Local Gas Prices On The Upswing
April 29, 2019
Florida gas prices have steadily declined for the past two weeks. On Sunday, gas prices in Florida averaged $2.71 per gallon. But In Escambia County, gas prices are on the upswing.
Since setting a new 2019-high of $2.80 per gallon on April 12, the state average has declined for 16 consecutive days for a total discount of 9 cents. Florida is now 11th in the nation among states with the lowest daily average price. The top three states with the lowest average prices in the U.S. are Alabama ($2.51), Mississippi ($2.53) and Louisiana ($2.55).
The average price by gallon was $2.73 per gallon in Escambia County on Sunday, up from $2.68 one week ago.
“Gas prices are moving lower in concert with wholesale, gasoline and oil futures, which all dropped last week,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The lowest gas prices in the country are mostly found in the southeastern United States. Since most of these states are supplied by Gulf Coast refineries, this could be a positive indicator that refineries in the area are moving past their various issues that have affected fuel supplies and led prices higher.”
This Week’s Traffic Delay Hotspots
April 29, 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) – The following traffic impacts will occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, April 28 through Saturday, May 4.
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- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Nine Mile Road will be closed at the U.S. 29 overpass in Escambia County from 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 to 6 a.m. Thursday, May 2 as crews paint the bridge. Traffic control officers will be on-site to help direct traffic. The following detour will be in place
- Eastbound Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one lane, directed to U.S. 29 southbound, U-turn at West Hood Drive, and return to Nine Mile Road.
- Westbound traffic will perform the same operation at West 9 1/2 Mile Road.
- 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.
- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Nine Mile Road will be closed at the U.S. 29 overpass in Escambia County from 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 to 6 a.m. Thursday, May 2 as crews paint the bridge. Traffic control officers will be on-site to help direct traffic. The following detour will be in place
- 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, April 28 through Sunday, May 5:
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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).
- U.S. 98 East Chase Street Resurfacing from North Palafox Street to Bayfront Parkway- Intermittent lane restrictions are expected from 9 p.m. Sunday, April 28 to 6 a.m. Monday, April 29 as crews mill and replace asphalt.
- U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) Widening from State Road (S.R.) 297 (Pine Forest Road) to U.S. 29- Southbound Fowler Avenue at Nine Mile Road remains closed until 5 p.m. Friday, May 3 as crews place drainage pipes across the roadway. Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Nine Mile Road east and westbound: Untreiner Avenue, Detroit Boulevard, Fowler Avenue.
- Northbound Fowler Avenue: Detroit Boulevard, Cove Avenue or Untreiner Avenue
- During the temporary closure, the left turn from westbound Nine Mile Road onto Untreiner Avenue will be reopened
- S.R. 292 (Barrancas Avenue) near Kincaid Street- Motorists will encounter westbound, outside lane restrictions on Barrancas Avenue near Kincaid Street in Pensacola from 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 until 5 a.m. Thursday, April 25 to allow crews to access a manhole.
- S.R. 289 (Ninth Avenue) over I-10 Routine Bridge Maintenance- Drivers will encounter alternating and intermittent, north and southbound lane restrictions on S.R. 289 over I-10, half a mile north of S.R. 742, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday, May 6 and Tuesday, May 7 as crews perform routine bridge maintenance.
- U.S. 90 Bridge Maintenance over Eleven Mile Creek- Eastbound traffic will be restricted to one lane over Eleven Mile Creek from 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 to 4 a.m. Thursday, May 9 as crews replace joint, repair the deck surface, and clean the bridge.
- 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, are underway. 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- Bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, April 28 through Sunday, May 5:
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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) –Crews will be placing the final layer of asphalt on the following ramps between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.:
- Sunday, April 28, I-10 eastbound off-ramp.
- Monday, April 29, I-10 westbound off-ramp.
Additionally, drivers may encounter alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange, and on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R. 281, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, April 28 through Friday, May 3 as crews perform construction activities.
- U.S. 98 Utility Operations from Pala Alto Avenue in Santa Rosa County east to Woodland Avenue in Okaloosa County- Drivers will encounter intermittent and alternating lane restrictions between Pala Alto Avenue in Santa Rosa County and Woodland Avenue in Okaloosa County from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 as Pike Electric performs routine maintenance on power lines. In addition, there will be intermittent daytime shoulder closures until Thursday, May 2.
- 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.
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to C.R. 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) - Traffic on S.R. 87 from C.R. 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) to two miles south of the Yellow River will be shifted to the outside lanes of the newly constructed north and southbound roadways Friday, April 26 as crews perform median work and place the final layer of asphalt on the inside travel lanes
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.
Northview Track Athletes Advance To State
April 29, 2019
Both the girls and boys 4×1 relay teams from Northview High School area advancing to state, along with Sarius Davis in the girls 400m. Pictured top: Boys 4×1 team (L-R) Keyshawn Breedlove, Daniel Merit, Quay Thomas and Jarius Moorer. Pictured below: Girls 4×1 team Sarius Davis, Lexi Broadhead, Nene Findley and Karelis Morales. Submitted photos.
Local Elementary Students Shine At Sunshine Math Competition
April 29, 2019
Hundreds of Escambia County elementary school students took part in the annual Sunshine Math Competition recently.
Molino Park Elementary’s Team Two (pictured) placed first among fourth grade teams. For a photo gallery with other North Escambia area team and individual winners, click here.
Results were as follows:
Third Grade Individual Winners
1st Place: Kayla Swank – Pleasant Grove Elementary
2nd Place: Marie Prestwood – Beulah Elementary
3rd Place: Owen Morgan – Kingsfield Elementary
Third Grade Team Winners
1st Place: Scenic Heights Elementary Team One
2nd Place: Cordova Park Elementary Team Two
3rd Place: Lipscomb Elementary Team One
Fourth Grade Individual Winners
1st Place: Ava Lane – N.B. Cook Elementary
2nd Place: Jordan Foster – A.K. Suter Elementary
3rd Place: Bailey Booth – McArthur Elementary
Fourth Grade Team Winners
1st Place: Molino Park Elementary Team Two
2nd Place: Jim Allen Elementary Team One
3rd Place: Jim Allen Elementary Team Two
Fifth Grade Individual Winners
1st Place: Sophia Senarosa – A.K. Suter Elementary (100%)
2nd Place: Ayden Crabtree – Molino Park Elementary
3rd Place: Christopher Oliver – Hellen Caro Elementary
Fifth Grade Team Winners
1st Place: Bellview Elementary Team Two
2nd Place: Bratt Elementary Team One
3rd Place: Bratt Elementary Team Two
What About Atmore? Alabama Looks To Build Three Prisons, Close Other Facilities
April 29, 2019
The Alabama Department of Corrections is taking a step forward with plans to build three new prisons for men. But what that means for Atmore, home to the Fountain and Holman prisons, remains to be seen.
The ADOC is looking for companies to build the prisons and then lease them back to the state for up to $78 million a year.
The locations of the new prisons have not been announced and remain open based upon the proposals from the private companies that will build them. The proposal request posted by the ADOC, however, does seem to indicate there is no chance the largest facility would be built in Atmore.
“Facility 2″ will have 3,960 beds with about 1.1 million square feet on an estimated 216 acres. According to documents posted by the corrections department, it will be located somewhere in the central part of the state because it will house centralized services such as medical, mental health, aged care and inmate reception.
The two other men’s prisons will have 3,072 beds are require an estimated 187 beds.
All three should be located, according to the ADOC, near population centers that ensure an adequate present and future employment base with an average commute of about 45 minutes. The criteria also provides locations should be within a 45 minutes average commute of existing corrections employee locations.
The third major location criteria for the two smaller prisons is access to a Level 3 trauma center in addition to other inpatient and outpatient services within 30 minutes.
It will be months before the ADOC announces where the new prisons will be constructed and which ones will close. They expect to issue a formal request for proposals in the third quarter of this year and execute an agreement on the largest facility by the end of 2019. Contracts for the other two facilities will be executed in six-month intervals in 2020.
The state will not consider awarding all three contracts to the same developer.
The construction plans come as the U.S. Department of Justice found conditions in Alabama men’s prisons violate the constitution. The Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that the men’s prisons fail to protect prisoners from prisoner-on-prisoner violence and prisoner-on-prisoner sexual abuse, and fail to provide prisoners with safe conditions.
Pictured: Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Wahoos Beat Jackson
April 29, 2019
The Blue Wahoos captured their fifth series win in a row to start the season with a convincing 8-3 victory over the Jackson Generals Sunday afternoon at the Ballpark at Jackson.
Devin Smeltzer (W, 3-1) continued to impress as a starter with five shutout innings in which the southpaw yielded only four base runners across his five innings. The only time a runner reached scoring position was on a fly ball into right field that was mishandled by Jaylin Davis and resulted in a triple for Jackson’s Ben DeLuzio. Smeltzer made quick work of the next batter, Galli Cribbs, and escaped the fifth with the General still off the board.
Jackson starter Sam Lewis (L, 1-2) was cruising the game’s first four innings but labored in the fifth. After a pair of walks and a single, Luis Arraez hit what looked like a potential inning-ending double play to the shortstop Andy Young. However, Young misplayed it for his second error of the season, which resulted in the Wahoos taking a 1-0 lead. The Wahoos would capitalize on another mistake on a passed ball from Domini Miroglio in the same inning to double their advantage.
Pensacola added three more runs in the sixth inning thanks to four hits off Ryan Atkinson. When the dust settled, the Wahoos had sent eight men to the plate and led 5-0.
Adam Bray replaced Smeltzer in the sixth and provided quality relief despite a small hiccup in his first inning of work. After retiring the first two batters he faced, he walked Jamie Westbrook before surrendering a two-run home run to Daulton Varsho, which cut Jackson’s deficit down to 5-2.
Pensacola would put the game away in the eighth when they scored three more runs against former big leaguer Damien Magnifico. The former Milwaukee Brewer struggled mightily with his command, walking three batters in the eighth and allowing a two-run homer to Taylor Grzelakowski, which was his first career Double-A round-tripper. Caleb Hamilton finished the game with a pair of RBIs, and eight of the nine Wahoos in the lineup reached base safely at least once.
For the first time in franchise history, the Blue Wahoos have opened a season by winning each of the first five series out of the gate
Driver Critically Injured In Crash With Brick Post, Tree And Fence
April 28, 2019
A 19-year old man was critically injured in a crash early Sunday morning in Beulah.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 19-year old Ricky Markham was on Mobile Highway near Beulah Road when his Ford F150 left the roadway. The FHP said Markham oversteered, causing the vehicle to rotate and collide with a brick post, fence and a tree.
Markham, who was wearing a seat belt, was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by Escambia Fire Rescue.
He was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital by Escambia County EMS.
Any charges are pending the outcome of the FHP investigation.
File photo.
EREC Holds Annual Meeting, Marks 80th Year As Electric Provider
April 28, 2019
Escambia River Electric Cooperative members held their 80th Annual Meeting Saturday at Jay High School.
Members enjoyed food and entertainment and met in a business session session.
For a photo gallery, click here.
In 1937, the first meeting was held to organize Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Inc. at the Oak Grove Community House. By lamplight, several prominent community leaders laid out the blueprints for the formation and operation of EREC.
After Congress passed the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, which made loans available for the establishment of rural electric cooperatives, widespread rural electrification began. The formation of cooperatives in other parts of the country stimulated the interest of local leaders such as C. R. Walker, E. H. Lundy, J. L. Robbins and County Agent J. G. Hudson. They continued to move forward with their plans even though they were often met with opposition and skepticism.
On March 10, 1939, Escambia River Electric Cooperative, Inc. was born when the incorporators met at the American National Bank building in Pensacola to pass the bylaws, which would establish the cooperative and make their dream a reality. The cooperative’s first month of operation brought them 88 members. Since that time, the cooperative has grown to serve over 10,000 members in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with over 1,800 miles of energized line.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Barrineau Park Cleans Up
April 28, 2019
The 11th Annual Barrineau Park Community Clean Up was held Saturday. Members of the community, including the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, worked together for to clean up along Barrineau Park area roadways. The event was sponsored by the Barrineau Park Historical Society and and the Honeysuckle Garden Club. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Browning Completes Basic Training
April 28, 2019
U.S. Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Gaven Browning graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, TX
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Browning is the son of Amanda Wood, James Browning and Angela Williams of Pensacola. He is the brother of Gabrielle and Madison Wood of Cantonment. He is the grandson of Monna Browning and Gary Shirley of Pensacola.
The airman is a 2018 graduate of Pensacola High School.