Deputies Investigating Drive-by Shooting In Century (Updated With Name)
May 11, 2009
(Updated) The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a drive-by shooting that occurred Monday morning in Century.
Kevin Lamar Brown, 29, was shot in the arm on Ramar Street with a small caliber weapon, according to Lt. Carl Jones with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department. Brown was driven in a private vehicle to Jay Hospital with non-life threatening injures just before 10 a.m.
Brown reported that he was shot from the passenger side of a four-door gray car as he walked down Ramar Street mid-morning. His mother, who lives on Ramar Street, reported that she heard three shots, Jones said.
“But no one else heard anything,” Jones said.
The shots were reportedly fired from a silver or gray four-door older model car, possible a Pontiac Grand Prix, Grand Am or Bonneville, occupied by at least two black males. Brown told deputies that he did not know the shooter.
According to court records, Brown is no stranger to the legal system. He is due to be in court later this week on drug charges from 2008, including possession of a control substance and marijuana possession.
Escambia County Rolls Out Redesigned Web Site
May 11, 2009
Escambia County has unveiled a new redesigned web site. The sites allows citizens and visitors alike to view information about county services and events. Click here to visit myescambia.com.
Pictured above: One of the photos on the newly redesigned Escambia County web site features Lake Stone near Century.
Making Blueberries Cool: Northview’s Lesson In Genetic Engineering
May 11, 2009
The agricultural students at Northview High School are growing blueberries the high tech way with a little genetic engineering, thanks to a teaching intern that likes to make plants “cool”.
“The key to teaching is making it grab their attention, and I’ve figured out that kids are interested in the weirdest stuff,” said Jennifer Nobles, a recent University of Florida graduate who spent 12 weeks as an intern in the agricultural department at Northview.
In a sterile lab-like environment, students planted blueberry snippets about 1-2 centimeters long into a sterile grown hormone gel packed with nutrients (pictured left). After about four weeks, the snippets will be little blueberry plants, transferred into pots and eventually ready to produce the popular fruit.
The growth process makes each plant a genetic clone of the others, producing even size plants that should yield a similar blueberry harvest. It’s the same method often used to create the perfect and identical plants found for sale at the local nursery, Nobles said.
“We have shown the students the cutting edge way to plant plants,” she said. “They found out that plants can be cool. It’s neat to watch them get excited about a subject that can be so plain.”
Nobles’ 12-week internship at Northview ended recently, and she just graduated from UF where she double majored in animal science and agricultural education. Her next step in life is to attend veterinary school.
Nobles said she will always treasure her 12 weeks at Northview.
“It was the coolest thing to see them get excited about planting blueberries, something that ordinarily can be so plain,” she said.
For photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Intern Jennifer Nobles show Northview agriculture students how to plant a blueberry snippet into a growth medium in a sterile environment. Pictured top inset: A blueberry snippet at about two weeks old. Pictured bottom inset: Jennifer Nobles. Submitted and NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Man Arrested For Failure To Appear In Bad Check Case
May 11, 2009
A Century man was arrested Saturday for failing to appear in court on a case involving 11 bad check charges dating back nearly two years.
Samuel Donald Ewing, 50, was arrested on 11 counts of failure of a defendant on bail to appear and booked into the Escambia County Jail. Ewing remained in the jail Monday morning without bond.
Ewing was originally arrested May 15, 2007, for 11 bad checks totaling $324.01 written to Piggly Wiggly. The checks ranged from $24.99 to $41.03 each. He was found guilty on all bad check charges and ordered to pay restitution to Piggly Wiggly plus $200 in court courts.
Ewing failed to pay the court costs and restitution. He was sentenced to 60 days and assigned to the work release program, but he failed to comply with that order.
Need A Job? Job Fair In Atmore Today
May 11, 2009
Americatel will hold a job fair in Atmore today as the company looks to fill about 60 Telecom call center and and management positions.
The jobs are being created by the relocation of overseas positions to the Matrix Telecom facility on Brookwood Road in Atmore.
“We are looking for people who are hardworking, enthusiastic and committed to providing great customer service; much like those already working for Matrix in this location,” said Johnna McCooey, director of human resources for both Matrix and Americatel. “We welcome applicants from all parts of Alabama and Florida, from Mobile to Pensacola, and have current employees in the call center from those communities today.”
Americatel, based in Rockville, MD, provides international telecom services to immigrant and Hispanics in the United States and Canada. The ability to speak Spanish is not a requirement for the positions, McCooey said.
“We’ll offer good pay, benefits and flexible work shifts to people who enjoy a structured work environment and who enjoy solving problems” said Stephen Wagner, executive vice president of customer operations at Matrix. “While multi-lingual skills are not required, we are particularly interested in hiring customer service professionals who have that knowledge”.
Americatel will hold conclude two day job fair today from noon to 7 p.m. at the Matrix/Trinsic building at 201 Brookwood Road in Atmore (near Huddle House).
Your 2 Cents Worth: Postage Goes Up
May 11, 2009
The price of a first-class stamp increased by 2 cents on Monday, rising from 42 to 44 cents.e.
The increase is due to rising costs and inflation, according to the USPS. The rate increase was announced in February and that the U.S. Postal Service now regulates prices incrementally each year, as opposed to rising prices every few years.
According to the new prices, it will also cost a penny more to buy a postcard stamp, bringing the total to 28 cents. Costs for the first ounce of a large envelope and the first ounce of a parcel both increased by 5 cents, bringing the totals to 88 cents and $1.22 each.
The post office will still accept Forever Stamps and that an additional ounce of first-class mail will remain at 17 cents.
Earlier this month, the USPS announced that it had ended its second quarter with a net loss of $1.9 billion.
Pictured: The Simpsons are honored a new 44 cent stamp.
Spring Band Concert Tonight
May 11, 2009
The Northview High and Ernest Ward Middle schools will hold their annual Spring Band Concert tonight at Northview High School.
The event begins at 6:30. The NHS Alumni Band, made up of former Northview, Ernest Ward and Century high band members, will also perform.
JB The Donkey Mother’s Day Update
May 10, 2009
Here’s the latest update on J.B., the orphaned baby donkey, from his adoptive mother Lindley Barden (well, actually from J.B. himself, sort of):
Hello Friends:
JB here! Since it is Mother’s Day, I decided to do the news report myself . . . sorry it’s so late, but typing with one finger is mighty slow-going!
Last night marked my “first” birthday: I am officially one week old. And so far, it has been the roughest week of my life! I got off to a pretty bad start, as you all know . . . besides losing my Mom, I’ve had to ride in a trailer, get stuck with big needles, and drink from a bottle! But I did get a new Mom, and have been living in a nice quiet area with a really big bed. Many people have called and written to wish me well, and I’ve even been on TV and the Internet. Although things have really been changing fast for me, I am very happy and feel very loved.
And I’m changing every day, too! I’m up to 45 pounds now–that means I’ve gained a pound a day! (Mom doesn’t seem very happy when SHE does that, but she thinks it’s great for ME!) And my beautiful blue eyes have turned a beautiful brown. I’m incredibly nosy, and getting braver by the day . . . I can go up and down steps, drink from a bucket, play in the dirt, and do a perfect sliding stop. I love to jump up and down on my hospital mattress, and can snatch Mom’s blanket off of her as she’s trying to sleep . . . I guess my next trick will be learning to eat grass!
Well, Mom is calling me . . . she’s saying something about my first BATH . . .something about the fact that I’m supposed to be WHITE . . . (?)
Happy Mother’s Day,
JB
Molino Park Students Tops In County Sunshine Math Competition
May 10, 2009
Two fifth grade Molino Park Elementary School students took top honors in Escambia County in Sunshine Math.
Willis Fletcher took first place in the county, and Tristan Barrett won second place in Saturday’s competition.
Overall, Molino Park Elementary took six teams with 22 third to fifth grade students to the tournament.
Other students in the competition from Molino Park included:
- Third grade: Hunter Rogers, Devin Abrams, Sabra Stewart, Sarah Perritt, Trevor Singleton, Jacob White and Carsen Lowery.
- Fourth Grade: Mitchell Singleton, Savanna Calhoun, Ashlyn Fowler, Ian Schneider, Caeley Barrett and Lauren Carnley.
- Fifth Grade: Willis Fletcher, Harmoni Till, Moriah McGahan, Allison Woodfin, Tristan Barrett, Jason Ogle, Kendral Langford and Haley Brown.
Pictured above: Molino Park Elementary School fifth grade students took top honors in the district Sunshine Math tournament Saturday. Tristan Barrett (left) won second place and Willis Fletcher (right) won first place. Pictured below: Another photo from Saturday’s competition. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Head-on Cantonment Crash Causes Serious Injuries Saturday Night
May 10, 2009
Three people were seriously injured in a head-on collision in Cantonment Saturday night.
The accident happened just before 10:00 at the intersection of Highway 29 and Muscogee Road. Witnesses say the driver of a Hyundai Elantra ran a red light, colliding head on with a Dodge Ram truck.
Both male drivers were transported to Pensacola hospitals by ambulance. A young passenger in the Elantra, believed to be 4-5 years old, was transported from the scene by LifeFlight.
The driver of the Elantra, who was trapped in the wreckage for a brief time, and his young passenger were reportedly unrestrained.
The accident is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above: The driver of this Hyundai and his young passenger were seriously injured in a two vehicle accident in Cantonment Saturday night. Pictured below: The driver of this truck was also seriously injured in the head-on collision. Submitted photos by Tina Pendleton for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
