Parents, Students Attend Ernest Ward Middle School Open House
September 25, 2009
Hundreds of parents and students attended the annual open house at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill Thursday evening. Parents and students changed classes, giving parents the opportunity to meet each of their child’s teachers. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Auto Plant To Bring 5,000 Jobs; Build 300,000 Cars Per Year
September 25, 2009
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley announced Thursday afternoon that a Chinese automaker plans to open an assembly plant near Bay Minette, just a few miles from North Escambia.
Hybrid Kinetic Motors (HK Motors) announced plans to construct a new green-vehicle manufacturing plant in Baldwin County, Alabama, during a press conference held jointly with Governor Bob Riley, the Alabama Development Office and key members of the state legislature on Thursday.
HK Motors Chairman Yung (Benjamin) Yeung cited the strength of Alabama’s economy and the quality of its workforce as the main reasons for the board’s decision to locate its primary manufacturing operations in Alabama. Initial production of all model lines is expected to begin in 2013, with Phase 1 capacity of 300,000 vehicles, while creating more than 5,000 direct jobs.
HK Motors aims to be the first large-scale manufacturer of environmentally-friendly vehicles, which will help revitalize the American automotive industry while protecting the environment and stimulating the local and national economy. Utilizing a unique hybrid engine that employs compressed natural gas (CNG), electricity, and gasoline, the company’s vehicles will provide unprecedented efficiency at affordable prices to consumers, while bringing thousands of environmentally-friendly new jobs to American workers.
“Our cutting-edge multi-fuel hybrid powertrain system delivers excellent performance while reducing CO2 emissions to exceed Euro-2012 and future EPA guidelines,” said Chairman Yeung.
By utilizing natural gas, HK Motors taps into a resource that is abundant, exceptionally clean, and surprisingly affordable. The low emissions achieved by this engine technology already surpass the most stringent international standards, including those recently enacted by both American and European governments. By stressing mass production, HK Motors will be able to offer vehicles that are less expensive than the competition, without sacrificing driving performance, ride comfort, and safety.
Under the leadership of Chairman Yeung and an executive board with many years of combined automotive experience, HK Motors has chosen some of the world’s most renowned automotive companies to serve as its partners in this endeavor. Representatives from these suppliers were on hand for the press conference today, and many will also be setting up bases at the Baldwin County production base, bringing in more international expertise and offering more opportunities for local workers.
“It didn’t take long for Alabama to become a leader in the automotive industry. Now as America and the world begin making a historic transition to a green economy, we look to make Alabama a leader in the production of next-generation, clean-tech automobiles,” said Governor Riley. “Our Alabama team, in cooperation with local officials in Baldwin County, has been working with HK Motors for several months on this project. We will continue to work with them as the company puts the financing in place to move forward.”
The plant, once funding is in place, will be located on 3,000 acres near I-65 and Highway 287. The location is about 10 miles from North Escambia.
Pictured above: Alabama Gov. Bob Riley shakes hands with Hybrid Kinetic Motors Chairman Yung (Benjamin) Yeung after they unveiled an artist’s rendering of the automotive plant the company plans to build in Baldwin County. The company announced Thursday during a news conference at the state capitol that it will build hybrid vehicles in Alabama and expects to create more than 5,000 direct jobs. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
10-Year Old On A Dirt Bike Injured In Bratt Crash
September 24, 2009
A 10-year boy was injured in a dirt bike accident involving a pickup truck this afternoon on Hall Road in Bratt.
The accident happened about 4:45 Thursday afternoon on Hall Road north of Breastworks Road. The driver of the pickup apparently rounded a slight curve on the narrow dirt road where the boy was riding the dirt bike in the roadway. It was not immediately clear if the two vehicles collided, if the boy was struck by the truck, or if he fell off the bike trying to avoid the truck . He was found lying in the roadway several feet from both the truck and the dirt bike.
The boy was transported to Atmore Community Hospital with a leg injury. His injuries were not life-threatening.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the call.
The accident is under investigation by the FHP. Further details were not immediately available.
