Escambia Fire Rescue Continues Safety Standbys In School Zones
August 12, 2022
Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighters are continuing safety standbys in schools zones across the county through today.
“As you know, the first week of school is chaotic,” said ECFR Fire and Life Specialist Ray Melton. “Our goal is to remind drivers to slow down to keep our children safe while driving in a school zone.”
Fire trucks have been located at the following schools each day:
- Bellview Elementary
- Beulah Elementary
- Blue Angels Elementary
- Bratt Elementary
- C.A. Weis Elementary
- Ensley Elementary
- Ferry Pass Elementary
- Hellen Caro Elementary
- Kingsfield Elementary
- Molino Park Elementary
- Montclair Elementary
- Myrtle Grove Elementary
- Oakcrest Elementary
- Pensacola Beach Elementary
- Warrington Elementary
Pictured: The Molino Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue on Highway 97 in the Molino Park Elementary school zone Thursday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: Fatal Apartment Shooting Was Self Defense
August 12, 2022
One person was shot and killed Thursday evening at an Escambia County apartment complex, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office now says the shooting was self defense.
“Based on the investigation, we do not anticipate any arrests,” ECSO said in statement.
The man was shot about 6:20 p.m. at the Oakwood Terrace Apartments on Truman Avenue.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Unsettled Pattern With Showers, Storms Continues Today
August 12, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon. High near 85. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: 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 60%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Calm wind.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
Churches Learn About ‘Safety In The Place Of Worship’ During ECSO Program In Bratt
August 12, 2022
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held a “Safety in the Place of Worship” training program Thursday evening in Bratt.
Church representatives from across the area learned about crime prevention in churches, including threat identification, and emergency preparedness. They also learned how to identify risk factors, evaluate needs with a security assessment and how to develop a security plan.
The program was held at the First Baptist Church of Bratt.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
King, Devers Drive Blue Wahoos T o 5-4 Victory Over Birmingham
August 12, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got a solid start from Zach King and a 4-RBI game from José Devers in a 5-4 win over the Birmingham Barons on Thursday night.
King (W, 1-3) turned in a quality start, allowing only one run in 6.0 innings, to earn his first Double-A win as the Blue Wahoos continued their dominance over the North Division. They are now 24-9 against opponents from the North, including an 18-3 record at home.
Devers got the scoring started right away in the first, lifting an opposite-field three-run homer to left field against Scott Blewett (L, 6-6). Devers added an RBI single in the fourth, giving him his second 4-RBI game in the past week after a nearly identical performance last Friday in Montgomery.
King worked out of trouble early in his start, as the Barons put their leadoff man at second base in each of their first four innings. Only once did the runner come home, as Raudy Read brought in Jose Rodriguez with an RBI single in the third inning.
Pensacola added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single from Cobie Fletcher-Vance, and they would end up needing it. Birmingham’s Oscar Colas hit a three-run homer in the eighth against Robinson Martínez to draw the score to 5-4 before Dylan Bice (S, 2) ended the threat and earned a four-out save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Friday
by Erik Bremer, The Pensacola Blue Wahoos
New Details: Contractor Matt Banks Arrested, Released On Bond
August 12, 2022
Matthew Banks was arrested on an outstanding Pensacola Police Department warrant issued by the Pensacola Police Department. He surrendered at the Okaloosa County Jail Wednesday evening on a a third degree felony charge of contractor fail to refund.
Okaloosa County Jail records first available Friday show he was released on a $2, 500 bond.
Previous story:
The contractors licenses of both Matthew Banks (pictured below left) and Jesse LaCoste (pictured below right) have been revoked by Escambia County.
Both were accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars in payments from county residents for home improvement projects and repairs but never completing, or even starting, the work.
Banks, of Banks Construction, had been ordered by the Escambia County Contractor Competency Board to pay restitution to two homeowners for unfinished repairs.. LaCoste, of LaCoste Construction Group, was also ordered to pay restitution to another homeowner The county says both failed to pay by a Wednesday deadline.
According to our news partners at WEAR 3, Banks and LaCoste are brother-in-laws.
Santa Rosa County has also revoked Banks’ contractors license. He has also filed for bankruptcy in federal court.
Banks has been the subject of over a dozen complaints to the Escambia County Contractor Competency Board this year, according to board agendas.
Banks also registered the business names 3 T Construction, LLC and Fourtee Construction, LLC in April and May, respectively, according to the Florida Division of Corporations.
LaCoste has not been arrested on any charges.
Banks’ mugshot was not immediately available from Okaloosa County.
‘Armed And Dangerous’ Century Bar Brawl Suspect Arrested In South Dakota
August 11, 2022
One of the seven suspects in a bar brawl in Century has been arrested in South Dakota.
Preston David Perry was taken into custody on a violation of probation warrant from Escambia County, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. ECSO said Perry was considered armed and dangerous.
He is expected to be extradited back to Escambia County after a hearing in South Dakota.
Perry, 31, was charged with principal to aggravated assault with a firearm, principal in the first degree to aggravated battery with a firearm, felony battery with a previous conviction and aggravated battery in connection with the bar brawl left the victim with a broken arm, broken nasal cavities and lost feeling in his lower back and leg after he was allegedly attacked outside Odom’s Bar on May 7.
For an earlier story about the bar brawl, click here.
Escambia To Hire Wes Moreno As Permanent County Administrator
August 11, 2022
Escambia County will offer the permanent county administrator position to current interim Wes Moreno.
A total of 28 people applied to be Escambia County’s next administrator. The applicants ranged from numerous governmental leaders to a current part-time funeral director assistant.
After the commission terminated Janice Gilley from the administrator position in June 2021, deputy administrator Moreno was named interim.
