Family Identifies Century Homicide Victim As Young Father, Former High School Football Player
October 31, 2023
Family has identified a Century homicide victim as 20-year old Jaheem Durant, the father of a 2-year old.
Durant was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on a sidewalk along North Century Boulevard, near Ramar Street about 1:15 a.m. Sunday.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a homicide, and there were no suspects immediately identified by deputies. Additional details were not available as the investigation continued. Investigators were working to determine if the shooting happened on the roadside or elsewhere.
Anyone with information is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Durant played high school football for both the Northview Chiefs and the Flomaton Hurricanes.
At Northview, Durant was named 2nd Team Defensive End for the Florida 1A All-State football team. He was a member of the Flomaton High School first ever state championship team.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Red Flag Warning: Burn Ban Issued In Santa Rosa, But Not Escambia
October 31, 2023
Officials with the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center are putting a halt to issuing authorizations for all prescribed or pile burns as increased winds and extremely low humidity arrives in the area for the next several days. The cold front coupled with a lack of rain over the past several weeks make for extremely dangerous conditions if any fires were to start.
The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch through Wednesday because of critically low humidity levels – as low as 15-20% – and sustained north winds of 15-20 mph with gusts to 30.
Burn bans are in effect in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, while Escambia County Residents are urged to not conduct any outdoor burning until conditions improve.
“We all know it’s dry and folks just need to be careful,” said David Smith, Operations Administrator for the Blackwater Forestry Center. “It’s not completely out of the ordinary to have a dry fall, but it’s important that people are cautious with what they’re doing in regard to fire until we get some significant rain.”
Pictured: A wildfire in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Florida’s Silver Alert Missing Senior Program Celebrates 15 Years, And Numerous Success Stories
October 31, 2023
This month marks the 15th anniversary of Florida’s Silver Alert program. Since the program’s inception in 2008, more than 3,200 Silver Alerts have been activated, with over 170 this year alone. Florida’s Silver Alert program has been directly responsible for more than 300 recoveries of missing senior citizens.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs Secretary Michelle Branham said, “With over 580,000 Floridians suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the Silver Alert program is essential for helping protect our most vulnerable population. Florida proudly leads the nation in funding for Alzheimer’s disease support services, and it is important we continue to support programs like the Silver Alert as our senior population continues to grow. I am grateful to our Governor for continuing to prioritize our seniors and those who suffer from dementia, and FDLE for their role in helping to keep our seniors safe.”
One of those Silver Alert success stories was four years ago when an 83-year old Beulah woman was found near Century a week after she was reported missing.
She was located off Highway 29 on North Canoe Road, a non-maintained dirt road. Her car was stuck deep in the sand of the roadway, where she had apparently spent most of the week. She was located by two Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies who responded to a report of a suspicious person.
She had apparently been living out of her car, which had a dead battery. She had food…an uneaten loaf of cinnamon bread was on the passenger seat after her rescue. But her major problem was a lack of liquid. She was transported to an area hospital suffering from dehydration.
Silver Alerts are activated statewide at the request of local law enforcement after a senior with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia (ADRD) goes missing in a vehicle. Once a Silver Alert is issued, information about the missing senior is communicated to the public through local media outlets such as NorthEscambia.com, lottery terminals and highway message signs.
Pictured: A Silver Alert missing senior was found in her stuck car on North Canoe Road in 2016.. Pictured inset and immediately below: There was food in the Hyundai Sonata. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fields of Faith: Community Worship Service Wednesday Night At Northview
October 30, 2023
Northview High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes will host a Fields of Faith event at Northview High School Wednesday night, November 1 at 6:30 p.m. in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium.
Admission is free; the public is encouraged to attend.
Fields of Faith is a national student-led initiative. “Students invite, pray for, share with, and challenge their peers to read the Bible and follow Jesus Christ. An athletic field provides a neutral, rally point where a community can come together,” according to national organizers.
