Happy New HOLMES COUNTY imes Year! TAdvertiser Wednesday, January 2, 2019 chipleypaper.com @WCN_HCT facebook.com/WashingtonCountyNews.HolmesCountyTimes 50¢ IN BRIEF Three local cities awarded Unemployment rates refl ect impact of Michael By Jacqueline Bostick economic development funding Times-Advertiser 850-630-6167 | @_JBostick [email protected] $24 million been awarded funding for Fund programs, which are County, Florida City, Gil- distributed across economic activities, infra- administered by the Florida christ County, Grand WASHINGTON AND 36 rural communities structure improvements and Department of Economic Ridge, Greenville, Hamilton HOLMES COUNTIES - across Florida housing restoration. Opportunity (DEO), a DEO County, Hampton, Hardee Hurricane Michael has led to Governor Rick Scott news release stated. County, Havana, Haw- unemployment rates creeping WCN/HCTA Staff announced Thursday, Chipley, Wausau and thorne, High Springs, Indian up regionally while decreas- Dec. 27, $24 million will be Esto were listed as funding River County, Interlachen, ing statewide, according to WASHINGTON AND allocated across the com- recipients. The other recip- Jay, Jefferson County, the Florida Department of HOLMES COUNTIES -- munities through the Florida ients are: Altha, Archadia, Newberry, Palatka, Paxton, Economic Opportunity. Three local cities are among Small Cities Community Apalachicola, Avon Park, Penney Farms, Quincy, “The unemployment rate 36 small and rural Florida Development Block Grant Baldwin, Bristol, Clermont, for the counties in the Pan- communities that have and the Rural Infrastructure DeSoto County, Flagler See LOCAL, A2 handle reflect the impact of Hurricane Michael,” a CareerSource Chipola news release stated. While the state’s rate decreased by 0.1 percent- age point from October and A special friend for Santa’s elf 0.6 from a year ago, the unemployment rate in the CareerSource Chipola region Find more was 4.2 percent in November, readers which is 0.1 percentage point submitted higher than the region’s year photos on ago rate of 4.1 percent. B1. The region includes Cal- houn, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty and Washington counties, most of which were hit hard by Hurricane Michael. Washington County’s unemployment rate was a point higher in November than in October and .02 per- centage point higher than a year ago. For Holmes County, the unemployment rate was .04 percentage point higher than October. Calhoun and Jackson counties suffered the hard- est unemployment blow from October to November with rates increasing by 1.1 and 1.2 percentage points, respectively. There were 335,000 job- less Floridians out of a labor force of 10,256,000, the release stated. The U.S. unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in November. Flori- da’s seasonally adjusted total nonagricultural employment was 8,873,000 in Novem- Haleigh ber 2018, which reflects an Kent’s son increase of 23,600 jobs over Easton Kent, the month. of Bonifay, The state gained 241,600 poses with jobs over the year, the DOE his new reports. bear named Chief given to him from his uncle Braeden Department of Cooper Economic Opportunity who works for Walton Nov-18 Oct-18 Nov-17 County Fire Calhoun 4.5 3.4 4.3 and Rescue. Holmes 3.8 3.4 4.4 [PHOTO Jackson 4.4 3.2 4.0 CREDIT: Liberty 3.6 3.1 3.9 JACQUELYN Washington 4.1 3.1 3.9 ADAMS] Region 4.2 3.3 4.1 Volume 128, Number 38 Local & State ... .... A2 & 5 Kids activities ... ........ A6 A9 B3 Phone: 850-547-9414 Opinion ... ................. A4 Obituaries .. .............. B5 Holmes County Schools Fax: 850-638-4601 Community ... .............A5 Classifieds ... ......... B7-8 reflections from the past & Society * ** A2 Wednesday, January 2, 2019 | Holmes County Times-Advertiser LOCAL & STATE YEAR IN REVIEW Michael ravages housing market Historic storm months since Hurricane of the population rents, well. “The first month it was on his roof should be leaves its mark Michael ravaged Bay where they live and so And it wasn’t just rent- a lot of work, getting the starting soon, and maybe on Bay County County and the effects many apartment com- ers, as more and more trees off the house and then his family can start housing market the storm has had on the plexes damaged or RV’s crop up in home- cleaning out the back living in the house again. housing market, and pop- destroyed, it’s become owners’ yards, a place to yard, but now we’re That’s, of course, if it By Genevieve Smith ulation, are undeniable. uncomfortable, or sleep while their homes settled in, for the most doesn’t leak. @PCNHGenevieve The numbers were downright dire as people are unlivable. part.” Alford’s RV is one of [email protected] stacked against Bay scramble for solutions. “They think it’s fun — Alford has been living several along Fortune County residents almost And it wasn’t just apart- it’s like a camping trip in a slightly too-small RV Avenue in Panama City, PANAMA CITY — from the start. In an area ment complexes, but every day,” said Richard in his front yard for the It’s been more than two where about 70 percent homes and trailers as Alford of his children. past two months. Work See MICHAEL, A5 Florida teacher receives colorful gift from kids The Associated Press Christmas, Yarbrough’s because of the cost and But not that day. students pooled their family expenses. The “’We need to sit and SEMINOLE — A high money and bought him couple has two small talk and comfort each school history teacher in a $350 gift: glasses from children. other in this time of Florida received the gift EnChroma, a brand that To the students, hurt,’” Addy remembers of color from his students promises to “unlock a new though, splitting the Yarbrough saying. this holiday season. world of color for people cost was a small price to “AP classes are always The students in his with colorblindness.” pay for a teacher like him. rushed, but he took the Advanced Placement U.S. Now Yarbrough can For Ryan Addy, 18, time to think and feel with History course last year, better see his son’s bright Yarbrough’s character us.” all seniors, wondered why blue eyes, an American came through strongest He plans to wear the all the markers beneath flag hanging on his class- on Feb. 15, the day after glasses to the Magic the teacher’s dry erase room wall and the bright the shooting at Mar- Kingdom at Walt Disney board are labeled by color. red house next to his. jory Stoneman Douglas World, and to watch the Brian Yarbrough, a “Everything pops,” High School in Broward sunset with his wife on 38-year-old father and Yarbrough said. “It’s been County that shook stu- the Gulf of Mexico. teacher in Pinellas County wonderful.” dents and communities “The most amazing on the state’s Gulf Coast, Yarbrough and his wife around the state. part about all of this was born color blind. had thought about pur- Usually, the teacher is the students,” said The Tampa Bay chasing the glasses many came into class with a Yarbrough. “I feel very Times reports that this times before but held off plan, ready to get to work. grateful.” and small communities to every county in Florida the continued growth of LOCAL preserve our state’s unique has experienced a drop in our diverse economy,” identity,” Scott said in the its unemployment rate, said Cissy Proctor, Exec- From Page A1 release. “Providing small according to DEO. During utive Director of DEO. “I and rural communities the same time frame, Flor- am proud of the work we Sebring, Trenton, White the opportunity to make ida has created nearly 1.7 are doing to make these Springs, Williston, and investments in infrastruc- million private-sector jobs. important economic Zolfo Springs. ture and housing programs “Supporting the eco- investments that are “Florida is the greatest is key to growing our nomic development of paving the way for a bright melting pot and it is vital economy.” Florida’s small and rural future for many Florida that we support our rural Since December 2010, communities is vital to families.” * ** Holmes County Times-Advertiser | Wednesday, January 2, 2019 A3 * ** A4 Wednesday, January 2, 2019 | Holmes County Times-Advertiser OPINION FEMA wasting ANOTHER VIEW money ention the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Florida, and you’re sure to get a vari- M ety of responses. For each person who cheers FEMA for having helped them rebuild after a hurricane, you’re likely to meet one or more who waited too long for help to arrive. According to government auditors, those complainers have a legitimate gripe. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) this month released a report titled “2017 Disaster Contracting: Action Needed to Better Ensure More Effective Use and Management of Advance Contracts.” Translation: FEMA isn’t manag- ing contracts with relief providers very well. FEMA signs advance contracts with companies to provide help after a disaster. It’s a smart way to do things. During the recovery, especially in the first few days, if the agency had to negotiate a bunch of contracts on the fly, it would slow aid delivery and probably cost more. If the deal were sealed in advance, companies could quickly and cost-effectively deliver disaster supplies. HAPPY CORNER At least that’s the theory. The GAO found that in practice it isn’t working well. In 2017, advance contracts locked in $4.5 billion to Hurricanes Irma, Harvey and Maria How safe is the food we eat? as well as California wildfires. But FEMA con- sistently failed to ensure that it got what it One lie that is widespread is that States Department of Agriculture paid for.