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.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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.
One Airlifted After Highway 97 Crash Into A Utility Pole
February 21, 2023
One person was airlifted to the hospital following a wreck on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill Tuesday afternoon.
The driver of a SUV was northbound on Highway 97 just south of Ernest Ward Middle School when she failed to properly negotiate a curve. The vehicle left the roadway, traveled between several trees and struck a utility pole. The pole was broken in the crash, sending power lines to the ground.
One adult was airlifted by MedStar helicopter to a Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Another adult and a toddler were not seriously injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
Escambia River Electric Cooperative reported about 10 customers lost power along Highway 97 as a result of the downed lines.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Convicted Of 2020 Murder
February 21, 2023
An Escambia County man has been convicted of a 2020 murder.
An Escambia County jury found Trenton Dominic Capri Newkirk, 22, guilty of second degree murder with a firearm.
In the late evening hours of December 29, 2020, at Forest Creek Apartments in Warrington, Newkirk shot and killed 16-year-old Jeffrey Kennell at the front door of Kennell’s apartment. The following day, Newkirk fled to Oregon. Newkirk was subsequently arrested and charged for Kennell’s death.
During Newkirk’s trial, the jury heard evidence that Kennell’s killing was possibly in retaliation for another homicide, which occurred two days prior to Kennell’s. Although Newkirk previously denied being at Forest Creek Apartments on the day of the crime, or having a cell phone, witness testimony placed Newkirk at the scene of the shooting, which was corroborated by location data from his cell phone.
He faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced in April.
Juvenile Murdered In Atmore, Second Juvenile Charged
February 21, 2023
Atmore Police have released few details about a murder Monday night.
According to police, a female juvenile was shot in a vehicle about 10 p.m. near an intersection on Carver avenue by another juvenile, according to Sgt. Darrell McMann The suspect then drove the female to the emergency room at Atmore Community Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
The suspect has been charged with murder and was transported to the Escambia County (Alabama) Detention Center.
Atmore Police have not released any names because both parties are juveniles.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Pictured top: A shooting reportedly occurred inside this vehicle, seen parked behind the Atmore Police Department Tuesday morning. Pictured below: The intersection of Carver Avenue and Ashley Street, just over a block from the Atmore Police Department. The shooting reportedly happened somewhere along Carver Avenue. Pictured below: Atmore Community Hospital. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Failed Century Bridge Closed For Three Years; Now Two More Bridges Now Have Issues
February 21, 2023
A Century bridge that was near collapse has now been closed for over three years, and now the town is looking at repair issues with two more bridges.
On January 29, 2020, the town suddenly closed the bridge on Freedom Road, just east of Jefferson Avenue. Photos obtained by NorthEscambia.com a few days later showed the dangerous conditions that led to the emergency closure. Several pilings under the wooden bridge were no longer properly supporting the structure, and some of the pilings were split or had extreme deterioration (pictured above).
The closure turned Freedom Road into a cul-de-sac with one way in and one way out for residents, including the Camellia Gardens apartment complex.
Now, two more bridges are facing washout issues.
For more photos, click or tap here.
On Jefferson Avenue, just north of Freedom Road, there’s a large area washed out between two large culverts that travel under the concrete structure. Our photographs show a void that extends for several feet under the sloped concrete side of the bridge, but it’s unclear if the void extends under the concrete roadway deck. Mayor Ben Boutwell said the bridge is believed to be safe, but no certified bridge inspection has been done.
And on Jefferson Avenue over Mill Creek, near the old sawmill, there’s another washout problem according to the town.
Boutwell said the town is working to find the funding necessary to make the repairs to all three bridges, if possible.
Repair cost estimates for the Freedom Road bridge are over $1 million — funds Century does not have on hand. Their entire budget for the town and operations like gas and water is just $5.8 million for the entire year.
Boutwell said the town has asked the local legislative delegation to fund two projects — repair the Freedom Road bridge for $1 million plus and $1 million for repairs to the water well that serves Century Correctional Institution.
“But we’ve made it clear that if they can only do one, the water well is the priority,” the mayor said. In August 2022, the well suffered a “catastrophic” failure, forcing the town to switch to an emergency connection to Central Water Works. That has cost the town $52,952 as of the end of February.
The town is also seeking Community Development Block Grant funds for all three bridges.
“We might be able to retroactively apply for Hurricane Sally funds that are available,” the mayor added.
Freedom Road Bridge
In January 2020, Mott McDonald engineers conducted a limited inspection of the bridge and found the following problems:
- A backwall has deflected toward the water, pushing piles toward the water and causing them to rotate, split and no longer bear weight.
- One bridge piling has a split at the top of the pile, but it is providing some support.
- A second pile has been pushed completely out and no longer supports the bridge.
- A third pile has split, and only half the pile is providing support.
- A fourth pile has deterioration with only a three-inch diameter section remaining about six feet below the bridge. The outer pile section has broken.
- There is soil loss behind a backwall.
- There is a large void underneath the roadway on the east side the bridge
“We cannot predict when the…backwall lateral loads will completly fail…causing the bridge the collapse,” engineer Bart Hendricks wrote in his report. “We also cannot predict when the roadway over the void on the southeast corner will collapse”
The age of the bridge was not provided to the engineer, but he determined the timber pilings may be at or beyond the typical life of 30 years. “A better long-term financial decision may be to replace this structure rather than perform repairs,” Hendricks wrote.
Mott McDonald engineers also recommended that the town perform bridge inspections for all bridges that are not inspected by the Florida Department of Transportation. Those inspections are required every two years for longer bridges by the Federal Highway Administration. The town has not moved forward with the inspections.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Pictured top and bottom photos: The closed Freedom Road bridge. Pictured inset and first three photos below: The Jefferson Avenue bridge just north of Freedom Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
