Georgia Stabbing, Home Invasion Suspect Arrested In Escambia County
September 15, 2023
A Georgia stabbing and home invasion suspect was arrested Friday morning in Escambia County.
The Albany (GA) Police Department said Robert Bleedlove fled an early Thursday morning stabbing and home invasion during which he stabbed a woman and his own brother.
He fled in a gold Ford Edge. The vehicle was recovered Thursday in Pensacola by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office but Breedlove was not located with the vehicle.
He was wanted for aggravated assault, home invasion, aggravated battery and motor vehicle theft. Additional charges are expected.
Breedlove was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond to await extradition to Georgia
Escambia Parks And Rec Wins State Sports Tourism Award
September 15, 2023
The Florida Recreation and Park Association Awards has awarded Escambia County Parks and Recreation the 2023 Excellence in Sports Tourism Award: Small Market Award.
The award recognizes efforts to advance the park and recreation profession in the area of sports tourism.
Escambia County Parks and Recreation maintains property throughout the county, including the athletic fields and parks, neighborhood and open space parks, community centers, beach access parks, boat launch areas and the Equestrian Center. The department partners with Pensacola Sports, the local sports marketing organization, to attract and retain events that fit the community.
The Southeastern Conference hosted the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament at the Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex in October 2022 after a previous run in Orange Beach. The week-long event saw record-breaking attendance and generated over $2.5 million in local economic impact. Parks and recreation staff worked tirelessly to welcome players and visitors, prepping the field prior to the tournament and maintaining the grounds daily.
Traditional sports events, including lacrosse, youth soccer and baseball, and intramural college flag football, have contributed to the economic impact, marking Escambia County as a true sports destination. In 2022, the Equestrian Center hosted 51 events, generating over $6 million of local economic impact.
Pictured: The record-setting SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex last October. Thee tournament will return in October 2023. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Low About 70 Friday Night; Chance Of Showers Returns For Saturday
September 15, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the evening. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Light north wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 89.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 88.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 87.
Here Is Tonight’s High School Football Schedule
September 15, 2023
Here is the Friday night football schedule for the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Tate at Navarre
- Lighthouse Private Christian Academy at Northview
- Jay at Baker
- Pine Forest at Choctaw
- Escambia at Fort Walton Beach
- Pensacola at Bay
- Crestview at Pace
- Gulf Breeze at Milton
- BYES: Washington, West Florida
ALABAMA
- Flomaton at Cottage Hill Christian (Mobile)
- Escambia Academy at Jackson (MS) Academy
- St. Michael Catholic at Escambia County (Atmore)
- Jackson at T.R. Miller
- Monroe County at W.S. Neal
Pictured: The Tate Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs last week. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pictured: The Tate Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs 42-14 last week. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Early Deficit Swallows Wahoos In 8-2 Loss
September 15, 2023
The first inning breezed quickly for Blue Wahoos pitcher Patrick Monteverde, resembling so many of his previous starts this season.
But he will quickly want to forget the rest.
After suddenly struggling with his pitch command, a leadoff homer in the second inning was followed by three consecutive walks and a grand slam, leading to the Mississippi Braves’ 8-2 victory in the season’s final Mullet Thursday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The game’s start time was delayed 46 minutes after another set of afternoon storms.
It wound up becoming the shortest of Monteverde’s 21 starts with the Blue Wahoos this season. He was lifted after the 42-pitch, five-run second inning. The Blue Wahoos were unable to bounce back at the plate. They had only two hits in the first five innings and none after scoring two runs in the sixth.
Wearing Pensacola’s alternate identity as the Pensacola Mullets, Monteverde didn’t look like himself in more ways than one on Thursday. He was coming off recording his 10th win last week against the Rocket City Trash Pandas. In doing so, he became only the fifth Blue Wahoos pitcher in team history to earn 10 wins in a single season.
He was the first with 10 wins since former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Rookie Davis in 2016 during his time with the Blue Wahoos.
After the rain delay Thursday, Monteverde (10-5) started with an eight pitch, 1-2-3 first inning.
But that was followed by a knockout punch. M-Braves designated hitter Drake Baldwin led off the second with a booming homer to center field. Three walks later, right fielder Landon Stephens blasted his 21st homer well over the left field wall toward the water for a grand slam.
The Blue Wahoos got a pair of runs in the sixth on a two-run single by Victor Mesa Jr., one of just five Pensacola hits.
While the weather affected the crowd, the game had two special guests in attendance.
Miami Marlins general manager Kim Ng watched the game from various locations in her first trip this season to Pensacola.
Equally noteworthy, Darrell Randel, father of Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel, watched his son manage for the first time. He traveled from Montclair, California with son, Jeff, and his wife, Kristin, along with their daughter Kaylee and older son Jacob.
Kevin Randel didn’t know his dad was visiting until they met Thursday morning at a Pensacola restaurant. The group will take in Friday’s game as well.
The series against the M-Braves now shifts to the weekend.
The Friday game will have the Blue Wahoos’ Evan Fitterer (7-6, 4.40 ERA) on the mound against the M-Braves’ Daniel Martinez (0-2, 5.56). It will be the 23rd start of the season for Fitterer, a righthander from Mission Vejo, California, who was the Miami Marlins’ fifth round draft pick in 2019.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Claudia Burkett Powell
September 15, 2023
Claudia Burkett Powell, age 76, of Bay Minette, AL passed away on September 13, 2023. She was born on October 13, 1946 in Davisville, FL to Comer Eugene Burkett and Lela Bruce Burkett. She is preceded in death by her parents and her siblings: Tommy Burkett, Johnny Burkett, James Burkett and Cindy Burkett.
She is survived by her children: Roger (Shelley) Scott, Cynthia Scott and Sherry Scott; her brothers, Gene Burkett, Wayne Burkett, Mike Burkett, and Floyd Burkett; her sisters, Ruby Sanspree, Frances Godwin and Shirley Boatwright; her grandchildren: Jessyka (Tali), David (Whitney), Bookie (Crystal), Whitney, Matt (Savannah), Courtney, Tamaria, Summer (Scott), Shawn (Katelyn), Anthony, Jace, Zack, Holly (Bobby) Ethan and Devin along
with 31 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Monday, September 18, 2023 at 11 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Michael Hadley and Bro. Steve Hadley officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery in Atmore, AL.
Active pallbearers will be Shawn Ramer, Anthony Ramer, Zack Daniels, Jace Daniels, Matthew Scott and Michael Burkett.
Honorary pallbearers will be Courtland Scott, Bryson Scott, Bookie Scott and David Scott.
Visitation will be held Monday, September 18, 2023 from 10 a.m. until service time at 11 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
County Websites And Services Restored After Morning Network Outage
September 14, 2023
Escambia County websites and services were down for a period of time Thursday morning due to network issues.
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford said all of his branches across the county were down and unable to assist citizens due to the outage.
The outage impacted networks managed by Escambia County. This did not include the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Man Found Deceased At Local Publix; Foul Play Not Suspected
September 14, 2023
A man was found deceased at local Publix Thursday morning, and investigators do not currently suspect foul play.
The man was discovered just before 10:30 a.m. inside a vehicle in the parking lot of the Publix on Nine Mile Road at Pine Forest Road.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said the death appeared to have been from natural causes. The incident remains under investigation as is standard procedure.
NortheEscambia.com file photo.
Boil Water Notice Issued For Highway 297A, Sherrilane Drive Area
September 14, 2023
THIS BOIL WATER NOTICE HAS BEEN LIFTED.
Due to a broken 12-inch water main, ECUA has issued a precautionary boil water notice for a portion of Highway 297A and the surrounding area.
Specifically, the boil water notice includes:
- Hwy 297A (Address Range: 2800 – 3028)
- Sherrilane Drive (Address Range: 2334 – 2634)
- 2430 Sandicrest Dr.
This story will be updated when the advisory has been lifted.
Residents located in the specified boil water notice area are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use eight drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes. Two independent bacteriological samples have been initiated and the advisory will be lifted as soon as possible. This process routinely takes 48 hours and the notice will be rescinded at that time.
ECUA crews have completed the repairs and flushed out the lines. Residents within the area and nearby are advised that there is a possibility of discolored water as a result of the utility work, and to flush their home’s plumbing by running their taps for a few minutes. If problems persist, customers are asked to contact ECUA Customer Service at (850) 476-0480 for assistance.
Precautionary boil water notices are issued as a part of the standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs.
Man Gomez Wanted As Century Town Manager Has Accepted Job In Arkansas
September 14, 2023
The man interim Century Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr., wanted to hire as a temporary interim town manager has taken a job in Arkansas.
Minutes after he was sworn into office, Gomez asked the council to allow him to enter into negotiations with Robert Thompson to serve in the position for three months. The move came after Gomez admitted that he was in over his head, and presented Thompson as his choice to help lead the town on a temporary basis.
Texarkana, Arkansas, offered Thompson their city manager job on September 5, and he’s now inked a contract. Texarkana City Finance Director TyRhonda Henderson told NorthEscambia.com that Thompson’s first day on the job in the city of 36,000 residents will be next Monday, September 18.
Thompson is the former city manager of Defuniak Springs, Florida.
Last week, the Century town council declined to allow Gomez to begin negotiations with Thompson. The Century council voted 3-0 to advertise for an interim town manager or consultant through noon on September 19 with the Florida League of Cities, Florida League of Mayors and League of City Managers. The motion did not include advertising locally. The council plans to consider their choice seven hours after the deadline during a regular council meeting.
Pictured top: Robert Thompson addressed the Century Town Council on August 28, shortly after interim Mayor Luis Gomez was sworn into office. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.