14-Time Convicted Felon That Escaped From Work Release Gets 20 Years For Burglary
July 30, 2022
A man with a long criminal history that recently escaped from an Escambia County work detail is headed to prison for two decades for a burglary last year.
Circuit Court Judge Amy Broderson sentenced Matthew David Shelters to 20 year on state prison as a habitual felony offender for burglary of an unoccupied dwelling. He has a 15-years minimum mandatory as a prison releasee reoffender. He was previously released from prison on October 5, 2020.
On December 7, 2021, the victims found Shelters in their home rummaging through their belongings.
Shelters was previously convicted on 14 felony and 18 misdemeanor charges, according to Assistant State Attorney Elisibeth Davenport.
“Mr. Shelters has repeatedly shown that he is a danger to the community,” Davenport said.
Shelters has additional charges pending related to an escape from the Escambia County Work Camp on July 12. He will be arraigned on those charges on August 5.
Mostly Clear, Low Around 70 Saturday Night
July 30, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Third Escambia Triple Shooting Suspect Is Now In Jail
July 30, 2022
A third suspect in an Escambia County triple shooting is now jailed.
Traekese Devon Calhoun., 19, is charged with three counts of attempted homicide in connection with a shooting May 4 on Besma Drive. His bond was set at $300,000.
Two other people were previously charged in the shooting.
Jayshawn Jackson, 18, was charged in May with three counts of attempted homicide, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed firearm and other charges. Adrianna Jackson, 19, was charged in early July with three counts of principal to attempted homicide.
Wahoos Fall 3-2 To Mississippi
July 30, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell 3-2 to the Mississippi Braves Friday night in a game that saw 19 hits, all of them singles.
It was a seventh-inning RBI single from Justyn-Henry Malloy that proved to be the difference, giving the Braves their third and final run of the evening. Darius Vines (W, 6-4) outdueled Zach McCambley (L, 5-6) in a battle of two dominant starters.
Pensacola struck first in the third inning, loading the bases with three singles and bringing home a run on a Victor Victor Mesa sacrifice fly. They couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity any further, and the Braves countered in the fifth with a bases-loaded walk and Vaughn Grissom RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. Grissom finished 4-for-5 on the night, raising his batting average to .418 in his first month at Double-A.
Malloy’s RBI single in the seventh against rehabbing major leaguer Anthony Bender extended the Mississippi lead to 3-1. Bender faced four men without recording an out, but Eli Villalobos picked up the slack with 3.0 scoreless innings of relief to keep the game within reach.
A José Devers RBI single in the seventh drew the Blue Wahoos within a run at 3-2, but Justin Yeager (S, 2) worked a perfect ninth to help Mississippi even the series at two games apiece.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the M-Braves on Saturday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Man Being Charged With Sexual Assault In Case Of Missing 11-Year Old Walnut Hill Girl
July 29, 2022
The former Walnut Hill farm worker that was first named as a suspect in an Amber Alert on Thursday is being charged with sexual assault on a victim under the age of 12.
Brijido Manriquez-Ortiz, 43, is currently detained in Laredo, Texas, and will be extradited back to Escambia County to face charges. Sheriff Chip Simmons said he was an undocumented farm worker.
Thursday, an 11-year old girl was discovered missing from a home in Walnut Hill. Simmons said she was first believed to be in the company of Manriquez-Ortiz based on a note that was left behind and his relationship with her.
Simmons said the girl and Brijido-Ortez were working on a farm in Walnut Hill where her father, Carlos Fernandez, discovered a “building or grooming” relationship between the 11-year old and the 42-year old. Two weeks ago, “the father was concerned because he saw them in a kissing situation, and he immediately thought that’ s inappropriate, and he was right, and he fired him, and he actually drove him to Atlanta,” Simmons said.
Thursday morning, the father found a screen cut on their Walnut Hill home, and the girl was missing. She left a note behind indicating that she would be with Brijido-Ortez.
An Amber Alert was issued, fearing the 11-year-old was in danger.
