FHP Seeks Witnesses, Others On Scene Of Crash That Killed Worker On Highway 29
April 10, 2018
The Florida Highway Patrol issued an appeal Monday afternoon for information in a traffic crash last Friday that claimed the life if a highway worker.
The FHP said 60-year old Sharon Odom of Century was southbound on Highway 29 when her 2006 Ford Mustang traveled off the roadway onto the west shoulder, colliding with worker Maceo A. Perkins, 41, of Pensacola and an unoccupied Dodge Ram truck that was off the roadway.
Odom was trapped in her vehicle and was extricated by firefighters before being airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola with serious injuries. Perkins was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The FHP is asking for any witnesses or anyone that helped at the scene of the crash to contact Corporal David Todd at (850) 544-5990.
ll charges are pending the outcome of a traffic homicide investigation, according to FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Announce 2018 Football Schedule
April 10, 2018
The Tate High School Aggies have released their 2018 football schedule (reprinted below). The Tate Crimson and Grey game is set for May 11, and the spring game will be at Pine Forest on May 17.
Northview Lady Chiefs Beat Chipley 17-1 On The Road
April 10, 2018
The Northview Lady Chiefs dominated Chipley 17-1 Monday night on the road.
Tori Herrington pitched a complete game with 12 strikouts while going 2-4 at the plate. At the plate for the Northview: Ashley Ragsdale 3-6, Valen Shelley 3-4, Aubree Love 4-6, Kendall Enfinger 1-2, Linda Smith 3-5.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Take Series With 5-4 Over BayBears
April 10, 2018
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos beat the Mobile BayBears 5-4 to take the season opening series 3-2.
Gabby Guerrero made his 2-for-5 night at the plate seem forgettable by throwing out two would-be Mobile runs at the plate in the ninth inning to save the series finale for the fish.
Wyatt Strahan (W, 1-0) in his first career Double-A start turned in five strong innings and the offense jumped on the BayBears early making the win seem all but inevitable. However, Strahan’s win was in serious jeopardy up until the final out was recorded.
With the Wahoos leading 5-1 in the eighth inning, Brennan Bernardino came into the game trying to build upon his strong start to the season. After retiring the first two batters, Brennon Lund walked and Taylor Ward singled. That set the stage for Hutton Moyer to smack his third homer of the series, making it a 5-4 game.
Jody Davis then opted to bring in his closer in the eighth, and Ariel Hernandez (S, 1) fought his way towards his first save of the season. He retired Michael Bearish to close out the eighth before running into danger in the ninth.
Connor Justus led off the ninth inning with a double to right. Wade Wass immediately followed by rifling a single into center and the only thing that prevented the BayBears from tying the game was Guerrero’s perfect throw to the plate to hose Justus.
Guerrero wasn’t finished there.
Wass took second base on the throw to plate, and the next batter, Zach Gibbons, singled right back up the middle and in déjà vu fashion, Guerrero came up firing and again threw out Wass at the plate for his second outfield assist in as many plays. Hernandez then induced Brandon Sanger into a more conventional groundout to seal a hard-fought victory for the Wahoos.
Offensively Nick Longhi set the pace for the Wahoos once again with his second three-hit game of the series, extending his hitting streak to 10 games dating back to last season.
Pensacola dealt most of their damage in the third inning with a three-run rally off righty Dylan Unsworth (L, 0-1). Alfredo Rodriguez led off the inning with a single, and after a Shed Long groundout, Longhi singled to center to make it 1-1. Gabby Guerrero followed with his first of two hits before Josh VanMeter scored both he and Longhi with his second double of the season to make it 3-1.
Pensacola tacked on valuable insurance runs in the seventh and the eights to make it 5-1.
At first glance, it looked like it could be a long night for Strahan and the Wahoos. In the bottom of the first inning, Mobile had runners on the corners after just three batters. Moyer lifted a sac fly to left-field to make it 1-0, and Strahan rebounded nicely by retiring Bearish to limit the damage.
Strahan enters this season fully healthy for the first time since the 2015 season while pitching with Dayton. The former USC standout injured his right elbow in 2016 while with the Tortugas and missed almost the entire year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. After a strong showing last season with the Tortugas, Strahan figures to be an important figure in the Blue Wahoos starting rotation moving forward.
Outside of the late-inning drama, the Blue Wahoos bullpen continued to build upon their strong start to 2018. Dean Kiekhefer and Robinson Leyer combined to pitch two more scoreless innings while striking out a pair.
Cantonment Man Wins $1 Million In Florida Lottery Scratch Off Game
April 10, 2018
A Cantonment man won a $1 million prize in the Florida Lottery’s $10,000,000 World Class Cash scratch-off game.
Beverly “Lawrence” Miller, 66, claimed his prize at the Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee, choosing to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $748 thousand.
Miller purchased his winning ticket for $25 from CMP Food Mart, located at 400 North Highway 29 in Cantonment. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning scratch-off ticket.
County Takes First Small Steps Toward Cleanup Of Tornado Damaged Sawmill
April 9, 2018
For the first time in over two years since an EF-3 tornado ravaged part of Century, there has been a step, a small step, toward cleanup of the old Alger-Sullivan mill property. The 38-acre industrial property was heavily damaged and sat untouched since 150 mph tornado winds the afternoon of February 15, 2016.
Last week, Escambia County crews entered the property and performed some cutting and trimming, cleaned around a concrete ditch, removed four 30-yard dumpsters of debris and replaced a piece of fence that was down. The Mosquito Control Division was also on site to inspect and treat any areas that were favorable for mosquito breeding.
The work was performed on the north side of the property, behind the houses on Front Street.
Escambia County will bill property owners $5,450 for the work.
The cleanup was a minor step toward progress.
“Unfortunately, without either a change in behavior of the current owners, or a change in ownership through a completely private method, there is not a quick way to cleanup and abate the sawmill property. Escambia County has begun the process of being able to take the lead on a cleanup, but it will not be a swift process,” County Attorney Alison Rogers said.
Front Street is directly adjacent to the former Alger-Sullivan Lumber Mill — a sprawling property encompassing 330,200 square feet in eight buildings on 38 acres. Damage included the collapse of the rear portion of the largest building. Portions of the buildings blew into, and in some cases through, houses along Front Street. Since the tornado, residents have pushed the Town of Century and Escambia County to clean up the property.
The property owners — listed in county records as DMT Holdings LLC in Navarre and DMT Holdings LLC in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada — were cited by Escambia County Code Enforcement. The county provides code enforcement services under contract within the town limits of Century.
With no response from the owners. a special magistrate for Escambia County issued an order against the property at One Lumber Road on October 4, 2016, giving the owners until November 1, 2016, to clean up the property. Failing to comply, the property owners were assessed costs of $1,100, and fines of $50 per day have been accruing ever since. To date, the property owners have accrued fines in excess of $27,500.
Escambia County received three bids for the demolition and cleanup of the mill, but the low bid was $800,000 — far in excess of the county’s entire cleanup budget. Last fiscal year, Escambia County spent $435,000 abate properties. This fiscal year, the budget is up to $463,425. Property records show the entire property is assessed at a value of $802,189.
Seizing the property under legal channels has also been problematic due to an outstanding mortgage and back taxes.
‘They owe more than it’s worth,” Century Mayor Henry Hawkins said at a recent council meeting after the town turned to town attorney Matt Dannheisser for assistance. Hawkins has told the council that there is still over $900,00 owed on the mortgage and $300,000 in back taxes – amounts the town could be responsible for paying if they were to seize the property under eminent domain. But he also said Danneheisser may have found a way to “trump the bank” in their interest in the property.
NorthEscambia.com and courtesy file photos, click to enlarge.
Governor Signs Law Pushed By Escambia Making It Illegal To Trespass On School Bus
April 9, 2018
Gov. Rick Scott has signed a bill that includes a provision make it illegal to trespass on a school bus.
The Escambia County School District initiated the effort to close the loophole in the law that excluded school buses from the school trespassing statute.
“I was illegal to trespass in a school building, but the loophole was on a bus,” Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. “Prior to this law, if someone would not get off a bus, law enforcement could not charge them with trespassing.”
