Linda Ann Scroggins
February 7, 2023
Mrs. Linda Ann Scroggins, age 70, passed away Saturday, February 4, 2023, at her Brewton residence.
Mrs. Scroggins was born in Tensaw, AL and had been a resident of Brewton for the past 32 years, coming from Nokomis, FL. She had worked as a stock clerk at Walmart for a number of years. She loved Alabama Football, and her church, Jubilee Full Gospel Church in Riverview. She especially adored her family. She loved to help people when she could.
Mrs. Scroggins was preceded in death by a grandson, Mikey Edwards.
She is survived by her husband, Robert Edward Scroggins of Brewton; a son, Terry Laray (Kristen) Hastings of Riverview; a daughter, Tina (Eddie) Smith of Bay Minette; two sisters, Nancy Ellis of Flomaton and Karen Jerkins of Riverview; three grandchildren, Porsche Helton, Rebecca Kilpatrick, Shay Rollin; three great-grandchildren, Layla Rollin, Lynsey Rollin, and Chase Helton.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at noon at Jubilee Full Gospel Church in Riverview with Bro. Reo Pugh officiating. Interment will follow at Dry Springs Cemetery in McDavid, FL.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday at Jubilee Full Gospel Church from 11 a.m. until service time at noon.
Betty Jean Kennedy Adams
February 7, 2023
Betty Jean Kennedy Adams, 88, of Pensacola, Florida went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 4 2023. She was born on September 27, 1934 in Atmore. Alabama. She was raised in Defuniak Springs, Florida.
Betty married John Adams in March 1954 and they built a life together in Pensacola, Florida. She was a homemaker and worked occasionally at Ben Franklin and Woolworth stores part-time. She loved to golf, fish and bowl. Betty was a member of Hillcrest Baptist church. She devoted her life to God, her family and her friends. She found great joy in watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren play sports.
Betty is preceded in death by her loving husband, John Adams and her dear grandmother Liddie Kennedy.
She is survived by her daughter Jeanie Forte, and her sons Johnny Adams and Steve (Judy) Adams, her grandchildren Mandy (Rusty) Moye, Robert (Cayce) Forte, Doug Adams, Andrea Vinson, Jennifer Rolin, Lauren McQuigg, and Hunter (Bailey) Adams, great-grandchildren, Josh, Brittany, Russ, Brad, Trenton, Kash, Madison, Jordan, Levi, Bryson, James, Andie, Chris, Nico, Enzo and numerous nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed by everyone who was blessed to have known her.
The family would like to give our heartfelt thanks to the wonderful people who devote their lives to caring for others-The doctors, nurses and staff at HCA Florida West Hospital and De Luna Health and Rehabilitation Center. You have been such a blessing to Betty and our family.
Visitation will be Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 10:00 am at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North. Funeral Services will follow at 11:00 am. A private burial will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery, NAS Pensacola, Florida.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 South Highway 29, Cantonment, is entrusted with arrangements.
Donald Ray Black
February 7, 2023
Donald Ray Black grew up in Century, Florida where he attended Century Elementary and High schools.
After high school, at age 17 he began working as a roughneck in the oil fields with his older brother Ellie. He worked on various oilfield assignments over the years that carried him all over the U.S. and other parts of the world including the Gulf of Mexico, Nigeria and Russia.
When he wasn’t working in the oilfields, he also worked as a truck driver; a career he truly loved. He long-hauled cargo over-the-road but also ran short trips hauling sand and gravel. He traveled all over the country and even into Canada and Mexico; occasionally partnering with his older brother Glynn, a fellow trucker. Donald traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and knew the highways like the back of his hand. In doing so, he’d also received traffic tickets in nearly all 48 states in the continental United States.
After the passing of his parents, he moved back into his childhood home and lived there the rest of his years. He took great pride in maintaining and improving the house and property. In his later years, he focused on repairing and selling outdoor power equipment. Donald also loved cooking, growing vegetables, shooting guns, and listening to Country Music and Classic Rock.
Donald was a free spirit that lived life on his own terms, with a heart as big as the Earth he’d traveled. He was generous to a fault, often helping family and friends without ever expecting anything in return. He is sorely missed by his friends and family, but he will always be remembered for his generosity, his knack for fixing things, his contagious laughter, and his precarious traveling stories.
He is preceded in death by his parents Ellie and Ida Black and his brother Glynn Black. He is survived by his sister, Linda Davis, his brother, Ellie (Belinda) Black, Jr, his favorite niece, Robin, and a whole semi-truckload of second favorite nieces and nephews, regular and great.
Investigation Continues After Human Remains Found In Bratt
February 6, 2023
An investigation is continuing after human remains were found near Bratt.
Highly decomposed remains were first discovered by a hunter on Christmas Eve, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Morgan Lewis.
Monday, ECSO and Medical Examiner’s Office investigators returned to the scene on C.W. Caraway Road with cadaver dogs to search for additional remains. NorthEscambia.com was there as crime scene technicians, investigators, and volunteers with the cadaver dogs returned from a heavily wooded area, some carrying evidence bags.
“We found more of the evidence we were looking for today,” Dan Schebler, director of operations for the District One Medical Examiner’s Office, told NorthEscambia.com. The additional remains located Monday were believed to be from the same individual as the December discovery.
