Driver Runs Into Wooded Area On Highway 29, Tree Crashes Down On His SUV
May 4, 2021
A driver crashed into the woodline along Highway 29 north of McDavid Monday night, sending a tree crashing down across his vehicle.
The adult male was northbound on Highway 29 near North Canoe Road when he lost control and ran off the road. His Jeep Liberty traveled across a concrete ditch before running up a steep embankment and striking several trees. A small pine tree crashed down across the roof of the SUV.
The man was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital with injuries that were not considered dangerous. The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
The Florida Highway Patrol is conducting the investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Attorney Suspended For Frivolous Filings To Charge Higher Fees
May 4, 2021
The Florida Supreme Court has temporarily suspended an Escambia County attorney for frivolous filings to charge higher fees.
Jeremiah J. Talbott was suspended for 60 days and ordered to attend the Florida Bar’s Professionalism Workshop and Ethics School.
Talbott was hired to represent a client in a federal case under the Fair Labor Standards Act. In an order denying Talbott’s motion for attorney fees from the opposing party, the federal court found that Talbott pursued the litigation in bad faith and engaged in frivolous filings during the proceedings to obtain higher attorney fees, according to the Florida Bar.
Talbott was charged with conducting frivolous litigation, failing to expedite litigation, filing exaggerated billing sheets with the court, as well as extensive and unnecessary discovery to increase attorney fees when there was no dispute of damages between the parties.
Century Raises Gulf Power Franchise Fee; EREC Is Next
May 4, 2021
The Century Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to increase the franchise fee they charge Gulf Power, and an increase for Escambia River Electric Cooperative is next.
In 1994, the franchise fees for both utilities were increased from 3% to 5%, and now the council is raising the fee to 6%.
While the franchise fee is paid to the town by the utility, both Gulf Power and EREC told NorthEscambia.com that they pass the full cost of the fee on to their customers.
The Gulf Power fee increase is a done deal after Monday night’s vote. The council also held a first reading of a new agreement with EREC that will become official after one more meeting and an affirmative vote.
Gulf Power customers with an average 1,000 kwh monthly usage pay about $140 a month, according to Florida Public Service Commission documents. The franchise fee increase will cost customers in the Century town limits about $1.40 per month.
Barber Calvin Dawson Has Passed Away. He Cut Hair In Cantonment For 65 Years.
May 4, 2021
A longtime Cantonment barber has passed away.
Calvin Dawson passed away at his home on April 29 at age 96.
After military service in the Navy and Army National Guard, he moved to Cantonment and purchased his barbershop in 1955. He sold Dawson’s Barbershop in 2002, but continued to work at the renamed Cantonment Barber Shop until January 2020. That’s 65 years.
Visitation and a funeral service will be held on May 13. For the complete obituary, click here.
Pictured above: Barber Calvin Dawson. Pictured below: Calvin Dawson in an update photograph with his wife, Voncille Miller Dawson. They were married in 1946 and had one daughter and three sons. She passed away in 1999. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three Shootings With Four Total Victims In One Week In Atmore
May 4, 2021
The third shooting in a week is under investigation in Atmore.
A 16-year old male was shot while watching a basketball game at Houston Avery Park about 8:45 Friday night, according to details released Monday by Atmore Police.
Police Chief Chuck Brooks said a lone gunman discharged a weapon and the victim was truck once. The teen was transported by ambulance from the park off Martin Luther King Avenue to Atmore Community Hospital before being airlifted to another undisclosed hospital for treatment.
April 27 Shooting
Brooks said there have been no arrests. Atmore Police are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call APD at (251) 368-9141.
On April 27, the Atmore Police Department responded to 200 block of 4th Avenue where male stated he had been shot.
“According to a witness at the scene, the male victim left his residence for a short time, and when he returned, he told the witness he had been shot,” Brooks said. The victim was transported to Atmore Community Hospital for treatment.
There have been no arrests in the incident.
