Baseball: Tate Improves To 6-0 With Navarre Shutout
March 10, 2012
The Tate Aggies perfect season continued Friday night with a 3-0 shutout of the Navarre Raiders.
The Aggies Freshment also beat Navarre, 14-2.
Tate will host Ackerman, MS, on Tuesday, with the varsity playing at 7:00.
Death Penalty Recommended In 9 Mile Road Restaurant Murder
March 10, 2012
An Escambia County jury has recommended that Timothy Lee Hurst receive the death penalty for a murder 14 years ago at a 9 Mile Road restaurant.
The jury voted 7 to 5 in favor of death for Hurst. His conviction was upheld by the Florida Supreme Court which remanded the case back before the trial Court to conduct a new penalty phase.
Hurst was convicted in 2000 for the murder of Cynthia Harrison inside the Nine Mile Road Popeye’s Restaurant on May 2, 1998. Hurst, who was then an employee at Popeye’s, stabbed Assistant Manager Cynthia Harrison approximately 60 times and placed her body in the restaurant’s freezer.
Man Charged With Neglecting Horses
March 10, 2012
A Santa Rosa County man is jailed on multiple animal abuse charges after deputies say allegedly neglected nearly a dozen horses.
Cordderryl Lee Pittman, 24, allegedly kept the horses on a property near the Blackwater State Forest without adequate food or water. The horses were removed the property, and Pittman was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail on the animal abuse charges. He remained in jail early Saturday; he’s being held without bond on a violation of probation charge.
Pictured: Two of the horses that the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office said were being kept without adequate food or water. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ex-Escambia Coach Convicted
March 10, 2012
An ex-Escambia High School coach was convicted Friday of one count of harassing or attempting to harass a witness, victim or informant.
Scott Anderson, who was the head football coach at Escambia High School, did try to influence or dissuade a football player from pursuing criminal charges against another teammate by
having an assistant coach tell the victim that if he were to continue pursuing charges he would be kicked off the football team, according to court testimony.
Judge Thomas Dannheisser scheduled a hearing for the court to make a determination on the defense’s motion for a judgment of acquittal on March 21, 2012. The defendant will also be sentenced on March 21, 2012 if the judge denies the motion filed by the defense.
The investigation and arrest were conducted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Northview Students Go Orange And Blue For Tommy Weaver
March 10, 2012
Students and faculty at Northview High School dressed in Auburn clothing Friday in memory of coach and teacher Tommy Weaver who passed away Wednesday. Weaver was a huge Auburn Tiger fan.
Funeral services for Tommy Weaver, 61, were held Saturday.
Northview High School will be setting up a scholarship fund in memory of Tommy Weaver. In lieu of flowers, donations can be mailed to the attention of Mr. Perry Byars at:
Northview High School
4100 W. Hwy 4
Bratt, FL 32535
Picture above and below (scroll down for multiple photos): Students and staff at Northview High School wore Auburn clothing in honor the late Tommy Weaver on Friday. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
All Those Weeds In Your Yard Now Mean Many More Next Year
March 10, 2012
The spring equinox signals the transition from winter to spring. Temperatures along the Gulf Coast this time of year are also transitioning. We will experience increasing periods of warm weather, but we are still likely to have at least one more cold snap.
Landscapes are also in a transitional period. Lawns are slowly coming out of dormancy. Bulbs are poking their heads out of the ground to enjoy the sun. Even the insects are beginning to move about. Gardeners who are finding their way outdoors are shocked to see more weeds than they imagined.
Most of the weeds you see now are what we term winter annuals. They grow annually from seed during the fall through early spring. Many of these weeds (henbit, annual bluegrass, chickweed, etc.) will eventually die when the temperatures finally warm up for the season.
Winter weeds are now flowering heavily which is why you see the bright purples, yellows, and whites in the landscape. Since they are flowering and are in a reproductive stage, they will soon be completing their life cycles and dying. Spraying them at this time with a weed killer (herbicide) to try to control them is of little value.
However, if something is not done to remove the weed seeds being produced by these winter annuals, expect a bigger weed patch next year. Remember the old saying, “One year’s weed–seven years’ seed.”
One guaranteed way of getting rid of the weed seeds is hand removal. When you have a small number of weeds, physical removal is your best option. Just remember not to shake the plant to remove the dirt; you’ll likely be shaking off some weed seeds also.
