Century Chamber Seeks To Hire Economic Development Coordinator
September 26, 2016
The Century Area Chamber of Commerce is currently seeking to a hire an economic development coordinator.
The $40,000 per year position is funding by a yearly donation to the chamber from the Escambia County Commission.
The successful candidate will develop short and long term economic development with objectives to meet the economic development goals of the chamber, market the Century Industrial Park, Century Business Center, advocate for the town and chamber, act as a liaison with local businesses, update the chamber’s website and more.
The chamber is seeking an applicant that has a bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, marketing or related area and three year of advanced level economic development experience, preferably at the local level.
Complete job description and application information are available on the Employ Florida Marketplace. Click here, and search “economic development” in the 32535 zip code. For more information, call Century Deputy Clerk Kim Godwin at (850) 256-3208.
Airport Boulevard To Be Closed At Railroad Crossing
September 26, 2016
Work was scheduled to begin today on Airport Boulevard at the railroad crossing, but now officials say that work will be postponed until next month, likely October 10. An update will be posted when CSX confirms that date with county officials.
Airport Boulevard will be closed to both east and westbound traffic at the railroad crossing while CSX crews rehabilitate the track. The closure is expected to take three days, weather permitting.
Closures due to railroad crossing repairs will also take place on Monday, Oct. 10 and Tuesday, Oct. 11. At 9 a.m. on Oct. 10 Hancock Lane will be closed to east and westbound traffic, followed by St. John Street at 10 a.m. At 6 a.m. on Oct. 11 East Cross Street will be closed to east and westbound traffic. All three closures are expected to take three days, weather permitting.
FWC Offering Hunter Safety Internet Completion Class In Molino
September 26, 2016
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is offering a free hunter safety internet-completion course this week in Molino.
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.
All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
The class will be offered September 27 from 6-10 p.m. and October 1 from 7-10 a.m. at the Molino Community Center, 6450 U.S. Highway 95A North.
Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at (850)265-3676.
State Board Set To Request More Money For Florida Schools
September 26, 2016
The Florida Board of Education appears ready to request another record figure of per-student funding for public education, setting a starting point for what is annually one of the most politically charged debates over the state budget.
But the increase is likely to draw some of the same complaints as it has in the past: While the proposed per-student spending is more than ever in raw numbers, it has not kept up with inflation since a previous high-water mark was set nearly a decade ago.
A draft of the request, posted on the Department of Education’s website Thursday, proposes spending almost $20.9 billion in state and local tax dollars next year through the main formula for funding public education in Florida, an increase of $721.6 million.
The request is set to be adopted by the board at its meeting Friday, then sent to Gov. Rick Scott and legislative leaders for use in crafting the overall state spending plan for the fiscal year that will start July 1.
On a per-student basis, the figure would grow from $7,183.92 in the current budget year to $7,359.85 next year. That represents growth of almost 2.5 percent. That is slightly above the amount that state economists project would flow to schools based on increased tax dollars from local property values if the state invested nothing more.
That could allow state budget-writers to substantially increase funding for education with only a portion of the new funding — about $222.2 million — coming from a state budget already expected to be stretched thin. But it also could tangle the politics of the issue after lawmakers and Scott trumpeted an effort this year to hold property taxes flat, offsetting the lost income with state money.
That left room for just a 1 percent increase in student funding this year.
While Scott and other state leaders have bragged about increasing spending on state schools to record levels, the Florida Education Association teachers union has disputed that idea, saying those pronouncements don’t account for inflation since the 2007-08 budget year, when legislators hit what used to be the historical record.
“Florida’s public schools and their students continue to make gains despite tepid financial support from the state,” said Mark Pudlow, a spokesman for the union. “When adjusted for inflation, this proposed budget still doesn’t equal what we were investing on our public schools a decade ago.”
The plan to be considered by the board Friday would also do away with the Florida Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program — which received $49 million in the current budget year. Instead, the department would create a $43 million program that would “support bonuses for new teachers who show great potential for and veteran teachers who have demonstrated the highest student academic growth among their peers,” according to meeting materials.
Best and Brightest has been controversial because it bases teacher bonuses on educators’ scores on college-admissions tests.
State officials were traveling for the board meeting, which will be held in Tampa, and could not immediately be reached to further explain the changes.
In higher education, the budget requests an additional $29.1 million for the Bright Futures scholarship program to cover the costs of expanding the scholarships to cover summer courses. And a program aimed at drawing high-achieving students who receive national merit scholarship recognition to Florida colleges would grow by more than 41 percent, to $18.2 million.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Bonus Gallery: Northview Beats Vancleave
September 26, 2016
The Northview Chiefs beat Vancleave, MS, Friday night.
Click here for a photo gallery from Friday night’s Northview at Vancleave, MS game.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Gary Amerson, click to enlarge.
Over 5800 Local Ballots Headed To Military, Overseas Residents
September 26, 2016
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office is sending over 5,800 vote-by-mail ballots to eligible military and overseas citizens. Voters will either receive their ballot by mail or electronically, depending on their chosen method of delivery. Absent military voters and those living overseas can request, mark and track their vote-by-mail ballots electronically.
Vote-by-mail ballots for all eligible domestic voters will be mailed beginning on Tuesday, October 4. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed for the General Election is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2. To request or track your vote-by-mail ballot for the General Election, visit EscambiaVotes.com and click “Vote by Mail”, or contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at (850) 595-3900.
Bonus Gallery: Niceville Tops Tate
September 26, 2016
Friday night, the Tate Aggies fell to Niceville High School.
For a photo gallery of raw, unedited photos from the game, click here.
For a game summary, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Held In Stabbing Death
September 25, 2016
A Cantonment man is being held in connection with a stabbing death in Freeport.
Jefferson Charles Michael Helton, age 26 of Rose Petal Lane, was apprehended Friday afternoon after fleeing the scene on foot.
Helton and the victim, identified as 26-year old Sandy James Berlin of Alabama, were involved in an altercation on LaGranage Road in Freeport just after 12:00 a.m. Friday morning. Berlin was stabbed several times in the chest. He was transported to an area hospital where he died Saturday.
Helton was captured Friday with help of a Good Samaritan. He was transported to the hospital to be treated for injuries sustained in the altercation with the victim. He then fled the scene on foot.
Helton approached a nearby residence asking for cigarettes and water. The Good Samaritan, recognizing he was probably the suspect, acted like he was going to take him the store and drove him right to a nearby deputy.
“We certainly don’t encourage any resident approach a suspect,” said Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “But, we appreciate his help. The situation ended as well as it could have.”
Charges related to the stabbing against Helton are still pending the conclusion of the investigation by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. He remains in the Walton County Jail without bond on a violation of probation warrant for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon from Escambia County.
Pictured: Stabbing suspect Jefferson Charles Michael Helton of Cantonment is taken into custody. Pictured below: The scene of the stabbing in Freeport. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Flomaton Celebrates Railroad Junction Day
September 25, 2016
Flomaton celebrated the town’s heritage Saturday with Railroad Junction Day. The day featured a variety of free activities, demonstrations, entertainment including the Northview High School Dance Team, food and vendors.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
September 25, 2016
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- Interstate 10 (I-10) / U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase 1 – The inside lanes of U.S. 29 north and southbound near the I-10 interchange will be closed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 through Thursday, Sept. 29 for drainage improvements.
- 9 Mile Road (from Pine Forest Road to U.S. 29) Widening - Clearing of trees and shrubs on the 2.6 mile segment between State Road (S.R.) 297 (Pine Forest Road) and S.R. 95 (U.S. 29) began Thursday, Sept. 22. Drivers are reminded to watch for workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway. Lane closures are only permitted between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- U.S. 29 (from I-10 to 9 Mile Road) Widening – Motorists will encounter lane closures near the U.S. 29/9 Mile Road overpass as workers prepare the area for the bridge replacement. Lane closures will only be permitted between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- I-10 (from Davis Highway to Scenic Highway)Widening – Traffic on Scenic Highway (U.S. 90) northbound will be shifted to the newly constructed northbound travel lanes beginning Wednesday, Sept. 28. The shift will allow crews to install the concrete traffic separator in the median between the north and southbound lanes and open the park and ride facility.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 Resurfacing - Intermittent and alternating lane closures east and westbound between the S.R. 87 interchange and the Okaloosa County line from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 through Friday, Sept. 30 as crews perform construction activities. Motorists are reminded the speed limit is reduced to 60 MPH within the lane closure.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling in a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.