Cold North Wind Tonight
January 17, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 63. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Light northwest wind becoming north 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 59. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 28. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 54.
- Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 33.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 61.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Molino Man Gets Probation On Drug, Animal Cruelty Charges; State Wanted Jail Time
January 17, 2013
A Molino man was sentenced Wednesday on drug and multiple animal cruelty charge for chaining malnourished pit bulls in their own filth while growing marijuana plants in his back yard. Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence him to jail time.
John Roland Oswald, 30, was sentenced by Judge Gary Bergosh to 36 months probation and 50 hours of community service at the Escambia County Animal Shelter. He is also forbidden from possessing dogs or any other animal during his probation.
“Our office did not agree with probation being an appropriate sentence in this case,” State Attorney Bill Eddins said. The State Attorney’s Office had recommend a period of probation following a sentence of almost one year in jail.
Last week, Oswald pleaded no contest to one felony count of producing marijuana, two felony counts of causing cruel death, pain and suffering to animals and one felony count of unlawful confinement and abandonment of animals. One additional unlawful confinement charge against Oswald was dropped by prosecutors.
John Oswald’s wife, 34-year old Amanda Leah Oswald, is awaiting trial later this month on two felony counts of causing cruel death, pain and suffering to animals and two felony counts of unlawful confinement and abandonment of animals. She previously pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.
Eddins said his office will ask for a continuance in Amanda Oswald’s case
Escambia County deputies responded to a complaint about an aggressive pit bull on September 21 at a residence in on Highway 29 near Cotton Lake Road. The dog was loose in the victim’s yard and had attacked and killed her dog. Deputies kept the pit bull contained in the yard and notified Escambia County Animal Control. But before animal control arrived, the pit bull attempted to attack two officers who then utilized a shotgun to stop the dog, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies attempted to contact the owner of the dog at a nearby home on Highway 29 across from the Camp Of the Pines, deputies and animal control located two other pit bulls in the backyard of the home.
“I first observed a very skinny brown pit bill dog tied to a large chain barking at me,” one deputy wrote in his report. “I then observed a very skinny black pit bull dog lying on its side, and it appeared to be dead…I observed the black dog lift its head and look at me though due to the dog being so skinny from lack of food, the dog could not stand up.”
Both dogs were “malnourished to the point of starvation”, according to an arrest report, with access to “old nasty water” and no food. Both dogs were tied to heavy chains and were surrounded by flies.
“I then observed the black pit bull who was still lying on his side struggle and make several attempts to stand to his feet. “Once on his feet, his legs were wobbly and looked like he was going to fall over,” the deputy said.
The deputy said in his report that he first though the black dog was covered in ants crawling all over it, but it was actually a “massive amount” of fleas. The dog also reportedly had an eye infection.
The two pit bulls were seized by animal control. Amanda Oswald also voluntarily surrendered a pit bull and three Yorkie dogs from inside the residence to Escambia County Animal Control.
John Oswald was also charged with one felony count of producing marijuana. During the animal cruelty investigation, deputies reported the discovery of four marijuana plants up to five feet tall and one plant growing in a bucket in the home’s backyard.
Oswald met with a narcotics investigator and admitted that the marijuana plants belonged to him, an arrest report states. “He admitted to having a pill problem prior to being involved in marijuana and that he had started growing marijuana for personal use,” the investigator wrote in his report.
Escambia County Code Enforcement also responded to the home and opened a separate investigation for various code violations.
Navy Federal Named To FORTUNE’s ‘100 Best Companies To Work For’ List
January 17, 2013
Navy Federal was named Wednesday to FORTUNE Magazine’s 2013 list of “100 Best Companies To Work For.” This was the third appearance on the list during the last five years.
“This is an important honor for us. I believe it recognizes the enthusiasm and dedication our employees have for our mission to serve the men and women of the Department of Defense and their families,” said Cutler Dawson, president/CEO, Navy Federal Credit Union. “2012 was a record year for us—record growth in new members, loans, deposits and all our member success measures. But the real story is that we couldn’t have done this without the commitment of our employees. I am so very proud of the entire Navy Federal team.”
In 2012, the Navy Federal workforce grew to over 10,000 employees on its three campuses —Vienna, Va., Winchester, Va. and Pensacola—and 229 branches worldwide.
“We value employees who want to be part of a winning team and will embrace our corporate culture,” Dawson said. “We return that dedication by providing outstanding training, opportunities for career advancement — and excellent benefits.”
Fire Destroys Barn
January 17, 2013
Fire destroyed a large barn just east of Flomaton Wednesday night.
Fire departments from Flomaton and surrounding areas in Alabama, along with the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Jay Fire Department, responded to the scene of a fully involved barn fire on Twin Bridges Road, just off Highway 31, shortly before 9 a.m.
No other structures were damaged, and there were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation Wednesday night.
Field House In The Works For Northview’s Chiefs
January 17, 2013
Approaching 20 years after it first opened , a field house is in the works for Northview High School.
At their January 22 meeting, the Escambia County School Board is set to approved an architectural and engineering services contract with DAG Architects in Pensacola for $69,913.
The new field house will be about 3,500 square feet. The building will include one weight room, coaches’ offices, storage and accompanying restrooms. The construction budget is set at $490,000, to be funded with local option sales tax monies.
The new field house will be constructed near the main building where outdoor basketball courts are currently located. There is no timetable in place for the completion of the project.
Northview is the only public high school in Escambia County without a field house. The school opened in 1995.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs prepare for a coin toss last season in their stadium. Pictured below: The Chiefs won the Florida Class 1A state football championship. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Sandra Crews Hammond
January 17, 2013
Sandra Crews Hammond, 68, of Pensacola passed away on January 15, 2013.
Sandra was born in Lawrenceburg, TN, and was a member of Myrtle Grove Church of Christ.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James T. Hammond; father, Thomas Lee Crews; and mother, Vivian Geneva Green Crews.
She is survived by one daughter, Breina G. Hammond; son, James Victor Hammond (Maryann); grandsons, John Thomas and James Logan; brothers, Terry Crews (Ann) and Michael Crews; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and very close friends.
Visitation will be held from 10:30 a.m. until the funeral service begins at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, January 18, 2013, at the funeral home.
Burial will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery.
Trahan Family Funeral Home, 419 Yoakum Court, is in charge of arrangements
A special thanks to everyone at Sacred Heart’s Camp Bluebird for all of their support, love, and friendship. A special mention to Joy Roche’, Anita Sue Godwin, Arelia Laster, Sid Scarbrough, Tim Gilbert, Pat Brown and all the ladies that gave mom the “party” in her hospital room.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sandra Hammond’s name to Sacred Heart Foundation/Camp Bluebird and mailed to 5151 N. 9th Avenue, Pensacola , Florida 32504.
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.