County Sponsors Christmas Coloring Contest For Kids 3-12
November 22, 2008
Escambia County Neighborhoods and Community Services Bureau is sponsoring a coloring contest in conjunction with the sixth Annual Santa Hayride. The contest is open to children ages three to 12. The pictures will be judged age appropriately on neatness, creativity and originality. The participant’s name and age must be on the page to qualify for the contest.
Click here to download the coloring page (pdf format). Once your child has colored the picture, drop it off or mail it to Escambia County Neighborhoods and Community Services Bureau, Recreation Division, attention Brandi Daigle, 1651 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola, Fla. 32514. All entries must be received by the close of business Monday, December 8.
Winners of the contest will be announced at the sixth Annual Santa Hay Ride and Deck the Stalls which will be held Friday, December 12 at the Escambia County Equestrian Center, 7750 Mobile Highway. Certificates will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners of each of the following age groups: 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12 years old.
All entries will be on display the night of the event.
For more information on the coloring contest and the hayride, contact Brandi Daigle, Neighborhoods and Community Services Bureau, Recreation Division, at (850) 475-5220.
Solutia Shutting Down Nylon Business, Over 700 Local Employees Affected
November 21, 2008
Solutia became the latest company to announce a shutdown. Company officials say they are temporarily shutting down the Gonzalez facility’s nylon production, resulting in the layoff of about 200 employees. Another 450 contract employees, mostly employed by the Mundy company, were affected by the announcement today and earlier actions by the company. Another 55 Solutia employees had already been terminated before Friday’s layoffs.
A company official said that the company hopes to return production to normal levels as soon as possible and return most of the employees back to work. But about 55 of jobs will be permanently cut due to cost cutting measures at the Solutia plant.
Those losing their jobs permanently will be eligible for severance benefits. Those temporarily layoff employees will be eligible to continue their health and other benefits. Both Solutia and Mundy are working with the employees to assist them in filing for unemployment benefits.
“In recent years we have matched our manufacturing output and inventory levels with the very strong demand present across the nylon markets,” said Jim Voss, senior vice president of the St.Louis based Solutia Inc. and president of the Nylon business. “However, in the last several weeks, demand has declined significantly for nylon intermediate chemicals, fibers and resins. Therefore we are taking necessary actions to align our production and inventories with the current economic environment.”
The key component of the restructuring plan is to temporarily decrease production throughout the Nylon chain — from intermediate chemicals to fibers and resins. “We anticipate that this will be a temporary situation, and we will bring these assets back to more normal operating rates as inventories decline and demand returns,” added Voss. “We are meeting our customer commitments and will continue to do so going forward.”
Flomaton Hurricanes Down Northview Chiefs Boys And Girls
November 21, 2008
Flomaton beat the Northview varsity girls Thursday by a score of 34-29. The Cane’s boys beat Northview 75-57.
Gabe Wesley and Timeka Marshall scored nine apiece for the Chiefs. Shakeria White sank half a dozen points. Brittany Thompson and Angela Rodriguez added a couple points ech and Saniqua Jones had one point for Northview.
Tara Gafford led the Hurricanes in scoring with 13. Sarah Steele had seven, and Lily Wright added four. Kaitlyn Hambrick and Brittany Mallet added three points each, and April Cayson and Allison Gafford had two points apiece for the Canes.
Northview player stats:
Shaniqua Jones 3 steals, 1 rebound, 1 assist
Timeka Marshall 1 steal, 1 rebound, 3 assists
Brittney Thompson 4 rebounds
Gabe Wesley 3 steals and 2 assists
Shakeria White 2 steals
For a photo gallery from both the boys and girls games, click here. Photos courtesy Mike Newton.
Pictured above and below: Action from Flomaton versus Northview Thursday. Photos courtesy Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Finally Finalizes Trash And Recycling Program For Next Year
November 21, 2008
The final details have been worked out on the new trash and recycling program that will replace Allied Waste in North Escambia this January.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority approved the plan Thursday night, setting the price for one 90-gallon trash can pickup per week at $17.99 plus a fuel surcharge. An additional can that would picked up on the same day as the first will be $3 per month. A 90-gallon recycling can will available to customers that wish to recycle at no additional charge.
A customer’s residential waste, recyclables and yard debris will all be picked up on the same day.
Currently, Allied Waste has two 90-gallon trash can pickups per week for $19.62 plus a fuel surcharge. That’s the same rate that current ECUA customers pay in the southern half of the county.
Allied turns their residential franchise in all of North Escambia except for the Town of Century on January 1. In exchange, Allied will gain ECUA commerical dumpster customers, and Allied will allow ECUA to use its transfer stations to shorten trips on garbage trucks.
Residential waste customers in Century will continue to have their trash service provided by Allied Waste under a franchise agreement with the town. The ECUA recycling service will not be available to Century residents. Century residents that wish to recycle can take their recyclable materials to a collection container located in the parking lot of the Century Courthouse.
Thursday night was actually the fourth time ECUA had taken action on the recycling program. The board took action in April, October and earlier in November on the program, making changes each time.
Commissioner’s $2.5 Million Question To Planned Century Electric Car Company
November 21, 2008
Escambia County’s newest commissioner has a $2.5 million question for the backers of a proposed electric car plant for Century: What exactly is it that you want?
Last week, officials from LHS EV told the Escambia County Commission that they needed $2.5 million in capital incentives from the county to locate in Century. They even presented a written proposal asking for $2.5 million in “start-up capital”. That amount would be in addition to the standard tax incentives that have already been approved by the county.
““They want cash, but we need to figure out how we can do this with something like building or capital improvements. We don’t just hand out cash,” Larry Newsom, the county’s economic director told NorthEscambia.com after that meeting.
Thursday, Newsom told commissioners that Jay and Nash Patel, owners of LHS EV and several local hotels, did not want cash from the county. Rather, Newsom said, they want a $2.5 million grant from the state. Newsom said the Patels will put up $34 million of their own money.
At Thursday morning’s agenda review meeting, Commissioner Wilson Robertson questioned just what it was that the Patels wanted. He said he was irritated that they had not made it clear just what it is they want from the county. The item was not on the agenda, but was brought up by Robertson at the end of the meeting.
Previous incentives provided to LHS EV, if they should choose Escambia County, include total of $39,000 in rebates for local fees and taxes ranging from $2,250 to $9,750 per year through 2014 and support for state tax breaks. The Town of Century has approved selling or leasing 25 acres of land in the town’s industrial park to the company.
The company says their plant, which will assembly an electric car manufactured overseas, would provided about 250 jobs in the first year, 585 within three years and ultimately up to 1,100 jobs in five years.
Carver/Century Takes Two From Ernest Ward
November 21, 2008
The Carver/Century Middle School Blackcats swept to basketball games from Ernest Ward Middle School Thursday night in Walnut Hill.
The Blackcat girls were up 28-10 by the end of the third period. Carver/Century increased their lead in the fourth period to beat the Lady Eagles by a score of 40-15.
The Carver/Century boys had a two to one advantage by the end of the first half of play Thursday night against Ernest Ward. The Blackcats held a 30-15 lead by the end of the half. Both teams were about even on scoring in the third, ending the period 47-24.
The Blackcat boys went on to win 55-29 over the Eagles.
For a photo gallery from both boys and girls games, click here.
Pictured above: Carver/Century Middle versus Ernest Ward Middle action from Thursday night. Pictured below: The Lady Blackcats versus the Lady Eagles. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Poarch Creek Indians Perform In Century, Flomaton
November 21, 2008
The Poarch Creek Indians presented pow wow dances Thursday at the Century Branch Library, the Century Care Center and at Flomaton High School.
About 50 children enjoyed the performance at the libary. The children decorated pow wow drums and received necklaces before watching the 17 dancers perform traditional dances.
For a complete photo gallery from the library performance, click here.
Pictured above: A Poarch Creek Indian dancer performs at the Century Branch Library Thursday afternoon. Pictured below: A packed house for the performance. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Blog: Merry Christmas Shopping List For Local Officials
November 21, 2008
The Pensacola Independent News published a list this week of holiday gift ideas for local public officials and community leaders, and we thought it was worth sharing.
Here’s a little sample of their gift list:
David Morgan, Escambia County Sheriff-elect
Batman Utility Belt: From your predecessor, you will inherit a mobile command unit, two helicopters, a marine patrol boat and a half dozen really cool Segways. What’s missing is an even cooler utility belt filled with gadgets. We don’t think Ron McNesby will give you his.
Mike Whitehead, former Escambia County Commissioner
Wisconsin hunting license: We encourage you to bring along your buddies, George and Ronnie. They have extra time on their hands, too.
Jim Paul, former Escambia Superintendent of Schools
Winnebago: It’s time to hit road and enjoy life. Write often.
I think you get the idea. We thought we’d add our own for a few North Escambia folks that did not rank the Independent News Christmas list:
Kevin White
A truckload of hot asphalt. Paving dirt roads in North Escambia equal votes. It’s simple math. In the words of former District 5 Commissioner Wilson Robertson: “You have to go out for four years so they can forget some things, then come back and get re-elected,” Robertson joked, “cause you can’t pave every dirt road.”
Larry Walker
A really big tow truck. Allied Waste never could get a trash truck down some of North Escambia’s dirt roads. When ECUA takes over our trash service in January, Larry’s going to need AAA. Unless, of course, Santa is good to Kevin White with those truckloads of hot asphalt.
Bill Slayton
There are a couple of stadiums around here without names. Tate has already named their stadium after former school board member Pete Gindl. We doubt Santa’s going to bring the stadium this year, but we put it on the list anyway. Do a good job, and Northview’s stadium might just have your name on it one day. Mess up, and, well, the Chiefs do have a habit of scalping people.
Freddie McCall
A jumbo, Sam’s Club size bottle of Tylenol, a copy of Bing Crosby’s “Peace On Earth”. Why not? We’ll even recommend that you spring for the Bing Crosby duet of the song with David Bowie. There’s a good video of it (click here) on YouTube. Sometimes he needs the Tylenol, and a little “Peace On Earth” would make a good theme for town council meetings. Oh, let’s not forget five crisp new copies of Robert’s Rules Of Order for his friends.
Click here to read the complete “Naughty or Nice?” Christmas list from our friends at the Pensacola Independent News.
Photo Gallery: Northview Cross Country Runs
November 21, 2008
The Northview High School cross country teams recently participated in the Ross Memorial Run at Pensacola Naval Air Station and in the Dolphin Dash in Gulf Breeze.
Click here for a photo gallery from both runs.
The Ross Memorial Run is named for Major James G. Ross, 51, who was killed in a motorcycle accident in late August 2007 in north Santa Rosa County. He was Northview’s Naval sciences and ROTC instructor at Northview since 2002.
Pictured above: The start at the Dolphin Dash in Gulf Breeze. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Two Locals Appointed To County Council
November 21, 2008
Two North Escambia residents were among those re-appointed to the Escambia County Extension Council at Thursday night’s meeting of the county commission.
Escambia Commissioners re-appointed Brett Ward of Walnut Hill, Russel “Rusty” Hendrix of Molino, Tena Gindl of Cantonment, Eddie Jones of Pensacola and Elizabeth “Herbie” Moran of Pensacola. Larry Knight of Pensacola was appointed to his first term to the council.
Each will serve a two-year term from December 1, 2008, to November 30, 2010.