Dozens Receive Driver’s License Services In Century, Mobile Unit Returning Quarterly
May 8, 2019
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford was pleased with the turnout for the Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) mobile office in Century on Tuesday.
There were 56 people that took advantage of the available of the mobile motorist services, an event that was a partnership between Lunsford and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse on North Century Boulevard.
There were 30 driver’s license transactions and 18 motor vehicle registration renewals.
The mobile united is slated to return to Century in August and November.
FLOW is a stand-alone mobile office with technology to provide most motorists’ needs. The mobile unit provides a convenient method to renew a driver’s license, obtain a replacement driver’s license, conversion or reciprocation of out-of-state license, change a name or address on a current driver’s license or identification card, and get a first-time identification card. In addition to licensing services, the mobile unit also provides an opportunity to renew or replace a vehicle registration and apply, renew or replace disabled parking placards. Written and driving tests are not available from the FLOW unit.
Pictured: Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) provided motorist services such as driver’s license renewals in Century Tuesday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Beats Washington, Northview Tops Freeport In District Playoffs
May 8, 2019
Tate and Northview earned district wins Tuesday night.
Tate 8, Washington 6
The Tate Aggies defeated Washington 8-6 Tuesday night in District 1-7A playoff action.
Darrien McDowell took the win on the mound For Tate, giving up six runs on seven hits and striking out six in six innings. Easton Sidner closed out the game in the seventh, recording three outs to earn the save.
For Tate: Hunter McLean 3-4, 2RBI, R; Jadon Fryman 1-4, RBI, 2R; Raymond Lafleur 1-4, R; Cole Fryman 1-3, RBI, R: Chase Tolbert 1-3, 2RBI; Darrien McDowell 1-3, RBI; Michael Potts 1-2; Trevor Norton R; Dylan Godwin R; Aaron Noack R.
Tate will take on Pine Forest Wednesday at 7:00 in the semifinals at Washington.
Northview 8, Freeport 2
The Northview Chiefs beat Freeport 8-2 Tuesday afternoon in the District 3-1A Semifinal in Baker.
Northview went into the game ranked fourth in the state and the top seed in the tournament.
The Chiefs jumped out to an early 6-2 lead in the first inning before adding a couple of runs in the fifth.
Tanner Levins earned a complete game win for the Chiefs, allowing two hits and to runs and striking out three.
For the Chiefs: Nick Venable 3-3, R; Jacob Bryant R; Seth Killam 2R; Jackson Moore 1-3, R, RBI; Adam Aliff 1-2, 2R; Ben Wilson R, 2RBI; Tanner Levins RBI; Bryson Love 1-3.
Northview will face Jay Friday night at 7:00 at Northview for the district championship. (Updated: The game has been moved from Baker to Northview.)
Pictured: The Tate Aggies beat Washington Tuesday night. Photos by Crystal Tolbert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Waters Walks Off Against Wahoos
May 8, 2019
Pensacola’s four-game winning streak was ended by one swing of the bat from Mississippi’s Drew Waters, as the Braves #8 overall prospect launched a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to hand the Wahoos a 5-3 loss in game two of their ten-game road trip.
Jorge Alcala started on the mound for Pensacola fresh off being named the Minnesota Twins Minor League Pitcher of the Week. He provided a solid but unspectacular outing, allowing three runs on eight hits over 5.0 innings and struck out three.
Pensacola scored first in the game for the 24th time this season in 31 games. Luis Arraez led off the game with a double to center, extending his ongoing hit streak to eight games. Alex Kirilloff pulled a ground ball to the right side, moving him over, and Miguel Sano plated Arraez with a sacrifice fly to center.
The Wahoos extended their lead in the second. Caleb Hamilton was hit by a pitch leading off the inning. A fielding error by Mississippi on a ground ball off the bat of Tanner English put runners at the corners. Taylor Grzelakowski then bounced into a double play, scoring Hamilton from third and putting Pensacola up 2-0.
Mississippi used a walk, a stolen base, and a single to cut Pensacola’s lead in half in the home half of the second. In the third, Christian Pache launched a two-run home run to give the M-Braves a 3-2 lead.
The Blue Wahoos tied the score up in the fifth inning. Kirilloff led the inning off with a walk, and Sano followed with a double. With one out, Travis Blankenhorn lofted a sac fly to center, scoring Kirilloff and making it 3-3.
Despite putting at least runner on in each of the last four innings, including getting two runners in scoring position with just one out in the top of the ninth, Pensacola didn’t score again.
After Huascar Ynoa escaped the jam in the top of the ninth for Mississippi, Waters launched his two-run walk-off shot off Alex Phillips with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
Mississippi received a quality start from top prospect Joey Wentz, who allowed three runs (two earned) over 6.0 innings on five hits. Ynoa, a former Twins prospect, threw 3.0 shutout innings to earn the win in relief.
After receiving 5.0 innings from Alcala, the Twins turned to Adam Bray out of the pen. The Minneapolis native was brilliant, throwing 3.0 hitless innings of relief and striking out four.
Phillips took the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) on the Waters homer in the ninth.
Sano was 3-4 with a pair of doubles for the Wahoos. Kirilloff was 1-4, his fifth straight game with a hit.
After the loss, Pensacola’s record sits at 21-11 while Mississippi improves to 16-14. The two teams will continue their five-game set Wednesday in a showdown of top pitching prospects between Brusdar Graterol (3-0, 2.23 ERA) and Tucker Davidson (0-0, 1.46 ERA).
