A Mom Remembers A Daughter Lost As Search Continues For Molino Woman’s Killer
April 30, 2020
“April 30, 2017, our lives were forever altered. You see, our youngest daughter was taken out of this world; someone took her life. She breathed her last breath as a wicked and vile person left her lying, alone on the side of the road. God, in His Mercy and Grace and compassionate Love, whisked her to Heaven. She is with Him, safe with her Savior and Lord.”
Those are the words of Sue Brown as she remembered her daughter Anna Louise Brown. Thursday marked three years since Anna was found shot and killed on Gibson Road off Crabtree Church Road in Molino. Her family is hoping for closure and the arrest of a suspect.
Brown, 38, was pronounced deceased at the scene; her body was discovered face down by the roadway.
Investigators believe the murder was not a random act of violence, and they believe Brown knew the person that killed her. No suspect has been named by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
“We miss her; her children miss her. Her family, friends, relatives and co-workers mourn her loss. A loving and free spirited young woman was taken before her time. In the prime and beauty of her life, when the world and her family needed her, she was gone. We know and understand we will see her again; we will embrace and have a joyous reunion one day when the Lord calls His people home,” Sue Brown said.
When Anna joined a class at Hamilton Baptist Church in Robertsdale before her death, she as asked to write down something about her life.
“I am …doing life as a working, blessed Mom of two amazing children,” Anna wrote. “I love being a mom! There are moments and days and situations that are tough and rough and painful and challenging and hard; but the joy of loving and having the privilege to nurture and teach my kids is a gift. I know they are each God’s first, and that helps me worry less when they are away,” Anna wrote. “I work as a Physical Therapist Assistant …I love doing therapy!”
She continued, “I have a great family. I have wonderful parents and I have a growing relationship with my Creator, my Lord, my salvation, my strength, provider, comforter and friend. With my natural family and my church family, I am never alone or separated. I receive love and support and physical, tangible help when it’s needed. That support and encouragement makes single parenting not so single! Yay!”
Anyone with information on the murder is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Below: NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Man Charged In Shots Fired Incident On West Highway 4 In Bratt
April 30, 2020
A Walnut Hill hill man is facing felony charges after allegedly shooting at houses Monday on West Highway 4 about a mile from Northview High School.
Rudy Matthew Lamar Marquardt, 26, was charged with three counts of felony aggravated assault. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday with bond set at $20,000.
About 2:30 p.m. Monday, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived in the 3000 block of West Highway 4 to find Marquardt sitting on the porch. He was detained and placed in a patrol vehicle. As deputies cleared the house, they found several .22 caliber rifle shells throughout the house and found a mirror and cabinet “which had been shot up”, according to their report. Outside the residence, the reported finding a “sign and other stuff that had been shot up”.
They also located a .22 caliber pistol tied to a bamboo stick inside a concrete block, the report states, along with three .22 caliber hollow point pistol cartridges and a spent shell cartridge.
A neighbor reported that Marquardt walked over to his porch, pointed the gun toward his house and shot one time, according to the ECSO. Another neighbor told deputies she was watching Marquardt through binoculars and “he was acting weird and then he shot a gun at the house,” the report states.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the house about 7:20 Sunday night after a caller told the ECSO that shots had been fired at their residence by a relative. An individual was taken into custody without incident under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows someone to be transported to a mental health facility. Due to HIPAA, the federal medical privacy law, the ESCO was unable to confirm the individual’s name from the Sunday night incident.
Pensacola Beach Reopening: Here’s How The Cashless Tolls Work
April 30, 2020
[Updated] Headed to Pensacola Beach after it reopens Friday? Don’t forget the new all-electronic tolling system on Bob Sikes Bridge to Pensacola Beach went live on March 20, which was earlier than anticipated to adhere to social distancing for toll booth workers.
The toll remains $1, but cash and coins are no longer accepted. Revenues from the toll are currently being used to pay for the 2020 bridge rehabilitation project and the bond payment for the widening of Via De Luna Lane through 2031. Revenues will also go toward a replacement bridge needed in approximately 15 years.
All tolls will be collected electronically. Motorists will use either SunPass, another interoperable transponder or be billed utilizing the toll-by-plate system. Toll-by-plate customers will be charged a $1 toll, plus a monthly $2.50 administrative fee and will receive a bill by mail. Cash can be used at SunPass kiosks to replenish and pay toll-by-plate invoices.
There are many ways to get to Pensacola Beach. Transponders are available at the Santa Rosa Island Authority and any retailer where SunPass and E-Pass are available. Other options for passes include the NC Quick Pass, Peach Pass and tolling apps such as PayTollo.
SunPass
With SunPass, the $1 toll will automatically deduct from your prepaid account when you pass through the Bob Sikes toll plaza.
Simply drive through without slowing down.
Without Sunpass, tThe toll will still be $1 each time you pass through the toll plaza, plus a $2.50 administrative fee that is charged each billing cycle. No matter the number of trips you take to the beach, you will only be charged the administration fee once per billing cycle.
Get your SunPass® transponder:
- Step one: Purchase online at www.SunPass.com or in person at the SRIA office, a tollbooth window or retail outlets including Publix, CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens. For a full list, visit https://www.sunpass.com/sunPassRetailers.
- Step two: Activate at www.sunpass.com or by calling 888-865-5352.
- Step three: Load funds into a prepaid account or enroll in the SunPass Automatic Easy Pay at www.sunpass.com, or by calling 888-865-5352 and using a credit or debit card. Customers may also replenish with cash by visiting any of thousands of retail locations statewide. For a complete list of locations, visit www.sunpass.com/cashReplenishment.
- Step four: Drive to Pensacola Beach!
Please note that a SunPass Mini transponder costs a one-time fee of about $5 and SunPass requires a minimum opening balance of $10 for a personal account. If your overall SunPass account balance decreases to $0 or below, your SunPass is no longer active and neither is your Annual Pass if you have one. You must carry at least a $10 balance on your overall SunPass account balance in order to purchase or renew an Annual Pass.
Pensacola Beach Annual Pass
The Pensacola Beach Annual Pass integrated with SunPass® provides frequent beach goers and Pensacola Beach residents a true 365-day pass for the Bob Sikes Bridge, providing unlimited passage for one full year from the date of purchase.
Need assistance or have questions? Contact Escambia County’s customer service office located in the Santa Rosa Island Authority office at 850-916-5421.
How to get your Pensacola Beach Annual Pass:
Step one: Purchase a SunPass transponder
Step two: Enroll in the Pensacola Beach Annual Pass program
- Online
- In person: Visit the Santa Rosa Island Authority office.
Note: A SunPass transponder must be purchased and activated before participating in the Pensacola Beach Annual Pass program. Once the SunPass transponder has been purchased, it may take two to four hours before you are then able to purchase a Pensacola Beach Annual Pass. The Pensacola Beach Annual Pass is only valid for the Bob Sikes Bridge toll plaza.
How much is a Pensacola Beach Annual Pass?
- Effective May 1, 2017 - Pensacola Beach Annual Passes are $20 per year for public annual passes and $70 per year for commercial annual passes (all vehicles displaying any commercial markings or advertising, including magnetic or rooftop signs, or vehicles owned by a commercial business).
- Homestead residents are allowed up to two $5 Pensacola Beach Annual Passes, and you must visit the Santa Rosa Island Authority Office, located at 1 Via De Luna Drive on Pensacola Beach. To be a homestead resident, you must obtain the designation of your primary residence on Pensacola Beach from the Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office. Beach residents must bring a proof of homestead exemption from the property tax office when going to purchase an annual pass. To be a homestead resident, you must live 50%+ of your time during a year at primary residence on Pensacola Beach. Please note, these passes are available for two-axle non-commercial vehicles only.
Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Offered In Jay, Chumuckla, Bagdad, Berrydale, Milton
April 30, 2020
Santa Rosa County is bringing drive-thru COVID-19 testing to locations across the county.
No pre-screening is required at the following sites:
- Fri., May 1, 9 a.m. – Milton Community Center, 5629 Byrom St.
- Fri., May 1, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. - Chumuckla Elementary, 2312 County Rd. 182
- Sat., May 2, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. - Southern Raceway, 9359 Nichols Lake Rd. in East Milton
- Sun., May 3, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. - Jay Community Center at the recreational park, 5259 Booker Ln.
- Mon., May 4, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Berrydale Baptist Church, 6730 Highway 4
There will be a minimum of 100 tests available at each site, except the Milton Community Center which have at least 300 tests.
For more information, contact the Florida Department of Health Santa Rosa County at (850) 564-2307.
Exercise Science Students Stretch Innovation Beyond The Classroom
April 30, 2020
For Dr. Amy Crawley, who teaches in the exercise science program, stretching the boundaries of a traditional classroom environment is par for the course. When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the University of West Florida to transition the entire campus to remote instruction for the last half of the Spring 2020 semester, she was prepared to rise to the challenge, testing her innovative teaching abilities even further.
Dr. Crawley teaches Aging and Physical Performance, a practicum course designed to assist exercise science majors in developing an understanding of the complex physiological and psychological changes which accompany advancing aging and subsequent physical behavior.
In addition to completing traditional written and practical exams, students gain hands-on experience by individually prescribing, supervising and evaluating an eight-week strength training program with a local volunteer over the age of 65.
“The aging course is unique in that it already happens outside the boundaries of the traditional classroom,” Crawley said. “The educative growth and development in this course happens through the relationship developed between the student and their senior volunteer. The course has to be managed in a way that develops a student’s professional capacity, while providing a needed service to our local seniors. This experience is enhanced by the sense of community developed by the students and seniors as they become partners in learning and working towards a common goal.”
As the news of the University’s transition to remote instruction broke, students were just starting the strength training portion of the course, utilizing the weight room in the Health, Leisure and Sports Facility. Between training sessions, they were confronted with the reality that they would need to approach their training program in a new format, with new challenges.
“We didn’t know exactly how we would continue to deliver the training experience, but we did know we would try every virtual trick in the book to stay and on schedule and continue to provide this service,” Crawley said. “I asked students to transition their training to online but didn’t dictate how that would happen, as each senior volunteer might require a different approach to make it work. Some students have used email, YouTube videos, texting, and phone calls, while others have used Facetime, Skype, and Facebook Messenger. Each student did their best to keep their senior moving with our two-day-a-week schedule, and some even upped their senior’s training to four days a week. Many students have said they text or chat with their senior almost every day, knowing how important it is to have that social connection right now.”
Before this semester, senior exercise science major Georgia Spafford said she didn’t consider herself a “virtual fitness” person. She said her experience so far has changed her perspective on workouts outside of the gym, as she’s adapted to meet her senior volunteer’s needs.
“Getting the ball rolling was the hardest part,” she said. “The first day, I dropped off some equipment I had at home and scoped out what he already had so that I could build his workout plan accordingly. I’ve kept it simple so he can maneuver around it pretty easily, creating eight workouts on a basic chart. I didn’t think I would like this as much as I do, but it’s helped me relate so much more to professionals in our field who lead virtual workouts.”
Dr. Crawley said overall, the feedback she’s received from students has been enthusiastic, creative and caring.
“These students have demonstrated that to be an effective professional in exercise science they have to ‘care’ to ‘take care’ of the person they serve,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how well they handled this virtual educative experience.”
Voting By Mail? The Return Postage Will Be Paid This Year.
April 30, 2020
Voting by mail this year? The return postage will be paid.
