Fire Destroys Atmore Home
March 9, 2020
Fire destroyed a home in Atmore Monday morning.
The single story brick home at the corner of Marshall Avenue and West Owens Street was heavily involved in fire when the first firefighters arrived on scene shortly after 9:30 a.m. The house fire was reportedly caused by a vehicle fire in the garage that quickly spread.
The homeowner escaped injury, but a firefighter was reportedly injured.
The Atmore Fire Department, Poarch Creek Fire Department, Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Police and ASAP Ambulanc responded.
For more photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Modern Fire Station For Beulah Moves Much Closer To Becoming Reality
March 9, 2020
A modern fire station for the Beulah Fire Station has moved much closer to becoming a reality soon.
In June 2018, Escambia County made a $300,000 offer to purchase the fire station property at 6400 West Nine Mile Road from the non-profit Beulah Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. The property is about six acres with a 6,000 square foot fire station building. A portion of the property had a reverter clause that would return that portion of the property to the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, but ECUA agreed to release the claim.
The purchase was not complete until last week, delayed by missing paperwork and other delays that “just dragged on and on”, according to Commissioner Jeff Bergosh, who represents the Beulah area.
The next steps include funding a design firm to assess what is there at the current station and determine what’s needed for a next generation Beulah Fire Station. They will create a plan to renovate the existing facility and add on to meet the requirements. The plan will be developed in coordination with the firefighters and county facilities staff, Bergosh said.
Bergosh has allowed $1 million for discretionary local option sales tax (LOST) funds and there is $1.5 million allocated from LOST III monies for the Beulah Fire Station upgrades — for a total project budget of $2.5 million.
He said that’s enough to fund larger bay doors to accommodate a ladder truck; proper kitchen, bathroom, bunkhouse and meeting facilities; and take care of an overall modernization of the dated facility.
“Beulah is a growing area and Beulah’s firefighters and residents deserve the best fire facility and equipment we can get them,” he said.
In advance of the fire station upgrades, Bergosh allocated up to $10,000 in discretionary spending for new twin mattresses for their makeshift bunk room and a new commercial grade washer and dryer to replace 25-year old equipment.
File photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Oil Prices Plummet; AAA Says Florida Gas Prices Could Fall Below $2 This Week
March 9, 2020
Florida gas prices should go even lower this week, potentially sinking below $2 per gallon in some markets, according to AAA. Crude and gasoline futures prices were sent into a tail-spin overnight, hitting lows that haven’t been seen since 2016.
Just two weeks ago, the price of crude traded for more than $53 per barrel. Sunday night, it was around $33/b. Crude prices have been reeling during the past two weeks, as coronavirus concerns have led to lower global demand for jet fuel and gasoline, AAA said.
“At the rate fuel prices are falling on the stock market, Florida drivers could easily begin seeing sub-$2 gasoline this week,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The only potential upward pressure on pump prices is spring maintenance season. If the state average eventually drops below $2 per gallon, it would be the first time in four years. How long this holds or how low prices go will rely on where stock market prices go from here.”
Sunday’s state average of $2.28 per gallon is seven cents per gallon less than a week ago, and the lowest daily average price since February 2019. The state average has fallen 11 cents in the past 11 days. Drivers are currently paying 19 cents per gallon less than this time last year.
The average price gallon Sunday night in Escambia County was $2.26, down about seven cents from a week ago.
Sunday night, the lowest price to be found in North Escambia was $2.20 at two stations in the Cantonment area.
Lose This Horse Near Atmore? The Sheriff’s Office Has It In Custody.
March 9, 2020
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office found this horse on the run last week near Atmore.
Deputies and animal control officers were able to safely take the horse into custody. It’s receiving necessary care and remains in the custody of animal control.
To claim ownership of the horse, call the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office at (251) 809-0741.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center Holds ‘Night of Nature’
March 9, 2020
The annual Roy Hyatt Environmental Century Night of Nature was held Friday night.
Attendees had a chance to meet raptors, visit with reptiles, peer through telescopes, see a planetarium show, take a night hike and more.
The Roy Hyatt Environmental Center is located at 1300 Tobias Road in Cantonment. The facility is owned and operated by the Escambia County School District.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Nearly 2,500 People Vote Early In Escambia County. Here’s How You Can Too.
March 9, 2020
Early voting kicked off Saturday in Escambia County for the presidential preference primary.
There were 2,448 people that cast their ballots early in Escambia County on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Early voting will continue through Saturday, March 14 at nine locations in Escambia County:
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
- Molino Community Center, 6450-A Highway 95A, Molino (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Escambia County Extension, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- University of West Florida, Building 90, Campus Lane (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds, 6655 Mobile Highway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Genealogy Branch Library, 5740 B, 9th Avenue (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Main Library, 239 Spring Street (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street (9 a.m. – 6 p.m.)
