Gospel Projects 2013 Tee Ball World Series Results

June 14, 2013

Here are the scores from the Gospel Projects 2013 Tee Ball World Series Thursday night in Milton:

  • Tri-County American 22, Perdido 21
  • Brent 40, Cantonment 19
  • GP World 37, Molino 16
  • Pace 29, Bellview 18
  • Tri-County Nationals 27, East Milton 15
  • NEP Gold 30, Navarre 8
  • NEP Blue 23, Milton 10
  • Myrtle Grove 28, GP American 13

Play continues Friday, Saturday, and Monday with the world series championship game on Tuesday.

Have photos you’d like to share from your favorite team? Email news@northescambia.com

Pictured: The Tri-County Nationals beat East Milton 27-15 Thursday in the Gospel Projects World Series. Submitted photos by Stephanie Hart for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.


Mobile Opens Series With 5-2 Win Over Pensacola

June 14, 2013

Nick Evans launched two home runs, including a tie-breaking shot in the ninth inning to lift the Mobile BayBears to a series-opening win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 5-2, on Thursday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium. The game was played in front of a sellout crowd of 5,038, the 12th sellout of the season.

The BayBears, riding a string of late-inning victories, continued their come-from-behind prowess on Thursday. Entering the eighth trailing 2-1, Mobile posted the final four runs of the contest for the victory. In the eighth, Keon Broxton singled and Mike Freeman double to put runners at second and third with nobody out before Nick Ahmed drove home Broxton with a sac fly to tie the game. Wilkin De La Rosa come on to get the final two outs of the inning while stranding the go-ahead run at third.

In the ninth, the BayBears again put the first two runners on via a single and an error. Ahmed stepped to the dish having already smoked a solo homer in the fourth inning, and jolted his second homer of the game, a three-run shot on a 3-0 pitch to give Mobile its three-run lead.

Kevin Munson came on in the ninth to pick up his 11th save of the season by retiring the Wahoos in the ninth. With the win, Mobile held its half-game lead over Mississippi who also won on Thursday night.

The late rally spoiled what was a solid start from Tim Crabbe. The right-hander tossed a season-high 7.1 innings, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out four. Crabbe had retired 20 of the last 21 and 10 straight entering the eighth inning before being pulled after the Freeman double.

Pensacola tallied single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 2-1 lead. In the fifth, Ray Chang blasted a solo shot, his second home run since returning from Triple-A. An inning later, Tucker Barnhart extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-out single to score Ryan LaMarre.

The two teams continue the five-game series on Friday night with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch. Ryan Dennick (3-6, 3.18) gets the start for Pensacola against Mobile’s Bo Schultz (1-0, 0.00).

story by Kevin Burke

Local Soldier Killed In Afghanistan

June 13, 2013

The Department of Defense has announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Jesse L. Thomas Jr., 31, of Pensacola, died June 10, in Helmand, Afghanistan. The incident is under investigation.

He was assigned to the 39th Transportation Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Kleber Kaserne, Germany.

More details will be posted as they become available.

Escaped Inmate Busted Within 10 Minutes

June 13, 2013

An inmate that escaped from the Escambia County Jail didn’t manage to get very far during his 10 minutes of freedom this morning.

Just after 8:00, inmate worker Michael Eugene Washington, 41, walked away from the Escambia County Jail on “L” Street. He was seen walking down Fairfield Drive and then observed by officers walking toward Pace Boulevard. He climbed onto the roof of a building in the 2800 block of North Pace Boulevard.

The building was surrounded and Washington was taken into custody within 10 minutes of his escape.

A ladder truck from Escambia County Fire Rescue was used to assist in removing Washington from the roof.

Two North Escambia Church Burglaries Under Investigation (Updated)

June 13, 2013

[Updated] Two church burglaries discovered Wednesday are under investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.

A burglary was  reported Wednesday morning just before 8:00 at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church on Highway 29 at Thompson Road in Bluff Springs. A powered mixer, two Peavey speakers and a wireless microphone system were stolen (pictured below).

“It is sad that someone would rob a church,” said Pastor Jimmy Wood “My prayer is that whoever did this will return what they have stolen and surrender their life to the Lord.”

Wednesday afternoon, members of the Antioch Springs of Life Church at the corner of North Pineville Road and Jakes Road in Nokomis discovered that their house of worship had been burglarized. Someone stole an air conditioner, speakers, sound equipment, dishes and a few other miscellaneous items, according to church members.

An Antioch Springs member said this was the third burglary at their church in recent years. They believe the latest burglary happened between 6:00 Tuesday night and 4:00 p.m. Wednesday.

There was no immediate indication that the two burglaries were related. Anyone with information on either crime is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.

Pictured top: The Antioch Springs of Life Church on Pineville Road in Nokomis. Pictured below: A powered mixer and speakers stolen from the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church on Highway 29 in Bluff Springs. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.


Animal Control Seizes 18 Dogs Due To ‘Poor Living Conditions’

June 13, 2013

Escambia County Animal Control seized 18 dogs Wednesday afternoon in Century.

Bill Pearson, Escambia County spokesman, said Animal Control was called to the property on Plum Street by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. According to Sena Maddison, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office,  there was concern about “poor living conditions” for the dogs and puppies on the property. There were no charges filed in the case.

Further details were not available late Wednesday afternoon.

From the roadway, animal control officers and the residents were seen loading dogs into an animal control truck. None of the animals appeared malnourished or injured. Neighbors said they believed the animals were cared for adequately, with separate dogs houses, overhead dog runs and proper food and water. Officials said the animals seized did not have proper licenses and proof of vaccinations.

Pictured above and below: Escambia County Animal Control seized 18 dogs from a property on Plum Street in Century Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Slithery Summer Reptiles And Reading At The Library

June 13, 2013

Participants in the West Florida Library’s Summer Reading Program had a chance to get up close and personal with some slithery snakes and more Wednesday afternoon. The Reno’s Reptiles program is one of many programs planned for this summer.

The West Florida Public Library will hold a “Dig Into Reading” summer reading club for all children ages preschool and up. The event will include stories, weird noises, shadow puppets, magic and more.

The 2013 Summer Reading Club will be held weekly through August 10. Children can register at any West Florida Public Library.

Century Branch Library
Summer Reading Program – Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m.

Molino Branch Library
Preschool story time — Mondays, 2:45 p.m.
Summer Reading Program -  Mondays, 4:00 p.m.

Tryon Branch
Preschool story time — Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.
Summer Reading Program -  Tuesdays, 1:30 p.m.

Main Library
Preschool story time — Wednesday, 10:30 a.m.
Summer Reading Program -  Mondays, noon.

Southwest Branch
Summer Reading Program – Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Westside Branch
Preschool story time — Saturdays, 2:30 p.m.
Summer Reading Program – Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m.

Pictrured: Reno’s Reptiles during the Summer Reading Program Wednesday afternoon at the Century Branch Library. Photos by August Whorff for NorthEscambia.com,  click to enlarge.


Northview Summer Running Begins Monday

June 13, 2013

The annual summer running program begins Monday for any Northview High, home schooled, or Ernest Ward student interested in getting in shape for the upcoming cross country season.

This year, there will be two summer running locations — Northview and Molino.

The Molino group will run at 7 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday off Highway 97. For details and specific location, contact Isaac McGahan at (850) 637-4397.

The Northview group will meet at the Northview ROTC room at 7 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. For more information, contact Coach Natalie Nall at nnelson@escambia.k12.fl.us.

NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.

Shootout Lands Man In Prison For 25 Years

June 13, 2013

A shootout last year has resulted in an Escambia County man heading to prison for 25 years.

State Attorney Bill Eddins said Robrico Karnell Newberry was convicted  by an  Escambia  County Jury of  aggravated assault with a firearm,possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.  After the verdict was returned, Circuit Court Judge Ross Goodman sentenced Newberry to 25 years in state prison with a 20 year mandatory minimum.

On July 7, 2012, Newberry and at least two other men, all armed with firearms, approached victim Brian Taylor while he was in his truck in the parking lot of the U.S. Post Office on Davis Highway.  When the men tried to enter Taylor’s truck, he fired his gun at them in self defense.

In the shootout, Taylor was shot from the back in his shoulder. Newberry was also struck in the mid-section.  The other perpetrators dropped Newberry off at Sacred Heart Hospital.  The gun Newberry used during the commission of the crime was found in a flower bed in front of Sacred Heart Emergency Room.  Newberry’s DNA was found on the gun and ballistics testing tied it to the crime scene.  Additionally, as Newberry was being treated in the hospital, a box of bullets was recovered from his pocket.

Florida Executes Convicted Murderer

June 13, 2013

Convicted murderer William Van Poyck was pronounced dead at 7:24 p.m. EDT Wednesday after receiving a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, the Department of Corrections announced.

Van Poyck, 58, was sentenced to death for his role in the 1987 killing of a corrections officer in Palm Beach County. Van Poyck and another man, Frank Valdes, ambushed a prison van in an attempt to free an inmate on his way to an appointment with a dermatologist.

In a last-ditch appeal, Van Poyck argued that he had received ineffective legal counsel and that an affidavit provided newly discovered evidence showing he was not the triggerman in the killing of Officer Fred Griffis.

However, the Florida Supreme Court on June 6 rejected the appeal, writing that his argument “does not negate the fact that Van Poyck instigated the escape attempt and fired numerous shots in their attempt to flee the scene.”

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