Escambia Receives $500K Grant Toward Cantonment Community Center
May 19, 2023
Escambia County has received a half million dollar grant that will go toward a community center in Cantonment.
The county received a $500,000 Department of the Treasury RESTORE Act Grant. Thursday morning, the county commission voted to recognize the proceeds and appropriate the funds for the development of the “Cantonment Community Center Design Project”.
The money will be used for the planning, design and permitting of a community center. The community center will be located on county-owned property. It will be used as a workforce development and training center, adult education center, center for tutoring, senior citizens’ center, recreation center and as a housing assistance center.
The exact location for the community center has not yet been determined. District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said Thursday that he hopes that the location will be finalized in the next few weeks.
File photo.
No Headlights Leads To Arrest Of Bratt Man On Drug Possession, Aggravated Battery Charges
May 19, 2023
After a traffic stop for no headlights, a Bratt man was charged with drug possession and arrested on an aggravated battery warrant from last year.
Brian Steven Wiggins, 51, was charged knowingly driving without a license, felony possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), and second degree felony aggravated battery domestic violence.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy was running radar near the intersection of Still Road and Rigby Road near Bratt about 11:50 p.m. on May 17. The deputy observed a pickup truck with no operating headlights, just fog light, and a faulty tag light. The deputy activated emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop, but the truck failed to pull over until it reached a private residence on Rigby Road. The driver, later identified as Wiggins, was ordered from the vehicle at gunpoint and taken into custody.
Wiggins told the deputy that his license was not valid due to a child support issue and that he was just trying to get the truck to his house, according to an arrest report. A records check found that his license was suspended, and that he had an outstanding felony warrant from 2022.
A substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine was located in a plastic bag in Wiggins’ pocket, the report states.
He was also issued a traffic citation for driving with a suspended or revoked license and a written warning for driving with no headlights.
In August 2022, Wiggins allegedly threatened to kill a female and hit her multiple times with a plastic lawn chair, according to the ECSO. Deputies were unable to locate him at that time.
Northview High Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian
May 19, 2023
Northview High School has named the top of the Class of 2023.
Valedictorian is Drake Driskell, and salutatorian is Blake Yoder.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
More Scattered Showers And Storms
May 19, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Tate Cheer’s Paige McKinney And Landry Bellard Sign With Troy University
May 19, 2023
Tate High School seniors Paige McKinney and Landry Bellard have signed to continue their cheerleading careers with Troy University.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Pickup Truck In Molino
May 19, 2023
Fire destroyed a pickup truck Thursday in Molino.
The pickup truck was fully involved when Escambia County Fire Rescue arrived on Highway 95A near Bet Raines Road. Firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire under control with no damage to other vehicles or structures.
There were no injuries.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Late Rally Falls Short As Pensacola’s Win Streak Snaps At 10
May 19, 2023
The Blue Wahoos had their franchise-record streak end Thursday, but not without suspense.
After trailing 5-0 into the fifth inning, Pensacola produced a 3-run rally in the seventh and had a chance for a walk-off rally in their final at-bat before the Tennessee Smokies held on for a 5-4 victory, halting a 10-game win streak that stretched into a third week.
Playing as the Pensacola Mullets and wearing their specialty uniforms on Mullet Thursday, the home team fell into an early hole, but rallied against the Smokies bullpen.
The game’s biggest moment was a near-miss shot by Victor Mesa Jr. With two outs and the tying run on third, Mesa Jr. launched a ball into the right-center gap that appeared to have a chance for a home run.
But Smokies right fielder Owen Caissie made a sensational catch against the wall to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, another chance ensued when Bennett Hostetler led off with a walk. J.D. Orr was unable to bunt him over and popped out. Smokies reliever Riley Martin then struck out Nasim Nuñez and Troy Johnston to end the game.
But the Blue Wahoos (24-12) had a memorable stretch of games where they swept a road series for only the second time in franchise history and eclipsed a win streak of eight games set three times in team history.
Blue Wahoos newcomer Jonathan Bermudez, making his first start this year since being signed by the Miami Marlins on April 26, struggled in his Pensacola debut.
Bermudez struck out the first two batters he faced, then allowed a walk before getting out of the first inning.
The second inning, however, wasn’t so clean. He walked two of the Smokies’ (19-17) first three batters. With two out Caleb Knight laced a pitch to right field. The Blue Wahoos’ Griffin Conine made a sliding attempt to keep the ball in front, but it bounced away allowing two runs to score.
The Smokies had their first two batters on second and third base in the fourth inning when Bermudez was lifted for reliever Josan Méndez. He gave up an RBI double to the next batter, but got out of the inning without worse damage.
The Smokies then took a 5-0 lead with two runs in the top of the fifth against Méndez.
Griffin Conine got the Blue Wahoos on the board with a solo home run, his fourth of the season, to begin the bottom of the fifth.
The Blue Wahoos began their seventh inning rally when Hostetler walked and Orr singled. Nuñez drove in a run and Johnston had a sacrifice fly RBI. Dane Myers then hit a shot back at the mound, off the pitcher’s leg and the errant throw allowed another run to score.
The fourth game of this series begins the weekend set on Friday.
The Blue Wahoos’ Luis Palacios (1-0, 9.00 ERA) will make his second start since joining the team a week ago from the Beloit Sky Carp, as part of the movement when Eury Pérez went to the Marlins. Palacios pitched twice last year for the Blue Wahoos.
The Smokies will start their top pitcher, lefthander Jordan Wicks (2-0, 2.67), rated the Chicago Cubs’ No. 5 overall prospect.
