One Dead, One Injured In Shooting Near Baptist Hospital
December 18, 2011
One person is dead and another is critically injured after they were shot Saturday night near Baptist Hospital.
The incident occurred in the 1200 block of West Moreno Street about 7:15 p.m. Pensacola Police Department detective James Reese said one person died at the scene and one was transported to Baptist Hospital. Names are not yet being released pending notification of next of kin.
Reese said a white vehicle, possibly a Chevrolet Suburban or similar model, was seen leaving the area westbound on Moreno Street following the shooting.
A motive for the shootings remains under investigation. Additional details will be released when they become available.
Anyone having information on the incident is asked to contact Detective James Reese at (850) 435-1976 or the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Oh Holy Night: Byrneville Church Displays Manger Scene
December 18, 2011
The annual manger scene display at Beulah Chapel Assembly of God in Byrneville is available for viewing nightly. The church is located at 2311 Highway 4A, just south of Highway 168. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Do you have great Christmas light display photos? Email news@northescambia.com to share.
Sunny Monday, Rain By Tuesday
December 18, 2011
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. Calm winds.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming southeast between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 73. South wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Tuesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south.
- Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 49. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.
- Christmas Day: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.
Now’s The Time To Check Your Voter Registration
December 18, 2011
Voters have just a few more days to update their registration information for the January 31, 2012 Presidential Preference Primary. January 3 is the last day to register to vote or to change party affiliation.
New registration must be completed on or before January 3 at 5 p.m. to be effective for the first election of 2012.
To check registration status, visit EscambiaVotes.com and click Am I Registered?.
Now is also the time for voters to request an absentee ballot and update record sand signatures. For an absentee ballot, visit EscambiaVotes.com and complete the online request form, or call or email the elections office. Early voting begins January 21 at four locations throughout Escambia County. While only Republicans will be eligible to vote in that party’s Presidential Preference Primary, all voters, regardless of party affiliation, will be able to vote on the countywide referendum that will appear on the ballot.
Escambia County citizens have several ways to register or update their records:
Online/By Mail: Visit EscambiaVotes.com and complete, print, and sign the online application. Be sure to include a valid Florida Driver’s License number, a valid Florida ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security Number in the appropriate space. Mail the completed application no later than January 3 to Escambia County Supervisor of Elections, P.O. Box 12601, Pensacola, FL 32591-2601. Or, take the completed application to the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, second floor, in downtown Pensacola. Or, call 850-595-3900 or email the Elections Office, soe@escambiavotes.com, to have a form mailed to you.
In Person: You can register at the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, second floor, in downtown Pensacola, at any Florida Driver’s License Office, and several other governmental offices and public assistance centers. Registration forms are also available at many locations throughout the county. For a complete list of locations throughout Escambia County, visit EscambiaVotes.com, call or email the Elections Office.
Walnut Hill Church Steps Back For Victorian Inspired Christmas Banquet
December 18, 2011
The ladies of Walnut Hill Baptist Church recently took a step back in time during a Victorian-inspired Christmas banquet.
For the catered banquet, church members decorated tables to match the theme, and guest speaker Cindy Still related the many ways the Victorians celebrated Christmas. Still said many modern day Christmas traditions are from the Victorian era — including caroling, Christmas cards and the Christmas tree.
Walnut Hill Baptist Church members that participated in table decorating for the event were Somer Bridges, Karla Bryan, Kathy Faircloth, Paula Ferguson, Pam Gabriel, Ramona Gay, Katie Godwin, Luanne Henderson, Katlyn Jacobson and Tammy Wilson.
For more photos from the event, click here.
Do you have news or photos to share from your church? Email news@northescambia.com.
Pictured top: Paula Ferguson with her Victorian-inspired table decorations during a recent banquet at Walnut Hill Baptist Church. Pictured below: Banquet attendees learned about Victorian Christmas traditions. Photos submitted by Ramona Gay and Marilyn Ward for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Offers Recycling Workshop For Kids
December 18, 2011
Escambia County Department of Solid Waste Management will host another recycling workshop over the Christmas holidays to give children a learning experience in recycling. The workshop will be offered on Thursday, December 22, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Preregistration is required as space is limited. All workshops are held at the Perdido Landfill, 13009 Beulah Road in Cantonment. The cost of the workshops is a donation of one pair of new or gently used shoes for Soles4Soles.
