Molino Park’s Karen Hall To Be Named Bratt Principal
June 9, 2010
It’s official — Molino Park Elementary School Curriculum Coordinator Karen Hall has been recommended for the job of principal at Bratt Elementary School.
Escambia County School District Superintendent Malcolm Thomas will make the promotion recommendation at the next meeting of the school board on Monday, June 14. Hall will replace Sheryl Pomeroy who will retire effective June 30.
Two other new principals are expected to be named at that school board meeting: Lesa Morgan will move from principal at West Florida High School to the position of director of workforce education for the county, and Holly Wilkins will be promoted from assistant principal at Scenic Heights Elementary to principal at Bellview Elementary.
Transportation Plan Includes $48 Million In North Escambia Improvements
June 9, 2010
A five-year transportation improvement plan includes four new bridges, a major resurfacing project, widened shoulders and a rail safety project in the North Escambia area — over $48 million in construction.
A recently released Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization report identifies the projects to be completed, project phasing, estimated costs and funding sources. Inclusion in the report does not guarantee that a project will be funded.
North Escambia area projects included in the five-year plan include:
- Resurfacing Highway 29 from north of Pine Barren Road through Century to the Alabama state line. Preliminary engineering would take place in fiscal year 2010-2011 at a cost of $3,816,010. The bulk of the construction would take place in 2013-2014. The total cost for the 15.585 mile project is estimated at $29,431,725.
- Bridge replacement on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill over Little Pine Barren Creek (near Wiggins Lake Road). The total cost to replace the bridge, which was constructed in 1941, is estimated at $4,373,469 with the work to take place in 2014-2015.
- Bridge replacement on Fannie Road over Dead Lake in Century would take place in 2013-2014 under the plan. The project has an estimated total price tag of $4,710,503.
- Bridge replacement on Highway 97A over the west fork of Boggy Creek (near Dan Hall Road) would take place is 2012-2013 for $4,635,910.
- Shoulders would be paved on Crabtree Church Road from Sunshine Hill Road to Highway 97 in Molino. The 2.59 mile project would take place in 2014-2015 for $1,527,068.
- The Brushy Creek Bridge on South Pineville Road would be replaced in 2013-2014 at a cost of $4,611,309.
- A railroad crossing signal would be installed in fiscal year 2010-2011 at the crossing on Athur Brown Road near Corley Road in Walnut Hill. Total cost would be $251,000.
The Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization was created by the governors in Alabama and Florida to oversee the transportation planning process in the Florida-Alabama TPO Planning Area.
Pictured top: The Little Pine Barren Creek Bridge on Highway 97 is tentatively set for replacement in fiscal year 2014-2015. Pictured inset: The bridge was constructed in 1941. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century To Take Low Interest Loan For General Fund
June 9, 2010
The Town of Century will borrow about $150,000 on a low-interest loan in order to free up general fund monies for another purposes.
The 2.6 percent, 20 year note will come from the state’s revolving fund to reimburse the town’s general fund for engineering services related to a water improvement project. Since the town has already paid for the engineering, the funds can be used for any purpose.
“I think it would be a good financially sound way to pay the town back, said Robert Hudson, Century’s accountant.
Council President Ann Brooks said she thought the money would be wisely invested in street paving.
But council member Henry Hawkins, the lone vote against the loan, said he did not believe borrowing money was a good move. “We are leaving debt for our children to pay, and I don’t like it.”
In September, the town voted to accept a low interest loan from the state for water improvements that will automatically forgive $1.4 million in payments — with Hawkins voting against. On the approximately $1.6 million loan, Century would be responsible for repaying only about $250,000. Payments on the revolving loan will cost the town about $12,400 annually.
W.D. Childers Conviction Tossed Out
June 9, 2010
W.D. Childer’s bribery conviction was overturned in a federal appeals court on Tuesday, with the judge ruling that testimony that was disallowed in the original trial could have led to a different outcome.
Childers, who once served as President of the Florida Senate, was convicted of bribery and accepting unlawful compensation for official acts in connection with a Highway 29 soccer complex scandal in 2002 while he served as an Escambia County Commissioner.
The soccer complex scandal eventually landed four Escambia Commissioners in jail on charges that included Childers, Willie Junior, Terry Smith and Mike Bass. Junior was later found dead under a house, committing suicide the day before he was to be sentenced.
Childers, once known as “The Banty Rooster” for bringing home the bacon for Northwest Florida, was released from state prison on June 17, 2009, having served almost three years of a 42-month sentence on the charges related to the $3.9 million soccer complex purchase. Junior testified that he received a collard green pot full of cash in exchange for his vote to purchase the soccer complex.
Childers was also the first man in Florida jailed for violating the open-meeting portion of the Sunshine Law for a phone call he and Smith made to then Supervisor of Elections Bonnie Jones. Childers served about a month in jail before being released.
Most notably for North Escambia, Childers was the man responsible for the funding to four-lane Highway 29 to the Alabama state line.
