Fallen Officers Honored; One Sheriff Killed In North Escambia’s Past
May 18, 2012
Law enforcement officers who have died in the line duty were honored Thursday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Fraternal Order of Police.
Over 25 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in Escambia County, including a sheriff shot to death in North Escambia.
Since 1923, 11 Escambia County deputies have died in the line of duty. Another 13 Pensacola Police Department Officers have been killed since 1889 and one constable was killed on duty in 1955.
1895: Alabama Sheriff Killed In North Escambia
An Escambia County, Alabama, sheriff was shot and killed in North Escambia near Bluff Springs on July 3, 1895.
Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff E.S. McMillan was shot and killed as he and a posse searched for the notorious train robber nicknamed “Railroad Bill.” In 1893, Railroad Bill had shot and wounded a deputy sheriff who confronted him at a Bluff Springs home about not paying taxes on his weapon. He then fled and spent the next two years illegally riding Alabama freighters, robbing trains, and engaging in gun fights with lawmen.
In July of 1895, Sheriff McMillan (pictured) received a tip that Railroad Bill was hiding out in Bluff Springs, Florida, and went with a posse to arrest him. As Sheriff McMillan walked along the railroad tracks, the suspect, who was hiding behind a tree, opened fire with a Winchester rifle. Sheriff McMillan was struck and succumbed to his wounds a short time later. Railroad Bill was later gunned down by a host of law enforcement officers.
McMillan is the only officer from Escambia County, Alabama, to ever die in the line of duty.
Pictured: The annual Law Enforcement Memorial held Thursday at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local Players, Coaches Named To Subway All-Star Softball, Baseball Rosters
May 18, 2012
Several North Escambia area players made the cut when the Pensacola Sports Association announced today the rosters for the 2012 Subway High School All-Star Baseball and Softball Games. And two area coaches will be among those calling the shots.
The 6th annual all-star game is scheduled for Thursday, May 24 at the University of West Florida baseball and softball field complex. Beginning at 6 p.m. the women will have their first pitch followed by the men’s first pitch at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s game features some of the best seniors from Okaloosa and Santa Rosa Counties (East) playing against the seniors from Escambia County (West). Head coaches for this year’s event include Brian Watson from Jay High School for the east softball team and Mike Haveard from Pine Forest for the west softball team. In the baseball game, Cory Hamrick from Niceville High will head up the east team while Tate High’s Greg Blackmon will lead the west boys.
Tickets to the game are only $7. Fans are encouraged to bring canned good items to donate to the Manna Food Pantry to get a discount on game admission.
Rosters for the 2012 Subway High School All-Star baseball and softball games are below (with North Escambia area players in bold).
West Softball: Victoria East, Ashley Peters, Brittany Morris, and Aubrey Yeagle from Escambia, Brianna Coleman, Brittany Manning-Davis, Rebeka Touary, and Sara Grace Gunter from Pine Forest, Kristen Hughes from East Hill, Lauren McCall from Northview, Amber Wells from Catholic, Samantha Hurley from Pensacola, Kayla Rosario, Kaitlyn Kenfield, Gabby Leifur, and Kalina Kenfield from West Florida Tech, Heather Schaff, Kim Baker, Barette Barnes, Marina Cobbs, Holly Brown, and Kat Tucker from Tate, and Rachel Medley from Washington.
East Softball: Kasey Harrison from Laurel Hill, Megan McDonald and Amanda Curington from Gulf Breeze, Hannah Day from Crestview, Lauren Osburn, Sarah Beth Marquis, and Meghan Redalieu from Navarre, Hannah Jones from Pace, Stephanie Hartness, Jamie Ujvari, Jessica Ujvari, and Courtney Adams from Niceville, Brittany Tiller from Rocky Bayou, Katie Worley, Kassandra Gilley, and Desiree Velasguez from Milton, Becca Calloway and Tessa Hendricks from Jay, Tory Kilcrease from Baker, Jaime Phillips and Jennifer Phillips from Fort Walton, and Rikki Rummel from Choctaw.
West Baseball: Scott Robertson, Matt Mckibben, and Avery Van Brussel from Washington, Skyler Beckerman, Tyler Murphy, Chase Anderson, and Tucker Massey from West Florida Tech, Tyler Curtis, Hunter Black, Austin Quina, Mac Seibert, and Cody Palmer from Tate, Preston Szuch, Tyler Henry, and Chase Keifer from Catholic, Tanner Brooks and Zach Barrow from Northview, Trenton Potter and Kody Bryant from Pensacola Christian, Brandon Nagem, Jon Cagle-Lister, and Zach Hathaway from Pine Forest, Joey Scapecchi and Kaleb Lewis from Escambia, and Brandon Haragul and Jimmy Threat from Pensacola.
East Baseball: Kameron Miller, Dylan Lee, and Derek Lovelace from Crestview, Kyle Mcgee from Gulf Breeze, Tanner Black, Miguel Paulino, and Luke Clark from Choctaw, Bucky Locke from Baker, Cory Eller and Mike Haynes from Niceville, Sammy James from Jay, Patrick Maddox, Patrick Ervin, Daniel Hampton, Steven Jernigan, and Clay Benefield from Pace, Paul Young and Jordan Martin from Milton, Dylan Peacock from Central, Steven Wills from Rocky Bayou, Kyle Slingerland from Laurel Hill, Jacob Terry and Dusty Jones from Navarre, Ian Hok and Trey Marshall from Fort Walton.
Escambia Womans Claims Quarter Million Lottery Prize
May 18, 2012
An Escambia County woman is just over a quarter million dollars richer today.
Thursday, Gladys Cartwright claimed a $254,806.05 Fantasy 5 top prize from the April 20 drawing at Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee. Her top prize-winning ticket was a free Quick Pick ticket she won by matching two numbers in a previous Fantasy 5 drawing. The ticket was generated at the Mom & Pop Convenience Store at 2600 East Olive Road in Pensacola.
Citizens Insurance Rattled By Continuing Rate Increase Complaints
May 18, 2012
Facing fallout over potentially significant rate hikes, members of a Citizens Property Insurance Corp. committee said Thursday they need to do a better job working with lawmakers, the media and the public as they formulate 2013 premiums for the state-backed insurer.
Members of Citizens’ actuarial and underwriting committee said state insurance regulators have a number of options to depopulate the company, which now covers more than 1.4 million policies, and satisfy the Legislature’s wish to increase rates to make them actuarially sound and more in line with private insurers.
Documents released prior to the meeting show some rates on new coastal business would have to more than double to reach levels necessary to adequately cover potential losses. Overall, new coastal policy premiums would rise by 41.7 percent on average. Non-coastal policyholders would see rates rise an average of 24 percent from premiums in force at the end of 2010.
First released last year, the data again this week set off a flurry of concern from coastal residents and at least two lawmakers who said the rate increase, if fully implemented, would cripple the state’s building industry, especially along the coast. Rates in some areas of Miami-Dade County, for example, would have to double.
Current Citizens policyholder rates cannot increase by more than 10 percent a year. But new policies, Citizens’ leaders argue, aren’t subject to the 10 percent cap. That stance differs from that of key state officials, including Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who say the Legislature intended the 10-percent cap to apply to all Citizens’ policies.
Committee members said Thursday the board would likely pursue a course of charging rates on new policies above the 10 percent cap, but look at options , including a phase-in period, to cushion the blow. Even if the Citizens Board approves a course of action in July, it still must be reviewed by the Office of Insurance Regulation.
“There is a long process that occurs between where we are now and where we started and the endgame or outcome of something that might impact the pocketbook of a consumer,” said committee member John Rollins.
Though final action on any 2013 rate is still months away, members voiced frustration that merely discussing the potential for rate hikes unleashes a backlash from policyholders and lawmakers, all playing out in the media.
“We have a fiduciary responsibility to continue to review the data,” Rollins said. “To me it is not news at all and shouldn’t be news to anyone who has followed Citizens over the last few years, that the data indicate a pretty significant gap (between premiums and potential losses.)”
Last year, the Citizens board approved sinkhole rates, which, though actuarially sound, sent lawmakers through the roof, said Board Chairman Carlos Lacasa. The same will happen with future rates unless legislators and their staff are brought into the process much earlier.
“We are not going to get to actuarially sound rates, we are not going to get a healthier insurance market without total buy-in from every stakeholder in the state,” Lacasa said. “To do it piecemeal will not work.”
By The News Service of Florida
Suns Walk Off With 8-5 Win Over The Wahoos
May 18, 2012
Following a 44 minute rain delay, the Jacksonville Suns walked off with an 8-5 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Thursday night at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The walk-off came right after the Wahoos got the game tied with a two-out run in the top of the ninth.
Both teams traded blows over the game’s first five innings. Jacksonville plated single runs in the first and second, before Pensacola put up two runs in each the third and fourth innings to go up 4-2. The Suns were quick to respond pulling within one in the bottom of the fourth before they got two in the bottom of the fifth capitalizing on back to back walks to open the inning.
The game stayed 5-4 until Pensacola rallied in the top of the ninth. Didi Gregorius singled with one out then stole second base before scoring two batters later on a two-out RBI double by Joel Guzman to even the game at five.
Jacksonville was able to get to Curtis Partch (2-3) in the ninth. Jake Smolinski led the inning off with a double. After an intentional walk to Kyle Skipworth, Shawn Bowman unloaded for his fourth home run of the year to send the Suns home 8-5 winners.
Guzman, Gregorius and P.J. Phillips led the Blue Wahoos offensively with a pair of hits each and Guzman added a pair of RBI while Gregorius scored two. The Wahoos perfectly executed a suicide squeeze in the top of the fourth when Gregorius scored from third on a bunt by Ryan LaMarre for the Blue Wahoos fourth run of the game. J.C. Sulbaran was charged with the first five Suns runs over four-plus innings. He allowed four hits, walked four and struck out five. Partch took the loss, his first since returning from Bakersfield. Despite allowing the tying run in the ninth, Evan Reed (2-1) earned the win for Jacksonville.
The series continues in Jacksonville on Friday when the Blue Wahoos send right-hander Tim Gustafson (1-0, 4.55) to the mound against Suns righty Bryan Evans (0-2, 4.41). First pitch is set for 6:05 central time.
By Tommy Thrall
Pictured: The Blue Wahoos’ Joel Guzman had a pair of hits and RBI in against his former team. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Samuel Dudley Copeland
May 18, 2012
Samuel Dudley Copeland, age 82 of Santa Rosa County, died on May 17, 2012. He was a lifetime resident of Santa Rosa County and deacon of New Vision Baptist Church. He was retired from the US Army where he served in Vietnam and the Korean Conflict and was a recipient of two bronze stars. He was a lifetime member of the NRA. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and brother.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Lucille Copeland; son, David Keith Copeland; sister, Jeanette Houston and brothers, Edward and Theodore (Ted) Copeland.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Wanda Copeland; daughter, Mary Copeland of Jay; sons, Sam (Susan) Copeland of Jay, Robert Copeland of Milton, Rick Copeland of Houston, TX, Danny (Dana) Copeland of Jay, and Caleb (Holly) Copeland of Jay; sister, Hortense (Horace) Sullivan and 11 grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012, from 4-6 p.m. at Jay Funeral Home. Services will begin at 6 p.m. with son, Caleb Copeland officiating services with full military honors.
Jay Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Fire Departments Respond To Reported Hwy 97 House Fire
May 17, 2012
Fire stations from across the area responded to a reported structure fire in the 9000 block of Highway 97 just before 5:00 Thursday afternoon.
A resident reported an air conditioner fire that extinguished itself when the electrical power was disconnected. The first fire units on scene reported that the fire was out upon their arrival.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid, Century and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were dispatched to the incident.
No Serious In Injuries In Hwy 29, Hwy 97 Crash In Molino
May 17, 2012
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle crash midday Thursday at Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 61-year old Shirley Peek of Pace pulled her 2006 Kia from the Tom Thumb parking lot into the path a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado pickup driven northbound on Highway 29 by 56-year old Erbie Pritchett of Century.
Both drivers refused medical treatment at the scene.
Peek was cited for violation of right of way, according to FHP.
The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blood Drive This Afternoon At Century Town Hall
May 17, 2012
Area residents will have the opportunity to give the gift of life at a blood drive this afternoon in Century.
The Bloodmobile will be at the Century Town Hall from 3-7 p.m. today.
Pictured above: The Bloodmobile will be open until 7 p.m. at the Century Town Hall. NorthEscambia.com file photo click to enlarge.
Teen Sentenced For Sexual Assault Of Young Boy
May 17, 2012
The Century teen accused of sexually abusing a 6-year old boy has been sentenced to two years behind bars.
Michael Alexander Dubose of West Highway 4, was charged with two felony counts of sexual battery on a victim under 12 and fondling a child under 12. The sexual battery charges were dropped, and Dubose was convicted on the fondling charge.
Now 18, Dubose was 17-years old when he was arrested after a male victim told investigators at the Gulf Coast Kids House that Dubose had sexual relations with him over a one year period at two different units at Century Woods Apartments. He was later transferred from the Department of Juvenile Justice to adult court.
Dubose was sentenced as a youthful offender to two years in state youthful offender/sexual offender facility, with credit for 301 days served, to be followed by four years probation. He is currently set for release on July 4, 2013, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
He was also ordered to complete sexual offender counseling while in custody and follow up with a sex offender evaluation and recommended treatment upon release.
After his arrest, Dubose himself became the victim of alleged physical abuse by his mother and the mother of the victim. Juliette Dubose was accused of “whipping” Michael Alexander Dubose with an extension cord after learning that he allegedly had sexual relations with her son. After the beating, Juliette Dubose instructed the mother of Michael Dubose, Kassedra Dubose, to also beat him with the extension cord, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
Both women pleaded to no contest to charges of cruelty toward a child. They entered into a pretrial diversion program under which charges will be dropped if they successfully complete the one year program.