Century Accepts $468K In State Funds For Water Well Upgrades
August 25, 2021
The Town of Century has approved the paperwork to receive $468,453 for water well upgrades as approved by the Florida Legislature.
Century has three water wells — two provide drinking water to the residents of Century and one provides water exclusively to the Century Correctional Institution.
The first well on Blackmon Street and was constructed in 1963 with a pumping capacity of 400 gallons per minute. The adjacent elevated tank has a capacity of 100,000 gallons.
The second well is on Academy Street and was constructed in 1983. It has a pumping capacity of 500 gallons per minute and an elevated tank with a half million gallon capacity. The well had been out of service for over a year before being placed back in service in August 2020 only to fail again. As of June 2, it remained out of service.
The third well was constructed at the prison in 1983 and can pump 400 gallons a minute with 200,000 gallon elevated storage tank. The well failed in May 2020, and the water supply to the prison was restored through an interconnect to Central Water Works.
As of earlier this year when Century asked for state help, the town had spent $353,360.47 so far for repairs to the three wells and the interconnect to Central Water Works. The funding in this year’s state budget includes $107,000 for repairs and wellhouse rehabilitations at the Academy Street well, $90,00 for repairs at the Blackmon Street well, and $210,350 for work at the prison well and a permanent generator.
The money was part of local funding requests submitted by Rep. Michelle Salzman and Sen. Doug Broxson.
Monday night, the town council approved signing the paperwork to receive the money from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The funds will be disbursed on a cost reimbursement basis after work is actually performed and approved.
Pictured: Water flows into the Century Correctional Institution in May 2020 through an emergency interconnect to Central Water Works following the failure of a Century water well. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
10,000 Pound Food Giveaway Held In Cantonment
August 25, 2021
The Cantonment Improvement Committee held a 10,000 pound food giveaway Tuesday afternoon.
It giveaway included food from Manna Food Pantries and Feeding The Gulf Coast.
The food giveaway, although smaller some weeks, is held at 3:30 each Tuesday afternoon at Carver Park at 208 Webb Street. Florida residents can line up in their vehicles, single-file, around the park for the drive thru event.
Pictured Volunteers from Ascend Cares assisted with a 10,000 pound food giveaway Tuesday afternoon at Carver Park in Cantonment. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Nicolas Hurls Gem As Wahoos Capture 1-0 Win Over M-Braves
August 25, 2021
Chris Chinea’s solo home run in the top of the fourth was the difference in Pensacola’s 1-0 win over the M-Braves, Tuesday night at Trustmark Park.
While the home run was difference maker, it was the pitching that stole the show for Pensacola in the club’s opening win as they embark on their 12-game road trip. Kyle Nicolas (W, 3-0) turned in his longest outing in Double-A with 6.2 shutout innings. The right-hander allowed a total of three hits and only one walk while striking out five. He has now dropped his ERA to 0.68 having allowed just two runs in 26.2 innings.
Spencer Strider (L, 2-6) was a tough-luck loser on Tuesday. Like Nicolas, Mississippi’s starter allowed three hits, but one of them was a solo home run to Chinea to start the fourth inning, which was all the offense the Wahoos needed. Strider struck out 10 in five innings, which is the fourth time this season that Strider has struck out at least 10.
Pensacola’s bullpen shined once again for the Wahoos. Andrew Nardi allowed one hit in 1.1 shutout innings. Colton Hock pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the Wahoos, giving the closer his 15th save in 18 opportunities.
The series in Pearl continues tomorrow with RHP Max Meyer (6-1, 1.97) faces LHP Hayden Deal (3-2, 3.90) for Mississippi.
Cantonment Man Accused Of Cashing Check Stolen From Mailbox, Fleeing From Deputies
August 25, 2021
A Cantonment man is accused of stealing a check from a mailbox, cashing it, and fleeing from deputies.
Justin Michael Odom, 27, was charged with uttering a forged check, driving while being a habitual offender, felony fleeing from a police officer, and reckless driving.
In July, Odom allegedly stole an insurance company disbursement check from a mailbox on Santa Rosa Road in Cantonment. He changed the payee to his name and cashed the check at Walmart on Pensacola Boulevard, according to an arrest report. A deputy stated he was able to positively identify Odom as the person seen cashing the check on surveillance video.
On Sunday, an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy was on routine patrol on Frank Ard Road when Odom ran out, got into a pickup truck and sped away.
“Odom then accelerated to a very high speed down the dirt driveway of the home, then turned left and proceeded towards my cruiser in an extremely reckless manner. Odom was spinning the tires and just about lost control striking my cruiser,” the deputy wrote in his report.
The truck accelerated away at a high rate of speed to Quintette, Highway 95A and then Stacey, not stopping for the deputy as he activated his emergency equipment for a traffic stop.
Former Gulf Breeze Mayor, CTA Boss Ed Gray Sentenced To Prison
August 24, 2021
Former Gulf Breeze Mayor Edward “Ed” Merrill Gray III has been sentenced to five years in state prison for secretly recording teen boys in his shower.
He will be on community control — house arrest — for two years after his release from prison. That will be followed by three years probation.
In September 2020, agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Gray on eight counts of video voyeurism, one count of interception of oral communication and the misdemeanor charges of stalking and installation of a tracking device. In July, Gray pleaded no contest to the charges.
Gray is the former mayor of Gulf Breeze and was later employed by the City of Gulf Breeze as executive director of the Capital Trust Agency (CTA). Century serves as a second signature for CTA. Gray’s arrest was not related to his government service, and he resigned from CTA prior to his arrest.
Gray allegedly made secret video recordings of teen boys inside his home and allegedly stalked them using a GPS tracker.
An 18-year male that did various jobs around Gray’s home told Gulf Breeze Police that he located a video camera concealed in a shoebox in the master bedroom closet where he had changed clothes multiple time prior to showering in the past year. Gulf Breeze Police handed the investigation off to FDLE.
The victim told FDLE investigators that Gray became more controlling and intruded in his personal life by tracking his movements. He said in one incident, Gray located him at a park in Pensacola and believed he was tracking him through his phone. In another incident, the victim said he told Gray he was home sick, but Gray confronted him on the phone and told him that he knew he was at a friend’s home.
Gray told FDLE that the hidden camera was initially turned on to watch an air conditioning repair man, but he decided to turn it back on because he was suspicious that the teen was possibly sexting in his master bedroom. He eventually admitted that the recording did capture the victim undressing, according to an arrest affidavit.
FDLE executed a search warrant at Gray’s home on August 3, with FDLE seizing devices with eight videos that captured four males nude or undressing in Gray’s master bedroom. A majority of the videos showed Gray starting the camera prior to individuals coming into the bathroom. The victims have all been identified by authorities. FDLE also located about 160 screenshots showing GPS locations, and they said he had installed a tracker on at least one victim’s vehicle.
At least one of the victims was 17-years old.
Top: NorthEscambia.com photo.
Convicted Felon With Possible Ties To Walnut Hill Surrenders On Child Sex Abuse Charge
August 24, 2021
A convicted felon wanted for child sexual abuse in Escambia County, Alabama, has surrendered to authorities.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office said 41-year old Thomas Benjamin Davis turned himself in Tuesday on charges of felony sexual abuse of a child less than 12-years old and for failure to appear.
On August 18, ESCO-AL asked for the public’s help in locating Davis, saying he has ties to Walnut Hill and Brewton.
Davis was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton at 1:56 p.m. Tuesday. He is being held without bond.
Attempted Murder Suspect Has Turned Himself In
August 24, 2021
UPDATE: THIS SUSPECT HAS TURNED HIMSELF INTO AUTHORITIES.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has named a suspect in an attempted homicide in mid August.
Cordeal Nikitia Hawthorne, 35, was wanted for attempted murder and is considered armed and dangerous.
On August 14, the ECSO responded to the 3700-block of Mobile Highway in reference to a shooting victim.
Once on scene, deputies located a male victim in his 50s with multiple gunshot wounds lying in the roadway. Deputies rendered aid until EMS arrived. The victim was transported to an area hospital.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts should call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620, Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP, or 911.
Homicide Investigation Underway After Man Found Dead In Car Off Blue Angel Parkway
August 24, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a homicide.
About 6:20 p.m. Monday, ECSO deputies responded to a man down call in the 10000 block of North Loop Road off Blue Angel Parkway.
Once on scene, deputies discovered a 33-year-old male victim deceased with one gunshot wound. He was found sitting in the driver’s seat of a brown Chevrolet Malibu. The engine to the car was still running.
ECSO investigators are looking for anyone who may have witnessed this crime.
If you have any information about this incident, call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
Man Charged With Home Burglary, Attempted Burglary Of Byrneville Community Center Arrested After Manhunt
August 24, 2021
A Flomaton man is facing charges after the alleged attempted burglary of the Byrneville Community Center and a home before leading deputies on a manhunt in Byrneville.
Tristan Lee Bell, 24, was charged attempted burglary of an unoccupied structure, burglary of an occupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported open door or window at the community center. They arrived to observe a white male wearing an orange shirt standing outside the building. Deputies noted two window screens had been removed from two windows of the community center.
Bell picked up a gray backpack and took off running into a wooded area on the west side of Byrneville Road, according to an arrest report. A deputy that entered the woods reported finding the backpack, a screwdriver, cutting pliers, Bell’s wallet, his phone and an orange t-shirt that was wrapped around a sunglasses case that contained methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
A deputy spotted Bell exit the wooded area without a shirt and run south on Byrneville Road before he entered another wooded area. When K-9 deputies arrived on scene, Bell was seen running south on Byrneville Road in the area of McBride Road. As officers were setting up a perimeter, they were informed that someone was breaking into a residence in the 1000 block of Byrneville Road.
A responding deputy captured Bell as he allegedly ran from the corner of the residence, about a mile and half from the community center.
The occupant of the home told deputies he did not notice anything was going on because of a hearing difficulty.
According to the ECSO, the blade on the screwdriver recovered from Bell matched the pry marks on the windows at the Byrneville Community Center.
Bell remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set ta $9,500.
New Look, New Uniforms Coming For The Tate High School Showband Of The South
August 24, 2021
UPDATE: The purchase has been updated to 250 each of marching coats, bibber trousers, and Aussie hats; and 12 drum major coats and 12 drum major Aussie hats.
A new look is coming next year for the Tate High School Showband of the South.
The new band uniforms from Fruhauf Uniforms in Wichita, Kansas, are expected to arrive next spring.
The band will receive 300 bibber trousers, 300 marching coats, 300 Aussie hats and uniform management software. The total cost approved by Escambia County School Board was $97,764, based upon current band membership. Of that, $28,000 will come from the district’s general fund, and the $69,764 will balance will be paid from school internal accounts.
Photos courtesy Casey Dull Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
