Paul Ricky ‘Rick’ Ingram
March 29, 2023
Paul Ricky “Rick” Ingram, resident of Church Point, LA, passed away suddenly on Sunday, March 26, 2023, in Long Branch, NJ. Rick was born on July 23, 1957, to the late Jesse and Juanita White Ingram. He lived 65 years of pure joy because his soul was saturated with it. He was a member of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church. He loved music and took pride in being a member of the church choir.
Rick loved God and his beautiful wife whom he loved with all of his heart. He also loved spending time with his family and friends. He never met a stranger and always had a story to tell to make you laugh. You never walked away from Rick without a smile or without remembering his smile and the joy he brought to your heart.
He enjoyed hunting and sporting clays, but especially fishing. He always had the biggest fish regardless of the size. Rick passed on his love for the outdoors to his only daughter, Jessica.
He leaves behind to cherish his memory wife of 22 years, Merila Delano-Ingram of Church Point, LA; daughter, Jessica Ingram of Walnut Hill, FL; brother, Randy (Melissa) Ingram of Atmore, AL; sister, Rita (Stanford) Ingram McKay of Hayden, AL; sisters-in-law, Paula (Joseph) Higginbotham of Opelousas, LA, Jennifer (Michael) Kennerson of Church Point, LA and Kerrie Martin of Church Point, LA; nieces; nephews; and a host of other family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law, Larry Delano; and brother-in-law, Shawn Martin.
Visitation will be at Duhon Funeral Home in Church Point, LA on Friday, March 31, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM with the rosary at 6:00 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Mire, LA on Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 1:00 PM. Entombment will follow in the Assumption Catholic Church Cemetery.
BREAKING: Shelisa McCall And Alicia Johnson Elected To Century Town Council
March 28, 2023
For an update to this story, click or tap here.
Hail Up To Tennis Ball Size Falls In North Escambia Area (With Gallery)
March 28, 2023
Hail up to about tennis ball size (2.5 inches) fell during an early Tuesday morning thunderstorm in the North Escambia area.
NorthEscambia.com readers reported large hail in an area along and within a few miles of the Alabama/Florida line during a warned severe thunderstorm about 2 a.m.
The largest hail in photographs we saw was the tennis ball size that fell in Canoe, and we were told the photos were taken 30 minutes after it fell (picture top and first below).
For more photos click or tap here.
There was no immediate word on damage.
Pictured above and first below: Hail that fell in Canoe. Pictured below: Other hail photos from Nokomis, near Atmore, and Flomaton. Pictured bottom: This “hail probability” derived contour radar image shows the estimated area of the hail. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Inmate Gets 30 Years Killing Sex Offender Serving Life At Century Prison
March 28, 2023
An inmate has been sentenced for the manslaughter of another inmate serving life at the Century Correctional Institution.
Markell Brent Sawyer was sentenced to 30 years by Escambia Circuit Judge John Simon for the manslaughter of inmate Nelson Sanderson, 79, on August 17, 2020. According to prosecutors, Sawyer killed Sanderson by beating him over the head with a combination lock in a dormitory bathroom.
Sawyer was previously set to be released in December after serving nearly one year and seven months on criminal mischief and theft related charges. Now, he will begin the 30 year sentence consecutively and spend the next three decades in prison.
Sawyer’s prior criminal history includes convictions for theft, armed burglary, several burglaries, and sexual battery.
Sanderson was serving two life sentences out of Lee County for the lewd and lascivious molestation of a child less than 12-years old.
Florida Special Olympics Torch Run Begins In Century
March 28, 2023
The 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics began in Century Monday morning and continued through Pensacola.
The torch run started at the Florida/Alabama state line Monday morning. Runners from Century Correctional Institution carried the torch from south on Highway 29 from the state line to the Century Chamber of Commerce with an escort from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. An additional leg of the torch run Monday traveled from south with the ECSO, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies taking part.
Statewide, the participating chiefs, officers, sheriffs, deputies, agents and cadets from virtually every branch of federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement, represent a total of over 300 different agencies. Funds are generated through the sale of the popular Torch Run T-shirts and hats, and through various local fundraising events.
Pictured: The 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics started at the Florida/Alabama state line in Century and continued south in Escambia County. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century’s Special Election For Two Council Seats Is Today
March 28, 2023
A special election for two seats on the Century town council is today.
The candidates are listed below in a sample ballot image.
- Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Century Town Hall.
- Photo and signature ID is required for all voters. If you do not present one of the 12 approved forms of photo ID, you may vote a provisional ballot.
- Be sure to review your sample ballot prior in order to familiarize yourself with all of the contests and bring it with you to the polls. A sample ballot was mailed to voters, and you can view your sample ballot online here.
- Remember to make only one selection in each contest on your ballot.
- If you are unsure of your registration status, check EscambiaVotes.gov/am-i-registered, e-mail soe@escambiavotes.gov, or call (850) 595-3900.
- Registration books closed on February 27. New registrations for this election may not be made at the polls.
- You may not return your completed vote-by-mail ballot to your polling place on Election Day. It must be returned to the Elections Office or to an election official by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
- If you requested a vote-by-mail ballot but chose not to return it, you can vote at your polling place on Election Day. Though not required, it is requested that you bring your unvoted ballot package so it can be canceled.
- If you voted-by-mail, you can visit EscambiaVotes.gov/track-my-ballot for the status of your ballot.
DeSantis Signs Bill Expanding Florida School Choice Program
March 28, 2023
In Miami Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 1, which expands available school choice options for all students in Florida by eliminating financial eligibility restrictions and the current enrollment cap.
“Florida is number one when it comes to education freedom and education choice, and today’s bill signing represents the largest expansion of education choice in the history of these United States. When you combine private scholarships, charter schools, and district choice programs, Florida already has 1.3 million students attending a school of their choosing,” said DeSantis. “These programs have been instrumental in elevating student achievement over the past twenty years. I am grateful to the Florida Legislature, Speaker Renner, and President Passidomo for prioritizing this legislation and presenting it to me at the beginning of this year’s legislative session.”
HB 1 eliminates the current financial eligibility restrictions and allows any student who is eligible to enroll in K-12 to participate in available school choice options. The bill also continues to prioritize awards to students with household incomes that do not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level while incorporating a second priority to award scholarships to students who live in households with incomes between 185 percent of the federal poverty level and 400 percent of the federal poverty level. HB 1 also increases the annual scholarship adjustment for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities from one percent to three percent to address high demand and wait lists.
“This is a monumental day in Florida history,” said Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Thanks to Governor DeSantis and the legislature, we continue to be the undisputed leader in school choice. Florida will always make good on our promise to ensure every single child has access to a world- class education.”
The bill also eliminates the current enrollment cap and the exemptions to the maximum number of students who can participate in FES-EO. For students who are not full-time enrolled in public or private school or who are not Home Education Program students, there will be a cap of 20,000 new scholarships for the 2023-2024 school year and a cap of 40,000 new scholarships for every year after that.
Additionally, this legislation requires the Office of K-12 School Choice to develop an online portal that enables parents to choose the best educational options for their student. The bill also eliminates the restrictive requirement that students must complete at least one credit through a virtual course to graduate.
The bill also allows the general education requirement to be waived for teachers who have had three years in the classroom if they have been rated ‘effective’ or ‘highly effective’ for three consecutive years. The bill also expands the length of a temporary teaching certificate from three years to five years.
Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Public Comment Solicited On Solar Powered Bus Shelters, Sidewalks For Palafox
March 28, 2023
Escambia County has prioritized three projects to apply for available grant funding.
The projects are:
- ECAT solar-powered bus shelters with ADA upgrades
- Palafox Street sidewalks from Highway 29 to Nine Mile Road
- Regional sidewalk and drainage projects:
- Jackson Street sidewalks and drainage from 57th Avenue to New Warrington Road
- “W” Street sidewalks from Airport Boulevard to Highway 29
- Hollywood Avenue sidewalks and drainage from Massachusetts Avenue to Fairfield Drive
The grants are part of the Rebuild Florida Hurricane Sally Hometown Revitalization Program. Led by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Office of Long-Term Resiliency, the program is designed to support the recovery of economic activity in commercial areas of Hurricane Sally-impacted towns and cities by facilitating the return and recovery of businesses, jobs, and provision of goods and services to the community.
The public comment period on the projects is open through April 12. Send comments to sallyrecoverygrant@myescambia.com.
Turning A Little Bit Cooler Tonight
March 28, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. North wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 67. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. West wind around 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 78.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85.
Atmore Police: Pensacola Man Charged After Drugs, Fake Money, Car Chase, Shots Fired Incident
March 28, 2023
A Pensacola man is facing charges in Alabama on drug charges after what Atmore Police described as incident involving fake money for drugs, a car chase and shots fired.
Charles Robinson Anthony, 26, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia charges filed by the Atmore Police Department.
Sunday, Atmore Police responded to a reported shots fired incident in the area of Highway 21 and Poarch Road, near the Wind Creek Casino. In an area parking lot, a deputy from the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office spotted one of the vehicles described by a witness as being involved in the incident. When the deputy approached the driver, later identified as Robinson, he ran from the scene but was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit, according to Atmore Police Sgt. Darrell McMann.
“Officers interviewed Robinson and were able to determine through statements and evidence that Robinson attempted to sell narcotics to suspects in a second vehicle who attempted to pay Robinson with fake currency with “Motion Picture Only” stamped on the fake currency,” McMann Said. “The second vehicle sped away and Robinson began pursuing the vehicle. During the pursuit, one of the occupants of the vehicle shot at Robinson striking his vehicle at least one time.”
Police said the occupants of the second vehicle were not located.
“The incident is still under investigation and additional charges are forthcoming,” McMann added.