Outdoor Fire Danger Is High; Avoid Outdoor Burning
June 4, 2019
The local fire danger index has increased to high by the Florida Forest Service.
While some of the area received rain over the weekend, the moisture has or will be quickly absorbed into the ground and provided little long-term relief, officials said.
Outdoor burning is discouraged until we receive significant rainfall.
Incumbent Chris Jones Prefiles For Escambia Property Appraiser
June 4, 2019
Incumbent Chris Jones prefiled Monday to run as a Democrat for Escambia County Property Appraiser in the 2020 election.
Northview’s Jayden Jackson Receives Offer From Division 1 Boston College
June 4, 2019
Northview High School junior running back Jayden Jackson has received his first offer, and it’s from Division 1 Boston College. NorthEsambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Acquitted On Murder Charge Gets Prison For Attempt To Get Away
June 3, 2019
A Cantonment man that fled from deputies as they tried to arrest him for first degree murder has pleaded guilty to a long list of charges related to his attempt to get away.
Deon Keith Harris, Jr., was acquitted in April for a January 2017 homicide behind Vannoy’s Tires on Nine Mile Road. But it was his actions when deputies attempted to arrest him that are sending him to prison.
Harries was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by 10 years probation for charges including two counts of aggravated fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer causing a crash involving injury, trafficking in methamphetamine (14 grams or more but less than 28 grams), possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of hydrocodone, possession of alprazolam, possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer without violence and driving while license suspended.
Harris pleaded no contest to all of charges straight up to the court without the benefit of any sentence negotiations. The case was scheduled for jury trial this week.
As the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve the murder warrant on Harris on June 26, 2018, he fled in his vehicle at a high rate of speed. He attempted to cross Airport Boulevard from I-10 by running a red light. He crashed into a Honda CRV, causing non-life threatening injuries to two people.
Harries then attempted to run from his disabled vehicle but was apprehended by law enforcement. A search of his vehicle revealed a large amount of narcotics including a trafficking amount of methamphetamine. His driver’s license was also suspended.
Pictured below: Deon Keith Harris, Jr., was acquitted of charges related to a homide behind Vannoy’s Tires on Nine Mile Road. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Aerial Photos: Paving North Highway 99
June 3, 2019
Work has been underway for two weeks on a $2.4 million project to resurface North Highway 99 from Highway 97 in Walnut Hill to the Alabama state line.
The southbound lane of roadway has been milled and resurfaced over a large stretch of the project. Once that is completed, the process will repeat on the northbound side. Then, a final layer of asphalt will be added to the entire roadway.
Photos by Jeff Amerson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hear Warning Sirens Coming From Ascend? Here’s What They Mean
June 3, 2019
The warning sirens sounded Sunday at Ascend Performance Materials in Cantonment.
It’s something that happens every first Sunday of the month as the alarm system is tested. But did you know there are different siren sounds for situations ranging from a test to a shelter in place to an evacuation?
Readers reached out to NorthEscambia.com after hearing the sirens Sunday, and here’s what we learned From Ascend:
“Our Cantonment site conducted our standard community alarm testing today at noon, which occurs the first Sunday of each month,” Tony Ferguson, communications specialist for Ascend, said Sunday.
Ferguson said Ascend recently mailed an informational postcard about the alarm tests to households with a three mile radius of the plant site.
The alarm tones, and their meanings, are below and are available on Ascend’s website.
Above: Pensacola Sunday test. An alert to test the system. Testing occurs at noon on the first Sunday of each month.
Above: Pensacola take shelter alert. When you hear this sound, go indoors and stay indoors until you receive the all-clear alert.
Above: Pensacola Evacuation Alert. When this alarm sounds, go indoors and prepare to evacuate the area. Evacuation instructions will come from Escambia County’s Division of Emergency Management via Alert Escambia.
Above: Pensacola all-clear alert. When this alert sounds, you’re clear to return to your normal activities.
Information Source: Ascend Performance Materials.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Escambia Man Gets Two Life Sentences For Home Invasion Robbery
June 3, 2019
An Escambia County man has received two life sentences for a 2017 home invasion robbery.
Shaba Ryheem Savage will serve the life sentences consecutive with 15 years imposed for false imprisonment, aggravated battery and grand theft
In February 2017 Savage and his co-defendant Terrell Williams forced their way into an Escambia County residence while armed with a long gun. Savage is alleged to have held the family at gunpoint while Williams forced the father to drive him to various ATM machines in an effort to acquire cash. During the incident, the father was struck in the head with the weapon and numerous items of personal property were stolen from the residence.
The investigation into the home invasion continued after Williams’ arrest and Shaba Savage was identified as the second intruder. Savage was ultimately identified through the use of Facebook photographs. Additionally, one of the victims located her property in a pawn shop. The investigation determined that Savage’s then girlfriend received those items from the defendant and had pawned those items shortly after this robbery. Savage was then arrested.
Savage qualified as a habitual felony offender and prison releasee reoffender. He was released from prison in June 2016, eight months before this incident.
Williams was sentenced to 25 years in state prison.
