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FHP: Local Residents Should Use Local Roads, Stay Off I-10

Due to heavy hurricane evacuation traffic, the Florida Highway Patrol is asking that local residents use local roadways for travel when possible.  This is in effort to alleviate unnecessary traffic on I-10. Pictured: I-10 westbound just west of I-110 at 5 p.m. Friday. Image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Thomas: Escambia Schools Closed, Many Sporting Events To Continue

Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas has announced that school will be closed on Friday, Sept. 8 and Monday, Sept. 11 to comply with a directive from Governor Rick Scott.

However, all previously scheduled extracurricular activities and sports events will proceed as scheduled this weekend as long as the opposing team’s school district has not cancelled their extracurricular schedule.

“I apologize for the late notice,” said Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “All Escambia County (FL) public schools and offices will be closed tomorrow, Sept. 8 and Monday, Sept. 11th, per the Governor’s directive. We will continue as many of the scheduled sports and extracurricular activities planned for this weekend as possible. However, we realize some school districts may be canceling weekend events as well as school schedules. ”

The Tate vs Gulf Breeze and the Pine Forest vs Pace football games have been cancelled.

Update: Archbishop Rummel at Escambia was announced cancelled as of Friday morning.

These games will continue Friday night at 7:00 p.m.:
Volleyball: F/JV/V Washington at Escambia
Varsity: West Florida at D’Ibervile
Varsity: Northview at South Walton
Varsity: Pensacola at Booker T. Washington

On Saturday:
Volleyball Varsity Aggie Invitational will be held at Tate
West Florida XC Classic will be held at West Florida High, 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Century Correctional Officer Assaulted

A correctional officer was recently assaulted at Century Correctional Institution.

Inmate Andrew Williams assaulted the officer by striking him in the face with a closed fist. Staff responded appropriately, and the inmate was subdued, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

Medical staff examined the officer and noted injuries. Inmate Williams will receive a disciplinary report for the assault.

Williams was serving a 20 year sentence for first degree murder and shooting or throwing a missile into a building or vehicle.

Escambia County Irma Update — Shelter Opening

Mike Hill Looks To Make House Comeback

Former state Rep. Mike Hill, R-Pensacola, has opened a campaign account to try to return to the House in 2018, according to information posted Thursday on the Florida Division of Elections website.

Hill, who was first elected to the House in 2013 but ran unsuccessfully for the Senate last year, plans to run in Escambia County’s House District 1. Rep.

Clay Ingram, R-Pensacola, cannot seek re-election next year in the district because of term limits. During his stint in the House, Hill represented nearby District 2.

Cantonment Republican Rebekah Bydlak and Pensacola Democrat Vikki Garrett also have opened accounts to run for the Ingram seat. Bydlak raised $50,027 for the race in August, according to a finance report posted on the state website.

by The News Service of Florida

Price Gouging Hotline Activated as Hurricane Irma Approaches

Floridians bracing for the pounding winds and rains of powerful Hurricane Irma are complaining at a historic clip about price gouging and shortages of fuel, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday.

“Our phones are blowing up as they have been all night long and continue to do,” Bondi said. “That’s a good thing, because it’s helping us protect you.”

The state’s price-gouging hotline — 1-866-9-NO-SCAM — had received more than 3,000 calls tied to Irma as of Thursday morning, with some 1,100 coming in Wednesday night.

“We’ve never seen our hotline like this in history,” Bondi said. “However, we’ve never seen a storm this bad. This is bigger than Andrew; people have to understand. To people who survived Andrew and people who lost loved ones during Andrew, this is a much bigger storm.”

The majority of the calls have come from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. Most are about inflated prices for food, water and ice, but people are also calling to complain about fuel shortages, Bondi said.

“The worst call I got today, and this was the worst of the worst, was a 24 pack of six-ounce bottles of water, for $72 … $72,” said Martin Green, a call center operator. “That was in Jupiter today.”

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for barrier islands and low-lying mainland areas of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Gov. Rick Scott, who traveled Thursday morning to emergency operations centers in Hialeah and West Palm Beach, activated 3,000 additional members of the Florida National Guard, bringing the number to 4,000. Another 3,000 are to be activated by Friday.

Scott also tweeted a photo of a Florida Highway Patrol car traveling behind a tanker truck on an interstate, noting the FHP is escorting “fuel trucks across FL to ensure supplies are quickly refilled.”

Scott added in a release that he’s been in contact with federal officials, fuel retailers and oil companies to address the demand-created shortages of fuel.

“We have asked fuel companies to identify ships that are in route to our ports so we can arrange military escorts to get them here faster,” Scott said. “To further expedite fuel delivery, I have directed state police to escort fuel trucks to gas stations along evacuation routes.”

Regulations related to truck weights and driver restrictions have been waived for fuel trucks.

To help keep gas stations open longer in evacuation zones, Scott added the state’s offering to arrange police escorts for station employees.

Two Alabama Residents Die In I-10 Crash In Escambia County

Two Fairhope residents were killed in a crash on I-10 in Escambia County.

Timothy A. Ponder, 28, and Kristian L. Richardson, 35, were westbound on I-10 just west of the Highway 90 exit when Ponder ran off the road. The 2017 Kia Forte entered the woodline and struck a large tree. Both Ponder and Richardson died at the scene, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The FHP said the crash occurred sometime  during the night and was not discovered until 8 a.m. Thursday.

The accident remains under investigation by the FHP.

File photo.

Escambia Commission Rejects Jail Bid Protest

Escambia County commissioners voted unanimously  Thursday night to reject a Special Master’s order to revise the bid for the county’s new jail.

Yates Construction lost the bid to Whitesell-Green/Caddell at the beginning of August and filed an informal protest that was rejected. They then filed a formal protest to have a Special Master hear their case.

Special Master John Trawick determined on September 1 that Yates’ protest should be granted. He found that Whitesell-Green/Caddell had material deficiencies in their proposal and it should not have been considered by commissioners.

Yates’ main reason for a protest was over a retention pond. Whitesell-Green/Caddell presented a proposal to county commissioners that showed a retention pond in the area that was designated for future retail space. Yates Construction proposed an expensive underground water storage in that same area. Yates argued that if they would have included a retention pond instead, it would have lowered their bid price by $3.5 million. That would have made them the lowest bidder.

Escambia County Purchasing Manager Paul Nobles upheld the commissioner’s decision to choose Whitesell-Green/Caddell during the informal protest. He said their original proposal submitted back in July complied with the county’s guidelines and that is what he will hold them to, not the changes presented to commissioners.

Commissioner Doug Underhill said they were aware of the deficiencies and it was not a “fatal flaw” when it came time to making a decision. He adds that $3.5 million was not a significant amount given that the project is more than $122 million.

Commissioners Lumon May and Steven Barry agreed that it was disappointing that Whitesell-Green/Caddell changed their proposal during the interview presentation. However, they still believe they had a design that would benefit the county the most.

County Attorney Alison Rogers told commissioners that if they reject the Special Master’s order, Yates Construction has 30 days to appeal in circuit court.

Pictured top: Whitesell-Green/Caddell Joint Venture’s conceptional design for a new Escambia County Jail. Pictured below: W.G. Yates Construction’s design for a new Escambia County Jail. Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Longtime Century Chamber Employee Edna Earl Barnes ‘Retires’

Friday was the last day “on the job” for longtime Century Chamber of Commerce employee and volunteer Edna Earl Barnes.  Most recently, she has worked as employee for just a few hours per month — handling the mail, banking, public notices and other tasks.  Now that Barnes is officially “retired” from the chamber, she said she will continue to serve the Century Chamber of Commerce as a volunteer. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Wahoos One Win Away From Co-Championshp

Pensacola starting pitcher Jose Lopez delivered the second straight eight inning outing for the Blue Wahoos in the Southern League South Division Championship Series.

