Highway 4 Resurfacing Project Officially Complete From Escambia River To Market Road
August 8, 2020
A $4.3 million Highway 4 resurfacing project is now officially complete, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The projects spanned from the Escambia River Bridge to Market Road (Highway 87A) about 3.5 miles east of Jay. The project included milling and resurfacing the roadway, pedestrian safety improvements, guardrail upgrades at the Escambia River bridge, expansion joint replacement on the West Coldwater Creek bridge, and the replacement of the waterline from east of State Street to Magnolia Street in Jay.
Atmore Chamber Makes Supply Donations To Area Schools
August 8, 2020
The Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce is making school supply donations to schools across the area, including Northview High School (pictured top) and Flomaton Elementary School (pictured below). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP Looking For Nissan Xterra That Struck And Killed Pedestrian
August 7, 2020
The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for the driver that hit and killed a pedestrian on North W Street Thursday night.
The pedestrian walked into the path of the vehicle about 10:40 pm. near the Hardy Street intersection, according to the FHP. The front of the vehicle hit 66-year old man from Tuscon, Arizona, causing him to travel onto the hood of the vehicle before rolling off.
The vehicle fled the scene. It is described as a dark blue 2000-2001 Nissan Xterra with damage to the front headlight, hood and passenger side mirror.
Anyone with with information is asked to call Corporal E. Diaz or Trooper C. Knowles at *FHP (*347) or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
File photo.
Half Of Escambia County’s CARES Act Millions Will Go To Families, Businesses; Here’s The Full Breakdown.
August 7, 2020
The Escambia County Commission approved a roadmap to distribute $57 million in federal CARES Act funding, with half of the funds going to assist families and smaller businesses.
So far, the county has received about $14 million of an anticipated $57 million total that it must use by December 31.
One-fourth of money will go to help families and households with expenses, if they were employed on March 1 and had a loss or reduction in work hours due to COVID-19. Families with annual incomes less than $75,000 will receive $1,000 to $2,000.
One-fourth of the money will go to assist businesses with 0 to 50 employees with a loss of business income due to COVID-19, if they did not already receive over $10,000 in Paycheck Protection Program funds. The grants will be up to $10,000.
The other half of the funds will be split between a rapid COVID-19 testing program, food assistance and relief, childcare, homelessness, public health and safety and general government. The City of Pensacola and the Town of Century will be able to request part of the government allocation, subject to commission approval. (The full breakdown is below.)
The programs will be implemented between August 10 and August 30 — that’s when application information will be released for the personal and business programs.
The commission also voted to hire consulting company Blue Sky Emergency Management for $24,560 to help them navigate the complicated CARES Act requirements to ensure the county receives the full amount available.
25% – Escambia County Resident, Family CARES Grant (Initial allocation: $3,580,331)
- Family expense needs
- Applicant must be Escambia County Resident
- Applicant must be employed on March 1, 2020
- Applicant must have had a loss of employment or reduction in work hours due to COVID-19 after March 1, 2020.
- Applicant Annual Income less than $75,000
- $1,000 to $2,000 per family/household
25% – Escambia County Business Assistance Grant (Initial allocation: $3,580,331)
- Business Relief Grants – 0 to 50 employees
- Business loss Income due to COVID-19 after 3/1/20
- Business did not receive more than $10K in PPP
- Grants up to $10,000
15% – Escambia County Rapid Testing Program (Initial allocation: $2,148,199)
- Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital
- Testing for non-symptomatic residents
- Testing for residents with no insurance
- 30,000 tests thru 12/30/2020
- Community Health – ID Now Rapid Test Kits
Escambia Serves – Food Assistance & Relief Program, Childcare, Workforce Development Grants and Homelessness (Initial: $1,432,132)
- Food Delivery through non-profit partners and churches
- First Responder Childcare to help offset childcare expenses until December 2020
- Support COVID Impacted Training Students through Escarosa March to December 2020
- Community and Rural Broadband Connectivity
- Homelessness
10%- Escambia County Public Health and Safety (Initial Allocation: $1,432,132)
- EMS Transport
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medical supplies for public health and safety workers
- Disinfecting of public areas and facilities
- First Responder Personnel expenses
- Enhanced jail sanitizing, disinfecting and safety protocols
- Future COVID-19 mitigation: Incident Action Plan, reserve PPE, temporary medical facilities and hospital surge capacity
General Government – County, Municipalities & Constitutionals (Initial Allocation: $1,432,132)
- Public Messaging: Design, translation and promotion of COVID-19 messaging for diverse communities
- Facility Safety – preparing public buildings to serve customers, enhanced sanitizing, disinfecting and safety protocols
- Establishment of permanent telework programs Electronic/Digital Technology for Public Business including equipment
- Permanent safety improvements, reconfigurations, barriers, temperature scanners, hand sanitizing machines, modification to air handling system and environmental health
- Mandatory Risk Assessment of reimbursement
Replenishment Account (Initial Allocation: $716,066)
- To be utilized for future expenses
Escambia County Does Not Pass Mask Mandate, Instead Approves Resolution Encouraging Face Coverings
August 7, 2020
Thursday night the Escambia County Commission passed a resolution strongly encouraging the use of masks, but stopped short of passing a mandate with enforcement penalties.
The motion by Commissioner Robert Bender also included that residents are urged to follow CDC guidelines such as social distancing and hand washing. The motion passed on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Lumon May voting against.
Earlier in the meeting, May made a motion for a mandatory mask ordinance mirroring that of the City of Pensacola failed due to the lack of a second.
Bender seconded May’s motion for discussion purposes, but withdrew his motion over the issue of enforcement, a concern echoed by other commissioners.
“We are not going to send somebody to jail,” Bender said.
“Tonight, I have to be concerned as a personal choice and a personal decision that if history records Lumon May, history records that I did every single thing,” May said. “And it may not work. It may not mitigate it, but it will not be written that I didn’t do every single thing that I could do.”
Pictured: The Escambia County Commission meeting Thursday night. NorthEscambia.com image, click to enlarge.
NOAA Predicting ‘Extremely Active’ Hurricane Season In Updated Forecast
August 7, 2020
Atmospheric and oceanic conditions are primed to fuel storm development in the Atlantic, leading to what could be an “extremely active” season, according to forecasters with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service.
Thursday, the agency released its annual August update to the Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, initially issued in May.
The updated outlook calls for 19-25 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which 7-11 will become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater), including 3-6 major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater). This update covers the entire six-month hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30, and includes the nine named storms to date.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has been off to a rapid pace with a record-setting nine named storms so far and has the potential to be one of the busiest on record. Historically, only two named storms form on average by early August, and the ninth named storm typically does not form until October 4. An average season produces 12 named storms, including six hurricanes of which three become major hurricanes (Category 3, 4, or 5).
“This is one of the most active seasonal forecasts that NOAA has produced in its 22-year history of hurricane outlooks. NOAA will continue to provide the best possible science and service to communities across the Nation for the remainder of hurricane season to ensure public readiness and safety,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “We encourage all Americans to do their part by getting prepared, remaining vigilant, and being ready to take action when necessary.”
Amos The Labradoodle Helping Pensacola Sailors Cope During Pandemic
August 7, 2020
With COVID-19 still affecting the world, Sailors have been more restricted in an effort to maintain control of the virus and keep Sailors safe. With new accession students attached to Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station, that has meant less socializing, with restrictions to fitness, spiritual services and liberty onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida.
However, there are still ways that Sailors can receive in-person counseling with a chaplain. In these unique times of anxiety, loneliness and stress, the chaplains at Corry Station have incorporated a therapy dog in training to help the student population.
Animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic intervention that incorporates animals, such as horses, dogs, cats, pigs, and birds, into the treatment plan. It is used to enhance and complement the benefits of traditional therapy. The chaplains’ therapy dog is a Labradoodle named Amos.
While under these restrictions, it is more likely for Sailors to become more reclusive and suffer from things such as loneliness, depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts. Studies have shown that social interaction, and counseling is a good way to combat these things, offered U.S. Navy Chaplain Cmdr. John Ismach-Eastman.
“I think with everything going on, with all the services and other ways to cope with stress limited due to COVID-19; Amos is a wonderful option for healing,” said Ismach-Eastman. “Although we offer in-person counseling, there is a major trend for most counseling to be virtual. While that option can certainly help, it only helps to an extent, especially since we were designed as social beings. The chaplains know all too well that touching screens more than hearts plays a detrimental toll on our mental and spiritual health. Amos meanwhile can offer something we can’t–namely a physical touch, a hug and the love and affection therapy dogs are known for.”
For some students onboard Corry Station, Amos has already contributed to their well-being. Information Systems Technician Seaman Apprentice Kyara West is one of those Sailors.
“It was nice and helpful being with Amos,” said West. “I have a lot of anxiety talking to people, especially people I don’t know that well. It was definitely calming to be with him while I was in the chapel; just being able to pet Amos and have him around helps me focus. The dog is so loving and being able to feel that helps me be more comfortable.”
No doubt, aside from being an alternative form of therapy, Amos does indeed provide a much needed social interaction benefit. Sailors and other military members can see him and interact with him, having a companion to be around them which is a limited availability among COVID-19 safety procedures. Amos also helps these Sailors in training, and he is learning to pick up on saddened or depressed service members while providing them with the companionship they may need.
West, having a background with dogs already, said that animals have always been a good stress relief for her, and military members can benefit greatly from the use of therapy animals. She hopes that Amos being onboard Corry Station leads to more opportunities to utilize him and that it leads to more awareness of getting help for service members.
“I think therapy animals are something Sailors and other military members would greatly benefit from being around,” added West. “Animals in general are already great, but having these animals that are specifically trained to notice when someone is down, or might just need some extra love, is super helpful. Maybe what we’re doing here will lead to more things, like forming a club, or getting other bases to start doing the same thing.”
Amos is available by appointment, and service members do not have to be referred. Contact the Chapel at (850) 452-6376 for counseling or a therapy session with Amos.
IWTC Corry Station is a part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT). With four schoolhouse commands, a detachment, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains over 20,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.
Pictured: Sailors attending courses at Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station Pensacola, Pensacola, Florida, pet Amos, the in-training therapy dog, during a visit. Photo By Seaman Neo Greene for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Forms Task Force To Explore ‘Safe And Limited’ Reopening Of Long-term Care Facilities
August 7, 2020
Floridians have been unable to visit their relatives in long-term care facilities for months, but Gov. Ron DeSantis said it’s time for that to change.
Thursday, the governor announced the formation of Florida’s Task Force on the Safe and Limited Re-Opening of Long-Term Care Facilities. Members of the task force will work together to develop guidelines on how to safely allow family members to visit their loved ones in Florida’s long-term care facilities where visitation has been prohibited since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The last four and a half months have been difficult for all Floridians, especially our residents in long-term care facilities and their families,” said DeSantis. “In an effort to protect our most vulnerable, we made the difficult decision in March to prohibit visitation to these facilities. While these measures were necessary, it has taken an emotional toll on our families. I look forward to the ideas that arise from this task force on how we can continue our mission to protect the vulnerable while allowing for the much-needed human connection of spending time with family and friends.”
Members of the Task Force on the Safe and Limited Re-Opening of Long-Term Care Facilities are below:
- Mary Daniel, Caregiver
- Mary Mayhew, Secretary, Agency for Health Care Administration
- Richard Prudom, Secretary, Florida Department of Elder Affairs
- Dr. Scott Rivkees, State Surgeon General, Florida Department of Health
- Gail Matillo, President and CEO, Florida Senior Living Association
- Emmett Reed, Executive Director, Florida Health Care Association
- Michelle Branham, Vice President of Public Policy, Alzheimer’s Association
Friday Rapid COVID-19 Testing Reaches Capacity In An Hour
August 7, 2020
The State of Florida’s rapid COVID-19 testing site at the Escambia County Equestrian Center closed after reaching capacity within about an hour Friday morning.
The walk-up test site was available on a first come, first serve basis with 200 tests available for Florida residents with or without symptoms. On Thursday, the mobile testing lab reached their maximum number of in about two hours.
The mobile rapid testing bus will move to Santa Rosa County this weekend. It will be at the Milton Community Center at 5629 Byrom Street in Milton from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday. Adults should bring a Florida identification.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County, Alabama, Tops 1,000 COVID-19 Cases
August 7, 2020
Escambia County, Alabama, has now topped 1,000 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, and one additional death was reported Thursday.
As of Thursday night, there were 1,044 confirmed positives in county, with 95 additional probable results. The number of deaths in Escambia County, Alabama, is now at 16.