Escambia Children’s Trust Holding Town Hall Meetings Next Month, Beginning In Molino
July 27, 2023
The Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) will hold three town hall meetings next month.
The sessions will be held:
- August 8, 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A
- August 9, 5-7 p.m. Brownsville Community Center, 3200 West DeSoto Street
- August 10, 3-5 p.m. Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Avenue
ECT said they are looking for community input as they craft a strategic plan for the future.
In November 2020, 61% of participating voters in Escambia County supported the creation of the Children’s Trust to be funded by an increase in ad valorem taxes of up to a maximum of 0.5 mil. The Children’s Trust will provide early childhood education, safety, developmental, preventative, health, and well-being services, including after school and summer enrichment programs.
Here’s What To Recycle. (And To Never Put In The Recycling Can.)
July 27, 2023
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority has given tentative approval to a 9.5% sanitation rate increase, partially because of contamination problems with the recycling program.
The rate increase will allow residents that wish to recycle to continue, while others can use a second trash can instead at no additional cost (other than the rate increase). The idea, according to ECUA board members, is to help clean up the recycling stream. Right now, according to ECUA Executive Director Bruce Woody, about one-half of all recyclables are contaminated with trash — items that can’t be recycled in the ECUA program.
So that brings up the question: What can I recycle?
A list of what can, and what cannot, be recycled is below.
What Can I Place in My Recycling Can?
- Glass; any color
- Paper newspaper & Inserts
- Cardboard
- Boxboard (cereal, cake & cracker boxes, etc.)
- Plastic bottles
- Plastics No. 1 & 2
- Plastic Milk Jugs; 2-Liters
- Aluminum Cans & Lids
- Tin and Steel Cans & Lids
- Metal Pots, Pans & Cookie Sheets
- Pet food cans (no plastic liner)
What Can I NOT recycle in my can?
- Plastic bags
- Polystyrene products (Styrofoam)
- Pet food cans that have a plastic liner
- Pet food bags
- Ice cream cartons
- Waxy/paper milk cartons
- Aerosol cans
- Juice boxes or bags
- Garbage or yard waste
- Garden hoses
- Window blinds
- Tarps
- Bedding or linens
- Carpeting or rugs
- Construction materials
- Tin foil or foil baking pans
- Plastic chairs
- Residential Medical Waste
- Bubble Wrap
- Food Waste
- Propane Tanks
- Plastic or metal hangers
Bulk Recycling Available
Current customers can call ahead (850) 476-0480
- Car or truck batteries
- Tires (no commercial equipment tires)
- Limit of 5 tires
- 20 lb. propane tanks
- Large Appliances/White Goods
- Refrigerators
- Dishwashers
- Stoves
- Washers & Dryers
- Large amounts of cardboard (please empty and flatten all boxes)
ECUA also offers the Recycle Coach app for additional help.
Woman Sentenced For Felony Retail Theft, Possessing Device To Avoid Detection
July 27, 2023
A Flomaton woman has been sentenced in Escambia County, Florida, for theft and possessing a device to avoid detection.
Madonna Faith Barnhill was sentenced to 36 months probation for felony retail theft, petit theft with two or more prior convictions and possession of an anti-shoplifting device. She was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service. make restitution to Walmart, and stay away from all Walmart locations.
Barnhill was accused of placing $606.46 worth of merchandise inside an empty microwave box and walking past all points of sale at the Walmart on Pensacola Boulevard. The merchandise was recovered by Walmart’s loss prevention, and the incident was captured on camera, according to an arrest report.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, a Makita chainsaw in the box, a DeWalt circular saw and pressure washer in their boxes, multiple brand named purses and other miscellaneous items with Belk price tags were found in her vehicle.
Deputies also recovered an item often used to foil shoplifting detection systems.
According to an ECSO report, Barnhill has an “extensive criminal history spanning literally decades consisting of numerous thefts, fraud, false names, forgery, etc.”.
Father Shoots Son Multiple Times Near Flomaton
July 27, 2023
A man reportedly shot his son near Flomaton Wednesday afternoon after he was attacked.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office and Flomaton Police Department responded to a reported shots fired incident in the 900 block of Old Highway 31 just west of Pollard about 4 p.m.
They arrived to find an adult male in the yard suffering from numerous gunshot wounds. They later learned, according to Sheriff Heath Jackson, that the man’s father had gone to an area hospital to seek treatment for a laceration to his head.
Jackson said the investigation revealed that the son had pulled a firearm on the father and struck him in the head. As the disturbance escalated, the father pulled his handgun and shot the son multiple times.
The son was airlifted to an area trauma center. An update on his condition was not available.
Jackson said the incident remains under investigation. No charges have been filed.
Jackson thanked Flomaton Police, D.W. McMillan Ambulance and other first responders for their assistance.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Nearly $3 Million Available To Landowners For Florida’s Future Forests Program
July 27, 2023
The Florida Forest Service has announced $2.8 million is now available to landowners through the Florida’s Future Forests Program. In its third year, the program offers landowners cost-share payments to help increase the acreage of Florida’s healthy forests, which provide clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and thousands of essential products.
The Florida’s Future Forests Program is open to non-industrial, private landowners, local governments, and registered nonprofit organizations. To obtain an application and learn more about the Florida’s Future Forests Program, visit FDACS.gov/FutureForests.
Applicants may request funding for tree establishment practices on a minimum of 20 acres and up to a maximum of 250 acres. Since 2021, the Florida Legislature has appropriated approximately $12 million for this program. These funds have already been used to create 26,000 acres of healthy forests in Florida.
“A majority of our state’s forests are privately owned, so Florida landowners are key to maintaining and conserving our forests and natural resources for future generations,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “This important program helps landowners offset the initial cost of site preparation, seedlings, and the planting of seedlings.”
Wahoos Rally Late, Prevail 4-3 Over Braves
July 27, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos eked out another one-run win over the Mississippi Braves on Wednesday night, pushing across the winning run in the ninth inning on a Dalvy Rosario sacrifice fly for a 4-3 victory.
The Blue Wahoos have now taken four in a row, and the first two games of their weeklong series against the Braves.
Eury Pérez, back in the minors and on a game mound for the first time in 20 days, showed the same stuff that made him the talk of baseball through his first 11 MLB starts. The righty, on a strict pitch count, fanned five batters over 2.1 innings while allowing two runs, one earned.
The Blue Wahoos strung together three hits in the first inning, scoring the game’s first run on a Jacob Berry RBI single. Playing in his second Double-A game, Berry added another RBI single in the sixth in a 2-for-4 night.
After Mississippi scored two runs in the second on RBI singles from Jesse Franklin V and Landon Stephens, the Blue Wahoos got 3.2 scoreless innings of relief from Chandler Jozwiak and Matt Pushard to keep the game in check. An RBI groundout from Victor Mesa Jr. in the sixth was followed by Berry’s second RBI knock of the night to put the Blue Wahoos ahead 3-2.
Zach McCambley (W, 3-0) allowed an unearned run in the seventh on a Cody Milligan double and Griffin Conine fielding error, but bounced back to put up a zero in the eighth. In the ninth, Pensacola loaded the bases against Kyle Wilcox (L, 1-3) before Rosario lifted a fly to left that scored Cody Morissette with the go-ahead run.
Jefry Yan (S, 10), pitching on back-to-back nights, worked a spotless ninth to earn his league-leading 10th save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Braves on Thursday.
Update: FHP Identifies Pedestrian Struck And Killed On I-10
July 26, 2023
The Florida Highway Patrol has identified a pedestrian struck and killed on I-10 Wednesday morning.
The 37-year old Pensacola man was walking adjacent to a travel lane on westbound I-10 east of Highway 29 about 4:55 a.m. He was struck by the front of a pickup truck driven by a 64-year old Pensacola man.
The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on scene by Escambia County EMS.
FHP worked several hours to positively identify the pedestrian and notify next of kin. While troopers know the man’s identity, FHP no longer releases names to the public.
ECUA Settles On 9.5% Sanitation Rate Increase With ‘Free’ Second Can, 5% Hike For Water And Sewer
July 26, 2023
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authorities Tuesday settled on a 9.5% rate increase for all sanitation customers and 5% for water and sewer.
