More Rain The Next Few Days
May 18, 2016
Localized heavy rain along the Alabama/Florida line caused street and lowland flooding Tuesday afternoon. In Atmore, numerous streets were closed by the police and fire departments due to high water being pushed into homes and businesses. Heavy rains also fell in Walnut Hill, Bratt, Byrneville, Flomaton, Century, McDavid and Jay.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. North wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Pictured: Flooding in Atmore Monday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Improvement Committee Will Host Small Business Workshop Thursday
May 18, 2016
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will host a small business workshop Thursday at 6 p.m., providing information about starting and growing a small business in Escambia County.
The workshop will take place at the Carver Park Resource Center, located at 208 Webb Street in Cantonment.
Janet Etheridge, an experienced small business counselor, will be presenting. The workshop is for anyone who has always dreamed about starting a small business, needs help with ideas to get started, or for existing small business owners looking to learn new ideas for success.
Escambia Man Gets 31 Years For Attacking Sister, Girlfriend
May 18, 2016
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to three decades in prison for violent attacks on his sister and girlfriend.
Daontae Scott was sentenced by Circuit Judge John Miller to 31 years in state prison as a prison releasee reoffender and habitual felony offender. Scott was convicted of aggravated assault, two counts of felony battery, and violation of a domestic violence injunction.
On October 17, 2014, Scott attacked his girlfriend by repeatedly striking her, shoved her to the ground and threatened her with a knife.
On October 21, 2014, Scott also attacked his sister in violation of a domestic violence injunction. He repeatedly punched her causing her to fall and hit her chin against a brick ledge. He then dragged her across the floor by her hair and ripped out some of her hair. He also threatened her with a pair of scissors.
Traffic Shift On I-10 Near Highway 29
May 18, 2016
Westbound I-10 traffic near Highway 29 (Exits 10A and 10B) in Escambia County was shifted to the outside lane beginning Tuesday night, May 17 as crews prepare to widen the interstate.
Drivers are reminded of the temporary speed limit reduction on I-10 to 50 mph during the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Tate Seniors Hoffman, Sprague Sign With Marion Military Institute
May 18, 2016
Tate High School seniors Trevor Hoffman and Kolby Sprague signed Monday to play baseball with Marion Military Institute. Hoffman is the son of Jeff and Robyn Hoffman; Sprague is the son of Joe and Jamie Sprague. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
ECUA Sanitation Truck Goes Up In Flames
May 18, 2016
An ECUA sanitation truck was heavily damaged by fire Monday morning on Neal Road, near Hillock Drive in Cantonment. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. There were no injuries reported. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton High’s Wesley Inks Basketball Scholarship With Kansas School
May 18, 2016
Flomaton High School’s Dezeray S. Wesley has signed a women’s basketball scholarship to Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, KS. Pictured top are: (front) Flomaton High guidance counselor Anthony Wesley, Dezeray Wesley, (back) Anthony Wesley, Raylin Wesley, Khortense Dortch-Wesley and Vivian Dortch. Pictured below: Team members celebrate (front, L-R) Diamond Carter, Tamera Dunn, Dezeray S. Wesley, Caitlan Dean, (back) Morgan Miller, Hannah Filmore (Springhill College), Alisa Brown , Bianca White, Danielle Sager, Shelby Barnes, Coach Nathan Kemp, Madison McFadden and Aleiha Emmons. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Even Series With Victory Over Mississippi Braves
May 18, 2016
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starter Nick Travieso looked like his old self on the mound Tuesday night—the one who was the Cincinnati Reds’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2014 and the one who entered the season as the Reds’ ninth best prospect.
Travieso used his low-to-mid 90 mph fastball to pitch a season-high seven scoreless innings and gave up only one hit as Pensacola downed the pesky Mississippi Braves, 3-1, Tuesday in front of 3,875 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
A first round pick in 2012 — one of six first rounders on the Pensacola roster this season — Travieso threw seven scoreless innings to earn his sixth one hitter since 2013.
He admitted he has struggled his last three outings, posting an 8.30 earned-run average, allowing 13 runs in 12 innings pitched. He got knocked out in 2.1 innings May 7 at home against the Biloxi Shuckers, after giving up seven runs, including five earned.
“I’ve been struggling lately,” Travieso said. “I got into a groove. It’s something I’ve been working on all offseason.”
The last time Travieso, who threw 93 pitches, including a 95-mph fastball in the sixth inning, completed seven innings was in April 30, 2014 with the Low-A Dayton Dragons. He said he has been lifting weights to strengthen his legs this season, which has given him more stamina
“I’m feeling stronger every start,” Travieso said. “When I go after (the hitters) with my best stuff it turns out pretty well.”
Pensacola evened the series at 2-2 and improved to 23-16, while Mississippi fell to 17-22.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly was pleased with Travieso’s dominating performance. Travieso also had a season-high six strikeouts.
“He’s always a guy who has pitched off his fastball better than anybody,” Kelly said. “He just felt out of whack. This time he said he really felt good.”
After three-one run games in a row, Pensacola held on to a 3-1 victory with two outstanding catches. Phillip Ervin dived and stretched out to rob a sure hit by Mississippi left fielder Dustin Peterson that would have scored a second run in the eighth inning.
Then in the ninth Tony Renda, who has rarely played the outfield in his professional career, chased down a deep fly ball at the wall in left field off the bat of Mississippi catcher Willians Astudillo.
Kelly said he was as amazed as Blue Wahoos fans watching Ervin make the spectacular diving catch in right center field.
“Ervin’s catch was fantastic,” Kelly said. “When it was hit, I didn’t think he had a shot. He just ran that ball down.”
Pensacola started the game off right with three straight singles to score Renda and go ahead, 1-0. Mississippi pitcher Rob Whalen, however, then struck out the next three batters looking.
In the third inning, Pensacola added two more when Brandon Dixon scored by twisting away from the tag at home plate on a Jeff Gelalich single to right field. Pensacola third baseman Eric Jagielo, who was celebrating his 24th birthday, then crossed the plate for a 3-0 Pensacola lead on a blooper to right field by Blue Wahoos catcher Joe Hudson.
In the first three innings, the Blue Wahoos got seven hits but stranded eight runners on base.
“In those situations you have got to put the ball in play,” Kelly said.
Mississippi’s Dansby Swanson earned the only other Mississippi hit in the game in the eighth inning off of Pensacola closer Carlos Gonzalez, who earned his third save this year. He’s hitting .375 or 6-16 off Blue Wahoos pitching, which has a Southern League best 3.09 earned-run average.
Kelly said if he was the Atlanta Braves general manager, he would leave the future superstar in the Southern League for the remainder of the 2016 season.
“There’s a lot to be said for staying in the Southern League and learning,” Kelly said. “Eventually they (Swanson and Ozzie Albies) will be the double-play combination (in Atlanta). It’s just a matter of when they want to do that.”
Man Arrested For Brazen Theft At Cantonment Business
May 17, 2016
A Bonifay man has been arrested in connection with a brazen theft just before closing time Friday at a Cantonment business.
Matthew Silvester Schriefer, 35. was charged with two counts of felony grand theft. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $3,000.
Schriefer allegedly walked into A-1 Small Engines in Cantonment and walked out with nearly $1,000 in small power equipment, including a string trimmer and a chainsaw on Friday afternoon. He then fled north on Highway 29, the string trimmer visible in the bed of the getaway pickup truck.
Authorities were able to use a tag number partially visible of a photo of the truck to track Schriefer to Holmes County where they attempted unsuccessfully to make contact with him Saturday.
When Schreifer returned to A-1 on Monday afternoon to return the stolen items, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were waiting for him.
Pictured: A string trimmer allegedly stolen from A-1 Small Engines in Cantonment can be sticking out of the bed of this truck. Pictured below: The suspect’s truck fled north on Highway 29. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Dies In Three Vehicle Crash
May 17, 2016
An Escambia County man was killed in a three vehicle crash Monday.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 34-year old Andrew L. Boucher was westbound on Sorrento Road near Nighthawk Lane when he crossed the center line in his Honda Civic, striking a Chevrolet Equinox driven by 33-year old Maribel Mendez Vazquez. The Equinox was then hit by a Volkswagen Jetta driven by 57-year old Karne Smithee Choat of Pensacola.
Boucher was pronounced deceased from his injuries. Vazquez and Choat received minor injuries in the crash.
Any charges in the crash are pending the outcome of a traffic homicide investigation by the FHP>