FDC Announces $1,000 Hiring Bonus At Century And Santa Rosa Correctional Institutions
October 12, 2021
The Florida Department of Corrections has announced $1,000 hiring bonuses for Century Correctional Institution, Santa Rosa Correctional Institution and other facilities across the state.
The $1,000 hiring bonus is for newly certified correctional officers.
No experience is necessary to apply, and all training is provided. During training and academy, noncertified officers receive a competitive starting salary and benefits, including health insurance, on day one of their new career in public safety.
Upon successful completion of the basic training academy, newly certified officers at qualifying institutions will receive the bonus. Additional benefits such as a biannual uniform allowance, state college tuition waivers and criminal justice incentive pay become available after certification.
To qualify, interested applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years of age (no maximum age restriction)
- Be a United States Citizen
- Possess a high school diploma or equivalent
- Possess a valid driver’s license
- Pass a drug test and physical examination
- Pass a background investigation and fingerprinting, which includes but is not limited to; no felony convictions; no misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement; no misdemeanor conviction of domestic violence.
- Must demonstrate good moral character as determined by a thorough background investigation.
For more information, visit FLDOCjobs.com
Escambia Firefighter Suffers Severe Medical Emergency During Training Exercise
October 12, 2021
An Escambia County firefighter suffered a serious medical emergency during a training exercise Monday afternoon.
The firefighter was taking part in a search training exercise at a former shopping center a the corner of Pace Boulevard and Fairfield Drive just after 3 p.m. Fellow firefighters immediately came to his aid, and he was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS.
Fog machines were used during the day’s training scenarios, but there was no live fire or smoke.
An Escambia Fire Rescue training exercise scheduled for Tuesday at the same location has been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date.
Bonus Gallery: Tate Homecoming Parade, Alumni Cheerleaders
October 12, 2021
Tate High School celebrated Homecoming 2021 Friday night.
For a new bonus photo gallery from the parade and alumni cheerleaders, click or tap here.
For the homecoming queen, king and their courts, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by William Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Santa Rosa Breaks Ground On New K-8 School At Wallace Lake, Chumuckla Highway
October 12, 2021
The Santa Rosa County School District officially broke ground Monday for a new K-8 School in Pace.
The new school on Wallace Lake Road at Chumuckla Highway is expected be complete and open in late 2023. It is about six miles from the Escambia County line.
“We are delighted to begin construction on a new school in the Pace community serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade,” said Dr. Karen Barber, superintendent for Santa Rosa County District Schools. “This will be our second K-8 and its modern layout and thoughtful design will provide new opportunities and innovative strategies to our children.”
“Currently the schools in Pace, which include S.S. Dixon Primary, S. S. Dixon Intermediate and Sims Middle, are at or above capacity,” said Joey Harrell, assistant superintendent for administrative services. “The Wallace Lake K-8 is in the ideal location to help alleviate this issue as well as accommodate future growth.”
- Located on a 33-acre site, the two-story school will include 25 primary classrooms, 20 intermediate classrooms and a covered physical education building.
- At capacity, the school will serve 1182 students.
- Construction costs of approximately $39.4 million are funded by about $26.4 million in local option sales tax revenue, $15 million om certificates of participation funding and $450,000 from millage (property tax).
Photos/image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Shed, Spreads To Nearby Home: Cat Found Hours Later
October 11, 2021
Fire destroyed a small storage shed and spread to a nearby home Monday afternoon south of Century.
Arriving firefighters found the shed had burned to the ground and the blaze had spread to the back of the wood frame residence. Firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire in the home in the 100 block of Whirlpool Road, just east of Highway 29.
There was reportedly no one at home at the time of the 1:15 p.m. fire, and there were no injuries. We are told a family cat missing after the fire was found hiding inside about 6:30 p.m.
The Century, McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were dispatched to the fire, along with the Flomaton Fire Department. There was no word on the cause of the fire.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Danielle Bell Has Been Missing From North Escambia For 20 Years
October 11, 2021
A Tate High School student has now been missing for over 20 years.
Danielle Arion Bell was last seen at age 14 at a September 2001 party the 500 block of Cedar Tree Lane, between Highway 29 and Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Witnesses told authorities that Bell left a party with a man that was in his mid-20s at the time. Escambia County deputies later questioned that man and searched his home, but he was never charged in connection with the case.
During the summer of 2007, Alfredo Gomez Sanchez, Jr. was charged with providing law enforcement with false information about his whereabouts at the time Bell disappeared. He was not implicated in her disappearance.
In October 2010, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit served a search warrant at the home.
As part of that search warrant, a septic tank behind the residence was pumped out, and dogs from Escambia County Search and Rescue were also used to search the area. Investigators said nothing was found, and they would not say what new information might have led to the search.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Danielle has a scar on her right forearm and blue eyes. She had brown hair at the time of her disappearance. Danielle, whose nickname was “Dani”, was a member of the Tate Aggies cheerleading squad. The popular teen enjoyed dancing and drawing.
Anyone with information about Bell is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured first below: Investigators pumped and searched a septic tank at this home on Cedar Tree Lane in Cantonment in October 2010 in the case of missing teen Danielle Arion Bell. Pictured below: A search and rescue K-9 team was also on site. Pictured bottom: A septic tank company employee prepares to pump a septic tank at the home. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Recycling Is Back Beginning This Week
October 11, 2021
Recycling is back for beginning this week for Escambia County residents.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s recycling center is now in operation, and they are once again collecting recyclables from residential customers.
The MRF was damaged in a fire on July 15, requiring significant cleanup and repairs. During the downtime, ECUA collected residential recycling materials, but most everything was sent to the landfill.
Recycling is available to all ECUA customers in Escambia County and City of Pensacola Sanitation customers. The Town of Century does not offer recycling services.
The MRF has also reopened to the cities, counties, and commercial haulers who use the facility to process their recyclables.
Pictured: Fire and water damage at the ECUA recycling center following a July fire. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Beulah Middle Team Headed To BEST Robotics Competition
October 11, 2021
The Beulah Middle School Robotics Team will complete in the BEST Robotics Competition on October 23 in Dothan, Alabama.
The Beulah team has met five times a week for the last six weeks to prepare for this intense competition. Each year, BEST ( Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology) comes up with a real-world problem for the students to solve using robots.
The competition’s theme this year is demolition, with the robotics teams tasked to create robots that will safely complete both demolition and cleanup. A solution would allow people to remain at a a safe distance from the demolition and not breathe harmful materials.
Teams like Beulah will compile an engineering notebook, prepare a marketing presentation, show their team exhibit, spirit and sportsmanship, and the robot performance. While preparing for each of these categories, the students learn how to apply science and technology, combat real-world engineering challenges, project management, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, marketing, technical writing and fundraising.
Silas Jackson and Campbell Ross have been on the Beulah Middle robotics team for three years.
“My future career choice is to be an aerospace engineer. Robotics can help me with the career I choose because it can help me develop better collaboration skills, communication skills, and robotics can help me get more experience with technology and brainstorming,” Jackson said.
“My future career is design engineering. This year’s game theme helps my future career because design engineers design the visual look of a robot. Designing the robot helps me know what I want the robot to look like and what parts should go where to have a functional robot,” Ross said. “They have to figure out the proportions for the robot so it isn’t very heavy on one side of the robot, and this year’s game helps me get used to altering proportions and figuring out what makes the robot the most effective. This competition is an opportunity to put my skills to the test and to improve those skills as well.”
District 5 Cottage Hill Neighborhood Cleanup Day Is Friday
October 11, 2021
Residents of Cottage Hill will have the opportunity to dispose of yard debris and other items free of charge Friday, October 15 during a District 5 Neighborhood Cleanup.
During neighborhood cleanups, Escambia County departments team up to bring services to residents in an effort to keep local neighborhoods clean and safe. Participating is easy: Residents in the cleanup area simply leave eligible items at the curb to be disposed of free of charge by Escambia County and partnering agencies.
All debris must be at the curb directly in front of residences in the area by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Tires and paint cans should be separate from all other debris. Debris piles should not be placed under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes. All items, including containers, will be collected.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area are able to participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected. The collection area is east of Highway 95A, between the side streets north of McKenzie Road to Eden Road and to the east of Williams Ditch Road (see map above).
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
The neighborhood cleanup initiative involves an aggressive cleanup effort, targeting different neighborhoods throughout the county, with crew members and volunteers picking up a variety of debris and waste, including electronics, furniture and household items.
Since 2016, more than 3,577 tons (7,154,000 pounds) of debris were collected and disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program.
The county’s neighborhood cleanup program is hosted by the Escambia County Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program. Local partners include Escambia County Waste Services, Environmental Code Enforcement, Public Works, Animal Services and Road Prison, along with the City of Pensacola Sanitation Department and Keep Pensacola Beautiful. During the cleanups, county staff handle issues such as roaming dogs and cats, unsafe structures, tree trimming, right of way mowing, street sweeping, household hazardous waste recycling and more.
Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Traffic Trouble Spots
October 11, 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
- 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. 10 through Saturday, Oct. 16. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- 17th Avenue Interchange construction – 17th Avenue southbound is closed at Gregory Street. Access to the Pensacola Visitor’s Center and the boat launch remains open from 17th Avenue.
- 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 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 11 through Friday, Oct. 15 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.
- H and N Streets
- P and Q Streets
- Y and Shoemaker Streets
- Kirk and R Streets (outside lane closure)
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) to U.S. 29 – Drivers will encounter intermittent east and westbound traffic shifts between Pine Forest Road and U.S. 29 as crews place final asphalt and striping.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297)– Drivers will encounter alternating and intermittent east and westbound lane closures and traffic shifts between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. for paving operations and other construction activities.
- 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, Oct. 11 as crews place a watermain.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures and shifts from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as crews perform paving operations.
- Barrancas Avenue (S.R. 292) Lane Restrictions for The Pensacola Half Marathon –The eastbound outside lane will be closed between Weis Lane and Garden Street from 6:30 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct 10 for The Pensacola Half Marathon.
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. 10 through Saturday, Oct. 16. 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 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. 10 through Thursday, Oct. 14 as crews perform paving operations.
- Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281) over East Bay (Garcon Point Bridge) Routine Bridge Maintenance– Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12 as crews perform a routine bridge inspection.
All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
File photo.