Fire Departments Respond To Century Woods Apartments
December 15, 2008
Area fire departments were dispatched to Century Woods Apartments on West Highway 4 Monday morning.
Escambia County EMS arrived on the scene first and reported light smoke showing from a cooking-related fire on the stove. The fire was quickly extinguished with no major damage.
The Century, McDavid and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were dispatched to the fire, along with the Flomaton Fire Department. All departments except Century were quickly canceled.
Another Victory In Local Man’s Crusade To Prevent More Deaths
December 15, 2008
A local man took on the Florida Department of Transportation and won…caution lights are up and the speed limit as lowered at Highway 29 and Byrneville Road. And now, Escambia County has done their part to improved safety at the intersection with the addition of a caution light on Byrneville Road.
Leroy White (left) lost his granddaughter on Thanksgiving day 2005 at the intersection of Byrneville Road/Bluff Springs Road and Highway 29. It’s a tragedy that he says could have been prevented with a traffic signal, and he went on a mission to have the Florida Department of Transportation make some changes.
He was first told “no” by the Florida DOT, and they even denied his public records request for accident data on the intersection.
His crusade include a petition with 450 signatures requesting improvements at the intersection and an August 15 article on NorthEscambia.com.
Tommie Speights, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Transportation, said that petition and the news coverage on NorthEscambia.com led the DOT to study the intersection.
Flashing yellow lights have been installed on “intersection ahead” signs both north and southbound as Highway 29 approaches the intersection (pictured left). The Highway 29 speed limit near the intersection was lowered from 65 to 55 mph, Speights said.
And recently, Escambia County installed a flashing caution light warning of the upcoming intersection on Byrneville Road. Brush along the county right of way was also trimmed to make the stop sign more visible.
“Everything we asked for is pretty much done,” White said. “They’ve done pretty much everything we asked for. We just want to thank everybody that had a part in this.”
“Hopefully it will do some good,” White told NorthEscambia.com. “There’s been too many wrecks there. I’m glad they are finally doing something about it.”
Callista LeEtta White died November 27, 2003, at the intersection. She was returning to Pensacola after spending time on Thanksgiving with her family. It was raining, and she approached Highway 29 too fast, apparently not realizing that she was near the intersection. She missed the stop sign and hydroplaned into the path of of a tractor trailer truck on Highway 29 about 7:35 p.m. The 2003 Northview High School graduate died a short time later at West Florida Hospital.
The most recent fatality at the intersection was on June 23 when Carolyn Hightower, 60, of Pensacola died as a result of injuries she sustained in a two vehicle accident there. Her husband, Richard Hightower, 63, was seriously injured in the crash. The Florida Highway Patrol said that Floyd D. Calloway, 65, pulled into the intersection from Bluff Springs into the path of the Hightower’s SUV.
“I just didn’t want to see it happen to another family,” White said.
Pictured top: Escambia County recently installed this flashing light and sign on Byrneville Road to warn drivers that they are approaching the Highway 29 intersection. Pictured middle: The new caution light on Highway 29 looking south toward Byrneville Road.. Pictured below: The accident at the intersection that claimed the life of a Pensacola woman on June 23. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Early Retirements Cost Escambia County $2.6 Million
December 15, 2008
Escambia County has spent over $2.6 million on a early retirement buyout program implemented earlier this year to trim the county payroll, with six employees receiving payments in the six digits.
The early retirement plan provided a financial incentive to take an early retirement for employees that were at least 50 years old or had at least 30 years of qualified service (25 years for high risk employees). The early retirements were offered by the county commission in an effort to trim $12 million from the county budget.
Former EMA Director Janice Kilgore’s early retirement was the county’s most expensive, with a $229,789.63 total cost include fringe benefits. The total early retirement cost for Donald Mayo, former director of building inspections, was $220,604.87. Other six figure early retirement buyouts included: Larry Overton, road and bridges director: $177,862.50; Robert Jacobson, director of information resources, $144,276.32; Duane Chase, director of roads and bridges, $141,840,62; and Charles Walker, chief of code enforcement $113, 240.00.