Pictured above: A 10-year old on a dirt bike was involved in accident with this truck on Hall Road Thursday afternoon. The owner of the truck stated that the damage to the front of the truck was caused by a previous collision with a deer. Pictured inset: The truck had a flat tire after the crash. Pictured below: The dirt bike. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Highway 97 Accident Sends One To The Hospital
September 24, 2009
One person was transported to the hospital following a single vehicle accident on Highway 97 in Davisville about 7:05 Thursday morning.
The accident happened just south of Pine Forest Road, when the driver of a Ford Explorer lost control and ran off the road into a ditch. He was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with minor injuries. There were no other occupants in the vehicle.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue, Atmore Ambulance, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Atmore Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol all responded to the call.
The accident is under investigation by the FHP.
Pictured above and below: One person was transported to the hospital following this minor accident on Highway 97 just south of Pine Forest Road Thursday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Suspects Charged With Last Week’s Molino Tom Thumb Robbery
September 24, 2009
A 19-year old male and a 15-year old middle school student were charged Wednesday in connection with the September 14 robbery of the Molino Tom Thumb.
Antonio Demetrius Ewing (pictured left), 19, of West Highway 4, was already in the Escambia County Jail when he was charged when warrants were served on him for robbery, larceny and criminal mischief property damage in connection with the robbery.
Another suspect, a 15-year old juvenile from Century, was also in jail when he was charged Wednesday. NorthEscambia.com’s policy is to not identify juveniles in criminal cases.
Surveillance video from the Tom Thumb (click here to watch) shows the 10 second robbery. Two people entered the front door, pushed a customer out the way, grabbed the entire case register and leave. One of the suspects is shown wearing a dark colored shirt, white socks on his hands and a camouflage bandanna around his face.
About three hours later, Escambia County deputies were called to a reported suspicious person and a possible burglary on Alger Road in Century. When they arrived, they found a Pontiac Firebird with no tag in the parking lot of the Gospel Light Temple on Alger Road in Century.
That is where they found Ewing, with a flat tire. He had apparently stolen several tires and tools from a nearby shed in order to try fix his flat. According to deputies, the juvenile what was with Ewing had been given a ride by passerby and was not with the car when they arrived.
While deputies were questioning Ewing about the stolen tires in Century, a deputy that was not in Century at the time realized he had read a comment on NorthEscambia.com’s story about the Tom Thumb robbery. The comment posted by someone with the name “me” mentioned a teal green Firebird with no tag being seen off the road on Sunshine Hill Road shortly after the robbery.
The deputy call Sheriff’s dispatchers on the the telephone, and dispatchers talked on the phone with deputies in Century — alerting them that they possibly had the Tom Thumb robber in custody. In the meantime, NorthEscambia.com was able to provide contact phone numbers for the poster “me” to deputies in Century. Deputies spoke to the poster’s husband in Molino, and he exactly described the car in that deputies had found in Century.
When deputies searched the location provided by the NorthEscambia.com reader on Sunshine Hill Road at Cedar Springs Road, they found the cash register from Monday morning’s robbery of the Tom Thumb, parts of the vehicle where the suspects had apparently hit a stump and money. White socks were also located in some brush.
In the car in Century, investigators discovered a camouflage shirt that appeared to match the one used in the robbery.
Ewing was taken into custody and transported to the Century Precinct of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for questioning about the tire theft and about the Tom Thumb robbery. When deputies walked Ewing out of the Century Precinct to place him a cruiser to take him to jail, he ran. Deputies said Ewing ran across Highway 29 toward Century Woods Apartments where he lives. After a brief foot chase, Ewing was taken back into custody.
Ewing was charged with burglary, escape and larceny and had been held in the Escambia Jail on those charges since September 14.
The juvenile was originally arrested on larceny and burglary charges Monday when he appeared in court on an unrelated trespassing charge.
Pictured top: Investigator Frank Way discovered camouflage clothing in the back of a car in Century. A camouflage bandanna was used earlier that morning in the robbery of the Molino Tom Thumb. Pictured top inset: Ewing in the back of a deputy’s car in Century. Pictured bottom inset: The cash register recovered on Sunshine Hill Road at Cedar Springs Road. Pictured below: The September 14 Tom Thumb robbery scene in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Ready, Set, Play: Playground Installed At New Bratt Park
September 24, 2009
The playground is now complete at the under construction Bratt Community Park on West Highway 4.
