K-9 Catches Armed Robbery Suspect Red Handed
July 14, 2017
An armed robbery suspect was caught red-handed Wednesday by an Escambia County K-9.
According to investigators, 28-year old Nicholas Anthony Imperial walked into the Smart Fill convenience store about 8:30 p.m. He was wearing a scarf around his face as he pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded money. When deputies arrived on scene, they used K-9 Django to help track the suspect.
The K-9 found Imperial hiding behind the Maxwell Apartments, they also found the gun he used and the stolen cash. Imperial was arrested and charged with robbery with a firearm or other deadly weapon, use or display of weapon during a felony, and wearing a mask or hood during an armed robbery. He was being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $55,000.
Chiefs End ‘Turbulent Thursday’ With Trip To NAS Museum
July 14, 2017
The Northview Chiefs capped off a great week of workouts with “Turbulent Thursday” with a trip to the Naval Air Museum. The players learned about the history of aviation and the military, the Blue Angels and more. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Airport Shows Record Traffic
July 14, 2017
Pensacola International Airport had an all-time monthly record number of passengers in June, with a total of 162,618 individuals arriving and departing the facility.
“We appreciate the record number of travelers who made Pensacola International Airport their airport of choice last month,” said Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward. “We continue to elevate the airport experience for our guests, with new routes, and exciting amenities,” Hayward said. “As a gateway that connects our diverse City to the rest of the world, Pensacola International is a powerful economic engine for our City and the region.”
June passenger totals for the past five years are as follows:
2017: 162,618
2016: 151,450
2015: 155,045
2014: 149,402
2013: 145,632
2012: 143,655
Plane Slows Cantonment Traffic
July 14, 2017
Sometimes you never know what will slow traffic in Cantonment. On Thursday, it was this movement of what we are told is the fuselage of a C-130 military transport aircraft seen on Highway 29 and on Muscogee Road. There was no word on the plane’s destination. Reader photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Committee Of The Whole Budget Workshop Rescheduled For Tuesday
July 14, 2017
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners will continue its review of the 2017-2018 Proposed Fiscal Year Budget on Tuesday, July 18 at 9 a.m. This will take place during the regularly scheduled Agenda Review Meeting held in the Board Chambers at 221 Palafox Place. The agenda for the Committee of the Whole Budget Workshop can be found here.
Tuesday’s meeting replaces the previously scheduled meeting for Friday, July 14 at 9 a.m. It is a continuation of the meetings held July 11-14. Click here to view the agenda.
Triumph Gulf Coast Holds Organizational Meeting
July 14, 2017
Former House Speaker Allan Bense on Thursday kept the position of chairman of the non-profit organization Triumph Gulf Coast as it starts to oversee how BP oil-spill settlement money is spent across the Panhandle.
But in January, the Panama City Republican will be replaced in the chairmanship by former Senate President Don Gaetz, who was chosen Thursday as vice chairman of the board. The unanimous appointments for both were part of the organization’s first meeting since lawmakers approved funding for Triumph Gulf Coast in measures signed into law (HB 7077, HB 7079) by Gov. Rick Scott last month.
The board is in charge of determining how to use 75 percent of the $2 billion Florida will get from the settlement related to the impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The money going through Triumph Gulf Coast is for eight counties: Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla and Walton. The legislation set minimum amounts for how much each county will receive and expanded the Triumph Gulf Coast board from five to seven members, with the goal of providing more representation to less-populated counties.
Florida has already received $400 million and is slated to receive the rest in annual payments over the next 13 years. Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who oversaw the Legislature’s initial creation of Triumph Gulf Coast, was added to the board on June 30 by House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes.
The organizational meeting Thursday at the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition in Pensacola was held a day after Scott advised Bense to use the money in a “transparent” manner that has the best return on investment for Florida. Board members agreed to take public input on economic-development projects on August 16.
by The News Service of Florida
Mississippi Wins Pitching Duel 2-0 Over The Blue Wahoos
July 14, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos fans were treated to a pitching duel between Keury Mella and Mississippi Braves Mike Soroka.
Mississippi and Soroka ended up getting the win, 2-0, over Pensacola to snap a four-game losing streak.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly credited the 23-year-old Mella and the 19-year-old Soroka on their performances Thursday in front of 4,497 in Blue Wahoos Stadium.
“Those were two good young pitchers right there,” Kelly said. “Soroka got the best of him but Mella really competed.”
Mella, ranked the No. 19 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, pitched his best game at home, Kelly said, and his best since his last victory June 15 against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He worked seven innings, only the second time he has done that this season, and gave up two earned runs on six hits, had no walks and struck out six, which was one shy of his season-high.
“He was solid,” Kelly said of Mella. “He was very aggressive with his fastball and had good use of his breaking ball.”
Mississippi, which have now won two of its last 15 games, scored its first run in the third inning when center fielder Connor Lien scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by right fielder Keith Curcio. Curcio also hit a two-out homer into the Hill-Kelly Dodge berm in right field for the M-Braves second and final run.
Mella, who has yet to win a start in Blue Wahoos Stadium, retired the last seven batters he faced.
Meanwhile Soroka, who pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits, had no walks and struck out six. He is now 2-0 in three starts this season against Pensacola, allowing just one run in 19.2 innings for a 0.47 ERA.
