Bratt-Davisville Water System To Be Acquired By Escambia River Electric
August 29, 2013
Escambia River Electric Cooperative will soon be expanding their water service area in North Escambia, after the membership of the Bratt-Davisville Water System voted to be acquired and operated by EREC.
Under the agreement, EREC will maintain and provide water service to Bratt-Davisville’s 800 customers and expand the water service to the unserved areas of the two communities as is feasible and allowed by franchise agreements.
“EREC will operate the water utility system as a non-profit operation under the same principles as it currently operates its electrical distribution system in order to provide the best possible water service at the least possible cost to the present and future customers of the water distribution system,” said EREC Marketing Director Sabrina Owens.
“As our community’s needs grow and as technology improves, EREC continually strives to expand the services and programs that we offer to our members,” she said.
EREC currently operates the Walnut Hill Water Works, which serves about 700 customers in the Walnut Hill area.
Pictured: The Bratt-Davisville Water System office on Highway 97 in Davisville, just south of the Alabama state line. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Douglas, Aggies Look Toward Winning Season
August 29, 2013
First year Tate High School Coach Ronnie Douglas started off the 2013 football preseason with a 25-7 victory over Gulf Breeze in two-quarter jamboree last Friday night. This week, the Aggies face a very strong West Florida High School Jaguars team.
“They have six or seven Division I football players over there, and they are a very, very good team,” Douglas said. Expectations are high around Tate, and this week will defiantly test all aspects of the Aggies team.
Douglas said he will depend heavily on senior linebackers Deonte Nicholson and Jesse Samuel this week against the Jags.
Nicholson had an interception and several key tackles last week, but he was most proud of a pass he tipped that was intercepted for a touchdown and a block for the quarterback on a long run for a touchdown. Samuel said he was proud to be able help the team last week.
The Aggies have shown some big improvements over last year when they went 1-8 and won their first game since 2010. But Douglas and his Aggies are looking to put the first of many wins on the books this Friday night against West Florida. Friday night’s game kicks off at 7:00 at Woodham Middle School.
Story by Darryl Singleton
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Scott’s Education Summit Wraps Up
August 29, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott hailed the conclusion of his three-day education summit from afar, issuing a statement Wednesday after the educators, business leaders and advocates adjourned their meeting in Clearwater.
“The discussion and ideas generated this week will guide our future decisions and steps we will take through either legislative proposals, action by the State Board of Education or executive action,” Scott said.
The discussions largely focused on high-level ideas and few specific recommendations, such as whether the state should bail out of a consortium of states developing new tests for the nationwide “common core” standards now being implemented in Florida classrooms.
Democrats slammed Scott for not attending the sessions in person.
“After a disastrous summer for Florida’s education system, Rick Scott should have learned a lesson about hands-on management,” said Allison Tant, chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party. “Instead, he cannot even be bothered to attend his own education summit, which he himself said was designed to improve communication and confidence in Florida’s schools.”
But interim Education Commissioner Pam Stewart deflected those criticisms and said Scott would be brought up to speed on the discussions.
“The governor asked me to convene this education summit. … We certainly will have conversation,” she told reporters.
Arkansas Escapee And Girlfriend Charged With Local Burglary
August 29, 2013
An escapee from Arkansas and his girlfriend, captured last week near Chumuckla Elementary School, have been charged in a $30,000 burglary.
A resident not far from the abandoned home being used as a hideout reported over $30,000 worth of jewelry, medication and a firearm missing. Some of the items were located in the hideout home of Derrick Estell, 33, and Tamara Lynn Upshaw, 25.
Both were arrested on charges of felony damage to property, armed burglary, larceny over $20,000 and grand theft of a firearm. Bond in the case was set at $140,000 each as the couple awaits extradition back to Arkansas.
Estell escaped from the Garland County Detention Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and a U.S. Marshals Task Force took Estell and Upshaw into custody August 22 at an abandoned house near the intersection of Highway 182 and Chumuckla Highway.
According to the Garland County (AR) Sheriff’s Office, investigators were able to pinpoint the couple’s location with the assistance of “cooperating individuals” and contact authorities in Santa Rosa County. Within a few hours, the couple was in custody.