For more photos, click or tap here.
C.W. Caraway Road is a private dirt lane that travels north off West Highway 4, about 1.5 miles east of Northview High School.
Lewis said the remains are part of an ongoing death investigation, and the remains may be those of an individual in an open missing person case. The Medical Examiner’s Office will make the final identification and determination if any foul play was involved.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Warrant Details Allegations Against Art Teacher Charged With Having Sex With A Student
February 6, 2023
An arrest warrant details the allegations against a Beulah Middle School art teacher arrested on child sex charges involving a student.
Winston Hezekiah Foster, 61, was charged with sexual assault, lewd or lascivious behavior on a victim age 12 to 16, and a sexual offense against a student by an authority figure. He was released on a $60,000 bond shortly after his arrest on Thursday.
In December, the State Attorney’s Office received a complaint from the victim who alleged Foster, her former middle school art teacher, had a sexual relationship with her from October of 2017 when she was 15-years old until September 2019 when she was 17-years old. She said Foster was her art teacher for sixth, seventh and eighth grade while she attended Woodham Middle School.
She told investigators that it was not uncommon for art students to come visit Foster before school. She said Foster “started to be more forward with her and make comments that she thought were ‘weird’ for him to say,” according to an arrest warrant, before inviting her to do things outside of school. She said he invited her for sushi, and they went back to his house to eat. She said he kissed her, but that was it. In 2017, he allegedly took her to see a movie in about October 2017 before taking her to his house and having sex, the warrant obtained by NorthEscambia.com states.
“During the summer months, when Foster was off and his wife was at work, he would pick her up from her home and take her back to his house,” according to the warrant. The victim also alleged they had sex in a supply closet in his classroom at Woodham Middle School in 2017 and then at Beulah Middle School in 2018 and 2019. She also stated they had “virtual sex” through an app while Foster was in Houston visiting his very ill daughter.
According to district documents, Foster was an art teacher at Beulah Middle School and previously at Woodham Middle School.
According to Escambia County Public Schools, Foster was no longer an employee as of last Thursday.
Foster’s mugshot was not made available by the Escambia County Jail, which cited a Florida statute (F.S.S 119.071) that typically protects law enforcement and first responder mugshots and those of their families from public release. The jail did not cite the specific exemption claimed by Foster. Foster is pictured above from his arrest warrant (left) and after winning an art educator award while he was at Beulah Middle School.
19-Year Old Killed When His Vehicle Was Hit By Train In Atmore
February 6, 2023
One person was killed when a train collided with a vehicle at a crossing in Atmore Sunday night.
Koby Wooten, age 19 of Perdido, Alabama, was pronounced deceased on the scene.
The incident happened about 6:30 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Avenue crossing. According to Atmore Police, Wooten’s SUV was found with severe damage about 120 feet from the point of impact.
The investigation is continuing.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Highway 29 In Century To Be Down To Two Lanes For Three Months
February 6, 2023
A portion of Highway 29 through Century is down to just two lanes and will be for nearly three more months.
The two northbound travel lanes and the center turn lane are closed between Harries Boulevard and East Cottage Street. One northbound and one southbound lane will remain open using the current southbound travel lanes. The closures and traffic shift will be in place through April, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Traffic may be further reduced to just one lane during the project, most likely at night.
The closure is part of a major reconstruction and realignment of Highway 29 from just south of East Highway 4 to the Alabama state line.
The project will also upgrade traffic signals, drainage structures, pavement markings, and driveways, while also improving curb ramps and sidewalks to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
FDOT said access to adjacent businesses and other properties will be maintained at all times.
It is estimated that the entire project will be completed in late 2024.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Soccer Advances To Regional Quarterfinals
February 6, 2023
The District 1-6A runner-up Tate Aggies are headed to regionals.
No. 8 Tate (10-3-3) will travel to No. 1 Chiles (15-2) on Wednesday, February 8 at 7 p.m. (EST) in the regional quarterfinals.
No. 3 Gulf Breeze, which defeated Tate 1-0 in double overtime for the district title, will host No. 6 Fleming Island on February 8.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Sunny Monday; Rain Chance Arrives By Wednesday Afternoon
February 6, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 70. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southeast wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Southeast wind around 15 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 55.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
Contractor Surveying Ahead Of North Escambia Fiber Internet Buildout
February 6, 2023
A contractor is currently surveying across the area ahead of a North Escambia fiber internet buildout.
Last month, the Escambia County Commission selected member-owned Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC) with their partner firm Conexon Connect to provide high speed broadband in the area.
EREC contractor ICON Utility Services is currently surveying the utility pole network across the EREC footprint for future fiber optic network installation.
The Connect, powered by Escambia River Electric Cooperative, network will span approximately 600 miles of fiber network in Escambia County reaching over 4,000 electric member locations.
Three basic speed tiers will be available:
- 100 Mbps/100 Mbps — $49.95/month
- 1 Gig/1Gig — $79.95/month
- 2 Gig/2Gig — $99.95/month
Qualifying households can receive a $30 per month discount through the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Pictured: A contractor surveys a utility pole at the Travis Nelson Park in Bratt on Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
