247 New COVID-19 Cases, Two New Deaths Reported In Two Days In Escambia County
November 28, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 247 additional COVID-19 cases and two new deaths in Escambia County as reported Friday by the Florida Department of Health.
All numbers in this story reflect data for a two day period because the FDOH did not issue a report on Thanksgiving Day.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 16,470 (+247)
Non-Florida residents: 1,778
Total deaths: 301 (+2)
Long-term care facility deaths : 138
Current hospitalizations: 90 (+1)
Number of tests last day: 982
Percent positive last day: 5.2%
Percent positive last week: 8.6%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 12,030 (+176)
Cantonment: 1,254 (+29)
Century: 954 (+1)
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 197 (+2)
McDavid: 98 (+1)
Bellview: 26 (+1)
Walnut Hill: 18
Perdido Key: 14
Gonzalez: 9 (+1)
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 7,355 (+163)
Non-Florida residents: 96
Total deaths: 102 (+2)
Long-term care facility deaths: 23 (+1)
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 425*
Number of tests last day: 405
Percent positive last day: 15.27%
Santa Rosa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,907 (+53)
Gulf Breeze: 1,246 (Monday) (+18)
Navarre: 1,227 (+49)
Pace: 599 (+4)
Jay: 189 (+5)
Bagdad: 17
Florida cases:
Total cases: 979,020
Florida residents: 963,751
Deaths: 18,363
Hospitalizations: 54,457*
*“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.
It’s The Holiday Season, And Gulf Power Says You Can Save Energy With These Tips
November 28, 2020
It’s the holiday season, and Gulf Power is offering tips on how to keep your utility bill from soaring.
Cooking
- Oven preheating is usually not required and wastes energy. When preheating is required, avoid preheating longer than necessary. Preheating takes about eight minutes.Turn off the oven a few minutes before cooking is finished. Retained heat will complete the job.
- Use the microwave whenever possible, it’s the most efficient way to cook or reheat food.
- Don’t use your range or oven to heat the kitchen. It’s inefficient and can be a safety hazard.
- Choose pots and pans that have wide flat bottoms that just cover the burner. They will absorb all the heat and cook food more evenly. Aluminum pans with flat bottoms, straight sides, and tight fitting lids are best for energy savings.
Dishwasher
- Proper loading is important. Operate only when it is filled to capacity.
- If manufacturer’s instructions permit, open the door of your dishwasher after the last rinse cycle to allow moisture to escape and the dishes to dry as they cool. Some units have a “power-saver switch” that automatically eliminates the drying cycle.
Refrigerator
- Keep the refrigerator between 37º and 40º and the freezer setting at 0º.
- Keep condenser coils clean. Vacuum the coils at least twice a year.
- Make sure the door gasket seals tightly. To test, close the refrigerator door on a dollar bill. If you can slip the bill out easily, or, worse, if it falls out on its own, the door needs to be adjusted or the gasket needs to be replaced.
- Let hot foods cool before placing them in the refrigerator.
- Position the refrigerator away from heat sources. If the unit has back coils, position it at least 4″ from the wall.
- Plan ahead and remove all ingredients at one time, and avoid keeping the refrigerator door open. Each time the door of a refrigerator or freezer is opened, its compressor has to run a bit longer to replace the cold air that spills out.
- Think about getting rid of your extra refrigerator or freezer as they generally are inefficient and can cost two to three times more to operate per month.
Thermostat
- If you’re having people over, make sure to adjust the thermostat before guests arrive.
- If it’s cold outside, lower the thermostat a degree or two. The body heat from guests as well as the heat from cooking will raise your home’s temperature without having to run the heater.
Deadline Is Tuesday To Apply For FEMA, SBA Assistance For Uninsured Sally Damages
November 27, 2020
Just over a week remains to apply for federal Hurricane Sally assistance from FEMA and SBA.
The FEMA application deadline for Escambia County residents with uninjured losses is Tuesday, December 1.
Survivors can register with FEMA:
- By visiting DisasterAssistance.gov
- Downloading the FEMA App for smartphones
- Calling 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). Multilingual operators are available.
December 1 also is the deadline for homeowners and renters, businesses of all sizes, and nonprofit organizations to apply to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest 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.
For in-person assistance with an SBA disaster loan, visit the Business Recovery Centers, open 7 days a week, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., at East Pensacola Heights Clubhouse, 3208 E. Gonzalez Street, Pensacola.
Ascend Cares Helps Feed Escambia County Homeless
November 27, 2020
A group from Ascend Performance Materials in Cantonment stepped up to feed the homeless this week.
The Ascend Cares group cooked and served warm bowls of taco soup at the Alfred Washburn Center, an Escambia County homeless shelter. Volunteers also prepared 200 to-go bags with a sandwich, drink, chips and snacks for each person.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drivers Getting A Road Construction Break Until Monday
November 27, 2020
Drivers are getting a little break from road construction in Florida during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, there will be no lane closures on state roads from 7 a.m. Wednesday thought 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. The lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities.
