New Manager Named At Local International Paper Mill
June 22, 2010
International Paper announced Monday that Carl Gunter has been named mill manager of the Pensacola Mill. He will assume overall leadership responsibility for the facility, including the management of the mill’s $65 million environmental improvement project.
Gunter comes to Pensacola from the Red River Mill in Campti, La. He has 27 years of experience and has also worked at International Paper’s Pineville, La., Oswego, N.Y., and Riverdale (Selma), Ala. mills. Carl, his wife Martha, and their family will relocate to the Pensacola area.
“My family and I are looking forward to relocating to the area and learning more about the people and the community,” said Gunter.
In a related move, former Pensacola Mill Manager Chris Read has been named director, Manufacturing Global Center of Excellence; he and his family will relocate to IP’s global headquarters in Memphis, Tenn.
Chris has been with International Paper more than 18 years, having worked at the Riverdale (Selma), Ala., Mobile, Ala., Whakatana, New Zealand, and Eastover, S.C., mills prior to his assignment in Pensacola.
Former Century Resident Buck Showalter Could Manage The Orioles
June 22, 2010
Former Century resident Buck Showalter may be in the running for the manager’s job for the Baltimore Orioles.
Showalter, who is currently an analyst for ESPN, will meet with Orioles about the job on Wednesday, according to The Baltimore Sun. The Orioles dismissed Dave Trebley as their manager back on June 4; they are expected to announce their new manager by the All-Star break.
Showalter, who now lives in Dallas, had three different managerial stints in the majors with the New York Yankees, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Texas Rangers. Showalter first managed the Yankees from 1992-1995 for 581 games posting a 313-268 record finishing 45 games over .500 with a .539 win/loss percentage. He was voted 1994 AL Manager of the Year after the Yankees finished first in the AL East going 70-43. Unfortunately, there would be no post-season in 1994 due to the strike. He made it to his first post-season appearance in 1995, losing the divisional series 3-2 to the Seattle Mariners.
He moved on to the Arizona Diamondbacks where he managed 486 games from 1998-2000 with a 250-236 record. His best season with the Diamondbacks came in 1999 when they finished first in the NL West going 100-62 and eventually losing in the divisional series 3-1 to the NY Mets. Showalter took over as Texas Rangers skipper in 2003-2006 posting a 319-329 record in 648 games. He was selected 2004 AL Manager of the Year with the Texas Rangers going 89-73 with a .549 win/loss percentage.
His father was a high school coach and principal, moving to Century in the late 1950’s. Showalter played Little League ball in Century in a thriving program. Century’s modern day Showalter Park is named after him.
Photo Gallery: Fire Destroys Nine Mile Apartments
June 22, 2010
One building of a Pensacola apartment complex was destroyed by fire Monday afternoon, leaving four families homeless and creating a traffic nightmare on Nine Mile Road.
The fire was reported at 3:03 p.m. at the Woodlands Apartments on Sunnehanna Boulevard near Nine Mile Road. The fire, which was contained to the single building, was reported under control at 4:35 p.m. There were no injuries reported.
Multiple fire stations from Escambia County and two units from Pace battle the blaze, including the Cantonment and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal.
The American Red Cross is assisting the four families displaced by the blaze, according to Sonya Daniel, Escambia County spokesperson.
The fire created traffic delays in the area, including a complete shutdown of Nine Mile Road in both directions near Pen Air Federal Credit Union. Nine Mile reopened about 4:15.
For a photo gallery from the scene, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Deputy Involved In Wreck, Cantonment Teen Uninjured
June 22, 2010
There were no serious injuries in a Monday wreck involving an Escambia County Sheriff’s cruiser and two other vehicles, including one driven by a North Escambia teen.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Angela Maddox, 61, of Pensacola was stopped due to traffic on Westside Drive’s southbound side in 1990 Lincoln. A marked Sheriff’s Office cruiser driven by Robert R. Way, 48, was southbound in the northbound lane with its emergency lights activated. That’s when, FHP said, Maddow turned into the path the Sheriff’s cruiser at 4:24 p.m..
