First Escambia County COVID-19 Death Report Issued Since June; Hospitalizations Decline
September 16, 2021
For the first time since June, we have some information about the number of COVID-19 deaths in Escambia County.
The CDC is now reporting weekly county by county COVID-19 death information for Florida — over three months since the Florida Department of Health ceased death reports.
The new data released Wednesday shows 26 people died from COVID-19 in the past seven days in Escambia County, and 24 died in Santa Rosa County.
Escambia County commissioners and media organizations, including NorthEscambia.com, have asked for death reports from state officials for months.
COVID-19 hospitalizations are continuing to decline in Escambia County, now at their lowest level since early August. There were 236 COVID-19 patients in the hospital Wednesday, six of those under age 18. Two weeks ago, there were 344 hospitalizations.
District 5 Cantonment, Farm Hill Neighborhood Cleanup Day Postponed One Week
September 16, 2021
A cleanup set for Friday has been postponed one week due to weather.
Residents of a portion of Cantonment and Farm Hill can dispose of yard debris and other items free of charge during a District 5 Neighborhood Cleanup on Friday, September 24.
During neighborhood cleanups, Escambia County departments team up to bring services to residents in an effort to keep local neighborhoods clean and safe. Participating is easy: Residents in the cleanup area simply leave eligible items at the curb to be disposed of free of charge by Escambia County and partnering agencies.
All debris must be at the curb directly in front of residences in the area by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Tires and paint cans should be separate from all other debris. Debris piles should not be placed under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes. All items, including containers, will be collected.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area are able to participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected.
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
The neighborhood cleanup initiative involves an aggressive cleanup effort, targeting different neighborhoods throughout the county, with crew members and volunteers picking up a variety of debris and waste, including electronics, furniture and household items.
Since 2016, more than 3,509 tons (7,018,000 pounds) of debris were collected and disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program.
The county’s neighborhood cleanup program is hosted by the Escambia County Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program. Local partners include Escambia County Waste Services, Environmental Code Enforcement, Public Works, Animal Services and Road Prison, along with the City of Pensacola Sanitation Department and Keep Pensacola Beautiful. During the cleanups, county staff handle issues such as roaming dogs and cats, unsafe structures, tree trimming, right of way mowing, street sweeping, household hazardous waste recycling and more.
Suspect Apprehended Wednesday Night After Multi-Agency Manhunt In Flomaton
September 16, 2021
A Flomaton man was arrested Wednesday night after a multi-hour manhunt involving several agencies.
Just after 6 p.m., officers from the Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Department of Corrections, and the Alabama Drug Enforcement Task Force attempted to locate Hunter Luke Leino on outstanding Flomaton warrants.
Leino was later located and booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center on charges that included theft of property in the first degree, burglary in the third degree, three counts of theft of property in the fourth degree, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, and fleeing and attempting to elude.
Flomaton Police said Leino had fled from officers previously in the past few weeks. Police said the arrest will close multiple cases.
Cantonment Fire Damages Garage; Three Pets Rescued, Sadly Two Others Did Not Survive
September 16, 2021
A fire Wednesday afternoon in Cantonment heavily damaged a garage and claimed the lives of two pets, but three other pets survived.
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the home in the 300 block of Forest Hills Drive, off West Roberts Road. They arrived to find smoke and flames visible from the garage.
Firefighters found five pets when they entered the home. All needed immediate resuscitation, and two of them did not survive. ECFR did not specify what type of animals were involved.
The occupants of the home were not home at the time of the blaze.
Officials said damage was mostly limited to the garage in the accidental electrical fire.
The Ensley, Cantonment, Bellview, Beulah, Ferry Pass and Osceola stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded, along with Escambia County EMS.
$25K Worth of Stolen Items Recovered; Man Charged
September 16, 2021
An Escambia County man was arrested and thousands of dollars worth of stolen items were recovered when after a search warrant Wednesday.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators served a search warrant at Rodney Busbee’s home located in the 8200 block of Lawton Street.
Investigators discovered around $25,000 worth of stolen items including firearms, televisions, lawn equipment, tools, ladders, street signs, a golf cart, go-kart and a utility trailer. All of these items were stolen from eight different burglaries ranging from June 2021 to September 2021.
Busbee was arrested and charged with burglary, theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was released on bond.
Wahoos Postseason Aspirations Suffer Major Blow After 4-0 Defeat
September 16, 2021
Christopher Molina (W, 6-1) pitched a season-high eight shutout innings allowing just one hit and striking out 10 as the Wahoos fell 4-0 on Wednesday night at Toyota Field.
Despite Birmingham and Montgomery’s contest being postponed due to weather, tonight’s loss sets the Wahoos three games behind the Barons with only four to play. With Birmingham owning the tiebreaker over the Wahoos, Pensacola playoff odds are now incredibly unlikely.
Both pitchers were off to flying starts to open the ball game. Max Meyer (L, 6-3) retired the opening 12 Trash Pandas to begin his outing. However, things went south for the Wahoos in the bottom of the fifth. After a leadoff single, Michael Cruz hit into a fielder’s choice; however, Demetrius Sims’s throw hit off the helmet of David MacKinnon and ricocheted into left field, setting up runners on the corners with nobody out. Torii Hunter Jr. immediately followed with an RBI double, giving Rocket City runners on second and third with nobody out and a 1-0 lead.
After a strikeout, Carlos Herrera hit a ground ball to second with the infield in. Sims came home with the throw, but his effort was slightly wide of the mark, forcing catcher Brian Navarreto to reach towards the first base side of the plate to make the catch before reaching back to tag the runner. In the process, Navarreto collided into Michael Cruz, dislodging the baseball, and ultimately forcing the Wahoos catcher to exit the game with a potential neck injury.
The Trash Pandas scored three in the frame and added a fourth run in the bottom of the sixth. Pensacola offensively was held to a lone hit on the night, and only had runners in scoring position once. Meyer left the game having thrown six innings and having surrendered four unearned runs while striking out seven. In his first season of professional baseball, Meyer posted a 2.41 ERA in 101 innings. He struck out 113 and only walked 40.
Pensacola will look to rebound on Thursday night with RHP Zach McCambley (1-6, 5.18). He will be opposed by RHP Sam Bachman. (Thursday night game was postponed by weather.)
Update: No Escambia Roads Closed Due To Flooding, But Here Are Some Spots To Watch
September 15, 2021
UPDATE 5 PM: Escambia County mistakenly released a list of closed roads in Escambia County. They have since clarified that the roads are not closed but drivers need to use caution due to standing water on these and other roadways.
As of 4 p.m., the following roads in Escambia County were open, but had issues with standing water:
- Rebel Road/Beulah Church Road
- 9th Ave/Texar Dr to Blount St
- Fairfield Dr/Mobile Hwy
- Cervantes St/Pace Blvd
- Fairfield Dr/Market St
- Saufley Field Road/Blue Angel Pkwy
- Perkins St/Blue Angel Pkwy
- W Intendencia St/S Coyle St
- Gregory St/N St
Escambia County reminds residents to avoid flooded roadways. During a flood, more people drown in their cars than anywhere else. Do not drive around barricades, as there may not be a road or a bridge where one used to be.
Law Enforcement Searches For Stolen Vehicle Suspect In Quintette Area
September 15, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Highway Patrol were involved in the search for a suspect Wednesday afternoon in the area surrounding Quintette Lane.
According to the ECSO, a suspect or suspects fled from vehicle that had been reported stolen in Walton County. The vehicle was recovered.
No suspect description was provided.
Quintette Lane leads to the Quintette Park, not far from the intersection of Quintette Road and Highway 95A.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ethics Commission Finds Probable Cause In Several Complaints Against Commissioner Doug Underhill
September 15, 2021
The Florida Commission on Ethics has found probable cause in several ethics violation complaints against Escambia County Commissioner Doug Underhill.
A finding of probable cause is not a determination that a violation has occurred. Such a determination is made only after a full evidentiary hearing on the allegations.
The Commission found probable cause to believe that Underhill misused his position by publicly sharing or publishing confidential transcripts, including minutes from Escambia County Commission shade meetings. Probable cause also was found to believe the information he disclosed was only available to him as a public officer and gained by reason of his official position.
The commission also found probable cause on three allegations that related to Underhill soliciting donations through a GoFundMe page including soliciting donations from a vendor, lobbyist or principal of a lobbyist of the County, accepting prohibited donations to his personal legal defense fund from a vendor, lobbyist or the principal lobbyist of the County, and failing to disclose reportable gifts in excess of $100 on a required disclosure form.
Regarding two additional allegations relating to the reporting of gifts, probable cause was found to believe Underhill failed to report free personal legal services from a law firm, as well as travel and shipping expenses provided to him by a non-profit organization.
Other allegations were dismissed by the Ethics Commission with a finding of no probable cause Those dismissed allegations include that Underhill published his GoFundMe legal defense fund to social media, solicited free legal services from a lobbyist/vendor, accepted free legal services from a lobbyist or vendor, had a conflicting employment or contracted relationship with the Pensacola Sports Association, Inc., and an allegation that Mr. Underhill solicited, and then accepted, reimbursement for travel and expenses from an organization that accepting funding from the county.
According to the Florida Commission on Ethics, Underhill can enter into a settlement at a hearing, admitting wrongdoing and accepting a fine. Or, he can go before a judge in an evidentiary hearing for a ruling.
Need Free Sand Due To Forecasted Heavy Rain? Here’s Where To Find It Today.
September 15, 2021
Due to forecasted heavy rain from now Tropical Depression Nicholas, Escambia County has made sand available at several locations.
The sand is available on a first come, first served basis at the following locations:
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park - 4541 Highway 4, Bratt
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297A
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St., Pensacola
- Ferry Pass Middle School -available on northwest corner of school property on Parazine Street
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels. Sandbags are usually 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.