Century Fails To Provide Complete Public Notices For Six Months, Council President Verbally Attacks Media After Meeting Halted
July 6, 2023
The Century Town Council president continued discussion outside a meeting and verbal attacks on a member of the media Wednesday night after a council meeting was halted due to the town’s failure to provide a proper public notice. The meeting was the latest in an ongoing pattern of failure to provide complete meeting notices as required in Florida, NorthEscambia.com has documented over the last six months.
As almost always occurs, the council meeting opened Wednesday evening with Council President Luis Gomez, Jr. asking if the meeting was properly advertised and Town Clerk Leslie Howington acknowledging that it was.
A standard notice for the entire year, posted on a bulletin board outside town hall and at other locations in Century, provides meeting dates but not times leaving the public in the dark as to when meetings are actually happening.
Beginning with meetings in February 2023, a standard notice for regular meetings and bill review meetings has been posted on a bulletin board outside town hall providing dates but no times. Sometimes an adjacent notice was posted with times, but those notices repeatedly had meeting dates listed as being in 2022, making the notice appear outdated. (A list is further below.)
After a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance Wednesday night, Gomez opened a public forum. NorthEscambia.com Publisher William Reynolds questioned where the meeting was “properly” advertised.
Howington explained it was posted at town hall and on the town’s website. But the posted notice at town hall had no time listed, as has been common for this year.
“We do have our traditions,” Howington said.
But Florida’s attorney general says every meeting, each and every one, must be noticed with date, time and place — “Notice is required even though meetings of the board are “of general knowledge” and are not conducted in a closed door manner”.
The Florida Attorney General’s “2023 Government in the Sunshine Manual” states that:
- “The notice should contain the time and place of the meeting and, if available, an agenda, or if no agenda is available, a statement of the general subject matter to be considered.
- “The notice should be prominently displayed in the area in the agency’s offices set aside for that purpose, e.g., for cities, in city hall, and on the agency’s website, if there is one.”
“So that we are not before the ethics board, we are going to follow the law,” Howington said, advising the council to terminate the meeting. “This is not following the spirit of the Sunshine (Law); this is following the letter of the Sunshine.”
“Well my vote is go on with the meeting because I am here,” Gomez began, with Howington stopping him to again advise that it was her recommendation to not continue.
Gomez replied, “This town’s business has to go on forward. Unfortunately one person that comes to destroy and disrupt. I’m up to my wits end because I’ve got something to say whether we adjourn this meeting or not.”
“No, no, no,” Howington again tried to silence Gomez. “This meeting is not called to order,” she said, saying that the missing time was her mistake.
“At this point, we have a decision to make, whether or not this meeting…,” council vice president Dynette Lewis said, joining the discussion before being stopped by Howington.
“I’m sorry but I’m sick of this,” Gomez said, continuing to speak with the remainder of the council still in the room.
“There’s something got to be done about you,” Gomez said to the NorthEscambia.com publisher. Howington continued to try to silence him from speaking since there was no meeting.
“Mr. Gomez, I just asked us to cancel the fact that this meeting was called to order and bid adieu for the evening,” the town clerk said. “I’m sorry this is my responsibility.”
Gomez responded, “That don’t change nothing.”
“Once again we are not getting anywhere,” Lewis said.
“Meeting adjourned,” Gomez said after a pause. Then he continued comments from his chair at the council table.
“Yeah, thanks William,” Gomez said to the newspaper publisher. “But I guarantee you this one…” The clerk again tried to silence him from speaking outside the meeting.
“I can say what I want to say,” Gomez said. “As long as he sits there in front of me this ain’t got anything to do with anybody else in the room. You don’t do any other town hall the way that you do the Town of Century, and you are going to stop doing Century. Go to Flomaton, go to Jay and sit up in there and disrupt.”
“You don’t pull that stuff nowhere but in here because you figure you can get away with it. But this is going to stop. I am going to shut you down first.”
