BOCC Declines State Of Emergency, Cancels Meeting; Century Cancels Workshop
September 4, 2018
UPDATE: The Escambia County Board of County Commission First Public Hearing for Consideration of Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 scheduled for today, Sept. 4 at 5:31 p.m. has been rescheduled due to Tropical Storm Gordon. The meeting will now be held Monday, Sept. 10 at 5:01 p.m. in the board chambers of the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, found on the first floor of 221 Palafox Place.
The Escambia County Commission declined to declare a state of emergency Thursday.
The BOCC held an emergency meeting to discuss preparation measures for Tropical Storm Gordon. During the meeting, commissioners decided to go forward with a regularly scheduled commission meeting at 5:30 p.m.
The Town of Century canceled a budget workshop planned for this afternoon and announced that town hall would close at noon.
Gordon Making Landfall Near AL-MS Border
September 4, 2018
A Tropical Storm Warning is in our effect in our local area. A hurricane warning is in effect for an area including the Alabama and Mississippi coast.
At 10 p.m. Tropical Storm Gordon was making landfall just west of the Alabama-Mississippi border.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center. A NOAA Coastal Marine Observing site on Dauphin Island has measured a sustained wind of 57 mph with a gust to 72 mph. A wind gust of 61 mph was recently observed at the Pensacola Naval Air Station.
Gordon is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 8 inches over the western Florida Panhandle and southwest Alabama with isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches through late Thursday.
Here is your official forecast:
Tonight: Tropical storm conditions possible. Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. High near 85. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. East wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
![[Image of probabilities of 34-kt winds]](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT07/refresh/AL072018_wind_probs_34_F120+png/031822.png)
Storm Closures And Cancellations: Schools, Trash Pickup, Youth Sports And More
September 4, 2018
The following closures and schedule changes have been announced for Tuesday due to Tropical Storm Gordon.
Schools
- Escambia County (FL) Schools will be closed on Tuesday.
- Santa Rosa County schools will close for a half day, all after-school activities to include community school/latch key kid program will also be closed. Schools will resume as scheduled on Wed., Sept. 5. For the early release schedule, click here.
- Pensacola State will be closed on Tuesday, September 4, and will reopen on Wednesday, September 5.
- All UWF locations will be closed on Tuesday, Sept. 4. This includes all classes, events, campus activities and online courses.
- Pensacola Christian Academy classes are canceled for Tuesday. Afternoon and evening activities are also canceled. PCA is currently scheduled to resume on Wednesday.
- Byrneville Elementary School will be closed
- Camp Fire Century will be closed
- Coastal Alabama Community College – All night classes on all campuses are canceled on Tuesday.
- Creative Learning Academy will be closed on Tuesday.
- Catholic High School will be closed on Tuesday.
- East Hill Christian will be closed on Tuesday.
- Aletheia Christian Academy will be closed on Sept. 4
- Escambia Christian School will be closed on Sept 4.
- Sacred Heart Cathedral School will be closed on Sept. 4
- Little Flower Catholic School will be closed on Sept. 4
- Episcopal Day School of Pensacola will be closed on Sept. 4
- Lighthouse Christian Academy has closed all campuses for Sept. 4.
- Montessori School will be closed on Tuesday.
- Escambia Academy (Canoe, AL) releases at 11:30 a.m. All athletic games for Tuesday are canceled.
- ECUA — Normal pick up schedules for now. The situation will be evaluated Tuesday morning and and changes will be posted here.
- A Town of Century budget workshop set for Tuesday has been canceled. Town Hall will close at noon.
- Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP), Corry Station and Saufley Field will curtail normal operations and close to all visitors and non-essential personnel at 7 a.m. Tuesday. All facilities on board the base, including Child Development Center, Youth Center and all tourist attractions, e.g., National Naval Aviation Museum, Lighthouse, Ft Barrancas, etc. will be closed. All employees should contact supervisors for specific information or guidance.
- Gulf Islands National Seashore at Ft. Pickens and Perdido Key closed at 10 a.m.
- Northview’s Mini Cheer Clinic that was scheduled for Tuesday has been rescheduled to Wednesday. The clinic will continue on Wednesday from 4:00 – 5:30 as long as school resumes.
- NWE Football and Cheer photos have been rescheduled for Thursday, Sept. 20.
- Cantonment Youth Sports practices for ALL teams Tuesday and Wednesday are canceled. Practice will also be cancel Thursday to allow families to attend Open House for grades K-8. Practice will resume on Friday, September 7th at the usual time, weather permitting. Cantonment football will practice Wednesday and the rest of the week as scheduled.
- ECUA — Normal pick up schedules for now. The situation will be evaluated Tuesday morning and and changes will be posted here.
Other closures will be posted as they are announced.
Baby Uninjured In Car Seat, Mom Airlifted After Crash With 18-Wheeler
September 4, 2018
A car seat is being credited with saving a baby in a Monday night crash with an 18-wheeler that seriously injured the baby’s mother.
The accident involved a Subaru Forester and and an 18-wheeler shortly after 9 p.m. at Highway 113 and Highway 31 in Flomaton. The Forester collided with the side of the big rig.
The baby’s mother was the restrained front seat passenger. She was airlifted by Shandscair helicopter to a Pensacola hospital. The baby’s father, the driver of the vehicle, suffered only minor injuries from a seat belt.
First responders said the baby was restrained in a car seat and was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation.
The Flomaton Fire Department, Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County (FL) EMS, Medstar Ambulance and the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Molino, Cantonment
September 4, 2018
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in Molino and Cantonment:
Online completion courses will be held as follows:
Classes will also be held
- September 5 (6 to 10 p.m.) & September 8 (7 to 10 a.m. )
- Molino Community Center
- 6450 Highway 95A N. in Molino
- October 10 (6 to 10 p.m.) & October 27 (7 to 10 a.m. )
- Molino Community Center
- 6450 Highway 95A N. in Molino
- October 16 (6 to 10 p.m.) & October 27 (7 to 10 a.m. )
- Langley Bell 4-H Center
- 3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
Contact Paul Averill, Florida Fish and Wildlife hunter safety instructor at (850) 982-8070m or visit MyFWC.com/HunterSafety for more information.
Escambia County Offers Sand For Sandbag Storm Prep
September 4, 2018
Escambia County is offering sand for sandbags for residents living in flood-prone areas. The sand will be available after 9 a.m. and distributed on a first come, first served basis. Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels to one of the following locations (map):
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park – 4541 County Road 4, Bratt
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297-A, Cantonment
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway
- Ferry Pass Middle School – 8355 Yancey Lane, sand on NW corner of school property on Parazine Street
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St.
When use properly, sand bags can be an effective tool for flooding from a rain event, but not for storm surge. For more information on how to make and use sandbags, visit the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (www.flash.org). Sand bags can be purchased at most local hardware or home improvement stores, typically for a low cost.
Pictured: Sand made available at Travis Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Wahoos Clinch Playoff Berth In 4-3 Win Over Smokies
September 4, 2018
Pensacola missed out on a chance to win the second-half title with a 3-0 loss to the Smokies on Labor Day at Smokies Stadium.
Offense was hard to come by for both teams on Monday. All three of Tennessee’s runs came in the third inning after the Wahoos ran into injury trouble. Wyatt Strahan (L, 7-12) started the game and left with one out in the bottom of the third due to a blister on his pitching hand. Rafael De Paula replaced Strahan and with his third pitch to P.J. Higgins, he struck in the hand by a line drive, which forced him to leave the game. Higgins’s single loaded the bases, and it forced Carlos Navas to enter the game. He allowed a bases-clearing double to Eddy Martinez to give the Smokies a 3-0 lead.
Keegan Thompson (W, 6-3) pitched five shutout innings and allowed one hit while striking out five. Only twice were the Wahoos able to move runners into scoring position; however, the Wahoos were unable to cash in on either of those opportunities.
Pensacola’s bullpen was nothing short of brilliant given the circumstances of Monday’s contest. After Navas allowed the double to Martinez, the bullpen pitched 5.2 hitless innings. Nick Howard pitch three innings after making an appearance in Sunday’s win and Alejandro Chacin closed out the eighth inning in order.
Pensacola and Biloxi will open the 2018 Southern League Playoffs on Wednesday at MGM Park. The Shuckers won both halves, which means that four of the five games will be played in Biloxi if needed. Neither team has disclosed who will start the playoff opener.
Pictured: The Pensacola Blue Wahoos celebrate in Kodak, TN, after clinching a playoff berth. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP Seeks Help Identifying Credit Card Fraud Suspect
September 4, 2018
The Florida Highway Patrol is attempting to identify a man that allegedly made three fraudulent credit card transactions.
The FHP said Tuesday that the suspected entered the Home Depot on Nine Mile Road on April 27 and 28 and made three fraudulent purchases totaling $537.38. The transactions were by surveillance cameras.
The suspect is a white male, in his 20’s to 30’s, with facial hair.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call Trooper Joshua Tucker at (850) 316-2474 or email at joshuatucker@flhsmv.gov or call Crime Stoppers (850) 433-STOP.
Century’s Mayor Endorses Zimmerman For Congress, Garrett For House
September 3, 2018
A candidate for Florida House and a candidate for Congress have received the endorsement of Century Mayor Henry Hawkins.
“It’s always an honor to support wonderful people. It is my honor and privilege to endorse Dr. Jennifer Zimmerman for Congress,” Hawkins posted on his Facebook page. Zimmerman, a Democrat, is running for the Congressional seat held by Republican Matt Gaetz.
“It’s my pleasure and honor to publicly announce my support for Vikki R. Garrett candidate for Florida House of Representatives District 1. Let’s support her in this race she’s good for our district. As mayor I’ve reached out to her and she’s reached out to me offering her assistance in any way possible,” Hawkins also posted. Garrett is running against Republican Mike Hill on the November ballot.
Pictured: Jennifer Zimmerman (left) and Vikki Garrett.
Get Free Tech Help At The Molino And Century Libraries
September 3, 2018
Library patrons can receive free tech help at the library in Molino.
Need help learning how to use your computer, smartphone or other tech item? The Molino branch of the West Florida Library is offering local basic technology help for free.
At the Molino Branch Library, patrons can register to receive up to 30 minutes of individual technology help on Wednesdays from noon to 5 p.m. and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Find email, increase computer knowledge, improve skills with a smart phone, learn how to download e-books and more. Call (850) 435-1760 to reserve a session.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.