Florida Democrats Chose New Leader
December 10, 2017
Terrie Rizzo, who began her political career as a campaign volunteer a little more than a dozen years ago, was selected Saturday by Florida Democrats to lead their party for the next three years.
Rizzo, chairwoman of the Palm Beach County Democrats, easily beat Brevard County Democratic Chairwoman Stacey Patel in an 830-291 vote by the party’s executive committee at the Rosen Centre Hotel.
Rizzo replaces Stephen Bittel, who was elected as the party’s chairman less than a year ago but abruptly quit last month after being accused by female workers and consultants of creating an uncomfortable work atmosphere.
Rizzo has been the chairwoman of the Palm Beach Democrats since 2012. In her acceptance speech, she said she began her journey in the state party as a volunteer on John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004. She later won election as precinct committeewoman and then as the county vice chairwoman, before becoming the leader of the Palm Beach Democrats shortly before the 2012 presidential election.
“This is what the Democratic Party should be like, where people can start at the bottom and rise to the top,” Rizzo said, adding she was “overwhelmed and very humbled” by her election.
At one time, four major candidates, all women, were vying to replace Bittel.
But within the last week, Monica Russo, the statewide head of the Service Employees International Union, dropped out, criticizing the byzantine party rules governing the process. Russo endorsed Patel.
On Saturday the field narrowed to two candidates, when Alma Gonzalez, a state committeewoman from Hillsborough County, threw her support to Rizzo.
With the Democrats trying to reclaim the governor’s office and defend U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s seat next year as well as contend for state Cabinet seats and a host of legislative races, Gonzalez said party unity is critical for success.
“The reality for us is to recover and re-engage and regain our momentum. We cannot be divided in this party,” Gonzalez said. “There are external forces coming at us and we must be focused on that rather than on the inside.”
The margin of Rizzo’s win over Patel does not obscure the fact that party activists remain divided, going back to division between the two Democratic presidential candidates in 2016, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
Patel, a Sanders delegate to the Democratic National Convention, said she looks “forward to talking to Terrie and figuring out the road forward.”
“This is our party and we’re not going anywhere,” Patel said, saying she ran for the leadership post to make sure “the voice of the people is heard and not just the voices of the people who have been given power in the party.”
Rizzo, who in her prior role as the head of all the county Democratic party leaders has worked with Patel, said she will reach out to all the factions in the party including the Sanders supporters.
“We need that voice moving forward,” Rizzo said in an interview with The News Service of Florida. “We all have common values. It’s just a matter of how you get there.”
As for taking over a party organization after the last leader was accused of inappropriate behavior, Rizzo said: “There will be zero tolerance for sexual harassment moving forward. We will review it and institute policy procedures to handle that.”
Rizzo also acknowledged other problems, including lagging finances for the state party.
“There are obviously some challenges,” she said.
Rizzo’s supporters note that when she took over the Palm Beach organization, the local party was in debt. In the 2016 cycle, Rizzo helped raise over $600,000 for her county party operation, without using paid staff or consultants, according to the state party.
Christian Ulvert, a veteran Democratic strategist, said he has been impressed by Rizzo’s work in Palm Beach, which has the third highest number of registered Democrats in the state.
“She can replicate a successful (county) model at the state level,” he said.
Ulvert, who is advising Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine, said Democrats have been successful in 2017 races, including a state Senate seat in Miami-Dade County, by “tapping into the anxiety voters feel over President Trump’s agenda.”
“I think Terrie is well positioned to understand that strategy and also offer a forward-looking vision that Democrats can really rally around,” Ulvert said. “She’s done it in Palm Beach.”
Rizzo, 70, spent more than four decades working in health and fitness fields, including managing health and fitness education programs at Stanford University.
She and her husband, Mike, have been married more than 45 years. They have a married son and two grandchildren, who live in California.
As part of the election process, Florida Democrats also made history on Saturday by electing Judy Mount, the former vice chairwoman of the state party, as the interim party chairwoman. Mount presided over Rizzo’s election.
Mount is the first African-American woman to lead the Florida Democrats, said Johanna Cervone, a spokeswoman for the state party.
“We are grateful for her dedication and leadership,” Cervone said.
by Llody Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Toyz For Kidz Bike Ride Provides For Needy Kids (With Photo Gallery)
December 10, 2017
Santa had some very special helpers Saturday as the LA Bikers rolled through Bratt, Flomaton and Atmore making sure that dozens of needy kids had presents for Christmas this year.
It was the 17th annual Toyz For Kidz Ride organized by the LA Bikers.
Dozens of children received new bicycles and helmets, clothes, shoes and lots of toys. Dozens of bikers took part in the event with stops at Bratt Elementary, Flomaton and the Atmore City Hall. The bikers also made large donation to the Atmore Fire Department’s toy drive.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Children received Christmas gifts from Santa Claus Saturday morning at Bratt Elementary School thanks to the LA Bikers Toyz For Kidz Ride. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Thousands Attend Atmore Twilight Christmas Parade
December 10, 2017
Thousands attended the annual Atmore Twilight Christmas Parade Saturday night. The parade featured over two dozen lighted floats, twirlers, antique cars, bands, marchers, Santa Claus and more.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Scenes from the Atmore Christmas Parade Saturday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Argos Advance To National Championship Knocking Off No. 1 IUP 27-17
December 10, 2017
The UWF Football team continues to author up new ways to amaze the college football world. Saturday it was a dominating 27-17 performance at top-seeded and previously unbeaten Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the NCAA Division II National Semifinals.
The win put the Argonauts into next week’s national championship game for the first time in program history – a history that is still just 25 games old.
UWF improved to 11-3 on the season and ended IUP’s 18-game home winning streak that began in 2015 – 11 months before UWF even played its first-ever game.
The Argonauts turned in their most productive rushing show of the season with 224 yards behind an offensive line that pushed around the Crimson Hawks with regularity. Chris Schwarz established school records with 29 carries and 175 yards, with 141 by halftime.
Mike Beaudry was a very efficient 15-of-23 for 152 yards with a pair of touchdowns.
The Argonauts took the opening kickoff and chewed up more than seven minutes of time, with its offensive line sending the message that it would be the more physical unit. While that series didn’t yield any points, UWF did score on its next two possessions – with both scores coming on short fields. The defense held the Crimson Hawks to minus-three yards on a three-and-out in the first series, before Andre Duncombe intercepted the Lenny Williams on their fourth play of the game.
A 7-yard Schwarz run started the scoring for UWF and Austin Williams set the Gulf South Conference record for field goals in a season when he connected on a 30-yarder – his 24th in 2017.
Tate Lehtio grabbed a short pass from Beaudry with 26 seconds left in the half to send the unranked Argos into the locker room with a 17-0 lead. UWF had outgained IUP 122-63 at that point
The Argonauts continued to capitalize on Hawks mistakes, taking over deep in IUP territory early in the third following a bad punt snap. Beaudry needed just seven plays to pilot another scoring drive, finding Kevin Grant just inside the side of the end zone from 15 yards out.
IUP came charging back and cut the UWF lead to 24-17 with three scores, ending on a Dillon Sarka 19-yard field goal early in the fourth.
Again, UWF went back to the ground game and compiled a 7-minute, 39-second drive with another Williams field goal to extend the margin back to two possessions and 4:37 remaining in the game.
The defense forced the Crimson Hawks to turn the ball over on downs twice to complete the neutralizing of one of the top offenses in the country. UWF held IUP to 242 yards of offense – 229 below their season average. The Hawks’ sixth-ranked rushing attack managed 156 yards after posting 263 per game.
UWF will face eight-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce in the national title game on Saturday, Dec. 16 in Kansas City, Kan. Kickoff at Children’s Mercy Park is set for 5:00 p.m. Central time.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Barrineau Park Historical Society Holds Annual Christmas Dinner
December 10, 2017
The Barrineau Park Historical Society held their annual Christmas Dinner Saturday night. The group enjoyed a great meal, singing and more. Guest speaker was Dr. Brian Rucker of Pensacola who talked about ordinary life in Pensacola before and after the Civil War. Photos by Bonnie Exner for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
December 10, 2017
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- State Road (S.R.) 742 (Creighton Road) Construction Improvement Project from east of Davis Highway to Scenic Highway – Intermittent and alternating lane closures between Davis Highway and Scenic Highway from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 through Saturday, Dec. 16 continue as crews perform milling and paving operations, curb replacement, sidewalk repairs, and Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades. The new traffic signal at Creighton Road and Lanier Drive will be activated on Tuesday, December 12 at approximately 10 a.m. Drivers are advised to use caution when approaching the newly signalized intersection.
- Interstate 10 (I-10) / U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I – - The following traffic impacts are planned on I-10 and U.S. 29 near the interchange (Exits 10A and 10B) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 through Thursday, Dec. 14:
- Alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound and U.S. 29 north and southbound.
- The U.S. 29 on-ramps to I-10 eastbound will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured on U.S. 29 to access I-10 eastbound.
- The exit ramp from I-10 westbound to U.S. 29 south (Exit 10A) will be intermittently closed. Traffic will be detoured to U.S. 29 north (Exit 10B).
- Alternating lane closures on the I-10 westbound exit ramp to U.S. 29 north (Exit 10B).
- I-10 Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge – Alternating lane closures on Scenic Highway northbound, between Whisper Way and the Scenic Highway overpass, from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the week of Monday, Dec. 11 as crews install guardrail.
- U.S. 29 Widening from I-10 to Nine Mile Road – Drivers traveling U.S. 29 between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 11 through Saturday, Dec. 16 as crews perform drainage operations.
- S.R. 4 over Wilson Branch Creek and East Relief Routine Bridge Maintenance- Eastbound traffic on S.R. 4 can expect lane restrictions to occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12 as crews perform a routine inspection on the bridges located over Wilson Branch Creek, 2.7 miles east of U.S. 29 and East Relief, three miles east of U.S. 29.
- Nine Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest Road to U.S. 29- Alternating lane closures continue on Untrainer Avenue as crews perform jack and bore operations.
- S.R. 4 over Escambia River Bridge Routine Bridge Inspection- Traffic on State Road 4, will be reduced to one lane, 1/2 mile east of U.S. 29, over the Escambia River from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13 as crews perform a routine bridge inspection.
Santa Rosa County:
- I-10 Widening from Escambia Bay Bridge to Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281/Exit 22) - Alternating lane closures on I-10, from the Escambia Bay Bridge to east of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22), from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 through Friday, Dec. 15 as crews work to widen the roadway. In addition, alternating lane closures on Avalon Boulevard, near the I-10 interchange, as crews reconstruct the overpass.
- U.S. 90 Roadway Testing over Simpson River- Beginning Monday, Dec. 11 and continuing through Thursday, Dec. 21 east and westbound traffic over Simpson River can expect intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday through Thursday as crews perform roadway testing.
- S.R. 87 Pipe Maintenance from Laredo Street to Nevada Street- Drivers can expect intermittent lane restrictions from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Dec. 11 through Thursday, Dec. 14 as crews continue to seal and line existing pipes.
- S.R. 87 Multilane from Eglin AFB boundary to Hickory Hammock Road – Traffic between County Road 184 (Hickory Hammock Road) and the Eglin AFB boundary is restricted to loads less than 11-feet wide. The restriction will be in place until the project is complete.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Workman Out, Brown Down
December 10, 2017
Christmas trees have been hoisted inside the House and Senate chambers, but lawmakers won’t be around to spread the holiday cheer.
They’ve scattered to the three corners of the state and burgs throughout the peninsula for a month-long break before the 2018 legislative session dawns on Jan. 9.
For many, especially those in the Senate, the hiatus couldn’t come soon enough.
The upper chamber, and indeed the Capitol, continued to be roiled by a wave of sexual harassment allegations that this week ended the career of a utility regulator before it even began.
Meanwhile, the drama surrounding accusations of sexual misconduct lodged against Sen. Jack Latvala continued to escalate.
A Senate aide who accused the Clearwater Republican of groping her on numerous occasions hired an armed security guard to accompany her in the Capitol. A defiant Latvala told reporters he’s done nothing wrong and refuses to be run out of town with his reputation in ruins.
But the Legislature did manage to get some work done amid the spectacle of an investigation and accusations of sexual misbehavior.
The Senate effectively put the kibosh on a series of gun bills, drawing the wrath of National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer. The House started sifting through more than 100 post-hurricane proposals, ranging from a “gold standard for evacuation” to the use of cruise ships to ferry folks out of the Keys. And House Speaker Richard Corcoran — who has two teenage children with driver licenses — started pushing a measure that would make texting while driving a primary offense.
Still, some insiders are griping that the focus on the Latvala investigation — and whispers about which lawmaker might be next — has made it nearly impossible to get much accomplished.
Senate President Joe Negron, however, disputed that notion during an interview Friday with The News Service of Florida.
“That’s not what I see. I’m visiting with senators constantly and talking about projects. There are bills being referenced (to committees),” the Stuart Republican said. “A lot of bills have been filed. Committee meetings are moving forward. Some bills have been voted down. Some bills have been voted up. So, I think that the people’s business is being done.”
FINISHED BEFORE HE STARTED
Even before he was sworn in, the business of being a utility regulator is done for Ritch Workman, a former state representative picked by Gov. Rick Scott for a post on the Public Service Commission.
Workman, who was scheduled to start the job next month, withdrew after Senate Rules Chairwoman Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, said he manhandled her at a charity event last year.
Workman’s appointment to the Public Service Commission would have been subject to Senate confirmation, and Benacquisto said she wouldn’t put his appointment on her committee’s agenda because of his “abhorrent” behavior more than a year ago.
Workman, a Melbourne Republican who once moonlighted as an Uber driver in Tallahassee, “approached me from behind, pushed his body up against me and made vulgar and inappropriate gestures,” Benacquisto said in a statement, describing the incident.
Benacquisto, who has said publicly that she was raped as a teenager, said she immediately asked Workman to stop, but he continued to make the comments and gestures until others intervened.
An emotional Workman told the News Service on Monday he did not recall the incident, but that “the right thing to do is to get out of the way.”
“I have absolutely no recollection of being inappropriate with Sen. Benacquisto. I have nothing but respect and admiration for her. It breaks my heart that this has come out like this because it’s not the kind of person that I am,” he said.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT HEATS UP
The controversy swirling around Latvala has continued to intensify, with lawyers on both sides releasing text-message exchanges they believed bolstered their positions and a Democratic senator accusing the veteran lawmaker of misconduct in his response to sexual harassment accusations filed by a Senate staffer.
Sen. Lauren Book, D-Plantation, filed a complaint against Latvala this week, accusing him of improperly taking steps to “out” the staff member who accused him of harassment. Rachel Perrin Rogers, a chief legislative district aide to Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson, stepped forward and identified herself as one of Latvala’s accusers, saying the Clearwater Republican had essentially revealed her identity to the media without naming her.
Meanwhile, onetime Senate Majority Office staffer Lillian Tysinger, who made a sworn statement backing Latvala, filed a whistleblower complaint last Friday against Perrin Rogers, accusing the aide of creating a hostile work environment.
On Monday, Perrin Rogers showed up to work with an armed security guard, after Negron’s office turned down her request to be accompanied at all times by a Capitol Police or a Florida Department of Law Enforcement officer.
Breaking his silence on Monday, Simpson came out with a strong statement of support for his aide.
“Her tireless work ethic has served the people of my district and the state of Florida well. The incidents alleged in the media are disgusting. Since mid-last week there has been a smear campaign launched against Rachel. It must end immediately,” Simpson, R-Trilby, said.
Latvala, renowned for his gruff and even churlish demeanor, denied retaliating against Perrin Rogers but said he felt obligated to defend himself.
During a lengthy session with a few reporters early this week, he said “there is not really a victim” in the case because “the things that were described (in the complaint) were not done.”
And he blamed his critics of trying to force him out of office.
“The rush to judgment is among people who really don’t want the process to finish. They want me to be tried and convicted before we have the information presented. You know, I am just an old and ornery-enough guy that I am not going to let that happen,” he said.
JUDGE DELIVERS MESSAGE
Describing the fraud as “shameless,” a federal judge Monday sentenced former Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown to five years in prison for her role in a scam that involved using charitable contributions for personal expenses and events.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan, came after Brown was convicted in May on 18 felony counts. Corrigan also sentenced to prison Brown’s longtime chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, and a woman who started the purported charity, Carla Wiley.
In a 25-page sentencing order, Corrigan said the One Door for Education charity, which was originally established to help children, was “operated as a criminal enterprise” by Brown, Simmons and Wiley. He detailed how the charity raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, which forensic accountants said was siphoned off in cash withdrawals and used for such things as sky box seats at an NFL game and a luxury box at a Beyonce concert.
“These defendants systematically looted One Door funds which otherwise would have been available to help deserving children,” Corrigan said in the sentencing order. “Just think of the good that could have been done with that money if it had been used for its proper purpose.”
The sentencing was a final step in the downfall of Brown, 71, long an influential figure in Jacksonville politics and the city’s African-American community. The 12-term congresswoman, whose district stretched from Jacksonville to Orlando, was also a master of constituent services, using “Corrine Delivers” as a slogan to tout her ability to bring home projects and services.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Ritch Workman, appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to the Public Service Commission, withdrew after Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto accused him of “abhorrent” behavior towards her at a charity event a year ago.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “It’s like I don’t even exist here anymore. They will not return my calls. They will not return my lawyer’s calls.” — Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, on being shunned by Senate leaders in the midst of investigations into alleged sexual harassment.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Photo Gallery: More Great Snow Photos
December 9, 2017
Here are more snow photos from NorthEscambia.com and our readers.
Click here for a photo gallery.
Click here for a previous (mostly night) photo gallery.
NorthEscambia.com and reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Ice On Highway 29 Bridge Leads To Fatal Crash, Road Closure
December 9, 2017
Ice on a Highway 29 bridge in McDavid led to two serious crashes Saturday morning, one of which claimed the life of a woman.
The accident happened on the northbound Highway 29 bridge over Mitchell Creek, just north of the McDavid Fire Station about 7:45 a.m. The driver of a car lost control and rotated off the roadway and into the ditch and a large pine tree. A passerby in a SUV reportedly stopped to assist, when the driver of a Ford Ranger, 73-year old Mary Adams of Pensacola, lost control on the ice and crashed into the SUV.
Adams as trapped in the vehicle until being extricated by firefighters. She was later pronounced deceased on scene by Escambia County EMS.
The northbound Mitchell Creek Bridge on Highway 29 was closed after the crash, as was the Canoe Creek Bridge on Highway 29 for well over an hour until a FDOT crew could arrive and spread sand. Due to the traffic crash investigation, only one northbound lane was opened.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Escambia County EMS, the McDavid and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the wrecks.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Snowfall Delivers Rare South Alabama, Northwest Florida Sight (With Photo Gallery)
December 9, 2017
It was a rare sight across the North Escambia area early Saturday morning with a blanket of snow across south Alabama and portion of Northwest Florida.
Snowfall totals ranged from just a dusting in southern Escambia County, FL, to 1.25 inches in Bratt, to several inches in Escambia County, AL.
For dozens of NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos from across the area, click here for a photo gallery.
To submitted additional photos, email news@northescambia.com or upload on our Facebook or tag @northescambia on Twitter. We expect to publish additional snowfall photos during the day on Saturday.
Pictured: Snow early Saturday morning in Century (top – NorthEscambia.com photo)) and (in order going down the page) Bratt, Cantonment, Molino, Century, Bratt, Poarch, Atmore and Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com and reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
