Mobile Home Blaze Was The Ninth Residential Fire Of December In Escambia County
December 27, 2020
A Christmas Eve fire added an additional red bulb to the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety wreath in Escambia County.
That make nine red bulbs, representing nine residential structure fires in December 2020.
The fire occurred in the 900 block of Lookout Drive at 10 p.m.. Escambia County Fire Rescue was on scene within three minutes, but the mobile home is no longer habitable.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. There was no one home at the time of the fire and no injuries reported. There were no smoke alarms in the home.
If your home does not have a smoke alarm, you can have one installed for free by calling Escambia Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376).
Photos ECFR for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Donates $134,500 To Support Non-Profits
December 27, 2020
Gulf Power donated $134,500 to area organizations in December – to aid with everything from COVID-19 impacts to area Councils on Aging for ‘Meals on Wheels’ to STEM educational efforts.
“Our mission has always been to support our communities, where our employees live and work – particularly during difficult and uncertain times like 2020 has presented,” said Marlene Santos, Gulf Power president. “We are honored to provide assistance in focused areas to help our local community organizations continue to help and support those who need it most while also investing in our region’s future by supporting educational efforts for area youth.”
The contributions are being spread throughout the Gulf Power service area in Northwest Florida.
“We are so excited and honored that Gulf Power chose the Baptist Health Care Foundation to support,” said Maegan Leonard with Baptist Health Care Foundation, one of more than 40 local organizations receiving funding in December. “It certainly has been a tough year for everyone, and this donation will make a huge impact on those in need that we help through our Helping Hands program.”
The December contributions were distributed in five main focus areas to local non-profit organizations throughout Northwest Florida:
- Community Outreach – COVID-19 support: $71,500
- HOOPS Program
- Men In Action
- UNCF
- Montclair Elementary
- Rhodes Elementary
- Epps Christian Center
- Emmaus Outreach
- Milk & Honey
- Health and Hope Clinic
- African American Heritage Society
- Kukua Institute
- SYSA
- Carver
- ACTS-SO
- Youth Village
- Food for Thought
- Conexion – United For A Good Cause
- Eleanor Johnson Youth Center
- Matrix Community Outreach Center
- ASAP
- Girls Inc
- Bay NAACP
- Lead Coalition of Bay County
- TJ Roulhac Enrichment & Activity Center
- Wiregrass Omega Lamplighters
- STEM support: $10,000
- Kukua Institute
- Community holiday support: $17,500
- Communities Caring at Christmas
- Fresh Start for Children and Families
- Salvage Santa
- Meal support for elderly: $11,500
- Council on Aging of West Florida
- Elder Services of Okaloosa County
- Walton Council on Aging
- Bay County Council on Aging
- Washington County Council on Aging
- Calhoun County Senior Citizens Council
- Jackson Senior Citizens Organization
- Holmes County Council on Aging
- Utility assistance programs: $24,000
- Samaritan Hands
- We Care Ministries
- Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, Inc.
- Opening Doors NWFL
- Sharing and Caring of Niceville
- Baptist Health Care Foundation
“We are always floored by the generosity of Gulf Power, and all that you do for our great community,” said Matthew F. Knee, executive director for the Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, Inc.
Northview High NJROTC Orienteering Team Earns Bid To National Championship
December 27, 2020
The Northview High School NJROTC Orienteering Team has earned a repeat trip to the NJROTC National Orienteering Championship.
Cadet Commanding Officer David Lamb, the three-time defending Area 8 varsity champion, was unable to attend the event. The other Northview team members stepped up to the plate and ran hard for their missing teammate, according to Chief Jeffrey Simpkins.
Orienteering involves navigation with a map and compass with a goal of getting from point to point in the fastest time possible.
TEAM AWARDS
- Third place Overall Varsity course:
- John Bashore
- Jonathan McCarthy
- Skylar Wise
- Antoni Weaver
- Ethan Kilburn
- Third place Overall Junior Varsity course:
- Michael Cody
- Dallon Rackard
- Erich Amerson
- Garret Bodiker
- Drake Driskell
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
- John Bashore 3rd place Varsity course
- Michael Cody 4th place Junior Varsity course
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
“He Dedicated His Life To Serving And Protecting Others” – Communities Mourn After Murder Of Former Molino Fire Chief Gary Diamond
December 26, 2020
Brother. Friend. Father. Grandfather. A heart of gold. Servant.
Those were just some of the words being used Saturday to describe Gary Diamond who was murdered at his home in Molino early Saturday morning.
“He was more than just a man. He dedicated his life to serving and protecting others,” Diamond’s son Joseph Diamond said.
Diamond was a longtime firefighter, serving during his career as the volunteer chief in Molino, a captain at Navarre Beach and fire service instructor at Pensacola State College.
Related Story: Former Fire Chief Murdered Saturday Morning In Molino; Suspect Arrested After Manhunt
Diamond joined the Ensley Volunteer Fire Department in 1982 before transferring to Molino. He worked his way through the ranks to assistant chief of the Molino Volunteer Fire Department in 1987 and went on to serve as Molino chief from November 1992 to September 1993. He was currently volunteering as a fleet transport driver for Escambia Fire Rescue, moving fire apparatus around the county as needed.
“I was saddened and heartbroken to hear the news about Gary this morning,” Interim Escambia Fire Rescue Chief Paul Williams said. “He was not only a longtime part of Escambia Fire Rescue, but a longtime friend as well.”
“He was very nice with a very laid back kind of attitude. He was obviously willing to give and volunteer his time, and willing to serve the community,” Williams added.
Diamond was a captain at Navarre Beach Fire Rescue for a decade, retiring to take care of a family member. He recently returned to Navarre Beach Fire, pulling extra shifts as a fill-in captain.
“He worked his way up through the ranks until he retired as captain of C Shift,” Navarre Beach Fire Rescue Chief Danny Fureigh said. “He was an extremely well educated, well seasoned firefighter known throughout the area.”
Fureigh said that Diamond was always there for the department – always around cooking and volunteering at department events.
“He was always there. He and his family were a big part of us,” the Navarre Beach fire chief said. “He never met a stranger, would give you the shirt off his back. He was legitimately a good guy…this is a horrific event.”
Former Fire Chief Murdered Saturday Morning In Molino; Suspect Arrested After Manhunt
December 26, 2020
A longtime firefighter was shot and killed early Saturday morning in Molino, and a suspect has been arrested.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 400 block of Molino Road about 3:30 a.m. and arrived to find the adult with multiple gunshot wounds. Gary Diamond was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The suspect, 30-year old Jared Cordel Clakley, was taken into custody shortly before sunrise Saturday. He was charged with murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery causing bodily harm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
The shooting appeared to be the result of a domestic situation, according to ECSO Sgt. Melanie Peterson.
Relatives said Diamond stepped in front of the gun to save the lives of his family.
“What was to be a family spending the holiday together turned tragic. It’s incredibly sad it would happen at Christmas’,” Escambia County Sheriff-elect Chip Simmons said. “The fact that he was committed to public service his entire life makes it an even greater tragedy.”
“An arrest has been made, and we will continue to work with the State Attorney’s Office on prosecution,” Simmons added.
Related Story: Communities Mourn After Murder Of Former Molino Fire Chief Gary Diamond
Peterson said deputies quickly developed Clakley as a suspect, and a K-9 unit was called to the scene to assist in the manhunt.
The investigation is continuing.
Pictured: The scene of an early Saturday morning murder in the 400 block of Molino Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
.
Escambia Completes Hurricane Sally Debris Removal; Anything Left Behind Is On You
December 26, 2020
Escambia County has completed Hurricane Sally debris removal; anything left behind now will be the responsibly of the property owner.
Contractors hauled 80,485 loads, collecting 4,221,633 cubic yards of Hurricane Sally generated debris. This equals 660 football fields with debris stacked 3 feet high, or enough debris to fill 91% of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
Any remaining debris or bulk items should be prepared for collection by the resident’s respective waste hauler or residents may dispose items at the Perdido Landfill. The Perdido Landfill will be closed on Friday, January 1 in observance of the New Year’s holiday.
Escambia County will reopen the drop-off recycling site at the Perdido Landfill beginning Tuesday, Dec. 29, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Residents may drop off aluminum and steel cans; plastic bottles and jugs; paper and cardboard for free.
Residents wishing to dispose of organic Christmas trees can do so by simply placing the tree curbside with all decorations, ornaments and any attached tree stands removed. Trees or segments of trees should not be more than six feet in length. Do not place Christmas trees in recycling or garbage containers. For more information, please contact your waste service provider. Christmas trees are typically collected on your normal trash collection day.
Blue Angels License Plate Reaches 3,000 Orders Needed To Put Plate Into Production
December 26, 2020
The Blue Angels specialty license plate will become a reality after the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation received more than the necessary 3,000 voucher presales in less than three months.
