Adoption Fees Waived Monday At Escambia Animal Shelter
October 29, 2022
Adoptions are free Monday at the Escambia County animal shelter.
The Escambia County Animal Welfare and Adoption Center will be open Monday from 12-5 p.m.
Adoptions were free and license fees were waived for the entire month of October.
Pictured: Charlie, one of our kitties at NorthEscambia.com, was adopted earlier this year from the Escambia County animal shelter. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Gets Past Tate 38-31 (With Photo Gallery)
October 29, 2022
The Tate Aggies fell to the Escambia Gators 38-31 Friday night on the newly dedicated Carl Madison Field.
For more photos, click or tap here.
The Aggies were first on the board when Taite Davis found Diego Dukes for a 29-yard touchdown to give the Aggies a 7-0 advantage with 6:50 to go in the first quarter. Escambia was back with a score of their own to tie it up 7-7 with 4:13 on the clock in the first.
Andre Colston was in for the Aggies, 14-7 with 10:17 remaining in the second. In about a minute, the Gators answered for a 14-14 ballgame. With another touchdown, the Gators were on top 38-31 at the half on their way to the win.
The Tate Aggies (1-8) will round out their season next week as they host Washington (4-5).
Related: The Legend: Tate Football Field Dedicated As ‘Carl Madison Field’
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
High School Football Score Recap
October 29, 2022
Here are Friday night football scores from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Northview 57, Escambia County (Atmore) 14 [Story, photos...]
- Escambia 38, Tate 31 [Story, photos...]
- West Florida 38, Pensacola Catholic 14
- Pine Forest 50, Booker T. Washington 0
- Walton 45, Pensacola High 35
- J.U. Blacksher (Uriah, Ala.) 41, Jay 20
- Pace 42, Milton Milton 35
- Navarre 28, Gulf Breeze 24
ALABAMA
- Fort Dale Academy 35, Escambia Academy 19
- Flomaton 56. Marengo County 0
- T.R. Miller 29, W.S. Neal 0
Pictured: Northview beat Escambia County (Atmore) 57-14 Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Wanted For Bank Robbery
October 28, 2022
Police are searching for a bank robbery suspect.
Tanner Richard Morgan, 36, is wanted for the October 21 robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank on Bayou Boulevard. He is a 5-foot-10-inches that weighs about 150 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Pensacola Police (850) 435-1901 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Detectives were able to develop Morgan as a suspect from citizen tips after local media coverage.
Century May Strip Power From The Mayor, Hire Town Manager With Charter Change
October 28, 2022
The Town of Century may strip power from an elected mayor and put a town manager in charge, reversing the course set by three years of work by a citizen charter review committee.
That was the key takeaway from a nearly two hour meeting Thursday evening between the town council and town attorney to discuss a proposed charter change.
The town charter — the document that establishes the town — outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The current charter has not been updated in almost 40 years.
The Century Charter Review Committee worked about three years, including pandemic delays, to create a new charter that was submitted to the town council to review and possibly place on an upcoming ballot.
The Charter Review Committee spent a great deal of their time deciding on a form of government for Century, ultimately settling on a strong mayor – town council.
But Thursday night, attorney Matt Dannheisser and consultant Buz Eddy suggested that the council instead look at a charter that has a town manager – town council form of government. A mayor might still be elected, but it would mostly be a ceremonial position with no real power. Dannheisser said the mayor would hold the title, but actually be one of the five members of the town council.
“It really makes the title of mayor obsolete,” council member Dynette Lewis said of the potential change.
“The mayor is no longer a separate office; it’s part of the council. So the five members of the council, one of them is the mayor,” Dannheisser said.
“You can’t think of the mayor as a separate entity. He is a member of council, has no more voice in the decision that any other member of the council,” he added.
Unable to take a vote because the meeting was just a workshop, the council reached the consensus that they would give official direction to Dannheisser at a future meeting. He said several more meetings would need to be held focusing on specific topics, such as the form of government, finance and other subsections of the charter.
During those discussions, he said that flexibility is the key to developing a charter that can serve Century for decades to come.
“Flexibility…don’t handcuff yourself and all future councils to one specific thing that might be solving a current problem that may not be a problem 20, 30, 40 years from now,” Dannheisser told the council.. “Rather, require that the subject be addressed, but then have it addressed in a manner that can be fluid and changed as circumstances change.”
Here’s a look at some of the major highlights of the draft created by the Charter Review Committee :
- Establishes a consecutive two-term, or eight-year limit for the mayor. A mayor that has reached the term limit may then seek election as a council member. There are no term limits in the current charter.
- A consecutive two-term, or eight-year limit is established for council members. A council that has reached the term limit may then seek election as mayor. There are no term limits in the current charter.
- The mayor and council members will not be paid if they miss a meeting, unless it’s due to an emergency. With two or more unexcused absences per quarter from consecutive meetings, the council can determine with a fourth-fifths vote that the council member or mayor has abandoned their seat.
- The town council shall conduct all meetings using Robert’s Rules of Order.
- The town will create the position of town clerk/finance director, along with a public works director position that reports directly to the mayor. Both will be hired by the mayor with approval by the council. With the approval of the mayor — not the council — the town clerk/finance director and public works director will hire, fire and supervise the employees in their respective departments. (Currently, the council must approve all hires, from the highest to lowest positions in the town.)
- The charter establishes the right of the town clerk/finance director to take part in town council discussion. The clerk has no guaranteed right to take part in discussions under the current charter.
- The mayor will establish an agenda for all council meetings.
- The mayor will provide quarterly reports on finances, administrative activities, and actions of various departments. The mayor will also present an annual budget to the town council.
- The mayor will be able to authorize expenditures up to $5,000, or up to $10,000 in a declared emergency, without town council approval.
- The council will request and receive bids and award contracts for expenditures of $5,001 or more.
- To be eligible to seek election as a council member, one year residency in the town will be required. (There is currently no length of residency requirement for council members, and a 6-month requirement for the mayor.)
- Before being sworn in as mayor or town council member, the individual must agree to complete any state-mandated training or orientation, and complete Sunshine Law and public records law conducted by the town attorney.
Any portion of the draft charter could be altered or removed from a final charter. The town council also has the option to reject the charter or never place it on the ballot.
Pictured top: Town attorney Matt Dannheisser (right) and consultant Buz Eddy addressed the Century Town Council during a Thursday night workshop. Pictured inset: Council member Sandra McMurray-Jackson listen s to Dannheisser speak. Pictured below: Council members Luis Gomez, Jr., and Dynette Lewis listen. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Peanut Butter Challenge Is Continuing. Have You Made Your Donation?
October 28, 2022
The Peanut Butter Challenge in Escambia County is continuing, and there’s still time to make your donation.
The Peanut Butter Challenge, UF/IFAS Extension’s annual jar collection for local food pantries, first launched in the Florida Panhandle in 2012. It has since launched statewide, giving counties the chance to compete for most jars of peanut butter donated. The challenge serves a way to feed hungry families ahead of the holidays and also promotes peanuts grown in Florida.
Unopened, unexpired jars of peanut butter can be donated at the following locations through October 31:
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Escambia County Farm Bureau, 153 Highway 97, Molino
- Escambia County Public Safety, 6575 North W Street
- Gilmore Services, 31 East Fairfield Drive
- Escambia County Administration, 221 Palafox Place, 4th Floor
- Holy Spirit Catholic, 10650 Gulf Beach Highway
In addition to the community donations, the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and Florida Peanut Federation (FPF) have partnered with the project for years. These organizations are based in the northwest and northeast peanut-producing regions of the state and will again contribute to the totals distributed to food pantries in those regions.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia School Choice Open Enrollment Period Is Continuing
October 28, 2022
The school choice open enrollment period for middle and high schools in Escambia County will continue through December.
For elementary schools, the open enrollment period will be January 30 until March 10, 2023.
For more information, click or tap here.
Pictured: A School Choice Expo was held last week at Washington High School, but the open enrollment period is continuing. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Seeks Comments On Proposed Rule Changes
October 28, 2022
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is soliciting feedback on proposed rule changes for 2023-24 hunting seasons and FWC-managed lands.
To provide input, click or tap here.
Proposed statewide rule changes include shooting hours for dove and changes to the approval process for setting the annual number of limited entry and special-opportunity quota permits and antlerless deer permits.
In the Escambia River Wildlife Management area, the rule changes will establish an additional 3-day wild hog-dog hunt each month from May – September; establish a trapping season opening Dec. 1 and closing March 1; and close the general gun season during the 2-day family hunt to allow hunting with dogs throughout the area during the 2-day family hunt.
In the Blackwater WMA, the rule changes will expand the field trial area (FTA) using a portion of newly acquired acres; extend the archery season in the FTA by allowing archery hunting during the general gun season dates (except during existing FTA quota hunts); prohibit take of antlerless deer and wild turkey during the proposed extended archery season dates; and increase the antler point restriction in the FTA from 3 points or a 10-inch main beam on a side to 4 points or 14-inch main beam on a side.
Woman Charged With Murder ‘Motivated By Money, Narcotics, And Their Relationship’
October 27, 2022
A woman has been charged in an August 7 murder in Escambia County.
Raven Elaine Ann Morgan, 20, was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond Wednesday night on a charged first degree premeditated murder.
A man was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head inside a home on Walnut Avenue, about four blocks east of Untreiner Ave, on August 7.
According to investigators, Morgan distracted the victim before he was shot in the planned murder. Deputies obtained a search warrant for Morgan’s phone and found four images of the deceased victim, according to her arrest report. She was arrested September 14 for making a false report. During her nine days in jail, deputies said she had multiple conversations with other inmates about the homicide.
According to the arrest report, Morgan and the alleged shooter “were motivated by money, narcotics, and their relationship”. There is no Escambia County Jail record of the other individual being arrested to date.
Report Details Attempted Murder Allegations Against Byrneville Man; Bond Set
October 27, 2022
Bond was set at $250,000 Wednesday for the Byrneville man accused of shooting his wife Tuesday morning.
Joseph Anthony Franklin, 60, remained in the Escambia County Jail on one count of a attempted homicide.
An arrest report obtained by NorthEscambia.com details the allegations against him.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the couple’s home on McBride Road just off Byrneville Road. Deputies arrived shortly after 8 a.m. to find Franklin sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette, wearing a tan t-shirt and shorts. A female was on the porch floor next to him with an apparent gunshot wound to her left side, according to the report.
Franklin was ordered at gunpoint to put his hands on top of head. He was taken into custody and placed in an ECSO patrol vehicle.
The victim, later identified by the ECSO as Franklin’s wife, stated she found Franklin sitting on the couch that morning, but that led to an argument because he was supposed to be at work. During the argument, he pulled out a gun and started shooting it, according to the report. The victim told deputies that she tried to get the gun away from Franklin, and that is when he shot her.
Two other people were asleep upstairs in the home at the time but did not hear anything, deputies said.
The victim was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital by MedStar Air Care 2. An update on her condition was not available.
Franklin is due back in court on November 18.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
