Construction Workers Hit Gas Line Near Beulah Elementary
August 26, 2017
Construction workers hit a one and three-quarter inch natural gas line Saturday morning near Beulah Elementary School. Woodside Road between Mobile Highway and Helms Road was closed as repairs were made. There were no injuries reported. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Troopers Identify Pedestrian Killed On Quintette Road
August 26, 2017
The victim of a fatal crash early Thursday morning on Quinette Road has been identified.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 17-year old Robert Joshua Krohn of Pensacola was struck and killed on Quintette Road just after 2:00 a.m. Troopers still don’t know why he was in the roadway.
According to FHP, a 2007 Toyota Cruiser driven by Trenton Rhodes was traveling west on Quintette Road just off Highway 95A when he struck Krohn. He was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he later passed away.
No charges have been filed.
The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
One Injured When Pickup Hits Tree
August 26, 2017
One person was injured in a single vehicle crash early Saturday morning on Beulah Road.
The driver of a GMC Sierra lost control on Beulah Road near Muscogee Road and hit a tree about 12:30 a.m. He was transported to an area hospital by private vehicle with injuries that were not considered life threatening. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Northview Beats Blacksher
August 26, 2017
The Northview Chiefs opened their 2017 regular season at home with a 14-7 win over the J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs.
“It was a hard fought physical game. Two physical football teams, two disciplined football teams, two hard-nosed football teams,” Northview head coach Dereck Marshman said. “It really came down to we just had a six minute ball possession drive. Defense played lights out, offense was just a step or two away from really blowing this thing out. We had a touchdown on a string and it was out of his hands and they picked it off and returned it and that’s what they scored on. We had two hard-nosed football teams, two physical football teams, two young football teams that fought to the end.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Marshman said he was mostly pleased with Northview’s performance Friday night in Bratt.
“I think (we need to improve on) just execution of little things, like I said we dropped a pass, we ran wrong a couple of times, but overall we’ve just got to continue improving each week on all our positions.”
After a back and forth battle the teams remained scoreless until the second quarter when the Chiefs scored on a four-yard run from Seth Killam. With a 2-point conversion pass to Tim Bush, Northview was up 8-0 heading into half time.
Then with 3:33 to go in the third quarter, Killiam was in from 33 yards out to make it 14-0. Blacksher answered with a touchdown for a 14-7 score. The Chiefs ended the game with a drive that lasted just over six minutes to end the game.
Next week at 7:00, the Northview Chiefs will host the Escambia Academy Cougars from just up the road in Canoe, AL.
“Next week is going to be a big game, Marshman said. “I haven’t really thought about it yet. They run a good program over there. It’s going to be challenging. They have great skilled athletes so we will have to see how we respond to that.”
For a photo gallery, click here. Cheerleader and band photos will be published by Monday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Arrested For Crystal Meth In State Line Traffic Stop
August 26, 2017
A Flomaton woman was arrested by Alabama deputies on meth charges after a traffic stop just north of the Florida line.
Bethanie Cash Ward, 40, was charged with possession of a controlled substance methamphetamine and possession of a controlled substance. She was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center and later released on a $5,000 bond.
Deputies assigned to the Escambia Co. Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit stopped Cash’s BMW on Old Atmore Road after she crossed the center line. She provided deputies with consent to search her vehicle.
During the vehicle search, deputies reported finding two packages of what field tested positive for crystal methamphetamine, according to a report.
A Texas Size Storm: Category 4 Harvey Makes Landfall (With Local Forecast)
August 26, 2017
Hurricane Harvey made landfall as a Category 4 MAJOR HURRICANE across southeast Texas on Friday evening. Locally – Expect increased long period swell from Harvey will bring an increasing risk of rip currents lasting through at least the weekend for coastal Alabama and northwest Florida beaches. There is also the potential for heavy rain and severe weather next week, but this will be highly dependent on the eventual track of Harvey.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 84. East wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 70. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 84. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86.
New Escambia County Mass Transit Director Named
August 26, 2017
Mike Crittenden has been selected to serve as the county’s mass transit director. The newly created internal position reports to the county administrator and is responsible for overseeing the operation of the Escambia County Area Transit System, or ECAT, and paratransit systems. Crittenden has over three decades of transportation experience in the public and private sectors in the areas of fleet operations, logistics, project management and transportation research. His start date is immediate.
“I’m very excited to be back working for Escambia County residents.” Crittenden continued, “I am looking forward to collaborating with our elected officials, community leaders, stakeholders, customers and employees to improve ECAT and paratransit’s overall operating efficiency.”
In his most recent position, Crittenden was employed with First Transit where he served in several roles over 17 years including region director of operations for the southeast and general manager of ECAT. Prior, he held senior management positions with Destiny Transportation Group, Jacksonville Transportation Authority and the Center for Urban Transportation Research. He holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Alabama State University and a Transportation and Logistics Management Certificate from the United States Air Force Technical Training Center.
