Bicyclist Hit By A Bus And Killed In Escambia County
March 13, 2020
A bicyclist was killed early Friday morning when he was hit by a bus in Escambia County.
The commercial passenger tour bus with no passengers was travelling south in the outside lane of Pace Boulevard and had a green traffic light at Massachusetts Avenue. The bicyclist, 66-year old Larry Cooper, traveled from Massachusetts Avenue into the path of the bus, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Cooper was pronounced deceased at the scene of the 1:16 a.m. crash.
How Are Escambia County, Pensacola Preparing For Coronavirus? Top Officials Explain.
March 13, 2020
So far, there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) found in Escambia County, but agencies are in full preparation mode.
An Escambia County Commission meeting was paused Thursday for a 24-minute press conference to update the media on what steps are being taken in Escambia County.
County Administrator Janice Gilley said dealing with a pandemic is different that dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes and other issues that the county has dealt with in the past.
“There may be people walking around in our community that we don’t yet have already contracted the virus; that’s what makes it a little different. When we have the other things, we do see damage to infrastructure, tangible things we know how to prepare for, respond and recover,” Gilley said. “I do think this is something that is going to change on an hour by hour basis.”
“If you are a praying person, I think you should pray for our community,” Gilley added. “I think you should pray for any community or particularly for the state of Florida and the country so that we don’t necessarily have an expansion of this disease to the extent that we have issues that shut down all of the operations and things like that.”
Dr. John Lanza, director of the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County, provided an update to the commission, but his superiors did not allow him to participate in the health conference. He said any question would have to go to his public information staff, which would in turn send the question to Tallahassee for an answer.
“We do not have any cases in Escambia County,” Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore said. “If we did start to have transmission, then you would see the activation of the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) to a Level 2. We would take direction under the Department of Health. They are the lead agency.”
A coronavirus case was found last week in Santa Rosa County. The 71-year old man was transported to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola where he later died, one of two deaths to date in Florida.
Escambia County and the City of Pensacola followed a state recommendation and announced that all public-permitted events with more than 500 people expected are canceled until at least March 30. This does not include school, churches or other private events.
“If you don’t feel comfortable (attending public events) for reasons of age or a variety of other issues like an immune system deficiency,” Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said, “…then I would understand you making the decision. That’s really on you. Everybody’s got to be aware of what their own conditions are and what they feel comfortable…It’s going to depend on individuals and their immune system.”
Interim Public Safety Director John Dosh said 911 operators are asking key questions of callers — not only about their symptoms and condition but also about travel. That, he said, allows first responders to be aware of any high risk activities so the first responders can take the appropriate action to protect themselves.
Escambia County School superintendent Malcolm Thomas said the district, at this point, plans to continue with regular face-to-face classes when students return from spring break on March 23. The district announced limits on out of county travel by staff and students, and canceled all field trips.
“We are doing a deep disinfecting and sanitizing of all of our vehicles every night,” ECAT Director Tonya Ellis said. “We have increased the comprehensive level of that cleaning, which includes commercial grade, hospital grade disinfectant for all of our buses.”
Director of Facilities Management Cassie Boatwrite Fsaid the county is continually working to sanitize facilities.
At the Escambia County Jail, Director Rich Powell said visitations are already conducted remotely. “We deal with health concerns on a continuous basis. The virus change anything particular that we are doing knowing that people are in close proximity. We are in a continuous state of cleaning in the jail.”
The Pensacola International Airport remains open and is fully operational, and has increased the frequency that points touched by the public are cleaned. Hand sanitizer stations are also located throughout the terminal.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Head Football Coach Derek Marshman Stepping Down
March 13, 2020
Northview High School head football coach Derek Marshman is stepping down for a career change that will allow him to spend more time with his family.
“It was a really hard decision, but I had to look out for my family first,” Mashman told NorthEscambia.com. “It’s something that had been offered to me in the past, and I had to turn it down. I didn’t know how many more times they would offer before eventually the offer would run out.”
Mashman would only say that the career change involved the insurance industry, and that he would not be going to another school.
“I had to put my family first. My kids, they are young. I’ll have a chance to be a lot closer to them.”
Marshman was an assistant Northview football coach from 2000-2015. His assistant coach tenure included a 2012 1A state championship for the Chiefs, the first and only in the history of the school, and the last state championship for an Escambia County football team. As a head coach, he compiled a 24-21 record, including three FHSAA state playoff appearances.
“It’s bittersweet because Northview is such a great place with really great kids,” he said. “It’s grown into such a family over the last 10 years, and there’s never a good time to leave or walk away.”
Marshman’s last day on the job at Northview will be March 27. He said he did not wait until the end of the school year to leave in order to give the school a head start in looking for a replacement.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Convicted Of Animal Cruelty After Dog Died In Hot Car Last August
March 13, 2020
[Updated] An Escambia County woman was convicted Thursday on charges related to the death of a dog left inside a hot car last August.
A jury found Crystal Houk guilty of aggravated animal cruelty and cruelty to animals.
Investigators said Houk left her pit bull alone in a hot car for over an hour in the parking lot of the Ensley Walmart.
The dog was showing signs of overheating and the employees immediately opened the doors to circulate air and contacted authorities. The dog stopped breathing and passed away shortly thereafter. Animal Cruelty Investigator Sgt. Stephanie Eddins responded to the scene and conducted an investigation that revealed the dog had an internal temperature exceeding 109.9 degrees and had died of a heatstroke.
Further investigation revealed that the defendant had been inside Walmart for one hour and 32 minutes. The defendant had left the car running with a piece of pipe pressing down on the gas pedal in hopes of making her faulty air conditioning work, despite knowing of its mechanical problems.
She faces up to five years in prison when she is sentenced at later date.
Annual Branden Penegar Car Show Still On For Saturday In Gonzalez
March 13, 2020
The seventh annual Brandon Penegar Memorial Car Show will held this Saturday at the Gonzalez United Methodist Church on Pauline Street. The event has not been canceled.
Any make, model or year car is welcomed for the show. Car registration will be from 8:00-11:00 a.m. The fee is $15 to only display a car, $25 to enter the car in the show. Spectator admission is free. Click here for a printable flyer with more information.
There will be live music, door prizes and concessions available.
For more information, call (850) 393-3035 or (850) 232-1044.
Branden Penegar, known as the “Gentle Giant” was a 2011 graduate of Tate High School, an assistant coach for the freshman Tate Aggies’ football program and varsity tennis team, and a member of the Tate High School Student Hall of Fame. He passed away in March 2013 at the age of 20.
Penegar was a active member of the Gonzalez United Methodist Church and youth program. Proceeds from the car show benefit the youth programs at the church.
Pictured: Last year’s Brandon Penegar Memorial Car Show. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Department Of Corrections Suspends Visitations Statewide
March 13, 2020
The Florida Department of Corrections has suspending visitations at all correctional institutions across the state.
FDC has no known or suspected cases of COVID-19 at this time.
“Every month FDC is fortunate to have more than 30,000 visitors from across the country enter our correctional institutions to visit their loved ones,” said FDC Secretary Mark Inch. “During this State of Emergency, it’s critical we take all precautions necessary to minimize the potential risk to the inmate population and staff charged with their care and custody. This decision has been made in close consultation with our partners at the Florida Department of Health and with correctional best practices being reviewed nationwide. We look forward to resuming normal visitation as soon as possible.”
The visitation suspension will be in effect through April 5. The decision to reinstate the normal visitation schedule will be evaluated in consultation with the Floridda Department of Health.
Inmates will continue to have access to their loved ones through mail, phone calls and video visitation. Legal visits will not be impacted.
FDC is closely monitoring developments associated with the spread of this disease. FDC’s Office of Health Services, institutional medical staff and institutional operations staff work hand-in-hand with the Florida Department of Health (DOH) to quickly engage and resolve infectious disease outbreaks as soon as they occur. FDC said the agency is fully prepared to handle any potential cases of COVID-19 within the state operated correctional institutions in Florida.
- FDC has a plan in place and dedicated staff members trained in the prevention and containment of infectious diseases.
- FDC’s Office of Health Services coordinates with the Florida DOH for guidance on any type of outbreak and is closely monitoring new information as it is disseminated from Florida DOH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- FDC initiated its Incident Command System in response to this potential threat.
- Precautions are in place at facilities to protect inmates and staff from exposure to flu or any other respiratory illness; preventative measures are being followed per CDC recommendations.
Pictured: Inside Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Escambia School District Restricts Out Of County Travel Due To Coronavirus
March 13, 2020
The Escambia County School District has restricted most travel outside the county effective immediately in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. There will be exceptions for some outdoor athletic competitions on a game by game basis.
All field trips, regardless of destination, have been suspended.
The official policy released Thursday afternoon by the school district states all out-of-state travel for both students and staff members is suspended for the remainder of the school year. All student and staff travel in-state is suspended for the next 30 days at which time requests may be re-evaluated.
However, there will be some exceptions to the policy for outdoor sporting events.
“We are using common sense, as long as that county does not have an active COVID-19 case, outside events will be allowed to continue at the moment,” Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said.
Additional exceptions may be granted for Northview High School sporting events due to the school’s close proximity to Alabama and upcoming opponents such Escambia Academy, and T.R. Miller, Thomas said. He noted that Northview and Jay competitions are still on at the present time.
In the near term, Northview baseball’s two-day series set to begin Thursday with Baker has been canceled, and the upcoming Tate High School Aggie Classic has been canceled due to the number of teams that participate from around the county.
Tate Tennis Beats West Florida High School
March 13, 2020
TATE Tennis Boys with a 5-2 win and Girls with a 4-3 win over West Florida HS today. Led by Seniors Charles McKinley, Kasidy Butler, and Taji Williams TATE Tennis finishes first half of season with a strong win!
Tate High School tennis defeated West Florida High School Thursday. The Aggie boys won 5-2, and the girl won 4-3. Led by seniors Charles McKinley, Kasidy Butler, and Taji William, Tate High tennis finished the first half of season with a strong win.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County, Pensacola Cancel All Publicly-Permitted Events With Over 500 People
March 12, 2020
Escambia County and the City of Pensacola are canceling all publicly-permitted events with 500 or more people starting Monday, March 16 in an abundance of caution related to COVID-19. Currently, the county does not have any publicly-permitted events that would be affected.
The action is being taken in response to a recommendation from Gov. Ron DeSantis that municipalities consider limiting or postponing mass gatherings in the state of Florida.
This only applies to events that are permitted through Escambia County or the City of Pensacola. It does not include schools, churches, or other private events. Event organizers are encouraged to use their discretion and follow the directions of officials from the Florida Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine if event cancellations are necessary.
“The well-being of the entire community is a top priority, and we are continuing to take preventative and protective actions against the transmission of COVID-19,” said Escambia County Chairman Steven Barry. “We will continue to monitor the situation and hope for a speedy and positive resolution to this unprecedented event.”
Escambia County and City of Pensacola officials will reassess the situation after two weeks (Monday, March 30) and determine whether to continue or lift the cancellation of publicly-permitted events.
The city will work with event organizers to reschedule events as needed.
Residents are encouraged to use their discretion when it comes to attending public events.
Stock photo.
Tate High Aggie Classic Canceled Due To Coronavirus Measures
March 12, 2020
Next week’s Tate High Aggie Classic baseball tournament has been canceled due the coronavirus travel restrictions announced by Thursday by the Escambia County School District.
The annual tournament draws teams form around the country, one of which has closed due to an active coronavirus case.
Tate Principal Rick Shackle said it is a complete cancellation; there will not be a stripped down local-only version of the tournament. Host locations for the 2020 Aggie Classic included two out of county schools with games at Navarre and Niceville high schools.
For more about the travel restrictions announced by the school district and what they mean, click here.
Pictured top: The Tate Aggies won the Aggie Classic championship in 2019. NorthEscambia.com file photo.