Staffed Escambia Fire Stations Are ‘Safe Havens’ For Newborns
July 29, 2023
Escambia County Fire Rescue stations that are staffed 24/7 have been designated as Safe Havens for newborns.
Safe Haven is considered a safety net for both the mother and the newborn infant. The program allows mothers, fathers or whoever is in possession of an unharmed newborn, approximately seven days old or less, to leave them with someone at Safe Havens with full anonymity and no questions asked.
Safe Haven locations include staffed fire stations, hospitals or any staffed emergency medical service station. Once a baby is delivered to a Safe Haven, a local participating adoption agency is contacted.
“ECFR is proud to partner with A Safe Haven for Newborns to provide mothers a safe, secure location to drop off a newborn child while remaining anonymous,” said Deputy Fire Chief Paul Williams. “This program also offers a confidential 24/7 toll-free helpline as a resource for mother-to-be or mothers of newborn babies. The program has saved over 300 newborn babies in Florida alone. We now have the Safe Haven signs on all our stations that are staffed 24/7.”
Woman Convicted Of Battery, Child Abuse In Death Of Her Daughter
July 29, 2023
Friday, an Escambia County woman was found guilty of battery and child abuse for an incident that claimed her daughter’s life in 2021.
Jessica Ann Caroline Bortle, 36, was originally charged with negligent manslaughter and aggravate child abuse for the death of 14-year old Jasmine Singletary inside Sacred Heart Hospital.
A jury returned a guilty verdict Friday on lesser charges of battery and child abuse.
Pensacola Police said Singletary — described as a special needs patient with a neuromuscular disorder — was in her room at Sacred Heart with her grandmother and Bortle.
Jasmine unexpectedly lost consciousness and stopped breathing, police said. Hospital staff began life saving procedures, but those efforts were unsuccessful and Jasmine died.
The autopsy showed that Jasmine had suffered massive injuries to her ribs and her liver. Those injuries were not present when she was admitted to the hospital.
Pensacola Police investigators said they determined that the injuries were caused by Bortle. An arrest report states told police that she “slammed the hospital table into Singletary’s abdomen and then leaned onto the table with her weight” after she became angry after Jasmine cussed at her over color crayons.
During her trial, Bortle maintained that it was all an accident.
Bortle is set to be sentenced on October 4. She remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Time Is Running Out For Free Dog And Cat Adoptions At The Escambia Animal Shelter
July 29, 2023
The Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare is participating in the Bissell Pet Foundation “Empty the Shelters” event through next Monday, July 31.
Adoptions for all cats and dogs 1 year or older will be free. Puppies will be available for $50 and kittens will be available for $25. An $11 licensing fee will be applied to all adoptions for Escambia County residents.
“We are proud to participate with Bissell for the first time for their ‘Empty the Shelters’ event,” said John Robinson, Director for the Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare. “This will provide opportunities for all of our great dogs and cats to find their new families this summer. Adopting a pet not only gives our homeless animals a second chance, but also creates space that will allow our organization to help many other animals in need of temporary housing. We have a large number of animals available for adoption that will make a great addition to your family.”
The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center is located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 12-5 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m
Flora Mae Williamson
July 29, 2023
Mrs. Flora Mae Williamson, age 83, passed away Saturday, July 15, 2023, at her Brewton residence.
Mrs. Williamson was born in Century, FL and had been a lifelong resident of Brewton. During her working years she was a seamstress at Vanity Fair. She was of the Baptist Faith. Mrs. Williamson was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph Nelson and Lennie Sue McArthur Nelson; grandson, James Williamson; and great-grandson, Cody Nolan.
She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Bobby James Williamson, Sr. of Brewton; two sons, Bobby James Williamson, Jr. of Wallace, AL and Anthony “Tony” (Susie) Williamson of Jay, FL; a daughter, Eileen (George) Plovanich of Rabun, AL; two sisters, Edna Jean Wiggins of Brewton and Linda Baggett of Florala; eight grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 7:00 p.m.. on Monday, July 30, 2023, from the chapel of Craver’s Funeral Home with Bro. Ricky Tetter officiating.
Braves Top The Wahoos 4-1 Friday Night
July 29, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos saw their five-game winning streak come to a close on Friday night with a 4-1 loss to the Mississippi Braves.
Despite plenty of opportunities, the Blue Wahoos went 1-for-11 with men in scoring position and were victimized by some bad luck in yet another low-scoring game in Mississippi.
The Braves took the game’s first lead in the second on a solo home run from Drew Lugbauer and an RBI single from Beau Philip. Lugbauer’s home run was his 15th of the year, and 16th in his career against Pensacola to lead all active Southern League players.
Mississippi starter Nolan Kingham (W, 1-0) lived on the edge through 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing doubles to Will Banfield and Norel González that nearly cleared the outfield fence but stayed in the ballpark. He outdueled Blue Wahoos starter Jonathan Bermudez (L, 2-3), who allowed four runs over 5.0 frames in the loss.
