Update: Escambia County Phone Service Restored
July 14, 2022
UPDATED – Phone service has been restored.
Both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are reporting phone issues this afternoon.
Escambia County said all county offices were having phone issues due to an AT&T outage.
Officials in Santa Rosa County said Verizon issues were causing some problems and preventing some Verizon customers from reaching 911. “For Verizon customers dialing 911, if the call does not go through, call again. Verizon is aware of the issue and is working to correct it as soon as possible,” Santa Rosa County said.
Escambia 911 was working, according to a county official. All Escambia County offices were without phone service, including:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners (all departments)
- West Florida Public Libraries (all locations)
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare
- Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
- Escambia County Extension Office
- Waste Services Administration
- Supervisor of Elections Office
- Escambia County Area Transit
There was no estimated time for repairs.
Greg Evers Way, Clay Ingram Drive At 4-H Center Honor Former State Leaders
July 14, 2022
Two road names at the Escambia County 4-H property in Molino pay homage to two former members of the state legislature.
“Greg Evers Way” and “Clay Ingram Drive” are within the boundaries of the property on Highway 99.
“The naming of the roads at the 4-H property was a joint agreement between involved stakeholders and (Escambia County) Commissioner Steven Barry to provide recognition to (former) Sen. Evers and Rep. Ingram for their contributions towards the purchase of the new 4-H land and support for Escambia 4-H,” said Nick Simmons, Escambia Extension director.
Escambia County 4-H moved into their new property in Molino in 2014 after the sale of their previous 240 acre site on Nine Mile Road to Navy Federal Credit Union.
Evers served in the Florida Senate from 2010 to 2016 following nearly a decade in the Florida House. He passed away in an August 2017 traffic crash near his home in Baker.
Ingram served in the Florida House from 2010 to 2018.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Offering Free Sand For Flood Prep
July 14, 2022
Escambia County has free sand available for residents living in flood prone areas.
The sand is available on a first come, first served basis at the following locations:
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park - 4541 Highway 4, Bratt
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297A
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St., Pensacola
- Ferry Pass Middle School -available on northwest corner of school property on Parazine Street
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels. Sandbags are usually available for purchase at home improvement and hardware stores.
Pictured: Sand at Travis M. Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Former Santa Rosa Sheriff Lieutenant Pleads Guilty To State And Federal Charges
July 14, 2022
A former Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant pleaded guilty to multiple federal and state felony charges this week.
Scott P. Haines, 50, pleaded guilty in federal court to making material false statements to the FBI during the course of its investigation. In state court, Haines pleaded guilty to the unauthorized access or use of a computer system or network in relation to law enforcement systems.
In federal court, Haines admitted that he became personally involved in the real property management and finances of an elderly woman in Santa Rosa County and deposited rental payments from tenants of the elderly woman into his own bank account without authority to do so. When confronted by the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Haines made material false statements regarding his involvement with the rental properties, the depositing of rental payments into his personal account, and his knowledge and involvement.
In state court, Haines admitted to his personal misuse of the National Crime Information Center database utilized by law enforcement officers and analysts for official purposes.
Haines will be sentenced in federal court on October 17 before District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Haines faces up to five years’ federal imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He will also pay over $45,000 in investigative and prosecutive costs and relinquish his criminal justice certifications pursuant to the state prosecution.
Haines was demoted from captain to lieutenant following a 2020 sexual harassment investigation. He retired last year after an internal affairs investigation.
Photo: Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office. Under Florida law, Haines’ mugshot was exempt from release.
Tate Lady Aggies Hold Annual Softball Skills Clinic (With Photo Gallery)
July 14, 2022
The Tate High School Lady Aggies held their annual Summer Softball Skills Clinic this week.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Convicted Of Aggravated Manslaughter For Death Of 8-Month Old
July 14, 2022
An Escambia County man was convicted Wednesday for the September 2019 death of his infant son.
Courtland Ahmad Freeman, 32, was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child. He is set to be sentenced on September 8.
Freemen was taking care of his 8-month old child at a home on Hillcrest Avenue when Escambia County EMS was called for a child in distress that had stopped breathing.
The child was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital where he passed away six days later. An autopsy found the child’s skull was fractured in five places and he had severe retinal hemorrhaging.
Soler Homers Twice In Wahoos 7-3 Victory
July 14, 2022
Jorge Soler hit a pair of home runs and Zach McCambley struck out a career-high 11 batters as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos defeated the Chattanooga Lookouts on Wednesday night by a score of 7-3.
Soler, in his second game on a rehab assignment for the Marlins, went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in the first inning and a two-run home run in the seventh.
McCambley (W, 4-5), fresh off six no-hit innings in his previous start last Thursday, was sharp once again. The righty allowed only two hits and a run over 6.2 innings, striking out 11 batters to establish a new career high.
Pensacola scored single runs in the first three innings, with a Soler home run in the first, a Cobie Fletcher-Vance RBI double in the second and a sacrifice fly from Victor Victor Mesa in the third against Chattanooga starter Connor Phillips (L, 0-2).
The Lookouts scored their only run against McCambley with a fourth-inning solo home run from T.J. Hopkins, but threatened in the seventh by drawing a pair of two-out walks before Anthony Maldonado escaped the jam by coaxing an inning-ending popout.
In the bottom of the seventh, Soler’s second homer of the night was followed by a two-run double from Mesa, who finished the night 3-for-3 with three RBI. The Lookouts scored a pair against Sean Reynolds in the eighth on a two-run single from Alex McGarry, but Josh Simpson sealed the win with a perfect ninth inning.
The Blue Wahoos continue their series against the Chattanooga Lookouts on Friday.
by Erik Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Tropical Development Chance Drops To Zero Over The Next Five Days
July 13, 2022
The chance of tropical development in the next five days is now 0%, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center.
We had been watching a disturbance just offshore in the northern Gulf of Mexico for possible development, but now the hurricane forecasters don’t believe it will strengthen.
But we will still see a high rain chance from the system over the next several days, along with an elevated risk of flash flooding.
For the local North Escambia area forecast, click or tap here.
Century Shuffles Fund Balances So Gas Department Can Pay Bills
July 13, 2022
Rising costs across the board left the Town of Century Gas Department without enough money on the books to pay its bills without the help of other town enterprise funds.
The town council has approved transferring $50,000 from the water department and $25,000 from the garbage fund. It is projected the $75,000 will allow the gas department to meet its obligations through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.
“Due to the unanticipated high price of natural gas, the income in the Gas Department funds is inadequate to pay all of the bills,” Town Clerk Leslie Howington wrote in a council agenda item. She said that the increased cost of doing business — from vehicle fuel to supplies and equipment — have also hurt the bottom line.
It’s not the first time other town funds have been used to sustain the gas department’s operations.. During the fiscal year ending in 2019, the gas department received $121,447 from the two funds, and $73,049 in 2020. During the four-year period ending in September 2019, Century’s gas department losses topped $1 million. That prompted the town to get to work replacing inaccurate residential and commercial meters and correcting billing problems.
There’s Less Than Two Weeks To Register To Vote In The Primary Election
July 13, 2022
There are less than two week remaining to register to vote or change your party for the primary election.
You must register to vote or change your party by July 25 in order for the changes to be made effective in time for the August 23 primary election, according to the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office.
For more information, visit EscambiaVotes.gov.