Event Today To Mark 15 Years Since Disappearance Of Danielle Bell
September 28, 2016
Recent missing person cases in our local area have garnered community attention and awareness. KlaasKIDS Foundation will host a Missing Person’s Community Awareness walk on September 28 th to bring additional attention and awareness to the 15 missing person cases in Escambia and Santa Rosa County.
Today,, the 15th anniversary of the disappearance of Danielle Bell of Cantonment, the KlaasKIDS Foundation will host a Missing Person’s Community Awareness Walk at Bartram Park on Bayfront Parkway beginning at 6:00 p.m.
This free community event will include family members of our local missing persons and a “silent” walk from Bartram Park to the Hawkshaw Missing Person’s Memorial.
Brad Dennis, director of Search Operations for the KlaasKids Foundation, will also announce new efforts to search for answers surrounding Danielle Bell’s suspicious disappearance.
Danielle Arion Bell was last seen at age 14 at a party in September 2001 in the 500 block of Cedar Tree Lane, between Highway 29 and Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Witnesses told authorities that Bell left a party with a man that was in his mid-twenties at the time. Escambia County deputies later questioned that man and searched his home, but he was never charged in connection with the case.
During the summer of 2007, Alfredo Gomez Sanchez, Jr. was charged with providing law enforcement with false information about his whereabouts at the time Bell disappeared. He was not implicated in her disappearance.
In October 2010, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit served a search warrant at the home.
As part of that search warrant, a septic tank behind the residence was pumped out, and dogs from Escambia County Search and Rescue were also used to search the area. Investigators said nothing was found, and they would not say what new information might have led to the search.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Danielle has a scar on her right forearm and blue eyes. She had brown hair at the time of her disappearance. Danielle, whose nickname was “Dani”, was a member of the Tate Aggies cheerleading squad. The popular teen enjoyed dancing and drawing.
Anyone with information about Bell is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured top: Investigators pumped and searched a septic tank at this home on Cedar Tree Lane in Cantonment in October 2010 in the case of missing teen Danielle Arion Bell. Pictured below: A search and rescue K-9 team was also on site. Pictured bottom: A septic tank company employee prepares to pump a septic tank at the home. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Achieve Escambia Hires First Executive Director
September 28, 2016
Greg Voss has been named director of Achieve Escambia; Pensacola’s new cradle to career collective impact effort. Voss has more than 25 years of experience working in non-profit management.
Most recently Voss served as the executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region in Wisconsin. Voss has also held leadership positions with the American Red Cross and Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly of the Twin Cities in Minnesota and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
“We are excited to hire Greg to serve as Achieve Escambia’s director,” said Debbie Calder, executive vice President of Greater Pensacola Operations for Navy Federal Credit Union and current chair of the Achieve Escambia Leadership Council. “Greg has extensive experience as a strong non-profit leader and brings a passion and enthusiasm that will help fully launch this cradle to career effort.”
Achieve Escambia is a collective impact partnership of leaders and stakeholders in education, non-profit, business, faith, community, civic and philanthropic sectors committed to aligning community resources so everyone is empowered to achieve success. The partnership shares a vision and strategy for improving cradle to career outcomes through a structured, evidence based, long-term approach. As a result of community input, Achieve Escambia will focus its initial efforts to the area of school readiness.
“I’ve been impressed by the collective support and strong commitment Achieve Escambia has received from the community,” Voss said. “I am proud to be part of such an exciting effort to not only improve career readiness, but improve lives.”
Voss will officially begin working with Achieve Escambia on October 24.
Achieve Escambia was founded in 2016 when members of the Pensacola business community identified a need to better support and supplement the career readiness efforts taking place across Pensacola. The group’s mission is to improve education and workforce outcomes for the community; every child, every step of the way, cradle to career.
Brick Sale Continues For Century High School Monument
September 28, 2016
Memorial bricks from the old Century High School have been on sale since July for inclusion in a monument, and so far sales have been very, very slow.
To date, only eight bricks have been purchased for the monument, but now is the time for former Century Blackcats to step up and buy a brick, according to members of the Century Bricks and Monument Committee.
