The Tax Man Cometh: Property Tax Bills Arriving In The Mail
November 2, 2009
Escambia County’s tax bills started hitting mailboxes across the county Saturday; the office of Tax Collector Janet Holley delivered bills to the post office Friday on 155,000 parcels totaling $259 million.
By the calendar, the official collection of the 2009 real estate and tangible personal property taxes started Sunday. There is a four percent discount for early payment through November 30.
Other discount periods are as follows: December – three percent; January – two percent; February – one percent; and the gross amount is due in March 2010. Taxes become delinquent April 1 and are assessed a three percent penalty. When mailed, discounts are determined by postmark of payment. When a discount period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the discount period will be extended to the next business day for walk‑in customers only.
Tax revenue is generated for the various taxing authorities and is approximated as follows: District School Board, $124.6 million; Escambia County Board of County Commissioners, $110 million; City of Pensacola, $16.2 million; Sheriff, $7.1 million; Northwest Florida Water Management, $660,000; Downtown Improvement Board, $387,000; and Town of Century, $26,875. Additionally, MSBU collections totaling $12.5 million include: County fire protection, $9.5 million; City Stormwater, $2.1 million; and various others, $773,000.
You may check the status of your taxes and pay on the website at www.escambiataxcollector.com. While paying online may be the most convenient, other options are available, such as payment by mail, by phone, or in person. If you do not receive your tax bill by November 10, please call the tax collector’s office at 438‑6500, ext. 252 (TTY for the hearing impaired call 472‑0031). After hours automated payment by telephone is available by calling (800) 601‑1055.
With the closure earlier this year of the tax collector office in Century, the closest in-person payment location for North Escambia residents is at 470 South Highway 29 in Cantonment (the old Winn Dixie shopping center).
Hospice Chaplain To Address Grief And The Holidays
November 2, 2009
A hospice chaplain will offer an overview of “Grief and Holidays” Tuesday in Century. The event is open to the public, and it also provides the opportunity for nurses and social workers to earn contact hours.
Chaplain Shane Tucker from Emerald Coast Hospice office will speak at noon Tuesday at the Century Chamber of Commerce located at 7811 North Century Boulevard.
Tucker will offer coping skills and tips to assist during the holidays.
This inservice is open to the public. Nurses will receive 1.2 contact hours from their respective state board and social workers will receive 1.0 contact hours.
Weekend Photos: Football, Cheerleaders, Band, NJROTC, Silver Wings
November 2, 2009
Senior Night at Northview High School was a big one, and NorthEscambia.com had all of the photos.
Click here for football action, cheerleaders, NJROTC and band photos.
Click here for Senior Night photos.
Click here to listen to Friday night’s Northview win over Sneads.
Hard Work Pays Off Big For North Escambia Youths At Fair’s Steer Auction
November 1, 2009
Months of hard worked paid off for several North Escambia youths Saturday night as their steers were sold at auction at the Pensacola Interstate Fair.
For Brendan Bell, a sixth grade FFA member at Ernest Ward Middle School, the payoff was huge – $7,140 for his grand champion steer. The 11-year old’s black steer won the FFA supreme champion among FFA students at this year’s fair. The 1,190 pound steer was purchased by Kay Campbell of American Concrete Supply in Cantonment.
Trey Flowers won youth champion/supreme champion with his steer, a category for youth that do not belong to an FFA chapter. His steer brought $7,740.
In front of a crowd of about 100 people, the steers were auctioned off by auctioneer Richard Gibbs.
Justin Hall, FFA reserve winner, received $4,500 for his steer. Jessica McMillian, youth reserve winner, received $4,005 for her steer.
Other steers were sold as follows:
- Lynsey Meharg, $8,400
- Haley Lambeth, $4,270
- Devin Bell, $4,095
- Amber Estes, $3,250
- Allison Vidak, $3,230.50
- Jessica Imholte, $3,150
Saturday night’s auction was the 50th at the Pensacola Interstate Fair.
Pictured above: Brendan Bell, Ernest Ward Middle School member Brendan Bell with his grand champion steer at the Pensacola Interstate Fair. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Honored For Service To Military, Community
November 1, 2009
Northview High School recently honored two of its military members that are moving on. Both men were recognized for their military and community service.
Sr. Chief Lee Coleman is retiring at the end of this school year after having taught Naval Science at Northview since the school opened in 1996.
Northview Principal Gayle Weaver still remembers the first day she saw Coleman. The campus was still under construction, and Coleman was scheduled for an interview on what turned out to be a very rainy day.
“I can remember him coming across all that mud around the construction area. He was wearing his dress whites,” she said. “He did not get mud on him anywhere. I knew then that he was the one.”
Coleman is a graduate of Newbury College in Boston, Mass., and has been teaching for 15 years. He sponsors the armed and unarmed drill teams at Northview, along with the color guard and honor guard.
