Here’s What We Know About Eight Positive COVID-19 Cases In Escambia, Santa Rosa

March 23, 2020

There are now eight total confirmed COVID-19 cases in Escambia and Santa Rosa County, according to the Florida Department of Health.

The Escambia County cases, four of which were announced on Sunday, are a 51-year old man that traveled to France and had no contact with a known case; a 25-year old female, a 51-year old male and a 48-year old male, and a 33-year old male originally announced incorrect on Sunday as being from Santa Rosa County.

The Santa Rosa County cases are a 71-year old male that died after travel to Egypt, Israel and Jordan; a 48-year old male that traveled to the United Kingdom; and a 17-year old male with no travel history.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

Free Meal Sites For Youth Now Open In Escambia, Santa Rosa Counties

March 23, 2020

Free meals are available at sites across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties this week for youth under 18. Children must be present to receive meals, which will be distributed curbside.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Town of Century

The Town of Century will have “grab and go” food available for school age children and senior citizens at the Century Business Center, 150 East Pond Street in Century. The food will be available while supplies last beginning at 10 a.m. each day Monday-Friday. If not consumed quickly, some foods may require refrigeration.

Escambia County Schools

Food will be available Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until noon the week of March 23 for youth 18 and younger at the following schools:

Bratt Elementary School, 5721 North Highway 99, Bratt
Bellview Elementary School, 4425 Bellview Avenue
Warrington Middle School, 459 South Old Corry Field Road, Pensacola
C.A. Weis Elementary School, 2701 North Q Street, Pensacola
Booker T. Washington High School, 6000 College Parkway, Pensacola

There will be 33 additional schools announced later and added to the list on Monday, March 30.

Meals will be distributed in a curbside pick up operation. Cafeterias will not be open – food is to be consumed off-site. Food items will be in to go containers and will consist of ready-to-eat food items that should be consumed when received or should be quickly refrigerated for consumption at a later time. Each child will receive breakfast and lunch in the same visit. Children do not have to be a student at that school in order to pick up meals there. Children must be present.

West Florida Libraries

Escambia County West Florida Public Libraries are partnering with Feeding the Gulf Coast to provide free curbside pickup meals for youth ages 18 and under at all library branch locations, Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.:

Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola
Tryon Beach Library, 1200 Langley Ave., Pensacola
Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 N. 9th Ave., Pensacola
Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
Westside Branch Library, 1301 W. Gregory St., Pensacola
Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd., Century

The meals will include lunch and a snack, and meals will be available on a first come, first served basis. Youth must be present to receive meals; food will not be given to adults.

Feeding the Gulf Coast

Feeding the Gulf Coast is providing free meals to children age 18 and younger at multiple locations:

E Comfort Inc., 2300 N. Pace Blvd, Pensacola
Cobb Resource Center, 601 E. Mallory St., Pensacola
Fricker Resource Center, 900 North F St. Pensacola
Woodland Heights, 111 Berkley Drive, Pensacola
Gull Point Resource Center, 7000 Spanish Trail, Pensacola
Bethel AME Church, 511 Woodland Drive, Pensacola
Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St., Pensacola
Bellview Assembly of God, 2920 W. Michigan Ave., Pensacola
Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
West Florida Libraries – Downtown, 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola
Morris Court, 1401 W. Lloyd St., Pensacola
Shooting Starz Unlimited, 312 E. Nine Mile Road, Unit 14, Pensacola
Dixon School of Arts and Science, 1201 H St., Pensacola
Tryon Beach Library, 1200 Langley Ave., Pensacola
Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 N. 9th Ave., Pensacola
Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
Westside Branch Library, 1301 W. Gregory St., Pensacola
Crown Church, 9600 N. Palafox St., Pensacola
Lillian Square Apartments, 7200 Lillian Highway, Pensacola
Carver Park Community Center, 208 Webb St., Cantonment
Magnolia Crossing Apartments, 4312 Magnolia Crossing Circle, Pace
My Father’s Arrows, Inc., 4025 Highway 178, Jay, (Gate code: 2014)
Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd., Century

For distribution days and times, visit https://www.feedingthegulfcoast.org/find-help/find-a-pantry and search by your location.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Breakfast and lunch feeding program school sites with drive-thru service 9:30 until 11 a.m. until further notice at the following locations:

Milton High School, 5445 Stewart St., Milton
East Milton Elementary, 5156 Ward Basin Road, Milton
Bagdad Elementary, 4512 Forsyth St., Milton
T.R. Jackson Pre-K Center, 4950 Susan St., Milton
Russell Elementary, 3740 Excalibur Way, Milton
Berryhill Elementary, 4900 Berryhill Road, Milton
Jay Elementary, 13833 Alabama St., Jay
Central School, 6180 Central School Road, Milton
Pea Ridge Elementary, 4775 School Lane, Pace
Holly Navarre Primary, 8019 Escola Street, Navarre

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

WSRE Airing Free “At-Home Learning” Programs During School Closures

March 23, 2020

Beginning this week, WSRE is airing a new daytime schedule of “At-Home Learning” PBS programs suited for students from Pre-K through 12th grade from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. The schedule change is part of a state-wide effort among PBS stations in Florida to support families, educators and students during school closures brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Like the digital resources available online through PBS LearningMedia, this new weekday television schedule will provide educational programs that are aligned to state standards for Florida schools and are free and accessible from home.

Click here to download a schedule.

“This special educational programming and the PBS LearningMedia website are extraordinary tools that are free and easy to access from home, and they can play a critical role by providing trusted, aligned education resources for students, parents, teachers and caregivers during these challenging times,” said Jill Hubbs, WSRE general manager.

The new daytime schedule replaces WSRE’s usual lineup of PBS KIDS programming on the main channel, 23.1. This programming for early learners will remain available on the WSRE PBS KIDS channel, 23.4, and streaming online at pbskids.org.

PBS KIDS is for grownups, too. At PBS KIDS for Parents (pbs.org/parents), searches can be filtered by topic and age. For example, select Social Skills for age 3 to find appropriate articles, printable activities, recipes, games and apps. The article, “How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus,” is an example of how PBS KIDS for Parents provides up-to-date information aligned with current events.

Designed for teachers and students, PBS LearningMedia (pbslearningmedia.org) is accessible for everyone. Search by grades Pre-K through High School to find videos, games and activities aligned to state and national school standards.

WSRE’s new daytime television schedule will include specific blocks of time for Pre-K through 12th grade levels and cover English language arts, social studies, science and math.

“PBS stations like WSRE are ideally suited to deliver this content, not only because of the educational quality of our programs, but also because our broadcast signal is available for free to all homes in our coverage area,” said Hubbs. “It is our hope that families will tune in and use these online educational resources to create at-home learning environments for their children.”

Click schedule below to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

FDOH: Increased Testing Leads To Additional COVID-19 Cases In Escambia County

March 23, 2020

The Florida Department of Health said increased sample collection and testing led to the announcement Sunday of three new confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Escambia County for an overall total of four.

The local health department said the number of cases in Escambia County is expected to change daily due to the return of results from ongoing testing.

By Friday, Sacred Heart Hospital had tested about 800 people since they started drive-thru COVID-19 testing on March 16, and the first results from those tests are expected back.

Those first tests were sent to another laboratory in Jacksonville, leading to the delay. However, Dawn Rudolph, president of Ascension Sacred Heart, said as of Friday that they are moving the tests to the hospital’s in-house laboratory which is able to analyze 50 tests per day due to equipment limitations.

Health care providers in Escambia County, Florida are collaborating to make testing available to those for whom testing is indicated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Contact tracing will be conducted for those individuals who have tested positive. Contact tracing is a frequently-used public health tool for tracking and preventing the spread of disease. Epidemiologists work to find everyone who has been in contact with the positive case. Persons identified to be at-risk through the contact tracing process are interviewed, evaluated, and educated on their risk factors and what they need to do next.

Rudolph said she believes some percentage of the 800 people tested will be positive. She told the Escambia County Commission Friday afternoon that over 2,800 people called the testing hotline, but many did not meet the testing qualifications based upon a series of questions.

Persons interested in Sacred Heart’s drive-thru testing much first call (850) 746-2684 to be pre-screened. If they meet the criteria for testing, they will be provided more information on the test and location. The screening call center is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The drive-thru test center is open 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

All Escambia County Offices Are Closed; Services Available Online Or By Appointment

March 23, 2020

Escambia County has closed all facilities and programs to public in-person access to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

County departments are listed below in alphabetical order with alternative ways to make contact or do business:

Animal Services, 200 W. Fairfield Drive – By Appointment Only

Animal Services will continue to handle emergencies and non-contact calls.
Available by phone at 850-595-3076 or email at animalshelter@myescambia.com.
Animal Services asks citizens not to pick-up stray animals or bring them to the shelter. Contact Animal Control at 850-595-0097 to report a stray animal.
Animal Control will not be accepting animals from the public until further notice.
Adoptions and lost animal reclaims can be made by appointment only. Please call 850-595-3076 to make arrangements for these services. Please only request an adoption appointment if you are truly interested in adopting an animal as the number of available adoption appointments are limited.
Citizens can go to www.petharbor.com to look to see if their lost pet is at the shelter or to look for adoptable animals.
Submit an online Animal Control complaint here.

Board of County Commissioners, County Attorney and County Administration, 221 Palafox Place – Closed to Public

Citizen’s Information Center 850-471-6600

Capital Improvement Projects, Surveying, and Drainage Issues, Central Office Complex 3363 West Park Place – Closed to Public

Visit the capital improvement projects, surveying and drainage website here.

Community Centers

Community Centers are closed for all public programming.

Community Redevelopment Agency, 221 Palafox Place – Closed to Public

No new appointments or walk-ins are being accepted.
For questions, please contact 850-595-3217 or email cra@myescambia.com.

Development Services, 3363 West Park Place – Closed to Public

Available by phone at 850-554-8210. For all planning related questions, please call Planning and Zoning at 850-595-3475
For questions regarding zoning or planning, please email zoninginfo@myescambia.com.
Find land use forms and applications here.
View the county’s GIS online interactive zoning map.
Use the property search tool online to look up your address to find information such as your county commission district, water franchise jurisdiction, school zone, voting precinct, emergency management, hurricane evacuation zone and more.
View the county’s land development code.
Fill out an online address request form.
Find information about Local Mitigation Strategy here.
Contact information for the Planning Board, Development Review, and Board of Adjustment can be found here.
For site plan review process (DRC) or for the issuance of Development Order, please contact Christina Smith, DRC Coordinator at 850-595-3472; or Andrew Holmer, Division Manager at 850-554-2795.
Land use approval and submitted plans to BID, please contact Terry Williams at 850-595-3632.

Engineering and Construction, Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place – Closed to Public

Services are available via email and phone at Engineering@myescambia.com or 850-595-3440.

The Escambia County Area Transit, 1515 W. Fairfield Drive – Customer Service to remain Open

ECAT administrative offices and lobby will be closed to the public beginning Monday, March 23. ECAT Rosa L. Parks Transit Complex and customer service will remain open and will adhere to the 6-feet social distancing policy. Bus tickets are also available for purchase online at www.GoECAT.com.
In-person paratransit eligibility interviews will be rescheduled or completed over the phone. Please call the ECAT Mobility Clerk for assistance or to reschedule an interview at 850-595-3230.
For additional information, please call 850-595-3228 or visit www.GoECAT.com.

Extension Escambia County, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment – By Appointment Only

UF/IFAS Extension is open by appointment only. The phone number for appointments 850-475-5230, ext. 3 for Extension Services, ext. 2 for the 4-H office or email shendrix@ufl.edu.
Walk-in traffic is closed to the main lobby at the Extension Services office and the Langley Bell 4-H Center beginning Monday, March 23.
Traditional services such as soil samples, plant samples or identification are still available, but clientele is encouraged to communicate by phone or computer as much as possible.
Field visits will be limited and must be considered essential at this time. Clientele are encouraged to call, set up appointments and follow guidelines for visits from the agents.
All volunteers associated with Extension Services are asked to limit office visits and contact agents by phone or email.
Unless directed by Parks & Rec, the walking track around Extension Services is still open to the public, we highly encourage social distancing.
ECUA yard debris bag pick up at Extension Services has been suspended until further notice. Recycling and FOG station remain available for use.
Pesticide license testing for limited and commercial pest control will not be available for administration through our office until after April 30.
4-H Livestock facility in Molino is closed to the general public. Only essential authorized personnel are allowed in the facility.

Neighborhood Enterprise Division, 221 Palafox Place – Closed to Public

No new appointments or walk-ins are being accepted.
For questions, please contact 850-595-0022 or email ned@myescambia.com.

Neighborhood & Human Services, 221 Palafox Place – Closed to Public

For Indigent Burial/Cremation Program questions, please call 850-595-3130 or email humanassistance@myescambia.com.

Parks and Recreation office, 1651 East Nine Mile Road – Closed to Public

Please call 850-475-5220 for assistance.

Permitting and Inspections – Building Services, Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place – Closed to Public

All walk-in permitting has been suspended effective Monday, March 23, until further notice. Business will still be conducted as usual using online accounts through mygovernmentonline.org and submitting permits electronically. For all permit-related questions, please call Building Services at 850-595-3550. Below are a few helpful guidelines to follow while transitioning to online permitting:

Permit applications must be submitted electronically using mygovernmentonline.org. Guidelines for creating an account and submitting online are available through the Escambia County Building Services website. You may also call Building Services at 850-595-3550 for help in creating an account. For all active customer portal account questions, please call My Government Online at 866-957-3764.
If the permit requires plan review, two sets of stamped sealed paper copies are required to be submitted. Plans can be dropped off in the drop boxes located at both the Central Office Complex and Molino permitting locations. Please attach the application to the plans and ensure that contact information is clearly displayed. If the plans are too large to fit within the drop box, then you may make an appointment for drop off. At the scheduled appointment, staff will meet you to receive the plans at either location. To schedule an appointment for plans drop off, please call 850-595-4560.
All documents such as notices of commencement must be uploaded into the permit application through the online portal or submitted with the plans.
Contractor registration, application for a new license (examination), and application for reciprocity must be a complete package upon submission. to contractorlicense@myescambia.com. To renew a license, please call 850-595-3550 and ask for licensing in order to renew over the phone.
All permits must be paid by credit card and printed from your online account and posted on the job site prior to commencement of work.
Customers picking up paper plans only must schedule an appointment by calling 850-595-1627 or 850-595-3587 and a staff member will meet with you to provide the approved copy.
Owner-builder permits will need to be submitted online. The required owner-builder affidavit will need to be done by appointment only, and a notary will meet you to notarize and witness the signature per Florida Statutes. Please call 850-595-4560 for assistance.
Permit extensions and requests for renewals of expired permits must be submitted via email to buildinginspections@myescambia.com.
Requests for certificates of occupancy for permits issued prior to Nov. 5, 2019 should be made by phone to 850-595-3559 or email at buildinginspections@myescambia.com. Copies of signed certificates of occupancy will be emailed out.
Inspection requests for mygovernmentonline.org permits will need to be scheduled either online through the customer portal, or via telephone using the IVR system by dialing 866-957-3764 and choosing option 5.
Inspections, where the inspector has to enter an inhabited residence, will need to be completed via Facetime, Skype, etc. All other inspections will be completed in the normal fashion.

Purchasing, 213 Palafox Place – Closed to Public

Purchasing will use Skype if needed for solicitations.

Road Department call center office, 1651 East Nine Mile Road – Closed to Public

For Road Department services for stormwater, mowing, tree trimming, streets and sidewalks go to: Our Services – Public Works.
Available by phone Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 850-494-5860. To report an issue of an immediate nature after business hours, please call 850-937-2100.

Transportation and Traffic, Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place – Closed to Public

Transportation and Traffic services are available via email or phone at Traffic@myescambia.com or 850-595-3404.
Signals and Signs Maintenance and Traffic Calming services can be utilized online:

Signals and Signs Maintenance and Traffic Calming, Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place – Closed to Public

Signals and Signs Maintenance and Traffic Calming services can be utilized online:
Click here to learn how to report a traffic signal problem.
Click here to report a road sign issue.
Click here to request new traffic calming measures.

Veterans Services, Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place – Closed to Public

For telephone appointments, please call 850-595-2409.
Website: myescambia.com/our-services/veterans-services
FAQ’s: myescambia.com/our-services/veterans-services/frequently-asked-questions

Waste Services, Perdido Landfill 13009 Beulah Road and Oak Grove Convenience Center 745 County Road 99 – OPEN

Waste Services will be operating under normal conditions.

West Florida Public Libraries – Closed to Public

All West Florida Public Libraries locations are closed to the public
Library patrons can take advantage of online resources and ebooks at: https://mywfpl.com/borrow/ebooks and https://mywfpl.com/visit/children
Meal Pickups for Youth beginning March 23
Escambia County School District students who do not have adequate internet access at home for distance learning will have access to the libraries beginning April 1, 2020.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

ECAT Modifies Schedules, Limits Buses To 10 Riders To Reduce Coronavirus Risk

March 23, 2020

ECAT is moving buses to a modified schedule on Monday and limited riderships to 10 people or less in effort to help lessen the change of potential exposure to coronavirus.

