ECSO: Man Caught With Drugs, Counterfeit Cash At Ensley Walmart
April 23, 2019
An Atmore man is accused of possessing counterfeit money and drugs at an Ensley store.
Bobby Allen Hartley, 34, was charged with possession of counterfeit bills and possession of methamphetamine.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to Walmart in Ensley. That’s where Hartley told deputies they were called on him because he is crazy and due to his race, according to an arrest report. Deputies noted that Hartley appeared to be under the influence of narcotics, was sweating profusely and did “not make any sense as to what he was saying”.
Hartley provided consent to be searched. Deputies reported finding methamphetamine and four counterfeit $100 bills, all with the same serial number.
He remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $11,000.
Jim Allen Elementary Raises $2,284.70 During ‘Pennies For Popsicles’ For Childhood Cancer
April 23, 2019
‘Pennies for Popsicles’ at Jim Allen Elementary School raised $2,284.70 for childhood cancer research.
The following classes won the grade level competition and will get an extra recess with school principals and popsicles:
Pre-K: Mims
Kindergarten: Metcalf
1st: Sigler
2nd: Missy
3rd: West
4th Jernigan
5th: J. Smith
Pictured top: Pennies for Popsicles at Jim Allen Elementary School. Pictured below: Students count the pennies and other change. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local High Schools Begin Spring Football Practice
April 23, 2019
Spring football practice opened Monday for high schools in Florida. It was the first day of preparations for spring jamborees and the path to the first game of fall.
The Tate Aggies will hold their annual Crimson and Gray game and a fish fry on May 10 and will host the Escambia Gators in a spring game on May 17. The 2019 season for the Tate Aggies begins with a Kickoff Classic at Pace on August 16 and the first game of the regular season will be at home against Pensacola High on August 23.
The Northview Chiefs will hold their Garnet and Gold Game on May 11 and spring game on Friday, May 17 at Escambia County High School in Atmore. The fall season begins August 16 with a Kickoff Classic at Baker, and the Chiefs will host Lighthouse Christian for the first game of the regular season on August 23.
Pictured: The first day of spring practice for the Northview Chiefs Monday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Overnight Fog, Partly Sunny Wednesday
April 23, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.
Wednesday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 81. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Showers and thunderstorms. Low around 63. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. West wind around 5 mph becoming north in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 84.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.
Northview Gets Senior Night Win Over Paxton (With Gallery)
April 23, 2019
Northview 2, Paxton 0
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Paxton Lady Cats 2-0 during a Monday Senior Night game in Bratt.
The only two runs in the game came in the bottom of the third for the Chiefs.
Tori Herrington faced 22 batters, striking out five. She was 1-3 with one RBI. Kailyn Watson went 1-3, and Valen Shelly was 1-2 with one RBI.
Before the game, the Lady Chiefs honor seniors Kendall Enfinger, Tori Herrington, Mikayla Jeneske, Aubree Love, Valen Shelly and Lydia Smith.
For a photo gallery, including Senior Night activities, click here.
Paxton 5, Northview 3 (JV)
Paxton defeated the Northview Lady Chiefs 5-3 Monday afternoon.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs beat Paxton 2-0 Monday in Bratt. Pictured below: Northview Lady Chiefs senior Kendall Enfinger, Makayla Jeneske, Aubree Love, Tori Herrington, Valen Shelly and Lydia Smith. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
William A. “Bill” McCann, Sr.
April 23, 2019
Mr. William A. “Bill” McCann, Sr., age 87, passed away Monday, April 22, 2019 in Pensacola, Florida.
Mr. McCann was native and life long resident of North Escambia County, FL. He retired from St. Regis Paper Company with 21 years of service and the insurance industry with over 10 years of service. He was a member of the Byrneville United Methodist Church. He is preceded in death by his parents, Eddie A. and Ada McCann; granddaughter, Chastity McCann Hutchcraft; great grandson, Lane Hutchcraft; brothers, Roger McCann and Bobby McCann and sister, Doris Cassidy.
He is survived by his spouse of 66 years, Ethel McCann of Byrneville, FL; children: daughter, Kathy (Marcus) Caraway; grandchildren, Jeff, Todd and Jessica; son, William A. “Billy” (Debbie) McCann, Jr. of Bryneville, FL; grandson, William A. “Billy” (Dianna) McCann, III of Wesley Chapel, FL; great grandchildren, Autumn McCann and William A. “Liam” McCann, IV; great grandson, Tyler Hutchcraft of Atmore, AL and sister, Louise Nicholson of Pensacola, FL.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 2:00 PM at the Byrneville United Methodist Church with Rev. Chris Hawkins and Rev. Jessie Wood officiating.
Burial will follow at the Byrneville Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, April 24, 2019 from 12:30 PM until service time at 2:00 PM at the Byrneville United Methodist Church.
Pallbearers will be Dale Levins, Joe Johnson, Ronnie Macks, Dave Bashore, Tommy Lee Johnson and Bill Weaver.
DeSantis Asks Trumps For Increase In Hurricane Michael Recovery Aid
April 23, 2019
Gov. Ron DeSantis is requesting an increased federal cost share for Hurricane Michael recovery.
DeSantis sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting an increase in the federal cost share from 75 percent to 90 percent for the remainder of Hurricane Michael recovery. This request follows NOAA’s announcement that Hurricane Michael has been upgraded to a category 5 hurricane – only the fourth category 5 storm to ever impact the United States and the first to impact Florida as a category 5 since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
“I am officially requesting an increase in federal funding for Hurricane Michael recovery from 75 to 90 percent,” said DeSantis. “Since my first full day in office when I visited Northwest Florida, it was clear that the efforts to rebuild and recover were far from over. An increase in the federal share will help Northwest Florida tremendously and I thank President Trump for his previous commitment to fully fund the first 45 days of recovery from this storm. I look forward to continuing to work with the President to ensure Northwest Florida completely recovers.”
“At the Division of Emergency Management, we recognized the devastation this storm caused and took action in January by putting in place new processes and procedures to get funding out as quickly as possible,” said FDEM Director Jared Moskowitz. “I applaud Governor DeSantis for providing leadership and requesting 90 percent federal funding on the same day that Hurricane Michael was upgraded to a Category 5. This increase in federal funding will provide critical savings to Panhandle communities during their recovery.”
Trump has the authority to issue a waiver and increase the federal cost share for hurricane recovery from the standard 75 percent to 90 percent prior to costs reaching the 90 percent threshold. With the recent upgrade of Hurricane Michael to a Category 5, as well as the tremendous amount of debris removal performed since the storm’s impact, the state estimates that this threshold will be met in the future. This change in the federal cost share would save the state and Northwest Florida communities hundreds of millions of dollars.
Escambia Man Gets Life In Prison For Home Invasion Robbery
April 23, 2019
An Escambia County man will spend the rest of his life in prison for a home invasion robbery last year.
Damon Jermaine Forehand, Jr., was sentenced by Circuit Judge W. Joel Boles for home invasion robbery with a firearm and five years state prison for aggravated assault with a firearm as a prison releasee reoffender. There is no parole in Florida so he will actually serve the remainder of his life in prison.
On June 9, 2018, just after midnight, the victim was asleep in his bed with his wife. His newborn son was also in their room. Two other sons were asleep in their own bedroom. Two of the wife’s minor sisters were in the living room. The oldest sister saw three men approaching the house via a security system. Before she could get to her sister’s bedroom, the three men burst through the front door; all three were wearing masks and gloves and carrying a gun. Forehand was one of those men.
Forehand stayed in the living room with the girls. He also told another intruder to go to the dining room and get a box; the second intruder went into the dining room and eventually left the house with the box. The third intruder went to the victim’s bedroom and immediately shot him twice. He then hit the victim in the head with the gun then kicked him in the neck, all while asking, “Where’s it at?” The second intruder came to the bedroom, whispered something into the shooter’s ear, and then walked away. The shooter starting counting down. Before he got to one, he shot the victim several more times, as he was backing away from the room.
The victim later realized the box, which contained approximately four ounces of marijuana, was missing after the intruders left. He also recognized the defendant’s voice during the robbery. The defendant is his nephew. He was one of very few people who had been in the victim’s home since the victim moved in only a few months before the robbery. He was also the only person, other than the victim, who knew where the box was and what was in it.
Forehand has nine prior felony convictions. He is due in court next month in a separate home invasion robbery case.
Wahoos Come Back For 7-4 Win Over Mobile
April 23, 2019
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos overcame a rare deficit in a 7-4 win over the Mobile BayBears on Monday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Brian Schales led the team both offensively and defensively, going 3-4 with a triple, double, single, run batted in, and run scored as well as a collection of impressive defensive plays at third base.
The Blue Wahoos scored first for the 15th time in 18 games this season, using a lead off single by Luis Arraez and subsequent triple by Schales to go up 1-0.
The lead held until the fourth inning behind Twins top pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol. The 20-year-old righty struggled with his control early, walking the first two batters of the game, but he responded with a pair of strikeouts and a pick off to get out of the first.
Graterol added two more strikeouts in the second, flashing 100 miles-per-hour on the radar gun multiple times. After a 1-2-3 third inning, he ran into trouble in the fourth. A one out walk was followed by singles by Bo Way and Roberto Pena and a home run by Brendan Sanger to make it 4-1 in Mobile’s favor.