Former Tate Star Selected By Mets In MLB Draft
June 9, 2010
Former Tate High School baseball player Brandon Brown of Cantonment was selected by the New York Mets in the 22nd round of the Major League Baseball draft. He was the the 662th draft pick overall.
As a senior at South Alabama this past season, Brown, 22, started all 59 of the Jaguar’s games at shortstop. He batted .265, had three home runs, 30 RBI and three home runs for the Jags. As a junior at USA, he hit .319 with one home run, five doubles, 10 RBI and scored nine runs over 20 games – 13 of which were starts.
At Tate High School, Brown pitched and played third base for coach Todd Boyd. He helped Tate to the 2005 state championship, playing alongside fellow Jag David Doss. Brown was named a 2006 Puma All-American and ranked as the No 1. Top Prospect by Baseball Factory.
Brown was selected in 47th round of 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Brown is the son of Terry and Jan Brown. His older brother Bo played four seasons for the Atlanta Braves organization.
Signs Warn Escambia Swimmers To Stay Out Of Water
June 9, 2010
The Escambia County Health Department has issued a health advisory for the beaches of Perdido Key following the report of numerous tarballs washing ashore from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
The advisory includes an area extending from the Florida-Alabama line to the entrance of the Perdido Unit, Gulf Islands National Seashore. The health department issued the following tips for avoiding negative health impacts from an oiled shoreline:
- Avoid entering areas where oil can be seen (no wading, swimming or entering the water).
- Avoid direct skin contact with oil, oil-contaminated water and sediments.
- Avoid contact with dead or dying fish or other aquatic life.
- Do not swim or ski in areas affected by the oil spill, and if traveling through the area by boat take precautions when hoisting the boat anchor. If oil makes contact with the skin, wash it off with grease-cutting liquid dishwashing detergent and water.
- Do not fish in oil spill-affected waters.
- Do not harvest or eat dead fish, fish with oily residue, or fish that have a petroleum odor.
- Avoid boating through oil slicks or sheens.
- Young children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and individuals with underlying respiratory conditions should avoid the area.
- Prevent pets from entering oil-contaminated areas.
- Those near Florida’s Gulf Coast may detect an odor because of the oil spill. Some people are more sensitive to these odors and may experience nasal irritation and feelings of nausea. In combination with seasonal allergies, such as sensitivity to pollen, or pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma, some people may experience more severe symptoms.
- Individuals experiencing respiratory symptoms that are aggravated by the odors from the oil spill should consider:
- If symptoms do not improve, contact a primary care physician or other health care professional for medical advice
- Individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma or other respiratory illnesses should contact their physician if feeling symptomatic.
- Staying indoors in air-conditioning and avoiding strenuous outdoor activity.
The health department is posting signs at the affected area. Residents can participate in activities that are above the high tide line. If they experience respiratory problems, they should leave the area and contact a physician, as they deem necessary.
Pictured: The signs being posted around Perdido Key by the Escambia County Health Department, click to enlarge.
Century Library Summer Reading Series Begins With Chinese Acrobat
June 9, 2010
Kids of all ages enjoyed the acrobat Liang, a Chinese Olympian, spinning plates, balancing cups of water on her chin and even spinning knives Tuesday at Century Branch Library.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
It was part of the library’s summer reading program.
The Century Branch Library invites children to celebrate with more summer library programs each Tuesday at noon.
- June 15 – Dr. Zap, fun and wacky
- June 22 – John Jaramillo, storyteller and dancer
- June 29 – David Stephens, puppetry
- July 6, Ross Mudge, sing patriotic songs
- July 13, Beau Broomall, magician
For more information, contact the Century Branch Library at (850) 256-6217.
Written by Delaney, age 9.
Pictured top: Children enjoy Liang, a Chinese Olympian acrobat, at the Century Branch Library Tuesday afternoon. Pictured inset: Lian is reportedly the only woman in the world that can simultaneously control 25 hula hoops. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power, ECUA Win Sustainable Energy Award
June 9, 2010
A local partnership that brings cleaner air and cleaner water to Northwest Florida has won a major award from the state of Florida as an environmental best practice.
Gulf Power Company and the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) are co-winners in the partnership category for the Sustainable Florida-Collins Center 2010 Best Practice Awards program.
The award was announced Friday at the Sustainable Florida Awards banquet in St. Petersburg.
This marks the 12th year the non-profit Sustainable Florida, a program run by the Collins Center for Public Policy, handed out Best Practice Awards. The award honors businesses, organizations and individuals whose work demonstrates that a healthy environment and a healthy economy are mutually supportive.
A record 109 entries were received this year. A panel of leaders in government, business, academic institutions, and civic and environmental organizations evaluated the nominees based on outcomes achieved, the ability to duplicate the effort, and overall success of the initiative. The winners were culled from among 21 finalists in seven categories.
Beginning in September, Gulf Power’s scrubber system and operations at Plant Crist will use millions of gallons of reclaimed water from the ECUA’s new Central Water Reclamation Facility being constructed just north of the power plant.
