Spooky: Kids Enjoy Stories, Treats In Barrineau Park
October 19, 2011
Children enjoyed a “spooky” story, cookies and other treats Tuesday evening at the Barrineau Park Community Center. Submitted photos by Teresa Andress for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Scott Posts University Salaries Online
October 19, 2011
Amidst a push to reform higher education, Gov. Rick Scott has posted the salaries of all state university employees online, prompting pushback from faculty.
The salary information for all 11 state universities was already publicly available, but Scott’s office last week took the extra step of compiling the information, putting it into a searchable spreadsheet and posting it online on the “Florida Has a Right to Know” website.
The website allows Florida faculty and administrators, and anyone else, to easily glimpse the salaries of their colleagues, supervisors and rival academics for the first time.
Salaries of professors vary widely, from the $30,000 a year made by an English instructor at the University of Central Florida to $1.2 million paid to a medical professor at the University of South Florida. The highest professor salaries came primarily from medical school professors at the University of Florida and USF.
The effort to publish university salaries comes during a time that Scott has pressed for changes in higher education, touting an effort in Texas to scrutinize faculty productivity and tenure. This has made some faculty nervous that Scott is publishing salaries as part of a maneuver to galvanize public opinion against university faculty in a push to tie pay to performance, or change other benefits such as tenure.
Scott has also posted the salary information of state employees and information on public employees who receive state pensions worth more than $100,000 a year on the same website.
“Just as salary information for all the Office of the Governor workers and the state agencies are posted online, Florida has right to know about university salaries as well because they are paid for by taxpayer dollars,” said Scott spokesman Lane Wright.
But faculty say salaries are not always paid for with state taxpayer dollars.
“My reaction is not a privacy concern, this is public knowledge anyway,” said Tom Auxter, a philosophy professor at the University of Florida and the president of the United Faculty of Florida. “But when the governor just publishes this, it makes it look like it is something other than it is.”
For example, some professors have part of their salary paid for through endowments or grants, not state funds.
“They are not necessarily all state dollars and it is somewhat misleading as to how the categories are arranged,” said University of Florida spokeswoman Janine Sikes.
For instance, the highest-paid professor in the university system is Dr. Neil Fenske, a renowned dermatologist and professor who is paid $1.2 million. But a USF spokeswoman said his salary is mostly paid for through clinic fees from patients. A USF statement said Fenske is considered “one of the nation’s leading cancer specialists in melanoma.”
Faculty are also concerned the online database will draw attention to the six-figure salaries paid to a few superstar professors and administrators, versus the more typical five-figure salary of an assistant or associate professor.
The database also doesn’t include some forms of compensation. Figures posted for university presidents, for example, list just their base salaries and not bonuses. For instance, University of Central Florida President John Hitt made $673,500 in the 2009-10 fiscal year, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The salary database shows his salary was $463,500.
Auxter, the UFF president, said Scott is motivated to cut costs at universities. Toward that end, Auxter said the governor has chosen to “vilify” faculty rather than find new revenue sources.
“(Scott) has boxed himself into a strategy where he has to be constantly claiming to expose government waste,” Auxter said. He said professors, on average, make less in Florida than in most other states.
Florida universities are already struggling to keep talented professors in the state, Auxter said, a by-product of tough budget years in which universities have seen funding cut from the state.
“You can’t pay the talent you want to keep and the talent you want to attract,” Auxter said.
By The News Service of Florida
Volleyball: Northview, Escambia Split Games
October 19, 2011
The Escambia Gators defeated the Northview Chiefs Monday in varsity high school volleyball action, while the junior varsity Lady Chiefs beat Escambia in the final games of the regular season.
Varsity
Escambia defeated Northview 19-25, 13-25, 17-25.
Senior Jose Docuette had one ace, two kills, one block and two digs for the Lady Chiefs, while Morgan Payne added one ace, two kills, one block and dig. Shelley Motherside contributed three assists, one block and two digs, as Misty Doran Posted one ace, four kills, one block and a dig.
Northview finished the regular season at 4-18, 3-5 in the district.
Junior Varsity
The JV Lady Chiefs defeated the Escambia Gators 25-12, 25-19.
Danielle Steadham had five aces and two kills for the JV Lady Chiefs, as Hannah Fiellin posted four aces, three kills and two assists. Tiffani Pritchett added two aces and seven assists, and Rebecca Grim had five kills for Northview.
The JV Lady Chiefs finished their season at 11-8, 4-2 in the district.’
Pictured top: The Northview varsity volleyball team. Pictured below: The junior varsity Lady Chiefs. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fish Story: Santa Rosa Man Catches Florida’s Largest Catfish
October 19, 2011
A Santa Rosa County man now holds the distinction of having landed the largest flathead catfish ever caught with a rod and reel in Florida waters.
Eric Auston Jr., 33, was fishing with his good friend October 9 at 2:30 a.m. in the Yellow River when he caught a flathead catfish weighing 55.05 pounds. He used a rod and reel with 25-pound-test line and a small bluegill as bait, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
His fish was substantially larger than the existing Florida record flathead – a fish that weighed 49.39 pounds, caught in the Apalachicola River in 2004. Auston said he fishes for flatheads only a few times each year. His biggest flathead prior to last weekend weighed 42 pounds, but that fish was caught on a bush hook.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) maintains records for most species of freshwater fish. The FWC will present Auston with a certificate of his record catch for display.
Jay, Flomaton Beat Two Monroe County JV Teams
October 19, 2011
The junior varsity football teams from Jay and Flomaton high schools both celebrated wins Tuesday against teams from Monroe County, Alabama.
The JV ‘Canes defeated Excel 48-8 in Flomaton. And the junior varsity Jay Royals ended their season with a win over Uriah 28-0.
Bank Robber Nabbed 20 Minutes After Crime
October 18, 2011
A suspected bank robber was apprehended within about 20 minutes of the crime Tuesday afternoon in Pensacola.
Ronald Stephen Witt, 42, of Pensacola was arrested around 2:50 p.m. near Beverly Parkway and W Street. He was charged with robbery, according to Pensacola Police Department Detective James Gore.
The incident occurred just before 2:30 p.m. at Pensacola Federal Credit Union on Garden Street. Police said Witt walked into the bank and handed a teller a note indicating it was a robbery. He then told her it was a robbery and demanded cash. No weapon was displayed, Officer Greg Stone said.
The teller complied and the suspect left with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police followed the suspect to the area of W Street and Beverly Parkway where he got out, fled on foot and was taken into custody after a foot pursuit.
Gore said all of the money was recovered in a bag near Beverly Parkway and Concordia. There were about four employees and no customers in the credit union during the robbery, according to police, and none were injured.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies also responded to the scene and assisted with the arrest.
Family Dollar Store Planned For Century
October 18, 2011
A new Family Dollar store is in the works for Century.
The 8,000 square foot discount retail store will be located at 9441 North Century Boulevard — that’s at the corner of North Century Boulevard and Green Street. The site was last occupied by Royal Pizza and Subs, which was destroyed by fire in July 2008. Prior to that, the property housed a barbecue restaurant. The 1.22 acre lot is located just south of the Food Giant grocery store.
Family Dollar has not formerly announced a new Century store, and there’s no word yet on the number of jobs the business will provide, or when the business will open.
Monday night, the Century Town Council approved a variance to allow the Family Dollar to have 30 parking spaces rather than the 40 that would currently be required by code.
Debbie Nickles, a consultant for the Town of Century, said it would likely take about eight weeks for various agencies to approve the project.
Family Dollar currently operates 6,800 stores in 44 states. Other Family Dollar Stores in the North Escambia area are located in Davisville, Cantonment, Pensacola and Atmore.
Pictured top: A typical Family Dollar store. Pictured top: A pizza restaurant located at 9441 North Century Boulevard burned in July 2008. Pictured inset: The property remained unoccupied after the fire. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
IMPACT 100 Announces $107K Grants
October 18, 2011
IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area has announced six local nonprofits who will receive $107,500 grants, including several that will have a direct impact on the North Escambia area.
The IMPACT 100 group has 645 members that has donated $1,000 in membership dues, which are distributed to non-profits each year.
Grant winners included:
- Pensacola Bay Baptist Association’s Health and Hope Clinic, which recently opened a second location in Century, to purchase equipment, expand diabetes care, add a nurse practitioner.
- Escambia County Public Schools Foundation to build an outdoor playground at the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center in Cantonment.
- Westgate Foundation to build a special needs playground at Westgate School.
- ARC Gateway, to purchase computer hardware and software to increase staff efficiency to allow more time to be spent with 750 children and adults with developmental disabilities.
- Ray of Hope of Northwest Florida to build wheelchair ramps for disabled residents.
- Pensacola Opera for a multipurpose facility in Pensacola.
According to Rick Hollis, director of the Health and Hope Clinic, the organization will be able to expand service hours in Century from the current Tuesday evenings only. The group will also be able to help with transportation costs for those from North Escambia that must travel to Pensacola for other care.
“This grant will be a blessing to the uninsured in the northern part of the county,” Hollis said, adding that the Health and Hope Clinic will be able to expand the number of patient-doctor visits by about 200 per month. (For more information on the new Century Health and Hope Clinic, click here for a previous article.)
Previous North Escambia winners of IMPACT 100 grants include $113,000 to the Leaning Post Ranch in Molino, a state-licensed facility and prevention program for developmentally disabled and at-risk young people, and $113,335 to the Century Branch Library to fund a childrens’ reading room and literacy center.
Pictured top: Susie Farthing and Rick Hollis of the Health and Hope Clinic with their $107,500 check from IMPACT 100. Courtesy photo. Pictured inset: The Century Health and Hope Clinic. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Deputies Conduct Century Clean Sweep; Five Arrested (With Photo Gallery)
October 18, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and several other agencies conducted an “Operation Clean Sweep” Monday morning in Century.
Five people were arrested on outstanding warrants during the operation for violation of probation or failure to appear. A total of 46 traffic citations were also issued during checkpoint on Old Flomaton Road, and Escambia County Code Enforcement opened 40 new code cases. The ESCO Sex Crimes Unit also made seven address verifications.
Over two tons of trash and debris was also collected.
The first arrest of the day was 51-year old Jose Phillip Galvan, who was taken into custody at a home on Cumbie Road on a violation of probation charge. Galvan remained in the Escambia County Jail early Tuesday where he was being held without bond.
Deputies the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office TAC Unit made another arrest a short time later in the 300 block of East Pond Street. Domonique Sade Fisher, 26, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for petty theft and two violation of probation warrants. She was released from the Escambia County Jail on $4,000 bond.
During the traffic checkpoint on Old Flomaton Road, 31-year old Johnny Bruce Pyles of Jay was arrested for driving with a revoked license. Deputies said he also had outstanding warrants from Santa Rosa County, and also from Escambia County, Alabama.
Details on the other two arrest made during Monday’s Clean Sweep were not available early Tuesday morning
Other groups participating in, or contributing toward, the Clean Sweep were Naval Air Technical Training Command, Escambia County Road Prison, ECUA, Roads and Bridges, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Unit, Allied Waste and Boyettes.
NorthEscambia.com was along for the ride as the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office TAC Unit hit the streets of Century Monday morning. For more photos, click here.
Pictured top: Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies make plans to look for a wanted suspect in Century. Pictured inset: Jose Phillip Galvan, 51, is arrested on Cumbie Lane on a violation of probation warrant. Pictured below: Deputies arrest Domonique Sade Fisher on failure to appear warrants and a warrant for petty theft on Pond Street in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Racy Images Found On Bracelets Given To Jay Elementary Students
October 18, 2011
Several slap bracelets given to Jay Elementary School students as incentive prizes contained racy images, and now the school is working to got get the bracelets back.
So far, the school has found only four of 160 bracelets distributed to students containing the hidden images. The students received the cloth covered bracelets as an incentive for raising funds for new computers but some of the students ripped off the cloth and found what was hidden underneath.
The bracelets were made out of recycled tape measure materials, and four of them depicted women in various poses and stages of dress beneath their cloth coverings.
The bracelets were provided by a Nashville company that orders them from China. The Tennessee company has stopped any additional shipments of the bracelets.
Jay Elementary is working to collect all of the bracelets from their students. They will be returned to the incentive company and exchanged for another prize.
Pictured: The recycled measuring tape (top) inside slap bracelets (below) given to Jay Elementary School students. Photos by WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
