Ribbon Cut On New $142 Million Escambia County Correctional Facility
March 30, 2021
A ribbon cutting was held Monday for the new Escambia County Correctional Facility as the county officially took possession of the $142 million building.
The 840-bed facility on Pace Boulevard replaces the Central Booking and Detention facility that was destroyed by a natural gas explosion during the April 2014 flood that claimed the lives of two inmates and injured about 180 others.
For a NorthEscambia photo tour of the jail, click here.
“It’s very important that we’re taking a step to help those that are in our custody and try to make sure that they come out a better person than they came in. I say we’re also leading the way,” Escambia County Commission Chairman Robert Bender said. “We’re showing by example having impervious surfaces for our asphalt. This is as much of a drainage project as it is a corrections project. Trying to help the drainage in this area, containing flooding so that we don’t have to deal with the same issues that we saw in 2014. We are very excited that we are able to address all these with just one project.”
The county will now move into the new building over the next month or so before inmates are housed in the building.
The new four story building will not replace the current jail, which was constructed in the 1980s. The two buildings are connected by an enclosed corridor. Inmates will be divided between the two buildings based up on their security classification. Main services such as food and laundry will be in the new building.
The facility is designed with separate wings to house and provide services for juveniles, keeping juveniles out of normal sight and sound of adult inmates.
“The best thing that I see is the opportunity not just for the inmate population to be in a better, secure and safer environment. It’s a safe and secure environment for our staff to operate in,” Escambia County Corrections Chief Rick Powell said. “The biggest advantage is the size of this building of over 300,000 square feet. It is designed so it’s not tight, and it can be managed better. In the last two and half years in preparation for this building, we have been rewriting policies looking at old policies, restructuring how we conduct business and bringing policies into a modern era. Every area has a medical unit and educational area. Inmates have the essential needs to not come back. We try to introduce skill sets so they make better choices.”
There are 15 housing units, known as “pods” for the inmates. Four dorms are centered around a central multipurpose room that includes a station for corrections officers. Inmates will spend their time inside the pods, with services such as medical treatment, food and video visitation coming to them. There are televisions in the multipurpose rooms, and there access to an attached recreation area with a basketball goal. The rec area has high windows that open to the outside to allow in natural light and fresh air.
The corrections facility is operated by Escambia County, not the sheriff’s office.
“What you see here is near and dear to my heart because every step of the way the partners that we chose, that the Board of County Commissioners chose, we had that partnership with one goal in mind — to make it the very best,” Sheriff Chip Simmons said. “The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will continue in this partnership and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
For a NorthEscambia photo tour of the jail, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Horse Judging Team Wins State Championship, Advances To Nationals
March 30, 2021
The Northview High School Horse Judging Team won a state championship Saturday and will advance to the national competition.
Team members are Leia Grantham, Hannah Hassebrock, Audrey Goetter and Samantha Kimmons.
In addition, Grantham placed first individually in the state, and Goetter placed second.
The team is coached by sisters Courtney and Stephanie Solari, both Northview graduates.
“We are beyond proud of the girls’ dedication and the hard work they put in this year. Even when faced with changes to the contest format, a canceled preliminary event, and uncertainty over whether the contest would even happen, they persevered and gave it their all,” said Courtney Solari.
This was the second time Northview’s Horse Judging Team has won the state championship; the team claimed the title in 2019.
Pictured: (L-R) Audrey Goetter, Leia Grantham, Samantha Kimmons and Hannah Hassebrock. Team members are pictured below with coaches Stephanie Solari (far left) and Courtney Solari (far right). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Man Accused Of Stealing Power Tools From Carriage House
March 30, 2021
A Century man is accused of stealing power tools last year that were later sold and recently recovered.
Travis Leigh Carroll, 28, was charged with felony burglary of an unoccupied structure and theft for an incident that happened last September.
Carroll allegedly entered a “carriage house” at a home on Highway 4A and stole $1,000 worth of equipment, according to an arrest report. The building is described in an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report as an open-air building that is not locked or secured.
The items reported stolen included an air compressor, a gas pressure washer and a chain saw.
On March 22, the ECSO received information about where the stolen items might be located after they were sold by Carroll. They items were recovered and returned to the original owner.
The victim stated he was contacted by Carroll who stated law enforcement was harassing him and his fingerprints would be on the items because he had formerly worked for the victim, according to the arrest report.
Community Health COVID-19 Testing Cut To One Day A Week In Cantonment, Two In Pensacola
March 30, 2021
Community Health of Northwest Florida has cut their COVID-19 testing schedule to three days a week instead of five.
CHNWF drive-thru COVID-testing is now available from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on the following schedule:
- Mondays at 2315 West Jackson Street, Pensacola
- Wednesdays at Cantonment Pediatrics, 470 South Highway 29, Cantonment
- Fridays at 2315 West Jackson Street, Pensacola
For send out tests, no appointment is needed. For rapid tests for symptomatic individuals an appointment is required. call the CHNWF COVID-19 testing call center at (850) 390-4276.
