FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
January 7, 2018
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities
Escambia County:
- State Road (S.R.) 87 South (Holly Navarre) Driveway Construction- Intermittent lane restrictions on S.R. 87 just north of Bob Tolbert Road from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 as crews perform driveway work.
- S.R. 742 (Creighton Road) Construction Improvement Project from east of Davis Highway to Scenic Highway – Intermittent and alternating lane closures between Davis Highway and Scenic Highway from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 through Saturday, Jan. 13 continue as crews perform milling, paving, sidewalk and curb replacement.
- Interstate 10 (I-10) / U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I – The following traffic impacts are planned on I-10 and U.S. 29 near the interchange (Exits 10A and 10B) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 through Thursday, Jan. 11:
- Alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound and U.S. 29 north and southbound.
- The U.S. 29 on-ramps to I-10 eastbound will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured on U.S. 29 to access I-10 eastbound.
- The exit ramp from I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 south (Exit 10A) will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured to U.S. 29 north (Exit 10B).
- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound exit ramp to U.S. 29 north (Exit 10B).
- I-10 Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge – Intermittent and alternating lane closures on I-10, between Davis Highway (Exit 13) and Scenic Highway (Exit 17), and on Scenic Highway, between Whisper Way and Northpointe Parkway, from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 through Thursday, Jan. 11 as crews perform construction activities. The speed limit on I-10 will be reduced to 60 mph during nighttime lane closures.
- I-110 Speed Limit Increase from Gregory Street to I-10 Sign Maintenance- Crews will begin replacing north and southbound speed limit signs on I-110 Monday, Jan. 8. Operations are anticipated to be complete by Friday, Jan. 12. Drivers are reminded to watch for construction vehicles and workers entering and exiting the roadway.
- U.S. 98 (S.R. 30) Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement: Alternating lane closures on U.S. 98 east and westbound, from 14th Avenue in Pensacola to Bay Bridge Drive in Gulf Breeze, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8 through Tuesday, Jan. 16 as crews perform construction activities.
- U.S. 29 Widening from I-10 to Nine Mile Road – Drivers traveling U.S. 29 and Nine Mile Road will encounter traffic pattern changes from 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 through Saturday, Jan. 13 as follows:
- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 overpass: Eastbound traffic will be shifted to the westbound inside travel lane nightly as crews prepare the area for construction of the support column for the new center bridge deck. Lane restrictions are Sundays through Thursdays.
- U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drivers may experience alternating lane closures as crews perform drainage operations.
- Southbound U.S. 29 at Broad Street: Motorists will encounter traffic shifts from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8 through Thursday, Jan. 11 as a crew places pipe across southbound U.S. 29.
- Broad Street at U.S. 29: Broad Street will be closed on the west side of the U.S. 29 intersection from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8 through Thursday, Jan. 11 to accommodate drainage work. Detroit Boulevard and Untreiner Avenue will serve as alternate routes. Detour signs and variable message boards are in place to alert drivers of the temporary road closure and detour routes.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22), from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 through Friday, Jan. 12 as crews work to widen the roadway. In addition, alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange, as crews reconstruct the overpass.
- U.S. 98 at Joybrook Road in Navarre Turn Lane Construction and Traffic Signal- Motorists will encounter east and westbound lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8 through Thursday, Jan. 9 as crews install a new traffic signal and turn lanes at Joy Brook Road. The traffic signal on U.S. 98 at Joybrook Road in Navarre will become operational at approximately 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 9. The new signal is mounted on horizontal mast arms. Since the signal is in the horizontal position, motorists with color weakness problems will need to remember red is on the left and green on the right. The signal is currently in flash mode to acquaint motorists with the new location.
- U.S. 98 (S.R. 30) Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement: Alternating lane closures on U.S. 98 east and westbound, from 14th Avenue in Pensacola to Bay Bridge Drive in Gulf Breeze, from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 8 through Tuesday, Jan. 16 as crews perform construction activities.
