Two Killed In Baker Crash
July 15, 2012
Two people were killed in a head on crash on Highway 4 in Baker Saturday morning.
The Florida Highway Patrol says 63-year old Charlotte Black of Kentucky was southbound on Highway 4 near Baker School when she crossed into the path of a 2011 Toyota Camry driven by John Joseph St. John, 81, of Niceville. A third vehicle, a 2009 Ford Fusion driven by 55 year old Venia Groves of Bessemer, Ala, was also involved in the 6:30 a.m. crash.
A passenger in the Surburban, 87-year old Racine D. Ison of Kentucky, and St. John were pronounced deceased at the scene by Okaloosa County EMS. Black was critically injured, while five other passengers in her Surburan received minor injuries.
Charges against Black are pending, according to the FHP.
Pictured: Two people in this three vehicle wreck Saturday morning on Highway 4 in Baker were killed. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Century Crash
July 14, 2012
One person was ejected in a single vehicle rollover accident in the early morning hours Saturday.
The accident happened on Highway 4A near Broomes Road just outside Century. The wreck was discovered by a passerby about 5:15 a.m., but first responders said it appeared the Isuzu Rodeo had flipped several hours before.
Brett Adkisson, 33, was ejected as the compact SUV rolled and came to rest upside down in the edge of a wooded area. He was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola as a “trauma alert”.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the wreck.
Pictured: The driver of this vehicle was ejected sometime Saturday morning on Highway 4A outside Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Set To Begin Budget Making Process
July 14, 2012
The Town of Century is about to begin budget talks for the budget year that begins October 1.
The Century Town Council will hold a Budget Workshop on Thursday, July 19 at 2 p.m. at the Century Town Hall, 7995 North Century Boulevard. The meeting is open to the public.
Photo Gallery: Blue Angels Friday Show
July 14, 2012
The Blue Angels flew a full practice show over Pensacola Beach Friday.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: The Blue Angels over Pensacola Beach Friday afternoon (by Raja Atalla). Pictured below: The Blue Angels over Pensacola Beach Friday afternoon (by Bob Solarski). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Wanted For Questioning In Deputy Shooting
July 14, 2012
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has named a man wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting of a deputy Wednesday night at the Oakwood Terrace Apartments on Truman Avenue.
Investigators are looking for 27-year old Antonio Emmanuel Moorer for questioning. He is described as a black male with brown hair and brown eyes. He is 5-foot, 7-inches, 156 pounds, and has numerous tattoos on his neck, chest and arms. Moorer also goes by the name “Dolphin Face” or “Lil T”.
Deputy Ryan Robinson, 32, was shot as he worked in the apartment complex. He has worked for the Sheriff’s Office since 2006.
A shot was fired into Robinson’s stomach, but his bulletproof vest stopped the round. He was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by ambulance for evaluation. He was treated and released, and is now recovering at home on paid administrative leave pending a medical release.
The incident happened about 10:45 p.m. as three members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Anti-Crime Unit, also known as TAC unit, were conducting “proactive police work” in the apartment complex. Deputy Robinson gave chase, and one of the men fired at him.
Deputies quickly surrounded one apartment and removed four people, one of which they believed to be the shooter. In the meantime, someone stole an unmarked TAC Unit vehicle that was found abandoned a short time later a few blocks away at the intersection of Coons and Norris avenues. A manhunt followed in the area for the suspect with numerous officers, K-9 units and the department’s helicopter.
The manhunt for the suspect and the investigation continued into the early morning hours with the assistance of the Pensacola Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Anyone with information concerning Moorer’s whereabouts or the incident at Oakwood Terrace is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: The scene at the Oakwood Terrace Apartments on Truman Avenue off W Street after an officer was shot Wednesday night. Photo courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Academy Cheerleaders Named AISA State Champs
July 14, 2012
Escambia Academy’s cheerleading squads received multiple awards during a camp this week at Huntington College in Montgomery.
The varsity squad was awarded Home Pom Champs, Extreme Routine champs, AISA Small Squad State Champions, and a Leadership Award. Individual varsity members were also honored. Page Lancaster and Caitlyn Bruley made AISA All Star and UCA All American, and Lancaster was invited to try out for UCA staff.
The junior varsity squad was named Extreme Routine champs and AISA Small Squad State Runner-ups. Individual junior varsity members Bailey Lancsaster and Mikayla Spruill were named UCA All Americans.
Escambia Academy cheerleader sponsors are Bobbi Sasser, varsity, and Katie Brantly, junior varsity.
