Driver Flees After Carjacked Ford Involved In High Speed Molino Crash
May 6, 2012
A vehicle taken by an armed carjacker Friday night in Molino was located after a high speed hit and run accident Saturday night.
The carjacking happened in the 5000 block of Schaag Road about 8:40 p.m. Friday. The victim reported that a man approached them and first asked for a ride. Then, the suspect reportedly took the victim’s 2008 Ford Focus at knife point.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the same 2008 Ford Focus was eastbound on North Barth Road near Molino about 8 p.m. Saturday at a “vary high rate of speed”. An unknown black male driver failed to negotiate a right-hand curve and skidded into a small tree. The vehicle continued to travel through the yard of a residence until it finally collided with a Dodge pickup parked in a garage, barely missing the structure of the garage and a nearby house.
The driver finally managed to get the vehicle stopped, according to the FHP, exited the car, had a very short conversation with witnesses and then fled the scene. Authorities were unable to locate him.
The Focus suffered $10,000 in damaged, according to the FHP, while the 1991 Dodge pickup suffered about $50 in damage.
The incident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
For more photos from the scene, click to enlarge.
Pictured: A Ford Focus reported carjacked Friday night was involved in a high speed hit and run accident Saturday night near Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Record Crowds Attend Sawmill Day And Car Show
May 6, 2012
Record crowds attended the second annual Sawmill Day and Car Show Saturday at the Historical Park in Century.
The event featured continuous entertainment, a car show, yard sale, plenty of good food, arts and crafts and free museum tours.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: The second annual Sawmill Day and Car Show Saturday in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Dancing In The Streets
May 6, 2012
Members of Heather Leonard’s Danceworks entertained the crowds at the second annual Century Sawmill Day in Century on Saturday. The group practices weekly in Byrneville.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Members of Heather Leonard’s Danceworks perform Saturday in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Parent Workshops To Focus On Summer Learning Loss
May 6, 2012
Byrneville Elementary School will host workshops on Monday focused on “How to Stop Summer Learning Loss” as part of Charter Schools Week.
According to organizers, studies show that by the end of fifth grade, children without summer learning opportunities are nearly three years behind their peers in reading.
Monday’s parent workshops will be held at 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. at Byrneville Elementary.
The first 25 participants in each session will receive free summer book bundles. All participants will learn about disguised learning, hear about virtual summer school, get tips on home summer school, discover learning vacations and more.
Byrneville Elementary School is located at 1600 Byrneville Road. For more information, contact Principal Dee Wolfe-Sullivan at (850) 256-6350.
Not About The Catch: Pen Wheels Fishing Rodeo Held In North Escambia (With Gallery)
May 6, 2012
The sounds of excitement were all around Saturday for the 38th annual Pen Wheels Fishing Rodeo in Walnut Hill.
Over the history of the fishing rodeo, it has been held at locations ranging from Ft. Pickens to the Three Mile Bridge in Pensacola. Since 2001, it has been held at Jantz’s Catfish Pond on South Highway 99, just off Highway 97.
Dozens of volunteers stood ready Saturday to help the disabled. They baited hooks, tossed a line and offered words of friendly encouragement.
Dozens of disabled people were registered in Saturday’s fishing rodeo. They were from around the area, including Pensacola and Century.
The Pen Wheels Fishing Rodeo is provided to the disabled for free as a project of the Pensacola Fiesta of Five Flags organization. Escambia Grain in Walnut Hill supplies the cold drinks, Escambia River Electric Cooperative supplies the ice, and scores of volunteers join in to make the annual event a success.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured: Scenes from the 38th annual Pen Wheels Fishing Rodeo in Walnut Hill Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Takes Series From Wicksburg, Advances In Playoffs
May 6, 2012
The Flomaton Hurricanes (29-5) advanced to the Class 2A Round 4 playoffs Saturday, taking a three game series from the Wicksburg Panthers, behind a two-run homer in the fourth from Hunter Bonds.
Game Three: Flomaton 8 – Wicksburg 4
The Hurricanes defeated the Wicksburg Panthers in deciding matchup Saturday 8-4 . James Dean (6-0) started for the Hurricanes and got the win and Levi King took the loss. The Hurricanes will host the fourth round against the Leroy Bears Friday starting at 4:30 followed by the second game at 6:30.
