Register Now For Saturday’s Molino Christmas Parade, Century Parade Dec. 21
November 26, 2018
Molino Christmas Parade
The 16th Annual Molino Christmas Parade is set for next Saturday, December 1 at 11 a.m.
The parade route starts at the west end of Crabtree Church Road and ends and the Molino Ballpark where Santa Will be waiting to visit with all the good little boys and girls.
To participate in the parade, register the day of the parade — $30 for floats; $20 for vehicles, motorcycles, tractors or golf carts; and $10 each for horses. No 4-wheelers or go-carts. There is no pre-registration this year…be in line by 10:15 a.m. and register.
All proceeds go directly back to the community to help children in need.
For more information, call René Jones at (850) 255-3330.
Century Christmas Parade — December 21
The Century Christmas Parade will be Friday, December 21 at 11 a.m. Tentative plans call for floats to line up on Hecker Road at 10 a.m. where they will be judged for the wackiest, prettiest and most creative entries. The parade route, which has not been announced, will begin and end on Hecker Road. Winning entries will received certificates following the parade. For more information, call Emily at (850) 256-3208.
Search Underway For Missing Alabama Woman
November 26, 2018
Authorities are searching for an Alabama woman that has been missing since Friday evening.
Eva McBride was last seen at her home on McBride Circle near Pollard just east of Flomaton, less than a mile north of the Alabama/Florida state line. McBride, 74, may be suffering from a condition that may impair her judgement. Her direction of travel and clothing description were unknown.
The area around her home has been searched with no results.
Anyone with information about here whereabouts should call the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office at (251) 809-0741.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency has issued a Missing Senior Alert for McBride.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts – Where To Expect Delays
November 26, 2018
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads 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 U.S. 90 (Nine Mile Road) – The following traffic impacts will occur Monday, Nov. 26 through Saturday, Dec. 1. Work requiring lane restrictions will take place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- 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 – Construction activities continue. Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures between 14th Avenue in Pensacola and Bay Bridge Drive in Gulf Breeze from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 26 through Sunday, Dec. 2.
- U.S. 98 (Lillian Highway) Resurfacing from the Perdido Bay Bridge to Dog Track Road– Paving operations continue from the Perdido Bay Bridge to Dog Track Road. Lane closures will be in effect from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 26 through Sunday, Dec. 2.
- · Crary Road Bridge Replacement- Crary Road will be temporarily closed between Tedder Road and Byrneville Road as crews construct a bridge culvert. Motorists will be detoured via County Road (C.R.) 4 and Byrneville Road.
- · U.S. 98 (East Chase Street) Resurfacing from North Palafox Street to Bayfront Parkway- There will be paving operations from Palafox Street to the I-110 ramps Sunday, Dec. 2 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- · Bratt Road Bridge Replacement over Canoe Creek- Work activities will begin the week of Monday, Nov. 26. Bratt Road will continue to be closed near Canoe Creek during construction. 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.
- · I-10 and I-110 Maintenance in Pensacola- There will be intermittent and alternating lane restrictions along I-10, east and westbound, and I-110, north and southbound, in Pensacola from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov. 26 through Thursday, Nov. 29 as crews perform maintenance activities.
Santa Rosa County:
- · U.S. 98 Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement – Construction activities continue. Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures between 14th Avenue in Pensacola and Bay Bridge Drive in Gulf Breeze from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Nov.26 through Sunday, Dec. 2.
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to C.R. 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) –Traffic between Hickory Hammock Road and the Eglin AFB boundary will continue to be restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is completed.
- U.S. 98 Safety Improvements at Constitution Drive and Navarre School Road- Temporary barrier wall construction is complete from Sunrise Drive to east of Cotton Bay Lane. Drivers are reminded to use caution as crews perform construction activities in this area.
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) – The following construction related traffic impacts are planned for Interstate 10 and Avalon Boulevard the week of Monday, Nov. 26 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.:
- Drivers may encounter alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange from Monday through Thursday.
- 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. Monday, Nov. 26 through Friday, Nov. 30 as crews work to widen the roadway.
- Drivers will encounter new traffic pattern(s) on I-10 east and westbound as crews reconstruct the inside and outside shoulders. This work will continue through late 2018.
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.
Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
November 26, 2018
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings this week:
Monday, Nov. 26
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1395 Union Negotiations – 10:30 a.m., Escambia County Area Transit Administrative Offices & Rosa Parks Bus Terminal, 1515 W. Fairfield Drive
Escambia County Marine Advisory Commitee – 5:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Tuesday, Nov. 27
Escambia County Health Facilities Authority – 4 p.m., 1019 N. 12th Ave.
