Ernest Ward Middle School Names Students Of The Month
June 2, 2016
Ernest Ward Middle School has named Students of the Month for May. They are (L-R) Kaitlin Gafford, sixth grade; David Lamb, seventh grade; and Neionni Findley, eighth grade. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mobile Evens Series With The Wahoos
June 2, 2016
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starter Sal Romano gave his team five good innings, allowing just three runs on six hits.
However, the rival Mobile BayBears first three batters all earned hits off Romano and scored in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally for a 7-3 victory Wednesday at Hank Aaron Stadium. Pensacola and Mobile are now tied, 1-1, in the five game series.
BayBears catcher Ronnie Freeman doubled to right field to start the sixth inning. Third baseman Cody Regis followed him with a single to left field. Mobile second baseman Jamie Westbrook then got the third hit in a row, knocking Romano out of the game, with a single on a ground ball to left field that scored Freeman for a 4-3 BayBears’ lead.
Mobile starting pitcher John Omahen was walked by Pensacola reliever El’Hajj Muhammad to load the bases with none out. Mobile center fielder Evan Marzilli grounded out to Blue Wahoos shortstop Calten Daal and Regis crossed the plate to put the BayBears ahead, 5-3. Pensacola first baseman Donald Lutz then committed an error to allow Westbrook to make it home and give Mobile a 6-3 lead they would never relinquish.
Mobile’s relief corps shutdown the Blue Wahoos bats in the last three innings giving up one hit, one walk and striking out four.
Pensacola’s Romano worked five innings, gave up nine hits, allowed six runs, four earned, walked one and struck out three. He also allowed a two-run homer to Mitch Hangier in the third inning that tied the score, 3-3. Romano took the loss and is 1-5 with a 4.69 ERA for the Blue Wahoos this season.
Pensacola second baseman Brandon Dixon continued his hot-hitting in the last three games. He singled in Phillip Ervin in the third inning for his team-leading 31st RBI of the year. He is now on a 9-13 tear with four homers and 12 RBIs in the past three games. Dixon leads the team with seven homers on the year and moved into a tie with Pensacola third baseman Tony Renda with a .304 batting average. Renda was 1-4 with a run scored Wednesday.
Pensacola first baseman Donald Lutz knocked Renda with two outs in the first inning to put the Blue Wahoos on top, 1-0.
In the second inning Mobile tied the game, 1-1, when BayBears’ right-hander Omahen singled to centerfield to drive in right fielder Gabby Guerrero.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Dixon drove in Ervin for a 2-1 lead. Mobile’s Omahen then threw the ball away on a pickoff, allowing right fielder Sebastian Elizalde to score and put Pensacola ahead, 3-1.
Mobile’s Haniger tied the score, 3-3, with his two-run blast. Haniger was 1-5 on the night.
Pensacola’s four-game winning streak was snapped by Mobile and dropped them to 31-21 in the Southern League South Division. The BayBears improved to 23-29.
Escambia Firefighter Injured; Two Homeless After Molino Fire
June 1, 2016
An Escambia County firefighter was injured and two people were left homeless in a Wednesday afternoon fire near Molino.
The fire was reported about just before 4 p.m. in a two-story home in the 2100 block of Jacks Branch Road, just north of Shifko Road.
An Escambia County firefighter was injured while working to fight the fire inside the home. He suffered a moderate laceration to his leg, which is “not anticipated to require surgery”, according to Joy Tsubooka, Escambia County spokesperson. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment.
The fire caused heavy damage to the home. There were no injuries to any of the home’s residents. The American Red Cross is assisting the two adults with temporary shelter.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
DUI Charges Dropped Against Attorney
June 1, 2016
DUI charges have been dropped against attorney David. J. Maloney due to a lack of evidence, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
“There is insufficient evidence to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt,” the State Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
“The State has determined there is insufficient evidence to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Both the in-car and intoxilyzer room videos were obtained and demonstrate no signs of impairment. Additional witnesses who saw the defendant at an Ice Flyers celebration prior to the stop testified that the defendant was seen purchasing a drink for his wife while declining a drink for himself because he was driving. While the defendant was speeding, had an odor of alcohol and had bloodshot and watery eyes, these factors alone do not reach the level necessary to prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the State is dismissing the charge,” court records state.
