The PNJ, Other Daily Printed Papers From Pensacola To Tallahassee To Have One Owner
August 6, 2019
The daily printed newspapers from Pensacola to Tallahassee will have the same owner under a media merger announced Monday.
New Media Investment Group has reached a $1.4 billion merger agreement with Gannett for cash and stock.
Gannett owns the Pensacola News Journal and Tallahassee Democrat, while New Media owns the Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach) and Panama City News Herald.
Gatehouse also owns multiple weeklies in the Panhandle — The Apalachicola Times, Homes County Advertiser ( Bonifay), Washington County News (Chipley), The Destin Log, Santa Rosa’s Press Gazette (Milton), The Star (Port St. Joe), and the Walson Sun (Santa Rosa Beach).
Editor’s Note: NorthEscambia.com remains locally owned and operated.
EREC Warns Members Of Telephone Scam
August 6, 2019
Escambia River Electric Cooperative is warning members of a telephone scam.
The utility says customers have received calls warning that they must a make a credit card payment over the phone to avoid a power interruption.
EREC said they never ask for credit card information over the phone. Customers can verify their account information by calling (850) 675-4521 or (800) 235-3848.
Gulf Power has warned customers of similar scams in the past.
Honeysuckle Garden Club Seeks New Members
August 6, 2019
The Honeysuckle Garden Club is looking for new members.
Club members can learn more about planting flowers, trees and shrubs, along with making decorative items.
The Honeysuckle Garden Club meets on the fourth Sunday of the month from 2-4 p.m. at the Barrineau Park Community Center at 6055 Barrineau School Road. The next meeting is August 25.
Warrington Fatal Double Shooting Victims Identified As Father And Son
August 5, 2019
A father and son are dead after a double shooting Saturday in Warrington.
About 6:30 p.m., the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the shooting in the 800 block of North Corry Field Road and found two people shot in their heads. Scott Towers, 30, was pronounced deceased at the scene from apparent gunshots. His father, 58-year old, Alan Scott Towers was transported to a local hospital with apparent gunshot wounds but later succumbed to his injuries.
The Sheriff’s Office is looking for information on a vehicle of interest (pictured), described only as white, four-door 2000-2007 Ford Taurus.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Two Injured In Ensley Shooting Early Monday Morning
August 5, 2019
Two people were injured early Monday morning in a shooting in Ensley.
Two adults were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries following the incident about 2:20 a.m. on Gardenia Circle. The victims told Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies that they were shot through their front door.
“Our initial determination is that the shooting was drug related,” said ECSO Major Andrews Hobbs, ” due to narcotics found inside the residence.”
He said a person of interest is in custody and is being questioned in the double shooting.
The ECSO is continuing their investigation.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely For Your Monday
August 5, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. West wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
Century Appears To Ignore State Law, Grand Jury Findings On Meeting Minutes
August 5, 2019
The Town of Century appears to be ignoring a grand jury finding that meeting minutes were not being prepared promptly. Somewhat ironically, the list of a dozen sets of minutes approved Monday night a meeting three months ago about the grand jury report.
According to the 2019 edition of the Florida’s “Government In The Sunshine Manual”, one of the most basic requirements of the law is “The minutes of a meeting of any such board or commission of any such state agency or authority shall be promptly recorded, and such records shall be open to public inspection. (F.S. 286.011).“
Century fell into a system where meeting minutes were provided to the council for approval months after the meeting date. Council members were forced to certify minutes as correct months after they are held, relying only upon their memories and any notes they may have taken.
A scathing February 2019 grand jury report found “minutes of council meetings have not been prepared for months at a time”, and noted that the digital recording of at least one meeting was reported as lost.
On May 7, 2019, the town council held a workshop to discuss those very grand jury findings. The minutes from that meeting were just now Monday evening presented to the council for approval — a couple days shy of three months later. The council also improved minutes from another meeting in May, five meetings in June, and three meetings held prior to mid-July (see list above).
“We recommend additional training in the area of Sunshine and Public Records. This may be done by the Town’s attorney, the First Amendment Foundation or the Attorney General’s Office,” the grand jury report stated.
We are unaware of any such training transpiring, and if it occurred at a meeting, no public notice for that meeting was given.
Pictured: A list of minutes on the August 5, 2019, Century Town Council agenda. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Here Are This Week’s Traffic Trouble Spots
August 5, 2019
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) – Drivers will experience the following impacts to traffic Sunday, Aug. 4 through Saturday, Aug. 10:
o Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating traffic shifts will direct all traffic onto the westbound or eastbound lanes as crews continue removing the old southbound bridge. Nine Mile Road lane restrictions are Sunday through Friday.
o U.S. 29 traffic between Interstate 10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
- · U.S. 98 from State Road (S.R.) 298 (Lillian Highway) to West of S.R. 173 (Blue Angel Parkway)- There will be intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. beginning Wednesday, Aug. 7 as crews finish paving the final layer of asphalt. Paving is expected to take approximately one week to complete. There are no lane closures anticipated for Friday, Aug. 16 and Saturday, Aug. 16.
- · S.R. 727 (Fairfield Drive) from South of Usher Circle to North of Hestia Place- Traffic from south of Usher Circle to north of Hestia Place will encounter intermittent lane restrictions from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 through Saturday, Aug. 10 as crews perform paving operations.
- · S.R. 289 (9th Avenue) D.U.I./Safety Checkpoint- The northbound, outside lane on 9th Avenue at Fairfield Drive in Pensacola will be closed from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Aug. 31 as law enforcement conducts a D.U.I./Safety Checkpoint.
- · U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of County Road (C.R.) 184 (Muscogee Road) to S.R. 97 (Atmore Highway)- Post mounted delineators have been erected between the Thrift Store and Cross Roads Dollar General to prevent cut-through traffic from Molino Road. Workers are clearing trees and shrubs and excavating for roadway widening at the Molino Road intersection. Drivers may encounter intermittent lane restrictions as crews and heavy equipment enter and exit the roadway.
- · U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 through Sunday, Aug. 11:
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- Intermittent lane closures on U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola, between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- U.S. 98 eastbound traffic (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) will be shifted to the new Pensacola Bay Bridge Sunday, Aug. 4 and U.S. 98 westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) Thursday, Aug. 8. The temporary configuration for the new bridge will provide two lanes of east and two lanes of westbound traffic, along with a center-lane reserved for emergency vehicles. A multiuse path for pedestrians and bicyclists is expected to be operational approximately two-months after the traffic shift.
- From 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 to 6 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, 17th Avenue will be closed to through traffic between Gregory Street and the CSX Railroad overpass. Drivers will be detoured using Ninth Avenue and Cervantes Street (U.S. 90). Access to the visitor’s center, boat ramp, and the Pensacola Bay Fishing Pier will be maintained for local traffic via 17th Avenue.
- C.R. 168 Bridge Replacement over Unnamed Branch in Northwest Century- Traffic was recently shifted to the temporary acrow bridge. Activities associated with the bridge replacement project continue and are anticipated to be complete late 2019.
- Bratt Road Bridge Replacement over Canoe Creek - Bratt Road continues to be closed near Canoe Creek. Drivers on Bratt Road, west of the bridge, will be detoured to Pine Barren Road and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will be detoured east on Bratt Road. The project is anticipated to be complete summer 2019.
- Hanks Road Bridge Replacement over Breastworks Creek - Construction activities continue. The roadway will be temporarily closed during construction. Drivers on Hanks Road, west of the bridge, will be detoured to C.R. 99 and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will utilize Pine Barren Road. The project is anticipated to be complete late 2019.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 through Sunday, Aug. 11:
- Intermittent lane closures on U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola, between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- U.S. 98 eastbound traffic (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) will be shifted to the new Pensacola Bay Bridge Sunday, Aug. 4 and U.S. 98 westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) Thursday, Aug. 8. The temporary configuration for the new bridge will provide two lanes of east and two lanes of westbound traffic, along with a center-lane reserved for emergency vehicles. A multiuse path for pedestrians and bicyclists is expected to be operational approximately two-months after the traffic shift.
- From 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 to 6 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, 17th Avenue will be closed to through traffic between Gregory Street and the CSX Railroad overpass. Drivers will be detoured using Ninth Avenue and Cervantes Street (U.S. 90). Access to the visitor’s center, boat ramp, and the Pensacola Bay Fishing Pier will be maintained for local traffic via 17th Avenue.
- I-10 Widening from the Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – The following construction related traffic impacts are planned for Interstate 10 and Avalon Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 through Thursday, Aug. 8:
o Alternating lane closures, Sunday through Thursday, on Avalon Boulevard near the I-10 interchange as crews perform construction activities.
o Alternating lane closures on I-10 from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of Avalon Boulevard (Exit 22), Sunday through Thursday, as crews work to place final striping and to finish work list items.
- S.R. 87 Pavement Markings Replacement- Traffic will encounter alternating and intermittent minor delays between Nicholas Lake Road and Vonnie Tolbert Road from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday until Tuesday, Dec. 31 as crews remove and replace pavement markings in the roadway. Law enforcement will be on site to direct traffic.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Pictured: Curbing and drainage are almost complete for the new northbound Highway 29 on-ramp from Nine Mile Road. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Trend Downward
August 5, 2019
Florida gas prices declined an average of six cents per gallon last week, according to AAA. Global oversupply concerns and rising tension in the U.S.-China trade war has kept oil prices low, and as a result, downward pressure on prices at the pump.
Florida drivers are paying an average price of $2.52 per gallon for regular unleaded. The state average is 6 cents per gallon less than a week ago, 16 cents less than last month, and 24 cents less than this time last year.
The average price per gallon Sunday night in Escambia County was $2.54, down 3 cents from a week ago. However, on gas station at Cantonment was at $2.38 a gallon, while two in Cantonment were at $2.39.
“Continued weakness in the oil market has allowed for the cheapest summertime gas prices in two years,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “So far this summer, Florida drivers are paying nearly 20 cents per gallon less than last summer. As we approach the end of summer driving season, gas price hikes should be few and far between. When students go back to school, gasoline demand dips, because fewer families are taking extended roads trips. The demand drop, normally helps keep downward pressure on prices at the pump through the rest of the year. However, the threat of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico always carries the potential for causing a gas price spike.”
Tate Orientation, Schedule Pickups Wednesday; Elementary And Middle Orientations Thursday
August 5, 2019
The first day of school will be Monday, August 12. Orientations and other events are scheduled this week as follows:
Tate High School
Tate High School will hold orientation and schedule pickup on Wednesday.
Ninth grade orientation and schedule pickup will be held in the Fryman Gym at 9 a.m.
Schedule pickup for grates 10, 11 and 12 in the Godwin cafeteria from 1-3 p.m.
Escambia County Elementary School Orientations
Elementary school orientations will be held Thursday, August 8 from 9-11 a.m.
Escambia County High School Orientations
Middle school orientations will be held Thursday, August 8 at from 1-3 p.m.