Here Are Some Insider Tips For Enjoying The Blue Angels At Pensacola Beach
July 8, 2022
There’s nothing quite like experiencing the Blue Angels along Pensacola Beach. You’d be hard pressed to find a prettier backdrop than Pensacola Beach to watch the mind-blowing aerial maneuvers the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team has perfected over the past seven decades.
The annual beach air show has become a rite of passage for locals. So, for those who want to experience the Pensacola Beach Air Show too when it takes to the skies, here are a few insider tips to help you maximize the fun from the Santa Rosa Island Authority:
Carpool and arrive early. Like really, really early. Make like you’re going sunrise fishing, early. We cannot stress this point enough. Traffic coming over the bridge can often take hours if you wait too late to leave, and the Casino Beach parking lot often is filled up by 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. So plan on packing up and heading out in the wee morning hours to avoid the traffic jam getting onto the island and find a decent parking spot.
Do yourself a favor and get a SunPass. You can pick one up at CVS, Publix or Walgreens. But don’t forget to activate your SunPass online first! All four toll lanes coming onto Pensacola Beach accept the SunPass. Without SunPass, you’ll get a toll-by-plate invoice in the mail.
If the Casino Beach parking lot is full Saturday, trolleys are in service all day to help take people to and from Casino Beach. So park and hop on a free trolley.
The prime spot to view the show is at center point, just east of the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier at Casino Beach. Tents are allowed, but please be courteous to your new daylong neighbors.
It’s going to be a looong day in the sun. So pack accordingly and stay hydrated! Bring the essentials – bring plenty of water, snacks, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. You’ll also want to include an umbrella, beach chairs, towels, floaties, and a cooler. But remember, glass is not allowed on the beach!
This is not an occasion for Fido, or any other pets for that matter. Dogs are only allowed at the two designated dog beaches on either side of the island, neither of which are a great vantage point for the air show. Pets are not allowed anywhere else. And any person found leaving a pet unattended in a vehicle may face criminal charges.
For the safety of all spectators and air show participants, the Santa Rosa Island Authority is requiring the public to suspend all flights of unmanned aircraft, or drones, during the air show hours of the Pensacola Beach Air Show week.
There are plenty of vendors on hand selling all the forgotten essentials, plus food, drinks, souvenirs, etc.
The civilian stunt plane acts begin just before noon. Lifeguards keep all beachgoers out of the Gulf while the show is happening overhead. The civilian acts last for about an hour or so, from noon to 1 p.m.
After the civilian acts finish, go take a dip in the Gulf! This will be your last chance to cool off before the Blues take to the sky at 2 p.m.
Lifeguards are on hand to provide any needed first-aid help. Mist stations are set up next to the public safety building and restrooms, for anyone needing to cool off quickly.
Once the air show ends, believe us when we say you won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Instead of folding up your chairs and packing up your tents in a mad dash to go get stuck in beach traffic, rather, sit back and enjoy the beautiful view, sharing stories about your favorite maneuvers.
When it’s time to pack up and leave, remember: Please Leave Only Your Footprints Behind! For the safety and enjoyment of all Pensacola Beach visitors and the preservation of the island’s flora and fauna, please take all that you came with and help keep our beach pristine.
Wahoos Split Double With M-Braves
July 8, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got great starting pitching on both ends of their doubleheader against the Mississippi Braves on Thursday, winning 3-1 in eight innings in game one behind Eury Pérez and falling 3-2 in game two despite six no-hit innings from Zach McCambley.
In game one, Eury Pérez was dominant once again. The 19-year-old, fresh off being named Miami’s representative to the prestigious SiriusXM Futures Game later this month, allowed only two hits and struck out 10 batters while completing 6.0 innings for the second time in his career.
One Braves hit, though, was a solo home run to Justin Dean to put Mississippi ahead 1-0. Freddy Tarnok was sharp as well, holding the Blue Wahoos to one single over 6.0 scoreless innings. Down to their last out in the seventh and final inning, Pensacola got a pinch-hit RBI single from Norel González to tie the game 1-1.
Josh Simpson (W, 4-1) kept the game tied in the bottom of the seventh to force an extra eighth inning, where the Blue Wahoos scored a pair of runs against Coleman Huntley III (L, 1-1). José Devers scored on a wild pitch to put the Blue Wahoos ahead 2-1, and Victor Victor Mesa delivered a two-out RBI single to extend the lead to 3-1. Simpson retired the Braves in order in the bottom of the inning to nail down the win.
In game two, the Blue Wahoos got a pair of early RBI hits from Devin Hairston to take a 2-0 lead in support of Zach McCambley. The righty pitched the best game of his Double-A career, striking out six batters and taking a no-hitter into the sixth and final inning.
Three outs away from the fourth no-no in Blue Wahoos history, McCambley issued a lead-off walk to Drew Lugbauer before departing with 100 pitches thrown. Colton Hock (L, 5-3) entered, and the All-Star reliever immediately gave up a single to Cade Bunnell to break up the no-hit bid. Riley Delgado followed with a bloop single to load the bases, followed by a pair of RBI groundouts to tie the game 2-2. Pinch hitter Yariel González ended the game with a walk-off single.
Tyler Ferguson (W, 3-1) was the fifth and final pitcher for Mississippi in the bullpen game, striking out three batters in the top of the seventh to earn the win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the M-Braves on Friday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Molino Man Took Jewelry, Adult Toy During Burglary, ECSO Says
July 7, 2022
A Molino man is accused of breaking into his neighbor’s home on Sunshine Hill Road, stealing jewelry and an adult toy.
Brandon David Edmonson, 42, was charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools with the intent to use, criminal mischief and petit theft.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, Edmonson was captured on video pacing back and forth in front of a residence before entering through a window air conditioner opening. A screwdriver, which was swabbed for DNA, was located near the air conditioner, and the window was broken. A deputy was able to positively identify Edmonson from the video, the report states.
The residents reported that a gold necklace, gold bracelet and a choker necklace– valued at $40 each — were missing, along with an adult toy valued at $50.
Deputies were unable to locate Edmonson following the June 21 burglary, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $21,000.
It’s Budget Time: Escambia County, Century Beginning Budget Workshops
July 7, 2022
Both Escambia County and Century are moving into the process of establishing their budgets and tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year.
Escambia County will hold all-day budget workshops at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 12, and Wednesday, July 13.
Century’s mayor will meet with staff members the next three Thursdays — July 7, 14 and 21 — at 3 p.m. The town council will hold a budget meeting on August 9.
Either entity may schedule additional meetings. All meetings are open to the public.
The new fiscal year begins October 1, 2021, for both Escambia County and Century.
Cantonment Rotary Club Swears In New Officers
July 7, 2022
Cantonment Rotary recently held a Change of Command ceremony. The new club president is Tony Lee (pictured bottom) and Dustin Vaughn was pinned as president elect (pictured first below). The new officers and board members were sworn in (pictured above) by Cantonment Rotary member Deb Held, who is also the district area governor. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Six Suspects Arrested In Stolen Vehicle, Tag Case
July 7, 2022
The Escambia County Sheriff Office arrested six suspects during a case involving five stolen vehicles and multiple vehicle tags.
The stolen vehicles recovered were a 2018 Ford F150, a 2004 Jeep Wrangler, a 2007 Pontiac G6, a 2003 Chevrolet 1500, and a 2005 Toyota Camry.
The following suspects were arrested:
- Robert Dalton Goodwin, 22 of Pensacola — dealing in stolen property. Jailed, $10,000 bond.
- Frankie Michelle Schultz, 46 of Pensacola — dealing in stolen property. Jailed, $10,000 bond.
- Alyssa Marie Blackburn, 22 of Pensacola — for petit theft, dealing in stolen property, and fraud uttering. Released, $2,000 bond.
- Jesse Allen Geoghahan, 26 of Cantonment — grand theft of a motor vehicle. Released $2,500 bond.
- Gavin Kyle McCurley, 28 of Pensacola — grand theft of a motor vehicle, criminal mischief, and grand theft. Jailed, $10,500 bond.
- Jeb Stuart Pickford, 42 of Cantonment — failure to appear. Released, $250 bond.
