10-Year Old Gets Birthday Wish From Escambia Fire Rescue
September 6, 2021
All Makai Williams wanted for his 10th birthday was to see a fire truck. To his family, this was no surprise. After all, his love of fire service began at a very early age.
“Ever since he was one, he always loved fire trucks,” said Makai’s mother, Katisha Williams.
To make her son’s wish come true, Williams reached out to Escambia Fire Rescue to arrange a visit. But station visits are currently suspended due to COVID-19.
“It’s been tough for the past two years now,” said ECFR Chief Jason Catrambone. “Two years without being in schools, we’re missing that contact. We’re used to being in the schools, seeing those younger kids, and giving them that first impression of fire service and teaching them fire safety.”
Fire and Life Safety Specialist Ray Melton had an idea — take the fire truck to Makai for a birthday surprise.
Last Saturday, the day before Makai’s birthday, he looked out to see a fire truck from the Ensley Station of Escambia Fire REscue.
“As I pulled up to his home, Makai came out of the house walking slowly and smiling from ear to ear,” Melton said. “He could not believe the fire truck was there for him!”
“I was really amazed,” said the younger Williams.
Along with a tour of the fire truck, Makai was given stickers, bracelets, a helmet and fire safety information. And he received a special job assignment from his motherl
“Every month, I have to check the smoke alarms to see if they work incase a fire comes,” said Makai.
Because Escambia schools were closed Monday due to Hurricane Ida, Makai had to wait an extra day to share the news of his special birthday.
“My friends were like, ‘Whoa!’,” said Makai when discussing his friends’ reactions.
“For me, it’s like planting a seed and watching it grow,” Melton said. “When a child has such a strong desire to grow up and become a fireman or any profession, we need to embrace that and encourage that.”
As for his future, Makai said he already has plans to become a firefighter.
Bonus Photos: Northview Cheerleaders And Band
September 6, 2021
Here are bonus photos of the cheerleaders and band from Friday night’s Lighthouse at Northview game.
For the photo gallery, click here.
For action photos and a game recap, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Win Series With Biscuits; Pensacola Moves Into Second Place
September 6, 2021
The Blue Wahoos used a pair of home runs from Demetrius Sims and Griffin Conine to edge past the Biscuits 3-1 on Sunday at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
With the win, Pensacola at 53-49 sits .001 percentage point ahead of Montgomery for the second and final Double-A South postseason spot with 12 games remaining in the season.
The game was tied at 1-1 going into the ninth inning. With one out, Riley Mahan hit an opposite field double off the top of the outfield wall. The next batter, Sims, belted a two-run homer to right-field, giving the Wahoos a 3-1 lead. For Sims, it was his first home run in his last 39 games (June 29th).
On the mound, Antonio Velez got the start for the Wahoos in the finale, and just like his debut against Biloxi, the left-hander finished the night with a quality start. He allowed one unearned run in six innings while striking out six. Over his past seven outings between High-A Beloit and Pensacola, Velez holds a 0.80 ERA and has tossed six quality starts.
Velez exited after six with the game tied 1-1. Zack Leban and Andrew McInvale combined to pitch two scoreless innings in relief for Pensacola, with McInvale earning the win in relief.
Following Sims’ home run, the Wahoos brought in Dylan Bice to close, and the right-hander picked up his second career Double-A save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Throughout the six-game series in Montgomery, the Blue Wahoos bullpen tossed 25.0 strong innings, striking out 38 batters and holding a 2.52 ERA while registering three wins and three saves.
Over the weekend, Pensacola’s pitching held the Biscuits to a total of two runs over the final 29 innings of the series. With a slim lead on the second playoff spot, the Blue Wahoos return home on Tuesday for a six-game series against the last-place Biloxi Shuckers.
RHP Kyle Nicolas (3-1, 1.76 ERA) projects to start in the series-opener for Pensacola against Biloxi’s Jesus Castillo (0-0, 6.75 ERA).