Jesse Franklin V doubled the Mississippi lead to 4-0 in the fifth with a two-out, two-run double. The Blue Wahoos scored their lone run on a Dalvy Rosario RBI fielder’s choice in the seventh inning, and saw an eighth-inning rally come up short before Kyle Wilcox (S, 3) locked down the Braves win in the ninth.
Luarbert Arias struck out three batters in 2.0 hitless innings of relief for the Blue Wahoos in his Double-A debut.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Braves on Saturday.
written by Erik Bremer
Mary Louise Lowery
July 29, 2023
Mary Louise Lowery, 96, of Jay, passed away on July 28, 2023. She was born November 25, 1926 to J. W. and Florence Renfroe in Century, FL.
She was a life-long resident of Jay. Mary Lou married Curtis B. Lowery on Dec 20, 1945. She was a faithful and devoted wife and mother. Mary Lou and Curtis spent much of their retirement traveling across the country visiting old friends and fishing, continuing the farm life whenever they were home. They were married over 56 years when he passed away in 2002.
She was preceded in death by parents, J. W. and Florence Renfroe; husband, Curtis B. Lowery; son, Glen Steven Lowery; and siblings: Richard Earl Renfroe, Grover Renfroe, Bill Renfroe, Henry Renfroe, Margaret Nordan, and Dorothy Wiggins.
Survivors include son, Jerry K. (Helen) Lowery; daughter-in-law, JoAnn Lowery; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchild; many nieces, nephews, other family and friends.
Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the funeral service begins at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 at Trahan Family Funeral Home, Milton Chapel with Rev. Frederick Barrow officiating.
Special thank you to West Gate Village in Brewton, AL for the loving care they gave her the last years of her life.
Century Woman Refuses To Exit Plane, Runs Out Next To Pensacola Airport Runway, PPD Says
July 28, 2023
A Century woman was arrested after she became unruly on a plane and ran out to an area next to a runway, according to police.
Dorissa Louise Owens, 35, as charged with felony trespassing for violating a designated operational area of an airport.
Owens became unruly on an American Airlines flight on the ground at Pensacola International Airport this week and first refused to leave the aircraft, according to an arrest report. She reportedly borrowed a man’s cell phone and went to the back to the plane with it. After he wanted his phone back, Owens began to ask other passengers for their phone.
Owens was asked to leave the plane by a flight attendant, the pilot and an airline supervisor. Pensacola Police said Owen refused.
When officers arrived, Owens was still refusing but eventually exited the plane, PPD said.
While speaking to officers, Owens took off running down a breezeway and through a fire exit by Gate 5 and onto the ramp area next to the runway, the report states. Two officers caught up with her and took her into custody without further incident.
Owens remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond awaiting extradition on outstanding warrants from Denton, Texas, a Dallas suburb. According to court records in Denton County, Texas, Owens is wanted for failure to appear in a 2022 case in which she was indicted on two counts of harassment of a public servant, and two counts of assault on a peace officer or judge. All of the charges are felonies.
Walnut Hill Man Gets Over 7 Years In State Prison For 2021 Shots Fired Incident
July 28, 2023
A Walnut Hill man has been sentenced to prison for a 2021 shots fired incident in Pensacola.
Robert Douglas Green, 36, pleaded no contest and was found guilty this week of multiple counts of felony aggravated assault, deadly missiles, felony criminal mischief, and misdemeanor criminal mischief.
He was sentenced by Judge Coleman to 86.55 months (just over seven years and two months) in state prison, with credit for 728 days service while awaiting trial.
On July 7, 2021, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shots fired incident at the Avery Street Grocery where deputies found 9 mm shell casings in the road and a Toyota with a shattered window. The clerk stated she was in the back room of the store when she heard multiple gunshots. She walked toward the front where she observed a female pulling and banging at the door. She watched surveillance of Green running toward an abandoned house adjacent to the store, the report states.
The victim told the ECSO that Green pulled up in a U-Haul and told her to get in with him, but she ran. When she refused to get in the U-Haul, Green pointed a handgun at her and pulled the trigger, according to the arrest report.
The report states the woman told deputies that she had only known Green for three weeks and “stopped talking to him because he’s crazy”.
The store was hit by gunfire, as was the clerk’s Toyota and a second vehicle, according to the ECSO.
Green remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond Friday morning.
Authorities Seek Information On Cantonment Illegal Dumping Suspect
July 28, 2023
Crime Stoppers is seeking information from the public on someone dumping illegally in the Cantonment area.
The suspect was caught on camera driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck with one notable feature — a black rim on the back passenger side and a silver rim on the front passenger side. Authorities believe the driver is from Cantonment.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP. Callers with a tip that is used can earn a reward up to $3,000.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friends Of The Library Big Summer Book Sale Is This Weekend
July 28, 2023
The Friends of the West Florida Public Library Big Summer Book Sale continues through the weekend.
Books, DVDs, audiobooks and CDs will be available, with the books sorted into categories to make it easier to find your favorites.
Saturday, July 29, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Half off day No admission fee.
Sunday, July 30 , 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. — $7 Bag Sale. No admission fee.
Credit and debit cards will be accepted.
The sale will be at the Downtown Library, 239 North Spring Street.
File photo.