IP Awards Grants To Ernest Ward Middle, Quintette Park Association, Other Groups
August 21, 2008
Ernest Ward Middle School and the Quintette Community Center were among the recipients of grants from the International Paper Pensacola Mill. The grants, totaling $50,000, were presented to 15 groups in the area.
The 2008 Foundation grant presented to Ernest Ward Middle School will be used to purchase InterActive Reader workbooks for one grade level for the 2008-2009 school year. The InterActive Reader program is designed to reward excellence and help mid to high-level readers take their skills to the next level where most programs leave off.
The grant presented to the Quintette Community Park Association was used for their Youth Summer Enrichment Program that served over 120 children in the Quintette and Cantonment areas this summer with academic tutoring, sporting events, arts and crafts and other fun-filled activities. In addition, each child received a nutritious meal which they may not have otherwise received during the summer months.
Of the 34 applications accepted, 15 were chosen by the mill’s grant review committee to receive funding for part or all of a program or project benefiting the community.
“The selection process is rigorous, and it’s difficult to choose since all of our applicants are worthy of receiving their request,” said Jessica Morris, mill communication manager. “We’re confident that the projects we’ve chosen to fund this year reflect the values of the Foundation, the company and the employees.”
Grants are awarded through the IP Foundation in Memphis, TN, which focuses primarily on education – specifically environmental education, literacy and minority career development opportunities. The company also supports organizations where its employees actively volunteer and critical civic needs in the communities where our employees live and work. Applicants must be a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization or qualifying federal entity to apply.
This year’s grant recipients were:
- American Cancer Society
- American Heart Association
- Baptist Health Care Foundation
- Civitan International
- Ernest Ward Middle School
- Escambia County School Readiness Coalition
- Greater Pensacola Symphony Orchestra
- Jim Allen Elementary School
- Junior Achievement
- Partnership for Community Programs / Bay Area Resource Council
- Pensacola Historical Society
- Pensacola Junior College Foundation
- Pensacola Opera
- Quintette Community Park Association
- Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida
The Pensacola Mill observes one grant deadline per calendar year.
For more information about IP Giving, visit www.internationalpaper.com or call (850) 968-4203.
Pictured above: International Paper Pensacola Mill employee Joe Mack accepts a certificate of appreciation for the mill’s support of the Quintette Community Park Summer Enrichment Program. Pictured below: The Quintette Community Park Association Youth Summer Enrichment Program hosted over 120 children this year in the Quintette and Cantonment area. Each child received a nutritious meal every day and participated in academic tutoring, sporting activities, and arts and crafts. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.
Walnut Hill Fire Ruled Arson, No Arrests Yet
August 21, 2008
A fire that swept through a Walnut Hill home on August 13 was arson, according the state fire marshal’s office.
The fire destroyed a wood frame home in the 7000 block of Highway 97 about 9:00 p.m. on August 13. A separate fire appeared to have been set on a boat parked under a nearby shed, slightly damaging the back of the vessel. All four tires on the homeowner’s SUV were flattened, and three large gashes where cut into a nearby trampoline.
“The fire is being worked as an arson,” said Chris Powell, a detective with the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Office, Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations. “We are pursuing leads in the case, and it is still under investigation.”
Powell said there have not been any arrests yet in the case.
NorthEscambia.com was first on the scene, with flames visible from the rear of the house as we arrived. The flames quickly spread as the first fire trucks pulled up on the scene. Windows quickly blew out of the front of the small wood frame home, and flames then jumped into the air from the front of the house. The home was fully involved as the firefighters began their assault on the blaze.
The home sits in a field down a long dirt driveway, about one third of a mile south of Highway 97.
For a complete photo gallery from the scene on August 13, click here. The gallery shows the fire as it begins to spread, the fire shooting from the windows of the home after the glass exploded out of them, and the first attempts to put out the fire. The total time represented by the photos that show flames at the beginning of the gallery is just over two minutes.
