No Injuries In Highway 29 Wreck Near Molino
August 5, 2013
There were no injuries in a single vehicle accident Sunday afternoon on Highway 29 near Barth Road in Molino.
The driver of a pickup truck hauling a trailer with logs appeared to have ran off the road and over-corrected, causing the truck to overturn. The truck came to rest upright back on the highway. The two occupants of the truck were not injured.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured: There were no injuries in this late Sunday afternoon accident on Highway 29 in Molino. Reader submitted photos by Jane Byrd Franklin, click to enlarge.
Experts Visit Sites For Industrial Certification
August 5, 2013
Gulf Power Company’s site certification program took a step forward last week when consultants visited 14 sites in six Northwest Florida counties to evaluate whether the sites are good candidates to be certified for industrial development.
Gulf Power kicked off the program earlier this year to identify public and private lands that could be prepared ahead of time for the location of new or expanding companies. The consulting firm evaluates the properties, identifies improvements that must be made and then certifies the sites once they have met all the program requirements.
“The program is moving forward, right on schedule with the site visits,” said John Hutchinson, Gulf Power’s director of Public Affairs and Economic Development. “Getting out and kicking the dirt gives the consultants the opportunity to identify which sites are best suited to be certified.”
Six sites were visited in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, including land at the Pensacola International Airport, Whiting Field and four sites in or near the Santa Rosa Industrial Park in east Milton.
McCallum Sweeney will evaluate the data collected during the site visits and report back to landowners in September whether or not their sites are candidates for certification and what additional requirements must be met. Once a site is evaluated and selected to move forward, site owners will have up to a year to complete the program requirements. Gulf Power is paying half the consultant charges for publicly owned sites with private landowners paying the full amount.
The Gulf Power program is the first of its kind in Florida. Once a site is certified it becomes much more attractive to prospective businesses and having certified sites allows Northwest Florida to be more competitive with neighboring states.
“Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi all have certified sites — as well as other states,” Hutchinson said. “If we are going to compete for new jobs, we have to have sites that are ready to go with infrastructure plans and permits in place and sites that are located near transportation corridors.”
Once certified, the sites will be marketed by local, regional and state economic development agencies to prospective companies to bring new jobs to Northwest Florida.
Back To School Prep: Church Members Hold Prayer Walk At Byrneville Elementary
August 5, 2013
Sunday night, members of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church held their annual prayer walk at Byrneville Elementary School. Participants walked around the school and held prayer at various classrooms and around the campus. Prayers were said for students, teachers, staff and administrators for the coming year with safety and success. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Critically Injured In Flomaton Highway 31 Wreck
August 5, 2013
One person was critically injured in a wreck involving a car and a semi-truck Sunday afternoon in Flomaton.
The accident happened about 4:50 p.m. on Highway 31 near Sidney Manning Boulevard. Firefighters were forced to use the Jaws of Life to extricate the unknown age female driver from her vehicle. She was transported by Escambia County (FL) EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola as a “trauma alert”.
The accident remains under investigation. Further details were not available.
The Flomaton Fire Department, Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Flomaton Police Department responded to the crash.
Pictured: One person was critically injured in a two vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on Highway 31 in Flomaton. Submitted photos by Robbie Lynn Burkett, click to enlarge.
Northview To Hold Mini Cheerleader Camp
August 5, 2013
The Northview High School cheerleaders will host a mini-cheer camp later this week.
The mini-cheer camp will be held Thursday and Friday, August 8-9, from 3-5 p.m. in the gym. The cost is $20 for the camp and $10 for a shirt, register at the door. The mini cheerleaders will perform during the first quarter of the first home football game on August 23.
Pictured: Mini cheerleaders perform during a September 2012 game at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Skim Past Barons 4-3
August 5, 2013
Pensacola overcame an early 3-0 deficit, tying the game at three and eventually taking the lead with a two-out rally in the sixth to knock off the Birmingham Barons on Sunday afternoon at Regions Field. The Blue Wahoos have now won two of the first three games in the series.
Birmingham jumped out to a quick three-run lead in the last of the first against Pensacola starter Tim Crabbe. Brandon Jacobs brought home a run with a sacrifice fly and Cody Puckett drove home a pair with a two-out double to open up the three-run advantage. That was all Crabbe would allow, though, over 6.2 innings. The right-hander allowed just four more baserunners throughout his outing, allowing a total three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks to improve to 5-8 on the year.
The Pensacola offense responded immediately to the trio of tallies from Birmingham with three runs of their own in the top of the second. The first two batters reached on singles before Tucker Barnhart doubled off the right field wall to score a run and make it 3-1. Corey Wimberly notched an RBI with a groundout to short while Theo Bowe completed the rally with an RBI single up the middle, scoring Barnhart and tying the game.
The game remained knotted at two until the sixth inning when Pensacola mounted a two-out rally. Bowe tripled to the gap in left-center and scored on Devin Lohman’s ground rule double to make it 4-3. Lohman was 3-for-4 on the night, his third three-hit game in the last four contests.
All four runs came off Birmingham starter Michael Nix, who fell to 3-4 on the year. Nix allowed four runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 5.2 innings.
Parker Frazier and Trevor Bell combined to retire the final seven Barons they faced over 2.1 innings to shut the door. For Bell, the perfect ninth was his 11th save in as many chances for Pensacola.
