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Arbor Day Tree Giveaway In Molino, Art Contest Announced

UF IFAS Extension and the Escambia County Natural Resources Department will hold a drive-through tree giveaway from 9 to 11 a.m., or until supplies last, on Saturday, January 23.

The event will be held at the Escambia County 4-H Camp and Livestock Facility located at 5701 Highway 99 in Molino. The giveaway begins promptly at 9 a.m., and attendees will need to follow instructions from volunteers related to entry and route. To keep everyone healthy, attendees will be asked to stay in their vehicles and wear a mask when approached by volunteers. Each vehicle will receive two free native 1 gallon trees. Species available include overcup oak, willow oak, sweetgum and Savannah holly.

Participants and anyone interested in tree care are encouraged to watch a free online seminar at noon on January 21 entitled, “Tree Planting: More than Digging a Hole,” to learn proper tree planting and care techniques. The presentation will go over the types of trees being given away, as well. Registration for the webinar can be found at: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0gfLeX5SRpGCvJmbD_Qo0w

Arbor Day Mail Art Contest

Escambia County Extension will also host their 4th annual Arbor Day Mail Art Contest this year. To participate, mail a drawing, painting, photograph or mixed media artwork with the theme, “Renew, Regrow, and Reforest” to Arbor Day Art Contest c/o Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment, FL 32533. Please include your name, age, and contact information on the back of your artwork. Contest entries must arrive by mail or be dropped off by January 25.

First place winners of the art contest will receive prizes including a seven-gallon tree, a shovel and a tree book. Second place winners will receive a tree book and third place winners will receive gardening supplies. Categories include children (12-under), teen (13-18) and adult (over 18). Winners will be announced via Facebook Live on January 29, and prizes given out by appointment. Resource Management Services provided support for the art contest.

A Very Cold Rain By Morning

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Tonight: A slight chance of showers between midnight and 3am, then a chance of rain after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Light northeast wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday: A chance of rain before 9am, then showers, mainly after 9am. High near 47. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of rain before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. North wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 52. North wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. North wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. West wind around 5 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 60. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 54.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

FEMA Hurricane Sally Update: $33 Million Approved For Individual Assistance, How To Get More Info

Following Hurricane Sally, FEMA approved 7,986 individuals and households for $33 million in FEMA assistance, including $25.7 million approved for housing assistance and $7.3 million approved for other disaster-related needs.

Another $81.2 million in SBA loans were approved for 2,081 applicants. And 4,472 claims were filed with the National Flood Insurance Program with $121.1 million paid out.

How to check status of your FEMA application

Survivors in Bay, Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton counties who registered with FEMA can check the status of their applications, ask questions and get information in several ways:

• By visiting DisasterAssistance.gov
• Using the FEMA App for mobile devices
• Calling 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). Multilingual operators are available. Those who use a relay service such as a videophone, InnoCaption or CapTel should provide FEMA with their specific phone number assigned to that service.

DisasterAssistance.gov

Individuals and households that have registered with FEMA may check the status of their application and upload documents on DisasterAssistance.gov.

Hurricane Sally Florida Recovery Resources & Information Portal

After the immediate response to a disaster, the focus of disaster operations shifts to recovery. FEMA Interagency Recovery Coordination (IRC) helps communities plan long-term recovery and provides resources to help them build capacity.

Recovery after a disaster presents complex challenges that require coordination among federal, state, local, private and non-governmental partners. IRC helps communities develop strategies to recover from the economic, social and other impacts of Hurricane Sally.

IRC has developed the Hurricane Sally IRC Recovery Resources & Information Portal for important updates and guidance, grant opportunities, fast-track webinars, resources, links and much more. To access the portal, sign in as a guest here: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/dr4564sally/.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Traffic Alert: These Are This Week’s Trouble Spots

Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.

Escambia County:

• U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – The intersection of North 17th Avenue and Bayfront Parkway will remain closed until spring 2021 as construction continues for the new 17th Avenue interchange. The Visitor’s Center remains accessible from 17th Avenue. In addition, the ramp from 17th Avenue to East Gregory Street remains open. Eastbound drivers on Bayfront Parkway should use North 14th Avenue and Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) as a detour route. The bridge remains closed until spring 2021.

• ·       U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90)- Crews continue road widening and drainage improvements. Traffic impacts for the week Sunday, Jan. 10 include:

• • Nine Mile Road median crossovers at the U.S. 29 interchange will be temporarily closed Friday, Jan. 15 from 8 p.m. until Monday, Jan. 18 at 7 a.m. The temporary closures are required to adjust the elevation of the median crossovers at the interchange. Drivers will not be able to make left turns across the median during the temporary closure.  The following detour routes will be in place:
    • Eastbound Nine Mile Road to U.S. 29 northbound drivers should travel north on Cove Avenue, then east on Nine and a Half Mile Road, then travel north on U.S. 29.
    • Westbound Nine Mile Road to U.S. 29 southbound drivers should travel south on North Palafox Street, then west on Hood Drive, then south on U.S. 29.
    • Northbound U.S. 29 to westbound Nine Mile Road drivers will make a U-turn at Nine and a Half Mile Road to merge onto U.S. 29 southbound; then, exit onto Nine Mile Road westbound.
    • Southbound U.S. 29 to eastbound Nine Mile Road drivers will make a U-turn at West Hood Road, then travel north on U.S. 29 to exit onto Nine Mile Road eastbound.
  • Motorists can expect nighttime intermittent lane closures and shifts on U.S. 29, between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road, and Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass the week of Jan. 10 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• East Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Safety Project from North Palafox Street to Chemstrand Road – Westbound traffic can expect intermittent daytime right turn lane closures as crews continue paving operations.
• S.R. 296 (Brent Lane) (Service Roads Only) Paving Operations – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11 through Wednesday, Jan. 13 as crews install asphalt at the widening areas.

Santa Rosa County:

• U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive- Early construction activities are beginning in preparation for the widening and improvements of the 4.25-mile section of U.S. 98 from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive. These activities include utility relocations, clearing, excavation, and drainage improvements. As part of the upgraded drainage system, the project includes construction of five stormwater ponds. There will be no traffic impacts associated with the construction of the ponds, but nearby residents and businesses may experience some noise. Access to residences and businesses will be maintained at all times. Major roadway construction activities on the $70.4 million project are anticipated to begin summer 2021.

• Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – The bridge remains closed until spring 2021.
• I-10 Emergency Improvements at Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/ Exit 22)- Monday, Jan. 11 through Friday, Jan. 15, motorists may encounter nighttime far right, lane and shoulder closures and traffic shifts on the eastbound I-10 exit ramp as crews construct improvements to accommodate additional traffic due to the closure of Pensacola Bay Bridge. There will also continue to be alternating left and right nightly lane closures on both north and southbound S.R. 281. Lane closures will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• U.S. 98 Utility Work from Palo Alto to Whispering Pines Boulevard – The eastbound, outside lane will be closed Monday, Jan. 11 through Friday, Jan. 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. as utility crews perform operations.

Eight More COVID-19 Deaths, 285 New Cases Reported In Escambia County

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.

Eight additional COVID-19 deaths and 285 new cases were reported Saturday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.

Here is the latest data:

Escambia County cases:

Total cases: 25,153 (+285)
Non-Florida residents: 2,717
Recovered: 22,847*
Total deaths: 413 (+8)
Long-term care facility deaths : 178(+4)
Current hospitalizations: 270 (+5)
Number of tests reported last day: 1,331
Percent positive reported last day: 16.6%
Percent positive reported last week: 17.8%

Escambia County cases by location*:

Pensacola: 18,443 (+215)
Cantonment: 2,242 (+25)
Century: 1,052 (+6)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 308 (+3)
McDavid: 156 (+4)
Walnut Hill: 45 (+3)
Bellview: 39
Perdido Key: 17
Gonzalez: 11

Santa Rosa County cases:

Total cases: 12,657 (+133)
Non-Florida residents: 158
Total deaths: 155 (+7)
Long-term care facility deaths: 36 (+4)
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 596*
Number of tests reported day: 491
Percent positive reported last day: 21.3%

Santa Rosa County cases by location*:

Milton: 6,103 (+43)
Navarre: 2,491 (+32)
Gulf Breeze: 2,264 (+40)
Pace: 996 (+13)
Jay: 380 (+10)
Bagdad: 25 (-1 data adjustment)

Florida cases:

Total cases: 1,464,697
Florida residents: 1,438,579
Deaths: 22,804
Hospitalizations: 65,401*

*“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 as a result, 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.

Charles Billy Turner

Mr. , age 85, of Prattville, AL, passed away on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at Baptist Medical Center, South in Montgomery, AL.

Mr. Turner was born in Flomaton, AL, and had been a resident of Prattville since 1996 coming from Cleveland, TN. He worked as a purchasing agent for many construction companies, and was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was a member of East Memorial Baptist Church in Prattville and was preceded in death by his parents, Bert and Katie Sunday Turner; wife, Frances Holt Turner and sisters, Margarette Helen Turner and Katherine Turner Welch.

He is survived by his son, Jeffrey Turner of Prattville, AL; daughter, Robbie (Roger) White of North Augusta, SC; brothers, James Turner of Flomaton, AL, T.J. (Charlotte) Turner of Athens, AL, Melvin ‘Cowboy’ Turner of Flomaton, AL , Ed (Ouida) Turner of Brewton, AL; grandchildren, Evan White of North Augusta, SC, Emily White (David) Piekut of San Diego, CA, Eric White of Easley, SC, and great-grandson, Luke Piekut.

Graveside services will be held on Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 2 P.M. at Pleasant Home Holiness Church Cemetery with Bro. Bryan Easley officiating.

236 Escambia Residents Approved For CARES Act Grants Were Not Paid. Now The Checks Will Be Mailed.

Over 200 Escambia County residents will receive their payments from the Escambia CARES Family Assistance Grant program.

The county set aside $16.5 million in CARES Act funds for local families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic — enough to send $3,000 checks to 5,500 families. Escambia County announced at the end of December that the last checks had been issued to qualified residents.

But there were actually 5,736 applications marked approved, 236 more than the available funds. Those applicants would see the word “Approved” on their online applications, leading them to believe the check was in the mail. The program was actually contingent on available funds, so those residents received nothing when the approved applications were processed in the order received.

“We’ve got to make that right,” Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh said. “We cannot tell someone they’re funded and then leave them hanging and never communicate with them again and pull the rug out from under them.”

The Escambia County Commission has voted to allocated another $708,000 to the program to cover the 236 families. Most will receive their $3,000 check without about two weeks after all the necessary paperwork is on file.

Freezing Temperatures Saturday Night

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 28. North wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 49. Wind chill values between 25 and 35 early. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.

Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain after midnight. Increasing clouds, with a low around 37. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight.

Monday: Rain before noon, then a chance of showers after noon. High near 51. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. North wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 52. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. North wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 55. North wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 61.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 62.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 55.

Want To Learn More About Growing Industrial Hemp In Florida?

The UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Program is launching a virtual workshop with research and program updates, available online beginning Monday, January 11 for $40. The workshop consists of a collection of pre-recorded lectures and prepared documents available for on-demand viewing.

In addition to the virtual delivery, there are opportunities to engage with experts from UF/IFAS.

As the two-year pilot project ends and phases into the established research program, UF/IFAS faculty will share research outcomes, on-farm trial updates and more.

Sessions include:

• From Pilot Project to Program, Zack Brym, assistant professor of agroecology, UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC).
• UF/IFAS Hemp Pilot Project Cultivar Approval Program, Jerry Fankhauser, assistant director of the UF/IFAS Florida Agricultural Experiment Station.
• On-farm trial updates, featuring the UF/IFAS Hemp Extension Team.
• Hemp physiology and management updates, featuring faculty from UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center and several graduate student researchers
• Invasion risk updates, Susan Canavan, post-doctoral researcher and Luke Flory, associate professor, UF/IFAS agronomy.
• Pest and disease updates, featuring Johan Desaeger, assistant professor of entomology and nematology, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and new website resources.
• Insights into Building a Hemp Industry in Florida, Trent Blare, assistant professor of food and resource economics and statewide Extension specialist at the UF/IFAS TREC.

For more information, visit the UF/IFAS Hemp Program site. To gain access to the pre-recorded workshop presentations, register online.

Presentations will be available on demand from January 11 through November 1.

Pensacon 2021 Postponed Due To COVID-19 Spike

Pensacon has announced the postponement of its 2021 pop culture convention due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement, they say, came after careful consideration and consultation with state and local officials, medical professionals and venue partners.

“The safety, security and health of our attendees, guests, exhibitors, staff and volunteers is of the utmost importance to us,” said Mike Ensley, founder and CEO of Pensacon. “After discussions with our venue teams, exhibitors, creators, guests and fans, we have decided to postpone. As an additional factor, numerous celebrities must travel from all over, and will not be able to participate due to travel restrictions. As such we do not see a way to move forward that would allow Pensacon to happen safely in February.”

Originally set for February 26-28, Pensacola’s premier pop culture gathering will return later in 2021. Pensacon staff is currently working with all partners to secure new dates, which will be announced as soon as possible.

The postponement of the event allows Pensacon to work diligently to ensure that fans receive a first-class event that is on the level they have come to expect over the past seven years.

“Pensacon is for Pensacola,” Ensley said. “We are continually grateful for the fierce passion and loyalty of our amazing fans, exhibitors, artists and our community. You deserve a celebration worthy of your passion.”

For those who have already purchased tickets for Pensacon 2021, your tickets will automatically roll over to the rescheduled dates. If you should find that you are unable to attend on the rescheduled dates, tickets can be rolled over to Pensacon 2022. As a token of thanks for all of the support, current 2021 ticket holders will receive an exclusive, limited-edition gift.

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