Tate High Soccer’s Kendall Blackmon Signs With Faulkner University
February 24, 2021
Tuesday, Tate High School Soccer’s Kendall Blackmon signed with Faulkner University in Montgomery. Blackmon is a center back with the Aggies, and she plays club soccer with the Gulf Coast Texans. Blackmon was also selected to participate in the Subway All-Star game and the state All-Star game in Lakeland. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Tennis Beats Navarre
February 24, 2021
Tate High Aggie Tennis beat Navarre Tuesday night. The boys won 4-3, and the girls won 5-2.
Up next, Tate will face Washington High School on Thursday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
12 Additional COVID-19 Deaths, 62 New Cases Reported In Escambia County
February 24, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
A dozen new COVID-19 deaths and 62 new cases were reported Tuesday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 33,304 (+62)
Non-Florida residents: 3,448
Recovered: 30,843*
Total deaths: 620 (+12)
Long-term care facility deaths: 265 (+3)
Current hospitalizations: 98 (-4)
Number of tests reported last day: 941
Percent positive reported last day: 5.7%
Percent positive reported last week: 6.2%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 24,812 (+37)
Cantonment: 3,006 (+5)
Century: 1,139
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 460
McDavid: 198
Bellview: 56
Walnut Hill: 51
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 12
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 16,860 (+32)
Non-Florida residents: 210
Total deaths: 252 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 76
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 769*
Number of tests reported last day: 373
Percent positive reported last day: 9.0%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,074 (+18)
Navarre: 3,440 (+6)
Gulf Breeze: 3,148 (+10)
Pace: 1,337 (+2)
Jay: 520 (+1)
Bagdad: 31
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,878,533
Florida residents: 1,844,228
Deaths: 30,213
Hospitalizations: 78,212*
*“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.
Curtis Arthur Smith
February 24, 2021
Curtis Arthur Smith, age 94, of Century, FL passed away on February 23, 2021. He was
born on April 21, 1926 in Bluff Springs, FL to the late Zell Berry and Lillie Cooper Smith.
He served in the United States Army during World War II and as the Constable of the
Escambia County Sheriff’s Department for many years.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Edna Luverne “Sis” Smith; his brothers,
Jack Smith, Walter Smith, Winegair Smith, James Smith and Charles Smith.
He is survived by his son, Curtis Edward Smith of Byrneville, FL; his sister, Susie Smith
Bell of Byrneville, FL; his grandchildren, Brandon (Deadria) Smith and Rachael Smith
(David Spicer); his great grandchildren, Julianna, Samantha, Dalton, Brayden, Weston
and Lilah-May and numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Funeral service will be held Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Mitch Herring officiating. Interment
will follow at Beulah Chapel Assembly of God Cemetery in Byrneville, FL.
Active pallbearers will be Gerald Bell, Brandon Smith, Jackie Brown, Charlie Brown, Bob
Turk and David Smith.
Honorary pallbearers will be Brayden Smith, Dalton Smith and Lon Malone.
Visitation will be Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. until service time at 11:00
a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
For the safety of you and others, please practice social distancing requirements, though
wearing a facial mask is strongly encouraged.
Curtis Arthur Smith
February 24, 2021
Curtis Arthur Smith, age 94, of Century, FL passed away on February 23, 2021. He was born on April 21, 1926 in Bluff Springs, FL to the late Zell Berry and Lillie Cooper Smith. He served in the United States Army during World War II and as the Constable of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department for many years.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Edna Luverne “Sis” Smith; his brothers, Jack Smith, Walter Smith, Winegair Smith, James Smith and Charles Smith.
He is survived by his son, Curtis Edward Smith of Byrneville, FL; his sister, Susie Smith Bell of Byrneville, FL; his grandchildren, Brandon (Deadria) Smith and Rachael Smith (David Spicer); his great grandchildren, Julianna, Samantha, Dalton, Brayden, Weston and Lilah-May and numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Funeral service will be held Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Mitch Herring officiating. Interment will follow at Beulah Chapel Assembly of God Cemetery in Byrneville, FL.
Active pallbearers will be Gerald Bell, Brandon Smith, Jackie Brown, Charlie Brown, Bob Turk and David Smith.
Honorary pallbearers will be Brayden Smith, Dalton Smith and Lon Malone.
Visitation will be Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. until service time at 11:00 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
For the safety of you and others, please practice social distancing requirements, though wearing a facial mask is strongly encouraged.
Hunter Black Sentenced To Prison After Entering Plea In Crash That Killed Two Siblings on Kingsfield Road
February 23, 2021
The man accused of killing two siblings in a 2019 DUI crash in Cantonment entered a no contest plea Tuesday and been sentenced to prison.
Hunter Black was sentenced to 20.225 years in state prison to be followed by 10 years probation in a plea agreement for two counts of DUI manslaughter and one count of possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis. He must serve at least eight years as a minimum mandatory sentence under Florida law. His driver’s licence was also permanently revoked.
Antoinette Marie McCoy, 22, and her brother, 15-year old Tate High School student Sean Banks, died at local hospitals shortly after the early morning crash on January 19, 2019, on Kingsfield Road.
RELATED STORY: Tate Aggie Family Honors Lives Of Student Athlete And His Sister
A Florida Department of Law Enforcement report showed there was no alcohol found in Black’s system, but it was positive for Xanax and chemicals that can be linked to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
A Florida Highway Patrol report details the accounts of two crash witnesses. One reported a driver he was able to identify as Black was driving all over the roadway and was having trouble maintaining his lane in a curve. After the crash, he said he helped Black out of his vehicle. The second witness told the FHP he witnessed Black’s vehicle cross the center line as the collision occurred.
A Florida Highway Patrol sergeant that responded to Sacred Heart reported that Black was showing signs of impairment with slurred speech and trouble staying awake, according to an arrest report. A FHP trooper said Black had slurred speech, was unable to provide proper information and had “a white crusty substance on his lips.” Court records indicate a “green leafy substance” was found in the vehicle driven by Black.
“While attempting to talk to Black he seemed as if he was having issues understanding what was being said to him. When he attempted to speak he had very slurred speech to where it was sometimes difficult to understand him,” a Florida Highway Patrol trooper wrote in an arrest report. “Black was also unable to sign his paperwork to the point where a nurse advised him to just sign an X on his paperwork.”
Black was arrested after marking the discharge paperwork.
In the days following the wreck, a judge signed a search warrant for Black’s Apple iPhone and “to use reasonable force if necessary” to require Black to unlock the phone with his thumb print to obtain information regarding the offense and Black’s whereabouts leading up to the traffic crash. A search warrant was also issued for information regarding Black’s phone use and location from his cellular provider.
After executing a search warrant for the vehicle Black was driving, troopers reported they took two unspecified paper receipts, data from the event data recorder, multiple swabs from the interior of the vehicle, two hairs and four airbags.
The FHP said Black had been involved in another crash before the fatal wreck when he ran off East Kingsfield Road and struck a tree near Berrydale Road. He then made a U-turn and traveled back west on Kingsfield Road a short distance before the fatal crash occurred.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Gulf Power Seeks Extra Charge To Recover Hurricane Sally Restoration Costs
February 23, 2021
The Florida Public Service Commission is considering a proposal that will have Gulf Power customers paying $206 million for Hurricane Sally costs. PSC staff members have recommended that the charge be approved.
In its petition Gulf Power states that before Hurricane Sally the utility’s reserve fund was fully depleted and in a deficit position primarily due to Hurricane Michael costs.
If approved, the charge would be added to Gulf Power customer bills, including both residential and commercial, beginning March 2. For residential customers, the proposed charge would be $3 on a 1,000 kwh bill.
Gulf Power customers have been paying a Hurricane Michael recover charge since July, 1, 2020. That charged amounts to $8 a month for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours a month of electricity.
Pictured: Contract crews working for Gulf Power replace a snapped off pole along North Century Boulevard at Pond Street following Hurricane Sally. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Seven-Time Convicted Felon From Cantonment Arrested On Weapons And Drug Charges
February 23, 2021
A seven-time convicted felon from Cantonment is facing new weapons and drug charges.
James Lee Purifoy, Jr., age 28 of Robinson Street, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance (Xanax) with the intent to sell, possession of crack cocaine with intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of marijuana. He was also arrested for violation of probation and on multiple outstanding warrants.
Deputies received a tip that Purifoy was inside a vehicle in the driveway of a home on Besma Drive. When he was detained, deputies said he had a bags of marijuana in his pocket and in the vehicle. Deputies also found loaded pistol in the vehicle, along with 13.5 grams of methamphetamine, 4.4 grams of cocaine, 458 Xanax pills, a scale and empty plastic bags, according to an arrest report.
Purifoy was also charged with failure to appear in court on charges including driving while license suspended, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell, and possession of opium or derivative with intent to sell.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Purifoy is a seven-time convicted felon.
Purifoy remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond Tuesday morning.
Here’s Escambia County’s Vaccination Plan For The Week, Including Weather Delayed Doses
February 23, 2021
The health department has announced this week’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for Escambia County, and it includes extra doses that did not arrive last week due to winter weather across the county.
The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County will receive 2,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine for the week. This allocation is in addition 2,500 delayed doses originally planned for distribution for the week of February 15.
Escambia County’s 5,000 vaccine allocation will be distributed as follows:
- Ascension Sacred Heart: 900 doses
- Baptist Health Care: 900 doses
- Community Health Northwest Florida: 1,600 doses
- FDOH-Escambia: 1,000 doses
- West Florida Hospital: 400 doses
- Woodlands Medical Specialists: 200 doses
Some appointments will be scheduled using the statewide pre-registration system. FDOH-Escambia and partner organizations are in the process of contacting individuals to schedule appointments. Please do not contact the providers directly for these appointments.
The allocations of second dose vaccine for the weeks of February 15 and February 22 are still in the shipping process. Persons scheduled to receive second dose vaccinations prior to local receipt of second dose supplies will be contacted for a new appointment date and time.
Residents can call the toll-free line at, 866-201-1025 or preregister online at myvaccine.fl.gov.
ECUA Still Working To Replace Over 15,000 Blue Cans In North Escambia
February 23, 2021
ECUA is still working to replace over 15,000 blue cans in North Escambia. The cans were used in the Allied Waste service area that ECUA took over in January 2009.
ECUA customers are asked to leave their blue cans out at the curb after this week’s pick up as crews will be working each day to expedite the replacement process. Cans that already have the ECUA logo are not included in this effort.
“These can are at least 12 years old,” ECUA spokesperson Nathalie Bowers. “The old ones are going to be recycled. Many of them have broken hinges or wheels.”
The replacement cans are not a new expenditure for ECUA. The cans were used for ECUA service in Santa Rosa County, which came to an end on December 31. 2020.
“The replacement cans are at most five years old,” Bowers said. “They are cleaned before deeming them ready to deliver to a customer.”
ECUA customers will not be charged for their new can.
NorthEscambia.com file graphic.