Two Rescued After Flood Waters Isolate Cantonment Neighborhood (With Gallery)
September 5, 2018
Several Escambia County agencies rescued two residents of a Cantonment neighborhood cut off by rising flood waters Wednesday afternoon, including a resident that suffered a medical emergency.
Crews from Escambia Fire Rescue, the ECFR Special Operations team, Escambia EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office took part in the operation on Ashbury Lane off Highway 297A. There were 14 homes isolated by water across Ashbury Lane.
For a photo gallery, click here.
ECFR Special Ops launched an inflatable raft, and the Sheriff’s Office used their high water rescue vehicle to cross into the neighborhood. The flood waters were estimated to be six-feet deep.
Escambia County Chief Deputy Chip Simmons and Maj. Andrew Hobbs responded with the high water vehicle.
“We responded when our high water vehicle was requested,” Hobbs said. “We took the high water vehicle across and transported two people back over.
The vehicle was also used to transport medication back to another resident isolated by the flood waters.
Officials went door to door offering assistance, but only one other resident decided to leave the neighborhood.
Gulf Power also assisted because a ground-level pad transformer was under the water crossing the road.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Courtesy and NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
TS Gordon: Thomas Discusses Decision To Open Escambia Schools Wednesday
September 5, 2018
Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said Wednesday morning that the decision to open schools today was based upon the best information available at the time.
“I did not expect what we had this morning when I got up,” he told NorthEscambia.com. “You make a decision on the best information you have.”
And Thomas said that information relayed Tuesday afternoon by weather experts and emergency managers called for Tropical Storm Gordon to move faster, drop much less rain and have fewer wind impacts than actually materialized during the early morning hours.
“It’s easy to Monday morning quarterback,” he said. “I would have canceled (for Wednesday) if I had known. This one did not play out like any of them expected.”
“We use the best information we have. In 10 years years looking back, this is the one time I wish I had back. I’m not blaming anybody at the end of the day….I regret it. I’m sick we exposed students and staff to it.”
He said once the decision was made Tuesday to open schools on Wednesday, it is hard to turn back and make a last minute cancellation because many bus drivers and the school day process are already “getting in gear’ at 4:00 to 4:30 a.m.
Attendance was down significantly at school across the county, he said, adding that all absences on Wednesday will be excused.
“Parents that kept their students at home did what they thought they should have; they made the right call,” he said.
All schools had electric power Wednesday morning, and any indoor after-school activities or sports will continue at the discretion of school leaders.
Thomas said schools were closed on Tuesday because the best forecast information for Monday called for 40-45 mph winds in Escambia County – a huge issue for a high profile vehicle like a school bus. But the forecast for this morning did not.
“We have almost zero wind this morning, and we go to school in light and moderate rain, but I’m not downplaying what we had during the early morning.”
Thomas said he did not anticipate an early release Wednesday because that creates problems for parents and childcare.
“Now that they are in school, they are safer where they are,” Thomas said. “When we have one of these storms in the middle of the night, in the future, we will take the next day off and burn it.”
File photo.
Tropical Storm Gordon Claims Life Of Child In Escambia County
September 5, 2018
Tropical Storm Gordon has claimed the life of a child in Escambia County .
At about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, a large tree fell on a mobile home in the 4000 block of West Bobe Street in West Pensacola.
Escambia County emergency crews arrived on scene at 8:48 p.m. to find a very large oak tree limb on the back of the home. EMS crews confirmed one pediatric fatality. The identify and age of the child have not been released.
No others were injured..
First responders remained on scene performing extraction and working to remove portions of the tree for hours.
Pictured: A child died in Escambia County Tuesday night when a tree limb fell into a mobile home. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Restores Thousands With Help; All EREC Power Back On
September 5, 2018
Tens of thousands of people in Escambia and Santa Rosa County lost power during Tropical Storm Gordon.
Early Wednesday morning, Gulf Power reported 15,830 customers in Escambia County and 489 in Santa Rosa County without power late Tuesday night. Escambia River Electric Cooperative reported power outages for 1,556 customers in Escambia County and 2,084 in Santa Rosa County. For EREC, the outage represented about one-third of all customers.
By noon, Gulf Power had restored power for over 14,000 customers. Gulf Power reported outages for 2,029 customers in Escambia County and 563 in Santa Rosa. EREC had restored serviced for over 3,600 customers, reporting all customers in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties had power.
“Our crews are working throughout the night to restore power after Gordon. They are working as quickly and safely as possible,” Gulf Power posted on social media about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Pictured: Georgia Power crews roll into Molino Wednesday morning to help Gulf Power restore power in across the area. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Is In Session Today In Escambia And Santa Rosa Counties
September 5, 2018
UPDATE: TS Gordon: Thomas Discusses Decision To Open Escambia Schools Wednesday
Public schools are in session Wednesday in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, and classes will be held at Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Northview And Flomaton Bands, Cheerleaders And Fans
September 5, 2018
For a NorthEscambia.com bonus photo gallery featuring the bands, cheerleaders and fans from Northview and Flomaton high school, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Reschedules Hearing On $475 Million Budget
September 5, 2018
The Escambia County Board of Commissioners rescheduled the first of two budget hearings to discuss approval of their $475 million proposed Fiscal Year 2018-2019 budget.
The meeting, which was rescheduled from Tuesday due to Tropical Storm Gordon, will now be held Monday, September 10 at 5:31 p.m. A second meeting will be held on Monday, September 17 at 5:31 p.m. Two public hearings are required to adopt the millage rate for property taxation and the budget for Fiscal Year 2018-19.
The board certified the millage rate for publication purposes at 6.6165 for the county-wide millage rate, .3590 for the Library Municipal Services Taxing Unit and .6850 for the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Municipal Services Taxing Unit. All proposed rates represent no change in the millage levies from the prior year.
New County Corrections Boss Now On The Job
September 5, 2018
Tuesday was the first day on the job for William R. Powell, Escambia County’s new director of Corrections. He responsibilities include oversight of the Escambia County Jail, Community Corrections Division and Road Prison
Powell joined Escambia County from Orlando where he served as correctional major at the Orange County Corrections Department.
In his previous job, Powell directed and managed the general operation of seven facilities with an average population of over 3,500 inmates. Powell was responsible for the security operations division, which provides direction and management of the general operation of all correctional facilities in Orange County, Florida. His responsibilities included staff management, development and implementation of policies and procedures, fiscal management, care, custody and control of inmate environments to ensure compliance with all federal, state, county and department regulations.
Prior to serving as a correctional major, Powell served as the chief of the prisoner administration and security sections of the Joint Forces European Army Confinement Facility from 1998 to 2004. He also served in the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1998 as a nuclear surety military policeman, desk sergeant patrol operator, confinement supervisor, maximum security shift supervisor and field recruiter.
Powell obtained a Master of Human Relations degree from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Criminal Justice and a Master of Management from Troy University. He is a Certified Jail Manager with the American Jail Association and a Certified Corrections Executive with the American Correctional Association.
Powell was selected from a pool of 86 applicants for the director of corrections position after a thorough selection process.
The selection committee of Escambia County Administrator Jack Brown, Escambia County Assistant Administrator Matt Coughlin, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chip Simmons, First Judicial Circuit Trial Court Administrator Robin Wright, Orange County Corrections Department Chief Cornita A. Riley, and Florida Sheriff’s Association Jail Services Coordinator Isaiah Dennard narrowed the list down to five finalists, ranking Powell as the top candidate.
Gordon Makes Landfall
September 5, 2018
Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall just below hurricane strength Tuesday night just west of the Alabama-Mississippi border, claiming one life in Escambia County.
A child was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home [click here for more].
Tropical storm-force winds and heavy downpours battered Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, downing trees and power lines. Thousands of residents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties lost power as a result [read more].
A confirmed tornado was reported by the National Weather Service near Pea Ridge in Santa Rosa County. There were no immediate reports of any tornado-related damage.
Here is your official forecast for Wednesday:
Today: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Steady temperature around 77. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Running Mate Picks Could Have Little Effect For DeSantis, Gillum In November
September 5, 2018
Gubernatorial candidates Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum must pick their running mates by a Thursday deadline.
Based on recent political history, you can expect the candidates to bring some demographic and geographic diversity to the general-election tickets with their selections for lieutenant governor.
But while rumors and speculation swirl about who might be tapped by DeSantis and Gillum, history has also shown the lieutenant-governor candidates are not likely to have much impact on the outcome of what will be one of the highest-profile elections in the nation this fall.
The primary duty of the Florida lieutenant governor, a post that was re-established in 1968, is to succeed the governor if he or she is incapacitated or dies.
That transition last happened in December 1998, when Gov. Lawton Chiles died and Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay became governor, filling the office for the last month of Chiles’ two-term administration.
Talking to reporters after his primary-election victory, DeSantis, the Republican nominee, said his “first criteria” in selecting a running mate would be to find someone who could step in as governor if necessary.
A secondary consideration would be someone who could help him “advance an agenda” and perhaps have expertise on “certain niche issues,” DeSantis said.
“I don’t really necessarily just want somebody hanging around. I want them to be actively involved,” DeSantis said. “So I’m going to be looking for someone who can be value-added, not just in the election but once you become governor and are working to implement an agenda.”
Gillum, the Democratic nominee, will look at similar criteria, and both campaigns are likely weighing running mates that will broaden or balance the appeal of their tickets.
For instance, in the last gubernatorial election in 2014, both candidates had running mates from Miami-Dade County, which with 1.4 million voters has the largest county electorate in the state.
Both 2014 gubernatorial nominees also had Hispanic running mates, with Gov. Rick Scott and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera running as Republicans against Democrat Charlie Crist and his running mate, Annette Taddeo, who is now a state senator.
Another consideration in the process is the long-held mantra from political consultants that the selection of a lieutenant governor should “first do no harm.” That means the potential running mates must be well-vetted to avoid controversies that could damage the general-election ticket.
Missteps by a lieutenant governor have not seriously damaged a gubernatorial candidate in recent elections. But governors and candidates have parted ways with their running mates.
The last time came when Scott forced Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, the first African-American elected to the office, to resign in 2013 after she became embroiled in the investigation of a group linked to internet cafes. She was never charged with any wrongdoing. Scott picked Lopez-Cantera to replace her.
But lieutenant governors can also help governors. MacKay played a key role in the Chiles administration. And Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, a former Senate president, helped Gov. Jeb Bush navigate the legislative process during his second term.
Aside from the two major parties, Darcy Richardson, running for governor as a Reform Party candidate, has picked former state Sen. Nancy Argenziano as his running mate.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida