Fire Destroys Pickup Truck At Highway 97 Gas Station
May 25, 2021
Fire destroyed a pickup truck at a Highway 97 gas station Tuesday afternoon.
The Dodge Ram caught fire at the Korner Kwik Stop at the corner of Highway 97 and Nokomis Road in Davisville. The vehicle was reportedly pushed away from the fuel pumps after the fire started.
There were no injuries reported, and the gas station building did not suffer any apparent damage.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Atmore Fire Department responded.
Pictured: A pickup truck burns at a Davisville gas station before firefighters arrived on scene. Pictured bottom. Firefighters arrived a short time later. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Farm Hill Utilities Plans New Half Million Gallon Water Tank At Highway 297A, Highway 97
May 25, 2021
Farm Hill Utilities is planning to construct a new half million gallon water storage tank.
The above ground water storage tank will be located on the northwest corner of the Highway 297A and Highway 97 intersection. The site is currently 1.94 acres of undeveloped wooded property.
The site will include the storage tank and a water booster pump station. This will be a ground-level tank, not an elevated water tower. It will assist Farm Hill Utilities in providing needed water flow for fire protection in the southern zone of their water system, according to project documents.
The project will go before the Escambia County Development Review Committee for possible approval on Wednesday.
NorthEscambia.com graphics.
ECSO Deploys Speed-Checking Trailers That Use Technology To Battle Speeding
May 25, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has new trailers that alert drivers to their speed while using technology to aid in the fight against speeders.
The trailers went into service after Sheriff Chip Simmons took office. They can be deployed to areas with known or citizen reported speed problems, according to Commander Andrew Hobbs.
Each of the 17 trailers display the speed of passing vehicles, complete with small flashing red and blue LED lights to attract driver attention, very much like similar equipment has done for years. But there’s more.
The units collect anonymous data on vehicle speeds, which Hobbs said allows the ECSO to work smarter.
“We can look at the statistics and average speed to determine what time to do traffic enforcement efforts,” he said.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office speed trailer on North Century Boulevard just south of the state line. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Library Board Meets Again In Century, Gets Sunshine Law Refresher After Violation Last Month
May 25, 2021
West Florida Public Libraries Board of Governance met again in Century Monday, a month after a Sunshine Law violation.
During the meeting a the Century Branch Library,b oard members received a little refresher on the Sunshine Law – Florida’s open meeting laws – from an assistant attorney from the Escambia County Attorney’s Office.
In April, the county self reported a Sunshine Law violation to the State Attorney’s Office after an advertising blunder left the library board meeting in Century without proper public notice. The State Attorney’s office decided the violation was unintentional and accidental.
The April meeting was advertised for the Main Library downtown, not Century. Florida’s Sunshine Law requires that adequate public notice be given for public meetings, including time and the correct location. When NorthEscambia.com notified the board of the discrepancy in the legal notice, the board continued the meeting for a short period of time. And that, according to the State Attorney’s Office, is where they went wrong.
The April meeting, in violation of the Sunshine Law, of the West Florida Libraries Board of Governance at the Century Branch Library.
Pensacola Bay Bridge Now Driveable End To End, Still Expected To Open Next Week
May 25, 2021
The Pensacola Bay Bridge is now drivable from end to end for construction vehicles, and the Florida Department of Transportation says the bridge will open next week.
All decks needed to restore at least two-lanes of traffic are now in place, although there are multiple additional tasks to complete. Construction vehicles and equipment are now able to cross the bridge from end-to-end as crews work to finalize remaining repairs.
On the flyover structure at the intersection of U.S. 98 and 17th Avenue in Pensacola, several layers of asphalt have been placed along with concrete curb on the 17th Avenue ramp.
The initial restoration will temporarily accommodate four-lanes of traffic for approximately two-miles, along with an approximately one-mile, two-lane segment near the Pensacola shore.
All construction, which consists of two three-lane bridges is currently estimated for completion in early 2022.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ATV Crash Claims Life Of 12-Year Old Flomaton Elementary Student
May 24, 2021
An all-terrain vehicle crash claimed the life of a 12-year old boy in Flomaton Sunday afternoon.
Flomaton Elementary Principal George Brown told our news partners at WEAR 3 that the victim is Logan Mitchell, a sixth grade student at the school.
The ATV crash occurred about 5 p.m. on private property in the area of Upper Creek Road west of the Rock Cemetery, about a half mile from Highway 31. He was airlifted by ShandsCair 6 medical helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where he was pronounced deceased.
“At this time the Flomaton Police Department is conducting a lengthy investigation into the total circumstances surrounding the crash,” Thompson said. The Flomaton Police Department and Escambia County Department of Human Resources are investigating. Flomaton Police Chief Chance Thompson said the case will be presented to the Escambia County District Attorney’s Office for review, but at this time no criminal charges have been filed.
“On behalf of the Flomaton Police Department, we send out high respects to the families of both underaged victims in the crash. Our community lost a previous soul, and we together as one are grieving,” the police chief said.
Mitchell was the third Flomaton Elementary School student death in the past year. An ATV accident on May 28, 2020, claimed the life of 6-year old Trayton Adams, and 11-year old Jaden James, was killed in an October 3, 2020, vehicle crash in Walnut Hill.
Pictured: Logan Mitchell. Photo provided by Flomaton Elementary Principal George Brown via WEAR 3. Click to enlarge.
Florida Ending $300 Weekly Federal Pandemic Unemployment Payments
May 24, 2021
Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity on Monday announced that the state will withdraw from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program effective June 26, ending extra $300 per week payments.
The DEO said there are more than 460,000 online jobs posted online that are available throughout the state for job seekers.
“Florida’s employers are also seeing employment growth, as more Floridians, including some who completely left the workforce, are now eagerly reentering the workforce. Transitioning away from this benefit will help meet the demands of small and large businesses who are ready to hire and expand their workforce,” said Dane Eagle, secretary of the Florida DEO.
Florida businesses and employers are hiring across the state and need unemployed Floridians to return to the workforce, according to Florida DEO.
For the week beginning June 27, 2021, eligible reemployment assistance claimants will no longer receive the supplemental $300 weekly FPUC payment.
Century Charter Review Committee Begins Work To Rewrite Future Of Town Government
May 24, 2021
The Century Charter Review Committee is back at work to shape the future of government in the town.
The committee was first appointed in August 2019 to explore the town charter — the document that establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The charter has not been updated in 40 years, and that often creates problems in the operation of the town.
The COVID-19 pandemic slowed regular meetings for the charter committee and any chance of moving forward in 2020, preventing any charter change from making the ballot.
Former interim town manager Buz Eddy, acting as a consultant, met with the committee last week and discussed the forms of government that Century could choose, including the possibility of shifting many responsibilities to a town manager.
Committee chairperson Mary Bourgeois said she wants the committee to being work in earnest next month and explore the current charter “line by line.”
There were 11 members on the original committee, but over half resigned. The town council recently appointed three new members, making the new committee of eight. Returning charter review committee members are Bourgeois, Shelisa Abraham, Michelle Cunningham, Evelyn Hammond and Helen Mincy. The three new members are Leslie Howington, Brenda Spencer and Kathryn Fleming.
Pictured top: Century Charter Review Committee chairperson Mary Bourgeois address the committee at a recent meeting. Pictured below: Consultant Buz Eddy explains the forms of government available for municipalities in Florida. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Animal Shelter Cuts Hours Due To Staffing Shortage, Seeks To Hire Help
May 24, 2021
The Escambia County animal shelter has cut hours due to staffing issues, and they are looking to hire additional help.
Beginning Monday, May 24, the animal shelter will be open to the public as follows:
- Monday — Friday: 1 — 5 p.m.
- Saturday: 11 a.m. — 4 p.m.
- Sunday: Closed
“Animal Welfare is operating at 50 percent of staffing levels due to the nationwide manpower crisis; therefore, hours will be adjusted to opening one hour later for the public,” said County Administrator Janice Gilley. “This manpower shortage is severely impacting Escambia County services and our current employees. This was the best solution to allow our staff time to provide proper care and cleaning for the animals.”
The Escambia County Animal Welfare Department is currently hiring. To learn more, click or tap here.
Klondike, Mobile Highway Crash Claims Life Of Man FHP Says Ran Stop Sign
May 24, 2021
A wreck Sunday morning at Mobile Highway and Klondike Road claimed the life of a 30-year old man.
The Florida Highway Patrol said he was headed south on Klondike Road in a Corvette about 10:15 a.m. when he failed to stop at a stop sign and traveled into Mobile Highway. His vehicle was hit by a Dodge Ram driven westbound by a 37-year old Pensacola man.
The driver of the Corvette was airlifted to Baptist Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. The pickup truck driver was not injured.