Escambia Tax Collector Issues First Authenticated License Plate To North Escambia Classic Vehicle
August 18, 2024
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office has issued the first authenticated license plate to a local owner of a classic automobile. The authenticated license plate was issued to North Escambia resident, Joshua Ward for his 1963 Chevrolet pickup truck, marking a new option in classic car vehicle registration.
“I’m still working on the truck, but I am happy to get it running and legally registered,” Ward said. “My father gave me this plate a few years ago and I love how it looks now that is attached.”
Authenticated license plates may be issued to any vehicle manufactured in 1975 or earlier. The license plate must be the same year as the model year of the car or truck. The license plate will be approved for use if it is still legible for law enforcement purposes. Authenticated license plates may only be issued to cars, motorcycles, and pickups weighing 5,000 pounds or less. The tax collector reviews the colors, condition, and legibility of each plate to “authenticate” the plate for use on the roads.
Previously, authenticated license plates in Florida were issued exclusively by the state, a process that was occasionally hampered by issues such as delays and lost plates in transit. The transition to county-level issuance aims to rectify these problems and enhance the efficiency and security of the registration process. The new process allows counties to issue authenticated plates, promising a smoother experience for residents and improving overall service quality.
“We are thrilled to have issued the first authenticated license plate to an Escambia resident,” said Escambia County Tax Collector, Scott Lunsford. “This milestone is a testament to our commitment to enhancing public service and streamlining processes for our community. By handling plate issuance at the county level, we can better serve our residents and ensure that their experience is as efficient and secure as possible.”
Residents of Escambia County are encouraged to visit the Tax Collector’s website to learn more about the new process and how it may benefit them.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Reschedules Tuesday Meetings Because They Can’t Use Town Hall
August 18, 2024
The Town of Century has rescheduled a Tuesday meeting and two workshops because they won’t have access to use their council chambers.
The council normally meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month.
The town had a budget workshop, a bill list review and a regular council meeting set for Tuesday, but that’s primary election day. The town hall is a polling place, with voting taking place in the room used by the town council.
The budget workshop has been rescheduled for Wednesday, August 21 at 5:30 p.m. A bill list review will take place 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, with a council meeting follow about 7 p.m.
When council meetings were scheduled in early 2024 for the remainder of the year, date adjustments were made for the presidential preference primaries on March 19 and the general election on November 5, but not adjustment was made for the August 20 primary.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Scattered Rain Sunday; Slightly Cooler Temps By Mid-Week
August 18, 2024
It will be mostly sunny and hot for Sunday with a slight chance of afternoon showers. There is a heat advisory in effect for Sunday.
A passing cold front will bring an increased chance of rain. By Wednesday, overnight lows will be in the middle 60s.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 110. West wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 7pm and 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. West wind around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 93. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. North wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 92. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 66. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 92. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph after midnight.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 92.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly clear, with a low around 69.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 90.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 92
10,000 Pound Food Distribution Tuesday Afternoon In Cantonment
August 18, 2024
Cantonment Improvement Committee will hold a 10,000 pound drive-thru food giveaway Tuesday afternoon, August 20 at Carver Park on Webb Street.
The food distribution will begin at 3 p.m. and continue while supplies last for anyone in need of food. People should line up their vehicles, single file on Webb Street facing north; food will be loaded into vehicles.
There is a maximum of three people per vehicle that can receive a box, and each person must have their ID. For Tuesday’s event, there is also a limit of one meat item per box.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Early Voting Ends With 27,832 Ballots Cast In Escambia County
August 18, 2024
Voters in Escambia County had cast 27,832 ballot as eight days of early voting came to an end Saturday.
There were 14,570 vote-by-mail ballots received, and there were 13,265 early voters for the 2024 Primary Election in Escambia County.
If voters have requested a vote-by-mail ballot, they must be received in the Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day and may not be returned to a polling location on Election Day. It now past the one week period recommended by the U.S. Postal Service to actually return a ballot by mail. Vote-by-mail participants may track the status of their ballot at EscambiaVotes.gov.
