Molino Park Sings Across America, Honors Veterans
November 18, 2009
Molino Park Elementary School students honored veterans Tuesday with “Sing Across America”, a patriotic program and donation drive for Emerald Coast Honor Flight.
Each grade level performed two songs, and guest speaker Gary Cooper provided insight into the American flag. Sheila Allen and Ginny Cruz, local singers and songwriters, performed their song “Stand Up America”.
Pictured above: Students perform during “Sing Across America” Tuesday afternoon at Molino Park Elementary. Pictured below: Ginny Cruz and Sheila Allen perform their song “Stand Across America”. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Boone Named School Board Chair
November 18, 2009
District 2 member Gerald Boone was named chairman of the Escambia County School Board at the board’s organizational meeting for the board’s 2009-2010 year. Jeff Bergosh, District 1 board member, was named vice chairman.
The board set meeting and workshop times. Meeting will remain at 5:30 on the third Tuesday of each month.
Two People Injured In Molino Highway 29 Accident
November 17, 2009
(With Photo Gallery.) A Molino woman and a McDavid man were injured in a two vehicle accident at the intersection of Highway 29 and Molino Road tonight.
Deborah Archer, 57, of Molino, was westbound on Molino Road in 1996 Chevrolet pickup when she ran a stop sign and traveled into the path of a 2003 Chevrolet driven by John McCall, 46, of McDavid, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. McCall’s car struck the driver’s side door of Archer’s pickup. Archer was not wearing her seat belt and was ejected from the driver’s side window of her vehicle, according to the FHP.
Archer was transported by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola in serious condition. McCall was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital where he was treated for a broken collarbone and released. There were no passengers in either vehicle.
The FHP says charges are pending against Archer.
Click here for more photos from the accident scene.
The accident shut down Highway 29 northbound for over an hour while the wreckage was cleared. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the call.
Pictured top: The driver of this truck was transported to the hospital by LifeFlight after being ejected in a two vehicle wreck Tuesday night in Molino. Pictured below: The driver of this car was taken to the hospital by ambulance. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Council Drops 274 Percent Pay Raises; Votes To Reimburse Health Insurance
November 17, 2009
The Century Town Council has decided against a 274 percent raise for council members, opting instead to reimburse two of the five council members for their health insurance.
Monday night, the council was to consider an ordinance that would have increased each council member’s salary by $491 per month, a 274 percent increase from their current $250 per month pay. The increase, according to a motion made in September by Councilman Gary Riley, would have allowed each council member to pay for their own health insurance after the town decided to drop coverage for the council.
The town’s health insurance costs about $500 per month for each employee’s coverage, except for the council. With the addition of the council, premiums would have jumped to $670 per employee if the council were included in the insurance pool — an extra $5,800 per month for the council to have insurance.
Two council members — Ann Brooks and Nadine McCaw — had been covered by the town’s insurance policy. The council voted 3-2 recently not to continue the insurance for Brooks and McCaw, who voted against the motion.
The solution considered by the council at the time was the pay increase of $491 per month for each council member. They $491 was the chosen figure because Brooks had received a health insurance quote of that amount.
“We need to get away from these big raises if we are going to be good stewards,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said at Monday night’s council meeting. “If we go the way we are going…we get a 274 percent increase, and we’ll get hung for it.” The mayor would also have received a $491 increase to his current $750 per month salary.
McCall suggested a motion to the council that would reimburse McCaw and Brooks up to $500 per month for health insurance for the remainder of their current terms on the council.
“If they are reelected, they would come back on staff with the understanding that hey did not have benefits,” the mayor said.
On a motion from McCaw and a second from Riley, the council voted 4-1 to provide the health insurance reimbursement of up to $500 per month for McCaw and Brooks. Councilman Henry Hawkins voted against the plan.
Pictured top: Century Town Council member Nadine McCaw (left) listens as Council President Ann Brooks reads a motion to reimburse both health insurance premiums for both council members. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Deputies Looking For Woman That May Have Witnessed A Murder
November 17, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a woman that they say may have witnessed a murder.
Sheriff’s investigators are asking anyone who may know the whereabouts of Terri Lynn Lewis, 40, of Pensacola, to call the sheriff’s office at 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at 433-STOP.
Lewis may be a possible witness to the early morning October 10 murder of Derry Dickerson, 81, who was found murdered in his home in the 200 block of Crescent Drive, according to Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
Lewis currently has an active warrant for driving while license suspended and giving false name to law enforcement and is believed to be avoiding law enforcement for that reason, according to Roy. The last known address for Lewis was the 5900 block of Westshore Drive.
North Escambia Miracle Bowl: Tate, Northview To Play Saturday
November 17, 2009
The 1A Northview Chiefs will take on the 4A Tate Aggies Saturday at Tate
Proceeds from the game will benefit the Miracle League of Northwest Florida, a baseball league for disabled and special needs persons that plays spring and fall at the Mitchell Homes Miracle League Park on Nine Mile Road.
