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Escambia Man Gets Federal Prison Time Following Bicycle Traffic Stop

An convicted Escambia County man was sentenced in federal court for possessing a firearm and ammunition.

Julius Maurice Dean, 46, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

“Thanks to the excellent work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF, this violent felon has been removed from our streets,” U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin said. “My office remains fully committed to keeping our community safe by aggressively prosecuting these criminals and ensuring they are held accountable for breaking the law.”

According to court records, Dean provided a false name to law enforcement and fled from an officer on foot after a traffic stop was conducted on his bicycle traveling on the wrong side of the roadway in the area of Pensacola Boulevard and Van Pelt Lane. After being apprehended, law enforcement located a loaded, stolen firearm on Dean’s person as well as illegal narcotics. Dean has prior felony convictions for bank robbery, possession of a controlled substance, driving while driver’s license revoked as a habitual traffic offender, and grand theft of a firearm.

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

Century Picks Top 5 Town Administrator Applicants

Tuesday night, the Century Town Council narrowed the list of candidates for a new town administrator and set a date for interviews.

The mayor and council members each submitted names, with the top five making the cut. They are:

Charles Anderson
Timothy Day
Brian Luis Underwood
Peter Cavalli
Lisa Rouse

The council set public interviews for Thursday, August 14 at 6 p.m. Following the suggestion of council member John Bass, all interviews will be virtual “so there’s no competitive advantage” to a candidate who appears in person. Between now and August 14, each council member has the opportunity to individually interview the candidates on the phone.

The council plans to choose their next administrator at their regular meeting on August 19.

According to the job description, the salary range for the position is $112,000 to $137,000, with the likely salary offer between the minimum of $112,000 and the midpoint of the range, or about $124,500.

Here is brief information on each of the finalists:

• Charles V. Anderson (Saint Petersburg, FL): Anderson is the former city manager for Treasure Island, Florida, where he led disaster recovery efforts and managed multimillion-dollar budgets. With decades of military and local government experience, he specializes in crisis management, infrastructure planning, and personnel leadership.
• Peter Cavalli (Tampa, FL): Cavalli is the founder of Tampa Bay Training, LLC, and a former town manager for Kenneth City, Florida. ​ He has extensive experience in public works, emergency management, and workforce development, as well as training programs for municipalities and private sector clients. ​
• Timothy J. Day (Cape Coral, FL): A former district manager for multiple Community Development Districts in Florida, Day brings over 30 years of experience in city/town management, law enforcement, and public safety. ​ He has managed utility modernization projects, FEMA disaster recovery efforts, and financial audits for municipalities. ​ He also served as a City Council member in Cape Coral for nine years. ​
• Lisa Rouse (Pensacola, FL): Rouse is the director of operations and marketing for two technology firms and a public sector consultant. She specializes in financial systems, utility oversight, and personnel development. ​ A Pensacola resident, she is deeply involved in local civic groups and community engagement. ​
• Brian Louis Underwood (Fairhope, AL): Currently serving as grants director for Baldwin County Commission, Underwood has managed multimillion-dollar grant programs for infrastructure and disaster recovery. ​ He previously served as executive director of the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program and has extensive experience in strategic planning, environmental stewardship, and intergovernmental coordination. ​

Editor’s note: Information for each applicant is a brief summary taken from more complete resumes, applications and/or cover letters submitted to the Town of Century. Applicant’s information and claims were not independently verified by NorthEscambia.com staff.

Escambia School Guardians Prepare To Protect In The New School Year

Escambia County Public Schools guardians are preparing for the first day of school.

The guardians serve as armed campus security officers. They are ECPS employees trained by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and their sole mission is to protect students and staff in public schools across Escambia County.

Ideal candidates for guardians have prior law enforcement and/or military experience and must have a passion for working with children.

The guardians go through an extensive training curriculum with the Sheriff’s Office that prepares them to safeguard schools.

Guardians recently returned to the ECSO range to sharpen their marksmanship, and to prepare for various school-security scenarios. Eight new guardians (pictured top) recently graduated after completing a minimum of 144 hours of training provided by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Professional Development unit, with an emphasis on firearms training.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Afternoon Pop-up Showers And Storms Likely Again Today

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers between 10pm and 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 71. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday: A slight chance of showers, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight.

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.

Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.

Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 60%

James Dickey Avirett, Jr.

James Dickey Avirett, Jr., 68, passed away July 31, 2025 after a long battle with cancer. Jimmy, as he was affectionately known, was born in Dothan, Alabama on July 18, 1957. However, he lived nearly his entire life in Cantonment, Florida, growing up on Well Line Road. He began working at St. Regis Paper at the age of 19 and retired from International Paper after 44 years of dedicated service. He was very proud of his work at the Paper Mill.

Jimmy was preceded I death by his parents, James Dickey Avirett, Sr. and Carol Jane Avirett.

He is survived by his sons, Matthew Avirett and Brian (Christina) Avirett; and step daughter, Amanda (Justin) Canfield with his former wife, Cynthia Avirett; 5 grandsons, Hunter Bentley, Shayne Avirett, Dylan and Kyle Canfield; 2 step daughters, Brittney and Shannon Glass with his current wife, Angel Avirett; 4 grandchildren, Dallas Owens, Chase, Riley and Pressley Ritchey.

In his spare time, Jimmy really enjoyed digging for old bottles. He had a real appreciation for antiques and relics of the past. Jimmy also had an appreciation of his family heritage and had books on the subject. He really enjoyed fishing and boating with his kids and grandkids. He would also spend time taking the kids to Spring Lake and hiking around different areas in nature. Jimmy was a family man, he loved all the kids and they loved him right back. Jimmy will be missed tremendously by all who knew him.

Blue Wahoos, Biscuits Postponed In Montgomery

Tuesday’s game between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Montgomery Biscuits was postponed due to wet grounds at Riverwalk Stadium.

The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Thursday in Montgomery, with first pitch of game one scheduled for 4:05 p.m.

The doubleheader will consist of two seven-inning games, with game two starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.

Molino Man Charged With Grand Theft For Alleged Stolen Bass Boat

A Molino man was charged this week in connection with the theft of a bass boat last month.

Richard Allen Newcomer, 42, was charged with felony grand theft after Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies reportedly located the stolen vessel at his residence.

The investigation began on July 13, when deputies responded to a report of a stolen 15-foot 1989 Blazer bass boat from a property  in Escambia County. The boat, valued at $1,000, was equipped with an Evinrude outboard engine and sat on a black metal trailer. The victim informed deputies that the boat had been taken during the early morning hours.

A neighbor reported hearing a loud scraping sound around 4 a.m. on the day of the theft. He then observed a dark-colored pickup truck pulling a damaged trailer with a boat on it. A large scrape mark on the roadway leading from the victim’s property corroborated his account.

Further investigation led deputies to identify Newcomer as the suspect. Deputies later located the stolen boat and a dark-colored pickup truck matching the witness’s description at Newcomer’s residence on Schifko Road.

After being read his Miranda rights, Newcomer claimed a man named “Boone”had brought the boat to him for repairs, and he was unaware it was stolen. Deputies subsequently identified and located “Boone”, and he was eliminated as a suspect.

Newcomer was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

New Church School Planned In Walnut Hill

A new school is planned in Walnut Hill as a joint project by two churches.

Walnut Hill School is proposed for nearly 65 acres in the 5000 block of Sandy Hollow Road. Most of the property is owned jointly by the Southern Harbor Mennonite Church on West Highway 4 and the Walnut Hill Mennonite Church on Highway 97.

Plans filed with Escambia County show the project includes an 18,000 square foot school building with a gravel parking lot and a stormwater pond. Access to the school will only be from Sandy Hollow Road.

The new building, if approved and constructed, is set replace the aging Walnut Hill School located on Highway 97.

The proposal is in staff review status is not yet set for a public meeting before the Escambia County Development Review Committee.

Council On Aging Cuts Senior Meal Program By One Day Per Week

The Council on Aging of Northwest Florida has reduced its free lunch program from five days per week to four. The program currently serves over 400 senior citizens at 17 locations.

The Council says inflation is the likely behind the cuts. As grocery prices rise, there’s more demand for the senior meals, and in turn it costs more to provide them. The total funding for the program is limited.

While Fridays are cut for now to save money, they hope to go back to five-day a week service in the fall.

The Meals on Wheels program, which delivers frozen meals on a weekly basis, has not been cut.

The  senior dining sites are located:

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Century Senior Center

6025 Industrial Boulevard
Century, FL 32535
(850) 287-1088
Hours: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Serving Time: 11:00 AM

Beulah Senior Center

7425 Woodside Rd.
Pensacola, FL 32526
(850) 941-6057
Hours: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Serving Time: 11:15 AM

Ahepa296 Senior Apartments

3835 Creighton Rd.
Pensacola, FL 32504
Hours: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Many Escambia County School Orientations Are Wednesday, Thursday

Many orientation sessions  for public schools in Escambia County will be held Wednesday and Thursday.

Here is the schedule:

ORIENTATIONS

Elementary

• All Schools: Wednesday, August 6, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Middle School

• 6th Grade Orientation (except Ernest Ward): Wednesday, August 6, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Ernest Ward Middle School – Thursday, August 7, 2025 – 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

High Schools

• Tate High 9th grade – Thursday, August 7, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Northview High – Thursday, August 7, 2025 – 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Pensacola High – previously held Wednesday, July 30
• Escambia High — previously held July 31
• Booker T. Washington High 9th grade – previously held Monday, August 4
• Pine Forest High – Saturday, August 9, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• West Florida High 9th grade – Saturday, August 9, 2025 – 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

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