Three Injured In Highway 29 Crash
May 27, 2016
Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Molino Friday morning.
Just after 10 a.m., a passenger car collided with a utility trailer being pulled by a pickup truck on Highway 29 at Morgan Cemetery Road, just north of Highway 97. The utility trailer was loaded with lawn equipment.
The three injured — including one trauma alert — were in the car. There were no injuries in the truck.
One of the injured was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Two people were transported to Sacred Heart by ambulance.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released.
The McDavid and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Office ‘Clean Sweeps’ Cottage Hill
May 27, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held a Clean Sweep operation Thursday morning in the Cottage Hill area.
The focus of “Operation Clean Sweep” was to work with the Cottage Hill Neighborhood Watch group, residents, churches and business owners to control and prevent the damaging effects of criminal activity, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Volunteers also worked throughout the day to clean trash and debris from alongside neighborhoods streets.
During Thursday’s event, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office issued eight traffic citations, two warnings, and a 13 sex offender addresses were verified. There were 20 code violations cited, and 14.67 tons of debris was removed. One arrest was report. A man was arrested for violation of probation. Escambia County Animal Control seized two unlicensed pit bulls from his property and issued two citations.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office plans their next Clean Sweep for June 23 in Warrington, following by a Clean Swep on July 21 in the 9½ Mile Road area.
Northview High Names 2016 Honors Graduates
May 27, 2016
Northview High School named their honors graduates during Thursday night’s 2016 Senior Awards Night.
Valedictorian of the Class of 2016 is Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds, daughter of William and Jane Reynolds of Walnut Hill. She is graduating with a final weighted GPA of 5.06. Salutatorian is Moriah Renee’ McGahan, daughter of Greg and Candy McGahan of Molino.
A total of 28 students were named honors graduates with a final GPA of 3.5 or above.
The Northview High School Class of 2016 graduates at 4 p.m. Saturday in the school gym.
Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA and above) are, in class rank order:
1. Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds
2. Moriah Renee’ McGahan
3. Jessica Kathryn Amerson
4. David Franklin Thorpe
5. Madison Paige Weber
6. Bradley Andrew Van Pelt
7. Abbie Elizabeth Johnson
8. Haylee Alease Weaver
9. Harmoni Faith Till
10. Savanna Brianne Roux
11. Jada Mona Tucker
12. Trevor Dale Levins
13. Courtney Bryce Weekley
14. Tyler Ray Houston
15. Jordan Caroline Taylor
16. Jason Andrew Perritt
17. Christopher Gavin Grant
18. Benjamin Tate Preston
19. Jadlyn Skye Agerton
20. Leah Grace Fischer
21. Lawrence C W Douglas
Magna Cum Laude graduates (3.85 or higher) are:
22. Jacob Wade Dunsford
Cum Laude (3.5 and above) graduates are:
23. Jewel Regina Garner
24. Trevor James Lassiter
25. Jordan Noelle Helmken
26. Katelyn Michelle Born
27. Jensyn Lillian Warner
28. Carly Marie Ward
Pictured top: Northview High School Class of 2016 Salutatorian Moriah Renee’ McGahan (left) and Valedictorian Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Tax Certificate Sale Set For June 1
May 27, 2016
Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley announces the tax certificate sale for 2015 delinquent real estate taxes in Escambia County will be held June 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT at BidEscambia.com. Bidding opened May 5, 2016.
Property taxes unpaid as of 4:30 p.m. on May 31 will be eligible for purchase. To prevent a certificate from being sold, property owners with delinquent taxes must make their payment by 4:30 p.m. May 31 either through the website, EscambiaTaxCollector.com, or in person at any of our four convenient tax collector offices. All late payments will be returned for additional fees.
Registration for the sale is open at BidEscambia.com and will continue until the sale ends June 1. The sale is a reverse auction, with interest rates on individual certificates starting at 18 percent. Bidders compete for the lowest rate, and certificates are awarded to those with the lowest bid. All unsold certificates will be issued to Escambia County at 18 percent annual interest.
The tax certificate sale is an annual online auction where bidders can purchase a delinquent taxpayer’s debt in exchange for an annual interest rate, ensuring the majority of unpaid taxes are collected and distributed to taxing authorities. Last year, more than 7,800 certificates were sold for a total of over $10.9 million, recovering 97 percent of delinquent taxes. Delinquent real estate accounts are published online at BidEscambia.com.
Pearl Harbor Survivor Featured In Memorial Day Civic Band Concert
May 27, 2016
Pearl Harbor Survivor and musician Frank Emond recently celebrated his 98th birthday.
