Barrineau Park Road Bridge Across Perdido River Closed Due To Flooding
February 12, 2018
The bridge on Barrineau Park Road across the Perdido River into Alabama is closed due to rising water. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Update: Missing, Endangered Cantonment Teen Found Safe
February 12, 2018
Update: A missing and endangered runaway teen has been located safe, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said late Monday night. Further details were not provided.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing Cantonment teen that may be in the company of an adult male.
Faith Gabrielle Smith, 14, was last seen on February 10 with 26-year old William Scott Robinson of Cantonment at the AMC 18 Theater on North W Street, the ECSO said Monday morning. They may be traveling to Texas and may be in a white 2017 Nissan Altima with Florida tag number HVQT94.
Smith is classified as a missing and endangered habitual runaway. She has auburn hair and hazel eyes. She has a medical condition and may be in need of medication.
Anyone with information on the location of Faith Gabrielle Smith or William Scott Robinson is asked to call 911.
Photos courtesy Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
All Clear After Reports Of Person With Gun At Tate High School
February 12, 2018
Tate High School was placed on lockdown this morning after reports of suspicious person possibly with a gun on campus. That lockdown was lifted about one hour later with nothing found.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a person walking near the school that possibly had a gun. The report was unconfirmed and deputies searched the campus and the area around the school.
Deputies cleared buildings room by room, with nothing found.
No one was taken into custody, and there were no injuries.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Injured When Car Rear Ends School Bus In Front Of School
February 12, 2018
[UPDATED 2 p.m.] Two people were injured when a vehicle rear-ended a school bus Monday morning in front of Northview High School.
The school bus with 12 students aboard was stopped to turn from eastbound Highway 4 into the main entrance of Northview High School when it was rear-ended by a 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo occupied by three Northview students.
The driver of the Monte Carlo, 18-year old Jakeldria Brown of Atmore, was ticketed for careless driving by the Florida Highway Patrol. The FHP report stated Brown “failed to stop safely behind the school bus striking the rear of the school bus.”
There were no injuries on the bus; Brown and one other occupant from the Monte Carlo were transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital with minor injuries.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge. Note that the vehicle was moved from the roadway prior to these photos.
Two Injured In Muscogee Road Crash
February 12, 2018
Two people were reported injured in a two-vehicle crash Monday morning on Muscogee Road near Taylor Street in Cantonment. The wreck is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Dining Sites Provide A Good Meal, And A Good Smile For Seniors
February 12, 2018
Century seniors leave the Council on Aging of West Florida’s dining site with more than a hot meal — they usually leave with a smile.
“The program provides them a hot meal that I serve,” said Deborah Williams, the Century site manager as she prepared plates of beef stew, rice and broccoli. “And I always give them a smile. People just need a smile sometimes.”
The senior dining site program is a neighborhood-based program offering nutritious meals, activities and socialization for seniors age 60 and older. Council on Aging operates nearly 20 dining sites in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties including sites in Cantonment, Century, Jay and Chumuckla.
The Century senior dining site on Industrial Boulevard current serves about 10 clients Williams said, but there’s room for about 40. Attendance has dwindled for the Century program, she said, due to a lack of adequate transportation in Century.
A donation of $2 or more per person is recommended, but it is not mandatory. Donations are returned to the senior dining site program to support the provision of meals and activities at the sites.
Along with the sites often offer fun and mentally-stimulating activities. Common activities include puzzles, word games, field trips, guest speakers and bingo.
“I take them on field trips sometimes,” Williams said. “We’ll go to the Golden Corral, go by the doctor’s office or go shopping. It just does them good to get out.”
“It keeps them smiling.”
Individuals interested in participating in the senior dining site program or getting loved ones involved, should call Council on Aging of West Florida at (850) 432-1475 or visit www.coawfla.org for more information.
Pictured top: Deborah Williams, manager of the Council on Aging of West Florida’s senior dining site in Century. Pictured inset and below: Seniors enjoy lunch at the senior dining site in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Installing 517 Street Lights In Cantonment, Other Neighborhoods
February 12, 2018
Several local neighborhoods are about to get a little brighter, thanks to Escambia County’s Safe Neighborhood Street Light Program installing an additional 517 lights across five Community Redevelopment Areas and Safe Neighborhoods.
The latest phase of the program is expected to be completed by mid-February, bringing more LED street lights to the Avondale, Cantonment, Creekside Oaks, Lincoln Park and Wedgewood/Rolling Hills neighborhoods.
Escambia County Safe Neighborhood Coordinator Nick Jordan said the lighting projects align with the Safe Neighborhood Program’s goal of keeping local neighborhoods clean and safe. The lighting projects focus on strategically placing street lights in neighborhoods where the need was present, Jordan said.
“Street lights can deter crime and improve pedestrian and traffic safety,” Jordan said. “It makes the neighborhood more unified. When you cross into one of these areas, you’re going to be able to see a difference – it increases awareness and visibility in the neighborhood.”
Jordan said the streetlight projects are part of the board of county commissioners’ focus on improving neighborhood safety by making dark areas brighter. The county’s Safe Neighborhood Program works with residents to take control of their neighborhoods and reduce crime and blight in designated areas, also giving citizens an opportunity provide input on improvements they feel their neighborhood needs.
“These neighborhoods were identified based on the needs of the community,” Jordan said. “We work a lot with neighborhood groups, and they gave their input on what their needs were. We evaluated how we could address those, and street lights were one of the big topics everybody brought up.”
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injuries In Cantonment Highway 29 Wreck
February 12, 2018
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle wreck Sunday afternoon on Highway 29 at Morris Avenue in Cantonment. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Jay Residents Upset Over Dirty Water, Flushing Project Begins Tuesday
February 12, 2018
The Town of Jay will begin a flushing process on Tuesday in hopes of eliminating discolored water that has been a problem over the last several months. Several residents have express concerns over the unsightly water, wondering if it is safe to drink.
“The water in Jay is so bad you cannot even wash clothes in it. Please help get attention to our problem,” Jay resident wrote to NorthEscambia.com. “I can’t think Flint, Michigan looked worse than this. It’s terrible; please help”.
“This discolored water does not appear to be dangerous to the residents,” Jay Mayor Shon Owens said in a statement.
He said the town has consulted with its engineers and outside consultants to try to identify the cause of the discolored water while continued monthly testing as required by the state. Those tests have shown the town’s water fully complies with state guidelines, he said.
The discoloration, he said, is likely caused by cast iron in the water distribution system and iron sedimentation.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has been working with the Jay water system to address the issue, according to Brandy Smith, FDEP external affairs manager.
“We have required the water system to sample the discolored water to confirm the iron levels and verify there are no drinking water standard exceedances that pose a potential health risk to customers. Those samples have been collected and delivered to the lab, and we are awaiting those results,” Smith wrote in an email response to a request for more information. “Iron occurs naturally in groundwater and is not hazardous to health. At higher concentrations, iron causes taste, odor, and staining problems. Even relatively low concentrations of iron can leave reddish brown stains on plumbing fixtures, tableware and laundry that can be very hard to remove. The discoloration can vary from pale yellow to dark brown and may include iron particles.”
Owens said the town is turning to an outside company to flush the lines, with work scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 13. As much work as possible will take place in the overnight hours.
She said flushing the water system will typical help reduce iron in the system. Flushing involves the use of high velocity water to scour the inside surfaces of the water mains. The process is necessary to flush out iron particles, but it intensifies the discolored water in the short term because it stirs up the water and sediment in the water line.
To be most effective, the water should be pushed from a clean source through the water system pipe and out in one direction, one segment at a time. This process scours out the sediment and discolored water.
“While the water system has been flushing lines, they have not yet been successful in completing a full one direction flush of the system. Changes in the water system over time, new lines, valves and hydrants have made directing the water through the system challenging,” Smith said.
Owens said the Town of Jay is researching other methods to remove iron sediment from inside pipes. And the town, he said, is working with state officials to find funding for the reconditionng or replacement of cast iron pipes in the Jay water system.
NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos by Catherine Jones, click to enlarge.
Patchy Fog Tonight, A Few Showers Tuesday
February 12, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia. area forecast:
Tonight: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 53. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. East wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 60. East wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Cloudy, with a high near 72. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Washington’s Birthday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 76.