Escambia County Office Buildings To Reopen On Monday
May 3, 2020
Escambia County’s Central Office Complex, the Ernie Lee Magaha building, the Parks and Recreation Department office and West Florida Public Libraries will reopen to the public Monday and will operate at 25% capacity under the Phase 1 Plan announced by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Here’s information on the reopening from Escambia County:
Escambia County Buildings, Offices and Enclosed Facilities
- Services at each Escambia County government building and enclosed facility have been evaluated to determine the public’s need for access in order to conduct county business and/or to facilitate the private sector’s return to work. Common areas and lobbies should remain uncongested.
- Public access to Escambia County government buildings and facilities will be limited based on safe distancing guidelines. Escambia County will monitor the areas of public access to ensure enough space is available to meet social distancing standards, which may result in time periods when people have to wait outside the building until enough people have exited in order to maintain the necessary space for social distancing. Such metering will be monitored based on the number of public entering and exiting the facility, if necessary. Any individual dry coughing or otherwise exhibiting symptoms similar to the CDC listed COVID-19 symptoms will not be allowed entrance to the government facility.
- Some facilities may offer appointments only, or phone consultation for certain functions. Citizens should call the department in which services are being sought to determine if appointments are available.
- Some Escambia County buildings or enclosed facilities normally accessible to the public require further evaluation prior to allowing re-entry to the public (for example community centers). Information regarding this process will be made available once safe operations can be determined.
- Plexiglass or similar separation devices have been installed at many interaction points where an employee serves a member of the public. Any documents or form of payment will be exchanged at the bottom of the plexiglass. Employees will use hand sanitizer with 60% or higher alcohol content after each exchange. Employees are encouraged to use a face mask if contact with the public is within the proper social distancing boundaries or outside of the separation devices.
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office
- Residents can access most services at EscambiaVotes.com, by phone at 850-595-3900, by email soe@escambiavotes.com, or by mail.
- Voter registration and record updates are available through RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov.
- Voter services will be available by phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and document drop-off is accessible at the Palafox Street entrance to the downtown Tax Collector’s office, 213 Palafox Place.
- Advance appointments are preferred, if in-person services are required.
- Access to the elections office will be through the main county office building.
- Six-foot “social distancing” is required, and the number of customers allowed in the office at a time will be limited.
Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office
- Citizens should visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com for the most current information regarding Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office operations.
Escambia County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller First Judicial Circuit
The MC Blanchard and Theodore Bruno Juvenile Justice Building will remain open, at this time, but have limited public access. The Clerk’s office will continue to process the following emergency court services:
- Petitions for Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Repeat Violence, Sexual Violence or Stalking Injunctions
- Baker Act petitions
- Marchman Act petitions
- Vulnerable Adult petitions
- Adult Protective Services petitions
- Emergency guardianship appointment
- Family Law and Dependency cases in which the imminent safety of children is at issue
Clerk’s Official Records, Treasury, Finance, and Clerk to the Board Offices will reopen at 25% public capacity effective Monday, May 4. Passport services remain suspended until further notice.
The following Clerk’s offices will remain closed for in-person services until further notice.
- Traffic Office, MC Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 W. Government St.
- Marriage Office, MC Blanchard Judicial Building, 190 W. Government St.
- Century Courthouse office
- The Public Records Center, 120 E. Blount St.
To make payments and access other online services, please visit our e-services page here. For further information visit escambiaclerk.com.
Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office
- Citizens should visit www.escpa.org for the most current information regarding Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office operations.
West Flora Public Libraries
For more information on the West Florida Public Libraries, click here for a previous story.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Updated: Two Killed In Jacks Branch Road Wreck
May 2, 2020
A head-on crash Friday afternoon claimed two lives in Cantonment.
The crash happens about 2:45 p.m. on Jacks Branch Road near Fargo Road, just north of Muscogee Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 65-year old male driver of a SUV was traveling south on Jacks Branch Road when he veered into the northbound lane and struck a passenger car head-on. The SUV came to rest upside on it roof.
The 29-year old male driver of the car and his female passenger were both pronounced deceased at the scene. They were not wearing their seat belts, according to troopers.
The restrained SUV driver was airlifted to an area hospital by LifeFlight helicopter.
The Cantonment, Ensley and Beulah stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
The Florida Highway Patrol has implemented a new policy. As of April 24, the FHP no longer releases the names of anyone involved in a traffic crash.
NorthEscambia.com, photos, click to enlarge.
New Escambia County Nursing Home Data Released. Eight Deaths In Two Facilities. One Reports 44 New Cases.
May 2, 2020
New data just released for the first time by the Florida Department of Health shows two Escambia County long-term care facilities have had four COVID-19 deaths each and reveals a coronavirus outbreak at a third facility in the county.
