Mayor Issues Order: Face Masks Required Inside Businesses Within The City Of Pensacola
June 26, 2020
The City of Pensacola is requiring face coverings at businesses inside the city limits effective today.
Mayor Grover Robinson issued a declaration of state of emergency effective at 5 p.m. Friday requiring face coverings to be worn by employees and patrons inside businesses within City of Pensacola limits.
This order is in response to a rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in the Pensacola area and in accordance with the recent Public Health Advisory issued by the State Surgeon General, along with the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that cloth face coverings be worn in public settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain. the city said.
“Our top priority in the City of Pensacola is the health and safety of our citizens, and we have to take action to protect our community during these unprecedented times,” Mayor Robinson said. “Wearing a mask is a simple step we can all take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and ultimately help our community and economy recover more quickly. It’s important to remember that you can spread COVID-19 even if you don’t feel sick. Wearing a mask is not a sign of fear or selfishness, but rather a sign of kindness and selflessness since your mask could protect others from getting sick.”
MORE INFO:
What is considered a face covering?
A face covering is a material that covers the nose and mouth and that fits snugly against the sides of the face so there are no gaps. It can be secured to the head with ties or straps or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, or linen. Coverings with materials made of multiple layers is highly encouraged. A cloth face covering may be factory-made or sewn by hand, or the cloth face covering can be improvised from household items.
Exceptions
This order does not apply to:
- A child under 6 years of age.
- A person who has one or more medical conditions or disabilities that prevent wearing a face covering, including anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance. A person asserting this exception for medical conditions or disabilities is not required to carry or produce documentation verifying the health condition to a business or law enforcement.
- A person who is communicating with an individual who is hearing impaired who needs to see the mouth of the person speaking to facilitate communication.
- An individual who is obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service.
- Public safety, police, fire, and other life safety and health care personnel whose personal protective equipment requirements are governed by their respective agencies.
- A person in a federal, state, or Escambia County government building.
- A person exercising while observing at least 6 feet of distancing from other persons.
- Persons while eating or drinking. It is the intent of this provision that a face covering be worn while traversing a business for ingress and egress, to use the restroom facilities, and while standing when persons are unable to maintain at least 6 feet of distancing.
- Business owners, managers, and employees who are in an area of a business that is not open to customers, patrons, or the public, provided that 6 feet of distance exists between persons. This exception does not apply to employees who are present in the kitchen or other food and beverage preparation area of a business – those persons must wear face coverings.
- An individual in a lodging establishment who is inside of the lodging unit, including, but not limited to, a hotel room, motel room, vacation rental unit, timeshare unit, or similar unit.
Nothing in this order shall require or allow a person to wear a face covering to conceal the identity of the wearer in violation of Chapter 876, Florida Statutes.
Florida Suspends On Premise Consumption Of Alcohol At Bars Statewide
June 26, 2020
Friday morning, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation suspended on-premise consumption of alcohol at bars statewide.
The order includes businesses that derive over 50% of their gross revenue from selling alcoholic beverages for on premise consumption. They can continue to sell alcoholic beverages in sealed containers for consumption off the premises. Businesses that are also licensed as a restaurant or food service establishment may continue to operate as normal if they derive less than 50% or less of gross revenues from the sale of on premise consumption alcoholic beverages.
The action was in response to record-setting daily increases in the number of COVID-19 cases in Florida.
On Friday, Florida smashed the old one-day record with 8,942, topping the previous high of 5,508 that was reported on Wednesday. The number of cases in Escambia County were up 155 far exceeding the previous daily record of 92.
Firefighters Respond To Report Of Smoke Inside Cantonment Tom Thumb
June 26, 2020
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the Tom Thumb in Cantonment about 9:00 Friday morning for a report of smoke in the building. The source of the smoke was traced to a HVAC unit on the roof of the building on Highway 29 at Woodbury Circle. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Has Record High 155 New COVID-19 Cases And One Death; Florida Smashes Daily Record With 8,942 New Cases
June 26, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST NUMBERS.
Escambia County and the state smashed daily records for the increase in COVID-19 cases reported on Friday as another Escambia County death was reported.
The number of Escambia County cases increased by 155, far exceeding the previous one day total of 92 set on Thursday. The Escambia County fatality was a 74-year old female long-term care facility resident.
The state smashed the old one-day record with 8,942, topping the previous high of 5,508 that was reported on Wednesday.
Escambia County cases increased to 1,559. Santa Rosa cases were up by 26 to 437.
Of the 44 deaths in Escambia County, 34 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been nine deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 122,960 cases including 120,574 Florida residents. There have been 13,987 hospitalizations* and 3,366 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 — 1,559 (+155 since Thursday)
- Pensacola — 1,135
- Cantonment — 89
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid — 2
- Walnut Hill — 2
- Molino – 16
- Century — 10
- Hospitalizations: 82*
- Deaths — 44
- Male — 442
- Female — 610
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 437 (+26 since Thursday)
- Milton — 223
- Navarre — 71
- Gulf Breeze — 67
- Pace — 37
- Jay — 5
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 27*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 228
- Female — 137
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 98
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 122,960
- Florida residents — 120,574
- Deaths — 3,336
- Hospitalizations — 13,987
*“Hospitalizations” 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.
Century Man Charged With Breaking Both Of A Four Month Old Baby Girl’s Legs
June 26, 2020
A Century man was arrested on a first degree felony charge for allegedly breaking both of a four-month old girl’s legs.
Dustin Raymond McMurdy, 27 was charged with aggravated child abuse. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
X-rays showed baby girl had femur fractures on each side of her body. A Florida Department of Children and Families investigator told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that the hospital determined the injuries were consistent with child abuse and had possible been caused by the pulling on the child’s legs.
“The type of fractures this child has sustained is the most specific fracture seen in child abuse, and is the result of violent shearing (pulling),” an arrest report states.
DCF described McCurdy and a female not charged as illicit drug users, according to the arrest report.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office alleged the fractures occurred during an altercation between McCurdy and the female.
After COVID-19 Cases Increase At Record Level, Escambia County Urges Residents To Take Action
June 26, 2020
As the number of COVID-19 cases in Escambia County increased Thursday by 92, a record for a single day, the county released a statement encouraging residents to take preventative action against the virus.
“We want to remind the public that it is extremely important to continue to social distance, avoid close contact with people and it is recommended to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible as there has been a rise in cases in Escambia County as well as younger people testing positive,” said Escambia County Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore.
“Through conversations with the Florida Department of Health, we have learned that COVID-19 is likely to spread from an infected individual when in close contact with someone, like riding in vehicles together. While our hospital systems are in good shape right now in terms of available beds and ventilators, we need to ensure we are all social distancing to keep it this way.”
“Please continue to wash your hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, social distance, avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth as well as it is recommended to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible,” Gilmore said.
The total number of COVID-19 cases diagnosed in Escambia County as of Thursday was 1,404, an increase of 315 in just one week.
Eligible Families Receiving Pandemic School Meal Benefits This Summer; EBT Cards Arriving Now
June 26, 2020
Benefit cards are arriving in North Escambia area mailboxes for families with children that were receiving free and reduced price meals at during the last school year.
Florida’s Pandemic EBT Program (P-EBT) was approved the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Families eligible to receive free or reduced-priced school meals will automatically receive the benefit during the month of June with no further action needed. The benefit is $5.70 per day for 55 days, for a total of $313.50 per child that qualified for free or reduced meals prior to April 1.
At many Escambia County Schools, all students received free meals without an application being necessary to qualify for the benefits. The list of schools is at the bottom of this article. Students from other schools not listed will also receive the cards if they were receiving free or reduced lunch.
Households can use P-EBT benefits to buy breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and plants and seeds to grow foodt. Households cannot use P-EBT benefits to buy nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, household supplies, grooming items, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, food to eat in the store, or hot foods.
P-EBT benefits can be used to purchase food items at retailers displaying a Quest or SNAP logo. Benefits expire in one year.
