Escambia County’s 24 Bridge Replacement Priority List
March 31, 2019
Escambia County has placed 24 bridges on a replacement priority list with an estimated total cost of about $24.5 million.
The county created the list to for possible funding from the state legislature during the current session. But the Escambia County Commission later declined to submit the request after learning bridge replacement would compete for the same potential state funding as a road project wish list that was previously submitted.
“We have a bridge crisis in Escambia County. We have 90 wooden-frame bridges. Many of them … have a construction date of unknown, an age of unknown. That is frightening. Many of them, we are talking 60 or 70-year-old wooden-frame bridges,” Commissioner Doug Underhill said at a January meeting. He said there are 90 wooden-frame bridges in the county.
In November, the commission submitted four priority funding requests in no particular order:
- Muscogee Road Widening and Drainage Project
- Beulah / I‐10 Interchange / US 29 Connector Project
- Pine Forest Road 4‐Laning (I‐10 to Nine Mile Road)
- West Cervantes Street / Mobile Highway Corridor Safety Improvements
Four additional requests were also submitted:
- Estuary Program — Pensacola/Perdido, Choctawhatchee, and St. Andrew’s
- Bob Sikes Fishing Pier Rehabilitation & Pensacola Beach Blvd. Access Road Project
- Klondike Road / Wilde Lake Blvd. Widening Project
- Funding through Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) towards Pedestrian/Bicycle Projects
The Escambia County bridge replacement priority list is as follows:
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Thousands Attend Blue Jacket Jamboree, Livestock Show, Egg Drop (With Photo Gallery)
March 31, 2019
Thousands of people attended the annual Northview High School FFA Blue Jacket Jamboree and the Gulf Coast Agriculture & Natural Resources Youth Organization Annual Spring Livestock Show Saturday in Molino.
The event included plenty of arts and crafts, a car show and more, including a special visit from the Easter Bunny and an egg drop from a ladder fire truck.
The livestock show included 4-H and FFA youth exhibiting hogs, beef cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and rabbits from Escambia and neighboring counties. The day ended with youth exhibitors auctioning off their market animals.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Ballpark Celebrates Opening Day (With Photo Gallery)
March 31, 2019
Saturday was opening day at the Cantonment Ballpark with a full state of opening day games.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Track Results
March 31, 2019
The following Northview track athletes placed in a recent track meet at Baker:
Girls
100m Nene Findley 1st, Lexi Broadhead 2nd
Girls 4×100 1st Nene Findley, Korelis Moralis, Sarius Davis, and Lexi Broadhead
300m Hurdles Karlee Criswell 3rd
200m Nene Findley 1st, Lexi Broadhead 2nd
Girls 4×400 2nd Nene Findley, Taylor Lashley, Karlee Criswell, Sarius Davis
High Jump Karlee Criswell 3rd
Boys
4×800 3rd Garrett Bodiker, David Lamb, Colby Morris, John Bashore
110 Hurdles 3rd Jarius Moorer
100m Quay Thomas 1st, Daniel Merit 3rd
4×100 1st Keaton Brown, Quay Thomas, Daniel Meritt, Jarius Moorer
800m 3rd Colby Morris
3200m 3rd David Lamb
200m 1st Daniel Meritt
Shot Put 2nd Cameron Findley
Long Jump 1st Ray Bush
Triple Jump 2nd Chris Nordman, 3rd Ray Bush
High Jump 2nd Chris Nordman, 3rd Ray Bush
Photos: Opening Day For Century Little League
March 31, 2019
Saturday was opening day for the Century Little League. The teams were introduced before an ceremonial opening pitch at the first games of the season at Showalter Park.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Sentenced To 15 Years For Armed Home Invasion Robbery
March 31, 2019
An Escambia County man is headed to prison for an armed home invasion robbery.
Philip Joseph Wood was sentenced to 15 years state prison by the Honorable Judge Jan Shackelford. Ten years of that sentence is a mandatory minimum that must be served day for day. On January 10, 2019, Wood pleaded straight up to the court to home invasion robbery with a firearm, two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and five counts of grand theft of a firearm.
