Three More Deaths, 148 New COVID-19 Cases Reported In Escambia County
November 20, 2020
THIS IS ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were three new COVID-19 deaths and 148 additional cases reported Thursday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 15,584 (+148)
Non-Florida residents: 1,632
Total deaths: 293 (+3)
Long-term care facility deaths : 133
Current hospitalizations: 87 (-8)
Number of tests last day: 1,424
Percent positive last day: 8.4%
Percent positive last week: 9.3%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 11,365 (+99)
Cantonment: 1,155 (+8)
Century: 952 (+1)
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 181 (+3)
McDavid: 90 (+3)
Bellview: 24 (+1)
Walnut Hill: 19 (+1)
Perdido Key: 13
Gonzalez: 8
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 6,839 (+99)
Non-Florida residents: 86
Total deaths: 96
Long-term care facility deaths: 21
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 407*
Number of tests last day: 499
Percent positive last day: 16.7%
Santa Rosa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,282 (+28)
Gulf Breeze: 1,021 (+26)
Navarre: 973 (+17)
Pace: 575
Jay: 168 (-1 data adjustment)
Bagdad: 13
Florida cases:
Total cases: 914,333
Florida residents: 901,234
Deaths: 17,810
Hospitalizations: 52,865*
*“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. Most of these people are longer be 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.
*The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
FDOT Prepares To Begin Driving Piles For Pensacola Bay Bridge Repair
November 20, 2020
As demolition progresses on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is preparing to begin driving piles, concrete posts that are driven into the ground to act as a leg or support for the new bridge, the first week of December.
The fabrication of multiple concrete piles, piers, and beams continues in preparation for reconstruction. The inventory of concrete piles and beams continues to increase with production coming from the Pensacola precast yard and a facility in Tampa.
Over the past several weeks, the department conducted extensive research to find additional mobility options that would provide the most benefit to the impacted communities. After gathering information such as potential ridership, times of operation, and duration of service as well as reviewing existing facilities that would be necessary for the safe operation of a people-moving ferry, FDOT has determined that option would not be feasible or provide the maximum assistance possible for the region. FDOT remains committed to working with local communities while also providing residents and visitors a free, temporary bus route to help transport passengers between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze through Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT).
To date, FDOT has:
- Mobilized multiple contractors working around the clock to facilitate construction and minimize impacts to the existing structure.
- Approved multiple construction design plans and is reviewing additional design plans for the permanent repairs that address the reconstruction of spans for the bridge and reestablishment of four lanes of traffic on the bridge at the same condition as expected for new construction.
- Widened 2,000 feet of northbound and southbound S.R. 281 south of the I-10 interchange and widen the eastbound I-10 off ramp at eastbound S.R. 281 off ramp to two lanes to improve travel time on the detour route.
- Met with stakeholder groups, state and local officials, civic organizations and local business owners to discuss the bridge reconstruction as well as other actions that are being considered to efficiently restore regional connectivity.
The Pensacola Bay Bridge has a targeted re-opening date of March 2021. Once repairs are complete, all four lanes will be open with no load restrictions. As each repair method is developed, FDOT will be conducting reviews to ensure the contractor is hitting all milestones in the established schedule.
Motorists should continue to use all available detour routes, which include the Garcon Point Bridge and State Road 87. At this time, tolls on the Garcon Point Bridge have been suspended through Sunday, December 13.
Man Charged In Vehicle Title Scam; FHP Executes Search Warrant In Cottage Hill
November 19, 2020
A Cantonment man was arrested in a vehicle title scheme after a search warrant was executed this week at his Cottage Hill home.
Lawrence Trevon Lee, Jr., age 24, was charged by the Florida Highway Patrol Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence with felony fraud for obtaining goods etc. with a an invalid vehicle title, felony fraud for possession similitude of a driver’s license and felony fraud swindle for obtaining property between $20,000 and $50,000.
Lee allegedly financed a Mercedes-Benz C-Class using a false social security number in February 2020 but never made a payment before engaging in the title washing scheme.
In May, the finance company received contact from a towing and recovery company claiming a towing lien. A third party claimed he purchased the vehicle from a towing company in Alabama after it was allegedly found abandoned without an engine an other parts. He offered to release the vehicle back to the finance company for $4.500. That person, according to FHP, was Lee pretending to be someone else.
An attorney for the finance company contacted authorities, believing they were victims of a vehicle title scheme amounting to $30,000 plus finance charges.
A Florida Highway Patrol investigator found a picture of Lee with the Mercedes CL300 on his Facebook page. The photo was taken in front of the house he occupied on Soft Point Drive in Cottage Hill.
The investigator wrote in his report that the towing company filed a fraudulent tow and title storage application with the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office. According to the FHP report, an individual at the towing company is currently under investigation for multiple fraudulent title applications.
Two other “lien washes” involving Lee and the man at the towing company were discovered by the FHP investigator, the report states.