Pictured: A 2022 Fields of Faith Event at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Cold Snap Arrives For Chilly Halloween
October 30, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 35. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 32. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 65. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 38. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Cold Front Sending Overnight Lows Into the 30s This Week
October 29, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. North wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Northeast wind around 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 79.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 80.
Florida Gas Prices Declining Again, AAA Says
October 29, 2023
Florida gas prices increased last week, but are moving lower once again. After tying the 2023-low of $3.22 per gallon last Monday, the state average shot up 10 cents to $3.32 per gallon, by Wednesday. The increase was in response to the rise in crude oil prices, which occurred two weeks ago.
Pensacola was the state’s least expensive metro market at $3.06 per gallon on average Sunday. In North Escambia, prices bottomed out at $2.89 at a a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment. A low of $2.84 was available in Pensacola on East Nine Mile Road.
Fortunately, crude oil prices fell last week, and gas prices are doing the same. Florida’s state average declined 4 cents per gallon, Friday-Sunday. The state average was $3.29 per gallon on Sunday. Visit GasPrices.AAA.com to view today’s daily average price.
The U.S. price of crude settled at $85.54 per barrel. That’s down $3.21 per barrel (-4%) from the week before. Gasoline futures declined 6 cents.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Late TD Gives No. 24 Valdosta State 31-28 Win Over No. 18 UWF
October 29, 2023
Never was the old axiom about winning everywhere but on the scoreboard more apparent than in No. 18 UWF’s heartbreaking 31-28 loss to Gulf South Conference rival No. 24 Valdosta State Saturday night.
By most measures, the Argos (6-3, 4-2 GSC) outperformed the Blazers (8-1, 5-1 GSC). Yet, in the final tally, both on the scoreboard and in the GSC standings, Valdosta State came out on top.
UWF held the Blazers to minus-3 yards rushing and 272 yards of total offense while racking up 444 yards of offense (248 rushing and 196 passing), but a series of miscues – a fumble inside their own 5, a pair of missed kicks, a handful of passes that were ever so slightly out of rhythm, a key missed fourth-down conversion, and a few defensive hiccups – added up to three points too few.
“We’ve got to clean up mistakes,” head coach Kaleb Nobles said. “I’m looking at the stats and we won a lot of stats and did some good things, but there are no moral victories. Our guys have got to know. We’ve got to execute on third downs better. We’ve got to get them off the field better. On defense, we can’t give up drive-extending plays, and we’ve got to be better on special teams.”
Early in the contest, the Argos seemed poised to run away with the game. They quickly went ahead with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Peewee Jarrett to John Jiles on UWF’s first drive and followed with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Jamontez Woods 1-yard run and a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
It was the first of two rushing touchdowns on the night for UWF as three players – Jarrett (120 yards), Woods (51), and CJ Wilson (70) – paced a strong ground attack.
Unfortunately, a second-quarter fumble on the UWF 3 resulted in a scoop-and-score for the Blazers and turned the game’s momentum.
“Those guys did a great job,” Nobles said. “I told the guys earlier in the week I wanted to run the football. We had good chances to run the ball. Peewee’s one of our best guys running the football. I gave him a lot of carries and he wants to do that. Best quarterback in the country in my opinion. He’s going to throw the ball well. He’s going to run the ball well.”
Nobles added, “I know everybody is going to focus on the fumble that flipped the momentum, but we are not in that game without CJ, Jamontez, Peewee, Jalen Bussey, those guys.”
In reality, the Argos shook off the fumble reasonably well. Indeed, after Valdosta State tied the game at 14, Jarrett connected with Jiles on a 33-yard pass to push to put UWF up 21-14.
The game would enter the break tied, though, after Blazers quarterback Sammy Edwards scored on a 6-yard run to cap a late-second-quarter drive that covered 77 yards.
Valdosta State didn’t hold a lead in the game until the 0:36 mark in the fourth quarter when Edwards connected on a 28-yard touchdown pass with Ted Hurst.
Jarrett guided the Argos to within field goal range with 1 second to play, but a 51-yard attempt by Griffin Cerra went wide right.
“Unfortunately, kicking is the toughest job on the team … because everybody’s watching you and everybody knows when you mess up,” Nobles said. “You can get covered up at other positions. Griff is going to know, because I am going to tell him enough this week, ‘Hey, it doesn’t change anything. You are our guy. You are the guy I trust, and you are the person we are going to put out there to go make plays … We trust Griff and we know he’s going to help us win games down the stretch.”
POSITIVE TAKEAWAYS NOT HARD TO FIND
Despite the disappointing outcome, there were plenty of positives for the Argos.
The defense, under first-year coordinator Kavell Conner, continued to impress, holding the Blazers to abysmal rushing numbers while keeping Edwards under duress most of the contest.
All told, the Argos sacked Edwards five times and registered seven quarterback hurries.
Junior defensive end Byron Puryear was a constant presence in the VSU backfield and ended the game with two-and-a-half sacks and four hurries to go along with six tackles.
“Get to the quarterback, that’s my job,” Puryear said. “Especially on third down. They brought me here to pass rush and that’s what I was trying to do.”
Senior linebacker Gael Laurent was the team leader in tackles with eight. Defensive tackles John McMullen (1½ sacks) Collin Shaw (1) accounted for the other tackles-for-loss on the Blazer quarterback.
Offensively, Jiles continued to rack up yards and touchdowns. His five receptions for 92 yards and two scores was a team-best and bumped his season tally to 49 catches for 1,017 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Caden Leggett was again solid, hauling in three passes for 50 yards.
STILL MUCH TO PLAY FOR
After the game, Argos players and coaches expressed a mixture of emotions – frustration about a game that slipped away, but also optimism for a season in which a postseason berth is still within reach, although no longer a given.
“We literally don’t know what the future holds for the playoffs, so the best thing you can really do is win out,” Jarrett said. “If you win out, you put the ball in the NCAA’s hands.”
Puryear added, “We’ve still got to play two games for the rest of the season. Nobody is going to quit on each other. We are just going to try to win out and see what it holds.”
For UWF, whatever the future holds will be decided on what the Argos do on the road next week against Mississippi College, where a 2 p.m. Saturday showdown with the 3-5 Choctaws awaits.
Although he said he wanted his team to let the loss “sting”, Nobles stressed that the team putting the Blazers in their rearview mirror quickly would be key as would maintaining the strong character they’ve displayed all season.
“Coaching in the good moments is easy, but coaching in these moments is when you really find out who you are as coaches and as men,” Nobles said. “I told those guys, don’t lose your belief. Don’t lose the heart that you’ve got. Don’t change who you are just because we lose a game. We’ve still got a chance.”
UWF returns home on Nov. 11 for the regular-season finale, a Senior Day contest against Chowan.
by UWF/photo Emily Miller/UWF
Man Found Shot to Death On Century Sidewalk Early Sunday Morning
October 29, 2023
A man was found shot to death early Sunday morning in Century. The man was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on a sidewalk along North Century Boulevard, near Ramar Street about 1:15 a.m.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a homicide, and there were no suspects immediately known. Additional details were not available as the investigation continued.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a homicide. Anyone with information is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Century Blackcat Youth Basketball Registration is Now Open
October 29, 2023
Registration is now open for Century Blackcat Youth Basketball
- Age groups: Pre-Training – Boys and Girls – 5-6 year old
- Training - Boys and Girls – 7-8 year old
- Junior Varsity – Boys – 9-10 year old
- Junior Varsity – Girls – 9-10 year old
- Varsity – Boys – 11-13 year old
- Varsity – Girls – 11-13 year old
Rgister at Centuryrec.com, Registration closes November 8, ,2023.
File photo, click to enlarge.