Pensacola Fuel Terminal Operating Again, Gas Supply Expected To Continue To Improve
May 12, 2021
Fuel trucks are once again rolling out of the TransMontaigne terminal in Pensacola to area gas stations.
The terminal receives fuel from barges that travel the Gulf of Mexico, and then the fuel is transferred to trucks for delivery across the area. Fuel for Escambia County is not transported by by the Colonial Pipeline that suffered a cyber attack.
It was temporarily closed because it did not have summer blend gasoline on hand by May 1 as required by federal regulations. Late Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a temporary waiver through June 1, allowing the winter blend fuel stockpile to be delivered.
“The EPA has not shut down TransMontaigne’s fuel operations in Pensacola. Except for retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers, all parties in the gasoline distribution chain throughout the United States must meet low volatility standards on May 1. The federal low volatility standards have been in place for decades and begin on May 1 each year. The TransMontaigne terminal in Pensacola, Florida contacted EPA the evening of April 30 to inform EPA that they would be shutting down their operation at midnight since they did not have gasoline meeting the federal low volatility standard. The EPA understands that the terminal is still exploring options to sell compliant gasoline. Retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers must meet the low volatility standards on June 1,” the EPA said in a statement to our news partners at NewsRadio 92.3/AM 1620.
The summer blend fuel requirements have been in effect since 1989.
Early Wednesday morning, interim Escambia County Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore said many stations in the area are quickly being resupplied with fuel.
Late Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard as needed due to fuel supply issues. The situation was worsened by panic buying.
Pictured: Drivers line up for gas Monday at the Speed Mart on Highway 29 at Tate School Road (above), the Circle K at Highway and East Kingsfield Road (below), and Murphy Oil at the Ensley Walmart (bottom). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lightning Strikes McDavid Home
May 12, 2021
A house in McDavid was reportedly struck by lightning Wednesday morning.
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the home in the 800 block of North Century Boulevard, less than a mile from the McDavid Fire Station, shortly before 6 a.m.
The resident reported a lightning strike and smoke in the home. Firefighters located a burned plug behind the stove; there was no other fire reported. There were no injuries.
According to an advisory from the National Weather Service, strong storms were in the area at the time with frequent cloud to ground lighting.
The McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Flomaton Fire Department and Escambia County EMS were dispatched to the call.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Declares State Of Emergency Over Gasoline Supply Problems
May 12, 2021
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard as needed due to the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline.
“The disruption of Colonial Pipeline operations poses a significant and immediate threat to the continued delivery of such fuel products to the State of Florida,” the governor said in his executive order.
The pipeline does not supply gasoline to Florida, but the outage prompted panic buying across north Florida, including the Escambia County area. The gas situation was worsened locally by the closure of the fuel terminal in Pensacola.
The order loosens size and weight restrictions on trucks hauling fuel in Florida, and it also activates the state’s price gouging hotline at 1-866-NO-SCAM (866-966-7226).
Escambia County Asks Residents Not To Call 911 Unless It’s A True Emergency
May 12, 2021
Escambia County doesn’t want residents to call 911 unless it’s real emergency.
According to the county, nonemergency calls to 911 overloads the 911 system and uses ambulance resources.
According to Escambia County, an emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, fire department or ambulance, including:
- A fire
- A crime, especially if in progress
- A car crash, especially if someone is injured
- A medical emergency, such as someone who is unconscious, gasping for air or not breathing, experiencing an allergic reaction, having chest pain, having uncontrollable bleeding, or any other symptoms that require immediate medical attention
The county also says that if you are not sure if it is a true emergency, they recommend calling 911 and let them determine if you need emergency help.
“Calling 9-1-1 in an emergency can save lives and bring immediate help by first responders,” said interim Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore. “Knowing how and when to make a 9-1-1 call can make all the difference in a critical situation. It’s important that first responders are being used for true emergencies.”
Escambia County said do not call 9-1-1 for nonemergent situations such as:
- Requests for Information: Calls for information, such as directory assistance, driving directions or road closures, should not be made to 911. Call 311 or visit the county website.
- Information about COVID-19: If you have come in close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with coronavirus or have symptoms such as fever or cough, call your health care provider, not 911.
- Non-life threatening medical situations: Minor injuries or medical conditions that do not require immediate medical care do not warrant a 911 call. If you or someone you know has mild food poisoning, a slight fever, nausea, or a minor cut, consider calling a physician or going to urgent care
Northview Baseball, Jay Softball Regional Games Postponed Again To Thursday
May 12, 2021
Both the Northview Chiefs baseball and Jay Lady Royals softball regional games in Bonifay were rained out Tuesday night. They were tentatively rescheduled for Wednesday night, but the games have now been moved to Thursday at 7 p.m.
Here’s another look at background information we first published on Tuesday:
Tickets will be sold at the gate for $7 (per game). We are told that there will not be a capacity limit. [Google map ...]
BASEBALL
The Northview High School baseball team will be at Holmes County in the Region 1-1A finals at 7 p.m. The Holmes County Blue Devils are 19-8, and the Chiefs are 17-6. Northview is averaging nine points per game, while Holmes County is averaging 6.9 points.
The teams did not meet during the regular season.
SOFTBALL
The Jay High School softball team will be at Holmes County in the Region 1-1A finals at 7 p.m. The Holmes County Blue Devils are 16-9, the Lady Royals are 22-5. Jay is averaging nine points per game, whiles Holmes County is averaging about 6.5 points.
The teams met once during the regular season. On March 5, Jay beat Holmes County 7-2.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs (NorthEsambia.com photos) and the Jay Lady Royals (courtesy photo).
Cantonment Improvement Committee Continues Weekly Food Distributions
May 12, 2021
The Cantonment Improvement Committee is continuing their weekly Tuesday food giveaways, providing a helping hand to those in need.
And despite the rain, Tuesday was no different with a food distribution in cooperation with Manna Food Pantries.
The Cantonment community rallied together to help local kids after the start of the pandemic. In March 2020, the Cantonment Improvement Committee (CIC) and countless volunteers began to collect prepackaged food donations from the community, local churches and groups including Ascend Cares and International Paper.
Since May 2020, Manna has shared more than 125,000 pounds of food, the equivalent of over 135,000 meals, with CIC.
The CIC food distributions begin at 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Carver Park and continue while supplies last for anyone in need of food. Participants are asked to line up on Webb Street facing north, and the food is loaded into vehicles. The event takes place rain or shine.
Pictured: Tuesday’s Cantonment Improvement Committee food distribution at Carver Park in Cantonment. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Fall 6-1 As Baseball Returns To Pensacola
May 12, 2021
Once all the afternoon rain stopped, the skies parted into a postcard sunset. And people filled the seats.
The only missing element was a Blue Wahoos win, after the Birmingham Barons jumped to a big lead in the first three innings en route to a 6-1 victory in the Wahoos long-awaited, home opener Tuesday night.
While the game didn’t evolve to the fans’ desire, the festive atmosphere became the overriding element.
After a 20-month, 600-plus days absence, Pensacola’s team ushered baseball entertainment and new affiliation with the Miami Marlins back into people’s hearts. The result was a good time among the crowd of 3,669 at Blue Wahoos Stadium
Wahoos Life was back. That mattered.
“The atmosphere was great from start to finish,” said Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel, who previously managed against Pensacola while with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
“(Fans) were out there, they didn’t miss a beat. I’m sure they were excited to get back out to the stadium and watch some baseball. It was a fun atmosphere. I just wish we could have played a little better for ‘em and had something for (fans) to cheer about, but it was one of those games.”
On the field, the second pro start for Blue Wahoos acclaimed pitcher Max Meyer did not go as well as the first.
After a clean first inning, it got difficult for Meyer, the No. 3 overall player chosen by the Marlins in the 2020 draft. Meyer worked only four innings, giving up eight hits, including a two-run homer by clean-up hitter by cleanup hitter Micker Aldofo in the Barons’ 4-run, third inning.
“He didn’t have great stuff out there (Tuesday), Randel said. “He battled out there, he competed well. His weapon, his slider, was unable to get going. (Barons) did a great job game-planning against him. I think their approach was to just let (slider) go and they were sitting on fastball.
“We are going to get back with him. He’s got some work to do in between starts. We’re going work on some fastball command get that slider in for strikes.”
It was one of five extra-base hits the Barons (6-1) produced against Meyer. The other four were doubles.
In all, he yielded five runs, all earned, two walks, two strikeouts on 71 pitches. It was a contrast to his dominating performance a week ago in the season-opener at Mississippi , where he tossed a 1-hitter against the M-Braves and didn’t yield a run in winning his debut.
But the night still began in a special way.
Without being unable to have traditional first-pitches, the Blue Wahoos (4-3) started a new one: “First Fishes.”
Led by popular WKRG-TV sports personality Robby Baker, who is moving to a new TV job in his home state of Arizona, actual fish were tossed into a waiting net held by Blue Wahoos mascot, Kazoo.
Then, after some microphone issues on the National Anthem, the crowd came to the rescue and sang the words in unison to rescue the moment. The singer and the players both reacted in a good way.
On the field, the second pro start for Blue Wahoos acclaimed pitcher Max Meyer did not go as well as the first.
After a clean first inning, it got difficult for Meyer, the No. 3 overall player chosen by the Marlins in the 2020 draft. Meyer worked only four innings, giving up eight hits, including a two-run homer by clean-up hitter by cleanup hitter Micker Aldofo in the Barons’ 4-run, third inning.
“He didn’t have great stuff out there (Tuesday), Randel said. “He battled out there, he competed well. His weapon, his slider, was unable to get going. (Barons) did a great job game-planning against him. I think their approach was to just let (slider) go and they were sitting on fastball.
“We are going to get back with him. He’s got some work to do in between starts. We’re going work on some fastball command get that slider in for strikes.”
It was one of five extra-base hits the Barons (6-1) produced against Meyer. The other four were doubles.
In all, he yielded five runs, all earned, two walks, two strikeouts on 71 pitches. It was a contrast to his dominating performance a week ago in the season-opener at Mississippi , where he tossed a 1-hitter against the M-Braves and didn’t yield a run in winning his debut.
The Blue Wahoos had their best chance for a big inning in the third inning. They loaded the bases with none out on a trio of singles by Lazaro Alonso, Riley Mahan and Connor Justus.
Birmingham starter Blake Battenfield then got Victor Victor Mesa to hit into double-play that scored the Blue Wahoos lone run of the game. Battenfield then retired JJ Bleday with a ground out to end the inning.
Birmingham racked up 11 hits in the game, but only three off a trio of Blue Wahoos relievers. Blue Wahoos shortstop Demetrius went 2-for-4, leading the way among the team’s five hits.
With so much uncertainty on how in-game activities would evolve, the Blue Wahoos were able to generate some of their most popular contests, including the beloved “Roach Run” after the fifth inning in the outfield. They ran the Military Mascot Races on the concourse after the sixth inning.
The Blue Wahoos also became a pregame site for coronavirus vaccines. Nurses from the Department of Health administered the Johnson & Johnson dose to a group of people in the Cox Clubhouse area on the concourse. Vaccinations will also be available on Saturday and Sunday before the final two games of this full-week series.
The homestand will continue Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. against the Barons.
The Blue Wahoos will play Thursday and Friday games at 6:35 p.m. as well, then have their first Fireworks Saturday game at 6:05 p.m. before closing the 6-game series on Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
By Bill Vilona, Blue Wahoos Senior Writer
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate, PHS Students Named National Merit $2,500 Scholarship Winners
May 12, 2021
Students from Tate and Pensacola high school have been named National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners.
Michael R. Dixon from Tate High School, and George T. Prettyman, Amy Anqi Zhang and MaxAnthony D. Mateer from Pensacola High School were local scholarship recipients.
The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of some 16,000 outstanding finalists in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. The finalists in each state are judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the nation’s graduating high school seniors.
Atmore Killer Found Dead In Prison Cell; He Was Convicted Of Strangling Woman, Torching Her Home
May 12, 2021
An Atmore man sentenced to life in prison for a 2013 strangulation death was found dead in his prison cell.
Collis McCaster, now 48, was found unresponsive in his private cell at 8:20 a.m. Sunday at the William Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama. He was pronounced deceased at 8:45 a.m.
“At this time there is no evidence of trauma or foul play and an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause and manner of the death,” Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates stated in a report obtained by NorthEscambia.com.
McCaster was originally charged with capital murder but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of murder for the death of 60-year old Mildred Jackson Morris.
Firefighters responded a call of smoke coming from Morris’ home at 227 Adams Street in Atmore about 5:20 a.m. on June 8, 2013. Once the fire was contained and firefighters were able to enter the residence, the remains of Morris were found on the living room couch where family members stated she normally slept. Morris was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel.
Fire officials said the fire was contained mostly to the living room of the home.
McCaster was arrested a few hours later. He underwent a polygraph test and confessed to the crime.
Pictured top and below: Collis McCaster was convicted of murdering a woman then torching her home on Adams Street in Atmore in June 2013. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fire Rips Through Church Outreach Building In Ensley: Pastor Says They Are Preparing To Rebuild
May 11, 2021
Fire destroyed a church building in Ensley Tuesday afternoon.
The fire was in the 9000 block of Chandler Street, behind Crown Church. Flames were seen coming through the roof of the building before firefighters arrived on scene. There was no one inside at the time, and there were no reports of injuries.
The building was the Crown Church Community Outreach Center, according to Pastor Jason Oxendine. The building was used to provide clothing, food and other community needs.
“We are now in prayer and will start preparing to rebuild the outreach center so that we will be able to continue to respond to needs of our community,” Oxendine said.
Reports indicated that lightning may have sparked the fire, but the the exact cause is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