In September 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law approving the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation’s Blue Angels specialty license plate. On October 1. he Escambia County Tax Collector, in partnership with the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, began accepting online voucher orders to collect the 3,000 commitments needed for production to being.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles should place the plate into production sometime after the first of the year. The production process will happen over the coming months and then the plates will be distributed to the various county tax collector offices throughout the state.
If you purchased a voucher for the Blue Angel plate, your voucher is being held electronically in the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles database under your name and driver license number. If you purchased the voucher for someone else, the voucher is being held under the recipient’s name and driver license number.
Until the physical plates are available, Florida drivers can still purchase a voucher in person at their local tax collector’s office. y. Vouchers are available for cars, trucks, RVs or boat trailers.
Christmas Morning 2020 Was The Coldest In 25 Years. This Is How Cold It Was.
December 26, 2020
Christmas Day 2020 was officially the coldest on record in Pensacola in 25 years.
The official low Christmas morning 2020 was 31 at the Pensacola International Airport – the location of the official National Weather Service thermometer. That’s the lowest low temperature in Pensacola since it bottomed out at 26 degrees on Christmas morning 1995.
While not an “official” recording location, the weather station thermometer at Northview High School dropped to 29 degrees on Christmas morning.
The all-time record low for a Christmas morning in Pensacola was 11 degrees in 1983.
FDOT Still Targeting March To Reopen The Pensacola Bay Bridge. Here’s The Latest Update.
December 26, 2020
As the year comes to a close, the vendors under contract with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) continue to focus on removing debris and driving piles for the reconstruction of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. While these efforts will continue over the next several weeks, most of the debris removal is near the bottom of the bay.
Concurrently, multiple teams are working around the clock to ensure pile driving efforts remain on schedule. Crews are moving the pile driving template ahead and working on pier removal at night to keep ahead of the daytime pile driving crews. An additional pile driving hammer is onsite to increase the ability to drive piles in less time. Beams are also being set at several spans on the Pensacola Bay Bridge and deck work has begun to reconstruct the roadway.
The current numbers on the demolition and repair activities to date include:
- Seven fully damaged spans removed.
- Eight partial damaged spans removed.
- 16 damaged pedestrian path beams removed.
- 61 damaged I-beams removed with eight replaced.
- Four damaged trophy pieces removed.
- 11 replacement piles driven.
In addition to these efforts, FDOT has directed Skanska to review all mooring and/or securing methods to assure the safety and protection of the public and their property in the Pensacola Bay area after a construction barge owned Skanska broke loose this past weekend and became stuck against private docks near the Pensacola Bay Bridge. FDOT is also monitoring Skanska’s investigation with state and local authorities to determine if the line connecting the barge to the sea floor had been severed.
Work to widen 2,000 feet of northbound and southbound S.R. 281 south of the I-10 interchange and the eastbound I-10 off ramp at S.R. 281 to two lanes to improve travel time on the detour route is nearing completion. Commuters can also use the Escambia County Area Transit’s (ECAT) temporary bus route travel between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze free of charge.
Motorists should continue to use all available detour routes, which include the Garcon Point Bridge and State Road 87. At this time, tolls on the Garcon Point Bridge have been suspended through Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
The Pensacola Bay Bridge has a targeted re-opening date of March 2021. Once repairs are complete, all four lanes will be open with no load restrictions. As each repair method is developed, FDOT will be conducting reviews to ensure the contractor is hitting all milestones in the established schedule.
$3K Reward Offered For ‘Armed And Dangerous’ Man Wanted In Santa Rosa County
December 26, 2020
A $3,000 reward is being offered for a wanted man the Santa Rosa County Sherriff’s Office says should be considered armed and dangerous.
Arthur Lee Cheever, 28, has outstanding warrants for:
- grand theft up to $10,000
- reckless driving with damage to person and property
- fleeing/eluding law enforcement
- driving while license suspended – subsequent offense
- vop: obstruct criminal investigation (3 counts)
- possession of controlled substance (3 counts)
- possession of marijuana over 20 grams (3 counts)
- petit theft (3rd conviction) (3 counts)
- use of anti-shoplifting device (3 counts)
Cheever is a white male about 5’10” tall and 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
The SRSO said if you know his whereabouts, don’t approach him. Instead, call Santa Rosa Crime Stoppers at (850) 437-STOP (7867) or your law enforcement agency.