Another Death In Florida; Another COVID-19 Case In The Panhandle
March 17, 2020
Another person has died from COVID-19 in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health, and the total case count in the state has risen 192.
The person that died was associated with a Broward County assisted living facility.
In the Florida Panhandle, a second travel related case in Okaloosa County was announced. There has been one confirmed case each in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, with the Santa Rosa County patient dying. All were travel related cases.
There are currently 173 positive cases in Florida residents and 19 positive cases in non-Florida residents.
Escambia District To Provide Free Breakfast And Lunch At Five Schools Next Week
March 17, 2020
The Escambia County School District will offer supplemental school meals next week.
Breakfast and lunch will be available from 9 a.m. until noon, March 23-27 at five locations in Escambia County:
- Bratt Elementary School, 5721 North Highway 99, Bratt
- Bellview Elementary School, 4425 Bellview Avenue
- Warrington Middle School, 459 South Old Corry Field Road, Pensacola
- C.A. Weis Elementary School, 2701 North Q Street, Pensacola
- Booker T. Washington High School, 6000 College Parkway, Pensacola
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 are available for children and teens ages 18 and under.
If meals continue to be required after March 27, sites may be adjusted based on need and participation, according to the school district.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
What’s Happening At The Kingsfield Road, Highway 297A Intersection?
March 17, 2020
Numerous NorthEscambia.com readers reached out to us after seeing demolition and land clearing at West Kingsfield Road and Highway 297A in Cantonment asking what exactly is under construction.
We found that, according to Escambia County records, developer Chad Brown is creating 17 vacant residential lots on the property.
NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, NorthEscambia.com graphics.
Flomaton Closes Parks, Municipal Building Lobby, And Senior Center Due To Coronavirus
March 17, 2020
The Town of Flomaton has closed all town parks, and the lobby area of the Flomaton Municipal Complex an the Flomaton Senior Center due to COVID-19.
All parks in the city limits are closed and entrances were marked as closed with crime scene tape Tuesday afternoon following a vote by the Flomaton Town Council.
The lobby is closed at the Flomaton Municipal Complex until further notice. All utility or court payments can be made at the drive-thru window or online. Anyone needed to speak to the police department can call (251) 296-5811 or use the call box by the front entry to the building. All essential services remain operational.
The Flomaton Senior Center is closed until further notice. Homebound participants will continue to receive meal deliveries Monday-Friday. Congregate participants are asked to pull up at the side door of the building between 11:30 a.m. and noon and staff will bring meals out. No one will be allowed inside except paid staff.
As of midnight Monday, no confirmed cases of coronavirus had been reported in Escambia County, AL.
Beulah Road Lane Closures Beginning Wednesday Night
March 17, 2020
Drivers will encounter lane restrictions on Beulah Road (C.R. 99) 277 just north of the intersection with Nine Mile Road from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wed, Mar. 18 and Thurs, Mar. 19 as crews install right and left turn lanes on Beulah. http://ow.ly/d/8nwk
Drivers will encounter intermittent lane restriction on Beulah Road just north of the intersection of Nine Mile Road from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 20 as crews install right and left turn lanes on Beulah Road.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Youth Ballparks Suspend All Practices And Games, Including Century, NWE, Molino, NEP, Atmore, Flomaton
March 17, 2020
Area youth ballparks have suspended all practices and games due to the coronavirus.
Century Little League
All practices have suspended until at least April 6. Games and opening day should be rescheduled.
Northwest Escambia Bradberry Park
All activities, practices and games are postponed until further notice.
Molino Ballpark
All events, games and practices are suspended until further notice.
NEP Ball Park
All games and practices are suspended for two weeks. There is no field use allowed during the closure.
Atmore Cal Ripken
All Cal Ripken Youth Baseball League practices in Atmore are postponed until further notice.
Flomaton Baseball and Softball Association
All practices and games are postponed until further notice.
File photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Tax Collector Cutting Back On In-Person Services, Using Online Services Instead
March 17, 2020
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford is taking several steps to reduce exposure by reducing the number of people inside his lobbies at all offices.
