Gulf Power Warning Customers About Telephone Scam

August 26, 2013

Gulf Power reports a scam is still making the rounds where a person calls, impersonating a utility company employee.

Utility customers receive a phone call with someone pretending to be a Gulf Power employee. The person then says your electric bill is past due and that electricity will be cut off if you don’t provide a credit card payment immediately. The card numbers are then used to make fraudulent purchases.

To prevent this from happening to you, Gulf Power says:

  • Gulf Power employees will never call a customer at home seeking any personal information including credit card numbers.
  • Gulf Power representatives will never ask a customer for money when they visit a residence.
  • All Gulf Power representatives carry badges with picture identification that includes the employee’s name and the company’s name and logo.

Customers should call Gulf Power at 1-800-225-5797 if they have any questions about the identity of anyone representing Gulf Power.

Searchers Comb Beach Looking For Missing Theater Tech

August 26, 2013

Monday marks two weeks since 25-year old theater technician Tiffany Daniels was seen leaving her job at  Pensacola State College. But friends, loved ones and volunteers have not given up hope that she will be found.

Dozens of search and rescue team members from KlassKids, Escambia Search and Rescue and other groups joined friends and family Sunday to search Pensacola Beach near Fort Pickens.  Her 1999 Toyota Forerunner was found last Tuesday in a parking lot of Park West on Pensacola Beach. Her bicycle and phone were with the vehicle.

At this point, police have said they have no reason to suspect foul play in Daniels’ disappearance.

Daniels is 5-feet 7-inches tall with blond hair and blue eyes. She has tattoos of plants growing from seeds on the top of both feet.  Anyone who may have information on Daniels’ location, or her activities before, during  and after her disappearance are asked to contact Detective Danny Harnett at  (850) 435- 1979 or the  Pensacola Police Department at (850)435-1900.

Pictured above and below: Search and rescue volunteers prepare to search Pensacola Beach near Fort Pickens Sunday morning for Tiffany Daniels. Photos courtesy Escambia Search and Rescue and KlassKIDS for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

30 New Law Enforcement Officers Sworn In

August 26, 2013

There were 30 new law enforcement officers and four parking enforcement specialists sworn in last week by Sheriff David Morgan.

The law enforcement officers included 18 Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies, 10 detention deputies and two Pensacola Police officers.

“We are fortunate in Escambia County to have a positive working relationship with the Pensacola Police Department,” Morgan said. “The reason that we swear in officers from PPD during these ceremonies is so that we can continue to foster that relationship, with the understanding that we are all one community and as such we should continue to work together to achieve a better quality of life for all.”

Pictured: New officers are sworn in last week. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Home Run: She Said Yes!

August 26, 2013

Jake Clayton of Molino proposed to his girlfriend Jenna Peoples of Milton during a weekend Pensacola Blue Wahoos game…and she said “yes”. Photo by Michael Spooneybarger/Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Barons Halt Wahoos 2-0

August 26, 2013

In just his fourth start at Double-A, Chris Beck tossed eight scoreless innings and helped the Birmingham Barons knock off the Pensacola Blue Wahoos 2-0 on Sunday night in front of the 29th sellout crowd of the year at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. Combined with a win by Mobile, Pensacola’s still remains just 3.5 games out of first place.

Beck (W, 1-2) retired the first 11 hitters he faced before giving up a two-out single to Devin Lohman in the last of the fourth. Overall, Beck scattered three hits with eight strikeouts. Pensacola’s best chance against Beck came in the eighth inning. With two on and one out, Brandon Short sliced a ball down the right field line that Trayce Thompson hauled in and then doubled up Corey Wimberly who was caught too far off of first base.

Thompson delivered the deciding blow in the game on offense as well, doubling home Dan Wagner in the top of the seventh to break the scoreless draw. Thompson would later scored on a Dan Black RBI single to give the Barons a 2-0 lead. Both runs came off Parker Frazier (L, 2-2) who gave up two runs on three his in his lone inning of work.

Jon Moscot battled through six innings for Pensacola, working in out of trouble throughout his outing. The right-hander allowed eight base hits, but struck out seven and walked a pair while not factoring in the decision.

Cody Winarski (S, 2) closed the door for Birmingham in the ninth inning, working around a pair of singles thanks to two strikeouts and a caught stealing.

The Wahoos will have another chance to take the series from the Barons on Monday night at 7 p.m. Josh Smith (9-9, 3.51) will toe the rubber for Pensacola while Birmingham will counter with southpaw Spencer Arroyo (8-6, 3.37).

Week Ahead: Prep Football Schedule

August 26, 2013

Here is Friday night’s  high school football schedule from across the North Escambia area.

FLORIDA

Thursday

  • Escambia vs. Legacy (Colo.) at Disney’s Wide World of Sports, 7:30 p.m.

Friday

  • Bozeman at Northview, 7 p.m.
  • Tate at West Florida, 7 p.m.
  • Jay at Cottage Hill Christian (Mobile, AL), 7 p.m.
  • Washington at Gulf Breeze, 7 p.m.
  • Pine Forest at East Gadsden, 7:30 p.m.
  • PHS at Lincoln, 6 p.m.
  • Crestview at Milton, 7:30 p.m.
  • Catholic at Navarre, 7:30 p.m.
  • Pace at Choctawhatchee, 7 p.m.
  • Crestview at Milton, 7:30 p.m.

ALABAMA

  • Flomaton at Monroe County, 7 p.m.
  • Escambia County at T.R. Miller, 7 p.m.
  • W.S. Neal at Holtville, 7 p.m.
  • Escambia Academy at Fort Dale (Greenville), 7 p.m.

Tropical Storm Fernand Forms, Heads Into Mexico

August 26, 2013

Tropical Storm Fernand formed Sunday night off the coast of Mexico and moved inland over Veracruz, Mexico. The latest information is the graphic above.

Rain Free Days Coming?

August 25, 2013

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

  • Tonight: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Monday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
  • Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
  • Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
  • Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
  • Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
  • Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
  • Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
  • Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
  • Friday: Sunny, with a high near 93.
  • Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
  • Saturday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Saturday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
  • Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Back To School Bash: A Helping Hand For Hundreds

August 25, 2013

Hundreds of families received a helping hand Saturday during a Back to School Bash in Century.

Families received bags full of free clothes, boxes of healthy foods and snacks, and free school supplies. Community organizations were also on hand with information about the services they offer, often for free. And free hot dogs and snow cones added to the festive atmosphere.

The event was organized by Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, the Florida Department of Children and Families and Americorp. Farm Share distributed enough food for 500 families, including snacks, water and cereal.

Organizers say they hope to make this an annual event for residents of Century and the surrounding communities in the North Escambia area.

Pictured top: Century area residents pick out free clothing during a Back to School Bash Saturday at Showalter Park. Pictured below: Families received free food. Pictured  bottom: Community  organizations such as the Century Branch Library also took part in the event. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Driver Flees Hwy 97 Crash

August 25, 2013

A driver fled a Highway 97 crash Saturday night in Walnut Hill.

A resident just south of the Highway 97 and Arthur Brown Road intersection reported hearing the crash about 10:40 p.m.  The vehicle and driver were gone as first responders arrived on scene a few minutes later.

The driver was apparently northbound on Highway 97, failed to negotiate a curve and struck a speed limit sign post. After hitting the post, the vehicle cross both lanes of Highway 97, destroyed a telephone company pedestal box, traveled though a cotton field and came to rest in the area of a building that was previously torn down. The driver then fled in the vehicle northbound on Highway 97 toward Ernest Ward Middle School.

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