Colethia Lewis Retires After 35 Years With Escambia County, Extension Services
November 27, 2021
A familiar face at Escambia County Extension is retiring.
Colethia Lewis has 35 years of public service to Escambia County in multiple departments, with 25 years at UF/IFAS Extension Services. She has been the face and voice of Escambia Extension for countless people that visited the Extension Office over the years.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Playoffs: Chipley Beats Baker In 1A; Pine Forest Wins In 6A
November 27, 2021
Here are Friday night high school playoff football finals of interest from Friday night.
1A Regional Finals
- Chipley 22, Baker 7
The Chipley Tigers beat the Baker Gators 22-7 Friday night in the 1A regional finals at Baker. Chipley advances to the state semifinal December 3 against top ranked Hawthorne Hornets.
6A Regionals Semifinals
- Pine Forest 49, Mosley 14
The top-ranked Pine Forest Eagles beat the second-ranked Mosley Dolphins 49-14 Friday night at Pine Forest. The Eagles will host Jones High School of Orlando next Friday night in the state semifinals.
Pictured: The Baker Gators. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Thanksgiving Holiday Tragedy: 10-Year Old Dies In Rollover Wreck
November 26, 2021
A two-vehicle rollover crash west of Atmore claimed the life of an Atmore child and injured two other people on Thanksgiving eve.
The 10-year old boy was a passenger in a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox driven by 40-year old Wandra T, Gibson of Atmore. According to Alabama State Troopers, Gibson attempted to pass a Freightliner tractor-trailer drive by 50-year old Jonathan T. Jeter, also of Atmore. The crash happened about 3:58 p.m. Wednesday on Highway 31 about three miles west of Atmore.
“As the Equinox went to pass the Freightliner the vehicles collided, causing the Equinox to overturn and land in (the) roadway. The 10-year-old youth was fatally injured and pronounced deceased at the scene,” Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Sgt. Jeremy Burkett said Thursday.
Gibson and a second passenger, a 9-year old, were transported to an area hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Further information has not been released as troopers continue their investigation.
File photo.
Many Locals Will Use A Space Heater To Stay Warm Tonight. Here’s How To Be Safe.
November 26, 2021
With colder weather arriving in North Escambia, many people will turn to space heaters to stay warm. And that can be dangerous.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths and space heaters account for four out of five home heating fire deaths.
“Space heaters should have a three-foot safe zone around them,” said Escambia County Fire and Life Specialist Ray Melton. “They should never be left on while you’re away from home. They should be checked and served every year before used. Never plug a space heater into power strips or extension cords, and always have working smoke alarms.”
Follow these tips to stay safe while heating your home:
- Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.
- Keep anything that can burn at least 3 ft. away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove or portable space heater.
- Portable space heaters should be turned OFF every time you leave the room and before going to bed.
- Never plug a space heater in a power strip.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Never use an oven to heat your home.
For portable electric heaters:
- Place them on a solid, flat surface, away from high traffic areas and doorways.
- Use and purchase heaters with an automatic shut off so if they are tipped over they will shut off.
- Plug power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord.
- Inspect for cracked or damaged, broken plugs or loose connections; replace before using.
Instagram Worthy Photo Op: 4-H Hay Bale Decorating Contest Winners
November 26, 2021
The results are in from the 2021 Escambia County 4-H Hay Bale Decorating Contest. And you have a chance to check out the winners (and snap a few great Instagram photos too) through this weekend.
First place went to the NAS Pensacola 4-H Club, second place to the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, and third place to the Discovery 4-H Club. Other entries were from the Escambia Shooting Stars 4-H Club, Northview 4-H Club, Escambia County Horse 4-H Club, Escambia County Leadership 4-H Club and the Perdido Bay UMC 4-H Club.
The hay bales will be on display at the corner of Stefani Road and 9 1/2 Mile Road, the first intersection south of the Escambia County Extension Service.
For photos of all of the entries, click here.
