Five New COVID-19 Deaths, 98 New Cases Reported Thursday
August 27, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST.
There were 98 new COVID-19 positives and five new deaths reported in the two county region on Thursday, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The Escambia County deaths were men ages 53, 76 and 80. The death in Santa Rosa County was an 86-year old male long-term care facility resident.
Escambia County cases increased by 55 to 10,999. An additional 43 cases brought the Santa Rosa County total to 4,566.
Of the 836 tests results returned on Tuesday in Escambia County, 5.8% were positive, and 11.9% were positive from 334 tests in Santa Rosa County. Over the past week, the overall average positivity rate for Escambia County is 8.2%.
There were 149 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Escambia County as of Wednesday, according to data from the three local hospitals.
Of the 183 deaths in Escambia County, 87 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been 55 deaths in Santa Rosa County, at least seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and 10 in a long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 611,991 cases including 602,342 Florida residents. There have been 37,718 hospitalizations* and 10,868 deaths. The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
Escambia County cases:
Total cases — 10,999 (+55 since Wednesday)
Non-Florida residents — 986
Pensacola —8,039 (+38)
Century — 908 (+4)
—-including 763 Century prison inmates
Cantonment — 761 (+4)
Molino— 127 (+2)
McDavid — 63
Walnut Hill — 16
Bellview — 11
Gonzalez — 7
Perdido Key — + (+1)
Current hospitalizations: 149
Deaths — 183 (+4)
Male — 4,852
Female — 5,065
Youngest — 0
Oldest — 105
Median Age — 39
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases — 4,566 (+43 since Tuesday)
Non-Florida residents — 41
Milton — 2,490 (+21)
Gulf Breeze — 659 (+8)
Navarre — 558 (+2)
Pace — 352 (+4)
Jay — 127
Bagdad — 9
Cumulative Hospitalizations — 259*
Deaths — 55 (+1)
Male — 2,550
Female — 1,968
Youngest — 2 months
Oldest — 101
Median Age — 40
Florida cases:
Total cases — 611,911
Florida residents — 605,342
Deaths — 10,868
Hospitalizations — 37,718*
*“Hospitalizations” in the statewide and Santa Rosa County totals is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized. The Escambia County number is current data compiled each day from the local hospitals.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Category 4 Hurricane Laura Makes Landfall Near Cameron, Louisiana With 150 MPH Winds
August 27, 2020
Category 4 Hurricane Laura made landfall at 1 a.m. Thursday near Cameron, Louisiana with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.
Laura will continue to move inland across Louisiana into Arkansas. The forecast track is below.
ECUA Approves Sanitation Rate Increase
August 27, 2020
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority has approved a sanitation rate increase.
The 2% increase was approved by the ECUA board 4-0, with District 5 member Larry Walker not yet in the Zoom meeting. The increase applies to all ECUA sanitation services from residential to commercial dumpsters.
For a single family residential customer with one 90 gallon or smaller container, the 2% increase will increase their rate by 38 cents from $24.16 to $24.54.
The rate increase goes into effect October 1. It applies to the collection portion of each bill charged by ECUA, but a disposal fee that’s part of the bill remains constant.
First Inmate COVID-19 Death Reported At Century Prison Where Half Of The Inmates Tested Positive
August 27, 2020
The first COVID-19 inmate death has been reported at the Century Correctional Institution.
The death was reported by the Florida Department of Corrections on Wednesday.
Over half of the inmates tested at Century CI have tested positive for the virus. As of Wednesday night, 766 inmates have tested positive, 748 have tested negative and 10 are awaiting test results. A total of 38 staff members have also tested positive for COVID-19.
There were 443 inmates in medical quarantine Wednesday.
Testing has been offered to all CCI inmates, and each one is being monitored daily, according to FDC. All services, including medical and meals, are being provided to inmates within their housing units.
The name of the inmate that died has not been released.
Century Applying For $312K Loan For Wastewater System Repairs. Most Won’t Be Repaid.
August 27, 2020
The Town of Century is applying for a state loan to make wastewater system repairs, but they won’t be required to repay most of it.
According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Century is eligible for a $312,518 loan from the State Revolving Fund Program with a 90% principal forgiveness. That equates to $251,266 the town won’t be required to repay.
The town will pledge water and sewer revenues for repayment of the loan.
The Century Town Council has authorized the loan application, which much be submitted by September 10. If the loan is granted, the binding agreements must be repaid by by December 9.
Chance Of Showers And Thunderstorms
August 27, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
State To Offer COVID-19 Testing In Walnut Hill On Friday
August 27, 2020
The Florida Department of Health is bringing COVID-19 testing to Walnut Hill on Friday.
The state-supported drive thru testing site will be at the Walnut Hill Community Center from 3-7 p.m. It will be the first testing location made available in the Walnut Hill community.
“We want to make testing available for anyone that wants to be tested,” Escambia County Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore told NorthEscambia.com.
Results from the Walnut Hill testing site will be available within 24 hours, according to FDOH.
The Walnut Hill Community Center is located at 7850 HIghway 97 in Walnut Hill, just north of Ernest Ward Middle School and the Walnut Hill Fire Station. It is also known as the Walnut Hill Ruritan Building.
Appeals Court Upholds Life Sentence Of Escambia Man That Murdered Mother Of His Child
August 27, 2020
The First District Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction and sentence of an Escambia County man for a 2018 murder.
Henry Martin Steiger was sentenced to life in prison for second degree murder of Cassandra Robinson, his girlfriend and the mother of his child.
She was last seen alive on February 1, 2018. A missing person investigation began after her disappearance was reported by her family. Her remains were located on July 11, 2018, inside a 565-gallon drum in a cargo trailer owned by Steiger that was located on a vacant lot.
Prosecutors said Steiger murdered Robinson after their daughter’s first birthday party.
The First District Court of Appeal found ruled that no error was committed by the trial court. The appeals court also declined to consider Steiger’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel because there was no allegation of fundamental error.
Ernest Ward Middle School Implements New Car Rider Morning Drop Off Procedure
August 27, 2020
Ernest Ward Middle School has implemented a new car rider drop off procedure effective today.
The following is the text of a callout phone message to parents made Wednesday evening:
“As many of you are aware of, the number of morning car riders at Ernest Ward has increased over last year, which is causing quite a backup. In an effort to alleviate the backup of traffic, beginning Thursday morning, August 27, if you arrive to drop off in the car rider line at 8:35 or later and do not plan to drop off for breakfast, you will need to take an alternate route.
“Instead of entering through the front gates and circling around in the field, you will need to utilize our gravel maintenance road on 99A and follow it around to the front of the school. If you arrive at school at 8:35 or later, school officials will be at the front entrance to remind you that it is not open. They will also be posted at the entrance to the gravel maintenance road to help direct you.
“If you arrive prior to 8:35 or plan to drop off in the center lane for breakfast, please continue to use the front entrance.
“This new process will hopefully help us avoid vehicles being backed up on Hwy 97, avoid having our grass torn up, and avoid people getting stuck in the muddy field due to inclement weather.”
Photos/images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Dollar General At West Kingsfield, Hwy. 297A Gets Zoning Approval, With A Design Condition
August 26, 2020
The Escambia County Board of Adjustment on Wednesday granted approval to a conditional zoning for a new Dollar General on West Kingsfield Road at Highway 297A.
Teramore Development, LLC, of Thomasville, Georgia went before the board seeking a conditional use to build an 8,960 square foot Dollar General Store. The current low density mixed-use (LDMU) zoning is intended to provide for a mix or residential uses with neighborhood scaled retail sales and services with a retail limit of 6,000 square feet. A conditional use in the zoning category allows for retail sales up to 35,000 square feet.
The board approved the conditional use with the stipulation that the store have a residential area design with wood siding and a shingled roof as in a concept drawing submitted by the developer.
The Escambia County Land Development Code will require screening on the south and east property boundaries because the adjoining properties are residential, and the developer intends to install additional landscaping.
The initial application for the Dollar General went before the Escambia County Development Review Committee (DRC) Wednesday afternoon. It’s the first of several required stops at the DRC before required approval can be granted to apply for a building permit.
The proposed development is on a 1.37 acre parcel on the southeast corner of the West Kingsfield Road and Highway 297A. The freestanding Dollar General will have 32 parking spots in a lot that will connect to West Kingsfield.
The property was previously developed as a single family residence that has since been removed.
The retailer intends to sell beer and wine the location.
Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
