Natural Gas Still Leaking Somewhere Under Hwy 29
April 5, 2012
Over a year after the problem was first publicly revealed as a potential “major public safety issue”, natural gas continues to leak under Highway 29 in Century.
The leak has not gotten any worse, according to Mayor Freddie McCall, as the town continues to jump through hurdles to get a project designed and secure USDA Rural Development loan funding for the project.
McCall said there are ongoing routine checks on the leak to ensure that the problem does not worsen.
About 6,515 feet of 4-inch steel natural gas line was buried beneath the southbound lanes of Highway 29 when the road was widened. Now, 45 years since the almost 1.25 mile long pipe was put into the ground, the town believes the steel is corroding and leaking somewhere between West Highway 4 and McCurdy Street.
The town’s engineer, Dale Long, said this week that funding for the project could come by the end of April, and that it will likely be late this year before actual construction will begin to replace the pipe.
A new 4-inch pipe will be placed on the west side of Highway 29, while a new 2-inch pipe will be installed on the east side of the highway, eliminating the need to install pipes under the road to service natural gas customers.
The pipe will be installed where existing easements exist or can be obtained at no cost, otherwise, it will be installed under existing sidewalks.
Pictured: Traffic flows on Highway 29 in Century Wednesday afternoon. Decades-old natural gas line buried under the southbound lanes of the highway is leaking. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Man Charged With Felony Animal Abuse
April 5, 2012
A Century man has been charged with allegedly abusing and starving two horses.
Kendrick Jamar Washington, age 23 of Jefferson Avenue, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on two felony counts of animal cruelty.
According to an arrest report, Washington placed two horses into a lot on Ramar Street in Century surrounded by a makeshift barbed wire fence. Barbed wire was hanging inside the pen, causing a serious injury to the front leg of one horse.
On January 24, animal control officers found that one horse was tied to a post; the second was found on its side in mud and dirt, unable to get up. Neither horse had access to food or shelter, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report. Both of the animals were obviously underweight.
Both horses were transported to the Northwest Florida Animal Clinic in Pace for treatment.
Washington was arrested Tuesday night on an outstanding warrant related to the incident. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
Board Seeks Tax Increase To Save County Libraries
April 5, 2012
The West Florida Public Library Board voted unanimously Wednesday to request the Escambia County Commission directly levy a property tax increase to keep public libraries open in the county — including Century and the under-construction Molino Library.
The county may pull its $3.7 million contribution to the library system under a plan proposed by County Administrator Randy Oliver due to a projected $9.5 million budget shortfall.
With a vote of three of five commissioners, the commission can levy the .35 mils tax increase — about $35 on a $100,000 home. But if commissioners do not approve the tax increase, the issue could go to the voters as a referendum on the August ballot.
“The board will go after finding at least three commissioners to vote for the levy,” Bette Hooton, library board president, said following Wednesday’s meeting. “If that’s absolutely a no-go, we will go after the referendum.
“We are not going to go down without trying to save the Molino, Century and Southwest branch libraries,” she said.
The Escambia County Commission will consider the issue at its Committee of the Whole meeting at 9 a.m. on August 12. Wooton and Friends of the Library members are working to gather supporters to attend the meeting.
A yearly user fee of $50 imposed on every Escambia County resident that uses the library has also been suggested as a possible funding source to keep libraries open.
Pictured top: Construction is underway to convert the old Molino School into a library and community center. Pictured inset: The Century Branch Library. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Photos: Camp Fire Kids Easter Egg Hunt
April 5, 2012
Children from the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center made their annual visit to Century Care Center for an Easter egg hunt Wednesday. The residents prepared a bag of treats for each child and over 300 eggs.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“The children had a wonderful time and we would like to thank the Century Care Center and their staff for all of their hard work in making this annual event wonderful for the
residents and children,” said Pam Townson, Camp Fire Century director.
Pictured: The annual Camp Fire USA took part in an annual Easter egg hunt Wednesday at Century Care Center. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Charged With DUI Manslaughter For I-10 Crash
April 5, 2012
A Pensacola woman was been charged with DUI manslaughter for a crash on I-10 in October that claimed the lives of an adult and a child.
Kimberly Renee Rodrigues is now in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Rodrigues was traveling west on I-10 in the early morning hours of October 21 when she rear-ended a 1996 Chevrolet cargo van driven by Melissa Lynn Lyublanovits, 44, of Pensacola.
A resulting chain reaction wreck claimed the life of 71-year old Lovett Junior Cummings and 11-year old Lovett Deshun Cummings II, both of West Palm Beach.
Pictured above: A pickup involved in an October accident on I-10. (Note: The tractor-trailer in the photo was not involved in the crash.)The scene on I-10 in Pensacola where at least two people were killed in a multi-vehicle accident. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Sentenced For DUI Manslaughter
April 5, 2012
A Santa Rosa County man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for DUI manslaughter.
Jeremy Joseph Hammill received the sentence from Judge David Rimmer.
On February 27, 2010, Hammill ran the red light at Hamilton Bridge Road and Dogwood Drive and crashed into a car driven by Tammy Cabaniss. Cabaniss was seriously injured, and her passenger, Dwight Davis, died as a result of the crash.
Hammill, who had a previous DUI conviction, had a blood alcohol level of 0.26, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins. That was more than three times the legal limit of 0.08.
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Pickup Rear-ends School Bus
April 5, 2012
One student was injured when a school bus was rear-ended by a pickup Wednesday afternoon on Pine Forest Road.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Hildred B. Harrelson, age 70, skidded 38 feet in her 1999 Ford pickup into the back of the bus, which was stopped to allow students to exit near Mandeville Lane.
There were 22 students on the bus at the time of the crash. One suffered a minor injury and was released to their parents.
Harrelson was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by ambulance with minor injuries. A 15-year old passenger in her truck was not injured.
Harrelson was cited for careless driving by the FHP.
Marshals Nab Suspect That Ran From His Murder Trial
April 5, 2012
An Escambia County man that fled from his murder trial during jury deliberations was captured by federal agents in Baldwin County.
Ortavious Devon Wilson, 33,was busted at the Loxley Motel by U.S. Marshals Task Force members from Pensacola and Mobile, along with Task Force members from the Florida State Attorney’s office, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Monroeville Police Department and the Alabama Depart of Corrections.
Wilson was arrested outside of a room he rented without incident. However, a search of the room revealed a 9 mm handgun that was reportedly stolen from Escambia County (Fla.) last year, as well as substances that appeared to be crack cocaine and marijuana and drug paraphernalia indicative of dealing and selling drugs.
Wilson is not currently facing any local charges in Alabama but stands to face charges from the United States Attorney’s Office in Mobile as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
He was taken to the Baldwin County Jail in Alabama and remanded without bond.
Shortly after Wilson fled the courtroom at the Escambia County Courthouse he was found guilty in a murder trial.
He was charged in connection with the January 2011 murder of 29-year old Eddie Llyod Peterson of Pensacola near the intersection of Mobile Highway and Massachusetts Avenue. Peterson and two other men – Grimsley and 32-year-old Ortavious Devon Wilson — tried to rob the victim at gunpoint, but the victim shot back and killed Peterson.
10-Year Old Charged With Breaking Into School
April 4, 2012
A 10-year old boy has been charged with breaking into an Escambia County elementary school.
Witnesses reported seeing the boy lurking around West Pensacola Elementary just after 7 p.m. Tuesday night. A short time later, a witness heard a window break.
As Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived and surrounded the school, the boy called his mother to say he was inside the school and about to exit. The mother in turn called the Sheriff’s Office.
As the boy exited the school, he refused verbal commands to put his hands behind his back and took off running. Deputies were able to catch up and place him under arrest.
Deputies found a broken window at the school, but they were unable to locate any missing property.
The boy was charged as a juvenile with burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal mischief, trespassing on school grounds and resisting arrest without violence.
Budget Woes: Century Library Could Be Closed; Molino Might Never Open
April 4, 2012
The Century Branch Library could be closed and the currently under construction Molino Library may never open due to budget problems.
The county is facing a $9.5 million budget shortfall, most of which is due to a new Medicaid law signed last week by Gov. Rick Scott. That law will force the county to pay $6.2 million to the state for disputed Medicaid bills that have been adding up for about a decade.
To make up the shortfall, Escambia County is looking to cut 100 percent of its funding for branch libraries — all $3.7 million. Escambia County funds about 75 percent of the current library system, while the City of Pensacola funds about 25 percent. Libraries in the city will not be closed.
“In a worst case scenario, the Century and Southwest branch libraries would be closed and Molino would never open,” said Bette Hooton, president of the library’s board of directors. “It shocking, absolutely shocking, to consider that Escambia might be the only county in the state without a library system.”
Escambia County is expected to consider at least three options to keep the libraries open — an August referendum in voters could approve a property tax levy; a property tax levy imposed by the county without referendum; a yearly user fee — $50 per person has been suggested — imposed on every Escambia County resident that uses the library.
The property tax levy to cover the county’s budget shortfall for the library would amount to 0.35 mils, or $35 on a home worth $100,000.
“We are hopeful that we can work together with the county to solve this problem without a referendum,” Hooton said. “But we are not going to go down like this. We’ll fight for the referendum if that is what it takes.”
Escambia County owns the building and property of the Century Branch Library and owns the under construction Molino Library property. However, all of the books and other materials are owned by the City of Pensacola, including about 11,000 items in the Century library.
Meanwhile, construction to convert the former Molino School into a community center and library is continuing. That project is already funded by Escambia County.
Hooton said the library system in Escambia County is a bargain. The cost to run Escambia’s libraries is currently about $16 per person; the state average is $32 per person.
Pictured top: The Century Branch Library. Pictured inset: Construction is underway to convert the old Molino School into a library and community center. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.