Church Youth Fly High, Cruise Bratt (With Gallery)
August 2, 2012
Youth at the First Baptist Church of Bratt hit the road, and the skies, Wednesday evening.
The youth road motorcycles with church leaders, and flew model airplanes from the Travis M. Nelson park near the church. Afterwards, the group volunteered to paint a portion of the church parsonage.
Pictured top: A candid photo of a youth group at the First Baptist Church of Bratt after flying a model plane at a Bratt Park. Pictured inset: Church member Greg Wilson explains his model plane. Pictured below: Ashley Mooney and Interim Pastor Jerry Kaylor prepare for a spin Wednesday evening. Photos by Marcella Green Wilson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Man Charged With Grand Theft For Not Delivering Yetis
August 2, 2012
A Walnut Hill man is facing multiple theft charges for collecting cold cash for cool Yeti coolers but not delivering the merchandise.
Timothy James Barry, 51, was arrested this week on four counts of grand theft and three counts of petit theft after an investigation by the State Attorney’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. He was released from jail on a $5,500 bond.
Barry, owner of Baywatch Arms & Accessories, allegedly accepted $2,944.18 during the summer of 2011 from seven people to order Yeti brand coolers, a high-end ice chest, on their behalf. After the coolers were not received from Barry, the victims filed a complaint.
Certified letters were sent by the victims and the State Attorney’s Office in an attempt to collect the money. According to an arrest report, Barry admitted to receiving the money from the victims and told deputies on June 4, 2012, that he was unable to repay them.
Barry provided the victims and the State Attorney’s Office with” numerous excuses to avoid coming in to clear that matter up”, the arrest report states. One victim told the State Attorney’s Office that he contact the Yeti Cooler company and was told the order was complete and awaiting payment from Barry.
Century Prison Inmate Charged With Committing Lewd Act
August 2, 2012
A Century Correctional Institution inmate has been charged with committing a sexual act inside the prison walls.
Paul R. Daniel, 26, charged with lewd and lascivious behavior committing a sexual act in the presence of a correctional facility employee, which is a third degree felony. Daniel’s arrest report does not detail the incident.
Daniel is serving a 12 year sentence for crimes out of Broward County including uttering a forged instrument, marijuana possession, and two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon.
Daniel is currently being held in the Escambia County Jail.
Santa Rosa Superintendent Cleared Of Campaign Finance Allegations
August 2, 2012
The State Attorney’s Office has dismissed a complaint against incumbent Santa Rosa County School Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick.
A review of Wyrosdick’s campaign finances began after a complaint filed by George R. McCormick, who is also running for the superintendent’s seat as a Republican. Wyrosdick received a cash contribution by mail of $200, over the legal limit of $50. Once he noticed the error, he issued a refund.
The State Attorney’s Office found it as an isolated incident and not a willful violation of campaign finance laws and decided that no criminal charges will be filed.
Operation Overboard: VBS At Aldersgate Molino (With Gallery)
August 2, 2012
Vacation Bible School is underway this week at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino.
The “Operation Overboard” VBS will continue with activities Thursday and Friday evenings from 5:30-8:30 for ages 3 to rising fifth graders. VBS will conclude with an ice cream social and closing ceremonies on Saturday, August 4 from 5-7 p.m.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
AG Bondi ‘Troubled’ By BP Oil Spill Settlement
August 2, 2012
In a letter to the general counsel of BP America, Attorney General Pam Bondi said she’s “troubled” about the terms of a settlement reached in litigation in New Orleans over the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
Bondi said the settlement in the case only covers 30 of Florida’s 67 counties, even though a BP fund initially set up to pay some claims ended up approving payments in 66 counties.
While I sincerely hope that BP properly compensates Florida individual and business claimants for the losses they have suffered, either through or outside of the proposed settlement terms, I will, if necessary, use the full power of my office to ensure that BP lives up to its responsibilities under the law,” Bondi wrote.
By The News Service of Florida
ACLU: 13,000 Ex Florida Felons Could Register To Vote
August 2, 2012
.More than 13,000 ex-felons may be eligible to vote but don’t know it, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida said Wednesday, citing data it obtained from the Florida Parole Commission.
The ACLU said the commission is sitting on more than 17,000 Restoration of Civil Rights certificates that would notify former felons that they can now register to vote, but which have not reached their intended recipients. The civil rights group cross checked the names on those certificates with voter registration lists and found that 13,571 of them are not registered voters, presumably because many of them don’t know they’ve been cleared to register.
Florida is one of a minority of U.S. states that does not automatically restore civil rights once a felon has completed a sentence.
The certificates were sent between 2007 and March 2011, during which time a change in policy spearheaded by former Gov Charlie Crist allowed nonviolent ex-felons to have their rights automatically restored.
The policy was repealed in March 2011 after Florida Gov. Rick Scott and newly elected members of the Florida Cabinet voted to eliminate automatic restoration and again make it more difficult for ex-felons to get their civil rights, including the right to vote, restored.
Scott has been aggressively pursuing efforts to clean up the state’s voter rolls because, he says, there are some non-citizens who are ineligible to vote who are registered.
