One Seriously Injured In Wreck That Caused Power Outage
January 14, 2012
A traffic crash late Friday night seriously injured one person and plunged area homes into darkness.
The accident happened about 11:15 p.m. at Frank Reeder Road and Tower Ridge Road in Beulah. The Florida Highway Patrol said 24-year old Gregory Scott Lloyd of Pensacola was traveling east on Frank Reeder Road at a high rate of speed when his 1998 Pontiac Firebird left the roadway and struck a mailbox and then a utilty pole, splitting it in half.
Lloyd was transported to West Florida Hospital in serious condition. Charges against him are pending, according to FHP.
The power was out for several hours as Gulf Power worked to replace the pole.
Poarch Creek Indians Partner In $24 Million Pensacola Hotel Development
January 14, 2012
The Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore are partnering in a $24 million development that will bring a new hotel, retail and offices spaces and over 200 jobs to Pensacola.
Innisfree Hotels official began construction of their “Airport & 12th” development connected to the Pensacola International Airport terminal with a groundbreaking ceremony Friday morning.
The project includes a 127 room Hyatt Place Hotel along with office and retail sites on 12 acres
“We’re proud to introduce a new prototype of the Hyatt Place Hotel brand to the Pensacola area market and will choose the tenants of the other outparcels carefully to ensure quality amenities at our city’s international gateway,” said Rich Chism, Innisfree’s director of development.
The $24 million project, when completed, is projected to generate over $420,000 annually in non-airline revenue for the airport through lease fees, and $100,000 in local option sales taxes for the City of Pensacola. It will also create over $4 million in payroll revenues through the addition of about 235 new jobs to the local economy.
Innisfree’s founder and CEO Julian MacQueen said the company is proud to partner with the Poarch Creek Indians on the project.
“Our relationship with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians has spanned almost two decades. We’ve collaborated on other successful projects during this time and are very excited to work with them again,” he said.
Tim Martin, president/CEO of Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority, said, “We are fortunate enough to be able to reinvest into the community with quality investments like the Airport and 12th project.”
In addition to the Windcreek Casino in Atmore, the Poarch Creek Indians operate several other properties, including the Pensacola Dog Track and Poker Room. The Florida Legislature is considering allowing additional casinos in Florida, or allowing existing dog and horse tracks to add slot machines. None of the laws have passed that would allow gaming at the Pensacola airport property.
The groundbreaking came on the heels of a recent announcement that project financing was secured with the support of two local credit unions; Pen Air Federal Credit Union and Navy Federal Credit Union.
“The commitment of the credit unions and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to this project has helped Innisfree expand in very difficult economic times”, MacQueen said. “We’re fortunate to have their support. They are good neighbors to the Pensacola community.”
The land for the development is being leased from the City of Pensacola and will be connected to the main airport terminal via a covered walkway. Robins & Morton, the project’s general contractor, has completed some key infrastructure work and is currently building the foundation for the hotel. The hotel is expected to open in the spring of 2013.
Innisfree currently owns and operates six full service hotels and resorts in the Gulf Coast region of Florida and Alabama as well as four focused service properties in the southeast United States.
Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cold Night, Sunny Sunday
January 14, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Saturday Night: Clear. Lows 28 to 33. West winds around 5 mph.
- Sunday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. North winds around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows 32 to 37. Southeast winds around 5 mph.
- M.L.King Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Southeast wind between 5 and 15 mph.
- Monday Night: Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph becoming 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.
- Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. South wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 61.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
Senate Has New Plan To Privatize Numerous Florida Prisons
January 14, 2012
After being rebuffed by a judge for its effort to privatize several prisons because of the way lawmakers went about it, the Legislature will try again to shed several prisons, this time doing it in statute.
The Senate Rules Committee on Friday quietly released a proposal and scheduled a hearing for this coming Wednesday to discuss the proposed committee bill (SPB 7172), which would require the Department of Corrections to privatize all prisons and other correctional facilities in 18 counties in the southern half of the state.
Private companies wishing to bid on the prisons – which could go to multiple companies or in one big contract to just one company – must be able to find 7 percent cost savings to the state to get the contract.
The Legislature passed nearly the same measure last year, but it did it in the fine print of the state budget known as proviso language, rather than passing a bill that went through the committee process. That violated the Florida Constitution, Judge Jackie Fulford ruled in September. That decision is on appeal currently.
The bill would appear to take care of that concern, at least, though it won’t appease the critics of privatization in general. The head of the Teamsters Union local that represents corrections officers said Friday that the state is rushing into a wholesale privatization effort without thinking it through or hearing from everyone who has an interest in the issue.
“There has to be a comprehensive study – this makes a tremendous impact on the different communities … we kind of think this is a rush to judgment,” said Ken Wood, acting president of Teamsters Local 2011.
The measure’s release comes a day after the Department of Corrections announced it will also close seven prisons around the state by the middle of the year. Those seven prisons, and four additional work camps also slated for closure, wouldn’t be included in the privatization plan.
The bill would require the department to privatize all prison facilities, including annexes, prisons, and work release centers in Manatee, Hardee, Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands, St. Lucie, DeSoto, Sarasota, Charlotte, Glades, Martin, Palm Beach, Hendry, Lee, Collier, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
That would include several prisons classified as “major institutions” by the Corrections Department, including Everglades Correctional Institution, Homestead C.I., Dade C.I., and the South Florida Reception Center, all in Miami-Dade County; Charlotte C.I. in Charlotte County; Martin C.I. in Martin County; Hardee C.I. in Hardee County; and Okeechobee C.I., in Okeechobee County.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections, Ann Howard, said the Legislature makes the policy.
“Whatever it is that goes through, we will enforce,” Howard said.
David Stafford Seeks Third Term As Elections Boss
January 14, 2012
Incumbent David Stafford prefiled Friday for his third term as Escambia County Supervisor of Elections. Stafford, a Republican, was first elected to the position in 2004.
No other candidate has prefiled to date for the position.
Brush Fire Burns Several Acres
January 14, 2012
Firefighters battled a waterfront brush fire in Walnut Hill Friday afternoon.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue fought a brush fire around several ponds mid-afternoon Friday on South Highway 99 and Eicher Road. There were no structures threatened by the blaze. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
Pictured: This brush fire scorched several acres at South Highway 99 and Eicher Road Friday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Dr. Robert Harold Jackson
January 14, 2012
Dr. Robert Harold Jackson, age 75 of Decatur, AL, passed away suddenly on January 13, 2012, in Brandon, MS.
Dr. Jackson was a native of Century and had been a member of the Decatur community for four years coming from Brandon, MS, where he served as assisting pastor at Central Baptist Church of Decatur and he was president of Romanian American Missions.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Abigail Jones Jackson of Decatur, AL; son, Dr. Robert Ernest (Tonya) Jackson of Decatur, AL; daughter, Jeannece Jackson (Dennis) Luhrs of Frankfort, KY; grandchildren, Jake Hart and Luke Hart, both of Frankfort, KY and Abigail Jackson of Decatur, AL; three step-grandchildren, Adam M. Luhrs of Prospect, KY; Rebecca Luhrs of Lincoln, NE and Aaron M. Luhrs of Frankfort, KY.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 16, 2012, at 3 p.m. at Flomaton First Baptist Church with Dr. Robert E. Jackson, Dr. Kristi Chivu, Rev. Lawrence Baldridge and Dr. Jerry Keese officiating. Visitation will begin at noon and will continue until service time at 3 p.m. at the church. Interment will follow in Flomaton Cemetery.
Flomaton Funeral home directing.
Registration Time: NWE, Cantonment, Atmore
January 14, 2012
Baseball and softball registrations have been scheduled for Northwest Escambia, Cantonment and Atmore.
The Northwest Escambia League will hold open registration for baseball and softball for ages 3-18 as follows:
- Saturday, January 14 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
- Saturday, January 21 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
- Friday, January 27 from 5-8 p.m.
- Saturday, January 28 from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The cost will be $50 for the first child, $40 for the second child and $10 for the third child from each family. A copy of the child’s birth certificate should be brought to registration at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill.
Cantonment Baseball and Softball registration will he held every Saturday until February 18 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Cantonment Ballpark, 681 Well Line Road.
Ages 4 and up. Registration is $80 for the first child, $70 for the second, $60 for the third and additional child per family.
Teams include:
- T-ball 4-6
- Coach Pitch 7-8
- Minors 9-10
- Majors 11-12
- Pony 13-14
Atmore Babe Ruth Softball registration for ages 6-16 will be held as follows:
- Saturday January 21 – 9 am. until noon
- Saturday January 28 – 9 am. until noon
- Saturday February 4 – 9 am. until noon
Registration will be held at the concession stand at the softball fields at Tom Byrne Park.
Tryouts will be Saturday, February 14 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the softball fields at Tom Byrne Park. Players may register on the day of tryouts.
The registration fee will be $45 for one child and $40 each for the second and additional children. A copy of the player’s birth certification should be brought to registration.
Auburn Coach Gene Chizik Visits Local Recruit, Tiger Fans
January 14, 2012
Auburn Tiger head football coach Gene Chizik paid a visit to Escambia County High School in Atmore Friday morning to visit with a small group of fans and a future Tiger defensive tackle.
Escambia County Blue Devil Tyler Nero has verbally committed to play at Auburn this fall. He chose Auburn over Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Clemson, Georgia, Arkansas, Kentucky and others, according to Rivals.com.
Chizik led the Auburn Tigers to the 2010 BCS National Championship.
Pictured top: Auburn Tigers Head Coach Gene Chizik with Tyler Nero. Pictured inset: Chizik with Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Perry. Pictured below: Chizik with Auburn fan Toby Weaver of Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos by Edie Jackson, click to enlarge.
Preston E. Chunn
January 14, 2012
Preston E. Chunn, 72 of Atmore, died Friday January 13, 2012, in Pensacola. He was a salesmen for Farm Equipment. He was born on October 13, in Century to the late Mose E. and Leona Jones Chunn.
He is preceded in death by four brothers and two wisters.
He is survived by his wife, Wanza P. Chunn of Atmore; three sons, Keith Browning of Vicksburg, MS, Wesley Chunn, and Jason Chunn and wife Brandy all of Atmore; one sister, Emma Lou Henderson of Eufala, AL; and four grandchildren, Jennifer Browning, Jacelyn, Macie and Danie Chunn.
Services will be Monday January 16, 2012, at 11 a.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Wayne Stevens officiating. Interment will be in Lottie New Home Cemetery.
Family will receive friends Sunday January 15, 2012, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 6-8 p.m.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Inc in charge of all arrangements