Rare Supersized Hail Destroys Crops At Local Vegetable Farm
March 29, 2023
Supersized hail lashed a portion of the North Escambia area early Tuesday morning, destroying all of the crops at a Davisville produce farm.
Maeday Farm on Highway 97 in Davisville, about a mile south of Atmore, lost all of their remaining winter vegetables and everything they had planted for spring, according to co-founder Steven Elliot. Hail they estimated to be between golf ball to ping pong ball size beat all of the vegetables into the ground, including lettuce, radicchio, green onions, kale, spinach, cucumbers, squash and zucchini. Their animals and structures like greenhouses were not damaged.
Steven Elliot and his wife Meredith Elliot typically sell their produce at the Palafox Market in Pensacola, but they won’t be there for several weeks and they regroup and plan how to move forward.
“It was a big loss with everything gone in just a few minutes,” Steven Elliot said.
The supersized for Florida hail fell in an area along and within a few miles of the Alabama/Florida line just after 2 a.m. Tuesday. Some of the hail was documented to be about 2.5 inches, which the weather service calls tennis ball sized.
“I’d say that hail size is crazy big for here. Not sure I’ve seen it that big in 20 years,” WEAR 3 meteorologist Allen Strum said. He said a typical severe thunderstorm with large hail would have hail of one inch or larger.
Escambia County, Florida, officials said no damage was reported to the county or emergency services.
Pictured: Radishes (top photo), radicchio (first below) along with Swiss chard and kale (second below) were among the produce destroyed early Tuesday morning by large hail and Maedae Farms on Highway 97 in Davisville. Pictured inset and bottom: Some of the rare supersized hail that fell in the North Escambia area. Photos for NorhEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Elects Two Council Members During Special Election
March 29, 2023
Two interim Century Town Council members were elected Tuesday to their seats for almost the next four years.
In January, Shelisa McCall and Alicia Johnson were appointed to the council after no one ran for two seats during the 2022 election. Both won during a special election Tuesday by about a two to one margin.
Century Town Council Seat 3
- Shelisa McCall – 89 votes (66.92%)
- Evelyn Webber – 44 votes (33.08%)
Century Town Council Seat 4
- Eddie Hammond – 43 votes (32.58%)
- Alicia Johnson – 89 votes (67.42%)
“I feel very honored that the town of Century trusts me to do this very important job,” Johnson said after the votes were tabulated Tuesday evening at the Century Town Hall. “My big plans are to jump in with both feet, getting our infrastructure repaired, and building jobs, bringing jobs to the area.”
Turnout for the election was low. Just 14.06% (136) of the 967 eligible registered voters cast a vote in Tuesday’s election. There were 32 votes cast by mail and 104 in person at Century Town Hall.
Johnson and McCall will remain in their interim seats until they are sworn in on April 7.
Pictured top: Newly elected Century Town Council members Shelisa McCall (left) and Alicia Johnson (right). Pictured first below: Challenger Eddie Hammond congratulates Johnson Tuesday evening. Second below: Unsuccessful candidate Evelyn Webber said she still looks forward to serving the Century community. Pictured third below: Escambia County Canvassing Board members sign off on election results. Escambia County Commission Chairman Robert Bender (left) and Supervisor of Elections David Stafford (seated) served on the canvassing board along with County Judge Barry E. Dickson, Jr. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
March 29, 2023
Ransom Middle School recently named their Students of the Month for February. They are Addison Cox and Parker White. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Boys, Girls Win Track Meet (With Gallery)
March 29, 2023
Northview High School’s boys and girls track teams finished first at a recent track and field meet, the first held at the school in Bratt in about a decade.
Northview had not hosted a meet in years due to the poor condition of the track, but it was recently resurfaced.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Team results and scores are below:
BOYS
- Northview – 157
- Flomaton – 152.5
- Jay – 151
- J.U. Blacksher – 85
- LEAD Academy – 71.5
- Central (Milton) – 13
GIRLS
- Northview – 182
- Jay – 140
- J.U. Blacksher — 98
- LEAD Academy – 91
- Flomaton – 30
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Man Charged With Hitting His Girlfriend With A Stick
March 29, 2023
A Century man has been charged with hitting his live-in girlfriend with a stick last December.
Jesse Lee Hall, 49, was charged with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon domestic violence related.
The victim told deputies that she and Hall became involved in an argument before he placed his arm around her and said that he loved her. When she did not reciprocate his affection, he shoved her away, according to an arrest report. The victim said she went and hid in the woods.
When she thought it was safe and exited the woods, Hall shoved her to the ground then forced her to walk to their house, the report states, while threatening her with a one and a half inch thick stick in his hand.
“Hall grabbed her and hit her with the stick so hard that it took her breath away,” the report states.
Deputies were unable to locate Hall following the incident, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Hall remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday with bond set at $10,000.
Escambia Property Taxes Become Delinquent On April 1
March 29, 2023
Unpaid real estate and tangible property taxes become delinquent April 1 in Escambia County, according to Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.
Penalties of three percent for real estate taxes and one and one-half percent for tangible taxes will be assessed. Over $27.3 million remains unpaid, representing approximately eight percent of the tax roll. To avoid the penalty, payment must be made by April 1.
Payment options include:
- online by midnight, March 31, at EscambiaTaxCollector.com;
- mailed with a March postmark;
- left by midnight, March 31 in a 24-hour drop box available at all locations; or
- by phone at (850) 438-6500, ext. 3252 by close of business March 31.
Hail Up To Tennis Ball Size Falls In North Escambia Area (With Gallery)
March 28, 2023
Hail up to about tennis ball size (2.5 inches) fell during an early Tuesday morning thunderstorm in the North Escambia area.
NorthEscambia.com readers reported large hail in an area along and within a few miles of the Alabama/Florida line during a warned severe thunderstorm about 2 a.m.
The largest hail in photographs we saw was the tennis ball size that fell in Canoe, and we were told the photos were taken 30 minutes after it fell (picture top and first below).
For more photos click or tap here.
There was no immediate word on damage.
Pictured above and first below: Hail that fell in Canoe. Pictured below: Other hail photos from Nokomis, near Atmore, and Flomaton. Pictured bottom: This “hail probability” derived contour radar image shows the estimated area of the hail. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Inmate Gets 30 Years Killing Sex Offender Serving Life At Century Prison
March 28, 2023
An inmate has been sentenced for the manslaughter of another inmate serving life at the Century Correctional Institution.
Markell Brent Sawyer was sentenced to 30 years by Escambia Circuit Judge John Simon for the manslaughter of inmate Nelson Sanderson, 79, on August 17, 2020. According to prosecutors, Sawyer killed Sanderson by beating him over the head with a combination lock in a dormitory bathroom.
Sawyer was previously set to be released in December after serving nearly one year and seven months on criminal mischief and theft related charges. Now, he will begin the 30 year sentence consecutively and spend the next three decades in prison.
Sawyer’s prior criminal history includes convictions for theft, armed burglary, several burglaries, and sexual battery.
Sanderson was serving two life sentences out of Lee County for the lewd and lascivious molestation of a child less than 12-years old.
Florida Special Olympics Torch Run Begins In Century
March 28, 2023
The 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics began in Century Monday morning and continued through Pensacola.
The torch run started at the Florida/Alabama state line Monday morning. Runners from Century Correctional Institution carried the torch from south on Highway 29 from the state line to the Century Chamber of Commerce with an escort from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. An additional leg of the torch run Monday traveled from south with the ECSO, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies taking part.
Statewide, the participating chiefs, officers, sheriffs, deputies, agents and cadets from virtually every branch of federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement, represent a total of over 300 different agencies. Funds are generated through the sale of the popular Torch Run T-shirts and hats, and through various local fundraising events.
Pictured: The 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run in support of Florida Special Olympics started at the Florida/Alabama state line in Century and continued south in Escambia County. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Signs Bill Expanding Florida School Choice Program
March 28, 2023
In Miami Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill (HB) 1, which expands available school choice options for all students in Florida by eliminating financial eligibility restrictions and the current enrollment cap.
“Florida is number one when it comes to education freedom and education choice, and today’s bill signing represents the largest expansion of education choice in the history of these United States. When you combine private scholarships, charter schools, and district choice programs, Florida already has 1.3 million students attending a school of their choosing,” said DeSantis. “These programs have been instrumental in elevating student achievement over the past twenty years. I am grateful to the Florida Legislature, Speaker Renner, and President Passidomo for prioritizing this legislation and presenting it to me at the beginning of this year’s legislative session.”
HB 1 eliminates the current financial eligibility restrictions and allows any student who is eligible to enroll in K-12 to participate in available school choice options. The bill also continues to prioritize awards to students with household incomes that do not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level while incorporating a second priority to award scholarships to students who live in households with incomes between 185 percent of the federal poverty level and 400 percent of the federal poverty level. HB 1 also increases the annual scholarship adjustment for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities from one percent to three percent to address high demand and wait lists.
“This is a monumental day in Florida history,” said Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Thanks to Governor DeSantis and the legislature, we continue to be the undisputed leader in school choice. Florida will always make good on our promise to ensure every single child has access to a world- class education.”
The bill also eliminates the current enrollment cap and the exemptions to the maximum number of students who can participate in FES-EO. For students who are not full-time enrolled in public or private school or who are not Home Education Program students, there will be a cap of 20,000 new scholarships for the 2023-2024 school year and a cap of 40,000 new scholarships for every year after that.
Additionally, this legislation requires the Office of K-12 School Choice to develop an online portal that enables parents to choose the best educational options for their student. The bill also eliminates the restrictive requirement that students must complete at least one credit through a virtual course to graduate.
The bill also allows the general education requirement to be waived for teachers who have had three years in the classroom if they have been rated ‘effective’ or ‘highly effective’ for three consecutive years. The bill also expands the length of a temporary teaching certificate from three years to five years.
Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
