In A Week, Escambia County, Alabama, COVID-19 Cases Up 27%, Fatalities Up 50%
July 16, 2020
The number of COVID-19 cases in Escambia County, Alabama, are continuing to grow an increasingly rapid pace.
As of Wednesday night, there were 562 confirmed cases in the county, up over 27% from 441 a week ago. There also four more deaths reported in the county Wednesday, increasing the number of confirmed coronavirus deaths by 50% to 12.
In the past two weeks, 270 of 1,444 tests have been positive, a rate of nearly 19%, compared to 12% statewide.
The latest data from the Escambia County Healthcare Authority shows 253 of the positive tests were from Atmore Community Hospital, and 60 were from D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton.
Cantonment Improvement Distributed Food To 330 This Week; Next Week It’s A 10,000 Pound Giveaway
July 16, 2020
Despite the pouring rain, the Cantonment Improvement Committee distributed 330 bags and boxes of food to people in need this week, up from 247 bags the previous week.
And next week, they are planning an every larger food distribution.
The CIC will hold a food distribution on Tuesday, July 21 at Carver Park, 208 Webb Street. There will be 10,000 pounds of food distributed, including meats, fresh fruits, vegetables and more.
The food distribution will begin at 3 p.m. and continue while supplies last for anyone in need of food. Line up on Webb Street facing north.
Driver Crashes Into FHP Trooper’s Vehicle On I-110
July 16, 2020
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper received minor injuries when a vehicle crashed into his patrol unit in Escambia County.
Trooper said a car occupied by two 18-year old Baldwin County women lost control in a curve of an I-110 ramp to I-10. Their vehicle began to rotate and struck the trooper’s marked vehicle parked on the north shoulder of the ramp. The force of the collision pushed the FHP vehicle off the road into multiple trees.
The trooper along with the driver and passenger of the other vehicle were transported a local hospital with minor injuries.
File photo.
ECAT Receives $10.1 Million CARES Act Federal Grant
July 16, 2020
ECAT has been awarded a grant of $10.1 million through CARES Act federal funding for operational and preventative maintenance expenses during COVID-19 for local transit services.
The funds will also pay for PPE, sanitation supplies, and other COVID prevention measure implemented since March. Escambia County Area Transit ECAT provides service through the fixed-route bus, seasonal Pensacola Beach trolley, University of West Florida UWF on-campus trolley and paratransit demand response transportation.
“We are very excited to receive this funding to better serve this community,” Escambia County Mass Transit Director Tonya Ellis said. “Our priority remains the safety and health of our employees and passengers, especially during this pandemic.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration announced a total of $25 billion in federal funding allocations to help the nation’s public transportation systems respond to the Coronavirus Disease 2019. Funding is provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, signed by President Donald Trump on March 27.
Funding will be provided at a 100 percent federal share, with no local match required, and will be available to support capital, operating, and other expenses generally eligible under those programs to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.
Since April 6, ECAT has supported the county’s efforts to address the COVID-19 virus and has temporarily suspended fare collection for passengers of ECAT bus services. In addition, bus passengers have been instructed to enter and exit through the rear doors only and sit behind the accessibility-reserved seating area. Front-door access is permitted only for passengers needing the boarding ramp or operator assistance to access the bus. ADA accessible seating space near the front of the bus is reserved for individuals in mobility devices, individuals in need of special assistance and families with children in strollers. These changes provide some separation between the operator and the passengers, and between passengers.
Century Cancels First Budget Workshop To Allow For A Little More Advance Planning
July 16, 2020
The Town of Century has canceled their first budget workshop planned for next week.
The workshop scheduled for July 23 won’t be held. Instead, according to Town Clerk Kim Godwin, the town’s accountant will be providing current financial information to each department head this week to allow each to better plan.
Additional budget workshops are planned for July 30 and August 6 at 2 p.m., plus there is a tentative meeting on the calendar for August 13 only if needed.
The town’s fiscal year 2020-2021 budget will go into effect on October 1.
Statewide Mask Order Takes Effect Thursday In Alabama
July 15, 2020
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has announced a statewide mask order.
Ivey’s order takes effect at 5 p.m. Thursday and requires people to wear a mask in public “when interacting within six feet” of people from different households.
The Alabama health order mandates masks must be worn in the following places:
- an indoor space open to the public
- a vehicle operated by a transportation service
- an outdoor space where 10 or more people are gathered.
The orders continues through at least July 31. That’s when Ivey’s current amended Safer at Home order is set to expire.
Ivey said the penalty for violating the order can be a $500 fine or jail time,. But she said the ultimate goal is for people to use masks, not for law enforcement to search for violations.
The governor’s office provided the following frequently asked questions:
1. When do I have to wear a mask?
You have to wear a mask when you are in public and in close contact with other people. Specifically, the order says to wear a mask when you are within six feet of a person from another household in any of the following places: (a) an indoor space open to the public; (b) a vehicle operated by a transportation service; and (c) an outdoor public space where ten or more people are gathered.
