Wahoos Homer Times Four In Loss To Mobile
August 13, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ much maligned offense achieved a rare feat Saturday — it crushed three home runs for four runs in the sixth inning to tie the Mobile BayBears, 7-7.
It is particularly unusual since even with the Blue Wahoos four home run outburst Saturday, they rank ninth out of 10 teams in the Southern League with 69 total this season.
But for the second straight game, Mobile rallied in the ninth when leadoff batter Brennon Lund drilled a solo shot to right field that bounced off the column below the scoreboard for an 8-7 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola has slipped into a tailspin, losing four straight games and eight of its last nine. Mobile clinched the five-game series, 3-0, and lead their rival Blue Wahoos 10-8 in games this season.
Trailing Mobile, 7-3, Blue Wahoos left fielder Josh VanMeter sparked the sixth inning home run trots. The 22-year-old smacked a line drive two-run home run into the Hill-Kelly Hill in right field with third baseman Nick Senzel on base and no outs pulling Pensacola within, 7-5.
Pensacola right fielder Aristides Aquino launched the second bomb of the inning to left center field with one out for his team-leading 13th homer to make it a one-run game, 7-6.
Finally, first baseman Brian O’Grady yanked a deep fly ball to right field off the bottom right-hand corner of the scoreboard to make it a tie game, 7-7.
“All of a sudden Pensacola has become Coors Field,” said Pensacola manager Pat Kelly, referring to the home-run prone Colorado Rockies stadium. “Balls were jumping out of here.”
Kelly’s favorite long ball was smacked by O’Grady, who hit his seventh homer this season but is batting .167.
“None of those were cheapies,” Kelly said. “They were all good but O’Grady’s was the game’s biggest one. He’s been struggling a little bit. It was nice to see him break out.”
Pensacola also got a dinger out of center fielder Gabriel Guerrero. The Southern League All-Star clobbered a three-run homer to left field in the third inning with second baseman Alberti Chavez and shortstop Blake Trahan on base, which put the Blue Wahoos on top, 3-1. It was his fifth homer of the season.
Mobile seemed to blow the game wide open with its four-run sixth inning to take a 7-3 lead. BayBears shortstop Zach Houchins leadoff with his fourth triple this year into the right field corner. Mobile right fielder Zach Gibbons hit a chopper that Pensacola first baseman Brian O’Grady muffed to allow Houchins to score for a 4-3 Mobile lead. BayBears catcher Jose Briceno then tripled off the top of the wall in left field to drive in Gibbons making it, 5-3. It was his third RBI of the game and he now has 40 this season. Bo Way smacked a sharp line drive to centerfield that drove in Briceno for a 6-3 BayBears lead. The final run scored when Brennon Lund hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Way for a 7-3 Mobile lead.
All four runs, two of which were earned, came off Pensacola reliever Robert Stock.
“(Mobile) can hit the fastball,” Kelly said. “It took Stock six hitters to figure out they were swinging at the first pitch.”
“We showed a lot of character coming back to put a four-spot against them,” Kelly said. “I liked our approach tonight. We’re getting ready to turn the corner.”
Besides left fielder Lund’s game-winning homer, Mobile catcher Jose Briceno tagged a bullet to left field for a two-out, two-run home run with Houchins on base to knot the game, 3-3 in the fourth inning. It was Briceno’s second homer in three games against the Blue Wahoos giving him eight on the season.
Nothing prepared onlookers for the home run parade. The game was tied, 3-3, after five innings.
Pensacola starter Jesus Reyes pitched five innings gave up three runs on six hits and two walks and struck out three.
“I thought he battled,” Kelly said.
Mobile leads the Southern Division with a 26-22 record in the second half, while Pensacola, which won the first half, dropped to 21-27.
Double Homicide Investigation After Two Found Shot In Flomaton
August 12, 2017
UPDATE: Victims have been identified by Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis as husband and wife Timothy Adams, age 50, and Susan Adams, age 61, both of 1455 College Street in Flomaton, the address where their bodies were found Saturday afternoon.
A double homicide investigation is underway after two people were found shot to death inside a Flomaton mobile home this afternoon.
Flomaton Police and the Flomaton Fire Department conducted a welfare check at the mobile home at 1455 College Street about 2:30 Saturday afternoon after a call that the people inside would not answer the door. Forcible entry was made into the home when there was no answer at the door.
“We discovered two deceased persons inside,” Police Chief Bryan Davis said. “Right now, we are doing an active death investigation scene. We have called in the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to assist us, as well as the State Bureau of Investigation, ALEA….It’s going to be a lengthy investigation.”
Davis said both people suffered gunshot wounds. Davis did not release the names of the deceased because full next of kin notification has not been made. He said the relationship between the male and female victim was not immediately known.
He said the victims were last seen alive sometime Saturday morning.
“We have a lot of witnesses to talk with and to interview…so it is going to take us some time before we have a lot more answers.”
Davis (pictured left) said his department is looking for any leads at this time. He said police are looking for a possible suspect, but they are not releasing the name at this time.
More details will be posted as they become available here on NorthEscambia.com.
Raw video from Chief Davis’ statement is available on the NorthEscambia.com Facebook page.
Pictured above and below: The scene of a death investigation in Flomaton Saturday afternoon. Pictured immediately below: The Escambia County (AL) Medical Examiner arrives at the scene. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Early Morning Front Yard Crash
August 12, 2017
A driver refused medical treatment after a single vehicle crash early Saturday morning.
A passerby noticed the wrecked vehicle in the front yard of a home in the 2000 block of Old Chemstrand Road about 12:45 a.m. Saturday.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia To Settle Auto Accident Claim With Cantonment Man For $90K
August 12, 2017
Escambia County is set to approve a settlement next week with a Cantonment man injured in a 2015 traffic crash caused by a tire that fell out of the cargo area of a county truck.
Daniel Cain was driving a jeep and trailer east on on Muscogee Road near Beulah Road on April 21, 2015.
At that time, an Escambia County Roads and Bridges truck carrying waste tires was traveling in the opposite direction of Cain’s vehicle. A tire became dislodged from the bed of the county truck and bounced into the lane of travel of Cain’s vehicle. In his attempt to avoid collision with the tire, Cain lost control of his Jeep and collided with a Waste Management Solid Waste vehicle. Cain’s Jeep rolled over and partially ejected him.
Cain sustained facial injuries and lacerations in addition to injuries to his neck, thoracic spine and right shoulder. He still has scars on his forehead. After treatment, he was given a permanent impairment rating of 8% of the body as a whole. He continues to have pain in his neck, back and right shoulder, according to county documents.
Cain was airlifted to the hospital, with the LifeFlight bill totaling $59,657.64. Cain currently has liens to his health insurance company, medical payments coverage to his auto insurance and medical providers totaling over $40,000.
As the primary at-fault party in the accident, county attorneys have estimated that a jury verdict could exceed $200,000.
The county attorney’s office will recommend Thursday that the Escambia County Commission approve a settlement with Cain and his wife, Peggy Diane Cain, for $90,000.
Appointee Sought For Escambia County Merit System Protection Board
August 12, 2017
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for an appointment to the Escambia County Merit System Protection Board.
Escambia County residents interested in being considered for a possible appointment on the Merit System Protection Board are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve by the close of business on Friday, Aug. 25. Resumes should be submitted to Judy Witterstaeter, Program Coordinator, Board of County Commissioners, P.O. box 1591, Pensacola, FL 32502, or emailed to jhwitter@myescambia.com.
Please be aware that resumes submitted to a BCC agenda for consideration will become part of the official minutes and are subject to public records requests.
Merit System Protection Board
The MSPB was created to provide a fair and equitable mechanism for the expeditious review of appeals and grievances of the classified employees of the county before a non-partisan deliberative body. County Ordinance 2005-38 provides the means for a classified, permanent employee under the jurisdiction of the MSPB to appeal disciplinary actions, and that these employees may file an appeal or grievance for perceived violations of the ordinance or the rules. Presently, the classified employees under the jurisdiction of the Board of County Commissioners, the Sheriff’s Office and the Supervisor of Elections are covered under the MSPB. The term of office of the member appointed by the BCC is two years.
Qualifications of Board Members
No person shall be appointed to the Merit System Protection Board as a member who:
- Has not been a resident of Escambia County for two or more years preceding the appointment to the MSPB.
- Is holding an elective or appointive office in federal, state, county or municipal government provided that prior appointment as a member of the MSPB shall not disqualify a person from being reappointed.
- Held political office in, or was a salaried or hourly employee of Escambia County, during the 12 months preceding appointment to the MSPB.
- Is a member of the immediate family of a current employee or elected official of Escambia County.
- Is a current officer of any union representing employees of Escambia County.
- Is working for any vendor who has a current contractual agreement with any participating appointing authority.
