Today Is August Primary Voter Registration Deadline
July 16, 2012
Today is the last day to register to vote in the August 14 primary election. And the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office will be open extended hours – from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. – on Monday to accommodate citizens who wish to register to vote or change party affiliation.
Florida law mandates that registration books close 29 days before an election. New registrations must be completed on or before the end of the business day on July 16 in order for them to be effective for the August 14 election. Address changes can be made after the books close. If you are unsure of your registration status, visit EscambiaVotes.com and click “Am I Registered?”.
Escambia County citizens have several ways to register or update their record:
Online/By Mail: Visit EscambiaVotes.com and complete, print, and sign the online application. Be sure to include a valid Florida Driver’s License number, a valid Florida ID number, or the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number in the appropriate space. Completed applications must be received no later than July 16 to: Escambia County Supervisor of Elections, PO Box 12601, Pensacola, FL 32591-2601. Or, take the completed application to the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in downtown Pensacola. Also, to have a form mailed to you, call (595-3900) or e-mail the Elections Office (soe@escambiavotes.com).
In Person: You can register at the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in downtown Pensacola, at any Florida Driver’s License Office, and several other governmental offices and public assistance centers. Registration forms are also available to pick up at many locations countywide. For a complete list of locations throughout Escambia County, visit EscambiaVotes.com or call or e-mail the Elections Office.
For voters who wish to cast a ballot by mail (an absentee ballot), go to EscambiaVotes.com and complete the online request form, or call or e-mail the elections office. Early voting begins August 4 at several locations throughout Escambia County.
Escambia Deputy Injured In Fight
July 16, 2012
An Escambia County deputy is recovering after being injured in a fight Saturday night on Pensacola Beach.
Deputy Terry Hammock responded to the area of Via De Luna and Calle Traviesa to investigate a suspicious vehicle. He made contact with the driver, who was speaking irrationally and could not answer the deputy’s questions. The driver was unable to provide identification or name the owner the vehicle.
The driver was later identified as 34-year old Richard Leland Massey of Milton.
Massey resisted Hammock’s commands and began to fight with the deputy, the Sheriff’s Office said. Hammock was able to hold Massey on the ground until other officers could arrive to assist him.
Hammock received minor injuries during the altercation and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The Sheriff’s Office said Sunday afternoon that his condition was not known.
Massey was charged with resisting an officer with violence and booked into the Escambia County Jail. He was later released on a $5,000 bond.
Go Little Chiefs: Northview Plans Mini Cheerleading Clinic
July 16, 2012
The Northview High School cheerleaders will host a mini cheerleading camp for children age 4 through the eighth grade.
The camp will be held from 3 until 5 p.m. on July 25, July 26 and August 2.
The cost will be $30 for camp and $10 for a shirt. The shirts will be slightly different than last year’s, but will not be required. Registration begins at 2:30 on July 25.
Camp attendees will learn chants, cheers, stunts and a dance. Refreshments will be be provided. Parents are invited to see their child’s performance on August 2, and they will also perform at the first home Northview Chiefs football game. A review session date will be scheduled prior to the football game performance.
For more information, contact Megan or Tammy at (850) 327-6681 or any Northview cheerleader.
Pictured: Northview High mini cheerleaders perform last football season. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Firefighters, Late EMT Nathan Berry Honored
July 16, 2012
First responders in Escambia County, Ala., honored their own last week during their annual appreciation banquet.
Among those honored were 22-year old EMT Nathan Berry who was killed in an off-duty traffic accident south of Jay last month. The award was accepted by his wife, Tiffany Berry.
Berry, a certified firefighter and paramedic, dedicated his life to serving the public in emergency services. He was a former employee of Atmore Ambulance and was currently a supervisor for Lifeguard EMS in Santa Rosa County. He was a volunteer member of the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department near Flomaton, and was a firefighter for Escambia County Fire Rescue’s Century Station.
During the event, Allan Rice, executive director of the Alabama Fire Collage, spoke on the reality of disasters and the importance of readiness.
Pictured: (L-R) EMS Person of the Year the late Nathan Berry accepted by his wife Tiffany, Career Firefighter of the Year Daniel Love, Atmore Fire Department; Male Firefighter of the Year Christopher Burch, Appleton VFD; and Female Firefighter of the Year Cindy Jackson, McCall VFD. Photo by Emilie Mims for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Swimming Lessons Available
July 16, 2012
The registration for the final session of swimming lessons at Tom Byrne Park in Atmore is in progress and will continue until classes are filled.
Classes are offered Monday through Friday for one hour each day. Classes are held at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. Classes are also available on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5:15 until 6:45.
The cost is $35 per student per class. Please contact Austin Rogers at (251) 368-8280 during pool hours.
Man Charged With Five Felonies For Selling Stolen Jewelry
July 16, 2012
A Cantonment man was charged with allegedly stealing over $4,000 worth of jewelry from a local home.
Matthew Michael Barker, 25, was charged with felony grand theft, two felony counts of giving a false statement and two felony counts of dealing in stolen property. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Monday morning with bond set at $45,000.
The victim reported that she had discovered a golf tennis bracelet with diamonds worth $3,500, a men’s gold bracelet worth $400 and a pendant worth about $200 were missing from her jewelry box.
She told deputies that her son said that Barker, his friend, had recently spent time at the residence and was known to regularly sell gold and silver items to gold dealers in Pensacola.
Deputies reported that they discovered Barker had sold the jewelry at American Gold Parties on West Nine Mile Road.
Weekend Photos: Blue Angels
July 16, 2012
This weekend was the annual Blue Angels show at Pensacola Beach, and NorthEscambia.com had dozens of photos — including fly along photos from inside one of the F/18 Hornets.
Click a link for a gallery:
Blue Angels Saturday Show Gallery 1 (Ditto Gorme)
Blue Angels Saturday Show Gallery 2 (Terry Emmons)
Fly Along With The Blues (US Navy)
Blue Angels Friday Practice (Raja Atalla)
Pictured top: The Blue Angels please the crowd Saturday at Pensacola Beach. Pictured below: “Ernie”, a C-130 filling in for the famous Fat Albert, approaches Pensacola Beach. Photos by Ditto Gorme for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Republicans, Democrats Both Claim Victory In Voter Database Clash
July 16, 2012
Republicans and Democrats alike declared at least a qualified victory after the federal government agreed Saturday to allow Florida to access the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, database in its drive to remove suspected non-citizens from the voting rolls.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry issued a statement saying the federal government had essentially capitulated to the state.
“The only thing that overshadows this victory is the reality that our federal government spent nearly a year blocking efforts to ensure election laws are followed,” Curry said in a statement issued Saturday evening.
But Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch, speaking shortly before the Democrats’ annual Jefferson Jackson fundraising dinner, said the requirement that state officials submit individual identifiers required to use the SAVE database could curb Gov. Rick Scott’s sweep of the voting rolls.
Deutch said fewer than the 180,000 names that the state initially identified as suspected non-citizens would likely be reviewed.
“This is a check on the governor, finally,” Deutch said. “And now we have to just demand transparency going forward, so that this system that [Scott] now utilizes is done in accordance with the way that is established.”
By The News Service of Florida
Ernest D. Gay
July 16, 2012
Ernest D. Gay, age 63 of Jay, passed away Saturday July 14, 2012.
He was born in Brantley, AL, on September 5, 1948 to Arnold and Cassie Gay. Before retiring he spent most of his adult life farming to provide for his family. He was a loving husband, father and pawpaw. In his spare time he enjoyed going to the mountains, fishing, building bird houses and working in the yard.
He is survived by his loving wife, Bernice “Cat” Gay, of Jay;, one daughter, Joyce (Wayne) Hawthorne of Jay; one son David (Tracy) Gay of Opp, AL; three grandchildren, Austin Hawthorne, Brianna Hawthorne and Ernie Gay; three brothers, Houston Gay (Caroline) of Millard County. GA, Edward Gay of Flomaton, Benjamin Gay of Baker;, three sisters, Inez Thurman of Frost Proof, FL, Linzy (Dykes) Strickland of Jay, Shirley (Howard) Lail of Milton; amd numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be Tuesday, July 17, 2012, at New Bethel Baptist Church from 10 a.m. until noon. Funeral services will follow at noon. Bro. Matthew Dobson and Bro. Fredrick Barrow will be officiating.
Burial will follow at Pine Level Baptist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Ernie Gay, Austin Hawthorne , Keith Strickland, Wesley Strickland , Kaleb Harris and Travis Gay. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Cannon, Larry Bates, James Earl Carnley and Donald Boutwell.
Jay Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Pensacola Blue Wahoos Win 6-2 Over Jacksonville Suns
July 16, 2012
Blue Wahoos starter Daniel Corcino earned his fourth straight victory by surrendering just one run on five hits, while shortstop Billy Hamilton hit an inside-the-park home run in the seventh, as Pensacola defeated the Jacksonville Suns 6-2 on Sunday afternoon at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The win improved the Fish’s record to 15-9 in the second half to keep them to at least a share of the Southern League South Division lead with Montgomery, while the loss dropped Jacksonville to a 10-14 mark since the league’s All-Star Break.
Corcino (6.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO) earned his fourth win in a row and fifth in as many home starts after yielding just a lone earned run on five hits while fanning six in his 6.1 innings of work, while reliever Curtis Partch (1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 SO) notched his sixth hold of the season by firing 1.2 shutout frames in support of Corcino. Suns starter Jose Alvarez (4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 2-5 after allowing four earned runs on six hits in four innings.
With the Blue Wahoos up 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, Hamilton led off the frame by lining the first pitch towards right-center field. Suns right fielder Kyle Jensen dove but was unable to make the catch as the Reds’ top prospect flew around the bases without a throw home to complete his third career inside-the-park home run. It was his first since April 19, 2011, when he circled the bases for Low-A Dayton versus Bowling Green.
The Fish got the scoring started early with a three-spot in the second frame. RF Bill Rhinehart began with a double and 3B Miguel Rojas walked, before both came across on C Mark Fleury’s two-run double down the right field line. Fleury would then score on the next pitch when Corcino helped his own cause by lacing a single into center.
The Suns plated their first tally in the subsequent inning to narrow the margin to 3-1. LF Jake Smolinski started the inning with a free pass and took second on a hit by pitch, prior to being sent in on 2B Paul Gran’s single to left.
Pensacola however, would counter right back with a run in the fourth. 1B Beau Mills led off with a double to right, got to third on a single and scored on a double play to move the advantage back up to three.
Following Hamilton’s electric roundtripper in the seventh, Mills left the yard in the eighth with a solo shot to right. It was the sixth longball of the season for Mills and fourth in July. Jacksonville RF Kyle Jensen started the final frame with a big fly to left, his 12thh of the season, but the Suns were kept off the scoreboard after that point.
Mills (2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and Rojas (2-3, 1 R, 1 BB), along with LF Andrew Means (2-4) also collected two base knocks in the contests for the Blue Wahoos, while Gran (2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI) and Jensen (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI) each tallied multi-hit efforts in the loss.
With the series even at 1-1, Jacksonville and Pensacola will face off again Monday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. RHP J.C. Sulbaran is expected to get the nod for the Fish, while the Suns have not yet announced their starting pitcher.
By Andrew Green
Daniel Corcino earned his fourth straight win in Pensacola’s 6-2 win Sunday. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.