Three Of Four District 5 School Board Candidates Raise Almost Even Money
July 29, 2008
If the amount of money raised by a candidate directly translated into votes or a measure of popularity, the race for the District 5 seat on the Escambia County School board will be an interesting one.
Three of the four candidates for the seat are within $500 of each other in the amount of money raised by their campaign through July 18.
Tom Harrell had received $5,925.00 in monetary contributions to lead the pack…but financially, it’s a very small lead. Incumbent Peter R. Gindl, Sr. had raised $5,704.56, and Bill Slayton had received $5,455 in monetary contributions by the last reporting deadline on July 18. The fourth candidate in the race, Robert Tegenkamp had received a $1,500 from himself.
All four candidates had spent most of the their campaign accounts by July 18.
Tom Harrell had spent $4,873.10 for a balance of $1,051.09 in cash remaining. Most of the funds Harrell spent in the last reporting period were for printing, mailing and screen printing.
Peter Gindl had spent $4,271.78 for a $1,432.78 in cash remaining. He spent over $3,000 on campaign signs, and also purchased t-shirts as his larger campaign expenses.
Bill Slayton had $1,246.79 cash remaining after spending $4,208.21. In the last reporting period, most of the money Slayton spent was for stamps and signs.
Tegenkamp had just $62.48 in his campaign account on July 18. He one campaign contribution of $1,500 was from himself. He spent $1,437.52 in fees to the county to qualify for the election. Unlike the other three candidates, Tegenkamp paid the qualifying fee rather than getting at least 369 registered voter signatures from District 5 to qualify at no charge.
School board elections in Escambia County are nonpartisan. The primary election is August 26.
Pictured above: District 5 Escambia County School Board candidates (L-R) Bill Slayton, Tom Harrell and Peter Gindl. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Atmores Visit Atmore From Across The Pond; He’s The Former Queen’s Bodyguard (Yes, THAT Queen)
July 29, 2008
North Escambia’s neighbors to the north recently had a few visitors from across the big pond. The Atmore family from England recently paid Atmore a visit on their tour of North America.
Kenneth and Ann Atmore of Bexleyheath, England, toured portions of Canada and the United States recently. She is a dental nurse. He’s a retired police officer, retired from the job of The Queen’s Police Officer. That’s right…he was the personal bodyguard for the Queen.
The Atmores hit several local restaurants, the library, city hall and more as they were treated with almost celebrity status in Atmore.
For the complete story of the Atmores visit to Atmore from the Atmore News, click here.
Molino Polling Place Moved From VFD To Barrineau Park
July 29, 2008
Voters in Molino will no longer be voting at the Molino Volunteer Fire Department.
Molino’s Precinct 19 has been moved from the fire department to the Barrineau Park Community Center at 6055 Barrineau Park School Road. The new polling location is about four miles from the fire department on Molino Road.
The change was made to better accommodate the large number of voters in the precinct, according the the office of David Stafford, Escambia elections supervisor. There are 3,372 voters in the precinct.
Each voter in Molino’s Precinct 19 has been mailed a letter explaining the change and providing a map of the new location. Each voter in the precinct will also receive a new voter registration card with the updated polling location.
Voters with questions or who would like additional information should contact the Elections Office at 850-595-3900 or soe@EscambiaVotes.com, or visit www.EscambiaVotes.com
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Gulf Power Donates To Local Chapter Of American Red Cross
July 29, 2008
The Gulf Power Foundation has donated $20,000 to the Northwest Florida chapter of the American Red Cross.
“Red Cross continues its work, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, responding to local disasters,” said Lynn Erickson, spokeswoman for Gulf Power. “There always will be people in need, and the Red Cross always has been there to help.”
Unfortunately, Red Cross is in need of financial support after providing emergency assistance in 2008 to more than 1,300 people during 353 local disasters including house fires, tornadoes and flooding. They also have provided emergency communications for 2,185 military members and their families this year.
The Rev. Lonnie Wesley from Little Rock Baptist Church and Sheri Frost, Chief Executive Officer of the Northwest Florida Chapter of Red Cross, were on hand at a news conference Monday at Gulf Power’s Corporate Office in downtown Pensacola.
Rev. Wesley shared how the Red Cross helped his church and families after a direct hit from a tornado last year. Frost provided details of other assistance provided locally by Red Cross and the dire needs of the agency.
After recent hurricanes ravaged the region, Gulf Power and the Red Cross had their hands full meeting people’s basic needs for food, shelter and power.
“In the past, when disaster has hit, Gulf Power and the Red Cross both have worked restoring people’s lives and offering hope,” Erickson said. “And right now the Red Cross needs our help-so they can continue providing much needed assistance when people need it the most.”
Those who want to give to the local Red Cross chapter can go to www.YourRedCross.org
Gulf Power is the electric utility in North Escambia for customers in Century, south through Molino and into Pensacola.
Walnut Hill Church Holding Revival, Homecoming Services
July 28, 2008
Walnut Hill Baptist Church will continue their revival this week, and the church will hold Homecoming services Sunday.
