Storms Cause Power Outages, Minor Problems
April 19, 2019
By 2:30 a.m. Friday, storms had caused few problems in the North Escambia area:
- The largest single power outage Thursday night in the North Escambia area was reported about 8:40 p.m. with 430 Escambia River Electric customers in the dark from Oak Grove south to Barrineau Park.
- A downed power line was reported on Molino Road just east of Highway 95A. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- About 11:30 p.m. a small tree was reported down alongside Highway 97 south of Walnut Hill after a second round of storms. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- At midnight, a power line was reported down and arcing at West State Line and Shady Lane in Century. The downed line sparked a small grass fire and left 125 EREC customers without power. The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- At 1:13 a.m., a tree was reported in the roadway at Nine Mile Road and I-10.. The Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
- At about 2:30 a.m. Gulf Power reported nearly 2,100 customers without power in Escambia County, 11 in Santa Rosa County. Escambia River Electric reported 850 customers without power, with 206 of those in Escambia County.
Tate Softball Blanks Washington 16-0; Northview Shuts Out Baker 12-0
April 19, 2019
Tate 16, Washington 0
The Tate Lady Aggies shut out Washington 16-0 Friday.
Amber Decoux led the Aggies with a grand slam in the first.
Abbie Burks pitched a complete game win, going three innings, allowing no runs on only one hit, striking out four and walking none.
Northview 12 Baker 0
The Northview Lady Chiefs beat Baker 12-0 in six innings Friday.
Tori Herrington pitched the win with eight strikeouts. She was 2-3 at bat with one RBI. Also for Northview: Ashley Ragsdale 1-3; Aubree Love 2-4; Kailyn Watson 2-4, 2RBI; Makayla Jeneske 1-4, 2RBI; Nevaeh Brown 2-4; 3RBI; Heather Knowles 1-3.
Blue Wahoos Kazoo Airplane Unveiled
April 19, 2019
Silver Airways, unveiled a Pensacola Blue Wahoos themed aircraft Thursday morning.
Named after the Wahoos’ mascot mascot, the plate dubbed “Kazoo” rolled out of Silver Airways’ Orlando maintenance hangar and made its maiden flight to Pensacola International Airport.
The new livery of the Saab 340 aircraft showcases joint branding featuring Silver Airways’ iconic turbine and the baseball team’s powerful Blue Wahoo. “Kazoo” was designed by Steven Ward, a Silver Airways mechanic and tattoo artist, and the airline’s technical operations team carried out the plane’s transformation.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sex Offender Gets 10 Years For Sexually Abusing Teen In Century
April 18, 2019
A registered sex offender has been sentenced to a decade in prison for sexually abusing a teen girl in Century.
Peter Mika Lotoa, 32, was convicted of six felony counts of sexual battery on a victim 16 or 17 years old. After he completes a 10-year state prison sentence, he will be on sexual offender probation and not allowed to have contact with any person under the age of 18.
The girl’s father told investigators that he was friends with Lotoa, and he learned that Lotoa was having a sexual relationship with his 16-year old daughter. The father stated that he had received information from Lotoa’s girlfriend saying that she suspected sexual interaction between the minor and Lotoa.
The dad provided law enforcement with a screenshot of an apology he said he received in a Facebook message from Lotoa in which he stated that he and the teen started out as just friends and he did not mean for it to happen. The Facebook message also says that he cares for the teen and would die for her, and he “knows what the future holds for him”.
The teen stated that she had unprotected sexual intercourse with Lotoa on six occasion and those dates, from January 8, 2018, to March 14, 2018, were noted in her phone. Lotoa was 31 years old during that time period.
Lotoa was arrested in April 2018 at an address in the 1100 block of Williams Ditch Road.
He was previously convicted of lewd and lascivious battery with a victim age 12-15 in March 2005 and sentenced to three years in state prison.
Child Dies After Being Struck By Vehicle At Community Center In Century
April 18, 2019
A 4-year old child died after being struck by a vehicle Wednesday evening at a Century community center.
The incident happened at the Carver Community Center on Jefferson Avenue about 6:20 p.m.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 66-year old Alberta Knight of Century was in the parking lot of the Carver Community Center on Jefferson Avenue when she pulled her Ford SUV forward and struck the child about 6:20 p.m.
Ka-merius J. Dortch 4, was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he was pronounced deceased.
The vehicle was on the community center grounds between a building and basketball courts. A basketball could be seen under the vehicle.
Any charges against Knight are pending the outcome of the FHP investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Group Calls On DeSantis To Launch Investigation Into Earthquakes, Curtail Oil Permits
April 18, 2019
An environmental group says they are concerned recent earthquakes in the North Escambia area may be linked to oil and gas operations, and they are calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to stop issuing new permits and ban fracking.
“We are very concerned that oil and gas operations may be the cause of the quakes,” said Jorge Aguilar, southern region director for Food & Water Watch. The organization held a press conference Wednesday in front of the Escambia County governmental complex downtown.
“Unfortunately, our Florida state officials have remained very silent on the potential reality that the region may be experiencing man-made earthquakes,” he told NorthEscambia.com. “That is why, today, we are demanding that Governor DeSantis launch a full investigation into the cause of these earthquakes given that the experience in other communities is that the quakes can grow in intensity. Florida should not allow new permits for oil exploration in the region or allow fracking, a more intensive form of drilling that produces even larger volumes of wastewater containing even more dangerous chemicals, until we know more about the cause of these quakes.”
Aguilar said his group does not believe fracking is happening right now in Florida, but he said it is allowed in Alabama.
“We really don’t know exactly where the oil industry in Southern Alabama and Florida is disposing of this oil drilling waste or how much is going underground. That is why a full investigation must be launched,” Aguilar said.
