Strong Storms Cause Damage In Chemstrand, 10 Mile Area
January 1, 2017
UPDATE: The National Weather Service says the damage early Sunday morning was caused by powerful straight line winds, not a tornado.
Strong storms left a path of moderate damage in the Chemstrand and East 10 Mile Road area of Escambia County early this morning. Authorities now estimate 30 homes have some level of damage.
The storms about 4 a.m. downed trees and power lines and tossed small items, blocking roads. Trees were down on a few homes, causing minor damage to those structures. One home had a “storage pod” trailer tossed onto its roof.
Ashton Brosnaham Park is closed until further notice. Two buildings sustained roof damaged, several fields have fence and bleacher damage, and the fields are unsafe due to debris. (Photos in our photo gallery.) Lipscomb Elementary School was observed to have damage to the building.
Escambia County Emergency Communications received the first call at 3:55 a.m. reporting a possible tornado passing through their back yard in the 600 block of Emu Lane.
About 2,000 Gulf Power customers in the area were without power. There have been no reports of any injuries.
Authorities will work later today to determine if the damage was from strong winds or a possible small tornado.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Damage, with at least large limbs and trees down, was reported on Chemstrand Road, Ray Street, Country Ostrich Drive, Patriot Place, Emu Lane, Rhea Lane, East Kingsfield, Wakefield Drive, Tara Dawn, Betmark Road and surrounding areas.
All roads are now open. Residents are asked to be careful/stay home and out of the area if possible as the Escambia County Road Department clears the roads and Gulf Power clears any downed power lines. Sight-seeing is highly discouraged.
First responders were working from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Mobile Command Center set up at Ray Street and Country Ostrich Drive. Residents are asked to be careful and stay home/out of the area if possible as the Escambia County Road Department clears the roads and Gulf Power clears any downed power lines. The National Weather Service in Mobile will make the determination to what type of wind event took place. Escambia Fire Rescue, EMS, Emergency Management, Road Department, Sheriff’s Office and Gulf Power responded.
More information will be posted as soon as it becomes available.
Submit your photo to news@northescambia.com.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
North Escambia’s Top 16 Stories Of 2016
January 1, 2017
Here our picks for the Top 16 North Escambia Stories of 2016. The list was compiled to include those stories that were “big news”, had a great influence on the North Escambia area, had the most views on NorthEscambia.com or had the community talking most during 2016.
(Scroll down below each photo)
16. Century Church Arson
A fire that destroyed a Century church building early one Sunday morning in October was ruled a case of arson. Neighbors reported hearing an explosion before looking outside to see the Wesley Chapel Church on Jefferson Avenue fully involved in flames. The building was a complete and total loss. There were no injuries reported. The church building had sat empty since a February 15 EF-3 tornado ripped through Century, causing significant damage to the building.
15. What Are The Odds?
After selling an $80 million Powerball ticket in 2015, the State Line Gift Shop on Highway 97 once again proved to be North Escambia’s luck lottery spot in 2016. During the year, the store sold three different winning Fantasy 5 tickets worth about $55,000, $90,000, and $66 thousand.
14. Smithsonian Exhibit in Molino
“The Way We Worked,” a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition was on display in Molino at the Lillian F. King Museum. The exhibit celebrated the history of American workers.
13. Northview High FFA National Awards
The Northview High School FFA chapter was named one of the very best in the nation, and the Northview High School FFA Alumni received a national bronze award. The Northview High School FFA’s “Fresh From Florida Advocacy Program” was also named the second best program in 2015 and 2016 and was previously honored as the best in Florida for three consecutive years.
12. Teacher Of The Year
Kristy Imhof, the new Escambia County Teacher of the Year, received a surprise visit in her seventh grade language arts classroom at Ransom Middle School in February. She was named Escambia County’s Teacher of the Year and received the official crown and flowers from Superintendent Malcolm Thomas.
11. Century Council Member Passes Away
Century Town Council member Annie Carter Savage passed away unexpectedly at age 75. Savage was appointed to the council in August 2011 to fill the unexpired term of Nadine McCaw who had passed away. She was reelected in 2011 for a term ending January 2017, and recently reelected without opposition for another four-year term that would have began in January.
10. IP Pensacola Mill Celebrates 75 Years Of Operations
The International Paper Pensacola Mill in Cantonment celebrated 75 years of operation in October. The front lawn of the plant transformed into a day of fun for retirees, employees and their families with games, kids activities, arts and crafts, music, food and more. The Pensacola Mill started operations with one paper machine on a 600 acre site in 1941.
9. Educator Alice Woodward Retires
Molino Park Elementary School Principal Alice Woodward retired after 30 years in local education. She started her teaching career in 1986 at Barrineau Park Elementary School. She moved into administration as the curriculum coordinator and then served as a principal intern splitting her time between Barrineau Park and Molino Elementary while the new Molino Park Elementary School was under construction. Molino Park opened in the fall of 2003, and Woodward stepped into the role of principal in the fall of 2006.
8. New Mayor For Century
Former council member Henry Hawkins was elected Century’s new mayor, ousting two-term incumbent Freddie McCall.
7. Donald Trump
President elect Donald Trump made three campaign stops in Escambia County during 2016. Trump offered his thoughts on a couple of key local issues — the Blue Angels and the Pensacola Bay Bridge. “We will ensure the Blue Angels continue to inspire. I love those guys, I love the Blue Angels,” he said. He also said the Pensacola Bay Bridge should be replaced. Trump said he loves the Pensacola area. “It’s a great honor to be with you tonight. It’s a great area. This is an amazing area,” Trump said.
6. Tate High School Showband To Hawaii
The Tate High School Showband of the South joined in a special performance in Hawaii on December 7 to mark the 75th anniversary of the attack on Peal Harbor.
5. Florida’s Superstar SRO
Senior Deputy Ronnie Gill, school resource officer at Ernest Ward Middle School, was named the top SRO in Florida, and was awarded the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Meritorious Service Medal for the crucial role he plays in breaking down the barriers between law enforcement and youth.
4. Airgas Explosion
A massive explosion in August claimed the life of one person at the Airgas facility next to the Ascend Performance Materials plant in Cantonment.
3. Goodbye To Our Blue Angel
North Escambia considers the Blue Angels just as much ours as Pensacola does. And we mourned with the rest of the nation as our Number 6, Capt. Jeff Kuss, died in a Tennessee crash.
2. Recycling Returns
ECUA and Escambia County held a held a kick-off ceremony in August to mark the opening of ECUA’s Interim Materials Recycling Facility, or IMRF, at the Perdido Landfill The collaborative effort between ECUA and Escambia County is a state-of-the-art facility that will have the capacity to recycle up to 40,000 tons of materials per year. The opening of the facility meant the return of recycling for ECUA customers.
1. Century’s Darkest Day
February 15 saw an EF-3 tornado damage and destroy a large area of Century, dominating the headlines for the rest of the year as Florida’s poorest town struggled toward recovery.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bicyclist Struck By Car
January 1, 2017
A bicyclist was struck by a car early Saturday night on Highway 95A near West Roberts Road. The bicyclist was transported to an area hospital by ambulance in unknown condition . The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further information has not been released. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Burger King Closes Its Doors
January 1, 2017
The Century Burger King has apparently closed its doors, leaving an unknown number of employees without a job.
Employees say they were told Friday night that the store was closing for good and that they were out of a job. Workers were reportedly on site Saturday, removing signage and other items from the store.
Attempts to contact the franchise owner on Saturday for comment were unsuccessful.
File photo, click to enlarge.
New Year Begins With Lower Gulf Power Rates
January 1, 2017
Beginning today, Gulf Power customers will see their prices drop 3 percent thanks to lower fuel costs used in energy production. But there’s also a price increase on the table for July.
In November, the Florida Public Service Commission approved Gulf Power’s request to decrease customer’s bills by $4.63, from $148.64 to $144.01 for the average residential customer. This is the second year in a row Gulf Power customers have seen a decrease in energy prices brought about by careful planning and management of the natural gas and cleaner-than-ever coal the energy provider uses to generate electricity. Last January, residential energy bills decreased 5 percent.
“Gulf Power employees have worked hard to manage costs to benefit our customers directly, especially as we head into the cold winter months,” said Rick DelaHaya, Gulf Power spokesperson. “And because Gulf Power employees have been working hard toward a more balanced energy mix, our customers can take advantage of lower fuel prices now, and into the future.”
Every year, the Florida Public Service Commission adjusts Gulf Power’s prices to reflect cost changes in fuel, environmental controls and energy conservation programs. Fuel cost savings are passed through directly to Gulf Power customers, with no profit to the company.
This decrease comes on the heels of a price increase request to continue to invest in the reliability of Northwest Florida’s energy infrastructure. In October, Gulf Power requested that the Florida Public Service Commission conduct a public review of their prices and a proposed increase that would begin in July 2017. The last time customers saw a price increase was in January 2015, and when compared to those prices, the average residential customer’s monthly bill in July 2017 after PSC approval would increase by only $2.50 per month or less than 2 percent.
“If approved, that requested investment would help secure long-term reliability, continue smart grid improvements, and bolster our goal of achieving a balanced energy mix,” added DelaHaya. “A balanced energy mix helps keep customers’ costs stable and insulates customers from price fluctuations that can be caused by price volatility in the fuel we use to generate electricity.”
Along with that request, the energy company has asked for approval of new customer rate options designed to make bills more predictable, and has instituted new initiatives designed for greater customer conveniences ncluding an improved online experience, additional payment locations at popular stores and payment kiosks in business offices.
2017 Florida Look Ahead: Election Chatter, Trump And Legislative Wrangling
January 1, 2017
The first person to say it is unclear — most seem to attribute the phrase to Hall of Fame baseball manager Casey Stengel — but 2016 seemed to prove the old quote: “Never make predictions, especially about the future.”
The journalist has an additional warning from the late, great Peter Jennings: “I don’t think a reporter should give advice or make predictions.”
But what would the end of one year be without a bit of forecasting about what will happen in the next? And while the Florida political world can always be counted on to produce an offbeat story or two, we can expect a few things to dominate the conversation in 2017. The unexpected will truly have to wait for another day.
THE ELECTION IS OVER. LONG LIVE THE ELECTION: Now that the 2016 presidential election is done, there’s only one thing for politicians to do — gear up for the 2018 midterm elections. And the best way to do that might be to pack away a few accomplishments and talking points in 2017. Republican Gov. Rick Scott is angling for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Bill Nelson, potentially setting up a battle between two of the state’s perennially underestimated politicians. Meanwhile, there’s no shortage of would-be candidates possibly lining up to fight for Scott’s current job — Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, House Speaker Richard Corcoran, outgoing Democratic Congresswoman Gwen Graham and Democratic trial lawyer and mega-donor John Morgan are just some of the marquee names who could jump into the contest. For those not interested in the governor’s mansion or the Senate, three Cabinet posts will be up for grabs in 2018 — Putnam, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Attorney General Pam Bondi are barred by term limits from running for re-election, and Bondi might be headed to Washington, D.C. early in 2017. A few candidates likely will make announcements before the middle of the year, but signs of who is serious about taking the plunge will be clear long before then.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Trying to predict anything that the nation’s mercurial new chief executive will do is dangerous. But the part-time Floridian Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans have already floated some ideas that could affect the Sunshine State. Bondi is seen as a likely candidate for a position in the Trump administration, given her outspoken support for Trump during the campaign and her apparent interest in a Beltway job. On the policy front, some in the GOP hope Trump seizes the opportunity to reshape the relationship between Washington and the states. Turning the joint state-federal Medicaid program into a block grant, for example, would allow Florida lawmakers a much freer hand in deciding how the program works. Changes in trade policy could have repercussions for the state’s ports. Stronger enforcement of immigration laws could also have unpredictable effects in a state where even the Republican Party is sometimes divided on how to treat undocumented immigrants.
DISSED INCENTIVES: One the key battles already shaping up for the 2017 legislative session focuses on whether the state should continue to spend tens of millions of dollars to attract tourism and business investment to Florida. Corcoran is an outspoken opponent of the spending. “When you’re taking money out of the masses’ pockets and then giving it literally — to the Democrats’ argument — to the top 1 percent, to the detriment of everybody else, that is de facto socialism,” Corcoran said in October during a panel discussion hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a non-profit conservative think tank. Scott is just as determined to provide incentives to attract businesses, in this case $85 million worth. And Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, also supports some level of spending. “I don’t know the magic number, and … obviously we have to look at the budget and see what we’ve got, but I support the concept of funding some incentives to go find jobs,” he said. A recent blow-up over a state tourism-promotion contract with Miami rapper Pitbull hasn’t helped matters.
CORCORAN AND NEGRON TAKE COMMAND: Every other year, when a new House speaker and a new Senate president take office, Capitol denizens debate whether and how the leaders will get along. The attention is particularly keen after Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, formally moved into their new roles following the November elections. Corcoran is almost universally viewed as a smart, hard-driving conservative who is willing to grind things to a halt if necessary to avoid compromising on certain issues. At least in public, Negron is more laid back and tends to the wonkish side on policy fights. They also have different priorities. The Senate president has floated an additional $1 billion in higher-education spending and new investment in the Everglades. Corcoran appears to be more interested in changing how Tallahassee works, implementing new lobbyist disclosure and budgeting rules. How those goals might come together — or collide — will determine how smoothly the 2017 session will go.
PINCHING PENNIES, A BILLION AT A TIME: Cramping everyone’s room to maneuver are economists’ projections of how much money the state will bring in next year. The economy is still growing at a modest clip, but potential new income is being gobbled up by tax cuts and growing demand for services like education and Medicaid. It’s incredibly hard to lock down exactly how much extra money the state will have to spend because there are several different ways of looking at it, but what’s clear is that lawmakers won’t have much room for budget add-ons. That will be particularly true if lawmakers want to once again hold local education property taxes steady regardless of rising home values, something that could consume $400 million in state money. Negron has acknowledged that some of his spending priorities will have to come from cutting other areas of the budget, but that could cause its own headaches in the form of advocates who support the programs on the chopping block.
ANOTHER SPIN: The annual food fight that is a gambling bill is likely to return to the Legislature, this time as Scott and lawmakers make another attempt at hammering out a revised gaming agreement with the Seminole Tribe. A federal judge’s ruling last month that the state had violated the tribe’s exclusive rights to offer some games added impetus to the negotiations. But any package of gambling bills is likely to attract issues that make it incredibly difficult to get a deal done.
YOU FIX IT: In addition to whatever they might want to do, lawmakers will also have to deal with a to-do list from the state Supreme Court and voters. The court, for example, struck down a new death-penalty law because it did not require unanimous jury recommendations to impose death sentences. The court also found unconstitutional parts of the workers’ compensation insurance system. Meanwhile, voters approved allowing full-strength medical marijuana to be used in the treatment of numerous conditions. But the regulatory structure, and who could make a lot of money off the amendment, has to be approved by the Legislature. Lawmakers during the past few years have passed measures to allow limited uses of medical cannabis, but even that has resulted in a legal and regulatory morass still being sorted out.
EDITING THE CONSTITUTION: After the 2017 session, a 37-member Constitution Revision Commission is expected to start working on a series of recommended changes to the Florida Constitution. The once-every-20-years process will be steered by people appointed by Scott, Corcoran, Negron and Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, along with Bondi (or whoever is attorney general by then). It could mark Republicans’ best chance to try to roll back provisions of the Constitution that they’ve found nettlesome in recent years. Court rulings on vouchers to pay for private school tuition could be targeted. So could judges themselves; Corcoran has floated the idea of a term limit for new judicial appointments. And lawmakers are likely to be interested in finding some way to avoid another long legal battle under the anti-gerrymandering Fair Districts amendments that voters approved in 2010. Possible solutions include an independent redistricting commission (which could draw bipartisan support) or finding some ways to weaken the amendments (not so much). The one catch is that any changes to the Constitution would still have to win the approval of 60 percent of Florida voters, and that has proven to be a difficult hurdle in recent years.
KEEPING AN EYE ON ZIKA: Was the recent all-clear on local transmissions of Zika an indication that the virus’ invasion of the state has stopped? Or was it just a function of cooler weather chasing away or killing the mosquitoes that carry the virus? Once things start to warm up again, the state will have a better idea of whether Zika was a one-year problem or a recurring nightmare. It’s not just a public health concern; early indications are that the disease crimped Florida’s tourism numbers a bit, which means a sustained presence could hurt tax revenues and employment. Another outbreak would also force the state and federal governments to come up with a plan, perhaps a more permanent one, to deal with the virus.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
2016 In Photos: June
January 1, 2017
Today, we continue our look back at the year 2016 in photos with a look at June.
A “monster” fire destroyed a two-story history turn of the century home in Atmore.
Heavy rains caused temporary flooding on Highway 97.
The Town of Flomaton celebrated the opening of a new municipal complex.
