Highway 4 Railroad Crossing Open; Schedule Released For Closing A Dozen More

February 12, 2016

The railroad crossing on East Highway 4 in Century was open again Thursday, and a scheduled was released for the closure of about a dozen more crossings in North Escambia.

CSX will close numerous other North Escambia a crossing as part of its network-wide crossing maintenance program beginning next Tuesday. The latest schedule is as follows:

Cottage Street — Tuesday 2/16
McCurdy Street — Tuesday 2/16
Front Street — Tuesday 2/16 or Wednesday 2/17
West Pond Street — Wednesday 2/17
Salters Lake Road — Wednesday 2/17
Private Crossing (south of Salters Lake) — Thursday 2/18
Bluff Springs Road — Thursday 2/18
Courtney Road — Thursday 2/18
Private Crossing (4 miles north of Mystic Springs) — Thursday 2/18
Mystic Springs Road – Saturday 2/20
East Bogia Road — 6/22
Cotton Lake Road — 6/21 or 6/22

NorthEscambia.com is working with the contractor to provide updates as soon as possible if there are any schedule changes.

CSX engineering crews will be laying new rail ties, resurfacing crossings and repaving them with asphalt. CSX has worked closely with local officials to coordinate the crossing closures to minimize disruption to the community and is communicating directly with residents where there are dead-end roads or no-outlet situations.

All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to travel with care through the work zone and to watch for construction equipment and workers entering and exiting the roadway.

Pictured top: The East Highway 4 railroad crossing in Century was open again Thursday. Pictured below: The crossing was closed Tuesday and Wednesday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Sunny And 70 Today

February 11, 2016

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 70. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Tonight: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 47. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 71. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 31. North wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 55. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Southeast wind around 5 mph.

Washington’s Birthday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 69.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Wind Advisory, Cold Today

February 9, 2016

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 49. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west in the evening.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 51. Wind chill values between 20 and 30 early. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 32. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 66. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. West wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 30.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 51.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Washington’s Birthday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.

Pictured: Wind whips flags in Bratt Monday afternoon. Windy conditions are expected again to day. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Wind Advisory And Cool Temps

February 8, 2016

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

This Afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 58. Breezy, with a west wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 29. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. Blustery, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 49. Wind chill values between 20 and 30 early. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 50. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 30. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 57. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. South wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 5 to 15 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Another Cool Night

February 7, 2016

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Windy, with a west wind 5 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. West wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 45. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 31. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 53. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 35. West wind around 5 mph becoming southwest after midnight.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 68.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 63.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Sunny And Cool Saturday

February 6, 2016

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind around 5 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. North wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. West wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 36.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 60.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 65.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Ball Registration Events Today At NWE, Cantonment, Molino, Miracle League

February 6, 2016

Registration events will be held today at various ballparks in the North Escambia area:

Northwest Escambia Baseball and Softball Registration
Registration will be Saturday, February 6, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Teams will be available for ages 4-18. Registration cost for ages 7 years and older is $100 for first child, $85 for second child and $75 for third child. For 5-6 year olds, (T-Ball), registration cost will be $95 for first child; $80 for second child and $70 for third child. Price includes registration fee, $30 for Jersey and hat and $25 concession stand fee. Payment options are available. Bring a copy of your child’s birth certificate to registration. For more information, contact Brad Sullivan at (850) 324-5692 or Sara Knighton at (850) 572-5000.

Cantonment Baseball and Softball Registration
Registration is underway for baseball and softball at the Cantonment Sportsplex. In-person registration dates will be Saturday, February 6 and February 13, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Teams will be available for ages 3-14. The registration fee will be $85. Online registration is available at www.cantonmentbaseball.org/Register. Donations of new and gently-used equipment will be accepted on registration Saturdays. The Sportsplex is located at 681 Well Line Road in Cantonment.

Molino Ballpark Registration
Molino Ballpark registrations will be held February 6 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Don Sutton ballpark. Registration is $60 for the first child, $55 for the second and $50 for the third. Birth certification needed at registration. Ages 3-17. For more info, call Luman at (850) 698-4396 about t-ball; Karen at (850) 281-4748 about softball; or Tommy at (850) 449-7578 about baseball.

