Atmore Police Respond To Burglary In Progress, Find Badly Decomposed Body
March 30, 2020
Atmore Police responded to a burglary and found a badly decomposed body inside the home.
It happened about 10:20 p.m. last Thursday at 71 Jones Street, Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said Monday. Officers responded to a burglary in progress call at the home. They surrounded the residence and then observed that it had been forcibly entered.
“Officers entered the home and began doing a room by room search for any violators,” Brooks said. “Officers then discovered in one of the bedrooms a badly decomposing body believed to be a female.”
The name of the victim is not being released until positive identification is made by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Brooks said the case is currently being investigated as a homicide, and the investigation is continuing.
Anyone with information on case is asked to call the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Early Morning Fire Under Investigation As Possible Arson
March 30, 2020
An early Monday morning fire near McDavid is under investigation as a possible arson.
Fire destroyed a fifth-wheel travel trailer about 1:20 a.m. in the 2600 block of Perdue Road. The mobile home at that address was damaged by fire on March 12, and a third fire destroyed another travel trailer earlier this year.
The March 12 mobile home fire was initially believed to caused by an extension cord used to power the travel trailer that burned early Monday.
There were no injuries reported in any of the incidents.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida State Fire Marshal are investigating.
Pictured above and below: An early morning fire destroyed a travel trailer in McDavid Monday. Pictured bottom: Fire damaged a mobile home March 12 at the same location. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Free Meal Distribution For Kids Expanded To 38 Schools Monday
March 30, 2020
Free meal distribution expanded to 38 school sites Monday in Escambia County for families to pick up breakfast and lunch for kids under 18..
All sites will provide children or teens a breakfast meal and a lunch meal during the same visit. The meals are designed to be carried away and consumed off campus; cafeterias and dining rooms will not be open. Meals will be distributed in a curbside pick-up operation. Food items will be in to-go containers and will consist of ready-to-eat food items that should be consumed when received or should be quickly refrigerated for consumption at a later time.
Meals will be distributed to children 18 and younger from 9 a.m. until noon Monday through Friday, except for Friday, April 10. Students must be present according to USDA policy.
Distribution sites are:
- Jim Allen Elementary School, 1051 Highway 95A North, Cantonment
- Jim C. Bailey Middle School, 4110 Bauer Road, Pensacola
- Bellview Elementary School, 4425 Bellview Ave., Pensacola,
- Beulah Elementary School, 6201 Helms Road, Pensacola
- Beulah Middle School, 6001 W. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola
- Blue Angels Elementary School, 1551 Dog Track Road, Pensacola
- Bratt Elementary School, 5721 North Highway 99, Century
- Brentwood Elementary School, 4820 N. Palafox St. (U.S. 29), Pensacola
- Cordova Park Elementary School, 2250 Semur Road, Pensacola
- Ensley Elementary School, 501 E. Johnson Ave., Pensacola
- Ernest Ward Middle School, 7650 Highway 97, Walnut Hill
- Ferry Pass Elementary School, 8310 N. Davis Highway, Pensacola
- Ferry Pass Middle School, 8355 Yancey Ave., Pensacola
- Global Learning Academy, 100 North P St., Pensacola
- Lincoln Park Elementary School, 7600 Kershaw St., Pensacola
- Longleaf Elementary School, 2600 Longleaf Drive, Pensacola
- L.D. McArthur Elementary School, 330 E. Ten Mile Road, Pensacola
- Molino Park Elementary School, 899 Highway 97, Molino
- Montclair Elementary School, 820 Massachusetts Ave., Pensacola
- Myrtle Grove Elementary School, 6115 Lillian Highway, Pensacola
- Navy Point Elementary School, 1321 Patton Drive, Pensacola
- Northview High School, 4100 West Highway 4, Bratt
- Oakcrest Elementary School, 1820 N. Hollywood Blvd., Pensacola
- Pensacola High School, 500 W. Maxwell St., Pensacola
- Pine Meadow Elementary School, 10001 Omar Ave., Pensacola
- Pleasant Grove Elementary School, Owen Bell Lane, Pensacola
- Ransom Middle School, 1000 W. Kingsfield Road, Cantonment
- Scenic Heights Elementary School, 3801 Cherry Laurel Drive, Pensacola
- O.J. Semmes Elementary School, 1250 E. Texar Drive, Pensacola
- Sherwood Elementary School, 501 Cherokee Trail, Pensacola
- A.K. Suter Elementary School, 501 Pickens Ave., Pensacola
- J.M. Tate High School, 1771 Tate Road, Cantonment
- Warrington Elementary School, 220 N. Navy Blvd., Pensacola
- Warrington Middle School, 459 South Old Corry Field Road, Pensacola
- Booker T. Washington High School, 6000 College Parkway, Pensacola
- C.A. Weis Elementary School, 2701 North Q St., Pensacola
- West Pensacola Elementary School, 801 North 49th Ave., Pensacola
- Workman Middle School, 6299 Lanier Drive, Pensacola
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Drive-in Church: Congregations Find Ways To Worship Together Amid COVID-19 Crisis
March 30, 2020
Churches across the area are finding ways to reach their congregations in our current world of COVID-19 social distancing.