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford announced Wednesday that due to the unprecedented nature of the 2020 election cycle, voters who wish to cast their ballot by mail will not be required to pay postage on the return of their ballot.
“While election officials across Florida are working diligently to plan for the August and November elections amid a pandemic, we recognize there is uncertainty and unease among voters. We are working with federal, state and local officials to ensure the elections will be conducted in the safest and most accessible way possible,” said Stafford.
Stafford continued, “Regardless of the environment we find ourselves in later this year, any registered voter in Escambia County can take one simple step today to ensure their voice will be heard at the polls: request a vote-by-mail ballot. In recognition of these uncertain times, return postage on vote-by-mail ballots for the 2020 primary and general elections will be covered by the elections office.”
To request a vote-by-mail ballot:
- Complete the online form at EscambiaVotes.com/vote-by-mail
- Call (850) 595-3900
- Send a signed, written request to: Supervisor of Elections, PO Box 12601, Pensacola, FL 32591
Voters are required to provide their date of birth and address when requesting a ballot.
Ballots are mailed to voters approximately five weeks before the election. After completing the ballot, the voter must sign and date the return envelope and return it by mail or deliver it to the elections office or an early voting site. Ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. All vote-by-mail ballots are verified prior to tabulation. Complete voter instructions are included in the vote-by-mail package.
Florida Reopening Begins Monday. Here’s What Opens, What Stays Closed.
April 29, 2020
Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the first phase of his plan to reopen Florida.
“We will get Florida back on its feet by using an approach that is safe, smart, and step by step,” the governor said.
Beginning Monday, May 4:
- Retail can operate at 25% of indoor capacity
- Restaurants may offer outdoor seating with six foot spacing between tables, and indoor seating at 25% capacity
- Elective surgeries can resume
- No change for bars, gyms, movie theaters and personal services such as hairdressers (all remain closed)
- Schools remain with distance learning
- Visits to senior living facilities are prohibited
- Vulnerable individuals should avoid close contact with people outside their home.
- All individuals should maximize physical distance from others in public
- Avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people in circumstances that do not readily allow for physical distancing.
- Face masks are recommended for in close interactions without social distancing.
He said the next step will be data driven based upon key metrics and does not need to take months. The state will maintain health benchmarks, assure hospital bed capacity is maintained and the COVID-10 positive rate will be monitored.
Part of the Phase One strategy includes the expansion of testing. DeSantis announced a drive-thru testing site with no pre-screening requirements will be opening Friday at the University of West Florida.
DeSantis said Florida will take “small, deliberate, methodical” approach to reopening the state. His current reopening plan excludes Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties for now where the virus has been much worse than the remainder of the state.
“What is our biggest obstacle? Fear sparked by constant gloom and doom and hysteria that has permeated our culture for the last six weeks,” DeSantis said. “There’s been a lot that’s been done to promote fear, to drive worse-case scenario,”
Before announcing his plan, DeSantis noted all of life’s moments that citizens have missed over the last six weeks, including in his personal life.
“Our newborn daughter Mamie has yet to be held by any of her grandparents,” he said.
Rain Won’t Stop The Beulah Food Trucks Today. Here’s The Schedule For The Rest Of The Week.
April 29, 2020
Ran won’t damped the food trucks in Beulah today. The trucks will be parked in the covered arena of the Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7550 Mobile Highway, until 7 p.m.
Here’s the tentative schedule for the remainder of the week:
WEDNESDAY
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. The Po Boy Shack
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Joe’s Caribbean
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Arlene Williams BBQ and Grill
- 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Dr Sno’s Shaved Ice
THURSDAY
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Whacked Out Weiner
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. 3-D Eats
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Joe’s Caribbean
- 10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sneaky Tiki Shaved Ice
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Jordan Valley Mediterranean
FRIDAY
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Dr Sno’s Shaved Ice
- 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. Fresh Food Factory
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Wacked Out Weiner
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Arlene Williams BBQ and Grill
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Rolling Embers Pizza
SATURDAY
- 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Fantastic Foods Sweets Snacks & More
- 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. Dr Sno’s Shaved Ice
- 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Beck’s Jamaican Kitchen
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Arlene Williams BBQ and Grill
Ordinarily, the food trucks are in the parking lot. Both the arena and the parking lot provide ample room for residents to adhere to all CDC social distancing protocols, according to the county. Trucks will be spaced out in the lot and patrons will be asked to stay six feet apart and limit gathering to groups smaller than 10.