The partnership helps establish the new ECUA advanced wastewater treatment plant as a zero-discharge facility, while reducing the water Gulf Power uses from the Escambia River. Gulf Power’s scrubber system, which began operating in December, is reducing regulated air emissions at the power plant by more than 95 percent.
The new ECUA facility eventually will replace the Main Street Wastewater Plant, which discharges up to 20 millions of gallons of effluent daily into Pensacola Bay, and stands in a coastal flood zone, vulnerable to storm surge.
“Both utilities worked together to create a sustainable partnership to benefit our community,” said Sandy Sims, Gulf Power Public Affairs manager. “By partnering with ECUA to make beneficial use of their reclaimed water, ECUA will eliminate millions of gallons of effluent discharged into the bay while Gulf Power uses the water to run our scrubber which reduces air emissions from our power plant. It’s a double good benefit for the environment.”
After Hurricane Ivan in 2004, ECUA was awarded a $154 million federal grant to replace the Main Street plant. But it would not be permitted to discharge into Escambia Bay, which is deemed to be an impaired waterway — even though the effluent would be cleaner than that from the Main Street plant.
“Partnering with Gulf Power provided ECUA a viable, environmentally progressive option for disposal, which is beneficial to all concerned,” said Steve Sorrell, executive director of ECUA “Our costs were reduced, directly benefiting our ratepayers, and the environmental advantages to both partners, and our community, are immense.”
With Gulf Power using the reclaimed water, it reduced the amount of land ECUA needed to purchase for spray-fields.
Gulf Power is permitted to use up to 20 million gallons a day of reclaimed water, of which more than 80 percent will be evaporated as part of the scrubber, cooling tower and plant operations. The reclaimed water from ECUA’s new plant will be cleaner than existing river quality water and its low-chloride content helps Gulf Power produce marketable gypsum.
The scrubber system uses a simple reaction to neutralize gases produced while generating electricity. Water cools the gases from the four generating units, which are then bubbled through a swirling bath of crushed limestone in the scrubber’s Jet Bubbling Reactor vessel.
The byproduct of the process is market-quality gypsum, which can be sold to cement or wallboard manufacturing companies. Steam released through the scrubber stack is the most visible sign of the system at work.
“Our projects and our partnership will help improve both the air and water quality in Northwest Florida,” Sims said. “Partnerships like this are the best way to move forward as a business and a community — to provide a sustainable future.”
Pictured above: The new scrubber in operation at Gulf Power’s Plant Crist in Pensacola. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Traffic Watch: Resurfacing Begins Thursday On Highway 95A
June 9, 2010
On Thursday, construction crews will begin milling and resurfacing Highway 95A (Old Palafox Road) between East Roberts Road and Nine Mile Road.
The contractor is expected to complete the work in approximately five weeks. During this time there will be intermittent and alternating daytime lane closures on Highway 95A (Old Palafox Road). One lane of traffic will remain open at all times and flagmen will be available to direct traffic during lane closures, according to Escambia County officials. Drivers are urged to use caution in the construction zone and obey the posted speed limit.
This work is weather dependent and may be rescheduled or delayed in the event of inclement weather.
Escambia County is funding this project with 2009 federal stimulus dollars.
Century Hires UWF Professor As Town Clerk
June 8, 2010
The Town of Century has hired a University of West Florida professor as their new town clerk.
The town council voted Monday night to hire Darlene Peters of Pensacola to replace Dorothy Sims who retired at the end of April. Peters is currently a School of Education instructor at UWF, and an adjunct instructor at Pensacola Junior College. She holds a doctorate in instructional technology from UWF, a masters of business administration from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s of science degree from Gannon University in Pennsylvania. She also holds a valid massage therapist license in Florida.
“She seems to be a very highly qualified individual,” Council President Ann Brooks said, after noting that Peters is proficient in numerous office programs, including the Quicken accounting software used by the town.
According to Mayor Freddie McCall, a total of 33 people applied for the position. Seven of those individuals were interviewed by McCall and Robert Hudson, the town’s accountant. McCall said Peters was selected based upon her background and experience.
Councilman Gary Riley, who said he reviewed the resumes of the top seven applicants, agreed that Peters was highly qualified for the position.
“As far as I am concerned,” Riley said, “she is a top pick.”
Peters’ appointment was not unanimous, with council member Henry Hawkins voting against hiring her.
Hawkins claimed that, based upon the town charter, the mayor had no right to conduct the job interview or hire an employee without the council’s direct involvement. He said the council had no right to delegate the hiring authority to the the mayor.
After Sims’ retirement, the council voted to have McCall and Hudson review resumes, conduct interviews and present the top candidate to the council.
The council did not set a salary for the clerk’s position at Monday night’s meeting.
Pictured top: Century Town Council President Ann Brooks (left) reads the resume of new Town Clerk Darlene Peters Monday night as (L-R) Sharon Scott, Henry Hawkins and Gary Riley listen. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.