Fire Destroys Excavator (With Explosion Photo)
February 14, 2011
Fire destroyed a John Deere excavator about 10:40 Monday morning on South Highway 99 at Tungoil Road.
The Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze. There were no injuries. The excavator, which was being used to clear a lot of brush, was a total loss.
In the photo above, fuel or fluid from the excavator explodes into a fireball before the first fire units arrived on scene. Pictured below: The excavator burns less than second before the top photo. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Five Homeless After Fire Destroys Century Home (With Photo Gallery)
February 14, 2011
Five people were left homeless when an early morning fire destroyed their Century home.
Flames were shooting from the roof of the single story wood frame home at 121 Front Street when the first firefighters arrived just after 4 a.m. Monday. The occupants of the home escaped without injury. Four adults and one child were homeless following the fire.
CSX Transportation was forced to halt train traffic through Century after firefighters pulled a hose from hydrant at the old Alger-Sulliver Lumber Company property to supply water.
The exact cause of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Century, McDavid, Molino and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Flomaton Fire Department and Escambia County EMS responded to the blaze.
For more photos from the scene, click here for a NorthEscambia.com gallery.
Pictured: Fire destroyed a wood frame home at 121 Front Street in Century early Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Portion Of Ernest Ward Campus Leased To Northwest Escambia For Ball Field Expansion
February 14, 2011
A portion of the Ernest Ward Middle School property in Walnut Hill is being leased to Northwest Escambia Little League to expand with new practice fields.
The Escambia County School District has leased about 4.5 additional acres to NWE for four new ball practice fields for $1 per year on a 20 year lease. According to NWE officials, the ball fields will be constructed and maintained by volunteers or at NWE’s expense.
The school district owns 90 acres around Ernest Ward, including the current school campus, the NWE’s current Bradberry Park, about 20 acres of farmland and several acres of wooded land (see map above). A portion of the property was already leased to NWE for Bradberry Park, a portion to a communications company for a cellular tower and 19.25 acres to Bama Bottom Farms, LLC.
Brett Ward of Bama Bottom Farms property agreed to forgo 2.75 acres of his parcel, which he leases at $65 per acre, for the ball fields. An additional 1.73 acres for the ball fields is located to the west of the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club community center, behind the district’s bus garage. The 1.73 acres currently includes the old “hog barn” that was used by Ernest Ward High School. (The areas being leased to NWE are shown in yellow in the map.)
NWE’s lease on the Ernest Ward property will be for 20 years, with the option to extend for two additional 10 year terms.
Pictured below and inset: This area around the old Ernest Ward High School “hog barn” and part of the field below are on the current Ernest Ward Middle School property and have been leased to Northwest Escambia Little League for four ball practice fields. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Don’t Forget To Put Your ECUA Trash Out Early
February 14, 2011
Tuesday is trash pickup day for most North Escambia ECUA customers. And Tuesday is the first you’ll need to have your trash out earlier to make sure you don’t miss your pickup.
ECUA’s Sanitation Department will implement new collection routes for garbage, recycling and yard trash service on Tuesday, February 15. The changes will only affect the time of collection, while all collection days will remain as scheduled. To avoid a missed pickup, ECUA customers are asked to place their garbage and recycling containers, as well as any yard trash, at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on their normal collection day.
“The popularity of the ECUA Curbside Recycling program is reflected in the steadily increasing amount of recyclables and decreasing amount of garbage and yard trash being collected weekly,” said Nathalie Bowers, public information officer for ECUA. “A periodic review and adjustment in collection routes and schedules allow us to better serve our customers and operate in a more efficient and cost-effective way.”
For more information, or to learn about ECUA’s recycling program visit ecua.org or call (850) 476-0480.
Tell Us: Should Driver’s Ed Deal With Texting While Driving?
February 14, 2011
Driver education courses would have to include information about the risks associated with texting while driving under a bill filed last week by a House Democrat.
The measure (HB 689) filed by Rep. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, would require the information for teens taking courses before becoming a first time driver and also drivers who are going to traffic school after committing a traffic infraction. The same language is also filed in a Senate bill (SB 758) by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood.
The Senate bill has been referred to the Transportation; Education Pre-K – 12; Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities; and full Budget committees and is yet to be scheduled for a hearing.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments section below.
Camp Fire Kids Create Valentine’s Cards For Vets (With Gallery)
February 14, 2011
The students at the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center shared their Valentine’s love with local veterans by making cards to express their honor and appreciation. Nationally, Camp Fire USA children and youth have made Valentine’s cards for veterans each year since 1978.
For more photos from the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center, click here.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
EREC Offers Scholarships For Escambia, Santa Rosa Students
February 14, 2011
Escambia River Electric Cooperative will award scholarships this April to graduating seniors in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County with a parent or guardian that is a member of the cooperative.
A total of two scholarships, one in each county, of $4,000 per student will be offered. The students must show proof of enrollment and maintain a GPA of 2.5 to continue to receive the funds each year.
Seniors in EREC’s service area should check with their high school guidance counselors or contact Marketing and Communications at EREC, (850) 675-4521 or (800) 235-3848, for scholarship applications. Winners will be announced at EREC’s Annual Meeting on April 30.
