Photo Gallery: Ernest Ward Middle Holds Annual Sports Banquet
April 24, 2010
The fourth annual Ernest Ward Middle School Sports Banquet was held Friday night. Students were honored for their participation in football, cheerleading, volleyball, track, basketball and swimming.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Will Gov. Remove Comm. Valentino From Office After Arrest?
April 24, 2010
There’s no word yet if Gov. Charlie Crist will suspend Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino following his arrest.
Valentino was indicted by an Escambia County Grand Jury Thursday on charges of the solicitation of a political contribution in a building owned by a governmental agency. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail late Thursday afternoon and released on his own recognizance.
The charge is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Gov. Crist is not required to suspend Valentino from office, but has the authority to do so. He has exercised that authority and suspended many indicted officials across the state during his term as governor.
Local web site Ricksblog.biz reports that Crist will appoint Rep. Dave Murzin or Holly Benson to Valentino’s District 2 seat. Benson is currently running for Florida Attorney General, and she is a resident of the district, which would allow her to run for the seat this fall. Murzin is running for a Florida Senate seat, and he does not live in District 2.
Besides Valentino, the only other candidate in the District 2 race with household name recognition George Touart, the former embattled county administrator.
Pictured: Commissioner Gene Valentino’s Escambia County Jail booking mugshot.
Northview Lady Chiefs Take District 1-2A Championship
April 23, 2010
The Northview Lady Chiefs (24-3) took the District 1-2A championship Thursday night with a 5-4 win over Baker.
Freshman pitcher Misty Doran picked up the win for the Lady Chiefs with 11 strikeouts, and allowing eight walks. She improved her career high school record to 18-3.
“I’m just so proud of them, I knew they could do it,” Head Coach Sammy Day said. “All year, these girls have played hard. We lost our focus a time or two, but they came back.”
Northview hitters were Kolbi Cobb 2-2, Shawna Montgomery 1-2, Misty Doran 1-3, Candace Greenwell 1-3 and Haley Simpson 1-3.
The Chiefs were up 5-1 as the seventh inning began, but Baker had an error, two walks an a two-RBI single to make it 5-4. Baker’s tying run was on base and Doran struck out the last two Gators for the Chief’s win.
This was the third win of the season for the Lady Chiefs over Baker.
The Lady Chiefs celebrated with lots of hugs and a few tears. They posed for lots of photos, including one with Day holding the championship trophy as he was surrounded by his players. Then the reality of a big win hit Day — in the form of a cooler full of ice water was poured over the Chief’s head coach.
The Lady Chiefs will move on to the Regionals next Tuesday, 7 p.m. at home against the winner of Friday’s South Walton versus Liberty County game.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com gallery, click here. (Game winning celebration photos are at the end of the gallery.)
Pictured above: Freshman pitcher Misty Doran (top center) and the Northview Lady Chiefs celebrate after winning the District 1-2A Championship Thursday night in Bratt. Pictured below: Head Coach Sammy Day is showered with ice water in this photo captured by Luke Killam. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Using A Santa Rosa Library Could Cost You $50
April 23, 2010
If you not a Santa Rosa County resident and want to use the county’s libraries, be prepared to pay.
The Santa Rosa County Commission unanimously approved a $50 per year fee for nonresidents using the Jay Library or any of the other four libraries in the county. There will be an exception to the fee made for military personnel or nonresidents that own property in the county.
There are 2,378 nonresidents with library cards in Santa Rosa County.
Escambia County libraries already charge nonresidents $50 per year for a library card.
Teen That Grabbed Deputy’s Gun Moved To Adult Court
April 23, 2010
The case of an Escambia teen that fought with deputies and grabbed a service revolver has been transferred from juvenile to adult court.
Tracey E. Squaire, 14, was moved from the Juvenile Detention Center to the Escambia County Jail. He was jailed after reportedly taking a deputy’s gun, threatening to shoot him and trying to take a weapon from another deputy. A deputy fired shots at the teen during the incident, but missed.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a suspicious vehicle in a ditch in the area of 80th Avenue and West Jackson Street early Tuesday morning. When Deputy Brandon Minor arrived on the scene, the vehicle was not occupied, so he proceeded to contact the owner of the vehicle who lived nearby.