The eight total COVID-19 deaths among staff and patients of long-term care facilities is a majority of the 12 total corona virus fatalities in Escambia County as of Friday.
As we previously reported, Southern Oaks Care Center has had four deaths. Three of those were residents and one was a staff member. Southern Oaks has a total of 94 patients that have tested positive, plus four positive residents that have been transferred out for care and six infected staff members. Southern Oaks has a maximum capacity of 210.
Brookdale Pensacola on University Parkway has also recorded four patient deaths. As of Friday, the assisted living facility had three infected residents and six positive staff members. The facility is licensed for 60 beds.
A FDOH report shows Bayside Health and Rehabilitation Center on Langley Avenue has 44 positive patients and 13 positive staff members. Bayside is licensed for 120 beds.
There have been no long-term care facility deaths recorded in Santa Rosa County.
Pictured: Bayside Health and Rehabilitation Center on Langley Avenue has 44 positive patients and 13 positive staff members as of Friday with no deaths. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Some Florida State Parks Reopen Monday With Limited Access
May 2, 2020
Some Florida state parks will reopen with limited access on Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday.
The state will reopen open access to trails, and some day use areas, including some beach access with limited facilities. Visitors will be asked to practice proper social distancing and to limit group size to 10 or less and to stay six feet apart.
“Recreational activity provides important physical and mental health benefits, particularly during these uncertain times. This Phase One plan will allow for the thoughtful, measured re-opening of some of our state’s incredible natural resources for public recreation,” DeSantis said.
The selected reopened state parks will have limited facilities. Reopened beach areas allow visitors access to active recreation only. This includes walking, jogging, swimming and fishing. No sunbathing, chairs, canopies or coolers are allowed in beach areas at this time.
Reopened parks will resume normal operation hours of 8 a.m. to sunset, with the exception of beach areas. Access to beach areas will have reduced daily hours that may vary locally along with reductions in visitor capacity to ensure social distancing. For the latest information for specific parks, visit www.floridastateparks.org.
Atmore Police Still Investigating Murder A Week Ago. The Victim Was Shot And Stabbed.
May 2, 2020
The Atmore Police Department is still continuing to investigate the murder of a man found dead last week.
Desmond Deshun Dirden, 43, was found shot and stabbed about outside an apartment complex on Patterson Street about 1:24 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Police had responded to a reported assault.
Dirden was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said Friday afternoon that the case remained under investigation. No suspects have been arrested or named.
Anyone with information on the murder is asked to call the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141.
File photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Libraries In Escambia County Will Reopen Monday With Limited Hours, Services
May 2, 2020
West Florida Libraries in Escambia County will reopen Monday limited general public access and online order pickups as follows:
- Century Branch Library - Tuesday – Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Molino Branch Library – Monday – Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Pensacola Library – Monday – Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Southwest Branch Library - Monday – Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Tryon Branch Library – Monday – Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Genealogy Branch Library – Tuesday – Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Westside Branch Library – Monday – Friday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Feeding the Gulf Coast meals for youth under 18 will still be available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at all library locations.
Requests for library materials placed prior to arrival will be retrieved and ready for pickup at your vehicle. Designated online order pickup spaces will be marked. Drive-thru services are closed. All returned library materials will be cleaned and isolated for a period of 72 hours.
Public computer and study room access:
- A limited number of computers will be available to insure social distancing.
- Computer access for general use will remain at one hour per day.
- Computer access will have no time limits applied if the person is actively completing unemployment, small business loans, or similar economic benefits applications.
- Limited study space will be available with a one hour per day limit on use.
- eBook, eAudiobook and eMagazine titles will increase in availability and variety available for electronic access.
DeSantis, Gaetz Discuss COVID-19, New Testing Site At UWF
May 2, 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday afternoon in Pensacola that expanded testing is important as Florida advances through the COVID-19 recovery process.
DeSantis and Rep. U.S. Matt Gaetz addressed the media at a state-run drive-thru COVID-19 testing center at the University of West Florida Softball Complex as the Florida National Guard performed tests behind them.
“It is essential that we identify cases as they come up,” DeSantis said. “You have places like Northwest Florida, that’s a lot different than a New York City or Chicago or some of these other places. But if you see a cluster develop, we use testing and then we can go in and isolate people, so they don’t affect other people. So it’s very, very important to do it.”
The testing site at the UWF is a two lane drive-thru operated in partnership with the Florida National Guard, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Escambia County and Santa Rosa County. It will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily for the next two weeks.
“We will offer, to start, 400 tests a day. If there’s more, we’ll do more,” the governor said. The testing is open to anyone, regardless of if they have symptoms.
“It’s meant to cast a broad net, and we want to be able to identify as many cases as we can,” he said.
U.S. Rep Matt Gaetz praised DeSantis’ handling of the coronavirus situation in Florida.
“Governor in all the work we’ve done together, I’ve never been prouder than when the [resident acknowledges that our team working effectively to raise these concerns, results in better care for our residents and our constituents,” Gaetz said Friday at the UWF testing site.
“There are a few areas where the governor’s work the president’s work has aligned specifically to meet some needs in Northwest Florida, and I want to highlight those. Because we were able to get draw downs on the front end, I can tell you that we had the CEO of Baptist Hospital able to get tests and swabs early, and he actually drove himself Mark Faulkner did over to Tallahassee, to the emergency operation center, where you would coordinate a testing on the front end that allowed us to be in a good position. I serve on the president’s task force with the head of Ascension Health Care that’s a major provider in our community,” the congressman said.
Gaetz added, “And then I would also suggest that the offense that we’re playing in nursing homes, and in long term care facilities is uniquely important to Northwest Floridians, I can tell you, governor, anytime we’ve had, even the concern, even the whiff of this virus in one of our long term care facilities, your department of health has been there on time on target. I had one facility in the Twin Cities area that had like three and four visits from the Department of Health for triple and quadruple redundancy, to make sure that we were getting accurate test results.”
Gaetz also mentioned short term vacation rentals that remain suspended under an order from the governor, saying that has a big impact on Northwest Florida.
“The Governor and I met briefly before and there are a couple of issues in Northwest Florida that we talked about the first is a vacation rentals in Northwest Florida,” Gaetz said. “We don’t have a 500 key hotel room every thousand feet, because of our density that we have, we’re more reliant on vacation rentals. And I’m confident that in the governor’s evidence-based, measured approach, the same approach he took on the front end of this virus, that as soon as it is safe and appropriate, and we enter new phases that the governor will work with our local communities to open vacation rentals.”
The testing site at UWF 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. The National Guard will be there to assist.
The site was open Friday for a “test run” with COVID-19 tests for first responders.
Many Alabama Businesses Opened Friday As The State Recovers. Others Are Still Forced To Remain Closed.
May 2, 2020
Friday was the first day of the reopening of the Alabama economy under Gov. Kay Ivey’s Safer at Home order.
Retail stores were able to reopen with occupancy limited to 50 percent of the fire marshal’s occupancy load, subject to sanitation and social distancing rules, elective surgeries opened, and beaches opened with proper social distancing rules.
Restaurants, bars and breweries remain limited to take-out, curbside or delivery. Churches remain closed but are encouraged to have online or drive-up services.
Other “higher risk” businesses like casinos, bingo halls an bowling alleys remain closed. Close contact businesses like hair salons, nail salons and spas are also still prohibited from operating.
Pictured: A handmade sign outside Home Style Furniture on Main Street in Atmore proudly proclaims the business as open on Friday. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO Deputy Arrested, Fired For Stealing Money Orders After Traffic Stop
May 1, 2020
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been arrested and terminated after he was accused of stealing money orders from a vehicle after making an arrest.
William Christopher Henley, 37, was charged with burglary, four counts of larceny, dealing in stolen property, fraud, two counts of intent to defraud and destroying evidence. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Friday afternoon without bond.
A woman contacted the ECSO to report money orders had been stolen from a vehicle driven by her boyfriend. The boyfriend was pulled over and arrested by Henley on outstanding warrants, and the vehicle was left behind. The women contacted Western Union and was provided copies that showed they had been deposited by William Henley. The address on the money orders matched that in Henley’s ECSO employee file, according to an arrest report.
ECSO investigators obtained surveillance photos from Navy Federal that showed Henley in uniform depositing the money orders, the report states. The values of the money order were $200 and $500.
Henley was interviewed on Thursday. His statements were redacted from the arrest report.
He was arrested and booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond Thursday evening. He was also terminated from his position of four years with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Henley’s mugshot is exempt from the release under Florida law due to his law enforcement status. He is pictured in a 2019 photo after received a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) award for making over 100 DUI arrests the previous year. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Cantonment Woman Charged With Four Counts Of Welfare Fraud
May 1, 2020
A Cantonment woman is facing welfare fraud charges for failing to report she was actually working while collecting benefits over a four year period.
Ashley Sue Chamberlain was charged with four counts of welfare fraud for failing to report four jobs she held.
Chamberlain worked at the Pensacola School of Massage , Tom Thumb and Truelieve between 2015 and 2019, according to the State Attorney’s Office, without reporting her employment to the Department of Children and Family Services. She fraudulently collection Food Stamp Program and Medicaid Program benefits during the period, a court document states.
She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
