Sertoma 4th Of July Fireworks In Pensacola Canceled; Fate of Century, Flomaton Show To Be Discussed
June 5, 2020
This year’s Sertoma 4 of July Fireworks Celebration in Pensacola has been canceled, and a meeting will be held next week to discuss the fate of the annual combined Century-Flomaton show.
Sertoma chairwoman Lucy Stolfi said the cancellation was due to the coronavirus, permitting issues, and a lack of funding.
“We know the cancellations of this event will be a disappointment for many and we are disappointed as well,” Sertoma said in a statement. “Next year we will return bigger and better to celebrate the men and women that sacrificed so much for our country and the great community we live in.”
The Century Town Council will discuss the annual Century-Flomaton Fireworks Show at a meeting on Monday. The show is funded by both communities, and it alternates locations each year from Showalter and Anthony Pleasant parks in Century to Hurricane Park in Flomaton.
If this year’s show happens, it is set to be in Century.
Pictured: A previous fireworks show in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Local $2,500 COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Grants Awarded. These Are The Recipients.
June 5, 2020
Fifty businesses have been awarded Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grants.
In April 2020, Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, in partnership with FloridaWest EDA, the Greater Pensacola Chamber and the UWF Small Business Development Center, created the program. The grant was intended to assist for-profit businesses located in Escambia County with their immediate cash flow needs as a result of a demonstrated economic injury due to COVID-19. The max grant reward is $2,500 per applicant or business.
Escambia County funded the grant with a contribution of $100,000 to a UWF Foundation Account. The City of Pensacola contributed an additional $25,000 for businesses within the city, with $12,500 from Mayor Grover Robinson’s discretionary fund and $12,500 from Pensacola Councilman Andy Terhaar’s discretionary fund.
Recipients were categorized as follows:
- Within Pensacola city limits – 48%
- Minority Owned businesses – 29%
- Businesses with 0-10 employees – 72%
- Businesses with 11-20 employees – 28%
In Escambia County Commission districts, grants were distributed as follows:
- District 1 – 12.5%
- District 2 – 20%
- District 3 – 35%
- District 4 – 17.5%
- District 5 – 15%
The grant recipients were:
DISTRICT 1
- Amanda’s Hair & Nail Salon
- Ash Simmons LLC
- Write Away Engraving
- In his steps christian dance studio & performing
- Sands Tech AV LLC
DISTRICT 2
- Gulf Coast Tattoos, LLC
- Fusion Grill Inc.
- Warrington Jewelers
- Headhunter Hairstyling
- Bauer triple D’s Learning Complex Inc.
- W.G. & Sons Inc DBA Intermission
- Caldwell Perdido Ventures DBA The Islander Food Shack
- ECRA PLLC
DISTRICT 3
- Indigeaux Denim Bar & Boutique
- Premier properties of America inc
- Pensacola Battery Sales Inc
- Chelsey Domschke Inc
- I Heart Bento
- Casks & Flights
- Battery Buyers Inc.
- Paint University LLC
- JCG Companies LLC DBA Snap Soccer
- Boogie Inc.
- Franzone Shu Repair
- Vital Signs By Chip Spirson Inc
- David Hewston’s Auto Repair
- CNP ENTERPRISES, Inc. DBA Razor’s Edge Fitness
DISTRICT 4
- South Coast Audiology LLC
- SoBo Boutique
- Advanced Amusements of NW FL, LLC
- TT&Tim Inc.
- 1022, LLC DBA The Magnolia
- Advanced Mutual Promotions LLC
- H and L of Pensacola, Inc. dba Spanish Trail Pub
DISTRICT 5
- Grandview Florist
- Herbal Nails Spa At UWF
- Lashes & Nails Bar LLC
- Bridal Suite of Pensacola Inc.
- Cypress Bay Enterprises
- Escape Lol
CITY OF PENSACOLA
- Emerald Coast Dance Conservatory Inc.
