Got A Little Extra Time? Molino Ball Tourney Needs Volunteers
June 3, 2008
A huge 39 team softball tournament is coming to Molino’s Don Sutton Park, and volunteers are needed.
The tournament will take place June 6-13. The Molino Recreation Association needs volunteers to help park cars, collect the $2 entry fee, prep fields between games, work the concession stand, and various other things.
For more information, or to volunteer, contact Arty at trigger@frontiernet.net or by phone at 516-2674.
The money raised by the tournament goes to help the entire park, not just the softball teams.
Town Cuts $3,000 Sewer Bill, But Woman Will Still Have To Pay Up
June 3, 2008
The Town of Century will greatly reduce a Century woman’s $3,000 bill, but only because they have to do so. And she’ll still have to pay up all the town can collect.
When Leola Robinson placed a mobile home on property she owns in the 7500 block of Williams Street, she did not connect the trailer to the town’s sewer system. The town billed her each month for the minimum sewage usage charge, and that bill reach about $3,000 by the time the issue came before the town council about a month ago.
Council President Ann Brooks read two town ordinances Monday that indicate that every property owner in the town must connect any structure to the town’s sewer service within three months. If not, the ordinances say the town can charge the property owner a minimum monthly fee and enter the person’s property to connect the service. The ordinances also prohibit septic tanks in the town unless approved by the health department and the council.
“I feel like I was elected to uphold those laws,” Brooks said.
Mayor Freddie McCall said the most the town could collect from Robinson would be charges from the past four years….about $624.
Council member Henry Hawkins said he felt like the council was “barking up the wrong tree” trying to collect from Robinson because the trailer is rented out. “My contention is that we are billing the wrong person.”
But Brooks pointed out the ordinance specifically says “property owners” are responsible for the sewage connection.
“It is still partially our error,” councilman Gary Riley said, since the ordinance stipulates that the town will make the sewage connection at the owner’s expense if the owner does not hire a private plumber.”We are not really forgiving her for anything. “I’m just willing to wipe the slate clean.”
Brooks recommend that the council bill Robinson the $624 and install a sewage tap at her driveway. She would be required, Brooks said, to connect to the sewage tap in a reasonable amount of time. Her recommendation passed on 3-2 vote, with Riley and Hawkins voting against it.
Also at Monday night’s Century Town Council meeting, McCall presented a request from Flomaton for a $1,000 contribution to help fund a July 4 fireworks program in Flomaton. The council took no action on the request after they were unable to locate the funds as being allocated in the annual budget.
In other business Monday night, the Century Town Council:
- Approved a recommendation by accountant Robert Hudson to require department heads to stick to their budgets or get prior approval from the council before going over budget. Department heads will receive a balance sheet for their departments in the next few days along with a memo outlining the new policy.
- Approved $600 in airfare for Brooks to attend classes for municipal officers in Sarasota, Florida. The council had previously approved the conference, but Brooks requested to fly, indicating that it would not be much more expensive that $4 a gallon gas to make the 1,100 round trip drive. Driving would have also required the town to pay for one more additional night in a hotel for Brooks.
- Announced that a military honor wall would be dedicated at 10:00 a.m. on July 4. The wall is located at Roadside Park.
- Heard from Hawkins, who said information printed recently in the Pensacola News Journal about a $1.78 million loan check from the USDA for infrastructure improvements. The check was ceremonial because the town has not actually entered into the loan agreement, but the Pensacola News Journal reported that the town had received the money, Hawkins said. “We need to get this corrected.”
Headed To Atmore? Somebody Might Be Watching From Up Above
June 3, 2008
If you head to nearby Atmore, Alabama, and feel like somebody is watching you, you might just be right.
Atmore Police officers will soon be able to view live feeds from new surveillance equipment that has been installed at major intersections all over town, according to Public Safety Director Glenn Carlee.
The department received a $158,000 grant from the Office of Justice Programs, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice. The grant was awarded in August 2006.
Motomesh Camera Systems are being installed at critical points throughout the city along public thoroughfares. Police officers will soon be able to view the video from their patrol cars with wireless broadband connections.
According to the Web site http://motomesh.motqisv.com/, “Motorola’s mesh networking technology enables users to wirelessly access critical broadband applications seamlessly- anytime, and anywhere from and between fixed, portable and mobile devices.”
Carlee said that the cameras would not invade private property and would be for security purposes only. They are not traffic cameras, but are surveillance cameras used for solving burglary and other criminal cases.
“We will be able to go back to the video from a certain day and view the scene,” Carlee explained.