Facing a potential $1.8 million shortball and big problems with the wrong items being placed in recycling cans, staff had proposed a more modest 3.5% rate increase for sanitation customers plus a $3 a month recycling fee.
“You either raise the base rate (for sanitation services) from which you draw funds, or you put more of that actual recycling cost on those who are using the service by raising the rate,” ECUA Executive Director Bruce Woody told the board during a Tuesday afternoon meeting. He said those who “use recycling as a trash can, then perhaps influencing them financially by having a financial difference so if they are not interested in recycling”.
“Contamination has to come down,” board member Larry Williams said. “If education is not working, if enforcement is not working, and we are not making money, then I don’t why we are doing this unless we are going in the right direction.”
“I don’t think additional education is going to work,” District 5 member Kevin Stephens said.
Board member Dale Perkins made a motion to increase sanitation rates by 9.5% across the board and eliminate the charge for a second garbage can. Residential customers will have the option to receive a second can — their choice of trash or recycling — at no additional charge. The motion was seconded by Stephens and passed 5-0.
“People like more, and people like free,” Perkins said. “ECUA will pick up your recycling can and bring you a garbage can for free. It might seem that we are discouraging recycling, but the people who don’t want to recycle will call in, especially if it’s free. We can promote that and get them off. We don’t want people recycling that don’t want to recycle.”
The 9.5% increase will raise the rate for a 90-gallon container from $27.67 to $29.88 and include an optional additional trash or recycling can at no cost.
District 1 board member Vicki Campbell first said she could not support the 9.5% increase with a “free” additional can because some could not afford it, or those like widows, the elderly and empty-nesters simply don’t need a second can. She made an amendment to Perkins’ motion for the originally proposed 3.5% increase with $3 for a second can whether it be garbage or recycling. She later withdrew her amendment to the motion.
ECUA is also raising rates on seven entities outside Escambia County — like Foley, Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa County — from their current $15-$45 per ton for recyclables to a flat $60 per ton due to high contamination levels.
ECUA staff had proposed a 4% rate increase for water and 6% for wastewater. The board voted 5-0 to increase both water and wastewater by 5%.
Both rate increases will return to the ECUA board in August for public hearings and a final vote.
DUI Manslaughter Charge Dropped Against Man In Death Of 19-Year Old Pensacola Christian College Student
July 26, 2023
All charges have been dropped against a man charged earlier this year in a crash that killed a 19-year old Pensacola Christian College student.
Oscar Daniel Martin, Jr. was charged with DUI manslaughter following the March 21 crash on Airport Boulevard.
According to an arrest report, Martin told a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper that he had consumed three beers over the course of three hours before the crash, and the trooper noted in the report that he could “smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from (Martin)”. FHP also said Martin “exhibited multiple clues” of being under the influence during a field sobriety check.
But according to the State Attorney’s Office, lab tests conducted at the state lab showed no alcohol in Martin’s system at the time of the crash. A second laboratory in Pennsylvania also found Martin had no alcohol or drugs in his system.
The State Attorney’s Office also said Martin will not face reckless driving charges because there was no evidence that he was driving recklessly before the crash.
FHP said a pickup truck driven by Martin was eastbound when it “drifted” onto the Airport Boulevard sidewalk west of Memory Lane. The pickup truck collided with Jadon Goins, a PCC student who was cleaning up around a college facility, troopers said.
Goins was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
D.R. Horton Lowers OLF-8 Offer From $42 Million To $24.1 Million As BOCC Holds Back 241 Acres
July 26, 2023
D.R. Horton has lowered their offer for the OLF-8 property from $42 million to $24.1 million, according to Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh.
The homebuilder’s original offer was for 540 acres on Nine Mile Road, but now the Escambia County Commission wants to retain 241 acres for economic development and job growth.
New plans from D.R. Horton show 99 acres for commercial use including restaurants, retail, offices, medical and a town center. The plan also shows 170 acres with 1,133 residential units, including 360 townhomes and 336 apartments.
The BOCC is expected to discuss the $24.1 million offer as early as their next meeting on August 3.