Calvin Coolidge Turberville
April 12, 2020
Mr. Calvin Coolidge Turberville, age 96, passed away on Friday, March 27, 2020, in Bay Minette, Alabama.
Mr. Turberville was a native of Mineola, AL and a lifelong resident of Atmore, Alabama. He was a former member of the Fraternal Order of Police, veteran of WW II, serving with the U.S. Army, was retired from the Alabama Prison System as a Canteen Manager II and was a member of the Atmore Temple Baptist Church. He is preceded in death by his wife of 63 years Ruth; son, Roger; grandson, John; three sisters, his twin, Cleo Gwaltney, Alva Lee Duncan and Dannie Dean Roshetko and three brothers, Martin “Tab” Turberville, Floyd Turberville and Archie Turberville.
He is survived by his children, Wayne (Rhonda) Turberville of Troy, AL and Paula (Steve) Magee of Pensacola, FL; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Graveside services were held Monday, March 30, 2020, at the Mineola Cemetery with Bro. Doug Odom officiating.
In lieu of flowers family request memorials be made to the Gideon’s.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Escambia, Santa Rosa COVID-19 Cases Increase By 11 Total On Saturday
April 11, 2020
Only 11 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties Saturday by the Florida Department of Health.
There are now 210 total COVID cases in Escambia County. The number of cases in Santa Rosa County increased Saturday by just one to 106. Both counties have had thee deaths each.
The number of coronavirus cases in residents or staff of long-term care facilities remained at 28 in Escambia County.
Statewide, there were 18,986 cases including 18,445 Florida residents. There have been 2,607 hospitalizations and 446 deaths.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 210 (+6 since Friday)
- Long-term care cases — 26
- Pensacola — 155
- Cantonment — 26
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 2
- Molino – 1
- Century — 1
- Residents: 188
- Nonresidents — 16
- Hospitalizations: 17
- Deaths — 3
- Youngest: 2
- Oldest: 95
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 106 (+1 since Friday)
- Long-term care cases — 1
- Milton — 56
- Navarre — 27
- Gulf Breeze — 13
- Pace — 9
- Jay — 1
- Residents: 105
- Nonresidents — 0
- Hospitalizations — 13
- Deaths — 3
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 84
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 18,986
- Florida residents — 18,445
- Deaths — 446
- Hospitalizations — 2,607
Overall Crime Rate Falls In Escambia County As Murders More Than Double
April 11, 2020
The overall crime rate in Escambia County dropped 4.1% from 2018 to 2019 while the number of murders more than doubled, according the 2019 Uniform Crime Report released Friday by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime rate was down 4.7%, and the Pensacola Police Department’s was down 5%.
The number of murders in Escambia County increased 12 in 2018 to 27 in 2019, robberies increased from 293 to 337, aggravated assaults were up from 1.769 to 1.828, and burglaries increased from 1,769 to 1,828.
Rapes decreased from 224 to 186, larcenies were down from 7,203 to 6,724 and motor vehicle thefts slipped from 679 to 650.
The clearance rate, the percentage of crimes solved, improved from 31.9% in 2018 to 32.5% in 2019
Of the 27 murders in 2019, 24 were in the county and three were in the City of Pensacola.
Across the state, the crime rate in Florida fell by 6.3 percent, marking the 49th consecutive year the state has seen a drop in its crime rate. The report also shows a 4.6 percent decrease of total index crimes, with 26,128 fewer reported offenses compared to 201
Churches Go Virtual For Easter, Sunrise Services
April 11, 2020
One of the largest sunrise services each year in Escambia County is normally held at Blue Wahoos Stadium. This year, the public won’t be able to attend, but it will be streamed live on several platforms.
Marcus Pointe Baptist Church will present the Community SonRise Service from inside Blue Wahoos Stadium as a virtual experience. It will be available at 6 a.m. on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, Roku, Apple TV, The Marcus Pointe App, and at PensacolaChurch.org/live. The service will also air on at Country 98.7, The Gulf Coast CW, Blab TV, and WHBR.
To see a list of numerous other Easter services, click here for our Facebook page.
Pictured above and below is the 2019 Marcus Pointe Baptist Church Community Sonrise Service at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sunny Saturday, Severe Storms Likely On Sunday
April 11, 2020
Confidence continues to increase regarding the likelihood of a severe weather outbreak Easter Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile.
The entire North Escambia area has an enhanced (level 3 of 5) risk of severe weather. The greatest threats are possible strong long-track tornadoes, damaging winds of 70 mph and quarter size or larger hail.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 74. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 62. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Some of the storms could be severe. Cloudy, with a high near 83. Windy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then a slight chance of showers between 1am and 4am. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 65. Windy, with a south wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 81. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the evening.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78.
Our View Update: Escambia County Decides To Release COVID-19 Situation Report
April 11, 2020
UPDATE: Escambia County announced Saturday afternoon that they will once again make their Emergency Operations Center Situation Report available.
