Escambia County Graduation Schedule
May 31, 2013
Here is a schedule of graduations for public high schools in Escambia County:
Saturday, June 1
- Northview High School, school gymnasium, 4:00 p.m.
Other Escambia County High School will graduate at the Pensacola Civic Center as follows:
Monday, June 3
- Booker T. Washington High School, 11:00 a.m.
- Pensacola High School, 2:30 p.m.
- Escambia High School, 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 4
- Pine Forest High School, 11:00 a.m.
- West Florida High School, 2:30 p.m.
- Tate High School, 6:00 p.m.
Early Voting Begins Saturday In House District 2
May 31, 2013
Early voting begins Saturday for the House District 2 seat that was held by Clay Ford until his death in March.
There will be three early voting locations:
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor
- Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Avenue
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
Early voting will be offered Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.; and from Monday, June 3 through Friday, June 7 from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Early voting ends Saturday, June 8 and is available from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. that day. Early voters cast paper ballots through our digital scanners, and may choose any one of the three sites. Voters must present photo and signature ID when voting in person, or will have to vote a provisional ballot.
All voters in House District 2 are eligible to vote in the special election, regardless of party affiliation. To find out if you are registered in House District 2, check your voter information card, visit EscambiaVotes.com, or call the elections office at 850-595-3900.
Another option for voters is to cast an absentee ballot, which can be requested through the online form at EscambiaVotes.com, or by contacting the Supervisor of Elections by mail, phone (850-595-3900), e-mail (absentee@escambiavotes.com), or fax (850-595-3914). Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and address, and must be received no later than Wednesday, June 5. Voted ballots must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location on Election Day. Absentee voters may track the status of their ballot at EscambiaVotes.com. Polls will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, June 11 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Polling locations will be open on Tuesday, June 11 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 43 precincts in State House District 2. Visit EscambiaVotes.com and click on “2013 Special Election Information” for a complete list of polling locations and information on the special election. Note that voters in two precincts – 29 and 31 – will be voting at a different location this election due to the unavailability of their regular polling place. Voters in those precincts have been notified by mail.
Chiefs Name 2013-14 Varsity, Junior Varsity Cheerleaders
May 31, 2013
Northview High School has named their 2013-2014 varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders.
Pictured top: The 2013-2014 varsity Northview High School cheerleaders (front, L-R) Chloe Leonard, Mariah Albritton, Madison Arrington, Katelynne Calloway, Courtney Weaver, Olivia Neal (middle row) Kendal Cobb, Hannah Gibson, Ali Martin, Anna Fischer, Kamryn Brock, Kristen Byrd, (back row) Danielle Robinson, Morgan Ward, Mallory Ryan, Jessica McCullough, Jadlyn Agerton and Katie Born.
Pictured below: The 2013-2014 junior varsity Northview High School cheerleaders (front, L-R) Brianna Taylor, Savanna Roux, Dariane Guy, Megan Bryan, Sykeema McConnico, (middle row) Mallory Gibson, Peighton Dortch, Haley Lambert, Jensyn Warner, Morgan Myrick, (back row) : Autumn Albritton, Tatyanna White, Jamia Newton, Hadley Woodfin and Mallarie Rigby.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Authorities Searching For Missing Alabama Man
May 31, 2013
Updated. Mr. McCreary was found. Click here.
Florida authorities are searching for an Alabama man who disappeared from his Alabama home Wednesday afternoon.
Eddie Lee McCreary, 63, of Brewton was last seen by a relative around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.
Pensacola Police detective Danny Harnett said McCreary has various medical problems and left his medications in Alabama. His car was found around 6 p.m. Wednesday in the 3800 block of Cherry Laurel Drive in Pensacola.
McCreary is a black male, about 6 feet 2 and 300 pounds. He has salt and pepper colored hair and sometimes wears glasses.
Anyone who may have seen him or knows his location is asked to contact Detective Danny Harnett at (850) 435-1979 or the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Former Fire Dept. Bookkeeper Charged With Theft, False Statements To Feds
May 31, 2013
Tony Gene Broxton, Jr., age 54 of Pace has been charged with theft of public money and making false statements to federal agencies.
The four-count indictment charges that Broxton stole money from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and made fraudulent statements to both agencies regarding his employment as the treasurer and financial officer for the Pace Fire and Rescue District (PFRD).
Count one charges Broxton with stealing over $140,000 from the SSA between 2008 and 2013. Count two charges Broxton with stealing over $60,000 from the VA from between 2009 and 2013. Count three charges Broxton with falsely stating to the VA that he had no job and no one would hire him due to his disabilities, when in fact he was actively employed by Pace Fire at the time. And count four charges Broxton with falsely stating to the SSA that he was not paid for his work with the Pace Fire Rescue District and that his wife had worked full-time for PFRD, when in fact Broxton’s wife did not work for PFRD and payments for Broxton’s work as treasurer and financial Officer of PFRD were made directly to his wife, in her name.
Broxton is scheduled for trial on July 8 before Chief U.S. District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers. If convicted, Broxton faces a maximum of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for each count of theft, as well as a maximum of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine for each count of making a false statement.
Wildfires Burn Near Bratt, Atmore
May 31, 2013
Separate wildfires burned near Bratt and Atmore Thursday afternoon.
Just after 5:00, firefighters from Walnut Hill and Century responded to a wildfire in the 3000 block of Highway 168 east of Wiggins Lane. With the help of two Florida Division of Forestry tractors, the fire was declared under control about 6 p.m. The fire, about two acres in size, was caused by an illegal burn, officials said.
Also Thursday afternoon, firefighters from Atmore and Poarch responded to wildfire off Industrial Drive near Swift Lumber Company in Atmore. The Alabama Division of Forestry was responding to the blaze as of just after 6 p.m. No structures were threatened.
Suns Beat Wahoos 11-2
May 31, 2013
Jake Marisnick blasted two grand slams in back-to-back innings and led the Jacksonville Suns in an 11-2 rout of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Thursday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Marisnick became the fifth player in the history of the Southern League to record nine RBI in one game. His night started early with a first-inning RBI double and took off in the seventh. Batting with the bases loaded, after an error on the front end of a possible double play extended the inning, Marisnick unloaded his first career grand slam on a 1-2 hanging breaking ball from Josh Ravin to give Jacksonville a 6-0 lead.
An inning later, Marisnick came up with the bags juiced again and launched a second grand slam, this one on a 1-1 pitch from Ravin. Marisnick finished the night by going 3-for-5 with two grand slams, his fifth and sixth homers of the year, two runs scored and nine RBI. It was the first time since Butch Garcia drove in nine on August 4, 1989 for Charlotte that a Southern League player recorded as many RBI.
Marisnick’s night marred what was a great start for Daniel Renken. The righthander fell to 1-4 despite allowing just one run on four hits in six innings while tying a season-high with seven punchouts. The only run he gave up was in the first inning on a double by Marisnick.
Pensacola couldn’t get anything going on offense until the ninth inning. The Wahoos strung together four singles in the ninth with RBI’s from Devin Lohman and Luis Durango to account for the final margin.
The series continues on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. Josh Smith (3-5, 4.10) toes the rubber for Pensacola while Bryan Evans (0-2, 9.00) will get the start for Jacksonville.
story by Kevin Burke
Jay Man Dies Following Traffic Crash
May 30, 2013
A Jay man has died as the result of injuries he received in a traffic crash on Memorial Day.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 67-year old Robert Rowley was traveling westbound on Highway 89 near Howard Lane about 4:09 p.m. when he drifted across the center line and off the highway. His 1994 Ford Explorer struck a road sign and a utility pole, causing the vehicle to overturn onto its side.
Rowley was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he passed away Tuesday, the FHP said Wednesday night.
ECSO Recovers Two Dozen Stolen Highway Signs
May 30, 2013
Deputies have recovered about two dozen highway signs believed to have been stolen from the North Escambia area.
The signs — everything from speed limit signs, to a CR 99 sign, to bridge weight limit, railroad crossing and stop signs — were seized from a home near Walnut Hill after the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a tip.
An arrest is expected in the case, according to investigators.
Wednesday, the signs were returned to the Escambia County Road Department and other agencies.
Pictured: About a dozen stolen highway signs at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office substation in Century on Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Nine Arson Related Fires Burn Hundreds Of Acres
May 30, 2013
Seven fires believed to be the work of an arsonist scorched 100 acres in the Berrydale and Jay areas in north Santa Rosa County on Wednesday.
Six of the fires were contained by midnight, but the largest one, known as the Davis Road Fire, continued to burn Thursday afternoon. The Davis Road Fire was about 50 aces and 70 percent contained.
The Berrydale and Jay fires are believed to be related to two fires that burned in the Indian Ford Road area, consuming about 250 acres.
There were no structures damaged by the fires.
“These fires are all believed to be arson caused,” Joe Zwierzchowski, spokesman for the Florida Forest Service said Wednesday night. “The Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement has a lead on a suspect and will be following up on it.”
Anyone with information on any arson caused wildfires is asked to call 1-800-342-5869. Callers may remain anonymous and could earn up to $5,000 if their tip leads to an arrest.