Maloney, 49, was booked into the Escambia County Jail about 3:35 a.m. Sunday, May 8 for DUI. Maloney was pulled over speeding in a 35 mph zone in a black Lamborghini on Via de Luna Drive on Pensacola Beach about 2 a.m. by an Escambia County deputy.
The deputy reported that Money had bloodshot and watery eyes and a strong order of alcohol coming from his person. He refused to take a filed sobriety test.
“The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has been contacted by media outlets about David J. Maloney’s DUI charges being dropped by the State Attorney’s Office,” an ECSO post to Facebook states. “The deputy sheriff followed policy, procedure, and state statute. The deputy offered Mr. Maloney several opportunities to dispel his belief that he was under the influence. Mr. Maloney refused all deputy’s requests to resolve the issue at the scene. Therefore, based on the evidence, including bloodshot eyes and the odor of alcohol, probable cause existed for effecting an arrest. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office then refers the case to the State Attorney’s Office who determines whether to bring the case to trial.”
One Injured In Highway 29 McDavid Crash
June 1, 2016
One person received minor injuries in a collision involving a car and a pickup truck this morning on Highway 29 north of Champion Drive.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.comment photos.
It’s Unofficially Summer, But Where Is Century’s New Splash Pad?
June 1, 2016
Memorial Day marked the unofficial start to the summer, but a splash pad funded by a state grant still is not open in Century’s Showalter Park.
Town officials had hoped that the splash pad would be up and running by now, but they said an EF-3 tornado that struck the town in February delayed the process. Town workers were busy with tornado clean up, leaving no time to install the water and sewer lines for the splash pad.
But officials say the town will complete preparations for the splash pad as soon as possible so that it can be installed by the manufacturer.
In 2015, Century received the $50,000 grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program for the splash pad.
Pictured: The Town of Century was awarded a state grant to purchase this model splash pad. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Afternoon Thunderstorms Again Today
June 1, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southwest after midnight.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Light southwest wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
June 1, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending May 26 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
FWC Officers Barnard and Cushing responded to a disturbance aboard a broken down vessel on the Escambia River. A nearby concerned citizen called in the disturbance after hearing threats from one of the subjects onboard this vessel that were directed towards several other subjects also onboard the vessel. The situation escalated and a second report was called in stating that the person making the threats was now armed. Officers Barnard and Cushing located the vessel and removed the suspect. An Escambia County deputy arrived and the suspect and the incident was turned over to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
While patrolling Blackwater State Forest, Officer Hutchinson and Investigator Hughes inspected several primitive campsites. During these inspections, they observed alcohol and illegal drug violations. They made several arrests for possession of illegal drugs, including a felony arrest for possession of methamphetamine, and issued citations for possession of alcoholic beverages in posted areas. The officers also made contact with and identified a subject who had multiple warrants for his arrest from Escambia County. They subject was placed under arrest and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail.
While off duty, Officer Hutchinson observed a woman parked near a creek and retrieve a large plastic box from the trunk of her car and walk towards the water’s edge. He observed the woman then dump several large goldfish into the creek. As she left the area, the officer was able to get her vehicle’s tag information. He walked to the creek and discovered six goldfish swimming in the creek where the woman had dumped them. The goldfish were approximately 8 to 10 inches in length and had large sores on them. He was able to catch one of the goldfish but was unable to catch the other five. The following day, Officer Hutchinson made contact with the woman and interviewed her. She admitted to dumping the goldfish into the creek because she didn’t want them anymore. He contacted Captive Wildlife Investigator Wilkerson who helped him properly identify the fish as comet goldfish which are not native to Florida. The female subject was issued a citation for releasing a non-native species into Florida waters without a permit.
Lieutenant Keen and Officer Brady were conducting offshore patrols when they checked a vessel that had eleven red snapper onboard. Initially, the captain said he didn’t realize he was in federal waters (15 miles offshore), but later admitted to knowing his location. The captain of the vessel was cited for the violation.
Officer Gore was contacted by Officer Goodwin concerning an oyster vessel that he was surveilling returning to a dock located behind a residence. Officer Gore went to the location and observed a subject sitting in the “doghouse” of the vessel smoking something out of a glass pipe. As Officer Gore approached, the subject quickly tried to hide the pipe. When asked for the pipe, the subject threw it overboard. The subject was handcuffed and the pipe recovered. Officers Alsobrooks and Hellet arrived to assist. Follow-up found an empty baggie containing residue that field tested positive for methamphetamine located on the deck of the boat where the subject was sitting and also a pipe with cannabis residue. The subject was booked into the Bay County Jail for possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest without violence.
