Names Released: Baby Dead, Adult And Toddler Injured In Fiery Crash
April 13, 2012
An infant was killed and two others were injured in a single vehicle crash Thursday afternoon in Atmore.
Three-month-old Alexis McGhee died in the single vehicle crash just after 1 p.m. Thursday on Highway 21 near the casino in Atmore. According to Alabama State Troopers, she was not restrained. She was ejected and pronounced dead on the scene.
Emmett Clyde Gross Jr., 24, of Atmore was driving north on Highway 21 near the casino in a 1985 Oldmobile Cutlass when he lost control. The vehicle left the roadway, hit an embankment, became airborne and landed on its roof in a field. The vehicle then burst in flames.
Gross, who was not wearing a seat belt, was also ejected from the vehicle. Another passenger, one-year-old Kelyn McGhee, was also injured. Gross and Kelyn McGhee were airlifted to the USA Medical Center in Mobile in two different LifeFlight helicopters in critical condition.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by Alabama State Troopers.
The Poarch Fire Department, Atmore Fire Department, Atmore Ambulance, the Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
Pictured: A car burst into flames after a single vehicle accident that claimed one life in Atmore Thursday afternoon. Reader submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Appeals Court Overturns Local Juvenile Sentence; Says 80 Years Equals Life
April 13, 2012
A Florida appeals court Thursday tossed out an 80-year prison sentence for a Cantonment man convicted of committing two armed robberies in Cantonment as a juvenile, saying it violates a U.S Supreme Court ban on life sentences for juveniles in non-murder cases.
A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal said the sentence for Antonio Demetrius Floyd, now 31, is the “functional equivalent of a life sentence without parole.”
Floyd was 17 in 1998 when he committed two counts of armed robbery in Cantonment. He was initially sentenced to life in prison, but after the U.S. Supreme Court decision he was re-sentenced to 40 years on each count, according to Thursday’s ruling. The appeals court said Floyd would be 97 years old if he served the full sentence and ordered that the trial court revise the sentence.
“In this case, common sense dictates that (Floyd’s) 80-year sentence, which … is longer than his life expectancy, is the functional equivalent of a life without parole sentence and will not provide him with a meaningful or realistic opportunity to obtain release,” the court ruled.
Floyd, who lived in North Chipper Road in Cantonment, stole a vehicle on November 24, 1998 and robbed an E-Z Serve convenience store at 2110 South Highway 95A and another at 10 Williams Ditch Road.
Within minutes of the early morning robberies, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant spotted a maroon GEO Storm departing the area at a high rate of speed. The deputy lost sight of the vehicle, but it was located abandoned a short time later on Richardson Road. Numerous items taken during the robberies were found inside of the vehicle.
Floyd was tracked a residence in the 4500 block of Richardson Road where Floyd was found in the living room. Clothing was also found that matched the description from the robberies. More than $300 was taken during the robbery on Highway 95A, while less than $300 was taken from the robbery on Williams Ditch Road, according to a 1998 arrest report.
In their Thursday ruling, court also encouraged state lawmakers to address juvenile sentencing to comply with the 2010 Supreme Court decision, which found that life sentences for young offenders in non-murder cases violated the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Lawmakers during this year’s session considered two bills about the issue, but the House and Senate did not come to agreement
Sunny Weekend Forecast
April 13, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Breezy, with a south wind between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Breezy, with a south wind between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high near 80.
- Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
- Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
Tate Beats Pensacola High
April 13, 2012
The Tate Aggies defeated Pensacola High School Thursday, with wins for both the varsity and junior varsity.
In junior varsity action, Tate beat Pensacola 18-0.
In varsity play, the Aggies beat PHS 10-8. With the win the Aggies improved to 19-1 overall, 12-1 in the district. Winning pitcher for Tate was Blake Edgar, while Peterson took the loss for PHS.
Pensacola Hitters:
Jonathan Bennett 4-4, 3 2B’s, 4 RBI
Jimmy Threat 3-3, 2B, 2 RBI
Brandon Harigel 1-4, 2B, RBI
Tate Hitters:
Austin Quina 1-4, 2B, RBI
David Moorhead 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI
JT Granat 2-2, 2 RBI
Andrew Mack 2-3
Cody Palmer 2-4
Tate will host Milton on Friday. The junior varsity plays at 4:30, followed by the varsity at 7 p.m.
Commission: No Libraries To Close; Funding Solution Unknown
April 13, 2012
About 200 people wearing red attended an Escambia County Commission meeting Thursday morning to protest cuts to the county’s library system as commissioners tentatively agreed not to close any library branches.
“We are not going to do a massive cut to the libraries to the point where one have to close,” Commissioner Wilson Robertson said. Robertson sported a large button that proclaimed “Library” on his jacket during the meeting.
Commissioners, however, did not rule out trimming the library budget or the budget of any other county department as they work to solve a projected multi-million dollar shortfall next fiscal year.
And commissioners made no decision on how to continuing funding the libraries — including the Century Branch Library and the under-construction Molino Library.
Commissioners discussed numerous ways to make up a projected $9.5 million across the board deficit, most of which is due to a new Medicaid law signed by Gov. Rick Scott. That law will force the county to pay $6.2 million to the state for disputed Medicaid bills that have been adding up for about a decade. County Administrator Randy Oliver had identified the library as one possible source toward solving their impending budget crisis.
The problem, commissioners agreed, was state mandates, not local budget management.
“I find it ridiculous that those jackasses in Tallahassee can use local governments to balance their budgets,” an obviously agitated Commissioner Kevin White said. “It just blows my mind.”
Commissioner reaction was mixed on how to solve the budget problems — from Marie Young and Whitesuggesting a .5 mils property tax increase to Gene Valentino saying the county should first find ways to trim the bottom line before considering a tax increase.
“Five-tenths of a mil would solve all of our problems,” Young said. “What’s the big deal about raising taxes? That’s not a big deal—Ohhh, somebody’s going to take that and run with it.”
“We cannot provide the current level of services on the current revenues,” County Administrator Randy Oliver said.
The commission will schedule budge workshops in the coming to weeks to iron out how to save the $9.5 million.
Pictured above: Library supporters wearing red packed an Escambia County Commission meeting Thursday morning. Pictured below: After the commission chambers filed, library supporters gathered in the atrium of the governmental complex to watch the meeting on a television feed. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Perfect Property Audits At Byrneville, Jim Allen And Northview
April 13, 2012
Routine property inventories at three North Escambia schools found that the schools could property account for 1,235 items worth $1.8 million dollars.
No Escambia County School District assets were missing from Byrneville Elementary, Jim Allen Elementary or Northview High School.
According to Jim Allen Principal Rachel Watts the non-working computer was labeled for discard and may have been accidentally placed in a dumpster by a custodian rather than being returned to the district’s surplus department.
At Byrneville, auditors located 78 district owned items worth $114,774.49 . All of Jim Allen’s 553 items with an original cost of $742,812.52 were located, as were all of the 604 inventory items with an original cost of $980,535.75 at Northview High School.
The Escambia County School District routinely audits property at schools in the county.
Century Correctional Inmates To Graduate Next Week
April 13, 2012
Six Century Correctional Institution inmates will receive their GED diplomas next week.
The inmates obtained their GED diplomas by passing a five-part test consisting of reading/language and writing (including an essay), math, social studies and science.
In addition, 11 inmates will also be receiving their Florida Ready to Work certificates. Florida Ready to Work is an innovative state-funded workforce education and economic development program that provides student/jobseekers with a standard credential that certifies their workplace readiness and ability to succeed on the job.
The number of Florida inmates earning GED certificates has nearly doubled in three years, increasing from 1,313 in fiscal year 2006-07 to 2,603 awarded in fiscal year 2009-10.
Pictured: A GED graduation for six Century Correctional Institution inmates will be held next week in the prison’s chapel. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
On The Menu: ‘Fresh Kittens Here’
April 13, 2012
A menu board type sign in Cantonment caught a little bit of attention Thursday. The”Fresh Kittens Here, Ask to See” signs had drivers looking twice along Highway 29 while sign photos made the rounds on Facebook.
But not to worry, the sign was not for a restaurant, but for the Companion Animal Clinic, which had several newly arrived kittens up for adoption.
Interested in adopting one of the “Fresh Kittens”? Call the Companion Animal Clinic at (850) 968-0226 or visit them at 470 South Highway 29, in the old Winn Dixie shopping Center.
Pictured: “Fresh Kittens” were available in Cantonment Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Pcola Blue Wahoos Snap Skid With 6-3 Win Over Mobile
April 13, 2012
The Blue Wahoos came back to snap back to back losses with a 6-3 win over the Mobile BayBears at Hank Aaron Stadium on Thursday night in Mobile. Didi Gregorius led the way by going 4-for-5 with a couple of runs scored and an RBI as the Blue Wahoos pounded out a season-high 15 hits in the winning effort.
The Blue Wahoos got off to a fast start with a three-run first inning compliments of Mike Costanzo’s league leading third home run of the season, a three-run shot. The BayBears answered with a single tally in the bottom of the first inning against Blue Wahoos starter Daniel Corcino. The BayBears went on to add single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings against the Wahoos starter to even the score at three.
Pensacola reclaimed the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh when Gregorius scored from third on an RBI groundout by Henry Rodriguez. Two batters later, Cody Puckett tripled off the top of the left field wall scoring Ryan LaMarre from third after he had doubled earlier in the frame. Pensacola added an insurance run in the eighth when Gregorius singled home Josh Fellhauer.
Offensively the Blue Wahoos had four players with multi-hit games. Rodriguez (2-for-5), Brodie Greene (3-for-5) and Josh Fellhauer (2-for-5) all collected multiple hits in addition to Gregorius.
Corcino didn’t record a decision after working five innings and getting charged with two earned runs, three total. Mark Serrano (W, 1-0) earned the win out of the bullpen after working a pair of scoreless innings. Serrano, Clayton Tanner and Donnie Joseph (S, 3) combined to turn in four scoreless innings for the Blue Wahoos in relief. Joseph worked a scoreless ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Bryan Henry (L, 0-1) was saddled with the loss for the BayBears after allowing the go-ahead runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Mobile starter Derek Eitel didn’t record a decision.
The Blue Wahoos look to even the series on Friday night at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile. The Blue Wahoos will send right hander Tim Crabbe to the mound against Mobile lefty Patrick Corbin. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.
By Tommy Thrall
Man Faces Up To 5 Years For Lying On Bank Loan
April 13, 2012
An Escambia County, Ala., man faces up to five years in federal prison after admitting to making a false statement on a bank loan.
United States Attorney Kenyen Brown said Brewton resident Jack Witherspoon Hines pleaded guilty to charges that he made a false statement pertaining to a bank loan in violation of federal law.
As part of his plea, Hines admitted that he pledged shares of stock as collateral for a loan from the Bank of Brewton when he had already pledged the same stock for a loan from another bank, which maintained the original stock certificate. In so doing, Hines falsely represented that the stock had been pledged as collateral only for the Bank of Brewton loan, according to Brown.
Hines faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, plus a fine of $250,000. His sentencing is set for July 19 before United States District Court Judge Kristi Dubose.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) investigated the case.