Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Delay Spots
June 20, 2022
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge Sunday, June 19 through Saturday, June 25 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. On Tuesday, June 21, U.S. 98 westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) will have lane closures beginning at 10 p.m. due to Bands on the Beach. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- West Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Pedestrian Safety Improvement – Motorists traveling on West Cervantes Street will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Daytime single lane closures and lane shifts, between A Street and Dominguez Street, as crews install pedestrian fencing.
- The new traffic signals on Cervantes Street at the J Street, L Street, and R Street intersections are now activated.
- North Ninth Avenue (State Road (S.R.) 289) Carpenters Creek Bridge Replacement – All travel lanes are temporarily shifted to the southbound side of the bridge as crews construct the northbound portion. Additionally, drivers may encounter intermittent temporary lane closures Monday, June 20 through Friday, June 24 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. as crews mobilize materials and equipment.
- Pace Boulevard from Barrancas Avenue to Massachusetts Avenue – The sidewalks on the eastern side of Pace Boulevard, between Barrancas Avenue and Navy Boulevard, are closed as crews perform sidewalk and curb improvements. Pedestrians will be detoured to the signalized intersections to access the sidewalks on the western side of Pace Boulevard during this time.
- Pensacola Boulevard (U.S. 29) from Brent Lane to North of Interstate 10 (I-10) – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures Sunday, June 19 through Thursday, June 23 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews work on sidewalk and curb improvements.
- I-10 at the Interstate 110 (I-110) Interchange – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures on the I-110 northbound ramp to I-10 westbound between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. each night as crews work on guardrail improvements.
- I-10 Routine Utility Maintenance between Exits 5 (U.S. 90) through 22 (Avalon Boulevard) – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures, Wednesday, June 22 through Thursday, June 23 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. for overhead light repairs.
- North Davis Highway (S.R. 291) Routine Maintenance North of Langley Avenue – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures, Monday, June 20 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for paving operations.
- Airport Boulevard Routine Bridge Maintenance over the I-110 Overpass – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures 1.4 miles south of I-10, Monday, June 20 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- Airport Boulevard Routine Bridge Maintenance over Carpenters Creek – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures near Davis Highway, Tuesday, June 21 from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- I-110 Routine Bridge Maintenance over East Fairfield Drive (S.R. 295) Overpass – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures 3.6 miles south of I-10, Tuesday, June 21 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
Santa Rosa County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. 98) Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge Sunday, June 19 through Saturday, June 25 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. On Tuesday, June 21, U.S. 98 westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) will have lane closures beginning at 10 p.m. due to Bands on the Beach. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Temporary median and turn-lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Point Drive.
- Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between S.R. 281 and Bayshore Road, Sunday, June 19 through Friday, June 24, from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for paving operations.
- Westbound travelers will encounter a new traffic configuration from east of Portside Drive to North College Parkway as lanes will be shifted slightly south to allow for widening activities on the outside lane.
- Settlers Colony Boulevard remains open. The closure has been postponed until further notice due to material delays.
- I-10 Resurfacing East of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) to East of S.R. 87 – Motorists can expect intermittent nighttime lane closures Sunday, June 19 through Thursday, June 23 for construction activities.
All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Jill Marie Ward
June 20, 2022
Mrs. Jill Marie Ward, age 51, passed away Saturday, June 18, 2022 at her Pensacola, FL residence.
Mrs. ward was born in Alameda, California and had been a resident of the Pensacola area for most of her life. She loved helping people, cooking, and riding motorcycles with her husband including charity rides.
She is survived by her husband, Gregory Scott Ward of Pensacola, FL; son, Jared Scott Ward of Cantonment, FL; three daughters, Ruthie Ann Emerald Smith of Pensacola, FL, Darla Desiree Irene Smith of Pensacola, FL, and Jennifer Marie Brown of Milton, FL; one brother, Rick “Megatron” of California; a sister, Desiree of Alameda, CA.
Funeral services will be held at Flomaton Funeral Home on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. with Bro. Joe Wesson officiating. Interment will follow at Lyeffion Baptist Church Cemetery in Evergreen, AL.
Visitation will be held from 10:30 A.M. until service time at 11:00 A.M. at Flomaton Funeral Home.
Blue Wahoos Foiled in Finale, But Move One Step Closer To Division Title
June 20, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos fell 5-1 to the Tennessee Smokies on Sunday afternoon, but a Biloxi loss in Chattanooga drew the club one step closer to their first division title since 2017.
The Blue Wahoos maintained their 4.5-game lead over Biloxi in the South Division, and will need to win only one of their six remaining first-half games against the Shuckers beginning on Tuesday to claim a postseason berth.
Cody Mincey (L, 3-3) gave his team six innings in a losing effort, allowing four runs on nine hits. The Smokies broke the ice in the second when, enabled by a Mincey throwing error, Bryce Ball and Cole Roederer hit RBI singles to take a 3-0 lead.
