Flomaton Man Arrested In Atmore For Possession of Fentanyl, Cocaine
November 14, 2024
A traffic stop for faulty lighting led the arrest of a Flomaton man on drug charges in Atmore.
Joel Howell, 59, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of marijuana second degree, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
An Atmore Police Department officer stopped Howell’s vehicle on South Main Street due to a lighting violation. A K-9 that responded to to the scene and alerted on the vehicle after Howell acted “suspiciously”, according to police.
During a probable cause search of the vehicle, officers reported finding 12 grams of a white powdery substance that field tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl pills, a small amount of marijuana, and other items used for the storage and use of narcotics.
Howell was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton. His mugshot was not immediately available.
Escambia Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking
November 14, 2024
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to state prison for trafficking fentanyl.
Circuit Court Judge Linda Nobles sentenced Edward Eugene Williams to 25 years in state prison, with a mandatory minimum of seven years to be served without the possibility of early release, for trafficking in fentanyl. In addition, Williams was ordered to pay a $50,000 fine.
The case stemmed from an incident on August 26, 2023, when deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office stopped Williams for a broken headlight at the intersection of Pensacola Boulevard and Burgess Road. Officers noted his nervous behavior, and Williams admitted his license was suspended. A K9 unit alerted officers to the presence of drugs in the vehicle, leading to a search that uncovered over six grams of fentanyl, along with drug paraphernalia including scales, baggies, and pipes. A receipt bearing Williams’ name was also found with the drugs.
Following a one-hour deliberation, an Escambia County jury found Williams guilty on all counts. Prosecutor Christopher Patterson emphasized the severe impact of fentanyl on the community, stating, “Fentanyl has wreaked havoc on our community, and those who traffic in it must be held accountable.”
Tate High Softball’s Kara Wine Signs With The University of South Alabama
November 14, 2024
Tate High School senior Kara Wine on Wednesday signed to play Division 1 Softball at the University of South Alabama Jaguars. A standout player at Tate, Wine has played on the varsity team since her freshman year. S
During the first three years of her career at Tate, she broke numerous records including most homeruns in a single season with nine, the career homerun record with 20, slugging percentage, and career RBI’s.
For a photos gallery, click here.
Kara is the president of the senior class and has excelled academically with a 4.55 GPA. She was named to the Tate High School Hall of Fame. She also participates in Beta Club, National Honor Society, FCA, SEB, and has played volleyball and golf at Tate.
She was joined for her signing Wednesday by her fellow Lady Aggies, her travel ball team the “Showstoppers”, former and current coaches, teachers, family, and friends.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Update: Northwest Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz Resigns From Congress After AG Nomination
November 13, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said he will nominate Northwest Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida to serve as his attorney general. Gaetz then resigned from Congress.
Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Gaetz submitted his resignation. He said that will give Gov Ron DeSantis “about an eight-week period” to fill the vacancy, or early as January 3.
Meanwhile, Trump praised Gaetz as his AG selection.
“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement.
“Matt is a deeply gifted and tenacious attorney, trained at the William & Mary College of Law, who has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice. Few issues in America are more important than ending the partisan Weaponization of our Justice System,” Trump wrote on social media platform X. “On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization. He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.”
“It will be an honor to serve as President Trump’s Attorney General,” Gaetz responded on X.
New ‘Wind Phone’ In Cantonment ‘Connects’ Grieving Families With Deceased Loved Ones
November 13, 2024
Phones have always been the way for grieving to connect with loved ones that they have lost.
Near the back of the demonstration garden at the Escambia County Extension Office at 3740 Stefani Road now sits an old rotary phone in a wooden box. It’s in a quiet space, with a bench under the trees. Just the sounds of nature and a few nearby wind chimes.
It’s known as a wind phone. It will never ring. No wires, no service, no cell signal, no Wi-Fi. It’s a rotary phone, that’s connected to nothing, except the wind.
“It is connected by love to everywhere and nowhere,” the sign inside the wooden box with an old rotary phone says. “Let the wind carry your words to them.”
Jennifer Bartok carefully dialed a number Tuesday morning, as a light misty rain fell, and occasional big drops fell from the surrounding trees. When she finishes dialing, she steps back and pauses, holding the phone cord.
“Hello Alana,” she said. She sits down on a nearby bench, next to an azalea, with a variety name that’s perhaps appropriate — Autumn Angel. There’s also an angel statue nearby.
“I miss you, and please watch over everybody that comes and uses this wind phone to connect with their loved ones,” Jennifer says to Alana, “that didn’t have a chance to say goodbye like me.”
Jennifer never had that chance to say goodbye to her 17-year-old daughter Alana. On April 10, 2022, Alana passed away in a car crash that was no fault of her own when another driver ran a redlight. Jennifer never had that chance to tell Alana goodbye.
Wind phones came to be in Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that suddenly claimed nearly 20,000 people…people that loved ones were not able to tell goodbye. With a wind phone, which lost loved one is somehow there, on the other end of the line. It’s the only wind phone within hours of Pensacola. That prompted Jennifer to find a location for Cantonment’s very own wind phone.
“I could not find one within a five-hour drive,” she said. “You get to say goodbye, and the wind will carry your message to the people you never got to say goodbye to. That’s why this is being donated in my daughter’s Alana Grace’s Galloping Foundation in her honor, and hopefully it helps some people say goodbye.”
“I miss you,” Jennifer said before ending her wind phone conversation with Alana, taking a deep breath as her voice started to quiver. “Keep looking over your grandpa Ron and give him a kiss for me. darling.”
Somehow the longest of long-distance calls provides a bit of inexplicable solace. There’s no sense to call from a phone connected to nothing. But as people speak grief to the wind offers a connection that heals.
I’ll be honest; it was a little awkward for this first time using it this morning with people around, ” she said. “But I do think if I came here by myself and sat down, I’d probably be emotional, and I would feel a sense of peace and connection.”
That’s the point of whispers in the wind. If you listen, you’ll hear more than just the rustling of the trees.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Couple Wins State Agriculture Competition, $45,000 Prize
November 13, 2024
Brandt and Samantha Hendricks of Jay were recently named the state winners of the Florida Farm Bureau’s coveted Achievement in Agriculture award. The couple will advance to the national competition at the American Farm Bureau’s national convention early next year.
Brandt and Samantha are third generation farmers of Hendricks & Son Farms. They grow cotton, peanuts and hay and raise direct-to-consumer beef cattle.
“To be able to represent our fellow young farmers and ranchers is a responsibility we don’t take lightly, and we know we are truly blessed to have an opportunity to make a living from the land we care about so much,” said Brandt. “We couldn’t have done it without the help of Florida Farm Bureau and the platform they have given producers in this state. We also wouldn’t be here without the foundations previous generations have established and because of that, we would like to thank our family for their dedication to farming and giving us the opportunity to continue the legacy they have created.”
The couple will receive a $45,000 cash prize, a $500 cash award and an expense-paid trip to compete for the national title at the 2025 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas in January of 2025.
The Achievement in Agriculture Award recognizes members of Florida Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers program who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau.
Pictured: Pictured left to right: Florida Farm Bureau President Jeb S. Smith, Brandt and Samantha Hendricks, and Florida Farm Bureau Insurance President and CEO Scott Martin. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Paying $500 COVID-19 Stipend To Some Employees
November 13, 2024
The Century Town Council recently approved and a $500 stipend for some r some employees.
The council voted to approve one-time $500 stipend payments to eligible employees “in recognition of their contributions during the Town’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The council authorized an expenditure of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the bonus for employees that were employed prior to May 11, 2023. Like other municipalities, Century has until the end of the year to obligate their ARPA funds and until December 31, 2026, to fully expand the funds.
Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. said the employees deserved to be recognized for their efforts during COVID. He said a total 11 employees will receive the stipend payments.
NorhtEscambia.com file photo.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Creating Law Enforcement Memorial Plaza
November 13, 2024
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Escambia County Sheriff Foundation, is has announced the development of a Law Enforcement Memorial Plaza. This project will honor deputies who made the ultimate sacrifice and serve as a place of remembrance, healing, and connection for the community.
“Our current memorial has served us well as a solemn site of reflection,” said Sheriff Chip W. Simmons, “but we dream of something more—a memorial that doesn’t just sit apart from us, but welcomes us in. A space that invites families and neighbors to gather, to grieve, and to find peace together. The new Memorial Plaza will be open, inviting, and woven into the fabric of our community. It will stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of the deputies who protected us and the community that stands behind them.”
The memorial plaza will become a focal point in front of the main Sheriff’s Office on Leonard Street, reinforcing its symbolic importance. The ECSO said the newly designed space will offer a place where memories are shared, where grief is met with support, and where citizens can all come together–united in appreciation for those who sacrificed their lives for our safety
The partnership with the Sheriff Foundation will provide the funding and no tax dollars will be used in the construction. The Escambia County Sheriff Foundation is soliciting donations of any size, with recognition opportunities available at various levels. “The Foundation Board is deeply honored to support the creation of this Memorial Plaza,” said Foundation President Whitney C. Lucas. “This project embodies our commitment to honoring the brave heroes of the Sheriff’s Office. We believe this plaza will be a welcoming space of remembrance that invites citizens to connect with their Sheriff’s Office while focusing on the shared values that keep our community strong.”
A public groundbreaking ceremony is being planned for January 2025 with the project’s final completion slated for April of that year.
Photos and images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Details Emerge In Fatal DUI Crash That Killed 14-Year-Old Cantonment Boy; Driver Released On Bond
November 13, 2024
An Alabama man charged with the DUI death of a 14-year-old Cantonment boy was released on bond Tuesday night.
Shawn Reynolds Wilber, 49, was arrested for DUI with serious bodily injury after the November 6 crash on I-10 in Escambia County that injured five other Cantonment residents. He was later released from the Escambia County Jail on bond. He was arrested again Sunday and charged with both DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
After bond was set during a court hearing Tuesday, Wilber was released from the Escambia County Jail at 6:30 p.m. on a $101,500 bond. He is due back in court later this month.
A newly obtained arrest report reveals more details about the crash.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Wilber was driving a 2005 Dodge Ram pickup. He told troopers that he lost control of his pickup truck due to a wet roadway when he changed lanes at about 65 mph. Both vehicles rolled and came to a stop of their driver’s sides following a collision.
An investigating trooper noted the odor of alcohol on Wilber’s breath and roadside sobriety exercise were performed, indicating impairment, according to the arrest report. He was transported to West Florida Hospital for a blood sample, but the results of the test were not included in the report.
Cantonment Rotary Donates To Hurricane Relief
November 13, 2024
The Cantonment Rotary Club recently made a large hurricane relief donation to Rotary District 6940, which includes Florida to the Big Bend area.
After another hurricane caused significant damage in North Carolina, Cantonment Rotary made an additional $1,000 donation to the American Red Cross to help those in need in western North Carolina. Throughout the year, Cantonment Rotary provides contributions to various organizations that need help.
Pictured: Terri Jenkins of American Red Cross; Chris Aycock, recent board member for American Red Cross; and Bill Farinas, president of Cantonment Rotary. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.