Wanted Flomaton Man Busted For Drugs, Resisting Arrest In Florida
May 22, 2012
Deputies in Florida say they found drugs and thousands in cash on a Flomaton man as they arrested him on an outstanding warrant from Alabama.
The Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office responded to Mapleleaf Circle to arrest Bryan Daniel Griffis, 23, on an outstanding Alabama felony warrant. When the deputy identified him and put his hand behind his back, Griffis “turned around in a fighting stance, therefore Griffis was taken to the ground”, according to an arrest report. After being handcufffed, Griffis began pulling away from the deputy, and Griffis was once again taken to the ground.
Inside his left front pants pocket, deputies reported finding three baggies with 6.3 grams of methamphetamine and a glass pipe with residue. In the same pocket, deputies reported finding about $4,200 in cash.
Griffis was charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest without violence. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond. He will also face extradition to Escambia County, Ala., to face a felony domestic violence assault charge.
Man Sticks Up Gas Station With Tree Branch
May 22, 2012
An Escambia County Man has been charged with robbing a gas station with a tree branch as a weapon.
Deputies were on patrol when they were flagged down at Trisha’s One Stop on Mobile Highway by an employee that said she had just been robbed, and the suspect was still inside the store.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 42-year old Christopher Ray Faulkner at gunpoint as he exited the store. He was charged with aggravated battery using a deadly weapon, criminal mischief and robbery with a deadly weapon. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $25,000.
Deputies said Faulkner entered the store carrying a large tree branch and struck the clerk in the head and ordered her to the counter where he purchased a cigar, according to an arrest report.
The female clerk, according to an arrest report, then punched the robber in the chin with her fist and ran out of the store, screaming for help. Faulkner then grabbed the cash register and slammed it to the ground, according to the report.
The incident was captured on the store’s surveillance video.
‘Vicious and Delicious’ And ‘Ross’s Gang’ Win NHS Scalpball Tourney
May 22, 2012
Winners in the recent Scalpball volleyball tournament at Northview High School were “Vicious and Delicious” in the teen division and “Ross’s Gang” in the adult division.
The tournament last Saturday in Bratt benefited the Northview High School volleyball program.
“We want to thank all the teams for coming out and supporting our volleyball team,” Coach Betty Heaton said.
Pictured: Vicious and Delicious (above) and Ross’s Gang (below). Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bear Wandering Around Apartment Complex Next To Elementary School
May 22, 2012
A young bear has been spotted several times at a Cantonment apartment complex, right next to a school.
The young black bear was first seen on Sunday, walking about the Wild Oak Farms Apartments, just north of the Grocery Advantage on Highway 29. The apartment complex property is directly adjacent to Jim Allen Elementary School.
“That’s a lot of people in danger as long as this bear is still around,” said resident Nicki McLaughlin. “People in the area should know about this.”
An officer from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission responded to the apartment complex on Sunday. He described the bear as a young male, probably less than 125 pounds and about two years old.
The FWC says it’s actually a bit rare for bears to be spotted as far west as Cantonment. While the FWC said the bear does not seem dangerous, the public should not approach or provoke the animal.
The management of the Wild Oak Farms Apartments distributed a letter to tenants on Monday, asking them to leave the bear alone.
During his Sunday visit, the bear reportedly tore into trash and rummaged through a dumpster, but many apartment residents described him as otherwise seeming “friendly”.
FWC officers were back at the apartment complex on Tuesday with plans to capture the bear, but they were unable to locate him.
Pictured: A young black bear is roaming around a Cantonment apartment complex. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Gets First Look At Five-Year Marketing Plan
May 22, 2012
A draft of Century’s new “Five-Year Marketing Plan” was presented to the Century Town Council Monday night with the slogan “Century. Traditional Values. Today’s Technology”.
One of the plans goals is to “create a unique brand for Century and reach out to those who are looking for what Century has to offer”. The central focus of the marketing efforts will focus attention to the town’s new website.
The plan was part of an $11,450 package purchased late last year from Pensacola marketing firm Ideawörks that included $4,200 for a “basic website design”, $1,750 for a content management system (CMS) to allow town employees to update the website, and $5,500 for the marketing plan.
“Revitalization isn’t an easy process. Change is never easy. Opening new economic opportunities for Century will take time, strategic vision and a commitment from the residents in order to succeed,” the draft plan states.
