Train Blocks Highway 4 Crossing In Century
March 23, 2022
A CSX train blocked the East Highway 4 crossing just east of Highway 29 in Century for a period of time Wednesday morning.
Local officials reported the crossing was blocked for over an hour.
There was no word why the train stopped. By 11:20 a.m., the crossing was clear.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man, 72, Critically Injured In Wreck After Possible Medical Emergency
March 23, 2022
A Cantonment man was transported to the hospital in critical condition after an interstate wreck Tuesday night.
The 72-year old man was traveling eastbound on I-10 near the I-110 overpass when he experienced a possible medical emergency, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. His Cadillac XT5 SUV left the roadway and collided with multiple traffic barriers before crossing into the westbound lanes of I-10.
A passenger in the vehicle, a 66-year old Cantonment woman, received minor injuries.
State Champion Tate High Cheerleaders Honored By School Board
March 23, 2022
Tuesday night, the Escambia County School Board recognized the Tate High School cheerleaders for winning 2022 FHSAA Small Varsity competitive cheerleading championship.
“These young ladies give tirelessly of their time to practice multiple times a week during the summer and daily once school begins,” Principal Laura Touchstone (pictured left) told the school board. “Not only do they cheer competitively, but also at football and basketball games. In addition, they host several Little Aggies Camps and volunteer in the community throughout the year.”
“While participating in all of these activities, these ladies stay committed to their academic success,” Touchstone noted. “They are currently the sport with the highest GPA on campus.”
Tate cheerleading coach Morgan White thanked the board for honoring her “amazing cheerleaders”.
“Thank you to our family and friends who have stuck out this season through the good and bad times, supported our vision, and financed this passion,” White told the school board. “And most importantly, we would like to thank God for giving us an ability to cheer, as without Him none of this would be possible.
Their competitive season began in November at the Aggie Cheer Classic where they earned first place in game day, first place in traditional and grand champions. In December at the UCA Nationals qualifier in Tampa, the team earned first place out of 16 teams and a bid to the UCA Nationals.
At the Chipley Tiger Cheer Challenge, they won first place game day, first place traditional, best choreography, best stunts, and grand champions of the competition, qualifying the team for regionals.
At regionals, the Aggies scored high enough to skip semi finals and proceed straight to finals at the FHSAA state competition.
Competing against the 17 top teams from across Florida, the Tate High School varsity cheerleaders brought home the state title.
At the UCA Nationals in Orlando, they competed against 108 other teams, placing 13th in the nation in the small varsity traditional division.
Members of the state championship team are:
- McKenzie Alfred
- Brooke Alvare
- Kyndell Ammons
- Kaylenia Bailey
- Landry Bellard
- Lanie Brown
- Jaiden Bryant
- Taylee Edwards
- Makayla Hartley
- Alexis Hudson
- Erin Johnson
- Ryleigh Maxwell
- Paige McKinney
- Lainey Patrick
- Emma Romero
- Alyssa Roye
Johnson, Romero and Ammons also won a state championship with White during their freshman year in 2019. This is White’s fifth year as coach.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Updated: Man, 72, Charged With Shotgun Slaying Of His 64-Year Old Companion In McDavid
March 23, 2022
A 72-year old man was charged with the shotgun slaying of a 64-year old woman in McDavid Tuesday night.
Frankie Milton Wilson was charged with the second degree murder of Sonja Burch.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened at the couple’s home on Worley Road off Mystic Springs Road where they lived together as a couple but were not married. Burch was pronounced deceased with a single gunshot wound to the chest.
ECSO deputies arrived to find Burch deceased in the kitchen of the home and Wilson standing outside.
Wilson asked deputies to look at injuries to him caused by the victim. He showed deputies an obviously old superficial scratch on his stomach and another superficial scratch on his left arm, which was bandaged and blooded. He told deputies that the two injuries were from being attacked by Burch with a butter knife in the past couple of days.
A search warrant was executed at the home. Deputies recovered a .410 shotgun from Wilson’s room but did not locate a butter knife neartBurch.
“Due to not locating the alleged butter knife, it is reasonable to believe that (the victim) was unarmed at the time she was shot by Frank Wilson,” the report states.
Wilson made statements indicating that he “snapped” and shot the victim out of anger and complications with his blood pressure, according to the report.
School Board Passes Emergency Rule Prohibiting Weapons In Student Vehicles
March 23, 2022
The Escambia County School Board Tuesday night approved an emergency rule to make it illegal for students to have a weapon in a vehicle on a school campus.
Florida law says it’s technically legal for anyone 18 or older to have a lawfully concealed firearm in their vehicle, except when a school board approves an exception to the law for students.
The school district currently has rules against a weapon in a vehicle on a campus, but until Tuesday night a violation would only lead to school disciplinary action. With the emergency rule, law enforcement now had the authority to arrest a student for a weapon on campus.
