Obama Declares 11 Counties Federal Disaster Areas After Floods
April 22, 2009
Eleven Northwest Florida counties, including Santa Rosa, have been declared federal disaster areas following recent floods. Escambia County was not part of the federal declaration.
The Presidential Declaration will provide Public Assistance funds to Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has been granted for the entire state.
Escambia County was not part of the federal declaration.
“We are very grateful to the President and FEMA for this declaration,“ said Governor Crist. “These disaster programs are vital to the economic recovery of the communities that have been impacted by the severe weather and flooding.”
Public Assistance funds will provide necessary aid to state and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged infrastructure.
New School Hours For Next Year; Informational Meeting Scheduled
April 22, 2009
The Escambia County School District is considering changing school start and dismissal times again, and once again some North Escambia schools will follow a schedule different than the rest of the county. More information about the times will be available Thursday evening when the Escambia County Council of Parent-Teacher Association holds an informational meeting in Pensacola.
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas and district staff from the operations and transportation departments will be at the meeting to explain the changes and take questions from the public. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Room 160 of the J.E. Hall Center at 30 E. Texar Drive in Pensacola.
At the elementary level, Bratt and Molino Park will begin the school day at 7:45 and dismiss at 2:00.
At the middle school level, Ernest Ward will begin the school day at 9:05 and dismiss at 3:45. The earliest students can be dropped off at school will be 8:55. This represents a start and dismissal time 35 minutes later than the current year.
At the high school level, Northview High School will begin at 8:45 and dismiss at 3:20, a big change from this year’s 7:40 start and 2:45 dismissal.
North Escambia school times are different because of the long transport distances in the rural area and a two-tier system where middle and high school students will ride the bus together.
The North Escambia elementary schools will be following the same 7:45 a.m. to 2:00 schedule as the rest of the county’s elementary schools.
Middle schools in the rest of Escambia County will have a 9:20 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. day, a change from their current 9:30 to 4:30 day.
Other high schools in Escambia County will be is session from 8:30 to 3:05, instead of this year’s 8:30 to 3:35 day.
The school times were changed this year, most drastically outside of North Escambia, to save money. By taking over two dozen buses off the road, the school district saved an estimated $1.2 million this year.
The new start and dismissal times recommended by a task force must now be approved by the school board before becoming final.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
School Board Ready To Sell Old Molino School To County For Library And Community Center
April 22, 2009
A library and community center for Molino made a major move toward becoming a reality Tuesday night when the Escambia County School Board formally agreed to sell the old Molino Elementary School to the county.
The school board will make an offer to sell the property to the Escambia County Commission for $400,000. The funds will be used by the school board in their Local Capital Improvement Fund.
The county has attempted to acquire the old Molino Elementary and Wedgewood Middle properties from the school board for several months.
In July, the county commission offered the school board $2 million for both unused school campuses, but that offer was shot down by the school district. Then-superintendent Jim Paul made a $3.3 million counter offer that the county commission did not accept. The $3.3 million was broken down as $2.9 million for the Wedgewood property and $400,000 for the old Molino School property.
Plans call for the old Molino school to become a community hub, possibly including a 5,000 square foot library, a museum highlighting Molino history, a small health clinic, a business incubator, renovation of the gym and one additional building for community events and private party rental along with other uses.
The library portion of the project is currently ranked number three in Florida for a half million dollars in funding from the state. The grant, if awarded, would require the county to use the facility as a library in Molino for a minimum of 20 years.
The half million dollar grant, if awarded, would be matched by another half million from the county. The county’s portion is already approved, using Local Option Sales Tax funds.
The Molino school closed in 2003 when the new Molino Park Elementary School consolidated Molino Elementary and Barrineau Park Elementary.
The school, which sits on nine acres along County Road 95A, first opened in 1939.
Pictured above: An aerial view of the old Molino Elementary School property on Highway 95A.
Lady Chiefs Advance In District Tourney
April 22, 2009
Northview beat Catholic 5-3 in the District 1-3A Softball Tournament Tuesday.
