Two Pedestrians Struck By Vehicles, Critically Injured Crossing North Century Boulevard
July 7, 2023
Two Brewton women were critically injured when they were struck by vehicles Thursday night in Century.
Both were walking across a North Century Boulevard (Highway 29) construction zone near Rudolph Street, in front of the Vallarta restaurant, about 8:30 p.m.. It is commonplace for restaurant patrons to park across the four-lane highway at an abandoned building and walk across the road.
Both women were airlifted to a Sacred Heart Hospital as “trauma alerts”.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a Chevrolet Silverado driven by a 36-year old Flat Rock, Alabama, man was traveling southbound when he noticed the pedestrians walking across the road. He attempted to swerve and avoid a collision but struck a 34-year old woman from Brewton. The second pedestrian, a 53-year old Brewton woman, attempted to care for the first pedestrian. Troopers said the driver of a Chevrolet Tahoe, a 71-year old Brewton man, failed to see the second pedestrian.
The crash closed all lanes of North Century Boulevard.
Both drivers and three passengers — ages 1, 7 and 35 — in the pickup were not injured.
For more photos, click or tap here.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Flomaton Fire Department, Escambia County EMS, Flomaton MedStar EMS, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Flomaton Police Department, MedStar Air Care helicopter and ShandsCair helicopter responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Lightning Ends Thursday’s Blue Angels Practice; Full Shows Planned Friday, Saturday
July 7, 2023
Thursday’s Blue Angels practice show ended early due to lightning, but a full slate of shows are still planned for Friday and Saturday.
For a photo gallery from Thursday’s show, click or tap here.
Friday, July 7, is the Pensacola Beach Air Show dress rehearsal where flight demonstrations and civilian aerobatic performances begin at approximately noon, with the Blue Angels overhead at 2 p.m.
Saturday, July 8, marks the official Pensacola Beach Air Show and follows exactly Friday’s dress rehearsal schedule.
Starting about 11 a.m., prior to the official waivered airspace closure signaling the start of the show on Friday and Saturday, expect to see:
- Pilot Julian MacQueen flying his vintage 1943 Grumman Widgeon seaplane overhead.
- Pilot Gene Valentino flying his ICON A5 Amphibious light sport plane.
- U.S. Coast Guard pilot Lt. Cmdr. Mark Currier, from the Aviation Training Center in Mobile, flying his HC-144 Ocean Sentry large turbopop aircraft.
- Training Squadron Ten (VT-10) from NAS Pensacola in a formation fly-by in their T-6 Texans aircraft.
- VeriJet, a private airline, will fly by in a three-ship formation of Cirrus SF-50 Vision Jets.
- Navy pilot Tanner Matheny will be flying over in his 1946 North American Navion airplane named Olivia.
- U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue (SAR) demonstration from the back of a HH-60J Blackhawk helicopter piloted by Lt. Travis Rhea.
Then, at approximately noon Saturday only, event-goers will be asked to stand as actor and singer Kara Kimmer performs acapella The National Anthem to mark the official start of the Pensacola Beach Air Show.
Next up, look high in the sky as the Red Bull Air Force team will kick things off with a synchronized flag-carrying skydiving formation, landing at the show center next to the Pensacola Beach Pier. New to the air show this year, the Red Bull Air Force team is assembled from the most accomplished aviation experts on the planet who continually push the limits of human flight.
Following that, the Veteran’s Flight team in their bright yellow, vintage World War II-era biplanes, will be making several passes over Casino Beach. Organized by Pensacola attorney and pilot Roy Kinsey, about a dozen Stearman pilots from all over the Southeast are flying in the show to pay tribute to all WWII and Korean War vets.
Next in line, another new addition to this year’s air show is MiG-17F pilot Bill Culberson with Fighterjets Inc. Born the son of an Air Force fighter jet pilot who also joined the Air Force, Culberson has been in love with military aviation as long as he can remember. His classic 1950s-era MiG-17F can maintain 8g turns with a max speed of 715 mph.
Following that, pilots Ken Rieder and Adam Baker with Redline Aerobatic Team take to the skies at approximately 12:45 p.m. in their signature red and black planes to perform opposing stunts, inverted maneuvers and fun formations directly overhead.
