Century Charter Review Committee Fails To Produce Recommendation, Fails At Attempt At Open Public Meeting Access
October 27, 2020
The Century Charter Review Committee failed to deliver a recommendation to the Century Town Council in time to make the November ballot this year, and Monday night they failed at an attempt to hold a meeting that was completely accessible to the the public.
The Century Town Council appointed the committee in August 2019 to explore the town charter – the document that establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The charter has not been updated in almost 40 years, and that often creates problems in the operation of the town.
The committee held their first meeting in October 2019, two months after it was established. The early meetings were spent learning about the Sunshine Law, orderly meetings and background information. Most of the discussion at the committee’s sporadic meetings since have centered around one central topic — the form of government and the possible addition of a permanent city manager.
The COVID-19 pandemic slowed regular meetings for the charter committee and any chance of moving forward this year, preventing any charter change from making the ballot.
Monday night, the Century Charter Review Committee held another meeting. The number of members that attended the socially-distanced meeting in person was not immediately clear.
Public notices indicated that the meeting would be accessible over the phone (using the Zoom platform). At least two members of the committee — Shelisa McCall (who is also a candidate for the town council) and Evelyn Hammond — called into the meeting. NorthEscambia.com joined the meeting via both a phone call and only by Zoom.
Very, very little of the meeting was audible remotely as publicly noticed. McCall and Hammond were clearly audible on Zoom, complaining repeatedly that they could not hear or understand what was being said at the in-person meeting.
NorthEscambia.com was not able to hear or understand hardly any of the meeting. We were able to establish that Chairperson Mary Hudson Bourgeois and former interim town manager Buz Eddy were present. Eddy has acted as consultant for the committee.
Under an order from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, governmental bodies are legally allowed to hold meetings by electronic means thought the close of business on October 31 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective November 1, governments must return to in-person meetings.
Pictured top: Century Charter Review Committee Chairperson Mary Hudson Bourgeois (right) and member Evelyn Hammond at a 2019 meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Escambia Fire Rescue, ‘Famous’ TV Dog Share Fire Safety Message In Century
October 27, 2020
Escambia County Fire Rescue and a very special and famous guest visited the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center to spread the important message of fire safety. The crew of Century’s Engine 5 were joined by Marshall, one of the hero fire dogs from the hit Nickelodeon TV series PAW Patrol. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Crews Begin Removing Confederate Monument In Downtown Pensacola
October 27, 2020
Monday, crews began to remove the Confederate monument in downtown Pensacola.
The Pensacola City Council voted in July to remove the 129-year old monument. The council also voted to revert the name Lee Square back to its original name of Florida Square. Old maps show Florida Square was the original name of the parcel on North Palafox Street one block south of East Cervantes.
The soldier statue on top of the monument was lowered to a truck on Monday. It and the remainder of the monument will be taken to the Port of Pensacola for storage until a museum or some other group takes possession.
The contractor has 30 days for removal of the monument, but work is expected to wrap up this week, weather permitting..
In September, A lawsuit to stop the removal was tossed by a federal judge. U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers found the lawsuit seeking to stop the removal lacked legal standing. The lawsuit was filed by The Ladies Memorial Association, the Stephen Mallory Camp 1315 Sons of Confederate Veterans, Veterans Monuments of America and Save Our Southern Heritage Florida Chapter.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Blue Wahoos Press Box Dedicated To John Appleyard
October 27, 2020
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos have dedicated the press box at Blue Wahoos Stadium in memory of John Appleyard.
Appleyard, a longtime long historian, died last week at age 97. He was an author of more than 120 books and monographs that included mystery stories, family histories and novels. His histories included in-depth accounts of all phases of local government.
He served as a radio broadcaster for the Blue Wahoos from 2016-2020, signing a lifetime contract with the team in 2018. At the conclusion of the 2019 season, he received the team’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the growth of Minor League baseball in Pensacola and the sport across the area.
“When you look back at the history of Pensacola, the best parts have John Appleyard in them,” Blue Wahoos owner
Quint Studer said. “His legacy will continue across the city and no one who knew him will forget his impact.”
A public memorial for Appleyard was held Monday afternoon at the Blue Wahoos stadium.
Burn Ban Lifted For All Of Escambia County
October 26, 2020
Monday morning, Escambia County lifted the burn ban for the entire county effective immediately.
According to the Forest Service, you do not need a burn authorization to burn yard waste (grass clippings, brush, leaves, tree limbs, palm fronds, etc.) as long as:
The pile is less than 8 feet in diameter;
You meet the required setbacks:25 feet from forests
50 feet from paved public roads
25 feet from your house
150 feet from other occupied buildings
The fire is ignited after 8 a.m. Central Time or 9 a.m. Eastern Time and is extinguished one hour before sunset
It is illegal to burn household garbage (including paper products), treated lumber, rubber materials, tires, pesticides, paint and aerosol containers
There are no local, city or county ordinances in place that prohibit burning.
For more information about burn authorizations, call Blackwater Forestry Center headquarters at (850) 957-5701.
A portion of the ban was lifted late Friday for only the area of the county north of Nine Mile Road.. The burn ban was issued following Hurricane Sally due to the amount of debris.
More Pre-Orders Needed To Make Blue Angels License Plate A Reality
October 26, 2020
The Naval Aviation Museum Foundation needs the community’s help to make the Blue Angels license plate a reality.
The Florida Department of Motor Vehicle’s process to establish a new specialty license plate requires the foundation to sell 3,000 vouchers before the plate goes into production.
“This support moves us one step closer to making the Blue Angels license plate a reality for the state of Florida,” said retired Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad, president and CEO of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. “The ordering process is easy and the plates are available to registered Florida drivers across the state.”
The voucher is redeemable for the plate once the sale requirement has been met and the plates are in production. Purchasing a voucher ensures the plate will go into production as quickly as possible.
Florida drivers can now purchase a voucher in person at a local tax collector’s office or online. The online service is available to all Florida residents residing in any county.
It’s not necessary to wait for a vehicle’s registration to need renewal to purchase the Blue Angels license plate. For $30, a new plate can be ordered at any time without affecting the vehicle’s registration cycle.
As a process to gain public support, the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation is offering numbered Commemorative Challenge Coins to the first 3,000 Floridians who purchase a voucher from the Escambia County Tax Collector’s website. The 1.5” antique bronze coin showcases the Blue Angels crest on the front and the words “I Helped Make History” on the back. This exclusive coin is a way to thank those who helped make the Blue Angels license plate a reality for Florida.
Pedestrian Struck And Killed On Highway 29
October 26, 2020
A pedestrian has died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a road Friday night in Escambia County.
The 27-year old male from Pensacola was crossing North Palafox Street (Highway 29) just south of Jacquelyn Way when he was struck by a Mazda sedan traveling southbound lane of North Palafox.
The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. The 20-year old male driver of the Mazda was not injured.
The FHP no longer releases the names of traffic crash victims.
Team Rubicon Provides Hurricane Sally Relief For Panhandle Equine Rescue
October 26, 2020
Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment received Hurricane Sally recovery help from Team Rubicon.
Team Rubicon is an international nonprofit disaster response that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly provide relief to communities in need.
The help for PER after Hurricane Sally began with a request to receive help from Rainbows Edge Equine Transition Center, another nonprofit located in Greenville, FL, that is a training shelter for rescue horses and a disaster relief and recovery facility.
The team consisted of eight volunteers who worked on clearing debris and trees from the fence lines and cutting hanging dead branches that could fall and injure the horses.
“They were very professional and did an awesome job! Words cannot express our gratitude in getting the facility safe again,” PER’s Diane Lowery said.
The only horse rescue in Escambia County, PER is a non-profit founded by a small group of concerned citizens with a mission to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the court system to investigate equine cruelty in Escambia County.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High Names Girls Soccer Varsity, Junior Varsity Teams
October 26, 2020
The Tate High School Aggies have named their 2020-2021 varsity and junior varsity girls soccer teams.
Team members are:
Varsity
Jenna Banta
Kendall Blackmon
Claire Diamond
Aubrie Dillon
Izzy Ghiorso
Elise Grissom
Eva Grissom
Cora Helmig
Tiffany Inglett
Cassie Jackson
Cammie Kent
Emma Pasqualone
Faith Ranes
Danica Riddell
Emma Shelling
Izzie Shows
Sydney Singleton
Brynlee Skelton
Morgan Trombly
Junior Varsity
Hayden Ballinger
Kaypra Casillas
Haleigh Dove
Lilly Edgar
Madison Flannigan
Reese Forehand
Bailey Fowler
Delaney Hagan
Kelsey James
Brittney Larrington
Chloe Larrington
Nancy Mendez-Rostro
Kayla Reeves
Essence Rivera-Baker
Kimmie Simon
Lily Smith
Micah Weller
Gabrielle Wilstrup
Avery Wynder
Courtesy file photo.
Florida Gas Prices At Lowest In Nearly A Month
October 26, 2020
AAA says Florida prices at the pump are sinking to their lowest level in nearly a month.
Florida’s state average sits at $2.08 per gallon. That’s 4.5 cents less than a week ago and 33 cents per gallon less than this time last year. The state average has declined the past 22 consecutive days, for total discount of 11 cents.
The average price per gallon Sunday night in Escambia County was $2.10. A low of $2.03 could be found at a Highway 29 station in Cantonment, and $1.88 at an Airport Boulevard station in Pensacola.
“Sub-$2 gas prices are beginning to pop up in various Florida cities,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Pump prices are drifting lower as COVID concerns creep back into the fuel market. Gasoline demand is already 15% lower than this time last year. Meanwhile, fuel supplies remain strong. It’s possible the state average could dip below $2 a gallon in the coming weeks. If that happens, it would be the first time since June.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.