Tate AJROTC Teams Place In Top 10 At State Competition
April 23, 2024
written by C/1LT Jayce Latzer
Four Tate High School Army JROTC teams placed in the Top 10 at the state drill meet in Lakeland.
The teams were:
- Male Unarmed Platoon commanded by Cadet LTC Sappington placed 6th out of 34 teams.
- Male Armed Platoon commanded by Cadet CPT Stegall placed 6th out of 31 teams.
- Male Armed Squad commanded by Cadet CPT Davis placed 7th out of 34 teams.
- Female Armed Platoon commanded by Cadet CSM Allgyer placed 8th out of 21 teams.
For the first time in competition history, Tate also took part in individual and a duel exhibition at the state level.
They were:
- Male Individual armed exhibition commanded by Cadet SSG Wells.
- Male Dual armed exhibition commanded by Cadet 1LT Stringer and performed with Cadet SFC Colston.
Preview: Northview At Tate Tonight In The Baseball Battle For North Escambia
April 23, 2024
Call it the Baseball Battle for North Escambia.
Tuesday night is the first meeting between the Tate Aggie and the Northview Chiefs in at least the last 20 years.
There will be a little extra motivation for Tate Tuesday night — it’s senior night.
Both teams are coming in with losses in their last game and have similar records as the regular season winds down this week. 1A Northview is 9-12, and the 6A Aggies are 10-12.
Tate is coming off a 10-5 loss to Fairhope last Friday night.
Clif Quiggins had a solo home run to right field in the top of the fourth for Tate and was 2-4 overall. Conner Hassell was also 2-4 with a run. Ketch King, and Madox Land both added one run for the Aggies.
Friday night, Northview fell 10-5 to Milton. Robbie Bodiford, Brady Smith, Jackson Bridges, and Jase Portwood had two hits each for the Chiefs. Bodiford and Portwood had two RBIs each.
The Aggies have struggled a bit in recent weeks, dropping nine of their last 11 games.
Northview has also suffered an “L” six of their last 11 contests.
The Tate Aggies have recorded an average of 7.9 strikeouts per game, while Northview has an average of 7.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Lady Chiefs Shut Out J.U. Blacksher
April 23, 2024
The Northview Lady Chiefs shut out J.U. Blacksher 11-0 Monday in Uriah, Alabama.
Jamison Gilman earned the win in the circle for the Chiefs, and was a force at the plate, going 3-4 at bat. She gave up no hits and no runs in a complete game five innings, striking out four and walking none.
Gilman, Mary Clayton Dawson, and Riley Brooks drove in two runs each.
Northview will be at Washington on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Murderer Serving Life Sentence Assaulted Correctional Officer At Century Prison, FDC Says
April 23, 2024
A convicted murderer serving a life sentence assaulted a correctional officer at Century Correctional Institution recently, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Inmate Michael Harvis, 49, assaulted a correctional officer by striking the officer in the face.
Harris is serving life on a first degree murder conviction in Hillsborough County. He is also serving time for attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, escape, grand theft motor vehicle, and attempted first degree murder.
Larry Wayne Garrett
April 23, 2024
Larry Wayne Garrett, 68, passed away Sunday, April 21, 2024 surrounded by loved ones after a brief battle with cancer. He was born to William and Marjorie Garrett on July 27, 1955.
A native and life-long resident of Escambia County Florida, Larry had a reputation for his strong work ethic and his love of fishing on the river. He valued hard work and honesty, and modeled that every day. Larry enjoyed gardening with his wife and made family his priority, taking in two grandchildren, Johnathan and Sandra, who he loved joking with, always having a story ready to spread laughter.
He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 46 years, Genevia Garrett; children, Allen (Corrie) Garrett, (Smyrna, TN), Jennie (Tony) Embley,(Atmore, AL), William “Hank” Garrett (Bratt, FL), Christy (Zach) Yuhasz (Loxley, AL), and Lisa Garrett (Century, FL); grandchildren, Johnathan, Sandra, Chloe, Hanna, Alex, Taylor, Paige, Sara, Ashley and Tony Jr; Two great grandchildren; sisters, Ann, Karen, and Pansy; brothers, Danny (Hoppy), Mike (Bubba), James, Charles and Richard.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, (1000 South Highway 29, Cantonment, FL 32533).
Flowers and/or memorial contributions to Larry’s wife, Genevia, are equally welcome.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 South Highway 29, Cantonment, is entrusted witharrangements.
U.S. Marshals Track Down Wanted Atmore Fugitive
April 23, 2024
A fugitive from Atmore has been tracked down by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Marshals located and arrested 22-year-old Isaiah Finney on several active felony warrants stemming from incidents in Atmore during September and November of 2023.
The Atmore Police Department develop Finney as their suspect for shooting at an occupied vehicle before fleeing. APD said they recovered firearms from his vehicle along with other evidence.
“Finney is also a suspect in other recent shootings that are current investigations and are awaiting the results of ballistic testing to determine if any charges are forthcoming,” Sgt. Darrell McMann said.
He was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center on outstanding warrants for discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, certain persons forbidden to possess firearms, attempting to elude a police officer, and possession of marijuana second degree. An additional new charge of possession of a firearm by a violent felon was added at the time of his arrest.
Finney was held without bond.
Locals Make New $22.5 Million Offer For OLF-8 Property
April 22, 2024
Escambia County has received a new offer for a portion of the OLF-8 property on Nine Mile Road.
The Letter of Intent (LOI) was received from a law firm on behalf of local potential buyers Cliff Mowe, land developer and Ryan Chavers, owner of a construction company.
They are offering $22.5 million for 290 acres with cash due at closing following an initial deposit of $250,000.
The offer include a six month inspection period with closing to following in two months.
Mowe and Chavers’s offer states they will work with the county to develop a modified version of the current master plan. The modified master plan will include a main boulevard, , green space, retail, office, recreation areas and a mix of multi-family residential. Detached single-family homes will not be a part of the Modified Master Plan.
“Buyers and Seller agree to cooperate with one another on developing and obtaining approval for the Modified Master Plan, creating a project the Beulah community can be proud of, with the goal of accomplishing approval during the Inspection Period,” the offer states.”
The buyser are also promising to try to involve local firms in all development aspects of the property.
Escambia County was recently in exclusive negations with Beulah Town Center, LLC on acreage but did not come to terms and proceeds.
The Escambia County Commission will discuss the new offer on Monday.
Pictured: A portion of the original DPZ Master Plan that was approved in July 2021. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Century Mayor Reports Entire Playground Stolen; ECSO Says It Was Scrapped For $196
April 22, 2024
Century Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. reported an entire park playground had been stolen, but the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office determined that no crime was committed.
Gomez told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that he went to the Carver Community Center on Jefferson Avenue on April 8 and noticed that the playground equipment, basketball goals and poles, and the handrails from the building were gone. He said the playground was there the prior day because he saw children playing and be believed it was stolen between 10 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. Gomez said the metal was removed using a torch, according to an incident report.
The town has approved a design for a new $3.255 million community center on the property, and the current building will be demolished first due to advance termite damage and deterioration. The town council recently voted to allow local resident Marilyn Robinson, a former caretaker of sorts of the community center, to remove property she claimed belongs to her from the building prior to demolition.
Robinson was at the community center when an ECSO investigator arrived. She told the investigator that she had given Melvin Manuel permission to take an outside air conditioner unit and a portion of chain link fence, but that she did not give permission to take anything else.
Another person at the community center told the deputy that she saw a white truck across the street near the back of the building about 11:30 a.m. and a white female with blond hair leaving the community center on a bicycle.
While enroute to Manuels home, the investigator said a white female with a blond hair and a male with a hat and red shirt on bicycles near North Century Boulevard and Highway 4. He stopped them and determined that they had been involved in taking metal from the community center, the report states. John Hunter, who has experience as a welder, said he was paid a total of $75 by Manuel to help take the metal. Hunter stated that he believed Manuel had permission since the community center was slated for demolition, the report says.
The deputy contacted Manuel at his home, and he stated that he had taken the basketball goals and poles, handrails, and playground equipment, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He provided a receipt where the metal was sold as scrap to Atmore Recycling for $196.
Robinson met with the investigator and was asked if there was any chance that Melvin misinterpreted her statements.
“Robinson stated that while she did not believe she was unclear, there was a chance that Manuel misinterpreted her statements about the building due to her being in an emotional state over the circumstances that had led to the programs at the building being shut down,” the ECSO incident report states.
The investigator determined that no crime was committed.
“I do not find probable cause for an arrest. As such, no further law enforcement action is being taken by this deputy at this time,” he wrote.
Vehicle Rolls On Kingsfield Road After Hitting Bridge
April 22, 2024
A vehicle rolled over Sunday morning at a Cantonment bridge.
The driver collided with the guardrail on the bridge over Eleven Mile Creek on Kingsfield Road about 10:30 a.m.
No serious injuries were reported.
The Florida Highway Patrol investigated and has not released details.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Beulah Middle FFA Teams Places 7th In Florida In Meat Identification
April 22, 2024
The Beulah Middle School FFA team placed as the seventh best team in the state for meat identification. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.