Cops Like Donuts And Coffee, Right? Meet A Little Guy With A Big Heart

August 6, 2016

Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies had the chance this week to meet a young man with a giving heart at Gilley’s Country Store in Bratt. Tyler’s mom submitted the photo and wrote the following:

“Today Tyler and I went to our corner store in Bratt where we saw four of Escambia County Sheriff’s Offices finest. Tyler was very excited as he LOVES police officers. He said ‘mom cops’ favorite drink is coffee and their favorite food is donuts’….we both laughed…then he went on to ask if he could use some of his own money to buy the officers some donuts. He picked 4 packs of chocolate donuts. Paid for them and then gave them to the officers. They were all very grateful and very polite. Tyler was so excited that his green hair matched their green uniforms!!! Lol. Tyler thanked them for “keeping the place safe.” And from our family to the ECSO family we thank each of you for your service and putting your lives on the line daily. Be blessed and stay safe out there.”

Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Continues

August 6, 2016

Florida families can save this weekend on clothing, footwear, and school supplies during the  Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday

Until midnight Sunday, Florida law directs that no sales tax or local option tax will be collected on purchases of:

  • Clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item
  • Certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item

The holiday does not apply to:

  • Any item of clothing selling for more than $60
  • Any school supply item selling for more than $15
  • Books not otherwise exempt
  • Personal computers and computer-related accessories
  • Rentals or leases of any of these items
  • Repairs or alterations of any of these items
  • Sales of clothing or school supplies in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport

The annual tax free weekend allows Sunshine State families to save on supplies and clothes to prepare their children and themselves for the upcoming year. Nationally, the average family is expected to spend $673.57 on apparel and accessories, shoes and school supplies, up from last year’s $630.36. Nationally, sales for this back-to-school shopping weekend are expected to reach $75 billion, up from $68 billion last year.

The holiday means big savings for shoppers and big business for retailers, which has become the second largest shopping weekend after Black Friday

Hot Summer Weekend

August 6, 2016

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96. Heat index values as high as 108. Light west wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 105. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 75.

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.

Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Northview Names Greenwell As Head Baseball Coach, Football Offensive Coordinator

August 6, 2016

Northview High School has named Jeremy Greenwell as their new head baseball coach and offensive coordinator for football.

Greenwell comes from Ernest Ward Middle School, where he worked as a physical education teacher and led a successful football program (career record 28-11). EWMS has the only middle school football program in Escambia County.

He played baseball as a student at Northview from 2002-2005 and pitched for Jeff Davis Community College (2006). Greenwell played football and lettered all four years at Northview and then played football at the University of West Alabama. He has coached baseball for four seasons. He coached football under legendary coach Jay Jeffcoat at Ernest Ward from 2008 to 2010 before taking over as head football coach at Ernest Ward from 2011 to 2015.

Greenwell’s hiring comes on the heels of the recent resignation of Sid Wheatley, who returned to his native Mississippi.  Wheatley served as head football and head baseball coach at Northview. Former offensive coordinator Derek Marshman was promoted to head football coach a week ago, just days before fall practice began.

Green Hills Road Closure

August 6, 2016

A section of approximately of 200 feet of Green Hills Road between Stefani Road and Pine Forest Road will be closed to through traffic beginning Tuesday at 7 a.m.

The road closure is part of a drainage enhancement and repair project that will replace and enlarge the existing culvert which was temporarily repaired after the April 2014 flood. Traffic will be detoured either to West Roberts Road to Pine Forest Road to the west section Green Hills Road or West Roberts Road to Stefani Road to the east section of Green Hills Road.

Political Rally, Fish Fry Today In Jay

August 6, 2016

The Jay Historical Society is holding a political forum for Florida candidates at 4:00 this afternoon. Each candidate will be offered five minutes to share their qualifications and plans.

There will also be a fish fry with dinners available for purchase.

The event will be inside the Jay Community Center at 5259 Booker Lane.

Weekend Gardening: August To Do List

August 6, 2016

Here are gardening tips for the month of August from the UF/IFAS Extension program:

What to Plant

  • Bedding Plants: The hottest days of summer limit planting now to heat tolerant vinca, gaillardia, bulbine, and coleus.
  • Bulbs:Aztec lily, butterfly lily, walking iris, and spider lily can be planted any time of the year, even late summer.
  • Herbs: Herbs that can be planted from plants (not seeds) include bay laurel, ginger,Mexican tarragon, and rosemary.
  • Vegetables: This month starts the fall planting season. Many cool season crops can be planted now, including a final crop of warm-season vegetables such as pepper. Tomato can be planted for the fall garden.
What to Do
  • Lawn problems: Damaged areas can be the result of insects, disease, or irrigation problems. Be sure to determine the cause so the proper remedy is used. Use a sharp mower blade and only remove 1/3 of grass blade to reduce stress on the lawn.
  • Palms: If older fronds are yellowing, you may have a magnesium or potassium deficiency. Apply an appropriate palm fertilizer.
  • Poinsettias: Pinch back poinsettias and mums before the end of the month to allow time for buds to form for winter bloom.
  • Ornamental Plants: Rapid growth and leaching rains may result in nutrient deficiencies in some plants. Fertilize those plants that show signs of deficiencies.
  • Bedding Plants: Remove spent blooms, cut back, and fertilize flowering annuals and perennials to extend the bloom season into the fall months.
What To Do Every Month
  • Adjust irrigation based on rainfall.
  • Deadhead flowers to encourage new blooms.
  • Monitor the garden for insects and disease.
  • Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials and water until established.

Deputies Seek Credit Card Thieves

August 6, 2016

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information on two suspects that used credit cards that had been stolen during a previous car burglary. The incdent occured July 26 at the Highway 29 Walmart in Ensley. Anone with information should call the Escambia Count y Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.

Wahoos Drop Series Opener To Biloxi

August 6, 2016

For the second game in a row, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos played in an extra inning game.

This time, the Blue Wahoos lost to the Biloxi Shuckers, 5-4, Friday at MGM Park when second baseman Brandon Dixon made a throwing error trying to turn a double play to end the inning that allowed the Shuckers pinch runner Clint Coulter to score the winning run.

On Thursday, Pensacola lost a nearly five-hour game to the Mississippi Braves, 10-2, in 14 innings at home.

Pensacola fell to 9-5 in extra-inning games and the first half champions dropped to 19-22 in the second half. Biloxi improved to 16-25.

The Biloxi Shuckers scored first when right fielder Tyrone Taylor smacked a two out solo homer over the left center wall for a 1-0 Shuckers lead in the bottom of the first. Biloxi went up, 2-0, when third baseman Tom Belza doubled to center field to drive in first baseman Dustin DeMuth

Pensacola pitcher Tyler Mahle walked to start the third inning and was knocked in by Blue Wahoos left fielder Phillip Ervin’s 19th double of the season to pull within, 2-1.

Pensacola third baseman Taylor Sparks hit a two-run homer to left center field to put Pensacola on top in the fourth inning, 3-2. Sparks eighth dinger this year also brought in Zach Vincej who started the inning with a single to center field.

Biloxi tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth inning when second baseman Javier Betancourt doubled to center field to drive in Belza.

Mahle, Pensacola’s starting pitcher, helped himself in the sixth inning with the bases loaded when he singled to left field to score Vincej, who led off the inning with a single. It was Vincej’s 21st multi-hit game and 19th in the second half.

Biloxi shortstop Angel Ortega homered on a line drive to left field, his second of the season, to start the seventh inning and tie the game, 4-4.

Pensacola’s Vincej has been one of the hottest hitters in the Southern League since June 1. He’s hitting .337 (61-181) in 54 games.

Also leading Pensacola at the plate Friday was Sparks, who now has three homers in his last six games. He went 2-5 with a two-run homer and scored twice. Sebastian Elizalde also went 2-5 with a double and has 19 multi-hit games with 15 of those coming in the second half.

Century Man Charged With Animal Cruelty

August 5, 2016

A Century man has been arrested on two animal cruelty charges.

Monroe Kemp Moore, Jr., age 51, was charged with two counts of unlawful confinement or abandonment of an animal. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond and  with a judge’s order to not possess any animals.

Escambia County Animal Control, Panhandle Equine Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office seized three severely malnourished horses from a property in the 2500 block of Highway 168, near Shaw Road,  near Century on May 27, 2015.

“All of the horses were thin, two of them were emaciated. “They didn’t have anything to eat, and they were in really bad shape,” PER President Diane Lowery said at the time the horses were seized. “People need to know that if they are not feeding and taking care of their horses they are going to have to deal with a judge.”

According to court documents in the case, two of the horses had bones that were  projecting and visible due to malnourished. The horses were unable to graze due to a lack of grass in their quarter of an acre enclosure. It appeared that the horses had no water an no one caring for them for some time.

The horses were rehabilitated by Panhandle Equine Rescue.

The only horse rescue in Escambia County, PER was founded by a small group of concerned citizens with a mission to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the court system to investigate equine cruelty in Escambia County.

NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.

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