Commission Forgives Code Lien In Sympathetic Move
November 7, 2008
In an unusual and sympathetic move, the Escambia County Commission voted Thursday night to forgive a code enforcement lien against a North Escambia man for code violations at his home on Highway 168.
“Because he is…illiterate, disabled and financially unable to pay the full amount of the lien, his sister has asked on his behalf that his lien be waived,” County Attorny Alison Rogers told commissioners.
Jeffery K. Godwin was issued a notice of violation in June 2004 for problems on his property at 3750 Highway 168 and given 14 days to cleanup the property. He did abate (fix) the problems on the last day of that 14 day period.
He was assessed a $675 administrative hearing fee, but was never charge any additional fines since the problem was rectified. Godwin’s piece of property has a value of $8,781, according to county records.
Godwin’s sister, Cathy Scott, asked the commission on Godwin’s behalf to forgive the $675 lien against the property.
“It’s asking for your sympathies with regards to his physical and mental condition,” Rogers told commissioners.
“The issue is that he abated it,” Commissioner Grover Robinson said. “Because of his other issues, I’m willing to look at it due to the fact that he did abate it on his own.”
“it is unusual for us to do this, and by no means do I believe that this is precedent setting,” Robinson added
Great Music, Family Fun Tonight With Barrineau Park Music Night
November 7, 2008
The free Barrineau Park Music night will be held tonight, featuring Sons of the Pines and High Cotton.
The groups will perform at 7:00 tonight at the Barrineau Park Community Center, three miles west of Molino on Barrineau Park School Road.
A catered meal will be available before the show from 5:00 until 7:00. The meal is $9, but all entertainment is free.
The Barrineau Park Music night is a wholesome, family friendly environment. No alcohol is permitted on the property, and there is no smoking in or near the building.
For more information, call (850) 587-5575.
Pictured above: The Sons of the Pines.
The IRS May Owe You Money
November 7, 2008
The IRS is looking for 377 Escambia residents because their stimulus or refund checks were returned by the post office as “undeliverable”. Of those, 10 are North Escambia residents.
The IRS has refund or stimulus checks for:
- Madden, Steven L. & Samantha K. – Century
- Muse, Willie J. - Century
- Wiggins, Gregory L. – Century
- Holt, Donald C. – McDavid
- Santander, Claudio – McDavid
- Robinson, Michael E. – Molino
- Halford, Bonita C. & Edd – Cantonment
- Lee, William H. - Cantonment
- Moize, Dirck H. – Cantonment
- Theodosis, Nick – Cantonment
For more information, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
Century Takes Step Toward Project Green Leaf
November 6, 2008
The Town of Century has taken another step toward luring Project Green Leaf with a resolution promising to lease of sell up to 25 acres in the Town’s Industrial Park. The project calls for an electric car manufacturing facility that backers say could eventually bring up to 565 jobs to the area within three years.
In th resolution approved by the town council, the town says it intends to sell or lease up to 25 acres to the company, with a few conditions. The two parties must negotiate an agreement that satisfies both sides and includes certain performance standards. Those standards include requirements for the amount and type of capital investment, a timeline for the commencement of operations, job creation, increase in tax base and the use of the town’s water, gas and sewer.
The town’s resolution says it is important to bring Project Green Leaf to town, to “generate economic stimulus to the local area and the State of Florida by offering manufacturing jobs with wages above Escambia County averages”. The average salary for the “green” jobs at the electric job company is forecast to be $32,182 per year.
Century Mayor Freddie McCall was authorized by the resolution to enter into negotiations with Project Green Leaf officials.
Escambia County approved a resolution last month expressing their support for the project.
White Becomes First Commissioner Re-elected In Almost 30 Years
November 6, 2008
Escambia District 5 Commissioner Kevin White made history in Escambia County Tuesday, becoming the first commissioner to be re-elected in almost 30 years.
White, a Republican, was re-elected to his commission seat Tuesday by more than 8,000 votes, taking 63.6 percent of the vote in his race against Democratic challenger Jim Barnett.
Since Escambia County returned to single member commission districts in the early 1980’s, no commissioner had ever won re-election to his seat, White said.
“I am very humbled and honored by it,” White said of his victory. He said he plans to a make economic development and transportation top priorities the next four years. “Including more dirt road paving and taking care of substandard paved roads,” he added.
One former commissioner has managed to return to the commission in a different district. Wilson Robertson, who previously served as District 5’s commissioner, was elected Tuesday to the District 1 seat held by Mike Whitehead.
Major Pirating Bust; $152,684 In Movies, Music Seized
November 6, 2008
A major DVD and CD pirating operation in Atmore has been busted, with officers seizing $152,684 worth of pirated movies on DVD.
The Atmore Police Department served a search warrant at 218 Perdido Street, near Escambia County High School, seizing the counterfeit DVDs and CDs. Atmore investigators say Delilah Wilson, 54, and Amber Kilpatrick, 30, were downloading movies and music from the Internet, burning them to the discs and then sell them to the public. That’s a felony in Alabama.
Elizabeth Kaltman, vice president of corporate communications for the Motion Pictures Association of America, said video piracy costs the motion picture industry about $18 billion a year, and it’s not unusual to find piracy operations in small towns like Atmore. What was unusual, she said, was the size of the home-based operation.
“This was pretty significant in size for an operation being ran out of a home,” Kaltman told North Escambia.com from her Los Angeles office. “Piracy is happening all over the country and all over the world. It’s happening in cities, but is happening in urban and rural areas too.”
Atmore police say they began their investigation after receiving complaints about the operation. Undercover officers they made several purchases of counterfeit movie DVDs from the home.
While executing the search warrant, police discovered and seized numerous computer systems and components, DVD and CD burners. In addition of the $152,684 in bootleg DVDs, police also seized $6,075 worth of counterfeit music CDs.
Movie and movie piracy is the simple act of making unauthorized copies of movies or music for sell or distribution, according to the MPAA.
FFA Smoke Turkey/Boston Butt Sale Underway
November 6, 2008
The annual Northview High School FFA Alumni Smoked Turkey and Boston Butt Sale is now underway, just in time for Thanksgiving.
In the annual fund raiser, you can choose either a seven to nine pound smoked Boston butt or a 10-12 pound smoked turkey for $25 each.
Boston butts will be available for pickup on Monday, November 24, the the smoked turkeys will be available for pickup on Tuesday, November 25. The deadline to order is Tuesday, November 11.
Proceeds from the sale will go to benefit the Northview High School FFA Scholarship Fund. The sale is sponsored by Archie’s Catering Smokehouse in Molino.
For a printable order form that you can mail to the school with your payment, click here.
For more information, call (850) 327-6681 extension 248.
Walnut Hill – A View From Above
November 6, 2008
Things look a little different from 60 feet up than they do on the ground.
NorthEscambia.com had the opportunity recently to take a ride up in an Escambia River Electric Cooperative bucket truck. From 60 feet above the parking lot at the Ernest Ward Middle School gym, the view of Walnut Hill is impressive.
For more photos, click here.
Pictured top: Looking at the intersection of Highway 97 and Arthur Brown Road. Pictured left: Libbie Johnson from the Escambia County extension service gets a ride in the bucket truck. Pictured below: Looking 60 feet down at Ryan Carter and Sherry Digmon from the Atmore News. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Special thanks to EREC for the ride.
Garbage Bills To Increase
November 6, 2008
If you live in the Town of Century, your trash bill is headed up beginning next month.
Allied Waste, which picks up trash in Century under contract with the town, has informed the town that rates will go up 91 cents per residential customer. That will increase the month rate for residential trash service from $14.13 per month to $15.04 per month. It will be the first trash rate increase in about three years.
“They are not asking us; they are telling us,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said, adding that the town’s franchise agreement with Allied Waste does allow for the increase without the town’s approval.
Former Century Mayor Evelyn Hammond Still At Town Hall?
November 6, 2008
She’s been gone from the mayor’s office in Century for almost a year, but if you get the town’s answering machine, there’s still an option to talk to Evelyn Hammond.
Century resident Annie Savage said she called the town hall recently, getting the town’s auto-attendant rather than a live person. There were the usual options to press numbers to be connected to employees like Town Clerk Dorothy Sims. But then there was “press 4″.
Savage told the town council that she was appalled to her “press 4 for Mayor Evelyn Hammond”, especially considering Hammond has been out of office for 11 months.
When asked by NorthEscambia.com if she “pressed 4 just to see what happened”, Savage said she did not. NorthEscambia.com attempted to reach the recorded phone message Wednesday evening, but when dialing the listed number for Century Town Hall we were connected to a live operator at the town’s answering service.
Town officials said the recording would be changed as soon as possible by the phone service provider.