Alabama Schools Will Be Closed For The Rest Of The Academic Year
March 26, 2020
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said Thursday afternoon that Alabama students will not return to class this year.
“This decision has not been made lightly,” Ivey said. “However the virus continues to spread.”
Ivey ordered local school district to find “alternative methods of instruction” such as online courses by April 6 in order to finish the academic year. Academic work is optional for school districts prior to April 6.
“We must be serious about eliminating the spread of this virus,” the governor said.
“Nothing can replace the interaction between the teacher and the students in a classroom setting.” Ivey said. “However, access to high-quality instruction is crucial for our students to maintain their competitive edge academically.”
Ivey’s state of emergency order will have the following added:
“Beginning at the start of school on April 6, 2020, all public K-12 schools shall implement a plan to complete the 2019-2020 school year using alternate methods of instruction as established by the State Superintendent of Education.”
“Local school districts shall make staffing decisions and determinations related to access to school buildings in accordance with all applicable public health orders and the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alabama Department of Public Health.”
Baptist Hospital Caring For Presumptive Positive COVID-19 Patient In Pensacola, Two In Gulf Breeze
March 26, 2020
Baptist Hospital said they have two presumptive positive patients in their care at Gulf Breeze Hospital and one at their location in Pensacola.
A no visitation policy with limited entry doors was previously enacted at Baptist Hospital, Gulf Breeze Hospital and Jay Hospital. Visitor exceptions will be made for end of life and critical caregivers.
Baptist will open a second COVID-19 screening center on Friday in south Santa Rosa County to evaluate people with respiratory illness and COVID-19 symptoms.
The center’s focus is to provide a more comprehensive treatment program by screening those who may have COVID-19 and treating people with Flu-A, Flu-B, pneumonia or other respiratory illnesses. All individuals with respiratory symptoms – such as cough, fever and shortness of breath – can call 850 (434) 4080 to determine if they need an appointment with the screening center.
An appointment is required to visit this center. If they meet the criteria, an appointment will be scheduled for them. They will be given a phone number to call upon their arrival. Patients will be asked to remain in their vehicles, and a BMG team member will greet them and escort them to the clinic.
Couple Dead After Escambia County Murder-Suicide
March 26, 2020
A couple is dead after a murder-suicide Thursday afternoon in Escambia County.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home near East Shore Drive and West Michigan Avenue about 1:40 p.m.
The couple was described as elderly with health issues by the ECSO.
Additional details were not released as the investigation continues.
File photo.
Local Navy Federal Team Member Tests Positive For COVID-19
March 26, 2020
A team member based out of Navy Federal Credit Union in Pensacola has tested positive for COVID-19, the company said Thursday afternoon.
“On Wednesday we learned that a Navy Federal team member based out of Pensacola tested positive for COVID-19 according to the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County. We’ll continue to work with public health agencies and follow their guidance to minimize further impact of COVID-19,” spokesperson Bill Person said Thursday.
This positive result is different from the presumptive positive announced last week. That patient was cleared upon additional testing.
Civilian Contractor At Corry Station Tests Positive For COVID-19
March 26, 2020
On March 26, 2020 a civilian contractor assigned to Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station reported they tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). The civilian contractor is currently in their residence in Pensacola, and is following medical guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Guidelines.
The civilian contractor began experiencing symptoms on Wednesday, March 18. On Thursday, March 19 the civilian contractor visited Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola to test for COVID-19, then returned to self-isolation in residence. On March 26, the civilian contractor’s test results came back positive for COVID-19. Four service members, who had been in contact with the civilian contractor, have been in self-isolation since March 19. They were also recently tested for COVID-19. The service members will remain in self-isolation for the prescribed time of 14 days and/or when the test results are received. IWTC Corry Station is following the guidelines set forth by the Department of Defense.
“The Navy and IWTC Corry Station is committed to taking every measure possible to protect the health of our force. We remain in close coordination with state and federal authorities, and public health authorities to ensure the well-being of our personnel and local population,” a statement said.
Florida Property Tax Deadline Extended To April 15. Here’s How To Pay In Escambia County.
March 26, 2020
The 2019 property tax deadline in Florida has been extended to April 15.
Over $20 million in property taxes remain unpaid in Escambia County, according to Tax Collector Scott Lunsford, representing approximately seven percent of the tax roll. Penalties of three percent for real estate taxes and one and one-half percent for tangible taxes will be assessed on April 16.
Payment options in Escambia are:
- online by midnight CDT, April 15, 2020, at EscambiaTaxCollector.com;
- mailed with an April 15, 2020 postmark;
- left by midnight CDT, April 15, 2020 in a 24-hour drop box, currently available at Downtown, Marcus Pointe and Molino locations; or
- by joining the phone queue at EscambiaTaxCollector.com by close of business April 15, 2020.
Payments for current taxes can be made by eCheck with no extra fee, or with a credit or debit card (convenience fee will apply).
Escambia County Tax Collector lobbies and the call center are closed due to COVID-19. At this time, drive-thrus are reserved for picking up complete transactions only.
Newly Obtained Data Shows 2,000 Tested For COVID-19 In Escambia County; Health Dept. Director Says There Is No ‘Community Spread’
March 26, 2020
UPDATE – New data obtained by NorthEscambia.com Thursday morning shows that close to 2,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 at hospitals and drive-thru testing sites in Escambia County
The report shows that 1,968 individuals have taken the test. Of those, 163 tests were done at hospitals and 1,805 were done at drive-thru testing. The report indicates that the information includes data from Community Health of Northwest Florida, West Florida Hospital, Baptist Hospital and Ascension Sacred Heart.
The data does not include any information about the number of positives or negatives or how many of the nearly 2,000 people are still waiting for results to come back from a lab.
PREVIOUS STORY:
One thousand or more COVID-19 tests have been done in Escambia County, but exactly how many remains unclear.
Dr. John Lanza, director of the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County, said early Wednesday morning that “1,000 or so” tests have been done by the hospitals in the county. The samples have either gone to private labs or now Sacred Heart has in-hospital capabilities to run 50 or more tests per day.
The state’s official data dashboard, as of Wednesday night, shows only 237 total tests in Escambia County. Lanza said those tests are the ones that have been processed by the Bureau of Public Health Laboratories in Florida and don’t necessarily reflect the hospital tests. The data shows 217 of those tests were negative, and three are still pending.
Wednesday night the state was reporting 17 total confirmed positive tests in Escambia County. The health department says the increasing number is due to the increased number of tests processed.
“The most testing you do, the more chance you are going to find positives,” Lanza said. He said the positive rate in Escambia County is about 1%, compared to 9-10% on average for the state and country.
“That also indicates the lack of community spread here because we are only getting 1% positives,” he said, adding that New York state is at 25%.
Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown, according to the CDC.
As for testing protocol — who gets a test and who does not — Lanza explained it comes down to screening questions. Those questions, according to a FDOH Escambia news release, include:
- Are you experiencing symptoms, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath?
- Have you returned from travel to an affected area, or been on a cruise within the last 14 days?
- Have you been around someone diagnosed with COVID-19? Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus.
When asked how someone would expect to know if they have come in contact with a diagnosed COVID-19 case, Lanza said it’s not likely that has occurred.
“Since there is not a declared clear community spread, the the chances are you have not come in contact with someone with COVID. If there is community spread, then that would be a different answer and the criteria might change at that point,” Lanza said.
Cantonment Man Charged With Strangling His Wife In Local Trailer Park
March 26, 2020
An Escambia County man is facing a felony charge after allegedly strangling his wife at a Cantonment trailer park.
T
he Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance trailer park in the 1300 block of Tate School Road where they were met by a juvenile advising Alonzo Thompkins, Sr. was holding his wife down “right now” inside a mobile home.
The deputy ran inside the residence where he found Thompkins, 52, in a bedroom holding his wife down by her hair as she was screaming “please get him off me”. The deputy pulled Thompkins off and took him into custody.
The wife told deputies the couple of 10 years had been in a lengthy verbal altercation that ended when Thompkins jumped on her and hit her face multiple times, an arrest report states. The victim said at one time he pushed down on her throat and made breathing difficult, and he struck her in the face with a closed fist, according to the report.
Thompkins was charged with domestic battery by strangulation, a third degree felony.
The Florida Department of Children and Families was also contacted because a juvenile was in the trailer at the time of the altercation.
Thompkins was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
UWF Giving Housing Refunds, Offering All Courses Online For Summer 2020
March 26, 2020
The University of West Florida is offering housing refunds and will offer all courses online for the summer semester.
With exception of a small number of students with no other options, students were forced out of their campus housing due to COVID-19. Now, the university is offering flat-rate refunds ranging from $825 to $1,025 per student depending on the type of housing unit. Students are required to provide e-refund information by April 1 or a refund check will be mailed.
The college said they are still working with their vendor on refunds for student meal plans.
UWF also announced Wednesday that all Summer 2020 course will be offered online, with summer registration opening on March 30. Available courses will be posted at that time.
Complete information is below for housing and dining refunds as well as information on summer course offerings.
REFUNDS
Housing: Room and board costs will be prorated for all residential students who vacated campus housing through the rest of the Spring 2020 semester.
The University will provide students a flat-rate refund based on the type of housing unit:
- Residence Hall Single – $925.00 per student
- Residence Hall Double – $825.00 per student
- Apartment 4 Bedroom – $925.00 per student
- Apartment 2 Bedroom – $1,025.00 per student
Students with any outstanding balances with the University will have this amount deducted before they receive a refund.
Refunds will be provided via the UWF Student Financial Services BankMobile Disbursements. To expedite the refund process, make sure your e-Refund information is set up by Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 5 p.m. If the e-Refunds option is not selected, a refund check will be mailed to your address on file.
As a reminder, students with no relocation options are not required to check out of housing and should contact housing@uwf.edu for special accommodations. Residents who are on the list of special accommodations and residing on campus after March 30, 2020, will not receive a housing refund.
Students who need to retrieve their belongings should contact Housing and Residence Life before coming to campus at housing@uwf.edu. In an effort to have as few people on campus as possible, we ask that you comply with our efforts to coordinate move out.
Campus Dining Plans: University administration is actively working with our vendor to determine the specifics on refunds. Stay tuned for more details as soon as they are available.
If you have a critical financial need, please contact Case Management Services at casemanagement@uwf.edu for further information.
SUMMER 2020 COURSES
In an effort to provide flexibility to our students, faculty and staff, UWF will offer all courses online for Summer 2020. Summer 2020 registration will begin on March 30, 2020. Available courses will be posted at that time. Students should contact their academic advisor prior to registration.
For additional information on UWF’s COVID-19 efforts, please visit www.uwf.edu/coronavirus.
Community Health Suspends Dental Services In Century And Cantonment Due To COVID-19
March 26, 2020
Community Health of Northwest Florida has suspended dental services in Century and Cantonment due to COVID-19.
Due to mandates from the governor’s office and to keep patients, staff and the public safe, the Community Health Dental Department will not perform dental services at the Century Adults, Century Pediatrics and Cantonment Pediatrics through at least May 8.
Only emergency or urgent dental examinations and treatments will be performed at the Fairfield Drive location during expanded hours of 7:45 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
Pictured: Community Health of Northwest Florida on Industrial Drive in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo.