Sheriff’s Office Seeks Info In Possible Attempted Child Abduction
June 2, 2015
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is seeking to identify a man that may have been involved in a possible attempted child abduction.
On Sunday, the Sheriff’s Office received a call from a concerned parent after the driver of a maroon and gray Dodge Caravan called her six-year old over to the van as if to lure him in. When the driver saw the mother, he quickly left the area.
The vehicle was possibly a 2004 model Dodge Caravan, had no license plate and was driven by a bald, heavyset man in his 40’s, the Sheriff’s Office said. The incident occurred in the Bimini Court area, near South Blue Angel Parkway.
Anyone with any information should contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Pictured: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the driver of a similar van in a possible attempted child abduction. This is not the actual vehicle. Photo provided by the ECSO for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Cantonment Home
June 2, 2015
A fire reportedly sparked by a candle destroyed a single story brick home in Cantonment Tuesday morning.
The fire was reported about 11 a.m. in the 1200 block of Neal Road, with the resident reported that the fire started with a candle in the living room. The fire was declared under control about 11:45 a.m.
The first firefighters on scene reported that the fire was through the roof and had spread throughout the house. All occupants escaped without injuries.
The exact cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Cantonment, Ensley, Beulah, Molino, McDavid, Brent and Osceola stations of Escambia Rescue responded to the blaze, along with Escambia County EMS.
Pictured: Fire destroyed the interior of this Neal Road home Tuesday morning. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Street Paving Project Underway
June 2, 2015
Work should be complete in the next two weeks, weather permitting, to resurface and patch a dozen streets around Century.
The total cost will be $153,122.69 to contractor Roads, Inc. The project was not be bid; the council piggybacked on an existing Escambia County contract with Roads.
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 -Parch near Alger Road – $725
- Renfroe Street – Resurface from Hwy 29 to Ivey Street – $5,650.35
The contract also includes mobilization fee of $2,100.
Live Streams: Watch Pine Forest, West Florida And Tate Graduations Online
June 2, 2015
Today’s Pine Forest, West Florida and Tate high school graduations will be streamed online today for free.
The link to each graduation live stream can be found by clicking here. The video can be watched for free on almost any computer, smart phone, smart TV and many other devices.
Graduations will be held as follows (with live streams beginning about 15 minutes early):
- Pine Forest High School – June 2, 11 a.m. — Pensacola Bay Center
- West Florida High School — June 2, 2:30 p.m. — Pensacola Bay Center
- Tate High School — June 2, 6 p.m. — Pensacola Bay Center
To watch last Saturday’s Northview High School graduation, click here.
Pictured: Last Saturday’s graduation at Northview High School.
Special Session: ‘More Realistic’ Tax Cuts Expected
June 2, 2015
Floridians could still get a reduction in their cable-TV and cell-phone bills as part of a new House tax-cut package, but the overall plan likely will fall short of the tax cuts sought by Gov. Rick Scott.
Also, Scott’s call to permanently lift the sales tax on the purchase of college textbooks may be altered, as the House is repackaging a tax-cut package (HB 7141) from the regular legislative session to help develop a budget that lawmakers say will include higher health-care costs.
A $400 million-plus tax cut plan is scheduled to be presented to the House Finance & Tax Committee on Tuesday, the second day of a special legislative session. The proposal is expected to reach the House floor Thursday, said House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island.
During the regular session, the House proposed lopping $690 million in taxes and fees, with a reduction in the communications-services tax on cable-TV and cell-phone bills anticipated to account for $470.9 million of that amount.
The initial tax-cut package was larger than a $673 million plan Scott requested and touted in television ads.
However, as the House and the Senate use the special legislative session to negotiate a budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, a leaner House tax-cut approach is likely.
The changes are expected to shave overall savings from the communications-services tax to a little more than $200 million, said House Finance & Tax Chairman Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach.
“That was the largest portion of the House’s initial proposed tax cut, so it felt the impact most significantly when we had to adjust our budget to accommodate more health-care spending,” Gaetz said.
The Senate for the special session is considering four bills that include features of the House tax-cut package, including a cut in the communications-services tax (SB 4-A).
The initial Senate proposal maintains the higher communications-services tax savings sought by Scott. But the author of the bill, Senate Finance and Tax Chairwoman Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, said Monday that while she had not seen the House proposal or spoken recently with Gaetz, the lowered numbers appear to be “more realistic” in the current budget situation.
“As much as I would like it to be higher, if it’s adjusted somehow I’m sure we would support that,” Hukill said.
The governor’s office didn’t bemoan the potential reduction in the tax cuts.
“We applaud the House’s efforts to cut taxes, and we are reviewing it,” Scott spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said in an email Monday.
As part of the tax cuts, the House and Senate continue to look at reducing a sales tax on commercial real-estate leases, and Gaetz said the House may be able to make the cut deeper than initially planned.
Meanwhile, Scott’s call to eliminate the sales tax on college textbooks, a move he says would help families with higher-education affordability, may have to be tempered for now.
The House is looking to implement the textbook tax break for several days in August and again in January, the start of the fall and spring semesters.
The failure of the Legislature to craft a budget during the regular session may also have an impact on two sales-tax holidays that the House had proposed.
A sales-tax holiday on back-to-school items might be moved to the middle of August, from the start of the month, which actually would put the discounts on computers, clothes and school items closer to the school year.
And the tax package may go without a sales-tax holiday on weapons, ammo, fishing gear and camping tents for July 4. The House had proposed that holiday in its original package.
“Just the timing of getting that holiday operational presents some feasibility problems, so that’s likely one that won’t make it over the finish line,” Gaetz said.
The House package is expected to maintain an elimination of taxes on gun-club memberships.
House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, called it “good news” when asked about the potential removal of the July 4 sales-tax holiday.
“So there are some benefits of a special session and unconstitutionally departing,” Pafford said. “It’s going to be interesting how it all lines up.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Whataburger Cuts Breakfast Hours Citing ‘National Egg Shortage’
June 2, 2015
Whataburger restaurants have cut breakfast hours due to what the company said is national egg shortage caused by an avian flu outbreak.
As of Monday, all Whataburger restaurants have limited breakfast hours, with all restaurants serving breakfast only from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. on weekdays and from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekends while supplies last. Previously, breakfast was available from 11 p.m. to 11 a.m.
“We don’t know why other restaurants haven’t been affected by this shortage yet, but it sure has affected us. Our primary egg supplier was one of the hardest hit by this shortage. The change back to our regular breakfast menu and hours will happen gradually as we replenish our supply; we will be sure to keep you informed,” the company said in a press release.
“We’re working closely with our egg suppliers to do everything in our power to replenish the egg supply at all of our restaurants as soon as possible,” the restaurant’s statement read. “It’s important to know this is a supply issue and is not a health safety issue.”
Pictured top: The Whataburger restaurant in Century. Pictured below: A sign on the front door of the Century Whataburger explains the chain’s new breakfast hours. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pedestrian Killed Monday Night
June 2, 2015
An Escambia County pedestrian accident claimed one life Monday night.
The crash occurred around 8:15 p.m. in the 300 block of North Pace Boulevard between Belmont and Wright streets.
Pensacola Police Officer Dan Bell said Queenesta Ingram, 36, of Pensacola was walking westbound across Pace Boulevard when she was struck by a 2014 Ford Escape driven by Kenneth Wilson, 53, of Pensacola, who was northbound on Pace Boulevard in the left-hand lane. Bell said the area was dark and Ingram was not in a crosswalk.
No charges have been filed.
Northview Graduates Earn $576K In Scholarships
June 2, 2015
Members of the Northview High School Class of 2015 earned over $576,000 in scholarships.
Scholarships were awarded as follows:
- E’layzha Bates — Baton Rouge Community College $8,971;
- Angelique Brown — Outstanding Minority – PSC $1,800;
- Tristan Taylor Brown — Atmore Rotary $500; Bright Futures – GSV $3,456;
- Megan Paige Bryan — Atmore Rotary 4 Year $750;
- Kristen Renae Byrd — Atmore Rotary $500;
- Matthew Ryan Chavers — Atmore Rotary $500; UWF Nautilus $6,000; Florida Bright Futures – FAS $12,360; Rotary Four Way Test Essay Contest (3rd Place) $100;
- Kendal Brooke Cobb — Atmore Rotary 4 Year $750; Jefferson Davis 2nd Gen Scholarship $3,390; PSC Principal’s Scholarship $1,800; Bright Futures – GSV $3,456;
- Tiffani Amber Cruce — Atmore Rotary $500; Glenn Key Award; FFA Alumni Scholarship;
- Austin Blake Cunningham — Atmore Rotary 4 Year $750;
- Iyanna Latice Davidson — Atmore Rotary $500;
- Hannah Elizabeth Gibson — Atmore Rotary $500; Poarch Tribal Member Scholarship $100,000;
- Kayla Fears — Poarch Creek First Generation Scholarship $40,000;
- Chasen Freeman — Poarch Creek First Generation Scholarship $40,000;
- Kyndall Hall — Valedictorian Award – First National $150; UAB Collegiate Honors Scholaship $22,000;
- Davy Hanks — Florida Bright Futures – FMS $9,240;
- Julie Hester — Herman D. Johnson Scholarship $1,000; Troy University Majorette Scholarship $500; Walnut Hill Ruritan Scholarship;
- Kaitlyn Grace Kline — Atmore Rotary $500;
- Angel Lathan — Union College $23,500;
- Adriann Dawn Lee — Atmore Rotary $500; Bright Futures – GSV $3,456;
- Madison McGhee — Poarch Tribal Member Scholarship $100,000;
- Jessica Leigh McCullough — Atmore Rotary 4 Year $750;
- Aaron Thomas McDonald — Atmore Rotary 4 Year $750;
- Teamber Moorer — Take Stock in Children 2+2 Scholarship $21,616; UWF Housing Scholarship $10,810;
- Jaylen Parker — Hilltop Scholarship – LaGrange College $10,000;
- Courtney Peebles — Reid State Technical College $1,300;
- Tristan Hunter Portwood — Atmore Rotary 4 Year $750; Florida Bright Futures – GSV $3,456;
- Mallory Mason Ryan — Atmore Rotary 4 Year $750; Faulkner Presidential $11,900; Jefferson Davis 2nd Gen Scholarship $3,390; Florida Bright Futures – GSV $3,456;
- Rachel Caroline Sepulveda — Atmore Rotary $500;
- Samantha Sharpless — University of South Alabama Presidential Scholarship $14,000; Florida Bright Futures – FMS $9,240; Salutatorian Award – United Bank $300;
- Cara Thompson — Lydia Minchew Memorial Scholarship $500; Take Stock in Children 2+2 Scholarship $12,616;
- Morgan Ward — Poarch Creek First Generation Scholarship $40,000;
- Shania Lynn Ward — Atmore Rotary $500; Poarch Creek First Generation Scholarship $40,000; Alabama Indian Affairs Scholarship $2,222
Molino 16U Wins All-Star Tournament
June 2, 2015
The Molino 16U All Stars won this weekend’s 2015 All Star Tournament at Tiger Point. After two wins Saturday, Molino earned a finals berth after a Sunday win. For the championship, they beat Myrtle Grove 6-0. Pictured: (front, L-R) Aubree Love, Tori Herrington, Ashley Ragsdale, Kayla Godwin, Siobaun English, (back) Coach David Snyder, Jasmine Crabtree, Mika King, Meredith Morgan, Ivy New, Kendall Enfinger, Katie Snyder and Coach Scott Herrington. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com by Creda Crabtree, click to enlarge.
Robotics Team Heads To Historic Finals
June 2, 2015
The robotics team from the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) in Escambia County is headed for promises to be a historic milestone in the science of making machines move and think like humans.
The DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals, to be held June 5-6 in Pomona, CA, will test 25 teams from around the world in a challenge course designed to emulate a disaster area where humans could not safely go. IHMC’s team will be using the 6-foot-tall Atlas robot, built by Boston Dynamics but with the all-important controlling software designed by IHMC researchers.
The winning team will bring home $2 million from DARPA, which will go to further robotics research. The second-place team will win $1 million.
“It’s been a lot of non-stop work, but we’re ready to go,” said Doug Stephen, one of the computer scientists on the project for IHMC.
For years, movies and television shows have portrayed bipedal robots as virtually flawless, fast-moving, self-thinking units. But the reality has lagged far behind that characterization. The DARPA Robotics Challenge was designed to push the science and engineering to the next level. And in recent weeks, IHMC’s Atlas, nicknamed “Running Man,” has stepped up to the occasion, performing well on the tasks it will face in the finals, including driving a car, walking over a debris field, opening doors, cutting a hole in a wall, turning a valve for a fire hose and climbing stairs.
The finals require the robots to think for themselves to a large degree and perform the eight tasks in 60 minutes or less — on battery power, without a safety line, and with limited communications with their handlers. This week, IHMC’s machine finished the practice course well within the time frame.
“I am unconditionally proud of our robotics team and hope that the robot fates smile upon them in Pomona,” said IHMC CEO/Director Ken Ford. “They are a terrific group of young engineers and computer scientists.”
In the first two rounds of the Robotics Challenge in 2013, IHMC placed first in the virtual (computer simulation) trials, and second in the field trials, thanks in large part to the advanced computer software IHMC developed, organizers said. Other teams in next week’s finals come from some of the most advanced robotics programs in the country, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Lockheed Martin, and Carnegie Mellon University, as well as several teams from Japan, South Korea, China and Germany.
