Gulf Power Explores Ways To Move Power Lines Underground To Enhance Reliability
October 25, 2021
Gulf Power is exploring ways to move power lines underground to enhance reliability, especially during storms.
The Storm Secure Underground Pilot Program is designed to help find cost effective ways to replace overhead neighborhood power lines with more reliable underground lines.
In a first of its kind project for Gulf Power, the company recently demonstrated how it is replacing overhead power lines with more reliable underground lines in the Myrtle Grove community.
While the program is new for Gulf Power, it has been used by their parent company Florida Power & Light on more than 300 neighborhood projects in FPL’s service territory. Gulf Power is leveraging FPL’s expertise to improve service to customers in Northwest Florida.
Trees and vegetation blowing into overhead power lines are a leading cause of service interruptions, particularly during hurricanes and severe weather. Putting power lines underground improves reliability during good weather and bad. Neighborhoods are chosen for the program based on data, including a history of vegetation-related outages and other reliability issues.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Stabilize After 13-Cent Average Hike
October 25, 2021
Florida gas prices stabilized over the weekend after rising another 13 cents, last week. The state average now sits at $3.31 per gallon. That’s a new 2021 high, and the most expensive daily average price since October 2014.
The average price per gallon Sunday night in Escambia County was $3.23, up four cents from a week ago. The North Escambia low price was $3.17 at three Cantonment stations, while $3.12 per gallon could be found at a few stations on Highway 29 and on Nine Mile Road.
Florida pump prices have climbed a total of 26 cents this month. So far this year, the state average has increased a total of $1.12 per gallon since January 1. Florida drivers are now paying $1.23 per gallon more than this time last year, and 89 cents more than this time in 2019.
“Gas prices have been dragged higher by skyrocketing crude oil prices,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Crude oil prices have faced tremendous upward pressure, because global fuel demand is outpacing global production and supply levels. Although oil prices increased again last week, it was by a smaller margin than the weeks before. Fortunately, gasoline futures held steady. So even if gas prices increase again this week, it shouldn’t be as significant of a jump as what drivers have experienced so far this month.”
A rather uneventful week in the gasoline futures market is good news for motorists. Gasoline futures finished the week 1-cent lower than the week before. This is a positive indicator that retail pump prices could stabilize this week. Prior to last week, gasoline futures logged 12 cents gains in two consecutive weeks; and retail prices followed suit.
New Retail Shopping Center Proposed For Archer Road, Highway 29
October 24, 2021
A new shopping center is being proposed for the northeast corner of Archer Road and Highway 29.
DKJ Real Properties filed the application for the Archer Road Retail Center this month.
With just under 10,000 square feet, the shopping center will have eight retail spaces ranging from 1,000 to 1,200 square feet and 33 parking spaces on just under one acre, if constructed.
The project is currently in the Escambia County Development Review process.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (With Photo Gallery)
October 24, 2021
Thousands of people took part in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk Saturday in downtown Pensacola.
The American Cancer Society started Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks to unite communities in the fight against the deadly disease. Today, Making Strides is the largest network of breast cancer events in the nation – and participants do more than just walk. They raise money to help the American Cancer Society fund groundbreaking breast cancer research and provide patient services like free rides to chemo, free places to stay near treatment, and a live 24/7 cancer helpline.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos courtesy Tate Softball and WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Beach Lifeguards Shift To Winter Staffing, Towers Off The Beach
October 24, 2021
A heads up if you are headed to Pensacola Beach. The lifeguards have shifted to winter staffing, and the lifeguard towers have been taken off the beach until next year.
Lifeguards will maintain a presence on Pensacola Beach throughout the winter at Casino Beach and via patrol vehicles.
Residents and visitors are urged to exercise caution when visiting the beach and swimming in the Gulf, especially when lifeguards are not present.
The warning flags are still in place. Here’s what they mean:
- Green Flag – Means “low hazard,” but you should still exercise caution.
- Yellow flag – Indicates “moderate surf and conditions” such as rip currents. Swimmers should exercise careful caution when entering the water.
- Red flag – “Strong currents and high surf,” no swimming or wading. Entering the Gulf of Mexico to swim or wade during red flag conditions is illegal in Escambia County.
- Double red flags – Only used during hurricanes and other natural disasters. No swimming, wading or surfing in the Gulf of Mexico. Entering the Gulf of Mexico during double red flag conditions is illegal in Escambia County.
- Purple flag – Indicates “dangerous marine wildlife” may be present. Please use caution when entering the water.
File photo.
Here Are The Road Constructions Spots To Watch This Week
October 24, 2021
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County
- Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. 98) Replacement - Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 24 through Saturday, Oct. 30. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure.
- 17th Avenue Interchange construction – The opening of the new 17th Avenue interchange in Pensacola is currently estimated for Monday, Oct. 25. The new interchange will include a flyover connecting westbound traffic exiting the Pensacola Bay Bridge to East Gregory Street or Bayfront Parkway. Beneath the flyover, a new single-lane roundabout will replace the traffic signal formerly at 17th Avenue and provide seamless travel between the bridge, 17th Avenue north and southbound, East Gregory Street, and Bayfront Parkway.
- North Ninth Avenue (State Road (S.R.) 289) Carpenters Creek Bridge Replacement- All travel lanes are temporarily shifted to the northbound side of the bridge as crews replace the southbound portion of the structure. Additionally, drivers may encounter intermittent temporary lane closures from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25 through Friday, Oct. 29 to allow crews to mobilize materials and equipment.
- West Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Pedestrian Safety Improvement – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane closures between the following locations as crews perform median improvements and install poles for pedestrian traffic signals.
- D and N Streets (inside lane closures)
- P and Q Streets (inside lane closures)
- Y and Shoemaker Streets (inside lane closures)
- Q and N Streets (intermittent outside lane closure)
- Kirk and R Streets (intermittent outside lane closure)
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) to U.S. 29 – Drivers will encounter intermittent east and westbound traffic shifts between Pine Forest Road and U.S. 29 as crews place final asphalt and striping.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) – Drivers will encounter temporary intermittent shifts to allow crews to pave turn lanes, side streets, driveways, and the on- and off-ramps to I-10. Access to all businesses will be maintained, traffic flaggers and signage will be in place to direct traffic.
- Sorrento Road (S.R. 292) Intersection Improvements at Innerarity Point (County Road (C.R.) 292A) – Motorists can expect daytime shoulder closures the week of Monday, Oct. 25 as crews place a watermain.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) – Drivers can expect the following construction-related traffic impacts:
- Nighttime intermittent lane closures and shifts, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., on U.S. 29, between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road, and on Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 interchange.
- The U.S. 29 northbound on-ramp and U.S. 29 southbound off-ramp at the Nine Mile Road interchange may be reduced to a single lane during the nighttime hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Signage will be in place and traffic flaggers will be on-site to direct motorists.
- S.R. 291 (Davis Street) Routine Utility Maintenance at Chadwick Street Intersection – The outside eastbound lane will be closed at the Chadwick Street intersection from 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28 to 4 a.m. Friday, Oct. 29 as crews upgrade electrical equipment.
- S.R. 296 (Bayou Boulevard) Routine Utility Maintenance near the Bank of America – The outside eastbound lane will be closed from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 30 as crews upgrade electrical equipment.
- U.S. 90 (West Cervantes Street) Routine Maintenance near North Pace Boulevard – The outside eastbound lane will be closed from 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26 to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27 as crews perform paving operations.
- Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) Emergency Lane Closure at B Street – Motorists can expect lane closures Friday, Oct. 22, and Sunday, Oct 31 as crews perform emergency roadway operations.
Santa Rosa County
- Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. 98) Replacement – Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures and lane shifts on the Pensacola Bay Bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 24 through Saturday, Oct. 30. Crews will be using lanes on the current bridge as a platform to pour concrete decks for the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) structure. Additional work will include the installation of pier lighting.
- I-10 Resurfacing East of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) to East of S.R. 87 – Motorists can expect intermittent lane closures on the Blackwater River Bridge from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 24 through Thursday, Oct. 28 as crews perform paving operations.
All activities are weather-dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
UWF Argos Get Bounce-Back Win Over Shorter 45-23
October 24, 2021
by Bill Vilona
The stadium had quieted, the game reached a first-half lull and a spark was needed.
That’s when University of West Florida quarterback Austin Reed lit a fuse and dropped a bomb on a 3rd-and-20 play with 31 seconds left.
For a photo gallery, click here.
He threw a textbook pass to fast-emerging, freshman receiver Jared Smith for a 78-yard touchdown that padded the lead and pronounced the Argos eventual 45-23 victory Saturday against the Shorter Hawks at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
One week after an emotion-deflating loss on this field against West Georgia, the No.6-ranked Argos (6-1) felt good again with a bounce-back win. They expanded a 28-9 halftime lead into 38-9 after three quarters to seal the easy win.
“That sequence right there is probably every emotion you can have as a football coach,” said UWF coach Pete Shinnick. “We’re sitting there thinking, ‘Oh my gosh we’re at third-and-20, this is unbelievable.’
“You go from, oh my goodness, we’re going to punt the ball back and we had everything going… to, okay, touchdown this is great. That is the ups and downs you go through.”
It may have been the lone peak-and-valley moment in the game.
Saturday’s win followed a loss that snapped UWF’s 11-game, two season, winning streak. The streak matched the longest in NCAA Division II.
In five of UWF’s first six games, the Argos have allowed the opponent an opening possession touchdown. In all six previous games, opponents scored in the first quarter.
Both those trends ended Saturday.
