Reimagine Flomaton Meeting Thursday Night
January 27, 2016
A volunteer meeting for Reimagine Flomaton will be held at 6:30 Thursday evening at the Flomaton Community Center.
Reimagine Flomaton will be held Saturday, February 20, 2016. Reimagine has held similar events in Century, Brownsville, Warrrington, Thomaston, GA, Santa Rosa County and Peru. Events have included clothing giveaways, free haircuts, free food, free health checks and displays from community organizations.
The Flomaton Community Center is located 628 McCurdy Street.
Pictured: Volunteers discuss Reimagine Flomaton last month during a meeting last year at the Flomaton Fire Department. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Cracking Down On Bad Check Writers
January 27, 2016
The Town of Century is cracking down on those that write bad checks for town services such as utility payments. The fee for bad checks will be increased to an amount between $25-$40, dependent on the amount of the check. And, under a new policy, the town will no longer accept checks from anyone that has written the town two bad checks in a 12 month period.
Three Indicted In Escambia Murder
January 27, 2016
Three people have been indicted in an Escambia County murder case.
An Escambia County grand jury indicted Bryan Simmons, David Calland, and Jezzamay Atherton for first degree felony murder in the death of Darel Mims.
Mims was found shot to death on January 11, 2016, in his apartment at the Beauclere Apartments located off East Burgess Road.
All three will be in court Friday for an arraignment hearing.
Byrneville Elementary Students Prepare For Groovy Reading Night
January 27, 2016
Byrneville Elementary School will hold a Groovy Reading Night this Thursday from 6-7 p.m. at the school. In anticipation of the event, students created VW buses with the students inside.
The event is for all grades. The students will enjoy a movie, popcorn and face painting, while the parents will attend breakout sessions. Families will also be able to visit the school’s Book Fair.
All Byrneville Elementary School parents and students are urged to attend.
Submitted images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Amtrak Confirms VIP Train Will Roll As Officials Study Rail Service Return To Gulf Coast
January 26, 2016
Amtrak and the Southern Rail Commission have confirmed in a press release what NorthEscambia.com was first to publish about two weeks ago — a special “inspection train” will ride the rails from New Orleans to Jacksonville next month in advance preparation for the possible return of passenger rail service to cities like Pensacola and Atmore.
The inspection train, hosted by Amtrak President and CEO Joe Boardman, will carry elected officials, industry representatives, community leaders and federal stakeholders. The goal of the invitation-only trip is to examine the existing CSX railroad infrastructure and to better understand rail’s economic, cultural and mobility opportunities. It it designed to provide an unparalleled perspective on reintroducing intercity passenger rail along the Gulf Coast.
The SRC recently released a study by Amtrak detailing the range of feasible service options accompanied by an analysis of ridership levels, projected revenues, and associated costs for passenger trains between New Orleans and Orlando. The models in this new study present the range of service options that will support regional economic resilience and projected population growth.
Better connections and financial performance has been projected in these models – with higher ridership and lower costs – than Amtrak services previously considered or operated in the region.
“We want to work with community leaders and CSX.” said Boardman. “Additional regional economic development can come from shared infrastructure investments on a timeline to better connect the region to the rest of the country and more than 500 other Amtrak destinations.”
Connecting the cities and towns along the Gulf Coast with passenger rail is one of the top priority projects for the Southern Rail Commission.
“The Southern Rail Commission is committed to working with local and federal partners, and Amtrak to make this service a reality in the near future,” said SRC Chairman Greg White. “We are continuing to align the necessary support for the project.”
The train is expected to arrive in Atmore about 2:41 p.m. on February 18. Passengers will board buses to spend the night at the Wind Creek Hotel in Atmore, while the empty train will continue toward Pensacola. On the morning of February 19, the passengers will be bused to Pensacola to re-board the train at 8 a.m. and continue on to stops in Crestview, Chipley, Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
Atmore officials are planning to make a huge impression on the VIP passengers when the arrive in the city for their overnight stay on February 19. The plan to meet the train with huge fanfare — high school bands, color guards, school groups and thousands of local residents.
The city is also asking residents to clean up their homes and businesses prior to February 19, according to Mayor Jim Staff. The city will use plywood to re-deck the aging train platform at the Atmore train station, which also services as Alabama’s Official Rail Welcome Station. The town will install new flower boxes, flag decorations and more in their beautification efforts.
For a previous NorthEscambia.com story, click here.
Pictured top: Jerry Gehman, Atmore’s representative to the Southern Rail Commission, announced two weeks ago that a special VIP inspection train will roll into the Atmore train station with invited passengers to spend the night of February 18 in Atmore. Pictured top inset: Gehman discusses a Southern Rain Commission report during a January 13 press conference at the Atmore City Hall. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Highway 29 Morning Drivers Greeted By Giant Equipment
January 26, 2016
Tuesday morning drivers on Highway 29 through North Escambia were greeted by a couple of giant equipment pieces under escort by the Florida Highway Patrol. In these photos, the items are passing the Highway 29 and Highway 95A intersection in Cantonment. Details of the transport were not released in advance. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Continues To Explore Community Redevelopment Area
January 26, 2016
The The Town of Century held a second special workshop Monday with county officials to learn more about the possibility of forming a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA).
