Volunteers Needed For Cold Weather Shelter
January 6, 2011
The Town of Century is seeking volunteer groups to staff and manage a cold weather shelter.
The town will provide the building and pay the costs of operating the cold weather shelter on an as-needed basis, according to Mayor Freddie McCall. The town, he said, needs a church or other organization willing to manage the shelter and provided volunteers for staffing.
For more information, contact McCall at (850) 256-3208.
Man Charged With Shooting Neighbor’s Dog
January 6, 2011
A Cantonment man is facing two felony charges for allegedly shooting and killing his neighbor’s dog.
Vincent Jerome Clay, 42, was released from the Escambia County Jail on $5,000 bond. He was charged with a weapons offense for using a firearm during a felony and animal cruelty after Clay’s neighbor on Calloway Street told Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies that Clay shot and killed a Rottweiler name Barak.
Clay reportedly claimed that the dog had had killed his goats. The dog’s owner, Lula Mae Wilson, said she paid him $100 for the goats. Wilson tethered the dog in her yard, but it escaped. That’s when, according to the police report, Clay shot the dog with his shotgun. Deputies found the dog dead under his house along with freshly splattered blood.
Clay will be arraigned on January 27.
2010 Persons Of The Year: Jack Moran
January 6, 2011
NorthEscambia.com is naming Persons of the Year for 2010 each day this week. Click here for previous recipients.
Jack Moran of Century has posthumously been named one of our North Escambia Persons of the Year.
Moran served a director of the Arts Council of Northwest Florida, a director of The Century Community Development Partnership and a director of the East Hill Academy for autistic children. He was founder and director of the Arts Committee of North Escambia County Florida, a director of the African-American Historical Society, founder and director of The Teaspoon Foundation and he was an active member of his political party’s County Executive Committee.
He also served as one of the founding organizers and member of the board of the Century Community Development Partnership, Inc., a non-profit organization with a mission that included working toward affordable housing in the rural communities of north Florida following the devastating hurricanes of 2004 and 2005.
Moran loved Century and passionately fought to help make Century a better place to live. He strongly encouraged people to get involved in what was going on in their community and attend town council, school board and other meetings.
As a board member of the Early Learning Coalition which introduced the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to the children of Century and surrounding areas. Over 300 area children have been enrolled in the program and now receive a free book each month until they turn five years old.
Moran also worked to bring “Opera in a Box” to the students at Bratt and Byrneville elementary schools, along with several presentations by Ballet Pensacola.
Moran was vested as “Sir Wallace”, a Knight in the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem (OSJ) by Crown Prince Michael.
Born Wallace David Moran in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he was a Navy, USMC, Seabee veteran and recipient of the American Spirit Honor Medal. After finishing graduate school, he was hired by his personal mentor, Charles Tandy, chairman of the Tandy Corp.
Later, he owned his own small business, designing and manufacturing children’s furniture and wood toys, and a retail antique business from in Louisiana. He was the father of twins -a boy and a girl – and a step-daughter.
After his son died at the age of 25 from a rare form of cancer, he worked from Northwest Florida as a business development and reorganization consultant, mortgage broker, business broker and fraud examiner.
In his retirement, Moran continued to work with his wife Julie, who is managing partner of Century Pharmacy, L.L.C.
Moran passed away July 20, 2010. He was 68.
Pictured: Jack Moran and his wife Julie.
Half Million Dollar Expansion Planned For Cantonment Park
January 5, 2011
A nearly half million dollar expansion is planned for the Cantonment Athletic Park.
The Escambia County Commission is set to award the $492,197.50 contract to low-bidder Roads, Inc., of NWF at their regular Thursday night meeting. The project consists of the addition of two multi-use practice fields at the park, including a grass parking lot, landscaping and drainage improvements.
The proposed site is currently wooded and almost completely surrounded by wetlands. A Florida Department of Environmental Protection permit will allow access to the site from the current park with a paved entrance road with a culvert structure.
The park expansion will be funded with local option sales tax monies.
There were a total of nine companies that bid on the project. The second lowest bidder was Gulf Equipment Corp. at $509,312.50 while the highest bid was $653,243.57 from J.B. Coxwell Contracting, Inc.
