Friday Night Football Finals
October 24, 2020
Here are Friday night football finals from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Northview 34, Jay 15
- Escambia 33, Pine Forest 14
- Washington 47, Pensacola High 7
- Niceville 35, Catholic 0
- Pace 49, Crestview 42
- Milton 21, Mostly 10
- Gulf Breeze 49, Choctaw 35
- Fort Walton Beach at Navarre
- Tate at West Florida (WFHS forfeit COVID-19 issues)
ALABAMA
- Escambia Academy, 36 Southern Academy 6
- Jackson 16, Escambia County (Atmore) 6
- T.R. Miller at Flomaton (Flomaton forfeit due to COVID-19)
- Opp at W.S. Neal (Opp forfeit due to COVID-19)
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Two Dead After Navy Plane Crashes Near Foley
October 23, 2020
A Navy aircraft from Whiting Field crashed into a home near Foley Friday afternoon, killing two people on the plane, according to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
No one on the ground was injured.
The Navy T-6B Texan II crash happened on Mansion Street, just northwest of Magnolia School on Highway 55. One home partially burned as a result of the crash.
The names of the victims will not be released until 24 hours after next of kin notification.
Photos courtesy pilot Brandon Ressinger and WPMI for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
I-10 West Exit To Nine Mile Widened, And Two More Lanes Are Coming
October 23, 2020
The Florida Department of Transportation has widened the westbound exit ramp from I-10 to Nine Mile Road in a temporary effort to help relieve back ups onto the interstate, and more improvements are coming.
Drivers previously had a single lane off-ramp at Exit 5 to access east and westbound Nine Mile Road. But now there is dedicated through lane to access westbound Nine Mile Road and a dedicated right turn lane to access eastbound Nine Mile Road.
This new temporary configuration includes nearly 500-feet of lanes once drivers exit I-10.
Crews will now begin construction on the west side of the off-ramp. Upon completion, this off-ramp will include four dedicated lanes to access Nine Mile Road.
An estimated 19,000 drivers travel through the area each day, according to FDOT.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
By The Numbers: $43.3 Million In Hurricane Sally Federal Recovery Money So Far For Escambia Residents
October 23, 2020
Since the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Sally, Escambia County residents have received approximately $43.3 million in total federal funds.
Individual Assistance:
- 2,806 homeowners and renters have been approved for more than $11.7 million in federal grants through FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program. This includes:
- More than $9.4 million in Housing Assistance grants for housing repair costs, home replacement and rental payments.
- More than $2.3 million in Other Needs Assistance grants to replace essential household items and for other critical disaster-related costs.
- 1,956 homeowners and renters were approved for rental assistance.
- 3,456 survivors have not provided FEMA with the necessary information from their insurance settlements to complete their disaster assistance registration.
National Flood Insurance Program:
- 2,344 flood insurance claims have been filed. An estimated $21.4 million has been paid in claims.
U.S. Small Business Administration:
- More than $10.2 million has been approved in low-interest disaster loans for 267 homeowners, renters and businesses.
Public Assistance:
- Escambia County was approved for assistance to local governments and private nonprofits for debris removal, emergency protective measures and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged public facilities on Sept. 23.
- 12 requests for Public Assistance have been received, and 11 have been approved.
Mobile Registration Intake Centers:
- A Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC) is staffed with FEMA personnel who can assist Hurricane Sally survivors with registration and answer questions about disaster-assistance programs. Centers in Escambia County are open daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at the following locations:
- Marie Young Wedgewood Community Center, 6405 Wagner Rd., Pensacola, FL 32505
- Lexington Terrace Community Center, 700 S. Old Corry Rd., Pensacola, FL 32507
- Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway, Pensacola, FL 32526
NorthEscambia.com photo.
DeSantis Eases Nursing Home Visitation Rules
October 23, 2020
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday further relaxed restrictions on nursing home and long-term care facility visitations.
“What we’re trying to do on this is really empower the residents, the families and the facilities to be able to make good decisions,” DeSantis said during a new conference in Fort Myers.
The new order allows minors to visit with family members and allows visitations outdoors regardless of any positive cases in the facility.
“We just don’t have very many cases that get linked to outdoor activity,” DeSantis said. “I’m not saying it can’t happen — obviously it could happen under the right circumstances — but being outdoors has been something that’s been very positive, and particularly as the weather starts to get better in Florida and gets a little cooler, I think we’re in a position where that’s going to be very, very viable.”
The order also eliminated the five-person maximum number of general visitors and clarifies that there are no social distancing requirements for compassionate caregivers.
Pictured: Century Health and Rehabilitation Center, which reported nine total residents deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Garcon Point Toll Suspension Extended; FDOT Advancing Pensacola Bay Bridge Repairs
October 23, 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis has extended the toll suspension on the Garcon Point Bridge for another three weeks, and the Florida Department of Transportation said they are moving forward toward actual repair of the Pensacola Bay Bridge.
Tolls on the Garcon Point Bridge are now suspended until 6 a.m. on Friday, November 13. The Garcon Point Bridge is the shortest detour route round the closed Pensacola Bay Bridge, which was struck by multiple Skanska barges during Hurricane Sally.
Skansak said late Thursday that three of the four barges left under the Pensacola Bay Bridge have now been “retrieved”.
“Each barge represents a unique and technically complex recovery operation that we are managing carefully with our partners to mitigate further physical or environmental damage,” Skanska said in an email to NorthEscambia.com.
As demolition efforts progress on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, FDOT is advancing material fabrication in preparation for reconstruction efforts to begin.
Multiple concrete piles, the vertical support structure that’s used to hold up the bridge; piers, the raised structure that sits in a body of water to support the bridge; and beams, the linear structural member designed to span from one support to another will be required to repair the Pensacola Bay Bridge. To date:
- Fifty-one concrete piles are on-hand at the precast yard.
- Thirty-six prestressed beams have been cast.
- Thirty-three concrete piles have been ordered from another facility in Tampa to facilitate the expedited schedule.
- Additional beams will be cast based on the final analysis of some of the damaged areas.
- Replacement piers will begin casting by mid-November 2020.
FDOT has mobilized three bridge contractors on site to expedite demolition and design including:
- Debris from two spans has been cleared along with the complete removal of one damaged span of the bridge as crews continue to carefully remove damaged portions from additional spans to minimize impacts to the existing structure. One barge remains under the bridge. To date, 17 of the 27 barges have been removed from the area.
- Design is underway for the permanent repairs and reestablishment of four lanes of traffic on the bridge with a focus on substructure repairs which includes the piers. Modified pier design has been reviewed and approved by FDOT, which uses six new piles instead of four piles in the existing footing.
FDOT has been continuously working to improve the traffic flow along the Pensacola Bay Bridge detour routes. The following efforts have reduced the average commute time by 25 percent:
- Installed a new temporary traffic signal at the I-10 westbound ramps at State Road (S.R.) 281
- Delineators have been installed to provide a free flow southbound movement from the I-10 eastbound ramp onto southbound S.R. 281
- Additional temporary traffic cameras have been installed that have significantly improved travel time.
- The Road Ranger service that was previously on the Pensacola Bay Bridge has been relocated to the Garcon Point Bridge to help with minor incidents and to keep traffic flowing as much as possible.
- FDOT has received approval from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to temporarily widen 2,000 feet of northbound and southbound S.R. 281 south of the I-10 interchange an widen the eastbound I-10 off ramp at eastbound S.R. 281 off ramp to two lanes.
To reinforce FDOT Secretary Kevin J. Thibault’s, P.E. expectation of complete transparency and community assistance, FDOT’s outreach team has met with stakeholder groups, state and local officials, civic organizations and local business owners to discuss the bridge reconstruction as well as other actions that are being considered to efficiently restore regional connectivity. FDOT will continue to meet with multiple stakeholder groups throughout the course of the project.
FDOT continues to develop and improve alternative transportation solutions to move people and goods safely and efficiently through the region while the Pensacola Bay Bridge is being repaired. Examples include:
- Exploring all funding avenues available to implement a ferry service between Gulf Breeze and Pensacola.
- Funding Escambia County Area Transit’s (ECAT) temporary bus route to help transport passengers between the Pensacola Bay Center Park in Escambia County and the Tiger Point Community Center City in Gulf Breeze.
- Working with ECAT to modify the original route to include stops at the ECAT Transfer Center in Pensacola, the Palm Beach Club and Pensacola Beach Boardwalk in Pensacola Beach, and Gulf Breeze Hospital.
- Gathering information such as potential ridership, times of operation, and duration of service as well as reviewing existing facilities that would be necessary for the safe operation of a ferry or additional bus routes.
The Pensacola Bay Bridge has a targeted re-opening date of early March 2021. Once repairs are complete, all four lanes will be open with no load restrictions and at the same condition as expected for new construction. As each repair method is developed, FDOT will be conducting reviews to ensure the contractor is hitting all milestones in the established schedule.
Saturday Is Deadline To Request Vote By Mail Ballot; Return By Mail Or At One Of 10 Ballot Boxes
October 23, 2020
Supervisor of Elections David H. Stafford is reminding voters who wish to be mailed a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 3 General Election to request their ballot no later than Saturday, October 24.
Voters can make their request by using the online form at EscambiaVotes.gov or by contacting the Supervisor of Elections by mail, phone (850) 595-3900, e-mail (votebymail@escambiavotes.com), or fax (850) 595-3914. Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and address. Voters may track the status of their ballot by clicking Track My Ballot at EscambiaVotes.gov.
The U.S. Postal Service recommends voters mail ballots at least one week before the due date. Return postage has been paid for the 2020 general election. Completed vote-by-mail ballots must be received in the elections office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. Voters may also return their vote-by-mail ballot at the elections office or at any of the 10 area early voting locations drop boxes during early voting hours. Voters are still prohibited from returning their completed vote-by-mail ballot at an Election Day polling place.
After Saturday’s deadline, a voter may still pick up a vote-by-mail ballot in person from the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office through Monday, November 2.
Ten early voting locations are open in Escambia County each day from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. through Saturday, October 31. The locations are:
- Billy G. Ward Courthouse, 7500 N Century Blvd, Century
- Molino Community Center, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Mobile Hwy/Pine Forest Rd Early Voting Center, 6675 Pine Forest Rd, Suite 11
- UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, University Parkway
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 B, 9th Avenue
- Main Library, 239 Spring Street
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
COVID-19 Cases In Escambia Schools: FDOH, School District Report Very Different Numbers
October 22, 2020
An Escambia County School District report shows over three times as many COVID-19 positive students, teachers and staff members than indicated by a report from the Florida Department of Health.
For the weekly period ending October 17, the Florida Department reported five COVID-19 positive cases at schools in the Escambia County School District.
According to the state report, there was one positive COVID-19 student at Bellview Middle School and one teacher each at Oakcrest Elementary and Washington High School. An “unknown” role COVID-19 case was reported at both West Florida High School and Cordova Park Elementary.
But according to an Escambia County School District reported obtained by NorthEscambia.com, there were 17 positive cases in the Escambia County School District on Friday, October 16. There were 11 positive students and six positive staff members, the report states. The district report says the 17 had a positive COVID-19 test confirmed by the Florida Department of Health or other lab test result.
The ECSD report does not specify which schools had the positive cases.
The school district also reported 301 students were excluded from school on October 16. Those are students identified by contract tracing as having potential contact with a known case, whether it be at school, among family or in the community. There were 23 staff member excluded from work for the same reason.
