Andy Anger Gets 20 Years For Escambia Traffic Death
August 31, 2011
An Escambia County man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday for a 2010 traffic death.
Last month, Andy Adrian Anger was found guilty by an Escambia County jury of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and driving on a suspended license resulting in death.
On September 28, 2010, Anger was driving on Sorrento Road when he lost control of his vehicle, flipping it several times, according to Eddins. Anger’s passenger, James Burtan McIlhatton, II, was ejected and died at the scene. Anger fled the scene into the woods. Witnesses testified that Anger had been in a bar in Perdido Key earlier that evening. He previously had been convicted three times for driving under the influence and at the time of the accident his license was suspended.
Wife Charged With Shooting At Husband And His Pickup Truck
August 31, 2011
A Century woman is facing charges after allegedly shooting at her husband and blowing the windows out of his pickup truck.
Deadria Jean Smith, 28, of Jack Smith Road, is charged with felony domestic violence related aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor battery.
Smith’s husband said he arrived home and entered his residence where Smith began throwing pots and pans at him. He told deputies that he left home for a period of time and returned to be hit on his face by his wife. He said he went outside, standing between the house and his 1997 Ford pickup.
That’s when, the husband told deputies, Smith exited the residence with a .22 caliber rifle and fired one round at him, striking the driver’s side window of the pickup. He ran and hid behind the house, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, while Smith fired more rounds into the windows of his Ford truck.
The husband, who was not injured, told deputies that he feared for his life because Smith had been drinking and possibly using drugs.
Smith told deputies that her husband hit her with his fist, prompting her to hit him about the face and head. But deputies said her injuries were not consistent with that claim. She said she told her husband she wanted a divorce, grabbed the .22 rifle and shot out the windows of his truck.
The couple’s three children were inside the residence as the shooting occurred, according to the arrest report. The Department of Children and Families was notified of the incident.
Smith, who is also known as Deadria Jean Peacock, remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday night.
Search Continues For Cantonment Man Wanted In Toddler Murder
August 31, 2011
Authorities are still searching for a former Cantonment resident that is the suspected triggerman in the shooting a death of a Pensacola toddler, while another suspect is still awaiting extradition from Louisiana.
Dwayne “Money” Pinestraw, 19, is wanted on an open count of murder for the shooting death of Ty’Quarius Moultrie, 19 months old; aggravated battery for the shooting of Vincent Dennis, 23; and firing a weapon into an occupied building for the incident that occurred in July at Pensacola Village, 500 E. Fairfield Drive.
Another suspect in the shooting, 18-year old Shaquill Besst of Natalbany, La. ,is currently being held without bond in the Tangipahoa Parish Jail in Amite, La. He is awaiting extradition back to Florida.
Multiple shots were fired into the apartment back on July 15, according to Pensacola Police, shortly after several people were involved in a drug transaction nearby.
Pinestraw’s last known address was on Lake Drive in Cantonment. Pinestraw is a black male, approximately 5-feet 6-inches tall and approximately 130 pounds. He should be considered armed and dangerous, according to Pensacola Police.
Anyone having information on the Pinestraw’s location or the shooting is asked to contact Lt. Doug Baldwin at (850) 435-1908, Detective James Reese at (850) 435-1976, or the Desk Sergeant’s Office at (850) 435-1900.
Evers Files Bill To Repeal Septic Tank Inspection Law
August 31, 2011
State Sen. Greg Evers is making another attempt to have Florida’s tank inspection law repealed.
Ever’s announced Tuesday that he has filed SB 114 to eliminate a law passed in 2010 that requires the Florida Department of Health to create and administer a statewide septic tank evaluation program that would see every tank inspected every five years. Evers said repealing the law would reduce the unnecessary and expensive burden placed on residents, particularly in rural areas of the state, who would be held responsible for financing the inspections and repairs.
“We unfortunately lacked the support in the Senate to pass a full repeal of the Septic Tank Law during the 2011 Legislative Session,” Evers said. “It is clear however, that there can be no compromise until we have repealed SB 550 entirely.”
“I am optimistic that my colleagues in the Senate will see the importance of this effort. As one of my top priorities this coming Session, I will focus all of my resources and efforts on accomplishing a full repeal,” Evers said. “Economic times are as hard as they come right now and there is no scientific need for inspections to occur every 5 years that will only put additional hardship on our residents who are struggling enough as it is.”
Senate Bill 114 also seeks to eliminate provisions currently authorizing the Department of Health to collect evaluation report fees.
Hurricane Irene: Gulf Power Crews At Work; EREC Lends Lodging Trailers
August 31, 2011
In the wake of Hurricane Irene, one North Escambia area electric utility was working to restore power near Washington Tuesday, while another was lending a hand by providing lodging trailers to a North Carolina utility.
A Gulf Power storm restoration team of 65 employees — 48 line personnel and 17 support staff members — worked in neighborhoods in the Upper Marlboro, Md., area Tuesday helping electric utility Pepco restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Upper Marlboro is located about 20 miles east of Washington, D.C. and is near Andrews Air Force Base.
Tuesday’s work involved service lines stretching as long as four blocks, much longer than Gulf Power’s service lines.
“It takes a lot more time to get these longer lines back up,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “In addition, we’re doing a lot of work in back lots and in tight places, but things are progressing well.”
As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Pepco reported that power had been restored to almost 95 percent of its 220,000 customers who lost power from the storm.
Escambia River Electric Cooperative sent five lodging trailers to New Bern, North Carolina, to provide housing for electric cooperative crewmen as power is restored in the city, which was 100 percent without power following Hurricane Irene.
“It is difficult at best to find housing for hundreds or even thousands of workers in an area whose infrastructure has been devastated. EREC acquired trailers and renovated them into bunk housing for use by our cooperative after a storm. However, these trailers are available for use by other cooperatives when needed,” said Clay Campbell, EREC’s general manager/CEO.
Each of EREC’s five trailers will sleep 33 people with central heat and air, individual storage lockers, lighting and electrical outlets. In addition, EREC also has a shower trailer with 10 showers and sinks.
Pictured top: Gulf Power crews worked Tuesday about 20 miles from Washington, D.C. , in the Upper Marlboro, Md., area. Pictured inset: Sleeping quarters inside an EREC lodging trailer. Pictured below: EREC’s lodging trailers head for North Carolina. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Volleyball: NHS Takes On Catholic
August 31, 2011
Both the varsity and junior varsity Northview Chiefs came up short against Catholic in Tuesday volleyball action.
Varsity
Catholic defeated Central in a three game, non-district match, 14-25, 16-25, 16-25.
Misty Doran — Aces -1, Kills -2, Block-3, Digs -4
Lily Townson — Aces-1, Assists -1, Digs -1
Morgan Payne — Kills -1, Digs -5
Payton Hadley — Block -1, Assists -1, Digs -2
Junior Varsity
The Catholic High JV defeated Northview’s JV, 23-25, 22-25.
Danielle Steadham — Aces -2, Kills -3, Block -1, Digs -4
Harley Caraway — Aces -1, Assists-1
Tiffani Pritchett — Kills -1, Digs-1
Hannah Fiellin — Setter/Left Kills -1, Assists -4, Digs -1
Pictured: Junior varsity action between Northview and Catholic Thursday afternoon in Bratt. Submitted photos by Sharon Sansom for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
JV Football Season Begins Thursday For Northview Chiefs
August 31, 2011
The 2011 junior varsity football season begins Thursday for Northview High School traveling to Pensacola to take on West Florida High School.
Here is the 2011 schedule for the JV Chiefs:
- Sept 1. — at West Florida — 5 pm
- Sept 12 — at Atmore — 6:30 pm
- Sept 22 — at Baker — 6:30 pm
- Sept 26 — Atmore — 6:30 pm
- Oct 13 — West Florida — 6:30 pm
Pictured: Northview’s JV beats the Baker Gators last season in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Drug Database Gears Up
August 31, 2011
Florida’s long-debated prescription drug database will start taking effect Thursday, with pharmacies and other providers required to report information about dispensing controlled substances such as OxyContin and Xanax.