- New York Nicks
- The Southern Creative
- Bonellicorp Limited Liability Company
- Salon on the Avenue by Danielle LLC
- Jolly Sailing, LLC
- Play Pensacola
- Carmen’s Lunch Bar LLC
- Sunshack II LLC
- Fast Automotive LLC
Molino’s Jarrett Parker Looking To Take Family Racing To New Heights
June 5, 2020
by Chuck Corder
From his newlywed doing the work of “four pit crew” members to the pastor who officiated his wedding spotting for him, Jarrett Parker’s Pro Late Model team is built around his family and friends.
The grassroots approach is fitting for the 25-year-old Molino driver, who works for the family business – Parker Roofing – and later this month will close on purchasing his grandparents’ home, the first house he ever lived in as a boy.
After tremendous success in the WCIparts.com Pro Trucks series – in which he won two of the last four Snowball Derby Pro Trucks races, including last year’s edition – Parker is looking forward to running a full schedule in the Allen Turner Pro Late Model (PLM) division this season.
Fan Tip: Look for the NorthEscambia.com “NE” just behind the front tires on Parker’s No.46 car.
He and his father, Scottie Parker, bought Chris Davidson’s PLM, which only had five races on it. Jarrett Parker will race under the watchful, hawk eyes of Late Model legend Mike Garvey this year.
“I’m really excited, the whole family is excited,” Parker said. “I’m just itching to go. It’s a good car and Chris has been awesome about sharing information. Mike Garvey is my mentor, and I feel fortunate to be able to use his knowledge. If our first tests are any indication for how the rest of the season will play out, I think we’re gonna be really happy.”
He will be a part of the first Allen Turner PLM 100 of the adjusted season Friday at Five Flags Speedway. Also expected in the field will be teenager Grant Thompson, who will make his PLM debut in an Augie Grill Grand American Race Cars LM.
The PLMs will share the marquee with the Faith Chapel Outlaws and Lloyd’s Glass Pure Stocks. Gates open at 5 p.m. Friday with admission being $15 for adults; $12 for seniors, military, and students; and free for children ages 11-and-under.
Although Parker’s PLM program might seem homespun, he has plenty of veteran experience to lean on in Garvey.
“Whenever he talks about something, it’s like, ‘Oh why didn’t I think of it,’ ” Parker said of his crew chief’s vast expertise with LMs. “It’s second nature to him. If you pay attention to what he’s doing when he’s working on something, you learn way more.
“He’s like an open book right there in front of him and I’m turning the pages and finding out new things I didn’t know. I’m blessed to have him right there with this. He’s on top of everything, learning the new technology.”
Parker actually drove Garvey’s old PLM – the familiar yellow Tracy Goodson No. 1 repainted white with Parker’s No. 46 on the side – in a handful of races over the last four years. But that car met its end during a horrific accident at the Snowflake 100 last December.
As Parker went into Turn 3 late in the race, the car dropped its fuel cell and ignited a streak of fire that Justin Bonnett barreled through just moments later. Parker escaped unscathed while Bonnett had to be transported to a Mobile-area hospital to treat his burns.
“It was just a fluke accident that Justin was just an innocent bystander for,” Parker said. “It’s just a part of racing, but I’m extremely sorry he got hurt.”
Bonnett, of course, understood that and held no animosity toward Parker. In fact, the two talk regularly and their mothers have developed a friendship over social media as a result of the accident.
Parker has been monitoring Bonnett’s recovery closely, and anticipated Bonnett’s return to racing earlier this year before COVID-19 and another unforeseen surgery forced Bonnett to shelf those plans.
“It’s not the best way to make a new friend,” Parker said, joking about their wreck. “It was just one of those weird deals.”
Because of the accident, Parker and his team are taking extra precautions when it comes to fire gear.
“I’ve got a fire hood, a sock that goes over my head and neck,” he explained. “We’ve looked at the fireproof underwear, too. It’s gonna be hot, but it doesn’t hurt to be extra safe. Plus, working on roofs conditions me for the heat, I believe.”
An accomplished go-kart champion from the age of 8, Parker said his PLM feels like an adult go-kart. He explains that by pointing to the PLM’s rigid style as compared to the Pro Trucks class.
Perhaps, too, it’s because Parker hasn’t strayed away from the driver he has always been – one surrounded by those close to him.
