Dirt Sharks, Aggie Mountain Bike Teams Place In Season Opener (With Gallery)
February 23, 2023
The Gulf Coast Youth Mountain Bike Association GCYMBA, kicked off its 2023 season this recently in the Alabama Cycling Association at Chewacla State Park in Auburn with the time trial prologue.
The GCYMBA is made up of 30 athletes grades 6-12 from Pensacola, South Alabama, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. With growth, the association now has two mountain bike teams – the Gulf Coast Composite “Dirt Sharks” and the Aggie Mountain Bike Team which consists of athletes from the Cantonment area.
Despite rain, middle school athletes represented the Gulf Coast very well in rainy and muddy conditions. Finley Fryfogle of the Dirt Sharks earned her first place podium with a big 20 second lead over her closest competitor in the sixth grade girls category. Sofia Franklin of the Aggie Mountain Bike Team won fourth place podium in sixth grade girls category. Braden Ruiz of the Aggie team won fourth place podium in the seventh grade boys category.
The high school athletes faced muddy trail conditions after continuous rain. The Aggie Mountain Bike Team’s Avery Storther won first place in the varsity girls category with a 20 second lead over second place. Eli Forehand of the Aggie team won third place in the ninth grade boys category.
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Northview FFA Celebrates National FFA Week With Breakfast
February 23, 2023
It’s National FFA week, and the Northview High School FFA celebrated with an appreciation breakfast Wednesday morning. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview, Tate Open Baseball Season With Wins; Softball Teams Fall Short
February 22, 2023
The high school baseball and softball seasons opened Tuesday night for the Tate Aggies and the Northview Chiefs. Both baseball teams had wins, while both softball teams fell short.
BASEBALL
Tate 17, Navarre 4
- The Tate Aggies had a 12-run second inning and five home runs Tuesday night in a big 17-4 win at Navarre. Brayden Touchstone had two homers. Ethan McAnally, Drew Reaves and James Davis each had a dinger. Gabriel Patterson earned the win for Tate on the mound.
Northview 7, Flomaton 5
- Cason Burkett led the Chiefs driving in four while going 3-3 at the plate, and earned the win on the mound.
SOFTBALL
Gulf Breeze 10, Tate 0
T.R. Miller 21, Northview 2
- Aubrey Stuckey had a home run in the second for the Chiefs.
Pictured: The Tate Aggies beat Navarre 17-4 Tuesday night in Navarre. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Man Tries To Run Over Man He Thought Was Convicted Sex Offender, ECSO Says
February 22, 2023
A Century man is charged after allegedly trying to run over a man he thought was a convicted sex offender as he walked out of a liquor store.
Kinte Hassan Franklin, 45, was charged with felony aggravated battery using a deadly weapon.
The victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that Franklin was the driver of a maroon car with the window partially down outside the Fusion Liquor store next door to the Food Giant on North Century Boulevard.
The driver, Franklin, told him “I’m going to kill you because you are a convicted child molester,” according to an ECSO arrest report. He then turned the car around and struck the victim in the legs, the report continues. The victim’s wife was with him at the time. She told deputies that another occupant of the vehicle told Franklin, “You just need to run over this [expletive] you just need to kill him”.
According to the ECSO, surveillance video showed Franklin circle the parking lot multiple times and pull up to the victim and say something. The video then shows Franklin pull into a parking spot if front of the store, back out, and then pull forward, striking the victim with the vehicle multiple times.
Franklin was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice National Sex Offender Registry, the victim is not a convicted sex offender.
Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Farm Auction Is This Saturday
February 22, 2023
The 48th Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Farm Equipment Auction will be held this Saturday, February 25, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
The auction includes not only farm equipment, but also household items like tools and small equipment, lawn and garden items, antiques and more.
The sale takes place at the Walnut Hill Community Center, 7850 Highway 97, just north of Ernest Ward Middle School. The deadline for adding lots is 8:00 the morning of the auction.
This is an open, no reserve sale. Ten percent of the price will be assessed to the buyer for all lots sold, with a $500 maximum. There is a $5 minimum fee per lot, and sellers must be present to “no sale” a lot. Settlement must be made the day of the sale with cash, check, cashier’s check or credit card. All sellers will be paid by a check in the mail.
For more information or consignments, call (850) 294-0395 or (850) 380-9973.
Two Escambia Volunteer Firefighters Honored For Military Service
February 22, 2023
Two Escambia County Fire Rescue volunteer firefighters were recognized recently at the Pensacola Navy League Military Recognition Day.
Petty Officer Michael Rosa, USN, and Staff Sergeant Cheyann Smith, USAF, were honored during the ceremony. Outside of their military duties, Smith serves as a volunteer out of the Beulah Fire Station, and Rosa serves out of the Myrtle Grove station.
Rosa received the 2023 Volunteer Service Medal with a certificate of recognition signed by President Joe Biden. Rosa serves as the project lead for a combat support team, leading 26 sailors covering 10 lines of effort. He also is a target analysis report subject matter expert. He has dedicated over 500 hours of service to Escambia County, responding to several fire rescue calls as well as performing EMS-related services.
Smith was recognized as the 2023 Margaret Flowers Award recipient. She serves as the non-commissioned officer in charge of the commander’s support section. She completely overhauled the command booster club to hold 15 separate events which funded her squadron’s holiday party and provided financial support for a squadron mate that lost their spouse. While off-duty, Smith has responded to over 80 fire rescue calls for ECFR. In addition, she was named the 2023 Florida Mother of the Year by the American Mothers Organization.
“Taking the time and being willing to go out of your way to help others without being told to in itself is awesome,” said ECFR Assistant District Chief Yoshimi Core. “‘Service Beyond Self’ is a term heard in the military and in Public Safety. It is a trait of behaviors clearly evident by two of Escambia County’s firefighters. Both Escambia County representatives are also in the military and they share the ‘esprit de corps’ in serving their country and their neighborhood. We can all take pride in having members with these positive traits.”
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Century Approves Garbage Rate Increase. For Some, It’s 5%. Others Will Pay 105% More.
February 22, 2023
The Century Town Council has approved a $1.25 garbage rate increase, but some residents will see an increase of over $13 a month.
Everyone has at least the minimum one-can residential service. But they were charged between $12.98 to $24.85 due to billing blunders.Town Clerk Leslie Howington said no one was paying what was the correct rate of $25.34.
Tuesday night, the council approved a 4.93% , or $1.25, increase, to the correct rate for one weekly pick up of a trash can and twice per month curbside debris pickup of household items and vegetative debris. That puts the new garbage rate at $26.59 across the board.
For a resident that was paying the incorrect rate of $12.98, the new correct charge of $26.59 equates to an increase of $13.61, or 105%.
The town contracts with Republic Services to collect garbage within the town limits. Republic has a provision in their contract that allows them to increase the rates they charge the town each December to match the Consumer Price Index. The town annually passes the rate increase directly along to residents, usually in December.
But over the last several years, town staff had failed to actually adjust the rates in the billing system, so the town has been losing the revenue while paying Republic more.
ECUA D5 Member Stephens Pays Off Student Lunchroom Debt At Tate, Ransom, Kingsfield
February 22, 2023
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority District 5 member Kevin Stephens has paid off the lunchroom student debt at three North Escambia schools.
Stephens made personal donations to pay off cafeteria balances at Tate High, Ransom Middle and Kingsfield Elementary schools. He said $1,000 per school will pay off any outstanding balances and cover future balances for the remainder of the school year.
Breakfast and lunch are free for all students, regardless of income, without any application at 44 schools in Escambia County due to the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program for schools in low income students.
Tate, Ransom and Kingsfield are among the schools in Escambia County that are not eligible for the program, but parents may still apply for free or reduced price meals. Applications are available here.
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Escambia Man Convicted Of Trafficking Fentanyl
February 22, 2023
An Escambia County man is facing up to 30 years in prison for fentanyl trafficking.
Ryan Donald Snodgrass was found guilty of trafficking in fentanyl over 28 grams and driving while license revoked pursuant to habitual traffic offender.
In April 2021, the Florida Highway Patrol stopped Snodgrass for driving with a suspended license. After a K-9 alerted on the vehicle, 56 grams of fentanyl were found under the driver’s seat.
Snodgrass will be sentenced on April 20 and must serve at least a 25 year minimum sentence.
Tate Aggies Tennis Tops Escambia 7-0
February 22, 2023
Tate High School boys and girls tennis defeated Escambia High 7-0 Tuesday. Up next, Aggies tennis will travel to Gulf Breeze on Tuesday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.