Man Critical After Flomaton Stabbing; One Arrested
April 11, 2014
A stabbing in Flomaton left one man in critical condition Thursday night.
A female stabbed a male victim multiple times in the chest about 10:15 p.m. at a resident on Wilkerson Street, just off Sidney Manning Boulevard (Highway 29), according to Flomaton Police Brian Davis.
The male victim, believed to be in his 40’s, was transported by Escambia County (FL) EMS to Molino and then airlifted byAirHeart helicopter to a Pensacola hospital. The female was taken into custody at the scene.
Further details, including names, have not yet been released.
Flood Warning Continues For Escambia River
April 11, 2014
The flood warning continues for the Escambia River near Century until further notice.
At 8 p.m. Wednesday, the stage was 17 feet. The river will continue to rise to near 18.9 feet by early Sunday morning then begin to fall. At 17 feet, considerable flooding of lowlands will occur.
Relay Life Events Set For UWF And Jay
April 11, 2014
Hundreds of people will come together this weekend for Relay for Life at the University of West Florida and in Jay to honor cancer survivors, their caregivers, and to pay tribute to those for whom the cure did not come soon enough.
The UWF Relay will be held on the University of West Florida Campus at the track from 7 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday. By this morning, 45 teams and 411 participants had raised $18.302.37. Top Teams as of Friday morning were the Textbook Brokers, Phi Sigma Sigma and Alpha Gamma Delta.
The Jay Relay will be held from 2-10 p.m. on the football field at Jay High School. By today, 14 teams and 120 participants had already raised $20,822.87 for the American Cancer Society. Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Purple Power with team captain Drusilla Dobson and Jay United Methodist Church were the top teams as of Friday morning.
A Luminaria ceremony will be held after dark at both events as participants remember friends and loved ones that have lost the battle against cancer and to honor those fighting cancer presently. Luminaria bags will be for sale prior to the ceremony.
There will also be plenty of entertainment, food, fun and fellowship during both event. The entire community is encouraged to stop by the Jay Relay For Life or the Relay for Life at UWF.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Supreme Court Upholds Death Row Inmate Appeal In Billings Murders
April 11, 2014
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday turned down an appeal by a death row inmate who was convicted of killing an Escambia County couple during a July 9, 2009, home-invasion robbery.
Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr., and four other men entered the Beulah home of Byrd and Melanie Billings with plans to steal a safe that the men thought contained $13 million.
Byrd and Melanie Billings died after each being shot multiple times.
On February 17, 2011, Judge Nicholas Geeker sentenced Gonzalez to death in both murders. Gonzalez challenged the convictions and sentences in his appeal to the Supreme Court, raising numerous arguments. Those arguments included that there was not enough evidence to support a sentencing factor dealing with whether a murder is “heinous, atrocious or cruel.”
The Supreme Court found that the convictions were supported by competent, substantial evidence. In rejecting that argument, the Supreme Court also described details of the murders:
“In the case of Mr. Billings, Gonzalez shot him in one leg, repeated the request for money, and then shot him in the other leg when Mr. Billings was still not forthcoming about the money,” the ruling said. “Gonzalez then placed Mr. Billings in a headlock and dragged him into the master bedroom where he shot him in the side of the face. Only after Mr. Billings was terrorized and endured repeated non-fatal shootings did Gonzalez finally shoot him in the head. As to Mrs. Billings, although her actual shooting and death occurred fairly quickly, she was aware of her impending death and probably fearful of suffering multiple gunshot wounds, having witnessed her husband being shot and suffer. She was then shot in the face, while looking at her attacker and knowing that her children were probably also in grave danger.”
Tate Freshmen Down Northview
April 11, 2014
The freshmen Tate Aggies defeated Northview 5-0 Thursday in Bratt.
The freshmen Aggies will travel to West Florida at 6 p.m. Friday. The JV Aggies will host West Florida at 4:30. and the varsity Jaguars will play the Aggies at 7:00.
The varsity Northview Chiefs will host Chipley in Bratt Friday at 6 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Convicted Of 2010 Murder
April 11, 2014
An Escambia County man was found guilty Thursday afternoon in the brutal rape and murder of a woman whose body was found in wooded area off Nine Mile Road.
Joshua Wayne Douglas was convicted of first degree murder in the death of 25-year old Jamie Broxson. Her body was found near a Gulf Power substation not far from Broxson’s home in November 2010.
Douglas was tied to the murder by DNA evidence. He will be sentenced next week and could face the death penalty.
House Advances “Homeowner Claims Bill Of Rights’
April 11, 2014
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater moved a step closer toward two of his session priorities on Thursday after a House committee signed off on a measure that would bar insurers from using credit history to deny claims and would also require insurers to provide a checklist of consumers’ rights regarding insurance claims.
The House Regulatory Affairs Committee backed a bill (HB 743) that would prohibit insurance companies from using credit information to deny claims or cancel policies after a claim has been filed if the policies have been in effect for at least 90 days.
The bill, now on its way to the House floor, would also require insurers to send a checklist — dubbed by Atwater as the “Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights” — to a policyholder within 14 days after a claim is filed. The checklist would include information about how long insurance companies have to respond to and settle claims. The Senate version (SB 708) has been awaiting a floor vote since March 13.
Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, said policyholders should be advised of their rights when they first get their policy, something Atwater said he would support. But Daytona Beach Shores Republican Rep. Dave Hood, the sponsor of the House bill, said that the approach in the proposal would be more “cost effective.”
“This is an attempt to give (policyholders) the information at the time they need it, without them having to hunt through the house or whatever if there has been a flood or something else,” Hood said. Atwater requested the list, which was put together by the state’s consumer advocate Steve Burgess, in response to his office receiving about 350,000 phone calls last year from people trying to navigate their claims.
Wahoos Drop Second Straight To Stars, 6-3
April 11, 2014
The Huntsville Stars jumped out to an early lead Thursday night and never looked back as they topped the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 6-3. It’s the first time the Wahoos have dropped consecutive games during the 2014 campaign.
The Stars owned a 3-0 lead at the end of two innings, but Huntsville’s three-run fourth inning proved to be the difference. All three runs scored with two outs in the inning and after Hainley Statia stole second base on what would’ve been the final out of the inning. The throw to second beat Statia, but he slid around Rey Navarro’s tag for his first stolen base of the year. The next four batters reached, including D’Vontre Richardson with a two-run double to put the Stars in front 6-1.
Pensacola pulled within three on a solo home run from Navarro in the eighth, but that was as close as it got. Daniel Corcino (0-2) suffered his second loss of the season surrendering 6R/5ER on 5 hits with 3 walks over 4.0 innings. Drew Gagnon (1-0) earned the win after tossing 6.0 innings and allowing just 2R/ER on just 3 hits. He walked three and struck out one. Kevin Shackelford (1) shut the Wahoos down in the ninth to earn his first save.
The Blue Wahoos turn to RHP Robert Stephenson (1-0, 0.00) to right the ship against RHP Taylor Jungmann (1-0, 1.50). First pitch is slated for 6:30 from Joe Davis Stadium.
by Tommy Thrall
‘Let’s Feed Somebunny’ Collecting Items Today For Manna Food Pantry
April 11, 2014
The annual “Let’s Feed Somebunny” event is going on today to benefit Manna Food Pantry.
Non-perishable food donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Baptist Medical Park on University Parkway at Nine Mile Road (near Target).
The Manna Food Pantry often runs low on supplies to feed those in needy this time of the year. Items especially needed included peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, canned vegetables, breakfast cereals, pasta, rice and beans.
Escambia Votes To Hire Jack Brown As County Administrator
April 10, 2014
The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday to hire Taylor County Administrator Jack Brown as the new Escambia County administrator. The county has been without an administrator for about 18 months.
On a motion by Commissioner Grover Robinson, the commission voted to hire Brown 5-0.
The commission offered Brown the job with a one year contact with three month severance clause. Negotiations with Brown will begin immediately; he still has to formally accept the job.
Commissioner Wilson Robertson made an unsuccessful motion to drop all the candidates for administrator prior to the vote to hire Brown. Robertson had continued to support the hiring of Interim Administrator Larry Newsom as the permanent administrator.
After retirement from the Army in 1996, Brown served Taylor County as the director of human resources, county coordinator and county manager. In January 2001 he was hired as the general manager of RDS Manufacturing Company, a position he held for 18 months prior to being recruited as a faculty member at Florida State University.
While at FSU, he was elected as a Taylor County County commissioner . In the summer of 2006 he announced that he would not seek a second term. In January 2007, he resigned from FSU and returned to serve Taylor County as the county administrator.