Wednesday, Nov. 28
Coffee with Commissioner Jeff Bergosh – 6:30 a.m., Hardee’s, 2500 Wilde Lake Blvd.
Contractor Competency Board Special Meeting – 9 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
$2.7 Million Bratt Bridge Replacement To Begin After Yearlong Closure
November 25, 2018
Work is set to begin this week on a $2.7 million project to replace a bridge on Bratt Road that has been closed for almost a year.
The project includes new guardrail, drainage improvements, and new pavement markings. There will not be a temporary bridge installed as previously announced by Escambia County, according to Tanya Branton, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation. The new bridge is expected by be completed by summer 2019.
Bratt Road will continue to be closed near Canoe Creek during construction. Drivers on Bratt Road, west of the bridge, will still be detoured to Pine Barren Road and County Road 4. Drivers east of the bridge are detoured east on Bratt Road.
The $2,727,550.12 contract was awarded to low bidder Murphree Bridge. The second lowest bid submitted by Roads, Inc. was about $69,000 more. Two other bids were $3.12 and $3.16 million.
The bridge averaged 425 vehicles per day prior to closure. It was constructed in 1956.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Triple Shooting Suspect Extradited To Alabama
November 25, 2018
The suspect in a triple shooting in Atmore has been extradited from the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola back to Alabama.
Anji Lynn Baker, age 34 of Bay Minette, waived extradition during a video appearance before Judge Joyce William in Escambia County (FL) court. Alabama authorities have transported him back to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton to face three counts of attempted murder and a charge of shooting into an occupied building.
U.S. Marshals arrested Baker without incident in Pensacola November 13. He was held without bond in the Escambia County Jail as a fugitive from justice.
The triple shooting happened during an event inside an Atmore business during the early morning hours of November 11. Two victims were airlifted to a Mobile hospital where one was listed in critical condition and the other in serious condition. A third gunshot victim was transported by ambulance where he was treated and released. All three victims were adult males.
An Atmore police officer suffered minor injuries when he was struck with a barstool.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Check This Out: Hay Bale Decorating Contest Winners
November 25, 2018
The results are in from the 2018 Escambia County 4-H Hay Bale Decorating Contest. And you have a chance to check out the winners (and snap a few great Instagram photos too) this week.
First place went to the Escambia County Horse Club 4-H Club, second place to the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, and third place to the Escambia County Shooting Club 4-H Club.
The hay bales will be on display at the corner of Stefani Road and 9 1/2 Mile Road, the first intersection south of the Escambia County Extension Service, through December 3.
Pictured: First place went to the Escambia County Horse Club 4-H Club (top photo), second place to the Barrineau Park 4-H Club (below), and third place to the Escambia County Shooting Club 4-H Club (bottom). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Get Free Resume Help At The Molino Branch Library
November 25, 2018
Need help with your resume? The Molino Branch Library will provided personalized help to polish up your resume and make it stand out from the crowd.
The library offers 45 minute appointments on Monday between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
To schedule, call the Molino Branch Library at (850) 435-1760.
Gilman Named Bratt Elementary Teacher Of The Year
November 25, 2018
Heather Gilman has been named the Bratt Elementary School Teacher of the Year. She teaches second grade. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Turning The Page
November 25, 2018
Florida’s political world is built around two-year cycles.
And the latest acrimonious, head-scratching cycle finally ended Tuesday when the state Elections Canvassing Commission certified the results of the Nov. 6 elections.
The acrimony, of course, did not end with the usual campaign attack ads and nastiness. It lasted nearly two additional weeks as ballots continued to be counted and recounted and legal fights raged.
As for the head scratching, a simple question: How, 18 years after the presidential recount, can Florida keep being the butt of election jokes? Yes, this year’s elections and recounts went smoothly in most of the state. But the images beamed across the country were all about the messes in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Nevertheless, the end of the two-year cycle also signaled the start of something new. Shortly after the state canvassing commission certified the election results, the Florida House and Senate gathered to swear in new leaders and newly elected members.
And, at least for a day, new House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, and new Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, emphasized a need for civility.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
Florida Democrats spent the past eight years criticizing Gov. Rick Scott and itching to win the governor’s mansion for the first time since the 1990s.
But when the recounts were finished and the vote totals submitted, Scott and his Republican allies got the last laugh. Just like Scott got the last laugh when he came out of political nowhere in 2010 to win the governor’s mansion and in 2014 when he defended it.
By 10,033 votes out of nearly 8.2 million cast, Scott unseated three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and will head to Washington in January. That became official when manual recounts ended Sunday, three days after a machine recount showed Republican Ron DeSantis locking up the governor’s race against Democrat Andrew Gillum.
Scott, who said Nelson “graciously conceded” in a phone call, thanked Nelson “for his years of public service.”
While the recount process drew harsh accusations of fraud and political chicanery, numerous lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, Scott’s victory statement called for unity.
“My focus will not be on looking backward, but on doing exactly what I ran on: making Washington work,” Scott said. “I know change is never popular in Washington and that I’m just one person — but we have to start somewhere.”
Nelson’s defeat marked the end of the 76-year-old Democrat’s lengthy political career, which includes 18 years in the U.S. Senate, a dozen years in the U.S. House, six years on the state Cabinet and six years in the Florida Legislature.
“Well, things worked out a little differently than Grace and I had hoped. But let me say, I by no measure feel defeated,” Nelson said, referring to his wife, Grace, in a statement Sunday afternoon. “And that’s because I have had the privilege of serving the people of Florida and our country for most of my life.”
Three statewide races — for U.S. senator, governor and agriculture commissioner — went to manual or machine recounts.
Democrats got a victory Sunday when Nikki Fried emerged from a manual recount with a 6,753-vote win over Republican Matt Caldwell in the race for agriculture commissioner. In winning the Cabinet seat, Fried became the first woman to be elected agriculture commissioner and will be the only statewide elected Democrat during the next two years.
Fried, a 40-year-old lawyer from Fort Lauderdale, said she intends to represent all Floridians.
“You chose a new vision, one that reflects the priorities of the people,” Fried said in a statement Sunday. “To everyone who didn’t vote for me, I will be your voice in Tallahassee too.”
Caldwell, a former state House member from North Fort Myers, formally conceded Monday, though he appeared to still be smarting from the recount process.
“All I have ever expected since Election Day is a full and fair accounting of all legal votes cast, and then respecting the will of the voters,” Caldwell said. “Unfortunately, as a result of the abject failures in Broward and Palm Beach, it has become clear that we may never gain an understanding of what transpired in the hours and days after polls closed, despite the exhaustive efforts of my legal team to get to the truth. To continue this legal challenge would likely require millions of dollars and months to complete without providing any more clarity.”
A NEW CHAPTER
Democrats made some gains in the Legislature during the Nov. 6 elections, though the House and Senate will continue to be controlled by Republicans.
And in the House, where the GOP now holds a 73-47 advantage, new Speaker Oliva made clear that he wants to pursue a conservative, small-government agenda.
In a speech during Tuesday’s organization session, Oliva briefly outlined goals for the House that include continuing to pursue school choice for families, protecting natural resources such as water and wildlife and reducing state and local regulations, which he said will help raise wages and lower housing costs.
“If affordable housing is important in your part of the state, speak out against costly planning and zoning decisions and the arbitrary use of impact fees for revenue,” Oliva said. “If we are truly committed to raising wages, we must challenge the endless taking of hard-earned wages through taxes, fees, surcharges, assessments and the like. If you want people to have more, begin by taking less.”
It was also clear new House Minority Leader Kionne McGhee, D-Miami, didn’t exactly share those priorities. McGhee said, in part, lawmakers should push to expand Medicaid for about 800,000 people in Florida; teacher salaries should be “at least be $50,000 per year;” and the state needs a workforce act that protects members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
At the other end of the Capitol’s fourth floor, Galvano gave an organization-session speech that largely stayed away from detailed policy issues, though he said the Senate over the next two years will “build on our past decisions to keep taxes low, regulations reasonable and to set aside ample reserves, while making smart investments in essential government services.”
Both leaders also signaled they want to restore some calm after the elections.
Galvano told the Senate, where Republicans hold a 23-17 edge, there is little he can do “to stem the tide of modern-day incivility that has become so pervasive in an era of social media and the 24-hour news cycle.”
“But I can tell you that while I am serving as Senate president, the Florida Senate will have civility, transparency, candor and opportunity, including an opportunity for the people of Florida to be heard,” Galvano said.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The results of the 2018 elections were finalized, with Republican Gov. Rick Scott unseating longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I stand before you as a Hispanic speaker of the Florida House. I know what our party represents, and during my entire time in the Florida House I have not abided by the type of partisanship that sets one person against the other because of what jersey they are wearing. I decide if I’m with someone based on their ideas and ideology.” — new House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida