Homers From Bleday, Conine Not Enough As Wahoos Lose 6-5 To Biscuits
July 25, 2021
Down by two in the bottom of the ninth, Chris Betts smacked a three-run, walk-off home run against Andrew McInvale (L, 1-2) to give the Biscuits an unexpected 6-5 win Saturday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
Leading 5-3, McInvale was brought into the ninth to try and secure his first save of the year. Instead, it was evident the right-hander was struggling to find command of his fastball. After back-to-back walks, he fell behind Betts 3-0 before eventually surrendering an opposite field homer, giving the Biscuits their ninth win in 10 games.
For Pensacola, it was arguably their best performance of the series. Jeff Lindgren was excellent in his five innings of work. He allowed just one run on three hits while walking only two. He also snapped a streak of eight consecutive starts in which he allowed at least one home run.
Offensively, after a dormant showing in the series, the Wahoos managed to attack Biscuit starter Peyton Battenfield and take the lead early. After Nick Fortes laced a two-out double in the bottom of the fourth, Griffin Conine belted an opposite field homer—his 24th on the season—for his first career Double-A home run.
After Montgomery scored in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead down to 2-1, Pensacola tacked on two more runs in the sixth. With the bases loaded and newly acquired reliever Calvin Faucher on the mound for Montgomery, J.D. Osborne blooped a two-run single to left to score Peyton Burdick and JJ Bleday. Faucher was part of the Nelson Cruz trade earlier in the week.
The Biscuits rallied in the bottom of the seventh for a pair of runs against Dylan Bice. With runners on first and second and two outs, Ford Proctor singled sharply to right. Niko Hulsizer blew past the stop sign from his manager, but still scored because Conine’s throw from right sailed over Fortes and Bice backing up the play. Cal Stevenson also tried to score on the play and was initially ruled out; however, but later called safe due to interference from third baseman Connor Justus. Once the dust settled, Montgomery trailed 4-3.
The Wahoos got one run back thanks to Bleday’s solo blast off Ivan Pelaez (W, 6-5) in the top of the eighth. For Bleday it was his eighth homer of the season and his second in four days. Unfortunately for the Wahoos, the two-run lead was not enough as the Biscuits collected their sixth walk-off win of the season.
The series concludes afternoon.
Johanna Laws
July 25, 2021
Ms. Johanna Laws, age 68, passed away on Thursday, July 15, 2021 in Pensacola, FL.
Ms. Laws was a resident of Brewton, AL; but had lived in the Bratt, Fl. area for over twenty years. She was a nurse that worked at Atmore Nursing Center for a number of years.
She is preceded in death by her parents, George and Mossie Laws, sister, Carolyn Faktor, two brothers, Roger Laws and David Laws.
She is survived by two brothers, Jimmy Laws of South Carolina and George (Susie) Laws of Los Angeles, CA.
Graveside services will be held Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Crabtree Church Cemetery.
Escambia Inks Agreement For Medical Helicopters With A Goal Of The Fastest Response
July 24, 2021
Escambia County has entered into a “first call agreement” for medical helicopter service that is designed to make sure the closest helicopter is dispatched to a scene.
The no cost agreement between Escambia County and Med-Trans Corporation, which operates ShandsCair, will allow the county to contact ShandsCair first as its preferred medical helicopter transport. ShandsCair will then dispatch the closest medical helicopter, whether it be ShandsCair from Milton, LifeFlight from Pensacola, or Air Care from Atmore.
“We’ve been doing it for a year and a half, and it’s been working very well,” interim Escambia County Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore said. “And we have been getting the closest helo to the site.” Since October 2020, LifeFlight has been responded 379 times to calls in Escambia County, ShandsCair 113 times and AirCare 16 times under the plan without the formal contract in place.
Zachary Nicholson, the regional development manager for ShandsCair, said when Escambia County calls for a medical helicopter, it goes to ShandsCair’’s dispatch center in Gainesville.
“One (dispatcher) is calling and checking with the other company as far as who is the closest, while the other is checking with the other three aircraft that we have in our assets. So it actually is streamlining and taking that workload off Escambia County dispatchers,” Nicholson said. “We are actually saving time and that’s where our citizens benefit. Every second counts.”
But LifeFlight’s parent company Air Methods is concerned their helicopter might not always be called when appropriate.
“The terms of the agreement is not at all how it is being portrayed to the local media and to commissioners,” said Tony Fleming on behalf of LifeFlight “This agreement is not a dispatch agreement with Shands or the University of Florida. The contract is with Med-Trans, which is also a private company that is a vendor of ShandsCair. The agreement is not dispatch at all. The agreement provides for Med-Trans aircraft to be dispatched first, and other aircraft only when suitable.”
“We are concerned about this because if this is enacted in present form, Baptist LifeFlight legally doesn’t have to be dispatched even if we are the closest, most appropriate aircraft. That is a disservice to the citizens of this county who find themselves in a medical emergency,” Fleming said. “The worst part is patients will never know if they suffer a negative outcome due to a delay in dispatch, according to what is legally allowable under the terms of this contract agreement as currently written.”
“I can put fear in anybody and tell you it is going to be bad if we don’t do this or we don’t do that,” Gilmore said in response. “The bottom line is we are trying to get the right helicopter, the closest helicopter to the scene.”
“I’ve been on the scene in the north of this county waiting for LifeFlight to come to the scene 22 minutes when I’ve got a helicopter in Atmore, Alabama, four minutes away,” he said. “Since we’ve done first call, my north end crews have to hustle to get to the scene to get ready to land the bird because it is coming at a (faster) rate that LifeFlight.”
“At the end of the day I just want the closest helicopter,” he said.
Commissioner Doug Underhill said he and his wife Wendy just bought a farm in Escambia County, Florida, just south of Atmore.
“If I am working on that farm and get injured, I want a helo coming out of Atmore,” Underhill said. “I don’t want to wait for one to fly up from here (Pensacola). It’s personal for me because it is there.”
The Escambia County Commission unanimously approved the first call agreement. It will be scrutinized at least quarterly to make sure it is working as intended.
Pictured top: ShandsCair responds to a wreck near Northview High School in Bratt. Pictured inset above: LifeFlight lands at a Highway 29 traffic crash south of Century. Pictured below: MedStar Air Care 2 from Atmore, Alabama, responds to a traffic accident on Rockaway Creek Road in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Hot And Steamy Weekend, With A Few Storms
July 24, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. North wind around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 105. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 92. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming west after midnight.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming west after midnight.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Escambia Crash Claims One Life; FHP Says Charges Are Pending
July 24, 2021
A head-on crash Friday afternoon on Perdido Key claimed one life, and the Florida Highway Patrol says charges are pending.
A white sedan driven by a 20-year old Pensacola man was traveling west on Perdido Key Drive when it crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a white truck driven by a 37-year old Georgia man.
A male passenger in the sedan was pronounced deceased at Baptist Hospital. The driver of the sedan was transported to Baptist Hospital with serious injuries, while the driver of the truck suffered minor injuries.
FHP is continuing their investigation, but troopers said charges are pending. They have not provided any additional information.
Escambia Reports 757 New COVID-19 Cases In Last Week
July 24, 2021
There were 757 new COVID-19 cases reported Escambia County over the last week by the Florida Department of Health. That’s compared to 390 new positives reported in the week prior.
FDOH has moved from daily to weekly reports and removed the COVID-19 dashboard. The state is now releasing a weekly report with local data limited only to number of cases and positivity rate; the number of deaths by county or cases by local cities and communities has been removed.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 34,610 (+757)
Positivity Rate Last Week: 19.9%
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 19436 (+441)
Positivity Rate Last Week: 23.2%
Statewide cases:
Florida resident cases: 2,479,975 (+73,199)
Case positivity rate: 17.3%
Deaths: 38,670 (+78)
Escambia County 2021 Youth Employment Participants Recognized
July 24, 2021
Escambia County’s Youth Employment Program participants were recognized Friday.
The Youth Employment Program gave approximately 100 youth the opportunity to get paid work experience in various county departments, including Animal Services, Building Services, Engineering/Traffic, Parks and Recreation, Public Safety and more.
“The goal of this program is to give hope and opportunity to young people,” said District 3 Commissioner Lumon May. “This program provides such a great opportunity for the young people in our community to get real world, hands-on job experience, so that in the future, these young people will be able to use their knowledge and expertise to give back to their community. We’ve had a great time this year, and I would like to thank all of our directors who made it possible for young people to come and work.”
Through the program, youth worked up to 30 hours a week, gaining valuable experience all summer while learning workforce etiquette such as professional dress, timeliness and respect. Youth Employment Program participants also received job readiness training and post-employment briefings, which provided them feedback about their job performance.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Gets 11 Years In Federal Prison For Child Exploitation Charges
July 24, 2021
An Escambia County man has been sentence to more than a decade in federal prison for child exploitation crimes.
David Edward Merry, 60, sentenced to eleven years in prison on federal charges related to his receipt of child pornography following his guilty plea.
Court documents reflect, in February 2019, officers with the Pensacola Police Department received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a particular online account with Google maintained child pornography. Homeland Security Investigations and the Pensacola Police Department were able to geo-locate the criminal activity of Merry to Pensacola.
