Only One Company Wants To Lease Century Industrial Building. The Town Told Them No Once Before.
August 14, 2020
Only one company responded to Century’s request for proposals to lease a 40,390 square foot building in the town’s industrial park, and Century has told them no once before. But this time, they are offering more money.
Known as the Helicopter Technology Building — named for the defunct company that was based there — it 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.
The town accepted lease proposals for several weeks, with only the one response.
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 activity.
West Florida Gin will warehouse processed cotton bales and distribute them from the location.
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, new HVAC and energy efficient lighting.
The town council will consider the proposal at an upcoming meeting.
Last Potential West Florida Gin Lease Was Rejected
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.
A motion by then council member Ben Boutwell to proceed with negotiations and work on an agreement failed on a 3-2 vote with council members James Smith, Sandra McMurray-Jackson and Luis Gomez voting against. The dissenters expressed objections against the business because it would likely not create any jobs.
“I don’t see the benefit for us,” Smith said at the time. “Where’s the employment?”
Smith and Gomez expressed concerns at the May 2019 meeting that if the council were to lease the building below market value, the town would not have any available industrial space if another company wanted to located in Century with new jobs.
“Someday it could produce jobs, even it’s 10-15 jobs for Century,” Gomez said.
“Let’s talk about y’all’s track record and my track record,” Baxley said after pointing out that no company had seriously considered the building in the past decade but he had developed several similar properties. “For 46 years now, I’ve been making payroll.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate High: Virtual Tour, Orientation And Important Dates Before Back To School
August 14, 2020
Tate High School has made a virtual orientation and tour available online and announced several important dates before the first day of school on August 24.
The orientation and virtual tour of the school videos are available at www.tatestudents.com. The website also contains other valuable information, including a link to a new bell schedule and updated maps of the campus and classrooms.
Schedules will be available via the Focus portal on Thursday, August 20. Instructions on how to access schedules and tips for reading will be posted.
Open campus hours for students to walk around the campus and find their classes will be:
- Friday, August 21 from noon until 3 p.m.
- Saturday, August 22 from 10 a.m. until noon
On August 24, the first day of school, students will first report to their homeroom.
Meet The Candidates: Escambia County Commission District 5 (With Videos)
August 14, 2020
NorthEscambia.com asked the three candidates for Escambia County Commission District 5 to answer a series of questions. The questions were emailed to each candidate with a deadline to submit their answers.
The candidates were required to answer one question in a video up to three minutes in length, and they were told the video was their “pitch time” to share their message. The video response question was “What’s your background, why are you seeking office, and what’s your plan?”
The remainder of the questions had written responses, which we did not edit. Many of the questions were submitted by NorthEscambia.com readers; the top three most submitted reader questions dealt with broadband internet, trains in Cantonment, and roads and bridges. And so you could learn more about the person, we asked a few light hearted questions about their favorite bingeable shows, music playlists, food and even a question about a secret at the very end.
In alphabetical order, here are candidates with a link to their video and written answers.
John Reading (did not respond)
Early voting continues through Saturday, and the polls will be open Tuesday, August 18 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
State To Offer COVID-19 Testing In Walnut Hill On August 28
August 14, 2020
The Florida Department of Health is bringing COVID-19 testing to Walnut Hill later this month.
The state-supported drive thru testing site will be at the Walnut Hill Community Center on Friday, August 28 from 3-7 p.m. It will be the first testing location made available in the Walnut Hill community.
“We want to make testing available for anyone that wants to be tested,” Escambia County Emergency Manager Eric Gilmore told NorthEscambia.com.
Results from the Walnut Hill testing site will be available within 24 hours, according to FDOH.
The Walnut Hill Community Center is located at 7850 HIghway 97 in Walnut Hill, just north of Ernest Ward Middle School and the Walnut Hill Fire Station. It is also known as the Walnut Hill Ruritan Building.
Man Shot, Killed In Escambia County
August 14, 2020
A man was shot and killed in Escambia County Thursday afternoon.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Gregory Bradley was shot just after 5 p.m. on Crescent Drive, adjacent to I-10 south of Texar Drive.
According to investigators. two mask men arrived at the home and robbed Bradley before shooting him. The ECSO believes Bradley knew the gunmen.
The suspects were described only as two black males.
Anyone with information on the murder is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620
Motorcycle Crash Claims One Life In Escambia County
August 14, 2020
A motorcyclist was killed in a crash on Navy Boulevard Thursday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the 29-year old was southbound on Navy Boulevard when a sedan driven by 23-year old man pulled out from as stop sign on Patton Drive, failing to yield the right of way to the motorcycle.
The motorcyclist was transported to Baptist Hospital were he was pronounced deceased. The driver of the sedan and his 18-year old passenger were not injured.
Charges are pending further investigation, according to FHP.
FHP no longer releases the names of individuals involved in a traffic crashes.
