Meet The Candidates: Escambia County School Board District 5
August 17, 2024
NorthEscambia.com asked the three candidates for Escambia County School Board District 5 to answer a series of questions.
Many of the questions were submitted by NorthEscambia.com readers.
Each candidate received an identical electronic questionnaire, and they were encouraged to proofread their answers. We have not made any corrections of changes to their answers.
This was NorthEscambia.com public service for our readers. Candidates were not financially charged for their participation, and no candidate was able to reach a response for their opponent until publication of this story today.
In alphabetical order, here are candidates with a link to their written answers.
Escambia County Names New EMS Chief
August 17, 2024
Escambia County has named a new EMS Chief that starts work on Monday.
Chief Chris Watts has served as a relief paramedic for Escambia County EMS, but he also brings previous leadership and management experience as an operations manager with Medstar Ambulance in Clinton Township, Michigan, where he was responsible for overseeing ambulance service across 13 counties covering the Southeast-Central Michigan region, including the City of Detroit. In this role, he oversaw nearly 1,000 employees and managed a budget of over $10 million, according to Escambia County.
In addition to working as a relief paramedic for Escambia County EMS, Watts has served as a flight paramedic and base lead with Air Methods since 2022 and a paramedic with Newman’s Ambulance in Mobile since 2023.
Watts earned his bachelor of arts degree from Wayne State University and will graduate in December with his master of business administration. He has earned numerous certifications, including basic life support, advanced cardiac life support, pediatric advanced life support, and advanced burn life support, in addition to holding a paramedic license in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Mississippi.Watts is also a Nationally Certified Paramedic through the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Escambia County’s previous EMS Chief, David Torsell III submitted his reignition back in early May. His last day was August 1. Torsell joined Escambia County EMS in June 2021
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Early Voting Ends Today In Escambia County
August 17, 2024
Early voting at 10 locations in Escambia County ends today.
Early voting will be held Saturday, August 17 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at:
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A North, Molino
- Billy G. Ward Courthouse, 7500 N. Century Blvd, Century
- Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, 11000 University Parkway, Room 235, Pensacola
- Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- Asbury Place at Cokesbury, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola
- Main Library, 239 N. Spring Street, Pensacola
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola
- Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street, Pensacola
Voters may choose any one of the ten locations, each of which is also equipped with a ballot marking device.
If voters have requested a Vote-by-Mail ballot, they must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location on Election Day. Voters may drop-off a vote-by-mail ballot during early voting hours at any of the ten area locations. The USPS recommends voters mail ballots at least one week before the due date. Vote-by-mail participants may track the status of their ballot at EscambiaVotes.gov.
The third option for voters is to cast a ballot at their precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, August 20. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
In Florida’s closed partisan primary elections, you are only eligible to vote in primary contests for the party in which you are registered.
A Universal Primary contest occurs when all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation. These contests appear on every voter’s ballot. Voters in ECUA District 1 (Republican) and ECUA District 3 (Democratic) will have these contests on their ballot regardless of party affiliation.
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Tate Aggies Edge Pine Forest in Jamboree Showdown (With Photo Gallery)
August 17, 2024
The Tate Aggies kicked off 2024 with a hard-fought 10-7 victory over the Pine Forest Eagles in a Friday night jamboree at Pete Gindl Stadium.
Head Coach Brett Summerford credited the win to the team’s unwavering work ethic and preparation. “It’s just hard work. We keep grinding, that’s our mentality,” Summerford said.
For a photo gallery, click here. Look for cheerleader and fan photos in a gallery by Tuesday.
A short 3-yard touchdown run (pictured top) by senior Carson Secchari put the Aggies up 7-0 early in the half. Summerford praised the Eagles’ strong performance, emphasizing the importance of a quick start. “That’s a really good team,” he said. “We had to come out fast. I just told the guys to keep working.”
“That’s a really, really good team. We jumped out fast,” Summerford said of the Eagles. “That’s what you got to do. I just said keep working.”
The Aggies’ defense also played a crucial role in the victory, effectively containing the Pine Forest offense. However, Summerford cautioned against reading too much into the preseason matchup. “This doesn’t mean anything at the end of the of the night. We’re 0-0. They are 0-0. We just have to keep building and keep getting stronger. So that’s where we are going to go next week on Monday.”
Tate faces a challenging road schedule to start the regular season, with games at Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, and Pensacola High.
“We get to go on the road and got to fight,” Summerford said.
The Aggies’ home opener will be a homecoming matchup against Milton on September 13.
Friday night’s Jamboree was opened with freshman and junior varsity quarters.
Look for cheerleader and fan photos in a gallery by Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Middle 90s Today, Maybe Some Afternoon Rain Relief
August 17, 2024
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm. Mostly clear, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 111. West wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 93. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 70. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 68. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 94.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 70.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 88.
Blue Wahoos Suffer Another HeartBreaking Loss In Ninth Inning
August 17, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
Closing out late-game leads has been the Blue Wahoos’ forte during this run of successful seasons.
Right now, it’s gone the other way.
The Blue Wahoos took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning Friday, then were an out away from having a chance for a walk-off win in the ninth, but that quickly vanished with one swing and a 6-3 loss against the Montgomery Biscuits before a crowd of 3,528 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Biscuits’ cleanup hitter, Herberto Hernandez, pounced on a hanging curve ball from Blue Wahoos reliever Woo-Suk Go and blasted a 3-run homer into the water beyond left field. The no-doubter moonshot was the 14th homer for Hernandez this season, part of a slugging tandem with shortstop Carson Williams that has produced 29 homers.
This loss followed a blown 8-5 lead by the Blue Wahoos bullpen in the ninth inning on Wednesday. Prior to these two setbacks, the Blue Wahoos had been 43-2 when entering the eighth inning of games with a lead.
The decisive clout was unfortunately the fourth time in his past nine relief appearances that Woo-Suk Go has surrendered three or more runs. He joined the team on July 11 as part of a multi-player trade with the San Diego Padres.
Things started so differently Friday for the home club. The afternoon weather parted into a clear blue sky.
Blue Wahoos starter Jacob Miller, 21, making his home debut since being elevated from the High-A Beloit (Wisc.) Sky Carp, continued his impressive progression this season.
Miller, the Miami Marlins’ second-round pick in 2022 out of high school in Ohio, spun a five-inning shutout. He allowed just four hits and two walks while recording five strikeouts. He breezed through those five innings, wasting little time between pitches.
It was Miller’s third start since being elevated and followed his strong, scoreless five innings last week in his first Double-A win against the Mississippi Braves.
He was in line for another one after Jacob Berry hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning – his second in two games – to give the Blue Wahoos a 2-0 lead. Graham Pauley’s RBI double made it 3-0 in the sixth.
Reliever Chandler Jozwiak had a scoreless sixth inning against the Biscuits, but in the seventh, the Biscuits’ Willy Vasquez mashed a homer to lead off the inning. Jalen Battles singled, moved over on a bunt, then scored on Tanner Murray’s RBI single.
After Matt Pushard picked up his 11th hold with a scoreless eighth, Woo Suk-Go yielded three consecutive singles with one out. The last one tied the game. After striking out the next batter, he made the mistake pitch to Hernandez and it was the game-changer.
The Biscuits racked up 13 hits in the game. The Blue Wahoos had four players with a hit apiece.
Now, the Blue Wahoos will try and work toward a split of the series in Saturday’s fifth game of the homestand. Newcomer Robby Snelling (1-0, 0.90), a left-hander who has been stellar in his first two starts on the road, will be on the mound for the Blue Wahoos.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Saturday, 6:05 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
Century Man That Evaded Capture For Months Gets 50 Months For Arson
August 16, 2024
A Century man that eluded capture on several occasions before being captured May 1 has been sentenced to just over four years in state prison.
Christopher George Pace, 41, was convicted of arson, criminal mischief, trespassing and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to 50 months for arson, and time served on the additional charges.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and K-9s from the Century Correctional Institution and the Escambia County Road Prison captured Pace without incident May 1 g in a wooded area off Pleasant Hill Road.
According to sheriff’s office reports:
On February 27, Pace set a fire in a wooded area at the dead end of Sellers Road off West Highway 4. In an incident captured in game camera photos, someone piled a tent and other items onto a deer feeder before they were burned. The fire destroyed $450 worth of property including a hunting blind/tent, a deer feeder, 50 pounds of feed corn, a batter, solar battery charger and an archery target.
Pace was identified as the suspect in the game camera photos by one of his relatives and a deputy.
On March 18 deputies attempted to locate Pace in the wooded area in order to serve an arrest warrant. They spotted him on a trail through a wooded area at the dead end of Pleasant Hill Road, according to a report. They came close enough to him to make eye contact before he ran into the woods. Deputies pursued on foot but lost sight.
Two ECSO K-9s, a K-9 from the Century Correctional Institution, and a drone team were unable to locate him. One ECSO deputy received minor injuries to his knee during the chase.
On April 21, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a suspicious person complaint in the area of Williams Street and West Highway 4. A responded deputy recognized a person walking on Williams Street as Pace. Pace ran into a wooded area when he saw the marked Sheriff’s Office vehicle. The deputy gave chase on foot, but lost Pace. An ECSO K-9 responded but was unable to locate him in the woods. a deputy reportedly tripped on vines and suffered minor injuries.
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Roman Catholic Diocese Proposes New Worship Facility In Cantonment
August 16, 2024
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee is proposing to construct a worship facility and family life center in Cantonment.
St. Jude Catholic Church Family Life Center is planned for Highway 29 and Cedar Tree Lane on a 12.25 acre parcel.
An application filed with Escambia County shows an 8,300-square-feet facility with 45 parking spaces in an asphalt lot and an additional 48 spaces in a grass parking area. Plans show the facility will be accessed from Pinoak Lane.
The plan is still pending before the Escambia County Development Review Committee and shows an address of 1051 Pinoak Lane with frontage on Highway 29. A public hearing has not yet been announced.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
FWC Law Enforcement Report: Boating And Fishing Violations
August 16, 2024
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following recent activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Investigator J. Pifer observed individuals taking photographs with several fish at Galvez Landing. The officer conducted a resource inspection and found an undersized red snapper had been harvested. A check of the charter captain’s history with the FWC revealed he had been cited earlier in the year for fishing violations. The captain was issued a citation for harvesting/possession of undersized red snapper.
Investigator J. Pifer was on patrol when he observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico with several individuals and fishing gear on board. Upon conducting a resource inspection, Investigator Pifer located an undersized red snapper and an undersized scamp grouper on board the vessel. The owner/operator of the vessel was issued a citation for harvesting/possession of undersized red snapper and a warning for undersized scamp grouper.
Investigator J. Pifer was on patrol when he observed a charter fishing vessel in Pensacola Bay with several individuals and fishing gear on board. During a resource inspection, six undersized red snapper were located on board. A check of the charter captain’s history with the FWC revealed he had been cited multiple times this year for fishing violations. The captain was issued a citation for harvesting/possession of undersized red snapper.
FWC officers in the Northwest Region cited 131 vessel operators for boating safety violations, issued 631 boating safety warnings and removed nine vessel operators from the water for BUI.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Lewis responded a complaint from the Florida Forest Service about a subject camping at a primitive campsite in Blackwater River State Forest for more than the allowable 14 consecutive nights in a 30-day period. Officer Lewis and Officer Roberson located the subject and subsequently cited the subject for the camping violation and for littering.
This report represents some events the FWC handled during the time period; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Afternoon Storms Possible For Friday
August 16, 2024
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 96. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 72. West wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 93. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 68. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 68.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 93.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 70.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 93.