Escambia Man Gets 25 Years For Assaulting Prostitute
November 24, 2012
An Escambia County man is headed to prison for sexually assaulting a prostitute.
William George Redmond III, 36, was sentenced by Circuit Judge J. Scott Duncan to 25 years in state prison as a habitual felony offender for two counts of sexual battery, assault and procuring another for prostitution.
An Escambia County jury found Redmond guilty after hearing evidence that during the early morning hours of December 12, 2011, the defendant picked up a known prostitute in his vehicle and drove her around while trying to find money.
During the drive, the defendant stated that he would not give her money and the victim attempted to escape from his vehicle, but Redmond pulled her back in the vehicle. Redmond then drove to a secluded area, parked his vehicle, and forced the victim to engage in sexual activity, according to prosecutors.
Afterwards, Redmond dropped the victim off and she immediately alerted law enforcement.
Community Mourns Loss Of Longtime Educator, Youth Leader
November 24, 2012
Friends, family and students are mourning the loss of a beloved teacher and youth leader who passed away suddenly on Friday.
Bobby Gindl, 59, taught agriculture for 30 years before retiring. He left retirement to return to teaching math and science for several years at Ernest Ward Middle School. He was currently teaching agriculture at Central School in Allentown.
Gindl was a graduate of Tate High School, Pensacola Junior College and Auburn University where he majored in vocational agriculture.
“It has made a huge impact on my life,” Bobby Gindl said during a ceremony recognizing the longevity of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club . “I ended up becoming an agricultural teacher.”
Gindl was also the leader of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, the oldest continuing 4-H Club in the state of Florida. He became involved with 4-H at an early age under the leadership of his father Francis Gindl.
He is survived by his wife Tena and numerous relatives. For the complete obituary, click here.
Pictured: Bobby Gindl at a ceremony honoring the Barrineau Park 4-H Club. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Northview Looks For Regional Win Over Freeport (With Admission, Noisemaker Info)
November 23, 2012
The Northview Chiefs will play tonight for their third straight regional title tonight in Bratt.
The Chiefs (8-3, 3-0) will host the Freeport Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. in Bratt in what will be Northview’s final home game of the season. With a win, the Chiefs will advance next Friday night to the state semifinals on the road against the winner of tonight’s Blountstown (7-4, 3-1) at Liberty County (9-2, 4-0) game.
For the Chiefs, it’s the third consecutive playoff appearance under head coach Sid Wheatley. The previous two trips along the state series came to an end at the state semifinal level, just one game short of a state championship game in Orlando.
The Chiefs have been nothing short of dominating in 1A play this year. Ranked No. 4 in the state, Northview has destroyed all 1A opponents this season by an average of five touchdowns. Last week, Northview whipped Cottondale in the regional seminfinals, 57-6. Their only losses have come at the hands of much larger schools with strong programs — Class 5A West Florida (10-1), Class 5A Gulf Breeze (7-4) and Class 4A Marianna (8-2).
The Freeport Bulldogs are are 6-5 overall, 2-1 in 1A play. Their only loss was 42-0 at the hands of the Chiefs back in October.
Last year, the Northview Chiefs beat Freeport 43-13 in Bratt in the regional finals.
Tonight’s Game: Admission Info
Northview hosts Freeport, 7:30 p.m. in Bratt. Admission is $8 (set by the FHSAA, not the school). There are no student discounts, no elementary discounts, no free admission for employees and no passes. Donations accepted for parking.
From The Quarterback Club
“The Northview Quarterback Club would like to remind Chiefs fans that Friday night’s regional championship will be the final home game of the season, regardless of outcome. Fans are encouraged to come out and show your support by bringing your noisemakers, signs, and most of all, your enthusiasm. We would like to duplicate the atmosphere we had at the state semi-final game last year against Chipley. Come out and support your Northview Chiefs and remember to get especially loud when you hear “the bells”. Go Chiefs!”
