Family: Missing Teen Located
October 11, 2016
UPDATE: Family members say this missing teen has been found safe.
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Authorities are seeking the public’s help in finding a missing teen.
Kolby Dewayne Wooten, 13, left the 3400 block of Newman Road in Mobile and was last seen on Sandy Ridge Road in Citronelle, AL, on Sunday, October 9. His direction of travel was unknown.
He is described as being 5-foot, 4-inches tall, 108 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
Wooten has close family members in the Atmore and North Escambia areas.
Anyone with information on Wooten’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office at (251) 574-8633.
Sheriff Presents Animal Control Officer With Medal Of Commendation
October 10, 2016
Sheriff David Morgan recently awarded Escambia County Animal Control Sergeant Stephanie Nowlin with the ECSO’s Medal of Commendation. Nowlin was presented the award for her service and assistance to the ECSO, particularly with livestock cases in North Escambia.
The award read:
“Sergeant Nowlin’s knowledge and experience in regards animal cruelty cases makes her an asset to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. She has successfully implemented procedures for Escambia County relating to livestock operations.
Sgt. Nowlin will respond to any issues that may arise at any time. She has put numerous hours into training and can handle any situation encountered in animal cruelty investigations. She is the “go to” person for livestock issues in the north end of the county. She provides guidance and assists deputies on a daily basis.
Stephanie investigates and presents animal cruelty cases directly to the state attorney for prosecution. She has developed a working relationship requiring little assistance from the sheriff’s office.
Sgt. Nowlin is passionate about her profession and the well-being of animals. For her assistance to the ECSO, and her service to the citizens of Escambia County, Stephanie Nowlin was awarded the Commendation Medal on this 6th day of October, 2016.”
Wrecked Vehicle Found Abandoned On River Annex Road
October 10, 2016
Firefighters responded to this single vehicle accident about 12:45 a.m. Monday in the 200 block of River Annex Road to find the vehicle empty and abandoned. There was no word on the whereabouts or condition of the driver. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Florida Mops Up After Hurricane Matthew
October 10, 2016
President Barack Obama has made Florida eligible for disaster aid in eight counties as the state continues to recover from the impact of Hurricane Matthew.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved aid to the state and local governments for debris removal and emergency protective measures in Brevard, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Nassau, St. Johns, St. Lucie and Volusia counties. A request for additional federal disaster aid for individuals and businesses and federal aid to repair roads and other public structures is pending.
“While we are blessed that Hurricane Matthew did not make landfall in Florida, there has been significant damage all across Florida’s east coast,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a statement Sunday.
Scott, who viewed storm damage in Jacksonville Beach on Sunday, said he has been traveling Florida’s east coast, from Brevard County to the Florida-Georgia state line, for the past three days. The governor said he has “seen homes wiped out, severe beach erosion, flood damage and down trees and power lines.”
“While the state is helping our communities any way we can, I am going to continue to fight for every available resource from the federal government so our families and businesses can rebuild and get back to normal,” Scott said. “We are going to continue to submit requests to the federal government until they fulfill our entire disaster declaration.”
The lingering impact of Hurricane Matthew has resulted in public school closings in seven districts on Monday, meaning approximately 360,000 students will be delayed in returning to their K-12 classrooms. The Monday closures include Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, Clay and Brevard counties.
Volusia and Flagler County officials reported they expect their schools to remain closed through Tuesday.
“Although district and school staff have already deep cleaned schools that were used as shelters and are removing fallen trees from pickup and drop-off areas, over a dozen schools remain without power,” said a statement from the Duval school system, which has 128,000 K-12 students.
“We also have street lights near schools that are not working with downed power lines. Additionally, we have heard from a number of our employees and families regarding the challenges of returning to their homes after the evacuation, including ongoing power outages,” the school system said.
Scott said he spoke Sunday morning with school superintendents in the counties impacted by the storm, asking them “to make sure all schools are able to quickly reopen.”
“We have to do all we can to get every school to reopen because we have to keep our students learning,” Scott said.
The governor said he has offered “the full resources of the state,” including help from members of the Florida National Guard if requested, to make sure the schools open immediately.
Students in many districts missed school days last week as the storm approached Florida, and students in seven districts will miss at least one day in the coming week. The students will have to make up the lost academic time.
For instance, Orange County has announced students will make up two lost days from last week on Oct. 28 and April 28.
Another lingering impact from Matthew are power outages, with the governor’s office reporting some 374,000 homes and businesses remained without power as of mid-afternoon on Sunday.
The highest number of outages was in Duval County, where 120,000 homes and businesses lacked electricity, and Volusia County, with 112,000. The power outages were the most widespread in Flagler County, where 62 percent of the county — about 36,500 customers — was without power.
But progress has been made since the peak of the storm’s impact Friday, when some 1.2 million Florida homes and businesses were without power, with the current outage figure meaning about two-thirds of those outages have been restored.
Scott talked to utility companies late Sunday afternoon for an update on their efforts to restore power, according to his schedule.