Photos and story courtesy AtmoreNews.com
Allied Waste Wants To Feed The Entire Town of Century, Council Does Not Accept Invitation
June 3, 2008
Allied Waste offered to throw a party for the town of Century, but the town did not accept the invitation.
Mayor Freddie McCall told the town council Monday night that Allied Waste had offered to hold a picnic for the entire town and feed everyone jambalaya on July 5. The mayor asked the council to approve renting a tent for the event and purchasing items like catfish and hushpuppies to accompany the jambalya.
“I think it is a great gesture,” McCall said of Allied’s offer. Allied provides waste pickup on a contract basis in the town.
“I think that’s a good gesture, but are they working with us on the bills,” Council President Ann Brooks asked. The town has not paid an Allied Waste bill since October, according to Town Clerk Dorothy Sims, because every bill the town has received from Allied has been grossly incorrect.
“They billed us for all the businesses,” Sims said. Allied’s agreement with the town says that Allied will bill each individual business in the town for waste service. “We let them know that we are not going to pay them until they get it straight.”
“They haven’t picked up garbage on Old Flomaton Road in a week. I’d like to see them do their job first,” Brooks said. “It looks like they just skipped Old Flomaton Road altogether.”
“They know they have a problem,” McCall said.
On accepting the free picnic for the town’s residents, Brooks asked “do we want to send them a message that everything is O.K. ?”
“They missed the pickups and they bill us wrong,” council member Gary Riley said. “Now they want to feed us?”
No motion was brought to the table to accept the picnic offer.
Free Classified Ads Are Here!
June 3, 2008
NorthEscambia.com has added a classified ad page, and, best of all, ads are FREE!
Ads for individuals are free, up to 60 words. They must include a phone number or email address. Items for sale, items to give away, items wanted, pets, cars, trucks, real estate, you name it…you can list it for free on our classifieds page. Ads will run for 10 days, at which time they can be renewed…for FREE!
And for limited time, business ads on our classifieds page are also FREE! Business ads are free until June 6 and will run for one week. Limit two ads per business under the free offer. All ads are subject to approval. After June 6, business ads will be available on the NorthEscambia.com Classifieds for a small charge.
To visit the NorthEscambia.com Classifieds, click here.
Memorial Board: Students, Teachers, Community Remember Mrs. Smith
June 2, 2008
Molino Park Elementary School teacher Sharon Smith died Friday, the last day of school, moments after waving goodbye to her students. It was also her retirement day.
Many NorthEscambia.com readers have emailed us comments about Mrs. Smith and the influence she has in her 36 years at Molino and Molino Park elementary schools.
If you like to add your comments to this page, email news@northescambia.com or use our contact form. To read our story from Friday afternoon about Mrs. Smith, click here.
Here is a sample of the comments we have received so far:
- One moment I feel so happy for Sharon continuing her retirement party in heaven with Dent and Reggie, and then here comes another wave of sadness about loosing such a great friend. I’ll just say thank you God for her fine example and witness, and please send Molino Park Elementary more teachers just like her. And I know that Sharon would send a special congratulations and thank you to Mrs. Barrow who shared that last walk with her. – Charles Woodward
- Mrs. Smith was my fourth grade teachers 3 years ago at Molino Park. I loved her very much. She was kind and helped us all do the best we could. After I left her class we would always email each other every week and I would send her stories that I had written and she loved to read them. When I left Molino Park and moved to middle school at Ernest Ward last year, I would have my mom stop by Molino Park every now and then so that I could say hi to Mrs. Smith and all my other teachers I had had in the past. I got to see her for one last time on Thursday, May 29 during her class party. I am sad that she is gone and will miss her very much. – Courtney S.
- I grow up with Sharon, (shag) was her nickname, in a small town called Red Bay, Florida. She was the sweetest person, she had a warm spirit, and a eautiful smile. Shag, we will always miss you. –Carolyn B.
- Mrs. Smith was my teacher many years ago and also taught my daughter, Angel, in 4th grade. She was a Godly person and wasn’t afraid to share that with others. She engouraged Angel and saw potential in all her students. As her motto goes: Always do your best, she was the BEST. She will be dearly missed and ALWAYS remembered. We love you. – Lynn and Angel Lathan
- hi my name is shelby. mrs.robinson was my teacher but mrs. smith was my teacher half of the day and i loved her so! mrs. smith signed everyone’s year book that day and she signed mine and i’m keeping it forever cuz she was a very loving teacher!! i will allways love her! and no one can ever take her place in my heart!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – Shelby M.
- I had the pleasure of working with and being able to call Sharon Smith a dear friend for eight years. In 2000 my job at Barrineau Park Elem. became a shared position with Molino Elem. and Sharon was the one that made me feel like part of the “family at Molino”. I was fortunate enough to move to Molino Park when it opened. Sharon’s love for children and teaching was evident in all she did. I will truly miss my friend and prayer partner. – Belinda Perry
- Mrs. Smith taught our two oldest sons when she was at the old Molino school. Our daughter didn’t have her but came to know and love her when Mrs. Smith’s and Mrs. Secord’s classes were next door to each other. She was a blessing to anyone that came into her path. Now it is a Blessing knowing that she is with Jesus. – Melanie Dix
- Mrs. Smith we Love You and will miss you dearly. All our love. – The Ging Family
- On behalf of the family of Sharon Smith, we thank you and feel blessed that we got to share this awesome teacher and woman with the world. She finished her work here and due to her faithfulness in spreading the love of God to others inspite of her pain and heartache, He rewarded her by reuniting her with her husband and child. We will miss her greatly but she is happy and at peace! Thank you, Molino Family for loving her, too. – Doreatha Jackson, Deborah Long, Miranda Bethune, Eutasia Brooks
Mrs. Smith was one of those teachers that you carry in your heart for your entire life. She taught our son Adam 11 years ago and now daughter Kaitlyn this year. She will be missed by all that she touched directly and indirectly. Our hearts go out to her family. – The Kleinatlands - I went to school at Molino Park. Mrs.Smith was loving and and a heart of gold. I used to visit her a lot when I went there. I will miss her dearly just along with everybody else. One thing I always remember is that something that happens like this is in God`s plan. It is just a stepping stone in life. I will try to go to the wake. – Cheyenne Godwin
- Mrs. Smith was my fourth gade teacher last year. She encouraged me and the other students very much. I was very sad when I heard of her going, but I know she is in Heaven with her husband and son.
!!!!!! – Benjamin Linam - Mrs. Smith was my teacher. She was a loving and hard working teacher. She always said “Do your best and make no excuses”. We all are heart broken! – Allison Woodfin
- My son had Mrs. Smith when he was in the fourth grade, she was a wonderful loving person that truly cared for her students, and will be greatly missed by all. My son has many wonderful memories with Mrs. Smith and will cherish them more now then ever. She challenged him to do his best and to try what he thought to be impossible. He took her passing hard but knows that she is in Heaven with her son and husband where she is happy and healthy. I know there was a special place in Heaven just for Sharon Smith. She was Loved by all that knew her and will be missed by all of us, especially her children.
- If I could tell Mrs. Smith one more thing I would tell her THANK YOU for tutoring me and my brother Aden, and her warm and cozy hugs every day. I will always love and remember you. Love, Alliana Davis
- Nearing retirement in education myself, I can only imagine how it must feel saying goodbye for the last time. Over the years teachers adopt students and they become our own. Sharon Smith was obviously a dedicated teacher and a wonderful person. Her legacy of love is an example for us all. –Carol Hensel Moore
Sharon Smith’s Story Makes National News On Fox Network
June 2, 2008
The story of Molino teacher Sharon Smith passing away on her retirement day, just moments after waving goodbye to her final class, has made headlines around the nation.
Her story is airing this morning on satellite news network Fox News. At 7:00 this morning, the Sharon Smith story was the second most read story on the network’s web site.
NorthEscambia.com was the first to report the story, posting it mid-afternoon Friday. It was reported by the Pensacola newspaper on Sunday as a front page story, and it was on a Pensacola television station Sunday night.
Hurricane Evacuation Route Is Well Ahead Of Schedule
June 2, 2008
A hurricane evacuation route in Alabama, partially funded by Escambia County, Florida, is expected to be completed well ahead of schedule.
The Alabama Highway 113 widening project is about 60 percent complete, only about 30 percent into the project’s allotted time. The four lanes on Alabama Highway 113 from Flomaton, Alabama, to I-65 will provide a four lane evacuation route from Highway 29 in Pensacola and North Escambia all the way to the interstate.
“We are shooting for a completion date around Labor Day,” Alabama Department of Transportation Acting District Engineer Brent Maddox told NorthEscambia.com. “I think we will make it. If we don’t we’ll be pretty close.”
The 14 mile widening project broke ground on September 11, 2007. Escambia County, Florida, contributed $4 million to the project. Flomaton and Escambia County, Alabama, each contributed $500,000 with the state of Alabama and the federal goverment picking up of the rest of the nearly $23 million tab.
Maddox praised contractor Grady Rawls & Sons from Evergreen, Alabama, for their work on the project. “To be over half done with the project in one third the time is just amazing,” he said.
He said the asphalt is complete on some stretches of the highway, and the deck is almost complete on one major bridge along the route.
This agreement will improve our ability to get people away from danger more quickly,” Governor Riley said of the two state project. “Anytime we work together like this, everyone wins. I’m very pleased that we’ve looked at this from a regional basis and gotten participation from Alabama and Florida. We’ve got to think of these kind of projects from a regional basis because it benefits people across state lines. This is the way it ought to work.”
Hurricane season officially began yesterday, June 1. The primary hurricane evacuation route from Pensacola and North Escambia is Highway 29 north into Alabama to Highway 113 to I-65. In past evacuations, traffic has come to a complete stop on the two lane Highway 113 between Flomaton and the interstate.
Pictured above: Highway 113 as it heads north from Flomaton, Alabama. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge. Pictured middle: The September 11, 2007, groundbreaking for the widening project, including Alabama Governor Bob Riley, Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Kevin White, Century Mayor Freddy McCall and Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant. File photo.
Beloved Molino Teacher Passes Away After Waving Goodbye To Students
June 2, 2008
Molino Park Elementary fourth grade teacher Sharon Smith was set to retire Friday. She stood outside the school, waving goodbye on the last day of school to her students.
She turned back toward her Molino Park Elementary school and lost her breath. Sharon Smith, 57, passed away a short time later.
“She loved ‘her children’ in her class,” Molino Park Principal Alice Woodward said. “She was happy all day today; it was her retirement day. She didn’t feel bad at all.”
Molino Park fifth grade students “walk the walk” and wave goodbye to cheering friends and family on the last day of school. Mrs. Smith walked too, arm around another retiring teacher as they waved to the cheering crowd.
Then the students left on the buses, Mrs. Smith waving goodbye to them.
“She was excited to go outside and wave goodbye to ‘her children’ as they left school,” Mrs. Woodward said. “She was so happy. Then she turned around and went inside. That’s when she started having trouble breathing.” Mrs. Smith died a short time later.
Funeral services are set for Thursday, the day the school had planned to throw a retirement party for her.
Mrs. Smith had experienced more than her fair share of tragedy in the past months, with both her husband and son passing away within six months of each other. Her husband, President Smith, Jr. passed away May 1, 2007, and her son Reginald Smith died on October 20, 2007, at the age of 23.
“She retired, then she went home to the Lord to be with her husband and son,” Mrs. Woodward said.
“We were her family; she was ours,” Mrs. Woodward said. “We are really going to miss her.”
Mrs. Smith began teaching in 1972 at Molino Elementary School, where she remained until 2002 before moving to the new Molino Park Elementary School. Friday was set to be her last day before her planned retirement.
“We thank you and feel blessed that we got to share this awesome teacher and woman with the world,” her aunt Doreatha Jackson said. “She finished her work here.
“And due to her faithfulness in spreading the love of God to others inspite of her pain and heartache,” Jackson said, “He rewarded her by reuniting her with her husband and child. We will miss her greatly but she is happy and at peace! Thank you, Molino Family for loving her.”
Family members say Mrs. Smith suffered one heart attack at the school. She was revived, then died on the way to Pensacola’s West Florida Hospital.
“She finished the race,” Mrs. Woodward said. “She finished the race.”
NorthEscambia.com invites your comments on this article and Mrs. Smith. Email news@northescambia.com or click here for our contact form. To read the comments we have received, click here for our memorial board.
Funeral Services for Mrs. Sharon Smith will be held at 11:00 Thursday morning at the Sixth Avenue Baptist Church at 1120 North Sixth Avenue in Pensacola.
Pictured above: Mrs. Sharon Smith and her fourth grade class wave goodbye about five minutes before their final walk to the buses Friday morning at Molino Park Elementary School. Pictures below: Sharon Smith (top left of photo) and Elaine Barrow pose with students just minutes before they took their retirement walk; and Mrs. Smith at Thursday’s class party. Submitted photo, click to enlarge.
Two Women Win Beth Moore Video Conference Tickets; Not Too Late For Others Buy Tickets
June 2, 2008
NorthEscambia.com has drawn the names of two winners of tickets to “Loving Well”, a one day women’s retreat on video by Beth Moore at the Walnut Hill Baptist Church. The winners are Leslie Johnson of Flomaton and Tammy Hodge of Cantonment.
The retreat will be held June 21 from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. The cost is $20 and includes a breakfast, catered lunch, tote bag, journal and other goodies. The retreat includes four video sessions from Beth Moore and live music from Leah Taylor and her band. To purchase tickets, or for more information, contact Somer at 327-6469. The registration deadline is June 7.
Leslie and Tammy win one ticket each including their breakfast, catered lunch. tote bag, journal and admission to all the day’s events compliments of the Walnut Hill Baptist Church at 5741 Arthur Brown Road in Walnut Hill..