Deadline Is Tuesday To Apply For FEMA, SBA Assistance For Uninsured Sally Damages
November 27, 2020
Just over a week remains to apply for federal Hurricane Sally assistance from FEMA and SBA.
The FEMA application deadline for Escambia County residents with uninjured losses is Tuesday, December 1.
Survivors can register with FEMA:
- By visiting DisasterAssistance.gov
- Downloading the FEMA App for smartphones
- Calling 800-621-3362 (800-462-7585 TTY). Multilingual operators are available.
December 1 also is the deadline for homeowners and renters, businesses of all sizes, and nonprofit organizations to apply to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans for physical property damage. The deadline for working capital applications for small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations is July 2, 2021.
For additional information about SBA disaster loans, the loan application process, or for help completing the SBA application, visit SBA’s secure website at https://DisasterLoanAssistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email FOCE-Help@sba.gov to make an appointment for assistance over the phone. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call 800-877-8339.
For in-person assistance with an SBA disaster loan, visit the Business Recovery Centers, open 7 days a week, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., at East Pensacola Heights Clubhouse, 3208 E. Gonzalez Street, Pensacola.
Ascend Cares Helps Feed Escambia County Homeless
November 27, 2020
A group from Ascend Performance Materials in Cantonment stepped up to feed the homeless this week.
The Ascend Cares group cooked and served warm bowls of taco soup at the Alfred Washburn Center, an Escambia County homeless shelter. Volunteers also prepared 200 to-go bags with a sandwich, drink, chips and snacks for each person.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drivers Getting A Road Construction Break Until Monday
November 27, 2020
Drivers are getting a little break from road construction in Florida during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, there will be no lane closures on state roads from 7 a.m. Wednesday thought 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. The lane closure restrictions include both construction and maintenance activities.
Pictured: Recent road construction activities on Nine Mile Road just west of Pine Forest Road. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
‘Part Yield, Part Merge, Part Merry-Go-Round’ – Roundabout Opens In Escambia County
November 27, 2020
A roundabout in Escambia County opened Wednesday at Langley Drive and Hilltop Drive in Pensacola.
“If you’ve never cruised the boulevards of Rome, Berlin, or Oxford, Mississippi, a roundabout can be intimidating at first. Think of it as part yield, part merge, and part merry-go-round,” the Pensacola Police Department said in a Facebook post.
“Before you get too worked up about this new-fangled thing foisted upon us by the Europeans, let’s see if it solves some of the speeding and crash problems on Langley. We’ll all be wearing berets and sipping tiny coffees in no time,” the post continued.
Escambia County Kicks Off The ‘Keep The Wreath Green’ Fire Safety Campaign
November 27, 2020
Escambia County Fire Rescue, in collaboration with the Pensacola Fire Department, will launch its annual “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign Tuesday, Dec. 1. While a joyous time of year, cold weather, holiday decorations and festivities can create serious fire dangers. Firefighters hope to reduce the number of fires by promoting simple, life-saving holiday safety tips each day in December.
During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths will also be on display at 21 county fire stations and five city fire stations, with wreaths also be placed outside Escambia County’s Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building downtown, the Escambia County Public Safety Building, Pensacola City Hall and Cordova Mall near the food court entrance. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential home. In 2019, 13 bulbs were changed to red on county wreaths, and the city had one red bulb.
One of the 13 fires during December 2019 was in North Escambia. A predawn fire destroyed a Byrneville home in the 1500 block of West Highway 4 on December 12. 2019. Everyone in the home escaped without injury due to working smoke alarms and a dog alerting the family.
There were no injuries or deaths reported during the campaign.
If your home does not have a working smoke detector, call Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376) or (850) 436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
Pictured above: A “Keep the Wreath Green” display at the McDavid Fire Station. Pictured below: A residential fire early the morning of December 12, 2019, in Byrneville. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Rotary Provides Thanksgiving Meals For Nearly 1,300 People (With Photo Gallery)
November 26, 2020
About 1,300 people can enjoy a complete Thanksgiving meal this year thanks to the members and friends of the Cantonment Rotary Club.
Wednesday the club distributed everything for a turkey meal to 325 families in the North Escambia area, including Quintette and Carver Park. The recipients were chosen with the help of local school guidance counselors who helped identify families that might need a little help this time of year.
The Tate High School cheerleaders volunteered Wednesday to help package the meals for delivery.
The Cantonment Rotary project continues to grow each year. In 2017, they provided meals for 545 people, and in 2018 it was 988 people.
The Publix at Nine Mile provided generous support for the Cantonment Rotary project.
For a photo gallery, click to enlarge.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Miracle League Holds Annual Turkey Fry (With Photo Gallery)
November 26, 2020
The Miracle League of Pensacola held their annual turkey fry fundraiser Wednesday at their park on East Nine Mile Road.
Volunteers with the Miracle League spent their day frying about 250 turkeys for a minimum $30 donation, with all of the proceeds going to benefit the Miracle League.
A small army of volunteers worked to deep fry the turkeys to perfection, rows of timers keeping track of the cooking time at a command center of sorts. Cadets from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office didn’t help with the cooking, but they did make sure the turkeys were nicely packaged and ready to enjoy for Thanksgiving.
The Miracle League provides physically and mentally challenged children a safe and spirited program in which they can hit, run, and catch on a baseball field – just like other kids. MLP offers a unique and memorable opportunity these children would not otherwise have. It is a place where every player plays, every player hits, every player gets on base, every player scores, and every player wins – every inning.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Happy Thanksgiving! (And Here’s Some Turkey Art From Kingsfield Elementary Kids)
November 26, 2020
Happy Thanksgiving! Here is some turkey art to enjoy from students at Kingsfield Elementary School.
‘Fill The Mayflower’ Food Drive Will Help Manna Feed 130,000
November 26, 2020
Tens of thousands of area residents will benefit from the annual Fill the Mayflower food drive, which supports the operations of Manna Food Pantries.
Donations from the two-day event held earlier this week will provide more than 130,000 meals to neighbors in need in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Food collected during Fill the Mayflower will be distributed through Manna’s programs and partners in the two-county area, which have experienced increased need for food assistance this year. In response to the effects of coronavirus and Hurricane Sally, Manna has focused on supporting the needs of at-risk, vulnerable populations served pre-COVID-19, as well as those who suddenly find themselves unemployed or with reduced hours and have unmet needs. As a result, Manna has distributed nearly 600,000 pounds of food this year, including fresh produce, to neighbors in need.
“Over the past year, Manna has provided food to more than 30,000 people – significantly more than the year before,” said DeDe Flounlacker, executive director of Manna. “Fill the Mayflower raised the food and funds we need to help feed the hungry in the coming months. We’re so grateful to the Northwest Florida community for supporting this event and continuing to show an amazing capacity to help those in need.”
This Prison Inmate Asked For The Death Penalty After Murdering His Cellmate. The Judge Obliged.
November 26, 2020
An inmate at Blackwater River Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa County has been sentenced to death for murdering his cellmate.
Thomas Fletcher killed his cellmate, 33-year old Kenneth Jeff Davis, on September 22, 2018, by choking him from behind while inside their prison cell.
“He confessed to the crime and admitted that he committed the murder in order to be sentenced to the death penalty,” State Attorney Bill Eddins said. “Fletcher pled guilty to the murder but could not waive
an evidentiary hearing on whether the death penalty should be imposed.”
Judge Scott Duncan imposed the death penalty this week.
Fletcher was sentenced to life in 1995 for a murder in Broward County.