Lineup Announced For 2013 Beulahfest
January 3, 2013
The lineup has been announced for this year’s Beulahfest.
Beulahfest will welcome country stars Randy Houser, Confederate Railroad, John Anderson and The Kentucky Headhunters to the Escambia County Equestrian Center on March 15-16. Local bands including Brooke Woods and The Dusty Sanderson Band will also perform.
On March 15, Randy Houser will perform at 9 p.m. On Saturday, March 16, Confederate Railroad will perform at 2 p.m., John Anderson at 5:30 p.m. and The Kentucky Headhunters at 9:30 p.m.
Ticket prices will be announced soon.
Beulahfest is a nonprofit organization operated by the Beulah Volunteer Fire Department and The Beulah Firefighter’s Community Improvement Association. For over 26 years, Beulahfest has raised money for local charities and community based nonprofit organizations.
Pictured: The Kentucky Headhunters (top) and Randy Houser (inset) will be among the country artists performing at this year’s BeulahFest. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Keep The Wreath Green: Six Fires Reported During December Fire Safety Campaign
January 3, 2013
The “Keep the Wreath Green” holiday fire safety campaign came to a close with six red bulbs representing resident fires in Escambia County.
The six fires during the December 2012 month-long campaign was an increase over four fires during December 2011. None of the 2012 fires were in North Escambia.
The Escambia County fires were as follows:
- December 2, 8500 block of San Miguel Calzada
- December 4, 300 block of Wilson Avenue
- December 6, 6800 block of West Fairfield Drive
- December 8, 300 block of Rule Street
- December 15, 4500 block of Mobile Highway
- December 21, 9700 block of Fowler Avenue
During 2012, the ninth year of the campaign, there were five-foot wreaths on display at 27 different fire stations and other locations throughout the county.
Crime: One Charged With Three Robberies; Three Charged With Attempted Burglary
January 3, 2013
A man was arrested for three robberies in Escambia County on New Year’s Day, and three teens were arrested for an attempted burglary.
One Arrested For Three Robberies
Robert Tomas Ward was charged with three counts of robbery and one count of resisting arrest without violence and booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $301,000.
He is accused of the back-to-back robberies of the Subway at 8187 West Fairfield Drive, the Family Dollar at 8187 West Fairfield and the Dollar Store at 8070 West Highway 98.
In both the Subway and Family Dollar robberies, store clerks refused after Ward indicated he had a weapon and demanded money. At the Dollar Store, the clerk did give Ward an undisclosed amount of cash.
Deputies said Ward was wearing the same clothing in all three robberies. He was arrested by Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies after they spotted his getaway vehicle on Blue Angel Parkway. Ward jumped from the vehicle and was apprehended by a K-9 unit.
Three Arrested For Attempted Burglary
Three Escambia County teens were charged with unarmed burglary of an occupied dwelling, damage to property and resisting an officer without violence.
On New Year’s Eve, deputies responded to a burglary in progress in the 2000 block of Godwin Lane. The homeowner said an unknown black male knocked on his door and rang the doorbell continuously. He departed and returned with two other black males who began an attempt to kick in the back door. A responding deputy observed the black males flee and gave chase.
After a lengthy foot pursuit, the three teens were taken into custody without further incident.
Burglar Caught Red-Handed At Nine Mile Road Business
January 2, 2013
A Cantonment man was caught red-handed after breaking into a Nine Mile Road business.
Oscar Grey Turberville, 43, was arrested Monday as he walked out of the back door of Pridgen Realty at 25 East 9 Mile Road. Deputies had responded to the business after an employee drove by and noticed the front windows had been busted out and lights were on inside the building.
Deputies said Turberville had two Pridgen Reality checks in his pockets when he was arrested. Once check was made out to him with a forged signature, and the the other check was blank. Inside the business, deputies discovered a vending machine and been pried open, and the money inside had been removed.
Turberville was charged with burglary, forgery, molestation of a coin operated machine, criminal mischief and petit theft. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail where remained Wednesday with bond set at $45,500.
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.