West Fraser Now Calling McDavid Shutdown A ‘Closure’
December 3, 2008
West Fraser Timber Co. is now calling the shutdown of its McDavid mill a “closure”. The company had previously called the layoffs at the North Escambia facility a “market-related curtailment”.
West Fraser has also told Alabama officials that it is closing its facility in Citronelle, Alabama. A statement released by West Fraser says the company has “implemented the market-related closure of its sawmills located in McDavid, Florida and Citronelle, Alabama.”
About 75 jobs were eliminated on November 7 with the McDavid closure, and about 100 people lost their jobs with the Citronelle closure on Monday.
The McDavid mill produces Southern Yellow Pine lumber and has an annual production capacity of about 200 million board feet. The mill has been running just one shift, producing about 75 million board feet.
The annual capacity at the Citronelle mill was 70 million board feet, but the plant was operating at about 43 million board feet per year, manufacturing 2×4 and 2×6 lumber.
West Fraser reported a loss of $2 million, or about a nickel a share, on sales of $848 million in the third quarter of 2008. The company reported losses for the first nine months of of 2008 $68 million, or $1.58 per share.
Pictured above: The McDavid West Fraser mill. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Many Escambia Students To Receive Health Report Cards Beginning Today
December 3, 2008
Escambia first, third, sixth and ninth grade students will be given their health report cards beginning today.
Over 11,900 students in those grades took the Escambia County Health Department’s screening for vision, hearing, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI).
The overall county data shows no increase in obesity rates among first and sixth graders, and a one to two percent increase for third and ninth graders. Even with the two percent increase, ninth graders remain below their highest rate of the past five years.
“While this is very encouraging news for our county – and comes at a time when we know that America’s obesity epidemic is at record-level highs – it also demonstrates that we must broaden our efforts beyond our schools,” said Health Department Director Dr. John Lanza. “Our city and county must commit to a community-wide effort that makes physical activity and healthy eating our way of life.”
The numbers show that a full 20 percent of the 11,933 students in the survey were overweight with a high BMI. Another 16 percent were categorized as being at risk for becoming overweight. Two percent were classified as underweight. That left 62 percent in the normal category.
BMI is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight and is used to screen for health problems associated with an unhealthy body weight. The measurement of students’ BMI in first, third and sixth grades is required by the State of Florida.
The measurement of students’ Body Mass Index in first, third and sixth grades is required by the State of Florida.
A portion of a sample report is below. For a complete same report in pdf format, click here.
Layoffs Hit Pensacola News Journal
December 3, 2008
The Pensacola News Journal reports this morning that they have eliminated 28 jobs due to drop in automotive, real estate and employment advertising.
The PNJ cut 21 full-time and seven part-time jobs on Tuesday.
Read more here.
Red Bulbs Lit After Three Residential Fires In 24 Hours
December 3, 2008
Three days into Escambia County’s “Keep the Wreath Green” holiday fire safety program, three red bulbs representing residential fires have been lit.
At 4:03 a.m. Wednesday., an Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy on routine patrol noticed a fire coming from the roof of a home in the 4500 block of Florelle Way. The deputy evacuated the family and reported the fire. Escambia County Fire Rescue firefighters extinguished the fire in the attic. The American Red Cross was called to assist the family, two adults and five children. The fire was ruled accidental, caused by an electrical short. Firefighters from Osceola, Brent, West Pensacola, Ensley, and Bellview responded.
At 11:06 a.m. Tuesday, Escambia County Fire Rescue units responded to Tanglewood Gardens Mobile Home Park at 6530 N. Palafox Street. Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from one of the homes. The fire, located in one of the bedrooms, was quickly brought under control and extinguished by 11:32 a.m.
No one was home at the time of the fire. The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was accidental due to an undetermined electrical problem. Firefighters from Brent, Ensley, and Ferry Pass responded.
At 3:53 Tuesday morning, fire units responded to Melei Rental Huts at 3543 Mobile Highway, an extended-stay cottage facility. When firefighters arrived at the scene they found the rear of one of the duplexes fully involved and the fire starting to come through the roof. At 4:48 a.m. the fire was out.
There were no injuries reported, but the rear cottage was completely destroyed and the front cottage sustained smoke and water damage. The Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the fire was accidental caused by a space heater that was left on in the bedroom close to combustible materials. Firefighters from West Pensacola, Osceola, Brent, Myrtle Grove, Warrington, and the Navy responded to the fire.
Escambia County Fire-Rescue and the City of Pensacola Fire Department will continue the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign throughout the holiday season.
This year, the fifth year of the campaign, five-foot wreaths will be on display at 22 different locations throughout the holiday season. These sites are the Old Escambia County Courthouse on Palafox Place, the Public Safety Building on W Street, all 18 primary county fire stations, and two fire stations within the City of Pensacola.
A third fire was reported late Tuesday night on Pinestead Road in Pensacola. A red bulb for that fire is expected to be lit on Wednesday.
Every time firefighters respond to a residential fire a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by holiday decorations.
Buy A Pecan Pie, Help Ernest Ward Cheerleaders
December 3, 2008
You can buy a Christmas pecan pie and help the Ernest Ward Middle School Cheerleaders head to Orlando early next year to compete for a national title.
The cheerleaders taking orders now for Priester’s pecan pies for $13 each. The pies will be delivered on December 17.
