Century’s $10 Million Application For Gym, Shelter Project Hits Another Snag
April 6, 2023
Century’s plans to seek a $10 million grant to turn the old Century High School gym into a multipurpose facility that could also serve as a hurricane or other disaster shelter has hit another snag.
The town does not own the old gym, which was constructed in 1960; it belongs to Pensacola State College.
The town council voted this week to continue with the grant application, contingent upon PSC giving transferring the building and property to the town. A long term lease, Council President Luiz Gomez said, is not an option.
As we previously reported, town consultant Robin Phillips, who is managing the grant submissions, said the gym is laden with asbestos and lead. It has been essentially abandoned for years, and is in poor condition. For those reasons, Phillips said an architect is recommending that the building be demolished and rebuilt.
A few weeks ago, the council considered PSC as a co-applicant for the grant, but that plan is off the table.
Phillips said she will write the grant as being contingent upon the ownership transfer. Otherwise, the town will withdraw the application.
Mayor Ben Boutwell said he spoke to the college president, but their board must approve the transfer. The PSC board’s next meeting is not until just after the April 14 grant application deadline.
The council discussed seeking the $10 million to build the multipurpose building and shelter elsewhere on town-owned property, including the industrial park. Phillips said there was not enough time before the deadline for a required public notice and comment period in order to change the location.
Century is also seeking a seperate $2,862,137 grant to replace a failed bridge on Freedom Road that has been closed for three years, and make drainage improvements to two other bridges that suffered embankment erosion during Hurricane Sally. The bridge and drainage grant will not be impacted by the continuation or withdrawal of the gym application.
The grant, if awarded, would be from Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Small Cities Hurricane Sally Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding through the Rebuild Florida Infrastructure Repair Program.
Former Navy Federal Employee Charged In $357K Theft, Fraud Case
April 6, 2023
A former Navy Federal Credit Union employee has been arrested for grand theft and fraud in connection with over $350,000 in fraud from account holders.
Johnathan Toriana Coleman Jr., 28, of Delray Beach, was charged with one felony count each of bank fraud, grand theft and organized fraud.
The investigation showed that Coleman used his position while employed in Pensacola to supply customer account information to a third party, who would pose as the member and initiate unauthorized transfers of funds to mule accounts at the credit union.
Agents discovered that Coleman helped defraud 38 account holders out of a total of $357,491, and that, within three days of each illegal transfer made by the third party, Coleman received payments from the third party totaling nearly $30,000.
All of the affected account holders have since been notified by the credit union.
Agents with FDLE’s Miami Regional Operations Center, with assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Coleman. Coleman was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on $115,000 bond. He will be extradited to Escambia County
Motorcycle Crash On Pensacola Beach Kills Driver, Critically Injures Passenger
April 6, 2023
One person from Escambia County was killed and another was airlifted to the hospital following in motorcycle crash Wednesday evening on Pensacola Beach.
The 23-year old male driver lost control of his motorcycle in a curve and struck a curb on Fort Pickens Road near the Margaritaville Beach Hotel about 6:11 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said he was pronounced deceased at the scene. His 21-year old female passenger from Pensacola was flown to the hospital in critical condition.
FHP is continuing their investigation.
Tate High Names Students Of The Month
April 6, 2023
Tate High School recently announced their January Students of the Month. They are Makenzie Greene and Bray Touchstone. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fields Of Faith: Community Worship Service Held
April 6, 2023
Northview High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes hosted a spring Fields of Faith Wednesday night in Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium.
Fields of Faith is a national student-led initiative. “Students invite, pray for, share with, and challenge their peers to read the Bible and follow Jesus Christ. An athletic field provides a neutral, rally point where a community can come together,” according to national organizers.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Melvin Robert Johnson
April 6, 2023
Mr. Melvin Robert Johnson, age 87, passed away Tuesday, April 4, 2023 in a Pensacola, Florida hospice facility.
Mr. Johnson was born in Century, Florida and had been a resident of Flomaton, AL for the past five years, coming from Jay, Florida. Melvin was a proud graduate of Century High School, where he played on the football team. He worked in the sand and gravel industry. He enjoyed gambling, going to the casino, and fishing.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lula Mae Johnson; his parents, James Edward “Jim” Johnson and Verla Payne Johnson; daughters, Glenda Jerkins and Rita Croley; brothers, Earl Johnson, Clyde Johnson and Bobby Johnson; sister, Marguerite “Sister” Harold; granddaughter, Melita White; grandson, Frankie Carnley, Jr.
He is survived by two great-grandsons, Zac (Alex) White of Flomaton and Kegan (Sandalin) White of Brewton; Great-great-grandchildren, Baylor White, Townsley White, Zhane White and Yazzabell White; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 10, 2023 at 2:00 P.M. from the chapel of Flomaton Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Cora Cemetery in Jay, Florida.
Visitation will be held on Monday from 1:00 P.M until service time at 2:00 P.M. at Flomaton Funeral Home.
Pallbearers: Steve Stanton, Larry Zangas, Jimmy White, Jerry Lynn Lacy, Wayne Lacy, and Tim Johnson.
Honorary Pallbearer: Jim Johnson.
Contractor Matt Banks Indicted On Four Felony Charges Including Racketeering
April 5, 2023
A grand jury has indicted Pensacola contractor Matthew Scott Banks has been indicted on four felonies.
“Matthew Banks, a local contractor, personally and through his business Banks Construction, engaged in a pattern of criminal activity and stole over $5 million in funds, materials and services from more than 150 victims. Yesterday, Matthew Banks was indicted by an Escambia County grand jury,” State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden announced Wednesday afternoon.
Banks, 39, was indicted for racketeering, aggravated white collar crime, organized fraud, and tampering with evidence. He surrendered at the Escambia County Jail and was released on a $150,000 bond nine minutes later.
The first three counts are first degree felonies and are each punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and the fourth count is punishable by up to five years in prison. A trial date has not yet been set.
“The defendant, in this case, has been charged and will be brought to justice for exploiting innocent victims who were trying to improve their lives for his personal gain,” said Madden. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold him accountable for taking advantage of people by stealing their money and robbing them of trust in businesses. This arrest proves he is not representative of our many reputable contractors.”
The case was investigated by the Office of State Attorney Division of Investigations, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Pensacola Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Agriculture, and the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Investigative and Forensic Services.
PSC Approves FPL Rate Decrease, But Rates Are Still Up Overall For 2023
April 5, 2023
Tuesday, the Florida Public Service Commission today approved a reduction of $494 million in 2023 fuel costs for Florida Power & Light. Of this amount, an approximate $379 million reduction will be applied from May to December 2023. The remaining $115 million will be included in FPL’s 2024 fuel cost recovery factors.
Beginning in May, FPL residential bills will reflect the reduced fuel charge. For FPL customers in Northwest Florida, the current monthly 1,000 kWh residential bill of $144.38 will change to $139.95, a decrease of $4.43, or approximately 3.1 percent.
For FPL customers in the rest of the state, a monthly bill of $144.38 will change to $139.95, a decrease of $4.43, or approximately 3.1 percent.
Utilities do not earn a profit on fuel charges. The fuel and capacity cost component of customers’ bills is set for each calendar year, but mid-course corrections are used when a utility’s costs increase or decrease significantly in the interim. Under Commission rules, a utility must notify the PSC when it expects an under- or over-recovery greater than 10 percent.
Northwest Florida FPL customers are still paying about $3 a month more for 1,000 kWh than in January, and they are still paying $1.3 billion due to Hurricanes Ian and Nicole over 12 months, beginning in April.
Our customers count on us to keep bills as low as possible – that’s especially important as we all deal with inflation and rising costs for food and rent and other basics,” said Armando Pimentel, president and CEO of FPL. “As fuel prices have moderated, we are pleased to pass through the savings to customers. Importantly, we continue to encourage customers to use FPL’s free tools to save energy and make their bill even lower.”
Molino Man Gets 11 Months In County Jail On Firearms Charge
April 5, 2023
A Molino man accused of firing a shotgun toward a man working on his neighbor’s home has been sentenced to 11 months in the Escambia County Jail.
Joseph Adam Greco, 50, was originally charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm. He was convicted on a reduced misdemeanor count of improper exhibition of a firearm and found not guilty of discharging a firearm, according to court records.
In May 2022, Greco allegedly yelled obscenities at an individual working to remodel a neighboring home. The victim told deputies that he was working on the roof when he saw Greco at his front door pointing a shotgun at him. The victim said he saw a muzzle flash as Greco fired in his direction. Greco then went back inside his residence without saying anything, according to an arrest report.
The victim told deputies that a similar incident had occurred in the past, but he did not file a report.
The report states that there was an ongoing civil dispute between Greco and the victim. Deputies recovered a loaded shotgun and a spent shell casing at Greco’s home, the report continues.
Tate High Aggies Down The Navarre Raiders 9-3; Aggies JV Wins 7-1
April 5, 2023
Tate 9, Navarre 3
The Tate Aggies defeated the Navarre Raiders 9-3 Tuesday night at Tate.
The Aggies took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second.
For more photos, click or tap here.
Complete stats were not available at publication time early Wednesday morning.
Up next, the Aggies will travel to Tallahassee to take on Lincoln Friday night.
Tate 7, Navarre 1 (JV)
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