Following a legal battle, the state last month gained access to a federal Department of Homeland Security database to continue the effort to remove ineligible voters. An initial effort stalled when local supervisors of elections balked because of possible inaccuracies on an earlier list of potentially ineligible voters that was sent to the counties by the state.
“The contrast between the baseless claims that Governor Scott has made about voter fraud and the lengths to which he has gone to make voting more difficult, and the inattention to the thousands of voting rights restoration certifications gathering dust … could not be sharper,” Howard Simon, ACLU of Florida executive director, said in a statement.
Tammy Salmon, a parole commissioner administrative assistant, said the figures were correct and reflect certificates mailed to recipients who could not be found and left no forwarding address.
In some cases, the agency made “multiple attempts” to make contact, but to no avail, she said.
The parole commission’s website – https://fpcweb.fpc.state.fl.us/ – allows viewers to search to see if an ex-offender’s rights have been restored.
“We are going above and beyond to try to reach these folks,” Salmon said.
Eligible residents must register by Oct. 9 to vote in the general election in November.
By The News Service of Florida
Dates Announced For Next Year’s Beulahfest
August 2, 2012
Mark your calendars now…the dates have been announced for the 27th Annual Beulahfest.
The event will take place March 15-16, 2013, at the Escambia County Equestrian Center. Entertainment will, as always, feature local and regional bands plus top country stars. The headline acts will be named at a later date.
Over 75 vendors are expected at the 2013 Beulahfest, selling arts and crafts and other merchandise.
Organizers also announced that “surprise changes” are coming to Beulahfest that will be announced soon.
Pictured: Performances at last year’s Beulahfest from Rodney Atkins (above and inset) and Travis Tritt (below). NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Lady Astros Take Second In Southern Nationals
August 2, 2012
The Molino Lady Astros finished second in the Southern Nationals recently. The Lady Astros won all pool and bracket games to head into the championship game at 8-0.
The 16U Astros finished as runner-ups after a 3-2 loss to Mississippi Blast in a grueling game with heat indices well over 100 degrees.
“Our pitching was great from Jessica Briggs, Meagan Green, Heather Thomason and Korina Rosario, who led in strikeouts,” Coach Donnie Nicholson said. “I was very proud of everyone giving it all they had.
Pictured top: The Molino 16U Lady Astros (front, L-R) Caitlyn Hagan, Gracie Kilcrease, Jessica Briggs, Abby Spivey, Meagan Green, (back row) Coach Donnie Nicholson, Kat Griffin, Heather Thomason, Kathleen Smile and Terri Andrews. Not pictured are Coach Nick Rosario and Shawn Green. Pictured below: The Lady Astros in action. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Smokies Take Two From The Pensacola Blue Wahoos
August 2, 2012
The Tennessee Smokies picked up a pair of wins over the Blue Wahoos on Wednesday night at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tenn. Tennessee won the continuation of Tuesday night’s suspended game 4-2 before walking off with a 1-0 win in the second game.
After waiting out a rain delay to start the continuation, the Blue Wahoos quickly tied the score in the top of the fifth. After David Vidal doubled to begin the inning, Billy Hamilton singled him home from second with two outs to even the score at 2-2. Shortly after his single, Hamilton broke for second and dove into the bag safely with his 117th stolen base of the season. He is now just 28 steals shy of Vince Coleman’s 1983 record of 145.
The Smokies were quick to respond in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and a man on, Nate Samson hit a two-run homer to left field off Brian Pearl to give the Smokies a 4-2 lead. Tennessee kept the Wahoos off the scoreboard the rest of the way as the Smokies won 4-2. Pearl (1-2) suffered the loss for Pensacola after working 2.1 innings and allowing just the two runs. Trey McNutt (6-8) worked the first three innings of the resumption and allowed one run on two hits on his way to the win. Kevin Rhoderick (8) worked a scoreless eighth and ninth to earn the save.
In the second game, Fish starter Daniel Corcino traded zeros with Smokies starter Dallas Beeler through the first five innings before each team went to their bullpen in the sixth.
Corcino allowed just three hits over five innings. He walked one and fanned four. Dallas Beeler allowed just three base runners over his five shutout innings for the Smokies. Neither starter recorded a decision.
The Smokies broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the seventh when Justin Bour hit the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for a walk-off home run giving Tennessee the 1-0 win. After working a 1-2-3 sixth inning, Curtis Partch (4-4) allowed the homer to Bour to suffer the loss. Brian Schlitter (2-2) worked two scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Smokies to earn the win.
The Blue Wahoos have now dropped four straight. It matches the team’s longest losing streak of the season. It is the first time since June 1-3 that the Blue Wahoos have lost four in a row.
Pensacola will try to salvage the final game of the four-game set with the Smokies on Thursday. Right-hander Wirfin Obispo (2-0, 2.63) will get the nod for Pensacola. The Smokies haven’t announced their starter. First pitch is set for 6:15 p.m. CT at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tenn.
By Tommy Thrall
Pictured: Daniel Corcino worked five shutout innings in the Blue Wahoos’ 1-0 loss in game 2 against the Smokies Wednesday night. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.