Birmingham Beats The Blue Wahoos, Snapping 6-Game Win Streak
July 16, 2015
Pensacola Blue Wahoos catcher Kyle Skipworth crushed his fourth homer in four games and right fielder Juan Duran knocked his first home run of the season for the team.
Pensacola lost, 14-8, Wednesday to the Birmingham Barons at Regions Field, which snapped a franchise record six wins in a row for the Blue Wahoos.
Skipworth has five homers in seven games and now leads the Blue Wahoos with seven homers on the year. His solo shot came in the fifth inning and cut Birmingham’s lead to, 6-1.
Duran’s first homer of the year was a three run shot in the sixth inning. It pulled Pensacola within, 9-4, of Birmingham. Duran went 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBIs in the game.
However, the Barons jumped out to a, 6-0, lead off of Pensacola starter Josh Smith with six hits and a walk in 3.2 innings of work. Smith’s record fell to 4-2 on the year and his ERA rose to 2.95 from 1.64.
Barons catcher Rob Brantly hit a solo shot in the second inning and center fielder Keenyn Walker smashed a two-run homer to give Birmingham a 3-0 lead and they never looked back.
In addition, Pensacola shortstop Zach Vincej went 1-5 and drove in a run to extend his hitting streak to nine games. He is batting 13-32 or .406 during his streak.
Pensacola did add four runs in the top of the ninth inning but the comeback was too little, too late.
Pensacola is now 11-8 in the second half of the Southern League season and remained in first place in the South Division, one game ahead of the Mississippi Braves and Mobile BayBears. The last time the Blue Wahoos were in first place this late in the season was July 22, 2012.
The Barons improved to 15-3 in the second half and lead the North Division.
One Injured In Rollover Crash Into Corn Field Trying To Avoid Deer
July 15, 2015
One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover Wednesday morning near Walnut Hill after attempting to avoid a deer.
The accident happened on Highway 164, about two miles off Highway 97. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 32-year old Samuel Smith of McDavid took evasive action to avoid a deer. His 1992 Mazda truck left entered the shoulder of the road, rotated back across the highway and overturned, coming to rest upright in a corn field.
Smith, who was wearing a seat belt, was transported to Jay Hospital by Atmore Ambulance with minor injuries. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Expands Street Paving Project
July 15, 2015
Century has expanded the list of streets to be resurfaced or patched this month.
The town recently approved adding Ivey Street to their paving project at a cost of $165,588
The following streets will be resurfaced or patched as noted:
- Jefferson Avenue – Resurface from curve at Mincey Lane to railroad tracks – $11,467.50
- Jefferson Avenue – Patch near Carver Community Center – $696
- Robert Road — Patch – $319
- Tedder Road – Patch near fire station $1,517
- Pond Street – Resurface from Century Business Center to bridge near sewer plant – $32,817.90
- Pinewood Avenue – Resurface from Hecker to Front Street – $17,701.65
- Mayo Street – Resurface from Hecker to Front Street – $25,437
- Mayo Lane – Resurface from Mayor Street to Jefferson Avenue – $16,367
- Kelly Field Road – Pave gravel road beside railroad tracks – $6,090
- Kelly Field R0ad – Overlay section between ball field and cemetery – $6,595.65
- Kelly Field Road – Resurface from Hecker Road to ballpark gate - $8,201
- Lodge Drive – Resurface from Hecker to Front Street $12,690.70
- Wood Street – Resurface from Lodge Drive to Bradley – $4,746.85
- Hecker Road -Patch near Alger Road – $725
- Renfroe Street – Resurface from Hwy 29 to Ivey Street – $5,650.35
- Ivey Street — Resuface — $165,588
The total cost will be $176,392.44 to contractor Roads, Inc. A mobilization fee of $2,100 was also included in the total. The project was not be bid; the council piggybacked on an existing Escambia County contract with Roads.
State Fire Marshal Investigating Mobile Home Fire Near Century (With Photo Gallery)
July 15, 2015
The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of a Tuesday afternoon fire that destroyed a mobile home south of Century.
A mobile home located on North Canoe Road of Highway 29 was found to be almost fully involved when firefighters arrived on scene shortly after 1:15 p.m. Firefighters were hampered by the mobile home’s location down a lengthy dirt drive. The mobile home was a complete loss.
There were no injuries reported.
The Century, McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Flomaton Fire Department and Escambia County EMS responded to the blaze.
Reader submitted photos by Philip Bell, Jr. for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Second Amendment Group Argues For Guns In University Dorms
July 15, 2015
The Second Amendment should supersede a Florida law that bans firearms from state university housing, a gun-rights group argued before seemingly skeptical appellate judges Tuesday.
The 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee heard arguments from Florida Carry Inc., which contends students and other people residing in on-campus housing at the University of Florida should be allowed to maintain possession of firearms as they would at their parents’ homes.
“All we are saying is that the right to possess a firearm in one’s home is fundamental,” said Florida Carry attorney Lesley McKinney after the hearing. “Regardless of where one’s home is, it’s still their home.”
The judges offered no timeline on when they might rule.
The University of Florida has disputed that the federal or state constitutions guarantee the right to have firearms in university housing.
University spokeswoman Janine Sikes maintained after the hearing that the school is in compliance with state law regarding on-campus firearm possession, which includes a December 2013 ruling from the same court that the University of North Florida cannot bar firearms stowed in cars.
Attorney Barry Richard, representing the university, argued to the judges that students have an option to reside off-campus if they are adamant about firearm possession.
