Ribbon Is Cut To Reopen The Newly Rebuilt Ascend Community Park
January 19, 2023
After a brief rain delay, the ribbon was cut Wednesday morning to reopen the renovated Ascend Community Park.
Ascend Performance Materials CEO Phil McDivitt was on hand to offer remarks and congratulate the teams from Ascend and Turner Industries who led the effort to restore the park after extensive damage from Hurricane Sally.
“Parks are about family,” said McDivitt. “For 70 years, our Pensacola site has employed fathers and mothers, their children and now grandchildren in this community, so Ascend is also about family. We’re happy to be able to welcome the community and their families to the park once again.”
The park, located at 3098 Old Chemstrand Road in Cantonment, is now open from sunrise to sunset daily.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Pictured top: Ascend employee Chuck Langham, who managed much of the renovation work, cuts the ribbon to reopen the Ascend Neighborhood Park. Pictured first below: The first visitor to the park Wednesday enjoys the slide. Picture second below: Ascend Performance Materials CEO Phil McDivitt makes remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Pictured bottom: Employees from Ascend Performance Materials and Turner Industries celebrate the reopening of the Ascend Neighborhood Park. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Arbor Day Tree Giveaways Friday In Century, Saturday In Molino, Pensacola
January 19, 2023
Florida Arbor Day tree giveaways will be held Friday in Century and Saturday in Molino and Pensacola.
Century – Friday
The Florida Forest Service and the Town of Century will hold a tree giveaway for Florida residents beginning at 10 a.m. Friday at the community center on West Highway 4 at Industrial Boulevard. Trees available will include live oak, red maple, mayhaw, red cedar or dahoon holly. There is a limit of two trees per person while supplies last.
Molino, Pensacola – Saturday
Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, there will be a tree giveaway at the Molino, Bellview and Tryon branches of the West Florida Regional Libraries. Species available include live oak, dahoon holly, mayhaw, and Walter’s viburnum. There is a limit of two trees per household while supplies last.
Poarch Creek Tribal Police Chief Mike Reynolds Passes Away
January 19, 2023
Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Police Chiefs Mike Reynolds passed away unexpectedly Wednesday after suffering a heart attack. He was 59.
“Mike worked tirelessly to ensure our public safety while forging deep connections with countless Tribal members and our neighbors. His loss will be felt deeply by many,” Tribal Chair and CEO Stephanie Bryan said. “Our deepest condolences and prayers are with Mike’s family and his many law enforcement colleagues.”
Mike became the Poarch Creek chief of police in 2016 after a 35-plus year career in law enforcement in Mobile County and for the city of Chickasaw in Alabama.
Escambia’s Teacher Of The Year Is Angela McFarland Of WFHS
January 19, 2023
Angela McFarland of West Florida High School has been named the Escambia County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.
McFarland joined the district in 1996 as a Pine Forest High business teacher. After spending four years in the same position at Washington High, McFarland was hired as a business and multimedia teacher at WFHS in 2009. She has also taught with the Escambia Virtual Academy since 2020.
“Mrs. McFarland’s contributions to Escambia County Public Schools epitomize the dedication, flexibility and innovation so necessary to prepare our students for a successful and meaningful future. She is truly an invaluable asset to her students, her school and this community as a whole,” said Superintendent Tim Smith.
She will now represent Escambia County in the state Teacher of the Year competition.
NorthEscambia.com is continuing to spotlight Teachers of the Year from the North Escambia area during January.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Gets Nearly 21 Years For Murdering His Half-Sister, Burying Her Body Near Jay
January 19, 2023
A man has been sentenced to nearly 21 years in prison for murdering his half-sister five years ago before burying her body outside Jay.
Jerry Savoy Phillips Jr., 31, pleaded no contest to second degree premeditated murder with a firearm for the death of his half-sister, 38-year old Felicia Kuswandy. He was sentenced to 249.45 months in state prison.
Kuswandy’s remains were found buried behind a home in the 7700 block of Highway 4 east of Jay on December 14, 2018. The murder was believed to have occurred on or about November 12, 2017.
Phillips was jailed in Alabama on drug trafficking charges until late October 2020, at which time he was formally charged with his half-sister’s death in Florida.