Until April 14 weekday bus routes will run on a modified schedule. This modified weekday schedule will match our “Holiday Schedule”, which runs every two hours and with the final route trips departing ECAT and Downtown at 6 p.m. The same modified schedule will run on Saturdays and no service on Sundays. The following routes will be temporarily suspended until further notice:

Route 41, East Pensacola Heights
Route 59A, NAS Pensacola, Airport
Route 59X, NAS Pensacola, Downtown, Cordova Mall
Route 61, Pensacola Beach
Route 64, Beach Jumper
UWF Regular Trolley Service

Routes 1, 2, 31, 32, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 55, 57, 58, 60, and 63 will continue to operate modified schedule service Monday – Saturday. UWF Express Trolley will also continue service Monday – Saturday.

ECAT will be scaling capacity to increase social distancing and safety for the general public as well as employees. Buses will be limited to transporting 10 people and encourage staggered seating. Additional vehicles will be dispatched to ensure all passengers are picked up and complying with the 10- person limit.

Contact ECAT customer service at (850) 595-3228 for additional information.

Paratransit Services

Escambia County Community Transportation (ECCT) will temporarily suspend all paratransit services after 7 p.m. for weekday and Saturday services. All medical necessary trips will be honored. Sunday service is temporarily suspended. All expired eligibility will be extended for 90 days. In-person eligibility interviews will be rescheduled or completed over the phone. Call ECCT customer service at (850) 595-0501 for assistance.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

A Chance Of Monday Afternoon Showers

March 23, 2020

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Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday Night: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 83. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. South wind around 5 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.

Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.

Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.

Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive

Gas Prices Dive Below $2 A Gallon In Escambia County

March 23, 2020

As COVID-19 cases in America increased last week, fuel prices plummeted across the board. Crude oil plunged to 18-year lows, while prices at the pump are now the lowest since August 2016.

The average price for gasoline in Florida is $2.08 per gallon. The state average will likely dip below $2 per gallon this week, for the first time since March 2016, according to the travel group AAA.

The average gallon of gas in Escambia County Sunday night was $2.01, but numerous stations were below the $2 mark.

The lowest price per gallon in North Escambia was $1.91 at station on Highway 29 in Cantonment Sunday night, while prices in Pensacola were as low as $1.84.

“At this point, drivers do not need to rush out to the pump to fill-up their tanks,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Gas prices will continue to fall this week, and supplies themselves to do not appear to be a concern. AAA confirmed with state leaders Sunday night that Florida’s ports are scheduled to remain open for deliveries of various goods including gasoline. The governor has also waved restrictions for truck drivers, allowing them to drive longer hours and carry heavier loads - so all necessary deliveries are made.

“Fuel prices have suffered a historic collapse during the past month,” Jenkins continued. “Weeks ago, oil plummeted when Saudi Arabia announced plans to flood the market with oil. That downward momentum has only continued, as Americans are asked to stay home, thus eroding fuel demand expectations. If wholesale gasoline prices do not recover soon, Florida drivers could eventually pay $1.50 per gallon or less; a threshold that has not been reached since December 2003.”

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

All Florida State Parks Closed

March 23, 2020

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has closed all state parks at the direction of Governor DeSantis and to successfully uphold CDC guidance to maximize social distancing and avoid gatherings larger than 10 people.

The state said efforts were made to continue providing resource recreation at state parks, such as limiting operating hours and reducing visitor capacity at parks with high visitation. But FDEP said that did not result in the reductions needed to best protect public health and safety as Florida continues to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

Vehicle Crashes Through Roof Of Escambia County Home

March 22, 2020

A vehicle crashed through the roof of an Escambia County home early Sunday morning.

The Florida Highway Patrol said 21-year old Demarcus Atkins fell asleep about 5:15 a.m. as he traveled southwest on Fairfield Drive near Atlas Street. He missed a sharp curve and ran off the road as the vehicle accelerated. The vehicle collided with an embankment, went airborne and crashed into the home in the 1400 block of Atlas Street.

Atkins, who was wearing his seatbelt, was not injured and was able to escape the vehicle before first responders arrived.

The homeowner, Kimiko Bonfiglio, was asleep in the bedroom adjacent to where the vehicle came through the roof. He was uninjured.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

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