Escambia County Election Results Roundup
August 19, 2020
Here are complete unofficial results from the Primary Election in Escambia County from NorthEscambia.com.
Santa Rosa County Election Results Roundup
August 19, 2020
Here are results from the Primary Election in Santa Rosa County from NorthEscambia.com.
Brooks, Lewis Headed To November Runoff For Century Council Seat 1
August 19, 2020
Two candidates are headed to a November runoff for Century Town Council Seat 1.
Incumbent Ann Brooks garnered the most votes in the race against two challengers, but Century’s charter requires a candidate to receive one more than 50 percent of the vote in order to be declared the winner.
Brooks received 148 votes (44.85%), followed by Dynette Lewis with 122 (36.97%) and Calvin Kenneth Cottrell, Jr. with 60 (18.18%) of the vote for the non-partisan seat.
Brooks, the current council president, was first elected in 2007. Lewis has 28 years experience in the financial services industry.
Two other Century town races will also be on the November ballot. Political newcomers Shelisa Dorshae McCall and Leonard B. White will face off for Century Town Council Seat 3, and incumbent Mayor Henry Hawkins will face former council member Ben Boutwell in the race for mayor.
Escambia Commission: Lumon May Wins Democratic Nod; Bergosh Returns To Seat
August 19, 2020
Three incumbent Escambia County commissioners were winners in the Tuesday’s election, sending two of them back for another term and one to the November ballot.
In District 1, incumbent Jeff Bergosh had 38.69% percent of the vote to defeat three others for the win. With no November challenger, he will serve an additional term. Jessee Casey received 31.02% of the vote, Jonathan Owens had 22.48% and Jimmie Trotter had 7.8%.
District 3 saw brother take on brother in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Lumon May received 89.01% of the vote, while his brother Rev. LuTimothy May garnered 10.99%. Lumon May, who was endorsed by his mother, will be on the ballot in November. He does not have a Republican challenger, but Jason Laird is qualified as a write-in candidate.
In District 5, Steven Barry defeated two opponents for a third term. Click or tap here for that story.
Longtime ECUA District 5 Board Member Larry Walker Defeated By Newcomer Kevin Stephens
August 19, 2020
Political newcomer Kevin Stephens of Molino defeated longtime Emerald Coast Utility Authority District 5 board member Larry Walker in Tuesday’s election.
Stephens was elected with 59.53% of the vote to Walker’s 40.47%.
Walker served on the ECUA board for nearly three decades – from 1988 to 2000 and 2004 to the present day.
Town Of Flomaton Employees Tests Positive For COVID-19; Most Town Buildings Closed To The Public
August 19, 2020
The Town of Flomaton has closed town facilities to visitors after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
The town in a statement that the employee became ill on August 11 and was sent home on paid leave. The employee received a positive coronavirus test result on Tuesday, August 18.
The town has closed their municipal complex, community center and fire department to visitors. All of the buildings have been cleaned, along with the library. After the exposure, the community center was professionally cleaned.
A drive-thru window is open normal business hours for court or utility payments, which can also be made online.
Mayor Dewey Bondurant has directed the mandatory use of face masks in most circumstances by town employees and volunteers “when two or more persons are present”.
The Alabama Department of Health is expected to do contact tracing and make any needed notifications to persons that may have been exposed to the infected employee.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Deputy Passes Away At Age 40
August 18, 2020
A Santa Rosa County deputy has passed away.
Deputy Charles Pugh passed away Tuesday morning at age 40.
“Just say prayers for the family and our agency,” Sheriff Bob Johnson said. He did not specify the cause of death.
Pugh was a Santa Rosa County deputy for five years, serving in the Detention Division. He was also a member of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Honor Guard.
Funeral arrangements are forthcoming.
Century Tables Industrial Building Lease For Cotton Storage; Mayor Says Another Company With 21 Jobs Is Interested
August 18, 2020
The Century Town Council Monday night delayed a decision on leasing a town-owned industrial building after Mayor Henry Hawkins said another company promising more jobs is interested.
South Alabama Gin Company, doing business as West Florida Gin in Walnut Hill, proposed a lease of $6,000 per month for five years with an option to renew the contract for an additional five years. They want to occupy the building by October 1 and estimated that six employees would be associated with the the warehousing and distribution of cotton bales.
The gin company was the only company to respond after the town advertised for several weeks seeking lease proposals.
