Flomaton Fire Department Receives $10,000 Award
October 14, 2010
The Flomaton Fire Department has received a $10,000 award from Georgia-Pacific, the company announced Wednesday.
The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade is a national program that recognizes the contributions of fire departments in communities with Georgia-Pacific facilities. Launched in 2006, the initiative has contributed approximately $600,000 to rural and small town fire units across the United States.
The program supports firefighters with product and cash donations for programming and purchasing necessary equipment, and safety education materials for presentations in local schools. This year’s 23 Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade winners were chosen from more than 120 applicants in 23 states. This year’s grants will total $175,000, the largest amount awarded in the program’s history.
“We know first-hand the significant role these fire units play in the life of a community. The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade is one way we say ‘thank you’ for their work,” said Jim Hannan, CEO and President of Georgia-Pacific. “Many of our own employees are members of their local fire and rescue units, so we also know the need for the financial support necessary to safely continue the work these departments do
In the surrounding area, the Excel (Ala.) Fire Department and the Avalon Volunteer Fire Department in Milton also received $10,000 awards.
$244K North Escambia Lottery Ticket Goes Unclaimed, Now Worthless
October 14, 2010
A winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket sold in North Escambia that was worth almost a quarter million dollars is now worthless.
No one ever stepped forward to claim the $244,468.47 prize from the winning ticket that was purchased April 9, 2010, at the State Line O’Yes Lotto at 11331 Highway 97 in Davisville, according to the Florida Lottery.
The Florida Lottery allows winners 180 days to claim their prize. The April 9 winning ticket expired, with the $244.468.47 split 80 percent going to the Education Trust Fund and the remaining 20 percent returned to the prize pool.
Lottery officials said the ticket was a “Quick Pick” with numbers randomly chosen by the lottery machine. Only one ticket matched the winning numbers: 13-21-25-28-36.
This was not the first time this year that a winning Fantasy 5 ticket sold in the North Escambia area went unclaimed.
A $68,663.34 lottery prize for a winning ticket sold January 25 at McDonald’s State Line Lotto on Highway 87 near Jay was forfeited in July after the prize went unclaimed.
Students Learn Ag Safety, Meet Auburn’s Eagles
October 14, 2010
About 500 fifth grade students in Escambia County, Alabama, recently had the opportunity to learn about agricultural safety and see two of Auburn University’s eagles at the same time.
The Progressive Agriculture Safety Days program was presented at the Auburn Experiment Center in Brewton.
A “Birds of Prey” presentation from the Southeastern Raptor Center from Auburn University included a variety of owls, falcons and hawks. Roy Crowe, AU raptor education specialist and Marianne Murphy Hudson, AU raptor education biologist, presented a variety of birds during the concluding portion of the day’s events. They also had a special surprise, “Spirit”, Auburn University’s bald eagle and “Nova, War Eagle VII”, a golden eagle, were the highlight of the show.
“It is very rare that they bring both eagles to a presentation but after a practice flight in Jordan Hare earlier that morning they decided to surprise them,” said Susan Rhodes from the Escambia County Extension System.
Also included during the Farm Safety Day Program were sessions on Tractor and Lawn Mower Safety presented by the Brewton Agriculture Research Center; Sub Safety presented by Carolyn Bivins with Escambia County Extension Service; Deadly Look-a-Likes/Chemical Safety by Ken Kelly from Escambia County Extension Service; Electrical Safety presented by Jeff Kirkland from Southern Pine Electric Cooperative; ATV Safety from Cynthia Knowelton from the Escambia County Extension Office; Just Say No to Drugs and Meth Awareness by Heath Jackson; 911 and Brewton Fire Department techniques and Safety Tips presented by Kevin Hoomes.
Last week marked the eighth year of the program.
Man Sentenced In Connection With 2009 Traffic Fatality Near Jay
October 14, 2010
A Santa Rosa County man has been sentenced in connection with a 2009 traffic crash near Jay that left that a Milton man dead and injured a Century man.
Woodrow Faulkner, 40, of Milton was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 and his driver’s license was suspended for six months after he was charged with passing while meeting oncoming traffic.
Faulkner was involved in an accident in October, 2009, that killed Richard D. Foster, 43, of Milton. The accident happened about 10:15 a.m. on State Road 4 and County Road 164, just east of Jay.
Foster was driving east on Highway 4, headed up a hill, in his 1999 GMC pickup. At the top of the hill, he met a red 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Faulkner as he passed a SUV and a tractor-trailer in a no-passing zone, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. All of the drivers involved tried to avoid a crash — Foster and the tractor-trailer rig headed off the highway and collided. Foster’s pickup burst into flames.
The tractor-trailer driver, August Pace, 62, of Century, received just minor injuries in the crash.
Pictured: The driver of this white pickup, Richard D. Foster, 43, was killed in a collision with this 18-wheeler driven by a Century man in October 2009 about five miles east of Jay. File photo courtesy WEAR TV 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Winning Fantasy 5 Ticket Sold In Cantonment
October 13, 2010
A lottery ticket sold in Cantonment was one of Tuesday’s big winners in the Florida Lottery’s Fantasy 5 drawing.
The ticket sold at Gee Willies on North Highway 29 was one of three tickets that matched winning combination of 8-12-19-25-36. Each ticket was worth $65,039.24 each. The other winning tickets were sold in Lauderhill and Hialeah.
No Serious Injuries In Kingsfield Crash; Driver Ticketed
October 13, 2010
There was only one minor injury in a two vehicle accident Wednesday afternoon on Kingsfield Road.
Don Morris, 80, of Cantonment, pulled out from a stop sign on Ryale Road into the path of 2010 Ford Mustang driven by Kenneth Smith, 21, of Cantonment, as he was traveling east on Kingsfield Road, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The Ford came to rest across a nearby concrete ditch following the 12:50 p.m. crash.
Smith sustained minor injuries but not was not transported to the hospital. Morris, who was charged with violation of the right of way, was not injured.
Engine 419 of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Bicyclist Killed In Atmore Crash
October 13, 2010
A 57-year old Atmore bicyclist was struck and killed during the predawn hours Wednesday.
Tommie Lee Hampton, Jr., died in the accident about 5 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 31 and Medical Park Drive. Hampton was hit by vehicle driven by Joe Kolb of Mobile, who was eastbound on Highway 31 at the time of the collision, according to the Atmore Police Department. Kolb was not injured.
Authorities said Hampton, a resident of Martin Luther King Avenue, was dressed in dark clothing and his bicycle had improper reflective equipment. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
No charges have been filed.
Hampton was leaving a nearby convenience store when he drove his bicycle into the path of the oncoming vehicle, according to Atmore Police.
143-Lot Subdivision Gets Final Approval
October 13, 2010
Final plans for a new 143-lot single family home subdivision in Cantonment have been approved by Escambia County. Saverna Park will be located off of Well Line Road, just west of the Cantonment Ballpark. The commission approved four street names for the subdivision: Jacobs Way, Jesse Drive, Hesed Court and Perdido Road.
The preliminary plans for Saverna Park were approved in August, 2005, with construction plans approved on December 16, 2006.
Violent Crime Down In Escambia; Non-Violent Crimes Jump
October 13, 2010
Crime in Escambia County was up 7.9 percent for the first half of 2010 over the same period last year, according to the 2010 Semi-Annual Uniform Crime Report released Tuesday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Total violent crimes — murder, forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault — decreased 4.1 percent during the six months of the year in Escambia County, while total non-violent crimes — burglary, larceny and vehicle theft — increased 9.6 percent. Statewide, total violent crimes were down 10.7 percent while non-violent crimes declined 3.8 percent.
The total crime index in Escambia County was up 7.9 percent during the first six months of the year. Escambia County’s total index includes crimes under the jurisdiction of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department other other state and local agencies. The overall crime index for the beginning of 2010 was up 11.5 percent for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and down 2.9 percent for the Pensacola Police Department.
There were 10 murders in Escambia County — three within the city limits of Pensacola and seven in the unincorporated area of the county –during the first half of 2010, an increase over six during the same period last year. During the period, forcible rapes were up from 86 to 112, robberies decreased from 306 to 286 and aggravated assaults decreased from 917 to 855.
Non-violent crimes showed the largest increases in Escambia County, including the city of Pensacola. Burglaries increased from 1,484 to 1,640; larcenies jumped from 4,062 to 4,526; and motor vehicle thefts inched up from 335 to 336.
During the first six months of 2009, 30.2 percent of indexed crimes were cleared in Escambia County, while 27.9 percent were cleared in the same period this year. During January to June of 2010, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office cleared 24.2 percent of indexed crimes, and the Pensacola Police Department cleared 24.2 percent of their indexed crimes.
Voter Focus: Race For Florida’s Ag Commissioner
October 13, 2010
While he’s been in the pinstripe world of Washington for several years, Adam Putnam is a fifth generation cattle rancher. He wants to return to his roots, hoping he’ll be elected agriculture commissioner in November.
