Escambia County Sees Seven More COVID-19 Deaths, 136 New Cases
December 30, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
The Florida Department of Health reported seven additional COVID-19 deaths and 136 new cases in Escambia County on Tuesday.
It should be noted some numbers below such as tests last day and percent positive are skewed due to decreased testing during the long Christmas weekend.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 21,643 (+136)
Non-Florida residents: 2,357
Total deaths: 367 (+7)
Long-term care facility deaths : 163
Current hospitalizations: 199 (+9)
Number of tests last day: 120
Percent positive last day: 51.8%
Percent positive last week: 13.6%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 15,813 (+114)
Cantonment: 1,854 (+18)
Century: 1,009 (+4)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 266 (+1)
McDavid: 134 (+1)
Walnut Hill: 39
Bellview: 31
Perdido Key: 17
Gonzalez: 9
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 10,687 (+112)
Non-Florida residents: 129
Total deaths: 123 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 24
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 542*
Number of tests last day: 32
Percent positive last day: 77.1%
Santa Rosa County cases by location:
Milton: 5,341 (+49)
Navarre: 2,060 (+33)
Gulf Breeze: 1,841 (+12)
Pace: 819 (+7)
Jay: 284 (+7)
Bagdad: 25
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,292,252
Florida residents: 1,270,063
Deaths: 21,409
Hospitalizations: 62,142*
*“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.
Inmate Airlifted To The Hospital After Being Stabbed At Century Prison
December 29, 2020
An inmate was stabbed Tuesday morning at Century Correctional Institution.
It happened at the Tedder Road prison about 6:30 a.m.
The inmate was flown by medical helicopter to an area hospital.
The Florida Department of Corrections has not confirmed the identity of the victim or the extent of his injuries.
Two Century Correctional inmates were stabbed earlier this month. Both were transported by ambulance to area hospital after the inmate-on-inmate incident on December 5.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Two Motorcyclists Killed In Escambia County Crash
December 29, 2020
Two motorcyclists were killed Monday night in Escambia County.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 29-year old local woman was traveling west on Highway 98 in a SUV and turned left onto Fairfield Drive.
Two approaching motorcycles crashed into the SUV. The motorcycle riders — an 18-year old male from Cantonment and a 30-year old male from Pensacola — were both pronounced deceased at the scene. The SUV driver was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
Multiple witnesses told the FHP that the motorcycles were traveling at a high rate of speed above the posted speed limit.
Any charges are pending the outcome of a FHP traffic homicide investigation. The FHP no longer releases the names of crash victims.
Deadline Is Thursday For Discount On Real Estate, Tangible Property Taxes
December 29, 2020
The three percent discount for payment of real estate and tangible personal property taxes ends at midnight Thursday, according to Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.
To receive the three percent discount, payments must be:
- made online by midnight December 31, at EscambiaTaxCollector.com;
- mailed with a December postmark;
- left by midnight, December 31, in a 24-hour drop box available at all locations.
Taxpayers are encouraged to visit the virtual office at EscambiaTaxCollector.com to pay online, check the status of your taxes or print a receipt 24 hours a day, as well as other tax collector services.
Customers who decide to visit one of our four convenient offices can join the line online at EscambiaTaxCollector.com and manage their time their way. Citizens select an office location and type of service, receive a message with approximate service time and then continue their regular activities until the service time approaches.
Pensacola’s Mardi Gras Celebration Postponed Until May
December 29, 2020
Pensacola’s 2021 Mardi Gras celebration as been postponed until May.
The 2021 Season Kick-Off Celebration and Blessing of the Krewe Fleets event previously scheduled on January 8 will no take place in May and will kick-off an even larger Pensacola “Carnivale Celebration”.
“We want to have the best Mardi Gras experience for our wonderful Krewes of Pensacola, in the safest way possible for the entire community,” said Danny Zimmern, president of Pensacola Mardi Gras, Inc. “This year, that is just going to look a little different from the experience we all know and love, as we celebrate together in Carnivale”
The decision to postpone derived from many long and detailed conversations between Pensacola Mardi Gras, Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson and city staff with focus centered on public health. Due to the current rising number of virus cases, the team members of Pensacola Mardi Gras and the city staff agreed that postponing the event was the most responsible course of action.
“The spike in hospitalizations makes a postponement of celebrations logical” said Robinson. “At city hall, we recognize how important the community of our great Krewes is, and we want to celebrate all together. We look forward to gathering after this pause, outside and being socially responsible at Roger Scott, and in the historic streets of downtown.”
The one-time, unique 2021 Carnivale Celebration will begin in May and is set to include a Kick-Off celebration to ignite the experience, as well as a Grand Parade, and a few other unique and exciting experiences inspired by the local krewes, and will lead into Pensacola’s celebration of its history, Fiesta. The Grand Fiesta Parade will be on Friday June 4, 2021.
Sunny Tuesday, Increasing Severe Weather Risk For New Year’s Eve
December 29, 2020
There is a growing risk of severe weather for New Year’s Eve, according to the local office of the National Weather Service.
Confidence is growing is that severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts and a few brief tornadoes will be possible on Thursday afternoon into early Friday morning as a strong area of low pressure lifts inland across the region.
In addition to the severe potential, concern for a few other potential hazards is increasing as well. The tightening pressure gradient in advance of the system will likely result in increased winds on Thursday into Thursday night, with strong and gusty southeast to south winds developing.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 67. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 72. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Low around 55. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
New Year’s Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 56.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 59.
Registration Underway For Molino Ballpark And Northwest Escambia Spring Seasons
December 29, 2020
Registration is underway at Northwest Escambia and Molino Ballpark for the spring 2021 seasons.
Northwest Escambia
Registration for Northwest Escambia is open until January 31 at NWEbaseball.com. Player assessments are February 1-2. Opening day is March 27 at Bradberry Park.
Molino Ballpark
Registration will continue for Molino Ballpark until January 31. The draft is February 4-5. Practices will being February 8, and opening day in March 6. To register, visit MolinoBallPark.com.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Attorney General Warns Of Scams Tied To Stimulus Money
December 29, 2020
Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians about the potential for a new round of scams related to stimulus payments as another round of economic relief is approved.
To highlight these scams and provide resources for Floridians to share with loved ones, especially seniors, Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance program just released two new downloadable brochures detailing information about how to spot common stimulus scams to stop fraud in its tracks. The brochure is printable and available in both English and Spanish.
The easy to read consumer awareness materials also provide tips on how to spot and avoid fraud. Common signs of scams related to stimulus payments include:
- Unsolicited calls or emails, especially if caller ID displays IRS or email message appears to be from a government entity. Spoofing technology allows scammers to change the caller ID display and scammers regularly change email addresses to impersonate government officials;
- High-pressure tactics or too-good-to-be-true offers;
- Threats of loss if immediate action is not taken; and
- Requests for immediate payment by wire transfer, credit, prepaid debit, or gift cards to expedite stimulus payment or other benefit.
To view the stimulus payments scams brochure in English, click here.
To view the stimulus payments scams brochure in Spanish, click here.
Escambia Reports 99 New Cases, One More COVID-19 Death
December 29, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED REPORT. SEEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
The Florida Department of Health reported one additional COVID-19 death in Escambia County and an increase of 99 new cases on Monday.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 21,507 (+99)
Non-Florida residents: 2,350
Total deaths: 360 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths : 163
Current hospitalizations: 190 (+18)
Number of tests last day: 141
Percent positive last day: 12.4%
Percent positive last week: 13.6%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 15,709 (+70)
Cantonment: 1,836 (+14)
Century: 1,005 (+3)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 265 (+1)
McDavid: 133 (+2)
Walnut Hill: 39 (+1)
Bellview: 31
Perdido Key: 17
Gonzalez: 9
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 10,575 (+89)
Non-Florida residents: 127
Total deaths: 122 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 24
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 535*
Number of tests last day: 678
Percent positive last day: 10.8%
Santa Rosa County cases by location:
Milton: 5,292 (+17)
Navarre: 2,027 (+37)
Gulf Breeze: 1,829 (+5)
Pace: 812 (+3)
Jay: 277 (+15)
Bagdad: 25
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,280,177
Florida residents: 1,258,315
Deaths: 21,308
Hospitalizations: 61,663*
*“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.
New Details Released In Murder Of Former Molino Fire Chief Gary Diamond
December 28, 2020
We’re learning more details about the murder of a former Molino fire chief early Saturday morning and what led up to the shooting.
Gary Diamond was pronounced deceased from multiple gunshot wounds outside his home in the 400 block of Molino Road shortly after 3:30 a.m.
The suspect, 30-year old Jared Cordel Clakley, is charged with second degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived to find a Diamond with bullet wounds to his abdomen and neck. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.
Three witnesses told deputies that Clakley fired four or five shots at Diamond before fleeing in his vehicle. Deputies found the vehicle wrecked near Highway 95A and Molino Road, but Clakley had fled. A K-9 unit was deployed to track him down. He was later located at a family member’s home off of Holsberry Place.
Diamond’s daughter, who has children with Clakley, told investigators she stopped at the Homestead Lounge with her female friend. She noticed Clakley sitting at the bar with his father, and she went over to say hello. He became angry that she was the bar and not home with their kids, and a heated argument followed, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report. Clakley was asked to leave the bar.
The daughter said she began to receive threatening phone calls from Clakley, and he soon arrived at the family home on Molino Road. He remained in his car and began to argue with her, her mother and another relative. Diamond approached the car and an altercation with Clakley occurred through the car window.
Related Story: Communities Mourn After Murder Of Former Molino Fire Chief Gary Diamond
In the middle of the altercation, Clakley put the vehicle in reverse and backed down the driveway with Diamond hanging from the driver’s window, the report states. The vehicle struck a tree. The daughter ran to the car and pulled Diamond away before Clakley’s vehicle struck the mother.
Investigators said Diamond ran to the car and began pulling Clakley out of the vehicle, at which time Clakley fired several rounds. Diamond fell to the ground.
One of the victims recorded the entire incident on her phone. According to deputies, the video corroborated the statements of all three witnesses.
Clakley’s statements to investigators were redacted from the arrest report.
Clakley is being held without bond. His next court appearance is set for January 15.
Pictured: The scene of an early Saturday morning murder in the 400 block of Molino Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
