Northview Quarterback Club Meets Tonight
June 14, 2012
The Northview High School Quarterback Club will meet tonight at the school. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m in the girls’ weight room.
The Northview Chiefs Quarterback Club is an all volunteer community organization committed to supporting the Chiefs football program. Membership is just $10 per family.
50 Escambia School District Pickups And Vans Burglarized
June 13, 2012
At least 50 pickup trucks and vans inside an Escambia County School District fenced compound were burglarized.
Pensacola Police Officer Garland McKenzie said the burglaries were discovered around 6 a.m. Tuesday when employees arrived for work at the J.E. Hall Center on East Texar Drive.
Just two of the vehicles were unlocked; access to the remaining vehicles was made by smashing windows or breaking locks on vehicles,” McKenzie said.
At least three cell phones and eight laptop computers among other items were taken, and a 2003 white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was stolen from the compound.
The vehicles were kept in the district’s maintenance compound and were used in custodial, air conditioning, plumbing and other repairs for the school district. Access to the
compound was gained through a locked gate on Texar Driver where the chain and lock had been cut and removed from the scene, McKenzie said.
The fence surrounding the compound is about six feet tall and is topped with barbed wire.
Anyone having information on the incident is asked to contact Pensacola Police Department Detective James Gore at (850) 435-1979 or the Pensacola Police Department at (850) 435-1900.
Flood Warning For Perdido River; Flooding At Bridge
June 13, 2012
There are reports today of flooding at the Barrineau Park bridge over the Perdido River, and there is a flood warning in effect for the river.
Motorists reported of water across the road Wednesday morning on the Florida side of the Barrineau Park bridge over the Perdido River — that’s where Highway 196/Barrineau Park Road crosses from Florida to Duck Place Road in Baldwin County.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Perdido River near Barrineau Park as a result of recent heavy rain.
The flood warning is in effect until Wednesday evening. At 9 p.m. Tuesday, the river was at 13.1 feet, with minor flooding occurring. The flood stage is 13.0 feet. The Perdido River at Barrineau Park is forecast to continue rising to 13.6 feet.
At 13 feet, the river begins to leave its banks at the parking lot of Adventures Unlimited and threatens several permanently parked travel trailers.
Latest Escambia Emergency Update, Including Road Closure List
June 11, 2012
Escambia County remains under a state of emergency as the task of cleaning up and assessing millions of dollars damages begins today.
Hundreds of cars, residences and businesses were flooded over the weekend as portions of the county received over 20 inches of rain in the second rainiest day ever in Pensacola.
“We have sustained significant damages to infrastructure,” a statement of the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center said Monday morning. “County staff has begun damage assessments and will continue throughout the week.”
Tens of millions of dollars worth of damage occurred to Escambia County’s roads and bridges and to several public buildings:
- Major damage was suffered at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Central Booking and Detention Center with a flooded basement. Click here for more.
- A corrections facility at 2251 North Palafox sustained heavy water damage to the first floor.
- The Warrington Tax Collector’s office on Navy Boulevard is closed until further notice due to water damage. Residents can visit the downtown office on Palafox or the Marcus Point office on “W” Street during normal business hours. The Tax Collector’s office can be reach at (850) 438-6500.
- Child support hearings in Escambia County scheduled for Monday June 11 have been canceled. Participants will be notified of a new hearing date. All other courts will be open for “business as usual”.
The Escambia Emergency Operations Center remains activated at Level 2 and will be monitoring conditions throughout the day. Ordinary county operations are resuming as normal on Monday. ECAT bus transportation has resumed as normal.
Warrington United Methodist Church, 301 East Winthrop Avenue in Pensacola is now the designated shelter. There are currently seven people in the shelter.
Residents with damage to their homes, cars or other property should contact their insurance company, according to the county.
Here is the latest road closure information:
· Little Creek Drive – closed between Lillian Highway and Black Oak
· Oak Valley – closed – bridge out
· Sandra Drive – closed – asphalt failure
· Coral Creek Drive – closed – crews are currently checking roadway
Monday Weather: More Rain?
June 11, 2012
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- This Afternoon: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. South wind between 10 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 10pm. Increasing clouds, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
- Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
- Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
Flood Watch, Warning: Rain Chance Continues Into Monday
June 10, 2012
A flood warning continues through Monday morning for the southern half of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, and a flash flood watch continues for the rest of the North Escambia area.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 90. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. West wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. West wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. West wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
- Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
Escambia Emergency Update
June 10, 2012
Here is the most recent update (5 p.m) from the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center:
For road closure information, click here.
- Escambia County Area Transit will resume normal operations tomorrow. ECAT Sunday bus service for Routes 59A, 59Express and 64 Beach Jumper and Pensacola Beach trolley service were cancelled today due to extensive heavy rains and severe flooding.
Shelters:
- Ferry Pass Middle School is the only shelter still open. Space is available for anyone needing a shelter.
- Tate High School will be closing tonight and is not accepting any new evacuees.
- Molino Park Elementary School shelter has closed including the pet shelter
- Although there may be periods of calm, 1 to 2 inches of rain are expected throughout the event and will continue over the next few days.
- We have received over 15 inches of rain in Pensacola and over 23 inches in west Pensacola since yesterday at 8 a.m.
- The Citizen Information Line will discontinue operations at 7 p.m. tonight and will reopen at 7 a.m. on Monday, June 11. Residents can call (850) 471-6600 for information.
- The Emergency Operations Center will revert to a Level 2 activation and close at 7 p.m. tonight. Conditions will still be monitored overnight and the center will reopen at 7 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, June 7.
- All County offices are expected to operate normal business hours tomorrow.
- Measures have been taken to address issues at the Sheriff’s Central Booking and Detention Center and the facility is currently operational.
- The Warrington Tax Collector’s office on Navy Boulevard is closed until further notice due to water damage. Residents can visit the downtown office on Palafox or the Marcus Point office on “W” Street during normal business hours tomorrow. The Tax Collector’s office can be reach at 438-6500.
- Child Support Hearings in Escambia County scheduled for Monday, June 11 have been cancelled. Participants will be notified of a new hearing date. All other courts will be open for “business as usual.”
- The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce is operating a business assistance hotline at the Emergency Operations Center for Escambia County businesses. To report damages, closures or request information related to the recent flooding, please call 471-6589.
- Flood warning is in effect until 6 p.m. today, Sunday, June 10. Flood watch is in effect until Monday morning.
- If you do have to travel, do not attempt to drive across a flooded road. Turn around, don’t drown.
- Traffic lights may also be out. If you approach a traffic signal that is out it must be treated as a four-way stop. If the signal is flashing the side that is flashing red must yield to traffic.
· Escambia County is still under a local state of emergency
Escambia Jail Floods, Left With No Power
June 10, 2012
The basement of the Escambia County Jail flooded during Saturday’s record-setting rains, leaving the facility without power or air conditioning.
About 700 inmates were inside the jail Saturday night — officials will decide Sunday if they need to be moved to other facilities.
As the area outside the jail flooded, the basement of the county lockup filled with water to the ceiling, with some water making it to portions of the first floor. The jail’s electrical panel, laundry and kitchen are in the flooded basement.
The inmates will be fed Sunday from the jail annex across the street.
Extra deputies and corrections officers were brought in to help with security overnight, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office mobile command post was being used outside.
Escambia Road Closure Information
June 10, 2012
Here is the latest road closure information (7 p.m.) from the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center:
- Segura Street – Closed between Segura and Sorrento
- Saufley Pines Road – Closed between Saufley Landfill berm and Saufley Field Gate
- Saufley Field Road – Closed between Blue Angel Parkway and Saufley Field Gate
- 10910 Oak Valley Road – Road washed out at pipes
- Kenmore Avenue – Closed between Old Palafox and Highway 29
- Sandra Drive – Closed
- Oak Valley and Bridge Creek Terrace – collapsed – closed
- Little Creek Bridge – bridge collapsed – road passable
- Bauer Road at Weekly Bayou – closed
- Grand Lagoon Boulevard – closed
- Ponte Verde – closed between Gulf Beach Highway and Ponte Verde Cove and closed southeast of 5589 Ponte Verde
- “T” Street – closed between Jordan Street and Hernandez
- Coral Creek Drive – closed
- North “M” Street and Leonard Street – closed
- Bellview Avenue – closed between Blue Angel and Fence Line Road
- Shoemaker and Mobile Highway – Red light out – Use Caution
- Creek Ridge Drive and Blue Ray – One lane closed
- Highway 98 at Hunter Point Apartments – One lane closed
- Bauer Road by new Sportsplex – Some lanes closed
- Highway 98 at Blue Angel Parkway – East bound closed – West bound open
- Gulf Beach Highway/Atlanta – Open
- Gulf Beach Highway/Shorewood – Open
- Johnson’s Beach Road – 3 to 4 inches of water – road is passable
- Creek Ridge/Blue Ray – 3 to 4 inches of water – road is passable
- Calle Juela/Via de Luna Drive – Open
- Highway 98/72nd Avenue traffic light is operable and working
- Fort Pickens Road at Margaritaville – water on east bound lane
- Gate to Fort Pickens closed by Park Service
- “P” Street from Loretta to Massachusetts – Open
- Bauer Road (south of Sorrento) from Sorrento to Gulf Beach Highway is open
- Gulf Beach Highway/Augusta – passable, minor standing water
- Sandy Creek subdivision on Fairfield Drive – passable, minor standing water
- Lake Air/72nd Avenue – passable, minor standing water
- Blue Angel/Highway 98 traffic light is operable and working
- 3’ x 6’ sinkhole on the county right-of-way of Gulf Beach Highway, 60’ east of Longwood
If you do have to travel, do not attempt to drive across a flooded road. Turn around, don’t drown.
Traffic lights may also be out. If you approach a traffic signal that is out it must be treated as a four-way stop. If the signal is flashing the side that is flashing red must yield to traffic.
Santa Rosa Emergency Information
June 10, 2012
Here is the latest emergency information from Santa Rosa County:
Emergency management, fire department, road department, and law enforcement staff continue to address issues, dispatch resources, and monitor weather conditions and river levels.
Weather Storm Information
· Santa Rosa County remains under a flood warning until 6 p.m. Sunday, June 10 and a flash flood watch until Monday morning, June 11.
· The National Weather Service advises an additional four to eight inches of rainfall can be expected today, with larger amounts in some areas.
Preliminary Damage Estimates
· Fire departments will be conducting preliminary damage estimates today. Information will be released as it is available. Residential flooding primarily occurred in the low-lying areas of Gulf Breeze and Midway.
· A home in the 5400 block of Woodsman Drive was struck by lighting about 7 a.m. on Sunday. The roof sustained damage, but no fire occurred.
Beach Conditions
· Red flags are currently flying at Navarre Beach. Beachgoers and swimmers should heed the red flag warnings and stay out of the water as deadly rip currents and rough surf conditions are present.
· On Saturday, June 9 two swimmers and one first responder were transported to local hospitals after being rescued from the Gulf of Mexico by Navarre Beach Fire Department staff.
Sand Bags
Sand is available at following location. Residents should bring shovels and be prepared to fill and load their own bags:
· Tiger Point Park (sand only)-1370 Tiger Park Lane, Gulf Breeze
· The intersection of Pine Forest Road and Carroll Road in Milton
· Sandbags can be purchased at local home improvement stores or picked up at no charge at Midway Fire District Station located at 1322 College Pkwy. There is a 25-bag limit per vehicle.
Traffic Conditions
· Most of the standing water on the roadways from Saturday’s rain receded overnight. However, roads that are currently clear may flood quickly with today’s forecasted additional rain. Standing water creates a serious road hazard, even when only a portion of the roadway is flooded.
· Any closures will be announced as they occur. Dangerous road conditions can be reported to (850) 983-5372.
· Residents are asked to restrict unnecessary driving this evening and Sunday as much as possible.
· No streets are currently closed.
· The following street are open with hazards:
Milton, Avalon & Pace Areas
- Robinson Point Road
- Abby Street
· Do not remove road barricades on closed roads or bridges. Even after the water has receded, public works crews must complete safety inspections.
· Most deaths from flooding in the United States are due to people driving their cars into flooded areas. For pedestrians, just 6 inches of fast-moving floodwater can knock a person off their feet- “Turn around, don’t drown.”
· Citizens are asked not to drive around looking at the flooding. The motion from the vehicles will push water into homes and cause additional property damage.
Shelters
· The American Red Cross is on stand by to open a public shelter if needed.