The Pensacola offense wasted no time responding. In the home half of the inning, Caleb Hamilton dropped a double into centerfield and advanced to third on a single by Tanner English. Taylor Grzelakowski poked a single into left to score Hamilton and make it 4-2. After a walk to Jordan Gore, Arraez single home two to tie the game.
Graterol threw a scoreless fifth, finishing his day with a line of 5.0 innings pitched, four hits, four earned runs, four walks, and six strikeouts on 81 pitches.
The Wahoos put Graterol in line for the win by pushing a run across in the fifth. Schales led off the inning with a double and a Jaylin Davis singled moved him to third. Hamilton then brought him home with a single into right to give Pensacola the 5-4 lead.
Sam Clay entered in the sixth in relief of Graterol and worked himself into and out of jams in both the sixth and seventh inning, allowing two base runners in each frame, but keeping the BayBears from scoring both times.
He ceded to Ryan Mason in the eighth, who struck out a pair in the inning. In the home half of the eighth, the Wahoos added a pair of insurance runs, using a single by English, fielding error, sac bunt, Gore sacrifice fly, and wild pitch to go up 7-4.
Mobile threatened in the ninth, as the first two batters in the inning singled, but Mason induced a double play and a strike out to end the game, preserved the victory, and earn his third save.
Graterol was the winning pitcher for the Wahoos, who improve to a league-best 13-5 on the season. Clay was credited with a hold and Mason got the save. Zac Kelly took the loss for Mobile, allowing three runs (one earned) in four innings of relief of starter Jose Rodriguez (4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 7 K).
Mobile and Pensacola will continue their five-game series at Blue Wahoos Stadium Tuesday.
Escambia County Releases Statement On EMS Investigation
April 22, 2019
Escambia County released the following statement Monday afternoon regarding the ongoing investigation into Escambia County EMS:
Over the past two weeks, the media and residents have asked very appropriate and responsible questions about an ongoing investigation in our EMS Division. It is paramount that Escambia County is responsive to our residents and media partners, and that we meet your expectations for transparency and high-quality service. However, there have been parts of the investigation released that may not tell the whole story. Unfortunately, our inability to respond directly and openly to all questions at this time has left room for rumors and assumptions to be made.
First, it must be said that Escambia County Emergency Medical Service professionals are just that, professionals. They are capable, qualified and committed to the safety and well-being of Escambia County citizens, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on all holidays. In fact, our EMS team passed an unplanned inspection in July 2018 by the Department of Health. Their compliance unit periodically and randomly inspects licensees for compliance with Section 401, Florida Statutes and Chapter 64J-1, Florida Administrative Code. The purpose of the statewide inspection program is to monitor the quality of patient care delivered by each licensed service and appropriately certified personnel. The areas inspected include personnel records, service records and facilities, BLS and ALS vehicles, and equipment tests, and includes a narrative and inspection for corrective action. Escambia County EMS passed this inspection without any deficiencies.
While we are unable to comment about specifics of any ongoing investigation, we can tell you that our own processes through our medical director alerted county leadership to possible training discrepancies and other areas of concern within EMS in 2018. A challenge was finding documentable evidence to bring forward for review. An internal investigation began in January 2019 and then was turned over by the county to the Florida Department of Health with a cover letter from our medical director outlining our concerns, as the scope falls under their jurisdiction and expertise. The assertions and resulting investigation are not tied to any case or external complaint, but the county’s due diligence to ensure that our staff are appropriately trained, certified and following best practices.
Once the investigation has concluded, all documents will be available to the public.
It is important to note that several items that have been brought forward in the media about the investigation were addressed in 2018. The current investigation is to assess if these actions were sufficient or if any additional actions are warranted. Two such actions included the resignation of the EMS chief and restructuring of the Public Safety Department to place EMS under the direction of then Fire Chief Rusty Nail as the current Assistant Public Safety Director.
When Public Safety Director Mike Weaver resigned on April 9, Interim County Administrator Amy Lovoy launched an assessment of EMS to include the entire Public Safety Department by an ombudsman with a public safety background, Janice Kilgore. She was quickly on site and is tasked with:
Assessing the root issues in EMS/Fire that led to the vote of no confidence.
- What is the communication chain for information dissemination both vertically and horizontally within the department?
- What are the cause/causes of the perceived divisiveness and tribalism within the department?
- Is there evidence of retaliation, perceived or real?
- Is the workforce consistently and effectively utilized for their primary missions?
- Is there a climate of favoritism shown by supervisors toward subordinates that negatively impacts the morale of the department?
- Kilgore is not only talented and experienced in public safety and large organization management, but she is also highly ethical, and we look forward to her findings.
Escambia County is committed to investigating all allegations brought forward by staff or residents in any department. While it is frustrating for our residents, media and our own staff that the details of this investigation cannot yet be released as it is ongoing, it is very important to remember that it is premature and simply unfair to judge public safety employees until the investigation is completed by FDOH.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
