Deadline Approaching For Registering Barnyard Animals In Century
February 4, 2014
Two Century citizens have now inquired about registering their non-conforming barnyard animals, the Century Town Council was told Monday night, as a 60-day deadline looms on February 21.
As of December 23, it became illegal to keep a horse, mule, donkey, goat, sheep, or cow within the town limits except in areas that are zoned agricultural or rural residential. Hogs were already prohibited in all areas of the town.
One horse or cow is now allowed for every two acres, one donkey or mule per acre and one goat or sheep per one-half acre. The animals and their pens must be 200 feet or greater from a dwelling or property line.
Anyone with the regulated animals in an area not zoned agricultural or rural residential within the town limits, must register their animals at the Century Town Hall by Friday, February 21 (60 days from the passage of the ordinance). Anyone with nonconforming animals must apply for and be granted a variance from the town council within six months or get rid of their animals.
Pictured inset: Council member Jacke Johnston reads the new animal control ordinance during a December 23 meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Local FDLE Crime Analyst In Drug Probe Resigns
February 4, 2014
A Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime-lab analyst in Pensacola resigned Monday, amid an investigation about whether he might have compromised hundreds of drug cases across the state.
A resignation letter released by FDLE identified the man as Joseph Graves, a crime-lab analyst supervisor.
FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey held a news conference Saturday to announce that the agency had started an investigation stemming from the discovery of missing prescription pain pills from the evidence room of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The missing drugs had been replaced with over-the-counter medications.
Bailey said that each case involving missing drugs had been analyzed by the same chemist, who overall had processed 2,600 cases for 80 law-enforcement agencies since 2006. At the time, Bailey did not name the man, who has not been charged. Graves did not give an explanation for his resignation in the brief letter.
Pictured: FDLE’s Pensacola Regional Operations Century on North Palafox Street. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Double Shooting Under Investigation
February 4, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a suspect or suspects in West Pensacola double shooting.
About 3 a.m. Sunday, deputies responded to a shots fire disturbance in the 7600 block of West Highway 98. They found that two shooting victims had already been transported to hospitals by private vehicle. Their injuries were considered non-life threatening.
Deputies said the suspects were driving down Highway 98 when they opened fire from an unknown vehicle into a crowd that was gathered beside a business. Several shell casings were located along Highway 98.
There were no other injuries.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to all Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Tate’s Douglas Named All-Panhandle Coach of the Year; Local Players Make Team
February 4, 2014
A statewide high school football website has named Tate Coach Ronnie Douglas as the All-Panhandle Coach of the Year.
FloridaHighSchoolFootball.com also named numerous Tate, West Florida and Northview players to their All-Panhandle Elite Team:
All-Panhandle Elite Player of the Year: QB Joey Baker, Sr., West Florida
First Team Offense
- QB - Joey Baker, Sr., West Florida
- WR - Lawrence Lee, Sr., West Florida
First Team Defense
- DL – Rocell McWilliams, Sr., West Florida
- LB – Marquis Cass, Jr., Tate
- ATH – Neino Robinson, Sr., Northview
Second Team Defense
- P – Tristan Parsley, Sr., West Florida
Honorable Mention
- QB: Daulton Tullis, Sr., Northview
- RB: Tay Samuel, Sr., Tate
- WR: Daylan Abrams, Sr. West Florida; Chris Mitchell, Sr., West Florida
- OL: Devin Gibson, Jr., West Florida; La’Quan Thomas, Sr., Northview
- LB: Jeffery Taylor, Sr. Northview; Hunter Sherouse, Sr., Northview
- DB: Rashan Johnson, Sr., Tate
For the complete All-Panhandle team roster, click here.
Pictured top: Coach Ronnie Douglas leads his Tate Aggies. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies To Host Softball Camp
February 4, 2014
The Tate High School Aggies Softball team will host a February Camp on Saturday, February 15 at the school’s softball field.
There will be a skills and hitting clinic from 9 a.m. until noon, and a pitching/catching clinic from 1-2 p.m. The cost is $30 for one session, or $40 for both sessions and lunch.
The camp is for ages 7 through the eighth grade.
Register by mail (click for printable pdf registration form) or day of camp. For more information, call (850) 525-0751.
Ice Storm Won’t Cool Century Paychecks
February 4, 2014
Three days home due to an ice storm won’t hurt the paychecks of Town of Century employees.
The employees will be paid for the days missed, Century Mayor Freddie McCall reported Monday night. Those critical employees that were called out during the storm will receive their regular rate of of pay plus time and a half comp time for hours worked last Tuesday-Thursday.
Lopez-Cantera Sworn In As Florida’s Lt. Governor
February 4, 2014
Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera was officially sworn in Monday morning, becoming the 19th lieutenant governor in Florida’s history and the first Latino to hold that position.
Lopez-Cantera, 40, took the oath of office around 10:30 a.m. at a private event in Gov. Rick Scott’s office in the Capitol, according to a Scott spokeswoman. Scott and Lopez-Cantera’s family attended the official swearing in. A public, ceremonial event was held later Monday evening in the House chambers.
In addition to becoming the next in line should something happen to Scott, Lopez-Cantera will serve as the governor’s running mate in what looks to be a difficult battle for re-election.
Speaking to the press about an hour after taking the oath, Lopez-Cantera praised Scott for the economic progress Florida has made over the last three years and began rattling off the talking points that the message-conscious governor has been using.
“The governor’s been doing a great job,” he said at an event outside the Governor’s Mansion. “I just look forward to being a part of the team and helping in any way that I can.”
Alternating between Spanish and English at the public event, Lopez-Cantera sprinkled in some of Scott’s personal slogans, from “let’s get to work” to “it’s working” to talk of an “opportunity economy.”
And he exhibited some of the state pride that has become part of Scott’s mantra.
“Because, let’s face it, this is the very best place to work and to live — period,” he said.
For his part, Scott highlighted the benefits Lopez-Cantera would have as a four-term House member and, most recently, the property appraiser in vote-rich Miami-Dade County.
“He’s got the right background,” Scott said of his new No. 2. “He’s got a great legislative background — being majority leader, majority whip, building great relationships. He’s been in business. He’s got local government experience. He’s going to be a major part of making sure we get our $500 million tax break back to Florida families.”
Scott suggested that Lopez-Cantera would be the point person for a plan to roll back motor-vehicle registration fees and taxes on commercial leases and corporate income — the centerpiece of Scott’s election-year budget. At one point, the governor told reporters that Lopez-Cantera is “responsible to make sure we get the $500 million tax cut.”
That would be a change from Scott’s first lieutenant governor, Jennifer Carroll, who was rarely publicly involved in lobbying for Scott’s priorities, though she was reportedly involved in a last-minute push to overhaul the state’s personal injury protection insurance system in the 2012 session.
Carroll, who co-owned a company that previously provided consulting services for Allied Veterans of the World, resigned March 12 after that organization emerged as the central target of an illegal gambling investigation. Carroll, whose company did the work before she became lieutenant governor, was never charged with wrongdoing in the probe.
On the campaign trail, Lopez-Cantera will likely be called upon to be the attack dog against former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, running as a Democrat to reclaim his old job. But asked if he would be a “hatchet man” in the fall, Lopez-Cantera just laughed before Scott stepped in and started talking again about job growth.
“He’s going to be a great partner, we’re going to have a great year running together, and it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Scott said.
story by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Pictured: Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera is sworn in Monday morning during a private ceremony in Scott’s office. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NJROTC Annual Inspection Is Wednesday
February 4, 2014
Northview High School’s NJROTC unit will have its annual Area Manager’s Inspection (AMI) on Wednesday, February 5 beginning at 9 a.m. in the school gym.
The inspection includes a uniform inspection of each of 67 cadets, drill team performance, cadet recognition, pass in review and unit brief to the inspecting officer. The inspecting officer this year is CDR Vince Bindi, Executive Officer, Naval Air Technical Training Center, (NATTC), which is located at NAS Pensacola.
Family members and the community are invited to attend.
Pictured: Northview High School’s NJROTC Annual Inspection last year at the school. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Oh What-A-Night: Eat Out Right Now, Help The Northview Band
February 4, 2014
You can eat out tonight and help the Northview High School Tribal Beat Band.
Whataburger in Century will donate 20 percent of their sales until 8 p.m. Tuesday to the band. There will also be games and a drawing for a free Whataburger each week for an entire year.
Plus, some Northview High School band members have been invited to help serve food.
(Due to the winter storm, this event was postponed from last Thursday.)
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Billy Joe Hadley
February 4, 2014
Mr. Billy Joe Hadley, 65, passed away on Thursday, January 30, 2014, in Atmore. Mr. Hadley was a native and life long resident of Perdido.
Survivors include his wife, Laverne Hadley of Perdido; one stepson, Don Conway of Poarch; two stepdaughters, Elaine Brewton and Earline Walls both of McCullough; one brother, Charles Ray Alexander of White House Fork, AL and two grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Sunday, February 2, 2014 at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Sis. Helen Stewart officiating.
Burial will follow at the Miller Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Ron Phillips, Joseph Phillips, Marty Wilson, Zack Brewton, Ken Brewton and Ryan Linam.
Honorary pallbearers were Robert Chancery and Henry Wilson.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC is in charge of all arrangements.