Two Charged With Cantonment Drive By Shooting
October 31, 2015
Two Escambia County are behind bars charged with a drive-by shooting in Cantonment.
The drive-by shooting occurred during the early morning hours of October 29. Shots were fired into a home in the 2400 block of Stacey Road. No one was injured during in the incident, but one home did receive minor damage when struck by gunfire.
Thomas Devontae Jackson, age 23 of Pensacola, and Christopher Bernard Staten, age 21 of Cantonment, were both booked into the Escambia County Jail Friday. Both are charged with felony firing a weapon into an occupied dwelling and with criminal mischief with property damage. They are being held on $600,000 bond each.
Further details, including a motive for the shooting, have not yet been released.
The Escambia County Sherriff’s Office said both are also wanted for questioning in a separate drive-by shooting.
Anyone with information on the crimes is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Halloween Events
October 31, 2015
Here are events happening today, October 31, in the North Escambia area:
Community-Wide Fall Festival
A community-wide fall festival will be held Saturday, October 31, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Victory Assembly of God Church on Highway 29 in Molino. Everyone is welcome to join the churches of the community for an evening of food, games, candy and lots of fun.
St. Monica’s Episcopal Church Trunk or Treat
Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church will host Trunk or Treat in the south parking lot of the church on Saturday, October 31, beginning at 6 p.m. There will be a hayride, music and lots of candy. The event is free and open to everyone. The church is located at 699 South Highway 95-A in Cantonment.
Halloween at Turtle Point
Turtle Point in Flomaton will hold Halloween activities on Saturday, October 31, from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. There will be games, face painting, and a bounce house for the kids. Guided tours down the haunted boardwalk will begin at dark. The boardwalk activity is not suited for children. The Flomaton Band Boosters will be on-site grilling and selling food and snacks. The event is free and open to the public.
Tate High School Fall Carnival
Tate High School will hold a Fall Carnival and Haunted House on Saturday, October 31 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the school. Games, snacks and fun. Haunted house admission is $5. Games and snacks on a ticket basis.
Aggie Harvest Festival
The Tate High School student council will host their 1st Annual Aggie Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 31 from 5 p.m until 8 p.m. Food, games and more. The event also includes Tate Fright School: A Haunted Cafeteria. Admission is $2 and not recommended for children under 10.
Bratt Assembly of God Fall Festival
Bratt Assembly of God will hold their Fall Festival on Saturday, October 31, 3 p.m. until. Games, inflatables, candy, free hotdogs and fellowship. Everyone is invited. The church is located at located at 5150 W Hwy 4 in Bratt.
Pedestrian Killed On Airport Boulevard
October 31, 2015
A pedestrian was killed on Airport Boulevard Friday night in Escambia County.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 36-year old Phillip Harper of Pensacola westbound on Airport Boulevard approaching Rawson Lane in a 2010 Mazda CX-7. The FHP said pedestrian Roy Julian, age 57 of Pensacola, walked directly into Harper’s path about 7:38 p.m.
Julian was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital were he died a short time later.
No charges were filed in the crash, according to the FHP.
Molino Park Students Create Pumpkin Project Book Reports
October 31, 2015
First graders at Molino Park Elementary School recently completed pumpkin book report projects.
The students read a great book, wrote a book report and decorated a pumpkin (with mom and dad’s help) as a book character.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
Photos by Sara Calhoun for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Halloween Trick Or Treating Safety Tips
October 31, 2015
by Dorothy Lee, UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County
Halloween may be a fun holiday for kids, but for parents, trick‐or‐treat time can be a little tricky. Concerns about children’s safety whether they are out in the neighborhood or back home with bags of loot could darken the festivities. But not
to worry. To make Halloween a treat for all, follow these safety tips.
Costume Safety
- Make sure children dress up safely. Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls and other bumps in the night.
- Try makeup instead of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable, and can obstruct a child’s vision.
- If the children will be in costumes, keep these tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in mind:
- Costumes should be made of flame retardant materials.
- Decorate or trim costumes and goodie bags with reflective tape or decals so that children are visible at night to motorists.
- Reflective tape is available at most costume shops, sporting goods stores, and hardware stores.
Trick or Treat Safety
- Make sure older children trick or treat with friends.
- Children should stop only at familiar homes where outside lights are on.
- Make sure someone in the group has a flashlight and choose only well‐lighted streets.
Check the Treats
- Adults should check all treats. Parents should emphasize that no treats should be eaten until they get home and the treats have been checked. Parents should allow only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Don’t forget to inspect fruit and homemade goodies for anything suspicious.
- When in doubt, throw it out!
Treats for Parents to Give
- Try some of these not‐so‐sweet treats—roasted nuts, pretzels, popcorn, pumpkin seeds.
- Consider giving inexpensive non‐edible treats. Some non‐food items to consider are stickers, snack coupons to a fast‐food restaurant, novelty items such as magic tricks, finger puppets, yoyos, little bottles of bubbles, and small games. Party stores and discount stores are great sources for non‐food items.
- Whether you opt for putting on a party, trunk trick‐or‐treating, participating in the local mall festivities, or door‐to‐door trick‐or‐treating, Halloween can be a lot of fun for parents and children. Just remember the tricks and treats of playing it safe.
Law Enforcement To Monitor Sex Offenders For Halloween
October 31, 2015
State probation officers and local police will take steps to try to prevent sex offenders from taking part in Halloween-related activities involving children, the Florida Department of Corrections said. The steps will target sex offenders who are on felony probation.
The department said in a news release that probation officers will contact sex offenders and conduct surveillance during hours when trick-or-treating occurs.
It also said the effort will include probation officers making surprise visits and driving by residences.
The department said sex offenders under supervision have been told, in part, to not give out treats, to turn off porch lights, to not answer doors for trick-or-treaters and to not attend Halloween parties that include children.
Tornado Watch Tonight; Heavy Rain Possible
October 31, 2015
There is a tornado watch in effect tonight. Heavy rain is possible. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 7pm and 1am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 76. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers. Low around 64. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. West wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 83. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 78.
Pine Forest Win 1-6A Crown; Tate Still In Playoffs
October 31, 2015
It’s been 35 years…since 1980 when Carl Madison’s Aggies won state…since Tate has won a district championship. Friday night at home seemed like as good of a time as any to end that lengthy steak in Cantonment as the Aggies and Pine Forest Eagles put their perfect 2-0 district records on the line.
But in the end, Pine Forest claimed the District 1-6A championship 47-28 over Tate.
The Eagles were first on the board with a 7-0 lead with 5:23 to go in the first. A pass from Sawyer Smith to Aldondo Thompkins set up a Dee Thompson touchdown for a 7-7 tie just seconds into the second quarter. Pine Forest struck again to make it 13-7 with 6:03 in the half. Tate answered with a Madison Lockman touchdown, 14-13, with 5:01 in the second.
Headed into the final quarter, the game was tied 28-28, with Pine Forest going on a 19 point unanswered scoring spree.
Pine Forest will travel to Jacksonville Trinity Christian next Friday night before hosting the first round on the playoffs November 13 against the winner of a Gulf Breeze-Pace-Milton shootout.
The District 1-6A runner-up Tate Aggies will be on the road November 13 for a first round playoff game at e District 2-6A Navarre.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Keith Garrison, click to enlarge.
Look Out For Florida’s Top 10 Creepy Crawlers
October 31, 2015
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reminds residents and visitors to be on the lookout for these 10 creepy, crawly, invasive and destructive pests found in Florida. In addition to threatening Florida’s $123 billion agriculture industry and the more than 2 million jobs it supports, pests pose a serious risk to commerce, the environment, public health and the food supply.
On average, a new invasive pest is introduced in Florida every month, and that trend will only increase with the continued rise of global commerce and travel. Know the signs of emerging and existing pests and diseases to help protect Florida.
source: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Baker Takes District Title From Northview; Chiefs Still In Playoff Hunt
October 31, 2015
The Northview Chiefs and the Baker Gators battled it out in Bratt Friday night for the District 1-1A championship, with Baker coming out on top 35-21.
The Chiefs were on the board first with a 2-yard touchdown run from junior Toney Harrison for a 6-0 lead with 4:43 to go in the first quarter.
Baker answered just inside the second quarter to take a 7-6 lead over the Chiefs with 11:03 on the clock with a 5-yard touchdown run. After a 72-yard run, Baker scored on the next down for a 13-6 lead over Northview with 8:54 to go in the first half.
And again, Baker would score with 6:07 in the half for a 21-6 advantage over the Chiefs.
The Chiefs added two to close out the half with a safety, still trailing Baker 21-8.
Baker increased their lead to 28-8 with 7:18 to go in the third. Gavon Grant found Jacob Dunsford for a 27-yard touchdown run to close the Gator gap to 28-15 following a good kick from Seth Killam..
The Gators gained another TD with 3:43 in the third, 35-15. Then with 7:21 in the game, the Chiefs worked to come back, adding a 44-yard touchdown run from Harrison for a 35-21 Gator advantage.
“Missed opportunities,” Northview head coach Wheatley said. “They break a couple of big runs, to their credit, and that was the difference in the game…I thought we were going to be able to cash it in late and cut it to one score, but we didn’t get it done.”
Baker (7-2, 2-0) took the District 1-1A championship with the win, while the Northview Chiefs (2-7, 1-1) are still in the hunt as the playoff series begins in two weeks. The Chiefs will begin round one of the playoffs on the road November 13 at District 2-1A champion Vernon.
For more photos, click here. (Senior Night, band, cheerleader and dance team photos will be posted by Monday)
NorthEscambia.com, click here.
