No Injuries In Cantonment Crash
February 27, 2025
There were no injuries in a Cantonment crash that slowed traffic Thursday afternoon.
The three-vehicle crash happened shortly before 2 p.m. at Highway 29 and Well Line Road. All occupants refused transport to the hospital by Escambia County.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and has not released the cause of the crash. The Cantonment Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue.
Reader submitted photo by Melody Johnson, click to enlarge.
Grand Opening Date Set For Nine Mile Aldi Store
February 27, 2025
A ribbon cutting has been set for the new Aldi store at 312 East Nine Mile Road.
Aldi will cut the ribbon on Thursday, March 13 at 9:30 a.m. — 30 minutes before opening time. Customers will be allowed to enter the store immediately following the ceremony. The store will also have giveaways and other grand opening perks.
Aldi will be open for shopping on Wednesday, March 12 for a sneak peak.
In March 2024, the Germany-based Aldi completed the purchase of all Winn Dixie stores, recently selling about 170 Winn-Dixie and Harvey’s locations back to Southeastern Grocers.
The former Nine Mile road Winn-Dixie store closed for renovations in late September.
Aldi said earlier this month that expects to open 225 new stores in the U.S. during 2025, partly by converting some of the Winn-Dixie and Harvey’s locations.
Escambia County Corrections Department Receives State’s Highest Level Of Accreditation
February 27, 2025
The Escambia County Corrections Department has been awarded the Excelsior Status, the most prestigious achievement in Florida accreditation, for the third consecutive time by the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission.
The Escambia County Corrections Department has been an accredited agency for over 20 years, having obtained its initial certification in October 2003. Accreditation is a voluntary independent review process that demonstrates the agency’s commitment to complying with FCAC’s 261 accreditation standards.
Excelsior Status is the FCAC’s highest form of recognition for continued excellence in the field of corrections accreditation. To achieve Excelsior status, a Florida agency must have achieved initial accredited status and then achieve five successful re-accreditation assessments without conditions. Assessments are conducted at three-year intervals; therefore, the Excelsior process takes approximately 15 years for an agency to acquire.
“Maintaining the high standards of accreditation is an accomplishment in itself,” Escambia County Corrections Chief William R. Powell said. “However, the dedication and devotion that staff demonstrate in upholding these high standards are what truly matters. Congratulations to all Escambia County Corrections staff in this achievement. It could not be accomplished without everyone’s commitment to excellence.”
Appeals Court Overturns State Ethics Commission Finding Against Doug Underhill
February 27, 2025
Florida’s First District Court of Appeal on Wednesday overturned Florida Commission on Ethics decisions that former Escambia County District 2 Commissioner Doug Underhill be removed from office after allegations that he misused his office and that he owned $35,000 in penalties for alleged ethics violations.
In 2022, the Ethics Commission found that Underhill misused his position by publicly sharing or publishing confidential transcripts, including minutes from Escambia County Commission shade meetings. A $10,000 fine was imposed for this offense. The Commission also recommended a fine of $6,250 for each of four ethics violations for soliciting donations from a county vendor or lobbyist, and gift disclosure laws involving a GoFundMe page seek donations towards his personal legal expenses.
The appeals court found that the commission “erred” in the interpretation of the law, and “the ordinary meaning of that subsection—set out above—compelled a different result for Underhill.”
“A GoFundMe page is not a mass send out to thousands of recipients or even to one specific recipient. There was no evidence presented that Underhill sent it directly to anyone. In fact, the Commission’s interpretation of ’soliciting’ would have the effect of prohibiting any public officer or employee from posting a passive GoFundMe page. And a public officer or employee who posts a GoFundMe page will likely never know whether a prohibited donor has even visited the site,” the court found.
NorthEscambia Publisher Named One Of Escambia County’s Most Influential People
February 27, 2025
The Pensacola Independent News has released their 2025 Inweekly Power List — their ranking of the most powerful and influential people in Escambia County.
Only one person that works primarily in the North Escambia area was named to the list — NorthEscambia.com publisher William Reynolds for the 13th consecutive year.
Belle Bear, co-founder of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay and champion of numerous nonprofits and causes, tops this year’s list.
To view this year’s Inweekly Power List edition, click here.
Pictured: Belle Bear was at the top of the 2025 Inweekly Power List. Courtesy image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local Elementary Schools Shine In Annual Science Olympiad
February 27, 2025
The 7th Annual Elementary Science Olympiad was held Saturday at Washington High School. Teams of students from 20 Escambia County elementary schools competed in 10 different events.
For a photo gallery of North Escambia area winners, click here.
The winners were:
A is for Anatomy:
- 1st: Bratt
- 2nd: Pine Meadow
- 3rd: Kingsfield
- 4th: Hellen Caro and Scenic Heights
- 6th: Montclair
CodeBusters:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Hellen Caro
- 3rd: Scenic Heights
- 4th: Kingsfield
- 5th: Molino Park
- 6th: McArthur
Grasp a Graph:
- 1st: Kingsfield
- 2nd: NB Cook
- 3rd: Pleasant Grove
- 4th: Oakcrest
- 5th: Molino Park
- 6th: Sherwood
Mystery Powders:
- 1st: Hellen Caro
- 2nd: NB Cook
- 3rd: Pleasant Grove
- 4th: Kingsfield
- 5th: Scenic Heights
- 6th: Molino Park
Robotics Task:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Hellen Caro
- 3rd: Bellview
- 4th: Sherwood
- 5th: Scenic Heights
- 6th: Molino Park
Robotics Pathways:
- 1st: Beulah
- 2nd: Bratt
- 3rd: Lipscomb
- 4th: Longleaf
- 5th: Hellen Caro
- 6th: Oakcrest
Rock Hound:
- 1st: Oakcrest
- 2nd: Scenic Heights
- 3rd: Global Learning Academy
- 4th: Beulah
- 5th: Bratt
- 6th: Pine Meadow
Science Bowl:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: McArthur
- 3rd: Jim Allen
- 4th: Hellen Caro
- 5th: Kingsfield
- 6th: Ferry Pass
Tower Challenge:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Molino Park
- 3rd: Warrington
- 4th: Scenic Heights
- 5th: Bratt
- 6th: McArthur
Write It, Do It:
- 1st: Hellen Caro
- 2nd: Molino Park
- 3rd: Pine Meadow
- 4th: Oakcrest
- 5th: Longleaf
- 6th: Beulah and Scenic Heights
Overall:
- 1st: Pine Meadow
- 2nd: Scenic Heights
- 3rd: Hellen Caro
Spirit Award:
- NB Cook
Pictured top: Pine Meadow Elementary School took first place overall in the 7th Annual Elementary Science Olympiad. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
This Is Who Claimed A $35K Fantasy 5 Ticket Sold In Molino
February 27, 2025
We now know who had a winning $35,000 Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket sold in Molino.
The Quick Pick ticket sold at the Molino First Stop at 6530 North Highway 95A in Molino was one of three winning tickets in the February 24 evening drawing and is worth $35,513.70. The other winning ticket were sold in Oakland Park and Miami.
According to the Florida Lottery, the cash option on the winning ticket was claimed by Todd Bryon Powell of Pace.
The winning numbers were 7-17-28-29-35.
Boil Water Notice For Virecent Road Virecent Drive After System Upgrades
February 26, 2025
A precautionary boil water notice has been issued for Cottage Hill Water Works customers located on Virecent Road and Virecent Drive that are south of Eden Lane. The notice was issued after scheduled upgrades Wednesday morning on the south end of Virecent Road that resulted in the disruption of water service.
The utility is advising, as a precaution, that all water in the area that is used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. As an alternative bottled water may be used.
This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been corrected and a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
This story will be updated when the boil water notice is rescinded.
Suspect Claimed He Fatally Shot Man ‘Out of Fear’ In McDavid Drug Deal
February 26, 2025
The suspect in a fatal shooting last week on Main Street in McDavid claimed that he shot the victim out of fear, but the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office says it was murder.
