Student Athletes Honored At FCA Banquet
November 8, 2017
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes “Go the Distance” Awards were presented recently at a banquet hosted by the First Baptist Church of Pensacola.
Athletes from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were honored for their participation in cross country, golf, swimming and volleyball. The winners were chosen by their teammates based upon their integrity, dedication, character, and FCA values. Each received a medal and congratulations from Congressman Matt Gaetz.
(North Escambia area winners are in bold.)
Go the Distance Award Banquet
Swimming and Cross Country
- East Hill Christian School Girls Cross Country-Katie Blaine
- East Hill Christian School Boys Cross Country-Max Wenzel
- Jay High School Girls Cross Country-Carsen Arrant
- Jay High School Boys Cross Country-Austin Lang
- Gulf Breeze High School Girls Cross Country-Tabitha Labrato
- Gulf Breeze High School Boys Cross Country-Ryan VonBrock
- Gulf Breeze High School Girls Swimming-Abby Wolfe
- Gulf Breeze High School Boys Swimming-Matthew Rodgerson
- Milton High School Girls Cross Country-Caitlyn Frizzell
- Milton High School Boys Cross Country-Brett Kaniper
- Milton High School Girls Swimming-Kyrsten Fehl
- Milton High School Boys Swimming-Alex Ruffini
- Navarre High School Boys Cross Country-Anthony Green
- Navarre High School Girls Swimming-Natalie Roberts
- Navarre High School Boys Swimming-Caedmon Becker
- Northview High School Girls Cross Country-Aurora McCann
- Northview High School Boys Cross Country-Tanner Levins
- Pace High School Girls Cross Country-Evie Spurgin
- Pace High School Girls Swimming-Zoe Hall
- Pace High School Boys Swimming-Ben Quarles
- Pensacola Catholic High School Girls Cross Country-Brianna Wyer
- Pensacola Catholic High School Boys Cross Country-Joey Blake
- Pensacola Catholic High School Girls Swimming-Georgia Smith
- Pensacola Catholic High School Boys Swimming-Ryan Dockery
- Pensacola High School Boys Cross Country-Riley Laggan
- Pine Forest High School Girls Swimming-Savannah Atchley
- Tate High School Girls Cross Country-Riley Orr
- Tate High School Boys Cross Country-Jake Alexander
- Tate High School Girls Swimming-Angelina Barco
- Tate High School Boys Swimming-Paul Ashton
- University of West Florida Girls Swimming-Lacey Radloff
- University of West Florida Girls Cross Country-Jasmine Lee
- University of West Florida Boys Cross Country-Ben Zalanka
- Washington High School Girls Cross Country-Jane Major
- West Florida High School Girls Cross Country-Skylar Grant
- West Florida High School Boys Cross Country-Phillip Gindl
- West Florida High School Girls Swimming-Bryce Howell
- West Florida High School Boys Swimming-Alex Smith
Volleyball and Golf
- East Hill Christian School Volleyball-Lauren Bryan
- Escambia High School Girls Golf-Madeline McCollum
- Escambia High School Boys Golf-Jason Bryant
- Escambia High School Volleyball-Genesis Martinez
- Central School Volleyball, Lindsey Smith
- Gulf Breeze High School Girls Golf-Kasey Richards
- Gulf Breeze High School Boys Golf-Brent Williams
- Gulf Breeze High School Volleyball-Olivia Hepworth
- Jay High School Volleyball-Haylee Watson
- Jay High School Boys Golf-Blayne Miller
- Milton High School Girls Golf-Megan Robertson
- Milton High School Boys Golf-Beau Martin
- Milton High School Volleyball-Meagan Hodge
- Navarre High School Volleyball-Lauren Robbins
- Navarre High School Girls Golf-Kathryn Serenio
- Northview High School Girls Golf-Meredith McGhee
- Northview High School Boys Golf-Braxton Edwards
- Northview High School Volleyball-Natasha Walker
- Pace High School Girls Golf-Elise Schultz
- Pace High School Volleyball-Alexis Van Norman
- Pensacola Catholic High School Girls Golf-Conlan McKernan
- Pensacola Catholic High School Boys Golf-Nicholas Dimitroff
- Pensacola Catholic High School Volleyball-Ellen Floyd
- Pensacola High School Boys Golf-Leo Zhang
- Pensacola High School Volleyball-LiAna Patterson
- Pensacola State College Volleyball-Sydney Robertson
- Pine Forest High School Girls Golf-Rachel Rudd
- Pine Forest High School Boys Golf-Tyler Woodward
- Pine Forest High School Volleyball-Desia Robinson
- Tate High School Girls Golf-Grace Atteberry
- Tate High School Boys Golf-Brandon White
- Tate High School Volleyball-Logan Hamlin
- University of West Florida Volleyball-Katy Kuhlmeier
- Washington High School Boys Golf-William MySlak
- West Florida High School Volleyball-Autumn Carter
- West Florida High School Girls Golf-Madison Kaser
- West Florida High School Boys Golf-Cameron Bonner
Pictured top: Northview cross country FCA “Go the Distance” award winners Tanner Levins and Aurora McCann. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida ‘PIP’ Auto Insurance Repeals Speeds Toward House Floor
November 8, 2017
An attempt to end the state’s no-fault auto insurance system is on the fast track in the Florida House.
As in past years, the legislation, which has been projected to save motorists an average of about $80 a year, faces opposition from some insurers, business groups and medical providers.
Meanwhile, the House and Senate are comparing different models to change the system.
The House Commerce Committee voted 18-7 on Tuesday to back a measure (HB 19) by Rep. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, that would end the no-fault system, which requires motorists to carry personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage to help pay for medical care after accidents.
Under the bill, motorists would instead be required to carry bodily-injury coverage.
The change would fully open drivers at fault in accidents to liability for damages and could shift some costs to health-care premiums.
“I understand that it’s going to be difficult and that change is hard,” Grall said. But she added that “we will have more adequate levels of coverage for the severity of accidents on our roads.”
Grall, an attorney, did not want to add issues to the bill, such as increasing enforcement of uninsured motorists and making changes in the state’s bad-faith laws.
Bad-faith lawsuits typically involve allegations of misconduct by insurers that handle claims and can be costly.
Grall said a number of interests are trying to make the proposal “more complicated than it needs to be.”
The Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, the Florida Justice Reform Institute and the Institute for Legal Reform, an offshoot of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are among those that want a no-fault repeal to also address changes in the bad-faith laws.
“Florida’s third-party insurance bad faith laws create a perverse incentive for persons injured in auto crashes to game the system in order to set up an insurer for a bad faith claim that could greatly exceed the amount of coverage purchased by the insured,” said Michael Carlson, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida.
With approval Tuesday from the Commerce Committee, Grall’s bill is positioned to go to the House floor when the 2018 legislative session starts in January.
The House has considered bills annually since 2013 that would have repealed PIP, with the House passing a Grall bill during the 2017 session. The bill died in the Senate.
Under no-fault, motorists must carry $10,000 in PIP coverage, an amount that essentially hasn’t changed since 1979. The system is designed to help limit lawsuits stemming from traffic accidents.
Lawmakers in 2012 passed a package of changes — championed by Gov. Rick Scott and then-state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater — that were considered a last-ditch effort to maintain the system after rates increased due to an increase in fraudulent claims.
Repealing PIP would eliminate the system’s limits on lawsuits. Drivers at fault in accidents would be fully liable for damages, with the minimum bodily-injury coverage under Grall’s proposal being $25,000 for damages for injury or death of one person and $50,000 for injury or death of two or more people.
In the Senate, Thonotosassa Republican Tom Lee is sponsoring a measure (SB 150) that differs in the way it would revamp the system. Among the differences are in the levels of required bodily-injury coverage.
