Longtime Century Town Planner Debbie Nickles Has Passed Away
November 1, 2023
Longtime Century Town Planner Debbie Nickles passed away Monday. She worked with the town as a consultant for over 40 years, first under then-mayor Benny Barnes.
Nickles worked on numerous projects for the town, including a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), EPA Brownfields, a Land Development Code, tornado recovery, a five-year schedule of improvements, housing grants and Triumph funding requests. She was responsible for securing millions of dollars in grants for Century and its residents, particularly those most in need of housing and other assistance.
Nickles passed away following a battle with ongoing health issues. Memorial services will be scheduled at a later date.
Pictured: Debbie Nickles at a 2018 community “Welcome Home” block party as residents returned home to new homes following the destruction of a tornado that devastated the Front Street area of Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Freeze Warning For Wednesday Night, Low Around 32
October 31, 2023
A freeze warning is in effect for Wednesday night with sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 possible from late Wednesday night through Thursday morning. Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-
ground pipes to protect them from freezing.
There is also a red flag warning
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
This Afternoon: Sunny, with a high near 59. North wind around 15 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 32. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 64. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 37. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 46. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 78. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 79.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 80.
FHP: Driver falls Asleep, Crashes Tanker With 1,000 Gallons of Methanol
October 31, 2023
A driver fell asleep and crashed a tanker truck hauling 1,000 gallons of methanol early Tuesday morning in Escambia County.
“The driver of the vehicle fell asleep at the wheel, and ran off the right shoulder of the roadway, and rolled into a ditch on the northbound side of Scenic Hwy,” according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. The crash happened about 1:41 a.m on Scenic Highwaway, just north of I-10.
The 50-year old driver was not injured, but Scenic Highway was closed for about seven hours to return the trailer to an upright position.
The Cantonment and Ensley Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were among the responding crews.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Family Identifies Century Homicide Victim As Young Father, Former High School Football Player
October 31, 2023
Family has identified a Century homicide victim as 20-year old Jaheem Durant, the father of a 2-year old.
Durant was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds on a sidewalk along North Century Boulevard, near Ramar Street about 1:15 a.m. Sunday.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a homicide, and there were no suspects immediately identified by deputies. Additional details were not available as the investigation continued. Investigators were working to determine if the shooting happened on the roadside or elsewhere.
Anyone with information is asked to call the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Durant played high school football for both the Northview Chiefs and the Flomaton Hurricanes.
At Northview, Durant was named 2nd Team Defensive End for the Florida 1A All-State football team. He was a member of the Flomaton High School first ever state championship team.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Red Flag Warning: Burn Ban Issued In Santa Rosa, But Not Escambia
October 31, 2023
Officials with the Florida Forest Service’s Blackwater Forestry Center are putting a halt to issuing authorizations for all prescribed or pile burns as increased winds and extremely low humidity arrives in the area for the next several days. The cold front coupled with a lack of rain over the past several weeks make for extremely dangerous conditions if any fires were to start.
The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch through Wednesday because of critically low humidity levels – as low as 15-20% – and sustained north winds of 15-20 mph with gusts to 30.
Burn bans are in effect in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties, while Escambia County Residents are urged to not conduct any outdoor burning until conditions improve.
“We all know it’s dry and folks just need to be careful,” said David Smith, Operations Administrator for the Blackwater Forestry Center. “It’s not completely out of the ordinary to have a dry fall, but it’s important that people are cautious with what they’re doing in regard to fire until we get some significant rain.”
Pictured: A wildfire in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Florida’s Silver Alert Missing Senior Program Celebrates 15 Years, And Numerous Success Stories
October 31, 2023
This month marks the 15th anniversary of Florida’s Silver Alert program. Since the program’s inception in 2008, more than 3,200 Silver Alerts have been activated, with over 170 this year alone. Florida’s Silver Alert program has been directly responsible for more than 300 recoveries of missing senior citizens.
Florida Department of Elder Affairs Secretary Michelle Branham said, “With over 580,000 Floridians suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the Silver Alert program is essential for helping protect our most vulnerable population. Florida proudly leads the nation in funding for Alzheimer’s disease support services, and it is important we continue to support programs like the Silver Alert as our senior population continues to grow. I am grateful to our Governor for continuing to prioritize our seniors and those who suffer from dementia, and FDLE for their role in helping to keep our seniors safe.”
One of those Silver Alert success stories was four years ago when an 83-year old Beulah woman was found near Century a week after she was reported missing.
She was located off Highway 29 on North Canoe Road, a non-maintained dirt road. Her car was stuck deep in the sand of the roadway, where she had apparently spent most of the week. She was located by two Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies who responded to a report of a suspicious person.
She had apparently been living out of her car, which had a dead battery. She had food…an uneaten loaf of cinnamon bread was on the passenger seat after her rescue. But her major problem was a lack of liquid. She was transported to an area hospital suffering from dehydration.
Silver Alerts are activated statewide at the request of local law enforcement after a senior with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia (ADRD) goes missing in a vehicle. Once a Silver Alert is issued, information about the missing senior is communicated to the public through local media outlets such as NorthEscambia.com, lottery terminals and highway message signs.
Pictured: A Silver Alert missing senior was found in her stuck car on North Canoe Road in 2016.. Pictured inset and immediately below: There was food in the Hyundai Sonata. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fields of Faith: Community Worship Service Wednesday Night At Northview
October 30, 2023
Northview High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes will host a Fields of Faith event at Northview High School Wednesday night, November 1 at 6:30 p.m. in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium.
Admission is free; the public is encouraged to attend.
Fields of Faith is a national student-led initiative. “Students invite, pray for, share with, and challenge their peers to read the Bible and follow Jesus Christ. An athletic field provides a neutral, rally point where a community can come together,” according to national organizers.
Pictured: A 2022 Fields of Faith Event at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Cold Snap Arrives For Chilly Halloween
October 30, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 35. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 32. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 65. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 38. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 47. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Cold Front Sending Overnight Lows Into the 30s This Week
October 29, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. North wind around 10 mph.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35. North wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 57. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Northeast wind around 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 52.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 79.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 80.
Florida Gas Prices Declining Again, AAA Says
October 29, 2023
Florida gas prices increased last week, but are moving lower once again. After tying the 2023-low of $3.22 per gallon last Monday, the state average shot up 10 cents to $3.32 per gallon, by Wednesday. The increase was in response to the rise in crude oil prices, which occurred two weeks ago.
Pensacola was the state’s least expensive metro market at $3.06 per gallon on average Sunday. In North Escambia, prices bottomed out at $2.89 at a a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment. A low of $2.84 was available in Pensacola on East Nine Mile Road.
Fortunately, crude oil prices fell last week, and gas prices are doing the same. Florida’s state average declined 4 cents per gallon, Friday-Sunday. The state average was $3.29 per gallon on Sunday. Visit GasPrices.AAA.com to view today’s daily average price.
The U.S. price of crude settled at $85.54 per barrel. That’s down $3.21 per barrel (-4%) from the week before. Gasoline futures declined 6 cents.
NorthEscambia.com photo.