Century Spending Over $3.3 Million On Five Sewage Lift Stations
July 18, 2024
The Town of Century has approved over $3.3 million for five sewage lift stations.
Lift stations are designed to move wastewater from lower to higher elevation using a pump.
The lift stations to be construction or reconstructed are:
- Lift Station 1 – Century Correctional (including the mechanical bar screen and standby generator)
- Lift Station 4 – Century Woods
- Lift Station 8 – Highway 4 West
- Lift Station 16 – Jefferson Avenue
- Lift Station 20 – Pond and Jefferson
The bid was awarded to Talcon Group, LCC, of Havana, Florida for $3,365,175. Talcom was the lowest of two bidders. Pensacola Concrete Construction Company $10,561,045.88
The town has a total of 22 lift stations, and this is phase two of the repair and replacement process.
The council voted 3-0 to award the project with council members Dynette Lewis and Shelisa McCall absent.
Pictured: A wastewater lift station near Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church on Jefferson Avenue at Pond Street in Century out of service and running on a temporary pump as seen May 10, 2022. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Gets Life Sentence For Murdering Roommate Before Staging Her Drowning
July 18, 2024
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his roommate before staging the scene to make it appear she drowned in a small water feature in a yard.
James Edwards Hicks, 62, was sentenced to by Judge Linda Nobles after he was found guilty by an Escambia County jury of second degree murder.
The jury found that, on August 12th, 2022, James Hicks killed his roommate, 65-year-old Terri Jo Williams, and then staged a scene to make it appear as if she had drowned herself in a small garden pond in the front yard. During the death investigation, Hicks stated that his roommate had been emotional and depressed for weeks, and that he thought she committed suicide.
The jury was presented with evidence from the scene, death investigation, neighbors and family members, and the medical examiner who determined the victim’s death was the result of homicide.
Catholic’s TJ McCants Drafted By Chicago White Sox
July 18, 2024
Pensacola Catholic High School graduate TJ McCants was selection in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox.
McCants played college baseball at Ole Miss and Alabama. He went to the White Sox as the 469th overall pick.
In one season for the Crimson Tide, McCants made 56 starts for Alabama in the outfield. He had a .306 batting average with 17 home runs and 53 RBOs. McCants also had 14 stolen bases.
Man Gets 50 Years In Prison For 2022 Murder At Cantonment Gas Station
July 17, 2024
An Escambia County man convicted in a 2022 shooting death at a Cantonment convenience store has been sentenced to five decades in state prison.
Charles Tyree Moore was convicted by an Escambia County jury of second-degree murder for the shooting death of 35-year-old Durrell Dupree Palmer at the Circle K on Highway 29 at West Roberts Road in May 2022 in an argument over the victim’s wife. Circuit Court Judge John Simon sentenced Moore on Tuesday to 50 years in prison.
The homicide occurred at the Circle K convenience store located at the corner of Highway 29 and West Roberts Road in Cantonment at 7:30 am on Monday, May 23, 2022. At the time of the murder, the two men were engaged in a heated conversation over an argument that had begun on social media.
Video of the encounter was captured by the store’s surveillance cameras. The video showed Palmer stop at the gas pump to initiate contact with Moore, and then, after more than five minutes of intense discussion, Moore suddenly pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot Palmer four times in the torso at close range.
The shooting was witnessed by several customers.
Moore then fled the scene in his vehicle before calling 911 to turn himself in.
Deputies took him into custody within minutes on Palafox Street at Nine Mile Road (pictured below).
During the 911 call, Moore claimed he blacked out and didn’t know what happened. Investigation revealed that at the time of the shooting Palmer had a pistol located in the center console of his vehicle but that his firearm was not involved in the exchange between the two men.
Moore testified and claimed self-defense at his trial, but the jury found him guilty as charged. He will be sentenced on July 11.
Moore had no criminal history and held a concealed weapons permit.
Pictured above and below: A man was shot and killed at the Circle K at the corner of Highway 29 and West Roberts Road about 7:30 Monday morning. Pictured first below: More was taken into custody minutes later on Palafox Street at Nine Mile Road. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Pedestrian Checking Trailer Tire Struck By Car In Two Vehicle Crash Near Century
July 17, 2024
A 78-year old local man was seriously injured when he was struck by a vehicle Wednesday morning near Century.
The man, who was driving a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup pulling an empty trailer, pulled over with the vehicle partially in the roadway to check a tire about 6:55 a.m. on on West Highway 4 just east of Lake Stone, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
A Dodge Charger driven by a 63-year old Century woman stopped in the roadway about five feet from the truck and trailer according to FHP. A 16-year old Century boy driving a red vehicle “failed to react in time” and collided with the Dodge Charger, troopers said. The Charger was pushed onto the shoulder where it struck the pedestrian.
The pedestrian was transported by Escambia County EMS to the McDavid Fire Station and then airlifted by Aircare helicopter to a Pensacola hospital. An update on his condition was not available.
The other drivers were not injured.
FHP is continuing their investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
State Funding $240 Million Beulah I-10 Interchange
July 17, 2024
The state will fund nearly a quarter of a billion dollar interchange at I-10 and Highway 99 in Beulah.
Known as the Beulah Interchange, the project will cost an estimate $240 million to alleviate traffic problems and accommodate growth in the Beulah area and Navy Federal Credit Union.
State Senator Doug Broxson confirmed Tuesday that funding has been shifted to the project from state and federal grants in central and south Florida. A formal announced is expected in a few days.
