Clouds Clear Tonight, Sunny For Friday and Saturday
March 25, 2010
There is still a chance of some rain tonight, but we will see sunshine for Friday and Saturday
Here’s your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 7pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 45. South wind around 10 mph becoming northwest. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 66. North wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. North wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 72. East wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south.
- Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind around 10 mph.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. North wind around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Century Man, Escambia’s Most Wanted, Busted After Pensacola Manhunt
March 24, 2010
Early this morning, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Pensacola Police Department busted a Century man that had been named one of Escambia County’s most wanted.
Shawn Demarcus Simmons, 30, was booked into the Escambia County Jail at 4:30 a.m. following a manhunt involving officers from both departments and a K-9 unit. Officers began their search for Simmons after he reportedly attacked a female on Lee Street in Pensacola.
At 10:34 Tuesday night, deputies were dispatched to 1200 West Lee Street in Pensacola for a disturbance. When deputies arrived, two victims advised that Simmons had ran from the residence toward Baptist Hospital.
While deputies were searching for him, Simmons reportedly called the victim from Baptist Hospital and “told her that he knows what’s going down and he’s not going back to jail,” according to the arrest report. Again, deputies were unable to located Simmons.
Early Wednesday morning, Sheriff’s Office dispatchers were advised that Simmons was at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola trying to get a ride back to Century and had been observed by hospital security personnel.
Deputies were unable to locate Simmons when they arrived at Sacred Heart Hospital. A Pensacola Police Department K-9 was called to the hospital, and they were able to locate and arrested him.
Once arrested, “Simmons was bragging about how he eluded police when he fled from the residence,” according to the arrest report.
During the Lee Street incident Tuesday night, Simmons had reportedly told the female victim that he was going to kill her, her child and then kill himself. The victim, a Century resident, was staying with her aunt in Pensacola to avoid Simmons, according to deputies. When Simmons managed to find her at the Lee Street address in Pensacola, he violently attacked her, kicking her in the face and stomping on her stomach and chest. She was transported by ambulance to Baptist Hospital for treatment.
A friend of the victim had tried to set her up on a date with Simmons, but she declined because she already had a boyfriend, the sheriff’s report says. Since that time, Simmons had stalked the victim, the report states, even trying to kick in the door of her apartment in Century. She had fled Century and had been with her aunt in Pensacola for two days.
Simmons is being held on $126,000 bond on charges of burglary, robbery, two counts of aggravated battery, stalking, possession of weapon by a convicted felon, criminal mischief and stalking. He is due to make his first court appearance on April 15.
Simmons was wanted for the February 25 robbery of Devante Aaaron Knight, 18, of Hecker Road, Century. Simmons is wanted for aggravated battery, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and robbery with a firearm. He is also the prime suspect in the March 4 armed robbery of Moyes State Line Food Mart.
Simmons had been the subject of numerous searches and manhunts in Century and Brewton, Alabama. Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers recently named Simmons as one of Escambia County’s most wanted fugitives.
More details on this morning’s arrest will be posted as information becomes available.
February 25 Robbery
About midnight on February 25, a black male later identified as Devante Aaaron Knight (pictured) snatched a pocketbook from the purse of a 79-year old female in the parking lot of the Wind Creek Casino and Hotel. The pocketbook contained over $1,400 in cash, according to Doyle Lee, head investigator for the Poarch Creek Police Department.
Later that day, Knight told Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies that he was in the yard of a home in the 100 block of Zion Street on February 25 talking to Simmons. That’s when Simmons asked to borrow a dollar from Knight, and Knight agreed. Simmons then reportedly walked into a trailer, returned outside and told Knight “give it up”. Simmons escaped the scene with the cash.
Knight said that he remembered being hit in the head with the gun and hearing gunfire, but he did not think he had been shot. The victim then walked to the nearby Dollar General store on nearby North Century Boulevard. That’s where Knight located his aunt. The aunt transported Knight to his home in the 200 block of East Hecker Road and called 911. Knight was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment of a head injury. He was not shot, according to deputies.
Knight was arrested in Escambia County, Florida, and subsequently extradited back to Alabama to face charges of first degree theft of property.
Simmons was charged with aggravated battery, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and robbery with a firearm in connection the incident.
March 4 Century Armed Robbery
Simmons has been named as the suspect in the March 4 armed robbery of Moyes State Line Food Mart in Century.
The store clerk told deputies that a black male entered the front door of the store, came up to the side of the counter, pointed a handgun at her and a customer, and demanded that she empty the register. The suspect also took money and lottery tickets from the customer, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
K-9 units from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Century Correctional Institution joined Escambia County deputies and Flomaton Police Department officers in a lengthy manhunt for Simmons. The manhunt was centered in an area bounded by Highway 29, Old Flomaton Road, Highway 4 and the Alabama state line.
