Florida Gas Prices Spike
March 18, 2019
Florida gas prices increased an average of 15 cents per gallon last week. This was the second-largest weekly increase among any other state in the country, behind Kentucky at 16 cents.
Florida drivers are paying an average price of $2.62 per gallon for regular unleaded. The state average is the highest so far this year, and 10 cents per gallon more than this time last year. So far this year, the state average has increased 46 cents per gallon.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $2.48, up 8 cents from last week and 30 from one month ago.
“Drivers saw a jump at the pump last week, due to rising demand, reduced refinery output, and lower gasoline supplies,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Although it appears the state average is leveling out for now, the springtime surge may not be over quite yet. The highest prices of the year can arrive anytime between now and Memorial Day weekend.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
FDOT Weekly Traffic Alerts – This Week’s State Road Project Slowdowns
March 18, 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:
- · State Road (S.R.) 727 (Fairfield Drive) from South of Usher Circle to North of Hestia Place- Continental Drive will be temporarily closed to traffic from Sunday, March 17 until Sunday, March 24 as crews install a well point system and install drainage across the roadway. Residents may enter and exit the neighborhood via Atlas Street, Montego Drive, and El Dorado Drive. Detour signs are in place to notify motorists and residents of upcoming work.
Drivers traveling north on Fairfield Drive can expect intermittent lane closures from South of Usher Circle to North of Hestia Place from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, March 17 through Sunday, March 24. Crews will be removing existing asphalt and placing base material for future roadway widening.
- U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) – The following traffic impacts will occur from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, March 17 until Saturday, March 23.
- Temporary Closure of W. Hood Drive at US 29: W. Hood Drive at US 29 will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday, Mar. 22 through 6 a.m. Monday, Mar. 25 as workers widen the intersection. Motorists may use W. Hannah Street or Nine Mile Road to Palafox Street as an alternate route. Detour signs and Variable Message Boards are in place to alert drivers about the upcoming work and detour.
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- Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 Overpass: Alternating traffic shifts will direct all traffic onto the westbound or eastbound lanes as crews continue construction of the new northbound bridge deck. Nine Mile Road lane restrictions are Sunday through Friday.
- U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road: Drainage and paving operations continue. Drivers can expect alternating lane closures Monday through Saturday.
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Bridge- Bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, March 17 until Sunday, March 24:
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- U.S. 98 east and westbound from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to just east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- U.S. 90 (Mobile Highway) and County Road (C.R.) 99 (Beulah Road) Intersection – Drivers will encounter intermittent lane restrictions near the intersection the week of Sunday, March 17 as paving operations continue. There will be no lane closures allowed from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- U.S. 98 (Lillian Highway) Resurfacing from the Perdido Bay Bridge to Dog Track Road– Drivers may encounter lane restrictions from the Perdido Bay Bridge to Dog Track Road as crews complete paving operations. Lane closures will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. until Sunday, March 17.
- U.S. 98 (E. Chase Street) Resurfacing from N Palafox Street to Bayfront Parkway- Drivers can expect intermittent lane restrictions to occur from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 27 as crews complete construction activities on the project.
- U.S. 90A (Nine Mile Road) Widening from Beulah to Pine Forest Road- The Nine Mile Road eastbound ramp to Interstate 10 (I-10) eastbound will be restricted to one access ramp location beginning the week of March 25. The western access ramp will be closed and drivers will enter to I-10 eastbound via the second, eastern most on-ramp at this location. The temporary closure is expected to be in place for several weeks as crews complete ramp reconstruction work.
- Crary Road Bridge Replacement over Pritchett Mill Creek- Crary Road is closed between Tedder Road and Byrneville Road as crews construct a bridge culvert. Motorists will be detoured via C.R. 4 and Byrneville Road. The project is anticipated to be complete spring 2019.
- Bratt Road Bridge Replacement over Canoe Creek - Bratt Road will continue to be closed near Canoe Creek. Drivers on Bratt Road, west of the bridge, will be detoured to Pine Barren Road and C.R. 4. Drivers east of the bridge will be detoured east on Bratt Road. The project is anticipated to be complete summer 2019.
- Hanks Road Bridge Replacement over Breastworks Creek - Construction activities have begun. The roadway will be 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.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 from Blackwater Bay to East of S.R. 87 (Exit 31)-Traffic may encounter alternating and intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, until Thursday, March 28 as crews remove and replace pavement markings. Law enforcement will be on site to assist with traffic control.
- S.R. 87 Pavement Markings Replacement- Traffic will encounter minor delays at the following locations Monday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until Thursday, April 25 as crews remove and replace pavement markings in the roadway. Law enforcement will be on site to direct traffic:
- U.S. 90 to Nicholas Lake Road
- U.S. 98 to Vonnie Tolbert Road
- U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Bridge construction will require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday, March 17 until Sunday, March 24:
- U.S. 98 east and westbound from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to just east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
- North 17th Avenue in Pensacola, between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – The following construction related traffic impacts are planned for I-10 and Avalon Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the week of Sunday, March 17:
- Drivers may encounter alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday as crews perform construction activities.
- Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R. 281, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, March 17 through Friday, March 22 as crews work to widen the roadway.
- Drivers will encounter new traffic pattern(s) on I-10 eastbound as crews reconstruct the inside and outside shoulders. This work will continue through spring 2019.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Winning $179K Fantasy Five Ticket Sold In North Escambia
March 18, 2019
Someone is over $179,000 richer this morning after purchasing a winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket in Davisville.
The ticket sold at the State Line Gift Shop, 11208 Highway 97, was the only winning ticket sold for Sunday night’s drawing and is worth $179,443.81
The 273 tickets matching four numbers won $106 each. Another 8,351 tickets matching three numbers are worth $9.50 each, and 80,915 ticket holders won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
Sunday’s winning numbers were 4-6-10-15-36.
Pictured: The State Line Gift Shop on Highwy 97 in Davisville. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Prison System And Workers Deal With Michael Aftermath
March 18, 2019
After Hurricane Michael hit the Panhandle, a key portion of the state’s corrections system was crippled, leaving nearly 300 prison employees displaced and more than 5,000 relocated inmates packing facilities across Florida.
New figures obtained by The News Service of Florida show a significant problem in a region where a sizable part of the workforce is employed by the corrections system and a good chunk of the state’s inmate population is housed.
“In these districts, other than Leon County and Gadsden County, it is school boards first and prisons second,” Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, said about the employers that fuel the region’s economy.
It has taken months to know exactly how bad the Oct. 10 storm has impacted the region’s 23 prisons. But officials with the Florida Department of Corrections said this week that in addition to tens of millions of dollars in damage to facilities, the storm also displaced 284 prison employees, increased job vacancies and forced shifting 5,000 inmates to facilities across the state.
Nearly 800 prison employees who lost or sustained severe damage to their homes in the storm have also received a total of $450,000 in assistance from the Corrections Foundation, a non-profit organization established to aid the Department of Corrections.
“It generally takes one to three days between the time the information is received and the time the checks are generated,” said Michelle Glady, a Department of Corrections spokeswoman.
Overall, the foundation has provided $8.3 million in financial assistance to correctional staff since 1999, Glady said.
The department is also struggling to fill vacancies in the hurricane-impacted areas. Before the hurricane hit, the region’s 23 prisons had a vacancy rate of 12 percent. As of Feb. 22, that vacancy rate had ticked up to 14 percent, with vacancies for prison guards and probation officers.
The probation-officer vacancies in Panama City, for example, increased from nine to 14.
“It is not the most pleasant job to have, and so we are always looking for corrections officers, but now when you have a housing challenge it makes it even more so,” Montford said.
The relocation of thousands of inmates has also impacted facilities in other areas of the state, some of which are dealing with staffing shortages as the department struggles to retain and recruit guards.
“Rather than overcrowd any nearby facilities, inmates were dispersed across the state to their new permanent facilities,” Glady said.
Hurricane Michael made landfall in Mexico Beach as a Category 4 storm and caused massive damage as it barreled north into Georgia. Part of that damage was in the Panama City area, but rural communities were also hard hit in places such as Gulf, Liberty, Calhoun and Jackson counties.
State lawmakers have not crafted an exact plan about how to address the storm’s impact on the prison system. The hurricane also caused more than $50 million in storm damage to corrections buildings.
When asked, Montford said he does not have an answer as of yet.
“This is a long, long-range problem,” Montford said. “We are facing a very complex and long-range problem.”
by Ana Ceballos, The News Service of Florida
Tate High School Hosts District Special Olympics (With Photo Gallery)
March 18, 2019
The 22nd Annual Escambia County School District’s Special Olympics Spring Games were held last week at Tate High School with about 600 athletes from about two dozen schools and hundreds of Tate student volunteers assisting as “buddies” and event workers.
The event began with Special Olympic athletes running with the Special Olympics Torch around the track. There was also an Olympic Village with plenty of fun and games for the athletes to enjoy after they completed their track and field events.
Athletes received the traditional gold, silver and bronze medals for top finishes.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
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Cantonment Man Sentenced For Fake Acid, Spice Possession
March 17, 2019
A Cantonment man has been sentenced on charges of selling fake acid and possessing spice.
Joshua Robert Welch pleaded no contest to selling a misbranded drug in lieu of a controlled substance and possession of spice within 1,000 feet of a college. He was sentenced by Judge William White to 12 months community control to be followed by 24 months probation.
Escambia County deputies conducted a traffic stop on Welch on December 19, 2018, for not having a rear view mirror on Pensacola Boulevard near Pensacola Christian College. Officers found a small piece of aluminum foil containing what was believed to be LSD, also known as acid.
As officers questioned Welch, he began to cry, stating he was scared for getting pulled over, according to an arrest report.
Welch told deputies that he bought the drugs believing it was acid, but when he took one nothing happened. He stated he was going to try to sell the drugs to try to make some money but believed the items were fake acid, according to the report.
At the Escambia County, staff located a brown paper towel containing spice in Welch’s genital area, records show.
Photo Gallery: Brandon Penegar Memorial Car Show
March 17, 2019
The annual Brandon Penegar Memorial Car Show was held Saturday at the Gonzalez United Methodist Church.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The show was held in honor of Branden Penegar. He was known as the “Gentle Giant” and was a 2011 graduate of Tate High School, an assistant coach for the freshman Tate Aggies’ football program and varsity tennis team, and a member of the Tate High School Student Hall of Fame. He passed away in March 2013 at the age of 20.
Penegar was an active member of the Gonzalez United Methodist Church and youth program. Proceeds from the car show benefit the youth programs at the church.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Rescue Horse From Molino Swimming Pool
March 17, 2019
Firefighters rescued a horse from a swimming pool Saturday in Molino.
There’s no word on how the horse ended up in the pool, but firefighters from the Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue were able to get the horse out with no reported injuries.
The incident happened behind a home in the 5000 block of Fairground Road.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Homicide For Escambia County Stabbing
March 17, 2019
A man has been charged in connection with a fatal stabbing Friday afternoon just off Highway 29.
Michael Jerome Gant, 39, was charged with homicide for the stabbing about 5:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Trammel Boulevard near Diamond Dairy Road.
The victim, whose name has not yet been released, was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
Gant remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
It’s Tree Planting Time
March 17, 2019
by Cathy Hardin, Escambia County Forester
Planting a tree in your yard can be beneficial for years to come. Some of the benefits include reducing utility costs, landscape eautification, habitat for songbirds and other wildlife. If you are planting a tree, here are some tips to remember.
First, put the right tree in the right place. Consider the size the tree will become both above ground and below. Look up for potential interference with overhead wires and look down for driveways, sidewalks, and pipes that may interfere with root growth. Consider species suitable to the soil and planting zone where you live. Native species tend to be hardier and are easier to take care of.
Plant the tree at the proper depth. Do not make the hole deeper than the root ball of the tree. Look for where the roots spread from the base of the tree (trunk flare). Place the tree in the hole so that the trunk flare is slightly above the original ground level. This will allow for some settling.
Keep it simple. Soil amendments and fertilizers should not be added at the time of planting. Native trees are especially suited to their environment. Also, staking small trees is not usually necessary. If you have a large tree, simply staking the root ball in place will likely be more effective than tying the trunk off and will not require removal later.
Properly mulch. Put a couple of inches of mulch over the planting area. Do not let it touch the base of the tree and especially do not pile it deep on the trunk (volcano mulching), because moist bark can lead to wood decay. Good choices include pine straw, leaf litter and bark chips.
Finally, water the new tree weekly until it is established. Remember, springtime in Florida is the driest time of the year, and young trees often die from lack of water. The rule of thumb is 3 gallons per inch of tree diameter applied slowly at the root ball.
For more tree planting information, contact your Florida Forest Service County Forester or visit the Arbor Day Foundation.
Pictured top: Escambia County Forester Cathy Hardin demonstrates tree planting during an Arbor day event last month in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.