Local Radio Station WOW 90.9 Could Win A Car With Your Vote Today
May 23, 2012
An area radio station has a chance to win a new vehicle today — with the community’s help.
WOW 90.9 was selected as one of 500 nonprofit finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, a major philanthropic initiative in which the automaker is giving 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days. WOW 90.9, owned by Agape Educational Media, Inc., was the only finalist selected from South Alabama or Northwest Florida.
Until 10:59 tonight, the public can vote for WOW 90.9 to win the vehicle at www.100carsforgood.com. The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of each day will win one of six Toyota models. Runners-up will each receive a $1,000 cash grant from Toyota.
“Everyone at WOW 90.9 is thrilled to have been selected as a finalist for the 2012 100 Cars for Good program,” said Dale Riddick, general manager of the radio station. “We’re grateful for this incredible opportunity to showcase our effort to be a positive influence to the communities in our coverage area and hopefully win a vehicle to help us increase our impact in South Alabama and Northwest Florida…A new vehicle would really be a game changer for our ability to better serve our listening area.”
Alabama State Troopers Swarm Atmore
May 23, 2012
Over a dozen Alabama State Troopers swarmed Atmore Wednesday, stopped scores of drivers for various traffic infractions.
It was all part of the Memorial Day Click It of Ticket safety campaign, according to Sgt. John Fields of the Evergreen Trooper Post.
The national Click It or Ticket crackdown designed to increase seat belt use and decrease motor vehicle fatalities. The campaign is underway in both Alabama and Florida, where the Florida Highway Patrol and the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office is in the midst of a two-week blitz.
Fields said troopers in cars and on motorcycles targeted Highway 21 in Atmore, Highway 41 in Brewton along with I-65 and Highway 31 across Escambia County.
Pictured: An Alabama State Trooper on patrol in Atmore Wednesday afternoon on North Main Street at Jacks Springs Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Paperwork Problem Holds Up Repair Of Leaking Gas Line Under Highway 29
May 23, 2012
A paperwork problem has caused the Town of Century to start over in the final steps of eliminating a natural gas leak somewhere under Highway 29.
About 6,515 feet of 4-inch steel natural gas line was buried beneath the southbound lanes of Highway 29 when the road was widened. Now, 45 years since the almost 1.25 mile long pipe was put into the ground, the town believes the steel is corroding and leaking somewhere between West Highway 4 and McCurdy Street.
In a special meeting April 10, the town council approved a $1.401 million USDA Rural Development loan to cover the cost of replacing the pipe.
But, according to town officials, the town received the wrong form from the USDA, and, as a result advertised the meetings incorrectly. So now the town must once again hold various public meetings leading up to signing loan documentation.
Dale Long, the town’s engineer, said the process will create a minor delay in the actual repair process.
A new 4-inch pipe will be placed on the west side of Highway 29, while a new 2-inch pipe will be installed on the east side of the highway, eliminating the need to install pipes under the road to service natural gas customers.
Once the process is complete, the $1.401 million loan will be repayable at $64,348 per year, based upon a 3.375 percent interest rate over 40 years. The loan will be repaid from the town’s gas department, which currently has sufficient revenues to meet the obligation. In the event that gas department’s revenues should be insufficient to repay the loan, the town will be required by the federal government to raise natural gas rates for residents and businesses.
The USDA will have first lien on all Century Gas Department revenues during the life of the loan. The town must maintain a reserve fund to meet the payment schedule and must agree to make payments by automatic debit from a bank account.
The leak has not gotten any worse in the year since it was publicly revealed, and routine checks are performed to monitor the situation, according to Mayor Freddie McCall.
Pictured: Century Mayor Freddie McCall signs documents April 10 for a $1.401 million USDA Rural Development loan to repair a leaky natural gas line under Highway 29. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
High School Graduation Schedule; Submit Your Graduation Photos
May 23, 2012
Here is schedule of high school graduations across the area with North Escambia area schools listed in bold.
You can submit photos of area graduates, from them receiving their diploma to even candid shots with friends, to news@northescambia.com for possible inclusion in an upcoming photo gallery.
