Town Receives $302,488 To Settle Past Gas Bills
October 31, 2008
The Florida Department of Corrections has settled a gas billing dispute with the Town of Century by making a $302 thousand dollar payment.
The town received the $302,488.40 check Thursday, Century Mayor Freddie McCall said, to cover back gas billings for the Century Correctional Institute.
The dispute stemmed from billing practices that dated back to 2000. Under the town’s agreement with the DOC and Century Correctional Institute, the prison was to pay for natural gas at the rate of 120 percent of the town’s actual cost. The town’s billing system would generate a bill at the normal rate, then town employees would re-rate the bill and send a new bill about 10 days later at the 120 percent rate. That adjustment was originally done twice a year based upon the rate from nine months earlier.
But in 2000, there was spike in natural gas prices, Matt Dannheisser, the town’s attorney said, and the town went back to the DOC that agreed to pay 100 percent of the town’s cost on a monthly basis. But they did not agree to pay the 20 percent profit margin until a new agreement was reached.
Town Accountant Robert Hudson had reported to the council several months ago that the DOC owed about $569,000 in back payments. But that amount included $127,000 in interest that Dannheisser said the DOC was not willing to pay, and the DOC disputed some of the billing amounts.
The check received Thursday will be deposited into the town’s gas fund, McCall said, with the town council to make the eventual decision what to do with the funds.
“This is exciting that we finally have the money we were owed,” McCall said, “and we can move forward.”
Hundreds Attend Bratt Elementary’s Annual Fall Festival
October 31, 2008
Bratt Elementary School held its annual Fall Festival Thursday afternoon at the school, with hundreds of students and area residents attending.
The festival featured a variety of games, a hulu hoop contest, a cake walk, cake auction and plenty of food.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the Bratt Elementary Fall Festival, click here.
Bratt also named a festival king and queen Thursday. Click here for that story.
Pictured above and below: The annual Bratt Elementary School Fall Festival was held Thursday afternoon.NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Care Center Hosts Trick-or-Treaters
October 31, 2008
The young and the old enjoyed a little trick-or-treat fun together at Century Care Center.
Century Care Center hosted trick-or-treaters at the facility Thursday afternoon.
Pictured above and left: Trick-or-treaters were in for a treat Thursday afternoon at the Century Care Center. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Hundreds Attend Annual Flomaton Fall Festival
October 31, 2008
Hundreds of people packed downtown Flomaton Thursday night for the town’s annual Fall Festival.
Costumed children, adults and even pets took to the streets for a little trick-or-treating, a costume contest, games and lots of fun.
Click here for a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from Flomaton’s Fall Festival.
Pictured above: Hundreds of people attended the annual Flomaton Fall Festival in downtown Flomaton Thursday night. Pictured left: A living Barbie in a box costume. Pictured below: Flomaton Pharmacy passes out goodies. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Hosts Goblins And Ghouls At Roadside Park
October 31, 2008
The Town of Century sponsored trick-or-treating at the town’s Roadside Park Thursday evening.
Boy and “ghouls” that stopped by in costume received a bag of sugary goodies from town officials.
Both Century and Flomaton officially observed Halloween Thursday night.
For more photos from Century’s Halloween event, click here.
Pictured above: Margie McCall (left), Edna Earle Barnes and Century Mayor Freddie McCall talk to a little witch that stopped by the town’s Roadside Park Thursday night. Pictured below: “Trick-or-treat!” NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Names Fall Festival King And Queen
October 30, 2008
Bratt Elementary School named their king and queen for their Fall Festival today.
Queen Ashtyn Presley collected $278, and King Cole Lambert collected $72 in the annual King and Queen Fall Festival Contest fund raiser.
The students collected pennies for votes, with one penny equaling one vote. Presley and Lambert were named to the royal court for collecting the most votes.
Bratt Elementary’s annual Fall Festival was held this afternoon and evening at the school. We’ll have complete photo coverage Friday morning.
Pictured above: Bratt Elementary Fall Festival Queen Ashtyn Presley and King Cole Lambert. Pictured below: Bratt students who also collected votes. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Dog Fighting Charges Are Dropped Against Two Century Men
October 30, 2008
Charges have been dropped against two Century men that were accused of dog fighting in Santa Rosa County.
Jeffery Jay, 34, and Michael Anthony Jones, 38, both of Century, were charged with training or baiting animals for fighting.
A judge has tossed out the case against Jay and Jones because animal control officers accidentally euthanized pit bills that belonged to the two men. Only the dogs that belonged to a third man were supposed to be destroyed.
