Century Man Gets Probation For Trying To Run Over Man He Thought Was Convicted Sex Offender
September 4, 2023
A Century man was sentenced to probation for trying to run over a man he thought was a convicted sex offender walking out of a liquor store.
Kinte Hassan Franklin, 45, was originally charged with felony aggravated battery using a deadly weapon. He pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to 12 months probation by Judge John Simon.
In January 2023, the victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that Franklin was the driver of a maroon car with the window partially down outside the Fusion Liquor store next door to the Food Giant on North Century Boulevard.
The driver, Franklin, told him “I’m going to kill you because you are a convicted child molester,” according to an ECSO arrest report. He then turned the car around and struck the victim in the legs, the report continues. The victim’s wife was with him at the time. She told deputies that another occupant of the vehicle told Franklin, “You just need to run over this [expletive] you just need to kill him”.
According to the ECSO, surveillance video showed Franklin circle the parking lot multiple times and pull up to the victim and say something. Deputies said the video then shows Franklin pull into a parking spot in front of the store, back out, and then pull forward, striking the victim with the vehicle multiple times.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice National Sex Offender Registry, the victim is not a convicted sex offender.
Second Florida Disaster Sales Tax Holiday Continues This Week
September 4, 2023
The second of two Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holidays continues through this Friday, September 8. Floridians are expected to save an estimated $144 million on the purchase of tax-free items.
Eligible items include flashlights, batteries, tarps, generators, fuel containers, and coolers. Some new items included in this year’s list are toilet paper, paper towels, soap, sunscreen, cleaning products and trash bags.
A complete list of items is below.
Bratt Elementary Honors August Leaders Of The Month With Pizza Party
September 4, 2023
Bratt Elementary School recently held their first “Pizza With the Principal” party of the year. The party honored Bratt Elementary’s August Leaders of the Month. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Troopers Stop Highway 29 Speeder, Charge Him With Drugs, Weapons
September 4, 2023
Troopers arrested an Escambia County man on drug and weapons charges after a short chase on Highway 29 Sunday.
Jaylin Anthony Green, 22, was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding with property damage, reckless driving, hit and run, possession of a weapon during a felony, possession of marijuana, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was northbound on Highway 29 near Boone Street when he observed a white Dodge Challenger southbound at a high rate of speed. After clocking the Challenger at 74 mph in a 45 mph zone, the trooper initiated a traffic stop.
According to FHP, Green “recklessly accelerated at a high rate of speed, crossing multiple lanes of traffic from the inside lane to the outside lane, nearly sticking another vehicle while doing so. Approximately after 600 feet the vehicle began braking excessively before attempting to turn right onto West Michigan Avenue. While attempting to negotiate the turn at a high rate of speed, the front left wheel struck the curb, ultimately disabling the Challenger, preventing it from fleeing any longer. The Challenger finally came to a stop at Hansen Boulevard and Yoakum Court in the roadway.”
Troopers reported finding “well over” 20 grams of marijuana in the car, a loaded Ruger handgun under the driver’s seat, a Glock handgun with an extended magazine, and a “large sum” of cash.
Green was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Appointee Sought For Escambia Board Of Electrical Examiners
September 4, 2023
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking two Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for an appointment to the Escambia County Board of Electrical Examiners.
Escambia County residents interested in serving on the Escambia County Board of Electrical Examiners are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve by the close of business on Friday, Sept. 8. Resumes should be submitted to Jennifer Hampton, Division Manager, Escambia County Building Services Department, 3363 West Park Place, Pensacola, Florida 32505 or emailed to jahampton@myescambia.com.
Possible opening for the Escambia County Board of Electrical Examiners is as follows:
- One Electrical Contractor (applicant must possess a current and active license)
- One Layperson
Established by a local ordinance, the duties of the board are to attend meetings to review applications, administer written examination of applicants, issue certificates of competency as electricians and maintain official records of all transactions. The board is to consider any charges against certificate holders for willful violations or incompetence. Members serve a three-year term of office and meet the third Tuesday of each month for approximately two hours.
