Gulf Power Sends Team To Help With Texas Tornado Outages
October 22, 2019
Gulf Power is a sending a dozen employees to assist Oncor following severe storms and tornadoes that knocked out power to approximately 150,000 customers in the north Texas area.
The employees are part of a Damage Assessment Team that will help assess the damage so crews can begin restoration efforts in the area west of Dallas.
“We are happy to assist Oncor just as they came to Northwest Florida last year to help us following Hurricane Michael,” said Gordon Paulus, Gulf Power spokesperson.
Gulf Power did not deploy any of its line crews to Texas so they would be ready locally as the same storm system moved through Northwest Florida Monday night.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Monday Night High School Football Finals
October 22, 2019
Here are scores from high school football games played Monday night due to Tropical Storm Nestor cancellations last Friday night, plus other scores from last Friday night and Saturday.
For Tate and Washington photos and game story from Saturday, click here.
FLORIDA
Monday Night Scores
Jay 36, North Bay Haven 6
Pine Forest at Choctaw*
Escambia at Fort Walton Beach**
Pensacola High 38, Panama City Arnold 32
Catholic 40, Tallahassee FAMU 12
Navarre 31, Tallahassee Leon 28
* Pine Forest led Choctaw 14-3 when the game was called due to weather. It will continue Tuesday, October 22 at 6 p.m.
**Escambia was leading Fort Walton Beach 14-0 when the game was called due to weather. The game will continue October 28 at 4 p.m.
Friday, Saturday Scores
Washington 51, Tate 31 (Saturday)
De La Salle 24, West Florida 6 (Friday)
Milton 40, Mosley 28 (Thursday)
ALABAMA SCORES
UMS-Wright 31, Escambia County 8
Escambia Academy 47, South Choctaw Academy 0
Flomaton 44, Thomasville 21
Andalusia 42, W.S. Neal 12
Montgomery Catholic 26, T.R. Miller 21
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Speak Out: Public Input Meetings Set On Escambia Superintendent Search
October 21, 2019
The Escambia County School District has scheduled five community forums to give the public the chance to share their input as the school district moves closer to advertising the school superintendent job.
All five of the meetings are in the geographic southern half of Escambia County.
The community forms will be facilitated by the Florida School Boards Association Search Team. All input gathered during the events will be collected and provided to the Escambia County School Board members and will be made available online. School board members will not attend the input sessions.
“The board members and I want to make this process as transparent as possible. The search team will lead the participants through conversations that will help us identify our school district’s strengths and weaknesses, and allow them to have a chance to tell us what skills should be present in the next superintendent,” said Patty Hightower, school board chair. “Our search team consists of professional educators from around the state who have helped other districts through this process, and they too believe these meetings are critically important. We hope everyone with an interest in Escambia County’s public schools will attend at least one of the community input sessions that fits their schedule.”
The town hall events will be held:
- Oct. 24, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 160 of the J.E. Hall Center, 30 E. Texar Drive, Pensacola.
- Nov. 14, 2019 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Blue Angels Elementary School, 1551 Dogtrack Road, Pensacola.
- Nov. 21, 2019 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Pensacola High School, 500 W. Maxwell Street, Pensacola.
- Jan. 7, 2020 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Beulah Middle School, 6001 W. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola.
- Jan. 9, 2020 at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria at Tate High School, 1771 Tate Road, Cantonment.
In 2018, voters approved an appointed, rather than elected, superintendent in Escambia County. The search is being guided by the Florida School Boards Association leading up the selection of a superintendent with a November 24, 2020, start date. The job is set to be advertised beginning April 1, 2020.
Florida Gas Prices Drift Downwards After Recent Hike
October 21, 2019
Florida gas prices are drifting lower again, according to AAA. After rising 8 cents early last week, pump prices have declined 3 cents.
Prices at the pump have ping-ponged in recent weeks. The state average increased then declined every other week for the past month; bouncing between $2.40 and $2.50 per gallon. Despite the recent increase, Florida gas prices remain 30 cents per gallon less than this time last year. Florida drivers are finding an average price of $2.47 per gallon, at the pump. The state average is 5 cents more than a week ago, but 3 cents less than this time last month.
The average price per gallon was $2.42 in Escambia County, with North Escambia prices as low as $2.31 at one station in Cantonment Sunday night.
Bashore Completes First Solo Flight On His 16th Birthday
October 21, 2019
John Bashore took to the skies and completed his first solo flight on his 16th birthday earlier this month.
Bashore and his flight instructor Bill Weaver flew from the Brewton Airport to Atmore where Weaver exited the aircraft and Bashore completed two solo flights.
Bashore and Weaver met at a Byrneville church and formed an immediate bond. Both love aviation, and Bashore said he has been a blessing and a great mentor in his life.
Weaver trained as an Army pilot during the Vietnam War. He also operated a flight training school at the Milton Airport in the 1970s. Weaver is now retired with 35 years of service flying for oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico.
Bashore and Weaver have flown together since 2011.
Over the past year, they have worked hard training so Bashore could complete his solo on his 16th birthday. Over the next year he will continue the training need to complete 15 hours of solo flight and 10 hours of instructional flight and pass the FAA exam.
Bashore said he looking forward to obtaining his private pilot license on his 17th birthday. He hopes to one day attend the U. S. Air Force Academy and fly the F-22 fighter. He attends Northview High School where he is a member of the NJROTC.