Roederer would strike again in the sixth with an RBI single to extend the Tennessee advantage to 4-0. The left fielder finished 3-for-3 with a double, walk and three RBI.
Pensacola couldn’t solve Smokies starter Ryan Jensen, who turned in 3.0 scoreless innings. Long reliever Dalton Stambaugh (W, 4-1) ran into trouble in the seventh, as Jan Mercado got the Blue Wahoos on the board with an RBI infield single, but Blake Whitney (S, 1) escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and kept the game from getting any closer.
The Blue Wahoos will enjoy an off day on Monday before their series opener against the Biloxi Shuckers on Tuesday.
by Eric Bremer, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
New Traffic Signal Now Active At Highway 95A, Old Chemstrand Road
June 19, 2022
A new traffic signal is now active at Highway 95 at Old Chemstrand Road in Gonzalez.
The Escambia County project, funded by about $330,000 in Local Open Sales Tax (LOST) included the installation of sidewalks and pedestrian signals in each corner for future expansion.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Crashes Vehicle Into Ravine At Cypress Lakes Golf Club
June 19, 2022
A woman was rescued Saturday after her vehicle plunged into a ravine at the Cypress Lakes Golf Club on Old Chemstrand Road.
The vehicle was some 30 feet down in a ravine off a gravel service road on the north side of of the golf course. Firefighters had to cut down several trees to reach the vehicle.
The woman was airlifted to an area hospital by medical helicopter.
Further details were not available.
Pictured: An Escambia County Fire Rescue Special Operations Team stands by at the Cypress Lakes Golf Club on Old Chemstrand Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Middle 70s Tonight, Back In The 90s For Monday
June 19, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 93. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 100. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 76. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph after midnight.
Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 102. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 77. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 101.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 77.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 99.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 77.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 96.
Tate High FFA’s Jaxson Stafford Named Florida’s 2022 State Star Farmer
June 19, 2022
Jaxson Stafford of the Tate High School FFA chapter was named the Florida FFA’s 2022 State Star Farmer.
The State Star Farmer Award is the longest standing award in Florida FFA history and is designed to recognize the student with the best production Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) in the state. The member must demonstrate outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and an exemplary scholastic record.
“My roots can be traced back many generations in production agriculture in northwest Florida and south Alabama. It has always been a personal goal of mine to learn by doing as I proceed forward in the industry,” Stafford said.
Stafford began working at an early age both in the hay field and with cattle. He began learning about the hay business from his grandfather before venturing out to start his own business.
He now oversees every aspect of the hay production process from planting, fertilization management, pest control management and harvest. He conducts regular testing to ensure that he is incorporating the proper amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for optimal production.
In addition to his role in the field, Stafford’s other responsibilities include equipment maintenance and repair, record keeping, financial management and customer relations.
Since he started his business, Stafford has grown his operation to over 50 acres of Bahia grass which he markets to the surrounding communities.
Stafford’s Agricultural Education teacher at Tate was Austin Courson, and FFA Advisors include Courson, Melissa Gibbs, Kristi Wise, Richard Coleman and Matthew Clem.
The State Star Farmer Award was announced during the 94th Florida FFA State Convention & Expo at the Caribe Royale in Orlando.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report: Fishing Violations, Vehicles In Clay Pit
June 19, 2022
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following recent activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Specialist Long was conducting resource and safety inspections while on water patrol and on two separate occasions, found anglers to be in possession of short gray triggerfish. Gray triggerfish have a minimum size requirement of 15 inches to the fork. Both individuals were cited accordingly.
Officers Burkhead and Allgood were conducting resource inspections at Navy Point boat ramp when they observed a charter vessel returning from fishing. During their inspection, the officers observed several fish which appeared to be undersized. They measured the fish and determined that there were two undersized vermillion snapper and one undersized gray triggerfish. Officer Burkhead issued the captain a notice to appear citation for the violations. This was the second time in less than a month this vessel and captain possessed undersized fish.
Lieutenant Lambert and K-9 Handler/Officer Specialist Hutchinson received information about a possible illegal turkey hunting violation. They arrived at a large track of land where the violation was taking place. Officer Hutchinson deployed K-9 Zara to conduct an area search of the property. While searching, Zara located a bait site that had cracked corn lying on the ground and a fresh set of boot tracks. Zara began tracking and later located a food plot with a game feeder containing scratch feed. While searching the woods surrounding the food plot, they contacted the suspect. After a short interview, Lieutenant Lambert and Officer Hutchinson followed the subject to two other baited locations that he hunted earlier in the morning. The subject admitted to hunting turkeys within 100 yards from a bait site. At one of the baited sites the subject’s cell phone was found where he had been sitting. This was approximately 25 yards from a large amount of distributed corn. During the investigation, they discovered that the subject’s father also hunted with him earlier in the morning. After contacting his father and interviewing him, both subjects were issued the appropriate citations for the violations.
Officer Cushing received a report of several shoreline fisherman taking over the bag limit of pompano near Pensacola Beach. Officer Cushing located several fishermen on the beach that matched the description. After observing the fisherman actively harvesting pompano for a substantial period, Officer Cushing contacted them as they were returning to their vehicles. One of the subjects had nine pompano in his beach cooler and four more in his truck cooler putting him seven over the bag limit. Another fisherman returning to his vehicle was in possession of twelve pompano. Citations were issued to both subjects.
Officer Allgood was on patrol when he observed a male fishing. Officer Allgood conducted a resource and license inspection. When Officer Allgood ran the subject for a fishing license check, he determined that he did not have a fishing license. It also showed the individual had an active warrant in Escambia County for failure to appear. Officer Allgood arrested the subject for the warrant and issued him a resource citation for no valid fishing license.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Lewis was on patrol in Blackwater River State Forest when he observed a vehicle operating off the designated road in a clay pit. Vehicles must operate on named or numbered roads in the forest. After speaking with the driver, the officer ascertained that there were three other vehicles off-roading in the clay pit. The officer wrangled up the vehicles and learned that two of the vehicles contained open containers of alcohol. One of the vehicles did not have a license plate, one had an expired tag, and one of the driver licenses was expired. While dealing with these four vehicles the officer observed another vehicle doing donuts on a nearby forest road. Officer Lewis was able to quickly contact the driver of that vehicle and had the driver park with the group of other vehicles. The officer learned that the driver of the vehicle doing donuts had a suspended driver’s license. While Officer Lewis was dealing with the five vehicles another vehicle unlawfully entered the clay pit. Officer Lewis contacted the driver of the fifth vehicle and found that the driver did not possess a driver’s license. Officer Lewis subsequently issued eight citations and five warnings for the violations.
Officers Lewis, Lugg, Hutchinson, and Roberson were on patrol in Blackwater State Forest and received information about alcohol violations in a camping area that had approximately 30 people. The forest does not allow alcohol on the premises. Officers arrived on scene and observed multiple violations including alcohol, glass containers near a water way, and litter. The officers issued 12 citations and three warnings.
Escambia County Unemployment Rate Unchanged
June 19, 2022
The Escambia County unemployment level held steady last month, according to newly released data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County was 2.5% in May, unchanged from April.. That represented 3,803 people out of work out of a county workforce of 149,377. One year ago, Escambia County’s unemployment rate was 4.5%, or 6,541 people.
Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Pensacola area gained 7,700 private sector jobs (+4.9 percent) over the year in May 2022. The Pensacola area labor force increased by 7,391 over the year, a 3.2 percent increase.
The industries gaining the most jobs over the year were trade, transportation, and utilities (+2,000 jobs), and leisure and hospitality (+1,800 jobs).
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.0 percent in May 2022, unchanged from the April 2022 rate, and down 1.9 percentage points from a year ago.
Betty Faye Upton Lowery
June 19, 2022
Betty Faye Upton Lowery, of Flomaton, AL, passed from this life to her heavenly home on June 18, 2022. She was born November 22, 1935 in Ft. Payne, AL to Raymond and Shirrell Upton. She was married to Clarence Russell Lowery and together they made a happy home for 72 years. She and Russell took delight in encouraging family and friends in need with their relaxed and positive attitude over the years. Betty’s kitchen always had the coffee brewing and something good cooking to welcome anyone who came to visit. She was an extremely generous person, always thinking of what she could do to help others. Betty loved her family, especially her grandchildren! She was a born again Christian, was a member of Flomaton First Baptist Church, and a former long-time member of Carmel Baptist Church in Monticello, MS.
Betty was predeceased by her parents, Raymond and Shirrell Upton; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Charlie and Mary Lowery; her son, Rutt Lowery; her daughter, Deana Lowery Sanders; her grandsons, David Sanders and Jacob Powell; her sisters-in-law, Audrey Upton, Anita Upton, Annie Mae (Red) Lowery Henderson, Mazie (Joseph) Lowery Massey, Dot (Edgar) Lowery Croley, and Modell Lowery; her brothers-in-law, Clifton (Kathryn) Lowery, J. W. Lowery, Clinton (Retha) Lowery, and Charlie (Voncille) Lowery.
Betty leaves behind her daughters, Lynn (Tony) Lowery Powell, Barbara Lowery, and Leah Lowery; her son-in-law, David Sanders; her brothers, Jerome (Sylvia) Upton, Thomas Upton, and Leo Upton; her grandchildren, Nathan (Brandi) Sanders, Wesley (Andrea) Lowery, Kim Lowery Smith, Ben Powell, and Chelsea (Mark) Powell Norberte; great-grandchildren, Breanna, Sara, Cory, Tucker, Peyton, Annabelle, and Jonah; great-great-grandchildren, Rylan, Rohen, and J.R.; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Graveside funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, at 9 a.m. at Flomaton Cemetary