Arrest Made After Stabbing At Century Bar
October 1, 2012
A Flomaton man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing Sunday night inside a Century bar.
The stabbing happened about 9:18 p.m. at Odom’s Bar on North Century Boulevard at the Alabama state line. The black male victim was reportedly stabbed in the back at least two times. He was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital in serious condition. His name has not been released.
The suspect, identified as 44-year old Johnnie Brittingham, fled the area in a vehicle driven by another white male. As deputies were continuing their investigation, Brittingham returned to the bar to retrieve his vehicle. Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Brittingham continued to a residence in Alabama about 300 yards from the bar.
The Flomaton Police Department and the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office responded to assist. Brittingham was taken into custody by Alabama authorities on an outstanding failure to appear warrant from an Escambia County, Ala., trespassing case.
Brittingham is being held without bond in the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton. He will be extradited to Florida to face charges related to the stabbing.
Witnesses said Brittingham and the victim were in an altercation earlier in the evening.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were on the scene of the stabbing seconds after it was reported; deputies were nearby on the perimeter of a manhunt following the armed robbery of a convenience store about a block away. There was no indication that the two crimes were related. Read more about the robbery by clicking here.
Pictured: One person was stabbed inside this Century bar Sunday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Convenience Store Robbed At Gunpoint
October 1, 2012
A North Century Boulevard convenience store was robbed at gunpoint Sunday night.
The armed bandit entered the Southern Pit Stop just south of the Alabama state line in Century at 8:39 p.m. The store clerk told deputies that the robber displayed a handgun during the holdup. He fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one inside the store was injured.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the robbery scene within two minutes of the robbery report and established a perimeter around the store.
A K-9 team from Century Correctional Institution located a track on the suspect that ended nearby on North Century Boulevard. Authorities were not sure if the suspect got into a vehicle or if heavy rain showers at the time destroyed the track.
The suspect was described as a black male about six feet to six and one-half feet tall with a muscular build. The clerk told deputies that the suspect was wearing dark clothing and a pair of jean shorts with some sort of neon green embroidery on the pockets. He was wearing a mask or some other covering over his face.
The same store was robbed at gunpoint in similar fashion back on April 2, 2012. There have been no arrests in that robbery.
Anyone with information on the holdup is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: An armed robbery Sunday night at this Century convenience station is under investigation. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Historical Society To Manage New Molino Community Center
October 1, 2012
The Molino Mid-County Historical Society will manage the new Molino Community Center and Historical Museum when it opens later this month in the newly renovated old Molino Elementary School.
The historical society will pay the county $3 for a three-year lease on the facility.
The Escambia County Department of Community Affairs has partnered with local, non-profit organizations in the management of community centers throughout the county. The organizations provide the ongoing management related to the facilities. In exchange the non-profits receive lease fees from other groups, businesses and individuals that lease the community center for special events.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Local Governments Begin New Budget Years
October 1, 2012
Monday was the first day of the new 2012-2013 budget year for local governments.
The Escambia County Commission approved a $356 million fiscal year 2012-2013 budget with no tax increases.
The Town of Century’s budget for the fiscal year is about $2.14 million less than last year. The 2012-2013 budget was set at $2,889,827. Last year’s $5,032,816 budget was unusually large for Century due to grant income and expenditures of $1,913,000. There were no ad valorem tax increases.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power, ECUA Water Reuse Project Wins National Award
October 1, 2012
Gulf Power Company has won a national award for its water reuse project with Emerald Coast Utility Authority, after reusing nearly five billion gallons of treated wastewater at its Plant Crist rather than water from the Escambia River.
The WateReuse Association named Gulf Power the Water Reuse Customer of the Year. In 2010, ECUA began piping water from its new water treatment plant in Cantonment to Gulf Power, which uses the water in its steam generating process.
Gulf Power has reclaimed more than 4.8 billion gallons of reclaimed water — the equivalent of 7,318 Olympic-size swimming pools.
The award recognizes customers who have advanced the acceptance of water reuse through innovative marketing and/or unique applications of reclaimed water.
“With our scrubber system we are providing cleaner electricity for Northwest Florida, but this partnership with ECUA also helps preserve and conserve a valuable natural resource,” said Jeff Rogers, Corporate Communications Manager. “It shows that through partnerships, we can provide solutions for sustainable resources and responsible growth. This partnership benefits Northwest Florida with cleaner air and cleaner water.”
At Plant Crist, Gulf Power has significantly reduced the amount of water it draws from Escambia River. The reclaimed water, which is highly treated, is used by Plant Crist to cool air going into the scrubber system and for equipment-cooling operations. Up to 80 percent of the water is evaporated.
