More Details Released: Driver Charged With DUI After Hwy. 95A Crash
July 12, 2010
Two people were injured in a two vehicle accident Sunday evening in Gonzalez.
The accident happened just about 7 p.m. on Highway 95A at Kingsfield Road.
Gregory M. Williams, 40, was charged with DUI, driving with a suspended license, no valid driver’s license and reckless driving following the crash. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Williams had been observed in his 1998 Mitsubishi Montero passing other vehicles and crossing the center line at a high rate of speed as he was heading north on Highway 95A.
As he was approaching the entrance of the Shell Station and Wendy’s south of Kingsfield Road, a 1997 Chevrolet S-10 driven by Pamela T. Gaupp, 56, of Pensacola, began to exit the parking lot. Williams crossed the double yellow lines and collided with Gaupp’s pickup, according to the FHP.
Gaupp and her passenger, Renee L. Bailey, 54, of Pensacola, received minor injuries in the crash. Williams was not injured in the crash.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Three Century Council Seats Up For Grabs; Qualifying Starts Monday
July 11, 2010
Three Century Town Council seats are up for election this year, and Monday begins the period in which candidates can qualify to run.
The official qualifying week for Century’s elections is from noon July 26 until noon on July 30, but qualifying papers can be accepted by the elections supervisor up to 14 days prior, which would begin July 12.
The primary election for Century’s council is scheduled for October 5. The charter states that the primary election should be 30 days prior to the November election, but that date falls on Sunday, October 10. As a result, the date was moved to October 5. Per Florida statute, registration books will close on September 7 because September 6th is Labor Day.
The general election/runoff is scheduled for November 9, the second Tuesday in November. Registration books will close on October 11.
There will be one change for candidates this year for Century’s council. The Council has approved an ordinance that will require candidates to file their campaign finance disclosure statements electronically on the Internet as is done in other races in the county — as opposed to filling out a paper form.
Council seats three, four and five are on the ballot this year — the positions are currently held by Henry Hawkins, Gary Riley and Sharon Scott.
Count Shows Blue Angels Crowd Up (With Blues Photo Gallery)
July 11, 2010
It appears that attendance at Saturday’s Blue Angels Pensacola Beach Air Show was higher than last year, at least according to a Santa Rosa Island Authority vehicle count.
A vehicle count from midnight Friday until 1 p.m. Saturday showed 9,431 vehicles passing through the toll booths to the islands, up from 8,579 last year. The Santa Rosa Island Authority estimates that an average of three people were in each vehicle, meaning 28,293 traveling to the island. Those numbers do not include people already on the beach or those traveling from Navarre.
For a Pensacola Beach Blue Angels photo gallery, click here.
Photos courtesy Cheryl Casey Photography
Ray’s Chapel Youth Visit Planetarium
July 11, 2010
The youth and children from Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church enjoyed a Saturday trip to the Pensacola Christian College Planetarium as they prepare to kick off their Vacation Bible School this week.
The group enjoyed the 36-minute “The Heaven’s Declare” show, exploring the sun, planets, constellations and galaxies of the universe on the planetarium’s 50 foot dome.
The Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church VBS “Operation Space” will be July 12-16 from 5:30 until 8:00 each night for ages 5-12.
“We are going to have skits every night featuring Capt. Scott, Turbo the robot and the crew of the Spaceship Intrepid. There will also be crafts, games, great food and bible briefings conducted by our special flight crew for the week,” according to Ray’s Chapel member Heather Leonard.
For photos from the Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church visit to the PCC Planetarium, click here.
Pictured: The youth and children from Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church visited the Pensacola Christian College Planetarium Saturday. Submitted photos by Heather Leonard for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Do you have church news you would like to share? Email news@northescambia.com
Featured Recipe: Sweet And Savory CalRio Cuban Pie
July 11, 2010
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is a CalRio Cuban Pie. Pulled pork, deli ham, Roma tomatoes, Swiss cheese are more combine to create this flavorful ethnic dish.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
LIVE VIDEO: BP Removes Cap From Gushing Oil Well In The Gulf
July 11, 2010
The containment cap was removed from the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico Saturday afternoon as BP works to stop the flow.
As a result, the oil well will freely gush millions more gallons of oil in the Gulf for at least two days. BP’s plans are to have a new, tighter cap in place by Monday. A permanent fix is planned by the middle of August.
NorthEscambia.com is bringing you live video from the BP oil spill in the Gulf Of Mexico.
This is a live feed from about mile below the surface in the Gulf of Mexico. The live video stream may freeze at times, or be completely unavailable from time to time. If you see a broken image with a red “X” in Internet Explorer, you will need to click the “Allow Active X” near the top of your screen. Also, be aware that the video may not appear if your employer, school or home firewall blocks videos.
NorthEscambia.com Live Oil Spill Video From BP
Shelly Womack Named Escambia County Junior Miss
July 11, 2010
Shelly Womack was named Escambia County (Ala.) Junior Miss Saturday night at Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton. Womack, the daughter of David and Janet Womack, is a student at Excel High School.
First alternate was Cierra White of Flomaton. She is the daughter of Earnie White of Flomaton and the late Angie White. She is a student at the Alabama School of Math and Science.
Walton Nichols of Atmore was named second alternate. She is the daughter of Randy and Melissa Nichols of Atmore.
Six young ladies took part in the program Saturday night. They were: Megan Andrews, Dallas Brown, Walton Nichols, Kelsey Templeton, Cierra White and Shelly Womack.
Pictured: Shelly Womack (center) was named Escambia County Junior Miss Saturday. Cierra White (left) was named first alternate, and Walton Nichols (right) was named first alternate. NorthEscambia.com graphic, click to enlarge.
Man Accused Of Indecent Exposure In North Escambia, Atmore
July 10, 2010
A Flomaton man is facing indecent exposure charges after allegedly exposing himself on two different occasions in the parking lot of a North Escambia business. And, authorities believe he committed a similar crime in Atmore.
Desjhaun Demetris Walker, 24, of 311 Dixon Road, Flomaton, was charged with two counts of indecent exposure. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail late Thursday night and released Friday on a $2,000 bond.
His arrest stemmed from two incidents reported in the parking lot of the CVS Pharmacy in Century on June 2 and June 4 in which he allegedly exposed his genitals and performed a sexual act in front of adult female victims.
In the June 4 incident, an adult female victim told Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies that she saw a black male in the CVS parking lot about noon, sitting in a light blue Oldsmobile with no tag. She said he had his windows rolled up and the engine was not running. When she approached her vehicle which was parked next to the suspect’s, he allegedly exited his vehicle with his shirt pulled, his pants pulled down, and he proceeded to commit an illegal act.
The victim jumped into her car, locked the doors and called 911 for help. When the suspect saw the victim on the phone, he reportedly fled northbound on North Century Boulevard. Responding deputies were unable to locate the vehicle.
A similar incident was reported by another adult female in the same parking lot two days prior, on June 2.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Atmore Police Department that a similar incident had occurred in the parking lot of a business in that city on June 2. The victim and the suspect information matched, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
When questions by deputies, Walker admitted that he was the person that committed the illegal acts in front of two different victims at the CVS in Century on
June 2 and June 4, according to his arrest report.
Judge: State Attorney Can Prosecute Commissioner Valentino
July 10, 2010
State Attorney Bill Eddins will be able to prosecute Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino, according to a ruling issued Friday by Okaloosa County Judge Mike Ward.
Valentino had petitioned the judge to remove Eddins and his office from the case, with his attorney, Barry Beroset, arguing that since the State Attorney’s office used Valentino to make secret audio recordings in 2007, it would be a conflict of interest. Valentino assisted the State Attorney’s office in an investigation of former county administrator George Touart.
A criminal case against Valentino involving campaign related charges was moved in May to Okaloosa County by Escambia Chief Judge Terry Terrell. Valentino has entered a not guilty plea on charges of the solicitation of a political contribution in a building owned by a governmental agency. The charge is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Valentino is accused of accepting a campaign donation at his county office from Pensacola developer Dan Gilmore on November 5, 2009.
Pictured: Commissioner Gene Valentino’s Escambia County Jail booking photo, click to enlarge.
July Lawn And Garden Tips
July 10, 2010
Timing is the key to success in your lawn and garden. And in this weekly feature, Teresa Friday, the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County, offers an assortment of July lawn and garden tips.
Flowers
- Plant heat-tolerant annuals such as: celosia, coleus, crossandra, impatiens, kalanchoe, nicotiana, ornamental pepper, portulaca, salvia, and vinca.
- Lightly re-fertilize to enhance color and vigor.
- Deadhead, or pinch off, spent flowers to stimulate more flowering.
- Pinch back leggy growth.
- Check roses for black spot fungus and apply a fungicide if necessary.
- Mulch beds to 3-inches deep to help control weeds.
- Monitor weekly for insect or disease problems.
- Increase air circulation between plants. This helps prevent formation of fungal diseases such as leaf and stem blights.
Trees and Shrubs
- Crape myrtles are blooming, so it’s an excellent time to select them for your landscape. Choose cultivars with the appropriate mature size for your site.
- Deadhead crape myrtles to extend bloom time.
- Check azaleas for the large, black azalea defoliator caterpillars. Control by hand picking or use an approved insecticide.
- Watch for spider mites on shrubs and flowers; lacebugs on azaleas and pyracantha; flower thrips on roses, gardenias and other blooming plants; and oleander caterpillars on oleanders.
- Prune hydrangeas and gardenias when flowering stops.
- Do not heavily prune any of the spring flowering shrubs such as azaleas, camellias or spiraea.
- Give trees a pre-hurricane check. Look for limbs that might snap and trunks that could split. Prune immediately.
- Psocids (tree cattle) create the white webbing covering the branches and trunks of some trees. They feed on surface debris and do not injury the trees.
Fruits and Nuts
- Prune blueberry bushes after harvest is completed.
Vegetable Garden
- Plant eggplant, lima beans, okra, southern peas, peppers and watermelon.
- Remove spring-planted tomato plants from the garden once harvesting is complete.
- Burn or remove diseased plants from your property. Don’t place them in the compost pile.
- Set out new tomato plants by late July. Try the “hot set” varieties.
- Control tomato hornworm and fruitworms.
- Establish a compost pile; high temperatures and frequent showers speed the breakdown process.
- Solarize the soil to reduce nematode population in the vegetable garden. Remove old plant debris, till the area thoroughly, moisten well and cover with clear plastic film. Seal the edges with soil. Leave the cover on for 6 weeks.
Lawns
- Monitor for sod webworms, spittlebugs, chinch bugs, caterpillars and mole crickets.
- Use a soap drench to irritate insect pests into moving, making them easier to see. Mix 1 ½ oz of liquid dishwashing soap and 2 gal of water in a sprinkling can, then equally distribute the solution in over a 2 X 2 foot area.
- To reduce stress on the lawn: mow before it is too high, keep mower blades sharp and raise the mowing height by ½ inch when the weather is hot.
Contact your local Extension Office for detailed instructions on these recommendations.