Baptist Has COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments Available In Pensacola And Jay
March 4, 2021
Baptist Health Care has vaccine appointments available in the communities of Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Jay, Florida while supplies last. Vaccinations will be given by appointment only to those who meet Florida eligibility criteria. Evening and weekend appointments have been added to accommodate work schedules, including those of school employees. Time and location will be provided once the appointment is confirmed.
COVID-19 vaccinations are currently designated for Florida residents who are one of the following:
- Age 65 or over
- Health care worker
- K-12 school employee 50 years of age and older
- Sworn law enforcement officer 50 years of age and older
- Firefighter 50 years of age and older
People who are in one of the allowable workforce groups must present an ID badge or proof of employment at the appointment.
How to Make a Vaccination Appointment
Appointments can be made one of three ways:
- Visit EasySchedule.com. Click “procedure appointment” and complete the registration.
- Email name and contact information to BHCVaccine@bhcpns.org.
- Those without email/internet access can call 850.908.SHOT (7468), Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tate Beats Fort Walton Beach; Escambia Tops Northview
March 4, 2021
Tate 15, Fort Walton Beach 1
With an explosive 10-run fifth inning, the Tate Aggies beat Fort Walton Beach 15-1 Wednesday night.
Jordan Jarman gave up one run on three hits in three innings while striking out two on the mound for Tate. Tucker Griffin and Joseph Pusateri closed out the game in relief.
Jadon Fryman, Frankie Randall, Drew Reaves and Jackson Penton had multiple hits for the Aggies. Fryman went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Tate.
Escambia 7, Northview 5
The Escambia Gators defeated the Northview Chiefs 7-5 Wednesday night in Pensacola.
The Chiefs tied it up at three in the top of the third when an error scored three runs for Northview, but Escambia took the lead for good with a run in the fourth.
Northview’s Clay Allen allowed four hit and four runs over five innings. Kaden Odom and Jamarkus took the mound in relief.
Odom, Bryce Korinchak, and Aron Chavira had one hit each for the Chiefs.
Pictured: The Tate Aggies beat Fort Walton 15-1 Wednesday night. Photos by Laura Glodfelter for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Low In The 40s Thursday Night
March 4, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. North wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 65.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 72.
The Book Fair Is Back At Molino Park Elementary School, And There’s A New Way To Pay.
March 4, 2021
The Scholastic Book Fair is back this year at Molino Park Elementary School, and it’s been extended with a new way for parents to pay.
For over 30 years, those mobile cases of the Scholastic Book Fairs have offered a chance for schools to make a little money while giving students access to affordable books to read.
For cashless shopping, parents or guardians can create a payment wallet online by clicking or tapping here. The digital wallet can be used at the Molino Park book fair or online at a virtual book fair. Cash and checks are also accepted at the school. (Checks should made out to Molino Park Elementary and include a phone number.)
The book fair at Molino Park will continue through Wednesday, March 10.
“All proceeds Molino Park makes will be used for new purchases to update our school library collection,” said MPES Media Specialist Rebecca Hatch.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDOH Reports 90 New COVID-19 Cases, One Additional Death In Escambia County
March 4, 2021
THIS IS A ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 90 new COVID-19 cases and one additional death in Escambia County reported Wednesday by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 33,894 (+90)
Non-Florida residents: 3,501
Recovered: 33,035*
Total deaths: 633 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 270 (+1)
Current hospitalizations: 81 (+13)
Number of tests reported last day: 1,005
Percent positive reported last day: 7.6%
Percent positive reported last week: 6.0%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 25,255 (+64)
Cantonment: 3,051 (+9)
Century: 1,157 (+11)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 480
McDavid: 201 (+1)
Bellview: 56
Walnut Hill: 51
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,220 (+57)
Non-Florida residents: 216
Total deaths: 262
Long-term care facility deaths: 78
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 796*
Number of tests reported last day: 470
Percent positive reported last day: 10.8%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,235 (+30)
Navarre: 3,528 (+9)
Gulf Breeze: 3,212 (+10)
Pace: 1,367 (+5)
Jay: 530 (+2)
Bagdad: 32 (+1)
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,924,114
Florida residents: 1,888,725
Deaths: 31,267
Hospitalizations: 80,024*
*“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.
