Lady Chiefs Beat Freeport (With Photo Gallery)
April 3, 2012
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat the Freeport Bulldogs 9-5 Monday afternoon in Bratt.
The Lady Chiefs will be in action against Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Pensacola against Catholic High School.
Pictured top: Madison Arrington bunts for the Chiefs Monday afternoon against Freeport. Pictured below: Action as Northview hosted Freeport Monday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Varsity Downs Northview; Junior Varsity Teams Tie
April 3, 2012
The Northview Chiefs traveled to Hurricane Park Monday afternoon to take on Flomaton High School.
In junior varsity action, Northview and Flomaton tied 3-3, while in varsity action the Hurricanes defeated Northview 5-4.
The varsity Northview Chiefs will travel to Chipley on Thursday.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Action as Northview traveled to Flomaton Monday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos by Taylor Rigby, click to enlarge.
Part 2: Inside Century Correctional Institution
April 3, 2012
Today, we continue our exclusive look inside the Century Correctional Institution with look inside the chapel and medical facility. Our series will continue tomorrow as we look at how 1,400 inmates are fed and take a look at the one room inmates hope will mean an early release.
The chapel is as nondescript as the other buildings in the compound. Unlike most churches when viewed from the outside, there’s nothing ornate and no religious symbols. Just a simple “Chapel” over the door and the number “10617032″ in one corner — the state’s building number.
The inside of the chapel appears a lot like any small country church — wooden pews, a mural of a river flowing from down from the hills. But still no religious symbols — no crosses, no Star of David, no Menorah. That’s because the State of Florida recognizes over 100 different religions, any one of which can be practiced in the chapel. Christian, Jewish and Islamic services are common in the non-denominational chapel.
There’s a small room for a fellowship hall or meetings with a small kitchen. It’s used by faith based groups that may serve coffee or light food, or for the preparation of foods called for in specific religious practices.
The nearby medical facility is a doctor’s office, dentist and urgent care clinic rolled into one. Inmates line benches in the waiting room, facing windows away from the front desk. They sit quietly, no television and no magazines. There’s a dentist on staff. There’s always at least an LPN or RN present, allowing CCI to operate an infirmary. Inmates that are transported to a hospital for services not provided are able to return to the infirmary for recovery.
Heading to the clinic is not an easy out from a prisoner’s cell — there’s a copay from their prison accounts unless it’s a medical emergency. Century CI houses and cares for inmates up to medical grade 3 and psych grade 2. That means no wheelchairs and no inmates on continuous psychiatric drugs (those inmates are transferred to the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution).
For Part 1 of this series from Monday, click here.
Our series “Inside Century Correctional Institution” continues tomorrow on NorthEscambia.com.
Picture top two photos: Outside and inside the non-denominational chapel at Century Correctional Institution. Picture bottom inset: An exam room in the prison’s clinic. Pictured below: The medical facility that services up to 1,400 inmates at Century CI. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Police: School Kidnapping Attempt Was A Lie
April 3, 2012
The attempted kidnapping of a child on her way to an Escambia County elementary school last week never happened.
An elementary school student admitted to Pensacola Police Department detectives Monday that she fabricated an attempted kidnapping report last week.
“We have consulted with the State Attorney’s Office and agreed that no criminal charges will be filed on the student,” said Chief Chip W. Simmons, adding that the matter will be handled by the Escambia County School District.
The 10-year-old Scenic Heights Elementary School student told a teacher she was walking to school Friday when a man in a green minivan tried to abduct her by talking with her
and offering her candy and toys.
Lawyer: Century Can’t De-Annex Resident Claiming Slavery, Discrimination
April 3, 2012
The Town of Century can’t de-annex the property of a woman that claims she is the victim of slavery and discrimination based upon the town limits drawn 33 years ago.
Leola Robinson, a resident of of 350 West Highway 4, claimed at a late March Century Town Council meeting that her nearby “farm” was wrongly annexed into the town back in 1979 when other farmland belonging to white property owners was not.
“It is slavery and discrimination,” Robinson told the council on March 19. “It must be because I am black.”
Matt Dannheisser, the town’s attorney, said Monday night that Robinson’s property cannot be removed from the town limits because it would leave other parcels of property non-contiguous — essentially cut off from the town.
Robinson alleged discrimination again at Monday’s night meeting of the Century Town Council.
“I don’t think they were fair,” Robinson said of the town limits drawn in 1979. “They were discrimination to me.” Robinson is continuing to ask Century to remove her property from the town limits.
“Right now, it’s not legal,” council President Ann Brooks said Monday night.
The council has taken no action on Robinson’s request.
Pictured: Leola Robinson claims that her property was wrongly annexed into the Town of Century 33 years ago. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Defeats Atmore Christian
April 3, 2012
Escambia Academy defeated Atmore Christian 13-0 in five innings Monday.
ACS will travel to Bonifay Saturday to take on Gateway Academy, while Escambia Academy will travel to Jackson on Tuesday.
Pictured: Action as Escambia Academy defeated Atmore Christian Monday. Submitted photos by Katie Findley for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Respond To Apartment Fire; No Major Damage
April 3, 2012
Firefighters responded to a reported apartment fire in Atmore Tuesday morning.
The fire at McRae Apartments was mostly confined to a kitchen stove upstairs in the “D” building. Firefighters reported light smoke showing from the apartment as they arrived on scene about 7:30 a.m.
There were no injuries report.
Pictured top: Firefighters responded to a reported kitchen fire at McRae Apartments in Atmore Tuesday morning. Pictured left: The stove was removed from the upstairs apartment. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Burglary Suspect Dies After Being Caught In Cantonment Home
April 2, 2012
A burglary suspect died early Monday morning after being caught by deputies inside a Cantonment home.
Just after midnight, deputies responded to the 100 block of Robinson Street after receiving several calls about a man breaking into houses and acting irrationally. At 124 Robinson Street, deputies found 33-year old Tracy Deshawn Lett on the floor after breaking into the home, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
“Lett met the description that was given to deputies by witnesses. Deputies restrained Lett after he did not comply with deputy’s commands to place his hands behind his back,” according to a sheriff’s office release.
Moments later, Lett showed signs of being in medical distress. He was immediately unrestrained and requested EMS. Lett then stopped breathing and deputies began to administer CPR. After EMS arrived on scene, Lett was taken by LifeFlight to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Sheriff’s investigators are awaiting autopsy results from the Medical Examiner’s Office. Further details have not been released.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Inside Century Correctional Institution
April 2, 2012
Today, we begin our exclusive look inside the Century Correctional Institution with a trip through security and a look at what’s behind the fence. Our series will continue tomorrow with a trip inside the medical unit, the chapel and and more.
No weapons, no drugs. Must have a picture ID. Subject to search. No cell phones, no cameras. No Blackberrys.
No Blackberry? That one seemed a little harsh and hard to swallow. I live with my Blackberry in running NorthEscambia.com — always figured the paramedics would pry it from my hands one day.
Otherwise the briefing on entering the Century Correctional Institution seemed simple enough. The same rules apply to family visiting prisoners on the weekends, but we were getting the all-access pass, far beyond the visitation room and yard.
We were told the “no camera” rule did not apply to us — Tallahassee had pre-approved NorthEscambia.com for the tour. But no photos of locks, guard control rooms or anything else related to security. And no photos that showed the identifiable faces of a prisoner. Seems that the state’s rules say prisoners have a right to privacy behind bars unless they sign a photo release.
“The prisoners will not interact with you,” Col. Joseph Schwarz said before the tour. They are much like children in an elementary school room, he added, often gawking at the strange visitor.
Schwarz is in charge of keeping the prisoners in and the rest of the world out as security boss. A commanding voice, with a bit of an accent, he seemed fit to play himself in a movie giving orders and watching over a Southern prison chain gang.
Standing under the razor wire that surrounds the 40-acre CCI campus, the barbs glistening in the sun look like enough deterrent to keep one on the proper side of the fence.
Then it was through the gate into the sallyport. The gate must close behind those entering before one in front opens. There was no slamming sound like the movies. If you are headed into CCI to begin your life sentence, you’ll miss the gate slamming closed sound that momma warned you about. Just the sound of a chain link fence gate closing. And an electrical hum as a lock is opened and closed from a control room. Still, it’s hard to imagine what the feeling would be like headed in for 10, 20 years or even life.
“They are armed with three different types of weapons,” Schwarz said, motioning with his eyes up toward the guard tower. One of the weapons is a shotgun. Aim is not terribly important with a shotgun…not terribly hard to hit the guy trying to get over the fence.
Standing in the small sallyport, it very much feels and looks the typical preconceived idea of a prison. Surrounding by fence and razor wire — and let’s not forget the guy watching with a shotgun — it feels like the outside is already a world away.
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Stepping through the second gate is a bit of a surprise. A two-lane road, bright freshly painted yellow lines in the middle and sides. Staff walks down the middle, while prisoners must walk outside the yellow lines on the “shoulder”. The grass is freshly trimmed, flowers beds are neat and plentiful around the buildings lining the road.
The flower beds — filled with fresh mulch, pansies, petunias and other little flowering plants like grandma would plant — are everywhere around the sidewalks along neatly painted buildings.
Library. Chapel. Security. — neat, hand lettered signs are above the doors of each building. A “Town of Century” water tower close behind the buildings. It really looks more like small town USA than a prison. If you overlook the bars on the windows. Especially on the Chapel.
But at the far end of CCI small town, USA, there’s another fence, razor wire and another guard tower. Beyond those are the dorms — the home of up to 1,400 inmates.
Our series “Inside Century Correctional Institution” continues tomorrow on NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured: Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Traffic Restrictions On Highway 29 At Muscogee And I-10
April 2, 2012
There will be traffic delays in two different areas along Highway 29 overnight Tuesday through Thursday.
Southbound traffic on U.S. 29 at Muscogee Road and at the I-10 overpass in Escambia County will encounter overnight lane restrictions Tuesday through Thursday between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. as Transfield Services performs routine maintenance.
Drivers are reminded to pay attention to the speed limit when traveling through the construction area, and to use caution, especially at night when driving in work zones, according to the Florida Department of Transporation.