Flomaton Police Arrest Harassment, Trespassing Suspect
January 19, 2023
The Flomaton Police Department arrested a suspect this week that had been wanted since an incident on December 20.
Jeremy Alan Crapps was wanted for trespassing first degree and harassment.
Police Chief Johnny Wilson said Crapps entered the yard of an abandoned house on Ringold Street that was posted no trespassing.
The homeowner told police they exchanged words, leading to the harassment charge, Wilson said. The homeowner never saw Crapps enter the house.
Crapps was issued a notice to appear when he was arrested on Martin Luther King Drive in Flomaton.
U.S. Marshals, ECSO Arrest Three Suspects On Multiple Charges
January 18, 2023
Three suspects were arrested yesterday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals.
Sabastian Scott LaFountain, 22, was charged with attempted homicide, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and firing a weapon in public. On December 27, LaFountain allegedly opened fire on Pipeline Road. Responding deputies found shell casings in the road and bullet holes in a residents. A short time, later, a victim arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg. The victim told deputies that he was shot during an argument with LaFountain.
Larry Franklin Reid, 46, was charged with fleeing/eluding law enforcement, aggravated assault with a daily weapon, firing a missile into a dwelling, vehicle or building, criminal mischief over $1,000, and attempted first-degree premeditated murder.
Ryan Lynn Faulk, 32, was charged with failure to appear for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
LaFountain’s bond was set at $125,000. Reid and Faulk were booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Man Convicted Of Chemstrand Road Home Invasion, Rape, Kidnapping
January 18, 2023
A jury has found an Escambia County man guilty in a Chemstrand Road home invasion robbery that led to the kidnapping and rape of the victim.
Billy Ray Smith, Jr., was convicted of burglary of a dwelling with a battery, sexual battery with a deadly weapon, armed kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft auto, theft of a credit card, fraudulent use of a credit card, petit theft, and battery.
On August 18, 2021, Smith entered the victim’s home on Chemstrand Road while she was asleep on the couch, according to prosecutors. He put a gun to her head, threatened her, demanded money, and ransacked her home.
He then put the victim in the trunk of her car and drove to a vacant lot, where he raped her at knifepoint. He then used the victim’s debit card and withdrew money from an ATM in the area, and then stole the victim’s car, and ultimately left the victim duct taped to a chair in her bathroom.
Smith was seen on surveillance video driving the victim’s car, using her debit card, and hiding her property behind a dumpster. Fingerprint evidence linking him was also located.
Smith faces a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced on March 9.
Century Man Charged With Shooting Into Vehicle In Atmore, Unrelated Rape
January 18, 2023
A Century man has been charged with shooting at a vehicle in Atmore and an unrelated rape.
E’Monee DeMontae Long, 20, was charged with two counts of attempted assault first degree, two counts of reckless endangerment, two counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and rape second degree.
Earlier this month, Atmore Police responded to the area of Brooks Lane where Long allegedly chased and shot into an occupied vehicle.
The rape charge against Long stemmed from a 2020 incident. Atmore Police did not arrest him then because he was charged with murder in a November 2020 triple shooting on Alger Road in Century. In August 2022, Florida authorities dropped first degree murder and aggravated battery charges against Long due to insufficient evidence.
Long remained in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton without bond.
Century Swears In Second New Interim Council Member
January 18, 2023
The Town of Century swore in the second of two interim town council members Tuesday night.
The year opened with two vacant council seats after no one ran for them during last year’s elections. On January 2, the three sitting council members appointed Shelisa McCall Abraham and Alicia Johnson to the seats. Abraham took the oath of office January 2, but Johnson was unable to attend that meeting.
Johnson was sworn in Tuesday night.
Abraham is currently the president of the Century Area Chamber of Commerce and has spent about 30 years in the financial services industry. Johnson was Century’s water and wastewater superintendent until she resigned in March 2019 after several years with the town.
The interim seats will be filled by a special election in March.
Pictured above: Alicia Johnson (center) takes the oath of office for Century Town Council Seat 4 Tuesday night. The oath was administered by Town Clerk Leslie Howington while the Bible was held by Mayor Ben Boutwell. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.