Later in the day, the 11-year-old was safely located in Foley, Alabama, in a vehicle stolen from a Walnut Hill farm. Authorities do not believe that Ortiz was physically present for her disappearance.
“Manriquez-Ortiz is charged with having a wildly inappropriate and illegal relationship with the 11-year-old,” the ECSO said Friday.
When the relationship was first discovered, Fernandez “beat up” Manriquez-Ortiz, ECSO has now revealed.
“When we first found that he was trying to mess with her, we fired him,” Fernandez told NorthEscambia.com. “He don’t have no way to go nowhere. Our boss, he take him to Atlanta to a cousin’s place.”
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are continuing their investigation.
“We were very concerned about her well-being yesterday morning. We are glad she is safe. This suspect is a danger to the victim and a danger to the community. He will return and face judgment for his pathetic and criminal actions,” Simmons said.
Escambia School Board Advances Tax Increase On 3-2 Vote
July 29, 2022
The Escambia County School District voted 3-2 Thursday evening to advance a property tax increase on a recommendation from Superintendent Tim Smith.
On a motion by District 5 member Bill Slayton, the board voted 3-2 to adopt a tentative millage rate that exceeds the rolled-back rate by 7.33%. Kevin Adams and Paul Fetsko cast the dissenting votes.
A lower rolled-back rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as approved for the prior year. The rolled-back rate was calculated at 4.914 mills. A millage rate higher than the rolled-back rate is defined by the State of Florida as a tax increase and must be advertised as such.
The board approved a total tentative millage rate of 5.274. It’s a rate lower than the current year rate of 5.657 mills, but due to rising home values, it will generally cost many taxpayers more.
No member of the public spoke for, or against, the millage rate at Thursday’s meeting.
The board also voted 5-0 to adopt a $810,300,864.75 budget for fiscal year 2022-2023, which begins October 1.
Reminder: 30,000 Pound Food, School Supply Distribution Saturday In Molino
July 29, 2022
A food and back to school supply distribution will be held Saturday morning in Molino.
The event begins at 8 a.m, with line up no earlier than 7:30 a.m., at the Molino Community Center on Highway 95A until 11 a.m. or while supplies last. There will also be a designated area for walk-up.
There will be 30,000 pounds of fresh food distributed, along with at least 100 full-size backpacks containing school supplies, a minimum of 150 $10 Walmart gift cards, and LED light bulbs.
The event is being hosted by Rep. Michelle Salzman, Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry, Sheriff Chip Simmons, ECUA board member Kevin Stephens, Senator Marco Rubio, Feeding the Gulf Coast, Jubilee Church and other community partners.
Pictured: Rep. Michelle Salzman and Sheriff Chip Simmons lead food into a vehicle during a April 2022 distribution in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
ECSO Seeks Missing, Endangered Man
July 29, 2022
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing and endangered man.
Brendon Moon was last seen July 26 in the area of Highway 29. he was wearing a white shirt, work boots and shorts that were gray, black and neon green in color. Authorities said he may be in need of medical attention.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Editor’s note: The Sheriff’s Office said this was the only photo provided.
More Scattered Storms For Saturday
July 29, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A chance of evening showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
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 91.
ECUA Recycling Center Reopening Delayed As They Await Repair Parts
July 29, 2022
The ECUA Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) will remain closed a bit longer than expected following the failure of an essential piece of equipment in June.
ECUA received an update this week from the supplier providing the two conveyor belts needed to return the processing lines to service.The revised shipping date is August 22, approximately two weeks later than originally scheduled. Allowing for shipping from the west coast and installation time, ECUA now expects to restart the recycling facility on September 9.
ECUA is continuing to use the downtime for important maintenance that generally requires a facility shutdown on other equipment.
The second of two aging conveyor belts was slated for replacement in this fiscal year. The ECUA Board approved the $82,000 purchase of two new replacement belts at its February 2022 meeting.
ECUA is continuing normal recycling collections in the meantime.
“We urge our customers to keep in a positive recycling habit during this interruption in the recycling program,” Public Information Office Nathalie Bowers said.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