- S.R. 87 Pipe Maintenance from Laredo Street to Nevada Street- Drivers can expect intermittent lane restrictions from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. through Wednesday, Feb. 28 as crews continue to seal and line existing pipes.
- U.S. 90 Pavement Marking Operations between Shadow Oak Lane and Spears Street in Pace- The westbound outside, right lane of U.S. 90 between Shadow Oak Lane and Spears Street in Pace will be closed from 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10 to 5 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 as crews install pavement marking in a new right turn lane.
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road – Traffic between County Road 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and the Eglin AFB boundary is restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is complete.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Increasing Clouds Today, Rain For Sunday Night And Monday
January 7, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Southeast wind around 10 mph.
Tonight: Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with a temperature falling to near 44 by 8pm, then rising to around 51 during the remainder of the night. East wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday: Showers. High near 58. East wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 51. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.
Open Gaetz Day, Town Hall With The Congressman Set For Jan. 22
January 7, 2018
Mark your calendars…Congressman Matt Gaetz will hold an “Open Gaetz Day” and a town hall meeting on January 22.
The Town Hall will be held from 6:30 until 8 p.m. on January 22 at Navy Federal Credit Union at 5510 Heritage Oaks Drive. The Congressman will be available to take questions and hear from constituents. His staff will also be available to assist any constituents who may be experiencing an issue with a federal agency.
The town hall will follow a day of events in Cantonment and Ensley beginning with a 9 a.m. visit to Tate High School. Gaetz will hold Mobile Office Hours from 10:30 until 1:00 at PenAir Federal Credit Union on Nine Mile Road — call (850) 479-1183 to schedule an appointment with Gaetz.
Gaetz will tour Ascend Performance Materials at 1:15 p.m., visit Home Depot in Nine Mile Road at 2:30 p.m., and visit with community residents door to door in Cantonment and Ensley from 3:30 until 5:45 p.m. before attending the town hall meeting.
Suspect Confesses To Burglaries In Perdido, Nokomis
January 7, 2018
A Bay Minette man has been arrested for multiple burglaries from Bay Minette to Perdido to Nokomis, AL.
Lewis Lamar Clayton Jr. of Bay Minette was booked into the Baldwin County Detention Center on five counts of burglary third degree. He was being held without bond.
The Baldwin County Sheriffs Office said the burlgaries involved forced entry into residences and garages. On January 2, game camera photographs were recovered from a victim’s residence off Highway 31 in Bay Minette showing a tall slender built white male suspect. Later in the day, Bay Minette Police officers observed a white male matching the description of the burglary suspect and performed a traffic stop on the suspect, later identified as Clayton. At the time of the traffic stop, he was wearing the same clothing as in the game camera photos.
Deputies said Clayton confessed to five reported burglaries, two unreported burglaries, and a burglary in Nokomis (Escambia County, AL). He confessed to knocking on the doors of residences to ensure that no one was home before breaking in. He primarily stole guns, TV’s and Christmas presents from under Christmas trees.
Clayton provided information regarding the locations of the stolen property from all of the offences. Sheriff’s investigators traveled to several residential and commercial locations and recovered 13 firearms, multiple items of lawn equipment, power tools and one television. Attempts to identify additional victims will be made and could result in additional charges.
If anyone has additional information about Clayton, contact Corporal Rob Lindell of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office at (251) 972-8589 option 2.
Berry Named Escambia Employee Of The Month For January
January 7, 2018
Thressa “Terri” Berry, a project coordinator in the Escambia County Public Works Department Engineering Division, has been selected as Escambia County’s January Employee of the Month. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ten Issues To Watch In Florida’s 2018 Legislative Session
January 7, 2018
Florida lawmakers will start the 2018 legislative session Tuesday, with Gov. Rick Scott giving his annual State of the State address.
During the subsequent two months, the House and Senate will negotiate a state budget and consider hundreds of bills. Here are 10 big issues to watch as the session moves forward:
BUDGET: Scott has proposed an $87.4 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The proposal includes politically popular ideas such as boosting education funding and providing tax cuts. But the proposal is only a starting point for lawmakers, who are expected to face a tight budget. A September analysis estimated a slim $52 million surplus for the coming year — and that did not account for the state’s costs from Hurricane Irma.
ENVIRONMENT: Eyeing money from a 2014 constitutional amendment about land and water conservation, lawmakers will consider a series of proposals that could shield property from development and restore waterways. For example, Senate budget chief Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, has proposed spending $100 million a year on the Florida Forever program and wants to set aside $50 million a year for the restoration of the St. Johns River, its tributaries and the Keystone Heights lake region in North Florida.
HEALTH CARE: House Republican leaders likely will renew a push to ease health-care regulations, an effort they say would help increase access to care and lower costs. Examples include eliminating the “certificate of need” approval process for hospital building projects and ending a restriction on patients staying overnight at ambulatory surgical centers. Such proposals, however, have died in recent years in the Senate amid opposition from parts of the hospital industry.
HIGHER EDUCATION: Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, has made a top priority of revamping the higher-education system and will continue seeking changes during his final term. Senators are expected to quickly approve a bill that would make permanent an expansion of Bright Futures scholarships and take steps to further bolster need-based aid. Negron also wants changes such as holding universities to a four-year graduation standard in performance funding.
HURRICANE IRMA: When Hurricane Irma smashed into Florida on Sept. 10, it reset priorities for the 2018 legislative session. Lawmakers are considering dozens of ideas for responding to Irma and preparing for future storms. For instance, they are looking at possibly providing financial help to the agriculture industry, which took at least a $2.5 billion hit in Irma. They also will grapple with Scott’s push to require long-term care facilities to have generators and fuel to keep buildings cool when electricity goes out.
INSURANCE: Insurance lobbyists will try to persuade lawmakers to revamp laws dealing with a controversial practice known as “assignment of benefits,” which the industry blames for increased property-insurance costs. The practice involves policyholders signing over benefits to contractors, who then pursue payment from insurers — often leading to disputes and lawsuits. Lawmakers also will consider renewed proposals to eliminate the state’s no-fault auto insurance system.
K-12 EDUCATION: House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, has made clear he wants to continue expanding school-choice programs, which draw opposition from Democrats and many public-school officials. The House has started moving forward with a bill that would offer voucher-like scholarships to students who are bullied in public schools. Meanwhile, the House and Senate face a key budget disagreement on the use of increased property-tax revenues in funding public schools.
OPIOID EPIDEMIC: With overdoses skyrocketing and families being torn apart, lawmakers will look for ways to address the state’s opioid epidemic. Scott wants to spend $53 million to address the issue, with much of the money going to substance-abuse treatment. Scott and lawmakers also could place limits on initial opioid prescriptions that doctors write for patients. The idea is to prevent patients from getting hooked on prescription painkillers and then moving onto potentially deadly street drugs.
TAX CUTS: Since taking office in 2011, Scott has made cutting taxes a hallmark of his administration. As he enters his final legislative session, Scott has proposed $180 million in tax and fee cuts. The proposal, however, does not include major changes in the tax system. Instead, it includes a 10-day sales tax “holiday” for back-to-school shoppers and reductions in motorist-related fees, including fees for obtaining and renewing driver’s licenses.
TEXTING WHILE DRIVING: Lawmakers in recent years have repeatedly rejected efforts to toughen the state’s ban on texting while driving. But the issue has a better chance of passing during the 2018 session after Corcoran announced that he supports making texting while driving a “primary” offense. Currently, it is a “secondary” offense, meaning motorists can only be cited if they are pulled over for other reasons. But if it is a primary offense, police would be able to stop motorists for texting behind the wheel.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Knight Graduates From Basic Military Training
January 7, 2018
U.S. Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Eric M. Knight graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Knight is the son of Sharon Knight and Larry Knight Jr. of Cantonment.
He is a 2017 graduate of Pensacola High School.
‘Deteriorating Financial Conditions’ – Century To Discuss Audit Findings In Workshop Meeting
January 6, 2018
The Century Town Council has scheduled a workshop to discuss findings of their fiscal year 2015-2016 audit. The workshop will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 9.
