Ford Escort 1997 Won't Start

4 door Escort 1997, manual transmission. I have had some starting problems, where I would stop at the gas station and 5 minutes later after filling the car won't start. (Happened twice) If I let it set for about 20min it would start no problem. The other day I was driving back home and parked at the grocery store, when I came out it wouldn't start no matter how long I waited. I put in a new starter but no difference. The car was just in for maintenance and the mechanic is on holiday. But I need to get work on Monday. Sometime, but not often when driving on the highway, there seems to be a hesitation in the acceleration, it feels like you are free floating, then it takes off. Don't know if that is me on the accelerator or if something related to my problem. I took it to the mechanic as the car was often dead when I went out in the moring. He said it was the battery and put in a new one.

When I turn the car on to start, it goes through the whinning motions but doesn't fire.

Thank you very much for help.