Escambia Commission To Interview Finalists For County Administrator Next Month
March 16, 2019
The Escambia County Commission will begin the process of choosing a new county administrator next month from a pool of 120 or more applicants.
The application period closes on March 27. At least 75 applicants that meet minimum qualifications will be reviewed by the Florida Association of County Managers, and the commission will receive a list of finalists by their Committee of the Whole meeting on April 11.
Commissioners plan to hold a special meeting to interview finalists on April 29.
Jack Brown retired from the administrator’s job after over four years to take care of his wife and her health issues. Assistant administrator Amy Lovoy is serving as interim administrator until the position is filled.
File photo.
Woman Seriously Injured In Highway 97 Rollover Crash
March 15, 2019
An adult female was seriously injured in a rollover crash late Friday afternoon on Highway 97 in Davisville.
The woman was southbound on Highway 97 one third of mile north of Nokomis Road about 5:30 p.m.. Her Toyota Camry left the roadway, struck a culvert and overturned multiple times. The vehicle was apparently airborne for nearly 100 feet and came to rest upside down in a yard, briefly trapping the woman inside. She was extricated in a matter of minutes by firefighters.
Th woman was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to a Pensacola hospital.
The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Escambia County EMS, the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Fire Department and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDOT Plans Highway 29, Molino Road Traffic Signal; Eight Miles Of Highway 29 Resurfacing
March 15, 2019
Bids will be opened later this month for a Florida Department of Transportation project to install a new traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 29 and Molino Road, resurface eight miles of Highway 29 and improve several other intersections from Molino to Cantonment.
The improvements include:
- A new traffic signal will be added at Highway 29 and Molino Road, along with a new northbound and southbound turn lanes on Highway 29 and turn lanes in both directions on Molino Road. The median crossover at the Dollar General Store will be closed.
- At Barrineau Park Road, new northbound and southbound turn lanes will be added on Highway 29.
- New Highway 29 northbound and southbound turn lanes will be added into the Florida Division of Forestry (fire tower)
- A new southbound right turn lane will be added at Booth Lake Road.
- At Quintette Road, new turn lanes will be added on Highway 29 in both directions. There will not be a traffic signal installed.
- At the Highway 29 and Muscogee/Becks Lake Road, the turning radius will be improved on all four corners and the signal will be reconstructed.
- The railroad crossing signals on Highway 29 just south of Muscogee Road will be replaced.
In addition, Highway 29 will be resurfaced from just south of Muscogee Road in Cantonment to Highway 97 in Molino, and there will driveway improvements and other safety enhancements.
Bids on the estimated $11.4 million project will be opened March 27. It is expected that construction will begin this summer with completion in the fall of 2020, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Wraps Pickup Around Tree In Early Morning Molino Crash
March 15, 2019
A driver was injured when she wrapped a pickup truck around a tree early Friday morning near Molino.
The adult female lost control and hit the tree on Highway 196 west of Highway 99 about 12:45 a.m. Her injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. Escambia County EMS and the Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
A similar crash last Sunday morning in the same area injured five people. Read more…
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Improvement Committee Holding Horseshoe Tournament
March 15, 2019
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will host an old fashioned horseshoe tournament the weekend of March 23-24.
The first round will be Saturday, March 23 beginning at noon. It’s a $10 donation, due by March 16, to participate. The championship tournament will begin Sunday, March 24 at 3 p.m. There will be prizes and bragging rights for the winners, according to organizers.
For more information, call (850) 207-1866 or (850) 637-3110.
Oh My! It Was Pi Day With Pie In The Face For Kingsfield Elementary Teachers
March 15, 2019
Thursday was Pi Day, held to honor 3.14, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. And Kingsfield Elementary School celebrated with pie.
Teachers volunteered to get pied in the face as part of a Relay for Life fundraiser.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Baseball: Tate Beats Catholic, Northview Bests Freeport; Softball: Northview Tops Freeport
March 15, 2019
Tate 7, Catholic 1
The Tate Aggies beat Pensacola Catholic 7-1 Thursday night in a meeting of two of the most storied baseball teams in Florida.
Cole Fryman earned the victory on the mound for Tate Aggies Varsity. He allowed three hits and zero runs over five innings, striking out four and walking one. Brantley Culbertson and Easton Sidner entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close out the game in relief.
Darrien McDowell homered for the Aggies in the third and went 4-4 with two runs and a RBI. Also for Tate: Hunter McLean 1-3; Raymond Lafleur 1-4, R 2B; Chase Tolbert 2-3, RBI; Cole Fryman RBI; Jadon Fryman 2-4, 2RBI; Michael Potts RBI; Adam Nisewonger R; Aaron Noack R.
