No Serious Injuries When Highway 97 Driver Crashes Head-on Into Tree
January 10, 2023
There were no serious injuries in a rollover crash Monday afternoon on Highway 97 near Davisville.
The driver was northbound on Highway 97 when she lost control about 3:30 p.m. near Highway 4. Her vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree head-on, and overturned onto its side.
She was transported by Atmore Ambulance to West Florida Hospital in Pensacola with minor injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Updated: Man Wanted After Allegedly Fleeing From High Speed Chase
January 10, 2023
Authorities are looking for a local man following a high speed chase Sunday afternoon.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office said 34-year old George Logan Tollison led their deputies on a high speed pursuit from Alabama into Escambia County, Florida, on Sunday, but he managed to get away.
“During the pursuit, Tollison had no regard for the safety of the public nor the deputies,” BCSO said.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office later received a tip that Tollison was driving a red Ford F150 pickup truck, and that he had outstanding warrants from Baldwin County, Alabama. According to ECSO, deputies located Tollison outside the truck on Schaag Road. He jumped into the truck and fled, with deputies giving chase toward Highway 196.
“He was driving at an extremely high rate of speed and weaving in and out of traffic,” ECSO spokesperson Morgan Lewis said. Deputies called off the chase in the interest of public safety.
Lewis said an arrest warrant for fleeing and eluding has been issued for Tollison in Escambia County, and he is wanted on a probation violation and grand theft. Baldwin County has warrants for Tollison on attempting to elude charges.
BCSO said Tollison is known to frequent Molino, Clear Springs in Baldwin County and the Peterman area in Monroe County, Alabama.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts can call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620, Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office at (251) 937-0202, or their local law enforcement agency.
Suspect George Logan Tollison is pictured in a late 2020 mugshot.
Pamela Trice Named Bratt Elementary School’s Teacher Of The Year
January 10, 2023
Pamela Trice was named the Bratt Elementary School Teacher of the Year. She teaches first grade.
NorthEscambia.com spotlighting Teachers of the Year from the North Escambia area. The county’s overall teacher of the year will be named in late January.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Established Foreign Manufacturing Company Set To Visit Century This Week To Discuss Building Lease
January 10, 2023
A 50-year old foreign company with established American customers is expected to visit Century this week in advance of negotiating a lease on a town-owned building in the industrial park.
We first reported last week about the company that is looking to set up their first domestic manufacturing and warehouse distribution facility serving the oil and gas industry.
Company officials will be in Century this week to meet individually with each town council member and look at any potential upgrades to the 40,000 square foot building. The town re-acquired the industrial building at public auction for less than $1 out of pocket back in August 2009, following the town’s foreclosure judgment against the now defunct Helicopter Technology company. The building has sat empty since then.
According to the FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance, the company plans to hire five people initially, with a goal of 10 employees by the end of the year with an average salary of $46,570 — the average wage in the Pensacola area. The company hopes to begin warehouse operations by the end of February with a forthcoming expansion into manufacturing.
Last week, the town council voted 3-1 to allow the mayor to negotiate a lease, subject to final council approval. The company is offering a lease amount equal to a recent appraisal — $94,000 annually or $7,833 monthly — with the company paying for insurance, taxes and maintenance with a minimum five-year term.
Council President Luis Gomez, Jr. voted and spoke out against the idea, saying the number of jobs was “nothing for the town of Century”, saying the town should not negotiate with “somebody who comes in here under the cover of night” and “under the cover of a backroom deal negotiated by somebody else”.
The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance is the economic development organization for Escambia County. Most details about the new company and their plans remain confidential during discussions, as is allowed and is standard in economic development in Florida.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Sunny And Warming Until A Rainy Thursday Cold Front
January 10, 2023
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Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 66. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 48. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 73. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 9pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. High near 73. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 53.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 33.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.
M.L.King Day: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.
FPL Donates $10K To Roy Hyatt Environmental Center
January 10, 2023
The Roy Hyatt Environmental Center in Cantonment has received a $10,000 donation from Florida Power & Light through its charitable arm, NextEra Energy Foundation.
The donation will be used to promote environmental education to students and teachers in the Escambia County Public Schools. This includes elementary students, teacher training, clubs such as FFA, Science Honor Society, and others.
The funds from this donation will allow the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center to build new standards-based curriculum, enhance current standards-based programs, identify and remove invasive plants, provide habitat restoration, as well as improve current exhibits.
Through participation in these programs, students will explore the environment, come to understand environmental issues, and engage in problem solving, which will ultimately help them to develop a better understanding of environmental issues.
Buffalo Rock To Bring Up To 400 New Jobs To Santa Rosa County
January 10, 2023
Iconic beverage company Buffalo Rock will purchase 47 acres to build a new distribution facility at Santa Rosa County’s Northwest Florida Industrial Park @I-10.
The project is expected to bring 350-400 new jobs to the area – 150-200 that will be created here, and 200 that will be relocated here from other areas.
Buffalo Rock is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama where 85% of its products are manufactured. The company sells more than a billion containers of product each year.
“This is a very exciting time for our team, and a testament to our longstanding commitment to the region,” said Buffalo Rock Regional Vice President – Gulf Region John Isbell. “The retail landscape is growing, and this investment will position us to better meet demand. Additionally, our employee-partners will experience a first-class workplace with modern amenities. We recognize their positive experience is vital in best serving our customers, and the environment in which they work plays a significant role.”
“I’m excited to see that Buffalo Rock is making such a big investment in Santa Rosa County,” said Colten Wright, chairman of the Santa Rosa County Commission, who leads the board’s economic development efforts. “They will be the anchor and flagship company of our I-10 Industrial Park. Buffalo Rock bringing nearly 400 employees at wages higher than our area average, means they believe in Santa Rosa County and understand all that we have to offer. They will likely be the first of many companies flocking to our area.”
Groundbreaking on the project is expected in May 2023.
Cecil H. “Junior” Driver, Jr.
January 10, 2023
Mr. Cecil H. “Junior” Driver, Jr., age 61, passed away on Monday, January 9, 2023 at a Pensacola, FL hospital.
Mr. Driver was born in Munich, Germany and had been a resident of McDavid, FL before moving to Molino thirteen years ago. He was a member of the Century High School Class of 1979. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and had worked as a mechanic at Masland Carpets. He was a member of McDavid Methodist Church. He was preceded in death by his father, Cecil H. Driver, Sr.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Cindy Driver of Molino, FL; his mother, Josie Driver of McDavid, FL; two sons, Nick (Heather) Driver of Flomaton, AL, Cody (Ashley) Driver of Molino, FL; daughter, Valarie Driver of Mobile, AL; brother, Scotty (Tracee) Driver of Jay, FL; sister, Cheryl (David) Beck of Lake Mary, FL; six grandchildren, Brianna, Morgan, Conner, Brantley, Hayes, and Hayden.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 13, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. at McDavid Methodist Church with Bro. Randy Enfinger officiating. Interment will follow in Ray’s Chapel Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. on Thursday at Flomaton Funeral Home.
Pallbearers: Jeff Steadham, Jeffery Steadham, Michael Hammonds, Daniel Kelley, Chad Burkett, and John Madison.
Glennis Carl Simmons
January 10, 2023
Glennis Carl Simmons, age 87, of Cantonment, Florida passed away December 23, 2022. He was born on December 8, 1935 in Brewton, Alabama to Travis and Cora Simmons. He was married to Betty Joyce Odom Simmons for 61 years. He had a career in Construction & Building Supplies for Owsley Lumber Company, West Lumber Company, Banner Builders Supply and Langford & Mills.
He was a member of Olive Baptist Church. He had a passion for fishing, hunting, baseball, football and his grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Travis Monroe and Cora Grissett Simmons; brothers, Doug Simmons, Cecil Carnley; son, Glennis C Simmons Jr.; son-in-law, Terry Lee Dorch. He is survived by his wife, Betty Joyce Odom Simmons; son, Devin K. Simmons (Amy); grandsons, Mark (Lindsey) Simmons, Chad (Lexi) Simmons; granddaughter, Karen (Ben) Kimsal, and six great grandchildren, brother-in-law, James (Jacque) Odom, nephews, Jason and Jacob. He was also involved in the following, President of Cantonment Little League, President & Treasurer of Tate High School Quarterback Club, Tate H.S. Student Advisory Board and Deacon at Pinewoods Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Covenant Hospice at Covenant Care 5041 N. 12TH Avenue, Pensacola, Florida 32504 or St. Jude Hospital at donors@stjude.org.
Memorial Service will be held on Monday, January 9, 2023 at 2:00pm at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North. Visitation will follow in the event room at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North.
William Charles Krushas, Jr.
January 10, 2023
William Charles Krushas, Jr. (Bill), passed away quietly at the age of 81 in the early morning hours of Saturday, January 7, 2023 with Jo Ann, his loving wife of 23 years, by his side.
A veteran of the Vietnam War, Bill enlisted in the Air Force in 1959 and retired as Senior Master Sergeant having dutifully served his country for a total of more than 20 years of active and reserve duty. After retiring from active-duty service, he worked as a civil servant at NAS Pensacola for approximately 40 years. When Bill wasn’t working, he liked to relax. Relaxing for him usually involved more working. Working in the yard. Working on his house. Fixing things. Cleaning things. Building things. Tinkering on things. Building things, he could tinker on that he could then fix and that would probably require cleaning.
But Bill wasn’t just an extremely hard worker. He also had a seemingly endless thirst for knowledge. What he didn’t know he wanted to learn about, and this allowed him to be a vast resource for anyone who needed help. Bill was kind and generous. He was industrious and endlessly energetic. He was clever and witty. He was a good friend; a good son; a good father; a good brother; and a good and loving husband.
Bill is preceded in death by his mother and father, Ora and William Krushas, Sr., as well as his stepson, David Karrick, (Bubba). He is remembered by his wife, Jo Ann Krushas; his two sisters, Burgett Mobley, and Bobbie Cowart; his children and step-children, and their spouses, John Kingsley and Kym Embry, Tracy and Shane Leggett, Tera and Paul Schmidt, and James and Hailey Krushas; as well as cousins and nephews and nieces and an abundance of the most amazing and more or less well-mannered grandchildren a person could dream of. Bill will also be remembered by his good friend and neighbor, Bo Boyett. Not mentioned here are the countless other friends Bill met along his life’s journey, the men and women he served with, and even the random passerby who happened to be lucky enough to glimpse his charming smile and wit. He will be missed by all and forgotten by none.
Funeral services will be Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 10:00am at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North. Visitation will be prior to service at 9:30am.