Flomaton Advance Auto Parts Building Sells For About $1 Million
April 14, 2011
The Advance Auto Parts building in Flomaton has been sold for nearly a million dollars.
Unnamed out-of-state investors purchased the Advance Auto parts building in Flomaton for $976,500 and one in Freeport, Fla., for $1.75 million, according to broker Marcus & Millichap in Nashville, Tenn. The deal was closed by Surety Land Title.
According to the real estate listing , the Advance Auto Parts chain has a 12 year lease remaining on the 7,000 square foot building, which was constructed in August 2007. An average of 10,590 vehicles per day pass the building on Sidney Manning Boulevard.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Extension Offers Small Farms Outreach Program
April 14, 2011
The Escambia and Santa Rosa County Extension Service office are hosting televised workshops designed to help small farm producers address obstacles to production.
Each two hour sessions begin at 6 p.m. at the Escambia Extension Office, 3740 Stefani Road in Cantonment.
Session 1: April 19 — Your Soil: How to get the most from it
- Soil testing
- Soil Ph
- Nutrient analysis
- Maximizing yields
Session 2: May 3 — Fertilizer: Getting the most yield for the least input
- Commercial fertilizers
- Compost
- Green manures
- Application methods
Session 3: May 17 — Problems and Their Solutions
- Crop diseases
- Molds
- Causes and controls
Session 4: June 7 — Bugs and Water
- Water needs
- Water quality
- Insect pests and their control
The programs are open to the public and cost $20 each. Early registration is recommended for participants. The availability of program notebooks and materials will be based on pre-registration numbers.
For more information on the Florida Small Farms Outreach training sessions contact Libbie Johnson, Escambia Extension, at 475-5230 or email her at libbiej@ufl.edu for details on registration. You may also contact Dan Mullins, Santa Rosa Extension, at 623-3868 or via email at danm@santarosa.fl.gov.
Two Convicted In Escambia Of Child Sex Crimes
April 14, 2011
Two men were convicted in Escambia County Circuit Court this week on child sex charges, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Stephen Lewis Furney, II was convicted Tuesday of lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious conduct and promoting a sexual performance by a child.
At the time of the offenses, Furney was already a designated sexual offender on probation after serving a state prison sentence for numerous other sexual crimes committed in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in 1994.
Escambia County Circuit Court Judge Linda Nobles sentenced Furney to a total of 40 years in prison on the new charges and the violation of probation. On Wednesday, Santa Rosa County Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh sentenced Furney to 107.25 months prison for the probation violation in Santa Rosa County.
Chad Rager was convicted by an Escambia County Jury of sexual battery by a person in familial authority, lewd/lascivious battery, lewd or lascivious conduct, and improper sexual activity with certain minors.
The defendant was convicted of sexual activity with his adopted daughter while she was between 14 and 17 years old.
Judge Joel Boles scheduled sentencing for May 19. Rager faces a maximum of 75 years state prison. He will also qualify for sexual offender status.
Remember When? Ash Dept Store, Worley’s Food Store
April 14, 2011
One of Century’s oldest buildings was demolished this week. The building at 9510 North Century Boulevard was once, according to the signage recently uncovered on its facade, the home of Ash Dept. Store and Worley’s Food Store. Ash Dept. Store offered “Shoes, Clothing, Notions” while Worley’s offered “Meats, Groceries, Feeds”.
According to the Escambia County Property Appraiser, the building was constructed in 1935. During the last decade, the building fell into great disrepair, housing a second hand store. It was also cited by Escambia County Code Enforcement for unsafe conditions in 2010.
Do you have any memories of Ash Dept. Store or Worley’s Food Store? Share them in our comments section below.
Pictured top: Partial demolition of this building on North Century Boulevard near the Alabama State Line revealed signage for the former Ash Dept. Store and Worley’s Food Store. Pictured below: The building in 2003 and 2010. Pictured bottom: More images of the building just before demolition. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Free Fishing Clinic For Kids
April 14, 2011
There will be a free kids fishing clinic Saturday in Pensacola.
Sponsored by the Pensacola Recreational Fishermen, the free clinic will be held at Plaza de Luna in downtown Pensacola (at the foot of Palafox Street) from 8 a.m. until noon. The clinic is for children ages 4 to 14. All participants must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Children will receive t-shirts, fishing rods, tackle boxes and more. They will learn how to tie knots, cast, proper fish handling, enjoy touch tanks and more. Older kids will learn about fly fishing and cast net throwing.
Arthur Brown, Barrineau Park School Roads To Be Resurfaced
April 13, 2011
A portion of Arthur Brown Road in Walnut Hill and Barrineau Park School Road will soon be resurfaced.
The full 1.7 mile length of Barrineau Park School Road will be resurfaced from Molino Road to Barrineau Park Road. Only a 2.7 mile portion of Arthur Brown Road will be resurfaced, from Highway 97 to Pine Forest Road. The remaining 4.3 miles of Arthur Brown Road, from Pine Forest Road to Pineville Road, will not be repaved.
The project includes the shoulder work, striping and other routine items. Roads, Inc. will be required to maintain traffic flow at all times, closing one lane with minimal delays during work hours. The roads will be open to two-way traffic during all non-working hours.
