72-Year Old Cantonment Man, Woman Facing Prostitution Charges
April 16, 2019
A Cantonment man and a Pensacola woman have been charged with prostitution by the Pensacola Police Department.
Vaughn Franklin Lowe, 72, was charged with purchasing the services of a prostitute, carrying a concealed weapon and driving with a suspended license. Melanie Anne Goodwin, 37, was charged with felony prostitution.
A Pensacola police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Lowe after it was spotted on a wooded service road near power substation in the area of “S” Street and Chase Street.
Lowe told the officer he was “just giving her a ride,” according to an arrest report, but recanted that statement when informed Goodwin has an “extensive” history of prostitution. Goodwin told police he paid Goodwin $20 for oral sex, the report states.
Lowe and Vaughn admitted to “several” previous encounters for cash, police said.
Inside the driver’s door pocket of Lowe’s F150, police reported finding a billy club, which lead to the concealed weapon charged. He was also cited for driving with a disqualified license, having an expired registration and failure to stop when exiting a private drive.
Lowe was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $3,000 bond. Goodwin remained jailed Monday with bond set at $5,000
Century Finds Hundreds Of Customers Are Not Being Billed For Utilities
April 16, 2019
The Town of Century has discovered hundreds of customers that are not being billed for utilities.
Century Gas Superintendent Wally Kellett told the told council Monday night that 268 customers are not being billed each month for some combination of services including gas, water and sewer. He said there may be a few duplicates in the 268 number, but there is still a “significant amount”.
“It’s a billing problem; it’s in the system somewhere,” Kellett said, adding that it has been an ongoing problem for a long period of time. “This didn’t happen overnight. I knew there were some issues, and we found them.”
Kellett, Town Clerk Kim Godwin and billing clerk Toni Simmons attended a two-day training on the town’s billing software last week in Texas and made the discovery. The training cost the town $4,000 plus travel expenses.
Kellett said that armed with new training and insights into the software, the town should see the billing bottom line improve.
In addition, he said a new gate station meter has now been installed to measure and verify the amount of gas received from the town’s supplier. A recent grand jury investigation found Century could not account for 40 percent of the natural gas purchased from their supplier.
The gas superintendent also told the council that a new natural gas meter has been installed at the Century Correctional Institution, and it will lead to additional revenue due to more accurate billing. Under a provision of the contract between the town and the Florida Department of Corrections, Kellett said the state will be back-billed for additional gas believed to have been used by the prison.
A grand jury investigation revealed Century’s gas fund lost $527,738 in the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years. Their report indicated that there were between 500 and 600 total gas customers.
Pictured: Century Gas Superintendent Wally Kellett addresses the Century Town Council Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
First Asphalt Down On Nine Mile Road Widening West Of Beulah Road
April 16, 2019
A milestone of sorts was reached a few days ago as the first asphalt was placed for the widening of Nine Mile Road west of Beulah Road. The newly paved roadway will eventually become the eastbound travel lanes. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lady Chiefs Beat T.R. Miller; Tate Freshmen Top Navarre
April 16, 2019
SOFTBALL
Northview 14, T.R. Miller 1
Northview 8, T.R. Miller 6 (JV)
The Northview Chiefs defeated T.R. Miller 14-1 Monday night in Brewton.
Tori Herrington earned the win with 11 strikeouts while going 2-4 with one RBI at the plate
Also for Northview: Kaitlin Gafford 3-6, 2 RBI; Ashley Ragsdale 2-4, 1 RBI; Aubree Love 5-5, 4 RBI; Mikayla Jeneske 2-5, 2 RBI; Nevaeh Brown 1-1, 1 RBI; Heather Knowles 2-5, 2 RBI; Rylee Huskey 1-1, 1 RBI.
BASEBALL
Tate 7, Navarre 3
The Tate Freshmen Aggies beat Navarre Monday 7-3. The freshmen are now 10-0-1 on the year and will have a home game against West Florida on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Escambia County Senior Community And Media Specialist Lagarde Named City PIO
April 16, 2019
Escambia County Senior Community and Media Relations Specialist Kaycee Lagarde has been named the public information office for the City of Pensacola.
Lagarde has submitted her letter of resignation from the county effective May 17. Her first day with the city will be May 20.
Blue Wahoos Top The Biloxi Shuckers
April 16, 2019
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos once again rode dominant starting pitching and timely offense to another one-run victory as they defeated the Biloxi Shuckers 4-3 at MGM Park.
Pensacola’s offense supplied the talented right-hander with three runs in the top of the first inning, capped off by Brian Schales’s two-run home run off Marcos Diplan (L, 0-1) to put the visitors up 3-0. At one point the Wahoos led 4-0 after Mark Contreras’s RBI sac fly that scored Jimmy Kerrigan.
Alcala’s only hiccup came in the sixth inning when he surrendered a two-run double to Biloxi’s Patrick Leonard. Manager Ramon Borrego went to the bullpen immediately after and brought in Jovani Moran, who recorded the final out of the inning.
Biloxi added a third when C.J. Hinojosa belted a solo home run to open up the eighth inning. Moran tried to finish out the frame, but after issuing a four-pitch walk to Leonard, Borrego again went to his bullpen and asked Dusten Knight to record the final four outs of the game.
After a sensational catch on a line drive from Luis Aviles Jr to end the eighth, Knight retired the Shuckers in order, including striking out the final two batters. After striking out Trent Grisham, Knight performed his signature backflip before celebrating with his teammates.
The Wahoos improved their Southern League-best record to 8-3 while Biloxi fell to 5-6. Game two of the series continues Tuesday night at 6:35 p.m. Top pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol will start for the Wahoos and will be opposed by Trey Supak.
Works Begins Wednesday On $1.9 Million Project To Replace Highway 168 Bridge
April 15, 2019
A $1.9 million project is set to begin Wednesday to replace a bridge on Highway 168 between North Highway 99 and Pine Barren Road in Bratt.
The Florida Department of Transportation will replace the structurally deficient bridge on Highway 168 over an unnamed branch. The new bridge will consist of two 12-foot travel lanes with 6-foot shoulders and a concrete barrier wall.
A temporary bridge will be in place during the project.
The new bridge will consist of two 12-foot travel lanes with six-foot shoulders and a concrete barrier wall. The project also includes resurfacing the approaches to the bridge, new guardrail, drainage improvements, new pavement markingsand enhanced signage.
The current bridge was constructed in 1967.
Large Grocery Store, Smaller Shops Proposed For Beulah
April 15, 2019
A large grocery store and several smaller shops could be on the way to the southeast corner of Nine Mile and Beulah roads in Escambia County.
The Escambia County Development Review Committee will hold a pre-application meeting on Wednesday for the project at 8684 Beulah Road.
Drawings for the development show a 48,387 square foot anchor grocery store, several small shops totaling 13,800 square feet and three available commercial out-parcels of just over an acre each.
The name of the grocery store has not been revealed by developer Blackwater Real Estate of Birmingham.
There are several additional steps required in the permitting process before the project could become a reality.
Century Picks Up Extra Cash By Auctioning Off Used Vehicles
April 15, 2019
The Town of Century has picked up some extra cash by auctioning off several used vehicles.
Minimum bids on the vehicles totale $6,900, but they sold for a total of $9,571.
The top sealed bids on each vehicle, the purchaser and the advertised minimum bid were as follows:
- 1992 Crown Victoria — $950 Earl Bell (min. bid $800)
- 2005 Chevy Silverado 1500 — $1,710 Donald Morgan (min. bid $1,000)
- 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 — $3,751 Gary Small (min. bid $3,000)
- 1995 E-350 Club Wagon — $1,100 Vander Mitchell (min. bid $400)
- 2004 F350 — $1,410 Donald Morgan (min. bid $1,200)
- 1985 Ford F600 — Earl Bell $650 (min. bid $500)
Tate High Showband Marches In Universal Studios Parade (With Gallery)
April 15, 2019
The Tate High School Showband of the South took part in the Universal Studios Superstars Parade Saturday in Orlando.
They were also able to spend time in the park and attended a Blue Man Group performance Friday night.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
