Search Warrant Leads To Arrest Of Century Felon On Gun Charge
January 31, 2025
A convicted felon was arrested on a weapons charge after deputies served a search warrant in Century.
Edward Devon Johnson. Jr., 41, was charged with possession of a weapon by convicted felon. He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $25,000.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a citizen complaint Wednesday afternoon at a home in the 100 block of Henry Street in Century. A woman told deputies that her driver’s license was suspended because she sold a car to Johnson, and he allowed the vehicle insurance to lapse.
When deputies approved the home, they could hear someone in the backyard. That’s where deputies made contact with Johnson holding a dark in color Smith & Wesson handgun in his hand, which he tried to hide, an ECSO report states. The deputy drew his weapon and ordered Johnson to put the gun down, and he complied. A deputy worked to determine if Johnson was a convicted felon and thus not legally allowed to own a handgun. Before the determination was made, deputies completed their business at the home and left.
The deputies immediately returned to the home when they learned of Johnson’s felony status, and he was detained.
Another party returned to the scene and told deputies that they had only seen a pellet gun in Johnson’s hands.
“(The witness) produced a black Marksman Repeater pellet gun that in no way resembled the gun I had seen in Johnson’s hands earlier,” a deputy wrote in his report. A search warrant was secured for the home and car. The warrant was executed Wednesday night.
During a search of the the trunk of a 2008 Honda, deputies located a dark in color Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun with one round in the chamber and seven rounds in magazine.
“It matched the handgun I had previously seen in Johnson’s hand,” the deputy stated in the report.
Florida Department of Corrections records indicate that Johnson served 15 months for a 2006 cocaine possession conviction.
Pictured above and below: Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies serve a search warrant at a mobile home on Henry Street in Century, where they reported finding a loaded handgun hidden in the trunk of a car (below). NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New Community Park Coming Soon To Gonzalez
January 31, 2025
Thursday, Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry announced that a ribbon cutting will be held soon for the new Jennings-Gonzalez Park.
The small community park in Gonzalez is under construction at the site of the former Escambia Charter School at 319 90 & 9 Ranch Road, just behind Gonzalez Utilities on Old Chemstrand Road. The park is named in honor of the Gonzalez community and the Jennings family from the Gonzalez Baptist Church area.
“We don’t’ have the space for everything you see behind me,” Barry said at the ribbon cutting for the new Paper Park in Cantonment. “But it’s going to be great. It’s going to be a great amenity for those folks that live in that Gonzalez community.
RELATED STORY: New ‘Paper Park’ At Former IP Golf Course Is Now Open
Construction is continuing on the Jennings-Gonzalez Park. An exact opening date has not been announced.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Celebrate Literacy Week: Bratt Elementary Hosts Family Literacy Night
January 31, 2025
It’s Celebrate Literacy Week at schools across Escambia County.
Thursday evening, Bratt Elementary hosted a Family Literacy Night. Students and parent took part in literacy activities, and students also received a book and learning activities to take home.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies 30 Inning Game Is Saturday
January 31, 2025
Tate Aggies baseball will host their 30-inning game on Saturday. That’s right — 30 straight inning of Aggie baseball — beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Concessions will be open and there will be $12 fish plates (including drink) until they are sold out.
- 10:30 – 9th vs. 9th
- 11:45 – JV vs. JV
- 1:00 – 9th vs. JV
- 2:15 – JV vs. Varsity
- 3:30 – Varsity vs. Varsity 7 Inning Live Game
Admission is free.
New ‘Paper Park’ At Former IP Golf Course Is Now Open
January 30, 2025
Escambia County’s new Paper Park is now open on the 68-acre former International Paper golf course in Cantonment following a ribbon cutting Thursday.
The park is a cooperative effort of Escambia County and International Paper, with the county leasing the property from IP and years of planning.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“What you see on the ground is the culmination of those efforts and those conversations,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. “This is one (project) that you could see the success before you even finished the project and cut the ribbon, and it’s fantastic.”
Paper Park features a 0.81 mile walking path, playground, a complete 18-hole “Timber Toss Disc Golf” course, and a 704 square feet covered pavilion with picnic tables. The park at the corner of Highway 29 and Muscogee Road is open to the public free of charge from sunrise to sunset. The parking area is off Mintz Lane at the southeast corner of the property.
Barry announced that plans are already in the works to expand the walking track, about doubling the total length. That is expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
“It’s absolutely a great amenity for the community,” Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno said at the opening ceremony. “We put a lot of work into Cantonment and the area around Muscogee Road. We put a three or four million dollar project in for Carver Park. And we also partnered with International Paper, and they worked with us, always a good community partner. We have a community center right now that is under design (for nearby Carver Park). There is a lot of focus, a lot of emphasis here in this community to improve it and make it better every day.”
“This former golf course that just sat her vacant, to be able to transform it into something that truly remarkable,” IP Communications Manager Whitney Fike said, calling the park a “big community partnership”. “I’m excited to see the community members out here working and playing.”
“We’ve had many conversations just this week about walking out of work to go home and hearing the laughter on the playgrounds and seeing people being able to enjoy the playground, the walking track, and even as the disc golf course,” Fike added “It’s been packed just since yesterday, so it’s really amazing of what the vision turned into, and we’re excited to see it grow.”
Barry said he is always open to ideas on how to improve parks, including the new Paper Park, Carver Park, Santa Maria Park and others in the district, even gleaning a few ideas and suggestions from the comments on NorthEscambia.com and our social media channels.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Manufacturing Company Opened In Century Last Week. Now They Are Ready For $1.6 Million Expansion.
January 30, 2025
Less than a week after celebrating their official grand opening in Century, a 50-year-old Brazilian manufacturing company is looking to expand their facility in the Century Industrial Park.
In May 2023, AlgaPlast Corp. signed a lease on a town-owned industrial park building formerly known as the Helicopter Technology Building. AlagaPlast is the new American subsidiary of Grupa GA230 of Arujá, Brazil.
This week, the company went before the Century Town Council seeking permission to begin the process, such as soil testing and engineering, leading to constructing a new warehouse and operations building. Company officials say the company needs more space and a higher ceiling for larger equipment and an overhead crane.
The town council has voted to allow Algaplast to begin soil testing and design of a new 18,200 square feet warehouse expansion to their current building. Algaplast is estimating that they will invest nearly $1.6 million in the new construction with an estimated 10 additional fulltime jobs.
Since Algapast will pay for the new construction, they are asking the town to keep the current monthly rental fee for the excising building.
In Century, Algaplast produces a variety of projects, including plastic injection products such as the front panels of retail gas station fuel pumps and laser cut and welded metal parts for other companies. Some of their custom metal parts are used by Blue Wind Technology and GE Vernova in Pensacola. The metal parts for GE are used to secure wind turbines as they are transported by train out of Pensacola.
Algaplast current employs five people in Century, according to CFO Marcos Martins.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Town of Century re-acquired the 40,000 square foot industrial space at public auction for less than $1 out of pocket back in August 2009, following the town’s foreclosure judgment against the now defunct Helicopter Technology company. The building sat empty since empty from 2009 until AlgaPlast’s occupancy.
Martins said the company has already invested $2.5 million in the new Century facility.
RELATED: Ribbon Cutting Held For Brazilian Manufacturing Company’s Expansion In Century
Pictured top and bottom: Algaplast in the Century Industrial Park. Pictured bottom inset: Algaplast Operations Engineer Pyetro Curvelo explains the company’s expansion plans to the Century Town Council this week. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Respond To Reported House Fire In Century
January 30, 2025
Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to a reported house fire in Century Wednesday night.
The fire on George Avenue was reported about 6:47 p.m.
Firefighters arrived to find a burnt pot on a stove and smoke filling the interior. There was no significant damage.
An adult male was evaluated on scene by Escambia County EMS but not transported to the hospital.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Three Atmore Residents Charged, One Wanted, For Brewton Attempted Murder
January 30, 2025
Three Atmore residents have been charged and a fourth is wanted on attempted murder charges after shots were fired into a home in Brewton.
About 2 a.m. on Sunday, the Brewton Police department responded after several shots were fired into an occupied home in the 1300 block of Sowell Road. There were no injuries.
Brewton PD attempted to stop a vehicle that fled from the scene. After a pursuit, four suspects were detained, and police later obtained warrants for their arrests.
The driver of the vehicle, 27-year-old Shakera Nicholson was charged with attempted murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and attempting to elude. Jalen Martin, 22, and Ahmad Daily, 24, were arrested in Atmore Wednesday by U.S. Marshals on charges of attempted murder and shooting into an occupied dwelling.
A fourth suspect, 27-year-old Scottie McNeal, is wanted on outstanding warrants for attempted murder and shooting into an occupied dwelling. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call their local law enforcement agency.
Celebrate Literacy Week: Career Dress Up Day At Lipscomb Elementary
January 30, 2025
It’s Celebrate Literacy Week at schools across Escambia County.
Wednesday at Lipscomb Elementary School was “Constructing Young Minda Career Dress Up Day”. Students went to school dressed in their career attire as community leaders and workers took time out of their busy schedules to read to them.
Participants included the Escambia County Public Schools and Superintendent Keith Leonard, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, Fishbein Orthodontics, Escambia County Property Appraiser Bubba Peters, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry and more.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Boys, Girls Basketball Earn Wins Wednesday Night
January 30, 2025
Boys
Tate 67 Washington 64
Girls
Tate 71 Escambia 37
The Tate Lady Aggies defeated Escambia 41-37 Wednesday night. Brelynn Morris scores a dozen points for Tate, while Amerie McGee added 11. Tylor Malone and Sam Williams each had eight points, while Sarah Mitchell recorded two points.