Heads Up – Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Slow Down Spots
January 19, 2021
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – The intersection of North 17th Avenue and Bayfront Parkway will remain closed until spring 2021 as construction continues for the new 17th Avenue interchange. The Visitor’s Center remains accessible from 17th Avenue. In addition, the ramp from 17th Avenue to East Gregory Street remains open. Eastbound drivers on Bayfront Parkway should use North 14th Avenue and Cervantes Street (U.S. 90) as a detour route. The bridge remains closed until March 2021.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90)- Crews continue road widening and drainage improvements.
- Motorists can expect 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 Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass.
- · East Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Safety Project from North Palafox Street to Chemstrand Road – Beginning Sunday, Jan. 17 crews will be working in the median. Lane restrictions will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- · Interstate Circle Pavement Soil Testing for Bridge Replacement over Eight Mile Creek- Drivers will encounter intermittent lane restrictions from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 through Friday, Jan. 22.
- · I-10 Routine Maintenance Operations between Mile Marker 5 (U.S. 90A) and Mile Marker 16 (west of U.S. 90/Scenic Highway)- Motorists will encounter intermittent and alternating lane restrictions 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19 through Friday, Jan. 22.
- · Fairfield Drive (S.R. 295) Turn Lane Construction near N S Street- The eastbound, inside lane will be closed from 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 to 5 a.m. Friday, Jan. 22 for construction of a turn lane.
Santa Rosa County:
- · U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive- Early construction activities are beginning in preparation for the widening and improvements of the 4.25-mile section of U.S. 98 from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive. These activities include utility relocations, clearing, excavation, and drainage improvements. As part of the upgraded drainage system, the project includes the construction of five stormwater ponds. Clearing and excavating of areas for the stormwater ponds are slated to begin January 25, 2021. There will be no traffic impacts associated with the construction of the ponds, but nearby residents and businesses may experience some noise. Access to residences and businesses will be maintained. Major roadway construction activities on the $70.4 million project are anticipated to begin in summer 2021.
- Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – The bridge remains closed until March 2021.
- U.S. 98 Utility Work from Palo Alto to Whispering Pines Boulevard – The eastbound, outside lane will be closed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Friday, Jan. 29 as utility crews perform operations.
- State Road (S.R.) 89 North, S.R. 87 North and S.R. 89 Bypass Maintenance Operations- Drivers may encounter intermittent lane restrictions as crews perform construction activities along the corridors. Off duty law enforcement will be on-site to assist with traffic control.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Give The Gift Of Life: It’s National Blood Donor Month
January 19, 2021
The Escambia County has proclaimed January as National Blood Donor Month to encourage residents to give the gift of life.
“OneBlood has served as the sole blood supplier for every local hospital in the Pensacola area, and the Board of County Commissioners is proud to recognize OneBlood for their great work in the community,” said District 5 County Commissioner Steven Barry. ”I encourage residents to give blood to help others in need.”
“When we teamed up with OneBlood this summer to encourage everyone to make a pledge, they were in dire straits,” Florida Senator Doug Broxson said. “People don’t realize they get most of their donations from students at universities. Universities being shut down basically throughout Florida really impacted them. What OneBlood developed was convalescent plasma, which we know has saved people’s lives in this area. My fear is that I’ll be standing here next year making a similar plea for OneBlood. We’ve got to stand together to do everything we can as citizens, as Americans.”
To find a OneBlood donor center or blood drive, click or tap here.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Remain Around 10-Month Highs
January 19, 2021
Florida gas prices are still hovering around 10-month highs, according to AAA.
The state average of $2.30 per gallon is slightly higher than last week and 10 cents more than a month ago. Despite that, drivers are paying 23 cents less than this time last year.
The average price per gallon Monday in Escambia County was $2.34, up 17 cents from a month ago. The lowest price to be found in North Escambia Monday night was $2.33 at one station on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
“Florida drivers are still paying less money at the pump than they did this time last year, but pump prices have certainly climbed in recent weeks,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The price hikes reflect the gains made in crude oil prices, which have been propped up by optimism that Covid-19 vaccines will eventually lead to more global fuel consumption.”
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Century Considers Approval For 300 Foot Cell Tower Next To The Library Or Showalter Park
January 18, 2021
Century is considering which of two locations to lease for a 300-foot tall cell tower — one directly next to the library and the other near Showalter Park.
