Teen Driver Hits House
January 14, 2010
A teen driver was not seriously injured when he hit a tree and house this morning in Walnut Hill.
The 16-year old male driver was southbound on Juniper Street when he lost control of his Ford Mustang, struck a small tree and spun around into the porch of a wood frame house at 105 Juniper Street. The car missed a propane tank on the corner of the house by just inches in the 8:10 a.m. accident.
The driver was transported to Atmore Community hospital with minor injuries. No one in the house was injured, and there was no significant damage to the house.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance responded to the call.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured: The driver of this Mustang hit a tree before hitting the porch of this house Thursday morning on Juniper Street in Walnut Hill. The damage to car visible in the photograph was caused by the tree, not the house. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Only A Few Tickets Remain For Miss Northview High
January 14, 2010
Only a few tickets remain for the 2010 Miss Northview High School event.
Tickets are $8 and are available in the school’s front office. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
The 2010 Miss Northview High School pageant will be Saturday, January 23 at 6:30 in the Northview Theater.
Pictured: Miss Northview High School 2009 Amber Holland. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Letcher Russell Black
January 14, 2010
Mr. Letcher Russell Black, age 69, passed away Tuesday, January 12, 2010. He was born in Fidelis, Fla. to Rev. L.L. and Myrtie Black. He was educated at T.R. Miller High School in Brewton, Ala. He played for the Baltimore Orioles Minor League, Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League and Leesburg Orioles. He served in the U.S. Army. He was employed at Monsanto for 32 years. He attended Rays Chapel Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Paul Black.
Mr. Black is survived by his wife of 45 years, Shirley Black of McDavid, Fla.; two sons, Eric and Kristl Black of Cantonment, Fla. and Russ Black of McDavid; his daughter, Amy Black and Wendall Cooley of Chumuckla, Fla. six grandchildren; a brother, Merle Black of Columbus, Miss., and a sister, Delores Trehern of Milton, Fla.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 15, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church with Rev. Nathan Brown, Rev. Brian Calhoun and Rev. James Black officiating. Burial will follow at Ray’s Chapel Cemetery with Petty Funeral Homes, LLC. directing.
The family will receive friends Thursday, January 14, 2010 between 6 and 8 p.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Damon Morgan, Kevin Morgan, Donnie Bell, David Bell, Matt Jones and Ricky Caraway.
Escambia Seeks Funds To Replace Bridges, Including 50 In North Escambia
January 14, 2010
Many of Escambia County’s 128 bridges are wooden or have wooden supports, and many are 50 to 70 years old. Eleven are classified as “structurally deficient” and seven are classified as “functionally obsolete”. Now, the county is seeking $96.6 million to replace 103 of those bridges — including 50 bridges in North Escambia — within the next 10 years.
The number one bridge on the county’s wooden substructure bridge priority list is on Fannie Road at Dead Lake, just outside Century. Built in 1960, the 121 foot bridge has a 10 ton weight limit. The estimated price tag to replace the bridge is $1.48 million.
Bridges like the one on Fannie Road are not dangerous, according to county officials, but they are aging and in need of replacement before they become dangerous. While drivers see asphalt on the surface of the bridge, what they don’t see is the wood structure underneath.
Most of Escambia County’s bridges — all but 13 — are inspected every two years by the Florida Department of Transportation. The other 13 — bridges less than 20 feet wide, are inspected by a contractor hired by the county.
The county has applied for a $96.6 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant, part of the federal stimulus package, to pay for the bridge replacements for the structurally deficient, obsolete and otherwise aging bridges. The county is also asking for $6 million from the state legislature to replace the Fannie Road Bridge and six others.
Other North Escambia wooden substructure bridges that are considered structurally deficient, with date of construction and replacement cost, are:
- Beck’s Lake Road across an unnamed branch, 1968, $640,000
- Pineville Road at Long Hollow Creek, 1968, $610,000
- Tungoil Road at McDavid Creek 1969, $860,000
- Lambert Bridge Road at Pine Barron Creek, 1967, $2.24 million
- Brickyard Road at an unnamed branch, 1960, $640,000
- Bet Raines Road at Jack’s Branch, 1967, $610,000
- Occie Phillips Road at Brushy Creek, 1968, $1 million
The county needs a total of $11.8 million to replace the bridges classified as structurally deficient and an additional $7.3 million to replace the ones that are classified as being functionally obsolete.
Other North Escambia wooden bridges on the county’s priority replacement wish list, with date of construction and replacement cost, are:
- Highway 99A at Boggy Creek, 1969, $770,000
- Highway 97A at Boggy Creek, 1968, $1.48 million
- Highway 164 at Pine Barren Creek, 1958, $2.01 million
- Highway 99A at Little Pine Barren Creek, 1970, $1 million
- Highway 168 at an unnamed branch, 1968, $610,000
- Highway 168 at Reedy Creek, 1968,$730,000
- Highway 168 at Hobbs Branch, 1965, $1 million
- Nokomis Road at Brushy Creek, 1967, $1.33 million
- Molino Road at Alligator Creek, 1959, $860,000
- Schagg Road at Jack’s Branch, 1965, $890,000
- Molino Road at Penasula Creek, 1958, $610,000
- Gibson Road at Alligator Creek, 1959, $1.02 million
- Rigby Road at Beaver Creek Road, 1965, $1 million
- Chestnut Road at unnamed branch, 1967, $740,0000
- Pineville Road at Reedy Branch, 1964, $620,000
- Pine Barron Road at unnamed branch, 1964, $730,000
- McKenzie Road, 1961, $620,000
- Hanks Road at Breastworks Creek, 1968, $730,000
- Highway 99A at Freeman Springs Branch, 1968, $610,000
- Schagg Road at branch of Jack’s Branch, 1965, $620,000
- Sandy Hollow Road at Sandy Hollow Creek, 1959, $730,000
- Sunshine Hill Road at unnamed branch, unknown age, $470,000
- Stacy Road at unnamed branch, unknown age, $490,000
- Pine Top Lane at unnamed branch, unknown age, $480,000
- Chestnut Road at unnamed branch, unknown age, $480,000
- Breastworks Road at Hall’s Branch, unknown age, $490,000
Fourteen of 16 concrete or steel bridges and culverts classified as “priority two” for replacement, are in North Escambia:
- Highway 4 at Alligator Creek, 1949, $1.6 million
- Highway 196 at Jack’s Branch, 1949, $1.35 million
- Highway 4 at Canoe Creek, 1942, $2.59 million
- Highway 99 at Pine Barren Creek, 1955, $2.34 million
- Highway 196 at Penasula Creek, 1949, $1.5 million
- Highway 4 at Reedy Creek, 1942, $1.38 million
- Highway 99 at McDavid Creek, 1951, $2.1 million
- Highway 99 at Little Pine Barren Creek, 1955, $2.1 million
- County Road 4 at Beaver Creek Dam, 1940, $840,000
- Quintette Road at unnamed ditch, 1956, $580,000
- Greenland Road at Pine Barren Creek, 1955, $620,000
- Molino Road at Dry Creek, 1959, $780,000
- Highway 196 at unnamed branch, 1959, $550,000
- Highway 4 at Little Pine Creek, 1942, $640,000
There are additional concrete or steel bridges and culverts in North Escambia on a “priority three” replacement list, including:
- County Road 97 at Jack’s Branch, 1960, $1.96 million
- Highway 196 at Cowdevil Creek, 1961, $680,000
- Highway 168 at unnamed branch, 1967, $980,000
Pictured: The Highway 4 bridge at Canoe Creek was construct in 1942. Replacing the bridge would cost the county an estimated $2.59 million. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Old Fuel Tank At Closed Carver/Century Costing County Thousands
January 14, 2010
The Escambia County School District is spending thousands to remove an old fuel tank at the closed Carver/Century K-8 School.
The district will spend $16,496.79 to clean and close an 2,500 gallon underground fuel storage tank at the former Century school. The work will be done by UST Environmental Services, Inc. in Auburndale Florida. The contractor will provide the district will a “full closure report”, certifying that the closed tank meets environmental requirements.
The board is also closing fuel tanks at the J.E. Hall Center in Pensacola, bringing the total project cost to $68,946.79.
Photos: One Last Look At Our Winter Weather
January 14, 2010
Our two weeks of winter weather, some of which was the coldest in 25 years, provided the opportunity for lots of icy photos around North Escambia. We’ve gathered some of the best in a photo gallery to enjoy one last time, and we’ve included some new ones too.
Click here for a winter weather gallery.
Many thanks to all of our NorthEscambia.com readers that submitted photos over the past couple of weeks. Remember, when you see something you’d like to share, email your photos to news@northescambia.com.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Can’t Watch WKRG Channel 5?
January 14, 2010
If you are not able to watch WKRG Channel 5, you are not alone. Most residents of the North Escambia area that watch WKRG over the air are not able to see the CBS affiliate, and it will be missing through the weekend.
WKRG is completing a tower upgrade, moving their antenna to a 2,000 foot tower for a stronger signal. But during the antenna move, the station is being forced to broadcast on lower power, making it hard to watch in the area over the air. WKRG expects to complete the project and return to full power by Monday, according to a statement.
“We understand how frustrating it can be to miss your favorite CBS programming. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience,” the station said on its website.
WKRG viewers that watch the station on cable or satellite will be able view the station with no interruption.
Warmer Weather, Rain In Our Forecast
January 14, 2010
After 13 straight nights below freezing, we are finally expecting some relief from Old Man Winter.
We’ll climb into the 60’s each day over the next week. There is rain forecast Friday night through Saturday night; we’ll be watching for a possible thunderstorm during the period.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. East wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. East wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Rain likely, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Saturday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 59. East wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
- Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a slight chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 47. East wind around 15 mph becoming southwest. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 9am. Partly cloudy, with a high near 59. West wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. West wind around 5 mph becoming south.
- Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 64.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 45.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.
- Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 38.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 65.
Red Cross Blood Drive Today In Flomaton
January 14, 2010
You can give the gift of life this afternoon in Flomaton.
The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at the First Baptist Church of Flomaton from 1-6 this afternoon. The church is located at the corner of Houston and College streets in downtown Flomaton.
FHP Issues About 47,000 Traffic Citations During Holidays
January 14, 2010
Tens of thousands of traffic citations were issued during the Florida Highway Patrol’s participation in the nationwide “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” program.
During the 19-day heightened enforcement period, the FHP beefed up its force by having troopers postpone administrative duties in favor of road patrols and adding reservists and auxiliary troopers to patrol duty, according to Col. John Czernis, director of the FHP.
Troopers issued nearly 47,000 traffic citations and made 537 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The FHP cited more than 16,000 drivers for speeding and nearly 5,000 for failure to buckle up.
“During the campaign, our troopers focused on driving practices that put motorists at higher risk for a crash,” said Czernis. “Impaired driving is a dangerous behavior. These drivers not only put themselves in harm’s way, but they also increase risk for everyone around them. Motorists should always designate a sober driver if they plan to consume alcohol.”
The members of the Florida Highway Patrol also offers the reminder that it is the law to “Move Over” when approaching any authorized emergency vehicle or wrecker displaying rotating or flashing lights stopped on the side of a roadway. Dialing *FHP (*347) from a cell phone contacts FHP to report an aggressive driver or require roadside assistance.