Blue Wahoos Rained Out At Montgomery
August 3, 2022
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Montgomery Biscuits saw their series opener postponed due to rain at Riverwalk Stadium on Tuesday night.
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Thursday, with game one of the twin bill scheduled to begin at 4:30.
The Blue Wahoos and Biscuits return to play on Wednesday. First pitch from Riverwalk Stadium is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.
Century Loses Bond Agency Deal That’s Made Them $1.8 Million By Approving Nearly $4 Billion In Projects
August 2, 2022
Century has lost a deal that has earned them nearly $1.8 million since 1999, with most of that coming in just the past six years.
The town has served an integral role in the tax-exempt financing of nearly $4 billion worth of projects, including affordable housing projects, airport facilities, hotel and convention developments promoting tourism, health care projects, and K-12 educational buildings.
On the surface it might seem unlikely that Century, one of the poorest small cities in the state, could play a part in the financing of dozens of multi-million projects including the Community Maritime Park in Pensacola, $439 million in hotel and convention centers for the Seminole Nation, airport cargo terminals, schools and apartment complexes. The bond money is not from municipal funds of either Gulf Breeze or Century.
The approvals were granted by Century and Gulf Breeze as members of the Capital Trust Agency (the “Agency”), an independent public body for the purpose of financing or otherwise accomplishing development programs. Century entered into the Capital Trust Agency with Gulf Breeze in 1999 with Century essentially serving as the “second signature” for CTA, certifying that the projects meet a public purpose under IRS rules and regulations.
The City of Gulf Breeze has now partnered with the newly formed Capital Trust Authority (referred to hereafter as the “Authority” in this article). The new Authority has reached a deal with Quincy, Florida, as their second signature for all new bond issues. With no involvement, Century will receive no income.
In 2019, a scathing grand jury report found that Century was in a state of financial emergency, and that the council and administration failed to act in the best interest of the community. “Town officials have shown a clear lack of knowledge and understanding as to the operations of a governmental organization,” the grand jury found.
About the same time 2019, Century pushed for the first rate increase in about 20 years, from $350 for each $1 million of bonds issued with a $2,500 minimum per issuance. An agreement was reached to up the payment to $400 per million up to $50 million and $325 for each additional million.
By 2021, Century was looking for another fee increase to $775 per million. And the old CTA was facing increased difficulty in getting bonds approved smoothly by the Century town council. Due to the lack of a quorum, some Agency bond projects were delayed, and CTA faced growing discord between council members.
The Authority’s new deal with Quincy will pay that city $400 per million in bonds, with a minimum of $5,000.
“The Capital Trust Agency (the “Agency”) is still in existence and will continue to administer the outstanding bonds that have been issued dating back to 1999,” Denis McKinnon told NorthEscambia.com. He is the executive director of both the old Agency and the new Authority. Century only received payment upon the issuance of bonds, so their income from the Agency will now presumably by zero as all new bonds will be issued by the Authority with Gulf Breeze and Quincy.
The Agency has paid Century a total of $1,789,828.52 with more than $1 million of that since 2016.
Century’s budget for the current fiscal year ended September 30 projected $200,000 in income for CTA. According to a recent financial report, the town had realized $264,841.09 this fiscal year.
“I have not heard from them (the Agency) since January,” Boutwell recently said. “They have not contacted me whatsoever…I thought we had a good deal; I thought we had a good partner.” The Century town council has not been informed of the situation to date in a regular council meeting.
Boutwell said he realizes Century will be impacted when some quarter million dollars is removed from next year’s budget, but the town should have never relied heavily on that income since an exact amount was never guaranteed.
“It’s a gift; you won’t know what you are getting. Who knows if anything could go through; I don’t depend on it,” he said. “We are not losing financially; it was a gift.”
Pictured top: Capital Trust Agency Executive Director Denis McKinnon addresses the Century Town Council, Century attorney Matt Dannheisser, then Century interim town manager Vernon Prather, and then town clerk Kim Godwin on October 14, 2021. Pictured inset: Century Attorney Matt Dannheisser during an October 14, 2021, town council workshop to discuss the Capital Trust Agency fees. Pictured below: (L-R) Capital Trust Agency bond counsel Kareem Spratling, Executive Director Denis McKinnon and Gulf Breeze Mayor Cherry Fitch met with the Century Town Council on October 14, 2021. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Originally Charged With Robbery Of Cantonment Dollar General Sentenced To Prison
August 2, 2022
A South Carolina man originally charged with the robbery of a Cantonment Dollar General was sentenced to prison Monday.
Matthew Allen Harvey, 39, was sentenced to one year and one day in state prison for grand theft. Judge Coleman Robinson immediately remanded him into custody.
On April 25, 2019, Harvey walked through the Dollar General on Pine Forest Road near Highway 297A and placed several items on the counter at the front register. He told the clerk to ring up the items before instructing exactly how to open the cash register, according to an arrest report.
The clerk said after she opened the register, Harvey placed his hand in his pocket and told her to give him the money in the cash register, but not any $1 bills or change. He left with the money in a plastic bag but left the merchandise behind.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reported finding two fingerprints from Harvey on a bottle of Gain dishwashing liquid he placed on the counter. Investigators also determined he had previous knowledge and experience operating a cash register during his former employment as the manager of a Best Way Grocery Store in Hemmingway, South Carolina, enabling him to tell the clerk exactly what to do.