To participate as a food truck vendor, call (850) 941-6042 for a vendor application. All Equestrian Center vendor fees will be waived.
Pictured: Food trucks at the Escambia County Equestrian Center Monday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Beaches Reopen Friday. Here’s What You Need To Know.
April 29, 2020
Here’s what you need to know about the reopening of beaches in Escambia County:
- The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday, April 28, to reopen county public beaches to allow citizens access to all beach activities beginning Friday, May 1
- Public county beaches, including the sound side, Gulf side, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key, will open 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset, daily.
- Beaches in the Gulf Islands National Seashore are not open.
- Pavilions, the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier and the area around and under the fishing pier will remain closed.
- Pensacola Gulfside pier will reopen Saturday, May 2 for fishermen only – no pedestrians. Fisherman must maintain six-foot separation.
- Beach bathroom facilities will be closed and portable toilets will be used to maintain social distancing. Hand-washing stations will be provided.
- Dog parks will be reopened and permitted in designated areas.
- Groups are limited to 10 people or fewer. Beach goers should adhere to CDC social distancing measures by keeping a six-foot distance between others who are not in their immediate household.
- The toll on the Bob Sikes Bridge to Pensacola Beach is all-electronic. The new tolling system on the bridge went live on March 20, which was earlier than anticipated to adhere to social distancing for toll booth workers. The toll remains $1, and cash and change are no longer accepted at this location. Motorists can use either SunPass®, another interoperable transponder or be billed utilizing the TOLL-BY-PLATE system. TOLL-BY-PLATE customers will be charged a $1 toll, plus a monthly $2.50 administrative fee and will receive a bill by mail.
“The health of our citizens is our number one priority,” Commission Chairman Steven Barry said Tuesday. “The decision to reopen the beaches came primarily after thorough discussion with our health care professionals, including all three hospitals and probably most importantly, Dr. Lanza’s comments at the board meeting today. We believe, based on the public’s willingness to adhere to CDC guidelines and social distancing measures, that we can successfully open our public beaches and allow citizens to take advantage of this great resource while enjoying all beach activities.”
National Guard Deploys Medical Strike Teams To Escambia County; Southern Oaks Confirms Four Deaths
April 29, 2020
The National Guard has been deployed to assist with COVID-19 in Escambia County nursing homes.
The Florida National Guard ambulance strike teams were deployed to assist with specimen collection efforts in long-term care facilities in Escambia County, according to the county.
The county did not specify which facilities are being visited. According to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the strike teams are medical professional able to ramp up testing.
As of Tuesday evening, the Florida Department of Health reported a dozen long-term care centers in Escambia County with active COVID-19 cases in the staff or patients (list below).
Southern Oaks Care Center has the greatest number of cases in all of Florida. The FDOH said 94 current Southern Oaks residents and 15 staff members are confirmed positive, and five positives were transferred out of the facility for further treatment.
In a press release, Southern Oaks said they have 94 patients that have tested positive, “but none are showing any respiratory symptoms or fever”, and of those that tested positive in April six required hospitalization. The facility said one remains in the hospital and two returned. They also confirmed four fatalities — three that died at the hospital and one that passed away in the facility.
Click here to read the entire Southern Oaks Care Center press release.
The Florida Department of Health confirmed eight total COVID-19 fatalities in Escambia County among residents or staff of long-term care facilities.
Pictured: A Florida National Guard member performs a COVID-19 test. File photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.