FDOH Reports 15 Additional COVID-19 Cases In Escambia County
April 20, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVE STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 15 new COVID-19 cases reported by the Florida Department of Health Monday in Escambia County.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 35,472 (+15)
Non-Florida residents: 3,662
Recovered: 33,233*
Total deaths: 675
Long-term care facility deaths: 281
Current hospitalizations: 25 (+3)
Number of tests reported last day: 354
Percent positive reported last day: 7.1%
Percent positive reported last week: 6.0%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 26,499 (+12)
Cantonment: 3,186 (+1)
Century: 1,175
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 489 (+1)
McDavid: 211
Bellview: 57
Walnut Hill: 54 (+1)
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,996 (+10)
Non-Florida residents: 242
Total deaths: 282
Long-term care facility deaths: 81
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 880*
Number of tests reported last day: 141
Percent positive reported last day: 7.9%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,581 (+5)
Navarre: 3,714 (+3)
Gulf Breeze: 3,327 (+2)
Pace: 1,455
Jay: 549
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,173,138
Florida residents: 2,132,308
Deaths: 34,471
Hospitalizations: 88,274
*“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.
Appeals Court Upholds Life Sentence Of Ashley McArthur For Murder Of Private Investigator
April 19, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY; THE SHOW HAS ALREADY AIRED. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WILL NOT BE APPROVED OR POSTED.
The Florida First District Court of Appeal has upheld the first degree murder conviction and life sentence of a former crime scene investigator for killing a woman for money and burying her body on the family farm in Cantonment.
Ashley McArthur was convicted of shooting and killing private investigator and former police officer Taylor Wright over $34,000.
McArthur appealed, seeking a new trial because the jury inadvertently saw a photo of McArthur pointing a shotgun. She also argued that the trial court erroneously admitted statements that she made to law enforcement, certain cell phone records, and the victim’s text messages.
Wright went missing on September 8, 2017. McArthur emerged as a suspect after an investigation found her to be the last person known to be with the victim that day. McArthur’s bank records also showed that she deposited a $34,000 cashier’s check made out to the victim into her own checking account and later spent the money.
On October 19, 2017, investigators called McArthur to the Pensacola Police station to return her cell phone and then, after advising her of her Miranda rights, asked questions related to their ongoing missing-person investigation. McArthur told investigators that she had deposited a cashier’s check made out to the victim into a checking account that had her and the victim’s name on it. Investigators also asked McArthur about cell tower records showing her to be in Cantonment at a time that she claimed to be in Milton.
After the interview, the victim’s remains were found under concrete and potting soil along the fence line of a Cantonment farm off Britt Road, just west of County Road 97 near Muscogee Road. The farm was owned by McArthur’s aunt.
McArthur was charged with first-degree premeditated murder. Before trial, McArthur sought to suppress statements she made to investigators at the October interview as well as her cell phone records. She also filed a motion to exclude any statements or text messages from the victim as hearsay. The trial court denied McArthur’s motions to suppress and motion, and she proceeded to trial on the murder charge.
During the prosecution’s examination of one of its witnesses, a photo showing McArthur in the woods crouching in hunting gear and aiming a shotgun was briefly and inadvertently shown to the jury. McArthur moved for a mistrial on the grounds of prejudice. The trial court denied the motion, and she was found guilty as charged. She argued in her appeal that the trial court erred by not declaring a mistrial over the photo.
“We see no abuse of discretion in the trial court’s refusal to grant a mistrial due to the inadvertent display of the hunting photo. A photo of McArthur crouching in hunting gear and pointing a shotgun (not the murder weapon) accidentally flashed on the screen during trial and was before the jury for a second or two. After an objection, the court addressed the issue quickly by giving a cautionary instruction that was requested by the defense,” the appeals justices said in their order. “Other trial testimony had noted that McArthur owned firearms, and there were photos in evidence of her in camouflage holding or shouldering firearms. Taking these factors together, the trial court’s decision that the photo wasn’t so prejudicial as to vitiate the entire trial cannot be considered erroneous.”
The appeals court found that all of the statements related to the case made by McArthur after the return of her cell phone were made following the reading of her Miranda rights.
The appeals court also found that all of the victim’s text messages and statements were not hearsay. Rather, the court found they were relevant to establishing a timeline, motive and intent.
Pictured top: Taylor Wright. Pictured mug shot, inset: Ashley McArthur.
Low Near 50 Tonight
April 19, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Some clouds, with a low around 50. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. West wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 70. North wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 41. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Escambia County Sees 38 New COVID-19 Cases
April 19, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 38 new COVID-19 cases reported by the Florida Department of Health Sunday in Escambia County.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 35,457 (+38)
Non-Florida residents: 3,662
Recovered: 34,178*
Total deaths: 675
Long-term care facility deaths: 281
Current hospitalizations: 22
Number of tests reported last day: 474
Percent positive reported last day: 7.2%
Percent positive reported last week: 5.8%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 26,487 (+33)
Cantonment: 3,185 (+2)
Century: 1,175 (+2)
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 488
McDavid: 211
Bellview: 57
Walnut Hill: 53
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,986 (+19)
Non-Florida residents: 242
Total deaths: 282
Long-term care facility deaths: 81
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 878*
Number of tests reported last day: 280
Percent positive reported last day: 6.0%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,576 (+10)
Navarre: 3,711 (+3)
Gulf Breeze: 3,325 (+3)
Pace: 1,455 (+2)
Jay: 549 (+1)
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,168,901
Florida residents: 2,128,136
Deaths: 34,439
Hospitalizations: 88,213
*“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.
