Qualifying Over For Escambia Candidates; Some Elected Without Opposition
June 19, 2010
Friday was the last day for candidates to qualify to run for office in Escambia County and Pensacola.
Candidates were required to file qualifying paperwork by noon on Friday for county and City of Pensacola offices. Qualifying for Town of Century offices will take place July 26-30.
The following candidates had qualified by deadline. Those listed without opposition will be elected to the office in which they qualified.
County Commissioner, District 2
Dave Murzin (Qualified 6/16/10)
Paul Redman (Qualified 6/18/10)
Myra L. Simmons (Qualified 6/17/10)
Karen Sindel (Qualified 6/17/10)
George Touart (Qualified 6/17/10)
Gene M. Valentino (Qualified 6/15/10)
County Commissioner, District 4
Dennis Green (Qualified 6/14/10)
Danny Lewis (Qualified 6/14/10)
Grover C. Robinson (Qualified 6/17/10)
School Board, District 1
Jeff Bergosh (Qualified 6/14/10)
Luke Keller (Qualified 6/16/10)
D. Hosea Pittman (Qualified 6/14/10)
School Board, District 2
Gerald W. Boone (Qualified 6/14/10)
Virginia R. White (Qualified 6/16/10)
School Board, District 3
Linda F. Moultrie (Qualified 6/14/10)
Charlie Nichols (Qualified 6/14/10)
ECUA, District 2
Lois Benson (Qualified 6/16/10)
Stephen Burand (Qualified 6/14/10)
Dave Carlson (Qualified 6/18/10)
James Kirkland (Qualified 6/17/10)
ECUA, District 4
Stuart H. Brown (Qualified 6/18/10)
Ryan M. Fendt (Qualified 6/17/10)
Dale Perkins (Qualified 6/16/10)
Scott Schroeder (Qualified 6/18/10)
Ronald Ward (Qualified 6/14/10)
Escambia Soil & Water Conservation District, Group 2
(none to date)
Escambia Soil & Water Conservation District, Group 4
Lynn L. Laird (Qualified 6/14/10)
Escambia Soil & Water Conservation District, Group 5
Dan Cain (Qualified 6/18/10)
Dillon Mason Powell (Qualified 6/17/10)
Santa Rosa Island Authority
Thomas Campanella (Qualified 6/14/10)
J.J. Waters (Qualified 6/18/10)
City of Pensacola
Mayor
Charles Bare (Qualified 6/17/10)
Ashton Hayward (Qualified 6/14/10)
Diane Mack (Qualified 6/14/10)
Mike Wiggins (Qualified 6/14/10)
City Council At-Large A
Megan Benson Pratt (Qualified 6/16/10)
City Council At-Large B
Sam Hall (Qualified 6/16/10)
City Council, District 1
Steve Fulford (Qualified 6/16/10)
P.C. Wu (Qualified 6/14/10)
City Council, District 2
Sherri Myers (Qualified 6/14/10)
Courtney B. Peterson (Qualified 6/14/10)
City Council, District 3
Maren Laycock DeWeese (Qualified 6/15/10)
City Council, District 4
Larry B. Johnson (Qualified 6/16/10)
City Council, District 5
John Jerralds (Qualified 6/17/10)
City Council, District 6
Jewel Cannada-Wynn (Qualified 6/15/10)
Brian Spencer (Qualified 6/17/10)
City Council, District 7
Ronald P. Townsend (Qualified 6/18/10)
Tri-County Falls To Niceville
June 19, 2010
Tri-County held a 3-2 lead over Niceville-National in the sixth inning in their recent All-Star tournament game in Chumuckla, but they were unable to hold on for the win. Niceville-National came back for an 8-3 win in the Florida District 1 Little League game.
Members of the Tri-County team are Trevor Flower, Haley Watson, Slater Nash, Nathan Archer, Blayne Miller, Seth Killam, Zac Blackmon, Avarie Jackson, and Tanner Macks.
Submitted photos by Tiana Ivey for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Wants Foreign Help Skimming Oil
June 19, 2010
Escambia County has joined the list of entities asking President Barack Obama to waive the Jones Act — a 90-year old law that was intended to shelter America’s maritime interests from foreign competition.
In essence, the Jones Act — known officially as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — states that cargo transported by water between U.S. Ports be transported on U.S. built, crewed and flagged ships.
That, critics say, is hampering the Gulf oil spill recovery by keeping vessels flagged in other counties from helping with the cleanup.
The Escambia County Commission has approved a resolution asking Obama to waive the act, allowing ships such as skimmers offered by the Netherlands.
U.S. Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, has called for Congress to repeal the act.
“This horrific disaster should provide many lessons for the Administration and Congress, including a reminder that the Jones Act should be repealed. Within a week of the explosion, 13 countries, including several European nations, offered assistance from vessels and crews with experience in removing oil spill debris,” McCain said within a week of the Deepwater Horizon explosion. “The Administration may grant a waiver to any vessel, just as the previous Administration did during Hurricane Katrina, so the international community could assist in recovery efforts, but has not done so.”
Two boats back up stern to stern allowing an oil skimmer to offload bags of oiled boom collected by the ship in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Caleb Critchfield for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blueberries Are Ready For Picking At North Escambia Farm
June 19, 2010
The blueberries are ripe for the picking this weekend at A & N Blueberries in Molino.
Sweet, plump, perfect-color blueberries are just $1 per pound at the u-pick farm that has become a North Escambia tradition.
“They are sweeter than the blueberries you find in the stores,” Sarah Miller of A & N Blueberries said. “Plus it is just a fun atmosphere to bring the family to pick. We even have some families that will bring a lunch and have a picnic.”
“I love blueberries. I love blueberry jam. Blueberries on toast, on bagels,” she said. “Blueberries are just good.”
The blueberry farm sits on about six acres, with rows and rows of trees nearly two decades old. Miller and her husband Eli purchased the farm from his grandparents last year. The blueberries are top quality, good enough that Apple Market and other stores in Pensacola sell A & N Blueberries.
Sarah said that now is the time to pick blueberries for the freezer, and freezing blueberries is easy.
“You go straight from the farm to the freezer; you don’t even wash them first,” she said. “You wash them after you take them out of the freezer.” She said blueberries frozen fresh from the farm can last for a few years in the freezer. Fresh blueberries, she said, will remain at peak quality for about five days.
The blueberry crop is expected to be available until about July 14. The farm also has watermelons, cantaloupes , squash and tomatoes ready now.
In addition to the u-pick blueberries for $1 per pound, A & N also offers pre-picked blueberries for $3 per pound, and fresh blueberry jam.
A & N Blueberries is located on Suncrest Lane, just off Sunshine Hill Road about a half mile north of Molino Road. Click here for a Google map. A & N Blueberries is open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. until dark.
For more information and blueberry recipes, visit www.anblueberries.com.
Pictured middle: Sarah and Eli Miller with son John Parker Miller. Pictured top and below: Farm-fresh blueberries at A & N Blueberries in Molino. NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Passerby Finds Upside Vehicle On Highway 97; Driver Not Around
June 18, 2010
A passerby found a single vehicle rollover accident this morning on Highway 97 in Dogwood Park, but the driver was not around.
The Dodge Infiniti was found upside down Dodge Infiniti behind some bushes along Highway 97 near the southern end of White Ash Road about 5:40 a.m. When emergency workers arrived, they were unable to locate the driver.
The accident had obviously happened some time before it was discovered; the engine and exhaust were cool.
The driver of the Infiniti was apparently northbound on Highway 97 when they lost control, slide sideways off the road and overturned.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash. The accident is still under investigation by the FHP.
Pictured above: The driver of this car had left the scene of this Dogwood Park crash some period of time before the wreck was discovered. Pictured below: Firefighters check the interior of the vehicle. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Deputies Crack Down On Hwy 97, Hwy 29 Speeders During Traffic Blitz
June 18, 2010
One after another, Escambia deputies stopped speeders on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill and Highway 29 in Century Thursday.
About a half dozen deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Unit conducted the operation, stopping car after car for violating the speed limit. In the 45 mph stretch of Highway 97 at Arthur Brown Road, near Ernest Ward Middle, deputies stopped several vehicles traveling over 60 mph Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon, it was a similar story on North Century Boulevard (Highway 29).
Many of the North Escambia traffic complaints have centered on Highway 97, known locally for its speeders and the number of traffic crashes. Thursday morning, marked cruisers were lined up in a driveway just south of Ernest Ward, partially hidden from northbound traffic by an old building. Meanwhile, motorcycle officers waited under a large oak tree nearby. One after another, the deputies pulled out after speeders.
The Traffic Unit often spends days in Pensacola working traffic in between escorting funerals. But Sheriff David Morgan has directed the unit to crack down on traffic in North Escambia when time allows, make traffic control a priority.
Pictured top: Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit motorcycle deputies use a radar gun to check the speed of passing motorists Thursday morning on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. Pictured inset and below: A deputy writes a ticket on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New State Website Lists 3,800 Available Oil Spill Jobs
June 18, 2010
If you area Florida resident looking for an oil spill recover job, a new website launched Thursday might provide the opportunity you are seeking.
Gov. Charlie Crist unveiled the new website www.floridagulfrecoveryjobs.com that currently lists over 3,500 oil spill response and recovery effort jobs. The site is a dedicated portal through Florida’s official online job bank, the Employ Florida Marketplace.
“Immediate access to recovery-related job openings provides Floridians the opportunity to help our state while supporting their families and communities,” said Governor Crist. “Our beautiful Sunshine State remains open for business, and Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs is the latest example of our coordinated efforts to ensure preparedness and strengthen our economy.”
Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs is a joint venture of the Agency for Workforce Innovation and Workforce Florida Inc., in partnership with the state’s 24 Regional Workforce Boards — including the local Workforce Escarosa. Designed as an online “one-stop shop” for job seekers and employers, the website allows job seekers to access available positions, which are verified by the local Regional Workforce Boards, as employers post them. Floridians can also call 1-877-362-5034 to learn more about available jobs related to response and recovery efforts.
“Our top priority is getting Floridians back to work and ensuring Florida’s business climate continues to flourish,” said Chris Hart IV, president/CEO of Workforce Florida Inc. and interim director of the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development. “Florida Gulf Recovery Jobs is a key component of the state’s response to the oil spill, providing Florida’s job seekers access to a wide array of employment opportunities and its businesses with a ready and willing talent pool.”
Some response and recovery jobs will require special training, for which job seekers may receive a stipend. More than 2,400 workers have already been trained and are eligible to begin filling these positions, including 302 who are already participating in Florida’s recovery efforts. Information about required training is also available at www.floridagulfrecoveryjobs.com. Additionally, job seekers are encouraged to visit one of the 93 local One-Stop Career Centers for information about these and other employment opportunities in their communities.
In the North Escambia area, Escarosa Career Centers are located at 8120 North Century Boulevard in Century, 3670-A North L Street in Pensacola and 5723 Highway 90 in Milton.
Jury Convicts Robin And Lynn Floyd On 7 Animal Abuse Charges
June 18, 2010
A North Escambia couple has been found guilty on multiple animal cruelty charges by an Escambia County jury.
(Editor’s note: This story was updated to reflect changes resulting from an error in the Escambia County Court of the Clerk’s records concerning sentencing for the Floyds.)
Robin Brownie Floyd, 53, and Lynn Livingston Floyd, 43, both of Gilmore Road, Century, were both found guilty on seven of eight charges of confinement of animals without sufficient food or water.
Both Floyds were sentenced to six months probation and ordered to pay over $500 in costs each. They were also ordered to take a horse training or treatment course, and they are not allowed to have custody of a horse for the length of their probation, according to Escambia County Clerk of the Courts records. They were given 10 days to find a home any horses they may have. But, according to court records, they are allowed to work around horses.
