Lockdown Lifted At All Florida Prisons
August 21, 2017
The Florida Department of Corrections announced Monday morning that normal operations have resumed at all prisons, including Century Correctional and Santa Rosa Correctional institutions. The announcement follows a statewide partial lockdown that started last week and cancellation of weekend visitations at all major institutions, work camps and annex facilities.
“We made a planned, strategic decision to take proactive action to uphold our mission to protect public safety and keep our staff and inmates safe. I am confident the measures taken were not only necessary but effective. I am incredibly proud of our team across the Department for joining together to enhance the safety of our facilities and prevent any major disturbances from taking place,” said FDC Secretary Julie Jones.
The lockdown was “in response to credible intelligence indicating that small groups of inmates at several institutions may attempt to disrupt FDC operations and impact safety and security,” according to a department release.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Fannie Road: Naked Woman Delays Drivers In Century
August 21, 2017
A naked woman delayed the morning commute for several drivers in Century Monday morning. The woman was reportedly running around Fannie Road naked. After Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies and firemen from Century and Flomaton were able to catch her, she was transported by ambulance to an area hospital for evaluation. NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos by Trina Coburn, click to enlarge.
Highway 4 Delays Tuesday In Century
August 21, 2017
The Florida Department of Transportation says drivers can expect delays Tuesday in Century on East Highway 4.
Crews will perform underground utility work between the CSX railroad crossing and Old Flomaton Road resulting in a westbound lane restriction from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Drivers are reminded to use caution when traveling through the construction zone, and to pay attention for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work area. All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
One Injured In 9 1/2 Mile Road Crash
August 21, 2017
One person was injured in a single vehicle crash early Sunday evening on 9 1/2 Mile Road and Edendale Lane. The driver apparently lost control of their Subaru, ran off the roadway, struck a culvert and overturned. The driver was transport by ambulance to an area hospital for treatment. NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Urban School Districts Helped At Expense Of Rural Districts?
August 21, 2017
Two Republican senators havey requested a study of a long-controversial part of Florida’s school-funding formula, arguing it helps urban school districts at the expense of suburban and rural districts.
Senate Education Chairwoman Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, and Sen. Travis Hutson, R-Elkton, sent a letter to Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, seeking a study of what is known as the “district cost differential.”
That part of the school-funding formula takes into account costs of living in different parts of the state and has repeatedly spurred legislative debates over the years. In the letter, Hukill and Hutson said, in part, that the so-called DCD has the effect of reducing money allotted to some school districts while increasing money going to other districts.
They requested that the Legislature’s Office of Economic & Demographic Research and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability “conduct a study of the DCD and provide recommendations on what factors are used to determine the DCD, what the appropriate formula should be, how allocations should be distributed among the school districts, are there alternatives to the DCD, and whether the DCD should be eliminated.”
by The News Service of Florida
Mississippi Downs Wahoos 3-2 On Walk-off Single
August 21, 2017
Thanks to first baseman Gavin LaValley, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos tied the game 2-2 in the top of the ninth inning.
LaValley smacked a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in right fielder Gabriel Guerrero but the Mississippi Braves loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and shortstop Dylan Moore delivered a single to right field that scored pinch runner Joey Meneses to give the Braves a, 3-2, victory Sunday at Trustmark Park.
Pensacola won the five-game series, 3-2.
The Blue Wahoos fell to 26-29 in the second half in the Southern Division and the first half champions are 66-59 overall this season. Meanwhile, Mississippi improved to 16-37 in the second half and 50-73 overall.
For the second game in a row, Pensacola’s bats betrayed them. They were hitting .294 and averaging 8.5 runs a game but only earned four hits Sunday, after earning three the day before.
Mississippi righty Wes Parsons threw seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits, a walk and striking out six Pensacola batters.
The Braves led 2-0 when he left the game scoring a run in the second inning when second baseman Travis Demeritte doubled, his 17th of the year, to score left fielder Jared James, who had hit his sixth triple of the season, which tied him for third in the Southern League.
In the sixth inning, Mississippi scored the second time when third baseman Austin Riley singled on a ground ball to center field that drove in right fielder Tyler Neslony.
Pensacola finally scored in the eighth inning when second baseman Alberti Chavez grounded into a double play that scored center fielder Jonathan Reynoso from third base to pull the Blue Wahoos within, 2-1.
Starting for Pensacola Sunday was right-hander Jose Lopez who pitched six innings, allowed two runs on five hits and no walks and struck out six. He didn’t factor in the decision and is 7-1 with a 2.50 ERA.
Pensacola closer Zack Weiss, who has nine saves for Pensacola, blew his third save opportunity and earned the loss to fall to 2-3 with a 3.93 ERA. He gave up two hits and walked one in 0.2 innings of relief.
Local Unemployment Falls Slightly
August 21, 2017
The latest job numbers show the employment rate falling slightly in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Escambia County’s seasonably adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent in July, down slightly from 4.4 percent in June. There were 6,195 people reported unemployed during the period. One year ago, unemployment in Escambia County was 5.2 percent.