Clearing Skies For Sunday, Into Next Week
April 18, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph after midnight.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 43. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 70. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Public Invited To Escambia Consortium HUD Consolidated Plan Meeting On Monday
April 18, 2021
The Escambia Consortium, comprised of Escambia County, the City of Pensacola, Santa Rosa County and the City of Milton, will hold a second public hearing to solicit input on the development of the Consortium’s HUD Five Year Consolidated Plan as well as annual action plans for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 fiscal years.
The public hearing will be held in Room 104 at the Escambia County Central Office Complex, located at 3363 West Park Place, Pensacola at 4 p.m. on Monday, April 19.
The meeting is being sponsored by the Consortium to afford citizens the opportunity to provide input and recommendations regarding assisted housing, housing related needs and priorities, supportive housing needs, and non-housing community development needs within the Consortium. This meeting will assist with planning for the utilization of the Community Development Block Grant Program and HOME Investment Partnerships Act funds. Comments regarding the Escambia Consortium Fair Housing Plan and Analysis of Impediments are also welcome.
The Consortium also generated a needs assessment survey that can be accessed online here. The survey will be available through April 30.
One New Death, 27 Additional COVID-19 Cases Reported In Escambia County
April 18, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 27 new COVID-19 cases reported Saturday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 35,419 (+27)
Non-Florida residents: 3,661
Recovered: 34,178*
Total deaths: 675 (+1)
Long-term care facility deaths: 281
Current hospitalizations: 22
Number of tests reported last day: 811
Percent positive reported last day: 3.0%
Percent positive reported last week: 5.8%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 26,454 (+22)
Cantonment: 3,183 (+1)
Century: 1,173
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 488
McDavid: 211
Bellview: 57
Walnut Hill: 53
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,967 (+10)
Non-Florida residents: 242
Total deaths: 282
Long-term care facility deaths: 81
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 878*
Number of tests reported last day: 258
Percent positive reported last day: 4.0%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,566 (+6)
Navarre: 3,708 (+2)
Gulf Breeze: 3,322
Pace: 1,453 (+1)
Jay: 548
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,162,067
Florida residents: 2,121,387
Deaths: 34,404
Hospitalizations: 88,130
*“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.
Showers And Thunderstorms Continue Through The Weekend
April 17, 2021
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Saturday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then showers likely between 8pm and 2am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 55. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sunday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8am, then a slight chance of showers between 8am and 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 70.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 72.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 74.
Century To Vote On Gulf Power Franchise Fee Increase, Consider EREC Hike; Customers Will Pay Up
April 17, 2021
The Town of Century will vote Monday on a franchise fee increase for Gulf Power and will begin the formal process for Escambia River Electric Cooperative.
In 1994, the franchise fees for both utilities were increased from 3% to 5%, and now the council is raising the fee to 6%.
While the franchise fee is technically charged to the utility, both Gulf Power and EREC tell NorthEscambia.com that they pass the full cost of the fee on to their customers.
During a 7 p.m. meeting Monday, the council will hold a public hearing on the Gulf Power franchise fee increase before a final vote. A first reading of the EREC agreement will be held, and a vote will come at a future meeting.
Gulf Power customers with an average 1,000 kwh monthly usage pay about $140 a month, according to Florida Public Service Commission documents. The franchise fee increase will cost customers in the Century town limits about $1.40 per month. According to EREC, their average customers pays about $146 for 1,000 kwh, equating a franchise fee increase of $1.46.
FDOH Reports 31 New COVID-19 Cases In Escambia County
April 17, 2021
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED STORY. SEE NORTHESCAMBIA.COM FOR THE LATEST DATA.
There were 31 new COVID-19 cases reported Friday in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 35,392 (+31)
Non-Florida residents: 3,658
Recovered: 34,178*
Total deaths: 674
Long-term care facility deaths: 281
Current hospitalizations: 22 (-8)
Number of tests reported last day: 591
Percent positive reported last day: 6.2%
Percent positive reported last week: 5.8%
Escambia County cases by location*:
Pensacola: 26,432 (+26)
Cantonment: 3,182 (+2)
Century: 1,173
—-including 774 Century prison inmates
Molino: 488
McDavid: 211
Bellview: 57
Walnut Hill: 53
Perdido Key: 21
Gonzalez: 13
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 17,957 (+10)
Non-Florida residents: 241
Total deaths: 282
Long-term care facility deaths: 81
Cumulative Hospitalizations: 876*
Number of tests reported last day: 267
Percent positive reported last day: 5.0%
Santa Rosa County cases by location*:
Milton: 8,560 (+8)
Navarre: 3,706 (+1)
Gulf Breeze: 3,322 (+1)
Pace: 1,452
Jay: 548
Bagdad: 32
Florida cases:
Total cases: 2,155,744
Florida residents: 2,115,191
Deaths: 34,330
Hospitalizations: 87,943
*“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.