A Heroes’ Lunch For 9/11
September 12, 2008
The crew on duty Thursday at the Century Volunteer Fire Department was treated to a pizza lunch on Patriot’s Day to honor them for their service. Pictured (L-R) are Nathan Berry, Lt. Greg Sims, Greg Therrell, Donald Merritt and Kyle Kraatz. The lunch was provided by an group of Century area citizens that wished to remain anonymous. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Votes For Budget At Public Hearing
September 12, 2008
The Town of Century offered a preliminary nod to their nearly $2.5 million budget at a public hearing Thursday afternoon.
The council voted 3-1 for the budget, with council member Ann Brooks voting against it and council member Nadine McCaw absent.
Only one member of the public attended the public hearing, but she did not have any comment on the budget.
For more details on what the budget includes, and what items were cut, click here to read a story from a Tuesday budget workshop.
Northview Falls To Catholic In District Volleyball
September 12, 2008
The Northview varsity and JV volleyballs teams traveled to Pensacola to take on Catholic High School Thursday night in District action.
The varisty girls lost to Catholic, 25-21, 25-13, 25-9.
Ashley Digmon had eight digs for the Chiefs. Shawna Montgomery had half a dozen digs, along with a block and a kill. Brittney Thompson racked up four blocks, three kills, six digs and one ace. Junior Amber McMillan had four digs.
Setter Caitlin Hall, a junior, had three blocks, three assits and two digs against Catholic. Hall was named the Northview volleyball Player of the Week.
The JV Chiefs also lost to Catholic, 25-6, 25-12.
Shaniqua Jones had one dig and one kill against Catholic. Chief Trestine Dean had two digs, and sophomore Miranda Burkett picked up one ace and three digs.
Northview will be at home against W.S. Neal of Brewton Tuesday. The JV will play at 4:30, and the varsity will hit the court at 6:00.
Northview Remembers 9/11
September 11, 2008
Northview High School held a moment of silence and recognition for September 11 this morning. Captain Charlie Code, the Naval Science Instructor for Northview’s NJRTOC unit, penned the following for this morning’s reading:
September 11, 2001
A moment of silence-
To remember the men and women who lost their lives in an attack on American soil. Over thirty six hundred individuals died at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in a field in Pennsylvania.
To remember the four thousand seven hundred eighty three soldiers, marines, sailors and airmen who have died as a result of the global war on terrorism.
To remember and give thanks for all that you have, to the dedicated men and women who today continue to sacrifice and serve in our fight for freedom not only for America, but the people of the world who want that same freedom. Our fighting men and women have sworn to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Remember that freedom has a price!
That freedom has been paid so you can attend the school of your choice, to worship in the faith of your choosing, to shop where you want, to go where you want to go without having to explain why. The simple things in life that many in the world can only dream of.
Douglas MacArthur said, “no man (or woman) is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he is vigilant in its preservation”.
Remember that freedom has a price!
That’s A Big Rattlesnake: Six-Two
September 11, 2008
This rattlesnake was killed near the intersection of Tungoil Road and Highway 97 south of Walnut Hill Wednesday by Adam Dortch of Bratt. The snake was six feet two inches long. It had 14 rattles and one button. The snake’s head was four inches wide. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
JV Canes Down Excel
September 11, 2008
The Flomaton JV Canes hosted the Excel Panthers Tuesday night in game number two of their regular football season. The younger players started off the night by playing one ten minute quarter. The Canes came out on top of that by a score of 8-0.
After that, the regular JV team took the field for their game. The final of that game was 22-0. The JV Canes are now 2-0.
The JV Canes travel to Uriah next Tuesday to take on JU Blacksher. These two teams met a few weeks ago in a preseason game that saw the Canes victorious in that game also.
For more photos from the game, click here.
For even more photos, visit www.mikenewtonphotography.zenfolio.com.
Pictured above: The Flomaton JV Canes versus Excel. Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School District: New Life Baptist Owes $73,000; Water, Gas Still In District’s Name
September 11, 2008
The Escambia County School District has reached a dollar figure they say New Life Baptist Church owes for electric bills on the Old Century High School, and the Town of Century has totaled gas, water and sewer bills on the building.
NorthEscambia.com was the first to report on August 7 that the Escambia County School District had paid water, sewer and gas bills for the old Century High School since it was leased by the Century church in 2004. New Life Baptist Church leases the building from the Escambia County School District for $1 per year. In an exclusive interview with NorthEscambia.com shortly after the story broke, New Life Pastor Irvin Stallworth acknowledged that the church had never paid any utility bills since moving into the building.
The Gulf Power electric account for the building was switched into the name of New Life Baptist on September 1, according to Ronnie Arnold, school district spokesman. The total amount Arnold says New Life owes the district for electricity for the four year period is about $73,000.
“We are in discussions with Rev. Stallworth and his trustees to develop a monthly payment plan for the church to make restitution,” Arnold said.
The gas, water and sewer accounts at the building remain in the school districts name, according to Century Mayor Freddie McCall.
An account history obtained by NorthEscambia.com shows that the water, sewer and gas bills from the Town of Century totaled $123,488.81 for the period from August 2004 to August 2008.
Arnold said those accounts would be switched to New Life’s name after the town installs new meters. The current meters serve both the old high school building leased by the church as well as the gym and football field that are still used by the school district.
McCall confirmed that the district had spoken with the town about installing the new meters and town employees had met with a district maintenance man to located lines. But he said the district had not yet initiated a work order to have the meters installed.
Northview Holds Open House
September 10, 2008
Northview High School held its annual open house Tuesday evening.
Parents had the opportunity to visit with their child’s teachers, tour the school and learn more about what Northview High School has to offer.
Pictured above: NJROTC welcomed parents to the annual open house Tuesday at Northview High School.
Century Finalizes Budget: Keeps Bonuses, Cuts Non-profits, Changes Insurance Plans
September 10, 2008
The Town of Century finalized their budget for next year at a Tuesday night meeting, keeping bonuses and cost of living salary increases for employees, changing insurance plans and cutting funding for several of the town’s non-profits.
The council started a long workshop meeting needing to make up a $308,000 defect.
A majority of the three hour meeting was devoted to discussing changes in the town’s health insurance program. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama had notified the town that the premiums on their current insurance plan were increasing from about $160,000 last year to $215,000 this year. That sent the council in search of a new BCBSAL plan.
In the end, the council chose a plan that will mean increased deductibles for the 19 employees in the plan. It will cost the town about $150,000 a year rather than the $215,000 the new plan would have cost.
Currently, the town pays 100 percent of the insurance cost for the employee and 77 percent of the cost for dependents and spouses. Council member Ann Brooks wanted to cut the 77 percent to 50 percent. That proposal brought fire from other council members and town employees in the audience. Brook’s proposal could have cost some town employees another $60 to $70 a week.
“We have a Cadillac (insurance) policy,” Brooks said. “We cannot afford to be so generous.”
“A lot of our guys have their families insured, but that can’t afford another $70 a week for their families,” Town Clerk Dorothy Sims said.
Two council members, Henry Hawkins and Gary Riley, called for the council to cut about $26,000 a year the town current spends for health insurance for Mayor Freddie McCall and council members Nadine McCaw and Brooks.
“I think we should drop the council and the mayor,” Hawkins said. “I don’t think we should drop our employees’ pay (by making them pay more for insurance) when we are not paying them enough now.”
“It is a possible chance that the mayor and council may not be here that long,” Riley said. “Some of the employees have been here for 25 years.”
“You are going to be hurting the council people and me if you take away the insurance,” McCall responded. “There ought to be some incentive for elected officials. But I’ll survive.”
Council member McCaw said that she was against charging employees more for their insurance. “If you start taking out of their paychecks every week,” she said, “then you are hurting their families.”
After much discussion, the council decided to continuing making insurance available to the council and mayor, and to keep the town’s share at 77 percent of the cost for family and dependent coverage. They also voted to drop dental coverage for a savings to the town of another $12,000 a year.
Next year’s budget includes a 2.3 percent cost of living pay increase for employees. The council also left a bonus of $250 per employee, $4,250 total, in the budget.
The council voted to cut funding by half for non-profits that they support. Instead of $2,000 per year, organizations that include Century Little League, the chamber of commerce, the Carver/Century Community Center and the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society, will receive$1,000. A budgeted $1,000 for Fourth of July fireworks was also cut.
Riley, Hawkins and McCaw supported cutting one half of the funds from the non-profits. Sharon Scott supported not cutting their funding, while Brooks supported cutting all of the funding for non-profits.
The council expects to see an increase of about $44,000 a year in the water department once a consultant completes a rate study. It is expected that the minimum charge for water in the town will increase from $9 to about $13.
The council voted to include the anticipated $44,000 water revenue in the budget, move $55,000 in sales tax revenue to the budget, use $45,000 in interest income, cut $6,500 in non-profit contributions, add an anticipated $6,000 a year in additional garbage funds, add an increase of $4,000 a year in building rental fees and an add estimated $60,000 in property taxes in an attempt to balance their budget.
The building rental increase will come from a vote to double the rental fee for the town’s Ag Building on Highway 4. The $60,000 millage property tax increase will come from a plan to increase the property tax millage from .787 mils to 3 mils. The town’s tax rate in 1979 was 3 mils.
The council voted to take up to $162,500 from local option gas tax money from the town’s reserves to meet this year’s budget. That number will be $102,500 if they are legally able to raise the millage rate by the $60,000 per year.
Hudson will present his final draft of the budget a special budget public hearing at 5:01 Thursday afternoon. The public is invited to attend and offer their comments on the budget.
Pictured above: Century council members Sharon Scott (left) and Henry Hawkins listen to town accountant Robert Hudson Tuesday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
State Farm Ordered To Provide $120 Million In Discounts To Current, Former Customers
September 10, 2008
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty announced Tuesday that he has ordered State Farm Florida to issue credits or refunds totaling $120 million to current and former policyholders who did not apply for or who did not receive the Windstorm Loss Reduction Rating Plan discount for making their homes more resistant to wind damage.
In addition, State Farm must pay a $1 million penalty to the Florida Insurance Regulatory Trust Fund.
“I am very pleased that State Farm policyholders will now be getting the appropriate monetary credit for the important wind mitigation devices they put on their homes,” said Commissioner McCarty. “Taking steps to fortify our homes against wind damage is very important. Everything Florida consumers can do to reduce storm damage helps to keep property insurance costs down.”
The order follows a July notice to State Farm of an investigation by the Office into whether the company was properly implementing the mitigation discount program. As the result of an internal review, State Farm identified about 98,000 current or former policyholders to whom it will provide credits or refunds.
State Farm policyholders, who are entitled to the refunds will receive a notice from the company. They include policyholders who currently have, or did have, a homeowners, renters, condominium unit owners, apartment or condominium association policy.
Refunds will be credited to the renewal premium for all renewing policyholders entitled to the refund; or the company will issue a check. Former policyholders or those to whom State Farm has sent a nonrenewal notice prior to today will receive a check within 180 days. In addition, the refund must include 7 percent interest on the amount due to each policyholder until paid.
State Farm has 90 days to prepare the credit or refund process and 365 days for all credits or refunds to be issued. The company must then provide a signed certification, by a company officer, within 30 days of the date the last credit or refund is issued. The Office of Insurance Regulation will conduct a follow-up compliance audit in 12 months.