2 Pedestrians Die in 2 Different Wrecks
March 21, 2012
Two pedestrians died in two separate wrecks in the Escambia-Santa Rosa area Tuesday night.
The first fatality was reported just before 8 p.m. near Liberty Church on South Blue Angel Parkway. The Florida Highway said 28-year old Emmanuel Jamaal Nelson of Pensacola was walking in Blue Angle Parkway when he was struck by a 1998 Ford pickup driven by 30-year old Justin Shaun Barbour of Pensacola. The are was dark, and Barbour was unable to take any evasive action, according to the FHP. Nelson was pronounced dead at the scene. No charges have been filed.
The second pedestrian was killed about 9:08 p.m. on Hwy 98 in Gulf Breeze, near the Bay Breeze Nursing Home. According to the FHP, 54-year old Deborah Lousie Rector of Gulf Breeze was hit and killed by two vehicle as she attempted to cross the road. She was struck by a 1997 Dodge Intrepid driven by 21-year old Craig Robert Schwartz of Gulf Breeze and a 2005 Lexus driven by 35-year old Gabriel Garon Benjamin of Navarre.
Welcoming Spring: Great Weather, Great Fishing
March 21, 2012
Residents at the Century Care Center took advantage of great weather on Tuesday and spent their first day of spring fishing at the facility’s Ole Mill Pond.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
U.S. Marshals Nab Maryland Bank Robber In Escambia
March 21, 2012
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested a Maryland man wanted for armed bank robbery and a number of other violent felonies Tuesday afternoon in Escambia County.
Brian Danielle Taylor, 37, was captured at 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon by the Marshals Task Force with the assistance of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and special agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Taylor was arrested without incident near the intersection of Jackson and Citrus Streets in the Brownsville area of Pensacola.
Task Force members were doing surveillance on a house on the 600 block of Citrus Street when Taylor left the home on foot and walked to Jackson Street where he was arrested.
The warrants from Chestertown, MD, charge Taylor with several counts which include armed bank robbery, robbery, first and second degree assault, reckless endangerment and theft. He also has a pending warrant from Maryland that charges him with failure to appear on traffic violations.
Taylor was booked into the Escambia County Jail and will await extradition back to Maryland.
Atmore Christian Beats Gateway
March 21, 2012
Atmore Christian School picked up another win Tuesday afternoon, defeating Gateway Academy of Bonifay 16-6 in five innings.
Atmore Christian will host Escambia Academy’s Cougars on Friday afternoon at 4:30.
Pictured top: Jonathan Bender (left), Christopher Gehman and Perry Metzer up to bat for Atmore Christian. Pictured below: Brooks Hart for ACS. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Beats Sparta
March 21, 2012
Escambia Academy took two from Sparta on Tuesday.
Escambia Academy 14 — Sparta 3
Escambia Academy’s varsity beat Sparta 14-3 on Tuesday. The Cougars scored nine of their runs in the first three innings. Michael Thompson allowed no earned runs, walked none and struck out five for EA. Jarrett Hadley was 2-3 for the Cougars with 3 RBIs, Braxton Chastang also went 2-3 with 2 RBIs, and Chance Jackson was 1-3 with 2 RBIs.
Escambia Academy 5 — Sparta 4 (JV)
Escambia Academy’s junior varsity got past Sparta 5-4 Tuesday in five. The Cougars’ Nate Smith had 2 RBIs on two hits — a homer in the first and a single in the third. Trey Smith took the win on the mound for the Cougars, striking out six, walking one and allowing two hits.
Ensley Murder Victim Indentified
March 20, 2012
A man was shot and killed on a street near Ensley in what authorities are calling an apparent drug-related incident Tuesday night.
The victim was identified Wednesday as Frederick John Ortiz, 26.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded about 7:30 p.m. to Hayworth Avenue to a report of shots fire. When they arrived, Ortiz was found shot to death, lying in the middle of the street.
The shooting remains under investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Further details have not yet been released.
Hayworth Avenue is just off Highway 29 near I-10, behind Hardees.
