Blue Wahoos Split Low-Scoring Doubleheader In Mississippi
August 18, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos split their doubleheader against the Mississippi Braves on Wednesday night, winning the first game 2-1 and falling in the nightcap by the same score.
In game one of the twin bill, a pair of RBI singles from Norel González provided all the offense that Pensacola would need. After the Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first on a Drew Lugbauer RBI single, the Pensacola bullpen cracked down and held Mississippi scoreless for the rest of the game. González’s first RBI single in the third tied the game 1-1, and his hit after a Paul McIntosh double in the sixth proved to be the game-winner.
Tyler Mitzel (W, 1-1), the third reliever in a scheduled bullpen game for Pensacola, earned the win with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief. Eli Villalobos (S, 
got the final five outs for the save. Allan Winans (L, 0-3) turned in a complete game in the loss for the Braves, allowing two runs, one earned, over 7.0 innings.
In game two, Mississippi’s only hit came on the first pitch they saw from Zach King (L, 1-4) in the first inning. Cody Milligan’s single didn’t lead to anything, but a string of four walks and a throwing error in the second netted Mississippi their two runs against the Pensacola starter.
Tanner Gordon (W, 7-4) pitched 5.0 clean innings for the Braves, allowing only three singles in the span of four batters to Davis Bradshaw, Demetrius Sims and J.D. Orr in the third inning. Neither team had a hit from the third inning on, and Justin Yeager (S, 3) pitched a quick seventh inning to earn the save.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Braves on Thursday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Escambia County’s Next Step Toward Broadband Internet Network Coming Soon
August 17, 2022
Escambia County will soon take their next big step toward a fiber network to provide true high speed broadband internet north of 10 Mile Road.
A request for proposals (“RFP”) is on the streets now seeking companies to bring broadband internet to residents, and their responses are due by September 6.
During a town hall meeting this week, District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said he should have news soon on a recommend award for partners to take broadband to homes in the district. He expects the entire commission will be considering the proposals at their last meeting in late September or early October.
The commission previously divided the county broadband project into two areas — north and south of 10 Mile Road — and committed $10 million to the northern portion from a $22 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation. Escambia County will contribute $10 million, plus expected grant funds of several million dollars more, for the fiber backbone network across the area north of 10 Mile Road. The $12 million remaining will go toward the area south of 10 Mile in the future.
The county won’t provide internet all the way to the home. Instead, they issued that RFP from companies to be the internet service provider to the end user.
“High speed internet access is one of the issues that I’ve had comments and complaints about since taking office,” Barry told a group in Walnut Hill. He said that until now, he’s been able to offer few solutions for his constituents because the existing franchises are granted by the state, leaving the county with no jurisdiction. He added that Frontier Communications filed bankruptcy years ago; they are the DSL service provider as the local phone company in the Molino, Walnut Hill and Bratt areas.
Barry said high speed internet has become a necessity for school, working from home and telemedicine.
“If you don’t have decent internet at your house, you can’t do real education. You can’t do television,” he said. “High speed internet is becoming something that is an absolute need to be a productive member of society.”
Century Man Stabbed A House Trailer With A Machete, ECSO Says
August 17, 2022
A Century man was jailed after allegedly stabbing a house trailer with a machete.
Eubie Alexander Kennedy, 38, was charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief with property damage.
A woman told deputies that Kennedy stabbed the side of her trailer several times with a machete while stating “you (expletive), come out here or I’ll kill you”, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The victim stated that Kennedy never entered the trailer, and there was no physical contact.
The victim was not injured, but the trailer suffered damage.
“I observed several stab holes on the front side of the trailer,” a deputy wrote in his report.
Kennedy remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $27,500.
SUV Driver Rear-ends School Bus In Cantonment
August 17, 2022
There were no injuries in a wreck involving a school bus in Cantonment Tuesday afternoon.
The school bus driven by a 55-year old Cantonment woman was stopped to let children off the bus on Green Hills Road at Bold Ruler Driver, just off Pine Forest Road, about 4:55 p.m. The bus was rear-ended by a SUV driven by an 87-year old Pensacola woman, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Both drivers and two juveniles on the bus were uninjured.
Driver Charged With Attempted Murder After High Speed Chase That Started In Atmore
August 17, 2022
A high speed chase that began in Atmore Tuesday ended in Baldwin County with an attempted murder charge against the driver.
It all started in Atmore about 10 a.m. when an Atmore Police Department patrol officer observed a Dodge Journey stopped next to another vehicle in a parking lot on Carver Avenue. Narcotics investigators had given a tip to officers that the occupant of a Dodge Journey had been seen attempted to purchase narcotics several times in the area of Carver Avenue.
An officer attempted a traffic stop on the Dodge Journey, but the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed on Highway 31. Police said the driver, 41-year old James Earl Ivy, began to drive recklessly and ran a vehicle off the road near the Atmore Country Club.
“The officer decided not to pursue due to Ivy’s reckless driving and disregard for the safety of other drivers,” APD Sgt. Darrell McMann said.
A short time later, narcotics investigators in an unmarked vehicle saw the Journey at the intersection of Highway 31 and Katelyn Lane in Nokomis.
“Ivy turned his steering wheel toward the investigators’ vehicle and accelerated at a high rate of speed and struck the front passenger side of the unmarked car,” McMann said.
Ivy turned south on Highway 31 with the narcotics investigators in pursuit. Ivy continued into Baldwin County and turned onto Highway 47. As Ivy continued on Baldwin County Highway 47, his front seat passenger jumped from the vehicle. The investigators estimated Ivy was driving around 50 mph when the passenger bailed.
During the pursuit the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the Alabama State Troopers joined the pursuit with Baldwin County taking the lead before stop strips were deployed.
The pursuit eventually came to an end off of Highway 47 when Ivy turned around and began driving back in the direction of officers.
Ivy is charged with attempted murder, along with fleeing and eluding a police officer. He also had an outstanding warrant from Tennessee, but that agency is declining to extradite him.
Ivy was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center without bond.
The passenger that jumped from Ivy’s vehicle is not facing criminal charges and was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Blue Wahoos, Braves Rained Out In Mississippi
August 17, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Mississippi Braves saw their series opener postponed due to rain at Trustmark Park on Tuesday night. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday.
Citizen Catches Suspect Riding Stolen John Deere Gator Along Highway 97
August 16, 2022
An Alabama man was caught driving a farmer’s stolen John Deere Gator Sunday night, hours after it was stolen from a Highway 97 barn.
Mason Reece Kelly, age 21 of Bay Minette, was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure, felony larceny, and criminal mischief with property damage.
Kelly was one of two people who allegedly burglarized a large barn on Highway 97 near Pelt Road in Walnut Hill about 3:40 a.m. Sunday. A 2018 John Deere Gator valued at $25,000, a chemical sprayer worth $3,000 in the back of the Gator, a LED light bar with $100 on the front of the Gator, four DeWalt drill battery chargers valued at $300 each, four Milwaukee drill battery chargers valued at $200 each, three John Deere battery chargers worth $200 each and a red 5-gallon gas can valued at $35. They also damaged nine metal doors to a cotton picker head worth $400 each by running over them with the Gator.
After daylight Sunday, deputies search the area for the stolen Gator but were unsuccessful.
About 9:30 Sunday night, a friend of the property owner spotted a man later identified as Kelly on the stolen Gator driving north on Highway 97 toward Alabama, according to an arrest report. The friend escorted Kelly and the Gator back to the Davisville Community Center on Highway 97 and called law enforcement.
For more photos, click or tap here.
The victim’s friend stated Kelly took off a blue shirt and placed it on the Gator. A deputy noted in his report that the shirt and a hat in the Gator appeared to be the same items worn by a suspect in surveillance video of the burglary. Deputies also seized a flashlight from Kelly’s pocket that was believed to be the one used during the burglary.
The Gator, sprayer and attached light bat were returned to the owner. At last report, the battery chargers and gas can were still missing.
Kelly remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday morning with bond set at $10,000.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Lane Closures This Week Part Of $1.5 Million I-10 And I-110 Interchange Safety Project
August 16, 2022
A $1.5 million safety improvement project is underway on the I-10/I-110 interchange in Escambia County.
Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures through Thursday, August 18 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews clean the roadway and place high friction surface treatments on the following ramps:
- Davis Highway ramp to I-110 southbound.
- I-110 northbound ramp to I-10 eastbound.
- I-10 eastbound ramp to I-110 southbound.
The work this week is part of an overall larger project with planned improvements that include:
- Milling and resurfacing all ramps to improve ride quality.
- Applying an anti-skid surface on all ramps.
- Adding audible edge lines to alert drivers of the edge of the roadway along all ramps.
- Installing raised rumble strip sets across the I-110 northbound ramp to I-10 eastbound.
- Reducing the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 mph on the I-110 northbound ramp to I-10 westbound.
- Additional work will include improvements for the guardrail, signage, and pavement marking
Work is expected to be completed by Fall 2022.
The graphic shows the overall project, not just the work this week. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
District 5 Town Hall Discussion Dominated By Roads, Traffic And Growth
August 16, 2022
Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry held a District 5 town hall meeting Monday evening in Walnut Hill.
Most of the questions and comments centered around infrastructure issues — roads, traffic and developments.
Several people expressed concerns about the width of Highway 164 where a school bus and ECUA sanitation truck sideswiped mirrors in June and school bus and pickup truck collided last February.
“It’s a very dangerous road,” one citizen remarked, noting that the lanes are about eight feet wide while his pickup truck is 8.5 feet wide plus the mirrors.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Other areas of concern included the school zone at Jim Allen Elementary School, the area of Highway 97 and Crabtree Church Road, and Juniper Street.
One a positive note, one woman stated that a new traffic light at Highway 95A and Old Chemstrand Road is a “delightful” improvement to the traffic situation there.
And, as happens at almost every town hall in Walnut Hill, there were comments about speeding on Highway 97.
Other topics of discussion included concerns about the encroachment of growth and subdivisions in rural and agricultural areas, and growth leading to the need for more space at the Molino Ballpark.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Official Says No Cause For Alarm As ‘Probable’ Monkeypox Case Reported In Escambia
August 16, 2022
The Florida Department of Health is now reporting one probable case of monkeypox in Escambia County, but a local official said that’s not a cause for major alarm.
“People should not be concerned,” Escambia County Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore told NorthEscambia.com Monday night. “Just one case in the county. The health department has monitoring and contact tracing. As of right now, we’ve just identified the one case. We’re not as prevalent in the community as we see in New York and other big cities.”
Gilmore said the health department will provide any necessary updates.
One probable monkeypox case was previously reported in Santa Rosa County. A total of 1,085 cases have been reported across Florida, with 493 of those in Miami-Dade County.