16-Year Seriously Injured In Walnut Hill ATV Accident
April 11, 2012
A 16-year old was seriously injured in an ATV accident Wednesday afternoon in Walnut Hill. The male was transported by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola with a reported back injury.
He was riding the ATV at a residence on Velor Road in Walnut Hill when it overturned on top of him about 5:30 p.m., according to initial reports.
Further details have not been released.
Pictured: A 16-year old was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital after an ATV accident in Walnut Hill Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Man Airlifted After Hitting Tree In Century
April 11, 2012
A 20-year old Flomaton man was serious injured in a single vehicle accident in Century Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Steven Wingate was traveling west on East Highway 4 near Freedom Road when he he lost control for an unknown reason and struck an oak tree. The passenger side door of the vehicle struck the tree, pushing the door in toward the driver’s side of the vehicle in the 3 p.m. accident.
Wingate was airlifted by LifeFlight as a “trauma alert” to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola where he was listed in serious condition Wednesday night.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
Pictured: A 20-year old Flomaton man was seriously injured in a single vehicle crash in Century Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
100 Rally In Support Of Century Library
April 11, 2012
About 100 people from across the North Escambia area gathered Tuesday afternoon to show their support for the Century Branch Library.
“This is the place I can read my books,” Maille Kilcrase, age 8, of Bryneville said. “In the library we can learn facts about stuff. And it can take us on journeys in books without going there.”
“Save Our Library”, “Don’t Close Our Library” — were a few of the signs held by people of all ages and backgrounds as they stood outside the library that could be closed by the start of the next fiscal year. The county may pull its contribution to the library system under a plan proposed by County Administrator Randy Oliver, closing the Century Branch Library and never opening the currently under-construction Molino Library.
Century brothers William and Charles Joyner can often been seen along North Century Boulevard, riding their scooters to the Century Branch Library. “The library is a life saver for us,” William Joyner said. “It allows us to get movies. I don’t know how they can close it.”
“This is the place were I go to study,” 18-year old Northview High School student Matt Watson said. “There are too many distractions at home.”
For more photos from the rally, click here.
The county is facing a $9.5 million budget shortfall, 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.
To make up the shortfall, Escambia County is looking to cut 100 percent of its funding for branch libraries — all $3.7 million. Escambia County funds about 75 percent of the current library system, while the City of Pensacola funds about 25 percent. Libraries in the city will not be closed.
“Closing this library will hurt our kids,” said Crystal Criswell of Walnut Hill, mother of three children under 10. “It’s going to hurt FCAT scores. The library provides and promotes literacy for our kids here. A lot of people don’t have the means to go to Pensacola.”
On Thursday, Escambia County Commissioners will consider at least three options to keep the libraries open — an August referendum in which voters could approve a property tax levy; a property tax levy imposed by the county without referendum; a yearly user fee — $50 per person has been suggested — imposed on every Escambia County resident that uses the library.
“We love this library,” said Michelle Driscoll of Byrneville. She frequently uses the library with her children, ages 5 and 6. “The children on this end of the county need this library, deserve this library. To close it would be an injustice.”
Bette Hooton, president of the library’s board of directors agrees. ““It shocking, absolutely shocking, to consider that Escambia might be the only county in the state without a library system.”
“The library provides a lifeline to the internet,” said Liana Lambeth of Century, mother of two. “Some people have no internet or computer at home. The library provides perfect internet plus books for our kids.
“We are here at least one or two times per week,” said Theresa Lambeth, who has five grandchildren that use the library. “When you are trying to keep food on the table, the library provides books and internet.”
Escambia County owns the building and property of the Century Branch Library and owns the under construction Molino Library property. However, all of the books and other materials are owned by the City of Pensacola, including about 11,000 items in the Century library.
The West Florida Public Library Board voted unanimously last week to request the Escambia County Commission directly levy a property tax increase to keep public libraries open in the county.
With a vote of three of five commissioners, the commission can levy the .35 mils tax increase — about $35 on a $100,000 home. But if commissioners do not approve the tax increase, the issue could go to the voters as a referendum on the August ballot.