Pictured top: The Escambia Academy varsity cheerleaders (front, L-R) Co-Captain Caitlyn Bruley, Captain Page Lancaster, (back) Sarah Weatherford, Reagan Bell, Natalie Lassiter, Claire Dawe, Anna Catherine Sasser and Kricket White. Pictured below: The junior varsity Escambia Academy cheerleaders (front, L-R) Co-Captain Bailey Lancaster, Captain Mikayla Spruill, (back) Lanie Allen, Saige Garrett, Kennedy McGhee, Victoria Sawyer, Kallie Byrd and Haley Leachman. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Alleged Gunman Arrested In Liquor Store Shooting
July 14, 2012
A second suspect was arrested Friday night in connection with a shooting that occurred earlier this week inside a Pensacola liquor store.
Lance Anthony Carter, 20, was charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to Pensacola Police Lt. Doug Baldwin. The other suspect – George Lewayne Blount, 24, – was arrested Tuesday and charged with solicitation of attempted homicide. Both men reside at the same address on North P Street.
Detective Jeff Brown said it is believed the shooting may have occurred over money.
Carter, who had been identified during the investigation as the other suspect, was taken into custody after officers found him at a house in the 1400 block of North 48th Avenue. Deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the arrest.
Police responded to Tom, Ann & Buddy’s, 1917 W. Cervantes St., around 9:40 p.m. Monday after dispatchers received a 911 call about the shooting. Upon arrival, police were told a man had been shot inside the establishment and been taken to a local hospital by private vehicle.
Brown said it is believed the incident began when Preston Hines, 29, of 301 Tower Dr., Pensacola, and Blount argued over money. Meanwhile, Carissa Gilliams, 21, got involved in the argument, which escalated into a physical confrontation involving the three of them.
At that point, the victim – Ladarrius Adam Hines – who is Preston Hines’ brother, tried to break up the fight, but Blount reportedly told another male to shoot Ladarrius, Brown said.
Ladarrius Hines told Brown he then ran toward a door but was shot a second time and fell to the floor. Blount and the other suspect ran out of the business and fled the scene.
NHS Grad Wilcoxon Promoted In U.S. Army
July 14, 2012
Casey B. Wilcoxon was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) at the US Army Warrant Officer Candidate School, Fort Rucker, AL, in a ceremony on July 12.
Wilcoxon, formerly a sergeant in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) at Fort Campbell, KY, has been in the Army for six years. He will move on to the US Army’s Warrant Officer Flight Training program, also at Fort Rucker, to receive instruction as a helicopter pilot.
He is a 2006 graduate of Northview High School. Wilcoxon and his wife, Kelley (also a 2006 Northview graduate) and daughter, Kali Grace, will reside at Fort Rucker until his training is completed.
Wilcoxon is the son of the late William Bradford Wilcoxon and Pamela Pritchett and step-son of Erbie Pritchett. His grandparents are James and Mildred Lambeth of Flomaton and the late John Wilcoxon and Grace Wilcoxon of Century.
Weekend Gardening: Spots On Your Crape Myrtle May Mean Disease
July 14, 2012
As the heat and humidity increase in Northwest Florida, expect to see some diseases appear in the landscape. One problem that is popping up on crape myrtles is Cercospora leaf spot. While not a deadly problem, it can greatly detract from the beauty of crape myrtles.
The initial symptom on crape myrtles is the appearance of tan to dark brown spots randomly scattered on yellow to red discolored leaves. The spots develop first on the lower leaves and progress upward in the canopy. Spots will continue to develop from mid-summer through fall. The color change is due to the production of a toxin by the fungal pathogen.
Infected leaves will drop prematurely and serve as a source to spread the pathogen causing further disease development. As the summer progresses, many infected trees will have dropped all but the newest leaves.
Older varieties of crape myrtles are more susceptible to this disease than newer varieties. The crape myrtle varieties most tolerant to Cercospora leaf spot are Natchez, Muskogee, Basham’s Party Pink, Sioux and Tonto.
Long term, this disease is not detrimental to a tree, although it will slow down growth on younger plants. Plants growing in conditions that are not ideal will be more affected by the leaf spot disease.
The best control is selecting a planting site with good air circulation so that the foliage will dry quickly. Thinning interior branches will also promote air flow.
The use of fungicides to control this disease has not been very effective because they would have to be applied repeatedly on a regular basis throughout the growing season. If used, fungicide applications should be started in early summer when the spots are first noticed and continued at one to two week intervals when the weather is warm and wet. Consult your local Extension office for fungicide recommendations.
