MILO Brings Tax Collector Services To North Escambia
February 21, 2025
Dozens of people took advantage of the chance to do business with the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office during a one-day event in Century on Thursday.
Mobile Licensing and Identification Office (MILO) is a fully functional tax collector office on wheels, offering a range of services from Tax Collector Scott Lunsford. From driver’s license renewals and replacements to titles and registrations, MILO can handle most vehicle-related services except written and driving taxes. The portable office also includes property tax, business tax receipt and other tax collector services.
Tuesday, MILO was inside the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century, helping residents with 18 title or registration transactions and 10 driver’s licenses.
MILO is usually in North Escambia about once a month. Dates and times are announced in advance on NorthEscambia.com.
Pictured: The Escambia County Tax Collector’s MILO in the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century on Thursday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Highway 97 Crash Claims One Woman’s Life, Injures Two Others
February 20, 2025
A single vehicle crash on Highway 97 claimed at least one life on Wednesday afternoon.
A southbound vehicle left the roadway and struck a pine tree. The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver, a 79-year-old woman, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Her passengers, women ages 78 and 75, were airlifted in critical condition by LifeFlight and AirCare helicopters to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. All three were from Pensacola, FHP said.
The crash occurred just before 4 p.m. on Highway 97 between Tungoil Road and Hendricks Lane. The roadway was closed for hours following the wreck.
Witnesses told troopers that they felt like the driver may have suffered a medical emergency, but FHP did confirm that a medical condition caused the crash.
NorthEsambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Elected Or Appointed School Superintendent? Referendum Approved By School Board
February 20, 2025
The Escambia County School Board has voted to support sending the question of elected or appointed school superintendent back to voters.
The board vote 3-2 this week to place a referendum on the general election ballot in November 2028. The referendum was introduced by District 5 member Tom Harrell at a February 13 school board workshop, with Harrell, Kevin Adams and Paul Fesko voting in favor. Board members Carissa Bergosh and David Williams opposed.
The referendum will next go the Escambia County Commission to approved adding it to the ballot in November 2028.
In 2018, Escambia County voters narrowly approved a ballot referendum for an appointed superintendent, with 50.36 voting yes and 49.64 percent voting now. This was the sixth time voters had considered the idea of an appointed superintendent in the county; all of the other attempts failed.
“I feel very strongly about this,” Harrell, who campaigned on a return to an elected superintendent, said at the workshop. “The county, I think, feels very strongly. There’s never anything wrong with letting the people decide. When you have a democracy, it’s all about people making decisions.”
“Deep down in my heart, having been here in this district for 60 years, that’s what the people of this district want,” Harrell added. “It’s the right time; it’s the right thing to do.”
Atmore Man Charged With Three Counts Attempted Murder For November Shooting
February 20, 2025
A second suspect has now been arrested in connection with a November 29, 20224, incident in Atmore where shots were fired into a vehicle.
Atmore Police initially apprehended a 15-year-old juvenile, identified by a victim at the scene, shortly after the incident. Further investigation led officers to 24-year-old Brayvuan York, age 21 of Atmore, who was taken into custody this week.
York faces three counts attempted murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. He was transported to the Escambia County Detention Center.
Darrell McMann, public information officer for the Atmore Police Department, said the juvenile was also linked to multiple other incidents
My Life Depends On It: Retired Sheriff’s Deputy Finds Kidney Donor To Save His Life
February 20, 2025
A retired Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s prayers for a kidney donor have been answered.
We first told you about Rudy Brown in June 2024 as he humbly asked for help to find a kidney.
Now, he has a donor. That story led to Doyle Carpenter finding out that he is the perfect match for Rudy. The transplant is now set for May 12.
“I’m more than excited,” Rudy told NorthEscambia.com on Wednesday. “It’s like I’m still dreaming; I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real.”
Rudy joined the ECSO in December 1989 and spent 24 years on patrol in Escambia County. He retired due to his medical condition in 2013 and underwent a liver transplant in 2018.
“I pretty much bled out two times on the table,” he said. “It nearly killed me.”
The required anti-rejection medications caused his kidneys to fail just over year later. He’s in final stages of kidney failure and has been on the transplant list since October 2020, but his number never came up as he stayed on dialysis.
A donor like Carpenter was his only option to live.
Through what’s called the directed donor program, Carpenter’s donation can actually save two lives — Rudy will receive one of his kidneys, and the next person on the transplant will receive any kidney that may have been destined for Rudy.
“My life depends on it,” he said.
Northview FFA Celebrates National FFA Week With Appreciation Breakfast
February 20, 2025
It’s National FFA week, and the Northview High School FFA celebrated with an appreciation breakfast Wednesday morning.
FFA officers and members prepared a homestyle breakfast for teachers, staff and invited guests that support the FFA program. Northview’s FFA program has been recognized as one of the top chapters in both the state and the nation
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Reclassifies Assistant As Deputy Town Clerk, Discusses Salaries
February 20, 2025
The Town of Century has reclassified employee Mallory Walker’s position from administrative assistant to deputy town clerk in a split vote.
Council member Henry Cunningham voted against the move, which was recommended by interim Mayor Alicia Johnson. Johnson said it was important to cross-train employees to be ready if a position opens. She noted that Walker had essentially performed the duties of town clerk for months after the departure of Town Clerk Leslie Howington in April 2024.
Johnson proposed a $5 hourly increase for Walker, from her current $14.39, which Council President Dynette Lewis called “aggressive.”
The council ultimately settled on $18 an hour after reviewing the salaries of other deputy town clerks in the area.
Johnson said the town needs to increase wages and move employees away from near-minimum wage salaries. Florida’s minimum wage is currently $13 an hour, and some Century employees earn just $14.16.
“I’d like to remind everyone that our valued employees can go to McDonald’s and make the same amount of money flipping hamburgers. I think that’s inappropriate,” the interim mayor said, adding that the town risks losing employees to other municipalities offering higher salaries.
Pictured: Mallory Walker, a Century administrative assistant at the time, performs town clerk duties by taking minutes during a September 2024 town council meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
February 20, 2025
Tate High School recently named their January Students of the Month. They are January- Levi Reed and Ellen Rigby. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gonzalez Utilities Issues Boil Water Notice For Some Areas West Of Highway 29
February 19, 2025
UPDATE: This boil water notice was lifted Friday morning, February 21.
A boil water notice will be in effect for some customers of Gonzalez Utilities following a water main break Wednesday morning.
Outages impacted the west side of Highway 29, including:
- Grand Oaks
- Silver Glen
- Tate Road
- Cardinal Creek
- and surrounding areas in that vicinity.
At 11 a.m. Wednesday, Gonzalez Utilities said they were working to restore water as soon as possible, and a boil water notice will be in effect.
Residents located in the specified boil water notice area are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use eight drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking or cooking purposes. Two independent bacteriological samples have been initiated, and the advisory will be lifted as soon as possible.
Precautionary boil water notices are issued as a part of the standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs.
This story will be updated when the boil water notice is lifted.
Suspect Charged With Murder Of Man Found Shot And Lying In On McDavid’s Main Street
February 19, 2025
A 25-year-old man has been charged with murder after a Tuesday night McDavid shooting victim died.
Antonio Marshone DeSoto of McDavid was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond about 4:30 Wednesday morning.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said the two had met for a marijuana deal.
The victim, a 34-year old Pensacola man, was found lying in Main Street directly in front of the McDavid Post Office about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday. He was just a few feet away from the driver’s door of a Chevrolet SUV that remained in the roadway.
The victim, who was suffering from two gunshot wounds, 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. His identity has not been released.
DeSoto reportedly fled the scene in another vehicle toward nearby Highway 164. That’s where Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 units and drones searched, later taking DeSoto into custody outside a home in the 100 block of Highway 164, just west of Highway 29 and Driver Road, about a half mile from the shooting scene.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
