FHP: Traffic Crashes Up During Fourth Weekend

July 13, 2010

Traffic crashes in the local FHP district were up over 40 percent during the Fourth of July weekend over the same holiday period last year.

There were 126 crashes in district this year, up from 88 in 2009.  Those crashes happened July 2-5 in the Florida Highway Patrol’s Troop A, which includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun and Gulf counties.

There were two fatalities in FHP Troop A area, with 16 overall fatalities across Florida.

The FHP issued 9,334 citations during the Independence Day weekend across the state. Troopers made 100 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and cited more than 3,000 drivers for speeding and more than 1,000 for failure to buckle up.

“The Florida Highway Patrol works hard to ensure residents and visitors make it safely to their destinations,” said Col. John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “For us, that means putting additional troopers on the roadways to deter and to stop motorists who drive illegally and without regard to others’ safety. FHP does not tolerate risky behavior, such as drinking and driving, and neither should you. The Patrol encourages motorists to report aggressive drivers by dialing *FHP (*347) from your cell phones.”

Pictured above: A passenger in this vehicle was injured in an early morning crash July 3 near Walnut Hill. Pictured inset: Pictured below: A passenger in the vehicle was transported by LifeFlight. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.

Summer Sizzle Continues

July 13, 2010

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

  • Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. West southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
  • Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 106. West wind around 5 mph.
  • Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
  • Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming south southwest. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
  • Thursday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 93. South southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
  • Friday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south southwest between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
  • Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
  • Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93.
  • Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
  • Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93.

BP Lowers Cap On Oil Well, Appears Contained

July 12, 2010

BP has lowered a new cap on the gushing oil well in the Gulf of Mexico Monday, with underwater video appearing to show the leak is contained.

BP officials have not officially commented on the new cap. They have said that it will take from a few hours to two days to monitor the cap and make sure there are no other leaks from the well.

The new cap is not a permanent fix; BP is still working on two relief wells to reach the blown-out well from underground and plug it with mud and concrete.

Pictured above: The image on the left shows the cap being moved into place. The image on the right shows the containment cap over the well.

Cassandra C. Thompson

July 12, 2010

Cassandra C. Thompson, age 66, of Jay, passed away July 08, 2010.

She is survived by her sons Jim Faust of Mobile, AL, and Matt Faust (Kathy) of Jay, FL, her daughter Dedra Singleton (Duayne) of Molino, FL, her grandchildren Justin Landers, Savannah Singleton, Mitchell Singleton, and Trevor Singleton, her sisters Mary Jo Stout (Chuck) of Valpariso, FL and Karleen Polk (Jim) of Nashville, TN.

Funeral Services will be Tuesday July 13, 2010 at 10:00 AM with visitation from 9 to 10 am in the Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home. Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home is entrusted with arrangements, condolences may be offered at www.EasternGateMemorial.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Covenant Hospice.

Margene Odessa Jones

July 12, 2010

Mrs. Margene Odessa Jones, 81, died Friday, July 9, 2010, in a Jay, Fla. hospital. She was a native of Jay, and had been a resident of the Flomaton area for a number of years. She had worked as a seamstress for Vanity Fair during her working years and she was a member of Flomaton Church of Christ.

She is survived by a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Monday, July 12, at 11 a.m. at Flomaton Funeral Home chapel with Minister Pete Davis and Elder Larry White officiating. Burial followed at Flomaton Cemetery with Flomaton Funeral Home directing.

Former Century Resident Buck Showalter ‘Heavy Favorite’ To Manage The Orioles

July 12, 2010

ESPN reported Sunday that former Century resident Buck Showalter is the “heavy favorite” to become the next manager of the Baltimore Orioles.

buckshowalter.jpg

Showalter, who is currently an analyst with ESPN, reportedly meet with the team again this weekend. He has met with team officials several times since Dave Trebly was fired as the Orioles’ manager in early June. A replacement is not expected to be named until after Tuesday’s All-Star game.

Showalter has managed the New York Yankees, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Texas Rangers. Showalter first managed the Yankees from 1992-1995 for 581 games posting a 313-268 record finishing 45 games over .500 with a .539 win/loss percentage. He was voted 1994 AL Manager of the Year after the Yankees finished first in the AL East going 70-43. Unfortunately, there would be no post-season in 1994 due to the strike. He made it to his first post-season appearance in 1995, losing the divisional series 3-2 to the Seattle Mariners.

He moved on to the Arizona Diamondbacks where he managed 486 games from 1998-2000 with a 250-236 record. His best season with the Diamondbacks came in 1999 when they finished first in the NL West going 100-62 and eventually losing in the divisional series 3-1 to the NY Mets. Showalter took over as Texas Rangers skipper in 2003-2006 posting a 319-329 record in 648 games. He was selected 2004 AL Manager of the Year with the Texas Rangers going 89-73 with a .549 win/loss percentage.

