Interim County Administrator Lovoy Departing Two Months Earlier Than Expected
May 3, 2019
Interim County Administrator Amy Lovoy will be leaving Escambia County at the end of next week, over two months sooner than originally thought.
The county commission approved letting Lovoy depart before working out the 90 day notice she gave when she submitted her resignation. She had been set for a last day of July 12.
Assistant County Administrator Matt Coughlin plants to align his last day with Lovoy’s final working day with the county.
New County Administrator Janice Gilley won’t begin work until about June 24, leaving the county without an acting administrator for over six weeks if Coughlin departs early.
It is expected that Natural Resources Management Department Director Chips Kirschenfeld will be named active administrator until Gilley arrives.
Thursday, the Escambia County Commission approved a 5 percent retroactive raise for Lovoy to cover the time she has worked as interim administrator through May 9. After voting unanimously for the pay increase, the commission gave Lovoy a standing ovation.
National Day Of Prayer Events Held (With Photo Gallery)
May 3, 2019
Atmore marked the National Day of Prayer Thursday with several events, drawing the faithful and pastors from Atmore and the North Escambia area.
A prayer service was held at the Atmore City Hall Thursday morning. A community prayer service and Bible reading was held Thursday afternoon in the Cornell Torrence Gym at Escambia County High School.
Community, business and spiritual leaders led those gathered in prayer for government, the church, the family, media, education and business. A Bible scripture reading followed.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Beats Jay For District Softball Title; Love Hits Go-Ahead Grand Slam
May 3, 2019
The Northview Lady Chiefs won their first 1A district title since 2011 Thursday night with an 8-2 defeat of the Jay Lady Royals in Jay.
Aubree Love had a go-ahead grand slam homer over the center field fence in the fifth inning on the first toss from a Jay relief pitcher.
“My coaches just told me to go in there and be confident,” Love said. “I wasn’t trying to hit a home run, just score that runner at third…It’s awesome when you hit a home run, especially with it being a district game and us coming through with a district title…it’s just an awesome feeling.”
“They changed out the pitcher, and Aubree came through clutch. I told her you are looking for one pitch, that first pitch and she drove it in,” Northview Head Coach Amy Holland said. With two on base, Kailyn Watson also drove in a three-run in park home run for the Chiefs.
“We felt really good about the game; we felt very well prepared after coming off a sloppy win against Freeport,” Holland said.
Tori Herrington pitched a complete game win for Northview.
The Northview Lady Chiefs will host Franklin County as regional play gets underway at 7:00 next Thursday night, May 9.
For a photo gallery celebrating the championship and game action, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fire Heavily Damages Home Near Jay
May 3, 2019
Fire heavily damaged a home in Jay Thursday afternoon.
The fire in 4200 block of Watermill Road, about a mile from Jay High School, was reported just after 3 p.m.
The Jay, Allentown , Berrydale, Century and Flomaton fire stations responded. Further details haven not been made available.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Lady Aggies Win Sixth Consecutive District Title
May 3, 2019
The Tate Lady Aggies won their sixth consecutive district title Thursday night 14-2 over the Escambia Gators.
The District 1-7A championship game was tied 2-2 headed into the top of the seventh when Shelby McClean doubled on a 0-1 count, scoring one run.
The Aggies were on fire in the seventh with a 12 runs, including an Amber Decoux home run.
Avery Beauchanie went seven innings in the circle for Tate, allowing four hits on two runs while striking out six Gators.
For Tate: Decoux 2-5, 2R, RBI; Hanna Halfacre 1-5, R, 2RBI, Beauchanie 3-4, RBI; Ryleigh Cawby 2-4, 2R; RBI; Christina Mason 2-4, R, RBI; Cam Wolfenden R; Lilly Locke 3-4, 2R, RBI; Gabby Locke 2-3, R, RBI; McClean 2-4, 2R, 2RBI; Alyssa Rowell R, Courtney Lundquist R.
The Lady Aggies advance to host Navarre in the Region 1-7A quarterfinals.
DeSantis To Choose From Six Finalists To Be Escambia County Judge
May 3, 2019
Gov. Ron DeSantis will consider six people to replace Escambia County Judge Joyce Williams following her resignation in March.
The six finalists picked from 13 applicants by the First Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission are forwarded to the governor for consideration are:
- Paul Hamlin
- Andrew McGraw
- Charles V. Peppler
- Charles Russell
- David Stevens
- Charles Young
DeSantis has upto 60 days to appoint his selection.
Tate Aggies Celebrate Senior Night, Beat Gulf Breeze (With Gallery)
May 3, 2019
The Tate Aggies earned an 11-6 senior night win over Gulf Breeze Thursday night.
Jace Dunsford pitched the win for the Aggies, allowing two runs on four hits over three innings, striking out three and walking none. Dalton Biggs, Jordan Jarman, and Sam Shackle all put in work in relief out of the bullpen.
Raymond Lafleur homered in the sixth inning for the Aggies.
The Tate Aggies honored 10 seniors – Will Clary, Mason Land, Kaden Kings, Easton Sidner, Jace Dunsford, Trey Lafleur, Brantley Culbertson, Hunter McClean, Patrick Lascell and Mikey Potts.
For a photo gallery from Tate Senior Night festivities, click here.
Photos by Crystal Tolbert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Blanked By Biloxi
May 3, 2019
The Blue Wahoos fell for the third straight game, their longest losing streak of the season, losing 1-0 to Biloxi on Thursday evening at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Jorge Alcala bounced back from a pair of tough starts and provided the Wahoos with 5.0 shutout innings, striking out eight and walking none. Opposing him on the mound for Biloxi, Trey Supak was just as good, throwing 5.0 as well and allowing just one hit while striking out four.
On offense, the Blue Wahoos got their first hit of the game in the first inning, when Jaylin Davis lined a single to left. Pensacola didn’t have another hit until the eighth inning when Davis again singled, this time up the middle. They’d have just one additional hit, an eighth inning single by Luis Arraez.
After five strong innings by Alcala, RHP Jeff Ames threw 2.0 hitless innings of relief, striking out four of the six batters he faced.
RHP Cody Stashak followed in eighth inning. He ran into trouble quickly, allowing a single to the first batter he faced and hitting the second. A bunt moved both runners over. With runners on second and third, a passed ball by Caleb Hamilton allowed what proved to be the games only run to score. Stashak struck out the next two batters to escape the jam with just one run allowed.
The Blue Wahoos threatened in the home half of the eighth. Ernie De La Trinidad led off the frame with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by Jordan Gore. Arraez then lined a single into left that advanced De La Trinidad to third. With the tying run at third, Biloxi reliever Daniel Brown used a strike out and a ground out to get out of the frame with Biloxi’s lead still intact.
Shuckers closer Nate Griep retired the side in order to earn his fifth save of the season.
The loss drops Pensacola’s record to 17-10 while Biloxi improves to 14-13 with the win. The two teams will play game three of their five-game set Friday evening.
Trooper Finds Two Injured Women Near Highway 95A Intersection, Vehicle Deep In A Wooded Area
May 2, 2019
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper patrolling near the intersection of Highway 95A and Quintette Road observed a female in the roadway and another female near the wood line at the intersection about 9 p.m. Wednesday.
The trooper determined that a 2006 Chevrolet HHR failed to stop at a posted stop sign, causing the vehicle to travel about 200 yards into a dense wooded area. There were no witnesses to the crash, and there was no physical evidence placing either woman behind the wheel, according to the FHP.
The two women were identified as 28-year old Christina Holman of Pensacola and 35-year old Lindsey Flores of Corpus Christi, TX. Both were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition.
The crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Cantonment and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Attorney Wants New Trial In 2014 Dam Failure Flooding Lawsuit Against International Paper
May 2, 2019
An attorney for a class of Escambia County homeowners is asking three-judge 11th Circuit panel to order a new trial in a lawsuit that claimed International Paper was responsible for flooding in several neighborhoods.
In 2018, a federal court judge rule that International Paper was not negligent in its design, maintenance or continued operation of an abandoned dam near Kingsfield Road and that the company was not responsible for flood damage to scores of homes. The jury took a little more than an hour to return the verdict.
The class action lawsuit claimed the flooding of homes in several neighborhoods was caused by failure of the “Kingsfield Road Dam”, located on IP’s mill property in Cantonment. The suit was filed in federal court in Pensacola in 2014, with class action status granted in September 2017 on behalf of eight named and other real property owners and in the Bristol Park, Bristol Woods, Bristol Creek and Ashbury Hills subdivisions in Cantonment.
Attorney Athanasios Basdekis argued Tuesday that a FEMA application by Escambia County had prejudiced the jury, causing them to believe the homeowners had received government compensation. FEMA awarded Escambia County $2.4 million in June 2018 for flood protection improvements in the area, including the purchase of several properties.
NorthEscambia.com reached out to an International Paper spokesperson Wednesday afternoon for comment, but we did not hear back.
The Original Lawsuit
The original lawsuit claimed that on the night of a record rainfall, a large “swell” or “wave” of water breached and overflowed into Eleven Mile Creek, including the Bristol Park and Ashbury Hills subdivisions, Devine Farms Road and other surrounding areas, as a result of International Paper’s dam or levee. The residential areas are located in “Flood Zone X” on flood insurance maps, meaning they were not in special flood hazard areas and required no mandatory flood insurance.
The paper mill stopped using the dam to discharge wastewater in 2012, according to court documents.
The failure, the lawsuit asserted, was the result of IP’s negligence in maintaining the Eleven Mile Creek Dam and levee, failure to counteract continued development, failed to control debris buildup in and around the dam, and of a failure to notify those downstream of the potential or ultimate failure of the levee system.
The plaintiffs were seeking damages for loss and damage to personal and real property, diminished property values, loss of enjoyment, mental anguish, loss of income and additional expenses due to the flooding in the neighborhoods.
Pictured: Aerial photos provided to NorthEscambia.com in 2014 by plaintiff attorney J.J Talbott show what he said was the failure a dam and levee owned by International Paper that allowed flood waters to rush down Eleven Mile Creek. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