Many have turned to live video streams on social media and websites, while others have taken a different approach.
Several churches, including Little Escambia Baptist Church in Flomaton and Atmore First Assembly of God, are holding drive-in church. Much like an old-fashioned drive-in movie, the congregation pulls into the parking lot to hear the Gospel while staying socially distanced.
At Little Escambia Baptist, a flatbed trailer in front of the sanctuary served as a makeshift stage as cars filled the parking lot Sunday morning. The drive-in service was also streamed live on social media, reaching over 700 viewers by Sunday night — many times more than the church’s sanctuary would hold.
“We are just trying to honor the Lord and fellowship as best we can in this kind of circumstance, in this kind of situation,” Pastor Jonathan Hill told the drive-in worshippers. “The most important thing is we want to lift Him up and exalt Him.”
At Grace Valley Baptist Church in Cantonment, the Sunday morning services were held outside with family groups socially distanced from each other.
“Father in heaven, God, we thank You today,” Grace Valley Pastor Don Neese prayed at the end of the outdoor service. “God it’s been good to come out to the field. Lord, to be able to preach in the field, to be able to sing in the field under the trees You made, under the sky oh God….I pray for people to come to Jesus.”
Pictured above and first below: Drive-in church Sunday at Little Escambia Baptist Church in Flomaton. Pictured bottom two photos: An outdoor service Sunday at Grave Valley Baptist Church in Cantonment. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola State College Transitions To Online Classes
March 30, 2020
Pensacola State College makes the transition to online classes on Monday.
Pensacola State College is transitioning face-to-face classes, including most labs and clinicals, and dual enrollment classes to an online format beginning Monday, March 30.
“We continue to face many challenges as we navigate uncharted waters and there is much still to be done to prepare faculty and students for this transition. Nevertheless, I know the PSC family will rise to the occasion to maintain the quality of services and instruction our students deserve,” PSC President Ed Meadows said.
All PSC campuses, centers, and buildings will remain closed to the general public through May 6, including the theatre, planetarium, pool, art gallery, gymnasium, dental clinic, testing center, fitness centers, and libraries.
Personnel will continue to work remotely this week, March 30 through April 5, unless contacted by their supervisor to report to campus.
Registration for summer classes will begin April 15 and fall registration begins June 1.
To contact PSC, use live chat at PensacolaState.edu, email AskPSC@pensacolastate.edu or call (850) 484-2000 Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Florida Gas Prices Drop. And So Does The Demand.
March 30, 2020
Florida gas prices are getting cheaper, as demand drops as residents are urged to stay home to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Gas prices are plunging primarily because Floridians are not driving as much as they normally do this time of year. According to the Florida Petroleum and Marketers Association, gasoline demand in major metro areas is down by as much as 50 percent. Additionally, concession sales inside the stores are reportedly down 10-15 percent.
Florida drivers are now paying an average price of $1.98 per gallon. The state average has declined more than 40 cents in the past month.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $1.91 Sunday night. The lowest price per gallon in North Escambia was at $1.75 per gallon at one Cantonment station.
“The cost for gasoline has dramatically declined in the past month, and there are even more discounts to come,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “If the state average eventually drifts below $1.73, pump prices would be the lowest since 2009. That may not be a difficult benchmark to reach. If wholesale prices hold at current levels, the state average could eventually sink below $1.60 per gallon. Although these savings are a tremendous benefit for drivers, unfortunately they come at a time when residents are unable to go out and enjoy them.”
Unemployment Was At A Record Low In Florida. Then COVID-19 Hit.
March 30, 2020
Florida’s unemployment rate was at a record low in February, prior to the start COVID-19 pandemic in Florida.
Florida’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.8 percent in February 2020, unchanged from January 2020, and down 0.6 percentage point from a year ago. Florida’s unemployment rate tied the record low of 2.8 percent
February’s unemployment rate was 3.2% in Escambia County, down from 3.4% a year ago.
But those numbers, just released Friday, reflect on February numbers, not the soaring number of applicants after COVID-19 business shutdowns.
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reported 130,000 calls about unemployment benefits in just four days last week. They normally receive about 28,000 in a month. Complaints have been rampant about a state unemployment website that crashes.
Complete Florida unemployment data for March won’t be available until April.
Editor’s note: This data is for February and was just released Friday by the state. It does not reflect the soaring unemployment after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Remote Learning Begins This Week. This Is How It Will Work For Escambia County Students.
March 29, 2020
Tens of thousands of students in Escambia County will start classes this week at home, the first time they have had formal instruction since getting out of school for spring break on March 13.
Teachers and staff members officially head back to work on Monday, and teachers will begin calling students with complete details on how they will handle online instruction. Teachers were originally set to report to campuses on Monday, but many will work from home, Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said Saturday afternoon.
Every Escambia County School district student in grades 3-12 already has an assigned Chromebook, and the district will be providing Chromebook laptops to students in grade K-2 from a stockpile of extras.
“The Chromebooks were purchased to use for a three-year cycle, but it turned out they lasted longer. We still had 10,000 of them we had not gotten rid off. They were taken offline, but they still work perfect and will go to schools for grades K-2. Some parents may also let their kids use their current laptop or computer.”
Parents and students will be instructed when to pick up their Chromebooks during a phone call from their teacher on Monday or Tuesday along with virtual learning instructions. The distribution times and days will be staggered to keep large groups from forming on campuses. If parents have not received a call from their child’s teacher by the end of Wednesday, they should call the school and make sure the district has the right phone number on file.
The district is targeting Wednesday, April 1 to begin remote instruction.
“Some elementary teachers are ready today,” Thomas said Saturday. “Some are ahead but for some it is going to depend on technology in the home of the student, and that will be a little more challenging.”
Once it became clear that students would switch to virtual learning at home, the district began to grapple with exactly how to reach students that have inadequate or even no available internet access at home.
“Teachers can put workbooks and assignments on flash drives for students without Wi-Fi,” he said. “We have the availability of Wi-Fi at community centers and libraries as a last resort for students. I think some will use it, but I don’t think it will be a larger number.”
Each student already knows their student ID and their password, the superintendent said, so working at home on their Chromebooks will be almost the same as being on campus. For the most part, work can be completed on the student’s schedule, but there may be a scheduled time for a video conference in some classes.
“We are going to be very flexible, whatever works for families, students and teachers,” he said.
The district will be taking attendance based upon when students log into the learning environment.
Exclusive: COVID-19 Testing Site Will Be Announced This Week In Cantonment
March 29, 2020
NorthEscambia.com has learned that COVID-19 testing site will be announced for Cantonment this week.
The site will a partnership between Escambia County and Community Health Northwest Florida. Testing will likely be conducted on Tuesday and Thursdays, beginning as early as this Tuesday, March 31.
Details are expected to be officially announced early this week along with the exact location and the registration process. We’ll have that information on NorthEscambia.com as soon as it is made available.
As of Monday morning, nine positive COVID-19 cases had been reported in Cantonment by the Florida Department of Health.
FHP Sets Up Checkpoint On I-10 To Enforce State COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
March 29, 2020
The Florida Highway Patrol set up a checkpoint on I-10 eastbound entering Florida on Saturday to enforce an order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis concerning travelers from areas with significant COVID-19 community spread.
On Friday, DeSantis announced there would be checkpoints entering the state after he added Louisiana to the state’s self-quarantine requirements to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
DeSantis said counties and the Florida Highway Patrol will be able to enforce the requirements at checkpoints on the “main thoroughfares” into Florida, including I-10. Drivers from Louisiana, New York, New Jersey or Connecticut are pulled aside for further screening. They are required to isolate for a period of 14 days upon entry to Florida or for the duration of their visit, whichever is shorter, and should be prepared for additional monitoring by the Florida Department of Health.
Upon entry in Florida, each arriving traveler or responsible family member (if traveling as a family) will be required to complete a traveler form. The form requires key information, including each traveler’s contact information and trip details. Failure to complete the form and failure to follow any isolation or quarantine order from DOH are a violation of Florida law.
Additionally, travelers from the targeted states are provided with a traveler card, which has contact information and guidance in the event the traveler exhibits symptoms while in isolation that are attributed to COVID-19, including fever, cough, or shortness of breath.
The Florida Highway Patrol is staffing the I-10 checkpoint at the Alabama/Florida line 24 hours a day with about 16 troopers per 12 hour shift..
Commercial vehicles are allowed to bypass the checkpoint.
A second checkpoint will be created on I-95 on Florida’s northern border to screen for travelers from the New York area, DeSantis announced Saturday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
