Century Getting Tougher On Delinquent Water, Gas Accounts
March 6, 2015
The Town of Century is getting tough with people that don’t pay their utility bills — and now they’ll be spending at least one night without gas or water.
Mayor Freddie McCall says it’s taking too much time and money to provide same-day restore services to those who have been disconnected for non-payment, and pulling town gas and water employees off other jobs throughout the day. So now, all service reconnects will be done once per day each morning , the day after payment is made.
Century water and gas customers currently receive a bill that is mailed the first of the month, followed by a late notice and fee on the 15th and disconnect on the 25th. There is a $20 reconnect fee for gas, and a $10 reconnect fee for water.
McCall said about 40-50 customers are regularly disconnected for non-payment each month.
Century’s gas territory currently extends to portions of Byrneville and McDavid.
Elementary Students Honored As Shining Stars
March 6, 2015
The Escambia County School District’s Elementary Principals Association, in partnership with WSRE, PBS for the Gulf Coast, hosted the 19th Annual Shining Star Awards Thursday night, honoring 35 elementary school students in Escambia County for their leadership and service to the community.
In an awards ceremony at WSRE’s Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio, each winner was presented with a certificate of achievement along with a new bicycle and helmet.
Area principals and teachers selected the Shining Stars based on good citizenship, leadership and adherence to the core values of the Escambia County School District: equality, responsibility, integrity, respect, honor and patriotism.
2015 Shining Star Award Winners were:
- A.K. Suter Elementary — Justis Werth Sphar
- Bellview Elementary — Hensley Faith Watley
- Beulah Elementary — Madison Rush
- Blue Angels Elementary — Maile Apongan
- Bratt Elementary — Anna Faith Adams
- Brentwood Elementary — Alex Crumpler
- Byrneville Charter School – Leah Kalyn Anderson
- C.A.Weis Elementary — Lionel Mejias–Perez
- Cordova Park Elementary — Reid Majewski
- Ensley Elementary — Melissa Nguyen
- Escambia Christian School – Norma Brown-Duncan
- Ferry Pass Elementary — Veronica Zaldana
- Global Learning Academy — Jasmine Allison
- Hellen Caro Elementary — Savannah Braswell
- Holm Elementary – Mary Collins
- Jim Allen Elementary — Alyssa Daniels
- Little Flower Catholic School — Jessica Corpuz
- Longleaf Elementary — Dashaun Hartsfield
- McArthur Elementary — Isabella Vose
- Molino Park Elementary – Hannah Hassebrock
- Montclair Elementary — Jamyra Knight
- Myrtle Grove Elementary — Summer Esguerra
- N.B. Cook Elementary — Skylar Bell
- Navy Point Elementary — Mayerli Mateo
- O.J. Semmes Elementary — Briana Fountain
- Oakcrest Elementary — Jahazara Anderson
- Pensacola Beach Elementary — Natalia Dadisman
- Pine Meadow Elementary — Elias (Eli) Ray
- Pleasant Grove Elementary — Terriny Krepps
- R.C. Lipscomb Elementary — Evangeline Karanick
- Redeemer Lutheran — Devin Mills
- Scenic Heights Elementary — Ethan Jones
- Sherwood Elementary — Joseph Turner
- Warrington Elementary — Eddie Johnson
- West Pensacola Elementary — Lani Dee Adams
Pictured: Shining Star Award winners Thursday night at WSRE in Pensacola. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Seven Tate Wrestling Team Members Advance To Regionals
March 6, 2015
Several members of the Tate High School wrestling team came up winners at the recent district tournament. Seven of them advanced to the regional tournament today at Chiles High School.
Tate wrestling team members placing in the district tournament were:
- Matthew Blalock, fourth place
- Caleb Campbell, fourth place
- Heath Hernden, fourth place
- Gaven McAnally, first place
- Daniel Pigg, fourth place
- Alex Porter, third place
- Tanner Wood, second place
Pictured top: Tate wrestling team members (L-R) Daniel Pigg (4th place), Alex Porter (3rd place), Matthew Blalock (4th place), Gaven McAnally (1st place), Tanner Wood (2nd place), Heath Hernden (4th place) and Caleb Campbell (4th place). Pictured below: The Tate High School wrestling team at districts. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida AG Urges Parents To Take Step To Protect Children From Identity Theft
March 6, 2015
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Office urges all Anthem customers affected by the recent data breach who are parents or caregivers to be alert for child identity theft. According to Anthem, more than 1.4 million individuals in Florida had Social Security numbers or personal identification stolen in wake of the recent breach. As a result of parents’ insurance information being compromised, children’s Social Security numbers and personal identification are also believed to be at risk for identity theft.
“Parents and caregivers who are Anthem customers should take extra precautions in protecting their children’s identity,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “If you believe your child’s identity is compromised, please report it immediately to the credit reporting bureaus and local law enforcement.”
Identity thieves can easily create fraudulent identities using children’s information because there is no other credit history associated with the children’s Social Security numbers. Children’s identities are also stolen because they can remain undiscovered until the child turns 18 or applies for student loans or credit cards.
Warning signs of child identity theft include:
- Phone calls or letters attempting to collect debt in a child’s name;
- Pre-approval or other credit card offers for minors;
- Notices from government entities about a traffic violation, jury duty summons, overdue taxes or other such document in a child’s name;
- A bill or insurance claim for medical treatments that a child never received;
- Denial of state or federal benefits because Social Security number is listed as already receiving benefits; and
- Notice from the IRS stating that a dependent cannot be claimed on tax return because the Social Security number already appears on another tax form.
The following should be considered if a dependent’s identity is believed to be compromised:
- Check with major credit reporting bureaus, such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, to see if the dependent has a credit report;
- Place a fraud alert on dependent’s information by contacting just one of the three bureaus. The bureaus are required to alert the other bureaus when an alert is in place;
- Put a freeze on any fraudulent credit files with each of the three credit reporting bureaus;
- File a police report at local police department about the identity theft;
- Call each of the companies where an account was fraudulently opened under the dependent’s name and ask them to flag and close the account; and
- Check the dependent’s credit report each year to ensure that no fraudulent activity is occurring.
To report child identity theft to the credit reporting bureaus, contact Equifax at 1-800-525-6285, Experian at 1-888-397-3742 and TransUnion at 800-680-7289 or ChildIdTheft@transunion.com.
For more information on what you can do in the wake of identity theft, visit MyFloridaLegal.com/identitytheft.
Central Water Works Seeks To Improve Service On Byrneville Road
March 6, 2015
Central Water Works is looking to upgrade water service for customers on Byrneville Road.
Central Water Works has proposed installing approximately 13,000 linear feet of new six-inch PVC water main along Byrneville Road, from Crary road to West Highway 4. CWW provides service to approximately 836 households and the Byrneville Elementary School. This upgrade will provide improved fire protection for the residents as well as improving the reliability of the water service by replacing aging water mains with larger mains.
Central Water Works intends to submit an application to for federal USDA funding The Escambia County Commission voted to formally express support for the project funding and certify that the project does not conflict with any land development regulations or Escambia County’s Comprehensive Plan
Arrest Made, Drugs, Cash Seized In Warrant Sweep
March 5, 2015
Early this morning, members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team and Narcotics Unit served multiple search warrants in the Montclair community. The investigations targeted different drug distribution organizations, one involving the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine and the other involving the sale and distribution of marijuana.
A warrant was served at a residence in the 700 block of Lasalle Way. A search of the residence produced numerous chemicals and products used in the manufacture of methamphetamine as well as quantities of methamphetamine in different states of the manufacturing process. The ECSO Hazardous Materials team was utilized to assist in the cleanup of the site.
An additional narcotics search warrant was served in the 4500 block of Landes Drive. Michael Ashanti Rashon Moultrie, 24, was located inside of the residence during the warrants service. Over a pound of marijuana was seized from within the house along with scales and packaging materials used for distribution. Over $18,000 in currency was located in a safe along with additional quantities of marijuana. Moultrie was charged with marijuana possession with intent to sell.
Barth Road Railroad Crossing Closed
March 5, 2015
The CSX railroad crossing on North Barth Road at Brickyard Road in Molino is closed for construction, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crossing is expected to be open again on Friday.
Century Opens New Grant Funded Playground
March 5, 2015
A new playground funded by a state grant is now installed at Showalter Park in Century.
Last November, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced grants in 26 counties for outdoor recreational purposes. The only grant in the Pensacola area was a $50,000 for playground equipment at Showalter Park in Century.
In 2013, the town followed a recommendation from the Century Recreation Advisory Committee a submitted two Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program applications. In addition to the Showalter renovation grant, the town also applied for a $125,000 grant to install a splash pad at the Anthony Pleasant Sportsplex, but that grant was not approved.
The playground equipment was ordered from bidder J.A. Dawson & Co., as recommended by the Century Recreation Committee. Thelabor to demolish the previous playground and install the new equipment was provided by the town and state inmate labor, saving grant dollars and allowing for the purchase of more equipment.
The new equipment replaced an old, rotting playground that was constructed of wood, metal pipes and even chains (pictured inset).
The Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program is a competitive program which provides grants to local governments for outdoor recreational projects. The grants are administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The entrance to Showalter Park is located adjacent to a railroad crossing on East Hecker Road in Century.
Pictured above and below: A new state grant funded playground at Century’s Showalter Park. Pictured inset: A portion of the old playground that was replaced. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia’s Morgan, State Sheriff’s Association Backing Evacuation Gun Bill
March 5, 2015
A National Rifle Association-supported measure that failed to win legislative approval a year ago appears to have a clear shot of advancing now that it has the backing of the Florida Sheriffs Association.
House and Senate committees Wednesday approved similar bills (SB 290 and HB 493) that would allow legal gun owners to carry their guns without concealed-weapons licenses during the first 48 hours after emergency evacuation orders are given. A version of the proposal, which didn’t include the evacuation time frame or other new language, died in the Senate last year amid a contentious debate.
Escambia’s Morgan, State Sheriff’s Association Backing Evacuation Gun Bill
The proposal has the support of Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan.
“If it’s a legal weapon, you should be able to carry it when evacuating to protect you and your family,” Morgan said. “After Hurricane Katrina, they were disarming law abiding citizens…and that violates the second amendment. In addition, Morgan said, if evacuees take their weapons with them, they won’t be left behind to be stolen in any possible looting.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, representing the Florida Sheriffs Association, said Wednesday his organization has altered its stance due to the new provisions. Along with the 48-hour time frame, the new version allows people to carry concealed weapons without licenses as long as they are “in the act of evacuating,” regardless of their locations.
Last year “it didn’t provide enough parameters, enough definitive information as to what somebody could be doing and not doing in a time frame,” Gualtieri said.
In addition to the 48-hour window for people to carry weapons while they get away from evacuation zones once an order is given, the bill would allow the governor to extend such an order by an additional 48 hours.
Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who sponsored the proposal last year and this year, said efforts to alter the proposal in 2014 only created more questions, such as the possibility of limiting the carrying of concealed weapons to county borders.
“The problem is that the county line in Pinellas is the middle of a bridge sometimes,” Brandes said after the meeting. “It actually made it worse for individuals because there was complete ambiguity with the law.”
The House backed the measure 80-36 a year ago and the NRA made clear last May it would seek to bring back the issue during the 2015 legislative session, describing the sheriffs association at the time as declaring “war on the Second Amendment.”
On Wednesday, the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 9-2 to back this year’s proposal, sponsored by Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, R-Fort Myers. The votes in opposition were from Democrats Clovis Watson of Alachua and Randolph Bracy of Orlando.
The Senate Community Affairs Committee backed its version of the measure 5-1. Sen. Joseph Abruzzo, a Boynton Beach Democrat who supported the proposal, expressed concern like Morgan that people being forced to evacuate because of a hurricane must “leave their guns in their home for looters or anybody else can come in and take them.”
But in voting against the measure, Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, said after the meeting she has concerns that more weapons will be on the road during a declared disaster.
“I just envision people leaving in an emergency and people having guns when law enforcement is not at its best in terms of being able to enforce what goes on,” Thompson said.
The Senate Criminal Justice Committee voted 4-1 on Feb. 16 to back the proposal, and the next stop before reaching the Senate floor is the Rules Committee.
The House measure must still go through the Economic Development & Tourism Subcommittee and the Judiciary Committee.
Fish Fry Friday In Cantonment’s Carver Park
March 5, 2015
The Cantonment Improvement Committee will hold a fish fry in Carver Park Friday as a Relay for Life fundraiser.
Plates will be available beginning at 10:30 a.m. in the Carver Park at 208 Webb Street and will be available into the afternoon. An $8 dinner includes fish, beans, potato salad and a drink. Meals may also be reserved by purchasing tickets from any Cantonment Improvement Committee board member.