Gomez was asked if he was making a threat.
“No, I’m not threatening you, but I’m going to shut you down, because it’s what you do…and you do it on purpose. I had something for you anyway tonight….It’s just plain stupid.”
When another council member asked the schedule for the next meeting, Gomez said. “Whenever I feel like (inaudible) because I made it tonight on time. So I’m not going to change to try to appease this idiot. And that’s perfect, I said that out of my mouth.”
Again, the clerk attempted to stop the conversation outside the meeting.
“I’m going because he got what he wanted. It’s not my fault. It’s nobody in this town’s fault but this idiot. This idiot wants to keep something going to make his clicks go up. Click that. Yeah, record and put me on Facebook too. I don’t really care, because that’s all your paper is, is a Facebook blog, Willy….It makes my ass hurt.”
“I ain’t got nothing else to say to you. Talk to your momma…makes my ass hurt,” Gomez continued as he walked out of council chambers.
NorthEscambia.com does not cover the town governments in Flomaton or Jay on a regular basis because they are outside our North Escambia coverage area. We do cover multiple other governmental entities in our coverage area, including Escambia County and its numerous boards, the school board and ECUA.
“The other governmental entities in Escambia County work hard to follow state law, commonly called the Sunshine Law, and it would be a very, very rare occurrence that we would need to represent the public’s interest and call a governmental entity out on a public notice. For over 15 years, we have been committed to our duty as the press to ensure that local government is accountable to the people,” Reynolds said in a statement shortly after the meeting. “Proper notices to ensure citizens can attend public meetings is a most elementary and basic requirement of Florida law.”
In recent years, NorthEscambia.com has found and raised just one Sunshine Law issue with a county board. In April 2021, we questioned a West Florida Public Libraries Board of Governance meeting that was advertised for the library in downtown Pensacola but actually convened in Century. The board continued the meeting for a few minutes after NorthEscambia.com raised the issue.
Escambia County responded by self-reporting a Sunshine Law violation to the State Attorney’s Office, which declined to prosecute what they called “an apparent violation”. Violations of the Sunshine Law in Florida can be criminal offenses. Additionally, the county attorney’s office provided a Sunshine Law refresher for board members.
2023 MEETING NOTICES
NorthEscambia.com has documented over the last six months that the Town of Century posted the following council meeting notices outside the town hall. We found clear meeting times have not been provided since January.
- January 2 & 17 — a notice was published with correct dates and times
- February 7 & 21 - — a single notice indicated meeting dates in 2022
- March 7 — no time given
- March 21 — no time given (there was a notice above that indicated the time on meetings, but it was dated 2022)
- April 4 — no time given (there was a notice above that indicated the time on meetings, but it was dated 2022)
- April 18 no time given (there was a notice above that indicated the time on meetings, but it was dated 2022)
- May 2 — no time given
- May 16 — unknown (our regular reporter did not attend and take a photo of the bulletin board)
- June 6 — no time given
- June 20 — no photo taken, but a notice without times was distributed on paper
- July 5 — no time given
On June 22 an “Amended 2023 Calendar of Meetings” was distributed by email to council members, staff and the media. The notice did not list any meeting times.
Howington told council members as they were leaving town hall that Wednesday night’s meeting time was on the town’s website.
Under a banner (pictured below from Wednesday night) at the top of the town website that provides old notices that the town hall will be closed January 2, 2023, a special election will be held March 28, 2023, and other outdated notices, the website does indicate that a meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, July 5, 2023. It states “Council Meeting – 7:00 p.m….Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month”.
Northview High FFA Receives Honors During State FFA Convention
July 6, 2023
The Northview High School FFA chapter and its members received several honors during the recent Florida FFA State Convention and Expo.
The Northview FFA received second place in the state for the Chapter Advocacy Award. The Northview FFA Alumni was awarded third place Outstanding Alumni Affiliate.
James Gruenwald received his State FFA Degree.
