Escambia Unemployment Rate Dips. But It’s Still Over Twice The Year Ago Level.
July 18, 2020
The unemployment rate locally in Escambia County and statewide dipped in June but, were still more than double last year due to the coronavirus economic shutdown, according to the latest data released Friday.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County was 7.9% in June, down from 10.9% in May. That represents 10,917 people out of work out of a county workforce of 137,655. One year ago, Escambia County’s unemployment rate was just 3.5%, or 5,056 people.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 10.4% in June 2020, down 3.3 percentage points from the revised May 2020 rate, and up 7.2 percentage points from a year ago. There were 1,021,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 9,770,000.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 11.1 percent in June.
Community Health COVID-19 Testing Available Next Week In Cantonment
July 18, 2020
Community Health Northwest Florida is bringing COVID-19 testing back to Cantonment next week.
The drive-thru testing will be available Tuesday, July 21 from 8-11 a.m. at Community Health Northwest Florida Cantonment Pediatrics at 470 South Highway 29.
The testing is for Escambia County (FL) residents only. There is no pre-screening required, and the testing is available for any age regardless of symptoms.
Testing will be provided weather permitting while supplies last. Participants should bring a photo identification and an insurance card (if insured).
Pictured: Community Health Northwest Florida COVID-19 testing in Century on May 13. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Monday Is The Deadline To Register To Vote, Switch Parties For August 18 Primary
July 18, 2020
The deadline is Monday to register to vote in Florida’s primary election on August 18.
Florida has closed primaries. If you want to vote in a party’s primary, you must be registered in that party by the registration deadline.
For the general election on November 3, the voter registration deadline is October 5.
Voters can register online or register in person. For information on any of the registration methods, change parties or check your registration, visit escambiavotes.com.
Fowler Avenue Closed North Of Nine Mile Next Week
July 18, 2020
Fowler Avenue north of Nine Mile Road in Escambia County will be closed beginning Tuesday, July 21 at 7 a.m. for pre-construction activities prior to paving operations.
The work is anticipated to take 10 days to complete. Traffic will be detoured to West Nine & Half Mile Road and Cove Avenue. Detour signs and variable message boards are in place to alert drivers of the temporary road closure and detour routes.
Motorists should watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway as they prepare for the work.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Six More Correctional Workers Positive For COVID-19 At Century Prison
July 18, 2020
UPDATE: A 12th staff member case was reported Saturday at CCI. The numbers in the story below have been updated to reflect this.
Six additional staff members at Century Correctional Institution have been confirmed positive for COVID-19 in the past week for a total of 12.
One new correctional worker case was reported Saturday, along with four Friday and one a few days prior. One week ago, there were just six.
Nine inmates have been tested since the start of the pandemic, and all have tested negative, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. One inmate was in quarantine Friday, down from 136 on Thursday.
There have been no inmate deaths related to coronavirus at CCI.
The FDC reported 3,520 inmates and 1,009 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 statewide. There have been 32 inmate deaths.
At Blackwater Correctional Facility in Milton, which is operated by the GEO Group, a total of 101 inmates and 17 staffers have tested positive. Another 1,825 inmates were negative.
Florida Encourages Horse Community To Be Vigilant About EEE
July 18, 2020
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) is encouraging Florida’s horse community to be vigilant of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE), a serious viral disease that can affect horses, birds, and humans and cause neurological injury and death.
There have been nine confirmed cases this year in the state – the latest in Gilchrist County. None have been in the Panhandle to date.
This type of virus, known as an arbovirus, is transmitted to horses and humans by certain mosquitoes, which become infected when they feed on infected birds that circulate high levels of the virus in their blood for a period of time. These mosquito species include some Aedes, Coquillettidia, and Culex species. The disease is not directly transmitted between horses, from birds to horses, or from horses to humans.
“Despite being rare, the EEE virus is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S., with typically a third of cases resulting in death,” said Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “It’s imperative that those working with horses watch closely for EEE signs, and everyone who ventures outside in Florida should take basic steps to avoid mosquito bites. These common-sense precautions will also help protect against Zika, dengue fever, and other mosquito-borne diseases.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 38 confirmed human cases of EEE in 2019, and 15 deaths; no human cases were reported in Florida. However, Florida is home to nearly 300,000 horses, with more than 70 percent involved in showing and recreation, and Marion County has more horses than any other county in the nation. In 2019, there were 28 confirmed cases of EEE reported among horses in Florida. The fatality rate in horses exceeds 90 percent.
