Brush Fire Threatens Trailer
May 12, 2009
A small brush fire on Deer Run Lane threatened a mobile home late Tuesday afternoon, but firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control.
The fire was reported about 5:00, and it approaching the bottom of the mobile home when firefighters arrived. The fire was reported to be a few hundred square yards in size, and it was quickly brought under control.
The Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were called to the blaze.
Driver Charged In Three Vehicle Wreck At Northview
May 12, 2009
A teen driver is facing charges in connection with a three vehicle accident that injured two people in front of Northview High School about 7:40 Tuesday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Jesse Grimes, 18, of Walnut Hill traveled off Highway 4 and onto the shoulder of the road in an attempt to pass an eastbound vehicle stopped and waiting to turn left into the driveway of the school. Grimes lost control of his 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee and spun back onto the roadway in front of westbound 2006 Ford Explorer driven by Linda Baily, 48, of Century, according the FHP report.
The impact caused Baily’s Explorer to crash into a 2004 Ford Taurus occupied by Dennis Tangeman, 52, of Bratt. Tangeman was stopped in the driveway of the school waiting to exit onto Highway 4.
Tangeman was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola due to a medical problem that may have been aggravated by the accident. Bailey was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital with minor injuries, and Grimes refused treatment.
Grimes was charged with careless driving by the FHP.
Click here for more photos from the scene.
The Walnut Hill and Century stations, and Engine 519 of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department also responded to the call.
Pictured above and below: A three vehicle accident in front of Northview High School Tuesday morning. The driver of the Jeep Cherokee pictured above, Jesse Grimes, was charged with careless driving in connection with the accident. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In School Bus Crash
May 12, 2009
There were no injuries in school bus accident Tuesday morning in Cantonment.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Jeremy C. Busbee, 24, of Cantonment, failed to see the school bus when he backed out of a driveway at about 7:00 and into the side of the bus that traveling north on Santa Rosa Road, just off Muscogee Road.
There were no injuries reported to any of the 12 children on the Escambia County School District bus. Bus driver Kathleen N. Fail, 60, of Cantonment, was also uninjured.
Busbee was charged with improper backing, according to the FHP.
Storms Blow Across Area; Some Damage Reported
May 12, 2009
A line of storms marched across the area Monday night, leaving a lot of downed trees and power lines in some areas and some structural damage near Flomaton.
After hitting the McCullough community north of Atmore, the storms continued southeast toward Flomaton where barns and a mobile home were damaged.
Trees and power lines were reported down in the areas of Phillips, Jordan, Upper Creek, Lambeth, Van Hoosen and Junction roads in the Flomaton area. There were no reports of injuries as the storms moved through the area about 7:30 p.m.
In the Jay area, Santa Rosa Emergency Management reported hail, and lightning started a minor fire.
Emergency officials from Flomaton and surrounding areas spent over two hours working to cut trees out of roadways.
Dozens of residents were without power in the impacted areas. Some were in the dark until after 10:00 Monday night.
Pictured above: The storms approaching Flomaton as seen from Highway 4 near Northview High School. Pictured inset: The radar image at the time the top photo was taken. Pictured below: Two more photos of the storms taken from North Highway 99 near Bratt Elementary School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NHS Baccalaureate Service Scheduled Despite ACLU, Court Order
May 12, 2009
The Class of 2009 at Northview High School is not going to let a federal judge and the ACLU put an end to the school’s history of holding a Baccalaureate service.
The Baccalaureate service for the Northview Class of 2009 will be held at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 24 in the First Baptist Church of Bratt’s Family Life Center.
The school was unable to organize a Baccalaureate service due to a new Escambia School Board policy preventing the school from promoting any religious ceremony. That policy was implemented after a federal judge issued an order against any policy or practice where school district employees promote or take part prayer or religious services in the Santa Rosa County School District. Students are allowed to conduct their own religious events at school without school employee involvement or outside of school..
“We are making a statement,” said Luke Killam, president of the Northview senior class. “We are doing it so that God will be glorified, and we will give Him all of the glory.”
The senior class will hold a traditional Baccalaureate service, Killam said, including a message from Jason Oxodine, youth minister at the First Assembly of God in Atmore.
“The administration, faculty, and staff of Northview High School have been proud to sponsor all of the Baccalaureate services since the school’s inaugural 1996 graduating class. It is believed that the Senior Class of 2009 will rise to the challenge of having an off-campus Baccalaureate service and will not only have a wonderful service but also one which may serve as a model for future years,” NHS Principal Gayle Weaver said when it was announced that the school would be unable to sponsor the service.
