Four New COVID-19 Cases Reported In Escambia County, Alabama
May 26, 2020
Story updated Tuesday morning to reflect one additional reported case.
Five new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Escambia County, Alabama, according to the Alabama Department of Health.
There are now 45 cases in the county, up by five in the last week, out of 1,054 tested.
Across the state, Alabama has recorded 15,194 confirmed cases out of 192,602 tested. There have been 566 deaths and 1,652 cumulative hospitalizations.
The Alabama Department of Health is now reporting a number of presumed recovered patients, which now stands at 7,951.
Higher Chances Of Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms For This Week
May 26, 2020
A burn ban remains in effect for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 10 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Schools No Longer Serving Free Meals. Libraries And Other Summer Breakspots Are. Find One Here.
May 26, 2020
Thousands of Escambia County children will need a new source for lunch this week.
The school year official came to a close Friday, and that meant that dozens of meal distributions sites at schools across the county have also closed. The Escambia County School District Food Service Department served over 180,000 breakfasts and lunches since March 23; the 27 sites served 21,307 students just last week.
West Florida Public Libraries will continue to serve meals Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at all locations:
- Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
- Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd., Century
- 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
The meals include lunch and a snack, and are available on a first come, first served basis. Youth must be present to receive meals; food will not be given to adults.
Additional Summer BreakSpot meal locations can be found at summerbreakspot.freshfromflorida.com/.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Delays This Week For Construction At Highway 29 Railroad Crossing
May 26, 2020
Drivers can expect delays during certain time periods over the next two weeks at the Highway 29 railroad crossing at International Paper.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, there will be intermittent and alternating lane restriction from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the area of the Highway 29 CSX railroad crossing in Cantonment Tuesday, May 26 through Friday, May 29 and again Sunday, May 31 through Thursday, June 4 as crews construct improvements to the railroad crossing.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Records 12 New COVID-19 Cases Monday
May 26, 2020
THIS STORY IS NOW OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
Escambia County recorded a dozen new COVID-19 cases on Monday, according to the Florida Department of Health. The number of cases in Escambia County is now 768, and Santa Rosa increased by one to 208. Of the 26 deaths in Escambia County, 19 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities. Statewide, there were 51,746 cases including 50,414 Florida residents. There have been 9,424 hospitalizations and 2,252 deaths. EscambiaCounty cases:
- Total cases — 769 (+1 since Monday)
- Pensacola — 563
- Cantonment — 48
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 5
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 64*
- Deaths — 26
- Male — 259
- Female — 370
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 209 (+1 since Monday)
- Milton — 123
- Navarre — 36
- Gulf Breeze — 27
- Pace — 16
- Jay — 2
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 23*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 144
- Female — 61
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 51,746
- Florida residents — 50,414
- Deaths — 2,252
- Hospitalizations — 9,424*
*“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.
Schools Wrap Up The School Year. The One With The Quarantine. (With Jim Allen Photo Gallery)
May 26, 2020
Schools across the North Escambia area wrapped up the school year — the one with the quarantine — in their own special way last week.
At Jim Allen Elementary School, a “Ride-Bye” was held for the fifth grade class.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices For Memorial Day Were Lowest In 17 Years, AAA Says
May 26, 2020
Florida drivers paid an average price of $1.88 per gallon on Memorial Day. That was 77 cents less than last year’s holiday, and the lowest Memorial Day gas price in 17 years.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $1.79 on Memorial Day Monday. In North Escambia, the lowest price per gallon was $1.74 in Cantonment, while the lowest in Pensacola was $1.67 at a warehouse store.
Pump prices have been suppressed since February, due to Covid-19’s limiting effects on gasoline demand. Since that time, the state average declined a total of 66 cents per gallon, bottoming out at $1.76 on May 6. But now with more Floridians on the road, pump prices are beginning to bounce back.
As Florida reopens, gasoline demand is improving. Since sinking to a 75 percent deficit, gasoline demand in Florida is now down only 10-20 percent from a year ago.
“Gas prices are back on the rise now that Floridians are driving more, but it’s unclear how high they’ll go,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “While additional price increases are possible in the coming weeks, drivers are currently in line for the cheapest summer at the pump in 15 years.”
Florida gas prices increased 11 cents last week across the state. It’s the largest weekly increase since the pandemic began. Florida drivers are now paying 73 cents per gallon less than a year ago.
Pictured: The lowest North Escambia gas price for the Memorial Day weekend was $1.74 at this station on Highway 29 at Becks Lake Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Horrifically Violent Highway 29 Crash Sunday Claims Life
May 25, 2020
A Brewton man died in a horrifically violent crash on Highway 29 south of Century Sunday afternoon.
The driver of a Jeep Patriot (the white vehicle in the photos) was southbound on Highway 29 at Canoe Creek when he crossed the median about 3:50 p.m. and crashed into an oncoming Buick Enclave occupied by two people.
The Buick came to rest on its side in the ditch. The driver of the SUV, a 67-year old man, was pronounced deceased at the scene, and the 62-year old female passenger was transported to Pensacola hospital in critical condition.
The collision essentially exploded the front of the Jeep, leaving the front wheels, engine compartment and engine in the median and debris spread across a large area of southbound Highway 29. The remainder of the Jeep came to rest upside down on the shoulder of the southbound lanes.
The Jeep driver, a 19-year old male from McDavid, was able to crawl out of the wreckage with minor injuries. He told bystanders that he believed that he may have fallen asleep, but the cause of the crash remained under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
For additional photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Drive-By Birthday Parade Held For 102-Year Old Pearl Harbor Survivor (With Photo Gallery)
May 25, 2020
A drive-by birthday party was held Sunday afternoon in Gonzalez for 102-year old Pearl Harbor survivor Frank Emond.
Emond, CWO4 USN (RET.), spen t his naval career as a musician and band director. He was on the stern of the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) getting ready to play morning “Colors” on his French horn when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Emond then walked to the conductor’s stand, picked up the baton and proceeded to direct the band in “Stars and Stripes.”
After seven years of playing horn, he became a Navy bandleader, retiring in 1968.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“I’m about the last one (Pearl Harbor survivor) left around here,” Emond said.
He’s still a musical man; sometimes he still leads the music at Gonzalez United Methodist Church. He still performs with the Pensacola Civic Band. The Guinness Book of World Records named him the “Oldest Musical Conducter” in the world last year after he participated in a 2019 Memorial Day concert.
The church planned the parade as a big surprise and thank you for Emond, who turned 102 last Thursday. Emond stood for the entire 20-minute parade, spryly waving and walking up to vehicles to receive cards and presents. Several men stopped to salute.
The parade included the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Patriot Guard, motorcycle and car clubs, Pensacola’s Boat Car, a long line of well wishers and more.
“It was really special,” Emond said with a little smile on his face. “Somebody went to a lot of trouble on this for me. I really appreciate it.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: A drive-by 102nd birthday party for Pearl Harbor survivor Frank Emond Sunday at the Gonzalez United Methodist Church. NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Scattered Afternoon Showers For Memorial Day
May 25, 2020
A burn ban remains in effect for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Memorial Day: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. East wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. East wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. East wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.