Florida Gov’t 2017 Roundup: Turbulent Times In Tallahassee
December 31, 2017
Scandal, storms and sniping were the hallmarks of 2017 in Florida, where political squalls and natural disasters created havoc in the Capitol and sent tremors through the Sunshine State.
The resignations of not one, not two, but three state senators, the impacts of hurricanes Irma and Maria and infighting among Republican lawmakers were just some of the highlights of a year to which many are eager to bid adieu and perhaps even more wish never happened at all.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT, PARTS I AND II
The political drama that gripped the Senate and rocked the Capitol this fall is atypical of an election off-year.
But the scandal that eventually forced out one of the Legislature’s most powerful members mirrored the ignominies that brought down powerful men in the media, in the movies and in boardrooms across the country.
The toppling of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexually assaulting or harassing dozens of women, and the ensuing #MeToo social-media campaign emboldened women to tell stories of abuse or inappropriate treatment that remained under wraps in state capitols like Florida’s — among other work environs populated by powerful men — in some cases for decades.
In Florida, the focus on sexual conduct began in late October with the resignation of former state Sen. Jeff Clemens, who left the Legislature after admitting he had an extramarital affair with a lobbyist. Clemens, a Lake Worth Democrat who resigned after a report in Politico Florida about the dalliance, was slated to take over as leader of the Senate Democrats following the 2018 elections.
Instead, constituents in his District 31 will remain without a senator until after the legislative session ends in March.
Before Capitol insiders even caught their breath following Clemens’s resignation, an even-more prominent senator — Jack Latvala — was in the spotlight.
For years, Latvala flexed his muscle as a power broker, often putting the brakes on right-wing priorities of his fellow Republicans and championing legislation that benefited teachers, firefighters, cops and prison guards.
But the Clearwater Republican likely will go down in history as a villain accused of engaging in a pattern of sexual harassment and possibly breaking ethics rules and laws.
To the end, Latvala steadfastly maintained his innocence, pointing the finger for his downfall at political foes and even a special master brought in to investigate the senator’s alleged wrongdoing.
Latvala, 66, announced his resignation Dec. 20, less than a day after Special Master Ronald Swanson, a former judge, recommended a criminal probe into allegations that the longtime lawmaker had promised legislative favors for sex.
Latvala quit amid increasing pressure — including from Gov. Rick Scott — to step down after Swanson found probable cause to support allegations that the senator had repeatedly groped Senate aide Rachel Perrin Rogers and engaged in a pattern of making unwelcome remarks about women’s bodies.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is handling a preliminary inquiry into allegations of possible public corruption.
The inquiry is based on Swanson’s findings related to an unidentified former lobbyist. Swanson found that the testimony of the former lobbyist and text-message exchanges between the senator and the woman indicated that Latvala may have violated ethics rules as well as “laws prohibiting public corruption” by agreeing to support the lobbyist’s legislative priorities if she would have sex with him or “allowed him to touch her body in a sexual manner.”
Latvala — a churlish and sometimes crass curmudgeon — has been a political player for four decades. He returned to the Senate in 2010 after an earlier stint that ended because of term limits.
But his political fortunes quickly plummeted in the aftermath of the revelations. Less than two months ago, he held the powerful title of Senate appropriations chairman, a post he lost after the allegations were made public.
In his resignation letter to Senate President Joe Negron, Latvala condemned the process that resulted in Swanson’s damning report. The resignation is effective Jan. 5, four days before the start of the 2018 legislative session.
An unyielding Latvala — painted as a vindictive bully by witnesses — took some parting shots at Negron in what might have been his final words to the Senate, saying he hated to leave his constituents in the lurch.
Latvala’s woes may not be over, due to the criminal investigation and a possible civil lawsuit by Perrin Rogers, who took to social media following the senator’s resignation announcement.
Perrin Rogers, whose Twitter avatar is Wonder Woman, said she came forward “as the mother of a son.”
“I could no longer look myself in the mirror; I could no longer in good faith encourage him to have courage and be kind,” she tweeted on Dec. 21. “Because having courage means standing up against wrongdoing. Especially when others are in harm’s way. To the women who have been harmed, I offer support, love and strength.”
SEXUAL HARASSMENT, PART III
In the midst of the Latvala inquiry, allegations of sexual harassment ended the career of a utility regulator before it even began.
Ritch Workman, a former state representative picked by Scott for a spot on the Public Service Commission, withdrew from the job 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 was slated to take effect in January and would have been subject to later Senate confirmation. 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, “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 of Florida 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.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF HARASSMENT
Long before the #MeToo cultural revolution began, another state senator was forced to resign after a profanity-tinged and racially charged outburst at a private club near the Capitol.
Miami Republican Frank Artiles left the Senate after the 2017 legislative session began and less than six months after he defeated incumbent Democrat Dwight Bullard in a brutal contest for the newly redrawn District 40 seat.
The former House member — a tough-talking, U.S. Marine veteran who earned the moniker “Frank the Tank” from fellow lawmakers — stepped down amid a Senate investigation into reports that he had insulted two black colleagues and others at the members-only club.
Artiles faced widespread condemnation for a rant that reportedly included calling Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville, “girl,” a “bitch,” and a “f—ing ass—-.” Artiles also reportedly used the word “niggers” or “niggas,” though he contended that he did not direct the word at anyone in particular.
“It is clear to me my recent actions and words that I spoke fell far short of what I expect for myself, and for this I am very sorry. I apologize to my friends and I apologize to all of my fellow senators and lawmakers. To the people of my district and all of Miami-Dade, I am sorry I have let you down and ask for your forgiveness,” Artiles wrote in a resignation letter to Negron, R-Stuart.
‘CARDIAC KIDS’ MAKE PEACE
Lawmakers were forced to return to the Capitol for a June special session after Scott — who could be gearing up for a U.S. Senate run next year — vetoed the state’s public-education funding formula that had been included in a budget passed a month earlier.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran spent much of this year’s 60-day regular session on a legislative jihad against the economic-development agency Enterprise Florida and tourism-marketer Visit Florida. Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, clashed frequently with Scott about the agencies.
Among the speaker’s more prominent complaints about Visit Florida was a $1 million deal with Miami rapper Pitbull, along with sponsorships of Fulham Football Club in England and the Visit Florida racing team.
After months of bickering between Scott and Corcoran, the June special session focused on funding for public schools and economic development.
But the special session quickly devolved into another opportunity for an intra-party boxing match, with Democrats gleefully painting a narrative of dysfunctional Republican leadership and rumors of a special session collapse.
Hours after the session seemed on the verge of falling apart, legislative leaders and Scott struck an agreement salvaging their priorities but setting off renewed criticism over backroom dealing. Among other things, lawmakers pumped more dollars into public schools, agreed on money for Visit Florida and set up a new economic-development fund.
Lawmakers also approved legislation setting the framework for the state’s growing medical-marijuana industry after a voter-approved constitutional amendment broadly legalized the product.
The deal emerged after a 30-minute harangue on the penultimate day of the week-long session by Negron, who told reporters that the Senate would need more concessions from Scott and the House for the session to end successfully.
That led many observers to predict that lawmakers might miss a deadline to end the special session, much as they needed overtime to finish the state budget in May following a similarly chaotic process during the regular session.
But on the final day of the special session, out of the backrooms came a compromise that Scott, Corcoran and Negron supported.
“We call ourselves the cardiac kids,” Corcoran told reporters. “We get you guys all worked up, and then we come to a nice smooth landing and we accomplish a tremendous amount of policy.”
CELEBRATION, THEN SCANDALS
State Senate Democrats had some celebrating to do, at least for a while, after a closely watched victory in the race to replace Artiles.
In a campaign viewed as a litmus test of President Donald Trump and Florida Democrats’ ability to make gains in local and statewide elections next year, Miami businesswoman Annette Taddeo coasted to victory, defeating former state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, a Republican who stepped down from his House seat to run for the Senate.
Taddeo’s victory in Senate District 40 bolstered the hopes of Democrats, who have been outnumbered in the Senate for more than two decades, as they prepare to combat Republicans in local and statewide races in 2018.
But fallout from sexual harassment scandals quickly put the damper on Florida Democrats’ revelry.
Clemens, who was in charge of fundraising for Senate Democrats and took some of the credit for Taddeo’s win, walked away from the Legislature in late October.
Less than a month later, then-Florida Democratic Party Chairman Stephen Bittel abruptly resigned. The hurried exit of Bittel, a veteran fundraiser chosen to head the state party in January after a fractious leadership contest, came hours after a news report accused him of creating an uncomfortable work environment by leering at women and making suggestive remarks.
