Drying Out: Warm, No Mention Of Rain Until Friday
May 5, 2014
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Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Monday Sunny, with a high near 88. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 57. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 58. South wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 87. Light southeast wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
- Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. South wind 5 to 15 mph.
- Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph.
- Friday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
- Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.
- Saturday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81.
- Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.
- Sunday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84.
Three Face Sentences In Brutal July 2013 Cantonment Beating
May 5, 2014
Three defendants have now either been convicted or entered pleas in connection with a severe beating over the Fourth of July 2013 weekend in Cantonment.
Jordan Scott Garrett, now 18, was convicted of felony aggravated battery Tuesday by an Escambia County jury. He will remain free on bond until a late June sentencing by Judge Gary Bergosh. Clark was a 17-year old juvenile at the time of the incident, but was charged as an adult.
Zachary Nathan Clark, now 20, pleaded no contest to felony aggravated battery. He remains free on bond as he awaits sentencing in late June.
Kaleb Orion Willcutt, now 16, was 15 at the time of the beating and tried as an adult. He was adjudged delinquent and sentenced to the Department of Juvenile Justice High Risk Program.
When Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the home in the 700 block of Jacks Branch Road in July 2013 they found 19-year old Glenn Widish in the bathroom of the home, barely conscious, not able to talk and having difficulty breathing. Deputies reported his “face was swollen beyond recognition”.
Witnesses told deputies that the four teens were at the home, and Widish has been drinking shots of alcohol. Garrett became angry with Widish over a song that was playing and punched him three times in the face, witnesses told deputies. After Garrett punched Widish again, they ended up on the ground where Clark grabbed Widish and held him. Garrett also held Widish’s feet and they told Willcutt to hit him, an arrest report states.
Willcutt hit Widish three times, while Clark and Garrett began kicking and punching him in the head, face, back and stomach, the report states.
“I hope you die on this property,” a witness told deputies Willcutt said.
Widish was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital as a “trauma alert”. Deputies were originally unable to speak to him because he remained unconscious at a Sacred Heart Hospital. He suffered a fractured eye orbital, a fractured nose and was unable to maintain on open airway after the beating, according to the arrest report.
Red Cross Delivering Recovery Items To Flooded Neighborhoods
May 5, 2014
As flood waters recede, additional pockets of damage continue to be discovered as the Red Cross and its government partners expand disaster assessment efforts in Northwest Florida. Residents of affected areas are hard at work to clean up and salvage what they can.
To assist individual recovery efforts, the Red Cross has multiple teams working across affected areas to provide assistance. The Red Cross will distribute clean-up supplies, water and snacks at the following fixed site on Monday, May 5 at the Gulf Breeze City Hall, 10070 Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze – from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Red Cross will also have mobile units in affected neighborhoods starting at 9 a.m. on Monday. General areas include Navarre in Santa Rosa County and Beulah, Piedmont Road, Ashland Avenue, Corrydale and Lake Charlene in Escambia County.
Supplies available from the Red Cross include items such as tarps, work gloves, flashlights and clean-up kits. Additionally, Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles will accompany bulk distribution vehicles to provide snacks and water.
Photo Gallery: Shrek The Musical
May 5, 2014
Northview High School presented two performances of Shrek the Musical over the weekend. The musical was based on the Oscar winning DreamWorks film that started it all, bringing the hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre to life on stage.
The production starred Cory Hester as Shrek, Anna Donald as Fiona, Kendrick Walker as Donkey, Kent Smith as Farquaad and host of other Northview students.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com Publisher Named One Of Area’s Most Influential People
May 5, 2014
The Pensacola Independent News has released their 2014 IN Power List — their ranking of the most the most powerful and influential people in the Pensacola area.
Only two people that work primarily in the North Escambia area were named to the list — NorthEscambia.com publisher William Reynolds of Walnut Hill at number 65 and Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry of Cantonment at number 38.
Topping this year’s list was attorney Mike Papantonio.
- For the Independent News story about the IN Power List, click here.
- For the complete list, click here.
West Florida Softball Headed To State Semi’s (With Photo Gallery)
May 5, 2014
The West Florida Lady Jaguars made school history Sunday, earning the teams first ever trip to a state softball tournament. The Lady Jags earned the state berth with a tight 2-1 Region 1-4A championship win over West Nassau.
Korina Rosario pitched the win for the West Florida in seven, with two walks, one run and three strikeouts.
Rosario was 2-3 with walk; Kristin Gunter was 2-4 with a double and RBI; Ali Cutaio went 1-3 with a double; Jibrasha Moore was 1-3 with a sacrifice bunt; Breana Roger went 1-3; Emily Loring was 1-3 with the winning RBI.