It also became clear on Sunday that Florida would avoid a “double whammy” from Matthew, as the latest projections from the National Hurricane Center show the storm will be well northeast of Bermuda by Monday night, heading out into the North Atlantic Ocean.
Scott and other officials had fretted about earlier projections showing the storm could turn south and potentially impact Florida a second time.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Manhunt Underway For Escaped State Inmate From Atmore Prison
October 10, 2016
A manhunt is underway for a state prisoner that escaped from an Atmore facility Monday evening.
Jerry Lynn Hilburn, 40, escaped from the J. O. Davis Correctional Center, an annex facility of Fountain Correctional Facility, about 5:30 p.m.
Hilburn is described as a white male that is 6-foot, 2-inches tall, 214 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing his state-issued white prison uniform.
He was three years into a 20 year sentence out of Mobile for possession of controlled substance. He was a minimum in-custody inmate, not work release.
Anyone with information on Hilburn’s whereabouts is asked to call their local law enforcement agency or 911.
Attempted Murder Suspect Arrested
October 10, 2016
A man wanted on an attempted murder charge in in connection with a shooting that occurred Saturday has been arrested.
Ray Charles Bullard, 24, of Pensacola was taken into custody around Monday in the 500 block of East Fairfield Drive. He also was charged with possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
The incident occurred just before 6 p.m. October 8. An officer found the victim lying on the ground on the southwest side of a home in the 400 block of East Scott Street.
The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment and remains in critical condition. A motive remains under investigation.
The victim’s name is not yet being released because of the on-going investigation.
Anyone having information on his location or the incident is asked to contact Detective Gilbert Galloway at (850) 435- 1974 or the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Matthew: EREC Provides Bunk Trailer Housing For Utility Crews
October 10, 2016
EREC has sent five bunk trailers and a shower trailer to Okefenokee Rural Electric Cooperative in Nahunta, GA, one of the co-ops in Hurricane Matthew’s path, to be used by electric co-op crewmen during power restoration.
One of the biggest challenges facing electric utilities during power restoration after disasters such as hurricanes is lodging.
“It is difficult at best to find housing for hundreds or even thousands of workers in an area whose infrastructure has been devastated. For this purpose, EREC acquired trailers and renovated them into bunk housing,” said Clay Campbell, EREC general manager/CEO.
EREC has five trailers which will sleep 33 people each and a shower trailer with 10 showers and sinks. The trailers are self-contained, each equipped with its own generator. The sleeper trailers have central heat/air and individual lockers for each occupant. Each bunk has overhead lighting and electrical outlets for cell phone charging. The bottom row of bunks has nighttime floor lighting as well.
Pictured top: EREC crewmen Mark LeFlore, Philip Gandy, Jordan Jackson and Ken Blair will set up the bunk trailers and shower trailer for use by restoration line crews. Wesley Clark and Danny Duncan are also delivering bunk trailers for use by Okefenokee Rural EC but were unavailable of the time of the photo. Pictured inset: Bunk trailer. Pictured below: Each bunk trailer will sleep 33 people. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bonus Gallery: Tate Vs. Pace
October 10, 2016
For a bonus gallery from Friday night’s Tate vs. Pace game, click here.
For a story and photo gallery from Markus Baxley’s touchdown, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Church Building Destroyed By Fire; Arson Suspected
October 9, 2016
A fire that destroyed a Century church building early Sunday morning is under investigation as a possible case of arson.
Neighbors reported hearing an explosion before looking outside to see the Wesley Chapel Church on Jefferson Avenue fully involved in flames. The building was a complete and total loss. There were no injuries reported.
The church building had sat empty since a February 15 EF-3 tornado ripped through Century, causing significant damage to the building. The congregation had continued to meet each Sunday in the local County on Aging building. A church member said they had recently decided to dismantle the old building board by board, hoping to salvage and use as much of the wood as possible from the 1934 structure.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office. The building reportedly had no utility service.
The blaze also damaged a neighboring house, melting away the vinyl siding.
The Century, Walnut Hill and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Flomaton Fire Department, the Jay Fire Department, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia EMS responded to the blaze.
Pictured above: Fire destroyed the Wesley Chapel Church building in Century Sunday morning. Pictured below: The cause of the fire is under investigation. Pictured bottom: A photo showing the church before the fire and before February tornado damage. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Teen Airlifted After Nokomis Rollover Crash
October 9, 2016
A Northview High School student was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital after a single vehicle crash in Nokomis Saturday afternoon.
The 17-year old female lost control of her vehicle on Albritton Road, just north of Nokomis Road. The vehicle overturned, coming to rest upright. She was briefly trapped in the vehicle, with firefighters forced to use the Jaws of Life to free her.
She was transported by Atmore Ambulance to the Walnut Hill Fire Station and then airlifted as a “trauma alert” by LifeFlight helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. An update on her condition was not available.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured: Firefighters use the Jaws of Life to extricate a teen trapped in a single vehicle accident Saturday in Nokomis. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Editor’s note: The driver is covered with a sheet as protection from glass as the Jaws of Life were used.
