Church To Provide Free School Supplies This Morning
August 12, 2011
A Century church will provide free school supplies this morning to help those in need.
Abundant Life Assembly of God will distribute school supplies at no charge at 10 a.m. Friday at the church, 8040 North Century Boulevard.
Students need to bring their school supply lists. For school supply lists for Escambia County schools, click here.
Burned Out Headlight Lands Century Man In Jail On Drug Charges
August 12, 2011
A traffic stop for a burned out headlight landed a Century man behind bars on drug charges.
Maurice Lovell James, 45, was charged with felony cocaine possession, marijuana possession and giving false identification to law enforcement.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped James for a burned out headlight on West Highway 4 near North Century Boulevard late Wednesday night. Deputies, according to an arrest report, found crack cocaine in a pill bottle and marijuana in a plastic baggie inside James’ 1990 Mercury Cougar.
James, the report states, first provided deputies with false name and claimed to have a New Jersey driver’s license that was not on his person.
Late Thursday, James remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $2,000.
Charges Dropped Against Flomaton Woman Accused Of Leaving 5-Month Old Alone In Hot Car
August 12, 2011
Charges have been dropped by the State Attorney’s Office against a Flomaton woman arrested July 21 after her 5-month old baby was reportedly left unattended about 20 minutes in a hot car in Pensacola.
Jessica Burnham, age 20 of Vanhoosen Road, was released from jail Thursday after appearing before Judge Michale Allen to learn that should would not be prosecuted. She had been charged with child neglect without great harm — a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
According to a July 21 Pensacola Police Department report, Officer Jud Fillingim said Burnham went to LabCorp on North Ninth Avenue to have some blood work done. Initially, she took the baby inside, but returned to the car with the baby after being told it could not go into the blood drawing area.
Burnham told LabCorp employees she had someone in the car and would take the baby to them while her blood was drawn. A witness told police she saw Burnham place the baby in a car seat, enter the vehicle and drive it to a partially shaded area of the parking lot.
Fillingim said Burnham told officers she turned on the air conditioning while she went back inside LabCorp. The female witness said approximately 20 minutes passed, no one was with the baby in the vehicle, and she was worried about the baby’s safety so she notified a LabCorp employee.
The employee and witness went to the car, found the doors unlocked, the windows up and the car’s air conditioner blowing hot air.
Fillingim said the women took the baby, who was sweating profusely and hot to the touch, inside and called for an ambulance. The female baby was taken to a local hospital for observation.
Lois Gulsby Boyington
August 12, 2011
Lois Gulsby Boyington, 83, of Loranger, Louisiana, died Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at North Oaks Medial Center in Hammond, Louisiana.
She is survived by two sons, Ricky Boyington of Semmes, AL, and Ronald Boyington of Sterret, AL; three daughters, Marilyn Campbell of Loranger, LA, Bertha Patterson of Mandeville, LA, and Ena Humphries of Savannah, GA; brother, Clarence Gulsby of Molino; sister Wanda Henderson of Cantonment; 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Herbert R. Boyington.
Visitation will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 13, 2011, until time of funeral service to be held at 1 p.m. in the Crain Funeral Home Chapel in Franklinton, LA, with Rev. Stan Statham and Rev. Michael Starkey officiating. Burial will follow in the San Pedro Church Cemetery.
Florida Sales Tax Holiday Underway This Weekend
August 12, 2011
Today marks the first day of Florida’s 2011 Sales Tax Holiday, offering shoppers the chance to stock up on school supplies and clothing without paying sales tax.
The school sales tax holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. Friday until midnight Sunday. Retailers believe consumers are excited about the holiday that provides a break at the cash register for families during a time of year when their expenses climb.
Retailers across Northwest Florida are gearing up for a big weekend, stocking up on merchandise and planning for a boost to their bottom line. In addition to locals, retailers are expecting to see a lot of Alabama tags in their parking lots as Alabama residents cross the state line to save a few extra dollars this weekend.
In general, the sales tax holiday means no state or local sales tax on clothing, footwear and some accessories selling for $75 or less or certain school supplies for $15 or less. Books are not exempt from tax this year.
“Clothing” means any article of wearing apparel, including all footwear (except skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates) intended to be worn on or about the human body. However, “clothing” does not include watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, or sporting equipment.
“School supplies” means pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, notebook filler paper, legal pads, binders, lunch boxes, construction paper, markers, folders, poster board, composition books, poster paper, scissors, cellophane tape, glue, paste, rulers, computer disks, protractors, compasses, and calculators.
Churches Unite To Volunteer At Area Schools; More Help Needed
August 12, 2011
Three North Escambia churches will join forces to volunteer Saturday at two elementary schools, and the public invited to help.
Aldersgate, Cottage Hill and Allen Memorial United Methodist churches will be doing clerical work and yard work at Jim Allen and Molino Park elementary schools on Saturday morning beginning at 8:00. Volunteers are welcome to arrive ready to work.
MSNBC’s ‘Lockup” Filming Show At Area Prison
August 12, 2011
For the first time in Florida Department of Corrections history, a television production crew will be filming inside a Florida prison for almost eight weeks with unprecedented access to inmates and staff who wish to participate.
44 Blue, the production company that produces the prison reality series “Lockup” for MSNBC, began filming at Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton this week. Santa Rosa CI houses all custody levels of inmates along with a number of inmates with mental health issues.
Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Buss worked with 44 Blue when he was the prison Commissioner in Indiana, and he felt the effort was worthwhile.
“I have no qualms about them coming into our prisons. I’m proud of our staff and how well our facilities are run, and I hope this will help Floridians understand the challenges we face with our inmate population, as well as the benefits prisons provide to their communities through our programs and re-entry efforts,” said Buss.
44 Blue’s film crew visited SRCI in July to scout the Santa Rosa CI location and interview inmates they may want to focus on. They will be filming during weeks in August and September. A staff member, Santa Rosa CI Lieutenant Andrew Williams, has been assigned to the crew full time and employees and inmates have been told they may opt out of being filmed. 44 Blue is paying a fee to cover the cost of the DC’s expenses.
“I am honored that Santa Rosa CI has been chosen for this opportunity,” said Warden Randy Tifft. “Our staff is looking forward to working with the film crew to showcase our inmate programs and what we do each day to protect the public.”
The series of shows is expected to air on MSNBC in early 2012.
County Pushes Feds For Beulah I-10 Exit, Would Benefit Proposed North Escambia Beltway
August 11, 2011
Escambia County is asking the federal government to expedite approval of a new I-10 exit in Beulah — an exit that is part of an overall plan that could greatly change the landscape of some parts of North Escambia.
The exit would serve a northern “beltway” connector proposed from North Escambia to Santa Rosa County and serve the area included in a plan that encourages growth and development on 15,000 acres in North Escambia.
The new I-10 Beulah exit, to be located at or in the vicinity of Beulah Road, would also facilitate the movement of traffic northward without clogging Highway 29, Highway 87 and I-10. It will also aid in economic development in Escambia County, according to a resolution approved by the Escambia County Commission, that asks the Federal Highway Administration to grant approval for the exit as soon as possible.
The interstate exit at Beulah, according to commissioners, would also aid in hurricane evacuation.
The proposed beltway connector would link Highway 90 to the new I-10 Beulah exit through North Escambia, across the Escambia River in the vicinity of Quintette Road to Pace in Santa Rosa County. The new Detailed Specific Area Plan encompasses approximately 15,000 acres of land north of Interstate 10, south of Barrineau Park Road and west of Highway 29. It is a long-term conceptual planning project in North Escambia that incorporates road networks, parks and schools along with commercial and residential projects.
Pictured top: A proposed beltway connector between Escambia and Santa Rosa counties is depicted in red on this map. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Century Inmate Busted For Smuggled Cellphone
August 11, 2011
A Century Correctional Institution inmate is facing a felony charge for having a cellphone behind bars.
Travis Montes Mitchell, a former resident of the Century area, was charged with smuggling contraband into the facility. According to the State Attorney’s Office, Mitchell was observed by a guard placing the cellphone in his sock before he ran away and tossed the phone in the toilet. The phone was retrieved from the toilet by prison officials.
Mitchell was serving a 44 month sentence on drug and weapons charges.
Back To School Bash, Neighborhood Watch Party In Farm Hill
August 11, 2011
A Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party will be held this Saturday in Farm Hill.
There will be free hot dogs, chips and drinks. The Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department will provide fire safety education and display a truck, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol will be on hand, plus there will be plenty of activities for the children.
Donations of school supplies will be accepted, and school supplies will be distributed to children in need.
The Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party will take place Saturday, August 13 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Santa Maria Plaza Park in Farm Hill. For more information, call (850) 554-7376.
The event is sponsored by the Cottage Hill, Farm Hill and Village neighborhood watch programs.