Hurricane Beryl Hits Jamaica, Cayman Islands Next
July 4, 2024
Hurricane Beryl continues across the Caribbean, according to the National Weather Service.
Beryl will possibly bring increased swells, rip currents and dangerous conditions at beaches along the northern Gulf Coast by the weekend, but no other serious North Escambia area impacts are expected.
The latest information on Beryl is in the graphics from the National Hurricane Center on this page.
Driver On Bratt Bridge Detour Route Plunges 25 Feet Down Into Ravine
July 4, 2024
A driver who said she was taking a bridge detour route for the first time missed a curve and plunged about 25 feet down into a ravine Wednesday night in Bratt.
The adult female on her way to work told officials that she was taking the Highway 168 detour route along Bratt Road when she missed a 90-degree curve. Her vehicle left the roadway in a 90-degree curve in the 8600 block of Bratt Road. That is east of Vaughn Road at the Escambia River Electric Cooperative Bratt Substation.
The eastbound vehicle left the roadway, missed several large trees, and plunged into the deep ravine about 10:30 p.m. The woman was able to exit the vehicle on her own.
She refused medical transport by Escambia County EMS.
The woman told officials that she normally travels Highway 168 to work but took the detour on Bratt road for the first time Wednesday night after a Highway 168 bridge was closed Wednesday afternoon after a failed inspection.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Food Safety Tips For A Happier Fourth Of July
July 4, 2024
Due to a variety of factors, including warmer temperatures, foodborne illness increases in summer. Stay healthy and safe during warmer months by following these food safety recommendations from the USDA:
When bringing food to a picnic or cookout:
- Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Frozen food can also be used as a cold source.
- Foods that need to be kept cold include raw meat, poultry, and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches; summer salads (tuna, chicken, egg, pasta, or seafood); cut up fruit and vegetables; and perishable dairy products.
- A full cooler will maintain its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one. When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter.
- Avoid opening the cooler repeatedly so that your food stays colder longer.
When cooking on the grill:
- Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat items like vegetables or bread.
- Keep perishable food cold until it is ready to cook.
- Use a food thermometer to make sure meat and poultry are cooked thoroughly to their safe minimum internal temperatures
- Beef, Pork, Lamb, & Veal (steaks, roasts, and chops): 145 °F with a 3 minute rest time
- Ground meats: 160 °F
- Whole poultry, poultry breasts, & ground poultry: 165 °F
- Always use a fresh, clean plate and tongs for serving cooked food. Never reuse items that touched raw meat or poultry to serve the food once it is cooked.
When serving food outdoors:
- Perishable food should not sit out for more than two hours. In hot weather (above 90 °F), food should NEVER sit out for more than one hour.
- Serve cold food in small portions, and keep the rest in the cooler. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served – at 140 °F or warmer.
- Keep hot food hot by setting it to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook.
Who Has The Best Local Fireworks Show? How Will Locals Spend The Fourth? Our Survey Says…
July 4, 2024
How will North Escambia residents celebrate the Fourth of July, and which town has the best local fireworks show?
NorthEscambia.com conducted a survey with four questions for the Fourth. We found the majority of respondents will enjoy family time and cookouts, while more are opting for fireworks at home with family or friends instead of public fireworks shows. And most won’t be going to the beach or traveling very far from home.
Celebration Plans
Family time (68%)
Cookout (47%)
Fireworks at home with family/friends (34%)
Public fireworks shows (31%)
Nothing special (21%)
Spending Amount
A majority, 48%, said they’ll be spending under $50 on their celebrations, while 23% said $50-$99 and 15% responded $100-$249. Only 14% plan to spend over $250.
How Far To Travel
Most, 69%, don’t plan on any extra travel, 24% will travel under 100 miles, and 4% will travel 100 to 499 miles. About 2% said they will travel over 500 miles during the holiday period.
Best Local Fireworks Show
Survey participants said the best local fireworks show is:
- Pensacola 45%
- Pensacola Beach 24%
- Jay 9%
- Atmore (Wind Creek) 15%
- Century/Flomaton 4%
- Milton 2%
(For a fireworks show schedule, click here.)
This was an informal, non-scientific survey with 13,131 respondents. Percentages in this story may not exactly total 100 due to rounding and exclusion of minor answers.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Blue Wahoos Celebrate Holiday Series Win Against Biscuits
July 4, 2024
Not even close.
Overcome with emotion hours earlier, after his mother surprised him by throwing a ceremonial first pitch – the first time in two years she was healthy enough to see him pitch – Roberts channeled a racing heart and ended the ninth inning on pop out to preserve the Blue Wahoos 4-3 win against the Montgomery Biscuits.
On this eve of Fourth of July, as the Blue Wahoos welcomed an overflow crowd that filled Blue Wahoos Stadium in every corner, the final moment before fireworks launched was the most memorable.
Roberts and his mother again embraced on the field, this time after Roberts was doused with a celebratory ice bath.
His mother and her boyfriend traveled from California – a trip that took 40 hours — to be with her son.
“Oh man, it’s amazing,” said Roberts, speaking to Blue Wahoos’ broadcaster Carter Bainbridge following the game. “I haven’t seen her in two years and (Wednesday) was the first time she was able to watch me play professionally. So it means a lot, so God bless, all glory to God and I’m just excited and hopefully they can come out and keep watching us play.”
His teammate Jacob Berry set up the joyous occasion in the bottom of the eighth.
After the Biscuits tied the game in the top of the eighth inning on a two-run blast by second baseman Tanner Murray, well beyond the left field, Berry led off the bottom of the inning for Pensacola.
He squared up a second-pitch cutter from reliever Nelson Alvarez and launched a moon shot deep into the sky, over the party deck areas in right field and out of the stadium.
It was Berry’s second, game-deciding home run in five days. Last Saturday, he delivered a three-run shot to give the Blue Wahoos a comeback win at Biloxi.
This one at home capped a night with so much festive activity. The list included eight different ceremonial first pitches.
A special pregame recognition and in-game presentation was held for iconic Pensacola sports personality Dan Shugart, whose final sportscast on WEAR-3 was a last Friday.
With all this going on, the Blue Wahoos win made the night complete.
They quickly got the crowd energized in the first inning by scoring two runs on one hit. Jakob Marsee and Berry both started the inning with walks. On a steal attempt, Biscuits pitcher Trevor Martin made an errant throw, followed by another errant throw from center fielder Mason Auer to score Marsee and send Berry to third.
Joe Mack’s double scored Berry.
The Blue Wahoos had only two hits in the game until Marsee’s seventh inning single scored Cody Morissette for a 3-1 lead.
Berry’s heroics led to Roberts getting ready in the bullpen.
“It’s just staying loose out there,” said Roberts, whose 14 saves lead the Southern League. “We have a lot of fun out there in the bullpen.”
In the pregame activities, Roberts’ mother hid near the visitors dugout during the previous ceremonial first pitches. Austin was then summoned for a final one. When he got to the plate and saw his mother going to the mound, he put his glove over his face, overcome with emotion.
The two then had a long hug before walking back together as the crowd cheered.
Blue Wahoos starter Jeff Lindgren then took over on the mound for the game and delivered five solid innings before Chandler Jozwiak, Matt Pushard and then Roberts followed.
Following the game, both teams left on busses to travel to Montgomery, Ala. for a three-game series at the Biscuits’ home ballpark, Riverwalk Stadium, through Saturday.
After that, all teams will get Sunday and Monday off, before the schedule resumes with the Blue Wahoos playing a six-game series in Huntsville, Ala. against the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
GAME NOTABLES
— The sold-out crowd of 5,038 was the Blue Wahoos 19th sellout in 42 home games. ,
— Wednesday’s game was also the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity outing with a group outing of 250.
— The Blue Wahoos played a special tribute to Dan Shugart from team owner Quint Studer, which aired on Shugart’s final broadcast last week. He was presented a customized decorated rocking chair in Blue Wahoos design.
— There will now be a 16-day gap between home games, the longest in franchise history. The combination of the Fourth of July schedule, a road trip to Rocket City, followed by the Major League Baseball All-Star Break that includes all Minor League Baseball levels as well, is the combination for the extended gap.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Blue Wahoos at Montgomery Biscuits
WHEN: Thursday Thru Saturday. Game Times are 6:35 p.m on Thursday-Friday, 6:05 p.m. on Saturday
WHERE: Riverwalk Stadium, Montgomery, Ala.
Fireworks Are Terrifying For Pets. Here Are Some Tips To Help.
July 4, 2024
Unlike people, pets don’t associate the noise, flashes and burning smell of fireworks with celebration. As a result, fireworks can cause a great deal of stress for some pets. Unexpected behavior may be displayed by your pet while trying to escape from the loud noises including jumping a fence to find safety, running away or “flight from fright,” destruction of yard or household items and biting.
Here are some quick tips from the Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare:
- Do not take your pet to fireworks displays.
- Do not leave your pet in the car while you watch a fireworks display. In only a matter of minutes, the heat in a car can cause serious health problems or even death. A stressed animal can also cause major damage to the interior of your car.
- Be mindful of hot asphalt and sand. Keeping your dog on hot asphalt or sand even for short periods of time can cause severe burns to the pads of their feet.
- Keep pets indoors. Turn on the TV or radio as a distraction and close the curtains.
- Never leave pets unattended outside, not even in a fenced yard or on a chain, if you are near a fireworks display or if your neighbors are lighting small fireworks. They may try to run away or become tangled up in their chain.
- Provide a pet bed or crate in a quiet place to create a small den-like atmosphere and a sense of security.
- If you must be outside with your pet, keep the pet on a leash or in a carrier at all times.
- Make sure your pet has proper identification tags with current information in case they run away.
- If your pet often becomes stressed during periods of loud noise like thunderstorms, check with your veterinarian to see if a tranquilizer is appropriate for your pet.
“Unlike people, pets don’t associate the noise, flashes and burning smell of fireworks with celebration,” said Animal Welfare Director John Robinson. “As a result, fireworks can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for some pets. We encourage you to also contact your veterinarian for additional solutions to pet anxiety. Following these tips will help keep your pets safe during the holiday.”
If your pet runs away, please check 24PetConnect.com under the “I Lost A Pet” section. The Animal Welfare and Adoption Center, located at 200 W. Fairfield Drive, is open Monday-Friday from 12-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Breaking: Highway 168 Bridge Closed Near Bratt
July 3, 2024
For an update to this story, click here.
A bridge on Highway 168 near Bratt was closed Wednesday afternoon after failed inspection.
The bridge is located on Highway 168 just east of Pine Barren Road.
Drivers will need to use the current detour route for the closed Highway 4 bridge by using Bratt Road.
More details to come on NorthEscambia.com.
Century To Outsource Natural Gas Superintendent Duties To Pensacola Energy
July 3, 2024
“If you had an emergency, no one is able to respond at this moment,” Century Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. said about any potential natural gas emergency in the town. “No one is able to respond. If it’s a big enough emergency that is beyond the capacity of one of our employees.”
The town does not currently have a superintendent for its natural gas department, but the town council took steps toward rectifying that problem at a Tuesday night meeting.
The council voted to enter into an agreement with Pensacola Energy, which is owned by the City of Pensacola, to provide interim natural gas superintendent services on a temporary basis at a rate up to $75 an hour plus travel expenses. The council’s approved motion gave Gomez the authority to negotiate and execute the agreement with Pensacola Energy but did not require him to present the final agreement to the council for final approval.
According to the town, Century has not had a qualified gas superintendent for “many years”. They previously retained a company called City Services to oversee paperwork and compliance issues.
The council also approved job description to move forward and hire a full-time gas superintendent at $28 per hour, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Cost of 4th Of July Cookout Reaches Record High, Farm Bureau Says
July 3, 2024
Families celebrating the 4th of July holiday will continue to find stubbornly high prices at the grocery store. An Independence Day cookout will cost $71.22 for 10 guests this year, based on the 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation annual marketbasket survey.
The grocery bill is up 5% from 2023, and almost 30% from just five years ago. A $7.12 per-person cost represents a record high since AFBF began the survey in 2013. The cookout favorites include cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, among other products.
“Higher prices at the grocery store reflect a number of challenges facing America’s families. Lower availability of some cookout staples and inflation are hitting people in their wallets,” said AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan. “Farmers are also feeling the effects of high prices. They’re price takers, not price makers. Their share of the retail food dollar is just 15%, but they still pay elevated fuel, fertilizer and other supply prices.”
The marketbasket survey shows a year-to-year double-digit increase in the cost of beef and lemonade, while there are drops in the cost of chicken breasts and potato salad.
The retail price for two pounds of ground beef increased 11% to $12.77. Lemonade will cost $4.19, up 12% from 2023. Several factors influence these increases, which reflect the sort of challenges farmers face on a regular basis. Drought conditions in recent years forced ranchers to sell many of their cattle early last year, reducing the amount of beef available for the summer grilling season. Higher lemon prices can be attributed to citrus greening, which has spread to California after devastating Florida’s citrus industry.
Our survey found two exceptions to the price increases. Chicken is down 4% from last year, at $7.83 for two pounds. Potato salad is also 4% less expensive than last year, at $3.32. Chicken supplies have stabilized, and potato crops have recovered from the previous year’s poor weather.
Although historically high at $7.12 per person, when put in a global context, Americans dedicate a smaller percentage of their spending to food than any other country.
Volunteer shoppers across the country, including Farm Bureau members and others, collected data from stores in every state and Puerto Rico.
Individual Prices, AFBF 2024 Summer Cookout
- 2 pounds of ground beef, $12.77 (+11%)
- 2 pounds of chicken breasts, $7.83 (-4%)
- 3 pounds of pork chops, $15.49 (+8%)
- 1 pound of cheese, $3.57 (+1%)
- 1 package of hamburger buns, $2.41 (+7%)
- 2 ½ pounds of homemade potato salad, $3.32 (-4%)
- 32 ounces of pork and beans, $2.49 (+2%)
- 16 ounces of potato chips, $4.90 (+8%)
- 13-ounce package of chocolate chip cookies, $3.99 (+2%)
- ½ gallon of ice cream, $5.65 (+7%)
- 2 pints of strawberries, $4.61 (+1%)
- 2 ½ quarts of lemonade, $4.19 (+12%)
Heat Advisory For Wednesday, Chance Of Rain
July 3, 2024
A heat advisory is in effect for Wednesday with heat index values up to 111 degrees expected.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Heat index values as high as 106. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Independence Day: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 70%.