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.
Tate, Northview Kickoff Classics Are Friday Night
August 16, 2022
The Tate Aggies and Northview Chiefs have kickoff classics on the road this Friday night.
Tate High School
The Tate Aggies’ kickoff classic will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Catholic High School. Varsity will play the first half, followed by junior varsity in the third quarter and the freshman team in the fourth quarter. Tickets are $7 in the GoFan app or cash will be accepted at the gate. Parking will be $2. Credit cars will be accepted for concessions. (The Tate Showband does not attend away kickoff classics.)
Northview High School
The Northview Chiefs’ kickoff classic begins at 7 p.m. Friday at Baker High School. The Northview varsity, NHS junior varsity and the Ernest Ward Eagles will all play.
Pictured: Northview’s “Meet the Chiefs” last Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Woman Charged With DUI, Drug Charges After Fleeing Traffic Checkpoint
August 16, 2022
An Atmore woman is facing multiple charges after fleeing a driver checkpoint.
Fenetrias L. Lewis, 39, was charged with DUI, possession of controlled substance – ecstasy, possession of a controlled substance – cocaine, second degree possession of a marijuana, tampering with evidence and fleeing/attempting to elude law enforcement.
The Flomaton Police Department said they could smell the odor of what they believed to be marijuana as Lewis was traveling through a checkpoint on Old Atmore Road at Tulip Street Saturday. They told her to pull over, but she fled with Flomaton officers in pursuit. She came to a stop after traveling a short distance.
According to police, Lewis was under the influence of alcohol and in possession of ecstasy and marijuana, and she tossed a bag with 7-grams of cocaine from the vehicle.
Lewis was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center without bond.
Update: Arrest Made In Fatal Hit And Run
August 15, 2022
UPDATE: Pensacola Police said Monday night that an arrest has been made in early morning fatal hit and run.
John Halgren Kings, 38, hs been charged charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death. The vehicle he was driving has also been recovered, according to police.
Travis Hurd, 41, was struck by a vehicle on East Cervantes Street at the Bayou Texar bridge. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The vehicle that struck Hurd did not stop and left traveling east on Cervantes Street, according to Pensacola Police.
Pictured top: Travis Hurd.
Pedestrian Struck By Vehicle, Seriously Injured In Cantonment
August 15, 2022
A man was seriously injured when he was hit by a car Monday morning on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 31-year old Pensacola man was in the front passenger seat of his wife’s vehicle, stopped in traffic in the inside lane of Highway 29 approaching Muscogee Road. The Pensacola man’s vision was obstructed by a stopped cement truck in the outside lane as he got out of his wife’s vehicle and attempted to cross Highway 29 toward the golf course.
He was struck by a car driven by a 22-year old Atmore man southbound in the outside lane of Highway 29.
The pedestrian was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to a Pensacola hospital.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ADEM Imposing $160K Penalty Against Atmore Oil And Gas Facility, Cites 1,735 Air Quality Violations
August 15, 2022
The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is hitting an Atmore oil and gas production company with a $160,000 levy for numerous air quality violations.
ADEM has proposed a consent order to Escambia Operating Company, the owner/operator of the Big Escambia Creek (BEC) oil and natural gas production and processing facility on Sardis Church Road, about five miles north of the Alabama-Florida state line. The department is proposing a civil penalty of $160,000 for 83 sulfur dioxide emissions violations.
According to the consent order, Escambia Operating had 1,735 total violations of the three-hour and 24-hour sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission standards in the first few months of 2022. The civil penalty covers 83 violations because the number of continuous violations that can be cited per day are limited by state law.
“The Department is not aware of any irreparable harm to the environment resulting from the violations,” the proposed order states.