Conine Homers As Blue Wahoos Beat Biscuits
June 7, 2023
Returning from a long time away, the Blue Wahoos found the place to their liking.
Especially with someone able to lock the doors.
Sean Reynolds continued his pressure-embrace as reliever, producing his league-best ninth save, after twice getting out of precarious situations, as the Blue Wahoos beat the Montgomery Biscuits 5-2 Tuesday night in their first home game since May 21.
Reynolds entered with two runners on in the eighth and got a strikeout to end that inning. In the ninth, he got help from second baseman José Devers, who made a sensational dive on a line drive to produce a game-ending double play with runners on second and third.
Devers also went 2-for-4 at the plate – the only Blue Wahoos hitter with multiple hits on the night.
The win amid a crowd of 4,012 at Blue Wahoos Stadium began the series with a good vibe on “Doggone Tuesday” where fans brought a variety of their beloved dogs to the ballpark.
It also extended the Blue Wahoos’ (32-20) grip on first place in the Southern League South Division against one of the teams chasing.
The Blue Wahoos started Tuesday with a three-run second inning. Griffin Conine blasted a two-run homer into the right-center berm. Cody Morrisette preceded the blast with an RBI sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead.
The Biscuits (26-26) chipped back in the fourth inning on Diego Infante’s run-scoring double and Heriberto Hernandez RBI single.
Insurance was added for the Blue Wahoos on two run-scoring wild pitches by Biscuits reliever Graeme Stinson in the sixth and seventh. Stinson entered with the bases loaded in the sixth, and tossed a wild pitch with Morrisette at the plate.
But Stinson got out of the jam by striking out Conine and J.D. Orr to end the threat.
In the seventh, Stinson threw a pair of wild pitches to score Nasim Nuñez, who had singled, advanced on an errant throw and scored on another.
The second game of the series is set for Wednesday night with the Blue Wahoos having righthander Evan Fitterer (4-1, 3.06 ERA) on the mound. The Biscuits starter was not announced.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Northview Teacher Takes Inappropriate Book Fight To Santa Rosa County
June 7, 2023
A Northview High School teacher that has called for the ban of over 100 books in Escambia County has expanded her fight to Santa Rosa County.
Beginning last year, Vicki Baggett has called for about 115 books to be removed in Escambia County for inappropriate content, saying that many of them are pornographic under Florida law.
“As a 32-year veteran English teacher, I had never seen anything like this, and I actually could not believe what was being purchased and being made available with taxpayers’ funds for minor children,” Baggett told the Santa Rosa County Commission this week.
“Sadly, Santa Rosa County is loaded with these types of books as well,” she said, adding that the school district’s media director said in an email that there were no inappropriate books in the Santa Rosa district.
“As recently as last Thursday I found a book within this school district that has graphic pictures of an adult giving pornographic magazines to minor school age boys, complete with open legged naked women on the magazines’ covers,” she said, holding up printed photos. “And yes, this is in your public school libraries.”
Baggett asked the Santa Rosa County Commission to “write a resolution to encourage immediate action” to remove the books from school libraries in the county. The commission has no authority over the schools; that power belongs to the school board.
Bergosh Talks Beulah Growth, OLF-8 (And Why Car Washes Are Being Built)
June 6, 2023
From discussion on why new car washes are popping up, to a Beulah master plan, to the latest on the development of OLF-8, Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh met with Beulah residents during a town hall meeting Monday night.
The county commission voted in April to enter into negotiations with homebuilder D.R. Horton on the $42 million purchase of the 500-plus acre OLF-8 property. Their mix-use plan will include residential and commercial areas, retail, offices and greenspace.
Bergosh said the future OLF-8 developer will be forced to follow an ordinance taken directly from a master plan.
“Give us a mixture of retail, parks, etc.,” the commissioner read from a citizen comment card during the town hall at Beulah Middle School. “That’s what I want,” Bersogh replied. “I live across the street. That’s what I want.”
