Body Found In Cantonment Along East Kingsfield Road
March 3, 2023
A body was in Cantonment Friday morning.
Workers in the area located thed decomposed body along East Kingsfield Road, just west of Riddle Road. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, there does not appear to be foul play involved in the death, but investigators are working with the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death, the approximate time of death, and the identity of the individual.
“The individual appears to have been deceased for a while,” ECSO spokesperson Morgan Lewis said.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Officially Approves Funding For EREC’s North Escambia Fiber Internet
March 3, 2023
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission officially approved an agreement with Escambia River Electric Cooperative (EREC) with their partner firm Conexon Connect to provide high speed fiber internet to North Escambia.
The Connect, powered by Escambia River Electric Cooperative, network will span approximately 600 miles of fiber network in Escambia County reaching over 4,000 electric member locations with an estimated cost of $24 million.
EREC and Conexon will construct, own, operate and maintain the fiber network while providing broadband internet in areas of Escambia County within EREC’s electrical service area. In addition, EREC will provide broadband internet service and additional “dark” fiber (without internet service) for all county owned facilities within the EREC footprint for two years at no additional cost to the county.
Escambia County will contribute $6.3 million from American Rescue Plan funds. EREC will be responsible for the balance of the project cost.
The network is expected to be complete to 4,000 locations in EREC’s territory in Escambia County by mid-2024, with initial service availability targeted as early as the third quarter of 2023.
Three basic speed tiers will be available:
- 100 Mbps/100 Mbps — $49.95/month
- 1 Gig/1Gig — $79.95/month
- 2 Gig/2Gig — $99.95/month
Qualifying households can receive a $30 per month discount through the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The fiber will bring smart grid capabilities to EREC’s electrical infrastructure, including improved power outage response times, better load balancing, more efficient electricity delivery and more, according to the cooperative.
Conexon and Conexon Connect work with electric cooperatives to provide fiber broadband to their members. With its clients, the company has designed more than 200,000 miles of fiber, builds more than 50,000 miles of fiber annually and has connected more than 500,000 rural Americans to fiber to the home.
Wanted Sex Offender Captured After Tip From NorthEscambia.com Reader
March 3, 2023
A convicted sex offender on the run from authorities was captured Friday in Alabama, thanks to a tip from a NorthEscambia.com reader.
Bobby Joe Simmons, Jr., was wanted for a sex offender violation for providing false registration information. According to Santa Rosa County Crime Stoppers, he is known to be violent.
According to Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Heath Jackson, Simmons was captured at the Gandy Mobile Home Park off old Atmore Road west of Flomaton. A reader sent the location to NorthEscambia.com, and we in turn provided it to law enforcement.
Simmons had a previous address on Scenic Lake Drive in Jay at the time of his last arrest in Santa Rosa County. At the time he last provided a registration address to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, he was residing on Community Church Road in Flomaton.
In January 2015, Simmons was convicted of lewd or lascivious sexual battery of a victim age 12-15.
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
March 3, 2023
Tate High School recently named their Students of the Month for December. They are Kadyn Austin (pictured left) and Mason Mulholland. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Woman Claims $1 Million Lottery Scratch-Off Prize
March 3, 2023
An Escambia County woman has claimed a $1 million scratch-off lottery prize.
Janice Ryan, 67, claimed her prize at the Florida Lottery Pensacola District Office.. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $820,000.00.
Ryan purchased her winning ticket from Lucky Penny, located at 7111 West Fairfield Drive in Pensacola. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.
The $50 game, 500X THE CASH, features a top prize of $25 million.
Laziness Encouraged: No Mow March Promotes Pollinators in the Panhandle
March 3, 2023
Need an excuse to not mow your lawn for a month?
UF/IFAS Extension agents in the Florida Panhandle are asking residents to skip their soon-to-be-weekly outdoor chore until the calendar flips to April.
The idea for “No Mow March” is borrowed from “No Mow May,” a concept begun in the United Kingdom that has now spread to northern parts of the United States.
“Obviously, our lawns are growing way too quickly by the time May rolls around,” said Beth Bolles, UF/IFAS Escambia County horticulture agent who is leading the pilot effort this year. “Here in North Florida, March is our transition period, when grass is exiting dormancy. But it’s also when pollinators are starting to become more active, so it’s the perfect time to celebrate them and promote their health and habitat.”
Bolles is quick to point out, though, that the month is about more than just turf.
“We recognize that some communities have rules to follow regarding their lawns,” she said. “There are other things you can do to encourage pollinators to visit, whether it’s container plants or adding new shrubs or pollinator houses. We encourage everyone to find their own way to participate.”
You can sign the No Mow March Pledge by clicking or tapping here.
By The Numbers: How Many Calls Did Escambia Fire Rescue Answer Last Month?
March 3, 2023
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to 80 fires during February.
The department’s 1,742 calls also included 178 vehicle crashes and 657 medical calls.
Details are in the infographic below.
This infographic includes a sampling of Escambia Fire Rescue calls for service during February 202..
Firefighters Battle Van Fire At Cantonment Gas Station
March 2, 2023
Firefighters battled a vehicle fire at a Cantonment gas station Thursday afternoon.
The fire was reported in the engine compartment of a passenger van at the gas station on Highway 29 near Tree Street, across from International Paper. The fire was quickly extinguished by Escambia County Fire Rescue..
There were no injuries reported, and no damage to any structures.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Manager, Customer Charged After Shots Fired Disturbance At Century Mexican Restaurant
March 2, 2023
The manager of a Century Mexican restaurant and a customer are facing charges following in incident an which a juvenile employee allegedly fired a gun.
Manager Salvador Sotelo-Nunez (pictured left), age 48 of Flomaton, was charged with furnishing a weapon to a minor under age 18, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and battery. Customer Brent Allen Johnson (pictured right), 21, was charged with felony criminal mischief with damage over $1,000.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shots fired call January 19 at Vallarta’s Restaurant at 9010 North Century Boulevard.
According to an arrest report, Johnson and a female were asked to leave because the restaurant was closing. Sotelo-Nuneztold deputies that Johnson paid his bill and became angry on the way out, lunging toward him in an aggressive manner. He said a scuffle followed at the door when Johnson repeatedly pulled on the door in an attempt to open it and regain entry to the restaurant, the report states.
Sotelo-Nunez told deputies that “Johnson forcefully pulled the door open against his attempts to hold it closed, he punched Johnson in the face”. Sotelo-Nunez said he and Johnson began to fight outside the business, at which time Johnson went to his truck and returned with a firearm, the report continues.
Sotelo-Nunez went to his office to retrieve his .380 handgun, and a juvenile employee told Sotelo-Nunez to give him the handgun, ECSO said. The juvenile employee then allegedly fired the gun out the door of the restaurant. He later told deputies he fired three shots — two rounds fired into the air as warning shots and one at the rear wheel of Johnson’s truck as he was leaving the restaurant parking lot. Three shell casings were recovered by investigators.
Sotelo-Nunez claimed damage to the door was caused by Johnson punching it, deputies said, and Sotelo-Nunez stated he wished to file charges.
Johnson told deputies that after Sotelo-Nunez forced them to leave, Sotelo-Nunez stepped outside and punched him in the face. He told deputies that he punched and kicked the door because he was angry after being punched in the face, the report states. He told deputies that he never pointed the gun at anyone and kept it in his waistband.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said surveillance video showed Johnson exiting the restaurant at 10:14 p.m., and Sotelo-Nunez following and pushing him in the back and out the door. Sotelo-Nunez then pushed him again, prompting a physical altercation between the two. The video continues to show Sotelo-Nunez retrieve the weapon and give it to the juvenile employee who unlocked the door, went outside and fired a round over North Century Boulevard. After two more shots, the juvenile returned the gun to its holster and placed it inside on the bar.
A second video, the ECSO said, showed the parking lot with Johnson and Sotelo-Nunez in a physical altercation, and it showed Johnson punching the door. It shows Johnson retrieve a firearm from his truck but never point it at anyone, keeping it pointed at the ground. Deputies said the video showed the juvenile employee fired across North Century Boulevard and at Johnson’s truck twice. The employee then exited the restaurant into the parking lot, still pointing the gun at the pickup as it drove northbound on Century Boulevard, according to the arrest report.
It was not immediately clear if the juvenile was charged in the incident.
First Baptist Bratt Holding Spring Fling On Saturday
March 2, 2023
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a community Spring Fling this Saturday.
The free event from 1-3 p.m. will include games, food, popcorn, snowcones, a bounce house and more.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt is located at 4570 West Highway 4 in Bratt, just west of Northview High School.