In just 53 plays, the Argos amassed 495 yards total offense. They averaged an eye-opening 9.3 yards per-play, which set a school record.
“Obviously Shorter is not in the top end of the conference, but then our offense handled it the way we should handle a team that is at the lower end of the conference,” said Reed, who completed 18-of-30 passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for a 29-yard touchdown for the Argos final score.
“I’m really proud of our guys… how hard they worked and how they really bounced back after a tough loss and the way they went into practice and stayed focused.”
The Argos obviously have bigger sights, but Saturday’s win clinched another winning season, the fourth in UWF’s five-season history. It’s a feat that few start-up college football teams have attained.
“This is a process. Things aren’t always going to look phenomenal,” Reed said. “And part of that process is getting to where you are playing your best football around week 10 or 11.
“I love the progression of this team. I don’t want to be the best team in the country after six weeks, I want to be the best in the country after Dec. 18 (Division II championship game).”
The Argos also love how quickly Jared Smith has emerged. With leading receiver David Durden out Saturday with a groin injury (he is expected back next Saturday), it was Smith’s chance to shine.
The Enterprise, Alabama native delivered with four catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. He followed the 78-yard splash play with a 9-yard scoring catch on UWF’s first possession of the third quarter.
“Just super proud of this kid just getting open,” Reed said. “He’s been solid since he got here on campus and is just getting more and more comfortable with the offense. He has added an extra dimension to our offense that we didn’t know we had.”
The Argos began the game with the ball and set a tone. Shomari Mason finished a five-play drive, following a 63-yard kick return by Marcus Clayton, with his 2-yard touchdown plunge. Mason rushed for 85 yards on just six carries.
Rodney Coates made it 14-0 with his 11-yard pass from Reed on the team’s third possession. UWF scored touchdowns on four of its five offensive tries in the first half. The exception was a Reed interception.
But the play Smith made, after UWF was pinned deep, following a holding penalty late in the first half, helped put the game away.
“It’s a great feeling,” Smith said. “But this man (pointing to Reed) had a lot of trust in me just to go run and catch the ball. We do it in practice, so it just comes natural in the game.”
Said Reed: “We feel like with any amount of time left on the board with a timeout we can go score. Thankful that Coach Shinnick had the trust in us to go out there and let us just roll. Third down, just called a deep shot and thought maybe they wouldn’t be expecting us to throw it that far.”
The final three games on UWF’s schedule will level up in challenges. The Argos travel to Clinton, Miss. next Saturday to play Mississippi College.
The Choctaws were thumped 41-14 Saturday by unbeaten Valdosta State, but it’s a lengthy road trip, an evening game (6 p.m.) and Mississippi College’s homecoming game.
The focus will then turn to West Alabama (on road) and the finale against Valdosta State which will shape UWF’s post-season fate.
Before all that, however, UWF knows it will need to shore up some issues on defense. All four of Shorter’s scoring drives Saturday were longer than 70 yards, albeit two against the Argos’ reserves on defense.
“Defensively, there is some frustration there, just getting off the field,” Shinnick said. “I think we are very close. But we just allowed some drives to go. And we need to do a better job closing out. At some point in time we need to get off the field and we really didn’t do that.
“I’ll take 45-23 after a loss. Now we have to go on the road for two weeks and keep playing well.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos: Morgan Givens/UWF for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Students Learn About Fire Safety
October 24, 2021
Kindergarten students at Byrneville Elementary School learned about fire safety Friday with Escambia Fire Rescue’s Engine 5 from Century and other emergency services representatives.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pen Air Permanently Closing Century Branch, The Only Financial Institution In The Town
October 23, 2021
The Pen Air Federal Credit Union branch in Century will permanently close, leaving Century without a financial institution.
The lobby of the Pen Air location will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30, according to an email sent to Pen Air members. A “Pen Air LIVE” interactive video ATM will remain open.
“Thank you for letting us be a part of your community all these years. We look forward to serving your banking needs, today and for many more years to come,” Pen Air Century Branch Manager Angie White said in the email.
“I hate they are closing,” said Sandra McMurray-Jackson, longtime Pen Air members, a Century business owner and member of the Century Town Council. She joined Pen Air in the late 1990s with her late husband, with both of her sons becoming members as they grew older.
“I consider Pen Air to be part of my family,” Jackson said. “We need Pen Air in Century.”
In their email to members, Pen Air said banking behavior has changed, with a dramatic shift in the past year. The credit union said an “overwhelming majority” of members now use online banking, a mobile app and other digital services when possible.
Pictured: The Pen Air Federal Credit Union branch in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
By The Numbers: Quantity Of Materials Needed For Highway 29, Nine Mile Road Projects
October 23, 2021
Ever wonder how much of of what it would take to complete a big road construction project.
The Florida Department of Transportation has released some interest graphics that detail exactly what went into the Highway 29 and Nine Mile Road widening projects.
