ECAT Now Requiring Face Masks, Regular Fares Return In January
December 21, 2020
Face masks are now required on all Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) buses, and regular fares will return next month.
Free face masks have been provided to ECAT riders since June 1 and will continue to be available. Face masks are required on ECAT busses as of Monday, December 21. If a passenger meets one of the Florida Department of Health requirements that prevents mask wearing, the passenger can notify the bus operator. Social distancing will still be encouraged on all ECAT vehicles.
Regular fares have been suspended since March 23 but will be reinstated on Monday, January 25.
Skanska Barge Runs Aground; Company Believes Mooring Line Was Intentionally Cut
December 21, 2020
Another Skanska barge broke loose from the Pensacola Bay Bridge project Saturday night and ended up near the Bay Bridge Condos in Gulf Breeze.
Skanska says it appears the mooring line was intentionally cut, and there will be an investigation.
“A barge on the eastside of the Pensacola Bay Bridge became unmoored. It appears that the line securing the barge was severed. We’re conducting an internal investigation and authorities are aware of the incident. There does not appear to be any damage at this time,” Skanska said in a statement.
“After internal investigation, we’ve determined that there is strong probable cause this was a result of foul play and the line was intentionally cut. We’re contacting the authorities and Coast Guard to investigate further. We’re grateful no harm was caused to any person or property.”
The barge was recovered Sunday afternoon.
Photos Al Showers/WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Reach Nine Month High
December 21, 2020
Florida gas prices increased an average of six cents last week.
The state average for a gallon of regular unleaded reached $2.20 cents on Friday, the highest since March..
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $2.17, up from $2.13 a week ago. The lowest price to be found Sunday night in North Escambia was $1.99, while one Pensacola station was at $1.98.
“Oil prices returned to pre-pandemic levels last week, so it should come as no surprise that gas prices followed suit,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Fuel prices have been pressured higher by optimism surrounding a new stimulus package and Covid-19 vaccine news. These are two big pieces in the puzzle for long term improvement in fuel demand, which has been heavily hampered by the pandemic.”
Another 135 COVID-19 Cases, Two New Deaths Reported In Escambia County
December 21, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST UPDATE.
There were 135 new COVID-19 cases and two additional deaths reported Sunday in Escambia County.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 20,162 (+135)
Non-Florida residents: 2,206
Total deaths: 343 (+2)
Long-term care facility deaths : 151
Current hospitalizations: 154
Number of tests last day: 1,174
Percent positive last day: 9.3%
Percent positive last week: 13.5%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 14,699 (+90)
Cantonment: 1,691 (+59)
Century: 991 (+1)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 257 (+1)
McDavid: 121
Walnut Hill: 39
Bellview: 30
Perdido Key: 17
Gonzalez: 9
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 9,697 (+92)
Non-Florida residents: 117
Total deaths: 117 (2)
Long-term care facility deaths: 24
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 503*
Number of tests last day: 441
Percent positive last day: 17.4%
Santa Rosa County cases by location:
Milton: 4,892 (+54)
Navarre: 1,817 (+16)
Gulf Breeze: 1,662 (+7)
Pace: 760 (+11)
Jay: 247
Bagdad: 24 (+1)
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,201,566
Florida residents: 1,181,549
Deaths: 20,568
Hospitalizations: 59,995*
*“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.
Escambia County Unemployment Rate Increases Again
December 20, 2020
The unemployment rate in Escambia County increased half a point in November, according to data released Friday by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
The unemployment rate in Escambia County was 5.9% in November, up from 5.4% in October. That represents 8,504 people out of work out of a county workforce of 144,454. One year ago, Escambia County’s unemployment rate was just 2.9%, or 4,224 people.
The Escambia County area private-sector employment decreased by 6,600 jobs (-4.2 percent) over the year. The industry losing the most jobs over the year was leisure and hospitality (-3,500 jobs). Construction was the only major industry to gain jobs over the year in November 2020 (+300 jobs).
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in November 2020, unchanged from the revised October 2020 rate, and up 3.6 percentage points from a year ago. There were 651,000 jobless Floridians out of a labor force of 10,146,000.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in November.