After the impact, Maddox’s vehicle collided with a 2003 Ford driven by Alyson Shoemaker, 17, of Cantonment. Shoemaker was also stopped due to traffic on Westside Drive near Nine Mile Road. Shoemaker and her passenger, Britany N. Ford, 16, of Pensacola, were not injured. Shoemaker’s vehicle had an estimated $50 in damage, according to the FHP. Shoemaker was not at fault in the accident, according to the FHP.
Maddox received minor injuries and was transported to West Florida Hospital. Way was not injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol charged Maddox with improper change of course.
Short And Sweet: Century Keeps Ordinary Business Ordinary
June 22, 2010
It was a night ordinary business in near-record time Monday for the regular town council meeting — in an ordinary fashion.
With no public speakers and no council member agenda items, the council took few actions including:
- a vote to hire Fabre Engineering for the design of $600,000 in drainage projects funded a grant (read more here).
- a vote to keep their next regular scheduled meeting on July 5 despite it being a federal holiday. The town will be open for business as usual on July 5 and will take July 2 as a day off for the Independence Day weekend.
- a vote to pay the town’s ordinary bills.
The Century Town Council meeting lasted only about 15 minutes.
Molino’s Parker Dominates Pro Kart Tour Races
June 22, 2010
A Molino teen picked up a couple of big kart racing wins this past weekend, dominating the Maxxix Pro Kart Tour at Beaver Creek Speedway in Toney, Ala.
Jarrett Parker, an incoming sophomore at Northview High School, won pole positions and three events in the Junior Gold Division.
Parker’s #46 Todd Miller-powered Icon kart dominated the Junior Gold division leading every lap of Gold Lite and Gold Heavy classes. In the Pro Gold race it was a duel to the end between three drivers from different states, and Parker triumphed with the win. Parker’s MB Motorsports teammate, Dee Pascal from Hawkinsville Ga., won four poles and four races in the adult division.
The Molino teen will next be off to a race in Mississippi. He is leading the points chase in the Junior Gold FH in Mississippi, and he is also in first place in the points chase in Alabama’s Senior Heavy class.
Parker, who has been kart racing since 2003, is the son of Scott and Tammy Parker of Molino.
Turn4LIVEProductions will stream a show from this weekend’s race beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday on turn4liveproductions.com.
Pictured top: Molino kart racer Jarrett Parker at the Maxxix Pro Kart Tour this past weekend. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Driver Dies In Early Morning Pine Barren Road Crash
June 21, 2010
A Pensacola man was killed in a single vehicle accident early Monday morning in the Christian Home community.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Joshua Herring, 23, of Pensacola was northbound on on Pine Barren Road south of Breastworks Road about 2:50 a.m. He lost control of his 2004 Jeep as he traveled around a curve, hit a tree and spun around into a wooded area. Herring was pronounced dead on the scene by emergency personnel. There were no passengers in the vehicle.
According to the FHP, Herring was not wearing his seat belt, and results of alcohol testing are pending.
The McDavid and Century stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash.
For more photos from the accident, click here.
Pictured top: The driver of this vehicle was pronounced dead following an early Monday morning wreck. Pictured below: Firefighters work to reach the vehicle. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Charged With DUI After Death Of Pedestrian
June 21, 2010
A driver involved in the early Sunday morning death of a pedestrian has been charged with DUI.
The Florida Highway Patrol says William E. Carlson, 30, of Pensacola was walking west on Wilde Lake Boulevard shortly after 3 a.m. when he was struck and killed by a 2002 Saturn driven by Tyler Neal Wass (pictured), 25, of Pensacola.
According to the FHP., Wass saw Carlson at the last second and attempted to avoid him, but struck him with the right front of his Saturn. Wass and a passenger, 25-year old Carissa L. Snipes, 25, of Pensacola, were not injured.
Wass was booked into the Escambia County jail early Sunday morning and released later on a $1,000 bond.
Pictured: The Escambia County Jail booking photo of Tyler Neal Wass, 25. Wass was charged with DUI after the early Sunday morning death of a pedestrian on Wilde Lake Boulevard. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Water System Improvements Pass Health Tests
June 21, 2010
Results from the second round of testing on the newest portion of Century’s water system were clean, possibly meaning an end to years of water problems for some residents as early as this week.
