Boy Scouts Prep 1,000 Pine Seedlings
January 17, 2010
An area Boy Scout troop spent a rainy Saturday at the Florida Division of Forestry in Molino preparing about 1,000 pine tree seedlings for donation or planting. The members of Troop 608 planted some of the trees on Molino property. Most will be planted at an Arbor Day observance Tuesday at Benny Russell Elementary in Milton, and others will be planted in various locations in Escambia County. The Scouts were joined by State Rep. Dave Murzin who organized the event. Submitted photos by Russell Merrill for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Boating Safety Requirements For 2010
January 17, 2010
Boating-safety education requirements changed in Florida on January 1.
Boat operators who were born on or after January 1, 1988, must pass an approved boating-safety course and possess photographic identification and a boating-safety education identification card issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to legally operate a boat with a motor of 10 horsepower or more.
“We want to encourage everyone, regardless of when they were born, to take an approved boating-safety education course, because all of us can learn something new, even if we have been boating all our lives,” said Capt. Carol Keyser of FWC’s boating and waterways section. “For some, it is now required to take the course.”
There are a few exceptions. For instance, a person born on or after January 1, 1988, who operates a boat within 90 days after purchasing it, does not need a boating-safety education identification card if a bill of sale, which meets the requirements of Florida law, is on board. After the 90-day period ends, the boat operator needs to meet the educational requirements. Those who possess a current United States Coast Guard license also are exempt.
For course information and educational requirements, visit MyFWC.com/Boating. For inquiries, contact FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement at 850-488-5600, or e-mail questions to the FWC at bobbercard@myfwc.com.
Learn To Do Business With ECUA
January 17, 2010
On Wednesday, January 20, 2010, the Florida Small Business Development Center/Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) Program is offering a free workshop entitled, “How to do Business with the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority” (ECUA). The event will be held in Pensacola at 401 East Chase Street, Suite 100, from 8:00 a.m.to 11:00 a.m.
The informational meeting is an opportunity to educate attendees about the potential of doing business with the ECUA, while increasing participation in obtaining ECUA contracts. Participants will learn about the bidding process, qualification requirements, future business opportunities, and how the ECUA hiring process is conducted.
The workshop, offered by Laura Subel, PTAC program manager, is free; however, pre-registration is recommended. For more information or to register, call Diane Miller (850) 473-7830 or visit the PTAC website at www.fptac.org.
Events Planned For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 17, 2010
Parades and special events will honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. across the area on Monday.
Century:
The Century-Flomaton Improvement Association will honor Dr. King with a motorcade in Century Monday morning. The parade will line up at the old Carver High School on Pond Street at 8 a.m. The motorcade will roll at 9:00 and will end at the Ag Building on West Highway 4 by about 10:00. A program and celebration will follow in the Ag Building at 10:00. Corma Eleise Robinson Gaines will be the guest speaker.
Cantonment:
Parade, beginning at Washington and Webb streets. Line up at 3:30 p.m., parade beings at 4:00.
Flomaton:
Procession, line up at Damascus Baptist Church at 8:30 a.m., begins at 9 a.m. Program at 11 a.m. at the church with guest speaker Charlyn Madison.
Atmore:
Parade, Line up 9 a.m. begins 10 a.m. at Houston Avery Park, follows Martin Luther King Avenue, to Carver Avenue, Ashley Street, Main Street, McRae Street and ending at Escambia County High School.
Pensacola:
Parade, 11 a.m., downtown. An “After Parade Gathering” will be held from 2-5 p.m. at the DeVilliers Cultural Heritage Museum located at 500 W. Belmont Street with music, aft and food.
Pictured above and below: The Century-Flomaton Improvement Association Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade as it traveled through Century last year. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Much More Seaonable Weather
January 17, 2010
What a difference a week can make — we’ve gone from lows in the teens to a much more seasonable weather pattern.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. West wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- M.L.King Day: Sunny, with a high near 65. North wind around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 41. Calm wind.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
- Wednesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 55. Breezy, with a south wind between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 67. Southwest wind between 10 and 15 mph.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. West wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 44.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
- Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 66.
Molino Church Collecting Supplies For Haiti Quake Victims
January 17, 2010
A Molino church is working to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Aldersgate United Methodist Church is accepting supply donations from the community to assemble “health kits” for the earthquake victims. The kits will be assembled at 10:00 Monday morning at the church; everyone is welcome to help. The kits will be shipped to Haiti through UMCOR — the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Donated items can be dropped off at the church office between now and Monday morning. There is a box outside of the church office for donations. Aldersgate UMC is located on Highway 29, just south of Highway 97.
