Florida Gas Prices Return To 2023 Highs, AAA Says
April 10, 2023
Florida gas prices rose 12 cents per gallon last week. On Sunday, the state average was $3.58 per gallon. That’s tied with the highest price of 2023, which was initially set in late January.
“Last week’s jump at the pump was expected, after OPEC announced oil production cuts that immediately caused oil prices to surge,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Fortunately, after the initial gains on Monday, the oil market plateaued through the rest of the week. It’s possible that retail gas prices could inch up a little more this week before fully adjusting to the moves in the futures market.”
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $3.40 A low of $3.35 could be found in North Escambia on Highway 29 in Cantonment, while in Pensacola the bottom dollar price was $3.19 at the warehouse clubs.
The U.S. price of oil rose 6% on Monday, after OPEC announced plans to cut more than a million barrels of oil per day. In March, oil prices plummeted on the banking crisis and concerns about an economic recession that would reduce fuel demand. OPEC’s plans to cut production removes oil from a global market that was already tight on supplies. Their goal is to keep upward pressure on oil prices and that appears to be working.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Falter Late in 6-3 Loss To Biscuits
April 10, 2023
Patrick Monteverde ended last season as one of the top minor league pitchers in the Miami Marlins organization.
He began anew the same way, throwing a superlative-filled, one-hitter for the Blue Wahoos in six innings Sunday, but the Montgomery Biscuits rallied in the final two innings against Pensacola relievers for a 6-3 win in the series finale of the opening weekend at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
A crowd of 3,878 endured one of the coldest home games in franchise history. The game-time temperature of 61 degrees, not accounting for the wind-chill, didn’t equate to the 57-degree temperature for a game in 2014.
Those in attendance watched a pitching duel through seven innings. The Blue Wahoos (1-2) provided Monteverde a 1-0 lead on Joe Rizzo’s RBI double to score Nasim Nunez, who led off with a single.
Monteverde, 26, rated the No. 30 prospect in the Marlins organization by MLB Pipeline, faced only 20 batters in the six innings. Aside from the fourth-inning single by Mason Auer, only three other batters got a ball out of the infield.
Now in his third minor league season, this was easily one of the best performances in his professional career. Monteverde, a Pittsburgh native, was an 8th round pick by the Marlins in the 2021 draft, after his junior season at Texas Tech.
Monteverde’s pivotal inning Sunday was in the fourth, following the one-out single by Auer. He walked the next batter Logan Driscoll on four consecutive pitches, then briefly walked off the mound in disgust.
He then regathered himself and struck out the next two batters. He threw a cutter to strike out Austin Shenton to end the inning, then retired the next six batters he faced in order to put a bow on the day. The lefty’s 11 strikeouts established a new career high.
Brady Puckett followed with a clean inning in the seventh. But the Biscuits (2-1) produced three runs off Austin Roberts in the eighth inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Alika Williams.
The Blue Wahoos’ Paul McIntosh energized the crowd with his two-out, two run single in the bottom of the inning. The hit scored Victor Victor Mesa, who reached on an error, and Nasim Nunez who coaxed a one-out walk.
Blue Wahoos closer Sean Reynolds was unable to seal the win, however, in the ninth inning. The Biscuits’ Driscoll led off the inning with a home run that nicked the right field foul pole as it was curving out of the field. That tied the game.
He then plunked next batter Herberto Hernandez and Austin Shenton followed with an RBI double. Williams then finished the scoring with a two out RBI single.
The Blue Wahoos will have an off day on Monday, then will begin a six-game road series on Tuesday against Biloxi Shuckers in Biloxi, Mississippi.
written by Bill Vilona, photo by Nino Mendez/Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Canceled: Police Searching For Missing, Endangered Flomaton Woman
April 9, 2023
UPDATE: This alert was canceled Monday morning. Additional information was not provided.
The Flomaton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating Kimberly Tate Earwood who is considered missing and endangered.
Police said Earwood is a 47-year old white female that may be living with a condition that could impair her judgment. She was last seen Monday, April 3 in the area of Highway 31, according to information released late Saturday night by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
Earwood may be traveling in a silver 2012 Kia Soul with Alabama tag 30CZ898. She is 5-feet 6-inches tall, weighs 200 pounds and has brown eyes. Her hair color was listed as unknown or she may be bald, according to police.
Anyone with information is asked to call Flomaton Police at (251) 296-5811 or 911.
Pine Meadow Elementary Kindergarten Students Enjoy Egg Hunt, Bunny Visit
April 9, 2023
Kindergarten students at Pine Meadow Elementary School had a visit from the Easter Bunny last week, an egg hunt, a jelly bean sorting activity, and more.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Cheerleaders ‘Egg’ Yards Across North Escambia
April 9, 2023
Kids across North Escambia found eggs hidden in their yards Easter morning with the help of the Tate High School cheerleaders.