Century Little League Registration
Little League registration will be held Saturday, February 6 from 9-11:30 a.m.; Thursday, February 11 from 5-7 p.m.; Saturday, February 13 from 9-11 a.m.; and Saturday, February 20 from 9-11:30 a.m. at Showalter Park in Century. Registration fee is $50 for the first child, $45 for each additional sibling. Birth certificate needed at registration. Teams available for ages 3 and up. For more information, contact Terry Levins (251) 656-6044, Nathan Brown (850) 377-0962, Brandy Carter (850) 619-4915 or Charity Miller (850) 501-9663.

Miracle League Ball Registration
The Miracle League of Pensacola is registering new and returning players. Registration dates are February 6 from 9 a.m. until noon; February 7 from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. and February 13, from 10 a.m. until noon.

Pictured top: Work on the softball field at the Cantonment Ballpark. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Sunny And Cool Today, Below Freezing Tonight

February 5, 2016

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. North wind around 5 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 57. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. North wind around 5 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. North wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 58. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. North wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. West wind around 5 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 46. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 35.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 60.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 66.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

U.S. Marshals Confirm Modern Day Bonnie And Clyde As Piggly Wiggly Robbery Suspects

February 4, 2016

CLICK HERE for the latest update to this story.

UPDATE 5:30 p.m.: U.S Marshals have confirmed that a modern day Bonnie and Clyde are suspects in yesterday’s robbery of the Piggly Wiggly in it Davisville.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m.: The FBI has confirmed that Blake Fitzgerald and Brittany Nicole Harper were last seen around 4:45 p.m. Wednesday crossing over from Florida into Alabama driving a black Ford F-150 with a broken window. This sighting confirmed by federal authorities was about five minutes after the robbery of the Piggly Wiggly in Davisville. There has been no official confirmation from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that the couple are suspects in the Piggly Wiggly robbery.

UPDATE 4:45 p.m.: The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Blake Fitzgerald is a suspect in Wednesday’s armed robbery of the Alvin Island’s store in Destin. The business at 1000 U.S. Highway 98 was robbed at gunpoint shortly after noon. The man was accompanied by a white female who left the store just prior to the holdup.

ORIGINAL STORY:

A couple wanted in connection with a crime spree in Alabama and Georgia may have been responsible for the armed robbery of the Piggly Wiggly on Highway 97 in Davisville, FL, Wednesday afternoon.

Employees said a white male walked into the store about 4:40 p.m., pulled back his shirt to show a gun and escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. He reportedly fled along with a female in a black Ford F-150 pickup truck with a busted-out window. They were chased briefly by a store employee north on Highway 97 across the state line into Atmore. There were no injuries reported.

According to store employees, the couple was clearly Blake Fitzgerald and Brittany Nicole Harper, both age 31 of Joplin, MO. Employees said deputies showed them photographs of the couple from a law enforcement bulletin, and it was a certain match.

As of late Thursday morning, a spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said they have not confirmed the identities of any suspects in the robbery, and their investigation is continuing.

Fitzgerald and Harper are wanted for an armed robbery and kidnapping at a gas station about 30 miles outside Macon, GA, about 11 p.m. Monday. They were last seen southbound on I-75 in a stolen silver 2010 Ford Edge.

They are also wanted for robbing and abducting a hotel clerk in Tuscaloosa, attempting to rob a McDonald’s manager across from a Birmingham mall, and kidnapping woman and stealing her SUV in Vestavia Hills, AL. outside of Birmingham. The kidnapped woman was released unharmed by the couple outside of an emergency room.

The hotel clerk in Tuscaloosa told authorities that the couple said they were headed to Florida, possibly Panama City, to get married, according to published reports.

The U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force is offering a total of $10,000 for the couple’s capture on charges from Alabama and Georgia.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Fitzgerald or Harper should call their local law enforcement agency immediately. They are armed and dangerous and should not be confronted by anyone but law enforcement, according to the FBI.

Pictured above and below: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office on the scene of an armed robbery of the Davisville Piggly Wiggly Wednesday. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos. Pictured inset and bottom: Employees believe Blake Fitzgerald and Brittany Nicole Harper, a couple wanted for crimes in Alabama and Georgia, were responsible for the holdup.