101 Cast Early Ballots; House District 5 Early Voting Continues
May 5, 2013
Early voting began Saturday and will continue through next Saturday for Republicans in House District 2 Special Primary Election. There were 101 voters casting their ballot early on Saturday, according to Supervisor of Elections David Stafford.
Early voting will be offered Sunday, May 5 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and from Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10 from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Early voting ends Saturday, May 11 and is available from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. that day. Early voters cast paper ballots through digital scanners, and may choose any one of the three sites. Voters must present photo and signature ID when voting in person, or will have to vote a provisional ballot.
Early voting locations are the Tyron Branch Library at 1200 Langley Avenue and the Southwest Branch Library at 12248 Gulf Beach Highway.
All registered Republican voters in House District 2 are eligible to vote in this closed primary. Florida is a closed primary state, which means in primary elections, you may only participate in the primary of the party in which you are registered. Since only one Democrat candidate qualified, there will be no Democratic primary. The Democratic candidate automatically advances to the June 11 election to face the winner of the Republican primary. All voters in House District 2 will be eligible to vote in the June 11 election, regardless of party affiliation. To find out if you are registered in House District 2, check your voter information card, visit EscambiaVotes.com, or call the elections office at 850‐595‐3900.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Session Is A Wrap
May 5, 2013
Maybe Rep. Irv Slosberg summed it up best when he spoke Friday from the House’s back rows.
“Sorry that we had a little meltdown for a couple of days, but 58 out of 60 days is pretty good,” the Boca Raton Democrat said.
The 2013 legislative session hit a rough patch during the final week when House Democrats protested the lack of a plan for expanding health coverage for low-income Floridians. An uninitiated viewer from Palatka or Wewahitchka might have been baffled to tune in and see House members sitting around listening to an automated voice — named Mary, of course — read bills as part of a procedural move by Democrats to slow down the session.
But put aside the protest and the failure to pass a health expansion. And Mary’s droning voice, for that matter.
By the time the House and Senate adjourned Friday night, Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Scott could tout a successful session. Most of their priorities passed, and Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford orchestrated the 60 days with a certain professionalism that even the Democrats seemed to appreciate.
Scott, for example, focused on a limited agenda that had political curb appeal for lawmakers. That agenda included higher pay for teachers and tax relief for manufacturers — ideas that probably will play well when lawmakers chat up the Rotary Clubs back home.
“This Legislature cut taxes so we’ll have more jobs in this state,” Scott said. “We dramatically increased the funding for education, and we are giving our classroom teachers a pay raise. … These are great victories for Florida’s families.”
But part of the session’s smoothness also stemmed from an improving economy that gave lawmakers more money to play with. Unlike the past several years, lawmakers didn’t have to make unpopular budget decisions about issues such as cutting funding for universities or trimming payments to hospitals and nursing homes.
“The bottom line is, there’s nothing like having some money,” Senate Rules Chairman John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, said at one point during the session.
KUMBAYA RETURNS TO THE CAPITOL
At age 65, Gaetz is old enough to be the 33-year-old Weatherford’s father — and then some. But at least publicly, the pair respected each other and cooperated on priority issues, offering a change in tone from the past two years when the Senate, in particular, often appeared chaotic.
“The era of acrimony between the House and the Senate is over,” Gaetz, R-Niceville, said to a crowd gathered on the fourth floor of the Capitol to celebrate “sine die,” the traditional end of the session.
The House and Senate will always have spats, and some bills and budget proposals will always get killed as collateral damage. But Gaetz, Weatherford and their lieutenants seemed to get past those spats this year on most of the big issues.
For instance, the $74.5 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 was finished Monday, giving lawmakers four days to peruse it before they voted. Along with providing money for teacher raises, the spending plan also will boost pay for state employees, pump more money into the university system and funnel money to projects and programs across the state.
The Senate unanimously approved the budget, while the House passed it by a 106-11 vote.
Similarly, Gaetz and Weatherford made clear from the beginning of the legislative session that they wanted to reform the state’s ethics laws and change the campaign-finance system. The House and Senate whipped together compromises on the issues, and Scott signed the bills Wednesday.
Among the session’s other notable bills, lawmakers Friday approved a plan that will seek to prevent a repeat of the voting delays and other problems that plagued the 2012 elections in Florida. Almost all Senate Democrats voted against the plan because of concerns that it did not go far enough, but other Democrats said the bill (HB 7013) was a move in the right direction.
