Small, Prototype Walmart Supercenter Coming To Atmore
December 5, 2013
It’s been over 10 years since Atmore’s only big box retailer — a Kmart on the south side of town — closed up shop. And now the town’s all abuzz after word that Walmart has purchased property north of down town for what’s been described as a prototype Walmart Supercenter.
The store will be constructed on a now-empty13 acre lot on North Main Street between a real estate company and the city’s Oak Hill Cemetery. A masonry wall will separate the store from the deceased.
The Supercenter will be smaller than a traditional Walmart store and offer products more in line with the average grocery store. At 69,197 square feet, Atmore’s Walmart will be about one-third the size of a larger Supercenter. By comparison, the Walmart SuperCenter on Highway 29 in Ensley comes in at 215,599 square feet, not counting the garden center and patio.
There’s no word yet on an opening date for the store, but officials familiar with the project say the first dirt could be moved as early as next week.
Results Vary Widely In Teacher Evaluations
December 5, 2013
The Department of Education released teacher evaluation numbers that showed wide variations between districts across the state, raising questions about how useful the information might be in comparing marks from different counties.
Overall, the state report — based on information provided by school districts as of Nov. 25 — shows that 97.9 percent of classroom teachers were rated effective or highly effective for the 2012-13 school year. Just 0.2 percent were rated unsatisfactory, the lowest measure on the scale.
At the same time, evaluations hadn’t been completed or submitted to the department for 13.7 percent of classroom teachers. Those numbers will be added when the report is updated in January or when it’s finalized in March.
In Escambia County, 215 (8.3 percent) teachers were rated as highly effective, 2,260 (87 percent) as effective, 77 (3 percent) as needing improvement and 12 (0.5 percent) as unsatisfactory. There were 359 Escambia County teachers (12.1 percent) that have not yet been evaluated, according to the report.
State officials said that difference probably stems at least in part from the fact that, while state law provides “a framework” for how the evaluations are conducted, districts also have a great deal of leeway in determining what makes a teacher fall into one of four categories: highly effective, effective, needs improvement or unsatisfactory.
“Where districts set the performance levels for each of the categories … is up to the school district,” said Kathy Hebda, chief of staff at the Department of Education.
The evaluation system and its connection to teacher pay under legislation approved in 2011 is under legal assault in state and federal courts by teachers unions. In a separate case, The Florida Times-Union is seeking the release of the results for individual teachers from the “value added” model used in the evaluations.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Gulf Power Sending Team To Help After Texas Winter Storm
December 5, 2013
Gulf Power Company is joining other utilities by sending a storm team of 74 employees to assist Oncor with restoration as a winter storm is expected to bring ice and wind to the region.
Oncor, the host utility, serves 10 million customers in the northeast and west-central Texas areas and covers all expenses incurred by the supporting utilities. The crews will be restoring power in the Dallas area.
The storm team includes 52 line personnel and 22 support personnel who will leave in convoys Thursday morning from Pensacola, Crestview and Chipley.
“Our crews are experts in restoration and are often called upon to help in the wake of these devastating storms,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “They’re battle-tested and ready.”
The last time Gulf Power crews were called on to help during a winter storm, they experienced very similar conditions.
“Our last winter storm trip was to the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast last year, so working in wintry conditions is fresh on our minds,” said Rogers. “This experience helps our crews keep their skills sharp — it’s a great value for our customers and means faster restoration right here at home.”
Pictured: Gulf Power crew works to restore power after a snowstorm last winter near Hot Springs, Arkansas. File photos, click to enlarge.
Witness: Driver Pulls Into Path Of 18-Wheeler
December 4, 2013
Two people were injured when a driver reportedly pulled into the path of an 18-wheeler Wednesday afternoon in Century.
The elderly male driver of a Ford Fusion was stopped at stop sign on Old Flomaton Road at East Highway 4 in Century when he pulled forward into the path of an 18-wheeler, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Witnesses said the driver of the 18-wheeler swerved into the oncoming lane of Highway 4 in an attempt to avoid a collision, but the trailer tires hit the car.
The elderly driver and his female passenger were transported by Escambia County EMS to an area hospital in unknown conditions. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details were not released. The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the crash.
Pictured top and below: Two people in this Ford Fusion were injured when they reportedly pulled out from a stop sign and underneath an 18-wheeler trailer Wednesday afternoon. Pictured inset: A fender and tire on the truck trailer hit the car. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
PSC Approves Gulf Power Rate Hike
December 4, 2013
State utility regulators accepted a settlement agreement Tuesday that increases base electric rates for customers of Gulf Power Company for the utility’s largest-ever construction program.
The residential bill in January 2014 for 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity is currently slated to be $127.94. That same bill will increase $4.06, an increase of about 3.2 percent. In addition, in January 2015, the price will increase an additional $2.42 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Originally, Gulf Power filed a request that would have increased the cost for a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity $10.93 per month by the end of 2015.
“We’re pleased with the PSC’s decision because it will help us continue to deliver long-term, reliable service throughout Northwest Florida,” said Stan Connally, Gulf Power President & CEO. “Our focus will continue to be on maintaining high reliability and high customer satisfaction. They are the heart of our business.”
The Gulf Power increase was part of settlement between the utility and representatives of consumers, business interests including the retailer Wal-Mart Stores East, LP, and federal agencies that represent military bases in the Panhandle. PSC Chairman Ronald Brisé called the agreement “solid give and take.”
The deal is expected to provide 42 months of rate stability for Gulf’s more than 430,000 customers.
The hike allows Gulf Power to increase its revenue through base rates by $35 million in January, with another $20 million boost in 2015.
The money will be used to pay for 15 transmission projects, both new and upgrades, Stone said. The work is considered the largest ever to be undertaken by the investor-owned utility, said attorney Jeff Stone, representing Gulf Power.
Another significant part of this settlement includes new job creation incentives. These incentives will reduce the amount the business pays for electricity by a certain percentage for four years if the business meets certain eligibility requirements.
“Some businesses could apply for incentives for relocating to Northwest Florida or for expanding their existing business in Northwest Florida,” said Connally. “This is another important element in the growing portfolio of economic development programs and activities Gulf Power can use to help draw businesses and jobs to the region.”
Examples of the planned Gulf Power infrastructure investments include:
- Substations are being added and improved to continue to provide reliable service to our customers. In Pensacola, a substation on Devilliers Street has been rebuilt. On Allison Avenue in Panama City, a new substation has been built.
- Seventy miles of 70-year-old transmission line is being rebuilt from Panama City to Holmes County.
- An existing transmission line between Highland City and Holmes Creek substations in the Panama City area is being upgraded to maintain reliability for our customers.
- A new 38-mile line is being added that begins in the Pensacola area and goes to the Florida-Alabama state line. This project is necessary for mandatory federal environmental compliance.
Originally, the utility had sought to increase base rates by $74.4 million, along with the potential for a further $16.4 million in 2015. Those increases would have pushed the typical monthly bill to $138.87 by the end of 2015.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Pictured inset: Gulf Power crews making upgrades to a distribution line. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Billing Software Upgrade To Cost Century $17K
December 4, 2013
The Town of Century has approved a $17,000 upgrade to their water, sewer and gas billing software.
The town last upgraded their inHANCE Utility Solutions Software an estimated 10-12 years ago. According to Mayor Freddie McCall, the upgrade price would have increased 30-40 percent if the town waited until after December 31 for the upgrade.
Harris, the company that makes the inHANCE software, currently has 6,500 utility customers and is considered a market leader in utility billing software.
Mom Charged After Cocaine Found In Elementary Student’s Backpack
December 4, 2013
A Cantonment woman is facing a child abuse charge after her daughter showed up at her elementary school with plastic bag of cocaine in her backpack.
Shana Christina Beck, 29, was charged with felony child neglect without great bodily harm. She was released Tuesday night from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,500 bond.
Students tipped off administrators at R.C. Lipscomb Elementary School that a student had a suspicious bag of white powder in her backpack. The student told school officials and deputies that Beck and a friend were in their car the night before when they dropped the baggie and began a frantic search for it. The student said the baggie must have fallen into her open backpack, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
The white powder in the bag field tested positive for cocaine. The Department of Children and Family Services is also investigating the incident.
Escambia Man Charged In Traffic Crash Death
December 4, 2013
An Escambia County man has been charged with a traffic death in Santa Rosa County.
Dakota Crank, 23, was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death after 20-year old Eric W. Young passed away at Sacred Heart Hospital from injuries received in a November 26 wreck at East Gate Road at Munson Highway.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Crank was traveling east at a high rate of speed on East Gate Road when he struck two vehicles stopped at a stop sign, including a 2006 Kia driven by Young. Crank fled the scene and was later apprehended in Pensacola.
Young’s passenger, 30-year old Kimberly D. Apperson was critically injured in the crash.
Touart, Reynolds On County Administrator Candidate List
December 4, 2013
Escambia County Commissioners are expected to move ahead during a Thursday meeting to cut list of 16 candidates for county administrator down to a short list of five.
There are two very familiar names on the list of 16 recommended by the Waters Consulting Group, a search firm that was hired to find a permanent replacement. The previous administrator, Randy Oliver, was fired about a year ago.
Touart (pictured) and former Pensacola City Administrator Bill Reynolds applied for the job. Back in July, the commission voted to prohibit Touart from applying for the job as he told them he had no intention of seeking the permanent administrator’s job. County legal staff later said that it would be illegal to prohibit Touart from applying for the job.
Once the commission creates a shortlist of five candidates, interviews will begin in January with the selection of a finalist by February.
Northview Band To Present Christmas Concert Thursday Night
December 4, 2013
The Northview High School band will hold their annual Christmas Concert Thursday night in the school theatre. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $2 at the door.
Pictured: The 2012 Northview band’s Christmas Concert. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.