Updated: Northview Track Meet Canceled Due To Problems With The Track Itself
March 11, 2010
A track meet at Northview High School has been canceled due to problems with the track itself caused by recent rains.
“The track will need to be inspected by district personnel, because of the effect the rains have had on the track’s surface,” said Principal Gayle Weaver. “Our sincere apologies for this untimely cancellation to the coaches, track members, staff assistants, parents, and community members who support our track teams.”
The meet had originally been rescheduled for Friday afternoon, but was canceled after school officials inspected the track. A new rescheduled date has not been determined.
Updated: Bank Robbery Suspects Possibly Seen In Huxford, Atmore Woman Cleared
March 11, 2010
(Updated)Here are the latest developments in the search for two people that robbed a Flomaton bank on Monday:
An Atmore woman was apprehended and questioned last night as a suspect in the United Bank robbery, but she has been released and cleared of any involvement. And, a $5,000 reward has been announced for the capture and conviction of the suspects.
A vehicle with two suspects that matched the description of the suspects was spotted in Huxford, near the Escambia-Monroe County line on Wednesday.
On Wednesday night, a woman was picked up by authorities when they believed she was a suspect in the robbery.
“Numerous anonymous tips pinpointed Ms. (Wanda) Marshall to be the female suspect in the United Bank robbery,” said Jimmy Davis of the Flomaton Police Department. “Upon investigation of the tips with the FBI an arrest warrant was obtained.”
Marshall was apprehended in Canoe, Alabama, and questioned in the case. “Ms. Marshall was later cleared of any involvement in the robbery and released a short time later. At this time both suspects are still at large,” Davis said.
Flomaton Police and the FBI are still working to identify the man and woman that were involved in the robbery. The pair passed notes to different tellers demanding money. They did not display a weapon.Tellers at the Wachovia Bank in Florala, Alabama, were shown the surveillance video from the Flomaton robbery, and they believe the couple shown are the same two people that robbed their bank last week. The Florala Police Department had originally developed suspects in the Wachovia robbery, but all of their suspects were later cleared.
For more information about the bank robberies and suspect descriptions, click here for and earlier NorthEscambia.com story. Both suspects are considered armed and dangerous.
Anyone with information about the robbery is asked to call the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811 or the FBI at (251) 575-5395.
Pictured top: Authorities are continuing to look for suspects in the Monday holdup of the United Bank. Pictured below: Surveillance video from inside the bank. Submitted for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Facing Over A Dozen Drug Charges After Passing Fake Prescriptions At Local Pharmacy
March 11, 2010
A Pensacola woman is facing a long list of drug charges after attempting to fill a fraudulent prescription at a Century pharmacy and deputies found a stash of prescription drugs in her car.
Bertha Y. Wright, 43, of Michigan Avenue, Pensacola, was charged with 11 counts of possessing a controlled substance without a prescription, three counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, one count of trafficking in hydrocodone and one count of possession of a blank prescription.
When Wright attempted to fill three prescriptions at Century Pharmacy on Mayo Street, the pharmacist suspected that they were fraudulent. Julie Moran called the doctor that allegedly issued the prescriptions, Dr. David Smith in Jay, and determined they were indeed fraudulent, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
The first prescription was written for Phenergan and codeine. The second was for 180 methadone tablets, and the third was for 120 Soma tablets. All three were dated March 3, 2010. Deputy David Bashore contacted Dr. Smith by phone, and he advised that he last saw Wright in February and had written no new prescriptions for Wright.
Inside Wright’s purse, Bashore located an unlabeled prescription bottle containing methadone, a bottle with generic Lorcet and generic Soma mixed together, and a third bottle with methadone.
When deputies Michael Coburn and Tod Day searched Wright’s vehicle across the street from the pharmacy, they discovered a variety of medications — the sheriff’s office incident report lists about a dozen other medications by their identification numbers. The report identified 127 hydrocodone tablets and the muscle relaxer Carisoprodol. An ice-filled cooler in the vehicle also contained three bottles of an unknown substance, according to deputies. The vehicle and the medications were seized as evidence by the sheriff’s department.
Unemployment Soars; 26,130 Out Of Work In Area
March 11, 2010
The unemployment rate in the North Escambia area continues to climb, according to the latest numbers released Wednesday. New figures show 26,130 unemployed in the three county area.
