Flags Remain At Half Staff For Mass Shooting Victims
August 7, 2019
Flags remain at half staff by order of President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in remembrance of the victims of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. Flags will return to full staff at sunset on Thursday, August 8. Pictured: The flag at half staff Tuesday at the Century post office. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Bond Set At Half Million Each For Atmore Party Shooting Murder Suspects
August 7, 2019
Bond has been set at a half million dollars each for two Atmore men charged with murder in connection with a shooting incident that left one man dead and eight others injured at a party.
Michael Lashan Weaver Jr., 21, and Michael Bernard Pettway, 22, have each been charged with one count of murder for the death of Chirshawn Jermaine Westry.
About 2 a.m. on May 18, Atmore Police responded to a shots fired report in the 100 block of Martin Luther King Drive in Atmore. “The location was formally the Escambia County Middle School but had recently served as a community center for after school students,” according to Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks in a written statement.
Brooks said police arrived to hear gunshots around the property as they worked to assist the victims and restore order. Westry was found deceased in the building’s cafeteria.
The arrests have not closed the case as Atmore Police are continuing to investigate the eight injuries.
Five Escape Injury In Highway 297A, Kingsfield Crash
August 7, 2019
Five people escaped injured in a two vehicle crash Monday night at the intersection of Highway 297A and Kingsfield Road in Cantonment. Two adults and three minors refused transport to the hospital by Escambia County EMS. The 9:17 p.m. crash was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Master Gardener Info Day Held In Cantonment; Still Time To Join The Program
August 7, 2019
Twenty people took part in a volunteer open house Tuesday in Cantonment to learn more about the University of Florida’s Master Gardener Volunteer Program.
Attendees learned about training sessions, volunteer activities and the role of master gardeners in the community during the program at the Escambia County Extension Service offices on Stefani Road.
For information about the Master Gardener Program, contact Beth Bolles with Escambia County Extension at (850) 475-5230 or at bbolles@ufl.edu. Applications are available until September 2.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Highway 29 Rollover Wreck In Cantonment
August 6, 2019
One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover crash on Highway 29 near the Cantonment Post Office.
The driver lost control, ran off the roadway and overturned near the woodline about 6:25 a.m.
Firefighters use the Jaws of Life to remove the roof the Lincoln MKZ. The adult male passenger was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS with injuries that did not appear to be life threatening.
The wreck closed one lane of southbound Highway 29, backup up morning traffic. The Florida Highway Patrol investigated. The Cantonment and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Bratt’s Donut Boy Visits Hawaii, His 50th State To Serve Up Sweet Thanks To Law Enforcement
August 6, 2019
Tyler Carach of Bratt, better known as The Donut Boy, reached a major milestone Monday as he delivered doughnuts to law enforcement officer in Hawaii — the 50th state in which he has thanked law enforcement with the sweet treats.
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 and his mother Sheena, who is a former police officer, created the “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. He purchased four packs of chocolate doughnuts to share with the deputies.
He learned that there are just over 400 sworn officers in the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and he composed a letter to the Krispy Kreme on 9th Avenue asking for a discounted bulk price. The store manager instead donated 420 doughnuts to the project. Tyler, dressed in a superhero doughnut cape, delivered the doughnuts to Sheriff David Morgan and his department.
“It was really cool and fun I love getting to meet one of the dogs and one of the horses and I also found a lizard outside the Sheriff’s Office,” Tyler said at the time. “The sheriff gave me a really cool coin and said it was very special. It was called a challenge coin. I got to go on the command center and also sit in the SWAT mobile — that’s like the Batmobile but way cooler.”
And his superhero mission to thank every cop in America just kept on going and growing as he delivered doughnuts to law enforcement agencies large and small across the nation.
On Monday, his visit to the Honolulu Police Department marked his 50th state. He also has doughnut deliveries scheduled this week to Hawaii Police, Maui Police and Kauai Police as he visits four of the Hawaii Islands.
Pictured top and below: Tyler Carach of Bratt, know as The Donut Boy, delivered doughnuts in Honolulu, Hawaii, his 50th state, on Monday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Names 10 To Charter Review Committee; Adds One Non-Applicant At The Last Minute
August 6, 2019
The Town of Century has named a charter review committee that includes 10 individuals that submitted applications before an advertised deadline, plus one additional person added at the last minute.
Ten people submitted their written applications during the legally-noticed period of July 18 to July 25. Monday night, the council named those 10 people to the committee.
They also decided that the committee needed an odd number of members to break any possible tie votes, and added Helen Mincy to the committee as the 11th member. Mincy did not submit an application but was present at Monday night’s council meeting.
Mincy was one of four member of a Century Citizens Advisory Task Force accused by the State Attorney’s Office of violating Florida’s Sunshine Law in 2016 for holding a meeting two hours before the advertised time. The charges were later dropped against all four under a deferred prosecution agreement, but the State Attorney’s Office maintained there was a clear violation of the Sunshine Law.
Other members appointed to the charter review committee Monday night were: Shelisa McCall Abraham, Mary H. Bourgeois, Cheryl Boutwell, Michelle Cunningham, Evelyn Hammond, Janice M. Jennings, Dynette Lewis, Eunice McKinney, Delores Wright Miley and Jennifer Read.
The committee will be tasked with exploring the town charter – the document that establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The current Century charter has not been updated in almost 40 years.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Walnut Hill Man Sentenced In Church Theft Case
August 6, 2019
A Walnut Hill man has sentenced in a case involving the theft and pawning of audio equipment from a church.
Judge Stephen Pitre withheld adjudication as he sentenced Aaron Lucas Davis, 24, to five years probation for dealing in stolen property. He was also ordered to make restitution.
The Cokesbury United Methodist Church on North 9th Avenue reported two subwoofers, two monitor speakers and an amplifier were taken during two incidents two weeks apart. The total value of the items was about $2,400. Davis, a church employee, was caught on surveillance video removing the equipment, according to a Pensacola Police Department report.
The five pieces of equipment were pawned for $75 each, the report states.
The PNJ, Other Daily Printed Papers From Pensacola To Tallahassee To Have One Owner
August 6, 2019
The daily printed newspapers from Pensacola to Tallahassee will have the same owner under a media merger announced Monday.
New Media Investment Group has reached a $1.4 billion merger agreement with Gannett for cash and stock.
Gannett owns the Pensacola News Journal and Tallahassee Democrat, while New Media owns the Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach) and Panama City News Herald.
Gatehouse also owns multiple weeklies in the Panhandle — The Apalachicola Times, Homes County Advertiser ( Bonifay), Washington County News (Chipley), The Destin Log, Santa Rosa’s Press Gazette (Milton), The Star (Port St. Joe), and the Walson Sun (Santa Rosa Beach).
Editor’s Note: NorthEscambia.com remains locally owned and operated.
EREC Warns Members Of Telephone Scam
August 6, 2019
Escambia River Electric Cooperative is warning members of a telephone scam.
The utility says customers have received calls warning that they must a make a credit card payment over the phone to avoid a power interruption.
EREC said they never ask for credit card information over the phone. Customers can verify their account information by calling (850) 675-4521 or (800) 235-3848.
Gulf Power has warned customers of similar scams in the past.