Overturned Dump Truck Slows Traffic For Hours; Driver Critically Injured
January 30, 2009
An overturned dump truck delayed southbound traffic on Highway 29 in McDavid for hours Thursday and left the truck driver in critical condition.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Cynthia D. Kinney, 42, of Cantonment was eastbound on Highway 164 about 10:10 Thursday morning when she “disregarded” the stop sign while attempting to make a right turn onto southbound Highway 29. The truck overturned onto the driver’s side. Kinney suffered critical injuries and was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight.
The truck’s load of dirt was spilled across the southbound lanes of Highway 29. The southbound traffic was diverted to the northbound side of Highway 29 for several hours.. The roadway was reopened just before 1:00 Thursday afternoon.
The FHP says charges are pending in the accident.
There were no other vehicles involved in the crash, and no other injuries.
Experts From Across The Southeast Attend Annual Farm Day In Walnut Hill
January 30, 2009
The 2009 Farm Day was held Thursday at the Walnut Hill Community Center.
The day-long event featured a variety of expert speakers from the University of Florida, Auburn University, Louisiana State University and the University of Georgia.
Topics discussed included “nematode and disease control in soybeans”, “soybean Insect Control”, “weed Control in soybeans”, “soybean management practices”, “corn management strategies” and “high yielding wheat and minimizing inputs while maximizing yields”.
There were also industry booths, product demonstrations and a free lunch for attendees.
The event was sponsored by the University of Florida IFAS Extension and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.
Molino’s Travis Fryman, Former MLB Player, To Speak At Olive Baptist
January 30, 2009
Molino resident Travis Fryman, former third baseman for the Cleveland Indians, will be the guest speaker in both morning services on Sunday at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.
Fryman is speaking on the church’s “Bring a Friend Day”, where church members are encouraged to bring a friend that day to hear his evangelistic message.
Sunday night, Olive will gather in Passmore Hall to watch the Super Bowl after the evening service. Light refreshments will be available to enjoy as church members and guests kick back in the newly renovated building and watch some football on a larger-than-life screen.
“I am trusting God to give us a great day of harvest. Bring your friends to church this weekend,” Olive Pastor Ted Traylor wrote on his blog.
Sunday morning services at Olive Baptist are at 9:30 and 11:00. Evening services are at 6:00. The church is located at the corner of Olive Road and Davis Highway in Pensacola, near West Florida Hospital.
Fryman was a starting third baseman with the Detroit Tigers from 1990 to 1997. He was trade to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1997 and was traded two weeks later to the Cleveland Indians. He played for the Indians from 1998 to 2002.
He made a total of five trips to the annual All Star Game and won a Gold Glove Award with a 60-game errorless streak.
Gulf Power Crews Headed To Restore Power After Ice Storm
January 30, 2009
Gulf Power employees from our area will leave Pensacola on Thursday morning to help with restoration efforts in the wake of widespread damages from the ice storm that passed through the Midwest earlier this week.
Thousands of Entergy-Arkansas customers have lost power because of the heavy ice on lines and poles. The storm caused outages to more than 1 million people from Texas to Kentucky.
The restoration team of 46 Gulf Power employees from throughout Northwest Florida includes line crews and support personnel. They are headed to north Arkansas and expect to be on assignment for about two weeks.
“We are always more than willing to help other utilities in need,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power Company Public Affairs manager. “We’ve been recognized nationally as experts in getting the power back on quickly.”
More County Tax Liens Filed Against Backers Of Century Electric Car Plant
January 29, 2009
Two tax liens totaling $11,302.92 have been filed against the Pensacola hotel owners that want to open an electric assembly plant in Century for delinquent tourist development taxes, one of several tax liens filed against their companies in the past year. Those liens total over $82,000.
A $5,548.28 lien was filed this month in Escambia County Circuit Court against LHS Pensacola 4, Inc. and Howard Johnson. And another $5,754.64 lien was filed against LHS Pensacola, Inc. and the Ramada Inn. Both liens were for unpaid tourist development taxes. The LHS Pensacola companies are owned by brothers Jay and Nash Patel, who own a total of six motels in Pensacola and Gulf Shores.
In November, the Patels sought the assistance of Escambia County to apply for a $2.5 million state grant for their LHS EV, Inc. to construct an electric vehicle assembly plant in Century. The Patels and LHS EV have promised hundreds — even up to 1100 — jobs will eventually come with the plant.
Attempts to reach the Patels for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday afternoon. They have repeatedly declined to speak to local media since their plan was original presented to the Escambia County Commission back on October 16.
A few days after the state grant application was filed with the assistance of Escambia County in late November, it was revealed that the Patels’ motel company, LHS Pensacola, Inc., owed the Florida Department of Revenue $65,747.83 in unpaid sales and use taxes on four different Florida properties. There were four pending liens on the properties that were for $21,127.28; $20,339.76; $16,794.21 and $7,486.58.