Photo Gallery: Celebrating Mayfest
May 6, 2012
From beautiful babies, cute dogs, arts and crafts, entertainment and plenty of fun, Mayfest 2012 had a little bit of something for everyone Saturday at Tom Byrne Park in Atmore. Hundreds attended the annual event.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from Mayfest in Atmore, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Farmer’s Market Opens 2012 Season
May 6, 2012
The Market at St Monica’s Episcopal Church in Cantonment kicked off their 2012 season Saturday.
The community farmer’s market is open on the first and third Saturdays of every month, May through October as local farmers and artisans gather in the church parking lot at 699 South Highway 95A.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“Like many other communities across the country, we are seeing a growth in demand for locally grown produce and fresh prepared food products,” said Viven Welch, market manager. “We have ramped up our vendor recruitment and promotion efforts to meet this demand and expect to offer the community access to more vendors and a broader range of produce and prepared food in the 2012 season.”
Vendors taking part in opening day included Smocked With Love, Pawless Mini Farm, Po Man’s Pickins, M&K Mayhaws, Ladybug Acres Natural Growers, Tracie’s Candles, Susan’s Hot Dogs, Polly & Glenda’s Baked Goods (they sold out by 10 a.m.), Jackie’s Sno-cones & Popcorn, Lyle & Shirley, Mr. V’s DJ Service, St. Monica’s Quilters, ECW and more.
Organizers said opening day festivities are just the start of the activities planned for the 2nd season. Future plans include canning demonstrations, along with agricultural, nutrition and health information.
For more information about Market’s vendors, special events, or schedule, click here, call the church office at (850) 937-0001, or email communications@st-monicas.org.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Opening Day of The Market at St Monica’s Episcopal Church in Cantonment. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hundreds Attend Yard Sale For Baby Blaze
May 6, 2012
Hundreds of people attended a benefit yard sale in Flomaton Saturday for baby Blaze Johnson. He is currently in an Atlanta hospital awaiting his third open heart surgery in two months.
For more information about Baby Blaze, click here for an earlier story.
Pictured: A “Baby Blaze” benefit yard sale Saturday morning in Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Take Series With 4-0 Win
May 6, 2012
Pensacola starter J.C. Sulbaran and reliever Justin Freeman combined to shut out the Jackson offense, while right fielder P.J. Phillips and left fielder Cody Puckett each homered to give the Blue Wahoos a 4-0 victory over the Generals in front of another sell-out crowd of 5,038 on Saturday night at Pensacola’s bayfront stadium. The victory gave the Blue Wahoos a 3-2 victory in the series.
It was also the tenth time in 14 home dates this year that Pensacola has hosted a capacity crowd. The Blue Wahoos started the night leading the Southern League in average attendance at just over 4,800 in 14 openings.
Sulbaran (7.0 IP, 5 H, 9 SO) was solid in his seven shutout frames, fanning nine batters and yielding just five hits to earn his second win of the season, while Freeman (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) gave up just one hit over the final two innings. Jackson starting pitcher Danny Hultzen (4.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 4 SO), the second-best prospect in the Seattle Mariners’ system according to Baseball America, suffered the loss to fall to 2-3 after giving up two earned runs on seven walks in 4.1 frames.
After CF Ryan LaMarre scored on a wild pitch in the second frame Phillips and Puckett each left the yard with solo homers, with Phillips blasting a lead-off shot in the fifth, while Puckett hit his an inning later. Phillips’ homer was his first longball since August 19, 2009, while it was Puckett’s third roundtripper of the season. Pensacola tacked on an additional insurance run in the sixth when C Koyie Hill came home on DH Yordanys Perez’s run-scoring single.
Generals 2B Nick Franklin (2-4, 1 2B) and RF Johermyn Chavez (2-4) each collected two hits in the contest, while no Blue Wahoos hitters recorded a multi-hit game. Pensacola 3B Henry Rodriguez tallied a single in the seventh frame to extend his hitting streak to a team-record 13 games. Since April 22, the infielder has hit .408 (20-49) with ten runs, two doubles and eight RBI.
The Blue Wahoos now head back on the road for a five-game series with the Mississippi Braves, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. First pitch for the opening game of the series is set for 5:00 pm, with RHP Tim Gustafson expected to take the hill for Pensacola. Mississippi’s starting pitcher for the first game has not yet been announced.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: J.C. Sulbaran fired seven shutout innings in Pensacola’s 4-0 win Saturday night over Jackson. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.