“When you’re 98, you’re allowed more than one birthday party,” said nonogenarian Frank Emond. “I’ve celebrated with family and friends and I got a cake from Cordova Park Elementary School, when three other Pearl Harbor Survivors and I spoke last week.”
“I’m grateful to all our Pearl Harbor Honor Flight friends that worked so hard to take us back to Pearl for the 70th commemoration in 2011. They continue to arrange things for us to keep us going. That’s my secret to long life, keeping busy,” he continued.
Frank Emond, CWO4 USN (RET.), spent his naval career as a musician and band director. He was on the stern of the USS Pensylvania (BB-38) getting ready to play morning “Colors” when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941. “At five minutes to eight, I looked up and saw a line of planes coming in. The first one peeled off and dropped something. I thought the plane was coming apart. I watched it until the something hit the ground and exploded. We knew we were in trouble then …”
Frank will tell the rest of his story on Monday night, May 30th as a part of Pensacola’s Inaugural Memorial Day Concert presented by the Pensacola Civic Band. The concert begins at 5:00 PM in the Hunter Amphitheatre at Community Maritime Park and will include a program of music honoring our military fallen heroes. Additionally, the program will include narration by Rev. Gerald Mundy & Paula Dorrett and a special performance by soloist, Holly Shelton. There is no charge for the concert, food and drink will be available from outside vendors. Be sure to bring some chairs or a blanket.
For more information on the concert, contact the Pensacola Civic Band www.pensacolacivicband.org or call 850.484.1847
Scott Says Higher Education Efforts ‘About Building A Workforce’
May 27, 2016
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday wrapped up a two-day higher education conference in Orlando with a list of goals that included making colleges and universities more affordable and more responsive to the needs of businesses.
The second day of the “Degrees to Jobs Summit” included sessions about trying to make Florida first in jobs for university and college graduates, along with discussions about keeping students in the state after they graduate.
“If our students are the best-educated in the country — in the world — the companies are going to be here,” Scott said. “This is about building a workforce.”
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam noted that many of his classmates at the University of Florida left the state after graduation.
“We can reverse that flow, and we must reduce that flow,” Putnam said.
Cammy Abernathy, dean of engineering at the University of Florida, said today’s graduates approach careers with the belief that they will change jobs multiple times. Some are afraid they’ll lose opportunities if they stay in Florida, she added.
“The way to get around that is to show them there are opportunities in the state of Florida — in the Southeast in general,” Abernathy said. “If we grow the jobs and the grads at the same time, we’ll keep more of the grads in Florida.”
Putnam also said Florida should have at least one other state institution besides his alma mater as a member of the prestigious, 62-member Association of American Universities.
“The AAU schools in this country produce 60 percent of doctoral degrees and over half of the science and engineering degrees,” he said. “The third-largest state needs another AAU school, and we need a plan and a pathway to get there.”
Scott held the conference to bring together business and education leaders, but the event drew criticism from the United Faculty of Florida, which said it was not invited.
“Without meaningful faculty participation, this summit does little to move Florida’s higher education system to the next level of excellence,” the group, which represents more than 22,000 faculty members, said in a statement this week.
Scott on Wednesday used the conference to challenge colleges and universities to help full-time students graduate in four years rather than as many as six years. That call, said University of West Florida President Judy Bense, was her top takeaway of the conference.
“Those two extra years cost time, money, in many different ways,” she said. “So I hope that’s going to be the cornerstone of (Scott’s) action plan.”
Bense also said bringing the business people and university people together had been a success.
“It happens all the time in our communities and our regions, but it hasn’t happened on this scale,” she said. “My new trustees and my older trustees — they like it. They made connections, because they’re businessmen and (business) women, too.”
The conference ended with Scott conducting a three-way interview with football coaches Jimbo Fisher of Florida State University, Jim McElwain of the University of Florida and Mark Richt of the University of Miami.
by The News Service of Florida
Two Atmore Men Facing Drug Charges
May 27, 2016
Two people have been arrested in Atmore in unrelated drug cases.
Jabarie Arnold, 37, was charged with possession of marijuana, three counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, altering a firearm’s identification and resisting arrest.
Arnold’s arrest came after officer with the Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Department served a search warrant at home on New Order Lane. Officers found numerous illegal items, including 278 grams of synthetic marijuana, hydrocodone, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a pistol with serial numbers filed off (pictured top).
Arnold attempted flee officers from the Atmore Police Department and the U.S. Marshals but was apprehended with drug paraphernalia in his possession, according to police.
Arnold was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton where he remains with bond set at $1 million.
In an unrelated case, 22-year old Justin Lacy of Atmore was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana first degree.
His arrest came after Atmore Police received a tip of illegal drug activity in vicinity of Avenue E in Atmore. An investigation was initiated and surveillance of the area found drug activity to be present, according to police.
A search warrant was executed by officers with Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office.
Officer reported finding 90 grams of marijuana and several hydrocodone pills with a street value of $700 (pictured below).
Lacy was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Company Expands, Adding New Jobs
May 27, 2016
An Escambia County manufacturing plant is adding to their facility and adding new jobs.
The Danish based Jupiter Group held a grand opening Thursday for a 25,000 square foot addition to their facility in the Ellyson Industrial Park. With the expansion, they plan to employ a total of 250 people in Escambia County.
The company builds turbines that produce clean power, mostly from wind. Their primary customer is the General Electric Wind Energy Plant in Pensacola.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Mullets Fall To Birmingham
May 27, 2016
After the game, Pensacola manager Pat Kelly wanted to know if its 6-4 loss to the Birmingham Barons counted against the Blue Wahoos.
On “What If” night Thursday, the Pensacola players sported Mullet jerseys, instead of its regular Blue Wahoos uniforms and they played in Mullet Stadium.
“The Mullets are 0-1,” Kelly said jokingly. “I don’t think it counts against our record.”
Unfortunately, the loss does go in the Blue Wahoos loss column. The team fell into a first place tie with the Biloxi Shuckers at 27-20.
The logo for the Mullet name sported the fish with a mullet leaning up against the letter “P” for Pensacola. In 2012, the fish was one of six finalists for the name of the Cincinnati Reds Double-A affiliate.
The loss spoiled a strong outing by big righty Sal Romano.
Romano got the first five outs of the game on strike outs. He finished with a season-high nine strikeouts and lasted 7 innings for the second time in three games. He walked just one batter. Romano still got a K on a 94 mph fastball in the seventh inning when he struck out Birmingham center fielder Adam Engel.
Kelly said the 21-year-old Romano, the Cincinnati Reds No. 9 prospect, is slowly turning into a pitcher, instead of a thrower.
“The seventh inning might have been his best inning,” Kelly said of Romano, who set the Barons down in order. “It’s small baby steps but he’s not rearing back and throwing as hard as he can. Harder is not always the best.”
Romano said when he takes the mound his goal is to reach the seventh inning. That’s much easier to do with his increasing confidence in his changeup that he has been developing the last few seasons.
“That’s a big thing for me,” he said. “I just said, ‘Let’s bear down here.’ I’m trying to make pitches, not just be a big kid throwing hard.”
Pensacola came back in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one-run game, 5-4, against the Barons, who tied the series, 1-1.
The Mullets loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin scored on DH Sebastian Elizalde’s ground out and then Mullets first baseman Kyle Parker scored on a wild pitch. Pensacola catcher Chad Wallach, who entered the game in an 0-12 slump, then singled in Mullet’s second baseman Brandon Dixon. Wallach was 2-3, walked and knocked in a run.
Birmingham scored an insurance run in the ninth, however. The Barons added another run in the ninth when Engel singled in Barons shortstop Eddy Alvarez with no outs. With runners on first and third for Birmingham, Pensacola center fielder Bryson Smith caught a fly ball by right fielder Eudy Pina and then threw a perfect strike to Wallach to get Engel out at the plate and prevent more runs from scoring.
“Bryson did a nice job staying back on the ball,” Kelly said.
Also playing well for the one-time Mullets Thursday, was Pensacola first baseman Kyle Parker, who made up for his error by slicing a solo shot over the left field wall just inside the foul pole in the fourth inning to pull the Mullets within, 2-1. Parker got on base three times and scored twice.
Birmingham first baseman Jake Peter also hit his fourth home run of the season on a solo blast in the fifth inning to put the Barons up, 3-1.
Woman Hit By Her Own Vehicle In Convenience Store Parking Lot
May 26, 2016
A woman was injured when she was hit by her own vehicle in a convenience store parking lot early Thursday morning.
About 2:30 a.m., the woman was reportedly working on her vehicle in the parking lot of the Tom Thumb on Highway 29 at West Roberts Road when it jumped into gear, dragging the woman across the parking lot. The vehicle then ran over the woman before crossing West Roberts Road and hitting a privacy fence.
The woman was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released.
The Ensley Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
