Weather: A Cooling Off Period
February 19, 2012
Temperatures are expected to drop during the day on Sunday, with lows back in the 30’s overnight.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. North wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- President’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south.
- Monday Night: Isolated showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 73. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 56. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 72. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. South wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. West wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
- Thursday Night: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Friday: Isolated showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Friday Night: Isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Brewton Bank Robber May Have Headed To Florida
February 19, 2012
The search is continuing for an Alabama bank robber that authorities said may have fled into Florida.
The Bank of Brewton was robbed in the early afternoon hours on Friday. Due to the bandit’s unique disguise, authorities were unable to determine if the robber was male or female.
The suspect walked into the bank through a public boardwalk entrance at the rear of the building and demanded cash and fled out the same door. Authorities are not sure exactly how the bandit left the area following the robbery, but they now say the bandit may have headed to Florida.
A manhunt followed the robbery involving multiple agencies including the Brewton Police Department, East Brewton Police Department, the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office, a K-9 team from the Century Correctional Institution and the FBI.
“This isn’t your normal situation,” Lt. Brock Holt of the Brewton Police Department said.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call their local law enforcement agency.
Pictured: Three images from video surveillance inside the Bank of Brewton Friday afternoon. Submitted for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Saturday Night Murder Under Investigation
February 19, 2012
A Saturday night murder in Escambia County is under investigation.
The Pensacola Police Department found a man dead outside of an apartment at Gonzalez Court at Ninth Avenue and Fischer Street, according to Sgt. Bruce Martin.
Martin said it is believed the man was outside of an apartment when he was shot about 8:15 p.m. A motive for the shooting has not been established, and there were no arrests reported Saturday night.
The name of the victim has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
Saturday Rains Cause Minor Flooding (With Reader Flooding Photos)
February 19, 2012
A line of showers and thunderstorms moved through the North Escambia area Saturday, bringing a lot of rain but very little damage.
Rainfall amounts reported at weather stations across the area were:
- Atmore 3.38
- Bratt 2.75
- Brewton 2.7
- Byrneville 2.50
- Cantonment 2.42
- Jay 2.62
- Molino Park 2.07
- Walnut Hill 2.31
The only official storm reports in the area were from Escambia County, Ala., according to the National Weather Service:
- Trees and power lines were reported downed in Freemanville and Poarch, Ala.
- Several trees were blown down in Appleton, Ala.
- Trees were downed across I-65 south of Atmore
Pictured: NorthEscambia.com reader-submitted wet weather photos from Saturday. Top of page: Atmore. Pictured below: Rain photos) from Pollard, Century, Atmore, Nokomis, Byrneville and Molino. Click to enlarge.
Cantonment Woman Facing Weapon, Drug Charges
February 19, 2012
A Cantonment woman is facing multiple charges after an incident near I-10 and Highway 29.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, deputies made contact with Ashley Suzanne Kittrell standing outside her vehicle parked at the dead end of Westmont Street. A deputy spotted a 12-inch long kitchen knife under the driver’s seat of her pickup truck. Also in the vehicle, deputies discovered a pipe, synthetic marijuana, rolling papers and other alleged drug paraphernalia. A deputy also reported finding a jar in her pocket that contained powered cocaine and a plastic straw in her bra that field test positive for the presence of cocaine.
Kittrell, 34, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a concealed weapon. Kittrell was later released from the Escambia County Jail on a $4,000 bond.
East Pond Street To Close
February 19, 2012
A portion of East Pond Street in Century will be closed beginning Tuesday.
East Pond Street, from Ramar Street to Jefferson Avenue is scheduled to be closed from 7 a.m. Tuesday, February 21 to 5 p.m. on Monday, February 27. The road is being closed for work on a Jefferson Avenue and Pond Street area drainage improvement project.
Weekend Gardening: Freshly Delivered Seed Catalogs
February 19, 2012
Seed catalogs are arriving in the mailbox. This is an excellent time to browse and decide what you would like to include in your spring garden.
Vegetables are typically started by either directly sowing the seed into a prepared garden bed or starting the seeds indoors and then transplanting the seedling into the garden. Each method has pros and cons.
There are some vegetables that do not transplant easily. These include bean, corn, cucumber, cantaloupe, mustard, peas, squash, turnips and watermelon. For these difficult-to-transplant plants, it’s best to sow the seed directly into the garden.
Many vegetables, however, can be easily transplanted as seedlings. Starting them indoors offers several advantages
.
- For seeds that are expensive, such as many of the newer hybrids, seeding indoors to raise transplants conserves seeds. A higher germination rate and more high-quality plants can be produced under controlled environmental conditions.
- You can avoid adverse weather by starting seeds indoors during cool weather, and then move outdoors, when the weather warms up.
- Earlier harvest is more attainable by using transplants than by direct seeding in the field.
- You get to choose the best seedlings to be planted in the garden.
