Escambia Textbook Losses At $1.6 Million In Three Years, $163K From North Escambia Schools
April 15, 2010
Escambia County has lost $1.6 million worth of textbooks over the last three years — including $163,284.59 at North Escambia schools.
$1.6 million is a staggering number to Jeff Bergosh, District 1 Escambia County School Board member. “Do you know how many teacher salaries that represents? We need to find a way to collect this money,” he said.
Bergosh has collected itemized school by school numbers that he plans to present to the school board today. His data shows the number of text books at each school classified as lost or damaged — 18,710 books with $1,585,940.07 in unpaid fines — and the amount of fines actually paid — just $31,029.44.
High school numbers are the worst, with fines ranging from $205,640.10 for 2,379 books at Escambia High to $109,004.11 at Tate High for 1,906 missing or damaged books. Just one high school in the county had less than $100,000 worth of fines during the three year period — Northview.
At Northview, there were 116 missing or damaged books over the three year period, with fines of $10,242.43.
“They must be doing something right at Northview,” Bergosh said.
NorthEscambia.com found that Northview has a strict plan in place to make sure textbooks are returned — and they will even go looking for their books.
“We enforce our textbook policies,” Northview Principal Gayle Weaver said. “It’s something that we take very seriously.”
If a student at Northview owes textbook fines, they don’t march at graduation. They still receive their diploma, Weaver said, because that cannot be withheld. But with outstanding fines, there’s no pomp and circumstance.
When a student transfers out of Northview, or quits school, they still work to collect the books. Even if that means sending the visiting teacher/social worker directly to the former student’s home in search of textbooks.
“We diligently stay after the books,” Weaver said. Most of Northview’s lost textbooks, she said, actually end up in Alabama as students transfer across the line. “There’s no district system in place that allows us to pursue the books outside of the state.”
Bergosh said he is looking to the rest of the school board for a textbook fine collection procedure — perhaps a pay to play plan.
“If you want to pay sports or take part in extracurricular activities, you need to pay your fines,” he said. “You want a transcript? You need to pay.”
“Collecting these fines needs to be a priority; we just can’t afford to lose $1.6 million every three years,” Bergosh added.
The total three-year fines at the county’s middle schools range from a low of $3,756.08 for 46 books at Ernest Ward Middle School to $74,766.29 at Warrington Middle for 884 books. At Ransom Middle School in Cantonment, there were 147 books missing or damaged during the period with fines of $33.489.05.
At the elementary level, fines totaled $4,211.29 for 149 books at Bratt, $1,263.42 for 134 books at Jim Allen and $1,318.21 for 26 books at Molino Park.
Pictured top: A set of sixth grade books from Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Last Minute Tax Info: Post Offices, Extensions
April 15, 2010
It’s tax day, with the deadline at midnight tonight to file you federal income taxes. If you are last minute filer, we’ve got some info need to know:
The tradition of running to the post office for the last minute postmark will be a bit harder this year — the only two post offices in Northwest Florida open until midnight are the main post office at 1400 Jordan Street and the Nobles Station at 7150 Tippin Avenue, both in Pensacola. No Alabama post offices are scheduled to stay open until midnight.
Even if you can’t get the forms completed today, you still need to pay Uncle Sam if you owe. You need to file an extension form by midnight. Click here for more info.
Bright Images: Northview Art Students’ Work
April 15, 2010
Several students from Northview High School currently have art work on exhibit in the Escambia County School District’s 52nd annual Bright Images Art Show at the J.E. Hall Center.
Several of the students also won awards for their artwork, including:
- Mallory Okahashi, 12th grade – 1st place, Sculpture
- Nathan Taylor, 12th grade & Jamichael Carson, 11th grade – honorable mention, Sculpture
- Abby Odom, 10th grade – 1st place, Beginning Art
- Megan McCann, 12th grade – 2nd place, Beginning Art
- Libby Page, 12th grade – honorable mention, Beginning Art
- Grant Bellizzi, 12th grade – honorable mention, Drawing
- Northview 2-D Design students, 9-12th grade – 3rd place, Mixed-Media
Other students with work on display include junior Katelynn Garrison and seniors Parish Kelley and Ariel Morris.
Jay Track Star Breaks Longtime School Record
April 15, 2010
Jay High Track Star Robin Blackman has broken a long-held school record in the 400 meter dash with a time of 61.75 seconds.
Blackman competes in four events, the long jump, the 4×800 meter relay, the 400 meter dash and the 4×400 meter relay. She placed first in all four events and helped to lead the Lady Royals to a first place victory in the 36th Annual Quarterback Club Invitational held at Jay High School recently.
Blackman is a junior and has advanced to state each year since seventh grade. She is the top scorer for the Royals and plans to run at Troy University.
