Florida Gas Prices Decline A Few Cents, AAA Says
September 27, 2021
Florida gas prices have slowly declined the past 10 consecutive day, according to AAA. The state average is now $3.07 per gallon, after slipping 3 cents last week from the 2021 high of $3.10 per gallon.
“Although gasoline prices normally decline in the fall, they remain elevated due to the high price of crude and lower fuel supplies both domestically and around the world,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $3.03. In North Escambia, a low of $2.91 could be found at three stations on Highway 29 in Cantonment. In the Pensacola area, the lowest price Sunday night was $2.82.
The lower fuel supplies are a result of both the pandemic and Hurricane Ida’s effects on the Gulf Coast. When the pandemic struck, global and American crude producers let off the throttle. U.S. crude production rates dropped as much as 25% in 2020. About half of that had returned before Hurricane Ida struck the gulf coast. Three weeks ago, U.S. crude oil production rates dropped another 13%, after Hurricane Ida temporarily shutdown oil refineries and offshore rigs. Fortunately, that reduction has been cut in half over the past two weeks, as refineries and offshore rigs work to reopen. In addition, refinery activity, gasoline supplies and production all logged weekly gains last week.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Woman Injured In Highway 4 Wreck
September 27, 2021
One person was injured in a single vehicle crash Sunday afternoon in Bratt.
The adult female driver of a Nissan Versa was westbound on Highway 4 near Godwin Cemetery Road when she ran off the road and crashed down into a concrete culvert at the entrance to Bratt Assembly of God Church.
She was transported by Escambia County EMS to Atmore Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Giving Back: 30,000 Pounds Of Food Distributed In Cantonment
September 26, 2021
Hundreds of people turned out for a 30,000 pound food giveaway Saturday morning in Cantonment.
Calling it an “amazing” morning, Rep. Michelle Salzman said all 30,000 pounds of food was distributed, with nearly half that weight in meat. She said over 500 cars came through the line at Carver Park, with many others walking up.
The event was sponsored by Salzman, Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry, Feeding the Gulf Coast, Pinewood Presbyterian Church, Cantonment Improvement Committee and Trailer Parts Plus of Florida.
Organizers said they plan to hold the large food distribution once per quarter.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
Photos courtesy Phillips Salzman for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
North Escambia’s Newest Dollar General Opens; One More Opens Soon, Two Others In The Works
September 26, 2021
North Escambia’s newest Dollar General is now open, as another one is under construction and two more are planned in the area.
A quiet grand opening was held Friday for a new Dollar General at the corner of Highway 297A and West Kingsfield Road in Cantonment. Escambia County granted a conditional use to allow the 8,960 square foot store in an area that is zoned for low density mixed-use up 6,000 square feet. A conditional use in the zoning category allows for retail sales up to 35,000 square feet.
The Escambia County Board of Adjustment approved the conditional use with the stipulation that the store have a residential area design with wood siding and a shingled roof.
Construction is nearing completion on a new 9,291 square foot Dollar General store in the 7000 block of North Century Boulevard in Century. An opening date has not been announced.
Dollar General’s development company has development applications for two more North Escambia stores in the works. One is on 1.89 acres on the west side of Highway 29 between Ten Mile Road and Roberts Road, just north of Kingline Equipment.
The second is in Walnut Hill at 7100 Highway 97, on the north side of the intersection of South Highway 99. There are currently two residential structures on the 5.3 acre property, which is across the road from a former farm supply retail business.
Pictured: A newly opened Dollar General at the corner of Highway 297A and West Kingsfield Road in Cantonment as seen Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Areas To Watch
September 26, 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, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Oct. 2. 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.
- 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. In addition, drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures as crews mobilize materials and equipment.
- West Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Pedestrian Safety Improvement – Drivers will encounter lane closures between Dominguez and Green Streets, Grandview and X Streets, P Street and Q Street, and N Street and L Street, as crews perform median improvement work and install poles for pedestrian traffic signals. Motorists are reminded the speed limit between Dominguez Street and A Street is 30 mph.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Pine Forest (S.R. 297) to U.S. 29 – Drivers will encounter intermittent east and westbound traffic shifts between Pine Forest Road and U.S. 29 to allow crews to complete paving activities.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Beulah Road to S.R. 297 (Pine Forest Road) – 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, Sept. 27 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.
- S.R. 298 (Lillian Highway) Resurfacing from North of U.S. 98 to East of Fairfield Drive – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 27 Thursday, Sept. 30 as crews perform paving operations and other construction activities
- Bayfront Parkway (S.R. 196) form Tarragona Street to 9th Avenue, Pensacola Seafood Fest 2021 – Motorists will encounter temporary road closures on Bayfront Parkway from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. through Sunday, Sept. 26 for festival activities.
- U.S. 29 Turn Lane Construction at the new Circle K Store – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures between West Roberts Road and Crowe Lane 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 27 through Thursday, Sept. 30.
- U.S. 98 (East Garden Street) Routine Underground Utility Maintenance at Jefferson Street Intersection – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures the Thursday, Sept. 30 through Friday, Oct. 8, as crews perform underground utility maintenance.
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, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Oct. 2. 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, Sept. 26 through Thursday, Sept. 30 as crews perform paving operations.
All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Pictured: Highway 29 northbound in Ensley Saturday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
ECSO Blazer Academy Named ‘Outstanding Program Of The Year’
September 26, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Blazer Academy has been selected for the Florida Crime Prevention Association’s “Outstanding Program of the Year” Award.
Sheriff Chip Simmons hosted Escambia County’s first Sheriff’s Blazer Academy in August of this year. The goal of the program was to immerse young men ages 13-15 in an environment that provides mentoring and instruction on many topics such as courtesy, responsibility, empowerment and respect. And there were some pretty sharp blazers involved.
“While this is a tremendous honor, the true value is the growth and evolvement of these young men throughout the entirety of the program,” Simmons said. “This first class was a huge success, and the Sheriff’s Blazer Academy will be a program we offer each year. We plan to expand the program by offering a Sheriff’s Blazer Academy for young women as well. We are proud to serve our community by providing mentorships for our youth.”
The Florida Crime Prevention Association, founded in 1969, is the oldest crime prevention association in the United States and serves the entire State of Florida. The program’s mission is to increase the awareness of crime prevention strategies and to network with other agencies on how to fight crime victimization.
A formal awards ceremony will be held on October 21 in Orlando.
Escambia Rolls New EMS SUVs With ‘Howler’ Sirens
September 26, 2021
Escambia County has five new EMS SUVs with several new safety features, including “Howler” sirens.
“The Whelen Howler is an emergency warning device that emits low frequency tones, especially for intersections and high risk areas,” said Escambia County EMS Chief David Torsell III. “The Howler runs in sync with the primary siren, allowing the lower frequency reverberating tones from the Howler to better penetrate other vehicles, alerting drivers to the presence of the oncoming emergency vehicle. In essence, it creates a small vibration that many drivers can detect easier than the high frequency tones of standard emergency sirens.”
The SUVs also use radar sensors in a blind spot information system to detect vehicles that enter the driver’s blind spot.
The five SUVs will be used during both the day shift and night shift. The trucks will be assigned to the EMS chief, EMS deputy chief, day supervisors and night supervisors. One SUV will be shared by the Escambia County Public Safety administrative supervisors.
The new fleet of Ford Expedition SUVs will allow the older SUVs with less mileage to be cycled through other positions throughout Escambia County EMS. This process reduces the possibility of these vehicles being out of service for mechanical repair, especially for long periods, and allows for EMS to maximize the availability of the SUV units by maintaining more vehicles on the road for any given time period, according to Escambia County.
“These SUVs are emergency EMS vehicles with paramedics on board,” said Torsell. “Please be aware that these vehicles, when needed, will be traveling to emergency calls and the same process for yielding to emergency vehicles applies.”
Pictured: One of five new Escambia County EMS vehicles. Pictured below: EMS Chief David Torsell III washing one of the new EMS SUVs.
Early Morning Fire Destroys Camper At Lake Stone
September 25, 2021
An early morning fire is under investigation after a camper was destroyed at Lake Stone early Saturday morning.
The fire was reported about 1:20 a.m. in the campground area of the park. The camper was reported to be fully involved when the first fire units arrived on scene.
The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. There was no word of any injuries.
The Century and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Flomaton Fire Department were dispatched to the fire.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Police Still Looking For Murder Victim’s Body In North Escambia Area; Asking Residents To Check Cameras
September 25, 2021
Police are still asking North Escambia area residents to check their cameras for any clues that might help them find the body a Pensacola woman they say was murdered.
They are especially asking residents to check their trail or game cameras for images from September 11.
Giles Curt Jones, 38, was charged with first degree murder for the death of 40-year old Latonya Antionette Baxter. She was reported missing by her daughter on September 12, the day after his vehicle was confirmed to be in Century.
A picture of an obviously deceased Baxter was found on Jones’ phone, according to Pensacola Police. The photo was taken at 1:54 on Saturday, September 11. About noon that day, Jones’ gray 2009 Nissan Maxima with Florida tag #45BAFU was captured on camera northbound on Highway 29 in Century. The vehicle headed back south on Highway 29 through Century about 3 p.m.
Acting on a tip, Pensacola Police, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and KlaasKIDS search an area along Highway 168 east of Pine Barren Road in Bratt last Monday and Tuesday, but no sign of Jones’ body was found.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1901 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
For additional details about the murder and photos from Monday, click or tap here.
For a photo gallery from Tuesday’s search, click or tap here.
By The Numbers: Escambia Reports 781 New COVID-19 Cases
September 25, 2021
There were 781 new COVID-19 cases reported Escambia County over the last week by the Florida Department of Health.
Baptist, Ascension Sacred Heart and West Florida hospitals reported a combined 224 COVID-19 hospitalizations..
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 52,171 (+781)
Positivity rate last week: 13.8%
Current total hospitalizations: 147
Over age 18 and over hospitalizations: 145
Under age 18 hospitalized: 2
Total deaths last 7 days: 42 (CDC data)
Escambia County Vaccinations
People vaccinated: 148,529 (+1,086)
Total Population of Escambia County Partially Vaccinated: 53.3%
Total Population of Escambia County Fully Vaccinated: 44.8%
*These numbers are the percent of total Escambia County population vaccinated. Not the percentage of hospitalized individuals.
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 31,444 (+827)
Positivity rate last week: 18.0%
People vaccinated:86,728 (+721)
Partial vaccination rate (age 12+): 54%
Total deaths last 7 days: 28 (CDC data)
Statewide cases:
Florida resident cases: 3,539,272 (+56,325)
Case positivity rate: 8.6%
Deaths: 53,580 (+355)
FDOH has moved from daily to weekly reports and removed the COVID-19 dashboard. The state is now releasing a weekly report with local data limited only to number of cases and positivity rate The number of deaths by county or cases by local cities and communities is no longer provided by FDOH.