Man Convicted Of Murdering His Girlfriend Near Jay
October 21, 2017
Friday, a Jay man was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend in Santa Rosa County last year.
Christopher Warrick shot and killed Barbara Wolfe outside a home on Tractor Trail just south of Highway 89 near Jay during July 2016.
Wolfe’s daughter Kimberly Horne was also shot in the leg but survived.
Warrick will be back in court for sentencing on December 12.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Holds Fall Festival (With Photo Gallery)
October 21, 2017
The annual Byrneville Elementary School Family Fall Festival was held Friday evening at the school. The event food, games, a silent auction, a sweet shop, a corn hole tournament, cupcake walk, lots of candy and prizes, horse drawn buggy rides, and much more.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Elementary Holds Fall Carnival (With Photo Gallery)
October 21, 2017
The Molino Park PTA Fall Carnival was held Friday at the school.
The event featured a variety of carnival games, carnival food including popcorn and bake-off goodies, food vendors and a live auction.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Sheriff’s Office Warns Of Possible Scam
October 21, 2017
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a possible fraud.
A potential victim recently received a call from someone who claimed to work for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. He told the victim that if she did not send money by electronic payment right away, he would issue a warrant for her arrest for failure to appear for jury duty.
Anyone receiving such a call is asked not to send money and report the call to the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
There are multiple variations of this scam currently going around, and fraudsters are constantly devising new and innovative ways to take your hard-earned money. Here are a few ways you can avoid becoming a victim of fraud, from the ECSO:
- Always be suspicious of any threatening calls claiming to be from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office or any other business – especially if it is coming from a business that you do not normally patronize.
- A legitimate business will not resort to threats as a first response to a late or missed payment.
- Always suspicious when asked to send an electronic payment, “green dot” card payment, or wire transfer.
- Always rust your instinct. If you feel that something “just isn’t right”, call your local law enforcement agency and report it. It is much easier to prevent fraud in the first place than to recover your money after the fact.
In Photos: Crews Work To Complete Nine Mile Road Bridge
October 21, 2017
Crews are continuing construction work on the new Eleven Mile Creek bridge that will accommodate eastbound traffic on Nine Mile Road. This work is part of a $46 million effort to widen Nine Mile Road from two to four travel lanes, between Beulah Road and Highway 29.
Pictured below, construction workers are tying reinforcing steel, also known as “rebar”, for the bridge deck. The concrete will be placed once all the reinforcing steel has been installed. The reinforcing steel is good in tension and the concrete is good in compression and together they make for a strong bridge deck.
Pictured bottom, wet concrete is pumped from the concrete delivery truck using a specialty pump truck to the new bridge deck. Crew members consolidate the concrete into the deck forms with concrete vibrators.
In the top photo is the entire concrete deck placement sequence. On the right side of the photo is the wet concrete being delivered to the placement location by the concrete pump truck. The crew member in the white hard hat on the far right uses a remote control to move and position the discharge hose from the pump truck.
The “screed” moves back and forth to strike off the wet concrete to a smooth and uniform surface. Crew members ensure a uniform head, which is slightly above the finished surface, of the wet concrete is consolidated as the screed moves forward. Next, crews use a work platform to hand finish any small imperfections and ensure a uniform finish.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pace Tops Tate 42-41
October 21, 2017
The Pace Patriots defeated the Tate Aggies 42-41 Friday night in Pace.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Patriots took an early 3-0 lead with a field goal to cap their first drive of the game.
Just 19 seconds later, Hunter Riggin was in on a 64-yard touchdown run to put the Aggies on top 7-3 with 8:01 to go in the first quarter.
Tate expanded their lead to 14-0 as a 45-yard drive ended with a Shemari Jones touchdown from a short 3 yards out with 10:32 remaining in the second. After a 77-yard touch down drive from the Patriots, Jones scored his second touchdown of the night on a second 3-yard run to expand Tate’s lead to 21-10 with 2:32 to go before the half.
The Patriots were going to close the gap before heading to the lockers; Pace scored on a 30-yard run with 1:26 in the half. But Tate scored again with just 44 seconds in the half on a 43-yard pass to Jaderian Johnson. The Aggies were looking good with a 28-17 advantage at the half.
Tate struck early in the third with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Simmons. With 10:34 in the third, the Aggies lead Pace 35-17.
The Patriots added another touchdown but missed the extra point with 2:24 to go in the third, 35-29.
Pace took a 36-35 lead with 10:13 left, but the Aggies hit again on a Riggan run from the 10, Tate on top 41-.36.
With 5:22 in the game, Pace scored from the 9. A missed two point conversion and Pace was up 42-41.
The Tate Aggies will host their last home game of the season next Friday night against the Pine Forest Eagles.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.
Friday Night Football Finals
October 21, 2017
Here are Friday night finals from around the area:
FLORIDA
Pace 42, Tate 41 [Read more...]
Tallahassee Godby 19, Pine Forest 12
West Florida 52, Panama City Arnold 3
Washington 30, Catholic 7
Pensacola 14, Mosley 7
Jay 44, JU Blacksher 7
OPEN: Northview, Escambia
ALABAMA
Carroll 28, Escambia County 6
Autauga Academy 42, Escambia Academy 20
Flomaton 35, Excel, 20
Andalusia 52, W.S. Neal 28
Bayside Academy 17, T.R. Miller 14
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Details Released In Murder Of Private Investigator
October 20, 2017
The remains of a missing private investigator were found on the Cantonment family property of a woman that was former crime scene technician with the Escambia County Sheriffs’ Office. And $34,000 of the victim’s money was allegedly spent before her death.
Ashley McArthur, 40, has been arrested for the death of 33-year old Taylor Wright, a private investigator and former police officer. A body believed to be that of Wright was found off Britt Road, just west of County Road 97 near Muscogee Road. Wright was reported missing to police on September 7.
On September 14, Wright’s girlfriend reported that she was missing. The girlfriend gave a sworn statement to Pensacola Police that Wright had not been seen or heard from since September 8. Prior to her disappearance, Wright had told her girlfriend that she had placed a large amount of money in a safe deposit box that belonged to McArthur, her friend. Wright said she had tried to get her money back from McArthur several times with no success. Wright was trying to get the money back from McArthur for court proceedings related to Wright’s pending divorce.
On September 8, Wright and McArthur met so Wright could get her money. Wright and the girlfriend communicated back and forth via text until about 11:20 a.m. When the girlfriend did not hear back from Wright after numerous texts, she called McArthur. McArthur answered and said Wright could not come to the phone because she was riding a horse.
The girlfriend continued to try to communicate with Wright with no success until 7:58 p.m. when she received a text from Wright’s phone stating that she needed time to think and get her life on track.
On September 18, McArthur met with a Pensacola Police detective. She told the detective that she had picked Wright up on the morning of September 8 and they drove to various locations during the day before going to McArthur’s family property in East Milton to ride horses. She said they were there for about an hour before heading back to McArthur’s residence in the Pensacola city limits about 4:45 p.m. McArthur claimed that she went inside her house, and when came back out shortly, Wright was gone.
During the investigation, McArthur’s bank records and cell phone records were obtained. Bank records show that on August 16, McArthur deposited a cashier’s check in Wright’s name for the amount of $34,000 into McArthur’s personal checking account. They money has since been spent.
McArthur’s phone records never showed her in the area of the family property in East Milton, instead her phone showed her in the area of Beulah on September 8 from 11:52 a.m. until 1:44 p.m. and again from 2:40 p.m. until 3:33 p.m. Police discovered that McArthur’s family has property at 2201 Britt Road, in the same area as her phone indicated.
A search warrant was executed at 2201 Britt Road on October 19. Human remains were found in a clandestine grave covered in concrete, just to the west of the McArthur family property. A specific necklace belonging to Wright was found with the human remains.
During the execution of the search warrant on Britt Road, contact was made with McArthur’s cousin. The cousin stated under oath that McArthur contacted him on September 8 to see if the was going to be home on that day. The cousin said her told her that he would be gone to a funeral and was not on the property.
The investigation by the Pensacola Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is continuing.
Pictured top and bottom: Taylor Wright. Pictured mugshot, inset: Ashley McArthur.
Wood said he could not confirm how the two women may have known each other.
Sheriff David Morgan Files Budget Appeal With Gov. Rick Scott
October 20, 2017
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has followed through on his promise to file an appeal of his budget with Gov. Rick Scott.
Escambia County commissioners were notified of the appeal by Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers Thursday night.
All county employees received a pay raise under a budget approved in late September bythe Escambia County Commission — including Sheriff’s deputies — but Sheriff David Morgan said then that he still planned appeal his budget to Scott. The budget included $3.7 million to provide a 3 percent across the board raise for all permanent employees of the Board of County Commissioners, the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, the Supervisor of Elections and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, including those employees capped at the top of their pay ranges.
The budget approval cane at the end of a long summer in which Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan fought for pay raises and changes in the pay structure in his department in order to retain deputies.
“We’re going to Tallahassee,” Morgan said after the budget approval. “We knew that we would have to go. We’ve been at an impasse for a very, very long time so we look forward to putting this before those who think more rationally and I think we’ll prevail in Tallahassee.”
“Thank you for the pay raise. That doesn’t fix the problem. It only worsens the problem and now to get the compression fixed it’s going to cost more. Every year you kick this can down the road the worse it gets,” Morgan said.
Commissioners Doug Underhill and Grover Robinson voted against the budget, presenting their own options that failed to move forward.
Underhill had proposed to fully fund the Sheriff’s request plus user funds from the commissioners’ discretionary budget and about $400,000 from the Pensacola-Escambia Development Commission. Robinson proposed a middle of the road solution with a 2 percent across the board pay raise plus another $1.25 million for the Sheriff to use as desired for pay raises.
Pictured: Gov. Rick Scott and Escambia County David Morgan during a meeting October 5 at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center concerning then Tropical Storm Nate. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
International Paper In Cantonment Names New Mill Manager
October 20, 2017
International Paper announced Scott Taylor has been named mill manager of International Paper’s Pensacola Containerboard and Pulp Mill in Cantonment.
In his new position, Taylor will have overall leadership responsibility for the mill’s safety and environmental performance, people engagement, sustainable operations and community stewardship.
Most recently, Taylor was International Paper’s manager of Technical Services for its Containerboard business located at the company’s global headquarters in Memphis. Taylor joined IP in 2002 at the company’s Franklin, VA, Mill. He has worked in several manufacturing and technical leadership roles of increasing in responsibility throughout his career with the company.
“My family and I are looking forward to relocating to Northwest Florida,” said Taylor. “I’m excited to join such an outstanding Pensacola team and become part of a great community.”
In a related move, former Pensacola Mill Manager Brett De Jong has been promoted to International Paper’s manager of Investments for its Containerboard business. In his new position, De Jong will be responsible for leading the implementation of the strategic capital investments for IP’s Riverdale Mill Containerboard Machine conversion in Selma, AL. He and his family will continue to reside in the Pensacola area.
De Jong joined International Paper in 1997 with International Paper’s Global Technology group in Cincinnati, Ohio. In his years with IP, he has held various roles with increasing leadership responsibility in technology and at IP Mills in the U.S. Since 2012, De Jong had been the mill manager in Cantonment.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Pensacola team, as well as being part of an exceptional community,” said De Jong. “I am leaving a talented team in great hands with Scott. I look forward to hearing about the mill’s many accomplishments in the future.”
“Brett has done excellent work leading the Pensacola team and positioning the mill for ongoing success,” said Roman Gallo, IP’s vice president, Manufacturing, Containerboard. “Scott’s manufacturing and technical experience will be an asset to the mill. I am confident he will provide the leadership needed to help the Pensacola team to remain a safe operation and reach another level of sustainable performance.”