Code Enforcement Meeting Draws Unhappy Residents
September 22, 2009
The Century Town Council heard from a couple of unhappy residents Monday night at meeting to discuss how to proceed with alleged code enforcement violators.
The council had called the meeting to discuss 14 code enforcement violation cases that have reached the point of heading to a special magistrate or abatement by the town. Council members had hoped to meet with Sandra Slay, the chief of the county’s code enforcement division, but she was unable to attend due to an illness.
The council had also hoped to hear from the 14 alleged violators after they published their names in a display advertisement in the Tri-City Ledger. Two of the 14 were at the meeting, and neither was happy about having their names printed in the newspaper at the town’s request.
“Can I get an apology please?” asked Herman Pleasant, owner of a property in the 7000 block of Williams Street that was on the published list. Pleasant presented documentation to the council that he said indicated that he had complied with code enforcement’s requests as of last March. He declined to let the council make a copy of his paperwork.
“I don’t understand why y’all are doing something different that what code enforcement says,” Pleasant told the council. “They say the case is closed since March.”
“They provided us with a list,” Council President Ann Brooks said, indicating that Escambia County Code Enforcement had provided the list of 14 violators to the town.
“Code enforcement is doing one thing, and y’all are going around doing something different,” Pleasant said.
Eddie Stallworth, appearing on behalf the estate of John Stallworth, questioned why the property was on the list. The list indicated that the property was at “Gilford Street and Salter Lake (Road)”, two streets that do not intersect.
“I am not in the city limits; that is not my property, Stallworth said, “and those streets don’t connect.”
“The three houses they are talking about are definitely in the city limits,” Mayor Freddie McCall said, describing the property as being behind Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church.
Brooks said that if the property turns out to not be in the city limits, it would be removed the council’s list.
Pleasant also question a lot on Ramar Street that is overgrown because the property is owned by the Town of Century.
“Why isn’t the city taking care of their own (property)?” Pleasant asked. McCall replied that the town had already made plans to clean the property as soon as a survey is complete to determine the exact property boundaries on the lot.
When the Century Town Council met September 14 to discuss the code enforcement violations, McCall passed out a list of the 14 violators, but he had removed names and addresses from the list.
“I did not want to make a public spectacle out of them,” the mayor said at that meeting. “We are not hiding anything.” “We did not want to be the cause of that information being in the paper,” Council President Ann Brooks added.
Monday night, McCall said, “When we took the names off, maybe I was wrong…I don’t know if it was the right thing to do, but it got some attention.”
The mayor then told Pleasant, “I am big enough, and I will apologize to you if I am wrong.”
Pictured above: Herman Pleasant, left, waits his turn to address the Century Town Council Monday night while Eddie Stallworth, right, listens. Pictured inset: Century Council members (L-R) Ann Brooks, Sharon Scott and Henry Hawkins review code enforcement documentation. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
One Step At A Time: Chiles Begins Florida Awareness Walk In North Escambia
September 22, 2009
Century was the first step for Lawton “Bud” Chiles on a one million step — 566 miles — walking journey across Florida to raise awareness of children’s health, education and safety issues in the state.
Chiles is retracing the steps of his father, former Florida Governor Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr.
The journey of One Million Steps started quietly at the Alabama-Florida line Sunday afternoon, honoring the historic 1970 walk of Gov. Chiles as he ran for the U.S. Senate. Bud Chiles, who often traveled with his father on his journey, will walk across Florida in an effort to inspire one million Floridians to become involved in volunteering and making Florida a better place for children.
The walk got into full swing Monday in Century, with stops at the Camp Fire USA Childcare Program, where Chiles received a warm welcome from the children as he read books to the VPK class, learned about the vision and hearing screenings and had lunch with the three-year olds as they sang the “Green Song”.
“We had a wonderful visit,” said Tammy Bryer from Camp Fire. “Early childhood education, increasing child care subsidies so people can work, and prevention programs were discussed as part of his awareness campaign.”
