Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
January 13, 2025
Ransom Middle School recently named their November-December Students of the Month. They are Vida Moreno and Dorian Fuller, both eighth graders. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
These Are This Week’s Road Construction Traffic Delay Hotspots
January 13, 2025
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:
- North Palafox Street (U.S. 29) Resurfacing from Cervantes Street to Brent Lane (State Road (S.R.) 296) – The week of Jan. 12, drivers may encounter intermittent daytime lane closures on North Palafox Street, from Cervantes Street to Brent Lane, as crews perform paving operations.
- Interstate Circle Bridge Over Eight Mile Creek Construction – Interstate Circle is closed at the Eight Mile Creek Bridge through mid-2025 while crews replace the bridge. Signage is in place to detour drivers around the work zone using Pine Forest Road, Longleaf Drive and Wymart Road.
- Interstate 10 (I-10) at Nine Mile Road Interchange (Exit 5) Construction – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions Sunday, Jan. 12 through Thursday, Jan. 16, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.:
- Intermittent I-10 inside lane closures near the Nine Mile Road interchange.
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- Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction between the I-10 ramps. Law enforcement will be on site, and directional signage will be in place to guide drivers through the work zone.
- I-10 at U.S. 29 Interchange (Exit 10) Construction – Drivers will encounter the following construction-related traffic disruptions:
- Sunday, Jan. 12 through Thursday, Jan. 16, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. the I-10 eastbound outside travel lane will be closed intermittently between mile markers 8 and 10 as crews place barrier wall.
- North Palafox Street, between Hope Drive and Whitehead Drive, will have intermittent daytime lane closures. Signage will be in place to direct drivers safely through the work zone.
- I-10 between U.S. 29 and I-110, is reduced to two travel lanes in each direction.
- The U.S. 29 northbound ramp to I-10 eastbound is closed. U.S. 29 northbound drivers are being detoured to make a U-turn at Broad Street onto U.S. 29 southbound to access I-10 eastbound.
- A new temporary on-ramp for U.S. 29 southbound drivers accessing I-10 eastbound is now open. Detouring traffic to the temporary ramp will allow crews to continue work to reconstruct the I-10/U.S. 29 interchange.
- U.S. 29 (North Century Boulevard) Resurfacing between S.R. 4 and the Alabama State Line – Drivers on North Century Boulevard, between S.R. 4 and the Alabama State Line, may encounter intermittent lane closures for paving operations. Signage will be in place to direct drivers safely through the work zone.
- S.R. 295 Routine Bridge Maintenance over U.S. 90 Overpass – Motorists will encounter intermittent northbound lane closures Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- S.R. 295 Routine Bridge Maintenance over U.S. 90 Overpass – Motorists will encounter intermittent southbound lane closures Wednesday, Jan. 15 from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- U.S. 90 Routine Bridge Maintenance over Marcus Creek – Motorists will encounter intermittent east and westbound lane closures east of S.R. 296 Wednesday, Jan. 15 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- U.S. 29 Routine Bridge Maintenance over Mitchell Creek – Motorists will encounter intermittent northbound lane closures north of S.R. 97 Thursday, Jan. 16 from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- I-10 Routine Utility Maintenance near U.S. 29 (Exit 10A and 10B) – Motorists will encounter intermittent westbound lane closures Thursday, Jan. 16 from 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. for routine utility maintenance.
Santa Rosa County:
- U.S. 90 Resurfacing from west of Avalon Boulevard to east of Stewart Street – Drivers may encounter intermittent U.S. 90 lane closures, between Avalon Boulevard and Stewart Street, Sunday, Jan. 12 through Thursday, Jan. 16, from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., for milling and paving operations.
- U.S. 90 Bridge Replacement over Simpson River – Drivers on westbound U.S. 90 may encounter intermittent lane closures over the Simpson River Bridge, Sunday, Jan. 12 through Thursday, Jan. 16 between 8 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. as crews perform shoulder work. Drivers are reminded that the speed limit is 35 mph through the work zone.
- U.S. 98 Widening from Bayshore Road to Portside Drive – Motorists will encounter the following traffic impacts:
- Median and turn-lane closures from Bayshore Road to Tiger Lake Drive.
- Intermittent lane closures and additional median closures between Bayshore Road and Tiger Lake Drive, Sunday, Jan. 12, through Friday, Jan. 17, from 9 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. for stormwater drainage improvements and paving operations.
- Beginning Monday, Jan. 13, motorists will encounter a new traffic configuration on S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) as lanes will be shifted slightly west to allow the contractor to perform permanent widening activities on the east side of the roadway.
- S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) Routine Bridge Maintenance over Garcon Point Bridge – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures Monday, Jan. 13 through Friday, Jan. 17 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- U.S. 98 Routine Bridge Maintenance at the ramp to S.R. 399 – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures Sunday, Jan. 12 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
- S.R. 281 Routine Bridge Maintenance over Mulatto Bayou – Motorists will encounter intermittent lane closures north of I-10 Monday, Jan. 13 from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. for routine bridge maintenance.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Florida Gas Prices Break Even On The Week
January 13, 2025
Florida gas prices continue to yo-yo up and down. The state average went from $3.11 per gallon down to $3.06 mid-week, only to bounce right back up to $3.11/g by Sunday.
In Escambia County, the average was at $2.82 Sunday. In North Escambia, a low of $2.78 was available at a station on Muscogee Road. In Pensacola, a low price of $2.57 was at a station on Eat Nine Mile Road.
“Fuel prices have cycled within the same range for the past couple months, but a recent oil price hike threatens to bring upward pressure on prices at the pump,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Oil prices rose to multi-month highs on winter weather woes and U.S. sanctions on Russian petroleum. This could place upward pressure on prices at the pump.”
Ice Flyers Rally In Final Period Falls Short In Weekend Series Loss To Macon
January 13, 2025
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers correspondent
A weekend that began Friday for the Ice Flyers with such promise unfortunately ended with familiar frustration.
For the second straight night, the Macon Mayhem seized control of the game in the second period and Sunday held on for a 3-2 win against the Ice Flyers at the Pensacola Bay Center to claim the three-game series in three days between the teams.
“I feel bad for the guys,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham. “I thought they deserved a better outcome. I felt we out-chanced them and outplayed them, but again they were opportunistic with their chances.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Ice Flyers pelted Macon goaltender Dysen Skinner with 43 shots on goal, outshooting the Mayhem 43-29, but after giving up three second-period goals, the Ice Flyers couldn’t get an equalizer.
“For us it has been about scoring timely goals the whole season,” Graham said. “It doesn’t matter who is the lineup, who’s not, we get great chances and we just can’t find a way to put the puck in the net. I thought their goalie made some unbelievable saves in the third (period).”
The Ice Flyers opened with this trio of games with a 3-1 win at Macon on Friday. They were tied 1-1 after the first intermission Saturday, but Macon again scored three unanswered goals and won that game 5-1. On Sunday, a chance to finish the weekend by netting a two-point gain on Macon in the standings went awry.
The Ice Flyers (8-19, 3 OT losses) are now five points behind Macon and mired in the bottom of the Southern Professional Hockey League standings. The Ice Flyers will host fourth-place Fayetteville for three straight games beginning Friday at the Bay Center.
“There’s no excuses anymore. We are not proud of what the results have been,” said Ice Flyers defenseman and team captain Jake Hamilton. “Even if the effort is great, it’s not enough. We have to have wins.
“We’ve got to find a way to go the full 60 (minutes),” he said. “I feel like we outplayed Macon most of the game, but we’re not getting that puck luck.
“And honestly as a group I don’t think we’re desperate enough. All of us need to block more shots and we’re missing that last little bit of desperation to truly have that winning culture.”
Trailing 3-1 after two periods, the Ice Flyers got a lift when Michael Herrera scored less than five minutes into the third period. The Ice Flyers outshot Macon 15-5 in this period, just missing on several chances.
But any hope the Ice Flyers had of getting an extra attacker on the ice in the final minutes ended when Jonathan Bartuccio-Periera was whistled for a major (5 minute) boarding penalty that caused injury with 2:09. The Ice Flyers pulled goalie Brody Claeys with 1:06 remaining, but that only meant an even strength situation.
To their credit, the Ice Flyers generated two scoring chances despite the adverse circumstances.
“We put a face-off play on. and we still ended up getting Herrera — our best skater on the breakaway — so we got a scoring chance out of that,” said Graham, referring to Herrera’s chance from the side thwarted by Skinner.
“And Cayden Cahill, when we got (Claeys) pulled, he gets a Grade-A look and just missed it high and right, so we were still able to get two amazing scoring chances in that situation.”
The two back-to-back losses followed two consecutive road wins that had the Ice Flyers feeling they were on way to building a surge.
“We got three home games this week,” Graham said. “We have a tough opponent coming in. There are no easy games this year for the Ice Flyers until we find a consistent way of playing hockey.”
