Cold, Windy Tonight And Thursday
December 7, 2011
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. North wind between 5 and 15 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 54. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. North wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. North wind around 5 mph.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.
Atmore Man Charged In Century Shotgun Shooting Road Rage Incident
December 7, 2011
An Atmore man has been charged with shooting a man in Century Tuesday and firing a shotgun across busy Highway 29 in a road rage incident.
Deririck Medlock Hoover, Ala., told deputies he was traveling north on North Century Boulevard (Hwy. 29) about 3:50 p.m. when a white four-door vehicle swerved in front of him, cutting him off. Medlock said he pulled into the Century Quick Stop at 8130 North Century Boulevard to calm down after the near-accident.
The driver of that vehicle, 55-year old Willie Floyd, was charged with aggravated battery, discharging a firearm in a public place and criminal mischief.
Medlock said he was outside his vehicle talking on his cellphone when Floyd then pulled into the parking lot and confronted the him, according to an arrest report. Floyd then retrieved a shotgun from his car and fired into the Medlock’s car, striking it with birdshot at the roof line above the rear passenger door (pictured below left).
Medlock then ran across North Century Boulevard when Floyd fired again, striking the victim in the leg with birdshot. Birdshot was also lodged in his wallet in his back pants pocket. Medlock hid behind a tree across North Century Boulevard from the store, where he watched Floyd drive away. Medlock then drove to the Southern Panhandle Restaurant just north of the store and called 911. He was evaluated there by Escambia County EMS, and he refused transport to the hospital.
A witness inside the store at the time of the shooting gave chase, following Floyd’s vehicle to Williams Street, just off West Highway 4 in Century. Deputies were not able to locate the vehicle on Williams Street once they arrived. Other witnesses confirmed the details given by the victim, and at the shooting was captured on the store’s surveillance video.
A 19-year old passenger in Floyd’s vehicle ran inside the convenience store during the incident. He was identified on the store’s surveillance video and questioned by deputies. He was not charged.
When deputies questioned Floyd, he refused to give them any statement and contacted his attorney. Floyd was positively identified as the shooter by the victim, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
Pictured top: A Hoover, Ala., man explains how an Atmore man shot him with shotgun Monday in Century as Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Frank Way listens. Pictured inset: Damage to the victim’s car. Pictured below: A Monday afternoon shooting outside a Century convenience store is under investigation. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cottage Hill Man Charged Firing Gun From His Vehicle On Kingsfield
December 7, 2011
A Cottage Hill man was charged after allegedly firing a gun from his vehicle multiple times on West Kingsfield Road.
John Williams Stuart, age 23 of Williams Ditch Road, was charged with discharging a firearm from a vehicle and criminal mischief with property damage of $1,000 or more.
Witnesses reported multiple gunshots fired from a pickup truck in the 2500 and 2600 blocks of West Kingsfield Road. Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies stopped Stuart’s truck on Kingsfield Road. In the truck, they found numerous 9mm rounds on the front seat, and Stuart admitted having a Rugaer 9mm pistol. He told deputies, according to arrest report, that he had fired the gun from his truck at the ground “at least two or three times”.
Deputies found several shell casings along a two-block area of Kingsfield Road, along with two road signs with gunshot holes in them.
Stuart was released from the Escambia County Jail on $15,000 bond.
Molino Christmas Parade Set For Saturday
December 7, 2011
Final plans are being made now for the 9th Annual Molino Christmas Parade this Saturday.
The parade begins at 1 p.m. and will travel the intersection of Crabtree Church and Sunshine Hill roads to the Molino Ballpark where Santa will visit with all the good little boys and girls.
Entries are still being accepted for the parade; pre-register at Fran’s Diner or Barnes Feed Store, or register the day of the parade. Parade line-up will be at 12:15. Entry fees are $20 for floats; vehicles, motorcycles, golf carts and tractors are $10; and horses are $5 each. Go karts and 4-wheelers are not allowed.
For more information, contact Jayson Ging at (850) 587-2825, Fran’s Diner at (850) 587-2803, Barnes Feed Store at (850) 587-4060 or Christy Wise at (850) 587-3107.
All proceeds from the parade benefit Molino area children in need during the Christmas season. Donations of toys and non-perishable food items are also being accepted at Fran’s Diner.
In the event of rain, the parade will be rescheduled for Sunday, December 11 at 2:30 p.m.
Pictured: Scenes from last year’s Molino Christmas Parade. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Students Named National Merit Commended Scholars
December 7, 2011
Several Escambia County students have recognized for the exceptional academic promise as Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Nationwide, there were about 34,000 Commended Students named. These students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2012 competition by taking the 2010 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
“Escambia County, Floridam students continue to be named among the best. When the education team of the parent and the school come together, it is a winning combination and the winner is always the student,” Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said.
National Merit Commended Students from Escambia County are:
- Booker T. Washington High School — Haley Anderson and Luke Evans.
