Local Hope For The Homeless: Stimulus Money Available Now
October 13, 2009
Local residents that are homeless or are in danger of becoming homeless can apply for help thanks to federal stimulus dollars that are now available.
Escambia County residents, including those in Century, can take part in a telephone pre-screening on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by calling Catholic Charities at 436-6425 between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Residents in north Santa Rosa County, including those in Jay, can apply for the stimulus dollars through Families County at 983-5586 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays.
The funding, provided through the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program to provide financial assistance and services to prevent individuals or families from becoming homeless or to rapidly re-house persons who are currently homeless.
The program offers case management, rental assistance, rent and utility deposits, moving costs and certain motel vouchers. The program does not assist homeowners with mortgage or foreclosure costs.
For more program details, click here (pdf).
George Touart Wants Gene Valentino’s Commission Seat
October 13, 2009
Former Escambia County Administrator George Touart wants back into county government, and if he reaches his goal it won’t been good news for current Commissioner Gene Valentino.
Touart prefiled Monday for the District 2 seat that is currently held by Valentino. Valentino has also announced he wants to return to his commission seat; he prefiled last Tuesday.
Touart resigned his county administrator job in September 2007 after an ethics complaint was filed against him by Preston Soloman of Walnut Hill and Michael Coonon of Pensacola. The complaint, which alleged he conducted personal business with companies doing business with the county, was dismissed without merit by Florida’s ethics commission.
The commission voted in March to pay the $3,629.60 Touart spent defending himself against the ethics complain. Marie Young and Kevin White voted against paying the bills, while Valentino, Grover Robinson and Wilson Robinson in favor.
Valentino pleaded no contest to non-criminal charges that he failed to turn over emails in a timely manner in response to a public records request. He was fined $500 over the emails about a proposed bingo establishment on Perdido Key.
There are three other men currently running for the District 2 seat, which represents the southwestern part of the county and Perdido Key. They are Robert Kelly, Andy Kolwalski and Scott Gauvin.
State To Seek Death Penalty For Four Billings Murder Suspects
October 13, 2009
Patrick Gonzalez Jr, 35; Donnie Ray Stallworth, Jr., 28; Wayne Thomas Coldiron, 41; and Frederick Lee Thornton Jr., 19, all face the death penalty for the deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings.
The four men entered the Billings’ home the night of July 9 home invasion and robbery that left the Beulah couple dead. State Attorney Bill Eddins filed a “Notice of Intent to Seek Death Penalty” on each of the four Monday in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Three others — Leonard Gonzalez Sr., Gary Sumner and Rakeem Florence — also face first degree murder charges, but the State Attorney has announced that he will not seek the death penalty. Gonzalez, Sr. and Sumner were the alleged getaway drivers, and Florence cannot get the death penalty as a 16-year old juvenile.
All of the defendants remain in the Escambia County Jail.
81-Year Old Man Kills Home Invader
October 13, 2009
An 81-year old Escambia County (Ala.) homeowner shot and killed an apparent home invasion suspect early Monday morning.
The Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call on Highway 31 north of Brewton about 3 a.m. Monday. The caller told dispatchers that someone had broken into his house and that he had shot the suspect.
When they arrived, they found suspect Jeremy Paul McCall, 33 of Brewton, dead inside the home from a single gunshot wound.. He was dressed in dark clothing and a ski mask. McCall had been released from a Nebraska jail only about 48 hours at the time of his death. He had been jailed in Washington County, Nebraska, on drug charges.
The elderly man’s wife was reportedly sitting with a shotgun in her lap when deputies arrived.
“Deputies were in the immediate vicinity of the residence and responded. Once on scene, they found a subject lying on the floor, unresponsive, inside the residence with a gunshot wound to his person,” the sheriff’s department said in a press release. “The owner of the residence and his wife stated that they were awakened by noises of someone forcing their way into the home. As they began to get up, a subject burst into their bedroom and pointed a gun at them. The owner of the residence was also armed with a handgun and fired one round at the subject. ”
Sheriff Grover Smith and his department’s investigators, and a K-9 unit from Fountain Prison responded to the scene. McCall’s body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Mobile for an autopsy.
Smith said the incident will be presented to a grand jury, as is require by law, but he said he does not expect charges to be filed against the homeowner.
The incident is still under investigation by the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department.
The Final Bill Is In: $1 Million For Modular Classrooms At Bratt And Ernest Ward
October 13, 2009
The final bills are in for the addition of modular classrooms at Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle schools — $1,026,214. That bottom line is almost $43,000 over the school district’s original budget.
The modular units were installed at the two schools to handle growth, including an influx of students from the closure of Carver/Century K-8 School.
Bratt Elementary’s modular buildings included five classrooms with restrooms, five sinks and two closets at a total cost of $473,760. The modular buildings at Bratt were $33,753.69 more than originally budgeted due to several changes and additions approved during the summer, including: $13,992.97 for an additional covered sidewalk to the main building; permit fees for required inspections, $1,496.45; sod for erosion control, $2,130.87; additional concrete decking for building access, $2,333.10; engineering for required fire hydrants, $1,961.93; and $11,838.36 for fire hydrants required by the fire marshal.
Ernest Ward Middle received five classrooms, two closets, and one 24 by 36 foot restroom facility at a total cost of $552,454. That was $9,062 over the original budget. Additional costs at Ernest Ward included $13,362.31 for a covered canopy to the building; $1,749.83 for a sidewalk; $2,574.58 for sod; $1,484.70 for sitework for drainage; $1,961.93 for fire hydrant engineering; and $11,838.36 for fire hydrants required by the fire marshal. The costs were offset by a $25,286.36 credit for concrete, awnings and rails that were not installed.
