Century Asked For Nothing, Received Nothing In New State Budget. Last Year, It Was $1.885 Million.
March 18, 2024
During the 2023 session, the Florida Legislature appropriated nearly $2 million in funding for two major requests by the Town of Century. But the $117 billion 2024-25 state budget includes nothing specifically for the town after the mayor asked for nothing.
Last fall, local governments presented their state funding requests to the Escambia County Legislative Delegation — Sen. Doug Broxson, State Rep. Alex Andrade and State Rep. Michelle Salzman.
In October 2023, Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. addressed the delegation, thanking them for millions in state funding that has gone to projects in Century, including a bridge replacement, wastewater treatment plant repairs and repairs to a failed water well serving the state prison.
Gomez did not ask for any additional funding in the 2024 state budget. Instead, Broxson told Gomez that the town may need to be unchartered and taken over by Escambia County due to an ongoing problem of low tax base and needs that are “very great”.
Broxson said he had been dealing with Century during 14 years in the legislature, and the town’s tax base is low while needs are “very great”.
$1.885 Million Last Year
The town and then-mayor Ben Boutwell asked the local legislative delegation to fund two projects, one of which was fully approved and the other half-funded.
The 2023-24 state budget included $1.885 million for replacement of the Freedom Road Bridge in Century and half the money needed to replace a failed town water well serving the Century Correctional Institution.
The funding included $1,257,000 to replace a Town of Century bridge on Freedom Road with no required local matching funds.
On January 29, 2020, the town suddenly closed the bridge on Freedom Road, just east of Jefferson Avenue. Photos obtained by NorthEscambia.com a few days later showed the dangerous conditions that led to the emergency closure. Several pilings under the wooden bridge were no longer properly supporting the structure, and some of the pilings were split or had extreme deterioration.
The closure turned Freedom Road into a cul-de-sac with one way in and one way out for residents, including the Camellia Gardens apartment complex.
The 2023-24 budget included $628,500 to replace the Town of Century’s Well No. 3, which exclusively serves Century Correctional Institution, half of the $1.297 million that was requested.
After multiple problems, the well suffered a catastrophic failure during the summer of 2022 and no longer provided water to the prison for staff and inmates. A shaft shattered into a dozen or more pieces and fell to the bottom of the well.
Neither of the projects have been completed.
Early Voting Ends With Turnout Approaching 15%
March 17, 2024
Early voter turnout for the Republican Presidential Preference Primary in Escambia County neared 15% as polling places closed Saturday.
There are 94,864 eligible Republican voters in Escambia County, and as of Tuesday turnout was 14.48%, or 13,732.
The Presidential Preference Primary was only available to voters registered in the Republican party. Florida is a closed primary state, which means voters could only vote in the party in which they are registered for primary elections.
The Presidential Preference Primary is Tuesay, March 19, 2024, with polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Century Man Tased As Deputies Arrest Him On Outstanding Warrants
March 16, 2024
A Century man was tased after deputies attempted to arrest him on two-year old outstanding domestic violence warrants.
Clark Thompson Henthorne, 36, was charged with resisting without violence, in addition to the domestic violence offenses.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that Henthorne was at a residence in the 3700 block of South Century Boulevard. Deputies responded and received permission to search the house.
Henthorne was located under a pile of clothes in the master bedroom closet, according to an arrest report.
“I then gave commands to Henthorne not to move, at which time he popped up out of the pile of clothes yelling and, screaming that I was going to have to shoot him,” the deputy wrote in the report. Henthorne refused all commands and was tased by two deputies.
Henthorne was evaluated and medically cleared by Escambia County EMS.
He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $9,000 bond.
Navy Federal Announces Next Chief Operating Officer
March 16, 2024
Kara Cardona has been announced as Navy Federal Credit Union’s next Chief Operating Officer. Cardona replaces Dietrich Kuhlmann, who recently succeeded Mary McDuffie as Navy Federal’s Chief Executive Officer. All transitions were effective as of March 1, 2024.
Cardona has nearly 25 years of experience at Navy Federal, the past three of which she spent as its executive vice president for Contact Center Operations and Greater Pensacola Operations. Here, she led the credit union’s largest business unit and oversaw functions of its three campus locations. As COO, Cardona reports directly to Kuhlmann out of the credit union’s headquarters in Vienna, VA.
“Kara has always been strongly aligned with our mission to serve our members,” said Kuhlmann. “Her unique blend of people leadership, transformative thinking and operational acumen make her an ideal fit as our new COO.”
In her most recent role, Cardona led a team that set records for call volume, won numerous awards for contact center operations and reached new heights in member satisfaction. Prior to that, Cardona served as Navy Federal’s assistant vice president for Projects and Analysis and as vice president in Branch Operations, which at the time included 1,800 team members across 150 global branches.
“When I joined the credit union as a part-time employee at our branch in Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, I completely fell in love with the culture and the mission of Navy Federal,” said Cardona. “I had no idea I would be where I am today, and it is such an honor to give back to our teams and members in this way.”
McDuffie announced to Navy Federal’s Board of Directors and staff last September that she would be retiring from the CEO post she’d held since 2018. Kuhlmann was appointed as her successor following a rigorous, months-long search led by the credit union’s board.
“Given her extensive experience at Navy Federal Credit Union, Kara is deeply familiar with how our teams work together to provide what our members need – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Kuhlmann continued. “I congratulate her on this new opportunity, and I know she will be a tremendous asset in helping to ensure Navy Federal continues to meet our mission and serve our members worldwide.”
Sheriff’s Office Unveils New High Tech Real-Time Crime Center (With Photo Gallery)
March 15, 2024
Escambia County’s high tech Real-Time Crime Center is now up and running at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
It’s officially called the Star Network, an over 5,700 square foot room that was previously served as a gym. Funded with over $1 million in Local Option Sales Tax funds, the room features a large video wall and working space for crime analysts.
With access to hundreds of cameras and license plate readers, the crime center provides real-time information to help fight crime in the county. With ShotSpotter technology covering a few square miles of the county and the City of Pensacola, the crime center knows about shots fired even before the first 911 call is made. And they can see where every deputy in the county is in real-time and rely on crime-fighting information to them.
The Pensacola Police Department will also utilize the center and provide staffing.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
Images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola and Perdido Bay Watersheds May Get Estuary of National Significance Status
March 15, 2024
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary of National Significance Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to formally enroll the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) into the National Estuary Program as an “Estuary of National Significance.” The bill now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives.
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the legislation to federally designate the PPBEP to leverage federal dollars, in coordination with funding by state and local governments, to address water quality and resource challenges in the estuary. The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Estuary Program is non-regulatory.
“The EPA’s National Estuary Program has a successful track record of cooperative federalism across the nation, including with the four existing programs we have in Florida,” Rubio said. “Enrolling the PPBEP in the National Estuary Program will provide critical support for restoration, conservation, and monitoring efforts in Pensacola and Perdido Bays and enhance economic activity in the Florida Panhandle. I urge my colleagues in the House to quickly pass this bill.”
“The Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary of National Significance Act will take important steps in our fight to protect and preserve Florida’s environment and natural resources,” Scott remared “I am proud that our good bill was unanimously passed by the Senate last night and look forward to its passage in the House so it can be quickly signed into law.”
“The Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary of National Significance Act will take important steps in our fight to protect and preserve Florida’s environment and natural resources. I am proud that our good bill was unanimously passed by the Senate last night and look forward to its passage in the House so it can be quickly signed into law,” said PPBEP Program Executive Director Matt Posner .