The West Florida Lady Jaguars will play the Gulliver Preparatory Raiders in the 4A semifinals on Wednesday. The game begins at 10:35 a.m. Eastern at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach. Admission is $9 per person, and parking is $8. The winner advances to a Thursday morning state championship game against either P.K. Yonge or Mulberry.
Pictured top: The West Florida High School Lady Jaguars won the Region 1-4A championship Sunday near Jacksonville. Pictured: the Lady Jags celebrate. NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Carnley, click to enlarge.
One Dead, One Injured In Escambia Shooting
May 5, 2014
A Saturday night double shooting left one person dead in Escambia County.
The shooting occurred around 10 p.m. in the Pleasant Grove community on Silver Creek Drive. The woman reportedly shot her husband before turning the gun on herself. She was later pronounced deceased at an area hospital, while the man’s injuries were not considered life threatening.
The names of the victims and further details have not been released.
Funeral Services Held For Jail Explosion Victim
May 5, 2014
One of the two victims of last week’s explosion at the Escambia County Jail was laid to rest Monday afternoon. Robert Earl Simmons, age 54 of McDavid, died in the blast that injured 184 others.
Simmons was a native of Century and lifetime resident of the area, having worked in the construction injury.
He was arrested on multiple felony animal cruelty charges on January 14. He was being held without bond due to an alleged probation violation in a 2012 grand theft and trespassing case. He was due in court for probation violation hearing on May 2 — just two days later after the explosion – to determine his possible bond eligibility.
He is survived by his mother, a son, a daughter, a stepdaughter and numerous other relatives. Graveside services for Robert Earl Simmons were held Tuesday afternoon at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia.
Santa Rosa Completes Flood Damage Assessment
May 5, 2014
Santa Rosa County has completed flood damage assessments needed in order to seek a federal disaster declaration.
Preliminary assessments show the county has met state and federal damage thresholds for individual assistance for residents and businesses, so the assessment process by state, FEMA and local teams has ended. The following numbers were submitted to the state for use in the federal declaration process:
Residences – 782 total
- Affected – 355
- Minor – 180
- Major – 212
- Destroyed – 1
- Inaccessible – 34
Businesses
- Minor – 16
- Major – 32
Inaccessible – 3
Agricultural damage includes:
- Farm Structures – 5 affected at $50,000 loss
- Land Damages – 10,000 acres affected with a $750,000 loss.
Crop Damage
- Total acres of farmland affected: 55,000 acres.
- Wheat – 1,153 acres planted and affected with 35% yield loss.
- Oats – 70 acres planted and affected with 35% loss.
- Corn – 700 acres planted and affected with 10% loss.
- Grass (Hay) – 1,500 acres planted and affected with 40% loss.
- Vegetables – 350 acres affected with 10% loss
- Yield losses on cotton and peanuts are anticipated due to delayed planting up to 3 to 4 weeks. Fields will have to dry out and many will have to be reworked to repair soil erosion damage before planting can occur.
- Estimated percent of losses covered by insurance is 7.5%
Damage to county facilities overall were minor, with the exception of the Health Department and EOC:
- South Santa Rosa Health Department – 8 to 15 inches of water
- Emergency Operations Center– Water under raised floor, 750 gallons of water extract
- Milton Library – water intrusion
- Roof leaks at Chumuckla Community Center, Administration Building and Whittle Building
Pictured top: Flood damage on Villa Venyce in Santa Rosa County. Pictured below: Damage on Veneitan Way. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Nora Sarmiento Lambe
May 5, 2014
Nora Sarmiento Lambe, age 86, of Cantonment, went to be with her Lord and husband on May 2, 2014. She was born in Manila, Philippines on August 31, 1927. She graduated from the Philippine Women’s University with a B.A. in social work and received her M.A. in theology from Scarritt College for Christian workers prior to embarking on a 30-year career as a senior social work supervisor for the State of California in the San Francisco Bay Area. Nora was a member of the Eastern Star, the United Methodist Women, The Prayer Shawl Ministry and an active member of St. Luke United Methodist Church (UMC) in Pensacola.
Survivors include her daughter, Vita Alina (Lambe) Tibbs; stepsons, Donald Gary Lambe and Larry Albert Lambe; sister, Ruth Sarmiento Banados; granddaughters, Rachel Nicole Tibbs and Kaela Alyssa Tibbs; son-in-law, Charles Wint Tibbs and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. on May 10, 2014, at St. Luke UMC-Pensacola with Rev. Larry Anderson officiating.
The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to service time.
After the memorial service, Nora will be interred beside her husband, Donald Lambe, in the columbarium garden.
St. Luke UMC, East Nine Mile Road, is in charge of arrangements.