Escambia’s Average Gas Price At $3.29
November 1, 2021
After moving higher for most of the month, October ended with gas prices holding steady. Last month, Florida gas prices increased a total of 27 cents over the course of two weeks. However, prices at the pump finally plateaued at around $3.31 per gallon throughout the past 12 days.
Florida gas prices averaged $3.31 per gallon on Sunday. That’s the most expensive daily average in seven years (October 2014). The state average is the same as a week ago, 25 cents more than last month, and $1.26 per gallon more than this time last year, according to AAA.
In Escambia County, the average price was $3.29. In North Escambia, a low of $3.28 could be found at several Highway 29 stations.
A Brighter Place: Street Lights Upgraded To LEDs Across Century
October 31, 2021
Century is a brighter place at night, thanks to new LED street lights.
Gulf Power replaced 261 street light fixtures across town at Century’s “request to create a safer and well-lit community”, according to Kimberly Blair, Gulf Power spokesperson. The upgrade included converting the old-style high pressure sodium lights to LED lights that illuminate the area better.
“The sodium lights spread light in all directions instead of focusing light downward, where it’s needed. The LED lights also provide 40% greater lumens – or brighter light – than the sodium lights,” Blair said.
The town is expected to save money with the switch to LED lighting.
Pictured: New LED street light fixtures illuminate North Century Boulevard near the Century Post Office Friday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview’s Shelby Kent Advances To Regional Cross Country Meet
October 31, 2021
Northview Cross Country participated in the 2A Region 1 District 1 meet in at West Florida High School on Saturday.
Shelby Kent, a Northview junior, qualified to advance to the 2A Region 1 meet in Jacksonville next Friday, November 5.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Traffic Alerts: What To Expect This Week
October 31, 2021
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
- Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Emergency Lane Closure at B Street – Motorists can expect lane closures through Sunday, Oct 31 as crews perform emergency roadway operations.
- Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. 98) Replacement - Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 through Saturday, Nov. 6. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- North Ninth Avenue (State Road (S.R.) 289) Carpenters Creek Bridge Replacement- All travel lanes are temporarily shifted to the northbound side of the bridge as crews replace the southbound portion of the structure. Additionally, drivers may encounter intermittent temporary lane closures from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 1 through Friday, Nov. 5 to allow crews to mobilize materials and equipment.
- West Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Pedestrian Safety Improvement – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures between the following locations as crews perform median improvements and install poles for pedestrian traffic signals.
- D and N Streets (inside lane closures)
- P and Q Streets (inside lane closures)
- Q and N Streets (intermittent outside lane closure)
- Kirk and R Streets (intermittent outside lane closure)
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) – Drivers will encounter temporary intermittent shifts to allow crews to pave turn lanes, side streets, driveways, and the on- and off-ramps to I-10. Access to all businesses will be maintained, traffic flaggers and signage will be in place to direct traffic.
- Sorrento Road (S.R. 292) Intersection Improvements at Innerarity Point (County Road (C.R.) 292A) – Motorists can expect daytime shoulder closures the week of Monday, Nov. 1 as crews place a watermain.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) – Drivers can expect the following construction related traffic impacts:
- Nighttime intermittent lane closures and shifts from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., on U.S. 29, between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road, and on Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 interchange.
- The U.S. 29 northbound on-ramp and U.S. 29 southbound off-ramp at the Nine Mile Road interchange may be reduced to a single lane from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Signage will be in place and traffic flaggers will be on-site to direct motorists.
Santa Rosa County
- Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. 98) Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 through Saturday, Nov. 6. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure. Additional work will include the installation of pier lighting.
- I-10 Resurfacing East of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) to East of S.R. 87 – Motorists can expect intermittent lane closures on the Blackwater River Bridge from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 through Thursday, Nov. 4 as crews perform paving operations.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Major roadway construction activities are set to begin the week of Monday, Nov. 8. Improvements on the 4.25-mile section include widening the roadway from four to a six-lanes with a raised median; safety and drainage upgrades; resurfacing State Road 281 (Avalon Boulevard) from U.S. 98 to Garcon Point Bridge; extending the existing shared-use path on the south side of U.S. 98 from Gondolier Boulevard; and new signage and pavement markings.
EREC Accepting Apps For Youth Tour Trips To Tallahassee, Washington
October 31, 2021
Applications are now being accepted by Escambia River Electric Cooperative for the Rural Electric Youth Tour.
The program offers high school juniors the chance to win a trip to the state capital in Tallahassee in February or the national’s capital in June.
Interested students can get more information and an application from their high school guidance counselor. Applications are also available at both the Jay and Walnut Hill EREC offices or online here.
Applications are due by December 7. The student’s parent or guardian must be a member of Escambia River Electric Cooperative.
Escambia County Seeks Volunteer For Board Of Adjustment Appointment
October 31, 2021
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners is seeking Escambia County residents interested in volunteering to be considered for an at-large appointment to the Escambia County Board of Adjustment.
Members serve a two-year term of office and meet at 8:30 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month for approximately two hours. Travel is not required. Financial disclosure is required.
Escambia County residents interested in being considered for a possible appointment to the Escambia County Board of Adjustment to begin serving in January are asked to submit a resume and letter indicating their desire to serve by close of business on Wednesday, November 10. Letters and resumes should be submitted to Rachel Whitmire, 3363 West Park Place, Pensacola, FL 32505; or emailed to rwhitmire@myescambia.com.
The BOA conducts quasi-judicial hearings to grant, grant with conditions, or deny applications for the following processes: administrative appeal, conditional use, site plan approval extension, and variance.
No. 5 UWF Beats Mississippi College 63-28
October 31, 2021
The fifth-ranked UWF football team scored 35 unanswered points to scare away any upset hopes Mississippi College had with a 63-28 win at Robinson-Hale Stadium on Saturday night.
UWF improved to 7-1 on the season and moved into second place in the Gulf South Conference at 4-1 as it extended its school-record road winning streak to nine.
Shomari Mason rushed for approximately 150 yards with three touchdowns, while Austin Reed rushed for a score and threw four touchdowns. Reed totaled well over 300 yards passing with more than 20 completions. Larry Rembert was the recipient of three of the scoring throws, as he reached the end zone from 25, 27 and 37 yards out.
The 63 points for the Argonauts tied their season-high and match the second-highest total in program history.
The second-half shutout for the UWF defense was the third such occurrence this season. The Argos have held five opponents to seven points or less in the second half. The defense forced a pair of turnovers and got the Choctaws to punt four times.
UWF came out and scored on its first possession as Mason reached paydirt from two yards out. After each team punted, MC tied it at 7-7 when DeAnte’ Smith-Moore scored from the one.
The Argos went back up 14-7 when reed hit Ka’Ron Ashley from nine yards late in the first quarter. Again the Choctaws came back with an 11-play drive capped off by a Marcus Williams 4-yard rush.
Reed needed just five plays to put UWF back on top, hitting Rembert on a 25-yarder. Smith-Moore threw a 30-yard pass to Sam Wilder for a 21-21 score to keep MC tied.
On the next possession, Mason and Anthony Johnson, Jr. gashed the Choctaw defense for a combined 48 yards on four carries to set up Rembert’s second touchdown reception on a 27-yarder. MC got it tied again heading into the locker room when Jaylin Jones reached the end zone with 38 seconds remaining.
In the second half, UWF held MC to minus-2 yards on the opening drive before needing six plays to go 53 yards for Mason to score from the eight. Another 5-play possession for MC followed before UWF scored again, going up by 14 midway through the third on Rembert’s third score of the night.
Mason took control following another Choctaw punt, rushing for nearly 80 yards on three carries, including a 69-yarder that setup another of his scores from inside the five.
Reed now has 69 career passing touchdowns, moving into a tie for eighth in GSC history with Rogan Wells of Valdosta State and Willie Candler of West Georgia.
UWF will remain on the road next week with a trip to 25th-ranked West Alabama (7-2, 4-2) on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff at Tiger Stadium in Livingston, Alabama is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Photo: Morgan Givens/UWF.
Five Indicted For First Degree Premeditated Murder In Ladarius Clardy Shooting
October 30, 2021
An Escambia County grand jury has indicted five people for the murder of Ladarius Clardy.
The grand jury returned indictments for first-degree premeditated murder, attempted first-degree premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder against Amos Snowden Jr, Daquavion Snowden, Kobie Jenkins Jr, Timothy Knight Jr and Terrell Parker.
All five remain in the Escambia County Jail without bond. The Snowden brothers entered not guilty pleas on Friday. The three other suspects are due in court November 4.
Clardy, a former standout Pine Forest High School quarterback, was found shot dead in a vehicle crash about 1 a.m. on July 1. His vehicle was found with over 50 bullet holes in a ravine.
One Charged With Ensley Murder
October 30, 2021
A 20-year old Escambia County man was arrested Friday for a fatal shooting earlier in the week.
Gerald Battle, Jr. was charged with homicide and booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond. The shooting took place October 27 in the 8600 block of Figland Avenue, a couple of blocks from Untreiner Avenue in Ensley.
The victim was shot multiple times while inside a vehicle. He was later pronounced deceased at a local hospital.
Top Ranked Niceville Tops Tate 35-0 (With Photo Gallery)
October 30, 2021
Niceville, the third-ranked 7A team in the state, defeated the Tate Aggies 35-0 on Senior Night Friday night at Pete Gindl Stadium.
The Aggies held the Eagles scoreless in the first and fourth quarters, but Niceville ran away with 28 in the second quarter and added another 7 in the third.
The Niceville Eagles improved to 9-1, 4-0 and hold first place in District 1-7A.
The Tate Aggies are 1-8 overall, 0-4 in the district. The Aggies will end their season next Friday night at 6A Pine Forest (6-1, 3-0).
For a game action photo gallery, click or tap here. (Look for the band, cheerleaders and band in a photo gallery by Monday.)
NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
