Deadline Approaching To Register To Vote In November Election
September 21, 2014
Monday, October 6 is the last day to register to vote in the November 4 general election, according to Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
Florida law mandates that registration books close 29 days before an election. New registrations must be completed and received or postmarked no later than October 6 in order for them to be effective for the November 4 election. Address and party changes can be made after the books close. If you are unsure of your registration status, visit EscambiaVotes.com and click Am I Registered?.
Escambia County citizens have several ways to register or update their record:
Online/By Mail: Visit EscambiaVotes.com and complete, print, and sign the online application. Be sure to include a valid Florida Driver’s License number, a valid Florida ID number, or if you have neither, the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number in the appropriate space. Completed applications must be received or postmarked no later than July 28. Send to: Escambia County Supervisor of Elections, PO Box 12601, Pensacola, FL 32591-2601, or take the completed application to the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor, in downtown Pensacola. Also, to have a form mailed to you, call (595-3900) or e-mail the Elections Office (soe@escambiavotes.com).
In Person: You can register at the Elections Office at 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor in downtown Pensacola, at any Florida Driver’s License Office, and several other governmental offices and public assistance centers. Registration forms are also available to pick up at many locations countywide. For a complete list of locations throughout Escambia County, visit EscambiaVotes.com or call or e-mail the Elections Office.
For voters who wish to cast a ballot by mail (an absentee ballot), go to EscambiaVotes.com and complete the online request form, or call or e-mail the elections office.
Sunny Sunday In Store
September 21, 2014
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Sunday Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday A slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming north 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. North wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
- Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 85.
- Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
- Friday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84.
- Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
- Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84.
Molino Naval Officer Promoted To Lieutenant Commander
September 21, 2014
Lieutenant Troy Bertran of Molino was recently took an oath to accept a promotion to lieutenant commander.
Bertran started his Naval careeer at at 17 as a seaman recruit. He worked his way up to petty officer first class before being commissioned as an ensign in the limited duty officer program. Bertran current has over 25 years in the Navy.
Originally from Palmetto, FL, Betrain knew he wanted to call Florida home again as some point during his career, settling in Molino.
Pictured top. Lt. Troy Bertran (left) of Molino and Capt. Alan Dean. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fall Gardening Tips
September 21, 2014
As fall approaches, now is the time to start preparing your landscape for the upcoming cooler weather, according to the UF/IFAS extension service.
Flowers
- Cut back, and remove old flower stalks from flowering annuals and re-fertilize in order to obtain one more color before cool weather.
- Prepare beds for the planting of cool season annuals next month. Some plants to establish for fall, winter and early spring include: pansy, petunia, snapdragon, larkspur, stocks, statice, bachelor button, calendula, cleome, alyssum, marigolds, verbena, dianthus and candytuft.
- Divide perennials such as Shasta daisy, canna, amaryllis, daylily, coneflower, violets, and ornamental grasses like mondo grass and liriope.
- Cut strong stems of roses to encourage new growth for final flush of the year.
- Find a local source, or order wildflower seeds for fall planting. Be certain to choose a mixture that is specifically for the south. Prepare the area, but wait until November to seed them.
Trees and Shrubs
- Last month to fertilize woody ornamental shrubs in the landscape.
- No pruning unless it’s absolutely necessary. This is probably the worst time of year to do major pruning of shrubs. Late summer/fall pruning can stimulate tender growth that might be damaged by low winter temperatures.
- Plant woody ornamentals, including trees, shrubs, vines and ground covers during the fall and early winter. They respond well to planting late in the year because our relatively mild winters allow for root growth. Fall planted shrubs, for example, are well on their way toward having their roots established before hot weather arrives next spring.
- Select crape myrtles while in bloom.
- Examine the small twigs on the outer canopy of hardwood trees for black twig borer damage. Remove and destroy infested twigs.
- Pine needles fall during September and October. Rake and use them in the vegetable and flower garden as well as in shrub beds. Pine needles make excellent mulch. Apply generously to obtain a depth of 2 to 3 inches on the soil surface after they have settled.
- Mature palms should receive an application of granular fertilizer. Use a special palm fertilizer that has an 8-2-12 +4Mg (magnesium) with micronutrients formulation. Apply one pound of fertilizer per 100 sqft of canopy area or landscape area.
Vegetable Garden
- Prepare the soil now, allowing about 3 weeks between the incorporation of amendments and planting. In September sow seeds of beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, onions, parsley, radishes and turnips.
- Last planting of beans (bush, lima and pole), cucumbers and summer squash
- Clean out the spring/summer vegetable garden once plants have stopped producing. Remove any that are known to have been diseased or heavily insect infested during the previous season.
Lawns
- Check the lawn weekly and watch for lawn pests. Check for chinch bugs and sod webworms in St. Augustine, spittlebugs and sod webworms in centipedegrass and mole cricket damage in all grasses
- Last month to fertilize bahiagrass, bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass and Zoysiagrass using a complete fertilizer applied at 1.0 lb nitrogen per 1000 square feet containing 50% soluble and 50% slow-release nitrogen.
Gulf Breeze Woman Killed In Wreck South Of East Brewton
September 21, 2014
A Gulf Breeze woman was killed in a single vehicle crash between Jay and East Brewton Friday night.
According to Alabama State Troopers, 24-year old Mary Emma Grace lost control of her 2003 Toyota Camry and ran off the road. The accident happened about eight miles south of East Brewton on County Road 55, commonly called Travis Road or the Jay Road, near the Alabama/Florida state line.
Further details have not been released by Alabama troopers.
James “Larry” Ashcraft
September 21, 2014
James “Larry” Ashcraft 72, of Bratt, went home to be with the Lord on September 19, 2014 in Tallahassee. He was born in Atmore on June 20, 1942, but was raised in Pensacola. He resided in Bratt for over 30 years. He was preceded in death by his two sons, James Robert “Robby” Ashcraft and Aubrey Nicholas “Nick” Ashcraft; his parents, Rev. Aubrey H. and Agnes V. Wiggins Ashcraft; and one brother, Aubrey Kenneth Ashcraft. Larry retired from OSHA. He loved and promoted southern gospel music. He sang lead and harmony with the Samaritans and The Gospel Melody Quartet for years. He also wrote several gospel songs. He was well known for his warm and friendly personality.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years Christine Hawthorne Ashcraft; daughter, Kay (Brad) Cook; five grandchildren, John Wesley Cook, Travis Ashcraft, James Randall Ashcraft, Felicia Ashcraft and Misty Ashcraft Hamilton; sister, Jean Knowles; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Monday, September 22, 2014, at 2 p.m. from the Shiloh Freewill Baptist Church in Bratt with Rev. J.T. Guyton and Rev. Ken Johnson officiating.
Burial will follow in Godwin Cemetery in Bratt.
Pallbearers will be Terry Knowles, Rusty Knowles, Kenny Ashcraft, Kevin Ashcraft, David Wilson and Johnny Hawthorne.
Visitation will be held Monday, September 22, 2014, from 12:30 p.m. until service time at the Shiloh Freewill Baptist Church.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
ECUA Receives National Award For Cantonment Facility
September 21, 2014
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority has been selected to receive a Gold Peak Performance Award, presented by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA).
The award recognizes public wastewater treatment facilities for their outstanding compliance records in the previous calendar year.
The ECUA received the Gold Peak Performance Award to honor the Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment and its achievement of perfect compliance (out of 6,094 compliance points) with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for the 2013 calendar year.
The CWRF, which provides reclaimed water daily to industrial partners Gulf Power and International Paper, is an advanced wastewater treatment facility that the ECUA has operated since its construction in late 2010. The CWRF was built to replace the Main Street Waste Water Treatment Plant, which was damaged in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan.
“The ECUA is an outstanding utility, and a shining example of how concerted environmental management efforts can be considered and implemented. NACWA is honored to showcase the achievements of the ECUA and our nation’s public wastewater utilities through the Peak Performance Awards Program.” said Ken Kirk, NACWA’s executive director.
Pictured top: The Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment.
Nora Catherine Coxwell
September 21, 2014
Mrs. Nora Catherine Coxwell, age 67 of Flomaton, passed away on Friday, September 19, 2014, in a Pensacola health care facility after an extended illness.
Mrs. Coxwell was a native of Akron, OH and a resident of Flomaton for 47 years. She was a retired school teacher having taught at Liberty Christian Academy in East Brewton and Jefferson Davis Community College. Mrs. Coxwell was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene of East Brewton.
She is survived by her husband, Robert R. Coxwell of Flomaton; son, Robert (Rae) Coxwell of Ft. Worth, TX; daughters, Ellen (Jeffery) Ryan of Haleyville, AL and Cathy Coxwell of Waterloo, IA; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services were held on Sunday, September 21, 2014, at the First Church of the Nazarene with Bro. James Meadows and Br. Herbert Heller officiating.
Interment was in Fort Crawford Cemetery in East Brewton.
Pallbearers were Nevin Heller, Coy Whitehead, Doug Agerton, Terry Jordan, Richard Robertson, and John Cardwell.
Craver’s Funeral Home is directing.
Gas Leak At Ernest Ward Middle During School Dance
September 20, 2014
A natural gas leak Friday night at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill posed no threat students and parents as a school dance was coming to a close, officials said.
The smell of gas was reported by a school resource office outside the gym about 7:45 p.m., just as the campus was filling with parents arriving to pick up their children as a dance was ending at 8 p.m. inside the gym.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded and determined the source of the smell was a leak on the Pensacola Energy side of a gas meter along Highway 99A near the gym. The gas service was secured by firefighters, stopping the leak.
The gas meter was recently installed to serve the newly constructed building on the campus.
Pictured top: A gas leak was reported outside the Ernest Ward Middle School gym Friday night as a dance was underway inside. Pictured inset: The source of the leak was traced to this Pensacola Energy gas meter not far from the gym. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Gets Prison Time After Young Child Drinks Acid At Meth Lab
September 20, 2014
A man has been sentenced to prison after a young child drank acid from a sippy cup at a Santa Rosa County meth lab.
A jury found Jonathan Wayne Glass, 38, guilty of child neglect causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or permanent disfigurement. Immediately following the trial, Santa Rosa County Circuit Court Judge John F. Simon sentenced Glass to 15 years state prison.
On February 20, 2013, Glass brought sulfuric acid into a residence he shared with a woman and her three children at Piney Woods Place Apartments in Milton. Glass brought the acid into the residence so that he could use it during the process of manufacturing methamphetamine. The acid had been placed into a small plastic cup with a screw-on lid with a straw attached to it. Glass left the cup of acid on a bathroom counter where a 3-year old child drank the acid while brushing his teeth.
Although there was a hospital within three miles of the residence and Glass had a working vehicle and an access to a telephone, he failed to seek medical attention for the child and instructed another child who was present in the residence during the incident not to call 911.
A neighbor who heard screaming and the sound of a child moaning coming from the Glass’ apartment called 911. The 3-year old child was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital. As a result of drinking the sulfuric acid, the child suffered severe chemical burns to his chin, lips, mouth, tongue, esophagus, and hands. The child was initially treated in the emergency room; however he was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit due to the severity of for several weeks following the incident.
Glass is also facing drug charges which include trafficking in methamphetamine and trafficking in hydrocodone. He will be back in court October 20.