Middle School Student, 16, Sentenced To Jail On Weapon Charges
October 20, 2010
A 16-year old middle school student charged as an adult will spend the next several months in jail after dumping a firearm into the middle of a North Escambia street, eventually leading to a shot being fired into a deputy’s tire.
Ladarrious Tamiraye Lett of Ivey Street, Century, was found guilty in Escambia County Circuit Court of possession of a firearm by a convicted delinquent under 24 years of age, tampering with evidence and culpable negligence. He was sentenced to nine months in the county jail, with credit for the 86 days he had already been behind bars following his arrest.
Trial is scheduled for January for David Dewayne Simmons, 49, the McDavid man accused of selling a .22 caliber handgun to Lett in exchange for a $40 bag of marijuana.
Lett was originally charged as a juvenile in connection with the July 14 incident, but his case was transferred to Escambia County Circuit Court.
The incident began at 3:23 a.m. on July 14 when Deputy Scott Rivkin conducted a traffic stop on a black Eagle Talon with no headlights near North Century Boulevard and Henry Streets. The driver of the vehicle was given a warning for failing to use his headlights. Lett was the passenger in the vehicle. Both left the area.
About five minutes later, Rivkin was traveling on North Century Boulevard in the same area as the traffic stop when when he heard what he believed to be a gunshot. Upon investigation, he discovered a .22 caliber pistol in the middle of North Century Boulevard. When the right rear wheel of the deputy’s cruiser rolled over the weapon, it had fired a round, flattening the tire. Next to the revolver, the deputy discovered one empty shell casing and five live rounds of ammunition.
While Deputy Rivkin was still parked on North Century Boulevard, he noticed the driver from the previous traffic stop and Lett approaching him on foot. The two were separated and questioned as the Flomaton Police Department responded for backup.
The driver told authorities that Lett had dropped the gun out of the vehicle’s window just prior to the traffic stop and that the pair had returned to the area to retrieve the gun. The 16-year old told deputies that he had purchased the gun from Simmons , and he provided a bill of sale. Lett admitted to dropping the gun out of the vehicle window, according to his arrest report.
Walnut Hill Fire Station Parking Lot Expanded
October 20, 2010
The parking area at the Walnut Hill Fire Station has been expanded.
Escambia Fire Rescue requested that the county install a gravel parking lot at the fire station. The county’s crews removed vegetation, prepared the base and installed two gravel parking areas at the fire station on Highway 97.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Over 100 Work To Clean Up Area Waterways
October 20, 2010
Over 100 people recently worked to clean up over 35 miles of North Escambia area waterways.
The cleanup was part of the Alabama Coastal Cleanup across several Alabama counties as well as Escambia County in Florida.
The largest group participating in the event was organized by Jerry Fischer and friends from Century. The group cleaned over 35 miles of shoreline in Alabama and Florida along the Escambia River, Conecuh River, Little Escambia Creek, Big Escambia Creek, Bluff Springs, Pollard and Murder Creek.
Adults and students from the Century, Jay, Brewton and Flomaton areas participated. The youngest volunteer was Chance Thornton, Fischer’s 5-yard old grandson. Century Mayor Freddie McCall personally donated the use of a garbage dumpster for the group.
This international Coastal Cleanup event serves as a public service as well as an educational tool to help teach both adults and students the grave effects that littering has on our environment, specifically to aquatic life, according to area organizer Janet Wofford. Since Alabama joined the International Coastal Cleanup in 1987, over 58,000 have volunteered for the event and over 1 million pounds of trash has been removed from shorelines and waterways.
Pictured above: Volunteers from the North Escambia area take a break at Bluff Springs, Fla., during the annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup. Pictured inset: The youngest volunteer was 5-year old Chance Thornton. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Dogwood Dulcimers Entertain Century Care Residents, To Hold Jam Sessions At Lake Stone
October 20, 2010
The Dogwood Dulcimer Association performed Tuesday for the residents of the Century Care Center. This weekend, they will hold a jam session at Lake Stone.
For more photos from the Century Care Center performance, click here.
The jam session scheduled for the weekend at Lake Stone includes:
- Friday
- 6 pm Covered dish supper
- 7 pm Homemade Jam Session
- Saturday
- 1 pm Open stage
- 6 pm No pot luck supper (supper on your own)
- 7 pm Homemade Jam Session
- Sunday
- 9 a.m. Music Service
For festival information, contact Yvonne Ward at (850) 626-9981 or (850) 982-1997 or Glen McDaniel at (850) 478-8193.
The Dogwood Dulcimers invites anyone, including beginners, to play a dulcimer or traditional instrument with them for free. The group meets every Monday at 7 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church at 3400 Bayou Blvd., Pensacola and the second Thursday of each month, 7 p.m. at Cottage Hill United Methodist Church at 229 Williams Ditch Road in Cantonment.
