Woman Charged In Fiery DUI Crash
February 3, 2016
An Escambia County woman has been charged in connection with a fiery DUI crash on North Davis Highway.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 53-year old Kathryn Pearson on Pensacola was traveling northbound on North Davis Highway near the intersection of Copter Road when she failed to slow or stop and eared-ended a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix stopped at a traffic signal early Tuesday morning.
The Grand Prix, driven by 31-year old Dawn Willis, was knocked off the roadway and caught fire. Willis and three passengers — 27 year old Janay Matthews, 15-year old Celeste Waldroup and 13-year old Joseph Moorer were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital.
Pearson was under the influence of an unknown drug and fled the scene to West Florida Hospital, according to the FHP. Pearson was charged with DUI with serious bodily injuries, leaving the scene of a crash involving injuries and careless driving.
Pictured: A car burst to flames following an DUI crash early Tuesday morning. Volunteer and career firefighters from the Ferry Pass Station of Escambia Fire Rescue were on scene in just minutes and quickly able to extinguish the fire. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Francies M. Burkette Kearley
February 3, 2016
Francies M. Burkette Kearley passed away Saturday, January 30, 2016, following a short stay in hospice. Francies was 79 years old and is a 30 year resident of Walnut Hill. Francies lived a life that was full of the outdoors. Everyone who knew her knew of her passion for fishing and hunting. If she could just spend a few hours, or more, wetting a hook her day was made. So much the better if she caught something and could bring it home and serve a great meal with it. Her next passion was her grandchildren, to just be around them fishing, watching them play sports or just discussing the day’s events was something she would not willingly miss.
Her husband, Charles Kearley, precedes her in death.
She is survived by three children, James (Mary) Stepp of Hendersonville, NC, David (Vicky) Kearley of Walnut Hill, and her daughter, Marie (George) Paulsen of Pensacola. Francies is also survived by seven grandchildren, Kenny, Jason, Bannie, Jesse, Noelle, Taylor and Sarah along with four great-grandchildren, Alexia, Blake, Devon and Ava.
Francies will be missed by family and everyone who had the good fortune to know her.
Family and friends are invited to arrive at 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 4, 2016 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South for visitation. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m.
She will be laid to rest with her late husband, Charles, at Barrancas National Cemetery.
Nine Mile Dollar General Robbed At Gunpoint
February 3, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a suspect in the armed robbery of Dollar General Store on Nine Mile Road Monday night.
The Dollar General at 100 East Nine Mile Road was robbed at gunpoint just before 10 p.m. The suspect pointed a gun at the clerk and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to Amber Southard, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The clerk was not injured.
The suspect was described only as tall, wearing all dark clothes and having a covered face. K-9 units were called to the scene and conducted an unsuccessful search for the suspect.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Pictured: It was business as usual Tuesday at the Dollar General at 100 East Nine Mile Road, hours after the store was robbed at gunpoint Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injuries In Highway 97 Crash
February 2, 2016
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle crash on Highway 97 just south of Pine Forest Road Tuesday afternoon. The cause of the 4:20 p.m. accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol; further details have not been released. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
An Early Spring? North Escambia Weather Ducks Miss Shadow
February 2, 2016
On this Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil, the world famous groundhog, did not see his shadow and predicted an early spring. Our local weather guys, the NorthEscambia.com Weather Ducks, also missed their shadow Tuesday morning and predicted an early spring from Walnut Hill, FL.
Forklore says that if the groundhog sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, it means six more weeks of winter. We did not have a groundhog handy for a photo, but we did have the NorthEscambia.com Weather Ducks.
For those that might be a little unsure as to the weather ducks’ ability, we offer the two photographs below showing the weather ducks predicting six more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day 2010 and 10 days later with their snowman in Atmore.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Change Begins For Landline Phone Users In Walnut Hill, Bratt, Molino
February 2, 2016
Frontier Communications landline users in Walnut Hill, Bratt and Molino can begin using a new dialing method that will become mandatory in two months.
The new dialing procedure requires Molino and Walnut Hill callers to dial all local calls using 10 digits ( the area code plus the regular telephone number). Previously, these numbers were dialed using seven digits.
For example, when calling Northview High School, customers in the 327 and 587 phone exchanges previously dialed 327-6681, but with the change will now dial (850) 327-6681.
Beginning now, customers in Molino and Walnut Hill can start using the new 10-digit dialing procedure whenever they place a call from the 850 area code. However, during a two-month transitional phase, dialing just seven digits will continue to successfully complete customers’ calls.
As of April 1, the new 10-digit dialing procedure will be required. After this date, any calls placed without using the new 10-digit dialing procedure will not be completed, and a recording will instruct customers to hang up and dial again.
Frontier reminds customers to reprogram all services and automatic dialing equipment that are set to dial a seven-digit number to include the area code after February 1. Examples include life-safety systems or medical devices, PBXs, fax machines, Internet dial-up numbers, alarm and security systems/gates, speed dialers, mobile phone contact lists, call-forwarding settings and voicemail services.
Customers should also check their websites, business stationery, advertising materials, personal and business checks, contact information and personal/pet identification tags to ensure that the area code is included.
The change is due to the addition of a new telephone exchange number in McCullough, AL, and Pensacola that is owned by Cingular Wireless.
Century Looks To Escambia County For Community Redevelopment Area Help
February 2, 2016
The Century Town Council decided Monday night to hold off on forming a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) until they can find out how much of the necessary paperwork might be done with the help of Escambia County.
Upon declaration of an area as blighted, the CRA works to improve conditions. As property tax values rise, most of the increase is funneled back into the redevelopment area for further improvements. An estimate provide by Escambia County showed Century might, in a best case scenario, receive about $5,300 in tax funds for the first year of a CRA that included a full maximum 80 percent of the town. The money can roll over year to year, up a 40-year life for a CRA.
Council member Ann Brooks said Monday night that she is in favor of a CRA, but express concerns that legal fees, paperwork and staff costs could significantly decrease, or even exceed, the available funds of a young CRA.
Monday night, Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry expressed a willingness for Escambia County to help Century navigate and complete the CRA process. The county has a CRA staff on the payroll.
The council directed Mayor Freddie McCall to contact Barry and see how much help Century might receive from the county.
There are currently nine other redevelopment districts in Escambia County — Atwood, Barrancas, Brownsville, Cantonment, Englewood, Ensley, Oakfield, Palafox and Warrington — and three within the City of Pensacola.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Top Five Candidates Named For Escambia Teacher Of The Year
February 2, 2016
The Escambia County School District’s top five candidates for 2017 Teacher of the Year award have been selected. They are
- Tim Deloge – Escambia High School – Tech Ed (Engineering)
- Caroline Gray – Tate High School – Economics
- Melissa Harold – Beulah Elementary School – Fourth Grade
- Allison Hartzog – Montclair Elementary School – Kindergarten
- Kristy Imhof – Ransom Middle School – Language Arts (7th grade)
Each finalist will be visited and observed by the selection committee before the final choice is made. The winner will be honored at the 2016 Golden Apple Dinner on February 25.
Four Charged In Circle K Robberies
February 2, 2016
Four people have been arrested in connection with Circle K robberies in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
The Pensacola incident occurred around 1 a.m. Saturday at the Circle K, 3013 E. Cervantes St. Two employees and a customer were in the store when the suspects, who were wearing masks, entered the business. One of the suspects was holding what looked like a wrench.
One of the suspects grabbed the female customer’s purse and she began struggling with him. The other two suspects then approached the two employees and demanded money. After getting an undisclosed amount of cash, some cigarillos and the woman’s purse, the suspects fled the business.
Pensacola Police arrested the following individuals:
- D’Andre Jones, 19, of Pensacola was harged with armed robbery, robbery by sudden snatching and petit theft.
- Brendan McClendon, 18, of Jay was charged with armed robbery and falsely identifying himself to a law enforcement officer.
- Ian Garland, 18, of Pace was charged with armed robbery.
Just before 4 a.m. Saturday, a Circle K at 5661 Quintette Road in Pace also was robbed. A short time later a Santa Rosa deputy saw and stopped a vehicle matching the description of one used by the suspects and found all three inside the truck. The trio and a female in the vehicle, 18-year old Cynthia Selena Rogers, also have been charged in Santa Rosa County.
Santa Rosa County deputies charged McClendon with aggravated battery, armed robbery and giving law enforcement false identification. Jones, Garland and Rogers were charged as accessories to armed robbery.
Pensacola Police Detective Shannan Briarton said additional charges are pending on the suspects.
Pictured below: The robbery of the Circle K on Quintette Road in Pace. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Brings On New Prison Health Services Provider
February 2, 2016
State corrections officials have hired Centurion of Florida LLC to take over prison health services for more than three-fourths of Florida’s 100,000 inmates after Corizon Health walked away from a five-year, $1.2 billion contract three years early.
Centurion, a joint venture between Centene Corp. and MHM Services, will be paid a maximum of nearly $268 million to fill in for Corizon, which exercised a 180-day cancellation provision in its contract with the state.
In December, Corizon told Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones that it intended to pull out of the state by the end of May, two years after the start of the country’s largest prison health-care contract. At the time, Jones said Corizon executives told her they were losing money — up to $1 million a month — on the deal.
Jones also said Corizon executives blamed the company’s exit on whether its payments should be adjusted annually according to changes in the Consumer Price Index. While its contract made allowances for such hikes, any increases would have to be approved by the Legislature, which has been inconsistent in authorizing partial increases for Corizon and never approved a full Consumer Price Index hike — as much as 4 percent — since the contract went into effect.
On Dec. 18, Jones used a type of procurement process called an “invitation to negotiate” to seek vendors to provide mental health services, dental care and health care for the state’s inmates. The new contracts are expected to start in 2018.
Centurion, which provides health care for prisoners in five other states, will start operations in Florida this spring, in a contract that lasts until January 2018, when the new vendors are expected to take over, according to a press release issued by Centene.
Centurion is “pleased to be able to work with the department to improve the quality of services and care levels provided to this population,” Centurion CEO Steven Wheeler said in the release. “We also recognize the importance of maintaining sound financial discipline on behalf of the state and its residents.”
Corrections officials look forward to working with Corizon and Centurion to “ensure a seamless transition of health care services,” Jones said in a statement Monday. “We continue in our commitment to (providing) quality health care to those in our custody and improving health outcomes for Florida’s inmates.”
Tennessee-based Corizon had been under fire from lawmakers and attorneys representing inmates who accused the company of routinely providing inadequate care since taking over services in most of the prisons in the central and northern portions of the state. Lawyers for Florida inmates in September filed a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Corrections and Corizon, alleging that the state agency and the company were denying hernia operations to save money.
A month after taking over the helm of the Department of Corrections in January 2014, Jones put the health care contractors on notice that she intended to rebid health care contracts with Corizon and Wexford Health Sources, which has a $267 million contract to handle inmates in the southern portion of the state.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Pictured: The medical facility inside the Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
