Flood Warnings For Escambia And Perdido Rivers
April 15, 2009
Flood warnings have been issued for the Escambia and Perdido Rivers.
Perdido River
A flood warning has been issued for the the Perdido River near Barrineau Park from this morning until Thursday morning.
At 7 a.m. Wednesday the stage was 13.2 feet. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. The river’s flood stage is 13 feet; the river will continue rising to near 14 feet by this evening.
The river will fall below flood stage early tomorrow. At 13 feet, the river begins to leave its banks at the parking lot of Adventures Unlimited and threatens several permanently parked travel trailers.
Escambia River
The flood warning has been extended until Sunday night for Escambia River at Century. At 7 a.m. Wednesday, the river was at 17.79 feet. Flood stage is 17 feet; minor flooding is occurring and forecast to continue. The river is expected to fall below flood stage early Sunday afternoon.
At 17.5 feet, some flood of lowlands in area occurs and will continue until the river level drops below 13 feet.
Dinner Theater
April 15, 2009
The Byrneville Elementary and Byrneville Friends Relay for Life teams will present “Death of Doornail”. This is a dinner theater on April 17 at 7:00. Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $12.00 at the door Friday. Spaghetti dinner included. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Advance tickets are available at Byrneville Elementary.
Thomas To Recommend Cutting 50 Bus Drivers, Associate Superintendent, Dozens More Jobs; 200 Teachers Could Be Next
April 15, 2009
The Escambia School superintendent is calling for the elimination of about 128 district funded positions, including an associate superintendent and 50 bus drivers to save about $3.5 million. In addition, Superintendent Malcolm Thomas says that about 200 teaching positions will likely be eliminated.
Thomas will recommend that the yearly contract positions not be renewed, including that of Associate Superintendent for Public and Interagency Affairs Ronnie Arnold. The elimination of the associate superintendent’s position will save the district $103,930.
The superintendent will recommend the district drop 50 of 366 total school bus driver jobs to save nearly $1.2 million. Dozens of other district and administrative positions ranging from clerks and secretaries to mechanics will also be dropped.
The “Department Personnel Planning Document” that Thomas will present to the school board on April 21 generally serves to non-renew the annual contracts that expire June 30 on the positions.
Overall, the superintendent tasked each district level department to target the elimination of about 9 percent of their personnel budget. Thomas said the district must find a way to cut $28 million.
Some of the positions will become vacant due to retirements or resignations. Those that remain in the eliminated positions will have the option of applying for other jobs in the school district. Those with seniority and certification will likely be able to find another position in the district, Thomas said.
Those that will be required to apply for another school district job include Associate Superintendent Arnold, the man that has become familiar to Escambia residents as the district’s spokesman.
“Odds are, he’s going to have a job next year,” Thomas said about Arnold. “We just don’t know yet what he will be doing, other than he won’t be doing what he’s doing now.”
Many others in the eliminated district positions will be able to find jobs in the district, Thomas said, because they hold teacher certifications.
“We hope to minimize the number of people put out onto the street,” he told NorthEscambia.com. “I’m not thrilled about any of them. They are not numbers on a spreadsheet. They are somebody with a family.”
Further cuts will come in the Escambia School District with the elimination of about 200 teaching positions, Thomas said. Natural attrition through events like retirement will eliminate many of those personnel. The offer of an early retirement program will also be a part of the 200 jobs. For every long-term teacher that takes an early retirement, from 1.5 to 1.75 newer teaching jobs can be saved, the superintendent said, due to salary differences based upon length of service.
Sheriff’s Traffic Unit Targets Century Speeders
April 15, 2009
One after another, Escambia deputies pulled speeders over in Century Tuesday.
Several deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Unit conducted the operation, stopping car after car for violating the posted 35 mph speed limit on Highway 29 in Century.
“The new sheriff has heard the complaints, and we are going to beef up traffic operations in the north part of the county as much as we can,” said ECSO Traffic Unit Sgt. Ray Griffith in a recent NorthEscambia.com interview. “We are going to answer those complaints.”
The Traffic Unit often spends days in Pensacola working traffic in between escorting funerals. But Sheriff David Morgan has directed the unit to crack down on traffic in North Escambia when time allows, making traffic control a priority.
The Traffic Unit worked a similar operation in Walnut Hill about a month ago, and Griffith promised NorthEscambia.com at that time that a crackdown would be coming in Century.
The tickets being written Tuesday were not cheap. Driving 50 mph in a 35 mph zone is a $266 ticket. Hit 30 mph over the posted speed limit, and the ticket has no fixed cost. The offender is required to see a judge, and the judge sets the fine amount at his or her discretion.
Northview Releases Honor Roll
April 15, 2009
Northview High School has released its honor roll for the third nine weeks period as follows:
High Honors 4.0
9th grade
Holly Nicole Dickson
10th grade
Sarah Malinda Killam
Emily Faith Vickrey
11th grade
Kaitlyn Nicole Caraway
Clinton Eugene Davis
Mark Allen Shipps Jr.
12th grade
Gretchen Denea Boughner
Melissa Nicole Garrett
Jessica Maria Mothershed
Fredrick Lamario Smith
Honors 3.50-3.99
9th grade
Nathan Cole Commander
Josie Britt Doucette
Amber Dianne Francis
Jacob Nathaniel Gibson
Chelsea Grace Parham
Alexander Dewayne Payne
Tyler Lindsay Randolph
Timothy Lucas White
Elizabeth Ashley Wright
10th grade
Mallory Ann Bell
Allyson Michelle Bullard
Sara Lynn Conner
Ashley Elizabeth Digmon
James Tyler Garrett
Laneicia Dinette Gomez
Jocelyn Marlese Gould
David Aaron Lambert Jr.