- Escambia Academy, 7 p.m. May 24, Escambia Academy
- Escambia County High School 7 p.m., May 25, Escambia County High
- Flomaton High School, 7 p.m. May 25, Flomaton High School
- Jay High School, 6 p.m. June 1, Jay High School
- Milton High School, 8 p.m. June 1, Milton High School
- Gulf Breeze High School, 5 p.m. June 2, Pensacola Civic Center
- Navarre High School, 2 p.m. June 2, Pensacola Civic Center
- Northview High School, 4 p.m. June 2, Northview High School
- Pace High School, 11 a.m. June 2, Pensacola Civic Center
- Central High School, 6 p.m. June 4, Central High School
- J.M. Tate High School, 1 p.m. June 4, Pensacola Civic Center
- Pine Forest High School, 7 p.m. June 4, Pensacola Civic Center
- West Florida High School, 4 p.m. June 4, Pensacola Civic Center
- Booker T. Washington High School: 1 p.m. June 5, Pensacola Civic Center
- Escambia High School, 7 p.m. June 5, Pensacola Civic Center
- Pensacola High School, 4 p.m. June 5, Pensacola Civic Center
Century Man Charged In Burglary
May 23, 2012
A Century is facing burglary charges and contempt of court charges for allegedly entering a Pensacola apartment with a key.
Mark Morrow, age 39 of Shaw Road, was charged with violating a domestic violence injunction and burglary for the incident earlier this week on Cerny Road. Morrow used a key to enter a woman’s apartment, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
Morrow surrendered to deputies and admitted that he did check the victim’s mailbox and apartment for the purpose of acquiring his child’s social security number. No items were reported missing from the apartment.
Morrow was jailed with bond set at $2,500.
In Depth: Rick Scott Intimately Involved In FCAT Rollout PR Effort
May 23, 2012
As the Florida Department of Education tries to handle the fallout of the collapse in FCAT writing scores, the office of Gov. Rick Scott has been intimately involved in efforts to roll out the test scores, according to staff emails.
Showing an interest often reserved for issues like economic development, one of the governor’s priorities, Scott’s top staff has played a key role in coordinating the state’s response after a dramatic drop in test scores prompted a scramble by officials to temporarily lower the passing grade on the writing portion of the assessment.
After a first year in which creating jobs was his stated main priority, Scott has added education to his agenda in the past several months.
The test crisis began when passing scores on the writing test plummeted from 81 percent to 27 percent for fourth graders and showed similar drop in eighth and 10th grades. The Florida Board of Education eventually met in emergency session to lower the passing grade from 4.0 to 3.0 while they develop a longer-term answer.
In the meantime, Scott’s office has been closely involved in helping to craft the public-relations effort in the wake of the renewed focus by the governor on public education, including a successful push for $1 billion in new state education funding during the last legislative session.
At one point, the governor’s communications team and Carrie O’Rourke, a deputy chief of staff who handles education issues, made extensive comments and suggestions about a press release announcing reading and math scores.
“MORE IMPORTANTLY – what is the takeaway you want the media to have?” wrote Scott communications director Brian Burgess in one email in response to a draft of the press release. “From reading this, it appears you just want the media to know that FCAT results have been released. But why squander an opportunity to point out that we are raising standards? I don’t see that until the second paragraph.”
By then, the writing scores were already sparking questions about the move to boost performance and how it might affect schools. The governor’s office approved a draft of the press release announcing the change in cut scores for the writing test.
The agency had also sent a plan to Scott’s office for handling the FCAT results, a three-page document entitled “Higher Standards: The Right Thing to Do.”
The purpose of the plan is “[t]o win support and understanding for higher standards in our state as we move through a volatile period of rolling out the results of new, more rigorous assessments (FCAT 2.0) and higher achievement levels (cut scores),” DOE said in one email.
The department envisioned a “Full-Court Press,” including everything from efforts to get letters to the editor written by organizations allied with the governor and DOE, like the Florida Chamber and the Council of 100, to having Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson record on-hold phone messages. The plan also suggested a hash-tag on Twitter.
The blueprint caught the attention of outgoing Chief of Staff Steve MacNamara, who wrote a simple and typically cryptic response to O’Rourke: “Let’s discuss…”
Scott’s office was also working to head off questions about the job security of Robinson, who got the job after Scott reportedly pushed out former Education Commissioner Eric Smith. The governor’s office issued a statement to the Miami Herald in response to a question about whether Robinson was under pressure to resign.
“The Florida Board of Education selected Gerard Robinson after conducting a nationwide search for a commissioner who would bring a reform-based agenda, who is committed to raising Florida’s education standards and the expectations of our students, and I believe Commissioner Robinson is working to do those things,” said the statement, emailed by Burgess.
Other state officials have also expressed support for Robinson, and Senate Education Chairman Steve Wise, who has spoken to some board members, said he also believes the commissioner is okay.
“I think that he’s bright and he’s knowledgeable and he’s got connections, and he ought to be okay,” Wise, R-Jacksonville, told the News Service.
