Escambia County Hires New Transportation Engineer
April 15, 2020
Escambia County has hired Christine Fanchi as the county’s new transportation engineer.
Born and raised in Fort Walton Beach, Fanchi obtained her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Auburn University. She is also a graduate of the Leadership in Engineering Administrative Program. She is a licensed professional engineer and a certified professional transportation planner.
Fanchi has extensive experience working with large and small municipalities, freeway design, sidewalk design, long-range planning and sea level rise.
“I look forward to the opportunity to work collaboratively with residents, partners, and county leadership to foster future economic growth and improved mobility within the county and region,” Fanchi said.
Fanchi brings six years of experience with the public sector and 20 years in transportation engineering and planning experience to the county. Most recently she served as the transportation engineering design manager with the City of Fort Lauderdale. Previously, she worked as city transportation planner at the City of Avondale, special projects manager in the street transportation department at the City of Phoenix, deputy project manager for Dibble Engineering, transportation project engineer for CK Engineering and a transportation design engineer for BRW, Inc. in Phoenix, Arizona.
Sunny With High In The Upper 60s Today, Low In The 40s Tonight
April 15, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 78. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84.
Marianne Carter Nettles
April 15, 2020
Marianne Carter Nettles, age 91, passed away peacefully with family by her side on April 13, 2020 in Pensacola, FL.
Marianne was born on June 16, 1928 in Vincent, AL to Layton Leroy Carter and Lavonia Gambrell Carter. She wed Henry Goodwin Nettles Jr. in 1946 and later received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Louisville. They raised five children while serving together in ministry at the many churches Henry pastored throughout their life together.
A loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Marianne spent her life caring for her family and serving others. She touched the lives of many children while working as a music teacher in Escambia County, FL and was a faithful member of Olive Baptist Church where she contributed to the Christian Concerns newsletter and taught Sunday school until she was 87 years old. She was devoted to supporting the countless charities that she was passionate about and will be remembered for cheerfully giving to anyone in need.
Marianne is survived by her children, Mike Nettles (Lynn), David Nettles (Sandy), Martha Woodall, Paul Nettles (Melinda) and Mark Nettles (Cheryl) as well as 13 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Layton and Lavonia Carter; her husband, Henry Nettles; and her son-in-law, Jim Woodall.
An intimate service officiated by Dr. Ted Traylor will be held for immediate family. Extended family and friends will gather in the months to come in celebration of Marianne’s life. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Samaritan’s Purse, an organization she devoutly supported.
Fourth COVID-19 Death In Escambia County, Local Long-Term Care Cases Jump To 43
April 14, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. CLICK HERE FOR AN UPDATE.
A fourth COVID-19 death was confirmed Tuesday in Escambia County.
The death was an 81-year old male that, according to the Florida Department of Health report, died on April 6 but his death was not verified as COVID-19 related until Tuesday, April 13. He had an no travel history, but did have contact with a known case.
There are now 247 total COVID cases in Escambia County and 115 in Santa Rosa County. Santa Rosa has had four fatalities, including one reported Sunday.
The number of Escambia County cases in residents or staff of long-term care facilities increased to 43.
Statewide, there were 21,628 cases including 20,984 Florida residents. There have been 3,050 hospitalizations and 571 deaths.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 247 (+6 since Monday)
- Long-term care cases — 39
- Pensacola — 188
- Cantonment — 28
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 2
- Molino – 1
- Century — 1
- Residents: 228
- Nonresidents — 18
- Hospitalizations: 21
- Deaths — 4
- Male — 110
- Female — 117
- Youngest — 2
- Oldest — 95
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 114 (+1 since Monday)
- *the total cases decreased by one between the morning and evening report Tuesday
- Long-term care cases — 1
- Milton — 61
- Navarre — 28
- Gulf Breeze — 14
- Pace — 9
- Jay — 2
- Residents: 105
- Nonresidents — 0
- Hospitalizations — 15
- Deaths — 4
- Male — 79
- Female — 35
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 88
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 21.628
- Florida residents — 20,984
- Deaths — 571
- Hospitalizations — 3,050
$2,500 COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Grants Available In Escambia County, Pensacola
April 14, 2020
Grants of $2,500 are available to assist for-profit small businesses in Escambia County or the City of Pensacola.
Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, in partnership with the UWF Small Business Development Center, FloridaWest EDA and the Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce have created the Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant Program. The grant is intended to assist for-profit businesses located in Escambia County with their immediate cash flow needs as a result of a demonstrated economic injury due to COVID-19. The max grant award is $2,500 per applicant or business. The opening date to apply is Monday, April 20 at 8 a.m. CST with a deadline of Monday, April 27 at 5 p.m. CST.
The application will be available online starting Monday, April 13, but applications will not be accepted until Monday, April 20 at 8 a.m. Please note that complete applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.
Escambia County will fund the grant with a contribution of $100,000 to UWF. The City of Pensacola will contribute an additional $25,000 for businesses within the city, with $12,500 from Mayor Grover Robinson’s discretionary fund and $12,500 from District 3 Councilman Andy Terhaar’s discretionary fund. The Florida SBDC at UWF will assist eligible for-profit businesses with applying for the grant, and UWF will distribute the appropriate funds to businesses who have been awarded grant funds. A third-party review board will be created to review applications, determine eligibility and approve the award of grant funding to each applicant on a case-by-case basis using the following parameters:
Eligibility
YOUR BUSINESS MUST:
1. Be a for-profit, privately held small business that maintains a place of business in Escambia County, Florida and established on, or before January 1, 2019. (verified by Sunbiz - dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/search or hold an occupational or business license). Businesses within city limits applying for City of Pensacola funding must be registered in Sunbiz.