The $1.58 million project’s first round of water quality tests failed, delaying the $1.58 million project to improve the Town of Century’s water system in the Backwoods Road, State Line Road, Highway 4A area, putting customer use on hold.
Dale Long, Century’s engineer, said the system passed the second round of health tests last week. Once the water quality tests are approved by the state, perhaps this week, the contractor will be able to start hookups.
Hiking Spain: Zero Day, Trip To The ER
June 21, 2010
We are continuing to follow the journals of Century resident Terri Sanders as she hikes 500 miles across Spain this summer.
As Terri hikes from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, she will file dispatches from her journal and send pictures when possible for NorthEscambia.com as she hikes the Camino de Santiago — the Way of St. James — to the Atlantic Ocean.
Today, read about “Zero Day” and a trip to the emergency room.
June 7 and 8, 2010
Start; Narvarrete
Zero day
Everything was okay when I went to bed last night. It was around 8 and when I woke up again the lights were all out so I knew it was after 10:00 since the hostel closes at 10:00. I had the most awful case of indigestion and I took the Tums that I had stuck under my pillow before I went to bed. I usually do that so if I wake up with heartburn, I don’t have to rattle around in my pack for the bottle with the Tums in it. I went ahead and got up and went to the bathroom then came and got back up in my bunk.
After about thirty minutes I was hurting so bad in my stomach I got up again and went in the bathroom. I stayed in there on the floor hung over the toilet for the next 5 hours at least. I would throw up, try to lie down on the cool tile floor but no matter what I did I could not get rid of the excruciating pain in my stomach. It was close to daylight when I finally crawled back into my bunk.
I waited until hikers started stirring around and I saw Lou sit up. I whispered to him “Lou, I need to go to the hospital.”
He shot up the rest of the way out of bed and headed off to the bathroom. He said later that I scared the mess out of him. A real good laxative effect first thing in the morning, better than a cup of coffee and quicker too!
I explained to him what was going on and he went in search of the hostel manager. They loaded me up in his car and within minutes I was at the emergency room. It was exactly where I needed to be except that they spoke no English and I hurt so bad I couldn’t have spoken Spanish if I had of known any to speak. We slowly went through all the usual questions which took forever with the age barrier.
Given my age I guess they wanted to make sure I was not having a heart attack because rather quickly I had an EKG hooked up to me. No I didn’t have gall bladder problems, no I was not pregnant, no, I didn’t snort cocaine. I gave them a list of the medications I was on. The whole time they are talking to Lou like I wasn’t even in the room. They would ask him a question; he would turn to me and ask me the question. I would answer him, and he would relate the answer to them.
I got a shot for pain, two prescriptions, an EKG and blood work, with a final diagnosis of I had a mild case of food poisoning. All this set me back 174 Euros.
I was worried they were going to take my appendix or my gall bladder or give me a hysterectomy before I got out of there. The thing is, is that I would have probably gone along with it because I was in so much pain even though I have already had a hysterectomy!
I have a pretty high pain tolerance anyway, but nothing, not even natural delivery childbirth hurt like this. I have had food poisoning twice and it didn’t hurt anything like this. The shot began to numb the pain and they decided to let me go without doing any incisions on me.
Everyone had already packed up and left by the time I got back. I laid down on a bunk, Lou covered me up and the next thing I knew several hours had pasted and he was waking me up. We were moving into a more private room so I could rest and not be disturbed. I vaguely remember the doctor saying something about lots of rest and having no energy for a few days.
They tucked me back into bed with Lou assuring me he had gotten all of my laundry I had down last night and hung outside. I woke up 6 hours later and ate some scrambled eggs Lou fixed, then went back to sleep. By evening I was more awake but felt like a truck had hit me. I managed to stay awake and finish the book I was carrying. I didn’t have any kind of an appetite but managed to eat a tangerine. We had to make plans to try and catch up the missed days so if all goes okay and I am up to a bus ride we will jump ahead tomorrow.
Of course I feel horrible about this setting us back but Lou says quit worrying. It very well could have been him.
Mile 0.0