Century Wreck Injures One
April 2, 2010
One person was injured in two vehicle accident Friday morning in Century.
The accident happened on North Century Boulevard just south of East Highway 4 about 11:10 a.m. One person was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital following the crash.
The accident closed one southbound lane for about 45 minutes.
The accident is still under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details were not immediately available.
Engine 519, the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pastor Arrested On Century Drug Charges Enters Plea; Church To Consider Her Future
April 2, 2010
A preacher accused of passing fake prescriptions at a Century pharmacy entered a not guilty plea in court Thursday, the day before her church is scheduled to consider pulling her license to preach.
Bertha Y. Wright, 43, was not in court Thursday morning in Pensacola, prompting an Escambia County judge to issue a warrant for her arrest. But when Judge Joel Boles learned that Wright’s attorney had indeed filed a not guilty plea with the court, the warrant was recalled.
Members of the Mount Vernon AOH Church in Mount Vernon, Alabama, say Wright is a co-pastor at their church. According to a press release from the church congregation, the national bishop of the AOH Church will meeting with church members Friday night to determine Wright’s future role in the church.
Wright was charged with 11 counts of possessing a controlled substance without a prescription, three counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, one count of trafficking in hydrocodone and one count of possession of a blank prescription after being arrested at Century Pharmacy earlier this month.
Church members said that they eventually learned of the arrest after a March 11 story on NorthEscambia.com, not from the associate pastor. Tuesday, the church members forwarded an email news release to several Gulf Coast news media organizations in hopes that more media would run the story.
Wright remains free on $34,500 bond.
Mayor Still Optimistic That A New Industry Will Locate In Century Soon
April 2, 2010
There has been a delay in the announcement of a new industry for Century, but the town’s mayor says he remains hopeful that the company will formally announce their venture soon.
“I am still optimistic that this is going to happen,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said Thursday afternoon. “They hit a couple of snags in their paperwork, but they said just yesterday that they are confident that it will happen.”
At a town council meeting on March 15, McCall announced that there was “something on the horizon” for the old Alger-Sullivan lumberyard location on Front Street. He said he expected to have an announcement about the facility “very soon” at that meeting.
But over two weeks later, there has still been no announcement, but McCall said he is not worried.
“It may be a couple of weeks still, but I feel like we will be moving ahead,” he said Thursday.
McCall has declined to release any details about the new industry.
The 38 acre property was last sold in early 2006 to DMT Holdings, LLC in Navarre, according to the Escambia County Property Appraiser’s online records. The facility includes five buildings totaling just over 300,000 square feet, according to the property appraiser. The buildings on the property range in age from 11 to 54 years,with the largest 160,150 square foot building constructed in 1972.
Pictured above: A portion of the old Alger-Sullivan Lumberyard in Century as seen in February. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bond Increased In Sheriff’s Office $1.43 Million Theft Case
April 2, 2010
Bond has been increased for the former Escambia County Sheriff’s Office employee accused of stealing $1.43 million from the department.
Cathy Lister, 58, is facing 11 money laundering charges and one aggravated white collar crime charge. She had been free on $25,000 bond, but Circuit Judge Paul Rasmussen increased the bond to $128,500 at a Thursday hearing.
Lister was handcuffed and returned to the Escambia County Jail following the hearing.
Lister was first charged in February with stealing $130,000 from the sheriff’s office, but further investigation determined that well over $1 million more was missing. The money was taken over a 10 year period from monies seized as part of investigations that was placed the department’s Evidence Trust Fund.
Court testimony Thursday revealed that some of the money was deposited into account belonging to Lister and some of her family members. Investigators do not know where the rest of the money went.
Lister was a 32-year employee of the department who retired from the finance division just six days before her arrest.
Enjoy Good Music Tonight In Barrineau Park
April 2, 2010
There will be plenty of good entertainment on stage tonight in Barrineau Park — and it’s free. The monthly Barrineau Park Music Night will be tonight at the Barrineau Park Community Center. The featured local groups tonight are TruGrass and Rowell Bluegrass.
The singing starts at 7 p.m. Food and refreshments will also be available beginning at 6 p.m.
