One Charged, Four At Large After Attempted Home Invasion
January 2, 2013
One teenager was jailed and four more are wanted following a home invasion on Foxrun Road just north of Nine Mile Road.
The victim told deputies that four or five black males kicked in his door and fled in a silver colored Volkswagen when they realized someone was home.
Deputies located the suspect vehicle near Nine Mile Road and Chemstrand Road and confirmed it as stolen. Upon initiating a traffic stop, the driver refused to stop and a short pursuit followed. The pursuit ended when the vehicle’s occupants bailed out of the vehicle at the end of Brookmeadow Place and fled on foot.
One 15-year old was taken into custody and charged with resisting without violence, criminal mischief and unarmed burglary of an occupied residence. The teen told deputies that the four suspects that fled the scene were his former schoolmates.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Rain Chances Linger
January 2, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Cloudy. Chance of rain showers. Lows around 40. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of showers 50 percent.
- Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain. Highs in the lower 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s. North winds 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
- Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers. Highs in the lower 60s. Chance of showers 20 percent.
- Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers. Lows in the upper 30s. Chance of showers 30 percent.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s.
- Monday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 30s.
- Tuesday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s.
Congress Passes Fiscal Crisis Bill; Obama Says He’ll Sign
January 2, 2013
President Barack Obama says he will sign a bill to avert the so-called “fiscal cliff,” calling the measure one step in a broader effort to strengthen the American economy.
The Democrat-led Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill in an early morning vote Tuesday. The Republican-dominated House of Representatives passed the measure by a vote of 257 to 167 late in the day, after an unsuccessful attempt to add their own amendments to the plan.
Some conservative House members wanted to add more spending cuts to the plan, but did not have enough support among their fellow lawmakers to take such action. Aides to the Senate Democratic leadership had told reporters that chamber would not take up any bill that was amended by the House.
President Obama and congressional Republicans have sparred for more than a year over tax rates, the extent of government spending, chronic budget deficits and the country’s mounting debt.
Congressional leaders described the deal as imperfect, but in the best interest of the American people.
Under the plan, taxes would increase for individuals making more than $400,000 a year and couples earning more than $450,000, the first U.S. income tax increase in 20 years. The package also would extend unemployment benefits for a year and boost taxes on large inheritances.
The compromise delays mandated cuts to defense spending and domestic programs for two months, setting up a future battle between the parties. Analysts have said that without a compromise, the $500 billion in austerity measures could eventually plunge the U.S. economy into another recession.
Even as U.S. leaders wrangled over the tax and spending issues, they soon face a decision whether to increase the country’s borrowing limit, which hit its current $16.4 trillion cap on Monday. Officials say the country will be able to pay its bills for another two months, but by then will need to increase the debt ceiling, an action likely to spark another extended debate over Washington’s spending priorities.
[VOA]
Pictured: President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden (left), makes statement after passage of fiscal cliff bill Tuesday night. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Cold Case: 1981 Murder Remains Unsolved
January 2, 2013
It was 32 years ago on the afternoon of January 2, 1981, that 9-year old Kenneth Deshun Underwood and three companions went bird hunting in the woods near their Cantonment home. Everyone returned home that afternoon except for Underwood.
When Underwood was still not home around 6 p.m., Escambia County Search and Rescue personnel were called. The area were Underwood was last seen alive was canvassed. His body was discovered about 5:45 the next morning –apparently murdered — in an area near Booker Street.
The case remains unsolved, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help because they believe someone in our area still has information about Underwood’s death.
If you know anything about the death of Kenneth Deshun Underwood, 9, you are asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stopper at (850) 433-STOP (7867).
Pictured above: The fourth grade photo of murder victim Kenneth Deshun Underwood of Cantonment. Pictured below: The highlighted area in this map shows were the body was found. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injuries In Floral Tree Wreck
January 2, 2013
There were no serious injuries reported in this accident Tuesday afternoon on Highway 95A at Floral Tree Gardens. Reader submitted photo by Douglas Brown, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Crews Headed Home From Snowy Arkansas
January 2, 2013
A convoy of Gulf Power crews has headed home from Arkansas after working for several days to hep restore power following a storm that dropped 6-12 inches of snow and snapped trees and power lines on Christmas Day.
As many as 194,000 Entergy Arkansas customers lost power. A total of 28 line crew personnel and 15 support personnel helped with the restoration effort in the Little Rock and Hot Springs during the last several days.
This was the fifth storm restoration trip that Gulf Power crews made in the last six months. A restoration crew spent 17 days restoring power in Philadelphia and New Jersey during November after Hurricane Sandy struck.
Pictured: Gulf Power crew works to restore power near Hot Springs, Arkansas. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2012 In Photos: September
January 2, 2013
All this week, we are looking back at the photos that were in the news in 2012. Today, we are featuring photos from September.