For Scott Maddox, technically running for the same office, the goal is a bit different. The sign outside the office he wants doesn’t just say agriculture commissioner, it also says Office of Consumer Services. And the person running that office shares some executive power with the governor and other members of the Cabinet.
Putnam, a Republican, was a former Agriculture Committee chairman in the state Legislature and says farming is in his DNA, making this the natural job for him.
Maddox, a Democrat – who notes he was raised on a South Florida farm – isn’t as deeply entrenched in the state’s rural heartland, but says he’s running for the right office, too. And he says he and Putnam would actually be similar commissioners when it comes to the state’s farm agenda.
“We agree on every agriculture item,” said Maddox, a former chairman of the state Democratic Party. “We disagree on Cabinet issues like drilling and the role of the consumer protection. If you look at what the office does, you think of the extension agents that come help you grow things, but they don’t work for the department. They work for the University of Florida.
“Consumer protection is very important because Florida leads the nation in fraud against consumers, ranging from mortgage fraud to targeting seniors,” Maddox said.
Putnam would seem a more traditional candidate for the state’s top agriculture job – and rural voters in most areas have trended to Putnam’s Republican Party in recent decades after a century of being more aligned with the Democratic Party. Putnam said the business of agriculture and its intersection with commerce are things he inherently understands.
“Growing up in a farming family with deep roots in the agriculture community, I have first-hand experience that can’t be taught or bought,” Putnam said as he announced his candidacy. “That perspective, combined with my knowledge of business and government, uniquely qualifies me to best serve our ever changing industry and state.”
Maddox, who is also a former mayor of Tallahassee, has tried to convince voters that Putnam really isn’t any more “farm” than he is – Putnam has been working in the halls of power in the nation’s capital from an extremely young age, having been elected to Congress in 2000 when he was just 26. Before that, he was a Tallahassee insider, having been elected to the state House at just 22. He’s a lifetime politician, like many would say Maddox is, but more removed from everyday Floridians, Maddox argues.
“The choice in this race is between someone who has spent their entire career and adult life in Washington, D.C., and a Floridian who worked in local government,” Maddox said. “I was a very young mayor…Congressman Putnam was a Tom Delay Protégé.”
Not only was he raised on a Homestead farm, Maddox also tries to bolster his agricultural credibility on the campaign trail by pointing out that he’s spent a lot of time helping out on his wife Sha’s family farm – and she’s a former “Miss Georgia Cattleman.”
A poll released recently by the Florida Chamber of Commerce showed Putnam leading Maddox 36 percent to 28 percent, suggesting it could be an uphill climb for the former capital city mayor. The poll, conducted Sept. 27-30, surveyed 800 likely voters by telephone and had a margin of error of 3.46 percent.
But Putnam told supporters on a conference call they shouldn’t read too much into polls showing him ahead.
“That’s one of the most dangerous attitudes you can have in a campaign,” Putnam said. “When I’m traveling in rural areas or agricultural areas, I get a lot of that (confidence). But when I’m traveling in Dade and Broward, I don’t get that at all. It’s very humbling to be traveling around the state and meet people who have never heard of the agriculture commissioner.
“They’ve never heard of Adam Putnam,” he continued. “They may never have heard of any of the other people running. But there’s 18 million people (in Florida). Twelve million are registered (to vote).”
Some were surprised to see Putnam running for a Cabinet post after rising through the ranks to the third-ranking Republican House leadership position in 2006, and becoming a regular proponent of the Republican message on cable TV networks.
But Putnam said when he announced he wanted to return to Florida that he “never caught Potomac Fever” and that he wanted to come back to be commissioner because “agriculture is in my DNA.” Some critics, however, suggested that being in the GOP leadership in the minority wasn’t going to be as easy as when Republicans controlled Congress. Other observers have suggested Putnam, still just 36, is laying the ground work for a future run for governor.
Agriculture is “my professional background, it’s my academic background, it’s what my family is involved in to this day,” Putnam said when he announced he was leaving Congress.
Maddox is also often pointed to as someone who has habitually run for office, and may have higher aspirations. He has served as president of the Florida League of Cities, been a speaker at the Democratic National Convention and partnered with a political legend, former House Speaker and Senate President Mallory Horne, in the Maddox Horne law firm. This is his third run for statewide office, having lost the Democratic primary for attorney general in 2002 and making a short-lived run for governor in 2005.
By Keith Laing, The News Service Florida
Pictured top: Adam Putnam campaigns at Fran’s Diner in Molino last year. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.