2. Have been a going concern since at least Jan. 1, 2019.
3. Have been mandated by federal, state, or local government to reduce or eliminate services and/or have a demonstrated reduction in sales revenues of 25% or greater due to the loss of business income related to COVID-19.
4. Provide written justification of economic loss or injury caused as a result of the declared disaster, e.g. sales or income from a previous year compared to current period. Provide documentation of a reduction of sales revenues.
5. Have been a small business with no more than 20 employees employed at the time of the disaster.
6. Pledge in good-faith to remain in business for at least 6 months following the receipt of fund.
Steps to apply for the grant:
- Go to the Florida SBDC at UWF website www.sbdc.uwf.edu and select REQUEST SBDC CONSULTING and complete the online request form. Remember to identify “Escambia COVID-19 Grant” by name in the request form.
- Download the Escambia County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Grant application at myescambia.com/COVID19Grant, complete and sign the application, and gather all supporting documents. Email completed and signed applications, as well as supporting documents, all in PDF format to fsbdcatuwf@gmail.com. Please put “Escambia COVID-19 Grant” in the subject line of the email. For assistance with completing the application, contact the Florida SBDC at UWF at 850-586-7802 or fsbdcatuwf@gmail.com. If you need assistance scanning documentation into a PDF, please contact Escambia County’s Neighborhood and Human Services Division Manager Carla Thompson at 850-595-3123 or cell at 850-572-1938 to schedule an appointment at Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto, Pensacola. Only completed application forms with all requested supporting documents will be accepted for review.
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- The application form must be completed and signed by individual(s) who, individually or collectively, own fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the equity of the business.
- A copy of each individual’s driver’s license or US Passport must be provided for identity verification purposes.
Each applicant OR business is only eligible for one grant. If the applicant OR business has received the Northwest Florida Small Business COVID-19 Grant they will not be eligible for the Escambia County Small Business Recovery COVID-19 Grant. Fifty percent of grant funds will be awarded to businesses with up to 10 employees, and 50 percent will be awarded to business with 11 to 20 employees. The Escambia grant will be awarded with consideration given to business locations throughout the entire county to ensure that all districts of the county are represented. The City of Pensacola’s contribution will be awarded to businesses within the city.
By partnering with UWF SBDC the applicant information remains confidential per state statute.
Grace Fellowship In Atmore Provided Free Breakfast, Lunch Pick Up Meals For Kids
April 14, 2020
Grace Fellowship in Atmore has partnered with Feeding the Gulf Coast to provide free meals to children 18 and younger.
Each meal includes a breakfast and lunch. They are available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday beginning at 11 a.m. while supplies last on a drive-thru pick up basis. Two of each meal is provided on Monday and Wedneday.
The child must be in the vehicle to receive a meal.
Pastor Glenn Weber said the church stepped in to provide the meals after the Escambia County (AL) School District stopped providing meals.
About 80 kids were served on Monday, the first day of the program. The church is currently able to serve 200 kids per day with the ability to expand the program three-fold if there is a demonstrated need.
Grace Fellowship is located at 1412 East Nashville Avenue in Atmore.
Council On Aging Offers Free Lunches For Senior Adults 60+ In Century And Cantonment
April 14, 2020
Senior adults age 60 and over can receive free, pre-plated lunches to go Monday through Friday at two North Escambia area community centers.
Council on Aging of West Florida is distributing the meals, all of which meet one-third of the FDA’s recommended daily allowance for adult nutrition, at 132 Mintz Lane in Cantonment and 6025 Industrial Boulevard in Century. The only requirement for the free meals is to be 60 or over. There is no income, disability or other requirement.
Senior adults interested in the program must call Council on Aging at (850) 432-1475 by noon the day before they wish to begin in order to place the order. There is no waitlist for this service and all prospective participants can be onboarded immediately.
“This is an incredible asset to senior adults in the northern end of Escambia county,” said Council on Aging President/CEO John Clark. “As all of us are encouraged to remain at homes for as long as possible, and as grocery store shelves continue to fall short of demand, the to-go meals is a great, free way to remain healthy and fed during this time.”
All dining site staff follow CDC guidelines for cleanliness and hygiene, wear gloves and face masks, and the meal contractor sanitizes all surfaces and cleaning materials on an accelerated basis.
Council on Aging generally provides the meals as part of a congregate program; however, as CDC guidelines have shut down all community centers, the meals transitioned to a pre-plated format on March 17. This new delivery system will continue for the foreseeable future. Meals are distributed Monday through Friday beginning at 11 am.
For a full list of meal sites, visit http://www.coawfla.org/senior-advocacy-services/senior-dining-sites/.
Escambia County (AL) Now Reporting 10 COVID-19 Cases
April 14, 2020
Ten COVID-19 cases have now been confirmed in Escambia County, Alabama, according to the latest data release Monday from the Alabama Department of Health, up from three cases late last week.
ADH is reporting 175 total COVID-19 tests have been performed in Escambia County.
The Alabama Department of Health reported 3,803 total cases in the state.
New Hanks Road Bridge Over Breastworks Creek Is Now Complete
April 14, 2020
The $1.58 million Florida Department of Transportation replacement of the Hanks Road Bridge over Breastworks Creek near Bratt is now complete.
It took just over a year to replace the bridge, mill and resurface the pavement, add new signage and pavement markings, install new guardrails and make drainage improvements.
The old bridge was constructed in 1968.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sunny And 70s Kind Of Spring Days
April 14, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 79. North wind around 5 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. North wind around 10 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A slight chance of showers between 8am and 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 60%.