Ask Us: What Happened At International Paper?
November 15, 2012
Numerous readers contacted NorthEscambia.com over the past couple of days wanting to know what happened at International Paper in Cantonment. For the first time that many could remember (“In 45 years, I’ve never seen that,” wrote one reader), the Cantonment paper mill stood silent and dark with no steam rising skyward.
It was all part of a “cold shutdown”, said Janice Holmes, communications manager for IP. The planned event allowed for maintenance work to be conducted in the facility.
Pictured: International Paper in Cantonment sites idle late Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Perdido Gators Win Troy Tournament
November 15, 2012
The Perdido Gators 16U/High School Softball Exposure Team traveled to Troy recently winning a Troy University softball team camp/tournament. The Gators were undefeated throughout the Spookfest Tournament, including a game against an area community college.
The Perdido Gators 16U Exposure Team consists of girls from area schools including Northview, Jay, Tate, West Florida Tech, Pensacola Christian, Gulf Breeze and Navarre.
Members of the Perdido Gators 16U Exposure Team are (front L-R) Sara Spears, Lauren Brennan, Kristin Gunter, & Michaela Stewart, (back) Callan Taylor, Sydney Ezelle, Ali Cutaio, Mallory Ryan and Angel LathanC oaches are Jeff Cutaio, Greg Spears, Eddie Ryan and Tracy Ezell. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Resident César González Becomes U.S. Citizen
November 15, 2012
Century resident César González is one of America’s newest citizens. He was one of 83 people to take the citizenship oath recently at the federal courthouse in Pensacola.
César is a native of Colombia, South America, and has been in the United States for nine years. He and his wife, Century Town Clerk Leslie Gonzalez, moved to Century in 2010.
His path to citizenship took seven years. César was already a permanent resident, so the only tangible benefit he received with his citizenship was the right to vote.
Pictured top: New American citizen César González (holding certificate) took the oath of citizenship recently at the federal courthouse in Pensacola. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Deadline For Conservation Assistance And Funding Is Friday
November 15, 2012
The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida is encouraging landowners, farmers and producers to visit their local NRCS office by Friday to receive more information and apply for conservation technical assistance and possible cost share opportunities.
The application process for 2008 Farm Bill conservation programs is continuous, but funding selections are typically made once a year. The Florida NRCS application cutoff date for consideration for Federal Fiscal Year 2013 funds is Friday, November 16.
“Applications received after that date will be considered for future funding periods,” said State Conservationist Carlos Suarez. “We’re urging producers to contact their local service center as soon as possible to be considered for this year’s funding.”
NRCS works with landowners through conservation planning and assistance designed to benefit the soil, water, air, plants, and animals that result in productive lands and healthy ecosystems.
Cost share funding may be available to eligible applicants for the following Farm Bill programs:
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who face threats to soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Through EQIP, NRCS develops contracts with agricultural producers to voluntarily implement conservation practices. Persons engaged in livestock or agricultural production and owners of non-industrial private forestland are eligible for the program. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland, and other farm or ranch lands.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for developing or improving high quality habitat that supports fish and wildlife populations of National, State, Tribal, and local significance. Through WHIP, the NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to eligible private and Tribal landowners for the development of upland, wetland, aquatic, and other types of wildlife habitat.
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is available on Tribal and private agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest land. CSP encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities; and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.
NRCS encourages interested parties to visit with their staff as soon as possible. Applicants who apply early have more time to resolve any program or land eligibility issues, officials said.
The Escambia County Field Office is located at 151 Highway 97 in Molino (in the Escambia County Farm Bureau Building) For more information, call (850) 587-5404 ext 3, or visit www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov.
Scott, Democrats Call For Florida Election Reform
November 15, 2012
Criticized again for the state’s election year performance, Gov Rick Scott on Wednesday ordered his top election official to review the way Florida counts votes.
Embarrassed again by long lines, and the inability of a handful of counties to tally up the vote quickly, Scott also urged lawmakers to tap local supervisors of elections for a thorough review of regulations and procedures.
“Florida’s election supervisors are experts in their fields and many of them demonstrated tremendous expertise in running their elections,” Scott said in a statement. “We want to hear their ideas.”
Scott singled out long lines and botched procedures in Miami Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Counties, in particular. The governor’s top elections official, Secretary of State Ken Detzner was meeting Wednesday with some county elections supervisors, but the discussion was closed to the public and press.
Scott’s comments came as Democrats announced proposals for legislation aimed at making elections smoother.
Rep. Daryl Rouson, D- St. Petersburg, called for additional early voting at a news conference where he was joined by former Gov. Charlie Crist, who relaxed voter registration requirements during his tenure and has emerged during the recently concluded presidential campaign as a potential Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2014. Crist supported Obama in the presidential election.
Rouson’s bill, which has yet to be filed, would restore to 14 days the early voting period that was reduced to eight for the 2012 election. The proposal would eliminate restrictions and allow non-government buildings to be used for early voting efforts. It would also restore voting on the Sunday before Election Day, a weekend traditionally used by churches to get out the vote.
Rouson also called on lawmakers to repeal registration restrictions put in place by the Republican-led Legislature last year. Many of those have already been thrown out by the courts.
“The effectiveness and fairness of the laws governing our elections have been brought into question by the past election,: Rouson said in a statement. “Our Legislature should not be a prisoner to its own laws.”
