WXBM Auctions Beulahfest Autographed Guitar For Autism
April 11, 2013
A guitar signed by the major artists at last month’s Beulahfest was auctioned off Wednesday morning, netting $1,000 for local autistic children.
The guitar — signed by country stars Randy Houser, The Kentucky Headhunters, John Anderson and Confederate Railroad — was auction on 102.7 by morning shows hosts Marty White and Lindsey Marie. Within an hour, the wining bid was submitted by Allen Moore.
The autographs were obtained by Steve Grant, organizer of April Nicole’s Ride For Autism, with all of the proceeds set to be used locally.
“This money will buy aids such as iPads and apps for iPads to help autistic children communicate better, but they aren’t cheap. When Steve approached us, we were more than glad to help”, said White. “That’s what we have always done at WXBM. When there is a need, and there is always a need, we do what we can to help and our listeners always come through.”
The April Nichole Ride for Autism will begin at 9 a.m. this Saturday at Ollie’s Neighborhood Grill in Milton. For more info, call Steve Grant at (850) 324-0295.
Century Man Charged For Possessing Drugs That Led To Hwy 164 Shooting
April 11, 2013
A Century man is accused of tossing drugs out the window of a vehicle, leading to an incident in which shots were fired at a couple picking up cans along Highway 164.
Montaio Dearies Mitchell, 20, was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. He was later released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,500 bond.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Mitchell had hydrocodone and over five grams of cocaine in a shaving kit bag. Deputies said Mitchell was driving east on Highway 164 on January 29 when he saw a marked police car turn around near the area of Pine Barren Creek and Highway 164. Mitchell accelerated and continued east on Highway 164 where he discarded the bag by throwing it out of the his vehicle’s window along Highway 164 near Pine Barren Road, according to an arrest report.
The deputy caught up with Mitchell and conducted a traffic stop on Century Boulevard and Brown Road, about fives miles away from where the bag was discovered.
Mitchell, according to an arrest report, later told deputies that he did posses the shaving kit bag and threw it out because it belonged to his cousin, Akino Jama Jackson. Mitchell said he did not know what was in the bag.
Jackson was charged with opening fire near an older couple on Highway 164 a few hours after the traffic stop involving Mitchell.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators said a husband and wife were picking up cans from the shoulder of Highway 164 on January 29 when a vehicle stopped and Jackson (pictured left) confronted the couple, reportedly demanding that they return his property — the drugs that were allegedly tossed at the location earlier in the day. Jackson then fired the rifle “into the ground several times in the vicinity of the victims” before fleeing in the vehicle, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. No one was struck by the gunfire, and there were no injuries.
The couple then drove about six miles to their home before calling for help. Deputies recovered multiple shell casings alongside Highway 164, consistent with the couple’s story. Jackson was positively identified by one of the victims.
Jackson was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, firing a weapon in public, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $30,000 bond.
Pictured top: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator January 29 at the scene of a shots fired incident along Highway 164 near Pine Barren Road. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
New Peanut Processing Plant Coming To Flomaton
April 11, 2013
An Alabama peanut processor is set to expand with the construction of new processing plant near Flomaton.
The Brooks Peanut Company of Samson, Ala., will build the $6-7 million plant on Highway 113. The company, operating at Escambia Peanut, LLC, expects to hire under a half dozen full time employees for year-round jobs. But during peanut season, the plant is expected to operate 24/7 with over two dozen employees.
The regional peanut processing plant is expected to be operational in time for this year’s harvest.
The Brooks Peanut Company’s largest customer is M&M/Mars for the company’s peanut M&M’s. Brooks also sells peanuts for peanut butter to Smuckers and Conagra Foods.
Pictured: The Brook Peanut Company plant in Samson, Ala. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Log-A-Load Bass Tourney To Benefit Children’s Hospital
April 11, 2013
The 17th Annual Charity Log A Load for Kids Bass Tournament and Live Auction will be held this Saturday at Live Oak Landing in Stockton, Ala.
Well over $10,000 in guaranteed prize money will be awarded, including a $3,000 first place prize. The tournament and events will raise funds for Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital. Log-A-Load is sponsored by the Florida Forestry Association and the Florida Loggers Council.
Preregister by Friday at A-1 Accessories at 700 South Highway 29 in Cantonment, or register day of the event.
For complete details, click here.
BayBears Beat The Wahoos
April 11, 2013
The Mobile BayBears scored in four of their first five at-bats en route to a dominating 10-2 victory over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Wednesday night at Hank Aaron Stadium.
Mobile roughed up Pensacola starter Josh Smith (0-2) for six runs in two innings. Five of the first six batters reached for the BayBears in the first inning with RBI’s coming from Jon Griffin and Brent Clevlen and another run scoring on an error. It was a similar script an inning later as, again, five of the first six reached and Mobile scored three more runs. Griffin and Clevlen provided RBI’s in the frame and ended up driving in a pair apiece.
The BayBears added a pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to salt the game away. Eight of the nine starters for Mobile recorded at least one base knock in the 16-hit onslaught.
Pensacola’s two runs came on a fourth-inning two-run homer from Brodie Greene, his first of the season. Greene extended his hitting streak to nine games dating back to last season in the process.
The Wahoos had great chances to get back into the game in the third and fourth frames. In the third, Pensacola loaded the bases with two outs, but Travis Mattair grounded into a fielder’s choice. In the next inning, the Wahoos had the bags packed for Donald Lutz, but he struck out swinging to end the threat.
Alexis Lara (1-0) picked up the victory in relief of starter David Holmberg for Mobile. Lara entered in the fifth inning and retired all nine batters he faced. Holmberg was limited to four innings due to a high pitch count and gave up two runs on six hits, walking three and striking out a trio of Wahoos.
The series continues on Thursday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch from Hank Aaron Stadium. Tim Crabbe (0-0, 1.80 ERA) will get the start for Pensacola against Mobile’s Zeke Spruill (0-1, 3.00).
Story by Kevin Burke
Pictured top: Brodie Greene extended his hitting streak to nine games with a fourth-inning home run. Christopher Nelson photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Soft Opening Held For New Airport Hyatt; Joint Project With Poarch Creeks
April 11, 2013
A soft opening was held Wednesday for a new Hyatt Place Hotel at the Pensacola International Airport, a partnership between the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore and Innisfree Hotels.
Construction on the $24 million development started back in January 2012. The 127-room hotel is projected to generate over $420,000 annually in non-airline revenue for the airport through lease fees, and $100,000 in local option sales taxes for the City of Pensacola. It will also create over $4 million in payroll revenues through the addition of about 235 new jobs to the local economy.
The land for the development is being leased from the City of Pensacola.
Innisfree currently owns and operates six other full service hotels and resorts in the Gulf Coast region of Florida and Alabama as well as four focused service properties in the southeast United States. In addition to the Windcreek Casino in Atmore, the Poarch Creek Indians operate several other properties, including the Pensacola Dog Track and Poker Room.
Pictured: A soft opening was held Wednesday for a new Hyatt Place Hotel at the Pensacola International Airport. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Senate Approves Budget Unanimously As House Readies For Debate
April 11, 2013
The Senate unanimously approved a $74.3 billion spending plan for the coming fiscal year on Wednesday even as House Democrats signaled that their chamber could face a more divisive debate set to begin Thursday.
Senate leaders hoped the rare, 40-0 vote in favor of the upper chamber’s plan (SB 1500) would strengthen their hand in negotiations with the House over the final contours of the budget for the year that begins July 1.
“I do think that Chair Negron and his sub-chairs have strong hands in going into conference with the House of Representatives,” said Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville. “They know that the entire Senate is behind them.”
The chamber also approved a number of conforming bills dealing with everything from education to health insurance for state employees, often by lopsided margins.
The basic outlines of the Senate proposal remained essentially the same, including the centerpiece: a $1.2 billion increase in spending for public education, including a 5.8 percent boost in per-student funding. That includes $480 million for teacher pay raises, though the upper chamber would require any increases in salary to be based on performance.
It would change health-care reimbursements for hospitals, give state employees a raise and save $2.9 billion in reserves as a recovering state economy still faces potential speed bumps.
Senators also approved a number of amendments taking care of local issues or other concerns for individual members.
One friction point emerged over pay increases for corrections officers, who were omitted from a list of law enforcement employees who would get a tiered pay increase. Supporters of the amendment urged the Senate to come up with the $30 million, but relented after Senate Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and other leaders pledged to work on the issue in conference.
“Let’s find the money,” pleaded Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness.
The House is set to begin debate on its version of the budget (HB 5001) on Thursday, but that spending plan appears to face a rockier road. House Democrats said Wednesday that they would oppose the budget because it doesn’t include a plan for drawing down billions of dollars in Medicaid funding to expand health care for low-income Floridians.
House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Plantation, brushed away Republican arguments that votes on the budget shouldn’t be cast over differences in policy.
“The budget is a reflection of our policy. … All budgets are a function of your priorities. This is a priority for us,” Thurston said.
Meanwhile, Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, told The Tampa Bay Times-Miami Herald Tallahassee bureau that the House would detail an alternative to Medicaid expansion on Thursday. Corcoran, who chairs the House committee looking into the federal health care law wouldn’t elaborate, though.
Once the House does approve a budget, Negron said he hoped that negotiations would go relatively quickly. In recent years, legislative leaders have struggled to come to quick agreements on the framework for negotiations as they struggled with dwindling tax revenues.
This year, the state’s financial outlook is relatively strong, and lawmakers have extra money to spend.
“When I look at the two budgets side by side, these are issues that can easily be resolved with good faith discussion between the House and the Senate,” Negron said.