“EEE is a serious and often fatal infection in horses, so we encourage all horse owners, breeders, and others working with horses to ensure horses are vaccinated against EEE, and to monitor for the initially-subtle signs of the disease,” said Dr. Michael Short, State Veterinarian and Director of the FDACS Division of Animal Industry. “Suspected or known cases of EEE must be reported immediately to FDACS, as this is a critical step in monitoring and preventing arboviral activity throughout Florida.”
Clinical Signs & Diagnosis: The incubation period in horses of EEE is approximately one week, and early signs are generally subtle and often undetected. These may include fever, depression, stiffness, and lack of appetite, and may progress to propulsive walking, aggressiveness, hyperexcitability, paralysis, and blindness, among other signs. Some EEE-infected horses may show no clinical signs before death. EEE can be confused with other central nervous system diseases and toxic poisoning. Blood samples should be collected by a veterinarian and sent for diagnostic testing including the EEE IgM capture ELISA test, which is conducted at the FDACS Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory.
Prevention: Preventing EEE involves the following tips:
Vaccinate horses against EEE, administered properly with boosters 2-3 times per year
Minimize horse exposure to mosquitoes during peak mosquito feeding times of dawn and dusk
Apply appropriate mosquito repellant, following label directions, to reduce mosquito bites on horses
Drain unnecessary standing water found in wheelbarrows, tires, and similar spaces
Clean water containers such as birdbaths at least weekly
Schedule pasture irrigation to minimize standing water
Keep swimming pools optimally chlorinated
Stock water tanks with larvae-consuming fish or use commercially-available mosquito dunks
Reporting: Suspected or known cases of EEE must be reported to the State Veterinarian’s Office. To report EEE or other reportable diseases, call 850-410-0900 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. For after-hours reporting, call 800-342-5869 or email RAD@FDACS.gov. Horses act as a sentinel for human risk. FDACS reports all cases of EEE to the Florida Department of Health. Upon reaching a threshold of animal cases, the Department of Health works with counties to release county-wide health alerts.
Give Blood Saturday At The Molino Branch Library
July 18, 2020
The OneBlood Big Red Bus will be at the Molino Branch Library on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
OneBlood is testing all blood donations for the COVID-19 antibody. The antibody test is authorized by the FDA and will indicate if the donor’s immune system has produced antibodies to the virus, regardless of whether they ever showed symptoms. Donors must be symptom free for 14 days.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Hot And Humid Saturday, Chance Of Afternoon Showers
July 18, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Friday Report: Escambia And Santa Rosa Cases Up By 369; Santa Rosa Reports One New Death
July 17, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
The Florida Department of Health on Friday reported one new death in Santa Rosa County as cases in the two-county area increased by 369.
The fatality was a 64-year old male that did not live in a long-term care facility.
Escambia County cases increased 292 to 5,346 and Santa Rosa cases were up by 77 to 1,740.
Of the 1,737 test results returned on Thursday, 13.6% were positive in Escambia County and 12.7% were positive from 575 tests in Santa Rosa County. Over the past week, the overall average positivity rate for Escambia County is 12.2%.
As of Thursday, there were 207 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Escambia County, according to data from the three local hospitals.
Of the 56 deaths in Escambia County, 40 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been 13 deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and on in a long-term care facility.
Statewide, there were 327,24 cases including 323,002 Florida residents. There have been 20,191 hospitalizations* and 4,805 deaths. The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
Escambia County cases:
Total cases — 5,346 (+292 since Thursday)
Non-Florida residents — 646
Pensacola — 4,126 (+247)
Cantonment — 373 (+20)
Molino— 61 (+1)
Century — 38 (+3)
McDavid — 23 (+3)
Bellview — 9
Walnut Hill — 6
Perdido Key — 4
Gonzalez — 2
Current hospitalizations: 207 (+11)
Deaths — 56
Male — 2,107
Female — 2,518
Youngest — 0
Oldest — 105
Median Age — 37
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases — 1,740 (+77 since Thursday)
Non-Florida residents — 11
Milton — 728 (+34)
Gulf Breeze — 329 (+33)
Navarre — 292 (+13)
Pace — 165 (+7)
Jay — 55 (+2)
Bagdad — 3 (+1)
Cumulative Hospitalizations — 95* (+5)
Deaths — 13 (+1)
Male — 834
Female — 866
Youngest — 2 months
Oldest — 101
Median Age — 35
Florida cases:
Total cases — 327,241
Florida residents — 323,002
Deaths — 4,805
Hospitalizations — 20,191*
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals 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. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
Teen Found Unresponsive In Pool At Local Home
July 17, 2020
A teenager was found unresponsive in a pool at a home in the Quintette community Thursday afternoon, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The 13-year old male was airlifted by ShandsCair medical helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital following the incident in the 2900 block of Highway 95A, just north of Quintette Road.
An update on the victim’s condition was not available.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
