Twirler Wins Regional Titles
May 19, 2011
Colbi Kendall of Flomaton won two titles at the Regional Baton Competition last weekend in Wetumpka, Ala. She won the regional titles for 10-12 years old in 1 and 2 baton and also show twirl.
Kendall competed in the open division where she took fourth place in solo, second place in 2 baton and first place in show twirl. She competes on a competition team consisting of three other girls from Pace and Pensacola. They placed first in the open division and also had the highest score in Regional and open of all competing teams combined.
Kendall is instructed by Melissa Majors of Santa Rosa and Escambia Twirlers.
Escambia School Board Moves Closer To Tobacco-Free Hiring Policy
May 18, 2011
The Escambia County School Board moved closer Tuesday night to implementing a tobacco-free hiring policy.
During their regular meeting, the board voted unanimously to advertise intent to adopt the policy, which would not allow anyone to be hired that had used tobacco products within the last six months. Along with the standard drug test currently administered, new employees would also be tested for tobacco use. The newly hired employees would be required to remain tobacco free as a condition of employment.
The school board believes the new policy would not only mean healthier employees, but also lower costs associated with health insurance costs and lost days at work.
The policy defines tobacco as any product that includes tobacco intended or expected for human use or consumption, including lighted or unlighted cigarettes, cigars, pipes or any other smoking product, chewing tobacco or snuff. The policy applies to tobacco in any form, including lozenges, strips and pouches.
The board will vote on the adoption of the tobacco-free hiring policy at their regular June meeting.
Similar policies have been adopted by other large local employers, including Escambia County, ECUA, Sacred Heart Hospital and Baptist Health Care.
Century CI Donates To Pen Air, NorthEscambia Tornado Relief Effort
May 18, 2011
When they heard about a local drive to help tornado victims, the staff at Century Correctional Institution went to work to collect items to help. Tuesday, Century CI delivered their donations to Byrneville Elementary School, one of the drop-off locations for a tornado victim relief drive sponsored by Pen Air Federal Credit Union and NorthEscambia.com. The donations at Byrneville, Molino Park and Bratt elementary schools, Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High will be transported to north Alabama later this week. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Charter Continued Until 2015
May 18, 2011
The Escambia County School District is set to continue a charter school contact with Byrneville Elementary School to allow it to continue operation.
The new contract expected to be approved at the school board’s May 17 meeting will be in effect until June 30, 2015. The school will be funded for 180 students during the 2011-2012 school year.
All charter schools in the county are required to submit regular financial reports to the school district, and the board approves contract addendums to address funding at the schools.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Not Among Florida’s High Performing Schools
May 18, 2011
Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were not on the list Tuesday when the Florida Department of Education named 13 Florida school districts as 2011-12 Academically High Performing School Districts.
The high performing school districts have met the rigorous eligibility criteria that includes compliance with class size, earning high school and district grades, and receiving sound financial audits.
In the Florida Panhandle, Gulf and Walton counties were named as having high performing school districts.
Northview Girls Track Team Members Awarded
May 18, 2011
Northview’s Girls Track Team concluded their season with a Tuesday night banquet.
The girls received a certificate, pin, and a letter for first year athletes. In addition, the following awards were given:
- MVA Most Valuable Athlete- Given to the girls that earned the most points.
- MVA Field Events(Jump) Laniecia Gomez
- MVA Field Events (Throwing) Te’Andreia Knight
- MVA Mid & Long Distance -Georgia Goetter
- MVA Short Distance -Melissa Moretz(Not present)
- MVA Hurdles – Laniecia Gomez
- Take One for the Team Award-
- This years motto for the girls. The girls that would push and advance the team.
- Te’Andreia Knight, Naomi Cooler, Cheyanne Garnett, Shelby Nielsen, Jazzlyn Franklin, & Allissa Fiellin
- Heart of the Team Award-
- The girls that continued to uplift the team, positive attendance, help others, and kept it positive on the track and off.
- Laniecia Gomez & Ashley Cunningham
(MVA is Most Valuable Athelete, given to the girl that earned the most points in an event.)
Pictured top: Members of the Northview High School Girls Track Team. Pictured below: Take One for the Team Award winners. Pictured bottom: Heat of the Team Award winners Laniecia Gomez and Ashley Cunningham; MVA award winners Laniecia Gomez and Georgia Goetter. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Seeks Local Bidders For Lighting Project
May 18, 2011
The Town of Century is continuing their efforts to find local contractors to bid on town projects — this time for a lighting replacement project.
Prior to last month, the town had placed their bid solicitations only in the Pensacola News Journal. But now, the town is also posting the bid announcements on NorthEscambia.com in an effort to reach more contractors in Century and surrounding areas.
The town is accepting bids for the replacement of the existing lighting at three municipal buildings, including the town hall. Interested contractors must attend a mandatory pre-bid construction conference on May 19. Click here for the complete bid notice.
Future bid notices will be published on the Northescambia.com Classifieds page, available from the link at the top of this page or by clicking here. NorthEscambia.com is publishing the bid solicitations as a public service at no charge to the town.
Northview Student, Businesses Honored For Ethics
May 18, 2011
Tuesday, the BBB of Northwest Florida presented its sixth annual Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, Customer Service Excellence Award and Student Ethics Scholarships for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
The BBB also awarded three, $1,000 Student Ethics Scholarships each to Sarah Malinda Killam from Northview High School, Amber Briana Cotten from Pace High School and Sarah Renee Green from Pace High School. At Tuesday’s awards ceremony, the scholarship winners read their essay on character building, submitted as part of the application process.
The Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics was created to publicly recognize business and charities that insist on exceptionally high standards of behavior dealing with customers, vendors and employees.
This year, your BBB Foundation received several outstanding nominations. Island Realty of Pensacola Beach and the Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce both received Honorable Mentions for the Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics.
The Torch Award winner for a small business, Medi-Weight Loss Clinics, was recognized for their values-based management. The Torch Award winner for a mid-sized, Sea Gallery Stores, plays an active role in the community and chamber of commerce to promote other businesses in the area.
The recipient of the Torch Award in the charity category goes to Gulf Coast Kid’s House. The non-profit provides child-friendly services, minimize trauma to affected families, and educate the community about child abuse.
The Customer Service Excellence Award honors an individual that goes above and beyond in their customer service activities.
BBB’s Customer Service Excellence Award winner, Gretchen Shields with Granny Nannies, was highly recommended by her both her boss and clients. Amber Wright, BBB Dispute Resolution Specialist, was also recognized with a Customer Service Excellence Award.
Pictured top: Sarah Killam of Northview High School accepts a $1,000 BBB Student Ethics Scholarship Tuesday. Pictured inset: Killam reads here essay on character building, which was required as part of the application process. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Opal Lambeth Valenzuela Free
May 18, 2011
Mrs. Opal Lambeth Valenzuela Free, 55, passed away on Sunday, May 15, 2011, in Davisville.
Mrs. Free was a native of Atmore, a former resident of Bay Minette, and a resident of Davisville for most of her life. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Chapter 188 in Century and the Vision Ministry Church of Bay Minette.
Survivors include her husband, Marvin L. Free of Davisville; her son, Chad and Lori Lambeth of Rabon; three daughters, April and Steve Kelley of Perdido, Angel and Denny Carlton of Bay Minette, and Mina Lambeth and Robert Day of Rabon; her mother, Ruth Hadley of Elanor; 11 grandchildren; two brothers, Shannon and Selena Vinson of Elsanor and Daryl and Diane Bryars of Perdido; and a sister, Peggy Sue Naylor of Ft. Myers.
Funeral services will be held Friday, May 20, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Ronald Hall officiating. Burial will follow at White Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Thursday, May 19, 2011, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Denny Carlton, Robert Day, Steve Kelley, Derrick Crocker, Stoney Shiver and Tony Carlton.
Scott Signs Property Insurance Rewrite
May 18, 2011
A sweeping and controversial measure aimed at reducing costs to property insurers and liability for taxpayers was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Rick Scott, who said it was a significant first step in restoring the private insurance market in Florida.
Equally important, Scott said the measure (SB 408) will help lower the number of Florida coastal residents now insured by the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s largest property insurer with 1.3 million policies, by making it easier for private companies to compete.
“We’ve got to recruit other companies, other insurance companies,” Gov. Rick Scott said Tuesday in an interview with the News Service. “We’ve got to make sure Citizens goes back to being the insurance company of last resort.”
Among its changes, the bill allows insurance companies to charge more for policies that pay replacement costs up front while offering discounts to policyholders who opt to get reimbursed for lost items as they are replaced.
A major provision places more restrictions on sinkhole coverage. The law makes it easier for insurers to challenge claims and shortens to two years the window in which policyholders can file claims.
“This bill focuses on addressing cost drivers in the system and will yield long-term benefits for Florida by stabilizing the property insurance market and attracting new capital investment to our state.” Said Kevin McCarty, Florida’s insurance commissioner, who supported similar changes that were vetoed last year by then Gov. Charlie Crist.
Less enthused, however, were critics of insurers, led by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, who said the changes left many policyholders at risk of losing private insurance altogether and being forced to go into Citizens – the opposite of one of the bill’s intended effects.
“Unfortunately, what happens next is that every home owner, every condominium condo owner, every mobile home owner, and every small business owner will be paying higher premiums to private insurers and will see their rates go up in the next 18 months,” Fasano said in an interview.
Scott’s decision drew immediate praise from the Senate sponsor, business groups, and the industry as a whole.
“(The bill) closes loopholes that invite fraudulent claims by restricting misleading advertising and misleading solicitations,” said Richter, R-Naples, sponsor of the bill. “It also attacks cost drivers in an effort to responsibly lower insurance premiums. With hurricane season quickly approaching, this legislation is critical to ensure a solvent industry that policyholders can rely on.”
The insurance industry lobbied the issue hard. State Farm, Florida’s second largest property insurer behind state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp, spent at least $150,000 for the quarter to press its case to lawmakers. FCCI, a regional commercial insurer, spent more than $250,000 in lobbying fees.
Business groups including the Florida Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Florida lauded the signing Tuesday, calling the measure a good first step.
“We should not be requiring all Floridians including businesses, charities, homeowners, churches and automobile policyholders to pay hurricane taxes,” said Jose Gonzales, of AIF. “We should not be subsidizing million dollar beach homes on Florida’s coast and we should not be going into every hurricane season hoping for a miracle.”
Fasano, however, said he hopes to return to the issue when lawmakers return next year after policyholders feel the effects.
“Gov. Scott ran on a platform of no new taxes or fees,” Fasano said. “The law pretty much ensures that we will see a rise in fees, a tax if you will, on all rate payers,”
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida