Shots Fired Outside Century Apartment Complex; Woman Suffers Minor Injury
April 29, 2025
A shots-fired incident in Century on Monday night remains under investigation.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, a group of people was gathered outside the Century Woods Apartments at 20 West Highway 4 when at least one shot was fired around 8:50 p.m.
Deputies arrived to find an adult female with an apparent graze wound to the top of her shoulder. She refused medical treatment.
The ECSO said much of the crowd dispersed quickly, and deputies received conflicting statements with little cooperation from the remaining witnesses. A suspect was not located.
Deputies returned to the apartment complex Tuesday seeking additional clues and evidence.
The incident remains under investigation.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Two Year, $4.7 Million Highway 29 Reconstruction Safety Project In Century Is Now Complete
April 29, 2025
After just over two years, a $4.7 million state safety project to resurface Highway 29 in Century is now complete, the Florida Department of Transportation said on Monday.
The FDOT project included a major reconstruction and realignment of Highway 29 from just south of East Highway 4 to the Alabama state line.
FDOT also upgraded traffic signals, drainage structures, pavement markings, and driveways, while also improving curb ramps and sidewalks to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
The project included reconstructing a 700-foot curved segment of Highway 29 from north of Henry Street to Cottage Street — a curve that was the site of several truck accidents in recent years.
The first lane closures for the project occurred in late January 2023, with four lanes reduced to one lane in each direction for most of the project.
Pictured: Traffic flows on all four lanes of Highway 29 in Century during a construction project on February 20. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Donates Building To Ernest Ward FFA Program
April 29, 2025
The Walnut Hill Ruritan Club, with the help of Circle E Buildings in Walnut Hill, recently donated and installed a brand-new building for the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA program. The project, coordinated by Brian Davis, will be officially dedicated soon.
Celebration 100 Years: Goodyear Blimp Spotted Over Molino
April 29, 2025
This year is the 100th anniversary of the original Goodyear Blimp.
The blimp known as Wingfoot Two was spotted over Molino on Monday afternoon. According to flight tracking date, the blimp left New Orleans Monday after a weekend hovering over the Zurich Classic golf tournament.
The first Goodyear Blimp to take flight was Pilgrim in 1925.
Today, there are three Goodyear blimps based in the United States:
- Wingfoot One: Based near Akron, Ohio (near the Goodyear headquarters).
- Wingfoot Two: Based near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (at the Pompano Beach Airpark).
- Wingfoot Three: Based near Los Angeles, California (in Carson).
A fourth blimp is based near Essen, Germany, and is known as the Europe Blimp.
Picture: The Goodyear Blimp Wingfoot Two over Molino on Monday afternoon. Photos by Michael Miller and Keith Garrison for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Names 2025 Prom Royalty
April 29, 2025
The 2025 Tate High School Prom was held Saturday night. Prom court members included (pictured above) King Aiden Maher, Queen Hailey Locke, (pictured below) Prince Carson Hindsman and Princess Taylor Dyer. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Electrical Fire Destroys Home Near Nine Mile Road; No Injuries Reported
April 29, 2025
An electrical issue is being blamed for a Sunday night fire that destroyed a home just north of Nine Mile Road.
Escambia County Fire Rescue responded around 10 p.m. to the 9500 block of Hummingbird Boulevard, where they found heavy flames and smoke coming from the garage of a single-story brick house.
All residents and pets escaped without injury, according to ECFR. The home was declared a total loss, and the cause was determined to be electrical.
The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced occupants with temporary housing.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FPL Proposes Laydown Yard Near McDavid
April 29, 2025
Florida Power & Light is proposing a seven-acre laydown yard primarily for pole storage off Camp Road in McDavid.
According to plans filed with the Escambia County Development Review Committee, the laydown yard would be located on about seven acres of an octagonal-shaped 48.65-acre parcel already owned by FPL. It is about a half mile south of an Escambia County Road Camp and the closed Camp 5 Landfill.
