Northview Baseball To Host Coed Softball Tournament

July 24, 2017

The Northview Baseball team will be host a coed softball tournament Saturday, July 29 at Bradbury Park (NWE).

Entry fee is $200 per team and each team must have a minimum of three females. Rules will be based on USSSA rules. This is a two loss elimination tournament, so each team is guaranteed two games.

To participate or donate, call (850) 232-3205.

Pensacola Falls, 4-2, To Montgomery

July 24, 2017

The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored two runs in the second inning and were blanked the rest of the way.

The Montgomery Biscuits came from two runs down to beat Pensacola, 4-2, Sunday at Riverwalk Stadium to capture the series, 3-2.

Pensacola scored its two runs when right fielder Aristides Aquino tripled to center field to drive in left fielder Josh VanMeter to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 1-0. VanMeter hit an infield single to shortstop and stole second base, his 10th of the season, to start the inning.

Blue Wahoos second baseman Shed Long walked putting runners at first and third. Aquino then scored when Montgomery starting pitcher Hunter Adkins made a wild pickoff throw that allowed Aquino to cross the plate to make the score, 2-0.

Montgomery scored one run in the second, third and fourth innings to take a, 3-2, lead. In the second inning, catcher Nick Ciuffo grounded out to allow shortstop Jake Cronenworth to score. In the third inning, Montgomery loaded the bases with two outs, when first baseman Michael Russell hit an infield single to third that brought in left fielder Nathan Lukes. In the fourth inning, Biscuits center fielder Andrew Velazquez hit what turned out to be a game-winning home run, his sixth of the season, to center field that put Montgomery up, 3-2.

Ciuffo padded the Biscuits lead with a homer to start the eighth inning to make it a, 4-2, game.

Meanwhile, the Biscuits pitching staff shut down the Pensacola lineup. The Blue Wahoos never threatened to score over the last seven innings.

Montgomery starter Adkins earned the win to improve his record to 2-2 with a 3.91 ERA. He retired nine of the last 11 batters he faced, giving up two singles. In his five innings of work, he gave up two runs on five hits and one walk and struck out four.

Then Biscuits relievers Yoel Espinal, Kyle Bird and Ian Gibaut took over and allowed just two hits, no walks and struck out three over the last four innings.

Pensacola pitcher Domingo Tapia made his fifth spot start for the Blue Wahoos and earned the loss to drop to 3-6 on the season with a 3.77 ERA.

At the plate, Pensacola was led by Aquino, who was 1-4 with a triple and RBI. Both shortstop Blake Trahan and third baseman Nick Senzel went 2-4.

Missing Beulah Boy Found

July 23, 2017

Update: July 23 6:15 p.m. According to the KlaasKIDS Search Center for Missing & Trafficked Children, Grant Hofberger has been located and is no longer missing.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is search for a missing 13-year old boy from Beulah.

On July 18, after 8 a.m., Grant Hofberger was last seen wearing a blue camo shirt, black jogging pants and toting a grey book bag. Grant was seen riding his black bicycle carrying a sleeping bag and a box of cereal.

It was first believed that Grant may possibly be camping in the Perdido River Wildlife Management area located in Beulah.

Since he was reported missing, the family has received numerous calls of sightings of Grant Hofberger in the Mobile Highway and Beulah Road area.

While this photo is a recent one of Grant, his hair was recently cut very short into a “crew cut” style.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or 911.

Silver Alert Issued For Missing Escambia County Woman

July 23, 2017

THIS MISSING WOMAN WAS LOCATED SAFE.

A Florida Silver Alert has been issued for a missing Escambia County woman.

Mildred Taylor Parker, 88, was last seen in the 7800 block of Apollo Drive in Pensacola, where she was on her way to church.

She was last seen driving a dark blue Toyota Camry with Florida tag number Y24RAN. If you see Mildred Parker call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or 911.

Escambia House Fire Claims One Life

July 23, 2017

Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighters responded to a fire at a single family home in the 4500 block of Havre Way on Sunday, July 23.

An adult male victim was found during the search. The Florida State Fire Marshal and Escambia Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death.

Escambia County Emergency Communications received multiple calls around 7:45 a.m. reporting a structure fire with flames and smoke visible. The first crew arrived on scene at 7:48 a.m. to find flames coming from the year of the home. The fire was called under control at 8:07 a.m. The home was a total loss.

Five adults and one infant were displaced. The American Red Cross has been called in to assist.

Fire officials found no evidence of a working smoke detector. If you do not have a smoke detector in your home and need assistance, both the county and the city have programs to help. For more information, contact Escambia County Fire Rescue at 850-595-HERO (4376). Residents within city of Pensacola limits may call 850-436-5200 for smoke detector installation assistance.

Deidra’s Gift: Free School Supplies Distributed To Hundreds

July 23, 2017

Free backpacks and school supplies were distributed Saturday in Century to hundreds of children in need. The distribution at the Nadine McCaw Park (former Roadside Park) was thanks to a family honoring the memory of one of their own in a program called “Dedria’s Gift”.

The bookbags full of supplies were distributed in memory of Dedria Robinson, who was killed in 2005 in an automobile accident at age 11.

In addition to the annual school supply giveaway, “Dedria’s Gift” visited three area nursing homes and assisted living facilities last Christmas with gifts for less fortunate residents.

And last spring, Dedria’s Gift  presented two scholarships to deserving Northview High School students.

NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.

McCants And Team Win At Wood Bat Classic

July 23, 2017

Torianno (TJ) McCants of Quintette and the East Coast Sox’s 2020 Select won the 15U World Wood Bat Classic held in Cartersville, GA. The tournament hosted over 300 15U wood bat teams from across the United States.

McCants is the starting short stop for the 2020 Select and ended the tournament with a .389 batting average and no fielding errors.

Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

By reader submitted.

FHP Continues Investigation Into Fatal Motorcycle Crash

July 23, 2017

The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing their investigation into a motorcycle crash Friday night that claimed the life of a Tuscaloosa man.

The FHP said 37-year old Thomas Woodrow  of Tuscaloosa and 29-yearold Jonathan White of Northport, AL, were both on motorcycles traveling southbound on I-110 south of Creighton Road when Woodrow attempted to pass White.

Woodrow failed to maintain control of his motorcycle and went partially into the middle lane occupied by White. The handlebars of the motorcycle collided, causing Woodrow to lose control and collide with a concrete barrier and utility poll, ejecting him onto the roadway. Woodrow was pronounced deceased on the scene.

White was not injured.

Any charges are pending the outcome of a traffic homicide investigation, according to FHP.

Weekend Gardening: Distinctly Southern Hydrangeas

July 23, 2017

by Santa Rosa County Extension

Nothing defines a southern landscape more than hydrangeas.

These beautiful, large flowering shrubs fill gardens with their green, leafy foliage and incredible blooms during the warm months.

In order to ensure consistent and reliable blooms, these shrubs must be cared for correctly. In addition to proper site location, fertilizer and moisture conditions, hydrangeas may require pruning. Proper pruning includes correct timing.

Hydrangea aficionados are constantly debating pruning techniques. There are many different types of hydrangeas and pruning differs according to the type. It is a big genus of plants and so it’s important to know what type of hydrangeas you may have and on what type of wood they bloom on.


Blooms on old wood, prune after flowering

The bigleaf hydrangeas, known scientifically as Hydrangea macrophylla, are what most people think of when you mention hydrangeas. Most gardeners will know these as mopheads (also called hortensias) and lacecaps. Many of these blooms will be blue or pink although other colors now are available.

Many large colonies of bigleaf hydrangeas have existed around old homes for decades, surviving and blooming in spite of neglect.  This tells us that it is not necessary to prune bigleaf hydrangeas.

However, if you want to keep these shrubs within a defined boundary, control their height or rejuvenate old shrubs, it will be necessary to prune them.

Bigleaf hydrangeas can be reduced in size immediately after flowering.  A general rule of thumb is that you may remove up to a third of the shrub’s height.  Be sure to complete your pruning before August.  This is critical because next year flower blooms start to form in August.  Pruning after August will remove next year’s blooms.

There now is a small group of bigleaf hydrangeas that are everblooming or remontant.  Endless Summer® is one well-known brand.  According to the developers of these reblooming hydrangeas, remove spent flowers to encourage rebloom.  They are quite forgiving and will not suffer if left unpruned or pruned at the wrong time because these cultivars bloom on both old and new growth.

Our native oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) is a large, deciduous shrub that can grow up to six feet tall.  It has deeply lobed, oak-like leaves which turn bronze in the fall.   This plant does not usually need pruning. If reshaping or size-reduction is necessary, prune after blooms begin to fade.

Article Continues Below Photo

Lacecap hydrangea

Blooms on new wood, prune in early spring

Smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens) is the other U.S. native. The most common cultivar, ‘Annabelle’, produces rounded inflorescences that may reach up to a foot in diameter.

The panicle hydrangea (H. paniculata) is more of an upright type.  It is typically a 10 to 15-foot large shrub or low-branched tree.

Panicle and smooth hydrangeas flower on current year’s growth and can be pruned anytime from late summer until early spring. If pruning these two species in the spring, try to prune before leaves appear.

Winter pruning

Established bigleaf, panicle, oakleaf and smooth hydrangea plants can often benefit from rejuvenation pruning. Remove about one-third of the oldest stems each year.  The result is a fuller, healthier plant. This type of pruning is easiest to do in winter, since the absence of leaves makes it easier to see and reach inside plants.

Hydrangeas offer a wide variety of plants which can make the timing of pruning difficult to remember.  Just keep in mind, if in doubt, either don’t prune at all or prune after flowering.

Molino Church Holds Community Fun Day

July 23, 2017

Aldersgate United Methodist Church held a Community Fun Day Saturday in Molino.

The event included outdoor games and competitions. There was also be an art display, a wood carving demonstration and lessons on how to make bows for gift packages. Lunch was provided.

NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.

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