Roads, Inc. of Northwest Florida was the low bidder on the project at $966,769.35 to be paid out of Local Option Sales Tax monies. Four other bids were received — ranging from a low of $1,226,051.90 from Panhandle Grading and Paving to $1,634,740.53 from Anderson Columbia.
The total $966,769.35 project also includes the resurfacing of a portion of Untriener Avenue in Ensley and Desert Street in Ferry Pass. Additional minor work will also be performed under the contract on Beulah Road, Bridlewood Road, Klondike Road, Eight Mile Creek Road, Leonard Street, Cross Street, and Chemstrand Road.
The exact start date for the resurfacing projects was not available.
Pictured top: Arthur Brown Road approaches Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Bills Bratt Couple For Property Taxes On County Park
April 13, 2011
A Bratt couple was billed several hundred dollars in property taxes for county-owned land that’s actually the new Bratt Community Park, and the Escambia County Commission is set this week to correct the error.
In early 2009, the county traded 57 acres of mostly wetlands that the county owned on Hanks Road for 13.19 acres at the corner of West Highway 4 and Bratt Road. The Highway 4 property was owned by Kale and Donna Schneider.
After the January, 2009 closing on the land swap, the county notified the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office that the county had acquired the property and taxes should be canceled. The Tax Collector’s office removed an agricultural exemption on the property, effectively raising the taxes, but the taxes where not exempted.
That left the Schneiders with a $372.11 property tax bill on the county-owned park.
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission is expected to approve a resolution canceling the taxes for good on the property and eliminating the Schneiders’ tax bill.
Pediatricians Back Away From Evers’ Gun Bill
April 13, 2011
Pediatricians distanced themselves Tuesday from a deal struck between gun-rights advocates and the Florida Medical Association, re-energizing a debate about when physicians should ask patients about gun ownership. .
The debate revolves around a pair of bills, including a Senate bill sponsored by Greg Evers, that would limit when a doctor can ask patients whether they have a gun at home.
The Florida Medical Association at first balked at a stronger version of the Senate bill, which was eventually watered down to allow physicians to ask about guns when they think the question is relevant to a patient’s health care. That essentially ended the association’s opposition to the bill, allowing it to move.
But pediatricians appeared before the House and Senate Judiciary committees – which both approved their respective versions of the measure Tuesday – to say they were not part of the agreement. They said it was still important for doctors to have the ability to ask about guns in the home, without potential second-guessing about whether the question was relevant. .
“This bill will still have a chilling effect and will prevent pediatricians from asking questions about firearms,” said Louis St. Petery of the Florida Pediatric Society. But gun-rights advocates, who have pushed the bill as one of their top priorities this session, said the measure was an attempt to counter the “growing anti-gun political agenda being carried out in examination rooms,” in the words of Marion Hammer, a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association.
“We take our children to pediatricians for medical care, not moral judgment or privacy invasion,” Hammer said. The House bill was approved on a 15-3 vote; the Senate margin was 5-2.
Century Man Among Last Honor Flight Vets
April 13, 2011
Just over 100 World War II veterans, including a Century man, are back at home today after the ninth and final Emerald Coast Honor Flight to Washington on Tuesday.
Among the veterans on Tuesday’s Honor Flight was the Rev. Willie H Carter, 89, of Century. For more photos of Rev. Carter and the Honor Flight arrival, click here.
Hundreds of people gave the veterans a hero’s welcome at the Pensacola Regional Airport. They were escorted by an honor guard and saluted by Marines as they were welcomed back by friends and family.
During the four years of the Emerald Coast honor flight, hundreds of Gulf Coast veterans had the opportunity to spend a day in Washington to see the War War II Memorial and other sights. Organizers have ended the program, saying they have served all the veterans that have applied for the special trip.
Pictured top: Terri Sanders of Century (left) welcomes home the Rev. Willie H. Carter of Century at the Pensacola Regional Airport Tuesday night. Pictured left inset: Benny Barnes and Century Mayor Freddie McCall welcome Rev. Carter back to the airport. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Shys Away From $200K In Commission Chamber Upgrades
April 13, 2011
The Escambia County Commission probably won’t spend nearly $200,000 to renovate their five-year old meeting space.
The commission discussed possible renovations to improve meeting efficiency — including sound system upgrades ($6,000 to $17,000), modifications to the dais ($173,500) and lectern microphones ($8,000).
“It’s not a prudent use of tax dollars,” County Commission Chairman Kevin White said.
White, who represents North Escambia’s District 5, agreed that there are visibility problems with the dais – - the raised platform behind which the commissioner sit at the front of the commission chamber.
“It is a pain to see who is wanting to speak; sometimes they are just sitting there waving their arms,” White said. As chair, White sits at the center of the dais with the other four commissioners on either side of him.
Some commissioner did agree that upgrades to the voting system should be considered. Commissioner use a push button system to cast their votes or to alert the chairman that they wish to speak, but the chair does not know which commissioner wishes to speak. The voting system would cost an estimated $23,000 to $60,000 to upgrade.