The Wahoos will look for a series win at Regions Field on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. Josh Smith (8-8, 3.90) will get the ball for Pensacola opposite Birmingham’s Chris Bassitt (2-1, 3.18).
story by Kevin Burke
Joe Patti Memorial Reef Deployed In Gulf of Mexico
August 5, 2013
Escambia County Marine Resources and the Patti family have deployed the Joe Patti Memorial Reef, following a blessing ceremony at Joe Patti’s Seafood. The 175-foot barge now sits in 50 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico, four miles southeast of Pensacola Pass.
“By building an artificial reef closer to shore, individuals have an opportunity to explore an ecosystem not otherwise easily accessible,” said Robert Turpin, Escambia County Marine Resources division manager, “Escambia County looks forward to the addition to our artificial reef system, which was recent assessed, showing a great economic impact to our area.”
All reef and deployment costs have been donated by the Patti Family and the reef is now open to the public.
Pictured: The Joe Patti Reef prior to sinking in the Gulf of Mexico south of Pensacola Pass. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Arrested For Dollar General Armed Robbery
August 4, 2013
An Escambia man wanted in connection with the armed robbery of a local business earlier this week has been arrested.
Christopher Clark McWilliams, 24, was arrested Saturday afternoon and charged with armed robbery and grand theft.
McWilliams was wanted for an armed robbery that occurred just after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Dollar General on West Cervantes Street. A 19-year-old female employee told police the suspect entered the store, walked around and acted as if he was talking on his phone. She said he also approached the checkout line and let other people ahead of him until there was no one else in line.
At that point, the suspect approached the register, handed her a bag and pulled up his shirt. He then pointed a gun at her and demanded money. The store employee complied, and McWilliams fled the scene.
Barry To Hold District 5 Town Hall Meeting In Century
August 4, 2013
Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry will hold a town hall meeting late this month in Century.
The open forum public meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, August 26, at the Century Town Hall located at 7995 North Century Boulevard.
For more information, contact Barry’s office at (850) 595-4950.
Florida House To Hold Hearing On ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law
August 4, 2013
A House subcommittee will look into the state’s controversial “stand your ground” law, but its chairman said he doesn’t intend to support any changes.
House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, has directed Criminal Justice Subcommittee Chairman Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, to hold a hearing on the law during a committee week this fall.
“Our evaluation of its effectiveness should be guided by objective information, not by political expediency,” Weatherford wrote in an opinion piece published Friday in The Tampa Tribune. “Does the law keep the innocent safer? Is it being applied fairly? Are there ways we can make this law clearer and more understandable?”
Gaetz said the hearing will provide a platform for anyone to comment on the law, and members of the subcommittee can offer proposals about the self-defense measure.
Just don’t expect him to back any proposed change.
“I don’t intend to move one damn comma on the ’stand your ground’ law,” Gaetz said. “I’m fully supportive of the law as it’s written. I think any aberrational circumstances that have resulted are due to errors at the trial court level.”
House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who on Thursday formally requested a special session on the state’s self-defense laws, would still like a broader review of Florida’s criminal-justice laws and policies.
“He’s concerned about the size and make-up of juries, especially in felony jury cases, and he would like a legislative review of criminal-justice polices beyond ’stand your ground,’ ” said Mark Holls, a spokesman for House Democrats.
The prospect of a hearing also hasn’t placated the Dream Defenders, a group that has staged a sit-in outside Gov. Rick Scott’s Capitol office to demand a special legislative session to consider changes to the state’s self-defense laws, initiatives to stop racial profiling and an end to zero-tolerance discipline policies in schools.
“Ultimately you’re still ignoring the root of the issue, at least in terms of the Zimmerman verdict, and that is the criminalization of our youth, the way that young people are looked at in Florida, black, white and brown, and that’s due to the school-to-prison pipeline and racial profiling that’s perpetuated throughout law enforcement,” Dream Defenders Political Director Ciara Taylor said.
The protesters were spurred to action by the July 13 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the 2012 shooting of teen Trayvon Martin. The law was not used as part of Zimmerman’s defense, but has become associated with the incident.
Weatherford wrote that he requested the hearing because of the “diverse” comments state representatives are receiving about the law.
He had told the Tribune’s editorial board on Tuesday that he is willing to consider changes to the 2005 law if law enforcement clearly outlines that any changes are needed.
Gaetz said the format and schedule for the hearing have yet to be set, and he is working on the process with Rep. Kionne McGhee, a Miami Democrat who has served on the subcommittee.
“We’ll work out a process to have people come forward and offer testimony he (McGhee) believes will flavor the issue,” Gaetz said.
Weatherford’s opinion piece comes as the protesters are in their third week in the Capitol and have undertaken their own “people’s session” in the lobby of Scott’s office, intending to create a report they can give to lawmakers.
“I was not in the Florida Legislature when the (“stand your ground”) bill became law with bipartisan support, but as the current speaker of the House, I have been asked to repeal it,” Weatherford wrote. ” ‘Asked’ is a generous term considering the threats of boycotts, union-sponsored protesters overtaking the governor’s office and Hollywood elites disparaging our state and threatening the livelihood of hard-working Floridians.”
Scott and Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, the House subcommittee chairman’s father, have both maintained their support for the law and have expressed no interest in calling a special session to review it.
Weatherford wrote that he supports the law, stating that it’s critical Floridians be allowed to defend themselves.
“Demands for a special session to repeal the law disregard the very foundation of our representative democracy by presuming that a law passed by the majority of a constitutional body should be reversed by the objections of a few,” Weatherford wrote.
by The News Service of Florida