The playground features a large play area, a toddler swing and regular children’s swings. It also has adult size benches on the perimeter.
Editor’s note: While the playground is complete, the surrounding park is not. Walkways and parking areas are still under construction, and, with recent rains, are very muddy.
County employees are currently working to install the 8-foot wide, eight-tenths of a mile walking track around the perimeter of the 13-acre park.
The park will also include two softball fields, a full basketball court and exercise and rest stations positioned along the track. The softball fields will not be lit for night play; in fact, the park’s hours will follow that of other county parks — sunrise to sunset.
The park is being funded with $200,000 in LOST (local option sales tax) monies set aside for the park’s construction.
Pictured above: The playground at the new Bratt Community Park on West Highway 4 near the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Santa Rosa To Pay ACLU $200,000 In Prayer Suit
September 24, 2009
The ACLU will get almost $200,000 in legal fees from Santa Rosa County in the Pace High School school prayer lawsuit.
The ACLU had said the district owned the group $400,000, but that number was cut in half during mediation hearings. The district is obligated to pay the legal fees after settling a lawsuit back in January.
The lawsuit was filed last August on behalf of two Pace High School students that claimed school officials promoted prayer and religion at the school. As part of the settlement, the school district admitted liability.
The Santa Rosa County School District’s liability insurance will pay the ACLU’s legal fees.
Tate Volleyball Hit Hard By The Flu
September 24, 2009
The flu bug has hit the Tate High School volleyball team hard, knocking most team members out of action.
The Aggies canceled their Monday game against Washington High School because a large percentage of the team was sick. Tonight’s match against Escambia is also in jeopardy, with less than a half dozen players able to make the latest volleyball practice.
Changes To Deer Season? Fish And Wildlife Seeks Hunter Input
September 24, 2009
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants to hear from hunters around the state regarding when they think the white-tailed deer rut happens in their neck of the woods.
The FWC, along with its deer management stakeholder group, is considering making possible changes to Florida’s deer hunting zones and corresponding season dates. The first goal of the “Strategic Plan for Deer Management in Florida 2008-2018″ is to manage deer at a more local level and better align hunting season dates with peak rutting (breeding) activity.
The FWC has deer-breeding information from many counties and several of its wildlife management areas, but there are gaps in the biological data. The deer management stakeholder group would like to obtain rut information from hunters to try and close gaps in the data.
The agency recognizes the value of local knowledge and is asking hunters who are familiar with when the deer rut historically occurs in the areas where they hunt to fill out an online survey. The FWC would like to take this information to compare hunters’ perceptions of the rut with scientifically known conception data.
During rutting periods, bucks are more active during daylight (shooting) hours and often less cautious, making the chances of seeing them in the field better.
“Deer hunters want to hunt during the rut, and we want to be able to share comprehensive information about when the rut occurs with the hunting public,” FWC biologist and deer team coordinator Cory Morea said. “We realize a lot of hunters know when the rut happens in their area, and we want to take this information and compare it with our conception data to see if they are similar. It would be great to be able to use any new data to help fill in the holes in what we already know.
“At the very least, we think there is value in knowing what hunters perceive as the peak of the rut where they hunt,” Morea said.
To fill out the deer rut survey, see the latest updates on proposed deer zones and season dates or to comment on these potential changes, go to MyFWC.com/Deer.
Stimulus Funds Purchase New Computers For Area Schools
September 24, 2009
New Dell computers are on the way for reading labs at Northview and Tate high schools and Ernest Ward and Ransom Middle schools.
Ernest Ward will receive 12 student desktops and two teacher laptops. Ransom Middle will receive 18 student desktops and three teacher laptops.
Six student desktops and one teacher laptop will go to Northview High, and Tate High will receive 18 student desktops and three teacher laptops.
In all, the district will purchase 255 student desktops, 49 teacher laptops and 18 student laptops for Exceptional Student Education reading labs at a total cost of $265,820.76. The funds are from federal stimulus dollars.