Bill Slayton Wins District 5 School Board Seat
November 5, 2008
Bill Slayton won the District 5 Escambia County School Board seat, defeating Tom Harrell.
Slayton received 52.6 percent of the vote to Harrell’s 47.4 percent. Slayton received a total of 15,121 votes while Harrell had 13,607.
“I am delighted about the possibilities benefits now for the students, the teachers, District 5 and the county,” Slayton told NorthEscambia.com late Tuesday night. “I think that we will see at the very first school board meeting in January that we have a board that can work together and work with the superintendent. We are going to be a much more friendly board.”
Slayton said he is looking forward to working with new Superintentn Malcolm Thomas, a man that he was taught alongside in Escambia schools and that he considers a good friend.
Both Slayton and Harrel were political newcomers, with longtime incumbent Pete Gindl losing his seat in the primary.
Slayton, 59, is a retired educator, with 36 years experience in the Escambia School District at Tate High School as a teacher, administrator, assistant principal and principal. He holds a bachelor’s degreen and a Masters of Education Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and an administrative certification from the University of West Florida.
Harrell, 58, is a retired educator with 36 years experience, including 11 years as an adjunct professor at Pensacola Junior College.
The school board position pays $36,014.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Gay Marriage Ban Amendment Passes
November 5, 2008
Florida Amendment 2 passed Tuesday, with more than 60 percent of Florida voters voting for the constitutional ban on gay marriage in the state.
Florida law already bans gay marriage, but Amendment 2 adds the ban to the state constitution, defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. It also bans “legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof”.
Under a new state law, the amendment needed 60 percent of the votes cast in order to pass. In previous years, amendments needed only 50 percent of the vote.
Pictured above: A campaign sign along Highway 4 at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Complete Escambia Election Results
November 5, 2008
Here are the complete, unofficial results from Tuesday’s General Election in Escambia County.
These results are with 90 of 90 precincts reporting, and include absentee and early voting totals.
Photo Funny: Huh? Where Do I Vote?
November 5, 2008
It was easy to identify polling places around North Escambia Tuesday with an over abundance of campaign signs around each. But at the Bratt polling place at the First Baptist Church of Bratt, following the arrows to the polling place might have been a little difficult. Notice on the different signs that the “vote here” arrows point left. And right. And even up (the sign in the ditch). NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Election Day 2008
November 5, 2008
Pictured above: Handmade signs urging a vote for the McCain/Palin ticket alongside Highway 97 near Walnut Hill late Tuesday afternoon. Pictured below: Campaigning near the Molino precinct at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
For more photos from around the area, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Archive: Election Day Live Blog
November 4, 2008
This is an archive of our live Election Day blog from Tuesday, November 4. We posted the following entries, some live from polling places across North Escambia:
(7:02: p.m.) The polls have closed in North Escambia with no major problems reported. We will begin a story with live election results just after 8:00 tonight. Join NorthEscambia.com for the fastest and most complete Escambia County results.
(6:30 p.m.) Lines are reported to be short at precincts in North Escambia. Polls are open until 7:00. We’ll have live results beginning just after 8:00 tonight.
(5:30 p.m.) I just voted in Walnut Hill, voter number 621 for the day. No real line or waiting, about five minutes total. Remember, polls are open until 7:00 tonight. If you are in line at 7:00, don’t get out of line. You will get to vote.
But from what we are observing around North Escambia, wait times at all precincts is minimal.
(4:55) Now we are posting live from the First Baptist Church of Bratt. There are some people here, but it is not that busy right now. Voters tell us there is very little wait to vote.
There are comments posted from readers below with updates from Walnut Hill and McDavid.
(4:35 p.m.) We are posting live from outside the Oak Grove precinct. There are about a dozen voters here now, a fairly heavy turnout for this small precinct
(4:05 p.m.) We are live at the largest precinct in North Escambia, the Molino precinct at the Barrineau Park Community Center. There is a steady stream of voters going in and out. We are told turnout has been heavy here today.
Sign wavers are out supporting Larry Scapecchi and Kevin White (pictured above).
More updates coming all afternoon, and live election results tonight.
(3:25 p.m.) The lines Century are much shorter now than this morning. There was a huge problem with parking early.
One person waved McCain signs during the day, and Jim Barnett stoped by to campaign for the District 5 commission seat.
(3:01 p.m.) Posting live from outside the Walnut Hill precinct. Very few voters here right now. It is no line, no waiting
A couple of Larry Scapecchi for sheriff supporters are here with a large campaign sign in their pickup. It’s quiet for them; one is in a chair in the back of the truck enjoying the afternoon.
(2:39 p.m.) Still smooth sailing at polling places around North Escambia. No reports of problems. If you are sitting at home and still have not voted, get out and do it now. Lines will get a lot longer when people get off work later this afternoon.
(2:09 p.m) In the second grade at Bratt Elementary…it’s John McCain. Second graders at Bratt voted today after learning about the election process (see 11:01 a.m. post below), my second grade reports. In a fifth grade class at Bratt that also voted, it was McCain 16, Obama 4.
Make sure you join us tonight…we’ll have live election results posted as they become available. Many people that followed our coverage in the primaries reported that we beat the TV stations by many minutes in reporting results.
(1:33 p.m.) Still a steady turnout reported at the polls across North Escambia. A few problems reported in Pensacola with optical scanners that did not work. Did you have any problems voting? Let us know at news@northescambia.com
(12:03 p.m.) The lunch rush is on at area polling places. With most of our North Escambia polling places being rural, we don’t experience the rush to the polling place at lunch to vote that many of the polling places in the cities experience. But it does usually get busier at lunch.
More live updates all day. Tell us about your voting experience. Use the comment form below, or email news@northescambia.com.
(11:40 a.m.) This just in…the brown pelican was the winner of the election today at Byrneville Elementary School as the school voted on Florida’s new state bird. You can read about Byrneville’s voting and see photos by clicking here.
Our guess: Besides the big brown bird , the kids were the real winners as they learned all about voting.
(11:01 a.m.) It’s a basic lesson with lifelong importance at several area schools this morning as students vote. Some are voting for Obama and McCain, others like Byrneville Elementary School are voting for the new Florida state bird. (Fourth grade supported the Osprey, and the fifth grade rallied behind the Brown Pelican.)
My second grader has been asking questions all week about Obama and McCain, and she’s been watching the news to learn more about each candidate. She does not like the political ads because the candidates talk badly about each other. She can even spout off how many electoral votes Alabama, Florida and even California has. I bet must of us don’t know that.
I’m not sure how she’ll vote today. I’ve not shared with her how I plan to vote, and I have tried to provide her just fair facts about both candidates. I’ll let you know who wins her second grade class at Bratt Elementary after she gets home today. Stay tuned.
More live updates coming all day on this blog…
(10:15 a.m.) With carefully planned timing, Barack Obama and Joe Biden casts their votes on national TV earlier today. Obama and his wife Michelle took a long time with ballots, but they were lengthy in their local precincts with a long list of local races. As soon as Obama was done was voting on national TV, Joe Biden popped out of his armored vehicle to cast his vote. Lots more TV time for the Democrats. But the Republicans were equally as smart to get as much free TV time as possible, with Sarah Palin and John McCain voting at nearly the same time. Sidenote: It was 17 degrees i4 Wasilla, Alaska, where Palin voted, and it was 68 in Arizona when McCain voted.
(9:00 a.m.) Turnout is still heavy at North Escambia polling places. Get out and vote.
(8:02 a.m.) The first hour of voting was a busy one across North Escambia. Lines snaked out of some precincts as voters waited to make themselves inside to cast their vote. That’s an unusual sight in North Escambia, and one that is certainly evidence of the high voter turnout expected today.
(7:03 a.m.) The polls are now open in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. They will be open until 7:00 tonight.
Byrneville Students Vote: Brown Pelican Wins
November 4, 2008
Students at Byrneville Elementary School headed to the polls Tuesday to vote, and the brown pelican won.
The students were voting not for Barack Obama or John McCain, but for Florida’s new state bird.
Fourth grade supported the osprey, and the fifth grade rallied behind the brown pelican.
The school had four precincts set up around campus, and each voter had to register by the deadline and was given his or her voter registration card.
Byrneville used the electoral college as a guideline for voting, so it is possible that the popular vote may not actually win. School officials say the students and adults alike have enjoyed the process of learning how an election really works.
The state bird vote was held at schools across the state. For more information, visit www.vote4bird.org.
Pictured above: Warren Suggs, a fifth grade student, casts his vote. There are eight pictures below; scroll down to see each photo. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.
Carla Payne, PTO Treasurer and volunteer poll worker, is ready to begin!
Emily Black, a fifth grade student, votes.
Jacke Johnston, fifth grade teacher, and Joy Walker, fifth grade teacher assistant, show off their registration cards.
Barbara Ryals, office clerk and custodian, gets an “I voted” sticker by poll worker, Carla Payne.
