Wahoos starter Tim Crabbe would allow in his seven innings of work.
Pensacola played some great defense as the Wahoos and Generals traded zeros until the 13th inning. Steve Selsky prevented the game winning run from scoring in the 10th inning with a strike to catcher Tucker Barnhart from right field to nail Brandon Bantz at the plate for the second out of the frame. Brantz tried to jar the ball loose from Barnhart but the Wahoos backstop held on to keep the game tied.
Jackson finally broke through with a two-out double to left-center field by Abraham Almonte to score the winning run from third in the bottom of the 13th to end the game against reliever Josh Ravin. Ravin (L, 0-1) was tagged with the loss allowing the run after recording two outs in his only inning of work. Nick Hill (W, 1-1) pitched two perfect innings in relief to earn the win.
Both bullpens pitched well. Shaun Ellis, Lee Hyde and Drew Hayes all combined to work five scoreless innings for Pensacola. Jonathan Arias, Tyler Burgoon and Hill allowed just one hit over six shutout innings in relief for Jackson.
The two teams wrap up the series on Wednesday. RHP Chad Rogers (1-0, 2.04) will start for Pensacola against LHP James Gilheeney (2-0, 1.10) for Jackson. First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m. from the Ballpark in Jackson.
story by Kevin Burke