Two Arrested For Stealing Trailer After Stakeout, Police Chase
March 29, 2017
A police chase ended with two Montgomery men behind bars for stealing a tractor and trailer from an Atmore dealership.
Deputy Paul Hudson was staked out near Smith Tractor Company of Highway 31 just east of Atmore about 11:30 p.m. March 1 when he saw a vehicle drive slowly past the business, turn around and return.
Hudson watched as the two suspects used bolt cutters on a tractor/trailer combination package. The subjects then hitched the trailer to the truck and drove east on Highway 31 towards Canoe. Hudson, who was working the detail on his day off, chased the truck and stopped it on Highway 31 in Canoe. He called for backup, with other ECSO deputies and the Atmore Police Department responding.
Deputy Hudson arrested both men, 26-year-old Johnny Deon Whitt and 25-year-old Quentin Devontea Jackson, for first degree theft of property. Both were booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center with bond set at $30,000 each.
Three Northview Lifters Qualify For State Meet
March 29, 2017
Northview High School’s Ohijie Elliott, Chase Olsen and M.J. Jones have all qualified for the 2017 FHSAA 1A State Weightlifting Meet at Deland High School in Deland, FL, on Saturday, April 8.
Elliott will be competing in the 154-lb. weight class and currently has the 7th highest total in the state in his class. Olsen will compete in the 169-lb. class and has the 13th highest total, while Jones will compete in the 139-lb. class with the 13th highest total.
The top six lifers at the state meet place.
The lifters qualified after all hitting personal best totals at the regional weightlifting meet and placing in the top six to become eligible for the state meet.
Three lifters advancing to state is the most from Northview High School since four advanced in 2000.
Missing Teen Located Safe
March 29, 2017
UPDATE: This missing teen has been located safe.
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The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a teen runaway that is classified as missing and endangered.
Hanna Violet Redmon was last seen Sunday in the area of Creighton Road. The 14-year old was wearing silver sandals, blue and white leggings, gray jacket, and red shirt. Hanna also wears glasses and is hearing impaired. She is 5-feet, 7-inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
If you have any information contact Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
Florida Special Olympics Torch Run Begins In Century
March 28, 2017
The 2017 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics began in Century Monday morning.
The torch run started at the Florida/Alabama state line in the Food Giant parking lot about 7:30 a.m. Monday. Employees from Century Correctional Institution and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office escorted the torch down Highway 29 through Century.
On the second leg of the journey for the torch, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Pensacola Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, carried the torch from the Sheriff’s Office Administration Building on West Leonard Street to Bartram Park in Pensacola.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is an event to raise awareness and support for the Special Olympics.
Law enforcement officers from over 300 Florida agencies (police departments, sheriff’s offices, Florida Department of Corrections, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Customs, Air Force Police and Marine Patrol) all participate in the state-wide torch run to benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Florida. Each year, over 5,000 officers carry the torch on a 1500-mile relay through 67 counties in Florida.
The Special Olympics State Summer Games will be held May 19-20 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista.
Pictured: 2017 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics Monday morning in Century. Photos by Julie Bowman and other for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Prom Night Heroes Save Woman From Burning Home
March 28, 2017
Three young Escambia County, AL, residents are being called heroes after saving a woman from a burning home on their way back from a high school prom Saturday night.
They were on their way back from the W.S. Neal High School Prom when they noticed the fire. It was prom night for senior Ryley Fore, 18. He attended prom with his date, 22-year old Cheyenne Hammond and his cousin Kalanea Fore who was along to see the senior walkout.
The trio spotted the garage fire at a home on Foshee Road about 8:30 p.m.
Cheyenne called 911 for help, while Ryley and Kalanea made their way inside the home to find 63-year old Marilyn Mize alone and asleep on the couch. She has limited mobility, relying on a walker and wheelchair. Ryley and Kalanea helped her out of the house using her walker, then went back to get the wheelchair to roll her to safety.
Ryley called his dad and grandfather; together they used a hose to knock down the fire in the garage.
“I was just so thankful for those kids,” Marilyn said. “God put those kids at the right place at the right time because I would have been gone. I believe that with all my heart.”
“The kids were amazing. They are heroes,” she said.
