Fire Destroys Storage Shed In Cantonment
October 30, 2018
Fire destroyed an outside storage shed on Old Novak Road in Cantonment Tuesday afternoon. The cause of the fire was not immediately released. There were no injuries reported. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
FDOT Awards $2.7 Million Contract To Replace Bratt Road Bridge
October 30, 2018
The Florida Department of Transportation has awarded a $2.7 million contract to replace a bridge on Bratt Road that has been closed for nearly 11 months.
The $2,727,550.12 contract was awarded to low bidder Murphree Bridge. The second lowest bid submitted by Roads, Inc. was about $69,000 more. Two other bids were $3.12 and $3.16 million.
Once construction begins, it will take up 90-120 days to install a temporary bridge and open it to traffic. Once the temporary bridge is opened, construction will begin on a new permanent concrete bridge. Murphree will have 210 days from the start date to complete the project.
The bridge averaged 425 vehicles per day prior to closure. It was constructed in 1956.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Inmate Stabbed During Altercation At Century Prison
October 30, 2018
An inmate was stabbed at the Century Correctional Institution over the weekend.
The inmate was involved in an apparent inmate on inmate altercation Saturday afternoon, according to Patrick Manderfield, press secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections.
The inmate, whose name has not been released, was transported to a Pensacola hospital for treatment. Further details have not been released.
The incident is currently under investigation by the Florida Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General.
Community Mourns Flomaton High Student Kelsie Padgett
October 30, 2018
Flomaton area residents are in mourning today after the loss of a local high school student.
Flomaton High School student Kelsie Padgett, 17, passed away Monday after a battle with brain cancer.
“Please say a prayer for The Padgett Family and Our Community… today our Sweet Kelsie gained her angel wings… We love you Kelsie and will miss you,” the Flomaton High School Quarterback Club posted on Facebook Monday night.
Pictured above: Flomaton High School student Kelsie Padgett. Pictured below: Members of the Flomaton High School cheerleading squad cheer for Kelsie during a fundraiser earlier this month at the Flomaton Fire Department. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Do We Set Our Clocks Back, Or Are We Stuck On Daylight Saving Time?
October 30, 2018
Florida residents will still need to set their clocks back one hour this weekend, even though Gov. Rick Scott signed a billed to keep daylight saving time year round.
The Legislature passed the bill that Scott signed earlier this year. But the change ultimately requires Congressional approval.
If Congress approves, Northwest Florida would be one hour ahead of neighboring Alabama during part of the year, including winter. For example, on Christmas Day if it were 10 a.m. in North Escambia, it would be 9 a.m. in Atmore. The idea of year-round daylight-saving time has been promoted as a way to help the state’s tourism industry, as people would be able to stay out later with the additional sunlight. Hawaii and most of Arizona currently don’t participate in switching from standard time to daylight-saving time and back. They stay on standard time throughout the year.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced legislation, the Sunshine Protection Act, that would make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent across the country. He also introduced the Sunshine State Act, which would give Florida approval to establish permanent DST within its boundaries.
FHSAA Approves New Classification Proposal On 12-3 Vote
October 30, 2018
The Florida High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted 12-3 Monday to approve a new FHSAA classification proposal Wednesday that would reduce the number of classes and change playoffs for sports not including football.
The proposal would not make any changes to the current 1A rural classification (including Northview and Jay).
The new two-year classification cycle begins with the 2019-20 school year. The board also reduced the classifications in the following sports to six classes plus rural (rural is not affected): baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, softball and girls volleyball.
District tournaments will remain and be seeded by MaxPreps rankings released at the end of the regular season. However, schools are no longer required to play regular-season district contests.
Following district tournaments, the regional playoff brackets for Class 2A-7A (1A rural playoff structure remains the same) will consist of four regions per class and four districts per region. District champions now automatically qualify for the playoffs, with the top four seeds in each region being seeded by MaxPreps. Following the top four automatic qualifiers being seeded, teams 5-8 will receive at-large bids via their MaxPreps rankings. Higher seeds would host. All regional MaxPreps rankings will combine schools’ regular season and district tournament results.
Click graphic to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Century Library Holds ‘Haunting Halloween’ Program
October 30, 2018
The Century Branch Library held a “Haunting Halloween” program recently with a spooky story, arts and crafts and more.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Natural Gas Leak Shuts Down Cantonment Neighborhood
October 29, 2018
A natural gas leak due to a broken gas main shut down a Cantonment neighborhood Monday afternoon.
A contractor struck a natural gas line in the area of Booker and Webb Streets in Cantonment about 1:10 p.m. A cloud of gas was visible escaping from the broken main.
At least two homes were evacuated, and traffic was blocked from entering the area as a precaution. There were no reported injuries.
Pensacola Energy stopped the leak about 1:45 p.m. The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Claims Immunity From Apartment Lawsuit Over Water, Sewer Fees
October 29, 2018
The Town of Century has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against them by the developers of a new 50-unit apartment complex over the amount charged to connect water and sewer service. The town claims they are immune to the lawsuit under sovereign immunity.
The Paces Foundation and Century Park Apartments claim they only owed the town $57,750 in tap fees to connect water and sewer for the 50-unit complex, but they were charged $165,180. Paces is seeking a $101,430 refund, legal costs and any additional award by the court.
The town claims that Florida law does not allow a party to attempt to enforce an oral agreement against a governmental entity such as Century. Citing a 1984 Florida Supreme Court case, the town says there is not written agreement with Paces; therefore, they have no claim.
The town also asserts that that alleged agreement is unenforceable because it is not written or signed.
The lower fee of $63,750, according to Paces, was decided upon during a 2015 meeting with then-Mayor Freddie McCall and Town Planner Debbie Nickles. The only written agreement to come out of that meeting was a handwritten page showing calculations that Paces said were based upon the 2015 rates as published online in the town’s municipal code. The handwritten document also included a proposed fee for natural gas; however, the developer later opted to go all-electric.
In 2017, the town council passed two resolutions increasing the water and sewer tap fees and charged Paces based upon 50 connections. The apartment complex, according to the lawsuit, has only one master meter that serves all 50 units.
Paces contends they relied upon the lower payment quote in determining their financial options with the apartment development. They contend they were forced to submit the higher fee in order to obtain utility services and obtain a certificate of occupancy for the apartments.
The town hired attorney Thomas M. Findley of the Tallahassee firm Baker Donelson for its defense. Findley is a member of the firm’s Government Enforcement and Investigations Group with more than 20 year experience handling white collar criminal cases.
On October 15, Mayor Henry Hawkins told the town council that Century’s response to the lawsuit would be “getting them on technicalities” [read previous story...]. He said subpoenas were incorrectly served on Town Clerk Kim Godwin but still listed a former town clerk’s name. Hawkins said that he should have been served as the “highest ranking person” in town government, and “if they are going to serve anybody else, they have to serve them between 11 a.m. and noon.”
None of the issues raised by Hawkins were in the motion to dismiss filed in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Pictured top: Century Park Apartments. Pictured top inset: A check submitted under protest to the town by the Paces Foundation. Pictured bottom inset: The handwritten document Paces contends demonstrated a lower water and sewer tap fee as authorized by town code. Pictured below: Century’s justification for the $165,180 tap fee charged to the developer. NorthEscambia.com photo and images, click to enlarge.
IP Awards $85,000 In Community Grants
October 29, 2018
International Paper’s Pensacola Mill awarded $85,000 in grants through International Paper Foundation to local community organizations. Funding priority for grants is given to programs related to International Paper’s Signature Causes:
Education – Programs focused on helping children succeed via a comprehensive approach to education. Priority is given to literacy programs from birth through 3rd grade.
Hunger – Programs dedicated to improving food security throughout our communities.
Health & Wellness – Programs that promote healthy living habits.
Disaster Relief – Programs that help communities prepare for and recover from natural disasters.
Funding also is available to address environmental initiatives, employee engagement and other critical community needs.
“We are privileged to be able to assist our local community organizations in their efforts to make a difference in the lives of the residents and children of Northwest Florida,” said Whitney Fike, manager, communications, International Paper Pensacola Mill. “We are able to provide the resources to address critical needs in communities where we live and work and the efforts of these organizations serve to strengthen our community.”
Local community organizations and their projects that were awarded grants for 2018 are:
- AMI Kids Pensacola, “Pensacola GED”
- Autism Pensacola, “Summer Learning Lab and Kids for Camp”
- Ballet Pensacola, “Discover Dance”
- Beulah Academy of Science, “Culinary Arts Program”
- Big Brothers Big Sisters, “One to One Mentoring”
- Cantonment Improvement Committee, “Cantonment Community Outreach Festival”
- Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy centers, “The Tell Me Early Learning Literacy Program”
- Children’s Home Society of Florida, “Garden for Community Partnership”
- Council on Aging of West Florida, “Foster Grandparents Eco Solutions Project”
- Covenant Hospice Foundation, “Covenant Care – Granting Final Wishes for Hospice Parents”
- Creative Learning Academy “Professional Development Resources: Being a Writer”
- Epilepsy Foundation of Florida, “Camp Boggy Creek”
- Episcopal Day School, “Exhibit A(rt) – Taking Pride in Student Art”
- Ernest Ward Middle, “Innovation Walls,” “Aquaponics,” “Eagles Build for the Birds,” and “Food Backpack and Share Table”
- Escambia County 4-H Foundation, “4-H Shooting Sports”
- Escambia County Extension, “Healthy Trees, Healthy Communities”
- Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, “Literacy Grants for Excellence”
- Every Child a Reader in Escambia, “Books for the Break”
- Feeding the Gulf Coast, “Backpack Program”
- First Baptist Church of Ensley, “Feeding the Homeless”
- Greater First Baptist Church, “Community Literacy Mentoring and Tutoring Program”
- Greater Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Inc., “5th Grade Concerts”
- Health and Hope Clinic, “Access to Care”
- Hillcrest Baptist Church of Pensacola, “Disaster Relief Engagement”
- Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, “STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Programs”
- Jim Allen Elementary School, “Learning to Read…the Possibilities are Endless”
- Junior Achievement of Northwest Florida, “Financial Literacy Education for Cantonment Students”
- Kingsfield Elementary, “Literacy Libraries” and “The Future Engineers of Fourth Grade”
- Manna Food Bank, “Healthy Kids Initiative”
- Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries, “Literacy and Language”
- Miracle League of Northwest Florida, “Improve Lightning on Fields”
- My Brothers and Sisters, “Women in Transition”
- My Fathers Arrows, “The Green Healing Project”
- Partnership for Community Programs “Bay Day 2019”
- Pathways for Change, “Healing Women Veterans”
- Pensacola Children’s Chorus, “2019 Summer Festival”
- Pensacola Civitan Club, “Wheelchair Ramp Building Program”
- Pensacola Little Theatre, “Acting Up”
- Pensacola Mess Hall, “Questing Corner”
- Pensacola State College Foundation, Inc., “Food Pantry”
- Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries, “Food on the Go”
- Pensacola’s Promise Chain Reaction, “Service Learning Program”
- Pine Forest High School, “Scholastic for Success” and “Literacy, Learning and Life”
- Quintette Community Park Association “Senior Citizen and Youth Programs”
- Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida, “Home for Dinner Program”
- Sacred Heart Foundation, “Motor and Sensory Therapy Rooms” and “Hands-on Learning”
- Santa Rosa Education Foundation, “Literacy Lifelines for Early Learners”
- Studer Community Institute, “Brain Bags”
- The Global Corner “The Global Corner Visits Canada: An Activity Book for Young Explorers”
- University of West Florida Foundation, “Argo Pantry,” “Emerald Coast B.E.S.T. Robotics Hub,” “National Writing Project,” and “UWF Community Garden”
- WSRE Foundation, “Imagination Station Literacy”
Pictured top: Ernest Ward Middle School (recipient of multiple awards). Pictured below (top to bottom): Cantonment Improvement Committee, Greater First Baptist Church (Cantonment), Kingsfield Elementary, Jim Allen Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle (two photos) and all grant recipients. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
