Fire Rips Through Company’s Dump Trucks
August 5, 2013
The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating a Sunday evening fire that destroyed multiple dump trucks in Cantonment. The fire, reported at 6:50 p.m., sent a column of black smoke into the sky that was visible for miles.
Over a dozen dump trucks were parked in a row in a lot at the Roads, Inc. headquarters on Stone Boulevard, just off Highway 29. At least four of the trucks were totally destroyed by the fire, while others were damaged.
Multiple fire stations from Cantonment, Molino and Pensacola responded to the blaze, working rapidly to protect and prevent other dump trucks from becoming involved the fire.
There were no injuries reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal.
Pictured: Multiple dump trucks were destroyed by fire Sunday evening at Roads, Inc. on Stone Boulevard in Cantonment. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mass Killer To Be Executed Monday
August 4, 2013
An execution is scheduled for Monday evening in Florida.
John Errol Ferguson, who was convicted of murdering eight people in the 1970s in Miami-Dade County, is scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. Ferguson, now 65, was sentenced to death for the 1977 murders of six Carol City residents who were killed execution style following a drug-related robbery.
Six months later, Ferguson abducted and killed a pair of high school students on their way to meet friends at an ice cream shop in Hialeah.
A stay of execution was imposed last October for Ferguson by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; that stay expires Monday. The court has ruled that while he suffers from mental illness, he still holds a rational understanding of the crimes he committed and why he will be executed. The Florida Supreme Court had previously reached the same conclusion.
Final Day: Sales Tax Holiday In Florida And Alabama
August 4, 2013
Today is the final day of back to school sales tax holidays in Florida and Alabama, and this year the holiday in both states includes the chance to save sales tax on computer purchases.
FLORIDA
Clothes, shoes, wallets, bags, and backpacks costing $75 or less and school supplies costing $15 or less are covered by the tax holiday. Clothing does not include watches, watch bands, jewelery, umbrellas, handkerchiefs or sporting equipment.
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. Cell phones, video game consoles, digital media receivers or devices that are not primarily designed to process data are not included.
Books are not exempt from tax during the 2013 Sales Tax Holiday.
The tax break, as has been in the case in previous years, won’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.
Florida’s sales tax holiday ends at midnight. For complete details, click here for a pdf.
ALABAMA
Until midnight Sunday, Alabama’s four-percent sales tax is waived throughout the state while sales taxes levied by 274 cities and counties also will be waived on clothing priced at $100 or less; school supplies valued at $50 or less; books that cost $30 or less; and computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less.
Atmore, Brewton, and Escambia County, Ala., will not participate and waive local taxes. Other towns, including Flomaton, Bay Minette, Foley, Gulf Shores and Mobile will take part.
For complete details, click here for a pdf.
Back To School Sales Tax Holiday Underway In Florida And Alabama
August 2, 2013
Back-to-school shoppers will get a chance to save some cash this this weekend with a sales tax holiday in both Florida and Alabama.
FLORIDA
From 12:01 a.m. Friday through midnight Sunday, there will be no sales tax collected on certain clothing items priced at $75 or less, schools supplies at $15 or less and computer priced at $750 or less.
For complete details, click here for a pdf.
ALABAMA
From 12:01 a.m. Friday to midnight Sunday, Alabama’s four-percent sales tax is waived throughout the state while sales taxes levied by 274 cities and counties also will be waived on:
- clothing priced at $100 or less;
- school supplies valued at $50 or less;
- books that cost $30 or less; and
- computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less.
Atmore, Brewton, and Escambia County, Ala., will not participate and waive local taxes. Other towns, including Flomaton, Bay Minette, Foley, Gulf Shores and Mobile will take part.
For complete details, click here for a pdf.
Santa Rosa Elected Officials Meet And Greet Tonight
July 30, 2013
Santa Rosa Young Professionals (SRYP) will host an elected officials meet and greet today at the Santa Rosa County Auditorium, 4530 Spikes Way, Milton.
Attending officials will be introduced at 6 p.m.; there will be no formal speeches. The general public is invited to attend this free event and will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with their representatives.
Complimentary refreshments will be provided.
Scheduled to attend are:
State of Florida
Sen. Greg Evers
Rep. Clay Ingram
Rep. Doug Broxson
Rep. Matt Gaetz
Public Defender Bruce Miller
Santa Rosa County
Commissioner Jim Williamson
Commissioner Don Salter
Commissioner Jim Melvin
Commissioner Bob Cole
Clerk of Court Don Spencer
Supervisor of Elections Tappie Villane
Superintendent of Schools Tim Wyrosdick
Sheriff Wendell Hall
Tax Collector Stan Colie Nichols
School Board Member Jennifer Granse
School Board Member Scott Peden
School Board Member Diane Scott
City of Milton
Mayor Guy Thompson
Councilman Grady Hester
Councilwoman Patsy Lunsford
Councilman Wesley Meiss
Northview Quarterback Club Meets Tonight
July 30, 2013
The next meeting of the Northview High School Quarterback Club is tonight at 6:30 in the Northview Media Center. All current and prospective members are encouraged to attend.
Families can support the Chiefs by joining the Quarterback Club for just $10 per family per year. All of the proceeds go directly to help the school, the football program and the students.
Local Couple Needs Your Vote To Win Free Wedding
July 29, 2013
A local couple is in the running to win the Pensacola Block Party Wedding Contest — a free wedding held on the streets of Pensacola with everything donated by various vendors.
Jessica (Jessy) Killam and her fiance Jarrett Swearingen are top ten finalists, and they are asking for North Escambia readers to vote for them to win the fabulous free wedding.
Jessica grew up in Byrneville and graduated from Northview High School. Her fiance Jarrett grew up in Jay and graduated from Jay High School. He’s now an Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy.
The couple met on a blind date in December 2011 and almost immediately fell in love.
“Marriage is important to both of us, Putting God first is definitely a must,” a poem penned by the couple says. “We both have divorced parents, no one’s willing to help. We’ll be paying for our wedding all by ourself. Winning this wedding would be a dream come true, The future Mr. & Mrs. Swearingen saying I do. We go together like two peas in a pod, Can’t wait to begin our marriage blessed by God!”
The couple has gone to great lengths to garner votes for the contest — from painting a campaign message on Pensacola’s famed “Graffiti Bridge”, to handouts with an easy to scan QR code for smartphones, to campaign t-shirts, to asking for this article on NorthEscambia.com.
To vote for Jessica and Jarrett in the Pensacola Block Party Wedding Contest, click here and choose “Jessica Killam & Jarrett Swearingen” from the drop-down menu. Voting ends at midnight today and is limited to one vote per email address.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Angels Team Members At Library Storytimes This Week
July 29, 2013
The West Florida Public Library has a special storytime treat in store beginning this week. A member of the Blue Angels’ team will take part in the final summer storytime sessions as follows:
- Wednesday, July 31, 10:30 a.m. Main Library, 239 N. Spring St.
- Wednesday, July 31, 3:30 p.m. Century Branch, 7991 N. Century Blvd.
- Thursday, August 1, 10:30 a.m. Tryon Branch, 1200 Langley Ave.
- Saturday, August 3, 2:30 p.m.. Westside Branch, 1580 W. Cervantes St.
- Tuesday, August 6, 10:30 a.m.. Southwest Branch, 12248 Gulf Beach Hwy.
Groups of 20 or less are invited to contact their favorite library branch to inquire if seating is available for attendance at this very special Blue Angels storytime.
Pictured top: LCDR John Hiltz,, pilot of the No. 2 Blue Angels plane, gets a little help with a story that pointed out humans have arms, not wings during a storytime earlier this year at the Molino Branch Library. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
More Rain For Sunday, Maybe Some Sun
July 28, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 69. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Monday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph after midnight.
- Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
- Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
- Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
Retailers Tout Electronics In Back To School Tax Holiday
July 28, 2013
Retailers expect an even bigger year from savvy discount shoppers as some high-tech gear has been added to the state’s upcoming three-day break from sales taxes on back-to-school items.
Certain clothes, shoes, wallets, bags, and backpacks costing $75 or less and school supplies costing $15 or less will be included in the “sales tax holiday,” which lawmakers approved for Aug. 2 through Aug. 4. And for the first time, personal computers, digital readers, tablets and select accessories costing $750 or less, as long as they’re not used for commercial purposes, are also covered.
The Florida Retail Federation expects additional hiring by some businesses and says electronics companies have already started lowering the prices on laptops and tablets to fit under the $750 benchmark to be sales-tax free.
“What it looks like is the retailers are preparing for the demand, and they’re marking down some computers so they can slide in under the $750 limit,” said John Fleming, spokesman for the statewide trade association.
The retail federation also expects businesses will start to include sales inserts in newspapers starting this Sunday.
The shopping period isn’t on the hype level of Black Friday, which is considered the unofficial kick-off of the Christmas shopping period. But its popularity continues to grow, said retail federation President and CEO Rick McAllister during a conference call Thursday.
Part of the popularity with brick-and-mortar businesses is that the tax break briefly creates a level playing field with out-of-state companies that year-round skirt the collection of state sales taxes through online sales, he said.
“It’s one of those times Main Street can compete with those who don’t tax,” McAllister said.
The state Revenue Estimating Conference has estimated the tax break will cost Florida $28.3 million in revenue this year, with local governments out $6.4 million. The statewide projection is up from a $25.9 million estimate from the 2012 back-to-school period that was also three days.
McAllister said retailers and state officials have also long supported the shopping incentive because the money lost on marked-down school supplies — to fit within the sales break guidelines — is made up as more people go shopping for discounts and decide to eat out.
Still, not everyone is juiced about the pending tax-savings period.
The Washington, D.C.-based Tax Foundation, a conservative think tank, in a report posted Wednesday, noted that the holidays —- offered by 17 states primarily in the southeast — don’t promote economic growth, as most shoppers simply shift the timing of purchases. Also, it said the holidays allow politicians to distract from permanent tax relief and benefit the wealthy.
“While sales taxes are somewhat regressive, this is often exaggerated to sell the idea that sales-tax holidays are an effective way of providing relief to the poor,” the Tax Foundation said in outlining the report. “To give a small amount of tax savings to low-income individuals, holidays give a large amount to others.”
The foundation also claimed that some retailers may also raise prices during the holiday, reducing the eventual consumer savings.
The tax break, as has been in the case in previous years, doesn’t apply in theme parks or at airports or hotel gift shops.
By The News Service of Florida