Beulah, Santa Rosa Wildfires Now 95% Contained
May 13, 2020
The Hurst Hammock Fire in Beulah and the 5 Mile Swamp Fire in Santa Rosa County are now both 95% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service.
The Hurst Hammock fire burned 1,191 acres. It was caused by humans, not a caused by nature.
The 5 Mile Swamp Fire burned through 2,215 acres. It destroyed 27 buildings, including 14 homes, and did an estimated $1.9 million in damage.
Century Increasing This Year’s Budget By Over $300K With Anticipated Grant, Special Revenue Funds
May 13, 2020
The Town of Century is amending their current budget to reflect an increase of more than $300,000.
The town’s budget for the current fiscal year that began October 1 is $3,637,645, and is being updated to $3,946,623, according to accountant Robert Hudson.
The $309,278 increase (nearly 9%) comes from an anticipated grant of about $110,000 for a sewer project, a transfer of $79,783 from special revenue and anticipated savings in a few budget categories.
Four members of the town council took part in a teleconference budget workshop Monday evening to discuss the changes. Councilman James Smith did not attend.
The council must advertise the budget changes and hold public meetings before the changes can be finalized.
Update: Missing 13-Year Old Girl Found Safe
May 12, 2020
****UPDATE – THIS MISSING GIRL HAS BEEN FOUND SAFE***
Previous story:
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is seeing help to locate a missing 13-year old girl.
Christina Elizabeth Chappell was last seen Tuesday about 2:30 p.m. in the 6800 block of White Oak Drive between East Burgess Road and Hancock Lane. She was wearing a dark pink t-shirt and black shorts, and may be riding a white and teal bicycle.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to the call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.
Woman Found Safe After Getting Lost In The Woods Near Gulf Power’s Plant Crist
May 12, 2020
A woman was found safe after becoming lost in the woods Tuesday morning off Pate Street.
The woman had followed a trail into the woods in the area of Gulf Power’s Plant Crist and lost her way.
Escambia Fire Rescue responded about 10:30 a.m., and the woman was located by noon with the assistance of Gulf Power employees.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Two FHP Troopers Crash Into Each Other During I-10 High Speed Chase; I-10 Now Back Open
May 12, 2020
[Updated 2:45 p.m.] Two Florida Highway Patrol troopers were injured when they crashed into each other during a high speed chase on I-10 Tuesday morning. All lanes of I-10 are now reopened.
It happened near the I-10 COVID-19 checkpoint at the eastbound weigh station just inside Florida. At least one of the troopers had to be extricated from his vehicle by firefighters. Both troopers were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital where they are now listed in stable condition. One of the troopers is expected to be released from the hospital on Tuesday.
The police chase started in Alabama after the suspect allegedly stole a vehicle from a car dealership in Mobile. Alabama officers chased the vehicle into Florida where FHP became involved. As a FHP sergeant attempted to join the chase, he collided with another trooper, FHP Lt. Robert Cannon said.
The suspect vehicle, a white Chevrolet pickup truck, crashed into the rear of a semi-truck and a guardrail at the Nine Mile Road exit. The suspect fled on foot into the woods but was apprehended a short time later. His name and complete charges have not been released, but Cannon said he is expected to be charged in connection with the stolen vehicle in Alabama, along with Florida charges to include operating a stolen vehicle, fleeing and attempting to allude.
Cannon also said they were originally notified by Alabama that there were potentially narcotics in the vehicle.
FHP only had a couple of minutes warning at best before the pursuit crossed the state line, Cannon said. The COVID-19 checkpoint at the weigh station was temporarily suspended and traffic was allow to flow to reduce the danger to the public.
He said the FHP pursuit policy takes into account the “totality of the circumstances” including road and traffic conditions as well as the offense. Troopers can pursue for known felonies, reckless driving, and impaired drivers, but they are required to call off the pursuit if conditions outweigh the dangers.
Cannon said Tuesday’s incident met the FHP criteria for an allowable pursuit.
First photos above and below: Images for NorthEscambia.com, click toe enlarge. Pictured lower: Traffic camera images from the area.
19th COVID-19 Death, 18 New Cases Reported In Escambia County
May 12, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. CHECK THE FRONT PAGE OF NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST.