In Escambia County, Florida, the unemployment rate for January jumped to 11.7 percent, up from 11.1 percent in December. That compares to 9.1 percent out of work a year ago. January’s 11.7 percent unemployment rates represents 16,456 people without a job.
In Santa Rosa County, January’s unemployment rate jumped to 10.0 percent, up from 10.0 percent the previous month and 8.1 percent one year ago. There were 7,723 people out of a job in January in Santa Rosa County.
In Escambia County, Alabama, the unemployment rate soared to 13.9 percent, up from 12.5 percent the month prior and 10.8 percent a year ago. There were 1,951 unemployed in Escambia County, Alabama.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is 11.9 percent in January 2010, up 0.2 percentage point from the December revised rate of 11.7 percent, and up from 8.7 percent a year ago. January’s rate equals the May 1975 rate, the highest in the recorded series. Florida’s unemployment rate remained higher than the national average, which was 9.7 percent in January.
Alabama’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, at 11.1 percent in January, increased from December’s revised rate of 10.9 percent and was above the year-ago rate of 8.1 percent.
Man Arrested For DUI After Passing Sheriff’s Precinct On Wrong Side Of Road
March 11, 2010
A North Escambia man was arrested for DUI early this morning after he drove past the Century Sheriff’s Precinct on the wrong side of Highway 29.
Marcus Dewayne Scott, 35, was charged with driving under the influence and booked into the Escambia County Jail at 1:44 a.m. Thursday. Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy James Gilman spotted Scott driving south in the northbound lane near the Century Sheriff’s Precinct and made a traffic stop. After a field sobriety test, Scott was transported to jail.
He is being held on $500 bond.
Man Behind That Was Focus Of January Manhunt Now Behind Bars
March 11, 2010
A Century man that was the focus of a January manhunt is now behind bars on charges that he failed to appear in court of multiple drug related charges.
Kevin Lamar Brown, 30, is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond after being arrested late Tuesday afternoon. According to Escambia County Circuit Court records, Brown’s bond was revoked after he did not appear in court on charges of marijuana possession, cocaine possession and other drug offenses.
Brown was the subject of a manhunt in Century on January 4. Escambia County Deputy David Preston responded to an unrelated 911 call in the 9000 block of Old Flomaton Road in Century about 12:20 that afternoon. Shortly after he arrived, Preston saw a man that he believed to be Brown run from the back of the residence.
Deputies set up a perimeter around the area and tracking dogs from the Century Correctional Institution were called to assist in the search. The K-9 unit was able to follow a scent from the back of the residence, but they were unable to location Brown.
Brown has allegedly ran from deputies before. On October 26 of last year, deputies spotted him in the 700 block of West Highway 4 and gave chase on foot. Deputies located Brown and arrested him on Hadley Lane for failure to appear in a narcotics case.
Flomaton, Atmore, Brewton To Celebrate Great Alabama Homecoming
March 11, 2010
Atmore, Flomaton and Brewton will join more than 200 towns and cities that will stage homecoming events and unveil historic markers in 2010 as part of the state’s tourism promotional campaign for 2010 — the “Year of Small Towns and Downtowns”.
Flomaton will celebrate a Homecoming Weekend October 22-24. Events will include a special halftime show at Flomaton High School’s homecoming game on Friday night, October 22. Open houses are planned at the brand new Flomaton Library, the award-winning Turtle Point Science Center, the Flomaton Area Railroad Museum, the Flomaton Fire Department and the Flomaton Chamber of Commerce.
Area churches are being asked to move their homecoming celebrations to the weekend, and the First Baptist Church has already done so, according to Betty Jones, chairperson of the Flomaton 2010 Committee. The weekend will also feature a car show at Flomaton’s Lions Park, a vendors area downtown, music and more.
“We want everyone to come home to celebrate small towns and downtowns with us — the places we grew up and the backbone of the country we call home,” Jones said.
Vendor applications will be available at Flomaton’s Welcome Center for those interesting in selling their wares on October 23.
Atmore will take part in the Year of Small Towns and Downtowns with the annual Williams Station Day on October 23.
During Williams Station Day, Atmore residents and guests will turn back their clocks to 1866 when their community was named Williams Station – just a supply stop along the Mobile & Great Northern railroad. It was a simpler time, when life revolved around the railroads and folks marked time by the sound of the steam engines chugging through town or the whistle of the local lumber mill. We hope you’ll join us in Atmore for this regional festival that promises a fun day of family entertainment.