BLOWING IN THE WIND
State officials have yet to put an overall price tag on Florida’s costs from Irma, which left destruction from the Keys to Jacksonville.
But the historic storm caused an estimated $2.5 billion hit on crops and agriculture facilities, $6.55 billion in insured losses and a more-than $1 billion price tag for utility customers to cover the costs of power restoration.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam’s department estimated in October that the state’s already-reeling citrus industry took a $761 million hit from Hurricane Irma. Since then, a number of lawmakers and Putnam said the damage estimate has grown to possibly more than $1 billion, as fruit continued to fall early from trees that were flooded by the September storm.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Maria — which battered Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands — also had a major impact on Florida, as evacuees from the territories continue to flood into the state.
According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, more than 269,000 people have traveled from Puerto Rico to Florida in the past three months, but it is unknown how many are considered to have relocated from the island. More than 10,000 Puerto Rican children have enrolled in Florida schools since the storm.
Nearly one-third of the island remains without power, and water supplies are getting worse, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Hospitals also remain in disrepair, according to a report by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who visited the island Thursday.
“The people of Puerto Rico are our fellow American citizens. They should not be treated like they’re being treated. It’s just not right,” Nelson tweeted.
STORY OF THE YEAR: Allegations of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct roiled the Capitol, resulting in Clearwater Republican Jack Latvala and Lake Worth Democrat Jeff Clemens resigning from the Senate and former Rep. Ritch Workman withdrawing from an appointment to the Public Service Commission.
QUOTE OF THE YEAR: “But I have had enough. If this is the process our party and Senate leadership desires, then I have no interest in continuing to serve with you. I, therefore, will resign my seat in the Florida Senate at midnight, January 5, 2018.” Clearwater Republican Jack Latvala, in a Dec. 20 letter to Senate President Joe Negron.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Four Rescued From Escambia River Saturday Night
December 31, 2017
Four people were rescued from the Escambia River near Barth north of Molino Saturday evening.
Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS responded to North Barth Road along he Escambia River about 5:43 p.m. after receiving reports that a boat had capsized or overturned in the river. Rescue craft were launched by the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Santa Rosa County.
An adult male was located on top of an overturned boat about a quarter mile from the North Barth Road location. He was rescued, along with three people on the river bank, just before 7 p.m.
The man was reportedly in good condition and evaluated on scene by Escambia County EMS. He reportedly refused transport to the hospital.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
North Escambia’s Top 10 Stories Of 2017
December 31, 2017
Here our picks for the Top 10 North Escambia Stories of 2017. The list was compiled to include those stories that were “big news”, had a great influence on the North Escambia area, had the most views on NorthEscambia.com or our social media sites during 2017.
10. The Sun Also Rises
There’s nothing like a North Escambia sunrise or sunset…we have some of the most amazing displays in the world. That was evidenced in 2017 by the tremendous traffic generated by simple sunrise and sunset photos we published on NorthEscambia.com, on Facebook and Twitter. One of our favorites — a November sunrise at Lake Stone near Century is pictured above.
9. Traffic Accidents
Numerous traffic accidents topped the headlines in 2017, but not received quite the attention of James Nevels’ mid-December accident on Highway 29 in Molino . Nevels was in his Ford F-150 as he rear-ended the logs on the back of the 18-wheeler on Highway 29 just south of Barrineau Park Road. The pictures published by NorthEscambia.com were simply heart-stopping, showing multiple logs that completely penetrated the cab of the pickup, missing Nevels by mere inches. The truck was heavily damaged in the crash. Nevels was uninjured.
8. Snow In Florida
North Escambia actually made international news in December with a rare two to three inch Florida snowfall. The winter weather wasn’t all fun and games, claiming one life in a traffic accident at an icy Highway 29 bridge in McDavid.
7. Century Government, Apartments
Newly elected Mayor Henry Hawkins took office in Century, saying he was doing businesses differently and was out to put a stop to the town losing money. Utility rates were raised as town officials pointed out serious infrastructure failures and shortcomings. Construction was underway on a $10 million, 50 unit apartment complex, the biggest economic project in Century in decades as the town began to battle developers over water and sewer fees.
6. Naomi Jones, Local Murders
Robert Letroy Howard was arrested for the murder of 12-year old Naomi Jone in June. Jones disappeared May 31 from an apartment complex on East Johnson Avenue; her body round in a creek. The remains of missing private investigator Taylor Wright were found on the Cantonment family property of Ashley McArthur, who has been charged – $34,000 of the victim’s money was allegedly spent before her death. And the hunt continues for the killer of Anna Louise Brown, also known as Anna Louise Brown Vega, whose body was found on Gibson Road (pictured above).
