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Hot, Humid Continues

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

• Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 94. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. North wind around 5 mph.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
• Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
• Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
• Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
• Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
• Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
• Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95.

Pictured: Most likely a  bit out of calibration, the thermometer at the Century Town Hall hit 104 degrees Wednesday afternoon. Other weather stations in the general area reported highs in the upper 90’s. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Headed To The Beach? Lane Closures Planned

Intermittent lane closures are planned today at the Bob Sikes Toll Plaza.

The closures are expected to end by 2:30 p.m. with all four lanes open for traffic. The disruptions are part of more than $430,000 in roadway improvements designed to enhance traffic flow and address safety concerns for pedestrians headed to Pensacola Beach.

It’s Only Getting Hotter

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

• Tonight: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 96. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 94. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
• Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. North wind around 5 mph.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
• Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light southeast after midnight.
• Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
• Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
• Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
• Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
• Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95.

Florida Lawmakers Object To Expanding Ban On Out Of State Deer

A number of state lawmakers, including the Senate president, are trying to head off a proposal to ban the importation of all deer to Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is expected to vote Thursday on a measure that would impose a blanket prohibition on the importation of live deer and elk to reduce the chance that potentially fatal Chronic Wasting Disease could spread to existing deer populations in the state.

But lawmakers are joining some of Florida’s deer farmers in expressing concern that a growing industry will be harmed if the current rules against importing cervid animals are expanded beyond areas where the disease has been detected.

Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, in a June 6 letter to the commission, called the proposal “a bit premature and extreme” as the rule could “potentially cut jobs, monopolize an industry, and limit options for the roughly 100 registered hunting preserves already in operation.”

Gaetz has been joined in opposition by Sen. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, and Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton, Beach, Frank Artiles, R-Miami, Holly Raschein, R-Key Largo, Dana Young, R-Tampa, and Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford.

Tony Young, a spokesman for the commission’s Hunting and Game Management Division, said that while the disease has not been detected in Florida, agency officials have considered it just a matter of time.

“The reason that the rule got proposed is just to further be as vigilant as we can be from preventing Chronic Wasting Disease from entering Florida’s deer herd,” Young said.

The state already prohibits deer from being imported to Florida from 18 states and two western Canadian provinces where infected populations have been found.

The ban also prohibits deer killed in those states and provinces from being brought into the Sunshine State unless they first has been deboned or treated and mounted by taxidermists located outside Florida.

Mark Owens, owner of Whitetail Country Plantation in Live Oak, said the push to close the border is driven by a small number of hunting preserve owners in the state who want to increase prices by further limiting the deer stock now in Florida.

“They want to cut supply and create a false demand,” said Owens.

The problem, Owens said, is that if the costs to participate in hunts increase, hunters will travel to other states.

“If the hunting industry in Florida were to close the importation, you’re going to see a breeder who sells his buck for $5,000 will say I now want $10,000 for it,” Owens said. “If the preserve guy can’t sell that hunt for $15,000, he can’t make a profit, and if he can’t make a profit he’s not in business.”

Owens added that while Florida has done a good job managing the disease, farmers are overly cautious about where they purchase their stock.

The disease has been spreading since first detected in free-ranging populations in the mid-1980s around northeastern Colorado and southeastern Wyoming. Tony Young described the effects as similar to Mad Cow disease, with animals becoming emaciated and often being found isolated and trembling.

Clifford Shipley, a Chronic Wasting Disease expert from the University of Illinois’ College of Veterinary Medicine, said the current monitoring and testing are more than adequate, as the “very last thing any deer farmer wants is to import CWD as this is a death sentence currently for that farm.”

If an animal is found with the disease, the entire population, free-ranging or farmed, would need to be eradicated in order to prevent further spreading, Tony Young said.

“It’s just like with the eradication of citrus canker,” he said. “All of a sudden if just one orange tree with citrus canker is found and you’re five miles away — and even if your orange tree is doing great — they kill it all.”

Grimsley expressed in a letter on June 6 concern that closing the border would result in illegal smuggling. Brodeur called the proposal a “ploy by the largest breeders in the state.”

“My chief concern is that a move to completely eliminate the importing of deer to Florida will push smaller farmers out of business, and drastically harm our rural economy,” Brodeur wrote on June 4.

“These new regulations will close the door on many smaller farmers, who will have no choice but to close shop if they are unable to afford the artificially-inflated prices that are created,” Brodeur said.

President Gaetz wrote that the state should wait on expanding the ban “until the commission is presented with credible, scientific evidence of the imminent threat provided through current cervid importation practices.”

Dana Young noted June 4 that there was no need to do more at this time as “this activity is already heavily regulated.”

By Jim Turner
The News Service of Florida

Hill Enjoys Money Edge In Today’s Special House Election

With Republicans trying to hold onto a Panhandle House seat left vacant by the death of Rep. Clay Ford, GOP candidate Mike Hill goes into a special election Tuesday with a huge financial edge over his Democratic rival.

Hill, a Pensacola insurance agent, raised $189,005 in cash and another $11,657 in in-kind contributions through Thursday, according to reports filed with the state Division of Elections. That compares to the $27,022 in cash and $1,964 in in-kind contributions raised by Democrat Jeremy Lau, president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 2777.

The state GOP has backed Hill heavily since he won a May 14 primary over five other Republicans, funneling $39,000 in cash to the campaign and also providing the in-kind contributions, which included help with staffing and polling.

Hill also has received support from industries, groups and lobbying firms that are major players in Tallahassee. As examples, he has received money from several insurance-industry political committees, along with groups such as the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business and the Florida Medical Association.

He also has received money from companies — or their political arms — such as the HCA health-care chain, Humana and AT&T. Lau, meanwhile, has received $1,000 from the Florida Democratic Party and chunks of money from labor groups, such as $2,000 from the Florida AFL-CIO.

Hill and Lau are running in House District 2, which includes parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in the southwest Panhandle. The seat became vacant after Ford, a Gulf Breeze Republican, died of cancer in March.

Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district by about 10,000 voters. The contribution totals to Hill and Lau do not reflect money that outside groups might have spent.

A group called The Committee for a Better Florida, Inc., indicates on its website that it is associated with Hill. That group has raised $56,000 since mid-April, according to the website, including $5,000 from Hill and money from some groups that also contributed to his campaign.

By The News Service of Florida

Election Day Tips: House District 2

Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford offered the following tips for today’s House District 2 election:

• 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.
• Confirm the location of your polling place. Voters in precinct 29 will be voting at the Malcolm Yonge Center, 924 East Jackson Street, which they will share with voters of precinct 50. Precinct 31 voters will be voting at the West Florida Public Library, 239 North Spring Street. There will be signs outside the facility to direct voters. Check your voter information card, EscambiaVotes.com, or call 595-3900 for more information on polling locations.
• If you are unsure of your registration status, check EscambiaVotes.com, or call 595-3900
• Photo and signature ID is required for all voters – if you do not present an approved form of ID, you may vote a provisional ballot
• Registration books closed on May 13 – new registrations and party changes for this election may not be made at the polls
• You may not return your voted absentee ballot to your precinct on Election Day – it must be returned to the Elections Office by 7 p.m.
• If you requested an absentee ballot but chose not to return it and wish to vote at your polling place instead, please bring your unvoted ballot with you so it can be cancelled
• Early voting ended Saturday – if you have not yet voted, you must go to your precinct on Election Day
• Busiest times at the polls tend to be 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m., and 4:30 p.m. until the polls close at 7:00 p.m.

For further information, call 850) 595-3900, email soe@escambiavotes.com or visit EscambiaVotes.com.

Portion Of Beulah Road Closed Due To Flooding

Editor’s note: Beulah Road is now reopened, according to county officials

Escambia County Public Works Department, Roads Division says a portion of Beulah Road is closed due to flooding north of the Perdido Landfill.

Northbound drivers are advised to follow Kingsfield Road to County Road 97 to Muscogee Road as a detour.  Southbound traffic should follow Muscogee Road to County Road 97 to Kingsfield Road.

Highway 29 Now Open After Day Long Closure

North and south bound lanes of Highway 29 near East Kingsfield Road are now open in Cantonment, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The road was closed for almost nine hours Monday due to flooding.  Water was crossing the highway at Pensacola Salvage.

Pictured top: This reader photo by Jamie Boutwell shows water crossing Highway 29 before the roadway was closed. Pictured below: Reader photo by Brandi Ratcliff shows Highway 29 closed at Kingsfield. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

‘Just One Day’ Public Animal Adoption Event June 11

More Rain Overnight, Monday

Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:

• Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Low around 71. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is near 100%.
• Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
• Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
• Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
• Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light and variable after midnight.
• Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
• Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west after midnight.
• Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 94. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west after midnight.
• Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
• Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
• Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95.
• Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
• Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.

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