Behind Lopez’s three-hit, nine-strikeout performance, Pensacola defeated the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, 6-3, Thursday in front of 3,256 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The Blue Wahoos have won the first two games of the playoff and are one game away from becoming the Southern League co-champions.

Lopez’s outing came after Pensacola starting pitcher Deck McGuire threw eight scoreless innings with a career-high 13 strikeouts.

Pensacola manager Pat Kelly called the game Lopez turned out “outstanding,” giving the Blue Wahoos a five game winning streak over Jacksonville.

“It was a really, really tremendous job,” Kelly said. “Deck (McGuire) did great yesterday and he did just as good.”

It was the second playoff appearance for Lopez, who pitched for the Billings Mustangs in 2015 in the Pioneer League playoffs. To add even more pressure, in his past two starts against Jacksonville, Lopez is 0-1 with a 6.59 ERA and lasted 4.2 and 4.0 innings. He allowed six earned runs on eight hits and 10 walks and struck out 11.

“It was just a mental thing,” Lopez said about his first two outings. “It’s fun to win. The playoffs make it a little more special.”

Austin Ross, who is 9-0 with a 1.87 ERA, takes the mound for Pensacola in the third game of the best-of-five series at 1:05 p.m. Friday that is free to fans, who are requested to donate for Hurricane Irma Relief. The Blue Wahoos have come to rely on their starting five this season with the second-best ERA in the Southern League at 3.14.

“I can’t think of a better guy to have on the mound to clinch it,” Kelly said.

Speaking of clutch players, Pensacola left fielder Josh VanMeter clubbed a two-run homer in the seventh inning with center fielder Gabriel Guerrero on base to give Pensacola a 6-1 lead. It was his first in the playoffs and sixth of the season. In the first two playoff games, Van Meter is 7-for-8 with a home run and four RBIs. The utility player also has a double and a stolen base.

“Definitely, this is the time to get hot,” said VanMeter, who hit .375 and drove in 27 runs with two outs and runners in scoring position this year. “I’ve been pretty good in clutch situations. These are the games you live for.”

Kelly said VanMeter’s home run came with all kinds of benefits, such as allowing Pensacola to save Zack Weiss and other relievers for Friday’s game. That’s because reliever Robert Stock gave up a two-run homer in the ninth inning that would have made the game a 4-3 nail biter, instead of a still comfortable 6-3 lead.

“It took the air out of (Jacksonville’s players),” Kelly said. “There are a lot of things involved right there.”

Pensacola first baseman Gavin LaValley launched a high flyball for a two-run home run to right field into Hill-Kelly hill with VanMeter on base to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 2-0, in the second inning. His fourth homer for Pensacola was LaValley’s first since July 7 and 19th this season counting his first half with the High-A Daytona Tortugas.

“That was huge to get a lead on (Jacksonville pitcher Matt) Tomshaw right there,” Kelly said.

Blue Wahoos shortstop Blake Trahan added one more run in the inning when he lined a single to center to drive in Aquino to make the score, 3-0.

Jacksonville rallied with two outs in the third inning to get a run, when center fielder Braxton Lee doubled to left field and left fielder Austin Dean smacked a single to left to drive him in and trail Pensacola, 3-1.

Arismendy Alcantara hit his first home run for Pensacola when he belted a fly ball over the fence to right field to extend the Blue Wahoos lead to, 4-1.

Blue Wahoos co-owner and PGA Tour player Bubba Watson already proved he could motivate the Pensacola ball players when he gave a pep talk before Thursday’s playoff game. Then, the two-time Masters Champion donned the roach costume for the Lewis Critter Gitter Roach Race and looked like he could pinch run, if Pensacola needed him.

“It was pretty cool considering his status and who he is,” VanMeter said. “He is so down to earth. He came in and treated us like he knew us.”

Kelly said Watson’s talk to the players was great.

“I think it means a lot,” Kelly said. “You could see his passion. He loves not only his sport, but he loves our sport, too.”

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