The Escambia County School Board is expected to approve the final $1,026,214. payment to Williams-Scotsman, Inc. at their next meeting on October 20. The architect, school principals, project manager and project director have already signed off on the payments.
Suspect Says He’s Not Guilty Of Robbing Tom Thumb, Stealing Tires, Escape
October 12, 2009
The Century man accused of robbing the Molino Tom Thumb, stealing tires to fix a flat on the getaway car and then escaping from deputies after he was arrested, has told a judge that he didn’t do it.
Antonio Demetrius Ewing , 19, of West Highway 4, Century, pleaded not guilty to charges of robbery, larceny, criminal mischief property damage, burglary and escape. Ewing was due in court on an earlier concealed weapons charge at the exact day and hour he was arrested to for trying to steal the tires; he also pleaded not guilty to failing to appear in court.
Ewing remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond. His jury trial is set for January.
Surveillance video from the Tom Thumb (click here to watch) shows the 10 second robbery. Two people entered the front door, pushed a customer out the way, grabbed the entire case register and leave. One of the suspects is shown wearing a dark colored shirt, white socks on his hands and a camouflage bandanna around his face.
About three hours later, Escambia County deputies were called to a reported suspicious person and a possible burglary on Alger Road in Century. When they arrived, they found a Pontiac Firebird with no tag in the parking lot of the Gospel Light Temple on Alger Road in Century.
That is where they found Ewing, with a flat tire. He had apparently stolen several tires and tools from a nearby shed in order to try fix his flat. According to deputies, the juvenile that was with Ewing had been given a ride by a passerby and was not with the car when they arrived.
While deputies were questioning Ewing about the stolen tires in Century, a deputy that was not in Century at the time realized he had read a comment on NorthEscambia.com’s story about the Tom Thumb robbery. The comment posted by someone with the name “me” mentioned a teal green Firebird with no tag being seen off the road on Sunshine Hill Road shortly after the robbery.
The deputy called Sheriff’s dispatchers on the the telephone, and dispatchers talked on the phone with deputies in Century — alerting them that they possibly had the Tom Thumb robber in custody. In the meantime, NorthEscambia.com was able to provide contact phone numbers for the poster “me” to deputies in Century. Deputies spoke to the poster’s husband in Molino, and he exactly described the car in that deputies had found in Century.
When deputies searched the location provided by the NorthEscambia.com reader on Sunshine Hill Road at Cedar Springs Road, they found the cash register from Monday morning’s robbery of the Tom Thumb, parts of the vehicle where the suspects had apparently hit a stump and money. White socks were also located in some brush.
Inside the car, investigators discovered a camouflage shirt that appeared to match the one used in the robbery.
Ewing was taken into custody and transported to the Century Precinct of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for questioning about the tire theft and about the Tom Thumb robbery. When deputies walked Ewing out of the Century Precinct to place him a cruiser to take him to jail, he ran. Deputies said Ewing ran across Highway 29 toward Century Woods Apartments where he lives. After a brief foot chase, Ewing was taken back into custody.
A 15-year old juvenile has also been charged in connection with the incident.
Pictured top: Investigator Frank Way discovered camouflage clothing in the back of a car in Century. A camouflage bandanna was used earlier that morning in the robbery of the Molino Tom Thumb. Pictured top inset: Ewing in the back of a deputy’s car in Century. Pictured bottom inset: The cash register recovered on Sunshine Hill Road at Cedar Springs Road. Pictured below: The September 14 Tom Thumb robbery scene in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Flu Shots Will Available Today In Walnut Hill
October 12, 2009
Seasonal flu shots will be available Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97.
Medicare will be accepted. Otherwise, the $24.99 payment must be made in cash or check. Credit Cards will not be accepted. The event is sponsored by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club.
Dress Backwards And Tacky: It’s Spirit Week At Ernest Ward Middle School
October 12, 2009
This is “Spirit Week” at Ernest Ward Middle School.
Students are encouraged to dress to match a certain theme each day. The themes are:
- Monday — Tacky Day
- Tuesday – Backwards Day
- Wednesday – College Day
- Thursday – Blue & Gold Day
- Friday — Camo Day
The Eagles will hold a pep rally Thursday afternoon at 3:15 to get ready for a home football game against T.R. Miller at 6 p.m. The week will end with a Spirit Week Dance in the school gym from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday.
North Escambia Weekend In Photos
October 12, 2009
From Molino to Century to Walnut Hill to Pensacola — NorthEscambia.com had over 400 photos from weekend events around the area.
Click an album name below to view the photo gallery.
- Bratt Elementary School Fall Festival
- Ernest Ward Middle School’s Got Talent
- Century Care Center At The Corporate Cup Games
- Ernest Ward Middle Mini-Cheerleader Camp
- Adventure Race: Trotting For A Cure
- Century Vs. Flomaton Football
- Northview Vs. Holmes County
Molino Road Resurfacing Set To Be Completed This Week
October 12, 2009
Weather permitting, the resurfacing project underway on Molino Road should be completed this week, according to the Escambia County Road Department. Most of the remaining work involves the road shoulders and pavement markings.
The $858,713.05 project by Roads Inc. of NWF, includes completely resurfacing the road from Highway 29 to Highway 99, a distance of just over five miles. The project also includes other work such as stormwater pollution control, mulch, shoulder work and pavement striping.
The Molino Road project is being funding by Local Option Sales Tax funds.
Pictured above: Work continues on Molino Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.