Local Students Gather For ‘See You At The Pole’
September 26, 2024
Students across the area took part in the annual See You at the Pole event Wednesday morning.
Students gathered as school began to pray in the non-denominational event. See You at the Pole is a national student-initiated, student organized, and student-led event. Students prayed for their school, friends, teachers, government, and the nation.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Deploying Resources Ahead of Hurricane Helene
September 26, 2024
Escambia County is mobilizing and deploying resources to assist areas of the state expected to be impacted by Hurricane Helene, standing ready to help neighboring counties and the state with storm preparation and recovery.
Escambia County Emergency Management is deploying Friday, Sept. 27 to Liberty County along with the county’s mobile command unit, THOR, to support response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene. An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office contingency will be deploying with Escambia County Emergency Management, along with Santa Rosa County Emergency Management. The deployed teams will be assisting Liberty County and surrounding counties, depending on the impact of the storm.
Escambia County Emergency Management will also be hosting the Florida Department of Emergency Management at the county’s Emergency Operations Center, allowing the state to continue operations and planning before, during, and after the storm. The State Emergency Operations Center is located in Tallahassee, which is expected to receive a direct hit from Hurricane Helene based on the current forecast track.
The Pensacola Bay Center is hosting multiple Urban Search and Rescue teams from the State of Colorado, along with swift water rescue teams. These teams plan to deploy after the storm to start search and rescue operations in the Tallahassee area.
Additionally, the Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare is preparing resources and providing assistance, currently serving as a staging location for the ASPCA ahead of the storm. Escambia County’s Animal Search and Rescue, or ASAR, team is also standing by for deployment. The ASAR team has members from Animal Welfare and Escambia County Fire Rescue who are trained to respond to disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes or other large-scale animal rescue incidents. Escambia County Animal Welfare is also partnering with national organizations to provide staging areas for pet food and supplies that will be distributed to areas impacted by Hurricane Helene.
The Escambia County Equestrian Center is accepting horse evacuations for those leaving areas in the hurricane’s path. Interested horse owners may call the Equestrian Center office at 850-941-6042 or the facility manager at 850-554-1155 for information.
Escambia County EMS and Escambia County Fire Rescue are also standing by and are ready to deploy if requested by the state.
“Escambia County is always ready and willing to help our neighbors during difficult times like this, and we will continue to provide any resources we can to assist those who are impacted by Hurricane Helene,” Escambia County Administrator Wes Moreno said. “We are thinking of everyone in the path of this storm, praying for their safety, and hoping for the best possible outcome for those who are impacted. It is an honor and a privilege for Escambia County to be able to serve our sister counties and the State of Florida at this difficult time.”
Cracked Foundation At Century Sewage Plant Springs Leaks
September 26, 2024
Wednesday, the Town of Century was dealing with two leaks from the foundation of their wastewater treatment plant.
According to reports submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the town applied lime to the affected area and washed it down as the cleanup was ongoing.
Century’s wastewater system was dedicated in June, 1990.
Pictured: The Century Wastewater Treatment Plant. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia And Santa Rosa Schools Closed On Thursday
September 25, 2024
Escambia and Santa Rosa county schools will be closed on Thursday, both districts announced Wednesday afternoon.
Escambia County
Escambia County Public Schools Superintendent Keith Leonard has announced that schools and district offices will be closed on Thursday, September 26, 2024 due to possible inclement weather associated with Hurricane Helene.
The National Weather Service forecasts inclement weather moving through the area on Thursday, with the possibility of high winds which could endanger school bus travel and heavy rains. In an abundance of caution, all schools, district offices, and afterschool activities, including indoor and outdoor athletics, have been canceled for Thursday, September 26, 2024.
“We anticipate normal district operations will resume on Friday, September 27,” stated Superintendent Keith Leonard. “Of course, we’ll continue to work closely with local emergency operations officials to determine what is safest for our families and staff. We will always err on the side of caution when it comes to the safety of our students and employees”
Santa Rosa County
At 4:00pm we received additional information from the National Weather Service of Mobile including updated wind advisories. Out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to close schools for Thursday, September 26. We fully anticipate school operations to resume as usual on Friday, September 27. However, please stay updated to social media outlets and our district website for any updates.
Escambia Commission Delays Action On Pending OLF-8 Offers For Now
September 25, 2024
The Escambia County Commission on Tuesday discussed two pending offers for portion of the county-owned OLF-8 property on Nine Mile Road, but didn’t not make any final decisions for now.
Commissioners authorized county staff to continue to talk regarding two offers on the table. They also said that there may be a third offer forthcoming.
Several members of the public said they would like to see the commission postpone any decisions until after the November election.
The county has two unrelated letters of intent for different parcels from two unnamed companies. Both are on the agenda for the Escambia County Commission to discuss at their Tuesday morning meeting.
Unnamed Companies? Why the Mystery?
The companies making offers for the OLF-8 parcels remain “secret”. Most details about the new companies and their plans remain confidential during discussions, as is allowed under state law. It’s standard in economic development across Florida.
Project Dynamo
Another letter of intent with the codename “Project Dynamo” was submitted August 23 with an expiration just six days later on August 29. The offer was submitted by KBC Advisors, a nationwide real estate advisory firm.
The offer is for 24.79 acres for $2.479 million with $25,000 in refundable earnest money with a 210-day contingency period. During that period, the purchaser would determine at their “sole discretion whether the Property is suitable for Purchaser’s intended use”.
“At any time prior to the expiration of the Contingency Period, Purchaser may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Agreement for any reason and receive back the Earnest Money,” the offer states.
While the exact project remains secret, there are some clues that have become public.
According to minutes from a June 25 Pensacola-Escambia Promotion and Development Commission (PEDC) meeting, then-FloridaWest CEO Brian Hilson explained this project will be a distribution center occupying an industrial building of 100,000 square feet.
“Mr. Hilson shared insights about a prospective OLF8 candidate that requires 20 acres of land. The company’s timing requires construction and occupancy by the fall of 2025 with employment up to 125 workers. Revisions to the OLF8 master plan and installation of water, sewer and road infrastructure must be expanded,” the PEDC minutes sate.
Project Meridiem
The latest offer is under the codename “Project Meridiem”. The letter of intent is for about 12 aces located along Frank Reeder Road at $100,000 per net useable acre, or about $1.2 million.
The company is offering a $25,000 refundable deposit applicable to the purchase price with a 90-day due diligence period that could be extended if an environmental study is required for development. The sale would close within 30 days of the end of the due diligence period.
The company is asking the county to provide some infrastructure for the project: “Seller shall be responsible for providing any required access roads up to the boundaries of the Property as well as providing all utilities to the site including but not limited to water/sewer, power, and high-speed network infrastructure. The Seller shall also be responsible for installing appropriate drainage infrastructure surrounding the Property as well as providing regional detention that will satisfy all requirements for the subject Property.”
The letter was submitted on behalf of the unnamed company from JLL, is a worldwide commercial real estate and investment company. The offered terms expire September 27, 2024.
What’s next for the two offers?
Both letters of intent are on the agenda for discussion at the Escambia County Commission meeting on Tuesday, September 24 at 9 a.m. The commission could decide to take action to accept or reject either letter of intent, continue negotiations, table action or simply do nothing.
What about the rest of OLF-8?
There are two outstanding offers outstanding. One is from Tri W Development for $36 million for the entire property, and one is from Beulah Town Center for 290 acres at $25 million.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
ReImagine Cantonment Returns In October At New Location With Free Food, Clothing And More
September 25, 2024
The annual ReImagine Cantonment outreach will return next month at a new location.
The event will be held Saturday, October 19, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Florida Children’s Home at 1000 Chemstrand Road.
The faith-based event will include a 20,000 pound food giveaway, lunch, fishing lessons with free fishing rods, free tablets, baby diapers, HIV testing, clothing, free laundry detergent and more. Absolutely everything is free. There will also be free children’s activities, including train rides, inflatables, face painting, games, popcorn, and a coloring contest with three participants winning a new bicycle.
ReImagine Cantonment is a project of Doers of the Word Ministry and is sponsored by numerous churches and other organizations, including NorthEscambia.com. Previously, it was held at Carver Park in Cantonment.
Pictured: A previous ReImagine Cantonment event at Carver Park. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Free Sand For Storm Prep Still Available In Escambia County
September 25, 2024
Escambia County has still has free sand available for residents living in flood prone areas due to to Helene.
The sand is available on a first come, first served basis 24 hours a day at the following locations:
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park - 4541 County Road 4, Pensacola
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297-A
- Ferry Pass Middle School – 8355 Yancey Lane, Pensacola (NW cornerschool property on Parazine Street)
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St., Pensacola
Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels. Sandbags are typically available for purchase at home improvement and hardware stores.
Pictured: Sand at Travis M. Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Sheriff’s Disaster Response Teams Readies To Help Other Floridians After Helene
September 25, 2024
Members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spent Tuesday readying their Disaster Response to help other Floridians recover from Hurricane Helene.
The team currently plans to leave on Friday to provide assistance in other parts of the state.
Photos for NorthEsambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Football Game Postponed Until Friday Night
September 25, 2024
Due to weather uncertainty, Thursday night’s Navarre at Tate game has been postponed to Friday night.
The Aggies will host the Raiders at 7 p.m. in Pete Gindl Stadium.
The Aggies will head into the game with a perfect 5-0 record.
Northescambia.com photo.
Search For Missing Woman Shuts Down Bradberry Park In Walnut Hill
September 24, 2024
A search for a missing woman shut down Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill Monday afternoon.
Family members became concerned for the adult female’s wellbeing after her locked car was found along the wood line in the park. The car was parked in an overgrown grassy area off a dirt drive that goes from the main parking lot to the football field.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Atmore Police Department, searched for the woman for, unsuccessfully at first. She eventually called family members at the park using her cell phone, telling them only that she was okay. At first, she refused to divulge her location.
By about 5:30 p.m., the woman told family that she was at a white church on Highway 97, and a deputy was able to locate her outside the church. She was not injured.
Due to the search, Northwest Escambia Football and Cheer canceled all Monday practices at the park. NWE practices will resume on Tuesday.
NorthEscambia.com, photos, click to enlarge.
