North Escambia Airman Surprises Sisters After Two Years Overseas
April 21, 2018
Three North Escambia students received a big surprise Friday as their older brother in the Air Force returned home on leave after two years in Okinawa Japan.
Noah Coker, a 2016 graduate of Northview High School, surprised his sisters at Bratt Elementary School, Ernest Ward Middle School and Northview High School.
At Ernest Ward Middle, the surprise occurred in front of a crowded lunchroom. Principal Nancy Perry called seventh grader Britney Kimbler front and center, turned her away from a door as Noah walked in. Britney turned and sprinted to Noah for a big hug.
Pictured above: Ernest Ward seventh grader Britney Kimbler welcomes her brother Noah Coker home Friday afternoon. Pictured below: Noah Coker with his parents Lawanda Coker and David Coker, and sisters Britney Kimler and Abby Coker. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Judge Backs Florida Dept. Of Corrections On Substance Abuse Contracts
April 21, 2018
An administrative law judge Friday rejected a challenge to decisions by the Florida Department of Corrections to award two contracts for substance-abuse treatment services in state prisons.
Judge Darren Schwartz, in a 41-page recommended order, said a protest by GEO Reentry Services, LLC should be dismissed.
The department in January said it planned to award the contracts, totaling about $59 million over five years, to Gateway Foundation, Inc., and The Unlimited Path, Inc. Gateway would provide services at prisons in the central and southern parts of the state, while The Unlimited Path would provide services across North Florida. GEO raised numerous issues in the protest, but Schwartz rejected the arguments, pointing, for example, to higher costs proposed by GEO.
He wrote that the department’s “proposed action in awarding the contracts to Gateway and UPI, and not to GEO, is not contrary to the ITN (invitation to negotiate) specifications, clearly erroneous, contrary to competition, arbitrary or capricious.”
Under administrative law, the recommended order will go back to the Department of Corrections for final action.
Three Vehicle Crash In Cantonment Injures At Least One
April 21, 2018
At least one person was injured in a three vehicle collision Friday night in Cantonment.
The crash occurred about 7:30 p.m. on West Roberts Road and Tate Road. Two vehicles came to rest in the roadway, and a third left the roadway and struck a ditch.
The wreck is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Found Not Guilty In Toddler’s Death
April 21, 2018
An Escambia County man has been found not guilty for the beating death of Cornelius Savage, his girlfriends two-year old son.
The jury deliberated for about 18 hours total before acquitting 28-year-old Alonzo Thompkins.
Thompkins was on trial for abusing 2-year-old Cornelius Savage, who was found unresponsive by his mother in August 2016. The child was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Doctors said the boy was covered in fist-shaped bruises and had been bleeding from the brain.
Investigators said the toddler was severely beaten and called his death an act of “malicious punishment.”
At the time of his arrest, Thompkins listed an address on Batson Lane in Cantonment.
Rusty Nail Named New Escambia County Fire Chief
April 21, 2018
Russell “Rusty” Nail has been selected as the new Escambia County Fire Chief, responsible for supervising all Escambia County Fire Rescue staff. Nail’s target start date is Monday, May 7.
Nail joins Escambia County with over 26 years of experience as an accomplished chief fire officer including more than 12 years of supervisory and nine years of command-level experience, mostly in a fast-paced, large metropolitan fire department of 17 stations, with over 500 personnel and a budget of up to $100 million.
Nail will join Escambia County from Palm Bay, FL, where he currently serves as the City of Palm Bay Fire Rescue fire chief and emergency manager and previously served as a battalion chief. Nail graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in fire and emergency services management and from Brevard Community College with an Associate of Arts in general studies and Associate of Science in fire science technology.
Prior to his tenure at Palm Bay, Nail worked for the City of Orlando Fire Department for more than 20 years, serving as assistant fire chief, assistant chief of planning, district chief and retiring as the deputy chief. Nail’s experience also includes working as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician.
His certifications include being a State of Florida Certified Firefighter, Chief Fire Officer with the Centers for Public Safety Excellence and a University of Florida Executive Fire Officer, among others. Nail is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Florida Fire Chiefs Association, Space Coast Fire Chiefs Association, Palm Bay Hospital Advisory Board and Eastern Florida State College Technical Advisory Committee.
Nail was selected from a pool of 77 applicants for the Escambia County Fire Chief position after a thorough selection process. The selection committee narrowed the list down to seven candidates and then to three finalists, ranking Nail as the top candidate. The selection process included several interviews with the selection committee, along with a tour of Escambia County Public Safety and a meet and greet with staff.
As the Escambia County fire chief, Nail’s duties will include supervising fire rescue staff, providing oversight and directing implementation of internal operations, managing expenditures to the approved annual budget, developing goals and objectives and ensuring compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations.
Tate Tops Escambia; Northview Takes Chipley
April 21, 2018
Tate 7, Escambia 2
The Tate Aggies beat the Escambia Gators 7-2 Friday night.
Gabe Castro pitched the win for the Aggies in five innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out four. Cole Fryman opened thee game for the Aggies. He allowed one hit and one run over one inning, striking out one. Jace Dunsford earned the last three outs, throwing on inning in relief.
For Tate: Blake Anderson 1-4, R, RBI; Reid Halfacre 1-3, 2 RBI; Trent Jeffcoat 1-3, R; Kaden King 1-2; Raymond Lafleur 2-3, R, RBI; Mason Land 3-4, 2R, RBI; Hunter McLean 3-4, 2 R, RBI; Darrien McDowell R; Jesse Sherrill 1-4, R.
Northview 12, Chipley 2
The Northview Chiefs took home a 12-2 victory over Chipley in five innings Friday night.
Seth Killam earned the win for the Chiefs allowing two runs on five hits and striking out five.
For Northview: Billy Rolin 1-3, R, RBI; Tanner Levins 1-2, R, 3RBI; John Chivington 2-3, 3R; Trevor Singleton 1-3, 2R; Trevor Singleton 1-3, 2R; Jackson Moore 2-4, 2B, 2R, 3 RB; Adam Aliff R; Logan English 1-2, R; Seth Killam 2-4, R, 2RBI.
Blue Wahoos Blank Mississippi Braves
April 21, 2018
Wyatt Strahan did a little bit of everything on Friday to propel the Wahoos to their first series win of the season.
Strahan held the M-Braves to three hits over six shutout innings and Pensacola allowed one baserunner after the fourth inning as the club picked up their second shutout win of the year.
Even though the Wahoos didn’t score in the first inning like they had in their previous wins, it didn’t take much longer for the offense to find its groove. In the top of the second, Taylor Sparks drove in a pair of runs with his third double of the year. Then with two outs and Strahan at the plate, M-Braves starter Enderson Franco (L, 0-1) surrendered an RBI-single to the Wahoos starter to make it 3-0.
Aristides Aquino and Chadwick Tromp each had three hits and tacked on additional RBIs later in the game to make it 5-0. Shed Long extended his hitting streak eight games with a 2-for-5 night. He’s also reached base in 13 straight contests, which is the second-longest on-base streak in the Southern League this year.
The five runs proved to be plenty of run support for Strahan and the Blue Wahoos bullpen. After Strahan exited the ballgame, manager Jody Davis turned the ball over to his bullpen, and once again they posted zeroes. Carlos Navas pitched a perfect seventh inning and Victor Payano dealt a spotless eighth in his Blue Wahoos debut. In the ninth, Robinson Leyer delivered a scoreless ninth to seal the shutout.
Defensively, the Wahoos recorded their first errorless game since April 12, snapping a seven-game error streak where the team went 2-5.
With the series win, Pensacola has now won seven consecutive series against the M-Braves dating back to 2016. During that stretch, the Wahoos have won 22 of their last 34 matchups against Mississippi.
Pensacola returns home to Blue Wahoos Stadium to take on the Birmingham Barons tomorrow night for the first of five games. The Barons are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox who have one of the deepest prospect systems in all of Major League baseball. Daniel Wright (2-1, 5.79) will open the series for the Wahoos and will have a tough test facing LHP Matt Tomshaw (0-1, 4.82). Tomshaw was a Southern League mid-season All-Star last season with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Remember The Busy Intersection Shootout? Second Suspect Arrested
April 20, 2018
The final suspect has been arrested in connection with a shootout and a busy intersection on January 22.
Dash cam video from a nearby vehicle shows a silver Lexus pull up to the intersection of W Street and Fairfield Drive about noon. A man, later identified as 27-year old Jonathan James Harris is seen leaning out the open driver’s window of a silver Lexus. He begins firing across a traffic lane at a gold Toyota driven by 31-year old Jeremy Olds.
The man identified as Olds jumps out of the Toyota and returns fire. He was arrested in January and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Deputies arrested Harris (pictured) after a traffic stop Thursday on a car that fled from them earlier in the day. Harris was driving that vehicle, according to deputies, and had with him three clear plastic baggies with a white powdery substance inside that tested positive for cocaine, another plastic baggie containing Hydrocodone pills, a stolen gun, marijuana and more than $4,000 in cash.
Harris was arrested and charged with trafficking of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, attempted first degree homicide, aggravated assault, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, fireing a weapon into a vehicle and criminal mischief with property damage. He is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail.
Authorities have estimated that 10-12 rounds were fired, including rounds that struck a nearby vehicle with two children inside.
Scott Announces Low Tax Opportunity Zones In Escambia County, Including Century
April 20, 2018
Gov. Rick Scott is recommending that seven census tracts in Escambia County be designated as “Opportunity Zones”, including Century and the immediately surrounding area.
Low Tax Opportunity Zones, as established in the federal Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, encourage long-term investment and job creation in targeted communities by reducing taxes for many job creators. Low Tax Opportunity Zones enhance local communities’ ability to attract businesses, developers and financial institutions to invest in targeted areas by allowing investors to defer capital gains taxes through investments in federally established Opportunity Funds.
“The Pensacola area has created 19,400 jobs since December 2010 and these new Low Tax Opportunity Zones will spur even more private investment and job creation. I look forward to seeing the new businesses and jobs that are created in these target areas,” Scott said.
“These Zones will make a real and lasting difference in some of our highest-need areas by helping to bring new capital investment and more jobs to every county across the state. They will also bring additional investment to rural communities and urban areas, ensuring that every Floridian has the chance to live the American Dream in the Sunshine State,” the governor added.
“The new Opportunity Zone program will have a lasting impact for families in the Panhandle by offering tax incentives to attract businesses. This program will grow the local economy, create jobs and provide assistance to hardest-hit areas,” said Cissy Proctor, executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has 30 days to certify each state’s recommendations. After the Zones are approved, the federal government will begin the rulemaking process to designate how Opportunity Funds are created and how businesses, developers and financial institutions can invest in qualified Zones.
Final Plans Made For ‘Reimagine Century’ With Food Giveaway And More
April 20, 2018
Final plans were made Thursday night for a Reimagine Century outreach event scheduled for next month.
The faith-based event will feature a 15,000 pound food giveaway, free clothing, free paper products, free baby diapers, free haircuts, free HIV testing, free lunch and much more.
The event will be held Saturday, May 5 at 440 East Hecker Road in Century.
Reimagine Century is a project of Doers of the Word Ministry and is sponsored by numerous churches and other organizations, including NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
