Manufacturers Council Partners With UWF
September 27, 2016
The Northwest Florida Manufacturers Council (NWFMC) has announced a stronger partnership with the University of West Florida..
The partnership with UWF will provide NWFMC manufacturing members no-cost access to in-depth manufacturing skills training. Examples of the types of training that will be available are Lean Six Sigma, Project Management Professional, and Process Mapping, to name a few. The council is currently working to finalize the course offerings that will provide maximum benefit to members.
The partnership will also provide additional administration and marketing support to the council, allowing the council access to the highly experienced and well respected resources available at UWF. This additional support will allow the Council to reach out more broadly in this region, as well as expand existing and establish new skills training programs for both new and incumbent employees.
The education, training, and administrative alliance with UWF has been created to complement the quality student development programs already established in the regions’ college network and in the manufacturing academy programs recently launched across Northwest Florida.
The Council worked closely with its members and the National Manufacturing Skills Standard Council to implement a formal certification program within our local school system, providing students access to a curriculum specifically designed for achieving success in a manufacturing field. Through funding provided by the State of Florida, managed in partnership with UWF, the Council launched Manufacturing Academies in each of the Council’s 10 school districts. In year one, more than 1,000 middle and high school students in Northwest Florida were enrolled.
“As the manufacturers’ council developed plans to strengthen the future of manufacturing in our region, we set the bar high,” said Ed Phelan, VP Operations for Maritech Machine and NWFMC chairman. “The retirement rate of our current manufacturing workforce is frightening. We recognized how critically important a world-class skilled workforce development program is to our future. Manufacturing today is very different from manufacturing a generation ago. It will take a concerted effort from both manufacturers and educators to show students, parents, and the many communities in our region that manufacturing provides high- paying careers for those willing to gain the skills required for a high-tech profession.”
Kim Wilmes, President & CEO of Florida’s Great Northwest said, “Manufacturing is a cornerstone of Northwest Florida’s economy with more than 850 manufacturing companies currently in place.”
She added, “Given the region’s infrastructure – physical and human – along with its geographic location, Northwest Florida is positioned for growth in advanced manufacturing. To continue this economic driver in Northwest Florida, we must ensure we have the skilled workforce needed to sustain and grow the industry sector. With this in mind, we are pleased to see the new partnership between NWFMC and UWF. Regional partnerships like this one make Northwest Florida a stronger and more attractive place to do business.”
Northview Football Names Players Of The Week
September 27, 2016
Northview High School has named the following as Players of Week following the team’s win last Friday night at Vancleave, MS.
Offensive Player of the Week: Entire offensive line for dominating the line of scrimmage and setting a physical tone for 4 quarters (Jared Aliff, Justin Helton, Dustin Bethea, Alston Wiggins, Dillon Clary, Hunter Cofield, Jason Fischer, Keegun Johnston)
Defensive Player of the Week: Hunter Edwards: 8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 interception and led the defense to only giving up 53 total yards to Vancleave
Special Teams Player of the Week: Neikel Robinson: 2 punt returns, 66 yards
Dominator: MJ Jones: Hit on #2 on punt return; Devin Stabler: 3rd down tackle on Vancleave sideline.
strong>NorthEscambia.com photo by Gary Amerson, click to enlarge
Century Chamber Seeks To Hire Economic Development Coordinator
September 26, 2016
The Century Area Chamber of Commerce is currently seeking to a hire an economic development coordinator.
The $40,000 per year position is funding by a yearly donation to the chamber from the Escambia County Commission.
The successful candidate will develop short and long term economic development with objectives to meet the economic development goals of the chamber, market the Century Industrial Park, Century Business Center, advocate for the town and chamber, act as a liaison with local businesses, update the chamber’s website and more.
The chamber is seeking an applicant that has a bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, marketing or related area and three year of advanced level economic development experience, preferably at the local level.
Complete job description and application information are available on the Employ Florida Marketplace. Click here, and search “economic development” in the 32535 zip code. For more information, call Century Deputy Clerk Kim Godwin at (850) 256-3208.
Airport Boulevard To Be Closed At Railroad Crossing
September 26, 2016
Work was scheduled to begin today on Airport Boulevard at the railroad crossing, but now officials say that work will be postponed until next month, likely October 10. An update will be posted when CSX confirms that date with county officials.
Airport Boulevard will be closed to both east and westbound traffic at the railroad crossing while CSX crews rehabilitate the track. The closure is expected to take three days, weather permitting.
Closures due to railroad crossing repairs will also take place on Monday, Oct. 10 and Tuesday, Oct. 11. At 9 a.m. on Oct. 10 Hancock Lane will be closed to east and westbound traffic, followed by St. John Street at 10 a.m. At 6 a.m. on Oct. 11 East Cross Street will be closed to east and westbound traffic. All three closures are expected to take three days, weather permitting.
FWC Offering Hunter Safety Internet Completion Class In Molino
September 26, 2016
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is offering a free hunter safety internet-completion course this week in Molino.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
The class will be offered September 27 from 6-10 p.m. and October 1 from 7-10 a.m. at the Molino Community Center, 6450 U.S. Highway 95A North.
