Two Injured In Highway 4 Crash; One Airlifted
September 14, 2010
Two people were injured in a single vehicle accident near Century Tuesday morning with one airlifted to a Pensacola hospital in serious condition.
The accident was reported about 10:20 a.m. on West Highway 4 near Lake Stone. The Florida Highway Patrol says Willie A. Mitchell, 53, of Century lost control while westbound, struck a tree and a culvert before overturning several times before his 2004 Toyota came to rest partially back in Highway 4. According to the FHP, Mitchell may have suffered a medical condition that led to the crash.
Mitchell was transported by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, while his passenger, Alfreda Sanders, 48, of Century, was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital with minor injuries.
Charges against Mitchell are pending, according to the FHP.
Engine 519 from the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the accident.
Pictured above: Two people were injured in this single vehicle crash Tuesday morning near Lake Stone on West Highway 4. Pictured below: An adult male was transported by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Splash Pad, Walking Trail, More Could Be Coming To Century Park
September 14, 2010
There will be some major enhancements on the way for the Anthony Pleasant Sports Complex in Century if a grant application is successful.
Improvements would include a splash pad water feature, lighting for the football field, a walking trail about one mile in length that would connect to Showalter Park, and improved handicap parking.
The town is seeking a $200,000 grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
In order to qualify for the grant, the town was required to approve a five year comprehensive plan update. The updated plan calls for funding to be spent at the Anthony Pleasant Sports Complex; energy savings improvements at Century City Hall, the Ag Building and the former Helicopter Technology building; road paving, improvements to the potable water systems; improvements to the town’s natural gas system and drainage improvements in the Dogwood Lane area.
Monday night, the town council approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign the necessary documents to apply for the FRDAP grant, and the council also approved a second resolution encompassing the comprehensive plan updates.
A public forum to discuss the park grant application was held prior to the council meeting, but no member of the public addressed the council.
Pictured top: The Anthony Pleasant Sports Complex is to the right of the wooded area in this aerial photos. Showalter Park (with the softball/baseball fields) is to the left. Courtesy Google. Pictured inset: Century little league football action at Anthony Pleasant Park. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Dig Pink Volleyball To Benefit Breast Cancer Programs
September 14, 2010
The Northview Chiefs and the Flomaton Hurricanes will meet on the volleyball court later this month in Bratt in the area’s first ever Dig Pink game.
“Dig Pink is an organization for breast cancer awareness through volleyball. Our girls will be working hard at raising money for the organization and playing a game in honor of survivors and those whom have past away,” said Barbara Luker, assistant Northview volleyball coach. “The volleyball team will be ‘decked’ out in pink for the game and has plans to host a hospitality room for survivors that attend the game. We also are going to try to ‘pink out’ our gym for the game.”
The Dig Pink games will take place on Tuesday, September 28, with the Flomaton and Northview 9th grade teams playing at 4:30, the junior varsity at 5:30 and the varsity at 6:30 in the Northview High School gym.
The Dig Pink website allows individuals to donate to the breast cancer cause. In addition, Northview is seeking monetary and item donations for the hospitality room. For more information, email BLuker@escambia.k12.fl.us or BHeaton@escambia.k12.fl.us
The Dig Pink game is sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com; additional sponsors are needed. Contact BLuker@escambia.k12.fl.us or BHeaton@escambia.k12.fl.us for information.
Century Awards $269K Dogwood Lane Drainage Contract
September 14, 2010
The Town of Century has awarded a $269, 449 Dogwood Lane drainage improvement contract to Gulf Equipment Company.
Gulf Equipment was one of six bidders on the project, with their bid over $30,000 less than the second place company, according to Dale Long of Fabre Engineering.
“They do a good job and are a very reputable firm,” Long told the Century Town Council Monday night.
The project will be funded by federal stimulus dollars. Gulf Equipment’s bid was well below the $370,000 budgeted for the project.
Man Assaults Underage Brother With Can Of Food
September 14, 2010
A Cantonment man is behind bars facing several charges after allegedly hitting his underage brother in the head with a can of food from the family’s kitchen.
Justin Douglas Kent, 23, of Kingsfield Road, is charged with misdemeanor battery and felony counts of aggravated battery and cruelty toward a child. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $15,000.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, Kent got into a fight with his 17-year old brother. In their home’s kitchen, Kent grabbed an “unopened nonperishable metal can” and struck his younger brother in the head and face.
The younger brother was found bleeding on a neighbor’s porch by an arriving deputy, who described his wound as “a large gash that did have a curve shape to it.”
Kent told the deputy that his brother had been nagging him all day and refusing to do chores. He said he grabbed the metal can to defend himself as he was being hit repeatedly in the head by his younger brother.
The can, with a large dent in it, was photographed as evidence, according to the ECSO report, Kent was transported to jail, and the younger brother was transported by ambulance to West Florida Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Navy Federal Merges With USA Federal
September 14, 2010
Navy Federal Credit Union of Vienna, VA, and USA Federal Credit Union (USA Fed), based in San Diego, CA, announced Monday that they have agreed to merge operations.
The newly combined credit union will begin joint operations under the Navy Federal banner projected to be October 1, 2010, pending regulatory approval by National Credit Union Administration, (NCUA).
In Escambia County, Navy Federal is one of the largest employers, with over 1,200 working for the credit union, according to the Pensacola Chamber Of Commerce.
All USA Fed’s 19 branches – eight in Southern California and 11 military base branches in Japan and Korea – will become part of the Navy Federal branch network. All USA Fed employees will be invited to join the Navy Federal team, and the USA Fed San Diego headquarters building will become Navy Federal’s West Coast operations center. Members will be notified of merger and will have access to additional information posted on Navy Federal and USA Fed websites and in branch offices.
“We are excited about this merger and know that Navy Federal is an excellent choice for us,” said Mary Cunningham, USA Fed’s CEO. “We share the same commitment of service to our members – the men and women in uniform who serve our country and the San Diego community. We’re confident that this will provide valuable opportunities for members and employees.”
According to Navy Federal’s President & CEO Cutler Dawson, “The merger with USA Federal Credit Union is a great opportunity for both of our Credit Unions as we unite our members, employees and operations. We are excited to welcome their members and employees into our Navy Federal family. This is important for us because it strengthens our presence in Southern California and expands our branch access for members – here and overseas.” The combined credit union will have over 200 branches worldwide, with 22 located in Southern California, over $43 billion in assets and more than 3.5 million members.
Escambia Ala. GOP Opens Atmore Headquarters
September 14, 2010
The Escambia County (Ala.) Republican Party opened its Atmore headquarters Monday afternoon with the help of special guest Kay Ivey, Republican candidate for Alabama lieutenant governor.
Several Escambia County Republican candidates were on hand for the event, including sheriff candidate Heath Jackson, school board candidate Sherry Digmon and Danny Joyner, candidate for state senate.
The Atmore GOP headquarters is located at 103 North Main Street.
Pictured top: Escambia County (Ala.) Republican sheriff candidate Heath Jackson talks with Kay Ivey, candidate for lieutenant governor Monday afternoon as the GOP opened an Atmore headquarters. Picture inset: Kay Ivey. Submitted photos by Jacquelyn Gay for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Missing Children’s Day: Search Continues In North Escambia Case
September 13, 2010
A girl that was last seen nine years ago in North Escambia is among those that will be remembered today on the 12 annual Florida Missing Children’s Day.
Danielle Arion Bell, 14, was last seen at a party on September 30, 2001, near Cantonment. The teenager is believed to be an endangered runaway, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Danielle has a scar on her right forearm and blue eyes. She had brown hair at the time of her disappearance. She is now 22 years old.
Danielle is one of 25 missing children and adults being featured in a statewide billboard campaign this week. Two other Pensacola children are being featured on the billboards — Tavia Bailey, missing from Pensacola since January 24, 1986, and Preston Mills, missing from Pensacola since June 25, 2010.
“The Florida Department of Law Enforcement appreciates our outdoor advertisers for partnering with us once again to broadcast the photos of missing children and adults,” said Commissioner Gerald Bailey. “It is our hope that someone, somewhere in our state will recognize one of these faces and provide us with information that will reunite them with their families.”
Danielle attended Tate High School where she was a member of the Aggies cheerleading squad. The popular teen enjoyed dancing and drawing.
She was seen at a party on Cedar Tree Lane in Cantonment. Witnesses told authorities that she left the party that night shortly after a man that was in his mid-twenties at the time. Escambia County deputies later questioned that man and searched his home, but he was never charged in connection with the case.
During the summer of 2007, Alfredo Gomez Sanchez, Jr. was charged with providing law enforcement with false information about his whereabouts at the time Bell disappeared. He was not implicated in her disappearance.
Anyone with information about Bell is asked to call FDLE’s Missing and Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 1-888-FL MISSING or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9630.
Each year, approximately 50,000 incidents of missing children are reported to Florida law enforcement agencies. While many children are located within hours or days, some children are recovered months or even years after being reported missing.
“We count on the public to be vigilant at all times,” said Special Agent Supervisor Lee Condon of FDLE’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse. “If something doesn’t seem right in a child’s situation, it’s probably not. We count on tips from citizens to provide those small pieces of information which may not seem significant at the time, but could ultimately make the difference in saving a child’s life whether the child is 5 or 17. A missing child is always a child in danger no matter what their age.”
The FDLE encourages the public to sign up to receive free Missing Child Alerts and Amber Alerts via personal computer, cell phone or text message by visiting www.missingchildrenalert.com.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
District 1A: Northview’s Boys Of Bratt Looking For Title
September 13, 2010
Two weeks into the season, the Boys of Bratt are in the hunt for the District 1-A title.
The Northview Chiefs are in serious contention for the state playoff berth with two district wins . Only four teams are perfect in district play — Northview (2-0, 1-0), Vernon (2-0, 1-0), Homes County (1-0, 1-0) and Baker (1-1, 1-0).
This past Friday night the Chiefs avenged last year’s loss to South Walton with a big 27-20 win over the Seahawks. The Chiefs will be off next week, giving them a couple of weeks to prepare for their first home game on September 24, a district battle with Bozeman (0-2, 0-2).
Picture top: Northview High Head Coach Sid Wheatley calls a play Friday night in the Chiefs win over South Walton. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Manhunt Sunday Night In Century
September 13, 2010
A manhunt for a domestic violence suspect turned up empty Sunday night in Century.
(This story has been updated, click here.)
The suspect, age 30, fled on foot from domestic violence incident on Shady Lane near Stateline Road about 7:30. Deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office surrounded the area, while a K-9 unit from the Century Correctional Institution searched for the suspect. Officers from the Flomaton Police Department were on the lookout for the suspect in their city, less than one-tenth of mile away. The manhunt was called off about 9:25 p.m.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, a female got into an argument with the suspect, her husband of nine months. The argument turned physical, with the suspect pushing her to the ground and attempting to drag her back inside their apartment. A witness approached the suspect with an ax handle and ordered him to leave the victim alone, according to the incident report.
When the suspect fled the area, it is believed he had taken the victim’s cell phone and had been calling friends and relatives asking for help to the get out of the area, the Sheriff’s Office report states.
The suspect was described as a white male, hazel eyes, 170 pounds, 5-foot 8-inches tall, with a bald or nearly bald head. According to the Sheriff’s Office report, he will face charges of battery.
Anyone with information on the incident should call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9650 or their local police department.