Wyatt Ramsey competed in the Extemporaneous Public Speaking Leadership Development Event representing District 1.
Northview FFA President Cody Pugh was elected District 1 president.
Editor’s note: Other area schools attended the convention, and we will cover their accomplishments in future stories.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Man Is The Boss Of It All At This Week’s Air Show. And He’s Been Doing It 30 Years.
July 6, 2023
A Walnut Hill man is the boss of it all at the Pensacola Beach Air Show.
The air boss.
The air boss controls the schedule for all the aerial acts, mass formations, high-speed jet demonstrations and pyrotechnics at every show.
Air Boss Paul Entrekin has the primary responsibility for coordinating all air show operations within the demonstration area and plays a critical role in ensuring a safe, efficient and entertaining air show every year. All of this while also meeting the latest standard air show regulations.
And he’s been doing it for 30 years.
“This occasionally requires herding cats,” said Roy Kinsey, a Pensacola pilot and attorney who is the founder of the Veterans Flight team that flies World War II Stearman biplanes in the Pensacola Beach Air Show.
“Air Boss is a difficult job. In many ways, the beach show is more challenging than other air shows, as coordination is easier when an entire airport is devoted to the show,” Kinsey continued. “In Paul’s case, the Pensacola Beach Air Show takes place over the Gulf of Mexico, with pilots and aircraft coming from multiple airports.”
A 1976 graduate of Auburn University, Entrekin was commissioned as a U.S. Marine Corps officer in 1977, and designated a Naval Aviator in 1980. During his military career he became carrier qualified, flying both rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. He was an instructor pilot until leaving active duty in 1986 and then retained reserve status with the Defense Intelligence Agency as a clandestine operative until retiring after Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1991.
No stranger to the air show world nor pushing boundaries, Entrekin soon was nicknamed “The Bandit,” after becoming the first civilian pilot to own and fly a Russian MiG aircraft. He founded Entrekin Aviation as a full-time air show pilot in 1986. He holds multiple U.S. and world airspeed records and is recognized on the National Aviation and Space Exploration Wall of Honor.
Entrekin also flew for Delta Air Lines for 30 years before his retirement, and over the years has authored a number of books including, “Mighty Hands,” his bestseller “Mr. MiG,” and his most recent children’s book entitled, “Jasper and the Christmas Faeries” set at his Walnut Hill ranch.
Pictured top: Pensacola Beach Air Show Air Boss Paul Entrekin. Pictured below: Paul Entrekin and his wife Lisa discuss their book “Jasper and the Christmas Faeries” with NorthEscambia.com just before Christmas last year. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Rotary Club Awards $22,000 In Scholarships
July 6, 2023
Sixteen Pensacola State College stellar students recently received a total of $22,000 in Cantonment Rotary Club scholarships.
The Ike and Carolyn Hicks Terry Music Endowed $1,500 Scholarships recipients were Ezra Baker, Sienna Hudak, Deelia Warfield, Elijah Spann, Gracie Collins and Francisco Segovia.
Receiving $1,000 Vocational I Endowed Scholarships were Dereck Alred and Myiesha Hartley.
Cathy Simpkins, Samantha Goodloe and Quashanekia Sims were awarded $1,000 Vocational II Endowed Scholarships.
William Goss, Robert Clarke and Travis Rentschler each were awarded $2,000 Ted Ciano Vocational Endowed Scholarships.
Maria Heal and Jessica Gonzales each received a $1,000 Legal Assistant Endowed Scholarship.
Since 1991, the Rotary Club has provided Pensacola State students with over $80,000 in scholarships.
In its 75th year serving the community, the Cantonment Rotary Club has six endowed scholarships with the PSC Foundation ─ Cantonment Rotary Club Culinary Endowed Scholarship, Cantonment Rotary Club Ike and Carolyn Hicks Terry Music Endowed Scholarship, Cantonment Rotary Club Ted Ciano Vocational Endowed Scholarship, Cantonment Rotary Club Vocational I Endowed Scholarship, Cantonment Rotary Club Vocational II Endowed Scholarship and the Cantonment Rotary Club Legal Assistant Endowed Scholarship. The six endowments total more than $164,200 and will support Pensacola State students into perpetuity.
