Pelicans’ Winning Streak Comes To An End
July 29, 2009
Pensacola initially jumped out on top, scoring a run in the top of the second inning when Marcos Rodriguez singled and scored after Luis Guance hit him in.
The Pelicans added another run in the third inning that saw Antoin Gray lead off with a base knock. Francisco Leandro sacrificed himself and Gray moved to second, scoring when Rodriguez hit safely.
The Wingnuts roared back in the bottom of the fourth, when Dustin Mohr hit a grand slam, his ninth homer of the season, and Wichita led 4-2. Pensacola closed within one a half-inning later, when Chase Burch singled and Marcos Rodriguez doubled him in. However, it was the Wingnuts’ game the rest of the way.
Brenan Herrera started the bottom of the fifth with a single, stole second, and scored when Greg Porter struck a single. In the sixth inning, Kelly Hunt added another run with his league-leading fourteenth round tripper of the year. Mike Thompson followed up with a single later in the inning and came around to home as well.
Dustan Mohr went deep to lead off the bottom of the seventh, his second dinger of the night and tenth of the year. The eighth run for the Wingnuts would be their last, as Wichita defeated Pensacola 8-3.
Randy Beam took the loss after pitching 5.2 innings and allowing seven runs (six earned). Beam struck out five, but allowed nine hits and one walk. Ulysses Roque finished the sixth and pitched the seventh, yielding one earned run on three hits while notching a strikeout. Joey Wedner pitched the eighth and struck out two of the three batters he faced.
The Pelicans were led at the plate by Marcos Rodriguez. He finished the evening 3-4, hitting a double, stealing a base, scoring a run, and driving in two. Antoin Gray and Luis Guance each had a pair of singles, with Guance driving in the other Pelicans’ run.
The Pelicans finish their seven-game road trip on Wednesday with a 12:05 p.m. start time. The Pelicans will throw Jason Navarro against Wichita’s Derek Blacksher. The game may be heard online via SportsJuice.com; the Pelicans provide a link to the broadcast on their website, www.pensacolapelicans.com.
New Chemstrand Road Closes Today For Four Months
July 29, 2009
New Chemstrand Road north of Kingsfield Road is scheduled to be closed for up to four months beginning today.
As part of the 25 miles of transmission main being installed to redirect wastewater flow from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant to the new Central Water Reclamation Facility (CWRF), one of ECUA’s contractors , Morgan Contracting, Inc., will begin pipeline construction on New Chemstrand Road Wednesday.
The area affected will be New Chemstrand Road, from Kingsfield Road north to Old Chemstrand Road, in front of Ascend Products (Solutia). During this time, the immediate section of the road where construction is occurring will be closed to through traffic. The current construction schedule is estimated to last approximately four months, but weather or unforeseen construction conflicts could cause project delays, according to ECUA.
“ECUA recognizes the inconvenience this may cause to some residents and businesses in the immediate area. It will make every effort to minimize the impact to those who travel Chemstrand Road and appreciates the public’s understanding during this phase of construction on a project so vitally import to our area,” ECUA said in a press release.
Another Chicken Tests Positive For West Nile Virus
July 29, 2009
A chicken from the Pollard area in Escambia County (Ala.) has tested positive for West Nile Virus. Pollard is east of Flomaton, about three miles from North Escambia.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department announced Tuesday that the sentinel chicken from the Pollard area tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). Previously the virus was detected in the Riverview area near Brewton. Ongoing public health surveillance has detected no mosquito-borne virus activity in humans in Escambia County this year.
“With summer in full swing and many people enjoying outdoor activities, it is important that residents make efforts to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes,” said Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department Environmentalist Josh Coleman. “Keep your mosquito repellent with you at all times when you are working or recreating outdoors.”
West Nile virus, EEE and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Occasionally, the same mosquitoes will take blood from mammals, including humans and horses. Humans and horses can sometimes become ill from the infection. The likelihood of transmission to humans and horses can be decreased by personal mosquito avoidance and the use of WNV and EEE vaccine in horses. There is no vaccine available for humans, health officials said.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department established a mosquito control program in 2008 that includes surveillance activities such as mosquito trapping and sentinel chicken surveillance. These activities are conducted to monitor for mosquito-borne diseases and track mosquito populations. Serum samples are taken each week from the six sentinel chicken flocks and tested for the presence of WNV, EEE and St. Louis Encephalitis virus.
Escambia Gets $3.3 Million Fed Money For 20 New Deputies; Other Departments Denied Funding
July 29, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department was awarded a $3.3 million, three-year grant Tuesday for 20 new deputies under a federal economic stimulus program.
But other agencies that applied — the Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department, Poarch Creek Tribal Police Department and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Department – received nothing. The Atmore Police Department did not apply for funds under the program.
Vice President Joe Biden announced $1 billion in grants to create or maintain 4,699 sworn officers nationwide under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced $1 billion in funding across the nation including $3,344,620 for the ECSO for 20 deputies. Under the COPS Hiring Recovery Program, the ESCO will be required to maintain the positions in their own budget for an additional 12 months.
Only four agencies in Florida — the Miami PD, Jacksonville PD, Polk County SO and Pasco County SO — received funding for more officers than Escambia County.
Mary Virginia Etheridge
July 28, 2009
Mary Virginia Etheridge was born October 14, 1921 to the late Jonathan Nicholas and Fannie Maude Etheridge of Wawbeek, AL. She passed time into eternity on Sunday, July 26, 2009.
Mary was a native of Wawbeek, AL, a former resident of Atmore, AL, and a resident of Mobile, AL for the past 20 years. She was a long time member of Sardis Baptist Church at Wawbeek, AL, and later at Sage Avenue Baptist Church in Mobile. She graduated from Flomaton High School and Larkin Business School. She worked for the government in Washington, D.C. and in Mobile before retiring. She was also preceded in death her Sisters, Kate Lois Etheridge and Eleanor Young.
She is survived by her Twin-Sister, Melva Vivian Dorith of Mobile, AL, her Sisters, Ernestine Jernigan of Mobile, AL, and Nell Ree Lambeth of Flomaton, AL; her Brother, Jonathan Nicholas and Jacqueline Etheridge, Jr. of Spanish Fort, AL; and many Nieces and Nephews.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Earle Greene officiating.
Burial will follow at Sardis Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 29, 2009 from 10:00 A.M. until funeral time at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Nick Etheridge, III, Bobby Lambeth, Johnny Abrams, Jonathan Etheridge, IV, Curtis Young, and Melvin Jones.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sardis Baptist Church, 124 Sardis Church Road, Atmore, AL 36502.
Four Injured In I-65 Wreck Tuesday Morning Near Atmore
July 28, 2009
Four people were injured when a Jeep collided with an ALDOT vehicle on I-65 near Atmore this morning.
The accident happened just before 9 a.m. on I-65 just north of the Highway 21 exit in Atmore when the driver of a Jeep Liberty rear-ended a utility trailer attached to an Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) vehicle used for litter removal.
Two workers in or near the trailer at the time of the crash were transported to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola by LifeFlight. Markus Prim, 19, of Bay Minette and Sherman McMillan, 17, of Loxley were treated and were released Tuesday afternoon.
The driver of the Jeep, Mirla Sease, and her passenger, Norma Alvarado, were transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Both are from of Victoria, Texas.
Further information was not immediately available. The accident is still under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
Billings Murder Suspect Donnie Stallworth Now In Escambia, Florida Jail
July 28, 2009
Donnie Stallworth, on of the seven people charged with the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings, was extradited Tuesday morning to Escambia County, Florida.
His first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley signed the extradition order to send Donnie Stallworth back to Florida to face two open counts of murder.
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 transfer to FloridaTuesday morning.
Stallworth, 28, appeared before Escambia County (Ala.) Circuit Court Judge Bert Rice July 20 in a probable cause hearing. Rice ruled that there was probable cause to continue to hold Stallworth without bond at that time. Stallworth was in the Brewton courtroom, but he did not speak on his behalf. About two dozen supporters, including his mother, were alsoin the courtroom.
Terry Hardy, an Escambia County (Fla.) investigator, was in court on July 20, testifying that suspect Thomas Wayne Coldiron had identified Stallworth as one of the five inside the Billings home on July 9 when the couple was murdered. Coldiron told investigators that Stallworth did have a weapon. Investigators said that Stallworth is the man that carried safe out of the Billings home.