Despite the fact that Republican leaders supported the 2011 law that put in place many of the changes the Democrats allege led to long lines and confusion, incoming House Speaker Will Weatherford joined Scott in saying that a review of current voting procedures is needed.
Weatherford said any revision should not be made until after a thorough review is completed regarding what went wrong in 2012 and what changes should be made.
“It’s not a good thing when it’s Friday, three days after the election, and every state in the country is either red or blue, (but) there is one that is yellow because they haven’t counted the votes,” Weatherford said this week. “That is something we should be embarrassed by.”
Democrats, who fought most of the changes passed in 2011, also believe the next “fix” should come only after thoughtful consideration, said Mark Hollis, spokesman for House Democrats.
“Our members by and large would agree with Speaker Weatherford on that,” Hollis said.
By The News Service of Florida
Man Found Dead In Street
November 14, 2012
An overnight shooting in Escambia County is under investigation.
The victim was found dead in the street about 1:15 a.m. in the 100 block of Aquamarine Avenue in the Mayfair community. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said late Wednesday morning that they have not been able to determine the Hispanic male’s identity. Investigators are also working to develop a suspect and a motive for the shooting.
The Sheriff’s Office said the official cause of death will be determined by an autopsy.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Lottery Store Murder Suspect Won’t Waive Extradition; Court Date For Other Suspect
November 14, 2012
One suspect in the murder of a Davisville lottery store owner remains in an Alabama jail a week after his arrest, while the second suspect is due in a Florida courtroom later this month.
Malcolm Troy McGhee, Jr., 24, was arrested during the early morning hours of November 7 in Escambia County, Alabama, and booked into the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton. Authorities said Tuesday McGhee refused to waive extradition — meaning that a hearing will have to be held in Alabama before he can be returned to Escambia County, Florida, to face a murder charge. McGhee remains in the Brewton jail on a fugitive from justice warrant from Escambia County, Florida.
Brent Dewayne Lambeth, age 20 of Atmore, was arrested the afternoon of November 7 by a U.S. Marshals Task Force at or near a trailer in a wooded area on Sandy Hollow Road near Walnut Hill. He is being held in the Escambia County (Fla.) Jail without bond. Lambeth has been declared indigent by the court and will be appointed a public defender. He is due to appear in court November 29 for an arraignment hearing before Judge Ross Goodman, according to court records.
Both men are facing charges of murder and robbery with a firearm.
The longtime owner of the State Line O’ Yes Lotto on Highway 97 in Davisville, 74-year old Thomas “Tommy” Kroll was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire during a robbery about 1:30 p.m. on November 6.
Investigators said they received information from confidential sources that led to the arrests. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Kroll’s business was specifically targeted by Lambeth and McGhee because of previous purchases of “Spice” and that the duo “intended on robbing the store of more Spice that day”.
For a photo gallery from the murder scene, click here.
Pictured top: The owner of the State Line O’ Yes Lotto on Highway 97 was killed during an exchange of gunfire on November 6. Pictured below: Suspect Brent Dewayne Lambeth, was taken into custody at or near this mobile home on Sandy Hollow Road in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Charged In Crash That Killed Motorcyclist Marine
November 14, 2012
An Escambia County woman was arrested Tuesday in connection with a September traffic crash that caused the death of a local Marine.
Matthew Walter Vaughn, age 27 of Pensacola, died from injuries he received when he was struck on Mobile Highway near Wabash Avenue about 3:30 p.m. on September 11.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 54-year old Mary Ellen Smith of Pensacola was traveling south in the southbound turn lane on Mobile Highway near Walmart when she turned her 1992 Chevrolet S10 pickup into the path of Vaughn’s northbound motorcycle. Vaughn tried to avoid the collision but slid into the side of the pickup and was ejected.
Smith was booked into the Escambia County Jail on a felony charge of operating a motor vehicle in the State of Florida without a driver’s license involving a death. She was also cited for violation of right of way left turn with approaching traffic, according to the FHP. She was released from jail on a $15,000 bond.
Smith and her five-year old passenger were not injured in the traffic crash.
Poarch Creek Dancers To Present Century Library Program
November 14, 2012
The Century Branch Library will present a special program Thursday afternoon in conjunction with the Poarch Creek Indians.
At 4 p.m., children will have the opportunity to see a real horse with symbols painted on it, and the children will learn what the symbols represent. At 4:30 p.m., the Poarch Creek dancers will perform.
The Century Branch Library is located at 7991 North Century Boulevard. For more information, call (850) 256-6217.
Extreme Sports: Local Athlete Competes In Spartan Race
November 14, 2012
Most athletes welcome a good challenge, but sometimes hardcore athletes want to go a little more extreme.
Jay High School junior Eddie Agrait recently competed in the Gulf Coast Spartan Sprint Race in Perkinston, Mississippi. Considered one of the toughest of all organized obstacle race courses, Agrait finished in the top one percent of competitors for his age and gender. Beating over 2,300 other athletes it was a learning experience for him.
“The first Spartan race helped me learn how to train to compete in these kinds of races. I wanted to do more than a race. I wanted to do something that would test my strength and speed,” Agrait said after the event.
Spartan Races are coordinated by parent company Peak Races throughout the U.S. other countries. Spartan Races are designed by the military. Participants confront obstacles ranging from extreme to absurd that gain their inspiration from different sources such as Navy Seal training and American Gladiators. ESPN describes the Spartan Race as “a true test of will”.
Agrait hopes to compete in future Spartan Races throughout the country and develop his overall athletic skills in strength, power, speed, and endurance.