Tropical Storm Helene Forms, To Become Hurricane In The Gulf
September 24, 2024
THIS STORY IS OUTDAETD. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFO.
Tropical Storm Helene formed Tuesday morning and is expected to become Hurricane Helene in the Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday.
The current forecast and forecast models are predicting the hurricane by about Thursday night in the Big Bend area of Florida.
The likelihood of strengthening is high, becoming a major hurricane.
The forecast path can, and often will, change. It’s too early to tell what local impacts the hurricane will have in the Escambia County area. At minimum, our rain chance will increase, and there will be an increased risk of risk currents and high surf at the beaches.
The latest information is in the graphic above.
Florida Attorney General Activates Price Gouging Hotline During State Of Emergency
September 24, 2024
Attorney General Ashley Moody has activated Florida’s Price Gouging Hotline following a state of emergency declaration for areas of the state preparing for what will likely become Hurricane Helene later this week.
Florida’s price gouging law applies to items and services essential to getting ready for, or recovering from, a storm within the areas of a declared state of emergency.
During a storm-related declared state of emergency, state law prohibits excessive increases in the price of essential commodities, such as equipment, food, gasoline, hotel rooms, ice, lumber and water needed as a direct result of the weather event.
Anyone who suspects price gouging can report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM. For more information on price gouging, access Attorney General Moody’s Scams at a Glance: Price Gouging resource by clicking here.
DeSantis Declares State Of Emergency That Includes Escambia, Santa Rosa Counties
September 24, 2024
Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 41 Florida counties, including Escambia and Santa Rosa in advance of a storm that is forecast to become Hurricane Helene.
“There is a significant threat of storm surge, coastal flooding and erosion, heavy rainfall and flash flooding, and damaging winds to the Florida Gulf Coast,” DeSantis said.
The order allows the state to maximize resources and cooperative efforts to prepare for the storm.
The complete list of counties including in the emergency declaration are: Alachua, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.
Sunny Today, Rain And Chance Of Storm Wednesday, Thursday
September 24, 2024
For latest on the tropics, click here.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. High near 84. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 69. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 74. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. North wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 83.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 84.
Baptist Marks One Year In New $650 Million Building, 1350 New Employees
September 24, 2024
Baptist Hospital is celebrating its one-year anniversary at its new location at Brent Lane and I-110.
The new Baptist Hospital emergency doors opened at 3 a.m. on September 23, 2023, at which time the very first patient arrived. Beginning at 5 a.m., all patients at the E at Moreno Street campus were safely transported to the new Brent Lane location by noon. Completing the historical move was the result of intensive planning and a collaborative effort of 1,100 Baptist team members, multiple area emergency response teams and many community partners.
Baptist said 1,350 new team members, including 400 registered nurses, have been hired since the $650 million hospital opened.
Other facts about the first year at the new campus include more than
- 728 new job positions added
- 11,200 surgeries performed
- 1 million phone calls to Baptist Hospital switchboard and medical practices
- 323,400 patient meals served
“It has been an incredible year, and we are honored that our community trusts us to care for them and their loved ones,” said Mark Faulkner, president and CEO, Baptist Health Care. “We are proud of our new campus and the level of care it allows us to deliver. We are even more proud of our amazing team members across the organization who continuously provide the best possible care and experience for our patients. I am deeply grateful for each and every one of them and their support and dedication to our patients, each other and our community at large.”
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
‘Bee Present – Bee Powerful’ — Bratt Elementary Celebrates Escambia Schools Attendance Awareness Month
September 24, 2024
September is Attendance Awareness Month for Escambia County Public Schools. Bratt Elementary School marked the month with a coloring contest for students. Grand level winners are pictured. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report: Fishing Violations
September 24, 2024
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following recent activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
While on patrol in the Pensacola Pass, Officer Lugg observed a commercial fishing vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico heading toward a commercial offloading dock. Officer Lugg could not locate a three-hour notification of landing declaration time through any source and observed the vessel appeared to have been returning from fishing. Officer Lugg with the assistance of Officer Bower traveled to the commercial offloading dock and found the vessel had docked. The officers made contact with the captain who stated he had been fishing under commercial limits but had no species managed under the IFQ (individual fishing quota) program on board and did not need to report his landing. A marine fisheries inspection located approximately 175 pounds of red snapper in multiple fish holds on the vessel as well as vermillion snapper. Undersized commercial length red snapper was also located during the inspection. During a records search, the captain was found to have a warrant for his arrest. The individual was arrested for the warrant and charged with possession of undersized red snapper and issued federal citations for failing to provide a three-hour notification of landing (reporting fish in possession/sold) and for failing to follow VMS (vessel monitoring system) protocol, which is active at all times while on the water.
While on patrol at the Palafox Pier, Officer Lugg observed a subject returning from fishing carrying fishing gear and a cooler. Officer Lugg conducted a fisheries inspection and located an undersized gray snapper in a cooler under a large amount of glass minnows. Officer Lugg was about to inspect a large cooler in the subject’s vehicle when the subject stated there may be a large redfish in the cooler. The subject possessed an undersized out-of-season gag grouper, an oversized redfish, undersized spotted trout, and undersized gray snapper that exceeded the recreational bag limit. The subject was cited accordingly.
Officer Waters conducted a resource inspection on an individual who was fishing. The subject stated he had caught some mullet. The officer found an undersized black drum and a gray snapper that had been harvested with a cast net in the cooler. The subject was cited accordingly.
Lieutenant Corbin was on patrol at a local boat ramp when he observed a vessel returning from flounder fishing. A resource inspection revealed several fish were inside a cooler, including a redfish that had been gigged. One of the occupants admitted to gigging the redfish and was issued a notice to appear citation for the violation.
Lieutenant Corbin located a derelict vessel while patrolling Bayou Chico. The vessel was approximately 50 percent submerged and sitting on the bottom. The cabin was holding several feet of water and the mast was broken. The owner of the vessel was located and issued a notice to appear citation for storing a derelict vessel on state waters.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Bower and Roberson were patrolling on the Gulf Breeze side of the three-mile bridge when they observed a vehicle with a fishing vessel parked under the bridge. Officer Bower contacted the individuals who had been fishing and conducted a resource inspection. The officer was given permission to look at coolers inside the individual’s vehicle. The inspection revealed they were in possession of a whole stone crab, which was out of season. Officer Bower issued a notice to appear for the violation.
This report represents some events the FWC handled during the time period; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Missing 7-Month-Old Found Safe, Non-Custodial Father Arrested
September 24, 2024
A 7-month-old boy missing from Escambia County has been found, and his non-custodial father has been arrested.
Darryl Duane Folmar was last seen Monday in the 1400 block of Clio Drive. He was late rlocated safe Monday night.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said earlier that the c was believed to be with his father, 35-year-old Darryl Folmar, who does not have custody. Folmar is now in the Escambia County Jail.
Further details were not immediately available.
Free Sand For Storm Prep Available In Escambia County
September 24, 2024
Escambia County has free sand available for residents living in flood prone areas due to a hurricane expected to form in the Gulf of Mexico.
The sand is available on a first come, first served basis 24 hours a day at the following locations:
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park - 4541 County Road 4, Pensacola
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297-A
- Ferry Pass Middle School – 8355 Yancey Lane, Pensacola (NW cornerschool property on Parazine Street)
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St., Pensacola
Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels. Sandbags are typically available for purchase at home improvement and hardware stores.
Pictured: Sand at Travis M. Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine Forms, Expected To Become Hurricane In The Gulf
September 23, 2024
This story is outdated. See NorthEscambia.com or our social media for the latest updates.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine has formed in the western Caribbean.
By the middle of the week, it is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico and become a hurricane with an eventual Florida landfall.
The likelihood of strengthening is high for what will eventually be named Tropical Storm and then Hurricane Helene.
The forecast path can, and often will, change. It’s too early to tell what local impacts the hurricane will have in the Escambia County area. At minimum, our rain chance will increase, and there will be an increased risk of risk currents and high surf at the beaches.
The latest information on the PTC 9 is in the graphic above.