Pictured: Recent road construction activities on Nine Mile Road just west of Pine Forest Road. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Rain Chance Through Sunday Night, Then Winter Like Temps Arrive
November 27, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 62. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 70. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A chance of showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after midnight. Low around 58. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Sunday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 69. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 49.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 57.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
‘Part Yield, Part Merge, Part Merry-Go-Round’ – Roundabout Opens In Escambia County
November 27, 2020
A roundabout in Escambia County opened Wednesday at Langley Drive and Hilltop Drive in Pensacola.
“If you’ve never cruised the boulevards of Rome, Berlin, or Oxford, Mississippi, a roundabout can be intimidating at first. Think of it as part yield, part merge, and part merry-go-round,” the Pensacola Police Department said in a Facebook post.
“Before you get too worked up about this new-fangled thing foisted upon us by the Europeans, let’s see if it solves some of the speeding and crash problems on Langley. We’ll all be wearing berets and sipping tiny coffees in no time,” the post continued.
Escambia County Kicks Off The ‘Keep The Wreath Green’ Fire Safety Campaign
November 27, 2020
Escambia County Fire Rescue, in collaboration with the Pensacola Fire Department, will launch its annual “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign Tuesday, Dec. 1. While a joyous time of year, cold weather, holiday decorations and festivities can create serious fire dangers. Firefighters hope to reduce the number of fires by promoting simple, life-saving holiday safety tips each day in December.
During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths will also be on display at 21 county fire stations and five city fire stations, with wreaths also be placed outside Escambia County’s Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building downtown, the Escambia County Public Safety Building, Pensacola City Hall and Cordova Mall near the food court entrance. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential home. In 2019, 13 bulbs were changed to red on county wreaths, and the city had one red bulb.
One of the 13 fires during December 2019 was in North Escambia. A predawn fire destroyed a Byrneville home in the 1500 block of West Highway 4 on December 12. 2019. Everyone in the home escaped without injury due to working smoke alarms and a dog alerting the family.
There were no injuries or deaths reported during the campaign.
If your home does not have a working smoke detector, call Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376) or (850) 436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
Pictured above: A “Keep the Wreath Green” display at the McDavid Fire Station. Pictured below: A residential fire early the morning of December 12, 2019, in Byrneville. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida CFO: Be Scam Aware With Black Friday Shopping
November 27, 2020
Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis is warning consumers on this Black Friday to beware of potential scams surrounding and offering tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft.
- If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Be careful of unfamiliar merchants and be extra wary of items listed at prices well below those of other shops. The ultimate bargain may really be bogus or stolen goods.
- Use a credit card instead of cash or debit. Credit cards offer consumer protection if things go wrong with a purchase.
- Be careful of credit and coupon offers. Those last-minute deals that offer discounts in exchange for opening up a new credit account can be a trap to make you divulge financial information.
- Watch your account balances. Monitor your checking, savings, credit and any others for unauthorized charges or deposits. Report any suspicious activity immediately.
““Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year and, even with more Floridians turning to online shopping this year, it is imperative to protect yourself from Black Friday fraud and scams. Scammers are constantly using new tricks to steal your hard-earned money but the best defense is to know the warning signs of a scam before you fall victim,” Patronis said.
Fred Reynolds, Jr.
November 27, 2020
Fred Reynolds, Jr., 67, of Colquitt, Georgia, passed away at his residence on Wednesday, November 25. A graveside memorial service officiated by the Rev. Andy Merritt will be held at 11 o’clock in the morning on Saturday, November 28, at Gordon Cemetery in Damascus, where he will be laid to rest next to his parents.
Fred Reynolds, Jr., affectionately known as Junior by his family and friends, came into this world in Early County on December 5, 1952, to the late Fred, Sr., and Hattie Mae (Widner) Reynolds. He grew up in the Damascus area and graduated Early County High School Class of 1970.
The earlier part of his adult life was spent in the Albany and Cordele area where he worked with Good Year and Marvair Heating & Air Conditioning. Around 2000, Junior moved back to the Early County and Miller County area, where he lived until departing this world on November 25, 2020, at the age of 67.
Junior loved all things Georgia, especially Georgia Football and the Atlanta Braves, and racing.
He never married or had any children, but he had a host of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews who he spent much time with on weekends when visiting with them and his brothers.
Fred Reynolds, Jr. was preceded in death by his mother, Hattie Mae (Widner) Reynolds, and his father, Fred Reynolds, Sr.
He is survived by his brothers, Jimmy Reynolds (Cathy) of Century, Fla., Sidney Reynolds (Debra) of Colquitt, and Tony Reynolds of Donalsonville, and his nephews and nieces, Tony Reynolds, Jr., Jessica Reynolds Newberry, Kara Williams, Cameron Williams, LeAnna Reynolds, Matthew Reynolds, Laura Reynolds, Lisa Reynolds, Susanne Reynolds and Alexandria Reynolds.