Former Councilman: Century Should Sell Town Hall, Fire Dept, Library, Move Middle School
February 21, 2012
A former member of the Century Town Council believes the body should sell the town hall and library, moving them along with the fire department, “police” department and daycare to the Old Century High School. He also said the council should push the Escambia County School Board not to build a new $16 million facility at Ernest Ward in Walnut Hill, but rather move the students back to Century.
Jerry Fischer, who now lives outside of the town limits, made his suggestions to the Century Town Council during their regular meeting Monday night.
On Superintendent Malcolm Thomas’ proposal to rebuild Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill, Fischer said “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard”. Fischer noted that Century has a sewage system and “we’ve got the post office, and we’ve got the prison”. He said the school board should move Ernest Ward’s students back to Century where the board has previously closed Century High School and Carver/Century K-8 School.
“It was predicted years ago what would happen in Century, but we sat in our seats and did nothing,” Council member Sandra McMurray-Jackson said. She did not serve on the council at the time of the Carver/Century K-8 closure.
Council member Annie Savage, who also was not on the council during the Century school closure, said “It’s not that we didn’t try”. Savage attended most every school board meeting for months in support of a school in Century.
Ernest Ward serves about 500 students in an attendance zone that includes Molino and Barrineau Park north to the Alabama state line, including Century.
Fischer also told the council that they should no longer deal with the “limited space” of the current town hall and library. He said the town hall and library should be sold and moved to the old Century High School building on Hecker Road owned by the Escambia County School Board. He suggested that the “police” department, (Camp Fire USA) daycare and fire department should also be moved to the old school to provide each group with more physical space.
Few of the agencies mentioned by Fischer are actually controlled or their physical locations owned by the Town of Century. The “police department” he mentioned is the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office which operates in the Billy G. Ward Courthouse building owned by Escambia County, while the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue is also a county department operating in a county-owned building. Campfire USA operates in a town-owned building in the Century Industrial Park, and the Century Branch Library is operated by the City of Pensacola as part of the West Florida Library system in building owned by Escambia County.
Pictured: Jerry Fischer addresses the Century Town Council Monday night. Pictured bottom: Council member Annie Savage. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Clearwire Moves Call Center And 110 Jobs To Escambia County
February 21, 2012
Clearwire has moved its call center and local jobs from Milton to Escambia County.
The wireless broadband services company has relocated to181 East Nine Mile Road — a former restaurant converted to office space near Kmart. The new facility will house 110 employees full-time and will operate 24 hours a day 6 days a week.
“We chose this new location because it was the right fit for our employees in the Pensacola region who had worked in nearby Milton,” said Geoff Levy, Head of Customer Care for CLEAR. “The new facility provided the right square footage, set up costs, amenities and nearby restaurants for our employees. We thank the officials of Santa Rosa County for our long standing partnership in that community for the past 5 years and look forward to working with officials in Escambia County.”
“We are glad that Clearwire has decided to continue to operate in the Escambia-Santa Rosa MSA,” said County Commissioner Board Chairman Wilson Robertson. “The region has a skilled and trained workforce that can ensure Clearwire meets the current and future needs of their customers.”
As part of the moving process to the new facility, Clearwire donated 410 computers and monitors from the facility to the Santa Rosa School District.
“Clearwire has always been vocal that they feel our workforce is worth staying for,” said Dave Hoxeng, Chairman TEAM Santa Rosa EDC, Inc. “When we determined the existing Clearwire facility could no longer meet their needs, we looked region wide to identify one that would. We are pleased they are remaining here to allow their current workforce to stay intact. Clearwire continues to be an asset to this region.”
Bill Draws Opposition Over High School Sports Recruiting Concerns
February 21, 2012
Past concerns about recruiting players by high school teams is running square into the desire to foster school choice. A bill intended to open up public school sports programs to more kids who don’t go to public schools drew heavy debate Monday and opposition from organizations involved in scholastic athletics, who fear it may unintentionally open the door to more high school recruiting.
One of the main thrusts of the bill is to broaden the mechanism by which students at small independent and private schools can participate in interscholastic sports.
Right now, some students – those at really small schools that are too little to even contemplate fielding many athletic teams, and which in fact don’t offer sports programs – can play on their zoned public school team while attending the private school. Homeschoolers can too.
The bill would say that students at larger private schools could also play for their local public school. Another part of the bill changes the benefit of the doubt in cases in which a student changes schools within the school district in the middle of the school year to presume that the student wasn’t changing schools because he or she was recruited.
