No Serious Injuries In Century Wreck
March 8, 2011
There were no serious injuries reported in a wreck Tuesday afternoon in Century.
One vehicle reportedly hit a tree near the intersection of Fannie Road and Old Flomaton Road about 4:10 p.m.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
And They’re Off: 2011 Florida Legislative Session Opens
March 8, 2011
The Florida Legislature began their annual sessions Tuesday morning, with both the House and Senate on the floor.
House Speaker Dean Cannon said Tuesday in session opening remarks that lawmakers won’t bow to simple politics of soundbites, fear and anger. While hitting highlights of problems the House will try to address, from prescription drug addiction to courts he says have overstepped, Cannon also lashed out at Washington, saying that many of the problems lawmakers face – including the state’s budget shortfall – were created at least in part by a federal government that has created “a paralyzing web of entitlement programs.”
Senate President Mike Haridopolos (pictured) returned to familiar themes of curbing Medicaid spending increases and making state employees contribute to their retirement in a 15-minute opening day speech that also including a gentle warning to Gov. Rick Scott that 2011 may not be the year to provide property tax or corporate income tax relief as the state climbs out of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. “Whether we can actually reduce taxes, at the present time, in a responsible way remains to be seen,” Haridopolos told members in his opening speech. “If anyone can show me how we can realistically feed the increasing multitude with even fewer fish and less bread than we have now, then I will gladly follow him,.” he said.
Deputies: Man, 40, Resists Arrest, Refuses To Drop His Doll And Blanket
March 8, 2011
A 40-year old Century man that smelled of alcohol was charged with resisting arrest after struggling with deputies and refusing to drop a doll and a blanket he was holding while walking down a local highway.
When an Escambia County deputy responded to a reported disturbance in the area of Highway 4A and Hecker Road Sunday night, they found Darron McDonald walking in the middle of the highway behind a SUV occupied by a female. The responding deputy wrote in the arrest report that McDonald refused verbal commands to stand in front of his patrol vehicle; instead he began yelling “She’s lying, she’s lying. Ya’ll are going to believe her”.
The deputy attempted to handcuff McDonald, but he continued yelling and refused to let go of a blanket and doll he was holding in his left hand, according to the report. After about a minute, he let go of the blanket and doll, at which time he was handcuffed by the deputy. When the deputy attempted to place McDonald in the patrol vehicle, he began to physically resist. Two other deputies arrived, according to the report, and assisted McDonald into the patrol vehicle.
According to the arrest report, McDonald had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath and person.
McDonald remained in the Escambia County Jail Monday night with bond set at $1,500.
Century Sets Community Center Rental Rules, Requires Security Guard
March 8, 2011
After a double shooting during a “teen party” at their Habitat building, the Century Town Council is getting tough with new policies to curb violence and policy abuses at their community centers.
Monday night, the council voted unanimously to increase the rental fee on community centers by $100 to provide for an unarmed security guard at all functions — even church and non-profit events. All events will be required to end by midnight on the day of the rental, and no one other than legal non-profits will be allowed to charge admission for any function. Only non-profits will be exempt for the $100 security fee, if they provide proof that they are providing their own certified law enforcement security guard.
With the $100 security fee, building rentals for the Habitat Building or the Ag Building will now be $300 up front, with a $100 refundable deposit.
The town’s community center rental agreements will be rewritten by the town attorney with the new policies for final approval in two weeks. Until then, the council issued a moratorium on renting the buildings — only the mayor can override the moratorium.
“I hate that we’ve got to go to this length,” council member Nadine McCaw said, “because of handful that abuse it…We’ve got to cover ourselves because of people we can’t trust.”
The town will contract with Dynamic Security of Pensacola to provide an unarmed security guard at $90.60 for six hours at a $15.10 hourly rate. If the town hired an armed Escambia County off-duty deputy, the cost would be $25 per hour, $150 for a six hour period. However, Mayor Freddie McCall said county deputies will not work security at any “party”.
Council member Sandra McMurray Jackson expressed concern over using unarmed security guards, because “you are still having to wait until somebody gets there armed”.
McCall said that the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department would respond to any problems at the community centers, providing “armed backup” to private the security guard.
During the early morning hours of February 26, two people were shot at a “teen party” at the Habitat Building community center as gunfire erupted at a party with about 100 people in attendance.
McCall said organizers of the party were charging a $10 per person admission and providing “beer and whiskey” in violation of the town’s no-alcohol policy. Many of the party attendees, according to the mayor, were underage.
“Alcohol got in these children’s system and made them wild,” McCall said.
McDavid Animal Abuse Complaint Investigated
March 8, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a reported case of animal abuse in McDavid.
Sunday morning, the Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in the 100 block of Highway 164 after an anonymous caller reported the alleged abuse. The responding deputy found four bulldogs, one of which had suffered injuries to his face and was having trouble walking, according to Deputy Chris Welborn, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office. Another dog appeared to have been injured in a fight.
Escambia County Animal Control responded and took possession of the two injured dogs.
No charges were immediately filed, and further information was not released.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Somber Moments: Century Council Honors Late Member Sharon Scott
March 8, 2011
There were somber moments Monday night for the Century Town Council as they remembered former council member Sharon Scott, who passed away February 24.