A Canadian who chose baseball over being a goalie in hockey, now has 10 wins to lead the Southern League and his 2.37 ERA is only behind Pensacola starter Austin Ross, who has a 1.44 ERA.
Soroka is ranked as the No. 33 prospect in Baseball America’s midseason re-ranking lists and the 13th best pitcher.
“For a 19-year-old, he has a great feel for pitching,” said Kelly, who said Canadian baseball players are usually a year behind in development because the weather doesn’t allow them to play year-round.
Pensacola had an opportunity to score in the third inning on Soroka with runners on first and second and two outs but third baseman Nick Senzel struck out. Soroka mowed down the last eight Blue Wahoos batters he faced. Pensacola got just one more hit in the last four innings of the game when second baseman Josh VanMeter hit a bloop single to left field to start the ninth inning.
Senzel increased his hitting streak to 13 games, going 1-4 with a double off of Soroka in the third inning. The Cincinnati Reds top prospect is now 19-50 during the streak for a .380 batting average. The 22-year-old Senzel has hit in 15 of his 19 games with the Double-A team since being called up June 22 from the High-A Daytona Tortugas.
Pensacola is 10-11 in the second half. The South Division champions in the first half are 50-41 overall. Mississippi is 5-15 in the second half and 39-51 overall.
Pensacola is almost done playing 20 games in a row before getting a day off July 18 after the series with Mississippi is finished. Kelly said it isn’t easy.
“Twenty-game stretches are tough in this league with this humidity,” Kelly admitted. “It’s a good challenge for the players. We just have to be smart. This is July and this is in the South.”
Kelly also reported that Nick Longhi, who was playing in his seventh game for Pensacola after being picked up by the Reds in a trade with the Red Sox, complained about soreness in his throwing arm and said it affected his swing. Longhi is hitting .316 with a homer and seven RBIs for the Blue Wahoos.
“It was precautionary to get him out,” Kelly said.
A Whopper Of A Case: FHP Looks For Burger King Hit And Run Driver
July 13, 2017
The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for a hit and run driver that struck the Burger King restaurant at Highway 29 and Old Chemstrand Road early Thursday morning.
The accident was reported about 2:45 a.m. while the restaurant was closed. The vehicle that struck the building had fled the scene before first emergency personnel arrived on scene. There was no description of the vehicle available.
The building suffered mostly cosmetic damage with a few bricks busted off the side of the building. The business opened as usual Thursday morning.
Anyone with information on the hit and run crash is asked to call the Florida Highway Patrol at *FHP or (850) 484-5000.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Florida EMS Looks To Cut Atmore Ambulance, Flomaton Response
July 13, 2017
Escambia County may soon provide ambulance service to the Walnut Hill and Bratt areas while cutting out Flomaton as a primary response area.
Atmore Ambulance has provided ambulance service for the Walnut Hill, Bratt, Davisville and surrounding communities in the 327 telephone exchange since 1978. A similar agreement is in place between Escambia County (FL) EMS and the Escambia County (AL) Healthcare Authority for Escambia (FL) EMS to provide ambulance service in the Flomaton area as far north as I-65.
Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry said Wednesday that “there are serious issues” with the service level provided by Atmore Ambulance. “They are not responding in any what that we can depend on the response currently, and that’s not much value.”
Public Safety Director Mike Weaver has requested that the Escambia County Commission include 12 new EMT’s in his budget for next fiscal year, including four crews of two to staff an Escambia County ambulance in the Highway 97 area. Preliminarily, the ambulance would likely be stationed at the Walnut Hill Fire Station on Highway 97, but Weaver said he would like that location eventually moved further south toward White Ash Road to provide a broader response area into Molino.
An Escambia County EMS unit is currently stationed at EMS Post 50 on Industrial Boulevard in Century. It is the primary responding unit in the Flomaton, AL, but Weaver wants to end that response across the state line, allowing increased availability for northern Escambia County.
Any changes depend on the budget approved by the commission for the fiscal year beginning October 1. Escambia County’s contract with Atmore Ambulance is to expire in November.
Century Chief Regi Burkett Retires After 40 Years In Fire Service, VFD Presents Awards
July 13, 2017
The Century Volunteer Fire Department held a dinner recently honoring Chief Regi Burkett who has retired after nearly 40 years in the fire service. Burkett served Escambia County and the Town of Century as a firefighter since 1978 and as VFD chief since 1987.
David Adams has been named the new chief of the Century Fire Station.
The department also presented annual awards:
- Firefighter of the Year: Kevin Bullard
- Officer of the Year– Capt. Chris Barrow
The Life Saver Award was presented to the crew of Century’s Engine 5 that responded to a house fire the night of January 23, 2016, on Jefferson Avenue.
The crew followed their training and worked as a team as they worked to complete a search of the dwelling and then worked to extinguish the fire. During the search, the entry team located a male victim that was in the home and removed him to the care of waiting firefighters and the EMS crew. Their actions that night directly resulted in saving the victim’s life.
- Life Saver Award – Capt. Shaun Moye, Kevin Bullard, Heath Burkett and Cody Calloway.
Pictured top: Ann and Regi Burkett. Pictured below: Century Volunteer Fire Department (L-R) Assistant Chief Gary Johnson, Chief David Adams, retired chief Regi Burkett and Captain Terry Bush. Photos by Larry Walker for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
