Oscar Ruel Davis
June 19, 2020
Oscar Ruel Davis, 89, of Pensacola, Florida passed away on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.
He was born in Clay County, Alabama to Lillie Lowrey Davis and Edgar Ross Davis. He was a resident of Shelton Manor at the time of his passing. He had previously been a member of Plainview Baptist but was a Charter Member of Hillcrest Church at the time of his passing.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Lois Bell Davis, daughter, Roberta (Robbie) Davis; grandson, Troy Wilson and sister, Miriam (Mickey) Davis Fowler.
He is survived by his two daughters, Miriam (Mickey) Neese and her husband, Joseph H. Neese; Vicki Marian Sharp and her husband, David Sharp; brother, Timothy Ross Davis; two granddaughters, Christine (Jeff) Nieves and their two children, Bianca and Enzo; Kimberly (Chad) Joylin Nelson and their son, Chase. He also leaves behind sister-in-law, Jo Ann (Tommy) Presley and numerous nieces and nephews to cherish his memory.
He led a full life enjoying writing, painting and telling stories. He loved to work and met many friends throughout his years in various jobs. Oscar worked for Betsy Ross Bread, Southern Bread, Sunbeam Bread and Pepperidge Farm Bread companies.
He also worked for Borden Dairy, Red Diamond Coffee and Davis Coffee Services. Later, he worked for the Division of Blind Services, downtown Pensacola and at Pensacola NAS. His last request was to be buried in a RED DIAMOND COFFEE CAN!
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2020 with visitation from 4:00-5:00pm and service at 5:00pm at Hillcrest Church, 800 N. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola, Florida 32514.
Two More COVID-19 Deaths, 37 New Cases In Escambia County; Florida Sets New Single Day Increase Record
June 18, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST.
Two more COVID-19 deaths and 37 new positive cases were reported Thursday in Escambia County, as Florida once again set a new record high for the most cases reported in a single day.
The deaths were a 76-year old male and a 92-year old female, both of which were long-term care facility residents.
The number of cases in Escambia County is now 1,089, and Santa Rosa County increased by 14 to 319.
Of the 40 deaths in Escambia County, 31 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been nine deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Florida jumped by 3,207 on Thursday, a new record for a daily increase.
Statewide, there were 85,926 cases including 83,854 Florida residents. There have been 12,577 hospitalizations* and 3,061 deaths. The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 1,089 (+37 since Wednesday)
- Pensacola — 758
- Cantonment — 62
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid — 2
- Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 16
- Century — 5
- Hospitalizations: 72*
- Deaths — 40
- Male — 349
- Female — 480
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 319 (+14 since Wednesday)
- Milton — 180
- Navarre — 52
- Gulf Breeze — 42
- Pace — 22
- Jay — 4
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 26*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 199
- Female — 100
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 98
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 85,926
- Florida residents — 83,854
- Deaths — 3,061
- Hospitalizations — 12,577
*“Hospitalizations” is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized.
Former Nanny, Porn Actress Now Charged With Human Trafficking
June 18, 2020
A former nanny and foster care provider arrested in April on child sex charges has now been charged with human trafficking.
Nicole Lynn Walter, age 27 of 10071 Foxrun Road, was previously charged with lewd and lascivious exhibition with a victim under 16, possession of child pornography, battery of a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence. Walter, according to investigators, is a porn actress.
“We continued our investigation and determined there was an exchange of money for a video that was made involving some minor children,” said Chief Deputy Chip Simmons. “This was an individual from out of state that engaged with Walter.”
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office obtained at least three videos filmed by Walter between 2017 and 2018 in which she allegedly performed sexual acts in front of small children as they were crying and playing the background, the report states. The children are now ages 3 and 6, but the youngest was 15 months old when the videos were recorded.
According to an arrest report, investigators interviewed at least one person that paid Walter for videos. He told investigators that she had price rates for videos with or without the children, and she offered live Skype video calls with a child seen on camera for $8 per minute.
Simmons said Walter was paid at least $100 for one video.
Walter has also used the names Nicole Steff and Nicole Stearns, according to investigators. She remained in the Santa Rosa County Jail without bond.
According to a tip received by the Florida Abuse Hotline, Walter is self-employed porn actress that makes videos of herself masturbaing in public locations. Investigators were given a thumb drive containing three video files depicting Walter in various public places masturbating in the presence of the underage victims.
A three-year old female told investigators that Walter touched her privates and took photographs, according to an arrest report.
A Florida Department of Law Enforcement K-9 located a micro SD card underneath drawers in the bedroom that contained child pornography depicting female approximately 10-13 years old nude and posing in sexual positions, the report states. A laptop seized as evidence contained a videos of a completely nude Walter masturbating and engaging in conversation with two children and a third person whose name was redacted from the arrest report.
Toddler Run Over By Pickup Truck Wednesday Evening
June 18, 2020
A toddler girl was run over by a vehicle Wednesday evening in the Quintette community.
Witnesses said a wheel of a full-size pickup truck passed over the young girl on a private drive or lane off the 2000 block of Stacey Road about 7:30 p.m.
A medical helicopter responded to the nearby Quintette Ballpark, but the girl was transported to a local hospital by ambulance as a non-trauma alert.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Cantonment and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded.