“It takes men and women of maturity to understand when you’ve done something in error to come back and correct it,” said Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg. “And we saw what happened in the November elections, and as a body we have come back this year to correct it. … I look forward to us coming back next session and fixing it just a little bit more.”
YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
Even when legislative leaders put their considerable muscle behind bills, that doesn’t mean those issues will pass. That was evident this week when the Senate, in a pair of close votes, killed a Weatherford plan to revamp the state retirement system and a controversial education measure commonly known as the “parent trigger” bill.
Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, particularly made a priority of a bill that would close the traditional pension system to new employees and require them to enroll in 401(k)-style “defined contribution” plans. While the speaker contended that the change is needed to maintain the long-term financial health of the retirement system, Democrats and some Senate Republicans combined to kill it (HB 7011).
Opponents said the traditional pension system is important for government employees, including law enforcement officers and firefighters, who often work for relatively low pay. They also discounted comparisons with private-sector workers, many of whom only have 401(k)-type options.
“I just do not understand why we want to experiment around, and we want to take these people who are protecting us every single day and put them in a system, just because it works in private business,” said Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican who gave an impassioned speech.
But while people in the Capitol will remember the death of the pension bill and hundreds of other measures, the session will be known for lawmakers’ failure to approve a plan to expand health coverage for low-income people.
House and Senate Republicans decided early in the session that they did not want to carry out an expansion of the Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act. That expansion was expected to lead to the federal government funneling an estimated $51 billion to Florida over the next decade to provide Medicaid coverage to roughly 1 million people.
The House and Senate put together alternatives to a Medicaid expansion, including a Senate plan that would tap into the same pot of federal money to offer private health insurance to low-income people. But House Republicans refused to count on the federal money and pushed a smaller-scale proposal to offer state subsidies to targeted groups of uninsured Floridians.
Supporters of the Senate approach, ranging from the hospital industry to organized labor, lobbied heavily but never could get traction with House Republicans. The frustration turned into protest this week when House Democrats reached into the rules book and used a procedural move to slow down the House proceedings for two days.
But in the end, the session adjourned without the House and Senate coming close to agreement.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The 2013 legislative session ended Friday night, after the House and Senate passed a $74.5 billion state budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “The chasm between the competing visions is too wide to overcome.” — Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, putting to rest hopes of reaching a deal on expanding health coverage for low-income people.
By The News Service of Florida
Gertrude Johnson Stephens
May 5, 2013
Gertrude Johnson Stephens, 90, of Mobile, passed away Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Mobile. She was employed by the U.S. Government as a U.S.Customs Director. She was born in Jay on October 11, 1922, to the late James L and Josephine Johnston Johnson. She was a resident at Westminster Villiage in Spanish Fort and a member of the East Point Baptist Church.
Survivors include her daughter, Winona (David) Leard of Mobile; sister, Olivia Killiam of Gasden, Ala.; three grandchildren, Courtney Jacobs of St.Augustine, Rachel Leard and Andrew Leard both of Mobile; great-grandson, Lucas Jacobs and a host of family and friends.
Services were held Saturday, May 4 at from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Rob Burns officiating. Interment was in Serenity Gardens.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc is in charge of all arrangements.
Legislature Approves Florida Sales Tax Holiday
May 5, 2013
The back-to-school sales tax holiday will likely be back this summer and will include personal computers.
The Legislature passed on Friday – the last day of the legislative session – a wide-ranging economic development bill (SB 406) that includes a three day period, Aug. 2 through Aug. 4, during which a number of items won’t be subject to the 6 percent sales tax.
The bill now goes to Gov. Rick Scott.
Clothes, shoes, wallets, bags, and backpacks costing $75 or less and school supplies costing $15 or less would be covered by the tax holiday.
Personal computers and related accessories costing $750 or less, as long as they’re not used for commercial purposes, are also covered, as are digital readers, tablets, and items like keyboards or monitors – as long as they don’t include a TV tuner.
The tax break, as has been in the case in previous years, wouldn’t apply in theme parks or at airports or hotel gift shops.
State economists have estimated the impact of the proposed three-day holiday at $28.3 million to the state and $6.4 million to local governments – though some economic studies have shown that people are induced to buy more uncovered items during the sales tax holiday, meaning tax collections could increase.
The sales tax holiday was put into another broader economic development bill which was worked out in a conference committee of the two chambers and given final approval by both on Friday.
In addition to the tax holiday, the bill creates a schedule for reviewing state incentives and economic development programs in an effort to prevent spending on programs that don’t deliver promised jobs, a major focus of lawmakers this session.
The bill directs that all applicants for an incentive be evaluated for “economic benefits” in a uniform fashion and requires the state Department of Economic Opportunity to publish information about economic development incentives provided to businesses.
The bill also extends by 12 years a state distribution of a 1 percent cigarette tax addition from a few years ago under which the money goes to the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.
The bill also included a sales tax exemption for natural gas used to generate electricity in a non-combustion fuel cell, an expansion of an aircraft parts and maintenance tax exemption, a sales tax distribution schedule for constructing or renovating baseball spring training facilities; and a number of other tax credits.
by The News Service of Florida
2013 Season Begins At The Market At Saint Monica’s
May 5, 2013
The Market at Saint Monica’s kicked off its third season Saturday in the parking lot of Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church on Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Multiple vendors were on hand, plus there was a smoked pulled pork barbecue fundraiser and children’s activities.
The Market at Saint Monica’s is held on the first and third Saturdays of each month. For more information about Market’s vendors, special events, or schedule, visit www.st-monicas.org/market.html.
Pictured: Opening day at the Market at Saint Monica’s in Cantonment. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Marcella Belle Robinson
May 5, 2013
Marcella Belle Robinson, 74, of Castaic, CA, passed away Saturday, April 25, 2013 in Panorama City, CA. She was a machinist with Aerospace. She was born in West Virginia on May 22, 1938, to the late Daniel Otis and Lucille Mayle Drasko.
She is preceded in death by her brother, Junior Drasko.
Survivors include her three sons, Daniel Robinson of Washington, Vernon Robinson of Anchorage, Alaska, and Earl Robinson of Louisiana; one daughter, Pamela (Greg) Ferrier of Castaic, CA; two brothers, Jack Drasko and Mack Drasko; one sister, Helen (Donald) Morgan; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be Tuesday, May 07, 2013, at 11 a.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ted Bridges officiating. Interment will follow in Walnut Hill Baptist Cemetery.
Family will receive friends Tuesday, May 07, 2013, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home one hour prior to service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home, Inc is in charge of all arrangements.
Relay At Tate Raises Money For A Cure (With Gallery)
May 4, 2013
The annual Relay for Life of Greater Escambia got underway Friday evening at Tate High School.
Tate High senior Halee Boyd, who is battling a rare form of cancer, spoke to the crowd of hundreds as the event got underway. “It’s about the fight; it’s about never giving up,” she said. Boyd led the survivor’s lap in a “pace car”.
For a photo gallery, click here.
A break was called in the relay by early Saturday morning due to weather. Teams were back by 7 a.m. for more activities and fundraising. The closing ceremony was held at 11:30 a.m. with recognition, awards and a final lap.
The event at Tate High, formerly called the North Pensacola Relay for Life, has raised well over a half million dollars for cancer research.
Pictured top and below: The survivor and caregiver laps kick of the Greater Escambia Relay for Life Friday evening at Tate High School. Pictured inset: Tate senior Halee Boyd, who is battling cancer, addresses the Relay crowd. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tonight: Tate High FFA Rodeo
May 4, 2013
The Tate High School FFA Alumni Foundation will present its 22nd Annual Rodeo at the James C. Robinson Escambia County Equestrian Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at Farm and Nursery Mart, Southern Mill and Supply and Hill Kelly Dodge at $8 for adults and $3 for children. Tickets can also be purchased at the Equestrian Center gate at $10 for adults and $5 for children.
Sawmill Day And Car Show In Century Today
May 4, 2013
The 3rd annual Sawmill Day and Car Show will be held Saturday in Century.
The car show registration will be open until 11 a.m., with awards at 2 p.m.
The day featrues entertainment, music, Heather Leonard’s Danceworks, flintknappers, pottery demonstratons, picture IDS and fingerprinting for children, the Perdido Bay Tribe of the Southeastern Muscogee Creek Indians traveling museum, Old 100 – the restored original 1919 Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company logging and switching engine, animals from Turtle Point, and inside yard sale, a turpentine display, hot barbecue plates, cold drinks and more.
The event is taking place in the Historical Park at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Fourth Street in Century.
Pictured: The 2012 Sawmill Day and Car Show in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Unseasonably Cool, Low Near 43
May 4, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85.