Escambia (Fla.) officials were required to prepare the extradition warrant to send to Alabama Gov. Bob Riley to have Stallworth sent back to Florida. Florida officials were given up to 24 days to finish their paperwork.
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.
New Today: Murder Suspect Gonzalez Jr Has IRS Problem
July 28, 2009
Billings murder suspect Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr has a problem with the IRS over unpaid self employment taxes from 2006.
The Internal Revenue Service file a federal tax lien Monday in Santa Rosa County Court against Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr and his wife Tabatha C. Gonzalez. The total amount of the lien is $7,736.98.
The lien for the 2006 tax period was filed by the small business and self employed area of the IRS. The address listed on the lien is a post office box in Gulf Breeze that Gonzalez Jr used for his business UDT Institute. UDT stood for Ultimate Defensive Tactics Institute, a business that Gonzalez said under oath was to provide criminal countermeasures training for wealthy persons.
Click image to enlarge (pdf).
Good Chance Of Rain Today
July 28, 2009
The official National Weather Service forecast today calls for a good chance of rain in North Escambia:
Today: Periods of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 87. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Eight In A Row For The Pcola Pels
July 28, 2009
The Pelicans won their eighth straight game on Monday, defeating the Wingnuts 5-4. Winning eight games in a row is never easy, and the Pelicans almost lost the game in the ninth.
Hunter Davis entered the game to pitch the bottom of the ninth with the Pelicans leading 5-3. The very first batter he faced went yard to cut the lead to 5-4. After Nick Blasi’s fifth homerun of the year, Greg Porter singled, and Dustin Mohr followed up by hitting a comebacker to Davis. Davis turned and hurled the ball to second base, but a bad grip resulted in the ball sailing into centerfield. Porter moved up to third, and Mohr took second; the tying and winning runs were in scoring position with nobody out. Davis induced Hunt to line out to Rodriguez playing first, and the Pelicans elected to intentionally walk Steve Pearson to load the bases. The strategy worked, as Joseph Muich hit a grounder to Contreras, whom promptly hurled the ball home and cut down the lead runner. With two out, Michael Thompson grounded out to second base, Hunter Davis earned his seventeenth save, and the Pelicans won their eighth straight ballgame.
The Wingnuts scored the first run of the game, plating Josh Horn on a RBI single by Greg Porter in the bottom of the first.
Pensacola answered back with two runs in the top of the fourth. Francisco Leandro started the frame with a walk, and stole second base. Chase Burch singled and Leandro advanced to third. Marcos Rodriguez followed with a double that scored both runners and the Pelicans were up 2-1.
Wichita responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Nick Blasi walked with two out, and scored when Greg Porter hit a two-run bomb. Wingnuts 3, Pelicans 2.
Pensacola took the lead for good in the top of the seventh. Kevin Reynolds led off with his second single of the night, and stole second base for the second time as well. Lester Contreras singled to centerfield, but Reynolds was initially held up at third. However, the centerfielder misplayed the ball, Reynolds came home, and Contreras went to second. On a groundout to the shortstop, Contreras took third, and an error on the catcher’s attempt to pick Contreras off third base sent the ball to left field and Contreras touched home. Antoin Gray hit a solo shot for his tenth round tripper of the year to give the Pelicans a 5-3 advantage.
The ninth inning went as described, and the Pelicans were victorious. Ron Hill, who pitched the seventh and eighth inning, earned the win, striking out three and allowing one hit. Aaron Jackson started the game and had his longest outing of the year: five innings with three earned runs on four hits and three walks. Jackson struck out three. Tyler Wilson pitched three outs in relief of Jackson and allowed four hits and a walk, but no runs as he struck out two batters. Hunter Davis finished it in the ninth.
Kevin Reynolds and Dallas Christison went 2-4, Gray went deep, and Rodriguez had the two-RBI double.
The second game of this three game series will take place Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. Jason Navarro will start for the Pelicans against Will Savage for the Wingnuts. Every pitch can be heard on NewsRadio 1620, with an internet broadcast provided by SportsJuice.com.