Voters can cast a ballot at their precinct on Election Day, Tuesday, August 20. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
In Florida’s closed partisan primary elections, you are only eligible to vote in primary contests for the party in which you are registered.
A Universal Primary contest occurs when all candidates for an office have the same party affiliation. These contests appear on every voter’s ballot. Voters in ECUA District 1 (Republican) and ECUA District 3 (Democratic) will have these contests on their ballot regardless of party affiliation.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Fall On Taylor Swift Ticket Giveaway Night
August 18, 2024
written by Bill Vilona
Courtney Ray and Lexi Hooks became the happiest, luckiest people Saturday at Blue Wahoos Stadium, winners of the Taylor Swift concert tickets from Saturday’s promotion on “Low E.R.A.s Night.”
That kind of good fortune continued to elude the Blue Wahoos, after losing to the Montgomery Biscuits 5-4 in the fourth setback this week against the team Pensacola has struggled against all season.
The latest loss occurred despite a strong home debut for Blue Wahoos left-hander Robby Snelling, who tied a career-high with nine strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched.
A capacity crowd of 5,038 waited through an hour and 15-minute delay before Saturday’s game began, then sat through a near 3-hour game, before the much-anticipated draw of the two winners for the Taylor Swift tour stop on October 25 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
“We had no clue it was an ERAs, Taylor Swift type game,” said Hooks, explaining they purchased tickets a couple months ago for Saturday’s game without realizing the seats had a special lure. “We had no clue, no idea until we got into the stadium.”
Hours later, they got the gift of a lifetime.
The couple, who recently moved to Pensacola from Montgomery, Alabama – as irony would have it — became stunned winners as Swift music fans to watch the world-renowned pop star perform.
“Total shock,” Ray said. “Shaking. Can’t believe it. We are not winners of things like this ever so to come to a game like and be surprised to win, it is very cool.”
The game itself began in the Blue Wahoos’ favor, just like two others this week. Jacob Berry continued his hot streak with a first-inning double that scored Graham Pauley with the first run.
The Blue Wahoos then took a 2-1 lead off Jared Serna’s homer, who is batting .394 since joining the Blue Wahoos on July 30.
Joe Mack then followed in the fourth inning with a homer, his team-leading 20th of the year, to make it 3-1
.
But as so often happened this week, the Biscuits quickly answered. They scored two runs in the fifth inning, taking advantage of walks, a single and outfielder error by Shane Sasaki.
They took a 5-3 lead in the sixth when Ricardo Genoves blasted a two-run homer off Blue Wahoos reliever Josh Simpson, who was set to begin this season with the Marlins before an injury setback.
The Blue Wahoos then loaded the bases with one out in the seventh but could only manage one run on Serna’s RBI ground out.
In the eighth, Mack was thrown out at the plate on a sensational throw by Biscuits right fielder Mason Auer on a two-out single from Sasaki.
In the ninth, the Blue Wahoos Paul McIntosh walked with one out, but was stranded there.
It’s been that kind of week, that kind of season-series for the Blue Wahoos (61-50, 23-20 in the second half), who are now 7-16 against the Biscuits (65-48, 25-19), the Tampa Bay Rays affiliate and winners of the Southern League first half South Division.
The series concludes on Sunday, which is highlighted by the appearance of beloved children’s character “Bluey,” which includes a pair of private meet-and-greet sessions before gates open at 3 p.m., then greeting fans at the ballpark after they enter.
GAME NOTABLES
— Also part of Saturday’s game, the second annual First City Bowl high school football game was announced on Oct. 25, featuring Pensacola High as the visiting team against West Florida High. PHS head coach Wade McKinney and West Florida’s Harry Lees participated in a “signing ceremony” before the bottom of the second inning in front of the home team dugout.
