Search Warrants In Escambia Net 17 Pounds Of Cocaine, Fentanyl Pills, $300K And 13 Suspects
August 24, 2023
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have concluded a months-long narcotics investigation.
ECSO deputies, along with Pensacola Police Department, Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol, State’s Attorney’s Office, United State’s Attorney’s Office, FBI, IRS, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement, served a total of eight search warrants throughout Escambia County.
As a result of this investigation, authorities seized over 17 pounds of cocaine, over 200 pills of fentanyl, one pound of methamphetamine, some marijuana, a stolen AR-15 style rifle, and three handguns.
The investigation resulted in 13 arrest warrants, six vehicle seizures and over $300,000 in cash.
Editor’s note: The labels on the photograph were added by the ECSO prior to release.
Blue Wahoos Bash Biloxi In 11-2 Win
August 24, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos racked up 11 runs on 16 hits for their third straight win on Wednesday, beating the Biloxi Shuckers by a score of 11-2.
M.D. Johnson (W, 2-6) turned in a quality start, allowing only two runs on three hits over 6.0 innings, for his second win of the season.
The Blue Wahoos took a 1-0 lead in the third inning as Cody Morissette hit a solo homer off the left field foul pole against Shuckers starter Tobias Myers (L, 7-5). Jackson Chourio briefly took the lead back for Biloxi with a two-run homer in the bottom of the third, but Jacob Berry evened the score with a solo homer of his own in the fourth.
The game pivoted on a seven-hit, six-run fifth that saw seven consecutive Pensacola batters reach base. Berry broke the 2-2 tie with an RBI double, and Will Banfield, Victor Mesa Jr., Paul McIntosh and Morissette each added RBI singles to put Pensacola ahead 8-2.
The Blue Wahoos added three more in the seventh on a two-run single from Norel González and an RBI groundout from Nasim Nuñez.
Outfielder Kyler Castillo, added to the Blue Wahoos roster earlier in the day, beat out an infield single in the ninth in his first Double-A at-bat. Relievers Matt Pushard and Brady Puckett came out of the bullpen to record the final nine outs of the game for Pensacola.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Shuckers on Thursday night.
written by Erik Bremer
Frightening Photo Shows Chemical Tanker Truck Passing School Bus Picking Up Kids On Highway 97
August 23, 2023
Photos sent to NorthEscambia.com Wednesday morning show a chemical tanker truck passing a school bus stopped to pick up children on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill.
It happened on Highway 97 near Wiggins Lake Road. A witness said they were stopped behind bus 17-16, and they said the truck had also stopped before passing the witness and the bus.
One photo shows the bus stopped with yellow lights flashing and two children in a driveway walking toward the bus. The 18-wheeler is passing on a double yellow line.
“There is so much wrong with this picture and the actions of this driver,” Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Jason King told us. “Not only are they merely passing on a double solid line, they are passing a school bus with the transition of yellow lights to red lights which means there are students near the bus. And to take matters further, we have a tanker truck which is a whole other level of risk. This is unacceptable…risking the lives of our future leaders for a few extra minutes or for inattentive driving allows for zero excuses.”
The hazmat placard on the tanker is “3264″, indicating that it contains corrosive materials.
King said the FHP will aim to patrol the area, including unmarked patrol vehicles, to observe and hold commercial vehicles and other motorists accountable.
“Risking the lives of our future leaders as well as our bus drivers and others around the area is unacceptable,” he said.
Additional photos clearly show the Maine tag numbers on both the trailer and truck; those were forwarded to the Florida Highway Patrol for follow-up.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged After Woman Shot And Killed At Mugs & Jugs Bar
August 23, 2023
A man has been charged with an overnight shooting death at the Mugs & Jugs bar on Scenic Highway.
Christian Michael Ketchup, 25, was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond on a charge of homicide.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the bar about 1 a.m. to find the deceased victim with about a half dozen gunshot wounds.
The victim has been identified by family as Tierra Binion, a mother of twins.
Wednesday afternoon, the ECSO released photos of possible witnesses that they are seeking in the case. They say all them have now been contacted.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
One Injured In Highway 29 Rollover Crash
August 23, 2023
There was one injury in a rollover crash Wednesday morning in Cantonment.
