Groundbreaking Held For New Skatepark
August 3, 2022
The City of Pensacola broke ground Tuesday for a new skatepark.
The Blake Doyle Skatepark at Hollice T. Williams Park will include about 25,000 square feet of skateable surface area for skaters of all ages and skill levels. The skatepark will feature a beginner area, multilevel skate plaza, and two skate bowls, along with an additional 5,700 square feet of surrounding sidewalk and gathering areas.
“I know there are so many people in our community who have been waiting for this day,” Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said. “I’m incredibly excited to see the Blake Doyle Skatepark project take this monumental step toward becoming a reality, and I’d like to thank everyone who worked together to make this happen. I look forward to providing our skating community a dedicated place to skate right here in the City of Pensacola.”
Additional improvements through the project will include stadium seating, sidewalks, concrete gathering areas and artificial turf areas, benches, multi-colored concrete, trash cans and a small stage area.
Construction of the Blake Doyle Skatepark is expected to be completed in summer 2023, weather permitting.
Frances Ardell “Dell” Woodfin
August 3, 2022
Frances Ardell “Dell” Woodfin resident of Cantonment, Florida passed away on Monday, August 1, 2022 at the age of 89. Dell was born on March 2, 1933 in Castleberry, Alabama to the late John E. Smith and Sally Belle Smith. She loved to travel, read, going out to lunch and visiting friends.
She is preceded in death by her husband, William Sanders; daughter, Suzanne J. Graybeal; and her parents.
Dell is survived by her brother-in-law, John (Pansy) Sanders; nephews, Gerald W. Sanders and Terry Sanders; grandson, Dekota Graybeal; son, Billy Wayne Clifton; many other grandchildren; and her special pet, BeBe.
Graveside services will be held at 2PM on Thursday, August 4, 2022 at Pensacola Memorial Gardens Cemetery Pastor Bill Flannigan officiating.
The family will receive friends from 12Noon to 1PM prior to graveside at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North.
Pallbearers will be Dekota Graybeal, Terry Graybeal, Terry Sanders and Gerald Sanders.
Blue Wahoos Rained Out At Montgomery
August 3, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Montgomery Biscuits saw their series opener postponed due to rain at Riverwalk Stadium on Tuesday night.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Thursday, with game one of the twin bill scheduled to begin at 4:30.
The Blue Wahoos and Biscuits return to play on Wednesday. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Century Loses Bond Agency Deal That’s Made Them $1.8 Million By Approving Nearly $4 Billion In Projects
August 2, 2022
Century has lost a deal that has earned them nearly $1.8 million since 1999, with most of that coming in just the past six years.
The town has served an integral role in the tax-exempt financing of nearly $4 billion worth of projects, including affordable housing projects, airport facilities, hotel and convention developments promoting tourism, health care projects, and K-12 educational buildings.
On the surface it might seem unlikely that Century, one of the poorest small cities in the state, could play a part in the financing of dozens of multi-million projects including the Community Maritime Park in Pensacola, $439 million in hotel and convention centers for the Seminole Nation, airport cargo terminals, schools and apartment complexes. The bond money is not from municipal funds of either Gulf Breeze or Century.
The approvals were granted by Century and Gulf Breeze as members of the Capital Trust Agency (the “Agency”), an independent public body for the purpose of financing or otherwise accomplishing development programs. Century entered into the Capital Trust Agency with Gulf Breeze in 1999 with Century essentially serving as the “second signature” for CTA, certifying that the projects meet a public purpose under IRS rules and regulations.
The City of Gulf Breeze has now partnered with the newly formed Capital Trust Authority (referred to hereafter as the “Authority” in this article). The new Authority has reached a deal with Quincy, Florida, as their second signature for all new bond issues. With no involvement, Century will receive no income.
In 2019, a scathing grand jury report found that Century was in a state of financial emergency, and that the council and administration failed to act in the best interest of the community. “Town officials have shown a clear lack of knowledge and understanding as to the operations of a governmental organization,” the grand jury found.
About the same time 2019, Century pushed for the first rate increase in about 20 years, from $350 for each $1 million of bonds issued with a $2,500 minimum per issuance. An agreement was reached to up the payment to $400 per million up to $50 million and $325 for each additional million.
By 2021, Century was looking for another fee increase to $775 per million. And the old CTA was facing increased difficulty in getting bonds approved smoothly by the Century town council. Due to the lack of a quorum, some Agency bond projects were delayed, and CTA faced growing discord between council members.
The Authority’s new deal with Quincy will pay that city $400 per million in bonds, with a minimum of $5,000.
“The Capital Trust Agency (the “Agency”) is still in existence and will continue to administer the outstanding bonds that have been issued dating back to 1999,” Denis McKinnon told NorthEscambia.com. He is the executive director of both the old Agency and the new Authority. Century only received payment upon the issuance of bonds, so their income from the Agency will now presumably by zero as all new bonds will be issued by the Authority with Gulf Breeze and Quincy.
The Agency has paid Century a total of $1,789,828.52 with more than $1 million of that since 2016.
Century’s budget for the current fiscal year ended September 30 projected $200,000 in income for CTA. According to a recent financial report, the town had realized $264,841.09 this fiscal year.
“I have not heard from them (the Agency) since January,” Boutwell recently said. “They have not contacted me whatsoever…I thought we had a good deal; I thought we had a good partner.” The Century town council has not been informed of the situation to date in a regular council meeting.
Boutwell said he realizes Century will be impacted when some quarter million dollars is removed from next year’s budget, but the town should have never relied heavily on that income since an exact amount was never guaranteed.
“It’s a gift; you won’t know what you are getting. Who knows if anything could go through; I don’t depend on it,” he said. “We are not losing financially; it was a gift.”
Pictured top: Capital Trust Agency Executive Director Denis McKinnon addresses the Century Town Council, Century attorney Matt Dannheisser, then Century interim town manager Vernon Prather, and then town clerk Kim Godwin on October 14, 2021. Pictured inset: Century Attorney Matt Dannheisser during an October 14, 2021, town council workshop to discuss the Capital Trust Agency fees. Pictured below: (L-R) Capital Trust Agency bond counsel Kareem Spratling, Executive Director Denis McKinnon and Gulf Breeze Mayor Cherry Fitch met with the Century Town Council on October 14, 2021. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Originally Charged With Robbery Of Cantonment Dollar General Sentenced To Prison
August 2, 2022
A South Carolina man originally charged with the robbery of a Cantonment Dollar General was sentenced to prison Monday.
Matthew Allen Harvey, 39, was sentenced to one year and one day in state prison for grand theft. Judge Coleman Robinson immediately remanded him into custody.
On April 25, 2019, Harvey walked through the Dollar General on Pine Forest Road near Highway 297A and placed several items on the counter at the front register. He told the clerk to ring up the items before instructing exactly how to open the cash register, according to an arrest report.
The clerk said after she opened the register, Harvey placed his hand in his pocket and told her to give him the money in the cash register, but not any $1 bills or change. He left with the money in a plastic bag but left the merchandise behind.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reported finding two fingerprints from Harvey on a bottle of Gain dishwashing liquid he placed on the counter. Investigators also determined he had previous knowledge and experience operating a cash register during his former employment as the manager of a Best Way Grocery Store in Hemmingway, South Carolina, enabling him to tell the clerk exactly what to do.
High Chance Of Rain The Next Several Days
August 2, 2022
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Wednesday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 88. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Calm wind.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. Calm wind.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tdap Booster Shot Required For Incoming 7th Graders
August 2, 2022
If your student is entering the seventh grade in Florida this year, you’ll need to make sure they have a required booster shot.
Incoming seventh grade students in Florida are required to have a Tdap immunization before starting the school year.
The booster is available from the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County on Fairfield Drive For an appointment, call FDOH-Escambia at (850) 595-6554. Boosters are also available from your child’s physician or numerous walk-in clinics in the area.
Your child’s middle school will need a copy of their DH680 Florida Immunization Record before school starts on August 10.
Tdap is a combination vaccine that protects against three potentially life-threatening bacterial diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
Work Underway On New Roof, Repairs For $311,710 At Century Courthouse
August 2, 2022
Work on a new roof and repairs is underway at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century.
Earlier this year, the Escambia County Commission approved a $311,710 contract with Centennial Roofing for the project. There was one other vendor submittal for the project from E. Cornell Malone Corporation, but the company did not submit required documentation at the time the bids were received, according to the county.
The base bid of $231,420 will remove the existing built-up roof and replace it with a new TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin membrane) roof, as well as make minor interior repairs. Another $35,290 will replace the fascia metal and gutters around the building, and another $45,000 will repair a sagging beam between the two outer columns on a porch.
The building houses offices for the Escambia County Clerk of the Court, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and a small courtroom.
The structure at 7500 North Century Boulevard is concrete masonry and brick veneer. It was built in 1976 and was renovated and expanded in 1997. The original structure is 2,750 square feet with the expansion adding an additional 2,120 square feet plus attached carport, for a total roof area of approximately 6,910 square feet.
Pictured: Roof and repair work underway at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECSO Deputies Corral Loose Horses In Molino
August 2, 2022
Two Escambia County deputies rounded up two loose horses in the area of Chestnut and Molino roads Sunday morning.
“The deputies are the heroes,” a neighbor told NorthEscamia.com. She said the deputies used their cruisers to corral the horses before gently moving them safely off the roadway and getting them back home.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: Crooks May Target People Leaving Financial Institutions
August 2, 2022
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be observant when leaving the bank for crooks that may target them later.
The ECSO, along with other local and national law enforcement agencies, has received several reports of victims leaving local banks and carrying bank bags being targeted and followed from the bank to their destination. Once the victim exits their vehicle, the suspect breaks the vehicle window and steals the bank bag.
“The ECSO asks that you be aware of your surroundings and do not leave money or personal belongings in your vehicle,” the agency said.
Stock photo.