NHS Cheerleaders Bagging Groceries Today
November 7, 2009
The Northview High School cheerleaders will be bagging groceries today in Cantonment to raise money for a trip to a national competition.
The cheerleaders will bag groceries for tips today from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Winn Dixie on Highway 29 in Cantonment.
Circus This Weekend In Atmore
November 7, 2009
An old-fashioned big top circus is at the Atmore YMCA this weekend with jugglers, acrobats, clowns, tigers and more. This morning, workers were busy putting up the big top and preparing the animals for the show.
The circus show, to be performed by the Lewis & Clark Circus, will harken back to earlier days when such events came bustling into town for a day and then mysteriously disappeared overnight.
Lewis & Clark is a one-ring European style circus with continuous action going on in the center ring. Traditional circus acts such as hi-flying trapeze artists, amazing acrobats, zany clowns, and liberty animal acts that include horses and camel are featured.
The Circus attracts all types of people, from the young to the young at heart, which may be why it remains a popular form of family entertainment. The circus is one of about 10 traditional big top shows that operate in the United States. The circus troop presents about500 shows a year and will be in Atmore on Saturday, November 7 with performances at 4 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, November 8 at 3 p.m. You can relive childhood dreams while your children create their own dreams and memories from this fun filled event.
Tickets can be purchased at the Atmore Area YMCA, United Bank in Atmore and from any YMCA Board Member. Advance discount tickets are $10 per adult and children under 14 are free when accompanied by an adult. Non-discounted tickets will be available on circus day.
For more information, call the Atmore Area YMCA at (251) 368-9622.
Pictured top and bottom: Workers raise the big top tent this morning. for the Lewis & Clark Circus. Pictured inset: This camel is one of many animals in the show. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Elementary Fall Carnival Is Tonight
November 6, 2009
The annual Fall Carnival will take place this evening at Molino Park Elementary School.
The carnival will take place from 4 until 8 p.m. at the school. There will be games, entertainment, bingo, informational exhibits, vendors, a health fair, pony rides and more clean, family fun. Twirlers from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will perform, along with local teen band Empty Page.
The gift basket silent auction will also be held.
For more information, call the school at (850) 587-5265.
Barrineau Park Music Night Tonight
November 6, 2009
There’s some good entertainment on stage tonight in Barrineau Park — and it’s free.
The monthly Barrineau Park Music Night will be tonight at the Barrineau Park Community Center. The featured groups tonight are “Down Home” and “Rolling Tide”.
The singing starts at 7 p.m. and is free. Food and refreshments will also be available beginning at 6 p.m.
The event is family-friendly — no alcohol is permitted on the property, and no smoking is allowed in or near the building.
For more information, call (850) 587-5575.
The Barrineau Park Community Center is located on Barrineau Park School road, about three miles west of Molino.
Take A Stroll Down Memory Lane Tonight
November 5, 2009
Many downtown Atmore merchants will give area residents the chance to stroll down memory lane during the Déjà Vu Vintage Walk tonight.
From 4 until 7 p.m., downtown merchants will display vintage items along the sidewalks in or their stores. Most items displayed will be at least 50 years old.
The event is open to the public. For more information, contact the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce at (251) 368-3305.
Ida Barely A Tropical Storm
November 4, 2009
![[Image of 5-day forecast and coastal areas under a warning or a watch]](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT11/refresh/AL1109W5_NL_sm2+gif/205614W5_NL_sm.gif)
Ida, once a hurricane, is now barely a tropical storm.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 40mph with higher gusts. Further weakening is expected as Ida moves inland over Nicaragua tonight.
The center of Tropical Storm Ida was located near latitude 13.1 north, longitude 83.7 west.
If the storm survives the mountainous territory of Nicaragua, it is expected to reach the Gulf of Mexico.
NorthEscambia.com will keep you updated on this latest tropical storm.
Hurricane season ends November 30.
Lady Chiefs Play Tonight InVolleyball Tournament
November 4, 2009
The Northview High School Lady Chiefs will be on the road tonight in Blountstown in regional quarterfinal volleyball playoff action.
The Chiefs (9-18, 5-5) are the second seed in District 1-1A. Tonight is just the third time in the school’s history that a volleyball team as advanced beyond the district level.
“We could progress from there; nothing says the state champ can’t be a second seed in the quarterfinals,” Head Coach Betty Heaton said.
The Chiefs will take on t Blountstown at 7 p.m. We will have complete scores and stats Thursday morning on NorthEscambia.com.
No Rain, Warm Days, Cool Nights
November 4, 2009
Our weather forecast remains dry through the weekend, with warm afternoons and cool nights.
Here is your official North Escambia weather forecast:
- Today: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
- Tonight: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 46. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Thursday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 72. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
- Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 46. Calm wind.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75. East wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
- Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.
- Monday: A 30 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
- Tuesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Fog Early, Sunny By Afternoon
November 3, 2009
We can look forward to foggy start in parts of the North Escambia area for the next several days, but our afternoons will be sunny and mild.
Here is your office North Escambia weather forecast:
- Tuesday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 73. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 49. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 75. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 46. Calm wind.
- Thursday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 72. North wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 45. North wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 70. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 46. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 72.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 73.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.
Century To Discuss Increased Water, Sewer Rates, More Fees
November 2, 2009
The Town of Century will hold a workshop meeting at 6:00 tonight to further discuss a rate study that recommends water and sewer rate increases for most customers and new fees for future customers.
The council will meet with William Secoy from the Florida Rural Water Association, the authors of the rate study. The council previously met with Secoy back in August, and they were left with as many questions as they had answers.
Under the recommended rate structure, a small business could see their water and sewer bill more than double, and that’s something Council President Ann Brooks does not favor.
“I would not have a problem paying for usage, but that is not what is going on here,” Brooks said at the August meeting. She stated her small business, an accounting firm, uses between 600 and 900 gallons of water per month. Under the proposed rate structure, her minimum monthly bill would jump from $21 to $45.45. “I have a real problem raising our commercial rate over 100 percent for water and sewer.”
“We have a lot of poor people and a lot of people living on a fixed income,” Brooks said in August of the proposed residential increase and higher minimum bills. “Let people pay for what they use.”
At that August meeting, the council instructed Secoy to take a closer look at different usage levels among the town’s water and sewer customers, especially commercial, and return with a second recommendation. He is expected to present that second recommendation tonight.
The typical residential water bill for a customer using 3,000 gallons per month would increase from $12.45 to $15.95 if the town followed the recommendations in the study from the Florida Rural Water Association. The new $15.95 minimum charge would include 3,000 gallons; the current minimum water bill is $9 for 1,500 gallons.
Commercial customers would see their minimum jump from $9 for 1,500 gallons to $19.95 for 3,000 gallons.
Both commercial and residential customers would see an increase per 1,000 gallons over the 3,000 minimum to $2.78 to $3.16 per 1,000 gallons. The current additional charge per 1,000 gallons is $2.27. Institutions and churches would pay the residential rate.
Sewage rates would also increase if the water association proposal were to be approved by the town.
The current sewage rate is $13 for the first 6,000 gallons and $3.50 per additional $1,000 gallons for residential and commercial customers. For the first 3,000 gallons, the recommended rate is $12 for residential customers and $25.50 for commercial customers. Each additional 1,000 gallons of sewage would cost $3.
Under the rate proposal, a family using 8,000 gallons of water per month would see their water bill increase from $23.75 to $30.13, and they would see their sewage bill increase from $20 to $27. The total monthly increase for that family would be $13.38, or $160.56 per year.
A business using an average of 8,000 gallons per month would see their water bill jump from $23.75 to $34.13 and a sewage increase from $20 to $40.50. The total annual increase would be $370.56.
The Florida Rural Water Association proposal recommends that the town also charge a “capacity” fee for new hookups, in addition to the $125 water connection fee and $1,000 sewage impact fee currently charged. The study does not offer a specific recommendation on the amount of the new fee. Secoy said that a typical capacity fee is from a several hundred to a few thousand dollars.
Secoy said a connection fee should be in the neighborhood of $350 to $750 for a new meter. Customers that were establishing service at a location where a meter is already installed would not pay a connection fee. Capacity fees could not be waived, but connection fees could be waived as part of a financial incentive package for a new business, Secoy told the council.
The Town of Century has not increased water or sewage rates since 1995. The water association recommends that the town make yearly rate increases based upon the consumer price index.
The water and sewer rate special meeting will take place at 6:00 tonight at Century City Hall. A regular town council meeting will follow at 7:00 — a meeting at which the council could vote on any rates increases.