For existing SNAP customers with a child receiving free and reduced-price school meals, the P-EBT benefit will be added to their current EBT card automatically. For Medicaid and/or TANF recipients with a child receiving free and reduced-price school meals, the P-EBT benefit will be automatically mailed to the address on their Medicaid and/or TANF file.
For all other P-EBT customers, a new P-EBT card will be mailed to the address on file with the child’s school district.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF), in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), developed a P-EBT program to automatically issue benefits during the month of June to more than 2.1 million children who have temporarily lost access to free and reduced-price school meals during COVID-19-related school closures.
Eligible families that do not receive their benefit by June 30 can call (833) 311-0321.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Bellview Elementary
Bratt Elementary
Brentwood Elementary
Byrneville Elementary
C.A Weis Elementary
Ensley Elementary
Ferry Pass Elementary
Global Learning Academy
Holm Elementary
Jim Allen Elementary
Lincoln Park Elementary
Lipscomb Elementary
Longleaf Elementary
McArthur Elementary
Molino Park Elementary
Montclair Elementary
Myrtle Grove Elementary
Navy Point Elementary
Oakcrest Elementary
Pine Meadow Elementary
Pleasant Grove Elementary
Scenic Heights Elementary
O.J. Semmes Elementary
Sherwood Elementary
Warrington Elementary
West Pensacola Elementary
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Bellview Middle
Beulah Middle
Ernest Ward Middle
Ferry Pass Middle
Jim Bailey Middle
Warrington Middle
Workman Middle
HIGH SCHOOLS
Escambia High
Northview High
Pensacola High
Pine Forest High
Washington High
OTHER SCHOOLS AND CENTERS
Camelot
Capstone
Escambia Westgate Center
Jacqueline Harris Preparatory Academy
Success Academy
Lakeview Center
Tate High Graduate Matthew Johnson Signs With US Merchant Marine Academy
June 26, 2020
Tate High School Football’s Matthew Johnson has signed to continue his academic and athletic career at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Johnson graduated from Tate Tuesday night. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Software Engineer Gets Federal Prison For Stealing Fishing Spot Info From Escambia County Company
June 26, 2020
A software engineer from Alabama has been sentenced to federal prison for stealing trade secrets from an Escambia County company and then trying to extort more information from the company’s owners.
Timothy J. Smith, 43, of Mobile, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in United States District Court in Pensacola on charges of theft of trade secrets and interstate extortionate communications.
Strikeline, the victim in the case, is a Pensacola based company that uses commercial side scan sonar equipment to locate fishing reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and sells the coordinates using an interactive map on their website. StrikeLines also provides public coordinates for free to those interested in finding valuable spots to fish in the Gulf.
The evidence showed that between April and November 2018, Smith obtained private information valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars from the local company by using sophisticated cyber techniques in order to gain the trade secrets and decrypt information of the company from its website.
After hearing how Smith stole private sonar coordinates of reefs, the jury received testimony and exhibits showing how Smith then tried to extort the two owners of StrikeLines for more valuable information. During this entire time, the victims did not know Smith’s identity or why he was trying to harm them.
Federal and state law enforcement were able to trace all the criminal acts back to Smith in Mobile where he committed the cyber theft against the Pensacola company.
At sentencing, United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers announced that she thought Smith’s acts were based upon “spite” and “arrogance.” In addition to his term of imprisonment, Judge Rodgers sentenced Smith to a one-year term of supervision once released from custody. Smith was also ordered to forfeit all the electronic devices he utilized to commit his crimes.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office takes very seriously cyber crimes of all kinds, ranging from protecting our national security to the secrets of private companies,” said U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe. “In our increasingly online society, cyber security is vital to all of us as we conduct Internet transactions and conversations so that we can be confident our identities and personal information are protected. Our office is pleased that the jury held the defendant to account for victimizing a small local business.”
“This is the first time we’ve investigated a case like this and it most likely won’t be the last,” said FDLE Pensacola Special Agent in Charge Jack Massey. “I applaud our FDLE agents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for always working to stay at the forefront of technology and one step ahead of the bad guys.”
This case resulted from an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the FBI, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.
Rain Chances Are Lower For Today, But There’s Still A Chance Of Showers
June 26, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 70%.