One Killed, Eight Injured When Gunfire Erupts At Atmore Graduation Party
May 18, 2019
One person was killed and eight others were injured when gunfire erupted at a graduation party attended by hundreds of people in Atmore early Saturday morning.
Atmore Police officers could hear the gunfire around the property when they arrived at a community center in the former Escambia County Middle School on Martin Luther King Drive about 2 a.m.
A male gunshot victim was found deceased in the cafeteria of the building, according to Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks.
“Preliminary reports indicate a graduation party was being held in the cafeteria. Witnesses stated a fight broke out between two females. While trying to separate the females, numerous gunshots was fired inside the building hitting several individuals. The unknown suspects fled to the parking lot where several more gunshots were fired striking more victims,” Brooks said.
The eight injured individuals were transported to Atmore Community Hospital for treatment. One of the victims was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Their conditions were not available.
Names and ages of the victims have not been released as Atmore Police continue their investigation.
Any with information is asked to contact the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Bicyclist Struck And Killed By Alleged DUI Driver
May 18, 2019
A man is behind bars for DUI after bicyclist was struck and killed early Saturday morning in Escambia County.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Lathaniel Wayne McGhee, 54, failed to see the bicycle in the center of Ashland Avenue south of Nine Mile Road about 12:38 a.m.
The name of the victim has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
McGhee was booked into the Escambia County Jail on a charge of driving under the influence.
Vehicle Goes Up In Flames After Crashing Into Utility Pole In Cantonment
May 18, 2019
A vehicle burned after it crashed into a utility pole early Saturday morning in Cantonment.
The crash happened about 3 a.m. on Highway 297A near Pinebrook Circle. The vehicle was involved in a fire when first responders arrived on scene. No one was found in the vehicle; at last report the driver had not been located.
The wreck remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
About 100 Gulf Power customers lost electricity at the time of the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Work Begins Monday On $2.4 Million North Highway 99 Resurfacing
May 18, 2019
Work beings Monday to resurface North Highway 99 from Highway 97 in Walnut Hill to the Alabama state line.
Low bidder on the project was Panhandle Grading & Paving at $2.4 million. Other bidders were Roads, Inc. of NWF at $2.6 million and Midsouth Paving at $2.9 million.
The project was planned for 2024-25, but the Escambia County Commission fast tracked the advancement of $1,726,325 available in Local Option Sales Tax to this fiscal year and solicited bids.
The 8.01 mile roadway runs from Highway 97, past Highway 4 in Bratt and continues to the state line. It is a major north-south transportation corridor for the area. In addition to the school buses that serve Bratt Elementary on North Highway 99, buses travel the road twice-daily between Northview High and Ernest Ward Middle schools.
The asphalt is in poor condition due to a high traffic volume, and heavy truck traffic, according to county officials.
The improvements will include repair of road base failures, leveling of existing asphalt, installation of a geogrid over widened joints, paving the entire roadway, and re-striping 12-foot travel lanes.
The project is expected to be completed with 180 days, weather permitting.
Pictured top: North Highway 99 in Bratt near Highway 168. Pictured below: A closer look at asphalt conditions. Pictured below: North Highway 99 at Highway 4 and (bottom) Highway 164. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Governor Signs Florida’s Tougher Texting And Driving Law
May 18, 2019
Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a tougher texting and driving ban.
The bill changes current enforcement of the ban from a secondary offense to a primary offense – enabling law enforcement officers to stop a vehicle solely for texting while driving. Drivers will also be prohibited from using their handheld device while driving in active construction and school zones.
The law goes into effect July 1, but only warnings will be issued until January 1. The first violation of the ban is a non-moving violation, carrying a $30 base fine plus court costs and fees. A second or subsequent violation committed within five years is a moving violation, carrying a $60 base fine plus court costs and fees.
Florida becomes the 45th state to enact a primary enforcement text messaging ban for all drivers.
“Throughout our state, we’ve seen far too many accidents where passengers are killed or severely injured as a result of distracted drivers,” said DeSantis. “This bill gives law enforcement the ability to better enforce distractions behind the wheel. We cannot prevent all accidents on our roadways, but it is our hope that by taking action to address distractions today, we might be able to prevent a tragedy tomorrow.”
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a tougher texting and driving law Friday at Sarasota High School. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Takes On Escambia County In Spring Football (With Gallery)
May 18, 2019
The Northview Chiefs traveled north to take on the Escambia County Blue Devils in Atmore Friday night.
