Slight Rain Chance Tonight, Foggy Too

January 12, 2015

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

  • Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 49. North wind around 5 mph.
  • Tuesday A 20 percent chance of showers. Areas of fog before 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a steady temperature around 53. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
  • Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind around 5 mph.
  • Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. North wind around 5 mph.
  • Wednesday Night A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. North wind around 5 mph.
  • Thursday A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. North wind around 5 mph.
  • Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph.
  • Friday Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind around 5 mph.
  • Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 36. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
  • Saturday Sunny, with a high near 61.
  • Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.
  • Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 64.
  • Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.
  • M.L.King Day A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 65.

Suspect Arrested After Manhunt North Of Atmore

January 12, 2015

A manhunt north of Atmore Monday morning for a burglary suspect ended with the capture of one suspect.

Escambia County (AL) Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said someone broke into the Wayside Grocery, just over a mile north of the G.K. Fountain Correctional Facility. Upon arrival the arrival of deputies, the suspect fled on foot.

A manhunt followed, involving officers from the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, the Poarch Creek Tribal Police Department and a K-9 team from Fountain Correctional. The man was taken into custody later Monday morning without any additional incident.

Further details, including the name of the suspect, were not available.

Building People: Tate Senior Millet Earns Eagle Scout Rank

January 12, 2015

Tate High School senior Ethan Millet has obtained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, and was honored with a proclamation recently from the Escambia County Commission.

For his Eagle Scout project, Ethan wanted to do something different while giving back to the community. After considering numerous project ideas, he reached back into his experiences at “Joe’s Place”, the Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries, at his family’s church, St. Luke United Methodist, and decided to distribute personal hygiene kits to needy person in the community.

“We always think about Eagle Scout projects as building something, stepping out and building some tangible thing,” Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill said upon presenting the resolution to Ethan. “Ethan’s project was a little unique in that he chose to build people.”

The care kits included a small bag with essential hygiene items, tissue paper, canned foods and water. He set out to make 100 of the kits, but thanks to generous donations was able to distribute just over 200.

“Seeing the joy on their face was probably my favorite part of it,” he said about the care kit distribution.  “I remember one man. He grabbed his bag ‘yes, I got it’….he was just so joyous about it; it really made my day to see that.”

Ethan first joined Pack 415 as a Tiger Cub when he was in first grade back in 2003. He earned 32 individual merit badges on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout.

Pictured: Escambia Commissioner Doug Underhill presents a proclamation to Eagle Scout Ethan Millet. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Six Homeless After Halfway House Destroyed By Fire

January 12, 2015

An Escambia County halfway house was heavily damaged by fire Sunday afternoon.

The fire was reported just after noon in the 7300 block of Pine Forest Road, near Five Flags Speedway. Six adults were displaced by the fire, but there were no injuries reported.

A majority of the fire damage was contained to the garage area of the home; two vehicles were also destroyed by the fire.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Ensley, Osceola, Bellview, Brent, Warrington and Beulah stations of the Escambia Fire Rescue battled the blaze, along with the Pensacola Naval Air Station Fire Department.

Photos courtesy Escambia County Professional Firefighters for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Lane Closures Planned For I-10 In Escambia County

January 12, 2015

The right lane of eastbound I-10 near the Scenic Highway overpass at exit 17 in Escambia County will be closed from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 13, through Friday, January 16. The nightly closures will allow crews to position large beams for a new Scenic Highway overpass.

In addition, traffic in the left lane of I-10 will be slowed by Florida Highway Patrol escort vehicles between the hours of 12 a.m. and 5 a.m. Drivers should anticipate travel delays during this time.

All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.

Four Appointed To Escambia Extension Council

January 12, 2015

Four people have been reappointed to the Escambia County Extension Council.

They are Jean E. Yarter of McDavid, David W. Fitzpatrick of Molino, Tina Lynn Sellers of Pensacola and Genevieve English-Charles of Pensacola. Each will serve through November 30, 2016.

The Extension Council is comprised of members of zones across the county that have an interest or concern in agricultural, family and consumer sciences (home economics), and youth programs of extension; in developing the rural and urban sections; and in developing the county and its resources.

Members may serve a maximum of two consecutive two-year terms before rotating off and must off the council for one two-year term before becoming eligible to serve again.

Man Charged With Murder Following Sunday Night Shooting

January 12, 2015

A Pensacola man was arrested  this morning and charged in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred Sunday night.

