Florida Rejects One-Way Traffic For Evacuations
October 27, 2017
Opening road shoulders to traffic when hurricanes or other disasters threaten Florida will continue to be the primary way to speed evacuations rather than converting all traffic lanes to the same direction.
Michael Dew, secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, told members of the House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness on Thursday that too many safety impediments remain to making highways one-way for evacuees, a process known as “contraflow,” which is used in coastal areas of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
Instead, Florida will continue to use paved shoulders as extra lanes, a process used on northbound Interstate 75 between Wildwood and the Georgia state line and along westbound Interstate 4 from Tampa to Orlando as Irma approached.
“Let me be very clear this morning,” Dew said. “If our research, modeling or traffic-operations data showed that contraflow or one-way operations on highway corridors were safe and effective, we would take whatever actions were necessary to implement such plans.”
An estimated 6.5 million people left their homes as Hurricane Irma approached in early September, a situation that Dew said put “unprecedented” pressure on the state highway system.
Dew said the state looked at different evacuation options after Hurricane Matthew put a strain on the east-west Interstate 10 last year.
“Our research on this issue has shown that one-way operations come with a number of challenges, drawbacks and unintended consequences,” Dew said.
Reversing the direction of half of a highway would require at least two law-enforcement officers at each interchange. It also can only be done during daylight hours and would limit the ability of relief operations and fuel trucks to travel into impacted areas. In addition, it would limit the options for motorists on reversed lanes to exit for fuel, food and lodging due to closed ramps, and would lead to backups where lanes merge as the contraflow comes to an end.
David Casto, the emergency management director in Sumter County, which includes Wildwood, said the use of shoulders by evacuees works but needs some improvements, including public awareness.
“I don’t think the public knew about that plan,” Casto said. “The public didn’t understand when they saw that barrier saying, `Go left, get on this shoulder.’ And then they hit those rumble strips, psychologically something happened. And some of those issues have to be worked on.”
Dew said his department’s future design standards for highways will include emergency shoulder use.
The Department of Transportation estimated that the law-enforcement needs for emergency shoulder use on I-75 would require two officers, while contraflow on the road would take 120 officers from other pre-storm work. Along I-4, the projections are similar.
by Jim Turner, The News Service Florida
Pictured: Alabama officials practice hurricane traffic contraflow at Exit 54 near Poarch. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
WOW Radio Hopes To Return To Air Soon
October 27, 2017
Local Christian radio station WOW 90.9’s main broadcast has been off the air since Sunday night’s storms.
The station had hoped a crew could climb their tower and access the damage today, but they have been delayed by rain until possibly Sunday.
WOW Radio is still on the air in the Pensacola area on 101.1 FM, and is available to listen online at wowradio.org.
WOW 90.9 is a non-commercial radio station that has served South Alabama and Northwest Florida since December 2009.
Century Splash Pad Closed Until Spring
October 27, 2017
The Town of Century splash pad is now closed for the fall and winter season. The splash pad at Showalter Park is expected to reopen in April 2018 for the spring and summer.
Jim Allen Elementary School Names Students Of The Month
October 27, 2017
Jim Allen Elementary School has named Students of the Month for October. They are Maegan Coleman (left) and Eli Langreck. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
North Escambia Roads, Bridges Reopen After Flooding
October 26, 2017
Three North Escambia roads and bridges closed Monday due to flooding have reopened.
The Barrineau Park Road bridge over the Perdido River at the state line, O.C. Phillips Road at Brushy Creek and North Pineville Road near Tullis Road are now all open, according to Escambia County.
Pictured top: A truck was partially submerged Monday in floodwaters on O.C. Phillips Road. Pictured below: Another view of the flooding (after the truck was removed). NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Morgan Fires Back Against Commission Budget Response To Governor
October 26, 2017
The day after the Escambia County Commission answered his budget appeal to the governor, Sheriff David Morgan filed the next round in the budget battle with a YouTube video.
In their budget appeal answer, the county commission criticized Morgan for his use of social media and sites like YouTube to garner public support.
In the video, Morgan said the commission has not addressed “what we believe to be serious deficiencies in the law enforcement budget as it applies to our ability to recruit and retain quality law enforcement officers for the citizens of Escambia County”.
Morgan said he created the video to address some of the points made by the county in their appeal.
“My concern with the appeal that was written by the Board of County Commissioners is so many things are patently false at the very beginning of the appeal.”
Morgan said that a commission statement is not true that said they provided a three percent pay raise for all county employees, including those at the Sheriff’s Office, that might not reach ECSO employees. He said is required to pass along the three percent raise under a collective bargaining agreement.
“So we begin the response to the budget appeal with a misstatement, some would even call it a lie,” the sheriff said. “I am hoping it is just a misstatement.”
The sheriff took issue with a commission claim “lapse dollars”, money left at the end of the budget year, being used for salaries since there’s no guarantee of any lapse funds in the next budget year.
Morgan also blasted the commissions scrutiny of the sheriff’s use of the Law Enforcement Trust Fund (LETF) for contribution to non-profits. In a specific example provided by Morgan, the county said “The sheriff contributed $20,000 for 10 people to attend the “Fore Charity Tee-Off Par-Tee” event.” He said the organization presented a request for the funds, and the golf tournament was complimentary with the contribution, not spent directly on a “gala event”.
“For the Board of County Commissioners to smear not only the Sheriff’s Office in out attempt to contribute to the non-profits in Escambia County but these fine organizations…to say they are taking that money to throw party events is beyond disingenuous. I think it is hateful,” Morgan said.
To view Morgan’s YouTube response video, click here.
For an earlier article about the commission’s response, click here.
Town Of Century Donates To Autism Education At Century Academy
October 26, 2017
The Town of Century made a $500 donation Wednesday morning to Century Academy to support autism education.
Century resident Jake Livingston, known to many North Escambia residents as “Northview’s Biggest Fan”, addressed the Century Town Council in September, asking them to sponsor the Steps for Autism walk in an amount from $100 to $10,000. Livingston said the monies raised by the walk at Wahoos Stadium would be used by Autism Pensacola for local programs in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
When council members learned that they had zero available donation dollars in their budget for the fiscal year ending on September 30, they voted to donate $500 in October from the new fiscal year’s budget to the Century Academy. The private non-profit K-12 school is in it second year of operation in Century.
Century Academy specializes in teaching children diagnosed with autism and other related learning disabilities. It is a subsidiary of East Hill Academy in Pensacola.
The council noted that the school would be made aware that the donation was being as a result of Livingston’s efforts for autism awareness..
Pictured top: Century Academy director Barbara Barber accepts a $500 check from Century Mayor Henry Hawkins (right) as Jake Livingston looks on Wednesday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Groundbreaking Held For Company Promising 300 New Tech Jobs in Brewton
October 26, 2017
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey attended the groundbreaking Wednesday afternoon for a new technology company that will bring hundreds of jobs to the Brewton area.
Atlanta-based parent company Optomi selected Brewton as the site of a new ProValus subsidiary designed to provide information technology outsourcing services onshore.
The company will bring some 300 jobs to the local economy with an economic impact of more than $18 million annually. Training is underway for computer coding employees at the company’s temporary office space downtown.
ProValus, a tech-staffing firm, will construct three buildings totaling 60,000 square fet on about 10 acres at the former Dogwood Hills Golf Course. That operation closed early this year after years of declining use by golfers.
Brewton will become Optomi’s ‘flagship U.S. facility’, according to Provalus/Optomi President Chuck Ruggiero. Funding for the project included $1.5 million from Ivey’s discretionary fund.
Brewton was tops on the company’s list after an extensive search in Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Scott Looks To Boost Money For Teacher Supplies
October 26, 2017
Gov. Rick Scott announced Wednesday he will seek to increase the annual grants that Florida teachers receive to buy classroom supplies.
In his still-developing budget proposal for the 2018 legislative session, Scott said he wants to increase the grants to $350, up from $250. If approved by lawmakers, it would represent a nearly $18 million increase in the program for a total of $63 million in the 2018-2019 academic year.
After meeting with “teachers of the year” from across the state Tuesday, Scott said he wants to make sure teachers have enough support to help students succeed.
“Far too often, teachers are forced to reach into their own pockets to buy supplies for their classrooms, and I am proud to propose additional money for this critical program,” Scott said.
by The News Service of Florida
Cantonment Woman Charged With Stealing Lawn Mower, Trailer
October 26, 2017
A Cantonment woman has been charged with stealing a riding lawn mower and trailer back in September.
Ashley Nicole Long, 31, was charged with two counts of felony grand theft.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Long is accused to taking a 2005 utility trailer and a Craftsman riding mower from Escambia Avenue in Cantonment on September 9. The victim reported that she loaned the mower to a male family friend on September 8. The family friend reported that Long and an unidentified male took the trailer and mower.
There were numerous conversations between the family friend and Long in reference to returning the mower, the report states; however, she refused to cooperate. Both the victim and family friends stated they were contacted by Long on the phone who stated that she was using the mower and would return it. The mower had not been returned by the time an arrest warrant for Long was issued.
Long was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.