Hudson Hill Road In Century Closed At Highway 29
April 16, 2020
Hudson Hill Road will be closed at the intersection with Highway 29 in Century from Thursday morning until the completion of repair work.
Crews will be performing water line repairs.
Drives can access residences on Hudson Hill Road by detouring on McCall Road to the southern end of Hudson Hill Road.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Airports Get $10 Billion In Stimulus Money. Pensacola Will Get $11 Million Plus, Atmore Just $20K.
April 16, 2020
Airport across the country will receive their share of $10 billion in federal stimulus money. In the North Escambia area, payments range from a high of more than $11 million to just $20,000.
The Pensacola International Airport will receive $11,081,566, and Peter Price Field in Milton will get $30,000.
The Atmore Municipal Airport will receive $20,000, and the Brewton Municipal Airport will get $30,000.
The grants announced by the Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday are going to 100 Florida airports and total over $896 million. Miami International will get the largest check at $296 million, followed by Orlando International at $170 million, Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International with $135 million and Tampa International with $81 million.
Frontier Communications Files Bankruptcy. Company Says Service Won’t Get Any Worse.
April 16, 2020
Frontier Communications, which provides local landline and internet service in part of the North Escambia area, has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The company said that as they work through financial restructuring, their service won’t get any worse.
“Frontier expects to continue providing quality service to its customers without interruption and work with its business partners as usual throughout the court-supervised process,” Frontier said in a news release. “The company has sufficient liquidity to meet its ongoing obligations.”
In the local area, Frontier is a landline company in Molino, Bratt and Walnut Hill in Florida, and Atmore in Alabama. They also offer DSL internet service in those areas.
“With this agreement with our bondholders, we can now focus on executing our strategy to drive operational efficiencies and position our business for long-term growth,” said Frontier CEO and President Bernie Han. Frontier is looking to reduce debt by more than $10 billion.
Frontier provides fiber-optic and copper network services in 29 states.
Employee Of Target On Nine Mile Road Tests Positive For COVID-19
April 15, 2020
Target has confirmed that an employee at their store on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola has tested positive for COVID-19.
Target released the following statement:
“We’re working in close partnership with local health departments and can share that we have been notified that a Target team member at our Pensacola store on 9 Mile Road has a positive case of the coronavirus. Our top priority is the health and safety of our team members and guests, and we’re taking a number of steps to move forward. First, we’ve communicated directly with this team member, who is in quarantine and following all health department guidelines, and we’ll pay them while they’re on leave. We’ve also worked quickly to deep clean and sanitize the store, which is the recommendation of public health experts. We’ve notified the entire store team and provided them with the appropriate CDC guidance. We’ll continue to first and foremost take care of our team and guests.”
“Target is providing all team members in stores and distribution centers with high-quality, disposable face masks and gloves to wear at the beginning of every shift and strongly encourage that they be worn while working. Those supplies are rolling out now. “
Target has installed plexiglass partitions at checkout lines and other areas to separate employees and customers.
County Emails: Southern Oaks Has Long-Term Care COVID-19 Cases, Name Three Other Facilities Visited By Health Department Team
April 15, 2020
We are learning more about the reported cases of COVID-19 in Escambia County nursing homes through emails obtained through a public records request.
As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 48 coronavirus infections among staff members or residents of long-term care facilities in Escambia County, according to the Florida Department of Health. That is an increase of six cases on Wednesday. The FDOH has not and refused to identify the facilities.
Through emails obtained through public records requests made independently by NorthEscambia.com and Rick Outzen of RicksBlog.biz, we have learned that on April 7, Southern Oaks Care Center Administrator Lois Petty emailed Escambia County Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore that a staff member and a resident had tested positive for COVID-19 (see email below). She said the health department and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration had visited the facility on West Gregory Street in Pensacola on the previous day and tested eight additional residents.
Petty said they toured her facility, reviewing systems and equipment. She said she was informed that she should have emergency management fit test staff for N95 masks. She asked for help with the fittings and help securing more N95 masks.
Gilmore responded that Escambia County Emergency Management does not fit test masks, and he provided a link to local vendor ProHealth that does.
Another email from Dr. John Lanza, director of the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County, to Gilmore states on April 8 that eight nurses and an infection control practitioner would visit Southern Oaks, Brookedale, Bayside and Arcadia on April 9.
Brookdale Pensacola assisted living is located on University Parkway. Bayside Health and Rehabilitation Center is on Langley Avenue, and Arcadia Health and Rehabilitation Center is on Hillview Drive. The emails obtained Wednesday from Escambia County do not specifically say there are positive COVID-19 cases at Brookdale, Bayside or Arcadia, and no information about the facilities has been officially released.
