Northview, Jay, Central Students Take Part In Washington Youth Tour
June 30, 2022
Four area students recently participated in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association annual Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
Northview High School junior Drake Driskell, Jay High School senior Caroline Harp, and seniors Hannah Bott and Taylor Baggett from Central High School were Escambia River Electric Cooperative representatives on the tour.
“Sponsoring students for this exciting, educational trip is just one of the ways we invest in our youth,” says Ryan Campbell, CEO of EREC.
On the weeklong Youth Tour, students visited many of the major monuments and memorials, including the Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the National Cathedral and more. The students also visited Capitol Hill where they met with members of Congress.
“Being in Washington DC for a week was nothing short of amazing! Seeing all the monuments, museums, buildings, national documents, and history in DC was absolutely fascinating,” said Harp.
This year, 34 students from cooperatives across Florida took part.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report: Boating And Fishing Violations
June 30, 2022
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following recent activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Over Memorial Day Weekend, officers in Escambia County arrested three subjects for Boating Under the Influence (BUI), assisted in the successful search and rescue of two individuals who were swept down the Perdido River while they attempted to cross it, responded to a vessel crash involving two new PWC’s that were totaled and documented multiple boating safety violations.
Officer Specialist Allgood and Officer Burkhead were at Big Lagoon State Park boat ramp when they observed a vessel violating the idle speed zone. The officers conducted a vessel stop to address the violation. While speaking with the operator of the vessel, Officer Allgood noticed several signs of impairment. He conducted Standard Field Sobriety Tasks (SFST) and the operator was arrested for Boating Under the Influence (BUI). He was transported to the Escambia County Jail.
Officers Allgood and Burkhead were in Perdido River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when they noticed a parked car with its doors open. They approached the car and noticed the driver had an open beer and a cannabis cigarette in plain sight. After a short interview, it was discovered that the driver was in possession of marijuana and several items of drug paraphernalia including a scale and hallucinogenic mushrooms. The driver was arrested for the violations and transported to the Escambia County Jail.
Officers McHenry and Pettey followed up on a derelict vessel investigation. They identified the owner, who has been previously cited for two other derelict vessels. The owner was cited for allowing the additional vessel to become derelict and was given his rights packet. He was also cited for an expired registration.
Officers worked a detail concentrating on boating safety in Bayou Chico. Multiple violations were documented including inoperable navigation lights, expired registrations, failure to transfer vessel titles, and interfering with navigation. Inspections were also made on several vessels’ marine sanitation devices.
In conjunction with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Station Pensacola, Officer Lugg performed a coordinated offshore patrol with a focus on marine fisheries violations. There were numerous violations located throughout the patrol including snapper, amberjack, and grouper violations. Numerous boating safety issues were found, and all operators were educated, and violations addressed through the USCG Boarding Team. All violations were dealt with accordingly.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer’s Bower and Corbin were on patrol at Shoreline Park boat ramp when they observed a fishing vessel return to the dock. The vessel was removed from the water and a boating safety and resource inspection was conducted. The vessel had lionfish, Spanish mackerel, and a greater amberjack on board. The fish were measured, and the greater amberjack was undersized. The captain and owner of the vessel was issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.
Officers Bower and Corbin were on water patrol at Shoreline Park boat ramp when they observed a vessel returning to the dock without its navigational lights on. A vessel stop was conducted to address the violation and to conduct a boating safety inspection. The operator of the vessel was unable to provide a type IV throwable device, registration certificate, and the registration was not displayed on the vessel. Throughout the inspection the operator was assisted by the passenger in locating the items requested, was unable to provide items, would show items not requested, could not stay focused on one task, was unable to complete his sentences, and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy. The operator agreed to conduct Standard Field Sobriety Tasks (SFST) and was placed under arrest for Boating Under the Influence (BUI). The operator was also issued citations and warnings for the boating safety violations.
Officers Matechik, Oliver, and Corbin were on water patrol at the Brooks Bridge in the Santa Rosa Sound when they observed a vessel being operated on full plane through the slow speed/minimum wake zone. A vessel stop was conducted to address the violation and to conduct a boating safety inspection. During the stop the officers discovered the vessel had been rented and the occupants were not provided a type IV throwable device, a fire extinguisher, or a sound producing device. The officers met the owner of the vessel at a local boat ramp and completed a livery inspection. The owner has never taken a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Livery course, did not have the required boating safety signage, did not properly go over the area or how to operate the vessel, and did not provide the required boating safety equipment. The owner was issued a notice to appear citation for several livery violations.
Officers Mullins and Corbin were on patrol when they observed a vessel anchored on state waters with an expired registration of 2019. Two subjects were seen on board and a vessel stop was conducted to perform a safety inspection. The subjects stated they were living on the vessel and had purchased it a few months ago but had not transferred the title into their name. The owner was issued a notice to appear citation for failure to transfer title within 30 days and issued warnings for boating safety.
Officer’s Mullins and Corbin were on patrol and observed a vessel at a local boat ramp on the river. A vessel stop was conducted to perform a resource inspection and during the inspection items were located that are commonly used for bush hooks. Also, on board the vessel were approximately 20 small bream. The owner of the vessel admitted to setting bush hooks and was waiting to check them and was issued a notice to appear citation for untagged bush hooks and possession of freshwater fish taken by illegal devices. Officers Bower, Mullins, and Corbin later launched a patrol vessel and located approximately 20 bush hooks, matching the same equipment on the vessel they had stopped earlier, with four of the bush hooks still baited with bream. None of the bush hooks were tagged and an additional charge of using game fish as bait on bush hooks was added to the case.
Here Are Fireworks Shows And Events In The North Escambia Area
June 30, 2022
Here’s a schedule of public fireworks shows in the North Escambia area this year.
Saturday, July 2
- Freedom Fest at Woodbine Baptist Church, 4912 Woodbine Road in Pace from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A free family-friendly event featuring food trucks, bounce houses, horse and pony rides, water slides, face painting, a charitable silent auction and more. Restrooms, handwashing stations, and tent-covered tables will be available.
Monday, July 4
- Sertoma’s 4th of July Fireworks show and celebration will begin at 4:30 p.m. with live music and food trucks in Seville Square. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for a fireworks show over the bay beginning at 9 p.m. The fireworks show will be synchronized to music on Cat Country 98.7. (You’ll need an actual radio for correct timing. Any app will be delayed by several seconds.)
- Symphony Sparks & Stars is free at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Gates open at 6 p.m. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. in Hunter Amphitheater and will be live streamed on the stadium video board. The Sertoma fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. Concessions available (no outside food). Bring a blanket.
- Pensacola Beach Fireworks at 8:30 p.m. along the boardwalk on the sound side.
- July 4th Riverfest on Willing Street from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in historic downtown Milton. This family-friendly event features the Firecracker Motorcycle Show, a car show, food vendors, retail vendors, a children’s activity area, live entertainment, and the Great Milltown Duck Race. The night will end with a fireworks display over the Blackwater River at dark.
- Wind Creek Atmore fireworks begin at 9 p.m. Watch from the amphitheater or the surrounding area.
Note: There will be no fireworks show in Jay this year as Bray-Hendricks park closes for renovations and upgrades.
Rain Postpones The Biscuits And Wahoos, Sets Up Doubleheader For Thursday
June 30, 2022
Rain and wet grounds forced the postponement of Wednesday’s game between the Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Montgomery Biscuits at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
The contest will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Thursday, June 30, with first pitch of game one beginning at 4:05 and game two starting at approximately 6:30. Both games will be seven innings, and gates will open to all fans at 3:30.
The postgame fireworks show will still proceed as scheduled on Wednesday, beginning at dusk.
Fans with tickets to Wednesday’s game may exchange them at the Blue Wahoos box office for tickets to a future 2022 Blue Wahoos regular season home game, subject to availability.
Sexual Predator Accused Of Registry Violations In Move From Cantonment To Century
June 29, 2022
A convicted sexual predator from Cantonment is facing multiple felony charges for failing to update his required registration information.
Court records show 62-year old Michael Allen Davis was convicted of a 1997 attempted sexual battery by an adult on a victim under age 12 in Escambia County and served nine years and 10 months. He was designated as a sexual predator at that time.
Davis is required to register with the sex offender/predator database four times per year, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said he fraudulently reported on June 1 that he was residing at 108 Calloway Street in Cantonment.
On June 10, an Escambia County deputy attempting to verify his address was told by a woman that Davis had not lived there since March 2022. She told the deputy that Davis had a new girlfriend and was living in Century. Two days later, the woman told deputies that Davis had been back on Calloway Street for about three weeks since leaving in March, according to his arrest report. She provided the deputy with a phone number for Davis that was not included in his registry information.
