Escambia County Private Sector Employment Up 4.2% Over The Year
April 22, 2023
The Escambia County unemployment rate held steady last month, according to data released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
The area’s private sector employment grew 4.2 percent (+6,800 jobs) over the year in March 2023. The industries gaining the most jobs were education and health services, increasing by 2,200 jobs, and leisure and hospitality, increasing by 2,100 jobs.
The unemployment rate in the Pensacola metro area was 2.6 percent in March 2023, unchanged from February and a 0.3 percentage point decrease from 2.9 percent a year ago in March 2022. The Pensacola area labor force increased by 8,120 over the year, a 3.5 percent increase.
In March 2023, Florida’s unemployment rate was 2.6 percent for the third consecutive month, which is 0.9 percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent. Florida’s labor force climbed by 250,000 (+2.3 percent) over the year and the unemployment rate has remained lower than the nation’s for 29 consecutive months.
10,000 Pound Food Giveaway Tuesday Afternoon In Cantonment
April 22, 2023
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will hold a drive-thru 10,000 pound food giveaway Tuesday afternoon, April 25 at Carver Park on Webb Street.
The food distribution will begin at 3 p.m. and continue while supplies last for anyone in need of food. People should line up their vehicles, single file on Webb Street facing north; food will be loaded into vehicles. Identification is required.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Clear Tonight, Low Near 50
April 22, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 50. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Northeast wind around 10 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Northeast wind around 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. East wind around 10 mph becoming north in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Northeast wind around 10 mph.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Northview Suffers 5-4 Senior Night Loss To Pensacola Catholic (With Gallery)
April 22, 2023
The Northview Chiefs fell short on a comeback attempt in a senior night 5-4 loss to Pensacola Catholic Friday night in Bratt.
Aubrey Stuckey went for a complete game, allowing seven hits and five runs while striking out six.
Chloe Ragsdale went 2-3 at bat to lead the Chiefs. Emma Gilmore and Allison Flowers added one hit each.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Before the game, the Lady Chiefs honored two seniors — pitchers Emma Gilmore and Aubrey Stuckey. On the first play of the game, Gilmore started at catcher. During her high school career, she had played every position on the field during a game except catcher.
Northview will host W.S. Neal Thursday at 6 p.m. in their last home game of the regular season.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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Monteverde Masterful In 12-1 Wahoos Win
April 22, 2023
Troy Johnston has described hot hitting like riding a wave.
He caught another one Friday in helping the Blue Wahoos to a 12-1 win against the Birmingham Barons before another sellout crowd (5,038) at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Johnston drove in three runs with a pair of doubles, as the Blue Wahoos batted around in back-to-back, explosive innings while rolling to an easy win.
Their 14-hit attack combined with another impressive performance from starting pitcher Patrick Monteverde, who earned his second win with a 10-strikeout, three-hit effort in six innings.
With Monteverde, this is now a trifecta of exceptional.
In his three starts, Monteverde, 25, has been one of the best pitchers in the Miami Marlins minor league system with just five hits and one run allowed in 19 innings with 29 strikeouts. The Pittsburgh native began the year as the Marlins’ No. 30 prospect by MLB Pipeline.
“It’s incredible,” said Johnston. “When I was facing him in spring training – whenever I would see I was facing him – I almost would give my at-bat up, because I did not want to face him. That is how good he is. He is showing what he is capable of and he is an absolute bulldog on the mound.”
Monteverde faced the minimum nine batters the first three innings before allowing a one-out double to Moises Castillo, one of the Barons’ top prospects, who later scored their only run on a double steal.
The Blue Wahoos answered with a thunderclap of runs.
After coaxing five walks and two hits, but zero runs after three innings, against Birmingham starter Hunter Dollander (0-3), the Blue Wahoos exploded in their next at-bat.
Seven of the first eight batters reached in a six-run, fourth inning. Jose Devers tripled home two runs. Johnston later followed with a bases-clearing double.
“I hope I can ride the wave, but it’s a long season and I’m just going to try to do the best I can every day.”
In the fifth, nine Blue Wahoos batted, including Johnson’s second double, in a five-run inning. In all, every Blue Wahoos batter reached base. Eight scored runs. Seven of the nine batters had multiple hits.
Devers, Nasim Nunez and Victor Mesa Jr. all had two RBI apiece.