First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m. at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Termite Damage And Rot May Force Century To Replace Historic Community Center
May 18, 2023
Just over a year ago, Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $3.255 million to the Town of Century to renovate two community centers.
Now, it appears one could be razed and replaced with a new building.
Just under $2 million was designated to renovate the historic Carver Community Center at 7040 West Jefferson Avenue. The former school building was constructed in 1945.
But time and termites have taken an obvious toll on the wood building, which sat empty, neglected and unmaintained for years by the Escambia County School District. The school district just recently transferred the title to the Town of Century.
Ben Townes of Ben Townes of Townes + Architects said two engineering firms recently inspected the building. They found no asbestos, but that was the only good news. What they found was lead paint and plenty of structural damage from termites and water.
“In essence, the entire building is covered in lead-based paint,” Townes said. “It adds a lot of cost to a project to have to deal with lead-based paints. It’s very hazardous and especially with children.”
He said the bottom plates of the building — essentially the bottom section of walls where studs are attached — are 70% missing or have termite damage, and there is extensive rot or termite damage to the remainder of the building. Townes said all total, the damage would exceed over 50% of the value of the building. In addition, the structure will not support the capacity required by code.
His cost estimate for just the repairs was at over $2.4 million plus $853,000 to mitigate hazards such has lead. At over $3.2 million, that exceeds the $2 million in grant money.
But for about $2 million a new structure, he said, could “pay homage to the existing building for a little less cost and at the end of the day have a really adequate facility for your use”. It could look almost identical to the old structure.
“If it gets torn down, I want some guaranteed, rock-solid evidence that it is going to be put back,” Council President Luis Gomez, Jr., said. “I want to make sure it gets put back.”
“You can rebuild it,” project consultant Robin Phillips said. “We wouldn’t actually use grant money to go in and demolish it and not rebuild it, because what’s the benefit in that?”
One local resident said he does not want to see a new building; he wants the old one repaired.
“To me, as a student of that school at one time, we just need to find more money to cover the cost to bring it back to that original state,” Anthony Robinson said. “That’s what I want, and I think that’s what most of the people of the town of Century want. If we don’t have the money right now, let’s hold off until we get it.”
Phillips noted there is a deadline to spend the grant money, but a year extension from the state might be possible.
Gomez said public comments will be heard at an upcoming public meeting. The meeting has not yet been scheduled.
The remained of the grant awarded by DeSantis, about $850,000, was designated for improvements at the Century Community Center (also known as the Ag Building) at the corner of West Highway 4 and Industrial Boulevard.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NAS Pensacola Is Now Open To The Public Seven Days. Here’s What You Need To Know.
May 18, 2023
Wednesday, Naval Air Station Pensacola reopened to the public seven days a week for the first time in over three years.
While on the base, the public will be able to visit the Pensacola Lighthouse, Fort Barrancas and the National Naval Aviation Museum. Access to Barrancas National Cemetery is always available through the Visitor Control Center at the main gate to anyone with family interred at the cemetery.
Public access to NAS Pensacola will be available from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. through the west gate only on Blue Angel Parkway. The museum is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
All U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals 18 and older must have a Real ID or passport.
“We cannot express how excited and grateful we are to welcome everyone back to their museum,” said Ret. Adm. Kyle Cozad, President and CEO of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. “We’d like to take this opportunity to remind all visitors of these simple ‘Know Before You Go’ tips to help make their experience that much smoother.”
Real ID Required
The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Navy require any identification card used for base access to be compliant with the Real ID Act of 2005. Real ID-compliant identification cards are marked by a star on the upper right of the card. If you do not have a Real ID compliant identification, you must present an original or certified true copy of a birth certificate bearing a raised seal, social security card, and driver’s license issued by a state, territory, possession or District of Columbia that is not Real ID-compliant. All three documents must bear the same name, or a former name as documented on acceptable name change documentation such as a court order, marriage certificate or divorce decree.
Access Depends On Parking
Air station access will be dependent on available parking at the National Naval Aviation Museum and Pensacola Lighthouse. Once parking is full, public access will be halted until more parking becomes available. Temporary traffic control points will be located on base to prevent public access to other areas of the installation.
There Are Restrictions
The following restrictions will apply to visitors during public access:
- No weapons (firearms/knives) allowed (to include concealed weapon permit holders)
- No backpacks/coolers allowed (diaper bags or medically required bags are acceptable and subject to search)
- No alcoholic beverages allowed
- No drones allowed (countermeasures will be taken)
- Persons with felony convictions are not authorized base access
- No visitors with boats and boat trailers
- All vehicles and personnel are subject to security searches and background checks
Foreign National Access
Foreign nationals are authorized access but must be escorted by a U.S. citizen in the same vehicle. The U.S. citizen will have a background check conducted upon arrival. Foreign national visitors who have not been processed through the Foreign Visits System Confirmation Module (FVSCM) must be in possession and present a permanent resident card, alien registration receipt card (Form 1-551) or a foreign passport which contains a temporary 1-551 stamp or a temporary 1-551 printed notification on a machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV).
McDavid Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Woman In Atmore
May 18, 2023
A McDavid man has been charged with the attempted murder of a woman Wednesday in Atmore.
The Atmore Police Department responded to the Southland Motel on East Louisville Avenue about 11:45. They found a female suffering from gunshot wounds on the floor of a motel room. She was airlifted to the trauma center at an area hospital.
Luis Trevizo Becerra, 39, was charged with attempted murder and booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center.
Once police developed Becerra as a suspect, a statewide alert was issued. Becerra was apprehended by Alabama Law Enforcement Agencies troopers along I-65 near Evergreen.
An update on the victim’s condition was not available.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.