Pictured: John Bashore and instructure Bill Weaver on the day of Bashore’s first solo flight from Brewton to Atmore. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jim Allen Elementary Students Receive Free Dictionaries
October 21, 2019
Members of St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Cantonment recently presented new dictionaries to students at Jim Allen Elementary School. Each third grader received their a copy of “A Student’s Dictionary.” The goal of The Dictionary Project is to assist all students in becoming good writers, active readers, creative thinkers, and resourceful learners by providing them with their own personal dictionary. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Sunday Morning Fatal Stabbing Under Investigation
October 21, 2019
A fatal stabbing Sunday morning in Escambia County is under investigation.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said an altercation led to the stabbing about 7 a.m. in the area of 62nd Avenue and Fairfield Drive.
Demarko Franzaron Weather was transported to Baptist Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
There has been no word of any suspects or arrests. Additional details have not been released.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Trouble Spot Alerts
October 21, 2019
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 Resurfacing from south of Muscogee Road (County Road/C.R. 184) to Atmore Highway (State Road /S.R. 97) – Northbound motorists may encounter day and nighttime lane closures on U.S. 29 as crews continue paving operations. Northbound and southbound traffic may encounter intermittent daytime lane restrictions as crews perform median work. Motorists are reminded to watch for crews and heavy equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A)– Drivers will experience the following impacts to traffic the week of Sunday, Oct. 20:
- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating east and westbound lane shifts as crews construct the new southbound bridge, end bend, and center pier.
- U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and 9 ½ Mile Road may experience alternating lane closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
- · U.S. 98 (Pensacola Bay Bridge) Replacement- Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Oct. 20.
- · U.S. 98 Resurfacing from S.R. 298 (Lillian Highway) to west of S.R. 173 (Blue Angel Parkway)- There will be intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20 to 5:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21 as crews complete striping operations.
- · State Road (S.R.) 10/U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) Widening from S.R. 297 (Pine Forest Road) to U.S. 29- The westbound, inside left-turn lane on Nine Mile Road at the intersection of Pine Forest Road will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21 and Tuesday, Oct. 22 as crews install traffic delineators between the turn lane and the eastbound travel lane. Eastbound traffic will be shifted toward the shoulder area to expand the work zone for the safety of the workers.
- · S.R. 295 (W. Fairfield Drive) Pavement Coring Operations from the Bayou Grande Bridge to S.R. 292 (N. Pace Boulevard) – There will be intermittent and alternating lane restrictions from the Bayou Grande Bridge to N. Pace Boulevard from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21 and Tuesday, Oct. 22 as crews take core samples from the roadway.
- · 9th Avenue Utility Operations at the intersection of Cervantes Street- There will be intermittent lane restrictions on 9th Avenue at the intersection of Cervantes Street from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23 and Thursday, Oct. 24 as utility crews replace a power pole.
- · U.S. 29 Pavement Coring Operations from S.R. 296 (Brent Lane) to south of I-10- There will be intermittent and alternating lane restrictions from Brent Lane to south of I-10 from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 21 through Wednesday, Oct. 23 as crews take core samples from the roadway.
- · S.R. 750 (Airport Boulevard) Pavement Coring Operations from west of County Road (C.R.) 95A to S.R. 291 (Davis Highway)- There will be intermittent and alternating lane restrictions from west of C.R. 95A to Davis Highway from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23 and Thursday, Oct. 24 as crews take core samples from the roadway.
- · C.R. 168 Bridge Replacement over Unnamed Branch in Northwest Century- All piles have been driven and pile caps poured for the new bridge. Crews are currently working on placing rebar reinforcement for the bridge deck in preparation of pouring concrete for the deck slab. Traffic will remain shifted on the temporary diversion until construction of the new bridge has been completed.
- · Hanks Road Bridge Replacement over Breastworks Creek- Construction activities continue. The roadway is temporarily closed during construction. Drivers on Hanks Road, west of the bridge, will be 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 late 2019.
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- Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola, between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Bridge construction may require the following lane closures 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. the week of Sunday, Oct. 20.
- Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola, between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- S.R. 87 Pavement Markings Replacement- Traffic will encounter alternating and intermittent minor delays between Nicholas Lake Road and Vonnie Tolbert Road from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday until Tuesday, Dec. 31 as crews remove and replace pavement markings in the roadway. Law enforcement will be on site to direct traffic
Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
October 21, 2019
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings this week:
Tuesday, October 22
Environmental Enforcement Special Magistrate – 1:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)
Escambia County Health Facilities Authority – 4 p.m., 1019 N. 12th Ave.
Wednesday, October 23
October Coffee with the Commissioner – Jeff Bergosh, District 1 - 6:30 a.m., McDonald’s, 5 S. Blue Angel Parkway
Visit Pensacola Board of Directors – 10:30 a.m., 600 S. Palafox St.
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Human Relations Commission – 4 p.m., Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto St. (Agenda)
Santa Rosa Island Authority Committee – 5 p.m., 1 Via de Luna, Pensacola Beach (Agenda)
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Need A Pumpkin? Check Out This Cantonment Pumpkin Patch
October 20, 2019
Looking for a pumpkin?
Plenty of pumpkins are available again this year at the annual Allen Memorial United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch. Pumpkins of all shapes and sizes are available under the big tent on Highway 29 near Neal Road.
The Allen Memorial United Methodist Men have sponsored the Pumpkin Patch since 1995.
Pictured: Shoppers choose the perfect pumpkins Saturday at the Allen Memorial Pumpkin Patch on Highway 29 in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