Hang onto your hat as pilot Skip Stewart wows the crowds next with his high-skill passes and jaw-dropping maneuvers from his famous red, white and black-checkered bi-plane, Prometheus. Don’t miss his signature inverted ribbon-cutting pass over the Pensacola Beach Pier.
Following Skip Stewart, at approximately 1:05 p.m., there will be a brief 15-minute window for spectators to cool off and take a dip in the Gulf before lifeguards clear the water again.
Then, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Red Bull Air Force team is back again, creating a visual spectacle like no other. Consisting of helicopter pilot Aaron Fitzgerald, aerobatic pilot Kevin Coleman in his Extra 300 SHP plane, and the Red Bull Air Force jump team – the trio will perform a joint aerial demonstration that will last approximately 25 minutes.
Look to the Gulf horizon at approximately 2 p.m. as the famous C-130J aircraft, affectionately known as Fat Albert, followed by six signature blue and gold F-18 Super Hornets, make their way over Pensacola Beach.
For the next 45 minutes, spectators will get a glimpse of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels aeronautic maneuvers like the Diamond Dirty Loop, the Double Farvel, the Vertical Pitch, the Fleur-de-Lis, the Opposing Knife-Edge pass, and the crowd-favorite Sneak Pass. These are just a few of the mind-blowing displays of choreographed precision flying the Navy’s flight demonstration team, and our hometown heroes, has perfected over the past 77 years.
Pictured: Thursday’s Blue Angels practice show. NorthEscambia.com photos by Perry Doggrell, click to enlarge.
Tate High FFA Receives Honors During State FFA Convention
July 7, 2023
The Tate High School FFA chapter and its members received several honors during the recent Florida FFA State Convention and Expo.
State FFA Degrees
- Kamdon Jones
- Jonathon Levin
Tate FFA Chapter Awards
- 100% Membership
- Premier Chapter
- National Chapter Award – Tate’s application is being sent to the National FFA Organization for judging. The National Chapter Award program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture.
Career Development Events
- 4th Place – Farm & Agribusiness Management
- Team Members
- Brody Faison
- Ellason Barton
- Anthony Longe
- Tristan Dykes
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Afternoon Showers And Thunderstorms Once Again Likely
July 7, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 106. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 88. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 89. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Century Reports Sewage Spill From Pump Used To Bypass Failed Lift Station
July 7, 2023
A problem with a pump led to a sewage spill in Century.
About 200 gallons of raw sewage spilled in about 15 minutes beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Jefferson Avenue and the railroad tracks, across the street from the Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church, according to a Florida Department of Environmental Protection report. The town said a float switch in the pump failed.
According to the report, lime was applied to the biosolids but none of the spill was recovered.
The sewage lift station at the location has been completely down for an extended period of time, and the “temporary” pump is used to bypass the failed equipment.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Free Community Picnic Saturday At Gonzalez Baptist Church
July 7, 2023
A free community picnic will be held Saturday, July 8, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Gonzalez Baptist Church.
There will be a free pulled pork or chicken barbecue lunch, along with live music, games and treats for kids of all ages, bounce houses ,community resources and more. Guest speaker will be Daniel Souers, CEO of Gulf Winds Credit Union, who will speak on faith in the business world
The church is located at 1590 Pauline Street, at the corner of Pauline and Chemstrand.
Johnson’s Strong Start Spoiled In Wahoos 10-4 Defeat
July 7, 2023
The Blue Wahoos had a prime, third-inning opportunity for more runs and a padded lead.
They came up empty.
It became a prelude to a game-ending feeling as well, after the Biloxi Shuckers exploded against Pensacola’s bullpen for a 10-4 win Thursday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The Shuckers flipped a 4-2 deficit with a four-run, eighth inning, then tacked on three more runs in the ninth for the blowout win.
All this followed a start that went well for the home team on Mullet Thursday. The players wore new Pensacola Mullets uniforms with a blue-pink design, as part of a second-half changeup for the routine identity change on Thursday games.
The Mullets quickly jumped to a 2-0 lead. Nasim Nuñez led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Troy Johnston and scored when Cody Morissette’s grounder became a run-scoring throwing error on Shuckers starter Tobias Myers.
Will Banfield’s double then drove in Morissette. Pensacola expanded its lead to 3-0 after Johnson’s RBI single in the second inning. In the third, Banfield reached on a wild pitch on a third-strike swing, then advanced to third on José Devers’ double with none out.
But Myers struck out Griffin Conine and Jose Mesa Jr. and got Norel González out on a flyout.
That missed chance was part of six runners left in scoring position in the first seven innings.
Pensacola starter M.D. Johnson had a strong outing, working into the sixth inning, allowing just two runs and three hits. From there, however, three relievers combined to yield eight runs. It started when first reliever Josan Méndez was tagged for a leadoff homer in the seventh from Zavier Warren.
Matt Pushard, who had not allowed a hit or a run in two previous appearances since being elevated to Double-A, had a rough night.
He gave up a leadoff homer in the eighth to the Shuckers’ outfielder Jackson Chourio, the No. 3 rated player in Minor League Baseball, then a single, walk and two-run double by Freddy Zamora that gave the Shuckers their first lead. A run-scoring sacrifice fly provided a three-run lead.
The Shuckers added three more against Brady Puckett in the ninth to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
The series continues on Friday through Sunday.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Betty Jo Smith Perkins House
July 7, 2023
Ms. Betty Jo Smith Perkins House, age 86, of Northport, AL; (formerly an Atmore resident) went to her eternal home on Monday, July 3, 2023, surrounded by her children, some family and friends. Her greatest earthly treasure was her family and she enjoyed visiting with and going on trips with them. Betty grew up on a farm and enjoyed spending “sister time” putting up fresh vegetables. She loved sports, playing basketball and softball in her younger years. As well as coaching softball in Atmore, and traveling to watch children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews play. Betty was a devout BAMA fan who watched football, tailgated, and attended more Alabama Softball games than we can count. In fact, she was one of the first members of Alabama Softball’s “Walk Off” Club. Betty was the first girls’ softball coach to help establish league play for girls’ softball coach to help establish league for girls in Atmore. In her later years, she developed a bond with the Shelton State College girls’ basketball team as she made banana puddings for their Wednesday night church service at Northport Methodist Church. Betty also retired from Vanity Fair in Atmore, momma, granny, sis, aunt, friend and coach, this lady touched many lives and leaves behind many memories for us to cherish.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert L. “Kit” Smith, mother, Maggie Pearl Commalander Smith, three sisters, Linda Sue Greer, Sherry Lynn Powell, Rhonda Lynette Smith, one grandson, Thomas Guy Byrne IV, one great-grandson, Brett Bonds, and one son-in law, Thomas Guy Byrne III.
She is survived by her one son, John T. (Jean) Perkins, of Northport, AL; two daughters, Joann (Larry) Bonds, of Atmore, AL; Janice Byrne, of Stockton, AL; four brothers, Ronnie Smith, of Wellington, FL; Roy (Linda) Smith, of Montgomery, TX; Roger (Mabeline) Smith, of Porter, TX; Ray (Mena) Smith, of Houston, TX; Peggy (Lewis) Johnson, of Shiloh, GA; Glenda Morgan, of Byrneville, FL; Pat Ammons, of Atmore, AL; ten grandchildren, Lori Rider, Larry Wayne Bonds, Stephen Bonds, Joshua Bonds, Nikki Lile, Chris Byrne, Katherine Byrne, Tina Walby, Tiffany Cierocke, Tierney Jo Broadwater, special care giver, Amy Wilson, and other relatives.
Funeral service will be held Sunday, July 9, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC with Rev. Mike Spivey officiating.
Burial will follow at Godwin Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Saturday, July 8, 2023 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home, LLC.
Pallbearers will be great-grandchildren, Gage Mueller, Myrrick Walby, Mikellie Stephens, Randall Bonds, Jared Lile, Rose Lile, Makayla Byrne, and John Benjamin Broadwater.
Honorary pallbearers will be great- grandchildren, CJ Byrne, Katie Byrne, Lestyn Byrne, Kalylah Byrne, Tabitha Bonds, Ariana Graham, John Tyler Jones, Gracie Bonds, Savanah Fullerton, Skyla Boutwell, Kyleigh Mack, Lily Box, Matthew Bonds, Cooper Rider, Charlie Kate Rider, Tylee Patrick, Hayla Broadwater, and Judson Jett Broadwater.