Meet Kaliya, Escambia County’s First Baby Of The New Year
January 2, 2020
Escambia County’s first baby of the new year, and the decade, was born just six minutes after midnight Wednesday.
Kaliya was born at 12:06 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. She weighed in at eight pounds, 15 ounces.
Kaliya and her parents, Jessica Howard and Danny Nichols, are all doing just fine.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
January 2, 2020
Ransom Middle School has named their winter Students of the Month for December and January. They are Sofia Martinez and Jackson Shelnut. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Get Your GED In 2020 At The Molino Library
January 2, 2020
Area residents can obtain their GED during the new year in Molino.
Ged classes will be held at the Molino Community Center every Monday and Thursday from 6-8 p.m. beginning January 9. This is an open enrollment program, so students may enroll anytime during the semester.
Classes are actively taught by certified teachers and personalized instruction is given based on each individual student’s academic level. Tuition is $30 per semester.
Contact Patricia Harrison at George Stone at (850) 941-6200 ext. 2361 for more information. Visit georgestonecenter.com to register.
What Will The Price Of Gas Be In 2020? AAA Offers Predictions
January 2, 2020
AAA is offering their projections for gas prices in 2020.
“Looking forward, gas prices in 2020 are likely to follow a similar trend as in 2019; with price hikes in the spring, then a steady decline through the fall,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. “Looking at futures prices, Florida gasoline could average around $2.50 per gallon in the first quarter, then jump 20-30 cents in the spring as refiners conduct seasonal maintenance and switch to summer gasoline. From there, gas prices decline slowly from July-September, then more rapidly through the end of the year. Based on current projections, Florida’s state average could finish 2020 in the $2.30 price range.”
Gas prices in 2019 averaged less than the year before. Prices at the pump averaged nearly $2.50 per gallon in 2019. That’s 15 cents per gallon less than the annual average in 2018, but 13 cents more than what drivers paid in 2017.
As of Wednesday, the average price per gallon was $2.45 across Florida, $2.50 in Escambia County and $2.43 in Cantonment.
Escambia County Had 13 House Fires In December 2019. That’s Nearly Twice As Many As 2018.
January 2, 2020
There were nearly twice as many residential fires in Escambia County during December 2019 than during December 2018.
The county tracks fires during December for the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign, which places one red bulb per fire on large wreaths at fire stations across the county. There were 13 reb bulbs representing 13 residential fires during December 2019. The 2018 campaign concluded with seven red bulbs.
One of the 13 fires during December 2019 was in North Escambia. A predawn fire destroyed a Byrneville home in the 1500 block of West Highway 4 on December 12. Everyone in the home escaped without injury due to working smoke alarms and a dog alerting the family.
There were no injuries or deaths reported during the campaign.
If your home does not have a working smoke detector, call Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376) or (850) 436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
Pictured above: The “Keep the Wreath Green” wreath during December at the McDavid Fire Station. Pictured below: A residential fire early the morning of December 12 in Byrneville. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Texting And Driving Ban Enforcement Begins With The New Year
January 1, 2020
Enforcement begins today, January 1, 2020, of Florida’s new law banning texting and driving.
Motorists can be stopped and cited for using wireless communications devices while their vehicle is in motion. The ban includes manually entering multiple letters, numbers of characters of kind while sending or receiving a text, email and instant messaging while the vehicle is moving.
The law went into effect July 1, 2019, changing enforcement of the ban from a secondary offense to a primary offense – enabling law enforcement officers to stop a vehicle solely for texting while driving.
School zones and active construction zones are considered hands free. Drivers can use Bluetooth, but cannot pick up their device.
Exemptions exist for autonomous vehicles, emergency vehicles, reporting emergency situations or crime activity. Additional exemptions exist while activating a hands free function, receiving messages related to navigation, date used primarily by vehicle, radio broadcasts and alerts pertaining to safety including traffic and weather.
Law enforcement cannot forcefully seize or search a communication device without first obtaining driver consent or a warrant. They must first inform their right to decline a search of their device. Warrants for device records are only obtainable when a diver is involved in a crash causing injury or a fatality.
