American Adds Nonstop Flight From Pensacola To New York
February 21, 2021
American Airlines has announced it will begin daily, nonstop service from Pensacola International Airport to LaGuardia Airport this summer. The Texas based carrier said the service is scheduled to begin in June and run through September.
LaGuardia Airport, located in the Queens borough of New York City, is the third busiest airport in New York, offering connections to Richmond, Virginia, Detroit, Michigan, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and many other destinations.
American Airlines’ daily flight departs LaGuardia at noon EST and arrives in Pensacola at 1:45 p.m. CST. Flights departing Pensacola will arrive in New York at 6 p.m. EST.
“We have worked to position Pensacola International Airport as a strategic partner for airlines as we all work to recover from the health crisis that has negatively impacted the air industry,” Pensacola International Airport Director Matt Coughlin said. “This announcement today shows that our efforts here in Pensacola are not going unnoticed and that we truly are the Gateway to the Gulf Coast.”
“I’m always excited to see new nonstop destinations at Pensacola International Airport, but one as prominent as New York City is especially exciting,” Mayor Grover Robinson said. “Expanding our nonstop destinations not only provides additional travel opportunities for residents, but also connects new visitors to Pensacola and everything our beautiful city has to offer. Despite challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s great to see Pensacola International Airport continuing to thrive with safety protocols in place for travelers.”
FDOH Reports One More COVID-19 Death, 111 New Positives In Escambia County
February 21, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There was one more COVID-19 death and 111 new positives reported Saturday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 33,158 (+111)
Non-Florida residents: 3,431
Recovered: 30,847*
Total deaths: 608 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 262
Current hospitalizations: 107
Number of tests reported last day: 1,913
Percent positive reported last day: 5.2%
Percent positive reported last week: 8.9%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 24,701 (+87)
Cantonment: 2,999 (+12)
Century: 1,137 (+1)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 456 (+3)
McDavid: 197 (+2)
Bellview: 56
Walnut Hill: 50 (+1)
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 12
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 16,696 (+46)
Non-Florida residents: 211
Total deaths: 250 (+3)
Long-term care facility deaths: 76
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 760*
Number of tests reported last day: 578
Percent positive reported last day: 10.7%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,032 (+22)
Navarre: 3,411 (+23)
Gulf Breeze: 3,127 (+6)
Pace: 1,331 (+11)
Jay: 517 (+2)
Bagdad: 31
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,863,707
Florida residents: 1,829,773
Deaths: 29,813
Hospitalizations: 77,654*
*“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.
Johnnie William Taylor
February 21, 2021
Mr. Johnnie William Taylor affectionately known as Billy, surrounded by his family,
passed this world and into the next on February 14, 2021. Johnnie was born on January 3,
1944 in Atmore, AL and spent his life working and building his business and family there.
He is preceded in death by his father, James E. Taylor; his mother, Rosa Harrison Taylor;
his brother, Homer Taylor and his sisters, Dorothy Taylor Godwin and Callie Taylor
Irwin.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Norma McCall Taylor of Atmore, AL; their two
children, Lynn Taylor Winters (John) of Monroeville, AL and Suzanne Taylor of Auburn,
AL; their two granddaughters, Mary Taylor Winters and Lucinda Ruth Johnson who were
the lights of his life; his sister, Doris (Sue) Gohagin of Atmore, AL along with a multitude
of nieces, nephews, beloved family members and friends.
Graveside service will be held Friday, February 19, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery
in Atmore, AL with a close family friend, Joseph (JJ) Jones speaking.
Active pallbearers will be Dauphin Gohagin, Timothy Godwin, Jimmy Crook, Shawn
Linam, Earl Dailey and Hooper Matthews.
Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Staff, James Reed, Jerry Cochran, Roy Rowley and Steve
Carpenter.
Visitation will be Friday, February 19, 2021 from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Johnson-
Quimby Funeral Home.
For the safety of you and others, please practice social distancing requirements, though
wearing a facial mask is strongly encouraged.
Salzman Withdraws ECUA Term Limit Bill, Instead Looking At Wider Utility Reform
February 20, 2021
Rep. Michelle Salzman has withdrawn a local bill that would have imposed term limits for members of the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority. Instead, Salzman and other legislators across the state are setting their collective sights on ECUA and similar utilities across the state.
Salzman set out to rewrite that legislative act that gives ECUA its authority after a 2018 grand jury investigation that was not made public until September 2020. The freshman District 1 representative’s bill would have limited ECUA board members to three, four-year terms.
“What we have discovered during the course of this process is that this issue is not specific to just our area. There are other ‘ECUA’s’ around Florida and for that reason we are partnering with other legislators across the state to request the office of the Public Counsel to conduct a study of how some utilities in Florida currently operate and report its recommendations back to the legislature,” Salzman told NorthEscambia.com in a text message Friday.
The Escambia County Legislative Delegation had endorsed the bill at a January meeting, and Salzman said the withdrawal was done in partnership with Delegation Chair Sen. Doug Broxson.
“The extensive operational audit of ECUA was officially requested by my office as well as a separate detailed review of all water utilities created by special acts has been ordered as well. Before the end of session we should have a clear picture of how we will move forward with legislation,” she said.
“I have been having the conversation about ECUA with legislators and leaders all over our state. As I mentioned after our January delegation meeting, this is only the beginning. I am and will continue to work on a good resolution for the constituents of not only Escambia County, but all of Florida.”
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Wins State Peanut Butter Challenge
February 20, 2021
Escambia County Extension was the winner of the statewide 2020 Peanut Butter Challenge.