Northview also honored SFC Bobby Ewing, Jr., a 1997 graduate, for his military service and current role as the school’s U.S. Army recruiter. Ewing will soon leave his post as a recruiter in Pensacola and head to a new assignment overseas.
Ewing and Coleman were both presented with plaques and recognized during halftime of Friday night’s Seniors Honor football game at Northview.
Pictured top: Northview Principal Gayle Weaver presents a plaque to Senior Chief Lee Coleman. Pictured bottom: SFC Bobby Ewing. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Charged In Pensacola Wreck; Flomaton Man Injured
November 1, 2009
One driver was charged in a three vehicle accident Saturday afternoon in Pensacola that left a Flomaton man with minor injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Isaiah Shelton, 31, of Pensacola, was northbound in a turn lane from Pine Forest Road to 9 Mile Road when he hit a stopped vehicle driven by Edward Conway, 30, of Flomaton. Conway’s vehicle spun around, striking a vehicle driven by Kenneth Mitchell, 59, of Pensacola, in an adjacent lane on Pine Forest.
Conway and a passenger in Mitchell’s vehicle, Judith Mitchell, 60, of Pensacola, were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injures.
Shelton was charged with careless driving, according to the FHP,
NWE Midgets Upset Undefeated Myrtle Grove To Advance In Playoffs
November 1, 2009
The Northwest Escambia Midgets beat undefeated powerhouse Myrtle Grove 12-6 Saturday afternoon in Milton to advance to the second round of the Gulf Coast Youth Football Alliance playoffs.
NWE used a strong running game behind Dalton Daniel and Brannon Freeman to grind out a hard fought victory over a Myrtle Grove team that was 8-0 and had lost only one other game in the last three years.
After falling behind 6-0 just 3 minutes into the game, the NWE Eagles scored just before the half to even the score 6-6 at the half.
The second half was a back and forth battle with each team unable to move the ball. NWE’S defense stopped Myrtle Grove on fourth down at the NWE’s 30 yard line with only 2:33 to go in the game.
Northwest Escambia then drove the ball 70 yards for a touchdown with just 18 seconds to go. Myrtle Grove fought to even the score with only18 seconds on the clock, using just eight seconds to drive to the NWE 12-yard line. But Myrtle Grove’s efforts were for nothing when the Eagle’s Chasen Freeman picked off a pass to secure the NWE win.
Northwest Escambia will play Ensley Gold in next week’s round two of the Gulf Coast Youth Football Alliance playoffs. The time has not yet been announced.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Got The Blues: Smurfs Take Over Local Elementary
November 1, 2009
Things were looking a little blue Friday at Byrneville Elementary School, and it was all for a good cause.
The school’s faculty and staff agreed to dress like Smurfs if the students and community raised $100 toward sending a veteran to Washington on an upcoming Gulf Coast Honor Flight. People responded; by Friday morning, the school had raised over $300.
“We had a blast doing this, and the kids loved it,” teacher Jacke Johnston said.
For more photos of the Byrneville Smurfs, click here.
Pictured: Teachers and staff at Byrneville Elementary dressed like Smurfs on Friday after the school raised over $300 for the Honor Flight program. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Online Audio: Listen To Northview Vs. Sneads
November 1, 2009
Northview Chiefs fans can listen to Northview football games here on NorthEscambia.com — the official voice of the Northview High School Chiefs.
Join us each Sunday for a complete game playback from the Northview Chiefs. You will be able to listen to each game online, or even download the game to your MP3 player and take it with you.
The audio from Friday night’s game against Sneads should play automatically on this page. If it does not, click the play icon below.
To download the entire game (MP3 format) for your iPod or other MP3 player, click here..
In order to listen online, do not close this page or window. You can continue surfing the net while you listen by opening a new browser window. You can pause the audio or change the volume using the controls below the photo.
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© 2009 NorthEscambia.com
School Board Member Arrested For Abusing Jail Inmates
October 31, 2009
An Escambia County (Ala.) School Board member from the Flomaton area was arrested Friday after he was indicted by a grand jury on charges that he fondled inmates at the county jail.
Richard Hawthorne, 51, was indicted Friday by the grand jury on seven charges in connection with allegations that he fondled female inmates at the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center where he formerly worked as a corrections officer. He was charged with two counts of custodial sexual misconduct, two counts of prostitution, two ethics violations counts, and one count of second degree promotion of prison contraband.
The charges stemmed from allegations made by two female inmates transported by Hawthorne while he was a corrections officer –one to state prison on March 4 and one being transported to a mental health facility on April 27. Both inmates alleged that Hawthorne touched them in a sexual manner.
The allegations were reported to Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith who immediately turned the investigation over to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. Hawthorne resigned his position soon after the ABI began its probe. The results of that investigation were presented this week to the grand jury.
Hawthorne is free on $100,000 bond posted Friday by his wife.
He has served on the Escambia County (Ala.) School Board since 2001 and represents the Flomaton area.