The Tent Is Up In Cantonment. When Will The Pumpkins Arrive?
September 23, 2023
The tent is up on Highway 29 in Cantonment. But when will the pumpkins arrive?
The Allen Memorial Methodist Men Pumpkin Patch is a longstanding North Escambia fall tradition with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes for sale each year.
If all goes as planned, the pumpkins will arrive on Thursday, and they will be open for business on Friday, September 29.
And there may be those smoked turkey legs on sale on Saturday, September 30.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Attempted Murder For Shooting Outside Middle School
September 23, 2023
Pensacola Police have made an arrest in the shooting of a man that occurred near Workman Middle School last Tuesday night.
Keondre Tomorris Wright, 24, is charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm on school property. He was released from jail on a $75,000 bond.
About 8:30 p.m. shots were fired from a vehicle on Langley Avenue outside of Workman Middle School.
“Officers who were inside the school during a basketball game were alerted to the shooting and went outside to investigate. They located one adult male with gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital and is currently in stable condition,” Pensacola Police Department Officer Mike Wood said Tuesday night. “The school was placed in lockdown until officers could determine that it was safe for those inside to leave.”
Pensacola Police investigators developed information in the case that led to Wright being named as suspect. An arrest warrant was issued for Wright Thursday, and he turned himself in at the Escambia County Jail Friday afternoon.
Escambia Man Claims $1 Million Scratch-off Lottery Ticket Sold At Publix
September 23, 2023
An Escambia County man has claimed a $1 million scratch-off lottery prize for a ticket purchased at a local Publix.
Christopher Banks, 52, claimed his million at the Florida Lottery Pensacola District Office. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $820,000.
Grant purchased his winning ticket from Publix, located at 9251 University Parkway at Nine Mile Road. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.
The $50 game, 500X THE CASH, features a top prize of $25 million.
High School Football Scoreboard
September 23, 2023
Here are Friday night’s North Escambia area football scores
FLORIDA
- West Florida 26, Pine Forest 23
- Escambia 37, Milton 0
- Gulf Breeze 35, Pensacola High 0
- Prince Avenue Christian 56, Pensacola Catholic 20
- Destin, 42, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy 0
- Navarre 49, Carroll (Ala.) 28
- BYES: Northview, Tate, Jay, Pace
ALABAMA
- Flomaton 27, Excel 20
- Canceled: St. Stanislaus (Bay St. Louis, MS) at Escambia Academy
- Escambia County (Atmore) 41, Wilcox Central 20 (called 2Q)
- T.R. Miller 27, Orange Beach 14
- W.S. Neal 22, Hillcrest (Evergreen) 3
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Bettie Boutwell
September 23, 2023
Mrs. Bettie Strength Boutwell, age 73, passed away, Wednesday, September 20, 2023, in Flomaton, AL; surrounded by her loving family. She resided most of her life in Flomaton and a member of Friendship Church. She worked at Starter Manufacturing with many years of service.
Mrs. Boutwell loved spending time with her family and grandchildren. She loved listening to Dolly Parton. She enjoyed traveling with her husband to many vacation destinations from the mountains of Tennessee “Dixie Stampede”; to “Silver Springs” in Florida.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Rufus A. (Perry Hammac) Strength, husband, Herman Boutwell, one son, Herman Ander Boutwell, one sister, Barbara Ann Strength, and one nephew, Billy Allen Strength.
She is survived by her one daughter, Amy (Mark) Hastings, of Flomaton, AL; two brothers, Rufus Mason (Diane) Strength, of Jay, FL; Billy (Liz) Strength, of Flomaton, AL; four sisters, Carol (Gene) Sims, of Pace, FL; Judy Kinsey, of San Antonia, TX; Mandy (Jackie) Kelly, of Pollard, AL; three grandchildren, Mark Hastings, Jr; Faith Hastings, Leanna Terry, one great-grandchild, Lillian Brown, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, September 24, 2023, at 2:00 PM at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home, LLC with Rev. Glenn Johnson officiating.
Burial will follow at Travelers Rest Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Sunday, September 24, 2023 from 1:00 PM until service time at 2:00 PM at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home, LLC.
Pallbearers will be Stevie Emmons, David Strength, DeWayne Ballard, Johnny McCurdy, Jr. Vanhoosen, and Nathan Emmons.
Michael ‘Mike’ James Rogers
September 23, 2023
Michael “Mike” James Rogers, 74, of Cantonment, Florida, passed away Thursday, September 21, 2023. He was born in Springfield, Illinois to the late, Donald and Genevieve Rogers. He was married to Barbara “BJ” Rogers for 31 years. Mike worked as a social worker for the Lakeview Center and the State of Florida. He also worked as a car salesman, and a cable technician for several cable companies. He had a passion for photography and cars. His favorite things to do were fishing with his son, playing poker and pool, and attending races at Five Flags Speedway. He loved listening to the Beatles. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Mary Rogers; brother, Patrick Rogers; and nephew, Mikey Russell.
He is survived by his wife, BJ Rogers; son, Jarrett Rogers; sisters, Kathy Perez (Joe), Martha Rogers, and Sharon Taylor Rogers; brothers, Don and John Rogers; special nephews, Sam and Noah; and many other family members and friends.
The family will receive friends for visitation from 1-2 p.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North (1000 South Highway 29, Cantonment). A memorial service will begin at 2 p.m., Saturday, September 30 , 2023, with Wesley Jeffcoat officiating.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.
Man Charged With Murder Of Driver Beaten Following Fatal Pedestrian Crash In Atmore
September 22, 2023
An Atmore man was arrested Friday morning for murder in connection with the beating death of a driver following a fatal pedestrian crash in Atmore last August.
Kendrell Madison, 39, was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center following a traffic stop in Atmore about 5:40 a.m. Friday.
Alabama State Troopers said Kenneth Elbert Harrison of Silverhill, Alabama, was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe that struck 24-year old Hannah Annette Martin on Highway 31 at The Tavern of Atmore about 11:50 p.m. on August 5. The Atmore Police Department said they arrived to find Martin with severe injuries. She was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
Harrison stopped his vehicle in the Tavern parking lot.
Police originally said Harrison was beaten by an angry mob, but now says Madison was solely responsible for the murder.
“While on the scene, the responding officers discovered Harrison laying on his stomach in the parking lot of the Tavern unconscious. When the officers rolled him over, they discovered that Harrison had severe injuries to his face that disfigured his facial features. Due to his extensive injuries the officers thought at the time that Harrison may have been assaulted by one or more people,” Atmore Police Sgt. Darrell McMann said Friday morning.
Harrison was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital and then airlifted to a Mobile hospital where he later died.
Police said the assault was not caught on nearby security cameras, but “valuable” audio recordings were captured.
“The investigation revealed that Harrison sustained the injuries when he was forcefully driven into the pavement and the impact caused the injuries. The assault occurred as everyone’s attention was focused on Martin. Harrison was not assaulted with a weapon nor was he assaulted by more than one person. Investigators developed a person of interest but continued to seek witnesses and await the results of search warrants that had been obtained during the investigation which led to the delay in making an arrest,” McMann said.
Atmore Police said the decision to charge Madison with murder was made in consultation with the Escambia County (AL) District Attorney’s Office.
Former Flomaton Cop Arrested Gets 10 Years For Trafficking Meth
September 22, 2023
A former Flomaton Police Department lieutenant has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking after an investigation involving law enforcement from two states and the DEA culminated in Molino.
Lopez entered a straight up plea to Judge Coleman Robison to one count of trafficking in methamphetamine 28 to 200 grams and unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Lopez faced a maximum of 30 years in state prison, plus fines totaling $105,000.
Lopez arranged a narcotics deal for methamphetamine from an Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office investigator by phone and text messages. An arrest report states he arrived on December 7, 2020, at a predetermined location near the ECSO precinct in Molino and accepted the two ounces of methamphetamine from the undercover officer. He was then taken into custody by deputies and the SWAT team.
The cellphone used by Lopez to arrange the meth deal belonged to the Town of Flomaton, according to Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Health Jackson. As a result, Lopez was charged in Alabama for felony use of official position or office for personal gain.
Lopez was terminated from the Flomaton Police Department.
ECSO Using Van, Cameras To Watch Nuisance Homes 24/7
September 22, 2023
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has repurposed an aging van with over 200,000 miles as their new “Nuisance Abatement Module”.
Equipped with six cameras that provide real time feed directly to the ECSO.
“Many times, a single residence becomes a nuisance and is a drain on Sheriff’s Office resources. Our hope is that this Nuisance Abatement Module will help alleviate this drain. This module is the first of three such platforms the Sheriff’s Office will roll out as needed,” the ECSO said.
Thursday, the van was parked outside a house on North V Street where the ECSO says they have responded to more than 70 complaints in three months.
Third Candidate Prefiles For Escambia School Board District 5
September 22, 2023
A Cantonment man is the third person to prefile for the District 5 seat on the Escambia County School Board.
Jim “Andy” Taylor prefiled Thursday with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections.
Joshua Matthew Luther and Scott Taylor previously prefiled.
The Escambia County School Board is a nonpartisan office on the 2024 ballot.