A Slightly Lower Chance Of Rain
August 17, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 105. West wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Florida Prisons Cancel All Weekend Visitations
August 17, 2017
The Florida Department of Corrections has announced the cancellation of weekend visitations at all institutions for Saturday and Sunday. This cancellation includes all major institutions, work camps and annex facilities such Century Correctional and Santa Rosa Correctional institutions.
“In response to credible intelligence indicating that small groups of inmates at several institutions may attempt to disrupt FDC operations and impact safety and security, FDC has, in an abundance of caution and in the best interest of staff, inmate and public safety, cancelled all visitation statewide. FDC looks forward to resuming normal visitation as soon as possible,” A FDC statement said.
The department declined to answer any questions about what the threat may be and if it originated with any specific institutions.
This cancellation does not apply to work release centers.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Denied: Losing Firm Protests Escambia Jail Bid
August 17, 2017
A challenge to the selection of a firm to build the Escambia County Jail project failed on Wednesday. Yates Construction asked for an informal protest hearing after losing the bid last week to Whitesell-Green/Caddell.
“We’re really just looking for an apples-to-apples comparison of the bids,” Yates Construction’s Attorney Dodds Dehmer said.
Their argument is over a retention pond. Whitesell-Green/Caddell presented a proposal to county commissioners on Thursday that showed a retention pond in the area that was designated for future retail space. Yates Construction proposed an expensive underground water storage in that same area.
“Clearly in our mind, this property was not to be used to build the facility, but rather for future development,” Dehmer said.
Dehmer argued that if they would have included a retention pond instead, it would have lowered their bid price by $3.5 million. That would have made them the lowest bidder.
County staff said that is a moot point.
Assistant County Administrator Amy Lovoy said commissioners chose the best value for the project, not necessarily the cheapest bid.
“With respect to the pricing, it simply wasn’t a selection criterion,” Lovoy said.
James Brown, the director of estimating and preconstruction services for Yates Construction, questioned that statement. He points to the time commissioners spent tallying up the numbers before the vote.
“You have a county that has budget pressures, you have it out in the media that they were the low price and I just don’t see an elected official making any other decision,” Brown said.
Paul Nobles, the county’s purchasing manager, upheld the commissioner’s decision to choose Whitesell-Green/Caddell. He said their original proposal submitted back in July complied with the county’s guidelines and that is what he will hold them to, not the changes presented to commissioners two weeks later.
“That was not an official proposal,” Nobles said. “That was just a discussion on what potentially could be done.”
Yates Construction can now ask for a formal protest. That would bring in an outside firm to hear both the county’s side and Yates Construction’s side. Then it would go to commissioners to consider.
Commissioners are set to ratify their selection at Thursday’s board meeting.
FHP Sending Message: No Ticket Quota
August 17, 2017
A prohibition on ticket quotas will become part of training for supervisors and higher-ups in the Florida Highway Patrol, a top highway-safety official told Gov. Rick Scott and the state Cabinet on Wednesday.
Terry Rhodes, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said the move is part a response to a report that Maj. Mark Welch of the patrol’s Troop H in Tallahassee had sent an email to troopers requesting “two citations each hour.”
“You have my commitment here today that no quotas will be tolerated within the Florida Highway Patrol,” said Rhodes, whose department includes the patrol.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was “troubled” by Welch’s directive, which she called “a stupid statement.”
“One misplaced, reckless statement like that can give everyone a bad name,” Bondi said. “Thank you for clarifying something that is a given. It’s illegal to have quotas, and it’s wrong.”
On Wednesday night, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Welch had submitted a letter of retirement effective Sept. 5. The one-line letter did not provide an explanation.
Col. Gene Spaulding, director of the Florida Highway Patrol, told reporters earlier in the day that Welch’s comments in the email to troopers were “unfortunate and inappropriate” and that the need for disciplinary action for Welch was under review.
“The rank and file know that they have never been disciplined, they have never been evaluated, there has been no punitive damages, they’ve never been rewarded for strictly writing citations,” Spaulding said. “They know they have a job to do, because their job is public safety.”
Welch — in his email to troopers patrolling Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor and Wakulla counties — stated the directive wasn’t a quota, yet “when you look at citations per hour, we are at 1.3 so we have a goal to reach.”