Heroes: Escambia Firefighters Honored For Going Above And Beyond
September 5, 2021
Members of Escambia Fire Rescue were recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty during an awards ceremony Saturday.
Fighters were honored for their heroism during events like the NAS Pensacola terrorist attack in December 2019 and Hurricane Sally. The were also recognized for saving citizens from fires, traffic accident and other perils.
The family of fallen District Chief Dwain Bradshaw was recognized. Bradshaw, 41, lost his life in November 2019 in the line of duty on scene of a fatal crash on the Muscogee Bridge.
Awards and recognition were presented as follows:
Medal of Gallantry
- Lt. Jim Beagle
- FF Dale Coulter
- Josh Hunter
- FF Justin King
- FF/Paramedic Bill Halfacre
- FF Robert Stivers
- Lt. John Van Matre
- FF Kyle Saxton
Medal of Courage
- FF Charles Bailey
- Lt. Keith Chapman
- Lt. Matt Scallan
- FF Allen Harrison
- FF Daniel Keating
- Asst. District Chief Brandon Stevens
- FF Nicholas Speer
- Lt. Daniel Mills
- FF Jeff Fangman
- Lt. Wesley Barnett
- FF Isaac Herring
- Lt. Daniel Akerman
- Lt. Jeff Rohrer
- FF Peter Welch
- FF Rodney Pittman
Distinguished Service Medal
- Lt. Dan Kunz
- FF Victor Govyadov
- FF Geric Fatheree
- Lt. James Shaw
- Lt./EMT Conner Wood
- FF Geoffrey Carmichael
- FF Jacob Hoskins
Final Alarm Medal
- District Chief Dwain S. Bradshaw
Career Firefighter of the Year Medal
- FF John Longsworth
Volunteer Firefighter of the Year Medal
- FF Zach McMillan
Career Fire Officer of the Year Medal
- Lt. Dimitri Jansen
Volunteer Fire Officer of the Year
- Lt. Alex Torres
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Taps New Environmental Secretary; Century Hopes His Local Connection Is A Plus
September 5, 2021
A man with deep Northwest Florida ties has been appointed secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Century officials hope that’s a plus for the small town.
Shawn Hamilton served as director of the Northwest District of FDEP from January 2011 until February 2020 before serving as interim secretary and deputy secretary of Lands and Recreation.
In September 2019, Hamilton was among a group of state and local officials that met at Century’s sewage plant to brainstorm how to fix a facility suffering from neglect in its old age.
In some small way, Century’s interim town manager, Vernon Prather, hopes Century will be remembered with Hamilton at the head of FDEP.
“I think it’s a fortunate that someone who as actually been to Century and seen Century is at the cabinet level,” Prather said. “They know that Century is not just a dot on a map.”
“I am pleased to appoint Shawn Hamilton as Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection,” DeSantis said. “Secretary Hamilton brings a strong, proven record of environmental stewardship and management of award-winning state parks and conservation lands. I am confident in his ability to continue leading DEP and building on the foundations laid before him in our mission to protect and restore Florida’s environment and natural resources.”
Sacred Heart COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing Closed Until Tuesday
September 5, 2021
Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart’s drive-thru COVID-19 testing center on Bayou Boulevard in Pensacola will be closed through Monday for the extended Labor Day weekend.
Testing will resume on Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Normal hours of operations are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. No appointments are needed. Sacred Heart is offering the commonly used PCR testing, which requires 24 hours to process.
File photo.
UWF Football Gets Season Opening D1 Win over McNeese State (With Photo Gallery)
September 5, 2021
Austin Reed threw for 380 yards and the Argonaut offensive and defensive lines were as battle-tested in the trenches as ever before to lift top-ranked UWF past Division I FCS McNeese State, 42-36, at a sweltering Cowboy Stadium Saturday in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
UWF (1-0) won its season opener for the fourth time in five seasons and improved to 2-0 against Division I programs. McNeese (0-1) lost for the first time in seven seasons when opening up at home and dropped its first game to a non-Division I opponent for the first time in its last 22 meetings dating back to 1990.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
The game was played in temperatures in the low 90s with heat index of low 100s.
The Argos finished with 466 yards of total offense on 56 plays for a school-record 8.3 yards per play. The previous mark was 8.2 ypp against West Alabama in 2019.
Reed completed 19-of-36 passes to seven players and four touchdowns. His 380 passing yards are tied for the sixth-most in program history.
His favorite target was junior David Durden, who totaled 172 yards on six catches, which included a 44-yard scoring strike that got the Argos on the board and a 74-yard play that marked the second-longest play from scrimmage in UWF annals. His 28.67 yards per reception average ranks sixth at UWF. Durden also took a direct snap and scored on a 6-yard run that put UWF ahead 14-7 early in the second quarter as they never trailed the rest of the contest.
But it was still a back-and-forth game with each team answering the other drive after drive.
Cody Orgeron tossed the first of his two passing TDs but the Cowboys missed the first of three extra points to keep UWF ahead at 14-13.
UWF scored on its third-consecutive possession midway through the second quarter when Reed found senior Ka’Ron Ashley on a 26-yard hookup. After the Argos missed a field goal, the Cowboys got one of their own to pull within 21-16 going in to halftime.
The teams each had a non-scoring possession to start the third before UWF extended the lead to 28-16 on a Reed to senior Rodney Coates 4-yard pass. Orgeron scored on a fourth down run from the one to answer the Argo score.
The teams had two touchdowns apiece in the fourth quarter. The running game came alive on each drive for UWF, with sophomore Shomari Mason scoring on a 17-yard rush to stretch the margin to 35-22. After a Cowboy score, it was sophomore Ra’veon Hargove’s turn to stuff the stat sheet. He opened the Argonauts’ final scoring drive with a 22-yard run and ended it with a 9-yard catch out of the backfield for a 42-28 lead.
McNeese scored with 2:44 left and got within six points after a 2-point conversion but was unable to execute the onside kick. UWF rushed three times for a first down and was able to take a knee for the victory.
Four of UWF’s six scoring drives were at least 75 yards long and four were between four and six plays long.
Orgeron threw for a career-high 367 yards on 31-of-47 with two touchdowns.
UWF sacked Orgeron four times and hurried him four times. Senior safety D’Anthony Bell led the Argos with six tackles, one for a loss and two pass break-ups. Grad transfer Stephon Williams had five stops, a hurry and a tackle for loss in his first game at UWF.
UWF will return to action next Saturday, Sept. 11 when it plays host to Southwest Baptist (0-1) at Pen Air Field on-campus. The game will kickoff at 6 p.m. and be the first on-campus game in UWF history.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos: Morgan Givens/UWF for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Traffic Alert: What To Expect This Week (After A Labor Day Weekend Break)
September 5, 2021
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities. Due to the Labor Day holiday weekend, there will be no lane closures or other activities that impede traffic on major state roads until 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7.
Escambia 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. Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Saturday, Sept. 11. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure. Additional work will include installation of pier lighting.
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- 17th Avenue interchange construction – The Pensacola Bay Bridge off-ramp to 17th Avenue northbound will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Thursday, Sept. 9. Drivers exiting the Pensacola Bay Bridge should detour using Ninth Avenue northbound and U.S. 90 (West Cervantes Street) eastbound to reach 17th Avenue.
- North Ninth Avenue (State Road (S.R.) 289) Carpenters Creek Bridge Replacement- All travel lanes are temporarily shifted to the northbound side of the bridge as crews replace the southbound portion of the structure. In addition, drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures as crews mobilize materials and equipment.
- U.S. 29 Resurfacing from South of Muscogee Road (County Road (C.R.) 184) to Atmore Highway (S.R. 97) – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Friday, Sept. 10 as crews perform striping operations and signal work.
- West Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project – Drivers will encounter inside lane closures between North Pace Boulevard and approximately D Street as crews perform median improvement work. Motorists are reminded the speed between Dominguez Street and A Street is 30 mph.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Pine Forest (S.R. 297) to U.S. 29 – Drivers will encounter intermittent east and westbound traffic shifts between Pine Forest Road and U.S. 29 to allow crews to pave driveway tie-ins and place the final layer of asphalt.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Beulah Road to S.R. 297 (Pine Forest Road) – Drivers will encounter alternating and intermittent east and westbound lane closures and traffic shifts between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. for paving operations and other construction activities.
- Sorrento Road (S.R. 292) Intersection Improvements at the Innerarity Point (C.R. 292A)–
Motorists can expect daytime shoulder closures the week of Tuesday, Sept. 7 as crews place a watermain.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) – Paving operations and construction activities continue. Drivers can expect the following construction related traffic impacts between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.:
- Nighttime intermittent lane closures and shifts between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road and on Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 interchange.
- The on- and off-ramps at the U.S. 29/Nine Mile Road interchange may be reduced to a single lane.
- U.S. 98 (East Garden Street) Routine Underground Utility Maintenance at Jefferson Street Intersection – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures the week of Tuesday, Sept. 7 as crews perform underground utility maintenance.
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. Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Saturday, Sept. 11. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure. Additional work will include installation of pier lighting.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Crews continue utility relocations, clearing, excavation, drainage improvements, and pond construction. There are anticipated traffic impacts.
- I-10 Resurfacing East of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) to East of S.R. 87 – Motorists can expect intermittent lane closures on the Blackwater River bridge 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Thursday, Sept. 9 as crews perform paving operations.
All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Escambia County (AL) School Board Member David Nolin Passes Away
September 5, 2021
Escambia County School Board member David Nolin has passed away.
Nolin, who represented District 6, was a 1966 Flomaton High School graduate.
He was former principal at A.C. Moore Elementary School in Atmore. At Flomaton High, he was a former teacher and head football, basketball and baseball coach. As baseball coach for the Hurricanes in 1976, he won one of two baseball state championships in the history of Flomaton High School.
Blue Wahoos Pitching Critical in 2-0 Win Over The Biscuits
September 5, 2021
One batter in, Pensacola has a 1-0 lead. Nine innings later, the Blue Wahoos had their fourth shutout of the season.
Pensacola’s pitching had all they needed thanks to Kameron Misner’s leadoff homer as the Wahoos shutout the Montgomery Biscuits 2-0 on Saturday night at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium.
Jeff Lindgren (W, 5-8) continued to dominant run of form with five shutout innings in his 18th start of the season. After the Biscuits had runners in scoring position in the first three innings, Lindgren wriggled out of trouble and ultimately stranded seven batters throughout the course of his start.
Offensively, the Blue Wahoos needed two pitches to take the lead. Alex Valverde (L, 2-4) surrendered a no-doubter to right off the bat of Misner for his first career Double-A home run. It was the first leadoff home run since former Wahoos and current Minnesota Twin Alex Kirilloff homered to begin the 2019 Southern League South Division Championship Series against Biloxi on September 7th, 2019.
In the top of third J.D. roped a one-out single, which extended his hitting streak to 13 games. Misner reached later on an error from Xavier Edwards before both runners advanced on a groundout from JJ Bleday. Orr doubled the Wahoos lead when he scored on a wild pitch, winning the footrace to the plate over Valverde.
With Pensacola leading 2-0 after Lindgren’s five innings, the bullpen dominated the rest of the way. Cody Carroll fired two more shutout innings and struck out three along the way. Matt Pobereyko pitched a scoreless eighth inning. In the ninth, the Blue Wahoos brought in Colton Hock (S, 17) for the second night in a row. After yielding a leadoff single, Hock retired the next three, including the final two batters via the strikeout.
Pensacola now leads the series 3-2, and trails Montgomery by 1.0 game for the second and final playoff spot. LHP Antonio Velez (1-0, 1.50) will get the start in the finale for the Blue Wahoos. He will be opposed by RHP Jack Labosky (0-4, 4.76).