Dwight Jackson Perritt
March 4, 2021
We are celebrating the life of Dwight Jackson Perritt, husband of 39 years to Marcelle Reeves Perritt, father to Cathy Flowers, stepfather to Damon Murphy and Dona Jean Gainey, grandfather to four and great grandfather to six. He left us on March 2, 2021 and entered into his eternal home in Heaven.
Dwight is survived by his wife, Marcelle Reeves Perritt, daughter Cathy (Jimmy) Flowers, stepdaughter Dona Murphy (Scott) Gainey, stepson Damon (Pammie) Murphy, brothers, a sister, four grandchildren, six great grandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews.
Dwight spent many years working as a crane operator with the oil industry out of Louisiana until an automobile accident in 2004 almost took his life and he was forced to retire. Prior to the accident he enjoyed spending his free time working in the yard, his wood shop, attending races and going fishing. After the accident he became disabled and had to give up his boat and most outdoor work. In recent years he always spoke of memories from times spent fishing with his wife Marcelle, his grandson Joshua and his granddaughter Lauren. Those memories brought him laughter and even sadness. He was a simple man who loved his family and always helped others when in need. He showed his family love and care whether we shared the same blood or not. He spent the last few years of his life watching races on tv and watching the old westerns. If there wasn’t a Nascar race on the tv, he was watching the heroes that he loved in those old westerns and didn’t watch or care for much of anything else that was on.
Even though we mourn our loss, we celebrate and realize how blessed we were to have him in our lives. We celebrate because even though his life on this earth has come to an end, his life has really just begun in eternity.
Funeral services will be held at 12noon, Friday, March 5, 2021 at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Malcolm Thomas officiating. Burial to follow in Gonzalez United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Family will receive friends at 11am prior to services.
Man Charged With Holding Patient Hostage At West Florida Hospital, Fighting With Deputies
March 3, 2021
An Alabama man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly holding a patient hostage at West Florida Hospital, fighting staff and deputies and even grabbing a deputy’s gun.
Timothy Rains, 26, of Loxley, Alabama, is charged with multiple counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer or EMT, kidnapping false imprisonment, damaging property, resisting arrest with violence, and obstructing police.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was called to a hostage situation in the Behavior Unit at West Florida Hospital about 2:30 p.m.
An arrest report states Rains was initially taken to the hospital as a voluntary patient for a medical condition. He was placed in the Behavior Unit due to lack of bed space in the regular emergency room.
Security staff said Rains became verbally aggressive when asked to put on hospital clothes and provide a urine sample. He then punched a hole in the wall and pulled the door scanner off the wall.
The report states Rains entered another patient’s room, locked the door and then blocked the door — not allowing the patient to leave or hospital staff to get into the room. Hospital staff asked Rains several times to let the patient out of the room, but he refused.
According to the report, hospital staff broke a window in an attempt to get the patient out of the room. Staff tried to use an aluminum crutch to pry the door open, but Rains grabbed the crutch and began swinging it at hospital staff.
The report states Rains eventually allowed the patient to leave the room, but he kept using the crutch as a weapon against hospital staff before they finally pulled it away from him.
Multiple deputies then tried to detain Rains, but he wouldn’t comply, according to the report. Rains grabbed ahold of a deputy’s gun in his holster, but he was stopped from getting the gun as deputies pinned his hand.
A deputy used a taser on Rains, but it proved ineffective. Rains then grabbed another deputy’s taser, pointed it at the deputy’s chest and pulled the trigger multiple times, according to the arrest report.
According to the report, after more struggles, deputies were eventually able to handcuff Rains and arrest him.
Rains’ bond was set at $155,000.
Missing Kids Found Near Munson, Manhunt Underway For Their Biological Mother
March 3, 2021
Two young boys kidnapped Tuesday in Louisiana were found safe Wednesday afternoon near Munson in Santa Rosa County, but their mother remained on the run.
Kaesyn Heck, age 8, and Jax Matthews, age 4, were kidnapped by their biological mother Shawntel Heck Tuesday afternoon from their father’s home in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, according to Louisiana authorities. The children were in a 2013 Hyundai Elantra stolen from the father’s residence.
Deputies received information about a possible destination for Heck in Santa Rosa County. The two children were recovered about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at an address off Byron Cooley Road, about three miles southwest of the Munson fire station.
The suspect fled from the area and a K-9 search began, according to Sgt. Rich Aloy of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. As of about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, deputies were still searching for the suspect.
Shawntel Heck is a former resident of the Milton area, according to Santa Rosa County Jail records.
State Approves Two Rate Changes For Gulf Power. Here’s What It Means For Your Bill.
March 3, 2021
The Florida Public Service Commission on Tuesday approved two rate change requests from Gulf Power — one to cover Hurricane Sally recovery costs and the other due to the conversion to natural gas generation.
The rate changes will lead to a net decrease for customer bills beginning in March, according to Gulf Power.
Gulf Power customers will bear the cost of $206 million in Hurricane Sally costs. For residential customers, the charge will be $3 a month on a 1,000 kwh bill.
But that increase will be more than offset by savings from the conversion of Plant Crist, recently renamed as the Gulf Clean Energy Center, from coal to natural gas. Gulf Power constructed a 39-mile long natural gas pipeline through North Escambia from Century to the plant.
With an adjusted environmental cost recovery provision, there will be a net decrease in the typical residential customer bill of approximately 73 cents per month for the remainder of the year.
Earlier this year, Gulf Power announced that its Plant Crist coal units had been converted to natural gas delivered by a new pipeline. The company notified the FPSC late last year that it planned to retire the plant’s coal assets early, resulting in benefits to the local community as well as cost savings for customers.
“Ending our use of coal in Florida is part of our plan to usher in a new, cleaner energy era for Northwest Florida, along with emissions-free solar farms,” said Mike Spoor, vice president of Gulf Power. “Modernizing Gulf Clean Energy Center ensures we deliver benefits for our customers and our communities through greater reliability and lower costs along with cleaner emissions.”
The retirement of coal at the plant was accelerated by Hurricane Sally, which caused damage to the plant’s coal equipment. The company determined that it is in the best interests of its customers to accelerate the conversion to natural gas instead of repairing the coal equipment.
North Escambia plays a key role in Gulf Power’s plans to rely more on solar energy with two solar farms on about 1,200 acres in McDavid, as first reported by NorthEscambia.com.
Construction beginning on the Cotton Creek Solar Energy Center in the area of Bogia Road. At 74.2 megawatts, Cotton Creek will generate enough electricity to power 15,000 homes annually, according to Gulf Power.
Gulf Power is now seeking the necessary permits for the First City Solar Energy Center in the area of Cox and Roach Roads. It will be 74.5 megawatts, also enough to power another 15,000 homes annually.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Man Pursues Suspected Burglars Driving Stolen Truck In ‘Wild’ Chase
March 3, 2021
A Bratt man pursued suspected burglars driving a stolen truck in what was described by law enforcement as a wild chase during the early morning hours Tuesday.
It all started when a pickup truck was stolen from outside a business in the 11000 block of Highway 97 in Davisville about 2:30 a.m. By 4:30 a.m., the pickup was outside a home in the area of North Highway 99 and Macks Road in Bratt. The resident heard noises and thought his barn was being burglarized. The resident went outside, got in his vehicle and chased the stolen pickup, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The Bratt man called 911 and was able to provide the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office with the license plate number and description of the stolen truck he was chasing.
“It went behind houses and through yards on McElhaney Road,” ECSO spokesperson Amber Southard told NorthEscambia.com. “The man kept following the stolen truck, and the suspects were driving wildly and attempting to elude him.”
The man told deputies that the suspects tried to hit his vehicle, and he was forced to take action avoid a collision several times.
“At one point, a suspect threw a large piece of PVC pipe out of the truck, striking the victim’s truck and damaging his side mirror,” Southard said. The man eventually lost sight of the stolen truck as it headed toward Alabama.
The Atmore Police Department later located the stolen truck and two suspects in a field in the area of Old Bratt Road and Airport Road. Atmore Police said the men were not immediately arrested, but unspecified charges are now pending. Arrest warrants for the vehicle theft are also expected to be issued in Florida.
File photo.