Tate Cheer held an “Egg My Yard” fundraiser. For donations that started at $15, the cheerleaders hid pre-filled eggs Saturday night in yards north of Nine Mile Road.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Popeyes Chicken And A Prayer: Jail Inmates Celebrate Easter
April 9, 2023
Easter was celebrated a little early at the Escambia County Jail in Brewton.
After current Sheriff Heath Jackson took office, he started an Easter tradition five years ago of a good meal and, for those that wish to participate, prayer.
Saturday, the inmates were provided Popeyes chicken with biscuits, and the inmates decided who they wanted to lead them in worship.
“Jesus loves us all, even when we make bad decisions,” Jackson said.
For the past five years, the meal has been provided by Josh Godwin and Elliot Faircloth at Popeyes in Brewton.
Pictured above and below: Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Heath Jackson and staffers serve an Easter meal Saturday inside the Escambia County (AL) Jail. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Aggies Drop Two In Tallahassee
April 9, 2023
The Tate Aggies dropped two games in Tallahassee, including one on the final play of the game.
Lincoln 4, Tate 3
The Tate Aggies lost to Lincoln 4-3 on the last play of the game Friday in Tallahassee.
Drew Reaves gave up three runs and five hits, striking out seven, in six and a third innings.
Frank Randall and Brayden Touchstone both went 2-3 for the Aggies. Reaves, Caden Kelly, and James Davis each added one hit for Tate.
Chiles 12, Tate 4
Chiles defeated the Tate Aggies 12-4 Saturday in Tallahassee. Complete stats were not available at publication time.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Camp Fire Kids Attend Easter Egg Hunt At Century Health And Rehab
April 9, 2023
The children at the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center recently attended an Easter Egg Hunt with the staff and residents at the Century Health and Rehabilitation Center. Residents enjoyed filling goody bags for the children before the event. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
McIntosh Slams Blue Wahoos To 12-7 Win
April 9, 2023
Blue Wahoos catcher Paul McIntosh was the team’s second-best power hitter during the Blue Wahoos’ memorable past season.
He showed that pop in the second game of 2023 with one big, first-inning swing and cannon ball grand slam into the stadium’s Pepsi Pirate Deck area, igniting the Blue Wahoos’ 12-7 victory Saturday night against the Montgomery Biscuits.
And then, more flares followed in the air with the traditional Saturday, post-game fireworks display, completing the night before another sellout crowd at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
McIntosh, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI and scored a run, was among four Blue Wahoos players with multiple hits in the game. He bombed a 95 mile-per-hour fastball with 113 mph exit speed that carried 440 feet into the right-center berm area. It was part of Pensacola’s 8-0 lead into the fifth inning.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos evened the season-opening, weekend series on a night when star prospect Eury Pérez had a rocky end to his start on the mound.
Perez struck out the side in the first inning, got a double-play to end the second inning, then retired six of the next seven batters.
But in the fifth, he gave up a leadoff home run to Biscuits catcher Logan Driscoll, then two walked a pair and didn’t record an out in the inning.
He was lifted when right fielder Dane Myers dropped a fly ball that led to two more runs scored. Pérez finished with four innings pitched, three hits, one earned run, three walks and five strikeouts.
Through four innings, the Blue Wahoos had eight runs on eight hits and eight of the nine hitters in the batting order had reached base. Seven different runners scored.
It was that kind of start in a game that lasted 3 hours, 13 minutes, and had nine pitchers used.
The season-opening, weekend series concludes Sunday with the Blue Wahoos’ Patrick Monteverde going against Montgomery’s Cole Wilcox.
Written by Bill Vilona, photo by Nino Mendez/Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Two Century Town Council Members Sworn In; First Fully Elected Council In Six Months
April 8, 2023
Good Friday was a good day for the Century Town Council. For the first time in over six months, there is a full house of five elected members on the town council.
Shelisa McCall and Alicia Johnson took their oaths of office and were sworn into office Friday evening.
MCall, in Seat 3, and Johnson, in Seat 4, had served on an interim basis since January and were both elected by a clear majority in a recent special election.
In late September 2022, Leonard White resigned from Seat 3 on the council, citing time constraints due to his job as correctional officer at the local prison. By the end of the year, the term of Seat 4 member James Smith expired. No one ran for two seats during the 2022 election, leading to the interim appointments and ultimately the special election last month.
The oaths of office were given on the Good Friday holiday because the town charter requires that council members be sworn in 10 days following a special election.
Pictured: Shelisa McCall (black dress) and Alicia Johnson (light-colored blouse) were sworn in to the Century Town Council Friday evening. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
