One Killed In Fiery Highway 97 Crash
April 4, 2022
A Pensacola man was killed in a fiery high speed crash near Walnut Hill Sunday afternoon.
The 65-year old male driver of a black Dodge Challenger lost control while northbound on Highway 97 just north of Tungoil Road. The vehicle failed to negotiate a curve and left the roadway. The vehicle hit a culvert, went airborne for about 180 feet before crashing into a ditch. The Dodge then collided with a large pine tree about 12 feet off the ground. The gas tank was ruptured, and the vehicle burst into flames. It was fully engulfed when first responders arrived on scene.
There were no other passengers in the vehicle.
Witnesses told the Florida Highway Patrol and NorthEscambia.com that the vehicle was being driven recklessly at a high rate of speed prior to the crash.
For additional photos, click or tap here.
Pictured above: A Dodge Challenger burns after a crash on Highway 97 Sunday afternoon, before the first fire engine arrived on scene. Pictured below: The first water on the fire. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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Family Offer Thanks: Driver Slams Into Downed Tree After Last Week’s Storms
April 4, 2022
Early last Thursday morning, Jim Harrison of Walnut Hill was headed to work. Severe storms had passed through the area before daylight.
His wife, Amanda, said the family had prayed for protection from the storm the night before, and they had made it safely through the worst of the weather.
They did not know that high winds had downed a tree on Pine Forest Road, not far from Highway 97. Jim was unable to see the tree, blinded by headlights from a vehicle that was turning around. His GMC Yukon Denali crashed into the tree.
“He hit it and then sailed through the tree debris and into the ditch,’ Amanda said. “Thankfully he walked away with a busted lip and soreness from the air bag and that’s it.”
“The state trooper asked who was driving and Jim said, ‘I was at first but then Jesus took the wheel. Thank you God for your protection over him,” Amanda added. “It’s definitely a witness to the fact that God had him.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jordan Chase Torrez Teams With Platinum Ticket Winner, Advances On American Idol
April 4, 2022
Platinum ticket winner Kenedi Anderson picked North Escambia’s Jordan Chase Torrez in American Idol’s “Duets Challenge” as they advanced to Monday night’s show.
Anderson said she picked Torrez because she was obsessed with his voice.
The duo performed “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers, and they received a standing ovation from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.
American Idol, with Anderson and Torrez, will air locally Monday night 7-9 on WEAR 3.
North Escambia’s Jordan Chase Torrez and American Idol platinum ticket winner Kenedi Anderson. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate Girls Lacrosse Team Gets Three Wins To Move Into Second Place In District
April 4, 2022
Tate High’s girls lacrosse team ended last week with three district wins, beating Navarre, Washington and Fort Walton landing them in second place.
Tuesday is Senior Night against Pensacola High, and Friday night will be the last game of the regular season against West Florida High.
The Tate High School girls lacrosse team is coached by Lee Jennings, Jason Strength and Candace Greenwell.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Announce Volunteers Of The Year
April 4, 2022
The Escambia County School District’s Office of Community Involvement has announced its volunteers of the year.
ECSD’s Outstanding Senior Volunteer is Kathleen Varner, who serves at Tate High School (pictured). She and her husband, Mike, taught for nearly 30 years in Escambia County. Soon after retirement, Varner contacted Tate High School to express her interest in volunteering. For the past five years, she has faithfully volunteered weekly during the school year to contribute her wisdom and advice to help transform the Innovation Center into a user-friendly, up-to-date place for students and teachers to experience.
William Belen, a volunteer at Beulah Middle School, is the Outstanding Adult Volunteer. To date, Mr. Belen has served 121 hours and 35 minutes volunteering at Beulah Middle School. He serves in various capacities, from greeting students in the morning, to assisting in Career and Technical Education classrooms, to reading to students. When he is not volunteering in a lab or innovation center he can be found assisting in supervision at lunch.
Mallory Scarfert, a 10th grade Escambia Virtual Academy student, is the Outstanding Youth Volunteer. Scarfert facilitates a group of about a dozen students in grades 3-5 to help them prepare for the Battle of the Books contest. She has created Kahoot quizzes for students to use during this preparation time for the contest. Lipscomb students are looking forward to competing against other students in the county because of Mallory’s guidance during practice time.
Nominated by Global Learning Academy, Pensacola Subwest Rotary has been awarded the ECSD Family and Community Involvement Award. Throughout the pandemic, Pensacola Subwest Rotary’s support of Global’s family involvement programs has not wavered. They have been instrumental in the successful execution of several initiatives, including donating funds to supply to-go dinners for all of Global’s curbside family events, assisting with set up, distribution of at home learning activities and food, and break down of curbside family events, a back to school luncheon at the Pensacola Yacht Club for tachers, and donating bicycles for all pre-K students at the holidays.
Pictured: ECSD’s Outstanding Senior Volunteer is Kathleen Varner, who volunteers at Tate High School. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Declining; Pensacola Cheapest Metro Area
April 4, 2022
Florida gas prices are declining again after jumping 13 cents early last week. The state average briefly reached $4.24 per gallon last Tuesday. However, Florida gas prices have since declined a total of seven cents in the past five days. AAA says that downward trend is likely to continue this week, unless oil prices rebound.