“It is a testament to what we have been doing. We have been working really hard,” Johnston said. “I know things haven’t been clicking all the time, but as you can see in the fourth and fifth inning, it clicked. Hopefully we can run with it.”
Jefry Yan pitched two scoreless innings with five strikeouts to follow Monteverde and Sean Reynolds pitched the ninth as Blue Wahoos pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts Friday.
Game five of this homestand is set for Saturday, with the Blue Wahoos’ M.D. Johnson (0-0, 3.38 ERA) going against Birmingham’s Christian Mena (0-1, 6.43).
written by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Highway 29 Project In Century Halted After Discovery Of An Unknown Water Main
April 21, 2023
Work has come to a temporary halt on a Highway 29 construction in Century after the discovery of an unknown water main that must be relocated.
Early this year, two northbound travel lanes and the center turn lane were closed between Harries Boulevard and East Cottage Street with traffic shifted into just two lanes. It was that a normal traffic pattern would return by the end of April, but for now that’s on hold until about the end of May.
“There will be extension of the work timeframe. During excavation, an unknown Town of Century water main was discovered,” Kohen Johns Brannon, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation, told NorthEscambia.com on Thursday. “The water main is expected to be relocated in approximately two weeks.”
Brannon said the contractor is scheduled to be on site next week doing preliminary work to facilitate the relocation of the pipe. Construction on the resurfacing project will continue after the water main is relocated.
Century’s engineer said the problem pipe is a 2-inch water main, and there are no service disruptions anticipated during the work.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Chance Of Overnight Rain
April 21, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Saturday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 76. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 52. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Northeast wind around 10 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. East wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tuesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
One Injured In Bratt Rollover Crash
April 21, 2023
One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover crash Thursday afternoon in Bratt.
The driver of a Chevrolet Silverado was southbound on North Highway 99 when he apparently lost control as coming out of an S-curve about 3:35 p.m.. The pickup truck left the road, struck a culvert, went airborne and overturned. The pickup came to rest upright in a ditch about 110 feet from the culvert.
The driver was transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS with injuries that did not appear life threatening. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released additional information.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Gets Senior Night 14-4 Win Over Central (With Gallery)
April 21, 2023
The No. 4 state ranked Northview Chiefs celebrated senior night with a run-ruled 14-4 win over Central Thursday night in Bratt.
The Chiefs jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the first inning.
Northview had one hit each from Kaden Odom, Luke Bridges, Josh Landis, Jamarkus Jefferson and Rustin Pope.
Odom earned the win on the mound for the Chief. In three innings, he allowed one hit and three runs while striking out five. Grayden Sheffield threw two innings in relief, allowing one hit and one run while striking out seven.
For game action photos, click or tap here.
Before the game, Northview honored 10 seniors — Rustin Pope, Cason Burkett, Kaden Odom, Josh Landis, Trent Knighten, Ethan Collier, Jamarkus Jefferson, Luke Bridges, Aron Chavira, and Tyler Shaw.
For senior night photos, click or tap here.
Northview will travel to Milton on Monday before hosting Niceville in the final game of the regular season on Thursday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Sex Offender Sentenced For Illegally Voting In 2020, Submitting Voter Registrations
April 21, 2023
An Escambia County sex offender has been sentenced to probation for voting illegally in the 2020 election and completing multiple voter registration applications over a two year period.
Michael DeWayne Collins entered a plea of no contest to one felony count of election fraud for voting in the 2020 presidential election and four felony counts of perjury for completing voter registration applications four times between August 2020 and October 2022.
Judge Linda Nobles sentenced Collins to a total of 36 months probation for all five counts.
In June 2001, Collins was convicted of lewd or lascivious battery on a victim age 12-16, a second degree felony sexual offense, making him ineligible to vote. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Collins affirmed on each application that he was not a convicted felon when, in fact, he was and his voting rights had not been restored.
Court records show the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office notified Collins by mail that they had no records and that he was ineligible to vote. Collins told investigators he did not contact the Supervisor of Elections because it was “time consuming”, and he filed out additional applications because he forgot that he received the letters, according to FDLE.
Collins told FDLE that he received a letter in 2019 from an unknown group or organization trying to get people to vote, and the letter stated he was still eligible to vote. FDLE said the letter was not from the state.