Gulf Power Cuts Rates
May 31, 2012
Pointing to lower natural-gas prices, Gulf Power Company said Wednesday it wants to give customers a hefty decrease in their monthly electric bills. The Pensacola-based utility filed a request this week with the Florida Public Service Commission to pass along fuel savings to customers starting in July.
Residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month would see their bills drop from $126.53 to $116.61, according to the document. “In fact, this decrease rolls back customers electricity prices to pre-2009 levels.”
“This rate decrease is great news for our customers, especially as we head into the hot summer months,” Bentina Terry, Gulf Power’s vice president of corporate services and external affairs, said in a news release.
This will be the third decrease Gulf Power customers have seen this year and will more than offset a base rate increase that went into effect in April, the company said.
The overall rate decrease will amount to about $58.5 million.
United Way Announces $1 Million In Community Group Funding
May 31, 2012
United Way of Escambia County announced Thursday that $1,036,680 will be awarded to area non-profit agencies.
Ten new programs will receiving funding this year, spreading the United Way’s impact to 45 programs at 34 agencies. Programs with locations in North Escambia that received funding included $10,000 for the Health & Hope Clinic, which has a location in Century, and $10,000 for the Leaning Post Ranch in Molino.
Fifty United Way donors dedicated more than 40 hours of volunteer service over a nine-week period to evaluate applications, tour program sites and listen to oral presentations on requests. The volunteers then made recommendations to United Way’s Board of Directors on how donations should be distributed in the most effective way possible.
“The most remarkable part of this process is that United Way donors are making the decisions about how their contributions will make the most difference in our community,” said Andrea Farage, president/CEO of United Way of Escambia County. “They invested a lot time to ensure that funding was awarded to those programs that could produce measurable and impactful results.”
This year, 50 programs applied for funding. United way estimated that about 160,000 children and adults in the community will be positively impacted by the donations awarded to the programs.
Pictured top: The Health & Hope Clinic, with a location in Century, received $10,000 in funding from United Way. Pictured below: The Leaning Post Ranch in Molino also receiving $10,000. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Hiring Event Set For New Walnut Hill Crude Oil Transfer Station
May 31, 2012
The hiring process for jobs paying up to $20 an hour will begin next week for a new crude oil transfer station planned for Walnut Hill.
Workforce Escarosa will assist Genesis Rail Services and their partner, Rail Solutions of Florida with the recruitment and hiring of rail car unloading operators at a hiring event next Tuesday, June 5 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Walnut Hill Community Center (Ruritan Bulding) at 7850 Highway 97, just north of Ernest Ward Middle School.
Genesis Rail Services representatives will be on-site and may choose to conduct interviews with selected individuals at the event.
Rail car unloading operators will be responsible for offloading crude oil from rail cars.
Operators will be required to work 12 hour shifts with four days on and four days off. Positions offer a full benefits package with a pay rate of $16 to $20 per hour. Individuals interested in applying for rail car unloading operator positions must have a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver’s license, and will be required to pass a security screening, physical and a drug test.
To view a complete job description and a list of additional requirements, log on to the Employ Florida Marketplace, www.employflorida.com, and review job order number 9677713.
Genesis’ Senior Vice President of Business Development, Paul Davis, said the company will be creating about 30 new jobs at the Walnut Hill facility over the next couple of years.
Molino Park Awards: Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade
May 31, 2012
Award days were recently held at Molino Park Elementary School.
The following awards were presented to Pre-K, kindergarten and first grade students at Molino Park.
(Awards lists from additional grades will be published in a future story.)
PRE-K AWARDS
Pre-K All “Sunny” Days
- Mrs. Blackburn’s Class
- Chase Garrett
- Ja’Mya Thomas
- Mrs. Crites’ Class
- Lily Land
- Jericha Finlay
- Serenity Olson
- Mrs. Hamric’s Class
- Emma Nigam
- Logan Shoffner
Pre-K Most Books Read
- Mrs. Blackburn’s Class
- Izzy Hetherington
- Mrs. Crites’ Class
- Jericha Finlay
- Mrs. Hamric’s Class
- Braydon McCarra
KINDERGARTEN AWARDS
K -Citizenship (all S’s all year)
- Darius Abrams
- Jarrett Bodiford
- Robbie Bodiford
- Kyler Boutwell
- Nathan Caston
- Riley Crites
- Evan Crosby
- Moses Delarosa
- Matthew Dix
- Harley Edmonson
- Susan English
- John Etheridge
- James Green
- Lilly Hatch
- Raegan Hathaway
- Amber Irby
- Samantha Kimmons
- Ella Kizer
- Robin Lynch
- Austin Manning
- Leila Mason
- Chance McElhannon
- Anna McKee
- Addison Pawless
- Natalie Peacock
- Evin Pedicord
- Brodie Rhodes
- Trinity Scroggins
- Dylan Settle
- Quan Shabazz
- Chance Smith
- Caden Taylor
- Colten Taylor
- Brier Thompson
- Trey Thompson
- Seth Wilcoxon
- Dylan Wood
- Makayla Woods
- Brooklyn Zylstra
K – Achievement (all S’s all year in academics)
- Darius Abrams
- Jarrett Bodiford
- Kyler Boutwell
- Riley Crites
- Evan Crosby
- Moses Delarosa
- Matthew Dix
- Kylie Grantham
- James Green
- Raegan Hathaway
- Lilly Hatch
- Samantha Kimmons
- Robin Lynch
- Austin Manning
- Leila Mason
- Chance McElhannon
- Anna McKee
- Evin Pedicord
- Trinity Scroggins
- Dylan Settle
- Caden Taylor
- Colton Taylor
- Brier Thompson
- Seth Wilcoxon
- Dylan Wood
- Makayla Woods
- Brooklyn Zylstra.
- Perfect Attendance
- Kyler Boutwell
- Lilly Hatch
- Lavon Taylor
K – Special Recognition (for extra effort/improvement)
- Jace Andress
- Niko Champagne
- Robert Lee
- Chloe Ragsdale
- Lavon Taylor
- Quan Shabazz
- Greg Walters
- Jillian Wilkie
FIRST GRADE
1st – Citizenship
- Tony Antrim
- Landry Belllard
- Karson Brown
- Paige Burrell
- Freddy Carnley
- Riley Crosby
- Alyssa Jackson
- Kacy Knable
- Cameron Partrick
- Asa Schlobohm
- Brycee Woodward
- Alex Roloph
- Adian Vaughn
- Kameron Enfinger
- Austin Floyd
- Miah Guntner
- James Hicks
- Aaron Adams
- Raven Brigman
- Ethan Collier
1st – Perfect Attendance
- Aaron Adams
1st – All A’s
- Landry Bellard
- Alyssa Jackson
- Cameron Patrick
- Brycee Woodward
- Ty Smith
- Aaron Adams
- Jace Fryman
- Briana Ragan
- Zacharie Jones
1st – All A’s & B’s
- Asa Schlobohm
- Chase Pugh
- Heavan Lynch
- Kacy Knable
- David Kirsch
- Nicklas Fowler
- Bailey Danielson
- Freddy Carnley
- Paige Burrell
- Karsen Brown
- Cooper Martinez
- Adian Vaughn
- Ethan Collier
- Noah Edmonson
- Austin Floyd
- Kameron Enfinger
- Caleb Hassebrock
- Levi Carnley
- Micaela Bolton
- Shelby Lashley
- Trenton Jordan
1st – Most Improved
- Riley Crosby
1st – Most Improved in Reading
- Waylon Langford
- Autumn Hodo
- Freddy Carnley
1st – Reading
- Jaee Fryman
1st – Most AR Points
- Ethan Collier
1st – Citizenship
- Tony Antrim
- Landry Belllard
- Karson Brown
- Paige Burrell
- Freddy Carnley
- Riley Crosby
- Alyssa Jackson
- Kacy Knable
- Cameron Partrick
- Asa Schlobohm
- Brycee Woodward
- Alex Roloph
- Adian Vaughn
- Kameron Enfinger
- Austin Floyd
- Miah Guntner
- James Hicks
- Aaron Adams
- Raven Brigman
- Ethan Collier
- Micaela Bolton
- Shelby Lashley
- Jace Fryman
- Miah Massey
- Briana Ragan
- Zacharie Jones
Perfect Attendance
- O’Nykah Kidd
- Aaron Adams
SECOND GRADE
1st – All A’s
