Little Free Library Now Available In Cantonment
January 11, 2018
Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church is now hosting a Little Free Library in Cantonment. The library is contained in an old newspaper stand that is painted bright red directly in front of the church at 699 S. Highway 95A, next to and facing the highway.
Anyone from the community may borrow a book or keep a book or add a book to the library. Anyone taking a book or two from library does not need to return that exact book. The library is currently supplied with mostly children’s books, but donations of more books for adults would be greatly appreciated. The library is never locked, so people can access it at any time.
“The purpose of the Little Free Library is to inspire a love of reading, build community, and spark creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges. Through Little Free Libraries, millions of books are exchanged each year around the world, profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds,” said Viven Welch of Saint Monica’s.
The Little Free Library has its own Facebook page — https://www.facebook.com/stmonicaslittlefreelibrary/ — with planned updates on the latest available books.
Football Playoff Series Changes Considered For 1A-4A Teams
January 11, 2018
The Florida Athletics Directors Advisory Committee on Wednesday unanimously recommended a playoff change for 1A-4A high school football, including Northview and Jay high schools.
If approved at a future date by the Florida High School Athletic Association, six teams would qualify for state series play from each region in class 1A-4A beginning with the 2018 season.
The first and second seed would receive a bye to the second round. In the first round, the third seed team would host the sixth seed and the fourth seed would host the fifth seed.
Currently four team from each region qualify for the playoffs. There is no district play, forcing teams to often play much tougher schedules. This change would allow the top 50 percent of each region to have a real playoff.
According to the Athletics Directors Committee, there is a built-in extra round for Class 1A-4A and allowing more teams to earn a playoff spot would not affect the current playoff structure. This would also allow the third and fourth seed teams to host a playoff game, earning more revenue for those schools.
“I think there are positives and negatives,” Northview High School Coach Derek Marshman said. “Obviously, more teams will be allowed to participate in the post season. The reason the FHSAA eliminated districts was to eliminate blowouts in the first round. I could see fifth and sixth place teams struggling. That is obviously a case-by-case situation. I do think overall that it is a good thing to allow more teams in the post season.”
“The most beneficial thing is eliminating the bye week the week before the championship games. It could definitely throw a kink into the rhythm of a team if they have the bye week immediately before the state championship game,” Marshman continued.
The proposal was previously unanimously approved by the 1A-4A coaches council and must next be approved by the FHSAA board of directors.
Pictured: Action from last year’s Northview at Jay game. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Votes To Sell Lot To Church For $1,000 For Expansion
January 11, 2018
The Town of Century has voted to sell a portion of lot located nearly four miles outside town to the Poplar Dell Baptist Church so that they can construct a new fellowship hall.
For years, the church has cut the grass and maintained a lot about one acre in size behind their sanctuary and cemetery on Highway 168 in the Gandyville community. And they had eyed the lot to build their new fellowship hall. But they learned the property actually belongs to the Town of Century. Century’s gas department maintains a “natural gas gate station” — a connection between the town’s gas system and supplier — on one end of the property next to Poplar Dell Road. The remainder of the property is a large grassy lot.
The church determined that they needed 0.23 acres of the lot for the expansion. The town council voted to sell the lot to the church for $1,000. A required buffer around the natural gas station will be maintained.
A $4,000 appraisal had been received for the full acre.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton Elementary Announces Spelling Bee Winners
January 11, 2018
Flomaton Elementary School has announced winners of their Spelling Bee. They are:
3rd-5th grade division:
Michael Bowen – Winner
Secily Carter – Runner-up
6th grade division:
Christopher Crawley – Winner
Sam Johnson – Runner-up
The students now advance to the county tournament.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com,click to enlarge.
E. Coli Bacteria Prompts Bratt Davisville Water System Boil Water Notice
January 10, 2018
UPDATE: The boil water notice has been rescinded. The latest test results show that the water is safe to drink.
UPDATE: The original release from the water company indicated the well testing was December 10. That was a typographical error on their part. The well was actually tested January 10. This story has been updated to correct their error.
Wednesday night, the Bratt Davisville Water System issued a precautionary boil water notice after a well tested positive for E. Coli bacteria.
The boil water notice covers the areas below:
Nokomis Rd. from Rockaway Creek Rd. traveling West to North Pineville Rd., Rockaway Creek Rd. from Nokomis Rd. traveling North to Alabama Line, Gibbs Rd., Circle Rd., Shady Oak Dr., Miller Rd., Jakes Rd., Jones Rd., Reynolds Rd., Flowers Rd., Albritton Rd., Barlow Rd., Tullis Rd., North Pineville Rd. from Nokomis Rd. North to Alabama Line, Hollingsworth Rd., and three customers immediately south of Hollingsworth Rd. on North Pineville Rd.
The Bratt Davisville Water System issued the following information:
What should I do?
As a precaution, we advise that all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, or washing dishes be boiled. A rolling boil of one minute is sufficient. As an alternative, bottled water may be used. Residents are also advised to take precautions when bathing, especially Immuno-compromised individuals, infants or the elderly.
What happened? What is being done?
