As Work Begins In Escambia County, EREC Announces Fiber Internet Also Coming To Santa Rosa
April 20, 2023
As Escambia River Electric Cooperative begins preliminary work for a fiber internet buildout in North Escambia, the member owned cooperative announced Wednesday their high speed internet service is also coming to Santa Rosa County.
“With the announcement of the partnership, we also stated our plans to provide broadband to Escambia County members with funding assistance from the county,” said Ryan Campbell, CEO of EREC. “We heard a resounding need for broadband from our Santa Rosa County members when we made that announcement. It will take a lot of planning and preparation to serve both counties, but in the end, we will be able to offer broadband to all EREC members.”
The project across both counties is projected to cost $36 million.
In March, the Escambia County Commission voted to contribute $6.3 million from American Rescue Plan funds toward a network that will span approximately 600 miles of fiber in Escambia County, reaching over 4,000 EREC member locations.
EREC and Conexon will construct, own, operate and maintain the fiber network while providing broadband internet in areas of Escambia County within EREC’s electrical service area. In addition, EREC will provide broadband internet service and additional “dark” fiber (without internet service) for all Escambia County owned facilities within the EREC footprint for two years at no additional cost to the county.
Campbell said the buildout in Escambia County will happen first. But as a particular segment of the project is completed, work will begin in a phased approach in Santa Rosa County. For instance, when the engineering work is done in Escambia, the engineers will move to Santa Rosa County as the next step in network construction continues in Escambia.
Survey work in Escambia County got underway in February, and, just this week, the necessary utility pole replacements began.
The network is expected to be complete in Escambia County by mid-2024, with initial service availability targeted as early as the third quarter of 2023.
Three basic speed tiers have been announced:
- 100 Mbps/100 Mbps — $49.95/month
- 1 Gig/1Gig — $79.95/month
- 2 Gig/2Gig — $99.95/month
Qualifying households can receive a $30 per month discount through the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The fiber will bring smart grid capabilities to EREC’s electrical infrastructure, including improved power outage response times, better load balancing, more efficient electricity delivery and more, according to the cooperative
This Is Who Had The Winning Fantasy 5 Ticket Sold In Molino
April 20, 2023
We now know who had Sunday Night’s winning Fantasy 5 ticket sold at the Tom Thumb in Molino.
The Florida Lottery says the ticket worth $41,299.95 in the April 16 drawing was claimed by Johanna Horn Austin of Century. The quick pick ticket sold at the Tom Thumb at Highway 29 and Highway 97 was one of three winning tickets in the drawing. The other winning tickets were sold in Altamonte Springs and Boca Raton.
The April 16 winning numbers were 2-10-11-15-34.
Local Schools Named Winners In Wellness Challenge
April 20, 2023
The Escambia County School Board has recognized the winners of the superintendent’s “Choose Wellness Challenge”.
The challenge was to see which school or major department could achieve the highest level of participation in the challenge by the end of the school year. Participants completed steps to promote health and wellness, potentially reducing the district’s health care and lost work time costs.
The 2022 overall winner was Spencer Bibbs Center at 87.5%. They received a plaque and $1,000. Holm Elementary School was awarded $500 for most improved with a 18.2% increase in participation.
At 64.29% participation, the highest percentage participation at the elementary level was Molino Park Elementary School.
The highest percentage participation award at the middle school level went to Ferry Pass Middle School at 44.55%, and the highest percentage participation award at the high school/secondary level went to Northview High School at 43.75%.
Northview, Molino Park and Ferry Pass each received $250.
Driver’s License Services, Vehicle Registration Available In Century On April 25
April 20, 2023
The Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) mobile office will return to Century next week.
FLOW is a standalone mobile office with technology to provide most motorists’ needs. The mobile unit provides a convenient method to renew a driver license, obtain a replacement driver license, conversion/reciprocation of out-of-state license, change a name or address on a current driver license or identification card, and get a first-time identification card. In addition to licensing services, the mobile unit also provides an opportunity to renew or replace a vehicle registration and apply, renew or replace disabled parking placards. Written and driving tests are not available from the FLOW unit.
Vehicle registrations can be renewed up to three months and driver licenses up to 18 months in advance of expiration.
The FLOW mobile office will be at the Billy G. Ward Century Courthouse, 7500 North Century Boulevard on Tuesday, April 25 from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
Citizens using the FLOW services are encouraged to visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com and click the “What Do I Bring” button for information on what is needed for these services. Staff from the tax collector’s office will be on hand to answer all FLOW service questions and questions concerning all other tax collector services such as property tax, business tax receipts, concealed weapons licensing, etc.
Pictured: The Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) mobile office at the courthouse in Century last year. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
April 20, 2023
Ransom Middle School has named their Students of the Month for March. They are Ryan Yelverton and Rylie Gibbs. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Schooled In 4-1 Education Day Loss
April 20, 2023
The near-miss left Nasim Nunez shaking his head in a play that epitomized the Blue Wahoos’ 4-1 loss in Wednesday’s matinee game against the Birmingham Barons.
Nunez thought he had enough distance on a seventh-inning fly ball for a 3-run homer that would have tied the game. Instead, it settled into the glove of Barons right fielder Ben Norman at the base of the wall for the third out.
As Nunez paused after rounding first base, visibly frustrated, the sequence was part of a day of missed opportunities with the Blue Wahoos, who fell for a second time in the series during the first “Education Day” game in franchise history. Nearly 1,000 school kids from the Pensacola area attended as part of a field trip experience.
The Blue Wahoos had never played a mid-week, home game with an 11:05 a.m. start until Wednesday. They will do again on May 3 against the Mississippi Braves.
The Barons scored the game’s first run on a two-out single by Yoelqui Cespedes in the first inning. They took a 2-0 lead in the third when Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Dax Fulton made an errant pickoff throw at first base with the ball going down the right field line, enabling Duke Ellis to score.
Nunez drove in the Blue Wahoos’ lone run in the bottom of the third on a bases-loaded groundout. But the Blue Wahoos missed a chance for a bigger inning when Barons starter Matthew Thompson retired the next two hitters.
Fulton (0-3) finished his third start with five innings pitched, four runs allowed on six hits with five strikeouts.
The Barons scored their other two runs in the fourth off Fulton after a double by Xavier Fernandez and Norman’s sacrifice fly.
The Blue Wahoos were held to five hits with leadoff batter José Devers going 2-for-5. Victor Mesa Jr., who hit for the cycle in Tuesday’s game, extended his hitting streak to nine games with an eighth inning single.
The teams will continue the series on “Mullet Thursday” with top-rated prospect Eury Pérez (0-1, 5.00 ERA) on the mound for the Blue Wahoos against the Barons’ starter Garrett Schoenle (0-1, 3.18).
In addition to the team wearing “Pensacola Mullets” uniforms, plus adult beverage specials, the game’s other promotion is “Legalize Marinara Night” as a spoof with the pasta sauce. T-shirts will be available for purchase.
written by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Coming Soon: Mayor Says Manufacturer Still Locating In Century’s Industrial Park
April 19, 2023
Mayor Ben Boutwell said Tuesday night that a new industry in a town-owned building is still in Century’s future.
In January, the 50-year old foreign company agreed to lease a building in the Century Industrial Park for their first domestic manufacturing and warehouse distribution facility serving the oil and gas industry in what is commonly known as the Helicopter Technology Building.
Officials had hoped they could begin warehouse operations by the end of February with manufacturing to follow. To date, the company has not signed a lease.
But not to worry, Boutwell told the town council.
“We are really close. They are coming, real soon,” he said. “I can’t give you dates and all that stuff, but it looks real good…we are really excited about it. So it’s coming soon.”
Earlier this month, we reported that FloridaWest Business Development Officer Danita Andrews said the foreign company was still working to establish this U.S. legal presence.
The company has agreed to pay the appraised value of the building — $7.833.33 a month, totaling $188,000 the first two years. The lease will continue for five years with a 3% annual increase beginning in the third year. The company will accept the building “as-is” and pay all utilities, maintenance, insurance and taxes. They are expected to create five jobs at startup with more to come in the first year with an average salary of $46,570 — the average wage in the Pensacola metro.
The FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance is the economic development organization for Escambia County. Most details about the new company and their plans remain confidential during discussions, as is allowed and is standard in economic development in Florida.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Lipscomb Elementary’s Yohn Named School District’s Employee Of The Month
April 19, 2023
Lipscomb Elementary School administrative clerk Laura Yohn has been named the Escambia County Public Schools Stellar Employee of the Month for April 2023.
She was honored by the Escambia County School Board and will receive a plaque, pin, and a check for $100 from a local credit union.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Freeze Takes A Big Toll On Walnut Hill Farm’s Peach Crop (With Gallery)
April 19, 2023
This year’s peach season at a 10-acre Walnut Hill farm was much shorter than owner Glen Wiggins had hoped.
The big freeze during the winter took a big toll on the size of the crop at The Peach Farm on Pine Forest Road.
“Nature at its worst,” Wiggins said, noting that trees from two varieties were completely fruitless.
The U-pick farm was open just a few days this year.
When we visited last Saturday, many of the peaches showed obvious damage from the freeze, and many smaller ones had fallen to the ground. While it was a bit of a scavenger hunt, decent size sweet peaches could be found across the orchard.
“Maybe better luck next year,” Wiggins said.
For more photos, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Respond To Possible Natural Gas Pipeline Leak In Bratt
April 19, 2023
Firefighters responded to a possible gas leak from a natural gas valve station near Bratt Tuesday night.
A passerby reported the smell of gas on North Highway 99 near Amerson Drive about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday. The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded and found an extremely strong smell of gas coming from the high pressure Pensacola Energy pipeline. The valve station is located about 150 feet off the roadway in the yard of a residence.
Firefighters determined that if natural gas was leaking, it was not a high enough level to be extremely dangerous. There were no evacuations ordered.
Pensacola Energy was notified of the possible leak.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