2. Do young children have to wear a mask? What about people who are exercising? In other words, are there any exceptions to the mask-wearing requirement?
There are five categories of exceptions. The largest category, exceptions for “practical necessity,” covers people or situations where mask use is incompatible with the realities of life—for example, children six or younger, people with certain medical conditions or disabilities, eating and drinking, medical and dental procedures, and so on. There are also categories of exceptions for exercise, for communicating with an audience, and for certain essential job functions. An additional category carves out narrow exceptions for protected activities like voting and religious worship— but even then, wearing a mask is strongly encouraged.
3. What kind of face mask is required?
The requirement allows all kinds of masks to be used—whether store-bought, homemade, or improvised from household items like scarves, bandanas, or t-shirts. The key is for the mask to cover your nostrils and mouth. For instructions on how to make your own mask, see the CDC’s “How to Make Cloth Face Coverings” page.
4. I live in a city or county that already has a local mask order. Am I supposed to follow my local order or this new statewide order?
Follow this new statewide order. While this order is in effect, it will replace all local mask rules to provide a uniform, statewide rule.
5. I am a business owner. What does this order mean for my business?
The order requires businesses to take reasonable steps, where practicable, to encourage mask use by employees and customers. One example of a reasonable step might be to post signs encouraging customers and patrons to wear a mask. Although a business is not required to deny entry to people who are mask-less, they always retain the right to do so—and doing so would certainly be a reasonable step to encourage mask use.
6. How long will the new mask requirement be in effect?
The new mask requirement goes into effect Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. It is currently set to expire on July 31, 2020.
Pensacola City Council Votes To Remove Confederate Monument, Rename Lee Square
July 15, 2020
The Pensacola City Council voted Tuesday night to remove the Confederate monument from downtown Pensacola and change the name of Lee Square.
The council voted 6-1, with Councilman Andy Terhaar against, to relocate the monument. Terhaar instead wanted to make it more inclusive. The council also voted 7-0 to revert the name Lee Square back to its original name of Florida Square. Old maps show Florida Square was the original name of the parcel on North Palafox Street one block south of East Cervantes.
The monument won’t be coming down immediately; it will take the city some time to find a contractor to remove it to another location yet to be finalized. St. John’s Cemetery, which has numerous Confederate graves, is currently under consideration.
Tuesday night’s special council meeting went on for about five hours, with most of that time dedicated to public comment from both sides of the monument issue.
The Confederate monument at Lee Square will remain fenced off until it is removed; the area is now considered a construction zone.
Pictured: Pensacola City Council President Jewel Cannada-Wynn (top) and Mayor Grover Robinson (below) at a special meeting of the council Tuesday night. Pictured second below: Councilman P.C. Wu participated by video, as did Sherri Myers. Pictured bottom: The public was not allowed to attend the meeting in person, only remotely.
A Bottle Of Stolen ‘99 Peach’, A Knife And Cocaine Land Man In Jail
July 15, 2020
A local man is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing a bottle of “99 Peach” from a Century liquor store.
Aaron Keith Baxter, 33, was charged with retail theft, felony possession of cocaine and carrying a concealed weapon. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $1,500.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Fusion liquor store at 9515 North Century Boulevard. The clerk showed deputies surveillance video recorded as Baxter took a $14.99 bottle of “99 Peach” from the shelf, placed it down his shorts, and walked out.
Deputies located Baxter and his red Dodge Neon parked at the Southern Pit Stop store on North Century Boulevard, south of the liquor store. According to an arrest report, Baxter was standing at the driver’s door of the vehicle in the same clothes he was wearing at the liquor store and a bottle of 99 Peach was in plain view. He was placed under arrest for retail theft.
As Baxter was searched, deputies located a zippered case containing a bag of cocaine in his front pants pocket and a 6-inch throwing knife in his back pocket, according to an arrest report. A meat cleaver was also located under the driver’s seat within easy reach, the report states.
Flomaton Police Seek Man That Stole Fan From Local Laundry
July 15, 2020
The Flomaton Police Department is asking for the public’s help to find a man that stolen a fan from a local business.
The man appeared to be wearing jeans, a camouflage shirt, a white hat and a dark-color face covering as he walked out of laundry with the barrel fan.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Flomaton Police Department at (251) 296-5811 and ask for Chief Thompson.
Florida Sexual Predator Charged With Sex Crime Against Atmore Teen
July 15, 2020
A convicted Florida sexual predator has been charged with a sex crime against a minor in Atmore.
Ernest Powell III, age 40, is charged with transmitting obscene material to a child by computer. He remained in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton bond set at a half million dollars.
According to the Atmore Police Department, the parents of a 15-year old girl reported Powell showed the girl sexaully explicit photos from a cellphone while she was working at a local business.
Powell was convicted in 2002 of sexual battery with a weapon or force in Escambia County. He was released from a Florida prison in April 2018 after serving a 20 year sentence and required to register as a sexual predator.
Editor’s note: The “Inmate” watermark on the picture was placed by Escambia County (AL) Detention Center’s system.