Pictured top: Action earlier this season as the Northview Chiefs beat Freeport 42-0 in Freeport. Pictured below: Action from last year’s regional final in which Northview beat Freeport 43-13. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Century Man Arrested For Ripping Copper Wire From Power Poles
November 23, 2012
A Century man has been arrested for ripping copper grounding wires from power poles in Walnut Hill.
Leland David Kite, Jr., 44, of Jefferson Avenue, was charged with grand theft of copper, criminal mischief with damage of $1,000 or more and violating driver’s license restrictions.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were patrolling in an unmarked vehicle in the area of Pine Forest Road and Pelt Road when they reported finding Kite’s pickup blacked out beside the road.
When deputies questioned Kite, they reported that he appeared very nervous and was sweating heavily. In plain view in the back of his pickup, deputies observed a large cooler and a five gallon bucket containing copper wire. Kite told deputies that the copper wire was from a job site where he worked. Deputies discovered that was not the case.
In Kite’s truck, deputies reported finding a hammer, pliers and gloves by the gas pedal, and in his pocket they found small pieces of copper wire and a large staple. Deputies also discovered that ground wires had been cut and ripped from at least 10 power poles in the area. The wire and staples from the poles matched those in Kite’s truck and pocket, according to an arrest report.
The report states Escambia River Electric Cooperative estimated it would cost about $130 per pole to repair the damage allegedly caused by Kite.
Kite remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
All Americans: Local Cheerleaders Take Part In Walt Disney Thanksgiving Parade
November 23, 2012
Three North Escambia cheerleaders were among 1,800 chosen to take part in the Walt Disney World Thanksgiving Parade.
Brandy Wooten from Ernest Ward Middle School, Jadlyn Agerton from Northview High School and Danielle Robinson from Northview, marched through the Magic Kingdom in Orlando Thursday during the annual event. Three Jay High School cheerleaders — Alaina Smith, Leslie Kinder and Launa Burkhead – also took part in Thursday’s parade.
The girls were chosen this past summer at Auburn University by the Universal Cheerleader Association to represent their schools and Florida as All American Cheerleaders. They spent the last week at Walt Disney World preparing for the event.
“The best part of this experience was representing my school, making new friends and memories,” Agerton said Thursday. And Robinson said she enjoyed “spending time with girls from across the nation and representing our NHS cheerleaders.”
Pictured top: Local cheerleaders taking part in the Walt Disney World Thanksgiving Day Parade Thursday were (L-R) Jadlyn Agerton from Northview, Brandy Wooten from Ernest Ward and Danielle Robinson from Northview. Pictured inset: Robinson and Agerton pose at the Magic Kingdom. Pictured below: All American Cheerleaders from Florida, including Jadlyn Agerton from Northview (fourth from left, bottom row), Brandy Wooten from Ernest Ward (third from left, second row) and Danielle Robinson (second from right, second row). Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Crowds Attend Pow Wow
November 23, 2012
Large crowds attended the 42nd annual Pow Wow over the long Thanksgiving weekend at the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation north of Atmore. The event featured tribal dancers from across the country, entertainment, food, arts and crafts and several historical and cultural presentations.
For more photos from the event, click here.
Pictured: The 42nd annual Pow Wow on the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation north of Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photos by Marcella Wilson, click to enlarge.
Florida High Court: Either Driver Can Be At Fault In Rear-End Crashes
November 23, 2012
Faced with conflicting lower-court decisions, the Florida Supreme Court issued a pair of rulings Wednesday that could give a legal boost to motorists who crash into other vehicles from behind. The cases center, at least in part, on a longstanding legal presumption that rear drivers are negligent in vehicle collisions.
But the justices ruled that the presumption can be rebutted “by the production of evidence from which a jury could conclude that the front driver was negligent in the operation of his or her vehicle.” The court ruled in cases from Seminole and Palm Beach counties.
The Seminole County case, for example, stemmed from a 2007 accident in which Crystal Charron was a passenger on a motorcycle that flipped when its driver tried to avoid hitting the rear end of a car driven by Warren Birge. A circuit court sided with Birge in a resulting lawsuit, but the 5th District Court of Appeal reversed that decision because it said a jury could have found that Birge was negligent.