When Garvey isn’t making major adjustments to the vehicle, it’s Parker, his wife Minnie, his father, and family friend Scott Steadham doing most of the work at the Parker family shop in Molino.
Minnie Parker works “extremely hard” and “doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty,” Jarrett Parker said. That comes as no surprise for someone who got hitched on a convenient date.
“We got married on April 6, 2019. April 6 is 4/6, and my number is 46,” Jarrett Parker explained. “That way I won’t forget it. That was part her idea, too. I got extremely lucky when I found her.”
Marrying them was longtime friend Keith Thorpe. Thorpe will be in “Spotterville” this Friday night, directing Parker around the famed half-mile asphalt oval in his No. 46 that is sponsored by Parker Roofing, Grocery Advantage, Heely-Brown Company, Extreme Pump and Septic, A1 Small Engines, and Mike Garvey Racing.
Parker is confident that his team has a top-five car for Friday. But the expectations are so much grander – family-sized, one might say.
“We definitely hope to win a race this year,” Parker said. “We feel that good going into it. There’s something about having a fresh car that makes me feel more confident.”
Pictured: Jarrett Parker at Five Flags Speedway Thursday evening. Photos by Tammy Parker – also known as Jarrett’s mom – for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Santa Rosa County Sets Official Graduation Dates. Here’s The Schedule.
June 5, 2020
The Santa Rosa County School District has approved graduation dates.
They are as follows:
Thursday, June 18
- Milton High School at the Milton High School Stadium, 8:20 p.m.
- (Milton chose 8:20 p.m. because it is 20:20 in military time)
Friday, June 19
- Pace High School at the Pensacola Bay Center, 9 a.m.
- Gulf Breeze High School at the Pensacola Bay Center, 2 p.m.
- Navarre High School at the Pensacola Bay Center, 7 p.m.
Monday, June 22
- Blended Academy at the Milton High School Stadium, 5 p.m.
- Santa Rosa High School at the Milton High School Stadium, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, June 23
- Central School on the activity field, 5 p.m.
- Jay High School at the Jay High School Stadium, 7 p.m.
RAIN DATES
In the event of inclement weather for any of the above outdoor ceremonies, rain dates will be as follows:
Saturday, June 22 (rain date)
- Milton High School at the Milton High School Stadium, 8:20 p.m.
Thursday, June 25 (rain date)
- Santa Rosa High School at the Milton High School Stadium, 7 p.m.
Friday, June 26 (rain date)
- Central School on the activity field, 5 p.m.
- Jay High School at the Jay High School Stadium, 7 p.m.
UWF Cancels Spring Commencement That Was Planned For August, Working On ‘Alternative Plans’
June 5, 2020
The University of West Florida has official announced that its spring commencement ceremonies that were planned for August have now been canceled due to the pandemic.
In a message sent to students Thursday morning, UWF President Martha Saunders said the Florida Board of Governors announced a directive to all Florida institutions to postpone all summer commencement ceremonies, including the spring ceremonies that were rescheduled.
“While I agree with the decision to put the safety and health of our UWF community first, I am sad for our graduates. I can assure you that we will find a way to celebrate you. We are already working on alternative plans,” Saunders said.
“We will keep you updated in the coming weeks on the new plan to celebrate you. In the meantime, stay well and know that your fellow Argos are cheering you on from afar,” she concluded.
Tate Aggies Name Maum As New Quarterback Coach
June 5, 2020
The Tate High School Aggies have named Garrett Maum as the team’s new quarterback coach.
For the past five seasons, Maum has been the QB/WR coach at Donaldsonville High School in Louisiana. He was also the head baseball coach at Donaldsonville for the past three years. His team was previously ranked No. 8 in the state of Louisiana 3-A before the coronavirus lockdown. G
Maum is from Baton Rouge and is a graduate of LSU. His wife, Kristin will be teaching English at Tate High School. She was selected Ascension Parrish School Board High School Teacher of the Year for the 2015-2016 school year.
Escambia (AL) Man Gets Federal Prison Time For Failing To Register As A Convicted Sex Offender
June 5, 2020
An Escambia County (AL) man was sentenced Thursday on a federal charge of failure to register as a convicted sex offender.