Escambia County collected 2,191 jars weighing in at 2,867.5 pounds. The county’s collection was further boosted by an additional 2,880 jars, generously donated by local farmers Rodney and Mike Helton.
The premise of the event was simple — from October 1 until the day before Thanksgiving, participating counties collected jars of peanut butter, often with plenty of help from the local community and organizations. At the end of the event, the collections are tallied, bragging rights earned, and the jars were distributed to local food pantries to feed neighbors in need during the holiday season.
“The Peanut Butter Challenge continues to raise awareness of the importance of the state peanut industry, and helps provide a healthy product to families who do not have easy access to nutritious food,” said Libbie Johnson, agricultural agent for UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County and co-organizer of the Challenge since its inception. “Our communities come through year after year with tremendous responses to our calls for peanut butter donations, and we thank them.”
Peanut butter is an ever-popular item in food pantries for its nutrient density and shelf stability. The project’s expansion this year was partially inspired by the increased demand for food bank assistance as an economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Set For Special Needs Adults With High Risk Conditions
February 20, 2021
Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart will hold a special COVID-19 vaccination clinic on February 26 for Florida residents with developmental and intellectual disabilities who also have conditions that put them at high risk for serious complications from COVID-19. The clinic will include vaccinations for persons with Down syndrome.
The vaccination clinic will be held at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults with Down syndrome have an increased risk of severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers in the United Kingdom have estimated that people with Down syndrome have a fourfold increased risk for hospitalization from COVID-19 and a 10-fold increased risk for COVID-related death.
Down syndrome appeared in the CDC’s December 23 update to its list of higher risk conditions linked to severe COVID-19 complications. Persons with Down syndrome are more likely to have congenital heart defects and chronic heart conditions, as well as diabetes, asthma or a compromised immune system.
The February 26 clinic also will provide vaccinations for persons with developmental disabilities who have chronic medical conditions that make them highly vulnerable to COVID-19 complications. Those regarded as extremely vulnerable to the virus include patients with cancer, COPD, weakened immune systems, chronic kidney diseases, certain heart conditions, obesity, Down syndrome, diabetes, and sickle cell disease.
An appointment scheduled in advance is required to attend the clinic. No walk-in patients will be accepted. A parent or legal guardian may be required to attend to give consent for vaccination.
Florida residents interested in arranging an appointment for the February 26 clinic should send an email to Covid19vaccinesupport@ascension.org. When completing an email request, please add in the subject line: “Clinic for adults with disabilities” and, in the email, include the patient’s first and last name, date of birth, a brief description of the qualifying high-risk medical condition, and the patient’s primary care provider.
Ascension Medical Group staff will give shots with the first dose of the Moderna vaccine to up to 400 people who meet the special needs criteria. All participants will be expected to return for a second dose of the vaccine on March 26.
—
Sunshine For The Weekend
February 20, 2021
Here is your official north Escambia area forecast:
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 35. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the evening.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 62. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 62. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 66.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.
ECSO Arrests 70-Year Old Escambia Man On Child Porn Charges
February 20, 2021
A 70-year old Escambia County man has been arrested on child pornography charges.
James Richard Coleman was charged with 20 felony counts of possession of child pornography.
Members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) and the ECSO SWAT team served a search warrant at Coleman’s home.
Inside the home, investigators found alleged child pornography on a laptop belonging to Coleman.
Coleman remained in the Escambia County Jail Saturday morning with bond set at $200,000.
It’s Now Official: Sunday Morning Alcohol Sales Are Legal Beginning This Weekend In Escambia County
February 20, 2021
An ordinance legalizing Sunday morning alcohol sales in Escambia County has been filed with the state in time to go into effect this weekend.
The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday to approve an ordinance allowing retail alcohol sales seven days a week except between 2:30 and 6 a.m. The Florida Department of State has now accepted the filing of the ordinance, making it the law.
District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh proposed the ordinance be amended to achieve continuity throughout the county.
“I’m very pleased my fellow commissioners voted to create uniform regulations for Escambia County alcohol sales hours,” said Bergosh. “Moving forward businesses will be treated equally throughout the county, and I’m glad we could get this right.”
Previously, retail alcohol sales were prohibited from 2:30 a.m. until 6 a.m. daily, except 2:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sundays. An exception allowed sales on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key on Sundays beginning at 7 a.m.
Three More COVID-19 Deaths, 47 New Cases Reported In Escambia County
February 20, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were three additional COVID-19 deaths and 47 more cases reported Friday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 33,047 (+47)
Non-Florida residents: 3,426
Recovered: 30,848*
Total deaths: 607 (+3)
Long-term care facility deaths: 262 (+3)
Current hospitalizations: 107(-1)
Number of tests reported last day: 1,208
Percent positive reported last day: 2.8%
Percent positive reported last week: 8.9%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 24,614 (+26)
Cantonment: 2,987 (+2)
Century: 1,136
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 453
McDavid: 195
Bellview: 56
Walnut Hill: 49
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 12
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 16,696 (+46)
Non-Florida residents: 211
Total deaths: 250 (+3)
Long-term care facility deaths: 76 (+1)
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 760*
Number of tests reported last day: 369
Percent positive reported last day: 11.5%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,010 (+24)
Navarre: 3,388 (+15)
Gulf Breeze: 3,121 (+4)
Pace: 1,320
Jay: 515 (+1)
Bagdad: 31
Florida cases:
Total cases: 1,856,427
Florida residents: 1,822,644
Deaths: 29,692
Hospitalizations: 77,408*
*“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.