5. Tate Coach Sexual Assaults
Former Tate High football coach and church youth leader Charlie Maybern Hamrick was been found guilty on six counts of child sexual assault and sentenced to six life sentences. The abuse incidents occurred at a Cantonment church and in the Tate High School locker room.
4. There Goes The Sun
The North Escambia area came to a stop to view a solar eclipse in August, like the Northview High School students pictured above.
3. Billy Boyette, Mary Rice Manhunt
Four people were allegedly murdered by Billy Boyette and Mary Rice in 2017, putting the entire area on edge during a massive week-long manhunt. Boyette killed himself as law enforcement surrounded their hotel room in Georgia. Rice is awaiting trial.
2. Bridge Closures
The North Escambia area was plagued by bridge closures and detours in 2017, especially from Molino north. Several of the closures and construction projects were planned, such as the replacement of a bridge on Molino Road (pictured), while other closures were “emergencies” following state inspections that found the bridges to be failing.
1. International Paper Explosion and Cleanup
Sunday night, January 22, 2017, an explosion tore through the International Paper facility in Cantonment, raining “black liquor” down on Highway 29 and surrounding neighborhoods. Workers in hazmat geared cleaned and scrubbed neighborhoods for weeks in a remediation effort. IP resumed full operations in early April.
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Cantonment Motorcyclist Collides With Escambia County Deputy
December 31, 2017
A young Cantonment man was cited after a motorcycle collision with an Escambia County deputy Saturday afternoon.
Dawshawn Bonner, 19, was riding an off-road Suzuki motorcycle northbound on Calloway Street about 4:09 p.m. when he crossed the center line into a path of an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Tahoe, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Bonner lost control of the motorcycle, causing it to slide under the ECSO Tahoe, trooper said. Bonner received minor injuries and was transported to Baptist Hospital; the deputy was not injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol charged Bonner with driving a motorcycle with no endorsement and careless driving.
Pictured: An Escambia County deputy and an off-road motorcycle collided Saturday in Cantonment. Photos courtesy Alonzo McNeal for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Rolls Out Redesigned, More Secure Driver’s Licenses
December 31, 2017
Colorful high-tech driver’s licenses and state identification cards, designed for added security and to cut down on fake IDs, are rolling out across Florida in 2018
But unless it’s time to update a card because of an expiration date or a name or address change, there’s no need to rush out for a new ID.
“We are in the middle of reaching out to all of our stakeholders, and letting them know how to identify the new card, this is what it looks like, these are some of the security features you can look for,” said Alexis Bakofsky, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. “Starting January 1, 2018, it will be the only credential that is issued in Florida.”
Intended in part to crack down on fake licenses, the state agency expects to spend $460,000 to complete the statewide rollout. The money comes from the state’s Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund.
The agency did not provide information on how much it has spent on the redesign.
The card features nearly double the number of security features as the current card, Bakofsky said.
“Some you’ll see. Some you will not see,” Bakofsky said. “That is to maintain security so that a law enforcement officer, or anyone who needs to authenticate that credential, can safely do so.”
Each card will have better safeguards, from features that appear only when viewed under ultraviolet light to a pastel-colored linear rendering of the Florida state seal and a large orange “FL.”
A head shot of the person who has been issued the card will appear in four locations, including one that is a part of a transparent background.
A red box will be affixed to the front for people under 21, stating when the cardholder will reach that age.
The back features an image of the state of Florida, the year 1845 in reference to the year of Florida’s statehood and the word “Florida” amid blue lines representing ocean waves.
The information on the card will also be linked through two barcodes and a magnetic stripe on the back.
The state is working on a new feature to replace the magnetic stripe in 2019.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Old Fashioned Wagon Train Riding Slowly Toward The New Year (Gallery)
December 30, 2017
An old-fashioned trail ride set out Friday from Bratt, headed south through North Escambia to greet the new year — and help a friend in need.
The New Years wagon train left a home on Breastworks Road, stopping for lunch at Crossroads Grocery at the Bratt Crossroads. Participants used the stop as a chance to load up last minute supplies and have lunch, the smell of grilled food waffling through the cool midday air as they grilled up some grub.
Riders then headed north on North Highway 99 to take less traveled roads like Oakshade and Pine Barren on their way to Molino and a New Year’s dinner and party at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
They will also hold a baked goods auction to raise money to help friend Doug Poston. He had a stroke a few months back and has been out of work since while he recovers. And that’s just the way it works on the wagon train, where everyone is a friend, a part of the family, as the world passes by at two or three miles per hour.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FHP Conducts Roadside Checkpoint On Nine Mile Road
December 30, 2017
The Florida Highway Patrol conducted a roadside checkpoint on Nine Mile Road Friday night from 8:00 until about midnight at Baron Miller Road (between Walmart and Kohls). There were scheduled to be about 30 uniformed officers participating, along with support personnel from the local Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter.
During the operation, vehicles were stopped to check for driver impairment with roadside sobriety testing performed on site.
Statistics from the checkpoint, including the number of citations and arrests, were not immediately available.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lawmakers Look To Boost Scholarship Programs
December 30, 2017
For Florida residents, attending a state university or college is a bargain.
This academic year, in-state students at Florida’s 12 universities will pay an average of $6,091 in tuition and fees for 30 credit hours, which is nearly 40 percent below the national average of $9,970 for four-year public schools, according to the College Board.
At Florida’s 28 state colleges, full-time students will pay an average of $3,205 in tuition and fees, which is 10 percent below the national average of $3,570, according to the College Board.
And when the Florida Legislature convenes its 2018 session on Jan. 9, lawmakers are expected to further ease the financial burden by expanding merit- and need-based aid.
The scholarship expansions are part of Senate President Joe Negron’s initiative to improve the quality and accessibility of Florida’s higher-education system.
Lawmakers backed most of the higher-education package in the 2017 session, although some of the changes were lost when Gov. Rick Scott vetoed a bill after raising concerns about its impact on the state college system.
Legislation (SB 4) that will be on the Senate floor early in the 2018 session would make permanent an expansion in Bright Futures scholarships and would authorize programs that recognize high-performing graduate schools and efforts to hire top-level faculty and researchers at state universities. The bill would also hold universities to a four-year graduation standard in performance funding.
“I’m very encouraged and very optimistic we will get that done,” Negron, R-Stuart, said in an interview with The News Service of Florida.
Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who oversees higher-education spending in the Senate, said the initiative reflects “a real desire to make sure no one has an obstacle to obtaining a higher education.”
“We’re going to do two things at once,” said Galvano, who is sponsoring the main Senate bill. “We’re going to create much greater access, which in the end results in a more qualified workforce and more innovation in the economy. And the other thing is we are going to heighten the (quality) level of the institutions that we have in the state of Florida.”
Several provisions in the bill affect the 94,000 students who have merit-based Bright Futures scholarships.
One measure would make permanent a decision to cover 100 percent of tuition and fees for the top-performing Bright Futures students, who are known as “academic scholars.” The bill also includes $300 for books for both the fall and spring semesters and would allow academic scholars to use the scholarships during the summer.
A new provision, which was not included in the 2017 legislation, would also boost Bright Futures scholarships for “medallion” scholars, who currently receive $77 for each credit hour. Credit hours average more than $200 across the system.
The bill would expand the scholarships to 75 percent of the tuition and fees, or $159 for each credit hour.
The legislation, with the support of Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, would also allow medallion scholars to use their scholarships during the summer.
The medallion scholarship expansion would cost some $77 million, with an additional $27.6 million for the summer semesters beginning in 2019, according to Senate analysts.
Lawmakers are also expected to build on a need-based aid expansion, which boosted the Florida Student Assistance Grant program by $121 million and expanded coverage to some 234,824 students this year, an increase of more than 122,000 students receiving the aid.
The grants, which average $1,147 per student this year, are used on top of federally funded Pell grants, which are awarded based on family income levels.
The new legislation also would double the state’s match for students in the “First Generation” grant program, which helps students with financial need who come from families where parents have not earned college degrees.
In the 2016-17 academic year, 8,361 university and state college students received the awards, which averaged $1,270, although another 15,442 students were eligible but did not receive funding.
The program is particularly important to state colleges, which have the majority of students who qualify for the program.
Another provision in the bill, which was advanced by Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, would create a scholarship program to cover full tuition and fees for students from farmworker families.
The program, which would cost some $500,000, would award up to 50 scholarships per year.
At the university level, another measure in the bill could impact student finances.
The legislation would require state universities to develop a “block tuition” program by the fall of 2018. In such a program, students would pay a flat rate each semester rather than paying for classes on a credit-hour basis.
For instance, a student could pay a fee representing 15 credit hours but take classes totaling 18 or more credit hours, which would represent a savings.
However, if a student paid a fee representing 15 credit hours but took only 12 hours of classes, it would represent a financial penalty.
by The News Service of Florida
Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
December 30, 2017
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings for the week of January 1-5:
Monday, Jan. 1
County offices closed – New Year’s Day
Wednesday, Jan. 3
Board of County Commissioners and International Association of EMTs and Paramedics Bargaining Meeting – 10:30 a.m., Escambia County Public Safety Building, 6575 N. “W” St., Meeting Room 222
Development Review Committee - 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Board of County Commissioners and International Association of Firefighters Bargaining Meeting – 2:30 p.m., Escambia County Public Safety Building, 6575 N. “W” St., Meeting Room 222
Thursday, Jan. 4
Board of County Commissioners Executive Session (Amalgamated Transit Union) – 8 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, BCC Conference Room
BCC Agenda Review, Public Forum and Regular Meeting – 9 a.m., 4:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place (Agenda)
Youth Sports Thriving at Escambia County Parks
December 30, 2017
More than 1,000 local youth participated in football and cheerleading this season at Escambia County athletic parks, offering children and teens opportunities to develop athletic skills and make friends in a fun, structured environment.
Through partnerships between the Escambia County Parks and Recreation Department and local youth sports associations, youth participate each fall in football, cheerleading and flag football at several county-owned parks.
Escambia County Parks and Recreation Director Michael Rhodes said the department is proud to partner with local athletic associations to offer sports to local youth, and it wouldn’t be possible without the many volunteers who dedicate their time to the programs.
“The parks and recreation department knows the importance of youth involvement in athletics and other recreation programs and knows the benefits that can be reaped throughout childhood and teenage years when involved in athletics at a young age,” Rhodes said. “Without the volunteer support and long hours put in by these parents, relatives and friends, youth sports in Escambia County would not thrive as it does today.”
And for the kids and teenagers who participate, youth sports represent so much more than just a game, said League Commissioner Brian Reed with the North West Florida Youth Sports Alliance. Just wrapping up its fourth season, the league has about 125 teams in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with more than 4,000 youth ages 5-14 participating, Reed said.
“I don’t think anybody puts enough emphasis on what youth sports does,” Reed said. “It goes beyond just the game…It provides them an activity to do, but I think more than that it’s providing them positive role models, and they’re learning the sport the correct way. I think the guys who are out here involved, they’re out here trying to make a positive influence on the youth.”
Reed said the partnership between the league and the county is essential to keeping football and cheerleading programs running, especially when it comes to maintaining fields so the athletes have a safe place to play. The Escambia County Parks and Recreation Department always works hard to keep up the fields and quickly address any issues as they arise, Reed said.
“They take so much weight off of my guys, the guys that are running these parks,” Reed said. “I don’t know what we would do without the parks and recreation department. Anytime I have an issue or one of my parks has an issue, I just pick up the phone and it’s handled. It’s a priceless, symbiotic relationship.”
Youth football and cheerleading finished their approximately four-month season in November, and the youth flag football league kicked off shortly after at Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.
Along with football teams, each ballpark also has cheerleaders who participate through the Emerald Coast Cheer Association, cheering at each game and taking part in an annual cheer competition. The cheer association has athletes in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, with participants ranging from ages 4-14.
Emerald Coast Cheer Association President Andi DeVito said the program focuses on skill progression, with the rules established to prepare young athletes to enter high school cheer programs.
DeVito said the importance of youth cheerleading and other sports is huge, and she hopes to continue to grow the cheer program in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
“Kids need to have some kind of organized social interaction, whether it’s a sport or some kind of program to be involved in,” DeVito said. “And being involved in community recreational programs makes those kids a part of our community – they’re our future leaders.”
Escambia County provides its facilities to youth sports organizations, and Rhodes said the county is happy to support them in their continuous efforts in the community.
“Ultimately, the parks and recreation department is pleased that we can have parks under our purview that offer several options to parents, whether it be tackle football, flag football, cheerleading, lacrosse or other sports,” Rhodes said. “This supports our goal of being involved in youth sports and its tremendous benefits to young people in our community.”