Since 1999, the Cantonment Rotary Club has donated $62,253.25 to the College for student scholarships.
Ike and Carolyn Hicks Terry Music Endowed Scholarship recipients ─ saxophone player Ezra Baker and guitarist Sienna Hudak ─ also performed at the luncheon.
Incumbent Tax Collector Scott Lunsford Prefiles To Seek Reelection
July 6, 2023
Incumbent Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford has prefiled to seek reelection as a Republican in 2024.
Lunsford was first elected in 2016.
Man Charged With Fleeing Police In The Same Bullet-Riddled Vehicle Found Previously In Bratt
July 6, 2023
A vehicle found abandoned with bullet holes in Bratt later resurfaced in Century, and the driver that day has been charged with fleeing from law enforcement.
On June 7, the black Dodge Charger was found riddled with bullet holes on the roadside next to a field on Cecils Road just off North Highway 99, near a Bratt-Davisville Water System water tower. The driver was later located elsewhere.
One June 15, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office spotted the vehicle on North Century Boulevard at East Highway 4. Deputies said the driver was positively identified as 41-year old Robert Edward Lowrey of Atmore. The deputy attempted a traffic stop, but Lowrey sped off at a high rate of speed on Hilltop Road, according to the ECSO. The deputy located the vehicle still running and parked in the middle of the road in front of Lowrey’s girlfriend’s house.
Crime scene stickers still surrounded the bullet holes on the exterior of the car.
Lowrey’s gray HeyDude shoes were left at the scene with blood still on them from the shooting and his snapback hat was found in the woodline near the vehicle, an arrest report states.
The deputy was unable to locate Lowrey after searching the area, and a warrant was issued. He was later arrested on a felon charge of fleeing and eluding before being released on a $15,000 bond.
Eder Leads Wahoos To 3-1 Victory Over Shuckers
July 6, 2023
Jake Eder’s first start in Pensacola since 2021 resembled so many of the superlatives he produced in the past.
The Blue Wahoos bullpen followed the same lead, too.
Eder, who was one of the top pitching prospects in Minor League Baseball before two major injury setbacks, continued his progression with five scoreless innings, including a bases-loaded escape that became pivotal in the Biloxi Shuckers a 3-1 victory Wednesday.
“It’s good to be out here competing again,” said Eder, who had Tommy John elbow surgery in 2021, then suffered a foot injury in spring training in March when he was slated to join the Blue Wahoos roster on opening day. “I am getting better every start and I am going to keep getting better.
“It’s been almost 22 months since I made my first rehab start (in June) in Jupiter and to be able to go back out and feel the fans, feel the energy, get the adrenaline going and compete… I have been waiting a long time to do that.”
A large crowd (4,567) at Blue Wahoos Stadium saw Eder allow just one hit in five innings. He threw 85 pitches, 48 for strikes, and overcame five walks.
His outing was highlighted after allowing three consecutive walks to start the second inning. He then got a pair of flyouts framed around a strikeout to end the threat.
From that point, he was dominating, facing just one above the minimum batters in the last three innings.
“That is the mental game right there. Just stay relaxed and get more relaxed than I was,” he said. “I just threw one pitch at a time. That’s the mental side of getting through innings like that.”
The trio of relievers who followed were equally effective. Eli Villalobos pitched a scoreless sixth inning, then Zach McCambley followed with five strikeouts while allowing one run in his two innings.
In the ninth, closer Jefry Yan recorded his eighth save. After plunking a batter with two outs, the lefty coaxed a ground out to end the game.
Yan then stayed and signed autographs for all the kids who lined the tunnel entrance from the dugout.
