Benefit Softball Tournament Needs Teams By Saturday
July 30, 2009
A coed softball tournament to benefit Marty Green will be held beginning at 8 a.m. on August 1 at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill. The coed softball team must consist of seven men and three women, double elimination. There is a $200 entry fee. For more information, contact Bodie Tullis at (850) 327-6788 or (850) 327-6722, Theresa Hanks at (850) 327-6722 or Pam Brown at (850) 327-6155.
The tournament is sponsored by Northwest Escambia Little League and Northwest Escambia Football, with all proceeds going toward Marty Green’s medical expenses.
Learn more about Marty Green by clicking here.
Judge Says No Bond For Stallworth
July 30, 2009
Donnie Ray Stallworth, Jr. will remain in the Escambia County Jail without bond on charges that he was involved in the shooting death of Byrd and Melanie Billings on July 9.
Escambia County Circuit Judge Joyce H. Williams denied bond for Stallworth Wednesday during his first court appearance via a video feed from the county jail.
Stallworth, 28, turned himself into Alabama authorities at the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton the night of July 13. He had remained in the Brewton jail without bond until his extradition to Florida Tuesday morning.
Williams denied bond because she considered him a flight risk and because of the serious charges against him. Stallworth is one of seven people charged with open counts of murder in connection with the Billings murders.
At the time of the murders, Stallworth was assigned to the 1st Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hurlburt Field. The 1999 T.R. Miller High School graduate is a Brewton native. His family still resides in the Brewton area.
Pictured: Donnie Wayne Stallworth’s booking photo taken Tuesday at the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drug Task Force Makes Bust
July 30, 2009
A Flomaton man was arrested on drug charges Wednesday following an investigation by the 21st Judicial Drug Task Force.
Michael Andrew Sansom, 23, was arrested midday Wednesday after the drug task force executed a search warrant at a home on Wilkerson Street in Flomaton. Sansom was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana first degree and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
The arrest came as part of an ongoing investigation, authorities said.
The 21st Judicial Drug Task Force is funded in part by a grant from the Bureau of Justice Affairs Division of the United States Department of Justice through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. The remainder of the funding comes from the Atmore Police Department, Brewton Police Department, Escambia County District Attorney’s Office, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department and Poarch Police Department.
Santa Rosa Health Boss Resigns
July 30, 2009
The administrator of the Santa Rosa County Health Department has resigned just over a month after being arrested on drunk driving charges following a crash on Navarre beach.
Shannon Jacobs submitted his resignation last Friday, effective at the close of business, in lieu of dismissal.
Jacobs, 34, crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic on Navarre Beach Road June 20 a struck a vehicle driven by James H. Hering, 42. Two Intoxilyzer tests showed Jacobs had blood alcohol levels of .160 and .148. Florida’s legal limit is .08.
He was charged with driving under the influence first offense, driving under the influence with property damage, criminal mischief with property damage, and failure to use a designated lane. He was released on a $7,500 bond.
Pictured above: Shannon Jacobs. Pictured below: His resignation letter as director the Santa Rosa County Health Department. Click to enlarge.
Masland To Make More Cuts, Reorganize Business
July 30, 2009
Dixie Group, Inc., the parent company of Masland Carpets, announced Wednesday that it will reorganize the business in an attempt to return profitability by further cutting costs.
The company will combine its three residential carpet brands — Masland, Fabrica and Dixie Home — into one business while maintaining the three distinct brands.
“As a result, our residential business will be organized much like our commercial carpet business and more like the rest of the industry,” said Daniel K. Frierson, chairman and chief executive officer of Dixie Group.
“The new structure should enable us to improve our responsiveness to customers’ changing needs and market conditions as well as enhance our operating capability, while significantly reducing costs. We will continue to build and invest in our brands – Masland Residential, Fabrica, Dixie Home, Masland Contract, and Whitespace; each has a distinct character and each is designed to appeal to and attract different customers,” Frierson said.
The company expects to cut up to an additional 60 jobs across all of its operations, partially by combining sales forces.
There are 325 people employed by Masland in Atmore and 340 in Saraland, Alabama. The two locations lost 70 jobs earlier this year as the company cut 25 percent of employees over an 18 month period.
Masland will attempt to cut another $8 to $10 million in expenses during 2010.
Dixie Group sales for the second quarter of 2009 were $52,572,000, down 32 percent from $77,155,000 in the year-earlier quarter.
Enjoy A Historical Day In The Park
July 30, 2009
There will be an old fashioned day in the park Saturday in Century.
The Alger-Sullivan Historical Society’s Day in the Park will take place on Jefferson Avenue from 9 am to 4 pm.
Collectors are invited to bring their collections to display and share with others. Attendees are encouraged to bring old photographs taken in this area; someone will be available to possibly identify unknown subjects in the photos and answer questions about area history.
The historical society’s museums will be open, and the group will be selling watermelon, ice cream, hot dogs and drinks. There is no admission charge and no charge for those displaying their collections.
For more information, contact Jerry Fischer at (850) 256-3980.
Wingnuts Clobber Pelicans
July 30, 2009
The Wingnuts clobbered the Pelicans 12-4 in Wichita on Wednesday. With the victory, the Wingnuts won the three-game series two games to one. The Wingnuts wasted no time in claiming the ballgame, jumping out to an 8-0 advantage after two innings.
Five Wingnuts came home in the bottom of the first inning, including Josh Horn after he blasted his first of two doubles en route to four hits. Michael Sharp collected two RBI on a single, as Wichita had six total hits in the very first frame.
The second inning started the same way for the Wingnuts, with Horn hitting his second double. He and Dustan Mohr both scored when Kelly Hunt hit his league-best fifteenth home run of the season to put Wichita up 8-0.
The Wingnuts added another run in the third inning when Horn scored from first on a double by Nick Blasi. Blasi would score the next Wingnuts run in the fifth inning, hitting a one-out double, and scoring on a single by Greg Porter.
Wichita ended their offensive outburst in the seventh when Greg Porter connected for a two-run shot that brought in Horn and himself. 12-0 Wingnuts.
Pensacola tallied four runs in the top of the eighth, but it wasn’t nearly enough. After starter Derek Blacksher pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, Tyler Rhoden started the eighth inning by giving up a hit to Lester Contreras. Dallas Christison followed by reaching on an error by the second baseman. Francisco Leandro singled to load the bases, and Kevin Reynolds collected the only Pelican RBI by drawing a walk to score Contreras. Three more Pelicans would score when the second baseman committed another error on a ball hit by Antoin Gray. Gray ended up on second base and Christison, Leandro, and Reynolds scored to make the scoreboard read Wichita 12, Pensacola 4.
The score would hold and the Wingnuts claimed the game and the series. Jason Navarro started the game and took the loss after lasting just two innings, yielding eight runs (all earned). He allowed nine hits and two walks, striking out one. Tyler Wilson relieved him by pitching three innings and striking out two, but Wilson gave up two runs on six hits with a walk. Joey Wedner pitched the sixth and seventh innings and allowed two runs of his own on three hits. Ulysses Roque pitched a scoreless eighth on two hits.
Lester Contreras had two hits while Leandro, Burch, and Rodriguez each had one.
The Pelicans will use Thursday to travel back to Pensacola. They start a three-game home series against the Fort Worth Cats on Friday at 6:35 p.m. The entire weekend will be Woodstock themed, with tie-dying on Friday and fireworks following Saturday’s game. More information is available at www.pensacolapelicans.com.
ECUA Recycling Hits Record Level
July 30, 2009
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority hit a record earlier this month, collecting 130 tons of recyclable materials in Escambia County during the week of July 13 through July 17.
There are 32,000 residential customers using the recycling program, according to ECUA spokesperson Jim Roberts. That is up from 18,227 at the end of January, the program’s first month. ECUA collected just 36.71 tons of recyclables during the first week of the program.
ECUA customers in Escambia County can request a gray recycling container at no additional charge as part of their regular service.
The collection service includes weekly garbage pickup, weekly pickup of recyclables, and weekly yard waste pickup. All services are provided on the same day of the week. In addition, bulky waste pickup service is available once each calendar month at no additional charge.
For information on what items can be recycled in the ECUA program, click here.
There are three ways to request ECUA service or add recyclables service to your current ECUA pickup:
- email support@ecua.org with your name, address and daytime phone number, along with the desired recycling container size — 40, 64 or 90 gallon.
- visit ecua.org and download a form located on the “Sanitation Services” page. That form can be faxed or mailed to the ECUA.
- call ECUA customer service at 476-0480
Deputies Uncover $300,000 In Stolen Goods From North Escambia, Surrounding Areas
July 29, 2009
Escambia County (Ala.) authorities believe they have uncovered a multi-state theft ring that targeted homes and businesses in North Escambia, Santa Rosa County and south Alabama.
Authorities are looking for Mark Anthony Harrison, 38, in connection with the theft of items like all-terrain vehicles, trailers, motorcycles and motor homes. Harrison is believed to have stolen the items and then sold them to friends and acquaintances at very low prices.
Property discovered on Upper Creek Road in Flomaton included a four wheeler that was reported stolen from Century Marine in December of last year. Two additional stolen four wheeler and two motorcycles were also recovered from the property.
When officers executed search warrants at home in Riverview and Brewton, they located a stash of additional stolen property, including a Fleetwood motor home. In all the stolen goods are worth an estimated $300,000 from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida, and Escambia and Baldwin counties in Alabama. Once Harrison is located, he is expected to face theft charges in all four counties.
Anyone with information on Harrison’s whereabouts, or anyone that may have purchased property from him is asked to call the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department at (251) 867-0304.
No Sales Holiday In Florida, But Some Tax Free Shopping In Alabama
July 29, 2009
There is no sales tax holiday in Florida this year for back-to-school shopping. There is a sales tax holiday coming up in Alabama, but if you want to avoid sales tax, you will need to drive past Escambia County, Alabama.
This year is only the third year since 1998 without a back-to-school sales tax holiday in Florida. It is up to the Florida Legislature to approve the back-to-school tax breaks each year. A bill was introduced this year, but it failed to pass amid concerns over the state’s budget woes.
There is a sales tax holiday in Alabama beginning Friday, August 7, but Atmore, Flomaton and Escambia County, Ala., are not participating — they will be collecting county and sales tax as usual.
In Monroe County, including Monroeville, and Baldwin County, including Bay Minette and outlet shopping favorite Foley, there will be no school shopping sales taxes. Brewton will exempt shoppers from city sales tax, but county tax will still apply.
The Alabama sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, August 7 and ends at midnight on August 9. Most clothing items, computers less than $750 and most school supplies will be completely exempt from sales tax in Alabama counties and cities that approved the tax exemption.
Click here for a complete list of Alabama’s sales tax holiday items.