Providers will be required to submit information within seven days of dispensing the targeted drugs, with the database ultimately to be used to help flag potential drug abusers.
Also, the Florida Department of Health announced this week that a “public health emergency” has been lifted. Surgeon General Frank Farmer imposed the emergency July 1, after it was included in a bill that lawmakers passed this spring to try to crack down on unscrupulous pill mills. The bill called for using the public health emergency to gather and seize dangerous controlled substances from doctors’ offices. The bill bans most doctors from dispensing those drugs.
By The News Service of Florida
Study: Florida Consumer Confidence Dropped In August
August 31, 2011
Mounting fear over the nation’s economic health both in the short run and the long term dragged down consumer confidence in Florida, which in August fell to the near record low posted at the bottom of the housing bust, a University of Florida report indicated Tuesday.
Consumer confidence among Floridians fell to 62 on the UF index in August, a confidence level only three points higher than the record-low 59 set in June 2008, according to data compiled monthly by the school’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.
“Although none of the index components were at record lows, the combined decrease in confidence across all five components is remarkable,” said Chris McCarty, bureau director, said in a statement. “If past history of this index is any indication, we are in, or at least very near, a recession. We are not likely to know for certain until after the fourth quarter.”
The monthly survey posted downticks among all five of the survey’s indices, with respondents feeling less confident about the national economy and their own personal finances over the near term and beyond.
Respondents over 60 years old were most dramatically more gloomy, as their overall confidence rating dropped nine points from July to 57 in August. Their faith in the U.S. economy over the next five years fell by 16 points.
Economists said the recent debt ceiling and deficit debates, swings in the stock market and questions over longer term issues like health care, pensions and the slow pace of recovery may have spooked older respondents.
“This is no doubt influenced by debt reduction talks, which now routinely include modifications to Medicare and Social Security as part of the solution,” McCarty said.
But caution was not limited to the elderly. The survey found younger respondents also more pessimistic about the country’s long-term economic health and more likely in August to hold off on major purchases. While men generally maintained their confidence, women’s faith in the national recovery fell precipitously both over the next year and the next five years.
The loss of confidence came despite a relatively static economic picture both nationally and across the state. Florida’s unemployment rate remained unchanged from a revised July figure of 10.7 percent while the national jobless rate fell by 0.1 percentage points. Florida housing sales remained steady while the number of foreclosures has tailed off. Housing prices remain low, as do interest rates.
The UF figures were released days after a closely watched University of Michigan survey that also maps consumer confidence. The Michigan survey, released Friday, found consumer confidence plunged in August to 55.7 from 63.7 in July and 74.3 in March. The 25 percent drop in the last three months was the second largest on record. The August decline was especially dramatic in consumer expectations, which fell to their lowest level since 1980.
But the August drop was not totally unexpected. Economists from around the state have said Florida’s rebound would not be seamless and the road to recovery filled with potholes.
Amy Baker, coordinator of the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, said most forecasts do not have the U.S. slipping back into recession, with all but one closely watched index showing that growth has slowed but the conditions for recession do not exist at the present time. That could change quickly, however, if the economy takes another jolt.
“In August, almost every piece of news was negative or not in the direction you want to see the economy grow,” Baker said.
Baker said the highly publicized federal debate over the national debt ceiling and possible cost cutting measures had an impact on the drop in confidence but the fall was equally prompted by the slow pace of the economic rebound.
“Anyone who hadn’t internalized that it would be a long recovery process is not fully aware,” she concluded.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Pam Childers Prefiles For Escambia Clerk Of Court
August 31, 2011
The City of Pensacola’s financial services manager became the first to prefile for the position of Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Certified public accountant Pamela Lynn Childers prefiled Tuesday as a Republican for the Clerks’ job, which has been held by Ernie Lee Magaha since 1957.