Davis is required to update his address or any change to his phone number within 48, the report states.
Davis was charged with three felony sexual predator violations — failure to provide a cell number, failure to report a residence change and failure to report vacating a permanent residence. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $45,000.
Davis was also convicted of failing to comply with registration requirements twice in 2009 and once in 2010, serving an additional sentence of just under six years and 10 months. He was released from prison on October 1, 2017.
School Bus, ECUA Truck Collide On ‘Narrow’ Highway 164 Near McDavid
June 29, 2022
An ECUA sanitation truck and an Escambia County school bus were involved in a collision on Highway 164 near McDavid on Tuesday.
The mirrors on both vehicles struck as they passed in opposite directions. The mirrors on the ECUA were slammed into a window, shattering it. The mirror on the bus was moved, but essentially undamaged.
Highway 164 has, by our unofficial measurement, has travel lanes that are about 8-feet wide in the area.
Neither driver was faulted or cited by the Florida Highway Patrol; the crash was blamed on the narrow road width.
There were no injuries. There were no passengers in either vehicle.
Exactly four months before Tuesday’s crash on Highway 164, a school bus and a pickup truck collided in almost the same spot on February 28. The road width was also blamed for the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Editor’s note: The mirror on the school bus had been pulled back into position prior to these photos.
Farm Share Food Distribution Saturday In Walnut Hill
June 29, 2022
Justified Incarcerated Ministries will be hosting a Farm Share Food distribution for the Walnut Hill community on Saturday, July 2.
The food distribution will begin at 9 a.m. at the Walnut Hill Community Center at 7850 Highway 97, just north of Ernest Ward Middle School.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Escaped Inmate From Atmore Prison Remains On The Run Over Two Weeks Later
June 29, 2022
An inmate that escaped from the Fountain prison in Atmore has now been on the run for over two weeks.
Inmate Edward Williams, 41, escaped from the Fountain Correctional Facility about 9:20 a.m. Sunday, June 12, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections.
He is described as a black male, six-feet one-inch tall, 143 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a tan colored state inmate uniform. He was serving a 999 year, 99 month and 99 day sentence for multiple 2004 first degree robbery convictions in Jefferson County, according to ADOC records.
Williams was one of three inmates reported as having escaped from Fountain within the last month. One was recaptured a few hours later by U.S. Marshals. Another inmate, Corey Daniel Gable, was reported as escaped and then recaptured, but NorthEscambia.com found that he had actually been released by mistake.
González Goes Deep In Wahoos 10-5 Loss to Biscuits
June 29, 2022
Norel González went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, but the Pensacola Blue Wahoos couldn’t slow down the Montgomery Biscuits in a 10-5 loss on Tuesday night.
González, who hadn’t had a multi-hit effort in his first 13 games in Pensacola, now has six hits in his past two games.
Pensacola took an early 2-0 lead on González’s two-run homer in the second, but that was all they could manage against Biscuits starter Jayden Murray (W, 5-2). Montgomery took the lead for good in the third, scoring four runs on five hits and a pair of errors behind starter A.J. Ladwig (L, 2-2).
Former Blue Wahoo Kameron Misner highlighted the four-run frame with a two-run double, and later added an RBI single in a 2-for-5 night. Garrett Hiott lined a two-run homer off Ladwig in the fifth to extend the Montgomery lead to 6-2.
After two Biscuits runs in the seventh against Josh Simpson, the Blue Wahoos got three runs back in the bottom half of the inning to draw the game to 8-5. J.D. Orr hit an RBI double, then scored on consecutive wild pitches as the momentum briefly shifted to the home team.
Montgomery, however, answered in the eighth with a two-out RBI double from Greg Jones to extend their lead to 10-5. Pensacola couldn’t manage any runs in the final two innings as they dropped the first game of the second half.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Montgomery Biscuits on Wednesday.
Escambia Man Charged In June 23 Shooting Death
June 28, 2022
An arrest has been made in connection with a shooting death last week.
Andre Martell Tarlton, 36, was charged with murder. Jail records show he had been in jail since June 23 on other charges including theft, larceny, fraud and dealing in stolen property.
On June 23, deputies responded to the 3700 block of James Street where a man was found dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
Additional information has not been released.