On Sunday, the average price for gasoline in Florida was $4.17 per gallon. That’s five cents more than this time last week, 55 cents more than last month, and $1.32 per gallon more than this time last year. The state average is also 68 cents more than what drivers paid before Russia invaded Ukraine.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was nearly 20 cents lower at $3.98 — one of the lowest metro areas in the state.
A North Escambia low of $3.92 could be found Sunday night at a station on Highway 29 in Cantonment. A low of $3.69 could be found Sunday night at a station on Highway 29 near Nine Mile Road.
“Gas prices are drifting lower now that oil prices are declining again,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The price of oil dropped last week after President Biden announced plans to release 1 million barrels per day from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve, in effort to ease global supply concerns. The downward pressure was compounded by news that other countries are considering similar action. The oil price drop could enable gas prices to fall back below $4 a gallon in the next couple of weeks. That is unless something causes oil prices to rebound this week.”
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Farm Hill Utilities Lifts Boil Water Notice For Glenmore Trail Subdivision
April 4, 2022
UPDATE: THIS BOIL WATER NOTICE HAS BEEN RESCINDED.
Farm Hill Utilities has issued boil water notice for the Glenmore Trail Subdivision in Cantonment until further notice.
The precautionary boil water notice is due to a water main repair in the area.
The utility is advising, as a precaution, that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. As an alternative bottled water may be used.
This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until the problem has been corrected and bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink.
There Were 1,495 Distracted Driving Crashes Last Year In Escambia County. Six Were Fatal.
April 3, 2022
In 2021, there were 1,496 traffic crashes involving distracted driving in Escambia County.
Six of those crashes were fatal.
A map showing distracted drive crashes in Escambia County is below.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has launched a campaign aimed at educating Florida motorists on the importance of avoiding distracted driving, and is informing motorists of current laws against distracted driving.
According to FLHSMV data, distracted driving crashes resulted in 333 fatalities across the state in 2021 – the highest recorded in Florida in at least eight years.
“When you get behind the wheel you only have one job, and that’s to ensure you and your passengers reach your destination safely,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes. “More than 56,000 distracted driving crashes happened last year in Florida alone, and 75% of those crashes were caused by the driver being inattentive behind the wheel. Today and every day, pledge to drive how you would want others to drive around you and your loved ones – distraction free.”
On average, there were more than 1,000 distracted driving crashes every week across the state last year.
“It is extremely dangerous when you drive distracted on Florida roadways,” said Colonel Gene S. Spaulding, FHP director. “FHP wants to remind drivers to keep their hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, and their minds on driving. Focused attention on driving increases your reaction time to dangerous driving situations and keeps the ones you love safe as well as your fellow citizens.”
Safety Tips for Driving
- If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.
- Designate your passenger as your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.
- Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving.
- Struggling to not text and drive? Activate your phone’s “Do Not Disturb” feature, or put your cell phone in the trunk, glove box, or back seat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.
Put Your Phone Away or Pay
- When you get behind the wheel, be an example to your family and friends by putting your phone away. Just because other people do it doesn’t mean texting and driving is “normal” behavior.
- In 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, texting while driving is an illegal, ticketable offense. You could end up paying a hefty fine and get points on your license.
- If you see someone texting while driving, speak up. If your friend is texting while driving, tell them to stop. Listen to your passengers: If they catch you texting while driving and tell you to put your phone away, put it down.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Annual Spring Fling Youth Summit Was Held Saturday At Carver Park
April 3, 2022
The Annual Spring Fling Youth Summit was held Saturday at Carver Park in Cantonment.
There were free prizes, free food, music, arts and crafts, sports competition, educational and career information (grades 5-12), and lots of fun for grades kindergarten through high school.
The Spring Fling Youth Summit was sponsored by Ascend Performance Materials, IP, and the Escambia County CRA and was hosted by the Cantonment Improvement Committee.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Registration Underway For VPK In Escambia County Schools
April 3, 2022
Registration is underway for a free Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) for 4-year olds that reside in the attendance zone for a Title I school.
Title I schools with a VPK program are Bratt, Jim Allen, Molino Park, Brentwood, Ensley, Ferry Pass, Global, Montclair, OJ Semmes, Weis, West Pensacola, Bellview, Holm, Longleaf, Navy Point, and Sherwood elementary school.
Parents first need to complete the VPK Certificate of Eligibility at familyservices.floridaearlylearning.com or go to the Early Learning Coalition, 1720 West Fairfield Drive, Suite 100/400, Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The child’s birth certificate and the parent’s proof of residence must be uploaded when applying for the Certificate of Eligibility.
After completing the VPK Certificate of Eligibility, parents should complete an Escambia County School District online application in FOCUS by clicking here..
Beginning on Monday, April 4, the parent or guardian should take the documents listed below to Spencer Bibbs Center at 2005 North 6th Avenue to complete registration, Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Families residing in the Bratt and Molino Park attendance zones should take relevant documents directly to the school.
Documents required:
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Birth Certificate
- Proof of Residence (utility bill or lease)
- Immunization Record
- Physical (or appointment card for upcoming physical)
- Child’s Insurance Card
- Child’s Social Security number
- Proof of Income (2021 W2 for all adults in home)
Schools will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. Registration is not complete until all documents have been approved and forms have been signed.
For more information, call (850)595-6915, extension 224.