Commissioner Steven Barry said he’s not interested in bringing candidates to Pensacola for an interview.
“To be candid, I think I’ve had a 13 or 14 month interview with the gentleman serving in the position now and have been extremely pleased and extremely happy with the performance,” he said of Moreno.
“I stepped into the role in an extremely tumultuous time,” Moreno said. Several key employees and directors had resigned, and there were “massive” vacancies. “At that time, I did the only thing I knew how to do. And that’s just show up and go to work.”
“I didn’t do it by myself,” he said. “I’ve had good people around me.”
Bergosh said while there were a few good applicants, there were many who work at cities and counties much smaller than Escambia County.
“You’ve even got a person that used to work at Waffle House,” he said
The former Waffle House employee, however, did not make the list of 13 finalists. But a former parks and recreation director that’s now a part-time funeral home director assistant did.
“I would be leaning much more heavily toward getting a contract with who we know,” Bergosh said. “We know Wes Moreno. He’s been here more than 30 years. I don’t want to use an expletive, so I won’t. But he’s kicked butt. That’s not the word I’d normally say…He loves this county, and I think he’s doing a great job.”
County Attorney Alison Rogers will negotiate a contract with Moreno and present it to the board next week for final consideration. The negotiable salary range for the administrator position is $173,000 to $195,000.
Commissioners decided in July 2021 not to hurry in finding a permanent replacement. Earlier this year, they hired search firm GovHR USA of Illinois.
Commissioner Doug Underhill stated that he believes the county should move forward with interviewing candidates from the GovHR list.
The county will consider GovHR’s work complete and pay them for their services.
GovHR’s report to the commission divides 13 top candidates into two tiers for consideration.
The top 13 candidates, as determined by GovHR, were:
TIER 1
- Dale (Doc) T. Dougherty — city manager, City of Garden City, Michigan
- Brian J. Geoghegan — former township manager, Howell Township, New Jersey
- Joseph M. Kerby — county administrator, Benton County, Oregon
- Christopher R. Miller — county administrator, King George County, Virginia
- Rick J. Rudometkin — deputy city manager, City of Huntsville, Texas
- Stanley (Stan) Z. Sunday — former deputy county administrator, Walton County (FL) Board of County Commissioners
- Carlos F. Tobar — county manager, Baldwin County, Georgia
TIER 2
- Sharon Hall — CFO, The Housing Authority for the City of Fort Myers, Florida
- Don A. King, Jr. — chief of staff, Special Operations Command Europe, U.S. Army
- John D. Manning — former assistant city administrator and director of community development, City of Branson, Missouri
- William (Scott) S. McCord — former director, McMinnville Parks and Recreation Department, McMinnville, Tennessee*
- Joshua (Josh) W. Ray — former city manager, City of Shelbyville, Tennessee
- Jane K. Shang, former city manager, City of Deltona, Florida
*McCord is the candidate who is currently working as a part-time funeral director assistant.
Two Escambia County residents applied but were not named to the recommended tiers by GovHR. One is a consultant, and the other is employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Century Man Caught With Fentanyl And Weapons, ECSO Says
August 11, 2022
A Century man is facing multiple drug and weapons charges, and a homeless woman is facing drug charges, after they were found with fentanyl in a van by an Escambia County Roadway, according to the sheriff’s office.
Keith Aaron Roads, 42, was charged with possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, unlawful carrying a weapon without a license, unlawful carrying a firearm without a license, carrying a concealed weapon while committing a felony, and carrying a concealed firearm while committing a felony.
Mary Katherine Sames Mundy, 47, was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to Pine Forest Road and Sharon Lane to check a reported suspicious van parked on the side of the road. They reported finding Roads in the driver’s seat with Mundy in the front passenger seat.
Roads allowed a deputy to look for his identification inside his backpack. The backpack did not contain his identification, but deputies did find a loaded .38 revolver, a loaded .22lr pistol and brass knuckles, according to an arrest report. Roads’ ID was ultimately found in his pants pocket.
The vehicle was searched after a K-9 alert. Inside the van, deputies found a substance that field tested positive for fentanyl, along with a marijuana pipe, another broken pipe, cut plastic straws and smoking devices, the report states.
Roads remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $115,500, and Mundy was jailed with a bond amount of $2,000.
Flomaton Murder Suspect Now Behind Bars Locally; Also Wanted For Wisconsin Murder
August 11, 2022
A Michigan man wanted for murdering a Flomaton man last week is now behind bars locally.
Caleb Scott Anderson, 23, was arrested August 3 in Shelby County, Alabama, on charges related to a murder in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, August 2. According to reports, he signed an extradition waiver last Friday for his return to Wisconsin. He remained in the Shelby County Jail until Wednesday, when he was transferred back to Escambia County, Alabama.
He was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton without bond Wednesday night, formally charged with murder and first degree burglary.
Dwight Dixon, 52, was found deceased when officers from the Flomaton Police Department responded to an emergency medical call on Dixon Road about 8:30 a.m.
Last week, Intelligence Analysts within the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Fusion Center received information and created a statewide law enforcement bulletin on behalf of the Green Bay Police Department and the United States Marshals (USMS) Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force of a possible murder suspect traveling in Alabama.
Once the bulletin was released intelligence analysts quickly began receiving tips from local police departments which assisted ALEA special agents in identifying Anderson as the suspect and led to the discovery of evidence which
linked him to murders in both states.
Anderson was located while operating a stolen vehicle and was arrested by the U.S. Marshals and officers with the Helena Police Department in Helena.
Authorities have not released any further details about the Flomaton murder or any possible motive. ALEA said their findings will be presented to the Escambia County (AL) District Attorney’s Office.
Dwight Dixon