Ransom Middle Band Participates In US Honor Band
January 10, 2010
Area middle school students from Ransom and Bailey middle schools recently participated in the 2009 Southeastern United States Honor Band.
The Honor Band was held on the campus of Troy University and participants were selected from several states. Students rehearsed with distinguished composers and conductors and at the conclusion of the Honor Band weekend, students presented a concert.
Students selected from Ransom Middle School were Cheyanne Brown, Erin Carty, Jacob Charles, Breanna Fowler, Alex Gibson, Darren Gulsby, Jake Holley, Haley Krostag, Michael McCullough, Geoffrey Nagle, Corey Phetteplace, Kayla Smith and Anna Wilson. Band directors for Ransom Middle School are Janie Walker and Patricia Maness.
Downed Power Lines Cause Brush Fire, Cold Houses
January 9, 2010
Downed power lines started a small brush fire and left many Escambia River Electric Cooperative customers in the cold early Saturday morning.
The power lines were reported down at 4:22 on Tungoil Road, located between Highway 97 and South Highway 99 in Walnut Hill. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue was dispatched to small brush fire at that time.
The resulting power outage left an unknown number of EREC customers without power for a few hours — leaving many without heat on a morning where the mercury dipped into the mid-teens.
Local Brothers Arrested After Man Says He’s Robbed While Trying To Buy Methadone
January 9, 2010
Two local brothers are behind bars in Santa Rosa County accused in the armed robbery of a man that says he was robbed a gunpoint while he was trying to buy drugs.
Coley Ray Daw, 24, of Gandy Lane, Century, and Rody Lee Daw, 25, of Palafox Street, Flomaton, are both facing felony charges of robbery with a firearm and grand theft.
The incident reportedly began in Flomaton on January 1 when the victim and his brother were at a home in Flomaton where a man referred to as “Coley” approached him offering to sell methadone. The victim agreed to purchase the drugs. The victim and the man called Coley were driven in a pickup truck by another man that Coley called his brother to a boat ramp on Oil Plant Road in Jay where they were to meet the methadone dealer.
Once in Jay, Coley reportedly pulled a large caliber hunting rifle out of a toolbox on the truck and robbed the victim at gunpoint of his money and cell phone. The victim memorized the tag number of the getaway truck as it drove away, leaving him stranded. The victim then walked to a residence for help.
A Flomaton Police Department officer spotted the truck on Sidney Manning Boulevard and took Rody Daw into custody after he was positively identified by the victim as the person driving the pickup truck.
Coley Daw was taken into custody the following day at a home on Cary Street in Flomaton where he was found hiding under a bed. Coley was also positively identified by the victim. Both men were booked into the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton.
Both men waived extradition and were transferred to the Santa Rosa County Jail where they are being held on $52,500 bond each.
Northview Falls To Baker, Jay Beats Ponce De Leon
January 9, 2010
The Northview Chiefs fell to Baker Friday in Bratt.
Baker 75 Northview 59
The Gators held 33-12 lead at the end of the first. Northview almost matched Baker point for point in the second, outscored them by six in the third and matched them evenly in the fourth, but the Gators were victorious 75-59.
Northview 12 15 16 16-59 Baker 33 16 10 16-75
Jay 53 Ponce De Leon 31
Jay beat Ponce De Leon in boy’s basketball action, 53-31. The Royals, paced by Hunter Boutwell with 19, are now 4-7, 2-4 in the district.
Jay — Hunter Boutwell 19, Luke Rowell 7, Dakota Ellis 3, Dakota Walker 3, Bugg Fischer 4, Conner Weekes 4, Steven Brabham 4, Tyler Prescott 9, Todd Laney 2.
Jay 18 14 4 17-53 Ponce De Leon 13 3 7 8-31
Century Cold Weather Shelter Closes; Others Are Open In Escambia, Santa Rosa
January 9, 2010
The cold weather shelter in Century has closed, but others shelters are still open in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
On Thursday and Friday nights, the EscaRosa Coalition For the Homeless had opened a cold weather shelter in Century’s Habitat Building (the former Carver Middle School) on East Pond Street. But due to low utilization, the shelter has been closed. Officials are prepared to reopen the shelter if the need arises, according a release from Escambia County.