A total of 37 employees took the early retirement buyout. The lowest dollar payout was $13,127.35 to William Miskiewicz, a plans examiner.
The total cost to the county included $2,368,649 in salaries. That amount included $1,647,768 in retirement incentives, $60,133 in severance pay, $258,838 in annual leave pay, $325,221 in sick leave/paid time off pay, and $76,689 in MOB leave.
Fringe benefits cost $301,696. That amount included $135,294 in FICA tax, $31,258 in retirement costs, and $135,145 in insurance.
Local Residents Among UWF Graduates
December 15, 2008
Several local residents were among those graduating from the University of West Florida over the weekend.
Our area graduates were:
Century:
Bachelor’s Degree: Rachel Andrews
McDavid
Bachelor’s Degree: Matthew Gunter
Molino
Bachelor’s Degrees: Emily Coleman, Christin Hicks, Anne McGowan, Alicia Nowlin, Deva Rawls, Lester Rawls, Patrick Scully, Jameson Silcox, Christopher Wade
Jay
Bachelor’s Degrees: Nicole Bagley, Tarrah Davis, Lindsey Floyd, Nicholas Golden, Shellie White
Specialist’s Degree: Susan Diamond
Cantonment
Associate of Arts Degrees: Christina Ellison, Jennifer Simmons, Kaitlin Teets
Bachelor’s Degrees: Melissa Aiken, Daniel Bell, Sean Bowers, Cynthia Boyd, Charnai Carrier, Rachel Castleman, Michael Colonna, Ruth Corbin, William Cotton, Nicole Davis, Camillee Deguzman, Mark Deguzman, Susann Fehl, Victoria Fox, Eugenia George, Ryan Harrison, Chad Hetherington, John Hicks, Brandy Ingram, Michael McGlothlin, Brandon McKenzie, Lauren McManus, Christopher Meade, Jessica Miller, Gregory Miller, Aaron Moneyham, Diana Morton, Jonathan Olesky, Gwandoya Price, Mickey Rosalez, Stacy Ross, Brandon Sapp, Steve Schickel, Jeremy Smart, Jamaal Smart, Kurtis Smith, Darron Solensky, Jason Tucker, Julianne Welch, Amy Wright
Master’s Degrees: Jennifer Austin, Jenni Brian, Monte Chappell, Pamela Downey, Jennifer Kelly, Autumn Morris, Gary Peters, Jennifer Rape, Joni Steiner
Annual Redneck Christmas Parade Held
December 15, 2008
Our redneck friends and neighbors in the north Santa Rosa County celebrated Christmas with their annual Chumuckla Redneck Christmas Parade Sunday afternoon.
Deer, camo, truck and tractors were a common theme, along with a porcelain throne or two.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here. Submitted photos by Roy Tarbutton.
Pictured above and below: The annual Chumuckla Redneck Christmas Parade was held Sunday afternoon in north Santa Rosa County. Submitted photos by Roy Tarbutton for NorthEscambia.com.
Fire Destroys Davisville Mobile Home Sunday Morning; No Injuries
December 14, 2008
Fire destroyed a mobile home in Davisville Sunday morning, adding an eighth bulb in county’s “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign.
The fire on Nokomis Road just east of Highway 97 apparently started with children playing with matches on a bunk bed, according to firefighters on scene. The family was able to escape the fire with no injuries.
The fire was reported about 9:10 Sunday morning.
Family members say the family had no insurance. The American Red Cross was called to assist the family.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call, along with the Atmore Fire Department and Atmore Ambulance.
For a photo gallery from the scene, click here.
Pictured above: Fire destroyed a mobile home in Davisville Sunday morning. Pictured below: A firefighter inside the mobile home works to extinguish the fire.
Sheriff-elect Morgan: No More Good Ole Boy System, More Deputies On The Streets
December 14, 2008
The days of the “good ole boy” system in the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is coming to an end January 6 — that’s the word from Sheriff-elect David Morgan. And that’s just the beginning.
“The good ole boy system, that’s coming to an end,” Morgan said. “When times are good, you can kind of pull that off, but when times are bad, you can’t.”