Pictured above: Fire rages through a Walnut Hill home before the first fire trucks arrive at a Walnut Hill home on August 13. Pictured below: It appeared that someone tried to set fire to this boat near the home. Pictured bottom: All four tires were slashed on the homeowner’s SUV. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Charter School Application Now Official
August 21, 2008
A charter school application has been filed for the Carver/Century K-8 School has been signed, making it official.
When the Century Community Development Partnership filed a charter school application minutes before the deadline early this month, it was missing the required signature of James Sutton, who was listed as organizer of the Charter Magnet School at Century.
The application has now been signed and is official, according to Vickie Mathis, director of the Department of Alternative Education that administers the charter school program in Escambia County.
The charter application was officially filed by the Century Community Development Partnership, Inc., a nonprofit headed by Rev. Irvin Stallworth. But Stallworth is very clear in the cover letter of the application that the CCDP does not intend to be the corporation running the school. The letter reads:
“In an effort to expedite the process and to move forward as rapidly as possible with the application of the Charter Magnet School at Century, Florida, the Century Community Development Partnership, Inc. is allowing this application to be filed under their name and their established 501(c)3; however, the Century Community Development Partnership, Inc. will not be the Florida Corporation that will ultimately hold the Charter of the CMS@Century. This interim use of CCDP in this application is pending the CMS@Century obtaining a 501(c)3 designation. The Charter Magnet School at Century is in organization as a Florida nonprofit corporation.”
501(c)3 is the designation given by the Internal Revenue Service to officially designate an approved nonprofit organization.
The detailed 81 page application document spells out the plans for the school, which hopes to 150 students enrolled in grades K-8 in its first year, 175 in its second year and 200 by year number three of the charter.
“Our Charter Magnet School Vision will facilitate the building of a community where any American can live and accomplish good, moral works, enjoy and revel in an abundant life, while looking forward with excitement and interest to what the future will bring,” the applications says.
Frontier DSL Outage Due To Equipment Failure In Mobile
August 21, 2008
Frontier Communications experienced a major DSL outage across their coverage area Monday, including several communities in North Escambia.
The outage was caused by a failure of equipment owned by Level 3 Communications according to Cereal Daniel, local manager for Frontier Communications.
DSL service was impacted for some customers in Molino, Bratt and Walnut Hill in Florida, and Atmore, Monroeville, Thomaston and Camden in Alabama, along with Frontier areas in Mississippi. Daniel said the equipment failure affected one circuit from Level 3 in Mobile to a Frontier server, but it did not impact all servers or customers.
“That is why the trouble affected some customers and not all,” Daniel told NorthEscambia.com.
The outage for DSL customers lasted up to 19 hours and 36 minutes, he said.
“Dialup did not seem to be affected; we had several customers to switch over and were able to connect,” Daniel said.
The NorthEscambia.com site was not impacted by the outage; our server is in a secure data facility in the northeast that is not served by Frontier or Level 3. Internet service to our servers is provided by six companies on circuits that range in speed from GigE to OC-48. An OC-48 connection is a fiber optic connection with a speed that is almost 2,500 times faster than the average Frontier residential DSL connection.
Commissioner Named To Statewide County Association Post
August 21, 2008
President of the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) and Suwannee County Commissioner Randy Hatch has announced that Escambia County Commissioner Gene Valentino will serve as Co-Vice Chair with Holmes County Commissioner Raymon Thomas for FAC’s Finance, Transportation and Administration Policy committee. The FAC is committed to preserving home rule authority for our communities by restoring the partnership between counties and the state legislature.
“Valentino is dedicated to Escambia County and to ensuring that counties can continue to protect finance and transportation issues in the best interest of the state of Florida,” said President Hatch, “FAC is committed to working with the state legislature to restore a strong partnership to better serve the people of Florida.”
Each year FAC represents Florida’s 67 counties, focusing our legislative efforts in preserving ‘home rule’. Home rule is the ability of local governments set or remove regulations to better serve the unique environment of their county and its citizens. What may work for a large urban county does not necessarily work for a small rural county and each county should have the authority to make this imperative unique decision.
“I’m honored to serve this Finance, Transportation, and Administration Policy team. Creatively jump-starting growth of our transportation infrastructure is absolutely essential in supporting long-term economic growth, statewide,” said Commissioner Gene Valentino. “We must think “out of the box” if we are serious about Florida’s future.”