Hands-on training for local firefighters with LifeFlight.
Work continued to widen Highway 99 from Enon to Barrineau Park.
Pictured: Dark clouds from an approaching storm meet the sunset in Walnut Hill.
Demolition began on the 114-year old Century United Methodist Church, heavily damaged in the February tornado.
Mayor Freddie McCall (blue shirt) meet with a Florida Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Engineer to discuss how to stop truck rollovers on North Century Boulevard.
Century deputies wrote 1,286 traffic tickets in the three months leading up to June.
The Town of Century pleaded with FDOT to fix a sharp curve with an extreme lean on North Century Boulevard as another truck wrecked in late June.
A “strawberry moon” in June.
A new traffic signal was activated in June at Highway 297A and Pine Cone Drive.
The Northview High School FFA’s “Fresh From Florida Advocacy Program” was named the second best program in the state during the FFA state convention.
Boy Scouts in Molino held a flag retirement ceremony.
A summertime “Market in the Park” in Atmore.
Youth from The First Baptist Church of Cantonment served lunch at the Waterfront Rescue Mission.
A “magical” Summer Reading Program was held at the Century Branch Library.
The remains of a fallen Blue Angel were flown back to Pensacola Tuesday aboard Fat Albert with a Blue Angel jet escort. Fat Albert, flying under the call sign “Blue Angel 6″, and Lead Solo Lt. Ryan Chamberlain flew over downtown Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key as thousands paid tribute to Capt. Jeff Kuss, who was killed in the crash of his Blue Angel jet in Smyra, TN.
A committee made plans to preserve bricks from the former Century High School in a monument.
A group from Ohio worked on tornado cleanup in Century.
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A Bratt sunset in June.
Vacation Bible School was held at numerous local churches in June.
A Blue Angels F/A18 aircraft crashed Thursday during the beginning stages of an afternoon practice at the Smyrna (TN) Airport. Blue Angels pilot Capt. Jeff Kuss of the U.S. Marine Corp died in the crash.
A cowboy with the goal of riding 48 states raising money for children’s charities rode his horse into Florida.
Florida’s Minimum Wage Increases
January 1, 2017
Many Florida workers will see a modest boost in their wages starting today as the state’s minimum wage rises a nickel to $8.10 an hour.
It is the first minimum wage increase since January 2015, when the hourly rate rose by 12 cents to $8.05. There was no increase in 2016.
Under a state constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2004, the wage is adjusted annually by the state Department of Economic Opportunity based on a consumer price index.
Tipped workers will earn at least $5.08 an hour.
Florida’s hourly minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which has not been changed since 2009.
Florida has not followed the lead of California and New York, which have approved laws to eventually raise the minimum wage in their states to $15 an hour. Legislation seeking to raise Florida’s wage to $15 an hour has not advanced in the Legislature, with strong opposition from business groups.
Deputy Shoots Home Invasion Suspect After Homeowner Is Shot
December 31, 2016
An armed home invasion in Escambia County led to a deputy shooting a suspect overnight.
The home invasion occurred about 1 a.m. Saturday on Talladega Trail off Mobile Highway. Before deputies arrived, the suspect and a homeowner exchanged gunfire, wounding the homeowner.
When deputies arrived on scene, the suspected home invader pointed his gun at them, forcing an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy to fire their service weapon.
Both the homeowner and suspect were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The officer involved shooting is under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as is standard procedure.
Further details have not yet been released by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Molino Man Charged With Striking Deputy In Face
December 31, 2016
A Molino man is facing multiple charges after allegedly fleeing from deputies and striking one of them in the face.
Andre Lamar Floyd, 59, charged with felony battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, resisting arrest without violence, driving without a license and cited for no seat belt.
Two Escambia County deputies attempted a traffic stop at the intersection of Lincoln and Lewis streets in Cantonment. The driver, later identified as Floyd, pulled into a yard and Ellington and Washington streets, exited the driver’s seat and fled on foot despite verbal commands to stop.
A deputy was able to catch Floyd and directed him to the ground in a gravel lot at Muscogee Road and Stinnis Street. Floyd was able to get back up and flee again, before being caught again by the deputy. Floyd then shoved the deputy in the face with his hands, an arrest report states. A second deputy then tased Floyd, who was then detained.
Floyd was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $16,000.