Molino Park Elementary PTA Food Drive Continues Through Thursday
November 8, 2022
The annual Molino Park Elementary School PTA food drive is continuing through Thursday.
Each year, the Molino Park PTA partners with Aldersgate United Methodist Church for the food drive. All of the food received during the event is used to help stock the food pantry at Aldersgate for distribution to needy families in the community.
Last year the students at Molino Park collected over 3,000 food items that were able to help many families in need within our community.
“Our goal this year is to be able to help even more families in our community,” Molino Park PTA President Amie Pace said.
Members of the public can make donations of canned and other non-perishable food items in the Molino Park office.
Pictured top: Last year, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol helped transport over 3,000 Molino Park PTA food drive donations to the food pantry at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino. Pictured below: The donations lined the hallways of the school. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UPDATE: Missing, Endangered Man Located
November 7, 2022
UPDATE: Daniel Hicks has been located.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing and endangered man.
Daniel Hicks, 37, was last seen Saturday in the 2200 block of Country Place Circle off East Kingsfield Road wearing a light gray Florida Seminoles t-shirt and dark gray shorts. He is 5-feet 9-inches tall, 160 pounds, and has red hair.
He was driving a gray 2015 Jeep Patriot with Florida tag #EVBQ50.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
Escambia Murder Suspect Caught With Gun, Ammo, Cash, Meth And Makeup, Police Said
November 7, 2022
The alleged gunman in an October 29 murder in Escambia County was captured with a gun, ammunition, cash, drugs and makeup in the Orlando area, according to new information released Monday.
Jacob Monroe Colville, 29, was wanted for first degree premeditated murder.
An officer with the Eustis Police Department initiated a traffic stop. During the stop, a sergeant observed the front seat passenger, later identified Colville, appear to remove something from his front waistband area and place it on the seat, according to police.
Eustis Police officers reported finding a .40 caliber Ruger semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine on the passenger seat, along with 48.6 grams of methamphetamine, smoking devices, $2,300 in cash, and “several items related to the sale of narcotics” in Colville’s backpack.
“In the same backpack, items to disguise his identity were located such as a wig attached to a ballcap, glasses, and makeup. Colville also had makeup on, in an attempt to conceal some of his tattoos,” Eustis Police said.
In addition to the murder warrant, he was charged in Lake County Florida with armed trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of firearm by convicted felon, carrying concealed firearm, improper exhibition of dangerous firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Colville is expected to be extradited to Escambia County to face the first degree premeditated murder charge. The identify of the person driving the vehicle in which Colville was a passenger has not been released.
Alyssa Marie Blackburn, 22, and Lawrence Bonner, Jr., 44, were both previously charged with principal to first-degree premeditated murder.
The victim was identified by family members as 22-year old Jesse Allen Geoghahan.
On October 29, the ECSO responded to the 1000 block of Medford Avenue where they found Geoghahan. with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
Blackburn contacted the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to report that he had been shot inside the residence.
Bonner allegedly gave Colville the gun used in the murder. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Colville shot Geoghagan twice inside a closet, before shooting him a “few more times” as he limped out of the bedroom.
They fled in a stolen 1996 Toyota Avalon, which was later found burning under the Mobile Highway Bridge over Eleven Mile Creek.
A security system in the residence captured the murder, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Details Released In Tragic Flomaton Crash That Claimed Three Lives
November 7, 2022
Alabama State Troopers have released details of a tragic fiery crash that claimed three lives in Flomaton on Sunday.
Troopers said 48-year old Shannon P. Lucas of Flomaton was driving a 2017 Dodge 1500 pickup truck that collided head-on with a 2017 Ford Explorer driven by 41-year old Christopher Bell, also of Flomaton. Both were pronounced deceased at the scene, as was Lucas’ passenger in the pickup truck, 50-year old Alfreco Lett of Century.
None of the individuals were wearing a seat belt, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. The investigation is continuing.
The crash happened about 3:25 p.m. on Highway 31 near Twin Bridges Road.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
There’s A Mistake In The Due Date On This Month’s Century Utility Bills
November 7, 2022
The Town of Century says there is a mistake in the due date printed on their utility bills for water, sewer and gas.
The bills state the next due is November 8, but that is incorrect. Utility bills are always due on or before the 24th of the month, which puts the correct due date on November 24, according to the town.