Wahoos Wait Out Rain, Beat Lookouts 5-3
September 4, 2023
A long day and tough week ended in a gratifying way for the Blue Wahoos.
After the start of Sunday’s game at Blue Wahoos Stadium was pushed back nearly two and a half hours, the Blue Wahoos jumped to an early lead, then had their bullpen hold under pressure in a 5-3 victory against the Chattanooga Lookouts. A good portion of the crowd of 3,425 waited out the weather and remained at the end of the game.
It earned the Blue Wahoos (70-54) a series split against a team they may see again in the Southern League playoffs. This year’s Blue Wahoos team now becomes the fourth in franchise history to attain 70 or more wins. The club record is 81 wins.
The Blue Wahoos won a championship last year with just 68 wins.
The Lookouts (68-57), the Cincinnati Reds affiliate, won the first half North Division in the Southern League. Their deep lineup of hitters enabled wins in nine of the 12 games in regular-season meetings this season with the Blue Wahoos.
Sunday’s game was to start at 4:05 p.m. By the time it finished, the time was 9:35. Continuous bands of rain kept pushing back the start time and forcing the Blue Wahoos grounds crew of staff members into extra duty to keep the field dry with tarp pulls. It was the fifth time in the week that inclement weather affected either pregame workouts for each team, or the game itself.
Once Sunday’s game began, the Blue Wahoos gained an early edge.
Victor Mesa Jr. continued his strong production with a two-run homer in the first inning that followed a leadoff walk from Nasim Nuñez.
Will Banfield made it 3-1 in the third with a solo homer, his 20th of the year.
Mesa later produced a 4-1 lead with successful gamble on the basepaths. He was on second when an errant pickoff attempt from Lookout catcher Matheu Nelson bounced away from shortstop Jose Torres. Mesa raced around third and made a terrific slide to avoid Nelson’s tag at the plate on Torres’ throw.
The Blue Wahoos got their fifth run when Paul McIntosh reached on a walk, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on an errant throw.
Blue Wahoos starter Evan Fitterer picked up his seventh win by working into the sixth. He got out of a bases loaded jam in the fourth inning with a 95 mph fastball to strike out Torres.
In the sixth, with two runners on, Blue Wahoos reliever Brady Puckett recorded a strikeout to end that inning. In the eighth inning, after two out, reliever Zach McCambley allowed three consecutive walks before freezing Torres with a fastball to escape another jam.
And in the ninth, after a leadoff homer by Blake Dunn and a single that followed, closer Luarbert Arias recorded his second save with a pair of strikeouts, including the final out against Quincy McAfee.
The win pushed the Blue Wahoos’ second half record to 29-27 with 12 games to play. They will leave late Monday morning for Madison, Alabama, to begin a six-game series against the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Tuesday.
Their final series of the regular season will be at home, beginning on September 12 against the Mississippi Braves. The Southern League divisional playoffs begin September 19 with the Blue Wahoos having home field in the final two games of the best-of-three series against either Biloxi or Montgomery.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Labor Day Closures, Trash Schedule Info
September 3, 2023
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
In observance of Labor Day, the following Escambia County offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 4.
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners - all departments including:
- West Florida Public Libraries (all locations)
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
- Escambia County Extension Office
- Waste Services Administration and the Perdido Landfill
- Supervisor of Elections Office
- ECAT administrative offices and customer service
Special Notes:
- ECAT will only operate Pensacola Beach trolleys Monday, Sept. 4. Buses and UWF trolleys will not run service. Regular service will resume Tuesday, Sept. 5.
- Due to infrastructure updates, the Perdido Landfill will be closed Saturday, Sept. 2, and will reopen to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
TOWN OF CENTURY
Town of Century offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day.
ECUA
ECUA business offices will be closed on Monday, September 4, in observance of the Labor Day holiday. ECUA offices, including our Customer Service Department, will re-open on Tuesday, September 5, at 8:30 am. Residential and commercial sanitation collections for ECUA customers will be unaffected by the holiday and will be carried out as usual
CITY OF PENSACOLA
The following City of Pensacola offices and facilities will be closed Monday, Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day.
- City of Pensacola administrative offices
- City Hall
- City of Pensacola community resource centers
Exceptions:
- Osceola Golf Course and Roger Scott Tennis Center will remain open.
Man Charged With Burglarizing Construction Site
September 3, 2023
An Escambia County man was arrested for allegedly burglarizing a construction site.
Wilbur Louis Townsend, 50, was charged with trespassing on a construction site, burglary of a structure, grand theft of copper, possession of burglary tools and resisting an officer without violence. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said he is also a suspect in other recent copper theft cases, and arrests are pending in those cases.
Deputies said Townsend was caught on surveillance footage entering several buildings on a construction site on Pine Forest. They said he was rummaging through buildings on the construction site, stealing copper wire.
Deputies located him inside of the compound, but he fled. After a brief foot pursuit, he surrendered after being surrounded by deputies and K-9 Streeter..
During the foot pursuit, Townsend discarded several satchels and a backpack containing stolen copper wire, according to deputies.
Townsend remained in the Escambia County Jail Sunday morning with bond set at $23,500.
Deputies Seek Information About Theft At Smith Tractor In Jay
September 3, 2023
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information on a theft that occurred June 16 at Smith Tractor in Jay.
Deputies said several large equipment items were stolen, including a John Deere 3038E tractor (S/N 11V3038 ECNP141692), a John Deere MH60 mulch head (S/N 1TOMH60DVN0001644), and a green Port City trailer (S/N 4PCCE2423P1000017).
SRSO said video showed only one suspect, but no features could be determined due to video quality. Deputies said the video showed a large dark colored truck with several lights on the front, side and rear could be seen pulling a trailer onto the lot.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Santa Rosa County Crime Stoppers anonymously at (850) 437-STOP (7867).
32 New Students Selected For Take Stock in Children Scholarship Program
September 3, 2023
Take Stock in Children recently welcomed 32 new scholarship recipients.
Fifteen new seventh graders, 12 new eighth graders and five new tenth grade students were added. There are now 152 students in grades 7-12 in Escambia County’s program. Students will receive a college scholarship upon graduation from high school as long as they maintain good grades, attendance and citizenship, remain crime and drug free, and meet weekly with a volunteer community mentor.
Take Stock in Children is a statewide non-profit organization operating locally under the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation. Take Stock provides “scholarships, mentors & hope” to deserving young people selected through a need-based application process through the public middle schools at the end of their sixth or seventh grade year. Scholarship donations from local foundations, organizations, businesses and individuals are matched dollar-for-dollar when scholarships are purchased from Florida Prepaid College Foundation each year and are held until students graduate from high school.
The new students were selected as follows
- Bailey Middle – Braelynn Brown, Tyler Clark, Danielle Edwards, Victorya Fisher, Cameron Heath, Annelise Hungerford, Ava Long
- Bellview Middle – Kylon O’Connor, Xiyah Payne
- Beulah Middle – Isabella Le, Airel Miner
- Brown Barge Middle – Carmyn Lucas, Carson Lucas
- Escambia High — Eric Dennard, Isaiah Maldonado, Nayomi Miller, William Mitchell, Logan Turberville
- Ferry Pass Middle – Gabrielle Heaton, Han Ngo
- Ransom Middle – Nalani Coopr, Nathalia Cooper, Jacob Dorsey, Kaleb Hines, Alexis Schulze, Zaiden Smith, London White
- Warrington Prep – Tirzah Holman, Anisa Rudolph
- Workman Middle – Tailyn Bishop, Arianna Cunningham, Samantha Dreading