Friday Rapid COVID-19 Testing Reaches Capacity In An Hour
August 7, 2020
The State of Florida’s rapid COVID-19 testing site at the Escambia County Equestrian Center closed after reaching capacity within about an hour Friday morning.
The walk-up test site was available on a first come, first serve basis with 200 tests available for Florida residents with or without symptoms. On Thursday, the mobile testing lab reached their maximum number of in about two hours.
The mobile rapid testing bus will move to Santa Rosa County this weekend. It will be at the Milton Community Center at 5629 Byrom Street in Milton from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday. Adults should bring a Florida identification.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County, Alabama, Tops 1,000 COVID-19 Cases
August 7, 2020
Escambia County, Alabama, has now topped 1,000 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, and one additional death was reported Thursday.
As of Thursday night, there were 1,044 confirmed positives in county, with 95 additional probable results. The number of deaths in Escambia County, Alabama, is now at 16.
ECUA Yard Waste Collections For North Santa Rosa County Rescheduled To Saturday
August 7, 2020
Due to a staffing shortage on Santa Rosa County routes, yard waste collections scheduled for Thursday and Friday for ECUA customers in north Santa Rosa County have been rescheduled to Saturday, August 8. All other collections remain on their regularly scheduled days. File photo.
Escambia, Santa Rosa COVID-19 Deaths Increase By Six
August 6, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST.
There were six new COVID-19 deaths reported Thursday in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties by the Florida Department of Health.
The Escambia County deaths were a 56-year old female and males age 57, 66 and 72. The Santa Rosa deaths were males ages 76 and 89. One from Santa Rosa County was a long-term care facility resident.
Escambia County cases increased 148 to 8,515. An additional 90 cases brought the Santa Rosa County total to 3,700.
Of the 1,877 tests results returned on Tuesday in Escambia County, 9.5% were positive, and 12.8% were positive from 591 tests in Santa Rosa County. Over the past week, the overall average positivity rate for Escambia County is 11.8%.
There were 197 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized in Escambia County as of Thursday, according to data from the three local hospitals.
Of the 107 deaths in Escambia County, 63 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been 30 deaths in Santa Rosa County, at least seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and six in a long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 510,389 cases including 504,768 Florida residents. There have been 29,131 hospitalizations* and 7,747 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 — 8,515 (+148 since Wednesday)
Non-Florida residents — 886
Pensacola —6,665 (+95)
Cantonment — 618 (+10)
Molino— 95 (+3)
Century — 113 (+33)
McDavid — 40
Bellview — 10
Walnut Hill — 10
Gonzalez — 7
Perdido Key — 5
Current hospitalizations: 197 (-5)
Deaths — 111 (+4)
Male — 3,370
Female — 4,136
Youngest — 0
Oldest — 105
Median Age — 38
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases — 3,700 (+90 since Wednesday)
Non-Florida residents — 28
Milton — 2,067 (+37)
Gulf Breeze — 545 (+25)
Navarre — 438 (+16)
Pace — 271 (+5)
Jay — 96
Bagdad — 8
Cumulative Hospitalizations — 180*
Deaths — 34 (+2)
Male — 2,131
Female — 1,527
Youngest — 2 months
Oldest — 101
Median Age — 39
Florida cases:
Total cases — 510,389
Florida residents — 504,768
Deaths — 7,747
Hospitalizations — 29,131*
*“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.
Bratt Couple Charged With Child Abuse After Young Girl Suffers Numerous Broken Bones
August 6, 2020
A Bratt couple is facing felony child abuse charges after an infant girl was airlifted to the hospital with numerous broken bones and injuries.
Shannon Anthony Barnhill, 28, was charged with first degree felony aggravated child abuse causing great bodily harm. Brittany Paige Barnhill, 24, was charged with second degree felony child neglect with great bodily harm for failing to make a reasonable effort to protect the child from abuse.
The young victim was airlifted to the University of South Alabama Children’s and Women’s Hospital with head trauma. She suffered a skull fracture, a fractured collarbone, a fractured leg, a fractured arm, and was hemorrhaging, according to an arrest report. The child also had healing rib fractures on both sides and a healing left arm fracture from previous injuries.
A Florida Department of Children and Families investigator stated that a witness said Shannon Barnhill hit the child in the head two times. The report noted that the child is not capable of rolling over, crawling or standing due to her young age, according to an arrest report.
The DCF investigator stated Brittany Barnhill provided several different stories to explain the extensive injuries, but none of the reasons were plausible and did not explain the injuries. Her stories included the child was delivered with forceps, she was hit with a toy, she fell out of her bassinet three to four weeks ago and she has seizures, according to DCF.
Most of Shannon Barnhill’s statements were redacted from his arrest report. The arrest report states he told the investigator that the child fell and then said she fell “a while back”. The DCF investigator also said Shannon Barnhill told him “I didn’t hit the kid” without being prompted.
