‘I Am In Over My Head’ – New Century Interim Mayor Asks For Consultant To Help Run The Town
August 30, 2023
Newly appointed Century interim Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. says he needs help to make sure he can properly run the town.
“I know that I am in over my head, but I don’t want the town of Century to suffer due to my lack of experience in this position,” Gomez told his town council a few minutes after he was sworn in Monday night.
Gomez asked the town council to consider contracting with consultant Robert Thompson of DeFuniak Springs, who he said was recommended by the Florida League of Cities.
During the approximate three months Gomez will serve as interim mayor until a permanent replacement is elected, Thompson would assist the town with day to day operations.
Thompson is a former assistant county manager of Las Cruces, New Mexico. He served as city manager in DeFuniak Springs from June 1, 2021, until he declined to renew his 18-month contract in December 2022.
“His credentials speak for themselves. He comes well advertised. He and I spoke a lot this week,” Gomez said. “I researched him, and he’s is top of the line. He can handle anything.”
Thompson declined to say how much he would charge for his services; he said that would be based upon a scope of work created by the town.
Presumably under the town charter’s bid requirements, the scope would become a request for proposals to be solicited from anyone interested. The scope for a consultant will be discussed at the council’s September 5 meeting.
“I refuse to let the Town of Century falter due to my lack of experience in this position,” Gomez said.
Pictured top: Newly appointed Century interim Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. asks his town council for help from a consultant to run the town. Pictured inset: Consultant Robert Thompson. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Stealing And Selling Metal Roofing
August 30, 2023
A Cantonment man is accused of stealing metal roofing from a yard and selling it to a recycling company at a fraction of its value.
Joshua Lamar Barlow, 44, was charged with fraudulently verifying ownership to a secondhand dealer, dealing in stolen property and petit theft.
Barlow allegedly stole aluminum roofing that was piled in the victim’s yard. A neighbor watched the theft occur and positively identified Barlow from a lineup.
He then sold the metal to a recycler for $15.98, providing his identification and fingerprint, according to an arrest report.
The metal roofing was valued at $600.
Barlow was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $8,000, but he has an outstanding hold from Santa Rosa County, according to jail records.
Much Of Three Hour Barry District 5 Town Hall Focuses On Development
August 30, 2023
District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry spent nearly three hours Tuesday night answering questions at a town hall meeting at the Molino Community Center.
Much of the discussion centered around the growing number of proposed developments in District 5. Residents express concerns ranging from increased traffic, inadequate roads, and inadequate public services such as schools and fire protection.
One attendee drew applause when he asked why Escambia County does not learn from development in Beulah and address infrastructure needs in advance.
“Sounds like a very good idea,” Barry said. “But we have needs that exceed financial resources that we have currently. This is needs for resurfacing, for dirt road paving, for improvements on areas that exist…The likelihood of having an elected board allocate $5-10 million dollars to a road that doesn’t have a need currently is not likely. It’s an unfortunate circumstance, but it’s the truth we have needs that need to be done and you know putting a road in through the woods, just realistically, it’s not going to happen.”
“It’s just not likely to have elected officials that are going to allocate large chunks of money to projects for what might happen in the future,” he added.
Barry cautioned residents to understand that just because a development is proposed does not mean it will ever become reality.
“I understand being upset, and I would gauge the degree of unhappiness about what does happen, not what is proposed to happen,” he said.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Mother And Son Both Indicted With First Degree Murder In Home Depot Fatal Shooting
August 30, 2023
Both the mother and son accused in an Escambia County Home Depot shooting have been indicated for first degree murder.
An Escambia County grand jury returned the murder indictments Tuesday against 20-year old Keith Agee and 50-year old Sheila Agee. Keith Agee was also indicted on two counts of aggravated battery.
They are both accused in the death of 18-year old Brooklyn Sims on August 11 at the Home Depot on Davis Highway.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the mother and son collaborated in the hours leading up to the murder in a series of text messages. Sheila Agee reportedly gave Sims a ride to work at the store where she was shot by Keith Agee.
Keith Agee and Sheila Agee are both being held without bond and are scheduled for arraignment on September 1.
Read the text messages is this previous story.
Partly Cloudy, Low 70s Tonight
August 30, 2023
For the latest on Idalia, click or tap here.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. East wind around 10 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. East wind around 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.
Labor Day: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 92.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 94.
Category 3 Hurricane Idalia Makes Landfall In Florida’s Big Bend
August 30, 2023
******THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY******
Extremely dangerous Category 3 Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the Florida Big Bend this morning. Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 125 mph. Catastrophic storm surge and damaging winds were ongoing.
The latest information is in the graphic above; reload the page for the very latest.
Blue Wahoos Beat Lookouts 9-7 In Opener
August 30, 2023
Injuries to shortstop José Devers and second baseman Nasim Nuñez have created a void in middle of the Blue Wahoos infield.
Josh Zamora stepped up in a memorable Double-A debut Tuesday to fill a need at shortstop and help deliver a 9-7 victory against the Chattanooga Lookouts in the series opener at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Zamora, 24, signed last year as undrafted free agent from the University of Nevada, collected hits in his first two at-bats for the Blue Wahoos, including a two-run single in the fourth inning and later reached on a walk to complete a 2-for-3 welcome. Zamora joined the Blue Wahoos last Saturday from the Beloit Sky Carp – the Miami Marlins’ High-A affiliate.
He was in the lineup Sunday when the game was halted in the first inning by a thunderstorm and did not resume.
His two RBI provided a 6-0 lead Tuesday for Pensacola, following a three-run homer by Will Banfield in the third inning and Bennett Hostetler’s solo blast in the second.
It also changed the narrative of this season’s matchup against Chattanooga.
The Lookouts took all six games three weeks ago in Chattanooga, which became the first time the Blue Wahoos were swept in a six-game series. It led to a record-tying nine-game losing streak.
In that series, the Blue Wahoos led for just two innings the entire week. Tuesday night, they jumped to a quick lead and expanded it.
And since that nine-game slide, the Blue Wahoos (68-51) have resembled the team that cruised to a first-half division win and put together the best overall record in the Southern League. They won two of the final three games against Montgomery in the last homestand, then took four of the five games played at Biloxi.
They got a superlative start Tuesday from righthander M.D. Johnson, who continues to pitch his best at Blue Wahoos Stadium. He worked into the sixth inning, allowing just two hits and two runs with eight strikeouts and two walks.
The Blue Wahoos opened a 9-2 lead in the seventh inning on a two-run double by Norel González and a sacrifice fly by Cody Morissette. They made the most of six hits to score the nine runs.
Closer Jefry Yan battled through a rocky ninth. After allowing a three-run homer that trimmed the deficit to two runs, Yan struck out the next two batters before a single and hit batter put the tying run on first base. But he struck out Austin Callahan to end the game and leaped off the mound with excitement.
The series continues Wednesday.
One Airlifted After Highway 97 Rollover Crash
August 29, 2023
One person was seriously injured in a single vehicle rollover crash Tuesday morning on Highway 97 in Davisville.
A Dodge Journey was northbound on Highway 97 near Nokomis Road about 8:20 a.m. when the driver lost control, ran off the roadway, struck a ditch and overturned multiple times. The vehicle came to rest on its side in a dirt road 117 feet away.
Firefighters extricated the driver. The 70-year old female from Pace was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital for treatment. There were no passengers in the vehicle.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill and McDavid stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Atmore Fire Department and Escambia County EMS responded.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gomez Appointed Interim Century Mayor; Special Election Set For Mayor And Council Seat
August 29, 2023
The Town of Century has a newly appointed interim mayor for the next few months.
Council president Luis Gomez, Jr. was appointed Monday night by the town council to replace Ben Boutwell who resigned August 22. He will hold the seat until a replacement is elected. Gomez was forced to resign his council seat in order to accept the interim mayor appointment.
Gomez told his fellow council members that he was interested in the appointment to interim mayor.
“If ya’ll want me to take that seat, I’ll take that seat,” he said prior to the vote. “I am confident that the town will benefit from me being in that seat, and I’ll go from there.”
A motion by Alicia Johnson to appoint Gomez passed 3-1, with Shelisa McCall voting no and Gomez abstaining. After a several-minute search for a Bible, Gomez raised his left hand and took the oath of office.
All of that set several next steps into motion.
The council has set November 1 as the date for a special election to elect a mayor and a council member. They will be sworn in shortly thereafter and will serve through the first Monday of January 2025. Both offices will also be on the general election ballot in November 2024 for complete four-year terms.
The council opted to wait until a regular meeting on September 19 to fill the seat on the council vacated by Gomez. In the meantime, they are asking any interested and qualified citizen to contact the town hall to express an interest in an appointment.
The four remaining council members voted Dynette Lewis as the new council president and McCall as the new council vice president.
Pictured top: Luis Gomez, Jr. raises his left hand to take the oath of office as interim Century mayor as his wife Denise Gomez holds a Bible Monday night. The oath was given by Town Clerk Leslie Howington. Pictured below: New council president Dynette Lewis. Pictured inset: Council member Shelisa McCall voted against Gomez’s appointment as interim mayor. Pictured below: About a dozen people, mostly town residents and employees, attended the Monday meeting. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
For The Second Time, Woman Wins Big On Fantasy 5 Ticket Sold In Beulah
August 29, 2023
For the second time in less than two months, a woman has won the top prize on a winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket sold in Beulah.
A ticket sold at the SP Food Mart at West Nine Mile Road and Bridlewood Road was one of three winning tickets in the Sunday, August 20 midday drawing and was worth $18,317.59. The two other winning tickets were both sold in Miami.
According to the Florida Lottery, the cash option on the winning ticket was claimed by Lori Lee Stuard of Robertsdale.
Stuard also won a $28,725.68 top prize on a ticket sold at the Publix on Beulah Road at Nine Mile Road for the July 9 midday drawing.