He expects that annual budget for the sheriff’s department to be cut from its current $86.3 million to around $76 million. But despite the cuts, he plans to increase the number of deputies on the streets of Escambia County. Out of 1,058 employees in the sheriff’s department, Morgan said just 240 are deputies on patrol. He said 55 percent of the department’s employees work in administration.
“You have secretaries that gets cars to drive and gas cards,” he said.
Morgan plans to increase the number of deputies on patrol from the current 240 to nearly 300, the number of detention employees at the jail from 268 to about 300 and nearly double the number of narcotics officers.
“We may not have three helicopters and a beach patrol on scooters,” the sheriff-elect said. “Our organization is upside-down.”
“We are going to do more basic police work at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office,” he added. “We are going to return to serving the public, not being served.”
The new Republican sheriff said he spoke to new Republican School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas about was the sheriff’s department can better serve the school district. The sheriff’s department provides school resouce officers and other security functions for the county’s public school. One such function is security at sporting events; paying for that security can deeply impact profits that might be made on a ballgame.
Morgan plans to bring back the ESCO’s reserve officer program and use those officers to provide school event security at no cost to the district. Those fully certified reserve officers will also assist in other ways to save the department money.
Morgan’s remarks were made Saturday night at the annual Christmas party at the Barrineau Park Historical Society. He told the group that they will see much more of him in the coming months, as he plans to return to Barrineau Park and other North Escambia communities to find out what the communities expect of his department.
Sheriff-elect Morgan will take office as the new sheriff of Escambia County on January 6.
Pictured above: Sheriff-elect David Morgan Saturday night in Barrineau Park. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Molino Christmas Parade Celebrates The Season
December 14, 2008
The 6th Annual Molino Christmas Parade was held Saturday afternoon, with a host of local floats and personal Santa Claus visits in the ballpark.
The parade ended the Don Sutton Park, where Alabama Wing House Barbecue was available while children visited with Santa Claus.
All funds raised from parade entry fees, the bake sale and the barbecue meals will benefit needy children in the Molino community, according to Sonja Luker, one of the parade organizers. The guidance counselor at Molino Park Elementary School will assist in choosing Molino area children in need of Christmas gifts.
Donations such as toys and non-perishable foods can be dropped off at Fran’s Diner.
For a complete NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the parade and the ballpark events, click here.
Pictured above: A couple of young “Snowflakes” sing Jingle Bells during the 6th Annual Molino Christmas Parade Saturday afternoon. Pictured inset: Santa hears Christmas wishes. Pictured below: The Highland Baptist Church Kids Klub float. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fillingim Named Barrineau Park Historical Society Member Of The Year
December 14, 2008
Nancy Fillingim was named the 2008 Member of the Year of the Barrineau Park Historical Society.
Fillingim joined the group when it was chartered in 1993, and she has missed just a few meetings in the past 15 years. She serves as the historical soceity’s historian, curator of the museum and was the driving force behind the Barinneau Park Veterans Wall of Honor.
Her late husband Aubie served as the president of the Barrineau Park Community Center for 10 years. The auditorium at the Barrineau Park Community Center is named in his honor.
Fillingim received the honor Saturday night at the annual Barrineau Park Historical Society Christmas party.
Pictured above: Nita Berry (left) presents the Barrineau Park Historical Society Member of the Year Award to Nancy Fillingim. Pictured inset: Fillingim points to photos on the Veterans Wall of Honor in the auditorium named for her late husband. Pictured below: The BPHS Christmas party included the performance of several Christmas favorites. Pictured bottom: The Barrineau Park Historical Society Christmas party Saturday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Area Churchs To Present Christmas Programs Tonight
December 14, 2008
You can enjoy the sounds of the season as three area churches will present their Christmas programs tonight.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt worship choir will present “Joy, Joy, Joy” at 6:00 tonight in the church’s Family Life Center.
Dogwood Park Baptist Church will hold their annual Christmas musical featuring church children and adults at 6:00 tonight.
The Walnut Hill Baptist Church adult choir will present the Christmas cantata “Hope Has Hands” at 6 p.m.. A Christmas party will follow in the church fellowship hall.
The public is invited to attend each event.