Two Injured In Afternoon Wreck At Ernest Ward Middle School
August 23, 2011
Two Pensacola residents were injured in a traffic crash about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Richard L. Willis II, 46, of Pensacola pulled his pickup from the stop sign at Highway 99A into the path of a Toyota driven by Ralph A. Meola, 56, of Pensacola.
Willis was airlifted by LifeFlight to West Florida Hospital in serious condition. Ralph Meola was uninjured. His passenger, 55-year old Jennifer K. Dean of Pensacola, received minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to West Florida Hospital
The FHP said charges are pending in the crash.
The Florida Highway Patrol, Walnut and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call.
Pictured top and inset: The driver of a pickup truck was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital by LifeFlight after a mid-afternoon wreck at Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured below: A Tuesday afternoon wreck at Highway 97 and Highway 99A in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fallen Marine’s Name Added To Walnut Hill Veterans Wall Of Honor
August 23, 2011
The name of fallen Marine Lance Cpl. Travis M. Nelson was added Monday to the Walnut Hill Veterans Wall of Honor. Nelson was the first soldier from the Walnut Hill area to be killed in action since 1969.
The wall’s caretaker, Billy R. Ward, has engraved each of the nearly 300 veterans’ names that appear on the memorial. Nelson’s was especially hard for the 23-year Air Force Veteran.
“It’s tough to add the name of such a young man to the wall,” Ward said as he carefully used an antique engraving machine to carefully carve Nelson’s name in a long piece of black plastic. “I’ve never had to add a name to the Killed In Action section. I never wanted to have to do this.”
The nearly 300 names on the Walnut Hill Veterans Wall of Honor are of brave men and women who have served in the armed forces. All were residents of, or otherwise significantly connect to, the Walnut Hill area. The 13 names of soldiers that died in action were placed on the wall when it was dedicated in 2003. Five of the names were from the World War II era; the others were all from prior to 1970.
In addition to Lance Cpl. Nelson, the are two other Marines that were killed in action honored on the wall. Best buddies Michael D. Cruit and Jerry W. Corley spent their summers together in the Walnut Hill area. The inseparable best friends joined the Marines in 1967, and both where killed in action in Vietnam in 1968.
The Walnut Hill Veterans Wall of Honor is located at the Walnut Hill Community Center (also known as the “Ruritan Building”) at 7850 Highway 97, just north of Ernest Ward Middle School. It is maintained by the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club.
Pictured top and inset : Caretaker Billy R. Ward engraves the name of Travis M. Nelson and places it on the Walnut Hill Wall of Honor Monday morning. Pictured below: The Wall of Honor, the name being engraved and Ward preparing to return the Killed In Action panel to the wall. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Sand And Gravel Company Cited For Operating Without A Permit
August 23, 2011
Campbell’s Sand and Gravel in Century has been cited by Escambia County for operating a borrow pit at Barth without a permit. The citation came just days after the county commission learned that six borrow pits in the county had been allowed to operate without permits for at least five years.
Now, Campbell’s Sand and Gravel has until August 28 to obtain the proper permits, or risk a Special Magistrate Hearing, an $1,100 court cost and potential fines.
Just a few weeks ago, Escambia County issued a cease and desist order that shut down the Green Fill Dirt Sand Pit off Blosson Trail in the Marcus Pointe area for operating without a permit and other violations. The owner, Anthony Green, is appealing. Anthony Green is the husband of Aretta Green, aide to Commissioner Marie Young.
At a recent meeting, Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino called on the county to enforce the ordinances on the book against all of the borrow pits, not just Green’s. But Commissioner Wilson Robertson said he is approaching the issue from the opposite angle.
“How do we get a way with selectively applying the law?” Valentino asked. “Why weren’t they shut down then when they did not comply? Let’s apply the law fairly and equitable, I am not going to be caught in a game around here with selective interests.”
“When someone has been operating for like 50 years, like the Campbells up in the north,” Robertson said, “I”m going to recommend we operate like we have all these years. — If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
In 2005 and 2006, the commission passed ordinances requiring county permits for borrow pits — pits where sand, gravel and dirt are removed for construction projects. Existing pits where given 90 days to be grandfathered in and apply for their county permit, or they would be forced to comply with the new county regulations.
Most, if not all of the pits in question cannot meet the current requirements for zoning and for future land use categories, County Attorney Allison Rogers said. “If they came into you today, they would have great difficulty or it would be in possible for them to meet (the requirements),” she told the commission.
About two weeks ago, the Escambia County Commission voted to make no changes to the 2005 and 2006 ordinances until Anthony’s Green’s appeal is resolved.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Principals: First Day Of School Was Smooth Sailing
August 23, 2011
The first day of school went smoothly with very few problems, according to area principals.
“It was absolutely one of the smoothest first days we’ve ever had,” Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Perry said. In previous years, Ernest Ward has had difficulties with lunches and timely transposition on the first day of school, but Perry said Monday had very minor delays.
“Our buses were only about 10 minutes off schedule leaving; that’s unheard of for the first day,” Perry said.
Over at Bratt Elementary, Principal Jeanine Hall said there were a few first day tears from students and parents. She said the day was successful overall, other than a few problems with a new arrangement for student drop-off and pick-up. (Those problems have been addressed and the “car rider” line will return to its old arrangement. Read more…)
“The day went really well for both students and parents,” Hall said. “The children were very well behaved.”
Sheriff’s Office, Fire And EMS Out In Force In School Zones
August 23, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and even the fire department and ambulances were out in school zones Monday in an attempt to slow down drivers.
The Sheriff’s Office was busy enforcing the posted speed limits in school zones for the first day back to class in Escambia County, while crews from Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS manned crossings and sat with lights flashing to draw attention to the schools zones.
For more back to school week safe driving tips, click here.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy makes a traffic stop near Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill Monday morning after the driver was clocked speeding in the school zone. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Mom Charged With Tossing Dead Baby In Trash Changes Plea
August 23, 2011
The Escambia County woman accused of throwing her dead infant daughter in the trash and leaving two of her other children alone while she reported them missing has entered a no contest plea.
Christian Rochelle Woods, 23, changed her plea Monday morning. She is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3.
Woods was charged with manslaughter and two counts of child neglect causing great bodily harm for leaving the children, ages 18-month and two years, home alone for two days in a home with no power or water. The children were left with only a few cups of Jello to eat.
Authorities said that the little girl was found dead in a trashcan, Myleahya Woods (pictured left), weighed just 11 pounds. Prosecutors say she starved to death. The other two children found in the home, Myleahya ’s twin sister, Mykayhala (pictured right) and Jaterius Woods, 2, were also severely malnourished. When deputies found Mykayhala under a bed in the filthy Escambia County home, she was in a coma. Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said deputies first thought Mykayhala was dead until her eyes fluttered.
Woods called deputies to report that her children were missing. But deputies became suspicious. They found Jaterius and arrested Woods on child neglect charges because he showed what they said was obvious signs of abuse. About 12 hours after her arrest, Woods admitted that Myleahya was dead in a trashcan on the back porch of her home.
Prosecutors said Woods’ family members had no idea what was going on with the children, and that she never asked for help.
Photo Gallery: First Day Of School
August 23, 2011
Monday was the first day of school in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, and NorthEscambia.com asked our readers to submit photos of their children heading back to class.
For a reader submitted photo gallery, click here.
Editor’s note: The photos for this gallery were submitted on Monday. We are unable to accept new submissions today.
Pictured top: Crista, Derek and Justin head toward Bratt Elementary Monday morning. Pictured inset: Jessica, a third grader, waits for the bus Monday in her new Molino Park shirt and spirit sleeves offered by the Molino Park PTA. Pictured below: Second grader Tymiriana, first grader T’ahna and kindergarten student Aden get ready Monday morning to head to class at Bratt Elementary School. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Car Rider Line Changed Back To ‘Normal’
August 23, 2011
Beginning Tuesday afternoon, the car rider line at Bratt Elementary school will revert back to last year’s arrangement.
The previous drop-off and pick-up on the north side of the school will return Tuesday afternoon for the remainder of the school year. Cars will enter the north gate (closest to Highway 4), loop around and exit the north gate. This is the same car rider route as last year.
After evaluating new drop-off and pick-up routes on Monday, the school district’s director of transportation recommended that the school revert back to the old arrangement, Bratt Principal Jeanene Hall said.
School officials asked that parents waiting to enter the school gate on Highway 99 be careful to not block private driveways at nearby homes.
Human Remains Found In Escambia County Under Investigation
August 23, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after human remains were discovered in one neighborhood Sunday afternoon.
The remains were found in a wooded lot near the Marcus Pointe Apartments on Enterprise Drive.
“The caller was out walking his dog in a wooded area at the rear of the apartment complex,” said sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Chris Welborn. “He noticed the body lying in the brush and contacted us.”
Investigators have not yet been able to identify the male victim, but they have classified his death as suspicious.
“The body has signs of injuries that are not indicative of self-inflicted wounds,” said Welborn. “We are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.”
Investigators do not have any missing person cases that could be linked to the found remains.
Anyone who may have information related to this case is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Florida Timeline For Redistricting Drawing Fire
August 23, 2011
As lawmakers move toward the end of their statewide tour to gather voters’ input on the once-a-decade redistricting process, the timeline for the next step in the redrawing of the state’s political maps is becoming more contentious.
A coalition of voting-rights groups, led by the League of Women Voters and supporters of the Fair Districts amendments, is pushing legislative redistricting committees to move forward with drawing proposed maps as quickly as possible.
Critics of the Legislature’s somewhat vague timeline say mass chaos could follow if lawmakers don’t approve maps soon enough to give the attorney general, Florida Supreme Court and Department of Justice enough time to review the plans well in advance of the June 18 opening date for qualifying.
Otherwise, would-be candidates will essentially have qualifying week — from June 18 to June 22 — to look at final maps and decide whether they want to make a bid.
“That’s not an acceptable amount of time for candidates to figure out where their districts are and to start to run,” said Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich, D-Weston.
Instead, voting rights groups are pushing for lawmakers to tee up the redistricting maps for a vote by the Jan. 13 end of the first week of the legislative session.
“We recognize that many measures come out of the Legislature with little or no public input into the final product,” said a letter signed by the League, the NAACP, Common Cause Florida and Hispanic advocacy group Democracia USA. “But redistricting is too important for a ‘Tallahassee special.’ A timeline without the deadlines we suggest is a guaranteed recipe for disaster.”
Members of the league have also showed up at the redistricting public hearings across the state to pound lawmakers for not setting up an early timeline.
After the letter was issued, House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, fired back.
“Given the League’s complete refusal to meaningfully participate in the redistricting process by submitting any proposed maps themselves, this is clearly another politically motivated ruse that attempts to mislead the public and increase the chance the districts will end up being drawn by the courts,” Cannon said.
Supervisors of elections have also raised concerns about the problems that could be caused by maps being finalized in June.
Lawmakers involved in crafting the lines concede that Florida’s process is one of the latest in the nation. But Senate Reapportionment Chairman Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, said that’s because the state is one of the last to receive its redistricting data from the U.S. Census Bureau. And, he said, some of the states that have already drawn lines either hold their elections later this year or rammed through partisan plans.
Legislative leaders also say that they are captives, essentially, of a timeline laid out in the Florida Constitution, which requires them to approve the maps in 2012. House Redistricting Chairman Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said last week that supporters of moving the timeline up had an opportunity to do that, if they wanted to.
“It would have been nice if the Fair Districts folks would have put that into the constitution,” he said.
And lawmakers say they’ve done what they can by moving the legislative session up from its traditional starting date in March to January in an effort to pass the maps as quickly as possible.
“Florida did accelerate the process,” Gaetz said. He added that his committee will take up at least some maps during its first pre-session meeting in September.
As for concerns with qualifying, Gaetz noted that candidates can get signatures for their qualifying petitions from any voter in the state of Florida for the 2012 elections — without regard to district boundaries, as is usually the case.
“If you want to run for office in a redistricting year, it’s actually easier to be a challenger and get petitions signed than in any other year,” he said.
But Rich said she was unconvinced, particularly when faced with concerns from elections officials across the state.
“I think that a supervisor of elections of a major county understands more what is needed to pull off an election … in which the state of Florida can be proud,” she said.
By Brandon Larrabee
The News Service of Florida