Wahoos Blanked 1-0 By Biloxi
September 16, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos had plenty of opportunities, but couldn’t come through with a big hit as they fell 1-0 to the Biloxi Shuckers on Thursday night for their third consecutive loss.
The Blue Wahoos were 0-for-11 with men in scoring position, including 0-for-4 with four strikeouts with the bases loaded, as they were unable to take advantage of a strong start from Patrick Monteverde.
Monteverde, in his final appearance of the regular season, struck out seven Biloxi batters over 5.2 scoreless innings. He traded zeroes with Shuckers starter Brandon Knarr (W, 4-6) until Biloxi finally broke through in the seventh.
Jorge Mercedes (L, 0-1) stranded an inherited runner for the final out of the sixth, but issued a leadoff walk to Yeison Coca in the seventh. Coca followed with a pair of stolen bases to advance to third, and Corey Ray brought him home with a sacrifice fly to put the Shuckers ahead 1-0.
Pensacola loaded the bases in the eighth and drew two walks in the ninth, but Zach Vennaro (S, 11) put away the Blue Wahoos with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Shuckers on Friday evening.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
McDonald’s Manager Charged With Stealing Over $100,000 From Restaurant
September 15, 2022
A local McDonald’s manager has been charged with stealing over $100,000 the restaurant.
Jon Jon Smith, 38, was charged with felony grand theft of $100,000 or more.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the thefts occurred between September 2021 and June 2022 while Smith was employed as the restaurant’s manager.
Northview High Announces Homecoming Court
September 15, 2022
Northview High School has named their 2022 homecoming court.
Court members are:
12th Grade
- Caitlyn Gibson
- Emma Gilmore
- Raven McCarthy
- Kara Santorelli
- McKenna Simmons
- Anna Spence
11th Grade
- Ar’mya Findley
- Saniyah Hixon
- Tydeasia McKenzie
10th Grade
- Payton Daw
- Maddie Mae Driskell
- Mary Catherine Hughes
9th Grade
- Kathryn Beasley
- Jalayah Bright
- Noel Pugh
The homecoming queen will be named during a ceremony that begins at 6 p.m. Friday in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium on the Northview campus.
Pictured above: Homecoming court members (front, L-R) Payton Daw, Kara Santorelli, Caitlyn Gibson, TyDeasia McKenzie, Kathryn Beasley, Noel Pugh, Jalayah Bright, (back, L-R) Mary Catherine Hughes, Maddie Mae Driskell, Raven McCarthy, Anna Spence, McKenna Simmons, Emma Gilmore, Ar’mya Findley, and Saniyah Hixon. Pictured below are seniors (front, L-R) Kara Santorelli, Caitlyn Gibson, (back, L-R) Raven McCarthy, Anna Spence, McKenna Simmons and Emma Gilmore. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Woman Overdoses On Fentanyl Inside Jail After Shoplifting Arrest, ESCO Says
September 15, 2022
A Cantonment woman arrested for shoplifting overdosed on fentanyl inside the Escambia County Jail, according to an arrest report.
Academy Sports on Davis Highway reported that 34-year old Erika Diane Martin, 34, shoplifted assorted items valued at $331.40.
Once an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy transported Martin to the Escambia County Jail, she was processed and searched by jail staff members before being placed in a holding cell. After 10-15 minutes, she was found unconscious on the floor with a bag containing a white powder substance that tested positive for fentanyl on a bench, according to an ECSO arrest report.
Jail staff and medical personnel rendered medical aid, and Martin was transported to a local hospital by Escambia County EMS. At the hospital, she told a deputy that the bag containing fentanyl was hidden in her bra, and she did not surrender it because she forgot it was there.
“I snorted it,” Martin told the deputy, according to the report.
After being discharged from the hospital, Martin was charged with felony theft, introduction into a county facility, possession of a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence.
The felony theft charge stemmed from the alleged shoplifting incident at Academy Sports. Deputies arrived at the store to find Martin inside where store personnel said Martin was wearing Vans tennis shoes and blue shorts that belonged to the store. A search of her person found two men’s Nike t-shirts and a bluetooth speaker in her pockets, a cell phone charger around her neck, along with sunglasses, earphones, men’s swim trunks, a Gerber knife and other items on her person, according to an arrest report. The tags had been removed from all of the items, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Martin remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $30,000.
Tropical Storm Fiona Forms In Atlantic
September 15, 2022
Tropical Storm Fiona formed Wednesday night in the Atlantic, and it is expected to bring gusty winds and heavy rain to the northeast Caribbean Islands in the next few days.
It is too soon to determine if Fiona will eventually threaten the United States.