This week, the Florida Highway Patrol served a search warrant at the home on Soft Point Drive with the assistance of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies. The search warrant produced evidence further linking Lee to the title scheme, his arrest report states.
Lee was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
Additional arrests are expected in the case.
Pictured: The Florida Highway Patrol and other agencies execute a search warrant at a home on Soft Point Drive in Cottage Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Woman Passes Away After Crashing Into ECUA Truck
November 19, 2020
A local woman has passed away after rear-ending a stopped garbage truck Tuesday morning on Highway 29, according to family members.
Monica Oglesby, 30, crashed into the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority truck as it was stopped in the outside lane of Highway 29 near Archer Road to pick up a garbage can. She was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital where she later passed away.
No one on the ECUA truck was reported to be injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol has not released any information about the crash.
The family has organized a GoFundMe fundraiser for funeral expenses. Any remaining funds will go to her two young boys. Click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
By The Numbers: Local COVID-19 Hospitalization Rate Doubles In The Past Month
November 19, 2020
The COVID-19 hospitalization rate in Escambia County has doubled in the past month.
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. The numbers are not cumulative.
On month ago, the number of patients hospitalized was around 45. There were 95 hospitalized for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The numbers are still below the well over 200 on multiple days in July.
Sunshine And Near 70 For Thursday
November 19, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 49. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 74. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 74. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Calm wind.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
Tate High School Mens Soccer Senior Spotlight
November 19, 2020
Tate High School Mens varsity soccer opened their 2020 season with a 7-0 win over Pensacola High School.
And 2020 promises to be an exciting season for the returning senior varsity players.
Logan Tyree #7 is a four-year varsity starter. Tyree plays on the Gulf Coast Texans club team, as well as the Pensacola FC NPSL team.
Calen Arnevik #6 is also a 4-year varsity player. Arnevik once a Gulf Coast Texans player now plays for Bay Side as well as being the starting kicker for Tate Varsity football.
Owen Jacobs #2 has been in the program for 4 years. Jacobs plays for the Gulf Coast Texans and has already committed to playing soccer next season for Belhaven University.
Caleb Thompson #1 is another four-year veteran to Tate soccer and is goal keeper Caleb plays for the Gulf Coast Texans, Pensacola FC and has also committed to playing soccer next year at Belhaven University.
Nathan Bailey #10 brought his skills to the varsity team the year he arrived in Pensacola as a sophomore. Bailey too plays for both the Gulf Coast Texans and Pensacola FC.
Tate will host Pace High Friday. Junior varsity begins at 5:30 p.m., and varsity plays at 7:30 p.m. at Ashton Brosnaham Park. Click or tap here to purchase tickets.
Submitted information for NorthEscambia.com.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO Seek Woman That Used Multiple Stolen Credit Cards At Nine Mile Road Store
November 19, 2020
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a woman that allegedly used several stolen credit cards at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in the 1500 block of Nine Mile Road.
She was seen leaving in the pictured white Infiniti sedan.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Photos provided by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com.
Today Is The Great American Smokeout. Here’s How You Can Get Help To Quit Smoking.
November 19, 2020
Tobacco Free Florida in Escambia County is encouraging Floridians to use Tobacco Free Florida’s free tools and services to make a plan to quit smoking for the American Cancer Society’s 45th annual Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 19.
Tobacco Free Florida aims to educate Floridians on the various free quit resources available in the state and support them through the process – on the Great American Smokeout and year-round.
Our program is reaching out to local businesses, virtually. We are encouraging business owners and management teams to help their employees quit. Employers have a unique opportunity to provide employees with access to proven-effective tobacco cessation medications and counseling. And our program can assist, free of charge”, stated Dr. Vanessa Phillips, director for Communications, Health Education, Nutrition, & Public Health Preparedness Division.
Most adult cigarette smokers say that they want to quit, but quitting smoking is hard and may require several attempts. Creating a quit plan and using proven-effective resources, like Tobacco Free Florida, can significantly increase your chances of quitting smoking for good. Smokers can and do quit smoking. In fact, today there are more former smokers than current smokers in Florida.
Tobacco Free Florida’s Quit Your Way program offers free Phone Quit, Group Quit and Web Quit services, in addition to individual tools like texting support, a Quit Guide and helpful emails. Free nicotine replacement therapy – nicotine patches, gum or lozenges – are available to tobacco users who are 18 or older, if medically appropriate.
For more information about Quit Your Way, visit tobaccofreeflorida.com/quityourway.
Ernest Ward Middle Students Honor Malcolm Thomas For His Military Service
November 19, 2020
Last week for Veterans Day, Ernest Ward Middle School made patriotic wreaths that were presented to members of the community.
On Wednesday, they presented their final wreath to Malcolm Thomas, who just retired as Escambia County school superintendent. Thomas served with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division.
The wreaths were made by Ernest Ward students in Glenda Bell’s personal development class.
For an earlier story about wreath recipients Michael and Gayle Hanks, and Louis Ward, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