FDOT Weekly Traffic Alerts – This Week’s State Road Slowdowns
June 3, 2019
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state road sand projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities
Escambia County:
- U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) Widening from State Road (S.R.) 297 (Pine Forest Road) to U.S. 29- Cove Avenue from Nine Mile Road to Fretz Street will be closed until 5 p.m. Saturday, June 1 to enable crews to perform roadway construction and drainage improvements. Traffic will be detoured to Bowman Avenue and Fretz Street. Detour signs and variable message boards are in place to alert drivers of the temporary road closure and detour routes.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) – The following traffic impacts will occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, June 2 through Saturday, June 8.
- 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 construction of the new bridge. Nine Mile Road lane restrictions are Sunday through Friday.
- U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drainage and paving operations continue. Drivers can expect alternating lane closures Monday through Saturday.
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Drivers may encounter traffic disruptions near the Gulf Breeze bridge approach from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 4 and Wednesday, June 5 as crews pave the new U.S. 98 eastbound between the bridge and the Hampton Inn. Traffic flaggers will be positioned to direct vehicles in and out of adjacent driveways. Additionally, bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, June 2 through Sunday, June 9:
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- U.S. 98 east and westbound from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to just east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- 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 be shifted from its current alignment to the west Friday, June 7 as crew complete the installation of the box culvert under the roadway. Motorists can expect intermittent lane restrictions to occur from 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6 to 6:30 a.m. Friday, June 7 as crew make preparations to transition traffic. The north entrance to Usher Circle will also be temporarily closed to traffic during the drainage operation. Residents will utilize the south entrance of Usher Circle. The temporary lane shift and road closure is anticipated to take place for approximately three weeks.
- U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) Widening from Beulah to Pine Forest Road- Eastbound drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures between Eleven Mile Creek and the I-10 interchange from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, June 2 as crews perform paving operations.
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Utility Work- Drivers will encounter east and westbound, outside lane restrictions over Pensacola Bay from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, June 2 and Monday, June 3 as crews repair overhead lighting.
- I-10 Routine Maintenance from Exit 5 (U.S. 90 Alt.) to Exit 17 (U.S. 90/Scenic Highway)- There will be east and westbound, inside and outside lane restrictions between U.S. 90 Alt. and Scenic Highway from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3 until Thursday, June 6 as crews repair overhead lighting.
- I-110 Routine Maintenance from Exit 1A (Gregory Street West) to the I-10 interchange- There will be north and southbound, inside and outside lane restrictions between Gregory Street and the I-10 interchange from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, June 3 until Thursday, June 6 as crews repair overhead lighting.
- County Road (C.R.) 168 Bridge Replacement over Unnamed Branch- Activities associated with the bridge replacement project on C.R. 168 over Unnamed Branch, Northwest of Century continue. The project is anticipated to be complete late 2019.
- Crary Road Bridge Replacement over Pritchett Mill Creek- Crary Road is closed between Tedder Road and Byrneville Road as crews continue to construct a bridge culvert. Motorists will be detoured via C.R. 4 and Byrneville Road. The project is anticipated to be complete summer 2019.
- Bratt Road Bridge Replacement over Canoe Creek - Bratt Road will continue 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.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Drivers may encounter traffic disruptions near the Gulf Breeze bridge approach from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, June 4 and Wednesday, June 5 as crews pave the new U.S. 98 eastbound between the bridge and the Hampton Inn. Traffic flaggers will be positioned to direct vehicles in and out of adjacent driveways. Additionally, bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, June 2 through Sunday, June 9:
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- U.S. 98 east and westbound from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to just east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- 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 I-10 and Avalon Boulevard between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. the week of Sunday, June 2:
- Drivers may encounter alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday as crews perform construction activities.
- Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of Avalon Boulevard (Exit 22), from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday as crews work to widen the roadway.
- S.R. 87 Pavement Markings Replacement- Traffic will encounter alternating and intermittent minor delays at the following locations from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Friday, until Thursday, July 30 as crews remove and replace pavement markings in the roadway. Law enforcement will be on site to direct traffic:
- U.S 90 to Nicholas Lake Road
- U.S. 98 to Vonnie Tolbert Road
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road–All north and southbound travel lanes between C.R. 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and two miles south of the Yellow River are now open. Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures as crews complete construction activities. The speed limit is currently 45 MPH.
- U.S. 98 Safety Improvements at Constitution Drive and Navarre School Road- The westbound, left turn lane at Sunrise Drive is open to traffic. Improvements at Navarre School Road and drainage improvements at Thresher Drive and Newport Street are complete. Crews will soon place the final layer of asphalt and striping, perform general project clean up, and place sod.
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.
Fire Heavily Damages Home Near Jay
June 3, 2019
Fire heavily damaged a home northeast of Jay on Sunday.
There were no injuries reported in the fire on Sharp Lane off Highway 87 near the Alabama/Florida state line and the Dixonville community.
The Berrydale, Jay, Allentown and Muson volunteer fire departments from Santa Rosa County responded, along with the Dixonville (AL) Volunteer Fire Department.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pump Prices Fall Further
June 3, 2019
Florida gas prices are poised for another week of declines after big drops on the stock market, according to AAA.
Florida drivers are now paying an average price of $2.57 per gallon. The state average is 4 cents less than a week ago, 22 cents less than last month, and 30 cents less than a year ago. Escambia County drivers are paying an average of $2.56 a gallon, down 4 cents a week ago, 15 cents less than a month ago and 30 cents less than a year ago.
Gas prices in Cantonment were around $2.44 Sunday night.