Timonthy Felder, 47, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison and a 10-year supervised release when he is released. He will also be required to underdo sexual offender treatment, register as a sex offender, and pay a $1,000 special assessment.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Felder had previously been convicted of incest in Fulton County, Georgia. As a result of that conviction, hewas required to register as a sex offender for life and he was initially compliant.
On April 4, 2019, Felder requested permission to work for an amusement company that was temporarily set up in Atmore. That request was denied by an Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s detective. Felder was scheduled to report for address verification in June 2019 but did not report. Escambia County Sheriff’s detectives went to Felder’s address. Residents there told detectives that Felder had not lived there for approximately two months, and that he had told them he was leaving to work for the traveling amusement company.
Felder was eventually located and arrested by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Miltonon September 25, 2019. An employee of the amusement company reported that Felder hadd been working with them since March 2019 and had traveled to locations in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Felder did not register in any of those jurisdictions. Felder was interviewed and admitted to traveling out of state, failing to register in those states, failing to get permission to travel, and failing to attend registration appointments.
Escambia County COVID-19 Deaths Up To 36, Cases Up By Five
June 4, 2020
The death toll from COVID-19 increased by one to 36 in Escambia County on Friday, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The fatality was a 90-year old long-term care facility resident.
The number of cases in Escambia County is up by five to 871, and Santa Rosa County is up one to 266.
Of the 36 deaths in Escambia County, 28 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 61,488 cases including 59,993 Florida residents. There have been 10,794 hospitalizations* and 2,660 deaths. The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 871 (+5 since Thursday)
- Pensacola — 619
- Cantonment — 53
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 11
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 65*
- Deaths — 36
- Male — 293
- Female — 404
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 256 (+1 since Thursday)
- Milton — 158
- Navarre — 40
- Gulf Breeze — 30
- Pace — 17
- Jay — 4
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 23*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 180
- Female — 72
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 61,488
- Florida residents — 59,993
- Deaths — 2,660
- Hospitalizations — 10,794*
*“Hospitalizations” is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized.
Atmore Man Charged With Murder. Victim Was Both Shot And Stabbed.
June 4, 2020
An Atmore man has been charged with an April murder at a local apartment complex.
Antonio Albert Crenshaw, 38, was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center on a charge of murder. He also facing charges of receiving stolen property second degree and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Desmond Deshun Dirden, 43, was found shot and stabbed about outside an apartment complex on Patterson Street about 1:24 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Police were responding to a reported assault when they found his body.
Dirden was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Police Chief Brooks said the arrest came after an extensive investigation by the Atmore Police Department.
File photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mayor Wanted To Hire New Century Utilities Boss At $50K A Year. Council Says Not Without Seeing A Resume.
June 4, 2020
Century Mayor Henry Hawkins wanted to hire a new gas and water superintendent this week for nearly $50,000 a year, but town council members put the brakes on his request because they were not provided with enough information.
Hawkins told the council that the man is from the local area, was qualified for the job and has worked for another utility system for the past six months. The mayor verbally asked for approval to hire the man at $24 an hour, but did not provide the council with a resume or any other written information.
His salary would have mostly been covered by budgeted funds that became available the departure of longtime Century employee Joe Brown.
Council members deferred a vote to hire the new employee until they received a resume and additional information. They also questioned when the position was actually advertised.
Wednesday afternoon, Interim City Manager Vernon Prather said the man has withdrawn his application.
A similar position was advertised once on March 12 in the weekly Tri-City Ledger newspaper at a cost of $214.50, according to documents provided by the town. The application closing date was April 9. There was only the one applicant, Hawkins told the council.
The employment ad was not submitted to NorthEscambia.com for publication. NorthEscambia.com publishes public notices and employment ads at no cost to the Town of Century, and the council voted several years ago to submit all ads and public notices NorthEscambia.com in addition to any other publications.
Editor’s note: It should be noted that Hawkins named the individual during the meeting, as his application is public record. Since the individual has withdrawn his application and is employed elsewhere, NorthEscambia.com has chosen not to name him because we don’t know if he told his current employer he was seeking another position. We do not wish endanger the man’s current job. We did receive a copy of the resume.