The Cantonment Athletic Park is an 80 acre regional park at 681 Well Line Road. The park has 12 baseball and softball fields, one football field, restrooms, concessions, playground and security lights. A partnership with Cantonment Baseball Club and Cantonment Football Club provides for various youth athletic programs at the park.
Pictured: An aerial view of the Cantonment Athletic Park showing 12 baseball and softball fields and one football field. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wanted Walnut Hill Man Now Behind Bars
January 5, 2011
A wanted Walnut Hill man is now behind bars, about a month after deputies asked for the public’s help in finding him.
In early December, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office asked for the public’s help in locating Floyd Scott Mooney, 39, on multiple outstanding warrants.
Tuesday afternoon, Mooney was booked into the Escambia County Jail on felony charges of aggravated stalking and misdemeanor charges of stalking and three counts of contempt of court for violating a domestic violence injunction. He was being held on $25,000 bond.
Putnam Focusing On Jobs For Rural Florida
January 5, 2011
Adam Putnam is focusing on creating jobs for rural Florida.
Flanked by his four children and wife, Melissa, Putnam became the commissioner of the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services on Tuesday moments before Gov. Rick Scott took his oath and delivered his inaugural address.
Putman, a fifth-generation Florida farmer who left his Polk County-based seat in the U.S. Congress to run for agricultural commissioner last year, swore his oath on a Bible that has recorded births in his family since 1867, he said during a reception in his new office.
The oath was administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady, who preceded Putnam in representing the 12th Congressional District. Putnam, a cattle rancher who was elected to Congress in 2000 when he was just 26 and to the Florida House at just 22, pledged to use his new post to help Scott fulfill his campaign promise to put the state back to work.
“We’re focused on anything that we can (develop) out of the agricultural industry, using clean energy, renewable energy opportunities to create jobs in rural Florida,” he said. “I think that holds the greatest promise. Agriculture – of our three pillars of the economy – is still the strongest, even after these weather events.”
Last November, Putnam defeated Democrat Scott Maddox 56 percent to 38 percent in a low-profile campaign to replace term-limited former Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Bronson. Putnam said Tuesday that Bronson left a “strong legacy,” during his eight years as agricultural commissioner and promised to continue his Farm-to-Fuel program to increase the use of biofuels, which most experts agree is the most available clean energy type in Florida.
“That’s what we intend to build on,” he said. “Seizing on the new opportunities that are there, for Florida to not only provide the food and fiber for the nation, but also homegrown fuel. We want to make sure we keep the climate, keep the environment that allows agriculture to prosper, but also explore some of these new marketing opportunities that will create processing jobs and logistical jobs for rural Florida.”
Now that he is in charge of a $100 billion industry that touches a third of the state’s landmass, Putnam said his office would play a “critically important role” in the state’s promised economic recovery.
“With tourism and construction still facing hardship, agriculture is really a bedrock industry for job creation and economic development that (does not get) the attention and glory the other industries sometimes do,” he said.
As for his own inauguration, Putnam said “it’s just a thrill.” He was the third-highest Republican in Congress as chairman of U.S. House Republican Conference until the GOP lost the chamber in 2006 and had been rumored as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate seat won by Marco Rubio in 2010.
“It’s a great day for the state of Florida, an exciting time, a new beginning for not only the new governor, but the new Cabinet, an opportunity to roll up our sleeves and do everything we can to create an environment to bring that unemployment rate down and create new opportunities for Floridians,” Putnam said.
Pictured: Adam Putnam during a campaign stop in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Story By Keith Laing
The News Service Florida
Northview High NJROTC Cadets Attend Military Ball
January 5, 2011
The Northview High School NJROTC recently held their annual Military Ball at the Naval Aviation Museum aboard Pensacola Naval Air Station.
The ball included the presentation of the staff and seniors from each school and a POW/MIA ceremony. A king and queen, and junior, sophomore and freshman prince and princess selected by the cadets’ peers were named.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
The following were named to the Northview Military Ball court:
- King and Queen: Elliot Ross and Shaniqua Jones
- Junior Prince and Princess: Jody Day and Kayla Miles
- Sophomore Prince and Princess: Jonathan Moretz and Jessica Mahon
- Freshman Prince and Princess: Willie Owens and Kasie Braun
“Everyone had a great time. The cadets are already looking forward to next year’s ball,” said Capt. Charlie Code, Northview NJROTC instructor.