M-Braves Open Series With 5-1 Win Over The Blue Wahoos
July 7, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos were kept quiet at the plate on Wednesday, falling 5-1 to the Mississippi Braves in their series opener.
A.J. Ladwig (L, 2-3) turned in a quality start, but took the loss as the Pensacola offense mustered only three hits in a dominant pitching effort from Jared Shuster (W, 5-7) and the Mississippi staff.
The Braves jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first, as C.J. Alexander hit a hanging slider into the right field bullpen for his 15th home run of the year. After a Yariel Gonzalez double in the second, Hendrik Clementina brought him home with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 2-0.
Shuster completed 6.0 shutout innings, allowing only three hits and striking out four. Ladwig completed 6.0 frames as well, earning a quality start, but the early damage was too much to overcome.
Clementina added a solo homer in the seventh against new Pensacola reliever Sean Reynolds, and the Braves tacked on a pair of runs in the eighth with RBI singles from Cade Bunnell and Andrew Moritz against Eli Villalobos.
Ray-Patrick Didder hit a solo homer in the ninth to break up the shutout bid, but Justin Maese got J.D. Orr to fly out with the bases loaded to snuff out Pensacola’s final attempt at a rally and end the game.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the M-Braves with a doubleheader on Thursday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Update: Boil Water Notice Rescinded For Cottage Hill Water Works Customers On Williams Ditch Road
July 7, 2022
UPDATE: This boil water notice was rescinded on July 7 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 issued a precautionary boil water notice late Sunday night for Williams Ditch Road between Highway 95A and Gainey Lane.
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.
Childers Lawsuit Dismissed In Fight Over Escambia Retirement Plan
July 6, 2022
A judge has ruled in favor of Escambia County in a countersuit by Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers over a retirement plan involving commissioners that does not cost the taxpayers anything.
Childers and the Escambia County Commission are battling over whether the county’s 401(a) annuity plan is in fact legal for elected officials and senior management. In late July 2021, Childers asserted that the state has told her that the county’s 401(a) annuity plan is illegal.
Okaloosa County Circuit Court Judge William Stone found that Childers’ suit is “almost wholly duplicative” of the lawsuit filed first by the BOCC against the clerk.
Childers claimed that as auditor of county funds, she is required by law to refuse to process an unlawful payment. She stopped making retirement plan payments for Commissioners Steven Barry, Robert Bender and Lumon May in January 2022 and sought an order requiring the commissioners to return previous payments.
The county, however, has asserted the plan is legal and Childers must disburse funds as lawfully directed.
The ruling dismissing Childers’ lawsuit means Escambia County’s lawsuit will move forward in ultimately deciding the issue.
“In the pleadings and arguments regarding this case the parties have spent a lot of time addressing personal and political disagreements, which from this Court’s disimpassioned analysis, are not germane to resolving the legal issues presented in this case,” Stone wrote. “At the heart of this controversy is the legal question of whether the County’s local retirement plan is unlawful as to elected officials.”
401(a) Annuity Program
It’s called a 401(a) annuity program, and under state statute was offered only to senior management service employees and commissioners that opt out of the Florida Retirement System (FRS). It’s available statewide, not just in Escambia County.
The plan does not cost Escambia County taxpayers anything extra when contributions are made in a timely fashion; the employee contributions are exactly the same whether or not the money goes into FRS or the annuity program. FRS has significant administrative overhead and fund liability that is funded from employee contributions. The 401(a) annuity plan participant costs are lower, so participants can earn significantly more retirement dollars.
Escambia County has offered a 401(a) annuity program to senior management employees and elected officials since 1997.
Teen Accidently Shot Himself At Dogwood Park Home, ECSO Says
July 6, 2022
A 17-year accidently shot himself in the leg early Wednesday morning in Dogwood Park, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The teen was at a party on Chaudron Road when he attempted to remove a gun from his pants pocket and it discharged, according to ECSO Sgt. Melony Peterson.
Someone drove the teen north on Highway 97 to the Walnut Hill Fire Station where an ambulance was stationed about 4:45 a.m.. He was transported by Escambia County EMS to a Pensacola hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Peterson said it was unclear why the teen had the gun, but no disturbance was reported at the Chaudron Road home.
NorthhEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.