Don’t Forget To Take Out The Trash
May 26, 2009
ECUA customers in North Escambia will have trash pickup as usual today.
There was no change in the Emerald Coast Utiltiies Authority service schedule as a result of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday.
North Escambia Memorial Day: Honoring Our Heroes
May 26, 2009
Pictured: Flags fly on the grave of PFC Russell William Stewart on Memorial Day. PFC Stewart died April 14, 2007, while serving at Camp Lejeune, NC. His grave at the Walnut Hill Baptist Church was one of many military graves in North Escambia where people paid their respects over the Memorial Day weekend. After the September 11 tragedy, PFC Stewart penned the following poem, a very fitting Memorial Day tribute:
“Soldiers”
Killed in battle, laid to rest
We fought to free those oppressed
We died a valiant death
Served our country, not for glory or fame,
But for our brothers in arms who shared our pain.
For we are soldiers tried and true,
We died on the field of battle
Let our death not be forgotten
For we fought for you. Soldiers.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Atmore Police Release Information On Sunday’s Pursuit, Shooting
May 25, 2009
The Atmore Police Department has released a statement detailing the events surrounding their shooting of a suspect in Walnut Hill field early Sunday morning.
For an exclusive gallery of photos from the scene and an earlier Sunday morning story on the shooting, click here.
Glenn Carlee, director of public safety in Atmore, has released the following statement on Sunday morning’s shooting of suspect in Walnut Hill by Atmore Police:
On May 24, 2009, at approximately 1:27 a.m., the Atmore Police Department received a call of shots fired in the area of Ashley Street and Jones Street. Police officers responded to the area where they spotted a white Nissan Altima traveling at a high rate of speed and running the stop sign at the intersection of Ashley Street and Carver Avenue. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle.
At this time, the driver continued his evasive actions and failed to yield to blue lights and sirens.
At 1:37 a.m., officers advised they were in pursuit of this vehicle and that the driver was failing to stop. The driver led officers through residential neighborhoods, running stop signs and using evasive maneuvers to avoid officers’ attempts to stop the vehicle in a safe manner.
At 1:40 a.m., Atmore Police notified the Escambia County Florida Sheriff’s office that the vehicle had continued onto Highway 97 south. Officers were following the vehicle at a safe distance awaiting the arrival of Florida officers. The vehicle turned east onto Highway 164 and then north toward Gobbler Road. As the vehicle turned back south onto Highway 97, the driver of the fleeing vehicle pulled over into the northbound lane, apparently in an attempt to hit an Atmore police unit head on. The Atmore unit left the roadway barely avoiding impact and became stuck in a field. The driver of the fleeing vehicled proceeded south and made a U-turn and backed into a wheat field just south of that location.
Two of the pursing officers, thinking the driver of the fleeing vehicle had ended the pursuit, exited their vehicles and walked up to the front of the car with weapons drawn and ordered both occupants to raise their hands. The passenger of the vehicle, an adult black male, immediately complied and the officers heard the passenger pleading with the driver to comply with the officers’ orders.
As officers repeated their commands, the driver turned the steering wheel toward the lead officer and accelerated toward him. The lead officer fell backwards to avoid being run over by the fleeing vehicle. At this point, the driver of the fleeing vehicle attempted to run over the second officer who began firing at the vehicle. As the first officer came to his feet, be began firing toward the rear of the vehicle.
The vehicle got back on Highway 97 traveling north toward the patrol unit he had earlier forced off the road. The vehicle then left the roadway and became stuck. At 1:45 a.m., officers requested medical assistance to the scene. The driver, who has been identified as Danny Ray Williams, an adult white male, had suffered a gunshot wound and was transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital, then later to USA Medical Center in Mobile where he was listed in critical condition on Monday.
The passenger was interviewed and released without charges.
The Escambia County Florida Sheriff’s Department, the Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were called to conduct the investigation. All officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Final Exams This Week
May 25, 2009
Final exams are underway this week at Northview High and Ernest Ward Middle schools.
At Northview High School, the 9-11 grade exam schedule is as follows:
- Monday, 1st Period 7:45-9:25
- Tuesday, 2nd & 3rd periods
- Wednesday, 4th & 5th periods
- Thursday, 6th & 7th periods
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are early release days at Northview. Seniors took their exams last week.
The final exam schedule at Ernest Ward Middle School has been changed, and school officials want parents and students to be aware of the new schedule.
EWMS has revised the final exam schedule due to the district requirements for completion of final grades.
- Tuesday, May 26 exams will be periods 1, 4, and 6.
- Wednesday, May 27 exams will be periods 3, 5, and 7.
- Thursday, May 28 exams will be period 2.
Name Released Of Suspect In Atmore Police Shooting, Chase In Walnut Hill
May 25, 2009
A suspect shot by Atmore Police following a high speed chase early Sunday morning in Walnut Hill has been identified as Danny Ray Williams.
Atmore Police say Williams, 33, was in critical condition Monday afternoon at a Mobile hospital. Sunday afternoon, Atmore Police said Williams had died, but Monday they said that statement was due to misinformation from a hospital employee.
For a statement on the shooting by Atmore Police, click here.
The following is NorthEscambia.com’s original story on the shooting from early Sunday morning:
Atmore Police Chief Jason Dean tells NorthEscambia.com that his officers pursued a suspect out of Atmore during the early morning hours Sunday in what started as a routine traffic stop. That chase ended on a field just south of Highway 97 and Kansas Road with a suspect being shot by an Atmore officer. Dean would not make further comment, other than to say a suspect had been shot by an Atmore officer that he would not identify. Dean would not say if the suspect displayed a weapon or otherwise threatened his officer.
The Atmore Police Department has reportedly placed three officers on paid administrative leave following the incident. The names of the officers have not been released.
Florida authorities tell NorthEscambia.com that Atmore police pursued the vehicle south on Highway 97, turned on Highway 164, looped around Gobbler Road back to Highway 97 where the suspect returned toward Highway 164. Near Highway 164, the suspect reportedly turned around headed back north on Highway 97 where he met Atmore officers headed south out of Atmore. The suspect’s Nissan Altima and an Atmore police car were stopped in the field by thick mud.
Authorities tell us the white male suspect was shot at least once in the head. He was transported to Atmore Community Hospital before being transferred to a Mobile hospital in critical condition.
It was not immediately clear if the suspect was shot in the field or on Highway 97. Items believed to be bullet casings were recoved by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Highway 97 about 350 yards south of where the Altima was stopped. Officials tell NorthEscambia.com that no weapon belonging to the suspect was recovered following a nearly eight hour search of the scene. FDLE investigators were seen with metal detectors making a systematic search of the area.
The back window of the Altima was apparently broken as shots were fired. FDLE was seen recoving a possible bullet lodged in the Altima between the back window and driver’s side rear passenger window.
The suspect shot by police was reportedly wanted for a misdemeanor failure to appear warrant for a hunting violation.
A passenger that was in the vehicle was taken into custody and transported to the Walnut Hill Escambia County Sheriff’s Precinct for questioning. The black male reportedly told Florida deputies that he had attempted to bail out of the vehicle several times during the pursuit but could not due to the speed of the car. The passenger had no outstanding warrants and was released without being charged with any crime, deputies said. The passenger was not injured in the incident.
Florida deputies say the pursuit was over before they arrived on scene from the Century area. Dispatch records indicate that the first Florida deputy arrived on scene, which is located five miles south of Atmore, at 2:03 a.m. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue was not dispatched.
The name of the driver, the passenger and the officer involved have not been released. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement always investigates officer involved shootings in Florida. It usually takes about 30 days for FDLE to complete their investigation and release results.
Pictured above and below: The scene of a shooting involving an Atmore Police Department officer early Sunday morning in Walnut Hill. Pictured middle: Crime scene investigators from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement work to recover evidence inside the car. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Two People Burned In Cantonment House Fire
May 25, 2009
Two people were burned in an early morning trailer fire Sunday in Cantonment.
Fire officials say two people were taken to the hospital suffering from burn injuries after the blaze about 4 a.m. in the 1300 block of Tate School Road. The mobile home was fully engulfed when the first firefighters from the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue arrived on scene.
A man burned in the house fire was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight, and a female was transported by ambulance. Their identities have not been released.
The mobile home was a total loss.
The exact cause of the blaze was not available. The Florida State Fire Marshal was called to the scene to investigate.
Pictured above: Two people were burned in this mobile home fire early Sunday morning in Cantonment. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gas Prices Up Over The Last Week; $1.50 Cheaper Than Last Memorial Day
May 25, 2009
Gas prices just in time Memorial Day travel were up 32 cents on average in Florida over the past month, but a gallon of regular unleaded is $1.50 less than last Memorial Day in Florida. The Florida state average this weekend was $2.41. Last Memorial day, that gallon of regular unleaded was $3.91. In Escambia County, the average gallon of gas was $2.37 on Monday.
