Night Lane Closures Planned For Nine Mile Road
May 10, 2016
East and westbound traffic on Nine Mile Road west of I-10 near Heritage Oaks Drive and Navy Federal in Escambia County will encounter intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday as crews perform striping operations and place reflective pavement markings.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the work zone.
All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are encouraged to obey the posted speed limit, be mindful of construction equipment entering and exiting the roadway, and refrain from texting while driving.
Molino Forestry Workshop: Does Money Grow On Trees?
May 10, 2016
There is money to be made in trees and interested landowners will have an opportunity to learn more about it at an upcoming workshop. The Florida Forest Service and Florida Tree Farm Committee are hosting the free event May 20 in Molino.
The workshop will cover timber sales, thinning, threats to timberland and certification. Attendees will also have the opportunity to network with forestry professionals. Lunch will be provided.
Pre-registration for the workshop is required by May 17. To register, call Cathy Hardin at (850) 587-5237. The workshop will take place 8:45 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Molino Community Complex at 6450 Highway 95A North.
New Plant, 35 Tech Jobs Headed To Atmore
May 10, 2016
Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded $300,000 to help a company specializing in high technology machinery and fabrication build a manufacturing plant in Atmore. When in operation, the plant will provide 35 new jobs for the area.
The Community Development Block Grant will assist Brown Precision Inc., a Huntsville-based company, to build a 60,000-square-foot building in the North Rivercane Industrial Park.
“Alabama continues to make a name for itself in the high-technology field and the second addition of Brown Precision is further evidence of that,” Bentley said. “I am pleased to award this funding and I take delight in the job opportunities this will provide in southwest Alabama.”
Brown Precision manufactures precision parts of metal, plastic, glass and other materials for aerospace and medical companies like G.E. Aviation, G.K.N. Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Wright Medical Group and Smith and Nephew.
CDBG funding will be used to provide water and sewer services to the plant. The city has obtained additional funds to provide road access to the plant and new turn lanes off Alabama Highway 21 at the plant’s entrance. The city of Atmore has pledged $73,900 in local funding for the projects.
Bentley notified Mayor Jim Staff that the grant had been approved.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, recreation, energy conservation, and water resource management.
County Plans Final Tornado Debris Sweep In Ferry Pass
May 10, 2016
The Escambia County Commission has approved an additional sweep of the Ferry Pass area for debris generated by the tornado in February. In cooperation with Escambia County, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority crews will make a final pass through the impacted neighborhoods on Monday, May 16. Residents in the unincorporated areas of Ferry Pass with storm related debris are asked to move all debris to the right of way no later than Sunday, May 15.
Residents are asked to remember that:
- All storm generated debris must be separated and be placed in the right of way. Residents should avoid placing debris near power poles, fire hydrants, water meters, mail boxes or other utilities. Crews are not allowed on private property so all debris must be in the right of way area, typically the area from a power pole to the curb.
- No demolition debris will be picked up, please consult with your insurance company and/or contractor for demolition debris removal.
- Do not place household garbage with storm debris. ECUA residential customers will receive normal garbage collection on their normal pickup day.
- Storm generated debris must be sorted and placed curbside in the following categories:
- Construction – furniture, carpet, tile, steel, glass, brick, concrete, asphalt roofing material, pipe, gypsum wallboard, lumber or anything used in the construction, renovation, and demolition of a structure.
- Vegetative debris – Tree limbs, leaves, logs, pallets, and tree branches.
- White goods – washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, microwaves, water heaters, freezers and small AC units.
- Electronics – T.V.s, computers, monitors, fax machines, stereos, speakers, etc.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) – Cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemicals, oils, oil-based paints and stains and pesticides.
- Commercial customers, please contact your contracted waste services provider for disposal services. Commercial waste should not be placed on the right of way.
Debris pickup continues in the Town of Century, and City of Pensacola residents should contact their waste service provider for any debris removal services.
Northview’s McGahan Named ‘Top Senior’ Out Of 48 NJROTC Programs In Five States
May 10, 2016
Northview High School NJROTC Company Commander Cadet LCDR Moriah McGahan has been selected as the Navy JROTC “Top Senior” in the Area 8 Region. She was named the Top Senior from 48 high school NJROTC programs in Northwest Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Judge Rules Death Penalty Fix Unconstitutional
May 10, 2016
A Miami-Dade County judge ruled Monday that a state law allowing the death penalty to be imposed without a unanimous jury decision is unconstitutional, adding to the challenges facing Florida’s capital punishment structure.
In his 18-page opinion, Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch said a recent change to death-penalty sentencing means Florida prosecutors now need the votes of all 12 jurors to impose the death penalty, instead of a majority or supermajority.
“A 21st-century Floridian seeking to argue that the right purported to be protected by (the state Constitution) does not include the requirement of a unanimous verdict must be prepared to rebut the unequivocal expression of the common law, the received wisdom of 19th-century Florida lawyers and judges, a handful of reported Florida opinions, and a century-and-a-half of shared understanding,” Hirsch wrote. “And he must be prepared to do so without any ammunition at all, for he will find no Florida cases, no Florida law-review articles, and no Florida history to support his position.”
Hirsch’s findings in the case of Karon Gaiter, who is charged with one count of first-degree murder, came after the Legislature approved changes to Florida’s death-penalty system during the annual session that ended in March. Those changes were prompted by a U.S. Supreme Court decision that tossed the state’s previous regime for instituting the death penalty.
Under the old system, a majority of jurors could issue a death-penalty recommendation that could be followed or ignored by the judge in the case. But under the new law, at least 10 members of the jury must vote for capital punishment in order for a convicted murderer to be put to death; the judge can instead sentence the defendant to life in prison, but can’t impose the death penalty if the jury hasn’t recommended it.
That, Hirsch wrote, essentially changed the jury’s decision from a “straw poll” to a verdict, which has always been understood to require a unanimous vote.
“Every verdict in every criminal case in Florida requires the concurrence, not of some, not of most, but of all jurors — every single one of them,” he wrote in the ruling, posted online by the Miami Herald.
During the spring legislative session, the state Senate pushed to require a unanimous vote for the death penalty, but the state House balked, and Attorney General Pam Bondi and state prosecutors also opposed the proposal. In a compromise, the two chambers settled on requiring 10 jurors to vote for the death penalty. Hirsch’s ruling is almost certain to be appealed.
Somewhat ironically, it was a different part of the sentencing process that drew the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down Florida’s death penalty process. The high court’s 8-1 decision, in a case known as Hurst v. Florida, found that the state’s system of giving judges — and not juries — the power to impose death sentences is an unconstitutional violation of defendants’ Sixth Amendment right to trial by jury.
The Hurst decision dealt with what are known as aggravating circumstances that must be determined before defendants can be sentenced to death. A 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in a case known as Ring v. Arizona, requires that determinations of such aggravating circumstances must be made by juries, not judges.
Under Florida’s new law, juries will have to unanimously determine “the existence of at least one aggravating factor” before defendants can be eligible for death sentences. The law also requires at least 10 jurors to recommend the death penalty in order for the sentence to be imposed.
At the time that the law passed, some legislators raised the possibility that a non-unanimous jury recommendation could come back to haunt the Legislature. But prosecutors and victims’ advocates said the Supreme Court hasn’t ruled that unanimity is required.
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court heard arguments on whether convicted murderers who were sentenced to death before the Hurst decision are entitled to automatically have their sentences reduced to life in prison without the chance for parole. That case doesn’t revolve around the unanimity issue.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service Of Florida
Cecil David Brown
May 10, 2016
Cecil David Brown went to be with his Lord and Savior after a lengthy illness. David was 78 years young and will be sorely missed.
David is survived by his wife, Charlotte; brother, James Brown; children, Terry (Jan), Tonya, Tim (Lori), and Troy; two loving step-daughters, Stephany Heath and Kimberly Heath; and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Easter Belle Brown of Pensacola, and wife of 46 years, Marie Adkison Brown.
David was born on June 9, 1937, in Brewton. He moved to Pensacola a few years later and graduated from Pensacola High School in 1955. David worked for years in the family business, Brown Painting Company, eventually running his own company, David Brown Coatings, up until 2015 when he retired. For the last 12 years he has lived in Seminole, AL, on the Styx River.
David was a family man and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He was an avid fisherman and quail hunter. He also enjoyed antique automobiles and traveling with his beloved wife Charlotte. David had countless friends and enjoyed life and lived it to the fullest.
The family will receive friends Friday, May 13, 2016, from 9:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Brownsville Assembly of God.
Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola.
Graveside services will be at Eastern Gate Cemetery at 3 p.m.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Blue Wahoos Drop Game One To Lookouts
May 10, 2016
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos woes on the road continued Monday against the Chattanooga Lookouts who got 17 hits to roll to a, 12-3, victory at AT&T Field.
Pensacola fell to 7-9 on the road, while they are 11-4 at home. The Blue Wahoos are now 18-13 and in second place in the Southern League South Division. Meanwhile, Chattanooga improved to 14-17.
Chattanooga jumped on Pensacola starter Sal Romano in the third inning, scoring five runs and sending nine men to the plate. Romano, the No. 15 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization according to MLB.com, was rolling until then striking out three Lookout batters and allowing just one hit.
In all, Chattanooga scored seven runs on nine hits off of Romano in three innings. Romano fell to 1-2 with a 5.23 earned-run average.
D.J. Baxendale, a tenth round Minnesota Twins selection in 2012, threw seven innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits and three walks. Baxendale, who has played parts of four seasons in Double-A, improved to 2-4 with a 3.07 ERA.
Pensacola scored first when right fielder Brandon Dixon hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored first baseman Kyle Parker in the second inning to put the Blue Wahoos on top, 1-0.
However, in the bottom of the third inning, Chattanooga got a double and four singles to go ahead, 5-1.
The Lookouts DH Travis Harrison singled to right field to score third baseman T.J. White, 1-0. First baseman D.J. Hicks then hit a liner to center field to drive in second baseman Ryan Walker and center fielder Shannon Wilkerson for a 3-1 lead. Chattanooga catcher Mitch Garver then drove in two more on a double to center field that scored Harrison and Hicks to go ahead 5-1.
Chattanooga scored two more off Romano in the fourth to take a 7-1 lead over Pensacola. Walker tripled to right field to drive in White and then Wilkerson singled to right to score Walker.
Pensacola did get two more runs back in the top of the sixth inning when Parker hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score left fielder Tony Renda and then second baseman Alex Blandino scored on a wild pitch by Chattanooga starter Baxendale to make the score, 7-3.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Chattanooga’s Walker singled in Hicks and Garver. Wilkerson then singled up the middle to score White to put the Lookouts on top, 10-3.
Garver, who went 3-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs, completed Chattanooga’s scoring on a two-run smash to left center in the eighth inning for a 12-3 Lookout win.
Pensacola shortstop Calten Daal extended his hitting streak to nine games, going 1-2 with two walks. He is hitting .469.
Tony Renda went 1-4 and scored a run and extended his hitting streak to eight games. He’s hitting .305 for the Blue Wahoos this season.
Linnie B. Shofner
May 10, 2016
Linnie B. Shofner, age 85, of Pensacola, was called home on May 5, 2016. She was born to the late Miss Vinnie Parker, in Red Level, AL, on May 5, 1931. Linnie was the most loving, caring, and beautiful person to know. She lived a long full life and always put others before herself. Linnie, also know as “Granny,” will be sadly missed by her family. However they are comforted to know that she is at home with her Lord, as well as family that have gone before her.
Granny was preceded in death by her mother; son, Eddie E. Helton; and grandson, Robert E. Lizama.
She is survived by her daughter, Peggy (Bo) Lizama; granddaughter, Christina Lizama; and grandson, Bo Hartjen; great-granddaughters, Aleah Falcon, Jaylyn Lee, and Rylee Larson; and a great-grandson, Robert Hartjen.
Visitation will be held at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South on Wednesday, May 11, 2015, from 10 a.m. until service time at 11 a.m.
A graveside service will follow at 11:30 a.m. at Clopton Cemetery in Pensacola.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home South is in charge of arrangements.
Don Whatley
May 10, 2016
Otis Delano “Don” Whatley, 66 of McCullough, passed away May 7, 2016, in Mobile. He was born on August 13, 1949, in Crichton, AL, to the late Otis Franklin and Carrie Bell Miller Whatley. He retired after 31 years from the City of Atmore where he was superintendent of public works. He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Wayne Whatley, Frank Whatley and Larry Whatley.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Johnson Whatley; three sons, Ricky (Stephanie) Cook of Booneville, AL, David Cook of McCullough and Paul (Shellie) Whatley of Cantonment; and five grandchildren, Courtney, Blake, Treay, Hunter and Brent.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, May 11, 2016, at 2 p.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Cornelius Phillips officiating.
Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Active pallbears will be Blake Cook, Treay Whatley, Calvin Grace, Larry Caraway, Brian McCreary, James Tolin, Forest Phillips and Joseph Pace.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, May 11, 2016 from 12:30 p.m. until service time from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.