Veterans Day Programs Next Week At Area Schools
November 13, 2009
Veterans Day programs at Molino Park Elementary and Northview High School, rescheduled from earlier this week due to Tropical Storm Ida, will be held next week.
Molino Park Veterans Day Program
Molino Park Elementary students will honor military veterans on Tuesday, November 17,, at 1:00 pm with a patriotic program and donation drive for April Emerald Coast Honor Flight. Each grade level will sing two songs. Special guests will be the Northview High School NJROTC Color Guard, guest speaker Mr. Gary Cooper, and Mrs. Sheila Allen and Mrs. Ginny Cruz, singer/songwriters, singing “Stand Up America”. For further information please contact Alice Woodward, principal, at (850) 587-5265.
Northview Veterans Day Program
The Northview High School Veterans Day Program will be held Wednesday, November 18 at 10:45 a.m.
Limited H1N1 Vaccines Available Today In Atmore, Brewton
November 13, 2009
The Escambia County (Ala.) Health Department made a limited number doses of the H1N1 vaccine available on a first come, first serve basis to individuals in targeted high-risk groups.
The health department will be holding an H1N1 vaccination clinic on Friday, November 13, for Escambia County (Ala.) residents. The clinic will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 6:00 p.m. or until all vaccine has been administered.
The clinic will be held at the Atmore and Brewton locations of the Escambia County Health Department. The Atmore location is in the satellite courthouse on Highway 31, and the Brewton location is at 1115 Azalea Place.
Limited quantities of the novel H1N1 vaccine will be available for the following groups:
- pregnant women
- household and caregiver contacts of children younger than 6 months of age (parents, siblings and child care providers)
- health care and emergency medical services personnel
- persons from 6 months through 24 years of age
- individuals aged 25 through 64 years with medical conditions associated with a higher risk of flu complications (such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV and certain types of arthritis)
Pcola Ice Flyers Beat Huntsville In OT
November 13, 2009
The Pensacola Ice Flyers pulled out a victory in overtime Thursday night, defeating the Huntsville Havoc 4-3 in Pensacola. Lorne Misita made his third goal count: a game-winner 20 seconds into the overtime period.
Rob Campbell started the scoring by fielding a pass from Chris Healey at 5:28 and putting the puck in the net a half second later. However, almost 15 minutes into the first period Huntsville countered when Martin Kubaliak scored on assists from Mike Carter and Justin Rohr.
The next two goals would be for Huntsville in the second period, when Mike MacDonald and Justin Rohr scored to make it 3-1 Huntsville. However, in the 19th minute, Lorne Misita started his hat trick by scoring a power play goal. Taylor Hustead and Chris Rebernik assisted on the play.
A little over 12 minutes into the third period, Lorne Misita tied the game at three with another power play goal that gave Monte and Karasiewicz assists.
Regulation ended with the score tied at three. Lorne Misita only needed 20 seconds of overtime to score his final goal and record a hat trick: a fantastic finish for an Ice Flyers game.
The Havoc will have a chance for revenge, as the Ice Flyers next game is on Saturday in Huntsville. Fans can follow the action via webcast on www.b2tv.com. The Ice Flyers next home game is scheduled for Friday, November 27. Tickets are available now at ticketmaster.com and the Civic Center Box Office. Groups of ten or more can get special pricing; call the Ice Flyers at (850) 466-3111 for more information.
Search For Suspect In Walnut Hill Turns Up Empty
November 12, 2009
A search in Walnut Hill turned up empty Thursday afternoon for a man wanted out of Okaloosa County on felony vehicle theft warrants.
Escambia County deputies received a tip at 12:36 Thursday afternoon that Rickey Lee Nettles, 21, was seen walking a dog on North Cypress Street in Walnut Hill. A man matching the suspect’s description was spotted by a deputy running on Cypress Street about 1:00.
Nettles is described as a black male about six foot two, 190 pounds, with brown eyes. He was last seen wearing tan pants, a white shirt and blue fleece jacket.
Anyone with information about Nettles’ whereabouts is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at at 436-9620.
Pictured above: A July, 2009, booking photo of Rickey Lee Nettles from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Click to enlarge.
Molino Park Veterans Program Rescheduled For Tuesday
November 12, 2009
The Molino Park Elementary School Veterans Day program “Sing Across America” has been rescheduled for Tuesday, November 17 at 1 p.m.
The school will also be collecting change for Emerald Coast Honor Flight at this time.
20 Goats Killed In Molino Pasture By Coyotes
November 12, 2009
Coyotes have attacked and killed over 20 goats in Molino, and the coyotes are still on the loose.
Wednesday night, Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies, Escambia County Animal Control and the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife were dispatched to a pasture in the 6000 block of Fairground Road in Molino.
The owner of 20 goats — 12 adult and eight babies – reported the animals to have been missing or dead in their pasture. Deputies were able to locate the bodies of all eight baby goats and a few of the adult goats. While deputies Heath Cheatham and his partner were investigating, they saw two coyotes in the field.
“While in the pasture looking for the goats, we observed two coyotes to be walking through the wood line area of the pasture,” Cheatham sad in his report. “All of the goats that were located appeared to be killed as a natural act of predation by coyotes.”
The goat’s caretaker told deputies that he would clean up and bury the goats Thursday morning.
A dog was also reportedly killed by the coyotes.
An investigation is continuing by the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Parade Honors Area Veterans
November 12, 2009
The skies were gray, but the red, white and blue were shining brightly Wednesday afternoon as people from Atmore, North Escambia and surrounding areas honored veterans with a parade.
National Guard units, floats with veterans, a band, beauty queens, fire trucks, a congressman and more took part in the annual event.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the Atmore Veterans Day Parade, click here.
Pictured above: A group of veterans ride in this afternoon’s Veterans Day parade in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Couple Accused Of Horse Cruelty Enter Not Guilty Pleas
November 12, 2009
A North Escambia couple arrested on animal cruelty charges in October have entered not guilty pleas in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Robin Brownie Floyd, 53, and Lynn Livingston Floyd, 42, both of Gilmore Road, Century, pleaded not guilty Friday before Judge David Ackerman. Both are faces three count of confinement of animals without sufficient food or water.
Panhandle Equine Rescue received a tip that several thin horses were being moved by the Floyds to Santa Rosa County, according to PER President Diane Lowery. She said the horses were being transferred to a Santa Rosa County residence and then moved out of state to a horse rescue in Georgia. Lowery said that when PER investigated in September, they found three emaciated horses still on the Gilmore Road property. Warrants were issued, and the Floyds turned themselves in at the Escambia County Jail on October 15.
A public defender was appointed for both Floyds after the court found them to be indigent. They are due back in court in early December, and their jury trials are scheduled to begin in mid-December. Both remain free on $6,000 bond each.
Retiring Veteran Honored
November 12, 2009
Rickie Bonner never expected anything out of the ordinary when he headed out to raise the flag at Alto Products on Veteran’s Day. It had been taken down on Monday because of Tropical Storm Ida. With the storm gone, it was being put back to fly at half-staff to honor the fallen at Fort Hood. What he found brought a tear to his eye.
Rickie Bonner, who is Alto’s senior director of operations, was doing something he has done for ten years at Alto. Among his other, more demanding job duties, he took responsibility for flying the American flag at the Atmore plant many years ago. On Wednesday morning he found a plaque on the flag pole in his honor. Rickie is retiring from Alto soon and this was a way his fellow employees choose to honor him. His co-workers had hoped to surprise him with a small gathering as the plaque was presented, but things didn’t go exactly as planned.
“I wondered what was under the white sheet of paper taped to the pole”, said Bonner. “I was very surprised when I found the plaque.”
“I appreciate Rickie’s ten years of dedicated service to Alto,” said David Landa, president of Alto Products in Atmore. “We could always count on Rickie to be responsible for our flag. We wish him well in his retirement”.
Perhaps being responsible for the flag is just a part of who he is. Bonner served in the US Army. He served in the Vietnam conflict for one year and is a combat wounded veteran. Among the honors he earned for his service to his country are two Bronze Stars with Valor, an Army commendation, the Purple Heart and one Air Medal for combat air time.
“I served a lot of air hours in a helicopter to earn that medal,” Bonner said.
When he speaks of his time at Alto, he has good things to say. “I’m very grateful to have worked for a fine company, outstanding managers and David (Landa),” he said. “I appreciate the team atmosphere and have enjoyed the ten years I’ve worked at Alto.”
“I’ve enjoyed working with Rickie over the years and thank him for his service to Alto,” said Bill Busch, Chief Operating Officer of Alto Products. “He is really a great guy who will truly be missed.”
Pictured top: Retiring Rickie Bonner was honored Wednesday for ten years of service at Alto Products in Atmore. Pictured inset: The plaque on the company’s flag pole honors Bonner. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
County Forgives $57,850 In Fines, Liens On Bratt Property
November 12, 2009
The Escambia County Commission has agreed to waive $57,850 in fines and costs associated with a code enforcement lien on a Bratt property.
In a handwritten letter, Leslie Barnes of McDavid asked the commission to waive the penalties that had accrued on a piece of property at 3600 Ashcraft Road, near the new Bratt Community Park.
In the letter, Barnes stated that he sold the property to and financed it for Linda Holcombe in May, 2001. According to the Escambia County Office of Environmental Enforcement, Holcombe was cited for overgrowth, trash and debris, and illegal burning on April 3, 2006. She was ordered August 22, 2006, by a special magistrate to clean up the property.
After Barnes repossessed the property in September, 2009, he found Holcombe owed the county $1,100 in code enforcement lien and fines that totaled $56,750 by October 8. Barnes cleaned the property to the satisfaction of code enforcement officials on October 8, ending the accrual of new fines.
Citing the inability to pay the $56,760 in fines, Barnes asked the commission to waive the amount owed.
The commission voted 4-1 to waive the fines plus the $1,100 in hard costs. Commissioner Wilson Robertson voted against the waiving the entire lien amount.