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at (850)265-3676.
State Board Set To Request More Money For Florida Schools
September 26, 2016
The Florida Board of Education appears ready to request another record figure of per-student funding for public education, setting a starting point for what is annually one of the most politically charged debates over the state budget.
But the increase is likely to draw some of the same complaints as it has in the past: While the proposed per-student spending is more than ever in raw numbers, it has not kept up with inflation since a previous high-water mark was set nearly a decade ago.
A draft of the request, posted on the Department of Education’s website Thursday, proposes spending almost $20.9 billion in state and local tax dollars next year through the main formula for funding public education in Florida, an increase of $721.6 million.
The request is set to be adopted by the board at its meeting Friday, then sent to Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders for use in crafting the overall state spending plan for the fiscal year that will start July 1.
On a per-student basis, the figure would grow from $7,183.92 in the current budget year to $7,359.85 next year. That represents growth of almost 2.5 percent. That is slightly above the amount that state economists project would flow to schools based on increased tax dollars from local property values if the state invested nothing more.
That could allow state budget-writers to substantially increase funding for education with only a portion of the new funding — about $222.2 million — coming from a state budget already expected to be stretched thin. But it also could tangle the politics of the issue after lawmakers and Scott trumpeted an effort this year to hold property taxes flat, offsetting the lost income with state money.
That left room for just a 1 percent increase in student funding this year.
While Scott and other state leaders have bragged about increasing spending on state schools to record levels, the Florida Education Association teachers union has disputed that idea, saying those pronouncements don’t account for inflation since the 2007-08 budget year, when legislators hit what used to be the historical record.
“Florida’s public schools and their students continue to make gains despite tepid financial support from the state,” said Mark Pudlow, a spokesman for the union. “When adjusted for inflation, this proposed budget still doesn’t equal what we were investing on our public schools a decade ago.”
The plan to be considered by the board Friday would also do away with the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program — which received $49 million in the current budget year. Instead, the department would create a $43 million program that would “support bonuses for new teachers who show great potential for and veteran teachers who have demonstrated the highest student academic growth among their peers,” according to meeting materials.
Best and Brightest has been controversial because it bases teacher bonuses on educators’ scores on college-admissions tests.
State officials were traveling for the board meeting, which will be held in Tampa, and could not immediately be reached to further explain the changes.
In higher education, the budget requests an additional $29.1 million for the Bright Futures scholarship program to cover the costs of expanding the scholarships to cover summer courses. And a program aimed at drawing high-achieving students who receive national merit scholarship recognition to Florida colleges would grow by more than 41 percent, to $18.2 million.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Bonus Gallery: Northview Beats Vancleave
September 26, 2016
The Northview Chiefs beat Vancleave, MS, Friday night.
Click here for a photo gallery from Friday night’s Northview at Vancleave, MS game.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Amerson, click to enlarge.
Over 5800 Local Ballots Headed To Military, Overseas Residents
September 26, 2016
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office is sending over 5,800 vote-by-mail ballots to eligible military and overseas citizens. Voters will either receive their ballot by mail or electronically, depending on their chosen method of delivery. Absent military voters and those living overseas can request, mark and track their vote-by-mail ballots electronically.
Vote-by-mail ballots for all eligible domestic voters will be mailed beginning on Tuesday, October 4. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed for the General Election is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2. To request or track your vote-by-mail ballot for the General Election, visit EscambiaVotes.com and click “Vote by Mail”, or contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at (850) 595-3900.
Bonus Gallery: Niceville Tops Tate
September 26, 2016
Friday night, the Tate Aggies fell to Niceville High School.
For a photo gallery of raw, unedited photos from the game, click here.
For a game summary, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Held In Stabbing Death
September 25, 2016
A Cantonment man is being held in connection with a stabbing death in Freeport.
Jefferson Charles Michael Helton, age 26 of Rose Petal Lane, was apprehended Friday afternoon after fleeing the scene on foot.
Helton and the victim, identified as 26-year old Sandy James Berlin of Alabama, were involved in an altercation on LaGranage Road in Freeport just after 12:00 a.m. Friday morning. Berlin was stabbed several times in the chest. He was transported to an area hospital where he died Saturday.
Helton was captured Friday with help of a Good Samaritan. He was transported to the hospital to be treated for injuries sustained in the altercation with the victim. He then fled the scene on foot.
Helton approached a nearby residence asking for cigarettes and water. The Good Samaritan, recognizing he was probably the suspect, acted like he was going to take him the store and drove him right to a nearby deputy.
“We certainly don’t encourage any resident approach a suspect,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “But, we appreciate his help. The situation ended as well as it could have.”
Charges related to the stabbing against Helton are still pending the conclusion of the investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. He remains in the Walton County Jail without bond on a violation of probation warrant for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon from Escambia County.
Pictured: Stabbing suspect Jefferson Charles Michael Helton of Cantonment is taken into custody. Pictured below: The scene of the stabbing in Freeport. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
