Deadline Extended For Applicants For Escambia Children’s Trust
August 24, 2024
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners has extended the deadline for applications from county residents willing to serve on the Escambia Children’s Trust.
To be considered, applicants must submit the completed Escambia Children’s Trust application and questionnaire for gubernatorial appointments with an optional resume by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 4.
Resumes and both applications should be submitted via email to boardapply@myescambia.com or mailed to:
Jose Gochez, Program Manager
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
221 Palafox Place, Suite 420
Pensacola, FL 32502
The Board of County Commissioners will nominate three applicants per vacancy to be submitted to the governor for review and potential appointment. Following the board’s selection, the county administrator will notify the Governor’s Appointments Office of the selected applicants and additional steps from the nominees may be required.
To be considered for the Escambia Children’s Trust, Florida Statute criteria include the requirement that nominees have been residents of Escambia County for the previous 24 months and are willing to submit an annual Statement of Financial Interests Form. Florida Statutes also require that gubernatorial appointments are representative of the demographic diversity of the County’s population.
Per Section 125.901, Florida Statutes, the Escambia Children’s Trust shall consist of 10 members, including:
The superintendent of schools;
A school board member as appointed by the school board;
The Department of Children and Families district administrator, or his or her designee;
A judge assigned to juvenile cases as appointed by the chief judge;
A c0ounty commissioner as appointed by the Board of County Commissioners; and
Five members appointed by the governor from candidates nominated by the Board of County Commissioners to serve a four-year term.
In November 2020, 61% of participating voters in Escambia County supported the creation of the Children’s Trust to be funded by an increase in ad valorem taxes of up to a maximum of 0.5 mil. The Children’s Trust will provide early childhood education, safety, developmental, preventative, health, and well-being services, including after school and summer enrichment programs.
The ECT is responsible for assessing the needs of the children in the county and developing a strategic plan for addressing unmet needs, which must then be submitted to the Board. The ECT, like the county, must also go through the process of adopting a millage rate and budget in accordance with Florida’s Truth In Millage (TRIM) Act, and the CSC must submit an annual report to the Board as required by Florida law.
Tate Aggies Roll Past Fort Walton Beach Vikings, 24-0
August 24, 2024
The Tate Aggies kicked off their 2024 regular season with a convincing 24-0 victory over the Fort Walton Beach Vikings on the road.
The Agges got on the board early following a 15-yard touchdown pass from Taite Davis to Christian Neptune.
The Aggies got on the board early in the game when quarterback Taite Davis connected with Christian Neptune for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Davis continued to shine in the second quarter, finding Elijah West on a long pass to the three-yard line before keeping the ball himself for another touchdown to give Tate a 14-0 lead at halftime.
Senior Carson Secchari added to the Aggies’ tally in the second half with a 15-yard touchdown run to seal the victory.
Tate will remain on the road for their next two Friday nights under the lights, traveling across the bay to Gulf Breeze on August 30 and across town to Pensacola High on September 6.
Pinch-Hit Stevens Homer Sends Wahoos To 5-3 Loss
August 24, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos continued their late-game struggles on Friday night, falling 5-3 to the Tennessee Smokies.
Leading 3-2 with two outs in the eighth, Justin King (L, 2-1) surrendered a long three-run homer to pinch hitter Felix Stevens that sent the Blue Wahoos to their fourth consecutive loss.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos trail the Biloxi Shuckers in the fight for a playoff spot by 2.5 games with 20 to play, pending the results of Biloxi’s game in Birmingham.
The Blue Wahoos took a 1-0 lead in the third on Jakob Marsee’s seventh homer of the season, a solo shot off Tennessee starter Jimmy Endersby. The Smokies answered back with two of their own against Pensacola starter Jacob Miller in the bottom half of the inning, turning a Fabian Pertuz RBI double and Cole Roederer RBI single into a 2-1 advantage.
Miller worked 5.0 innings in his fourth career Double-A start, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out three.
Pensacola used some small ball to tie the game 2-2 in the sixth, as Johnny Olmstead drew a leadoff walk against Ben Leeper before advancing to second on a balk and scoring on a two-out RBI single from Graham Pauley.
In the seventh, Nathan Martorella gave the Blue Wahoos a 3-2 lead with a solo homer to right field. Shane Sasaki followed with a single, but was stranded at second base as Zac Leigh (W, 1-2) got the final two outs of the inning.
After two effective innings of relief from Woo-Suk Go, the Blue Wahoos turned to Justin King in the eighth. A leadoff walk was followed by a Pablo Aliendo fly ball into shallow right field, dropped by Shane Sasaki on a running attempt and ruled a bloop single. King bounced back with a pair of strikeouts, but Stevens was called upon to pinch hit and blasted a 435-foot three-run homer just fair above the left field foul pole to put Tennessee in front for good.
Blake Weiman (S, 5) worked a quiet ninth to lock down the win for the Smokies.
Pensacola has now dropped 9 of their past 11 games, including three losses in which they led after their eighth-inning at-bat.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies on Saturday. First pitch from Smokies Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT.
Florida Silver Alert Canceled After Missing Escambia County Man Located
August 24, 2024
UPDATE: Charles Gould has been located, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
A Florida Silver Alert has been issued Friday night for a missing Escambia County man.
Charles Carroll Gould, 78, was last seen near Pale Moon Drive in the Perdido area.
He was driving a silver 2024 BMW convertible with Florida tag number N411CG. He may be traveling eastbound on I-10.