Jim Taylor, Candidate Escambia County School Board District 5
August 17, 2024
Current occupation
Retired Educator
Previous occupations
Teacher, Coach, School Social Worker, 6 times Pensacola News Journal “Carrier of the Year”
Civic, church and other community involvement
I am Christian and attend several men’s bible study groups, including Band of Brothers, Highland Baptist Church, Heritage Baptist Church, and several other bible studies. I have worked in numerous food drives. I attend County Commission and School Board meetings.
Education
I have 3 college degrees as well as graduate work in 3 other fields, and I hold 5 current teaching certifications.
Previous offices held, previously sought
ECUA – unsuccessfully; County Commission – unsuccessfully; Superintendent – filed and withdrew when incumbent decided to run for third term.
Why are you running for the Escambia County School Board and what qualifies you for this position?
I am running for this position because I believe Escambia County deserves to be a Top 10 School System, not #57th in the State. I have 44 years in education with 3 degrees and 5 teaching certifications.
What are the three most important issues facing the Escambia County Public Schools?
(1) Teacher pay and retention; (2) Discipline; (3) Dealing with the dirty books
What is the school district going right at the current time, and what needs to be fixed?
Morale has improved with the appointment of Superintendent Keith Leonard. We must have better teacher pay and retention, along with improved discipline. We must reduce waste and administrative positions. We must get rid of the dirty books.
How would you address teacher pay, recruiting and retention and attract and retain more qualified candidates to Escambia County?
I will work with State and local governments to improve teacher pay and bonuses. I will also try to recruit higher paying businesses to improve the tax base and lower taxes.
How do we address issues surrounding book challenges?
I have been leading the charge against dirty books and I was the only District 5 candidate to be invited to Governor DeSantis’ bill signing on the dirty books. I suggest we follow the
guidelines of Governor DeSantis.
How should cell phones/devices in schools be addressed?
They should be placed in the child’s book bag and only allowed at lunch and after school.
What are the unique issues facing District 5 schools in Escambia County? What makes District 5 different?
Long bus rides — District 5 is over half the County in size but only receives 1/5 of the funding. We have rural, urban, and extremely rural areas, and problems to deal with. We also have wide extremes of wealth and povert
Tom Harrell, Candidate Escambia County School Board District 5
August 17, 2024
Current occupation:
Retired principal
Previous occupations
Business owner, teacher, assistant principal, principal, school district administrator on special assignment, adjunct instructor at Pensacola State College, math coach
Civic, church and other community involvement
NRA member, lifetime member of the PTA, former member of the Solutia Advisory Committee, Paul Harris Fellow Cantonment Rotary Club, Richard’s Memorial Methodist Church: former member -Church Council, President of Methodist Men, Chairman of Staff Parish Committee, former Principal of The Year Escambia School District, Former Teacher of The Year (Ransom Middle School), Recognized twice by the Escambia School Board for outstanding service.
Education
B. S. degree in Vocational Education from The University of West Florida
M. S. degree in Educational Administration from Troy State University
Ed. Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from The University of South Alabama
Master Teacher State of Florida
Selected for the first Principal’s Pool for the Escambia School District
My experience includes general ed, workforce education, ESE, and ranges from elementary through community.
Why are you running for the Escambia County School Board and what qualifies you for this position?
I am running for the Escambia School Board because I want to help make our School District one of the best in our state. I want to serve my community and bring my thirty-eight years of experience to the decision-making process on the School Board. I was a highly successful principal with a unique skill set. When I was principal, under my leadership, R. C. Lipscomb Elementary was a Five Star “A” school for ten straight years. This was the highest award given by the Florida Department of Education. Our test scores were among the highest in the state and nation. We had 100% parent and faculty PTA membership during my tenure. Forty-seven community business partners-in-education and over 23,000 volunteer hours each year. When I was District Administrator on Special Assignment, I developed the plan and provided the leadership that moved O. J. Semmes Elementary School from a double “F” to a “C” in seven months. Our School Board needs fresh innovative ideas to help both high performing schools and struggling schools. I believe my proven educational leadership skill set would be an asset to both the School Board and the community.
What are the three most important issues facing the Escambia County Public Schools?
