Florida Income Down, Poverty Up
September 14, 2011
After getting slammed by the economic recession, Floridians are grappling with lower incomes and a higher poverty rate, according to a U.S. Census report released Tuesday.
Florida had a median household income of $44,243 in 2010, down from $45,631 a year earlier. The drop is even greater when the 2009 figures are adjusted to reflect the effects of inflation.
The report also said Florida had a two-year average poverty rate of 15.3 percent when calculated for 2009 and 2010. That compares with a 12.8 percent rate for 2007 and 2008.
Florida also continued to have one of the highest uninsured rates in the country, with 24.6 percent of people under age 65 lacking health coverage and 20.8 percent for the entire population. Those percentages were lower than in 2009, though the Census Bureau changed the way it calculated health-insurance figures.
Along with the high uninsured rate, Florida also had a lower median household income and a higher poverty rate than the overall country. As examples, the national median household income in 2010 was $49,445, and the uninsured rate for the total population was 16.3 percent.
By The News Service Florida
Escambia County Approves Fire Tax Increase
September 14, 2011
The Escambia County Commission gave final approval Tuesday night to higher fire fees. Without the increase, North Escambia fire stations might have lost all paid firefighters that currently staff three stations during the weekdays.
The commission vote was 3-2, with commissioners Kevin White and Wilson Robertson voting against the increase.
The Municipal Services Benefit Unit will increase on property tax bills by $5 per year for the next two years for county residents outside Pensacola and Santa Rosa Island. That will increase the current $75 fee to $80 for 2011 tax assessments and $85 for 2012. The commercial fee will rise from $.034 per square foot to $.037 per square foot, with a minimum of $80 for 2011 and up to $.040 per square foot with a minimum of $85 for 2012.
In 2009, the county hired 12 paid firefighters under a federal SAFER –Staffing Adequate Fire and Emergency Response- grant. The grant provided funding that decreases each year to fund the firefighter positions — $441,990 the first year, $385,413 the second, $245,701 the third and $150,369 for the fourth year. In the final year, 2014, Escambia County must fully fund $631,503 for the dozen firefighters.
The fee increase — an estimated $1.34 million over two years — will be used to replace the SAFER funds and maintain the current level of fire services.
According to a presentation to the commission in June by Escambia Fire Chief Daniel Spillman, a failure to adopt the fire fee increase would lead to the elimination of paid weekday firefighters that staff four stations — Century, Molino, Cantonment and Myrtle Grove. If that happened, North Escambia’s fire stations would have relied solely upon volunteers with no paid firefighters.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Missing Child, Father Found
September 14, 2011
An Endangered Child Alert has been canceled for a missing Tennessee teen abducted by her father. Authorities said Tuesday night that Leeann Weaver could be in danger and that the pair could be headed to Atmore.
Both were located in Tenneseee Wednesday.
The alert was issued for 13-year old Leeann Weaver was found in Tennessee with her 61-year-old father, Lee Weaver.
Weaver assaulted Leeann’s mother and fled with the child. Authorities first said they believed they could be headed to the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation in Atmore.
Cantonment Man Charged With Abusing 2 Young Girls
September 13, 2011
A 29-year old Cantonment man is jailed charged with the sexual battery of two young girls.
Leon Nathaniel Harris of Madrid Road was booked into the Escambia County Jail on two felony counts of custodial sexual battery on a victim under 12.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, the two girls would spend the night at Harris’ trailer, during which time the abuse would occur. The abuse was reported to have started as early as 2003.
Information released by the Sheriff’s Office does not specify the nature of the family or custodial relationship between Harris and the victims.
Harris was being held early Tuesday in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Escambia Approves New Voting Districts For 2012
September 13, 2011
The Escambia County Commission has approved new commission district boundaries effective with the 2012 commission elections, following the 2010 Census results showing a population shift into District 5.
“To ensure fair representation, the Escambia County Commissioners are required to adjust the boundaries of the county commission districts following the census every 10 years. Adjustments to the boundaries are made to ensure that the population is divided as evenly as possible,” according to Sonya Daniel, public information manager for Escambia County.
Escambia County is divided into five different voting districts, each represented by a county commissioner and school board member. According to County Administrator Randy Oliver, the districts must be redrawn in such a manner that the population difference between the smallest district and the largest district is no more than five-percent.
All of the districts are predominantly white, with the exception of District 3, which remains black.
Data released earlier this year by the U.S. Census Bureau showed a population shift into the area between Barrineau Park and 9 Mile roads. That area, called the Cantonment Census County Division, saw a population increase of 15.8% (6,901 people) while the other Census divisions in the county saw a population decrease of 1.4 to 3 percent. Overall, the county experienced a very slight 1 percent increase during the decade as the population grew from 294,410 in 2000 to 297,619 in 2010.
Click the map above to enlarge.