Priester’s Pecan Pies are made the old fashioned way. Using Grandma’s homemade recipe, combined with loving care from Priester’s best bakers, and only the freshest ingredients. Intent on perfection, it took 510 baking tests to create the perfect pecan pie. Piles of our famous scrumptious crunchy pecans, all-natural real butter, farm-fresh eggs, and a delectable syrup selected for its sweet tempting taste is perfectly baked into a flaky, tasty crust. (Priester’s is that place along I-65 in Fort Deposit, Ala.)
The cheerleaders will also sponsor a volleyball tournament at the First Baptist Church of Bratt on January 3 beginning at 9:00. The entry fee is $10 per person for each four man team. Concessions will also be available.
To order pies, or for more information about the volleyball tournament, contact any Ernest Ward cheerleader, cheerleader parent, or call (850) 327-4744 or (850) 516-8400.
Pictured above: A Priester’s pecan pie. Courtesy photo.
Escambia Tax Watchdog Group Forms
December 3, 2008
A tax watchdog group has formed in Escambia County, and it intends to scrutinize exactly how the county and the city of Pensacola are spending tax money.
Rick’s Blog reports that the group, the Escambia County Taxpayers Association, is led Pensacola attorney Bob Kerrigan. Kerrigan was behind the recent Florida Tax Watch study of county government.
Several local officials were on hand at the announcement of the group, including Sam Hall, Pensacola city council member; State Representative Dave Murzin; Escambia Commissioner Grover Robinson; and Property Appraiser Chris Jones.
Read more on ricksblog.biz
Part Of Bogia Road Closed Today
December 3, 2008
Bogia Road east of Highway 29 will be closed Wednesday at the railroad tracks.
The road is scheduled to be closed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the CSX railroad tracks.
The closure is part of an ongoing project to replace railroad crossings from Century to Molino.
Century Gives Nod To Group That Wants To Consolidate County Government
December 2, 2008
The group that wants to consolidate the governments of Escambia County, Century and Pensacola into one unified county government moved one step closer to their goal with a resolution from the Century Town Council Monday night.
The council’s resolution, which is identical to resolutions passed recently by Escambia County and the City of Pensacola, simply says that Century supports moving forward in exploring the governmental consolidation sought by the group Escambia All For One.
“It lets the legislature know that you are in favor of moving to the next step,” Scott Remington, member of Escambia All For One, told the council. That next step involves a presentation to the county’s state legislative delegation on December 8. They’ll ask the state legislators to support a bill to form a commission to draft a consolidated government charter. That charter would then be a presented to Escambia County voters. At that point, voters in Century would decide if they wanted to keep Century’s town council government or become part of the consolidated Pensacola-Escambia County.
“This is not an endorsement of consolidation,” Remington told the council as they considered the resolution.
Supporters say the consolidated government, which would create the fourth largest city in Florida, would create a better opportunity to economic development because of a larger scale local area. It is expected that the charter government would operate similar to the federal government with an executive, legislative and quasi-judicial branch.
The single executive branch leader, Remington envisions, would provide a single point of contact for the county much as the governor does for the state.
“The structure of government doesn’t work when you fragment everything,” he said of the county’s current governmental structure.
If the state legislature approves the local consolidation bill, a commission would be formed to draft the charter. That commission would be comprised of citizens from across the county.
“That’s really what the citizens’ committee brings to the table,” Jason Crawford co-chair of All For One said. “It’s a grassroots directive.”
“I want to know more about it,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. “We are not accepting it or saying that we are for it until we see it,” he said of the charter.
The Escambia County Commission and City of Pensacola also want to see and vote on the completed charter, if the group gets that far. If the county or either municipality were to vote down the charter, it would only be symbolic; it would still be on the ballot for the voters of the county to decide.
“They can do it whether we agree to it or not,” Council President Ann Brooks said.
Pictured above: Scott Remington of Escambia All For One addresses the Century Town Council Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Longtime Atmore Doctor Harry Moore Moving To Texas
December 2, 2008
After practicing medicine in Atmore for 26 years, Dr. Harry Moore is closing his Atmore practice and moving to Texas.
Moore has accepted the position of medical director of The Premier Center in Austin, Texas. The Premier Center and Research Labs bills itself as the “world leader” in cell resonant nutrition technology.
Moore moved to Atmore in 1982 and joined the practice of the late Dr. Ben Maxwell at Physicians Associates on Medical Park Drive. Moore changed the name of the practice about a year ago to the Moore Clinic for Wholeness in Health, a Center for Advanced Medicine.
Moore often uses a combination of nutrition, , the latest drugs, botanical supplements and detoxification programs in his Atmore practice. It is a medical style that he will continue in Texas.
The Moore Clinic in Atmore will close at noon on December 31. Patients will receive a letter in the mail explaining the closure and how they can transfer their medical records.
A Spectacular Planetary Show
December 2, 2008
Pictured above: Venus and Jupiter were visible near the moon Monday night about 6:00. Here, the two planets and the moon are pictured over the Walnut Hill water tower at Highway 97 and Arthur Brown Road. Neptune was also visible just out of the photo frame. You can see the same celestial show tonight in the southwest sky just after sunset. For the photo buffs: This was a seven second bulb exposure at 1600 ISO taken from Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.