ECUA Rate Increases, Pay Hikes On Tap For Vote

September 22, 2010

ECUA garbage, water and sewer customers will see higher bills in the coming months if the utility votes Thursday for rate increases currently under consideration — and ECUA employees may receive across the board pay raises.

Emerald Coast Utility Authority customers in North Escambia only have garbage service. ECUA is proposing a three percent rate increase to take effect on October 1. That would increase the the bill by 54 cents per month from $17.99 to $18.53 for a customer with one standard 90-gallon container. Senior citizens would pay 45 cents more per month, from $15.08 to $15.53.

Significant increases for water and sewer customers would be in four stages, with a 10 percent increase on October 1, 2010, an a additional eight percent on October 1, 2011, another eight percent increase on October 1, 2012, and another eight percent increase on October, 2013.

The current average water and sewer bill would rise from $65.50 per month now to $70.36 in October.

The ECUA board voted 3-2 in favor of the rate increases, with Lois Benson and Dale Perkins against. Elvin McCorvey, Elizabeth Campbell and Larry Walker voted in favor of the rate hike.

ECUA’s new budget for 2010-2011 would also give pay raises to over 500 employees. There would be an across the board one percent pay hike, with an additional two percent merit pay increase for some employees. Benson and Perkins votes against the pay hikes, while McCorvey, Campbell and Walker voted in favor.

ECUA will hold a public hearing on the water, sewer and sanitation rate increases at 3 p.m. Thursday at the ECUA board meeting room in the Ellyson Industrial Park, 9250 Hammon Street in Pensacola.

Driver Charged With DUI After Cantonment Wreck (With Photos)

September 22, 2010

A Cantonment man is facing multiple charges following a single vehicle accident Tuesday night in Cantonment.

Curtis  Bailey, Jr., 53, of Smithfield Lane, Cantonment, was charged with driving under the influence, DUI property damage and refusal to submit to a DUI test. He was being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $2,500 bond early Wednesday morning.

Bailey failed to negotiate a curve on Nowak Road just east of Jacks Branch Road about 9:30 Tuesday night. His van left the roadway and traveled into a residential yard where it hit several trees.

The accident was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol.


Pictured top: A Cantonment man was arrested for DUI following this crash on Nowak Road Tuesday night.  Pictured below: These photos show the vehicle’s path into a Nowak Road yard. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.


Elm Street Reopens

September 22, 2010

Elm Street in Century reopened to traffic Tuesday.  Work began about three weeks ago to replace a culvert under the street. According to Mayor Freddie McCall, Elm Street opened with a temporary road surface that will be paved at a later date. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

School Progress Reports Today

September 22, 2010

Check your child’s book bag this afternoon — it is time for progress reports.

The first nine-weeks period for Escambia County schools is half over, and progress reports will be sent home this afternoon.

If you have any questions, contact your child’s school.

lla Ora (Ellie) Wiggins

September 21, 2010

lla Ora (Ellie) Wiggins, age 84, passed away on Monday September 13, 2010. Ellie spent her life as a devoted daughter, loving wife, mother of two strong men and also enjoyed the blessing of her two grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Ray Wiggins, her infant son, Ronnie, her parents Herman and Maggie Lomax Vickery, and her daughter-in-law, Mickey Wiggins. Also preceding her in death were her siblings Bernard, Andrew & Orval Vickery & Murvel Helton.

Miss Ellie was the owner of The Village Shop in Cantonment for over 20 years and delighted in her role in helping many women, young and old, find the “perfect” outfit. She was a true Southern lady with an amazing flair for fashion. The two most valued parts of Ellie’s life were her faith in God and the love of family.

Ellie is survived by two sons, Ricky Wiggins and wife, Becky and Lamar Wiggins; her two grandchildren, Curtis Wiggins and wife, Abby; and Carla Gilmore and husband, Jacob. Ellie is also survived by her loving sister, Eltra Mae “Sid” Etheridge, who helped in raising Ellie after the death of their mother.

All her friends and family are invited to celebrate her life on Thursday September 16, 2010. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with services following at 11 a.m. at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Hospice, 6479 Caroline Street, Suite B, Milton, FL 32570.

Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc is in charge of all arrangements.

Hack Hits Twitter

September 21, 2010

Security experts warned of a hack that was impacting visitors Tuesday morning to the popular short-message service website Twitter.

The malicious tweets, sometimes appearing as blocked-out text, spread and cause numerous popup windows to open. The hack created its mischief when a visitor moves their mouse over an infected page — visitors were impacted without ever clicking the tweet link.

Now, Twitter Trust and Safety team leader Del Harvey said the hack called “XSS attack” has been identified and repaired.

“The XSS attack should now be fully patched and no longer exploitable,” Harvey said in a tweet.

Third party Twitter clients, such as those on cellular phones, were considered safe from this attack.

Johanna K. Samples

September 21, 2010

Johanna K. Samples, age 79, of Cantonment, Florida passed away Wednesday, September 15, 2010. Mrs. Samples was born June 8, 1931 in Stuttgart, Germany. She was a loving mother and grandmother.

Survivors include her husband, Charles K. Samples, her children, Karen Knight and Steven Samples, 10 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and two sisters.
Funeral services will be held at 11:45 AM on Monday, September 20, 2010, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North-Cantonment. Interment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 10:30 a.m. until service time.

In lieu of flowers the family request that memorials be made to the charity of your choice.

Faith Chapel Funeral Home North, 1000 Highway 29 South Cantonment, is in charge of arrangements.

Cantonment Man Dies After Pensacola Traffic Crash

September 21, 2010

A Cantonment man died Monday after a traffic crash in Pensacola that was attributed to a medical compilations.

Roosevelt Strong, 71, was pronounced dead at Sacred Heart Hospital following the 8:49 a.m. crash at Diego Circle and Massachusetts Avenue, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Due to unspecified medical complications, Strong lost control of his 1993 Chevrolet van and hit a wooden fence, the FHP said.

A passenger in the vehicle, Jerome Davis, 56, of Pensacola, was not injured.

Century Approves Budget With Half Million Increase

September 21, 2010

Monday night, the Century Town Council approved a 2010-2011 budget with over a half million dollars in increasesand increased ad valorem tax rate for the next fiscal year, which begins October 1.

The town’s total budget is $3,337,231 — an decrease over the 2009-2010 budget of $4,587,744. The difference is due to a  one-time $1.83 million grant for a water infrastructure project during the last fiscal year. The new budget represents an increase of $579,487 over last year’s budget minus the water grant.

Outside of the grant-funded water project, the town’s biggest source of revenue — $1,825,000 — is from water, gas and sewer charges, and the biggest expense is $1,464,178 to pay for the costs associated with providing the water, sewer and natural gas service for the town’s residents.

Ad valorem taxes will increase slightly — from .823 mils last year to .9048 mils. The new millage rate is estimated to generate $30,000 for the town during the 2010-2011 budget year, compared to $26,000 in the last fiscal  year.

The budget passed 4-0 with council member Henry Hawkins absent from the budget public hearing Monday night. No members of the public spoke for or against the budget.

To view a summary of the budget in pdf format, click here or the image below.

Pictured top: The Century Town Council meets Monday night in regular session. From the left:  Nadine McCaw, Ann Brooks, Sharon Scott, Henry Hawkins and Gary Riley. Hawkins was absent from a budget public hearing held just prior to the council meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Century Manhunt Turns Up Empty

September 21, 2010

Authorities failed to find a suspect that ran from an Escambia County deputy Monday afternoon in Century.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a disturbance on Old Flomaton Road near Lake Street about 1:20 p.m. When the first deputy arrived on scene, a black male in black shorts and white shirt was seen running into a wooded area.

The suspect reportedly had an outstanding arrest warrant on an escape charge.

Deputies established a perimeter around the area and called in a K-9 team from the Century Correctional Institute.  The dogs were reportedly able to trace the suspect for some distance, but they were unable to locate him.

Further details were not available.

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