The Class 1A Northview Chiefs, under first year Coach Sid Wheatly, finished with a 7-3 record, a huge improvement over last year’s 2-8 season. The Tate Aggies were 7-3 this season in Class 4A.
Kickoff is at noon. Admission is $5.
Coach Seeks To Form North Escambia Club Volleyball For Girls, Meeting Friday
November 17, 2009
The volleyball coach at Northview High School is looking to organize youth volleyball in the North Escambia area, primarily for middle and high school age girls.
“The observation by coaches in the area is that there are girls that are interested in playing club volleyball, but that driving distances for club teams in Pensacola and Mobile have prohibited them from playing,” Heaton said. “We are interested in starting a club team and/or training team in the North Escambia Florida and surrounding Alabama areas.”
Club Volleyball is used to help players gain more experience playing volleyball. Club Volleyball will give players interested in developing their volleyball skills a chance to practice and play volleyball with a variety of coaches and teammates.
Training Team is a non-tournament club volleyball team. The goals would still be the same as a club volleyball team but they would not travel or play in tournaments. This would provide the players with the chance to practice and improve their skills.
An information meeting has been scheduled to for Friday night, November 20 at 7:00 at the Northview High School gym. Costs and different options available to players will be discussed at this meeting.
For more information, call or email Betty Heaton at bettie08@yahoo.com or (251) 253-0101 or Cheryl Bosley at Willy24@comcast.net (251) 591-0456.
For flyer with more information, click here (pdf).
Exclusive Photo Gallery: 17 Story Drop; Rappelling Off The Top Of The Wind Creek Casino
November 17, 2009
The old saying says the first step is the hardest. When that first step takes you from the roof over the edge of a 17 story building, most people would tend to agree.
Monday afternoon, members of the Poarch Creek Fire Department practicing rappelling down the side of the Wind Creek Casino –part of high rise rescue training and certification for department members.
“It was fun; there was definitely an adrenaline rush,” Poarch Creek fireman Andy Hammonds said after his 17-story descent. “It wasn’t too bad.”
Only three of the fire department’s members were certified in high angle rope rescues prior to Monday, including Chris McGhee, the Poarch Creek Fire Department’s training officer. With classroom training from the Alabama Fire College and the 17 story trip, another 14 men worked toward their certification Monday for whatever emergency that might arise in future.
“They are about to hire window washers; there’s a lot of glass in the building,” McGhee told NorthEscambia.com while standing on the roof of the casino Monday afternoon. “We might have to rescue one of the window washers one day.”
McGhee said that they Poarch Creek Fire Department would be able to put their training to use if the need arises in any surrounding area, including North Escambia.
The process of rappelling down the from the roof of the Atmore casino looks rather simple. Two ropes are tied off. One serves as a safety; one is the main rope for rappelling. The main rope passes through a rappelling rack, a device that provides friction to stop or allow a controlled descent. The safety rope is fed down with the firefighter. If he should fall or descend two quickly, a couple of knots provide a quick and automatic stop.
Once fitted with the proper gear, the trip down the side the Wind Creek was as simple as getting the courage to stand on the small ledge at the top of the building and stepping backwards.
For an exclusive NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the training click here. In the photo gallery, we take you to the roof the 17 story Wind Creek. We watch as firemen prepare to rappel off the building; we look over the edge as the they head down. Plus, we take a look at the scenery from the top of the Wind Creek Casino, and look back up as the firemen descend.
Pictured above and below: Firefighters practice rappelling from the roof of the 17 story Wind Creek Casino Monday afternoon. In the lower inset photo above, notice the firefighter heading down the side of the Wind Creek. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Camper, Damages Road
November 16, 2009
Fire destroyed a camper trailer on Killam Road near Century this afternoon, possibly damaging the road surface at the same time.
The driver pulling the camper reported the camper on fire about 12:40 Monday afternoon. He was able to detach his vehicle from the pull-behind camper to avoid damage to the vehicle.
The camper was fully involved when the first trucks from Century Fire-Rescue arrived. A supervisor from the Escambia County Road Department was called to the scene to determine how much damage was done to the roadway by the fire.
There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the incident, which occurred on Killam Road between Highway 4 and Highway 4A.
Pictured above and below: This is all that remained of a pull-behind camper that burned Monday afternoon on Killam Road near Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Highway 29 Car Versus Cement Truck Injures One
November 16, 2009
A Pace driver was seriously injured when he ran a red light this morning on Highway 29.
The accident happened about 8 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 29 and Kingsfield Road. The Florida Highway Patrol says James Jones, 46, of Pace, was traveling south of Highway 29 when he failed to stop for a red traffic signal. That’s when the front of his 1997 Dodge struck a 2006 Volvo cement truck driven by Leonard Showers, 44, of Pensacola.
Jones was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. Showers was uninjured.
Jones was charged with violation of right of way at an intersection, according to the FHP.