Traffic Shuffled Again In $4.7 Million Highway 29 Project In Century
September 16, 2023
There has been another big shift in a Highway 29 construction zone in Century.
North and southbound traffic on North Century Boulevard has been shifted to one outside travel lane in each direction between Rudolph Street and Green Street
The shift will be in place through September as crews perform drainage improvements, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The complete $4.7 million project has an anticipated completion target date in January 2024. FDOT will also upgrade traffic signals, drainage structures, pavement markings, and driveways, while also improving curb ramps and sidewalks to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
Pictured: Lane closures on Highway 29 in Century as seen on Saturday, August 5. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia School Board Approves Lower Millage Rate, $797.5 Million Budget
September 16, 2023
The Escambia County School Board has approved a lower millage rate and a high budget for the 2023-2024 year.
The millage rate will drop from 5.274 to 5.144, but is still considered a tax increase because it exceeds the rolled back rate by 9.6%. The rolled back rate is a computed millage rate that would generate the same amount of ad valorem tax dollars as the prior fiscal year, based on the proposed year’s tax roll, excluding new construction. A millage rate higher than the rolled-back rate is defined by the State of Florida as a tax increase.
The budget is $797.5 million, up $15 million from the last fiscal year budget of $782 million.
The budget and millage rate passed on a 4-0 vote with District 1 board member Kevin Adams absent.
Partly Cloudy, Low About 70 Saturday Night
September 16, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Light north wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. North wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 89.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 88.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 87.
No Place Like Home: Northview Gets 35-0 Senior Night Shutout Over Lighthouse (With Gallery)
September 16, 2023
There’s no place like home for a big win.
After dropping the first three games of the season on the road, the Northview Chiefs got a big 35-0 senior night win at home over Lighthouse Private Christian Academy Friday night. Northview is now 5-0 against Lighthouse across all meetings.
For a photo gallery click here. Look for a gallery with cheerleaders, the band and more in the next few days.
“It was just a great senior night at Northview,” head coach Wes Summerford said. “We’ve played three great teams, then Lighthouse came up here, and it’s just great to get a win. That’s important for our guys right now, and we get to work off that. That’s going to be our message. Our kids…we’ve got to rebound off this, and we’ve got to work on this win and be positive…feed off it and keep going.”
The penalty flags were flying all night against the Chiefs with five — that’s five — touchdowns called back on penalties.
But it was the five that hit the scoreboard that counted.
Senior Devin Kelly had two senior night touchdowns in the first half from seven yards and one yard out. Senior Joe Wright had a one-yard rushing TD with 2:12 to go in the half and added another in the third quarter.
Northview (1-3) will sit out next Friday night with a bye before they gas up the bus and hit the road again for their next two games against Elberta on September 29 and Baker on October 6. Homecoming will be October 13 as the Jay Royals head to Bratt.
“We have a bye week to get healthy. We were short a few guys tonight,” Summerford said. “Get those guys healthy, and work on not having those penalties.”
For a photo gallery click here. Look for a gallery with cheerleaders, the band and more in the next few days.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Navarre Tops Tate 45-42 In Late Night District Battle
September 16, 2023
The Tate Aggies fell to the Navarre Raiders 45-42 in a late night battle in Navarre.
The game kicked off about 8:30, an hour late, due to a lightning delay. Then the real fireworks began in the District 1-4S matchup.
The Raiders were first on the board early in the game. Tate’s Laquarius Bradford returned the ensuing kickoff down to the 14-yard line, leading to the first touchdown for the Aggies from Andre Colston. Colston added another short TD run to put the Aggies on top 14-7 in the first.
Navarre answered to tie it up 14-14. The Aggies rolled ahead 21-14 with a touchdown run from Nathan Case before Navarre tied it up 21-21.
Tate scored again on a Carson Secchiari run that made it 35-28, Navarre still on top. Colton added another short touchdown run with 5:33 to go in the third, and it was all tied up 35-35. Navarre took the lead 38-35 with a field goal before the Aggies took the lead 42-38 with a touchdown from Demoarion Clay.
Navarre scored again with about nine and half minutes in the game, 45-42.
With just seconds to go in the game and facing fourth down, the Aggies decided to try a 50-yard field goal. The ball had barely left the foot of Tate’s Jackson Clarke when it was blocked by a Navarre player from around the outside.
The Navarre raiders took a knee to end the game about 11:30 p.m.
At 2-2, the Aggies are still having their best season in five years — it’s the first season with two wins since 2018. The Aggies will have next Friday night off before looking for win number three as they host the Milton Panthers on September 29.
Pictured: Northview’s Taite Davis hands off to Andre Colston Friday night in Navarre. Image courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Want To Be A Firefighter? Here’s How To Take The Required Physical Abilities Test
September 16, 2023
Escambia County Fire Rescue will hold a physical abilities test on Monday, September 25.
The tests will take place at Pensacola Fire Department Station 4, at 1 North “Q” Street at 8 a.m. and is open to anyone interested in joining Escambia County Fire Rescue. Participants should arrive 30 minutes early to sign in.
Florida-certified firefighters with a certificate of completion must sign up for the certified test. Those without Florida fire certifications must sign up for the cadet test. Click here to apply for the certified firefighter or cadet positions.
In order to become an Escambia County Firefighter, participants must pass the test. Interviews for those who pass the test will take place the following day.
The certified test consists of:
- 1 3/4″ charged hose pull in 27 seconds
- Keiser sled in 60 seconds
- Tower evolution in six minutes
The cadet test consists of:
- 25 push-ups in two minutes
- 40 sit-ups in two minutes
- Run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes
- 1 3/4″ charged hose pull in 27 seconds
- Keiser sled in 60 seconds
- Tower evolution in six minutes
Certified Escambia County Firefighters receive a starting pay of $41,698 and numerous benefits including competitive pay and health benefits, a 48/96 schedule, 14 paid holidays, special teams’ incentive pay, and more.
High School Football Scoreboard
September 16, 2023
Here are high school football scores from around the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Navarre 45, Tate 42 [Story...]
- Northview 35, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy 0 [Story, photos...]
- Jay 14, Baker 3
- Choctaw 35, Pine Forest 14
- Escambia 37, Fort Walton Beach 0
- Bay 35, Pensacola High 0
- Pace 28, Crestview 0
- Gulf Breeze 73, Milton 42
- BYES: Washington, West Florida
ALABAMA
- Flomaton 34, Cottage Hill 14
- Jackson Academy 46, Escambia Academy 18
- St. Michael 41, Escambia County (Atmore) 26
- Jackson 38, T.R. Miller 7
- W.S. Neal 48, Monroe County 12
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs defeated Lighthouse Christian 35-0 Friday night in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Late Rally Not Enough As Wahoos Fall 5-4
September 16, 2023
Pregame rain returned Friday, continuing a week-long trend, thinning the crowd and delaying the Blue Wahoos game by nearly two hours on consecutive days.
The glum scenario has carried into a post-game feeling as well.
After trimming a 5-1 deficit with an eighth-inning rally, the Blue Wahoos fell short of ninth-inning heroics in a 5-4 loss against the Mississippi Braves at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Once again, M-Braves closer Brooks Wilson locked the door with his second dominant performance in four nights. This time, his array of splitters led to a pair of ninth-inning strikeouts to seal the Blue Wahoos’ fate.
It was M-Braves’ third win in four games of this series.
What had been a sunny afternoon turned into a thunderstorm at 6:25 p.m. – 10 minutes before the scheduled start of Friday’s game. A one-hour, 50-minute delay. It was a similar scenario to Thursday’s game, which started well past the scheduled time.
The M-Braves produced three runs off Blue Wahoos starter Evan Fitterer in the fifth inning. The big hit was a two-run double by Bryson Horne.
The Blue Wahoos got a run back in the sixth on a two-out single from Norel González to score Nasim Nuñez, who had walked and stolen second base. At that point, it was Pensacola’s first hit since Paul McIntosh’s first inning single.
The M-Braves added a run in the seventh and another in the eighth against relievers Josan Méndez and Zach Willeman to open a 5-1 lead.
But in the bottom of the inning, the Blue Wahoos offense came to life. Nuñez reached on an error and scored on Will Banfield’s triple. Bennett Hostetler’s double scored a third run and Cody Morissette reached on a throwing error that scored Hostetler.
But Wilson retired the Blue Wahoos in order in the ninth for his second save in two days.
The Blue Wahoos will try to get back in the series on Saturday.
The M-Braves will be throwing former Florida Gators star Hurston Waldrep (0-0, 3.00 ERA) on Saturday. He was the Atlanta Braves’ No. 1 draft pick in July following a 2023 season with the Gators in which he helped Florida reach the College World Series.
The Blue Wahoos will have lefthander Jonathan Bermúdez on the mound (4-5, 4.94 ERA) for the fifth game of the homestand.
Pregame activities will begin at 5:45 p.m., including ceremonial first pitches and special guest introductions. The official first pitch of the game will be at 6:05 p.m.
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
New Fire Trucks Stationed In McDavid, Ferry Pass, Osceola
September 15, 2023
Three new fire trucks are on the road in Escambia County, including a new squad truck in McDavid.
The new Escambia County Fire Rescue trucks are:
- Squad 9 – McDavid (Station #9)
- Engine 7 – Ferry Pass (Station #7)
- Ladder 12 – Osceola (Station #12)
“I’m proud to showcase the newest arrivals to our fleet, which was funded using local option sales tax.” said Fire Chief Adam Harrison. “This investment represents our commitment to the safety and well-being of our residents and guests in Escambia County.”
The total cost for the trucks was just over $2.4 million.
Pictured top: The new Squad 9 now stationed in McDavid. Pictured below: Ferry Pass Engine 7, Osceola Ladder 12. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sneak Peek: Planting Thanksgiving Dinner For 1,000 Needy Families
September 15, 2023
Every November, NorthEscambia.com takes you to Farm City Week, and this year we are giving you an early sneak peek.
During Farm City Week, a couple of hundred or so student volunteers from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties work for a day in the fields near Jay to harvest collards and turnips, bag sweet potatoes, and more to be distributed with hams or turkeys to feed 1,000 needy families at Thanksgiving.
Tate High School FFA students worked tirelessly recently to transplant and water 2,600 collard plants at the UF/IFAS West Florida Research & Education Center.
For more photos, click or tap here.
“The Farm to City food distribution allows us to feed these families and teach people in our community about the economic, environmental, and societal benefits of agriculture,” said Robin Vickers from the UF/IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center.
UF/IFAS WFREC is looking for public partners to support the effort. For more information, contact Vickers at rvickers@ufl.edu or 850-393-7334.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