Fire destroyed this vacant home on Booker Street in Cantonment in September.
Tonia Allen
An overturned 18-wheeler and lots of peanuts caused tens of thousands of dollars to equipment at a Century sewage lift station at Highway 29 and Jackson Street.
Hundreds of students gathered at a schools across the area, including Ernest Ward Middle School, to pray during the annual See You at the Pole event.
A Flomaton man was critically injured in this Century wreck.
Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith was shot while attempting to apprehend a suspect at this home in Flomaton.
Homecoming was held at Tate High School.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee campaigned in Escambia County for Romney-Ryan and the Republican party.
A Flomaton man was seriously injured in this crash landing in September in Mississippi.
Firefighters battled a vehicle fire on West Highway 4 near Bratt.
Students learned fire safety at Molino Park Elementary School.
A September rainbow as seen from Bogia.
A Patriot Guard rider was injured in this crash on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill.
The Northview High School cheerleaders at a Friday night game.
A September 11 memorial service was held at NAS Pensacola.
Ernest Ward Middle School opened their season with a win over Perdido.
The Northview Chiefs opened their historic state championship season with a 60-0 win over John Paul II Catholic of Tallahassee.
Florida Consumer Confidence Unchanged
January 2, 2013
Consumer confidence among Floridians was unchanged in December, down a bit from a peak in the fall, the University of Florida reported.
The UF Survey Research Center at the university’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research said conservatives who were unhappy with the November presidential election outcome generally remain gloomy about the economy, while those who supported President Obama are more upbeat.
The consumer confidence figure in December was 74, same as the revised November reading. The peak this year – which was a post-recession peak – was in September and October.
“In November there was a clear reaction to the outcome of the election with confidence among Democrats increasing and confidence among Republicans decreasing,” said center director Chris McCarty. “In December that is still true with confidence among Republicans at 49 and among Democrats at 103, about the same as November.”
Confidence was up for those under age 60 but down for those over age 60.
“This difference by age is even more pronounced when looking at expectations about personal finances a year from now,” he said.
Worry about the fiscal cliff in the federal budget remained another factor keeping confidence low, McCarty said. Floridians’ pessimism about the next year, both in perceptions of personal finances and expectations about the economy, was likely related to that.
Respondents’ expectation that personal finances will be sound a year from now dropped two points to 75, although perceptions of personal finances now compared to a year ago rose four points to 61, the survey center said. Confidence in the U.S. economy over the coming year fell six points to 73.
There was some optimism, however, about the current state of the economy in terms of whether it’s a good time to buy durable goods, such as washing machines. The confidence gauge on that question rose six points to 84.
There are several signs of economic recovery in Florida, including rising home prices and better housing sales. The state’s unemployment rate fell again in November by nearly a half a percentage point to 8.1 percent, the lowest level since the recession ended. The gap between Florida and U.S. unemployment is now only 0.4 percent.
And unlike in previous months, the November decline in Florida unemployment figures was not mainly the result of a decline in the labor force, McCarty noted. In November there was an increase in jobs and the labor force remained steady.
“Most economists believe that without the fiscal cliff the economy is on a solid path to recovery,” McCarty said.
By The News Service of Florida
Molino Home Damaged By Electrical Fire
January 1, 2013
A Molino home was damaged by fire Tuesday afternoon.
The fire was reported about 3:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Ayers Street. The laundry room fire was quickly extinguished by responding firefighters. The cause of the fire was believed to be electrical.
There were no injuries reported.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Perry Buckhault
January 1, 2013
Mr. Perry Buckhault, 59, passed away on Saturday, December 22, 2012, in Canoe.
Mr. Buckhault was a native of Brewton and a former resident of Flomaton and Brewton and resided in Canoe. Mr. Buckhault was a fisherman, hunter, truck driver and worked in paper wooding. He attended the Holy Ground Church in Flomaton. His parents, Jesse and Mildred Buckhault; one brother, Jerry Buckhault; and two sisters, Janice Marie Brunson and Carolynn Jane Martin precede him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Idamae Buckhault of Canoe; three sons, Jesse Jenks Buckhault of Atmore, James Montgomery (Monica) Buckhault of Atmore, and Perry Joe (Mindy) Buckhault of Atmore; one daughter, Michelle Bible of Atmore; one sister, Audrey Neal Maddox of Little River and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services were Monday, December 31, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Carl Wilson officiating.
Burial was at the Magnolia Cemetery.
Pallbearers were James Buckhault, Jesse Buckhault, Leonard Conway, Jammie King, James Maddox and Phillip Maddox.
Honorary pallbearers were Todd Bodiford and Virgil Hadley.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC in charge of arrangements.