One Injured In Highway 29 Crash
November 20, 2024
One person was injured in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Highway 29 near West Roberts Road.
The individual was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS following the crash with injuries not considered life threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol has not released the cause of the crash or other details.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Commission Installs Four Commissioners, New Chair And Vice-Chair
November 20, 2024
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners installed the newly elected and re-elected commissioners and reorganized to appoint the new chairman and vice chair during a meeting Tuesday.
During the meeting, District 1 Commissioner Steve Stroberger, District 3 Commissioner Lumon May, and District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry took the oath of office for their term through November 2028. District 4 Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger took the oath of office for her term through November 2026.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“I’m honored to step into the role of County Commissioner for District 1,” Stroberger said. “Although I’m new to elected office, I’ll bring years of executive experience and leadership, a fresh perspective, and a commitment to serving our community with a renewed dedication. Thank you, Escambia County, for your support and trust.”
“What an honor to serve as District 3 Commissioner for another four years,” May said. “I want to thank God and my family for believing in me and giving me the strength to serve my community. It remains my highest honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Escambia County. Investing in human capital has always been my priority and will remain a focus over these next four years. I couldn’t do it without the support of my colleagues on the board, and I’m grateful for their commitment to make Escambia County better for all of our citizens. It’s been a blessing to serve on this board and I look forward to another term as your commissioner.”
“I am honored to serve Escambia County as the District 4 representative and grateful for the trust placed in me by our community,” Hofberger said. “I want to thank everyone who supported me, especially my family. My focus remains clear: to support our first responders, facilitate business growth, and ensure responsible management of taxpayer dollars. I am committed to enhancing resources for those who serve our community, streamlining operations to help local businesses thrive, and making strategic investments that benefit the residents of Escambia County. I look forward to working hard as we complete the projects underway and begin new initiatives that will positively impact our district. I believe that a collaborative approach will allow us to make a lasting difference together.”
“I’m very grateful for another opportunity to serve our community in District 5,” Barry said. “I’m thankful to my wife, Ellen, and of course our children, Sloane and Jack, for their support during my time as District 5 Commissioner, especially now as I enter a fourth term. I could not have been re-elected without Ellen’s love and support, but I would not have ever won, or even run for office, without it. Campaigns are tough on our families, and this was especially tough on ours. I want to also thank the voters for selecting me to represent the community we all love. The attitude of a public servant is one who leads by actions and by service. We’ve made incredible progress in District 5 in the last 12 years, and I intend to keep that momentum going. I look forward to working with my counterparts on the board to continue to move District 5 and Escambia County in a positive direction. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve the community I grew up in. I will continue to work hard to make District 5 the best it can be for our families, children, and neighbors, and I’m excited to see what else we can accomplish for Escambia County.”
In addition, the board reorganized to appoint Kohler as chairman and Hofberger as vice chair. Commissioner Kohler accepted the gavel from former chairman Barry. Commissioner Kohler will serve as the commission chairman until November 2025.
“It’s an honor to serve the citizens of Escambia County and represent District 2 as the chairman,” Kohler said. “I’m grateful to Commissioner Steven Barry for his leadership as chairman over the last year and I’m humbled to accept the gavel from him as incoming chairman. I look forward to a productive year with my colleagues on the board. We are all public servants, and it is our duty to listen and work diligently for what is fair and right. As chairman, I plan to ensure our board maintains integrity, honesty, and transparency. We’ve made great strides over the last year, and I will continue to work with my fellow board members to bring calm and steady leadership that will move Escambia County in a positive direction for our residents.”
A reception was held following the installation ceremony at the Artel Gallery.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Extends Town Management Services Contact With South Florida Company; One Council Member Objects
November 20, 2024
The Century Town Council voted 4-1 Tuesday night to extend a contract with a South Florida company to manage many of the town’s operations, but one council member objected saying the same invoices have been paid multiple times under his watch. Council member Shelisa McCall also questioned what happened to the money and alluded to a leadership problem.
In December 2023, the town accepted a city management company proposal after newly appointed Century interim Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. told the council that he would need help to properly run the town.
The town signed a contract with Local Government Consulting Group (LGCG) of West Palm Beach for up to six months for $7,500 per month.
Under a contract amendment approve June 18, 2024, the rate for LGCG increased to $8,000 per month for town manager services for six months. The town will pay an additional $3,000 per month for grant writing services and $175 per hour for Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Consulting Services.
LGCG will also serve as “Coordinator of Ongoing Projects Services” for $40 per hour.
The new agreement approved Tuesday night will extend the contract under the same rates and terms until June 12, 2025.
LGCG representatives Howard W. Brown Jr., Erin Connelly, and Cheryl Harrison-Lee will provide the various services.
“Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to work for the Town of Century,” Brown said Tuesday night. “I’ve been very happy to serve you guys in this capacity, and I think the new few months might be critical for us to set up some goals.”
“In the next few months, we’ll start putting together an action plan on specifically the town clerk position and the town manager-administrator position,” he continued. “There are things I think would be critical for you was you move forward. You need to have someone in some sort of management capacity.”
“Mr. Brown had been critical in the operation. We have accomplished a major deal of work, and it shows,” Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. said. “He has done tremendous work in bringing issues to light that was never discovered before he came.”
“I said when I took this seat that I felt that the town always needs some sort of administrative leadership, whether it’s Mr. Brown or anybody else. I think it’s critical that we keep some type of day-to-day operations experience of how to operate a city. Hats off to all the previous mayors before me, but my choice is to have someone here to find stuff that I would never think of looking. And that doesn’t mean that I’m incompetent; it’s just that there are specialists for everything, and Mr. Brown is an operation of a city specialist.”
“I appreciate all the work that you put in,” council president Dynette Lewis told Brown. “Any person in this room that volunteered into the at position (town mayor) would need some help…That position does require a little bit more assistance. No one in this room would be able to roll into a roll like that without some type of assistance.”
Before casting the dissenting vote, Council member Shelisa McCall, who attended the meeting remotely by video (pictured left), said she’s noticed a problem with invoices and perhaps management this year.
“In the past six months, we have voted to pay the same three invoices twice,” she said. “When we voted the second time to the exact same invoice, who was paid or where the money went?”
McCall said she voted against paying the invoice more than once, and she declined to name the vendor or specific invoices when asked by Lewis. She did say the invoices were not from Brown or his company.
McCall also expressed that “after every meeting or so”, someone (an employee) just leaves abruptly without an explanation, and I my experience when that happens, it speaks to leadership.”
Pictured top: Howard Brown (left) whose company Local Government Consulting Group acts as town manager for Century and Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. following Tuesday night’s meeting. Pictured top inset: Brown watches a monitor asc ouncil member Shelisa McCall (bottom inset) spoke at the meeting by video. Pictured first below: Brown addresses the council. Pictured bottom: Council members (L-R) Sandra McMurray-Jackson, Dynette Lewis, Henry Cunningham and Alicia Johnson. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New Credit Union Location Planned On Nine Mile Road At Milestone
November 19, 2024
A new credit union has been proposed for Nine Mile Road at Milestone.
The Champions First Credit Union project includes the construction of a 4,208-sf single-story credit union/bank building with a drive-thru on two parcels on Littleton Street at Nine Mile Road, the current site of a car wash.
According to an application filed by Hamilton Engineering, most of the car wash improvements would be removed if the project is approved. The project would be located on two parcels that total just under one acre with access from Littleton Street.
A pre-application meeting on the project is set for Wednesday with the Escambia County Development Review Committee.
According to their website, Champions First Credit Union currently has Pensacola location on North Pace Boulevard and Holsberry Road.
Former Treasurer Indicted On 36 Felony Counts For Allegedly Stealing From NWE Youth Sports
November 18, 2024
The former treasurer of Northwest Escambia Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill has been indicted in Alabama on 36 felony charges for alleged fraud and theft from the organization.
Paula Star Pugh, 50, was indicted by a grand jury in Escambia County, Alabama, on one count of theft by deception first degree, one count of theft of property first degree, 25 counts of fraudulent use of a credit or debit card and nine counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument third degree. All 36 charges are felonies.
Pugh was originally charged in Escambia County, Alabama, in April 2023 with two felonies — grand theft and fraud. According to court documents, the Office of the State Attorney First Judicial Circuit of Florida dropped prosecution in the case for “jurisdiction reasons” in early June 2023. The Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office then turned their investigative files and evidence over to the Atmore Police Department.
Day later, Atmore Police charged Pugh with nine counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument third degree, and one count each of theft by deception first degree, and theft by deception second degree. All of the charges are felonies.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pugh was the elected treasurer/bookkeeper since 2017 for NWE with the alleged thefts taking place from July 26, 2021, until December 9, 2022.
“During this time Pugh wrote checks on NWE’s account which she cashed for personal use, completed unauthorized debit transactions for personal use, and completed numerous ATM withdrawals for personal use,” the ECSO investigator wrote in his report, noting that Pugh had no receipt or explanation for the transactions.
According to a Florida warrant affidavit, the transactions included numerous cash ATM withdrawals from an Atmore bank; purchases from Shell Oil and Papa John’s Pizza in Tampa, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Home Goods Online; and eight checks payable to Cash that were signed by Pugh totaling $9,226. The transactions are detailed in the image below.
NWE first reported the misuse of funds to law enforcement on December 20, 2022, and an investigation was launched by the ECSO. Over the next several weeks, an ECSO investigator and ballpark officials examined the league’s financial records and built a ledger of transactions attributed to Pugh with no receipt or explanation, the report states. Deputies said the NWE board attempted at least twice to meet with Pugh and obtain receipts, but the attempts were unsuccessful.
The investigation also indicated that a ball tournament completed on June 13, 2022, yielded receipts/cash profit of $10,012.66. According to the warrant affidavit: Pugh sent a text message on June 13 that a deposit of $2,690 would be made the following day. On June 14, a deposit was made at NWE’s bank in Atmore for $1,557.10. “The difference in the amount to be deposited and the amount actually deposited could not be explained,” the report notes.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said numerous attempts were made by phone and in person by the investigator to contact Pugh with no result, until she returned contact on March 7, 2023. Pugh’s statements to law enforcement were redacted from the warrant affidavit.
Florida authorities alleged the following transactions were fraudulent, according to court documents. Pugh is not currently charged with all of these transactions.
Editor’s note: Northwest Escambia Bradberry Park is not affiliated with, Little League, Northwest Escambia (NWE) Football & Cheer at Bradberry Park.