As always, be sure to read and follow all label directions. Fungicides can be classified by how they work on the fungus or how they work on the plant. Products that work in a similar way on fungi have the same mode of action (also referred to as chemical family or class).
Contact fungicides are sprayed onto plants and act as a protective barrier from pathogen infection. They prevent infections from occurring when applied before symptoms are visible, but infections that have already occurred will continue to develop.
Systemic fungicides move into the plant, but movement inside the plant is limited. The vast majority of fungicides only move upward in the plant vasculature, but not down. Some fungicides only move locally into the plant part treated. Some systemic products exhibit curative action, which means the disease is stopped during its development. For managing fungicide resistance, products with different modes of action should be used in rotations.
Since this disease will result in early defoliation or the loss of leaves, it is critical to practice good sanitation. Raking and destroying fallen leaves should be a routine practice in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
For more information, contact Theresa Friday at (850) 623-3868 or email tlfriday@ufl.edu. Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Wahoos Sweep Twin Bill From Lookouts
July 14, 2012
The Blue Wahoos swept their double header against Chattanooga, taking the first game 2-1 thanks to a seven-inning complete game from starter Tony Cingrani, while a five-run third pushed Pensacola to a 6-1 win in the second contest over the Lookouts as they won their eighth straight series on Friday evening at AT&T Field in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The twin bill sweep, combined with a Montgomery loss tonight, gives the Blue Wahoos a one game lead in the Southern League’s South Division with a 14-8 record in the second half. Chattanooga dropped to 12-10 since the league’s All-Star Break. With the 2-1 series victory over the Lookouts, the Fish have also won each of their last eight series dating back to June 4-7 at Birmingham, the longest such stretch in the Southern League this year.
Pensacola SS Billy Hamilton led off the first contest with a single and then stole second and third to tie for the tenth highest steal total in a single-season in Minor League Baseball history, before drawing a walk in the second game and later swiping second for his 108th stolen base of 2012.
Cingrani (7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) shut down the Chattanooga offense in game one, earning the win after yielding a lone unearned run on just four hits in his seven-inning complete game. It was the first complete game in Blue Wahoos history, as well as the first in the southpaw’s career. Chattanooga starting pitcher Aaron Miller (3.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 4-6 on the year after allowing an earned run on four hits in his 3.1 innings pitched.
The Lookouts plated their lone tally against Cingrani in the fourth, when 3B C.F. Retherford doubled and then advanced to third on a ground out prior to taking home on a passed ball. It was the first run given up by Cingrani since June 22 at Chattanooga, ending a team-high stretch of 24.0 consecutive scoreless innings. The Blue Wahoos then scored their two runs in the first contest in the fourth. 3B David Vidal reached on a two-bagger to right and RF Andrew Means drew a free pass, before both were sent in on C Tucker Barnhart’s triple down the right field line.
Chattanooga struck first in the second game of the twin bill, with a tally in the opening frame thanks to a solo shot from CF Nick Buss. The roundtripper was the fifth of the year for the outfielder and first since June 8.
The Fish however, countered back with a five-spot in the third thanks to a pair of clutch extra-base hits. C Mark Fleury began the inning with a single prior to free passes drawn by RF Josh Fellhauer and CF Ryan LaMarre, which loaded the bases for 1B Bill Rhinehart. The first baseman drove the first pitch into deep right-center for a ground-rule double to plate Fleury and Fellhauer to push Pensacola ahead 2-1. After 2B Brodie Greene’s base-on-balls again got the bases full, LF Bryson Smith cleared the bases with a triple to right, making it 5-1.
Following Hamilton’s free pass and steal in the seventh, LaMarre would bring him home from third with a single to center to complete the scoring for the Fish at 6-1.
Pensacola starter Mark Serrano (5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO) earned the victory to improve to 6-1 after allowing the lone earned run on just four hits while striking out five, while relievers Wilkin De La Rosa (0.1 IP, 1 BB), Curtis Partch (1.0 IP, 1 SO) and Drew Hayes (0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 SO) combined for the final two frames. Lookouts starter Chris Reed (2.2 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB) suffered the defeat after allowing five earned runs on three hits in 2.2 innings.
The Blue Wahoos now head back home to Pensacola Bayfront Stadium for a four-game set with the Jacksonville Suns, the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, with first pitch of the series set for Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. RHP Kyle Lotzkar is expected to get the nod for the Fish, while the Suns’ starter has not yet been announced.
By Andrew Green.
Pictured: Tony Cingrani fired a 7-inning complete game in the 1st game of the twin bill Friday. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.