Florida Bill Would Toughen Texting While Driving Ban
November 20, 2014
A South Florida lawmaker Wednesday filed a proposal that would strengthen the state’s ban on texting while driving, giving police officers more power to pull over motorists for tapping messages while behind the wheel.
The bill filed by Rep. Richard Stark, D-Weston, will be considered by lawmakers during the 2015 session.
Under current law, texting while driving is considered a “secondary” offense. That means drivers can only be cited if they are stopped by police for other reasons. But Stark’s bill would eliminate that restriction, giving police more authority to enforce the ban.
Also, the bill would double fines for people caught texting while driving in school zones or at designated school crossings.
Tate Aggies Student Family Night
November 20, 2014
The Tate High School Aggies will hold a a “Student Family Night” beginning at 5:00 tonight in the school courtyard. There will be free pizza and drinks. The Aggies football players will hold join the students for a time to “reflect back and cheer forward before Friday’s game”. The Tate Aggies will travel to Niceville Friday night for a second round playoff game against Niceville.
Escambia Man Passes Away Two Months After Highway 29 Rollover Crash
November 20, 2014
As Escambia County man has passed away as result of injuries he received in single vehicle rollover accident two months ago in Cantonment.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 29-year old Brian L. Whitehead passed away Wednesday from injuries sustained in a September 20 crash on Highway 29 near Pinoak Lane.
Troopers said Whitehead lost control and the left rear tire of his 1995 Chevrolet Silverado struck a metal grate, causing the vehicle to spin and slide sideways into a concrete culvert. The vehicle slid up the culvert and became airborne and overturned several times, ejecting Whitehead. The vehicle came to rest on the driver’s side partially inside a northbound lanes.
Whitehead was airlifted by LifeFlight to Baptist Hospital. There were no other occupants in the vehicle.
The Cantonment, Molino and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 11:19 p.m. accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Office Warns Of Telephone Scam
November 20, 2014
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents that a telephone con artist is posing as a deputy.
The con artist calls citizens and states that they are with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and tells they will arrested on an outstanding warrant if they do not make a payment over the telephone. The caller has been described as “very convincing” and “confident” during the conversation.
These calls are not coming from your Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. These are considered telephone scams. If you receive a call from these individuals, you are requested to not make any payments over the phone to these individuals,” the agency said in a press release.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office does not make solicitation telephone calls for warrants. The only communications with wanted individuals is by a postcard type mailer.
For more information concerning an active warrant, call the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 981-2200.
Country Traffic Problems: Trucker Loses Three Tons Of Cotton
November 20, 2014
It was the kind of traffic problem you only see in the country Wednesday afternoon in Oak Grove — a 6,000 pound bale of cotton blocking part of an intersection. A truck driver for a local cotton gin apparently did not immediately notice that the cotton bale had fallen out of his truck on Highway 164 at North Highway 99. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office stood by, directing drivers around the cotton bale until the driver returned a short time later looking for his lost cotton. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
NHS Fellowship Of Christian Athletes Holds Community Worship Service
November 20, 2014
The Northview High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) sponsored a student led worship event Wednesday night in the school gymnasium.
Northview students joined with area churches to present the service which included music, student testimonies and a message from guest speaker Pastor Nathan Brown of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church.
NorthEcambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Operation Christmas Child Collections In Full Swing At FBC Bratt
November 20, 2014
Wednesday night, youth at the First Baptist Church of Bratt packed shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.
It’s National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child at the church. or the 21st year, the simple, gift-filled shoe boxes will bring Christmas joy and evangelistic materials to children in over 130 countries across the world.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt is the official OCC Relay Center for the north end of Escambia County, FL, through next Monday. The FBC Bratt will also accept boxes from individuals, groups or churches in Escambia County, AL, again this year.
Remaining collection hours at the First Baptist Church of Bratt are:
- Thursday, Nov. 20: 8 a.m. – noon
- Friday, Nov. 21: 8 a.m. – noon
- Saturday, Nov. 22: 8 a.m. – noon
- Sunday, Nov. 23: 8 a.m. – noon, 4-6 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 24: 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Operation Christmas Child boxes should be packed in a specific manner, and there are changes this year. For more information, call Hawsey at the First Baptist Church of Bratt at (850) 327-6529, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ, or call (800) 353-5949. Resources are available for churches that wish to participate.
Pictured: Youth at the First Baptist Church of Bratt packed Operation Christmas Child boxes Wednesday night. Photos by Marcella Wilson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Great American Smoke Out; Tobacco Free Florida Can Help
November 20, 2014
Thursday was the Great American Smokeout, and the Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida program is encouraging tobacco users across the state to quit or at least make a quit plan.
The Great American Smokeout, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, is currently in its 39th year. The observance raises awareness about the dangers of smoking and the many effective resources available to successfully quit.
“Though the prevalence of adult and youth smoking in Florida continues to decline we must remain vigilant in our efforts to help Floridians end their use of cigarette products,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. “When you make the decision to quit you are taking a step in the right direction to improve health for yourself, your loved ones and your community.”
While quitting tobacco is difficult, it is not impossible. There are more former smokers in Florida than there are current smokers.[i] Those who have tried to quit in the past but relapsed are encouraged to try again. Many former smokers make several attempts before quitting permanently.
Tobacco Free Florida offers three “free and easy” ways to quit using tobacco:
- CALL: Call the Florida Quitline at 1-877-U-CAN-NOW to speak with a Quit Coach who will help assess a user’s addiction and help create a personalized quit plan.
- CLICK: Enroll in the Web Coach which will help to create a web-based quit plan unique to each individual user, visit https://www.quitnow.net/florida.
- COME IN: Visit AHEC’s website, http://ahectobacco.com, to locate a local AHEC and sign up for Quit Smoking Now group classes.
The Department’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is a statewide cessation and prevention campaign funded by Florida’s tobacco settlement fund. Tobacco users interested in quitting are encouraged to use one of the state’s three ways to quit. Since 2007, more than 93,400 Floridians have successfully quit using one of these free services.
Staged Reading: ‘The Things They Carried’
November 20, 2014
The Pensacola Little Theatre presented a staged reading of Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”, a novel about the lasting impact of the Vietnam War, for Northview juniors and seniors Wednesday morning.
The program was presented in association with The Big Read Grant,a program of the National Endowment for the Arts designed to revitalize the role of reading in American culture by exposing citizens to great works of literature and encouraging them to read for pleasure.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Last Day For Molino Park Food Drive Donations
November 20, 2014
Molino Park Elementary School has been accepting non-perishable food items during their “Fill Your Neighbor’s Plate” food drive to stock the food pantry at Aldersgate United Methodist Church for Thanksgiving. Today is the last day for donations, with donations accepted through a 7 p.m. stargazing event on the school campus. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.