Molino Park Reflections Art Program Awards Presented
November 22, 2011
Four Molino Park Elementary School students were awarded for their work in the school’s annual PTA Reflections Art Program recently. Winners were: Teagan Andress, Visual Arts, 1st place; Lainey Pace — Film Production, 1st place; Emily Andress — Photography, 2nd place; Kaelin Brinker — Photography, 1st place.
Each student’s work of art is below, including a video at the bottom of the page from the film production category.
Beulah Bridge Set To Reopen By December 16
November 22, 2011
Emergency repairs on the Beulah Road bridge north of the Perdido Landfill are expected to be completed by December 16.
The bridge was closed November 15 after an inspection revealed structural deficiencies .
The detour north of the bridge is Muscogee Road to Highway 29 and south of the bridge is Beulah Road to Nine Mile Road. Variable message boards are placed on Muscogee Road and at the corner of Nine Mile Road and Beulah Road. Bridge closure signs are placed on Beulah Road, and there are barricades at the bridge.
Traffic south of the bridge and south of the Perdido Landfill can still access the landfill. Traffic north of the landfill should use the detour route, Muscogee to Highway 295 to Nine Mile Road west to Beulah Road north.
Emergency repairs to the bridge are underway by DKE Marine.
Century’s Roadside Park To Be Renamed ‘Nadine McCaw Park’
November 22, 2011
Century will rename the “Roadside Park” for the late town council member Nadine McCaw. The park, located along North Century Boulevard at Hecker Road, will be official renamed by proclamation at an upcoming town council meeting.
McCaw, a lifelong resident of Century, was elected to the town council in 2007, taking office in 2008. She passed away July 7, 2011.
“Her memory and legacy will continue to live on,” council member Sandra McMurray Jackson said. McCaw was known for going above and beyond for Century, often working behind the scenes and using her own money to benefit the town and its citizens, according to council member Gary Riley.
“She spent most of her paycheck every month on Century,” Mayor Freddie McCall said.
Pictured top: The soon-to-be Nadine McCaw Park on North Century Boulevard in Century. Pictured inset: Nadine McCaw at her first Century Town Council meeting in January 2008. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Molino’s Lady Astros Win Fall Finale
November 22, 2011
The Molino Lady Astros won the USSAA Fall Finale 18U Open this past weekend.
“Playing is the last tournament of the season, we wanted to get to finals,” said Coach Donnie Nicholson . “We did and won the championship.”
The Lady Astros were the No. 1 seed headed into the championship game with the Elite Lady Sox from Dothan. The Lady Astros went ahead in the second inning with a 2-run home run from Jessica Briggs. Another 2-run home run Korina Rosario sealed the championship with a 4-3 win for Molino’s Lady Astros.
“Our defense and offense were excellent,” Nicholson said.
The Lady Astros were led on the mound by Jessica Briggs from West Florida High, Megan Green from Pace High, and Heather Thompson from Tate High. The team’s batting average was .463.
Pictured: Members of the Molino Lady Astros are: Ashley Richerson, Nikki Cody, Meagen Green, Jessica Briggs, Kayla Rosario, Korina Rosario, Piehden Courtney, Heather Thompson, Gracie Kilcrease, Amber Peebles, Jordan Barnette and Ronni Renfroe. Not Pictured Are Brook White, Dallas Dickerson and Emily Vasquez. The team is coached by Donnie Nicholson, Ed Courtney and Nick Rosario. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Longer Free, Adult Ed Program Enrollment Drops Dramatically
November 22, 2011
In the four months since Florida began charging tuition for adult education programs, enrollment has dropped dramatically, prompting concern from some lawmakers that the Legislature may have gone too far.
Since requiring not only tuition, but also documentation to determine residency, enrollment in adult education classes offered at colleges has dropped 45 percent and enrollment offered through some school districts has dropped 38 percent, according to preliminary data by the state Department of Education.
Last legislative session, lawmakers took a close look at charging for adult education programs, which generally are offered for free through school districts and colleges, as they grappled with a large budget shortfall.
Typically, students who do not have a high school diploma take the courses to study for their GED, learn English, or take basic adult education classes. A new law was passed that required in-state students to pay $45 for half a year or $30 per term in block tuition for the courses. Non-residents pay three times that amount.
Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach, said the intent was to make sure adult ed students “had some skin in the game,” and clamp down on the low completion rates for the free courses. “(Adult students) need that education, but they should also see the value of it and that it is worth something,” Lynn said.
One unintended consequence has been the impact tuition has had on inmates in Florida’s jails, prisons and juvenile justice facilities. Because of new requirements that require documentation to prove residency, and the tuition, some inmates cannot register for or pay for the classes, lawmakers said.
“There are many people incarcerated who cannot afford this minimal amount we are asking them to pay,” said Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa. “We have an obligation to see how we can perhaps fix it.”
Lynn said she had received calls from adult education teachers who reported their classes were cut at jails and they were out of job, blaming the new law for their plight because students could not register or pay for classes.
But when pressed for details, Tara Goodman, the head of the division of career and adult education with the Department of Education, said it was too soon to tell how many inmates were impacted by the new law.