Hawkins said Monday night that he had been contacted just hours earlier by FloridaWest, the region’s economic development organization, about a company that is interested in the building and wants to see it on Thursday. Hawkins said the manufacturing company would bring about 21 new jobs to Century.
“I don’t plan to put cotton storage in Century…cotton out there is not going to help Century,” councilman Luis Gomez said, adding that he believes the town can lease the building to a company that will bring at least 10 jobs to town.
A heated discussion ensued with Gomez and Council President Ann Brooks yelling over each other at times. That made portions of the discussion hard to understand with council members participating by phone or Zoom due to the pandemic.
A motion by Gomez to reject the West Florida Gin proposal failed due to the lack of a second, and a motion by council member James Smith also failed with no second to table a decision on the cotton lease. Gomez made a second motion to reject the cotton gin lease, and it again failed due to the lack of a second.
Smith made a second motion to table action on the lease proposal until the council’s next meeting. It passed 4-0 with Brooks and council member Brenda Spencer expressing that they were “reluctantly” voting in favor. Council member Sandra McMurray Jackson did not take part in the meeting.
Hawkins will meet with FloridaWest and the manufacturing company on Thursday, and the council will readdress the building lease at a special meeting next Monday night.
According to Interim City Manager Vernon Prather, the council cannot simply lease the building to the manufacturing company. Instead, they would be required to reject the West Florida Gin offer and advertise again for formal proposals, much like a bid process.
A previous lease offer by the gin was rejected by the Century Town Council.
In May 2019, West Florida Gin Manager Robert Earl Godwin and businessman Larry Baxley, who were in the process of setting up North Escambia Warehouse and Storage, LLC, made a preliminary lease-to-own offer on the town-owned building at $4,000 per month for five years, for a total of $240,000. The company offered an $8,000 deposit, pay the first month’s rent in advance, and pay for any upgrades to the building. At the end of the lease term, they would have had the opportunity to buy the building for $100. The building would have been used primarily for cotton storage.
Known as the Helicopter Technology Building — named for the defunct company that was based there — the 40,390 square foot building has been empty since 2008. The town is still footing the bill for utilities, insurance, maintenance and other costs for the vacant property, and they are looking to turn it into a positive cash flow and create jobs along the way.
In 2017, the building was appraised for $550,000 with a fair market rent of $80,000 per year ($6,667 per month). The office and warehouse space has full climate control, sprinkler system, newer HVAC and energy efficient lighting.
Blue Angel’s New Fat Albert Arrives Home In Pensacola
August 18, 2020
The Blue Angel’s new Fat Albert is now home.
Blue Angels C-130 pilots and crew arrive at Naval Air Station Pensacola with the team’s new C-130J Super Hercules. The new Fat Albert led the Blue Angels in fly-by over Pensacola Beach Monday afternoon.
“It is quite fitting that in the team’s 50th year flying the C-130 we welcome our latest platform, the C-130J Super Hercules.“ said Cmdr. Brian Kesselring, commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels. “With the Blue Angels team once again complete, we look forward to the 2021 season and showcasing the teamwork and trust between our Sailors and Marines.”
2020 marks the team’s 50th year utilizing the C-130 as its lead logistics aircraft. The Blue Angels’ previous C-130 “T” model served the team for 17 years and was retired in May of 2019.
Big Fall Tradition Won’t Happen In 2020: Jay Peanut Festival Canceled Due To COVID-19 Pandemic
August 18, 2020
A big fall tradition will not take place this year because of COVID-19. The annual Jay Peanut Festival has been canceled for 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Gabbert family made the announcement Monday due to concerns over the virus and the available county services for the planned festival on October 3-4.
“We will not have the county services that we need to have the festival,” festival organizers said.
All vendors that have already applied for this year’s event will remain on the list for the next Jay Peanut Festival on October 2-3, 2021.
The Jay Peanut Festival dates back to 1990 when the Gabberts started the event in memory of their daughter, Melissa, a 19-year-old who died earlier that year from cancer.
The Jay Peanut Festival at the Gabbert Farm is a fall tradition on the Gulf Coast, showcasing the history, agriculture, food and fun of Santa Rosa County. What started as a chance for local kids and farmers to show off their best of the season has become an annual event covering 15 acres and drawing about 70,000 people to the Gabbert farm over two days.
The event included tours of the 1930s Farm Museum, food booths, dozens of arts and crafts vendors, pony rides, games and fun. The Jay Peanut Festival was also a chance to try all varieties of peanuts – boiled, green, fried, candied and more.