Escambia County Records 13th Residential Fire Of December
January 1, 2020
Escambia County Fire Rescue has placed an additional red bulb on the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety wreath, representing 13 structure fires during December. Last year’s campaign concluded with seven red bulbs.
The thirteenth fire occurred in the 4500 block of Lighthouse Lane on Tuesday. Escambia County Emergency Communications received a call at 11:52 a.m. about a residential structure fire. Firefighters arrived on scene and saw smoke and flames showing from the door of the single story house. Firefighters quickly performed an aggressive fire attack in the kitchen, which prevented further damage to the rest of the structure.
ECFR and the Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations found that a faulty power supply area in the back of the dishwasher apparently caused the fire.
If your home does not have a working smoke detector, call Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376) or (850) 436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
Pensacola Police No Longer Responding To Most Parking Lot Crashes
January 1, 2020
Beginning today, January 1, the Pensacola Police Department will no longer respond to or take reports on simple parking lot crashes.
“This change will make our procedure consistent with the Florida Highway Patrol,” said PPD Officer Mike Wood.
When a simple parking lot crash is reported, the dispatcher will direct the caller to a self-reporting link at PensacolaPolice.com and provide a number.
Pensacola Police will still respond to parking lot crashes when
- anyone is injured/complains of injury
- a driver is believed to be impaired
- a commercial vehicle is involved
- if a vehicle is disabled to the point a wrecker is required to move it
- a city vehicle is involved
- the crash is a hit and run
- hazardous materials are involved
- or any other criminal investigations.
Bicyclist Struck By Vehicle On Pine Forest Road
January 1, 2020
A bicyclist was seriously injured when he was hit by a vehicle midday Tuesday not far from Pine Forest High School.
Alfonce Smith, 56, was riding his bicycle north on the sidewalk of Pine Forest Road at Hillcrest Avenue about 11:45 a.m.
Wanda Harley, 67, was driving her Nissan Murano in the left turn lane of Pine Forest Road in order to turn onto Hillcrest Avenue. At the same time, Alfonce Smith, 56, was riding his bicycle north on the sidewalk of Pine Forest Road, entered the crosswalk and collided with the Nissan.
Smith was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. Harley was not injured.
No charges were filed.
File photo.
Pete Shinnick NameD D2Football.com National Coach Of The Year
January 1, 2020
For the second time in the last three years, UWF head coach Pete Shinnick was named the National Coach of the Year by D2Football.com as announced by the outlet on Tuesday afternoon.
Additionally, redshirt freshman Austin Reed and senior Samuel Antoine were named honorable mention All-Americans.
UWF finished 13-2 overall in 2019 after winning the program’s first national championship, 48-40 over Minnesota State, on Dec. 21. The Argonauts completed one of the most remarkable postseason runs in NCAA history, defeating three number one seeds and four-consecutive undefeated teams for the first time ever en route to the University’s 10th team national championship.
Shinnick, who earned the award in 2017, is 35-17 in four seasons at UWF, which includes a 9-1 record in postseason play. He is 138-63 all-time as a college head coach spanning 18 seasons with stops at Azusa Pacific and UNC Pembroke.
Reed threw for 4,089 yards and 272.6 yards per game – 13th nationally – while going 13-1 as a starter after taking over the role after week one. He completed 57 percent of his passes and tossed 40 touchdowns while rushing for six more. The St. Augustine, Fla. product was responsible for 278 points and ranked 12th in the country with 18.5 points responsible per game.
Antoine completed a standout career with 13 starts in 2019 while appearing in all 41 contests during his three seasons at UWF. In 2019, the left tackles from Weston, Fla. native helped UWF average 412.3 yards of total offense, with 281.2 through the air and 131.1 on the ground. The offensive line allowed just 1.4 sacks per game.
Reed and Antoine are the ninth and tenth All-America selections in program history.
The D2Football.com All-America Team was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with input from coaches, staff, scouts, and sports information directors from around the country. D2Football.com has named an All-America Team since its inception in 2000.
Photo Morgan Givens/ UWF Athletics for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.