Man Found Critically Injured In Century Bar Parking Lot
June 20, 2021
A man was found critically injured in the parking lot of a Century bar Saturday night.
About 10 p.m., the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a man down call in the parking lot of Odom’s Bar on North Century Boulevard at the state line. They arrived to find the victim in the parking lot.
ECSO Sgt. Melanie Peterson told NorthEscambia.com that deputies where not sure exactly what happened to him.
Witnesses told deputies that the man was seen involved in a “shoving match” in the parking lot, but he did not appeared injured. When the witness went back outside, they found him injured and bleeding, Peterson said.
The man, about 60-years old, was transported by Escambia County EMS as a trauma alert to a Pensacola hospital.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information on the incident to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Toll Reinstated On Garcon Point Bridge
June 20, 2021
The $5 toll is back on the Garcon Point Bridge.
The toll had been suspended since the Pensacola Bay Bridge was damaged and closed by runaway barges during Hurricane Sally in September 2020.
Last week, traffic was restored to four lanes on the Pensacola Bay Bridge.
Major Washout Alongside Greenland Road At Pine Barren Creek
June 20, 2021
Floodwaters from Tropical Storm Claudette washed away the shoulders of Greenland Road at Pine Barren Creek Saturday.
The 32-foot steel and concrete culvert, constructed in 1955, is about one-third of a mile east of Highway 97 in Davisville. The roadside on the downstream side of Greenland Road was washed away both east and west of the creek.
After a reader reached out to NorthEscambia.com about the washout, we alerted Escambia County to the situation. There was no word long repairs will take.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Rigby Road Bridge In Bratt Closed After Roadway Collapses
June 20, 2021
A bridge in Bratt is closed after a raging creek caused the roadway approach to the bridge to collapse Saturday afternoon.
The bridge on Rigby Road is closed at Beaver Dam Creek until further notice. It is located about a half mile south of West Highway 4 in Bratt (map at bottom of story).
Pictured: Escambia County Public Works closes a bridge on Rigby Road Saturday afternoon after the roadway collapsed. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pickup Truck Found Partially Submerged In Flood Waters Of Pine Barren Creek
June 20, 2021
A pickup truck was found by a passerby partially submerged in a creek near Walnut Hill Saturday afternoon.
The truck was discovered by the bridge in the floodwaters of Pine Barren Creek on a dirt portion of Lambert Bridge Road between North Pine Barren Road and Highway 164. No one was around the truck was it was discovered by the passerby.
It was not clear Saturday night if anyone was injured, how the truck ended up in the creek or if law enforcement had responded.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Sweep Doubleheader Against Montgomery
June 20, 2021
The day began with some of the worst imaginable tropical weather hitting Blue Wahoos Stadium.
It ended 12 hours or so later Saturday night with the Blue Wahoos producing a pair of memorable wins.
Peyton Burdick created first-game euphoria with his two-run, walk-off homer for a 4-2 win against the Montgomery Biscuits, following a strong start by Miami Marlins touted pitching prospect Edward Cabrera.
Jake Eder followed with six-inning shutout and Josh Roberson earned his first save for the Blue Wahoos in a 2-0 win to complete a doubleheader sweep before the fireworks show. Both games were 7-innings, following Friday’s rainout.
The win clinched another series for the Blue Wahoos (26-16), who now have the best record in the Double-A South and have lost just one series this season.
“It’s good to see how we got the goose eggs on the board, playing some defense and pitching, timely hits and game over,” said Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel. “We finished up a long day and glad we finished up on top.”
On Juneteenth, now a national holiday, the Blue Wahoos paid homage to the Pensacola Seagulls, a member of the Negro Southern League, which had its final official season 70 years ago in 1951.
The Blue Wahoos players wore the Seagulls uniforms for the second game of the doubleheader. The jerseys were then auctioned for the Southern Youth Sports Association during the game.
All of this, of course, happened after Tropical Storm Claudette caused morning wrath and early afternoon uncertainty. And then, like magic, the nasty weather parted into a colorful sunset.
“Once we started coming in about 10:30 (morning), we realized how bad this thing and we sent out a text (to players) that said don’t come in till about 2 o’clock,” Randel said. “Everything moved out, the field held up, the field looked immaculate after all that rain and we had to strap it on real quick and get going.”
Incredibly, after the storm made landfall early Saturday less than 200 miles west, thus creating a series of rain squalls, high winds and tornado warnings, the sky then broke into late afternoon sunshine in late afternoon and it became a beautiful night at the ballpark.
“We woke up and it was like a hurricane outside. The tarp crew did a great job. Our field is great, it drains great.. When we got that little window (of dry weather), there was no doubt we were going to play.”
Burdick ended the first game in dramatic fashion with his blast on an 0-2 slider over the left field fence The ball traveled 419 feet and so high that the Biscuits left fielder Garrett Whitley never looked up to see it. He just broke into a slow trot off the field.
“We had opportunities before that and I had opportunities myself to tack on a couple extra runs,” Burdick said. “And I hit on top of it and ran into double play (in fifth inning) and kinda screwed us out of a couple runs.”
The Blue Wahoos had the bases-loaded in the sixth inning of the game with none out and came up empty as well when Riley Mahan hit into a double play.
But in the seventh with two out and catcher Jhon Nunes on third base, following his leadoff double and throwing error on a pickoff attempt, Burdick produced the team’s fourth walkoff win.
“We just have a bunch of competitors up there. We all go out there and try not to make the last out,” Burdick said. “It’s been up and down the lineup abd people have been putting together good at bats, so we are never out of it.”
Two years ago, on July 31, 2019, Edward Cabrera was pitching for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp – then the Marlins Double-A affiliate, when he earned a win against the Blue Wahoos.
Saturday, he made his first start for the Blue Wahoos on an expected road to the big leagues. He was projected to be part of the Marlins’ starting rotation this year before an injury in February.
His first pitch Saturday clocked at 100 mph and he finished four innings and a 65-pitch limit with seven strikeouts, one walk and one earned run allowed. Colton Hock got the win in the seventh with a scoreless inning.
“He’s with us building up his pitch count… he threw the ball well, coming in hot,” Randel said. “But I think the story was his changeup. It got him right back in count
In the second game, Bubba Hollins produced a two-run single in the second inning and that held up. Eder worked six innings, allowing just three hits with seven strikeouts. He got out of a two-on, none out jam in the fourth inning, then retired the last batter in the sixth on a base-loaded situation.
In that inning, JJ Bleday made a spectacular diving catch in right field to rob Biscuits’ shortstop Jake Palomaki of a hit.
“(Eder) really had to battle,” Randel said. “His fastball command wasn’t there again. He just grinded out there. We gave him another inning.
“One of those things where he had to just grind it out and figure it out. But it was a good day for him.
by Bill Vilona, Blue Wahoos senior writer
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
I-10 Bridge Reopened Across Escambia Bay
June 19, 2021
The Florida Highway Patrol has reopened the I-10 bridge in both directions across Escambia Bay as of 12:05 p.m.
The bridge was closed earlier due to high winds from Tropical Storm Claudette.
Pictured: The I-10 bridge over Escambia Bay at 12:05 p.m. Saturday. NorthEscambia.com image.
Over 22,000 Lost Power Due To Tropical Storm Claudette; Majority Restored By Early Afternoon
June 19, 2021
Over 22,000 lost power in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties due to Tropical Storm Claudette.
Gulf Power Company reported that they had restored over 17,000 customers by about 1 p.m. Saturday. There were about 1,150 Gulf customers without power in Escambia County and about 330 in Santa Rosa County at 2 p.m.
At one point, Escambia River Electric Cooperative reported about 5,000 of their 11,596 customers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties without power due to the tropical storm. By about noon, that number had been reduced to 650. By 2 p.m. Saturday, EREC reported service had been restored to customers in Escambia County, while just under 300 remained without power in Santa Rosa County.
Pictured: Escambia River Electric Cooperative crews (above) and Gulf Power crews (pictured below) worked throughout Tropical Storm Claudette to restore power as fast as possible. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Reports 61 New COVID-19 Cases In Last Week
June 19, 2021
There were 61 new COVID-19 cases reported Escambia County over the last week by the Florida Department of Health.
FDOH has moved from daily to weekly reports and removed the COVID-19 dashboard. The state is now releasing a weekly report with local data limited only to number of cases and positivity rate; the number of deaths by county or cases by local cities and communities has been removed.
Here is the latest data:
Escambia County cases:
Total cases: 33,084 (+61)
Positivity Rate Last Week: 2.7%
Santa Rosa County cases:
Total cases: 18,482 (+41)
Positivity Rate Last Week: 7.0%
Statewide cases:
Florida resident cases: 2,310,881 (+10,629)
Case positivity rate: 3.2%
Deaths: 37,555 (+43)
Tropical Storm Warning: Local Need To Know Information
June 18, 2021
Escambia County is under a tropical storm warning. Here is the local need to know information from Escambia County:
Potential for minimal tropical storm force winds (mainly in gusts of 40-50 mph) along the coast. Flooding and life threatening surf/rip currents are the primary threats with this system.
Escambia County Emergency Management is taking preparatory actions by up-staffing Public Safety for the next 36 hours. If flooding occurs residents should take pictures of flood water lines on their residences for documentation as soon as its safe to do so.
“Escambia County Emergency Management would like to continue to remind residents to prepare now for possible flooding and rip currents with this system,” said Interim Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore. “Additionally, we would like visitors to take the red flag warning seriously and stay out of the water due to possible life-threatening rip currents. Please listen to the local lifeguards and officials to remain safe.”
For safety purposes, the Santa Rosa Island Authority (SRIA) has canceled the Pensacola Beach Island Trolley services on Friday, June 18, and Saturday, June 19.
Free Sand Available
Escambia County is offering free sand for residentsliving in flood-prone areas. The sand is available on a first come. Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels to one of the following locations:
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park - 4541 Highway 4, Bratt
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297A
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St., Pensacola
- Ferry Pass Middle School -available on northwest corner of school property on Parazine Street
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
Flooding Safety Tips
- With possible flooding forecast for our area, please do not drive into hazardous flood water and remember to Turn Around Don’t Drown®. Follow these flood safety tips:
- Get to higher ground – Get out of areas subject to flooding.
- Do not drive into water – Do not drive or walk into flooded areas. It only takes 6″ of water to knock you off your feet and 2 feet of water to carry away a vehicle.
- Stay informed – Monitor NorthEscambia.com, NorthEscambia.com on Facebook, local radar, television, local radio, or weather radio.
Water Safety Tips
Red flags are flying – DO NOT GO IN THE WATER TO SWIM OR WADE – The water is closed to swimmers.