Pictured: First place went to the NAS Pensacola 4-H Club (top photo), second place to the Barrineau Park 4-H Club (below), and third place to the Discovery 4-H Club (bottom). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drivers Getting A Road Construction Break Until Monday
November 26, 2021
Florida drivers are getting a little break from road construction during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, there will be no construction related lane closures on state roads through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. The lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
AAA Predicts Thanksgiving Travel Rebound Near Pre-Pandemic Levels
November 26, 2021
AAA is forecasting a strong rebound in Thanksgiving holiday travelers through this weekend.
The Auto Club Group predicts 53.4 million Americans will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, up 13% from 2020. That will bring travel volumes within 5% of pre-pandemic levels for the 2019 holiday.
The gap is closing even faster in Florida, as total travel figures are only 2% below pre-pandemic levels. AAA predicts nearly 2.9 million Floridians will travel for Thanksgiving, a 13% rebound from the total number of travelers during the 2020 holiday.
With 6.4 million more Americans traveling this Thanksgiving (321,000 more Floridians), AAA expects roads and airports to be noticeably more crowded than last year’s holiday. AAA predicts road travel to increase 8%. Yet the most notable improvement this year’s holiday is domestic air travel, which has almost completely recovered from its dramatic drop-off during the pandemic and is up 80% from last year.
Miracle League Holds Annual Turkey Fry (With Photo Gallery)
November 25, 2021
The Miracle League of Pensacola held their annual turkey fry fundraiser Wednesday at their park on East Nine Mile Road.
Volunteers with the Miracle League spent their day frying about 300 turkeys for a minimum $35 donation, with all of the proceeds going to benefit the Miracle League.
A small army of volunteers worked to deep fry the turkeys to perfection, rows of timers keeping track of the cooking time at a command center of sorts. Cadets from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also volunteered to make sure the turkeys were ready to enjoy for Thanksgiving.
The Miracle League provides physically and mentally challenged children a safe and spirited program in which they can hit, run, and catch on a baseball field – just like other kids. MLP offers a unique and memorable opportunity these children would not otherwise have. It is a place where every player plays, every player hits, every player gets on base, every player scores, and every player wins – every inning.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Beulah Family Without A Home After Fire
November 25, 2021
A family was left without a home after a fire early Wednesday morning in a Beulah.
The fire was reported at 5:16 a.m in the 9800 block of Mobile Highway. Firefighters arrived minutes later to find the mobile home full engulfed in flames. The home was a total loss, and two adjacent mobile homes were also damaged by fire.
There were no injuries reported.
The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The Beulah, Ensley, Cantonment, Bellview, Brent and Osceola stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded, along with Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Charged With 600 Counts Of Sexual Battery Of A Minor; 600 Counts Of Incest
November 25, 2021
An Escambia County man is charged with 1,200 total counts of sexually assault and incest charged involving a minor.
Robert Cota, 31, is charged with 600 counts of sexual assault on a victim age 12 to 18, and 600 counts of incest for incidents that reportedly took place over the last six years. His bond was set at $3 million.
An arrest report states a local pastor told deputies that Cota approached him last Sunday and said he “had issues with one of the beliefs” in the church guideline book. He then specifically pointed to the word “incest”.
As the conversation continued, the pastor told Cota that what he was doing was not right, and that he needed to report himself to the authorities. The pastor later provided Cota’s information to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The report states the victim said the sexual encounters with Cota had been happening since she was 7-years old. She added Cota told her these acts were how to show affection.
When Cota was arrested on unrelated charges last September, the report states the mother said she recently learned of Cota and the victim having a sexual relationship. According to the report, Cota became angry and pointed a gun at the victim multiple times. Cota was arrested for aggravated assault domestic violence as authorities began investigating the sexual assault and incest allegations.
The report states that during the September incident, the victim and Cota both told the mother of the sexual relationship before taking back their statements.
According to the report, when deputies went to arrest Cota for sexual assault and incest, he said he was not surprised of the accusations.