Raymond Eugene Teamer, 42, of Milton was charged with 35 counts of training or baiting animals for fighting and two counts of possessing or selling dog fighting equipment, all third degree felonies, in connection with a raid on his property in Milton back in November of last year. He was sentenced in court Friday to 15 years in state prison.
The Century men were arrested in early November following a traffic stop as they left Teamer’s Milton home. Two fighting dogs were found in the back of their truck, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Department. Other items that are used in the dog fighting community were also found in the vehicle. Both were released on $10,000 bond each the same day.
That traffic stop led to the search of Teamer’s home.
Investigators have been investigating Teamer for months in an effort to break up a large scale operation in which Teamer was breeding high dollar pit bulls for fighting other dogs in multiple states.
A search warrant was then obtained for Teamer’s residence. When the search warrant was executed, investigators found approximately 30 pit bull dogs located on the nine acre parcel of land owned by Teamer. These dogs were spread throughout Teamer’s property, chained fast to steel posts embedded in the ground with heavy industrial chains. The majority of the dogs had wounds, both fresh and healed, that are consistent with dog fighting activities. The investigation revealed that Teamer breeds these dogs specifically for the purpose of fighting. Numerous records, trophies, and other items were located on Teamer’s property that document Teamer’s activity of breeding, selling and fighting these dogs.
Multiple agencies and entities assisted with the investigation, including the collection and removal of the dogs from the property. The Flomaton Police Department as well as the Flomaton Animal Shelter also assisted in the investigation, due to the majority of the dog fights occurring in their jurisdiction.
Former PTO President Sentenced On Theft Charges
October 30, 2008
The former president of the Jay Elementary School PTO has been sentenced in connected with the theft of more than $1,500 from the organization.
Jennifer Wolters, 31, entered a plea of no contest on grand theft charges for using a school debit card to obtain over $1,500 that she then spent, among other things, at casinos in Biloxi. She was sentenced to 18 months probation and 100 hours of community service.
Wolters was arrested on the charges back in March. She had already repaid the money to the PTO at the time of her arrest.
Ernest Ward FFA Elects Officers, Wins At The Fair, Sells Sweet Potatoes
October 30, 2008
Students at Ernest Ward Middle School are only about a quarter of the way into the school year, and it has been a busy one so far for members of the school’s FFA chapter.
EWMS Reporter Courtney Solari contributed the following report for NorthEscambia.com:
This year has been off to a great start for the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA Chapter. So far, we have about 60 members and have just recently selected our 2008 – 2009 officers which include Harley Caraway – president, Devin Bell – vice president, Shelby Lewis – secretary, Chelsea Ward – treasurer, Courtney Solari – reporter, Anna Donald – sentinel, Cody Chapman – 1st parliamentarian, Tyler Roley – 2nd parliamentarian, Nathan Waters – chaplain, Sandy Rainwater – historian, and Marisa Penland and Katelyn Zisa – photographers .
The FFA members recently finished the Pensacola Interstate Fair booth and placed second. This is a major accomplishment because Ernest Ward was the only middle school competing against four high schools. The theme was “ Wearing Official FFA Dress is Priceless!!!!” We also had to include various agricultural products including a jar of honey donated by our own beekeeper, Aden Davis, a sixth grader at EWMS.
Also at the fair, EWMS students Marisa Penland and Devin Bell each showed various livestock.
Our annual sweet potato sale will be November 3rd through November 14th. We will be selling twenty pound bags for $7.00 each, and they will be available in white or red. Bags of potatoes can be ordered from any EWMS FFA member. Call the school for more information, 327-4283.
Pictured above: The Ernest Ward Middle School FFA booth at the Pensacola Interstate Fair. Pictured below: FFA members work on the fair booth. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Call Him Lucky: McDavid Man Wins Eight Florida Lottery Price Packages
October 30, 2008
A McDavid man won not one, but eight second chance drawings from the Florida Lottery on Wednesday.
Gary Smith of McDavid won eight Indiana Jones second-chance packages from the final drawing for the Florida Lottery scratch-off game.
There were 2,100 prize packages valued at $583 each awarded. Each included an Indiana Jones 100% wool brown fedora hat, a long-sleeve Explorer shirt, a genuine cowhide leather jacket, a leather satchel and an Indiana Jones t-shirt.
There were a few others that won more than once, including a Tampa man that won five of the prize packages.
In the Indiana Jones scratch-off games, players could enter the second chance drawing by entering their losing ticket numbers online.