“If you want to be in an environment, or you want your child to be in an environment, in which you have the security and peace-of-mind of knowing there are no guns permitted, then you place them in university housing,” Richard told the judges. “If you feel strongly that you want your child or an adult student feels they want a weapon, they can live in non-university housing. I know of no provision at the University of Florida, or any other school, any longer, that requires a student to live on campus.”
An Alachua County circuit judge sided with the Gainesville school last year.
Judge Scott Makar, one of the three judges on the appeals panel, told Florida Carry attorney Eric Friday the case would be helped with a named plaintiff who could describe the personal impacts of the ban.
Makar also told Friday that lawmakers, through state laws, have given the state university system’s Board of Governors the power to develop guidelines for university boards of trustees related to university-owned and university-controlled grounds, including restrictions on firearms.
“I recognize that neither side cited this statute in their briefs, but it seems to give pretty clear regulatory authority down to the universities,” Makar said.
Friday said that part of state statutes could be interpreted to regulate matters such as how weapons are transported across campus to a firearm course or how they are stored in a classroom.
“That chapter is about the educational environment, and the educational environment we submit is very distinct and separate from the home environment,” Friday argued.
Friday added that while Florida Carry represents “multiple” students, the organization retains members’ right to privacy.
The arguments came after gun-rights advocates unsuccessfully sought to pass legislation this year that would have allowed people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry firearms on university campuses. The National Rifle Association has vowed to bring back the measure in 2016.
In a brief filed in March, the university pointed to other places that it said lawmakers have designated as “firearms-free zones,” including courthouses, polling places and bars.
Friday said Florida Carry is moving forward with its legal argument because the issue isn’t carrying guns on campus, as state lawmakers have proposed, but possession within a person’s home as allowed by the U.S. Constitution.
“You can’t force somebody to waive a constitutional right in order to gain the benefit of attending a public university,” Friday said after the hearing. “If that’s true, then the universities could require students to waive their Fourth Amendment rights and have their rooms subject to search at any time.”
McKinney added that they are pursuing the change through the courts because “we’ve seen a lot lately that the courts aren’t necessarily trending towards waiting for the legislative or democratic process to enforce a fundamental right.”
Northview Quarterback Club Plans Coed Softball Tourney
July 15, 2015
The Northview High School Quarterback Club will hold a coed softball tournament on August 1 at Showalter Park in Century.
The entry is $150 per team. For more details on the tournament, contact Amy Holland at (850) 516-8400 or Melissa Ward at (251) 359-7383.
Walk-In Immunization Clinic Thursday In Molino
July 15, 2015
A special immunization clinic is set for Thursday in Molino.
The walk-in clinic will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Molino Service Center at 3470 Highway 29 North.
Special back to school hours will also be held by the Florida Department of Health Escambia County August 10-21 with same-day appointments only, Monday-Friday. For more information, call (850) 595-6554.
Escambia River Catfish Falls Just Short Of State Record
July 15, 2015
Darrin Smith of Byrneville recently caught this huge flathead catfish on the Escambia River near Bluff Springs using a rod and reel. He met a Florida Fish and Wildlife officer for a certified weight. The fish weighed in at 50.5 pounds — 4.5 pounds short of the state record. Photo for North Escambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Launches New App
July 15, 2015
Gulf Power has released a full-service app where customers can pay or view their bill, find helpful energy efficiency tips or report a power outage at their home. Energy Select customers can use the app to program their Energy Select thermostat.
“Our app gives our customers the power to connect with us wherever they are, right on their phone,” said Natalie Smith, Gulf Power spokesperson. “It offers convenient access to the information they may need, right at their fingertips.”
The app, made for iPhone and Android, is free and can be found by searching “Gulf Power” in iTunes and the Google Play store.
There are three key areas on the home page of the app:
- Bill payment – customers can log into their account and view or pay their bill;
- Energy efficiency – get energy saving tips, or check out our free Energy Checkup, and;
- Outage – gives customers the ability to access our real-time outage map, report an outage or check on the status.
Lois A. “Coot” Gibson
July 15, 2015
Lois A. “Coot” Gibson, 89 of Walnut Hill, passed away July 15, 2015, at her residence. She was born in Escambia County, FL, on December 2, 1925, to the late Otis and Vera Melvin Agerton. She was a member of Walnut Hill Baptist Church.
She is preceded in death by her parents and husband A. L. “ Jack” Gibson.
She is survived by her children, Joan Gibson and James L. “Buddy” Gibson both of Walnut Hill; one brother, Edward (Ann) Agerton of Oak Grove; four grandchildren, Donnie (Katie) Gibson, Sandra Gibson (Jay) Chimento, Levan (Jennifer) Trull and Tommy Gibson; six great-grandchildren, Ashley (Bo) McCall, Rebeca Gibson, Joey (Michelle) Mizell, Melissa (Quinn) Nichols, Jordan Trull and Sarah Gibson; five great-great-grandchildren, Landon, B. J., Zoey, Laiken and Madi Claire; and three nephews, Gene Agerton, James Agerton and Robert Agerton.
Funeral services will be held Friday, July 17, 2015, at 11 a.m. from the Walnut Hill Baptist Church with Bro. James Boyd, Bro. Ted Bridges and Bro. Roy Chewning officiating.
Burial will follow in Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Kent Sherrill, Little John Davis, Steve Gabriel, Larry Gibson, Robbie Ferguson and Jason Stabler.
Honorary pallbearers will be Joan’s Sunday School Class.
Visitation will be held Thursday, July 16, 2015, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.