Gov. DeSantis Announces $4.8 Million Grant To Complete ST Engineering Expansion Funding
February 19, 2020
Wednesday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $4.8 million for infrastructure upgrades at the Pensacola airport, completing the funding needed for a ST Engineering expansion that will being over 1,300 local jobs.
“My office is going to be awarding the City of Pensacola really the final piece of the puzzle for this next phase of $4.8 million through my Florida Job Growth Job Fund for infrastructure enhancements at the Pensacola International Airport,” DeSantis said during a press conference at the airport. The money will build the necessary taxiways, ramps and other infrastructure that will support additional maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities and other development.
That will “allow the airport to support ST Engineering’s plans to build one of the biggest MRO operations in North America,” DeSantis Said. ST Engineering’s plans will bring three new MRO hangers to the airport and create over 1,300 new jobs.
The completed facility will include four MRO hangers, warehouses and office buildings.
“I think that this is really going to help drive not only in Escambia, but really throughout the region,” DeSantis said.
Other funding pledged for the project includes $15 million each from Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, $66 million from Triumph Gulf Coast and $20 million from the Florida Department of Transportation.
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $4.8 million in airport funding Wednesday at the Pensacola International Airport. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Man Charged With Battering His Adult Son In Front Of Deputies
February 19, 2020
A Walnut Hill man is facing charges after allegedly battering his adult son in the presence of deputies and resisting arrest.
Jonathan Paul Kite, 46, was charged with battery domestic violence and resisting an officer..
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported disturbance in the 700 block of North Highway 99. Two of Kite’s adult children said the incident began when one of them refused to allow him to borrow their car.
As deputies talked to the children and Kite, he “aggressively charged” at his adult son, grabbed him around the neck and shoved him, according to an ECSO arrest report. Deputies attempted to subdue Kite and advised him that he was under arrest, but he began to pull away. A deputy was forced to deliver three “empty handed strikes” to Kite’s ribs and back, the report states, before he was placed in handcuffs.
When Kite was searched subsequent to his arrest, deputies reported finding a small plastic bag containing methamphetamine on his person. However, a possession of methamphetamine charge was dropped days after his arrest due to a no probable cause determination, according to court records.
The Department of Children and Families was contacted because an eight-year old child was present during the altercation.
Kite was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,000 bond.
Updated to indicate a possession of methamphetamine charge was later dropped.
Century Approves Multiple Wastewater Improvement Projects
February 19, 2020
The Century Town Council has approved multiple items to improve their troubled wastewater system. The council voted to:
- apply for a USDA loan or grant to cover one phase of wastewater improvements. The application documents will be filed through the nonprofit Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project at no cost to the town.
- use $50,000 in funding from Escambia County to help fund $58,411 in engineering costs for wastewater improvement projects. The town will pick up the $8,411 difference.
- take part in a four-day pilot study of piece of equipment called a “screw press” used for removing water from biosolids at the WWTP. The cost to take part in the pilot study is $5,000.
- pay Pensacola Concrete Construction $2,250 to clean and inspect sewage lift stations at the Industrial Park and near Pilgrim Lodge Church on Jefferson Avenue. The inspection will aim to verify that concrete walls in are good condition and provide an engineer with additional information to retrofit the lift stations with submersible pumps.
- install supplemental alarm systems on sewage lift stations at the Industrial Park, Pilgrim Lodge and the prison. Trouble alarms will be sent directly to an employee. The total cost is $3,102. Beginningn year two, the system will cost $432 per year for wireless monitoring for all three locations.
Tate High AJROTC Lends A Helping Hand At Lipscomb Elementary
February 19, 2020
Cadets from AJROTC program volunteered and assisted teachers during a recent planning day at Lipscomb Elementary School. The cadets hung artwork in the hallways for an upcoming art show and helped teachers with various tasks in their classrooms. Tate AJROTC will also partner with Lipscomb at their upcoming Art Night and Mathnaseum to support and benefit the school’s community. Photos for North Escambia.com , click to enlarge.
