ECSO: Man Was Stealing Copper Wire From Gulf Power
July 28, 2018
An Escambia County man has been arrested for stealing wire from Gulf Power.
Joshua Caleb Hogan, 29, was charged with burglary of a structure, burglary of a vehicle, grand theft and resisting arrest without violence.
On Thursday, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was notified that someone was stealing spools of copper wire from a Gulf Power Property on West Nine Mile Road. The Sheriff’s Office set up surveillance in the area.
During the surveillance operation Friday, Hogan was located on the property burglarizing work trucks. ECSO deputies identified themselves, and Hogan tried to flee the scene. After a brief foot pursuit he was arrested.
He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $22,000.
Election Security Grants Awarded To Escambia, Santa Rosa Counties
July 28, 2018
The Florida Department of State has approved $10.3 million in election security grants for 49 Florida counties.
Escambia County will receive $240,530, and Santa Rosa County will receive $138,825.
Broward County received the largest grant at about $1.16 million
Back To School Shopping? Print A Supply List
July 28, 2018
School starts Thursday, August 10 in Escambia County, FL. This year, there is a single countywide list for all elementary schools and a single list for all middle schools.
Helpful dates: First day of school is August 13. The Back to School Tax Free Weekend is August 3-5.
Elementary School Supply Lists
- Elementary School Supply List for all elementary schools not listed below.
- Molino Park VPK.
- Molino Park ESE Pre-K.
- Byrneville Elementary School
Middle School Supply List
- #2 Pencils
- Blue or Black ink pens
- Wide Ruled Notebook Paper
- Pack of multi-colored highlighters
- Zippered Binder or 2 inch, 3 ring notebook and set of 10 dividers
- Ear buds
- Texas Instruments TI30X solar powered calculator for Algebra I only
Weekend Gardening: Distinctly Southern Hydrangeas
July 28, 2018
by UF/IFAS Extension
Nothing defines a southern landscape more than hydrangeas.
These beautiful, large flowering shrubs fill gardens with their green, leafy foliage and incredible blooms during the warm months.
In order to ensure consistent and reliable blooms, these shrubs must be cared for correctly. In addition to proper site location, fertilizer and moisture conditions, hydrangeas may require pruning. Proper pruning includes correct timing.
Hydrangea aficionados are constantly debating pruning techniques. There are many different types of hydrangeas and pruning differs according to the type. It is a big genus of plants and so it’s important to know what type of hydrangeas you may have and on what type of wood they bloom on.
Blooms on old wood, prune after flowering
The bigleaf hydrangeas, known scientifically as Hydrangea macrophylla, are what most people think of when you mention hydrangeas. Most gardeners will know these as mopheads (also called hortensias) and lacecaps. Many of these blooms will be blue or pink although other colors now are available.
Many large colonies of bigleaf hydrangeas have existed around old homes for decades, surviving and blooming in spite of neglect. This tells us that it is not necessary to prune bigleaf hydrangeas.
However, if you want to keep these shrubs within a defined boundary, control their height or rejuvenate old shrubs, it will be necessary to prune them.
Bigleaf hydrangeas can be reduced in size immediately after flowering. A general rule of thumb is that you may remove up to a third of the shrub’s height. Be sure to complete your pruning before August. This is critical because next year flower blooms start to form in August. Pruning after August will remove next year’s blooms.
There now is a small group of bigleaf hydrangeas that are everblooming or remontant. Endless Summer® is one well-known brand. According to the developers of these reblooming hydrangeas, remove spent flowers to encourage rebloom. They are quite forgiving and will not suffer if left unpruned or pruned at the wrong time because these cultivars bloom on both old and new growth.
Our native oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a large, deciduous shrub that can grow up to six feet tall. It has deeply lobed, oak-like leaves which turn bronze in the fall. This plant does not usually need pruning. If reshaping or size-reduction is necessary, prune after blooms begin to fade.
Article Continues Below Photo
Lacecap hydrangea
Blooms on new wood, prune in early spring
Smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens) is the other U.S. native. The most common cultivar, ‘Annabelle’, produces rounded inflorescences that may reach up to a foot in diameter.
The panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) is more of an upright type. It is typically a 10 to 15-foot large shrub or low-branched tree.
Panicle and smooth hydrangeas flower on current year’s growth and can be pruned anytime from late summer until early spring. If pruning these two species in the spring, try to prune before leaves appear.
Winter pruning
Established bigleaf, panicle, oakleaf and smooth hydrangea plants can often benefit from rejuvenation pruning. Remove about one-third of the oldest stems each year. The result is a fuller, healthier plant. This type of pruning is easiest to do in winter, since the absence of leaves makes it easier to see and reach inside plants.
Hydrangeas offer a wide variety of plants which can make the timing of pruning difficult to remember. Just keep in mind, if in doubt, either don’t prune at all or prune after flowering.
Santa Rosa Inmate Sentenced For Attack On Correctional Officer, Inmate
July 28, 2018
A Santa Rosa County inmate will spend the rest of his life in prison for an attack on a corrections officer and an inmate.
Mauricio Meza, 26, was convicted of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. He was immediately sentenced to life plus an additional 30 years.
In March 017, Meza stabbed a correctional officer and another inmate with a handmade weapon. Prior to the attack, Meza had used a handmade handcuff key to remove his handcuffs and leg iron restraints.
Meza admitted to the stabbing and told investigators that he had made the weapon several days earlier. The officer, who has been employed with Department of Corrections since 2005, sustained severe damage to his hand. These permanent
injuries will prohibit him from working as a correctional officer. The inmate was stabbed nine times causing severe injuries, including a collapsed lung.