David Smith, Byrneville’s PTO President and volunteer poll worker, has a student sign for her ballot.
Look at the lines for voting in Precinct 1! Those third graders are ready to make their choice!
Susan Diamond, teacher assistant, shows her registration card and signs for her ballot.
Stephanie Gilmore, fourth grade teacher, is getting her ballot to vote!
Woman Says She’ll Go To Jail Or Go To Hell Before She Pays Sewer Bill
November 4, 2008
A Century woman says she’ll go to jail, or will go to hell, before she pays a $629 sewer bill from the Town of Century.
“I’ll go to jail and spend my little time in jail,” Leola Robinson told the Century Council Monday night about paying the bill.
When Robinson placed a mobile home on property she owns, she did not connect the trailer to the town’s sewer system. The town billed her each month for the minimum sewage usage charge, and that bill reach about $3,000 by the time the issue came before the town council in May.
Town ordinances indicate that every property owner in the town must connect any structure to the town’s sewer service within three months. If not, the ordinances say the town can charge the property owner a minimum monthly fee and enter the person’s property to connect the service. The ordinances also prohibit septic tanks in the town unless approved by the health department and the council. At that May meeting, Mayor Freddie McCall said the most the town could collect from Robinson by law would be charges from the past four years….$624. The bill is now $629 with the addition of a late charge.
“I’ve got a bill here that says 370,” Robinson said of the street address on the bill. “My house number is 350.” She said that the sewer bill should have gone to her tenant in the rental mobile home on the property, not to her as property owner.
“How are you charging for something I ain’t ever had?” she asked.
“The sewer was available at the property line,” McCall said. According to the law it was available; it was at the property line.”
“We’ve been through this before,” Council President Ann Brooks said. She said the council had already heard all of the facts on the issue.
“I’ll go on to jail or go to hell before I pay that bill,” Robinson said.
“Be quiet or I will have to call the sheriff,” Brooks responded.
Marilyn Robinson told council members that Leola Robinson had been told by county commissioners that it was permissible to place a septic tank on the property.
“The county commission has not right to tell you that you can put a septic tank in the town of Century,” Brooks said.
Town Clerk Dorothy Sims said that Leola Robinson had attempted to deed the property to Marilyn Robinson in such a way that it did not have frontage on any street in an attempt to avoid being required to have sewer service. That attempt, Sims said, failed.
“That bill should be going to the person that occupies the mobile home, not the landowner,” Council member Henry Hawkins said. “Why are we messing with Mrs. Robinson on a sewer bill?”
Brooks said that billing Leola Robinson was the recommendation of the town’s attorney. Brooks said she would call the attorney and discuss the bill further. The council took no action on the bill Monday night.
Pictured above: Leola Robinson at Monday night’s Century Town Council meeting. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Molino Park To Debut “Exergaming” Thursday Morning
November 4, 2008
Molino Park Elementary School will unveil “exergaming” with students in physical education classes Thursday morning.
Exergaming combines the use of video games with physical exercise; physical exercise is required to power the game. The exergaming industry has focused on the obesity epidemic and the youth market.
Planned activities include:
● Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)
One of the first exergames was Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). Students move their feet forward, back, and side to side on a raised platform while following cues on a video screen while burning calories and improving cardiovascular endurance.
● Wii Sports
Some of the most popular exergames include the Nintendo’s Wii System – video games with countless interactive options from tennis to baseball. Students learn sport/game rules, scorekeeping, strategies, etc. with the idea of getting them interested in pursuing the actual sport/activity.
Getting Better All The Time
November 4, 2008
Gas prices in North Escambia continue to fall, with prices in Molino down to $2.15 a gallon Monday.
In Century, the lowest price we could find Monday afternoon was $2.35 at the intersection of East Highway 4 at North Century Boulevard. In Davisville and Atmore, the price was $2.49 for a gallon of regular unleaded.
That represents a drop of over $1 a gallon in less than a month; on October 7, prices were up to $3.59 a gallon at one Century station.
The average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded was $2.38 in Florida on Monday. A month ago, that price was $3.61 a gallon, and it was $2.93 a year ago.
Analysts continue to say prices go fall below $2 a gallon by Christmas.
The lowest price in Pensacola Monday evening was $2.09 at the Tom Thumb and Sam’s Club on Airport Boulevard.
If you are looking for the cheapest gas around…head to Brewton. One station was reported to be at $2.01 a gallon.
Pictured above: Gas prices in Molino on Monday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.