FDOH: 110 New Positive COVID-19 Cases In Escambia County
November 5, 2020
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST UPDATE.
The Florida Department of Health reported 110 new COVID-19 cases in Escambia County on Wednesday.
Here is the latest data:
Total cases: 13,914 (+110)
Non-Florida residents: 1,420
Total deaths: 273
Long-term care facility deaths : 127
Current hospitalizations: 59 (+5)
Number of tests last day: 1,032
Percent positive last day: 8.5%
Percent positive last week: 5.0%
Escambia County cases by location:
Pensacola: 10,137 (+81)
Cantonment: 1,027 (+13)
Century: 945
—-including 773 Century prison inmates
Molino: 161 (+1)
McDavid: 77
Bellview: 19
Walnut Hill: 18
Perdido Key: 10
Gonzalez: 7
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 6,107 (+34)
Non-Florida residents: 70
Total deaths: 88
Long-term care facility deaths: 20
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 370*
Number of tests last day: 345
Percent positive last day: 9.0%
Santa County cases by location:
Milton: 3,050 (+11)
Gulf Breeze: 894 (+9)
Navarre: 833 (+6)
Pace: 512 (+4)
Jay: 160
Bagdad: 14
Florida cases:
Total cases: 821,123
Florida residents: 810,256
Deaths: 16,922
Hospitalizations: 49,889*
*“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.
Leo B. “Sonny” Maher III
November 5, 2020
Mr. Leo B. “Sonny” Maher, III, age 78, passed away on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 in Pensacola, Florida.
Mr. Maher was a native and lifelong resident of McDavid, Florida. He is preceded in death by his parents, Leo Jr. and Eula Maher and his former wife, Mary Nell.
He is survived by his four sons, Gary (BJ) Maher of McDavid, FL, Tommy (Melissa) Maher of Cantonment, FL, Chris (Joni) Maher of Pensacola, FL and Kenny (Marsha) Maher of Byrneville, FL; two daughters, Janine (Bill) Snyder of Safety Harbor, FL and Melissa (Nathan) Scott of Jay, FL; one sister, Linda (Jim) Irby of Pace, FL; fourteen grandchildren, Megan, Kevin, Aiden, Sunny, Scott, Kevin, Jennifer, Jasmine, Taylor, Tyler, Shauna, Keaton, Leigha and Myles; nine great grandchildren, Madelyn, Emberly, Karson, Cole, Alivia, Mary, Lakyn, Hazel and Bryson and numerous cousins, other family members and many friends.
Graveside services will be held Friday, November 6, 2020 at 10:00 AM at Ray’s Chapel Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Thursday, November 5, 2020 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
In Lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Pensacola, Florida.
Blue Angels Local Flyover This Afternoon, Last For ‘Legacy’ Hornets
November 4, 2020
The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, will conduct a final flight on the F/A-18 A/B/C/D “Legacy” Hornets from 4-4:30 this afternoon over parts of Escambia, Santa Rosa and Baldwin counties.
The final flight of the Legacy Hornets signifies the official transition of the Blue Angels to the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet platform.
The final flight will take-off and land at NAS Pensacola and will last about 30 minutes. Flyover locations (map below) include, but are not limited to:
- Ferry Pass
- Pensacola Beach
- Perdido Key
- Community Maritime Park
- Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola
- Navarre Beach
- Orange Beach
- Gulf Shores
- Fort Morgan
The Blue Angels will be visible from many locations throughout the Pensacola area and along this route.
“We are incredibly honored to have the opportunity to salute those teams who have flown, maintained and supported this platform for over three decades of service,” said Cmdr. Brian Kesselring, U.S. Navy Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader. “We deeply appreciate the expertise and operational knowledge Blue Angels past and present have brought to the team and we look forward to enhancing our operations as we fully transition to flying the Super Hornet.”
The 2020 show season marked the end of the service life of the aircraft the team has flown for 34 years. The 2021 show season will be the Blue Angels’ first year flying the Super Hornet platform as well as the 75th anniversary of the team.
“Undoubtedly, 2020 presented the team with unprecedented challenges. That said, the unique nature of this year also allowed our team to deepen our interaction with past teams, in particular, those teams that transitioned to new aircraft during their tenure,” said Kesselring. “This engagement has helped us lay the foundation for a safe and effective transition for our team’s pilots, support, and maintenance personnel as well as postured us to take on the high operating tempo of the team’s highly anticipated 2021 air show season and 75th anniversary.”
The Blue Angels are scheduled to begin their winter training syllabus over NAS Pensacola beginning Nov. 16. The team will return to its winter training facilities in El Centro, CA in January. Training will continue through April in preparation for the 2021 show season
Since 1946, the Blue Angels have performed for more than 500 million fans.
NorthEscambia.com photo by Perry Doggrell, click to enlarge. Click map below for a larger version.
Three Injured In Highway 95A Wreck
November 4, 2020
Three people were injured in a two vehicle crash Tuesday on Highway 95A near East Roberts Road.
Two people were transported to the hospital by Escambia County EMS, and a juvenile was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle following the wreck.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Chip Simmons Wins Escambia County Sheriff
November 4, 2020
Republican Chip Simmons will win the race for Escambia County Sheriff.
Simmons received 63.48% (105,838) of the vote to 36.52% (60,881) for Democrat David Alexander III. Both men are former chiefs of the Pensacola Police Department, and Simmons currently serves as chief deputy for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
“I think we need a way to increase service in the middle and northern end sections of Escambia County,” Simmons told NorthEsambia.com. “We are going to do a review of north end units and potentially look at reopening substations.”
“I really look forward to helping the neighborhoods that are being decimated by the violent crime,” Simmons said about the county as a whole, “violent crime that’s attached to the narcotics trafficking. I’m looking forward to being able to go to those neighborhoods and saying we are going to put our resources in this neighborhood. And we are going to do our best to make sure that the crime in this neighborhood is reduced. Then we are going to fill that up with a level of engagement that they have not yet seen.”
Simmons said he also wants to bring body cameras to the ECSO and increase training.
Simmons will take office in January. Current Sheriff David Morgan did not seek reelection.
Ben Boutwell Elected Century Mayor, Defeating Incumbent Henry Hawkins
November 4, 2020
Former council member Ben Boutwell was elected the new mayor of Century Tuesday, defeating incumbent Henry Hawkins.
Boutwell won by just 19 votes, according to complete but unofficial results. Boutwell had 340 votes (51.44%) while Hawkins received 321 votes (48.56%).
“I know I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me. We are going to take it one day at a time and go from there,” Boutwell told NorthEscambia.com. “I really do know what’s inside the office until I can sit down in the chair and go through the books.”
“We have to work on infrastructure and (natural) gas problems; we all know that. We also need to beautify the town and clean it. We need the Blackcat Pride like we had years ago,” he continued. “Blackcat Pride” was a common term used in connection with the former Century High School’s Blackcats and pride in the community.”
“It’s about the community; I need ideas and comments,” Boutwell said. “We need to have a heart to hear and have a come to Jesus meeting. It’s time for us to come together in Century.”
Matt Gaetz Reelected To Congressional Seat
November 4, 2020
Republican Matt Gaetz was reelected to Congress Tuesday.
With about 65% of the vote, Gaetz handily defeated Democratic challenger Phil Ehr and NPA candidate Albert Oram.
“From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the great people of Northwest Florida for the this overwhelming election win tonight,” Gaetz said Tuesday evening. “It’s always special to win an election and receive a positive performance review from my bosses, the voters of this great district.”
“For the last 10 years, it’s just been the honor of my life to serve this community in one capacity or another in representative government,” he continued. “And I am deeply, deeply thankful to everyone for their confidence and support.”
Michelle Salzman Wins Florida House District 1 Seat
November 4, 2020
Republican Michelle Salzman won the Florida House District 1 Tuesday be defeating Democratic challenger Franscine C. Mathis.
Salzman won with 65.4% (56,957) to 34.6% (30,151) for Mathis.
“My goal is to really show District 1 what a representative can do and make the district proud,” Salzman told NorthEsambia.com, saying she intends to rebuild bridges burned by Hill in Tallahassee. Hill failed to get get a single bill that he sponsored passed.
She said she has already been working with leadership across the state, working with state agencies like the Florida Department of Transportation and local entities like the Escambia County Commision to make sure her priorities are aligned.
“I look forward to serving everyone in District 1,” Salzman said.
In the August primary election, Salzman defeated incumbent Mike Hill with about 52.5% of the vote. In her campaign, Salzman highlighted the fact that Hill failed to get any bill that he sponsored passed.
Hill, a local insurance agent, was first elected during a 2013 special election in House District 2. He ran unsuccessfully for state Senate in 2016. In 2018, he ran for House District 1, defeating Rebecca Bydlak after releasing a video recorded at the Confederate monument in downtown Pensacola claiming that he would bring the Donald Trump Hollywood star to Pensacola. That never happened, and now the monument is being dismantled.
In the August Democratic primary, Mathis won with 68.20% of the vote to Barbara Schott-Shouse’s 31.80%.
Complete Election Results For Escambia County
November 4, 2020
These are complete, but unofficial election results from Escambia County with 80 of 80 precincts reporting.
Florida Voters Approve Minimum Wage Increase To $15 By 2026
November 4, 2020
Florida voters have approved raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026.
Amendment 2 received about 61% of the vote, greater than the 60% needed to pass.
The current minimum wage of $8.46 a hour will increase to $10 an hour on September 30, 2021. It will then increase by a dollar per year until reaching $15 an hour in 2026.
About 56% of Escambia County voters for for Amendment 2, while 44% were against.