Firefighters Rescue Trapped Cat
February 16, 2022
Escambia County Fire Rescue was called this week to rescue a kitty stuck in a tight spot.
The cat managed to get stuck between a hot water heater and a wall. The crew of Ensley’s Engine 6 was able to rescue the feline by slightly maneuvering the space heater and lifting the cat between the water lines.
The cat was not injured.
Dry Weather Prompts Fire Danger Warning
February 15, 2022
Officials with the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center have issued a fire danger warning due to continued dry weather.
Officials have responded to nine wildfires in Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties during the past week. Those included a two acre fire Tuesday on Highway 168 near Tulip Road just west of Century. Wildfires were reported Monday on Sinclair Street in Cantonment and Dukes Drive, also in Cantonment.
Cold weather and a lack of rain in the past several days has left much of the thin, highly flammable vegetation available to burn as fuel for a wildfire. Low humidity also has increased the potential for fire activity. Residents are asked to be extremely cautious with any outdoor fires – burning yard debris, charcoal grills, campfires – and follow Florida’s outdoor burn laws.
Residents may burn yard debris in piles less than eight feet in diameter as long as they meet the setbacks and there are no city or county ordinances against it. There currently are no burn bans in effect in Escambia or Santa Rosa Okaloosa counties. In addition to meeting the required setbacks, it is recommended that those who chose to burn have a charged water hose and shovel or rake on hand, never burn on windy days and never leave a fire unattended. Residents must ensure their burn piles are completely extinguished before leaving them unattended as lingering heat from smoldering debris often is the cause for escaped fires.
Those wishing to conduct large pile burns or acreage burns must call (850) 957-5701 for an authorization and meet additional requirements which might include having heavy equipment on site.
Flomaton Man Wanted For 2021 Century Murder Arrested In Atmore
February 15, 2022
A Flomaton man wanted for a July 2021 murder in Century has been arrested in Alabama.
Timothy Lavon Johnson, 34, was arrested without incident as he walked along Howard Street in Atmore, according to Atmore Police.
Johnson is wanted for murder of a man that died less than two weeks after he was found unresponsive with head injuries in Century.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to an aggravated battery report on Hilltop Road at Alger Road at 11:18 a.m. on Sunday, July 18, 2021. The man, identified by family as Chris Hunter, passed away July 28, 2021, 10 days after he was injured.
Family members told NorthEscambia.com that Chris Hunter was the brother of Greg Hunter, who died days after he was found injured outside a Century bar.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to Odom’s Bar on North Century Boulevard about 10 p.m. on June 19, 2021, to find 60-year old Greg Hunter down in the parking lot. At the time, investigators said it was a homicide and that he had been seriously beaten and left unconscious. But the Medical Examiner’s Office later said Greg Hunter died of natural causes (click for an earlier story).
Johnson is in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton awaiting extradition to Florida to face the homicide charge in the death of Chris Hunter.
Editor’s note: The cause of death of Greg Hunter at Odom’s Bar remains as natural causes according to the Medical Examiner’s Office, and Johnson is in no way accused in his death.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Space Heater Sparks Tuesday Morning Fire That Destroyed Molino Home
February 15, 2022
Fire destroyed a home in Molino early Tuesday morning.
The fire was reported just before 8 a.m. in the 5200 block of Pilgrim Trail West off Highway 97. Firefighters arrived on scene to find smoke and flames coming from the 2,300 square foot bick home.
The occupants were able to escape the fire without injury.
The fire was caused by a space heater in the garage, according to ECFR.
The Molino, Walnut Hill, McDavid, Cantonment and Ensley stations of the Escambia County Fire Rescue, the Atmore Fire Department and Escambia County EMS responded.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: Cantonment Woman Drove Vehicle Burglary Getaway Vehicle With Her Baby In The Backseat
February 15, 2022
A Cantonment woman allegedly drove the getaway vehicle in a motel vehicle burglary case — with her baby in the backseat.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, 21-year old Althea Tanyela Moorer failed to provide proper care for her child as she was committing vehicle burglaries and having deputies draw their guns for a felony takedown on her vehicle”.
Moorer was charged with felony child abuse. She remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $2,500.
The report states Moorer was driving a SUV seen leaving the Oyo Hotel on Pensacola Boulevard where car burglaries had just occurred about 4:30 a.m. Sunday. Deputies conducted a felony traffic stop on the vehicle at Kenmore Road and Melanie Drive. Moorer’s baby was in the backseat of the vehicle and not in a child safety seat.
Surveillance video showed two males, later identified as Yavyron Otoko Savage and Da’torrance Leanders Hackworth, trying vehicle door handles and entering vehicles in the hotel parking lot, according to the ECSO. They ran and got into Moorer’s SUV before she drove away, the report states.
Savage and Hackworth, both 19, were charged with vehicle burglary and booked into jail with bond set at $5,000 each.
One Injured In Highway 97 Rollover Crash
February 15, 2022
One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover crash early Tuesday morning in Walnut Hill.
The crash happened about 1:10 a.m. on Highway 97 about one mile south of North Highway 99. The vehicle came to rest on its side in a driveway.
The Florida Highway patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sunny And Warm, Upper 60s For Tuesday
February 15, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 68. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 73. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers. Low around 45. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 58. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Washington’s Birthday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69.
Bratt Elementary Students Make Valentine’s Day Cards For About 200 Seniors
February 15, 2022
Valentine’s Day was a little sweeter for a couple hundred seniors Monday, thanks to the students at Bratt Elementary School.
Bratt Elementary has adopted all of the local nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Century, Atmore and Poarch. The students handmade over 200 cards so each resident would receive a Valentine’s Day card.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
10,000 Pound Food Giveaway In Cantonment Tuesday Afternoon
February 15, 2022
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will hold a drive-thru 10,000 pound food giveaway Tuesday afternoon at Carver Park on Webb Street.
The food distribution will begin at 3:30 p.m. and continue while supplies last for anyone in need of food. People should line up their vehicles, single file on Webb Street facing north; food will be loaded into vehicles. Identification is required.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Ensley North Neighborhood Cleanup Day Is Friday
February 15, 2022
A neighborhood cleanup will be held in Ensley on Friday, February 18.
The District 3 Ensley North Neighborhood Cleanup is a chance for residents to dispose of items such as old furniture, appliances and household waste free of charge. Yard debris is eligible for removal during this cleanup.
During neighborhood cleanups, Escambia County departments team up to bring services to residents in an effort to keep local neighborhoods clean and safe. Participating is easy: Residents in the cleanup area simply leave eligible items at the curb to be disposed of free of charge by Escambia County and partnering agencies.
All debris must be at the curb directly in front of residences in the area by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Tires and paint cans should be separate from all other debris. Debris piles should not be placed under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes. All items, including containers, will be collected.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area are able to participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected. The collection area is from Pensacola Boulevard to Jernigan Road between East Johnson Avenue/West Detroit Boulevard and East Nine Mile Road.
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
The neighborhood cleanup initiative involves an aggressive cleanup effort, targeting different neighborhoods throughout the county, with crew members and volunteers picking up a variety of debris and waste, including electronics, furniture and household items.
Since 2016, more than 3,854 (7,708,900 pounds) of debris have been collected and disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program.
The county’s neighborhood cleanup program is hosted by the Escambia County Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program.