BREAKING NEWS: Bruce Day Taken Into Custody Tonight In Atmore Area
October 8, 2009
Wanted murder suspect Bruce Edward Day was taken into custody tonight in the Atmore area.
Day is currently being transported to the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department Mike Lambert told NorthEscambia.com.
He declined to say where in or around Atmore Day was arrested.
NorthEscambia.com will post more details on this developing story as they become available.
A massive manhunt Monday in Pensacola failed to locate Day, wanted for a 2001 Nokomis murder in which authorities have never found a body.
Escambia County, Ala., authorities obtained a murder warrant Monday for Bruce Edward Day, 42, in connection with the death of Woodrow “Token” Allen, who was reported missing by his mother on December 17, 2001, claiming that she has last seen her son on December 13, 2001. Allen’s body was never found.
Day was reportedly working for a contractor at the Gulf Power Crist Plant. Day was summoned to an office at the plant Tuesday afternoon where U.S. Marshals were waiting to serve the warrant, but Day fled somewhere on the complex that includes 40 buildings on 750 acres.
The University of West Florida campus was later locked down after a man that fit Day’s description was spotted. Authorities also located a pickup truck at UWF that was believed to belong to Day.
A massive manhunt followed, involving U.S. Marshals, Escambia County deputies, helicopters from Escambia and Walton counties, several tracking dog units including one from Century Correctional Institution, and other law enforcement agencies. Authorities from Escambia County, Ala. were also on the scene, including Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith and Chief Deputy Mike Lambert.
The campus lockdown at UWF was lifted about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening, and law enforcement agencies slowly scaled back their search as the night became later.
Day is described as a white male, last seen wearing a dark green shirt and jeans. He is 5-foot 8-inches tall and about 160 pounds.
Click here for more details on the 2001 case.
Dense Fog Advisory
October 8, 2009
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a dense fog advisory until 9:00 this morning.
Dense fog reducing visibilities to below one quarter of a mile continues to form and become more widespread across coastal and inland sections of the forecast area this morning. Fog will slowly lift after 8 a.m. Motorists are urged to use slower speeds and use extreme caution in dense fog qand allow for extra time when traveling to morning destinations.
Unseasonably Warm, Heat Indices 100 to 105 Possible Today And Friday
October 8, 2009
The calendar says October, but it’s going to feel more like July the next couple of days, unless you are lucky enough to see a thunderstorm.
The official North Escambia weather forecast call for highs around near 90 today and Friday. Add in very high humidity, and the heat index — how hot if feels — will approach 105. Not everyone will experience the unusually oppressive October heat; there is a 30 to 40 percent chance of a thunderstorm both days.
By the middle of next week, much more seasonable weather returns, with lows in the 50’s and highs in the 70’s.
Here is your official North Escambia weather forecast:
- Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Friday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Saturday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 68. West wind around 5 mph becoming north. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Sunday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Sunday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Columbus Day: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.
EWMS Cheerleaders Sponsoring Beauty Pageant
October 8, 2009
The Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleaders are sponsoring a Miss North Escambia pageant on Saturday, October 24.
Entry fees, paperwork and photos for the photogenic category must be submitted by October 10.
For an entry form and more details, click here (pdf).
Editor’s note: The EWMS cheerleaders Miss North Escambia pageant is in no way affiliated with NorthEscambia.com.
Government Consolidation Panel To Meet Today In Century
October 6, 2009
The full 25-member Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission will meet this afternoon at 5:30 in Century, and Century’s mayor is encouraging the public to attend and let their voice be heard in the process.
“I want everyone to come out and speak against it,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. “I hear that they are stacking the audience with their people to speak in favor of it, and I am not in favor of it.” McCall added that he was speaking for himself personally, not officially for town, in his opposition to consolidation.
The Commission is expected to continue discussions of major questions concerning consolidation, discuss the drafting of preliminary legislation, hear reports of sub-committees and special advisory committees and conduct a public forum
The 25-member Commission, composed of appointees from various governmental bodies throughout Escambia County, as well as appointees from other stakeholder groups, was formed after the Florida Legislature approved a commission to study various unified forms of government. The Commission is expected to issue a report by the end of the year. Should a unified form of government be recommended, that question would be expected be put before the voters of Escambia County in 2010.
The meeting will be held at the Century Agricultural Building on West Highway 4, just west of Industrial Boulevard.
Stalled Front Means Rain
October 4, 2009
A front stalled over the Gulf Coast will bring the North Escambia area an increased chance of rain for the next couple of days.
Here is your complete North Escambia forecast:
- Today…Scattered showers in the morning…then widespread showers and scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 70s. East winds 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 90 percent.
- Tonight…Widespread showers and scattered thunderstorms. Near steady temperature in the lower 70s. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
- Monday…Cloudy. Numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.
- Monday Night…Cloudy. Scattered thunderstorms and isolated showers. Lows in the mid 60s. Southeast winds around 5 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
- Tuesday…Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
- Tuesday Night…Cloudy. Numerous showers and thunderstorms. Near steady temperature in the mid 70s. Chance of rain 60 percent.
- Wednesday…Partly sunny. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. Chance of rain 50 percent.
- Wednesday Night…Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 20 percent.
- Thursday…Partly sunny. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
- Thursday Night…Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 70s. Chance of rain 20 percent.
- Friday…Partly sunny. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
- Friday Night…Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
- Saturday…Not as warm. Cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s. Chance of rain 40 percent.
Jay Peanut Festival Will Attract Thousands
October 3, 2009
The 20th Annual Jay Peanut Festival is expected to attract about 70,000 people this weekend.
The Peanut Festival will feature something fun for everyone including arts and crafts, antiques, inflatable rides, rock climbing wall, pony rides, hay rides, train rides and much more. The Gabbert’s 1930’s Farm Museum will also be open for tours. There will be plenty of food available…kettle corn, BBQ, hamburgers, roasted corn, apple dumplings and more.
And, of course, peanuts will be the star of the festival, and there will be plenty of green peanuts and boiled peanuts as well as fried, roasted and candied peanuts.
Admission and parking are free, but the Jay High School FFA will be hosting the first annual Keith Rowland Memorial Scholarship fundraiser during the Peanut Festival. You can support the Jay FFA by parking your car on the designated grounds at the Rowland home. (3696 Pine Level Chruch Road) A trolley cart will be provided for transport. We are asking for a $4.00 donation. All proceeds will go to the Keith Rowland FFA Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The event is dedicated to the memory of Melissa Caroline Gabbert, who died of cancer in 1990. The Jay Peanut festival will take place until 6 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Gabbert Farm south of Jay off Highway 89 at 3604 Pine Level Church Road. (A map is at the bottom of this page.)
Pictured above: Large crowds attended the annual Jay Peanut Festival last year. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Reunion Today For 1985-1995 Ernest Ward Graduates
October 3, 2009
Ernest Ward High School alumni who graduated from 1985 to 1995 will have the chance to see old friends at a combined class reunion today.
Graduates are invited to family-friendly lunch at the Walnut Hill Community Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring lunch and drinks for their family.
Saturday evening there will be an adults-only event at McGuire’s Irish Pub in Pensacola from 7 p.m. until. There is a charge of $20 per person for the evening event, which will cover non-alcoholic drinks and hors d’oeuvres.
Organizers want to stress this combined class reunion event is not taking the place of the Class of 1989 reunion. The Ernest Ward High School Class of 1989 will hold a reunion from 7 to 11 p.m. October 10 at the Wind Creek ballroom in Atmore. Contact Cindy Darby Lee at (251) 446-8192 or email gosport1@frontiernet.net.
Northview Homecoming: All You Need To Know
October 2, 2009
It will be a big day in Bratt with the 2009 Homecoming at Northview High School
The day’s events will begin with a homecoming parade at 12:30 from Bratt Elementary to Northview. Click here for complete parade information.
The Northview Homecoming Court will be presented at 6 p.m., followed the crowning of the NHS Homecoming Queen.
The game against Baker will kick off at 7:00 p.m.
During the game, all Northview High School alumni from 1996-2009 are invited to visit an alumni tent located in the stadium.
After the game, the NHS cheerleaders are sponsoring a homecoming dance until 12:30 a.m.
Then on Saturday, NorthEscambia.com will have complete coverage — including hundreds of photos — from the parade, homecoming court and the game.
Ernest Ward Students Checked Out For Parade Will Be Excused
October 2, 2009
All students checked out from Ernest Ward Middle School for today’s Northview Homecoming Parade will be excused.
Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry said students should be checked out after 11:30 if at all possible. They will not be required to return to school, and they will be excused, she said. Teachers should not be giving any tests or graded assignments, and, if they do, students will have the opportunity to make them up on Monday.
A photo identification is necessary to check a student out at Ernest Ward, and the parent or guardian must be listed as authorized to checkout the student with the school.