- Reagan Daniels
- Aden Fennell
- Jaden Lewis
- Kileigh Lundy
- Melody Patterson
- Sarah Sconiers
1st – All A’s and B’s
- Divine Abrams
- Matthew Barrow
- Kay-Lee Bradley
- Devin Creamer
- Melanie Danforth
- Josiah Delarosa
- Grayson Grondin
- Jonathan Janes
- Michayla Kent
- Lindsey Kimmons
- Clay Kittrell
- Chelsi Lashley
- Madelyn McAnnally
- James Perz
- Makayla Ramsey
- Brystal Rhodes
- Micheal Roloph
- MacKenzie Sims
- Shayle Slay
- Kailyn Watson
- Trevor Wood
1st – Perfect Attendance
- Dylan Green
- Wesley Johnson
- Nyrobi Lee
- Hannah Ratcliff
- Sarah Sconiers
1st – Citizenship
- Divine Abrams
- Robert Baggett
- Kay-Lee Bradley
- Rachel Byers
- Brook Cook
- Louis Crabtree
- Melanie Danforth
- Reagan Daniels
- Josiah Delarosa
- Aden Fennell
- Dylan Green
- Grayson Grondin
- Jonathon Janes
- Wesley Johnson
- Michayla Kent
- Lindsey Kimmons
- Chelsi Lashley
- Jaden Lewis
- Kileigh Lundy
- Madelyn McAnnally
- Melody Patterson
- James Perz
- Makayla Ramsey
- Hannah Ratcliff
- Brystal Rhodes
- Michael Roloph
- McKenzie Rudd
- Sarah Sconiers
- MacKenzie Sims
- Shayle Slay
- Logan Thompson
- Kailyn Watson
- Jordan Wilson
- Trevor Wood
1st – Most Improved
- Zacheriah Chavers
1st – Outstanding Effort
- Hannah Hassebrock
- Bryson Love
- Shelby Prince
1st – Accelerated Reader
- Chelsi Lashley
Six Women Arrested In Escambia Prostitution Sting
May 31, 2012
Six women have been arrested for prostitution following an undercover sting in Escambia County.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and TAC units conducted the sting in the Brownsville area, using undercover officers posing as “Johns” and arrested the women after they agreed to services for cash.
1st Lt. Mark Jackson, officer in charge of the Narcotics Unit, called the sting a success and said other random undercover operations will be conducted throughout the county.
Charged with prostitution were:
- Syntreal Leean Spearman, 18
- Lorraine Renee Sumler, 28
- Cindy Diane Wilson, 28
- Cynthia Elaine Finney, 33
- Frances Elizabeth Fowler, 39
- Rachel Nicole Bundy-Moriawiec, 31
USDA Confirms Closure Of Molino Farm Services Office
May 31, 2012
Despite an outcry from farmers and producers in Escambia County, the USDA announced Wednesday that the Molino Farm Services Agency office will close.
The Molino FSA Office administers farm commodities, crop insurance, credit, environmental conservation and emergency assistance for farmers and ranchers in Escambia County. With the closure of the office, farmers will be forced to drive to Milton or Brewton for FSA services.
The process of closing Molino and five other FDA office will begin immediately. After the required notifications have been provided to producers, FSA employees and office landlords, closure dates will be established and made publicly available according to the USDA.
“The agency will provide farmers and ranchers affected by closures an opportunity to choose the most convenient neighboring county office with which to conduct their future business with the agency. In addition, all employees in a closing office will be provided an opportunity to continue their work with FSA,” FSA Administrator Bruce Nelson said.
In February, farmers and producers from across Escambia County met in Molino with Tim Manning, FSA state executive director, with pleas to keep the office open.