Nicholas A. Nehring, 23, of the 3300 block of Adrian Road is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail on an open count of murder.

The victim has been identified as Joseph E. Ross, 26, of Pensacola.

Pensacola Police Department Lt. Chuck Mallett said Nehring was taken into custody as he was leaving his house. Several firearms, including what is believed to be the murder weapon were recovered. Mallett said the shooting, which remains under investigation, is believed to be drug related.

The shooting was reported to police at 8 p.m. Sunday and occurred behind the Corner Store, 3818 North Ninth Ave. Upon arrival, officers found Ross lying on the ground. Nehring was developed as a suspect during the investigation.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.

2015 Small Farm Series: Organic Vegetable Production Classes Scheduled

January 12, 2015

UF/IFAS Extension will host a Small Farm Series: Organic Vegetable Production course on multiple dates in January at the UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment.

The series is for farmers interested in learning about small farm organic vegetable production and will combine lecture and hands-on activities with a course notebook.

All classes will be held on the following dates from 6 to 7:30 p.m.:

Thursday, January 15

  • What is organic?
  • Nutrient management
  • Cover crops
  • Organic facts and fiction
  • How to become a certified organic grower

Thursday, January 22

  • Alternative organic pest control

Thursday, January 29

  • Cropping Systems
  • Disease Control

The cost is $30 per person for the course or $45 for a couple. One notebook per couple. To register call the UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County office at (850) 475-5230 or email Libbie Johnson at libbiej@ufl.edu.

World Renowned Educator, Author To Present Workshop At Ernest Ward

January 12, 2015

The Escambia County School District is sponsoring three identical parental involvement workshops Tuesday and Wednesday with a world-renowned educational consultant, including a Tuesday evening event at Ernest Ward Middle School.

The workshops, “Preparing Children for Success in School and Life,” will be led Marcia L. Tate, the former executive director of Professional Development for the DeKalb County School System in Georgia. During her 30-year career with the district, she was a classroom teacher, reading specialist, language arts coordinator, and a staff development executive director.

As an educational consultant, she has taught more than 350,000 administrators, teachers, parents, and business and community leaders throughout the world, and she is the author of five bestsellers.  Participants in her workshops refer to them as “some of the best ones they have ever experienced” since Tate  uses the 20 brain-compatible strategies outlined in her books to actively engage her audiences.

The workshops will be held:

  • Tuesday, January 13 — 5:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m., Ernest Ward Middle School Gym, 7650 North Highway 97, Walnut Hill.
  • Wednesday, January 14 — 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Woodland Heights Community Center, 111 Berkley Drive, Pensacola.
  • Wednesday, January 14 — Noon to 2 p.m., West Florida Main Public Library, 239 North Spring Street, Pensacola.

The public is invited and parents are encouraged to attend any of the three sessions. For more information, call The School District of Escambia County Title I Office at (850) 595-6915, ext. 235.

State Report Says Fraud Down In ‘No Fault’ Claims

January 12, 2015

A 2012 effort to reform the state’s “no-fault” auto insurance system has halted the growth of fraud in the system, according to a new state report. But the numbers are still considered too preliminary to show the full impact of the law.

The report by the Office of Insurance Regulation found that since the law (HB 119) went into place on January 1, 2013, there has been a drop in the number of personal-injury protection claims filed and dollars sought.

Meanwhile, the report indicates that claims under other coverage types, such as bodily injury and uninsured motorists, have gone up.

“Overall, there was limited data available to determine the true impact of HB 119,” a release from the Office of Insurance Regulation said. “However, the data call analysis reveals the law has had a major impact on the personal auto market and changed the trajectory of trends being seen prior to its enactment.”

The 2012 law, considered a last-ditch effort to maintain the no-fault system, set benchmarks for insurers to lower rates on personal-injury protection coverage. It required people involved in crashes to seek treatment within 14 days and allowed up to $10,000 in benefits for emergency medical conditions, while putting a $2,500 cap on non-emergency conditions.

Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater pushed for the law, saying that fraud, primarily in the Tampa and Miami regions, had resulted in the cost of auto-insurance coverage to spike for Floridians.

The report said the average medical cost paid through PIP claims has dropped 14 percent statewide from 2011 to the first three quarters of 2014, with the average payment down 28.7 percent in South Florida in the same time.

by The News Service of Florida

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