Escambia County cold weather shelters are open at:
- East Brent Baptist Church, 4801 North Davis Highway (operated by Red Cross)
- Waterfront Rescue Mission on Main Street, Pensacola
- The Salvation Army on North S. Street
Shelters in Santa Rosa County are open at:
- Ferris Hill Baptist Church located at 6848 Chaffin Street in Milton
- Billory Baptist Church located at 8162 Stillwater Cove in Holley
Persons utilizing the shelters are asked to bring pillows, blankets, personal toiletries and any prescription medications.
Photo: Hot Coffee, Frozen Pool
January 9, 2010
The picture above shows a cup of hot coffee sitting on a sheet of ice in a Byrneville pool.
“I sat my hot coffee cup onto the frozen water of the pool and was able to take a photo without the cup even falling through,” Angi Baker said. (The dark objects at the bottom of the pool are leaves, she said.)
Do you have a cold weather photo to share? Email your picture to news@northescambia.com
Submitted photo by Angie Baker for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Want To Raise Chickens? Have Fresh Eggs? This Program Is For You
January 9, 2010
Are you interested in having fresh eggs on your table and raising chickens on your property? Then classes scheduled in Cantonment and Davisville might be for you.
Escambia Extension will host “Small Scale Poultry and Egg Production” — a course designed to help everyone from novices to professionals in raising chickens. Guest speakers include Dr. Gary Butcher, University of Florida veterinarian and Dr. Richard Miles, University of Florida poultry scientist. They will offer research based information to educate attendees on health and diseases of chicken flocks, nutrition and management of flocks, poultry breeds, and keys to successful egg production.
Escambia Extension will host the program via interactive video on Monday, January 25, at 6 p.m. at Escambia Extension, 3740 Stefani Road in Cantonment. The course will be offered again at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26 at the Davisville Community Center, 10200 Highway 97. The speakers will also be present at the Davisville program.
A $5 fee will be charged to cover materials and refreshments. To pre-register, call (850) 475-5230. For additional information, email Libbie Johnson at libbiej@ufl.edu.
Four Injured In School Bus Wreck In Cantonment
January 8, 2010
Five children received minor injuries in school bus accident this afternoon in Cantonment
The accident happened about 4:20 Friday afternoon on Kingsfield Road near Ziglar Road, just east of Highway 29. The Florida Highway Patrol says Josepk Erickson, 30, pulled out of a private driveway into the path of a 2010 model Escambia County School bus driven by Wanda H. Bright, 50, of Pensacola. Erickson and a passenger in his 2002 Kia minivan, Pamelia G. Erickson, 55, received minor injuries. Bright, the bus driver, also received minor injuries. None of the adults were transported to the hospital.
There were 10 students on the bus from a Sid Nelson Learning Center program ranging in age from 1 to 17. Five of them — ages 1, 6 and three 17-year olds — were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injures.
Josepk Erickson, the driver of the minivan, was charged with violation of right of way by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Everyone involved in the crash was wearing a seat belt, according to the FHP.
Pensacola May Withdraw Consolidation Plan Support
January 8, 2010
The City of Pensacola might be next to pull support for the plan being drafted by the Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission.
Councilwoman Diane Mack intends to introduce a motion on Monday that Pensacola withdraw support for 2010 consolidation referendum and postpone any such vote until 2012 at the earliest.
The motion Mack intends to make states:
“That the council notify the delegation, by letter from the mayor, that it does not support the current proposal for consolidated government and that the council does not want the proposal to go to referendum in 2010. The letter should suggest that the issue of consolidation needs more detailed study by the study commission and the issue should not go to referendum any earlier than November 2012.”
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission voted to withdraw its support for the plan for a 2010 vote and request that any consolidation vote be delayed until 2012 at the earliest. [Read more...]
The Town of Century withdrew support for the consolidation plan last January, just weeks after voting to approve a consolidation study. [Read more...]
The proposal being developed by the Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission would combine the governments of Pensacola, Escambia County and the Town of Century into a single, consolidated government.
Schools Cancel All Outdoor Activities
January 8, 2010
The Escambia County (Fla.) School District canceled all outdoor events planned for Friday and Saturday due to the extremely cold temperatures.
District officials will continue to monitor weather conditions next week regarding outdoor events to determine if further cancellations are warranted, according to Linda English, district spokesperson.