Engraved bricks are being sold at $50 each to be placed around a 1936 monument and flagpole salvaged from the former school, which was demolished due to tornado damage. In total, about 2,100 bricks were saved from the school building for the project. The $50 covers the cost of engraving the brick and construction of the monument; there is no profit made.
“No two of the bricks look alike,” Committee member Regi Burkett said during a Tuesday evening meeting. “That’s the character of 80-year old brick. This is not a store bought brick. The history is there.”
Each brick can be engraved with up to three lines of text with up to 20 characters per line.
To print an order form, visit CenturyHighBricks.com or pick up an order form at the Century Town Hall. Committee members will also be taking orders and have sample bricks available during a Fall Festival October 15 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Showalter Park.
Pictured top: A Tuesday evening meeting of the Century Bricks and Monument Committee. Pictured bottom: A sample engraved Century High School brick. Pictured inset: A 1936 monument salvaged from the former school will be in the center of the monument. Pictured below: A conceptual drawing of the monument. NorthEscambia.com photos/images, click to enlarge.
Northview Cross Country Meet Results (With Gallery)
September 28, 2016
Pensacola Christian Academy took first place for both male and female runners Tuesday afternoon at Northview High School in Bratt.
School participating were: Northview, Ernest Ward, Jay, Flomaton, Laurel Hill and PCA.
For a photo gallery, click here.
(Results are below photo, scroll down)
Meet results were as follows:
Fastest Girl- Katylyn Buschman from PCA 21:51
Fastest boy- Hunter Stewart from PCA 18:00
Girls
- Pensacola Christian Academy
- Jay
- Flomaton
- Northview
- Ernest Ward
Boys
- Pensacola Christian Academy
- Northview
- Jay
- Flomaton
- Laurel Hill
- Ernest Ward
Top 5 Runners for each School
Northview
- Jasmine Elliott 26:14
- Marissa Rothrock 27:26
- Rebekah Amerson 29:29
- Hannah McGahan 29:33
- Kirsten White 29:37
- Brandon Korinchak 19:02
- Tanner Levins 21:20
- Oscar Rodriguez 21:44
- Adrian King 23:09
- Josiah Stilwell 23:55
Ernest Ward
- Leah Anderson 31:29
- Jordan Stanley 31:46
- Emily Levins 32:37
- Kacy Knable 33:55
- Hadassah Mascaro 33:57
- Dakota Bryan 24:03
- Kole Stewart 25:07
- Braedan McGhee 27:22
- Levi Kirkpatrick 27:41
- Eric Amerson 29:51
Flomaton
- Kristin Coleman 25:19
- Charley Boutwell 26:27
- Shelby Barnes 28:18
- Makenzie Morrison 29:11
- Patricia Rogers 29:23
- Dwayne Hamby 19:27
- Dylan Patterson 23:04
- Will Rolin 25:50
- Dustin Martin 26:27
- Jacob strehl 29:07
Jay
- Jillian Thornton 23:52
- Hannah Whitlock 24:08
- Grace Gillman 25:38
- Laryn Kimmons 26:54
- Emma Barrow 28:42
- Chance Thornton 21:07
- Austin Gonzalez 22:00
- Jimmie Ates 23:51
- Jacob Gonzalez 25:07
- Ryan Wayland 26:20
Pensacola Christian Academy
- Katylyn Buschman 21:51
- Karissa Porter 24:23
- Hannah Box
- Ruth Ann Gipson
- Kayla Porter
- Hunter Stewart 18:00
- Ben Fulford 20:05
- Michael Lunsford 21:19
- Hayden Brown 21:59
- Ben Lucoay 22:11
Laurel Hill
- Sarah Mchon 30:54
- Cheyanne Regan35:17
- Madison Williams 35:43
- Garrett Mcvoy 22:41
- Drew Raef 22:50
- Mark Steele 24:49
- Mark Posey 31:29
- Jonathon Murphy 31:42
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Get Ready — Fall Feeling Weather To Come
September 28, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Light northwest wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 62. West wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 56. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 83. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 86. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
Holman Correctional Officer Busted For Smuggling Contraband
September 27, 2016
A correctional officer was arrested Saturday at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.
Dejuan Reshad Rudolph, age 25 of Atmore, was charged with drug trafficking of cocaine, drug trafficking of a synthetic substance, possession of a controlled substance and using an official position for personal gain. He remained in the Escambia County(AL) Detention Center in Brewton Tuesday morning.
Rudolph was reportedly arrested with controlled substances, cell phones and other contraband in his possession. He had been employed with the Alabama Department of Corrections since late 2015.
Officials Confirm Holman Prison Correctional Officers Skip Work
September 27, 2016
The Alabama Department of Corrections has confirmed reports that numerous correctional officers at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore did not report to work on Saturday.
“Some correctional officers assigned to William C. Holman Correctional Facility did not report for the third shift on Saturday,” Bob Horton, ADOC spokesman, said. “As a result, officers from other correctional facilities augmented Holman’s security staff. Prison officials have not reported further incidents.”
“Most officers assigned to the facility’s third shift reported to work the following day. At no time did the officers state that they were participating in a strike, nor did they express any demands or grievances,” an ADOC news release Tuesday afternoon stated. “The Department of Corrections confirms unofficial reports of an officer strike at the prison came from inmate advocate groups and not from department officials.”
“Last night at Holman prison an emergency situation developed as ALL of the officers assigned to the second shift waged a historic work strike for the first time in the history of the Alabama Department of Corrections,” prisoner advocacy group The Free Alabama Movement wrote in a statement.
“Assistant Commissioner Grantt Culliver was dispatched to the prison, where he then had to order supervisors from another prison, Atmore CF, to report to Holman prison just to be able to serve meals,” FAM added in a press statement.
“The officers at Holman, who have been defying ADOC policy and speaking publicly to the media, had communicated their plans to FAM members, and expressed their support for nonviolent and peaceful demonstrations against the human rights conditions existent at Holman,” FAM declared.
The strike came the same day as the funeral for Holman corrections officer Kenneth Bettis, 44, of Monroeville who died after being assaulted and stabbed by an inmate at the Atmore facility. The stabbing came in retaliation for being denied an extra tray of food in the facility’s dining hall during the noon meal.
Holman has been the center of several prison disturbances and inmate strikes this year.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Escambia Man Faces Life Sentence For Abusing Children
September 27, 2016
An Escambia County man is facing up to life in prison after being convicted of molesting two children.
An Escambia County jury convicted Gregory McLean of one count of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years of age by an offender over 18 years of age and one count of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim 12 years of age or older but less than 16 years of age by an offender over 18 years of age.
On January 15, 2016, the defendant’s cell phone was located in a bathroom trying to video record one of the victims getting into the shower. After the discovery of the cell phone, both of the victims revealed that the defendant had molested them when they were younger. One victim was between the ages of 9 and 10 years of age at the time of the molestation, and the other victim was between the ages of 12 and 13 years of age.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 8 in front of Judge John L. Miller. McLean faces a minimum of 25 years in prison with lifetime sexual offender probation up to a maximum penalty of life in prison. McLean will also be designated as a sexual predator.
Winner Claims $66K Prize For Davisville Lottery Ticket
September 27, 2016
The owner of a winning ticket sold last week at a Highway 97 lottery store has claimed his prize.
The Florida Lottery says the September 21 Fantasy 5 ticket worth $66,188.82 was sold to Phillip Hicks of Bay Minette, AL. He purchased the ticket at the State Line Gift Shop, 11208 Highway 97. It was one of three winning tickets; the other tickets matching all five numbers were sold in Crystal River and Poinciana.
The 298 tickets matching four numbers won $107 each. Another 8,958 tickets matching three numbers are worth $10 each, and 87,885 tickets holders won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
The September 21 winning numbers were 05-11-18-28-36.
Deputies Seek Info On Couple Caught Using Stolen Checks
September 27, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying two people caught on camera using stolen checks. According to investigators, a vehicle was burglarized and the victim’s purse and checks were stolen. The stolen checks were used by the pictured man and woman at Navy Federal Credit Union. Anyone that recognizes either suspect or the white vehicle in these photographs is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
