Council Talks Grants, New Life Church, Helicopter Technologies And More

August 19, 2008

The Century Town Council held a public hearing with no public input, discussed Helicopter Technologies, New Life Baptist Church, and changes aimed at improvement at a length session Monday night.

The council started a two and a half hour evening with a public hearing at 6:30 to discuss the continued development of both the Anthony Pleasant Sports Complex (formerly the Showalter Park Expansion) and Fischer Landing and to solicit public input regarding submission of a Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) grant application. Each grant could be worth up to $200,000 to the town. If the recreation grant for Fischer Landing is approved, it would fund the construction of a fishing pier and boat dock. The one minute public hearing ended with no member of the public speaking.

The council heard from Mayor Freddie McCall about the status of Helicopter Technologies during their two hour regular meeting. He said that Matt Dannheisser, the town’s attorney, had emailed a deed for the Helicopter Technology building to owner George Van Nevel in France in hopes that Van Nevel will sign the building back over to the town. The town had threatened forclosure action against the company, but opted to attempt to regain control of the building outside of the court system.

“I hope he (Van Nevel) is going to do what he said and sign it back to us, McCall said, adding that if there is a foreclosure he would hate to see the town “lose it on the courthouse steps to someone else”, referring to a public sale that might follow foreclosure proceedings.

Council member Gary Riley said he had received complaints that items were being moved out of, or away from, the Helicopter Technologies building “late at night”.

“They have heard a lot of scraping and scrubbing,” Riley said of the complaints received from neighborhoods near the Industrial Park where the building is located.

Council member Henry Hawkins complained to the council that some members have overstepped their bounds by making comments in the media about New Life Baptist Church. The Escambia County School District says they have paid tens of thousands of dollars in utility bills on the old Century High School building leased by New Life when the $1 per year lease on the building explictedly says New Life will pay those utility bills.

“We shouldn’t be getting involved with other people are doing that is none of our business,” Hawkin said. “We need need to be a little more tactful with what we do.” He suggested that New Life might sue council members or others in the town for their comments to the media.

“As long as we are not representing the town in what we do, we have the right to our views,” council President Anne Brooks said. “I think the county has been grossly mismanaging our money. I am proud to have a part in pointing it out.”

Century resident Annie Savage agreed.

“I’m very unhappy over the whole deal. They should have been paying their bills,” Savage said. “I am a taxpayer, and I don’t think the school board should have paid their bills.”

Another Century resident, Leola Robinson, disagreed. She said the school board should pay New Life Church because church members and Rev. Irvin Stallworth work to clean up trash around the old stadium. “I feel like the town is indebted to Rev. Stallworth.”

Robinson also offered her thoughts about the proposed closure of Carver/Century K-8 School.

“If they move our school to Walnut Hill, I want them to cut off my school taxes,” Robinson said. “I’m not going to pay them.”

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

Century Looks At Financial Record Keeping And Code Enforcement

August 19, 2008

A major change could be coming in the way Century keeps its financial records, and a the town could return to the code enforcement business.

Those were just two of the items discussed at a lengthy town council meeting Monday night.

The town’s accountant, Robert Hudson, recommended that the council look at switching from the account software Great Plains to Quickbooks.

“It is much, much easier than what they are utilizing now,” he said of Quickbooks. The town spent between $40,000 and $50,000 to get into the Great Plains software package years ago, Hudson said, and it continues to pay for software updates. Quickbooks, he said, would cost under $2,000 for a five user license.

A switch to Quickbooks, Hudson said, would allow better reporting of the town’s financial situation to the council, and it would offer a much easier to use system for town employees.

“I see less Robert if we switch,” Council President Anne Brooks said. Currently, the town pays Hudson to convert Great Plains financial reports generated by the town into simplier Quickbooks reports. That step could be eliminated, Brooks said, saving the town money spent on accountant services. Century has paid Hudson over $20,000 this year for a variety of financial services.

Hudson reported that the town’s budget process would continue with a public meeting Tuesday morning to discuss the budget with department heads. Another such meeting will be held on Monday, August 25 before the final budget is presented to the council on Tuesday, September 2. Public hearings on the budget will be held at 5:01 p.m. on September 11 and September 25.

It was reported that the town has a $380,000 deficit across all accounts.

“We are going to have to sharpen our pencils,” Brooks said.

The council also scheduled a workshop for 9 a.m. on August 28 to discuss code enforcement in the town.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

Blood Drive Held In Walnut Hill; Appeal Made For Help Prior To Disaster

August 19, 2008

A blood drive was held in Walnut Hill Monday, as the Northwest Florida Blood Center has issued an appeal for blood donors so the center can be prepared for storm emergencies.

Blood Center officials said Monday that there is a major need for donors to increase the blood supply to be prepared for a disaster like a hurricane. Their announcement came as Tropical Storm Fay churned toward the south and central parts of Florida.

Not only can donors give the gift of life, they can be entered into a drawing for a brand new Kia or a gas card by donating at any blood center location or blood drive.

The main location of the blood center is at 1999 East Nine Mile Road in Pensacola, east of the Target shopping center. The Ninth Avenue Center is located at 2209 North Ninth Avenue . Both locations are open Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

All donors at the two locations will be entered into a drawing for a 2008 Kia Optima, just like those that donated blood in Walnut Hill on Monday. The second place winner of the drawing will win a $500 gas card and the third place winner will receive at $250 gas card. The drawing will be from all entrants across the area in January 2009.

Complete rules on the KIA contest and more information on giving blood can be found at www.nfbcblood.org.

Pictured above: The Northwest Florida Blood Center Bloodmobile at the Walnut Hill Farm Supply on Monday. NorthEscambia.com photo.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News

New Northview Student Traveled 7,000 Miles This Weekend To Attend School This Morning

August 18, 2008

There is a new sophomore at Northview High School this morning, and she traveled about 7,000 miles this weekend to get there.

Her name is Seira Kosakai, 15, and she is an exchange student from Tokyo, Japan. She arrived in the United States Saturday night. She’ll be spending her tenth grade year at Northview while living with her host sister Mallory Bell, the daughter of Alan and and Gail Bell. Mallory is also in the tenth grade at Northview.

Seira is fluent in English. She enjoys music, especially guitar and piano; cheerleading; Disney movies; animals and studying the English language. And, like most 15 year olds, she likes shopping. She hopes to one day become a “music star”.

Alan said Mallory’s arrival at the Mobile airport Saturday night was preceding by an amazing sequence of events.

He said not only was daughter Mallory reading the newspaper just a few short weeks ago, an unusual event for her, she was reading the classifieds. It was there that she saw an ad looking for host families for exchange students.

“Gail and I were very apprehensive about this, and considered it to be a passing interest that Mallory wasn’t really committed to being a ‘host sister’,” Alan said. But Mallory did all of the research and registered the family only as a host family. The American Intercultural Student Exchange organization called the Bells on August 2 to begin the process of getting an exchange student to the Bells in the United States.

Seira will become part of the Bell family for the next 10 months, through June of next year. The exchange program expects host families to treat the exchange students as family, even so far as to call each other host mom, host dad, etc. In the AISE exchange program, the host family provides room and board for the student, while the student’s family provides money for clothing, souvenirs, health insurance, etc.

After the August 2 phone conversation, Mallory went to the AISE website at aise.com and found four girls with similar interests. At the website, the Bells could see each student’s school transcripts, pictures and personal interests. All that led the family to choose Seira.

While in the U.S. under the AISE program, Seira will visit area middle and elementary schools to share her culture with other students in the area. She will also attend the First Baptist Church of Bratt with Mallory and the rest of the Bell family.

During the school year, NorthEscambia.com will check in with Seira and the Bell family and keep you updated on Seira’s life in America and school in Bratt.

Pictured above: Mom Gail Bell, Seira Kosakai, Mallory Bell and Alan Bell at home. Pictured below: Mallory Bell, family friend Bailee Deese, Seira Kosakai, Alan Bell and Gail Bell at the Mobile Airport Saturday night. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Education, FEATURE TOP STORY, News

Cheat Sheet: Quick Back To School Facts You Need To Know To Survive

August 18, 2008

Here’s the last minute cheat sheet on things you need to know on this first day of school:

School Start Times Are Different

Most elementary schools in Escambia County have a morning start time of 7:30 and an afternoon dismissal time of 2:00. The earliest students can be dropped off at the elementary schools, including Bratt and Molino Park, is 7:05.

Carver/Century has an 8:55 a.m to 3:25 p.m. day for both elementary and middle school students, with an early drop time of 8:30. Byrneville Elementary has a start time of 7:45 a.m. with an early drop time of 7:15. Dismissal time at Byrneville is 2:00.

At Ernest Ward Middle School, the morning start time will be 8:30 and the afternoon dismissal will be 3:10. The earliest students can be dropped off will be 8:15. At Carver/Century, morning start time will be 8:55 and the afternoon dismissal will be 3:25. The early drop time for middle school students at Carver/Century will be 8:30. Most of the rest of the middle schools in the county will have a 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. school day.

At Northview High School, the school day will run 7:40 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. The earliest students will be allowed on campus will be 7:25. Most other high schools in the county will run 8:30 a.m. to 3:35 p.m.

Buses Run At Different Times Too

Since school starts at a different time this year, buses will run at different times too. Questions about your child’s bus? Call your child’s school

Breakfast and Lunch Cost More For Some

Unless your child qualifies for free and reduced meals, both breakfast and lunch will cost more this year.

Lunch for elementary students that pay regular, full price will jump 20 cents to $2.00. The price of breakfast for elementary students will remain $1.

Breakfast for middle and high school students will be up a nickel to $1.50. The middle and high school lunch price will jump 35 cents to $2.50.

