Bratt Elementary Students Donate Supplies, Goodies To Escambia Animal Shelter
March 25, 2024
Students at Bratt Elementary School collected a lot of supplies and goodies for the dogs and cats at the Escambia County Animal Shelter. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Decline 7 Cents After Setting New 2024 High
March 25, 2024
Florida gas prices are moving lower again after jumping early last week. The state average rose 10 cents by Wednesday, setting a new 2024 high of $3.56 per gallon. Since that time, the Florida average logged daily declines, falling a total of five cents.
On Sunday, the state average was $3.51 per gallon. That’s four cents more than a week ago, and 11 cents more than this time last year.
The average in Escambia County was $3.28 Sunday night. North Escambia prices were as low as $3.17 on Highway 29 in Cantonment. In Pensacola, the low prices were $3.11 on Highway 98 and $3.12 on Nine Mile Road.
“Gas prices took a step back late last week, but there’s still plenty of upward pressure in the fuel market,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Bluff Springs, Cotton Lake Recreation Sites Reopen, Williams Lake Still Closed By Flooding
March 24, 2024
The Northwest Florida Water Management District has reopened the Bluff Springs and Cotton Lake recreation sites in the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area
The Williams Lake site remained closed due to flooding until further notice.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Jacket Jamboree, Livestock Show, Car Show Held Saturday In Molino (With Photo Galleries)
March 24, 2024
Hundreds of people attended the Northview High School FFA Blue Jacket Jamboree in Molino Saturday.
The Easter Bunny was on hand for a big egg hunt. The event also included arts and crafts vendors, a car show and more.
All proceeds from the Blue Jacket Jamboree will benefit Northview High School FFA students and their scholarship fund.
For a Blue Jacket Jamboree photo gallery (including the car show), click or tap here.
The Blue Jacket Jamboree was held in conjunction with the Gulf Coast Agriculture & Natural Resources Youth Organization Annual Spring Livestock Show.
For a more photos from the livestock show, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Motorcyclist Killed In Highway 4 Crash Near Bear Lake
March 24, 2024
A crash on Highway 4 in northern Santa Rosa County claimed the life of a motorcyclist Saturday afternoon in the Blackwater State Forest near Bear Lake.
A SUV driven by a 69-year-old Fort Walton Beach man was traveling west of Highway 4 when he made a left turn at the intersection of Red Morris Road, failing to yield to a motorcycle, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The 19-year motorcyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the SUV was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Byrneville Elementary School Names Students Of The Month
March 24, 2024
Byrneville Elementary School recently named their February Students Of The Month. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cottage Hill Man Charged After Allegedly Pouring Out Soda Inside A Pickup Truck
March 24, 2024
More details have been released in the arrest of a Cottage Hill man for theft charged after allegedly pouring out soda inside a pickup truck.
Joshua Glenn Mobley, 34, was charged with burglary, criminal mischief $200 to $1,000, and second degree petit theft.
In a Facebook post Wednesday, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office asked for the public’s help to find Mobley and said he was wanted for a March 17 burglary in the 1000 block of Grenelefe Drive near McKenzie and Handy roads in Cottage Hill.
According to an arrest report, Mobley reached into a pickup truck belonging to “the soon to be ex-husband of this current girlfriend” and poured some a six-pack of sodas that was inside on the driver’s side floorboard and stole the rest.The victim told deputies it would cost $500 to have the truck detailed to cleanup the sods, which was valued at $6.
Mobley remained in the Escambia County Jail Sunday morning with bond set at $8,000. Additional charges of possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia were also filed against him.
Local Unemployment Rate Increases
March 24, 2024
FloridaCommerce has announced that the Pensacola area’s labor force increased by 2.5 percent (+5,955 jobs) over the year in February 2024. Private sector employment increased by 3,400 jobs, an increase of 2.0 percent over the year in February 2024.
The industries gaining the most jobs over the year were leisure and hospitality, increasing by 1,400 jobs; education and health services, increasing by 1,200 jobs; and government, increasing by 1,000 jobs. The Pensacola area unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in February 2024, up 0.6 percentage point from the February 2023 rate of 2.8 percent.
Florida’s statewide unemployment rate has been lower than the national rate for 40 consecutive months. The national unemployment rate was 3.9 percent for February 2024, 0.8 percentage point higher than Florida’s rate. Florida’s private sector job growth rate increased by 2.3 percent (+194,200 jobs) over the year in February 2024. This is faster than the national rate of 1.6 percent over the same period.
Auburn Eagle ‘Spirit’, Other Raptors Visit Ernest Ward Middle (With Photo Gallery)
March 23, 2024
Friday morning, bald eagle Spirit visited Ernest Ward Middle School — home of the Golden Eagle mascot.
Spirit was the pre-game flight eagle at Jordan-Hare Stadium at Auburn University for nearly 20 years.
When Spirit arrived at the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Southeastern Raptor Center in the late 1990s, no one knew she would one day come to represent the Auburn spirit alongside the university’s official golden eagles known as War Eagles.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click or tap here.
Spirit was brought to Auburn after being discovered in Florida with an injured wing and beak. Due to her permanent beak damage, she was treated and found to be non-releasable. She soon began training for pregame festivities during home football games and made her first Jordan-Hare Stadium flight September 28, 2002.
She inspired Auburn fans during pregame festivities at 45 Auburn Tigers football games and is the only bald eagle to have flown as part of this nationally known Auburn tradition.
In 2021, Spirit is celebrating her 25th birthday and, since the median life expectancy for bald eagles in captivity is 16.5 years, raptor center staff and veterinarians decided it would be best to retire Spirit from stadium flights.
Now in retirement, Spirit is part of education presentations by Auburn’s Southeastern Raptor Center. Somewhat contrary to her imposing appearance, Spirit with her six-foot wingspan weighs in at only about seven pounds, and most of that is feathers, not body weight.
The raptor center’s mission is to rehabilitate and release injured and orphaned raptors, educate the public about these magnificent birds of prey and research raptor-related issues. The center, a division of the College of Veterinary Medicine, is given permission by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to house, care for and showcase non-releasable birds of prey in its educational mission.
Spirit was the star of the show Friday morning at the Raptor Center visited Ernest Ward Middle in program sponsored by United Bank. Students were able to see several other species of raptors, including a screech owl, barn owl, American kestrel hawk, a vulture and a small one-eyed red tailed hawk named Stump (who was found along the roadside looking like a stump after an apparent injury).
EMWS students had chance to ask question to learn more, including the secret of how exactly a bald eagle is trained to return to a handler in a crowded Jordan-Hare Stadium. Turns out it’s all about positive reinforcement — a tasty food treat is the motivating factor for returning to a leather circle. A touchdown on the leather circle is celebrated with food.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Mega Millions Jackpot Swells To $1.1 Billion
March 23, 2024
After no winner of the Mega Millions jackpot Friday night, the grand prize for Tuesday’s drawing grew to an estimated $1.1 billion.
Friday’s winning numbers were: 3, 8, 31, 35, 44 and Mega Ball 16. If there had been a winner, the ticket would have been worth $977 million.
The lottery said it’s the sixth time in less than six years that the Mega Millions jackpot has topped $1 billion.
While there was no big winner Friday, five tickets matched five of the numbers to win the game’s $1 million prize, Mega Millions said. Another player in Virginia won $3 million by activating the Megaplier, according to the lottery. One Florida ticket, sold in Boca Raton, is worth $1 million.
If the over $1 billion jackpot is won next Tuesday, it would be the fifth largest prize in the history of the game, according to the lottery. Tickets are $2 each.