Schedule: Area Fireworks Shows, Other Fun Fourth Events
July 2, 2018
Here’s a guide to public, non-profit Fourth of July Fireworks shows and events cross the North Escambia area:
Pensacola – Sertoma’s Fourth of July Celebration 2018 - For the 29th year, area Sertoma organizations are hosting the largest fireworks display on the Gulf Coast over Pensacola Bay on Wednesday, July 4 at 9 p.m. There will beactivities throughout the day in Seville Square, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., including arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, live entertainment and a free children’s area. Free Sparks & Stars performance from the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra at the Hunter Amphitheater in Vince Whibbs Community Maritime Park is at 7:30 p.m.
Pensacola Beach Fourth of July Fireworks - 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 4. Celebrate your independence with fireworks on the sound side of the island.The best viewing spots would be from the Portofino Boardwalk or Quietwater Beach.
Jay Celebration – July 4 - The day begins with the annual Celebration Freedom 5K Run at Bray-Hendricks Park. Registration begins at 6:30 a.m., $25. Live music, food, facing painting, bouncy houses and more fun for the family begins at 6 p.m. Fireworks at dark.
Milton Riverfest – Downtown Milton. Car show 9 am. to noon Elmira Street, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. children’s activity area at north gazebo, wet slides 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. South Willing Street, duck race 5 p.m., live entertainment north gazebo 6:30 until 8:30 p.m., fireworks at dark over Blackwater River launced from south of the railroad trestle.
East Brewton July 4 – Live music begins at 5 p.m., duck race and more. Fireworks at dark.
Lathram Chapel Cantonment — Lathram Chapel United Methodist Church at 2690 Jacks Branch Road in Cantonment will hold an Open House on July 4 with free hot dogs, chips, drinks, ice cream, watermelon and a bounce house.
Farm Hill Methodist Church – On July 4, Farm Hill Methodist Church will have an old fashioned Independence Day celebration fundraiser from 3-9 p.m. with food, games, a huge water slide and bounce house, and fireworks at dark. Donations will be accepted to help church youth with the cost of an Appalachian mission trip.
New Little Free Library At Cantonment Park
July 2, 2018
There’s a new Little Free Library in Cantonment. Ascend Performance Materials donated the new library at Carver Park on Webb Street.
The Little Free Library concept is simple — anyone from the community may borrow a book or add a book to the library. Anyone taking a book or two from library does not need to return that exact book, and there are no due dates.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Meetings This Week
July 2, 2018
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings this week:
Thursday, July 5
Board of County Commissioners Agenda Review Session – 9:15 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Board of County Commissioners Public Forum - 4:30 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
BCC Regular Meeting – 5:30 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
Friday, July 6
Selection Committee – Corrections Director Interviews – 9:30 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, 4th Floor Training Room
FWC Law Enforcement Report
July 2, 2018
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending June 14 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
While on routine patrol, Officer Long received information regarding a person trespassing and fishing on private property. The suspect was cited for trespassing and fishing on the same property earlier this year. While Officers Long and McHenry were searching the property, the suspect was spotted and immediately fled northwest through adjacent properties. With assistance from FWC aviation assets and local K9 deputies, the suspect was apprehended and cited for resisting without violence, trespass after warning and interference with an FWC officer.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Jones was on water patrol in Santa Rosa Sound near the Navarre Beach Boat Ramp and noticed a personal watercraft operating on a plane in the idle speed zone. He contacted the vessel operator who showed signs of impairment. Officer Jones asked the operator to perform field sobriety tasks during which he showed signs of impairment. The boater was arrested for BUI and transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Wahoos Washed Out Sunday; Doubling Up On Monday
July 2, 2018
Sunday’s game between the Wahoos and the M-Braves has been postponed due to inclement weather in the area. The game will be pushed back to Monday as part a doubleheader. The two teams had hoped to fit tonight’s game in, but with the threat of impending weather moving through the area, the Wahoos determined that the safest course of action was to postpone the game.
Fans with tickets to Sunday’s game can exchange their ticket, subject to availability, at the Blue Wahoos Box Office for a ticket of equal or lesser value for any remaining regular season game, except for July 3.
Game one Monday will feature RHP Vladimir Gutierrez (4-8, 5.33) against M-Braves starter RHP Enderson Franco (2-5, 3.68). After the conclusion of the first game, former first-round pick Kyle Wright will take the hill for Mississippi while Pensacola has yet to disclose its game two starter.
FDOT: This Week’s Road Construction Delays
July 2, 2018
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities. There will be no lane closures on state roads from 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 3 through 5:59 p.m. Thursday, July 5.
These lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- Bayfront Parkway Temporary Closure 4th of July Parade – Bayfront Parkway will be closed from S. Barracks Street to Chase Street from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday, July 4 for the City of Pensacola’s 4th of July Fireworks. Traffic will be detoured. There will be traffic control on site to assist motorists.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. 90 (Nine Mile Road) – Drivers traveling U.S. 29 and Nine Mile Road will encounter traffic pattern changes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Saturday, July 7
- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 overpass: North and southbound traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction. Alternating traffic shifts will direct all traffic onto the westbound or eastbound lanes as crews continue construction of the new center bridge deck. Nine Mile Road lane restrictions are through Friday.
- U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drivers may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations. U.S. 29 lane restrictions are Monday through Saturday.
- Northbound traffic has been shifted onto the newly constructed bridge section as demolition efforts continue on the northbound span.
- Due to the increased vertical clearance of the new bridge, the on-ramp has been extended up to the entrances of Emerald Cuts Salon and the Unitarian Universalist Church. This temporary shift will affect access to businesses and residences on the east side of U.S. 29 between 9 Mile Road and 9 1/2 Mile Road. For the next 60 days, motorists seeking access to properties on the east side of U.S. 29 will utilize the northbound on-ramp. Only right turns will be permitted for vehicles exiting driveways from these properties between 9 Mile Road and 9 1/2 Mile Road.
- U.S. 29 Resurfacing between U.S. 90 and Muscogee Road – Paving operations continue between Muscogee Road and West 9 1⁄2 Mile Road. Lane closures will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, July 2 and Thursday, July 5.
- I-10 / U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I – The following traffic impacts are planned on I-10 and U.S. 29 near the interchange (Exits 10) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, July 2, Thursday, July 5.
- Alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound and U.S. 29 north and southbound.
- The U.S. 29 on-ramps to I-10 eastbound will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured on U.S. 29 to access I-10 eastbound.
- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound exit ramp to U.S. 29 north and south (Exit 10).
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – There will be alternating east and westbound lane closures between 14th Avenue in Pensacola and Bay Bridge Drive in Gulf Breeze from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, July 2 and Thursday, July 5 as crews perform construction activities.
- S.R. 296 (Bayou Boulevard) Turn Lane Closure – The westbound, right turn lane on Bayou Boulevard, just east of 9th Avenue, remains partially closed until 3:30 p.m. Friday, July 6 as crews install drainage structures for new private commercial businesses.
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – There will be alternating east and westbound lane closures between 14th Avenue in Pensacola and Bay Bridge Drive in Gulf Breeze from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, July 2, and Thursday, July 5 as crews perform construction activities.
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road –There will be intermittent lane shifts from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, July 2, Tuesday, July 3, Thursday, July 5 and Friday, July 6 between Eglin Air Force Base boundary and two miles south of the Yellow River as crews pave the roadway. Additionally, traffic between C.R. 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and the Eglin AFB boundary is restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is complete.
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – Drivers are reminded of the new traffic pattern on Avalon Boulevard at the I-10 interchange. This temporary traffic configuration will remain in place throughout the summer months as crews reconstruct the northbound lanes of Avalon Boulevard. Two lanes of traffic will remain open in each direction at all times.
- S.R. 87 Landscape between U.S. 98 and River Road- Drivers can expect intermittent turn lane restrictions between U.S. 98 and River Road 9a.m. through 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday as crews install landscape and irrigation.
Century Celebrates Independence Day (With Fireworks Photo Gallery)
July 1, 2018
The annual Century/Flomaton Independence Day Celebration was held Saturday night in Century with a fireworks show, live entertainment, food and more.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
The fireworks show and the evening’s events took place at both Anthony Pleasant Park and Showalter Park in Century. The show alternates between Century and Flomaton each year and is jointly funded.
The Century/Flomaton Independence Day Celebration was sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Firefighter’s Charity Helps Local Fire Victims
July 1, 2018
A local firefighter’s charity has stepped up to help recent local fire victims.
The Escambia County Professional Fighters Charity donated $500 each to families that were displaced by recent fires in Ensley and Cottage Hill.
One family’s apartment was destroyed early Wednesday morning on Tumbleweed Trail off Fowler Avenue. Another family’s home on Williams Ditch Road was destroyed by fire.
The funds are raised by the charity, the majority at their annual Fire and Ice Gala in the spring. Donations are tax deductible.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Ransom Teacher Receives Holocaust Education Fellowship
July 1, 2018
Ransom Middle School teacher Lauren Samoszenko was recently selected as one of 29 Holocaust educators from 12 states, Croatia and Poland, as a 2018 Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) Alfred Lerner Fellow.
As a newly minted fellow, Samoszenko took part in the JFR’s Summer Institute, an intensive five-day course for Holocaust educators held at Columbia University last week. She was able to explore the complex history of the Holocaust as well as discuss new teaching techniques for introducing the subject of the Holocaust into her classroom.
Teachers selected for the program must be English or social studies teachers at the middle or high school level, have taught at least five years, are at least five years from retirement and currently teach the Holocaust in their classroom.
Participants each come from a region of the country where the JFR operates Holocaust Centers of Excellence in conjunction with a local Holocaust museum or center. International educators were first invited to join the seminar in 2001 at the request of the U.S. State Department. Samoszenko was nominated by the Gulf Coast Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education.
Former FDLE Agent Found Guilty Of Abusing Young Boys
July 1, 2018
A former Florida Department of Law Enforcement supervisor was found guilty Saturday of the child sex abuse charges against him.
Charles McMullen was charged with one count of sexual battery of a child under 12, seven counts of lewd and lascivious molestation on a child under 12 and one count of promoting the sexual performance of a child. He will be sentenced at a later date.
McMullen was first arrested in November 2016 after an 8-year boy told investigators that McMullen had been touching him inappropriately on a frequent basis, followed by another 8-year old boy that made similar allegations and also claimed he was forced to touch McMullen.
Two additional victims came forward after seeing McMullen in the news.
McMullen investigated similar cases during his five year employment with the FDLE. He previously worked as Chief of the Cybercrimes Unit for then-Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and for the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office.
Pictured top: Charles Calvin McMullen (courtesy WEAR 3). Pictured below: McMullen chats online as a teenage girl during a Florida Attorney General demonstration in 2007. File photos.