The Escambia County Commission will consider the issue at its Committee of the Whole meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday. Wooton and the Friends of the Library are asking residents to attend the meeting, wearing red, to show their support for the county’s libraries.
For more photos from the rally, click here.
Pictured: North Escambia residents rally in support of the Century Branch Library Tuesday afternoon. Pictured top inset: Andrew, age 3, expresses sadness at the thought of closing the Century Branch Library. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Should Consumers Pay Up Front To Build Nuclear Plants?
April 11, 2012
With legislative leaders rejecting possible changes, a fight is building in the Florida Supreme Court about a law that allows utilities to pass along hundreds of millions of dollars in costs to customers for nuclear-power projects.
Four lawmakers this week filed a brief in support of an effort by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to nix the law, which is controversial in part because customers are getting billed for projects that might never be built.
The Florida Public Service Commission recently refused to allow Gulf Power Company to recoup money for land it bought in North Escambia near McDavid for a possible future nuclear power plant. The PSC denied the request because the utility has not taken an initial step — known as getting a determination of need — for such a project.
Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy Florida — the two utilities that are definitely planning nuclear projects — have hired former Supreme Court justices to represent them in fighting the case.
Reps. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, and Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, and Sens. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, and Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, filed the brief this week challenging the constitutionality of the 2006 nuclear-cost law.
Rehwinkel Vasilinda and Fasano have been outspoken critics of the law and filed bills this year to try to repeal it, but the bills were not heard in legislative committees. The brief argues that the law unconstitutionally gives too much power to the Florida Public Service Commission to decide whether to approve the nuclear costs.
“The … process has become little more than a pro forma session allowing the PSC to agree to the utilities’ requests for more funds,” the brief says. “The process amounts to issuing a blank check to (Progress and FPL) allowing them to remain in a perpetual state of preconstruction.”
Legislative leaders have stood behind the law, arguing that utilities need to be able to collect money to offset at least parts of the upfront costs of the multibillion-dollar projects.
During a Fasano-prompted discussion in February, Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Chairman Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said customers likely would wind up paying more if the utilities waited to recoup costs until after the plants start operating.
“If we believe in diversifying electricity in this state, there has to be options,” Gardiner said at the time.
Progress plans to build two nuclear reactors in Levy County, while FPL has moved forward with a similar project in Miami-Dade County. Neither site would start producing electricity for at least another decade and are not guaranteed to ever be built.
Each year, the utilities go before the PSC with proposals to recover costs from customers. The commission has approved allowing Progress to collect $86 million from customers this year and FPL to collect $196 million — though much of the FPL money will go toward upgrading current nuclear plants instead of the planned project.
By The News Service Florida
Pictured top: One of many house that now sit abandoned near McDavid where Gulf Power has purchased thousands of acres for a possible nuclear power plant. One of many Gulf Power “Posted” signs that line the roads in the area of the potential plant. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
James Russell McCurdy
April 11, 2012
James Russell McCurdy age 71 of Jay FL passed away, Saturday, April 7, 2012, in Brewton.
Mr. McCudy was a life- long resident of Jay. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam conflict and was the owner and operator of the McCurdy’s Auto Garage for many years.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Wiley and Ida Lee McCurdy He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Paula Sue McCurdy; son, Keith McCurdy; and brothers Glen (Judy) McCurdy, Douglas McCurdy and Eugene “Shorty” (Carol) McCurdy.
A visitation was held Tuesday April 10, 2012, at Jay Funeral Home. Funeral services were held Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at Jay Funeral Home. Graveside services followed at Barrancas National Cemetery with military honors.
Jay Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Two Escambia Men Indicted For Drug Related Murder
April 11, 2012
Two Escambia County men have been indicted with first degree murder for the drug related shooting death of Frederick Ortiz last month. An Escambia County grand jury returned the indictment Tuesday against Rico Roberson and Bryan Hines.
Ortiz was shot in the chest and killed during the course of a drug transaction on Hayworth Avenue in the Ensley area on March 20.