Northview Baseball Beats W.S. Neal; Pensacola Catholic Tops Northview Softball
March 30, 2021
SOFTBALL
Pensacola Catholic 8, Northview 2
The Pensacola Catholic Crusaders defeated the Northview Chiefs 8-2 in softball action Monday night.
Emma Gilmore game up eight runs on three hits, striking out five, in four and a third innings. Aubrey Stuckey tossed one and two thirds innings in relief, giving up no hits and striking out one.
Kaitlin Gafford, Payton Gilchrist and Nevaeh Brown had hits for the Chiefs.
BASEBALL
Northview 6, W.S. Neal 5
Northview 8, W.S. Neal 5 (JV)
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Rain Chances Rise Into Wednesday Before It Turns Colder
March 30, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. West wind 10 to 15 mph becoming north after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 58. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 36. North wind around 10 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 61. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 65.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 71.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
Pensacola State To Hold In-Person Graduation At Bay Center
March 30, 2021
Pensacola State College has announced it will hold in-person commencement exercises in May for three graduation classes.
The ceremonies will be held Sunday, May 9 at the Pensacola Bay Center for students who graduated Fall 2020, Spring 2021 and students graduating Summer 2021.
The graduation begins at 3 p.m. in-person, and it will also be live streamed.
Graduates who plan to attend the in-person event must RSVP and are limited to six guests each. Beginning on April 26, students can pick up tickets for guests from the Admissions Office, Building 2, on the Pensacola campus.
All attendees must wear face masks and follow social distancing protocol. No hand shaking will take place during the ceremony. Also, graduates and their guests will not be allowed to congregate and will be directed to go directly to their vehicles following the event.
“Flash” Gordon Sprague, a businessman, philanthropist, farmer and former NASCAR driver, will be the guest speaker.
Pictured: Pensacola State College’s Spring 2020 graduation. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jimmy W. Phillips
March 30, 2021
Jimmy W. Phillips, (Paw Paw) Age 80 passed away with his loving family by his side on Sunday, March 28, 2021 in Pensacola, FL.
He was born in Opp, AL but moved to Pensacola, Fl where he worked for Monsanto Company for 37 years. He retired at an early age and always enjoyed working on cars. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He enjoyed rebuilding antique cars, fishing, Auburn football, and multiple sports with his grandchildren which were his pride and joy. He will be greatly missed.
He is preceded in death by his father, Lonnie Phillips, stepmother Ethel Phillips and his mother, Ona Goodson.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Frances Harrison Phillips, son, Tim Phillips, daughter Judy (Brian) Illian, grandchildren, Adyson Illian, Tyler Illian, Peyton Illian, Tanner Illian, Lauren Illian, Tate Illian and Alexis Illian.; great grandson, Rawlings Illian and sister-in-law, Gloria Watson.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wed., March 31, 2021 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Pastor Ted Bridges officiating. Burial will follow in Peaceful Acres Memorial Cemetery, Opp, Alabama. The visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. prior to services.
FDOH Reports Three New COVID-19 Cases In Escambia County
March 30, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
Monday, the Florida Department of Health reported just three COVID-19 cases and no additional deaths in Escambia County.
Note that an unusually low number of test results were reported by the state on Monday.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 34,782 (+3)
Non-Florida residents: 3,600
Recovered: 33,207*
Total deaths: 664
Long-term care facility deaths: 278
Current hospitalizations: 22 (-5)
Number of tests reported last day: 254
Percent positive reported last day: 3.0%
Percent positive reported last week: 4.5%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 25,940 (+17)
Cantonment: 3,129
Century: 1,172
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 484
McDavid: 209
Bellview: 57
Walnut Hill: 53
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,709 (+7)
Non-Florida residents: 221
Total deaths: 278
Long-term care facility deaths: 81
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 850*
Number of tests reported last day: 137
Percent positive reported last day: 4.9%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,449 (+2)
Navarre: 3,657 (+2)
Gulf Breeze: 3,281 (+2)
Pace: 1,423 (+1)
Jay: 544
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,047,379
Florida residents: 2,009,408
Deaths: 33,247
Hospitalizations: 84,707
*“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, 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.
Tamara Gail Godwin
March 30, 2021
Mrs. Tamara Gail Godwin, age 65, passed away on Friday, March 26, 2021 in Century, Florida.
Mrs. Godwin was a resident of Century, Florida for the past 50 years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Bratt. She is preceded in death by her parents, James and Velma Jean Smith and husband, Paul Howard Godwin.
She is survived by her son, Matthew Paul Godwin of Century, FL; mother-in-law, Nell Godwin of Century, FL; brother-in-law, Wayne Godwin of Century, FL and other relatives and a host of friends.
Graveside services will be held Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 10:00 AM at the Godwin Cemetery with Bro. Tim Hawsey officiating.