One Airlifted After Highway 97 Crash Into A Utility Pole
February 21, 2023
One person was airlifted to the hospital following a wreck on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill Tuesday afternoon.
The driver of a SUV was northbound on Highway 97 just south of Ernest Ward Middle School when she failed to properly negotiate a curve. The vehicle left the roadway, traveled between several trees and struck a utility pole. The pole was broken in the crash, sending power lines to the ground.
One adult was airlifted by MedStar helicopter to a Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Another adult and a toddler were not seriously injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
Escambia River Electric Cooperative reported about 10 customers lost power along Highway 97 as a result of the downed lines.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Convicted Of 2020 Murder
February 21, 2023
An Escambia County man has been convicted of a 2020 murder.
An Escambia County jury found Trenton Dominic Capri Newkirk, 22, guilty of second degree murder with a firearm.
In the late evening hours of December 29, 2020, at Forest Creek Apartments in Warrington, Newkirk shot and killed 16-year-old Jeffrey Kennell at the front door of Kennell’s apartment. The following day, Newkirk fled to Oregon. Newkirk was subsequently arrested and charged for Kennell’s death.
During Newkirk’s trial, the jury heard evidence that Kennell’s killing was possibly in retaliation for another homicide, which occurred two days prior to Kennell’s. Although Newkirk previously denied being at Forest Creek Apartments on the day of the crime, or having a cell phone, witness testimony placed Newkirk at the scene of the shooting, which was corroborated by location data from his cell phone.
He faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced in April.
Juvenile Murdered In Atmore, Second Juvenile Charged
February 21, 2023
Atmore Police have released few details about a murder Monday night.
According to police, a female juvenile was shot in a vehicle about 10 p.m. near an intersection on Carver avenue by another juvenile, according to Sgt. Darrell McMann The suspect then drove the female to the emergency room at Atmore Community Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
The suspect has been charged with murder and was transported to the Escambia County (Alabama) Detention Center.
Atmore Police have not released any names because both parties are juveniles.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Pictured top: A shooting reportedly occurred inside this vehicle, seen parked behind the Atmore Police Department Tuesday morning. Pictured below: The intersection of Carver Avenue and Ashley Street, just over a block from the Atmore Police Department. The shooting reportedly happened somewhere along Carver Avenue. Pictured below: Atmore Community Hospital. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Failed Century Bridge Closed For Three Years; Now Two More Bridges Now Have Issues
February 21, 2023
A Century bridge that was near collapse has now been closed for over three years, and now the town is looking at repair issues with two more bridges.
On January 29, 2020, the town suddenly closed the bridge on Freedom Road, just east of Jefferson Avenue. Photos obtained by NorthEscambia.com a few days later showed the dangerous conditions that led to the emergency closure. Several pilings under the wooden bridge were no longer properly supporting the structure, and some of the pilings were split or had extreme deterioration (pictured above).
The closure turned Freedom Road into a cul-de-sac with one way in and one way out for residents, including the Camellia Gardens apartment complex.
Now, two more bridges are facing washout issues.
For more photos, click or tap here.
On Jefferson Avenue, just north of Freedom Road, there’s a large area washed out between two large culverts that travel under the concrete structure. Our photographs show a void that extends for several feet under the sloped concrete side of the bridge, but it’s unclear if the void extends under the concrete roadway deck. Mayor Ben Boutwell said the bridge is believed to be safe, but no certified bridge inspection has been done.
And on Jefferson Avenue over Mill Creek, near the old sawmill, there’s another washout problem according to the town.
Boutwell said the town is working to find the funding necessary to make the repairs to all three bridges, if possible.
Repair cost estimates for the Freedom Road bridge are over $1 million — funds Century does not have on hand. Their entire budget for the town and operations like gas and water is just $5.8 million for the entire year.
Boutwell said the town has asked the local legislative delegation to fund two projects — repair the Freedom Road bridge for $1 million plus and $1 million for repairs to the water well that serves Century Correctional Institution.
“But we’ve made it clear that if they can only do one, the water well is the priority,” the mayor said. In August 2022, the well suffered a “catastrophic” failure, forcing the town to switch to an emergency connection to Central Water Works. That has cost the town $52,952 as of the end of February.
The town is also seeking Community Development Block Grant funds for all three bridges.
“We might be able to retroactively apply for Hurricane Sally funds that are available,” the mayor added.
Freedom Road Bridge
In January 2020, Mott McDonald engineers conducted a limited inspection of the bridge and found the following problems:
- A backwall has deflected toward the water, pushing piles toward the water and causing them to rotate, split and no longer bear weight.
- One bridge piling has a split at the top of the pile, but it is providing some support.
- A second pile has been pushed completely out and no longer supports the bridge.
- A third pile has split, and only half the pile is providing support.
- A fourth pile has deterioration with only a three-inch diameter section remaining about six feet below the bridge. The outer pile section has broken.
- There is soil loss behind a backwall.
- There is a large void underneath the roadway on the east side the bridge
“We cannot predict when the…backwall lateral loads will completly fail…causing the bridge the collapse,” engineer Bart Hendricks wrote in his report. “We also cannot predict when the roadway over the void on the southeast corner will collapse”
The age of the bridge was not provided to the engineer, but he determined the timber pilings may be at or beyond the typical life of 30 years. “A better long-term financial decision may be to replace this structure rather than perform repairs,” Hendricks wrote.
Mott McDonald engineers also recommended that the town perform bridge inspections for all bridges that are not inspected by the Florida Department of Transportation. Those inspections are required every two years for longer bridges by the Federal Highway Administration. The town has not moved forward with the inspections.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Pictured top and bottom photos: The closed Freedom Road bridge. Pictured inset and first three photos below: The Jefferson Avenue bridge just north of Freedom Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Temperatures Will Rise This Week, And Records May Fall
February 21, 2023
Record high temperatures may fall this week as our February temperatures climb into the 80s by Wednesday.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Windy, with a south wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the evening.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 78.
Escambia Children’s Trust Director Wants More North Escambia Involvement
February 21, 2023
Monday, the executive director of the Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) told the Escambia County School board that they will make more of an effort to get more North Escambia agencies involved before their next funding cycle.
Last week, ECTawarded $5,104,482 in grants to 19 service providers for out-of-school time programming. Only two were located in District 5, receiving a total $612,601.
“We could only fund what we got applications for, so we recognize that we need to do more outreach,” ECT Executive Director Tammy Greer said.
Agencies that provide after-school and summer educational programs for children were invited to apply for the funding.
“When you go north of Nine Mile Road, there’s nothing there outside of school for the children. We really want to find the programs that are there that are serving children so that we can make them aware that we exist, because we didn’t get applications from them,” she said.
“I want to say this correctly,” Bill Slayton, District 5 board member said. “You may not have found education programs, but we play a lot of ball north of Nine Mile Road .We have a lot of ballparks and a lot of activities going on. Those parents are readily available to get their students to those activities and events. I don’t know what can spin off from those, but I’m very curious what might could spin off to help students that are doing and participating in other activities.”
Greer and Slayton plan to continue their discussions.
Escambia County students will not be limited to attending one of the ECT programs in their area; they can attend any program in the county.
The two North Escambia programs funded by ECT in District 5 are:
- The Urban Development Center and their program “YouthFirst Century” plans to serve 750 youth ages 11-18 over a three-year period. The program will be held at three locations within the Century town limits. $397,556 for the first year.
- Central Gulf Coast Freedom Schools and their program “Expanding Summer School” plans to serve 500 children ages 5-14 over a three-year period. The program will take place at the University of West Florida campus. $215,045 for the first year.
Candidates To Qualify This Week For Century Council Special Election
February 21, 2023
This is the week for candidates to qualify for a special election for two seats on the Century Town Council.
Two council seats were left vacant in January because no candidate ran for them last year, and interim council members were appointed.
Qualifying will be open from noon February 21 until noon February 24 at the Supervisor of Elections Office or the Century Town Hall on February 22. Any registered voter that lives in the town limits can seek election and pay a $50 qualifying fee.
If there are three or more candidates for any one of the seats, a primary election will be held on Tuesday, March 14. Any necessary runoff and the general election will be held on Tuesday, March 28.
Disc Golf Added A Travis M. Nelson Park In Bratt
February 21, 2023
Escambia County Parks and Recreation recently added two new disc golf practice goals at the Travis M Nelson Park in Bratt.
The 40 acre park also has two large covered pavilions with picnic tables, a playground, seven-tenths of a mile walking track, full basketball court, exercise equipment, softball/baseball practice fields, a little free library and free high speed Wi-Fi.
The park is named in honor of Marine Lance Cpl. Travis M. Nelson, who was killed in 2011 while serving in Afghanistan. A monument stands in his honor.
Travis M. Nelson Park is located on West Highway 4 at Bratt Road, just west of Northview High School. It is open from sunrise to sunset.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos, Kazoo Read To Escambia Westgate Students
February 21, 2023
Kazoo and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos recently visited Escambia Westgate School to visit with students. Kazoo and the Wahoos read to 11 classes as part of Kazoo’s Reading Program. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Applications Open For Escambia Summer Youth Employment Program
February 21, 2023
Applications are now open for the Escambia County Summer Youth Employment Program.
Applications will be accepted until Friday, March 10 at 3 p.m. Online applications are available at MyEscambia.com/youthemployment. Physical applications will not be available. Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
The program is open to Escambia County youth ages 16-24 interested in an opportunity to receive paid work experience this summer. Qualified youth who are accepted into ECSYEP will be able to work up to 30 hours a week, with positions available in various county departments along with the Escambia County School District, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector’s Office and Supervisor of Elections Office. Participants will also receive job readiness training prior to job placement as well as post-employment briefings.
Last summer, over 150 youth participated in the program, working in county departments including Public Works, Public Safety, Escambia County Area Transit, West Florida Public Libraries and more.
Limited positions are available. Requirements for the program are as follows:
- Must submit complete application packet by prescribed deadline.
- Must be a resident of Escambia County, Fla. at the time of application and for the duration of program participation.
- Must complete up-front job readiness preparatory training classes.
- Must complete post-employment debriefing sessions.
- Must not have any felony convictions.
- If enrolled in school, must submit enrollment verification.
- Must be between the age of 16 years old and 24 years old at the time of enrollment.
- Must show proof of identify (State issued Driver’s License or State ID Card).
- Must show proof of address.
- Must meet hiring criteria of the temporary employment agency.
- Must submit completed application with all supporting required documentation to be considered
- Must attend the end of the Summer Youth Program Award Ceremony.
For additional information, call Neighborhood and Human Services at (850) 595-3123 or (850) 595-3130.
File photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
