Pensacola Bay Bridge Is Now Open
May 28, 2021
The Pensacola Bay Bridge is now open for the first time since it was damaged by Skanska barges during Hurricane Sally, restoring the vital connection between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze.
The majority of the bridge is open to four lanes of traffic (two in each direction) except for a two-lane, half-mile segment just west of the bridge’s arch while work to complete final repairs continues. The speed limit is temporarily set at 35 mph and emergency refuge areas are available on the bridge.
To quickly clear travel lanes following vehicle incidents FDOT’s Road Ranger Service Patrol will be stationed on each end of the bridge from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekends and major holidays. At other times, at least one unit will be on-call and available. Law enforcement will also be on-site 24-hours a day on both ends of the bridge to alert drivers about the temporary restrictions.
Consistent with the requirements within the construction contract, FDOT will continue to withhold payments of $35,000 per day until four lanes of traffic are restored to the entire southbound span of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. FDOT is regularly reviewing the contractor’s schedule of the entire Pensacola Bay Bridge Project with the anticipated completion date for all improvements currently scheduled for January 2022.
At this time, tolls on the Garcon Point Bridge are suspended through Sunday, June 6, 2021. Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) will soon discontinue service for the Route 61 detour across the Garcon Point Bridge. Normal schedules for Route 61 and Route 64 Beach Jumper will restart.
For a video animation exploring the traffic patterns on the bridge, click or tap here.
Pictured above: Traffic crosses the Pensacola Bay Bridge Friday morning. Pictured below: This 18-wheeler was among the first vehicles to cross the bridge Friday morning. Pictured bottom: The new flyover on the Pensacola end of the bridge. Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Splash Pads Are Now Open For The Summer In Century And Atmore
May 28, 2021
Splash pads are now open in both Century and Atmore.
The Town of Century Splash Pad officially opens today (May 28). The splash pad is open daily from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. It is located in Showalter Park on Kelly Field Road.
The Atmore splash pad is open daily from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. It is located near the intersection of West Craig Street and South Trammell Street. That’s at the back of Heritage Park on South Main Street.
Pictured: The splash pad in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
UWF Launches Edible Campus Program To Combat Food Insecurity
May 28, 2021
With 200 new trees and bushes on the University of West Florida’s Pensacola campus, the University is taking another step toward combating food insecurity with its Argos’ Edible Campus program. The program will provide access to fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables, free of charge to students. In March, Chasidy Hobbs, lecturer in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and her students, participated in the first planting event.
“Through this program, we’re creating sustainable environments by incorporating landscapes with plants that are both beautiful and edible,” Hobbs said. “Our goal is to have 1,000 fruiting trees or bushes by 2024.”
In addition to Argos’ Edible Campus program, the Argo Pantry and UWF Community Garden are a part of UWF’s response to food insecurity. One in 12 UWF students visit the Argo Pantry annually. The Argo Pantry is a campus resource that sustains currently enrolled UWF students with free, healthy food and basic personal care items, allowing students to focus on academic goals and progress toward degree completion and not worry about food insecurities. Hobbs hopes to remove the stigma of food insecurity by empowering students to get involved with growing their own food.
“We welcome anyone who would like to be involved,” Hobbs said. “Spend some time learning to grow your own food. If you do not have the time to come get dirty with us, but want to contribute to food production on campus, we suggest donating, if you can. Once the trees and bushes get established and start producing much more fruit we will have harvesting events, but that is likely a few years away. The next planting event will be held in Spring 2022.”
Since becoming involved, sophomore Monica Woodruff, who is majoring in Environmental Sciences, says her interest in food insecurity has now turned into a passion.
“I have learned a lot about my community and a lot about myself as an ally this semester,” Woodruff said. “Food insecurity is everywhere, it just hides in plain sight. I’ve realized I have a personal (and enjoyable) duty within myself to help those who are struggling with food insecurity around me by doing something I love – planting.”
For more information, visit the Argos’ Edible Campus website.
Free Bird Watching Bingo Activity Kits Back At Century Branch Library
May 28, 2021
Earlier this month, we told you about “Bird Watch Bingo” take home activity kits available for free at the Century Branch Library. Due to popular demand from NorthEscambia.com readers, the kits quickly flew out the door.
But good news…the kits are back in stock. With the bird watching kit, look into the world around you for local birds and check them off your bingo card as you identify different species.
Wahoos Six-Game Win Streak Ends After Loss To Shuckers
May 28, 2021
It looked like it might be a long night for Pensacola starter Brandon Leibrandt (L, 0-2), who had given up two runs to the first three batters of the game. Jamie Westbrook hit a two-run double with nobody out to put Biloxi up 2-0, and it appeared it might be a huge inning against the Wahoos.
However, Leibrandt responded immediately by forcing a couple of groundouts, including an inning-ending double play to escape the first inning with no further damage done.
Pensacola had a response immediately for the Shuckers as they scored in the top of the second against Leo Crawford (W, 1-1). After a leadoff walk by Tristan Pompey, Riley Mahan doubled before Pompey scored on an RBI groundout from Bubba Hollins, which was his first RBI of the season.
Unfortunately for the Blue Wahoos, the offense would end there. Despite finishing the night with seven hits, Pensacola was 0-for-9 as a team with runners in scoring position. The win for Biloxi was their first since Sunday, when they took the series finale against the Smokies 7-3.
Pensacola will try to take control of the series tomorrow when the Wahoos send RHP Jeff Lindgren (2-1, 2.50) to the mound against RHP Luis Contreras (0-1, 5.19).
by Chris Garagiola, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
File photo.
Ready To Stock Up? Florida Disaster Sales Tax Holiday Begins Today
May 28, 2021
The 10-day Florida 2021 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday begins today. Consumers can purchase qualifying disaster preparedness supplies tax free through Sunday, June 6.
Many items to prepare for hurricane season and other disasters are exempt from sales tax in the state.
“The approach of hurricane season is an excellent reminder to prepare not just for storms, but for all potential disasters,” said Jim Zingale, executive director of the Florida Department of Revenue. “The 2021 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday is an excellent opportunity for Floridians to save money while gathering the supplies they need to be safe.”
Qualifying items include:
- $20 or less
- Reusable ice
- $40 or less
- Portable self-powered light source
- $50 or less
- Certain portable radios
- A gas or diesel fuel tank
- Packages of certain battery types
- $60 of less
- A nonelectric food storage cooler
- Portable power banks
- $100 or less
- Tarps
- Ground anchor systems or tie-down kits
- $1,000 or less
- Portable generators for use in a power outage
More details are in the graphic above.
Two Injured In Highway 97 Rollover Wreck
May 28, 2021
Two people were injured in a rollover crash Thursday evening near Walnut Hill.
The wreck happened about 7:15 p.m. on Highway 97 at Pelt Road. The driver of a Chevrolet HHR lost control, ran off the roadway and overturned. The SUV came to rest upright in the ditch.
The driver and a passenger were transported by Escambia County EMS to West Florida Hospital with injuries not considered life threatening.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Nine Mile Road House Fire Under Investigation
May 27, 2021
The cause of a house fire Thursday morning on Nine Mile Road is under investigation.
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the home in the 1300 block of West Nine Mile Road, near Ashland Avenue, to find heavy fire. The home was deemed a total loss.
There were no injuries reported.
The Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations is working to determine the cause.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com Investigates: Escambia Employee Makes Anonymous Records Request To Identify Anonymous Citizen (And Why It Won’t Work)
May 27, 2021
An anonymous Escambia County employee has made an anonymous public records request in an apparent effort to potentially reveal the identity of the person that made an anonymous email record requests for documents on retirement plans. And the whole thing may go to the Florida Attorney General to settle a disagreement between the county administrator and the county attorney.
As confusing as all that sounds, NorthEscambia.com obtained the information a county department head won’t release, and we found it won’t work to identify the anonymous citizen.
Here’s What Happened, And What We Found
The county received an email request in late April from an email address with no name — an email that on the surface appears to not identify the sender. The person made an anonymous request for details on a county retirement plan, board minutes regarding the plan and who in county government might qualify for money under a settlement (more on that later).
The anonymous email was received from a VFEmail.net, a company that provides email services. It was sent using a free account, according to the email taglines, but the company promises paid services “to keep your email out of the NSA’s hands.”
Escambia County IT Director Bart Siders was asked by an anonymous county employee to provide the IP address of the citizen who made the public records request, according to a May 19 email from County Administrator Janice Gilley to Attorney General Ashley Moody. Florida’s public records laws allow for anonymous public records requests, including verbal and written or email requests. The actual email or written anonymous public records requests themselves become public records.
An internet IP address can often be used to locate the device that sent an email and possibly reveal the identity of the person using the device, thus potentially unmasking the person behind the anonymous public records request. Every email includes a large section of “headers,” typically hidden by email readers, that detail the path a message took across the internet and may include an identifying IP address of the original sender.
“Chilling Effect” — Is Anonymous Really Anonymous
“The IT Director (Siders) believed it would be unethical, and a violation of the anonymity provisions in Chapter 119 (Florida public records law) as a public entity, to effectively identify that person making the request through providing their IP address. I agreed with his decision,” Gilley wrote.
“This has placed the IT Director, and me as his supervisor, in a precarious position that requires your opinion,” Gilley continued her email to the attorney general. “Do we violate the trust of the citizen who reasonably expected anonymity as provided by Chapter 119? Or do we violate Chapter 119 by not providing this IP address?”
“I fear that allowing this to occur could have a chilling effect on persons making anonymous requests as their anonymity would be compromised,” Gilley wrote.
Escambia County Attorney Alison Rogers disagrees, saying the header containing IP addresses is part of the email and thus public record.
“Under Florida law, a public record must be disclosed unless there is a specific exemption,” Rogers told NorthEscambia.com. “We consulted with the Attorney General’s Office. They found no exemption and advised that it was a public record that must be disclosed.”
Gilley asked the attorney general to render an official opinion, but she was advised that the AG’s office would only issue an opinion on the matter if requested by a majority of the county commission.
In an email to commissioners on Wednesday, Gilley said she will not be present at the June 3 BOCC meeting, but she plans to bring it up for discussion at a later board meeting.
NorthEscambia.com Investigation Obtains IP Addresses, Traces Original Email
Thursday afternoon, NorthEscambia.com obtained the anonymous public records request email, including the headers containing IP addresses that the county’s IT director would not release to the anonymous county employee.
Our staff conducted a technical review of the headers and investigated each and every IP address that appears. We found nothing that could be used to identify the original device that sent the email, or the originating location. We also consulted with an certified international cybersecurity expert who also carefully analyzed the email headers. His analysis echoed our findings.
The headers reveal the anonymous email from the VFEmail user traveled through a VFEmail server in the Netherlands. It was then relayed through a VFEmail.net server in France. The message then went through a server operated by enterprise security company Proofpoint in Kansas before heading out of the Midwest on Level 3 Communications, an internet network provider, before arriving at Escambia County’s server.
In simpler English, the email traveled in a series of hops across Europe and the United States that cannot be traced back to the sender’s device or their identity. The headers and IP addresses appear as if the email originated from VFEmail’s servers, not the original sender.
The email was truly anonymous.
What Exactly Did The Anonymous Email Request?
The original anonymous email public records request is above (click to enlarge).
The VFEmail user asked for a copy of the contract or agreement for management of the county’s 401(a) retirement plan, the board minutes where it was approved, and a list of employees and commissioners that would qualify for a “settlement” presented to the Florida Commission on Ethics along with the amount they might receive.
In March, Commissioner Steven Barry and County Attorney Alison Rogers went before the ethics commission concerning retirement plans. There were no allegations of ethical wrongdoing against Barry, Rogers or anyone else; instead they were seeking permission for the BOCC to vote on the employee benefit issue.
Barry contended that after he was first elected in 2012, the county’s human resources department did not tell him, other commissioners and other eligible county employees about the existence of a 401(a) annuity plan, only the normal Florida Retirement system plan. He did not know about the plan until months into his second term, past a six month eligibility period. He did sign up as his third term started.
Barry asked for a settlement approval from the ethics commission that would allow payments to him, other commissioners and other county employees that were not told about the annuity plan by human resources. The ethics commission agreed that the county commission could vote on paying lost earnings from the 401(a) plan to impacted commissioners and county employees. To date, the BOCC has not voted on the issue, and no payments have been made.
DeSantis: $1,000 Bonuses Coming For Florida Teachers, Principals
May 27, 2021
Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $765 million in funding for Florida’s teachers is on the way, including $1,000 payments directly to most principals and teachers.
Over 3,600 principals and almost 180,000 full-time classroom teachers in grades pre-K through 12th will receive the $1,000 disaster relief payments for a total of $215 million in the state budget, the governor said during a new conference at Destin Elementary School.
There is also $550 million in funding to continue to raise minimum teacher salaries, $50 million more than last year’s budget allocation.
DeSantis said over the past year, minimum pay for Florida’s teachers increased by an average of $6,000 from $40,000 to $46,000.
“While most other states locked down their schools, Florida followed the science and opened our schools for in-person instruction, five days a week,” said DeSantis. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of our teachers and school leaders Florida succeeded where so many other states failed. I can’t thank them enough for their hard work and dedication during this school year and these bonuses are a small way to say thank you on behalf of our state.”