Labor Day Closings
September 7, 2009
The following will be closed for today’s Labor Day holiday:
- All county offices in Escambia and Santa Rosa
- All city offices, including Century and Jay
- Schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa
- All public libraries, including Jay and Century
- Florida state offices
- All federal offices
- All post offices
- No bus service from ECAT
- Pensacola Junior College
- University of West Florida
Trash Service
There will be no change in ECUA trash or recycling service. Most ECUA customers in North Escambia will have their usual Tuesday trash and recycling service.
23,000 In The Area Out Of Work
September 7, 2009
On Labor Day, the latest unemployment data showed that 23,069 people are out of work in our three county area.
In Escambia County (Fla.), the latest employment data for July shows 9.9 percent of the workforce unemployed, a slight decrease from the month before at 10.0 percent. That translates to 14,056 unemployed in the county.
In Santa Rosa County, county, the unemployment rate was at 10 percent, up from 9.7 percent the month prior. That equals 7,077 unemployed persons.
In Escambia County (Ala.), 13.1 percent of workers were out of a job, up from 12.7 the month before. There were 1,936 unemployed in the county.
Labor Day Rain?
September 7, 2009
There’s a pretty good chance of rain for your Labor Day.
Here is your official weather forecast:
- Labor Day: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Tuesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Tuesday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
- Wednesday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Thursday: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Thursday Night: Isolated showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southeast between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%
Elmer Richard Mooney Sr.
September 6, 2009
Mr. Elmer Richard “Pop” Mooney, Sr., 82, passed away Saturday, September 5, 2009 at a Pensacola hospital.
Elmer was a native of Canoe, AL, a longtime resident of Bratt, FL, and a resident of Atmore, AL. He was retired from the Escambia County Florida Road Department after 30 years of service and attended the Presley Street Baptist Church. Preceded in death by his Parents, Jess and Evie Mooney, a Nephew, Darrell Roley and a Stepson, Wayne Powell.
Survivors include: his Wife, Mary G. Mooney of Atmore, AL; a Son, Elmer Richard Mooney, Jr. of Bluff Springs, FL; a Stepson, Billy Powell of Atmore, AL; 2 Daughters, Linda Gail Morgan of Bay Minette, AL and Betty Ann Dickman of Seminole, AL; five Stepdaughters, Mary Alice Turner of Flowery Branch, GA, Patricia Freeman, Linda Tyree and Glenda Bell, all of Atmore, AL, and Rita Faye Parker of Bratt, FL; 7 Grandchildren; 16 Step-Grandchildren; 7 Great-Grandchildren; 21 Step-Great-Grandchildren; a Brother, Lester Mooney of LaGrange, GA; and two Sisters, Glennie Mae Byrd of Atmore, AL, and Ethel Lee Martin of Bratt, FL.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 2:00 P.M. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Larry Gilley officiating.
Burial will follow at Godwin Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Tuesday September 8, 2009 between 6:00 and 9:00 P.M. at the Petty Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Back On The Chopping Block: Century Courthouse Slated For Closure Again
September 6, 2009
The Century Courthouse is back on the chopping block due to low utilization, with the clerk of the courts office set to be closed by the end of this month unless the funds are found to keep it open
Escambia County Clerk of the Courts Ernie Lee Magaha needs $65,000 to keep the office open. At best, Magaha’s office has told commissioners, the office conducts an average of one transaction per hour, in Century.
The commission expects an estimated $450,000 to be generated by increasing a surcharge on traffic tickets from $15 to $30. District 5 Commissioner Kevin White wants to see some of that money go toward keeping Century’s Billy G. Ward Courthouse open.
“I want part of that money to keep the Century Courthouse open, because under state statute, that money can be used for that,” White said, pointing out that the increased fines would be new revenue, not dipping into the county’s reserve funds.
“I understand that, and I agree with you on that,” Commissioner Wilson Robertson said.
But county finance officials say the $450,000 is already spoken for, and already written into the current proposed budget. They say keeping the courthouse open would mean cutting funds from some other department.
Commissioner Grover Robinson said he is opposed to keeping the office open due to the low transaction volume.
“It seems like an awful expensive thing to do,” Robinson said. “I understand and absolutely empathize with what is happening in the north end.”
Robinson said he believes the answer in North Escambia lies in the renovation of the old Molino School and the placement of county offices in Molino.
“People think that Molino is the north end of the county; you’ve got to go a long ways to get on to the other end of the county,” Robertson said, citing a high number of people in Century without transportation. “You are talking about a lot of people up there that absolutely have no transportation.”
“I believe that the Molino location will be the right location when we can have this, and we can have a better economy of scale and have people in a newer facility,” he said. “I do want to support that…I just don’t know that I can support the Century Courthouse.”
“It’s in Century where it is located now, right?” Commissioner Marie Young asked. “How far is Molino from Century?”
“Twenty-one miles,” White replied.
“You are not really serving Century in Cantonment,” Robertson added. “Have you stopped to think about what services that end of the county receives?
Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley pulled her office out of Century back at the end of May to save an estimated $200,000. She cited low utilization as her reason, and she consolidated the Century office with her office in Cantonment.
The clerk of the courts currently keeps two employees in the office in Century at all times, according to Deputy Clerk Lisa Bernau. One is a full time person and one is a part time Northview High School student.
“There is a security issue,” she said. “It is imperative for public service that you have more than one person available for safety reasons that probably are best not to do into in a public meeting.”
“One transaction per hour, I’m wondering how we can afford to keep that open,” Robinson said. “You are really offering absolutely nothing to that very end of the county. And I know a lot of taxes don’t come from there…I guarantee you if it’s all about who pays, there are a lot of these things be eliminating.”
White suggested that perhaps the clerk of the courts could keep the office open just a few hours per day a few days per week.
But Bernau said changing a courthouse hours requires Florida Supreme Court involvement.
The commission will revisit the courthouse closure at a public hearing at 7 p.m. on September 17.
Hundreds Turn Out For Bull Bash, Including Century Care Center Residents
September 6, 2009
Hundreds of people attended the second annual Bull Bash Blowout Saturday night in Flomaton, including several residents from Century Care Center. The bull bash was presented by the Tri Cities Rotary Club, MK Farm and Rafter L Farm. Some of the top bull riders from the Southeast were on hand to ride some of the meanest bulls the South has to offer, according to event organizers. The Tri-City Rotary Club’s membership area includes Flomaton, Century and Jay. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Online Audio: Listen To Entire Northview Vs. Graceville Game
September 6, 2009
Northview Chiefs fans can now listen to entire Northview football games here on NorthEscambia.com — the new official voice of the Northview High School Chiefs.
Join us each Sunday for a complete game playback from the Northview Chiefs. You will be able to listen to each game online, or even download the game to your MP3 player and take it with you.
The audio from Friday night’s win over Graceville should play automatically on this page. If it does not, click the play icon below.
To download the entire game (MP3 format) for your iPod or other MP3 player, click here.
NorthEscambia.com needs sponsors to make this broadcast possible each week. Email news@northescambia.com for more information.
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Free Fun: Labor Day Back To School Event In Molino
September 6, 2009
There will be a Back to School Kick Off on Labor Day Monday at Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Highway 29 in Molino.
The event tomorrow will offer games, a waterslide, songs and a family cookout. The entire event will be from 2 to 6 p.m. with the cookout from 5-6 p.m. The event is free and open to all. For more information, call the church office at (850) 587-5294 or visit aumcmolino.org.
Photo Gallery: Flomaton Flattens Red Level
September 6, 2009
Flomaton High School flattened Red Level Friday night at Hurricane Field.
The Cane’s Neiko Robinson threw a touchdown pass and ran 16 yards for another TD Friday night in Flomaton’s 38-16 win over Red Level. His touchdown pass to Civonta Mitchell was 40 yards.
Another touchdown pass, a 32-yarder, came from Jacob Newton to Da’tavis Ellis. Newton had another touchdown pass for 15 yards to A.J. Odom. Also for the Cane’s Odom had a 16-yard touchdown run, and Ryheem Dixon had a six yard score.
Flomaton is now 2-0, 1-0. The Canes are on the road next week against Southern Choctaw.
Click here for more photos submitted by Mike Newton Photography.
Pictured above: Action as Flomaton beat Red Level Friday night on a very wet Hurricane Field. Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
HD Video: Northview Chiefs
September 6, 2009
This exclusive NorthEscambia.com HD video includes some of the most exciting plays, the cheerleaders, mini-cheerleaders, the band, and an exclusive interview with Chief Head Coach Sid Wheatley.
Click the video below to watch. (If you are a dialup user, click the red “HD” button for the standard size video).