Driver Slams Into Cars Parked In Cantonment Driveway
October 23, 2012
There were no injuries reported when a driver slammed into two cars parked in a Cantonment driveway Monday night.
The accident happened about 9:30 p.m. when a driver apparently ran through a stop sign at County Road 97, crossed over Muscogee Road and ran into a driveway in the 1100 block of Muscogee Road.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released. Escambia Count EMS and the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
Pictured: A driver hit two vehicles parted in a Cantonment driveway Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Man Gets 12 Years For Trying To Run Over Deputy
October 23, 2012
An Escambia County man was convicted of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence in connection with a September 2011 incident
Brendan Carter was seq qntenced by Judge Scott Duncan to 12 years of prison with a three year minimum mandatory.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office gang investigators were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Carter when he attempted to escape in a vehicle and run over Inv. David Brown. Brown was forced to fire multiple shots into the car in an attempt to stop Carter. Carter wrecked his vehicle into another deputy’s vehicle and was apprehend at the scene.
Carter is currently serving a five year prison sentence on unrelated charges. His 12-year sentence will run consecutively.
Governor, Cattle Producers Urge EPA To Waive Ethanol Requirement
October 23, 2012
Gov. Rick Scott joined several other governors from both parties this week in asking the federal government to suspend the requirement for putting a certain amount of ethanol into America’s gas tanks, saying it’s causing a shortage of cattle feed for Florida ranchers.
A public comment period on the proposal to temporarily suspend the Renewable Fuel Standard, mandating a certain amount of ethanol in the nation’s gas supply, ended earlier this month. The Obama Administration has until Nov. 13 to decide on the question.
The standard is aimed at reducing pollution and the nation’s dependence on crude oil, as well as helping the ethanol industry boost its own production.
But Scott on Tuesday wrote to U.S. Environmental Protection Administrator Lisa Jackson voicing support for waiving the requirement, following letters sent by governors of several other states going back to August.
Ethanol producers use about 40 percent of the nation’s corn, and the crop has been severely limited because of this summer’s drought.
“The use of corn, a major source of cattle feed, as a base for ethanol production decreases its availability and increases its price to the detriment of the cattle industry,” Scott wrote. “…Due to the extreme drought conditions, the short supply of corn and an increase in feed prices, Florida’s cattlemen are seeing a significant decrease in the price of feeder cattle, which has had a negative economic impact of $80 million to the industry this year.”
The beef cow industry in Florida is worth more than $4 billion – the state’s ranches have more than a million head of beef cattle.
According to USDA reports, corn prices have increased about 60 percent since June 15.
Governors in North Carolina, Arkansas, Maryland and Delaware have all previously called for a suspension of the fuel standard requirement. All four of those states are big poultry producers.
The Obama Administration has pushed for more renewable energy production and has previously rejected requests to suspend the requirement. The president has said he wants to reduce consumption of foreign oil – and ethanol backers note that the industry produces more than one-and-a-half times the amount of volume than would be produced by approving the Keystone Pipeline to increase the use of Canadian oil by Americans.
The renewable fuels industry opposes the waiver proposal, releasing a statement last week urging the EPA to reject the governors’ requests.
The ethanol industry is already reducing production significantly and said that the impact of a waiver of the requirement on the price of corn would be “trivial.”
“Studies estimating the impact of a potential RFS waiver on corn prices show that waiving the requirements in 2013 might reduce corn prices by as little as $0.04 per bushel, or 0.5 percent,” Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, wrote in a letter to the EPA on Oct. 11. “Further, prices for other feed key ingredients (e.g., distillers grains) may increase in response to a waiver, meaning net feed costs could be unchanged or may actually increase.”
The cattle industry has also filed comments with the EPA on the issue.
“We are looking at the smallest cow herd since 1952, and if input costs continue to increase, we do not expect this trend to turn around in the next several years,” the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said last week.
By The News Service of Florida
Fifth Case Of Fungal Meningitis Linked To Escambia County Pain Clinic
October 23, 2012
A fifth case of fungal meningitis associated with contaminated steroid injections from Pain Consultants of West Florida in Escambia County was confirmed Monday by the Escambia County Health Department.
The most recent case is a 55 year old male. Four other patients of the Davis Highway Clinic — men ages 47 and 78 and women ages 28 and 53 — were previously diagnosed with fungal meningitis.
As of Monday, the health department said all 596 people have been contacted that were exposed to the contaminated medication as a result of undergoing a procedure at Pain Consultants of West Florida.
14th Human West Nile Case Reported In Escambia County
October 23, 2012
An additional case of human West Nile Virus was reported Monday in Escambia County, as a mosquito-borne illness alert continues. That brings the total number of diagnosed human West Nile cases to 14 for 2012. One case was fatal.
The Escambia County Health Department said there is “still some risk” that additional persons could become infected with West Nile from mosquito bites.
About one in 150 people infected with West Nile will develop serious illness. Symptoms of infection can range from mild to severe including development of diseases such as meningitis or encephalitis. People with weakened immune systems and individuals over 50 may be at higher risk of the most severe form of the infection.
Hobos Beat Central In District 1-1A Volleyball Tourney Opener
October 23, 2012
The Laurel Hobos defeated the Central Lady Jags to open the District 1-1A Volleyball Tournament Monday afternoon at Central High School.
The Hobos, seeded last, beat the No. 2 seed Jags 25-21, 17-25, 15-25, 25-19, 19-17.
The Laurel Hill Hobos advance to play the No. 1 seed Baker Lady Gators at 6 p.m. Tuesday, following a 4 p.m. game between Jay and Northview. Tuesday’s winners will advance to the district championship on Thursday.
Search Underway For Missing Escambia County Woman
October 22, 2012
Investigators are asking for help locating a missing woman.
Nancy Jean Craycraft, 55 of Pensacola, was last seen October 19. Her vehicle was located October 21 in Baldwin County, and both Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office are investigating her disappearance.
Craycraft is described as a white female, 5-foot four inches, 110 pounds with blondish-brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on Craycraft’s whereabouts is asked to call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Escambia County Murder Under Investigation
October 22, 2012
A murder is under investigation after a man was found shot to death off Highway 29 in Escambia County Monday night.
Investigators said Labar Cardarlyo Brown, 25, was killed in what they believe to a drug related case. His body was discovered after Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shots fired call about 5:30 p.m. in the 6800 block of Tiki Lane, just south of Burgess Road.
Deputies responded to Tiki Lane again about 10:45 p.m. to a second report of shots fired. Deputies “found evidence of a firearms discharge”, the Sheriff’s Office. There were no injuries reported in the second shots fired incident.
There have been no arrests in either incident.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Pictured: Reader submitted cellphone photos show the scene on Tiki Lane after one person was shot and killed Monday evening. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Four Injured In Ambulance Crash (With Gallery)
October 22, 2012
Four people were injured in a crash involving an ambulance this morning in Century.
The accident happened about 8:15 a.m. when an Escambia County EMS unit received an emergency call to Century Care Center while in the parking lot of the Whataburger on North Century Boulevard, just south of East Highway 4.
Ambulance driver Brenda Matthews, age 32 of Cantonment, activated the emergency lights and sirens on the ambulance and stopped at the stop sign while exiting the parking lot onto Highway 29, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Traffic in the northbound lanes stopped to allow the ambulance to proceed. Matthews did not see a 2004 Chevrolet SUV and begin to cross over the northbound lanes to turn south, with the front of the ambulance colliding with the side of the SUV.
Matthews was at fault in the crash, according to the FHP, because the SUV driver had not been given the opportunity to observe the ambulance and safely stop or continue. She was not cited, according to a FHP release.
Matthews and the other ambulance crew member, 48-year old Gary Straughn of Pace, were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the SUV, 80-year old Barney Cash of Century, was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital with minor injuries. His passenger, 53-year old Clifton Underwood, Jr. of Century, was airlifted by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Four people were injured in this wreck involving an Escambia County EMS unit Monday morning in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bratt Man Gets 3 Years In Prison On Hunting, Weapons Charges
October 22, 2012
A Bratt man has been sentenced to state prison on hunting and weapons charges.
Stanley Haynie, age 52 of York Road, was sentenced to a three year minimum mandatory in prison for possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon and time served for three counts of taking or possessing deer with a gun during archery season and one count of over bag limit of deer.
In mid-November 2011, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers received information that Stanley Haynie and his brother, Marvin Haynie, had used a firearm to kill a deer outside of permitting hunting seasons.
Witnesses told officers that the Haynie brothers had gone hunting and several shots were heard. When questioned, the two brothers admitted to shooting three deer — a doe and two yearlings — with a firearm, according to the FWC.
FWC officers reported finding the remains of the deer behind a residence on York Road, off North Pine Barren Road just east of Northview High School. FWC officers also seized a 12-gauge shotgun and a .30-06 rifle from the home.
Stanley Haynie was a registered sex offender previously convicted of lewd and lascivious exhibition and conduct with a victim under 16, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Marvin Haynie was convicted in December 2011 of five counts of failure to comply with FWC rules and sentenced to 10 days in the county jail.
Pictured: FWC officers watch a home on York Road in Bratt in November 2011 before seizing deer meat and firearms. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
