Four Facing Drug Charges After Search Warrant In Atmore
October 23, 2019
Four people are a facing drug charges after the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force, U.S. Marshals and Atmore Police served a search warrant at 517 East Oak Street in Atmore.
According to Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks, agents found numerous drug paraphernalia items, methamphetamines, heroin, marijuana and prescription pills in the residence along with four individuals.
Christian James Shenk, 48, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (meth) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Michael Wayne Barnhill, 55, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (meth), possession of drug paraphernalia and second degree possession of marijuana.
Dana Marie Harrison, 42, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (heroin), possession of drug paraphernalia and second degree possession of marijuana. And Syndle Vinson, 33, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance (heroin) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
All four were booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton with bond set at $25,000 each.
Update: Walnut Hill Crash Claims Local Man’s Life, Injures 8-Year Old Child
October 22, 2019
A single vehicle crash near Walnut Hill claimed one life and injured a child Monday night.
Clayton Joseph Cagle, age 31 of Walnut Hill, was traveling east on Pine Forest Road about a mile off Highway 97. He failed to maintain control of his 1999 GMC Yukon, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and strike a tree. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Both were wearing their seat belts.
An 8-year old passenger was transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital with minor injuries.
The Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Taking Extra Steps To Ensure Sunshine Law Compliance
October 22, 2019
Century is taking additional steps to ensure compliance with Florida’s Sunshine Law after missteps led to a violation earlier this month.
As the council held a Community Redevelopment Agency and as a regular council meeting got underway Monday night, the first order of business was asking the town clerk for confirmation that the meeting were properly advertised.
Public notices advertising the meeting were distributed to the media a week in advance and were posted at locations including the front door of town hall.
Interim City Manager Buz Eddy told the council that an internal checklist was now being used by staff to insure various steps like posting notices is taking place, and staff members will sign off as tasks are completed.
Monday night’s CRA meeting was a do over of a CRA meeting held October 7 — same agenda, same discussion — because the earlier meeting violated the Sunshine Law according to Eddy.
Pictured below: The Century Town Council meets Monday night after being assured their meeting was properly advertised. Pictured top: A notice for the meeting was posted on the front door of town hall and other locations. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County School District Names Teachers Of The Year
October 22, 2019
The Escambia County School District has named Teachers of the Year. The district’s Teacher of the Year will be named a the Golden Apple Awards early next year.
Many of the North Escambia area Teachers of the Year have already been featured in stories on NorthEscambia.com, and we’ll continue to feature additional honorees in the coming days.
Alternative Education – Denise Barnett
Jim Allen Elementary – Anne Fillingim
Jim C. Bailey Middle – Maureen Harden
Bellview Elementary – Dana Sharp
Bellview Middle – Michelle Lingo
Beulah Academy of Science – Wes Hillman
Beulah Elementary – Kadee Barnett
Beulah Middle School – Leanne Jenkins
Blue Angels Elementary – Jennifer Hausner
Bratt Elementary – Erin Bryant
Brentwood Elementary – Jessica Haupt
Brown-Barge Middle – Carrie McGugin
Byrneville Elementary – Susan Moorhead
Camelot Academy – Venise Evans
Hellen Caro Elementary – Andrea Lowery
N. B. Cook Elementary – Christine Rathbun
Cordova Park Elementary – Kari Graham
Ensley Elementary – Vonda Hawk
Escambia High – Michael G. Davis
Escambia Westgate – Deborah Melton
Exceptional Student Education – Rayeko McCartan
Ferry Pass Elementary – Dorie Nickerson
Ferry Pass Middle – Carol Cleaver
Global Learning Academy – Brandi Finch
Reinhardt Holm Elementary – Lynette Chandler
Kingsfield Elementary School – Rachel Weber
Lakeview School – David Meredith
Lincoln Park Elementary – Shirley Luster
R. C. Lipscomb Elementary – Faye Pryor-Wiggins
Longleaf Elementary – Megan Sims
L. D. McArthur Elementary – Mindy Resmondo
Molino Park Elementary – Pamela Maraman-Barnes
Montclair Elementary School – Jacqueline Chabot
Myrtle Grove Elementary – Colleen Van Deusen
Navy Point Elementary – David Vaughn
Northview High – Barbara Luker
Oakcrest Elementary – Jaclyn Summers
Pensacola High – Alan Robinson (Deceased)
Pine Forest High – Jeffrey H. Creel
Pine Meadow Elementary – Pamela Garrison
Pleasant Grove Elementary – Elizabeth “Liz” Cheney
Ransom Middle – Jodi Woods
Scenic Heights Elementary – Sherdina Baker
O. J. Semmes Elementary – Kathryn Lovely
Sherwood Elementary – Tamika Wyrick
George Stone Technical Center – Anthony Wiggins
A. K. Suter Elementary – Darian Martin
J. M. Tate High – Athena (Tena) Gindl
Ernest Ward Middle – Lee Barren
Warrington Elementary – Teresa Sanderson
Warrington Middle – Marlena Lewis
Booker T. Washington High – Mary Kate Griffith
C. A. Weis Elementary – Cindy Speed
West Florida High – Cheyenna Novotny
West Pensacola Elementary – Kimberly Wolford
J. H. Workman Middle School – Yohana Durango
Escambia Woman Claims Half Million Dollar Lottery Prize
October 22, 2019
An Escambia County woman has claimed a half million dollar top prize from the Florida Lottery’s Cash Blast game.
Barbara Flowers, 54, purchased her winning ticket from Quick Fill, located at 3020 Gulf Beach Highway.
The $5 game launched in December 2018 and features six top prizes of $500,000 and more than $58 million in total cash prizes.
District 5 Commissioner Holding Town Hall Next Month
October 22, 2019
Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry will hold a public town hall next month
The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, November 4 at the Milestone Baptist Church.
The public is invited to the open forum style town hall meeting.
Pictured: Attendees at an August District 5 town hall meeting in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate High Names September Students Of The Month
October 22, 2019
Tate High School has named Danica Riddell and Quang Vo as September Students of the Month. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Sends Team To Help With Texas Tornado Outages
October 22, 2019
Gulf Power is a sending a dozen employees to assist Oncor following severe storms and tornadoes that knocked out power to approximately 150,000 customers in the north Texas area.
The employees are part of a Damage Assessment Team that will help assess the damage so crews can begin restoration efforts in the area west of Dallas.
“We are happy to assist Oncor just as they came to Northwest Florida last year to help us following Hurricane Michael,” said Gordon Paulus, Gulf Power spokesperson.
Gulf Power did not deploy any of its line crews to Texas so they would be ready locally as the same storm system moved through Northwest Florida Monday night.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Monday Night High School Football Finals
October 22, 2019
Here are scores from high school football games played Monday night due to Tropical Storm Nestor cancellations last Friday night, plus other scores from last Friday night and Saturday.
For Tate and Washington photos and game story from Saturday, click here.
FLORIDA
Monday Night Scores
Jay 36, North Bay Haven 6
Pine Forest at Choctaw*
Escambia at Fort Walton Beach**
Pensacola High 38, Panama City Arnold 32
Catholic 40, Tallahassee FAMU 12
Navarre 31, Tallahassee Leon 28
* Pine Forest led Choctaw 14-3 when the game was called due to weather. It will continue Tuesday, October 22 at 6 p.m.
**Escambia was leading Fort Walton Beach 14-0 when the game was called due to weather. The game will continue October 28 at 4 p.m.
Friday, Saturday Scores
Washington 51, Tate 31 (Saturday)
De La Salle 24, West Florida 6 (Friday)
Milton 40, Mosley 28 (Thursday)
ALABAMA SCORES
UMS-Wright 31, Escambia County 8
Escambia Academy 47, South Choctaw Academy 0
Flomaton 44, Thomasville 21
Andalusia 42, W.S. Neal 12
Montgomery Catholic 26, T.R. Miller 21
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Speak Out: Public Input Meetings Set On Escambia Superintendent Search
October 21, 2019
The Escambia County School District has scheduled five community forums to give the public the chance to share their input as the school district moves closer to advertising the school superintendent job.
All five of the meetings are in the geographic southern half of Escambia County.
The community forms will be facilitated by the Florida School Boards Association Search Team. All input gathered during the events will be collected and provided to the Escambia County School Board members and will be made available online. School board members will not attend the input sessions.
“The board members and I want to make this process as transparent as possible. The search team will lead the participants through conversations that will help us identify our school district’s strengths and weaknesses, and allow them to have a chance to tell us what skills should be present in the next superintendent,” said Patty Hightower, school board chair. “Our search team consists of professional educators from around the state who have helped other districts through this process, and they too believe these meetings are critically important. We hope everyone with an interest in Escambia County’s public schools will attend at least one of the community input sessions that fits their schedule.”
The town hall events will be held:
- Oct. 24, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 160 of the J.E. Hall Center, 30 E. Texar Drive, Pensacola.
- Nov. 14, 2019 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Blue Angels Elementary School, 1551 Dogtrack Road, Pensacola.
- Nov. 21, 2019 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Pensacola High School, 500 W. Maxwell Street, Pensacola.
- Jan. 7, 2020 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Beulah Middle School, 6001 W. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola.
- Jan. 9, 2020 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Tate High School, 1771 Tate Road, Cantonment.
In 2018, voters approved an appointed, rather than elected, superintendent in Escambia County. The search is being guided by the Florida School Boards Association leading up the selection of a superintendent with a November 24, 2020, start date. The job is set to be advertised beginning April 1, 2020.