A 19th COVID-19 death and 18 new cases have been recorded in Escambia County, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The death was a 90-year old female long-term care facility patients with no travel history and that had contact with a known patient. She passed away April 22, but her death was just announced on Tuesday.
With Escambia County’s 18 new cases, the county total now stands at 659. The Santa Rosa County total increase by three to 179.
Of the 19 deaths in Escambia County, 14 have been long-term care facility residents. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County, all outside long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 40,982 cases including 39,888 Florida residents. There have been 7,224 hospitalizations and 1,735 deaths.
- Total cases — 659 (+18 since Monday)
- Pensacola — 501
- Cantonment — 45
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 4
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 52*
- Deaths — 19
- Male — 237
- Female — 315
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 179 (+3 since Monday)
- Milton — 99
- Navarre — 33
- Gulf Breeze — 25
- Pace — 16
- Jay — 2
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 23*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 118
- Female — 59
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 40,982
- Florida residents — 39,888
- Deaths — 1,735
- Hospitalizations — 7,224*
*“Hospitalizations” is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized.
In Depth: Century’s Water Supply To Century Prison Failed. Here’s What Happened, What Century Planned And What’s Next.
May 12, 2020
A 30-year old Town of Century water well was the only water supply for the 1,300 or so prisoners at Century Correctional Institution, and there was no backup source for water. The well pump was some 30 years old, estimated to have pumped some two trillion gallons of water to the prison.
Town officials and the town council were aware the pump had not been properly maintained in the past, and last fall the council gave preliminary approval to connecting their water system at the prison to a neighboring water franchise as a backup. That would allow Century’s well to be taken out of service for much needed maintenance. The agreement was finalized in April, and parts were ordered. They arrived just before the pump failed last Thursday, leaving the prison without a water supply.
Friday afternoon, an emergency interconnect using two, two-inch fire hoses was made from Central Water Works fire hydrants on the south side of Tedder Road to the Town of Century’s fire hydrants on the north side of the road. That, according to Century Interim City Manager Vernon Prather was supplying adequate water to the prison.
Inmates were provided with bottled water until it could be determined that the water was safe to drink after flowing through fire hoses.
But the pressure on the Central Water Works system is higher than that of Century’s system. That caused a 10-inch water main on prison property to break, leaving the prison without any water during the repair.
A portable water supply and temporary restroom facilities arrived over the weekend. The temporary portable toilets were not conducive to the state’s security protocols for close supervision inmates, so 190 of those prisoners were transferred out of Century Correctional on Sunday to other unnamed facilities.
The broken water main on prison property was repaired by Monday afternoon, and water service restored from the emergency connection to Central Water Works, according to Florida Senator Doug Broxson. Inmates were still being provided bottle water.
What is happening now?
In a November 2019 memo presented to the town council, Prather said the well at prison “needs major maintenance and should be repaired as soon as possible”, and he stated the well was delivering 320 gallons per minute (GPM). By last week, the well’s output fell from 200 to just 80 gallons per minute before it was taken out of service. Water in the town’s elevated storage tank at the prison continued to supply some water into Friday.
“We believe the original output was 400 GPM when the well was constructed in 1990,” Prather said Monday.
A contractor, Layne Christensen Company, has been working since Thursday to determine the condition of the well and the repair process needed.
The contractor has removed the well pump and a 200-foot discharge pipe from a 350-foot casing. A video inspection on Saturday revealed that screens were completely submerged with sand. A second video inspection is planned for Tuesday.
“This inspection should indicate whether the well is repairable, or if a new well will need to be constructed. A repair would be measured in weeks,” Prather said. The shortest estimate for a repair is two weeks. “A replacement would require several months.”
There was also sand found in the well pump.
Prather estimated that if a well must be totally replaced, it will cost the town between $200,000 and $300,000.
Tedder Road from Highway 29 to the prison is closed due to the fire hoses across the road and construction.
Town Council Planned Ahead. But It Was A Little Too Late.
It was less than a month ago that the Central Town Council gave final approval for a permanent water system interconnect to Central Water Works — an interconnect that would work essentially the same way at the emergency fire hose method currently in effect. The council had conceptually approved the plan back in November but legal fine points had to be negotiated by lawyers for the two entities.
Century currently has no interconnection with any other water system except their own system. The Central Water Works connection would provide the town with a backup for their water supply in the event of an emergency or the need to make a major repair.
Parts and supplies for the interconnection were already ordered and delivered, allowing the construction to begin this week.
The permanent interconnect will be along Tedder Road near the prison. Under the proposed agreement, the town would use Central’s water supply only in the event of an emergency, and the town would be required to submit a service deposit if the interconnect is operated and pay $2.50 per 1,000 gallons used. It would take a representative from both utilities with a key to open the connection.
Century typically would not be able to provide significant amounts of water back to Central due to elevation and pressure issues, according to the town.
The town will pay for the interconnect equipment and meter at an estimated cost of about $60,000 to $70,000, plus engineering work estimated at $22,500.
Central is also proposing to make equipment and personnel available to Century on a non-emergency, as-needed basis to repair or replace water lines, replacing water meters and other services. For instance, Central would charge Century $45 an hour for a licensed water operator, $25 an hour for an assistant, a mini excavator at $85 an hour, a work truck at $15 an hour and other hourly rates for additional equipment.
Central Water Works was founded in 1965 and provides water for about 1,000 members in Byrneville, McDavid and outside the municipal service areas of Century and Flomaton.
The Town of Century’s well at Century Correctional Institution only serves the prison and does not provide water for the town. The prison is located just outside town limits, but it is in Century’s water, sewer and natural gas franchise area.
Highway 29, Highway 4 Road Construction Projects To Be Completed Earlier Due To COVID-19
May 12, 2020
Road construction projects on Highway 29 in Escambia County and Highway 4 in Santa Rosa County will be completed earlier than originally planned due to coronavirus.
Due to lower traffic volumes as a result of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders, the Florida Department of Transportation has expedited the two local projects along with 38 others across the state.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the $8.8 million resurfacing project on Highway 29 from just south of Muscogee Road in Cantonment to Highway 97 in Molino will be accelerated by 10 days.
The $4.3 million resurfacing of Highway 4 from the Escambia River Bridge to Market Road (Highway 87A) about 3.5 miles east of Jay will be completed two weeks earlier.
“FDOT is proud to continue implementing Governor DeSantis’ forward-thinking directive to accelerate crucial transportation projects and more swiftly enhance the state’s overall transportation system,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E. “The transportation industry is vital to our economy and is essential as we move forward to re-open Florida. We will continue to accelerate projects as much as possible, while also incorporating the CDC’s safety and sanitation guidelines.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Beulah, Santa Rosa County Wildfires Now 90% Contained
May 12, 2020
The two large wildfires burning in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are now 90% contained, according to the Florida Forest Service.
The Hurst Hammock fire in Beulah burned through 1,191 acres, and the 5 Mile Swamp Fire in Santa Rosa County burned 2,215 acres, the Forest Service said.
On Monday, crews continued to improve the established containment lines along with mop-up operations on the hot spots that continue to smoke and smolder. Firefighters plan the same approach for Tuesday.
There are additional attack resources staged on both fires that will respond to any new wildfires that may occur. There are 123 personnel assigned to the fire, along with a fixed wing aircraft and a medium helicopter assigned to the fires.
There is also a U.S. Forest Service large tanker airplane on standby in Lake City if needed.
The Florida Forest Service said they have determined the Hurst Hammock Fire was caused by humans and is not the result of natural causes.
Crews are continuing to patrol I-10 in Santa Rosa to monitor for smoke impacts.
Food Trucks At Equestrian Center Now Just Two Days A Week. Here’s The Schedule.
May 12, 2020
The food truck schedule at the Escambia County Equestrian Center in Beulah has been reduced to two days each week — Tuesday and Saturdays.
Here is the schedule:
Saturday, May 12
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Beck’s Jamaican
- 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Joe’s Caribbean
- 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sneaky Tiki Shaved Ice
- 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. SmallCakes – gluten free and vegan cupcakes available
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Arlene Williams BBQ & Grill
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Chick-fil-A
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Happy Taco Truck