NorthEscambia.com published an editorial Saturday morning (below) calling for access to the report.
Escambia County released the following statement Saturday afternoon:
In support of board direction from April 2 and extensive legal review, we will be providing the COVID-19 Escambia SitRep document in addition to the twice-daily Joint Information Center updates, State of Florida Situation Reports and daily Escambia County specimen collection totals.
“In keeping with Board’s direction on April 2, staff and legal counsel have reviewed the COVID-19 Escambia SitRep to ensure we have the opportunity to continue the mission of protecting the public without jeopardizing the confidentiality of any health related data that is protected by state and federal laws. We believe the information in this incident report will provide the community with more detailed updates during this extraordinary time.
said County Administrator Janice Gilley.
“This information is being released in furtherance of Escambia County’s official duties and responsibilities to serve the county’s citizens, businesses and agencies during a public health emergency. Information appearing in this document was compiled from multiple sources and community partners and thus Escambia County does not assure the accuracy of the reported information,” said Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers.
“It is not the intent of Emergency Management to withhold information. This has been an unprecedented event in which the county is not the lead agency, but serves as the resource manager during the incident. Emergency Management’s intent is to put out accurate information in a timely manner while making sure our community partners’ information does not violate any state or federal regulations. Emergency Management will continue to obtain up-to-date information and to communicate that to the citizens of Escambia County,” said Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore.
Below is the NorthEscambia.com editorial published Saturday morning:
Escambia County is now withholding the public release of a key report that summarizes the local response to COVID-19.
Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers determined that the situation report is exempt from public disclosure as a “threat assessment.” It’s a report called simply the “sitrep.”
While the county’s media relations department has not directly released the sitrep to the media or public, key county leaders have forwarded the report to media outlets including NorthEscambia.com. The report contains varied information from local agencies like ECAT changes, student meal totals from library and school feeding sites, COVID-19 testing sites, hospital information and law enforcement agency statuses.
Essentially, it’s a one-stop summary that was used by EOC partner agencies, county leadership including commissioners, the media and members of the public to monitor the county’s response. Many the report sections basically say “normal operations.” And while it might seem that law enforcement information could be sensitive, there was nothing that the Pensacola Police Department or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has not already stated publicly like the number of quarantined officers.
There were no secrets in the sitrep.
How much of the sitrep did NorthEscambia.com publish? Directly, nothing at all. It served as a reminder for us to create and publish certain stories on our own. But more importantly, it was like a reassuringly good dad talk. “Son, we have a problem, here’s what is happening, nothing is suddenly worse, and what I know, you know. We’ll get through this together.”
Last week, Escambia County Commissioners agreed during a meeting that any information the county has should be released to the public and media.
Commissioner Jeff Bergosh posted a copy of the report on his blog this week and highlighted the percentage of ventilators available at local hospitals (which was actually a good number — about 80% unused). That data is a good bench mark of a worsening problem, which we do not currently have.
But suddenly the sitrep became a confidential document the public cannot see and commissioners cannot distribute under Florida statute 119.071(3) which seems to be geared more toward terroristic threats.
“For the SITREP to suddenly be deemed ‘unreleasable’ is wrong I believe,” Bergosh wrote Friday on his blog. “I want it released as it was being released before. The citizens, especially during these times of uncertainty and panic, deserve complete transparency. To suddenly say a document is ‘classified’ is wrong. This will sow angst, anger, mistrust, and fear needlessly.” The underlining and bold emphasis were his.
“The public records law is supposed to be interpreted liberally — leaning toward maximum transparency. In this instance, the county’s attorney is conservatively interpreting this law. Too conservatively in my opinion. It is wrong, so far as I am concerned,” he continued. “Threat Assessment??!!?? Really? This virus is a common enemy to all (even our real enemies overseas)–It’s not as if we are at war and the enemy is studying our hospital capacity information! We’re all fighting this together—-and information is critical in this fight. And the citizens deserve this information!”
Bergosh is asking for a virtual special meeting of the Board of County Commissioners to decide that the sitrep is available to the public. The sitrep release is an option seemingly available under that the same Florida statute under which it was deemed unreleasable.
It will be up to BOCC chairman Steven Barry to determine if a special meeting will be called.
“Regarding Commissioner Bergosh’s request for a special meeting on his blog today, I believe it’s the chairperson’s responsibility to attempt to accommodate reasonable requests from their colleagues.,” Barry said in a text message to NorthEscambia.com “However, I am certainly not going to ask the board to convene in person for any type of meeting while the Governor’s orders are still active. I have spoken with Attorney Rogers and Administrator Gilley today, and I know they are actively working with Emergency Director Eric Gilmore to address concerns related to the release of different types of information and data. I am optimistic that they will be able to arrive at a course of action that balances the release of information that meets the needs of our board, our media partners, and most importantly, our citizens and constituents, with the privacy issues related to medically protected information and the public safety issues related to the integrity of threat assessment reports. I believe it is only prudent to give the new course of action some time to see how it’s going. In closing, I am open minded to Commissioner Bergosh’s request to schedule what would be a virtual, or electronic meeting, but will consider it more next week.”