Activities at the camp will include tours of the landfill and recycling center, arts and crafts with recycled materials and games that focus on recycling and reuse. Participants should wear clothes that are appropriate for outside play and bring a lunch, snack and drinks. Organizers ask that participants pack a zero waste lunch in reusable containers.
The event is sponsored by the Department of Solid Waste Management. For more information or to preregister, call (850) 937-2160.
Four From Atmore Injured In Bratt Highway 4 Wreck
December 17, 2011
Four Atmore residents were injured in single vehicle accident Friday night in Bratt.
The Florida Highway Patrol says 19-year old Mekell J. Rivers was eastbound on West Highway 4 just east of Northview High School about 10:30 p.m. when he lost control for an unknown reason. His 1992 Pontiac Bonneville left the roadway, overturned several times and came to rest in a field off the highway.
Rivers and his passengers — 19-year old Fredrick McDowell, 19-year old Rico Stallworth and 18-year old Kalene Anderson — were all transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with minor injuries. All four were wearing their seat belts.
Charges are pending against Rivers, according to the FHP.
Atmore Ambulance, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
Pictured top: First responders work to stabilize four people injured in a single vehicle accident Friday night on West Highway 4 near Northview High School. Pictured inset and below: Four people were in this Pontiac Bonneville, which came to rest in a field after overturning multiple times. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
East Beats West In All Star Game Called Early After Fight
December 17, 2011
A battle between all-stars from a three county region ended with a bit of a brawl Friday night and the last four minutes of the Subway High School All-Star Series football game canceled.
After a touchdown and extra point attempt by the East team from Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, there was shoving, pushing and a few punches between the East and West teams. The incident reportedly stemmed from an end zone celebration by the East team after a touchdown — a practice that’s forbidden during the regular season but accepted and promoted by the organizers of the All-Star game.
In the end, the East beat the West 27-14. The East has won the game four of the last five years.
For the West, Northview High School quarterback hit Shaquille Purifoy of Pine Forest for a touchdown. Sheets also threw a another touchdown pass to Eddie Matthews of Catholic High.
The West All-Star Team, representing Escambia County, included several North Escambia area players: Northview’s Brandon Sheets, Montaio Mitchell, Sean Knight, Brian Ross, and Austin Albritton; Tate’s Scott Ryals, Jacob Lasky, Cameron Covington and Hagan Mancuso;West Florida’s Kyle Faxlanger, Jalen Jones, Joe Jackson, Antwon Carter, Jorgen Stolsig, Jake Morris and Coach Harry Lees; and Pensacola High’s Dak Sims who lives in McDavid.
The East All-Star Team, representing Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, included local players Sammy Jones and Haden McCaskill from Jay High.
Jobless Rate Increases Across Area
December 17, 2011
The latest job numbers released Friday showed an increasing number of people out of work in the three-county North Escambia area — while Florida’s state unemployment rate dropped to the lowest level in two and a half years.
Escambia County’s unemployment increase slightly from 9.9 percent in October to 10.2 percent in November. There were 135 jobs during the period, for a total Escambia County unemployment of 13,962 people. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 11.5 percent.
Santa Rosa County unemployment increased a half percentage point from 8.7 percent in October to 9.2 percent in November. Santa Rosa County lost 277 jobs during the period, with a total of 6,458 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 10.2 percent.
The employment news was a bit better in Escambia County, Alabama, where unemployment dropped from 10.1 percent in October to 9.3 percent in November. That represented 34 people returning to work during the month. There were 1,350 people unemployed in the county during the month.
Florida’s jobless rate dipped in November to 10 percent – its lowest level in 30 months — as the state added 98,100 non-agricultural jobs over the year and lowered its unemployment rate by 1.9 percentage points from November 2010.
“We are continuing to move Florida in the right direction by streamlining government, eliminating burdensome regulations, identifying economic development opportunities and prioritizing education,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement. “I am hopeful that we will see Florida’s unemployment rate continue to decline as jobs grow and more Floridians find work.”
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 8.7 percent in November, was down from October’s rate of 9.3 percent and was below the year-ago rate of 9.1.percent.
GE Wind Turbine Factory Hiring For 50 Full-Time Jobs
December 17, 2011
GE Wind Energy is hiring 50 full-time employees at their Pensacola Wind Turbine and Hub Assembly plant during the first few months of 2012.
Jobs include assemblers, electrical testers and maintenance technicians.
Applications are being accepted online now at www.gewindjobs.com for the jobs, which are located at GE’s plant just off Scenic Highway north of I-10. The plant is one of the world’s largest suppliers of wind turbines.