Rex A. Walker
May 20, 2013
Mr. Rex A. Walker, 52 of Atmore, passed away Sunday, May 19, 2013, in Pensacola. He was born in Ozark, AL on October 1, 1960, to the late Elvin Richmond and Willie Dean Brown Walker. He was a carpenter most of his life. He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Johnny Walker and sister, Willie Pearl Reeves.
He is survived by his wife, Angel Pugh of Atmore; two daughters, Miranda Walker of Montgomery, AL and Betty Nichole Walker of Gordon, AL; two sons, Aaron Morris and Edward Powell both of Atmore; brothers, Wayne Walker, William Walker, Sr. and Gerald Walker all of Ozark, AL; and his grandchildren, Alyssa-Ann, Alexis, Jeremyah and “Dubby”.
A Memorial Service will be handled by the family at a later date.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Mobile Beats Wahoos In 11
May 20, 2013
The Mobile BayBears offense awakened late in Sunday’s contest, tying the game in the ninth before winning it with three runs in the 11th inning, 6-3, over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Mobile’s Jon Griffin proved to be the difference in the contest, providing the game-tying single to right in the ninth inning before smacking a two-run base knock up the middle in the 11th. The BayBears added two more tallies in the 11th on a wild pitch scoring Griffin and an RBI single from Rossmel Perez.
The BayBear comeback nullified an outstanding outing from Daniel Renken. He made his first relief appearance since 2010 due to Manny Parra’s Major League rehab start. Renken was phenomenal in six-plus innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four. Parra faced the minimum in two innings, walking one and striking out one.
Pensacola got on the board early with a first-pitch leadoff home run from Bryson Smith in the first inning. It was Smith’s fifth blast of the year, tying him for the team lead with now Major Leaguer Donald Lutz.
After Mobile tied the game in the top of the fourth, the Wahoos retook the lead in the last of the fourth on a sac fly from Tucker Barnhart scoring Ryan LaMarre, but lost another runner at the plate as Travis Mattair was thrown out from left field trying to score on David Vidal’s single with two outs.
The series continues on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. Josh Smith (3-3, 3.86) will start for Pensacola against Mobile’s Michael Bolsinger (2-0, 3.63)
story by Kevin Burke
Photos by Gary McCracken, click to enlarge.
Body Of Missing Autistic Boy Found
May 19, 2013
The body of a missing 7-year old autistic boy was located in the water off Perdido Key Sunday afternoon.
“A citizen in Perdido Key observed him in the water washing toward shore. An immediate response has determined that he succumbed to drowning. There are no indications of foul play; however the standard investigative and medical examiners protocols will apply,” Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said. “We ask for the community and nation’s prayers for this family in mourning and our thanks are again extended to all law enforcement, military, state and federal agencies as well as the hundreds of volunteers who responded to Owen’s call.”
Saturday and Sunday, hundreds of volunteers joined multiple law enforcement agencies and search and rescue teams on Perdido Key looking for Owen Elliot Black.
He was last seen Friday afternoon on Perdido Key Drive in the vicinity of the Needle Rush condos. Black was on vacation with his mother, but wandered away on his own. Authorities had hoped that Black was simply hiding, avoiding strangers like he was taught.
Saturday’s major search ended at dark, but a small group searched into the night, riding through neighborhoods and with flashlights. The full scale land, air and sea search began again at daybreak Sunday.
Pictured below: Escambia Search and Rescue K-9 “Neko” searches from boat near Perdido Key. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Forecast: Bumping Into 90
May 19, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night: Patchy dense fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night: Patchy dense fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Light southeast wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
- Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Northview Splits Two Spring Jamboree Games (With Photo Gallery)
May 19, 2013
The Florida 1A state champion Northview Chiefs took on a couple of Alabama teams in spring football games Saturday afternoon in East Brewton, Ala.
The Chiefs defeated Andalusia High School 12-6 in a two-quarter game before losing 22-12 to Hillcrest of Evergreen (Ala.).
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Andalusia, click here.
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Evergreen, click here.
For Northview Coach Sid Wheatley, Saturday was a chance to check out the strengths — and weaknesses — of a team that’s full of new, young faces with 24 seniors graduating. There were three ninth graders starting for the Chiefs Saturday.
“We’re talking about fundamentals…we’ve got to get better as blockers and tacklers,” Wheatley said after Northview’s 1-1 jamboree performance. “Our young offensive linemen are going to keep getting better and better because we are going to coach them up. We are kind of struggling right there at this moment…this was kind of a landmark to see where we are at and were we will progress from here.”
Summer will bring long days at practice and new plans for the Chiefs.
“We will evolve our offensive package during the summer,” Wheatley said. “I did not want to throw too much at the young faces during the spring.”
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Andalusia, click here.
For a photo gallery from Northview vs. Evergreen, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Powerball Frenzy Fairly Tame In North Escambia; One Florida Ticket Wins All
May 19, 2013
The frenzy over Saturday’s $600 million Powerball drawing wasn’t much more than a stir in North Escambia during the early evening hours.
A billboard displaying the $600 million estimated prize lured drivers across the state line from Atmore. Just feet into Florida, the parking lot at the Grey Goose lounge was full of mostly Alabama tags as a short line formed outside the building. Just down Highway 97 at the Davisville BP, the parking lot — and, at times, the side of Highway 97, was full of wannabe millionaires.
Saturday night’s drawing was winner takes all, with one winning ticket sold at a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills.
The winning Powerball numbers drawn late Saturday were 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 with Powerball number 11.
Pictured top: A small line for Powerball tickets forms outside the Grey Goose lounge, just feet from the Alabama state line. Pictured inset: Atmore drivers were tempted by this $600 million billboard located on the state line. Pictured below: Millionaire hopefuls fill the parking lot of the Davisville BP Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: ARTmore Celebrates The Arts With Gallery Night
May 19, 2013
A few dozen artists from South Alabama and Northwest Florida took part in the inaugural “ARTmore” gallery night event in Atmore Saturday evening. The event gathered artists, photographers, potters, crafters, musicians and more on the streets of Atmore.
For NorthEscambia.com ARTmore photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Saturday evening’s “ARTmore” gallery night in downtown Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
NWE 15U Boys Win Bay Minette Youth Baseball Tournament
May 19, 2013
Northwest Escambia’s 15U Boys won the Bay Minette Youth Baseball tournament Saturday in Bay Minette. NWE’s tournament record was 4-1. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mobile BayBears Even Series With 4-1 Over Blue Wahoos
May 19, 2013
The Mobile BayBears scored in four straight innings, slowly separating themselves from the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in a 4-1 win on Saturday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Entering the third inning trailing 1-0, Mobile put up single tallies in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth frames. Justin Greene provided the tying RBI with a two-out double in the third and two innings later, made it 3-1 with another double that scored Ender Inciarte. Nick Evans launched a solo homer in the fourth that gave Mobile a 2-1 lead. It was Evans’ seventh homer of the year, and fourth in the last five games. The BayBears scored their fourth run thanks to a passed ball scoring Brent Clevlen in the sixth inning.
Pensacola’s lone tally against Archie Bradley came in the first inning. The Wahoos were able to load the bases with nobody out on a hit batter, single and an error. Joe Mather brought a run home with a sac fly, but Bradley retired the next two hitters to get out of the jam.
The Wahoos ended up tying a season-high with 12 runners left on base, including the bases loaded in the eighth as Kevin Munson struck out Bryson Smith. Munson went on to pick up his sixth save of the season.
Bradley picked up his third win in four starts at Double-A, allowing a run on five hits in six innings while striking out five. He bested Ryan Dennick (2-3) who gave up three runs (two earned) on seven hits in five frames.
The two teams square off again on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. Manny Parra (0-0, 0.00) will make his third rehab start for Pensacola and will be followed by Daniel Renken (1-3, 4.58). David Holmberg (1-2, 2.20) will start for Mobile.
story by Kevin Burke
Scalpball Tourney Raises Funds For HS Volleyball Program
May 19, 2013
Winners in the annual Northview High School Scalpball Tournament Saturday were Nada Es Facil in the teen bracket (below) and D’s Balls in the adult division (above). Proceeds from the event benefit the volleyball program at Northview High School. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