Persons wishing to help can donate any of the items listed below, or assemble complete kits as instructed.
Haiti Health Kits
Place these items inside a sealed one-gallon plastic bag.
- 1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”, no kitchen towels)
- 1 washcloth
- 1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
- 1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
- 1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
- 1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes)
- 6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
(NOTE: UMCOR is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before it is sent. Please include $1 for each kit you send toward the purchase of toothpaste.)
Important Kit Assembly Information
All items included in kits must be NEW items.
All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items—nothing more.
Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.
Hundreds Fill A Bowl For Manna, Help The Hungry
January 17, 2010
More than 500 people took part in Fill a Bowl for Manna Saturday to benefit the local food bank that serves clients across the area from locations that include Century and Jay.
Attendees selected a bowl to fill with soups prepared by some of Pensacola’s most popular eateries and enjoyed a silent auction of larger ceramic bowls and entertaining music.
Proceeds from the sale of the bowls as well as silent auction items were to benefit Manna, helping to fill the empty bowls of more than 30,000 people in Northwest Florida. The more than 500 unique bowls for the event were donated by faculty and students from PJC’s Arts Department and the public who attended the companion “Throw a Bowl for Manna” event co-hosted by PJC on November 13th.
Soups for the evening were prepared by Apple Market, Bagelheads, Classic City Catering, Dharma Blue, Fish House, Global Grill, Gus at Skopelo’s, Jackson’s, Jerry’s Cajun Cafe, Portabello Market, Scenic Hills Country Club and Seville Quarter.
Manna is a non-profit organization that has been fighting hunger in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties since 1983 from pantries in Pensacola, Ensley, Century, Jay, Molino and Milton.
Pictured top: Selecting a handmade bowl at a “Fill a Bowl for Manna” event. Pictured inset: One of about 500 unique bowls donated by faculty and students from PJC’s Arts Department and the public who attended the companion “Throw a Bowl for Manna” event co-hosted by PJC. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Deputy Arrested In Cantonment For Assault, Battery
January 16, 2010
An Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested early Saturday morning in Cantonment after getting into a fight with his wife.
Edward Henley, 44, is facing false imprisonment, battery and assault domestic violence charges. He is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Deputies responded to a 911 call on Kingsfield Road in Cantonment at about 12:45 Saturday morning, according to Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesperson for the sheriff’s department. When deputies arrived and found a marked ECSO patrol car in the driveway, they alerted a supervisor.
“Contact was made with the victim who stated that she and her husband, Sgt. Edward Henley, an Escambia County Deputy of 22 years, were out at a party earlier in the evening,” Roy said. “According to the victim, they began arguing on the way home and once at the residence the argument escalated into a physical confrontation. The victim stated she was struck by the suspect several times at the residence.”
Roy said Henley was charged based upon physical evidence gathered at the scene and statements made.
Deputies Investigating Late Night Stabbing Outside Century Bar
January 16, 2010
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies are investigating an early morning stabbing that happened outside a Century bar.
A 27-year old white male was stabbed in the neck outside of Odom’s Bar in the 9500 block of North Century Boulevard about 2:20 a.m. Saturday. The victim was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. His condition was not available.
Deputies said there were no known witnesses to the incident and no suspects.
Anyone with information about the attack is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at (850) 436-9630 or Crime Stoppers at 850-433-STOP (7867).
Read The Plan: Government Consolidation Proposal Is Complete
January 16, 2010
The plan for a new consolidated government in Escambia County was submitted to the Northwest Florida legislative delegation on Friday.
The 45-page, 14,426 word document spells out the plan created by the Escambia County Consolidation Study Commission to consolidate the governments of Escambia County, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century.
The Town of Century has withdrawn all support from the idea of consolidation, and the Escambia County Commission has asked the legislative delegation to delay any referendum vote on consolidation until 2012 at the earliest. The Pensacola City Council considered, but failed to pass, a similar motion requesting a delay in the public’s vote on the issue. Instead, the council will decide January 25 what action to take. The legislative act that created the consolidation study commission does not require the support of any of the three governments to proceed.
The Northwest Florida legislative delegation will have just over a month to review the plan before potentially submitting it to the legislature to set a referendum vote of the public as early as November 2010.
To read the consolidation plan in its entirety, click here (pdf).