Learn About Skin Cancer At Area Seminars
July 13, 2009
If you are interested in learning more about skin cancer risk factors, symptoms, types, treatments available and tips to help prevent the disease, there are free seminars coming up in Jay, Atmore and Pensacola.
Statistics show that skin cancer claims the life of one person every hour in the United States. More than 1 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, representing the most commonly diagnosed malignancy – surpassing lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer.
Yet, through early detection and preventative measures, most skin cancers are curable. Baptist Health Care’s wellness programs – Get Healthy Pensacola! and GoldenCare – are committed to providing you with the resources and education to have safe fun in the sun this summer.
Seminars will be held:
Tuesday, July 14 – Jay Community Center
9:30 to 10:30 a.m. seminar
Thursday, July 16 – Baptist Medical Park – Nine Mile
Azalea Room
2 to 3 p.m. seminar
Tuesday, July 21 – Atmore Community Hospital
Mayson Auditorium
9 to 10 a.m. seminar
Seminars are free and open to the public; however, reservations are requested. For reservations or more information, call (850) 469-2356. Individual appointments and group classes are also available.
Flood Advisory Issued
July 12, 2009
The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for North Escambia until 10:30 tonight.
Several thunderstorms moving slowly over portions of North Escambia have produced heavy rainfall with radar estimates indicating that about three inches of rain fell in some areas.
As the thunderstorms continue to move slowly southward, heavy rains will result in nuisance flooding of poor drainage areas.
Some of the heaviest rain according to radar estimates has been around Bay Springs and Molino.
BREAKING NEWS: Arrest In Billings Double Murder Case (Updated 5:30 p.m.)
July 12, 2009
(Updated 5:30 p.m.) At least one person is in custody in connection with double murder last Thursday in Beulah. That suspect was being interrogated late Sunday afternoon by investigators.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is holding a press conference for later this afternoon with more information on the Billings double murder. That press conference will begin after the suspect interrogation is completed.
NorthEscambia.com will bring you the very latest on this developing story as the events unfold.
Family Statement On Double Murder
July 12, 2009
The family of double murder victims Byrd and Melanie Billings released the following statement on their death:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that have occurred. Our first obligation is the children. The nine Billings children that were in the house are all safe and coping well. They are surrounded by many family and friends. The children have not been separated nor will they be. Bud and Melanie’s world revolved around all of their children….our second obligation is finding the people responsible for this.”
The Billings were shot to death Thursday evening at their home in Beulah. Read more here.
Two Arrested And Charged With Murder In Billings Case
July 12, 2009
Two people have been arrested and charged with open counts of murder in connection with the murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings.
Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr., and Wayne Coldiron were arrested Sunday evening and charged with the murders of the Billingses. Gonzelez was arrested in Santa Rosa County and is being held in the Santa Rosa County Jail. Coldiron turned himself in to authorities in Escambia County.
Gonzelez, Jr.’s father, Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Sr., 56, was arrested early Sunday afternoon for tampering with evidence — attempting to disguise the appearance of the red van seen in surveillance video from the couple’s Beulah home. The tampering charge is a third degree felony.
As NorthEscambia.com first reported Saturday, Gonzalez was the owner of the mobile home where the van was located Saturday afternoon.
More details will be posted as they become available.
(Original Story From This Morning Below)
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said Saturday afternoon that they had interview two “persons of interest” in the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings. They were shot to death in their own bedroom in an apparent home invasion in Beulah Thursday evening.
The two people questioned matched images seen on surveillance video from the home. Investigators are still looking for a third person seen on the tapes.
Deputies were able to find the two persons of interest after locating a red Dodge van seen on those surveillance tapes. The van was found Saturday afternoon behind a shed at a residence at 318 Palm Court in the Brent neighborhood near Highway 29 and Beverly Parkway. The van was located afters tips from the public following intense media coverage.
One of those being quested in a relative of the van’s owners, but the van’s registered owners are not the persons of interest, Morgan said. The owners of the mobile home where the van was found are Leonard P. Gonazlez, Sr. and Carol S. Brant, according to records from the Escambia County Property Appraiser. Morgan would not confirm who owned the van.
Morgan said he believed the crime was committed by seasoned criminals due to the speed in which the incident occurred. “It suggests experience to me,” the sheriff said, adding that he was surprised by the “rapidity of this crime — in and out”.
The security footage reportedly shows the suspects dressed in black and entering the home through multiple doors and quickly carrying out the crime. Morgan said there was no clear motive for the shootings. “We are still working off the premise of a home invasion,” Morgan said without clarifying if he believed the Billings were targeted or the victim of a random act. Morgan said his department had “yet to determine a reason for, specifically, why the Billings were targeted”.
The sheriff would not confirm if anything had been stolen from the home during the murders.
The sheriff’s department said eight children ranging in age from 8-14 were in the sprawling, almost 10,000 square foot home at the time of the murders. A statement released by the family said there were nine children at the home at the time. All total, the couple had 12 adopted children and four of their own. None of the children were injured.
Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at 436-9620.
Pictured top: Byrd and Melanie Billings were reportedly found shot to death in Beulah Thursday night. Pictured inset: The red van discovered Saturday in the Brent area (photo courtesy WEAR). Pictured below: A map showing where the van was found. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Livestock Indemnity Program Registration Begins Monday
July 12, 2009
Eligible ranchers and livestock producers can begin applying for benefits through the Livestock Indemnity Program provided in the 2008 Farm Bill on July 13.
“This program will provide livestock producers with a vital safety net to help them overcome the damaging financial impact of natural disasters,” said Suzette Cooper, County Executive Director for Escambia County USDA Farm Service Agency.
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) provides assistance to producers for livestock deaths that result from disaster. LIP compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including losses due to hurricanes, floods, blizzards, disease, wildfires, extreme heat and extreme cold. Eligible losses must have occurred on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and before Oct. 1, 2011.
The following table provides the final dates to file a notice of loss and/or application for payment for either 2008 or 2009 livestock losses.
Specific provisions for the other supplemental agricultural disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Act – the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE), the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) – will be implemented through separate rulemakings and announced at a later date.
For more information on available supplemental disaster assistance programs, please visit your FSA county office or http://www.fsa.usda.gov .
Junior Little League Tourney Underway; NWE Falls
July 12, 2009
The Junior League All-Star Tournament got underway Saturday at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill with host team Northwest Escambia losing their first game.
NWE fell 6-3 to Niceville-Valparaiso. Also Saturday, Defuniak Springs beat Shalimar 4-2.
The Northwest Escambia All-Stars will take on Shalimar Monday evening at 7:30, while Niceville-Valparaiso will play Defuniak Springs at 5:00 Monday at Bradberry Park.
For a complete photo gallery from the game, click here.
Pictured: Action from Northwest Escambia versus Niceville-Valparaiso Saturday night at Bradberry Park In Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Angels Soar
July 12, 2009
Tens of thousands of people — many of them from the North Escambia area — packed Pensacola Beach Saturday for the annual Blue Angels air show.
The main parking lot at Casino Beach was full by 7 a.m., and the parking lots at Fort Pickens and Quietwater Beach were full by 10. At one point, traffic was reported to be backed up from the beach all the way back to the Pensacola Civic Center.
Despite the large crowds, emergency officials reported few problems. About half dozen people were transported to the hospital, and deputies said they made just a handful of arrests.
Click here for more photos from the Blue Angels over Pensacola Beach from Mike Newton, Alisa Hart and Brandy Gafford.
Pictured above: The Blue Angels over Pensacola Beach Saturday afternoon. Pictured below: Thousands packed Pensacola Beach as seen in this photo from the Hilton. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com by Alisa Hart and Brandy Gafford for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pcola Pels Shutout El Paso
July 12, 2009
Randy Beam pitched the first one-hitter in Pelicans history as Pensacola shutout El Paso 5-0 on Saturday night. Beam carried a no-hitter two outs into the eighth inning before yielding the first and only hit of the night. Beam’s changeup was vicious, striking out ten batters on the evening. Homeruns carried the offense, as Adam Darby hit his first professional round tripper, and Antoin Gray hit a three run shot for his seventh dinger of the year.
Adam Darby put the Pelicans on the board with two out in the bottom of the second inning by hitting a solo bomb over the right field wall, the first of his professional career.
While Randy Beam dominated Diablos, Pensacola put up four more runs in the bottom of the seventh. Rafael Alvarez led the inning off with a single, then moved to second on a Lester Contreras sacrifice bunt. Adam Darby’s second hit in as many at-bats moved Alvarez to third. Luis Guance flied out deep enough to center to score Alvarez and double the Pelicans’ run total. Francisco Leandro walked before Antoin Gray came up and hit his seventh homerun of the year, a three-run fence clearer that put the Pelicans up 5-0.
Randy Beam struck out the side in the second inning and was cruising along until Jeff Vincent stepped up in the sixth. Vincent hammered a ball right above second baseman Antoin Gray’s head. Gray jumped up and knocked the ball down, but Vincent reached first base safely. The play was ruled an error, and Beam’s no-no was intact. After nine strikeouts, Beam faced Vincent again in the eighth inning. With two outs, Vincent hit a fast-hopper up the middle to record the first and only El Paso hit. Beam would walk the next two batters before striking out his tenth batter of the game.
Beam allowed only the one hit, struck out ten, and only walked two in his fifth win of the year. The complete game, one-hit shutout was the first in Pelicans history, and before tonight, Beam’s season-high was six strikeouts in a game. Adam Darby went 3-3 with two singles and his homerun, and Antoin Gray’s only hit was the three-run bomb.
Pensacola has forced at least a tie in this six-game series, as the final game will be played Sunday at 6:05 p.m. The Pelicans will throw Jason Navarro against the Diablos’ Justin Mallett. Before the game, the Blue Angels and crew will take on the Pelicans staff and local celebrities in a softball game starting at 4 o’clock. Sunday is also Kid’s Day: all Kid’s Club members gain free admission to the park when wearing their member t-shirts. New memberships are available for just $10 and are good for the rest of the season. More information is available at www.pensacolapelicans.com.
Taking It To The Streets
July 12, 2009
When registration numbers for Vacation Bible School were not what organizers had hoped for, parish members at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church in Cantonment took registration to the streets –literally. On Saturday, Ray Farrel and Viv Welch were outside the church on Highway 95-A holding a sign and waving to passing motorists. The pair were successful in registering an additional seven children for the program. Registration will continue through Monday, July 13 at the church. Call 937-0001 for more information.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.