Judge Michael Allen accepted the indictments and ordered that both men remain in the Escambia County Jail without bond. Both Roberson and Hines will be arraigned on Thursday.
Century Signs Off On $1.4 Million Loan To Repair Gas Leak
April 11, 2012
The Town of Century took a major step forward Tuesday toward eliminating a natural gas leak somewhere under Highway 29.
About 6,515 feet of 4-inch steel natural gas line was buried beneath the southbound lanes of Highway 29 when the road was widened. Now, 45 years since the almost 1.25 mile long pipe was put into the ground, the town believes the steel is corroding and leaking somewhere between West Highway 4 and McCurdy Street.
In a special meeting Tuesday, the town council approved a $1.401 million USDA Rural Development loan to cover the cost of replacing the pipe.
Dale Long, the town’s engineer, said the design phase of the project will take a few weeks and work could begin by summer on the project. A new 4-inch pipe will be placed on the west side of Highway 29, while a new 2-inch pipe will be installed on the east side of the highway, eliminating the need to install pipes under the road to service natural gas customers.
The $1.401 million loan will be repayable at $64,348 per year, based upon a 3.375 percent interest rate over 40 years. The loan will be repaid from the town’s gas department, which currently has sufficient revenues to meet the obligation. In the event that gas department’s revenues should be insufficient to repay the loan, the town will be required by the federal government to raise natural gas rates for residents and businesses.
The USDA will have first lien on all Century Gas Department revenues during the life of the loan. The town must maintain a reserve fund to meet the payment schedule and must agree to make payments by automatic debit from a bank account.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to permit the mayor to sign the loan documents and establish separate bank accounts for the reserve and construction loan funds.
The leak has not gotten any worse in the year since it was publicly revealed, and routine checks are performed to monitor the situation, according to Mayor Freddie McCall.
Pictured: Century Mayor Freddie McCall signs documents Tuesday morning for a $1.401 million USDA Rural Development loan to repair a leaky natural gas line under Highway 29. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Brothers Charged In Burglaries After 3rd Brother Calls Cops
April 11, 2012
Two brothers were busted for stealing guns and breaking into vehicles after their other brother snitched to deputies.
Gerald Stewart called the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office to say that his two brothers were burglarizing vehicles in the area of North Spencerfield Road. Deputies found 23-year old Travis Lee Stewart and 19-year old Dylan Ray Stewart exiting a vehicle that had just been burglarized. The two brothers fled on foot; both were taken into custody a short time later.
Deputies said when they searched the suspects, they found a .45 caliber handgun, flashlights, money, sunglasses and other items taken from vehicles in the area. Investigators said the brothers tried to enter every vehicle on one street, finding just three that were unlocked.
Travis and Dylan Stewart were each charged with two felony counts of burglary, armed burglary, three counts possession of burglary tools, two counts grand theft of a firearm and two counts of petit theft.
After they arrived at the jail, the third brother called deputies back to say that he had located another firearm in Travis and Dylan’s bedroom. The .40 caliber handgun was reported stolen in 2011. Travis and Dylan Stewart admitted to deputies that they took the gun during a 2011 burglary.
Northview Beats Pine Forest 12-2 (With Photo Gallery)
April 11, 2012
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat the Pine Forest Eagles Tuesday in Bratt, 12-2.
The Lady Chiefs will wrap up their regular season Thursday afternoon with a 3:30 game on the road at Escambia Academy in Canoe.
For a photo gallery from Tuesday’s game, click here.
Pictured top: Northview’s Lauren McCall attempts to tag out a Pine Forest runner at second base Tuesday afternoon in Bratt. Pictured below: A tipped ball heads into the helmet of a Pine Forest catcher. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Work Complete On $2 Million Upgrade At Ransom Middle
April 11, 2012
Work is now officially complete on the addition of 10 classrooms at Ransom Middle School.
Next week, the Escambia County School Board is expected to approve a final payment to contract R.D. Ward Construction Company. The total cost for the project was $2,006,804, funded by half cent sales tax monies.