Panhandle Equine Rescue received a tip that several thin horses were being moved by the Floyds to Santa Rosa County, according to PER President Diane Lowery. She said the horses were being transferred to a Santa Rosa County residence and then moved out of state to a horse rescue in Georgia. Lowery said that when PER investigated in September, they found three emaciated horses still on the Gilmore Road property.
Warrants were issued on three counts each, and the Floyds turned themselves in at the Escambia County Jail on October 15. Additional charges were filed by the State Attorney’s Office in December.
PER, Lowery said, took photos of the other horses to the State Attorney’s office and requested that there be more charges, “since every horse that suffered neglect mattered”.
For photos of the horses submitted by PER, click here. (Some readers may find the photos disturbing. Submitted photos by Panhandle Equine Rescue from 2009 and 2006.)
Northview FFA’s Food For America Program Named Best In Florida
June 18, 2010
The Northview High School FFA’s Food For America program was named the best in Florida Thursday during the 82nd Florida FFA State Convention in Orlando.
The North Escambia Food for America Program, sponsored the National FFA Organization and conducted by the Northview FFA in March, gave hundreds of elementary school students a chance to learn about agriculture firsthand up close and personal with farm animals, farm equipment and more. About 600 elementary school students and about 200 volunteers took part in the program.
The program is designed to encourage FFA members to participate in Agricultural Literacy and Awareness projects on the local level. The awards were announced Thursday during the General Session of the 82nd Florida FFA State Convention in Orlando.
The Northview FFA has participated in the program for 15 years, placing second in the state in 2007 and 2009. Northview has placed in the top five in the state for the last ten years.
Pictured top: Students pets a horse at Northview High School FFA’s Food for America Program last March. Pictured inset: Northview FFA students. Pictured bottom: Students taste homemade butter during the NHS Food for America program. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
ECUA Golf Tourney Raises $28,000 For Children’s Hospital
June 18, 2010
Emerald Coast Utility Authority employees raised $28,000 for Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital.
ECUA Employee’s Golf Tournament organizers and Diamond Sponsor Gilbert Pump & Mechanical, presented a check for $28,000 recently to Dr. Henry E. Roberts, president of the Sacred Heart Foundation. The donation was the result of the 2010 tournament held at the Marcus Pointe Golf Course in April.
“Over the past 12 years, the ECUA Employees Golf Tournament has contributed over $108,000 in the hospital’s ministry with children,” said Dr. Roberts.
According to the ECUA Employees’ Golf Tournament event organizers Bill Ellis, Doug Gibson, Ron Doolittle, Tammy Clemmons, and Timothy Colley, “Over the past 12 years we’ve made the employees’ event a top priority. The money generated will contribute to the building and construction of the Children’s Garden and Playroom Renovation project to be located within the Purple Heart Kids’ Gang unit at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. In 2010, we pledged to exceed $100,000 in total contributions, and we surpassed that goal.”
“The tournament is successful because of the financial support we receive from sponsors such as Gilbert Pump & Mechanical, our 2010 Diamond Sponsor, and the other 132 participants. We’re dedicated to continuing this tradition and look forward to many more successful events,” said Ellis.
The ECUA Employees’ Golf Tournament contributions to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital have helped to make it a state of the art facility. It is Northwest Florida’s only Level III intensive care nursery, serving 14 counties throughout the region.
(Golf tournament winners are listed below their pictures at the bottom of this story.)
Pictured top: $28,000 in proceeds from the ECUA Employee’s Golf Tournament is presented to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Pictured are: (front, L-R) Brian Widman, Danny Gilbert, Doug Gibson, Cathy Laird, Dr. Henry Roberts, (back, L-R) Timothy Colley, Bill Ellis, Ron Doolittle. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
First place: Camp Dresser McKee — (L-R) Wes Malone, William Blocker, Casey Smith, Robert Hyman.
Second place: South Baldwin Plumbing — (L-R) Lain B. Cheney, Shain Cheney, Robert Barnes, Brian Alberson.
Third place: Baskerville Donovan, Inc. — (L-R) Jim Waite, Claude Duvall,Larry Goodwin.