Estell had escaped the Arkansas jail on July 28 with the assistance of Upshaw and others after returning from the Arkansas Department of Corrections for a court appearance. He made his getaway by diving out of a window and running to a waiting vehicle. Two other individuals were also taken into custody for their involvement in the escape and are awaiting court hearings, Arkansas authorities said.
Estell was being held in Arkansas on charged of aggravated robbery, burglary, theft and other charges.
Bratt Man Skips Court Date For Battery Conviction Sentencing
August 29, 2013
A Bratt man that was the subject of a July 2012 manhunt near Northview High School is behind bars after skipping court on sentencing day for felony conviction.
Marvin Anthony Haynie, 49, was arrested on an outstanding failure to appear warrant and is being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $10,000. Haynie was due to be sentenced on March 19, 2013, after being convicted on a charge of felony battery, but he did not appear in court for his sentencing, according to court records.
He now scheduled to appear for an arraignment hearing next week.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Offices responded to Haynie’s residence on York Road on the afternoon of July 25, 2012, after receiving a call that Haynie was physically fighting with a minor at that home.
Prior to the arrival of deputies, Haynie had fled into a wooded area around the residence. A K-9 team from the Escambia County Road Prison responded to the area, but their search was unsuccessful.
A short time after deputies left the area, they received a tip that Haynie had exited the wooded area. He was taken into custody on the front porch of a nearby residence without incident.
Tate Leading Rusher Long Has Some Giant Wofford Shoes To Fill
August 29, 2013
Tate graduate and leading rusher Lorenzo Long is expected to be a stats leader for Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, this season, after the graduation of their all-time leading rusher Eric Breitenstein.
In fact, Long will wear the same No. 7 jersey, despite some belief that the Terriers would not issue that number, a sentiment that grew when it was absent during training camp.
Long said he was well-aware of the significance of No. 7 when he arrived on campus earlier this month.
“A lot of people were telling me about it and that I had big shoes to fill,” Long said. “I’m just going to do my best to get the job done. I’m not going to feel too much pressure. It’s just a number.”
If someone is to wear No. 7, perhaps it’s best that it be a freshman who never saw Breitenstein play. There were no returning players who offered to switch. And it also seems fitting that Long would be that one to wear it.
“He’s a young talent with a lot of potential,” said Donovan Johnson, who is taking over as the starting fullback in an offense that ranked second in the country last season. “He runs really hard. He’s going to be a good one in years to come.”
Long (5-foot-9, 205 pounds) was the second-leading ground gainer in a recent scrimmage, going for 30 yards on four carries. Like Breitenstein, he has powerful legs that just keep churning and it takes a gang to make the tackle.
“Lorenzo is not afraid to drop the hammer on you,” Wofford head coach Mike Ayers said. “If you’re coming to tackle him, you’d better bring it because of the way he runs.”
“If there is a hole,” Long said, “I’ll try to accelerate through there. But if somebody is in my way, I’m going to have to give it to him.”
Long left Tate as the school’s all-time leading rusher with 3,227 yards and also scored 37 touchdowns. He was all-state for two years. A mixture of power and speed, Long also lettered four years in weightlifting and in track as a 100-meters runner and long-jumper. He also played three years of soccer as a goal-scoring forward. Add brains and leadership, too. Long was senior class president.
“He’s going to be a special guy,” Ayers said. “He’s got tremendous quickness, he’s got a burst, and he’s very, very strong. He’s a guy who muscles up to contact. When you tackle him, he’s going to make you pay. He also has very good lateral speed, excellent hands and blocks really well.”
“It was a little tough in the beginning,” Long said. “I feel more comfortable now with the playbook and how to run the plays. It’s pretty exciting.”
Breitenstein finished with 5,730 career rushing yards with 65 touchdowns. He owns three of the top four seasons in program history. Last year, he was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to most outstanding player at the FCS level.
“Eric was his own guy. He had his own way,” Ayers said. “Lorenzo is also a guy who can play. He’s also a high character guy. He’s soft-spoken but a competitor, just like the No. 7 we had last year.”
No. 7 Wofford opens their regular season this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Baylor on Fox SportSouth. Lorenzo Long is the son of A.J. and Clara Long.
Story by Todd Shanesy, Spartanburg-Herald Journa, GoUpstate.com. Reprinted with permission.