As NorthEscambia.com first reported earlier this month, the district had proposed an emergency rule that was much broader and would have applied to anyone except law enforcement and school security personnel.
There were two major changes between the emergency rule as first presented and as considered Tuesday night, according to board attorney Elle Odom. She said the biggest change limited the impact to just students, and the second only allows school guardians, or contracted security personnel, to have additional firearms secured in their vehicle without it being a law violation.
“It is my understanding that a number of concerns were raised by members of the public about whether or not they would be impacted by this when they had concealed carry permits. Not just members of the public but also our employees,” Patty Hightower, District 4 school board member said.
“I feel like we are covering the concerns that I have heard from the public,” District 5 board member Bill Slayton said,” and we are mainly covering the concerns I have for the safety of the students.”
One a motion from Hightower and a second by Slayton, the board approved the emergency order 4-0 with Dr. Laura Edler not present.
Hightower said she was supporting the emergency rule, but she wants to have a much broader conversation in the future about preventing people other than students from carrying a weapon on a school campus.
“I really am concerned about firearms being carried by anybody but license law enforcement and our campus security on our school grounds,” Hightower said. “I understand people’s right to carry arms, but these are our students, and these are our schools, and I really am concerned about their safety.”
The emergency rule approved Tuesday night will be in place for up to 90 days while the district works on a permanent rule following a formal rulemaking and advertising process.
The school board took action after a rifle was found inside a vehicle on the Tate High School campus last month.
An AR-15 rifle along with four magazines and 34 rounds of ammunition were found February 15 inside an 18-year old student’s truck while it was parked on campus, and the student was suspended. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said it was determined in consultation with the State Attorney’s Office that no law was broken because the school district had not ever approved a waiver like the emergency rule now in effect.
The student and a 16-year old were later charged with felony grand theft of a firearm after the weapon was reported as stolen.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Walbridge Street To Close At Ten Mile Next Week
March 23, 2022
Walbridge Street will be closed at the intersection of West Ten Mile Road will be closed temporarily beginning Monday, March 28 at 8 a.m.
Traffic will be detoured to Haley Land and Bowman Avenue as Escambia County installs a new drainage systems. The road is expected to reopen by Wednesday, March 30.
NorthEscambia.com photo and graphic, click to enlarge.
Century Reschedules American Rescue Plan Budget Meeting Due To Weather
March 23, 2022
The Century Town Council has rescheduled a workshop meeting to discuss how to spend American Rescue Plan funds.
The workshop was planned for Tuesday night but was rescheduled due to the threat of severe weather.
The workshop will now be held on Tuesday, March 29.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
UF/IFAS Santa Rosa County Extension Welcomes New Horticulture Agent
March 23, 2022
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (US/IFAS) Santa Rosa Extension has hired Joshua Criss as a new residential horticulture agent.
Criss earned a degree in plant science from the University of Florida and worked at the West Florida Research and Education Center. He previously had a career in the Air Force. Familial ties to farming drove his interest in plant growth and production where he maintains a desire to serve his community by helping others succeed. Currently, Criss and his family live in Santa Rosa County. His role is to lead a team of master gardeners who provide expertise in horticulture and Florida friendly landscaping.
The UF/IFAS Santa Rosa Extension provides residents of Santa Rosa County with research-backed education and expertise in specific areas. The extension office offers clinics that provide plant diagnostics and help gardeners maximize production in the local environment, including lawn, edible and ornamental gardening. These clinics are available five days a week at the Milton office, 6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton, and Tuesdays in the Gulf Breeze tax office, 5841 Gulf Breeze Parkway.
Truck Snags Wires, Bringing Down Utility Poles And Closing North Century Boulevard
March 22, 2022
A semi truck snagged wires and snapped two utility poles in Century Tuesday afternoon.
It happened about 4:55 p.m. on North Century Boulevard (Highway 29) just south of the Florida-Alabama state line when the truck attempted to turn into the Food Giant parking lot.
The downed lines closed all lanes of the roadway for about 35 minutes. By 5:30 p.m., two lanes were reopened — one northbound and one southbound. At 6 p.m., the roadway was completely reopened to traffic.
At 7:33 FPL was reporting 130 customers without power as they work to make repairs. That includes the grocery store and other businesses in the area.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
American Idol: Tate Grad Jordan Chase Torrez Is Going To Hollywood
March 22, 2022
Tate High School graduate Jordan Chase Torrez is going to Hollywood.
Torrez is on the 20th season of American Idol, and he received three yes votes from judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
“I love y’all so much and thank you everyone who has supported me this far,” Torrez said in making the announcement Tuesday afternoon.
Unfortunately for local fans, Torrez said his audition will not air, but stay tuned for Hollywood Week on American Idol.
Torrez is a 2019 graduate of Tate High School.