The new law includes school buses within the definition of a the term “school” in the state’s school trespass statues. The law applies to both public and nonpublic schools.
“In today’s world, law enforcement needs the ability to enforce violations where they occur,” Thomas said. He also offered his thanks to Rep. Frank White.
“Rep. Frank White was a great champion for this,’ the superintendent said. “Without Frank White staying on this, this would not have passed this year.”
The Escambia County School District pushed unsuccessfully for a such a law in previous legislative sessions.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Jim Allen Elementary Names Students Of The Month
April 9, 2018
Jim Allen Elementary School has name students of the month. They are Macey Echols and Carson Jordan. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Commission To Hold Closed Door Meeting To Discuss Sheriff’s Budget Appeal
April 9, 2018
The Escambia County Commission will hold a closed-door meeting with its attorneys Thursday to discuss the Sheriff David Morgan’s pending budget appeal to Gov. Rick Scott.
Such private meetings to discuss pending litigation are allowable under Florida law, and a court reporter’s record become public upon conclusion of the litigation..
The county and the Sheriff’s Office have been battling it out over funding for most of the last year, with the parties signing a mediation agreement on March 9. After the mediation agreement was announced, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan announced a few days later that the agreement was unsuccessful, citing issue over workers compensation, unemployment compensation, retirement and health care issues.
BayBears Sweep Blue Wahoos In Sunday Doubleheaders
April 9, 2018
The Blue Wahoos dropped the opening series of the season after getting swept in Sunday’s doubleheader in Mobile.
Pensacola played well enough to win game two, but their late-game rally fell just short.
Shed Long turned in a monster 2-for-4 performance with all hits going for doubles. He would’ve been 3-for-4, except after hitting what seemed like a first inning double, was instead ruled an out after Long did not touch first base.
Blue Wahoos starter Jesus Reyes (L, 0-1) ran into trouble in the third inning when the BayBears sent nine men to the plate. Taylor Ward had a two-out, two-RBI double that made it 3-2 before Wade Wass’s single made it 4-2.
Pensacola rallied in the fifth when CJ McElroy reached on an error and then scored on Long’s would-be third double of the game to make 4-3.
In the sixth, Nick Longi led off the inning with a single off Greg Mahle (W, 1-0), but with Aristides Auino at the dish, Longhi was picked off by the lefty’s deceptive move to first. Aquino then singled, but the rally never came to fruition.
Jake Jewell (S,1) pitched a perfect seventh inning to seal the sweep.
In the opening game of the doubleheader, the Blue Wahoos again fell victim to a big inning.
In the fourth inning, starter Vladimir Gutierrez (L, 0-1) began to struggle with his command. Hutton Moyer led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and promptly stole second base. After a Michael Bearish single, Connor Justus walked and Moyer scored on a wild pitch to put Mobile up 2-0. Gutierrez then induced Jose Rojas to hit into a double-play.
With two outs the inning it appeared Gutierrez worked out of trouble when Brendon Sanger grounded out to the pitcher; however, Chad Tromp was dinged for catcher’s interference and that error allowed the inning to continue.
Carlos Navas replaced Gutierrez with the bases loaded and promptly surrendered a bases-clearing double to Matt Thaiss, which broke the game open at 6-0. Moyer capped the scoring with a two-run homer in his second at-bat of the inning to make it 9-0. By the time inning came to a close the BayBears sent 11 men to the plate and scored eight runs in an inning for the first time since May of 2014.
BayBears starter Jose Rodriguez (W, 1-0) was excellent in his Double-A debut earning the win by holding Pensacola to a pair of hits over five innings.
Longhi has a nine-game hitting streak (.423, 11-for-26) dating back to last season and has a hit in every game of his Pensacola career except his Blue Wahoos debut on July 7 (10 games).
The Blue Wahoos bullpen has already pitched 15.2 innings in relief and have held the BayBears to a total of five runs (2.87 ERA).
Had Shed Long not been ruled out for not stepping on first base it would have been the first time in his career that he had three doubles in a game.
The Blue Wahoos will close out the series tomorrow night when Double-A newcomer Wyatt Strahan goes head-to-head with Mobile’s Dylan Unsworth.