April 25 Shooting
On Sunday, April 25, 28-year old Scottie Dale Robinson of Atmore allegedly shot his brother and another man in the 100 block of 6th Avenue. He was arrested Tuesday afternoon after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase from Cantonment to I-65 near Evergreen, Alabama, where he crashed.
Robinson is facing attempted murder charges for shooting 33-year old Gregory Lavon Robinson, and 19-year old Oneius Cotz White.
RELATED STORY: Attempted Murder Suspect Leads High Speed Chase Across Two States
Pictured below: Attempted murder suspect Scottie Dale Robinson of Atmore crashed on I-65 near Evergreen, Alabama, Tuesday afternoon following a high-speed chase that started in Escambia County, Florida. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Your Relative Probably Has Not Been Kidnapped: ECSO Warns Of New Scam
May 4, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a new scam.
The ECSO said a scammer recently called the potential victim and claimed to have kidnapped a family member or to be holding a person they knew against their will. The scammer said they would only let the person go if money was transferred to the kidnapper. The potential victims immediately contacted the ECSO and the person being said to have been taken against their will was fine and knew nothing about the phone call or scam.
The sheriff’s office is anyone receiving such a call to contact them at (850) 436-9620, and do not send any money or provide personal or financial information.
Multiple variations of the scam have been reported, investigators said.
Escambia Reports One New COVID-19 Death, Another 31 Cases
May 4, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There was one additional COVID-19 death and 31 new cases reported Monday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 36,015 (+31)
Non-Florida residents: 3,676
Recovered: 33,509*
Total deaths: 680 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 283 (+1)
Current hospitalizations: 32 (+6)
Number of tests reported last day: 258
Percent positive reported last day: 8.5%
Percent positive reported last week: 6.6%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 26,979 (+26)
Cantonment: 3,226 (+5)
Century: 1,176
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 493
McDavid: 212
Bellview: 58
Walnut Hill: 55
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 18,168 (+5)
Non-Florida residents: 248
Total deaths: 285
Long-term care facility deaths: 82
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 898*
Number of tests reported last day: 150
Percent positive reported last day: 3.9%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,671 (+2)
Navarre: 3,746
Gulf Breeze: 3,352 (+3)
Pace: 1,473
Jay: 550
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,245,853
Florida residents: 2,203,807
Deaths: 35,307
Hospitalizations: 90,889
*“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.
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Available In Walnut Hill Until 6:00
May 3, 2021
THIS EVENT IS NOW OVER.
The Florida Department of Emergency Management is offering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine until 6:00 today in Walnut Hill.
The is at the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97, near the Walnut Hill Fire Station. Any Florida resident age 18 and older is eligible. A proof of residency must be provided. The event will return in three weeks for the second dose.
Editor’s note: The Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine was originally scheduled for this event, but Pfizer is being offered instead.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Suspends All Local COVID-19 Emergency Orders In Florida
May 3, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday issued an executive order immediately suspending all local COVID-19 emergency orders.
“I think that’s the evidence-based thing to do,” said DeSantis during a news conference in St. Petersburg. “I think folks that are saying they need to be policing people at this point, if you’re saying that, then you’re really saying you don’t believe in the vaccines.”
The governor also signed a bill that goes into July 1 that would limit future local emergency orders to 42 days . It also gives the governor authority to overrule cities and counties and any time, and city and county commissions will have the power to overrule mayors. It also give the legislature authority to overrule the any mandates or restrictions by the governor.
The law also bans so-called vaccine passports.
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis during a Monday press conference in St. Petersburg. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO Searching For Juvenile Last Seen Near Tate High School
May 3, 2021
UPDATE – This missing juvenile has been safely located.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing juvenile last seen near Tate High School
Conner Gresh, 15, was last seen Friday, April 30 in the 1700 block of Tate Road near Tate High School wearing a black cap, black jacket and green pants. He is 5-foot, 2-inches tall, 100 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.