Lightning Blamed For Death Of Man Near Molino
December 14, 2016
Lightning is believed to be to blame for the death of a man found outside a home near Molino Tuesday night.
About 9:15 p.m., Escambia County Fire Rescue and EMS were dispatched to a medical call at a home in the 3000 block of Wilder Road. When they arrived, they found a white male believed to be in his 40’s deceased in his yard. He had apparently been struck by lightning, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The man’s name has not been released.
It was not known what time the man was struck by lighting. According to the National Weather Service Office in Mobile, lightning strikes were reported in the Wilder Road area about 5:45 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Lawmaker Seeks To Repeal ‘PIP’ Auto Insurance
December 14, 2016
Renewing a long-running debate on the issue, a Senate Republican on Tuesday filed a proposal that would repeal the state’s no-fault auto insurance laws.
Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Chairman Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, said the repeal of a requirement to carry personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage would help lower premiums.
“PIP is a broken insurance system, and it does not reflect the reality of Florida’s transportation future,” Brandes said in a prepared statement. “PIP fraud impacts every driver in our state, and no proposal is more effective at reducing premiums than a full repeal of PIP. It’s time to finally bring substantive reform to the automobile insurance market.”
The bill (SB 156), which is filed for the 2017 legislative session, follows similar proposals that failed to pass in recent years. Under the no-fault system, motorists are required to carry $10,000 in PIP coverage to help pay for medical expenses after accidents.
Brandes’ bill includes a requirement for motorists to carry bodily injury liability coverage.
Molino Man Charged With Burglary
December 14, 2016
A Molino man has been arrested for allegedly breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and running from deputies.
A deputy arrived at a home in 6300 block of Brickyard Road to find a woman screaming that someone was inside her house. As the deputy approached the residence he saw a male, later identified as Brandon Sharef Spencer, at the back corner of the home. As the deputy approached, Spencer ran into a nearby wooded area.
The deputy gave chase on foot but was unable to catch Spencer due to thick vegetation. He returned to the residence where the victim reported that Spencer is her ex-boyfriend, and that he had entered the home. The victim said she hit Spencer several times, causing him to fall to the floor. In the process, her kitchen table was broken. She also found that her 32-inch television was broken on the living room floor.
Spencer was later located on Cedar Town Road and taken into custody without further incident.
Spencer was charged with criminal mischief, burglary of an occupied dwelling, petit theft and resisting an officer without violence. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $19,356 on the charges plus outstanding support obligations.
Time Running Out To Register For Century’s Christmas Parade
December 14, 2016
Century’s 4th Annual Boats and Floats Christmas Parade is set for 5 p.m. this Saturday.
The parade will line up at 5 p.m. at Century Auto Parts and travel south on North Century Boulevard (visitors must stand on the southbound side) to Showalter Park were there will be vendors and many more festivities. Winners of the boat/float contest will be announced at Showalter Park.
For more information, or to register to enter the parade, call Kim at (850) 256-3208.
Pictured: The 2015 Boats and Floats Christmas Parade in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
All Star Football Game Is Friday At Wahoos Stadium
December 14, 2016
Friday, the best seniors from Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties will play in the 13th annual Subway High School All-Star Football Game. For the first time the game will be held at the Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Tickets to the game are $11 at the gate, $9 with a canned food item for Manna Food Bank
This year’s roster and coaches are:
2016 East Football Roster
Head Coach: Kent Smith
Catholic – AJ Yates – WR
Catholic – Grant Wood – OL
Catholic – Blake Brazwell – OL
Escambia – Z’Khari Blocker – QB
Escambia – Martin McGhee – RB
Escambia – Tre Lewis – DB
Escambia – Jaylen Pant – LB
Escambia – Amarquez Moore – LB
Escambia – Chris Olshefskie – OL
Escambia – Justin Brown – OL
Escambia – Thomas Wright – OL
Escambia – Shountrell Hills – DL
Northview – Luke Ward – WR
Northview – Ohijie Elliot – LB
Pensacola – Ashton Stephens – QB
Pensacola – Walter Granderson – WR
Pensacola – Anton Brown – DB
Pensacola – Nehemiah Jones – DB
Pensacola – Robert Reeves – LB
Pensacola – Troy Davis – LB
Pensacola – Reggie Wade – DL
Pensacola – Terrell Lightening-Hall – DL
Pine Forest – Mohamed Kader – K
Pine Forest – Chris Williams – DB
Pine Forest – Travis Peacock – WR
Pine Forest – Jaden Gardner – RB
Pine Forest – James Howard – DB
Pine Forest – Xavier Saulsberry – RB
Pine Forest – Wesley Philpot – LB
Pine Forest – Chris Tubbs – OL
Pine Forest – Clarence Hicks – DL
Pine Forest – Jaiveon Gardner – DL
Tate – Rodriquez Smith – WR
Tate – Evan Legassey – K
Tate – Jake Henry – QB
Tate – Raymond Freeman – TE/LS
Tate – Jared Bethea – OL
Tate – Caleb Campbell – DL
Washington – Desmond Bettis – OL
Washington – Marsalis Jackson – TE
West Florida – Da’Quaris Gaines – DB
West Florida – Antonio Moultrie – DL
West Florida – Vidal Scott – DL
2016 West Football Roster
Head Coach: Jerry Pollard
Baker – Josh Springle – K
Baker – Logan Rickmon – WR
Baker – DiNick Thomas – DL
Choctaw – Isaac Smith – WR
Choctaw – Alex Ward – TE/Snapper
Choctaw – Graylon Johnson – DL
Crestview – Yo Fredrick – WR
Crestview – Walter Amos – OL
Crestview – Mike Robinson – DL
FWB – Evan Mitchell – WR/S
FWB – John Quitugua – DB
FWB – Ajani Huyghue – FB/SB
Gulf Breeze – Matt DeMahy – DB
Gulf Breeze – Parker Baynes – WR/RB
Jay – Matthew Saylor – LB/FB
Milton – Tristan Saterfield – LB/P
Milton – Cody Hanks – OL
Milton – Keith Waitman – OL
Navarre – Jordan Williams – WR
Navarre – Caine Adamson – QB
Navarre – Lee Jones – DB
Navarre – Xavier Fernandez – LB
Navarre – Bo Hering – LB
Navarre – A.J Neal – OL
Navarre – Lamarcus Smith – OL
Navarre – Mark-Ryan Struck – DL
Niceville – Jeff Toney – QB
Niceville – Justin Veras – DB
Niceville – Braijon Carr – DB
Niceville – Jordan Tinder – RB
Niceville – Blake McCrae – LB
Niceville – Jake Nihill – OL
Niceville – Seth Witt – DE/LB
Pace – Nate Ramirez – WR
Pace – Tony Gibson – DB
Pace – Anthony Johnson – RB
Pace – Jaxon Adams – DE/HB
Pace – Layne Plant – LB
Pace – Logan Pitts – OL
Rocky Bayou – Colton Norris – K
Sweet Christmas Treat: Students Build Gingerbread Houses
December 14, 2016
Students at Molino Park Elementary School recently created their own custom gingerbread houses.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Williams Ditch Road Area Boil Water Notice Lifted
December 14, 2016
UPDATE 12/14 12:10 pm — This boil water notice has been rescinded by the water company. Testing shows the water to be safe to drink.
Cottage Hill Water Works has issued a precautionary boil water notice for Williams Ditch Road and all the side streets connected to Williams Ditch Road. The notice was issued after a water main break at 230 Williams Ditch Road.
As a precaution, it is advised that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. A s an alternative, bottled water may be used. Residents are also advised to take precautions when bathing, especiallly immunocompromised individuals, infants, or the elderly.
A loss in system pressure could cause the entry of contaminants, such as E. Coli bacteria, into the water system. water containing E. Coli bacteria can be considered safe for drinking and cooking after vigorously boiling the water. Disease symptoms caused by these bacteria may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and possibly jaundice, and any associated headache and fatigue. The EPA has set an enforceable drinking water standard for E. Coli to reduce the risk of these adverse health effects. Under this standard all drinking water must be free of these bacteria.
The water system is currently collecting samples to determine if the presence of e.coli bacteria exists within the water system. This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been corrected and a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
For more information, call (850) 968-5485.
Florida Lawmakers Look At Next Steps For Medical Marijuana
December 14, 2016
A Senate panel Tuesday began exploring issues surrounding medical marijuana as lawmakers prepare to carry out a constitutional amendment overwhelmingly approved by voters in November.
The Senate Health Policy Committee heard from a cannabis vendor, patient advocates, doctors and opponents of Amendment 2, which legalized medical marijuana for a broad swath of patients and set Florida in position to become one of the largest pot markets in the nation.
“The voters have spoken. It is our duty as their elected representatives to implement this amendment appropriately,” committee Chairwoman Dana Young, R-Tampa, said at the onset of the two-hour meeting.
One of the biggest issues facing the Legislature is whether to expand the number of businesses authorized by the state to grow, process and distribute marijuana to an estimated 500,000 patients who would be eligible for the treatment when the amendment goes into effect in January.
Florida lawmakers first approved non-euphoric medical marijuana for a limited number of patients in 2014 and expanded the law to include full-strength pot for terminally ill patients early this year.
The Florida Department of Health has issued licenses to six “dispensing organizations” and could issue three more, once the number of patients in a statewide registry reaches 250,000. The Legislature added the provision for the additional licenses during the spring session in anticipation that the constitutional amendment would pass.
But Ben Pollara, campaign manager for the “United for Care” political committee that backed the initiative, told the Senate panel on Tuesday that the current number of licenses would not meet the expectations of voters or the language of the amendment, which requires health officials to issue “reasonable” regulations regarding medical marijuana.
Since the initiative received more than 70 percent approval in November, “it is more than a fair assessment to say that a vote for Amendment 2 was a vote to expand the market here,” Pollara said.
The six dispensing organizations now authorized to sell medical marijuana were supposed to provide products to an estimated 100,000 patients, Pollara said.
To expect those businesses to serve a consumer base five times greater than anticipated “simply doesn’t make sense,” he added.
But Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers, the head of the first company to start distributing medical marijuana in Florida, told the committee that her organization now has the capacity to serve 72,000 patients and would soon be able to provide products to 650,000 patients.
About 1,300 patients eligible for medical marijuana under the laws passed in 2014 and early this year are registered in a statewide database, and 240 doctors have received the training required to order the treatment, state Office of Compassionate Use Director Christian Bax said Tuesday.
Those numbers are expected to escalate after the amendment goes into effect next month, Bax predicted.
“As a state, we will be watched to ensure we have a robust regulatory system,” he said.
Law enforcement officials and opponents of the amendment asked lawmakers to consider imposing restrictions on the kinds of products that can be sold, including candy, and want local governments to have the discretion to regulate issues such as zoning and signage.
“We are not here to be obstructionists. We are here to be honest brokers in dealing with this matter, trying to provide a law enforcement perspective that is a value add to this. The people have spoken. It is clear,” Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson, Jr., said.
Others urged lawmakers to tread carefully with what some opponents deem a “gateway” to more hardcore drugs.
“If we don’t aggressively seek to limit the use and sale of marijuana, our country and state as we know it will never be the same. Florida will be trading our beautiful white, sandy beaches filled with vacationing families for a hazy, skunk-smelling coastline laden with unemployable, unmotivated homeless people,” said Teresa Miller, a drug prevention activist and founder of the “no2pot.org” website.
As the committee mulls imposing restrictions, some people in the pot business are asking legislators to loosen provisions in the current laws they contend are a barrier to treatment.
Rivers and Mark Hashim, a pain management physician, asked the Legislature to consider doing away with the requirement that doctor treats patient for at least three months before being able to order medical marijuana for them.
Hashim said he recently encountered a terminally ill patient who likely had less than two months to live, but he could not assist her because he had not treated her for 90 days. The patient was unable to access the marijuana treatment because her other doctors were not authorized to order it, Hashim said.
“I have to look her in the face and say, I have something that might help you but I can’t give it to you,” he said.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Fire Adds Another Red Bulb To Safety Wreath
December 13, 2016
A fire on the 6300 block of North Blue Angel Parkway represents the fifth red bulb on the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety wreath. Escambia County Emergency Communications received multiple calls for the residential structure fire at 7:07 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12.
Crews arrived on scene to find a working fire of a single wide trailer. The fire was called under control at 7:40 p.m., with moderate damage to the residence. No one was injured in the fire, including the family’s six cats who were rescued by the firefighters. However, the two residents were displaced. Escambia Fire Rescue Stations 1, 2, 11, Ladder 12, Navy Fire Truck 34 and EMS responded.
The “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign is a collaborative initiative with the city of Pensacola to promote fire safety during the month of December. During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths are on display at 18 county fire stations and five city fire stations, with wreaths also placed outside Escambia County’s Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building downtown, the Escambia County Public Safety Building, Pensacola City Hall and Cordova Mall near the food court entrance. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential home. For more tips on how to stay safe during the holiday season, visit myescambia.com/KeepTheWreathGreen.
Guidy Lane Wreck Claims One Life
December 13, 2016
An Escambia County man died as the result of a single vehicle crash Tuesday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 79-year old James Donald Crabtree was southbound on Guidy Lane when he ran off the roadway in his 2002 Chevrolet van and struck a fence and a tree near Grace Drive about 5:40 a.m. Crabtree was transported to West Florida Hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 6:34 a.m.