Deadly Walnut Hill Shooting May Be A Stand Your Ground Case, Sheriff Says
September 7, 2021
A man shot Monday during a family disturbance near Walnut Hill has passed away, and Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said it may be a stand your ground case.
The adult male was shot shortly before 5 p.m. at a home in the 8000 block of South Highway 99 in the Bay Springs community. The man was transported by Escambia County EMS to the Molino Fire Station and then airlifted by a medical helicopter to a Pensacola hospital where he later died.
The sheriff said a son became involved in a physical altercation with a mother and his ex-wife. The father then retrieved a gun and ultimately shot the 50-year old son and killed him.
“You can defend yourself in Escambia County as long as it is reasonably justified,” Simmons said. “We want citizens to feel safe and only use deadly force as a last resort.”
The Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the call.
File photo.
Escambia EMS Employees Donate To New Orleans EMS Following Ida
September 7, 2021
Escambia County EMS employees raised about $2,500 to provide for employees of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services as they continue Hurricane Ida recovery efforts.
“A majority of our medics are still sleeping on cots at headquarters as their homes are uninhabitable or have no utilities. This will certainly help our medics and their families as we recover,” New Orleans EMS said in a social media post thanking their EMS brothers and sisters in Escambia County.
Photos courtesy New Orleans EMS for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
$9.5 Million In Upgrades Underway At Beulah Elementary, Including New Cafeteria
September 7, 2021
Nearly $9.5 million in upgrades are underway at Beulah Elementary School.
Construction is now underway on a new $4.5 million cafeteria. The old cafeteria will be converted to a classrooms at a cost of about $2 million.
A completed covered play P.E. building had a price tag of $1.4 million, and about $1.5 million was earmarked for construction sitework including stormwater retention, sidewalks and other improvements.
The Beulah Elementary School upgrades are being funded with half cent sales tax.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Escambia, Santa Rosa Counties
September 7, 2021
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety internet-completion courses in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in March. Hunter safety courses are designed to help students become safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters and learn about conservation.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
The locations and times of the remaining online completion courses this month are listed below. The range portion for all classes below will be held on September 25 from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m.
Escambia County
September 15, 6 -10 p.m.
Molino Community Center
6450 Highway 95A in Molino
September 22, 6 -10 p.m.
Langley Bell 4-H Center
6450 Highway 95A in Molino
Santa Rosa County
September 8, 6 to 10 p.m.
Jay Community Center
5259 Booker Lane in Jay
March 25, 6-10 p.m.
Santa Rosa County Extension Services
6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at (850) 265-3676.
Rain Chances Increasing Into Mid-Week
September 7, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 83. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 85. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Calm wind.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 88.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Bonus Photos: Tate High Cheerleaders, Band And Student Section
September 7, 2021
Here is a bonus photo gallery of the Tate High School cheerleaders, band, student section and more from last Friday night.
For the photo gallery, click or tap here.
For a game action story and photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Florida Labor Day Gas Prices Were Highest In Seven Year; Hurricane Ida Partially To Blame
September 7, 2021
Holiday travelers in Florida found the most expensive Labor Day gas prices in seven years, according to AAA. Prices at the pump are now averaging $3.02 per gallon — 83 cents more than last year’s holiday, and 58 cents more than what drivers paid during the 2019 holiday weekend.
Florida’s gas price average increased eight cents last week, after Hurricane Ida’s impact on the Gulf Coast left nine crude oil refineries offline. This resulted in an outage of about 13% of total U.S. refining capacity.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, four of the nine refineries have begun the process of restarting. Three of those are located in Baton Rouge, the other is near New Orleans. The DOE says it could take several days for those refineries to produce at full rates.
Meanwhile, five refineries near New Orleans remain shut due to issues including power outages. These plants account for 6% of total U.S. refining capacity.
“News that refineries are working to restore operations is a positive sign for motorists,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA — The Auto Club Group. “As refineries get back up and running, prices should begin to slide lower; especially now that the summer driving season has come to a close.”
A low of $2.85 could be found Monday night at three stations in Cantonment, while Pensacola prices bottomed out a $2.83 at the warehouse clubs.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Melba Ernestine “Jackie” Brown
September 7, 2021
Melba Ernestine “Jackie” Brown, age 94, passed away on August 31, 2021 in Century, FL.
She was born on May 22, 1927 in Bratt, FL to the late Ernest and Katie Davis Hall.
She was a longtime member of Atmore First Assembly of God Church where she helped organize a senior group called “Celebrate”.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Hubert Lewis Brown; her grandson, Carey Brown and her siblings, Martez Rutherford, Julia Johnson, Betty Wells and Jerry
Hall.
She is survived by her sons, Michael (Donna) Brown of Grand Island, FL and Joey (Jamie) Brown of Spanish Fort, AL; seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Graveside service will be held Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Bratt-Godwin Cemetery in Bratt, FL with Bro. Don Davis officiating. Interment will follow at Bratt- Godwin Cemetery.
$1,000 Bonus Stipend Approved For Escambia County Volunteer Firefighters
September 6, 2021
Escambia County’s volunteer firefighters will receive a $1,000 stipend payment.
The Escambia County Commission unanimously approved the payment for volunteers who completed 96 hours of training and ran at least 25% of their station’s calls.
Rep. Michelle Salzman said she was contacted and asked why volunteer firefighters did not receive the same $1,000 the state provided about 200,000 first responders, including 35,000 firefighters, under Gov Ron DeSantis’s Florida’s Heroes Initiative as approved by the Florida Legislature.
“We had to draw a line somewhere in the budget, and that was one of the lines where it was drawn,” Salzman said. “And so, unfortunately, a lot of folks missed out on that.”
Salzman went to Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry with the issue.
The county approved the $1,000 checks to be paid from the $62 million the county received through the American Rescue Plan. Escambia volunteer firefighters that have already received the $1,000 through another job will not receive the volunteer payout.
It is estimated that up to 60 volunteer firefighters in Escambia County will be eligible for the bonus stipend.
10-Year Old Gets Birthday Wish From Escambia Fire Rescue
September 6, 2021
All Makai Williams wanted for his 10th birthday was to see a fire truck. To his family, this was no surprise. After all, his love of fire service began at a very early age.
“Ever since he was one, he always loved fire trucks,” said Makai’s mother, Katisha Williams.
To make her son’s wish come true, Williams reached out to Escambia Fire Rescue to arrange a visit. But station visits are currently suspended due to COVID-19.
“It’s been tough for the past two years now,” said ECFR Chief Jason Catrambone. “Two years without being in schools, we’re missing that contact. We’re used to being in the schools, seeing those younger kids, and giving them that first impression of fire service and teaching them fire safety.”
Fire and Life Safety Specialist Ray Melton had an idea — take the fire truck to Makai for a birthday surprise.
Last Saturday, the day before Makai’s birthday, he looked out to see a fire truck from the Ensley Station of Escambia Fire REscue.
“As I pulled up to his home, Makai came out of the house walking slowly and smiling from ear to ear,” Melton said. “He could not believe the fire truck was there for him!”
“I was really amazed,” said the younger Williams.
Along with a tour of the fire truck, Makai was given stickers, bracelets, a helmet and fire safety information. And he received a special job assignment from his motherl
“Every month, I have to check the smoke alarms to see if they work incase a fire comes,” said Makai.
Because Escambia schools were closed Monday due to Hurricane Ida, Makai had to wait an extra day to share the news of his special birthday.
“My friends were like, ‘Whoa!’,” said Makai when discussing his friends’ reactions.
“For me, it’s like planting a seed and watching it grow,” Melton said. “When a child has such a strong desire to grow up and become a fireman or any profession, we need to embrace that and encourage that.”
As for his future, Makai said he already has plans to become a firefighter.