Mowing the lawn and collecting your clippings will also remove some of the seedhead canopy. If you can do this prior to the seeds maturing, it will help reduce next fall’s seed source.
Vow to use a pre-emergent herbicide to help prevent winter weeds. For pre-emergent control of winter annual weeds, apply a herbicide when nighttime temperatures drop to 55° to 60°F for several consecutive days. So mark your calendars now to apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early October in North Florida.
Next, vow to apply postemergent herbicides earlier in the winter when these young weeds are small and actively growing. Don’t wait until March to try to control winter weeds, it’s just too late.
As winter weeds begin to die off, they will create some additional problems. Their death will leave bare patches in the lawn. Unfortunately, a barren spot means that the summer weeds, such as crabgrass, spurge, and chamberbitter will probably start filling in the area. It’s best to try to repair these areas as soon as possible with sod, plugs or sprigs.
In additional to winter annual weeds, we have to contend with perennial weeds. Perennial weeds live for multiple seasons and flower more than once. Perennial structures, such as rhizomes, stolons, nutlets, or roots, survive from year to year. Perennial weeds are not effectively controlled with pre-emergent products.
There are a few perennial winter weeds that you may want to control now such as wild garlic, dandelions, clover, and plantains. Several postemergent herbicides can be used to spot treat these perennials. Contact your local Extension Service for more specific recommendations.
As always, be sure to thoroughly read and follow label directions when applying any chemical in the landscape.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Fire That Shutdown I-10 Linked To Meth Lab Gone Wrong
March 10, 2012
Authorities believe a fire earlier this week that shutdown I-10 across Escambia Bay and snarled Pensacola area traffic was caused by a meth lab.
The Florida Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement said Friday that officers searched the area where the fire originated and found evidence linked to the one-pot — or “shake and bake” — method of producing methamphetamine.
While the exact cause is not certain, based upon what was found at the scene – melted plastic bottles and other items used to make meth – investigators suspect it was a malfunction of a shaker bottle that started the fire.
The fire ultimately consumed about 98 acres plus a 10 acre fire on an island that was sparked by embers from the first fire.
Major Billy R. Lee
March 10, 2012
Major Billy R. Lee, Florida Highway Patrol retired, age 67 of Lake City, died Friday, March 9, 2012 at Suwannee Valley Care Center.
A native of Pineville, Billy was the son of the late Bill W. and Mattie Reid Lee, and was raised in Davisville. Billy retired as the Major of Troop B in Lake City from the Florida Highway Patrol after 37 years of service. He graduated from Troy State University and The University of Alabama with a masters degree in criminal justice. He coached Little League baseball, played Police Olympics basketball, softball, and table tennis, was a deacon at First Baptist Church, and was a member of the Gideons.
Billy was preceded in death by his sister and brother.
Major Lee is survived by his wife of 47 years, Linda Lee of Lake City; two sons, Jeff Lee (Jennifer) of Elba, AL, and Jason Lee of Yulee, FL; brother, Sam Lee of Atmore; five grandchildren, Jaxson Lee, J.D. Lee, and Jace Lee all of Elba, AL, and Andrew Lee and Matthew Lee of Yulee, FL; mother in law, Essie Coleman of Century; numerous nieces and nephews also survive.
Funeral services for Major Lee will be conducted at First Baptist Church in Lake City on Sunday, March 11, 2012 at 2 p.m. with Corporal Mike Strickland officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Lake City. Visitation with the family will be held from 5:00-7:00 Saturday evening at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Lake City. Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to First Baptist Church, 182 NE Justice Street, Lake City, FL 32055.
Arrangements are under the direction of Gateway-Forest Lawn Funeral Home.
In Lieu Of Flowers: NHS Setting Up Tommy Weaver Scholarship Fund
March 9, 2012
Northview High School will be setting up a scholarship fund in memory of Mr. Tommy Weaver, DCT/Ag instructor and assistant coach. If anyone wishes to make a donation in lieu of flowers, they can mail the donation to the attention of Mr. Perry Byars, ag instructor. The mailing address is as follows:
Northview High School
4100 W. Hwy 4
Bratt, FL 32535
Cooler Tonight, Sunny Saturday
March 9, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 70. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 57. East wind around 5 mph.
- Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. South wind between 5 and 15 mph.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
- Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.
- Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78.