Pictured top: Wofford fullback Lorenzo Long, in a No. 4 jersey during preseason, will take over No. 7 when the season starts. The No. 7 previously belonged to Wofford’s leading career rusher. Photo by Alex C. Hicks, Jr., Spartanburg-Herald Journal for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Hwy 95A Crash
August 28, 2013
There were no injuries reported in a two-vehicle crash about 3:45 Wednesday afternoon on Highway 95A and Barrineau Park Road. The Molino and Cantonment Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man Charged With Rape
August 28, 2013
An Atmore man has been arrested for an early August sexual assault.
The incident occurred August 10, and investigators were able to identify 24-year Darrius Javon Frye as a suspect in the case. They said he forcefully raped and sodomized the victim inside the victim’s residence. Police said the victim and Frye were known to each other.
When Frye was taken into custody late last week on an outstanding warrant for first degree rape and first degree sodomy, officers reported finding 1.5 grams of marijuana and $3,100 in cash on his person. The marijuana and cash were seized, and Frye was also charged with second degree possession of marijuana.
Neiko Robinson No Longer With Penn State Football Team
August 28, 2013
Northview High School grad Neiko Robinson is no longer with the Penn State football team, the Nittany Lions announced Tuesday.
“Neiko is not here. Basically, what I’m going to tell you on that is what happened there is between Neiko and myself,” head coach Bill O’Brien said during his first weekly press conference of the season. “Neiko is a fantastic kid. It had nothing to do with discipline, nothing. This kid is a fantastic kid. It just didn’t work out here at Penn State.”
The true freshman’s arrival at Penn State was delayed in June due to “confusion” with his Northview High School transcript, forcing him to stay back home and finish a class, according to a pennlive.com report. O’Brien said at the time that the situation was related to “all the clearinghouse and NCAA deals”. O’Brien gave no indication Tuesday that the transcript error led to Robinson’s departure from the team.
O’Brien had nothing but praise for defensive back Robinson during Penn State’s media days.
“He’s athletic. He’s got to put some weight on. He’s got a long way to go to be able to play for us, but we’re sure glad that he made it here,” O’Brien said August 8 about Robinson. “We’re happy to have him. Good, bright eyed kid.”
Penn State opens their season Saturday at 3:30 ET against Syracuse in a game scheduled to be televised on ABC/ESPN2.
Seven Escambia, Santa Rosa Residents Indicted For False BP Claims
August 28, 2013
Seven people in the Escambia and Santa Rosa county area have been indicted for fraudulent BP oil spill claims.
Charles C. Martin, 40, and Joseph B. Doyon, 43, of Pace, and Marquis R. Seals, 34, and Bernard Cook, 39, of Pensacola, have appeared in federal court on an indictment for mail fraud and false claims related to the BP oil spill.
Martin, Doyon, Seals, Cook, and Johnny R. Smith, 29, of Pensacola, were indicted by the federal grand jury sitting in Pensacola and charged with mail fraud for submitting fraudulent claims to the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (“GCCF”) for lost income due to the 2010 BP oil spill.
According to the indictment, all five falsely inflated their reported income as employees of Hooters of Pensacola Beach in their GCCF claims, submitting fraudulent documentation authored and provided by either Martin or Seals. Additionally, the indictment charges Martin and Tremayne C. Jamison, 42, of Atlanta, Georgia, with filing a false claim with the National Pollution Funds Center of the United States Coast Guard alleging that Jamison lost money when a contract between his company and Hooters of Pensacola Beach was cancelled due to the oil spill, when actually no such contract existed. Trial is set for October 7, 2013, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Lacey Collier.
U.S. Attorney Marsh also announced that Sean D. Croft, 31, of Pensacola, appeared in federal court yesterday on a separate indictment charging him with mail fraud for submitting a false claim to GCCF. According to that indictment, Croft falsely alleged he was let go from his job at Hooters of Pensacola Beach due to the oil spill because he actually worked at the Hooters restaurant located at Bayou Boulevard and Ninth Avenue in Pensacola, not the restaurant located on the beach, and did not lose his job because of the oil spill. Croft’s trial is set for October 21, 2013, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Roger Vinson.
These charges result from an investigation by the United States Secret Service. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Kim.