During the recorded 911 call, Shannon Barnhill never told the operator that the child fell. Instead, he said she was screaming and then became unresponsive like she was having a stroke.
Two of Brittany Barnhill’s relatives told DCF that they saw the child on the day of the incident, and the child appeared to be uninjured and slept most of the time.
This was not the first time DCF had contact with the Barnhill family.
In 2015, DEF was alerted to household violence that threatened a child, but the case was closed with no indicators of child abuse. The investigator noted verbal aggression by Brittany (Mize) Barnhill.
In 2017, another child of the Barnhills was taken to the hospital because he favored his right leg. A scan revealed the growth of new bone around the child’s leg and a small healing bruise on the child’s buttocks consistent with the size and shape of a finger, according to the arrest report. The case was closed with notations that the parents’ reactions were abnormal considering the circumstances. An arrest report states the parents immediately told the investigator that they did not injure the child and that their 1-year old daughter could have been the perpetrator.
In late July, the DCF Child Protection Team examined three other siblings in the home that indicated abuse, the arrest report states. DCF said all three had marks and bruises in various places that included the buttocks, back, legs and shoulders. One child had marks from what appeared to be a belt. DCF noted that all three children were delayed and could not be fully interviewed.
Shannon Barnhill was released from the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $100,000, while Brittany Barnhill remained in jail Thursday with bond set at $50,000.
Slight Downward Trend In Local COVID-19 Hospitalizations
August 6, 2020
The latest daily COVID-19 local hospitalization numbers show a decrease over the last few days.
The data in the chart above, compiled by the City of Pensacola, reflects the current combined number of patients hospitalized on the listed date at Ascension Sacred Heart, Baptist Hospital and West Florida Hospital.
“We have seen hospitalizations decrease for the past four days, but this does not mean we are out of the woods,” Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said. “Please keep taking preventative actions, including wearing a mask, social distancing and washing your hands often.”
Rapid COVID-19 Testing Available Today At Escambia Equestrian Center
August 6, 2020
THIS EVENT FOR THURSDAY HAS CONCLUDED. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FRIDAY TESTING, CLICK HERE.
The State of Florida will offer a rapid COVID-19 testing at the Escambia County Equestrian Center on Thursday.
The mobile testing center will be at the Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
The walk-up test site will be available on a first come, first serve basis for Florida residents with or without symptoms. A Florida identification is required for adults. Individuals will be called by the next day with results from the nasal swab test.
The rapid testing will be available in Escambia County again on Friday. The location has not yet been determined, but we will update this story when it is announced.
High Temperatures, Low Rain Chances Into The Weekend
August 6, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Saturday Is The Deadline To Request A Vote By Mail Ballot
August 6, 2020
The deadline to request a mail ballot is 5 p.m. Saturday.
Voters may vote by mail using a vote-by-mail ballot, which can be requested through the online form at EscambiaVotes.gov, or by contacting the Supervisor of Elections by mail, phone (850) 595-3900, e-mail (votebymail@escambiavotes.com), or fax (850) 595-3914.
Requests must include the voter’s date of birth and the address.. 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.
Early voting will be available Saturday, August 8 through Saturday, August 15 at the following locations and times:
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
- Main Library, 239 Spring Street (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Molino Community Center, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 B, 9th Avenue (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- University of West Florida Conference Center, Building 22, University Parkway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
Gulf Power Crews Head To Northeast To Help Restore Power After Hurricane Isaias
August 6, 2020
Wednesday, Gulf Power crews and other resources are headed to the Northeast, where Hurricane Isaias has knocked out power to millions of customers from North Carolina to Maine. Nearly 120 Gulf Power employees and contractors left early Wednesday morning to assist with restoration efforts in the New Jersey area. Gulf Power joins its sister company, Florida Power & Light, that is supporting the same restoration effort with more than 600 employees and contractors.
“These communities need our help to get their lights back on safely and as quickly as possible, and we are honored to be able to assist – just as so many have stepped up to help us in the past,” said Marlene Santos, president of Gulf Power. “We are in unprecedented times as together utilities across the country work to restore power while also facing a global pandemic. We will continue to take every precaution to keep both our crews and the communities we will be working in safe.”
On Monday, a crew of nearly 70 Gulf Power lineworkers and support personnel returned from the West Palm Beach area where they assisted sister company FPL in restoring power to approximately 40,000 customers as the storm brushed the eastern coastline of Florida.
The crews will follow COVID-19 safety guidelines to keep everyone safe, including social distancing, increased sanitation measures and wearing masks where appropriate. In addition, the crews are planning to be self-sufficient to limit contact with other teams. Signs on trucks remind the public to honor the six feet social distancing requirements that help keep the crews safe while they work.
