Two Injured In Cantonment House Fire
September 14, 2017
Two elderly residents were transported to the hospital following a house fire in Cantonment Wednesday night.
The fire in the 3800 block of Highway 297A was reported about 8 p.m. Two of the residents were able to escape the fire, but reportedly suffered smoke inhalation. They were transported by Escambia County EMS to a Pensacola area hospital.
The exact cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marhal’s Office.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Declares Portion Of Town As ‘Blighted’, Forms Community Redevelopment Area
September 14, 2017
The Town of Century has officially declared a portion of the town as “blighted” and established a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
Once the CRA is in place and operating, it will work to improve conditions within the area. As property tax values rise, most of the increase is funneled back into the redevelopment area for further improvements.
The CRA area is 510 acres, bounded by Jefferson Avenue to the south, Jefferson Avenue to the east, State Road 4 to the north and the centerline of North Century Boulevard to the west. It also extends north on the east side of North Century Boulevard to include commercial properties up to, and including, the former Burger King.
Essentially, CRAs use redevelopment funds within a deteriorating area to transform it into one that again contributes to the overall health of a community. The money can roll over year to year, up to a 40-year life for a CRA.
CRA funds can be used for a variety of public purposes, including items specified in the agency’s redevelopment plan, planning and surveys, acquisition of real property, affordable housing development and community policing innovations.
In establishing the CRA, the Century council found that the area is blighted, with a predominance of deteriorated or dilapidated housing in the area. Nearly half of the homes in the area were scored as dilapidated and in need of rehabilitation or reconstruction.
The median value of an owner-occupied home in Century is $40,000, compared to the Escambia County median housing value of $81,700. The average median household income in the Century area is $24,583, compared to the Escambia County’s median household income of $46,001.
The council also voted to appoint themselves as members of the Community Redevelopment Agency — a separate and distinct legal entity independent from the Century Town Council. The council may choose to appoint two additional CRA members.
Parks Upgraded: New Basketball Court In Cantonment, New Picnic Pavilion In Molino
September 14, 2017
Two North Escambia parks have received improvements this week.
At Harvester’s Home Park on Forrest Street in Cantonment, crews poured concrete for a new basketball court on Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, a new picnic pavilion at the Molino Community Center was completed with the installation of sod. County officials said more picnic tables are on the way soon for the pavilion.
Pictured top: A new basketball court was poured Wednesday at Harvester’s Home Park on Forrest Street in Cantonment. Pictured below. Sod was installed Wednesday around a new picnic pavilion at the Molino Community Center Park. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECUA Sends Hurricane Recovery Help To Jacksonsville
September 14, 2017
ECUA is sending aid to Jacksonville to help with Hurricane Irma recovery.
ECUA responded to a request from Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) for lift station mechanics to support repair of their damaged infrastructure. ECUA organized a mutual aid response team from the Lift Station and Plant Maintenance divisions and dispatched them to Jacksonville on Wednesday.
“We expect our crews to be there a minimum of two to five days”, Stephen E. Sorrell, ECUA executive director, said.
ECUA personnel and equipment dispatched to Jacksonville included:
• 2 – 200 KW generators
• 3 – 60 KW generators
• 1 – 6” diesel bypass pump with 4” adapter
• 4 – Mechanical Crew Trucks
• 5 – LS Mechanics and 4 Plant Mechanics
Florida’s Citrus Industry Hit Hard By Hurricane Irma
September 14, 2017
Florida’s already-struggling citrus industry “suffered serious and devastating losses” in Hurricane Irma, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Wednesday after an aerial tour of groves in central and southwest parts of the state.
“It’s still too early to know the full extent of the damage to Florida citrus,” Putnam said in a prepared statement. “But after touring groves on foot and by air, it’s clear that our signature crop has suffered serious and devastating losses from Hurricane Irma.” Earlier in the day, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said he was hearing from citrus growers that up to 75 percent of the early-season crop has been lost to the powerful hurricane that blanketed the state Sunday and Monday.
Photos: Florida citrus crop damage from Irma. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Crews Continue To Assist With Irma Power Restoration
September 14, 2017
Wednesday, Gulf Power crews continued to assist Tampa Electric in restoring power in Dade City following Hurricane Irma. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
IMPACT 100 Names Non-Profit Finalists For $107,700 Grants
September 14, 2017
Arts and Culture
- Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society Inc. for project: Gulf Coast Kiln Walk Society Historical Center.
- Pensacola Delta Enrichment Center Inc. for project: Young, Gifted and Underprivileged — Warrington Arts Development Project.
- West Florida Historic Preservation Inc., doing business as UWF Historic Trust, for project: History and Storytelling Circle.
Education
- Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy Centers Inc. for project: Capstone Pet Place.
- Escambia County Public Schools Foundation for Excellence Inc., doing business as Escambia County Public Schools Foundation, for project: Swim, Soar and Fly into Science! Inspiring Hands-on Exploration of Our Natural World.
- Escambia County School Readiness Coalition Inc., doing business as Early Learning Coalition of Escambia County, for project: Grow with Me.
Family
- Horizons of Okaloosa County Inc., doing business as The Arc of the Emerald Coast, is a finalist for project: IMPACT 100 Dream Wheels for New Beginnings.
- My Father’s Arrows Inc. for project: Mama’s House.
- Young Men’s Christian Association of Northwest Florida Inc. for project: The Wheels on the Bus.
Environment, Recreation and Preservation
- Humane Society of Pensacola Inc., doing business as Pensacola Humane Society, for project: The Humane Express.
- Mother Wit Institute Inc. for project: Save the Ella L. Jordan Home — A Historic Place.
- Pensacola Lighthouse Association Inc., doing business as Pensacola Lighthouse & Museum, its project: Fresnel Lens Restoration.
Health and Wellness
- Community Organizations Active in Disasters Inc., doing business as Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies, for project: BRACED and Ready to Roll.
- Feeding the Gulf Coast Inc. for project: Serving the Community During Disasters.
- Santa Rosa Kids’ House Inc. for project: Changing for Children.
IMPACT 100’s annual meeting is scheduled for October 15 at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front on Pensacola Beach. The three finalists from each focus area will make a presentation at the meeting. IMPACT 100 members will vote on two recipients in each focus area.This is the 14th year that IMPACT 100 will award grants to local nonprofit organizations. Since the inception of IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area in 2004, the organization has awarded 77 grants to 60 different nonprofit organizations totaling $8,318,000. This year’s awards will bring the total awarded in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties to $9,395,000 across 87 grants.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Driver Trapped In Cantonment Near Head-On Collision
September 13, 2017
Three people were injured in a near head-on collision in Cantonment Tuesday night.
The vehicles crashed at the intersection of Highway 95A and Woodbury Circle, behind the Tom Thumb, just after 9 p.m. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora driven by 49-year old Daniel Richard of Brewton was northbound on Highway 95A. Richard attempted to turn from Highway 95A to Woodbury Road, but instead pulled into the path of a Chevrolet Tahoe driven by 72-year old Herbert Williams of Cantonment.
Williams and his passenger, 60-year old Jimmie Bryant of Cantonment, were transported to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries.
Richard was was trapped in his vehicle until firefighters used the Jaws of Life to free him. He was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital.
Richard was cited for driving while license suspended/revoked involving serious bodily injuries, reckless driving and no seat belt, according to FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Century Approves $381K In Drainage Projects
September 13, 2017
The Town of Century has accepted a bid for miscellaneous drainage system improvements.
The low bidder on the five-area project was J. Miller Construction of Pensacola at $381,065. Complete bids were as follows:
- B&W Utilities $400,43.85
- Chavers Construction $480,688.50
- J. Miller Construction $381,065.00
- Utility Service Company $628,217.36
The drainage improvements will include work in the Pinewood/Mayo area; George Avenue, Jefferson Avenue/Barnwell Lane area, Hilltop Road, and Ivey Street.
The acceptance of J. Miller Construction’s low bid is contingent upon approval by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, which is funding the complete project.
File photo.
Everyone Wins: Welcome To The Miracle League
September 13, 2017
In a park where hundreds of Escambia County area athletes play baseball, softball and t-ball every year, one set of baseball diamonds stands out from the rest. A rubber surface covers what would normally be clay and grass on three of the fields at the county-owned John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Complex on Nine Mile Road, providing a safe, fun place for everyone who wants to play ball.
And for the Miracle League of Pensacola, “everyone” truly means everyone.
It’s a place where every player plays, hits, gets on base, scores and wins – every game. Operating out of the John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Complex, the Miracle League of Pensacola provides physically and mentally challenged children and adults an opportunity to play baseball, softball and t-ball just like anyone else, all in a spirited and secure environment.
“The most exciting thing is getting to see the kids,” said Miracle League of Pensacola President and Co-Founder Larry Thompson, who started the program in 2002 with his late wife Donna. “In a sense, we’ve watched them grow up. They’re more than just players to us – they’re part of our family, too.”
Thompson said the program has grown from 28 players at its inception to about 250 for the current fall season.
The Miracle League of Pensacola relies on its many volunteers or “buddies” to keep the program going, along with community partners including the Escambia County Parks and Recreation Department.
In addition to Escambia County donating the land at the park for the Miracle League to use, the Parks and Recreation Department has assisted with sidewalks, bleacher areas and perimeter areas to the newest Miracle League field. Recently, the department also coordinated with Miracle League to provide additional field safety netting and enhanced parking options.
Escambia County Parks and Recreation Director Michael Rhodes said the Miracle League of Pensacola has been a great community asset, and the county is honored to be able to support the organization’s mission.
“I’ve witnessed the joy on their faces and the sense of accomplishment on players’ faces over my years at the county,” Rhodes said. “I’ve witnessed the feeling of inclusion by those players when they’re getting to play a game that some probably thought they’d never get to play.”
District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry also spoke to the organization’s positive impact.
“The success and growth at the Miracle League is a fantastic example of a volunteer board and nonprofit organization changing the lives of not only our players, but also their families and all of our player buddies and our coaches,” Barry said. “Many of our volunteers, buddies, and their families have given thousands of dollars and thousands of hours to support our players and I thank them.”
And while Escambia County Parks and Recreation plays a role in Miracle League, Rhodes said the real credit belongs to the Miracle League volunteers who work hard on a daily basis to keep the program going.
“We’re happy to do the part that we can to provide the park, to provide the location and to assist with improvements at the facility, but the volunteers that provide assistance at the Miracle League provide such a key element to that organization’s mission and the success they’ve had over the years,” Rhodes said.
Commissioner Lumon May, who represents District 3 where the park is located, agreed that the county is pleased to support Miracle League and what it brings to the community.
“Miracle League of Pensacola provides an opportunity for all athletes to participate in the great game of baseball, which can be life-changing for those who might not have been able to play otherwise,” May said. “Youth sports are such a fundamental part of childhood, and nobody should be excluded from participating based on their ability.”
Thompson said one of the most rewarding parts of Miracle League is getting to witness the smiles on the players’ faces and watching them overcome physical limitations to achieve things they may have once considered impossible.
“I’ve seen kids come in with cerebral palsy that can’t hit a pitched baseball,” Thompson said. “We used to use a tee 90 percent of the time when we started, and now you may see us use a tee 10 percent of the time. It’s amazing to think you can take the same group of kids and see them hit a pitched ball – people who didn’t think they could even play ball.”
The Miracle League of Pensacola strives to facilitate a sense of inclusion for all who play, Thompson said, with the age of participants ranging from 3 years old to 61 years old.
“The Miracle League is built at a regular baseball park,” he said. “It’s not where I play ball – it’s where we play ball.”
To learn more about the Miracle League of Pensacola or how to become a volunteer, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