By The News Service of Florida
Reverend Danny Reese McAlister
April 10, 2013
Reverend Danny Reese McAlister ,71, passed away on April 8, 2013, at his home in Ripley, Mississippi. Rev. Danny McAlister was born on January 25, 1942, to Albert Reese and Bessie Mae Wallis McAlister in New Albany, Mississippi. He had been a minister for over 59 years, Preaching his first sermon at 12 years of age. He pastored churches in Mississippi, Illinois and Florida. He was the pastor of Beulah Baptist Church in the late 1980’s. With his wife and family, he traveled over the United States singing and recording gospel music. For the past 15 years, he had battled numerous health issues.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Shirley Otterson McAlister of Ripley, Mississippi; one son, Danny McAlister, Jr. (Barbara) of Springfield, Missouri; two daughters, Cheryl Jackson (Charles) of Ripley, Mississippi; Lora Minton (J.T.) of Pensacola; two brothers, Jimmy McAlister (Paulette), Larry McAlister (Doris) all of Ripley, Mississippi; three sisters, Nellie Gandy of Memphis, Tennessee, Linda Grisham (Dennis) of Dumas, Mississippi, Shelia South (Sam) of Ripley, Mississippi; nine grandchildren, Rickey Bryant, Jr., Lucas Bryant, Tyler Bryant all of Ripley, Mississippi, Michael Mitchell, Donald Mitchell (Courtney) and Sara Mitchell all of Pensacola, Mandy Wiener (Charles), Heather Loyd (Adam), Dannielle Spaulding (Jacob) all of Memphis, Tennessee and six great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister,Sarah Ward and one grandson, Jacob Bryant.
Pallbearers will be Charles Jackson, Mike Frazier, Travis Brady, Jimmy McAlister, Rickey Medlin, Rickey Bryant, Jr., Lucas Bryant, Tyler Bryant.
Mom And Son Enter Pleas In Century Drug Case
April 10, 2013
A Century man and his mother have pleaded no contest in connection with a drug raid that landed the mother and two sons behind bars.
The trio was arrested when the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant in February 2012 at a mobile home in the 100 block of West Highway 4, near the Century Care Center nursing home.
Karen Louise Quinley, 44, pleaded no contest to charges of possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and destruction of evidence. Judge Gary Bergosh set an early May sentencing date for Quinley.
Her son, 19-year old Cortez Rasheen Davison, pleaded no contest to possession of drug paraphernalia. He was found guilty by Bergosh and sentenced to 12 months probation.
Last year, 20-year old Nakeetric Devonte Davison pleaded no contest and adjudication was withheld on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was sentenced by Judge Gary Bergosh to 180 days in the county jail, with credit for three days served to be followed by 180 days probation.
Search Warrant Executed
After gaining entry to the mobile home, deputies reported finding Quinley in her bedroom. Quinley told deputies that she had tried to throw crack cocaine out of her bedroom window when she heard them at the door, but she was unable to get a window to open.
Nakeetric Davison told deputies that everything in his bedroom belonged to him, including the marijuana located by deputies. When asked by deputies if he sells marijuana, Nakeetric Davison replied “Yeah, I don’t have a job”, according to an arrest report.
In Nakeetric Davison’s room, narcotics officers reported finding items that included 417.6 grams pre-packaged marijuana under his bed in a Pringles can, a cookie jar and a plastic container, cash and “owe sheets” on the floor.
Cortez Davison, according to his arrest report, identified his bedroom but refused to answer further questions, instead asking for an attorney.
The February 2012 raid was not the first time the Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit targeted alleged drug activity at the trailer. No one was home as officers executed a search warrant at the same mobile home in June 2010, finding a stem of marijuana in a bedroom, crack cocaine on the kitchen table, a razor blade with cocaine residue, a marijuana cigarette and digital scales during their search, according to a Sheriff’s Office report.
Quinley was arrested on multiple charges following the 2010 search, but charges against her were later dropped due to insufficient evidence since she was not at home at the time of the raid.
Pictured above: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit executed a drug-related search warrant at a mobile home in the 100 block of West Highway 4 in Century last February. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Medical Condition Leads To Crash Involving Jay Woman
April 10, 2013
A medical condition led to a Jay woman being seriously injured in a wreck Tuesday afternoon north of Pace.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 32-year old Sarah Layne Hatfield was southbound on Chumuckla Highway when she apparently suffered a seizure or fainting spell. Her 2005 Chevrolet Blazer crossed the center line and collided with a Peterbuilt truck driven by 60-year old Steven B. Lowry of Irvington, Ala., and 2010 Nissan driven by 28-year old
Ryan Daniel Teel of Pace.
Lowry was transported to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries, while Teel was not hospitalized. Hatfield was transported to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola in serious condition.
The FHP said Hatfield was not charged, but she is being recommended for a medical re-evaluation of her driver’s license.