Burning Pole Causes About 150 Customers To Lose Power In Bratt
July 31, 2023
About 150 Escambia River Electric Cooperative customers lost power Monday morning for about two hours due to a burning power pole in Bratt.
The pole on North Highway 99 about 1,000 feet north of O’Farrell Road nearly burned in two near the top before EREC cut the power to replace it.
North Highway 99 was temporarily closed while the pole was burning.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded.
According to EREC, most of those that lost power were in the area of North Highway 99, Breastworks Road, Perdue Road and North Pine Barren Road.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Crashes Into Highway 168 Bridge Guardrail
July 31, 2023
A driver escaped injury when he crashed into a bridge guardrail Monday morning on Highway 168 near Bratt.
The driver of a Chevrolet Uplander was eastbound on Highway 168 about four-tenths of a mile west of Pine Barren Road. He drifted out of the travel lane and slammed into the guardrail before spinning out of control onto the bridge. The vehicle came to rest across the bridge, blocking both lanes of traffic.
The adult male declined medical treatment.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded, and the Florida Highway Patrol investigated.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Crashes Into Bratt Park, Drives Through Park And Runs Through Another Fence To Exit
July 31, 2023
A driver crashed through a fence at a park in Bratt early Monday morning, drove through the park and exited by running through another fence.
The hit and run driver was westbound on Bratt Road when they failed to negotiate a sharp curve at the intersection with Ashcraft Road. The vehicle left the roadway, traveled through a ditch and went sideways through a fence into the back of Travis Nelson Park.
The unknown vehicle traveled about 700 feet through the park and exited into the parking lot by crashing through another fence before driving through a ditch and back to Bratt Road.
A nearby security camera showed what appeared to be the crash at 2:36 a.m.
The curve the driver missed is marked by signage at 25 mph.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
County Considers Widening 2.17 Miles Of Dangerously Narrow Highway 164 For $2 Million
July 31, 2023
Escambia County is considering widening about 2.17 total miles of dangerously narrow Highway 164 in two locations for $2 million.
Highway 164 has been the scene of several near head-on crashes and swideswipes attributed to the narrow roadway. Some of the roadway has 8-foot travel lanes — not wide enough for large vehicles like Engine 9 from the nearby McDavid Fire Station (pictured below).
The project would widen Highway 164 to 11-foot wide travel lanes two-thirds of a mile east from Highway 97 and a 1.5 mile stretch that is three-quarters of a mile either side of the Pine Barren Road intersection. (See maps below.) Highway 164 is about 11.5 miles long from Highway 97 to Highway 29.
According to Escambia County Engineering, the two areas have had seven sideswipes and other accidents between May 2018 and May 2023– the highest concentration areas on Highway 164. NorthEscambia.com has covered several other crashes on Highway 164 outside the proposed widening zone — including a fiery two pickup crash last April, and a pickup truck and school bus last year (detailed in photo descriptions below).
The Escambia County Commission will consider the $2 million in funding from Local Option Sales Tax monies at their next meeting on Thursday, August 3.
Pictured above and first below: A near head-on crash in April 2023 on Highway 164 about a mile west of Pine Barren Road — outside the area currently proposed for widening. Pictured second and third photos below: A pickup truck overturned in February 2022 after sideswiping a school bus on Highway 164 1.3 miles east of Pine Barren Road — outside the area currently proposed for widening. Pictured bottom two photos: A school bus and ECUA sanitation truck sideswiped in June 2022 jsut east of Pine Barren Road — our records do not indicate the exact distance from Pine Barren Road, but it was very near the three-quarter mile mark. NorthEscambia.com photos and graphics, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Kingsfield Road Crash
July 31, 2023
There were no injuries reported in a two vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on Kingsfield Road.
The wreck was reported about 10:50 Sunday morning on East Kingsfield Road near Ryales Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Panhandle Arsenal 7U Wins World Series
July 31, 2023
Panhandle Arsenal 7U went undefeated to win their World Series championship recently in Dothan, Alabama.
Arsenal’s overall record for the season was 36-7, outscoring opponents 519-247. They played in 11 tournaments and won eight of nine championship games.
Coaches are head coach John Buck, Marcus Moultrie, Davin Hathaway and Ryan Spikes.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gas Up 30¢ In Two Weeks Across Florida. Local Prices Are Still The Cheapest In The State.
July 31, 2023
Florida gas prices are inching lower after rising near 30 cents per gallon on average during the past two weeks, but local gas prices are the cheapest in the state according to AAA.
On Friday, the state average reached $3.67 per gallon. Although that was the highest daily average price since mid-April, it remains below the 2023 high of $3.72 per gallon.
The Pensacola metro market was the cheapest average in the state at $3.46. In North Escambia, a low of $3.27 could be found at a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment. In Pensacola, several stations were at $3.25.
“Oil prices are the primary culprit behind the recent jump at the pump,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The U.S. price of oil rose 15% through the past five weeks, which raised the cost of producing gasoline.”
Hilson Named FloridaWest’s New CEO
July 31, 2023
The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance recently named Brian Hilson as their new CEO. His first day on the job will be Tuesday.
With more than 40 years experience, Hilson previous served as the president & CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County, president & CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance, and executive director of the Japan-America Society of Alabama, in addition to other roles.
FloridaWest Board Chair Rick Byars said Hilson’s deep experience and successes in economic development initiatives made him a unanimous board choice for the position.
“Brian comes with significant wins in Alabama, a close competitor for business recruitment,” said Byars. “His leadership helped lure Toyota and three Mercedes facilities, which resulted in $2.3 billion in investment and 2,700 jobs. These are just two highlights of dozens of economic development successes under his leadership. We’re excited to get Brian on board and engaged in the community.”
“Pensacola and Escambia County have an impressive track record in recruiting and developing businesses,” said Hilson. “The community has much to offer growing businesses as well as people who want to live and work here. We have excellent leadership already in place, not only at the EDA but throughout the community and Gulf Coast region, and my hope is that we will work closely together to bring more economic prosperity to the region resulting in better opportunities and an improved quality of life for all citizens.”
Hilson replaces former CEO Scott Luth, who left in May and is now vice president of Economic Development & Capital Programs at Space Florida.
The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance is the designated economic development organization for Pensacola and Escambia County.
Berry Homers, But Blue Wahoos Fall to Braves In Series Finale
July 31, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos couldn’t end their weeklong road trip with a win, falling 10-5 to the Mississippi Braves on a hot Sunday afternoon.
Jacob Berry was a bright spot, as the Miami prospect capped his first week at Double-A with his first Blue Wahoos homer in the sixth inning of a losing effort.
Cody Morissette got the Blue Wahoos on the board in the second inning with a little help from Victor Mesa Jr. at second base. Morissette flied out to deep right field, but Mesa was able to tag and advance two bases to score the game’s first run.
M.D. Johnson (L, 1-4) ran into trouble in the bottom of the second, allowing three runs on three hits to give the Braves a 3-1 lead. Drew Campbell and Cal Conley hit RBI singles, while Cody Milligan added an RBI double.
The Braves added a run in the fifth on a Luke Waddell RBI double, and blew the game open with a five-run sixth against the Pensacola bullpen. Cade Bunnell hit a solo homer, and Campbell, Waddell and Drew Lugbauer added RBI singles to stretch their lead to 9-2.
That would be more than enough for Mississippi’s Domingo Robles (W, 6-7), who allowed only two runs over 6.0 innings in a quality start. The Blue Wahoos tacked on three runs in the late innings on a Morissette homer and RBI singles from Mesa and Will Banfield, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.
With an eighth-inning triple, his fifth of the season and ninth of his Pensacola career, José Devers tied former Blue Wahoo Jose Siri for the most triples in franchise history.
After an off day on Monday, the Blue Wahoos begin a six-game home series against the Biloxi Shuckers on Tuesday.
written by Erik Bremer
Report Details How Deputies Captured Two After Century Burglary In Progress
July 31, 2023
A report details how two suspects were captured after deputies responded to a burglary in progress in Century early Sunday morning.
Jessie Clayton Bell, age 36 of Flomaton, and Robert Zachary Weaver, age 29 of Foley, were both booked into the Escambia County Jail on felony charges of burglary causing $1,000 or more of damage and criminal mischief. Initial bond was set at $52,500 each.
According to a report obtained Monday morning by NorthEscambia.com, a resident on Jefferson Avenue near Pond Street reported about 2:19 that his window had been busted and he believed someone tried to enter the home. He told dispatchers that a male and female were still in his yard, and advised later that a shirtless male ran east toward the old school known as the Century Business Center on Pond Street.
Deputies responded to the Century Business Center and detained Bell.
At the home, two windows were discovered broken from the outside, and bars of the window were broken and pushed inward. Deputies said there were multiple yard and power tools just inside one window.
Each window was valued at about $800.
The suspects’ 2004 Jeep was parked nearby, and a records check revealed it belonged to Weaver’s fiance. The keys were in Bell’s possession when he was detained.
Weaver was located by deputies and a K-9 in Ensley a short time later.
According to jail records, Bell has an outstanding warrant from Escambia County in Alabama, and Weaver was wanted in Baldwin County.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