Commissioner Valentino’s history and commitment to finance and transportation issues qualify him to lead FAC in determining statewide policy that carefully balances the ‘home rule’ authority with the interests of the state, personal and professional rights. The mission of the FAC is “to preserve and promote democratic principles by working to keep appropriate authority at the level of government closest to the people, and to increase the capacity of Florida counties to effectively serve and represent the citizens of the state through legislative action, education of public officials, and enhancement of public awareness about the role and functions of county government.”
Founded in 1929, the Florida Association of Counties is a non-profit association representing the diverse interests of Florida’s 67 counties. Created in 1998, the Florida Association of Counties County Commissioners Voluntary Certification program has trained 196 county commissioners on the complexities of county government and public life.
Cops Respond To Call Of Naked Man With A Gun Wednesday AM
August 20, 2008
Authorities responded to call of a naked man with a gun in Bratt just before dawn Wednesday. Nothing was uncovered after a thorough search of the area.
The man was reported to be on Water Tank Road near North Highway 99 about 5:45 a.m. Two units from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department and one from the Atmore Police Department responded to the area. Atmore was called to assist because the Florida units were on the other side of the county at the time of the call.
The naked white male was reported by a passerby on their way to work. Authorities were unable to find anything unusual in the area. One officer theorized that the man had stepped outside in his pajamas, or perhaps with no clothing, to shoot an armadillo.
Locals React To Move Toward Closing School
August 20, 2008
Century residents in attendance at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Escambia County School Board were not pleased with the board’s decision to begin the process to rezone the school’s students away, a potential move toward closing the school.
“Disappointment” was the recurring word in the hallways of the J.E. Hall Center in Pensacola following the board’s decision. To read about the board’s decision Tuesday night, click here.
“I’m extremely disappointed in our District 5 representative,” Century Council President Ann Brooks said of board member Pete Gindl’s vote to begin the rezoning process. “How can we make the kids come back? They (the school board) made them leave.”
“He (Gindl) does not even know how to get up there to Century, to the school,” Brenda Spencer, a member of the town’s Blue Ribbon Committee, said. “He had to call for directions. But this is not over. The board is going to meet with us.”
“I am disappointed,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said. “It happened tonight as I expected. With all the improvements we’ve made, we can’t give up now. Mr. Paul left the door open.”
Principal Jeff Garthwaite said there were 226 students sitting in his school on Tuesday. He said he’s doing all that he can to improve that number, but’s it is a hard thing to do.
“As long as we have the cloud of closure hanging over our heads, it is less likely for us to bring the kids back to the school,” Garthwaite said.
“And there are some community issues and hurdles that have to be addressed,” he said. “The community is fighting to keep its identity.”
First Step In Closure: Rezone Carver/Century Students To Other Schools
August 20, 2008
The Escambia County School Board did not vote to close Carver/Century K-8 School Tuesday night, but they did vote to begin the process of deciding where to send students once the school closes.
The board voted 4-1 to have the School Attendance Zone Advisory Committee (SAZAC) rezone the Carver/Century school zone to send the children to other North Escambia schools including Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle School. Board member Claudia Brown-Curry cast the lone no vote.
“This is not closing the school”, board member Patty Hightower said. “This is just a step to take us there.”
She, along with Superintendent Jim Paul, said the only hope to save the school would be an increased enrollment. “You have time to build up your enrollment,” Hightower told the two dozen or so Carver/Century supporters at Tuesday night’s board meeting.
As of Tuesday, there were 125 enrolled in the elementary at Carver/Century, six more than the district had projected. There were 95 students in middle school, 18 more than the district’s projected enrollment.
A K-8 school with just over 200 students, now that’s inefficient,” board member Jeff Bergosh said.
“This is not an easy decision,” Bergosh said. “I think the students will have more opportunities,” he said, adding that he believes Carver/Century students will improve once they are exposed to more opportunities at top rated Bratt Elementary and Ernest Ward Middle.
