Molino Man In Critical Condition Following Wreck
July 18, 2011
A Molino man was left in critical condition following a single vehicle crash Monday afternoon in Molino.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Bennie E. Finlay, 56, ran off the road and struck a brick mailbox about 1:30 p.m. on Crabtree Church Road near Solari Farm Road. Finlay was transported to a Pensacola hospital by LifeFlight. A medical problem contributed to the crash, according to the FHP. There were no passengers in Finlay’s 2003 Chrysler van.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Burn Ban Lifted in Escambia And Santa Rosa
July 18, 2011
The bun ban has been lifted in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties after recent rain.
Residents in both counties can now burn when following these outdoor burning guidelines:
- It is illegal to burn household garbage (including paper products), treated lumber, rubber materials, tires, pesticides, paint, and aerosol containers.
- Dry (not green) vegetative debris such as grass clippings, pine straw, leaves, tree limbs and shrub trimmings can be legally burned between 8 a.m. and one hour before sunset if it is in a pile not larger than 8 ft diameter and located on the property where the debris originated and is:
- not closer than 25 ft to a wooded area or the owner’s residence;
- not closer than 50 ft from a paved public road;
- and not closer than 150 ft from other occupied buildings.
- Burning material in a pile larger than 8 ft. diameter, or burning any area of land, requires an authorization from the Florida Division of Forestry, and is subject to additional restrictions.
For more information on burning safely, visit the Department of Forestry’s web site at http://www.fl-dof.com/, or call the Division of Forestry at (850) 957-6145.
Vacationing Couple Returns To Find They’ve Been Ripped Off
July 18, 2011
A Molino couple returned from vacation recently to find out the 18-year old they trusted to watch their house had, instead, allegedly ripped them off.
Nicholas Allen Jones, age 18 of Molino, is facing a felony count of grand theft and eight felony counts of dealing in stolen property.
A Molino couple told Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies that Jones was watching their property and collecting their mail while they were on a two-week vacation. When the couple returned home, the wife noticed her iPod was gone. After checking the house, she found the couple was missing $7,080 worth of jewelry.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, there was no sign of forced entry, and the wife said Jones was the only person with key to the house.
Deputies were able to determine that many of the items were pawned at The Gold Xchange, Elite Jewelers and Kernel Enterprises in Pensacola. When asked why he took the items and pawned them, Jones told deputies “I don’t know”, according to the arrest report.
Jones was released from the Escambia County Jail on $19,500 bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on August 4.
Reward Now At $3,000 In Pregnant Cow Strangulation Case
July 18, 2011
The reward has been increased again in the Memorial Day strangulation of a pregnant cow in Enon, with two groups now offering a total of $3,000.
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the cow’s death. The Junior Humane Society is now offering an additional $500 reward.
“This is an example of depraved indifference to the suffering of living creatures,”” said Frankie Van Horn Harris, director of the Junior Humane Society. “If the person is not apprehended, he may decide to mutilate a child next time.”
The owner of the pet Jersey cow found the animal dead in a pasture just behind his house on Highway 97-A Memorial Day morning as he checked on his animals. Thin twine — often called grass string – had been tied several times around the cow’s neck and had apparently strangled the animal as it was dragged through the pasture. The cow was found on its side, with its head upside down and its horns pushed several inches into the dirt.
Authorities suspect the death could have results from a prank gone wrong since school was about to end and the cow’s owner is a school bus driver.
“Viciously killing a pregnant cow for an apparent prank is an inexcusably cruel crime and anyone who would do that can be capable of hurting people, too,” said Jennifer Hobgood, Florida state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “We hope our reward helps bring justice in this horrible case.”
For more photos, click here. (Warning: Some readers may find the photos disturbing.)
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Frank Way at (850) 256-6196.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene investigator photographs a pregnant cow that was apparently strangled to death in Enon. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo, click to enlarge.
Century To Begin Budget Process
July 18, 2011
The Town of Century is about to begin budget talks, and that is not such a bad thing this year.
““It looks better this year than it has in the last several years,” Robert Hudson, the town’s accountant, said. He said that expenses this year have been under what was expected while revenues have been a bit higher.
After department heads review their budgets, they will present their budget requests to the town council during a special workshop on August 5 at 2 p.m.
Century current 2010-2011 fiscal year budget is $3,337,231. The ad volorem tax was raised last year, from .823 mils the previous year to .9048 mils. The new millage rate was estimated to generate $30,000 for the town during the 2010-2011 budget year, compared to $26,000 in the previous fiscal year.
Century’s new 2011-2012 budget year begins October 1.
Gas Prices Rising Again
July 18, 2011
Florida gas prices are up about 15 cent on average during the past 10 days, with the Pensacola metro average at $3.65 on Sunday. AAA attributes the jump to U.S. oil stockpiles dropping much less than expected earlier this month and a rise in the national unemployment level.
Pictured above: A gallon of regular unleaded was $3.62 over the weekend at this station in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Have Trouble Hearing Or Communicating On The Phone? Get Help Tuesday
July 18, 2011
Do you have trouble hearing or communicating on the phone? You can learn more about the services offered by the Florida Telecommunications Relay during a Tuesday presentation.
The event will take place Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Abundant Life Assembly of God, 8040 North Century Boulevard in Century.
After the presentation, a representative will be available to distribute and provide training on the specialized telephone. Information about the Florida Relay service will also be made available during this presentation. For more information about FTRI or the Florida Relay service please (800) 222-3448 or visit www.ftri.org
To qualify for a free loan on the telecommunications devices, an individual must be over the age of three and certified as being deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/blind, or speech impaired.
The event and services are for Florida residents only.
Qualifying Period Begins For Century Council, Mayor
July 18, 2011
Qualifying begins Monday for the office of mayor and two town council seats in Century that will be on the ballot in fall.
Council Seat 1, currently held by Ann Brooks, and Seat 2, held by Nadine McCaw until her recent death, and Mayor Freddie McCall’s post will be on the October 11 ballot. A run-off election, if needed, will be held November 8.
Beginning Monday, July 18, qualifying forms will be accepted early by mail at P.O. Box 12601, Pensacola, FL, 32591 or hand delivered to the Supervisor of Elections Office.
Qualifying for the election will be held from noon, Monday, August 1 until noon, Friday August 5. To qualify for any of the offices, a candidate must be a registered voter in Century. In addition, any candidate for mayor must have been a resident of Century for six months prior to their qualification date. The qualifying fee for mayor is $185.50 and $48 for a council seat.
Staff from the Supervisor of Elections Office will accept qualifying papers at the Century Town Hall on Monday, August 1 from noon until 3 p.m.; Wednesday, August 3 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.; and Friday, August 5 from 8 a.m. until noon. Qualifying papers will also be accepted at the Supervisor of Elections Office on the second floor at 213 Palafox Place in Pensacola from noon until 5 p.m. on Monday, August 1; 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday August 2-4; and 8 a.m. until noon on Friday, August 5.
For the October election, voter registration books will close on September 12, and for the November run-off, voter registration books will closed on October 10.
State Rep. Broxson To Hold Town Hall Meeting Tuesday
July 18, 2011
Representative Doug Broxson will hold a town hall meeting in Century on Tuesday.
Broxson plans to listen to the specific concerns of constituents in the area and hear their priorities for the next legislative session. The meeting will take place at the Century Chamber of Commerce, 7811 North Century Boulevard, beginning at 1:30.
Museum Mystery On PBS ‘History Detective’ Show Tuesday
July 18, 2011
Tuesday night, the popular PBS television series “History Detectives” will feature a mysterious propeller currently on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. The show will air at 7 p.m. on WSRE TV 23.
“History Detectives” host Elyse Luray followed clues to Pensacola to investigate a 1940’s propeller found along a rural airstrip in Illinois. While visiting Pensacola in March, Luray interviewed Hill Goodspeed, curator of the Pensacola National Naval Aviation Museum, and Bob Bothfield who served as an engineer in World War II, searching for answers to place this propeller in its proper historical context.
Working beside a rural airstrip, an Illinois man dug up an intriguing find — an eight-foot long wooden airplane propeller. A little research online made him believe that his propeller might be from a TDR-1 plane, a pioneering U.S. assault drone plane from World War II. Various websites say the TDR-1 planes were the first drones, the prototype of the unmanned assault planes used today in Afghanistan and Iraq.
During the program, “History Detectives” will investigate whether this propeller is an important piece of American military history or whether it simply fell off a local prop plane.
Pictured: “History Detectives” host Elyse Luray and Bob Bothfield who worked on a top-secret assault drone program during World War II. Photo by Nivale Lightfoot for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.