Captain Ken Kercher Retires From Escambia Fire Rescue, Recognized By BOCC
February 10, 2020
The Escambia County Commission recently adopted a resolution recognizing Captain Ken Kercher upon his retirement from the volunteer service at the Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue.
Kercher first volunteered in September 1993 at the age of 18.
“I hope I have done enough for my community and this county,” Kercher said. “I only wanted to help others. I just hope I made a difference.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Chaparrals Take Second In Gulf Coast Color Guard Percussion Competition
February 10, 2020
The Tate High School Chaparrals finished in second place this past weekend in the Gulf Coast Color Guard Percussion Circuit hosted by Choctawhatchee High School. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Up A Couple Of Pennies
February 10, 2020
Florida gas prices are declining again after briefly rising early last week. The state average jumped 6 cents per gallon, Tuesday. However, that increase was cut in half by the weekend.
Florida drivers are now paying an average price of $2.39 per gallon. Sunday’s state average is 2 cents per gallon more than this time last week, and 14 cents more than this time last year.
In Escambia County, the average price per gallon was $2.29 on Sunday, with two Cantonment stations a nickel lower at $2.24.
“Retail gas prices increased last week, despite fundamentals that suggested a decline,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Fuel supplies are strong, demand is down, and crude and gasoline futures have remained low. However, retailers likely raised prices to offset the cost of new fuel contracts that come with a new month. Despite the initial bump, pump prices are falling again, and could reach the low $2.30s in the coming weeks.”
New Market Street Closure At Nine Mile Road
February 10, 2020
New Market Street will be closed at the intersection of Nine Mile Road in Escambia County beginning Monday as crews perform drainage work. These operations are anticipated to take seven to 10 days to complete.
Traffic will be detoured to Parkside Street and Milestone Boulevard. Signs and variable message boards will be in place to alert drivers of the temporary closure and alternate route.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Blue Wahoos New Batboy Wade Vadakin Elected To Southern League Hall Of Fame
February 10, 2020
Wade Vadakin, the beloved former batboy for the Mobile BayBears, who will work games this season for the Blue Wahoos, has been elected to the Southern League Hall of Fame.
Vadakin, 40, born with congenital brain-stem damage and visual impairment, was voted to the 2020 class through the league’s annual Special Consideration Ballot. He endeared himself to the BayBears and Mobile community as the team’s batboy since their inaugural season in 1997.
On August 11, the Blue Wahoos announced Vadakin will work Blue Wahoos home games as their batboy. Team president Jonathan Griffith presented Vadakin that day with a Blue Wahoos jersey during the final “Bay to Bay” series between the teams in Mobile at Hank Aaron Stadium.
After 22 seasons in Mobile, the BayBears’ Southern League franchise transferred to Huntsville following the 2019 season and will debut as the Rocket City Trash Pandas in April.
“Once we knew Mobile was going to leave (as franchise) and knowing that Wade had been at our ballpark (visiting batboy) along with being at Hank Aaron Stadium since day one, it came up in conversation,” Griffith said.
“We talked about what is Wade going to do without baseball and it became one of those things where we said we wanted to make sure he still has baseball and he’s still around baseball enjoying something he loves.”
Vadakin, who lives in Fairhope with his parents, was elected to the Southern League Hall of Fame for his two decades of dedication and effort with the BayBears. He was given the title of “Director of On-Field Operations.
His signature moves were “Riding the Bull” when he pretended to be on horseback, after picking up a bat whenever the BayBears scored a run.
As he said during the Aug. 11 ceremony, “On one hand, it sucks saying goodbye to Mobile, saying goodbye to Hank Aaron Stadium – a place I called home for 22 years. On the other hand, it’s exciting being part of a new team (Blue Wahoos), being with a new organization, being with new players.”
Vadakin will be formally enshrined as part of the 2020 class in June during the Southern League All-Star game. He will be entering with a star-studded class that includes legendary Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson, who got his start with the former Asheville (N.C.) Orioles when that franchise was member of the Southern League.
Also inducted will be former Seattle Mariners star Edgar Martinez, who was inducted last summer into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. for his decorated career. Martinez played two full seasons with the Chattanooga Lookouts in 1985-86.
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, who was manager of the former Greenville Braves, now Mississippi Braves, will be inducted as well.
The fifth member of the class will be former Charlotte O’s general manager Frances Crockett Ringley, who was the first female general manager in professional baseball during a 12-year span.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Selects Next Executive Director
February 9, 2020
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority has selected J. Bruce Woody to be the agency’s next executive director.
Woody has been city manager since 2011 in St. Joseph, Missouri, a town of 76,000 people with a $234 million annual budget. His other work experience includes assistant director of public works in St. Joseph, engineer in Olathe, Kansas, and assistant city engineer in Kansas City, Kansas.
He has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a M.A. in public administration.
“Good governance of a utility requires regular and honest communication between the Board, the Executive Director, regulators, the district’s customers, and its employees,” Woody said in an introdctory statement on his resume. “Of equal concern are developing relationships with large industry, neighboring property owners and developing strong community partnerships and intergovernmental relationships with its member political jurisdictions. Good relationships are powerful tools to get things accomplished, especially community-wide goals and long-term initiatives.”
ECUA must next come to terms on an employment contract with Woody. That’s expected to take about two weeks, possibly in time for the ECUA board’s next regular meeting on February 25.
The salary range for the position is $160,000 to $225,000 annually.
Tree Giveaway Friday To Mark Anniversary Of Century Tornado
February 9, 2020
The 4th Annual Tree Giveaway and Tornado Remembrance will be held Friday in Century.
During the 10 a.m. program at the Century Ag Building on West Highway 4, attendees can choose from red maple, Shumard oak and flatwoods plum trees while supplies last.
The program is sponsored by the Town of Century, Escambia County and the Florida Forest Service. It marks the fourth anniversary of an EF-3 tornado that struck Century on February 15, 2016.
Pictured: A 2019 tree giveaway in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Niceville Soccer Tops Tate In District Championship Game
February 9, 2020
The No. 2 ranked Niceville Eagles defeated the Tate Aggies 3-0 in the District 1-6A soccer championship game Saturday night.
Niceville, also ranked No. 6 nationally, is headed to the playoffs.
With the switch this year to using MaxPreps ratings to determine playoff berths, Tate did not rank high enough to advance to regionals despite being district runner-ups.
Logan Tyree was named the MaxPreps player of the game for Tate.
Atmore Movie Theater, Hardware Store Being Restored As Cultural Center
February 9, 2020
An old movie theater and hardware store will have new life in Atmore thanks to a community group.
At the time the Strand Theatre on Main Street closed, the local chamber of commerce said it was oldest continuously operated theatre in Alabama.
The last movie to be shown at the Strand Theatre was in November 2013 - a first-run film “Free Birds” about two turkeys that traveled back in time to save Thanksgiving. Now, the Atmore community has come together to save the theater and take in back in time to its glory days of the 1920s.
The theater was a regional attraction in its heyday, drawing moviegoers not only from Atmore but from the North Escambia area in Florida and several Alabama counties.
The Pride of Atmore was formed to do the legwork needed to restore not only the 99-year old Strand, but also the 122-year old building nextdoor that housed the Atmore Hardware Store. The price tag to restore both buildings comes in over $3 million.
In recent days, the needed demolition work on the theater has started, with interior walls separating the lobby and the main theater removed, and even the old silver screen is down.
The Strand Theatre will undergo a complete interior and exterior renovation with a new lobby, theater area and marquee. Plans are to use it for community gatherings, live music, short term rentals and movies – second run, independent and classics.
The old Atmore Hardware building will also be renovated into a community space for live music, events and rentals. There will also be a recording studio in a portion of the upstairs area, while the remainder will be used for other arts and cultural programs.
The Pride of Atmore has raised funds through grants and donations from foundations and businesses, but is still looking for donations. For more information, email prideofatmore@yahoo.com or donate using PayPal. Contributions are tax deductible.
Pictured top: The outside plans for the Strand Theatre and Atmore Hardware buildings in Atmore. Pictured below: Demolition work inside the theater is now underway. Pictured bottom. The theater in February 2016. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
This Week’s Traffic Delay Spots To Watch
February 9, 2020
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (State Road (S.R.) 10 / U.S. 90A)– Drivers will experience the following traffic impacts the week of Sunday, Feb. 9.
- Detroit Boulevard will be closed west of U.S. 29 at the railroad tracks from 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9 to 6 a.m. Monday, Feb. 17 for railroad reconstruction. Detroit Boulevard between Untreiner Avenue and U.S. 29 will be open to local traffic only. All other traffic will be directed to Hannah Street, Untreiner Avenue, and Broad Street.
- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating lane shifts as crews construct the new southbound bridge.
- U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
- Pensacola Bay (U.S. 98) Bridge Replacement- There will be intermittent lane closures at the following locations from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Feb 9.
- U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the Graffiti Bridge.
- S.R. 97 Routine Maintenance from U.S. 29 to the Alabama State Line- The outside lane will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 9 as crews replace pavement markers.
- Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10 / U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) to U.S. 29 - New Market Street will be closed at the intersection of Nine Mile Road beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10 as crews perform drainage work. These operations are anticipated to take seven to ten days to complete. Traffic will be detoured to Parkside Street and Milestone Boulevard. Signs and variable message boards will be in place to alert drivers of the temporary closure and alternate route.
- · I-110 Striping Operations from Gregory Street to Davis Highway- There will be intermittent and alternating lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10 through Wednesday, Feb. 12 as crews stripe and place pavement markers along the roadway.
- · Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10 / U.S. 90A) Widening from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297) – The far-right portion of the I-10 off ramp that connects to Nine Mile Road (Exit 5) westbound remains closed. Drivers can still access Nine Mile Road east and westbound using the other section of the ramp. The partial ramp closure is needed to reconstruct the ramp and will be in place for through March 2020.
- · U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of Muscogee Road (County Road/C.R. 184) to Atmore Highway (S.R. 97)– Crews continue paving operations and median work. Drivers may encounter intermittent daytime lane restrictions. Motorists are reminded to watch for crews and heavy equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
- · Hanks Road Bridge Replacement over Breastworks Creek- Crews continue roadway earthwork and preparations for base material. The roadway remains temporarily closed. Drivers on Hanks Road, west of the bridge, are detoured to C.R. 99 and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will utilize Pine Barren Road. The project is anticipated to be complete spring 2020.
- C.R. 168 Bridge Replacement over Unnamed Branch in Northwest Century- Traffic has been transitioned to the new bridge. Crews are working on grading, concrete ditch pavement, and removal of the temporary acrow bridge. Watch for workers and heavy equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Santa Rosa County:
- · Stewart Street (S.R. 87) Road Closure from Raymond Hobbs Street to Elva Street for Parade- Stewart Street will be closed between Raymond Hobbs Street and Elva Street in Milton from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8 for the Mardi Gras Parade.
- · U.S. 98 (Pensacola Bay Bridge) Replacement- There will be intermittent lane closures at the following locations from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Feb 9.
- · U.S. 90 Corridor (Pace) Management Improvement Project- Crews are currently working on drainage improvements. East and westbound lane closures at Bostic Lane will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
- · U.S. 98 Safety Improvement from Villa Woods Circle to Ortega Park Drive- Construction activities continue at the following seven locations: Villa Woods Circle to Marble Court, Oriole Beach Road, Grand Ride Circle to Fordham Parkway, El Rito Drive/College Parkway, American Avenue, Alpine Avenue, and west of Ortega park Drive. Crews continue curb and gutter, traffic separator, roadway work, and irrigation repairs. Lane closures will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m.
- · S.R. 4 Resurfacing and Drainage Improvements from the Escambia River Bridge to Market Road (C.R. 87A) in Jay- There will be shoulder closures throughout the project limits for roadway and utility work.
- · S.R. 87 Bridge Rehabilitation and Repair Over Yellow River- Motorists may encounter daytime southbound lane closures as crews continue expansion joint work.
- · S.R. 87 Turn Lane and Median Modifications at South Lynn Road- Operations are taking place in the median. Motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane closures.
- U.S. 98 east and westbound, from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the Graffiti Bridge.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.