His father was a high school coach and principal, moving to Century in the late 1950’s. Showalter played Little League ball in Century in a thriving program. Century’s modern day Showalter Park is named after him.

Photo courtesy ESPN.

Escambia Deputies Investigating Another Murder

July 12, 2010

Authorities are investigating the tenth murder of the year in Escambia County.

At about 2:00 Sunday morning, deputies responded to a fight in the parking lot of the Blue Bar on Mobile Highway. Deputies encountered about 20-25 people yelling and jumping around the front of the business in what appeared to be the start of a fight, according to Ted Roy, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The deputies dispersed the crowd with the help of off-duty deputies that were working at a Circle K across the street.

Once the fight was broken up, deputies were advised of a “man down” at the Circle K across the street from the bar, Roy said.  They discovered a black male lying in the front door of the convenience store who was unresponsive and covered in blood, according to Roy.

The victim’s injuries were the result of foul play, and the case has been ruled a homicide, according to sheriff’s investigators. No one has been taken  into custody in connection with the homicide, but investigators have spoken to several potential witnesses.

Investigators are asking anyone that may have been present or know anything about this case to call the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.

The murder was the tenth of the year in Escambia County. There have been three additional homicides this year in Pensacola.

Atmore Man Arrested on Multiple Florida Warrants

July 12, 2010

An Atmore man was booked into the Escambia County Jail  on a long list of charges stemming from a domestic-violence related incident on Diego Circle in Pensacola.

Adrian Tucker, 33, of Broad Street, Atmore, is being held without bond. He is charged with three counts of contempt of court, two counts of felony battery, aggravated battery, two counts of criminal mischief property damage, two counts of burglary, one probation violation, three counts of larceny two counts of contempt of court and one court of obstructing justice.

According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the charges stem from domestic incidents between Tucker and his girlfriend at her residents on Diego Circle.

States Look At Oil Spill Laws, But Florida’s Future Murky

July 12, 2010

Florida lawmakers are set to arrive in Tallahassee later this month to address issues related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that has sent oil toward Florida beaches, but lawmakers in other states have already beaten them to the punch.

Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey and South Carolina have all introduced bills relating to oil spill clean up plans, recovery for damages and moratoria on offshore drilling. But really, it’s anyone’s best guest what will happen when the Florida House and Senate return to Tallahassee July 20.

Gov. Charlie Crist Thursday suddenly announced a special session set for later this month where lawmakers would be asked to consider a constitutional ban on offshore oil drilling. They would look at that issue, and only that, said Crist. But some Republican legislators aren’t particularly thrilled about the session.

The general message from lawmakers thus far has been that there’s no need to look at a Constitutional amendment because Florida already bans offshore oil drilling in state waters. If there’s going to be a session, many said, it needs to include other issues.

“If the governor is really committed to recovery efforts in the Gulf of Mexico, as his press office said, he had better have a host of substantial proposals for us to consider while he spends the taxpayers’ money calling a four-day special session in Tallahassee,” said Senate President-Designate Mike Haridopolos, R-Melbourne.

Senate President and candidate for chief financial officer Jeff Atwater said last month that he would favor a special session to examine the economic impact of the spill as many Panhandle businesses were struggling, particularly in the badly damaged tourism and seafood industries. A committee appointed by Atwater is slated to meet Monday in Pensacola to discuss those issues.

Atwater released a memo in response to the governor’s announcement saying he wanted the committee to work on a number of issues including the enhancement of the claims process, economic recovery zones, suspension of impediments to local crisis response, tax mitigation and future litigation.

“Unfortunately, while the governor’s call for a special session does not address the substantive concerns of the citizens of the Gulf (region), it does afford us the opportunity to carefully develop and effectuate the kind of meaningful and long lasting reforms that the situation and the people affected deserve,” Atwater said. “Given the costs and disruption of a special session, legislative action should be based on solid data and empirical analysis, rather than political contrivance. Thus, I believe it is important for us to consider including additional, ameliorative measures into our agenda, and go beyond the simple expedient of merely confirming what is already in law.”

House Speaker Larry Cretul released a memo to members simply saying he was out on the coast examining the impact of the spill and would consider Crist’s proposal when he returned to Tallahassee.

In fact, about the only positive response to the session came from Democrats, several of whom praised the governor for calling it, though they too want more issues added to the call.

Crist also slapped down opposition to his plan when he announced the special session.

“I know it’s barred statutorily, l but I also know that just last year they tried to change that statute and drill holes three miles off the coast of Florida,” Crist said.

By Kathleen Haughney
The News Service Florida

Hot And Humid; Rain Could Offer Relief

July 12, 2010

It’s going to be a hot week, with temps in the 90’s and a heat index soaring up to 110 across the area. There’s a 40 percent chance of heat-relief in the form of rain today, but that rain chance will drop for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

  • Monday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
  • Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
  • Tuesday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming south southwest between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
  • Wednesday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly cloudy, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Wednesday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
  • Thursday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 94. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
  • Friday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
  • Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
  • Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

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