Health Advisories Dropped For Perdido Bay, Tests Show Water Is Safe Following Sewage Leak
May 20, 2021
Both Florida and Alabama have dropped health advisories for Perdido Bay that were issued last week after nearly six million gallons of sewage leaked from the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Bayou Marcus Water Reclamation Facility,
Bacteriological sampling shows the waters of Bayou Marcus Creek and Perdido Bay are safe.
In a report to the Florida Department of Environmental Management, ECUA said 5.922 million gallons were spilled, and 222,660 gallons were collected. ECUA acknowledged in the report that the spill did reach Bayou Marcus Creek and surrounding wetlands.
A 30-inch diameter pipe at the Emerald Coast Utility Authority Bayou Marcus Water Reclamation Facility ruptured the night of May 13.
The facility is located west of North Blue Angel Parkway and Muldoon Road intersection (maps below).
Escambia County Man Charged With Kidnapping Girl In Walnut Hill
May 20, 2021
An Escambia County man is charged with kidnapping a 13-year old girl last weekend in Walnut Hill.
Ronald Gene Joyner, 55 is charged with felony kidnapping, interference with child custody and battery.
A man told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that he was fishing with his family and had just left from Steve’s Farm on South Highway 99 in Walnut Hill. He said the girl was irritating her brother, so he stopped his truck near South Highway 99 and Beasley Road and made her get out and walk. The man told deputies that he drove less than a quarter mile away before turning around to pick up his daughter, but she was gone in less than two minutes.
In that short time span, Joyner drove up and asked the girl if she needed help, according to an arrest report.
The girl said Joyner pulled over and asked if she needed help, but she told him no. The report states Joyner told her to get into the truck, but she kept walking. He kept following her and calling her derogatory names. He eventually got out of his vehicle, grabbed the girl and put her in the backseat.
The girl, who said she does not know Joyner, tried unsuccessfully to get away. She refused to stay quiet, and Joyner told her, “If you’re not quiet I will shoot everyone in your family”, according to the arrest report.
The teen said Joyner tossed a Mountain Dew at her in the backseat, and it tasted “like he put something in it”, later describing the flavor to be like pineapple.
Joyner drove north and crossed the state line into Atmore and to the Walmart on North Main Street. She begged him to let her go, but he would not and again threatened to kill her family, the ECSO said.
Joyner then headed to Pensacola, making stops at several gas stations. According to the report, at one gas station the girl told Joyner that she had to go to the bathroom, and he threatened to kill all of her family and make her watch if she tried anything. She told deputies that she tried to signal for help covertly by using Tik Tok hand signals, but that did not work. Popular videos on TikTok and Twitter explain that a special hand signal can be used to indicate that a person is in danger.
Joyner then allegedly purchased what he said was heroin and offered it to the girl as he sniffed it up his nose with a straw, the report continues.
After Joyner found out law enforcement was looking for him, he released the girl in the area of Mobile Highway and Bellview Avenue. Deputies found her hiding under a fence, and she was transported to the hospital for evaluation.
Joyner remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $56,000.
Century Council President Says Job Applicant Is ‘Beautiful Woman’, But He Won’t Vote To Hire Her
May 20, 2021
Calling her a beautiful woman, the present of the Century Town Council told a job applicant that he would never hire her for an open positions despite her qualifications.
The town council has twice rejected the hiring of two employees as recommended by Mayor Ben Boutwell.
In March, the council refused to approve the employees hired by the mayor because he violated the town’s charter. The charter states that the mayor will present his employee selections to the town council to be approved or denied. The council can only vote yes or no on the mayor’s choice; the charter does not give the council any authority to hire anyone not recommended by the mayor.
In early May, Boutwell brought the same two employee choices back to the council, but a motion to hire them failed due to the lack of a second.
Cynthia Daniel, recommended by the mayor and rejected by the council for an entry level window citizens services clerk, addressed the council this week wanting to know the status of the job.
Council president Luis Gomez, Jr. said Daniel had actually submitted her resume and application in November, months before the positions were advertised. Town Clerk Kim Godwin said Daniel texted her to find out if she should reapply, and Godwin said she advised Daniel that her application was still on file and valid.
“Your application came in dated one day and the application process didn’t open until February 4. So whatever job your application applied for, in my mind, was not the job we were trying to fill,” Gomez told Daniel. He then inquired why someone with her work history would even want the job. According to her resume, Daniel has almost 20 years experience at an area bank as a bookkeeper, loan assistant, teller and accounts payable clerk, and holds an associate degree from Pensacola Junior College.
“With all of your experience you can get a job that pays more than that job (citizens service clerk) because that job is really just a $9 an hour job,” he said. “I just couldn’t see you with 20 years experience in banking coming to a $9 an hour job. Could you explain why would you even be interested in a $9 an hour job unless you were going to get more?”
Daniel explained that her most recently employer, Escambia County Bank in Flomaton, was acquired by another corporate bank, and she feared potential layoffs.
Gomez told her that she could try her luck with another council vote, but he would not vote to hire her.
“I wish you the most love and the most luck because you are a very intelligent woman with a lot of background,” he said. “I would hate to see you waste your time and talent at that window, because I know you can get $20 an hour easy … your resume was very impressive.”
Gomez said he regretted that Daniel was essentially caught in the rift between the council and mayor. “What I’m saying is I hate this beautiful woman is tied up in the middle of all this,” he said.
“I know you are a beautiful person. I would love to have lunch with you, even buy you lunch because I know you’re a beautiful person and probably have a beautiful family,” Gomez told Daniel. “But this is business. And please don’t take it personal.”
Pictured top: Cynthia Daniel addresses the Century Town Council. Pictured inset: Council President Luis Gomez, Jr. responds to Daniel. Pictured below: Cynthia Daniel’s job application with the town of Century was dated November 1, 2020. NorthEscambia.com redacted the street address from the image. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Suspect Headed To Work Off Muscogee Road After Kidnapping Attempt, ESCO Report Says
May 20, 2021
The man accused of the attempted kidnapping of an 11-year old girl from a bus stop Tuesday morning in Escambia County headed to work off Muscogee Road after the incident.
Jared Paul Stanga, 30, is charged with attempted kidnapping of a child under 13, aggravated assault and battery. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at just over $1.5 million.
About 7 a.m., a white Dodge Journey pulled up to the girl waiting at the bus stop on Old Corry Field Road and Perdido Street. That when Stanga tried to grab the girl, but she fought back.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was able to piece together video evidence that Stanga fled from the kidnapping scene along North Corry Field Road, to New Warrington Road to Mobile Highway. Numerous cameras captured the vehicle along Mobile Highway, and an eventual turn onto Pine Forest Road to the Murphy Express. One of those cameras clearly showed the license plate.
The Murphy Express video shows the Dodge Journey with a chrome bumper in the parking lot and Stanga wearing the same blue shirt, blue jeans and slide shoes as in the kidnapping video, an arrest report states. Stanga made a purchase inside the store and entered his own phone number to use a reward card.
Stanga’s employer informed investigators that he works at a company site just off Muscogee Road across the Florida/Alabama line. The employer is not named in the arrest report.
According to his supervisor, Stanga sent a text message at 7:02 a.m. saying that he would be late for work because he had to take his child to school. The supervisor said he thought this was odd because he believed Stanga’s child goes to virtual school.
He arrived at work about 7:45 a.m., parking his vehicle behind barn. His co-workers said the parking location was odd, and Stanga’s behavior and demeanor were out of character. The co-workers told investigators that he repeatedly took calls from his wife in private Tuesday when he always talks to her on a headset in front of all of them.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was waiting when Stanga arrived home on Betty Road. They found that the front chrome bumper of his vehicle had recently been painted black — they could smell fresh paint and see recent drips. Stanga had changed clothes, according to the report, between leaving work and arriving home, but the slides and blue jeans were in plain view inside the vehicle.
Stanga also had blue substance smeared on his left arm. It was the same color as the slime the young girl was playing with at the time of the attempted abduction.
For an earlier story and more information, click or tap here.
Partly Sunny, Gusty Winds Today
May 20, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 86. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 92.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Jay Lady Royals Fall Short Of Class 1A Championship
May 20, 2021
The Jay Lady Royals fell short of the FHSAA Class 1A State Championship Wednesday with a 5-4 loss to the Trenton Tigers.
Mattie Cochran went four and a third innings for Jay, allowing eight hits and four runs while walking one and striking out five. Alayna Lowery threw one and two thirds innings in relief, allowing one hit and one run while walking three and striking out two.
Caitlyn Gavin and Ella Nelson both had home runs for Jay in the sixth inning. Nelson led Jay at the plate, going 3-3. Gavin, Brett Watson, Christa Sanders and Madison Mathis had one hit each.
The Lady Royals finished at 24-6 on the season and is expected to return at least 10 top players next year.
Pictured: The Jay Lady Royals after their regional win. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Sentenced For DUI Crash That Killed One, Seriously Injured Century Man
May 20, 2021
An Escambia County woman has been sentenced for a fatal DUI crash in January 2020.
Ava Nicole Stoudemire was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Lee Robinson to 15 years in state prison under a plea agreement under which she admitted to DUI manslaughter, DUI causing serious bodily injury, DUI causing injury and driving without a valid driver’s license.
Stoudemire attempted to make a turn onto Marcus Point Boulevard from W Street. Her Toyota van was traveling too fast to negotiate the turn, causing her to lose control and collide with a semi-truck and a box truck.
Stoudemire’s backseat passenger, Tyrone Deonta Wilkins, Jr., passed away as a result of the crash. Her front seat passenger, Gregory Joseph Matthews of Century, was seriously injured. The driver of an oncoming truck was also injured.
Stoudemire’s blood alcohol level was .221, well above the legal level of .08 at the time of the crash.
Stoudemire was also seriously injured in the crash.
Blue Wahoos Fall 2-1 To Rocket City
May 20, 2021
A
fter 14 games, the Blue Wahoos are even with their record and it has been reflective of how the season has started.
“I think we are still trying to find our identity a little bit, especially offensively,” said Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel following Wednesday’s 2-1 loss against the Rocket City Trash Pandas at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
“Our starting pitching is holding up pretty good. We got (Brandon) Leibrandt going tomorrow and hopefully he can rebound from a couple bad losses.
“The bullpen is coming together, trying to find guys for the back end and how we are going to bridge it there. But guys are stepping up there are finding their roles and hopefully in another week or two, we get rolling and find out where we are.”
The loss dropped the Blue Wahoos to 7-7. The Trash Pandas (8-6) won their sixth game in the past seven. The teams will continue their six-game series Thursday with the Blue Wahoos transforming into the Pensacola Mullets, complete with uniforms and logo hats.
Making his third-start, Blue Wahoos pitcher Jake Eder gave up his first runs of the season, both in the fifth inning. Only one was earned.
A leadoff walk, then a throwing error on a slow chop was followed another walk to load the bases. Rocket City’s Michael Stefani hit a two-run single as part of his three-hit night with two doubles.
But after that struggle, Eder struck out the next three batters.
“He is a monster on the mound,” Randel said. “It wasn’t one of his cleanest outings. He threw a lot of pitches early. Got a few walks, four walks, so about 25 extra pitches. But he responded.”
Finishing with seven strikeouts, Eder, a former Vanderbilt star reliever, moved into lead among Double-A South Division pitchers with 26. The total is second-best in the 30-team Double-A level.
The Blue Wahoos could not catch a break at the plate.
The Trash Pandas made a pair of diving catches to thwart possible extra base hits. The Blue Wahoos only steal attempt was thwarted. There were also several hard-hit line drives right at fielders.
And in the eighth inning, Connor Justus hit a bomb was shifted by the wind just outside the left field foul pole.
That kind of night.
But in the ninth, the Blue Wahoos made it suspenseful. Peyton Burdick followed his three-hit night Tuesday with a blast into the wind that carried over the left-center wall to begin the inning.
With one out, Nick Fortes singled. But Trash Pandas closer Conner Higgins made a pair of big pitches on 3-2 counts to strike out Riley Mahan and Lazaro Alonso swinging to end the game.
The Blue Wahoos had just three hits against Rocket City starter Kyle Tyler, who had his best outing this season. He worked seven innings, struck out five with three walks.
In previous starts, he did not finish the fifth inning in either game. He gave up a combined 13 hits and six earned runs. Wednesday he dealt quality pitches the entire way.
“I thought we swung the bats all right,” Randel said. “Just missed a couple.”
by Bill Vilona, Blue Wahoos Senior Writer
Escambia Sees 14 New COVID-19 Cases
May 20, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 14 new COVID-19 cases reported Wednesday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 36,420 (+14)
Non-Florida residents: 3,693
Recovered: 33,893*
Total deaths: 698
Long-term care facility deaths: 288
Current hospitalizations: 37 (-5)
Number of tests reported last day: 683
Percent positive reported last day: 3.4%
Percent positive reported last week: 5.0%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 27,302 (+9)
Cantonment: 3,273 (+1)
Century: 1,185
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 495 (+1)
McDavid: 214
Bellview: 59
Walnut Hill: 58
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 18,399 (+21)
Non-Florida residents: 261
Total deaths: 291
Long-term care facility deaths: 82
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 912*
Number of tests reported last day: 414
Percent positive reported last day: 5.1%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,776 (+11)
Navarre: 3,787 (+4)
Gulf Breeze: 3,382 (+1)
Pace: 1,511
Jay: 556
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,299,596
Florida residents: 2,256,645
Deaths: 36,271
Hospitalizations: 93,598
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. Most of these people are longer be hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
**On cases by location, the city is based upon zip code and is not always received as part of the initial notification. There may be a delay in reporting locations, and locations will not total the daily case increase as a result.
***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 is reporting an approximate recovery number defined as the total cases prior to last month, minus deaths. In other words, anyone that tested positive more than a month ago is presumed to have recovered by Escambia County.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Taylor Sims
May 20, 2021
Taylor Sims, age 28, passed away on May 15, 2021. He was born on February 18, 1993 in Pensacola, FL to Jason and Dawn Sims. He was a 2011 graduate of Northview High School and a member of Highland Baptist Church. He was currently employed as a Senior Associate Consultant with Aerotek and a proud partner of Sims and Son, LLC. He previously worked with the Department of Corrections.
He is preceded in death by his grandfather, Sam Malloy.
He is survived by his parents, Jason and Dawn Sims of Molino, FL; his grandparents, Charlotte and Winfred Sims of Molino, FL and Bonnie and Craig Exner of Barrineau Park, FL; his brother, Zachary (Crystal) and Bowen Ryker Sims; his aunts, uncles and cousins, Tricia (Byron), Nathan and Will Davis; Chad (Stephanie), Lindsey, Bizzy and Kenzie Sims, Anna (David) Brantley, Barrett Gilley. We cannot go without mentioning Taylor’s brothers from other mothers, Bo, Okoye, Chad and Kaleb and his godparents, The Lathans and The Rawls. Taylor was loved by a large extended family, as well as friends he considered family.
Funeral service will be held Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 12 Noon at Highland Baptist Church in Molino, FL with Rev. Brian Calhoun officiating. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore, AL.
Active pallbearers will be Shane Harigel, Bryan Josey, Chad Rigby, Orbin Albritton, Tony Lathan, Okoye Richardson, Chad Smith, Kaleb Purvis, Zachary Sims and Bo Bishop.
Visitation will be held Saturday, May 22, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. until service time at 12 Noon at Highland Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shands Children’s Hospital.