Bergosh commented that closing Carver/Century would not really be closing the last school in Century. “I believe Bratt Elementary has a Century address,” he said. Bratt Elementary does have a Century mailing address, according to the school’s website, but it is nine miles outside the Century town limits.
“We have to be more efficient,” Bergosh said. “Those children (at Carver/Century) don’t have the opportunities that they will have at Ernest Ward.”
“I feel like closing that school is taking the life out of that community,” board member Claudia Brown-Curry said.
“I gave them another year,” Paul said. “Those students can come back on their own choice. I’m still hoping to see that. There are enough students in Century to bring that school back.”
Several Century residents attended the board’s meeting in Pensacola Tuesday evening, and a few addressed the board.
“Give us a chance, please don’t close our school tonight,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall told the school board members.
“Does this seem like prejudice to you?” Century resident Annie Savage asked. “We are not happy at the north end of the county because you show us no respect.”
Savage said she owns four pieces of property in Century ,and she pays school tax on each. But if the board closes Carver/Century, she plans to refuse to pay those taxes.
Century Council President Anne Brooks told the school board that they had changed their reason for closing the school several times. First, she said, the board was going to close the school because it was an “F” school. But, she said, that changed after the school’s grade improved to a “B”. Then, she said, Century residents were told the school was closing due to money.
But then, she said, the district was discovered to be paying tens of thousands of dollars of utility bills on a building leased for $1 per year to New Life Baptist Church. She called that “gross mismanagement” of district funds.
Then, Brooks said, the reason became low enrollment. “The county and the state allowed them to go elsewhere,” she said. “The answer is to send the students back to the school where they came from.”
“You are going to destroy our town,” Brooks told the board.
Century businessman Jack Moran told the board that closing the school would take away the only approved hurricane shelter in the area, presenting a potential problem for the community.
The process toward closing the school begins with SAZAC creating the new school attendance zones. Hightower said that at least one of the upcoming SAZAC meetings should be held in Century to allow area residents to attend the meeting. If the board is to eventually vote to close the school, she said that at least one school board meeting should also be held in Century to allow public input.
Pictured top: School Superintendent Jim Paul (left) listens as Century Mayor Freddie McCall pleads Tuesday night with the Escambia School Board to save Carver/Century K-8 School. Pictured middle: Century resident Annie Savage address the school board in support of Century’s school. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
District Changes Mind On Middle School Walk Policy
August 20, 2008
The Escambia School Board is changing its mind on the their new middle school walk zone policy, going back to the old policy. The new walk zone had middle school students two miles away walking to school. The old policy, which is being reinstated, decreases that distance to 1.5 miles.
Several parents, many with students attending Tate High School or Ransom Middle School, told the school board Tuesday night that they feared for the safety of their children.
Expressing the potential dangers of crossing a busy Highway 29 to children walking past dozens of registered sex offenders living near Tate High, parents wanted the district to return to the old walk policy. The district did just that, making an immediate change back to the 1.5 mile walk zone.
The state provides funding to transport students that live more than two miles from school, but not within the two mile limit for middle or high school students.
Some parents complained that their children were forced to walk in ditches due to the lack of sidewalks near the schools.
“I encourage you to go to your county commission and make the same plea,” board member Patty Hightower said.
“It’s going to mean being involved with the people in Tallahassee,” board member Gerald Boone said. “I know I wouldn’t let my children or grandchildren walk in situations like that.”
Pictured above: A concerned citizen holds a sign protesting the Escambia County’s school walk policy at the school board’s Tuesday night meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Another $3 Million Plus In Pot Found Near Jay
August 20, 2008
Deputies in north Santa Rosa County have discovered another almost 2,000 pot plants near Jay.
The 1,900 plants, valued at more than $3 million, were found in five different areas just outside Jay Tuesday.
Deputies did not say if the marijuana plants found Tuesday were related to several large discoveries earlier this year. About 5,000 plants were found in March, 1,100 marijuana plants were found and destroyed in late July, and another 250 plants were discovered a short time later.
Tharon “Buckshot” Godwin, 66, of Jay was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell, manufacture or deliver, a third degree felony in connection with one field. Authorities have not said if he was connected to any of the other fields.