Further details have not been released.
NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Man Charged With Hitting Neighbor, 66, In The Head With A Stick
June 18, 2020
A Century man has been charged with hitting his 66-year old neighbor in the head with a stick.
William Randall Coker, 51, was charged was aggravated battery on a person 65 years of age or older.
The 66-year old victim told deputies that he heard Coker yelling from his Front Street residence and went to check on his well being. When he knocked on the front door, Coker emerged from the residence with a “stick” and struck him on the head with it, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. The victim returned to his residence.
Responding deputies found the victim with three-inch cut on the left side of his head just below his ear, along with blood on Coker’s front porch and in the street, the report states. The victim was transported by family members to Jay Hospital for treatment.
Deputies seized a homemade machete, two large wooden sticks and a large knife from Coker.
Coker’s statement was radacted from the arrest report.
Ransom Middle Innovation Center Renamed For Sandra Goldsby Ames
June 18, 2020
The Ransom Middle School Innovation Center has been officially renamed the “Sandra Goldsby Ames Innovation Center”.
The name change was in honor of Sandra Goldsby Ames who is retiring this year after serving the Escambia County School District for 39 years. She has served as an English teacher, administrative dean, assistant principal and principal. In the past she has also represented Ransom as their Teacher of the Year and ECSD as the Assistant Principal of the Year.
“My Ransom family and friends have been amazing to me,” Ames told the Escambia County School Board. “While I do not think I deserve such an important honor, I am extremely humbled and very appreciative of the love and support that they have shown me throughout my years.”
She is known to embody the values of pride, teamwork, privacy, safety, service, stewardship, and accountability, according a school board resolution. She has supported reading and language arts instruction, as well as encouraged the creative use of the school’s library as it transitioned into an innovation center.
Pictured top: Ransom Middle School Principal Dr. Regina Lipnick (left), Sandra Goldsby Ames and Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. Pictured inset: Ames addresses the Escambia County School Board. Pictured below: Ames will family, friends and coworkers after the school board meeting. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hit And Miss Showers, Upper 80s For Thursday
June 18, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Not A Turkey After All? Florida TaxWatch Informs DeSantis Of Support For The Bluffs Industrial Complex In Cantonment
June 18, 2020
Last week, The Bluffs in Cantonment was included in the 2020 Budget Turkey Watch Report released by Florida TaxWatch in the think tank’s annual independent review of the state’s budget, and they recommended that Gov. Ron Desantis veto funding for the project.
But now TaxWatch says The Bluffs was named a budget turkey due to a longstanding position that programs that are not in the Florida Department of Transportation Work Program in that budget year should not be funded with State Transportation Trust Fund dollars.
“However, in the recent past Florida TaxWatch undertook a thorough independent research study, Expanding Florida’s High-Tech Manufacturing Sector, the results of which proved that an investment aiding the development of The Bluffs would help grow Florida’s Economy and create jobs for hard-working Floridians, especially in Northwest Florida,” Dominic M. Calabro, president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch wrote in a letter Tuesday to DeSantis.
“It is important to note that our issue with this project was one of a technical process, not the net economic benefits that will enrich both the Panhandle and the entire Sunshine State. Florida TaxWatch fully supports The Bluffs and we hope that you will too,” Calabro continued.
Announced in late 2015, The Bluffs was envisioned as the home of up to 60 new industrial and manufacturing companies and more than 15,000 jobs. The 6,000 acre master-planned development area includes about 1,700 acres of land that can be developed in an area east of Highway 29 bordered by the Escambia River to the east, Becks Lake Road near International Paper to the north, and the University of West Florida to the south.
Escambia County Program Putting Young People To Work
June 18, 2020
An Escambia County program is putting young people to work.
Called the “Escambia County Youth Employment Program”, participants ages 16-24 have the chance to work up to 30 hours per week at $8.56 per hour, a dime above minimum wage.
There are 95 youth participating in the program this year. They started work last week in departments across the county, including Public Works, Public Safety, ECAT, West Florida Public Libraries and more.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
24 Hours In Escambia County: Two Drive-By Shootings And A Stabbing
June 17, 2020
In less than 24 hours, there were two drive-by shootings and a stabbing in Escambia County.
Untreiner Avenue
At about 6:55 p.m. Tuesday, one person was hospitalized after a drive-by shooting that ended with an overturned vehicle.
It started on Aaron Drive when gunfire was exchanged between two vehicles. The vehicles chased each other, with one flipping over on Untreiner Avenue. One person was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside the overturned vehicle and was transported to a local hospital.
Deputies were searching for a red Kia, the second vehicle involved.
Cross Street
Another drive-by shooting happened a little before 2 a.m. Wednesday at Cross Street and North E Street. Gunfire was exchanged between the vehicles.
The Sheriff’s Office said there were witnesses, but they would not talk with deputies. Several shell casings were recovered at the scene, but there were no reported injuries.
Motel Stabbing
One person was reportedly stabbed during the 11 o’clock hour Wednesday morning at the Regency Inn on Pensacola Boulevard. He took himself to the hospital; an update on his condition was not provided.
Call Crime Stoppers
Anyone with information on any of the incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP. Crime Stoppers callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward. Calls can also be made to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.