Update: Missing Gonzalez Teen Found Safe
March 19, 2021
UPDATE: Kassidy Leigh Brantley has been safely located.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing teen from Gonzalez.
Kassidy Leigh Brantley, 14, was last seen Thursday, March 18 about 11 p.m. in the 700 block of Rusty Lane off Pauline Street. She is described as 5-feet, 6-inches tall and about 125 pounds. A clothing description was unknown.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Investigation Finds Escambia Deputies Were Justified In Shooting Armed Man At Busy Intersection
March 19, 2021
The State Attorney’s Office has determined that Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were justified when they shot and killed an armed felony suspect at a busy intersection last year.
Mickee Fabiano McArthur, 28, was killed after he pointed a gun at deputies at the intersection of 9th and Langley avenues after a vehicle pursuit.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a request from a bail bondsman for assistance in arresting McArthur on several local felony warrants including kidnapping, aggravated assault and robbery with a firearm. Deputies began to pursue the suspect in the area of 9th Avenue and Bayou Boulevard, near Target.
After deputies performed a PIT maneuver at 9th and Langley, McArthur fled his vehicle with a firearm in his hand. Seven seconds later, he turned toward deputies with the firearm in his hand, according to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation. Three deputies fired at McArthur, killing him at the scene.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Lowering Vaccine Eligibility To Age 50 Beginning Monday
March 19, 2021
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is lowering the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility age to 50 and over beginning Monday.
“We think we’ve done pretty good this week with 60 to 64, but, but quite frankly, we think that even on current vaccine allotments that opening it up, will be good,” DeSantis said during a Frodau morning news conference in Tallahassee.
The governor said he will likely expand eligibility to everyone, regardless of age, soon.
“So we think that this makes sense and I think we’ll see how it goes next week, but I think we will definitely be opening it up to everybody, certainly before May 1 and, and maybe much sooner than that, so stay tuned there,” DeSantis said.
Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday morning in Tallahassee that he is lowering the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility age to 50 and over beginning Monday. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Raising Franchise Fees Charged Gulf Power And EREC; Customers Will Pay Up.
March 19, 2021
The Town of Century is in the process of finalizing new franchise agreements with Gulf Power and Escambia River Electric Cooperative.
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 technically charged to the utility, both Gulf Power and EREC tell NorthEscambia.com that they pass the full cost of the fee on to their customers.
The town council has held a first reading of a new agreement with Gulf Power that will become official after one more meeting. They are also setting their sights on an increased fee for EREC.
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.
FWC Tightens Deer Regulations Related To Chronic Wasting Disease, Including Import From Alabama
March 19, 2021
At a recent meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved rule changes that prohibit importing or possessing whole carcasses or high-risk parts of deer from any place outside Florida. FWC is also dropping a provision that currently provides a broader exemption for deer imported from Alabama.
Under the approved rules that go into effect July 1, people may import into Florida: deboned meat; finished taxidermy mounts; antlers; hides; and skulls, skull caps and teeth if all soft tissue has been removed. In addition, the rules allow an exception for deer harvested from a property in Georgia or Alabama if such property is bisected by the Florida state line and is under the same ownership. However, the new rule amendments do not include the permit option allowed under a FWC executive order to import whole deer or high-risk parts from properties in Georgia or Alabama.
The FWC has been testing deer for CWD since 2002 and the disease has not been detected in Florida. This infectious disease of the brain and central nervous system is always fatal for members of the deer family and there’s no known cure or effective vaccine. Currently, there is no scientific evidence that CWD can be transmitted to humans.
The abnormal proteins or prions that cause CWD can be transmitted through direct animal-to-animal contact as well as indirectly through contact with the saliva, urine, feces, blood and carcass parts of an infected animal. It can even spread through soil. Leaving CWD infected carcasses or carcass parts on the land can contaminate the soil and the CWD prions are capable of infecting other deer for years.
Suspicious Fire That Destroyed Large Shed In Century Under Investigation
March 19, 2021
A suspicious fire in Century destroyed a large shed.
Firefighters arrived on scene Thursday to find the structure on fire in a lot off Ivey Street in Century, behind the Dollar General store.
The shed, which approximately 12-feet by 24-feet in size, was destroyed in the blaze. There was no electricity or any other utilities connected to the shed.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Florida Bureau of Fire, Ason and Explosives Investigations.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Chilly Nights Ahead
March 19, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. East wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 71. East wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 57.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
Man Found Guilty Of Assaulting Escambia County Deputies
March 19, 2021
An Escambia County jury has found a man guilty of the October 29 assault of deputies outside a gas station.
Jeffery Lamar Andrew Hall was convicted of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on law enforcement officer (two counts), battery on law enforcement officer, resisting officer with violence, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He will sentenced on May 20.
On October 5, 2019, Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy Aaron Myers was dispatched to a Tom Thumb on West Highway 98 for a possible burglary in process. The incident began when Myers arrived and approached a car and observed the defendant in the passenger seat inhaling from a glass smoking pipe.
Myers informed Hall that he was being arrested for a narcotics violation and that he needed to exit the car.
Hall refused and began punching and kicking the deputy. Hall continued to fight deputies and pulled out a box cutter that cut Myers. The deputies were able to finally subdue Hall with the use of a taser.
The glass pipe contained methamphetamine.
Tate Aggies Beat West Florida 11-2
March 19, 2021
The Tate Aggies beat West Florida 11-2 Thursday night.
Tucker Griffin earned the win for the Aggies, allowing one hit and no runs in two innings, striking out four and walking one. Riley Lowery, Jaydon Fryman, Jackson Penton, and Jordan Jarman also took the hill.
The Aggies had 15 hits, led by Dalton Bowen who went 4-4 with two runs and an RBI. Jaydon Fryman, Zak Licastro and Jackson Penton each had two hits for Tate. Dylan Godwin, Drew Reaves, Tanner Rouchon, Paul Whitson and Jordan Jarman, added one hit each.
Jadin Moreno gave up six runs on five hits over two innings, striking out two for West Florida. Hoot Rathbun homered for the Jags. Dawson Butalla and Gavin King had a hit apiece.
Photos by Laura Glodfelter for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDOH Reports Five Additional COVID-19 Deaths, 27 New Cases In Escambia County
March 19, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
On Thursday, the Florida Department of Health reported five additional COVID-19 deaths and 27 new cases in Escambia County.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 34,492 (+27)
Non-Florida residents: 3,571
Recovered: 33,199*
Total deaths: 659 (+5)
Long-term care facility deaths: 278 (+4)
Current hospitalizations: 30 (-1)
Number of tests reported last day: 929
Percent positive reported last day: 2.5%
Percent positive reported last week: 4.0%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 25,700 (+24)
Cantonment: 3,113 (+1)
Century: 1,170
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 483
McDavid: 207
Bellview: 57
Walnut Hill: 53
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,527 (+19)
Non-Florida residents: 221
Total deaths: 276
Long-term care facility deaths: 80
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 835*
Number of tests reported last day: 373
Percent positive reported last day: 5.3%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,357 (+8)
Navarre: 3,614 (+5)
Gulf Breeze: 3,260
Pace: 1,397 (+1)
Jay: 544
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,994,117
Florida residents: 1,957,314
Deaths: 32,598
Hospitalizations: 82,997*
*“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.