Tractor Trailer Overturns, Closes I-10 To I-110 Ramp
September 4, 2021
A tractor trailer hauling scrap metal overturned on the I-10 to I-110 southbound ramp Friday afternoon.
The trailer flipped onto is side after collided with the barrier wall. The 27-year old male driver from Bonifay was not injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured: An overturned truck accident Friday. Photos courtesy FHP and Perry Doggrell (first photo below) for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Reports 2,516 New COVID-19 Cases, 315 Hospitalizations
September 4, 2021
There were 2,516 new COVID-19 cases reported Escambia County over the last week by the Florida Department of Health.
Baptist, Ascension Sacred Heart and West Florida hospitals reported a combined 315 COVID-19 hospitalizations as of Friday.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 48,427 (+2,516)
Positivity rate last week: 23.3%
Current total hospitalizations: 315
Over age 18 and over hospitalizations: 308
Under age 18 hospitalized: 7
Escambia County Vaccinations
People vaccinated: 143,011
Total Population of Escambia County Partially Vaccinated: 50.8%
Total Population of Escambia County Fully Vaccinated: 41.5%
*These numbers are the percent of total Escambia County population vaccinated. Not the percentage of hospitalized individuals.
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 28,365 (+2,065)
Positivity rate last week: 27.6%
People vaccinated: 83,237
Partial vaccination rate (age 12+): 52%
Statewide cases:
Florida resident cases: 3,308.916 (+129,240)
Case positivity rate: 15.2%
Deaths: 46,324 (+433)
FDOH has moved from daily to weekly reports and removed the COVID-19 dashboard. The state is now releasing a weekly report with local data limited only to number of cases and positivity rate The number of deaths by county or cases by local cities and communities is no longer provided.
Blue Wahoos Score Four Late, Evens Series With Biscuits
September 4, 2021
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored four runs over the final two innings as they surged past Montgomery to a 5-1 win Friday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
With the game tied at 1-1, Kameron Misner led off the eighth inning with a double off Joel Peguero (L, 3-7). For Misner, it was his second double of the game and his third hit of the night. After a productive groundout from Peyton Burdick, Pensacola took the lead on JJ Bleday’s sac fly to center.
The Blue Wahoos added to their lead in the ninth inning, scoring three times of Ivan Pelaez. After Demetrius Sims walked and advanced to second, J.D. Orr grounded a two-out RBI single into right, which made it 3-1 Wahoos. After a single from Misner to set up runners on the corners, Orr scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1. After Burdick walked—still with two outs in the inning—Bleday belted an RBI single to right, which scored Misner and made it 5-1. The former fourth overall pick finished the night with three RBI.
Will Stewart had to grind throughout his outing as the Biscuits had runners in scoring position in each of the first six innings of the game. In the second, Montgomery loaded the bases with nobody out, but after a strikeout, Stewart induced an inning-ending double play from Jake Palomaki to escape the threat.
In third, with one on and two outs, Stewart walked three batters in a row, including a bases-loaded walk to Blake Hunt to give the Biscuits their only run of the night.
In the fourth, Pensacola again escaped danger when with one out, Jim Haley struck out and was called for interference as Navaretto tried to make a throw to second base. That ended the fourth, and in the process Palomaki—who was a runner at third base—was ejected from the game.
Stewart was lifted in the fifth after allowing the first two batters to reach base. He was replaced by Dylan Bice who pitched two scoreless innings, including stranding both runners he inherited. After retiring one batter in the seventh, he was replaced by Andrew McInvale (W, 2-2), who worked 1.2 scoreless innings (his second consecutive scoreless appearance in Montgomery since surrendering the walk-off homer to Chris Betts on July 24th.
With the game clearly in hand, Colton Hock was brought into the game and closed out the ninth once again in scoreless fashion.
The Blue Wahoos will try and take a 3-2 series lead tomorrow night with Jeff Lindgren (4-8, 4.31), who is making his 18th start of the year. Opposing him will be RHP Alex Valverde (2-3, 4.20).
Escambia Commission Censures Doug Underhill For Threats Against County Attorney
September 3, 2021
The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday night to formally censure Commissioner Doug Underhill for his alleged conduct and threats against County Attorney Alison Rogers.
The vote was 4-1, with Underhill against the action. A censure is an official statement of disapproval, condemning a person for misconduct.
The county attorney and the county administrator are the only two employees in the county that work directly for the commission as a whole.
“You are my employer and I have been very lucky for many years to have never felt the need to come to you with an employment problem or complaint. I have certainly had my share of very challenging conversations with my bosses, some of them more challenging than others, but I have never felt the need to come to you with a complaint,” Rogers said after distributing a written letter to the board.
