10,000 Pound Food Giveaway Tuesday Afternoon In Cantonment
May 14, 2023
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will hold a drive-thru 10,000 pound food giveaway Tuesday afternoon, May 16 at Carver Park on Webb Street.
The food distribution will begin at 3 p.m. and continue while supplies last for anyone in need of food. People should line up their vehicles, single file on Webb Street facing north; food will be loaded into vehicles. Identification is required.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Jay Falls 9-7 In 1A Regional To Holmes County
May 14, 2023
Holmes County defeated the Jay Royals 9-7 Saturday in eight innings to win the 1A Regional Final in Jay.
The game was tied at seven each after five. After two scoreless innings, Holmes County added two in the bottom of the eighth for the win.
Justin Smarr went for three innings for the Royals, allowing one hit and four runs while striking out four. Landon Golden tossed two innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Kaden Strength was on the hill for one and a third innings, surrendering five hits and three runs with no strikeouts. Ethan McDonald pitched one and two-thirds innings, giving up three hits and two runs while striking out none.
Justin Smarr led the Royals at the plate, going 3-5. McDonald, Ayden Sowers, Tomas Ravendo and Nahan Smarr added one hit each.
Jay’s season ended at 17-12. Holmes County moves to the 1A Final Four on May 17 against Chipley.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Blue Wahoos Hold off Barons For Seventh Straight Win
May 14, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos won their seventh consecutive game on Saturday night, beating the Birmingham Barons in a nail-biting 6-5 thriller.
Jefry Yan earned the four-out save, stranding two runners in both the eighth and ninth innings, to make a winner of Luis Palacios in his Blue Wahoos season debut.
With the win, the Blue Wahoos have won an incredible 15 of their past 16 games, with only a May 5 loss to Mississippi separating an eight-game winning streak and their active seven-game streak.
Palacios allowed a two-run homer to Taylor Snyder in the second, but the Blue Wahoos evened up the score in the third on an RBI double from J.D. Orr and an RBI single from Nasim Nuñez. In the fifth, Barons starter Garrett Schoenle almost escaped trouble before allowing a go-ahead three-run double to Victor Mesa Jr. that gave Pensacola a 5-2 edge.
Griffin Conine added some insurance with an RBI double in the sixth, and it turned out to be crucial as Palacios allowed three runs in the home half of the inning to draw the Barons to within a run at 6-5.
Austin Roberts and Brady Puckett contributed scoreless relief before Yan worked out of trouble in the final two innings to earn the save.
The Blue Wahoos wrap up their series against the Barons on Sunday afternoon in Birmingham.
by Erik Bremer/Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Mother, Her Stepfather Boyfriend Charged With Murder Of Her 2-Month Old Baby
May 13, 2023
A mother and her stepfather, who is also her boyfriend, are charged with the murder of a 2-month old baby in Escambia County, Alabama, according to authorities.
“The child had numerous bruises to the body and had suffered severe head trauma,” Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Heath Jackson said Friday night about the April 9 death.
Shelby Shyanne Comalander, 24, and Larry William Jackson, 48, are both charged with murder and aggravated child abuse. Jackson faces an additional charge of possession of methamphetamine. Both are residents of the 200 block of Riley Road in the Poarch community north of Atmore.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office and Alabama Department of Human Resources investigation led to the arrest.
Both suspects were booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center without bond. Additional details have not been released as the investigation continues.
NAS Pensacola Open This Weekend In Advance Off Full-Time Schedule
May 13, 2023
Naval Air Station Pensacola is open to the public Sunday, May 14, in advance of a return to a full-time schedule on May 17.
Public access to the air station will be available from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. through the West Gate only, located at the south end of Blue Angel Parkway. Areas of public interest onboard NAS Pensacola include the Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, the National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) and Fort Barrancas. Access to Barrancas National Cemetery is always available to anyone with family interred at the cemetery through the Visitor Control Center at the Main Gate.
NAS Pensacola is scheduled to open to the public seven days a week beginning May 17.
Foreign nationals will not be allowed access. Non-DoD cardholders operating vehicles with trailers will not be allowed to enter. Access will be dependent on available parking at the National Naval Aviation Museum and Pensacola Lighthouse. Once parking is full, public access will be halted until more parking becomes available. Temporary traffic control points will be located on base to prevent public access to other areas of the installation.
The following restrictions will apply to visitors during public access:
- No weapons (firearms/knives) allowed (to include concealed weapon permit holders)
- No backpacks/coolers allowed (diaper bags or medically required bags are acceptable and subject to search)
- No alcoholic beverages allowed
- No drones allowed (countermeasures will be taken)
- Persons with felony convictions are not authorized base access
- All vehicles and personnel are subject to security searches and background checks
- No visitors with boats or boat trailers.