The FDOH report also shows one positive student the week ending October 17 at Aletheia Christian School in Escambia County, which is not a public school in the Escambia County School District.
Escambia Voters Receive Threatening Emails; Federals Officials Say The Emails Are Spoofed
October 22, 2020
Several Escambia County voters have received a threatening email, according to the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office.
“We are aware of an email threatening Florida voters, including some in Escambia County. We have been working with federal, state and local law enforcement on the matter. Voter intimidation is both a federal and state crime,” the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections said on Twitter.
“You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you,” stated the threatening emails that have been received be registered Democrats across Florida and Alaska. “Change your party affiliation to Republican to let us know you received our message and will comply. We will know which candidate you voted for. I would take this seriously if I were you.”
The email falsely appeared to come from a now defunct website affiliated with the far-right Proud Boys. The emails address the recipient by name and conclude with the voter’s postal mail address — all information that in Florida is public record and freely available.
Wednesday night, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said Iran and Russia are working to influence the 2020 elections and have obtained voter registration information.
“This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to communicate false information to registered voters that they hope will cause confusion, sow chaos, and undermine your confidence in American democracy,” he said. ”To that end, we have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest, and damage President Trump. You may have seen some reporting on this in the last 24 hours or you may have even been one of the recipients of those emails.”
Any voter that receives threatening emails can contact local law enforcement and forward the email to SOE@EscambiaVotes.com.
The Century Council Voted In February To Replace Bridge Near Collapse. Nothing Has Been Done.
October 22, 2020
A Century town council member is questioning the repair status of a local bridge that was closed over eight months ago after it was discovered to be near the point of collapse.
On January 29, the town suddenly closed the bridge on Freedom Road, just east of Jefferson Avenue. Photos obtained by NorthEscambia.com a few days later showed the dangerous conditions that led to the emergency closure.
Several pilings under the wooden bridge were no longer properly supporting the structure, and some of the pilings were split or have extreme deterioration.
At this week’s town council meeting, council member James Smith questioned why nothing has been done to repair the bridge. The closure has turned Freedom Road into a cul-de-sac with one way in and one way out for residents, including the Camellia Gardens apartment complex.
Interim City Manager Vernon Prather said the town had received no complaints from area residents.
In early February, the Century Town Council voted to move forward with replacing the bridge. Town staff was to determine how to pay the estimated $300,000 price tag. The council voted for the replacement over an estimated $75,000 to $100,000 for repairs that might last a decade, according to Interim City Manager Vernon Prather.
A final determination of a funding option was to come at un upcoming meeting. As of October, that never happened.
In January Mott McDonald engineers conducted a limited inspection of the bridge and found the following problems:
- A backwall has deflected toward the water, pushing piles toward the water and causing them to rotate, split and no longer bear weight.
- One bridge piling has a split at the top of the pile, but it is providing some support.
- A second pile has been pushed completely out and no longer supports the bridge.
- A third pile has split, and only half the pile is providing support.
- A fourth pile has deterioration with only a three-inch diameter section remaining about six feet below the bridge. The outer pile section has broken.
- There is soil loss behind a backwall.
- There is a large void underneath the roadway on the east side the bridge
“We cannot predict when the…backwall lateral loads will complete fail…causing the bridge the collapse,” engineer Bart Hendricks wrote in his report. “We also cannot predict when the roadway over the void on the southeast corner will collapse”
The age of the bridge was not provided to the engineer, but he determined the timber pilings may be at or beyond the typical life of 30 years. “A better long-term financial decision may be to replace this structure rather than perform repairs,” Hendricks wrote.
Mott McDonald engineers also recommended that the town perform bridge inspections for all bridges that are not inspected by the Florida Department of Transportation. Those inspections are required every two years for longer bridges by the Federal Highway Administration. The town has not moved forward with the inspections.
Photos/graphics for and by NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
