Retirement Party Held For ESCO K-9s Nero And Axel
October 7, 2021
A retirement party was held Thursday for two Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9s.
K-9 Nero and K-9 Axel enjoyed their last day of work with pet-friendly cakes and jars of treats from Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Thurza Harris
October 7, 2021
Mrs. Thurza Harris, age 93, passed away, on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 in Uriah, AL. She was born in Atmore, AL; and has resided most of her life in Uriah, AL. She retired with Vanity Fair Mills Company with twenty plus years with the company. She was a member of Mineola United Methodist Church.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Calvin (Laura Boone) Godwin, husband, Marshall B. Harris, sister, Iris Peavy, two half-sisters, Vivian McCormick, Margaret Davis, two brothers, Charlie Godwin, and Jake Godwin.
She is survived by her two sons, Larry (Cathy) Harris, of Uriah, AL; Joe Dale (Diane) Harris, of Killen, AL; two daughters, Laura Jean (Charles) Baggett, of Uriah, AL; Karen (Gene) Arnold, of Mobile, AL; eight grandchildren, thirteen great- grandchildren other relatives and friends.
Graveside services were held Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at Weatherford Cemetery with Rev. Lester Peavy and Bro. Anthony Norris officiating.
Petty- Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Century Facing Dilemmas: No Show Account, No Show Councilman, Employee Problems — >>> ???
October 6, 2021
Century grapples with ..
Tate High Released Early Due To Water Main Break
October 6, 2021
Tate High School released students a bit early this afternoon due to no water on campus.
A contractor hit a water main about 12:30 p.m., according to the Escambia County School District.
Spokesperson Cody Strother said the contractor, the school district and ECUA all worked to make repairs as quickly as possible, but the process was taking longer than expected.
The district anticipates repairs will be completed today, and school will be in session on Thursday.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP: Cantonment Man Charged After Highway 29 Wreck; His Passenger Seriously Injured
October 6, 2021
A Cantonment man was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol after a wreck on Highway 29 Tuesday night.
FHP said 26-year old Manuel De Jesus Hernandez Lopez of Cantonment was traveling north on Highway 29 about 6:15 p.m. when he attempted to make a turn across oncoming traffic to Tate School Road. Troopers said he failed to yield the right of way to oncoming traffic and turned into the path of a pickup truck driven by 65-year old Milton man.
A 34-year Cantonment man that was a passenger in the van was ejected in the resulting crash. He was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital with serious injuries.
The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Lopez was charged with driving without a license. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday afternoon with bond set at $500.
Daytime Paid Crew Now Staffing The Beulah Fire Station
October 6, 2021
Paid career firefighters are now staffing the Beulah Fire Station weekdays to supplement volunteers.
The paid crew will staff the “Station 2″ from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, providing coverage during a time frame that most of Beulah’s volunteer firefighters are at work. The volunteers will continue to respond nights and weekends.
“I’m excited and happy for the community. It’s been a long time coming in a growing area,” District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh told NorthEscambia.com Tuesday. “There is a very robust volunteer staff at Beulah, but most of them have jobs during the day.”
Bergosh said he is also looking forward to the upcoming construction of a new fire station for Beulah.
He said the design is complete, and the construction project is expected to go out to bid in about four months on what will be a state of the art facility. While construction costs have risen in recent months, building the station is currently estimated to have a $4 million to $4.5 million price tag.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also has a paid firefighter crew on duty from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
MEET THE CREW OF BEULAH’s ENGINE 219
Lt. Jacob Meligan (pictured far left) is also a Florida certified paramedic. As the company officer, he is responsible for the daily operations and personnel assigned. Meligan started out as a volunteer with ECFR and was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant with 13 years of service.
Firefighter Michael Rozo (pictured middle) has been with the department for over two years.
Firefighter Chris French (second from right) is a certified Florida EMT and serves as the apparatus driver/operator. He started as an ECFR volunteer and now has almost 22 years of service.
Assistant District Chief Yoshimi Core (far right) spent time this week to assist the crew in getting acclimated to their new assignment. Core has spent all of his time at Escambia Fire Rescue serving at the Beulah Fire Station.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Accused Of Abusing Elderly Person, Battery of His Girlfriend
October 6, 2021
A Cantonment man is accused of abusing an elderly person and the battery of his girlfriend.
Joseph Terry Jones, 35, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of abuse of an elderly person domestic violence and battery domestic violence.
Jones is accused of getting into an altercation on the back deck of a home with his live-in girlfriend who was “begging for mercy and for someone to get him off of her”, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report states. Jones then got into “tussle” with an elderly person in the house, punching them in the face three or four times, the report continues.
Jones was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $30,000 bond.
Century Approves Tax Increase, Higher Budget, Employee Raises
October 6, 2021
The Century town council has given final approval to a property tax increase, higher budget and employee raises for the fiscal year that began October 1.
The council approved property tax increase with a millage rate of .9204, which is 7.61% greater than the rolled-back rate of .8553 mills. The rolled-back rate is the tax rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as approved for the prior year. Anything greater than the rolled-back rate is a tax increase.
The town approved a $5.7 million budget for fiscal year 2021-2022, up from $4.14 million during FY 2020-2021. The increase is mostly due to income from grants.
The tax increase and budget passed on a 4-0 vote with council member Dynette Lewis absent.
The budget includes a 5% cost of living increase for all employees, with an option for an additional 2% performance raise available with the approval of the council and mayor.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Flash Flood Threat Continues Tonight
October 6, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Calm wind.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Calm wind.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 84. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Calm wind.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Calm wind.
Columbus Day: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 84.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Atmore Man Facing Drug Charges After Pensacola Traffic Stop
October 6, 2021
An Atmore man is facing drug charges after a traffic stop in Pensacola
Montrelle William Deshay Fischer, 33, was charged with destruction of evidence, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped Fischer’s Mercury Grand Marquis on Creighton Road after observing him driving without a seat belt. As the deputy checked computer records on Fischer, he reported seeing him lift the center console of the vehicle and place something in his mouth. Deputies asked him to step out of the car and observed marijuana all over his tongue, according to an arrest report.
A small bag of marijuana was found under the center console, along with a digital scale in the passenger seat, the report states.
The incident was captured on the deputy’s body camera.
Fischer was released on a $4,000 bond.