According to the town, the tower will be used for AT&T cellular service, and other companies might lease space from Diamond Towers.
The two parcels owned by the town under consideration for the tower site are:
- A 0.698 acre lot directly south of the Century Branch Library. The tower would be located less than 50 feet from the library property, which is owned by Escambia County.
- A 0.68 acre area located on the northeast corner of the town’s maintenance building property on Alger Road, just across the railroad tracks from the playground at Showalter Park.
Diamond Towers is requesting a variance to the required 200 foot setback requirement for the tower.
At 300 feet, the tower would be about the equivalent of a 30 story building, according to interim City Manager Vernon Prather.
The town council is expected to vote on the tower location at their regular council meeting Tuesday night.
If approved, Diamond Towers will lease one of the two properties at $1,000 total for one year with an optional extension for one more year at $1,000. Once a tower is constructed, Diamond’s lease will increase to $1,500 per month for at least five years, with another $500 per month due for additional cellular providers collocated on the tower.
Pictured: This lot next to the Century Branch Library is one of two locations under consideration for a 300-foot tall cell tower. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
County Seeking Applications for Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
January 18, 2021
The Escambia County Commission is seeking one representative to the Escambia-Pensacola Affordable Housing Advisory Committee to fill a member’s unexpired term through September 30, 2021.
The committee was established for the purpose of reviewing affordable housing incentives available within the county and to make recommendations concerning those incentives to the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners and Pensacola City Council.
The board is seeking to fill ONE slot from one of the following specializations:
- One citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in connection with affordable housing;
- One citizen who is a representative of a not for profit provider of affordable housing;
- One citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate professional in connection with affordable housing; OR
- One citizen who represents essential services personnel, as defined in the local housing assistance plan
The committee meets quarterly with more frequent meetings while reviewing the Local Housing Assistance Plan and affordable housing incentives. Positions will be recommended to the board for approval in February.
Citizens interested in serving should complete an application available online here, or request a form via email at NED@myescambia.com. Completed applications should be forwarded to Neighborhood Enterprise Division/AHAC, 221 Palafox Place, Suite 200, Pensacola, FL,32502. All applications must be received no later than January 22 for consideration.
Community Health Announces New COVID-19 Testing Schedule
January 18, 2021
Community Health Northwest Florida is changing their COVID-19 mobile testing schedule effective Tuesday.
Testing will be available as follows:
Cantonment Pediatrics – PCR (molecular) Send Off and Rapid Testing.
- Weekdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., drive thru.
- No prescreen required for send-off test.
- Prescreening and an appointment is required for rapid test. Contact the Ascension Sacred Heart call center at (850) 746-2684.
Brownsville Community Center – Rapid Testing Only
- Weekdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., drive thru.
- Contact the Ascension Sacred Heart call center at (850) 746-2684.
Community Health, 2315 West Jackson Street – PCR (molecular) Send Off Testing Only
- Weekdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., drive thru.
- No prescreening or appointment required.
For more information, call Community Health Northwest Florida at (850) 436-4630.
College Baseball Returns To Blue Wahoos Stadium On January 30
January 18, 2021
Blue Wahoos Stadium will host its first baseball games of the new year on Saturday, January 30 as Pensacola State College, nationally-ranked Northwest Florida State College, and Coastal Alabama Community College compete in a three-game day-long tournament.
“This is something special for each program, each team,” Pensacola State coach Brian Lewallyn said. “We’re all happy to be back on the field playing again. We’re so appreciative of this opportunity to play at Blue Wahoos Stadium. I know our players are super excited about it.”
The three-game slate will begin at 11 a.m. with Pensacola State facing Coastal Alabama. Game two will feature Northwest Florida State College against Coastal Alabama. The day of baseball will conclude with Pensacola State taking on Northwest Florida in game three.
Games two and three will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the preceding game. Each game will be seven innings.
Tickets are available now at BlueWahoos.com. General admission tickets are $10 and include admission to all three games. Active duty and veteran military members, seniors (65+), and children (5-12) receive discounted $7 admission. Admission for children under the age of five is free.
Face masks are required at Blue Wahoos Stadium. Guests may remove their face mask when seated to enjoy the games with proper physical distancing from other guests, but masks must remain on when moving about the stadium, when on the concourse, and when entering and exiting the facility.
Legendary Football Coach Carl Madison Honored On His 90th Birthday
January 17, 2021
Legendary high school football coach Carl Madison celebrated his 90th birthday Saturday surrounded by former players and colleagues, friends and guests at Hillcrest Baptist Church.
Madison led the Tate Aggies to a 1980 state championship and took the Pine Forest Eagles to two state championships in 1987 and 1988. He is one of the all-time winningest high school coaches in the nation.
“I’m just proud of it. I appreciate all of them coming and doing the things that they’ve done,” Madison said Saturday. “Hell, I never dreamed of this.”
Madison sits at number two on Florida’s all-time football coaching victories list with a 326-129-7 record.
“I can recall Coach Madison saying, ‘wanting to win is not good enough. You’ve got to hate to lose. It has to burn in your gut.’ That has stuck with me since,” remarked Steve Campbell, former head football coach at the University of South Alabama.
He led the Tate Aggies to a 1980 state championship, and took the Pine Forest Eagles to two state championships in 1987 and 1988. The 1988 Eagle team was named as national champions by USA Today, and Madison earned the title of the National High School Football Coach of the Year. All in all, he coached at five different Florida High Schools including Ernest Ward, plus three out of state schools.
“He was not only my high school football coach, or the head coach I ended up starting my educational career under, he is my friend,” said Keith Leonard, current assistant superintendent of Human Resource Services for the Escambia County School District. “He’s my mentor, someone I care very, very deeply about. I love him.”
His football days began early at Escambia County High School in Atmore where he played tailback under Coach Herbert Barnes from 1945 to 1947, making him one of Atmore’s semi-famous “Barnes Boys” with 30 straight wins. After a stint in the Army, from 1950 to 1952, Madison played college ball for Texas Tech and Troy State Teachers College in the mid-1950s.
Fresh out of college, Madison coached for four years beginning in 1957 at Ernest Ward High School in Walnut Hill. He moved to Milton High in 1961, coaching them to a state championship and 34 straight victories. He then took a coaching job at a Georgia High School, losing a state championship game in 1968.
Madison joined the coaching staff at Tate in 1971 on his way to winning that 1980 state championship. He left Tate in 1983, heading to Pensacola High for a couple of years. Then it was off to Pine Forest and those back-to-back state championships. He coached at an Albany, Georgia, school, another 10 years at Milton High and another short period at PHS during the period from 1989 until 2002.
“Coach Madison was like a father figure to many of us even though he may not have known it at the time,” said Mike Bennett, head football coach at Escambia High School. “As players, he treated us all the same; no favorites. He taught me about being punctual and accountable. We still talk from time to time. I treasure those conversations. He’s an amazing man.”
In 2002, he took the head coach job at the small Jackson Academy in Alabama. The then 71-year old took over a team that had gone 0-10 prior to his arrival. He lost his first two games at Jackson, but he went on to win the state championship. The following year, Jackson was undefeated and won another state championship.
In 2009, Madison briefly came out of retirement to once again take to the field at Tate, this time as an offensive consultant.
“Trust me, being his nephew and his quarterback was not very fun for me quite often,” said Scotti Madison, Vanderbilt University Hall of Fame inductee and All-American. “It wasn’t practice; it was perfect practice. Every day, over and over again. Other than my father however, he was the most important man in my life.”
The Escambia County School Board will consider a resolution at their January 19, 2021, meeting to name the Tate High football field as “Carl Madison Field.” The stadium will continue to be known as the Pete Gindl Stadium.
Photos by WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Investigators Seek Help With 31-Year Old Cantonment Murder
January 17, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help to solve a 31-year old Cantonment murder mystery.
During the early morning hours of January 14, 1990, the body of Jesse Lee Davis, Jr., a 25-year old black male, was found apparently murdered in the area of Highway 95A and Highway 29 in Cantonment. Davis was last seen alive earlier that morning walking northward toward his home from the area of Muscogee Road and Highway 29.
The case remains unsolved. Anyone with information about what might have happened to Davis can contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: Photos of 1990 murder victim Jessie Davis, Jr. at about age 20 (left) and from grade school. Submitted photos from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Mexican Restaurant Coming To Century
January 17, 2021
A new restaurant is coming to Century.
Vallarta Mexican Restaurant, which also has a location on Pensacola Boulevard at Nine Mile Road, is remodeling the former Becky’s Mini Mart at 9010 North Century Boulevard.
No opening date has been announced.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