A quick recap:
FIRST PERIOD
The Ice Flyers Greg Susinski scored his first professional goal with 1:47 left in the period. He was in perfect position on a kick-save rebound from teammate Cahill’s slapshot inside the blue line and wristed the puck in the open net.
The teams were tied 9-9 on shots and there was only one penalty whistled.
SECOND PERIOD
Macon tied the game just 1:51 into the period on a breakaway finished by Hugo Koch, following a great pass on his stick from teammate Justin Kelly.
Ten minutes later, Justin Kelley rifled a shot past Clayes from outside the faceoff circle that traveled through some raised sticks.
“I don’t know if that second goal was a high stick,” Graham said. “We all feel like we got hosed in that situation, and we didn’t handle the adversity well after that and that’s how they got the third goal.”
The third goal was scored with just 1:56 left in the period on a shot through traffic.
THIRD PERIOD
Five minutes into the period the Ice Flyers had two chances in a scramble in the crease area. A Macon player moved in and blocked two shots with Skinner away from area.
Later in the period, Doug Elgstam was robbed on a deflection on a rush to the net situation that Skinner toward.
The late penalty then gave Macon its own power play of the third period.
“It was tough to see BP (Bartuccio-Pereira) get that five-minute major at the end,” Graham said. “We really felt like if we could get the goalie pulled, that we had the momentum, we really liked our chances on what we were doing, but it wasn’t in the cards.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Fayetteville Marksmen vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Friday through Sunday. Friday-Saturday games start at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center.
Northview High Names Students Of The Month
January 12, 2025
Northview High School recently named their Students of the Month for December. They are Asher Creighton and Evelyn Fernandez-Esparza, pictured with Principal Michael Sherrill. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Registrations Continue For Spring Season At Molino, NWE, Century, NEP
January 12, 2025
Registration is continuing for the spring seasons at the Century, NWE, Molino and NEP ballparks. As teams fill, the leagues are creating waiting lists for additional teams.
Molino Ballpark
Registration from the spring 2025 season will continue through January 25 for the Molino Ballpark. Register early — once a division is filled, prospective players will be placed on a waitlist.
Register at molinoballpark.com.
Draft will be January 27 – January 31, 2025. Practice being February 3, and opening day will be Saturday, March 8.
Northwest Escambia
Registration is underway for all new and returning players ages 4-16 through January 18 for Northwest Escambia in Walnut Hill. Cost is $100 for the first child, $75 for each additional child. $23 is due at registration with the remainder due on January 18. Opening day is March 29. Registration is on a first come, first served basis. The maximum number for an age group is reached, there will be waitlists for additional teams.
NWE offers:
- T-ball for ages 4-6
- Baseball for ages 7-16
- Softball for ages 7-16
Register at nwebaseball.com.
Century Baseball
The Century Baseball Association will be sanctioned with USSSA Alabama for the 2025 Spring season, allowing boys to have mid-season tournament as does softball. It also adds a 14U division. Softball will remain with GCGSA.
The registration fee is $95 and $75 for each additional player. Wee ball registration is $45. Uniforms not included.
Register at their website. Registration ends February 3.
NEP Baseball and Softball
Registration is underway for NEP baseball and softball at the park on Nine Mile Road through February 2 with late registration February 3-5. Baseball draft is February 8, and softball draft is February 9. Opening day will be March 8.
Register at their website.
FWC Law Enforcement Report: Hunting And Fishing Violations
January 12, 2025
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following recent activity:
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Cushing was conducting a fisheries inspection on a recreational vessel near Bayou Texar. Upon inspection one individual was found to be over the bag limit of blue crabs and many of the crabs were taken by gigging, which is a prohibited method. Appropriate law enforcement action was taken.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer R. Corbin observed two individuals return from duck hunting and proceeded to conduct a resource inspection. The subjects had harvested one bufflehead. Neither individual had a valid federal duck stamp and it was discovered one subject was using a shotgun capable of holding more than three rounds. Both individuals were issued citations for hunting without a federal duck stamp and for the unplugged shotgun.
Officer R. Corbin observed a vehicle parked on a closed road with a dog off leash at Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. After instructing the subject to leash the dog and informing him about the closed road, the subject refused to identify himself. After instructing the subject several times to identify himself the officer attempted to handcuff the subject, and the subject evaded the officer and resisted without violence. The officer then arrested and charged the subject for resisting without violence and obstructing or interfering with an FWC officer. The subject was also issued citations for driving on a closed road and having a dog off leash in the WMA. The subject was transported to the Santa Rosa County Jail.
Officer Land observed a camouflaged boat with three individuals dressed in camo and wearing chest waders approaching the boat ramp. Officer Land conducted a resource inspection on the vessel, which contained duck decoys and shotguns. The subjects said they had not shot anything. Officer Land asked to inspect the subjects’ shotguns and the vessel operator admitted his gun was not plugged. Officer Land inspected the firearm and found it was capable of holding more than three shells, which is not legal when hunting migratory birds. Officer Land found the subject had been previously cited for the same offense and issued the subject a notice to appear for the violation.
Officer Brown was on patrol conducting resource and license inspections at local fishing spots when he observed an individual fishing. The subject stated he did not have any fish. Officer Brown located an undersized red drum in the subject’s cooler. The subject was cited accordingly.
This report represents some events the FWC handled during the time period; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Escambia Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector Sworn In Last Week
January 12, 2025
Three Escambia County elected officials took their oaths of office last week.
Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons, Property Appraiser Gary “Bubba” Peters, and Tax Collector Scott Lunsford were sworn in during separate ceremonies.
Peters ran for election, and Lunsford and Simmons ran for reelection without opposition.
Swearing in ceremonies were also held last week in Century.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pine Meadow Elementary Students Enjoy Week of Roy Hyatt Science Adventures
January 11, 2025
Students at Pine Meadow Elementary School had a week of science adventures with the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center.
Fifth graders participated in the Infinitely “Big! Infinitely Small! Program!” after starting their day crawling into the planetarium and taking off into the infinitely big solar system. While in space they explored the moon, planets, constellations, the sun, and much more. After landing back on Earth the young scientists headed to the microscope room where they studied the flow of energy through an aquatic habitat. They used microscopes to see infinitely small microorganisms eating other microorganisms – a food chain occurring in a drop of water right in front of them. Finally these adventurers had the opportunity to meet Slither, one of the center’s Florida kingsnake animal ambassadors up close and personal.
Ms. Molly and Roy Hyatt’s Eastern screech owl ambassador June Bug visited first graders at Pine Meadow. June Bug taught them all about the characteristics of birds, why birds need feathers, all about camouflage, vertebrates, carnivores, predators, and more. June Bug then introduced the young scientists to raptors, birds of prey, and how they differ from other birds. Finally, June Bug taught these explorers about owls, including their huge eyes that stare straight ahead and give them great night vision, that they can turn their head almost all the way around (270 degrees), also that they have asymmetrical ears helping them have super hearing. June Bug ended her visit by going around and saying hello to each of the students.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Aims To Make Florida Boating Safer With Free DECKEE App
January 11, 2025
For years, waterway users in Florida have had to juggle multiple sources of information to plan, prepare and navigate safely to enjoy their time on the water. Understanding weather forecasts, finding local boat facilities, official warnings and notices, waterway zones, and safety equipment requirements often required using several apps, websites and publications, leading to uncertainty about where and when to go, what to do and how to fully enjoy a range of water activities safely.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced a new initiative in collaboration with the National Safe Boating Council to pilot interactive safety content through a free mobile app called DECKEE. The app is designed to keep boaters safe and informed. FWC says the DECKEE app unifies everything Florida’s water enthusiasts need for their next day on the water.
Over 1 million boat owners in Florida now have access to the following benefits and safety features in the free DECKEE app:
Plan your next adventure on the water with detailed maps, facility information, official warnings, aids to navigation and community insights.
Access personalized equipment checklists, boating forecasts, regulations and resources from the FWC to ensure you are always ready for the ideal weather window.
Automatically log your activities while on the water and share your live location to give friends and family peace of mind.
The FWC and the National Safe Boating Council will collaborate on the pilot program to seamlessly integrate safety content into the DECKEE app. This will help boaters plan, prepare and enjoy their activities on the water, and gain insight into how the campaigns are influencing overall boater behavior.
The pilot program will introduce a personalized boating forecast targeted to the user’s watercraft and plans, which will give meaning to the information and help users make sense of it.
“Our goal is to create a safer boating environment for everyone in Florida,” said Brian Rewinkel, FWC Boating Safety Education Coordinator. “This pilot program will measure the effectiveness of delivering safety information directly to boaters in an engaging and accessible manner. This initiative represents a significant step forward in our commitment to protecting our waterways and those who enjoy them.”
FWC encourages Florida boaters to explore the new safety capabilities in the free DECKEE app, available from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store