Four candidates were interviewed by the selection committee which consisted of County Administrator Jack Brown, Assistant County Administrator Amy Lovoy and Citrus Connect Executive Director Tom Phillips.
Tate Aggies Roll Over Choctaw
August 26, 2017
The Tate Aggies beat Choctaw on the road Friday night, 49-21.
Choctaw took an early 7-0 lead with a touchdown on their opening drive. But the Aggies answered quickly with a touchdown from Shermari Jones to make it 7-7.
Junior quarterback Hunter Riggan found Alex Jones with a touchdown pass from near midfield, 14-7 Aggies. After another TD for a 21-7 score, Riggan was in on a QB-keeper for a 28-7 Aggie advantage. Tate advanced to 35-7 with a touchdown pass to senior Alex Young.
Up 42-21 at the half, Tate pulled most starters out in the second half as they went on to earn a solid 49-21 win.
Riggan had 252 offensive yards in the first half with 71 rushing for two touchdowns and 181 yards in the air for two more touchdowns.
The Aggies (1-0) will take on West Florida next Friday night at 7:00 at the Jaguars’ home turf at Woodham Middle School.
High School Football Scores
August 26, 2017
Here are area high school football scores:
Thursday, August 24
West Florida 42 Escambia 20
Friday, August 25
FLORIDA
Northview 14 J.U. Blacksher 7 [Read more...]
Tate 49 Choctaw 21 [Read more...]
Flomaton 36 Jay 7
Pine Forest 41, Pensacola 0
Washington 46, Milton 25
Navarre 56, Catholic 35
Gulf Breeze 36, Pascagoula 0
Fort Walton Beach 31, Pace 27
ALABAMA
Flomaton 36 Jay 7
B.C. Rain (Mobile) 34 Escambia County (Atmore) 18
Escambia Academy 42 Resurrection Catholic 21
TR Miller 41 Washington County 0
WS Neal 21 South Choctaw 6
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Robert Greg Evers
August 26, 2017
Senator Robert G. “Greg” Evers, of Baker, passed away on Tuesday, August 22, 2017. Evers served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2001 to 2010 and in the Florida Senate from 2010 to 2016. He was known for being an unwavering Second Amendment advocate, supporter of smaller government and a legislative champion for law enforcement, first responders and veterans. His distinguished legislative career was marked by his common sense and “get it done” approach.
A fifth-generation northwest Floridian, Greg’s roots ran deep in north Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties. He was born in Milton on June 16, 1955, to high school sweethearts John Robert Evers and Rhanalda Jequita Holley Evers. He grew up on the family farm in Munson. Greg graduated from Jay High School in 1973, where he lettered in multiple sports and served as a statewide Vice-President for the Future Farmers of America; he later attended Pensacola Junior College. He was a lifelong member of Beaver Creek Baptist Church and a long-time member of the Beaver Creek Masonic Lodge No. 230.
Evers’ primary career was as a farmer, growing cotton, peanuts, soybeans and wheat. He also took over the Baker Farm Center upon his parents retirement and moved it to its current location. In 1991, Greg decided he wanted to learn to grow strawberries and Akers of Strawberries was born. He quickly nurtured his strawberry business from a shed to the largest u-pick strawberry patch north of Plant City. The flourishing of this enterprise became the highlight of his farming career; Greg absolutely loved watching families pick his berries and enjoy frozen yogurt and his “almost famous” strawberry shortcake.
Evers was known for his infectious smile, southern charm and perfect strawberries. His vast knowledge of agriculture combined with his steady demeanor and signature use of “sugar” as a greeting with his friends made him a magnetic force.
Evers loved his community and consistently found opportunities to contribute. He served as a member of the Milton Rotary Club, Crestview Lion’s Club, Okaloosa County Farm Service Agency, President of the Okaloosa County Farm Bureau, and Chairman of the Yellow River Soil & Water Conservation District.
Evers is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Leonard and Clyde Peaden Evers, his maternal grandparents William Thomas and Thelma Renfroe Holley, and his brother Thomas Jeffrey Evers.
Evers is survived by his parents, John and Jequita Evers; wife, Lori Weems Evers; children, Stephanie (Anthony) Barlow, Jennifer (Kendal) Wallace, and Robert (Marley) Evers; grandchildren, Alli, Rex, and Reece; brother, Eric (Michelle) Evers; sister, Kay (Tom) Dawson; nephews, Kyle (Lindi) and Christopher and niece, Kaylee; and great-nephew, Grayson.
Visitation will be held on Monday, August 28, 2017, from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Milton. Funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church of Milton on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, beginning at 1 p.m. Evers will be laid to rest at Beaver Creek Baptist Church.
Greg’s deepest wish was that his legacy of service continue for future generations. In honor of this wish, the Evers family asks that,in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Greg Evers Florida’s Heroes Memorial Fund at www.eversmemorialfund.com. The fund is used to provide education scholarships to the children of Florida law enforcement and fire rescue personnel who have fallen in the line of duty.