The council passed a resolution honoring Scott for her contributions to the Century area, and council member Sandra McMurray Jackson, who now holds Scott’s former seat on the council, placed a black ribbon on the council table in Scott’s memory.
Pictured: Council President Ann Brooks looks at a black ribbon in front of the late Sharon Scott’s former seat the Century Town Council table. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Poarch Creek Indians Donate $45,000 To Bratt Elementary
March 8, 2011
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians have donated $45,000 to Bratt Elementary School from an educational endowment fund. The donation is in addition to a $50,000 donation to Northview High School announced last week.
After donating over $1.5 million to Atmore area schools in early December, the Tribe announced the creation of a $350,000 educational endowment fund for schools in surrounding communities. Schools in those surrounding areas were given the opportunity to seek a portion of the $350,000.
In December the Poarch Creek Indians made the following donations to Atmore area schools:
- Escambia County High School/Escambia County Middle School $687,360
- Rachel Patterson Elementary $78,000
- A.C. Moore School $112,547
- Huxford Elementary $337,000
- Escambia Academy $311,500
- Atmore Christian School $100,000.
“Part of being a good neighbor is helping out others in need. Education is the bedrock of productive successful lives for these youngsters; we are happy and proud to be able to make this contribution to their future today,” said Tribal Chairman Buford L. Rolin after the donations were made.
Debate Continues Over Florida Pill Abuse
March 8, 2011
Speaker Dean Cannon said Monday that the House approach to fighting pain pill abuse won’t include a database to track prescription drugs, but instead will call for a ban on doctors selling drugs from their offices.
Calling for a repeal of a prescription drug tracking database, which was put into law last year but isn’t up and running yet, sets up a fight with the Senate where the president restated Monday his backing of the database.
Cannon said he has come to believe that the problem of prescription drug abuse needs to be thwarted farther up the chain – and that the House bill will instead outlaw the dispensing of prescription drugs in doctors’ offices as a way of fighting what many say is an epidemic of fraudulent script writing. Doing so, Cannon said, would “stop drug dealers who are masquerading as doctors.”
“Banning doctor-dealers is the only way to do it,” said Cannon, R-Winter Park, while speaking with reporters the day before the opening of the legislative session.
Cannon’s counterpart on the other side of the Capitol, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, meanwhile, said he will continue to push for the prescription drug database. The database, aimed at flagging people who get large amounts of prescription drugs by “doctor shopping,” has been tied down in a fight over the contract to run it.
Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, restated his belief that the problem of painkiller abuse is too urgent to abandon the database
“I don’t think we’re going to be moving in the opposite direction (from last year’s bill) in the Senate,” Haridopolos said Monday.
In addition to Cannon and other top members in the House who oppose the database, Haridopolos will also be up against Gov. Rick Scott, who has urged lawmakers to repeal the law requiring it.
The state’s medical establishment, meanwhile, doesn’t want doctors to lose the right to dispense drugs, and supports the database.
“Dispensing physicians play an important role in the health care system,” Florida Medical Association General Counsel Jeff Scott said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the speaker to ensure that this important aspect of patient care continues, and that legitimate patients and physicians are not hurt by those who take advantage of the system.
“We believe the focus should be on the enforcement of the laws that were put on the books in the last two sessions, rather than punishing honest physicians who provide a valuable service for their patients,” Scott said.
The House proposal (PCB HHSC 11-03) would ban the dispensing of most controlled substances by physicians, and ban distributors from selling them to doctors. It would also allow the Department of Health to quarantine drug supplies for doctors until they’re disposed of, and calls for additional spending on law enforcement to enforce the ban.
The repeal of the database is contained in a separate proposed committee bill (PCB HHSC 11-04.)
Cannon said he knew some doctors would oppose his plan.
But, he said, “this plan isn’t about hurting doctors, it is about addressing the situation as a whole, and putting principle over profit to cut off the supply at the distribution point.”
By David Royse
The News Service Florida
Green Eggs And Ham — Camp Fire Kids Celebrate Dr. Seuss
March 8, 2011
Volunteer readers recently helped celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with the children at the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center. Joy Simpson and Faye Lee from Century pharmacy read Seuss favorites to the children as part of the Early Learning Coalition’s volunteer reading program. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injuries In 5-Vehicle Crash
March 7, 2011
There were no serious injuries in a five vehicle wreck this morning on Nine Mile Road at Palafox Street involving several North Escambia area residents.
Stanley Steve Lambert, 60, of Gonzalez, was charged with careless driving by the Florida Highway Patrol following the 10:10 a.m. crash. The FHP said he failed to stop, setting off the chain reaction crash.
The driver of the vehicle rear-ended by Lambert, 78-year old William Lee White, was not injured. A passenger in his vehicle, 85-year old Margaret McCluskey White, was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
None of the drivers of the other three vehicles in the crash were injured. They were McNeal Beasley, 23, of Beatrice, Alabama; Marissa Ruth Register, 21, of Pensacola; and Michael Jay Kirsch, 62 of Pensacola.