Ransom Middle FFA Names Officers
September 13, 2011
Ransom Middle School has announced new FFA officers. They are:
- President – Annabella Garcia
- Vice President – Peyton Baisden
- Secretary – Taylor Hodges and Ashley Stokes
- Treasurer – Connor Groff
- Sentinel – Rachel Grammer
- Reporter – Dalton Young
- Student Advisor – Kathryn Caro
- Historian – Brittany Miehe
- Parliamentarian – Tyler Burt
Under the direction of agriculture teacher and FFA sponsor, Dawn Inman, the FFA student membership program at Ransom Middle has quadrupled in size.
Pictured above: (front row, L-R) Connor Groff, treasurer; Taylor Hodges, secretary; Annabella Garcia, president; Tyler Burt, parlimentarian; Kathryn Caro, student advisor, (back, L-R) Dalton Young, reporter; Brittany Miehe, historian; Peyton Baisden, vice president; Rachel Grammer, sentinel; and Ashley Stokes, secretary. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Search Continues In 10-Year Old Case Of Missing Teen Danielle Bell
September 13, 2011
A Tate High School student last seen 10 years ago in North Escambia was among those remembered Monday on the 13th annual Florida Missing Children’s Day.
Danielle Arion Bell, 14, was last seen at a party in September 2001 in the 500 block of Cedar Tree Lane, between Highway 29 and Highway 95A in Cantonment.
“It is imperative that we continue to devote all available resources and raise awareness of those who are missing, regardless of age,” said Gov. Rick Scott Monday. “As a parent, my heart goes out to the families of Florida’s missing children and my prayers are with them. We are also eternally grateful for our law enforcement community and citizens who tirelessly work to protect our children every day.”
Witnesses told authorities that Bell left a party with a man that was in his mid-twenties at the time. Escambia County deputies later questioned that man and searched his home, but he was never charged in connection with the case.
During the summer of 2007, Alfredo Gomez Sanchez, Jr. was charged with providing law enforcement with false information about his whereabouts at the time Bell disappeared. He was not implicated in her disappearance.
In October 2010, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit served a search warrant at the home. As part of that search warrant, a septic tank behind the residence was pumped out, and dogs from Escambia County Search and Rescue were also used to search the area. Investigators said nothing was found, and they would not say what new information might have led to the search.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Danielle has a scar on her right forearm and blue eyes. She had brown hair at the time of her disappearance. She would now be 24 years old. Danielle, whose nickname was “Dani”, was a member of the Tate Aggies cheerleading squad. The popular teen enjoyed dancing and drawing.
Anyone with information about Bell is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured top: Investigators pumped and searched a septic tank at this home on Cedar Tree Lane in Cantonment in October 2010 in the case of missing teen Danielle Arion Bell. Pictured below: A search and rescue K-9 team was also on site. Pictured bottom: A septic tank company employee prepares to pump a septic tank at the home. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Northview Vs. Escambia County (Atmore) Junior Varsity
September 13, 2011
The Escambia County High School (Atmore) Blue Devils defeated the Northview Chiefs 8-0 Monday evening in Atmore in junior varsity football action.
The only score in the game came from the JV Blue Devils with less than a minute to go in the half.
The JV Chiefs were coming off a 30-16 win over the West Florida High JV Jaguars last week in Pensacola. The JV Chiefs will travel to Baker on September 22 to take on the JV Baker Gators at 6:30 p.m.
For a photo gallery from the game, click here.
Pictured top: Northview sophomore Brannon Freeman takes down an ECHS Blue Devil Monday evening in Atmore. Pictured inset: Freeman and Phillip Myrick gain yardage for the Chiefs. Pictured below: Northview’s Jaron Myles (#2) maneuvers through a host of ECHS Blue Devil defenders. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Ranked No. 1 In Florida 1A Football
September 13, 2011
The Northview Chiefs are ranked No. 1in Florida in Class 1A in two football polls released Monday.
The Chiefs are ranked No. 1 by both the Associated Press and in a poll by the national sports website Maxpreps.com by CBS Sports. The Chiefs moved up from No. 2 in the AP poll after a lost last Friday night by then No. 1 Jefferson County to Madison County, 42-7.
The Chiefs lost in the state semifinals last year, just one win away from the state championship game. This year, the Northview is in a newer “Rural Division”, allowing them to play similar rural public schools, not private schools.
The 2011 season opened with the Chiefs sitting out week one with a bye and a week two 27-14 non-district win over Marianna. Northview will travel to Chipley Friday night.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs celebrate after their first win of the season Friday night in Marianna. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Volleyball: Flomaton Defeats Northview
September 13, 2011
Flomaton defeated Northview in varisty and junior varsity volleyball action Monday afternoon.
Varsity
Flomaton defeated Northview 22-25, 16-25, 14-25.
Taylor Roberson — Aces-2, Kills-1, Digs-2
Payton Hadley — Aces-2 Kills-2 Assists-2, Digs-1
Morgan Payne — Aces-2, Kills-6
Lily Townson — Aces-1, Assists-2, Digs-1
Junior Varsity
Flomaton defeated Northview 14-25, 18-25.
Makayla Flowers — Aces-1, Kills-1
Kyndall Hall –Aces-1, Kills-2
Tiffani Pritchett — Aces-2, Kills-1, Assist-4
Danielle Steadham — Aces-3, Kills-4, Assists-1,Blocks-1