We routinely monitor the water in our wells and distribution system for drinking water contaminants. Late on January 10th , we learned that one raw sample taken at Bratt Davisville Well 2 tested positive for the presence of E. coli bacteria.
Water containing E. coli bacteria can be considered safe for drinking and cooking after vigorously boiling the water. Disease symptoms caused by these bacteria may include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and possibly jaundice, and any associated headache and fatigue. EPA has set an enforceable drinking water standard for E. coli to reduce the risk of these adverse health effects. Under this standard all drinking water must be free of these bacteria.
The water system is currently collecting samples to determine if the presence of E.coli bacteria exists within the water system. This precautionary boil water notice will remain in effect until a bacteriological survey shows that the water is safe to drink. The anticipated date for rescinding this notice is January 15, 2018, at 4:00 p.m.
If you have any questions you may contact Customer Service at 1-800- 235-3848 or at 3425 Hwy 4 W, P.O. Box 428, Jay, FL 32565.
Bisquick: Hazmat Crews Respond To Substance At Tax Collector’s Office
January 10, 2018
A white substance caused alarm at the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office in downtown Pensacola on Wednesday.
The substance and a chemical smell on a license plate led to the response of a hazardous materials team and Escambia County Emergency Management.
After investigation, the substance was found to be Bisquick baking mix.
Jim Allen Elementary School Names Students Of The Month
January 10, 2018
Jim Allen Elementary School has named Students of the Month for December. They are Isabela Pomeroy (left) and Jacob Drysdale. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDOT Plans Highway 29, Molino Road Traffic Signal; Eight Miles Of Resurfacing
January 10, 2018
The Florida Department of Transportation plans to install a new traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 29 and Molino Road, resurface eight miles of Highway 29 and improve several other intersections from Molino to Cantonment.
When the traffic signal is installed at Highway 29 and Molino Road, turns lanes will be improved and the median crossover at the Dollar General Store will be closed. Additional improvements will include the milling and resurfacing of Highway from just south of Muscogee Road in Cantonment to Highway 97 in Molino.
There will also be additional safety and operational improvements made on Highway 29 at Barrineau Park Road, West Quintette Road and at the Molino Forestry Station. The improvements will include turn lanes, median openings and driveway modifications.
FDOT must acquire additional right of way for turn lane improvements at the Muscogee/Becks Lake Road intersection. The project is funded for construction in fiscal year 2019.
The estimated construction cost of the entire project is nearly $11.4 million.
The Florida Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on the improvements from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 25 at the Molino Community Complex on Highway 95A just south of Molino Road. There will be a formal presentation at 6 p.m. Maps, drawings and other information will be on display. FDOT representatives will be available to discuss proposed improvements, answer questions, and receive comments.
Pictured: The intersection of Highway 29 and Molino Road Tuesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Discusses Audit Problems As Due To Coding, Communications
January 10, 2018
The Century Town Council held a special workshop meeting Tuesday evening to discuss findings of a recent audit and work not yet done to complete an audit coming due soon to the state.
The audit uncovered numerous financial problems in Century during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. Those findings included deteriorating financial conditions that could result in a future “financial emergency”, $3.83 million in transferred special revenue funds that must be repaid to another fund, over $1.4 million in expenditures in violation of state statutes, over $5,000 in a bank account that did not appear on the books and other deficiencies.
The council discussed that many of the findings were simply due to transactions that were simply mis-coded, essentially placed in the wrong category when entered into financial software. There are no allegations of wrongdoing or missing funds.
Town Clerk Leslie Howington said it had been common practice to “borrow” funds from one account, such as the general fund, to another fund, such as the gas fund, in order to pay bills by their due date. The funds would then be recorded as due to the general fund and due from the gas fund. Instead, she said, the funds should have been coded as operational transfers.
The town is currently working with town attorney Matt Dannheiser to re-code fiscal year 2015-2016 transactions to correct audit findings.
Auditing firm Warren Averett has warned town officials that information needed for their current audit was due December 31 but was not received. Now, the the auditors have pushed their schedule for fieldwork from this month to May, giving the town a deadline of April 15 to provide information and files. The council, in turn , is requiring that their CPA, Robert Hudson, provide completed reports to the council by April 1.
“Communication, communication,” Council member Ben Boutwell said. “So many of these problems have been caused by the lack of communication. You need to provide people with a (deadline) to provide you information and keep a paper trail of that.”
The town council is also now requiring Hudson to communicate current financial information to them during the second council meeting of each month.
Pictured: The Century Town Council discusses audit findings Tuesday evening. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
FDLE Arrests Santa Rosa Detention Deputy
January 10, 2018
Tuesday, agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested Russel Edmund Scott, 49, for theft of intellectual property. Scott was a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy.
The Sheriff’s Office requested that FDLE investigate Scott for unauthorized possession of SMARTCOP proprietary files on his personal share drive located on the SRCSO computer network system.
SMARTCOP provides system development, implementation and support services for public safety products including computer-aided dispatch, records management, mobile computer with field based reported and jail management systems.
During the investigation, FDLE agents discovered Scott, a former SMARTCOP employee, was in possession of numerous files that he was not authorized to have.
Scott was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail after his arrest.