“Retail, parks, etc., our traffic and infrastructure can’t handle the houses,” he continued reading from the citizen comment card.
“Yeah exactly. No one wanted houses on that field. I don’t know how that happened, but I did get outvoted on that,” Bergosh said. “We are going to have the housing we negotiated, and not one additional.”
A second developer, Breland Companies of Huntsville, Alabama, had made a cash offer of $35 million for the property, but the company was a no-show to make their presentation at a county commission meeting.
Monday night, the District 1 commissioner said the president of Breland said the day before the meeting that he would be able to attend. Bergosh said he encouraged the company president to send someone else, but they did not.
“They ghosted us. That’s what happened,” Bergosh said.
Other hot town hall topics included traffic and growth in Beulah.
Including a question about car washes.
Several residents asked why Beulah development has included businesses like car washes and convenience stores rather than their favorite retailers and restaurants.
“For whatever reason, they make a lot of money on car washes,” Bergosh said. “When people buy a piece of property, they have property rights. I can’t tell them, hey, you can’t build a car wash. You have to build a Dave & Busters.”
NorthEscambia.com images, click to enlarge.
Free Lunch Available All Summer For Youth At Libraries In Escambia County
June 6, 2023
Free meals for youth are available five days a week at West Florida Public Libraries branches.
In conjunction with Feeding the Gulf Coast, the meals will be served as follows:
Monday-Friday, Noon – 1 p.m.
- Bellview Library
- Molino Library
- Pensacola Library
- Southwest Library
- Tryon Library
- Westside Library
Tuesday-Saturday, Noon – 1 p.m.
- Century Library
The meals, which must be consumed at the library, are for children 18-year old and younger. The meals are also available for disabled individuals 19-years or older who participate in a public or private non-profit program during the school year.
The meals are available on the daily schedule above through August 9, except the July 4 holiday.
Cantonment Woman Facing Drug Charges After Traffic Stop
June 6, 2023
A Cantonment woman is facing drug charges after a June 1 traffic stop in Ensley.
Donna Marie Shell, 38, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Shell for allegedly making an improper turn from Hope Drive onto Pensacola Boulevard.
An ECSO K-9 alerted on the vehicle, leading to the discovery of a “white rock-like substance” that field tested positive for cocaine, a clear plastic baggie with a powdery substance that also field tested positive for cocaine, and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, according to an arrest report.
Shell was released on a $5,000 bond.
More Of Those Afternoon Showers And Storms Today
June 6, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 91. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 90. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 91.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 90.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Tiny Beatrice Rigby Bolton
June 6, 2023
Tiny Beatrice Rigby Bolton, age 91, of Walnut Hill, FL, passed away on June 5, 2023, in Mobile, AL. She was born on October 9, 1931, in Bratt, FL, to Ely and Virgie Castillow Rigby. She attended First Baptist Church of Canoe. She is preceded in death by her parents, eight siblings and her grandson, Zackary Bolton.
She is survived by her husband of 72 years, James C. Bolton; her daughter, Teresa Bolton (David) Brown of Atmore, AL; her sons, James Anthony “Tony” (Kim) Bolton of Franklin, TN and Terry Alan Bolton of Pensacola, FL; seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 3 p.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home with Bro. Arnold Hendrix and Bro. Waylon Stuckey officiating. Private interment will follow in Godwin Cemetery.
Jacquelyn Darlene Clemmons Killam
June 6, 2023
Jacquelyn Darlene Clemmons Killam, 64, of Stockton, AL (Boatyard) passed away on June 2, 2023 in Canoe, AL. She was born August 9, 1958, in Atmore, AL to Jack E. Clemmons and Willodean Rowell Clemmons. She is preceded
by her father, Jack E. Clemmons; one son, Charles Mathieu Mitchell and her stepfather, Charles Davis.
She is survived by her mother, Willodean Rowell Davis of Atmore, AL; one sister, Pam Christensen (Pete) of Cantonment, FL; two brothers, Donald D. Clemmons of Atmore, AL and Jack Elliott Clemmons Jr. of Atmore; one daughter, Sondra Glass McKinley (Kevin) of Canoe, AL; one son, Joseph Mitchell of Cantonment, FL and eight grandchildren Autumn (Josh) Day, Abbygail Reed, Jackson Reed, Mathieu Mitchell, Kamryn Mitchell, Joey Mitchell, Charlie Mitchell and Thomas Mitchell. Also, by her adored fur baby, Newly, a multitude of Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and her Boatyard Family.
Jackie enjoyed spending time with her friends and family especially around a backyard fire. She loved the outdoors, enjoyed fishing and gardening. She adored her dog, Newly, and considered him one of her children. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Get Help With Government Issues During Upcoming Beulah Constituent Services Day
June 6, 2023
Local residents will be able to receive the assistance they need from various government offices during a Constituent Services Day in Beulah laster this month.
State Rep. Michelle Salzman will host the event in conjunction with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh, Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford, and the Veterans Affairs team to assist constituents with local, state and federal casework issues.
“My collaborative relationship with our elected officers at all levels of government has been extremely beneficial to our constituents,” Salzman said. “We work very closely together and we have hosted this ‘one stop shop’ in an effort to ensure whatever issues our constituents face can be addressed.”
The tax collector’s office will be on site with the new mobile identification card program.
The Constituent Services Day will be held Tuesday, June 20 from 1-3 p.m. at Beulah Freewill Baptist Church at 7651 Mobile Highway.
Pictured: Rep Michelle Salzman speaks with a constituent during a work day in Molino last year. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Helen Marie Hallman
June 6, 2023
Ms. Helen Marie Hallman, 84, passed peacefully June 4, 2023 surrounded by her loving family. Known affectionately as “Momma” or “Nanny,” she had a deep love for her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and her great-great grandchildren. She leaves behind a legacy of loyalty and devotion to those she so fiercely cared about. Ms. Helen was a proud member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians where she served in many capacities including the Tribal Council and Housing board for several years. Because of her passion for breast cancer awareness, after being a survivor herself, Ms. Helen directed seminars for several years at the Wind Creek Ballroom. Before her passing, Ms. Helen resided at the Lavan Martin Assisted Living Facility and filled the role of confidant, mentor, and friend to many of the residents and staff.
Ms. Helen is preceded in death by her parents Levi and Treacy McGhee; 8 sisters- Martha Wilson, Carlie Dalrymple, Imogene Sheets, Deloris Kelley, Velma Crocker, Myrtis Kinman, Eva-Nell Burkett, Donna White; and 2 brothers- Leo and Fred Lee McGhee. She is survived by her 3 children- Cindy (Scott) Martin, Rodney Exum, and Ryan Exum; 5 grandchildren- Trent (Heather) Jackson, Amber Banda, Christopher Frost, Jordan (Brian) Moore, and Cliff (Julia) Martin; 9 great grandchildren- Bailey (Drake) Jarvis; Bradley Spann; Haley, Hayden, and Hayeslyn Jackson; Maddie, Will, and Wes Moore; 2 great- great grandchildren, Bentleigh and Taytum Jarvis; and 2 sisters- Eldnar and Judy
McGhee.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Atmore Memorial Chapel with Pastor Jon Lister officiating. Interment will follow in New Home Cemetery in Poarch, AL. A reception will follow at Friendly Holiness Church.
Active pallbearers will be Derrick McGhee, Kevin McGhee, Josh Burkett, David A. Kinman, Greg McGhee, Dakota Sheets, and Scott Jackson.
Honorary pallbearers will be Steven Colbert, Carl Faye McGhee, Jarrell Hollinger, Keith Martin, and Dewitt McGhee.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, June 7, 2023 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Atmore Memorial Chapel.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to the Lavan Martin Assisted Living Facility, Southern Care Hospice, and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians for the wonderful care provided to our dear Mother. A special “Thank you” to all the support and love shown by our family and community during this time. It is all very much appreciated.
Atmore Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.