The Pensacola Police Department, through a records check, confirmed that Merry was a suspect in two prior child exploitation investigations in 2016 and 2017. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Merry’s Google account, identifying the child pornography he maintained in the cloud. Law enforcement then obtained and executed a search warrant at Merry’s residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple electronic devices. A forensic review of the seized items revealed thousands of images of child pornography. Merry was arrested and released on bond conditions. While on release, probation officers suspected that Merry continued his illicit activity, and federal agents were able to seize his newly obtained cellular telephone and search it pursuant to a warrant. Additional images of child pornography were located, and Merry was taken into custody without bond. He has been in custody awaiting sentencing since that time.
During the sentencing hearing, United States District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers considered a prior offense in which Merry was identified as having sexually exploited a minor female.
“The abuse committed by this child predator has come to an end as a result of the vigilant efforts of our law enforcement partners,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who engage in such heinous conduct will be held accountable for their actions.”
“Merry will now face accountability for his continued delight in the disgusting images of children being exploited,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Sibley, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operations in Northern Florida. “Every time one of these images is shared or viewed it revictimizes an innocent person.”
“This sentence is an example of the great partnership between Pensacola Police and the U.S. Department of Justice,” said Pensacola Police Chief Eric Randall. This team is determined to hold those fully accountable who seek to do harm to our children.”
Following his 11-year term of imprisonment, Merry will be supervised by the United States Probation Office for the rest of his life.
The case was investigated by United States Homeland Security Investigations, the Pensacola Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Meredith L. Steer.
Pensacola’s Late Push Not Enough, Biscuits Down Wahoos 4-3
July 24, 2021
The Blue Wahoos fell behind 4-0 early and watched their comeback bid come up short against the Biscuits, losing 4-3 on Friday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
Zach McCambley’s (L, 0-2) start tonight was more similar to his Double-A debut, and not his most recent start. Pensacola’s starter gave up runs in each of the first four innings and was pulled after 3.1 innings for the second time this season.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, Chriss Betts homered of the right-field foul pole to put the Biscuits up 2-0. In the third inning with the bases loaded and nobody out, Jonathan Aranda grounded a single to left field that scored two, doubling Montgomery’s lead.
The Wahoos had an immediate response in the fourth inning when the scored twice against Adrian De Horta. After a leadoff single, Demetrius Sims advanced from first-to-third on a soft grounder to third due to some savvy baserunning. He scored one batter later on a fielder’s choice, in which the third basebase tried to nab Sims at the plate. With everybody safe on the play, Griffin Conine tallied his first Double-A hit with an RBI double to the left-center gap.
Pensacola missed a golden opportunity to score in the top of the fifth with the bases loaded and only one out. However, Nick Fortes struck out and Conine flew out to end the threat.
Fortes redeemed himself in the eighth when he smashed a no-doubt homer to left to make it a 4-3 game. However, the Biscuits retired the next six batters in order, with Montgomery closer Chris Muller (S, 7) striking out the side in the ninth to close out the game.
Pensacola’s bullpen was the bright spot in the game, as three different relievers combined to throw 4.2 innings of one-hit, shutout baseball. Pensacola’s offense stalled once again, as they were held to just three hits while striking out 15 times. The Wahoos have recorded 14 hits through the first four games of this series while striking out 56 times.
The penultimate game of the series is tomorrow at 6:05 PM CT in Montgomery. RHP Jeff Lindgren (3-6, 4.98) gets the green light for the Wahoos while he will be opposed by RHP Peyton Battenfield (3-0, 2.33).
William “Billy” Ellis McKissack
July 24, 2021
William “Billy” Ellis McKissack was a loving husband father and grandfather. He passed away peacefully and went to meet his Lord on July 20, 2021 in Pensacola, Fl.
Billy was born at home on January 25, 1945. He was the youngest of ten children born and raised in Bradley. He graduated from W.S. Neal High School in 1962. He married Carolyn McGriff McKissack in Pensacola Florida in 1971. He retired from Monsanto where he worked for 35 years. He loved music and played in a band for many years in and around the Pensacola/Atmore area. He and his wife resided in Molino, Fl where they were close to their children and grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents, many brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years Carolyn McKissack, daughter Kelly McKissack Wilson of Molino, FL and son William Eric McKissack (Laurisa McKissack) of Cantonment, FL. He had two grandchildren whom he loved and was very proud of, Victoria Caroline Kelson of Starkville, MS and William Reece McKissack of Cantonment, Fl. His brother Bobby McKissack of Crestview, Fl and sister Jane Fowler of Wing, Al.
He loved to be outdoors and was a die-hard Roll Tide fan. He enjoyed NASCAR races, football games, playing golf, cooking and spending time with his family. He was a smart, funny and loving man who had many lifelong friends. Although he was a man of few words, there are not enough words to describe how great of a person he was. He was loved by many and will be missed by all.
A Celebration of Life service will be held from 2PM to 4PM on Saturday, July 31, 2021 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 S. Hwy. 29, Cantonment, Florida 32533.
The family ask in lieu of flowers that you donate to a charity close to your heart in remembrance of him.