Dabney Harrison Langhorne
Michael Todd Lowery
Dixie Lynn Picheo
Brianna Renae Roley
Christina Nicole Sepulveda
Hayley Renee Simpson
Colton Darryl Sims
Stephanie Leann Solari
Allison Ayers Vidak
Ladarion Bernard White
Katie Marie Wieborg
11th grade
Jessica Nicole Bloodsworth
Kolbi Shae Cobb
Bradley James Lowery
Amber Nicole McMillan
John Anthony Sellars
Felicia Michelle Settle
Jackson Helton Smith
Dakota Wayne Stuckey
12th grade
Richard Kyle Braun
Kayla Sue Brewer
Clarence Alfred Brown III
Olivia Kaylen Bryan
Coty James Chance
Tiffany Lynne Chance
Amy Nicole Conner
Stephanie Leigh Doucette
Lanie Jeannine Eubanks
Jamison Blayne Garrett
Melissa Nicole Garrett
Briana Renea Halteman
Stormy Brooke Hayes
Amber Renae Holland
Luke Fletcher Killam
Jody Wade Levins
Samantha Parry Merritt
Dustin Ryan Odom
Summer Denise Sanders
Amanda-Ann Morgan Sellars
Aaron Richard Sharpless
James Anthony Sharpless
Chelsea Ellen Sims
Ashley Arlene Snow
Amie Jolynn Sutton
Garbell Sharda Wesley
Kayla Dlaine Wheeler
Tax Day Escambia Tea Party To Protest Government Spending
April 15, 2009
A modern day revolution of sorts will sweep the nation today as tea parties are held across the nation, including one in Escambia County, to peacefully protest against government spending.
The tea parties are intended as grassroots protests against government spending. On December 16, 1773, a group of American colonists, in protest to the British government’s Tea Act (a tax on tea), hijacked a British ship and dumped the cargo into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance sent a bold statement to the British government that colonists in America would no longer accept the burdens of excessive taxation from a distant land, without representation.
The peaceful demonstrations planned for Escambia County and the nation will protest against President Barack Obama’s economic policies, bailouts and stimulus packages. It’s no coincidence that the tea parties were scheduled for today — April 15 — the day federal taxes are due. Nationwide, the tea parties are expected to be the largest tax day protest in American history with more than 300 events scheduled nationwide.
The Pensacola Tea Party will take place in the University Mall parking lot from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Visit taxdayteaparty.com for more information.
Dinner Theater “Death Of Doornail” To Benefit Relay For Life
April 15, 2009
A dinner theater event Friday night will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
The Byrneville Elementary and Byrneville Friends Relay for Life teams will present “Death of Doornail” in a dinner theater event Friday night at 7:00 at the school.
Tickets are $10.00 in advance and $12.00 at the door Friday. All proceeds go to American Cancer Society. Tickets can be purchased at the school.
Albritton Wins GOP Nomination For Alabama Senate Seat
April 15, 2009
Greg Albritton won Tuesday’s Republican primary for a state senate seat representing eight Alabama counties, including Escambia. He will face Democratic candidate Marc Keahey of Grove Hill for the District 22 seat left vacant early this year by the death of Sen. Pat Lindsey.
Elections officials said that voter turnout was dismal Tuesday, with under 7 percent of registered voters heading to the polls.
Albritton, a former state representative from Range, won each of the eight counties in the district except Mobile. In Mobile County, Citronelle businesswoman Judy Belk came out on top. Overall, the state GOP says Albritton received 57 percent of the vote, beating Belk and Danny Joyner, a Brewton businessman.
The general election for the seat that pays $52,646 plus expenses will take place June 2.
April 15: Need More Time To Do Your Taxes? Get An Extension
April 15, 2009
Taxpayers who need more time to complete their returns should submit their requests for an automatic extension electronically by April 15, the Internal Revenue Service.
This year, anyone, regardless of income, can e-file their extensions at no cost from a home computer using IRS traditional FreeFile or FreeFile Fillable Forms. E-filing a request for an extension using either form of FreeFile is convenient, safe and secure, and taxpayers receive confirmation to keep with their records.
The IRS expects to receive 1.9 million extension requests electronically this year. A total of almost 10 million extension requests are expected during 2009 compared with 9.5 million extensions received during 2008.
The extension gives taxpayers until Oct. 15 to file the tax return. An extension does not give the taxpayer an extension of time to pay. Those who owe taxes can make a payment when they file the extension either by mailing a check or by several electronic payment methods, such as electronic funds withdrawals from bank accounts and credit card payments.
Taxpayers can get an automatic six-month extension of time to file their tax returns by filing Form 4868, Automatic Extension of Time to File.
Taxpayers can e-file the extension from a home computer or through a tax professional who uses e-file.
Some taxpayers can wait until after April 15 to file a return, pay any taxes due and make IRA contributions for 2008. As a general rule, those eligible get the extra time without having to ask for it. Eligible taxpayers include:
- Members of the military serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or other combat zone localities. Normally, the postponement is until at least 180 days after the service member leaves the combat zone.
- Victims of severe flooding in Minnesota and North Dakota have an extra 30 days, until May 15, to file their 2008 individual tax returns and pay any taxes due. Similarly, victims of severe storms and tornadoes in three Oklahoma counties have until May 11 to file and pay.
Northview Baseball Schedule Changes For This Week; Final JV Game Of Season
April 14, 2009
Rainouts and cancellations have led to some schedule changes for the Northview Chief’s varsity baseball team.
Northview will travel to Pensacola Catholic Thursday with the varsity playing at 6:30 p.m. The final JV game of the season will be played against Catholic at 4:00.
Friday night, the Chiefs will host Walton at 6:00 in a varsity game.
Saturday, the Chiefs will travel to Washington for a 3:00 varsity game.