Pickup Overturns On Highway 97 Early Friday Morning
April 29, 2022
There were no serious injuries when a pickup truck rolled over on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill early Friday morning.
The driver lost control about 12:10 a.m. and his pickup truck overturned, coming to rest upright in the southbound lane of Highway 97 just south of Arthur Brown Road. The wreckage and debris from the truck’s cargo block southbound Highway 97.
There were no other vehicles involved.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded.
The crash was about one mile south of another single vehicle rollover crash Thursday afternoon on Highway 97.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NAIA Men’s Lacrosse Invitational Coming To Ashton Brosnaham Park
April 29, 2022
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Men’s Lacrosse Invitational is coming to the North Escambia area through 2024.
The tournaments will be played at Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park off East 10 Mile Road May 11-14. Eight teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament starting Wednesday, May 11. The semifinals will take place Thursday, May 12 and the championship game will be Saturday, May 14.
“Lacrosse is a growing sport and Pensacola is the ideal backdrop for hosting the NAIA Men’s Lacrosse Invitational,: said Ray Palmer, President and CEO of Pensacola Sports. “This gives us an opportunity to showcase the Pensacola community and our beautiful sugar-white beaches to these student-athletes, coaches, support teams, and fans.”
“I’m so excited to welcome the best Men’s Lacrosse teams in all of the NAIA to our Ashton Brosnaham complex In Escambia County. I hope all of the players, coaches and their friends and family enjoy themselves immensely, and make many return trips to our fantastic community in the future,” said Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry.
Ashton Brosnaham will also host the Southeastern Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament through 2024.
FHP: Molino Man Suffered Medical Condition Before Fatal Wreck
April 29, 2022
A 39-year old Molino man was pronounced dead after a traffic crash Thursday afternoon in Escambia County.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the man was traveling west on Jackson Street approaching Benson Place when he ran off the roadway and collided with a utility pole and street sign.
“The driver suffered from a medical condition which caused the collision,” FHP said in their report. He was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
FHP no longer releases the names of traffic crash victims.
These Escambia, Santa Rosa Items Named ‘Budget Turkeys’
April 29, 2022
Only a few Florida Tax Watch “turkeys” were in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties.
Escambia County Total: $1,105,000
- Veteran Memorial Park Maintenance and Repair, $355,000
- West Florida Historic Preservation – Site Preservation and Operations, $750,000
Santa Rosa County Total: $1,050,000
- Town of Jay Bray-Hendricks Park Master Plan, $300,000
- Smart Stormwater Management, $250,000
- Milton North Santa Rosa Regional Water Reclamation Facility, $500,000
The Budget Turkey Watch report is Florida TaxWatch’s annual review of Florida’s upcoming budget. The report was started in 1983 and promotes oversight and integrity in the state’s budgeting process based on the principle that: because money appropriated by the Legislature belongs to the taxpayers of Florida, the process must be transparent and accountable, and every appropriation should receive deliberation and public scrutiny. The budget review identifies appropriations that circumvent transparency and accountability standards in public budgeting.
Budget Turkeys are items, usually local member projects, placed in individual line-items or accompanying proviso language that are added to the final appropriations bill without being fully scrutinized and subjected to the budget process, according to TaxWatch.
The Budget Turkey label does not signify judgment of a project’s worthiness. Instead, the review focuses on the Florida budget process. The group said the purpose of the Budget Turkey label is to ensure that all appropriations using public funds receive the deliberation, debate, and accountability they deserve.
Escambia Fire Lt. John Van Matre Retires After 44 Years Of Service
April 29, 2022
After 44 years of service, Escambia County Fire Rescue Lt. John Van Matre has retired.
“For the last 21 years, I’ve had the honor of working with the best firefighters that the state of Florida knows,” Van Matre said. “Thank you to these brave individuals for giving me the opportunity to serve alongside you. Thank you to my wife, Caryn, for her love and dedication all throughout my career. I pray that God will bless our firefighters and keep them safe as they continue to serve the citizens of Escambia County. Thank you again for allowing me to serve.”
Van Matre served the citizens of Escambia County through ECFR for the last 21 years. His career in fire rescue began as a volunteer firefighter at the age of 16, serving the Ferry Pass, Brent and Ensley volunteer fire departments from 1978 until 1987. He graduated from the Pensacola State Fire Academy in June 1999 and joined the Fort Walton Beach Fire Department, fulfilling his goal of becoming a professional firefighter.
Later, in April 2021, while still serving with the Fort Walton Beach Fire Department, Van Matre was hired as one of the original 10 “part-timers” with ECFR after its inception in January 2000. Then, in July 2001, he made the full-time move to ECFR where he served mostly at the Brent Station.
During his time with ECFR, Van Matre has received numerous commendations for his service during Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Michael. He has also facilitated rescues and led his crew during a variety of natural disasters and regional emergencies. In 2005, he was selected as part of the first group of Urban Search and Rescue members, eventually taking over as the USAR team coordinator. In May 2008, he was officially promoted to the rank of lieutenant. From 2010-2016, he served as the State of Florida USAR Region I representative.
“Lieutenant John Van Matre has been a long-time servant of the citizens of Escambia County and a vital team member to ECFR,” said ECFR Deputy Fire Chief Paul Williams. “We are both saddened and happy over his retirement. Over 40 years of institutional and job knowledge will be leaving the organization, however, we wish John well on his retirement and future endeavors with his wife, Caryn, and their adult children.”
Northview Lady Chiefs Close Regular Season With Big 20-5 Win Over Catholic
April 29, 2022
The Northview Lady Chiefs wrapped up their regular season with a big 20-5 win over Pensacola Catholic Thursday night.
The Chiefs had a huge fifth inning with 13 runs.
Jamison Gilman earned the win, allowing seven hits and five runs.
Gilchrist went 3-3 to lead Northview at the plate. Gilman, Emma Gilmore, Kailyn Watson and Kaitlin Gafford each added two hits. Chloe Ragsdale, Kayla Dixon, Alanna Roberson and Aubrey Stuckey had one hit apiece.
The Chiefs racked up 18 stolen bases, including four from Emma Gilmore.
The No. 3 Northview Lady Chiefs move into the 1-1A district quarterfinals on Monday against No 6 Laurel Hill.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Kimbro-Cothron Named Tate High’s Sunshine State Scholar Nominee
April 29, 2022
Raegan Kimbro-Cothron was selected as Tate’s Sunshine State Scholar Nominee based on her excellent PSAT scores, EOC scores, and her high GPA. Her participation in dual enrollment math classes and her community service hours helped push her to the top of Tate’s selection list, according to the school.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Small Chance Of Showers Returns
April 29, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Wahoos Beat By Biloxi Again
April 29, 2022
For the second straight game, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos couldn’t provide enough offense to back up a solid pitching performance in a 3-0 loss to the Biloxi Shuckers on Thursday night.
Will Stewart (L, 0-1) turned in the team’s second quality start of the season, allowing two runs on four hits over 6.2 innings, but the Blue Wahoos suffered back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2018.
A first inning home run from Biloxi’s Freddy Zamora gave an early edge to Victor Castaneda (W, 1-1), who earned his first Double-A win for the Shuckers with 5.1 innings of scoreless, three-hit ball.
Three of Pensacola’s four hits came from Jerar Encarnacion, who raised his batting average to .366 in a 3-for-4 night. Biloxi added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh with two-out RBI hits from Cam Devanney and Jakson Reetz against Colton Hock.
Zach Vennaro (S, 2) maneuvered around an Encarnacion single in the ninth to earn the save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Friday night.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Tyler Chase Ray Cloud
April 29, 2022
Tyler Chase Ray Cloud, age 18 a resident of Vance, AL died April 21, 2022 at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, AL. He was born May 28, 2003 in Demopolis, AL to Chris and Tiffany Ray. He joined the Cloud family at the age of three in Walnut Hill, FL. Chase was a vibrant child with a smile that would light up a room! In the classroom he has been described as one with a quick wit, competitive ways and a great sense of humor. His competitive ways carried over to the ball field. Although, he played several sports, his true passion was football. He and his dad, Ronnie would spend hours discussing play by play after every football game. They definitely shared a love of football. Tyler as he was known by many of his classmates was a true friend and one you could call on anytime to lift you up or help you out. To know Tyler Chase was to love him… He will be deeply missed.
He is survived by parents, Chris and Tiffany Ray and parents, Ronnie and Jessica Cloud; nine siblings, Amber (Brandon) Pierce, Ashton Ray, Destiny (Garrett) Shook, Carmyn Smith, Jessica (Trent) Freeman, Lauren (Griffin) Littlefield, Cameron Cloud, Alexia (Alex) Summerlin, and Austin Ford; grandparents, Chris and Sandra Ray, Dale and Brenda Rowland, Louise Lowry, and James and Karen Currier; he is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by grandparents, Phyllis Penton, Robert Lowry, and James Cloud.
Visitation will be held at Providence Baptist Church on Saturday, April 30, 2022 from 4:00 pm until the 5:00 pm service time with Rev. Jon Wiggins officiating. Burial will follow at Providence Cemetery.