Molino ‘Queen Mother’ Leads Red Hat Ladies In Celebration
January 7, 2009
The ladies of the Red Hat Society recently held there second annual Christmas celebration at the American Legion 340 in Pensacola, complete with dancing, laughter and gifts for everyone. The mistress of ceremonies was Nan Johnson from Molino, the Queen Mother of the “Dazzzling Divas”.
The Red Hat Ladies are the ladies seen meeting together in red hats…there are often pink hats too. The red hats are for ladies over 50; the Pink Hatters are ladies that have not reached “the birthday” of 50. The purpose of the Red Hat Society, according to their web site, is to have fun.
“Little girls grow up, but they’re never too old to play dress-up and have tea parties,” the web site says.
From the “Dazzling Divas” to the “Classy Sassy Ladies of Gulfport, MS.”, everyone had their fair share of fun at the American Legion 340. Ladies that ranged from 65 to 90 danced to the music of a local band “The Dreamers”, doing the “Electric Slide” and the “Cha-Cha Shuffle”.
The Dazzzling Divas began the day with skits, gave out gifts to each lady present and enjoyed a wonderful lunch. The ladies were asked for things that brought back good memories. One of the memories was packages wrapped in brown paper tied with string. All the gifts were wrapped in brown paper with string. The ladies report a much larger turnout than last year.
Pictured above: Queen Mother Nan Johnson (in the purple) from Molino in a Dazzzling Divas skit. Pictured below: The Red Hat ladies celebrate. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com
Photos and story submitted by Tina Pendleton.
North Escambia Firemen Called To Massive Milton Fire; City Block Burns
January 7, 2009
Firefighters from Century and McDavid were among the over 75 firefighters that worked for hours Tuesday night to control a massive fire in Milton that destroyed almost an entire city block of the town’s downtown historic district.
The fire was reported on the block with the historic Imogene Theatre about 7:00 Tuesday night. Most of the block was destroyed, including a coffee shop, a bookstore, and a professional office building with lawyers’ offices. Officials say the structural integrity of several of the buildings was a concern. The Imogene Theater, built in 1912, received some smoke, fire and water damage but was believed to be structurally intact. The buildings are located across the street from the Santa Rosa County Courthouse on Caroline Street in Milton.
The Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and firemen from McDavid were dispatched to the scene about 8:00 Tuesday night to provide relief manpower. Century’s engine and the firefighters arrived at the scene about an hour later. They remained on scene in Milton until 1:06 this morning.
Click here for a photo gallery from the scene.
Pictured above and below: A massive fire consumed a large portion of an entire city block in Milton Tuesday night. Over 75 firefighters, including firefighters from Century and McDavid, battled the blaze. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.
Unknown Author Called Ignorant, Cowardly After Fliers Question Century Dept. Of Justice Probe, Bond Agency Scam
January 6, 2009
Century’s attorney has essentially called the unknown author of fliers left around Century ignorant and cowardly. The fliers question if the Century council could be part of a Department of Justice probe due to involvement in a bond agency that is scamming taxpayers.
“Century Florida Subject of Department of Justice Probe?” reads the headline on the flier that was left at the entrances to Century Town Hall, the Century Branch Library and other locations around the town sometime between the afternoon of December 31 and the morning of January 2.
“The ’second signature’ finance agreement Century has with Gulf Breeze brings pennies to Century compared to the millions Gulf Breeze is able to scam from taxpayers,” the text on the flier begins.
The Town of Century and the City of Gulf Breeze have been partners in the Capital Trust Agency since 1999, issuing over $1.5 billion in bonds for public housing projects, a Seminole Indian resort and a healthcare facility in Kansas. In return for providing the second signature on the bonds, the Town of Century has received payments totaling over a half million dollars, according to Matt Dannheisser, Century’s attorney. Dannheisser also serves at the attorney for the City of Gulf Breeze.
“What kind of advise is Century getting? — Is it really a no-brainer or more like Gulf Breeze needs a easy mark to take advantage of? While you guys are pick’in cotton in the north part of the county, the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and DOJ investigates Secret Agreements, Bid Rigging, Kickback Schemes and other conspiracies which involve Black Box Scams. Read about the Staggering Scandal in phantom bonds based upon Charles Lecroy public housing model that Gulf Breeze and Century use to rip off the poor,” the flier continues.
“The flier you furnished has the heading “Century Florida Subject of Department of Justice Probe?” Quite simply, that is false. Although there is currently an ongoing nationwide Department of Justice investigation of various major players in the public finance industry (e.g., underwriters, insurers, financial advisers, derivative providers, etc.), neither the Town of Century nor the City of Gulf Breeze nor Capital Trust Agency are involved in the investigation and there has not been the slightest assertion of wrongdoing on their parts,” Dannheisser wrote in an email sent to town council members.
“Another comment in one of the fliers suggests that Century and Gulf Breeze could be at risk for issuing “phantom bonds.” This remark again reflects the ignorance of the author of the fliers who cowardly fails to identify himself. In connection with every issuance of bonds by Capital Trust Agency I have explained to the Town Council and hereby again reiterate, that there can be no financial exposure to Century or Gulf Breeze (or, for that matter, Capital Trust Agency) should there be a default in any of the bonds,” Dannheisser wrote. “…a suggestion that Century, Gulf Breeze, or CTA could be made to pay delinquent bonds only serves to demonstrate the ignorance of any person making such statements.”
On the subject of “Kickback Schemes”, Dannheisser said in his email that CTA assisted the IRS in their prosecution against financial advisor Chambers, Dunhill and Ruben and AIG Insurance through one of their subsidiaries after such a violation in connection with bonds issued in 1990. But he said that Century, Gulf Breeze and the CTA had no knowledge of the violation and no part in it.
“In connection with that bond issuance, the IRS issued a letter to Capital Trust Agency clearly finding that CTA had acted properly and had not done anything wrong in connection with the bonds and their issuance. Again, suggestions by the unidentified author of the fliers suggesting otherwise are merely petty and malicious attempts to cast aspersions against people who have provided a valuable public service,” Dannheisser wrote.
“Lastly, a comment in the flier also questions the benefits to the Town of Century of participating with Gulf Breeze in the creation of Capital Trust Agency. Not only has the Town’s participation been at no risk to the Town (i.e., each financing plan includes a provision where CTA will indemnify the Town for any damages or expenses that it could incur), the Town’s participation has resulted in it receiving around $500,000.00 in revenues. There are local governmental entities in northwest Florida that are very eager for such revenues and willing to take Century’s place. Yet, Gulf Breeze recognizes the value to Century in participating in the arrangement and that Century is perhaps more in need of the financial assistance than other interested local governmental entities,” the town attorney’s email said.
Dannheisser’s email states that people associated with the CTA would like to learn the identity of the person that distributed the fliers so that civil or even criminal prosecution could be pursued.
Dannheisser’s email was sent late Monday afternoon to Ann Brooks, Century town council president. Brooks had emailed one version of the flier to the attorney early Saturday morning. His email also says that Century Mayor Freddie McCall had faxed the flyer to him. Copies of the email were also sent to council members Henry Hawkins and Nadine McCaw, Mayor McCall, Century clerk and assistant Dorothy Sims and Karen Hughes, CTA Executive Director Ed Gray III, attorney Richard Lott, Gulf Breeze City Manager Edwin “Buz” Eddy and a person with an email address username “slucasmedpa” that NorthEscambia was unable to identify late Monday night.
It appears from Dannheisser’s email that he may not have intended for his comments to be public.
“…as the attorney for the Town of Century, it is not my place to publicly respond,” Dannheisser wrote. “I will not have any public response to the anonymous and ludicrous comments set forth in the fliers.”
NorthEscambia.com obtained a copy of the email shortly after it was sent. The copy of the email we obtained does not indicate that it is privileged attorney-client communications.
But the letter became public record without a doubt Monday night when Brooks read the entire letter verbatim at the Century Town Council’s meeting.
NorthEscambia.com will continue to follow this developing story and bring you the latest details.
Pictured above: One of the fliers distributed around Century Friday that questions if the town could be part of a Department of Justice probe in connection with bonds issued with the City of Gulf Breeze through the Capital Trust Agency. Pictured bottom: Council President Ann Brooks (L) and Sharon Scott read the email from Matt Dannheisser, town attorney. NorthEscambia.com photo, cflick to enlarge.
Brooks Elected Council President, Hawkins Vice President
January 6, 2009
Ann Brooks was re-elected on a 3-2 split vote as the president of the Century Town Council at their Monday night meeting.
Two council members voted for Henry Hawkins as the new council president, including Hawkins who voted for himself. Fellow council member Gary Rily also voted for Hawkins.
Brooks received two votes, one from herself and one from Nadine McCaw, making the vote 2-2.
That put council member Sharon Scott in the position to vote and ultimately choose the council president.
“Either way I vote, I hurt somebody’s feelings,” Scott said.
“It’s tax season coming up and you are going to be busy,” Scott said to Brooks, who works an accountant in her own firm.
“You are not going to hurt my feelings,” Brooks responded.
“I guess I will vote for you because you are woman,” Scott told Brooks, giving Brooks her second term as council president.
Hawkins and McCaw were nominated for the position of vice-president of the council. Hawkins won the position on a 3-2 vote. He replaces Scott who served as vice president last year.
ECUA Recycling Program Began Tuesday, But Where Are The Cans?
January 6, 2009
The ECUA’s new residential recycling programs kicked off Tuesday in North Escambia, but very few residents that have opted to participate in the program have received their recycling can.
In our search for an ECUA recyclables container, we found District 5 ECUA Board Member Larry Walker in his truck along Highway 4 near Byrneville late Monday morning. He had been in North Escambia all morning, talking to residents about ECUA’s new service and searching for recyclable containers. He found none, and Walker said he was not sure why.
“All customers–regardless of location–who requested recyclables service prior to December 26 should find a recyclables can delivered by Saturday, January 3. Customers who have signed up after December 26 will receive delivery by January 10,” Larry Walker, ECUA District 5 Board member, told NorthEscambia.com in an email early on January 2.
Fast forward to January 5, and there were no containers to be found. NorthEscambia.com drove two different routes from Davisville to Walnut Hill to Bratt to Byrneville and Century on Monday. We found lots of regular trash cans, but we found exactly zero recycling containers. All we found was Walker, also looking for recycling containers, and we found trash pickups that ECUA missed last week.
Walker said the cans were to be delivered by a contract company, and he was told those deliveries would be done by Saturday to those customers that had signed up for service by December 26. We have received reports that a few customers in Molino area did receive the recyclables containers by Monday.
He said he would continue to push for timely delivery of the recyclable containers in North Escambia and the rest of the county.
ECUA made their first trash pickups on Friday and Saturday. Customers from Davisville to Bratt to Byrneville to Century were missed, and ECUA trucks were out again Monday pickup up those customers.
Walker said that ECUA was not obligated under their Allied Waste takeover contract to make those Friday and Saturday pickups, but they were done as a public service and as a test run for Tuesday’s first official pickup. Every North Escambia waste pickup customer, except for Allied Waste customers in Century, were to have their trash, yard debris and recyclables (if they have a recyclable can) picked up Tuesday.
As customers of Allied Waste, North Escambia customers had two 90 gallon trash container pickups per week on different days. Now that ECUA has taken over Allied’s customers in North Escambia, residents will get one 90 gallon trash pickup, an option recycling pickup in up to a 90 gallon can, and a yard waste pickup — all three in one day.
Pictured above: We created this graphic showing what an ECUA trash and recyclables can might look like. ECUA’s recyclables services began Tuesday in North Escambia, but we were unable to locate a single recyclables container that had been delivered to a North Escambia customer between Walnut Hill and Byrneville.
Students Head Back To School
January 6, 2009
Students in Escambia County Schools head back to class today after a long Christmas vacation.
Motorists are reminded to obey the lower speed limits in school zones, and they are reminded to be on the lookout for school buses loading and unloading.
Teachers and staff were back at school Monday for an in-service planning day.
The next school holiday will be Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 19.
Carver/Century School Honors Susan Jones As Teacher Of The Year
January 6, 2009
As they returned to school for the New Year, the staff and faculty at Carver/Century K-8 School took the time to honor one of their own Monday.
Third grade teacher Susan Jones was honored as Carver/Century’s Teach of the Year by her peers.
“She is an excellent, excellent teacher,” Principal Jeff Garthwaite said. “She was one of the teachers directly responsible for our gains last year on the FCAT in the third grade.”
This will be the last year in the classroom for Jones; she is planning on retirement after 35 years as a teacher.
The teachers and staff celebrated with a lunch, including a bit of “bubbly”(sparkling grape juice). The lunch, sponsored by the Carver/Century School Advisory Council, included items donated by Subway of Flomaton, Tri-Cities Florist in Flomaton, Piggly Wiggly and Southern Panhandle Restaurant.
Pictured above: Carver/Century Principal Jeff Garthwaite pours a glass of sparkling grape juice for Teacher of the Year Susan Jones at a staff lunch Monday at the school. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
New Sheriff Plans To Make Century Crime A Top Target
January 5, 2009
Now that David Morgan has been sworn in as Escambia County’s new sheriff , he plans to turn his sights on Century as one of his first major projects.
“You tell them that I coming for them. If they are part of the criminal element in Century, I’m coming for them,” Morgan told NorthEscambia.com. ” I am going to start with Century and show them how it is done.” Morgan said that he will begin his attack on crime in Century within four months.
Statistically, Century accounts for a large majority of all sheriff’s department calls in North Escambia.
“I want to put the criminal element that has their foot on the throat of Century on notice,” Morgan said. “Their days are over.”
Morgan said he wants to sit down with Century Mayor Freddie McCall and work on a plan to clean up the town.
“Century needs to stand by,” Morgan said. “We want to work on a plan to take care of the problem in that town.”
Also in North Escambia, the sheriff-elect said he intends to reopen the department’s Walnut Hill Precinct that has sat mostly unused for years.
Countywide, Morgan said he intends to hit the ground running to make his campaign promises a reality. He plans to restructure the Escambia County Sheriff’ Department administration, putting more deputies on the streets of the county. And he plans to increase pay for deputies and correctional officers.
“The good ole boy system, that’s coming to an end,” Morgan said. “When times are good, you can kind of pull that off, but when times are bad, you can’t.”
He expects that annual budget for the sheriff’s department to be cut from its current $86.3 million to around $76 million. But despite the cuts, he plans to increase the number of deputies on the streets of Escambia County. Out of 1,058 employees in the sheriff’s department, Morgan said just 240 are deputies on patrol. He said 55 percent of the department’s employees work in administration.
“You have secretaries that gets cars to drive and gas cards,” he said.
Morgan plans to increase the number of deputies on patrol from the current 240 to nearly 300, the number of detention employees at the jail from 268 to about 300 and nearly double the number of narcotics officers.
“We are going to do more basic police work at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office,” he added. “We are going to return to serving the public, not being served.”
Morgan was sworn-in Tuesday morning as the county’s top cop.
Pictured above: Sheriff elect David Morgan was sworn in on Tuesday. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Dense Fog Advisory, Chance Of Rain
January 5, 2009
A dense fog advisory is in effect until 9:00 this morning for North Escambia and the surrounding area.
A dense fog advisory means visibilities will frequently be reduced to less than one quarter mile. If driving, slow down, use your low beam headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
There is a 50 percent chance of rain today, with a high of 73. The rain chance remains at 40 percent tonight, 50 percent on Tuesday, 80 percent Tuesday night and 20 percent Wednesday.
Daytime highs Tuesady will be about 72, with a low of 58.
Wednesday will be sunny and cooler, with a high of 62 and a low of 35.
Reminder: New North Escambia Trash Day Is Tuesday
January 5, 2009
Don’t forget to take out the trash tonight…the new trash day in North Escambia is Tuesdays. ECUA is now the residential sanitation company in North Escambia, except for within the town limits of Century, and the pickup day is Tuesday.
Emerald Coast Utilities Authority sanitation service has assumed collection of all routes currently collected by Allied Waste in North Escambia.
All ECUA customers, including North Escambia customers, will begin receiving once weekly garbage, recyclable and yard waste pickup beginning tomorrow. For customers in North Escambia, the pickup day will be Tuesday. The collection service includes once weekly garbage pickup, once weekly pickup of recyclables, and once weekly yard waste pickup. In addition, bulky waste pickup service is available, free-of-charge, once each calendar month. Residential garbage service rates have been reduced to $17.99 a month.