Third Earthquake In A Week Strikes Tuesday Night In Flomaton
March 13, 2019
The third earthquake in the North Escambia area this in the past week occurred Tuesday night in the town of Flomaton.
The magnitude 2.3 earthquake was centered near Highway 31 and Hillview Drive about 8:26 p.m. and was centered about three miles deep, according to the USGS.
NorthEscambia.com received reports from residents across the Flomaton, Century and Jay area from residents who felt the ground shake. According to the USGS, a magnitude 1-3 earthquake is usually felt by only a very few people “except under favorable conditions”.
A magnitude 3.1 earthquake was reported just outside Flomaton Monday afternoon. It occurred three miles north-northeast of Flomaton near Old Fannie Road and Welka Road at 1:36 p.m. The epicenter was about three miles deep.
A smaller 2.7 earthquake occurred the night of March 6 between Century and Jay. The epicenter was near the intersection of Nelsontown Road and Shell Road.
There were no damage reports from the earthquakes.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the North Escambia area sits on the Bahamas Fracture Seismic Zone (the BSZ). Several earthquakes have occurred along this zone in recent years, but most are too weak to be felt by residents. A significant earthquake is not considered likely in the area.
NorthEscambia.com graphics.
Clouds Today, Rain For Thursday
March 13, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Thursday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Showers likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. North wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. North wind around 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Tate Grad Returns To Explain Meteorology To Students
March 13, 2019
Tate High School students learned about the weather and a careers in meteorology from a Tate graduate.
Cantonment native Alexandra Kent visited Stephanie Price’s class Monday. She works as a weekend meteorologist for Delta News, a group of television stations in the Mississippi Delta.
Kent told the students that she wanted to be meteorologist since elementary school, and that desire was fueled by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and a tornado outbreak in April 2011.
She will graduate from Mississippi State this May with a degree in meteorology degree at Mississippi State. She plans to work at a news station and pursue her master’s degree.
Kent graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2014 from Tate High School where she was a member of the Multimedia Academy. She also attended Ransom Middle School and Pine Meadow Elementary, and volunteered at Escambia Westgate.
Pictured top: Meteorologist Alexandra Kent talks about the weather at Tate High School. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour. Pictured below: Kent on camera for Delta News.
Atmore Reports Large Sewage Spill Into Creek Near Prisons
March 13, 2019
The Atmore Utilities Board is reporting a large sewage spill into a creek.
A lift station for the Fountain and Holman correctional facilities spilled between 75,000 and 100,000 gallons of raw sewage into Wet Weather Creek, according to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. The spill was due to a large amount of heavy rain in a short period of time Monday morning.
Area Mourns Loss Of Newspaper Founder, Columnist, Educator McGill
March 13, 2019
A man involved in local media and education passed away on Sunday, March 10. Lowell Stephen “Gingerboy” McGill, Sr., was 84.
A native of Perdido, AL, he had resided in Atmore of the last 62 years.
McGill founded The Tri-Ledger in 1971 and operated The Atmore News Journal in the early 1980s. He also wrote a historical column for The Atmore Advance, where he ended with the quote “It always whispers to me…those days of long ago”. He also worked as a DJ at WATM radio in Atmore and was the voice of the Escambia County High School Blue Devils.
McGill taught school in Bratt and Century, and was principal of the school in McCullough.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ouida Troutman McGill and numerous other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Brooks Memorial Baptist Church in Atmore.
Northview, Jay, Central Students Picked For Washington Youth Tour
March 13, 2019
Keaton Brown of Northview High School, Hannah Morris of Jay High School and Kylie Schwarz of Central High School have been name winners of the Escambia River Electric Cooperative 2019 Youth Tour to Washington contest.
Judges from PowerSouth Energy Cooperative in Andalusia, AL, and Southern Pine Electric Cooperative in Brewton, AL, scored contestants in their interviews based on their knowledge of Escambia River Electric Cooperative and the history of rural electrification. Personal attributes of each candidate such as character, academic ability, personality and leadership skills were also considered.
Brown, Morris and Schwarz will represent EREC on the Washington Youth Tour in June. They will also have the chance to see the sites, learn about the nation’s capital, rural electrification and more.
Tate Aggies Blank PHS; Clary Hits A Grand Slam, Tolbert Homers
March 13, 2019
The Tate High Aggies shut out Pensacola High Tuesday night 19-0 in five innings.
Tate’s Will Clary knocked a grand slam in the fifth inning, and Chase Tolbert hit a two-run homer in the fourth.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Jordan Jarman earned the win for the Aggies. He went four innings with no runs, no walks and striking out five. Ethan George threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen.
Raymond Lafleur, Darrien Mcdowell, Kaden King and Hunter McLean doubled for Tate.
The Aggies will be at Pensacola Catholic on Thursday.
Pictured: Will Clary (top) hit a grand slam for the Tate Aggies Tuesday night against PHS, and Chase Tolbert (below) had a two-run homer. Photos by Crystal Tolbert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Alabama 10 Cent Gas Tax Increase Signed Into Law
March 13, 2019
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a 10-cent gas tax increase into law Tuesday, about two hours after it received final legislative approval.
A six cent increase will go into effect on September 1. There will be another two cent increase in 2020, and another two cents in 2021.
New revenue generated by the increase will be dispersed between state, county, and municipal governments in Alabama. These funds are to be used for transportation infrastructure improvement, preservation and maintenance projects. A separate portion of the revenues will go to pay a bond to be issued to finance improvements to the ship channel providing access to the facilities of the Alabama State Docks.
Pictured: Regular unleaded gas was $2.25 a gallon Tuesday in Atmore as Gov. Kay Ivey signed an Alabama gas tax increase into law (pictured below). NorthEscambia.com and courtesy photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Beats Jay; Navarre Tops Tate
March 13, 2019
Northview 3, Jay 1
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Jay Royals 3-1 Tuesday in Jay.
For at Northview at Jay photo gallery, click here.
Tori Herrington earned the win for Northview, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out eight in seven innings.
Valen Shelley led the Chiefs at the plate, going 3-3 with 2 RBIs. Also for Northview: Herrington 2-4; Aubree Love 1-4, R; Ashley Ragsdale 1-4.
The Northview Chiefs will be at Freeport on Thursday.
Navarre 4, Tate 1
The Tate High School Lady Aggies fell behind early and could not recover in a 4-1 loss to Navarre on Tuesday.
Navarre took a 2-0 lead in the first with a two-run homer.
Avery Beauchaine homered in the second inning. Hannah Halfacre and Ryleigh Cawby also had hits for Tate. Beauchaine took the loss for Lady Aggies. She surrendered four runs on six hits over five innings, striking out three and walking zero.
The Aggies will be at Escambia on Thursday afternoon. The junior varsity plays at 4:30, and the varsity takes the field at 6:30.
Pictured: Northvew defeats Jay. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pine Forest Wins 16-3 over defending MS 3A State Champs St Andrews
March 13, 2019
Pine Forest 16, St. Andrews Episcopal (MS)
The Pine Forest Eagles beat defending Mississippi 3A state champion St Andrews Episcopal 16-3 on Tuesday.
Tekoah Roby drive in four on three hits to lead the Eagles. Pine Forest pulled away for good in the second inning with six runs.
Nolan Rigby got the win for Pine Forest Eagles. He lasted three innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out one. Jared Riddell and Timmy Williams entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief.
Pine Forest had two home runs in the second. Jason Roberts had a solo homer in the second, and Roby drove in a home run.
Roby, Roberts, Pinette, Rhett Hardy, and Christian Munoz each had multiple hits for Pine Forest Eagles