FHP Issues New Appeal For Witnesses In Fatal New Year’s Day Perdido Key Crash
January 3, 2024
The Florida Highway Patrol has issued a new appeal Tuesday for information in a New Year’s Day crash that killed a 56-year old Bay Minette man and seriously injured two 23-year olds near the Flora-Bama on Perdido Key.
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. on Perdido Key Drive about 500 feet from the Alabama state line.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 23-year old struck a raised pedestrian crosswalk, causing him to lose control and hit a concrete utility pole. The 23-year old driver and a 23-year old passenger were seriously injured. A 56-year old male passenger was pronounced deceased.
FHP said Tuesday they are asking any witnesses or anyone that may have assisted the occupants of the vehicle to call them at at *FHP or call Crime Stoppers.
Cantonment Woman Charged With Battery Of Her Girlfriend, Burglary
January 3, 2024
Renea Michele Stackpole was charged with battery, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, criminal mischief, forgery, uttering an altered instrument, and larceny.
Stackpole became involved in a verbal argument with her live-in girlfriend before pushing and choking her, according to an arrest report.
Stackpole is also accused of burglarizing a residence in December, stealing and later forging a check, $2,171 in cash and damaging a door in the process.
She remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Social Security Benefits Increasing In 2024
January 3, 2024
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 71 million Americans will increase 3.2 percent in 2024, the Social Security Administration said. On average, Social Security retirement benefits will increase by more than $50 per month starting in January.
More than 66 million Social Security beneficiaries will see the 3.2 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) beginning in January 2024. Increased payments to approximately 7.5 million people receiving SSI began on December 29, 2023.
“Social Security and SSI benefits will increase in 2024, and this will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
Some other adjustments that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $168,600 from $160,200.
One Killed In New Year’s Day Perdido Key Crash Near The Flora-Bama
January 2, 2024
A 56-year old Bay Minette man was killed and two 23-year olds were seriously injured after a single-vehicle crash early Monday morning near the Flora-Bama on Perdido Key.
The crash happened around 12:30 a.m. on Perdido Key Drive about 500 feet from the Alabama state line.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 23-year old struck a raised pedestrian crosswalk, causing him to lose control and hit a concrete utility pole. The 23-year old driver and a 23-year old passenger were seriously injured. A 56-year old male passenger was pronounced deceased.
FHP is asking any witnesses to call them at at *FHP or call Crime Stoppers.
Megan Carroll Is Northview High School Teacher of the Year
January 2, 2024
Megan Carroll is the Northview High School Teacher of the Year.
NorthEscambia.com is welcoming 2024 honoring the Teachers of the Year from North Escambia schools over the next several days. Escambia County’s overall Teacher of the Year will be named in February.
Flomaton Counterfeit Cash Suspect Arrested For Florida Burglaries
January 2, 2024
A suspect wanted for passing counterfeit cash in Flomaton has been arrested in Escambia County, Florida.
The Flomaton Police Department said 40-year old Aaron Tyrone Madison of Centuy has warrants in Alabama for counterfeit bills, failure to appear, second degree criminal mischief, and first degree theft of property.
Madison was arrested Friday in Escambia County, Florida, on two counts of burglary, along with vehicle theft and second degree petit theft. Details on those charges were not immediately available.
Madison’s bond was set at $125,000 at the Escambia County (FL) Jail as he awaits extradition to Escambia County, Alabama.
2024 To Bring Lower Rates For FPL Customers
January 2, 2024
Florida Power and Light customers could will get some relief in 2024 due to declining fuel costs.
High gas prices in 2022 played a key role in driving up bills in 2023.
However, gas prices have subsided, resulting in utilities not having to collect as much from customers in 2024 to cover the tab.
FPL customers in Northwest Florida who use a benchmark of 1,000 kilowatt hours will pay $149.70 in January, down from the current $154.91. That bill will decrease to $143.06 in April after a storm-related charge ends.
Wet And Cold By Wednesday
January 2, 2024
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers after 3am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 35. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
Wednesday: Showers. High near 49. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. East wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 51. Breezy, with an east wind around 20 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 52. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Tuesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Mc David FL
30.87°N 87.48°W (Elev. 269 ft)
Visit your local NWS office at: https://www.weather.gov/mob
Bratt Elementary School Celebrated Leaders Of The Month
January 2, 2024
Just before winter break, Bratt Elementary School recently celebrated their December Leaders of the Month with a pizza party. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Here’s What Went Viral On North Escambia During 2023
January 1, 2024
Here’s a look at the NorthEscambia.com stories that went “viral” on social media in 2023.
They are not necessarily the biggest local stories of the year. Rather, these are the stories that gained the most views on social media. All of the stories listed below had at least a 100,000 reach on Facebook.
The most viral story of 2023 was a big boom felt and a fireball seen across the Gulf Coast in late May as a Space X AX-2 capsule entered the atmosphere and landed in the Gulf of Mexico off Panama City. Our quick coverage reached over a half million people on Facebook.
- January – top stories on social media included plans for Amtrak’s return to the Gulf Coast, an Arbor Day tree giveaway, the reopening of the Ascend Community Park and the Tate cheerleaders winning regionals.
- February — We broke the story of WaWa coming to Nine Mile Road, lanes reopened on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, and those Tate cheerleaders took third at state on the way to nationals where they took third place. Another big story was more problems found on two other Century bridges as the Freedom Road bridge sat closed for three years.
- March — NAS Pensacola opened to the public for a weekend, a sci-fi movie was filmed in Molino and all the lanes opened on the Pensacola Bay Bridge while North Escambia had tennis ball sized hail.
- April — The Pensacola Airport warned travelers to arrive early due to TSA upgrades, and winning $1 million lottery tickets were sold in Beulah and Cantonment.
- May – There was the SpaceX return. NAS Pensacola opened to the public seven days a week; it was high school baseball season and Nine Mile growth saw us break stories about WaWa, Panera Bread and Chipotle plans for the area. It was also big news about high school graduations.
- June – A Pensacola Police officer shot and killed a man during an altercation in Cantonment; an Escambia County deputy and a citizen were sucked about 100 feet through a drainage pipe under a 4-lane road with both surviving.
- July — July on the Gulf Coast means the Blue Angels at Pensacola Beach, and we ran multiple photo galleries. Two pedestrians were killed crossing North Century Boulevard in a construction zone, and big development was announced for Molino with thousands of homes and apartments.
- August — Residents learned that their local Winn Dixie stores will be sold to Aldi; a new Waffle House was proposed for Beulah and more winning lottery tickets were sold in North Escambia.
- September — D.R. Horton withdrew an offer for OLF-8 and high school football got into full swing.
- October – It was time for homecomings, plans were approved for a WaWa store in Beulah, and a semi truck careened through a Highway 97 mobile home in Walnut Hill. IP announced they would permanently cease operation on one local production machine at their Cantonment plant.
- November - November saw the Blue Angels homecoming weekend; a dog adopted after 300 days in the county animal shelter and the opening of the new Navy Federal Recreation Center.
- December – big stores included Christmas lights with goats in pajamas in Bratt; graduate number 100,000 walked the stage at UWF, a high speed FHP chase and crash on Highway 29, and the return on the Molino Christmas parade.
Pictured above: A SpaceX Dragon capsule streaks across the night sky above Highway 164 between McDavid and the Christian Home community Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Photos below courtesy SpaceX.