Thursday night was the first meeting in more than a decade for Tate and Catholic. Between the two schools, there have been two national championships, 10 state championships, 63 playoff appearances, 39 trips to the Final Four, and 180 state championship games.
Up next, it’s the Aggies Classic next week for Tate.
Northview 10, Freeport 1
(article continues below photo)
The Northview Chiefs earned a big 10-1 win over the Freeport Bulldogs in a district game Thursday night.
Seth Killam pitched the win for the Chiefs, going for six and two-third innings, giving up four hits and one run while striking out 11 and walking zero. Nick Venable threw one-third of an inning in relief out of the bullpen. Venable recorded the last out to earn the save for the Chiefs.
For Northview: Adam Aliff 3-4, 2R, RBI; Nick Venable 3-4, 2R ,2B; Killam 2-3, 2R; Ben Wilson 1-3, R; Jackson Moore 2R; Taylor Wilson R; Jacob Bryant RBI.
Northview and Freeport will battle again Friday night at 6 p.m. in Freeport.
Escambia 4, Pine Forest 3
With a run in the bottom of the eighth, the Escambia Gators defeated the Pine Forest Eagles Thursday night 4-3.
Timmy Williams took the loss for Pine Forest Eagles Varsity. He allowed one hit and one run over two-thirds of an inning, striking out two and with no walks.
Christian Munoz and Jason Roberts had two hits apiece for the Eagles. John Pinette, Jaylen Bryant and Jared Riddell also had hits.
SOFTBALL
Northview 7, Freeport 1
Northview 12, Freeport 1
The Northview Chiefs varsity softball team beat Freeport 7-1 Thursday night in Freeport, while the Northview junior varsity team pounded Freeport 12-1.
In varsity action, Tori Herrington allowed three hits, walked two and had 13 strikeouts in seven innings.
At bat for the Chiefs: Aubree Love 2-3, 2RBI; Herrington 1-4, 2RBI; Heather Knowles 1-4, 3R; Kaitlin Gafford 1-4, R; Payton Gilchrist RBI.
Tate baseball photos by Crystal Tolbert for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Second In District Weight Meet; 14 Lifters Advance To Regionals
March 15, 2019
The Northview boys weightlifting team finished 2nd overall in the District 1-1A weightlifting meet on Thursday afternoon at Baker. The Chiefs fell to the host Gators, while out-scoring West Florida, Jay, Pensacola Catholic, Pensacola High School and Rocky Bayou.
Individually, two Chiefs claimed district championships in their respective weight classes.
In the 219-lb. weight class, junior Jacob Hawkins claimed first with a 295-lb. bench press and a 245-lb. clean and jerk.
In the 129-lb. weight class, junior Trent Kite claimed first with a 230-lb. bench press and a 185-lb. clean and jerk.
Also placing for the Chiefs were:
139-lb. weight class: Logan Bryan, 4th; Tyler Ray, 6th
154-lb. weight class: Jarius Moorer, 3rd
169-lb. weight class: Daniel Merit, 3rd
183-lb. weight class: Aunterio Minor, 2nd; Rayvon Bush, 6th
199-lb. weight class: William Swearengin, 4th
219-lb. weight class: Lance McLaughlin, 2nd
238-lb. weight class: Jojo Parker, 4th; Trevor Scott, 5th
HVY-lb. weight class: Matthew Caine, 4th; Cameron Findley, 6th
All individuals that placed top 6 will advance to the Region 1 weight meet held at Baker High School on Friday, March 29.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs finished second in the district Thursday. Pictured below: Trent Kent (left) and Jacob Hawkins won individual district championships. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Wind Ensemble Performs During NAS Pensacola Change Of Command
March 15, 2019
The Tate High School Wind Ensemble performed for a Change of Command ceremony Thursday at the National Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.
By The Numbers: How Many Calls Did Escambia Fire Rescue Answer Last Month?
March 15, 2019
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to 65 fires during February, including a kitchen fire that injured a woman February 22 on Pine Forest Road in Walnut Hill (pictured above) and a fire that heavily damaged Taco Bell on Nine Mile Road (pictured bottom) on February 6.
The department’s 1,533 calls also included 150 vehicle crashes and 679 medical calls.
Details are in the infographic below.
This infographic includes a sampling of Escambia Fire Rescue calls for service during February 2019. It does not include every call category.
Pictured top: A woman was injured in a kitchen fire February 22 on Pine Forest Road in Walnut Hill. Pictured bottom: Fire also heavily damaged Taco Bell on Nine Mile Road on February 6. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