Officer Price conducted successful offshore patrols over the weekend. As he pulled up to one vessel, one subject was de-hooking a legal red snapper and returning it to the waters. A check of the cooler found four red snapper inside. During another stop, he found four red snapper onboard a vessel. And yet another inspection yielded twelve red snapper. Federal citations were issued for possession of red snapper during closed season. Another inspection found a filleted greater amberjack and several short grey triggerfish. When the captain was asked where the filets of the amberjack were, he said that he had eaten them. The amberjack was found to be undersized and a citation was issued.
Officer Price investigated a boating accident involving two personal watercraft (PWC) that were part of a Jet Ski tour group. As the group approached Grand Lagoon’s idle speed zone, one of the PWC ran into the back of another PWC causing one passenger to be injured. A citation was issued after the investigation was concluded.
While patrolling in Blackwater State Forest, Officer Hutchinson and Investigator Hughes located a gopher tortoise digging a burrow in the middle of a heavily traveled dirt road. It appeared that the tortoise was preparing to lay her eggs in the hole. They relocated the tortoise to a different area where the chance of her and her eggs’ survival were greater.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
One Cowboy, One Horse And A 48 State Ride For Children
June 1, 2016
Tye Sturgeon is just one cowboy in this old world, but with his horse he is on a major mission to help children.
He’s riding solo through 48 states with the goal of raising at least $30,000 for children’s charities, although he admits a million dollars would be good.
Tuesday morning, rode into Century, marking his 13th state as he continued on to Jay by afternoon.
Sturgeon, 20, dreamed of being a cowboy, horseman and a Pro Bronco rider. Even though he did not make it to the pro circuit he did get to rodeo for awhile. Sadly due to injuries he had to give that dream up. Yet, he said he feels blessed that God gave him the chance to live it at all and helped him create a new dream.
Knowing that there are so many young people out there who are not blessed enough to live their dreams, Sturgeon was inspired to make his 48-state ride to earn money for Western Wishes, a charity that “since 1994 helps turn dreams into lasting memories for countless kids faced with adversity who love the western way of life.”
As he rides, Sturgeon is collecting pledges to be paid to Western Wishes once his ride is complete.
Born and raised in North Central Arkansas, Sturgeon is a quiet, soft spoken young man with a quick smile and big warm heart. He claims he never meets a stranger and goes out of his way to make people feel at ease.
When asked about where his respect for horsemanship began, he said, “I learned a love of horses and mules from my father and grandfather. I grew up watching them train horses and mules. They also competed in (and still enjoy attending) chuck wagon races which were especially fun because my family was the first to ‘drive 4 Up’ at the Clinton Arkansas Chuck Wagon Races.”
Sturgeon graduated from Batesville High School where he played football for the Pioneers. He was also a member of the FFA and showed steers in the All Star Steer program.
As a small kid, he rode sheep at local rodeos, and as a young man, moved on to his beloved broncs. But concussions and a warning from his doctor changed Sturgeon’s rodeo path from competitor to fan.After his Ride is over Sturgeon plans to settle down on a piece of land to train horses and mules and continue his outreach for children’s charities.
“I really respect and look up to Tuff Hedeman and Chris Cox and the other great American Cowboys who make up an elite group. I feel their honesty, hard work and integrity make them someone to emulate and to look up to. I absolutely love the American Cowboy lifestyle and code of living and greatly admire the honest simple way of life that is being lost to a digital age.”
To donate to Sturgeon’s ride or Western Wishes, click here.
Pictured top: Cowboy Tye Sturgeon rode into Century Tuesday morning, his 13th state on a 48 state ride. Pictured inset: Sturgeon meets a young man at The Panhandle Restaurant in Century. Pictured below: Sturgeon made it to Jay on Tuesday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Office Reports Increase In Common IRS Phone Scam
June 1, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reported a number of calls Tuesday from residents reporting a common IRS phone scam.
The Sheriff’s Office said residents are reporting someone calls claiming to be an IRS employee, and then asks the call recipient to pay they money they owe or go to jail.
The ECSO said residents receiving one of these phone calls sgiykd hang up and call the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484 or visit their website at www.tigta.gov.