- Has been convicted of, or has had adjudication withheld of, a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude.
Qualifications must be maintained throughout the member’s tenure, or the member must resign his position on the MSPB.
Attendance
Any member of the MSPB shall be removed and replaced after being absent from more than three consecutive meetings during any calendar year. The MSPB shall determine whether any member’s absence is unexcused.
Compensation of Board Members
The MSPB members shall serve on a voluntary basis and not be financially compensated for their service.
Meeting Schedule
MSPB meetings are held once per month on the second Tuesday; the meeting is generally less than one hour. Hours will vary depending on whether an appeal is being heard from an employee. If hearings are scheduled, they would be held immediately after the meeting. There has been less than one appeal/hearing in the past years.
Extension Service Offers ‘Beekeeping In The Panhandle’ Series
August 12, 2017
The UF/IFAS Extension Panhandle Agriculture Team will offer “Beekeeping in the Panhandle,” a summer series of three intermediate level beekeeping classes. The classes will be taught via interactive web-conferencing by state and nationally recognized specialists at extension offices across Northwest Florida. Registration for all three classes is $15 per person or $25 per family (up to four), and covers course materials and refreshments. This series will be held on Thursdays from 6-7:30 p.m. as follows:
- Thursday, Aug. 17 – Fall Pest and Disease Management: Varroa Mites and Nosema, presented by Cameron Jack, UF/IFAS Bee Lab apiarist
- Thursday, Aug. 24 – Working With Pollination Contracts, presented by Jeanette Klopchin, FDACS Bureau of Plant and Apiary Inspection
- Thursday, Sept. 7 – Minimizing Honey Bee Exposure to Pesticides, presented by Jeanette Klopchin, FDACS Bureau of Plant and Apiary Inspection
To register, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office in Escambia County at (850) 475-5230.
New App Has Grades, Escambia School District Information
August 12, 2017
The Escambia County School District unveiled a new app on Friday, giving students’ families to new way access information from a smartphone.
The primary purpose for the ECSD Families App is to make the Focus Parent Portal information system easily available and portable, as well as put district news and announcements into the hands of parents. The secondary goal is to make ECSD news more easily available to everyone interested in ECSD information, such as the calendar of events and sports.
“The new ECSD Families App will allow parents to access information about their student’s attendance, assignments and news about assignments by opening the new app and then logging into their Parent Portal account from a mobile device,” said Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “Parents will also be able to switch between multiple students attached to their account.”
Any parent, or guardian, who hasn’t already established a Focus Parent Portal account will find instructions on the opening tab of the App. Everyone will be able to use the settings in the App to pick which ECSD news-feeds they want to see on their phone.
“The App will also be great for our local public to download, so they can access our news-feeds on their mobile device,” added Thomas. “The third tab on the app will include icons to quickly open some of our more frequently visited pages on the District’s web site.”
Available in the Apple App Store or on the Google Play Store for Android phones, the ECSD Families App is free.
“When we have important announcements, they will still be available on the ECSD homepage and district Facebook page, but having it on your phone means those news items will be available to you anytime, even if you are away from a computer,” Thomas added. “We are excited to enter the app arena and hope this will be a way for us to communicate quickly with families during an emergency or to share our good news.”
Superintendent Thomas and the ECSD IT department hope to see most families download the ECSD Families App and explore what it has to offer. The district plans to add optional news-feeds and adjust the links as they see which types of information seem to be considered most useful.
Latvala Launches Republican Bid For Governor
August 12, 2017
Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, joined the 2018 race for governor on Friday, filing papers to make his campaign official.
“My papers were filed by 5-year-old Rays fan Cooper Bishop!” Latvala tweeted shortly after noon, including a picture of the smiling boy in a Tampa Bay Rays uniform holding the candidate’s paperwork.
Latvala, 65, chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, is a veteran lawmaker, serving 15 years during two stints in the Senate. He was first elected in 1994 and returned in 2010.
Friday’s announcement was not a surprise. He will formally kick off his campaign on Wednesday, with stops in Hialeah, Clearwater and Panama City.
Since the 2017 session ended, Latvala has been crisscrossing the state, with a meeting this week in Palm Beach County to talk about the opioid crisis and an appearance in Blountstown last week to talk about the need for more economic development in rural regions.
On Friday, Latvala was in Steinhatchee, where he has a home, for another economic roundtable. On Sunday, he will be on a political talk show hosted by an Orlando television station.