Reduced price breakfast will remain at 30 cents and lunch will stay at 40 cents. The school district can’t raise those prices; they are set by the federal government.

School district officials say the rise in cost for students that don’t qualify for the free and reduced price program is simply due to the rising cost of food. Students that qualified for free and reduced price meals last year must complete an application again this year.

An extra milk at the elementary level will remain at 50 cents.

The price for adult meals, those meals for teachers and staff, will go to $1.80 for breakfast and $3.00 for lunch.

You Can Pay For Meals Online

You can prepay for your child’s breakfast and lunch at mealpayplus.com. You’ll need their student number. That will be sent home with your child, or you can call your school to get it. You can use any major credit card. It’s the cost of the number of meals you choose plus a small service charge per student. But there’s no sending money to school and hoping it arrives or is spent for lunch.

The Breakfast And Lunch Menu

Here is the breakfast and lunch menu for elementary students for the first two days of school:

The elementary menu for breakfast on the first day of school…August 18, will be Pop Tart, cheese wedge and mixed fruit. The lunch menu will be cheese pizza or corn dog, corn, mixed vegetables, peaches and a cookie. Day two, August 19, will have breakfast pizza and pears in the morning. For lunch on the second day, the menu includes BBQ chicken sandwich or grilled cheese sandwich, green beans, carrots, fresh fruit and strawberry Jello.

The Rules And The Dress Code

Each student will receive a copy of the Escambia County Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook during the first few days of school. Take a moment to look at; it can save one of those unwanted calls from the principal.

The biggest change this year? The school day dress code for students in grades 6-12 now applies to every activity after school too, even ball games. Leave the short shorts and baggy pants at home.

If you are just dying to read the handbook before it comes home with your child, click here.

Communications

Communications is a two way street. Make sure you have your child’s school phone number in your cell phone in case you need it one day.

Make sure your child’s school has correct phone numbers for you, both your landline and cell phones. There will be forms sent home the first few days of school asking for the information, and you can send a note to your child’s teacher anytime.

Speaking of the teacher, ask him or her for their extension number at school, and trade email addresses with them. That way you have easy access to your child’s teacher(s).

Checkout List

Make sure you have an updated list of people allowed to check your child out of school. You don’t want to send grandma to school to checkout the kids for her to be told no.

Fall Break

If you are planning ahead for Fall Break, don’t expect it to be a long one this year. The school district has taken the normal Thursday and Friday Thanksgiving break and tossed Wednesday in for a three day Fall Break. It will be November 26-28.

Last Day Of School

Ready for next summer again? The last day of school will be May 29, 2009.

Pictured above: A bulletin board greeting new kindergarten students today at Molino Park Elementary School. NorthEscambia.com photo

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Education, FEATURE TOP STORY, News

Learn More About Candidates This Week On WSRE-TV

August 18, 2008

WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast, will present “Rally 2008,” a primary and general election television candidate forum.

These specials will feature local candidates from the races for Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa Counties.

The first installment of “Rally 2008” focusing on the upcoming primary election August 26, will air on WSRE (channel 23) and WSRE HD each night Monday through Thursday from 7-9:30. The second installment featuring candidates for the general election will be announced later.

Here is the complete schedule:

AUGUST 18, MONDAY
FL House Dist 1
Republican Greg Evers
Republican Ryan Gilbert

FL House Dist 2
Republican Dave Murzin
Republican Joe Roberts
Republican Gregory Fink

FL House Dist 5
Republican Sherry Campbell
Republican Brad Drake

Escambia Sheriff
Republican Ron McNesby
Republican David Morgan

Escambia Sheriff
Democrat Samuel Lucas
Democrat Larry Scapecchi

Santa Rosa Sheriff
Republican Paul Roper
Republican Robert Randle
Republican Wendell Hall
Republican Jeffrey Van Camp

Okaloosa Sheriff
Republican Charlie Morris
Republican William Patterson
Republican Robert Thacker

Public Defender 1st Judicial Circuit
Republican James Owens
Republican Kelly Richards

** Unable to attend

AUGUST 19, TUESDAY
Okaloosa Commissioner Dist 1
Republican Thomas Carmical
Republican Wayne Harris
Republican Andrew Wheeler

Okaloosa Commissioner Dist 5
Republican James Campbell**
Republican Kathy Foster
Republican Larry Hines

Okaloosa Supervisor of Elections
Republican Rhonda Cawthon
Republican Graham Fountain
Republican Douglas Hutcheson
Republican Paul Lux

Santa Rosa County Commissioner Dist 1
Republican Jim Williamson
Republican Thomas Stewart
Republican Clayton Miller
Non-Partisan Stacia LaDue

Santa Rosa County Commissioner Dist 3
Republican Marvin Fowler
Republican Don Salter

Santa Rosa County Commissioner Dist 5
Republican Lane Lynchard
Republican Lauretta Aiken
Republican John Broxson