Tdap Booster Shot Required For Incoming 7th Graders
August 2, 2022
If your student is entering the seventh grade in Florida this year, you’ll need to make sure they have a required booster shot.
Incoming seventh grade students in Florida are required to have a Tdap immunization before starting the school year.
The booster is available from the Florida Department of Health in Escambia County on Fairfield Drive For an appointment, call FDOH-Escambia at (850) 595-6554. Boosters are also available from your child’s physician or numerous walk-in clinics in the area.
Your child’s middle school will need a copy of their DH680 Florida Immunization Record before school starts on August 10.
Tdap is a combination vaccine that protects against three potentially life-threatening bacterial diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).
Work Underway On New Roof, Repairs For $311,710 At Century Courthouse
August 2, 2022
Work on a new roof and repairs is underway at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century.
Earlier this year, the Escambia County Commission approved a $311,710 contract with Centennial Roofing for the project. There was one other vendor submittal for the project from E. Cornell Malone Corporation, but the company did not submit required documentation at the time the bids were received, according to the county.
The base bid of $231,420 will remove the existing built-up roof and replace it with a new TPO (thermoplastic polyolefin membrane) roof, as well as make minor interior repairs. Another $35,290 will replace the fascia metal and gutters around the building, and another $45,000 will repair a sagging beam between the two outer columns on a porch.
The building houses offices for the Escambia County Clerk of the Court, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and a small courtroom.
The structure at 7500 North Century Boulevard is concrete masonry and brick veneer. It was built in 1976 and was renovated and expanded in 1997. The original structure is 2,750 square feet with the expansion adding an additional 2,120 square feet plus attached carport, for a total roof area of approximately 6,910 square feet.
Pictured: Roof and repair work underway at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECSO Deputies Corral Loose Horses In Molino
August 2, 2022
Two Escambia County deputies rounded up two loose horses in the area of Chestnut and Molino roads Sunday morning.
“The deputies are the heroes,” a neighbor told NorthEscamia.com. She said the deputies used their cruisers to corral the horses before gently moving them safely off the roadway and getting them back home.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: Crooks May Target People Leaving Financial Institutions
August 2, 2022
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be observant when leaving the bank for crooks that may target them later.
The ECSO, along with other local and national law enforcement agencies, has received several reports of victims leaving local banks and carrying bank bags being targeted and followed from the bank to their destination. Once the victim exits their vehicle, the suspect breaks the vehicle window and steals the bank bag.
“The ECSO asks that you be aware of your surroundings and do not leave money or personal belongings in your vehicle,” the agency said.
Stock photo.
Monday Afternoon Fire Damages Atmore Home
August 2, 2022
Fire damaged a single family home in Atmore Monday afternoon.
The fire in the 600 block of Horner Street was reported just after 3 p.m. No one was home at the time of the fire, and there were no injuries reported.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the blaze.
The Atmore Fire Department, Poarch Fire Department and the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia County (FL) Fire Rescue responded, along with the Atmore Police Department and LifeGuard ambulance.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Man Accused Of Scamming Homeowners For Fences That Were Never Built
August 1, 2022
An Escambia County man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly scamming three people out of money for fences that were never built.
Cody William Brown, 33, was charged with three counts of an organized scheme to defraud, three counts of grand theft, and fraudulent use of a credit card. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
Brown allegedly made a charge of $3,700 to a victim’s credit card on each of three consecutive days for a total of $11,100 to do work at a home on Steeplechase Boulevard in Beulah. No work was done, and no workers arrived, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Unable to reach either of two phone numbers provided for Gulf Coast Fence and Supply, the resident called the deputies to report what he believed “to be an intentional local scam”.
The victim later received a text message from someone claiming to work for “Kodiak Fence Company”, the company named on the victim’s credit card statement. The text claimed that the work would be done, but no further response was received, an arrest report states.
According to the ECSO, Brown is the owner of Kodiak Fence Company, the Kodiak business phone number was used on a flyer for Gulf Coast Fence and Supply.
Brown told investigators that the third charge on the victim’s card was a mistake, and that he would refund the amounts. He stated that he had been sick with COVID, and that is why he could not start construction on the fence. according to an arrest report. He also explained that he was in the process of changing company names.
Two weeks later, the victim again called the Sheriff’s Office to state he had not received a refund, and Brown told investigators that he would overnight a check to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office to give to the victim. A tracking number was provided, but it continues to show only that a label was created but never shipped.
Brown also allegedly accepted payments of $2,100 and $1,375 from two residents on Jamesville Road for a fence between their properties. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the work never started and promised refunds never arrived.
Update: Man Charged With DUI In Becks Lake Road Rollover Crash That Injured Three
August 1, 2022
A Cantonment man has been charged with DUI in connect with a rollover crash that injured three people on Becks Lake Road in Cantonment Sunday night.
Ricky Lyn Brooks, 43, was charged with DUI with serious bodily injury to another person, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. He remained in he Escambia County Jail Monday afternoon with bond set at $7,500.
A 13-year old was ejected from the vehicle and airlifted to a Pensacola Hospital by LifeFlight helicopter. An 11-year old and an 18-year old were also injured and transported by ambulance.
Brooks and another passenger in his vehicle refused transport.
The Cantonment and Ensley stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded.