Becoming Cooler Tonight
October 28, 2010
After record highs on Wednesday, fall weather is on the way as a cold front surges through the area today.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with temperatures holding steady. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Tonight: Clear, with a low around 44. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 41. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 68.
Authorities Seek Dangerous Texas Fugitive That May Be In Escambia County
October 27, 2010
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force is asking for help in locating a man they say may be in Escambia County. He is wanted for Obstruction of an Investigation by Tampering with Evidence of a Human Corpse and who is a suspect in a woman’s murder in Texas.
Police and the U.S. Marshals in Houston, TX are searching for convicted killer Dennis Ray Anderson, 64, after a Crime Stoppers tip led authorities to find a woman’s body in a barrel at his Houston-area home last Thursday. It is believed that Anderson fled the Lake Charles area of LA Sunday night on a Greyhound bus and was headed to Pensacola due to arrive around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.
Anderson is a white male, approximately 6 feet tall, weighing about 230 pounds with blue eyes; he has receding white hair and may or may not wear glasses. He was last seen wearing a grey short sleeve button up shirt, blue jeans, tan work boots and a black NASCAR cap with yellow stripes/flames on it. Anderson was also reportedly carrying a small black/brown leather bag and a “six pack” blue and white cooler. It is believed that Anderson has no connections to the Pensacola area and was actually headed for Ft. Lauderdale or Boston, MA. It is also believed that he has no money and will be on foot looking for a place to stay or food.
Investigators have developed information that Anderson may be in possession of a gun and is to be considered armed and dangerous. Anderson should not be approached by the public.
Anderson had been sentenced to life in prison for the 1972 slayings of a woman and her 3-year-old granddaughter during an antique shop robbery. In 1973, he was also convicted in Hardin County, Texas of arson, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison and a theft, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Anderson was paroled in 1989 and ordered to remain on parole supervision for life. In February of 2010 Anderson was charged in Harris County with robbery causing bodily injury after he was accused of choking a woman and threatening to kill her.
If anyone has information on Anderson’s whereabouts, they are asked to immediately contact the U.S. Marshal’s Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force investigators at (850) 776-3019 or (850) 554-6602 or local law enforcement.
Allie Duke Campbell Beasley
October 27, 2010
Allie Duke Campbell Beasley, of Cantonment, Florida, entered into Eternal rest , Monday, October 25, 2010 at Century Care Center in Century, Florida.
Allie was born April, 13, 1917 in Allen Alabama, the daughter of Sim E. and Leslie C. (Ogwyn) Duke.
Allie was been a residence of the area since 1941, she was a active member of Gorzalez Baptist Church for many years. Allie retired from St. Regis Paper Company after working there for 20 dedicated years.
She was preceded in death by her husband’s Rober t C. Campbell and Otis C. Beasley, son: Vernon Campbell; daughter: Bette Aikin; three brothers; three sisters and one grandson.
Allie was survived by daughters: Joyce (Richard) Arnold, Sandra (Monte) Bullard, Bertha W illiams; sons: Robert (Anne) Campbell, Jerry Campbell, Larry (Suzanne) Campbell; son-in-law: James Aikin; sixteen grandchildren, twenty two great grandchildren and three great great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Thursday, October, 28, 2010 at Eastern Gate Funeral Home, 1985 West Nine Mile Road, Pensacola 32534 Service will be 1:00 pm Thursday, October 28 , 2010 at the funeral home with burial to follow at Spruell Cemetery in Cantonment.
Meth Lab Discovered In North Escambia, Walnut Hill Man Charged
October 27, 2010
The 30th meth lab found this year in Escambia County was discovered near Walnut Hill, and the man deputies said is responsible is behind bars.
Mark Allen Shipps, 37, was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana after the meth lab was discovered late Monday night at a shed located at his home at in the 6400 block of Rockaway Creek Road in the Nokomis community.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department said Shipps’ ex-wife called the department and told authorities that he was cooking meth in the shed behind the house, and she gave deputies permission to search the property.
When deputies arrived, Shipps reportedly told them that he had did not have anything illegal and gave them permission to search. Shipps reached into his pocket and pulled out a baggie with rolling papers and a small amount of marijuana, according to the arrest report. Deputies also found a small baggie containing methamphetamine and two glass pipes in another pocket.
Under a shed awning, deputies found items known to be consistent with a meth lab, and the ex-wife told deputies that Shipps had already burned some of the meth-making equipment.