Showers And 60s Sunday; Cooling Down For Christmas
December 20, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 61. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. West wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 63. North wind around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before noon, then a chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.
Century Residents Now Paying Higher Garbage Rates Under No-Bid Contract
December 20, 2020
Century residents are seeing an increase on their December garbage bills after the town approved a no-bid sanitation contract.
The town contracts with Republic Services to collect garbage within the town limits. Republic has a provision in their contract that allows them to increase the rates they charged the town each December to match the Consumer Price Index. The town annually passes the rate increase directly along to residents.
That increase amounts to 3.4%, or about 80 cents, per customer, according to Interim Town Manager Vernon Prather.
Century renewed a five year contract with Republic Services in July without seeking bids from other potential providers.
West Beats East In All-Star Football Game; Northview’s Trevor Scott Is Defensive MVP
December 20, 2020
The West team bet the East 24-10 in the annual Pensacola Sports Association All-Star Football Game Friday night at Washington High School.
The best seniors from Escambia County played as the West team, while the top seniors from Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties were the East team.
Northview High School’s Trevor Scott received the West defensive MVP award with seven tackles. West Florida High School’s Jaheim Simmons was named the West’s offensive MVP.
The offensive MVP for East went to Pace High’s Brandon Miller, and Navarre’s Grady Kelly was East defensive MVP with three tackles and a sace.
Pictured are (above) Jaylen Cook, Jacori Simpkins and Devin Bryant from Tate; and (below) Trevor Scott, Logan Bryan and Johnny Windham from Northview. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
By The Numbers: FEMA Assistance Following Hurricane Sally
December 20, 2020
Here’s the latest update on FEMA assistance provided in Northwest Florida following Hurricane Sally as of last week:
- 7,802 individuals and households approved for $31.9 million in FEMA assistance, including:
- $24.9 million approved for housing assistance
- $7 million approved for other disaster-related needs
- 14,146 home inspections completed
- $75.3 million in SBA loans approved for 1,932 applicants
- 4,472 claims filed with the National Flood Insurance Program in Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties; $121.1 million paid
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Slow Down Spots
December 20, 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 upcoming holiday season, there will be no lane closures on state roads from 7 a.m. Thursday, December 24 to 12:01 AM Monday, January 4, 2021. These lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – The intersection of North 17th Avenue and Bayfront Parkway will remain closed until spring 2021 as construction continues for the new 17th Avenue interchange. The Visitor’s Center remains accessible from 17th Avenue. In addition, the ramp from 17th Avenue to East Gregory Street remains open. Eastbound drivers on Bayfront Parkway should use North 14th Avenue and Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) as a detour route. The bridge remains closed until Spring 2021.
- · U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90)- Motorists can expect intermittent lane closures and shifts on U.S. 29, between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road, and Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the week of Sunday, Dec. 20.
- U.S. 90 (Nine Mile Road) Widening from Beulah Road to State Road (S.R.) 297 (Pine Forest Road)- Drivers on Beulah Road may be temporarily delayed by paving equipment crossing Beulah Road, on the north side of Nine Mile Road, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21 through Wednesday, Dec. 23. The temporary delays are required to allow crews to perform daytime paving operations for the new westbound lanes. Traffic will only be impacted when paving machinery crosses Beulah Road. Additionally, drivers may encounter uneven pavement in this area.
- East Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Safety Project from North Palafox Street to Chemstrand Road – Crews continue clearing trees and shrubs, asphalt removal, widening and concrete work on the north side of the project. Westbound traffic can expect intermittent daytime right turn lane closures.
Santa Rosa County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – The bridge remains closed until Spring 2021.
- I-10 Emergency Improvements at Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/ Exit 22)- Friday, Dec. 18 and Monday, Dec. 21 through Wednesday, Dec. 23, motorists will encounter nighttime far right, lane and shoulder closures and traffic shifts on the eastbound I-10 exit ramp as crews construct improvements to accommodate additional traffic due to the closure of Pensacola Bay Bridge. There will also continue to be alternating left and right nightly lane closures on both north and southbound S.R. 281. All lane closures will occur between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.