Chiles visited the Century Pharmacy, a sponsor of the Imagination Library and other children’s programs. Children 0-5 were registered for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library that provides a free, age-appropriate book delivered to their home monthly. Free books were also handed out to children at the pharmacy.
“Our children’s education should come first in the state of Florida. We should be leading the nation in offering the very best education to our children not being in the ‘worse’,” said Moran.
Chiles also visited New Life Baptist Church to read to children during his stop in Century.
Chile’s organization, Worst to First, seeks to move Florida away from the bottom in education and other children’s issues.
By walking across the state and talking one on one with Floridians about issues facing the state, Chiles hopes to find solutions for Florida from the people.
“I saw first hand the unique bond he forged as he listened to people,” Bud Chiles said of his father’s walk and his desire to help children and families. “In the past 10 years, sadly, we have suffered from a lack of that leadership from our state’s politicians.”
“I want to help tell your stories about what is working and what is broken,” Chiles said of his desire to listen to Floridians as he walks across the state. “Florida’s politicians are out of touch, and we can’t count on Washington to fix what is broken. With your help, we will make Florida a place for children again.”
Late Monday afternoon, Chiles had walked down Highway 29 to just south of Bogia. His journey will take him into Pensacola by Wednesday.
For more photos from Chiles’ walk, click here.
Pictured top: Lawton “Bud” Chiles on his One Million Stop walk in North Escambia Monday afternoon. Pictured middle: The children at Camp Fire USA made this sign to welcome Chiles. Pictured bottom: Children reads to Camp Fire students. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
EWMS Eagles Beat Pollard-McCall
September 22, 2009
The Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles beat Pollard-McCall on the volleyball court in two matches Monday afternoon in Walnut Hill.
The EWMS White team won 25-17, 25-6. The EWMS Blue defeated Pollard-McCall 23-25, 25-14, 15-8.
- For a photo gallery from the EWMS Blue game, click here.
- For a photo gallery from the EWMS White game, click here.
EWMS White team members are: Raven Weaver, Madison Arrington, Brianna Parker, Lily Townson, Chloe Leonard, Kyndall Hall, Leah Fischer and Tiffani Pritchett.
EWMS Blue team members are: Mallory Wiggins, Mallory Ryan, Rebecca Grim, Shelby Nielson, Danielle Steadham, Saige Garrett, Lorri Harrell, Kaitlyn Abbott and Reagan Bell.
15-Year Old Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Tires For Getaway Car
September 22, 2009
A middle school student was arrested Monday in connection with an incident last week where tires were allegedly stolen for the getaway car used in the robbery of the Molino Tom Thumb.
The 15-year old Century boy was arrested on larceny and burglary charges when he appeared in court Monday on an unrelated trespassing charge. NorthEscambia.com’s policy is to not identify juveniles in criminal cases.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies found another man, Antonio Demetrius Ewing, 19, trying to fit tires onto a Pontiac Firebird with no tag in the parking lot of the Gospel Light Temple on Alger Road in Century about 9:20 September 14. The Firebird — the alleged getaway car from the robbery of the Tom Thumb in Molino earlier that morning — had a flat tire. Deputies said Ewing had taken the tires and tools from a nearby shed, and he was trying to fit tires onto the Firebird — including tires that had no rims.
Evidence tied the juvenile to the car and the tire incident, according to deputies, leading to the charges against the Ernest Ward Middle School student.
Deputies say both Ewing and the juvenile are suspects in the Tom Thumb robbery, and they expect more warrants to be issued by the State Attorney’s office.
Ewing, of West Highway 4, Century, was charged with burglary, escape and larceny. He remains in the Escambia County Jail.
Pictured top: Escambia County Sheriff’s Investigator Frank Way photographs a vehicle located in Century on September 14 that may have been used in a Molino robbery a few hours earlier. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Former Atmore Dentist’s Employee Admits To Bilking Thousands From Insurance Companies
September 22, 2009
The former office manager for an Atmore dentist has pleaded guilty to defrauding tens of thousands of dollars from insurance companies.
Toni McMurphy, 54, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and mail fraud in federal court. In her plea agreement, McMurphy admitted that while working for Buckley and Buckley Family Dentistry between January 1, 2006, and November, 2008, she bilked about $45,000 from insurance companies by filing false claims for services never performed or by upgrading lower cost procedures to higher cost procedures.
“The insurance carriers would then send reimbursement checks to Buckley Family Dentistry to pay for the fraudulent claims,” McMurphy’s stated in her plea agreement. “I would then misapply said fraudulent proceeds, thereby allowing me to apply proceeds to different patients and to withdraw cash from Buckley Family Dentistry.”
The mail fraud charge stemmed from an incident in June, 2008, when McMurphy admitted that she filed a false claim with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama asking for reimbursement on behalf of a patient claiming that the dentist had extracted two of her teeth. Blue Cross and Blue Shield then mailed a payment for the services never performed to an Atmore post office box.
U.S. District Judge Kristi Dubose scheduled McMurphy to be sentenced in federal court on December 18. She could face up to 20 years in prison, three years probation and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. However, the plea agreement states that federal prosecutors will seek a minimum allowable sentence of probation. She could also be ordered by the court to make restitution in the case.
Escambia School District’s Website Hacked
September 22, 2009
Hackers defaced the main website of the Escambia County School District, forcing officials to take the site down for several hours on Monday.
The person or persons that got into the district’s website left behind music and anti-Muslim phrases on the main page, prompting the district’s information technology department to take the site offline. By early Tuesday morning, the site had been returned to service.
Officials say that confidential information and student records were not compromised in the attack.
Individual school websites — such as those for Northview High, Ernest Ward Middle, Bratt Elementary and Molino Park Elementary schools — were not impacted.
Open House Tonight At Northview; Thursday at EWMS
September 22, 2009
Open house events will be held tonight at Northview High School and Thursday night at Ernest Ward Middle School.
Open House at Northview will be held Tuesday at 6 p.m. Activities will begin with refreshments in the cafeteria; parents and visitors will then have an opportunity to visit the school’s campus and classrooms. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend.
Open House at Ernest Ward will be held Thursday from 6 until 7 p.m. Parents will begin the evening in their student’s homeroom where they will receive a copy of their student’s schedule. If parents attend without the student, they should ask the student the name of the homeroom teacher. The homeroom with largest percent of parents who sign the homeroom sheet will win an ice cream party.
Parents will then follow their child’s schedule to each class where they will have the opportunity to ask general questions about school activities and curriculum. This is not a time for a conference with any faculty member about an individual student. The staff and facility look forward to meeting all parents, school officials said.
Northview FCA And Teens For Christ To Meet Tuesday Morning
September 21, 2009
The Northview High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Teens for Christ groups will meet Tuesday morning to organize and make final plans for the school’s See You At The Pole Rally for Wednesday morning.
The meeting will be held at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in Mrs. Jernigan’s room.
Contract Worker Injured At Northview High School
September 21, 2009
A contract employee working at Northview High School was injured Monday afternoon.
Officials say the adult male contract worker suffered a work-related injury in the school’s boiler room. He reportedly suffered a laceration to his arm about 2:20 p.m. while trying to cut a pipe or other material.
He was transported to an area hospital by Atmore Ambulance.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue and Northview’s Escambia County Sheriff’s Office school resource officer also responded to the incident.
Watch Good Football Tonight: NHS JV At Home Against W.S. Neal
September 21, 2009
The Northview High School junior varsity football team will be in action tonight at home in Bratt.
The JV Chiefs will host W.S. Neal at 6:00 tonight, kicking off a two-game home stretch. The Chiefs will be at home on Thursday night, October 1 against Baker.
The community is encouraged to attend the game and support the Northview Chiefs.