The owner of the vehicle discovered that keys to another vehicle he owned — a blue Chevrolet truck — were missing, and he told the deputy that he believed Squaire, his 14-year old stepson, had taken both vehicles.
When Deputy Minor and the owner returned to the scene of the abandoned truck in the ditch, they found Squaire removing items from the vehicle and placing them in the second vehicle reported stolen.
“Deputy Minor exited his patrol car and ordered Squaire to place his hands behind his back and which time Squaire refused and tried to distance himself from Deputy Minor. Deputy Minor then attempted to handcuff Squaire, but Squaire was able to forcibly resist the officer’s attempts, causing the officer to pull his taser. Squaire then grabbed Deputy Minor’s taser and began to fight with the officer trying to gain control of the taser. At this time Deputy Minor drew his gun on the suspect and ordered him to get on the ground. Square once again refused the officers commands and lunged for Deputy Minor’s gun. During the struggle over the gun, Squaire pulled the weapon from Deputy Minor’s hands and pointed the gun at the officer threatening to shoot him if he moved or tried to call for help,” according to Melissa Aiken, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
Squaire then fled the scene with the deputy’s weapon in the stolen Chevrolet truck. Additional deputies responded and began searching the area for Squaire. Deputy Kelly Hall located the truck in the area of 65th Avenue. When he pulled in behind the truck, the suspect accelerated and fled before wrecking with a traffic island on 65th Avenue.
“Deputy Hall then approached the suspect’s vehicle with his weapon drawn at which time the suspect raised the firearm stolen from Deputy Minor and pointed it at Deputy Hall ordering Hall to put his hands up. Deputy Hall took cover at the rear of the vehicle and fired one round into the suspect’s vehicle. Squaire then put both hands in the air in an attempt to give up. Deputy Hall ordered Squaire out of the vehicle and Squaire complied by exiting the vehicle and walking toward the deputy,” Aiken said.
“Deputy Hall then ordered the suspect to get on the ground at which time the suspect refused and lunged toward Deputy Hall grabbing his gun with both hands. The suspect fought with the deputy attempting to turn the gun’s muzzle toward the deputy. In fear for his life, Deputy Hall fired one round from his weapon in self defense, but missed the suspect. As the fight continued, Deputy Hall was eventually able to force the suspect to the ground at which time the suspect preceded to bite Deputy Hall on the wrist. Deputy Hall persevered and was able to free his weapon from Squaire’s grasp and handcuff the suspect,” Aiken continued.
Squaire was booked into the Escambia County Jail on a list of felony charges:
- Committing a first degree felony with stolen law enforcement firearm
- Aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony
- Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon
- Battery on law enforcement officer
- Grand theft of vehicle
- Obstruction of police
He is also facing misdemeanor charges of larceny and resisting a law enforcement officer.
Comm. Gene Valentino Indicted By Grand Jury
April 23, 2010
An Escambia County Grand Jury returned an indictment Thursday afternoon against Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino for the solicitation of a political contribution in a building owned by a governmental agency, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Valentino is accused of accepting a campaign donation at his county office from Pensacola developer Dan Gilmore on November 5, 2009.
The charge is a first degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Valentino will be released on his own recognizance.
Kidnapped Woman, Two Kids Saved After Note Left In Flomaton Bathroom
April 23, 2010
A note left in a Flomaton gas station bathroom led Alabama State Troopers to foil the kidnapping of a woman and two children.
About 3 p.m. Wednesday, someone found a note written on a handtowel in a women’s bathroom at a truck stop at I-65 and Highway 113 in Flomaton. The note said that the female and her two children had been kidnapped and were being taken to Atlanta by their abductor. The note also contained a description of the vehicle and its license plate number.
Law enforcement units across South Alabama were notified of the possible kidnapping. An Alabama state trooper patrolling I-65 near the Garland exit in Butler County spotted the vehicle headed north. He stopped the vehicle, which was occupied by a man, a woman and two children. The adult female, Latasha Hill of Jefferson, La., stated that she and her two children had been kidnapped by the driver.
