Escambia Pedestrian Dies After Traffic Crash
March 4, 2011
A 54-year old Escambia County man died Friday, just hours after being hit by two vehicles on Mobile Highway Thursday night.
The Florida Highway Patrol said James Suber, 54, of Pensacola died Friday morning from injuries he received about 10:53 Thursday night on Mobile Highway at Wabash Avenue. Troopers said was walking east on Mobile Highway in the path of both vehicles. He was first hit by a 1995 Cadillac driven by Latasha Rogers, 38, of Pensacola. Suber was then thrown into the path of the second vehicle, a 1996 Buick driven by Jewell Jernigan, 33, of Pensacola. Luber was trapped under the second vehicle.
Rogers, Jernigan, and Jernigan’s passenger — 29-year old Haley Jernigan — were not injured in the crash.
Any charges are pending the outcome of an investigation, according to FHP.
Alabama Man Dies As A Result Of February North Santa Rosa Wreck
March 4, 2011
A Brewton man has died from injuries he received in a north Santa Rosa County traffic crash last month.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Horace A. Smith, 57, passed away Thursday afternoon from injuries he received in the February 13 crash on Sellersville Road, just a sort distance from the Alabama/Florida line.
Smith was westbound on Sellersville Road when he lost control for unknown reasons and struck several trees. He was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he later died.
High Court Sides With Scott In Turning Down Rail Billions
March 4, 2011
The Florida Supreme Court has rejected a petition from two state senators seeking to force the state to accept $2.4 billion in high speed rail money. With the court siding with Gov. Rick Scott, the state has again turned down the federal money as of Friday morning.
Sens. Thad Altman and Arthenia Joyner took their case to the state’s highest court as individual lawmakers, claiming that Scott had no authority to scrub a Tampa to Orlando bullet train.
Scott’s General Counsel Charles Trippe said nothing in state law could force the governor to spend the federal money offered as a carrot to states to develop alternative transportation networks.
“The governor is not demanded by the federal government to do anything,” Trippe said. “He only has to spend what has been appropriated. None of that federal grant money has been appropriated so he has no duty to spend it.”
Escambia Deputy Involved In Traffic Crash
March 4, 2011
An Escambia County deputy received minor injuries in a traffic crash with two Alabama residents Thursday night.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Deputy Michael Milstead,32, was traveling west on Barrancas Avenue in a marked 2007 Ford Crown Victoria about 9:10 p.m. That’s when Daniel Stamaris, Jr., 51, of Headland, Alabama, was also westbound in the center turn lane before tuning into the path of Milstead’s cruiser.
Both vehicles then ran off the road. The deputy’s cruiser hits a utility pole, while Stamaris hit a business sign. Stamaris and his passenger, Heather Stamaris, 35, also of Headland, were transported to Baptist Hospital with minor injuries. Milstead also received minor injuries and was transported to Baptist Hospital.
There were no charges filed in connection with the accident.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Kingsfield Crash Slows Morning Drive
March 4, 2011
An accident slowed the commute Friday morning on East Kingsfield Road.
The two vehicle crash was reported just before 7:30 in front of Plastic Coated Paper on East Kingsfield Road just east of North Palafox. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. There was no immediate word on injuries, and further details were not available.
Pictured above and below: A two vehicle crash on East Kingsfield Road this morning. Submitted photos by Cheyenne Godwin for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tiny Town Files Suit Against Giant Dump; Developers Toss Words At Escambia, Florida
March 4, 2011
A town of less than 300 people has filed suit to stop a mega-landfill planned just upstream from North Escambia, just as the landfill company has taken aim at three area counties, including Escambia, Florida.
Repton, Ala., population 280, filed suit this week against Conecuh Woods LLC and the Conecuh County (Ala.) Commission in an attempt to stop a permit from being issued for the 5,100 acre landfill planned for just outside the tiny town.
Numerous counties and cities in the area have passed resolutions against the landfill forwarded to Conecuh commissioners and Alabama’s governor — including Escambia counties in Alabama and Florida, Baldwin County, Century, Atmore and Flomaton.
Now, Conecuh Woods has fired back at three of counties against the landfill, throwing verbal jabs. On the Conecuh Woods website, the company says Escambia County, Florida is against the mega-landfill because “They already have a landfill and a Green Energy facility, and the last thing they want is competition for new industry”. The developer also alleges that Escambia and Baldwin counties in Alabama are against Conecuh Woods because their are landfill operating in their counties, and they don’t want the competition.
Escambia County, Florida, in opposing the landfill by resolution, expressed concerns over runoff that could pollute waterways downstream in Florida.
Conecuh Woods’ landfill, would include a 1,600 acre “disposal cell” from Range to Repton to near the Big Escambia Creek. Big Escambia Creek flows southward into Escambia County, Alabama, through Flomaton and drains through a North Escambia swamp into the Escambia River and then Escambia Bay.
Located only about 30 miles from the landfill site, the Town of Century joined Escambia County in opposing the landfill over water quality concerns.
“Nobody knows more than we do that Florida’s rules on water quality are tougher than Alabama’s,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. “If it comes into our river, Florida is in trouble immediately.”
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley issued an executive order providing for a moratorium on new landfills in the state. Conecuh County then, in turn, requested an opinion from Alabama’s attorney general on any impact on Conecuh Wood’s pending application before the commission.
A public hearing for the Conecuh County Commission to consider approval for Conecuh Woods is set for next Thursda, March 10, 9 a.m., at Reid State Technical College in Evergreen. The commission has until April 2 to make a decision on the proposal — if the governor’s moratorium does not stop the process.
Meanwhile, Conecuh Woods, LLC has listed numerous jobs and provided an employment application on the company’s website. The website asserts that the landfill’s annual payroll will be $1.8 million annually, with over $250 million in new revenues.
“This project is about jobs, revenue and who gets them; Conecuh, or some other county,” the website states.
Pictured top: Repton, Alabama, Mayor Terri Carter addresses the Century Town Council recently in opposition to a proposed 5,100 acre landfill in Conecuh County, Alabama. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Mistrial Declared In Trial Of Billings Murder Suspect Donnie Stallworth
March 4, 2011
A mistrial was declared late Thursday night in the trial of Billings murder suspect Donnie Stallworth, Jr. after almost nine hours of deliberation.
The Brewton native was one of seven people charged in the execution-style murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings in July 2009 . Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. received the death penalty last month for gunning down the Beulah couple as several of their special-needs children watched.
Stallworth, a former U.S. Air Force staff sergeant, was accused of being in the home at time of the murders, armed with a gun. He was charged with two counts of first degree murder.
The accusations came from two co-defendants, 16-year old Rakeem Florence and 21-year old Fredrick Thorton. Both pleaded not contest to a lessor second degree murder charge in exchange for their testimony.
The jury began deliberations just before 2 p.m. Thursday. The hung jury was summoned back to the Escambia County courtroom and released by Judge Nick Geeker just before 11 p.m. Geeker scheduled a retrial for Stallworth, 29, to begin on April 25.
Sometime after the July 9, 2009, murders, Stallworth fled to his hometown of Brewton, Ala., where he turned himself in at the Escambia County Detention Center. At the time of the murders, Stallworth was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hurlburt Field. Much of his family still residents in Brewton.
Fortune Gives High Marks To Gulf Power, Alabama Power
March 4, 2011
Fortune has ranked Gulf Power, Alabama Power and other subsidiaries of Southern Company were ranked number one in the electric and gas utility sector of the magazine’s 2011 list of the “Worlds Most Admired Companies” released Thursday.
Although it shares the top pot with NextEra Energy, Southern Company — which includes Mississippi Power, Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Gulf Power — was ranked first in the utility industry in six of the nine categories on which the survey was based.
Southern Company has ranked number one four times since 2002 in the Fortune survey and has been in the top five on four other occasions.
“We are totally committed to keeping our customers at the center of our business,” said Gulf Power President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Crosswhite. “This honor is a testament to what our employees do every day.”
The survey included more than 600 companies, which were judged on nine criteria – innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment, global competitiveness and quality of products and services.
Southern Company was ranked first in its industry in people management, use of corporate assets, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment and quality of products and services.