He also wrote that more tickets would help reduce the fatality rate within Troop H’s area.
“Many times,” Welch wrote, “it is easier to issue a warning opposed to a citation for behaviors observed. But the only way to try to alter that behavior is by impacting the motorist with the sanctions surrounding a traffic citation.”
Spaulding disputed that tickets are more effective than warnings.
“Our main focus is high visibility and hot spots in areas that we’ve identified through crash data throughout the state,” Spaulding said. “We have approximately 240 hot spots throughout the state, three to five in each county, where there is a high volume of crashes. Our emphasis is not about citations. It’s not even about warnings or faulty equipment notices. It’s about visibility, being in those areas, being visible and taking action when you need to.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Cantonment Baseball Field Gets Makeover From The Blue Wahoos
August 17, 2017
A field at the Cantonment Sportsplex got a makeover Wednesday with a little help from the Blue Wahoos.
Despite rain, completed renovations included measuring and moving the bases, removing weeds and cleaning the infield, edging the base paths and home plate area, picking up trash and painting.
“It’s important to us to give back to the community, so it was a great day,” said Blue Wahoos President Jonathan Griffith. “There was a great outpour from this community. This is a revival for the Cantonment Sportsplex Association and we wanted to help them and educate them on field turf management.”
Headed up by four-time Southern League Groundskeeper of the Year Ray Sayre, the field is safer for the kids to play baseball.
“Today’s young players are the future of the game of baseball,” said Sayre. “Beauty is great, but safety is number one. It was important to make sure the bases are the correct distances and same level.”
Volunteers for the renovation included team co-owner Bubba Watson, front office members, gameday staff members, Waste Management and members of the Cantonment community.
“This is exciting for our kids to have a professionally repaired field,” said Cantonment Sportsplex Association President Josh Longo. “It’s good for them to see what it’s like to play on a field that’s prepared by a professional crew. By having the parents involved in the nomination process and cleaning, it feels like we’re doing something right.”
The Cantonment Sportsplex was chosen for the renovation through a contest on WEAR TV.
Photos courtesy Barrett McClean Photography/Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Meet The Chiefs Tonight At Northview High School
August 17, 2017
Meet the Chiefs will be held at 6:30 tonight in the Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium at Northview High School.
Fans will have a chance to see the 2017 JV and varsity football teams, the cheerleaders and the Tribal Beat band.
The football players from Ernest Ward Middle School, Northwest Escambia and Century have also been invited to participate.
File photo.
Willie Blossom Lamb Halbert
August 17, 2017
Willie Blossom Lamb Halbert went home to Heaven on August 16, 2017. She passed away peacefully from complications with dementia, at Mt. Ridge Health and Wellness Center in Black Mountain, NC.
She was born in Skyland, NC on Jan. 12, 1927 to W.B. Lamb and Myrtle Metcalf Lamb Meacham. She was the first born and is pre-deceased by her parents and brothers, Glenn, Dan and Blake Lamb and Larry Meacham and a baby sister, Bonnie Lamb. Her brothers, Chase and Phil Lamb survive her.
Her family moved to Florida when she was a child and she graduated with honors from Tate High School in Cantonment, FL. She met her husband, Rev. Lewis Alvin Halbert, at Stetson College in Deland, FL, where they both graduated with degrees in religion. Her husband of 56 years passed away in 2006.
Upon their college graduation, Lewis and Willie moved to Louisiana where he attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Side by side, they pastored, taught the Bible, and served many churches in the Louisiana area and again when they moved back to Florida and resided in several towns in the Panhandle area, ending up in Marianna, FL.
Besides fulfilling her role as a loving and devoted pastor’s wife, she was a talented and conscientious homemaker and a dedicated, loving and sacrificing mother. She was active in their lives with school events, as a seamstress, a nurturer and caregiver, a Bible teacher and a true supporter of all their activities and work, while finding a fun outlet with Lewis as members of the Grand Squares Square Dancing Club in Marianna. She sewed all her square dance dresses and vests for Lewis. Besides her family, she enjoyed gardening, drawing, sewing, reading and writing.
She is survived by her four children, Roland (Diane) Halbert of Black Mountain, Al (Donna) Halbert of Leesburg, GA, Rachel Allen of Black Mountain and Marti (Ken) Hall of Garner, NC. Also, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, August 19, 2017 at 2:30 pm at Harwood Home for Funerals and the family will receive friends immediately following the service.
A graveside service will follow at Mountain View Memorial Park in Black Mountain.
Jason Edward Reid
August 17, 2017
Jason Reid was born April 1, 1972 in Garland, Texas, to Charles and Christine Reid. The family moved to Pelham, Alabama, in 1986 and Jason graduated from Pelham High School in 1990. He graduated from Auburn University in 1996.
He passed way on August 15, 2017.
Jason was preceded in death by his grandparents, Edgar Hugh and Estelle Reid, Thomas and Louise Folmar, and his father Charles Edward Reid.
Jason is survived by his mother, Christine Reid, sister, Amy Kornegay, nieces Zoe Nadler, Ally Nadler, and Mia Kornegay, as well as numerous aunts and uncles.
Memorial service will be held Sunday, August 20, 2017, at 3 p.m. at the Byrneville United Methodist Church,.1351 Byrneville Road, Century, FL.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Wahoos Top The Braves
August 17, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos left fielder Brian O’Grady smacked a sacrifice fly to center field to allow third baseman Nick Senzel to tag up from third and score the game-winning run in the 10th inning.
O’Grady earned a high-five from Pensacola manager Pat Kelly and his teammates as the Blue Wahoos pulled out a victory, 5-4, Wednesday over the Mississippi Braves at Trustmark Park.
Senzel walked and reached third when first baseman Gavin LaValley doubled on a ground ball to left field. O’Grady’s game-winning RBI made up for his error on a fly ball hit by right fielder Tyler Neslony that allowed catcher Alex Jackson to score in the eighth inning and tie the game, 4-4
Pensacola is now 2-6 in extra-inning games and won its third straight game.
Pensacola starter Deck McGuire was trying to earn a career-high 10 wins but for the fourth straight start failed to get it. The 6-foot-6 righty earned a no-decision Wednesday, pitching 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks and striking out six. McGuire is 9-8 with a 2.69 ERA. After the first inning, McGuire walked into the Pensacola dugout with his 1,000th career inning pitched under his belt.
Instead, reliever Geoff Broussard, who pitched a perfect ninth inning, got the win to improve to 4-2 with a 3.14 ERA.
Pensacola took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning when Senzel hit his 14th double for Pensacola to drive in left fielder Gabriel Guerrero to tie the game, 3-3. Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino put Pensacola up, 4-3, when he slammed a double, his 16th on the year, that brought home, Senzel.
Mississippi had jumped out to a 3-0 lead when Jackson launched his second homer of the season in the second inning. The Braves added two more in the fourth inning when shortstop Dylan Moore scored on a double by third baseman Austin Riley and Neslony singled in Riley.
In the second half, Pensacola improved to 24-27 in the Southern League South Division and remains three games behind the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in fourth place. The first half champions are 64-57 overall.
Driver Caught On Camera Passing School Bus On Shoulder
August 17, 2017
A Cantonment driver was caught on camera passing a loading school bus on the grassy shoulder of the road.
The incident happened about 7:00 Tuesday morning on Chemstrand Road just south of Kingsfield Road. In the top photo, a student can been seen boarding the school bus as the Honda Pilot approached the bus.
The photos were submitted by a reader to NorthEscambia.com. The photos have also been provided to the Escambia County School District and the Florida Highway Patrol. Officials believe they should be able to easily find the vehicle using the tag number, which is reasonably clear in the original photos.
Failing to stop for a school bus that is loading or unloading is a $271 ticket in Escambia County. But if charged, the Honda Pilot driver that passed on the grassy shoulder may not get off so easy.
“Passing a school bus on the shoulder is a mandatory court appearance,” Lt. Eddie Elmore of the Florida Highway Patrol said. “They will have to go stand in front of a judge.”
Pictured top: A student can be seen getting on a school bus Tuesday morning as it is passed on the shoulder of Chemstrand Road by the driver of a Honda Pilot. Pictured below: A series of photos shows the progression of the Honda Pilot and that the flashing stop lights on the bus were active. Reader photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
