Two Teen Pedestrians Hit By Pickup On Highway 95A; One Seriously Injured
August 8, 2020
Two teen pedestrians were injured when they were struck by a pickup truck on Highway 95A early Saturday morning.
A Ford F150 driven by a 20-year old Cantonment man was traveling south on Highway 95A approaching Gateway Lane at 1:16 a.m. Two teen boys, ages 14 and 15, were walking southbound on the shoulder of Highway 95A, according to the Florida Highway Patrol when they were struck.
The 15-year male was seriously injured, while the 14-year old suffered minor injuries. The driver of the pickup and his 18-year old female passenger from Cantonment were not injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing their investigation into exactly how the crash occurred.
The FHP no longer releases the names of individuals involved in traffic crashes.
File photo.
Six New Deaths, 606 New COVID-19 Cases In Escambia, Santa Rosa; Century Prison Behind Surge
August 8, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
There were six new COVID-19 deaths and 606 new cases reported in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties on Saturday by by the Florida Department of Health.
The Escambia County deaths were males ages 71, 91, and 92, and females ages 48 and 86. Two were reported as residents of long-term care facilities. The Santa Rosa death was a 74-year old female.
Escambia County cases increased by 540 to 9,297. The increase included 273 Century Correctional Institution inmates. An additional 76 cases brought the Santa Rosa County total to 3,857.
Of the 1,636 tests results returned on Friday in Escambia County, 24.9% were positive (skewed by the CCI inmates), and 11.3% were positive from 486 tests in Santa Rosa County. Over the past week, the overall average positivity rate for Escambia County is 11.8%.
There were 200 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Escambia County as of Saturday, according to data from the three local hospitals.
Of the 115 deaths in Escambia County, 66 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been 36 deaths in Santa Rosa County, at least seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and seven in a long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 526,577 cases including 520,846 Florida residents. There have been 30,251 hospitalizations* and 8,109 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 — 9,297 (+540 since Friday)
Non-Florida residents — 890
Pensacola —6,910 (+138)
Cantonment — 652 (+15)
Century — 596 (+373 — mostly CCI inmates)
Molino— 102 (+1)
McDavid — 45 (+3)
Walnut Hill — 13
Bellview — 10
Gonzalez — 7
Perdido Key — 5
Current hospitalizations: 200 (+3)
Deaths — 120 (+5)
Male — 3,969
Female — 4,321
Youngest — 0
Oldest — 105
Median Age — 38
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases — 3,857 (+66 since Friday)
Non-Florida residents — 29
Milton — 2,147 (+18)
Gulf Breeze — 568 (+16)
Navarre — 464 (+15)
Pace — 285 (+6)
Jay — 97 (+2)
Bagdad — 8
Cumulative Hospitalizations — 189*
Deaths — 37 (+1)
Male — 2,206
Female — 1,607
Youngest — 2 months
Oldest — 101
Median Age — 39
Florida cases:
Total cases — 526,577
Florida residents — 520,846
Deaths — 8,109
Hospitalizations — 30,251*
*“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.
Century COVID-19 Cases Up 745% In Three Days To 596. This Is Why.
August 8, 2020
The number of COVID-19 cases in the Century zip code were up 745% in just three days this week.
On Wednesday, the number of cases was at 80. By Saturday, the Century zip code reported 596 confirmed positive cases.
The reason? An additional 406 inmates were diagnosed COVID-19 positive at Century Correctional Institution for a total of 506 positive. Without inmates, the number of cases in Century was 90.
There have also been 25 CCI staff members that have tested positive, but their cases are recorded in the zip code of their residence.
An additional 528 inmates at the Century prison are waiting for the results of their COVID-19 tests. The prison has 643 inmates in medical quarantine and two in medical isolation on Saturday.
Here’s How To Save During Florida’s 2020 Back to School Sales Tax Holiday
August 8, 2020
The 2020 Back to School Sales Tax Holiday is underway in Florida. During this sales tax holiday period, qualifying items will be exempt from tax, including:
- Most school supplies selling for $15 or less per item
- Clothing, footwear, and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item
- The first $1,000 of the sales price of personal computers and certain computer-related accessories purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.
For the complete, detailed list click or tap here. The sales tax holiday does not apply to:
- Any item of clothing selling for more than $60
- Any school supply item selling for more than $15
- Books that are not otherwise exempt
- Computers and computer-related accessories purchased for commercial purposes
- Rentals or leases of any eligible items
- Repairs or alterations of any eligible items
- Sales of any eligible items in a theme park, entertainment complex, public lodging establishment, or airport.
Ascension Sacred Heart Expands COVID-19 Testing In Escambia, Santa Rosa
August 8, 2020
Ascension Sacred Heart is expanding eligibility for COVID-19 testing at its drive-thru sites in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties to include all persons who want a nasal swab test, regardless of whether they have symptoms.
Previously, the mobile clinics operated by Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart limited testing only to people who reported having symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough and shortness of breath.
The expanded scope of testing will apply to the drive-thru sites at:
Milton Community Center, 5629 Byrom St., which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Community Life Church at Tiger Point, 4115 Soundside Drive in Gulf Breeze, which is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Ascension Medical Group site off Bayou Boulevard, Pensacola, which is open Monday through Friday. That drive-thru operation began March 16 and has tested more than 24,000 people.
The drive-thru clinics at Tiger Point and Milton started this week thanks to federal funds that Santa Rosa County allocated for additional testing locations in the county. The sites are open to any Santa Rosa County residents, regardless of symptoms or insurance status. Community Health Northwest Florida will partner Sacred Heart in staffing the testing locations.
Each of the three sites in Pensacola and Santa Rosa can provide up to 300 nasal swab tests per day with lab results back within 48 hours. All individuals who want to be tested must call the Ascension Sacred Heart Screening Call Center at (850) 746-2684 in advance.
“As our community prepares to open schools and with residents trying to get back to work after an exposure to the virus or recovery from the virus, we saw the need to expand testing and get results quickly to individuals with and without symptoms,” said Justin Labrato, chief operating officer of Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart. “The swab tests will be sent to our hospital laboratory which currently has the equipment and supplies to analyze a larger volume of tests and provide results within 48 hours. We’re pleased to be able to expand testing and help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our area.”
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Highway 4 Resurfacing Project Officially Complete From Escambia River To Market Road
August 8, 2020
A $4.3 million Highway 4 resurfacing project is now officially complete, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The projects spanned from the Escambia River Bridge to Market Road (Highway 87A) about 3.5 miles east of Jay. The project included milling and resurfacing the roadway, pedestrian safety improvements, guardrail upgrades at the Escambia River bridge, expansion joint replacement on the West Coldwater Creek bridge, and the replacement of the waterline from east of State Street to Magnolia Street in Jay.
Early Voting Begins Saturday In Escambia County At These Nine Locations
August 8, 2020
Early voting begins Saturday in Escambia County at nine locations.
Early voting will continue through Saturday, August 15. Each location will be open from from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., with the exception of the Supervisor of Elections Office which will be open 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Molino Community Center, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino
- University of West Florida Conference Center, Building 22, University Parkway
- Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 B, 9th Avenue
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor
- Pensacola Library, 239 N Spring Street
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street
Voters may choose any one of the nine locations, each of which is also equipped with a ballot marking device. Election workers will be wearing face coverings, and voters should bring their own to wear while inside the polling room. Hand sanitizer will be available at check-in along with a disposable stylus to sign in. Voters may use their own blue or black pen to mark their ballot and should practice social distancing. Commonly touched surfaces will be sanitized regularly and the number of voters inside the polling room may be limited, if necessary.
Another option for voters is to cast a vote-by-mail ballot, which can be requested through the online form at EscambiaVotes.gov, or by e-mail (votebymail@escambiavotes.com), phone (850) 595-3900, mail, or fax (850) 595-3914. Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and address, and must be received no later than Saturday, August 8. Voted ballots must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location on Election Day. Voters may now drop-off a vote-by-mail ballot during early voting hours at any of the nine area locations. The USPS recommends voters mail ballots at least one week before the due date. Vote-by-mail participants may track the status of their ballot at EscambiaVotes.gov.
The third option for voters is to cast a ballot at their precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, August 18. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Thunderstorms For Some On Sunday
August 8, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 106. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 76. Southwest 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 93. Calm wind.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Atmore Chamber Makes Supply Donations To Area Schools
August 8, 2020
The Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce is making school supply donations to schools across the area, including Northview High School (pictured top) and Flomaton Elementary School (pictured below). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Frances E. Hampton
August 8, 2020
Frances E. Hampton, age 79, passed away peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her children on August 7, 2020 at her home in McDavid, FL after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born on October 9, 1940 in Pensacola, FL, Frances made a life owning and operating several restaurants including Cagle’s Restaurant, Panhandle, Fran’s Country Inn, Fran’s Diner, and Fran’s Country Grill. “Ms. Fran”, after her retirement in 2015 as the longest running restaurant owner in Escambia County, began pursuing her other passions including raising thoroughbreds to race, tending to her flower gardens on her farm, and spending time with her family and friends. Her favorite pastime was to feed the multitude of birds that made her property their home.
Frances is preceded in death by her parents, Pete and Effie Olsen, and her siblings Pete Olsen, Helen Cole, Mary “Doodlebug” Ferguson, Ruby Moore, Willie Olsen, and Michael Olsen. Frances is survived by her children Randal Baker, Bonnie Baker, and Allen (Jennifer) Hampton, her heart and soul, Chase Hampton, and Matthew Caine as well as her siblings Nellie Williams, Jerry Olsen, Janis Scott, and Janey Hood.
Pallbearers include James Walker, David Martinez, Kevin Cole, Tim Holland, Timmy Parker, Matthew Caine, Calvin Mattin, and Ben Porter. Honorary Pallbearers include Gary Carnley, Greg Parker, and Chuck Bell
The family would like to give a special thanks to Linda Mack and Covenant Care for helping the family navigate through an extremely difficult time.
Visitation will be Wednesday, August 12, 2020, from 2:30 to 3:30 PM, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North. Funeral Service will follow at 3:30 PM. Pastor Mike Mashburn will be officiating. Interment will be at Klondike Cemetery.