Manning (pictured) said that offices with two or less employees and offices that were located within 20 miles of another office were targeted for closure. Manning (pictured left) said that on December 23, the day chosen as a “snapshot” of the Molino office, it met both criteria for closure.
But multiple farmers and producers were quick to point out that it is more than 20 miles to drive from Molino, or areas like Walnut Hill or Nokomis, to the FSA office in Milton because of limited routes across the Escambia River. And the criteria for two or fewer employees, many producers said, was met only because a third employee in the office had recently retired.
We all understand that government must be a good steward of our tax money,” Escambia County Property Appraiser Chris Jones said at the February meeting. Jones, a timber producer in Escambia County, pointed out that the Escambia County FSA office was the third busiest payment office in the state. “Sometimes you have to weigh those dollars against those that fund it…to put the human factor in it.”
“We are the last in Florida, the last county,” Jones said, “and sometimes we get left out of a lot of things.”
The major savings from closing the Molino Farm Service Agency will be about $16,000 per year in rent to the Escambia County Farm Bureau for office space along with telephone service. All other utilities are included in the monthly rent.
“The federal government is broke; we all know this,” Walnut Hill farmer Brett Ward said. “But we in ag are willing to do our share. But let’s make smart cuts.This is my opinion, in our opinion, is not a smart.”
“Our job to feed and clothe this nation is hard enough,” Ward added.
“We have pleaded for assistance,” Charles Woodward of Molino, former director of the Molino FSA office, said. “Can’t we get the people where the work is? We have been given a lot of lip service and we have done with very little.”
“Why aren’t we doing more at the FSA to get more food produced at the local level?” asked James Long. “Where are you going to get your food next week? This bunch right here.”
Mike Godwin of Walnut Hill suggested that perhaps instead of closing the Molino office, the Farm Service Agency should use it as a nationwide model of doing more with less since the number of payments processed per employee is now the highest in the state.
“We understand the impact these decisions have on communities,” State Director Manning said. “You will continue to find that FSA services are accessible and convenient.”
Pictured top: Dozens of farmers and producers packed a meeting about the Molino FSA Office in February at Highland Baptist Church in Molino. Pictured below: The Farm Service Agency rents office space in this, the Farm Bureau Building in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Hurricane Insurance Funds Better Prepared, Still Fragile
May 31, 2012
With hurricane season set to begin Friday, the acting head of the state-backed insurer is canvassing the state to bring residents up to speed.
Tom Grady, interim president of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., has scheduled a series of media interviews and meetings along the Southwest Gulf coast in advance of a hurricane summit scheduled for Friday in Tampa. The topic: How to depopulate the state’s largest property insurer.
Grady’s tour comes as Florida is in the best position since the devastating 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons to weather a major storm. But officials remain wary over the fragile nature of government-backed programs set up to cover catastrophic losses and insure nearly 1.5 million residents who live in some of the riskiest areas of the state.
“The whole purpose of this is so we can agree on a set of facts, irrefutable facts, and see where we want to go,” Grady said Wednesday after visits with media outlets in Naples, Fort Myers and Charlotte. “… It’s surprising to me how few people realize that they are only making a down payment on their insurance. The full cost is much higher.”
Meanwhile, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund could find itself about $1.8 billion short of its $17 billion obligation if it has to go to the bond market immediately following a devastating event, according to an analysis prepared by Raymond James for the state-backed re-insurer.
Added to nearly $7.4 billion in losses paid by private insurers before the CAT fund kicked in, available funds could adequately cover a 1-in-25 year storm, which would cause about $21.5 billion in losses. Assessments would be needed, insurance regulators say, to begin refilling the CAT fund.
Citizens, meanwhile, continues to add customers despite its announced goal of reducing the number of policies and turning those customers over to the private market. As it stands, the insurer faces billions in potential losses that could trigger assessments of up to 45 percent for policyholders, though such an increase would be politically difficult.
Coastal homeowners and a handful of lawmakers say many of Citizen’s nearly 1.5 million policyholders couldn’t afford the initial financial hit and have nowhere else to turn. Those fears have bubbled to the surface recently as Citizens board of governors meets to address proposed rate hikes for next year.
Insurance industry representatives say Citizens and the CAT fund are doing the best they can, but stress that the whole system is fragile. If a severe storm hits, Citizens funds will be exhausted and the CAT fund may find itself short. Both events would trigger assessments on most automobile and property insurance policyholders.
“It will take an awful, awful storm to trigger that,” said Sam Miller, executive vice president for the Florida Insurance Council. “But if they do, they will fall short and would need to go to assessments.
To drive home the point, the state’s insurance consumer advocate on Wednesday began a statewide campaign to educate Floridians on how much they may have to pay should a particularly devastating storm ravage the state.
For non-Citizens policyholders whose automobile and property insurance total $4,500, for example, the potential assessment on a 1-in-25 year storm would total up to $456, or $1,440 if paid out with interest over 30 years.
“It was clear that many Floridians (do) not recognize the potential for assessments following a storm if Citizens, the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund or the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association does not have the capacity to pay claims,” said Robin Westcott, Florida’s insurance consumer advocate.
By The News Service of Florida
Blue Wahoos Beat Jackson
May 31, 2012
Kyle Lotzkar (2-1) had more than enough run support as the Blue Wahoos scored all seven of their runs over the game’s first three innings on Wednesday afternoon at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn. Lotzkar went on to have one of his best starts of the season by matching his season high for strikeouts with eight over six innings.
Pensacola got on the board when Josh Fellhauer singled home Ryan LaMarre in the top of the first putting the Wahoos in front 1-0. They added some cushion with two more in the second on Mark Fleury’s RBI double and an error on a batted ball by Brodie Greene later in the inning. The Blue Wahoos opened it up with a four-run third that included Fleury’s second RBI double of the game. He also scored later in the inning. All seven runs were charged to the Generals’ starter Taylor Stanton (0-1) who ended up taking the loss.
Meanwhile, Lotzkar pitched very well on his way to earning the win for Pensacola. This was his first start during his time with the double-A club that he didn’t issue a walk. He also matched his overall season high with eight punchouts, something he hadn’t done since his first start of the season on April 9 while pitching with Bakersfield (advanced-A). He allowed just two runs in the fourth inning when he gave up back-to-back extra base hits to Kalian Sams (double) and Chih-Hsien Chiang (triple) to start the inning.
P.J. Phillips joined Fleury with a multi-hit game by going 2-for-5. He also scored a pair of runs and drove in one.
The series continues on Thursday night at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tenn. Pensacola sends right-hander Daniel Corcino (2-2, 3.50) to the mound against Jackson righty Brandon Maurer (2-1, 4.38).
Pictured: Kyle Lotzkar yielded just two earned runs over six innings as the Wahoos beat Jackson 7-3 Wednesday in Tennessee. NorthEscambia.com photo by Chris Nelson, click to enlarge.
Man Charged In 2009 Escambia Murder
May 30, 2012
A man has been charged with a 2009 murder.
Joseph Rhashawn McNeil is being held in the Escambia County Jail with no bond. McNeil was arrested in Pollock, LA and transported back to Escambia County.
He is accused of the October 9, 2009, murder of Derry Dickerson who was found murdered in his Crescent Drive home. Investigators say McNeil stabbed Dickerson several times and took beer and money from Dickerson.
During the investigation and forensic tests, McNeil was developed as a suspect and subsequently charged, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
No Serious Injuries In Hwy 29 Crash Near Hwy 97
May 30, 2012
One person was injured in a two vehicle crash on Highway 29 near Highway 97 Wednesday afternoon.
The driver of small station wagon turned from northbound Highway 29 across the southbound lanes attempting to enter the Tom Thumb parking lot but instead pulled into the path of a Ford Mustang. The first driver said the view of the Mustang was blocked by a large truck in the 12:56 p.m. accident.
The 52-year old female driver of the Mustang was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola in good condition. There were no other injures.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Escambia Fire Rescue Engine 1819 from Molino also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