Next Wednesday Is An Early Release Day For Escambia Schools
September 15, 2022
Next Wednesday, September 21, is an early release day for public schools in Escambia County.
All schools will serve breakfast and lunch to students on the early release day. Regular modes of student transportation will be provided.
Other early release days this school year are scheduled for November 2, December 20, February 1 and May 23.
Early release days provide teachers and staff regular opportunities for professional development.
Release times are listed below. For additional information, contact your child’s school.
Escambia Woman Wins $1 Million On Lottery Scratch-Off Ticket
September 15, 2022
An Escambia County woman claimed a $1 million Florida Lottery scratch-off prize.
Deborah Robinson-Sparks, 61, claimed the $1 million prize in the 500x Cash Scratch-Off game at the Lottery’s Pensacola office. She chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $820,000.
Robinson-Sparks purchased her winning ticket from Walmart on North Navy Boulevard. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
Blue Wahoos Silenced by Shuckers
September 15, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped their second straight game to the Biloxi Shuckers on Wednesday, falling 8-2.
J.D. Osborne was 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Shuckers extended their winning streak to six games.
On short notice, reliever Andrew McInvale (L, 2-3) was asked to make a spot start for the Blue Wahoos. The righty turned in 3.0 innings, but allowed four runs in the second as Biloxi claimed the early lead and ran with it. A run-scoring error from first baseman Marcus Chiu opened the door for Corey Ray’s RBI single, turning a two-run inning into a four-run frame.
The Shuckers added more offense in the fourth against Zack Leban with a two-run home run from Nick Kahle. Osborne’s solo homer in the fourth was followed by a run-scoring throwing error from Biloxi center fielder Jackson Chourio in the fifth to draw the score to 6-2, but that was all the offense the Blue Wahoos could muster against Biloxi starter T.J. Shook (W, 4-2).
Ethan Murray hit a solo homer in the sixth for the Shuckers, and Zavier Warren capped the scoring with an RBI single in the ninth to bring Biloxi to their final lead of 8-2.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Shuckers on Thursday evening.
by Eric Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Century Needs $500K To Replace Prison Water Well; Second Well Goes Online For First Time In Two Years
September 14, 2022
There’s a bit of good news, and a bit of bad news, for the Town of Century’s water department.
The Good News
For the first time in about two years, water is flowing again from the town’s “Well No. 2″ on Academy Street. The twell had been out of service for over a year before being placed back in service in August 2020 only to fail again.
After repairs funded by a $107,000 legislative appropriation, the well is back only after good bacteriological sampling.
Well No. 2 was constructed in 1983. It has a pumping capacity of 500 gallons per minute and an elevated tank (pictured above) with a half million gallon capacity.
Until this week, the entire town, minus the prison, had been serviced by just one well on Blackmon Street that was constructed in 1963.
The Bad (And Expensive) News
For the past month, the Town of Century’s water system has relied on an interconnection to Central Water Works to supply water to Century Correctional Institution as Century looks at alternative solutions — and how to get about a half million dollars for a new well.
The town has ordered a submersible pump and sand filter for nearly $50,000 as a temporary fix that an engineer says might last a couple of months. It will take around three weeks for the pump to arrive because the sand filter must be custom-built for the well.
The temporary submersible pump will be eligible for reimbursement from a $468,453 legislative appropriation for water well upgrades.
Since July 13, water has flowed through a permanent interconnect from Central Water Works to the Century water system that was completed in late May 2020 to provide a dependable water supply to the prison. The interconnect was installed after the town’s water well that was the sole water supply for the prison suffered a repairable failure in early May 2020.
Town engineer Dale Long told the town council that a new well, if drilled next to the current pump house and water tower by the prison, will cost somewhere around $500,000 and take up to a year to be completed once the money is in hand.
Mayor Ben Boutwell said the town may seek a legislative appropriation for the well, or a USDA Rural Development loan.
The two other wells on Century’s water system can’t directly supply water to the prison due to elevation, but a booster pump near the fire department can be used.
Florida Supreme Court Affirms Death Sentence For Prison Inmate Who Murdered Cellmate
September 14, 2022
The Florida Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and death sentence of an inmate at Blackwater River Correctional Facility murdering his cellmate.
Thomas Fletcher killed his cellmate, 33-year old Kenneth Jeff Davis, on September 22, 2018, by choking him from behind while inside their prison cell.Thomas Fletcher killed his cellmate, 33-year old Kenneth Jeff Davis, on September 22, 2018, by choking him from behind while inside their prison cell. Fletcher serving a life sentenced for a 1995 murder in Broward County at the time.
Fletcher confessed to killing Davis to a FDLE special agent and in letters he wrote to the trial court. Prosecutors said the murder was “especially heinous, atrocious or cruel” and “committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification”.