With the House bill ready for the floor, Grall said she hopes to have time to talk with Lee about their conflicting proposals.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Releases Latest Honor Roll
November 8, 2017
The following students were named to the first nine weeks honor roll at Bratt Elementary School:
First Grade A Honor Roll
Alexis Amerson
Eric Anthony
Nola Barber
Alexa Beasley
Abigail Brown
Jaxon Byrd
Addison Carpenter
Carson Eady
Aubrey Flowers
Pryce Flowers
Josyah Fontenot
Olivia Garrett
Nathan Gilmore
Kyndal Hadley
Autumn Heist
Mason Helton
Sophia Ikner
Maybree Johnson
Noah Luker
Jonathan Patrick
Keylashia Randle
Madison Rice
Caden Sanspree
James Thompson
Kinley White
Mi’Kavion White
First Grade A-B Honor Roll
Sadie Baker
Jerrilynn Barlow
Landen Barlow
Harmony Cruz
Kaedyn Eady
Kintley Flowers
Christian Fountain
Jepp Godwin
Alexa Hardy
Denis Lambeth
Jeremy Lisenby
Parker Marsh
Mya McCants
Briley Moore
Natalia Morales
Layla Pettway
Jade Presley
Ashton Roberts
Kimmora Thomas
Summer Weaver
Second Grade A Honor Roll
Landon Allcock
Gabrielle Boatwright
Logan Diller
Sawyer Gilmore
Brody Hall
Camden Jacobson
John McAnally
Brooklyn Reynolds
Christian Roberts
Makinzi Roley
Wyatt Spence
Lani Steadham
Kennedy Ward
Kaylee Wilson
Second Grade A-B Honor Roll
Govan Alexander
Tyler Amerson
Eli Anthony
Marquis Banks
Kasei Barlow
Jack Carpenter
Jamarreai Davison
Jacob Dove
O’Neshia DuBose
Brayden Faircloth
Zachary Flowers
Parker Ganey
Emmalee Grimes
Evelyn Jones
Logan Kaul
Jaivion Kyles
M’kenzie Mcghee
Caleb Nichols
Brian Pardue
Hunter Parker
Madalynn Pittman
Kain Pompa
Breah Shelly
Adalynn Southard
Cassandra Stilwell
Kameryn Thompson
Third Grade A Honor Roll
Montgomery Baker
Amara Campbell
Christian Caraway
Jacobi Dougall
Cathryn Greenwood
Presley Johnson
Kylee Langham
Kaylee Long
Mikayla McAnally
Dakota Richardson
Miles Smith
Avery Stuckey
Third Grade A-B Honor Roll
Presley Amos
William Classen
Janessa Crook
Caley Daharsh
Carlie Davis
Crimson Davis
Kylar Davis
Annberly Dunn
Nolan Eady
Hayden Gipson
Laila Hadley
Jackson Helton
Dallas Kelson
Savannah Lowry
Victoria Mason
Makayla Plato
Anna Claire Sanspree
Jake Taylor
Tomiyah Thomas
Raleigh Warr
Cobie Wiggins
Fourth Grade A Honor Roll
Desiray Bagwell
Jackson Bridges
Jackson Simmons
Maggie Stewart
Fourth Grade A-B Honor Roll
Lauren Abbott
Ellie Adkins
Claire Amerson
Wade Bailey
Bailey Blackwell
Lindsey Brown
Nevaeh Bush
Luke Chavers
Kenslee Chavira
Addison Classen
Tristan Crumm
Aakira Davis
Jordan Dawson
Addison Eicher
Talise Gregson
Joseph Hardenbrook
William Heard
LanDon Johnson
Tristan Johnson
Samantha Minchew
Carley Moore
Christopher Odom
Braylan Shelly
Justy Starns
Jeremy Thomas
Mya Wilson
Jasmine Zisa
Fifth Grade A Honor Roll
JaCee Dortch
Jamison Gilman
Ja’Marrion Hooks
Mary Catherine Hughes
Laura Laborde
Adannaya Mondaca
Colby Pugh
Ally Richardson
Maggie Scott
Zakyla Smith
Fifth Grade A-B Honor Roll
Ayden Atallah
Evan Chick
Kinslee Coker
Ashton Covan
Beau Daw
Payton Daw
Noah Faulkner
Aliyah Fountain
Brayden Hawkins
Taliyah Johnson
Derek Kinley
Kamryn Langham
Michael McGhee
Anthony Miller
Landen Robertson
Daygen Slate
Bryce Stabler
Ashkia Weaver
Jayden White
Dirt Bike Slams Into Car In Cantonment
November 7, 2017
One person was injured Monday afternoon after slamming a dirt bike into a car in Cantonment. The accident happened about 3:20 p.m. on Muscogee Road at Booker Street. Further details have not been released as the Florida Highway Patrol continues their investigation.
North Escambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Man Killed In Highway 90 Crash
November 7, 2017
A Pace man was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 90 Monday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 54-year old Charles A. Oliver pulled his 1999 Lincoln onto Highway 90 from the Simpson River Recreational Site and into the path of a 2003 Cadillac drive by 50-year old Eric Kembro of Pace.
Oliver was pronounced deceased at the scene. Kembro and his passengers, 80-year old Shirley Kembro and 57-year old Margie Kembro were transported to West Florida Hospital.
The FHP investigation is continuing.
File photo.
Century Changes OT Policy; Tables Action On-Call Policy, Building Rentals
November 7, 2017
Monday night, the Century Town Council approved a new overtime policy for employees required to attend council meetings, while tabling action on additional policies and building rentals.
The council voted 3-2 to pay employees only for the actual amount of time spent in council meetings, immediately overriding a policy of paying four hours overtime that had been implemented by Mayor Henry Hawkins. Council members Sandra Jackson and Louis Gomez voted against the motion.
The council tabled action on an on-call policy for the street department and an “Adopt-A-Street” policy, setting a workshop meeting for Thursday at 5:15 p.m. for discussion.
Action on new updated forms was also tabled after council members questioned long-standing policies on the rental of the Century Business Center and the Century Community Center, particularly the requirement that an off-duty Escambia County deputy must be present for all events not held by a church or non-profit.
Action was also tabled on making the former Helicopter Technology Building in the Century Industrial Park available for rent for events. Council President Ann Brooks said she did not believe that council can rent the building for events. Brooks cited covenants recorded in 1991 and amended in 2006 that would not allow the building to be rented for event. The rental forms will be be discussed at Thursday’s workshop.
Pictured: Century Council members (L-R) Louis Gomez, Ann Brooks and Sandra Jackson Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Tax Preparer Gets Federal Prison For Tax Fraud
November 7, 2017
An Escambia County tax preparer has been sentenced to federal prison for tax fraud.
Christopher Jacob Rankins, 33, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to 12 counts of aiding or assisting others in the preparation of false tax returns. In addition, Rankins was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $356,172.
Documents introduced at the time of the guilty plea reflect that, between January 1, 2011, and May 8, 2012, while working as a tax preparer at American Tax Service in Pensacola Rankins aided, assisted, counseled, and advised others in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent and false tax returns. The tax returns prepared by Rankins falsely represented the taxpayers’ business expenses and falsely claimed educational credits which resulted in taxpayers receiving approximately $356,172 in refunds and credits that the taxpayers were not entitled to receive.
The case resulted from the investigation by the Internal Revenue Service — Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
Northview Plans For Wind Turbine, Solar Car Grant Project
November 7, 2017
Northview High School was recently awarded a $4,800 grant from the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation (ECPS), part of nearly $100,000 in 2017-2018 Grants for Excellence to teams from 21 Escambia County School District schools.
Northview’s project — “Bridges, The Wind, and The Sun: We Build, We Analyze, We Harness” — will consist of students building bridges, wind turbines, and solar powered cars out of kits. The students will also analyze the electrical output of the wind turbines and solar power cards, and there may also be a solar car race in the works.
The 17-member Northview team that will oversee the project, including math and science teachers, met Monday morning as implementation plans are made.
