There’s A Mistake In The Due Date On This Month’s Century Utility Bills
November 7, 2022
The Town of Century says there is a mistake in the due date printed on their utility bills for water, sewer and gas.
The bills state the next due is November 8, but that is incorrect. Utility bills are always due on or before the 24th of the month, which puts the correct due date on November 24, according to the town.
For more information, contact the town during business hours at (850) 256-3208 or email lhowington@centuryflorida.us.
Northview To Host Playoff Games On Drive To State Championship Game
November 7, 2022
The Northview Chiefs are headed down the Drive to December in their quest for a 1R state championship. And Northview will have the home field advantage. As long as the Chiefs are contenders, they will host all playoff through the state semifinals.
No. 1 Northview and No 2. Chipley will sit out this Friday night with byes.
On Friday night, Nov. 18, Northview will host the winner of the Nov. 11 game between No. 4 Freeport and No. 5 Holmes County. Chipley will host either No. 3 Baker and No. 6 Bozeman.
The regional final is Nov. 25, and the State Semifinals are Dec. 2.
The 1R 1M, 1S & 2S state championships will be December 8-10 at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee. The Florida High School Athletic Association has not announced the exact date for 1R.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Photos: DeSantis, Crist Campaign For Governor On The Final Weekend Before Election Day
November 7, 2022
The two major candidates for Florida governor both spent their final weekend before Election Day on the campaign trail.
Republican incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis spent his weekend on a “Don’t Tread on Florida Tour” with stops Sunday on Sun City, Sarasota and Fort Myers.
Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Charlie Crist was on his tour, beginning with a church in Miami Sunday along with stops in Broward and Palm Beach
For more photos, click to or tap here.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Multiple Injuries In Rollover Crash At Highway 29, Neal Road
November 7, 2022
There were multiple injuries in a two vehicle rollover crash on Highway 29 Saturday afternoon.
The wreck happened about 12:30 p.m. on Highway 29 at Neal Road and involved a Kia Telluride that overturned and a Nissan Sentra.
Firefighters were forced to remove the roof from the Kia in order to extricate the injured.
None of the injuries were considered life threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
The Ensley and Cantonment stations of Escambia County Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Jumped 17 Cents On Average Last Week After Gas Tax Holiday Ended
November 7, 2022
As expected, Florida gas prices increased last week, following the expiration of the state’s gas tax holiday on November 1.
Meanwhile, the state average only increased 17 cents per gallon last week; rising from $3.29 on October 31 to $3.46 per gallon on Sunday.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $3.27. In North Escambia, a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment was the low price at $3.25 Sunday night, while Pensacola bottomed out at $2.99at one of the warehouse clubs.
“With the reinstatement of Florida’s gas tax, the state average gas price has rebounded to its highest level since September 10th,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Last week’s 17 cent jump amounts to about $2.55 more to fill an average-size tank of gas. Florida’s state average now sits at $1.43 per gallon less than what drivers paid in mid-June. That has drivers paying $21 less for a full tank than they did in the early summer.”
Pictured. Regular unleaded was $3.09 at this station on Nine Mile Road Sunday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
UWF Wins Gulf South Conference Championship
November 7, 2022
Of all the heart-thumping, final play wins in UWF’s six-year football history, the Argos 32-31 overtime thriller Saturday night at Valdosta State may now stand alone.
This one brought a Gulf South Conference championship and opportunity for the eighth-ranked Argos to have a home field edge when the NCAA Division II playoffs begin in two weeks.
Quarterback Peewee Jarrett willed UWF to victory, after answering Valdosta State’s overtime touchdown with a fourth-down conversion from the 18, then his 12-yard touchdown pass to Caden Leggett, followed by Jarrett’s power plow into the end zone from the 1-and-a-half yard-line for game-winning, two-point conversion.
It was wow all the way around.
“He called it (2-point play), he wanted it,” said UWF coach Pete Shinnick, who opted to go for the do-or-die 2-point play after a late hit on Jarrett’s overtime touchdown pass moved the ball from the 3 to the 1.5 yard-line.
“It was working for us all night,” said Jarrett, a first-team national junior college All-American a year ago, who transferred in the early summer to win UWF’s starting quarterback role. “I told coach, you brought me here for a reason. I can get you one yard. That was the biggest thing. I told him put it in my hands and we got it done.”
The Argos missed a chance to win the game with 22 seconds left in regulation play when Jarrett dropped a perfect 48-yard pass into Jared Smith’s hands, but the ball was knocked loose a split-second late by a VSU defender in the end zone for an incompletion. On the next play, another Jarrett long ball was intercepted with 13 seconds left to force overtime.
The dramatic win for the Argos (8-1, 5-1 in GSC) was their 14th consecutive road victory, the second-longest streak in Division II. It was a third consecutive win against rival Valdosta State (4-6, 2-5) in a series that has featured three of the past four games decided by five points or less between these teams.
UWF will now close out its regular-season on Nov. 12 with a rematch at Mississippi College, which does not count in the conference standings, but will be vital for UWF to win in order to guarantee a home game when the D-2 playoffs begin. UWF beat Mississippi College 45-17 on Oct. 22 in a GSC game in Pensacola.
Earlier Saturday, the Argos learned that previously unbeaten Delta State, which defeated UWF 45-42 in an epic double overtime game in Pensacola on Sept. 24, had lost at home (52-42) against West Georgia.
Since the GSC does not use a head-to-head matchups to determine a football league champion, the Argos knew they could share the GSC championship, plus enhance their positioning in region rankings for the Division II playoffs.
But UWF trailed 14-7 after a mistake-filled first half. The Argos tied the game three times in the second half but could never gain a lead until the game-deciding play in overtime.
“We found a way, found a way,” said Shinnick, the excitement in his voice easily detectable. “Way to overcome a lot of uncharacteristic plays on our part. I thought Peewee was on fire. He was dialing it up. He was hitting our guys, it was fun to watch.”
It became UWF’s 113th conference championship in school history, an amazing feat for the athletic program, and the second consecutive conference trophy for a football team that started from scratch in 2016.
“That is great,” Shinnick said. “Congratulations to our players. What a great job, staying true to this thing.”
UWF won the coin toss for overtime possession and elected to play defense. On the first play, Valdosta State’s senior quarterback Ivory Durham took a shotgun snap from the 25 and ran left, then down the sideline for a go-ahead touchdown.
Durham compiled 316 yards total offense Saturday by passing for 196 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 120 yards and one score.
When UWF got the ball from the 25, Jarrett’s second-down pass was nearly intercepted. He then was called for a delay-of-game penalty to push the ball to the 23. He rushed five yards to 18. On fourth down, he went up to middle to convert a first down and set the stage for his pass to Leggett in the back corner of the end zone.
Now, it was decision time. Go for two to win? Or kick the PAT to force a second overtime.
“Once we got the penalty, it was a no-brainer,” Shinnick said. “I was thinking about doing it even if we didn’t have the penalty. But we got the penalty, the ball at the yard and a half, there was no stopping us.”
There was no debate, either, on what to do.
“When it came down to the play, there was no discussion,” Jarrett said. “I told coach Shinnick, put the ball in my hands and let’s go right up the middle with it.”
As he lined up his team Jarrett saw VSU’s defense was not stacked at the line of scrimmage.
“I was expecting a way different look, a tighter box… and it was kind of loose,” he said. “I don’t know if they expected us to pass or what… I went out there and my eyes were wide, they probably saw that. But I just went right up the gut with it.”
The blocking from UWF’s veteran offensive line provided the initial push and Jarrett easily bulled in for the winner. He finished the game 15-for-34 passing for 309 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 121 yards. Many of his passes, however, were dropped, which skews the passing stats.
The Argos, who won for the first-time at Valdosta State during the regular season (they won a D-2 playoff game there in 2019 to advance to the national semifinals), struggled by their own self-inflicted issues the entire first half.
A holding penalty nullified a touchdown pass by Jarrett on the first possession. A missed field goal followed from 29 yards. An offensive pass interference and holding penalty on separate plays thwarted another drive.
Finally, Jarrett’s 43-yard pass to Nate Howard tied the game midway through the second quarter. But Valdosta State, which honored its first football team from 40 years ago, answered on the ensuing possession with an 11-play, 72-yard drive.
UWF tied the game on the third play of the second half when Jarrett connected with David Durden across the middle and he went 46-yards for a score. But again VSU answered, this time on a 78-yard scoring drive to regain the lead.
The Blazers took the lead on a 44-yard field goal with 9:41 left, but UWF’s Griffin Cerra atoned from the previous miss to convert a 36-yarder with 2:51 left in the game to tie the score.
The game was the first time all season UWF failed to score at least 34 points with an offense that is ranked No. 5 among all D-2 teams. The Argos will now turn focus to the season finale against Mississippi College.
by Bill Vilona, UWF Senior Writer
Photo: Morgan Givens
South Carolina Upsets No. 1 Seed Alabama For SEC Tournament Title (With Photo Gallery)
November 7, 2022
The No. 2 seed South Carolina Gamecocks women’s soccer team upset the No. 1 seed Alabama Crimson Tide Sunday afternoon in Escambia County to win the SEC Tournament Championship 1-0.
The Tide got the first shot of the game off in the seventh minute of play after a hefty back and forth battle, coming off wide to the right. The Gamecocks’ Brianna Behm answered back 10 minutes later, but was blocked by an Alabama defender.
Both teams’ defensive lines put in work, limiting each side to less than five shots throughout the first half (USC 4, UA 5). South Carolina took two corners during the first 45, but couldn’t make the connection.
The teams headed out of the half locked at 0-0.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click or tap here.
The Gamecocks got things started quickly coming into the second period with a corner kick happening less than two minutes in. There was a scramble in front of the net, but the Tide was able to get the ball out and towards their end of the field.
At 57 minutes in, Behm saw an opportunity behind Alabama goalkeeper McKinley Crone and buried it into the right corner for her first goal of the season (pictured left), putting the Gamecocks up 1-0 over the Tide. Catherine Barry also tallied an assist on the goal.
South Carolina’s offense didn’t quit, putting up several more chances throughout the next 10 minutes.
The Tide put up a heart-stopping shot with less than two minutes to go in regulation, but a team effort and save from senior goalkeeper Heather Hinz sealed the win for South Carolina.
The tournament was played at Ashton Brosnaham Park off 10 Mile Road.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill VFD Honors Firefighters, Community Members During Fish Fry (With Photo Gallery)
November 6, 2022
The Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department honored members of the community and the department during their 53rd annual fish fry Saturday.
Andrew Peters was named Firefighter of the Year, an award chosen by his fellow firefighters. AJ Beachy was named Officer of the Year and recognized for his service to the department.
Melvin Iutzi and Sandra Iutzi received the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department’s Community Service Award for outstanding and dedicated service to the community.
There were 777 catfish or grilled chicken plates sold. Plates included a choice of grilled catfish, fried catfish or grilled chicken, plus baked beans, coleslaw, homemade bread and homemade desserts. Proceeds will be used to provide assistance to displaced fire victims in the area.
Door prizes were awarded throughout the event, and there was also a blood drive.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Over 34,000 Early Votes Cast In Escambia County
November 6, 2022
Early voting ended Saturday in Escambia County with over 34,000 ballots cast, bringing the overall voter turnout to 27.56% in advance of the November 8 general election.
There were a total of 34,215 early ballots cast as of Saturday, along with 27.530 vote-by-mail ballots received.
The busiest early voting location was the Genealogy Branch Library with 7,439 early voters; the slowest was the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century with 281 early voters. A breakdown is in the graphic below for all sites.
On Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Vote-by-mail ballots must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Inez Chancery of McDavid Celebrates Her 100th Birthday
November 6, 2022
Inez Chancery of McDavid is celebrating her 100th birthday.
She has five children, eight grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren.
Her birthday is Tuesday, but friends and family celebrated with her Saturday afternoon at Grace Baptist Church.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