The charges arose from an incident on October 11, 2017, where Wood, armed with a firearm, and two co-defendants entered the home of the victims and robbed the victims. Wood and his co-defendants stole five firearms from inside the residence. While inside the residence, the victims were threatened by Wood with the firearm.
Today Is Deadline To Pay Escambia County Property, Tangible Taxes
March 31, 2019
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford is reminding local residents that 2018 unpaid real estate and tangible property taxes become delinquent April 1. Penalties of three percent for real estate taxes and one and one-half percent for tangible taxes will be assessed. To avoid the penalty, payment must be made by March 31.
Payment options include:
- online by midnight CDT, March 31, at EscambiaTaxCollector.com;
- mailed with a March postmark;
- left by midnight CDT, March 31 in a 24-hour drop box available at all locations; or
- by phone at (850) 438-6500, ext. 3252 by close of business March 29.
Since the deadline falls during the weekend, when all offices are closed, customers can make their payment in person without penalty on current 2018 taxes at any tax collector office on Monday, April 1.
Taxpayers are encouraged to visit the tax collector’s virtual office at EscambiaTaxCollector.com to pay online 24 hours a day. Online services allow customers to pay their taxes, search records, print receipts, renew vehicle and vessel registrations and many other services. Customers who decide to visit one of four offices can join the line online at EscambiaTaxCollector.com and manage their time their way. Citizens select an office location and type of service, receive a message with approximate service time and then continue their regular activities until the service time approaches.
Customers can visit the payment center at EscambiaTaxCollector.com to check the status of property taxes, pay online or print a receipt. Taxpayers are encouraged to contact the tax collector’s office by email ectc@EscambiaTaxCollector.com or by phone with any questions.
Pictured: The Escambia County Tax Collector office in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Two Local Men Killed In Baldwin County Wreck; Three Others Injured
March 30, 2019
Two local men were killed and three people were injured in a wreck Saturday in Baldwin County.
Alabama State Troopers said Steve A. Leonard, age 57 of Atmore was driving south on Baldwin County 87 near Cowpen Creek Road when his 2009 Dodge Ram collided head-on with a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado. He was transported to University Hospital in Mobile where he succumbed to his injuries. A passenger in his vehicle, Michael Wayne Leonard, age 54 of Century, was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash.
The driver of the Chevrolet, Blaine Gregg, 37, of Elberta, was injured and transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola following the 8 a.m. crash. Two children, one from each vehicle, were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital. All of the injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Alabama troopers are continuing to investigate.
Judge Denies Bond Reduction For Man Accused Of Killing Siblings In Collision
March 30, 2019
A judge says the man accused of killing two siblings in a driving under the influence crash will stay behind bars if he can’t afford a $1 million bond.
Hunter Black is accused of killing 15-year-old Sean Banks and 22-year-old Antoinette McCoy in January in an early morning crash on Kingsfield Road. He is currently facing two counts of vehicular manslaughter and two counts of DUI manslaughter.
In a court filing , Black’s attorney says he lacks the financial means to post the bond. The attorney also said Black lives in Cantonment “with his family and has resided in the area for his entire life,”. But a judge has now denied that motion.
A Florida Department of Law Enforcement report showed there was no alcohol found in Black’s system, but it was positive for Xanax and chemicals that can be linked to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Northview Gets Another District Win Over Jay (With Gallery)
March 30, 2019
The Northview Chiefs beat the Jay Royals 3-2 in a district matchup Friday night in Bratt.
Seth Killam earned the win, giving up two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out 10 in seven innings.
Josh Majors took the loss for Jay, going for four innings while allowing six hits, three runs and striking out four. Miller tossed two innings in relief.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Nick Venable led the Chiefs at the plate going 2-2 with a run. Also for Northview: Billy Rolin R; Killam 1-2, R; Jackson Moore 1-3, RBI; Adam Aliff 1-2; Jacob Bryant 1-3, RBI. Venable stole three bases for the Northview, while Killam took two and Aliff and Bryant stole one each.
Senior Trevor Flowers homered for Jay, and senior Dutch Burkhead had a triple.
The Chiefs were coming off a 5-0 shutout of Jay Thursday night in Jay and are now 4-0 in the disrict. Northview will host Flomaton Monday night, and Jay will be at Washington High in Pensacola.
