Escambia’s Legislative Funding Wish List Includes Muscogee Road, Beulah Interchange, Pine Forest Road
November 21, 2018
The Escambia County Commission has prioritized their requests to be submitted to the Florida Legislature for possible funding.
The commission prioritized four requests, in no particular order:
- Muscogee Road Widening and Drainage Project
- Beulah / I‐10 Interchange / US 29 Connector Project
- Pine Forest Road 4‐Laning (I‐10 to Nine Mile Road)
- West Cervantes Street / Mobile Highway Corridor Safety Improvements
Four additional requests will also be submitted:
- Estuary Program – Pensacola/Perdido, Choctawhatchee, and St. Andrew’s
- Bob Sikes Fishing Pier Rehabilitation & Pensacola Beach Blvd. Access Road Project
- Klondike Road / Wilde Lake Blvd. Widening Project
- Funding through Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) towards Pedestrian/Bicycle Projects
Each year, the Legislature requests that local agencies submit House and Senate appropriation requests for their consideration. They are typically looking for three requests from each local agency. The Legislature prefers to fund construction projects, although, in the past, design projects have also been funded.
New Escambia County Commissioners Take Oath Of Office
November 21, 2018
A new Escambia County Commissioner took the oath of office Tuesday, as another returned for a second term.
Robert Bender was sworn in as the new commissioner from District 4. He takes the seat that was held by Grover Robinson who was elected mayor of Pensacola.
Doug Underhill was sworn in for his second term as the District 2 commissioner.
District 3 Commissioner Luman May was named chairman, and Bender was named vice chairman.
Pictured: Oaths of office for commissioners Robert Bender (above) and Douglas Underhill (below). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New School Board Members Take Office
November 21, 2018
Two new member and one re-elected member took the oath of office Tuesday for the Escambia County School Board.
District Two’s new school board member is Paul Fetsko, and District Three’s new school board member is Laura Dortch Edler. District One’s school board member Kevin Adams was re-elected
Pictured top: Escambia County School Board members Bill Slayton, Patty Hightower, Laura Dortch Edler, Paul Fetsko and Kevin Adams; School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. Pictured below: The oath of office taken by (descending order) Paul Fetsko, Laura Dortch Elder and Kevin Adams. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Farm City Week Thanksgiving Meals Distributed To 800 Families
November 21, 2018
About 800 Thanksgiving meals were distributed to Escambia and Santa Rosa County residents Tuesday as part of Farm City Week.
The meals were distributed to pre-registered applicants at the Waterfront Rescue Missing in Pensacola and the Guy Thompson Community Center in Milton.
Students from Tate High School, Northview High School, Jay High School, Central School, Beulah Middle School, Barrineau Park 4-H and the Boy Scout worked to harvest fresh items for the meals Monday [click here for story]. They harvested produce including greens, sorted sweet potatoes and bagged freshly ground corn meal and grits.
The produce was paired with a ham or chicken and all of the fixings for a Thanksgiving meal from Feeding the Gulf Coast.
National Farm to City Week is a national effort to bring about a better understanding between rural and urban people by increasing knowledge and appreciation for agriculture.
Pictured: Thanksgiving meal distribution Tuesday at the Waterfront Rescue Mission. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Winner Claims $88K Prize For Nine Mile Road Lottery Ticket
November 21, 2018
We now know who purchased a winning Fantasy Five ticket on Nine Mile Road last week.
The Florida Lottery says the November 11 ticket worth $88,562.50 was sold to Lenard Lewis, Sr. of Mobile who purchased the “quick pick” ticket at the Tom Thumb at the corner of Nine Mile Road and Beulah Road. A second winning ticket was sold in Trenton.
The 345 tickets matching four numbers won $82.50 each. Another 8,955 tickets matching three numbers are worth $8.50 each, and 79,949 ticket holders won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
The winning Fantasy 5 numbers were 6-9-13-19-29.
Farm Bureau Survey: Thanksgiving Dinner Price Down Slightly This Year
November 21, 2018
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 33rd annual survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $48.90, or less than $5.00 per person. This is a 22-cent decrease from last year’s average of $49.12.
“Since 2015, the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner has declined steadily and is now at the lowest level since 2010,” said AFBF Chief Economist Dr. John Newton.
The featured food on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – cost slightly less than last year, coming in at $21.71 for a 16-pound bird. That’s roughly $1.36 per pound, down 3 percent from last year. The survey results show that retail turkey prices are the lowest since 2014.
“Thanks to an ample supply, turkey remains affordable for consumers, which helps keep the overall cost of the dinner reasonably priced as well,” Newton said.
The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.
Foods showing the largest decreases this year in addition to turkey were a gallon of milk, $2.92; a 3-pound bag of sweet potatoes, $3.39; a 1-pound bag of green peas, $1.47; and a dozen rolls, $2.25.
Several items saw modest price increases this year including cranberries, pumpkin pie mix and stuffing. A 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries was $2.65; a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix was $3.33; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing was $2.87; two nine-inch pie shells came in at $2.47 and a 1-pound veggie tray was $.75. A group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour) was also up slightly, to $3.01.
There was no change in price for a half-pint of whipping cream at $2.08.
The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.
Foods showing the largest decreases this year in addition to turkey were a gallon of milk, $2.92; a 3-pound bag of sweet potatoes, $3.39; a 1-pound bag of green peas, $1.47; and a dozen rolls, $2.25.
Several items saw modest price increases this year including cranberries, pumpkin pie mix and stuffing. A 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries was $2.65; a 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix was $3.33; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing was $2.87; two nine-inch pie shells came in at $2.47 and a 1-pound veggie tray was $.75. A group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour) was also up slightly, to $3.01.
There was no change in price for a half-pint of whipping cream at $2.08.
Volunteer shoppers checked prices at grocery stores in 37 states for this year’s survey. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals, such as spending $50 and receiving a free turkey. Shoppers with an eye for bargains in all areas of the country should be able to purchase individual menu items at prices comparable to the Farm Bureau survey averages.
Farm Bureau also surveyed the price of a traditional Thanksgiving meal available from popular food delivery services. This revealed that the convenience of food delivery does have a larger price tag. A 16-pound turkey was nearly 50 percent more expensive at nearly $2 per pound when purchased from a food delivery service. Nearly every individual item was more expensive compared to the Farm Bureau average and the total cost of the dinner was about 60 percent higher at about $8 per person.
Pedestrian Critical After Being Hit By Car On Highway 29
November 21, 2018
A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle Tuesday night on Highway 29 at W Street.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 60-year old Thomas James Budlove of Panama City failed to yield the right of way to a Chevrolet Malibu driven by 64-year old Doris Sell of Pensacola. Budlove crossed the road directly in the path of Sell’s vehicle.
Budlove was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition. Sell was not injured.
Sunny Skies Through Thanksgiving
November 21, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 61. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thanksgiving Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph after midnight.
Friday: Showers likely, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: Showers, mainly before midnight. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 56. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.
Cynthia Sanders
November 21, 2018
Cynthia Sanders, 71, of Cantonment, FL went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, November 16, 2018. Cynthia was born in Pensacola, FL on September 11, 1947, to the late Burvee Belvin Ward and Cynthia Vera Nelson Ward. She was a homemaker and had also worked as a preschool teacher.
Cynthia was a wonderful wife, mother and grandma. She loved to spend time with her family. Her favorite things to do was to go shopping, play bingo and have her nails done. She was a beautiful person inside and out. She could always light up a room with her loving heart and always make you smile.
Cynthia is preceded in death by her loving husband of 46 years Samuel “Sam” Sanders, Sr.; children, Daniel Strang Jr., and Kevin and William Sanders; parents; and brother, Belvin “Ray” Ward.
She is survived by her son, Samuel (Darlene) Sanders, Jr.; brother, Edward (Linda) Ward; grandchildren, Stacey (Daniel) Cain, Cammie (Nathan) Cutler, Devin Kight, Matthew and Emily; and great-grandchildren, Hunter, Gage, Kendall, Kelsey, Briliegh and Leland.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, November 21, 2018, at 11 a.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Reverend Chris Ziglar officiating.
Burial will follow in Bagdad Historical Cemetery in Bagdad, FL.
The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. prior to services.
Pallbearers will be Devin Kight, Nathan Cutler, Hunter Cain, Jamerson Nelson, Belvin Ray Ward, and Ronald Bumgarner.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.
Fire Breaks Out At West Frasier Sawmill
November 20, 2018
A fire broke out early Tuesday morning at the West Fraiser sawmill on Champion Drive in McDavid.
The 1:45 a.m. fire was contained to one area of the mill.
There was no immediate word of any injuries.
The McDavid, Molino and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded, along with Escambia EMS.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.