Florida Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday Is Underway. Here’s The Tax Free List.
May 29, 2020
Floridians can purchase qualifying disaster preparedness supplies exempt from tax during the 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. Passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the sales tax holiday begins Friday, May 29 and extends through Thursday, June 4.
The following items will be tax free:
For the complete, detailed information from the Florida Department of Revenue, click or tap here.
Man Charged With Manslaughter For Escambia County (FL) Woman’s Death In South Alabama Wreck
May 28, 2020
A Milton man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of an Escambia County woman in a single vehicle crash early Wednesday morning in Alabama.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency troopers responded to a single vehicle crash about 1:15 a.m.. near the 53 mile marker in I-10 in Baldwin County.
Hunter Andrew Richey, age 20 of Milton, was traveling west in a 2013 Dodge Dart when his vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree.
A passenger in the vehicle, 26-year old Brittany Johnson Hans of Pensacola, was ejected and sustained fatal injuries. Troopers said she was not wearing a seat belt.
Alabama troopers have not provided details on the reason for the manslaughter charge.
Nine Mile Road Traffic Shifted Between Allegheny And Leisure Lakes
May 28, 2020
Construction crews have shifted Nine Mile Road travel lanes between Allegheny Avenue and the Leisure Lakes RV park to the newly constructed eastbound roadway.
The traffic shift will allow the construction of the new westbound travel lanes. Crews will also be preparing for another traffic shift between Pine Cone Drive and Pine Forest Road in the coming weeks.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia COVID-19 Cases Increase By Eight On Thursday
May 28, 2020
The number of COVID-19 cases in Escambia County increased by eight on Thursday, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The number of cases in Escambia County is at 784, and Santa Rosa County is unchanged at 237.
Of the 29 deaths in Escambia County, 22 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 53,285 cases including 51,918 Florida residents. There have been 9,795 hospitalizations and 2,364 deaths.
Individual location results below are from Wednesday. The Thursday numbers had not been released at the time of this story.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 784 (+8 since Wednesday)
- Pensacola — 566
- Cantonment — 48
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 6
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 64*
- Deaths — 29
- Male — 264
- Female — 375
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 237 (+0 Wednesday)
- Milton — 149
- Navarre — 38
- Gulf Breeze — 28
- Pace — 16
- Jay — 2
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 23*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 171
- Female — 63
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 53,285
- Florida residents — 51,918
- Deaths — 2,364
- Hospitalizations — 9,795*
*“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.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Lift Burn Bans
May 28, 2020
Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are lifting their burn bans.
The burn bans in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have been lifted.
“We appreciate the public’s diligence during the burn ban to keep our community safe,” Interim Fire Chief Paul Williams said. ”It is very important to follow the outdoor burning regulations that have been in place to prevent a fire from getting out of control. Please do not hesitate to call the fire department if you have any questions. We are happy to help.”
The Florida Forest Service will begin re-issuing burn permits on Friday. Under a city ordinance, open burning is not allowed within the Pensacola city limits, regardless of weather conditions.
Cottage Hill Man Charged With Aggravated Battery, Weapon Possession By A Felon
May 28, 2020
A convicted felon from Cottage Hill is facing charges for possession two guns and threatening a female.
Adam Thomas Murphy, 40, was charged with felony aggravated assault and possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a reported disturbance at a home on Ashfield Estates Road in Cottage Hill to find Murphy standing on the front lawn. Murphy told deputies he was having an argument with a female that lives with him. He said she threw a drink at his head, but missed, and he ran out of the house.
The female told deputies that the argument was because Murphy would not come inside the house and go to sleep. She said he became irate, headed to the bedroom and grabbed two rifles before stating, “If you don’t get out of my house and out my way, I’m gonna shoot you,” according to an ECSO report. The victim told deputies he left the home with both guns and ran through the front yard toward his father’s house.
The female said the guns were both bolt-action rifles with wood stocks and that one was German with a “Nazi symbol” on it. The arrest report did not elaborate on the symbol.
An ECSO K-9 located the rifles under a shed. One matched the description of a bolt-action rifle with a Nazi symbol, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Murphy remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $7,500.
Warm And Humid, Chance Of Showers
May 28, 2020
A burn ban remains in effect for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 90.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Top High School Athletes Recognized At Virtual Senior Scholar Banquet
May 28, 2020
Pensacola Sports recently presented 36 awards and over $100,000 in scholarships at their annual Senior Scholar Athlete Banquet, which was held virtually this year.
Kaylie Herring from Gulf Breeze and Nicholas Dimitroff from Catholic High, won the overall female and male scholarships, respectively. The Pensacola Sports Foundation awarded these two individuals each with a $4,000 scholarship. Other awardees were Amanda Langston from Pensacola High and John Pinette from Pine Forest High (Whataburger Books Scholarship), Mia Goodwin from Pace and John Middleton from Catholic High (Super Star Multi-Sport Scholarship), Britton Landrum from Gulf Breeze and Peter Mougey from Catholic (Dr. Alec Kessler Memorial Scholarship), and Skylar Grant from West Florida Tech and Christopher Page from West Florida Tech (UWF Scholarship).
Additionally, Pensacola State College awarded 24 individual sport winners with a scholarship.
The individual sport winners are:
Baseball – Joshua Majors, Jay
Girls Basketball – Janelle Jones, Washington
Boys Basketball – Stephen English, Milton
Cheerleading – Bailey Carter, Tate
Boys Cross Country – Christian Ottley, Pace
Girls Cross Country – Kylie Thomas, Pace
Football – Marlon Courtney, Navarre
Girls Golf – Alexis Grove, Navarre
Boys Golf – Clayton Dobry, Gulf Breeze
Girls Lacrosse – Clarke Haas, Gulf Breeze
Boys Lacrosse – John McDowell, Catholic
Girls Soccer – Kaylee Hodges, Milton
Boys Soccer – Cristian Garcia-Vazquez, Washington
Softball – Allison Gutierrez, Navarre
Girls Swimming – Genna Hoitt, Pensacola
Boys Swimming – James Tracey, Pace
Girls Tennis – Sadie Goyins, Catholic
Boys Tennis – Charles McCullar, Pensacola
Girls Track – Cyla Byrd, Pace
Boys Track – Phillip Gindl, West Florida
Volleyball – Chayton Willis, West Florida
Girls Weightlifting – Diona Murphy, Washington
Boys Weightlifting – Robert Stephens, Navarre
Wrestling – Wyatt Sise, Gulf Breeze
Schools in both Escambia and Santa Rosa nominate their senior athletes for each sport and submit the paperwork to Pensacola Sports. A selection committee made of educators, community leaders, and Pensacola Sports board members reviews the anonymous applications and select the best person’s credentials for each sport. Those are the individual sport winners. Then they select the overall male and female winners from the individual sport winners.
Pictured: Tate High School’s Bailey Carter was the girls cheerleading winner at the Pensacola Sports Senior Scholar Athlete Banquet. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blackwater Prison COVID-19 Cases Hit 115 With Seven Deaths; Still Just One Case At Century Prison
May 28, 2020
The number of positive COVID-19 cases at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility in Milton has hit 115 while in North Escambia the Century prison remains at one case.
According to the latest data from the Florida Department of Corrections, there are now 101 inmates that have tested positive for coronavirus and 14 positive staff members. The Florida Depeartment of Health said there have been seven COVID-19 inmate deaths at the prison, which is operated by the The GEO Group.
There are currently 1,007 other inmates at Blackwater in medical quarantine. There are 553 inmates with pending tests results and 1,271 that tested negative.
In late March, one staff member at Century Correctional Institution tested positive for COVID-19. There have been no other confirmed cases since that time. Only three inmates have been tested; all were negative.
Wind Creek Announces Reopening Plans
May 28, 2020
Wind Creek Hospitality is reopening in Alabama over the next two weeks.
A soft opening to small groups of invited guests begins Thursday, June 4 followed by a public opening for the “new” full operation on Monday, June 8.
New policies to ensure that guests can enjoy themselves safely include temperature checks for all guests and employees, and masks or face coverings will be required for everyone. Guests are asked to bring their own mask. Players who do not have their own mask will be able to acquire one on property for a small donation supporting local first responders, health care providers, and COVID patient relief funds. Smoking will only be allowed in designated spots separate from the gaming floor, restaurants, and other public areas.
To accommodate social distancing, all of the properties will be limiting the number of guests on the casino floor; this “new” capacity is roughly one-third of normal operations. All locations are employing increased distances between tables in dining venues and clearly marking appropriate distances near hotel check-in, player services, and other areas where lines historically formed.
Upon reopening, the casino floor will be open to the public for four sessions each day and deep cleaning will be conducted between sessions. These deep cleaning efforts are in addition to the cleaning of each machine before and after every guest.
Once Wind Creek properties open for general admission on June 8, special waiting areas will be available for guests at each property if a property is at capacity.