Improving academic performance, discipline, attendance, graduation rate on time and teacher/employee salaries and retention.
We need to return to an elected superintendent. We should never have given up our right to vote for this position. At the appropriate time, I will make the motion to put elected superintendent on the ballot.
As long as we are in these hard economic times, I will not vote to raise your property taxes.
What is the school district going right at the current time, and what needs to be fixed?
We have a wonderful skilled and very adaptive workforce that has a great deal of institutional knowledge and experience. We need to do everything we can to keep our employees at all levels.
The Escambia School District has made considerable academic progress this past school year under the leadership of Keith Leonard. We now have no failing schools in our District. I commend Superintendent Leonard and all District employees for this great accomplishment but now we need to build upon this success.
Our Workforce Education Program is doing an excellent job as indicated by the number of industry certifications. We are getting more industry certifications than many of the larger school districts. It is important for our students to leave high school with job ready skills. We need to look closely at what is working in this area and increase student awareness of these opportunities.
How would you address teacher pay, recruiting and retention and attract and retain more qualified candidates to Escambia County?
Teacher and other employees’ salaries and benefits has to be set as a high budget priority.
We have to do a better job of creating trust and making employees feel valued.
I would support hiring bonuses for teachers and other employees in critical shortage areas.
When you create trust and make employees feel valued while improving salaries/benefits our employees will want to stay.
How do we address issues surrounding book challenges?
I will make sure inappropriate books are removed from our schools. I believe the reviews of books should take place by the committee up front before they are placed in our media centers and that a matrix should be used to with substantial community input.
Under no circumstances should our school be used for any type of indoctrination of students or staff.
I am a strong Christian conservative who would appoint like-minded individuals to book review committees. I am a strong anti-woke candidate.
How should cell phones/devices in schools be addressed?
In my opinion, cell phones/devices create a great deal of discipline problems. They contribute to bullying, fights and social targeting. I would start by supporting a policy that allowed student to have cell phones/devices in their backpacks for emergency use only. They could not use the phone/device except for well-defined emergencies.
What are the unique issues facing District 5 schools in Escambia County? What makes District 5 different?
District 5 is the largest geographically and is experiencing a tremendous amount of growth and development. Many of our schools have portables and are at maximum student capacity. We have to do a better job working with our county government to improve infrastructure in advance of development.
Joshua Luther, Candidate Escambia County School Board District 5
August 17, 2024
Current occupation
Jack of all Trades
Previous occupations:
Residential Construction Builder
Civic, church and other community involvement
I am an active member of a local Reformed Baptist Church
Education
Graduate of Luther Homeschool
Previous offices held, previously sought
N/A
Why are you running for the Escambia County School Board and what qualifies you for this position?
I’m running for school board because Christian money is being extorted to propagate the agnostic faith. Christian teachers are banned from praising their King, and as if Jesus were but a fairy tale character, only the children are allowed to speak his name. As America was founded as a Protestant nation, some semblance of justice remains. Our consolation prize for having our money taken to fund the abomination called “public education” is that we get to elect a representative to manage the nightmare. I’m running to represent the true Christian faith and practice damage control by cutting back on spending, fighting against the perversion that the godless have brought in, and advocating for children to be raised in the fear of the Lord, that fear being the beginning of knowledge.
As I was not raised to be a heathen in the state schools but rather raised by godly parents in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, I am more equipped to fight for truth and justice than those still using the world’s counterfeits of these foundational principles. It is the duty of men to resist the wicked, and I plan to do so heartily until the day I die.
What are the three most important issues facing the Escambia County Public Schools?
The problems we face with poor behavior and academic failure stem from the central issue of godlessness. It has been accurately said, “No finite point has meaning without an infinite reference point.” We shouldn’t expect children to care about respecting their teachers and peers when we refuse to acknowledge that all honor and value ultimately originate solely in God.
Regarding academics, we have indoctrinated children to “follow your heart” so we should not be surprised when they do. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) People don’t need a high school degree to “have a good time,” but they may need one to subdue the earth to the Glory of God. This is a classic example of reaping what you sow. If you sow purpose, you reap ambition; but if you sow meaninglessness, you reap indifference.