Services will be at 6:00 Monday through Wednesday evenings with the Rev. Gene Pickern, a former missionary in the Caribbean.
The church will hold their annual Homecoming service this Sunday morning at 10:30 with the Rev. Jerry Peebles as the guest speaker.
Walnut Hill Baptist is located at 5741 Arthur Brown Road in Walnut Hill, about a mile and a half from the caution light at Ernest Ward Middle School.
NorthEscambia.com would love to help you spread the word about your church or civic organization event. Email news@northescambia.com
Man Shoots Into Trailer With Children Inside; He Faces Long List Of Charges
July 28, 2008
A Flomaton man remained in jail Monday after shots were fired into a trailer near Bratt with three children inside Friday night. The children and adults in the trailer on Wawbeek Road were not injured.
Joshua Jackson Grimes , 25, of Flomaton was arrested in connection with the incident. He faces a long list of charges, including six counts of aggravated assault, two counts of battery, one count of shooting deadly missiles into a dwelling, one count of criminal mischief and one count of resisting an officer without violence. His total bond was set at $422,000.
The incident occurred in the northeast corner of Wawbeek Road north of Highway 168, just a few feet south of the Alabama state line. It all began about 6:00 Friday evening when Grimes got into a verbal altercation with the resident of the trailer, according to Sgt. Steve Smith of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department.. Deputies say he then left before returning armed with a shotgun about 6:40.
Grimes drove up to the trailer, firing several shots into the trailer busting out windows (pictured left, click to enlarge). He also shot out the windows of two vehicles according to deputies. Three children and two adults inside the trailer at the time of the shooting were not injured.
Grimes and a female friend, identified as Terri Leann Stabler, were stopped by deputies on the long driveway leading away from the residence. Grimes was taken into custody. Stabler was not charged with any crime Friday night. She was briefly taken into custody when she refused to follow orders from officers to stay away from the sheriff’s cruiser with Grimes inside, but she was later released.
Escambia County EMS responded to evaluate Grimes, who suffered a cut on his arm. He refused treatment.
The first court date for Grimes has been set for August 15.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
Pictured top of page: Grimes is evaluated by Escambia County EMS after being arrested for firing into a trailer on Wawbeek Road Friday evening. Pictured above, inset: Windows in the trailer were blown out. Pictured below: An Escambia County Deputy orders Terri Leann Stabler to not approach the cruiser containing Grimes. Pictured bottom: Stabler being taken into custody after ignoring the deputy’s orders. She was not charged with any crime Friday evening. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
County Won’t Hire Smokers Under New Policy; Insurance Changes Coming
July 27, 2008
No smoking…that’s the word from the Escambia County Commission. If you smoke, don’t expect to get an Escambia County job.
The county has adopted a strict no smoking policy effective October 1. The mandatory drug test will include a test for tobacco usage after that date. If a person tests positive for tobacco, they will not be hired for any county position.
The no smoking policies adopted by the commission go even further. Effective October 1, there will be no smoking within 50 feet of an entrance or exit of any county building. That ban will be expanded in 2010 to include all county property…no county employee may smoke anywhere on county property.
The no smoking rules are part of a sweeping change to the county’s health benefits, all designed to improved employee health and save money.
County employee health insurance will be going up on October 1 by an average of almost 25 percent. An employee that participates in the top-tier plan with single coverage will see their rates jump for $60 a month to almost $80 a month.
Almost 200 Medicare-eligible retirees that are on the county’s health plan will face a $50 a month increase or be forced to switch plans to one called BlueMedicare at an increase of $16 per month.
Other parts of the county’s health plan changes include:
- Consolidate life insurance coverage under a single provider, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, in exchange for which BCBS will donate $250,000 for the construction of wellness centers in the county, with the wellness centers to be equipped with funding from the Employee Morale & Wellness Fund.
- Attempt to increase the size of the health insurance pool through alliances with other entities such as the School Board and the City of Pensacola.
- Investigate consolidating the health and dental Insurances under a single carrier.
- Make mandatory the pre-taxing of employee deductions for health, life, dental, and vision (insurance), which means the deductions can only be changed during open enrollment or for a qualifying event; all other forms of benefit deductions will remain voluntary.
- In fiscal year 2009-2010, offer employees a tobacco-free discount of 5% on the employees’ portion of the health insurance, with employees to sign an affidavit attesting to their commitment to remain tobacco free to receive the discount, with the county to randomly drug-test employees to ensure compliance, and with employees found in non-compliance to lose their discount.
- In fiscal year 2009-2010, drop the county-sponsored Long-Term Disability Program and develop an optional program for employees to buy into. If possible, this program will be discontinued in fiscal year 2008-2009, at a cost savings to the county of approximately $70,000.
Faith Bible Baptist Youth Attend Camp; Walk The Purple People Bridge
July 27, 2008
The youth from Faith Bible Baptist Church in Bluff Springs recently returned from a week long youth trip.
The group of 10 youth and two leaders visited the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. The museums presents a scientific approach to Biblical creation.
“It was good to see the things that we know from the Bible confirmed in science. Everything makes sense when you start with the Bible and go on from there,” said Faith Bible Baptist youth member Ryne Barrow, 17.