The crash happened shortly after 7:00 on Highway 29 near Archer Road. The driver of a passenger car list control, ran off the roadway, struck a small culvert and overturned near the woodline.
One person was reportedly transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS; an update on their condition was not available.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Who Is In Charge In Century Now That The Mayor Has Resigned? What’s Next?
August 23, 2023
Who is in charge in Century now that the mayor has resigned? And what comes next?
Those questions were on the mind of many residents Tuesday after mayor Ben Boutwell submitted his resignation effective immediately.
According to the town charter, the council president becomes the “acting mayor” during the “absence of disability of the mayor”. The council president is Luis Gomez, Jr. — who is now presumably acting mayor. The charter does not specify that he would no longer be a council member during his service as acting mayor.
In the event the mayor resigns, the town charter says the council shall appoint an interim mayor to serve until a successor is chosen. There is no time deadline mentioned.
“The interim mayor shall have the full powers and duties of mayor as provided by this charter or other law,” the charter states.
Because more than six months remain the current term of the mayor, the council “shall” call a special election to fill the office for the unexpired portion of the term through 2024. That election must be completed within 90 days from Boutwell’s resignation on Tuesday.
The office of mayor in Century was already set to appear on the 2024 ballot, with the winner taking office in early January 2025.
Pictured top: Council president Luis Gomez, Jr., now presumably acting mayor in Century, during a budget workshop Tuesday evening, August 22. Pictured below: Now resigned mayor Ben Boutwell during an August 15 meeting. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECUA Approves 9.5% Sanitation Rate Increase With ‘Free’ Second Can, 5% Hike For Water And Sewer
August 23, 2023
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authorities voted Tuesday to approve a 9.5% rate increase for all sanitation customers and a 5% hike for water and sewer.
The 9.5% increase raises the rate for a 90-gallon container from $27.67 to $29.88 and includes an optional additional trash or recycling can at no cost.
Facing a potential $1.8 million shortball and big problems with the wrong items being placed in recycling cans, staff had proposed a more modest 3.5% rate increase for sanitation customers plus a $3 a month recycling fee.
ECUA staff had proposed a 4% rate increase for water and 6% for wastewater. The board approved an increase to both water and wastewater by 5%.
All of the rates increase passes unanimously. The increase go into effect on October 1.
Low In The Upper 70s Tonight
August 23, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 78. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Heat index values as high as 111. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 76. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight.
Saturday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 104. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 78. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 103.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 76.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny and hot, with a high near 100.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.
Escambia Man Charged With Child Porn Possession After Search Warrant
August 23, 2023
An Escambia County man was arrested on child pornography charges Tuesday after a search warrant was served at his residence.
Joseph Stewart, Jr., 27, was charged with possession of child porn, electronically transmitting child porn, and using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at a half million dollars.
The Pensacola Police Department served a search warrant at 7634 Northpointe Drive leading to the arrest, according to spokesperson Mike Wood. He said “evidence was collected at the residence”.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force assisted with the investigation.
Escambia School Board Asking Federal Judge To Toss Lawsuit Over Book Bans
August 23, 2023
The Escambia County School Board is asking a judge to throw out a federal lawsuit filed against the district over the removal of books from school libraries.
Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, PEN America, a “free expression organization”, and several individuals allege Escambia County schools have violated the First Amendment by setting out to remove or restrict access to books discussing race, racism, and LGBTQ identities, against the recommendations of the district review committee charged with evaluating book challenges.
The Escambia County District filed a motion Monday in Pensacola federal court to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming recently enacted state law, HB 1069, shields the district and that the district is empowered to decide which book to allow or remove.
“These changes reshape any analysis of challenges to library materials and conclusively thwart the Parent Plaintiffs’ efforts to obtain injunctive relief to enjoin a process that no longer exists,” the school district’s motion states.
The board also contends the restriction or removal of books from school libraries “does not create a constitutional injury”.
A hearing in the case has not yet been scheduled.
Pictured: The Northview High School media center on August 10, the first day of school. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
