Escambia County Man Arrested For Terrorism
September 29, 2018
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has arrested an Escambia County man for terrorism.
Kelyton Maxwell, 32, was arrested Friday for terrorism, a charge of threat to throw, project, place or discharge any destructive device, and a charge of false reports concerning planting a bomb, explosive, or weapon of mass destruction in, or committing arson against, state-owned property, or concerning the use of firearms in a violent manner.
In May, FDLE agents began to investigate multiple telephone calls to the Escambia County Courthouse, the county’s 911 call centers and the Pensacola Police Department threatening the detonation of explosive devices inside and outside the building. A call was also received regarding a threat to conduct a mass shooting at an elementary school in Escambia County. The investigation revealed that Maxwell had placed all of the telephone threats, according to FDLE.
Maxwell was booked into the Escambia County Jail where he was being held with bond set $150,000.
Cristofoletti Named Molino Park Teacher Of The Year
September 29, 2018
Helen Cristofoletti has been named the Molino Park Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Cristofoletti teacher kindergarten at Molino Park. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
EPA Approves $292 Million Restore Act Funding For Escambia County
September 29, 2018
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, serving as Chair of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, approved the Florida State Expenditure Plan Thursday, Sept. 27, to the State of Florida and the Florida Gulf Consortium, which will direct $292 million in Component 3 Restore Act funds to 69 diverse environmental and economic projects and programs in 23 Florida Gulf of Mexico counties, including Escambia County.
This allows the Gulf Consortium to begin submitting project applications for the 69 projects identified in the plan. Escambia County has one project in the plan, the implementation of the Bayou Chico Contaminated Sediment Remediation Project. Funding from the plan was divided equally between the 23 counties.
The approval is based on findings that the SEP is complete and meets all requirements contained in the Restore Act, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s implementing regulations, and the council’s SEP Guidelines.
Escambia County District 4 Commissioner Grover Robinson, who serves as the Gulf Consortium’s Chairman, remarked on the importance of yesterday’s events by saying, “We are very excited about the approval of the Florida State Expenditure plan. This is a culmination of five years of work and cooperation with and between federal, state and local governments. The ambitious plan implements environmental restoration projects across 23 counties from the Perdido River in my county of Escambia to Key West in Monroe County. I am incredibly proud of the work that has been done and the goals that will be accomplished to make Florida better. I’d like to thank everyone who participated in this endeavor, which will benefit all Floridians.”
The Gulf Consortium is a public entity created in October 2012 by Inter-local Agreement among Florida’s 23 Gulf Coast counties, from Escambia County to Monroe County. The counties formed the consortium to meet requirements of the Restore Act to develop a State Expenditure Plan for economic and environmental recovery following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Tate Powers To District Win Over Washington (With Photo Gallery)
September 29, 2018
The Tate Aggies knocked off the Washington Wildcats 30-27 in an all important District 1-6A game Friday night.
The Aggies were on the board first with a 40-yard field goal from junior Matthew Johnson with 3:20 remaining in the first.
Senior Julian Robinson was in for the Wildcats with a 79-yard touchdown run to put WHS up 7-3. Robinson was in again from 14 yards out in the second to make it 14-3.
After a Patrick Palmer touchdown, the Aggies were back on top 14-13 at the half.
In the third, Robinson found the goal line again to send the Wildcats back to the top 20-14.
Following an Aggie Field goal, Palmer was in from across midfield to give Tate the lead once again, 23-20. Tate stretched their lead to 30-20. before Johnson scored again to set the final score at 30-27.
The Aggies (2-4, 1-0) are open next Friday night and will host Escambia (4-1, 0-1) on October 12.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos by Jennifer Repine for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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Friday Night Football Finals
September 29, 2018
Here are North Escambia area high school football scores:
FLORIDA
- Tate 30, Washington 27 [Read more...]
- Baker 35, Jay 0
- Pine Forest 29, Escambia 14
- Pensacola 39, Panama City Bay 7
- American Heritage 34, Pensacola Catholic 30
- Navarre 49, Pace 23
- Gulf Breeze 38, Milton 14
- Northview – OPEN
- West Florida -OPEN
ALABAMA
- Flomaton 28, Escambia County (Atmore) 14
- Bessemer Academy 31, Escambia Academy 7
- T.R. Miller 14, Hillcrest Evergreen 0
Photo by Jennifer Repine for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mary Rice Guilty On All Charges, Including First Degree Murder
September 28, 2018
Mary Rice has been found guilty on all charges against her in her crime spree with Bill Boyette, Jr., including murder and accessory after the fact. She was sentenced to life in prison on a charge of first degree murder, plus consecutive 30 years terms for accessory after the fact in two other homicides.
She was convicted of first degree murder for the death of Kayla Crocker in Beulah and accessory after the fact for the homicides of Alicia Greer and Jacqueline Moore at the Emerald Sands Inn in Santa Rosa County. Crocker, a 2006 Tate High School graduate, was found by her mother on February 6, 2017, with a gunshot wound to her head.
Rice was arrested after surrendering peacefully at Georgia hotel. She was an accomplice of quadruple murder suspect William “Billy” Boyette, who took his own life in Georgia rather than surrendering to authorities.
Rice also faces a capital murder charge from Baldwin County for the murder of Peggy Broz.
Pictured top: Mary Rice in court, courtesy Jason Robbins, WEAR 3. Pictured below: The scene at the home of Kayla Crocker in Beulah shortly after her 2017 murder. NorthEscambia.com photos.
ECUA Raises Water And Sewer Rates; Garbage Rates Are Next
September 28, 2018
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority board voted to raise rates for water and sewer customers Thursday, and they took the first step toward a sanitation rate increase.
Water and Sewer Rate Increase
ECUA water and sewer rates will increase by 4 percent effective Monday. That translates to $1.02 per month for the average water customer consuming 6,000 gallons per month. The proposed increase of four percent would equate to an increase of $1.31 per month at the average 4,600 gallons level of sewer usage. The current average ECUA user pays $26.58 for water and $32.93 for sewage.
Sanitation Rate Increase
On a motion by District 5 representative Larry Walker, the ECUA board reversed course on a sanitation rate increase. They voted against such a raise in July, but after learning sanitation reserves are depleted the board voted 3-2 to raise garbage collection rates by 5 percent and add a $1.50 per month capital improvement fee to each customer’s bill. That will raise a residential customer’s sanitation bill by 87 cents, plus the $1.50 fee, for a total monthly cost of $24.75, while the average commercial customers will see a $3.42 increase, plus the $1.50 capital improvement fee.
The capital improvement fee will be used in a plan to replace 10 aging collection trucks per year over the next eight years.
ECUA does offer a reduced senior citizens lifeline rates for garbage collection in a smaller 40-gallon container. The program’s $10.66 monthly cost will increase to $12.50 per month with the rate hike.
The sanitation rate increase will heard back to the board for a public hearing and final vote on October 25.
Both rate increase proposals passed on a 3-2 vote, with Dale Perkins and Vicki Campbell casting the dissenting votes.
Another Day Of Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
September 28, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. East wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.
Highway 29 Resurfacing Project Is Now Complete
September 28, 2018
A $5.25 million Highway 29 resurfacing project from Cantonment south is now complete.
The improvement included resurfacing a 5.3 mile section of the four-lane roadway southward from Muscogee Road, drainage improvements, traffic signal upgrades at West 10 Mile Road and East Kinsgfield Road, new signage, pavement striping, and reflective pavement markers.
“The newly resurfaced roadway provides maximum benefit to the traveling public by enhancing the safety of the roadway and improving the ride comfort of the road surface,” according to Tanya Branton, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation.
Pictured: Resurfacing work earlier this year on Highway 29. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Feeds Florence Victims
September 28, 2018
Florida has provided more than 180,000 pounds of fruits, vegetables, meats and grains to victims of Hurricane Florence in North Carolina, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam announced Thursday.
Putnam’s state Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services’ Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness provided more than 122,000 pounds of fruits, vegetables and juice; nearly 46,000 pounds of meat, poultry and fish; and more than 12,000 pounds of whole grains and pasta, the agency said in a press release Thursday.
Delivery of the food to disaster relief sites and shelters set up for the storm, which made landfall south of Wrightsville Beach on September 14 was coordinated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to Putnam’s office. North Carolina officials blame 36 deaths on the storm, which caused catastrophic flooding.