Over 120 cadets and their dates attended the joint event with Washington High School.
Pictured top: Sophomore Prince and Princess Jonathan Moretz and Jessica Mahon at the Northview High School Military Ball. Pictured below: Freshman Prince and Princess Willie Owens and Kasie Braun. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2010 Persons Of The Year: Educator Peter R. (Pete) Gindl, Sr.
January 5, 2011
NorthEscambia.com is naming Persons of the Year for 2010 each day this week. Click here for previous recipients.
Peter R. (Pete) Gindl, Sr. of Barrineau Park has posthumously been named one of our North Escambia Persons of the Year.
Gindl was fresh out of college back in 1957 when friends first convinced the political newcomer to run for the school board. He was a product of the Escambia School District and a graduate of Auburn. But he really did not know much about the office that was about to propel him into a lifelong quest to help children succeed.
“I was just fresh out of college, a single fellow, when a group of friends convinced me to run for the school board. I had a college education, and the other guy did not,” Gindl said in a 2008 NorthEscambia.com interview. “I didn’t know anything about the school board, but I ran. And I won — by 36 votes.”
Election after election, he continued to win, remaining on the school board for twenty years before deciding to “retire” and teach. He then spent 18 years in the classroom before “retiring” from teaching in 1996. While he supported the family as a farmer (he held an agricultural education degree, after all) for nearly 50 years, the second retirement was not forever. Education was just in his blood somewhere.
In 2004, the Escambia County native returned to the school board in District 5, ousting Linda Finkelstein from her seat. Gindl had plans to return to the board for another term in 2008, but District 5 voters had another plan, as they elected Bill Slayton to Gindl’s seat.
In all, the man that fought tirelessly for the children of District 5 and all of Escambia County spent 24 years on the Escambia County School Board — 16 years as chairman. He also served a year and a half as president of the Florida School Board Association.
But he considered his 18 years in the classroom as the most rewarding period of his career.
“I’m going to miss it,” he said in November, 2008, just hours before his school board term officially came to an end. “I’ll miss working with the parents, the educational personnel, everyone that cares about the kids. It has always been about the children…I just love the children.”
Gindl passed away May 16, 2010.
Man Gets 20 Years For Robbery, Stolen Steaks In His Pants
January 5, 2011
An Escambia County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday for attempting to steal a pack of steaks he had hidden inside his pants.
State Attorney Bill Eddins said Tuesday that Stephen Trevor Montgomery was sentenced as a habitual felony offender to 20 years in state prison by Judge Ronald Swanson.
On November 23, 2010, Montgomery was found guilty by an Escambia County jury of robbery with a weapon, improper exhibition of a weapon, battery, and trespassing.
On March 30, 2010, Montgomery attempted to leave the Barnes Supermarket with a family pack of steaks he put down the front of his pants. The victim, a loss prevention officer at the store, reached for the steaks when the defendant grabbed him by his wrists and the two began to struggle. The victim followed Montgomery outside where defendant pulled a knife and pointed it at him. The defendant ran from the area and was apprehended a short time later.
Montgomery had been previously convicted of seven felonies and fourteen misdemeanors, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
Help Needed To Count The Homeless In Escambia, Santa Rosa
January 5, 2011
The EscaRosa Coalition on the Homeless needs your help to count the homeless in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties later this month.
The organization needs at least 100 volunteers to help with the annual Escambia/Santa Rosa Point-in-Time Count and Homeless Survey to be conducted January 26 and 27. Volunteers are needed throughout the two counties, including the northern areas like North Escambia.
Some of the volunteers will help persons in homeless shelters complete the annual survey forms, while other volunteers will seek out the homeless in other areas, including the outdoors.
For more information, or to sign up to help, visit www.ecoh.org. The deadline to apply is January 9.
The complete count is used by area officials to obtain government and private foundation money to aid the homeless.