Rain Possible Tonight, Friday
August 8, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Northview Mini Cheerleader Camp Begins Today
August 8, 2013
The Northview High School cheerleaders will host a mini-cheer camp beginning this afternoon.
The mini-cheer camp will be held Thursday and Friday from 3-5 p.m. in the gym for ages 4-years through the eighth grade. The cost is $20 for the camp and $10 for a shirt, register at the door. The mini cheerleaders will receive free admission and perform during the first quarter of the first home football game on August 23.
Pictured: Mini cheerleaders perform during a September 2012 game at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
First Look: New Ernest Ward Middle School
August 7, 2013
An official groundbreaking ceremony will be held Thursday for the rebuild of Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill and A.K. Suter Elementary in Pensacola.
The groundbreaking at Ernest Ward will be held at 9 a.m. Thursday at the school campus, 7650 Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. The A.K. Suter groundbreaking will be held at 1 p.m. at the schoo, 501 Pickens Avenue in Pensacola. The public is invited to both ceremonies.
Both schools are being rebuilt, Ernest Ward at a cost of about $16.5 million and A.K. Suter at a cost of about $21 million. Both schools will remain open during the reconstruction process.
Both construction projects are being funded by half-cent sales tax monies. It is anticipated that the new structure at A.K. Suter will be open for the 2014-2015 school year; Ernest Ward Middle School’s construction will take approximately two years for completion.
The new two-story Ernest Ward school building will be constructed as students remain on campus in the current facility. The new schoolwill be constructed between the current building and the football stadium.
The oldest buildings at Ernest Ward, including the main classroom wing, were constructed in 1945, while portions of Suter were build in the 1920’s. Once the new building is complete, the current building will be torn down, and portables and modular buildings currently on the campus will be removed.
Pictured top: A conceptual drawing of the new Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill. Pictured below: A conceptual drawing showing the inside of the library at the new Ernest Ward. NorthEscambia.com graphics, click to enlarge.
Tonight’s Lottery Jackpot 4th Largest In History
August 7, 2013
Eleven weeks after reaching a record jackpot of $590.5 million, the Powerball Lottery is at it again with a $425 million prize in Wednesday night’s drawing, the fourth largest jackpot ever in U.S. history.
“The noise of a Powerball jackpot climbing to $425 million will grab people’s attention in every city and town across the country and bring them out to play,” said Tom Romero, chairman of the Multi-State Lottery Association’s Powerball Group.
The Powerball lottery is played in 45 states, including Florida. Tonight’s drawing is set for 9:59 p.m.
Pictured top: A billboard along the state line in Davisville, FL, beckons drivers across the state line from Atmore, AL. The Powerball prize increased to $425 million after this photo was taken. Alabama does not have a lottery. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
One Chance Remains To Dump Your Kids At The Landfill For A Day Camp
August 7, 2013
There are two chances left to “Dump your Kids at the Perdido Landfill for a Day!” for a one-day summer camp.
Te excursion to the Perdido Landfill allows kids, ages 5-11, to participate in fun-filled activities designed to teach the importance of the reduction of generated waste through source reduction, recycling, reuse or composting. Activities include a tour of the Perdido Landfill, recycling education, household chemical waste education, hands-on recycling projects, arts and crafts with recycled materials, games that focus on recycling and reuse as well as an eco-walk on the Perdido Riverwalk Nature Trail.
The cost of the camp is the donation of one pair of new or gently used shoes to be donated to Soles4Souls. Campers will need to bring clothes that are appropriate to play in and be worn outside, a brown bag lunch, snacks, a reusable water bottle and drinks. (Campers should try to pack a zero waste lunch which means reusable containers.) One snack will be provided at the beginning of the day.
Remaining camp dates are Tuesday, August 6 and Thursday, August 8 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
For more information or to pre-register please contact Recycling Operations at 937-2160. Space is limited. The camp is sponsored by Escambia County Department of Solid Waste Management Waste Services.
ECSO, Pensacola Police To Host Night Out Against Crime
August 6, 2013
The 30thAnnual “America’s Night Out Against Crime” celebration will be held Tuesday 6-8 p.m. at Magee Field at 2500 Martin Luther King Boulevard in Pensacola.
The National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for local anti-crime efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
Neighborhoods throughout Escambia County are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for the “30thAnnual National Night Out” crime and drug prevention event. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Community Drug and Alcohol Council, Pensacola Police Department, Northwest Florida Prevention Coalition and Target encourage residents to join in this family event.
Target will provide free school supplies and hot dogs while supplies last.
Fire Rips Through Company’s Dump Trucks
August 5, 2013
The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating a Sunday evening fire that destroyed multiple dump trucks in Cantonment. The fire, reported at 6:50 p.m., sent a column of black smoke into the sky that was visible for miles.
Over a dozen dump trucks were parked in a row in a lot at the Roads, Inc. headquarters on Stone Boulevard, just off Highway 29. At least four of the trucks were totally destroyed by the fire, while others were damaged.
Multiple fire stations from Cantonment, Molino and Pensacola responded to the blaze, working rapidly to protect and prevent other dump trucks from becoming involved the fire.
There were no injuries reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal.
Pictured: Multiple dump trucks were destroyed by fire Sunday evening at Roads, Inc. on Stone Boulevard in Cantonment. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mass Killer To Be Executed Monday
August 4, 2013
An execution is scheduled for Monday evening in Florida.
John Errol Ferguson, who was convicted of murdering eight people in the 1970s in Miami-Dade County, is scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. Ferguson, now 65, was sentenced to death for the 1977 murders of six Carol City residents who were killed execution style following a drug-related robbery.
Six months later, Ferguson abducted and killed a pair of high school students on their way to meet friends at an ice cream shop in Hialeah.
A stay of execution was imposed last October for Ferguson by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; that stay expires Monday. The court has ruled that while he suffers from mental illness, he still holds a rational understanding of the crimes he committed and why he will be executed. The Florida Supreme Court had previously reached the same conclusion.
Final Day: Sales Tax Holiday In Florida And Alabama
August 4, 2013
Today is the final day of back to school sales tax holidays in Florida and Alabama, and this year the holiday in both states includes the chance to save sales tax on computer purchases.
FLORIDA
Clothes, shoes, wallets, bags, and backpacks costing $75 or less and school supplies costing $15 or less are covered by the tax holiday. Clothing does not include watches, watch bands, jewelery, umbrellas, handkerchiefs or sporting equipment.
Personal computers and related accessories costing $750 or less, as long as they’re not used for commercial purposes, are also covered, as are digital readers, tablets, and items like keyboards or monitors – as long as they don’t include a TV tuner. Cell phones, video game consoles, digital media receivers or devices that are not primarily designed to process data are not included.
Books are not exempt from tax during the 2013 Sales Tax Holiday.
The tax break, as has been in the case in previous years, won’t apply in theme parks or at airports or hotel gift shops.
State economists have estimated the impact of the proposed three-day holiday at $28.3 million to the state and $6.4 million to local governments – though some economic studies have shown that people are induced to buy more uncovered items during the sales tax holiday, meaning tax collections could increase.
Florida’s sales tax holiday ends at midnight. For complete details, click here for a pdf.
ALABAMA
Until midnight Sunday, Alabama’s four-percent sales tax is waived throughout the state while sales taxes levied by 274 cities and counties also will be waived on clothing priced at $100 or less; school supplies valued at $50 or less; books that cost $30 or less; and computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less.
Atmore, Brewton, and Escambia County, Ala., will not participate and waive local taxes. Other towns, including Flomaton, Bay Minette, Foley, Gulf Shores and Mobile will take part.
For complete details, click here for a pdf.
Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Underway In Florida And Alabama
August 2, 2013
Back-to-school shoppers will get a chance to save some cash this this weekend with a sales tax holiday in both Florida and Alabama.
FLORIDA
From 12:01 a.m. Friday through midnight Sunday, there will be no sales tax collected on certain clothing items priced at $75 or less, schools supplies at $15 or less and computer priced at $750 or less.
For complete details, click here for a pdf.
ALABAMA
From 12:01 a.m. Friday to midnight Sunday, Alabama’s four-percent sales tax is waived throughout the state while sales taxes levied by 274 cities and counties also will be waived on:
- clothing priced at $100 or less;
- school supplies valued at $50 or less;
- books that cost $30 or less; and
- computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less.
Atmore, Brewton, and Escambia County, Ala., will not participate and waive local taxes. Other towns, including Flomaton, Bay Minette, Foley, Gulf Shores and Mobile will take part.
For complete details, click here for a pdf.