Second Suspect Charged With Theft Of Items From Barn Valued At $8,000
March 1, 2022
A second suspect has been charged in connection with the alleged theft of items from a barn near Century.
Cody Eugene McNeal, age 23 of Atmore, was charged with felony burglary of an unoccupied structure and felony grand theft. Kelsey Alanna Taylor, 25, was arrested about a week and half ago on the same charges. She was described as McNeal’s girlfriend by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Taylor and McNeal allegedly took a 54-inch Grasshopper zero turn mower, air compressor, shop fan and a string trimmer from an Escambia County barn. The victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that at no time did anyone have permission to remove items valued at $8,000 from the barn.
Taylor and the second suspect told deputies that they were given permission to remove items from the barn to replace items they already had stored in the barn that were damaged by water. Both admitted to taking the fan, string trimmer and air compressor with permission, but denied that they removed the lawnmower, according to an arrest report. At last report, the mower had not been recovered.
The air compressor and shop fan were sold for $200, the report states.
McNeil and Taylor were both released on $10,000 bonds.
Taylor was arrested in Escambia County, Alabama, and later extradited to Florida to face the charges against her. She was later released from the Escambia County (FL) jail on a $10,000 bond.
Sunny, About 70 Today; Around 80 By The Weekend
March 1, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Calm wind.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Calm wind.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 44. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 81.
UWF Moves All Home Football Games To Campus, Leaving Blue Wahoos Stadium
March 1, 2022
The University of West Florida Argonauts will play its entire 2022 football home schedule at Pen Air Field on the UWF campus for the first time in program history, beginning with a home season opener against Warner University on Sept. 3, 2022.
Previously, UWF Football played home games at Blue Wahoos Stadium in downtown Pensacola. Complications surrounding the newly installed artificial turf and the ability to schedule games at the stadium arose, prompting the program to move home games to the UWF Pensacola campus. Last season, the University hosted its first-ever home game at Pen Air Field, resulting in record on-campus event attendance.
“We appreciate the support from the City of Pensacola and the Blue Wahoos organization for the opportunity in creating a positive game day environment for the UWF Football program,” said Dave Scott, director of UWF Intercollegiate Athletics. “Blue Wahoos Stadium served as a unique venue and offered a great experience for college football over the past five seasons. We are excited to begin playing home games on campus, enhancing student life and providing a traditional on-campus college experience for students, alumni, faculty, staff and the community.”
The UWF football program will play five home games and face four Gulf South Conference opponents at home in the 2022 schedule. Among the Argonauts’ 7-game GSC slate will be home contests against Delta State, Mississippi College, North Greenville and West Alabama.
UWF will open the season with a pair of non-conference games. Following the season opener against Warner University, the Argos will make the second-longest regular-season trip in program history to Bolivar, Missouri to face Southwest Baptist on September 10. UWF defeated the Bearcats 63-14 last season in the first-ever on-campus football game before more than 5,000 fans.
After an open week, GSC play will commence with back-to-back home games against Delta State on September 24 and North Greenville on October 1.
The following two weeks the Argos will make a pair of road trips to the Peach State, taking on West Georgia on October 8 and Shorter on October 15. In the 5-game series with the Wolves, the road team has won every game and the Argos have defeated the Hawks all five times.
The Argos will entertain Mississippi College for Homecoming festivities on October 22. UWF is unbeaten against the Choctaws in five meetings, including a thrilling 27-21 overtime decision in 2019 in Pensacola.
UWF will honor its senior class on October 29 with a visit from West Alabama. The Argos have won three of the last four games in the series, including wins in each of the last two seasons. This will be just the third game in Pensacola in the 7-game series history.
The GSC regular-season will come to an end against Valdosta State when the Argos head to Valdosta, Georgia on November 5. The teams have been the class of the GSC the past few years, combining for the last three league titles and representing half of the Division II National Championship game participants the past four seasons.
New for 2022 will be a GSC Regional Game that will have the Argonauts face a conference member for a second time in an effort to aid the resumes for postseason consideration across the league. That game will be announced November 6, 2022.
The NCAA Division II Championship Playoffs begin on November 19 and end with the title game on December 17.
Free Soup Saturday At Century Park
March 1, 2022
St. Luke’s Missionary Baptist Church will hold a Free Soup Day, Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Nadine McCaw Park in Century.
There will be free cooked soup, crackers and soda for everyone in attendance while supplies last.
Visitors should stay in their vehicles for service, or sit in the park. Nadine McCaw Park is located at the corner of North Century Boulevard and Hecker Road.
File photo.
Trooper Seriously Injured When Box Truck Hits His Patrol Vehicle On I-10
March 1, 2022
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was seriously injured Monday when his stopped vehicle was struck by a box truck on I-10 in Okaloosa County.
The trooper noticed a white SUV abandoned on the side of the roadway and pulled over to investigate, activating his emergency lights. A short time later, a box truck driven by a 40-year old Escambia County an swerved off the roadway and sideswiped the trooper’s patrol car and the SUV.
The state trooper was transported to Ft Walton Medical Hospital.
“The trooper is in good spirits with family and friends as well as fellow troopers at his side.”
Charges are pending against the driver of the box truck, according to FHP, according to a FHP report.
FDOH Escambia Offers Free HIV Testing
March 1, 2022
The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County (FDOH-Escambia) offers free HIV rapid testing at the After-Hours Clinic, held on the first Thursday of each month. The next After-Hours Clinic is this Thursday, March 3, at FDOH-Escambia’s 1295 West Fairfield Drive location.
The testing is open to the public, with no appointment needed.
- What: Free HIV Rapid Testing After-Hours Clinic
- Who: Open to the public, no appointment needed
- When: Thursday, March 3, 2022 between 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.*
- Where: FDOH-Escambia, 1295 W Fairfield Dr, Pensacola, FL
- How: The rapid HIV test gives highly accurate results in as little as 15 minutes. All testing is confidential and conducted in a private clinic setting.
Free HIV rapid testing is also available Monday thru Friday from 8a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at FDOH-Escambia.
Pickup, School Bus Collide Near McDavid
February 28, 2022
There were no serious injuries in a crash involving a school bus and pickup truck Monday morning near McDavid.
There were no students on the Escambia County school bus at the time of the 9:10 a.m. crash on Highway 164 about 1.3 miles east of North Pine Barren Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 75-year old Atmore man attempted to pass the bus, before his vehicle collided with the lug nuts on a wheel of the bus. The pickup truck then overturned into a wooded area. The pickup truck came to rest on its side, and the driver was able to climb out of the vehicle.
Both drivers refused transport by Escambia County EMS. Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys SUV In Highway 29 Median
February 28, 2022
Fire destroyed an SUV early Monday morning near Molino.
The vehicle was reported on fire in the median about 4:10 a.m. on Highway 29 near Barrineau Park Road. The SUV was reportedly not involved in a collision.
There were no injuries reported. The vehicle fire and a resulting grass fire were extinguished by the Molino Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Sparkleberry: FPL Plans Molino Solar Farm, The Third In North Escambia
February 28, 2022
Florida Power & Light (FPL) is considering a third solar farm in North Escambia on hundreds of acres in Molino.
The Sparkleberry Solar Energy Center is planned for 555 acres south of the end of Pilgrim Trail. According to FPL, over 200,000 solar panels will generate nearly 75 megawatts — enough energy to power 15,000 homes.
The Sparkleberry site in Molino is just entering the development review process in Escambia County, prior to any construction permits being issued.
The Molino solar farm is roughly the same size as two others in North Escambia.
The 300,000 solar panels at the Cotton Creek Solar Energy Center on Bogia Road near McDavid have been in operation since the first of the year, producing up to about 75 megawatts.
The First City Solar Energy Center, the second FPL solar site to be built in North Escambia, off Holland, Cox and Roach roads in McDavid is not yet operational. It also has a planned output of 75 megawatts.
NorthEscambia.com graphic showing the proposed location of the Sparkleberry Solar Energy Center in Molino, click to enlarge.
This Week Begins A Little Cool, But Warms Nicely
February 28, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 43. Calm wind.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 77. North wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 79.