He was wearing khaki pants and was carrying a black bag. He is 5’10”, 180 pounds, has grey hair and blue eyes.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said he made be in need of medical attention. Anyone with information is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or 911.
No Injuries In Morning Cantonment Rollover Crash
August 23, 2024
There were no injuries in an early morning rollover crash Friday in Cantonment.
The crash was reported about 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of Highway 29 and Well Line Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released details.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Habitual Felon Gets 25 Years For Stealing Travel And Construction Trailers From Walnut Hill
August 23, 2024
A Pensacola man is headed to prison for the theft of a travel trailer and a construction company’s trailer from Walnut Hill.
Thursday, Judge John F. Simon Jr. sentenced Damien Matthew Lopez, now 43, to 25 years in state prison as a habitual felony offender for grand theft of a motor vehicle, grand theft from $20,000 to $100,000 and grand theft from $10,000 to $20,000.
During a June trial, the stat argued that Lopez has demonstrated an inability to live in society without violating the law. Lopez’s criminal record includes 53 previous convictions, 32 of which were felonies.
A 2018 Forest River travel trailer was reported stolen March 16. 2023, from Highway 97 just south of Ernest Ward Middle School. The same day, a 20-foot enclosed construction trailer was stolen from a business on South Highway 99 at Highway 97, about a half mile from where the travel trailer was stolen.
The construction trailer was valued at $15,000 and contained construction tools and equipment valued at $40,000.
A few days later, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators were made aware of evidence showing a white SUV pulling the travel trailer at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97. Using a tag number from the SUV, they were able to trace the vehicle to an address on Bradley Street in Pensacola.
Deputies found the enclosed trailer at the Bradley Street address. They said it was freshly painted, but the Walnut Hill business’ logo was still visible through the paint. Investigators executed a search warrant on O’Daniel Drive in Pensacola where Lopez and numerous tools belonging to the Walnut Hill company were located, according to an arrest report. Additional stolen items were recovered from an address on Highway 297A.
Lopez allegedly sold the travel trailer to another individual for $500. At last report, the travel trailer has not been recovered.
Northview High Students Awarded Construction Career Days Scholarships
August 23, 2024
Northview High School students received 11 of 17 Construction Career Days awarded scholarships.
The scholarships were awarded following the Contraction Career Days last spring.
The students named this week were:
$2,000 Scholarships
- Sarah Bailey
- Kendal Beasley
- Colton Criswell
- Carsyn Dortch
- Braden Glick
- Ava Gurganus
- Lauren Stinson
- Mandell Smith
$500 Scholarships
- Gabriella Burkland
- Abbie Hardy
- Darrin Leatherberry
The scholarship fund was established to assist high school graduates enrolling in college, trade/vocational education programs, or those entering directly into the workforce.
During Construction Career Days, over 1,300 high school students were treated to an interactive look into the transportation industry during the fourth annual event.
Students had the opportunity to operate heavy equipment and learn about bridge inspections, paving, concrete, traffic control, engineering, and more. Students were also introduced to a multitude of career paths available in the transportation, structural, engineering, and building industries, and were able to interact with representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), as well as various engineering firms, and contractors looking to hire in the Northwest Florida area.
Ascend Cares, Community Members Lend A Hand With 10,000 Pound Cantonment Food Giveaway
August 23, 2024
Community members and volunteers from Ascend Cares assisted the Cantonment Improvement Committee with a 10,000 pound good giveaway this week in Cantonment.
A smaller food distribution is held every Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Carver Park at 208 Webb Street. A larger 10,000 pound food giveaway is typically held on the third Tuesday of the month.
There is a maximum of three people per vehicle that can receive a box, and each person must have their ID. People should line up their vehicles, single file on Webb Street facing north; food is loaded into vehicles.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bonus Photos: Tate Cheerleaders, Fans And More
August 23, 2024
Here are bonus photos from last Friday Tate vs. Pine Forest Jamboree at Pete Gindl Stadium in Cantonment.
For photos and a game story, click here.
(Our apologies for the delayed posting of this gallery due to circumstances beyond our control and our election coverage this week.)
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Walks Haunt Wahoos in 7-3 Loss to Smokies
August 23, 2024
written by Erik Bremer
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos dropped their third in a row to the Tennessee Smokies on Thursday night, falling by a 7-3 final.
With the loss, the Blue Wahoos trail the Biloxi Shuckers in the fight for a playoff spot by 1.5 games with 21 to play, pending the results of Biloxi’s game in Birmingham.
The Smokies jumped ahead early, scoring four runs in the first inning to take the lead for good. Blue Wahoos Evan Fitterer (L, 6-5) walked four men and allowed four runs in just 0.1 innings, departing with 34 pitches thrown after a two-run single from Fabian Pertuz.
Adam Laskey kept the game within reach for the Blue Wahoos with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief, but the Pensacola offense didn’t activate until the late innings. Smokies starter Chris Kachmar (W, 7-3) worked 5.0 scoreless innings to earn the win.
Trailing 6-0 in the seventh, the Blue Wahoos pushed a pair of runs across with a Harrison Spohn RBI groundout and Jakob Marsee RBI single. They were poised to chip away even more in the eighth, drawing four walks against Daniel Missaki to force in a run and draw the score to 6-3, but Blake Whitney (S, 5) coaxed an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded to end the threat.
After Pertuz hit a solo homer in the eighth against Dale Stanavich, capping a four-RBI night, Whitney returned for the ninth to seal the Smokies win.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Smokies on Friday. First pitch from Smokies Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT.