Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Atmore Police Officer, Firefighter
September 13, 2022
A man has been charged with the attempted murder of a firefighter and police office in Atmore.
Norman Collins Lambert, 34, was charged with two counts of attempted murder and obstructing government operations.
Sunday, the Atmore Fire Department responded to a mobile home fire on South Road. As they were leaving the property, Lambert drove onto the property recklessly at a high rate of speed, according to police.
“Lambert nearly struck a firefighter as he drove to the rear of the property and was driving in circles in the mud,” Atmore Police Sgt. Darrell McMann said. “An officer approached the area where Lambert was still revving his engine and driving recklessly in the mud and was almost struck by Lambert before becoming bogged down in the mud again.”
Lambert was taken into custody after his vehicle became stuck in the mud.
The obstruction charge was due to Lambert interfering with firefighters who were gathering up their equipment.
Lambert remained in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center without bond.
There was no one at home at the time of the fire. The trailer was a total loss.
Boil Water Notice Rescinded For Chipper Road, Tyler Lane Areas
September 13, 2022
UPDATE: THIS BOIL WATER NOTICE WAS RESCINDED THE AFTERNOON OF SEPTEMBER 15.
Due to a hydrant repair, Cottage Hill Water Works has issued a precautionary boil water notice for customers around East Chipper Road, South Chipper Road and Tyler Laine.
Cottage Hill Water Works advises residents of the area that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient, or as an alternative bottled water may be used.
This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
If you have any questions call (850) 968-5485.
This story will be updated when the notice is rescinded.
Flomaton TV Star Moonshiner Arrested By State Authorities On Alcohol Charges
September 13, 2022
A TV star moonshiner from Flomaton was arrested Monday night by state authorities on alcohol charges.
Johnny Wayne Griffis, 48, was charged with felony distillation or manufacture of prohibited liquors and beverages, and a class C misdemeanor of sale, offer for sale, possession or barter of prohibited liquors and beverages.
He was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center where he remained early Tuesday morning without bond.
Johnny Griffis competed on Moonshiners: Master Distiller on the Discovery Channel in 2020. In the end, his “old school corn liquor moonshine” took second place.
His new television series “Alabama Shine” premiered in August on The Country Network (TCN). It showcased Griffis in Flomaton and a moonshiner in Carbon Hill, Alabama. In the television series, Griffis discusses evading law enforcement during the moonshine distillation process.
State officials did not release further information about Griffis’ arrest Monday night. If convicted as charged, Griffis would face one to five years in prison, according to Alabama Code.
Molino Family Wakes To Find Man In Their Home
September 13, 2022
A Molino family woke up to find a man inside their home early on a recent early morning, and the suspect is now charged with burglary and assault.
Robert Lee Jones, Jr., 37, was charged with felony burglary of a residence while committing an assault, and aggravated assault with the intent to commit a felony.
The victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that he woke to hear his dog barking, exited his bedroom and saw Jones standing in his living room. He yelled at Jones to leave, but Jones threw a dining room chair at the victim and missed, an arrest report states.
When Jones saw the dog, he ran out the backdoor of the Brickyard Road home, the report continues.
Deputies said the incident was witnessed by two other occupants of the home.
Jones told deputies that he went to the home during the early morning hours to tell the victim that his daughter went to jail earlier that day. He stated that he opened an unlocked backdoor and called out to the victim, but he denied entering the home.
According to the father, the daughter has actually been in jail for several months.
When arrested, deputies said Jones had a screwdriver in his pocket.
Jones remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $55,000.
Salzman Teams With Faith Based Organizations To Create ‘Foster With Faith”
September 13, 2022
Rep. Michelle Salzman has teamed up with local faith based organizations to create “Foster with Faith”, a steering committee focused on bringing together faith-based leaders to help provide clothing drives, cooking meals, yard work, rides to appointments and many other supportive roles to help relieve some of the stress on foster families.
Currently, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) works through faith-based organizations with Share Your Heart by giving referrals so the faith-based community can come together to better serve this underserved population. Salzman said by bringing various faith-based leaders to the table, the group will be able to create a plan to focus community effort to bring resources and monies together into one place that can be put to use in the most efficient and impactful way.
“Many in our community are underserved,” stated Pastor Bill Wright with Share Your Heart Ministries. “I believe that we have the appropriate partnering agencies to fill the great gap of social services.”
Faith-based leaders in the community are asked to contact Debbie Malsberger in Salzman’s office at (850) 941-6091for more information on how to become involved.
National Guard To Be Deployed To State Prisons, Including Santa Rosa But Not Century
September 13, 2022
The Florida National Guard is being deployed to several prisons across the state to provide relief and supplement staff vacancies.
In the local area, the Guard will be deployed to the Santa Rosa Correctional Institute, but not Century Correctional Institute, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Florida National Guard members will supplement security posts at select institutions, under the direction of the warden and facility command staff. Guardsman will undergo training from FDC’s staff development office to equip them with the knowledge necessary to work alongside Florida’s corrections professionals.
“We received historic pay increases for our correctional officers and have hired more correctional officers monthly than we have seen in years,” said Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon. “With the temporary support of the Florida National Guard we will be able to recover and train the next generation of public safety professionals to perform our important mission.”
“I am personally seeing our agency turnaround. For the first time in years our institution is hiring more staff each month than we are losing, and this would not have been possible without the pay raises we received from the Governor and Legislature last session. I appreciate this added step being taken so we can train our new staff and safely operate our facilities,” said Warden Aaron Leavins, Santa Rosa CI.
Wahoos Seek Local Youth Field To Renovate
September 13, 2022
For the 11th consecutive year, the Blue Wahoos and Waste Management have partnered to renovate an area youth athletic field and are accepting nominations from the community to select the field to be restored.
“We are very excited to continue our partnership with Waste Management and help renovate a local ballfield,” Blue Wahoos community relations manager Lauren Scott said. “Our mission is to improve the quality of life in our community, and helping provide children a great place to play sports locally will benefit families across our community.
The Blue Wahoos will be accepting nominations to choose a field to receive a makeover until September 20. Any local citizen or organization can submit a field by emailing Scott at LScott@BlueWahoos.com and including photos or video of the field and a short explanation of why the field should be considered. Fields must be within 40 miles of Blue Wahoos Stadium to be selected.
Pictured: The Wahoos renovated fields in 2017 at Cantonment (top), in 2018 at Century (first below) and in 2019 at NWE in Walnut Hill (bottom). NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Update: Boil Water Notice Rescinded For Cottage Hill Water Works Customers On Williams Ditch Road
September 12, 2022
UPDATE: This boil water notice was rescinded on September 13 follow the satisfactory completion of a bacteriological survey showing that the water is safe to drink.
Due to a water main break, Cottage Hill Water Works has issued a precautionary boil water notice for Williams Ditch Road.
Cottage Hill Water Works advises residents of the area that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient, or as an alternative bottled water may be used.
This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
If you have any questions call (850) 968-5485.
This story will be updated when the notice is rescinded.
School Bus Headed To Beulah Middle Rear-Ended By Semi Truck, 13 Minor Injuries
September 12, 2022
There 13 minor injuries when a semi truck rear-ended a school bus headed to Beulah Middle School Monday morning.
“There were minor injuries reported from 13 passengers on the school bus and they were transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS,” according to the Florida Highway Patrol. There were a total of 31 passengers on the bus at the time of the crash on Highway 29 at West Nine One Half Mile Road. All parents of the injured BMS students were notified, and the students not transported to the hospital were released to guardians on scene or transported on to the school.
FHP said the 72-year semi truck driver “failed to maintain a safe distance and failed to avoid a rear-end collision with the school bus”. He was cited for careless driving.
The 32-year old female school bus driver was among those with minor injuries.
Pictured. FHP said 13 of 31 passengers on this Escambia County Schools bus headed to Beulah Middle School were injure Monday morning when the bus was rear-end by a semi-truck. Photos by WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sneak Peek: New Bellview Library Ribbon Cutting Set
September 12, 2022
A ribbon cutting will be held Friday for the new Belleview Library on Mobile Highway.
“The Bellview Library will be a fantastic amenity not only for the Bellview community, but for the west side of Pensacola as a whole,” said District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh
Construction on the library began in 2021 and was delayed by supply chain problems. The 12,500 square foot facility features a unique origami-inspired design with a capacity to hold 480 people.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
Inside, the library consists of a large open space divided into areas for a lobby, story time events, library service programs, leisure reading and more. The open floor plan provides entrances to other support spaces including multiple study rooms, a computer room and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) room. The library plans to hold skill-building classes, daily hands-on activities and more.
“As the newest library in Escambia County in over a decade, the Bellview Library has a different layout and feel than our other library locations. The unique look of the building creates immediate inquiries as to what the building services as, thus increasing community awareness. It was designed with flexibility in mind, and we look forward to hosting events here in the coming years.”
The library was funded by Local Open Sales Tax and library MSTU funds. It will be open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. It is located at 6425 Mobile Highway, at the corner of Mobile Highway and Belleview Avenue (across from The Farm produce market).
The public ribbon cutting will take place at 11 a.m. Friday.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
Pictured: A look at the new Bellview Library on Sunday, September 11 — five days before a scheduled ribbon cutting. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
