Bergosh Talks Beulah Growth, OLF-8 (And Why Car Washes Are Being Built)
June 6, 2023
From discussion on why new car washes are popping up, to a Beulah master plan, to the latest on the development of OLF-8, Escambia County Commissioner Jeff Bergosh met with Beulah residents during a town hall meeting Monday night.
The county commission voted in April to enter into negotiations with homebuilder D.R. Horton on the $42 million purchase of the 500-plus acre OLF-8 property. Their mix-use plan will include residential and commercial areas, retail, offices and greenspace.
Bergosh said the future OLF-8 developer will be forced to follow an ordinance taken directly from a master plan.
“Give us a mixture of retail, parks, etc.,” the commissioner read from a citizen comment card during the town hall at Beulah Middle School. “That’s what I want,” Bersogh replied. “I live across the street. That’s what I want.”
“Retail, parks, etc., our traffic and infrastructure can’t handle the houses,” he continued reading from the citizen comment card.
“Yeah exactly. No one wanted houses on that field. I don’t know how that happened, but I did get outvoted on that,” Bergosh said. “We are going to have the housing we negotiated, and not one additional.”
A second developer, Breland Companies of Huntsville, Alabama, had made a cash offer of $35 million for the property, but the company was a no-show to make their presentation at a county commission meeting.
Monday night, the District 1 commissioner said the president of Breland said the day before the meeting that he would be able to attend. Bergosh said he encouraged the company president to send someone else, but they did not.
“They ghosted us. That’s what happened,” Bergosh said.
Other hot town hall topics included traffic and growth in Beulah.
Including a question about car washes.
Several residents asked why Beulah development has included businesses like car washes and convenience stores rather than their favorite retailers and restaurants.
“For whatever reason, they make a lot of money on car washes,” Bergosh said. “When people buy a piece of property, they have property rights. I can’t tell them, hey, you can’t build a car wash. You have to build a Dave & Busters.”
NorthEscambia.com images, click to enlarge.
Free Lunch Available All Summer For Youth At Libraries In Escambia County
June 6, 2023
Free meals for youth are available five days a week at West Florida Public Libraries branches.
In conjunction with Feeding the Gulf Coast, the meals will be served as follows:
Monday-Friday, Noon – 1 p.m.
- Bellview Library
- Molino Library
- Pensacola Library
- Southwest Library
- Tryon Library
- Westside Library
Tuesday-Saturday, Noon – 1 p.m.
- Century Library
The meals, which must be consumed at the library, are for children 18-year old and younger. The meals are also available for disabled individuals 19-years or older who participate in a public or private non-profit program during the school year.
The meals are available on the daily schedule above through August 9, except the July 4 holiday.
Cantonment Woman Facing Drug Charges After Traffic Stop
June 6, 2023
A Cantonment woman is facing drug charges after a June 1 traffic stop in Ensley.
Donna Marie Shell, 38, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped Shell for allegedly making an improper turn from Hope Drive onto Pensacola Boulevard.
An ECSO K-9 alerted on the vehicle, leading to the discovery of a “white rock-like substance” that field tested positive for cocaine, a clear plastic baggie with a powdery substance that also field tested positive for cocaine, and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, according to an arrest report.
Shell was released on a $5,000 bond.
NHS Cross Country Summer Conditioning Underway
June 6, 2023
Summer conditioning for the Northview cross country team is being held each morning Monday through Friday at 6:30 at Travis Nelson Park on West Highway 4.
For information about cross country or any other Northview High School sport please contact Athletic Director Obreonne Parker at 850-761-6000, ext 302003.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
California Man Killed In I-10 Crash Near Nine Mile Road Exit
June 5, 2023
A 65-year old California man died in an early Monday morning wreck on I-10 near the Nine MIle Road exit.
The man was driving his pickup truck eastbound in the outside lane when he left the roadway to the right, crossed back over the eastbound travel lanes and overturned in the median, the Florida Highway Patrol said in their report.
The man from San Jose, California, was pronounced deceased at the scene. There were no other vehicles involved.
Three Reportedly Injured In Highway 29 Crash Sunday Night
June 5, 2023
Three people were reportedly injured in a two vehicle crash on Highway 29 Sunday night.
The crash happened shortly after 9 p.m. on Highway 29 southbound about a half mile south of Highway 196, near the Beams of Light Church.
Escambia County EMS transported the injured persons to a Pensacola hospital.
Highway 29 southbound was closed during the crash investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
Additional details have not been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Honeysuckle Garden Club Awards Scholarship
June 5, 2023
The Honeysuckle Garden Club recently awarded their first scholarship.
The $500 scholarship was awarded to Cole Poston.
Poston plans to major in horticulture and minor in botany. He will attend Pensacola State College for his first two years and will transfer to University of Florida at the Milton campus.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Inmate Accused Of Assaulting Century Correctional Institution Officer
June 5, 2023
Inmate Ramesh Higgins recently assaulted an officer at Century Correctional Institution, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.
Higgins is serving a 10 year sentence for a 2016 Saint Lucie County conviction for robbery with a gun, grand theft with firearm, grand theft of a firearm and armed burglary.
“Staff responded appropriately, and the inmate was subdued,” FDC said.
Florida Gas Prices Declined Again Last Week, AAA Says
June 5, 2023
Florida gas prices declined a nickel last week. The state average on Sunday was $3.36 per gallon, the lowest daily average price since late April.
In Escambia County, the average per gallon was $3.24 Sunday. A low of $3.15 in North Escambia was at a Highway 29 station in Cantonment, while Pensacola area prices bottomed out at $2.95 at the warehouse clubs.
“Pump prices have been under pressure during the past month, due to falling oil prices,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “However, oil prices could strengthen this week. Over the weekend, OPEC agreed on another round of oil production cuts. It’s unclear how much of an effect this will have on fuel prices, but if oil prices rise significantly, drivers would likely see higher prices at the pump.”
This is the latest in several rounds of production cuts. Last year, OPEC agreed to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. In April, the cartel surprised the market by cutting an additional 1.16 million barrels per day. This caused a brief jump in oil prices, which cooled through May. OPEC hopes this additional 1 million b/d cut will send oil prices higher again.
Overnight, the U.S. price of oil traded at above $72 per barrel. That’s only about a dollar more than Friday’s closing price, and within the same range that oil prices have been in during the past month.
Blue Wahoos Fall to Shuckers In Road Trip Finale
June 5, 2023
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos came up just shy in the final game of their 12-game road trip on Sunday evening, falling 6-5 to the Biloxi Shuckers.
A five-run seventh, capped by a Jackson Chourio three-run homer, proved to be the difference for the Shuckers as the Blue Wahoos were forced to settle for a series split and a 6-6 record in their two weeks away from Pensacola.
After a pregame rain delay of an hour and 16 minutes, the first five innings moved quickly. Pensacola managed only an infield single from J.D. Orr against Justin Jarvis (W, 6-2), and Jonathan Bermudez held the Shuckers hitless thanks to a pair of leaping catches from Griffin Conine – including a home run robbery of Jeferson Quero in the fourth inning.
Pensacola scratched a run across in the sixth thanks to a Nasim Nuñez walk and stolen base, followed by a Dane Myers RBI single, but the Shuckers answered back in their half of the inning. Wes Clarke ended the no-hit bid with a leadoff single and scored on a bases-loaded walk to tie the game 1-1.
Austin Roberts (L, 2-1), who coaxed an inning-ending double play to leave the bases full in the sixth, ran into trouble in the seventh. Felix Valerio hit a go-ahead two-run double before Chourio launched his three-run homer against Cristian Charle to give the Shuckers a 6-1 lead.
The Blue Wahoos chipped away with three runs in the eighth and another in the ninth against Abner Uribe (S, 5), but saw their comeback bid fall just short.
The Blue Wahoos lost a game in the South Division standings, and are now 5.0 games ahead of second-place Biloxi and Montgomery with 18 games to play in the first half.
After an off day on Monday, the Blue Wahoos welcome the Montgomery Biscuits to Pensacola for a six-game series on Tuesday.