‘Going To Blow Tonight’ – Cantonment Man Charged With Arson For Setting House On Fire
January 8, 2021
A Cantonment man has been charged by state investigators with setting fire to a local house.
Andrew Christian Geoghagan was charged with felony arson of a structure by the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives Investigations in connection with a fire in the 600 block of Jacks Branch Road in Cantonment.
A state fire investigator found the structure fire was started Geoghagan by lighting his backpack containing his clothes and papers taken from the residence.
Before the fire, Geoghagan was seen taking a propane tank, and when confronted he stated, “that’s alright this [expletive] is going to blow tonight,” according to an arrest report. He was also seen in the area of the fire.
Geoghagan’s grandmother told investigators that he has issues with schizophrenia and was thought to be using methamphetamine, the report states. She also stated he had started other fires in the past.
After his arrest, Geoghagan refused to answer any questions. He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $10,000.
The estimated damage to the structure was approximately $1,000.
Didn’t Receive Your $600 Stimulus Money? Prepaid Debit Cards Going Out This Week
January 8, 2021
Starting this week, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service are sending approximately 8 million second Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) by prepaid debit card.
These EIP Cards follow the millions of payments already made by direct deposit and the ongoing mailing of paper checks that are delivering the second round of Economic Impact Payments as rapidly as possible.
For those who don’t receive a direct deposit, they should watch their mail for either a paper check or a prepaid debit card. To speed delivery of the payments to reach as many people as soon as possible the Treasury’s Bureau of Fiscal Service is sending payments out by prepaid debit card.
IRS and Treasury urge eligible people who don’t receive a direct deposit to watch their mail carefully during this period. The prepaid debit card, called the Economic Impact Payment card, is sponsored by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service and is issued by Treasury’s financial agent, MetaBank, N.A.
Taxpayers should note that the form of payment for the second mailed EIP may be different than the first mailed EIP. Some people who received a paper check last time might receive a prepaid debit card this time, and some people who received a prepaid debit card last time may receive a paper check.
EIP Cards are being sent in a white envelope that prominently displays the U.S. Department of the Treasury seal. The EIP Card has the Visa name on the front of the Card and the issuing bank name, MetaBank, N.A. on the back of the card. Each mailing will include instructions on how to securely activate and use the EIP Card.
Cold, Low Near Freezing Tonight
January 8, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight.
Monday: Rain. High near 51. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 51. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Escambia County Now Reporting Number Of Recovered COVID-19 Patients
January 8, 2021
For the first time since the pandemic began, Escambia County is now reporting a number of people believed to be recovered from COVID-19.
Of the 24,530 total cases in Escambia County as of Thursday, the county reports 22,794, or 98.2% of them have recovered, for a fatality risk of 1.8%.
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 is reporting an approximate recovery number defined as the total cases prior to last month, minus deaths. In other words, anyone that tested positive more than a month ago is presumed to have recovered.
As for the “fatality risk”, here’s how the Escambia County explains that calculation: “The Crude Case-Fatality Risk (CFR) is calculated by dividing the Total Number of Fatalities in Escambia County (Resident and Non-Resident) by the Total Number of Confirmed Cases in Escambia County (Resident and Non-Resident) and multiplying by 100%. The Crude Case-Recovery Risk (CRR) is calculated by subtracting the CFR from 100%. The CFR and CRR are not adjusted for the time delay from diagnosis to death which is highly variable from one to eight weeks.”
NorthEscambia.com now includes this recovered number data in our daily reporting.
Pictured: COVID-19 testing last August at the Walnut Hill Community Center. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
6th And 7th Grade Students Encouraged To Apply For Take Stock In Children Full Scholarships
January 8, 2021
Applications are now available for Take Stock in Children Scholarships.
Take Stock in Children is a scholarship and mentorship program operating under the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation. Students selected to participate are matched with a mentor and agree to maintain satisfactory grades, attendance, citizenship, and remain drug and crime free. At graduation, students receive a four year Florida college tuition scholarship.
Eligible sixth and sixth grade students can obtain applications and deadline details from their middle school guidance counselors. Sixth grade applications will be held for selection in July, after year-end grades are available and the number of available scholarships has been determined.
Because this year’s seventh grade students in Florida schools didn’t have a chance to be selected last Spring, due to the pandemic’s disruption to school schedules,
Due to the pandemic, this year’s seventh grade students missed the selection opportunity in 2020. They are encouraged to apply this month. Their applications will be reviewed in February and selections will be announced in late February or early March. Any student who completed an application in November do not need not apply again.
To be eligible to apply, the student applicant must:
- Be a sixth or seventh grade student in an Escambia County public school.
- Provide proof of family financial eligibility for free and/or reduced lunch based upon USDA guidelines.
- Have a minimum 2.5 GPA.
To see income eligibility guidelines and required documents, click or tap here.
To receive an application and check deadlines, contact the student’s school guidance counselor. Questions about the application and ways to support the Take Stock in Children program through donations for scholarships, or by volunteering to be a TSIC Mentor, should be directed to Escambia County’s TSIC Student Services Coordinator Sally Lee at SLee@ecsdfl.us or call (850) 341-6607.
Pictured: Students that joined the Take Stock in Children scholarship program in 2019. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Concrete Pour Set To Begin On Pensacola Bay Bridge Repairs
January 8, 2021
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) contractors have set multiple beam spans and will begin pouring concrete for the deck on the Pensacola Bay Bridge.
Beams and decks are part of the bridge superstructure that support traffic and bear the load passing over it. The deck, the surface of the bridge that will serve as a roadway for vehicles are supported by the beams.
Simultaneously, multiple teams are:
- Demolishing damaged spans on the bridge.
- Removing debris near the bottom of the bay.
- Fabricating multiple concrete piles, piers, and beams for reconstruction from the Pensacola precast yard and a facility in Tampa.
- Driving piles and setting beams to repair bridge spans.
Motorists should continue to use all available detour routes, which include the Garcon Point Bridge and State Road 87. At this time, tolls on the Garcon Point Bridge have been suspended through Tuesday, January 12, 2021. Commuters can also use the Escambia County Area Transit’s (ECAT) temporary bus route travel between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze free of charge.
The Pensacola Bay Bridge has a targeted re-opening date of March 2021. Once repairs are complete, all four lanes will be open with no load restrictions. As each repair method is developed, FDOT will be conducting reviews to ensure the contractor is hitting all milestones in the established schedule.
Seven More COVID-19 Deaths, Another 468 Cases Reported In Escambia County
January 8, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORE. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
Seven additional COVID-19 deaths and 468 new cases were reported Thursday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Escambia County is now reporting a number of recovered persons, and that number will now be included in the daily reporting on NorthEscambia.com. Santa Rosa County and the state do not report recovered data.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 24,530 (+468)
Non-Florida residents: 2,657
Recovered: 22,794*
Total deaths: 400 (+7)
Long-term care facility deaths : 171
Current hospitalizations: 265 (-3)
Number of tests reported last day: 2,342
Percent positive reported last day: 15.0%
Percent positive reported last week: 17.8%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 17,982 (+362)
Cantonment: 2,167 (+33)
Century: 1,042 (+3)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 300 (+8)
McDavid: 151 (+2)
Walnut Hill: 42
Bellview: 38 (+5)
Perdido Key: 17
Gonzalez: 11
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 12,310 (+222)
Non-Florida residents: 160
Total deaths: 143 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 29
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 585*
Number of tests reported day: 672
Percent positive reported last day: 25.0%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 5,952 (+87)
Navarre: 2,425 (+50)
Gulf Breeze: 2,193 (+47)
Pace: 959 (+23)
Jay: 359 (+8)
Bagdad: 26
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,429,722
Florida residents: 1,404,374
Deaths: 22,481
Hospitalizations: 64,704*
*“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.
**On cases by location, the city is based upon zip code and is not always received as part of the initial notification. There may be a delay in reporting locations as a result, and locations will not total the daily case increase as a result.