Pictured above: A man was shot and killed on Hayworth Street of Highway 29 Tuesday night. Photos by Bree Sison WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Woman Charged With Weekend Murder
March 20, 2012
An Escambia County woman has been arrested for a weekend murder.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office believes 18-year old Keia Alexis Clausell stabbed Shernique Kemp during a fight at Oakwood Terrace early Sunday morning.
Investigators said there has been an ongoing dispute between a group of females that culminated when a fight broke out at the apartment complex resulting in Clausell fatally stabbing Kemp in the torso.
Investigators were able to obtain a warrant Clausell after interviewing her and other witnesses.
Clausell is being held without bond. She was arrested about an hour after the Sheriff’s Office publicly named her as a suspect.
Dept. Of Corrections To Pay Century $199K To Settle Water Suit
March 20, 2012
The Town of Century will settle a lawsuit over excessive water usage with the Florida Department of Corrections for just under $200 thousand.
The Department of Corrections will pay Century $199,194.40 to settle the lawsuit that claimed the DOC did not pay for excessive water used at the Century Correctional Institution.
Under the town’s contract to provide water for Century Correctional, there is an added charge for water usage above 6 million gallons per month. In early 2009, Mayor Freddie McCall discovered that the over-usage charge was not paid for the January 2000 to May 2008 time period.
The Town of Century’s lawsuit originally claimed the the Department of Corrections owed $284,444.68, but McCall said two years of billing was not allowable due to the statute of limitations.
In 2008, the Town of Century was successful in recovering $302,488.40 from the prison system for natural gas usage at the Century Correctional Institution.
The dispute stemmed from billing practices that dated back to 2000. Under the town’s agreement with the DOC and Century Correctional Institute, the prison was to pay for natural gas at the rate of 120 percent of the town’s actual cost. The town’s billing system would generate a bill at the normal rate, then town employees would re-rate the bill and send a new bill about 10 days later at the 120 percent rate.
Pictured: Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Scott Signs State Worker Drug Testing Law
March 20, 2012
In a move that likely will draw a constitutional challenge, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday signed a controversial law that would allow random drug testing of state employees.
Scott, who prompted a federal court fight last year when he issued an executive order to begin drug testing, quietly notified the Secretary of State at 5:10 p.m. that he had signed the bill.
The Republican-dominated Legislature overwhelmingly approved the measure (HB 1205) this month, with supporters saying the private sector already uses such programs to improve safety and worker productivity.
“I’ve had a drug-free workplace for more than 20 years,” Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, said before a vote on the final day of the legislative session. “I believe that it has contributed to higher quality employees.”
But legislative opponents and groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida argued repeatedly during the recently completed legislative session that the idea would violate state employees’ constitutional rights.
“We’re talking less personal freedom without probable cause,” Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, said during the debate. “This is more government intrusion and more costs.”
The bill would allow, but not require, agencies to conduct random testing every three months. Agencies would use a computer system to choose employees to be tested, with the total not exceeding 10 percent of the agency workforce.
Also, agencies would have to pay for the tests out of their overall budgets, which would help prevent additional costs to the state. The law takes effect July 1.
Scott issued an executive order last year to start employee drug testing, but the order is largely on hold because of a court challenge. The Department of Corrections has continued with drug testing during the challenge.
Supporters dismissed arguments that HB 1205 would violate workers’ constitutional rights. But the legal fight likely will center on whether government agencies have the right to conduct “suspicionless” drug tests of workers.
A House staff analysis said that some of the issues that “may be arguable are whether the suspicionless drug testing of public employees or job applicants contravenes reasonable expectations of privacy and whether the government has a special need for such drug testing that outweighs the privacy interests of such employees and applicants.”
By The News Service of Florida
Century Joins Flomaton With 4th Fireworks Plans
March 20, 2012
The Town of Century has joined Flomaton in plans for a joint Fourth of July fireworks show.
Both towns have now agreed to chip in $1,500 each toward a $5,000 fireworks show to be held at Century’s Showalter Park. The remaining $2,000 will come from chambers of commerce and other sponsors.
Last year, both towns sponsored a fireworks show at Hurricane Park in Flomaton. Century agreed to help pay for the show only if the town’s alternated being the host for the event each year.
Pictured: The 2011 Fourth of July Fireworks Show at Hurricane Park in Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.