Citizens Property Insurance Customers To Face Changes As Policies Renew
September 3, 2014
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is starting to adise many homeowners with expiring policies that they have to go through an electronic clearinghouse intended to shift more policies into the private market.
The state-backed insurer started to send letters this week to multi-peril policyholders with coverage that expires Nov. 1 that they will be the first renewals placed in the computerized system that could spin them toward one of six private carriers if equal or lower rates are available.
Citizens views the clearinghouse as a means to reduce both its overall number of policies and financial risks for the carrier and customers.
“Many customers will benefit from more-comprehensive coverage, lower pricing and vastly reduced assessment risk in the event of a major storm,” Citizens President Barry Gilway said in a prepared statement Tuesday.
Through the process, homeowners will be sent a letter about 75 days prior to the renewal date.
The homeowners would become ineligible for renewal with Citizens if potential rates from any of the six carriers — Florida Peninsula, Federated National, First Community Insurance, Heritage Insurance, Tower Hill Insurance and Southern Oak Insurance — are equal to or less than the rate that would be offered from Citizens.
If private coverage isn’t available, the policyholder would get a renewal package about 45 to 50 days prior to the end of the existing policy.
Citizens spokesman Michael Peltier said it is unknown how many of the approximately 686,500 current homeowner multi-peril policies will eventually be picked up by private carriers.
The clearinghouse process was introduced in January for people seeking new Citizens policies.
While Citizens has seen its monthly average of new policies drop from around 26,000 in 2013 to 16,000 this summer, Gilway said July 10 that the clearinghouse has been credited with placing 3,300 new policies with private firms.
More recent numbers were not immediately available Tuesday.
Citizens planned to begin putting existing customers into the clearinghouse in July, but delayed the start date at the request of contractor New York-based Bolt Solutions, Inc., which received a five-year contract last year to design the software for the clearinghouse.
Reducing the number of polices, and thus the potential exposure to the state, has been a focus of government officials in recent years. As of July 31, Citizens had 933,807 policies in force, down from 1.43 million in May 2012.
Title I Florida Standards Meeting Thursday
September 3, 2014
Students, parents, teachers and community leaders can learn more about the new Florida Standards during a Title I workshop Thursday in Pensacola.
The interactive workshop is designed to inspire attendees to get excited about, and involved with, the new Florida Standards. The workshop will teach families age-appropriate activities to support learning at home.
Parents and students of all ages, and their teachers, are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Leigh Ann South, Title 1, TSA – Parent and Community Involvement, at (850) 595-6915.
Northview To Host Mini-Majorette Clinic
September 3, 2014
The Northview High School Majorettes will host a Mini-Majorette Clinic this Saturday, September 6th from 8-11 a.m. and September 11th from 4-5 p.m.
The clinic will teach students baton tricks, skills, and a baton routine that they will perform at pregame during the Northview vs Chipley game on September 12th. The clinic is open to any student from 5 years of age to 8th grade. Students must bring their own baton due to limited extras. The cost will be $25 per child and includes the clinic, a t-shirt, admission to the home game and a performance before kick-off.
If interested, registration is on September 6th between 7:30-8 a.m.in the Northview band room, just before the Saturday practice. Registration fees are due on September 6 to ensure that t-shirts are available on time. Call (850) 380-2531 for more information.
Snacks and drinks will be provided on the Saturday practice, but students are encouraged to bring something of their own.
Pictured top: Northview High School majorettes Julie Hester, Brianna Smith and Hanna Mascaro. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Juvenile Warrant Sweep Leads To 64 Arrests
September 3, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 64 people on 71 outstanding warrants during a juvenile warrant sweep.
The 64 arrested included both juveniles and legal guardians who were taken into custody on warrants that included charges from violation of probation to grand theft to burglary. Prior to the warrant sweep, the individuals were contacted by mail and given an opportunity to turn themselves in.
The Department of Juvenile Justice closed at the end of April due to flooding and just re-opened in mid-August. That led to the Sheriff’s Office concentrating on the juvenile warrants, the department said.
Volleyball: Baldwin County Tops Northview
September 3, 2014
Baldwin County High School of Bay Minette, AL, defeated the Northview Lady Chiefs in JV and varsity action Tuesday in Bratt.
Junior Varsity
20-25, 12-25 – Baldwin County wins
Varsity
23-25, 20-25, 25-22, 20-25 – Baldwin County wins
On Thursday, the Northview Chiefs will be on the road at Freeport. The JV plays at 4:00, varsity at 5:00.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flood Survivor Cantonment Interviews Begin
September 3, 2014
Volunteer interviewers will meet with flood survivors beginning today in Cantonment to help individuals connect with resources and gain a clear picture of what it will take to recover.
BRACE and the Escambia County Long-Term Recovery Group have requested the services of a national disaster recovery group to determine who in the community will not be able to rebuild and recover without assistance.
A team of World Renew volunteers will conduct one-on-one interviews with flood survivors at Allen Memorial United Methodist Church at 200 Pace Parkway in Cantonment from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m on Friday, September 5; Monday, September 8; Wednesday, September 10; and Friday, September 12. An appointment is not necessary.
The process will help to prioritize individual and family needs and connect survivors with organizations offering long-term support. Several voluntary organizations have committed to sending volunteer reconstruction teams to the community to assist survivors in their recovery once the needs can be defined and prioritized. Those volunteer organizations will be assisting survivors with unmet disaster caused needs with reconstruction.