Miranda Burkett pitched five for the Chiefs, holding Catholic scoreless until the third.
Northview scored one in the first, two in the second and one each in the third and fourth innings.
Sophomores Ashley Digmon and Sarah Killam, junior Aimee Clark and senior Briana Halteman were hitters for the Chiefs.
The Lady Chiefs improve to 11-10 for the year.
NHS Chiefs Beat PCA 13-6
April 22, 2009
The Northview varsity boys slammed Pensacola Christian Academy Tuesday 13-6.
Brad Foster slammed a home run for the Chiefs. Other hitters for Northview included Scooter Hamilton with two hits and one run. Patrick McPherson had one hit. Brad Lowery had two hits, scored a run, and had an RBI. Austin Lowery had three hits, including a double, and scored 2 runs. Heath Burkett had one hit and an RBI. Luke Killam scored three runs for the chiefs. Alex Abbott, the winning pitcher, had a two run single for Northview. Brett Hanks had one hit and scored 2 runs.
Abbott pitched five for the Chiefs. He gave up three runs on five hits, walked three and struck out five. Abbot is 2-0 this year.
The first inning ended 1-1, and PCA jumped out to a 3-1 lead by the end of the second. Northview answered with one in the third to make it 3-2 PCA going into the fourth. But Northview turned the game around, scoring four each in the fourth and fifth inning and three in the sixth. PCA managed just three in the sixth, giving the Chiefs the 13-6 win.
NHS Grad Considered For American FFA Degree
April 22, 2009
A Northview High graduate has applied to receive the coveted American FFA Degree.
Andrea Byars, a 2008 graduate of Northview, is one of 32 applicants in Florida. The National FFA organization will consider each of the 32 applicants for the degree.
Byars and the other applicants will be recognized and given an opportunity to introduce themselves on the main stage during the 9th General Session of the 81st Florida FFA Convention on Friday, June 12.
The American FFA Degree is the highest level that can be achieved as an FFA member. This final step in the FFA Degree system encourages students to grow and achieve personally toward establishing themselves in an agricultural career. Attaining the American FFA Degree requires a solid commitment to agriculture and FFA.
Pictured above: Andrea Byars at last year’s Northview FFA banquet. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Considers Loan To Fund Water System Improvements
April 22, 2009
The Town of Century will apply for a loan for water systems improvements in the State Line Road, Highway 4A and Backwoods Road areas, but the town is still hoping to receive a grant to fund the nearly $2 million project.
Dale Long of Fabre Engineer told the council that his firm could prepare the paperwork necessary to apply for the state loan for a fee not to exceed $10,000.
The council is considering an SRF loan because the fund often offers a low interest rate, including sometimes a negative interest rate. Plus, Long said, with federal stimulus money, it is possible that the loan could actually turn into a grant.
Applying for the loan program does not obligate the council to actually accept the loan if their application is approved. Without applying for the loan, the council would not know if the loan might actually be a grant or a negative interest loan.
“The upside of this is you haven’t signed a dotted line yet,” Long said. “But if you don’t file, you are not going to know.”
The council has other funding options that might pay for the water system improvements. One is an approved loan from the federal government, and the other is a stimulus money request by Congressman Jeff Miller for $1.19 million.
“We’ve still got high hopes that Congessman Miller will come through for us,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall.
The town will advertise a public hearing to allow citizen input concerning the loan. Following that hearing, the council will consider a resolution to initiate the loan application process.
Bank Night For Relay; Skunk A Friend, Help ACS
April 22, 2009
From “skunking” your favorite person to simply using your credit card, there are several ways left to contribute to Century’s Relay for Life.
Tuesday was “bank night” for Century’s Relay for Life — the night for teams to get together, turn in funds raised to date and make final plans for Saturday’s big event. But it’s not too late to donate to Relay and the American Cancer Society.
The Century Library Relay team will “skunk” someone for Relay. They will place the skunked sign and skunks at the location of your choice for $5. Once you’ve been skunked, the sign stays until you donate $5 to relay for life. If you never want to be skunked again, that takes a $10 donation to Relay for Life. To have someone skunked, call the library at at 256-6217.
If you would like to donate to Relay online, that’s easy too. You can click here to make a secure online donation to the NorthEscambia.com Relay team.
Century’s Relay for Life will be held from noon Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday at Kayo Stanton Stadium at the old Century High School. Even if not part of a team, members of the public are invited to stop by during the event to enjoy entertainment, food and lots of fun — including a frozen t-shirt contest, tricycle race, team karaoke and more.
Participating teams will include the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society, Bryneville Elementary, Carver/Century K-8, Century Branch Library, Century Correctional Institute, Century Pharmacy, Critter Caregivers, Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church, Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department and NorthEscambia.com.
State Line Repaving Project Runs Into Delay
April 22, 2009
A paving project on a section of West State Line Road in Century ran into a temporary delay.
“They ran into very wet and mucky soil,” Engineer Dale Long of Fabre Engineering said. The wet conditions under the old asphalt were the result of recent heavy rains. Work on the project is expected to continue this week.
The Town of Century awarded a $128,437.30 paving contract to Roads, Inc. of NWF for West State Line Road back in early February. West State Line from Highway 29 at the Piggly Wiggly to Shady Lane will be resurfaced under the contract, a distance of about a half mile. The State Line repaving project is being funded by Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds.
Pictured above: Work is underway to resurface a portion of West State Line Road in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Mayor: Councilman’s Claims About Code Enforcement Problems Are Wrong
April 21, 2009
Century’s mayor presented evidence at Monday night’s town council meeting that he said proved that complaints made about code enforcement by Councilman Henry Hawkins were incorrect.
At the council’s April 6 meeting, Hawkins made specific complaints about code enforcement citations issued at properties in the 9500 block of North Century Boulevard.
“The two buildings down across the street from Piggly Wiggly, they issued citations on them dated the 22nd, but they did not put the citation up until the first of April,” Hawkins told the council at their April 6 meeting. “These folks have 10 days from that day on the citation.”
“I stopped and looked at the citations,” Hawkins continued. “They were dated either the 22nd or 29th of March and they were posted on the first. Now if that is the kind of stuff we are going to be doing and blindsiding folks with a 10 day cutoff to get stuff done…that’s crazy.”
Monday night, Century Mayor Freddie McCall produced copies of the Escambia County Office of Environmental Enforcement citations issued for properties at 9500 and 9510 North Century Boulevard…the buildings across from the Piggly Wiggly. (Click the citations to enlarge them.)
Both citations provided by the mayor were dated April 1, not March 22 or March 29 as stated by Hawkins.
“I can’t find March 22 on there anywhere,” McCall said Monday night. “Can you help me, Mr. Hawkins?”
Hawkins did not indicate a March date on the citations.
“What they have is here is different than what they posted,” Hawkins said.
“They are doing a lot of things that they told us they wouldn’t do,” Hawkins added. He again referred to the 10 days that citizens have to comply with code citations.
Both of the April 1 code citations the council reviewed Monday night had a “Comply By” date of April 22 — 21 days after the issue date.
McCall said he has heard nothing but positive comments about Century returning code enforcement to the town on March 4.
“We are getting nothing but great results all over town,” the mayor told the council. “The only complaints I have had are here at this table.”
The property owners at 9500 and 9510 North Century Boulevard were cited for nuisance conditions, trash and debris, overgrowth and for structural deficiencies. The buildings at 9500 North Century Boulevard (next to the auto parts store) have been demolished.
Pictured top and top inset: This building at 9510 North Century Boulevard was cited for several code violations, including structural deficiencies. In the top picture, it is evident that building is missing a roof and back wall. Pictured bottom inset: Mayor Freddie McCall asks Councilman Henry Hawkins to find the March date he claimed was on code citations. Pictured below: The property owner of buildings cited at 9500 North Century Boulevard had the buildings demolished. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