According to Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the meth lab discovery was the 30th in Escambia County so far this year.
“And I expect that there will be more,” Roy said.
As of early Wednesday morning, Shipps remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $26,000.
87-Year Old Gets Prison Time For Selling Crack To Cop
October 27, 2010
An 87-year old woman caught on video selling crack cocaine to undercover officers was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in state prison.
Ola Mae Agee, 87, of Pensacola, was found guilty on one felony count of selling cocaine. Agee was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Jan Shackleford after she was found guilty by an Escambia County jury.
Agee was arrested May 13 at her Dr. Martin Luther King Drive home. An undercover Escambia County Sheriff’s Office video shows Agee selling a $20 piece of crack cocaine inside her house to an undercover deputy.
In 1996, Agee was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to forfeit $1,971 seized at the time of her arrest for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver and resisting arrest with violence. In 1999, she once again faced charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, but those charges were dropped.
Northview, Ernest Ward, Tate FFA Fair Booths Awarded
October 27, 2010
Northview High School’s FFA booth at the Pensacola Interstate Fair took top honors, while Tate place second and Ernest Ward placed fourth.
The FFA booths showcased each school’s FFA chapter.
Northview’s booth showcased career development experiences, while Ernest Ward showcased Ag in the classroom and an EWMS project where FFA students from Ernest Ward visit and read to students at Bratt Elementary each year.
Pictured top: The blue ribbon Northview High School FFA booth at the Pensacola Interstate Fair. Pictured below: The Ernest Ward Middle School FFA booth. Pictured bottom: The Northview High FFA Alumni and Friends booth. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Showband Takes Top Honors At Marching Classic
October 27, 2010
The Tate High School Showband of the South took first place in Panhandle Marching Classic at Pace High School.
Ten marching bands from schools in Florida, Alabama and Georgia took part in the competition. Bands were ranked on ensemble music, general music, ensemble visual, percussion and auxiliary.
Bands placed as follows:
- Tate High School
- Escambia High School
- Fort Walton Beach High School
- Fairhope High School
- Daphne High School
- Pine Forest High School
- Alpharetta High School
- Spanish Fort High School
- Davidson High School
- Navarre High School
Pictured top: The Tate High School Showband of the South marches past the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” home on Sunday. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Jay Coach Elijah Bell Stepping Down
October 27, 2010
Elijah Bell, athletic director and head football coach at Jay High School, will step down at the end of the year.
Bell has led the Royals’ football program for 21 years, with a 108-93 record. This year, Jay is without a win at 0-7. They have been outscored 262 to 47 points this season, including three shutouts.
The Royals have made the state playoff series seven times under Bell’s leadership, most recently the quarterfinals in 2007.
Bell was a major player in the formation of a new rural school classification for small schools like Jay in an effort to make the chances at a state playoffs more equitable for smaller schools like Jay. He advocated such a plan since about 1990.
“I’m very ecstatic,” Bell said after the new classification was approved this summer by the Florida High School Athletic Association. Bell served on the FHSAA Urban/Rural Committee that drafted the proposal. “We’ve been working on this a long time in the pursuit of equality for small, rural schools.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Early Voting Sets Records
October 27, 2010
An early voting record was set in Escambia County Tuesday, with more votes cast in advance of any election except for the 2008 presidential election.
There were 1,402 early voters on Tuesday, for a total of 9,641 ballots cast since November 18, according to Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
There are four early voting locations in Escambia County:.
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place 2nd Floor
- Supervisor of Elections Annex, 292 Muscogee Road, Cantonment
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- West Florida Genealogy Library (former Tryon Branch Library), 5740 North 9th Avenue
Early voting will be offered through Saturday, October 30th from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Early voters will cast paper ballots through digital scanners, and may choose any one of the four sites.
See The Video: Century Relay Purple Glove Dance
October 27, 2010
The kickoff event for the Century Relay for Life was held Tuesday night, complete with the premiere of the “Century Relay Purple Glove Dance” video.
The Purple Glove Dance video (see below) features local residents — in purple gloves — to promote Century’s Relay for Life event. The video was produced by Century Relay Chair Jacke Johnston and edited by Elaine Holk.
For more information on Century’s Relay, or to sign up online, visit CenturyRelay.com.
(If you do not see the video below, it is because your home, work or school firewall is blocking external videos.)
Pictured top: The Century Town Council takes part in the “Purple Glove Dance” at a recent meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.