For more information, contact the town during business hours at (850) 256-3208 or email lhowington@centuryflorida.us.
Northview To Host Playoff Games On Drive To State Championship Game
November 7, 2022
The Northview Chiefs are headed down the Drive to December in their quest for a 1R state championship. And Northview will have the home field advantage. As long as the Chiefs are contenders, they will host all playoff through the state semifinals.
No. 1 Northview and No 2. Chipley will sit out this Friday night with byes.
On Friday night, Nov. 18, Northview will host the winner of the Nov. 11 game between No. 4 Freeport and No. 5 Holmes County. Chipley will host either No. 3 Baker and No. 6 Bozeman.
The regional final is Nov. 25, and the State Semifinals are Dec. 2.
The 1R 1M, 1S & 2S state championships will be December 8-10 at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee. The Florida High School Athletic Association has not announced the exact date for 1R.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Photos: DeSantis, Crist Campaign For Governor On The Final Weekend Before Election Day
November 7, 2022
The two major candidates for Florida governor both spent their final weekend before Election Day on the campaign trail.
Republican incumbent Gov. Ron DeSantis spent his weekend on a “Don’t Tread on Florida Tour” with stops Sunday on Sun City, Sarasota and Fort Myers.
Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Charlie Crist was on his tour, beginning with a church in Miami Sunday along with stops in Broward and Palm Beach
For more photos, click to or tap here.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Multiple Injuries In Rollover Crash At Highway 29, Neal Road
November 7, 2022
There were multiple injuries in a two vehicle rollover crash on Highway 29 Saturday afternoon.
The wreck happened about 12:30 p.m. on Highway 29 at Neal Road and involved a Kia Telluride that overturned and a Nissan Sentra.
Firefighters were forced to remove the roof from the Kia in order to extricate the injured.
None of the injuries were considered life threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
The Ensley and Cantonment stations of Escambia County Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Jumped 17 Cents On Average Last Week After Gas Tax Holiday Ended
November 7, 2022
As expected, Florida gas prices increased last week, following the expiration of the state’s gas tax holiday on November 1.
Meanwhile, the state average only increased 17 cents per gallon last week; rising from $3.29 on October 31 to $3.46 per gallon on Sunday.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $3.27. In North Escambia, a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment was the low price at $3.25 Sunday night, while Pensacola bottomed out at $2.99at one of the warehouse clubs.
“With the reinstatement of Florida’s gas tax, the state average gas price has rebounded to its highest level since September 10th,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Last week’s 17 cent jump amounts to about $2.55 more to fill an average-size tank of gas. Florida’s state average now sits at $1.43 per gallon less than what drivers paid in mid-June. That has drivers paying $21 less for a full tank than they did in the early summer.”
Pictured. Regular unleaded was $3.09 at this station on Nine Mile Road Sunday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
UWF Wins Gulf South Conference Championship
November 7, 2022
Of all the heart-thumping, final play wins in UWF’s six-year football history, the Argos 32-31 overtime thriller Saturday night at Valdosta State may now stand alone.
This one brought a Gulf South Conference championship and opportunity for the eighth-ranked Argos to have a home field edge when the NCAA Division II playoffs begin in two weeks.
Quarterback Peewee Jarrett willed UWF to victory, after answering Valdosta State’s overtime touchdown with a fourth-down conversion from the 18, then his 12-yard touchdown pass to Caden Leggett, followed by Jarrett’s power plow into the end zone from the 1-and-a-half yard-line for game-winning, two-point conversion.
It was wow all the way around.
“He called it (2-point play), he wanted it,” said UWF coach Pete Shinnick, who opted to go for the do-or-die 2-point play after a late hit on Jarrett’s overtime touchdown pass moved the ball from the 3 to the 1.5 yard-line.
“It was working for us all night,” said Jarrett, a first-team national junior college All-American a year ago, who transferred in the early summer to win UWF’s starting quarterback role. “I told coach, you brought me here for a reason. I can get you one yard. That was the biggest thing. I told him put it in my hands and we got it done.”
The Argos missed a chance to win the game with 22 seconds left in regulation play when Jarrett dropped a perfect 48-yard pass into Jared Smith’s hands, but the ball was knocked loose a split-second late by a VSU defender in the end zone for an incompletion. On the next play, another Jarrett long ball was intercepted with 13 seconds left to force overtime.
