Escambia Commission Cancels Agenda Review Meeting
June 7, 2023
The Escambia County Commission Agenda Review meeting scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday has been canceled.
The regular public forum will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday with the county commission meeting to follow at 5:30 p.m.
Due to the cancelation of the agenda review meeting, a Community Redevelopment meeting orginally planned for 9 a.m. has been moved to 4:25 p.m. just prior to the agenda review meeting.
Boil Water Notice For Central Water Works Customers Along Highway 4 Near Century
June 7, 2023
Central Water Works has issued a precautionary boil water notice for residents near Century from 370 West Highway 4 to 1341 West Highway 4, Pleasant Hill Road, Junk Road, Fields Road, Carter Lane and Nall Road
A leak was discovered on West Highway 4 west of Lake Stone, near Nall Road., and valved off on Thursday. On Wednesday, the damaged water main will be replaced.
The utility advises that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. Or residents can disinfect water by adding eight drops (1/8 teaspoon) of unscented common household bleach to water; stir; let it rest for 30 minutes before drinking. Residents are also advised to take precautions when bathing, especially immuno-compromised individuals, infants, or the elderly.
Residents located in the specified boil water notice area are advised to boil water for one minute at a rolling boil or to use eight drops of regular unscented household bleach per gallon of water, for water to be used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled.. As an alternative, bottled water may be used.
This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
For more information, contact Central Water Works at (850) 256-3849.
This story will be updated when the boil water notice is lifted.
Pictured: Repairs were underway Tuesday evening to a Central Water Works water main on Highway 4 near Nall Road, just west of Lake Stone. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Conine Homers As Blue Wahoos Beat Biscuits
June 7, 2023
Returning from a long time away, the Blue Wahoos found the place to their liking.
Especially with someone able to lock the doors.
Sean Reynolds continued his pressure-embrace as reliever, producing his league-best ninth save, after twice getting out of precarious situations, as the Blue Wahoos beat the Montgomery Biscuits 5-2 Tuesday night in their first home game since May 21.
Reynolds entered with two runners on in the eighth and got a strikeout to end that inning. In the ninth, he got help from second baseman José Devers, who made a sensational dive on a line drive to produce a game-ending double play with runners on second and third.
Devers also went 2-for-4 at the plate – the only Blue Wahoos hitter with multiple hits on the night.
The win amid a crowd of 4,012 at Blue Wahoos Stadium began the series with a good vibe on “Doggone Tuesday” where fans brought a variety of their beloved dogs to the ballpark.
It also extended the Blue Wahoos’ (32-20) grip on first place in the Southern League South Division against one of the teams chasing.
The Blue Wahoos started Tuesday with a three-run second inning. Griffin Conine blasted a two-run homer into the right-center berm. Cody Morrisette preceded the blast with an RBI sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead.
The Biscuits (26-26) chipped back in the fourth inning on Diego Infante’s run-scoring double and Heriberto Hernandez RBI single.
Insurance was added for the Blue Wahoos on two run-scoring wild pitches by Biscuits reliever Graeme Stinson in the sixth and seventh. Stinson entered with the bases loaded in the sixth, and tossed a wild pitch with Morrisette at the plate.
But Stinson got out of the jam by striking out Conine and J.D. Orr to end the threat.
In the seventh, Stinson threw a pair of wild pitches to score Nasim Nuñez, who had singled, advanced on an errant throw and scored on another.
The second game of the series is set for Wednesday night with the Blue Wahoos having righthander Evan Fitterer (4-1, 3.06 ERA) on the mound. The Biscuits starter was not announced.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Northview Teacher Takes Inappropriate Book Fight To Santa Rosa County
June 7, 2023
A Northview High School teacher that has called for the ban of over 100 books in Escambia County has expanded her fight to Santa Rosa County.
Beginning last year, Vicki Baggett has called for about 115 books to be removed in Escambia County for inappropriate content, saying that many of them are pornographic under Florida law.
“As a 32-year veteran English teacher, I had never seen anything like this, and I actually could not believe what was being purchased and being made available with taxpayers’ funds for minor children,” Baggett told the Santa Rosa County Commission this week.
“Sadly, Santa Rosa County is loaded with these types of books as well,” she said, adding that the school district’s media director said in an email that there were no inappropriate books in the Santa Rosa district.
“As recently as last Thursday I found a book within this school district that has graphic pictures of an adult giving pornographic magazines to minor school age boys, complete with open legged naked women on the magazines’ covers,” she said, holding up printed photos. “And yes, this is in your public school libraries.”
Baggett asked the Santa Rosa County Commission to “write a resolution to encourage immediate action” to remove the books from school libraries in the county. The commission has no authority over the schools; that power belongs to the school board.
Bergosh Talks Beulah Growth, OLF-8 (And Why Car Washes Are Being Built)
June 6, 2023
From discussion on why new car washes are popping up, to a Beulah master plan, to the latest on the development of OLF-8, Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh met with Beulah residents during a town hall meeting Monday night.
The county commission voted in April to enter into negotiations with homebuilder D.R. Horton on the $42 million purchase of the 500-plus acre OLF-8 property. Their mix-use plan will include residential and commercial areas, retail, offices and greenspace.
Bergosh said the future OLF-8 developer will be forced to follow an ordinance taken directly from a master plan.
“Give us a mixture of retail, parks, etc.,” the commissioner read from a citizen comment card during the town hall at Beulah Middle School. “That’s what I want,” Bersogh replied. “I live across the street. That’s what I want.”
“Retail, parks, etc., our traffic and infrastructure can’t handle the houses,” he continued reading from the citizen comment card.
“Yeah exactly. No one wanted houses on that field. I don’t know how that happened, but I did get outvoted on that,” Bergosh said. “We are going to have the housing we negotiated, and not one additional.”
A second developer, Breland Companies of Huntsville, Alabama, had made a cash offer of $35 million for the property, but the company was a no-show to make their presentation at a county commission meeting.
Monday night, the District 1 commissioner said the president of Breland said the day before the meeting that he would be able to attend. Bergosh said he encouraged the company president to send someone else, but they did not.
“They ghosted us. That’s what happened,” Bergosh said.
Other hot town hall topics included traffic and growth in Beulah.
Including a question about car washes.
Several residents asked why Beulah development has included businesses like car washes and convenience stores rather than their favorite retailers and restaurants.
“For whatever reason, they make a lot of money on car washes,” Bergosh said. “When people buy a piece of property, they have property rights. I can’t tell them, hey, you can’t build a car wash. You have to build a Dave & Busters.”
NorthEscambia.com images, click to enlarge.
Free Lunch Available All Summer For Youth At Libraries In Escambia County
June 6, 2023
Free meals for youth are available five days a week at West Florida Public Libraries branches.
In conjunction with Feeding the Gulf Coast, the meals will be served as follows:
Monday-Friday, Noon – 1 p.m.
- Bellview Library
- Molino Library
- Pensacola Library
- Southwest Library
- Tryon Library
- Westside Library
Tuesday-Saturday, Noon – 1 p.m.
- Century Library
The meals, which must be consumed at the library, are for children 18-year old and younger. The meals are also available for disabled individuals 19-years or older who participate in a public or private non-profit program during the school year.
The meals are available on the daily schedule above through August 9, except the July 4 holiday.
Cantonment Woman Facing Drug Charges After Traffic Stop
June 6, 2023
A Cantonment woman is facing drug charges after a June 1 traffic stop in Ensley.
Donna Marie Shell, 38, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Shell for allegedly making an improper turn from Hope Drive onto Pensacola Boulevard.
An ECSO K-9 alerted on the vehicle, leading to the discovery of a “white rock-like substance” that field tested positive for cocaine, a clear plastic baggie with a powdery substance that also field tested positive for cocaine, and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, according to an arrest report.
Shell was released on a $5,000 bond.
NHS Cross Country Summer Conditioning Underway
June 6, 2023
Summer conditioning for the Northview cross country team is being held each morning Monday through Friday at 6:30 at Travis Nelson Park on West Highway 4.
For information about cross country or any other Northview High School sport please contact Athletic Director Obreonne Parker at 850-761-6000, ext 302003.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
California Man Killed In I-10 Crash Near Nine Mile Road Exit
June 5, 2023
A 65-year old California man died in an early Monday morning wreck on I-10 near the Nine MIle Road exit.
The man was driving his pickup truck eastbound in the outside lane when he left the roadway to the right, crossed back over the eastbound travel lanes and overturned in the median, the Florida Highway Patrol said in their report.
The man from San Jose, California, was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no other vehicles involved.
Three Reportedly Injured In Highway 29 Crash Sunday Night
June 5, 2023
Three people were reportedly injured in a two vehicle crash on Highway 29 Sunday night.
The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. on Highway 29 southbound about a half mile south of Highway 196, near the Beams of Light Church.
Escambia County EMS transported the injured persons to a Pensacola hospital.
Highway 29 southbound was closed during the crash investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
Additional details have not been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
