Final Teacher Appreciation Breakfast Held At Carver/Century
May 6, 2009
Teachers at Carver/Century K-8 School were treated to the school’s last ever Teacher Appreciation Breakfast Tuesday morning. The teachers were fed a complete breakfast by Carver/Century’s School Advisory Council and Abundant Life Assembly of God. It was announced at the breakfast that all of the teachers at the closing school have been offered jobs at other schools next year. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Deputies: It Could Be 7-10 Days Before Donkey Shooter Is Arrested
May 5, 2009
The 17-year old that shot and killed a donkey over the weekend off Jacks Branch Road remains free this afternoon, and deputies say it could be a week to 10 days before they have a warrant to arrest him.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department has submitted the paperwork to the county’s judicial system to obtain an arrest warrant, according to Lt. Tony Jordan. But Jordan said under ordinary circumstances it can take 7-10 days for the courts to issue the warrant.
A 17-year old white male juvenile from Cantonment has confessed to deputies that he shot a donkey on River Annex Road near Jacks Branch Road late Saturday night. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department says the juvenile will be charged with felony cruelty to animals causing death, using a weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a person under 18.
J.B., named after Jacks Branch, was born minutes before or after his mother’s death. For more, click here.
Pictured above: J.B., the donkey born minutes before or after his mother was shot and killed over the weekend by a 17-year old. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Telecom Company Moving About 60 Jobs To Atmore; Job Fair Next Week
May 5, 2009
About 60 new jobs will be created in Atmore when the international telecom company Americatel relocates call center and management positions to the town.
Americatel, based in Rockville, MD, provides international telecom services to immigrant and hispanics in the United States and Canada. Americatel will relocate customer operations positions that are presently staffed offshore to the Matrix Telecom facility on Brookwood Road in Atmore. Both companies are owned by Platinum Equity, LLC a private firm that acquires companies in the manufacturing, distribution, and communications sectors.
“On behalf of the City, I want to welcome Americatel to Atmore. They will provide good paying jobs to our citizens. The fact that they chose Atmore because of Matrix Telecom’s efficient customer operations speaks highly of Atmore’s workforce. We are very pleased to have them as part of our business community.” Atmore Mayor Howard Shell said.
“We’ll offer good pay, benefits and flexible work shifts to people who enjoy a structured work environment and who enjoy solving problems” said Stephen Wagner, executive vice president of Customer Operations at Matrix. “While multi-lingual skills are not required, we are particularly interested in hiring customer service professionals who have that knowledge”.
Americatel will hold a two day job fair next Monday and Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. at the Matrix/Trinsic building at 201 Brookwood Road in Atmore.
Update: J.B. Continues To Do Well
May 5, 2009
J.B., the baby donkey born within minutes of his mother being shot, is now in his second day of life and is doing well. He’s also become quite a little star, capturing the attention of media locally and around the world.
“He is doing very well,” Lindley Barden, J.B.’s caretaker and adoptive mother told NorthEscambia.com Monday night. “One day has given us more reasons to be optimistic about his future.”
Often sleeping next to J.B. on an air mattress, Barden is bottle feeding the tiny white donkey once per hour, every hour. It’s a process that will go on for about a week.
“He knows that I am not his regular momma, but he’s really bonded to me,” she said. During Monday’s storm, J.B. stayed close for comfort — it was his first storm and having his adopted mom around really seemed to make things better for him.
Bardin is keeping J.B. inside her home, and she says it will be about a week before “he is out of the woods”. He never received milk from his mother, so he’s missing vital colostrum from his mother that contain antibodies important for his survival. He wears a blue bandage around his neck, covering an IV needle inserted by a veterinarian to provide the colostrum.
“It was a very exhausting day,” Bardin said. “We did several TV interviews today. That really wore him out. Before the last one was over, he was up on his pillows asleep.”
NorthEscambia.com was the first to report J.B.’s story Monday morning. Since then, he’s made other publications and local television news. He’s also made news around the world, including HorseTalk magazine in New Zealand.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the shooting of J.B.’s mother. A 17-year old white male juvenile from Cantonment has confessed to the shooting on River Annex Road near Jacks Branch Road. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department says the juvenile will be charged with cruelty to animals causing death, using a weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a person under 18. His arrest is imminent, deputies said. As of very early Tuesday morning, the juvenile was not in custody.
A .22 caliber weapon used in the shooting was given to sheriff’s deputies by a witness.
For more about J.B. and the shooting incident, click here.
Panhandle Equine Rescue’s mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the Escambia County court system to investigate equine reports in the county.
Donations are being accepted to help pay the vet bill or anyone interested in sponsoring J.B.. Checks or money orders can be sent to PER, P.O. Box 777, Cantonment, FL 32533 or you can visit www.panhandleequinerescue.org for more information.
Pictured above: One of the first photos of J.B. taken Sunday by NorthEscambia.com during our exclusive visit to Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Health Department Cuts Services At Molino Clinic
May 5, 2009
The availability of some medical services at the Molino location of the Escambia County Health Department have been cut from weekly to one day per month on a temporary basis.
The decreased services in May and June are due to the early and unexpected retirement of a health department doctor, according to Molly Payne-Hardin, spokesperson for the Escambia County Health Department.
The nurse practitioner that normally sees patients in Molino has been moved to the main Fairfield Drive location of the health department due the doctor’s retirement, she said. Additionally, Payne-Hardin said the department must wait to see what happens to their budget before replacing the retired doctor.
“It’s too soon to say when we will be able to find another doctor,” she said. “We may have to fill the need with a nurse practitioner.” Regardless, she said, the health department hopes to return regular services to Molino soon.
The impacted services include family planning, sexually transmitted disease services and physical exams that require the services of a doctor or nurse practitioner. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, immunization and dental services offered at the Molino Clinic have not changed, Payne-Hardin said.
“We hope this is a temporary change until the state budget is finalized and we know our funding for the coming year,” said Health Department Director Dr. John Lanza. “Again, this only affects clinic services such as family planning and school physicals –- our dental, immunization and WIC services remain the same.”
The medical services at the Molino Clinic will be available on May 7 and a day not yet determined in June. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 595-6500.
Century Refuses To Sign Required Public School Document
May 5, 2009
The Town of Century is refusing to sign a Public School Facilities Element document that is required by law that was presented to them by the Escambia County Commission.
The Public School Facilities Element is a joint agreement required between the Escambia County School District, the Escambia County Commission, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century. In essence, the document spells out how public schools will be planned in the county and its two municipalities.
“In this agreement it says that they have to get with us, and they haven’t done that,” Councilman Henry Hawkins said Monday night.
The agreement does state in part that the governmental entities “will meet on an as needed basis but not less than annually in joint workshop sessions”.
“There’s never been any meeting,” Council President Ann Brooks said. “There should have been a meeting before April 1 and there wasn’t…the document required a meeting with them, and it never happened.”
“My recommendation is that you sign it,” Mayor Freddie McCall told the council. McCall said he tried to tell the county that Century would opt-out of the agreement because the town’s only school, Carver/Century K-8, is closing. “But they said we could not since the school was still open.”
Hawkins said that he had a problem with other portions of the agreement, specifically a section that says an appointed committee will evaluate the location of schools prior to closure.
“I will have to call them (the county) in the morning and tell them you refused to sign it and go from there,” McCall said.
If the Town of Century had signed the agreement, a provision would have allowed them to opt-out with a 30 day notice. Otherwise, the agreement is in force for 10 years.
Pictured: Century Town Council President Ann Brooks reviews the interlocal agreement at Monday night’s town council meeting. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Consolidation Bill To Be Signed Today By Governor
May 5, 2009
Today, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will sign into law the Florida House bill that will form a commission to study local government consolidation that would combine Century, Pensacola and Escambia County into one.
The bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Evers, requires the creation of a consolidation study commission by July 1.
Once a consolidation plan is created by the study commission, it is to be submitted to the Escambia County Commission, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century for action before submission to the Escambia County legislative delegation by January 15, 2010. Once approved by the legislature, the plan would presented to Escambia County voters.
Century, Pensacola and Escambia County will not be required to pay for the commission, under the house bill, but they will be required to provide clerical, technical and legal assistance to the commission.
The commission will include up to 25 members from various groups in the county.
Federal Judge Approves Southern Family Market Purchase Of Food World, Bruno’s
May 5, 2009
A federal bankruptcy judge has approved a bid by Southern Family Markets to purchase 31 bankrupt Food World and Bruno’s stores, including three in Pensacola. Southern Family currently operates stores in Atmore and Brewton.
C&S Wholesale Grocers, the owners of Southern Family bid on the 31 stores in South Alabama and Northwest Florida. About 25 other stores will be closed, including the Food World in Monroeville, Ala. and and the Bruno’s in Gulf Breeze.
Food World locations on Davis Highway, Lillian Highway and Pine Forest Road in Pensacola will be among the 31 stores to remain open.
The C&S purchase of the bankrupt Bruno’s and Food World stores would have no impact on the Southern Family stores in Atmore or Brewton.
FEMA Assistance Available In Santa Rosa
May 5, 2009
Federal assistance is now available following spring floods in 12 Florida counties, including Santa Rosa.
The area was declared a federal disaster area after heavy rains and high winds last month.
Residents in Santa Rosa county can apply for assistance by calling (800) 621-3362 or by applying online at www.disasterassistance.gov.
The counties affected include: Calhoun, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Lafayette, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Walton and Washington.
From Oak Grove To Walnut Hill To Cantonment: Woman Honored For Service
May 5, 2009
The life and ministry of a North Escambia woman were honored during a weekend church service.
Pine Forest Assembly of God honored Mrs. Nell Green Sunday for her 90th birthday. Mrs. Green and her late husband, Rev. George Green, pastored many churches in Northwest Florida and South Alabama in the mid-1900’s including Oak Grove Assembly, Ensley Assembly and Ashland Park in Pensacola. They were also the founding pastors of Laurel Hill Assembly and Walnut Hill Assembly now known as New Life Fellowship.
“I haven’t ever felt special in my life, but today I feel special,” Mrs. Green told the congregation.
They had six children including George Wendell Green, Bobby Gene Green, Darlene Marie Harden, Glenda Evelyn Burleson and Rita Frances Kornegay. They also raised their niece and nephew Shirley Grant and Michael Kilpatrick. The Greens also had 26 foster children come through their home. Mrs. Green also served many years in ministry through Brownsville Assembly of God, until her health would no longer allow her to do so.
Pictured above: Nell Green and her family pose at a church service in her honor. Pictured below: Nell Green at the Walnut hill Assembly (now the New Life Fellowship) in an undated photograph. Pictured bottom: Nell Green at the Oak Grove Assembly of God. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
