Ribbon Cutting Monday For New $142 Million Escambia County Correctional Facility
March 27, 2021
A ribbon cutting will be held Monday for the new $142 million Escambia County Correctional Facility.
The new 304,067 square foot, four story structure facility replaces the Central Booking and Detention Center that was destroyed by an explosion in 2014.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 29, outside the new facility entrance at 3080 North Pace Boulevard.
The new Escambia County Correctional Facility will not replace the current jail, which was constructed in the 1980s. The two buildings are connected by an enclosed corridor. Inmates will be divided between the two buildings based up on their security classification. Main services such as food and laundry will be in the new building.
The first inmates are expected to be moved into the new facility in early April.
Tate Aggies Shut Out Choctaw In Blue Wahoos Stadium (With Photo Gallery); Tate Softball Strikes Out Cancer With Win Over WFHS
March 27, 2021
BASEBALL
Tate 12, Choctaw 0
The Tate Aggies shut out Choctaw 12-0 Friday afternoon at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Josiah Glodfelter earned the win for Tate Tate Aggies, with no runs on two hits while striking out 10 over in five innings. Ethan McAnally and Jadon Fryman closed out the game in relief. Fryan went one inning, giving up no runs and striking out two. McAnally allowed one hit and no runs while striking out one.
At the plate, Frankie Randall led the Aggies going 3-3 with two runs and one RBI. Fryman, Zak Licastro and Dalton Bowen had two hits each for Tate. Dylan Godwin and Bray Touchstone added one hit each.
The Tate Aggies will be back in action at Blue Wahoos Stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday against Fort Walton Beach. Cox Sports Television will air the game live on channel 319/1319.
For a photo gallery, click here.
SOFTBALL
Tate 8, West Florida 1
The Tate Lady Aggies beat the West Florida Lady Jaguars 8-1 Friday night in the annual Strike Out Cancer game to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Abbie Burks pitched a complete game win for the Lady Aggies, allowing one run on two hits and striking out four. Hannah Halfacre and Madison Holland led Tate at the plate with two hits each.
Photos by Laura Glodfelter and Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Driver Crashes Into Utility Pole Near Florida-Alabama State Line
March 27, 2021
There were no serious injures reported when a driver crashed into a utility pole Friday night near the Florida-Alabama state line, but a few dozen surrounding homes were left without power.
The driver lost control and struck a utility pole on Fannie Road near Carnley Road, just inside Florida, about 11:25 p.m.
Due to a snapped pole and downed lines, Escambia River Electric Cooperative reported 33 customers lost power and Carnley Road and Fannie Road was closed into the early morning hours.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Flomaton Fire Department, MedStar EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Navy Federal, Baptist Health Care Team Up To Vaccinate Workforce
March 27, 2021
It’s a combined effort between the two largest non-governmental employers in the region to vaccinate workers in an effort to achieve overall community vaccination.
Baptist Health Care (BHC) and Navy Federal Credit Union are working together to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible Navy Federal team members and their families.
“Vaccination is critical to our efforts to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19 so that our community is safe, healthy and able to move more quickly to returning to a more normal way of life,” said Scott Raynes, executive vice president of Baptist Health Care. “Doing all we can to ensure the safety of our local workforce is essential to driving our economy. As COVID-19 numbers decline and our local economy looks to return to full force, we are excited to serve Navy Federal and other community employers in helping them and their employees find a new normal.”
Navy Federal is providing paid time off for employees to get vaccinated. Navy Federal team members and their family members who meet the current Florida guidelines for receiving the vaccine will be able to schedule a vaccination appointment through BHC’s existing scheduling portals which include online, email and phone. Vaccinations will initially be administered at BHC facilities. As state guidelines are adjusted to open eligibility to more people, large-scale on-site vaccination clinics will be offered to reach an even broader number of Navy Federal employees and their families.
“This relationship with Baptist Health Care allows us to continue to help our team through the pandemic, making it simpler for them to get a vaccine for themselves or their family,” said Kara Cardona, senior vice president of Greater Pensacola for Navy Federal Credit Union. “We’re thankful to our local healthcare community for its incredible response to this health crisis, and we hope everyone does their part to keep the community safe from COVID-19.”
File photo.
Warm Saturday, Highs Around 80
March 27, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Areas of fog after 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77.
Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 65.
Landis Walk-Off Gives Northview District Win Over Central
March 27, 2021
Northview 10, Central 9
The Northview Chiefs beat Central with a walk-off win on a Josh Landis hit Friday night in Bratt.
Central held a commanding 9-1 lead after one inning. Northview battled back, scoring runs in every inning except the sixth.
Jamarkus Jefferson went five innings for the Chiefs, allowing nine runs on three hits and striking out three. Landis pitched two, allowing no hits and striking out three.
Luke Bridges, Rustin Pope, Kaden Odom, and Wyatt Scruggs had two hits each for the Chiefs.
Central 5, Northview 4 (JV)
Tate Aggies Girls Tennis Beats West Florida
March 27, 2021
The Tate High Aggies Girls tennis team beat West Florida 5-2 Friday.
Kingsley Cline led the way in singles and in doubles with her partner Ana Sanchez Morales. Tate will face Washington High on Tuesday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Five New COVID-19 Deaths, 31 New Cases In Escambia County
March 27, 2021
The Florida Department of Health reported five additional COVID-19 deaths and 31 new cases in Escambia County on Friday.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 34,689 (+31)
Non-Florida residents: 3,590
Recovered: 33,203*
Total deaths: 663 (+5)
Long-term care facility deaths: 277
Current hospitalizations: 31 (+3)
Number of tests reported last day: 770
Percent positive reported last day: 3.6%
Percent positive reported last week: 2.7%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 25,864 (+27)
Cantonment: 3,122 (+1)
Century: 1,172 (+1)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 484
McDavid: 209 (+1)
Bellview: 57
Walnut Hill: 53
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,684 (+11)
Non-Florida residents: 221
Total deaths: 277 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 81 (+1)
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 848*
Number of tests reported last day: 380
Percent positive reported last day: 3.6%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,436 (+7)
Navarre: 3,651 (+2)
Gulf Breeze: 3,278 (+1)
Pace: 1,419 (+5)
Jay: 545
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,033,179
Florida residents: 1,995,548
Deaths: 33,116
Hospitalizations: 84,406
*“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.
**On cases by location, the city is based upon zip code and is not always received as part of the initial notification. There may be a delay in reporting locations, and locations will not total the daily case increase as a result.
***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 is reporting an approximate recovery number defined as the total cases prior to last month, minus deaths. In other words, anyone that tested positive more than a month ago is presumed to have recovered by Escambia County.
**Data Sources: Florida Department of Health, Escambia County, City of Pensacola, local hospitals.
Early Morning Molino Tom Thumb Robbery Under Investigation
March 26, 2021
An early morning robbery at the Molino Tom Thumb store is under investigation.
A man walked into the store about 1:12 a.m., pushed the clerk and took cigarettes, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, before fleeing in a white sedan.
The suspect was described only as a white male wearing a blue shirt and dark shorts. He did not display a weapon, and the clerk was not injured.
“We are following leads right now,” Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Commander Andrew Hobbs said.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Driver Charged With DUI Manslaughter After Hitting, Killing Man On Golf Cart
March 26, 2021
An 81-year old Escambia County man was killed when his golf cart was hit by a pickup truck Thursday, and the driver that hit him is now jailed.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the man on the golf cart was attempting to cross over Barrancas Avenue from Weis Lane about 5:05 p.m. He was ejected and pronounced deceased on the scene.
James Ward, Jr., age 75, was charged with DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide and possession of marijuana by the Florida Highway Patrol’s Traffic Homicide Division. FHP said was driving his truck at a high rate of speed west on Barrancas Avenue. Prior to the fatal crash, he ran of the roadway multiple times, colliding with the concrete barriers on the Bayou Chico Bridge.
“Mr. Ward displayed obvious signs of impairment during the investigation at the scene, due to struggling to stand and maintain his balance, for his safety Field Sobriety Exercises had to be stopped. The team was afraid for his safety, appearing to be a fall risk and injuring himself,” FHP Lt. Jason King said.
The FHP no longer releases the names of traffic crash victims.