Applications Open This Week For Over $7 Million In Escambia CARES Personal, Business Grants
September 13, 2020
The application period will open Friday for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant for individuals and families and the Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant, each in the total amount of $3,580,331.
Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant
Funding for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will be available in amounts of $2,000 per household, and will be awarded to approximately 1,790 households in the county. CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grants will be dispersed on a first-qualified, first-served basis.
General Eligibility Requirements
- Applicants must be residents of Escambia County
- Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old
- Have a household income of $45,000 or less
- Have been negatively impacted by COVID-19
The application window for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will be open from Friday, Sept. 18, through Tuesday, Sept. 22. The application will be available online at myescambia.com/CARES beginning Friday, Sept. 18, at 8 a.m. and will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22.
To apply for the Escambia CARES Family Emergency Financial Assistance Grant, applicants will need to provide:
- Certification of COVID-19 impact
- Copy of a valid, state-issued ID
- Copy of Social Security card or other proof of a Social Security number
- Tax-Filers: Copy of the first page of their 2019 federal tax return (IRS form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ)
- Non-Tax Filers: Self-Certification letter stating the reason why you did not file a 2019 Federal Income Tax Return and/or the type of income you received – Social Security Benefits (SSA, SSI/SSD), Railroad Retirement, Veterans Affairs Pension, Disability Benefits, etc.
- A completed W-9 form. Click here for the fillable W-9 Form.
Those needing assistance or who do not have access to the internet and wish to apply with paper forms instead of online can visit one of the 12 fully-staffed application assistance centers located throughout the county, with at least one location available in each district.
These locations will be staffed for in-person application assistance during the grant application window, Friday, Sept. 18, through Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and from noon to 5 p.m. weekends.
- Beulah Senior Citizens Center, 7425 Woodside Dr.
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St.
- Carver Park Resource Center, 208 Webb St.
- Century Branch Library, 7991 N. Century Blvd.
- Dorrie Miller Community Center, 2819 N. Miller St.
- Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road
- Gull Point Community Center, 7000 Spanish Trail
- Lexington Terrace Community Center, 700 S. Old Corry Field Road
- Marie K. Young Wedgewood Community Center, 6405 Wagner Rd.
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95-A North
- Pensacola Downtown Library, 239 N. Spring St.
- Walnut Hill Community Center, 7850 Highway 97 North
Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant
Funding for the Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will be available in amounts of $7,500 for small businesses with up to 25 employees and $15,000 for small businesses with 26-50 employees.
The application process for the Escambia CARES Business Emergency Financial Assistance Grant will open Friday, Sept. 25, and continue through Tuesday, Sept. 29. The application will be available online at myescambia.com/CARES and will be available in select in-person locations. Those locations will be determined at the next Board of County Commissioners’ meeting on Thursday, Sept. 17.
Businesses wishing to apply for this grant will need to supply:
- A current W-9 form
- Financial documents including a 2019 tax return, IRS form 941 from the first quarter of 2020 or a sole proprietor statement
- Documentation of the amount of loans received from the Paycheck Protection Program
- An active state business registration, license or other documentation of the businesses’ ability to operate in Florida
These grants are part of a larger funding allocation to Escambia County by the federal CARES Act via the State of Florida. Escambia County has been initially allocated more than $14.32 million in funding. The Board of Commissioners has committed half of this funding will go directly to the county’s residents and businesses in the form of direct payments.
Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Allegedly Shooting At Group Of People In Atmore
September 13, 2020
One person is charged with attempted murder after allegedly opening fire toward a group of people in Atmore.
Amirr Raheem English, age 21 of Atmore, is now behind bars without bond.
Friday afternoon, the Atmore Police Department responded to reported gunfire near the intersection of Robinson and Maxwell streets.
“Witnesses at the scene described two males exiting a blue van and began firing toward a crowd of people. After discharging numerous rounds, the suspects fled the scene,” Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said Saturday.
Atmore Police officers found numerous shell casings in the roadway, and they also learned that a male had been shot and taken to Atmore Community Hospital by private vehicle.
Their investigation led them to Baldwin County Saturday. That’s where Atmore Police Department investigators, the Bay Minette Police Department and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office took English into custody.
Brooks said more arrests are forthcoming in the case.
The watermark was added to the mugshot by the computer system at the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center.
Fire Rips Through Camper Trailer Saturday Evening
September 13, 2020
Fire ripped through a camper trailer on North Palafox Street Saturday evening.
The camper was fully ablaze when firefighters arrived on scene in the 9800 block, near 9 1/2 Mile Road. There was no official word on injuries in the blazer about 7:15 p.m., but neighbors said they believed no one was living in the camper trailer.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UWF COVID-19 Testing Site Closed Due To Tropical Weather
September 13, 2020
Due to tropical weather, the COVID-19 testing site at the University of West Florida will be closed through Tuesday.
The state-operated mobile testing site will reopen beginning Wednesday from 9 a.m until 5 p.m. seven days a week.
The drive-through test site is located at the SP2 parking lot, which is on the east side of campus, near the East Sports Complex. Individuals are asked to remain in their vehicles during the process.
Escambia County Offers Free Sand For Storm Prep
September 13, 2020
Escambia County is offering sand for residents living in flood-prone areas. The sand is available on a first come, first served basis at the following locations:
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road, Pensacola
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St., Pensacola
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297-A, Pensacola
- Ferry Pass Middle School -available on northwest corner of school property on Parazine Street
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
- Travis M. Nelson Park - 4541 Highway 4, Bratt
Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels.
Pictured: Sand at Travis M. Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
These Are This Week’s Road Construction Traffic Delay Hotspots
September 13, 2020
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 Replacement- Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Sept. 13:
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- Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- · U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90)– Drivers may encounter the following for the week of Sunday, Sept. 13:
- · U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of Muscogee Road (County Road 184) to Atmore Highway (State Road (S.R.) 97)- Motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane restrictions as crews continue construction activities at various locations.
- · Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) Intersection Improvements at New Warrington Road
(S.R. 295) – Construction activities continue. Drivers can expect lane closures between 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.
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- Motorists traveling Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass and U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and Nine and Half Mile Road may experience alternating lane shifts or closures as crews continue drainage and pavement operations.
- Broad Street will be closed west of U.S. 29 to the railroad tracks from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18 through Monday, Sept. 21 for road reconstruction. Broad Street between Untreiner Avenue and U.S. 29 will be open to local traffic only. All other traffic will be directed to Untreiner Avenue and Detroit Boulevard.
Santa Rosa County:
- Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement- Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Sept. 13:
- Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- · S.R. 87 Resurfacing from Clear Creek to S.R. 4- Neal Kennington Road will be closed Friday, Sept. 11 to remove a pipe & perform turnout construction. Message boards are in place to notify the public of the temporary road closure. Drivers can expect intermittent daytime lane closures along the 14-mile corridor through fall 2020 as crews perform paving operations.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
SRSO’s New Bloodhound Puppy Has A Name. And It Is…
September 12, 2020
The new Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office K-9 bloodhound puppy has a name.
Over 8,200 entries were submitted in the SRSO “Name Our K-9″ contest.
And the winner is….. K-9 Nez.
Nez is French for the word nose, which is the reason why bloodhounds are so good at what they do. The name was submitted by Jo Morgan who will have an upcoming opportunity to meet Nez.
Sulfuric Acid Released At Gulf Power’s Crist Plant, Florida DEP Reports
September 12, 2020
Gulf Power reported a sulfuric acid spill at Plant Crist on Pate Street off 10 Mile Road.
According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the sulfuric acid release occurred as a result of a material failure in the concrete secondary containment area surrounding an aboveground storage tank. The release was discovered Thursday afternoon and information released Friday by DEP.
A majority of the acid was contained inside the secondary containment system and the surrounding plant process water system and asphalt area, approximately 20 gallons was released to the ground, according to DEP.
“In response to the event, Gulf Power constructed an earthen berm to contain the product on an adjacent asphalt area and mobilized its spill response contractor to remove the material, and any affected soil in accordance with state and federal regulations,” DEP reported. “The release never left Gulf Power property so there were no offsite impacts.”
Pictured: This aerial image, courtesy Florida DEP, shows the spill location.
Former Escambia Businessmen Sentenced To 20 Years On Federal Spice, Money Laundering Charges
September 12, 2020
Benjamin Galecki, former Pensacon CEO, and Burton Ritchie, former owner of The Psychedelic Shack in Pensacola, have been sentenced to 20 years each in federal prison on “spice” related charges.
After a 10 day federal jury trial in Las Vegas, Nevada, Ritchie, 49, Galecki, 46, were found guilty of 24 counts, including operating a continuing criminal enterprise, manufacturing and possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substance analogues, and money laundering, among other related charges.
According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, from March 21 to July 25, 2012, Ritchie and Galecki owned and managed Zencense Incenseworks, a company that manufactured smokable synthetic cannabinoid products commonly known as spice. They also marketed and sold them as “potpourri,” “incense,” or “aromatherapy”.
Ritchie and Galecki rented a warehouse in Las Vegas for the sole purpose of manufacturing these synthetic products, which contained the dangerous chemical XLR-11 — a controlled substance analogue. At the Las Vegas warehouse, a Zencense employee would mix XLR-11 with acetone and liquid flavoring, and then apply the chemical mixture to dried plant material. Next, the employee would mail the compounded mixture to Ritchie and Galecki in Pensacola where other workers would place the spice into small retail bags.
The defendants sold their products — with suggestive brand names such as “Bizarro,” “Orgazmo,” “Headhunter,” and “Defcon 5 Total Annihilation” — to smoke shops across the United States. From June 1 to July 25, 2012, Ritchie and Galecki were responsible for manufacturing and distributing approximately 4,000 pounds of spice, and they made approximately $1.61 million selling XLR-11 spice manufactured in Nevada, according to federal court testimony.
The defendants were also ordered to forfeit approximately $2.5 million as a result of their illegal enterprise in the District of Nevada.
“Charles Burton Ritchie and Benjamin Galecki operated a nationwide criminal enterprise, selling dangerous drugs worth millions of dollars that contained illegal ingredients imported from China,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These sentences demonstrate the department’s commitment to aggressively pursuing criminals who seek to circumvent U.S. drug laws by selling dangerous drugs that threaten the health of our communities across the nation.”
“Working collaboratively with our justice partners to rid our communities of spice and other toxic cannabinoid products helps save lives,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dan Neill of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Las Vegas Field Office. “Disrupting this organization sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who prey on our communities to further their criminal activity.”
“Ritchie and Galecki benefited greatly at the detriment of our community and others by putting illegal drugs on the streets and profiting from it,” said Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to serve on the side of justice to clean up the streets.”
Friday Night Football Finals
September 12, 2020
Flomaton 25, Cottage Hill 8
Escambia Academy 35, Wilcox Academy 6
T.R. Miller 52, Chickasaw 6
Mobile Christian 38, W.S. Neal 9
Escambia County (Atmore) — Off
Local high schools in Florida begin play on September 18.