Construction is expected to begin in mid-2025.
The $240 Million Appropriation from the state to fully fund the construction of the Beulah Interchange beginning next year will be an amazing and transformational project for Beulah, District 1, and Escambia County,” District 1 Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh told NorthEscambia.com ” We certainly could not have done it without the steady leadership of Senator Doug Broxson, combined with sustained persistence by the Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization as we on that committee kept this project as our number one priority. Thank you to our legislature, the governor, and the folks at FDOT for getting this necessary project funded for Escambia County.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Failed Urban Development Century YouthFirst Program Finally Repays Unsecured Loan From Century
July 17, 2024
(Updated) The Urban Development Center (UDC) has finally paid off what started as an unsecured $61,925 loan for the YouthFirst Century program that suffered a complete funding cut by the Escambia County Children’s Trust (ECT).
Century Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. said Tuesday that UDC and CEO Dr. Jessica Griffen recently made a final $10,925 payment.
“She is done and complete with the grant, the loan upfront money that we as a town rendered to her,” Gomez said. “I would like to commend Dr. Griffen and the urban league for fulfilling their obligation.”
Last year, Escambia Children’s Trust (ECT) awarded a contract to the Pensacola non-profit Urban Development Center for “YouthFirst Century” to serve 750 youth ages 11-18 over a three-year period at a total cost of $1.2 million. In reality, they only reached 30 children in their targeted ages of 11-18. They requested to lower their target age group to just 5-years old, but that was also denied by ECT.
The Town of Century fronted an unsecured $61,925 loan to UDC to purchase items like computers and workbooks. The loan was to be repaid by December 31, 2023, but the town council previously approved an extension to March 31, 2024.
Griffen then requested another extension to pay until May 31, 2024, “citing continual slow financial receivables for delay”. In June, the Century Town Council unanimously extended the payment due date to July 8 after a $11,000 payment.
Pictured inset: A copy of an $0,925 loan payment from The Urban Development Center. The account numbers were redacted by NorthEscambia.com. Pictured: The Urban Development Center’s Dr. Jessica Griffen introduces YouthFirst Century to a group at the Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church in Century in February 2023. NorthEscambia.com file photo. click to enlarge .
Escambia Public School Hosting Job Fair On July 29
July 17, 2024
The Escambia County Public Schools Human Resource Services Department will host a job fair on Monday, July 29, at the J.E. Hall Center.
ECPS is looking to fill vacancies in all educational support departments, including food services, custodial services, maintenance, transportation, and substitute teachers.
Interviews will be held on the spot.
“We are excited to offer an additional in-person job fair to hire educational support staff in all areas,” said Director of Personnel Services Courtney Combs. “It is so impactful to be able to have our areas fully staffed and ready to greet our children for the new school year. ”
The Job Fair will take place from 9-11 a.m. in Room 160 at the J.E. Hall Center, located at 30 East Texar Drive in Pensacola.
Woman Arrested In Kentucky For Fatal 2023 Escambia County Hit And Run
July 17, 2024
An Escambia County woman was arrested in Kentucky Tuesday afternoon for a 2023 hit and run crash on Sorrento Road that killed a 61-year old Navy veteran.
Jessica Elizabeth Hendrickson, age 41 of Pensacola, was arrested during a traffic stop in Kentucky.
“While traveling southbound on US 41 in Kentucky, a tag alert was issued to law enforcement in the area matching the description of Hendrickson’s boyfriend’s vehicle (she is known to frequent use or be in). Local law enforcement were in the general area and were able to conduct a traffic stop and ultimately arrest Hendrickson,” Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Jason King said.
On June 10, 2023, Hendrickson was the driver of the vehicle which struck the 61-year-old cyclist from the rear on Sorrento Road, propelling both the bicycle and rider to the south shoulder. Hendrickson then fled the scene, according to FHP.
Family has identified the victim as retired Navy Master Chief Jeff Nichols, 61.
FHP has not specified the exact charged Henrickson will face once she is extradited back to Florida.
Pictured: Jessica Elizabeth Hendrickson pictured in a September 2020 mugshot from Escambia County after a misdemeanor arrest.
‘Operation Southern Slow Down; Targets Speeding In Five States
July 17, 2024
Law enforcement agencies in Florida and four other states have teamed up for Operation Southern Slow Down 2024, a week-long speed enforcement and education campaign that began Monday.
The broad effort involving multiple states in the Southeast—Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee—has a collective goal to reduce the number of speed-related crashes and, ultimately, bring the number of traffic fatalities down to zero.
The Florida Highway Patrol said speeding is a significant factor in traffic fatalities across Florida, contributing to nearly 10% of these fatalities statewide between 2019 and 2023. Demographic data reveals that young male drivers are particularly at risk, with 84% of speeding-involved fatalities involving male drivers, predominantly those aged 16-25. FHP said the statistics underscore the critical need for targeted enforcement and education campaigns like Operation Southern Slow Down to address dangerous driver behaviors like speeding and the tragic consequences they have on roadways.
“Operation Southern Slowdown is a focused, collaborative effort to enforce traffic laws and educate drivers on driving behaviors that lead to fatal crashes, striving to one day experience zero fatalities on our roadways,” said FHP Colonel Gary Howze II. “FHP is proud to work with our law enforcement and public safety partners across state lines to provide a safer driving environment for everyone.”
Pictured: A Florida Highway Patrol trooper stops a motorist on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.