Upon declaration of an area as blighted, the CRA works to improve conditions. As property tax values rise, most of the increase is funneled back into the redevelopment area for further improvements.
An estimate provide by Escambia County showed Century might, in a best case scenario, receive about $5,300 in tax funds for the first year of a CRA that included a full maximum 80 percent of the town. When asked what could be done by the CRA during its first year with $5,300, Escambia County CRA Division Manger Clara Long replied, “absolutely nothing”.
“Like Cantonment just don’t have the funding,” she said. “We just can’t do major improvements in that area yet, but it’s growing.”
CRA funds can accumulate up to 40 years before disbursement. Essentially, CRAs use redevelopment funds within a deteriorating area to transform it into one that again contributes to the overall health of a community. 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.
Century council members did not make any decision on forming a CRA at Monday’s meeting.
There are currently nine other redevelopment districts in Escambia County — Atwood, Barrancas, Brownsville, Cantonment, Englewood, Ensley, Oakfield, Palafox and Warrington — and three within the City of Pensacola.
Pictured top: Century council members (L-R) Gary Riley, Ben Boutwell and Sandra McMurray Jackson attended a CRA worshop Monday evening. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
NAS Visitors Must Use Gate On Blue Angel Parkway
January 26, 2016
Beginning next Monday, February 1, all unescorted visitors to the National Naval Aviation Museum, Fort Barrancas and Pensacola Lighthouse who do not possess a DoD identification card, will be required to enter the base using the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway.
“The safety and security of everyone who works, lives or visits NAS Pensacola is my priority. This change will bring the installation in alignment with security directives issued by the Secretary of the Navy and are not in response to any specific threat,” said Naval Air Station (NAS) Commanding Officer, Captain Keith Hoskins.
NAS Pensacola’s main gate on Navy Boulevard will be open to all employees, military and DoD cardholders, as well as previously vetted personnel who possess a valid visitor’s pass. Visitors to Barrancas National Cemetery will be vetted upon arrival at the Visitors Information Center, Building 777 at the Main Gate.
Numerous Rail Crossings To Close
January 26, 2016
Due to upcoming maintenance repairs by CSX, traffic will experience a short-term crossing closure at Hecker Road in Escambia County beginning at 7 a.m. on Tuesday with the road expected to reopen at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. The closure is part of repairs that will be made to the railroad crossing before work begins on State Road 4.
CSX will be conducting work throughout northern Escambia County as part of its network-wide crossing maintenance program. Operations will begin Tuesday, Feb. 9, with work expected to be completed within one week.
CSX engineering crews will be laying new rail ties, resurfacing crossings and repaving them with asphalt. CSX has worked closely with local officials to coordinate the crossing closures to minimize disruption to the community and is communicating directly with residents where there are dead-end roads or no-outlet situations.
Traffic will experience temporary closures to the following road crossings during the operations period:
- Cottage Street
- McCurdy Road
- State Road 4
- Hecker Road
- Front Street
- East Pond Street
- Jefferson Avenue
- Salters Lake Road
- Bluff Springs Road
- Courtney Road
- Mystic Springs Road
- E. Bogia Road
- Cotton Lake Road
The roads lsited above will be temporarily closed at different times throughout the week depending on maintenance schedule, according to CSX.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to travel with care through the work zone and to watch for construction equipment and workers entering and exiting the roadway.
United Way Offering Free Tax Prep And Filing
January 26, 2016
United Way of Escambia County offers free online or in-person tax filing options for those with a household income of $62,000 or less in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties. Last year, the impact of United Way’s tax programs exceeded $5.1 million.
Taxpayers can tax advantage of the free service:
Online - File taxes anywhere, anytime at www.myfreetaxes.com. If questions arise, call the MyFreeTaxes Helpline at 1-855-698-9435.
In-person – Go to a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site and have an IRS-certified volunteer prepare taxes one-on-one. Dial 2-1-1 or visit www.unitedwayescambia.org/taxhelp for locations and hours of operation.
Make sure to have the following when filing taxes: state or federal photo identification; Social Security cards for all members of the household; all W2s, 1095s, 1098s, 1099s, investment statements and other tax forms; bank account information for direct deposit and last year’s tax return if available.
All VITA sites will open during the week of February 1 through the end of the tax season. For the first time, a temporary VITA site will be available in Century from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on January 29 and February 6. This site is by appointment only. Taxpayers should call 2-1-1 to reserve a spot and to learn about other one-time events held in Escambia County during tax season.