Man Charged With Escambia County Weekend Shooting
January 24, 2022
One person has been charged in connection with a weekend shooting in Escambia County.
The victim went to a local hospital Sunday afternoon with a gunshot wound that was not considered life threatening. He told Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies that he had been shot on South 1st Avenue in Warrington Saturday afternoon.
Kyle Leamon Smith, 27, was charged with aggravated battery, possession of weapon by a convicted felon and grand theft. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail Sunday evening with bond set at $37,500.
Bratt ‘Donut Boy’ Donates Hand Sanitizer Worth $150K To School District, Law Enforcement, Churches, Others
January 24, 2022
Bratt’s Donut Boy recently made a huge hand sanitizer donation to the Escambia County School District, law enforcement and others in the North Escambia area.
The Donut Boy first gained notoriety after being featured on NorthEscambia.com in 2016 as a superhero that’s on a mission to thank law enforcement officers personally with doughnuts.
Tyler Carach and his mother Sheena, who is a former police officer, created the nonprofit “I DONUT need a reason to THANK a cop” program after an encounter with Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies at Gilley’s Store in Bratt during the summer of 2016. He asked if he could use some of his own money to buy doughnuts for the officers, purchasing four packs of chocolate doughnuts to share with the deputies. And that was the start of his quest, which has led him to all 50 states, doughnuts in hand, in support of law enforcement.
Carach donated about 23,000 bottles of hand sanitizer to the school district, valued at nearly $93,000, to be distributed as needed to students, teachers and staff.
Carach donated another 1,560 bottles to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. He also donated 20 cases each to Ernest Ward Middle School, Bratt Elementary School, Escambia Academy, Atmore First Assembly AFA, Library Baptist Church, Walnut Hill Baptist, First Baptist Church of Bratt, Empowerment Temple, Flomaton Elementary School, and Flomaton High School. Donations also went to other groups including Atmore Ambulance, Atmore Police, Flomaton Police, Atmore Fire Department, Atmore Community Hospital, and Unity Baptist Church Atmore. Those donations were worth nearly $60,000.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Woman Charged With DUI After Wrong-Way Trip On I-10
January 24, 2022
An Escambia County woman was charged with DUI after allegedly traveling the wrong way on I-10 in Okaloosa County.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded to a reported wrong-way driver on I-10 near Crestview. Troopers attempted a traffic stop, but the driver of a white 2018 Toyota Camry refused to stop, continuing westbound in the eastbound lanes. Due to the danger to the public, troopers used the “PIT maneuver” to end the situation.
India Kay Sansom, 33, was charged with driving under the influence and booked into the Okaloosa County Jail without further incident. She was released on a $1,000 bond.
Inmate Accused Of Assaulting Century Correctional Institution Officers
January 24, 2022
Inmate Lucson Joseph assaulted correctional officers at Century Correctional Institution, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
“Staff responded appropriately, and the inmate was subdued,” FDC said.
Joseph, 23, is serving a 5.5 year sentence for be a felony in possession of a weapon, robbery by sudden snatching, grand theft, obstructing a criminal investigation and battery on a law enforcement officer. He was sentenced in May 2021 in Palm Beach County.
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
January 24, 2022
Tate High School recently named Evan Myer and Shyla McRoy as Students of the Month for November. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gov. Kay Ivey Awards $350K Grant To Flomaton For Wastewater Improvements
January 24, 2022
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $350,000 grant to Flomaton to renovate and upgrade the town’s wastewater treatment facility.
The announcement came as part of $18.2 million awarded to more than 50 Alabama towns, cities and counties.
The Community Development Block Grants will enable local governments to provide public water service to households, repair damaged streets and roads, improve sewer systems, drainage and more. The governor awarded the grants during a ceremony at the state capitol.
“Community Development Block Grants are a means in which local governments can address some of their more pressing needs,” Ivey said. “I am pleased to award these grants, and I commend those local officials who recognized those needs and took the time and effort to seek an answer through this grant program.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Pictured at the Alabama Capitol are: (L-R) grant writer Bob Watts, Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant Jr., Gov. Kay Ivey, ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell, and Flomaton town engineer Jeremy McMath. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Have Not Moved Much, Even As Crude Rises
January 24, 2022
Florida gas prices haven’t moved much, even as the price of crude rises to multi-year highs, according to AAA.
“Oil prices have surged in 2022, but pump prices have been pretty flat so far,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “It’s possible that the seasonable downturn in gasoline demand has helped pump prices resist the upward pressure from the oil market. However, if oil prices keep logging weekly gains, it’s only a matter of time before that results in higher prices at the pump.”
The average price for gasoline in Florida is $3.23 per gallon. That’s 1-cent more than a week ago and the same price as this time last month.
In Escambia County, the average price per gallon Sunday night was $3.14, the same as one month ago. The lowest price per gallon Sunday night in North Escambia was $3.08 at a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment. The lowest price in Pensacola was $2.89 at a station on East Burgess Road.
Escambia Unemployment Rate Declines Slightly
January 23, 2022
The Escambia County unemployment level declined slightly last month, according to newly released data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County was 3.6% in December, down from 3.8% in November. That represented 5,537 people out of work out of a county workforce of 153,2586. One year ago, Escambia County’s unemployment rate was 3.6%, or 5,133 people.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Pensacola area labor force in December 2021, increased by 15,266 over the year, a 6.7% increase. The area added 6,500 new private sector jobs over the year, a 4.2% increase. The Pensacola area industry gaining the most jobs over the year was leisure and hospitality, increasing by 2,400 jobs.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4% in December 2021, down 0.1% from the November 2021 rate, and down 0.7% from a year ago. There were 466,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 10,660,000. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in December.
Ernest Ward Middle Hosting Family Literacy Night On Tuesday
January 23, 2022
Tuesday, Ernest Ward Middle School will host a Family Literacy Night under the stars.
There will be a light dinner, games and the chance to learn new literacy strategies for parents to use at home. All Ernest Ward students in attendance will receive a copy of the book Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick.
The event will take place from 5:30 until 7 p.m., meet in the cafeteria. Students have received RSVP handouts that should be returned to school on Monday.
Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Spots To Watch
January 23, 2022
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 23 through Saturday, Jan. 29. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- West Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Pedestrian Safety Improvement – Drivers will encounter inside lane closures between Q and A streets as crews perform median improvements and install poles for pedestrian traffic signal
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures and shifts from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 23 through Wednesday, Jan. 29 between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road, and on Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 interchange to allow crews to place striping and perform worklist items.
- Sorrento Road (State Road (S.R.) 292) Intersection Improvements at Innerarity Point (County Road 292A) – Motorists can expect intermittent daytime shoulder closures Monday, Jan. 24 through Friday, Jan. 28, as crews place a water main
- North Ninth Avenue (S.R. 289) Carpenters Creek Bridge Replacement- Current travel lanes on the northbound portion of the bridge will be shifted slightly to the east and into the gore area (the area marked by yellow slanted painted lines on the pavement near the Publix shopping center). Drivers should use caution and be prepared to stop or slow down when needed.
- Airport Boulevard from West of Palafox Street to Davis Highway – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures from 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. the week of Monday, Jan 24 as crews adjust manholes.
- Interstate 110 (I-110) Routine Maintenance from East Jackson Street to S.R. 296 – Motorists can expect intermittent lane closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24 through Thursday, Jan. 27 as crews to continue work on sign foundation removal.
Santa Rosa County
- Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. 98) Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 23 through Saturday, Jan. 29. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Drivers will encounter nighttime temporary right turn lane closures at the intersection of U.S. 98 and S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) Wednesday Jan. 26 and Thursday Jan. 27. The closures will allow crews to perform utility relocation work.
- U.S. 90 Simpson River Bridge Project: Motorists can expect intermittent and alternating lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24 through Friday, Jan. 28 as crews perform paving operations for the temporary road widening.
All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Pictured: Nine Mile Road at the North Palafox intersection, as seen from the Highway 29 overpass. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.