During a search of the vehicle, the trooper located a .45-caliber Ruger automatic handgun in the vehicle’s door.
The driver, Therral Hatfield, 25, of Jefferson, La., was arrested and charged with giving false information and carrying a pistol without a permit.
Yellowhammer Truck Stop clerk Connie Kinman says she noticed Hatfield outside the women’s bathroom door the entire time she was inside.
“She had to know he was there,” she said. “She was very brave.”
The note said to call 911 because the woman and her children were being held hostage. She handed it to another lady in the restroom, who gave it to store clerks for help.
The Alabama State Troopers, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office, Conecuh County Sheriff’s Department, Louisiana State Police and the FBI are continuing their investigation.
Funeral Services Set For Mom, Daughter Killed In Monday Crash
April 22, 2010
Funeral services have been set for the mother and her six-year old daughter killed Monday morning in a single vehicle crash in Bradley, Alabama.
Century native Lori Lynn “Smith” Simmons, 25, and her daughter Zoey Elizabeth Simmons, will be laid to rest Friday.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Petty-Eastside Chapel in Atmore with the John W. Pierce and the Rev. Jared Knowl officiating. Burial will follow at Flomaton Cemetery. Visitation will held from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
For the complete Lori Lynn “Smith” Simmons obituary, click here.
For the complete Zoey Elizabeth Simmons obituary, click here.
Century To Move Forward With Plan To Resurface The Town’s Worst Streets
April 22, 2010
The Town of Century is moving forward on plans to prioritize street resurfacing projects, voting to use their own street superintendent to develop a preliminary list of streets that need attention.
During January, the Century council decided that each member would submit a list of roads and bridges that they believed need attention. That list was to be combined with a list already maintained by the mayor to create a master list of bad roads, and when dollars became available for road and bridge projects, would refer to their master priority list to begin work.
But then the town decided in early February to determine what it would cost to resurface every street in town that needed attention. And the bottom line was much higher than they hoped — $4.5 million, according to Fabre Engineering.
The council’s next step was to get a cost estimate in March from Fabre to survey 21 miles of streets in the town for road condition, width and drainage issues. From the survey, the engineering company would create the list of streets that should be resurfaced first as funds allowed. When that estimate came back at $10,200, the council tabled action at that time.
Now, under their new plan, once the street superintendent submits a list to the council of the streets most in need of attention, the council will once again move forward toward resurfacing.
Farm Tour Shows Importance Of North Escambia Agriculture
April 22, 2010
The 2010 Escambia County Farm Tour took to the roads of North Escambia Wednesday as well over 100 county, city and state leaders joined leaders from the agricultural community on a tour of agricultural locations across the area.
Participants started the day at the Escambia County Extension Service and a garden tour presented by the Master Gardner groups.
Then they headed north to Molino and the Pine Ridge Farm and Cunningham Farm on Highway 97. At the Cunningham Farm, the Angus females in the cattle herd mostly originate from a registered herd started by James E. Cunningham and his two sons Jimmy and Jacky Cunningham in the 1960’s.
At the Pine Ridge Farm, Mick and Jane Breault began their cattle operation in 1980 raising Registered Polled Herefords. In 2000, they started a Black Baldie breeding program, and they joined forces with the Cunningham Farm in 2006.
The group visited Andrews Sod Farm and Strawberries on Tungoil Road in Walnut Hill. There, they learned about commercial vegetable production and sampled fresh from the vine strawberries.
At “The Tank” on Lemon Road in Walnut Hill, participants learned the science of purging catfish in a 32-foot wide indoor pool that can hold up to 20,000 catfish at a time. (For a previous NorthEscambia.com story about The Tank, click here.)
Farm Tour participants also learned about timber production at RMS on Mason Road and visited Mike’s Ag Air and Irrigation in Davisville to learn about aerial spraying and irrigation systems.
For more photos from the 2010 Escambia County Farm Tour, click here.
Pictured top and bottom: Escambia County Farm Tour Participants at The Tank in Walnut Hill. Pictured inset: Benny Barnes of Century samples strawberries at Andrews Sod Farm in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