The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Navy require any identification card used for base access to be compliant with the Real ID Act of 2005. Real ID compliant identification cards are marked by a star on the upper right of the card.
ECUA Residential Recycling Still On Hold, But A Return Date Is Planned
May 13, 2023
Residential recycling collections have headed into the landfill for the past month, but ECUA has announced a plan to return to full recycling operation.
ECUA’s recycling facility closed for residential mixed use recycling on April 14 due to what ECUA said was a “staff turnover” and downtime to hire and train employees for the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).
Friday, ECUA said they expect a soft start for the facility the week of May 22 and a return to full operations on June 12.
“Our customers are encouraged to continue to separate and keep good recycling habits, which will help to promote a successful soft-start,” ECUA Public Information Office Nathalie Bowers said.
The MRF continued to receive and process source-separated recyclables, primarily cardboard. Mixed recyclables such as those collected from residences at the curb cannot be processed safely and effectively until the facility is again operational and fully staffed.
ECUA also took advantage of the downtime for maintenance and certain process modifications to improve future plant functionality. These include:
- the replacement of the baler’s motor
- modifications to some chutes’ design to enhance the performance of robots
- rebuilding of the metering bin, which is the first part of the plant process which serves to load recyclables onto the conveyor belt in an even and uniform way.
‘Forcible Friday’ – Cantonment Firefighters Opening Doors That Don’t Want To Be Open
May 13, 2023
Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighters are continually training.
It was “Forcible Friday” this week at the Cantonment Fire Station. Firefighters practiced their skills opening doors by force. The skill allows firefighters to make entry in a variety of situations, including fires and medical emergencies where the occupant can’t open the door.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High’s Rilee Lowery Signs With Coastal Alabama
May 13, 2023
Tate High School’s Rilee Lowery has signed with Coastal Alabama South to continue his athletic and academic career.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Blow Out Barons In Historic Sweep
May 13, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos completed two games on Friday, wrapping up Thursday’s suspended game and playing a seven-inning contest against the Birmingham Barons. They won both, taking the first 22-6 in blowout fashion and cruising to a 5-1 victory in the nightcap.
Thursday’s suspended game, picked up with the Blue Wahoos leading 6-0 in the second, saw the Blue Wahoos set new team records with an 11-run eighth inning and 22 total runs scored.
The Blue Wahoos got a great performance from Dax Fulton (W, 2-4) on the mound and poured on the runs at the plate for their fifth consecutive win.
Fulton allowed three runs and struck out nine over 5.2 innings of long relief after starting pitcher M.D. Johnson was used up in an inning of work on Thursday. After Bennett Hostetler’s grand slam against Vince Vannelle (L, 1-1) on Thursday set the tone for the offense, the Blue Wahoos got two more home runs from Victor Mesa Jr. and Troy Johnston to stretch their lead out further.
Five runs into Pensacola’s eighth inning outburst, more rain arrived and caused a delay of another two hours. The game eventually resumed, and the Blue Wahoos tacked on six more runs for 11 in total. It marked the most runs scored in a single inning in team history, surpassing a nine-run second inning against Chattanooga on on July 13, 2021.
The 22 total runs surpassed a 17-1 win over the Jacksonville Suns on April 21, 2014 for the most runs scored in a game in Blue Wahoos history.
In game two, Jake Walters allowed only an unearned run over 4.0 solid innings and Will Stewart (W, 1-0) fanned six batters over 3.0 hitless innings of relief as the Blue Wahoos won their sixth in a row.
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Griffin Conine drew a bases-loaded walk against Matt Thompson (L, 1-3) before Jan Mercado hit a go-ahead two-run double and J.D. Orr added insurance with a two-run single.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Barons on Saturday night in Birmingham.
by Erik Bremer
Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Is Saturday
May 12, 2023
Residents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties can help feed hungry neighbors in need by donating to the Stamp Out Hunger food drive on Saturday.
This is the 31st year for the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive – the largest, national, single-day effort to put food on the table for millions of Americans.
Food collected in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties stays local, helping to feed those who are struggling with food insecurity in the community.
Residents are encouraged to leave a bag of healthy, non-perishable food items, such as canned chicken, canned tuna, canned fruit in 100% juice, dry breakfast items (oatmeal, whole-grain cereal), canned vegetables, peanut butter, and/or dry beans next to their mailbox prior to regular mail delivery on Saturday, May 14. Residents should not donate items in glass containers or items that have been opened or homemade.
“It’s the easiest way to donate,” said DeDe Flounlacker, executive director of Manna Food Pantries. “Simply place your food donations at your mailbox, and your letter carrier will do the rest.”
Escambia and Santa Rosa letter carriers will collect food donations that will benefit individuals and families served by Manna Food Pantries, Feeding the Gulf Coast, ACTS Ministries, We Care Ministries, and Warrington Emergency Aid Center.