Tate High Tennis Opens Season With Win Over Escambia
February 19, 2020
Tate High boys and girls tennis kicked off their 2020 season with a 7-0 win Tuesday at Escambia High School.
Coach David Bonucchi said it was a good start for a long season ahead.
Their next match is at Pace High School on Thursday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Softball And Baseball Scores; Tate And Northview Games Rescheduled
February 19, 2020
Tuesday Results:
Baseball
Northview Chiefs Junior Varsity 10, Navarre 3
*Tate High JV vs. Pace was rained out and rescheduled for March 30, 5:30 p.m. at Tate.
Softball
Northview Chiefs JV 12, T.R. Miller 1
*Northview varsity softball was rained out and rescheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday at Northview.
Deputies Respond To Dispute; See Cocaine And Pot In Man’s Vehicle, ECSO Says
February 19, 2020
Deputies responded to a reported dispute between a Cantonment man and his ex-girlfriend, and he went to jail because they spotted crack cocaine and marijuana in his vehicle, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Raymond Marcus Fountain, 29, was charged with possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana less than 20 grams.
Fountain exited his Kia parked in the ex-girlfriend’s driveway when deputies arrived, and deputies could smell a strong odor of marijuana, according to an arrest report. A deputy reported he could see a baggie of marijuana in plain view inside the car and a white rock-like substance on the drier’s door handle that field tested positive for cocaine.
Fountain was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $18,000.
Overturned Log Truck Blocks Highway 29 In McDavid For Hours
February 18, 2020
An overturned log truck closed southbound Highway 29 in McDavid for hours late Tuesday afternoon into the evening.
The driver of the log truck was apparently northbound on Highway 29 south of Bogia Road when he crossed median into the southbound lanes and then traveled back into the median, causing the truck to overturn. The truck came to rest in the median with the logs blocking the entire southbound side of the roadway.
The driver suffered minor injuries.
Southbound traffic was diverted into the northbound lanes as northbound was reduced to one lane. Traffic was stopped in both directions at times during the cleanup. In addition to righting the log truck and removing the logs, a second semi-truck had to be pulled from the median after it became stuck when the driver attempted to crossover and go around the initial crash.
Te southbound lanes of Highway 29 remained blocked into the evening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Appeals Court Upholds Life Sentence For Woman That Sat On And Killed Child
February 18, 2020
The First District Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction and sentence of Veronica Posey for the first degree murder of a young girl by sitting on her.
Posey was convicted by an Escambia County jury and sentenced to life without parole on March 15, 2019, for the murder of her nine year-old cousin Dericka Lindsay.
On October 14, 2017, Posey was arrested after law enforcement was called to the home of Grace and James Smith for a report of an unresponsive child. It was later learned Grace Smith had summoned Posey, her niece, to the home to assist her in disciplining her adopted children.
During the punishment, Posey sat on the Linday’s back for several minutes as she was bent facedown into the seat of a chair. As a result, the child died from mechanical asphyxia. Posey weighed about 325 pounds at the time.
Evidence from the autopsy also showed the child had been severely beaten in the days prior to her death. Both Posey and Grace Smith admitted to striking the child. James Smith was also present in the room when the death occurred. Both he and Grace Smith admitted being present and doing nothing to intervene with Posey’s method of discipline.
On May 28, 2019, Grace Smith was sentenced to 20 years in state prison after being convicted by of aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated child abuse. On November 29, 2018, James Smith entered a plea straight to the court and received 10 years in state prison on one count of aggravated manslaughter of a child.
No Injuries In Tate Road, Kingsfield Crash
February 18, 2020
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle crash Tuesday at Tate Road and East Kingsfield Road.
After the collision of a Nissan Sentra and Ford Mustang about 8:10 a.m., the Mustang collided with a utility pole. Both drivers refused transport to the hospital by Escambia County EMS.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