A short time later, a resident just south of the convenience store called 911 to report that a black male wearing a dark colored hoodie jacket was standing at her door, covered in mud. The resident also described the man as having lips that were light in color and appeared to be burned.
“‘Don’t you know me? Don’t you remember me? The police are after me’,” the suspect, believed to be Simmons, told the woman, according to the sheriff’s office report.
Simmons reportedly asked the female if he could enter the house, but she refused and called for help. A black jacket was recovered by an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician from behind the woman’s residence.
The manhunt was called off with no arrest.
March 11 Brewton Manhunt
A search for Simmons led to a March 11 manhunt in Brewton, Alabama.
A tip led the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office and the Brewton Police Department to look for Simmons in the Martin Luther King Avenue area of Brewton around midday.
Tracking dogs from the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore were used in the search for Simmons, but he was not apprehended.
Pictured top inset: Tracking dogs are used to search for Simmons following a Century armed robbery. Pictured middle inset: A crime scene technician dusts the door of Moyes State Line Food Mart in Century after a March 4 armed robbery. Pictured below: Shawn Demarcus Simmons is a suspect in the March 4 robbery of Moyes State Line Food Mart in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Marine With Local Ties Injured In Afghanistan
March 24, 2010
[Updated] A U.S. Marine with several North Escambia area relatives is recovering after being injured by a roadside bomb while patrolling in Marjah, Afghanistan.
Joseph Daniel Palmer, 24, is listed in stable condition after the amputation of his right foot above the angle.. He also suffered shrapnel wounds to his left leg and shoulder, according to family members.
“He knows that things very easily could have been much worse, and is thankful that his life was spared,” said Melissa Moye, Palmer’s sister who lives in Century. “He is in really good spirits, and does not want anyone to feel sorry for him.”
Palmer, a native of Milton, was transferred to a military hospital in Germany Tuesday morning. He will later be transferred Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland for additional therapy soon.
” I am so proud of my brother, and love him so much. He is a brave man, and a very strong and determined person,” Moye said. “He is not going to let this get him down. He like so many others have sacrificed time away from his family to fight for our freedom. I am thankful that the Lord saw fit to bring him home alive.”
Palmer was injured when a roadside bomb detonated as he patrolled alone Saturday.
Palmer is a 2004 graduate of Central High School. He joined the marines in October 2008 and was deployed to Afghanistan in January. He has several relatives in the North Escambia area, including his sister.
Survey: 85 Percent Of Voters Have No Idea Who Should Replace Greg Evers
March 24, 2010
A survey released Tuesday night shows that about 85% of the voters in Florida House District 1 have no idea who they want to replace State Rep. Greg Evers.
Of the four Republican candidates in the race — if one were to pick –the leader would be Doug Broxson. But with just 6.8 percent of survey respondents choosing Broxson, it’s safe to say voters have yet to decide. Greg Brown was the candidate of choice for 5.3 percent of survey participants, while Jeremy Early and Ferd Saloman were the choice of less than two percent.
With the release of absentee ballots in the race just over 100 calendar days away, 84.7 percent of respondents were undecided or had no opinion in the Marketing Metrics & Media poll conducted March 20-22. According to the survey company, the confidence interval for the survey was 5.4 percent.
Florida House District 1 includes the norther two-thirds of Escambia County, most of Santa Rosa County and a portion of Okaloosa County. The seat is being vacated by Greg Evers who is running for Florida Senate District 2.
Pictured below: The gray area shows Florida House District 1.
Search Continues For Melinda Wall McGhee, Missing From Atmore For Seven Years
March 24, 2010
Seven years ago the morning of March 24, something went terribly wrong at a home on Kent Road north of Atmore. Melinda Wall McGhee, then 31, returned to her home about 8 a.m. after working the night shift as a nurse at a Bay Minette nursing home.
Her husband, Troy McGhee, was at work at Masland Carpets in Atmore. Their two children were at a babysitter, and Troy’s son from a previous relationship was at a dentist’s office. At about 8:30 the morning of March 24, 2003, Melinda McGhee spoke to her mother on the phone. It was the last time anyone known to Melinda would ever hear from her.
At about 4:00 that afternoon, husband Troy came home to find Melinda missing. There was blood and evidence of a violent struggle inside the home. He reported his wife missing.
Melinda’s vehicle was found parked near the house with her keys locked inside. Her purse and cellular phone were inside the residence. Foul play is suspected in her disappearance.
Over the years, there have been several searches for Melinda’s body or clues into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
In March 2009, authorities searched an area off Perry Lane in Wawbeek for clues in Melinda’s disappearance. Perry Lane is about a mile north of Highway 31 off Sardis Church Road near Old Atmore Road. The location is about three miles north of the Florida/Alabama line and North Escambia. On the last day of January, 2009, authorities searched a water-filled gravel pit off Jack Springs Roads near the Judson Cemetery between Atmore and Poarch. All of the searches have turned up empty.
Anyone with information on McGhee’s disappearance is asked to call the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department at (251) 809-0741 or their local law enforcement agency.
Pictured above: Two photos of Melinda Wall McGhee who went missing in March 2003.
Century Seeks To Increase Sewer Plant Permit Capacity
March 24, 2010
The Town of Century will seek a permit to increase the permitted capacity of its wastewater treatment plant by about 40 percent.
The facility is currently permitted for 425,000 gallons per day. If approved, the new permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection would allow the town to flow 625,000 gallons per day. The facility already has the ability to handle the higher flow without any physical upgrades.
Fabre Engineering will handle the DEP permit at a cost of up to $2,000, according to Dale Long, the town’s engineer.
According to Mayor Freddie McCall, the 450,000 gallon daily flow is not adequate to handle excessive rainfall . In addition, according to Long, having the high capacity permit in place would allow the town to be ready if any large commercial customer would located in Century.
Census Form Help Available In Century, Jay
March 24, 2010
If you need assistance filling out your census form, a U.S. Census Bureau employee can help at the Century Branch Library or the Jay City Hall.
The employee can:
- help complete forms
- answer your questions about the form and questions
- help with language or reading problems
- replace lost forms
- provide large print forms
The assistance is available 1p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; and Friday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Century Branch Library. Assistance is also available at the Jay City Hall from 8 a.m. until noon Tuesday through Friday.
If you are not able to visit one of the assistance centers, you can get answers to your questions about the form or assistance filling it out by calling 1-866-872-6868 (for assistance in English); 1-866-783-2010 (for the hearing impaired). On the Internet, information is available at www.census.gov/2010census.
Rep. Bonner Staffer To Visit
March 24, 2010
A staff member from the office of U.S. Representative Joe Bonner (R-AL) will visit Escambia County (Ala.) on Thursday to meet with any constituents who who may be experiencing difficulties with the federal government and who are seeking the congressman’s assistance in resolving these problems.
The Bonner staffer will be available at Atmore City Hall between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., and at the Brewton City Hall from 11:15 to 12:15 p.m. on Thursday.
For more information on these visits, please contact Bryan Parker, Bonner’s District Representative, at (251) 943-2073 or (800) 288-8721.
JV Chiefs Fall To W.S. Neal
March 24, 2010
W.S. Neal 7 Northview 4 (JV)
The JV Northview Chiefs fell to W.S. Neal Tuesday afternoon 7-4.
Kevin Vaughn had a hit two RBI’s for the Chiefs. Logan Brown wen 1 for 1 with two runs; Chance Jackson had 2 RBI’s; Hunter Rigby scored one run; Harold Harrison had one hit; and Brian Sanders had one hit.
Tanner Brooks pitched the first two innings, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks. He had one strikeout. Harrison pitched four innings with six strikeouts and one walk. He allowed four runs on five hits.
For more photos from the game, click here.
Reader submitted story and photos for NorthEscambia.com.
Two Unrelated Walnut Hill Fires Damage Homes On The Same Road
March 23, 2010
Two unrelated fires damaged two different homes a mile apart on Arthur Brown Road in Walnut Hill Tuesday night. Both fires were apparently accidental.
Firefighters responded the 5000 block of Arthur Brown Road near Morgan Road about 7:50 p.m. When they arrived, light smoke was pouring out of the wood frame home. The fire was in a rear bedroom of the home and was quickly extinguished. Damage from the fire was limited to the bedroom, but the entire home suffered some smoke damage.
The occupants of the home were able to escape without injury. The exact cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
As fire units were completing the cleanup at the first fire, another fire was reported about 9:20 p.m. in the 6000 block of Arthur Brown Road near Juniper Street.
The fire was contained to the kitchen area of the home. There was some smoke damage throughout the brick home. There were no injuries reported. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid, Century and Molino Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Atmore Fire Department responded to both calls.
Pictured above and top inset: Fire was contained to the rear room of this Arthur Brown Road home in Walnut Hill Tuesday night. Pictured below: A short time later, a kitchen fire was reported in this home on Arthur Brown Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