While at the museum, the youth attended a planetarium presentation and spent time in the museum’s expansive botanical garden. Afterwards, they visited Newport on Levee and cross the Purple People Bridge, the longest pedestrian bridge connecting two states. The 2,670 foot long purple-painted bridge stretches across the Ohio River from Newport, Kentucky, to Cincinnati, Ohio.
The youth attended church services at Salem Baptist Church in Cincinnati, with pastor Phillip Blackwell. Sunday evening, the Faith Bible youth helped with Salem Baptist’s Vacation Bible School country fair by working booths, giving out prizes, serving food and cleaning up.
The youth then spent five days at Camp Chautauqua in Miamisburg, Ohio, where they enjoyed morning and evening chapel services. The camp was Olympic themed using the phrase “Go for the gold” based on 2 Timothy 4:7-8 which says in part “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith”.
The speaker for Monday and Tuesday was Dr. David McCoy, pastor of People’s Baptist Church of McDonough, Georgia.Wednesday and Thursday’s chapel service were brought by Senior Pastor Jerry Siler and by Bro. Kirk Kirkland, both of Cornerstone Baptist Temple of Dayton, Ohio.
While at camp, Kolbi Cobb was nominated by her peers to a court of four out of 430 teens as camp queen. The nomination was based on participation, character and attitude. This was Kolbi’s second consecutive year to be nominated for camp queen.
Camp activities included tournament softball, basketball, volleyball and dodgeball. The senior girls won a gold medal in softball and basketball, while the senior boys won gold in dodgeball.
The teens also enjoyed Frisbee golf, miniature golf, swimming, zip line, paint ball, air hockey, bowling and many other activities. Their daily schedule began at 7:00 a.m. and sometimes continued until 2:00 a.m. with activities.
The Faith Bible Baptist Church teens attending were: Olivia Nolen, Kolbi Cobb, Jordyn Dunsford, Erin Fremin, Lauren Howell, Victoria Barrow, Jamie Gafford, Zach Barrow, Ryne Barrow and Blake Wiggins. They were accompanied by youth leaders Jeremy and Elizabeth Bondurant.
Robert Barrow in pastor of Faith Bible Baptist Church.
Submitted photos and information by Elizabeth Bondurant.
Picture above outside the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, are Faith Bible Baptist Church members (front, L-R) Lauren Howell, Jordyn Dunsford, Jamie Gafford, Zach Barrow, Erin Fremin, Olivia Nolen, (back, L-R) Jeremy Bondurant, Ryne Barrow, Blake Wiggins, Elizabeth Bondurant, Victoria Barrow and Kolbi Cobb. Submitted photo.
More Pot Plants Found Near Jay Friday; Total Value: Almost $3 Million
July 26, 2008
A third marijuana field located near Jay was found Friday, bringing the total value of plants destroyed this week to nearly $3 million.
Santa Rosa County deputies located another 249 plants Friday afternoon with the aid of an air search of an area near Bud Diamond Road in the Brownsdale community just southwest of Jay.
That brought the total number of marijuana plants located by deputies this week to just over 1,500.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Department destroyed about $2 million worth marijuana plants found near Jay Wednesday night.
The 1,183 plants were located in the Brownsdale community southwest of Jay near Bud Diamond Road. Deputies removed the plants Wednesday night after an anonymous tip led them to the 80 by 40 foot patch deep in the woods. Deputies said they did not immediately name any suspects in connection with the plants, some of which were up to 11 feet tall.
Deputies did not say if this major drug find was related to the arrest of a Jay man earlier this week for the cultivation of about 85 marijuana plants. Tharon “Buckshot” Godwin, 66, was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver, a third degree felony in connection with 85 pot plants located in a wooded area on Bud Diamond Road near Chumuckla Highway, very near Wednesday night’s find. To read the story about Godwin and the 85 marijuana plants, click here.
Two Foley Men Arrested For Burglary After Manhunt In McDavid
July 25, 2008
Two Foley men were arrested and charged with burglary after a brief manhunt in the McDavid area Thursday morning.
Calvin Lynn Foote (pictured above left), 37, of Magnolia Acres Drive in Foley and Shannon Devon Bryars, 37, of McDuffy Road in Foley, were both charged with burglary. Bryars (pictured right) was also charged with obstruction by a disguised person.
The incident began about 9:40 a.m. with calls to the sheriff’s department from a resident on Roach Road who reported that two men rang her doorbell and attempted to enter her home when she answered. Another resident on Barnes Road just off Cox Road reported that two men rang her doorbell and ran toward a wooded area when they realized that someone was home.
Units from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Department and the Flomaton Police Department setup a perimeter around the area. Search dogs from the Century Correctional Institute were brought to the scene. They, along with the Escambia Sheriff’s Department’s helicopter, searched the area. The K-9 unit was able to locate and apprehend the suspects in a wooded area between Barnes Road and Cox Road.
Preliminary information indicated that the two men may be wanted by other agencies for other burglaries. Their truck was located nearby, full of items that may have been from other burglaries.