Bicyclist Seriously Injured In Hwy 297A, Pine Cone Drive Accident
November 9, 2013
A bicyclist was seriously injured late Friday afternoon after being hit by a vehicle at Highway 297A and Pine Cone Drive.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 56-year old Dennis Michael Walker of Pace was on the shoulder of Highway 297A when pulled his bicycle into the path of a 2001 Nissan Frontier driven by 54-year old Thomas H. Fulgham of Pensacola.
Walker was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition following the 4:50 p.m. crash. Fulgham was not injured.
No charges were filed in the crash.
Tate Ends Best Season In 10 Years With Win Over The Escambia Gators
November 9, 2013
The Tate Aggies ended their comeback season at 8-2 — their best record in a decade — with a 45-34 win over the Escambia Gators Friday night at Emmitt Smith Field.
The Gators were on the board first, with the Aggies scoring on a 41-yard field goal from Dylan Mancuso with 4:07 to go in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Tate scored with a 57-yard pass from Sawyer Smith to Tay Samuel and a 3-yard run from Samuel just before the half.
In the third quarter, Tate scored on a 4-yard pass from Smith to Alonte Thompson and an 11-yard run from Brian Davis. In the forth, the Aggies scored on a 69-yard pass from Smith to Shane Tindell and a 3-yard keeper from Smith in the final seconds.
The Aggies, under first year head coach Ronnie Douglas, will hit the road for Tallahassee next Friday night in round one of the state 7A football playoff series. The Aggies (8-2, 1-1) will face Lincoln (6-4, 2-0).
Crude Oil Train Bound For Walnut Hill Derails, Explodes In Alabama
November 9, 2013
A 90-car crude oil train bound for Walnut Hill derailed and exploded in rural Pickens County, Ala., west of Tuscaloosa on Friday. Three tank cars exploded and at least 11 of the rail cars were burning after the accident.
Authorities planned to let the cars burn themselves out. In all, about 25 rail cars full of North Dakota crude oil derailed.
The incident involved an Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway train owned by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. The train was headed south to the Genesis Energy owned Walnut Hill Crude Oil Rail Unloading Facility on Arthur Brown Road. [Click here for more about the facility.]
Genesis does not own the railway or the train that derailed.
Pictured: A portion of a crude oil train that did not derail after an explosive accident in northern Alabama on Friday. Courtesy Alabama EMA for NorthEscambia.com. Pictured inset: The train was headed to the Genesis Energy terminal in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Shutout For the Chiefs
November 9, 2013
The defending 1-A state champion Northview Chiefs suffered a 31-0 shutout Friday night at the hands of the top-ranked 1A Blountstown Tigers. It was the sixth shutout win of the season for Blountstown.
The Chiefs managed just 99 yards while allowing over 250 rushing yards by the Tigers. Ladarius Thomas had 52 yards for the Chiefs, while quarterback Dalton Tullis completed 7 of 18 passes for just 20 yards.
The Northview Chiefs, as District 1-1A runner-ups, begin week one of the playoffs Friday night on the road against Vernon. The Chiefs finished their regular season at 3-6, 2-1 overall, while Vernon’s record stands at 7-3, 4-0 in district play. If the Chiefs advance to round two of the playoffs, they will face the winner of Friday night’s Baker-Cottondale game.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Local Bluegrass Artist Working on First Album: Free Concert Tonight
November 9, 2013
A local bluegrass artist is working on her first solo album release.
Amanda Cook has been with the group High Cotton for seven years now, frequently performing at local venues like the monthly Barrineau Park Music Night. And now she’s ready for her own album, heading to Nashville in January to finish recording the vocals. The album is a mix of contemporary and traditional bluegrass.
Cook said her love of bluegrass came from Mile Blanton, her dad and another member of High Cotton.
“It’s in my blood so to speak. He’s played bluegrass for most of my life. Bluegrass music is my pick of genre because of the legacy and tradition of the music. Acoustic music just goes to the soul. You feel every vibration of sound and with that emotions are carried much further,” she said.
The first single from the album will likely be “One Stop Along the Road”, she said.
“It’s in perspective of a woman loving a restless world traveling man and being one stop along his road. She loves him and offers to be there whenever he passes through her town and then in the end she asks him to take her along,” Cook said.
The album is expected to be released in April of next year as both a CD and as a digital download on iTunes.
“My love of music has spanned my lifetime. I’ve always loved to sing. Now that I play three different instruments (mandolin, bass and guitar) and am part of a band is just the ultimate thrill,” Cook said. “My decision to go forward with a solo project was one of determination. I want to be able to at least say that I tried to put myself out there and maybe, hopefully be able to do what I love as a career.”
A benefit to help Cook fund her album was held Saturdaynight at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
Friday Night Finals
November 9, 2013
Here’s a look at Friday night finals from across the area:
Blountstown 31, Northview 0 [Read more...]
Tate 45, Escambia 34 [Read more...]
Jay 33, Maclay 30 [Read more...]
West Florida 37, Washington 13
Crestview 42, Pensacola High 32
Navarre 34, Gulf Breeze 24
Choctaw 27, Florida High 26
Baker 42, South Walton 33
T.R. Miller 54, American Christian 28
Escambia Academy, Tuscaloosa Academy 41-27
Deputies Seek Molino Burglary Suspect
November 9, 2013
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man wanted in connection with an armed burglary in Molino.
Garland David McKenzie II, 20, is wanted for an October 17 burglary in the 200 block of Oreo Drive. During the burglary, currency, jewelry and electronics were stolen.
The Sheriff’s Office has not said if McKenzie is suspected in two October 10 Molino burglaries that they termed “significant”. One burglary occurred in the 600 block of Brickton Road and another the same day in the 6000 block of Brickyard Road. Electronics and a significant amount of valuables were stolen in both incidents.
Anyone having information as to the whereabouts of Garland David McKenzie II or any of the Molino area burglaries is asked to contact Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators at (850) 436-9580 or (850) 436-9620.
Jay Finishes With Winning Season
November 9, 2013
The Jay Royals ignited in the second half Friday night for a 33-30 win over Tallahassee Maclay at Merle North Stadium in Jay.
The Royals were down 21-0 at the half, and then 24-7 in the fourth before their rally. The win gave the Royals (6-4) their first wining season since 2008.
For a bonus photo gallery, click here.
Photo by Michele Gibbs for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Volunteers Seek Donations Today To Help Feral Cats At Molino Store
November 9, 2013
The Junior Humane Society will be raising funds today to spay a neuter a feral cat colony that lives behind the Dollar General in Molino.
Volunteers will be collecting donations from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Jimmy’s Grill, next door to the Dollar General on Highway 29 near Molino Road. Junior Humane Society volunteer Ashley Sui estimates there are at least a dozen of the feral cats.
“The kittens can be socialized and adopted out but the older cats are completely feral so we are trapping, spaying or neutering and releasing them back to the location where we trapped them,” she said. ” We just have to get them to stop reproducing.”
Pictured: Feral cats outside the Molino Dollar General. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Takeout Drops Citizens Insurance To About 1 Million Policies
November 9, 2013
The 30-day clock is ticking for 160,683 property insurance policy holders to decide if they want to remain with new private carriers or return to the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
The number of policies that has been shifted out of Citizens is far fewer than initially anticipated when what is known as a “depopulation” effort began this summer. Still, the depopulation effort is moving Citizens closer to dropping below the 1 million customer mark for the first time since mid-2006.
“We’re moving in the right direction, heading back to that carrier of the last resort,” Christine Ashburn, Citizens’ director of legislative and external affairs, told members of the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee on Tuesday. “We’re really starting to head back to that pre ’04, ’05 Citizens.”
Citizens had 1.22 million policies as of Sept. 30.
The agency expects another 70,000 policies to be shifted to private carriers in December. Also, the state Office of Insurance Regulation in January could approve about 100,000 more policies for further takeout, Ashburn said.
The goal of the depopulation effort, as well as a legislatively approved insurance clearinghouse, is to direct what are expected to be many of the least-risky policies into the private market and to restore for Citizens the status of insurer of last resort. Ashburn said an ideal number of policies for Citizens is around 727,000.
“That would really put us back to older homes, lower value homes, the markets that are more the niche market, mobile homes in Florida,” she said.
Still, the effort is going a little slower than anticipated.
The November takeout total of 160,683 policies is far below the 390,897 that had been approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation in August.
The private companies collectively made 328,343 requests for policies, but many of the requests were for the same policies. A pre-set computer algorithm divided up the overlapping policies among the companies, which lowered the number of policies that faced a shift to 205,736.
The companies picking up the most accounts are Heritage Property & Casualty and Homeowners Choice. Both had been approved for up to 50,000 policies. Heritage received 35,737 policies, while Homeowners Choice got 34,872.
“This assumption increases our annualized gross premiums to approximately $400 million,” Scott Wallace, president of Homeowners Choice, said in a release. “These policies meet our strict underwriting guidelines and should further strengthen our long-term growth prospects.”
Other insurance companies involved in the takeout include Florida Peninsula, Southern Fidelity, Southern Oak, Tower Hill Preferred, Town Hill Prime, Town Hill Signature, United Property & Casualty and Weston.
United Property& Casualty had been approved for up to 100,000 policies, but ended with 18,156.
Not every policyholder who has been moved this week or faces the prospect of being shifted as the new year begins is expected to remain with the private carrier.
For those impacted in the current round, customers have 30 days following their policies being acquired to decide if they want to stay with the private carrier or return to Citizens.
Citizens had sent out “encouragement” letters prior to the shift informing them of the move.
Those shifted won’t see a change in rates through the term of the current policy, Ashburn said.
Ashburn said no analysis has been done on why nearly 45,000 homeowners have opted out of the takeout in the past month. But she said a number of those homeowners who have already opted out expressed concern that private companies couldn’t guarantee rates will be comparable to the Citizens’ numbers when filed next year.
Homeowners covered by Citizens will see an average rate increase of 6.3 percent in January 2014, down from a 7.9 percent hike requested on the combined personal-lines and coastal accounts.
Multi-peril policy holders will get a 4.4 percent increase in January, while homeowners with wind-only policies face an average 10.5 percent hike in February.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida