Company Says No Starbucks For Molino; Another Restaurant With New Gas Station
November 29, 2017
The company planning a new convenience store in Molino says it won’t actually include a Starbucks, but rather another fast food franchise.
NorthEscambia.com published a story Tuesday that stated “the new convenience store/gas station will be constructed ‘with a Starbucks attached to the side’,” as taken directly and accurately from documents submitted to Escambia County by Milam & Co. Construction on behalf of Diamond Oil in Atmore. [Click here to read the entire document, or see excerpt below.]
But Roy White, president of Diamond Oil in Atmore, said Tuesday night that the “Starbucks” reference was a typographical or clerical error in the document. Instead, White said the store will include a franchise food outlet, but he can not name the company until agreements are complete.
“That was an error in the letter,” White said. “We will have a restaurant, but I can tell you it definitely will not be a Starbucks.”
The new convenience store — and the yet to be named restaurant — will be located on 8.22 acres at the northwest corner of the intersection, across Highway 97 and north of the current Tom Thumb store. It is planned to have two fueling station canopies — one for regular gasoline and the second for diesel and commercial vehicle operations.
The Escambia County Development Review Committee will hold a pre-application meeeting on store plans this Thursday afternoon. Before construction could begin,the plans must go through several more steps in the county approval process. At the pre-application stage, there is no assurance that plans will ever reach the construction stage or that the facility will have the currently outlined layout.
NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Thursday Is Final Day For Property Tax Discount
November 29, 2017
Thursday, November 30 is the last day to receive a four percent discount on real estate and tangible personal property taxes, according to Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford.
Payments will receive the four percent discount if:
· mailed with a November postmark;
· left by midnight, November 30, in a 24-hour drop box available at all locations; or
· made online by midnight, November 30, at EscambiaTaxCollector.com.
Taxpayers are encouraged to pay online; however, other options are available such as mail, phone and in person at any of our four convenient tax collector offices.
To check the status of your taxes and pay online, visit www.escambiataxcollector.com. For more information, call the tax collector’s office at (850) 438-6500, ext. 3252.
Tate High Hosting Souper Bowl And Student Gallery Night
November 29, 2017
The Tate High School Art Department is hosting their third annual “Souper Bowl” this Friday from 5-7 p.m. in the Art building, in conjunction with Student Gallery Night.
Students have been working hard on handmade ceramic bowls and other arts and crafts to sell at this event. All the proceeds will go towards Tate’s ceramics program, with a portion of the profits going to benefit Sean’s Outpost, a local homeless outreach.
Student artists will also be selling a variety of artwork including photography, paintings, jewelry and more. Organizers said this is a great opportunity to get some unique holiday gifts. In addition, the first 25 people who bring a non-perishable food item or a pair of new socks to donate to Sean’s Outpost will also receive a free ceramic ornament.
“We find ourselves working harder each year to raise funds to pay for our materials — clay, glaze, tools and equipment. Aggie Artists accomplish a lot on a limited budget,” said Tate teacher Jennifer Rodriguez. “With a little more we could give our students more experiences, update ancient equipment and create bigger pieces of art with higher quality materials. By supporting our Souper Bowl you will contribute to students sculpting their ideas into clay, throwing bowls on the potter’s wheel and more, as well as helping our area homeless.”
During the event, there will be music, art, food and fun for all ages. The cost is $10 to purchase a handmade bowl plus food and drink, or $5 to purchase just food and drink. For more information, contact Jennifer Rodriguez a (850) 937-2300 ext. 601 or email jrodriguez1@escambia.k12.fl.us.
Molino Library Names Turkey Coloring Contest Winners
November 29, 2017
The Molino Branch Library held a Thanksgiving turkey coloring contest, with prizes awarded to the top art in each age category. Picture above (L-R), with the artwork below in the same order, are contest winners (Name not submitted), age 12; Camden, age 8; Megan, age 5; and Georgia, age 3. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century’s Jake Livingston Honored For Autism Fundraising Efforts
November 29, 2017
The recent 6th Steps for Autism event at the Blue Wahoos stadium raised over $50,000 for Autism Pensacola.
Participating teams raised $30,000 of the total. In second place for team fundraising was Team Rylee, Jake Livingston of Century. First in the business team was Team Ascend.
All funds stay local and support the mission and programs of Autism Pensacola, including safety, quality of life, and awareness initiatives in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
During his fundraising efforts for the Austism Pensacola, Jake also secured a $500 direct donation from the Century Town Council to Century Academy to support autism education. [Previous story...]
Pictured top: Jake Livingston was presented his second place autism fundraising team plaque Tuesday by Susan Byram, president and CEO of Autism Pensacola. Pictured below: “Sheriff” Jake Livingston at home in Hazzard County. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century To Officially Light Christmas Tree Thursday Evening
November 29, 2017
Century will hold an official Christmas tree lighting ceremony beginning promptly at 5 p.m. Thursday. The short ceremony will take place in the Nadine McCaw Park located on North Century Boulevard at Hecker Street. Children from Byrneville Elementary School will perform Christmas songs during the event. Pictured: Century’s Christmas Tree lighting ceremony last year in Nadine McCaw Park on North Century Boulevard. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate’s Jesse Sherrill Signs With Gordon State College
November 29, 2017
Tate High School senior Jesse Sherrill signed a baseball scholarship Tuesday to play next year at Gordon State College in Barnsville, GA. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Proposed Florida Vaping Ban Gets Unanimous Backing
November 29, 2017
A ban on vaping in workplaces is one step closer to appearing on the 2018 ballot after a panel of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission unanimously approved the proposal on Tuesday.
Former state Sen. Lisa Carlton, a member of the commission, said people are being adversely affected by public vaping because a ban on smoking in workplaces was passed by Florida voters in 2002, well before electronic cigarettes and other devices became available.
She wants to expand the current smoking ban to include vaping devices.
“Vaping, as it’s generally called, is everywhere,” Carlton said, adding that like with smoking, second-hand exposure to vaping can lead to breathing in toxins. “Daily across the state of Florida, Floridians are subjected to vaping. No one should be forced to endure a cloud of harmful vapor in their cubicle as they work to support their families. No parent should have to worry about the health of their child because someone is vaping at the adjoining restaurant table, movie-theater seat, grocery store or next to them inside the mall.”
Florida Cancer Action Network lobbyist Heather Yeomans said her group supports the proposal but has suggested a number of changes, including eliminating the term “vapor generating devices” and replacing it with electronic smoking devices which, she said, would capture devices such as electronic hookahs, electronic pens and electronic cigarettes.
Yeomans said the Cancer Action Network also would like the proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate an existing exemption that allows people to smoke in some bars and hotels.
“We weren’t thrilled to see that we still have the exemptions for bars and hotels,” she told the General Provisions Committee of the Constitution Revision Commission. “We would love for every environment and every employee … to not be exposed to these chemicals” from regular tobacco smoke and electronic cigarettes.
Carlton told The News Service of Florida after the meeting that she doesn’t plan to alter her proposal to address concerns raised by the Cancer Action Network. But it appears unlikely Carlton’s proposed constitutional amendment would go before voters as is in 2018.
To prevent what is being called “ballot fatigue,” members of the Constitution Revision Commission could group together proposals that the commission has endorsed.
The commission, which has 37 members, meets every 20 years to evaluate possible changes to the Constitution. The panel can put issues before voters without having to gather petition signatures or get proposals approved by the Legislature.
Members are considering dozens of proposed amendments, with those moving through the various committees expected to be considered by the full commission.
If a proposal is approved by a majority of the commission members, it will be sent to the Style and Drafting Committee, which is charged with grouping the various proposals together.
Commissioner Brecht Heuchan, who chairs the Style and Drafting Committee, told The News Service of Florida on Tuesday that, ideally, the proposed amendments would be grouped by themes. But he warned that overarching themes such as health care, the environment or taxes may not be how they are ultimately grouped for voters.
Heuchan said one potential way to group amendments would be to place together those that establish “rights.”
Another way to categorize proposals, Heuchan said, would be to group controversial or unpopular proposals in one proposed amendment and place other measures that have widespread support in another proposed amendment.
That approach, he said, was used by the Constitution Revision Commission in 1978, which was chaired by former Florida State University President Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte.
While it is an option, Heuchan said it’s not one that he likes. D’Alemberte, who spoke before the commission this year, also said he regretted taking that approach because ultimately none of the amendments the commission proposed in 1978 were approved by the voters.
Heuchan said it is too early to decide how the proposals would be categorized because it’s not clear which proposals will receive initial support from the full commission. “And, I also have no ideas what my colleagues want yet,” he said.
Carlton agreed that it was too early to predict what other proposals could be grouped together with her vaping ban.
After the proposals are grouped, they would have to be considered one more time by the full commission. Members would have one more opportunity to try to amend or alter the proposals. Ultimately, only those that are supported by 60 percent of the commission will appear on the ballot in 2018.
And only those that are approved by 60 percent of the voters who go to the polls will be included in the state Constitution.
by Christine Sexton, The News Service of Florida
House Fire, Death Under Investigation
November 28, 2017
[Updated] A man found deceased at the scene of an Escambia County house fire Monday died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Escambia Fire Rescue responded to a fully involved house fire about 10:19 p.m. in the 1900 block of West Detroit Boulevard. As crews were fighting the blaze, the man’s body was found, reportedly outside behind the home.
The home was a total loss.
The fire and the death remain under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Further details have not yet been released.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Worker Charged With Stealing Welding Machines From High Above Bridge
November 28, 2017
A construction company employee has been arrested for stealing two industrial welding machines that were suspended high in the air above an Oak Grove worksite.
Timothy Dain Denmon, age 33 of Crestview, was charged with felony grand theft and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail late Monday afternoon with bond set at $11,000.
Workers discovered the welding machines missing when they arrived Monday morning at the bridge construction site on North Highway 99 over Pine Barren Creek, just north of the Oak Grove Park. The welders had been suspended from a construction crane for the long Thanksgiving weekend, high above ground level.
Maj. Andrew Hobbs, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, said Denmon was employed as a crane operator at the site and was quickly developed as a suspect in the theft because only he and a foreman had keys to the crane. Hobbs said investigators determined the crane was used to lower the welders to ground level, and other equipment on the site was moved around to allow their removal.
Pictured: The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigates the theft of two industrial welding machines from a bridge construction zone on North Highway 99 in Oak Grove Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos.