Investigators charged 25-year-old Antonio Marshone DeSoto with murder for the shooting on Main Street, just east of Highway 29. During a hearing Tuesday, February 25, Judge John Simon ordered DeSoto held in the Escambia County Jail without bond. He has pleaded not guilty.
The victim, according to an arrest report we obtained on Tuesday, was identified at Charles Black.
Black was found lying in Main Street directly in front of the McDavid Post Office about 8:40 p.m. on February 18 suffering from two gunshot wounds. He was just a few feet away from the driver’s door of his Chevrolet SUV that remained in the roadway.
After he was shot, Black was able to call 911 and tell dispatchers that DeSoto was the perpetrator, according to an arrest report. He was no longer able to speak to deputies after they arrived on scene. He was transported by Escambia County EMS to the nearby McDavid Fire Station before being airlifted by Medstar AirCare helicopter to a Pensacola hospital where he later died.
Deputies receive a tip that DeSoto had fled following the shooting to a residence in the 100 block of Highway 164, just west of Highway 29 and Driver Road, about a half mile from the shooting scene. Deputies searched the home and found nothing. ECSO said the homeowner said she had been allowing DeSoto to stay in a room inside the house, but she had not seen him since earlier in the afternoon, according to an arrest report. She told deputies that she had been advised by her daughter that she heard gunshots from down the road, but she did not see DeSoto after that.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
Another resident told deputies that he was driving when he saw DeSoto at the intersection of Highway 164 and Highway 29, and he offered him a ride home. He said DeSoto declined, stating that he would come home later, the report states. He said he arrived back at his residence and saw ECSO vehicles with their emergency activated as they responded to the scene, and then he observed DeSoto running into the woods behind their house.
DeSoto was later taken into custody after he walked out of the woods behind the home on Highway 164 where he was taken into custody without incident.
According to deputies, DeSoto said he met Black to buy a quarter pound of marijuana for $400.
“He (DeSoto) stated that he walked up to the vehicle and met with Black. He stated Black told him to get in the passenger seat,” the arrest report states. “He walked over to the passenger side and got in the vehicle but stated that he really didn’t want to get in the car and this made him nervous. He stated that he asked to see the marijuana and when he reached out to grab it, Black became aggressive with him. He stated that at this point, Black grabbed his shirt. He stated that by Black doing this he felt scared that something was going to happen to him. He then stated that at this point he pulled his gun from his waistband and shot Black twice.”
DeSoto told deputies that he did not plan to rob Black, later adding that one of his “home boys” was going to send him money using Apple Pay, but that he did not have any money on his person at the time he met Black, according to the report. He also told deputies that he threw the firearm in the woods before stating that he threw it under a camper in the front yard of the home on Highway 164. He also provided conflicting details about where he put the marijuana, saying it was the woods then that maybe he put in the house, the report continues.
A 9mm handgun was located under the camper, and two 9mm casing were recovered from Black’s vehicle, investigators said. Deputies found a plastic gallon bag containing marijuana in a trash can a short distance from the fire arm.
In their report, the ECSO summarized the reasons why DeSoto was charged with murder:
“Desoto met up with Black to purchase narcotics, later met with Black with a firearm in his waistband and no money to pay for the narcotics. He then shoots and kills Black and takes the narcotics from Black’s possession and flees the area and later flees from law enforcement. Desoto did not render any aid to Black and passed multiple residences on the way back to his home and did not notify anyone that he had just shot someone and ask for medical assistance. He had a cellphone in his possession and did not attempt to call 911 to get medical help for Black. He disposed of the narcotics that he took from Black and disposed of the firearm that he used to shoot Black. He also arrived to meet with Black wearing a mask on his head. These facts show that Desoto did not shoot Black out of fear.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Defeat Northview In Flag Football (With Photo Gallery)
February 26, 2025
The Tate Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs 34-7 Tuesday night in Bratt.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Up next, the Aggies will host Pine Forest on Thursday. Northview’s next schedule game in March 11 against Pensacola High School.
Northview and Tate will meet again on March 12 at Tate.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
