Pace Defeats Tate Lady Aggies 8-1
March 8, 2024
Pace defeated the Tate Aggies 8-1 Thursday night in Pace.
Jordan Smith took the loss for the Aggies, going six innings while giving up seven runs, 11 hits, striking out none and walking three.
Kara Wine went 1-3 for Tate with one RBI, and Peyton Womack added a hit for the Aggies.
The Lady Aggies are scheduled to be at Escambia Friday at 6 p.m.
File photo by Dellaina O’Donovan for NorthEscambia.com.
Tate Falls To Arnold At Wahoos Stadium
March 8, 2024
Arnold 3, Tate 0 (Varsity)
The Tate Aggies fell 3-0 to Arnold Thursday night at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Gabe Harrison took the loss for Tate. He went for two innings, surrendering three runs on three hits while striking out two and walking two. Zane Warrington threw four innings in relief, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out seven and walking one.
Tate had one hit each from Ketch King, Kaleb Posta, Connor Hassell, and Madox Land.
The Aggies are scheduled to be back in action at Blue Wahoos Stadium Friday at 7 p.m. against Paxton.
Tate 8, Catholic 7 (Freshmen)
Escambia County EMS Receives Eight New Ambulances With Blue Angels Theme
March 8, 2024
Escambia County EMS has taken delivery of eight new ambulances with a new Blue Angels design.
The eight 2023 four-wheel drive Ford F-550 XLT ambulances were ordered about two years ago. The final cost was about $302,000 each.
The new ambulances will be placed into service soon after final preparations such as radios.
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission voted to purchase six additional 2024 Ford F-550 Horton Type I ambulances at $402,076 each for a total amount of $2,412,456. They will be paid for using Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds. The ambulances will provide replacements for aging ambulances beyond their life cycle.
“It’s certainly important to me, and to the entire board, that our public safety team have everything they need to be able to work for our citizens effectively and efficiently,” Escambia County Commission Chairman Steven Barry said. “I’m excited for the new equipment that is here and even more excited as much more new equipment is purchased and on the way to our team.”
Escambia County Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore said Escambia County EMS is currently looking to hire nine now EMTs and nine new paramedics.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NWS Radar Upgrade Will Better See Storms, Issue Local Warnings
March 7, 2024
A radar software upgrade will allow the National Weather Service in Mobile to better monitor storms and issue warnings faster..
The NWS Mobile monitors the weather and issues warnings in the North Escambia area, along with other portions of Northwest Florida, South Alabama and southern Mississippi.
In the North Escambia area, the lowest elevation that can now be scanned by the radar went from 4,900 feet to 3,100 feet in Century, 3,300 feet to 2,000 feet in Walnut Hill, 4,000 feet to 2,500 feet in Cantonment, and 5,000 ft to 3,300 feet in Pensacola.
“This will greatly assist warning operations for our difficult to see areas in interior counties,” the weather service said. “This is very important for better seeing storm evolution in the low levels.”
The NWS said the lower radar limits will be a great benefit to warning operations. Previously, shallow or low level circulations have been difficult to detect further from the radar, so looking lower should aid in warning decisions.
Century Approves Design For New $3.255 Million Carver Community Center
March 7, 2024
The Century Town Council has approved the design for a new $3.255 million community center.
The town received a state grant in April 2022 to renovate the historic Carver Community Center at 7040 Jefferson Avenue. The former school building was constructed in 1945. Due to advanced termite damage and deterioration, it will be razed and replaced with a new structure.
For more images and building layout plans, click here.
Architect Ben Townes will now go to work on a final design and plans for the building.
The original grant also included the Century Ag Building, more commonly known as the Century Community Center, on West Highway 4 at Industrial Boulevard. However, the town does not plan to do any work at the Century Community Center. Instead, the full grant will be diverted to the Carver Community Center due to unanticipated and drastic increases in construction costs.
The new Carver Community Center will pay homage to the existing structure with both the design of the building and an historical display area in the lobby. It will be exactly the same size at about 6,600 square feet.
The new building will include a 1,058 square foot multipurpose room, three meeting rooms totaling 1,668 square feet, offices, and a kitchen area. Two restrooms will have outside access near a playground.
NorthEscambia.com graphics/photos, click to enlarge.
Accidental Cooking Fire Sparked Davisville Mobile Home Blaze That Injured Two, ECFR Says
March 7, 2024
Escambia Fire Rescue has determined the cause of a mobile home fire that injured two residents in Davisville Monday afternoon.
The fire was reported about 12:45 p.m. in the 6500 block of West Highway 4, just off Highway 97, in Davisville.
The fire in the single wide mobile home was determined to have originated as an accidental cooking fire, according to ECFR.
Two residents were transported to an area hospital for minor injuries.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jim Allen Names Florida 4-H Speaking Contest Winners
March 7, 2024
Jim Allen Elementary School students participated in the Florida Power 4-H Speaking Contest. This contest promotes the skill of communicating your ideas in front of an audience. Students competed at the classroom level and the winners then went on to compete at the school level.
School winners were:
- 1st Place: Brady Echols
- 2nd Place: Michael Cooley
- 3rd Place Perfect Tie: David Craig & Jay Balabagan
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ashton Brosnaham Park To Host NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship
March 7, 2024
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced that it has selected Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park as its new home for the NAIA Women’s Soccer National Championship. The initial term of the agreement is two years and will conclude after the 2025 NAIA Women’s Soccer Championship in December and will be hosted by Pensacola Sports.
“We had a difficult choice ahead of us in the bid process, but Pensacola stood out amongst a very strong group of contenders,” said Austin Bennett, NAIA Director of Championships. “Pensacola Sports will do a tremendous job and will give our NAIA student-athletes a special championship experience at a first-rate facility.”
Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park off 10 Mile Road is the current home to the SEC Women’s Soccer Championships and features a state-of-the-art layout that will be a great experience for teams and fans alike. Just last year, the facility underwent a large-scale upgrade that included a complete re-sod that was designed for high-level college soccer. This improvement, along with the addition of multiple locker rooms and flexible use space has made the facility an ideal location for the NAIA to crown a champion in the years to come.
“We are excited to crown champions in Pensacola and are hopeful for a long-term future there,” remarked Bennett.
“It’s the type of news that you hope comes when you make a commitment to a facility and a commitment to a tournament like we did with SEC women’s soccer that we’ve hosted a couple of times,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said Thursday night. “We’ve shown a commitment to the sport in hosting top shelf type tournaments.”
“It’s a great day in Escambia County to win hosting the NAIA Women’s Soccer national championships beginning next year. I want to thank Michael Rhodes, Escambia County Parks and Recreation Director, and Ray Palmer, executive director of Pensacola Sports Association, for their leadership and diligence in securing the partnership with the NAIA. There is a lot of momentum for great things at Ashton Brosanham and I can’t wait to see the next success involving one of our great amenities in District 5,” Barry added.
Pictured: The record-setting SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex in October 2022. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
I-10, Nine Mile Road Interchange Construction Will Not Include Diverging Diamond
March 7, 2024
Construction is beginning on a $55 million Florida Department of Transportation improvement project on I-10 at the Nine Mile Road interchange (Exit 5), but the exit will not be a diverging diamond.
In 2020, FDOT proposed a diverging diamond interchange for the Nine Mile Road Exit and held a public development and study meeting.
However, plants for the current improvement project do not show a diverging diamond traffic pattern.
Planned improvements include replacing the existing I-10 overpass at Nine Mile Road to increase vertical clearance and to accommodate future improvements. The project will enhance traffic safety and mobility for the 62,000 drivers who travel the interchange daily.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-2028.
Road Construction/Lane Closures
During construction, the speed limit on I-10 will be lowered to 60 mph and 35 mph on Nine Mile Road. Lane closures on I-10 will be permitted Sunday through Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., and lane closures on Nine Mile Road will be permitted between 7 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. seven days a week.
Drivers will encounter lane closures and traffic pacing operations on I-10 near Nine Mile Road through Thursday, March 7 between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. as crews perform striping and barrier wall work. Vehicle pacing operations, also known as “rolling roadblocks,” are used to create gaps in traffic so that short-duration construction activities can be completed. In addition, traffic on I-10 will be temporarily shifted to the outside (right) beginning Sunday, March 3 so crews can begin bridge construction work. The shift will be in place until spring 2025.
What Is A Diverging Diamond Interchange?
According to the Federal Highway Administration, a diverging diamond interchange is a simple design innovation that improves safety and mobility, often at a much lower cost, compared to conventional interchange designs. The key to what makes a DDI work so well is how left turns are handled.
The DDI resembles a conventional diamond interchange, which is the most common form in the United States. Drivers make right turns at a DDI just as they would at a regular diamond interchange.
The crossover intersections are what make DDIs different, and they are meant to be intuitive for the driver. The crossovers gently transition – or diverge – traffic from the right side of the road to the left side of the road and then back again. Because traffic is on the left hand side between the crossovers, all left turns occur without having to cross opposing traffic. The road geometry, signs, and pavement markings all work together to make this very simple. In cities where DDIs have been built, drivers say they don’t even notice the crossover intersections. according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Primary Sample Ballots Mailed To Barrineau Park Voters Had The Wrong Polling Place Address
March 6, 2024
Presidential Preference Primary Election sample ballots mailed to voters in the Barrineau Park area were printed with the wrong physical address for their polling place.
A NorthEscambia.com reader let us know that their sample ballot for Barrineau Park’s Precinct 19 showed their polling place to be at 5805 Beulah Church Road, which is the First Baptist Church of Beulah.
Precinct 19 is actually located at the Barrineau Park Community Center at 6055 Barrineau Park School in Molino.
“We have confirmed the error,” Escambia County Chief Deputy Supervisor of Elections Sonya Daniel said in an email after being contacted by NorthEscambia.com. “The QR code is correct, but the address is not. We are in the process of making the correction and we will be resending all of the precinct 19 voters a new sample ballot. We sincerely apologize and are working quickly to correct it.”
Florida is a closed primary state. The 2024 Presidential Preference Primary is for Republican voters only.
Pictured: A sample Escambia County Presidential Preference Primary ballot. NorthEscambia.com image.