County To Forgive $20K In Code Fines, If Molino Couple Cleans Up Property
June 19, 2009
The Escambia County Commission has agreed to forgive almost $20,000 in code enforcement fines on a piece of Molino property worth just $39,000 — if the new property owners will clean up the property to the county’s satisfaction.
When Claude and Sherrill Ward obtained the half acre lot at 1233 Betts Avenue, they inherited a code enforcement lien totaling $20,032.50. The property had been accumulating a fine of $25 per day since December 21, 2005. The property appraiser says the lot is worth $39,420.
“If you are willing to get the property in compliance and prove that it is in compliance and come back,”District 5 Commissioner Kevin White said, “we’ll forgive the fines but not the hard costs.”
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission agreed to drop all but $675 in court costs on the property, if the Wards will bring the property into compliance with code enforcement orders.
Atmore Man Found Guilty Of Murder
June 19, 2009
An Escambia County (Ala.) jury has found an Atmore man guilty of stabbing his girlfriend to death in August 2008.
Milton Simpson Jr., 42, stabbed his girlfriend Teoria McNeal, 36, to death in an apartment that they shared on Ashley Street on August 24, 2008. Prosecutors said Simpson stabbed McNeal in the chest, leaving a broken knife blade in her chest, after an argument.
It took the jury about four hours to return their verdict.
Simpson is in the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center on $200,000 bond. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12.
School Grades Released: Good News For Bratt, EWMS, Byrneville, Jay, Ransom, Jim Allen
June 18, 2009
Florida Department of Education school accountability grades were released Thursday morning, and the results were mixed for North Escambia area schools.
The news was good for Bratt Elementary with an A grade for the eighth year in a row. Ernest Ward Middle School remained at an A for the fourth year.
Byrneville Elementary was also A-rated this year, the second consecutive year for the charter school.
After being an A-rated school for five years — since the year it opened — Molino Park Elementary’s school grade fell to a B. Jim Allen Elementary remained at an A for the seventh year. After an A rating for six years, Jay Elementary fell to a B.
After improving to a B-rating last year, Northview High School received a D from the Florida Department of Education.
Ransom Middle School received an A-rating for the fourth consecutive year.
Jay High School returned to an A-rating after slipping to a B last year.
Carver/Century K-8 School, which closed at the end of the school year, received an F rating. Carver/Century was the only F-rated school in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties.
Local Man Arrested On Child Molestation Charges
June 18, 2009
A local man has been arrested after he was accused of molesting a four-year girl back in 2000.
Perry Leonard Gibbs, 52, of 5451 Still Road Lot 5 in Bratt, was arrested and charged with molesting a child under the age of 12. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Friday morning on $25,000 bond.
A female told the investigators under oath that Gibbs molested her in 2000 when she was four and five years old, according to Sgt. Ted Roy with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department. The victim told investigators that the molestation occurred in the Walnut Hill area.
The female made the allegations in May of this year, accord to Roy.
Gibbs, who provided an Atmore, Ala., address at the time of his arrest, made his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon via a closed circuit video feed from the Escambia County Jail. If he makes bond, Gibbs was ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim and to wear a GPS monitor.
The felony molestation charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Gibbs is due back in court in early July.
Tri-County Downs NWE To Advance In 8-9 Year Old Tournament
June 18, 2009
The Tri-County All-Stars have advanced in tournament play by defeating the Northwest Escambia All-Stars Wednesday night.
With their 19-10 win over NWE, Tri-County remains alive in the District 1 Little League 8-9 Year Old All Stars Tournament at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill. Tri-County will play Defuniak Springs Thursday at 6 p.m.
Northwest Escambia
Jacob McCullough, catcher, and Brannon Whitehead, third baseman, both went 2 for 4 at the plate, scoring twice, in the first and fourth.
Trey Holder, first baseman, hit a double in the first to score two runs.
Dawson Brown, Trey Holder, Jason Fischer, Preston Milstead, Logan Calloway and Chase Gifford each scored a run.
Jason Fischer was the starting pitcher for NWE. He pitched two complete innings. He threw only five pitches the first inning. Jason had three strike-outs and walked two, allowing only two runs in 39 pitches. Chase Gifford, Logan Calloway, and Levi Wagner also pitched.
Tri-County
Dutch Burkhead started the game as pitcher, allowing four runs. Neikel Robinson came in to explode on the mound striking out seven on 60 pitches in 3 1/2 innings. Brent Groover also pitched and Seth Killiam closed.
Zach Wright , Niekel Robinson, Brent Groover, and Seth Killam each had one single, while Reid Kelly hit three singles. Nolin Hawthorne went 3-4 with singles. Dutch Burkhead and Seth Killam each had a double and Logan Dobson hit two triples.
Niceville-National 18 Destin 8
Also Wednesday night, Niceville-National beat Destin 18-8.
Pictured above and below: NWE versus Tri-County action from Wednesday night at Walnut Hill’s Bradberry Park. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century, Red Cross Can Use Closed Carver/Century School For Shelter
June 18, 2009
The Escambia County School District has agreed to allow the American Red Cross to continue to use the old Carver/Century K-8 School as Century’s only public shelter.
The district closed the school at the end of the school year, and the future of the building as a shelter had become uncertain. But Mayor Freddie McCall said this week that Superintendent Malcolm Thomas had confirmed that the Red Cross would still be able to utilize the building.
Carver/Century K-8 School served as Century’s only public shelter, with a capacity to house up to 547 people in the event of a hurricane or other emergency. The mayor said there are no other buildings in Century with a sufficient size and wind rating that could be used for a public hurricane shelter.
The next nearest Escambia County public hurricane shelters to Century are located at Northview High School and Molino Park Elementary. Northview has a hurricane shelter capacity of 1,260. Molino Park has space for 2,225 evacuees.
Molino Park is 20 miles from Century, and Northview is about nine miles away. Those distances would have presented a great problem for persons needing to evacuate from Century, McCall said, because many do not have adequate, dependable transportation.
Even More Portable Classrooms Headed To Bratt
June 18, 2009
Two additional portable classrooms are being moved to Bratt Elementary School.
The two classrooms will be moved to Bratt from the closing Edgewater Elementary. The school district will spend $11,200 to transport and set up the buildings for use as additional classroom space.
These two classrooms are in addition to five brand new modular classrooms with included restrooms, five sinks and two closets installed at Bratt Elementary at a total projected cost of $440,006.
The school district will also spend $16,800 to relocate three portable classrooms from Edgewater to Warrington Elementary School and two from Brentwood to Navy Point Elementary.
The total cost of the bid awarded to Myrick House Movers of Holt, Fla., is $39,200.
School Board Approves Final Documents To Sell Old Molino School To County
June 18, 2009
The Escambia County School Board has given official approval to the contract selling the old Molino Elementary School building to Escambia County — a move that will bring a library and community center to the growing community.
The Escambia County commission has already approved the purchase of the building for $400,000 from the Escambia County School Board. The county has attempted to acquire the old Molino Elementary property from the school board for several months.
The school campus includes 9.66 acres and four buildings — the largest of which is 16,630 square feet.
Plans call for the old Molino school to become a community hub, possibly including a 5,000 square foot library, a museum highlighting Molino history, a small health clinic, a business incubator, renovation of the cafeteria and one additional building for community events and private party rental along with other uses.
The library portion of the project is currently ranked number three in Florida for a half million dollars in funding from the state. The grant, if awarded, would require the county to use the facility as a library in Molino for a minimum of 20 years.
The half million dollar grant, if awarded, would be matched by another half million from the county. The county’s portion is already approved, using Local Option Sales Tax funds.
The Molino school closed in 2003 when the new Molino Park Elementary School consolidated Molino Elementary and Barrineau Park Elementary. The school, which sits on nine acres along County Road 95A, first opened in 1939.
The funds will be used by the school board in their Local Capital Improvement Fund.
Scorching: Highs 100-101 Next Two Days With High Humidity
June 18, 2009
Hot and humid — that ’s the forecast for the next several days here in North Escambia. Temperatures are expected at about 100 the two few days, with heat indexes passing that century mark.
Today will be sunny and hot, with a high of 100. Add in the humidity, and it will feel like 108 this afternoon. It will be clear an muggy tonight, with a low of 74.
Friday’s high is forecast to be 101 with a heat index of 105 plus. Expect more miserable heat on Saturday, with a high of 99.
By Sunday, afternoon highs will “cool” to the mid 90’s. A 20 percent chance of an afternoon shower creeps into the forecast by Sunday.
It is a good idea to drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks if you have to work outside. Also, check on elderly friends and neighbors during the hot afternoons.
Poarch Creek Swears In New Tribal Council Members
June 18, 2009
A swearing in ceremony was held during the Poarch Creek Indian Tribal Council meeting Wednesday for the Tribal Council candidates that were elected into office on June 6. Stephanie A. Bryan, Keith Martin and Berry Ross were sworn into office by Judge Joseph Brogden.
For the first time in Poarch Creek’s history, tribal members were able to vote for and elect an executive officer for Tribal Council. Stephanie A. Bryan was elected Tribal vice chair during this historic election. This will be Bryan’s second term as vice chair, during her first term she was elected to executive office by the Tribal Council.
“I was ecstatic when the results were revealed on Election Day. I shed tears of joy that night from knowing the faith and confidence that people have in my leadership abilities. This is the first time in the tribe’s history that Tribal Members got to vote for an executive officer’s seat, and I am thankful to be selected by my constituent’s during this memorable moment for the tribe. I would like to thank everyone for their support and I look forward to serving three more years as the Vice Chair for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians,” Bryan said.
Keith Martin was re-elected to his second term as councilman for the Tribe. Berry Ross will be serving his first term as a council member.