There have been nine small earthquakes recorded by the USGS along the Alabama/Florida line since March 6.
Before March 6, there had not been a quake in the area in about 20 years. The USGS has not linked the seismic activity to oil and gas operations, but has said the area sits on the Bahamas Seismic Zone.
Additional seismic recording devices have been installed in the area to allow scientists to gather additional data.
Pictured top: A press conference in Pensacola Wednesday. Photo for NorthEscambia.com. Pictured top: An Pictured below: Four earthquakes, ranging from in magnitude from 1.8 to 2.8 struck April 11 and 12. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Century Considers $92K Waterline To Benefit Business In Flomaton, AL
April 18, 2019
The Town of Century is considering a water line upgrade project to provide fire protection to a business across the state line in Flomaton, Alabama.
The project would upgrade an existing 2-inch water line along Ivey Street in Century to a 6-inch line to provide fire protection to Flomaton Storage. The business is an existing Century water customer.
The town’s water line will not cross the line in Alabama, but the Flomaton business will connect.
The cost of the project is estimated to cost up to $92,220 — $9,250 for engineering, $3,000 for survey work and $79,970 for the install work.
Existing Century water customers on Ivey Street will also connect to the new wate rline.
The Century Town Council has not yet approved the project.
Tate’s Harberson Advances To State Tennis Finals
April 18, 2019
For the second consecutive year, Tate’s Aaron Harberson is going to state on the No. 1 singles line. He defeated Nick Diemer of Gulf Breeze 6-1, 6-3 to advance. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Over 300 Officers Conduct Contraband Shakedown At Holman Prison
April 18, 2019
More than 300 law enforcement officers conducted a shakedown early Thursday morning at Holman Prison in Atmore.
The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) conducted a joint law enforcement operation in an effort to find and remove illegal contraband from Holman. ADOC officials launched the operation at 4:30 a.m. with support from more than 300 officials from local, county and state law enforcement agencies.
ADOC Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Charles Daniels, led the operation at the maximum security prison that houses an inmate population of 870. ADOC investigations and intelligence agents, correctional emergency response teams, and correctional K-9 drug units took part in the operation. Participating agencies included resources from Pardons and Paroles, AEMA, ADOT, Atmore, Bay Minette, Brewton Police Departments, and support from the Baldwin, Butler, Escambia and Monroe County Sheriff’s Departments.
“The ADOC is conducting these large scale joint operations in a move to eradicate contraband, identify deficiencies, and to take all necessary steps to reverse the trend of increased violence caused by illegal activity inside our prisons,” said Daniels. “We are going to do whatever is necessary to eliminate the contraband problem while sending a message to those who are responsible. Such criminal activity will not be tolerated and anyone who is caught bringing illegal items into our prisons will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
In February, ADOC conducted a similar joint operation at the St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville. The successful operation seized more than 160 makeshift weapons, 48 cell phones, 110 grams of marijuana, and 276 grams of the synthetic drug, flakka.
Daniels said ADOC will continue to conduct the unannounced joint operations at other major correctional facilities in the future with assistance from other law enforcement agencies.
Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn instituted the joint operations by using all available ADOC and state resources to address the proliferation of drugs and other contraband entering state correctional institutions.
“We are committing all internal and external resources to address the contraband problem inside our prisons to ensure we provide the highest degree of safety and protection for our correctional staff and those who are in our custody. We owe them nothing less,” Dunn said.
Anyone with information on contraband in an Alabama prison can contact ADOC Investigations and Intelligence Division at 1-866-293-7799 with information that may lead to the arrest of anyone attempting to introduce illegal contraband into state prisons.
Pictured top and bottom: Some of the contraband discovered during a raid early Thursday morning at Holman Prison in Atmore. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Win 5-2 Over Biloxi
April 18, 2019
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos bounced back from Tuesday’s heartbreaking loss with a hard-fought 5-2 win over the Shuckers Wednesday night at MGM Park.
Pensacola, after not scoring a run until the tenth inning of last night’s loss, wasted no time getting on the board in Wednesday’s middle game. With two on and one out in the first, Braden Webb (L, 0-3) issued back-to-back walks to bring home Jordan Gore. Webb was removed in the first inning after throwing 37 pitches.
The Wahoos were right back at it in the second, plating home two more thanks to RBI singles from Gore and Brian Schales to put the Wahoos up 3-0. Biloxi had a response of their own in the bottom of the second inning plating home a pair of runs.
For the reigning Southern League Pitcher of Week, Devin Smeltzer, the two runs allowed in the second inning were his first two all season. However, he responded in the third and fourth, retiring six of the next seven Shuckers in order.
The game took a turn for the worst in the bottom of the fifth inning when Smeltzer was struck in the back of the head from a line drive off the bat of Max McDowell. Smeltzer lay on the ground motionless for several moments while he was tended to by the medical staffs from both clubs. Fortunately, he was able to rise to his feet and walk off the field on his own power.
Adam Bray (W, 1-1) was called into the game and was brilliant for the Blue Wahoos as the right-hander hurled three shutout innings en route to his first win of the season. Ramon Borrego turned the ball over to Sam Clay in the eighth inning, and the former Georgia Tech product pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to earn his first save of the year.
This was an unorthodox game compared to Tuesday’s pitching duel. The Wahoo batters were hit five different times, including Joe Cronin who was hit three times including once in the head by Aaron Kurcz. Cronin would however remain in the game uninjured. Pensacola also drew seven walks and stranded 16 men on base by the game’s conclusion.
The Wahoos have two chances to pick up their third series win of the season beginning tomorrow night when RHP Griffin Jax (0-0, 0.00) takes the hill for Pensacola. He will be opposed by RHP Thomas Jankins (1-0, 2.25)