Interview questions are straightforward and should not require residents to supply any paperwork, although if flood survivors do have a FEMA number, they are asked to bring that with them to the center.
For more information contact the Escambia County Long-Term Recovery Group, at (850) 292-8024 or email brace@bereadyalliance.org.
Animal Shelter Cat Adoptions Resume
September 2, 2014
The Escambia County Animal Shelter has resumed cat adoptions. Adoption were suspended last Friday as a result of widespread upper respiratory infections in the shelter’s feline population.
Over the past several days, cats with upper respiratory infections have been treated and tested by the shelter’s medical staff.
Anyone looking to provide a forever home for a cat is encouraged to visit the Escambia County Animal Shelter during regular business hours, Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 6 p.m.
Also, anyone who has a lost an animal can visit the shelter to see if their cat or dog has been taken to the shelter.
For more information, please contact the Escambia County Animal Shelter at (850) 595 – 3075.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Brownfields Program Turns Polluted Sites Into Economic Potential
September 2, 2014
The Florida Brownfields Program facilitates redevelopment and job creation by empowering communities, local governments and other stakeholders to work together to assess, clean up and reuse sites that may have been previously impacted by pollutants. Brownfields are properties where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of environmental pollution.
Established in 1997, the Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Program utilizes economic and regulatory incentives to encourage the use of private revenue to restore and redevelop sites, create new jobs and boost the local economy. Partners in the Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Program include local governments, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Economic Opportunity and Enterprise Florida, Inc.
In Escambia County, one of the largest Brownfields areas is the entire town limits of Century.
The former Alger-Sullivan Company lumber mill site on Front Street was first listed as an individual Brownfields site, and the designation was later expanded to the entire town.
From about 1900 until the late 1960’s, Alger Sullivan operated their lumber mill on the site. Various companies, including Wayne Dalton Corporation, manufactured wooded doors at the facility from about 1971 until 1992. As part of the manufacturing process, the wooden doors were dipped in pentachlorophenol wood preservative; the contamination of the property was associated with a release from the dipping tank.
Cleanup of groundwater and soils was conducted and a conditional closure was issued by DEP in 2009, indicating no further remediation of the property was necessary as long as the registered engineering and land use controls were maintained.
Other companies have expressed interest in the property after cleanup, but none have opened in the facility. A recent state report says a sale is under negotiation on the property, but the realtor that represents the property owner said the there are no offers pending on the property.
In late 2005, the Century Town Council took advantage of a state provision allowing them to expand the Brownfields designation to the entire town as an economic development tool. The designation provides bonuses for job creation, loan guarantees, sales tax credits and other incentives for qualified businesses to locate in the town.
“Florida’s Brownfields Program continues to facilitate the successful redevelopment of underutilized areas throughout the state,” said Jorge Caspary, director of the Division of Waste Management. “This program not only makes it possible to mitigate contaminated sites, but also creates jobs and stimulates the economy in the process.”
Since inception of the program, 75 contaminated sites have been cleaned up, more than 65,000 confirmed and projected direct and indirect jobs have been created and $2.5 billion in capital investment has been made in designated brownfield areas, according to data released recently by the state. To make the program’s incentives available to a community, a local government must designate a brownfields area by resolution. Local governments have designated 362 current brownfield areas statewide.
Century is also an Enterprise Zone, providing qualifying businesses with various tax credits and incentives.
Pictured top: The former Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company Brownsfield site in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Commissioners Revise Meeting Schedule
September 2, 2014
The Board of County Commissioners’ (BCC) Agenda Review regularly scheduled for Thursday, September 4, has been cancelled.
The revised schedule for Thursday, September 4, is:
- 9 a.m. – Public Forum
- 9:30 a.m. – Regular BCC Meeting
Additional Board meetings held in September are as follows:
Tuesday, September 9:
- 5:01 p.m. – First BCC Public Hearing on the Proposed 2014/2015 Fiscal Year Budget
- 5:02 p.m. – Meeting to adopt the special assessments for MSBUs
- 5:03 p.m. – Special BCC Meeting
Thursday, September 11
- 9 a.m. – Committee of the Whole
Tuesday, September 23
- 5:01 p.m. – Second BCC Public Hearing on the Proposed 2014/2015 Fiscal Year Budget
- 5:02 p.m. – Special BCC Meeting
Thursday, September 25
- 9 a.m. – Agenda Review
- 4:30 p.m. – Public Forum
- 5:30 p.m. – Regular BCC Meeting
All BCC meetings will take place in the Board Chambers, first floor, 221 Palafox Place, Pensacola.
Ransom Responds, Tate’s Shackle Shivers With Ice Bucket Challenge
September 2, 2014
Ransom Middle School staff members recently responded to the ice bucket challenger for ALS, as did Tate High Principal Richard Shackle.
Shackle recently completed the ALS ice bucket challenge from Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. Shackle challenged the Escambia County School District’s assistant principals and Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan. Shackle also donate $100 to ALS. (Video below)
And the staff at Ransom Middle School stepped up to the challenge after Principal Brent Brummet was challenged by Thomas. About 50 Ransom staff members took part in the ALS challenge.
The ALS challenge has a couple of goals — raise money and raise awareness about ALS, a neurodegenerative nerve disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.
Pictured top: Ransom Middle School staff members including Principal Brent Brummet (tan pants) and Assistant Principal Sandy Ames (long black pants) take the ALS ice bucket challenge. Pictured inset: Tate Principal Rick Shackle takes the challenge.
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