Click here for the Dogwood Dulcimer website.
Pictured above and below: The Dogwood Dulcimers perform Tuesday afternoon at Century Care Center. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Councilwoman Nadine McCaw Battling Cancer
October 20, 2010
Century Councilwoman Nadine McCaw has been diagnosed with renal cancer. She had one of her kidneys and several lymph nodes removed Wednesday at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola.
McCaw has been an avid supporter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and champion for other community causes, but now she needs the community’s help.
Family members said her insurance will only pay for four days in the hospital following the surgery. They discovered that her benefits only included 10 total days per year in the hospital, and six of those have already been used as she underwent tests for the diagnosis.
The Town of Century will hold a benefit fish fry for McCaw on Friday, October 29 at the Roadside Park in Century. When details are finalized, they will be published here on NorthEscambia.com. The family is also accepting Paypal donations to the account nadinemccaw@yahoo.com.
McCaw is a cervical cancer survivor. For more information about McCaw’s previous battle against cancer and her involvement with the American Cancer Society, click here for a 2008 NorthEscambia.com article.
NorthEscambia.com and submitted photo, click to enlarge.
Northview JV, 9th Beat Escambia, Varsity Falls
October 20, 2010
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Escambia Gators in junior varsity and ninth grade volleyball Tuesday, while the Gators downed the Chiefs in a five-game varsity set.
Varsity
Escambia defeated Northview, 24-26, 25-14, 22-25, 25-19, 13-15.
Senior Shawna Montgomery led the Chiefs with nine kills, three blocks ,13 aces, one assist and two digs. Senior Ashley Digmon had 15 assists, five aces and one dig, while sophomore Misty Doran had six kills and a block for the Chiefs.
NHS Varsity is now 7-15 overall, 5-3 in district play.
Junior Varsity
Northview defeated Escambia, 25-13, 25-14.
Freshman Madison Arrington had two kills, two assists and two kills for the Chiefs. Lana Clayton, also a freshman, added seven kills and one ace, and sophomore Alison Bardin had five aces and one dig for Northview.
The JV Chiefs are 8-8 overall.
Ninth Grade
Northview defeated Escambia, 25-4, 25-8.
Mallory Wiggins had four aces and three assists for the Chiefs. Rebecca Grim recorded four kills and one aces, and Shelfy Nielson had nine aces for Northview.
The Ninth Grade Lady Chiefs have a perfect 4-0 record for the season.
Submitted photo by Brenda McCall, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Battle Bratt Brush Fire That Threatens Homes And Church
October 19, 2010
Firefighters battled a brush fire in Bratt Tuesday afternoon that was threatening a church and a couple of homes.
The fire was reported to be contained at 5:10 p.m.
The fire, just west of the Bratt Assembly of God on West Highway 4, was reported about 4:30. The brush fire was located in an area of heavy overgrowth and was approaching the church and its propane tank when the first firefighters arrived on scene.
Firefighters from Walnut Hill, McDavid, Century and Molino worked to keep the fire away from the church and homes. They had a difficult time accessing the fire due to fences and heavy brush. A tractor from the Florida Department of Forestry arrived about 5:20 to to assist in containing the blaze.
The fire was estimated to be about three acres in size.
Pictured top: Firefighters work to stop a brush fire moving toward the Bratt Assembly of God Monday afternoon. Pictured inset: A firefighter cools a propane tank in the yard of a neighboring home. Pictured below: Smoke can be seen rising from a brushy area behind the church. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
$30 Million Biofuel Plant Now Considered For Century, Not Jay
October 19, 2010
An Orlando company now wants to bring a $30 million biofuel plant to Century after plans to locate in Jay failed to materialize without the backing of the Town of Jay and Santa Rosa County.
Integrated Energy Partners had asked the Santa Rosa County Commission to back the issuance of revenue bonds to finance the facility in the Jay Industrial Park. Since the county’s name would be used to obtain financing for the company, Commission Chairman Gordon Goodwin told a company official at a July meeting that he wanted more information before making a decision about a project using the county’s name. Weeks later, Santa Rosa County still had not received the additional IEP financial information.
The Integrated Energy Partners (IEP), Inc. facility would use agricultural products to create biodiesel fuel, kerosene, propane and electricity. The plant would provide about 30 jobs and eventually employee about 50 people in five years.
Now, IEP is asking the Town of Century to sign off on a memorandum to back the bond issue, without an financial risk to the town. Mayor Freddie McCall said IEP’s Jeff Ates formally approached him Monday asking for the town’s help.
“He’s showed interest in wanting to come into our town,” McCall told the town council Monday night. “He never did get it through with Jay.”
The council approved sending the IEP request to the town’s attorney for review prior to taking any action on the bond agent request.
“I am not a lawyer, and I want some help with this before I make a recommendation,” McCall said. “I now what he told me, but I can’t take what he told me to the bank.”
McCall said IEP would potentially join Century Lumber and Land, LLC, Railmark Holdings and Milton Timber in the old Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company complex. After two delays in financing, Century Lumber and Land, LLC is set to cut the ribbon and being making improvements at the old lumber facility on Friday.
According to documentation provided by Integrated Energy Partners to the Santa Rosa County Commission, the company would use seeds from the Camelina plant in the winter and other traditional year-round crops, including cotton seed, to produce their biofuels. In addition, municipal and other waste products would be used as fuel.
The company said it has secured purchase agreements with farmers involving about 10,000 acres in the Florida Panhandle and has an “in principle” agreement with a municipality for their waste.
The company is not dependent on local farmers; instead, “IEP can exist in any industrial park that has adequate and infrastructure,” according to the company. IEP emphasizes the word “offering” in their presentation to the commission about a potential relationship with local farmers by offering a market for their production under a U.S Department of Agriculture.
The company also said that there will not be any permitting problems in locating the plant because they will not need an air discharge, wastewater discharge or wastewater treatment system permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
At startup, the IEP planned to have a 5-12 megawatt electricity generation capacity. They would be able to produce, according to documents provided to the commission, a yearly output of 3 million gallons of biodiesel, 9 million gallons of kerosene, 353 thousand gallons of cellulosic alcohol, 437 thousand gallons of propane and 47.8 MWH of electricity.
IEP stated in documents presented to the Santa Rosa commission that federal law stipulates that a local utility must purchase electricity offered by an independent power producer. The company states that a local utility is “ready to purchase all of our power production”. IEP is also in negotiations to sell their liquid fuel to wholesalers.
Cross Country Results (Including Tate, Northview And Jay)
October 19, 2010
Well over 100 runners took part in a cross country meet Monday afternoon at Northview High School, with T.R. Miller of Brewton taking the top spot among both male and female runners.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the meet, click here.
Schools taking part in the meet were Northview, Jay, Tate, T.R. Miller, Escambia Academy, Central, Milton and East Hill Christian.
Results were as follows:
Girls’ Teams
- TR Miller
- Jay
- Milton
- Northview
Boys’ Teams
- TR Miller
- Milton
- Tate
- Northview
- Jay
- Central
Top Girls
- Karisa Nelson TR Miller,18:24
- Katie Nelson TR Miller, 21:05
- Robin Blackman Jay, 21:28
- Shelby Youngblood TR Miller, 22:15.46
- Amber Nelson TR Miller, 22:15.87
- Georgia Goetter Northview, 22:33
- Leely Trevino Jay, 22:45
- Jessica Thornton Jay, 22:58
- Alisen Blair Jay, 23:06
- Emily Kaelin Milton, 23:21
Top Boys
- John Davis -Milton, 17:28
- Micah Kemp -Jay, 17:55
- Tony Wiggins -Tate, 18:09
- Christian Carlson -TR Miller, 18:18
- Michael Melendez -Milton 18:39
- Josh Scott – Northview, 19:32
- Andrew Politte -TR Miller, 19:35
- Jean McLaughlin -Milton, 19:53
- Rob Stokes – TR Miller, 20:01
- Thomas Simmons -Tate, 20:13
Northview’s Top 5 Girls
- Georgia Goetter
- Sarah Killiam
- Misty Doran
- Jazzlyn Franklin
- Madalyn Coon
Northview’s Top 5 Boys
- Josh Scott
- Dustin Lewis
- AJ Lambert
- Tristan Creamer
- Dillian Crutchfield
Tate’s Top 5 Boys
- Tony Wiggins
- Thomas Simmons
- Dillon Aiken
- Jared Blakely
- Garrett Summitt
Jay’s Top 5 Girls
- Robin Blackman
- Leely Trevino
- Jessica Thornton
- Allison Blair
- Jenna Thornton
Jay’s Top 5 Boys
- Micah Kemp
- Casey Zylstra
- Joey Belanger
- Alex Cobb
- Brandon Freeman
Chiefs Slip To Number Two In District
October 19, 2010
The Northview Chiefs are coming off a tough loss Friday night to Freeport that dropped Northview to a tie for the number two spot in District 1-A. Monday afternoon, the Chiefs were back on the practice field, striving for improvement.
Freeport is now the only undefeated team in District 1-A, while Northview and Vernon had one loss each. The other North Escambia area team in District 1-A, the Jay Royals, are 0-5 in district play.
The Chiefs (5-1, 4-1) and the Royals (0-6, 0-5) will meet Friday night in Bratt, while top-ranked Freeport (5-1, 5-0) will host Bozeman (1-6, 0-5).
Pictured top: Northview Head Coach Sid Wheatley (far right) leads the Chiefs in practice drills Monday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.