The last few weeks working with the mayor and city manager I think we were able to come to agreement on some things and I feel good about that, the Rev. Dr. Rufus Wood, president of the local branch of the NAACP, said in an interview Monday. I think the plan will be better than what it was.
The discussions centered on bringing back a community pool, rebuilding the African American Cultural Center, securing affordable housing and confirming the placement of the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center and sports complex.
Student Advocacy Center of Bay County, Inc. Director and Founder Gregory Dossie said the updated plan, revised last on April 21, reflects the influence of the community feedback.
PANAMA CITY Some area funeral homes have seen their workloads spike in the past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but plenty of cemetery plots are still available.
While Panama City-owned cemeteries Hillside Cemetery, Greenwood Cemetery, Oakland Cemetery and Millville Cemetery are out of plots, those were bought years if not decades ago, officials said. Instead, the spike in deaths caused by the virus still can be handled by the several privately-owned cemeteries in the area, they said.
Russell Wright, owner of Russell A. Wright Sr. Mortuary, said he has had a heavier workload because of COVID-19. Here in Panama City locally, I ve been in business for 21 years and I found my volume has increased significantly when COVID became a pandemic, Wright said. I ve had four or five services on the week, and with the size of Panama City I haven t had that much.
Staff Reports
PANAMA CITY Thanks to the Bay County Branch of the NAACP, there will be a Martin Luther King, Jr., event that anyone may attend virtually via Zoom Monday.
Monday s Keynote speaker, according to a news release, for the 2021 Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Virtual Prayer Breakfast event at 10 a.m. is Keith Bowers. Bowers is a Panama City native whose work took him across the globe before bringing him to Florida A&M University where has served for six years as Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center, and the Zoom link is https://rb.gy/br2di9 for those wishing to participate.