“You will have a plan,” Caron Sjöberg, president of Ideawörks, told the council Monday night, “that will help Century rise above some of the others in the business market.”
The draft plans calls for Century to target three broad industries initially — agricultural, manufacturing and small businesses. The efforts to target those industries would include the town’s website, media coverage and paid advertising in trade publications, and direct mail.
Century can compete by marketing available business and industrial sites, providing success stories, positive media attention and with “Residents dedicated to economic development. Community pride”, the plan states. The plan also calls for Century to be submitted for various lists and articles in publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Inc.
Once the plan is finalized, it will be made available online at the town’s website.
Pictured: A screenshot of Century’s website.
Citizens Insurance Looking At Wind Incentives, Higher Rates
May 22, 2012
Following up on calls to raise premiums to match risk, Florida’s state-backed property insurer is taking a second look at wind mitigation incentives put in place a decade ago.
For many of its customers, that means higher rates.
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. plans to take a look at 209,000 residential policies by the end of the year to see if granted wind mitigation credits are warranted.
The incentives, which include such things as tie downs, shutters and other upgrades, were offered beginning in 2002 in an attempt to lower risk for the state-backed pool, which now handles nearly 1.5 million policies.
As of April 30, the last date for which detailed information is available, Citizens inspectors have completed 180,503 residential inspections, finding that in some cases hurricane hardening measures weren’t in place, resulting in premium increases totaling $107 million. Nearly 71 percent of homes inspected have seen premiums rise.
The program has also resulted in premium decreases on 7.5 percent of policies, for a total reduction of $4.4 million.
For those homeowners seeing higher rates, premiums have jumped an average of $600 a year, or 23 percent.
The wind mitigation program has increasingly come under fire from industry groups and Office of Insurance Regulation officials, who have said the program has eroded the company’s premium base while not significantly reducing its exposure, especially after credits were dramatically increased in 2007.
Private insurers have also given mitigation credits. A 2010 study by the Department of Financial Services found that despite good intentions, the programs were costing companies in terms of lost premiums while having only a modest decrease in potential losses.
“At present, the wind mitigation credits not operating as intended, and according to (Risk Management Solutions) analysis, are a significant contributing factor to the reported premium degradation,” the study said.
Among its chief criticisms, the report noted that some homeowners were receiving double credits for fixtures that were already incorporated into the underlying premium. Insurers were also restricted from adjusting base rates to reflect structural issues, which the report said hobbled the industry.
“If the (credit) system continues in the absence of a base rate offset, the average premium reductions could ultimately reach 35 percent, which would clearly have an impact on insurance revenues,” the report concluded.
Lawmakers responded months later by passing SB 2044, which was vetoed by Gov. Charlie Crist.
Last year, lawmakers passed and Gov. Rick Scott signed SB 408, which struck some language relating to mitigation credits and gave insurers more flexibility in establishing rates and applying discounts.
Citizens officials have ordered re-inspections of homes that have claimed more than $650 in credits.
Robin Westcott, Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate, said she understands Citizens’ objective to get accurate information on proper wind mitigation credits, but is worried homeowners may not always be ready with proper documentation on their mitigation efforts and may unnecessarily lose out on benefits.
She said Citizens could do a better job of letting homeowners know what inspectors are looking for.
“In some cases, you are looking at pretty hefty increases,” Westcott said. “That is really a big part of our concern.”
By The News Service of Florida
Wahoos Top Suns 4-1 To Win Series
May 22, 2012
Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Tim Crabbe gave up just two hits in six scoreless innings, while left fielder Yordanys Perez blasted a three-run home run in the eighth to give Pensacola a 4-1 victory over the Jacksonville Suns to win the series on Monday afternoon at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
The win gives the Blue Wahoos their first road series victory of the season and improves their record to 22-23, while the loss dropped the Suns’ mark to 21-24 on the year.
Crabbe (6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 SO) turned in his third solid outing in a row, yielding just two hits and two walks while fanning six in six scoreless frames to earn his second win of the year. In his past three outings, Crabbe has given up only a lone earned run on ten hits in his 18.0 innings pitched in that span.
Four Blue Wahoos relievers, including Curtis Partch (1.0 IP), Justin Freeman (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 SO) and Donnie Joseph (1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO), combined to hold the Suns to just one score in the final three frames, with Joseph notching his Southern League leading tenth save of the year. Jacksonville starter Omar Poveda (6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 SO) suffered the tough loss despite allowing only one earned run on just three hits in six frames.
Both offenses were quiet until the sixth, when Pensacola broke the scoreless draw to take a 1-0 lead. CF Ryan LaMarre drew a lead-off free pass and advance to second on a throwing error, before his was sent home on SS Didi Gregorius’ RBI single up the middle.
Pensacola however, extend the margin to four in the eighth thanks to Perez’s second roundtripper of the season. 2B Brodie Greene and 1B Joel Guzman each reached with base knocks, before they crossed home on Perez’s blast to right. The Blue Wahoos have now hit 15 homers in 20 games in the month of May after mashing 11 in 25 games in April.
The Suns would narrow their deficit to three in their half of the eighth with a longball of their own. 2B Jeff Dominguez led off the frame with a homer to right for his second roundtripper of the year, but that would be all the Jacksonville offense could muster on the scoreboard.
Perez (3-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI) was the lone hitter for either team to record a multi-hit effort and tied single-game highs in his professional career for hits and RBI in the contest.
Pensacola has an off-day Tuesday before returning home to Pensacola Bayfront Stadium on Wednesday for a five-game series with the Mississippi Braves, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The first pitch of the series is scheduled for 7:00 pm on Wednesday evening, with RHP Zeke Spruill expected to take the hill for the Braves, while the Blue Wahoos have yet to announce their starter.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: The Wahoo’s Tim Crabbe allowed just two hits in six scoreless frames to earn the win Monday in Jacksonville. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Authorities Receive Report Of Possible Tornado in Walnut Hill
May 21, 2012
There was no sign of any damage after a possible tornado was reported to Escambia Fire Rescue Monday afternoon in Walnut Hill.
Residents reported a possible tornado in the area of Eubanks Road off North Highway 99, and a member of a local fire department reported seeing a possible rotation trailing from the clouds (pictured above).
There was a severe thunderstorm warning in effect at the time of the report.
Pictured above: This trailing rotation from a thunderstorm prompted reports of a possible tornado near Walnut Hill Monday afternoon. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward, Tate, WFHS Top Escambia County Writing FCAT Scores
May 21, 2012
Despite the negative news last week about the ramped up FCAT 2.0 scores, the news was actually pretty good at Ernest Ward Middle, Tate High and West Florida High.
With this year’s tests, the state upped the standards for passing the writing portion of the FCAT in fourth, eighth and tenth grades, with students need needing a 4.0 or better on a 6-point grading scale, up from 3.0 last year. Also, the state made other changes, including placing more emphasis on writing basics such as punctuation, capitalization and grammar.
But the test results showed a huge drop in the number of students across the board meeting the standards. With FCAT scores affecting such sensitive issues as school grades, the state Board of Education moved quickly to call an emergency meeting. Board members agreed to dial back the passing score to 3.0 this year, despite some reluctance.
When the dust settled, there was cause for celebration at Ernest Ward, Tate and West Florida as they took the top scoring spots in the Escambia County School District.
Ernest Ward Middle School eighth graders tied with the Beulah Academy of Science with the highest average score in Escambia County — with a mean FCAT writing score of 3.4. Ernest Ward also had the only eighth grader in Escambia County to score a perfect 6.0 on the test, and one of three in the county to score a 5.5.
Ernest Ward also had the highest percentage of eighth grade students in the county scoring a 4.0 or above — the original grade level score before it was lowered by the State Board of Education. A total of 80 percent of EWMS eighth graders made the adjusted grade level score of 3.0 or higher, second only to the Beulah Academy of Science at 86 percent.
“Considering the state change the rules in the middle of the game, I think we did great,” Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Perry said. “The teachers, students, and parents did an awesome job; keep up the good work.”
At the high school level, West Florida was tops in the district with 48 percent of students scoring a 4.0 or more, while Tate was second with 47 percent. At West Florida High, 93 percent of tenth graders were at the readjusted grade level of 3.0, and Tate had 88 percent at the level.
The highest average score among tenth graders in the district was at West Florida High with 3.7, and Tate was second at 3.6.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Storm Brings Hail To Bratt And McDavid
May 21, 2012
A thunderstorm brought reports of small hail from the area of Northview High School in Bratt south through McDavid Monday afternoon.
Pictured above and below: Small hail this afternoon in the McDavid area. Pictured inset: Hail at Northview High School. Submitted photos by Ashley Jacobi and Kiani Okahashi for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
