Sunny And Warm
June 9, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 87. North wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Driver Who Hit And Killed 10-Year Old Bicyclist Won’t Face Criminal Charges
June 9, 2017
No criminal charges will be filed against the Escambia County man that struck and killed a 10-year old bicyclist near Helen Caro Elementary School last month, the Florida Highway Patrol said Thursday,
Frederick Kelly Wilder, 47, was issued a traffic citation for failure to stop at a stop sign. The FHP investigation found no criminal elements to the crash.
Delilgha Rosa-Clark of Pensacola died at Sacred Heart Hospital from injuries she received after being hit by a SUV on Merlin Road at Oak View Drive May 18. She was riding her bicycle to school without a helmet, according to troopers.
Wilder of Pensacola was in his 2015 Ford Edge approaching the intersection when he failed to observe and yield the right of way to Rosa-Clark on her bicycle. The girl was within a marked bicycle lane on the way to school, troopers said.
Senate Pushes For New Budget Concessions
June 9, 2017
The House and Senate edged closer to an agreement on education funding Thursday, one of the main goals of a special session scheduled to end Friday, even as the Senate president seemed to set out new demands for a final deal.
In an unusual, lengthy discussion with reporters following debates on education, economic development and medical marijuana, Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said his chamber would not agree to a budget deal struck by Gov. Rick Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, without concessions.
Negron repeatedly pointed out that, during the regular session that ended in May, the House had opposed economic development and education funding that Scott requested. Those issues prompted the special session that began Wednesday.
The Senate president also pushed back against the “fake narrative” that he was involved in negotiations leading up to Scott’s decision to call the session, saying the House and the governor hammered out the agreement.
“We’re glad that they’re coming together and that they’re reaching common ground, but we’re not just going to rubber-stamp an agreement that two parties made without our priorities being taken into account,” Negron said.
Corcoran has been just as insistent that Negron was a part of the discussions. Negron told reporters Thursday that his requests to have his name taken out of a proclamation on the special session and to not provide a quote in a press release about the announcement were evidence that he didn’t agree to the deal.
But a spokeswoman said later that records that could prove Negron was mentioned in earlier drafts of those documents might not exist, or that Negron’s office might not have a copy if they did.
In exchange for agreeing to the deal reached by Scott and Corcoran, Negron said the Senate would like the House to override a slate of vetoes Scott issued on higher education projects. The Senate voted Wednesday to overturn those vetoes.
Negron said the Senate also wants to ease Medicaid cuts to hospitals by providing $100 million in funding.
At the same time, he declined to make a successful conclusion of the special session contingent on the Senate getting its way.
“I don’t do legislating by making bold pronouncements or by making ultimatums,” Negron said. “What I’m saying is that the Senate priorities, particularly on higher education, have to be considered and affirmed and respected. The hospital funding is something that we can discuss with the governor, discuss with the House, on moving forward.”
Earlier in the day, Corcoran had dismissed the hospital funding issue as something that fell outside of the guidelines for the special session. And he suggested that overriding the higher-education vetoes would go against the House’s small-government philosophy.
“If you believe in less government and less spending, then you don’t override on more spending and more pork,” he said.
The posturing took place even as the chambers seemed to move closer on education funding, one of the key issues in the special session. Scott vetoed the state’s main formula for public school spending last week, saying it was inadequate; lawmakers are trying to pass legislation to shovel at least $215 million of additional money into education.
The Senate on Thursday batted away efforts to gut a controversial, wide-ranging education bill approved by lawmakers during the regular session. Democrats and some Republicans wanted to take funding away from that measure, HB 7069, and redirect it to the education formula.
Several senators disagreed with the bill at the time it was passed, but relented to reach a final budget deal with the House. The bill was a top priority of Corcoran.
Again on Thursday, supporters of keeping the legislation intact said that to undo it might cause the special session to fall apart.
“If we try to get too cute, then we may blow the whole thing up, and then we have come up here for naught,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, “And I think that would be very unfortunate.”
Scott hasn’t signed HB 7069 yet. Those pushing to keep the legislation as is said lawmakers could come back in the future and fix it.
But Sen. Gary Farmer, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who urged changes to HB 7069, said there were no guarantees.
“Let’s not wait for that fix next year that will never come,” Farmer said. “That’s a unicorn, folks. It doesn’t exist. It’s not happening next year, and it may never happen.”
The Senate voted twice, by a 22-15 margin each time, to reject Farmer’s amendments. Other attempts to tweak the funding deal were defeated or pulled from the floor before votes.
The current version of the budget bill (SB 2500-A) moves the Senate closer to the House’s position. It would not draw on increased property tax revenues, a non-starter for the House.
But the Senate would still take a two-step approach to funding schools, by overriding Scott’s veto of the funding formula and approving additional spending in a separate bill.
House leaders all but ruled out that approach. Corcoran said the Senate’s approach “doesn’t make any sense,” and the House education budget chairman also rejected it.
“Our bill is pretty straightforward. … I don’t think we need to complicate it any further,” said Rep. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah.
Talking to reporters earlier Thursday, though, Latvala seemed just as unwilling to yield.
“It’s the same amount of money. … All they have to do is override the veto and vote on our bill and you have half of what we came here to do, done,” he said.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Burglars Hit Jay Elementary, Several Alabama Schools
June 9, 2017
Authorities are searching for two suspects that broke into Jay Elementary School Thursday morning and may be responsible for additional school burglaries in Alabama.
About 6:55 a.m. Thursday, two individuals broke into the Jay Elementary School on Alabama Avenue. During the burglary, money and computers were stolen.
The suspects area white male and white female. They were last seen driving a late 1990’s white Cadillac with a trailer hitch and a sunroof.
The pair is also believed to be responsible for school burglaries in Brewton, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.
About 5 a.m. on June 6, a white male and white female forcefully entered T.R. Miller High School in Brewton and Brewton Elementary School. Similar burglaries were reported at Orange Beach Elementary School and Gulf Shores High School.
If anyone has information related to this crime or the identity of these individuals, Contact the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 983- 1100 or the Santa Rosa County Crime Stoppers at (850) 437- STOP. Santa Rosa County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $3000 for information leading to the arrest of these individuals. Callers can emain anonymous.
Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Below are additional photos from Alabama schools:
Inmate Executed At Atmore’s Holman Prison
June 9, 2017
Thursday night at 9:54, the State of Alabama carried out the execution of Robert Bryant Melson, 46, by lethal injection at the William C. Correctional Facility in Atmore. Melson did not give a last statement and was pronounced dead at 10:27 p.m.
Melson was sentenced to death for the 1994 capital murder of 17-year-old Nathaniel Baker, 18-year old Tamika Collins, and 23-year-old Darrell Collier during an armed robbery of a restaurant in Etowah County.
At a press conference following the execution, Commissioner Jeff Dunn read a prepared statement from the Collins family.
“We are grateful to God for sustaining us to endure these years of suffering, heartaches, and missing our loved one, but we survived by hard work, prayer and togetherness,” the Collins family wrote in the statement.
Dunn said the execution was carried out according to protocol without complication.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
June 9, 2017
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending June 1 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
While on water patrol, Officer Cushing conducted a fisheries inspection on a recreational fishing vessel entering Bayou Chico. A large red drum was protruding from a cooler, and he confirmed who caught the fish and that they had knowledge of the regulations. The red drum measured 35 inches and a citation was issued for the violation. Another individual was issued a warning for an undersized red snapper.
While on vessel patrol aboard the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Vigilance, Officers Cushing, Land, Nelson and Rockwell conduced an inspection of a commercial shrimping vessel in the Pensacola Bay area. During an inspection of the vessel’s Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), it was revealed that one of the nets being fished had a TED that had the netting around it sewed in a manner that would not allow a turtle to pass through the TED and out of the net as intended. The appropriate action was taken in regards to the violation and the TED was fixed by the shrimping vessel’s crew prior to departure of the officers.
While on vessel patrol in Big Lagoon State Park, Officers Clark and Long approached a vessel after noticing the operator throw a cigarette into the water. They initiated a vessel stop and while talking with the operator, he showed signs of impairment. Officer Clark conducted field sobriety tasks and determined the operator was impaired. The operator was taken into custody and transported to the Escambia County Jail where he refused to provide a breath sample. The operator was booked into Escambia County Jail and cited for BUI and refusal to submit a breath test. He was also issued a warning for littering.
Lieutenant Hahr was working in the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) at Fillingim Landing and saw several subjects drinking beer. Two of the men smoked a cannabis cigarette and placed it in a backpack. As they were leaving, Lieutenant Lambert stopped them in the parking lot. The officers located three cannabis cigarettes and issued the two men a notice to appear for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Clark, Hutchinson and Long were in Blackwater State Forest checking fisheries and alcohol violations when they approached two individuals on a sand bar. One male was fishing and could not produce a valid freshwater fishing license. They also saw open containers of alcohol. Officer Long found the subjects in possession of 8 grams of Methamphetamine, numerous pills, cash and paraphernalia. Both subjects were placed in custody and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail. They were charged with a total of seven felonies, three misdemeanors and two infractions.
Officer Lewis was on patrol in Blackwater River State Forest at a primitive campsite when he saw an adult male, adult female and two children camping. The officer saw alcoholic beverages and glass containers within their campsite, and explained to them that those items were prohibited in the area. The children were sleeping in the tent, and the officer could smell a strong odor of cannabis emanating from the tent. The officer explained the odor to the adults. The adult female retrieved cannabis and paraphernalia items from the tent and stated that the items belonged to her. Officer Lewis seized the cannabis and paraphernalia from the female, and issued her a notice to appear for possession of cannabis not more than 20 grams, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The officer issued them both warnings for the alcoholic beverages and glass bottles.
Officers McHenry and Ramos were patrolling the Perdido River WMA and saw two Jeeps enter the WMA. Almost immediately after leaving the paved road, they began to fish-tail and drive in a careless manner. When they came across a large clearing used for horse trailers, each of the vehicles began cutting donuts in the sand, leaving large ruts and destroying the recreation area. The officers stopped both vehicles and citations were issued for the violations. One of the suspects did not have a valid driver’s license and received the corresponding criminal citation.
While on vessel patrol in Escambia Bay, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) notified Officer Ramos that they had received a distress call from a woman on board a sailboat. She stated that her husband, who was operating the vessel, was extremely intoxicated and she was fearful for her safety. The USCG reported that they heard the man make multiple threats to his wife while she was speaking. The USCG relayed identifying information of the vessel to Officer Ramos, enabling him to locate the vessel underway in open water approximately 20 minutes later. The USCG launched a cutter to assist Officer Ramos at the sailboat. Officer Ramos conducted a BUI investigation of the operator of the vessel. The vessel operator was highly uncooperative and subsequently taken into custody due to extreme signs of impairment. He was transported to a nearby boat ramp and taken to the Santa Rosa County Jail where he was booked for BUI.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Library Brings Taiko Drums To Reading Program (With Gallery, Video)
June 9, 2017
Kids taking part in the Summer Reading program Thursday afternoon at the Molino Branch Library had the chance to be a little bit loud while learning a Japanese culture.
They were able to get hands on and learn about the exciting Exercise the power of annexation traditional Japanese performing art of Taiko drumming and see big Taiko drums. (See video below.)
Ron Collins will bring his Tampa Taiko program to three more libraries:
- Friday, June 9, 7 p.m. – Pensacola Library
- Saturday, June 10, 10:30 a.m. – Century Branch Library
- Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m. – Tryon Branch Library
For a photo gallery, click here.
Mystery Photos Found At Century Town Hall: LuAnn Has Been Found
June 9, 2017
UPDATE: The young lady in the photographs has been located, and the photos have been returned.
Do you recognize this young lady?
These photos fell out of a recycle file folder at Century Town Hall, and town officials would like to return them to family. According to the photo backs, the two pictures on the left were taken September 4, 1980, at a birthday party for “LuAnn”. The photo on the right was take in October 1981 and is “LuAnn & her birthday present”.
If you know who LuAnn is and how to contact her or her family, call the Century Town Hall at (850) 256-3208.
Photos provided by Town of Century for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Capture Sixth Straight Series
June 9, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won its sixth straight series thanks to clutch two-out singles by third baseman Josh VanMeter and center fielder Gabriel Guerrero in the third inning to overcome the Mobile BayBears Thursday at Hank Aaron Stadium.
VanMeter singled to right field to drive in second baseman Alex Blandino, who lead-off the third inning with his 17th double of the season. Left fielder Tyler Goeddel, who had walked moved to third base and then VanMeter stole second base to put runners at second and third with Guerrero up to bat. He singled to right field to score both Goeddel and VanMeter, giving Pensacola a 3-0 lead in the third inning.
It would be all the runs the Pensacola pitching staff would need to pull out a, 3-2, victory over Mobile. Now 10-13 in one-run games, the Blue Wahoos captured the series, 3-2.
The victory improved the Blue Wahoos record to 34-26 to keep them in first place in the Southern League South Division. The team has been in first place for all but six days in the first half. It is vying to become the first Southern League team to win four straight halves since the Tennessee Smokies did it from 2009-2011.
Blue Wahoos starter Luis Castillo earned his second win in a row to improve his record to 3-3 and he now has a 3.00 ERA. Castillo worked six innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks and struck out eight.
Castillo retired the first six batters he faced before giving up a lead-off solo home run to right center field in the third inning by Mobile catcher Wade Wass, a Catholic High School product. It was his 10th homer of the season.
Mobile’s only other run came in the fourth inning when first baseman Zach Houchins singled to center field to score center fielder Michael Hermosillo. Houchins led the BayBears offense, going 7-18, or .389, with 10 RBIs.
Pensacola relievers Robert Stock, Ariel Hernandez and Jimmy Herget protected the Blue Wahoos one-run lead by pitching a combined three scoreless innings. They gave up three hits, a walk and struck out two.
Hernandez earned his Southern League-leading eighth hold, while Herget got his Southern League-leading 16th save of the season. He has 43 strikeouts in 29.1 innings on the year.
Fire Destroys Industrial Park Building
June 8, 2017
Firefighters from two counties were battled a major fire at an industrial building the Ellyson Industrial Park Thursda afternoon.
The fire was at “Custom Wood designs” in the 3300 block of Addison Drive.
Dozens of fire units from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were called to the blaze.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
