New Free Community Little Library Open In Cantonment
February 19, 2023
A new free community library is open in Cantonment.
It is located outside the Companion Animal Clinic at 450 South Highway 29.
Owner Dr. Keith Weekley, who grew up in Cantonment, said he wanted to give back to the area through reading, which he has always loved.
The little library was constructed by local master woodworker Ron Williamson.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Girl, 13, Hit By SUV When She ‘Darted” Across Pine Forest Road
February 19, 2023
A 13-year old Escambia County girl was struck by a SUV Saturday afternoon on Pine Forest Road.
Witnesses told the Florida Highway Patrol that the girl “darted” across Pine Forest Road at Wilde Lake Boulevard into the path of a Hyundai SUV traveling southbound on Pine Forest.
“Witnesses stated the teenage girl’s vision was obscured and so was the driver of the SUV by the backed up southbound traffic in the left turn lane to Interstate 10 eastbound,” FHP said in their report on the 2:59 p.m. accident.
The teen girl was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital as a trauma alert. The 57-year old female driver of the Hyundai was not injured.
80s By Midweek
February 19, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 48. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Washington’s Birthday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 75. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Windy, with a south wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Century Blackcats Top Jay 34-24 To Claim Youth Basketball Championship
February 19, 2023
In youth basketball, the Century Blackcats varsity team (ages 11-13) defeated the Jay Rebels 34-24 in the league championship game Saturday afternoon in Chumuckla.
Century jumped out to an early 8-2 lead and never looked back on their way to claiming the championship. Tristan Pace led the Blackcats in scoring with 14 points.
“This was an all around team effort, the hard work by the coaches, the players, and the supportive parents really paid off today,” Century coach Kris Chancery said. “Go Blackcats!”
Submitted photo for NorthEscmbia.com, click to enlarge.
Want To Learn More About ‘YouthFirst Century’ Program Funded By Children’s Trust?
February 19, 2023
Last week, the Escambia County Children’s Trust announced $5.1 million in grant funding for 19 program, including one in Century.
The Urban Development Center’s YouthFirst Century will receive $397,556 for the first year as they work toward a goal of serving 750 youth ages 11-18 in the Century area over the next three years at a total cost of $1.2 million.
A YouthFirst Century informational session will be held on Saturday, February 25 at 11 a.m. at the Pilgrim Lodge Missionary Baptist Church at 7000 Jefferson Avenue in Century with Dr. Jessica Griffen, CEO and chairwoman of UDC.
The YouthFirst Century program will be for students that attend Bratt Elementary, Byrneville Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High schools.
Violent Escambia County Felon Convicted Of Federal Drug Trafficking Charges
February 19, 2023
A violent convicted Escambia County felon has been convicted on federal drug trafficking charges after a four-day trial.
Michael Joe Green, II, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and the distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine.
In July 2021, the United States Postal Inspection Service seized a package sent from Houston to Pensacola containing over two kilograms of cocaine. An extended multi-agency investigation determined that Green had purchased certain unique packing materials used to ship the cocaine and directed his girlfriend to mail it to his mother’s address in Pensacola on his behalf. The investigation also revealed that during late 2021 and early 2022, Green made frequent trips to the Houston area to obtain large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine and directed the transport of the drugs back to the Pensacola area for distribution.
In February 2022, Green was driving from Houston in tandem rental vehicles with his wife and others when both cars were stopped by law enforcement in Louisiana. Officers found and seized approximately eight pounds of cocaine and over half a kilogram of methamphetamine pills in the rental vehicle occupied by Green’s wife. On the same day, search warrants were executed at two residences in Escambia County associated with Green. Loaded firearms, small amounts of drugs, and documents addressed to Green at both residences were found in the houses.
Green will be sentenced May 22 before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
Due to the large quantity of drugs involved in his crimes and his multiple prior serious violent felony convictions—including armed burglary, armed robbery, aggravated assault, shooting in an occupied vehicle, resisting arrest with violence, and aggravated battery with great bodily harm, for which he served a sentence in state prison – Green faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison.
The case resulted from a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, and Lake Charles (Louisiana) Police Department.
Escambia Man Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity Of Shooting Two Deputies Off Chemstrand Road
February 18, 2023
An Escambia County man was found not guilty by reason of insanity for shooting an Escambia County deputy and shooting at another in 2019.
Escambia Circuit Judge Coleman Robinson issued the ruling Friday in the case of 44-year old Daniel Jeremy Hux who was charged with two counts of attempted murder. He will be held in the Escambia County Jail until being transferred to a treatment facility.
At about 1:30 p.m. on December 11, 2019, Hux called 911 and requested to be taken to the hospital, stated that he was contemplating suicide, and that he was standing outside under a pine tree.
Deputy Douglas Shoemaker was dispatched to the address on Limerick Lane for a welfare check. He did not see anyone outside, knocked on the front door and went to a side carport door. At 2:16 p.m. he canceled Escambia County EMS.
Shoemaker was joined by Sgt. Melissa Lee. They again checked the doors of the residence, and Shoemaker returned to the carport and knocked on the side door again. He saw a figure moving to the door through frosted glass. When the door opened, he saw the muzzle of a firearm pointed toward him, and the person holding it opened fire. Shoemaker said he was hit by the first round in the chest and immediately ran and secured cover. The deputy then returned fire at Hux until he saw him “go down”.
Shoemaker suffered gunshot wounds to his chest, right side and right middle knuckle, and he was grazed on the forehead.
The sergeant heard the gunshots and saw an arm with a handgun sticking out of the door. Hux began to shoot in her direction, forcing her to seek cover at her vehicle. Lee indicated she did not fire because she could not see a clear target.
Deputy Shoemaker was shot four times and Hux was struck twice. Both were transported to the hospital and both survived. The State Attorney’s Office cleared the deputies of any wrongdoing.
Hux’s wife told investigators that Hux had become increasingly paranoid and delusional over several months. She said he called her the morning of the shooting and told her, “he loved her, and everything would be OK”.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge. Pictured top inset: Daniel Jeremy Hux in court on January 12, 2023, courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cool Saturday Night, Low Middle 30s
February 18, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
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Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Washington’s Birthday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Breezy.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78.
From Active Shooters To Drones, NAS Pensacola Completes Anti-terrorism Exercises
February 18, 2023
An annual anti-terrorism force protection exercise wrapped up Friday at area Navy bases.
Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2023 is an annual, two-part force protection exercise.
“(The exercise) is an important exercise designed to ensure our people and security forces are at peak readiness to deter and respond to potential security threats,” said NAS Pensacola Installation Training Officer Trent Hathaway. “We use realistic scenarios to ensure U.S. Navy security forces maintain a high level of readiness to respond to changing and dynamic threats.”
According to Hathaway, scenarios during Citadel Shield – the first week of the exercise – included an unmanned aerial surveillance exercise, a hostage situation and an active shooter drill, each of which members of the NAS Pensacola Anti-Terrorism Training Team used to gauge readiness from responding NAS Pensacola NSF personnel. Hathaway added that training serves to coordinate individual, departmental and installation responses to these drills.
“Exercising our personnel in response to varying realistic threats enhances our personal and force-wide readiness,” he said. “The exercise tests information dissemination, individual response plans, security force response, and our ability to coordinate with local emergency responders and the community.”
Hathaway also stressed that the annual exercise was unrelated to any current threat, but was designed and executed to increase readiness and to deter or respond to potential security threats.
“These exercises essentially enhance the training and readiness of NAS Pensacola security personnel and better prepare them for potential force protection situations,” he said. “We should train the way we fight, so ensuring a learning environment for security personnel to exercise functional plans and operational capabilities was one of the chief goals of this exercise at a local level.”
Hathaway said the second week of the annual Navy-wide exercise – Solid Curtain – centered around NAS Pensacola’s capability of exercising Navy Command and Control capabilities and evaluating the readiness and effectiveness of fleet and installation force protection programs.
“Coordination with area commands to ensure our force protection efforts are accurate and capable is something we test annually,” Hathaway said. “Communication during any event is critical in ensuring the safety of our most valuable assets – the men and women here – is critical to our ongoing mission of training the best aviators and aviation maintenance personnel in the world.”
by Bruce Cummins, NAS Pensacola
Pictured top: A NAS Pensacola Navy Security Forces sailor participates in an active shooter scenario during Exercise Citadel Shield – Solid Curtain. Pictured below: NAS Pensacola U.S. Navy Security Forces’ K-9 Handler Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Dylan Pilkington participates in a drone training scenario during Exercise Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain 2023. Photos by Bruce Cummins/NAS Pensacola for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former ECUA Recycling Manager Sentenced In Half Million Dollar Racketeering Case
February 18, 2023
A former recycling manager at the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) was sentenced to prison Friday for selling a half million dollars worth of recyclables through a shell company he owned.
Jarrell Lamar Reynolds previously pleaded guilty to first degree felony racketeering. Judge John F. Simon sentenced him to seven years in state prison, plus three years probation. He was also ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $510,685.06 to ECUA
In September of 2018, Reynolds was hired by ECUA to manage the recycling operation at the Perdido Landfill.
“He was hired, according to ECUA management, because of his experience in the industry and his personal contacts with potential new vendors and customers,” an arrest report states. “ECUA believed that hiring Reynolds would increase the efficiency the recycling operation and increase their revenues through the introduction of new customers for their recyclable material.”
On December 5, 2018, Reynolds created a shell company called JAT Recycling in Georgia, and he was the lone officer of the company. He used the shell company to acquire the property from ECUA and sell the recyclables. Once sold to third parties, Reynolds maintained control of about $510,000 in profits and transferred them to multiple accounts he controlled, according to court documents.
The profits were then used by Reynolds to purchase cars, investment properties, and other personal expenses.
Additional charges of racketeering as well as organized fraud, money laundering, and extortion were dropped in exchange for Reynolds’ guilty plea.
“Today’s sentencing hearing concluded the hard work of ECUA staff and the State Attorney’s office to bring Mr. Reynolds to justice,” said ECUA Executive Director Bruce Woody. “ECUA Finance Director, Justin Smith, identified a decrease in revenue from the sales of recycling materials within two months of Mr. Reynold’s hiring and quickly conducted an internal audit that resulted in the filing of a criminal report with the Economic Crimes Division of the Escambia County Sheriff’s office. The State Attorney’s office then filed charges that lead to today’s adjudication of guilt on one count of racketeering.”
“Although the ECUA and its ratepayers were protected from financial harm by insurance designed to protect the public’s assets against losses, this conviction was important to demonstrate that checks and balances are in place to discover misappropriation of funds, and this conviction will further deter such activity. My thanks to ECUA’s Justin Smith and Assistant State Attorney, Paul Gillespie, for their work in bringing Mr. Reynolds to justice,” Woody added.