Blue Wahoos Win Opener
April 6, 2012
Pensacola third baseman Henry Rodriguez drove in all three runs and blasted the first home run in team history as Pensacola defeated the Montgomery Biscuits in their inaugural season opener in front of a capacity crowd of 5,038 on Thursday night at Pensacola’s Maritime Park.
Shortstop Didi Gregorius drew a two-out walk in the eighth with the score tied to set the stage for Rodriguez, who mashed a two-run shot to left-center to break the draw. After returning to the dugout, Rodriguez obliged the Blue Wahoos faithful with a curtain call.
Pensacola reliever Justin Freeman (1.2 IP, 1 SO) earned the very-first victory in the club’s history after firing 1.2 scoreless innings in support of Villarreal, while Donnie Joseph (0.2 IP, 2 SO) notched his first save of the year by fanning both hitters he faced. Montgomery reliever Frank De Los Santos (2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss after giving up two earned runs on four hits in 2.2 innings.
Biscuits third baseman Cole Figueroa led both sides with three hits, while Blue Wahoos second baseman Brodie Greene was the lone Pensacola batter with a multi-hit game.
Montgomery and Pensacola will face off again tomorrow in the second of five-games during the opening homestand at Pensacola’s bayfront ballpark. Right-hander Curtis Partch is slated to get the nod for the Blue Wahoos, while he is scheduled to be opposed by Biscuits righty Alex Colome. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm.
By Andrew Green/Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Pictured top: The Blue Angels perform a flyover during the Pensacola Blue Wahoos opener Thursday evening. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Russell for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Fire Truck Wreck
April 6, 2012
There were no injuries Thursday afternoon in a fire truck wreck near Nokomis, Alabama
A Nokomis (Ala.) Volunteer Fire Department tanker truck came to rest in a ditch on Johnson Road while the driver was responding to a reported brush fire. Tires on the passenger side of the tanker truck were a few feet into the air, while the driver’s side of the vehicle came to rest on a ditch embankment which prevented the truck from rolling over.
The accident is under investigation by Alabama State Troopers. Further details have not been released.
Johnson Road is in Escambia County, Alabama, near the Baldwin County line — just a short distance northwest of the extreme northwestern corner of Florida.
Pictured: A Nokomis (Ala.) Volunteer Fire Department tanker truck in a ditch Thursday afternoon near the Escambia/Baldwin county line. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Beats Pine Forest
April 6, 2012
The Tate Aggies added two more to the win column Thursday night.
Tate 3 — Pine Forest 0
Tate 10 — Pine Forest 1 (JV)
The Tate Aggies moved to 16-2, 9-1 in the district with a 3-0 victory over Pine Forest Thursday night.
Cody Palmer threw another complete game shutout allowing only five hits while striking out three. Backed up by a flawless defense, he improved his record to 7-0 on the season.
The Aggies are back in action Friday night, traveling to Pace in their final regular season meeting. Game time is 7:00.
In junior varsity action, Tate beat Pine Forest 10-1. Friday’s junior varsity game has been canceled.
Motorcyclist Seriously Injured, Charged With Causing Wreck
April 6, 2012
A motorcyclist was seriously injured in a Thursday afternoon wreck on Nine Mile Road, and he was charged with causing the crash.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 48-year old Timothy Lee Wright was in a turn lane into Walgreens at Nine Mile and Pine Forest Roads. The turn lane came to an end, but Wright did not turn and continued into the path of a 1995 GMC pickup driven by 18-year old Tyler-Mikel Shawn Workman.
Wright was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. He was charged with improper passing on the right, according to the FHP.
Workman was not injured.
Pictured: The driver of this motorcycle was charged by the FHP following this crash at Nine Mile and Pine Forest roads Thursday afternoon. Submitted photo by Jesse Johnson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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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