10 Mile Road Apartment Fire Caused By A/C Unit, ECFR Determines
May 17, 2025
The cause of a Thursday night apartment building fire that displaced 11 people was caused by a portable A/C unit, Escambia County Fire Rescue said on Friday.
ECFR arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the second story of the two-story wood frame house with four apartments.
Crews worked quickly to extinguish the flames while also saving numerous personal items. During the primary search, a kitten was located and rescued unharmed. ECFR brought the situation under control in around 45 minutes.
One occupant was injured but refused transportation to the hospital. There were no additional injuries.
Officials said the building is not a total loss but will require extensive repairs.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Laskey Delivers Career-Long Outing, But Rocket City Evens Series with Wahoos
May 17, 2025
written by Bill Vilona
Lefthander Adam Laskey completed six innings Friday night for the first time in his five-year pro career. If only he could take back one of the 94 pitches he threw. Laskey hung a curveball with the bases loaded in the fifth inning that Rocket City’s Denzer Guzman drove into the gap for a 3-run double, and it proved decisive in the Trash Pandas’ 4-2 victory against Pensacola before a capacity crowd (5,038) at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
This became another game where the Blue Wahoos could lament multiple missed chances at the plate. They were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, including four with less than two out.
But there were several memorable moments for the large crowd.
The pregame activities were headlined by two amazing, centenarian age and World War II veteran brothers, Earl Drinkwater, 101, and younger brother Arthur, who turned 99 in February. They threw out ceremonial first pitches as the crowd greeted them with loud applause.
In addition to this, the Blue Wahoos took on a one-time identity as the “Malmo Oat Milkers,” a tie-in to an oat milk company based in Malmo, Sweden and part of a promotion initiative through all levels of Minor League Baseball. The black-white jerseys worn by the Blue Wahoos players Friday were part of the sponsorship agreement.
It was a full night for the Blue Wahoos (21-16), aside from the game outcome.
Things started well on the field. Newcomer Fenwick Trimble, one of the stars of Thursday night’s win against Rocket City, led off with a single, stolen second, and later scored on Kemp Alderman’s sacrifice fly.
The Trash Pandas (12-23) tied the game in the second with a double, a wild pitch from Laskey to move the runner to third, and a sacrifice fly by catcher Jaxx Groshans.
The score stayed that way until the fifth when Rocket City’s first two batters singled, then Laskey walked Sam Brown with two out to load the bases. A 2-2 curve ball from him was blasted into the right center gap to empty the bases.
Trimble homered to start the bottom of the fifth, then Jared Serna tripled. But reliever Jose Quijada struck out Jake Thompson and Alderman, and Brady Choban, the third of six pitchers Rocket City used in this game, got Nathan Martorella to ground out in a defining moment of the game.
The Blue Wahoos were retired in order in the eighth and ninth. It wound up a win for former Blue Wahoos pitcher Sean Poppen, who made his MLB debut with the Minnesota Twins in 2019 after starting the season in Pensacola. He’s now trying for a comeback to the big leagues.
The series is now evened at 2-2 heading into Saturday’s fifth game of the series with the Blue Wahoos’ Dax Fulton set to be the game starter.
Thursday Night Apartment Fire On 10 Mile Road Displaces 11 People
May 16, 2025
Fire displaced 11 people at an apartment building on East 10 Mile Road on Thursday night.
The fire was reported in the two-story building about 7:55 p.m. in the 200 block of East 10 Mile. Officials said fourunits were impacted.
One person was reportedly injured, but they refused transport after evaluation by Escambia County EMS.
The American Red Cross is providing temporary assistance to those displaced.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Pictured: An apartment fire on 10 Mile Road on Thursday night. Photos for courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Names Students Of The Month
May 16, 2025
Byrneville Elementary School recently named their April Students of the Month.
They are:
- Kindergarten: Bri’Elle McCaster and Daisley Dykes
- 1st Grade: Nova Brown and Anna Brooks
- 2nd Grade: Paisley Miller and Arayah McCall
- 3rd Grade: D’Asia Simpson and Kennedi Lett
- 4th Grade: Emrey Fowler and Marquis Bell
- 5th Grade: Maleeyah Jefferson and Elsa Faulk
ECSO Honors Fallen Officers During Service At Newly Completed Memorial
May 16, 2025
Thursday, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held the first Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at the new Memorial Plaza to honor our deputies killed in the line of duty. The families and friends of those who were remembered gathered to place a rose on the new Escambia County Sheriff’s Office memorial.
Roll Call of Heroes:
- Town Hall Marshall Daniel Douglas – End of Watch 1893
- Sheriff A. Cary Ellis – End of Watch 1923
- Constable Mallory Williams – End of Watch 1941
- DS Joseph Elmer Whitworth – End of Watch 1954
- Constable WM. “Clint” Rigby – End of Watch 1955
- Patrolman Roland Davis, Sr. – End of Watch 1955
- DS Len B. Adams – End of Watch 1958
- DS Joseph Mallory Gassman – End of Watch 1966
- DS Charles Leroy Wilkerson – End of Watch 1974
- DS Morley “Buddy” Ray – End of Watch 1978
- DS Floyd “Doug” Heist – End of Watch 1980
- CPL. Eric Byron Streeter – End of Watch 1984
- DS Donald Ray Cook – End of Watch 1988
- DS Sgt. Dennis Mathis – End of Watch 1989
- Sgt. Roosevelt Walker, Jr. – End of Watch 1998
- Lt. George Hura, Jr. – End of Watch 2004
- K-9 Wolf – End of Watch 2000
- K-9 Erny – End of Watch 2000
The new memorial plaza is a focal point in front of the main Sheriff’s Office on Leonard Street, reinforcing its symbolic importance. The newly designed space offers a place where memories are shared, where grief is met with support, and where citizens can all come together–united in appreciation for those who sacrificed their lives for our safety.
Under a partnership with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Foundation, no tax dollars were used for the construction.
Dry Weather, Highs Around 90 Ahead
May 16, 2025
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Gradual clearing, with a high near 90. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 72. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Light south wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Tri-City Children’s Choir To Present Spring Concert Friday Evening
May 16, 2025
The Tri-City Children’s Choir will present their annual Spring Concert Friday evening.
The choir, under the direction of Holley Driver, is an outreach program of the Pensacola Children’s Choir.
Everyone is invited to the free event at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the First Pentecostal Church at 8451 North Century Boulevard, at the corner of Hilltop Road.
Pictured: The Tri-City Children’s Choir during a practice Thursday afternoon. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview’s New Coach Is Ready As The Chiefs Face Vernon In Scrimmage Tonight
May 16, 2025
UPDATE: This game has already taken place, but the story has been left in place to allow access to the photo gallery.
The Northview Chiefs will hit the road for a spring scrimmage tonight at Vernon.
For new Northview head coach Doug Vickery, it will be a first look at the Chiefs in action since he took over the program a few weeks ago. After 19 years at Flomaton, Vickery crossed the state line after Wes Summerford took the head coaching job at West Florida High School.
“I’ve been getting to know the kids,” Vickery said following a practice this week. “Relationships are the most important things, so I’ve tried to emphasize that with the guys. The group that we’ve got out here is very bought-in.”
“There are some experienced football players that that they’ve already played a lot of football, and so they know a lot about football, so that transition from just knowing the game has been a little bit smoother than I thought.
“The kids work hard and have great attitudes, so that part’s been really simple,” he said. “The biggest thing for me is being somewhere for 20 years and making that change. It’s kind of like having it on cruise control, and now I’ve got to do some different things, but it’s a great situation.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Vernon. Admission is $8 at the gate or Gofman.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs run drills this week in preparation to face Vernon Friday night in a spring scrimmage game. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Spring Football Jamboree Tonight At Tate (And A Sneak Peek At Special Concession Menu)
May 16, 2025
The Escambia County Spring Jamboree will be held Friday night at Tate High School.
Games will begin at 5:30 p.m. as follows:
Game 1- Tate vs Pensacola
Game 2- Pensacola vs Pine Forest
Game 3- Pine Forest vs Escambia
Game 4- Escambia vs Catholic
Game 5- Tate vs Catholic
Each game is one quarter in length, and each game will be held upon completion of the previous game.
Parking is $2 for the event, and tickets are available on GoFan.
CONCESSIONS
Combos (includes a chip and drink)
- Chick-Fil-A Sandwich Combo – $12
- Hamburger or Cheeseburger Combo – $10
A La Carte
- Chick-Fil-A Sandwich – $8
- Hamburger or Cheeseburger – $6
- Nachos – $5
- with jalapeño – $6
- Drink (soda cans) – $2
- Chips – $2
- Candy – $2
- Water – $1
Newcomer Trimble Ignites Rally In Wahoos’ Comeback Win
May 16, 2025
written by Bill Vilona
The Blue Wahoos opted to take batting practice Thursday under the stadium at their indoor facility, then curtailed pregame workouts 30 minutes early. All of a sudden, their offense turned on brighter than Christmas tree lights.
A day after enduring a 9-0 defeat, Pensacola matched that run total with eight different players reaching base multiple times to win a 9-6 slugfest against the Rocket City Trash Pandas at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Taking on their alternate identity as the Pensacola Mullets on Mullets Thursday, the team broke an extended slump at the plate to score the second-most runs this season.
It was also the first time the Blue Wahoos (21-15) won a game this season when allowing more than five runs. In this case, they also tied the game twice in the first four innings, then exploded for a five-run sixth inning to pull away.
Centerfielder Fenwick Trimble, who joined the team Tuesday in a promotion from the Beloit Sky Carp, the Miami Marlins’ High-A affiliate, had one of the biggest hits, which was also his first hit at the Double-A level. His run-scoring double in the sixth ignited the big rally and he later came around to score on a single.
“Lot of fun,” he said afterward, before getting doused by teammates by an ice bucket in the post-game interview. “These guys are really welcoming and really good to me so far, so it’s a lot of fun. “I’m just trying to continue what I’ve been doing and see pitches and handle the strike zone and things worked out.”
The team bounced back in a big way from a deflating loss Wednesday on Education Day with school children filling the ballpark. The Blue Wahoos produced 12 hits with Kemp Alderman the most notable. He went 3-for-5 with an RBI in a confidence-building day at the plate.
Johnny Olmstead had two innings, including a second-inning solo home run. Shane Sasaki went 2-for-3 and scored two runs.
In swinging the bats unlike they have done in more than a week, the Blue Wahoos bolstered their pitching staff.
Evan Fitterer struggled in his sixth start, a second rough outing in a row. He worked four innings, allowed four runs, walked five and struck out four. He was relieved by Alex Williams, who joined the team May 11 from Beloit. Williams worked three innings to earn his first Double-A win with the Blue Wahoos, after going three innings, allowing two runs, but no walks.
Dale Stanavich earned his sixth save with two stellar innings to seal the game.
The Blue Wahoos had all of this offense, despite having two runners picked off and two others thrown out at the plate in the first four innings. But in the fourth inning, the team produced a rally with two out. Five consecutive batters reached base with hits or walks. Sasaki had a run-scoring single, Trimble drew a bases-loaded walk and Jared Serna followed with an RBI hit.
In the sixth inning, trailing 6-4, the Blue Wahoos batted around with eight consecutive batters reaching after one out.
The win game the Blue Wahoos a 2-1 series lead against the Trash Pandas (11-23) heading to the three weekend games.