Get Free Reblended Paint From Escambia County On Thursdays
February 10, 2022
Escambia County offers free reblended paint in five gallon buckets.
The paint is available every Thursday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Perdido Landfill. It is offered to the public for free in exchange for a new five gallon bucket with a lid (available at local hardware stores). Available colors may include beige, black, blue, brown, green, gray, orange, pink, purple, red, yellow and white.
Citizens can also dispose of up to 20 gallons of latex and oil-based paint at a time at the landfill at no charge. Latex paint is screened twice, reblended and put into new five-gallon buckets.
Call (850) 937-2160 for additional information and color availability.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Educators Invited To Apply For Free Florida Forestry Teachers Tour
February 10, 2022
The Florida Forest Service is inviting educators statewide to apply for an exciting opportunity this summer, the Florida Forestry Teachers Tour. The annual tour brings educators from throughout the state to Northeast Florida for an inside look at the state’s largest agricultural commodity. The tour is scheduled for June 21 – 24, 2022. Applications will be accepted through March 11.
Florida’s forests are critical to the state’s infrastructure and workforce, producing $25.1 billion in revenue each year and representing more than 124,000 jobs. The Florida Forestry Teachers Tour is designed to provide educators with an opportunity to learn how the industry meets the needs of the state’s communities and environment, from clean air and water to home goods and other wood products.
“The Florida Forestry Teachers Tour is one of the best tools we have to make the next generation aware of the importance of Florida’s forests and the career opportunities they provide,” said Erin Albury, State Forester and Director of the Florida Forest Service.
Florida educators of all subjects and grade levels are encouraged to apply. All lodging, meals and tour transportation are provided at no cost to teachers through the support of private partners and sponsors, including the Florida Forestry Association, Project Learning Tree of Florida and Friends of Florida State Forests. The four-day event earns Florida teachers 30 Continuing Education Units.
To learn more and to apply for the Florida Forestry Teachers Tour, visit FloridaStateForests.org/TeachersTour.
CSX Crossing Closures: Quintette Road, Several In Cottage Hill Set To Close Thursday And Friday
February 10, 2022
[Updated 2/10/22] Here’s the latest update on the CSX rail crossing closures in North Escambia.
Quintette Road, Stacey Road, Williams Ditch Road and Cottage Hill Road are all set to be closed on Thursday and Friday.
There are also a small number of private roads that cross the tracks in the area. These residents will be notified when their road will be closed by a person knocking on their door or leaving a door hanger.
CSX is replacing tracks through the area and replacing the roadway at each crossing. A previously announced schedule was delayed due to weather.
Pictured: Previous work last week at the crossing on North Barth Road. NorthEscambia.com photo click to enlarge.
Tate High’s Shaun Wheeler Commits To Huntingdon College
February 10, 2022
Tate High School’s Shaun Wheeler has committed to play football at Huntingdon College. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man Gets Five Years In Federal Prison For Sawed-Off Rifle
February 10, 2022
An Atmore man was sentenced to five years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a sawed-off rifle.
According to court documents, 28-year old Cedric Jarrell Pierce was arrested on November 24, 2020, after he refused to stop for a speeding violation and led sheriff’s deputies on a 13-mile high-speed chase that began in Robertsdale and headed north in Baldwin County.
The chase ended in Bay Minette after deputies used a spike strip to disable Pierce’s car. Deputies arrested Pierce and searched the car. Under the passenger seat, deputies found a Remington .22-caliber rifle with a 14-inch barrel, which is less than the barrel length of 16 inches required by federal law. After recovering the rifle, deputies spoke with Pierce, who admitted that he ran from law enforcement because he knew he had the rifle and was not allowed to possess it as a convicted felon.
Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock ordered Pierce to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison, during which time he will undergo drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Beaverstock ordered Pierce to pay $100 in special assessments.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
West Florida High Emergency Academy Has New Ambulance Simulator
February 10, 2022
The Critical Care and Emergency Medicine (CCEM) Academy at West Florida High School recently added a SimRig in-class ambulance simulator.
The simulator allows students to be completely immersed in scenarios and controlled emergent situations prior to exposure to the actual incidents in real-world situations.
Realistic equipment such as working suction, oxygen administration, and physical attributes such as patient loading and unloading, confined quarters, and various distractors, allow the instructor to build and present patient care scenarios which test the students’ ability to apply critical thinking skills to a variety of ever-changing trauma and medical care problems.
“During the pandemic as our off-campus training options have been limited,” said Escambia County School District ETC Specialist Aish Adkison. “Having simulators and specific training equipment in our secondary Health Academy classrooms has been very helpful as teachers have continued to develop hands-on training scenarios for students.”
The purchase was funded by a CARES Act Governor’s Emergency Education Relief grant.
Cantonment Man Charged With Sexual Battery Of Young Girls, Producing Child Porn Of Them
February 9, 2022
A Cantonment man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly sexually molesting two young girls, producing child phonography of them and show them other adult and child pornography.
Steven Marie Spurlock, age 64 of Frank Ard Road, was charged with capital sexual battery, use of a child in a sexual performance, four counts of lewd and lascivious molestation, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Two sisters told investigators that Spurlock had frequently touched them in an inappropriate sexual manner over the last six months, primarily when they are in his hot tub, according to the arrest report.
On girl stated Spurlock frequently shows her child pornography as well as adult phonographic material, and he had exposed himself, the report continues. The victim stated Spurlock told her “you know I have guns and if you tell anyone about this I will seriously hurt you and your sister,” the report states.
The other sister told investigators about being touched frequently in an inappropriate manner over the past six months, and that Spurlock takes photos of them while they are changing clothes.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Spurlock agreed to allow a deputy to search a tablet that both girls stated was used to show them pornography and photos of them while naked. He provided the tablet and provided the passcode. But when the deputy advised he would take the tablet to a forensic analyst to potentially recover deleted items, Spurlock requested that a search warrant be obtained, the ECSO said. The tablet was seized as a search warrant was obtained.
There were 10 images of child sexual abuse material and 10 other child pornography images recovered from the device, per the arrest report, and the images included the victims allegedly abused by Spurlock.
One child, investigators said, was under the age of seven.
“Furthermore, post-Miranda statements from Steven Spurlock indicated he possessed a sexual interest in children,” the arrest report states.
The relationship between Spurlock and the victims was redacted from the arrest report, but it indicates the children would stay at his home as their caretaker worked overnight.
No Injuries In Highway 29, Kingsfield Road Crash
February 9, 2022
There were no injuries reported in a three vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Highway 29 at Kingsfield Road.
Those escaping injury reportedly included a minor that was properly restrained in a car seat in rear of one vehicle (pictured above).
The crash did cause traffic delays at the intersection until the wreckage was removed. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
The Cantonment Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded,
Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Central Commerce Park Property Sells For $130K At Auction
February 9, 2022
A vacant lot owned by Escambia County in the Central Commerce Park off Highway 29 Cantonment netted $130,000 in an online auction that closed Tuesday night.
The purchaser has three days to make a 10% deposit with the county with closing in 30-45 days. They also owe a $6,500 buyer service fee directly to the auction site.
The name of the buyer has yet been announced. The auction site lists usernames that are partially obscured; so for now we can only tell you the buyer as known as “k*****w”.
As we first reported on Saturday, the 2.7 acre parcel at 1601 Success Drive is zoned for heavy commercial and light industrial. The property can only be used for light manufacturing, warehouse, wholesale distribution, office or research and development facilities. Retail sales are allowed only ancillary to those purposes. At the time of our first story, the high bid stood at $36,100.
Century Discusses How To Spend $462K In American Rescue Plan Funds
February 9, 2022
The Century Town Council held their first discussion Tuesday night on how to best spend $462,287.83 in American Rescue Plan funds.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the funds can be used to:
- Replace lost public sector revenue, using this funding to provide government services up to the amount of revenue lost due to the pandemic
- Respond to the far-reaching public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic, by supporting the health of communities, and helping households, small businesses, impacted industries, nonprofits, and the public sector recover from economic impacts
- Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical sectors
- Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, making necessary investments to improve access to clean drinking water, to support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand affordable access to broadband internet
The council heard discussion about becoming part of Escambia County’s rural broadband initiative, retroactive premium pay for essential employees, and possible water and sewer upgrades.
“When this money is gone, will we be able to sustain that wage for those employees, or will they have to take a pay cut?” Council President Luis Gomez remarked.
Town accountant Robert Hudson told the council that Century had not experienced any revenue loss due to the pandemic. He said some revenue sources were flat, but sales tax and local option sales tax revenue actually increased.
Mayor Ben Boutwell said he would like to see a radio communications system for the town, pointing out how town employees were without cellphone communication following a February 2016 tornado. He said he had discussed radios for the town with the county. He said that would allow town employees to switch over to channels used by Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for direct communication.
“We don’t have an EOC (Emergency Operations Center) on the north end,” Boutwell said. “We don’t want to get left out.”
The town could will hold additional discussions before a final decision on how to spend the American Rescue Plan funds.
The town will receive another $462,287.83 in about a year. The funding is fairly significant for the town. Century has a $5.7 million budget for fiscal year 2021-2022, with a large portion of that coming from grants.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.