Woman Killed In Ninth Avenue Traffic Crash
September 19, 2016
A two-vehicle crash Saturday night on North Ninth Avenue has claimed the life of an Escambia County woman.
Michele Noble, 71, died at a hospital a short time after the crash occurred around 8:15 p.m. on Ninth Avenue just north of Keating Road, said Pensacola Police Officer Jamie Briarton.
Noble was a passenger in a 2011 Nissan Altima driven by her husband, Christian Noble, 60. Briarton said the couple was wearing seat belts. Christian Noble was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The second vehicle was a 1968 Dodge Coronet driven by John Samaras, 26, also of Pensacola. Samaras and two passengers in his vehicle – Jeffrey Skinner, 28, of Elberta, AL, and Ryan Harrington, 24, of Pensacola – were all taken to a local hospital for treatment. Briarton said it has not yet been determined if they were wearing seat belts.
Briarton said Samaras was northbound on Ninth Avenue when he lost control of his car and entered the southbound lane. His vehicle then collided semi-head on with the Altima, which was southbound in the left-hand lane.
Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation. Traffic was diverted from the area for approximately four hours.
Century Final Public Hearing Monday On Millage Rate Increase, Budget
September 19, 2016
The Town of Century will hold their final public hearing on their tentative budget and proposed millage rate increase at 6:50 p.m. Monday, just prior to a 7 p.m. council meeting
The town council gave preliminary approval to raising the ad valorem millage rate from 0.9005 to 0.9732 for the next fiscal year. That’s equal to a $3.63 tax increase on a $50,000 property. The town lost $404,593 in taxable property to the February tornado, according to the Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office.
The increase will enable the town to meet their proposed $3.75 million budget for fiscal year beginning October 1. The upcoming year’s budget is down from the current year’s $5.1 million budget, which included about $2.2 million in grant income and expenditures.
The regular council agenda for Monday night includes only regular business items.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview Sets Homecoming Parade; Entries Now Accepted
September 19, 2016
The annual Northview High School Homecoming Parade has been set for Friday, October 14.
The parade will line up at noon and travel from Bratt Elementary School to Northview High. Entries are being accepted now; there is no cost to enter. For a printable entry form, click here. Entries are due by October 10.
Contact Perry Byars at (850) 327-6681 ext. 248 for more information.
The Northview Chief’s homecoming game will kickoff at 7 p.m. on October 14 against the Jay Royals.
Pictured: A float in the 2015 Northview High Homecoming Parade in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Scott Approves Another $10 Million For Zika Fight
September 19, 2016
Gov. Rick Scott has authorized spending an additional $10 million in state money to help battle the Zika virus, as Congress remains deadlocked about federal funding for the issue.
Scott in June used emergency powers to authorize $26.2 million in state funding, but the number of cases of the mosquito-borne virus has sharply grown and totaled 823 in Florida as of Thursday, according to the state Department of Health.
Scott’s office said the state money will be spent “as needed” on issues such as mosquito abatement, training for mosquito-control workers and the purchase of Zika prevention kits.
President Barack Obama early this year proposed spending $1.9 billion to combat Zika, but Congress has not been able to reach agreement on a funding plan. The virus is particularly dangerous to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects.
Three travel-related cases of the Zika virus have been reported in Escambia County.
by The News Service of Florida
Bonus Gallery: Northview Chiefs Tribal Beat Band
September 19, 2016
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Take Stock In Children Names Students Who Will Receive Scholarships
September 19, 2016
The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation and Take Stock in Children recently introduced 24 new scholarship recipients at the annual Take Stock Kick-Off Dinner. There are now a total of 125 students in grades 7-12 in Escambia County’s program. Students will receive a college scholarship upon graduation from high school as long as they maintain good grades, attendance and citizenship, remain crime and drug free, and meet weekly with a volunteer community mentor.
Take Stock in Children is a statewide non-profit organization that provides “scholarships, mentors and hope” to deserving young people selected through a need-based application process through the public middle schools at the end of their sixth grade year. Scholarship donations from local foundations, organizations, businesses and individuals are matched dollar-for-dollar when scholarships are purchased from Florida Prepaid College Foundation each year and are held until students successfully graduate high school.
