A Recycled Campaign: ECUA’s Walker Practices What He Preaches
August 20, 2012
District 5 ECUA board member Larry Walker is one of those men that likes to practice what he preaches.
He first ran for office back in 1988 — winning a seat on the ECUA board by a margin of just 28 votes — partially to see if he was right in all the college courses he had been teaching in public policy and public administration.
ECUA started voluntary curbside recycling for customers in January 2009. But recycling wasn’t new for Walker. He had, in way, been running a recycled campaign for years.
By the time he ran for office again in 2000, Walker had decided that recycling was a good thing. His used campaign signs were stored away for the next election.
There were a few modifications to the campaign signs along the way. He ordered red bumper stickers with the word “Republican” to cover up the word “Democrat” after a party switch. Otherwise, many of the Walker campaign signs along the roadways in North Escambia in 2012 were the same signs as 2000.
It was not just an environmental green decision…Walker estimates he save about $4,000 per campaign by using the recycled signs.
Friday, just three days after winning reelection, Walker was out in his pickup truck collecting campaign signs for storage. When asked if that meant he would be running again in 2016, he replied, “well, I’ve got to do something with all these signs”.
Pictured top: ECUA District 5 board member Larry Walker ready to remove a campaign sign from alongside Highway 4 in Bratt Friday morning. Pictured below: Walker talks about the recycled campaign signs in the back of his pickup at the Bratt Crossroad. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
First Day Back: Printable Calendars For The 2012-2013 School Year
August 20, 2012
Monday the first day of the 2012-2013 school year in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida, and Escambia County, Alabama.
For a printable school calendar for the entire year, select a public school district below.
Winning $86,630.43 Fantasy Five Ticket Sold In North Escambia
August 20, 2012
A winning Fantasy 5 ticket sold in North Escambia for Sunday’s night drawing is worth $86,630.43.
The winning ticket, with numbers 09-14-16-21-35 — was sold at the State Line O’Yes Lotto at 11331 Highway 97 in Davisville. It was one of two winning tickets sold in the state. The other winning ticket was sold in Port Charlotte.
The $86,630.43 ticket sold in Davisville was a “Quick Pick”, with the computer generating random numbers when the ticket was purchased.
There were also 240 tickets with four correct numbers worth $116 each, and 7,641 with three of five numbers worth $10 each.
Marine Aviation Memorial Tower Dedicated
August 20, 2012
Hundreds of people attended a dedication ceremony Sunday morning for the new Marine Aviation Memorial Tower.
The 30-foot tall steel tower, commemorating 100 years of Marine Aviation and honoring all Marine aviators, stands at the Veterans Memorial Park on Bayfront Parkway in Pensacola.
The tower was funded entirely by donations. Organizers say they still need about $40,000 to pay for a Memorial Plaza to be constructed around the tower. They hope to have the plaza in place by November.
The tower traveled in a motorcade through North Escambia Thursday afternoon. Read more…
Pictured: The Sunday morning dedication of the Marine Aviation Memorial Tower in Pensacola. Photos by P.C. Wu for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Think It’s Rained A Lot?
August 20, 2012
If you think it’s been wet lately, you would be correct, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile. The area has seen quite a bit of rainfall over the past 90 days, seen on the graphic above.
Over the last 90 days, there has been 15-20 inches of rainfall across northern Escambia County, 20-25 inches in the central part of the county, and from 30 to 40 inches across the southern part of the county.
The higher rainfall totals seen on the map across northern Florida were due to Tropical Storm Debby.
NorthEscambia.com graphic, click to enlarge.
$456 Ticket? Slow Down In School Zones
August 20, 2012
Zoom through the Ernest Ward Middle or Molino Park Elementary school zone at 45 mph and it will cost you … $456 to be exact. Make it 50 miles an hour, and you’ll be talking to a judge.
It’s back to school week in Escambia County, and that means slowing down in school zones. And whether it is Ernest Ward, Molino Park or one of dozens of other schools, law enforcement will be out in force enforcing school zone speed limits. Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS will also be in several school zones in an attempt to slow drivers down.
If you are caught speeding in a school zone, be prepared for a big hit on your wallet, not mention your vehicle insurance rates.
Here is a list of fines if motorists are caught speeding in school zones in Escambia County:
- 1 – 9 mph over the speed limit: $156.
- 10 – 14 mph over the speed limit: $306.
- 15 to 19 mph over the speed limit: $406.
- 20 – 29 mph over the speed limit: $456.
- 30 plus mph over the speed limit: Mandatory court appearance.
And if you fail to stop for a school bus that is loading or unloading students, that a $271 fine.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy makes a traffic stop near Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill after the driver was clocked speeding in the school zone. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Beat Biscuits 9-2 To Open Series
August 20, 2012
Pensacola first baseman Beau Mills mashed a homer in his third straight game, while third baseman David Vidal also left the yard and right fielder Josh Fellhauer drove home three, as the Blue Wahoos topped the Montgomery Biscuits 9-2 on Sunday evening at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The win pushes Pensacola to a 29-27 record in the second half and to within two games of the Biscuits for two games of first place in the South Division. Montgomery fell to a 31-25 mark since the midpoint of the season.
After both teams were held scoreless through the first four frames, both teams combined for the 11 tallies in the final five. Montgomery got the scoring started in the fifth when C Mayo Acosta led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, coming being sent home on 2B Derek Dietrich’s RBI double to left.
The Blue Wahoos would then answer with two tallies in the bottom half of the inning. C Mark Fleury and 2B Miguel Rojas each reached on consecutive walks prior to SS Billy Hamilton’s single, which loaded the bases for Fellhauer. The right fielder drove home both Fleury and Rojas with his single to right, putting Pensacola up 2-1.
Montgomery then countered in the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. DH Kyeong Kang was hit by a pitch, before he was driven home on 1B Michael Sheridan’s run-scoring double to center.
Pensacola however, would then plate seven unanswered scores over the next two frames to pull away. SS Billy Hamilton sent in Rojas following his base-on-balls, while the Fish put up a six-spot in the following inning. Mills and Vidal each homered, while Hamilton and Fellhauer each drew bases loaded free passes to add to their RBI totals. Mills’ blast was his third in as many games for the Fish and is tied for the team lead this season with Vidal with ten homers.
Hamilton (2-3, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 2 BB) and Fellhauer (2-3, 3 RBI, 2 BB) each tallied two hits for Pensacola, and reached base four times while Dietrich (2-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI) and Sheridan (2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI) also collected multi-hit efforts. Hamilton did not steal a base in the contest and remains at 143 thefts this season, putting him two away from tying Vince Coleman’s single-season record and three from setting a new mark.
Blue Wahoos reliever Wilkin De La Rosa (1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 SO) earned the victory to improve to 1-1 after firing 1.1 scoreless innings, while Biscuits reliever Marquis Fleming (2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss. Pensacola starter Wirfin Obispo (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO) did not factor in the decision despite yielding only a lone earned run on just three hits while fanning seven in his five solid innings.
The two teams are scheduled to square off again Monday night, with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. from the bayfront stadium. The Fish are expected to send RHP Chad Rogers to the mound, while Montgomery is slated to give the nod to LHP Kyle Lobstein.
By Andrew Green
Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Health And Hope Clinics Provide $1.7 Million In Free Medical Care
August 19, 2012
The Health and Hope Clinics in Pensacola and Century have provided well over a million and half dollars worth of free medical care to local residents during the past year.
During the last year, the two clinics had 2,000 patient visits and provided $1 million in free medications. The grand total of all services provided to economically disadvantaged and uninsured residents was $1.7 million.
The Health and Hope Clinic quietly opened in October in the old Escambia County Health Department building at 501 Church Street in Century. It is the second location for the clinic, which was first established in Pensacola back in 2003 by the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association to meet the needs of uninsured and medically underserved in Escambia County. The clinic is entirely volunteer and donor supported.
To become a patient of Health and Hope Clinic, you must:
- be completely uninsured
- be ineligible for Medicare, Medicaid, or VA medical benefits
- meet financial eligibility requirements as determined annually by the State of Florida
To schedule a new patient screening appointment, call (850) 479-4456. Only a limited number of new patients are accepted each month. To volunteer, call (850) 256-6200 or (850) 479-4456. For more information on the Health and Hope Clinic and services, visit www.healthandhopeclinic.org.
Cantonment Man Charged With Burglary
August 19, 2012
A Cantonment man has been charged with burglarizing a home on Neal Road.
Joshua Dylan Leavell, 20, was arrested this week on an outstanding warrant for burglary, criminal mischief and petit theft. He remained in the Escambia County Jail early Sunday with bond set at $11,000.
On September 25, 2011, a resident reported a burglary in the 200 block of Neal Road. The victim reported that someone broke in through a bedroom window and stole Lortab from her bedroom. Fingerprints at the scene were from Leavell, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
Leavell told deputies that he had opened the bedroom window, but another man had actually entered the house. The man fingered by Leavell had an alibi, according to deputies.
Century To Hold Housing Grant Public Hearing
August 19, 2012
The Town of Century will hold a public hearing Monday night as they begin the application process for $650,000 in grants to rehabilitate private homes in town.
The town is applying for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to rehabilitate or replace homes that are currently occupied by persons of low or moderate income.
The public hearing will be held in conjunction with a regular council meeting at 7 p.m. at the Century Town Hall.
The town received a similar $650,000 during the last fiscal year; it was used to rehabilitate about a dozen private homes.