Williams Station Day is packed with great venues to fit every taste. For the young and young at heart we offer an old fashioned sampling of southern heritage seasoned with the blues, arts and crafts, cane milling and railroad memorabilia.
Williams Station Day will be October 23 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. To learn more, visit www.atmorechamber.com.
Brewton participate in the Great Alabama Homecoming on Saturday, June 19 at Burnt Corn Creek Park with the Alabama Blueberry Festival. There will be original arts and crafts, live entertainment, an antique car show, a motorcycle show and ride, a children’s section, blueberries, blueberry bushes, cookbooks, T-shirts, and a food court with blueberry ice cream. To learn more, call (251) 867-3224 or visit www.AlabamaBlueberryFestival.com.
Statewide, Alabama homecoming events will continue through mid-December. Historic markers written by local historians and provided by the Alabama Tourism Department will be unveiled at the events.
“As someone who grew up in a small town in Alabama, I know there’s something special about them. They have a unique character and charm. But in Alabama, even our bigger cities have a small town feel. As Alabamians, we’re truly fortunate that many of our hometowns really are like Mayberry,” said Alabama Governor Bob Riley, referring to the fictitious small town that was the setting of the “Andy Griffith Show”.
A total of 215 communities, ranging in size from Mooresville, population 54, to Birmingham, population 300,000, have scheduled events as part of the Year of Small Towns and Downtowns.
“It’s going to be a great time to reflect on the importance of our small towns and downtowns, and I believe when it’s all over, people throughout the state will come away with a greater appreciation for the special place we all call home,” Riley said.
The state Tourism Department has posted a list of towns and event dates on its homecoming web site at www.alabamahomecoming.com.
Pictured above: Alabama Governor Bob Riley announces The Great Alabama Homecoming. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Court Ruling: Citizens Have No Right To Speak At Public Meetings
March 11, 2010
Governmental bodies in Florida must open their meetings to the public, but ordinary citizens do not have any right to speak.
That was the ruling Wednesday from the First District Court of Appeal in a suit by a group of Pensacola citizens against Pensacola’s Community Maritime Park Associates. The citizens’ group contended that decisions by the Maritime Park board should be nullified because the public did not have adequate opportunity to make comment at meetings.
“The public has no authority to participate in or to interfere with the decision-making process,” the court’s ruling stated. The court upheld that citizens do have the right under the Sunshine Law to attend public meetings, but there is no right to speak in the law.
“The Sunshine Law requires that meetings be open to the public, the law does not give the public the right to speak at the meetings. Appellants have failed to point to any case construing the phrase “open to the public” to grant the public the right to speak…we are not inclined to broadly construe the phrase as granting such a right,” Judges Kent Wetherell, Judges Philip Padovano and Charles Kahn concurred.
Click here to read the court opinion (pdf).
Jay Elementary Cheerleaders Cheer For Florida Gators
March 11, 2010
The Jay Elementary Cheerleaders recently had the opportunity to cheer for the Florida Gators. The girls attended a Florida Lady Gators basketball game where they were greeted by the Gator cheerleaders and coach.
Members of the Jay Elementary cheerleaders are Sunny Maher, Courtney Walther, Taylor Scott,Danielle Harrington, Madison Edwards, Connor Andrews, Lexie Nash, Hope Miller, Megan Teevan, Rebecca Boutwell, Robin Green, Savannah Seevers, Courtney Walther, Amber Parker, Maci Holt and Launa Burkhead.
Pictured above: The Jay Elementary cheerleaders with the Florida Gator cheerleaders at a recent Lady Gators basketball game. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Driver, Escambia Deputy Collide
March 10, 2010
No one was injured when a Cantonment driver and an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy collided on I-10 this morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Rachel Marchant, 25, of Cantonment, was eastbound in the outside lane of I-10 near Highway 29 when she braked as she approached slower moving traffic. That’s when she lost control and her 2007 Chevrolet rotated into the path of an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office cruiser driven by Deputy Lavada Burroughs, 29, that was traveling in the center lane.
Burroughs was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries following the 6:55 a.m. accident. Marchant was not injured.
Marchant was charged with failure to use due care, according to the FHP.