Winter Conditions Delay Appointment To Vacant Century Town Council Seat
January 23, 2025
A decision on who will be appointed to a vacant seat on the non-partisan Century Town Council has been delayed to next week due to this week’s snowstorm.
Seat 4 was left open when Alicia Johnson was appointed interim mayor after Luis Gomez, Jr. resigned.
The town council was set to meet last Tuesday night to choose on of three applicants, but the meeting was delayed by Tuesday’s snow. Century has followed Escambia County’s lead in closing offices due to ongoing ice issues.
The council will now meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 28.
The three applicants are:
- Constance Brookhart, who described herself as a very detailed person that is a supervisor at a water utility with over 20 years’ experience in dealing with people and finances. She would love to see Century “as a vibrant business area” that should be clean and decorated.
- Kathryn Fleming, who previously worked as a mental health case manager for about two years in Brewton that describes herself as a problem solver. She said Century is a gateway to Pensacola beaches and aviation that should draw tourists, and the county is growing north. She served on the Century Charter Review committee from 2022-2023.
- Lizbeth A. “Sparkie” Harrison, who has lived and worked as a director of PSC Century Center for two years that is “driven by the desire to help others and enhance the quality of life for all who call Century home. She attached a cover letter and a three-page “Vision Plan for Century” to the town’s basic application.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
EREC Still Asking Members To Conserve Electricity
January 23, 2025
Escambia River Electric Cooperative is still asking members to conserve electricity, not only to conserve electricity, but also to avoid potentially higher costs down the road.
EREC says members should keep energy usage minimal until at least 9 a.m. tomorrow. That keeps the peak demand as low as possible.
EREC is asking to lower their thermostats to 68 degrees or lower. Load can be reduced by turning off all unneeded lights, TVs, etc. and postponing the use of electric appliances such as dishwashers, clothes dryers, and ovens.
Just over 700 EREC members in Escambia and Santa Rosa County were without power early Tuesday morning, but almost all were restored by midday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Here’s The Latest Escambia County Winter Weather Update
January 23, 2025
Here is the latest update from Escambia County:
Escambia County is under an extreme cold warning through Thursday morning, Jan. 23, according to the National Weather Service Mobile, Alabama. Wind chills and air temperatures will drop as low as 10 degrees. Although sunny conditions have melted some of the snow, ice is expected to form after sunset, leading to icy roadways. Residents are strongly urged to stay off the roadways. All roads and bridges in Escambia County should be considered impassable until further notice due to hazardous driving conditions.
Emergency vehicles should be the only vehicles on the road until further notice. Road conditions will remain hazardous as the melted snow turns into ice.
Additional County Updates:
- Public Safety is continuing to operate and respond to emergency calls.
- County offices are closed through Friday, Jan. 24.
- Escambia County Fire Rescue has responded to several calls for burst pipes due to the cold weather. Residents are reminded to cover pipes and allow outdoor faucets to slowly drip to prevent them from freezing and breaking.
- County Public Works crews have been working throughout Escambia County to clear snow from roads and bridges to make them accessible for emergency vehicles to respond to calls.
Escambia County offices will remain closed Thursday, Jan. 23 and Friday, Jan. 24 due to continued hazardous road conditions from Tuesday’s winter snowstorm. Essential employees such as first responders will remain available.
Offices closing include:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners – all departments
- County Administration offices
- West Florida Public Libraries – all locations
- Escambia County Tax Collector – all offices
- Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office – both locations
- Waste Services Administration and the Perdido Landfill
- Escambia County Extension Services
- Escambia County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller – all offices
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare
- Escambia County Area Transit and Customer Service
- ECAT buses and the UWF trolleys will not run Jan. 23 or 24. Normal bus service is expected to resume Saturday, Jan. 25.
- All Escambia County Early Voting locations will remain closed on Thursday, January 23. Decisions regarding Early Voting on Friday, January 24 will be made late Thursday afternoon, once conditions can be assessed. For the safety of the public and the election workers decisions will be made on a daily basis.
I-10 Closure Alert from FDOT:
- Beginning 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, FDOT will close I-10 from the Alabama/Florida state line to exit 192 (U.S. Highway 90) in Gadsden County in both directions due to hazardous road conditions. Please seek alternative routes until further notice. Conditions can change rapidly or bring unexpected circumstances. Unless travel is necessary, it is advised to stay off the roads.
Pictured: An Escambia County crew works to clear snow and ice from Highway 99A near Walnut Hill. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Early Voting Closed Again Today
January 23, 2025
All early votings sites in Escambia County will be closed through at least today due to the winter weather.
Decisions regarding early voting on Friday, January 24 will be made late Thursday afternoon, once conditions can be assessed. For the safety of the public and the election workers decisions will be made on a daily basis.
Early voting sites are:
- Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A North, Molino
- Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- Asbury Place at Cokesbury, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola
- Main Library, 239 N. Spring Street, Pensacola
- Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
Eligible voters may choose any one of the seven available locations, each of which is also equipped with a ballot marking device.