The scrubber system, which cost $645 million and started operating in December 2009, reduces regulated air emissions from Plant Crist by more than 95 percent.
Pictured top: Gulf Power’s Plant Crist with a scrubber system in operation (right tower). Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Holland Named ‘Ag Innovator’
October 1, 2012
Bruce Holland of Allentown has been named the the Santa Rosa County Agriculture Innovator of the Year.
Holland, who operates Holland Farms, received the award from the Santa Rosa County Extension Service. Holland Farms is a diversified business that produces fresh produce, green peanuts, and is involved in agro-tourism with their pumpkin patch and other fall events.
The farm is a family affair with all the members of the family involved in different activities. BJ Holland, Bruce’s son and the farms manager, is responsible for starting the hay ride and the haunted hay ride last year.
Bruce’s daughter Julie, a high school business teacher, helps out with the farm’s bookkeeping and maintains their website and Facebook page. Bruce’s brothers Charles and Melvin also assist in the daily operation of the farm.
Whether it be in producing, marketing, adding value to existing crops, developing agro-tourism venues, or promoting agriculture they have led the way. Bruce says the key to their success is simply
“We like people, I like visiting with folks. When they come to our farm we go out of our way to make sure they feel welcomed and have a good time. It’s a long way out here to the farm and we want to make it worthwhile to the people who come,” Holland said.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Dig Pink Volleyball Matches To Benefit Breast Cancer Awareness
October 1, 2012
The Northview Lady Chiefs and the Flomaton Hurricanes will take part in a Dig Pink volleyball match this week to raise breast cancer awareness.
Dig Pink is an organization raising awareness for cancer through volleyball. A hospitality room will be available for survivors and cancer survivors will receive free admission to the games.
The Dig Pink event will take place Thursday, October 4 with the junior varsity playing at 4:30 and the varsity playing at 6:00 at Northview High School in Bratt.
Donations are being accepted now on the Northview Dig Pink website (click here.)
Pictured: Action from last year’s Dig Pink matchup between Northview and Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDLE Joins Probe Into Suspicious Voter Registration Forms
September 30, 2012
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is now investigating potential voter registration fraud after reports of false forms were reported in several Florida counties including Escambia and Santa Rosa.
State election officials have called in the FDLE to investigate allegations that a Virginia-based voter registration gathering firm hired by the Republican Party of Florida may have faked or destroyed voter registration applications.
Chris Cate, spokesman for the Florida Department of State, said the agency has turned over a complaint filed by the RPOF against Strategic Allied Consultants, which had been gathering applications from would-be voters under a $1.3 million contract.
The suspicious voter registration forms were first reported in Palm Beach County. Late last week, Escambia County officials reported irregularities with a “significant” number of suspicious voter registration forms.
“There was enough suspicion about several of these to warrant us looking into them further and ultimately asking the State Attorney’s Office to get involved,”said Escambia Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
About 100 of the irregular forms were also reported in Santa Rosa County.
State Attorney Bill Eddins says they suspect a large number of the applications were turned in by Strategic Allied Consultants.
The state party cut ties to the company earlier this week when the allegations were exposed, according to RPOF’s Executive Director Mark Grissom. On Thursday, the Republican National Committee followed suit, cancelling contracts with the company that was doing work for the RNC in at least four more states.
The complaint has not been released, and an agency spokesman said it was being reviewed to determine what portions could be released to comply with Florida public records law.
“Some documents regarding this matter are exempt from public records disclosure at this time,” Cate said. “The department will review any responsive records within its possession and provide any non-exempt documents.”
Mike Huckabee Campaigns For Romney In Pensacola (With Photo Gallery)
September 30, 2012
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee brought the Republican message to Escambia County Saturday afternoon, campaigning for presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Huckabee spoke to several hundred energized Romney-Ryan supporters.
“One of the things we are trying with the Romney campaign is to make sure that voters understand there is a real difference between Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama as it relates to people of faith,” Huckabee said at the “Victory Meet and Greet” event at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church.
Pictured: Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appeared at a Romney-Ryan campaign event in Pensacola Saturday afternoon. Photos by Cheryl Casey for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Becomes Trapped Between A Tractor And A Tree
September 30, 2012
A man is recovering today after his foot was partially crushed by a tractor Saturday near McDavid.
The man was working on a food plot off Roach Road when his small farm tractor slid into a tree, trapping the man’s foot between the running board of the tractor and the tree. First responders used a winch to pull the tractor away from the tree and off the man’s foot.
He was transported to an area hospital in good condition.