“However, unfortunately, last week, I was threatened in a manner by Commissioner Underhill, which you as (my) employer need to be made aware of. On two occasions, I was threatened that he is going to ‘bash my reputation until the day I resign.’ And he has clearly exhibited the ability to do that and carry it out. The most heartbreaking thing about this is that he’s mad at me for doing my job. He’s mad at me for requesting an advisory opinion from the Commission on Ethics, which is part of my job. I’ve even gotten one for him before. We only made the trip to Tallahassee at the specific request of the executive director and assistant general council to the Commission on Ethics in part because the question was more complex than normal.
“I can assure you, I far would have preferred to have been here, getting my work done,” Rogers said, her voice audibly breaking with emotion.
“If it had been any of the rest of the four of you who had asked me to get an advisory opinion, I would have done the same including from Mr. Underhill. This is not the way an employer should treat their employee and I feel it is egregious I want it memorialized,” Rogers said, asking the commission not to take any specific action other than to place her letter into the minutes of the meeting.
Underhill strongly denied the claims made by Rogers.
“I will say that categorically the words quoted here did not ever escape my lips, nor did they do it twice,” Underhill said. “I did say that it is that the attorney’s conduct has brought shame on this board. And I did state that I think that by the time all of this is said and done, it will be very surprising if you do not escape consequences for those things. That is well within my duties and my responsibilities for the oversight of one of the two full time employees that we have as commissioners.”
“The verbiage is changed a little bit. When I said she states here knows that I have the votes to retain remain my position what I actually said was, you know, you obviously, you are very safe in your position because the displeasure that I have with the attorney for her actions is not something that is mutually agreed upon by this board.”
“Certainly Madam Attorney nothing that I said, was intended to be a threat. Nothing that I was intended to be anything other than my oversight of your job, which is my duty.” Underhill continued. “Certainly there was nothing about bashing a reputation and there was nothing about bashing your reputation. Until the day I resigned, obviously you and I are going to disagree about that. But you know, that is simply the facts as I know them today.”
“I just want to say as another one of Madam Counsel’s employers, the quotes attributed to the colleague are very concerning. I mean, it’s a very concerning…any of us would talk that way to any of our employees. So that’s concerning,” Commissioner Steven Barry said.
“Madam Attorney, not one of us individually has the right to treat you that way,” Commissioner Jeff Bergosh said. “If it was me, if it was any one of us in particular that said anything like that to you, I would simply say…you should have showed that individual the door. This board is your employer and not individual members of the board. If Doug said this to you, he’s way out of bounds by doing it.”
“Doug, I mean, are you saying you didn’t threaten to wreck her reputation until she resigned? Is that what you are saying here?”
“I’m absolutely saying that. Yes, commissioner,” Underhill replied.
Bergosh replied, “you’re saying she put this in writing and lied?”
“Yes, commissioner, that’s what I’m saying” Underhill replied.
“I don’t believe you. I don’t believe you,” Bergosh responded. “I believe her. ”
“You don’t have the right to say anything to her. This board is her boss, not you. You don’t have that right,” Bergosh said. “It’s so upsetting me along with a lot of other crap I’m seeing online from you, I think it’s about time this board took some action. You run us down constantly. Your help from the office runs us down constantly. You are a source of consternation on this board that is unnecessary. And I’m just about fed up with it.”
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Northview Chiefs Beat Lighthouse Academy (With Photo Gallery)
September 3, 2021
The Northview Chiefs won their home opener 43-28 over Lighthouse Private Christian Academy Thursday night in Bratt.
The Chiefs headed into the game with just two days to practice. Hurricane Ida canceled school practices on Monday, leaving just Tuesday and Wednesday to prepare for the Thursday night game.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
With Lighthouse up 12-9, Northview’s Travis Nelson picked off a Lighthouse pass to put Chiefs within range. Jamarkus Jefferson was in from 6 yards out to put the Chief back on top 16-12.
On the next possession, Kaden Odom as defensive back picked off another Lighthouse pass. As quarterback, Odom then found Luke Bridges to give the Chiefs a 22-12 advantage.
With a few ticks of the clock to go in the half, Wyatt Scruggs returned a kick 90 yards to give Northview the lead 29-28 headed into the half.
A long Odom run increased Northview’s lead to 36-28 in the third, and Jefferson sealed the win in the fourth with another TD.
The Chiefs were coming off a 38-14 loss to Flomaton last week. Northview’s Jamarkus Jefferson had first half touchdowns of 17 and 3 yards in the first half before the Hurricanes scores 32 unanswered points in the second half. Lighthouse season opened with the Chiefs.
Northview (1-1) hits Pensacola Bay Bridge on September 10 to take on Gulf Breeze.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here. (Look for a photo gallery with the band and cheerleaders to be published over the weekend.)
NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Explore Tech, Learn To Build Paper Circuits And Mini Robots At The Library
September 3, 2021
This month you can explore technology with a touch of engineering at a West Florida Public Library near you. The first program is this Saturday in Century and is coming to the other branch libraries by the end of the month.
Participants will lean to build paper circuits and mini robots with Cubelets with help from he library’s STEAM team.
The events will take place as follows:
- Saturday, Sept. 4, 1 – 3 p.m. – Century Library
- Tuesday, Sept. 7, 3 – 4 p.m. – Westside Library
- Thursday, Sept. 9, 3 – 4 p.m. – Southwest Library
- Tuesday, Sept. 14, 3 – 4 p.m. – Tryon Library
- Thursday, Sept. 16, 3 – 4 p.m. – Molino Library
- Saturday, Sept. 18, 1 – 3 p.m. – Genealogy Library
- Tuesday, Sept. 21, 3 – 4 p.m. – Pensacola Library
Early Deficit Dooms Blue Wahoos Thursday
September 3, 2021
The Blue Wahoos struggled in all three phases of the game as the Montgomery Biscuits soundly defeated the Wahoos 8-3 on Thursday.
For the third night in a row, Montgomery took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. After the first two batters reached, Jonathan Aranda delivered an RBI single with nobody out off Zach McCambley (L, 1-5) to put Montgomery ahead 1-0.
In the third inning with two outs, Demetrius Sims misplayed a ground ball that allowed Jim Haley to reach. Two batters later, Ruben Cardenas hit a ground ball to Sims, but his running throw sailed past Lazaro Alonso for his second error of the inning. Biscuits ultimately scored three runs to take a 4-0 lead.
The closest Pensacola came in Thursday’s contest came in the top of the fifth. Riley Mahan belted a two-run homer off Easton McGee (W, 5-1) to cut Montgomery’s lead in half.
Unfortunately, after the homer, Montgomery outscored Pensacola 4-1 over the final four innings of play. The bullpen, which had been excellent in the first two games of the series, struggled on Thursday, allowing four runs on six hits in four innings. Offensively, the Wahoos did not fare much better as they were outhit 13-5.
With the loss, Pensacola now sits three games behind the Biscuits for the second and final playoff spot for the Double-A South Championship series.
Man Allegedly Tries To Lure Child From School Bus Stop, ECSO Warns
September 2, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is warning parents about an incident reported Thursday afternoon at a school bus stop.
ECSO said a parent reported that a suspicious man approached their child at a bus stop on the 280-block of East Olive Road.
The man told the child he was sent by the child’s mother to pick them up from the bus stop.
The child ran home and immediately told their parent, who called the ECSO to make a report. The child is safe and with family.
The man is described as a black male in his mid-40s, bald, and clean shaven. He was wearing a red shirt, dark jeans, and white tennis shoes. The man was driving a silver van resembling a mid-2000s Honda Odyssey.
If you have any information about the incident, call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
“Parents and guardians, please make sure to speak to your children about safety at school bus stops,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Two Charged With Escambia County Murder
September 2, 2021
Two Escambia County men were arrested in Mississippi Thursday for an Escambia County murder.
The evening of August 23, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a man down call in the 10000 block of North Loop Road. That’s where they found a 33-year old male deceased with one gunshot wound, sitting in the driver’s seat of a brown Chevrolet Malibu. The engine to the car was still running.
Carlos Antione Holloway and Dewitt Charles Echols are now awaiting extradition on charges of premeditated murder.
The U.S. Marshal’s Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Holloway in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Echols in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Both suspects are awaiting extradition back to Escambia County.
The investigation is continuing and further information has not been released.
Blue Angels November Homecoming Air Show Moved To Pensacola Beach
September 2, 2021
The Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show has been moved to Pensacola Beach. The show dates will remain Friday and Saturday, November 5 and 6.
The change was announced Thursday morning due to COVID-19 restrictions onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola and other naval installations.
“This is a huge disappointment to us. Holding the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at NAS Pensacola is a long, proud, Pensacola tradition that is especially meaningful in this 75th anniversary year,” said Capt. Tim Kinsella, commanding officer of the base. “But, as I’ve said many times before, the links between this community and the military are incredibly strong. This airshow is important to the community, and I think in these times we probably need it more than ever.”
“I reached out to community leaders to see what was possible, and they immediately jumped in with both feet to assist, because they know how important this is to Pensacola,” said Kinsella. “This is Pensacola’s airshow. The Pensacola can-do spirit just makes me so proud to be a part of this community.”
The November show at the beach will be held in the same fashion as the July air show. In addition to the Blue Angels, there will be a handful of aerobatic and stunt plane pilots also performing. However, specific pilots, details and times are still being planned and confirmed.
Here is the schedule, weather permitting:
- Wednesday, Nov. 3: Breakfast with the Blues for circles and arrivals
- Thursday, Nov. 4: Arrival Day and Dress Rehearsal
- Friday, Nov. 5: Homecoming Air Show Day 1
- Saturday, Nov. 6: Homecoming Air Show Day 2
Showtimes are tentative and subject to change as the details are still being arranged. There will be no rain date if Saturday’s air show is delayed or canceled due to weather.
Pictured above: The Blue Angles over Pensacola Beach. Pictured below: NAS Pensacola Capt. Tim Kinsella announced Thursday that the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show has been moved to Pensacola Beach. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