File photo.
Two Hurt In Three Vehicle Cantonment Wreck
May 7, 2019
Two people were injured in a three vehicle crash Tuesday morning in Cantonment.
The crash occurred about 8:45 a.m. on County Road 97 at Nowak Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol has not released additional details.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
West Florida Gin, Businessman Could Acquire Century Industrial Property
May 7, 2019
The former Helicopter Technology building in Century could be home to a tenant soon, the first in over a decade.
West Florida Gin Manager Robert Earl Godwin and businessman Larry Baxley told the Century Town Council Monday night that are interested in the vacant building and made a preliminary offer to lease to own the building at $4,000 per month for five years, for a total of $240,000.
In 2017, the building was appraised for $550,000 with a fair market rent of $80,000 per year ($6,667 per month).
“It’s been empty for how long? A decade,” said council member Ben Boutwell. “I think it is a good thing.”
The West Florida Gin plans to use about half of the warehouse space for cotton storage. Godwin said the longtime cotton gin has outgrown its storage space in Walnut Hill. Baxley said there is a “tenant we have in mind at the moment” for the remainder of the space.
It’s unknown how many jobs that tenant might bring, while Godwin said the cotton storage would not likely bring any additional jobs.
“I think it’s unfortunate we can’t offer any jobs,” council member James Smith said.
The council unanimously agreed to let the town attorney look at the preliminary offer.
The former Helicopter Technology building is a 40,000 square foot office/warehouse building with full climate control, sprinkler system, new HVAC and energy efficient lighting. The town re-acquired the industrial building at public auction for less than $1 out of pocket back in August 2009, following the town’s foreclosure judgment against the now defunct Helicopter Technology.
Pictured top Businessman Larry Baxley (left) and West Florida Gin Manager Robert Earl Godwin discuss the Helicopter Technology building (below) with the Century Town Council Monday NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FHP Identifies Pedestrian Struck By Car In Century, Says Pedestrian Was At Fault
May 7, 2019
A pedestrian stuck by a vehicle and seriously injured Monday evening in Century has been cited by the Florida Highway Patrol .
The FHP said James Davis, age 52 of Century, was northbound in a 1999 Buick Park Avenue about 7:18 p.m. on North Century Boulevard, just south of the Century Branch Library when he struck 26-year old Karissa Carroll of Pensacola. According to troopers, she was standing on the sidewalk and improperly crossed in front of the vehicle.
Carroll was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital as a trauma alert by LifeFlight helicopter. Davison was not injured.
The FHP cited Carroll with failing to yield to the oncoming vehicle.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECAT Union Approves ECAT Labor Contract, Votes ‘No Confidence’ In Next Transit Boss
May 7, 2019
The local transit union has approved a labor contract but issued a vote of no confidence on a proposed interim ECAT director.
The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1395 voted 98% to ratify the the tentative labor contract with ECAT, a process than took nearly a year and a half. The Escambia County Commission will consider the final agreement at their May 16 meeting.
According to ATU Local President Michael Lowery, the union also passed a vote of no confidence for Assistant Transit Manager Tonya Ellis to become the interim transit director to replace curretn and retiring Transit Director Mike Crittenden. The no confidence vote was passed with 97% of union votes.
According to Lowery, Ellis “left her integrity in question” and union membership “feels she will not stand up for the workers”.
Jim Allen Elementary’s Kenny Meadows Named County Social Studies Teacher Of Year
May 7, 2019
Jim Allen Elementary School fifth grade teacher Kenny Meadows has been named the Escambia County Social Studies Teacher of the Year at the elementary level.
Social Studies Specialist Cheri Arnette visited Jim Allen to present Meadows with his award. Meadows and his students showed her some of their recent projects on World War II.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
PSC Staff Backs Gulf Power Hurricane Michael Storm Restoration Hike
May 7, 2019
Florida Public Service Commission staff members are recommending the approval of Gulf Power plan to collect money from every customer to pay for Hurricane Michael recovery.
The commission will hear the $342 million request next week to start collecting the costs in July; the utility had first asked the PSC for permission to start collecting the costs in April.
The increase amounts to about $8 a month for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours a month of electricity, which the company said would still make the average customer’s bill lower than the January 2018. Commercial and industrial customers will see bills increase by 3 to 8 percent depending on their rate plan.
“Hurricane Michael was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Northwest Florida, with Panama City and the surrounding areas of Bay County nearly destroyed, including critical infrastructure and the energy grid that serves our customers,” said Gulf Power President Marlene Santos is a recent news release.. “We know that many of our customers continue to face challenges due to the aftermath of Hurricane Michael and we have worked hard to propose a plan to the Florida Public Service Commission that takes this into account and supports our ability to continue to serve them with reliable service now and into the future.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Atmore Residents Facing Drug Charges After Apartment Search Warrant
May 7, 2019
Two Atmore residents are facing drug charges after a search warrant was executed at a local apartment complex.
Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said Monday afternoon that the search warrant was executed last Wednesday about 6:30 a.m.at the Patterson Street Apartments. He said the search netted unspecified quantities of marijuana, synthetic marijuana, guns and digital scales.
John Edward McDowell, 43, and Willie Denise Wilson, 31, were both charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to appear warrants out of Escambia County, AL.
Brooks said more charges are pending.
The Atmore Police Department, Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and the Alabama Department of Law Enforcement took part in the search.