As of Tuesday, some services will be available online only Lunsford released the following information:
Online services only
- · Property Tax Payments – Property tax payments are due by the end of March
- · Business Tax Receipt – Businesses can renew and print their businesses tax receipts online
- · BTExpress – Citizens and business owners can apply for a new business tax receipt or edit information on your current account
- · Vehicle/Vessel Registration (Express Lane) – Renew online and pick up the same or next business day in one of our convenient drive thrus or have the registration mailed to you
- · Hunting and Fishing License – Purchase or renew online
Full payment of fees is required at time of service, and payment may be made by eCheck, debit, or credit cards. Payments made by eCheck are fee-free. Credit and debit transactions are subject to convenience fees charged by the payment vendor(s). If you must pay by cash, you may visit a drive thru at our Downtown, Marcus Pointe, or Molino offices. Payments will not be taken in the lobby areas.
These options have also been removed from our online queuing system.
Additionally, we are not accepting any new appointments for driving tests, medical reviews, or concealed weapon permits. Walk-in driving exams are suspended immediately.
Remember if you are currently Real ID compliant and your last driver license or identification card renewal was done in an office, you may be eligible to renew online. A 30-day extension has been issued for those citizens whose licenses or identification cards expire between March 16, 2020 and April 15, 2020.
Council On Aging Announces Senior Dining Site Changes Due To Coronavirus
March 17, 2020
The Council on Aging of West Florida has announced changes to its senior meal program in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties due to COVID-19.
All participants at senior dining sites in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will now receive their meals pre-plated. Participants at all sites will be encouraged to take the meals home.
Escambia County
- Cantonment (132 Mintz Ln.): Pre-plate, participants’ choice to stay at site or go home.
- Century (6025 Industrial Blvd.): Pre-plate, participants’ choice to stay at site or go home.
- Beulah (7425 Woodside Dr.): Pre-plated meals must be picked up and participants must return home.
- Westminster Village 1 (1700 N. L St.) & 5 (1951 W. Blount St.): Pre-plate, participants’ choice to stay at site or go home.
- Ebonwood (3511 N. W St.): Closed for Spring Break
- Wedgewood (6405 Wagner Rd.): Pre-plated meals must be picked up and participants must return home.
- Westwood Homes (4400 Westover Ave.): Pre-plated meals must be picked up and participants must return home.
Pensacola
Within the City of Pensacola, Bayview, Cobb, Fricker and Gull Point centers will close; however, participants at all sites are welcome to receive to-go pre-plated meals at Bayview and Cobb. They must call (850) 432-1475 by noon the day before to reserve a plate.
Santa Rosa County
- City of Milton Community Center (5629 Byrom St.): Pre-plated to-go meals can be picked up from Council on Aging in Bagdad, 6860 Pooley St.
- Chumuckla (2355 Hwy 182 West) & Bagdad (6860 Pooley St.): TBD
- Pace (4540 Chumuckla Hwy.): First Methodist Church is closed for two weeks.
- Christ United Methodist Church (5983 Dogwood St.): TBD
- Navarre Senior Center (8476 Gordon Goodin Ln.): Open to serve
- Jay (5259 Booker Ln.): To be determined.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
COVID-19 Case Confirmed In Escambia County
March 16, 2020
The first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in Escambia County, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The patient is male, according to FDOH, and is a travel-related case. No further information has been provided.
Single travel related cases were previously reported in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. The Santa Rosa County patient, an elderly male, later died at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola.
Escambia County will declare a local state of emergency at 8 a.m. Tuesday and open the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center.
“We are proactively activating the EOC and declaring a local state of emergency to ensure we have the appropriate resources for this unprecedented event, ” Escambia County Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore said. “We encourage the public to follow CDC guidance for social distancing and proper health and hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Escambia County.”
Escambia County To Declare State Of Emergency On Tuesday
March 16, 2020
Escambia County will declare a local state of emergency on Tuesday, March 17 and open the emergency operations center at 8 a.m.
“We are proactively activating the EOC and declaring a local state of emergency to ensure we have the appropriate resources for this unprecedented event, ” Escambia County Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore said. “We encourage the public to follow CDC guidance for social distancing and proper health and hygiene to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Escambia County.”
A Level 2 EOC activation is a partial activation that includes essential emergency support functions related to this type of incident for response and recovery. There will be a 9 a.m. planning meeting at the EOC with partner agencies, and one of the items to be discussed will be the hours of operation for the EOC.
The essential ESF 8 partners in the the level 2 activation include:
• Hospitals
• Assisted Living / Skilled Nursing / Personal Care Homes
• Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Agencies
• Laboratory agencies
• Doctors’ offices
• Home health care providers
• Emergency Medical Service agencies
• Aeromedical services
• Adult day care
• Mental health agencies