Temporary Closure Of Littleton Street At Nine Mile Road
January 4, 2020
Littleton Street at the Milestone Subdivision will be closed at the intersection of Nine Mile Road in Escambia County from 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 through 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 as crews perform drainage work. Traffic will be detoured to Milestone Boulevard and Oldenburg Boulevard. Signs and variable message boards will be in place to alert drivers of the temporary closure and direct traffic to the alternate routes.
Please use extra caution as drivers become familiar with the new traffic patterns. Motorists should also watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway as they prepare for the work.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to obey the 35-mph speed limit and to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the work zone.
Santa Rosa Sheriff, Milton PD Looking For Violent, Possibly Armed Fugitive
January 4, 2020
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and Milton Police are looking for a wanted violent fugitive who may be armed.
Coty James Anderson is a 23-year old white male, about 5-foot 11-inches tall, 185 pounds with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. He is wanted by both agencies on extensive charges.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts or what he may be driving is asked to call Santa Rosa Crime Stoppers at (850) 437-STOP (7867) or visit SRCCS.com.
Manna Food Pantries Receives $15,000 Volunteer Grant
January 4, 2020
Volunteer Florida announced Friday that Manna Food Pantries and 21 other nonprofit and service organizations throughout the state will share $370,000 in Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant funding. Together, these organization have also secured $370,000 in local funding, bringing the total investment in Florida communities to $740,000.
Manna Food Pantries in Escambia County received $15,000 to recruit 400 volunteers that will help the organization provide emergency food assistance and speciality programs to those in need in Northwest Florida. This is the second year Manna has received the grant.
“In 2019 alone, Manna had 5,441 volunteers donate 14,169 hours of service in support of our work,” said Manna Outreach and Marketing Manager Miranda Melvin. “We could not carry out our mission without volunteers. The Volunteer Generation Fund grant supports the recruitment, management, retainment and recognition of skills-based volunteers at Manna.”
“Skills-based volunteers are an integral part of many nonprofits as they help extend the reach and capacity of organizations to meet their missions,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Clay Ingram.
Volunteer Florida’s VGF program, which is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, helps organizations use skills-based volunteers to serve Florida students, families and communities. Skills-based volunteerism expands the impact of organizations by leveraging the experience and talents of professionals, such as teachers, IT consultants, accountants and attorneys.
Molino Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Child Molestation
January 3, 2020
A Molino man has been sentenced to life in prison for child molestation.
Dennis Lister Odom, 60, was found guilty by an Escambia County jury on two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation. Friday, he received the life sentence on the first count and 15 years on the second count. He will also be listed as a sexual predator.
Odom has another pending case of two counts of lewd or Lascivious molestation involving a different victim. The case is currently set for status conference on January 15, 2020.
From June 2017 through September 2018, Odom fondled a young girl left in his care. She disclosed the abuse to family members in September 2018, and Odom was arrested in October 2018. After Odom’s arrest, another young girl came forward and disclosed that she had also been molested by Odom over the course of several years.
He faced a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in state prison.
ECSO Looking For Attempted Murder Suspect
January 3, 2020
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a shooting suspect.
Phillip Isaac Bivins, 18, is wanted for attempted murder for a shooting on Thursday. The ECSO says he is considered armed and dangerous.
The Pensacola Police Department responded to Bayou Boulevard after a vehicle crashed into a ditch Thursday afternoon. They discovered a person in the car had been shot three times on Tryton Circle in the county.
Bivins and the victim got into an argument over how a blunt — a marijuana cigarette — was rolled, according to the ECSO. They decided to go to Tryton Circle to settle the dispute with a fight, but when the victim arrived, Bivins allegedly shot him.
Anyone with information on the shooting or the whereabouts of Bivins is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
I-10 Exit To Nine Mile Road To Be Partially Closed For Three Months
January 3, 2020
[Updated with map - 10 a.m.] The Florida Department of Transportation plans a partial closure of an I-10 exit ramp to Nine Mile Road that will last three months.
Exit 5 eastbound from I-10 to Nine Mile Road will be partially closed beginning Monday, January 6. Construction crews will only close the section that connects to Nine Mile Road westbound. Drivers will be able to access Nine Mile Road both east and westbound using the other section of the ramp.
The partial ramp closure is needed to reconstruct the ramp and will be in place for approximately three months, according to FDOT.
All construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors
New Low Cost Transportation Service Available Between Century And Jay Health Care Facilities
January 3, 2020
A new transportation service between health care facilities in Century and Jay kicks off today.
The service is sponsored by the non-profit Northwest Florida Rural Health Network “in an effort to assist with the provision of access to quality healthcare for residents of northern Santa Rosa and Escambia counties,” said Director Gary Owens.
The shuttle van will run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at a cost of $2 one way or $3 for a round trip. It will depart the Jay Medical Center and Jay Hospital at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and make a round trip to the Century Medical Center on Highway 29 and Lakeview Center and Community Health of Northwest Florida on Industrial Boulevard in Century. Owens said the van can make stops at no additional charge at the dialysis center and the nursing home in Century.
“We’ve been trying to get this off the ground for 10 years, and we are finally at that point with a grant,” Owens said. The grant was provided by VITAS Healthcare. “We have a lot of a folks in Jay that need dialysis (in Century), and a lot of people in Century that need to get to the hospital and the doctors in Jay.”
“This is just a beginning; we will be able to make tweaks to the service in the future,” he said.
For more information, contact the Northwest Florida Rural Health Network at (850) 675-4787 Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Pictured: Community Health of Northwest Florida and Lakeview Center in Century, one of the stops on a new transportation service serving Century and Jay. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Mobile Home North Of Jay A Total Loss To Fire, But Firefighters Save Most Contents
January 3, 2020
A mobile home north of Jay was a total loss to fire Thursday night, but firefighters were able to remove and save most of the contents.
The fire in the 6000 block of Old Pollard Road, just south of the Florida-Alabama state line, was reported about 6 p.m.
The homeowner was at home a heard a popping noise just before the smoke alarm activated in the single-wide mobile home, according to Jay Fire Chief Tony Simmons.
“Upon our arrival there was heavy smoke under the structure and soon after flames were showing. It appears to be an electrical short,” Simmons said. There were no injuries.
The Jay, Berrydale, Allentown and Century fire stations responded, along with Lifeguard ambulance and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UPDATE: Man Claimed To Have A Bomb As He Robbed Publix Liquor Store
January 3, 2020
The Publix Liquor store at Nine Mile and University was robbed Thursday night by a man that said he had a bomb.
A black male wearing a red hoodie walked into the store and demanded money just before 9 p.m., according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Andrew Hobbs. The suspect claimed to have a bomb, but never showed anything resembling a bomb to the cashier.
The cashier complied with his demands and the suspect fled the store.
A perimeter was established as deputies searched for the suspect. At last report, he remained at large. No bomb was located.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured top and bottom: The Public Liquor store at University Town Center was robbed Thursday night. Pictured first below: Deputies search the area for a suspect. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Florida Department Of Corrections Announces $1,000 Hiring Bonuses
January 3, 2020
The Florida Department of Corrections has announced $1,000 hiring bonuses for new hires at several institutions statewide, including the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton.
Applicants who complete their correctional officer certification through either FDC or certain state colleges will be eligible for the bonus. Paid training is available through the program.
The bonus program does not include the Century Correctional Institution.
Certified new hires are eligible to receive bonuses at the following institutions:
- Apalachee Correctional Institution (Sneads)
- Calhoun Correctional Institution (Blountstown)
- Columbia Correctional Institution (Lake City)
- Cross City Correctional Institution (Cross City)
- Dade Correctional Institution (Florida City)
- Franklin Correctional Institution (Carrabelle)
- Florida State Prison (Raiford)
- Gulf Correctional Institution (Wewahitchka)
- Hamilton Correctional Institution (Jasper)
- Hardee Correctional Institution (Bowling Green)
- Liberty Correctional institution (Bristol)
- Madison Correctional Institution (Madison)
- Martin Correctional Institution (Indiantown)
- Mayo Correction Institution (Mayo)
- New River Correctional Institution (Raiford)
- Northwest Florida Reception Center (Chipley)
- Okeechobee Correctional Institution (Okeechobee)
- Reception and Medical Center (Lake Butler)
- Santa Rosa Correctional Institution (Milton)
- South Florida Reception Center (Doral)
- Suwannee Correctional Institution (Live Oak)
- Taylor Correctional Institution (Perry)
- Tomoka Correctional institution (Daytona Beach)
- Union Correctional Institution (Raiford)
- Wakulla Correctional Institution (Crawfordville)
- Walton Correctional Institution (De Funiak Springs)
For more information regarding a career with the Florida Department of Corrections, visit FLDOCjobs.com.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.