The audit uncovered numerous financial problems in Century during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. Those findings included deteriorating financial conditions that could result in a future “financial emergency”, $3.83 million in transferred special revenue funds that must be repaid to another fund, over $1.4 million in expenditures in violation of state statutes, over $5,000 in a bank account that did not appear on the books and other deficiencies.
According to the audit obtained by NorthEscambia.com:
- The town’s overall financial condition demonstrates signs of deterioration which, if not corrected, could result in a future financial emergency. The town’s general fund borrowed $285,248 from its special revenue fund to cover general operations of the town during the year under audit. As of September 30, 2016, the general fund owes the special revenue fund approximately $3.83 million. The revenues in the special revenue fund are restricted for specific purposes, and therefore, these funds will have to be repaid or it will be considered an inappropriate use of the restricted revenues.
- The town reported 2016 fiscal year expenditures in excess of budgeted amounts of $1,424,694 for the general fund, which is in violation of Section 166.241(3), Florida Statutes. Budget-to-actual comparison schedules were not provided to town council on a regular basis during the fiscal year under audit.
- A bank account for utility payment receipts was not recorded or reconciled in the town’s accounting software and was not recorded in the general ledger. However, the account held a year-end balance of $5,078.
- Capital outlay was not properly recorded and the capitalization threshold policy of $500 was not properly followed during the year under audit. Audit adjustments were necessary to correct capital asset account balances in all funds. In addition, capital assets purchases are not consistently identified and therefore these items are not properly tagged and inventoried. This inconsistent recording and tracking of capital assets causes asset balances to be misstated and allows for possible misappropriation of assets.
- Several general ledger accounts were not reconciled to detail supporting ledgers in a timely manner, and audit adjustments from the 2015 fiscal year audit were not posted until June 2017. Town management adjusted several general ledger accounts, resulting in $163,386 recorded in miscellaneous expenditures in the general fund.
- Bank reconciliations were prepared each month, however these reconciliations did not properly reconcile to the general ledger, and lacked adequate and timely review. The review of the September 30, 2016 bank reconciliations, and posting of necessary adjustments for proper reconciliation to the general ledger records was not completed until August 2017.
- The town does not have a formal written travel policy. The mayor is receiving a travel stipend of $590 per month. The auditors recommend town management establish a formal travel policy that is compliant with Florida Statute 112.061.
- The town did not follow Florida statutes regarding the required submission of financial reports for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016.
According to the 58-page audit, the town is in agreement with the findings and will put a corrective action in place to address the issues.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Warmup Begins
January 6, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 31. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 54. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 50 by 5am. East wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday: Showers. High near 60. East wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71.
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Friday: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 51.
UWF Raises $64.4 Million, Exceeding Campaign Goal
January 6, 2018
The University of West Florida is celebrating the success of the 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign, which raised more than $64.4 million by almost 20,000 donors, including 55 planned gifts and nearly $18 million in scholarships.
“We are truly grateful for the generosity of the community we serve, the alumni we have graduated and the friends we have made over the years,” said UWF President Martha D. Saunders. “Their belief and willingness to contribute to the work we do has created a spirited community of learners launching the next generation of big thinkers who will change the world.”
The campaign’s priorities for areas of giving in alignment with the University’s future vision were outlined as follows: health sciences; science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM; business, economic development and valued partnerships; historic preservation, education and tourism; scholarships; and athletics.
In addition to surpassing its historic fundraising goal of $50 million, the campaign featured some of the largest gifts in the University’s history, including more than $5 million from Dr. Usha and Mahadeb Kundu to name the College of Health and another $5 million from Harold E. “Hal” Marcus to name the College of Science and Engineering.
Other notable gifts included $3.1 million from an anonymous donor to establish an endowment for need-based scholarships that will assist deserving students in their pursuit of the American Dream, and $1 million from Dr. Bob Kimball, UWF marketing and economics professor, to create the Bill and Ellie Kimball Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship Award in memory of his parents.
The University raised more than $48 million of the campaign’s total during its quiet phase, which launched in 2011.