The Blue Wahoos got a solo home run from Cody Morissette in the third inning. Morissette then drew a bases-loaded walk for another RBI in the eighth inning.
Catcher Will Banfield reached on a twin error in the sixth inning and scored on a José Devers RBI single.
From that point, the Blue Wahoos relief corps was as strong as desired to seal the victory.
Eder, ranked the No. 4 prospect in the Miami Marlins system by MLB Pipeline, made his first appearance in Blue Wahoos Stadium since August 13, 2021 when he worked 3.2 innings against the Montgomery Biscuits. He allowed just one hit in the game.
It followed his appearance in mid-July that year in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game.
He was later placed on the injured list and it led to the Tommy John surgery.
“Been a long way back,” he said.
The series continues Thursday against the Shuckers with Mullet Thursday with Pensacola taking on their alternate identity as the Mullets and wearing their specialty jerseys
Pensacola will have M.D. Johnson (1-2, 5.23 ERA) on the mound against Biloxi’s Tobias Myers (4-3, 6.10 ERA).
by Bill Vilona, photo Nino Mendez / Pensacola Blue Wahoos
Major Project Will Totally Rebuild The Entire I-10, Highway 29 Interchange
July 5, 2023
A major reconstruction project is planned to begin in 2024 to completely rebuild the I-10 and Highway 29 interchange.
It will include construction of all-new I-10 travel lanes and about a dozen bridges over six years.
The project includes the following shown on the map above (the numbers correspond to the map, click to enlarge):
- Construction of six new main lanes on I-10 through the center of the interchange, requiring six new bridges.
- Five existing I-10 bridges will be converted and one new bridge will be constructed for ramps.
- Remove the I-10 loop ramp from I-10 to northbound Highway 29.
- Construct extended two-lane ramps east of the interchange.
- Replace the existing North Palafox and CSX bridges to accommodate widening of I-10.
- Modify the Highway 29 at Dairy Road intersection to allow eastbound and westbound traffic to I-10 from Diamond Dairy.
- Construct stormwater ponds (shown in blue on the map above).
The first steps of planning the massive project started in November 2005. Construction related contracts are expected to be awarded by the end of this year.
Noise walls will be constructed along I-10 to separate the roadway from the Hope Manor, Oak Forest/Lost Creek, Robins Ridge and Willow Tree Acres neighborhoods.
FDOT just completed a $6.3 million project to resurface Highway 29 from Brent Lane to north of I-10, upgrade traffic signals and make Americans With Disability Act improvements.
NorthEscambia.com graphic, click to enlarge.
It’s Blue Angels Air Show Week; Here’s The Complete Schedule
July 5, 2023
It’s time for the annual Pensacola Beach Air Show, with events each day through Saturday. The elite U.S. Navy Blue Angels will headline all events which culminate on Saturday, July 8, with the official Air Show.
In addition to the Blue Angels, there will be a host of world-class aerobatic performers, as well as interactive exhibits, military recruitment stations, and a Blues Beachside Bazaar vendor market on the ground.
“Breakfast with the Blues,” kicked off the week Wednesday morning when the Blue Angels arrived and circled overhead to mark the show’s coordinates and center points along Pensacola Beach.
On Thursday, July 6, at 2 p.m., the Blue Angels will hold a practice show over Pensacola Beach.
Friday, July 7, is the Pensacola Beach Air Show dress rehearsal where flight demonstrations and civilian aerobatic performances begin at approximately noon, with the Blue Angels overhead at 2 p.m.
Saturday, July 8, marks the official Pensacola Beach Air Show and follows exactly Friday’s dress rehearsal schedule.
Starting about 11 a.m., prior to the official waivered airspace closure signaling the start of the show on Friday and Saturday, expect to see:
- Pilot Julian MacQueen flying his vintage 1943 Grumman Widgeon seaplane overhead.
- Pilot Gene Valentino flying his ICON A5 Amphibious light sport plane.
- U.S. Coast Guard pilot Lt. Cmdr. Mark Currier, from the Aviation Training Center in Mobile, flying his HC-144 Ocean Sentry large turbopop aircraft.
- Training Squadron Ten (VT-10) from NAS Pensacola in a formation fly-by in their T-6 Texans aircraft.
- VeriJet, a private airline, will fly by in a three-ship formation of Cirrus SF-50 Vision Jets.
- Navy pilot Tanner Matheny will be flying over in his 1946 North American Navion airplane named Olivia.
- U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue (SAR) demonstration from the back of a HH-60J Blackhawk helicopter piloted by Lt. Travis Rhea.
Then, at approximately noon Saturday only, event-goers will be asked to stand as actor and singer Kara Kimmer performs acapella The National Anthem to mark the official start of the Pensacola Beach Air Show.
Next up, look high in the sky as the Red Bull Air Force team will kick things off with a synchronized flag-carrying skydiving formation, landing at the show center next to the Pensacola Beach Pier. New to the air show this year, the Red Bull Air Force team is assembled from the most accomplished aviation experts on the planet who continually push the limits of human flight.
Following that, the Veteran’s Flight team in their bright yellow, vintage World War II-era biplanes, will be making several passes over Casino Beach. Organized by Pensacola attorney and pilot Roy Kinsey, about a dozen Stearman pilots from all over the Southeast are flying in the show to pay tribute to all WWII and Korean War vets.
Next in line, another new addition to this year’s air show is MiG-17F pilot Bill Culberson with Fighterjets Inc. Born the son of an Air Force fighter jet pilot who also joined the Air Force, Culberson has been in love with military aviation as long as he can remember. His classic 1950s-era MiG-17F can maintain 8g turns with a max speed of 715 mph.
Following that, pilots Ken Rieder and Adam Baker with Redline Aerobatic Team take to the skies at approximately 12:45 p.m. in their signature red and black planes to perform opposing stunts, inverted maneuvers and fun formations directly overhead.
Hang onto your hat as pilot Skip Stewart wows the crowds next with his high-skill passes and jaw-dropping maneuvers from his famous red, white and black-checkered bi-plane, Prometheus. Don’t miss his signature inverted ribbon-cutting pass over the Pensacola Beach Pier.
Following Skip Stewart, at approximately 1:05 p.m., there will be a brief 15-minute window for spectators to cool off and take a dip in the Gulf before lifeguards clear the water again.
Then, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Red Bull Air Force team is back again, creating a visual spectacle like no other. Consisting of helicopter pilot Aaron Fitzgerald, aerobatic pilot Kevin Coleman in his Extra 300 SHP plane, and the Red Bull Air Force jump team – the trio will perform a joint aerial demonstration that will last approximately 25 minutes.
Look to the Gulf horizon at approximately 2 p.m. as the famous C-130J aircraft, affectionately known as Fat Albert, followed by six signature blue and gold F-18 Super Hornets, make their way over Pensacola Beach.
For the next 45 minutes, spectators will get a glimpse of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels aeronautic maneuvers like the Diamond Dirty Loop, the Double Farvel, the Vertical Pitch, the Fleur-de-Lis, the Opposing Knife-Edge pass, and the crowd-favorite Sneak Pass. These are just a few of the mind-blowing displays of choreographed precision flying the Navy’s flight demonstration team, and our hometown heroes, has perfected over the past 77 years.
Pictured: The 2022 Saturday show with the Blue Angels NorthEscambia.com photos by Perry Doggrell, click to enlarge.
Atmore Man Charged With Sexual Abuse, Strangulation, Assault
July 5, 2023
An Atmore man was recently charged with multiple offenses after an alleged sexual abuse.
Hartwood Oliver McMillan, 33, was charged with domestic violence strangulation, first degree sexual abuse, first degree false imprisonment, third degree domestic violence assault, and second degree criminal mischief.
Atmore Police said the incident happened on Highway 31 but offered no other details.