County court records still showed the state tax liens to be outstanding as of January 28.
Those were not the only tax liens filed against the companies in 2008. Last May, Escambia County filed a $2,001.86 tax warrant against the Ramada Inn and LHS Pensacola for failing to pay county tourist development taxes. That tax lien was satisfied by the company in July. Another $1,548.63 lien for unpaid tourist taxes by LHS for their Days Inn was filed in May by Escambia County and satisfied in July. Another $2,185.15 tourist tax lien was filed by Escambia County against LHS and their Howard Johnson in May and also satisfied in July.
Tax liens on file with the Escambia Clerk of the Court are not limited to the Patel hotels. The Internal Revenue Service filed a federal tax lien of $39,168 against the spokesman for the electric car company. Escambia County Clerk of Courts records show the IRS filed the $39,168 federal lien against Arthur Rocker on August 25 of this year. The lien was filed by the IRS Wage and Investment Area. County court records still indicate that the lien is outstanding.
A search of the Escambia County Clerk of the Courts records also shows that Beach Community Bank filed foreclosure against two Rocker owned properties in the Norwood Subdivision in May. Those properties were foreclosed upon and sold by the clerk of the court at public auction. They were repurchased by Beach Community Bank.
Rocker is the man that asked the Escambia County Commission for $2.5 million cash on November 12 on behalf of LHS EV, Inc. to build the electric car plant in Century. He later told the commission that he really just wanted assistance filing for a state grant, which lead to the county’s assistance with filing for the $2.5 million grant from the state.
The Patel’s $2.5 million grant application with the state is still pending. The state is expected to announce their decision on the grant within the next month.
Read the tax liens by clicking here and here (pdf).
Manufacturers, Suppliers Warned By Alabama Governor That Bingo Machines May Be Illegal
January 29, 2009
Alabama Governor Bob Riley sent letters Wednesday to nine gambling machine manufacturing and supplier companies known to do business in the state. Riley is specifically targeting electronic bingo machines like are found at the Poarch Creek Indian’s Wind Creek Casino in Atmore.
However, the electronic bingo games offered by the Poarch Creek Indians at the Wind Creek Casino as well as gambling halls in Wetumpka and Montgomery, are regulated by the federal government, not the State of Alabama. In his release, Riley did not name what gambling operations he was targeting. Hundreds of electronic bingo machines are also located at establishments in several Alabama counties where bingo games are legal.
Riley sent the letters to manufacturers of gambling machines found in Alabama gambling halls warning them they risk prosecution if found to be in violation of state law against gambling and, specifically, slot machines.
The warnings come after an initial investigation of gambling halls by the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling, which is led by former Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber.
“As a result of preliminary investigations conducted by the Task Force, it has been discovered that several manufacturers and/or providers of gambling devices appear to be engaged in unlawful gambling activity in Alabama. We understand that at least one provider has already begun the process of removing its gambling devices from establishments in Alabama. The purpose of this letter is to put your company on clear notice of the law and our intent to enforce it,” Governor Riley writes in the letter that was sent to nine manufacturers or providers of gambling machines.
“I am deeply concerned that many manufacturers, providers, and business operators may have a mistaken impression about the legality of certain activities. It is out of this concern that I provide you this notice of the law and a fair opportunity to withdraw from any business activity in Alabama which could be determined to constitute unlawful gambling activity or use of illegal gambling devices. So that there is no misunderstanding, I fully intend to carry out my constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws of Alabama,” the Governor’s letter states.
“I think it only fair that Governor Riley put the manufacturers on notice of the very liberal interpretations of ’gambling devices’ by Alabama’s appellate courts. It appears to me, based on what the Task Force has observed in the field, that these operators, distributors, and manufacturers have some potential exposure,” said Barber.
The Governor created the Task Force on Illegal Gambling in December to promote and support the uniform enforcement of Alabama’s anti-gambling laws.
Click here to read a copy of Ala. Gov. Bob Riley’s letter (pdf).
The following is a list of recipients of the Governor’s letter:
Mr. Jerome Caldwell, CEO
Gateway Gaming
Piedmont, South Carolina
Mr. Chris Canard, CEO
Hest Technology
Haltom City, Texas
Mr. Gene Chayevsky, CEO
Cadillac Jack, Inc.
Duluth, Georgia
Mr. Mike Duran, CEO
American Gaming Systems
Canoga Park, California
Mr. Jack Gardner, President
Select Electronic Devices
Greenville, South Carolina
Mr. Michael Fletcher, CEO
Nova Gaming, LLC
Greenville, South Carolina
Mr. Richard Haddrill, CEO
Bally Technologies
Las Vegas, Nevada
Mr. Thomas J. Matthews, CEO
International Game Technology
Reno, Nevada
Mr. Anthony Sanfilippo, CEO
Multimedia Games
Austin, Texas
Another Phony Cop Strikes
January 29, 2009
Another phony cop has struck again in Escambia County, this time violently assaulting a female victim.
This time, a woman in the area of Brent Lane and I-110 was assaulted by a man impersonating a law enforcement officer about midnight Tuesday.
The woman described the suspect as a white male, about six feet tall, with dark hair and blue eyes. The victim said he had a New England type accent. He was driving a white Crown Victoria with a spotlight and leather seats. The suspect was wearing some type of uniform with no name tag and a belt, according to reports.
“The description given by the victim closely matches that of the suspect from a week ago that stopped a teenager on Beulah Road,” according to Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesman for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department.
If you are stopped by someone not wearing an appropriate law enforcement uniform in an unmarked car, you should ask for a marked unit to be called to the scene, Roy said.
“Call 911,” he said, and request that a marked unit be dispatched to your location. You should also ask to see a commission card that is carried by all Escambia County deputies.
“When in doubt, request a commission card be shown to you,” Rou said. Every deputy carries a commission card with the agency name, deputy’s name and expiration date along with a photo.”
If you have further information about this phony cop, call the Sheriff’s Office at 436-9630 or Crime Stoppers at 433-7867.
Friday Deadline For Emergency Forestry Conservation Program
January 29, 2009
The Emergency Forestry Conservation Reserve Program (EFCRP) signup is scheduled to end at the close of business on Friday, January 30 according to Escambia County Executive Director Suzette D. Cooper, of the USDA Farm Service Agency.
USDA Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Emergency Forestry Conservation Reserve Program (EFCRP) helps eligible landowners and operators restore and enhance forestland. Trees planted through EFCRP will help reduce flood effects, protect water sources, decrease soil erosion and improve wildlife habitat.
The EFCRP was authorized by Section 107 of the 2006 Appropriations Act to enroll certain land that:
• is private nonindustrial forest land
• experienced a loss of 35 percent or more of merchantable timber
• suffered forestry damage related to 2005 hurricanes.
The EFCRP is eligible in 228 Presidential or Secretarial-designated counties in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas, including Escambia County, Florida. Almost 4,800 offers have been received to enroll over 546,000 acres.
Any offer made by COB January 30, 2009 will be processed under existing rules (e.g., offer acceptability, plan development, and contract approval).
International Paper Local Charitable Giving Up
January 29, 2009
Despite the falling economy, International Paper’s Pensacola Mill in Cantonment showed an increase it its contributions to the local community last year, including donations in North Escambia.
Following a review of its 2008 charitable giving, the IP Pensacola Mill announced that it contributed nearly $163,000 to the local community last year, indicating a $10,000 increase over 2007.
The mill and its employees gave nearly $113,000 in cash and in-kind donations to local charities, and $50,000 in grants were awarded by the IP Foundation based in Memphis, Tenn. The IP Foundation also matches 60 percent of employee pledges to United Way.
Mill contributions are focused primarily on literacy and environmental education, and employees administer annual fund drives for Relay for Life, American Heart Walk and the United Way.
“Due to our employees’ hard work on their fund drives for Relay for Life, American Heart Walk and the United Way, we saw a significant increase on the dollars they raised last year,” said Jessica Morris, mill communications manager. “They simply saw a need in the community and were able to give a little more, so they did.”
For more information on IP Giving, visit www.ipgiving.com or contact the Pensacola Mill at 968-4203.
Pictured above: Jessica Morris (L) from IP’s Pensacola Mill presents a $1,462 grant check to Carolyn Findley, reading coach at Ernest Ward Middle School last October. The money was used to purchase Interactive Readers for mid-level and advanced reading students. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Homeless Count To Be Held Thursday, Friday; Volunteers Needed
January 29, 2009
Help is needed to find and help count the homeless population in North Escambia by 3 p.m. Friday.
The homeless count includes not only those that live on the streets, but those that are living in someone else’s home.
The EscaRosa Coalition For the Homeless is organizing the annual Point-in Time Homeless Count, a survey required in communities across America to obtain federal funding for programs that assist the homeless.
Items such as blankets, hats, gloves, flashights and more will be available for the homeless at the Carver Community Center on Thursday from 3 until 2 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and at the New Life Baptist Church Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
January is also “Help the Homeless Month” in Florida as proclaimed by Governor Charlie Crist.
The count of the homeless is scheduled over a 24 hour period – from 3 p.m. today through 3 p.m. tomorrow. If you know the names and locations of any homeless individuals in North Escambia, or if you would like to volunteer to conduct the surveys, please call the office of Ann Brooks at 256-2999 or email acbcpapa@bellsouth.net.
Click here to download more information.