“As a small business owner and public servant, I have a track record of getting things done and solving problems,” Latvala said in a statement announcing his Wednesday itinerary. “One thing you can always expect from me too is when I give you my word, I will keep it.”
Latvala’s entry into the governor’s race is likely to complicate the looming 2018 legislative session, which begins in January, as House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, is another potential gubernatorial contender.
Last week in Blountstown, Latvala sharply criticized Corcoran, saying the House’s efforts to overhaul Visit Florida, the state’s tourism marketing agency, were “all about making political points, all about trying to make headlines, trying to raise your name identification, whatever.”
Corcoran defended the legislation as an effort to bring “more transparency and accountability” to the marketing program.
Although Latvala is well known in the populous Tampa Bay region, he has never run in a statewide race and will have to raise his profile across Florida.
An early test will be his ability to raise money. A Latvala-affiliated political committee, known as the “Florida Leadership Committee,” raised $362,154 last month and the committee had about $3.84 million available as of the end of July
But that compares to the more than $12.3 million that Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, the leading candidate in the GOP gubernatorial primary, had on hand through the end of last month.
The Republican field seeking to follow Gov. Rick Scott, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits, is likely to grow more crowded. In addition to Corcoran, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., has said he is interested in the race. A political committee that supports DeSantis had raised nearly $1.3 million through the end of July.
by The News Service of Florida
Milton Day Care Owner Gets Life For Murder Of Toddler
August 12, 2017
A Santa Rosa County daycare owner will spend the rest of her life in prison after being convicted of the first-degree murder of a toddler
In October 2014, 58-year old Thelma Lowery called 911 from her home daycare, Lowery’s Little Angels, in Milton to report that 15-month old Brodie Kent had been put down for a nap and then went into a seizure. She told authorities that he had been hit in the head by wooden block by another child earlier in the day.
Brodie died five days later.
Multiple doctors testified at Lowery’s trial that the injuries were no accident.
Lowery was immediately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Wahoos Lose To Mobile
August 12, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos started the ninth inning ahead, 1-0, and finished it Friday behind the Mobile BayBears, 3-1.
The Blue Wahoos have now lost three straight games and seven of their last eight and plummeted from first place in the Southern League South Division to fourth, four games behind rival Mobile.
Blue Wahoos big righty Deck McGuire treated the 4,416 filling Blue Wahoos Stadium to seven scoreless innings in this third attempt to earn 10 wins for the first time in his seven-year minor league career.
Mobile leads the Southern Division with a 25-22 record in the second half, while Pensacola, which won the first half, dropped to 21-26.
Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino has the top batting average among the four players batting sixth through ninth at .207. As a team, Pensacola is last in the Southern League with a .228 batting average this season.
Kelly said his team is shorthanded with just 11 position players on the roster. Second baseman Shed Long, infielder Angelo Gumbs, first baseman Nick Longhi are all currently on the disabled list. Long is expected back within two weeks.
“(Our players) know we’re shorthanded,” Kelly said. “First, we got to get healthy. We got to get Shed Long back.”
Mobile improved to 2-0 in the five-game series against rival Pensacola and 9-8 this season.
The BayBears scored three runs in the top of the ninth on four straight hits — two singles and two doubles — on Pensacola closer Zack Weiss, who is now 7-10 in save opportunities.
The California Angels No. 3 prospect, first baseman Matt Thaiss, doubled to right field to drive in Mobile shortstop Alberto Triunfel with the tying run, 1-1. Mobile catcher Taylor Ward then doubled on a fly ball over Aquino’s head in right field score both center fielder Brennan Lund and Thaiss to overcome Pensacola, 3-1.
It spoiled McGuire’s stellar outing. He allowed three hits — all singles — and retired 13 batters in a row between the second and seventh inning and 15 of the last 16 batters he faced. This season, he has held the opponent scoreless in seven of his outings and opponents are batting just .207 against McGuire, who has a hard-to-hit slider and curveball combination.
His seven strikeouts gave him 143 this season, which is second in the Southern League.
“He’s been fantastic all year,” Kelly said. “He has a good feel for all his pitches.”
Pensacola’s only run came in the third inning on a missed hit-and-run play. Blue Wahoos center fielder Gabriel Guerrero took off for second but third baseman Nick Senzel struck out.
The throw from BayBears Ward, the catcher, bounced off the glove of BayBears second baseman Jose Rojas and rolled into the outfield, which allowed Pensacola left fielder Brian O’Grady to score for a 1-0 Pensacola lead.