The Supreme Court opinion said Birge was driving 35 mph and slammed on his brakes “for no objective reason,” surprising other people on the road. “Significantly, this court has never held that the rear-end presumption bars a claim for damages of a rear driver or others in the rearward zone of danger where there is evidence from which a jury could conclude that the front driver defendant was negligent and comparatively at fault in causing the collision,” said the opinion, which was written by Justice Jorge Labarga. The other justices concurred in the decision, though Justice James E.C. Perry was recused.
By The News Service of Florida
Retailers, Shoppers Get Early Start On Black Friday Bargains
November 23, 2012
Retailers got an early jump on the traditional Black Friday sales, with many stores opening their doors Thursday night. Lots of North Escambia area residents hit the stores Thursday night and Friday morning.
Pictured top: Edie Jackson (left) and Donna Gilman went Black Friday shopping with a plan. Pictured inset: Paula Butler of Molino was number 111 in line to get free gifts when the doors opened at Toys “R” Us in Pensacola. Readers submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Americans Celebrate Thanksgiving
November 22, 2012
The holiday is engrained in American life as a day for family gatherings with sumptuous turkey feasts, accompanied by a wide array of side dishes and pies. By one estimate, more than 43 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more to attend holiday gatherings between now and Sunday.
But other Thanksgiving traditions are prominent in the U.S. as well, including religious services and key youth and professional football games. The Macy’s department store chain, stages a its annual parade in New York City, with large inflated cartoon balloons and marching bands.
Tradition says the first American Thanksgiving occurred in 1621, with early North American settlers commemorating a harvest after a harsh winter.
More than a century later, the nation’s first president, George Washington, declared it a national holiday in 1789. President Barack Obama, followed tradition Wednesday and “pardoned” two turkeys, nicknamed Cobbler and Gobbler. He said the birds would then get to live out their days at George Washington’s nearby Mount Vernon estate.
Obama called on Americans, even as they celebrate the holiday, to do all they can to help less fortunate people, including those who lost homes along the country’s Eastern seaboard because of the recent superstorm Sandy .
“I’d like to ask every American to do what they can to help families who are in need of a real Thanksgiving this year.”
Thanksgiving, by law on the fourth Thursday of November, also serves as somewhat of a respite from the commerce of the approaching holiday shopping season, leading to Christmas on December 25.
But that no-shopping-on-Thanksgiving tradition is fading in the U.S., with some chain stores planning to open their doors for early holiday gift-buying on Thursday night. That is just hours ahead of what is called Black Friday in the U.S., traditionally one of the biggest shopping days of the entire year.
In part, the day has been called Black Friday because of the millions of shoppers and traffic congestion throughout the country, from its largest cities to small towns. But the term is also said to describe the day in which retailers have enough sales to be profitable, to put them in the black, in accounting terms.
Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the U.S. economy and some retailers say end-of-year holiday spending accounts for about a quarter of their annual sales. But sales this year could increase just 2.5 percent compared to 2011, according to one estimate.
Holiday sales could be hurt by the sluggish pace of the U.S. economy, with more than 12 million workers still unemployed in the aftermath of the recession in 2008 and 2009.
One other complication is that the White House and Congress also are facing contentious government spending and tax issues that could further hurt the economy if left unresolved in the waning weeks of 2012. Almost all American workers face tax increases January 1 if the dispute is not resolved by the end of the year.
No Injuries In Highway 97 Crash
November 22, 2012
There were no injuries in a single vehicle wreck early Thursday morning in Walnut Hill.
A 43-year old man apparently lost control of his car while southbound on Highway 97 just south of North Highway 99. He ran off the road into a ditch, crossed over the highway and struck a fence. The driver refused medical treatment at the scene.
The accident was reported about 5 a.m. The driver stated the accident occurred about an hour prior.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance also responded.
Pictured: There were no injuries in this single vehicle accident early Thursday morning in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.