Blue Angels Go Gold For Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
September 17, 2021
The Blue Angels went gold this week to mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
In a show of support, members of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, visited patients and staff at the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Sacred Heart Hospital. The team wore their 75th-anniversary gold flight suits to match and honor the colors of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Escambia Approves Purchase Of Five New Fire Vehicles; Here’s Where They Will Go.
September 17, 2021
The Escambia County Commission on Thursday approved the purchase of five new vehicles for Escambia Fire Rescue, along with four new ambulance chassis.
A $2,415,313.38 purchase from Rev Group will include a e 2022 E-One Typhoon Custom Chassis HR100 ladder truck for $1,066,660 that will be placed at the Osceola Fire Station on Massachusetts Avenue. The county is purchasing a 2022 E-One Typhoon Custom Chassis Pumper Vehicle for $657,047.84 and a 2022 E-One Typhoon Custom Chassis e-MAX Pumper Rescue Vehicle. Those apparatus will go to the McDavid and Ferry Pass fire stations.
The new fire trucks will replace old and worn out apparatus.
The BOCC approved the purchase of two 2022 Ford F-250 Crew Cab 4×4 pickup trucks at $78,636 each ($152,272 total) to replace two beach water rescue trucks that will be disposed of at auction. Two older battalion chief vehicles will be rolled down for beach water rescue, and the new trucks will go the battalion chiefs.
In 2020, Escambia County placed four new fire engines into service for just over $2 million to replace aging trucks in Molino, Ensley, Myrtle Grove and Pleasant Grove.
With that 2020 purchase, a new rescue engine replaced a 2003 truck at the Molino Fire Station, and a second rescue engine replaced a 2011 models at the Ensley Fire Station. A standard engine replaced 2004 model at the Myrtle Grove Fire Station, and a squad engine replaced a 2002 rescue engine at the Pleasant Grove Fire Station.
The commission also approved the purchase of four new Ward International ambulance chassis for $338,000 that will be part of four remounts to be completed after October 1.
Pictured: Four new fire trucks purchased by Escambia County in 2020. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Cantonment Man Charged With Armed Burglary, Aggravated Battery With A Deadly Weapon
September 17, 2021
A Cantonment man is facing charges after allegedly tasing a woman at a Pensacola Boulevard store.
Christopher James Morel, 35, was charged with felony armed burglary and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was released from jail on a $50,000 bond.
Morel was driving his truck and allegedly almost struck another vehicle in the parking lot of La Mexicana Supermarket. The driver of that second vehicle told deputies that she yelled at him.
Morel got of out his vehicle before diving into the victim’s passenger side window and tasing her arm, according to an arrest report.
Surveillance video showed most of the incident, the report states.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
September 17, 2021
Ransom Middle School has named their August students of the month. They are Garrett Groff and Jordyn Banks. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Police: Murder Victim’s Body May Be In North Escambia Area; Suspect Arrested
September 16, 2021
The Pensacola Police Department believes the body of a murder victim may be somewhere in the North Escambia area, and they are asking for information from anyone that may have seen the suspect’s vehicle .
On Sunday, September 12, Latonya Antionette Baxter, 40, of the 100 block of Warwick Avenue in Pensacola was reported as missing to Pensacola Police by her daughter. Baxter had been missing for two days. Investigators looked around Baxter’s home, who she shared with her daughter and a roommate, 38-year old Giles Curt Jones. Investigators located blood in Baxter’s bedroom and other locations on the property, as well as in a vehicle belonging to Jones.
Investigators were able to obtain a cell phone that belongs to Jones, and on that phone was a photograph of Baxter, who was deceased with obvious signs of trauma. That photograph was taken at 1:54 pm on Saturday, September 11, and likely taken somewhere in the North Escambia area.
The vehicle belonging to Jones was confirmed to be northbound on Highway 29 at Highway 4 in Century around noon Saturday, and the vehicle passed the same location southbound about 3 p.m. The vehicle was a gray 2009 Nissan Maxima with Florida tag #45BAFU.
The body has not been located, and Pensacola Police spokesman Mike Wood told NorthEscambia.com that authorities believe the body may be somewhere in the Century area or just across the state line in Alabama.
Jones was arrested late Wednesday afternoon at the Pensacola Greyhound bus station and charged with premeditated first degree murder, which is capital felony.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1901 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
First Escambia County COVID-19 Death Report Issued Since June; Hospitalizations Decline
September 16, 2021
For the first time since June, we have some information about the number of COVID-19 deaths in Escambia County.
The CDC is now reporting weekly county by county COVID-19 death information for Florida — over three months since the Florida Department of Health ceased death reports.
The new data released Wednesday shows 26 people died from COVID-19 in the past seven days in Escambia County, and 24 died in Santa Rosa County.
Escambia County commissioners and media organizations, including NorthEscambia.com, have asked for death reports from state officials for months.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are continuing to decline in Escambia County, now at their lowest level since early August. There were 236 COVID-19 patients in the hospital Wednesday, six of those under age 18. Two weeks ago, there were 344 hospitalizations.
District 5 Cantonment, Farm Hill Neighborhood Cleanup Day Postponed One Week
September 16, 2021
A cleanup set for Friday has been postponed one week due to weather.
Residents of a portion of Cantonment and Farm Hill can dispose of yard debris and other items free of charge during a District 5 Neighborhood Cleanup on Friday, September 24.
During neighborhood cleanups, Escambia County departments team up to bring services to residents in an effort to keep local neighborhoods clean and safe. Participating is easy: Residents in the cleanup area simply leave eligible items at the curb to be disposed of free of charge by Escambia County and partnering agencies.
All debris must be at the curb directly in front of residences in the area by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Tires and paint cans should be separate from all other debris. Debris piles should not be placed under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes. All items, including containers, will be collected.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area are able to participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected.
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
The neighborhood cleanup initiative involves an aggressive cleanup effort, targeting different neighborhoods throughout the county, with crew members and volunteers picking up a variety of debris and waste, including electronics, furniture and household items.
Since 2016, more than 3,509 tons (7,018,000 pounds) of debris were collected and disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program.
The county’s neighborhood cleanup program is hosted by the Escambia County Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program. Local partners include Escambia County Waste Services, Environmental Code Enforcement, Public Works, Animal Services and Road Prison, along with the City of Pensacola Sanitation Department and Keep Pensacola Beautiful. During the cleanups, county staff handle issues such as roaming dogs and cats, unsafe structures, tree trimming, right of way mowing, street sweeping, household hazardous waste recycling and more.
Suspect Apprehended Wednesday Night After Multi-Agency Manhunt In Flomaton
September 16, 2021
A Flomaton man was arrested Wednesday night after a multi-hour manhunt involving several agencies.
Just after 6 p.m., officers from the Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Department of Corrections, and the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force attempted to locate Hunter Luke Leino on outstanding Flomaton warrants.
Leino was later located and booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center on charges that included theft of property in the first degree, burglary in the third degree, three counts of theft of property in the fourth degree, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, and fleeing and attempting to elude.
Flomaton Police said Leino had fled from officers previously in the past few weeks. Police said the arrest will close multiple cases.
Cantonment Fire Damages Garage; Three Pets Rescued, Sadly Two Others Did Not Survive
September 16, 2021
A fire Wednesday afternoon in Cantonment heavily damaged a garage and claimed the lives of two pets, but three other pets survived.
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the home in the 300 block of Forest Hills Drive, off West Roberts Road. They arrived to find smoke and flames visible from the garage.
Firefighters found five pets when they entered the home. All needed immediate resuscitation, and two of them did not survive. ECFR did not specify what type of animals were involved.
The occupants of the home were not home at the time of the blaze.
Officials said damage was mostly limited to the garage in the accidental electrical fire.
The Ensley, Cantonment, Bellview, Beulah, Ferry Pass and Osceola stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded, along with Escambia County EMS.
$25K Worth of Stolen Items Recovered; Man Charged
September 16, 2021
An Escambia County man was arrested and thousands of dollars worth of stolen items were recovered when after a search warrant Wednesday.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators served a search warrant at Rodney Busbee’s home located in the 8200 block of Lawton Street.
Investigators discovered around $25,000 worth of stolen items including firearms, televisions, lawn equipment, tools, ladders, street signs, a golf cart, go-kart and a utility trailer. All of these items were stolen from eight different burglaries ranging from June 2021 to September 2021.
Busbee was arrested and charged with burglary, theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was released on bond.
