Dozens Receive License, Registration Services In Century On ‘FLOW’ Bus
October 5, 2022
Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) mobile office was back in Century on Tuesday.
According to Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford, the FLOW unit served 28 customers, including eight with driver’s license transactions and 15 with registration transactions.
The event was a partnership between Lunsford and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse on North Century Boulevard.
The FLOW office in Century on Tuesday was a smaller bus than residents have normally seen; the usual bus was in Fort Myers helping with Hurricane Ian recovery, Lunsford remarked.
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Convicted Sex Offender Arrested On Multiple Child Porn Charges After Raid
October 5, 2022
A convicted sex offender in Escambia County was arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on multiple child pornography charges Tuesday.
FDLE charged 43-year old Gary Alan Grimm with five counts of promoting the sexual performance of a child and five counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, both felonies.
The investigation began in August when agents discovered a device sharing images of child sexual abuse material online. Investigators tracked the device’s IP address to a Pensacola residence shared by multiple registered sexual offenders.
Agents executed a search warrant at the residence Tuesday and located a device that contained child sexual abuse material in Grimm’s sleeping area. Another device, also containing child sexual abuse material, was discovered hidden inside a trash bag elsewhere in the home by K9 Maple, one of FDLE’s Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) canine officers.
Additional charges for other registered sex offenders living at the address may follow pending further forensic analysis of electronic devices seized at the residence, according to FDLE.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations assisted FDLE with executing the search warrant.
Grimm was booked into the Escambia County Jail and ordered held without bond pending first appearance. The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, First Judicial Circuit
Volleyball: Flomaton Defeats Northview (With Photo Gallery)
October 5, 2022
The Flomaton Hurricanes defeated the Northview Chiefs 3-2 in high school volleyball action Tuesday evening in Flomaton.
Northview will host the Pine Forest Eagles at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in their final home game of the regular season.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Atmore Police Arrest Man For Catalytic Converter, Aluminum Thefts
October 5, 2022
An Atmore man is facing charges after allegedly cutting aluminum from coolers as a soft drink bottler and stealing catalytic converters from a local business.
Dalton Harrison, 26, was charged with two counts of theft of property first degree, unlawful breaking and entering a motor vehicle, criminal mischief first degree, criminal trespassing third degree, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He is accused of damaging 26 cooling units at the Pepsi Bottling Company of Atmore in May as the aluminum evaporators were cut out.
In June, he allegedly cut catalytic converters out of several vehicles at Lee’s Collision Center.
Recently, Atmore Police responded to a criminal trespassing complaint and took Harrison into custody on an outstanding violation of probation warrant. As he was being searched, police said they located a clear glass pipe with a residue that tested positive for methamphetamine.
According to police, he could possibly face additional charges in the Pepsi Bottling and Lee Collision thefts in addition to other thefts under active investigation.
Man Shot And Killed After Opening Fire On Escambia Deputies
October 4, 2022
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies returned fire killing a man that shot at them Tuesday morning.
The ECSO responded to the 100 block of Payne Road in Navy Point about 4:10 a.m. A woman told deputies that 36-year old Colin Merrill West was inside with a gun and had threatened her.
West first refused commands as deputies surrounded the home. Just over an hour later, he exited the door with a handgun and opened fire at deputies who returned fire, Sheriff Chip Simmons said.
“Here’s the deal. When you come outside with a gun in your hands, start shooting at us, you get what you get and that’s dead. When someone shoots you, there’s not much time for dialogue. There’s not much time for diagnosis. We tried that. We tried that for about an hour and he refused to come out,” Simmons said.
He said eight deputies fired at West. None were injured.
“This is not the way we wanted it to end. We gave him plenty of opportunities; he chose not to take those opportunities.”
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting an independent investigation, and the deputies involved have been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.
The ECSO was already applying for felony warrants on West, and he was a convicted felon on probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon domestic violence, and false imprisonment (kidnapping) convictions out of Santa Rosa County in 2019.
Century Cancels Budget, Tax Hearing Due To Public Notice Error
October 4, 2022
Century’s new fiscal year started October 1, but they have not yet approved a budget or tax rate.
A final public hearing on the budget and millage rate set for Monday night was called off due to a public notice error. According to Town Clerk Leslie Howington, the numbers in a budget summary did not match the numbers in a public notice for the meeting.
The meeting will be rescheduled, but as of Monday night a new date and time had not been announced.
Pictured: No member of the general public attended the first of two required Century budget public hearings on September 27. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Riley Robbins Named Association Florida High School Player of the Week
October 4, 2022
Tate High School junior Riley Robbins has been named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Florida High School Player of the Week.
In a dozen games this year, Robbins has recorded 55 kills (4.58/game), 53 digs (4.42/game), 67 receptions (5.58/game), two aces and one assist.
This is Robbins’ third year playing volleyball for the Tate Aggies.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Battery Of Two Close Family Members
October 4, 2022
A Cantonment man is accused of the battery of two close family members during a recent argument.
Timothy Clayton Hendrix, 44, was charged with felony domestic battery by strangulation and one count of misdemeanor battery domestic violence.
Hendrix allegedly became involved in an argument with two family members that escalated into a physical altercation. He allegedly pushed a female, tried to drag her out of the house by her wrists, and placed his hands around her neck. He placed a male relative into a chokehold when he attempted to intervene, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
Hendrix gave deputies different versions of his story, the report states, as he claimed the female hit him and the male struck him in the right eye. His “inconsistent story leads me to believe that he is being untruthful,” a responding deputy wrote in the report.
He was released from jail on a $50,000 bond.
Over 40,000 Escambia Vote By Mail Ballots Are Now On The Way
October 4, 2022
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office on Monday began delivering more than 40,000 vote-by-mail ballots to the U.S. Postal Service for the November 8 general election. This is in addition to ballots sent to military and overseas voters last month.
Voters who have requested to vote-by-mail should begin receiving their ballot packages within a week. After completing the ballot, the voter must sign and date the return envelope and return it by mail (postage paid) or deliver it to the elections office or an early voting site during early voting hours beginning October 24. Ballots must be received in the Supervisor of Elections office no later than 7 p.m. on election day. All vote-by-mail ballots are verified prior to tabulation. Complete voter instructions are included in the vote-by-mail package.
The U.S. Postal Service recommends voters mail their completed ballot at least one week before the due date.
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the General Election is 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 29.
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Register Now For Tri-City Children’s Choir; Practice Begins This Week
October 4, 2022
Registration is underway for the second season of the Tri-City Children’s Choir (TCCC), a regional initiative of the Pensacola Children’s Chorus.
TCCC welcomes young singers in grades 1-6 who reside in Century, Flomaton, Jay and the surrounding areas.
The choir will once again be under the direction of Holley Driver, a Century-based music teacher.
Singers will meet weekly on Thursdays from 4:30 until 5:15 p.m from October 6 to December 15 at Century First United Methodist Church, 530 Church Street. A performance is scheduled for December 16. TCCC is a tuition-based program and costs from $15 to $65 per week. Families may choose the weekly amount that works best for their household finances, and scholarships are also available.
For more information on joining the choir, or make a contribution, visit www.tricitychoir.org.
Driver directed the TCCC during their first season this past spring. She taught music in the Escambia County School District for over 15 years, served as the choral director at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino for nine years, and teaches in her own studio.
If you need more information, call Driver at (850) 324-6182.
Pictured: A May 2022 by the Tri-City Children’s Choir. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
