University Of Alabama Tag Vouchers Are Buy One, Get One Free In Escambia County
March 29, 2024
University of Alabama tag vouchers are buy one, get one free for the first 100 purchasers in Escambia County.
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford said a donor has agreed to match 100 University of Alabama vouchers sold through EscambiaTaxCollector.com.
Additional vouchers may be used for another vehicle, including trailers and RVs, or to offset the renewal fee in a future year.
Click https://county-taxes.net/fl-escambia to buy your UA voucher and the tax collector will put a second one on the record of the first 100 purchasers.
‘This Drug House Is Closed’- ECSO Narcotics Serves Search Warrant, Arrests One
March 29, 2024
One person was arrested on drug charges after deputies raided a home in Escambia County Thursday.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, with the assistance of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, served a search warrant in the 1400 block of Sturbridge Place. During the search, deputies located 45 grams of Fentanyl, 337 grams of Methamphetamine, 18 grams of MDMA, and two handguns.
Michael Watts was charged with trafficking fentanyl, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking MDMA, and possession of firearm by a convicted felon.
After the raid, the ECSO left behind a sign in the front yard of the home that stated, “This Drug House Is Closed”.
Sturbridge Place is located south of Nine Mile Road and just east of Stefani Road.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Foul Play Suspected After Body Discovered Near Mystic Springs Boat Ramp
March 29, 2024
No foul play is suspected after a body was found Saturday, March 23 near the Mystic Springs Boat Launch in the McDavid area.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday afternoon that the death appeared to be a suicide.
The investigation is continuing. Further details have not been released.
The ESCO is also continuing their investigation after a body was discovered Wednesday afternoon in a wooded area on Ascend property in Gonzalez. That death was also preliminarily ruled a suicide. [Read more...]
Four RBIs For Pugh As Northview Comes Back To Beat Pine Forest
March 29, 2024
The Northview Chiefs recovered from a four-run deficit to defeat the Pine Forest Eagles 9-8 Thursday night in Pensacola.
Pine Forest scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-3 lead. The Chiefs regained an 8-7 advantage in the top of the fifth, and Pine Forest tied it up at eight in the bottom of the sixth on a Northview error Brady Smith singled in the top of the seventh, scoring one run, to make it 9-8.
Starter Smith went for three and two-thirds innings for Northview, allowing five hits and seven runs, striking out five and walking one. Jackson Bridges went for three and a third innings, surrendering one hit and one run, striking out nine and walking three.
Colby Pugh led the Chiefs at the plate, going 2-4 with four RBIs. Smith was 1-4 with one RBI.
The Chiefs will be back in action Friday at 2 p.m. at J.U. Blacksher in Uriah, Alabama.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Reminder: Good Friday Closures
March 29, 2024
Most Escambia County and Century offices will be closed on Friday, March 29 due to the Good Friday holiday. ECUA trash collection will be unchanged.
Escambia County
In observance of Good Friday, the following Escambia County offices will be closed Friday, March 29:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners – all departments including:
- West Florida Public Libraries (all locations)
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare
- Escambia County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller
- Escambia County Extension Office
- Waste Services Administration
- Escambia County Area Transit Administration
Escambia County Notes
- The Animal Welfare and Adoption Center will resume regular hours Saturday, March 30.
- The Perdido Landfill will be open Friday, March 29.
- West Florida Public Libraries will be closed Saturday, March 30. Regular hours will resume Monday, April 1.
- ECAT will operate regular service Friday, March 29, and Saturday, March 30. Bus service, including UWF trolleys, will not run Sunday, March 31. Regular service will resume Monday, April 1.
ECUA
The ECUA Customer Service office will be closed on Friday, March 29, in observance of Good Friday. However, the drive-thru payment area and all ECUA business offices will be open. All ECUA residential and commercial sanitation collections will be unaffected by the holiday and will be carried out as usual. ECUA customer service will re-open on Monday, April 1 at 8:30 am.
Town of Century
Century Town Hall will be closed on Friday, March 19 for the Good Friday holiday.
Good Friday Weather: Sunny, High In The 70s
March 29, 2024
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night: Patchy fog after 5am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 54. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 79. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. South wind around 10 mph.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 71.
$200,000 In Drugs Seized Near Jay In Connection To Escambia County Case
March 28, 2024
Drugs valued at $200,000 were seized when a search warrant was executed near Jay later Wednesday evening in connection with an Escambia County case, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office said.
The SRSO Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant in the 4900 block of Dobson Road to assist with an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
Information was received that the suspect was in possession of large amounts of Spice (synthetic cannabinoids), Marijuana, and THC edibles, SRSO said.
Travis Paul Sterback, 27, was charged with trafficking in synthetic cannabinoids, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, fleeing and eluding at a high rate of speed and firing a weapon in public. He remained in the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Additional charges are pending in Escambia County.
Sterback was not at the residence when investigators arrived, but they soon learned he was enroute. Deputies said when Sterback arrived, he stopped in front of the residence and fired two shots out of the driver’s side window. The Sheriff’s Office said he was ordered to stop, but he quickly fled the scene at a high rate of speed and continued eluding law enforcement for several miles, before being stopped on Highway 87.
Detectives recovered 150 pounds of spice from the property, with a street value of $200,000. Two guns were also recovered from the vehicle, along with $3,000 in cash believed to be from criminal activity.
“We are thankful for our great partnership with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Working together has certainly made an impact on getting drugs off the streets and keeping our citizens safe,” Jillian Durkin, Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer, said.
‘Blessing To Be Away From Those Conditions’ – Century Water, Wastewater Supervisor Resigns
March 28, 2024
Century’s water and wastewater superintendent has submitted his resignation following a warning letter from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Heath Burkett signed a six-page irrevocable resignation agreement on March 7. The agreement was retroactively approved by the town council, Burkett’s resignation will be final on May 9, the agreement states.
The town received warning letters last year raising numerous deficiencies with the water and wastewater operations, and later DEP issued a warning letter specifically to Burkett, alleging numerous possible violations of Florida statutes and code by Burkett.
DEP Allegations
DEP conducted an “office file” investigation in “regard to Mr. Burkett’s drinking water and wastewater operations at the Town of Century”, a February 21 letter from the state agency stated.
DEP asserted the following against Burkett:
Drinking Water License
- Failure to perform responsible and effective on-site management of the operation, supervision, and maintenance of water treatment plants.
- Failure to submit all required reports in the manner required by the Department rules.
- Failure to maintain a separate operation and maintenance (O&M) log for each water treatment plant that is accessible and protected from weather damage.
- Knowingly submitting misleading, false, or inaccurate information in daily logbook.
- Knowingly clearing a plant for service without an operational flowmeter.
- Failure to complete required site visits and/or maintain log for site visits.
Wastewater License
- Failure to report to the Department of unauthorized domestic wastewater discharges.
- Missing site time entries in operator logbook.
- Failure to submit all required reports in the manner required by the Department rules.
- Failure to document calibration records for the dissolved oxygen meter.
Many of the allegations were included a DEP warning letter to the town, and town responded. [Details...]
Burkett Responds, Makes Allegations Against Town
In his written response to DEP, Burkett said he has been the town’s sole certified operator since 2019.
“It is a blessing to be away from those conditions,” he wrote.
“It required me to stretch my time to all those tasks that normally would not be handled by an operator on a day to day basis,” he wrote. Burkett said he trusted mayors and town councils to follow through on promises to improve staff and conditions. He stated that at one time the town had a dedicated water operator and three full time distribution and maintenance personnel.
“Even though I need a job, because my family is important to me, it is a blessing to be away from those conditions. Whomever tries to operate that system will have most of these issues due to decisions that continue to be made by the Mayor and council,” he wrote.
Burkett termed the water and wastewater operations as “ridiculous conditions”, but said his decisions were made under “severe constraints” and nothing was malicious or causing any detriment to water or wastewater quality.
“I was never the manager of any department, therefore I had no control over finances, personnel, or expenditure planning. Even though I was the supervisor of the Water Department, I was not given authority to exercise supervisor duties. The town Mayor had sole authority over all departments” he alleged.
What’s next for the town?
Century council member Alicia Johnson has taken over acting supervisor duties, according to documents filed with DEP. She is both a certified water and wastewater operator that worked for the town in those positions until her March 2019 resignation. The mayor stated that she is now volunteering her time as water and wastewater supervisor. She is compensated as a council member and continues to sit on the council.
The town council voted in February to allow the mayor to hire U.S. Water Services Corp. in New Port Richey, Florida, for up to $33,630 to address FDEP water warning letters from 2023 and a wastewater treatment plant consent order. The company will not address the most recent January 30 warning letter’s 35 items; the town’s request for proposals was issued prior to that date.
Instead, the town hired the law firm of Sundstrom and Mindlin of Tallahassee as recommended by the town attorney Matt Dannheisser to respond to the latest allegations. The second attorney will charge up to $350 per hour.
The law firm has worked to facilitate a meeting between DEP and town officials.
In the meantime, Century has reported additional sewage spills, including one due to employee negligence after a valve was not opened as required, and the well serving the Century Correctional Institution remains out of service awaiting repairs.
Hiring Process Underway
The town has posted three positions in the water department with annual salaries totaling in excess of $218,000 plus benefits.
The town is hiring a water and wastewater treatment plant superintendent with a salary up to $85,000; a water treatment plant lead operator up to $66,650; and a wastewater treatment plant operator at up to $32/hour ($66,650 per year).
No closing date for applications was posted.
Tate Army JROTC Wins Regional Drill Meet
March 28, 2024
Submitted by Cadet 1LT Jayce Latzer
The Tate Army JROTC Aggie Battalion recently traveled to Chipley to compete in the regional drill meet.
This competition is to determine what teams are allowed to go to the state drill meet in Lakeland on April 6. Out of the 12 teams, 10 of the teams are qualified for state.
Results were as follows:
-Tate Male Color Guard-1st
CMD c/MAJ Yasurek, J
-Tate Female Unarmed PLT-1st
CMD c/2Lt Elnahrawy, J
-Tate Male Armed PLT-1st
CMD c/CPT Stegall, B
-Tate Female Armed PLT-1st
CMD c/CSM Allgyer, O
-Individual Exhibition-1st
CMD c/SSG Wells, T
-Tate Unarmed Squad Male-2nd
CMD c/SFC Colston, Z
-Tate Unarmed Squad Female-2nd
CMD-c/SGT Wiggins K
-Tate Unarmed PLT-Male-2nd
CMD-c/LTC Sappington K
-Tate Armed Squad Female-2nd
CMD c/1LT Williams, K
-Dual Exhibition-2nd
c/1LT Stringer, B and c/SFC Colston, Z
-Tate Female Color Guard-3rd
CMD c/1SG Vickers, D
-Tate Armed Squad Male-3rd
CMD c/CPT Davis, B
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Falls 3-0 To Merritt Island
March 28, 2024
The Tate Aggies fell 3-0 to Merritt Island Wednesday night in Niceville.
Neal Croom struck out 10 while surrendering one hit and three runs in five and third innings on the mound for the Aggies.
Hayden St. Amant pitched for two-thirds of an inning, recording no hits and no runs while striking out one and walking two.
Maddox Land went 2-4 to lead the Aggies at bat. Conner Hassell, Ketch King and Kaleb Posta each added one hit.
The Aggies will enjoy the remainder of Spring Break before hosting the South Warren Spartans of Bowling Green, Kentucky on April 2.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.