Application Pending For Borrow Pit On Highway 95A In Molino
August 15, 2024
A conditional use change application is pending before the Escambia County Board of Adjustment for a borrow pit in Molino.
According to Escambia County, a borrow pit is where material like gravel, soil, clay or sand is excavated for use at another location. Borrow pits can be enclosed or open, and both types require a permit in Escambia County.
The applicant, Justin Patterson, Ironhorse Cattle, Co., is proposing the 44-acre borrow pit on 52.88 acres zoned AG (agriculture use) at 5595 Highway 95A, west of Highway 95A and just south of Cedartown Road. Escambia County Land Development Code (LDC) requires conditional approval use approval for any borrow pit or reclamation activity with 1,000 feet from any residential use or zoning.
“The proposed use can be conducted and operated in a manner that is compatible with adjacent and surrounding properties. The subject property is largely surrounded by undeveloped property,” the application states, noting that there is one residential structure to the south of the proposed pit site, which will become a lake overlooked by a single-family residence when after excavation is complete. Operation is planned for 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday, as allowed by the LDC. A 25-foot landscape buffer is proposed around the fenced-in pit.
Single access to the pit property is proposed for a driveway off Highway 95A across from Josh Lane.
The developer’s application says noise will be limited to the daylight hours and with pit’s sidewalls acting as a sound barrier, and a dust suppression system will be used to prevent airborne materials.
“The use will not generate unreasonable noise, glare, dust, smoke, odor, vibration or other nuisances or hazards,” the application states. “The excavation activity is temporary.”
According to the Northwest Florida Water Management District, there are no permitted potable water wells with 500 feet of the property; however, the permitting program did not exist until the late 1970s, and records are incomplete before the late 1980s.
A neighbor previously objected to the proposed use based on a private irrigation well in the vicinity of the project. An attorney for the applicant asserted that protections do not exist around any private or non-potable (drinking) water well.
Escambia County Development Review staff have recommended approval of the conditional use of the property.
“Staff recommends approval of the Conditional Use as submitted with the enhanced buffering as detailed on the submitted site plan. DRC site plan approval and BCC approval of the reclamation plan are required,” was the staff findings as submitted.
The Escambia County Board of Adjustment will consider the application at meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 21 at the Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place.
A similar conditional use change request for the property was denied by the Board of Adjustment in April 2022.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, NorthEscambia.com graphics, click to enlarge.
Over 19,000 Votes Already Cast In Escambia County As Early Voting Continues
August 15, 2024
Voters in Escambia County had cast 19,294 ballot by the end of the day Wednesday.
Of those, 12,799 vote-by-mail had been received, and there were 6,493 early voters for the 2024 Primary Election in Escambia County.
Early voting begins continues through Saturday in Escambia County at 10 locations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at:
- Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A North, Molino
- Billy G. Ward Courthouse, 7500 N. Century Blvd, Century
- Escambia County Extension Services, 3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment
- UWF Center for Fine and Performing Arts, Building 82, 11000 University Parkway, Room 235, Pensacola
- Bellview Library, 6425 Mobile Highway, Pensacola
- Asbury Place at Cokesbury, 750 College Blvd, Pensacola
- Main Library, 239 N. Spring Street, Pensacola
- Supervisor of Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, Pensacola
- Southwest Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway, Pensacola
- Brownsville Community Center, 3200 W. DeSoto Street, Pensacola
Voters may choose any one of the 10 locations, each of which is also equipped with a ballot marking device.
If voters have requested a Vote-by-Mail ballot, they must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location on Election Day. Voters may drop-off a vote-by-mail ballot during early voting hours at any of the ten area locations. The USPS recommends voters mail ballots at least one week before the due date. Vote-by-mail participants may track the status of their ballot at EscambiaVotes.gov.
The third option for voters is to cast a ballot at their precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, August 20. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
In Florida’s closed partisan primary elections, you are only eligible to vote in primary contests for the party in which you are registered.
A Universal Primary contest occurs when all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation. These contests appear on every voter’s ballot. Voters in ECUA District 1 (Republican) and ECUA District 3 (Democratic) will have these contests on their ballot regardless of party affiliation.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
District 5 Cantonment, Farm Hill Neighborhood Cleanup Day Is Next Wednesday
August 15, 2024
Residents of a portion of Cantonment and Farm Hill can dispose of yard debris and other items free of charge during a District 5 Neighborhood Cleanup next Wednesday, August 21.
During neighborhood cleanups, Escambia County departments team up to bring services to residents in an effort to keep local neighborhoods clean and safe. Participating is easy: Residents in the cleanup area simply leave eligible items at the curb to be disposed of free of charge by Escambia County and partnering agencies.
All debris must be at the curb directly in front of residences in the area by 7 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Tires and paint cans should be separate from all other debris. Debris piles should not be placed under low-hanging lines or near poles, fences or mailboxes. All items, including containers, will be collected.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area are able to participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected.
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
The neighborhood cleanup initiative involves an aggressive cleanup effort, targeting different neighborhoods throughout the county, with crew members and volunteers picking up a variety of debris and waste, including electronics, furniture and household items.
Since 2016, more than 6,915 tons (13,830,000 pounds) of debris were collected and disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program.
Century Reports 400 Gallon Raw Sewage Spill
August 15, 2024
The Town of Century reported a 400 gallon raw sewage spill Wednesday, none of which was recovered.
The spill happened on B Street, just off Mayo Lane about 2:20 p.m. and was ongoing for about 10 minutes.
A manhole overflowed due to a lift station failure, according to a report filed with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The report stated that cleanup was completed by applying lime.
Pictured: The Century Wastewater Treatment Plant. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Two Injured In Molino Crash Involving Significant Fuel Spill
August 15, 2024
A crash involving a vehicle and a truck injured two people and caused a significant diesel fuel spill Wednesday morning in Molino.
The crash happened about 8:05 a.m. on Highway 95A at Bet Raines Road.
According to Escambia County, two people were transported to area hospital by Escambia County EMS.
Approximately 35 gallons of fuel spilled, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The Escambia County Road Department provided three dump truck loads of dirt to contain the spill. DEP said the dirt was removed from the roadway and placed on the side of the road for disposal.
The Florida Highway Patrol investigated the crash. Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
File photo.
Blue Wahoos’ Big Lead Erased In 12-8 Loss To Montgomery
August 15, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
A night after their most lopsided home loss this season, the Blue Wahoos experienced the most deflating.
After taking an 8-0 lead into the fourth inning, the big lead and feel-good dugout vibe Wednesday eventually dissolved into a ninth inning collapse and 12-8 loss against the Montgomery Biscuits at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
With the Blue Wahoos leading 8-5, newcomer reliever Nigel Belgrave had his home debut in the top of the ninth melt down without getting an out.
He gave a leadoff double, then plunked two batters with another base hit in between, had a walk, uncorked a wild pitch and was lifted with the Biscuits up 9-8.
Tyler Eckberg came in and was tagged for a two-run double. A deep flyout scored the other run. The half-inning lasted 26 minutes and required more than 60 pitches before the Biscuits’ onslaught stopped.
It put a glum ending to a game that began so well for the home team.
Pensacola took on its alternate identity, along with uniform change, as the Pensacola Pok-ta-Pok, in the final of a quartet of games this season as part of Minor League Baseball’s Copa de la Diversión initiative.
For the first time in 53 home games, this one began late, following a 41-minute rain delay
.
All that pent-up energy in seeking to erase Tuesday’s 18-5 loss began well for the Blue Wahoos. They jumped on Biscuits starter Trevor Martin for four runs in the first inning.
Jakob Marsee led off with a single, the stole second. Shortstop Jared Serna extended his hitting streak to 13 games with an RBI single. Jacob Berry singled. And with two out, Joe Mack blasted a moon shot over the stadium’s right field party deck area and out of sight somewhere behind the ballpark.
In the third inning, Nathan Martorella blasted a three-run homer to score Serna and Berry, who had both singled. For Serna, he’s had at least one hit in each of his 13 games since the former New York Yankees rising prospect joined the team in a trade.
Mack then followed a solo homer, giving him a team high 19 for the season.
Blue Wahoos starter Luis Palacios appeared in line for his 19th career win for the Blue Wahoos, which would have tied the franchise career record set by Daniel Wright set during his time in 2015-2018.
Even after Palacios gave up a two-run homer in the fourth inning, then back-to-back homers in the sixth, he still had a three-run lead.
Reliever Dale Stanavich then retired all seven batters he faced to get the Blue Wahoos to the ninth inning with a 3-run lead.
But Belgrave could not find the strike zone and wasn’t close with many of his pitches. He had made four relief appearances during the Blue Wahoos’ two-week road trip since joining the team from the Class-A Beloit Sky Carp. He had allowed just two runs and three hits during that span.
This time, however, Belgrave couldn’t get into a groove. He was a 15th round pick by the Miami Marlins and the first member of their 2023 Draft class to reach Double-A.
The Biscuits pounced on his mistakes, scoring seven runs total in the inning.
The Blue Wahoos will now try and get back into the homestand series on Thursday with Evan Fitterer on the mound against the Biscuits’ talented righthander Sean Hunley (4-2, 1.79 ERA).
GAME NOTABLES
— The Blue Wahoos grounds crew, led by Gordon van Weyhe, raced to combat a pop-up storm late Wednesday afternoon. Once the tarp was on, then eventually removed, it took just 45 minutes to get the field ready for a first pitch and kept the Blue Wahoos’ string of home games without a postponement intact. This season, there had not been a game delayed by pregame rain until Wednesday.
— The Blue Anchor Belles performed the National Anthem.
WANT TO GO?
WHO: Montgomery Biscuits vs. Blue Wahoos
WHEN: Thursday, 6:05 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Wahoos Stadium
Motorcyclist Critically Injured In Highway 29 Crash Near Cantonment Post Office
August 14, 2024
A motorcyclist was critically injured in a rash near the Cantonment Post Office Wednesday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a 41-year-old Cantonment man was northbound on Highway 29 approaching the post office on his motorcycle.
A seden driven by a 77-year-old Pensacola woman was exiting the post office to go south on Highway 29, troopers said, and the motorcycle collided with the car.
The motorcyclist was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola with critical injuries.
Both northbound lanes of Highway 29 were temporarily closed by the crash.
This investigation is ongoing.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bicyclist Hit, Killed On Chemstrand Road
August 14, 2024
A 34-year-old bicyclist was killed when he was hit by a car early Wednesday morning on Chemstrand Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the man was northbound on Chemstrand Road approaching the intersection with Breezy Acres Road. FHP said the bicyclist did not have on any reflective clothing nor did he have a red light on the back on the bicycle.
A compact 2 door coupe driven by a 24-year-old Jay man was travelling northbound on Chemstrand Road. FHP said the driver of the car did not see the bicyclist until they collided.
The bicyclist was pronounced deceased on the scene by Escambia County EMS.
FHP is investigating.
Tate Aggies Volleyball Gears Up For Season With New Jerseys
August 14, 2024
The Tate Aggies volleyball team is ready to serve up a new look for the 2024 season. The squad recently unveiled fresh jerseys as they prepare to hit the court.
The Aggies will kick off their season on the road, facing off against the Milton Panthers on August 20 and the Gulf Breeze Dolphins on August 22. They will then return home to host the Pensacola Catholic Crusaders on August 27.
Pictured: New Tate volleyball white jerseys worn by the senior class and new Dig Pink jerseys modeled by junior Aggies. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Woman Wanted In Alabama Apprehended After Four-Hour Manhunt Near Bratt
August 14, 2024
A four-hour manhunt Tuesday morning near Bratt ended with the arrest of a woman on a local drug charges. She was also wanted on a felony Alabama warrant.
Leslie Anita Marie Whiting was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) without a prescription.
Whiting was arrested after being spotted on a security camera on private property off West Highway 4 between Bratt and Byrneville at 4:58 a.m.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded at about 5 a.m. and took Whiting into custody by about 9:30 a.m. on the narcotics charge.
She was booked into the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola with a $2,500. She is awaiting extradition to Escambia County, Alabama, on an outstanding felony warrant.
