Rain Thursday Before Turning Colder
November 6, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A slight chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday Night: Showers likely before midnight, then a chance of rain after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 54. Light and variable wind becoming north 10 to 15 mph in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Friday: Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 60. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Calm wind.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Veterans Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 72.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Breezy.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Breezy.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 53.
Ransom Middle School Placed On Lockdown
November 5, 2019
Ransom Middle School was placed a precautionary lockdown Tuesday morning.
The lockdown was initiated after a teacher reporting hearing a single gunshot somewhere near the school campus, according to Maj. Andrew Hobbs of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement searched the area surrounding the school.
File photo.
Driver Uninjured In North Highway 99 Rollover
November 5, 2019
A driver escaped injury in a single vehicle rollover Tuesday morning near Bratt.
The driver was southbound on North Highway 99 near Breastworks Road when she failed to properly negotiate a curve and left the roadway. Her vehicle crossed back over both lanes and overturned, coming to rest upright against a signpost. She refused medical transport from Escambia County EMS following the crash about 10:50 a.m.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Gas Department Losses Top $1 Million In Four Years
November 5, 2019
Financial losses for the Town of Century gas department have surpassed $1 million during the last four fiscal years, and the town still can’t account for a large portion of the natural gas it purchases for resale. But they are continuing to work on several steps to curb the financial bleeding.
The gas department lost $222,304.75 for the fiscal year ending September 30, even after a $10,000 influx from the water department and $41,000 from the garbage fund. That loss total does not include another $125,000 in depreciation but does include $78,000 for new meters that are still being installed.
The gas fund lost $527,738 during the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years according to a grand jury investigation, and about $322,000 in FY 2018, according to a financial audit.
In September, the town could not account for 45% of natural gas purchased for resale, Town Manager Buz Eddy said. They’ve attributed the difference to inaccurate meters, a small number of users not receiving bills, and billing inaccuracies. The missing gas is not leaking.
The town has several major steps planned in the near team to reduce the gas department’s financial slide and perhaps even turn a profit.
Currently, Pensacola Energy is under contract to replace 10 commercial gas meters, including the meter at Century Correctional Institution, and the town is considering a proposal from Florida Public Utilities to replace the remainder of the commercial meters and all residential meters to increase billing accuracy. The town will also seek proposal for handheld meter reading devices to reduce human error.
The natural gas bill for Century Correctional Institution, the town’s largest natural gas customer, will be recalculated to account for meter inaccuracies.
Also during the previous fiscal year, the general fund had income about $75,000 greater than budgeted, water and sewer nearly $90,000 greater than the one cent that was budgeted, and garbage fund about $9,950 more than the zero projected.
Monday night, the Century Town Council approved a resolution amending the previous year’s budget to reflect the differences.
Century’s entire budget for the current 2019-2020 fiscal year is about $3.64 million for all departments.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Driver’s License Service, Vehicle Registration Event Today In Century
November 5, 2019
Mobile driver’s license and vehicle registration services are available Tuesday in Century.
Thee Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) mobile office will be in Century from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Billy G. Ward Century Courthouse at 7500 North Century Boulevard.
FLOW is a stand-alone mobile office with technology to provide most motorists’ needs. The mobile unit provides a convenient method to renew a driver’s license, obtain a replacement driver’s license, conversion/reciprocation of out-of-state license, change a name or address on a current driver’s license or identification card, and get a first-time identification card. In addition to licensing services, the mobile unit also provides an opportunity to renew or replace a vehicle registration and apply, renew or replace disabled parking placards. Written and driving tests are not available from the FLOW unit.
Citizens can renew vehicle registrations up to three months and driver’s licenses up to 18 months in advance of expiration.
Citizens using the FLOW services are encouraged to visit EscambiaTaxCollector.com and click the “What Do I Bring” button for information on what is needed for these services. Staff from the tax collector’s office will be on hand to answer all FLOW service questions and questions concerning all other tax collector services such as property tax, business tax receipts, concealed weapons licensing, etc. Citizens also can drop off property tax payments (checks only).
Pictured: Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) provided motorist services such as driver’s license renewals in Century in early August. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview NJROTC Earns Awards At Louisiana Drill Meet
November 5, 2019
The Northview High School NJROTC earned a long list of awards Saturday at the Pearl River High School Drill Meet in Pearl River, Louisiana:
2nd place female curl ups — Sarius Davis
2nd place male curl ups – Keaton Brown
2nd place male curl ups overall
3rd place in the run overall
3rd place armed basic
1st unarmed basic
2nd place academics
3rd place color guard
2nd place personnel inspection
3rd place overall drill meet
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Milder, Then A Chance Of Rain Later This Week
November 5, 2019
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. East wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Thursday Night: Showers likely before midnight, then a chance of rain after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 54. Light and variable wind becoming north 5 to 10 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of rain before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 61. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Veterans Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66.
Work Nearly Complete On $1.3 Million Carver Park Area Drainage Project
November 5, 2019
Work is approaching completion on a $1.3 million drainage project in the Carver Park area of Cantonment.
The new drainage system is was installed in the Washington, Ransom, Booker, Webb, Lincoln and Louis streets areas, and the project is reported to be 98% complete.
The Carver Park Drainage Improvement Project consists of installing a new stormwater conveyance system with outfall to a new dry stormwater pond located east of Ransom Street. The project includes construction of shallow roadside swales, ditch bottom and curb inlets, approximately 4,900 linear feet of stormwater transmission pipes, and the relocation and installation of approximately 1,900 linear feet of water main lines.
Work started back in November 2018 and is expected to be completed by November 18. It was funded by Local Option Sales Tax dollars.
Pictured above and first two photos below: Work on a Cantonment draining project as seen last week. Pictured bottom three photos: The project on August 10. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
August 2019 photos below.
Anne Fillingim Named Jim Allen Elementary Teacher Of The Year
November 5, 2019
Anne Fillingim has been named Jim Allen Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is the guidance counselor at Jim Allen. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Charter Committee Examines Its Role
November 5, 2019
The Century Charter Review Committee (CRE) took another look at the town’s charter Monday night, and they took steps to establish their identity and roles.
Early in the meeting, member Mary Hudson Bourgeois brought forward a list of items for the committee to consider before actually tackling the charter. Her list included a better location that council chambers that would facilitate a roundtable type discussion setting for 10 members and the need for an agenda.
She also requested that meetings not be held immediately prior to council meetings, which limits the amount of time the committee has for deliberations. And, she suggested that the committee should have a chair and vice-chair.
Committee members agreed, and on a vote, Hudson was elected chair, and Shelisa Abraham was named vice-chair.
In future meeting, the committee intends to early-on tackle the possibility of adding a city manager to the charter, Century’s overall form of government, and review charters from other cities and towns in Florida.
The next meeting date and location for the Century Charter Review Committee had not yet been set. All meetings are open to the public.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.