***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 is reporting an approximate recovery number defined as the total cases prior to last month, minus deaths. In other words, anyone that tested positive more than a month ago is presumed to have recovered by Escambia County.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Lois Shell Wiggins
January 8, 2021
Lois Shell Wiggins, age 93, of Walnut Hill, FL passed away on January 5, 2021. She was born on July 20, 1927 in Conecuh County, AL. She was a former Secretary, Sunday School Teacher and a member of WMU for many years with Walnut Hill Baptist Church before becoming a member of First Baptist Church of Bratt, FL.
She is preceded in death by her mother, Claudie Mae Pipkin Shell and her husband of 72 years, R. Lee Roy Wiggins.
She is survived by her sons, Larry (Pamela) Wiggins of Daphne, AL and Gary (Judith) Wiggins of Davisville, FL; granddaughters, Leah (Gary) King, Robyn (Brian) Andrews, Kerrie (Teryll) Boutwell, Melissa (Josh) McElhaney, Jessica (Terry) Levins, Amanda (Bobby) Walls and Deana (Shawn) Jones and twenty-three great grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held Friday, January 8, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery with Bro. Roy Chewning officiating.
Flowers will be accepted but donations can be made to First Baptist Church of Bratt designated to Lottie Moon.
For the safety of you and others, please practice social distancing requirements, though wearing a facial mask is strongly encouraged.
Ascension Sacred Heart Scheduling Monday Vaccination Appointments
January 7, 2021
Ascension Sacred Heart plans to hold additional COVID-19 vaccination clinics on Monday, Jan. 11, in Milton and Pensacola for local residents who are age 65 and older.
Both clinics are being organized in coordination with the Florida Department of Health (DOH) and officials from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
The Pensacola clinic will take place in the gym of Olive Baptist Church, 1836 E. Olive Road, Pensacola, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. In Santa Rosa County, the vaccination clinic will be located in the basketball gym of Milton Community Center, 5329 Byrom Street, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The vaccinations must be scheduled in advance. Persons without an appointment will not be eligible to get the vaccine.
To schedule a vaccination at either site, visit www.getsacredheartcare.com and click on the link for COVID-19 vaccinations. Appointments were available at the time this story was published.
Ascension Sacred Heart does not have enough vaccine yet to meet the great demand for the vaccine in the community, but it will schedule more clinics as additional vaccine becomes available.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently announced a new executive order directing that the next priority group for vaccinations in Florida should be persons age 65 and older. The seniors group follows the first priority group, which is healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents and staff.
To support the Florida DOH as it develops a long-term, comprehensive approach to community vaccinations, Ascension Sacred Heart is working with the state and other community partners to deploy vaccines to those 65 and older.
Ascend Cares Grant Buys Thermal Imaging Cameras For Bratt, Brent, West Pensacola Fire Stations
January 7, 2021
An Ascend Cares Community Impact Grant has provided funds for a thermal imaging camera at each of three fire stations — Bratt, Brent and West Pensacola.
The $4,200 grant purchased FLIR K2 cameras to assist firefighters in a number of ways, most importantly in helping to locate fire victims faster. The lightweight cameras can withstand a 6.5 foot drop onto concrete, are water resistant and are fully operational up to 500 degrees for three minutes. Each thermal imaging camera also comes with a spare battery and charger.
“This grant for thermal imagers and the others received through the Ascend Cares grants has saved the county thousands of dollars, and significantly benefits the citizens we serve,” interim Fire Chief Paul Williams said. “I hope to equip all apparatus with a FLIR K2 thermal imaging camera, which will provide the truck officer, as well as search crews a camera, thus greatly enhancing their ability to locate victims, extinguish the seat of the fire and monitor structural conditions. These are fantastic tools for Escambia County Fire Rescue, and we would like to thank Ascend Cares, a longtime community partner with ECFR, for the grant that will positively impact the community.”
Lt. Austin Langfeldt is a volunteer firefighter with ECFR and works for Ascend Performance Materials. He has been instrumental in obtaining several grants from Ascend Cares program.
Ascend is proud to support local first responders through its nonprofit Ascend Cares Community Impact Grant program,” Langfeldt said. “ECFR is one of the busiest departments in the state, and these thermal imagers will support the front line personnel in preserving life and property throughout Escambia County. As a member of ECFR, I am happy to know that my peers will be receiving additional tools to help them perform ECFR’s mission.”