The newly selected students include:
- Bailey Middle – Madison Hayes, Matthew Setzer, Cora Smithkey, Hannah Thorne
- Bellview Middle – Trexton Smith
- Brown Barge Middle – Rebecca Kurau, Tho Pham, Aidan Sidner-Palafox, Gabrielle Vines
- Ernest Ward Middle – Miyhanna Davidson, Jonathan Gibbs, Paige Gibbs, Harley Walker
- Escambia High – Sierra Rugg
- Ferry Pass Middle – Emma Booth, Chelsea Hotopp, Paige Hotopp
- Ransom Middle – Lindsay Holmquist, Makia Samuel
- Warrington Middle – LaDarrien Kimble
- Woodham Middle – Jakiah Henderson-Young, Centyah Moye
- WorkmanMiddle – Adrianna Blackmon, Elise Brandon
Pictured: (first row) Jonathan Gibbs, Rebecca Kurau, Centyah Moye, Madison Hayes, Paige Gibbs, Elise Brandon, (second row) Lindsay Holmquist, Tho Pham, Aiden Sidner-Palafox, Trexton Smith, Matthew Setzer, (third row) Adrianna Blackmon, Miyhana Davidson, Emma Booth, Chelsea Hotopp, Cora Smithkey, Gabrielle Vines, (back row) Paige Hotopp, LaDarrien Kimble, Sierra Rugg, Makia Samuel, Harley Walker, Hannah Thorne Not Pictured: Jakiah Henderson-Young. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
James “Pete” Tipton
September 19, 2016
He is preceded in death by James W. Tipton Sr., father; Marjorie Tipton, mother; and Doug Tipton, brother.
He is survived by his wife Teresa; children, James (Saunya) Tipton, Emilee (Nick) Newton, and Sarah (John) Hassebrock; 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
There will be a service on Thursday, September 22, 2016, at Highland Baptist Church, Molino with a visitation from 5-7 p.m. Service begins at 7 p.m. Trahan Family Funeral Home of Pensacola is in charge of arrangements.
Work Begins This Week On Nine Mile Road Widening From Beulah To Hwy 29
September 18, 2016
Work is set to begin this week on a two-year, $46 million project to widen Nine Mile Road between Beulah Road and Highway 29 from two to four travel lanes.
The first work will occur on the segment of Nine Mile Road from Pine Forest Road to Highway 29 as crews will start clearing trees and shrubs to assist utility companies in their relocation efforts with construction activities starting later this month. Work on the portion of Nine Mile Road from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road is also anticipated to begin this month.
“We’ve been working for 20 years to fix the traffic and gridlock in the Beulah community, as well as bring good-paying jobs and growth, and these improvements will ensure our success,” Escambia County District 1 Commissioner Wilson Robertson said recently “The core growth and the traffic going to Navy Federal and the new OLF-8 Park is going to be well accommodated by widening Nine Mile Road to four lanes.”
Additional improvements include constructing a new bridge over Eleven Mile Creek, new sidewalks and stormwater retention ponds, signalization improvements, drainage upgrades, adding buffered bike lanes, and, if survey results are favorable, noise walls will be constructed at the Heritage Oaks subdivision.
The planned construction work will enhance safety, improve mobility, and reduce congestion for the estimated 19,000 drivers who travel the roadway daily. In addition, the improvements underway support future economic development opportunities for Escambia County and Northwest Florida, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
FDOT said the planned construction work will enhance safety, improve mobility, and reduce congestion for the estimated 19,000 drivers who travel the roadway daily. In addition, the improvements underway support future economic development opportunities for Escambia County and Northwest Florida.
In a few weeks, those located in the vicinity of the new bridge construction across Eleven Mile Creek will hear noise from pile driving during the day.
Drivers should allow extra time to reach their destination, obey all posted signs and speed limits, and watch for signs with information about upcoming work and traffic conditions. Drivers may experience minor traffic delays, lane closures, a 35 mph reduced speed limit and workers in and around the roadway.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Good Chance Of Sunday Showers
September 18, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 93. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
West Florida Libraries Offer Special Edition Library Card This Month
September 18, 2016
West Florida Public Libraries are offering a special edition library card in honor of Library Card Sign-up Month, with colorful cards featuring WFPL’s mascot Whooo the owl.
While library cards are always free for Escambia County residents, the usual $3 replacement fee for lost or damaged cards will be waived during the month of September as part of the celebration. Escambia County residents can find information about getting a library card or sign up by clicking here.
September was designated as Library Card Sign-up Month by the American Library Association in 1987, after then Secretary of Education William J. Bennett issued a challenge through a national campaign encouraging every child to obtain and regularly use a library card.
West Florida Libraries are located at:
- Century Branch Library — 7991 N. Century Boulevard
- Molino Branch Library — 6450-A Highway 95A
- Pensacola Library –239 N. Spring Street
- Tryon Branch Library — 1200 Langley Avenue
- Westside Branch Library — 1301 West Gregory Street
- Genealogy Library — 5740 N. 9th Avenue