Fourth Of July Wreck Claims Life Of Atmore Man
July 5, 2017
A single vehicle crash claimed the life of an Atmore man Tuesday afternoon.
Robert Glenn Thrower, 55, was killed when the 19996 Chevrolet Blazer he was driving ran off the road, struck an embankment and overturned, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Thrower, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the SUV and pronounced dead at the scene. The crash happened about 2 p.m. on Highway 29 at the 22.80 mile marker in the Dixie Community, east of Brewton.
Thrower was the tribal historic preservation officer for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
Thompson Road Closes Today For Paving
July 5, 2017
Thompson Road between Crary Road and North Century Boulevard (Highway 29) is now closed to through traffic for drainage upgrades and paving.
Traffic will be detoured along Highway 29 to Byrneville Road and Crary Road.
The roadway closure is expected to remain in effect for the duration of the construction, which is expected to last through fall 2017. Every effort will be made to expedite construction efforts to reopen the road on or before November 9, 2017. If other lane or roadway closures are necessary, another notice will be issued.
Escambia County’s Proposed Budget Now Online
July 5, 2017
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners’ proposed $455.6 million budget for fiscal year 2017-2018 is now available online on the Budget Information and Related Documents page. Outside funding requests and a budget calendar are also included under the “Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Proposed Budget Documents” heading.
Budget workshops will take place this month in the board chambers, located on the first floor of the Escambia County Central Office Complex at 221 Palafox Place. Workshops are scheduled for:
- Tuesday, July 11 at 9 a.m.
- Wednesday, July 12 at 1 p.m.
- Thursday, July 13 following the regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole Meeting (as needed)
The workshops offer the commissioners an opportunity to discuss the proposed budget with other constitutional officers and county staff. The commission is slated to adopt a final budget on Tuesday, Sept. 26 following a two-part public hearing process. Escambia County’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30.
Photo Gallery: Atmore Fireworks
July 5, 2017
Crowds from across the area celebrated the Fourth of July Thursday with a fireworks show at the Wind Creek Hotel in Atmore.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Ditto Gorme, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Meeting Schedule
July 5, 2017
Here is the schedule of Escambia County Commission meetings for this week:
Wednesday, July 5
Sick Leave Pool Committee, 2nd Floor, Human Resources Training Room 8201, 11 a.m.
Development Review Committee, Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place, 1 p.m. Agenda
Thursday, July 6
Board of County Commissioners Agenda Review Session, Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, 9 a.m.
Board of County Commissioners Public Forum, Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, 4:30 p.m.
BCC Regular Meeting, Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, 5:30 p.m. Agenda
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
July 5, 2017
Drivers will encounter traffic variations on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County
· Bayfront Parkway (State Road (S.R. 196) Road closed for Festivities- Bayfront Parkway will be closed from S. Barracks Street to Chase Street from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday, July 4 for fireworks display. A detour will be in place and local law enforcement on site to assist with traffic control.
· Interstate 10 (I-10)/U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I- Drivers will encounter the following traffic impacts on I-10 near the U.S. 29 interchange (Exits 10A and 10B) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday, July 5 and Thursday, July 6 as crews perform paving work.
· Alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound.
· The U.S. 29 south to I-10 eastbound ramp will be closed. Traffic will be detoured south to make a U-turn at Diamond Dairy Road to access I-10 eastbound.
· I-10 Widening from Davis Highway (State Road (S.R.) 291) to the Escambia Bay Bridge- Traffic on I-10 east and westbound, between Davis Highway (Exit 13) and Scenic Highway (Exit 17), will be shifted to the outside lanes beginning Wednesday, July 5. The shift will allow crews to complete the inside travel lanes.
· Creighton Road (S.R. 742) Construction Improvement Project from east of Davis Highway to Scenic Highway– Intermittent and alternating lane closures between 9th Avenue and Scenic Highway from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. continues as crews perform sidewalk repairs and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades. The following changes in traffic patterns will take place on Creighton Road the week of July 5, and will remain in effect through multiple phases of the project.
· Creighton Road: The westbound, outside lane will be closed from east of the 9th Avenue intersection to the traffic signal at the entrance to Walmart.
· Creighton Road: The eastbound, inside lane will become a left-turn/through lane and the current bi-directional/dedicated left-turn lane will be closed.
· U.S. 98 (Pensacola Bay Bridge)- Boaters and pedestrians are reminded to exercise additional caution near the Pensacola Bay Bridge construction site, particularly during the July 4 holiday period and the Blue Angels Air Show Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8. Boaters should use only the main navigational channel when approaching the bridge and keep a safe distance from construction barges in the bay. In addition, the shoreline area from Wayside Park north of the Pensacola Bay Bridge to west along Bayfront Parkway is closed and will not be available to spectators for the July 4th fireworks show. This area is part of the active construction zone and must be closed in the interest of public safety.
· U.S. 29 (S.R. 95) Widening from I-10 to Nine Mile Road- Alternating lane closures continue from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road and on Nine Mile Road near the U.S. 29/ Nine Mile Road overpass as crews perform drainage and bridge operations.
· Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest Road to U.S. 29- Jack and bore operations continue on Untreiner Avenue. Drivers can expect alternating lane closures
· U.S. 98 (S.R. 30) Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement- Test pile driving for the new bridge is underway. While there are no direct traffic impacts, persons nearby may detect noise and the possibility of vibration. Pile driving work is scheduled during daytime hours, seven-days-a-week.
Santa Rosa County
· 10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 28/Exit 221) – Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to just east of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22), from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Wednesday, July 5 and Thursday, July 6 as crews continue widening work. In addition, alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard near the I-10 interchange as crews reconstruct the Avalon Boulevard overpass.
· S.R. 4 Routine Bridge Maintenance over West Coldwater Creek- Alternating lane restrictions 3 miles east of S.R. 89 from 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 5 to 5 a.m. Thursday, July 6 as crews perform bridge maintenance activities.
· S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) Bridge Maintenance over Indian Bayou- Lane closure about one mile south of I-10 from 8 p.m. Thursday, July 6 to 5 a.m. Friday, July 7 as crews perform bridge maintenance.
· S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFT Boundary to Hickory Hammock Road – Traffic between County Road 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and the Eglin AFB boundary is restricted to loads under 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place through the completion of the project.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the construction zone, and to pay attention for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work area. All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Judge Rejects New Florida ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law
July 5, 2017
A Miami judge has ruled that a change to the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law signed nearly a month ago by Gov. Rick Scott, intended to better protect the rights of defendants, is unconstitutional.
Supporters of the controversial law, approved by the GOP-dominated Legislature earlier this year, called the ruling “a notable setback” and predicted an appeal.
“I’d be surprised if this decision wasn’t overturned by the appellate court,” Fleming Island Republican Sen. Rob Bradley, a former prosecutor who sponsored the legislation, said after the ruling by Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Milton Hirsch.
In a 14-page order, Hirsch wrote that the Legislature overstepped its authority with the change, which involves pre-trial burden-of-proof.
The statutory change violates Florida’s separation of powers doctrine because it amounts to a “procedural” revision, something that must be handled by the Florida Supreme Court, Hirsch wrote.
While the Legislature makes “substantive” law, the judiciary is in charge of procedural matters, the judge wrote.
The constitutional separation of powers bars the legislative, judicial and executive branches from exercising powers consigned to another branch, Hirsch explained.
“It applies whether the purposes of the overreaching branch of government are benign or otherwise. It applies even when its application prevents a seemingly salutary change in law from becoming law. It applies in such cases because experience with government has shown that any momentary benefit expected from a change in law is usually outweighed by the lasting detriment resulting from a change in our constitutional system of checks and balances,” he wrote.
The new law, the only major gun-related measure to advance this year, shifted the burden of proof from defendants to prosecutors in the pre-trial hearings.
In “stand your ground” cases, pre-trial evidentiary hearings are held to determine whether defendants should be immune from prosecution.
Critics argued, in part, that the change would lead to cases ending before all the facts are revealed.
Proponents of the bill, supported by groups such as the National Rifle Association, said shifting the burden of proof would better protect the rights of defendants.
NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer, a former president of the national organization, said it was difficult to comment on the ruling.
“It is so bad I’m at a loss for words,” she said.
Bradley, who backed the change the past two sessions, said the law simply cleared up an ambiguity found in the original 2005 “stand your ground” law, the first of its kind in the nation.
Bradley said the legislation (SB 128) was drafted as a response to “clarify” what he called a misinterpretation of “stand your ground” by the state Supreme Court, in a case known as Bretherick v. State.
The Florida Supreme Court ruled in July 2015 that people who use the defense have the burden of showing they should be shielded from prosecution. In “stand your ground” cases, pre-trial evidentiary hearings are held to determine whether defendants are immune from prosecution.
Under the new law, which applies retroactively, the burden of proof is on prosecutors.
“Once the Legislature filled in the blanks, which is what we did, that certainly was an action that was within the appropriate purview of the Legislature,” Bradley said.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a lawyer, also predicted that the circuit judge’s ruling would be overturned.
“It is the role of the Legislature to write the laws that govern how Floridians may exercise their statutory and constitutional rights,” Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, said in a statement. “The Florida House will continue to stand with ordinary citizens who exercise their right to self-defense. We look forward to this decision being reversed on appeal.”
Scott spokeswoman Kerri Wyland said that the governor’s office was reviewing the decision.
During debate on the measure earlier this year, Democrats labeled the self-defense proposal “a shoot to kill” and “how to get away with murder” bill.
The proposal was approved along party lines on the final day of the regular legislative session that ended early in May.
“Yet another ill-conceived law rammed thru the legislature by GOP is ruled unconstitutional,” Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat, tweeted shortly after Hirsch’s ruling.
The “stand your ground” law has long been controversial. It says people can use deadly force and do not have a duty to retreat if they think it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm.
Lucy McBath, faith and outreach leader for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, called the ruling “a notable setback in the dangerous expansion of `stand your ground’ laws.”
“Florida is one of the few states to expand or enact a Stand Your Ground law since the senseless killings of my son, Jordan Davis, and Trayvon Martin,” said McBath, who attended a number of committee hearings on the bill this year. “We must continue to fight for the safety of our communities, and we must continue to fight for justice.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Blue Wahoos Beat Shuckers
July 5, 2017
In his last three games, 6-foot-6 right-hander Deck McGuire has not allowed a run in 21 innings for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
McGuire’s latest victim was the Biloxi Shuckers, who the former first round pick, shutout over seven innings, allowed just two hits, walked one and struck out seven to earn a 4-0 victory Tuesday in front of 6,098 at MGM Park.
Biloxi had little luck against McGuire, who retired 12 of the first 13 Shuckers he faced. McGuire, who threw 96 pitches, faced just three batters over the minimum in his seven-inning outing.
His Fourth of July victory improves his record to 8-5 and he has a 2.77 ERA. His eight wins tie him for second most in the Southern League.
During his scoreless-inning streak, McGuire has given up 10 hits, three walks and struck out 23 batters. Opponents are hitting just .210 against him on the year. The 28-year-old has bounced back this year, after playing for five teams in his seven-year professional career.
McGuire also helped himself at the plate, his line drive single to center field in the seventh inning drove in second baseman Shed Long to cap a three-run inning that put Pensacola ahead, 4-0. Long lined a two=out triple to centerfield to drive in both third baseman Nick Senzel and first baseman Gavin LaValley.
Pensacola’s other run came in the fourth inning when LaValley smacked a two-out double to center field that scored left fielder Tyler Goeddel for a 1-0 lead.
Blue Wahoos reliever Carlos Gonzalez pitched the final two innings and gave up a walk.
Pensacola evened its second half record to 6-6 and is tied for second in the Southern League South Division behind the 8-4 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The Blue Wahoos, who won the first half South Division title, are 46-36 overall. Biloxi dropped to 42-39 overall.
Man Suffers ‘Devastating’ Hand Injury In Fireworks Accident
July 4, 2017
An adult male was critically injured in a fireworks accident outside Flomaton Monday night.
The 40-year old male was attempting to light an unknown type of firework when it exploded in his hand, according to Mike Lambert, chief deputy of the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office. The man reportedly lost most, if not all, of his fingers and suffered severe damage to the rest of hand during the accident at a private residence in the 3000 block of Wolf Log Road.
The man, whose name has not been released, was transported by ambulance to the Flomaton Fire Station and then flown by air ambulance helicopter to the regional burn center at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile. An update on his condition was not available.
“We understand that this was a devastating, possibly life changing injury. Be careful with fireworks,” Lambert said. “Most fireworks are not made to hold while you light them. There are so many ways something can go wrong.”
Century, Flomaton Celebrate The Fourth With A Bang (With Photo Gallery)
July 4, 2017
Fireworks lit up the night Monday with an early Fourth of July celebration at Flomaton’s Hurricane Park.
The fireworks show was a joint effort between the Town of Century and the Town of Flomaton, with the two towns splitting the $5,000 cost. The towns alternate hosting the festivities each year; next year’s show will be back in Century at Showalter Park.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia. com photos by Ditto Gorme, click to enlarge.
