The prisoners at the detention center have been divided between work release center, road camp and main jail. Two hundred female prisoners have been sent to jails in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa…
Defense attorneys share what they have heard
The gas leak and how much was known about it prior to the explosion will be the focus over the next few hours, maybe even days. Attorney Eric Stevenson has clients in…
Morgan on the jail explosion
I spoke with Sheriff David Morgan on the phone about the explosion at the Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Center. Although his agency has not been in charge of the facility…
City of Pensacola garbage, recycling, and trash collection operating as usual
Press Release: The City of Pensacola Sanitation Department will continue with normally scheduled garbage, recycling, and trash collection. City Sanitation has been working tirelessly picking up debris in flooded areas all morning….
Mother worried about her son at jail, had complained about gas leak earlier
Through tears and sobs, Sheila Travis accused Escambia County jail corrections officers of ignoring inmates’ complaints about the smell of gas Wednesday. Travis’ oldest son, 24-year-old Kelvin Johnson, called her during the…
Independent News will be out on the stands starting at noon
Because of the state of emergency yesterday, our papers will delivered late today. We expect to have them on the stands starting at noon. Thank you for your patience. We will continue…
Today we assess the damage
Some in the media are declaring that Pensacola received more rainfall in a 24-hour period than any Florida city ever, 15-24 inches. The impact has been devastating to our region and today…
Apparent gas explosion rocks Escambia County Jail facility
An explosion, that county officials believe was due to a gas leak, killed two inmates late last night at the Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Facility causing a partial building collapse….
Photos of flooding in the city of Gulf Breeze
Here are some of the photos we received from inside the Gulf Breeze city limits:
All University of West Florida campuses to resume normal operations tomorrow
All University of West Florida campuses will resume normal operations on Thursday, May 1, 2014. University officials are actively working to revise the final exam schedule and the new schedule will be…
ECAT bus service cancelled for Thursday
Escambia County was placed under a local state of emergency as a response to the severe weather front that has impacted the County. Overnight, ECAT buses took in a significant amount of…
Schools closed tomorrow
Both Escambia and Santa Rosa county schools will be closed tomorrow. UWF has sent notice they will be open. Escambia County offices will be open.
Gov. Rick Scott sees damage to downtown Pensacola (photos)
Gov. Rick Scott toured Palafox Place with Sheriff David Morgan and Mayor Ashton Hayward. He stopped and talked with several business owners. He told me that his biggest concern has been the…
ECUA: Water Service Interruption and Pending Precautionary Boil Water Notice
Water service is temporarily interrupted to the following areas due to a water main break, and a precautionary boil water notice will be in effect once service is restored and repairs to…
Gov. Scott tours area, gets briefed on the damage (photo)
Scott flanked by County Commissioners Wilson Robertson, Grover Robinson and Lumon May, Sheriff David Morgan and Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward.
Carmen’s is open for lunch
South Palafox Street from Government to Main appears to be fine. Most businesses are closed. No standing water could be seen inside the buildings. Mari Joseph and her staff are opening for…
As flood water recedes in downtown Pensacola, strong odor of sewer in some businesses
The businesses in the first block and a half of Palafox Place were flooded overnight. Nick Zangari of New York Nick’s has standing water in this sports bar. According to Nick, the…
City of Gulf Breeze flooded heavily in its interior neighborhoods, limited water supply
The City of Gulf Breeze has been hit hard. Many of the entire streets are flooded. The city’s stormwater system has been overwhelmed. Residents are asked to conserve water and limit waste…
Breaking News: Gov. Scott coming to Escambia County
My sources in Tallahassee have confirmed that Gov. Rick Scott is enroute to Escambia County to inspect the damage.
North Escambia reports woman died last night due to flooding on Hwy 29
NorthEscambia.com reports this morning that Betty Faye Word, age 67, drowned in flood waters on Highway 29 in Cantonment Tuesday night. The Florida Highway Patrol said she was traveling headed southbound on…