Kids Pick Up Chromebooks, Other Virtual Instruction Supplies
April 3, 2020
Kids across Escambia County picked up Chromebooks and other essential items this week from their local school as the district transitions into all remote instruction.
Students in grades K-2 were assigned Chromebooks from a district stockpile. Every Escambia County School district student in grades 3-12 already had a Chromebook. Students without access to adequate internet service will receive lessons on flash drives or in paper packets.
If parents did not receive a call from their child’s teacher this week, they should call the school and leave a message. As of Friday, all teachers and staff are working from home.
Pictured top: A “kid” in the pick up line at Jim Allen Elementary School. First below: Supply distribution at Jim Allen Elementary. Pictured bottom photos: Chromebooks ready for Kingsfield Elementary School students. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friday Was Day One Of Florida’s Stay-At-Home Order
April 3, 2020
Florida’s stay-at-home order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday.
Under the order, which Gov. Ron DeSantis calls a “Safer at Home” order, Floridians should limit movements to only essential services.
The order includes the following directives and information:
Safer At Home
- Senior citizens and individuals with a significant underlying medical condition (such as chronic lung disease, moderate-to-severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromised status, cancer, diabetes, severe obesity, renal failure and liver disease) shall stay at home and take all measures to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
- All persons in Florida shall limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.
Essential Services
- For purposes of this Order and the conduct it limits, “essential services” means and encompasses the list detailed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, v. 2 (March 28, 2020) and any subsequent lists published.
- Essential services include, but are not limited to:
- Healthcare/public health
- Law enforcement, public safety and other first responders
- Food and agriculture
- Employees supporting the energy sector, including electricity, petroleum and natural gas industries
- Water and wastewater
- Transportation and logistics
- Public works and infrastructure support services
- Communications and information technology
- Other community or government-based operations and essential functions
- Critical manufacturing
- Residential/shelter facilities and services
- Hygiene products and services
- View the full list of essential services and guidance here.
- Essential services also include those businesses and activities designated by the governor’s Executive Order 20-89 which includes a list propounded by Miami-Dade County in multiple orders.
- Other essential services may be added.
- Nothing in this order prohibits individuals from working from home; the Order encourages individuals to work from home.
- All businesses or organizations are encouraged to provide delivery, carry-out or curbside service outside of the business or organization, of orders placed online or via telephone, to the greatest extent practicable.
Essential Activities
- For purposes of this order and the conduct it limits, “essential activities” means and encompasses the following:
- Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship
- Participating in recreational activities such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running, or swimming
- Taking care of pets
- Caring for or otherwise assisting a loved one or friend
- Escambia County strongly encourages all essential activities follow social distancing guidelines.
- Other essential activities may be added to this list.
- A social gathering in a public space is not an essential activity. Groups of people greater than ten are not permitted to congregate in any public space
Escambia County Hires Two New Assistant County Administrators, Including A Tate High Graduate
April 3, 2020
The Escambia County Commission voted to hire two assistant county administrators during their meeting Thursday night at the recommendation of County Administrator Janice Gilley.
Debbie Bowers is a 1979 graduate of Tate High School. She’s currently employed as the managing director of DL Bowers Advisors, a Pensacola consulting partnership. She spent 10 years as chief commercial officer for the City of Los Angeles, five years with Broward County in roles that included interim deputy airport director for administration and an assistant to the county administrator.
Wesley Hall has served the past year as the interim county administrator for Gadsden County, Florida, spent six years at the revenue officer for the City of Tallahassee, operated several McDonald’s restaurants from 2005 to 2001 and was director of sales for the Florida Lottery from 2000 to 2005.
Bowers and Hall will each receive an annual salary of $136,000, a $400 monthly vehicle allowance, and up to $5,000 for relocation expenses. Both were budgeted positions.
Two Escambia County (AL) COVID-19 Cases Confirmed; Third Person Tests Positive At Atmore Community Hospital
April 3, 2020
As a second case of coronavirus was reported in Escambia County, Alabama, we’ve learned that another individual tested positive at Atmore Community Hospital.
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported two positive cases in the county as of Thursday night. The Escambia County Healthcare Authority, which oversees Atmore Community Hospital and D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton — said neither of those patients were tested at their hospitals.
A separate patient that took a COVID-19 test at Atmore Community Hospital has tested positive, according to the healthcare authority. That person’s results won’t be reported as another local positive because they were not a resident of Escambia County, Alabama. The authority said the positive result will be reported by the Alabama Department of Health in the patient’s home county.
The Escambia County Healthcare Authority issued a statement that assured the public that “it is safe to seek care” at both Atmore Community and D.W. McMillan hospitals.
“We have the facilities and expertise to care for those patients while protecting the safety of all our patients, visitors and employees,” the statement said.
Pictured: Atmore Community Hospital. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Forecasters Call For Above Active Hurricane Season
April 3, 2020
Colorado State University on Thursday issued their hurricane season forecast for 2020.
It calls for an above-average season with 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major Category 3 or greater hurricanes. The above-average forecast is based upon the anticipated lack of an El Niño this summer and fall and a warmer than normal tropical Atlantic.
El Niño generally increases vertical wind shear in the Atlantic and serves to tear apart hurricanes.
During an average season, there are 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
Colorado State researchers are considered among the best seasonal forecasters. They will issue an updated forecast on June 4.
Pictured: Category 5 Hurricane Michael made landfall in Mexico Beach, Florida, in 2018. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Escambia Commission Votes To Keep Beaches Closed Until Further Notice
April 2, 2020
The Escambia County Commission voted 4-1 Thursday night to keep the public beaches in Escambia County closed.
Commissioner Lumon May made the motion to keep the beaches closed until further notice. Commissioner Doug Underhill cast the lone dissenting vote.
Underhill made a motion to open the beaches and find a away for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to enforce distancing. His motion failed due to lack of a second. Underhill argued that COVID-19 cases were not increasing exponentially in Florida, but the beach closure is causing undue financial hardships on local residents.
The commission’s previously approved order to close the beaches would have expired at midnight Thursday.
Second COVID-19 Case Confirmed In Escambia County, Alabama
April 2, 2020
The second confirmed case of COVID-19 has been reported in Escambia County, Alabama, by the Alabama Department of Health.
The Alabama Department of Health did not provide additional information such as city of residence or age of either patient.
There are 1,202 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide in Alabama as of Thursday afternoon.
Escambia Superintendent Thomas Vows To Eventually Hold Graduation Ceremony For The Class Of 2020
April 2, 2020
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said Thursday that district will do everything possible to hold a high school graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020, even if that means waiting until July due to coronavirus.
“Everybody is worried about graduation and commencement exercises being canceled. At this point, it doesn’t look like it’s very hopeful that we would hold a commencement at the end of May,” Thomas said Thursday. “But I have said since the beginning, we’re going to do whatever we can do to make sure a graduation ceremony is held.”
Thomas said he believes the district could wait as late as July and still have a majority of students still in the community.
“If that were the case and we were allowed to assemble large groups in July, we would go to the civic center and we would have a graduation ceremony,” he said. As for now, no final decisions are being made about date or location as the COVID-19 situation progresses.
“I will tell you this, we will do something to make sure we honor our seniors who’ve spent their life thus far preparing for that moment where they can walk across a stage in a cap and gown, have a picture taken and receive a diploma. We know that’s important, and we aregoing to support that in any way we can,” Thomas added.
How Many Hospital Beds Are Currently Available In Escambia, Santa Rosa?
April 2, 2020
Newly released data shows the number of hospital beds and intensive care hospital beds available in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
As of Thursday afternoon, over 50% of all hospital beds in both counties were available, and about 5o% of all ICU beds were also available.
ADULT ICU BED CAPACITY
Escambia County
- Total Adult ICU Capacity – 144
- Current Adult ICE Patients- 77
- Available Adult ICU – 67
- Percent Available Adult ICU – 46.53%
Santa Rosa County
- Total Adult ICU Capacity – 22
- Current Adult ICE Patients- 8
- Available Adult ICU – 14
- Percent Available Adult ICU – 63.64%
- Total Pediatric ICU Capacity – 10
- Current Pediatric ICE Patients-2
- Available Pediatric ICU – 8
- Percent Available Pediatric ICU – 80%
- Total Pediatric ICU Capacity – 0
TOTAL HOSPITAL BEDS
Escambia County
Ascension Sacred Heart
- Total Capacity – 1,923
- Available – 1,097
- Current Patients – 826
- Percent Available - 57.05%
Baptist Hospital
- Total Capacity – 608
- Available – 321
- Current Patients – 287
- Percent Available – 52.80%
West Florida Hospital
- Total Capacity – 348
- Available – 178
- Current Patients – 170
- Percent Available – 51.15%
Santa Rosa County
Jay Hospital
- Total Capacity – 21
- Available – 14
- Current Patients – 7
- Percent Available – 66.67%
Santa Rosa Medical Center
- Total Capacity – 140
- Available – 94
- Current Patients – 46
- Percent Available – 67.14%
West Florida Community Care Center
- Total Capacity – 101
- Available – 56
- Current Patients -45
- Percent Available – 55.45%
Gulf Breeze Hospital
- Total Capacity – 72
- Available – 49
- Current Patients -23
- Percent Available – 68.06%
Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).
Suspect Recently Arrested In 35-Year Old Cold Case Murder Commits Suicide In Jail
April 2, 2020
The man arrested last month in a 1985 murder case apparently committed suicide Thursday morning at the Escambia County Jail.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Daniel Leonard Wells took his own life in his cell early Thursday morning, just a few days ahead of a scheduled court appearance on April 8.
He was charged with homicide and sexual battery in the death of 23-year old Tonya Ethridge McKinley.
She was killed in the early-morning hours of January 1, 1985. Her partially nude body was found on the side of Peak Drive near Scenic Highway about four hours after she was last seen alive at Darryl’s Restaurant behind what was then University Mall. The investigation found she had been strangled to death and sexually assaulted.
Wells was developed as the suspect after a DNA sample from the crime scene ran through a database identified some of his’ relatives. Police created a family tree and tracked him down. They surreptitiously obtained a cigarette butt discarded by Wells and made a DNA match to the crime scene.
Wells was booked into the Escambia County Jail on March 18.