Storm Cleanup Continues
April 5, 2011
The cleanup is continuing around the area this morning following last night’s storm.
No injuries were reported, but numerous trees and power lines were downed across the area. For more details on damages, click here.
Picture above and below: Crews work Tuesday morning to remove a large oak tree on Upper Creek Road north of Flomaton. Submitted photos by Amy Lambeth for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Storms Cause Power Outages, Down Trees, Damage Homes
April 5, 2011
A line of storms that moved through the North Escambia area Monday night caused minor damage — including downed trees and power outages.
Hundreds were left without power across the area, with outages reported in Molino, Century, Cantonment, Walnut Hill, Atmore and Flomaton. Many were still without power at daybreak Tuesday.
In Walnut Hill, a large portion of an oak tree crashed into the roof of a mobile home on Juniper Street, just north of Arthur Brown Road. There were little damage to the home, and there were no injuries. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue assisted the residents in removing the tree from the home.
Trees and power lines were reported down near Jacks Branch and Muscogee Roads in the Cantonment area. One tree was reported to be on fire. Power lines were reported down on Country Road 97 near West Kingsfield Road about 10:45 p.m. The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
Dime to penny size hail was reported in Chumuckla in Santa Rosa County.
In Escambia County, Alabama, numerous trees were reported down north of Brewton in the Appleton community.
A trained weather spotter reported a wind gust of 55 mph on Creighton Road in Pensacola. A tree was reported down in the area. An official wind gust of 53 mph was reported by the National Weather Service.
On Diamond Street in Pace, a tree was reported down on a mobile home. Eight people were evacuated from the residence and assisted by the American Red Cross.
Pictured top and inset: A large portion of an oak tree crashed into a Juniper Street mobile home as storms moved through Walnut Hill Monday night. Pictured below: Volunteers from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue evaluate the scene. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Judge Finds Bank Robbery Suspect Competent To Stand Trial
April 5, 2011
A federal judge has ruled that an Atmore bank robbery suspect previously found incompetent is now competent to stand trial.
Chad Floyd Jeter was indicted on charges of bank robbery with a weapon and use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime in violence in connection with the May 19, 2009, armed robbery of the First National Bank & Trust in downtown Atmore.
In May 2010, a government psychiatric evaluation determined Jeter was paranoid schizophrenic and not competent to stand trial. He was admitted to the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina for treatment and evaluation, with the examination determining recently that he was once again competent to stand trial.
An independent psychiatric exam was then arranged by Jeter’s attorney in February. Late last week, Chief U.S. District Judge William H. Steele ruled that Jeter is competent to stand trail and scheduled an arraignment hearing for later this week.
Jeter allegedly robbed the Atmore bank using a .22 caliber rifle, taking about $6,289. He was arrested a few days after the robbery after a manhunt in Levy County, Florida, following an attack on a Levy County officer with a “ninja throwing star”. Charges in Levy County were dropped after a psychological evaluation there found him to be incompetent to stand trial.
No Seat Belt Leads To Drug Charges
April 5, 2011
Driving without a seat belt landed a Century man in jail after deputies discovered he had cocaine in his vehicle and no valid driver’s license.
Donald Ray Black, 54, of Hecker Road, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a suspended license after a traffic stop Saturday night at Alger and Hecker road in Century.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Deputy Walt Shiver observed Black driving with a seat belt and initiated a traffic stop. Shiver, according to the report, located crack cocaine, a crack pipe and $3 cash in the center console of Black’s pickup truck.
Black remained in the Escambia County Jail Monday night with bond set at $1,750.
Escambia Extension Seeks Community Input Tuesday PM
April 5, 2011
The Escambia Extension Service wants your input as they develop a community vision for programs in Escambia County.
The Extension Service will host a public information meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5 at the Century Ag Building on West Highway 4. Topics of interest at the meeting will include:
- Strengths of our community
- What we value in our community
- Issues and trends impacting our community
- Ways to deliver educational programs
- How to reach underserved audiences
- What priority should be placed on each issue
- How Florida extension educational programs can address these issues
For further information about this process, please visit the Extension Service website at escambia.ifas.ufl.edu, or call Pamela Allen, Extension director, (850) 475-5230.
Bond Set For SWAT Standoff Suspect
April 5, 2011
Bond has been set a $51,000 for the man involved in an eight-hour standoff with deputies last week in Cantonment.
Brett Justin Salter remained in the Escambia County Jail early Tuesday morning, charged with battery, kidnapping, criminal mischief, burglary and larceny.
The standoff began about 3:30 last Thursday morning when a 22-year old female called 911 from a Circle K in the 2200 block of Highway 29 to report that she was a battery victim. She told deputies that she went to Salter’s home to get her puppy. That’s when, she reported, Salter choked her, slammed her into a wall and attacked her vehicle as she tried to leave the home.
Deputies responded to the suspect’s home on Pauline Street, where Salter refused to exit the resident. The SWAT team was called to the residence about 7 a.m. During a five-hour standoff with SWAT, multiple rounds of tear gas where fired into the home.
With the video feed from a robot named WALL-E, deputies were able to determine that Salter was not on the ground level of the home. They determined that he was hiding in the attic. Salter quickly surrendered after tear gas was fired into the attic.
For a photo gallery from the scene, click here.
Pictured top and bottom: A Cantonment man refused to exit his Pauline Street home for over eight hours last Thursday, eventually surrendering after SWAT fire tear gas into his attack hiding place. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Senate Panel Passes Immigration Bill
April 5, 2011
Cutting off debate, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday approved a controversial, though watered down, immigration bill that backs away from requiring law enforcement agencies from becoming de facto immigration agents and gives employers more options to verify the status of new hires.
Despite a two-hour window and a room packed with potential speakers, debate on the Senate’s immigration package (SB 2040) was limited to less than 13 minutes as all but a few of more than 100 who had traveled from as far away as Homestead could only have their names read into the record as opponents of the bill.
The panel then voted 5-2 to approve an amended version of the measure that allows employers to use alternatives to the federal E-Verify system by allowing employers to accept other types of documentation to determine if an applicant or newly hired employee is residing in the country legally and eligible to work.
Another amendment added to the bill Monday also relaxed requirements for state corrections and law enforcement officials by making it optional for them to enter agreements with the Department of Homeland Security to undergo training and be authorized to enforce federal immigration laws.
“This is not an easy process,” said committee chairwoman and bill sponsor Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami. “We are still very early on in debating this bill. We’re moving forward on this because the federal government … and the president … are not.”
The Senate version differs markedly from a House proposal (HB 7089) that also requires law enforcement officers to attempt to determine the immigration status of suspects in a criminal investigation or following an arrest if there is reason to believe the defendant is in the country illegally.
The House proposal, sponsored by Rep. Will Snyder, R-Stuart, was approved by the House Judiciary Committee but has yet to move beyond that point.
“This is a Florida-specific solution to address the issue of illegal immigration in our state. Florida will step up and protect its citizens where the federal government has failed us,” Senate President Mike Haridopolos said in a statement following the vote. “With one out of eight Floridians out of work, we need to ensure businesses hire only those who are eligible to work in our state.”
The hearing came hours after scores of workers, legal immigrants, advocates and supporters spoke to reporters of their concerns over the proposed legislation.
“The power of the American dream is so great in them that they willingly do much more for much less than many of the rest of us,” said the Rev. Russell Meyer of the Florida Council of Churches.
Donatila Diego, a Homestead resident in the county legally whose partner was deported in February leaving her with the sole responsibility for their four children, who are all U.S. citizens. She and her husband were already taking care of four children left behind by her niece, who was deported in August.
“I’m here because we don’t want the Arizona style immigration law here in Florida,” Diego said through an interpreter. “The people are suffering…. It doesn’t feel like we are in the United States, it feels like are in a war.”
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Century Chamber To Hold General Meeting Thursday
April 5, 2011
The Century Chamber of Commerce will hold a general meeting with the board of directors and all members at noon this Thursday.
The meeting will take place at the Century Community Center (Ag Building) on West Highway 4. All members of the chamber and those who are interested in the progress of Century are invited.
Lunch will be catered by Panhandle Restaurant and is $10 at the door. Please call by 2 p.m. Tuesday for reservations, (850) 256-3155.
Century Sets Community Center Rental Rules, Requires Security Guard
April 5, 2011
Monday night, the Town of Century has approved a new set of rules governing the rental of their community centers.
After a double shooting during a “teen party” at their Habitat building, the council voted earlier this year to “get tough” with new rules to curb violence and policy abuses at their community centers. Monday night, the council instituted their new lawyer-approved rules.
Under the rental agreement, the Habitat building and the Ag Building will rent for $350 per day — broken down into a $100 rental fee, a $100 refundable cleaning deposit and a $150 security fee. The security fee will pay for an off-duty Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy for up to six hours. Under the policy, the town could refund up to $50 of the security fee if the deputy is used less than six hours.
The council voted Monday night to exempt non-profit groups, including churches, from the security requirement and fee. The council will also waive the security requirement for groups that prior to Monday had rented one of the two community centers for a future date.
Additional, the new rules require all events at either community center to be over and the buildings and parking lots vacated prior to midnight. Keys must be returned by noon on the following business day.
Pictured top: The interior of Century’s Habitat Building, which is often rented to the public. Pictured inset: The exterior of the building. Pictured below: The Ag Building on West Highway 4. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Track Teams Win In Recent Meet
April 5, 2011
The Northview High School girls’ track team placed first in a recent meet against Alabama schools, while the NHS boys placed second.
Here are the results from the meet, with Northview’s top finishers in each event:
GIRLS
Northview 79
Blacksher 46
WS Neal 20
800 meter
Georgia Goetter, 1st, 2:53
Ashley Gunter, 2nd, 3:29
Scholeberg, 3rd, 3:32
1600 meter
Georgia Geotter, 1st, 6:21
Asheley Gunter, 2nd, 8:37
3200 meter
Charleigh McPherson, 1st, 16:49
Julia Thorpe, 2nd, 17:04
4×800
NHS, 1st, 13:45
4×400
NHS, 1st, 5:25
4×100
NHS, 2nd, 1:02
100 Hurdles
Laneicia Gomez, 1st, 18:84
100 Meter
Fiellin, 4th, 14:63
200 Meter
Ashley Mooney, 4th, 30:35
300 Hurdles
Melissa Moretz, 2nd, 58:50
400 Meter
Melissa Moretz, 1st; 1:06
High Jump
Laneicia Gomez, 1st, 4ft-5in
Mason Solchenberger, 2nd, 4ft-2in
Discus
TeAndreia Knight, 2nd, 79ft
Gibson, 4th, 64ft
Triple Jump
Laneicia Gomez Gomez, 1st, 28ft-1.5in
Fiellin, 2nd, 25ft-1in
Shot Put
Crook, 2nd, 26ft-3.5in
Knight, 4th, 25ft-7.5in
Long Jump
Mason Solchenberger, 3rd, 9ft
(Story Continues With Boys’ Results Below Photo.)
BOYS
W.S. Neal 56.5
Northview 55.5
Blacksher 42
800 Meter
Isaac McGahan, 1st, 2:36
Skyler Mack, 4th, 2:48
1600 Meter
Skyler Mack, 3rd, NHS, 6:26
3200 Meter
Isaac McGahan, 1st, 12:08
4×800
NHS, 1st, 10:40
4×400
NHS, 1st, 4:23
4×100
NHS, 2nd, 48:91
100 High Hurdles
Jeremiah Cooler, 2nd, 23:34
100 Meter
Floyd, 4th, 12:16
300 Hurdles
Floyd, 2nd, 47:24
400 Meter
Dillian Crutchfield, 2nd, 1:01
High Jump
Leonard, 2nd (tie), 5ft-4in
Cooler, 3rd, 5ft-2in
Triple Jump
Banks, 1st, 34ft-8.5in
Cooler, 2nd, 31ft-5in
Long Jump
Banks, 1st, 18ft-0.5in
Floyd, 2nd, 17ft-6in
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.