This is EREC’s 14th year of offering scholarships to high school seniors. In the past, those capital credits issued by EREC that were unclaimed had to be turned over to the state. But state legislation now allows such funds to be deposited into a qualified, educational charity fund. The EREC membership voted to use these funds in the form of scholarships for graduating seniors in EREC’s service area.
Firefighters Battle Multiple Molino Brush Fires
February 13, 2011
Sunday, Volunteers from several Escambia Fire Rescue Stations battled a four-acre woods fire on Highway 97 and a 5-10 acre fire off Chestnut Road, both near Molino.
The first fire was reported about 11:15 a.m. in the 2100 block of Highway 97, between Pilgrim Trail and Gibson Road. About four acres of mostly wooded area was reported to be involved in the blaze. The fire was reported under control at 11:48 a.m. No structures were threatened by the fire.
The second fire was reported mid-afternoon on Keck Road near Chestnut Road.
Preliminary information indicated that both fires were started when outdoor burns got out of control.
The Molino, McDavid, Walnut Hill and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue were involved in fighting the blazes, along with the Florida Division of Forestry.
Officials with Florida Division of Forestry’s Blackwater District are urging residents to use caution if they decide to burn yard waste in the near future. Fine fuels such as grasses and small brush which have been killed by winter frost and freezes and burn readily. Low humidity (less than 40 percent) and gusty winds cause these vegetative fuels to dry quickly.
Pictured above and below: A Sunday afternoon brush fire on Keck Road, off Chestnut Road, near Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
High Hopes For Sale: Century’s Former Helicopter Biz Building
February 13, 2011
The Town of Century’s former Helicopter Technology building is now officially back on the real estate market with an $850,000 asking price.
The town purchased the industrial building at public auction for less than $1 out of pocket back in August, 2009, following the town’s foreclosure judgment against the now defunct Helicopter Technology.
After attempting to lease or sell the building independently for over year, Century has now listed the building on the open real estate market with DeeDee Ritchie of the commercial real estate firm NAI Halford. The real estate company will receive a 6-percent fee for the sale or lease of the building.
“Immaculate 40,000 sf office/warehouse building. Enterprise & free trade zone. All under climate control. Fully sprinkled. 8 HVAC units, 10 restrooms, 2 loading docks and Three Phase Power. PRICED TO MOVE,” the real estate listing states.
Century’s Future For Sale
Century’s mayor has high hopes for the future growth of his town. And he has about 40,000 square feet of space that would be just perfect for a company looking to locate and grow on the Gulf Coast.
“It has a lot of office space up front,” he said as he showed the empty Helicopter Technology Building in the town’s industrial park. “It has a little kitchen here with a microwave.” He knows the real estate sales pitch on the building the town repurchased for less than $1 at foreclosure auction one year ago.
Standing on the huge plant floor, McCall does not see just empty space and an odd arrangement of old couches and a grandfather clock moved from the office space. He sees the potential for a company to thrive — and the key to Century’s growth.
“It’s ready to go,” McCall said of the building. “Fairly heavy duty electrical wiring. Air conditioning. Plenty of room. It has great potential.”
The biggest potential of the building, according to the mayor, is the fact that it’s move-in ready. He said that would allow a company to become operational quickly, rather than waiting for permits and construction of a new facility.
“Things are looking up in Century,” he said. “We are ready for a company to become part of the excitement.”
To view the real estate listing for the building, click here.
Pictured top: Century Mayor Freddie McCall on the empty plant floor in the old Helicopter Technology Building in the Century Industrial Park. Pictured inset: McCall believes the building could be key to the grown of Century. Pictured below: The building, repurchased by the town a year ago at a foreclosure auction, sits empty. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New 2-1-1 Number Provides Info On Community Services
February 13, 2011
United Way of Escambia County has launched 2-1-1 in Escambia County, Florida. 2-1-1 expands upon the services provided by First Call For Help for the last 25 years by offering free and confidential information and referral services 24 hours per day accessible by a three-digit, easy-to-remember number, 2-1-1. The launch of 2-1-1 in Escambia County was sponsored by a grant from AT&T.
When people are in need, they can simply dial 2-1-1 from any Escambia County land line. They will reach a real person, no matter what time of day it is. Access is currently available from most cellular phones, and should be available from all cellular phone networks soon, while in Escambia County. The service also can be reached by dialing (850) 595-5905.
2-1-1’s trained information and referral specialists provide information on the following services:
- Basic human needs resources: food banks, clothing, shelters, rent assistance, utility assistance.
- Physical and mental health resources: medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention, rehabilitation, health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health, children’s health insurance programs.
- Employment support: unemployment benefits, financial assistance, job training, education programs.
- Support for older Americans and people with disabilities: home health care, adult day care, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, transportation, and homemaker services.
- Support for children, youth and families: Quality childcare, after-school programs, Head Start, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, protective services.
- Volunteer opportunities and donations.
“2-1-1 is important because families do not limit their crises to 8 to 5,” said Rita Icenogle, 2-1-1 director. “2-1-1 lets us be there when they need us. 2-1-1 is a number that can be easily remembered, especially during times of disaster.”