Pictured top: “Prom Heroes” Kalanea Fore, Ryley Fore and Cheyenne Hammond posed for pictured Saturday afternoon, just a few hours before saving a woman from a burning home. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Unpaid Real Estate, Tangible Taxes Are Due This Week
March 28, 2017
Unpaid real estate and tangible property taxes are delinquent April 1, according to Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.
Penalties of three percent for real estate taxes and one and one-half percent for tangible taxes will be assessed. Over $29 million remains unpaid, representing approximately 10 percent of the tax roll. To avoid the penalty, payment must be made by March 31.
Payment options are available:
- online by midnight CDT, March 31 at EscambiaTaxCollector.com;
- mailed with a March postmark;
- left by midnight CDT, March 31, in a 24-hour drop box available at all locations;
- made in person by March 31;
- made by phone at (850) 438-6500, ext. 3252 by close of business March 31.
Offices open 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and are located at:
- Downtown – 213 Palafox Place
- Marcus Pointe – 6451 North W Street
- Molino – 6440 Highway 95-A North, Suite A
- Warrington – 4051 Barrancas Avenue, Suite A
To check the status of taxes or to pay online, visit our web site at EscambiaTaxCollector.com. Taxpayers are encouraged to contact the tax collector’s office by phone at (850) 438-6500, ext. 3252 or email ectc@EscambiaTaxCollector.com with any questions.
Parents Asked To Complete Short Survey About Their Child’s School
March 28, 2017
The Escambia County School District is conducting a parent satisfaction survey; parents are being asked to complete the simple online survey by Friday.
Click to access the Escambia County School District Parent Satisfaction Survey Spring 2017.
Northview Chiefs Beat The Escambia Gators
March 28, 2017
Northview 6, Escambia 5
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Escambia Gators 6-5 Monday night at Escambia.
Escambia took a 2-0 lead with runs in the bottom of the first and second. The Chiefs answered with four runs in the third to take the lead. Northview added another run in the top of the fourth, followed by two from Escambia to even the game at 5-5 headed into a scoreless fifth inning. The Chiefs’ winning run cam in the top of the sixth on a single from Chandler Lowery.
Zach Payne, Jared Alif and John Chivington also had RBIs for the Chiefs. Josh Neese had a double for Northview.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Portion Of Hwy 21 To Be Named For Slain Holman Correctional Officer
March 28, 2017
A portion of Alabama Highway 21 near Atmore will be named the “Alabama Correctional Officer Kenneth L. Bettis Memorial Highway”.
Bettis, 44, was assaulted and stabbed by an inmate at the Holman Correctional Facility on September 1, 2016, after refusing to serve the inmate an extra lunch tray. He died from his injury on September 16.
Bettis served the State of Alabama Department of Corrections for seven years, with his entire career at Holman. He was a decorated combat veteran who served in Iraq with the 142nd Battlefield Surveillance Brigade out of Decatur.
“Officer Bettis was known among his colleagues as a firm, but fair corrections officer, and was highly respected for his work ethic and dedicated service to his profession,” according to Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn.
The Alabama Legislature has voted to name nearly five miles of Alabama Highway 21 from I- 65 to Smithfield Road as the “Alabama Correctional Officer Kenneth L. Bettis Memorial Highway”. This includes the portion of Highway 21 near the Holman and Fountain correctional facilities.
The bill will be signed during a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. April 12 in the Old House Chambers of the Alabama State Capitol.
Lane Closures: Highway 99, Highway 196, Nine Mile Road
March 28, 2017
Highway 99, Highway 196
County Road 99 and County Road 196 will experience short-term lane closures beginning today. The closures will take place between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Construction is expected to be completed by Saturday, April 1. Construction will consist of milling and resurfacing of three bridge approaches on CR 99 and CR 196 and a 500 foot section of CR 196, west of CR 99. The roadway will be reduced to one lane while construction material and equipment is unloa ded and to complete construction. Every effort will be made to expedite construction efforts to reopen the road by Saturday, April 1. If other lane or roadway closures are necessary beyond the anticipated time periods, another notice will be issued.
Nine Mile Road
Nine Mile Road near Scenic Hills Drive will experience lane closures through Thursday. The closures will take place between the hours of 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. on the eastbound side. Construction will consist of adding right turn lanes on the south side of Nine Mile Road, just east of Westside Drive. Every effort will be made to expedite construction efforts to reopen the road by Thursday, March 30. If other lane or roadway closures are necessary beyond the anticipated time periods, another notice will be issued.