Megan Carroll Is Northview High School Teacher of the Year
January 2, 2024
Megan Carroll is the Northview High School Teacher of the Year.
NorthEscambia.com is welcoming 2024 honoring the Teachers of the Year from North Escambia schools over the next several days. Escambia County’s overall Teacher of the Year will be named in February.
Flomaton Counterfeit Cash Suspect Arrested For Florida Burglaries
January 2, 2024
A suspect wanted for passing counterfeit cash in Flomaton has been arrested in Escambia County, Florida.
The Flomaton Police Department said 40-year old Aaron Tyrone Madison of Centuy has warrants in Alabama for counterfeit bills, failure to appear, second degree criminal mischief, and first degree theft of property.
Madison was arrested Friday in Escambia County, Florida, on two counts of burglary, along with vehicle theft and second degree petit theft. Details on those charges were not immediately available.
Madison’s bond was set at $125,000 at the Escambia County (FL) Jail as he awaits extradition to Escambia County, Alabama.
2024 To Bring Lower Rates For FPL Customers
January 2, 2024
Florida Power and Light customers could will get some relief in 2024 due to declining fuel costs.
High gas prices in 2022 played a key role in driving up bills in 2023.
However, gas prices have subsided, resulting in utilities not having to collect as much from customers in 2024 to cover the tab.
FPL customers in Northwest Florida who use a benchmark of 1,000 kilowatt hours will pay $149.70 in January, down from the current $154.91. That bill will decrease to $143.06 in April after a storm-related charge ends.
Wet And Cold By Wednesday
January 2, 2024
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers after 3am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 35. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
Wednesday: Showers. High near 49. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. East wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 51. Breezy, with an east wind around 20 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 52. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Tuesday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Mc David FL
30.87°N 87.48°W (Elev. 269 ft)
Visit your local NWS office at: https://www.weather.gov/mob
Bratt Elementary School Celebrated Leaders Of The Month
January 2, 2024
Just before winter break, Bratt Elementary School recently celebrated their December Leaders of the Month with a pizza party. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Here’s What Went Viral On North Escambia During 2023
January 1, 2024
Here’s a look at the NorthEscambia.com stories that went “viral” on social media in 2023.
They are not necessarily the biggest local stories of the year. Rather, these are the stories that gained the most views on social media. All of the stories listed below had at least a 100,000 reach on Facebook.
The most viral story of 2023 was a big boom felt and a fireball seen across the Gulf Coast in late May as a Space X AX-2 capsule entered the atmosphere and landed in the Gulf of Mexico off Panama City. Our quick coverage reached over a half million people on Facebook.
- January – top stories on social media included plans for Amtrak’s return to the Gulf Coast, an Arbor Day tree giveaway, the reopening of the Ascend Community Park and the Tate cheerleaders winning regionals.
- February — We broke the story of WaWa coming to Nine Mile Road, lanes reopened on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, and those Tate cheerleaders took third at state on the way to nationals where they took third place. Another big story was more problems found on two other Century bridges as the Freedom Road bridge sat closed for three years.
- March — NAS Pensacola opened to the public for a weekend, a sci-fi movie was filmed in Molino and all the lanes opened on the Pensacola Bay Bridge while North Escambia had tennis ball sized hail.
- April — The Pensacola Airport warned travelers to arrive early due to TSA upgrades, and winning $1 million lottery tickets were sold in Beulah and Cantonment.
- May – There was the SpaceX return. NAS Pensacola opened to the public seven days a week; it was high school baseball season and Nine Mile growth saw us break stories about WaWa, Panera Bread and Chipotle plans for the area. It was also big news about high school graduations.
- June – A Pensacola Police officer shot and killed a man during an altercation in Cantonment; an Escambia County deputy and a citizen were sucked about 100 feet through a drainage pipe under a 4-lane road with both surviving.
- July — July on the Gulf Coast means the Blue Angels at Pensacola Beach, and we ran multiple photo galleries. Two pedestrians were killed crossing North Century Boulevard in a construction zone, and big development was announced for Molino with thousands of homes and apartments.
- August — Residents learned that their local Winn Dixie stores will be sold to Aldi; a new Waffle House was proposed for Beulah and more winning lottery tickets were sold in North Escambia.
- September — D.R. Horton withdrew an offer for OLF-8 and high school football got into full swing.
- October – It was time for homecomings, plans were approved for a WaWa store in Beulah, and a semi truck careened through a Highway 97 mobile home in Walnut Hill. IP announced they would permanently cease operation on one local production machine at their Cantonment plant.
- November - November saw the Blue Angels homecoming weekend; a dog adopted after 300 days in the county animal shelter and the opening of the new Navy Federal Recreation Center.
- December – big stores included Christmas lights with goats in pajamas in Bratt; graduate number 100,000 walked the stage at UWF, a high speed FHP chase and crash on Highway 29, and the return on the Molino Christmas parade.
Pictured above: A SpaceX Dragon capsule streaks across the night sky above Highway 164 between McDavid and the Christian Home community Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Photos below courtesy SpaceX.
New Year Kicks Off With $810 Million Powerball Prize
January 1, 2024
The Powerball jackpot has rolled into the New Year. With no winner Saturday night, the jackpot has grown to an estimated $810 million for the next Powerball drawing on New Year’s Day. The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $408.9 million.
The estimated jackpot for the Jan. 1 drawing ranks as the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot and tenth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.
The winning numbers drawn for Saturday’s $760 million jackpot were: 10, 11, 26, 27, 34 and red Powerball 7. The power play was 4.
Powerball tickets are sold for $2 each.
After A Holiday Break, Road Construction Delays Return Tuesday
January 1, 2024
After a long holiday break, road construction lane closures return on Tuesday in Florida.
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) Resurfacing from Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90A) to west of Pine Forest Road (State Road (S.R.) 297) - Drivers may encounter nighttime lane closures, between Nine Mile Road and Pine Forest Road, Wednesday, Jan. 3 and Thursday, Jan. 4 from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews pave the roadway.
- U.S. 29 (North Century Boulevard) Resurfacing between Henry Street and Cottage Street in Century – Northbound and southbound traffic on U.S. 29 (North Century Boulevard) is shifted to one outside travel lane in each direction between Rudolph Street and Green Street. The shift will be in place through the end of the year as crews perform drainage improvements. Signage will be in place to safely direct drivers through the work zone.
- Lillian Highway (S.R. 298) Resurfacing from north of U.S. 98 to east of Fairfield Drive (S.R. 727) and Lillian Highway at Blue Angel Parkway (S.R. 173) – Drivers will encounter intermittent daytime and nighttime lane closures, between U.S. 98 and Blue Angel Parkway, Wednesday, Jan. 3 through Friday, Jan. 5 as crews perform signing and striping work.
- County Road (C.R.) 4 over Canoe Creek Bridge – C.R. 4, between Byrneville and Bratt, will be closed until fall 2024 as crews replace the Canoe Creek bridge. Traffic is directed through a 5.6-mile detour using Bratt Road to Pine Barren Road, then back to C.R. 4.
- Scenic Highway (U.S. 90), from north of Interstate 10 (I-10) to Davis Highway - Northbound traffic, between Pelican Lane and Scenic Ridge Drive, is shifted to the inside so crews can perform construction activities. The shift will remain in place until the work on the shoulder is completed. During construction, one lane of traffic will remain open in each direction and left turns will be permitted.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 90 Bridge Replacement over Simpson River - The outside (right) lane of U.S. 90 eastbound on the Simpson River Bridge will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 3 and Thursday, Jan. 4 from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. as crews perform construction activities for the new bridge. Drivers are reminded that the speed limit is 35 mph throughout the work zone.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Median and turn-lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Lake Drive.
- Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between Bayshore Road and Tiger Lake Drive Tuesday, Jan. 2, through Friday, Jan. 5, from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for stormwater drainage improvements and paving operations.
- S.R. 87 Resurfacing from Hickory Hammock Road (C.R. 184) to Technology Avenue – Drivers may experience intermittent S.R. 87 single-lane closures, between Hickory Hammock Road and Technology Avenue, Wednesday, Jan. 3 through Saturday, Jan. 6 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. for turn lane construction and paving operations.
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.
Glenda Bell Named Ernest Ward Middle School Teacher of the Year
January 1, 2024
Glenda Bell is the Ernest Ward Middle School Teacher of the Year.
NorthEscambia.com is wrapping up 2023 by honoring the Teachers of the Year from North Escambia schools over the next several days. Escambia County’s overall Teacher of the Year will be named in February.
ECUA Trash Collection On A Normal Schedule For The Rest Of The Week
January 1, 2024
ECUA will collect all residential customers on their normal day for the remainder of the New Year’s holiday period.
The New Year’s Day, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 collection was made on Sat. Dec. 30.
All other ECUA offices and the drive-thru window will be open Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.