Pictured are: (front, L-R) Teresa Johnson, Joyce Gunn, Alison Robinson, Rachel Pleasant, Candice Greenwell, (back, L-R) Jim Shugart, Charlie Code, Clint Davis, Jason Stabler, Brad Lowery and Danny Steele. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Scott Proposes $180 Million In Tax, Fee Cuts
November 7, 2017
Driver’s license fees would be cut and a series of sales-tax “holidays” would be offered as part of nearly $180 million package proposed Monday by Gov. Rick Scott as part of his final budget recommendations.
The proposed fee and tax cuts come as the Legislature faces a tight budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
At a series of campaign-style events across the state Monday, Scott proposed reversing portions of fee increases imposed on motorists in 2009 after the recession hit. He also proposed a 10-day back-to-school sales tax “holiday” on clothes and school supplies and three week-long disaster preparedness tax “holidays” in May, June and July.
“Over the past seven years, we have worked relentlessly to turn around Florida’s economy, and the results are clear,” Scott, who is barred from seeking a third term next year, said in a prepared statement.
With the annual legislative session starting in January, lawmakers face a tight budget. The state was expected to have a modest budget surplus, but costs related to Hurricane Irma have altered those projections.
Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who will take over as Senate president after the 2018 elections, has recently acknowledged that the state could face $1 billion-plus shortfalls in the coming years.
Under the package released Monday, Scott’s proposed sales tax “holidays” would account for $88 million of the tax savings.
The governor’s office estimates the motorists’ savings at $91 million during the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Under Scott’s proposal, renewal fees for regular driver’s licenses would go from $48 to $20, while fees for first-time licenses would fall from $48 to $27.
Also, Scott is proposing to reduce a fee on commercial driver’s licenses from $75 to $67, while providing an 18 percent reduction on traffic-citation fees for motorists who attend a basic driver- improvement school.
Lawmakers approved increased fees for motorists as part of a much-wider effort in 2009 to balance the state’s budget after the recession slashed revenues.
This is not the first time Scott has targeted the 2009 increases, which were passed under then-Gov. Charlie Crist. In 2014, vehicle-registration fees were rolled back on average $25 a year.
Scott, who plans to release a proposed state budget in the coming weeks, also reiterated Monday his backing of a potential constitutional amendment that would be make it harder to raise taxes by requiring a “super-majority” two-thirds vote by the House and Senate for future tax or fee increases.
Sen. Jack Latvala, who was removed Monday as Senate budget chief amid an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, questioned the potential constitutional amendment last week.
Latvala said House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Scott have enough appointees on the Constitution Revision Commission, which is considering a similar proposal, to put the issue before voters in the 2018 general election without the proposal going through the Legislature.
“Why is it necessary to have a legislative fight over an amendment to limit tax increases in the future, unless it’s to get some press or get some recognition for the legislators involved?” Latvala asked.
Scott is expected to run for the U.S. Senate in 2018, while Corcoran is expected to join the embattled Latvala in a run for governor.
Throughout his years in office, Scott has made a top priority of cutting taxes.
In January, ahead of the 2017 session, Scott called for $618 million in tax cuts, asking for reductions in a tax on commercial leases, sales-tax “holidays” for consumers and a modest reduction in the state’s corporate-income tax.
Five months later, he proclaimed victory in signing a two-year package worth nearly $180 million — $91.6 million in the current year — mostly through the elimination of the so-called “tampon tax” and through tax holidays for back-to-school shoppers and Floridians preparing for hurricane season.
In 2015, lawmakers approved a tax cut package that totaled $428.9 million, topped by a reduction in the communications-services tax on cell-phone and cable-TV bills.
A year later, lawmakers handed Scott a tax-cut package of $129 million for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The focus on the package that year was the elimination of a sales tax on manufacturing equipment.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Man Injured After Driving Into The Path Of A Train
November 7, 2017
A man was injured Monday when his vehicle was hit by a train in Cantonment.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 79-year old Herbert Turner was driving a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder on El Camino Driver when he crossed at a railroad crossing directly in the path of a southbound CSX train. The train’s front collided with the rear of the vehicle, spinning it counter clockwise and onto Old Novak Road.
Turner was transported by Escambia County EMS to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries. Any charges against Turner are pending the outcome of FHP’s investigation.