Pictured above: Assistant Coach Stan Blackman, Robin Blackman and Coach Sonya Odom. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Council On Aging Caregiver Support Meeting Tonight
April 15, 2010
Council on Aging of West Florida will host a Century Caregiver Support Group Meeting on Thursday, April 15 at 6 p.m. There is no cost and the public is invited. Reservations are not required. The meeting will be held at Century Care Center at 6020 Industrial Blvd. The group meets on the third Thursday of each month at the same time and location. County residency is not required to attend.
The support group is part of Council on Aging of West Florida programs designed to reduce stress, increase coping skills, provide strategies for effective management of care giving tasks and enable caregivers to provide high quality care in the home. The programs are sponsored by Council on Aging of West Florida, the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging. For more information, call 432-1475.
Council on Aging of West Florida is a local, independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that has served seniors and their families since 1972. Council on Aging of West Florida helps seniors in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties live healthy, safe and independent lives in their own familiar surroundings by providing community based, in-home programs and services such as Meals on Wheels and Alzheimer’s respite care.
April 15: Need More Time To Do Your Taxes? Get An Extension
April 15, 2010
Taxpayers who need extra time to file their federal returns this year can file the Form 4868 request for an automatic extension through IRS Free File. The extension gives you an additional six months, until Oct. 15, to file the tax return.Taxpayers can file the request for extension with traditional Free File or Free File Fillable Forms. Using Free File to prepare and electronically submit Form 4868 is free to everyone.
In addition, taxpayers can use paid preparers or purchased software to electronically file Form 4868. A paper version is also available for download from the IRS Web site, IRS.gov. However, you will only receive an acknowledgment that the IRS received your request, if you e-file or Free File the request.
An extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. You need to estimate your tax liability and pay any balance due when you request the extension. Several payment options are available, including electronic funds withdrawal, credit card and check.
If you are unable to pay the total balance due, you should pay as much as possible and then contact the IRS about an installment plan. Even if you cannot pay the balance due, it is important to either file a return or request an extension to avoid the failure-to-file penalty.
The IRS expects to receive approximately 10 million extension requests in 2010, which is about the same as last year. Some taxpayers automatically receive extensions to file. For example, military personnel serving in a combat zone have 180 days after leaving the combat zone to file their returns. Victims of recent natural disasters in certain federally declared disaster areas also have extra time.
Register Now For Century Junior And Senior League Ball
April 15, 2010
Now is the time to register for Junior and Senior League ball for Century Little League.
Registration for ages 13-16 will be held from 5:30 until 7:30 on April 16, 19 and 20. To register, see Wes Sims on the t-ball field, or ask about registering at the concession stand. For more information, call Wes at (251) 370-0246.
Cantonment, Pensacola Men Among Four Killed In Navy T-39 Crash
April 14, 2010
A Cantonment man was among the four killed the crash of a T-39N Sabreliner near Blue Ridge, Georgia, on Monday.
Lt. Cmdr. Charles McDaniel (Ret.), 67, of Cantonment; Capt. Jason Paynter, USMC, 38, of Pensacola; 1st Lt. Shawn Nice, USMC, 26, of Levittown, Pennsylvania.; and Ens. Zachary Eckhart, 25, of Orefield, Pennsylvania, died in the training jet crash in north Georgia.
All four were assigned to Training Squadron (VT) 86, based out of Naval Air Station Pensacola. They were conducting a routine training mission at the time of the crash. The cause of the mishap is under investigation.
A memorial service is scheduled Friday for family, friends and squadron mates at the Aviation Memorial Chapel, NAS Pensacola. The memorial service is not open to the public.
Deputy Collides With Deer
April 14, 2010
An Escambia County deputy escaped injury in a collision with a deer Wednesday morning on Highway 29. Deputy David Bashore said the deer jumped out of the median and over his hood on Highway 29 south of Champion Drive. The deer smashed into the cruiser’s windshield at about 60 mph. The deer did not survive the impact. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Man Busted In Escambia, Fla. With Nearly Half Pound Of Pills
April 14, 2010
A Flomaton man has been charged with drug trafficking after being arrested in Escambia County, Fla., with just under a half pound of illegal pills.
Jason Daniel Kirk, 30, of Houston Street, Flomaton, is charged with drug trafficking. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $100,000.
Members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at Kirk’s room at the Value Place Extended Stay hotel on Scenic Highway in Pensacola. During the search of the room, deputies found a lock box that contained quantities of Xanax, oxycodone, methadone, morphine and hydrocodone, according to the arrest report. One bag of hydrocodone weighed in excess of 200 grams (0.44 pounds), the report stated.
The room also contained sales and inventory figures for the illicit narcotics, and the key to the safe was located on Kirk’s person, deputies said. Kirk admitted to ownership of the narcotics, according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
Kirk may face additional trafficking charges due to the quantity of narcotics recovered, according to Escambia deputies. Kirk is also the suspect in a Brewton, Ala., pharmacy burglary, according to deputies.
He was also charged with negotiating a $57.45 worthless check at the Southern Pit Stop, Inc. in Century.
Kirk is due in court on April 30.