BOCC Picks Design For New Escambia County Jail
August 11, 2017
The Escambia County Commission has picked a design for the new 720-bed Escambia County Jail and narrowed down the price tag.
Commissioners unanimously selected the bid submitted by Whitesell-Green and Caddell for $128.6 million, plus $5.8 million for upgrades. A second bid was submitted by W.G. Yates and Sons Construction $129.7 million for the basic design, plus $7.9 million for optional upgrades.
The board also voted to authorize staff and the selected design-build entity to utilize Owner Direct Purchases. This is a method whereby the county acts as the pass-through agency for a contractor on subcontracts or other agreements to purchase material. This will allow the county to purchase items associated with this project tax free at an estimated $2 million to $3 million savings.
With additional prep work, the total cost for the facility is expected to be about $114.8 million to replace the county’s detention center that exploded in 2014. There were two people killed and nearly 200 were injured.
The selection was made at a Committee of the Whole meeting Thursday, so the commission will be required to vote officially at the next regular commission meeting.
The Whitesell-Green/Caddell Joint Venture is a partnership of Whitesell-Green of Pensacola and Caddell Construction of Montgomery, AL. Company officials told the commission that they place to use as many local subcontractors as possible.
The new jail will be constructed at the site of the McDonald Shopping Center on the southeast corner of Fairfield Drive and Pace Boulevard, adjacent to the current 1980’s jail. The two facilities will be connected.
Construction could begin as early as January with completion in late 2019.
Escambia Firefighters, EMS Crews Help Keep School Zones Safe
August 11, 2017
Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS units are standing by in school zones across the county with lights flashing to remind drivers to slow down during the first week of school. Pictured: A crew from the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue Thursday morning in the Jim Elementary School zone. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Students Head Back To Class (With Photo Gallery)
August 11, 2017
Thursday was the first day of school…so that means it’s time for our annual Back to School Photo Gallery.
We asked NorthEscambia.com readers to submit their back to school photos.
For a photo gallery, click here.
We apologize, but due to a tremendous response, we were unable to publish all the photos we received, and we are unable to add additional photos to the gallery.
Pictured top: Pre-K student Jase and fifth grader Aubree from Molino Park Elementary. Pictured below: Addyson, kindergarten at Jim Allen Elementary, and Brianna, seventh grade at Ernest Ward Middle. Picture bottom: Justin, Crista and Derek Kinley, fifth grade at Bratt Elementary. Pictured above inset: Laura Kinley, senior at Northview High. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Prisons Offer $1,000 New Hire Bonus, But Not At Century Or Santa Rosa
August 11, 2017
The Florida Department of Correction is now offering a $1,000 signing bonus for new hires at several correctional facilities across the state, but not locally at Century Correctional Institution or Santa Rosa Correctional Institution. The bonuses are paid upon completion of the correctional officer certification through either FDC or certain state colleges.
The hiring bonus is part of a three-tiered approach targeting staff recruitment and retention to ensure continued safety in Florida’s correctional institutions and communities. The recruitment and retention plan was recommended by Governor Rick Scott and approved by the legislature during the past legislative session. The plan also provides an increase in the base pay for correctional officers and a ten percent increase in pay for officers who work in the Department’s inpatient mental housing units.
Certified new hires are eligible to receive bonuses at the following institutions:
- Apalachee Correctional Institution
- Franklin Correctional Institution
- Gulf Correctional Institution
- Northwest Florida Reception Center
- Baker Correctional Institution
- Columbia Correctional Institution
- Hamilton Correctional Institution
- Mayo Correctional Institution
- New River Correctional Institution
- Reception and Medical Center
- Suwannee Correctional Institution
- Taylor Correctional Institution
- Union Correctional Institution
- Desoto Correctional Institution
- Hardee Correctional Institution
- Dade Correctional Institution
- Okeechobee Correctional Institution
Wreck Cuts Power To Cantonment Neighborhood
August 11, 2017
A single vehicle crash just after 9:00 Thursday night cut power to a Cantonment neighborhood. Gulf Power says about 140 customers on West Kingsfield Road near Highway 97 lost power a result of the accident. The power wasreported to be out until after 2 a.m. Friday. The driver of the truck refused medical treatment at the scene. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEcambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Firefighter Charged With Sexual Abuse Of Teen
August 11, 2017
A Poarch Creek firefighter has been indicted on charges that he had sexual contact with a teen.
Michael Leon Wood Jr., age 36 of Atmore, was indicted by an Escambia County (AL) grand jury on charges of second degree rape, second degree sodomy and enticing a child under the age of 16 but older than 12 for immoral purposes. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $250,000 shortly after turning himself in on the felony charges.
The arrest stemmed from an investigation that included the Atmore Police Department.
Mobile Beats Pensacola
August 11, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos third baseman Nick Senzel continued his dog-and-pony show for the Cincinnati Reds.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft drilled two homers in a game for the first time in his professional career and recorded his fifth four-RBI game in Thursday’s 10-9 series opening loss to the Mobile BayBears in front of 4,102 at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said the bad thing about Senzel is he comes up every nine batters.
“I wish I could hit him every inning,” Kelly said. “They only let him bat once every nine times. I wish he could get to the plate more.”
For his part, Senzel said he approaches the plate wanting to make good contact, not hit dingers.
“I’m not worried about hitting it over the fence,” Senzel said. “I’m just being aggressive and trying to hit the ball hard.”
Senzel, the Reds top prospect and the 11th ranked prospect in the minor leagues, crushed the ball to right center into the Hill-Kelly Dodge hill in the first inning with shortstop Blake Trahan on base to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 2-0.
In the second inning, Senzel earned his third RBI of the game when he lined a single to center that drove in Trahan and put Pensacola ahead, 5-3.
Senzel lead off the fifth inning with a solo shot just right of the 400-foot mark in dead center and the Blue Wahoos trailed, 8-6. He went 3-4 with a walk and stolen base Thursday and now is 14-40 or .350 in his last 11 games with two homers and 10 RBIs.
The last time the University of Tennessee product produced four RBIs happened in a June 10 game for the High-A Daytona Tortugas against the Palm Beach Cardinals in the Florida State League.
The 22-year-old, who is batting .341 in Double-A, upped his home run total to seven with Pensacola and 11 on the year including his first half with Daytona.
Both Kelly and Senzel admired his home run to center field.
“He hit a fastball neck-high over the center field fence,” Kelly said. “That’s pretty impressive.”
Senzel added: “I took a good swing at it. It finally got out. I was happy to see it go.”
However, Pensacola blew the 4-0 lead it built in the bottom of the first inning.
Mobile came right back in its next at bat in the top of the second inning when BayBears catcher Jose Briceno clubbed a three-run blast to left center with second baseman Jose Rojas and left fielder Zach Gibbons on base. Briceno seventh homer pulled Mobile within, 4-3. The catcher, who had a 6-RBI game, had his second four-RBI game this season. Briceno went 2-3 with a homer, double and walk.
Mobile overtook its rival Pensacola with a four-run inning of its own in the third inning to go ahead, 7-5. The teams are 8-8 in head-to-head games this year.
BayBears center fielder Brennon Lund scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and second baseman Jose Rojas at the plate to trail Pensacola, 5-4. Rojas then tied the game, 5-5, with a sacrifice fly to right center that scored first baseman Matt Thaiss. BayBears left fielder Zach Gibbons smashed a grounder down the third base line into left field to drive in third baseman Zach Houchins, who had singled, for the go-ahead run, 6-5.
Pensacola reliever Domingo Tapia replaced starter Keury Mella and Briceno ripped a double to left field to drive in Gibbons for his fourth RBI and a 7-5 Mobile lead.
Back-to-back doubles by Mobile’s Rojas and Gibbons in the fifth inning put the BayBears ahead, 8-5.
Mella got knocked out of the game by Mobile after 2.2 innings after the BayBears scored seven runs on six hits a walk and one strikeout. It was his shortest outing since he lasted 1.2 innings in his second start of the year April 14 when he gave up five runs on six hits to the Biloxi Shuckers.
The 23-year-old Mella earned the loss and is 2-10 this season and remains winless at Blue Wahoos Stadium and in his last 10 starts.
Trailing 10-6 entering the ninth inning, Pensacola’s Trahan, left fielder Gabriel Guerrero and Senzel all scored but the game ended, 10-9.
The Blue Wahoos are now 3-8 in its last 11 games and have fallen to fourth place in the South Division with a 21-25 record. The first half champs are 61-55 overall.
Pensacola trails Mobile, which is 24-22 in the second half, by three games. The BayBears are 54-61 overall.
“We have to get better earlier in the game,” Senzel said. “We haven’t played well the last two and a half weeks. It’s been a rough stretch.”
Update: McKenzie Road Boil Water Notice Rescinded
August 11, 2017
Update 8/14: This boil water notice has been rescinded.
Cottage Hill Water Works has issued a precautionary boil water notice for the portion of McKenzie Road between Eastman Lane and Chavers Road..
Precautionary Boil Water Notices are issued as a part of the standard protocol following any loss of water pressure, whether as a result of planned maintenance activities or unscheduled repairs.
As a precaution, it is advised that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. A s an alternative, bottled water may be used. Residents are also advised to take precautions when bathing, especially immunocompromised individuals, infants, or the elderly.
This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been corrected and a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
For more information, call (850) 968-5485.
Cantonment Woman Arrested In Pensacola Burglaries
August 10, 2017
A Cantonment woman has been charged with multiple counts
Maxine Lakesha Davis-Eakins, age 23 of Quintette Road, was arrested in connection with the burglary of a home on North 19th Avenue, a shed on East Lloyd Street, a BMW stolen in Perdido Key and recovered at Bayview Park, the burglary of a condo on Perdido Key and the attempted burglary of a vehicle on East Lee Street.
She was charged with multiple counts of burglary, two counts of resisting an officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle and petit theft. She remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $38,500.
Her boyfriend, 24-year old Rodney Dwayne Anderson of Pensacola allegedly took part in the burglaries with Davis-Eakins. He was previously arrested on related charges and was jailed with bond set at $53,000.
Northview Chiefs Name Smith As New Athletic Director
August 10, 2017
Coach Obreonne Smith has been named the new athletic director at Northview High School.
“Coach Smith brings an element of ‘people skills’ to the position, as she exhibits great enthusiasm for the success of all sports at Northview and the goal of assisting all student athletes and other students involved in extracurricular activities,” Northview Principal Gayle Weaver said. “Northview is truly excited about the future of our athletic program under the guidance of Coach Smith.”
Smith is currently the head volleyball coach. She has taught and coached at Northview for 15 years, during which time she has coached multiple sports, including cheerleading.