Three Early Vote locations that were open during the 2024 Election Cycle will not be open for the 2025 Special Primary Election. Those three locations are:
- Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century
- UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts in Pensacola
- Brownsville Community Center
The 2025 Special Primary Election is for Republican voters only. The State of Florida holds closed primary elections, meaning only registered Republicans will be eligible for the 2025 Special Primary Election.
Pictured: Early voting at the Molino Community Center during the 2024 election cycle. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge
I-10 Closed From The Alabama/Florida Line To Near Tallahassee
January 22, 2025
Nearly 200 miles of I-10 across Northwest Florida are now closed due to snow and ice.
The Florida Department of Transportation has closed both directions of I-10 from the Alabama state line to Midway (exit 192) near Tallahassee. The closure is due to remaining snow, ice, and water on the roadway combined with incoming hard freeze temperatures overnight resulting in icy and dangerous conditions on bridges and roadways. Drivers should seek alternative routes until further notice.
Locally, all roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa County should still be considered closed. While some snow did melt during the afternoon, there is the likelihood of black ice by morning with lows forecast in the 10-15 degree range.
Early Voting Closed Through At Least Thursday
January 22, 2025
All early votings sites in Escambia County will be closed through Thursday due to the winter weather.
Decisions regarding early voting on Friday, January 24 will be made late Thursday afternoon, once conditions can be assessed. For the safety of the public and the election workers decisions will be made on a daily basis.
Early voting sites are:
- Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A North, Molino
- Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- Asbury Place at Cokesbury, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola
- Main Library, 239 N. Spring Street, Pensacola
- Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
Eligible voters may choose any one of the seven available locations, each of which is also equipped with a ballot marking device.
Three Early Vote locations that were open during the 2024 Election Cycle will not be open for the 2025 Special Primary Election. Those three locations are:
- Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century
- UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts in Pensacola
- Brownsville Community Center
The 2025 Special Primary Election is for Republican voters only. The State of Florida holds closed primary elections, meaning only registered Republicans will be eligible for the 2025 Special Primary Election.
Pictured: Early voting at the Molino Community Center during the 2024 election cycle. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge
Escambia County Offices To Remain Closed For The Rest Of The Week
January 22, 2025
Escambia County offices will remain closed Thursday, Jan. 23 and Friday, Jan. 24 due to continued hazardous road conditions from Tuesday’s winter snowstorm. Essential employees such as first responders will remain available.
Offices closing include:
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners – all departments
- County Administration offices
- West Florida Public Libraries – all locations
- Escambia County Tax Collector – all offices
- Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office – both locations
- Waste Services Administration and the Perdido Landfill
- Escambia County Extension Services
- Escambia County Clerk of the Court and Comptroller – all offices
- Escambia County Department of Animal Welfare
- Escambia County Area Transit and Customer Service
- ECAT buses and the UWF trolleys will not run Jan. 23 or 24. Normal bus service is expected to resume Saturday, Jan. 25.
- All Escambia County Early Voting locations will remain closed on Thursday, January 23. Decisions regarding Early Voting on Friday, January 24 will be made late Thursday afternoon, once conditions can be assessed. For the safety of the public and the election workers decisions will be made on a daily basis.
Schools To Remain Closed Thursday And Friday
January 22, 2025
Schools in Escambia County, Florida, and Santa Rosa County, Florida will remain closed Thursday and Friday.
Schools in Escambia County, Alabama, will remain closed on Thursday.
The National Weather Service forecasts cold weather remaining in the area overnight Wednesday and stretching into Thursday and early Friday, which could affect safe travel on area roads and bridges. In an abundance of caution, all schools, district offices, and afterschool activities, including indoor and outdoor athletics, have been canceled in the districts.
“We expect to resume normal district operations will on Monday, January 27,” stated Superintendent Keith Leonard. “Of course, we’ll continue to work closely with local emergency operations officials to determine what is safest for our families and staff.”
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Snow Total Shatters 100+ Year Old Record
January 22, 2025
Pensacola absolutely shattered a snow total record that had stood for over 100 years.
Before Tuesday, Pensacola`s 24-hour snowfall record was 3 inches set in 1895.
By Tuesday night, the unofficial total at Pensacola was 7.6 inches. That also exceeded the all-time record for the most snowfall ever in Florida of 4 inches recorded near Milton. However, once the official totals are in, Milton may continue to hold the Florida record after receiving 8.8 inches.
It will take a few days to verify the snow totals and verify which city now holds the state record.
Across the rest of Escambia County, snowfall totals from 8-10 inches were reported across the area, including Molino, Bratt, Walnut Hill, McDavid and Cantonment. These totals however, are not official calibrated gauge and won’t be state records.
Pictured: Welcome to Florida signs on Highway 97 in Davisville (above) and on Highway 29 in Century (below). NorthEscambia.com photo (above) and submitted from Joan Carnley (below), click to enlarge.
About 10 Degrees Wednesday Night
January 22, 2025
Here is the complete North Escambia area forecast
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 10. Calm wind.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 33. Wind chill values between 10 and 20. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 20. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 20. Calm wind.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 48. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. East wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.