FPL also owns all of the adjacent parcels and those across Camp Road — the former Gulf Power, later acquired by FPL, purchased hundreds of acres beginning in 2009 for a potential nuclear power plant, but those plans never materialized.
The laydown yard, if approved, would be served to a new 30-foot gravel access road from Camp Road. The utility said the site will operate from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m. with no overnight vehicles on site.
The FPL plans are undergoing DRC internal staff review and have not yet been set for a public meeting.
NorthEscambia.com graphics, click to enlarge.
Casey’s Updates Plans For New Convenience Store At Highway, Highway 97 In Molino
April 28, 2025
Updated plans have been filed for a new convenience store at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 97 in Molino.
Costcorde, Inc. of Houston recently submitted the plans to the Escambia County Development Review Committee (DRC).
The updated plans show a 4,569 square foot convenience store, 12 gas fueling stations and two diesel fueling payments. According to the plans, there will only be right turn in and right turn out access on Highway 29 and a full access connection to Highway 97.
Casey’s is the third largest convenience store and fifth largest pizza chain in the United States. Last year, Casey’s announced the acquisition of Fikes Wholesale, owner of CEFCO Convenience Stores, in an all-cash transaction for $1.145 billion for 198 stores.
The plans are undergoing DRC internal staff review and have not yet been set for a public meeting.
Plans were filed for a convenience store in the same location back in 2017 and 2019 by an Atmore company, but those projects were never finalized. The new store will be across Highway 97 from an existing Cumberland Farms store that is still operating under Tom Thumb branding.
NorthEscambia.com graphics, click to enlarge.
Meet Byrneville Elementary School Principal (For A Day) Tripp Fowler
April 28, 2025
Last Friday morning, Principal Tripp Fowler started his day early by welcoming every student as they arrived in the car rider line at Byrneville Elementary School.
The it was off to visit every classroom, where he denied teacher requests to take off early since it was Friday. If Principal Fowler was going to put in a full day, so was his staff.
For second grader Tripp Fowler, Friday was a really big day at the charter school — he was Byrneville Elementary School’s principal for a day. He won the opportunity by being the top seller in a recent fundraiser.
Principal Fowler took a few minutes out of his very busy day to speak with NorthEscambia.com just before lunch duty Friday. When we met up with him, he was behind “everyday” Principal Ashley Trawick’s desk, hard at work on project to prepare for an upcoming student visit from the Century Camp Fire USA Learning Center.
Friday was a good day to be principal for a day at Byrneville. Students earned movie time at lunch for good behavior, there was pizza for students that met their AR reading goals, and field day winners had ice cream to celebrate.
But the workday was not all fun and games — Principal Fowler was faced with an emergency with an overflowing toilet. He quickly radioed for help, bringin the challenging situation under control.
His favorite parts of being principal for the day? The walkie-talkie and his ID badge. And looking inside a closet with computer servers and security camera feeds was a pretty big deal.
We had to cut our interview with Mr. Fowler short so he could use the intercom to call a student to the office, a task he easily handled (as soon as someone found him a step stool). He then headed to the lunchroom, walkie-talkie in hand, where kindergarteners were having lunch as the movie “Ratatouille” played.
When asked if he would like to be an elementary principal when he gets a bit older, Mr. Fowler was quick with his answer.
“I want to drive a truck and be like my dad,” he said, just a principal for a day.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Sets Public Hearing To Discuss Grant Finding Application
April 28, 2025
The Century Town Council will a public hearing on Tuesday to discuss a grant funds application.
The town is preparing to apply for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from Florida Commerce. The town is considering seeking funds for projects in several categories, including neighborhood revitalization, commercial revitalization, housing rehabilitation, and economic development.
According to the town, these funds must be used for one of the following purposes, if approved:
To benefit low- and moderate-income persons;
To aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight; or
To meet other community development needs of recent origin having a particular urgency.
The town council will discuss additional information regarding the range of activities that could be funded at the public hearing on Tuesday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at town hall.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.