The event is family-friendly — no alcohol is permitted on the property, and no smoking is allowed in or near the building.
For more information, call (850) 587-5575.
The Barrineau Park Community Center is located on Barrineau Park School road, about three miles west of Molino.
Pictured: Rowell Bluegrass (above) and TruGrass (below) will perform tonight during the monthly Barrineau Park Music Night. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Easter Bunny, Egg Hunt At Century Library
April 2, 2010
The Easter Bunny made an early stop the Century Branch Library Thursday afternoon. Dozens of kids and kids at heart had the chance to meet Peter Cottontail himself, hear an Easter story, and take part in a big Easter Egg Hunt. For a complete photo gallery from the event, click here. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Give The Gift Of Life Today In Atmore
April 2, 2010
There will be a Community Blood Drive at the FNB&Trust in Atmore today, and donors will be entered for the chance to win a cruise.
The American Red Cross blood drive will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the main office of the FNB&T. Donors will receive a free t-shirt, cookies and a drink. Each donor will also be entered into a regional drawing for the chance to win a cruise for two.
Tate High Aggies Advance To Tournament Championship
April 2, 2010
The Tate Aggies are headed to the championship game of the Aggie-Gata National Baseball Classic tournament Friday night after a win over Bartow.
The Aggies beat Bartow 5-4 Thursday to advance to play Gibbs High Friday night.
Bartow jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Tate closed the gap to 3-2 with a single by Adam Mack and Tevin Padgett was hit by a pitch.
Lee Hunter moved runners over to second and third. Tino Benjamin then hit a ground ball to the third baseman who made an error, scoring both Mack and Padgett.
Bartow scored a run in the top of the fourth to go up 4-2. Then in the bottom of the fifth, Tate had a single by Brandon Blackwelder and a double by Lee Hunter.
Benjamin hit a ground ball to Bartow’s shortstop scoring Blackwelder and tagging out Hunter. After two walks and with bases loaded, David Lee hit a high chopper in front of the pitcher who threw the runner out at home.
But the catcher hit Lee running to first trying to turn the double play. Two runs score and Lee ended up at third making the score 5-4 Tate.
In the top of the seventh, after two singles for Bartow and a sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third with one out, Bartow tried a squeeze and popped it up to the catcher who threw to second for the double play to end the game.
Zach Mcculley picked up the win with six innings of work.
The Aggie-Gata tournament is a four-day, six-team tournament. Tate, Escambia and Pine Forest from Escambia County; Coral Reef High School from Miami; Gibbs High School from Knowville, Tenn.; and Bartow High School from Bartow, Fla., are taking part in the week.
Friday’s games are:
- 1:30 Pine Forest vs. Bartow
- 4:00 Coral Reef vs. Escambia
- 6:30 Tate vs. Gibbs (Championship)
Saturday: Northview FFA Alumni Bluegrass Festival Featuring Marty Raybon
April 2, 2010
Tickets are still available for the April 3 Northview FFA Bluegrass Festival presented by the Northview FFA Alumni Scholarship Fund and NorthEscambia.com.
To purchase tickets click here to order online and print at home/work.
Tickets are also available at ticket outlets — Davisville Country Store at 10251 Highway 97, the Ann’s Hallmark & Gift Shop at 1741 E. Nine Mile Road in Pensacola, and the Ann’s Hallmark & Gift Shop at 4805 Hwy. 90 in Pace. Tickets will also be available at the door for both shows.
To learn more about the concert, click here or see the ad above. Concessions will be available from the Northview Band, click here for info.
All proceeds from the event benefit the Northview FFA Alumni Scholarship Fund. This is an indoor event.
Firefighters Respond To Molino House Fire
April 1, 2010
Firefighters responded to fire involving a vacant house on Highway 99 in Molino Thursday afternoon.
The fire was reported about 3 p.m. in the 7000 block of South Highway 99 near the intersection of Crabtree Church Road. The fire was reportedly contained to a small area of the house and was quickly extinguished.
There were no injuries reported, and the cause of the blaze was not immediately known.
The Molino, Walnut Hill, McDavid and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call.