Pictured above: The Class of 2008 Baccalaureate service at Northview High School. Pictured inset: Luke Killam, senior class president. Click to enlarge.
Driver Dies In Big Rig Crash, Explosion On I-65
May 12, 2009
A fiery 18-wheeler accident that left one person dead shutdown I-65 near Flomaton this morning.
The driver of the truck has been identified by Alabama State Troopers as David Scott Bentley, 38, of Greenville, Alabama.
Escambia County Emergency Management Director David Adams says Bentley was hauling steel coils when he lost control on I-65 northbound near mile marker 64 between Atmore and Flomaton at Big Escambia Creek. The truck went through a guardrail, struck the bridge, went over the side and exploded into flames under the bridge.
“The truck just exploded into this huge fireball in mid-air,” said Ray Zalce who witnessed the horrific crash. “It just blew up on the way down, and there was this huge cloud of black smoke.”
Zalce and other motorists tried to reach Bentley, but they were unable to save him.
Bentley was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which happened about 10:15 Monday morning.
Authorities say Bentley’s truck apparently blew a tire, causing him to lose control.
“Dave was such a good guy,” said Tommy White, a dispatcher for Richway Transporation in Mobile, the company that owned the truck and employed Bentley. “This is not the way it is suppose to be. This is just heartbreaking. My prayers are for his family.”
A second truck was hit by debris, Adams said, but the driver of that vehicle was not injured.
Northbound traffic from I-65 was diverted into Atmore and Flomaton via Highway 21, Highway 31 and Highway 113, creating traffic problems in both cities for hours.
It took crews hours to clean up debris and diesel fuel off the bridge. The Alabama Department of Transportation inspected the bridge for structural problems following the crash, and they determined it to be safe.
Click here for a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the scene.
Pictured above: A truck driver from Greenville, Alabama, was killed in a fiery explosion on I-65 this morning between Flomaton and Atmore. Pictured below (top): This is the remains of the cab of the truck. The seat from the cab can be seen near the large object, which is a steel core that was being hauled on the flatbed trailer. Pictured bottom: The engine and remains of the frame of the truck and trailer. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sweet Sounds: NHS, EWMS Hold Band Concert
May 12, 2009
The Northview High and Ernest Ward Middle schools held their annual Spring Band Concert Monday night at Northview High School.
Members of the NHS Alumni Band, made up of former Northview, Ernest Ward and Century high band members, also performed.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the concert, click here.
Pictured above and left: Students perform during the Northview and Ernest Ward Spring Band Concert Monday night at Northview. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
State Line Road Repaving Project Continues
May 12, 2009
If all goes as planned, a repaving project on a portion of State Line Road in Century is expected to be finished this week.
Century Mayor Freddie McCall said the contractor plans to put down a layer of asphalt today and finish the project by Friday — if the weather cooperates.
The Town of Century awarded a $128,437.30 paving contract to Roads, Inc. of NWF for West State Line Road back in early February. West State Line from Highway 29 at the Piggly Wiggly to Shady Lane will be resurfaced under the contract, a distance of about a half mile. The State Line repaving project is being funded by Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds.
Pictured: Work is underway to resurface a portion of West State Line Road in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Board Votes To Close Another Escambia School
May 12, 2009
The Escambia County School Board has voted to close another school at the end of this school year.
The board voted Monday to close Edgewater Elementary School, a move that will send the approximately 350 students to three other elementary schools — Navy Point, Warrington or West Pensacola –depending on their address.
The closure is expected to save the district about $400,000 per year. It is the same redistricting method the board followed to close Carver/Century K-8 School.
The school board voted March 17 to close Carver/Century at the end of this school year to save another $600,000 plus. The Carver/Century attendance zone was deleted, sending the students to Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School next year.The total savings from the two school closures is expected to top $1 million per year.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
May 11, 2009
A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 8:45 for Escambia County.
BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
810 PM CDT MON MAY 11 2009
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL ESCAMBIA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA…
WEST CENTRAL SANTA ROSA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA…
* UNTIL 845 PM CDT
* AT 808 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL…AND
DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS NEAR MOLINO…OR ABOUT
19 MILES NORTH OF PENSACOLA…MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR…
COTTAGE HILL AND CANTONMENT BY 820 PM CDT…
GONZALEZ BY 835 PM CDT…
ENSLEY AND FERRY PASS BY 845 PM CDT…
IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS…CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY! LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS.
REMEMBER…IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER…YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.