• Home
• News
• Events
• Features
• Sports
• About
• Contact
• Advertise

Free Classifieds | Obituaries |

NorthEscambia.com Will Be Unavailable At Times

NorthEscambia.com will be unavailable for brief moments this evening.

We are moving the site to a much more powerful web server that will allow us to provide a better user experience and increase our offerings. During the upgrades, NorthEscambia.com will be down for very short periods.  Simply wait a few moments and try again if you are unable to reach our site.

The upgrades are necessary due to record growth in the number of people that read NorthEscambia.com each day.

Bonnie Is No More; Fizzles South Of Pensacola

The storm formerly known as Bonnie fizzled over the Gulf of Mexico south of Pensacola Saturday afternoon, downgraded from a tropical depression to just a disorganized area of low pressure with associated showers and thunderstorms.

The remnants of Bonnie will move into southern Louisiana Saturday night, possible bringing a few showers Saturday night and Sunday to the North Escambia area. The last National Hurricane Center update on Bonnie was issued at 4 p.m. Saturday, with winds in the storm barely at 30 m.p.h. Forecasters do not anticipate any strengthening in the system.

The latest specific information on  Bonnie can be found in the graphic at the top of the page.

Here is your complete NorthEscambia area forecast:

• Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. South wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
• Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
• Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
• Tuesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. South wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
• Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
• Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
• Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
• Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 95.
• Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.

Escambia Considering Red Light Cameras, Could Net $3 Million Per Year

Escambia County is considering the installation of red light cameras in anticipation of adding up to $3 million per year to the county’s coffers.

“Escambia County is interested in pursuing installation of red light cameras at locations exhibiting substantial incidences of red light violations to improve enforcement capabilities,” Interim County Administrator Larry Newsom said in his written recommendation to the county commission.

The Florida Legislature approved the use of red light cameras earlier this year, with the law taking effect on July 1. According to Newsom, Sheriff David Morgan is interested in pursuing installation at problem intersections, and the idea is supported by the county’s traffic operations staff.

The automated cameras snap a photo of the car and license plate of alleged red light runners, and the driver receives a $158 citation in the mail — along with a photo of the violation. Of the $158 fine, Escambia County would retain $75. With 20 camera locations, Escambia County would earn as estimated $2-3 million per year.

The Sheriff’s Department would be responsible for providing trained traffic enforcement officer to review the photos and other evidence prior to a citation being issued. A portion of the county’s revenue would be transferred to the sheriff for increased personnel costs.

The county will hold a public hearing on August 19 at 5:30 prior to a commission meeting on a proposed red light camera ordinance.

New Over-The-Air TV Station Available

There’s a new viewing choice in the local television market. WFGX MyTV 35 is now broadcasting from WEAR TV 3’s tower in Baldwin County, providing a strong over-the-air signal in the North Escambia area.

WFGX offers MyNetworkTV programming from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. with such popular programs as “WWE: Smackdown”, “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “The Unit”.

The station also airs movies from ThisTV throughout the day and  with the programs “Jerry Springer”, “Maury Povich”, “Inside Edition” and “Extra” on weekdays. During the weekend, WFGX airs “Desperate Housewives”, “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Bones”.

The station is available over-the-air as channel 35.1 (physically on channel 50) in standard definition.

“Sometime in early August we will be changing to a High-Definition signal only,” said Joe Smith, WEAR/WFGX operations manager.  In the near future, the station will add “TheCoolTV”,  a music station, on a second digital channel.

In order to view WFGX, viewers using an antenna to receive over-the-air TV should use the “re-scan” feature on their digital TV or DTV converter box.  WFGX is also carried on Cox Cable in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, and Mediacom in Gulf Breeze and Milton. WFGX is not currently carried on other area cable systems or satellite services.

“Viewers with cable or satellite should contact those companies asking them to provide WFGX MyTV 35,” Smith said.

WFGX has been on the air since 1987, but was previously available to viewers in the Fort Walton Beach area. With the move to WEAR’s tower near Robertsdale, the station is now available in the entire Mobile-Pensacola television market.

Are You Ready To Vote?

Are you election-ready?

From party primaries for Florida’s next U.S. senator, governor and cabinet, state legislative delegation, county commission, and ECUA, to non-partisan races for school board, circuit judge, and Pensacola’s first “strong mayor,” a wide array of important contests are up for grabs in the August 24th primary election. With the election rapidly approaching, it is important that you prepare to exercise one of your most fundamental rights as an American.

If you are not registered to vote, you must do so by Monday, July 26th. If you are unsure of your registration status, you can visit EscambiaVotes.com and click ‘Am I Registered?’ to find out. We need to know if you recently moved, changed your name, or wish to change political parties. Florida is a closed primary state, which means that in order to vote in a party’s primary, you must be a registered member of that party no later than July 26th.

At EscambiaVotes.com, you can also view your sample ballot, locate your polling place (several have changed since 2008), learn how to cast your vote, request an absentee ballot, and follow the progress of that ballot by clicking ‘Track My Ballot’. You can confirm that we have your request, check the date your ballot was mailed, and verify when it is received back in our office. It is a valuable new tool, especially for our men and women in uniform deployed across the globe.

There are three different ways to cast your ballot:

* Vote by mail, by requesting an absentee ballot and returning it to our office before the polls close
* Vote early at any one of four locations in Escambia County, beginning August 9th
* Vote at your precinct between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Election Day

In the 2008 general election, early votes and absentee ballots together totaled more than half of all ballots cast. In other words, more votes in Escambia County were cast before the polls opened than on Election Day.

If you vote in person during early voting or on Election Day, you will receive a paper ballot to complete and insert into a digital scanner. For voters with disabilities, a touchscreen with an audio ballot feature is also available at each polling place. Be sure to bring your photo and signature ID with you to the polls.

So, check your registration status, request an absentee ballot if you wish, familiarize yourself with the candidates, locate your polling place or nearest early voting site, and be on the lookout for your sample ballot in the mail within the next few weeks. If you have any questions or need more information, call 595-3900 or visit EscambiaVotes.com. We’ll see you at the polls!

David H. Stafford

Escambia County Supervisor of Elections

Northwest Escambia Drops First State Game As Tourney Continues

The Northwest Escambia 11-12 year old softball team lost their first state tournament game Thursday night in Fort Myers, but they have at least two more games to play.

Port St. Johns slipped past NWE 4-1 in game one of the state championship series.

Mallory Ryan pitched the first two innings, striking out two and with no walks. Courtney Peebles pitched the second two innings, with two strike outs and two walks. Kyndall Hall finished up the game on the mound for Northwest Escambia with no strike out s and three walks. Ryan had the only RBI for NWE, scoring Kristen Byrd.

Northwest Escambia won the Little League Section 1 championship last weekend in Tallahassee, sweeping two games from Tallahassee Chaires Little Leage, 16-1 and 8-2.

Members of the NWE 11-12 year old All-Stars are: Savanna Roux, Peighton Dortch, Courtney Peebles, Kyndall Hall, Penny Banda, Addy Lee, Kendal Cobb, Mallory Ryan, Kristin Byrd and Natalie Goetter. The team is managed by Jerry Mason, and coached by Ronald Peebles and Eddie Ryan.

Pictured: The Northwest Escambia All-Stars 11-12 softball team after last Saturday’s sectional win in Tallahassee. File photo, click to enlarge.

Gulf Power Offers Hot Weather Energy Savings Tips

Gulf Power company is offering some tips for the summer heat — tips that can save you money whether you are a customer of Gulf Power, Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Alabama Power or Southern Pine Electric Cooperative.

Set your thermostat and leave it

During the summer, your air conditioner is the biggest user of electricity. For many homes, it accounts for more than half of the summer electric bill.

• Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher and leave it there. For every degree below that setting, you’ll use 3 to 5 percent more electricity.
• Set the thermostat even higher when at work or away from home for long periods of time, but no more than five degrees higher.
• Change or clean your air conditioner filter regularly. Dirty filters restrict airflow and reduce efficiency.
• Use your ceiling fan for more comfort. Only turn it on when you’re in the room. Ceiling fans only cool people, not rooms.
• Clear outside AC units of plants or brush so they can run more efficiently.

Insulate

• Increase attic insulation, which can save up to 30 percent on cooling and heating costs.
• Insulation is measured in R-value, which is a measure of resistance to heat flow. So the higher the R-value, the better the insulation value.
• Experts recommend you use an R-value of R-38 in ceiling areas.
• Check your windows and doors for air leaks. Install weather stripping or caulking if needed.

Kitchen

• Whenever possible, cook a lot of meals at the same time. This uses less energy than when you cook each meal separately.
• If you’re baking, avoid opening the oven door. This lets out 20 percent of the heat. Use a cooking timer instead.
• Use pots and pans that match the size of the burners on your stove. This allows more heat to the pan and less heat will be lost to surrounding air.
• Try to use the range instead of the oven. Better yet, turn on the microwave or use a pressure cooker. Both use less power than a standard electric range.

Refrigerator

• Choose the right size refrigerator for your needs. Larger models use more energy. Open and close the refrigerator door quickly. Know what you want before opening the door.
• Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Check it by closing a piece of paper in the door, half in and half out. If you can pull the paper out easily, you may need to make some adjustments or replace the seal.
• Keep your food covered. Moisture buildup in the refrigerator makes the air inside harder to cool.

Dishwasher

• Run the dishwasher, dryer and the stove after the sun goes down to avoid adding heat to your house.
• When using the dishwasher, turn off the drying cycle if you don’t need dishes right away.
• Wait until the dishwasher is full before running it. Partial loads can use just as much water and power as a full load.
• Scrape dishes before loading them into the dishwasher so you don’t have to rinse them. If they need rinsing, use cold water.

Lighting

One of the best ways to save energy is to turn off lights that aren’t in use.

• Use fluorescent lighting or CFLs when possible. They last about 10 times longer than incandescent lamps. And they can produce four times more light than standard incandescent lamps, for the same amount of energy.
• Use one large bulb instead of several small ones in areas where bright light is needed.
• Use smaller lamps in work areas, like sewing areas and computer desks, so you don’t light the entire room.
• Lighter-colored walls, drapes, blinds and upholstery reflect light. Dark colors absorb heat and require more artificial light.

Gulf Power customers can call 1-877-655-4001 or visit www.gulfpower.com for summer money-saving tips. Customers can also do their own Energy Check Up online — a 5-minute EZ Check Up or more detailed 20-minute Full Check Up is available to help identify low cost and no cost ways to make your home more energy efficient.

For even more ways to save money and energy, learn about our EarthCents programs at www.gulfpower.com.

Escambia River Electric Cooperative also offers many other money saving energy tips at www.erec.net.

Heat Advisory Today

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for today.

Strong high pressure over much of the central Gulf Coast region will give way to another round of hot weather resulting in heat indices ranging from 108 to 110 degrees for many areas including areas near the coast. This may create dangerous conditions for people working outdoors or those more susceptible to heat related health problems.

A heat advisory means that a period of hot temperatures is expected. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

• Today: Isolated showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Heat index values as high as 107. North wind around 5 mph becoming east. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Tonight: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Saturday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 95. East wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
• Saturday Night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Sunday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
• Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
• Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. South wind between 5 and 10 mph.
• Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph.
• Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. East wind around 5 mph.
• Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
• Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93.
• Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
• Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 93.

16-Year Old Now Charged As An Adult After Deputy’s Tire Shot Out

A 16-year old will now be tried as an adult after allegedly dumping a firearm into the middle of a North Escambia street, eventually leading to a shot being fired into a deputy’s tire.

Ladarrious Tamiraye Lett of Ivey Street, Century, is facing charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted delinquent under 24 years of age, tampering with evidence and culpable negligence. His bond was set at $21,000.

Lett was originally charged as a juvenile in connection with the July 14 incident, but his case was transferred to Escambia County Circuit Court this week. He is scheduled to be arraigned on August 6.

The incident began at 3:23 a.m. on July 14 when Deputy Scott Rivkin conducted a traffic stop on a black Eagle Talon with no headlights near North Century Boulevard and Henry Streets. The driver of the vehicle was given a warning for failing to use his headlights. Lett was reportedly the passenger in the vehicle. Both left the area.

About five minutes later, Rivkin was traveling on North Century Boulevard in the same area as the traffic stop when when he heard what he believed to be a gunshot. Upon investigation, he discovered a .22 caliber pistol in the middle of North Century Boulevard. When the right rear wheel of the deputy’s cruiser rolled over the weapon, it had fired a round, flattening the tire. Next to the revolver, the deputy discovered one empty shell casing and five live rounds of ammunition.

While Deputy Rivkin was still parked on North Century Boulevard, he noticed the driver from the previous traffic stop and Lett approaching him on foot. The two were separated and questioned as the Flomaton Police Department responded for backup.

The driver told authorities that Lett had dropped the gun out of the vehicle’s window just prior to the traffic stop and that the pair had returned to the area to retrieve the gun. The 16-year old told deputies that he had purchased the gun from an individual, and he provided a bill of sale. Lett admitted to dropping the gun out of the vehicle window, according to his arrest report.

Tropical Storm Bonnie Forms

Tropical Storm Bonnie has formed near the Bahamas, and it is headed toward the Gulf Of Mexico.

Maximum sustained winds were 40 mph. Current forecast models take the storm into the Gulf of Mexico, across the Deepwater Horizon spill location and into the Texas or Louisiana coast sometime on Sunday or Monday. A Tropical Storm warning has been issued for the southern tip of Florida.

Work on the relief well in the Gulf of Mexico has been suspended in advance of the storm.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Copyright © 2007-2019 NorthEscambia.com · P.O. Box 1207 · Century, FL 32535 · All Rights Reserved.