Early voters cast paper ballots through digital scanners and may choose any one of the nine sites. Each location is also equipped with an ExpressVote ballot marking device for use.
Cantonment Man Facing Drug, Concealed Weapon Charges
March 9, 2020
A Cantonment man is facing drug and concealed weapon charges after law enforcement made contact with him on a dirt path near Perdido Bay.
Adam Joseph Hammac, 28, was charged with carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (methamphetamine), possession of a marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer and an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy made contact with Hammac after dark on a dirt path between Lillian Highway and Perdido Bay.
Hammac had a semi-automatic handgun in his front waistband and an additional firearm magazine in his front pocket but does not have a concealed carry permit, according to an arrest report. He also had a plastic marijuana pipe and bag of marijuana on his person, and methamphetamine, marijuana, glass pipes and syringes in this vehicle, the report states.
Hammac was released from the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $3,000.
Schedule Of Escambia County Public Meetings This Week
March 9, 2020
Here is a schedule for public meetings planned for this week in Escambia County:
Monday, March 9
Marine Advisory Committee Meeting – 5:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Tuesday, March 10
Environment Enforcement Special Magistrate – 1:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Tourist Development Council – 3 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, BCC Meeting Room
Escambia Housing Finance Authority Audit Committee – 4:30 p.m., 700 S. Palafox St.
Merit System Protection Board – 5 p.m., 221 Palafox Place, 4th Floor Training Room
Escambia County Housing Finance Authority – 5 p.m., 700 S. Palafox St.
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee – 5:30 p.m., 420 W. Chase St.
Wednesday, March 11
PPBEP Technical Committee Meeting – 9:30 a.m., 800 Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
PPBEP Policy Meeting – 1:30 p.m., 800 Shoreline Drive, Gulf Breeze
Santa Rosa Island Authority Board Meeting – 5 p.m., 1 Via de Luna, Pensacola Beach
Thursday, March 12
Board of County Commissioners Committee of the Whole – 9 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, BCC Meeting Room
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Bergosh: Escambia County Needs To Get Ahead Of The Coronavirus Locally
March 8, 2020
Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh says he wants to have a serious discussion this week about the coronavirus with his colleagues.
“I believe we need to be proactive in our leadership in discussing how we will handle an outbreak locally should we encounter such an event,” Bergosh said. He is requesting an agenda add-on for Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting for the commission to talk plans.
Bergosh said his biggest concern right now for county operations is planning for infections that might arise in the Escambia County Jail.
“If we are put in the unfortunate circumstance that we have one or more infections in our jail–then we need to be prepared with a plan of how that will be handled–because that could become a problem of geometric proportion if it occurred,” the District 1 commissioner said. “We need to be discussing this now, just as other communities are. ”
He said plans also need to be made for ECAT and how the county will handle mass transit if the virus spreads locally — including how to disinfect buses or what to do if drivers become infected.
“I’m not an alarmist, and I am not trying to panic folks,” Bergosh said. “But we need to get ahead of this locally.”
DeSantis Actives State Emergency Ops Center After Coronavirus Deaths
March 8, 2020
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center following the death of two Florida residents from coronavirus, including one that died at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola.
The Level II activation is to coordinate the state’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19) and provide critical support to the Florida Department of Health and county health departments.
The governor’s directive follows Friday night’s announcement from the Florida Department of Health (DOH) that two individuals have died and two new presumptive positive cases were confirmed in Broward County. Additionally, Saturday DOH announce new presumptive positive cases in Lee and Charlotte counties. The individual is isolated and receiving appropriate care.
The COVID-19 patient that died Friday in the Pensacola hospital was a 71-year old man from Santa Rosa County who traveled to the Dominican Republic. Officials said he had underlying medical conditions and had traveled internationally.
“I have directed the Division of Emergency Management to activate to Level II to ensure our state has all the necessary resources engaged as we respond to COVID-19,” said Governor DeSantis. “It is critical that we proactively coordinate all state resources to mitigate the threat and contain COVID-19. I urge all Floridians to take necessary precautions and follow hygiene guidelines issued by the Surgeon General and Florida Department of Health.”
On March 1, Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-51, which directed Surgeon General Rivkees to declare a public health emergency to better equip Florida with the resources needed to handle the public health threat. The Governor has requested $25 million from the Florida Legislature to be appropriated in this current year for the Florida Department of Health to be used immediately to assist with the COVID-19 response.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.