Northview Chiefs Fall On The Road To Freeport 36-20
September 7, 2024
The Northview Chiefs hit the road for a 100-mile trip across the Panhandle to take on Freeport.
The Chiefs returned home Friday night with a 26-36 loss to the Bulldogs. The defeat dropped the Chiefs’ record to 1-2 for the season.
Next Friday night, Northview will host the brand new Central High program for a Senior Night matchup at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Alabama Woman Claims Over $100K Prize For Lottery Ticket Sold At Pine Forest Walmart Market
September 7, 2024
An Alabama woman has claimed a prize over $100,000 for a winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket at an area store.
The Florida Lottery said Octavia Joyce Harris of Mobile was the winner of $106,064.64.
The ticket sold at the Walmart at Nine Mile and Pine Forest roads was the only winning tickets in the September 2 evening drawing.
The winning numbers were 16-21-23-24-26.
High School Football Scoreboard
September 7, 2024
Here is this week’s North Escambia area football scoreboard:
Florida
Tate 27, PHS 22 [More...]
Jay 35, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy 8
Fort Walton Beach 14, West Florida 0
Washington 12, Milton 7
Niceville 36, Pine Forest 14
Baker 42, Central 7
BYE: Pace
Alabama
Fort Dale Academy 42, Escambia Academy 7
Jackson 43, Escambia County (Atmore) 13
T.R. Miller 50, Monroe Co. 0
St. Michael Catholic 46, W.S. Neal 28
Excel 28, Flomaton 22 (Thursday)
Snelling Leads Wahoos To 3-0 Win Over B’ham Barons
September 7, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos got back in the win column on Friday night, riding a strong Robby Snelling pitching performance to a 3-0 shutout win over the Birmingham Barons.
Snelling (W, 2-1) worked 5.2 scoreless innings of four-hit ball, striking out six to earn his second win since being acquired by the Marlins at the trade deadline. The 20-year-old lefty threw 99 pitches, his most in a Blue Wahoos uniform.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos kept pace with the Biloxi Shuckers in the hunt for a wild card playoff spot. The Blue Wahoos trail the Shuckers by 3.5 games and the Mississippi Braves by 1.0 game with eight to play in the regular season.
The Blue Wahoos loaded the bases in the first inning against Barons starter Tyler Schweitzer (L, 4-5), but couldn’t cash in. They broke through in the third inning, turning an Andrew Pintar single and Nathan Martorella walk into a 2-0 lead on a two-run double from Jared Serna. Joe Mack brought home Serna on an RBI fielder’s choice two batters later to put Pensacola ahead 3-0.
Snelling pitched into the sixth inning, departing with two outs and two runners aboard. Josh White, entering for his Double-A debut, needed only one pitch to coax an inning-ending popout.
White followed with three strikeouts in the seventh, and Dale Stanavich (S, 4) struck out five more Barons batters in a six-out save to seal the win.
The series continues Saturday in Birmingham, with a 6:30 CT first pitch from Regions Field.
EREC Releases Special Notice To EREC Water Members
September 7, 2024
EREC Water will be executing a vital EPA-mandated assessment in Escambia County to ensure the safety and efficiency of older service lines (houses built before 1989).
- EREC contractors will be properly identified and will start the process beginning of September.
- The work will be conducted throughout northern Escambia County.
- The contactor will excavate and verify service line material type.
This work will involve digging a hole about the size of a basketball on either side of the meter, physical and photo image verification of the line material, and filling the excavation holes. In some cases, the water meter will be changed out at the same time to avoid additional disruption.
EREC is committed to the health of your drinking water. If you have any questions and concerns regarding this process, you may reach out to EREC representatives at (850) -675-4521.
Based on the findings and the funds required to address and upgrade the water lines, the EREC Water Board of Trustees will consider a resolution for a loan and grant to finance the project. This meeting will take place on September 21 at 5 p.m. at the Jay EREC office.
Three Injured When Pickup Crashes Into Wooded Area Along Highway 29
September 6, 2024
The people were injured in a single vehicle rollover crash Friday morning in Cantonment.
The crash happened on Highway 29 just south of Archer Road. The driver of a Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area where the vehicle overturned.
The three occupants, all reportedly high school students, were transported to area hospital by Escambia County EMS. None of the injuries were considered life threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Deputies Don’t Find A Victim After Reported Drive-by Shooting In Cantonment
September 6, 2024
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported drive-by shooting early Friday morning in Cantonment, but did not locate a victim.
Deputies responded to the area of San Carlos and Navarro roads about 12:30 a.m.
The Sheriff’s Office said they were unable to locate a victim. A few shell casings were found, but it was not immediately known if they were related to the report.
Escambia County Commits $1 Million For Safety Improvements On Highway 4, Highway 4A
September 6, 2024
The Escambia County Commission Thursday night committed $1 million for safety improvements on Highway 4 and Highway 4A in North Escambia.
Escambia County Engineering has contracted with civil engineering firm Jacobs Engineering to provide an assessment of the condition of both county roadways.
“We have an engineering firm looking at Highway 4 and Highway 4A right now about doing some improvements,” District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said at the Thursday night commission meeting.. “It was not gauged to be as narrow as Highway 164 in the north end, but both roads are also narrow. In some of the areas where we have curves, they are specifically looking at some of the more dangerous turns and curves on those two highways in the north end.”
Jacobs Engineering expects to complete their analysis by January 2025, and Escambia County engineering and traffic divisions will review the report and identify the sections that are the most cost-effective to widen while considering the need due to lane departures. The focus will turn to rebuilding those areas immediately. The remaining portions of the study area will go through a formal design process considering right of way and drainage needs
along the corridor.
The commission voted 4-0 to transfer $1 million from the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) IV District 5 Discretionary Funds for the project.
Highway 4A is just under seven miles from Highway 4 in Byrneville to Highway 29 in Century. Highway 4 is about 13.5 miles long from Highway 97 near the Davisville Community to Century.
The third and final phase of an Escambia County project to widen portions Highway 164 across the northern part of the county is currently underway. When completed later this month, 2.16 miles of the dangerously narrow roadway will have been widened.
Pictured: Widened roadway on Highway 164 just east of Highway 97. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Manager Of Molino Tax Collector Office Honored With Statewide Service Award
September 6, 2024
Janet Middleton, manager of the Escambia County Tax Collector Molino Office, was recently awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Florida Tax Collector Association. This prestigious honor recognizes Middleton’s significant contributions to modernizing title and registration systems throughout the state.
With over 25 years of experience at the Escambia County Tax Collector Office, Middleton has established herself as a leading expert in state and federal laws pertaining to motor vehicle transactions.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Verizon Purchasing Frontier Communications For $20 Billion
September 6, 2024
Verizon Communications is buying Frontier Communications for $20 billion in cash. The purchase will increase Verizon’s scale with 2.2 million fiber subscribers and will extend Verizon’s network reach to 25 million premises across 31 states and Washington, D.C.’
In the North Escambia area, Frontier is local telephone company that still provides traditional landline service and DSL in Walnut Hill, Molino, Bratt and Atmore. The company does not currently offer fiber in the North Escambia area.
Over approximately four years, Frontier in other areas of the nation has invested $4.1 billion upgrading and expanding its fiber network, and now derives more than half of its revenue from fiber products at 7.2 million fiber locations. Frontier s committed to its plan to build out an additional 2.8 million fiber locations by the end of 2026.
Frontier has not announced any specific plans for their local markets.
According to the companies, Frontier customers as a whole will have has access to Verizon premium offerings and experience for Frontier’s consumer and small business customers, and Frontier’s premium broadband offering will unite with Verizon’s premium mobile offering.
Additional Transaction Details
Under the terms of the agreement, Verizon will acquire Frontier for $38.50 per share in cash, representing a premium of 43.7% to Frontier’s 90-Day volume-weighted average share price (VWAP) on September 3, 2024, the last trading day prior to media reports regarding a potential acquisition of Frontier. The transaction is valued at approximately $20 billion of enterprise value.
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Verizon and the Frontier Boards of Directors. The transaction is expected to close in approximately 18 months, subject to approval by Frontier shareholders, receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Pictured: The Frontier Communications switching central office in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge