Pensacola Seeks Court’s Opinion In ECUA, FAA Dispute
May 11, 2016
As the owner of Pensacola International Airport, the City of Pensacola has filed for a declaratory judgement in Federal Court to obtain answers to legal questions between the City of Pensacola, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The questions stem from FAA regulations requiring all entities using airport property to pay for the use of the property. Should an airport fail to enforce or comply with FAA regulations, the FAA has the authority to levy penalties against that airport that could result in the withholding of grants necessary to maintain and upgrade facilities, the repayment of previous grants, and the assessment of civil penalties.
ECUA operates three water production wells located on Pensacola International Airport property. These wells produce water that is supplied to Escambia County customers for a fee. Given its regulations and actions taken at other airports, the FAA has communicated to Pensacola International Airport that ECUA must pay Pensacola International Airport for the use of the airport property where the three water producing wells are located. In addition, the FAA has communicated to Pensacola International Airport that ECUA also must pay Pensacola International Airport some unspecified percentage of the revenues ECUA derives from the sale of the water being produced from airport proprty and supplied to ECUA customers.
While the property in question was acquired for the Pensacola International Airport and the FAA did not release the property from FAA property transfer restrictions, ECUA contends that it owns or should own the land surrounding two of the three wells located on Pensacola International Airport property and is not required to pay Pensacola International Airport for either the use of the property or the water extracted from the three wells.
The City of Pensacola and ECUA have been working to resolve this issue for some time, but have been unsuccessful in finding a solution. The FAA’s ongoing inquiries regarding the status of the matter and the need to timely resolve the issues now require the City of Pensacola to file for a Declaratory Judgement asking the Federal Court to answer the legal questions pertaining to property ownership and provide guidance to the City on its compliance with Federal law and FAA regulations.
“We haven’t been able to come to an agreement with ECUA on what the City’s obligations are. ECUA believes that it should own the property surrounding the wells and that it is not required to pay for the use of the property or for the fair market value of water extracted. The FAA tells us that, if ECUA doesn’t pay a concession fee, the City could be penalized for revenue diversion. We just want the court to resolve the legal issues and to tell us what our obligations are,” Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward said.
Top High School Seniors Recognized At Senior Scholar Banquet
May 11, 2016
The top 213 senior student athletes from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties took part in a dinner and scholarship recognition program Tuesday night at Olive Baptist Church.
Tori Bindi from Gulf Breeze High and Nathan Andreo from Pace won the overall girls and male scholarships. The Pensacola Sports Foundation awarded these two individuals each with a $4,000 scholarship. Other awardees were Callan Taylor from Navarre (University of West Florida Scholarship), Kaci VanVoorhis from Pace and Cortavis Watts from Washington (Gary McAdams Memorial Scholarship), Trace Penton from Tate and Eliza Eligio from Pensacola High (Whataburger Scholarship), Chloe Dawson from Milton (Dr. Alec Kessler Memorial Scholarship), and Jerry Pollard, Pine Forest football coach and athletic director, won the RADM Kenneth L Shugart Jr. Award for his service and dedication to the community, sports, and youth.
Additionally, Pensacola State College awarded each individual sport winner with a scholarship. Newly added this year are scholarships awarded for both men’s and women’s lacrosse.
The individual sport winners are:
- Baseball — Evan Floyd, Pensacola Catholic
- Girls Basketball — Faithe Franklin, West Florida
- Boys Basketball — Bradley Proctor, Gulf Breeze
- Cheerleading — Brooke Vincent, Tate
- Boys Cross Country — Mitchell Brooks, West Florida
- Girls Cross Country — Jennifer Sublett, West Florida
- Football — Michael Sandle, Navarre
- Girls Golf — Abigail Herrmann, Pensacola Catholic
- Boys Golf — Michael Mann, Pensacola Catholic
- Boys Lacrosse — Hayden Broussard, Pensacola Catholic
- Girls Lacrosse — Brianna Sekul, Gulf Breeze
- Boys Soccer — Eric Masterson, Pensacola Catholic
- Girls Soccer — Gabrielle Dosev, Pensacola Catholic
- Softball — Callan Taylor, Navarre
- Boys Swimming — Michael Johnson, Pensacola High
- Girls Swimming — Peyton Parra, Washington
- Boys Tennis — Daniell Sullivan, Pensacola Catholic
- Girls Tennis — Emily Dawson, Washington
- Boys Track — Javen Jackson, West Florida Tech
- Girls Track — Lynn Arthur, West Florida Tech
- Volleyball — Kiley Brady, Pensacola Catholic
- Boys Weightlifting — Adrian Acevedo, Pace
- Girls Weightlifting — Olivia Brahms, Navarre
- Wrestling — Travis Thompson, Pace
The schools nominate their senior athletes for each sport and submit the paperwork to Pensacola Sports. A selection committee made of educators, community leaders, and Pensacola Sports board members reviews the anonymous applications and select the best person’s credentials for each sport. Those are the individual sport winners. Then they select the overall male and female winners from the individual sport winners.
Pictured top: Brooke Vincent of Tate High School, Pensacola Sports cheerleading award winner. Pictured below: TV personality Dan Shugart presents the award named for his father, the RADM Kenneth L Shugart Jr. Award, to Jerry Pollard, Pine Forest football coach and athletic director. Pictured: Northview athletes Moriah McGahan, Bethany Reynolds, Coach Natalie Nall, Haylee Weaver and Savanna Roux at Tuesday night’s Pensacola Sports banquet at Olive Baptist Church. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Atmore Police Investigate Shooting
May 11, 2016
The Atmore Police Department is investigating a shooting.
The shooting occurred about 8 p.m. last Friday, Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said Tuesday. He said a white male that appeared to be shot in the abdominal area was found in the front yard of a residence on East Craig Street.
The victim was transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital and then flown by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he is now listed in stable condition.
The case remains under investigation, and there have been no arrests. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141.
Blue Wahoos Win On 11th Inning Homer
May 11, 2016
Pensacola smacked five home runs, including Phillip Ervin’s second blast of the game in the 11th inning that propelled the Blue Wahoos to a 10-9 victory Tuesday over Chattanooga Lookouts at AT&T Park.
Ervin’s two homers were the first multi-homer game of the season for Pensacola and helped him climb into second in the Southern League with five dingers on the year.
Ervin, the MLB.com No. 10 prospect for the Cincinnati Reds, has been on a hitting terror. He now has five home runs and 11 RBIs in the last 12 games. During that time, he has scored in 11 of 12 games for 18 total and now is tied for first place in the Southern League with 24 runs scored on the season.
It was another wild game between Pensacola and Chattanooga. The Blue Wahoos scored 10 runs on 14 hits, while the Lookouts had nine runs on 18 hits. They got 17 hits in the team’s 12-3 win Monday night.
Despite the hot-hitting Chattanooga line up, Jackson Stephens gave up just two earned runs on eight hits and one walk, while striking out three. Stephens had Lookout players on base all night and could have given up far more than two runs but he was able to pitch out of trouble.
Pensacola reliever Carlos Gonzalez picked up the win, his first of the season (1-0), by pitching the last three innings, allowing one hit, one unearned run and striking out four. He lowered his season ERA to 1.69.
Chattanooga sent the game into extra innings in the ninth inning when second baseman Ryan Walker singled and then stole his first base of the year. Walker scored to tie the game, 9-9, on a throwing error by Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Hudson when no one covered second base.
Pensacola pulled back to within a half game of the first place Biloxi Shuckers in the Southern League South Division. The Blue Wahoos are 19-13, while the Shuckers are 19-12, after losing 9-1 to the Jacksonville Suns Tuesday.
Pensacola scored four runs in the top of the fourth inning to go ahead, 4-0. DH Kyle Parker, who was playing in his fourth game, hit a solo homer to right center field to start the inning. It was his first homer of the season for the Blue Wahoos.
Then shortstop Calten Daal, extended his hitting streak to 10 games, with a single to right field that scored third baseman Eric Jagielo for a 2-0 Pensacola lead. Blue Wahoos left fielder Tony Renda followed with a two-out double that scored both first baseman Ray Chang and Daal to put the Blue Wahoos up, 4-0.
Chattanooga then got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth, when shortstop Leonardo Reginatto doubled to left field to score DH Mitch Garver. The second run that made the score, 4-2, came when third baseman T.J. White hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Reginatto.
In the top of the fifth inning, center fielder Phillip Ervin hit his fourth home run of the year to left field to give Pensacola a 5-2 lead.
Pensacola went ahead, 8-2, with three more runs in the top of the seventh. Blue Wahoos second baseman Alex Blandino hit his second home run of the year and then right fielder Brandon Dixon drove in two more runs on his third blast of the year.
The Lookouts first baseman D.J. Hicks pulled Chattanooga closer when he singled to centerfield to score center fielder Shannon Wilkerson to make the score, 8-3, in the bottom of the seventh. Garver then doubled in left fielder Travis Harrison and Hicks to pull Chattanooga within 8-5. Reginatto singled to right field to score Garver with the final run of the inning that pulled the Lookouts within, 8-6.
Chattanooga then knotted the score, 8-8, when Daniel Palka hit a sacrifice fly to shortstop Daal that allowed second baseman Ryan Walker to score, 8-7. Hicks then doubled to drive in Wilkerson with the tying run, 8-8.
In the ninth inning, Dixon, who was 2-6, with a run scored and three RBIs, singled to center to score Ervin, making it a short-lived 9-8 game in favor of the Blue Wahoos.
Ervin, who went 2-5, with three runs scored and a walk, belted his second homer Tuesday when he lined a fly ball deep to left field, which ended up giving Pensacola the win.
Pensacola utility man Tony Renda, who played left field Tuesday, went 3-6 with two RBIs and run and stretched his hitting streak to nine games. He’s now hitting .315 for the Blue Wahoos this season, which is sixth best in the league.
Scott: Federal Plan Needed To Combat Zika Virus
May 11, 2016
Gov. Rick Scott, expected to travel to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, reiterated Tuesday that he intends to push federal officials to craft a plan to attack the spreading Zika virus.
“Summer is coming on. We are going to have more rainfall. We are going to have more mosquitoes,” Scott told reporters after a state Cabinet meeting.
Florida has 102 documented cases — the most of any state — of the mosquito-borne virus, which emerged last year in South America. The virus, while causing mild sickness, has been associated with severe birth defects.
Scott’s office announced last week that he would travel to Washington to push for federal action. Asked Tuesday what he is seeking for Florida, Scott said he will talk to members of Congress about funding for local mosquito boards and resources such as testing kits.
“My job is to keep the 20 million people that live in our state safe, the over 100 million people who come here as tourists safe,” Scott said. “The federal government needs to be a good partner.”
A $1.9 billion emergency funding request by President Barack Obama to help deal with Zika remains tied up in Congress.
Scott late Tuesday afternoon was scheduled to hold phone calls with Interim Surgeon General Celeste Philip, Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon and Wayne Gale, executive director of the Lee County Mosquito Control District, to discuss Zika preparedness.
by The News Service of Florida
10 Arrested During Undercover Drug Sweep
May 11, 2016
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office arrested 10 people during an undercover drug operation during the past two weeks. Two more people are still wanted on outstanding warrants.
The following individuals were arrested:
- Heather Jordan Black, 34, of Century, promoting prison contraband and possession of a controlled substance (Xanax). Released on a $15,000 bond.
- Amanda Jay, 29, of Atmore, possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Released on a $100,000 bond.
- James Roger Jay, 50, of Atmore, possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Released on a $100,000 bond.
- Justin Ulrich, 37, of Atmore, possession and distribution of methamphetamine. He remains in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center on a $105,000 bond.
- T.J. Jarrell, 25, of Atmore, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and attempting to distribute methamphetamine. Released on a $100,000 bond. However ie is currently being sought for bond revocation.
- Brandon Jarrell, 22, of Atmore, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and attempting to distribute methamphetamine. Released on a $100,000 bond.
- Daren “D.J.” Knighten, 25, of Atmore, possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Released on a $50,000 bond.
- Wilma Alana Jackson, 40, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of possession of a controlled substance (meth and hydrocodone) and possession of marijuana II. Released on a $5,000 bond.
- Stephen McCurdy, 48, possession of drug paraphernalia, two counts of possession of a controlled substance (meth and hydrocodone) and possession of marijuana II. Released on a $7,500 bond.
- Nicholas Phelps, 23, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance (Spice). He remains in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center without bond.
Deputies are still looking for Natasha Dandridge, 33, of Brewton, for possession of a controlled substance (MDMA or Ecstasy); and Carnell Dixon, 53, of Atmore for possession and distribution of Spice.
Tate’s State Championship Hopes Ended By Creekside
May 11, 2016
The Tate Aggies had their hopes a state championship dashed Tuesday night as they were eliminated from the playoffs after a 6-2 loss to St. John’s Creekside
Creekside took an early lead with a single in the bottom of the first. The Aggies answered with a run in the top of the third, but Creekside followed with a run of their own in the inning. Both teams added a run in the firth, and Creekside surged in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs.
For Tate, Reid Halfacre was 0-2 with a run, Trace Penton was 1-4, Brandon Fryman went 2-3, Cole Halfacre 2-4 with a RBI, Mason Land 1-4 with a RBI, Logan Blackmon and Hunter NeSmith were both 0-3, Logan McGuffey was 1-3 and Josh Kea went 1-3 with a run.
Penton was charged with the loss. He pitched 1.2 innings, walked three. struck out none and allowed three runs.
The Tate Aggies finished their season as regional runner-up with a 25-5 record.
Escambia Man Gets 30 Years For Assault, Burglary
May 11, 2016
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to three decades in prison on burglary and assault charges.
Terrill Lamar Jenkins was sentenced by Circuit Judge Thomas Dannheisser to 30 years in state prison. Jenkins was convicted by an Escambia County jury aggravated assault by discharge of a firearm, burglary of a dwelling with an assault and battery, assault, and petit theft. The first 20 years of the prison sentence are to be served as a mandatory minimum sentence, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
On April 26th, 2015, Terrill Jenkins initiated an argument with his ex-girlfriend. He confronted her at her house where he stole her phone and took a swing at her with an object wrapped in a black t-shirt. The victim fled by car to her mother’s house, and Jenkins followed. He chased her inside her mother’s house and assaulted and battered her in the presence of her family members. When she escaped his grasp, she ran outside and began backing her vehicle away in an attempt to escape.
Jenkins ran out into the yard where he shot at her four times with a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun. Immediately after firing the shots, Jenkins struck himself with the gun in the head knocking himself out. He fled the scene after he regained consciousness. All four bullets struck the vehicle with one bullet passing within feet of the victim’s head.
Resurfacing, Widening Projects Underway On Hwy 99, Barrineau Park Road
May 10, 2016
Projects are now 70 to 80 percent complete to widen and resurface several miles of County Road 99 and Barrineau Park Road.
Work is 70 percent complete on a project to widen and resurface seven miles of Highway 99 from Barrineau Park Road north to Highway 97A in Bay Springs, according to Escambia County. Construction on the project began in October 2015 and will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration Agency (FHWA) for reimbursement at an estimated project construction cost of $2.87 million. Work is expected to be completed by November 2016.
The second project is 80 percent complete to widen and resurface Barrineau Park Road from Highway 99 to Jacks Branch Road. Escambia County will seek reimbursement for $1.2 million when work is completed in December 2016.
The contractor for both projects, Panhandle Grading and Paving, is continuing to add paved shoulders and widen the road to 11-foot travel lanes, and also install driveway pipes The project also includes other work typically associated with resurfacing and widening, including drainage, sodding and pavement striping.
Both roads will be resurfaced with in final layer of asphalt.
In addition to the two county projects, the Florida Department of Transportation upgraded the railroad crossing on Highway 99 south Highway 97A.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Low 60’s Tonight, Patchy Fog In The Morning
May 10, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 88. South wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph becoming west after midnight.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 84. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 86.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84.