NHS Chiefs Down Central On Volleyball Court
October 15, 2008
The Northview High School Chiefs beat Central High School Tuesday evening on the volleyball court in Bratt.
The Chiefs swept three games from Central, 25-17, 25-12, 25-18.
Stats from Tuesday’s game:
Shawna Montgomery: Digs – 2, Kills-3, Aces-6, Blocks-2
Brittney Thompson: Aces-6, Kills-11, Digs-2
Amber McMillan: Digs-13
Caitlin Hall: Assists-15, Aces-3, Kills-1, Digs-5
Candice Greenwell: Kills-3, Aces-1, Digs-4, Blocks-1
The JV Chiefs had Tuesday off. Both the JV and varsity will be in action Thursday against South Walton, with the JV playing at 4:30 and the varsity playing at 6:00.
Century Workshop Postponed
October 14, 2008
The Town of Century was scheduled to hold a workshop Tueday afternoon to discuss the town’s policies and procedures, but that workshop was postponed.
A rescheduled date will be announced soon.
The workshop was postponed due to an illness in the family of a consultant set to met with the council.
Accident Injures One On Pine Barren Road Early Tuesday
October 14, 2008
One person was injured in a single vehicle accident early Tuesday morning on Pine Barren Road.
The accident happened on Pine Barren Road near Victor Road in the Christian Home community about 4:35 a.m.
The drive of a Ford Explorer ran off the roadway into a ditch. He was transported to Atmore Community Hospital with what was believed to not be serious injuries.
The McDavid Station of Escambia County Fire-Rescue responded to the call.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured above: One person was injured in this single vehicle accident about 4:35 Tuesday morning on Pine Barren Road. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Ernest Ward Parents Called About Virus; No Cause For Alarm, Principal Says
October 14, 2008
The principal at Ernest Ward Middle School says there is no cause for alarm following a phone call that notified parents about a student with a virus at the school.
The Connect-Ed phone call made Friday notified Ernest Ward parents that a student at the school was hospitalized with a virus and that students should wash their hands frequently.
“There’s no need for parents to worry,” Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry said Monday afternoon. “The phone call was just a precaution.”
A student at the school was taken to Jay Hospital Friday with a fever and a backache. The student was later transferred to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola for further tests.
There was some possible concern that the student might have bacterial meningitis, but that was 100 percent not the case, Perry said. The student did have a virus, but it was not meningitis or anything else that would cause serious concern for the other students at the school.
The student was back at school Monday, having been given a clean bill of health by his doctors and the Escambia County Health Department, Perry said.
The phone call was made Friday prior to the student’s diagnosis just a precaution, she said, and as a reminder of good health common sense. The call urged parents to remind their students to wash their hands frequently, as is always recommended by health officials, to prevent the spread of germs.
“There is a ‘bug’ going around right now,” Perry said. “It’s causing students to miss one or two days of school, and they have a fever, vomiting and a headache. But it’s nothing serious.”
“There is just nothing to worry about,” she stressed.
Atmore Adopts Smoke-Free Policy, Raises Garbage Rates
October 14, 2008
The City of Atmore has voted to adopt a smoke-free law and to raise garbage rates over 30 percent.
The smoke-free law adopted by the city council will prohibit indoor smoking in public buildings and places were people are employed. The smoking ban will also extend to outdoor areas such as stadiums. It includes all bars and restaurants in the city. Violators can be fined up to $50, and employers that violate the law can face fines up to $500.
The Atmore City Council has also voted to raise residential garbage rates in the city. A residential pickup will increase from $15 per month to $20 per month. It’s the first garbage service increase the town has had in about 10 years.
Historic Drop In Gas Prices; Local Gas Falls Up To 76 Cents A Gallon In Week
October 14, 2008
Gas prices across North Escambia have experienced this biggest drop in history in the past few days, due to a falling economy and Americans driving less.
In just a week, the price for a gallon of regular unleaded had fallen a full 76 cents a gallon in Century, down to $2.99 a gallon from $3.75 in just a week at the Korner Kwik Stop BP.
The price for a gallon of regular unleaded had fallen as low as $2.91 a gallon at the Tom Thumb in Molino Monday night, a decrease of 52 cents a gallon from a week ago.
That same gallon of gas was also down to $2.99 in Davisville.
Those prices are still higher than a year ago, when the average price per gallon was $2.76. Some stations in Pensacola were approaching that level Monday night, with gas down to $2.82 at about a half dozen stations.
Soaring prices and a poor economy have led to an overall decrease in gas demand in the country, according to AAA. The Secretary of Transportation reported September 30 that Americans had driven 9.6 billion fewer miles in July of this year than in July 2007. During the nine month November 2007 to July 2008 period, Americans had driven 62.6 billion fewer miles.
Even with the record gains in the stock market on Monday, oil prices managed to recover just $3.49 a barrel on the world market, up to $81.19. That’s a 40% decrease over crude prices in July that hovered around $150 a barrel.
Pictured above: Gas was below $3 a gallon late Monday afternoon in Davisville. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Blackcats, Eagles and Chiefs: Did You Ever Play In The Band?
October 14, 2008
If you ever played in the band at Ernest Ward, Century or Northview high schools, the Alumni Band is looking for you.
The Northview Band Boosters are putting together an Alumni Band to reunite at the Northview 2008 Homecoming game on October 24.
The group will decide soon if majority wants to do a pre-game show or just reunite and sit in the stands together. If possible, the Alumni Band will perform a pre-game show featuring the Star Spangled Banner.
The group is also looking for color guard members and majorettes!
If you played in the band but no longer have an instrument, loaner instruments are available.
For more information, email homerandpunkin@yahoo.com.
Fair Seeking Agricultural Volunteers
October 14, 2008
The Pensacola Interstate Fair is in need of volunteers to help with agricultural exhibits. The fair begins Thursday and runs through October 26.
Volunteers at the Pensacola Interstate Fair can receive service hours their high school or community organization. Volunteers will be asked to participate in three to four hour shifts helping the public as they visit the “AG-venture” stations where visitors can learn how to make butter, germinate seeds and observe many other agriculture activities. Service organizations, clubs, groups of students and individuals are encouraged to inquire.
The “AG-tivity” Center is an extension of a program designed by the Florida Department of Agriculture, “Florida Agriculture in the Classroom,” which seeks to expand youth awareness and understanding of Florida agriculture and natural resources by integrating agricultural concepts into core educational disciplines. The program teaches students where their food comes from and about the important contributions Florida farmers make to their communities and their state.
Students who volunteer at least 10 hours at the Fair are also eligible to apply for the John E. Frenkel, Sr. Education Grants Program, which awards $1,000 grants to Escambia and Santa Rosa County students. Throughout the last 24 years, more than $800,000 in scholarships has been awarded to area students. More information about scholarships for the 2009-2010 school year will be made available in spring 2009.
For more information about agricultural events at the Fair, contact Natalee Brooks at (850) 944-4500 or Nataleefb@cox.net.
Fire Units Called To Hilltop Road
October 13, 2008
Fire units from Century, McDavid and Flomaton are were called to a home in the 300 block of Hilltop Road in Century about 10:30 Monday morning.
A resident reported a popping sound and a burning smell from an electrical outlet.
Fire units arriving on the scene reported no smoke showing. An electrical problem with a power line was reported, and the power company was called to the scene.
There were no injuries.
Ouch! Shocking Gulf Power Bills Arriving After Latest Rate Increase
October 13, 2008
Many people are finding their latest Gulf Power bill shocking; bills arriving now in mailboxes across North Escambia are the first with a rate increase that was approved back during July.
Residential Gulf Power customers have seen an increase of 11.3 percent, raising the cost of 1,000 kilowatt hours from $102.22 to $113.76. In September 2007, that same amount of electricity would cost just $70.29. Gulf power says there will be no more rate increases this year, but there’s an application for a nine percent rate increase for January 2009.
In late July, the Florida Public Service Commission approved an 11.3 percent increase for Gulf Power, the electric utility in the area of North Escambia from Century south through Molino and continuing south into Pensacola. Areas such as Bratt, Oak Grove, Walnut Hill and Davisville west to Baldwin County, Alabama, are served by Escambia River Electric Cooperative.
Those higher bills are in the mail, and in the hands of consumers, across the area.
Citing double-digit increases in the price of natural gas and coal, Gulf Power asked the Florida Public Service Commission in July to approve an increase in electricity prices to cover a $76 million shortfall in 2008 revenues.
Gulf Power makes no profit on the cost of fuel. Customers are billed only what Gulf Power pays for the fuels used to make electricity.
To lessen the impact on customers, Gulf Power asked the FPSC to spread the increase out until the end of 2009, rather than collecting all of the shortfall in 2008 – the normal annual recovery period.
“The increase in the cost of fuel that we are experiencing is unprecedented,” said Gulf Power’s General Manager of Public Affairs John Hutchinson. “We don’t like increasing our prices especially at this difficult time. But just like the rising cost of gasoline, the cost of the fuels we use continues to climb. By spreading the shortfall out over a longer period of time we hope to lessen the impact as much as possible.”
The average price of coal, which fuels more than 80 percent of Gulf Power’s electricity generation, has risen 30 percent in the last year while average natural gas prices have jumped 47 percent since 2007.
Gulf Power was the third major utility in Florida to seek a mid-year fuel adjustment, with Florida Power and Light and Progress Energy seeking increases earlier this month. Normally, the FPSC adjusts electricity prices each January for fuel price fluctuations. But coal and natural gas prices have risen so rapidly in 2008, utilities are being forced to ask for mid-year adjustments.
Electric utility customers pay only the actual fuel costs that the company incurs. When fuel prices go up, the additional costs are passed through to customers. And when fuel prices go down, the savings are passed through to customers. Fuel costs have a major impact on electricity bills, accounting for almost 50 percent of the total bill.
To help customers, Gulf Power offers free energy checkups to identify energy efficiency measures to save homeowners and businesses money on their electricity bills. The company also offers rebates on Geothermal heating and cooling systems which save up to 40 percent on heating and cooling costs, as well as innovative rates and residential energy management systems to help customers lower their bills. And, the company offers a number of payment options and programs to help customers smooth out payments during high-bill months. Plan details and energy-saving tips are available at www.gulfpower.com.