At the time of the incident, Meza was serving a 13 year sentence for second degree murder and robbery.
Wahoos Blanked In Series Finale
July 28, 2018
Chattanooga earned a consolation prize in the series finale with a 5-0 win Friday night at AT&T Field.
Rookie Davis’s (L, 1-1) fourth rehab start got off to a bumpy start when the second batter of the game, Brent Rooker, unloaded his 20th home run of the season to give the visitors a 1-0. Davis rebounded nicely, posting zeroes in the second and third inning. Trouble was lurking in the fourth when Chattanooga scored four runs in the fourth inning. With the Lookouts already up 2-0, Alex Perez’s two-run double was a hammer blow to the Wahoos.
After Davis, both Nick Howard and Wyatt Strahan had encouraging scoreless appearances for the Wahoos by keeping Chattanooga off the board for the rest of the night.
Australian-native Lewis Thorpe (W, 6-4) was brilliant in his second outing since participating in the Sirius XM All-Star Futures game. The southpaw dealt seven shutout innings and allowed two hits while striking out seven.
Pensacola’s offense—who had been on a tear over the past week—was held in check in the series finale. On a positive note, TJ Friedl extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the ninth inning. However, he was quickly erased on Mitch Nay’s double-play grounder.
Despite the loss, Pensacola won the series, winning three games against the Minnesota Twins Double-A affiliate. Pensacola remains undefeated in their last 10 series, having won eight and splitting two.
Pensacola will open their final 10-game homestand, beginning with five games against the Biloxi Shuckers. LHP Seth Varner (5-1, 2.40) will start the opener for the Wahoos and will be opposed by Biloxi’s RHP Trey Supak (1-6, 6.93).
Early Morning Century Prison Death Under Investigation
July 27, 2018
An early morning death at Century Correctional Institution is under investigation.
Inmate George A Allen 54, was pronounced deceased at the prison about 12:30 a.m. Friday.
The death is currently under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Department’s Office of the Inspector General, according to Patrick Manderfield, press secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections. He declined to release further information due to the active investigation and privacy laws. He did not specify if the death appeared to be natural or suspicious.
Allen was serving a five year sentence out of Hillborough County for burglary and grand theft. He was scheduled to be released in July 2020.
Moore’s death was the 10th inmate death at Century Correctional Institution since since January 2017.
Century Writes 41 Payroll Checks Without Funds To Cover Them, Skips Remitting Payments To IRS
July 27, 2018
During the first half of this year, the Town of Century wrote 41 payroll checks without funds to cover them and missed legally required payroll deposits with the IRS, according to town council President Ann Brooks.
The town’s most recent independent financial audit found that Century’s deteriorating financial conditions could result in a future ‘financial emergency”.
Brooks opened the town council’s first budget workshop the upcoming fiscal year Thursday afternoon with a warning about several financial problems she found only through public records requests. She said the council was never informed of the 41 payroll checks that were written without funds available.
Bank statements reflect 41 insufficient fund charges totaling $1,394 during from February through June. The bank paid each check rather than returning them, resulting in a frequent negative balance. The overdraft fees were ev eventually refunded. United Bank also denied a loan to restructure town debt.
“This happened because there was not sufficient money to cover the checks written on the account,” Brooks said. “This is poor management.”
“The month of May we did not remit any payroll taxes to the IRS. Why? Because there was not enough money in the payroll bank account to pay the taxes,” Brooks said. She said the assistant clerk responsible for remitting the payroll taxes warned the town clerk and accountant Robert Hudson that there were insufficient funds to pay the IRS.
“Yet the council was never informed anything about this. We need to do a better job controlling our spending,” the council president said.
Brooks called for Mayor Henry Hawkins to do a better job keeping the town informed about debt refinance options and the town’s finances. He did not respond.
Hundson said he realized when reviewing the books in June that the payroll taxes were not paid in May, and he said he notified the mayor and Town Clerk Kim Godwin. He said the payroll tax deposits listed in the town’s books were still outstanding at the time of his review.
Hudson said funds to cover payroll taxes were not available in the bank account due to decreased revenue from the town’s gas department.
Brooks and Ben Boutwell were the only council members to attend Thursday’s budget workshop. Council members Luis Gomez, Sandra McMurray Jackson and Gary Riley did not attend.
Pictured top: Accountant Robert Hudson (left) explains financial documents to Century council members Ann Brooks and Ben Boutwell Thursday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Charged With Growing Greenhouse Marijuana
July 27, 2018
A Molino man was charged after allegedly growing marijuana in a greenhouse in his yard on Nancy Lane.
The greenhouse pot was spotted by an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy that was tracking a fleeing felony suspect with a K-9. As he passed by the greenhouse, the plants were clearly visible through a screen door.
Deputies located 15 marijuana plants growing in five gallon buckets and a lighting system to facilitate their grown, according to an arrest report.
Richard Keith Caum, 59, was charged with felony cultivation of marijuana. He was released from jail on a $2,500 bond.
Voter Registration Deadline Nears
July 27, 2018
Floridians face a Monday deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 28 primary elections, which will include high-profile races for governor, Cabinet seats, congressional and legislative seats and local races.
Voters who want to change party affiliations before the primaries also must do so before the Monday deadline.
For more information on how to register to vote, or change party affiliations, in Escambia County, click here.
As of June 30, Florida had more than 12.9 million registered voters, with registered Democrats slightly outnumbering registered Republicans, according to the state Division of Elections website.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this story.