What is the school district going right at the current time, and what needs to be fixed?
I appreciate that we don’t completely confine children to sit at a desk and memorize curriculum, but we need to give even more time (during normal school hours) to sports and physical activity and let kids be kids. Children, especially little boys, were not made to be chained to a desk and then drugged when they do not submit to this confinement. They were made to run around, fall down, and get back up again to run some more.
“And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.” (Zechariah 8:5)
Furthermore we the people need to get our children engaged in productive endeavors (also known as work). General success comes about through discipline, which is something that isn’t acquired through being spoon-fed seemingly worthless facts.
How would you address teacher pay, recruiting and retention and attract and retain more qualified candidates to Escambia County?
I would like to address recruitment and retention by teaching children that they are expected to love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love their neighbor as themselves. When we expect and encourage children to be saints-in-training rather than little narcissists, then we will have created a much more pleasant work environment.
Additionally, if we free Christian teachers to talk about and praise King Jesus, then our schools will be attractive to teachers who want to equip the next generation to subdue the world to the glory of God.
Without these essential changes, we are like the man who loves apples but not apple trees. He has cut down his orchard and is now wondering why there’s a shortage of apples. We shouldn’t be surprised that we have issues when we’ve rejected God’s Words of Life.
How do we address issues surrounding book challenges?
We need to protect the hearts and minds of our children and pursue very strict standards that are in submission to the wisdom and principles found in the Word of God. Furthermore, it would be wise to shut down the flow of books into our school libraries until we have replaced the gatekeepers who, in hatred of God’s Law, have been bringing in the filth.
There’s really not much to say about this issue unless you’re trying to make the irrational moral leap of trying to justify having state-sponsored porn in our school libraries.
“Nine times out of ten it is the coarse word that condemns an evil, and the refined word that excuses it.”
G.K. Chesterton
How should cell phones/devices in schools be addressed?
We should begin moving to having no phone usage from the time school begins till it lets out. Most adults can’t handle this package of distraction, and so we shouldn’t burden our children with it. Additionally, we shouldn’t burden school employees with children suffering from phone-induced distraction.
In relation to school-owned devices available for student use, we have managed to teach the basics without devices, and I would like to return to the basics, and I lean toward the basic methods of teaching them. But, insofar as we keep them we should do our best to secure them to operate strictly on a whitelist.
What are the unique issues facing District 5 schools in Escambia County? What makes District 5 different?
District 5 is very large and could benefit greatly from small, localized Christian schools being started by the different communities.
Also, especially in Century, many children come from fatherless homes and would be very much helped by teachers who could offer them hope and security by mentoring them in God’s vision for life, family, and community. Fatherless boys and young men desperately need godly masculine role models in their lives who are free to share with them the saving and hope-giving gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus tells us, “I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness.” (John 12:46) The answer to darkness is not more government programs but rather the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Man Airlifted, Woman Injured In Bratt Wreck
August 17, 2024
A Century man was airlifted to the hospital following a two-vehicle crash Friday afternoon near Bratt.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the man was driving a Ford pickup truck eastbound on Highway 168 approaching Pine Barren Road about 4:30 p.m. Troopers said the driver of a Chevrolet SUV was traveling south on Pine Barren Road and failed to stop at the stop sign and collided with the left side of the pickup truck.
The pickup rolled once, coming of rest on the shoulder of Highway 168. The SUV came to rest in a ditch in the corner of the intersection.
The driver of the pickup was flown by AirCare helicopter as a trauma alert to a Pensacola hospital. A 25-year-old Atmore woman, who was the unrestrained front seat passenger in the SUV, was transported to a Pensacola hospital by Escambia County EMS for treatment of serious, but not life-threatening injuries. The driver of the SUV, a 34-year-old Perdido, Alabama, woman, and a properly restrained 5-year-old backset passenger were not injured.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