FDLE Arrests Santa Rosa County Man On 25 Child Porn Counts
April 15, 2020
Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested 30-year old Patrick Dustin Raybonon 25 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of possession or promotion of child pornography. Raybon was arrested Tuesday by FDLE with assistance from Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began in January after FDLE received a tip from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A warrant was obtained to conduct a forensics analysis of Raybon’s cell phone. Agents found what is believed to be hundreds of child pornography images some depicting children between the ages of three and five.
Raybon remains in the Santa Rosa County Jail with bond set at $400,000.
Escambia Cases Increase By 14; Long-Term Care Facility Cases Increase By Six
April 15, 2020
The number of COVID-19 cases increased by 14 since Tuesday, according to the Wednesday midday report from the Florida Department of Health.
There are now 261 total COVID cases in Escambia County and 115 in Santa Rosa County. Both counties have had four deaths each.
The number of Escambia County cases in residents or staff of long-term care facilities increased by six on Wednesday to a total of 49.
Statewide, there were 22,519 cases including 21,865 Florida residents. There have been 3,249 hospitalizations and 614 deaths.
Editor’s note: The FDOH dashboard showed 260 Escambia cases at the time of this report, while a more detailed state report showed 261 cases Wednesday evening.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 261 (+14 since Tuesday)
- Long-term care cases — 49 (+6 since Tuesday)
- Pensacola — 203
- Cantonment — 28
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 2
- Molino – 1
- Century — 1
- Residents: 228
- Nonresidents — 19
- Hospitalizations: 23
- Deaths — 4
- Male — 112
- Female — 127
- Youngest — 2
- Oldest — 95
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 115 (+1 since Tuesday)
- Long-term care cases — 1
- Milton — 61
- Navarre — 29
- Gulf Breeze — 14
- Pace — 9
- Jay — 2
- Residents: 105
- Nonresidents — 0
- Hospitalizations — 15
- Deaths — 4
- Male — 80
- Female — 35
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 89
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 22,519
- Florida residents — 21,865
- Deaths — 614
- Hospitalizations — 3,549
Cantonment Woman Facing Enhanced Felony Charge For Burglary During COVID-19 Pandemic
April 15, 2020
A Cantonment woman is facing an enhanced first degree felony charge for allegedly committing a burglary during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jennifer Christine Taylor, 34, was charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling during a state of emergency, grand theft and possession of marijuana.
Deputies responded to a call in the 2800 block of Highway 297A where it was reported that a male was holding a female at gunpoint. They arrived to find the male was not armed and Taylor standing inside a chain link fence.
Taylor told deputies she lived down the street. She said she that the night before she was walking home and had stopped to rest. She said when she put her backpack on again, she slung her cell phone out and over the fence. After daylight, she said she returned to look for her phone, according to an arrest report.
The report states Taylor was next to a trash can full of stolen items valued at $1,075, many of which were last seen in an enclosed breezeway of the home. She told deputies she had no knowledge how the trash can full items got there. The items include a fiberglass boat box valued at $635, battery charger, hedge trimmer, shovel, an antique wood box, boat life ring and miscellaneous hardware.
A white plastic tube on the ground underneath Taylor’s backpack contained 3.2 ounces of marijuana, the report said.
Taylo remained in the Escambia County jail early Wednesday morning with bond set at $6,000.
It’s Past April 15. But Your Federal Taxes Are Not Due Yet.
April 15, 2020
April 15th has come and gone, but your federal income taxes are not due.
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced automatically extended the federal income tax filing due date from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Taxpayers can also defer federal income tax payments due on April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020, without penalties and interest, regardless of the amount owed. This deferment applies to all taxpayers, including individuals, trusts and estates, corporations and other non-corporate tax filers as well as those who pay self-employment tax.
Taxpayers do not need to file any additional forms or call the IRS to qualify for this automatic federal tax filing and payment relief. Individual taxpayers who need additional time to file beyond the July 15 deadline, can request a filing extension by filing Form 4868 through their tax professional, tax software or using the Free File link on IRS.gov.
The IRS urges taxpayers who are due a refund to file as soon as possible. Most tax refunds are still being issued within 21 days.
“Even with the filing deadline extended, we urge taxpayers who are owed refunds to file as soon as possible and file electronically,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. ”Filing electronically with direct deposit is the quickest way to get refunds. Although we are curtailing some operations during this period, the IRS is continuing with mission-critical operations to support the nation, and that includes accepting tax returns and sending refunds. As a federal agency vital to the overall operations of our country, we ask for your personal support, your understanding – and your patience. I’m incredibly proud of our employees as we navigate through numerous different challenges in this very rapidly changing environment.”
Cantonment Improvement Committee Feeds 211 Kids, Taking Donations For Next Week
April 15, 2020
The Cantonment Improvement Committee was able to provide 211 food bags to locals kids and 200 boxes of vegetables to the community Tuesday.
For week 6 of the ongoing project, food donations will be accepted on Monday, April 20 at 3:30 p.m., and food distributions will begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21 at Carver Park, 208 Webb Street in Cantonment.
Donations can also made to $CICfunding on Cash App.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