Last year, about 333,000 Floridians were enrolled in adult education courses, with about 10 percent of those coming from prisons, jails or juvenile justice facilities, Goodman said.
Florida has the second-highest number of adult education students in the country and it spent $256 million last year educating these students. The new fees are not designed to fully fund the cost of these courses.
By Lilly Rockwell
The News Service Of Florida
Featured Recipe: Those Thanksgiving Potatoes
November 22, 2011
Our Thanksgiving week recipe series continues today with a dish simply named “Those Potatoes”. It’s a great last-minute dish to put together in time to take to grandma’s house for the big dinner. And even an inexperienced cook can pull this one off in impressive fashion.
Adult Injured, Kids Saved By Car Seats In McDavid Wreck
November 21, 2011
First responders are crediting the proper use of car seats for saving a baby and toddler from severe injuries in a single vehicle rollover Monday early afternoon in McDavid.
The accident happened about 12:15 p.m. on Highway 29 about a half mile south of Highway 164. A 25-year old female lost control of her Lincoln Towncar while northbound on Highway 29, ran off the roadway and flipped over into a concrete ditch. The female suffered non-life threatening injuries.
A 3-year old and a 3-month old in the vehicle were reportedly properly restrained in car seats and suffered no apparent injuries. All three were transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details were not available.
Pictured above and below: An adult female was injured and two young children were uninjured in this single vehicle rollover Monday afternoon on Highway 29 in McDavid. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Second Man Charged With Century Lumber And Land Financial Crimes
November 21, 2011
A second man has been charged with multiple financial crimes in connection with the alleged attempt to raise capital for Century Lumber and Land — a company that promised hundreds of jobs for Century, held a ribbon cutting and never opened.
James Leonard Craft, age 71 of Milton, was arrested in September in Santa Rosa County and extradited to Etowah County, Ala. where he remains jailed on multiple violations of the Alabama Securities Act. Craft, who was listed as the manager of Century Lumber and Land, was indicted on two counts of sale of unregistered securities, two counts of sale of securities by an unregistered agent, four counts of fraud in connection with the the sale of securities, one count each of overall scheme or artifice to defraud investors, theft of property first degree and theft of property second degree.
Craft remains jailed in Gadsden, Ala., and has additional charges pending in Shelby County, Ala., according to Etowah County authorities.
In the latest development with Century Lumber and Land, Glenn Gilman, Sr., a resident of Southside, Ala., was arrested in Pleasant Grove, Ala., by law enforcement authorities on an 11-count indictment handed down by an Etowah County Grand Jury. He is facing the same charges as Craft in connection with an attempt to raise capital for Century Lumber and Land. He also faces related charges of two counts of sale of unregistered securities, sale of securities by an unregistered agent, fraud in connect with the sale of securities and one count of overall scheme or artifice to defraud investors in Shelby County, Ala.
An investigation by the Alabama Securities Commission Enforcement Division alleged that Craft solicited funds from investors to purchase wood products from South America to be resold to U.S. distributors for the production of railroad cross-ties and other products.
In 2010, the Alabama Securities Commission (ASC) issued Craft, Gilman and Century Lumber and Land a cease and desist order after an alleged attempt to solicit money from Alabama investors. ASC records indicated that neither he nor his business was registered to conduct securities business within, into or from Alabama as required by law.
According to Workforce Escarosa, over 3,000 people had applied for jobs at Century Lumber and Land as of earlier this year.
Craft stood holding the arm of Century Mayor Freddie McCall in October 2010 as the mayor cut a symbolic ribbon for Century Lumber and Land. Community members, Century town council members, county government representatives and business officials stood behind a Century Area Chamber of Commerce sign as the yellow ribbon fell on what they were told was a venture that would bring up to 500 jobs to the struggling town.
But there was a tidbit very few of them knew — Craft or the company never had any legal claim the property where he was holding the ribbon cutting.
“It was never sold; it never even had a binder,” EXIT Realty NFI-Commerical agent Gary Watson said recently on behalf of the property owners. “It’s just a great location, and we want people to know it’s available regardless of what might be going on with Mr. Craft.”
List price on the former Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company property is $2.75 million, and it is, Watson said, available for sale, owner-financing or lease. “And we’ll even take cash,” he added.
Pictured top: The October 22, 2010, ribbon cutting for Century Lumber and Land. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Cottage Hill Man Burned
November 21, 2011
A 50-year old male was transported to a Pensacola hospital Sunday evening after being burned in the Cottage Hill community.
The man was reportedly trying to light a trash fire when he was burned, including a possible third-degree burn injury to arm. The incident occurred about 5:20 p.m. on Handy Road, near Cottage Hill Road.
Escambia County EMS and the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the call.
Further details have not been released.
Photos: NWE Mini Cheerleaders Place Third In First Ever Competition
November 21, 2011
The Northwest Escambia Mini Might cheerleaders took third place in a recent Gulf Coast Youth Sports Alliance Cheerleading Competition held in Milton. It was the team’s first-ever trip to a competition.
Pictured: The Northwest Escambia Mini Might cheerleaders took third place in a recent competition. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.