Tri-City Children’s Choir Christmas Concert Is Thursday Night
December 14, 2022
The Tri-City Children’s Choir will hold their Christmas concert this Thursday night.
The free concert will be at 6:30 p.m. at The Sanctuary on North Century Boulevard (next to Bondurants). Doors will open at 6:15 p.m.
Pictured: The Tri-City Children’s Choir performed several songs at the Century tree lighting on December 2. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Fire Lieutenant Recognized As Florida Professional Firefighter Of The Year
December 14, 2022
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis has recognized Lt. Nick Gradia of Escambia County Fire Rescue as Florida Professional Firefighter of the Year. Gradia is a 2003 graduate of Northview High School. Pictured: Sen. Doug Broxson, Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis, and Rep. Michelle Salzman. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Names Top 5 Teacher Of The Year Finalists
December 14, 2022
The Escambia County School District has named their top five finalists for Teacher of the Year.
In alphabetical order, they are:
- Anna Harageones — A.K. Suter Elementary
- Gary Horne — Washington High School
- Melanie Johnson — Kingsfield Elementary School
- Angela McFarland — West Florida High School
- Allison Roberts — Success Academy
“Our teachers persevere in their instructional efforts against incredible odds. They prepare each student for the future – as they are the future. The district is fortunate to have extremely hard-working and dedicated instructors in every school throughout the county,” Superintendent Tim Smith said. “These top five educators exemplify the very best in the district. We hope you will join us in congratulating these outstanding educators.”
The winner will be announced in late January.
FHP Donates Food To Ronald McDonald House After ‘Stuff The Charger’
December 14, 2022
The Florida Highway Patrol made a donation of about 250 pounds of nonperishable food items to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida on Tuesday. The food was collected during FHP’s annual “Stuff the Charger” campaign. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Free Child ID Kits Going To All Escambia County Kindergarten Students
December 14, 2022
Free child ID kits will be distributed to every kindergarten student in the Escambia County Public Schools.
Parents of kindergarten students will receive a call out from their child’s school, informing them of the date the kit will be distributed. Parents who do not want a kit may contact their student’s teacher or the school administration to make that request.
“Child ID kits are a great, low-tech tool that helps parents record and safely store important identification information about their children. Parents keep total control of the kits and, should an emergency arise, they can quickly present it to law enforcement,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “As a mother, I truly hope no parent ever needs to utilize the kit—but should a child go missing, it could prove vital in helping law enforcement and the public in their search.”
Child ID kits make it easier for parents to collect identifying information by easily recording the physical characteristics, photographs, fingerprints and DNA of their children on identification cards that are kept at home by the parent or guardian if ever needed, the school district said.
The kits are being distributed by the ECPS in cooperation with Attorney General Ashley Moody, the National Child ID Program, Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks, the Florida Sheriffs Association, and representatives from the Department of Education, Florida Association of District School Superintendents, and Florida Association of School Resource Officers.
First Ever UWF QB Kaleb Nobles Named New Argos Head Coach
December 14, 2022
The University of West Florida has named Kaleb Nobles as the second head football coach in program history, as announced by University President Dr. Martha Saunders and Athletics Director Dave Scott.
“We are super excited to announce Kaleb Nobles as our head coach and welcome him and his wife Katy back to Pensacola and the UWF family,” Scott said. “He spent four seasons as a player and member of the coaching staff under Pete Shinnick and understands the culture and values that helped create the foundation the program.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to be the next head football coach at the University of West Florida,” Nobles said. “My wife and I are true Argos as we are both UWF graduates, and I look forward to continuing the legacy of Building Champions For Life.”
Nobles has spent the past two seasons at Clemson University where he had the role of offensive player development under head coach Dabo Swinney. He assisted with the quarterbacks and wide receivers, all game preparation and planning, along with various game day duties. In 2021, Clemson went 10-3 with a Cheez-It Bowl victory and compiled an 11-2 record in 2022, winning the ACC Championship while earning a berth in the upcoming Orange Bowl against Tennessee.
“I am so happy for Kaleb Nobles. He was born to be a football coach and equipped to be a head coach,” Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney said. “One of the main reasons I went and hired him from West Florida is I knew he would come in and really make us better. He has a high aptitude for the game, he’s passionate about it and is a great communicator. Having the opportunity to work with him these past two years has been really fun to see him up close to see how knowledgeable he is, how detailed he is, how good he is with people and what a great communicator he is. His knowledge of West Florida and his understanding of the scope of that job is exciting. I’m really happy for him and proud of him, and I don’t have any doubt that he will continue the great success and great tradition at the University of West Florida.”
Nobles spent three seasons on Pete Shinnick’s staff from 2017-20 as the quarterbacks coach for the Argonauts and was named the co-offensive coordinator in May of 2020. He also served as the director of Football Operations for two-plus years.
Nobles mentored some of the best signal callers in UWF history. In 2019, Austin Reed was named the National Freshman of the Year after he threw for 4,089 yards and 272.6 yards per game to rank 13th nationally. He also completed 57 percent of his passes and tossed 40 touchdowns while rushing for six more.
The 2019 quarterback group established program records with a 56.8 completion percentage, a 148.6 pass efficiency rating, 14.6 yards per completion and 411.9 yards of total offense per game.
In 2018, the Argonauts completed 55.2 percent of their pass attempts, tying the school record at the time. The group averaged 229 yards passing and had 23 touchdowns.
Nobles worked daily with a quartet of QBs during the historic 2017 season that culminated with a run to the national championship game. Mike Beaudry finished with 3,215 yards through the air and 29 touchdowns while being named the Gulf South Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year.
As a student-athlete, Nobles spent four seasons at Valdosta State from 2012-15, appearing in 23 games with six starts as a freshman and sophomore. He threw for 2,009 yards and 19 touchdowns as a Blazer.
In 2016, he transferred to UWF and helped provide immediate leadership and focus to the upstart program. He led the Argonauts to a 5-6 overall record and threw for 3,058 yards with 28 touchdowns. He also established a school record that still stands with 277.3 passing yards per game.
He had six games with at least 300 yards passing, including a 503-yard, 6-TD performance in the win over Missouri S&T in the inaugural home game on Sept. 10, 2016. That passing mark ranks tenth all-time in GSC single-game history. He was also a GSC All-Academic selection that season.
Nobles has coaching in his blood, following in the footsteps of his late father, Buddy. The elder Nobles spent more than 30 years as a high school coach in Florida and Georgia. His Irwin County (Ga.) High School team won the Georgia Class A title in 2019, nine days before the Argos won the national championship.
Nobles, who was born in Jacksonville, Florida and attended high school in Fitzgerald, Georgia, earned his bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Valdosta State in December, 2015 and added a master’s in Health Leisure and Sport Science from UWF in December, 2017.
He and his wife, Katy – a former UWF women’s volleyball student-athlete and Argo alumnus – were married in June, 2021.
Flomaton Schools Go On Lockdown After ‘Prank’ Active Shooter Threat
December 13, 2022
The Flomaton schools were placed on lockdown Tuesday morning after an unfounded report of an active shooter.
Someone called the Flomaton Police Department and reported an active shooter on the campus of Flomaton High School, according to Flomaton Police.
Flomaton Police, Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency responded and searched every room of Flomaton High and the adjacent Flomaton Elementary School. The Escambia County (AL) Schools district said no threat was found.
According to Flomaton Police Chief Johnny Wilson, the caller had a foreign accident and “was difficult to understand”. He said the Brewton, Bay Minette, and Evergreen police departments received similar active shooter calls from the same out of state phone number.
The case remains under investigation in each jurisdiction.
“Unfortunately this seems to be happening in many schools around the state,” the district said, referring to the incident as a “prank”.
Both schools had returned to a normal schedule by early afternoon.
File photo.
Car Runs Under Semi Trailer
December 13, 2022
A passenger car ran under a semi-trailer Tuesday morning on Highway 29 at Old Chemstrand Road.
Preliminary information indicated that were no serious injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating how the crash occurred and has not released additional details.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Drug And Weapons Offenses; Woman Accused Of Running A Drug House
December 13, 2022
An Escambia County man is facing multiple drug and weapons charges, and a Cantonment woman is charged with running a drug house, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home on Niall Drive, just off Frank Reeder Road on November 10.
They reported finding:
- 1,496 grams (about 3.3 pounds) of marijuana
- approximately 15.4 grams of Oxycodone pills
- loaded Ruger pistol, and a “AR-15 style rifle/pistol”,
- ammunition
- $21,080 in cash
Brandon Martez Black, 24, was charged with possession of a weapon or ammo by a convicted felon, possession of an armor piercing bullet while committing a felony, trafficking in oxycodone, possession or marijuana with the intent to distribute, and using or displaying a firearm during a felony. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail Monday evening with bond set at $115,000.
Jacarla Sha’Kiyah Purifoy, 25, was charged with keeping a public nuisance structure for drug activity. She was released from jail on a $15,000 bond.
“It is apparent she (Purifoy) is aware of the narcotics that are being sold from her home and her vehicle and allowing (the second suspect) to continue to do so,” an arrest report states. Additionally, deputies reported finding photos and videos on her phone showing marijuana being smoked in the home and large quantities of cash on the countertops.
Inflation: Century Wastewater Project Bids Come In $1.2 Million Over Grant Funds
December 13, 2022
The Town of Century expected the cost of the first phase of a multi-million wastewater project to be higher than first anticipated due to inflation. They did not expect about three times — nearly $1.2 million — higher due to inflation, as they learned Monday night.
The project was to replace a sludge press at the wastewater treatment plant and two lift stations, which ensure wastewater, more commonly called sewage, keeps flowing rather than backing up into homes and businesses.
The town received a $650,000 Community Development Block Grant for the project, based upon a calculation and grant application about two years ago. But the lowest bid for the work came in at $1.9 million.
Town engineer Dale Long suggested dropping the WWTP sludge press for now, moving it to a second phase. That would leave the town on the hook for about $350,000 over the value of the grant.
Century Town Council President Luis Gomez asked Long whose fault it is that the Pilgrim Lodge lift station has been down for three years, and Long said it was ultimately fault because the state took a couple of years to get from the grant application to an award. The lift station is located across from Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church on Jefferson Avenue. It has been out of service with a temporary bypass pump in place for months.
“The State of Florida needs to bite that over half million,” Gomez said, referring to the cost increase for the two lift stations.
“Good luck with that,” council member James Smith said. “At that time, that was the estimate, but everything is skyrocketing now.”
The Pilgrim Lodge lift station is the town’s top priority because it’s totally non-functioning. Second priority is a failing a lift station that keeps the wastewater flowing from an area that includes the Century Health and Rehabilitation Center
“When that lift station goes down, it backs up the entire nursing home,” Heath Burkett said. “They call us at 2 o’clock in the morning and tell us their toilets won’t flush.”
“Astronomical,” is how grant consultant Robin Phillips described bids on grant applications for multiple governmental entities. “I’ve had to cut back on all my grants.”
“The economy has crashed,” Phillips said.
The council voted 3-0 to move forward with awarding the $1.9 million project to Brown Construction of Northwest Florida, but include a change order to remove the sludge press. The town will contribute $350,000 above the grant, and seek the funding from Escambia County, the Local Options Sales Tax or American Rescue Plan Act funds, rather than from the town’s general fund.
Pictured: A wastewater lift station near Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church on Jefferson Avenue in Century out of service and running on a temporary pump as seen May 10, 2022. Pictured inset: Engineer Dale Long addresses the Century Town Council Monday night. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