The dramatic win for the Argos (8-1, 5-1 in GSC) was their 14th consecutive road victory, the second-longest streak in Division II. It was a third consecutive win against rival Valdosta State (4-6, 2-5) in a series that has featured three of the past four games decided by five points or less between these teams.
UWF will now close out its regular-season on Nov. 12 with a rematch at Mississippi College, which does not count in the conference standings, but will be vital for UWF to win in order to guarantee a home game when the D-2 playoffs begin. UWF beat Mississippi College 45-17 on Oct. 22 in a GSC game in Pensacola.
Earlier Saturday, the Argos learned that previously unbeaten Delta State, which defeated UWF 45-42 in an epic double overtime game in Pensacola on Sept. 24, had lost at home (52-42) against West Georgia.
Since the GSC does not use a head-to-head matchups to determine a football league champion, the Argos knew they could share the GSC championship, plus enhance their positioning in region rankings for the Division II playoffs.
But UWF trailed 14-7 after a mistake-filled first half. The Argos tied the game three times in the second half but could never gain a lead until the game-deciding play in overtime.
“We found a way, found a way,” said Shinnick, the excitement in his voice easily detectable. “Way to overcome a lot of uncharacteristic plays on our part. I thought Peewee was on fire. He was dialing it up. He was hitting our guys, it was fun to watch.”
It became UWF’s 113th conference championship in school history, an amazing feat for the athletic program, and the second consecutive conference trophy for a football team that started from scratch in 2016.
“That is great,” Shinnick said. “Congratulations to our players. What a great job, staying true to this thing.”
UWF won the coin toss for overtime possession and elected to play defense. On the first play, Valdosta State’s senior quarterback Ivory Durham took a shotgun snap from the 25 and ran left, then down the sideline for a go-ahead touchdown.
Durham compiled 316 yards total offense Saturday by passing for 196 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 120 yards and one score.
When UWF got the ball from the 25, Jarrett’s second-down pass was nearly intercepted. He then was called for a delay-of-game penalty to push the ball to the 23. He rushed five yards to 18. On fourth down, he went up to middle to convert a first down and set the stage for his pass to Leggett in the back corner of the end zone.
Now, it was decision time. Go for two to win? Or kick the PAT to force a second overtime.
“Once we got the penalty, it was a no-brainer,” Shinnick said. “I was thinking about doing it even if we didn’t have the penalty. But we got the penalty, the ball at the yard and a half, there was no stopping us.”
There was no debate, either, on what to do.
“When it came down to the play, there was no discussion,” Jarrett said. “I told coach Shinnick, put the ball in my hands and let’s go right up the middle with it.”
As he lined up his team Jarrett saw VSU’s defense was not stacked at the line of scrimmage.
“I was expecting a way different look, a tighter box… and it was kind of loose,” he said. “I don’t know if they expected us to pass or what… I went out there and my eyes were wide, they probably saw that. But I just went right up the gut with it.”
The blocking from UWF’s veteran offensive line provided the initial push and Jarrett easily bulled in for the winner. He finished the game 15-for-34 passing for 309 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 121 yards. Many of his passes, however, were dropped, which skews the passing stats.
The Argos, who won for the first-time at Valdosta State during the regular season (they won a D-2 playoff game there in 2019 to advance to the national semifinals), struggled by their own self-inflicted issues the entire first half.
A holding penalty nullified a touchdown pass by Jarrett on the first possession. A missed field goal followed from 29 yards. An offensive pass interference and holding penalty on separate plays thwarted another drive.
Finally, Jarrett’s 43-yard pass to Nate Howard tied the game midway through the second quarter. But Valdosta State, which honored its first football team from 40 years ago, answered on the ensuing possession with an 11-play, 72-yard drive.
UWF tied the game on the third play of the second half when Jarrett connected with David Durden across the middle and he went 46-yards for a score. But again VSU answered, this time on a 78-yard scoring drive to regain the lead.
The Blazers took the lead on a 44-yard field goal with 9:41 left, but UWF’s Griffin Cerra atoned from the previous miss to convert a 36-yarder with 2:51 left in the game to tie the score.
The game was the first time all season UWF failed to score at least 34 points with an offense that is ranked No. 5 among all D-2 teams. The Argos will now turn focus to the season finale against Mississippi College.
by Bill Vilona, UWF Senior Writer
Photo: Morgan Givens