In the first three quarters, the Escambia County varsity team topped Northview 21-12 in the spring game. In the final quarter, the Northview JV beat the ECHS junior varsity 14-0.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Looking ahead to the fall, the Chiefs will travel to Baker for a kickoff classic on August 16 before opening their regular season at home against Lighthouse Christian.
Escambia County will host Wilcox Central on August 30.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sunny And Warm Today, A Little Chance Of Sunday Rain
May 18, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 88. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 87. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 91.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92.
Dedria’s Gift Presents Two Scholarships
May 18, 2019
Two Flomaton High School seniors received scholarships Friday from Dedria’s Gift. The $100 scholarships were presented to Jaiden Salter and Adarius Odom. Dedria’s Gift honors the memory of Dedria Robinson who was killed in a 2005 automobile accident at age 11. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Tips For The Month Of May
May 18, 2019
The Escambia County Master Gardeners offer the following May lawn and garden tips:
- Continue planting summer annuals. Try one or two that you’ve never grown and/or one that is not available in stores as transplants.
- Plant heat-resistant summer flowering annuals such as begonias, impatiens, coleus, salvia, marigolds, torenia, verbena, ornamental peppers and gaillardia.
- Bulbs: Caladium, gladiolus.
- Vegetables: Continue planting warm weather seeds and transplants (Shade those transplants!). Use transplants for cherry tomatoes, eggplant and sweet potatoes. Plant seeds of lima beans, okra, southern peas: purple hull, crowder, etc.
- Prune and shape spring flowering shrubs and trees now. Later pruning may destroy next year’s blooms.
- Good cultural practices help maintain a healthy lawn and discourage insects and disease. Mow with a sharp blade. Centipedegrass should be cut to a height of 1½ to 2 inches. St. Augustinegrass normal growth habit cultivars should be cut to a height of 3 to 4 inches.
- Climbing roses are pruned after they finish blooming. Blooms form on one-year-old canes, so any older ones may be removed to make them more tidy. Cut each flowering stem back to the first five leaflet stem to encourage them to bloom again.Spray with horticultural oil or malathion for mites, scale and white flies, if insects are present, before it gets too hot (85 degrees).
- Yellow leaves on azaleas may mean they need iron. Apply iron sulphate or chelated iron.
- Feed citrus plants using special citrus fertilizer. Broadcast under the tree canopy and water in.
- Begin planting palms while the weather is warm and rainy.
- Make cuttings of azaleas, hollies, camellias, and other choice shrubs as new growth becomes half hardened.
- Take soft wood cuttings to root: alyssum, begonia, chrysanthemum, shrimp plant, dianthus, geranium, hibiscus, hydrangea, etc.
- Dig bulbs after foliage turns brown if they need to be divided or the space is needed for other plants. If the space isn’t needed, braid the foliage.
- Cut back the vines of Irish potatoes when they begin to die but leave the tubers in the ground for about two weeks longer to toughen the skin. Handle the potatoes carefully during digging, as skinned or bruised potatoes decay quickly when stored.
- Divide crowded and vigorously growing perennials.
- Promote continued flowering of bedding plants by removing faded blooms.
- Encourage coleus to branch and produce more colorful leaves by pinching off the flower stalks as they form.
- Prune poinsettias when new growth is 10-12 inches high (back to the last four leaves). Prune new growth at the base throughout the summer.
- Stop pruning after Labor Day.
- Keep roses watered, cut out weak spots, feed every six to eight weeks or at every new flush of growth, dust.
- For insect or disease problems in your garden, use the least toxic control possible.
Escambia Tax Collector First To Offer Speciality License Plate Ordering
May 18, 2019
“We are excited to be the first tax collector’s office in the state to offer this service to our citizens,” Lunsford said. “Online ordering allows a person an easy and convenient way to order the specialty plate of his or her choice without ever having to visit our office.”
“The specialty plate program allows individuals the opportunity to support charitable and environmental organizations with plates that feature unique designs,” Lunsford continued. “By offering online ordering, we are able to provide the opportunity for anyone with access to a computer to participate in supporting the wonderful causes.”
The process is easy. Visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com and click on the “Order Specialty Plate” button on the homepage. Fill in the requested information and submit the form. A tax collector agent will contact the person requesting the specialty plate to verify the information and collect payment. The plate will then be placed in the mail. There are no additional fees when paying by eCheck. When paying with a debit or credit card, a service fee will apply.
Costs will vary depending on if you are in the renewal period for your registration. A new license plate fee, specialty license plate annual use fee, and other applicable fees will apply. Specialty license plates cost a set fee (annually) above the standard Florida license plate. The fees vary based on the type of license plate. These additional funds go to support the cause for which the specialty license plate was designed.