- Starting seeds indoors in a soilless media helps reduce seedling decay. The disease-free, precise environment of a planting pot is more ideal for seed germination and seedling growth than is the garden soil.
Vegetables that are easily started indoors and transplanted include beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, collards, endive, lettuce and tomato. Others that can be transplanted but may require some care include carrot, celery, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, leek, onion, and pepper.
There are a wide variety of containers available for starting seeds for transplants. Just be sure that they are clean and free of disease organisms. Also be sure that your containers drain well. Standing water promotes damping-off diseases.
It is essential that the growing medium be free of diseases, insects, and weed seeds. The medium needs to be loose, well-drained, and fine-textured. The best growing medium will have the best combination of good moisture-holding capacity, good drainage, and high nutrient retention capability.
It is too risky to use outside soil for raising transplants. If soil is contaminated, seedlings may be lost due to disease. Use a commercially prepared seedling mix. It is worth the cost of commercial media to ensure that the seed germination rate is high and that the quality of the seedling is excellent.
It is best to dampen the growing medium thoroughly before sowing seeds. This will ensure good distribution of water throughout the container while minimizing the chance of washing or splashing small seeds away.
Little water is needed before seedlings emerge. Too much water will promote damping-off organisms. Once seedlings emerge, check them for dryness and water as needed. Never allow seedlings to wilt. Once again, be sure there is good drainage so containers never sit in water.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Freshman Aggies Beat West Fla.
February 19, 2012
The Freshman Tate Aggies beat the West Florida Jaguars 11-4 on Saturday.
The Freshman Aggies will be in action again next Saturday at Washington High School and will travel to Escambia on Tuesday, February 28.
Boyett Named To Dean’s List At University Of Vermont
February 19, 2012
Madison Boyett of Molino has been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Vermont for the second consecutive semester. Boyett is a 2010 graduate of Pensacola Junior College Adult High and began college in August 2010.
She is the daughter of Lynn and Debbie Boyett, and the granddaughter of Kenneth and Marie Bryan.
Submitted photo for NorthEsambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Arrested On 78 Animal Cruelty Charges: Report Offers Complete Details
February 18, 2012
Three days after the first animals of about 90 animals were seized from a Lawson Lane home, a Cantonment man is behind bars on animal cruelty charges, and an arrest warrant is providing a complete look at exactly what investigators found on his property.
Roger Legrande Kervin, 66, was charged with 13 counts of felony cruelty to animals and 65 misdemeanor counts of confinement of animals without sufficient food, water or exercise. He is being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $97,500.
Wednesday, Kervin spoke out in his own defense, saying that he had doing nothing wrong. Kervin said he keeps the dogs in good shape for wild hog hunting, often using the wild pork to feed people at charity events.
This was not the first time Kervin has faced animal abuse charges. According to court records, he was sentenced to probation in 1992 for using animals to bait or fight other animals.
Editor’s note: The following information, from the State Attorney’s Office arrest warrant affidavit, is graphic and may be disturbing to some readers.
Escambia County Animal Control seized 20 dogs on Tuesday, February 14. According to an affidavit, several of the dogs were emaciated while some displayed open sores and infections. Some of the dogs were aggressive and had puncture wounds and scarring. One of the dogs was in a seizure and was in need of immediate medical attention. Another suffered a ruptured anus.
The pen were the dogs were kept were filled with feces and mud that was several inches deep with limited to no shelter. The dogs had no potable water and no food. Several where tethered with “large” or “heavy” chains. Ten of the 20 dogs –both hounds, bulldogs and mixed breeds — that were seized Tuesday were euthanized.
The affidavit details the condition of each euthanized dog. In addition to being emaciated, one or more of the dogs suffered from conjunctivitis in both eyes, sores, infections, infected toenails and fly sores.
“Several of the dogs had puncture wounds and scarring consistent with fighting,” the arrest warrant states.
In addition to the seized dogs, Escambia County Animal Control found two dead goats, one dead hog and nine skeletal remains. Another 23 dogs on the premises were living in feces-covered pens with non-potable water, no food and limited to no shelter. There were 16 hogs kept in a pen with escape from their slop which contained feces, urine, food and mud. The hogs also had no drinking water and no food. There was, according to the report, a dead hog in the same pen as the live hog. There were 16 goats, five of which were at large on Lawson Lane. Some were malnourished and their pen had no grazing material.
When the State Attorney’s Office, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Animal control returned on Wednesday with a search warrant, 23 dogs, 16 goats, 16 hogs and two piglets were seized. Authorities also seized treadmills and unspecified medications. The animals were in poor living conditions, but authorities noted that conditions had improved from the previous day. Fresh sand and dirt and been placed in all of the pens and shelters to cover the feces and mud. At least one standing pen had been washed out with a hose to remove feces from the bottom.
Pictured above and below: Roger Kervin’s property on Lawson Lane. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
