Photos: Hundreds Turn Out For Flomaton Christmas Parade
December 8, 2019
Hundreds turned out Saturday morning for the annual Flomaton Christmas parade.
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Photos: Jay Christmas Parade
December 8, 2019
The Town of Jay Christmas Parade was held Saturday morning.
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Hundreds Of Marines, Airmen Honor Those Killed At NAS Pensacola
December 8, 2019
Over 400 marines and airmen stationed at NAS Pensacola showed their respects Saturday morning for the victims of the mass shooting Friday on the base.
“This just shows that no matter what happens we as brothers and sisters will always stand together, and for that I am and will always be proud to call myself a United States Marine,” Alivia Reek said.
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Missing Police K-9 Found Safe
December 8, 2019
A missing Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office K-9 named Jewel has been located safe.
She was reported missing Sunday the Boykin Damascus community in Escambia County, Alabama.
“Jewel has been located. She is alive and well,” Sheriff Heath Jackson said Monday afternoon.
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UWF Marches Into Semifinals With 43-38 Upset Over #6 Lenoir-Rhyne
December 8, 2019
The 20th-ranked UWF football team went back and forth with sixth-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne before coming away with a 43-38 win in the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Championship quarterfinals at Moretz Stadium Saturday.
UWF (11-2) remained perfect in NCAA postseason playoff games on the road, winning its seventh in two appearances over the last three years. Additionally, the Argonauts ended the Bears’ 15-game home winning streak – the longest active streak in Division 2. Last week, UWF halted Valdosta State’s 14-game home field streak.
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With the victory, UWF advances to the national semifinals where it will face second-ranked Ferris State (12-0) – on the road – next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, Mich.
On Saturday, the Argos put up 454 yards of total offense which included 360 yards passing and three touchdowns from freshman Austin Reed. Senior Quentin Randolph had 114 yards on eight receptions and a score. It marked his fourth 100-plus yard game of the season. Junior Rodney Coates had three catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
The game had one of the stranger starts, with UWF recovering a muffed punt, fumbling on the 1-yard line and then getting a safety from graduate student Ian Bush – his second of the season – on LR’s first play from scrimmage for a 2-0 lead. The Argos extended the lead to 9-0 on the next possession when Reed had four completions to Randolph and junior Ka’Ron Ashley, with Ashley scoring on a 15-yard catch.
The Bears responded with a score of their own to trim the margin to 9-7 at the end the first quarter.
A Coates 42-yard reception put UWF deep in LR territory where Randolph reached up and pulled in a 13-yard Reed toss.
Senior Austin Williams made the first of two field goals to extend the lead to 19-7 before Dareke Young caught a Grayson Willingham pass midway through the second quarter.
Coates got his first score of the game two minutes later when he kept moving on a Reed scramble and hauled in a 47-yard pass before winning a race to the end zone. The Bears reached the end zone right before half to trim the UWF lead to 26-21 at the break.
There were only a pair of scores in the third quarter – a 20-yard Chase Albright field goal for the Bears and a Marcus Clayton 75-yard kickoff return on the following play – the first in UWF’s 50-game history.
Anthony Johnson opened the fourth quarter with an 8-yard burst to make it 40-24. He finished with 47 yards rushing and scored in his third-consecutive game.
LR (13-1) was led on offense by Jace Jordan’s 117 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. His 70-yard run in the fourth quarter setup the first of two Ryan Carter rushing touchdowns that saw the Bears get within 40-38 with 11 minutes to play.
After forcing LR into a turnover on downs, the Argos got a 33-yard field goal from Williams before a D’Anthony Bell interception iced the game.
Bell had a strong game, finishing with seven tackles, a fumble recovery on a muffed punt, two pass break ups, a break-up on a 2-point conversion and the game-clinching pick with 1:03 to play.
UWF is now 7-1 all-time in the Division 2 football playoffs and 7-0 in road games.
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Driver Slams Into Escambia Fire Engine, Apartment Complex
December 7, 2019
A driver slammed into an Escambia County Fire Rescue engine and an apartment complex in Warrington early Saturday morning.
Escambia Fire Engine 16 had responded to a medical call on Barrancas Avenue when the truck was hit by a pickup truck driver. The pickup continue some 100 feet or more, traveled through a fence and crashed into an apartment complex.
No firefighters were injured. There were no immediate reports of any injuries in the apartment, and the condition of the driver was not available. The Florida Highway Patrol has not released more details.
It was just over a month ago that Escambia Fire District Chief Dwain S. Bradshaw was killed when he was hit by a vehicle while one scene of a wreck on the Muscogee Bridge just inside Alabama.
And, notably, Engine 16 was the first on scene at NAS Pensacola during the mass shooting Friday morning.
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NAS Pensacola Shooting Investigation Continues; Four Dead, Eight Injured
December 7, 2019
Investigators are working to determine what caused a Saudi national training at NAS Pensacola to go on a deadly shooting rampage Friday that left four people, including the shooter, dead.
The shooter and two other victims passed away at the scene of the shooting; one later died at Baptist Hospital. Eight others were injured, including the two Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies that “did negate the threat”, according to Sheriff David Morgan.
Navy and law enforcement officials identified the shooter as a Saudi pilot in training on the base. He was identified by multiple national news organizations as Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani. Fox News, The New York Times and other national media outlets reported late Friday that the FBI had arrested six Saudi nationals in connection with the shooting, several of which may have video recorded as Alshamrani opened fire.
Guns are not permitted on NAS Pensacola outside security forces, but Morgan said the shooter managed to get a handgun onto the base before targeting individuals on two floors of classrooms in Building 633.
“There was some real heroism today,” said the base’s commanding officer, Capt. Timothy F. Kinsella. “I am devastated, we are in shock, this is surreal, but I couldn’t be prouder to wear the uniform that I wear because of my brothers and sisters in uniform, civilian or otherwise, that did what they did today to save lives.”
The FBI is now leading the probe into mass shooting, which Congressman Matt Gaetz called an act of terrorism.
“This was not a murder. This was an act of terrorism,” Gaetz said. “…It remains to be seen if whether or not this person acted alone, or whether there were other individuals were involved in the planning, inspiration or execution of this act of terrorism.”
“We are praying hard for the victims and families impacted by today’s shooting at NAS Pensacola. As a Navy veteran, today hits especially close to home,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “NAS Pensacola is a special place and these brave warriors who wear the wings come here for flight training to protect and serve our great nation. My administration and state agencies have deployed and will continue to provide support personnel and services to all of the military, civilians and families impacted by today’s senseless act of violence.
“Today’s shooting not only strikes at the heart of Northwest Florida, but for the Navy nationwide and around the world,” DeSantis continued. “The response we saw from the deputies at Escambia County Sheriff’s office and active personnel responding to the scene is commendable and lives were saved because of the bravery of those wearing the uniform of the U.S. Navy and our local law enforcement, including from those who were wounded and still worked to help others. Their bravery will not be in vain. We have learned that the shooter was a foreign national in the employ of a foreign service and the government of Saudi Arabia needs to make things better for the victims and they’re going to owe a debt here.”
President Donald Trump tweeted Friday that he had been in contact with King Salman, who offered condolences. “The king said that the Saudi people are greatly angered by the barbaric actions of the shooter,” Trump said.
Later, Trump told reporters at the White House, “It’s a horrible thing that took place and we’re getting to the bottom of it.”
In a statement, Saudi King Salman called the shooting a “heinous crime” and said he expressed his sorrow over the attack in his phone call with President Trump. The king said he has directed Saudi security services to cooperate with American agencies to uncover information that will help determine the cause of the “horrific attack.”
A sailor shot three civilians at a base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Wednesday, killing two of them before committing suicide.
In a response to both shootings, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement Friday, “The Department of Defense continues to monitor the situation in Pensacola and gather all the facts of each attack.” He said he is “considering several steps to ensure the security of our military installations and the safety of our service members and their families.”
Two Teens Now Arrested In Tate High Battery Case
December 7, 2019
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has now arrested two teens in connection with the battery of a student Wednesday at Tate High School.
Lester Cheatham, 17, was arrested on a charge of felony battery Thursday afternoon. By Friday afternoon 16-year old Ya’Marcus Gross was also taken into custody on an outstanding warrant for felony battery.
Videos taken by students show the altercation with the victim falling to the ground after being punched in the face. He can be then be seen on the ground as he he is punched and kicked by two students believed to be Cheatham and Gross.
The student was released from the hospital and is now recovering at home. Social media rumors that the student died or lost his sight are not true, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com images.
NAS Shooting Reaction: Lord, On A Day Like Today, I Have Found A Reason To Be Thankful
December 7, 2019
When the call for blood donations went out following the mass shooting at NAS Pensacola Friday, the community responded in a huge way.
Jessica Simpson, vice president of the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce jumped in to help. She explains what she found at OneBlood, in her own words:
It started off quiet at OneBlood on 9th Avenue in Pensacola.
And then they started showing up.
Young flight students and other active duty service members from Pensacola NAS. The blood bank was so overwhelmed, all of the employees started screening and the soldiers started working the front desk.
It was all I could do to deliver snacks & drinks for them while Sara RuthAnn Lefevers buzzed the door open and Matt Simpson refilled the drink stock. (You both rock)
It was heart wrenching to see their faces and know they had lost friends.
One young lady & service member asked me to answer her cell phone when it rang (since she was answering One Blood phones) and her friend on the other end merely asked me to tell her he was alive. I’ve. Never. 
One young man offered to take the actual, filled blood bags in his back seat to the hospital for his friend.
Lord come quickly.
This is too much. I had to sit down. They are so young. And yet, they’ve been sitting here for hours and will sit until every last one gives all the blood they can.
I am changed by their love.
Lord, even on a day like today, I have found reasons to be thankful.
OneBlood will be open for donatiosn from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday at 1999 East Nine Mile Road and 2209 N 9th Ave. More info: www.oneblood.org
Driver Injured In Crash With Tree Along State Line
December 7, 2019
One person was injured in a crash with a tree Friday night on the Alabama/Florida state line.
The crash happened shortly before 6 p.m. in a 90 degree curve on Old Bratt Road just a few feet into Alabama near Atmore.
The Atmore Fire Department had to clear a few small trees from around the vehicle to free the driver. She was transported to an area hospital by ambulance.
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