“Over the last year, more than 3,000 jobs were created for Pensacola families, which is great news. Our commitment to keeping taxes low has played a major role in turning around our economy and we will continue to fight to cut additional taxes and keep taxes low for generations to come,” Gov. Rick Scott said Friday.
The industries with the highest growth over the year in Pensacola were leisure and hospitality with 1,500 new jobs and professional and business services with 1,000 new jobs. The Pensacola area had 5,195 job openings in July, including 1,712 openings for high-skill, high-wage STEM occupations.
Santa Rosa County’s unemployment rate was at 4.2 percent in July, down from 4.2 percent in June. Santa Rosa County had a total of 3,281 persons still unemployed. The year-ago unemployment rate in Santa Rosa County was 4.9 percent.
Florida’s unemployment rate remained unchanged from June to July, holding at 4.1 percent, as the state reported a slight decline in the number of people working. The latest estimates, released by the state Department of Economic Opportunity, reflected about 411,000 Floridians out of work in July from a workforce of 10.1 million.
The state unemployment rate remains below the national rate of 4.3 percent. The state agency estimated a drop of 24,000 people in the overall workforce from June to July, while the number of people out of work fell by 9,000. Gov. Rick Scott used the monthly data release to say the state has created 1.4 million jobs since he took office, doubling a pledge from his 2010 campaign.
The jobless numbers released by the state do not include persons that have given up on finding a job and are no longer reported as unemployed.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Davis Highway Crash Claims Life Of Motorcyclist
August 20, 2017
A motorcyclist was killed in a crash on Davis Highway early Saturday evening..
The Florida Highway Patrol said 57-year old Tony Isaac of Pensacola was traveling east on Davis Highway approaching Smiths Fish Camp Road on a 2014 Harley. That’s when a 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by 27-year Jacquina McCall of Pensacola changed lanes into his path.
Isaac took evasive action, swerving into a turn lane. He collided with a 2013 Dodge Avenger driven by 60-year old Deborah Brown of Pensacola. Isaac was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Brown and McCall were not injured.
Any charges are pending the outcome of a FHP investigation.
Cantonment’s Historic Champion Golf Course Closes
August 20, 2017
The historic Champion Golf Course in Cantonment has closed, but the owners hope for a reopening.
The 9-hole public course at Highway 29 and Muscogee Road is owned by International Paper and was leased to an independent operator that requested to end his lease, according to Whitney Fike, spokesperson for IP.
“The company intends to find another operator to reopen the golf course. Since this could take some time, we ask for your patience on this matter. International Paper is committed to being a great neighbor in the communities where we live and work,” Fike said.
The facility includes a practice range, putting green and practice bunker.
The course was listed in the Florida Department of State’s “Florida Heritage Trail” series. According to the Panhandle Historic Preservation Alliance, the Champion Golf Course opened in 1941, the same year the paper mill then known as the Pensacola Mill opened. The Pensacola Mill became a wholly owned subsidiary of the St. Regis Paper Company in 1946 and merged with St. Regis in 1949. Champion International Corporation and St. Regis merged in 1984, and International Paper acquired Champion in 2000.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Eclipse Will Impact Gulf Power Solar Generation, But No Service Disruptions
August 20, 2017
Gulf Power says customers can enjoy viewing a partial eclipse without worrying about any disruption in service caused by the eclipse.
“Even though our solar arrays are online, there will be no impact in service to customers from the solar eclipse because of our balanced energy mix that includes renewables like wind and solar, but also 24/7 energy sources like natural gas and low-cost, cleaner-than-ever coal,” said Rick DelaHaya, Gulf Power spokesperson.
There will be minimum impact, according to DelaHaya, from the loss of solar generation at the new Gulf Coast Solar Center thanks to the adequate reserves of other generation fuels on hand to handle the temporary darkness.
“Gulf Power customers will not experience any energy problems because of the eclipse,” added DelaHaya “We will have plenty of 24/7 clean, low-cost reliable energy on hand to handle the demands of our customers.”
The Gulf Coast Solar Center is part of Gulf Power’s robust energy mix, and spans 940 acres across three Navy and Air Force sites in Northwest Florida, generating 120 megawatts of electricity from 1.5 million photovoltaic solar panels, enough energy to power nearly 18,000 homes each year across Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties.
“With the energy needs of our customers covered, we encourage everyone to take advantage of this rare opportunity to witness the first solar eclipse to travel coast-to-coast in almost 100 years,” added DelaHaya. “This is a rare event that won’t happen again until 2045.”
In the Gulf Power service footprint, the partial eclipse begins around noon and reaches maximum coverage of 82 percent between 1:37 p.m. in Pensacola and 1:39 p.m. in Panama City. It ends at 3:03 p.m. in Pensacola and 3:05 p.m. in Panama City.
Pictured Gulf Power employees James Craven and Rick DeleHaya are ready for Monday’s solar eclipse with their ISO 12312-2 standard viewing glasses. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.