West Florida Hospital Breaks Ground On Nine Mile Road ER
February 25, 2020
West Florida Hospital broke ground Monday on a new $12.4 million standalone emergency department on Nine Mile Road at I-10.
The new freestanding 24/7 emergency room will include 11 private exam rooms, laboratory and diagnostic imaging services .The 10,820 square foot building will also include an ambulance entrance and parking area.
It is expected to open late this year.
Hilda Rockhill
February 25, 2020
Hilda Rockhill, 87, of Pensacola, FL peacefully passed away on February 23, 2020. She was born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico on May 2, 1932 to parents Baldomero and Monserrate Roman. She moved to New York City when she was 13 years old and it was there that she raised her two sons, Edward and James. She later moved to Miami and became a successful banker receiving many awards. Her hobbies included pottery, knitting, fishing, and singing. Her greatest joy was following her son, Jimmy, around the world during his career in the Air Force, determined to make many memories with her grandsons.
She is preceded in death by parents, Baldomero and Monserrate Roman; son, Edward Spivak; sisters, Virginia Martinez, Alida Rodriquez, and Dolly McAnenny; and brothers, David Roman and Alberto Roman.
She is survived by her son, James (Jessica) Rockhill; brother, Cuso Roman; sister, Carmen Rivera; grandchildren, Peter (Megan) Rockhill, Jimmy (Rachel) Rockhill, Thomas Rockhill, Emma Rockhill, Abigail Rockhill, and Bennett Rockhill; and great grandchildren, Jack Rockhill and Callen Rockhill.
Viewing ceremony will be held Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 6pm to 8pm at Faith Chapel North Funeral Home located at 1000 S Hwy 29 Cantonment, FL.
Funeral services will be held Friday, February 28, 2020 at 3:30pm with Father Pathe and Pastor Calhoun officiating. Burial will be held at Rosehill Cemetery in Linden, New Jersey.
Lynn Ervin Powell
February 25, 2020
Mr. Lynn Ervin Powell 65 of Canoe, AL. passed away February 18, 2020. He was born on May 8, 1954 in Pensacola, FL. He was a millwright at Georgia-Pacific in Brewton, AL and is preceded in death by his parents K.C. and Cordie Hopkins Powell and his wife Audrey Diane Powell.
He is survived by his two sons Josh (April) Powell and Jesse Powell all of Kansas. Two brothers, Rodney Powell of Gulf Shores, AL and Bodie Baker of Oklahoma. Two sisters, Gail Godwin of Andalusia, AL. and Jane Robbins of Texas. Four Grandchildren, Alexis Powell, Jesse Lambert, Addison Powell and Jimmy Lambert.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, February 23, 2020 at 2PM from Atmore Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow in Serenity Gardens.
Active pallbearers will be David Jones, Leon Crawfor, Jeff Hall, Wayne Baker, Ricky Golson and Gary Hall.
Family will receive friends Sunday, February 23, 2020 from 1 PM until service time at 2 PM at Atmore Memorial Chapel Funeral Home.
Suspect Shot During Apparent Home Invasion Near Nine Mile Road
February 24, 2020
Gunfire was exchanged and a suspect was shot during an apparent attempted home invasion just north of Nine Mile Road Monday afternoon.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shots fired call on Sunnehanna Boulevard shortly after 2 p.m.
It appeared one of the suspects was shot during the gunfire, according Major Andrew Hobbs of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. That suspect was driven by someone to a local hospital and dropped off.
“Not everyone at the residence is being completely forthcoming at this time,” Hobb said as the ECSO continued their investigation into exactly what happened. A second suspect was believed to have fled, but no description was provided by the resident.
The condition of the person who was shot was not available. Additional details will be posted as they are released.
Photos courtesy Renee Beninate/WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cheat On Your Homestead Exemption In Escambia County? Here’s How The Property Appraiser Is Looking For You.
February 24, 2020
Cheating on your homestead exemption in Escambia County? Forgot to remove a homestead exemption that’s no longer valid? Escambia County Property Appraiser Chris Jones is looking to track you down and collect taxes reaching back up to a decade.
Jones has hired Louisiana-based Assessure Systems to comb through the tax rolls in Escambia County, using high-tech tools to track down invalid exemptions and collect what is rightfully due…plus penalties and interest. The program will begin with an audit of properties worth $100,000 or more.
“I have alway aggressively gone after homestead fraud,” he said. “It’s stealing from taxpayers, taking money out of our schools, projects and local coffers.”
Using two investigators and a floater, Escambia County’s local efforts currently uncover up to about a half million dollars per year revenue from fraudulent homestead exemptions, Jones said. With Assessure Systems, he expects that amount to easily double. Currently, about 40 percent of taxpayers identified with an invalid exemption come in and pay, while 60 percent move on to the lien process.
Once it is determined a homestead exemption is not valid, the tax appraiser can collect unpaid taxes from up to 10 years ago, plus a penalty of 50% of the unpaid taxes for each year, plus 15% annual interest. Assessure Systems will receive 28% of the collected tax amount. They receive the 28% at the time of the lien satisfaction and will have mp claim on future revenues. The taxing authority will receive the remaining taxes, along with the penalties and interest.
Once a homestead exemption is identified by Assessure as a potential violation, the process moves to the Property Appraiser’s Office. The owner will receive a 30 days notice by certified mail to explain why exemption is valid. If not, the clock starts ticking on 30 days to pay before a lien is filed. All correspondence will be signed and mailed locally by Jones’ office. The property appraiser has 100% control of the final determination of an invalid exemption.
“It’s not just Assessure making determinations,” Jones said. “Think of it as leads that we are still going to go through and vet.”
There are 163,696 real estate parcels in Escambia County. Of those, there are 70,708 homesteaded properties and 1,559 homesteaded condo units.
The property appraiser believes a higher rate of homestead exemption fraud may exist with condominiums on Escambia County’s beaches where individuals from out of town establish a Florida residence to avoid income taxes in other states.
“I’m going to go after the taxes locally on that doctor or lawyer or whoever is intentionally defrauding, and I’m going to turn them in to Ohio or wherever they are from,” Jones said. “I might deny it for a year, but I’m probably not to prosecute in a case where grandma died and it’s still in her name. I might just deny it for a year while they get everything right.”
Assessure Systems has already completed a sample audit as a test on 1,000 account submitted by the Escambia County Tax Collector. There were 44, or 4.4%, returned as suspect and 12, or 1.2%, were found to be in violation.
Escambia County, the Escambia County School Board and the Town of Century have signed memorandums of understanding with the Property Appraiser’s Office agreeing to give up the 28% fee. The City of Pensacola will likely consider their MOU this week, and the Northwest Florida Water Management District will soon vote. The program will begin when all of the taxing authorities have signed on.
In the state of Florida, a $25,000 exemption is applied to the first $50,000 of your property’s assessed value if your property is your permanent residence and you owned the property on January 1 of the tax year. This exemption applies to all taxes, including school district taxes. An additional exemption of up to $25,000 will be applied if your property’s assessed value is between at least $50,000 and $75,000. This exemption is not applied to school district taxes.
Assessure was founded 10 years ago, has a documented successful track record and is being used by nine other Florida counties. The company has several ad valorem tax related patents pending for scoring algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning to audit and entire tax roll in the fraction of time compared to local staff, with a substantial increase in accuracy and returns.
Escambia County Repaves Portion Of Greenland Road
February 24, 2020
A portion of Greenland Road in Davisville was repaved last week as part of Escambia County ongoing resurfacing projects.
The roadway was resurfaced from Highway 97 east about three-quarters of a mile to the pavement change where the dirt portion of Greenland Road was paved in 2016.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flood Warning Issued For The Escambia River Near Century
February 24, 2020
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a flood warning for the Escambia River near Century beginning late Thursday night.
Monday night, the stage was just over 16 feet. The river will gradually rise during the week, rising to above flood stage of 17 feet by Thursday night. At 17 feet, considerable flooding of lowlands occur.
Rain Likely, Possibly A Thunderstorm Through Monday Night
February 24, 2020
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 69. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph after midnight.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 53. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 31. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 61. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 59.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 62.
Tate Chaparrals Take Third In Gulf Coast Color Guard Percussion Circuit
February 24, 2020
The Tate High School Chaparrals finished in third place last Saturday inthe Gulf Coast Color Guard Percussion Circuit hosted by Pace High School. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Curriculum Fair Monday Evening For Incoming Ernest Ward Middle School Students
February 24, 2020
A curriculum fair for incoming sixth graders and students new to Ernest Ward Middle School will be held Monday evening.
The presentation begins promptly at 5 p.m. and will give students and parents a chance to learn about class options.
Registration cards will be giving to sixth grade students at their current school this week. Registration cards should be returned to the current school no later than Friday, March 6.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.