Under current rules, students who change schools mid-year when their family hasn’t moved, must sit out at their new school for a period if there’s an accusation of recruiting. The bill changes that to allow students who transfer to continue to play.
Officials with the Florida High School Athletic Association and the Florida Council of Independent Schools said the measure would increase recruiting of high school athletes by rival coaches.
But the response shouldn’t be to punish the players, said the bill sponsor, Rep. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland.
“I understand that recruiting is a big problem,” said Stargel. “But let the student play until you prove he’s been recruited.” The bill passed the committee and now goes to the Education Committee, its last stop before the floor.
NorthEscambia.com file photos.
Story by The News Service of Florida
Animal Cruelty Suspect Remains Jailed
February 21, 2012
A Cantonment man remains in jail today after being charged last week with 78 counts of animal cruelty.
Roger Kervin, age 66 of Lawson Lane, was arrested Friday, three days after the first of 90 animals were seized from his property. He was charged with 13 counts of felony cruelty to animals and 65 misdemeanor counts of confinement of animals without sufficient food, water or exercise.
Of 20 dogs seized at the property, 10 were euthanized.
Kervin is being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $97,500. He is due to appear in court on March 6.
Before his arrest, Kervin spoke out in his own defense, saying that he had done nothing wrong. Kervin said he keeps the dogs in good shape for wild hog hunting, often using the wild pork to feed people at charity events.
This was not the first time Kervin has faced animal abuse charges. According to court records, he was sentenced to probation in 1992 for using animals to bait or fight other animals.
For more details, click here for an earlier story.
Pictured above and below: Roger Kervin’s property on Lawson Lane. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
East Pond Street Closed
February 21, 2012
A portion of East Pond Street in Century will be closed beginning Tuesday.
East Pond Street, from Ramar Street to Jefferson Avenue is scheduled to be closed from 7 a.m. Tuesday, February 21 to 5 p.m. on Monday, February 27. The road is being closed for work on a Jefferson Avenue and Pond Street area drainage improvement project.
Northview FBLA Wins Awards At District Conference
February 21, 2012
Northview High School’s FBLA received numerous awards during the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) District One District Leadership Conference recently at the University of West Florida.
The Northview High School FBLA received the 2011-2012 Most Active Chapter Award.
Kasie Braun, Elizabeth Wright, and Victoria Wright received the Gloria Cooper Award, which is presented to FBLA members that exemplify the qualities desired in a business leader such as dependability, loyalty and honesty.
Other Northview student winners were:
- Joseph Baldwin , second place in Business Calculations
- Indigo Rodriguez , first place in Business Communication
- Lindsay Hedgepeth , second place in Business Communication
- Deidre Steele , fourth place in Business Communication
- Samantha Sharpless , third place in Business Math
- Elizabeth Wright & Victoria Wright , first place in Business Presentation (team event)
- Rebecca Barnhill , second place in Digital Design & Promotion
- Anna Donald , first place in Digital Video Production
- Tamara Green , first place in FBLA Principles & Procedures
- Taylor Dukes , first place in Future Business Leader
- Casey Godwin , first place in Health Care Administration
- Kasie Braun , first place in Introduction to Business Communication
- Hannah Hinton , second place in Job Interview
- Michael Sepulveda , first place in Networking Concepts
- D. J. Robinson , first place in Technology Concepts
- Christopher Loncar , fifth place in Technology Concepts
Pictured top: Northview High School FBLA members. Pictured below: Northview’s Gloria Cooper Award winners (L-R) Elizabeth Wright, Victoria Wright and Kasie Braun. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Resident Hits The Century Mark With 100th Birthday
February 21, 2012
Della Godwin celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday. The Century Care Center resident celebrated on Friday with a party attended by family and friends. Della danced to the music and enjoyed opening presents to mark the special day.
Della is a longtime resident of the Century area and is the oldest resident at Century Care Center.
Pictured: Della Godwin of Century celebrated her 100th birthday on Sunday. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Foreclosure Bill Debuts In Senate
February 21, 2012
A controversial bill backers say would speed up the foreclosure process and help jumpstart the economy made its Senate debut Monday amid concerns that the measure could leave some homeowners unjustly out in the cold.
By a 5-0 vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a measure (SB 1890) which combines the contents of two House proposals, HB 213 and HB 1149, that are traveling in that chamber and supported by banks, builders and other lenders.
Backers of the proposal say they are targeting the 30 percent of foreclosed properties that sit abandoned, reducing neighborhood property values and raising public safety concerns. By reducing the time it takes to get those properties unencumbered and available, supporters say, the state’s housing industry — and the economy — will rebound more quickly.
“This is the underbelly of one of the things that is keeping our economy from recovering,” said Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine.
Critics, however, say the bills as written go much further than reducing the inventory of abandoned homes. Whether intentional or not, the proposals adversely affect homeowners still trying to stay in homes that were purchased in many cased during the pre-recession, white-hot period of easy credit, interest only mortgages and escalating home prices.
“This bill places too much burden of repairing this problem on the backs of consumers and homeowners,” said Alice Vickers, attorney for the Consumer Action Network.
On Monday, Sen. Jack Latvala, R-St. Petersburg, introduced the Senate version, deferring detailed questions to his House counterparts, specially Rep. Greg Steube, R-Parrish, and a real estate attorney.
For consumers, the bill would reduce the length of time lender can go after a borrower following a foreclosure sale from five years down to one year. Backers say the change will allow homeowners to get on with their lives.
Other provisions, however, are more lender friendly, including relaxing the restrictions on foreclosing on abandoned property and placing limits on the damages in foreclosure cases to monetary damages.
“The best way to help Florida’s economy is to get beyond this foreclosure crisis,” said Anthony DiMarco, senior vice president for the Florida Bankers Associations.
But some committee members said that while it’s important to wipe bad mortgages off the books, consumer protections need to be paramount, citing recent incidents of robo-signing and other examples of mortgage fraud that came to light after the housing crash.
“It should be a long process to take someone’s property,” said Sen. Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens.
The Senate bill now travels to Senate Banking and Insurance and is likely to see substantive changes before it reaches the floor.
By The News Service Florida
15-Year Old Found Unharmed
February 20, 2012
A young lady that family said was missing following a Sunday morning wreck in Bratt has been found. Family members said 15-year old Ashley Johnson arrived for school this morning at Northview High School unharmed.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded about 7:30 a.m. Sunday to a wrecked pickup on West Highway 4 near Still Road. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and a K-9 team from the Century Correctional Institution were called to assist in a search for the driver and any passengers, but no one was found after a two hours search.
Troopers and the Sheriff’s Office did not release any other details about the incident, nor did they confirmed that anyone was considered missing following the crash.
Family members told NorthEscambia.com Sunday evening that the driver was Johnson and they were unable to locate her.
A Final Farewell: Last Call Sounds For Veteran Firefighter Joe Huff
February 20, 2012
Escambia Fire Rescue bid a final farewell Sunday to one of their own, Beulah Station Deputy Chief Joe Huff, 64.
Huff passed away last Wednesday after a short battle with cancer. He devoted nearly 50 years of life to volunteer fire service in Escambia County.
Huff’s flag draped coffin was carried open-air on the back of an antique fire truck from his funeral service at Marcus Point Baptist Church to a cemetery on Nine Mile Road. The procession included dozens of fire rescue vehicles from across the area.
His remains entered the cemetery beneath the crossed ladders of two aerial trucks, and his helmet was carried by hand. And Escambia Fire Rescue dispatchers made one final call over the county’s fire radio system.
“Last call for Joe Huff,” the emergency dispatcher called.
There was no response. Just silence.
“There is no response from Joe Huff,” the dispatcher said, her voice resounding across the handheld radios at the service.
The radio silence was broken again, this time by tones used alert firefighters to important information, followed by:
“On behalf of the community and the Beulah Fire Department it is with deep sorrow and sadness to notify you that after 47 years of service, bravery, and heroism, that Joe Huff has completed his last call and has returned home safely to eternity for his final call to watch over his family, friends and fellow firefighters. He will always be in our hearts forever. Escambia Rescue clear.”
Huff’s service to Escambia Fire Rescue included 1967 to 1968 at the Bellview Volunteer Fire Department, 1969 to 1991 at the Ensley Volunteer Fire Department, and 1991 until his death last week at the Beulah Volunteer Fire Department/Escambia County Fire Rescue Station 2 where he currently served as assistant chief.
Huff spent countless hours working on the department’s Beulah Sausage Festival, later renamed Beulahfest. He was a retired security officer with International Paper and worked the pit entrance gate for many years at Five Flags Speedway.
A fund to assist with funeral expenses has been established at Harvester’s Federal Credit Union in Cantonment. Donations should be made to the “Joe Huff Fund”.
For more photos from the services, click here.
Joe Huff is survived by his wife, Charlotte, daughters Vivian Huff , Wendy Wedgwood and Tammy Hester and numerous other family members.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