Barry made it clear that he does support the release of information.
“I absolutely support the release of any information that does not violate any person’s medical privacy or sensitive law enforcement or operational planning information,” he said.
NorthEscambia.com is joining the call made by other local media, including the Pensacola News Journal and Rick’s Blog, to release the situation report as soon as it is created. There was been nothing in previous editions of the report that needed to be hidden from public view, and we pray our situation improves and nothing in the report gets any worse. But Escambia County citizens are all-in during this pandemic situation, and we should know what our situation is. There’s nothing to hide.
Editor’s note: This story has been update to reflect the sitrep was not always issued every single day, but rather several days per week.
Escambia County, City Of Pensacola Receive $1.3 Million For COVID-19 Response
April 11, 2020
Escambia County and the City of Pensacola will receive over $1.3 million on Community Development Block Grant funding for COVID-19 response.
Escambia County will receive $872,881, and the City of Pensacola will receive $452,160.
These funds will be used to address a wide variety of public health and public service activities to prevent, prepare for and respond to COVID-19. CDBG funds must be utilized for activities that target low and moderate-income households.
Both local governments are awaiting further guidance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding the availability date of funding and detailed guidance from HUD as to activities that will be eligible for this funding. Community input will be solicited on how the funds can be utilized to help facilitate COVID-19 response in Escambia County and the City of Pensacola.
Meet Escambia County Deputy Thermadore, Keeping Watch Over ECSO Employee Temperatures
April 11, 2020
Meet the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office “Deputy Thermadore”.
Deputy Thermadore checks the temperatures of deputies and employees as they enter the ECSO building. Everyone has their temperature checked.
“It’s an extra precaution the ECSO is taking to make sure we are safe and healthy to work with our citizens when they need us,” the department said.
The Fotric 226B “offers a very efficient and streamlined solution for detection of elevated or abnormal body temperature. It is designed to simplify the task of temperature monitoring and identifying subjects displaying abnormal readings.It can be used to screen large groups of people simultaneously. Through its powerful AI face detection module, the 226B is able to automatically detect and screen individuals as they pass through its field of view. With a detection range of 2.6 to 10.5 feet, personnel are able to obtain accurate readings while adhering to social distancing requirements. The 226B can be placed at the head of a queue and will alert personnel when its temperature alarm has been triggered.”
Deputy Thermadore is pretty smart…”if the subject is holding a cup of hot coffee, the system will lock onto facial features and ignore the unrelated heat source. It will also adapt to changes in ambient temperature.”
Flomaton Police Check On Seniors, Surprising One Resident On Her Birthday
April 11, 2020
The Flomaton Police Department has had a “How Are Ya!” program for a few months — officers check on senior citizens just to make sure they OK.
The first resident to sign up for the free wellness check program was Sophronia Quinley, and Chief Chance Thompson paid her special visit with a birthday cake.
Mrs. Quinley told the chief that she was celebrating her 24th birthday.
The program is continuing during COVID-19 social distancing. To sign-up a senior in the Town of Flomaton, call Flomaton Police at (251) 296-5811.
Escambia COVID-19 Cases Top 200; Third Death Reported In Santa Rosa
April 10, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW REPORT.
The number of COVID-19 cases in Escambia County topped 200 Friday afternoon, and a third death was reported in Santa Rosa County.
FDOH reported 204 total COVID cases in Escambia County. Of those, 186 are local residents. The number of cases in Santa Rosa County increased to 105. Escambia County has had three fatalities, and a Santa Rosa County is now up to three deaths. A 69-year old male died; he had previous with known case but no travel history
The number of coronavirus cases in residents or staff of long-term care facilities increased to 26 in Escambia County.
Statewide, there were 17,968 cases including 17,448 Florida residents. There have been 2,496 hospitalizations and 419 deaths.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 204 (+11 since Thursday)
- Long-term care cases — 26
- Pensacola — 149
- Cantonment — 26
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 2
- Molino – 1
- Century — 1
- Residents: 186
- Nonresidents — 16
- Hospitalizations: 17
- Deaths — 3
- Men — 98
- Women — 103
- Youngest: 2
- Oldest: 95
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 105 (+ 8since Thursday)
- Long-term care cases — 1
- Milton — 55
- Navarre — 27
- Gulf Breeze — 13
- Pace — 9
- Jay — 1
- Residents: 105
- Nonresidents — 0
- Hospitalizations — 13
- Deaths — 3
- Men — 73
- Women — 30
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 84
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 17,531
- Florida residents — 16,018
- Deaths — 390
- Hospitalizations — 2,360