- Tate High School — Rhett Chancellor
- Pensacola High School –Katherine Alvarado, Ryan Burke, Wesley Henderson, Jesse Ihns, Wade Ingram, Holly Kerchner, Peter Mahaffey, Ji Sung Moon, James Mozur, John (Jack) Tamburro, Hayden Ward, Christian (Elie) Zeitouni
- West Florida High School — Robert Mines and Jeff Grosso
- Escambia High School — Dimitri Baptiste and Allison Kane
Brickyard Road Paving A Go For $1.67 Million
December 7, 2011
Escambia County has given the go ahead to Roads Inc. of NWF to pave a portion of Brickyard Road in Molino.
About 1.6 miles of Brickyard Road will be paved between Molino Road and Brickton Road. About 1.3 miles of the roadway is currently dirt, while the third of mile of the road closest to Molino Road is currently an open graded cold mix that will be resurfaced. The widened road will include 11-foot travel lanes plus a one-foot paved shoulder. The project also includes right of way and drainage work.
Roads Inc. was the low bidder on the project at $1,674,183.75.
The project is due to be substantially completed within 180 days – by May 14, 2012.
Pictured above: Brickyard Road in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Extension To Present Winter Beef Update Next Week
December 7, 2011
A “Winter Beef Update” will presented next Tuesday, December 13 in Walnut Hill.
The program topic will be provide information on developing a beef cattle operation and marketing options with guest speaker Kevan Tucker, Clarke County (Ala.) extension coordinator and animal science/forages agent.
The two-hour program is geared toward beef producers of all experience levels, according to Allison Meharg of the Escambia Extension Service. It will be held at the Walnut Hill Community Center on Highway 97.
For reservations, contact Fran Lainhart at (850) 475-5230 or email lainhaf@ufl.edu.
$50 Million Gulf Restoration Plan Includes North Escambia Initiative
December 6, 2011
A portion of a $50 million Gulf Coast restoration initiative announced Monday by the Obama administration will be funneled into the North Escambia area to improve water quality in the Escambia River and the Gulf of Mexico.
The $50 million will spent over three years in conservation assistance to farmers and ranchers in priority areas along seven major rivers in five states that drain into the Gulf.
In both Escambia counties in both Florida and Alabama, funds will be focused on the Canoe Creek watershed and the Sandy Hollow-Pine Barren Creek watershed in the Escambia River basin. Also, in North Escambia, funds will provide conservation assistance in the Little Pine Barren Creek Watershed in the Escambia River Basin.
USDA will work with a team of local, state and federal partners to deliver this project. Through this effort, North Escambia farmers and ranchers will invest in voluntary conservation to provide cleaner water and more abundant wildlife for their neighbors and communities.
The money will be used for conservation practices for any agriculture producers wanting to install conservation and will probably pay a higher cost-share rate than standard EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) or WHIP (Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program),” said Cam Johnson, communications coordinator for Escambia County (Fla.) “We don’t have a handle of how much money this county will receive, since we have not been given full details of the program.”
“The conservation partnership is taking proactive steps to improve the health of the Gulf of Mexico,” said USDA Under Secretary Harris Sherman. “This initiative is a powerful example of how government can collaborate with private citizens, communities, and private organizations. Together, we can identify challenges, leverage each other’s resources and capabilities, and make a difference for both the environment and our quality of life.”
The funds will not go directly to Escambia County; rather, the money will be administered through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Molino. Once program details are finalized, NorthEscambia.com will publish application information.
Pictured top: The Highway 4 bridge over the Escambia River at Century. Pictured below: The Escambia River at Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Police Bust Century Man On Cocaine Charge
December 6, 2011
The Pensacola Police Department arrested a 30-year old Century man after they discovered cocaine in his possession during a traffic stop.
Joseph Smith of Hudson Hill Road in Century was charged with cocaine possession and providing a false name to law enforcement.
Smith was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by Pensacola Police for running a stop sign while exiting the Pensacola Village apartment complex onto Fairfield Drive. According to police, he had no identification and provided a false name.
Officers found seven rocks of crack cocaine in a cigarette package in Smith’s possession. After he admitted his real name to officers, they also discovered that he had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court back in October on charges of driving with a suspended license and no valid driver’s license.
Century Set To Pave Five More Streets On Priority List
December 6, 2011
The Town of Century is set to pave five more streets at a cost of $38,903.70, ending a priority list of paving projects.
The town council voted Monday night to pave Bonwell Lane, Gifford Lane, Barnwell Lane, Field Road and Sellars Road, awarding the contract to Roads, Inc. of NWF. For a cost savings, Century is piggybacking on an Escambia County contract with Roads, Inc.
The project will wrap up a paving project priority list created by the council in 2010.
During the last year, Century has completed paving projects totaling about $270,000 on Freedom Road, Old Flomaton Road, Hecker Road, Elm Street, Hilltop Road, West Cottage Street, Academy Street, Pleasant Hill Road and Ramar Street.
Pictured top: The recently resurfaced Hecker Road in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.