“Being a good value to our customers is part of our mission and therefore part of everything we do,” said Crosswhite. “Our success rests in their complete satisfaction and that’s what we work toward every day.”
Feinberg, Governor and AG Work Out Claims Speed Plan
March 4, 2011
Federal BP Claims Administrator Ken Feinberg has agreed with Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi on measures for getting compensation into the hands of economic victims of the Gulf oil spill.
Feinberg has agreed that his office will process at least 25 percent of all pending claims by March 31, expanding staffing in the state to get that done, Scott said.
The governor’s office also said that in each Florida claims office, the federal government will refer claimants to independent accounting firms that can assist in gathering the documentation for the claims, with the fee for the firms to be reimbursed by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
The claims facility also has agreed it will provide to claimants a named contact for claimants who have questions, and to create a single Florida claims coordinator to assure responsiveness. Feinberg has also agreed that the facility will have accountants either on site, or available by appointment to help claimants with questions.
“Florida’s tourism, fishing and seafood industries are still feeling the impacts of last summer’s disaster almost a year later,” Scott said in a statement. “Mr. Feinberg agrees that it’s time to get to work and implement a streamlined, fair and effective way of paying these claims for Floridians.” Feinberg will be back in Tallahassee next month to report on the process of the claims process. He met with Scott and Bondi separately last month.
High Court Has High Speed Rail Case
March 3, 2011
Two lawmakers who say Gov. Rick Scott has no authority to scrub a Tampa to Orlando bullet train, brought their case to the Florida Supreme Court Thursday in what may be only the first in a series of challenges to the CEO-turned-governor’s approach to the job.
With $2.4 billion in federal funds hanging in the balance, Sens. Thad Altman and Arthenia Joyner brought their case to the state’s highest court as individual lawmakers. But the pair undoubtedly represented colleagues in both chambers who believe Scott overstepped his authority by canceling a high speed rail project approved by lawmakers in December 2009.
“Rather than faithfully implementing that law (Scott) has pretty much said he is going to refuse to implement it,” Altman told reporters after the short arguments by his lawyer and the governor’s general counsel. “The only entity that can do that is the Legislature, not the governor.”
Scott’s General Counsel Charles Trippe countered before the justices that a ruling favoring the legislators would place the court in the position of forcing a governor to spend money that had yet to be received by the state. Trippe said nothing in state law could force the governor to spend the federal money offered as a carrot to states to develop alternative transportation networks.
“The governor is not demanded by the federal government to do anything,” Trippe said. “He only has to spend what has been appropriated. None of that federal grant money has been appropriated so he has no duty to spend it.”
During questioning, justices pressed the lawmakers’ attorney, Clifton McClelland, to explain how Scott’s decision on the yet-to-be received federal money would constitute an overstep. Justice Barbara Pariente echoed the sentiments of at least two other justices that the lawsuit seemed premature, because lawmakers had yet to specifically divvy up the federal funds.
Chief Justice Charles Canady, a former Congressman and the only former state lawmaker on the court, also questioned the legislators’ assertion that Scott is barred from vetoing future state expenditures related to the high speed project – because lawmakers already put into law that the train should be built.
“If there is anything that is integral to the executive function under our constitution, it is the governor’s ability to veto measures coming from the Legislature, including his authority to exercise a line item veto in response to appropriations,” Canady said.
The court is under pressure to move quickly. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has given Florida until Friday to decide whether to take the money. If not it may be sent to other states.
Last month, Scott notified LaHood that the project was too risky and could leave Florida taxpayers holder the bag for a multi-billion dollar boondoggle. Several senators sent a Scott a letter urging him to accept the funds.
The federal money would pay more than 90 percent of project costs for the Tampa to Orlando route, the first leg of a system backers say could eventually extend south to Miami.
On Thursday, Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, withdrew his name from that letter, saying he had wanted to send a message to Scott that he had to work with the Legislature, but didn’t want to force him to accept the federal money now.
“In my attempt to disagree with the unilateral decision to refuse the funds for the High Speed Rail, I am afraid that my signature on this letter has been misconstrued as support for a High Speed Rail project in Florida,” Bennett wrote.
The Supreme Court hasn’t given a timeline for when it may rule.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service Florida