Fire Destroys UPS Truck And The Packages Inside
November 29, 2020
Fire destroyed a UPS delivery truck, and the packages inside, Saturday morning on the I-10 bridge over Escambia Bay.
Anyone that may have a package on the truck can expect to be contacted by UPS or the shipper.
The fire reportedly started in the engine compartment of the delivery truck and spread. The driver escaped without injury.
The fire closed two eastbound lanes.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Rain, Possible Severe Storms For Sunday; Freezing Weather For Monday And Tuesday Nights
November 29, 2020
Freezing temperatures are likely Monday and Tuesday nights north of I-10.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 28. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 59. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. East wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63.
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 57.
COVID-19 Testing Continues This Week In Cantonment
November 29, 2020
Community Health of Northwest Florida COVID-19 testing continues five days a week in Cantonment.
The testing is Monday through Friday behind Community Health Northwest Florida’s Cantonment Pediatrics. It is drive-through with no prescreening required for all ages. Bring a photo identification and insurance card (if insured).
Rapid testing is now offered for symptomatic individuals by appointment only. These patients must call the Ascension Sacred Heart call center at (850) 746-2684 to be prescreened and scheduled.
For more information on Community Health testing, call (850) 436-4630.
Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Delay Spots
November 29, 2020
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities. In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, there will be no lane closures on state roads from through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29. These lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – closed until 2021.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) – Drivers may encounter the following lane closures the week of Sunday, Nov. 29:
- Motorists traveling Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass and U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road may experience alternating lane shifts or closures as crews continue drainage, median and pavement operations.
- Gregory Street (U.S. 98) and Bayfront Parkway (S.R. 196) Interchange Improvement at 17th Avenue- The intersection of North 17th Avenue and Bayfront Parkway will close to all vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic beginning Monday, Nov. 30 as construction activities advance for the new 17th Avenue interchange. The new interchange will include a flyover from the new westbound Pensacola Bay Bridge and a roundabout. The intersection will remain closed until the Pensacola Bay Bridge repairs are completed in spring 2021. The Visitor’s Center will remain accessible using 17th Avenue. In addition, the ramp from 17th Avenue to East Gregory Street will remain open. Eastbound drivers on Bayfront Parkway should use North 14th Avenue as a detour route.
- East Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Safety Project from North Palafox Street to Chemstrand Road – Motorists will encounter daytime lane restrictions as crews perform drainage and paving operations. The eastbound right turn lane will be closed intermittently during daytime hours. Westbound traffic will encounter intermittent nighttime lane closures at Chemstrand Road for median removal.
- I-10 Pavement Coring Operations West Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90A) – There will be intermittent eastbound lane closures from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30 through Thursday, Dec. 3 as crews perform pavement testing.
- U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of Muscogee Road (County Road 184) to Atmore Highway (S.R. 97)- Motorists can expect north and southbound closures from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30 through Friday, Dec. 4 as crews lay the final layer of asphalt.
Santa Rosa County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – closed until 2021.
- S.R. 87 Resurfacing from Clear Creek to S.R. 4- Drivers can expect intermittent daytime lane closures along the 14-mile corridor through fall 2020 as crews perform paving operations.
- I-10 Emergency Improvements at Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/ Exit 22)- Monday, Nov. 30 through Friday, Dec. 4, motorists will encounter nighttime shoulder closures and traffic shifts on the eastbound I-10 exit ramp as crews construct improvements for accommodating additional traffic due to the closure of Pensacola Bay Bridge. Alternating and intermittent lane restrictions will take place on Avalon Boulevard at the I-10 intersection from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. as crews perform widening and turn lane extensions.
FEMA May Be Able to Help if Insurance Doesn’t Cover Some Disaster Expenses
November 29, 2020
FEMA can’t duplicate insurance payments for Floridians with losses from Hurricane Sally, but it might be able to help with some expenses that aren’t covered fully by insurance. It’s a good idea to register with FEMA even if you have insurance.
FEMA may be able to provide grants in these circumstances:
- If the cost of your damage does not reach the level of your insurance deductible.
- If you have received the settlement from the insurance company but you still have unmet needs.
- If you have exhausted the settlement for Additional Living Expenses (for loss of use) and you need disaster-related temporary housing.
- If your settlement does not cover disaster-related needs such as medical, dental and funeral costs, emergency home repairs and other disaster-related expenses.
If your settlement has been delayed longer than 30 days, you may write to FEMA to explain your situation. Provide insurance documentation to prove you’ve submitted your claim, including the claim number, the date you applied and how long you estimate it will take for the company to settle and mail your letter. Mailing address:
FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
National Processing Service Center
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-70155
Or fax it to 800-827-8112
The deadline to register with FEMA is Dec. 1, 2020. Residents of Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties can register by:
- Visiting DisasterAssistance.gov;
- Downloading the FEMA App; or by
- Calling 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). Multilingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel should provide FEMA with their specific phone number assigned to that service.
Homeowners and renters may be eligible for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which can cover uninsured losses. Dec. 1, 2020 is the deadline homeowners and renters, businesses of all sizes, and nonprofit organizations to apply to the SBA for disaster loans for physical property damage. The deadline for working capital applications for small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations is July 2, 2021.
For additional information about SBA disaster loans, the loan application process, or for help completing the SBA application, visit SBA’s secure website at https://DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email FOCE-Help@sba.gov to make an appointment for assistance over the phone. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339.
Escambia Records Three New COVID-19 Deaths, 108 New Cases
November 29, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 108 additional COVID-19 cases and three new deaths in Escambia County reported Saturday by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 16,578 (+108)
Non-Florida residents: 1,785
Total deaths: 304 (+3)
Long-term care facility deaths : 140 (+2)
Current hospitalizations: 99 (+9)
Number of tests last day: 924
Percent positive last day: 9.9%
Percent positive last week: 8.6%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 12,179 (+149)
Cantonment: 1,262 (+8)
Century: 955 (+1)
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 199 (+2)
McDavid: 98
Bellview: 26
Walnut Hill: 18
Perdido Key: 14
Gonzalez: 9
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 7,403 (+48)
Non-Florida residents: 95
Total deaths: 102
Long-term care facility deaths: 23 (+1)
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 426*
Number of tests last day: 308
Percent positive last day: 13.4%
Santa Rosa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,929 (+22)
Gulf Breeze: 1,258 (+12)
Navarre: 1,240 (+13)
Pace: 601 (+2)
Jay: 190 (+1)
Bagdad: 17
Florida cases:
Total cases: 985,297
Florida residents: 969,813
Deaths: 18,442
Hospitalizations: 54,591*
*“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. Most of these people are longer be 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.
*The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Glenn Ray Taylor
November 29, 2020
Glenn Ray Taylor of Atmore, AL passed away on November 24, 2020. He was born on July 5, 1944, in Citronelle, AL to the late Robert Claytis and Ruby Jeffers Taylor. After being a lifelong teacher, coach and principal, he retired from the Escambia County Alabama School System.
He is preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of over 53 years, Janet Howell Taylor; his son, Glenn Allan Daphnelys Taylor of Gainesville, FL; his daughters, Suzanne Taylor (Chad) Helton of Atmore, AL and Mandy Senn (Kris) Simmons of Chattanooga, TN; his sisters, Evonne (Wendell) Beason of Satsuma, AL and Kathy (Bobby) Raines of Saraland, AL; his grandchildren, Taylor, Brett, Chaston, Parker, Grayson, Jace and Primrose and his great-grandchildren, Ella Kate, Maggie and Rhett.
A private family graveside service was held Friday, November 27, 2020, at Oak Hill Cemetery with Austin Lee officiating.
Active pallbearers were Chad Helton, Brett Helton, Chaston Helton, Allan Taylor, Kris Simmons and Donnie Faulk.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Salvation Army.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Turning Much Colder With Freezing Temps Next Week, But First Rain And Storms
November 28, 2020
It’s turning much colder next week with temperatures plunging into the upper 20s in Escambia County north of I-10.
There will be some showers for Saturday, but Sunday looks like a total washout. There is also a chance of severe showers and storms on Sunday.
Monday and Tuesday will bring winter like temperatures, with highs in the low 50s and those cold nights around 29 (a little warmer closer toward the coast).
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Patchy fog before noon. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Showers likely after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 60. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Sunday: Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. High near 70. East wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Breezy, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 51. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 57.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 59.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.
Atmore Man Murdered, Police Searching For Suspect
November 28, 2020
CLICK HERE FOR AN UPDATE TO THIS STORY.
One man was shot and killed in Atmore Friday afternoon, and police are continuing to search for a suspect.
Just before 4:30 p.m. the Atmore Police Department received a 911 call reporting that one person had been shot at 163 Harris Street. Atmore officers arrived to find the male victim suffering from a gunshot wound, according to Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks.
The male victim was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital where he later passed away.
“Atmore Police has identified a person of interest and is currently seeking his whereabouts,” Brooks said.
Further information has not been released as the investigation continues.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Deadline Is Monday For Discount On Real Estate, Tangible Property Taxes
November 28, 2020
An available 4 percent discount on payment of real estate and tangible personal property taxes ends Monday, according to Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.
To receive the 4 percent discount, payments must be:
- mailed with a November postmark;
- left by midnight, November 30, in a 24-hour drop box available at all locations; or
- made online by midnight, November 30, at EscambiaTaxCollector.com.
Taxpayers are encouraged to visit our virtual office at EscambiaTaxCollector.com to pay online 24 hours a day. Our online services allow customers to pay their taxes, search records, print receipts, renew vehicle and vessel registrations and many other services. Customers who decide to visit one of our four convenient offices can drop off their payment in the drive thru or in one of our convenient drop boxes.
Pictured: The Escambia County Tax Collector Office in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photo.