John The Owl, Beloved Roy Hyatt Environmental Ambassador, Passes Away
August 14, 2019
The Roy Hyatt Environmental Center in Cantonment is mourning the loss of an owl that had lived at the center for 13 years, serving as an ambassador and often the star of the show at educational programs.
John, the Eastern screech owl, passed away quietly and peacefully Monday at about 16- years old.
John was hit by a car 13 years ago. He was taken to the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida where they were able to save him, but they were unable to repair the damage the impact had on the vision in his left eye. This made it impossible for him to be released into the wild, according to the environmental center.
After his accident and rehabilitation, John came to live at Roy Hyatt Environmental Center. He became a much loved ambassador helping to educate thousands and thousands of children and adults about birds of prey, owls, and specifically Eastern screech owls.
The Roy Hyatt Environmental Center is operated by the Escambia County School District.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Worker Suffers From Heat Exhaustion In McDavid
August 14, 2019
A man working in McDavid suffered a heat-related illness and was taken to the hospital Tuesday.
Escambia County EMS and the McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the area of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church on West Bogia Road where the man had reportedly been working as a surveyor.
An Escambia County spokesperson said the man was transported non-emergency to Jay Hospital.
The heat index on Tuesday was forecast to reach as high as 115 degrees, and a heat advisory was in effect.
According to the National Weather Service:
The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will create a situation in which heat stress illnesses are possible. Heat indices this high can cause even the most physically fit to succumb to heat exhaustion or, even worse, deadly heat stroke. Persons planning on being outdoors for an extended time are urged to consume plenty of liquids — especially water, wear light colored and loose fitting clothing, and to take frequent breaks from the heat in an air-conditioned room.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Flomaton Police Fight Back Against Social Media Criticism
August 14, 2019
The Flomaton Police Department on Tuesday took the somewhat unusual step of fighting back against public criticism on social media.
A local resident made a 230-word post on a personal Facebook account allegeding that Flomaton Police did not respond at all to a trespassing call in his neighborhood. The FPD posted a screenshot of the personal post and their rebuttal.
“We have had a trespasser in our area around Mccurdy street to find out he is a dope head and was apparently under the influence,” the individual wrote in a post . “He was trespassing in people’s yard and they had run him off. Next door neighbor called me and I told her to call the police department. I went outside and did she the guy she was talking about earlier walking down the road. I assuming looking for something to steal. There is an abandoned house near me and the neighbor told them she heard he was staying in there. Dispatch said, they would check it if they thought they needed too. I stayed out last night for 2 hours.
“No officer ever come or rode by. No one. I had a neighbor out walking her dog so I followed her until she made it back home. Need some input on this guys. Called a council member and he said they were down to 3 officers And he would call the chief tomorrow. Well, tomorrow may be too late when someone is needing help. This is putting our community lives in jeopardy. This is not a game. If you have had an issue I need to know. Please comment if you have.”
On their Facebook account, Flomaton Police posted a screenshot of individual’s post, and they fired back with a dispatch log and a post of their own.
“We are strongly discouraged in the faith that is shown in our officers in this situation by the citizens,” Flomaton PD posted. They noted the officer took the call four seconds after it was given to him and was on scene on McCurdy Street, in the police jurisdiction but outside the town limits, in four minutes.
“…The officer spent 31 minutes in the area attempting to locate the suspicious subject. Please read all provided material, and maintain your faith in our department and the job we do,” police said.
The individual’s post was later removed or privacy settings were changed to prevent public viewing. The post had eight comments at the time Flomaton Police created a screenshot.
Escambia Man Gets Life In Prison For Murdering Mother Of His Child
August 14, 2019
An Escambia County man has sentenced Henry Steiger to life in prison for the second degree murder in the death of his girlfriend and mother of his child.
Steiger, 53, was convicted of the murder of Cassandra Robinson.
Robinson’s body was found July 12, 2018, inside a 55-gallon drum inside a cargo trailer located on vacant lot. She went missing in February 2018 and was reported missing by her family in early June.
Prosecutors said Steiger murdered Robinson after their daughter’s first birthday party.
Fans Meet The Northview Chiefs (With Photo Gallery)
August 14, 2019
Fans had a chance to meet the Northview Chiefs Thursday evening.
They were introduced to this year’s junior varsity football team and cheerleaders, varsity football team and cheerleaders, the Tribal Beat Band, the volleyball team, the Ernest Ward Middle School football team and local youth teams and cheerleaders.
The Chiefs travel to Baker Friday for a preseason Kickoff Classic at 7 p.m.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Haas Holds Century Focus Group Sessions, Online Survey Available
August 14, 2019
The University of West Florida Haas Center held focus group sessions Tuesday to survey Century area residents on community goods and services needed in the area, and an online version of the survey still available for those that missed the sessions.
The survey will be open through the end of the week at Haas.uwf.edu/CenturySurvey.
The survey is part of a $24,500 marketing study funding by the Escambia County Commission.
‘200 Years Of Forgotten Alabama’ Author To Present Program Thursday
August 14, 2019
Alabama photographer Glenn Wills will bring his Forgotten Alabama Bicentennial Book Tour to the Flomaton Library on Thursday.
He will give a 45-minute presentation from his newest book “200 Years of Forgotten Alabama” at 6 p.m. at the library. The book features photographs of abandoned structures from all 67 of Alabama’s counties.
“This is the book I always wanted to do. 200 Years of Forgotten Alabama is, by far, the best, most comprehensive endeavor I’ve ever attempted. All 67 counties. 50,000 miles and thousands of hours have all culminated to this,” Wills said on his website. “I came to appreciate our forgotten past. I have traveled the entire state documenting Alabama’s forgotten and abandoned structures that still exist. I’ve taken many of these images and made a multimedia presentation about my journey.
“To see life frozen in time. A mere fraction of a second from an earlier time captured for all eternity. I realized how much I enjoyed seeing photos from the past. While I could not go back in time and recreate the photos, I could still find the remnants of what was. One day all these things will be gone and I felt it an obligation to find and document them the best way I knew how. Through pictures.”
Wills has two other books – Forgotten Alabama and Forgotten Alabama 2. A set of all three autographed books will be given away at the Flomaton Library event. Admission is free, and the program is for all ages.
Century Left Without Power For Hours Tuesday
August 13, 2019
Gulf Power says an equipment problem led to an outage that left the entire town of Century and a small surrounding area without power for hours Tuesday, one of the hottest days of the year.
Gulf Power spokesperson Kimberly Blair said the outage was due to an equipment failure at a power substation in Century. That left about 900 Gulf Power customers without power for over three hours.
Log Truck Crashes And Burns Near AL-FL State Line
August 13, 2019
An 18-wheel log truck crashed and burned Monday night near the Alabama-Florida state line.
The crash occurred on Highway 112 in Baldwin County, just across the Perdido River from Muscogee Road in Escambia County.
The driver reportedly suffered on minor injuries, but the truck was completely destroyed.
The Cantonment and Beulah stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were first on the scene, and they were assisted by Gateswood and other Alabama agencies.
Photos by Dalton Young for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Year Starts With Only Nine Escambia District Armed Campus Security Officers
August 13, 2019
The school year Monday started with fewer members of the Escambia County School District’s armed campus security officers (CSOs) than had been anticipated, but every school in the county had armed security on campus Monday, according to Superintendent Malcolm Thomas
Thomas said 18 people took part in the first CSO class, but only nine were certified before school started. Escambia County Sheriff’s Deputies and Pensacola Police Officers made up the difference on Monday to cover all campuses. The school district had expected to have 20 new CSOs ready for the first day of school.
“I was a little surprised. We lost some (that did not qualify) on the firing range, but several were out in the active shooter simulations. You have to engage; you can’t freeze,” Thomas said. “They are expected to engage. That’s really what they are hired for.”
Several of those hired were retired military or had previous law enforcement experience. “They are not afraid to charge,” Thomas said.
Another 14 CSO candidates begin training this week, and the superintendent said he hopes 10 or more of those are certified. Ultimately, he wants a force of about 35 campus security officers.
Applications are processed through the Escambia County School District, but the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for training to include a background screening, psychological evaluation and polygraph test. Applicants are required to successfully complete 150 hours (approximately 2 months) of training. Participants are paid during the training. Those selected will have a starting salary at $30,600, plus benefits, for a 10 month position.
Funding for ongoing salaries of the CSOs will come from dedicated “Safe Schools Categorical” funding which is separate from instructional or teacher salary funding. The district will not hire more CSOs than it can afford under this separate funding mechanism, and the district will not be arming teachers.
Otherwise, the first day of school was generally smooth in Escambia County, Thomas said. “We ended strong last year, and we look to sustain that level and build on it this year.”
“Attendance was good, and students and teachers were in good spirits. Busses were generally one time, but several car rider lines were long.”
“It’s been a pretty good first day of school,” Thomas said.
Pictured: The first day of school on Monday at Byrneville Elementary School. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.