State Set To Replace Escambia’s Worst Bridge
October 5, 2011
Plans are underway to replace Escambia County’s worst bridge, but it will be several years before it happens.
The county-owned Fannie Road bridge over Dead Lake, just northeast of Century, is now set to be replaced by the Florida Department of Transportation. In a 2010 report, the bridge was number one on the county’s wooden structure bridge replacement priority list.
The 121 foot bridge has a 10 ton weight limit. The estimated price tag to replace the bridge is $1.48 million.
The contract to replace the 51-year old bridge is not set to be let until 2014. Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission is expected to approve a contract with FDOT that would require the county to maintain the bridge once it is complete.
Bridges like the one on Fannie Road are not dangerous, according to county officials, but they are aging and in need of replacement before they become dangerous. While drivers see asphalt on the surface of the bridge, what they don’t see is the wood structure underneath.
Other North Escambia wooden substructure bridges that are considered structurally deficient, with date of construction and replacement cost, are:
- Beck’s Lake Road across an unnamed branch, 1968, $640,000
- Pineville Road at Long Hollow Creek, 1968, $610,000
- Tungoil Road at McDavid Creek 1969, $860,000
- Lambert Bridge Road at Pine Barren Creek, 1967, $2.24 million
- Brickyard Road at an unnamed branch, 1960, $640,000
- Bet Raines Road at Jack’s Branch, 1967, $610,000
- Occie Phillips Road at Brushy Creek, 1968, $1 million
Pictured above and below: The Florida Department of transportation is set to let the contract to replace this Fannie Road bridge over Dead Lake in 2014. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Beats Blacksher
October 5, 2011
Ernest Ward Middle School defeated the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs Tuesday night 28-20. With the win on the road in Uriah, Alabama, the EWMS Eagles improved to 3-2 on the season. Ernest Ward will host the Excel Panthers on October 11. Photo by Wayne Holland for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Park, Jim Allen Among 17 Escambia County “Five Star Schools”
October 5, 2011
Molino Park and Jim Allen elementary schools are amount 17 in Escambia County that have received the Five Star School Award from the Florida Department of Education.
The award was established to recognize outstanding community involvement in schools across the state. In order to qualify, schools must demonstrate high levels of participation in business partnerships, family involvement, volunteers, student community service and school advisory councils.
The Five Star School Award was the 12th for Jim Allen Elementary and the second for Molino Park Elementary.
Here is the complete list of Escambia County’s Five Star School Award winners:
- Jim Allen Elementary
- Bellview Elementary
- Beulah Elementary
- Blue Angels Elementary
- Hellen Caro Elementary
- N.B. Cook Elementary School of the Arts
- Cordova Park Elementary
- Ensley Elementary
- Ferry Pass Elementary
- Lipscomb Elementary
- McArthur Elementary
- Molino Park Elementary
- Navy Point Elementary
- Pleasant Grove Elementary
- Scenic Heights Elementary
- Suter Elementary
- Warrington Elementary
Pictured: Students and staff at Molino Park Elementary School. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Woman Lead Plaintiff In Federal Labor Suit Against Clearwire
October 5, 2011
A Century woman is one of two lead plaintiffs in a suit against the Clearwire call center in East Milton, claiming the company did not pay them for work they performed.
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Pensacola by the law firm of Nichols Kaster, PLLP, which has offices in Minneapolis and San Francisco.
Demetria Stallworth of Century and Natalie Baker of Pensacola were both customer service representatives at the company from August 2009 to August 2011.
Baker and Stallworth allege in their complaint that Clear Wireless required customer service representatives, and those with similar job titles, to perform unpaid work before or after their shift. That work included time spent booting-up computers, initializing software programs, and reviewing work related emails and internet messages. They claim that Clear Wireless expected them to be ready to answer calls when their scheduled shift started but did not pay them for the time they spent getting ready to take these calls.
“When companies require their call center employees to perform work before or after their scheduled phone shifts, the law requires them to compensate them for it. Through this case, we will try to get these employees paid for every minute they worked,” said Nichols Kaster partner Michele Fisher.
Since the suit was filed in federal court on behalf of Stallworth and Baker, about two dozen other plaintiffs have joined the action.
Clearwire has denied the allegations in a response filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
Volleyball: NHS Falls To Catholic
October 5, 2011
The Northview varsity and junior varsity fell to Catholic High School Tuesday evening in high school volleyball action.
The Chiefs will be in action again Thursday — the JV at 5:00 and the Varsity at 6:00 — in a “Dig Pink” game for breast cancer awareness against the Flomaton Hurricanes.
Varsity
Northview lost to Catholic 13-25, 8-25, 17-25.
Misty Doran had three aces, one kill, a block and a couple of digs for the Lady Chiefs, while Taylor Roberson had two digs. Morgan Payne record an ace and a kill for Northview, as Paeton Hadley added a kill and two digs.
With the loss, Northview’s varsity record stands at 4-13 overall, 3-3 in the district.
Junior Varsity
Northview lost to Catholic, 11-25, 13-25.
Rebecca Grim has an ace, four kills and two digs for the Lady Chiefs, as Danielle Steadham added a kill, a block and a dig. Tiffani Pritchett contributed three assists and an block for Northview, while Kyndall Hall posted one kill, one assist and two digs.
The JV Lady Chiefs are 7-7 overall, 3-1 in district play.
Volleyball: Jay, Flomaton Split
October 5, 2011
The Jay Royals and the Flomaton Hurricanes split varsity and junior varsity volleyball Tuesday.
In varsity action, the Flomaton Lady Hurricanes beat the Jay Lady Royals 11-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-17.
In junior varsity action, Jay beat Flomaton, 25-16, 22-25, 15-10.
Two Convicted, Face Life For Home Depot Drug Deal
October 5, 2011
Two Escambia County men have been convicted of carjacking and robbery in connection with a May drug deal in the parking lot of Home Depot on Nine Mile Road.
Otis Charles Foster, Jr., was convicted of principal to carjacking with a firearm, robbery with a firearm, and armed kidnapping with a weapon. Co-defendant Tevin Akeem Nettles was also convicted of carjacking with a firearm, robbery with a firearm, and armed kidnapping with a weapon. A third defendant, Andre Cookm is scheduled for trial on November 21.
According to State Attorney Bill Eddins, the victim was set to meet Foster to buy drugs in the parking lot of Home Depot on Nine Mile Road. All three defendants arrived in the same car. Nettles and Cook got in the victim’s car, with Nettles holding the victim at gunpoint while Foster and Cook took the victim’s money, iPod, CD player, cell phone and speakers.
The victim called authorities, and all three defendants were found within one mile of the robbery. Otis Foster was found on a front porch within arm’s reach of the stolen items, according to testimony. Nettles was found in a car which contained the stolen cd player.
Judge Joel Boles scheduled sentencing for November 3. Both Foster and Nettles face a maximum of life in state prison.
Two Escambia High Coaches Arrested
October 4, 2011
Two Escambia High School coaches have been arrested, charged with obstruction of justice.
Head Coach Scott Anderson (pictured) and Assistant Coach Timothy Jansky turned themselves in this morning at the Escambia County Jail on the misdemeanor charge.
The charges stem from a September 19th incident where one student struck another student. According to the report and witnesses, both Anderson and Jansky approached the victim
of the battery on separate occasions and told him that if he pursued charges against the suspect, they could not guarantee his safety and the student would not play football.
According to an arrest report, Escambia Principal Michael Sherrill, told Anderson that he was “to stay out of the matter and allow law enforcement to do their job”.
Anderson and Jansky were released on their own recognizance. Both are on paid administrative leave from the school.
Editor’s note: The Sheriff’s Office did not release Jansky’s mugshot. His arrest report lists him as a “law enforcement official, former, spouse, or child of LEO”.
Century Woman Caught Dealing Lortab From Lakeview Center Van
October 4, 2011
Police say they arrested two people in a van from Lakeview Center in Century for dealing prescription narcotics Monday morning.
“We received information that Lortabs were being sold from the Lakeview van,” said Flomaton Police Chief Geoff McGraw.
McGraw performed a traffic stop on a van registered to Lakeview Center, Inc. at a Highway 29 gas station in Flomaton about 10:30 Monday morning. Driver Carol Brown, age 46 of Murphy Street Brewton, and passenger Sue Johnson, age 47 of Highway 4 Century, were taken into custody at the time of the traffic stop.
McGraw said officers discovered that Brown, an employee of Lakeview Center, had picked up Johnson in Century and transported her to Flomaton to sell Lortabs. In Flomaton, Johnson met with an unnamed subject and sold an undisclosed number of Lortab, according to police. After the sale was completed, Johnson and Brown began to travel back toward Century before being stopped by police.
Johnson was charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. Brown was charged with conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime. Both were booked in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton.
McCraw said Brown had 38 Lortab pills in her possession at the time of the traffic stop.
The investigation was a joint operation of the Flomaton Police Department and the Brewton Police Department Narcotics Division.
Health Officials Warn Of Syphilis Outbreak In Escambia County
October 4, 2011
There is an outbreak of syphilis cases in Escambia County, according to the Escambia County Health Department.
So far this year, 69 cases of syphilis have been reported — a number equivalent to last year’s total. Before this outbreak began, the county averaged 25 cases a year. Local health officials are consulting with Florida regional and state health officials to combat the increase of syphilis infections.
Syphilis is spread by intimate contact with an infected partner. Left untreated, it can lead to severe disease and even death. Studies indicate a two to five times increased risk for transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in the presence of syphilis. Syphilis may also be transmitted from an infected pregnant woman to her baby. These infants are at risk of lifelong disabilities and death.
The Escambia County Health Department is encouraging inviduals to be aware of the signs and symptoms of syphilis. In the initial stage, a sore might be visible in the genital area or the mouth (usually painless). In the second stage, a rash on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet, moist lesions in the mouth, and/or unexplained hair loss may develop. When sores and lesions are present, they are extremely infectious, and intimate contact with them should be avoided. Early syphilis can include periods of “latency” with no outward signs or symptoms. Individuals experiencing these symptoms, or who have experienced them in the past should see their physician or local clinic for testing and treatment.
The best way to prevent syphilis is not to have sex with an infected partner. The health department said it is important to know your partner’s syphilis status. Proper use of a latex condom can help protect against acquired HIV, syphilis and a number of other sexually transmitted diseases.
Syphilis can be detected through a simple blood test at a physician’s office or clinic. Several local clinics provide free or low cost screening, diagnosis and treatment services. The Escambia County Health Department also provides these services.
For more information on local low cost clinics or for the Escambia County Health Department’s STD clinic hours and fees, visit www.escambiahealth.com or call (850) 595-6532.