Gulf Power Crews Return After Helping Restore Power After Hurricane Isaias
August 14, 2020
Gulf Power crews returned home safely this week from New Jersey after restoring power to thousands of customers who were left in the dark following Hurricane Isaias. Gulf Power sent nearly 70 lineworkers and support personnel, along with nearly 50 contractors, to help assist FirstEnergy to restore electric service and aid in the recovery efforts following the storm that knocked out more than 3 million customers from North Carolina to Maine.
Crews worked 16-hour days in difficult conditions to restore power in northeast New Jersey, about 30-35 miles east of New York City. Gulf Power crews helped restore power to more than 7,000 homes and businesses. Gulf Power joined its sister company, Florida Power & Light, which sent approximately 450 employees and contractors as well.
“We understand what the customers are going through, and how difficult it is to be without power – especially in the midst of the pandemic, when we are all spending more time at home,” said Gulf Power President Marlene Santos. “Just like when utilities came from all over the nation to help us after Hurricane Michael, Gulf Power employees have the experience and stand ready to lend support. It’s been a busy hurricane season already, and I am so proud of our men and women for leaving their families to help other communities during a time of need.”
Before making the decision to send help, Gulf Power makes sure its customers are taken care of and that no other storms are on the immediate horizon.
Tropical Storm Josephine Forms
August 13, 2020
Tropical Storm Josephine formed Thursday in the Atlantic.
Josephine is forecast to strengthen over the next couple of days as it moves west northwest. But by the weekend, the storm will move into an area with high wind shear that should weaken it.
Josephine is no threat whatsoever to the Gulf Coast.
Molino Girl Scout Honored For Saving Lives Of Her Mother And Grandmother In House Fire
August 13, 2020
A Molino Girl Scout was honored as a hero Wednesday afternoon for saving her family from a January 2019 house fire on Crabtree Church Road.
Destany McKim, 14, was presented with the Girl Scout Bronze Cross for Valor for saving her mother and grandmother from the fire about 12:30 a.m. on January 25, 2019. The award is the highest honor given by the Girl Scouts for saving a life.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Escambia County Fire Prevention Officer Ray Melton said, “If this young lady had not acted the way she did that night of that fire, this would have been a very tragic fire for Escambia County.We would have lost three lives. But her bravery carried her through. She used her fear as a tool — which we try to teach our kids — and she pulled through.”
Destany, who was 12 at the time of the fire, said she was up late doing homework, and smelled a little smoke. At first, she thought her mother was cooking.
“As soon as I looked over at the living room, the extension cord just burst into flames,” Destany told NorthEscambia.com. She immediately went to wake her mom and grandmother as the house began to fill with dark smoke.
“My mom is a smoker, so she didn’t smell the smoke. It didn’t wake her up, and my grandmother wears a CPAP machine, so couldn’t have smelled it,” she said. There were no working smoke alarms in the home.
As she got her mother and grandmother out of the home, she had the forethought to close the doors to slow the spread of the fire. Her grandmother went back in with a fire extinguisher, but the flames spread rapidly.
“It just spread everywhere, and the windows had just burst.”
She worked to save the three family dogs, including a 65-pound basset hound that she ultimately had to tote away from the burning home.
“Most people run out of a building that is burning. Well, she ran back into that building. That is exactly what a hero Destany is,” Escambia County Public Safety Director Jason Rogers said during a ceremony Wednesday at the Molino Fire Station. “You can’t teach courage. Courage is in here, and you have it within you. So, today Destany, you are our hero, and we honor you.”
“I don’t feel like I am a hero. I feel like I did what anybody else would have done in that situation because I just thought of my family. If I had gone into panic mode, there was no keeping my mother out of panic mode,” Destany said. “I don’t feel like a hero, but I’m flattered.”
“She’s a hero. A real hero. She saved her lives,” Destany’s mother Datanya Wells said.
Destany, who will attend Northview High School this year, may have a future in firefighting. She’s applying to be an Escambia County Fire Rescue junior firefighter.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Police Department Appoints Three Chaplains, Including Century’s Mayor
August 13, 2020
The Flomaton Police Department appointed three chaplains Wednesday, including Century’s mayor.
The chaplains are supervisor Alvin Bethea, who is pastor at Flomaton Pentecostal Holiness Church; Jonathan Hill, pastor at Little Escambia Baptist Church; and Century Mayor Henry Hawkins, pastor at Damascus Missionary Baptist Church in Flomaton.
“I am so blessed to have these three great men serving for my department as chaplains. This is going to be a great service to our community and town, through the service of some of our church leaders! God bless our town,” Flomaton Police Chief Charles Thompson said.
On the recommendation of the Mayor Dewey Bondurant, the Flomaton Town Council approved the chaplain program for the police department.
Pictured below: Flomaton Police Chief Charles Thompson, Flomaton Mayor Dewey Bondurant, Pastor Jonathan Hill, Pastor Alvin Bethea, Pastor Henry Hawkins, and Assistant Police Chief Bennie Stokes. Pictured below: Each pastor was presented his chaplain badge Wednesday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