Pictured: This Tom Thumb in Cantonment was selling a gallon of unleaded gas for $2.34 late Sunday afternoon, a few cents below both the Pensacola and Florida average. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Memorials Honor Those That Served
May 25, 2009
People across North Escambia and the country paused to remember the brave men and women that have served our country today as we celebrated Memorial Day on Monday.
In North Escambia, there are memorials that honor those that have serviced in the military:
Walnut Hill
The largest such memorial in the North Escambia area, the Veteran’s Honor Wall has stood in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center since its dedication in 2003. There are nearly 300 names on the wall, including 13 names of soldiers killed in action. The wall honors those from the Walnut Hill area that have served in the nation’s military.
The Walnut Hill Veterans Wall is located in front of the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97.
Century
About 30 of those that served from the Century area are now honored on the Century Veteran’s Wall of Honor that was unveiled in the Fourth of July ceremony at Century’s Roadside Park on Highway 29.
Barrineau Park
The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center honors over 100 people that have served in the military. The wall was a project of the Barrineau Park Historical Society.
Pictured above: The names of those killed in action on the Walnut Hill Veterans Wall. Pictured below: The Wall of Honor inside the Barrineau Park Community Center. NorthEsambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Go After God In A Big Way: NHS Class Of 2009 Holds Baccalaureate Services
May 25, 2009
The Northview High School Class of 2009 held their Baccalaureate service Sunday morning at the First Baptist Church of Bratt — the first time in the history of the school that Baccalaureate has not been held at the school.
The class motto sums up the story of the students’ struggle to hold a Baccalaureate service: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.”
The school was not able able to organize a Baccalaureate service due to a new Escambia School Board policy preventing the school from promoting any religious ceremony. That policy was implemented after a federal judge issued an order against any policy or practice where school district employees promote or take part in prayer or religious services organized by the Santa Rosa County School District.
The Baccalaureate service was organized by the Northview senior class, led by class President Luke Killam.
“I am glad that we could gather to praise God,” Killam said after the service.
“I was proud of our class organizing the service,” senior class Vice President Briana Halteman said. “A lot of the community got involved and helped us stand up for what we believed in.”
“You can’t keep God out of schools,” Jason Oxodine, youth minister at the First Assembly of God in Atmore, told the graduates. “You went against the grain..and stood up for God.”
Oxodine said the school board and court decisions concerning religion in schools have made it hard for school personnel to function as leaders in the community “when they know that what you need most in your life is Jesus Christ.”
“Go after God in a big way,” the youth pastor urged the 42 students that took part in the service.
“Everlasting God”, “Glorious One”, and “My Saviour, My God” were among the songs performed by the Senior Ensemble at Sunday morning’s service.
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas, Northview Principal Gayle Weaver and other school personnel were at the service but did not speak during the service.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the service, click here.
Pictured above and below: Scenes from the Northview High School Baccalaureate Service Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
In The Game: Brain Surgery Allows NHS Player To Take The Field
May 24, 2009
Friday night’s Garnet and Gold game at Northview High School ended in a tie, but it was a huge victory — and answered prayers — for one family.
On November 19, Nathan Therrell underwent brain surgery at the Miami Children’s Hospital to remove something the size of a grain of rice that has caused years of problems for him. It’s called a hypothalamic hamartoma, also called an “HH”. The HH is not a tumor, nor is it a cancer; it is a tissue growth.
Last season, Nathan was sidelined by the HH, serving as the team’s manager and water boy. He stood on the sidelines, watching every play, dreaming of the day he would be on the field. Friday night, that dream became a reality as coaches put Nathan Therrill #72 in the game.
Nathan’s aunt, Kelly Sims, said Nathan has done well since the surgery. Best of all, he has been seizure-free since the surgery, receiving an “all clear” from his doctor.
“Nathan has recovered from the surgery far better than expected. He seems like a total different kid,” Sims said of her nephew. “God does answer prayers and Nathan’s family would like to thank everyone that helped during the time of fund raisers and for any donations that were given.”
“The family is very thankful for everything including the prayers that were sent out for Nate,” she added.
A typical HH like the one removed from Nathan’s brain causes seizures, a problem Nathan had for four years. His were originally controlled by medication, but the medicines failed to work, his mother Tina Therrell said. Doctors tried radiation and laser treatments, but none worked. That led the family to decide to have the surgery to remove the HH from the middle of Nathan’s brain.
Pictured top: Nathan Therrell ready to play in the Garnet and Gold game Friday night at Northview High School. Pictured middle: Nathan Therrill watches a Northview football game last season. He served as the team’s manager water boy. NorthEscambia.com file photo.