By The News Service Of Florida
Tate Student Facing Felony Charges For Stealing Student’s Debit Card
May 23, 2012
A Tate High School student is facing several charges — including two felonies — for allegedly stealing and using another student’s debit card.
Xavier Shacour Stallworth, 18, was charged with two felony counts of fraud, three counts of credit card fraud, one count of larceny of a credit card, one count of second degree petit theft, one count of possession of marijuana and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Last Friday, a Tate student reported to the school’s resource officer that she was unable to locate her debit card. She checked her account online and found six fraudulent purchases at businesses near the school that were made before 8 a.m. on Friday — two at McDonalds, one at Winn Dixie and three at the SpeedMart convenience store.
Stallworth appeared on surveillance video making at least one of the purchases, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
About 11 a.m., the school resource officer reported seeing Stallworth checking into school late — wearing the same clothes that he had on in the surveillance videos. On Stallworth’s person, the deputy found multiple items purchased with the stolen card, a burnt marijuana cigarette, Swisher Sweet Cigarillos, and rolling papers.
Early Wednesday morning, Stallworth remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $12,500.
Byrneville Elementary Team Wins In “Battle Of The Books”
May 23, 2012
The Escambia Reading Teachers’ Association sponsored their first Battle of the Books recently. There were over 250 elementary, middle and high school students competing in the Battle — including a winning team from Byrneville Elementary School.
Battle of the Books is a district-wide program designed to increase reading motivation and comprehension. The goals are to encourage reading for enjoyment, broaden reading interests, increase reading comprehension, and promote cooperative learning.
Battle of the Books began in August 2011 with teachers telling students about the event and introducing books to students. In September 2011, students began reading books and continued reading until February 2012. Team members were chosen in March 2012, with teams practicing in April for the May event.
From the North Escambia area, Byrneville Elementary School took second place among fourth graders. Byrneville fourth grade team members were Ian Gifford, Dadrian Washington, Nicky Trump, Alex Glidewell and Lainey Ward.
Pictured above: Byrneville Elementary School fourth grade Battle of the Books team members (top row, L-R) Ian Gifford, Dadrian Washington, Nicky Trump, (bottom, L-R) Alex Glidewell and Lainey Ward. Submitted photo for NortheEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Names May Students Of The Month
May 23, 2012
Ernest Ward Middle School has named their Students of the Month for May. They are (pictured L-R) Fisher Spence, sixth grade; Harmoni Till, eighth grade; and Mitchell Singleton, seventh grade. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Home Sales Steady, Price Up, Backlog Down
May 23, 2012
Florida home sales fell slightly in April, but state Realtors were quick to say Tuesday that median price and pending sales rose dramatically during the month.
Figures compiled by the Florida Realtors also showed the inventory of homes available for sale shrunk further as buyers continued to whittle away at the state’s post-crash backlog of existing homes.
“Here in Florida, we’re seeing some strong numbers that show positive momentum for the state’s housing recovery and our economy,” said 2012 Florida Realtors President Summer Greene, in a statement.
Sale closings of existing homes fell 0.7 percentage points from April 2011, while condominium sales were off about 4.9 percent.
Nationally, sales of single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 10 percent in April from a year ago.
“A return of normal home buying for occupancy is helping home sales across all price points, and now the recovery appears to be extending to home prices,” Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, in a statement. “The general downtrend in both listed and shadow inventory has shifted from a buyers’ market to one that is much more balanced, but in some areas it has become a seller’s market.”
Median prices for homes rose significantly in Florida. The statewide median sales price for single-family existing homes in April was $144,350, up 10.2 percent from the year-ago figure. The statewide median for townhome-condo properties was $108,000, up 16.1 percent over April 2011. Nationally, median prices increased by 1.9 percent.
Part of the increase in home prices is due to a shrinking inventory of homes and condos on the market, said Florida Realtor chief economist John Tuccillo. The backlog of available single family homes fell to a supply of just under six months – in most cases less than half what it was in late 2007.
Inventories in the Tampa area fell more than 30 percent between April 2011 and last month. Inventories in Orlando and Miami fell 27 percent and 23 percent respectively during the same period.
“The housing numbers for the state of Florida continue to signal recovery,” Tuccillo said in a statement. “Sales in 2012 are above where they were in 2011, a harbinger of a third straight year of improvement.”
Pending sales were also up sharply, climbing 38 percent statewide from a year ago. Pending sales are those deals that are signed but have yet to close, a process that usually takes one to three months.
The interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.91 percent in April 2012, down from the 4.84 percent average during the same month a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac.
By The News Service of Florida