Growing Your Veggies: Dozens Attend Producers Round Up
January 17, 2013
Over 60 people attended a “Vegetable Producers Round Up” at the Jay Community Center.
The producers, distributors and supporting agencies learned about marketing strategies, new pest management techniques, and the latest in food safety. Guest speaker was Sean McCoy,extension agent at the UF/IFAS Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center, who discussed marketing strategies. The event also included question and answer session with a panel of fresh produce buyers and distributors from Northwest Florida.
Pictured: A “Vegetable Producers Round Up” at the Jay Community Center. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Trayvon Martin’s Mother Calls For ‘Stand Your Ground’ Repeal
January 17, 2013
With lawmakers taking a new look at Florida’s “stand your ground” law, the mother of the young man whose death brought the law back into focus urged lawmakers Wednesday to repeal it.
“How many lives do we have to lose?” Sybrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, asked outside the legislative chambers. “How many children have to be killed? How many times are we going to bury our loved ones and not do anything about it?”
The law – passed in 2005 – allows people who feel threatened to shoot their assailants in public.
Martin, who was 17, was shot and killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in Sanford on Feb. 26 of last year. Martin was walking through a gated neighborhood where his father lived and was unarmed. Zimmerman was following him because there had been lots of burglaries in the neighborhood.
Zimmerman wasn’t arrested for 44 days following Martin’s death, until protest rallies were held nationwide. Now he faces a second-degree murder charge and a June trial. He plans to use the “stand your ground” defense, saying he felt threatened.
Fulton said the law had protected her son’s killer.
“I just don’t quite understand how someone can be a make-believe cop, pursue my son who had every right to be in that neighborhood, chase him, get in a confrontation with him, shoot and kill him and not be arrested. Something has to be done.”
Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, has filed a bill (HB 4009, ) to repeal the law. Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, who called the law “legalized vigilantism,” has said he’ll sponsor it in the Senate.
An analysis of FBI homicide data by the office of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , co-chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, found that states that passed “stand your ground” laws saw a 53.5 percent increase in justifiable homicides in the three years after enactment, while states without such laws saw a 4.2 percent rise.
“Every Tom, Dick and Harry who kills somebody is saying ‘I was standing my ground,’” said Fulton’s lawyer, Benjamin Crump, of Tallahassee.
Gov. Rick Scott appointed a Safety and Security Task Force in the wake of Martin’s killing to study the “stand your ground” law and make recommendations to the governor and Legislature.
Black lawmakers were irate that none of them, including Sen. Oscar Braynon, who represents Miami Gardens, where Martin lived with his mother, was appointed to the panel.
“The only people put on there were people that were proponents,” said Braynon, a Democrat. “So we’ll be just as bold in our response as they were bold in their response to us…when they put none of us on the committee, when they refused to come to our community, and when they gave us recommendations that amounted to nothing.”
Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala and the House sponsor of “stand your ground” in 2005, took issue with that. He was one of four lawmakers tapped for the task force.
“The Safety and Security Task Force did an extensive review, heard a lot of testimony, weighed all the evidence, and decided that the overall evidence was that we had some pretty effective legislation going,” he said. “People that say we didn’t do anything, they just don’t like the outcome.”
Baxley said the law is depicted as controversial, but in fact passed the Senate unanimously and the House 94-20.
“I think most people understand it, that we want to stand beside law-abiding citizens,” he said. “And if they stand their ground and stop a violent act from occurring and prevent people from being harmed, that’s the right thing for them to do, and we should stand with them.”
Asked whether the repeal bill wasn’t “pie in the sky,” given the strength of support for the law, Williams replied: “If we didn’t file it at all, the opportunity to do anything would have been zero. You lose nothing by having an honest debate.”
By The News Service of Florida
I Always Wanted To Fly: Local Veteran Publishes Book
January 17, 2013
A local veteran has written his memoirs as a World War II flight engineer and gunman.
“I Always Wanted To Fly: Memoirs of a World War ll Flight Engineer/Gunner”, is factual account of missions flown by John Shiver, Jr.of Atmore.
From the time Shiver saw his first plane in the sky at age three, he wanted to fly. He went on to serve in several U.S. Army Air Corp groups during World War II, completing over 75 European combat missions. His heartfelt descriptions were meticulously detailed in his handwritten personal journal. Family and friends helped Shiver, now 92, share those stories in his new book.
“The Lord allowed me to fulfill my desire in a way I never dreamed I would,” Shiver said.
The book is available at Amazon.com (click here). The book will also be available at a signing event on Saturday, January 19 from 10 a.m. until noon and Friday, February 1, from 2 until 4 p.m. at the VFW Post in Atmore.
Shiver’s service included time with the 8th Air Force. 389th Bomb Group. England 9th Air Force. 98th Bomb Group. 344th Sqd. Libya 12th Air Force. 98th Bomb Group. 344th Sqd. North Africa 15th Air Force. 98th Bomb Group. 344th Sqd. Italy.
Pictured top: Atmore veteran John Shiver, Jr. and his new book. Pictured below: Shiver standing in front of the B-24 bomber “Witchcraft” in Mobile. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friday Deadline Looms For Foreclosure Claims
January 17, 2013
Mortgage holders who lost their homes between 2008 and 2012 have until Friday to ensure they will get paid under a $25 billion national settlement with a handful of mortgage lenders. Florida’s cut of the settlement is $170 million.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi urged qualified homeowners to meet the deadline or risk not receiving the refunds to which they are entitled.
To date, about 44 percent of qualified homeowners had returned the requisite paperwork. The refunds, to be mailed out later this year will be at least $840 but some payouts are expected to be higher. Applications received after Jan. 18 will not be guaranteed payment. Qualified residents include those who had their mortgage loans serviced by Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo.
“We want every borrower who may be eligible for a cash payment under the national settlement to submit a claim,” Bondi said in a statement.
Cliffie ‘Mae’ Faulk
January 17, 2013
Mrs. Cliffie ‘Mae’ Faulk, age 84 of Century, passed away on Thursday, January 17, 2012, at Century Care Center.
Mrs. Faulk was born in Escambia County, AL, and had been a member of the Century community since 1954 coming from the McCall area. She was a homemaker and a member of Faith Bible Baptist Church. Mrs. Faulk was preceded in death by her husband, Paul J. Faulk and her brother, Clifford Byrd, Jr.
She is survived by her sons, Keith (Phyllis) Faulk of Century, Dr. Tim (Wanda) Faulk of Dothan; brothers, Richard (Ronnie) Byrd and William Byrd, both of McCall; sisters, Ruth Bruner of Dothan and Gloria (Ray) Lee of McCall; three grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2013, from 1 p.m. until a 2 p.m. service time at Flomaton Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Tim Faulk and Rev. Robert Barrow officiating.
Interment will follow at Flomaton Cemetery.
Ernest Ward Middle To Hold Spring Football Training
January 17, 2013
Ernest Ward Middle School will hold a “Football Spring Training” January 31 through February 14 for grades 5-7.
The first team meeting will be January 18 at 3 p.m. for anyone interested in playing football in the fall. Contact Coach Jeremy Greenwell at (850) 712-6354 for more information.
Ernest Ward is the only Escambia County, FL, middle school that offers a football program. The team finished last year with a 6-1 season.
Pictured: 2012 season action from the Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Grad Named A ‘Rising Star’ By Pensacola Newspaper
January 17, 2013
A 2004 Northview High School graduate was among those named as a “Rising Star 2013″ in today’s issue of the Pensacola Independent News.
Ashley (Wallace) Spikes, 27, is the government partnership manager of the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce.
The Independent News Rising Stars program has honored Escambia and Santa Rosa leaders in the under-35 crowd since 2008. To read more, and see the 2013 Rising Stars, click here.
Man Wanted For Questioning In Homicide Turns Himself In
January 16, 2013
A Pensacola man wanted for questioning in a homicide last week turned himself in Wednesday.
Kwamane Silas walked into the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and surrendered to investigators on a warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The a warrant was issued after the murder of Aquarius Devaughn on Belair Road on January 10.
Previously, Freddie Dayshen Fountain III, 23, was charged with two counts of attempted homicide, a weapons offense of firing missiles into a dwelling, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with the shooting. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $190,000.
Molino Man Seriously Injured In Quintette Road Wreck
January 16, 2013
A Molino man was seriously injured in a Santa Rosa tractor-trailer accident between Pace and the Escambia River early Wednesday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 53-year old Oby Glenn Melvin of Pace was traveling west on Quintette Road at Wallace Lake Road when he attempted a U-turn in front of 54-year old Christoper T. Johnson of Molino.
The south shoulder of Quintette Road was wet and the tractor-trailer’s tires slid during the U-turn, resulting in the tractor sliding into the tree line while the pole trailer stopped across the eastbound lane.
As Johnson continued east, he did not see the trailer to due the darkness and no functioning side markers on the trailer. Johnson’s 2003 Toyota Corolla struck the rear tire assembly of the pole trailer.
Johnson was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola by ambulance. Charges against Melvin are pending further investigation, according to the FHP.
Obama Signs 23 Gun Control Executive Orders
January 16, 2013
President Barack Obama is taking aim at gun violence with 23 executive orders expected to ignite a political fight with pro-gun groups and their supporters.
Obama called keeping children safe “our first task as a society,” adding that if even one life can be saved by reducing gun violence, it is the country’s obligation to try.
The proposals include a ban on assault-style weapons, a 10-round limit on magazines, a universal background checks for gun sales, and boosting mental health services. The president also said he would sign 23 executive orders to help give law enforcement and mental health professionals more tools in combating gun violence.
Rep. Jeff er (R-Chumuckla) said Obama missed a rare opportunity to bring Americans together for making schools safer for our children, instead proposing “false solutions that have proven to be ineffective” in stopping gun violence.
“This Administration’s answer to any problem continues to involve limiting individual freedom and spending more money. The Supreme Court has made it clear on numerous occasions that the right of individuals to keep and bear arms was indeed guaranteed by our Founding Fathers in the Second Amendment to the Constitution, Miller said. “Calls to reinstate the assault weapons ban and limiting the capacity of magazines does nothing to reduce the problem of gun-related crimes in this country. I would have liked the President to focus more on the issue of mental health and enforcing the gun laws that are already on the books. I would also like to see a stronger position on resource officers in schools.”
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said Obama was attempting to “undermine Americans’ constitutional right to bear arms” without doing working hard enough to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.
“Nothing the president is proposing would have stopped the massacre at Sandy Hook. President Obama is targeting the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens instead of seriously addressing the real underlying causes of such violence,” Rubio said.
Obama launched his gun control initiative surrounded by school children who wrote to him about gun violence following the December 14 school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut that killed 20 young children and six teachers. Obama has called the day the worst of his presidency. Families of the victims were also present.
On Tuesday, the largest U.S. gun-rights lobbying group launched an ad campaign to preemptively attack the president’s plan. The ad calls Obama an “elitist hypocrite” for allowing armed security guards to protect his school-aged daughters, while rejecting a proposal for armed guards in every school.
The National Rifle Association has been critical of gun-control efforts, saying “gun-control schemes have failed in the past and will have no impact on public safety and crime.”
A number of new polls shows many Americans appear to be more receptive to stronger government restrictions on guns.
An Associated Press-GfK poll found a majority of Americans favor a ban on military-style rapid-fire weapons and 84 percent want to see a nationwide standard for background checks for anyone wanting to buy a gun.
Another poll released this week by the Pew Research Center found 55 percent of Americans favor bans on assault-style weapons while 85 percent want stronger background checks for gun buyers.
The president’s plan is based on recommendations from Vice President Joe Biden, who was appointed to study the issue and has met with various groups since last month’s school shooting in Newtown.
Tuesday, New York state became the first in the nation to impose tougher gun-control measures in the aftermath of the Newtown school shootings. The law expands New York state’s ban on assault-style weapons and requires background checks for anyone seeking to buy ammunition. It also puts limits on ammunition capacity and includes provisions intended to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.
Read Obama’s full plan by clicking here.
[VOA contributed to this story.]