Florida Gas Prices Declining Below $2 A Gallon
November 9, 2020
It appears the state average price for gas is set to fall below $2 a gallon for the first time since June, according to AAA.
The average price per gallon in Florida was $2.01 Sunday, down 17 cents compared to a month ago.
In Escambia County, the average price was $2.07. Drivers could find a low of $1.98 Sunday night in Cantonment and $1.81 in Pensacola.
“Demand concerns – related to surging cases of COVID-19 - continue to weigh on the global fuel market, leading to lower prices at the pump,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Although US gasoline demand is not nearly as low as it was in April, it remains 9% lower than what’s common, this time of year. Florida drivers should see another round of discounts this week. The state average should slip below $2 a gallon and sink to $1.95 by the weekend.”
Mostly Cloudy Tonight
November 9, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Veterans Day: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
We’re Back In The Cone From Tropical Storm Eta
November 9, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
There’s still a lot of uncertainty with Tropical Storm ETA as it moves across the Gulf this week. The latest forecast cone has moved back west and now includes all of Northwest Florida.
Further changes are likely over the next few day, but right now that good news is forecasters have Eta weakening to a tropical depression before landfall.
We’ll keep you updated.
Tropical Storm Eta made a landfall in Florida Keys late Sunday night with winds of 65 mph before moving into the Gulf.
The latest details on ETA are in the graphics on this page.
FHP Looking For Driver Involved In Fatal Hit And Run
November 9, 2020
The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for a driver that struck and killed a pedestrian Sunday morning in Escambia County.
About 6 a.m., the driver of a vehicle describe by FHP only as a sedan hit a 59-year old female on Saufley Field Road near St. Ann’s Catholic Church. The pedestrian did not survive.
The vehicle then fled the scene but was located in a dtich a few miles away on Blue Angel Parkway. The driver had fled on foot.
Anyone with with information is asked to call troopers at *FHP (*347) or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
About 1,000 More Pre-Orders Needed To Make Blue Angels License Plate A Reality
November 9, 2020
Almost 2,000 people have placed pre-orders for the new Blue Angels license plates, but about 1,000 more are needed to make the tag a reality.
The Florida Department of Motor Vehicle’s process to establish a new specialty license plate requires the foundation to sell 3,000 vouchers before the plate goes into production.
“This support moves us one step closer to making the Blue Angels license plate a reality for the state of Florida,” said retired Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, president and CEO of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. “The ordering process is easy and the plates are available to registered Florida drivers across the state.”
The voucher is redeemable for the plate once the sale requirement has been met and the plates are in production. Purchasing a voucher ensures the plate will go into production as quickly as possible.
Florida drivers can now purchase a voucher in person at a local tax collector’s office or online. The online service is available to all Florida residents residing in any county.
It’s not necessary to wait for a vehicle’s registration to need renewal to purchase the Blue Angels license plate. For $30, a new plate can be ordered at any time without affecting the vehicle’s registration cycle.
As a process to gain public support, the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation is offering numbered Commemorative Challenge Coins to the first 3,000 Floridians who purchase a voucher from the Escambia County Tax Collector’s website. The 1.5” antique bronze coin showcases the Blue Angels crest on the front and the words “I Helped Make History” on the back. This exclusive coin is a way to thank those who helped make the Blue Angels license plate a reality for Florida.
Robert Earl Godwin
November 9, 2020
Mr. Robert Earl Godwin, age 76, passed away on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, in Mobile, Alabama, at Providence Hospital.
Mr. Godwin was born in Atmore, Alabama, and was a lifelong resident of Bratt, Florida. He was a farmer in Escambia County, Florida and Alabama. He was a partner and the manager at West Florida Gin Company and was a former owner and pilot with Atmore Flying Service. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert L. and Sibyl Godwin; and brother Larry Godwin.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Elaine Godwin of Bratt, Florida; one daughter Cyndi (Scott) Warren of Pensacola, Florida; one sister Shirley (Jim) Riggs of Atmore, Alabama; three grandchildren, Jarrod (Kate) Dawson, Allie Warren and Davis Warren; special friend Heath Ward, numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services were held Sunday, November 8, 2020, at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. Barry George, Pastor Tim Payne and Bro. Theron Collinsworth officiating.
Burial followed at the Godwin Cemetery in Bratt.
Pallbearers were Jarrod Dawson, Rusty Godwin, Roger Riggs, Heath Ward, Davis Warren and Scott Warren.
FDOH Reports 129 Additional COVID-19 Cases In Escambia County
November 9, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.
There were 129 additional cases reported Sunday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 14,334 (+129)
Non-Florida residents: 1,491
Total deaths: 279
Long-term care facility deaths : 130 (+2)
Current hospitalizations: 64
Number of tests last day: 1,830
Percent positive last day: 5.0%
Percent positive last week: 7.3%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 10,446 (+93)
Cantonment: 1,058 (+4)
Century: 945
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 162
McDavid: 78
Bellview: 20 (+1)
Walnut Hill: 18
Perdido Key: 10
Gonzalez: 7
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 6,233 (+34)
Non-Florida residents: 71
Total deaths: 89
Long-term care facility deaths: 20
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 381*
Number of tests last day: 386
Percent positive last day: 7.9%
Santa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,090 (+11)
Gulf Breeze: 914 (+8)
Navarre: 867 (+7)
Pace: 524 (+3)
Jay: 162 (+1)
Bagdad: 14
Florida cases:
Total cases: 843,897
Florida residents: 832,525
Deaths: 17,102
Hospitalizations: 50,489*
*“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.
Gulf Power Offering Direct COVID-19 Relief To Past Due Customers; Disconnects Resuming This Month
November 8, 2020
Gulf Power has announced plans to begin offering direct relief to customers significantly behind on their energy bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to those small business customers who have diligently paid their bills but still have a deposit with the company.
Residential and small business customers may be eligible for a bill credit of up to $200 based on the status of their account and how long the account has been past due. To receive the direct bill relief, eligible customers will need to pay their total outstanding balance, net of the bill credit. For example, an eligible customer who has a total outstanding balance of $600 would need to pay $400 to qualify for the maximum one-time credit of $200.
Eligible customers have been pre-identified based on their account status. Gulf Power will communicate directly with eligible customers through email or direct mail to explain the steps required to obtain the bill relief. Customers who are past due on multiple bills can also go online to their Gulf Power account to check for eligibility and view offer available.
“We remain committed to doing everything we can to support customers experiencing hardship as a result of COVID-19, including offering direct bill relief to eligible customers to help them get back on their feet,” said Gulf Power President Marlene Santos. “While most of our customers have continued to pay their bills on time, others may be struggling – and we want to help.”
In addition to direct bill relief, Gulf Power continues to help customers with payment extensions and connecting them with available financial assistance. Gulf Power is also planning to accelerate deposit refunds for eligible small business customers, depending on rate class; the company already returns deposits for residential customers after 12 months of on-time bill payment.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect our customers early this year, Gulf Power immediately offered payment extensions and information on financial assistance for customers experiencing hardship due to the pandemic, policies that remain in effect. The company has also suspended disconnections for nonpayment. Through a measured approach, Gulf Power will resume issuing final notices beginning with customer accounts that have been past due since before COVID-19 became widespread in March. For customer accounts that receive a final notice but do not pay their past-due balance or contact Gulf Power to make payment arrangements, disconnections are planned to begin in mid-November.
FDOT Advancing Demolition Efforts On Pensacola Bay Bridge; 22 Of 27 Barges Recovered
November 8, 2020
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is advancing demolition efforts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge as final underwater inspections are nearing completion.
Three bridge contractors mobilized by FDOT are focusing their efforts at the outermost spans of the bridge to facilitate construction and minimize impacts to the existing structure. Along with the complete removal of two damaged spans of the bridge and debris removal from two other spans, crews are removing damaged portions from two additional spans. One barge remains under the bridge. To date, 22 of the 27 barges have been removed from the area.
After approving modified pier design plans, FDOT is reviewing 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.
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. Replacement piers will begin casting by mid-November 2020.
FDOT has been continuously working to improve the traffic flow along the Pensacola Bay Bridge detour routes and has reduced the average commute time by 25 percent. Additional improvements are underway as construction has begun to widen 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 reinforce FDOT Secretary Kevin J. Thibault’s, P.E. expectation of complete transparency and community assistance, FDOT’s outreach team has 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. FDOT will continue to meet with multiple stakeholder groups throughout the course of the project.
FDOT continues to develop and improve alternative transportation solutions to move people and goods safely and efficiently through the region while the Pensacola Bay Bridge is being repaired. Examples include:
- Funding the Escambia County Area Transit’s (ECAT) temporary bus route to help transport passengers for free between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze.
- 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 ferry.
The Pensacola Bay Bridge has a targeted re-opening date of early 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 6 a.m., Friday, November 13.
Ashley Salter Named Northview High School Teacher Of The Year
November 8, 2020
Ashley Salter, culinary arts instructor, was recently named the Northview High School Teacher of the Year. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge..