Chance Of Rain Thursday, Thursday Night
November 14, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 51. North wind around 5 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Thursday Night: Rain likely, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 61. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Calm wind.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 62.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 65.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 66.
Fire Heavily Damages Home In Century
November 13, 2019
Fire heavily damaged a home in Century Wednesday night, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
The home on Gilford Avenue at the intersection of Bonwell Street was fully involved when first responders arrived on scene.
The fire also damaged at least two vehicles and melted the vinyl siding on a nearby residence.
There were no injuries reported in the 6:20 p.m. blaze. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Century, McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Flomaton Fire Department, Jay Fire Department and Escambia County EMS responded to the fire.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Plane Makes Emergency Landing In Extreme North Santa Rosa County
November 13, 2019
A small plane made an emergency landing in a field in extreme north Santa Rosa County Wednesday. The plane came down in a field along Munson Highway on the Florida-Alabama state line in McLellan community. Officials said there were no injuries. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Court Upholds Life Sentence For Mary Rice, Convicted Of Beulah Murder In 2017 Crime Spree
November 13, 2019
The First District Court of Appeal has upheld the sentence of Mary Barbara Craig Rice.
Rice was sentenced to life in prison on September 28, 2018. She and William (Billy) Boyette went on an eight-day, multi-state crime spree that caused the death of four women.
Rice and Boyette fled to a hotel in West Point, Georgia, where Rice eventually surrendered. Boyette was found inside their motel deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
She was convicted of first degree murder for the death of Kayla Crocker in Beulah and accessory after the fact for the homicides of Alicia Greer and Jacqueline Moore at the Emerald Sands Inn in Santa Rosa County. Crocker, a 2006 Tate High School graduate, was found by her mother on February 6, 2017, with a gunshot wound to her head.
Pictured top: Billy Boyette and Mary Rice captured on a game camera. Pictured below: The scene at the home of Kayla Crocker in Beulah shortly after her 2017 murder. NorthEscambia.com photos.
It Was Colder This Morning Here In Florida Than It Was In Anchorage, Alaska
November 13, 2019
It was colder in Northwest Florida this morning than it was in Anchorage, Alaska.
An automated personal weather station in Walnut Hill fell to 23.5, and weather network station at Northview High School fell to 24.9 degrees.
The low this morning in Anchorage? 29 degrees.
Here are lows from around the area Wednesday morning:
Walnut Hill (personal weather station) — 23.5
Northview High School — 25 degrees
Molino (personal weather station) — 26
Tate High School — 26 degrees
Pine Forest High School — 27 degrees
UWF — 27 degrees
West Florida High School — 27 degrees
Washington High School — 28 degrees
Pensacola High School — 28 degrees
Pictured: The temperature fell to 24.9 degrees at 3:56 a.m Wednesday at Northview High School in Bratt.
A Hero’s Farewell: Last Call Sounds For Fallen District Fire Chief Bradshaw (With Photo Gallery)
November 13, 2019
Funeral services will held Tuesday for Escambia Fire Rescue District Chief Dwain Bradshaw.
Bradshaw, 41, lost his life last week in the line of duty on scene of a fatal crash on the Muscogee Bridge. He was a volunteer district chief at the Bellview Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, volunteer assistant district chief for the Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, and lived a life of public service.
“Dwain Bradshaw. Dwain had a servant’s heart and a concern for others,” Beulah District Chief Steve McNair said during the funeral service at Hillcrest Baptist Church. Bradshaw was set to take over as Beulah chief after McNair’s retirement. “His heart was in training. He wanted everyone to be the best at what they did.”
“He was the Statue of Liberty who held a beacon of light to help others find their way. He loved his country; he served his country, and he fought for his country for our freedom,” the Beulah chief continued. “He loved Escambia County Fire Rescue and strived to make it better.”
“Dwain would tell you never leave home to start your shift without telling your family that you love them, and giving them a kiss.Because none of us ever know that when we leave if we will be able to do that again. Try to make yourself and your fellow brothers and sisters better,” McNair told the firefighters in attendance. “Just remember family first, service always.”
“I first met Dwain when he was about 10 or 11 years old when his father Dwain, Sr. joined the fire department,” Escambia Fire Chief Paul Williams said as he reminisced about watching him grow up into a man dedicated to service. “He was a man who devoted his entire adult life to serving not only his country, but serving his community. Also not only a man who gave in life, but continued to give in his death as an organ donor. That’s a legacy that Dwain will leave.”
“Dwain and I started in the fire services as junior fighters at Ensley,” an emotional Ferry Pass District Chief Mike Aaron said. “Dwain was there for me from the beginning to the end…Dwain would be proud today…He loved the fire service. He loves all of you. Y’all make what today is going to be, special for him. All I ask is let’s do it right. Let’s show him the honor, and let’s show him the respect, and thank you.”
Bradshaw was also a Department of Defense firefighter at Naval Air Station Pensacola, an U.S. Army veteran, a member of the Mississippi Air National Guard and a former police officer in Bay Minette.
A lengthy funeral procession with dozens of emergency vehicles from departments across the Gulf Coast traveled from Hillcrest Baptist along Nine Mile and Pine Forest roads to his final resting place at Pensacola Memorial Gardens. Bradshaw’s flag-draped coffin was carried open-air in the back of an antique fire engine. Along the way, people line the roadway, many holding flags blowing in a frigid north wind. Some stood with their hands over their hearts.
During the graveside service, Bradshaw was honored with a 21-gun salute and a flyover by LifeFlight.
A fireman’s bell tolled in his honor, and an Escambia County Fire dispatcher conducted a “last call” over the county’s fire radio system to his radio number “101″.
“Escambia to 101,” the dispatcher called with no response.
“Escambia to Chief Dwain Bradshaw,” the dispatcher said, her voice resounding across the handheld radios at the service.
The radio silence was broken again, this time by tones used to alert firefighters to important information, followed by:
“There is no response from Chief Drain Bradshaw. Chief Dwain Bradshaw has answered his last call. The members of Escambia Fire Rescue thank Chief Dwain Bradshaw for his years of service to the citizens of Escambia County. Although you are gone sir, you will never be forgotten.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds/NorthEscambia.com, Kristi Barbour/NorthEscambia.com, Meg Burke/Milestones Studios, and Damien Roberts/Milestones Studios, click to enlarge.
Century’s Computer System Down Today; Utility Payments Still Accepted
November 13, 2019
The Town of Century’s computer servers will be down for maintenance on Wednesday, November 13.
Customers will be able to make utility payments and will receive a handwritten receipt during the downtime, according to a town notice.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Median Closure: Quintette Road Access To/From Highway 29 To Be Greatly Limited
November 13, 2019
Access to and from Quintette Road at Highway 29 will be greatly limited beginning Thursday.
The Highway 29 median at Quintette Road will be closed Thursday and remain closed for about a month, according to Ian Satter, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation.
Southbound Highway 29 traffic will no longer be able to turn left onto Quintette Road, and Quintette Road traffic will no longer be able to turn left (southbound) onto Highway 29 as a result of the closure.
The median closure will allow the construction of new turn lanes in both directions of Highway 29 at Quintette Road. The project does not include a traffic signal.
Pictured: The intersection of Highway 29 and Quintette Road on Tuesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Former ECUA Recycling Manager Charged With Stealing Over Half Million
November 13, 2019
A former recycling manager at the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) has been charged with stealing over a half million dollars worth of recyclables through a shell company he owned.
Jarrell Lamar Reynolds, age 42 of Pensacola, was charged with grand theft and fraud. He was later released from jail on a $100,0000 bond.
In September of 2018, Reynolds was hired by ECUA to manage the recycling operation at the Perdido Landfill.
“He was hired, according to ECUA management, because of his experience in the industry and his personal contacts with potential new vendors and customers,” an arrest report states. “ECUA believed that hiring Reynolds would increase the efficiency of the the recycling operation and increase their revenues through the introduction of new customers for their recyclable material.”
On December 5, 2018, Reynolds chartered a company called JAT Recycling in Georgia, and he was lone officer of the company. It was through this company investigators said he received funds from three legitimate ECUA customers and converted the proceeds for his personal use, including a $16,000 down payment on a Porsche Panamera.
The three companies — ASM Recycling, Wise Recycling and Cellmark — are all legitimate companies that purchase recyclables in bulk for processing or transport them to other companies where they are turned into viable, sellable products.
Investigators said it appeared management at Cellmark and ASM were led to believe that Reynolds’ JAT was acting as a broker between ECUA and their companies.
“This is not an unusual step, where a broker plays matchmaker between seller and buyer and takes a small percentage of the sale in commission. In this instance, however, JAT has so far kept all the proceeds and refused to have any additional contact with ECUA,” the arrest report states.
ECUA left his position suddenly and without notice near the end of January 2019, shortly after an ECUA auditor began to ask questions. There continued to be email correspondence for a short time between ECUA and Reynolds where JAT promised to make payment.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said JAT and Reynolds received $510,000 in a Suntrust bank account from Cellmark, ASM and Wise Recycling for material taken from ECUA’s recycling facility. Bank records also show Reynolds withdrew $482,330 in cash and checks from the account.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office made repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact Reynolds, but calls were all unreturned. Email contact attempts were also unsuccessful.
When the ECUA director of finance sent an invoice to JAT Recycling in March 2019, they received this response: “Payments are pending due to the criminal investigation of Jarrell Reynolds. All commodities were legally sold to JAT Recycling and we take full accountability of funds due. Please cease and desist all criminal actions against Jarrell Reynolds so we can move forward with getting this paid.”
There was been no additional contact from JAT to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office or ECUA.
Pictured top: The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF). File photo.
Escambia School District Names Top 10 Teachers Of The Year
November 13, 2019
The Escambia County School District has announced their Top Ten Teachers of the Year.
They are, in alphabetical order:
- Kadee Barnett – Beulah Elementary School
- Jacqueline Chabot - Montclair Elementary School
- Mary Kate Griffith – Booker T. Washington High School
- Maureen Harden – Bailey Middle School
- Marlena Lewis – Warrington Middle School
- Michelle Lingo – Bellview Middle School
- Cheyenna Novotny – West Florida High School
- David Vaughn – Navy Point Elementary
- Jodi Woods – Ransom Middle School
- Tamika Wyrick – Sherwood Elementary School
The Escambia County School District’s Teacher of the Year will be named at the Golden Apple Awards in January.