First Baptist Church of Bratt Hosting Annual Deer Supper Saturday
April 22, 2022
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host their Annual Deer Supper this Saturday at 6 p.m.
Bro. Matt Kelly, with Equip Ministries, will be the guest speaker again this year. The event is free.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt is located at 4570 Highway 4 in Bratt, just under a mile west of Northview High School.
Escambia Man Caught Cooking Crack Cocaine In Hotel Room
April 22, 2022
An Escambia County man has been arrested for allegedly cooking crack cocaine in a hotel room.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a hotel in the 7000 block of Pensacola Boulevard on Wednesday.
Once inside the hotel room, deputies said they found methamphetamine, cocaine, Alprazolam, drug paraphernalia and a MP5-style gun.
Demetrius “Meat” Johnson was a charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver, distribution of cocaine within a thousand feet of a place of worship, two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
He was booked into the Escambia County jail with bond set at $25,500.
Sunny Days, High In The Low 80s Through The Weekend
April 22, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Fiiday: Sunny, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 80.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 55.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Freshmen Tate Aggies Drop Double Header To Pace (With Gallery)
April 22, 2022
The freshmen Tate Aggies dropped both games of a double header to Pace Thursday.
Pace 6, Tate 4 (Freshmen)
Nathan Ozuna went three innings for the Aggies, allowing six runs on three hits while striking out four. Brodie Rhodes went for two innings, allowing three hits, no runs and striking out one.
Ozuna went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the team in hits. Trevor Land and Brayden Beck added one hit each.
Pace 3, Tate 2 (Freshmen)
In the second game of the freshman double header, Pace topped Tate 3-2.
Sheppard Edgar took the loss for Tate, allowing one hit and three runs over five innings, while striking out seven.
Taite Davis led the Aggies at 2-3. Nathan Ozuna, Kaydon Biggs, Bayden Walker and Zane Walker each had a hit for Tate.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Laura Glodfelter, click to enlarge.
Stewart Sparkles In Wahoos 7-0 Shutout Win Over Biscuits
April 22, 2022
Will Stewart scattered three singles over 5.0 scoreless innings as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated the Montgomery Biscuits on Thursday by a score of 7-0.
Stewart and Montgomery starter Taj Bradley traded zeroes through five innings before the Blue Wahoos finally broke through against the Biscuits bullpen in the seventh. After loading the bases against Nathan Witt (L, 0-1), an RBI walk to Griffin Conine was followed by a two-run double from Cobie Fletcher-Vance to put Pensacola ahead 3-0.
In the eighth, Montgomery reliever Evan Reifert lost command of the strike zone and the Blue Wahoos scored four more, forcing Biscuits catcher Erik Ostberg to finish the game on the mound.
Anthony Maldonado (W, 1-1) pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief of Stewart to earn the win, and Andrew Nardi (S, 1) got the final six outs for the save.
Thursday’s game was played in 2:20, the fastest contest of the season.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Montgomery Biscuits on Friday night
Byrneville Man, 74, Charged With Shooting At His Live-in Girlfriend
April 21, 2022
A 74-year old Byrneville man is accused of firing a gun at his longtime girlfriend.
George Alanson Hoffman, 74, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Hoffman allegedly fired a gun at his live-in girlfriend of 20 years at a residence in Byrneville. The victim told deputies that he had been drinking, and they had been arguing.
The victim “stated she was sitting in her chair when she heard a shot go across her head and that her ears began ringing due to the gunshot”, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report states. She said Hoffman said “you are going to die today”, along with other threats.
The woman fled outside the residence and found herself locked out, the report continues. She was waiting for some period of time and flagged someone down to call the Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies arrived, they found Hoffman still inside the locked residence. A neighbor was able to talk Hoffman out.
Hoffman told deputies that he was tired of his girlfriend and had been trying to get her out of his residence. He stated he had been drinking and got irate with her, causing him to grab his Ruger .380 and fire it toward her, according to the arrest report.
Deputies reported finding a bullet hole in the wall just above the girlfriend’s chair and the handgun next to the chair Hoffman was sitting in, the report states. An empty .380 caliber shell casing was located just in front of Hoffman’s chair.
Hoffman remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $5,000.
Century Approves Free Rent, Short Term Lease With Startup Transportation Company
April 21, 2022
The Town of Century has approved a free rent, three month lease with a startup transportation business.
Tuesday night, the council approved the lease with Metro Rapid Transport and their for profit non-emergency medical and other transportation service business.
The town will revisit the lease before it ends and consider options going forward; there is not an automatic renewal or extension. During the three months, the company will be required to pay utilities, but the town does not currently have a separate electric meter for the 1,000 square foot portion of the building leased by Metro Rapid.
The council unanimously approved the zero-dollar lease for the first three months. In February, the council received a business plan from Metro Rapid that indicated the company had budgeted $20,000 for leasing a facility, plus $25,000 to renovate the facility.
“I don’t want to deprive Century of the benefit of having a transit system,” Council President Luis Gomez, Jr.
“After the three months, we come back to the council and say well how much we are doing this lease for now and how much we can afford,” owner Trina James-Tanner said. “Century is small. There is no big money coming through. So it’s not like I’m gonna go right in and start making a thousand dollars a day with what I’m doing.”
“I’m trying to help the elderly. I’m trying to help the disabled. So if y’all can work with me would be great, she added.
Town Attorney Matt Dannheisser, who drafted the lease, refrained from suggesting a dollar amount for the lease citing insufficient familiarity with the Century Business Center.
Dannheisser stated in an email that he was instructed to refrain from including any requirement that the principal owners of Metro Rapid personally guarantee the rent and other obligations. The town has not conducted any due diligence into the company’s owners.
“Please recognize that because Metro Rapid is a new company (having been formed in Dec. 2021), it may have little assets. Correspondingly, in the event of breach of any terms of the lease (including, for example, breach of insurance or indemnification requirements of Sections 11 and 12), the Town may have difficulty effectively enforcing its rights under the lease,” Dannheisser warned.
Under the lease, Metro Rapid accepts the premises “as is” with the town having no responsibility for any repairs or alterations.
Metro Rapid also has nonexclusive right to use the paved parking surfaces and driveway. The lease also allows the company to use a portion of the property to the east of the Century Business Center as a bus parking area, but the buses and other vehicles are not allowed at the Century Business Center at anytime. Their use is limited to overnight and temporary parking of less than 12 hours. They are not allowed to make any repairs or service the vehicles on the property.
Metro Rapid must also maintain liability insurance with limits of at least $1 million per person or $2 million for injuries to more than one person and $250,000 for property damage.
Metro Rapid Transport plans to operate 18 hours a day, six days a week, according to their business plan and be based in the “northern Pensacola area”.
Proposed rates for the service are $2.50 “in town” or $5 round trip. For “out of town” trips, it will be $45 for the first 30 miles ($90 round tip) plus 20 cents per additional mile, according to the company’s undated business plan submitted to the town.
Metro Transit estimates nearly $4.2 million is needed to establish and maintain the service for three years. The plan states they have been able to generate about $8,000 in home equity from the owner, they are applying for state funding, and they are working to establish a line of credit at Navy Federal Credit Union.
Pictured: Metro Rapid Transport owner Trina James-Tanner addresses the Century Town Council. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
These New ‘Kids’ At Beulah Middle May Just Be The Cutest Thing You See Today
April 21, 2022
The two new “kids” at Beulah Middle School may just be the cutest thing you see today.
At 10:02 p.m. Wednesday, the Beulah Middle family welcomed two new kids to the farm.
Ms. Ruby gave birth to a boy and a girl. Mom and kids were both doing fine.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Kingsfield Elementary Book Fair Continues; Family Night Is Thursday
April 21, 2022
The Scholastic Book Fair is continuing through Friday at Kingsfield Elementary School.
Parents can shop during family night on Thursday from 4-6 p.m.
Parents and guardians can crate an eWallet to give their children a safe, cashless way to shop the book fair at school or online. Click or tap here to begin.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Gets 27 Years On Child Porn Charges
April 21, 2022
An Escambia County man has been sentenced on multiple child porn counts.
Scott Alexander Chappelear was sentenced to 27 years in state prison and designated a sexual offender by Judge John Simon. Chappelear entered a plea straight up to the court on 15 counts of possession of child pornography, six counts of transmission of harmful materials to a minor, and one count of using a computer to solicit the sexual conduct of a child.
FDLE began its investigation in August 2021. An undercover agent, posing as a 14-year old female, began communicating with Chappelear, who tried to coax the “child” into performing sexual acts and sent adult pornography, according to the agency.
Chappelear believed that he was communicating with a minor child. During the course of the communications, Chappelear solicited sexual acts, transmitted pornography, and agreed to meet with the undercover agent.
FDLE said Chappelear also agreed to meet the person he thought was a 14-year old girl at Shoreline Park in Gulf Breeze.
A search warrant was served at his home at 8126 Crystal Wells Place, off East Olive Road. Agents found dozens of child sexual abuse material photos with some children as young as one to three years of age on two of his cell phones, according to the report.
“This defendant posed a significant danger to the community. He went from possessing child pornography to actively seeking out minor children online. This sentence will ensure that the community is safe from any future actions of Mr. Chappelear,” said prosecuting attorney Carrie Gilmer.
This investigation and arrest were conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.