Triumph Gulf Coast Holds Organizational Meeting
July 14, 2017
Former House Speaker Allan Bense on Thursday kept the position of chairman of the non-profit organization Triumph Gulf Coast as it starts to oversee how BP oil-spill settlement money is spent across the Panhandle.
But in January, the Panama City Republican will be replaced in the chairmanship by former Senate President Don Gaetz, who was chosen Thursday as vice chairman of the board. The unanimous appointments for both were part of the organization’s first meeting since lawmakers approved funding for Triumph Gulf Coast in measures signed into law (HB 7077, HB 7079) by Gov. Rick Scott last month.
The board is in charge of determining how to use 75 percent of the $2 billion Florida will get from the settlement related to the impacts of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The money going through Triumph Gulf Coast is for eight counties: Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla and Walton. The legislation set minimum amounts for how much each county will receive and expanded the Triumph Gulf Coast board from five to seven members, with the goal of providing more representation to less-populated counties.
Florida has already received $400 million and is slated to receive the rest in annual payments over the next 13 years. Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who oversaw the Legislature’s initial creation of Triumph Gulf Coast, was added to the board on June 30 by House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes.
The organizational meeting Thursday at the Institute for Human & Machine Cognition in Pensacola was held a day after Scott advised Bense to use the money in a “transparent” manner that has the best return on investment for Florida. Board members agreed to take public input on economic-development projects on August 16.
by The News Service of Florida
Mississippi Wins Pitching Duel 2-0 Over The Blue Wahoos
July 14, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos fans were treated to a pitching duel between Keury Mella and Mississippi Braves Mike Soroka.
Mississippi and Soroka ended up getting the win, 2-0, over Pensacola to snap a four-game losing streak.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly credited the 23-year-old Mella and the 19-year-old Soroka on their performances Thursday in front of 4,497 in Blue Wahoos Stadium.
“Those were two good young pitchers right there,” Kelly said. “Soroka got the best of him but Mella really competed.”
Mella, ranked the No. 19 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, pitched his best game at home, Kelly said, and his best since his last victory June 15 against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He worked seven innings, only the second time he has done that this season, and gave up two earned runs on six hits, had no walks and struck out six, which was one shy of his season-high.
“He was solid,” Kelly said of Mella. “He was very aggressive with his fastball and had good use of his breaking ball.”
Mississippi, which have now won two of its last 15 games, scored its first run in the third inning when center fielder Connor Lien scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by right fielder Keith Curcio. Curcio also hit a two-out homer into the Hill-Kelly Dodge berm in right field for the M-Braves second and final run.
Mella, who has yet to win a start in Blue Wahoos Stadium, retired the last seven batters he faced.
Meanwhile Soroka, who pitched seven scoreless innings, allowed four hits, had no walks and struck out six. He is now 2-0 in three starts this season against Pensacola, allowing just one run in 19.2 innings for a 0.47 ERA.
A Canadian who chose baseball over being a goalie in hockey, now has 10 wins to lead the Southern League and his 2.37 ERA is only behind Pensacola starter Austin Ross, who has a 1.44 ERA.
Soroka is ranked as the No. 33 prospect in Baseball America’s midseason re-ranking lists and the 13th best pitcher.
“For a 19-year-old, he has a great feel for pitching,” said Kelly, who said Canadian baseball players are usually a year behind in development because the weather doesn’t allow them to play year-round.
Pensacola had an opportunity to score in the third inning on Soroka with runners on first and second and two outs but third baseman Nick Senzel struck out. Soroka mowed down the last eight Blue Wahoos batters he faced. Pensacola got just one more hit in the last four innings of the game when second baseman Josh VanMeter hit a bloop single to left field to start the ninth inning.
Senzel increased his hitting streak to 13 games, going 1-4 with a double off of Soroka in the third inning. The Cincinnati Reds top prospect is now 19-50 during the streak for a .380 batting average. The 22-year-old Senzel has hit in 15 of his 19 games with the Double-A team since being called up June 22 from the High-A Daytona Tortugas.
Pensacola is 10-11 in the second half. The South Division champions in the first half are 50-41 overall. Mississippi is 5-15 in the second half and 39-51 overall.
Pensacola is almost done playing 20 games in a row before getting a day off July 18 after the series with Mississippi is finished. Kelly said it isn’t easy.
“Twenty-game stretches are tough in this league with this humidity,” Kelly admitted. “It’s a good challenge for the players. We just have to be smart. This is July and this is in the South.”
Kelly also reported that Nick Longhi, who was playing in his seventh game for Pensacola after being picked up by the Reds in a trade with the Red Sox, complained about soreness in his throwing arm and said it affected his swing. Longhi is hitting .316 with a homer and seven RBIs for the Blue Wahoos.
“It was precautionary to get him out,” Kelly said.
A Whopper Of A Case: FHP Looks For Burger King Hit And Run Driver
July 13, 2017
The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for a hit and run driver that struck the Burger King restaurant at Highway 29 and Old Chemstrand Road early Thursday morning.
The accident was reported about 2:45 a.m. while the restaurant was closed. The vehicle that struck the building had fled the scene before first emergency personnel arrived on scene. There was no description of the vehicle available.
The building suffered mostly cosmetic damage with a few bricks busted off the side of the building. The business opened as usual Thursday morning.
Anyone with information on the hit and run crash is asked to call the Florida Highway Patrol at *FHP or (850) 484-5000.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Florida EMS Looks To Cut Atmore Ambulance, Flomaton Response
July 13, 2017
Escambia County may soon provide ambulance service to the Walnut Hill and Bratt areas while cutting out Flomaton as a primary response area.
Atmore Ambulance has provided ambulance service for the Walnut Hill, Bratt, Davisville and surrounding communities in the 327 telephone exchange since 1978. A similar agreement is in place between Escambia County (FL) EMS and the Escambia County (AL) Healthcare Authority for Escambia (FL) EMS to provide ambulance service in the Flomaton area as far north as I-65.
Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry said Wednesday that “there are serious issues” with the service level provided by Atmore Ambulance. “They are not responding in any what that we can depend on the response currently, and that’s not much value.”
Public Safety Director Mike Weaver has requested that the Escambia County Commission include 12 new EMT’s in his budget for next fiscal year, including four crews of two to staff an Escambia County ambulance in the Highway 97 area. Preliminarily, the ambulance would likely be stationed at the Walnut Hill Fire Station on Highway 97, but Weaver said he would like that location eventually moved further south toward White Ash Road to provide a broader response area into Molino.
An Escambia County EMS unit is currently stationed at EMS Post 50 on Industrial Boulevard in Century. It is the primary responding unit in the Flomaton, AL, but Weaver wants to end that response across the state line, allowing increased availability for northern Escambia County.
Any changes depend on the budget approved by the commission for the fiscal year beginning October 1. Escambia County’s contract with Atmore Ambulance is to expire in November.
Century Chief Regi Burkett Retires After 40 Years In Fire Service, VFD Presents Awards
July 13, 2017
The Century Volunteer Fire Department held a dinner recently honoring Chief Regi Burkett who has retired after nearly 40 years in the fire service. Burkett served Escambia County and the Town of Century as a firefighter since 1978 and as VFD chief since 1987.
David Adams has been named the new chief of the Century Fire Station.
The department also presented annual awards:
- Firefighter of the Year: Kevin Bullard
- Officer of the Year– Capt. Chris Barrow
The Life Saver Award was presented to the crew of Century’s Engine 5 that responded to a house fire the night of January 23, 2016, on Jefferson Avenue.
The crew followed their training and worked as a team as they worked to complete a search of the dwelling and then worked to extinguish the fire. During the search, the entry team located a male victim that was in the home and removed him to the care of waiting firefighters and the EMS crew. Their actions that night directly resulted in saving the victim’s life.
- Life Saver Award – Capt. Shaun Moye, Kevin Bullard, Heath Burkett and Cody Calloway.
Pictured top: Ann and Regi Burkett. Pictured below: Century Volunteer Fire Department (L-R) Assistant Chief Gary Johnson, Chief David Adams, retired chief Regi Burkett and Captain Terry Bush. Photos by Larry Walker for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Scott Weighs In On Local Use Of BP Money
July 13, 2017
Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday advised a non-profit organization that will help administer BP oil-spill settlement money to use the funds in a “transparent” manner that has the best return on investment for Florida.
“In reviewing proposals, I ask that you prioritize projects that create good jobs for families in Northwest Florida, diversify the economy, and have measurable performance standards to determine the projects’ success over time,” Scott wrote to Triumph Gulf Coast board Chairman Allan Bense, a former state House speaker from Panama City.
Lawmakers this spring grappled with how to use money from the settlement that stems from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. Bills signed into law (HB 7077, HB 7079) directed that $300 million of the $400 million already received by the state go to eight Panhandle counties heavily impacted by the disaster. The legislation eventually will steer, through the Triumph Gulf Coast organization, three-fourths of the $2 billion the state is slated to receive over the next 13 years to Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla and Walton counties.
The legislation set minimums for how much each county will receive and expanded the Triumph Gulf Coast board from five to seven members, with the goal of providing more representation to less-populated counties.
In his letter, Scott outlined that the money can be used in the eight counties for property tax-rate reductions; local match requirements with the Rural Infrastructure Fund; workforce training; and local government grants. Money can also go to public infrastructure projects shown to do such things as “enhance economic recovery,” Scott wrote.
by The News Service of Florida
New Indictments Related To Newpoint Charter School
July 13, 2017
An Escambia County grand jury has indicted Newpoint Education Partners, LLC; School Warehouse, Inc.; and Red Ignition, Inc., the same business entities previously charged in 2016, with additional, similar crimes allegedly committed in Escambia County and other Florida counties.
The indictments charge Newpoint Education Partners, LLC (“Newpoint”), which formerly managed charter schools in Escambia, Bay, Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Pinellas vounties; and School Warehouse and Red Ignition, which were vendors used by Newpoint, with thefts of hundreds of thousands of dollars of public funds in connection with fraudulently billing charter schools for computers, furniture, equipment, and curriculum services and then laundering the proceeds of the thefts through multiple bank accounts to conceal the alleged crimes.
The latest indictments follow the announcement by the State Attorney that the dtate brought racketeering and organized fraud charges against Marcus May, the principal owner of Newpoint, and Steven Kunkemoeller, the principal owner of School Warehouse and Red Ignition, for the same alleged crimes.
The indictments resulted from a joint investigation by the Office of State Attorney and the School District of Escambia County.
No Serious Injuries In Four Vehicle Wreck
July 13, 2017
There were no serious injuries in a four vehicle accident Wednesday night at Chemstrand Road and East 10 Mile. One person was transported to a Pensacola hospital by ambulance following the 8:20 p.m. crash. Five others involved in the crash refused transport to the hospital. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Takes On Large Scale Rechargeable Battery Tech
July 13, 2017
Gulf Power and its parent, Southern Company, Wednesday officially launched the latest battery storage research project in Southern Company’s operating territory. The project represents another important milestone in the work to build the future of energy.
The two-year McCrary Battery Energy Storage Demonstration will demonstrate the capabilities and requirements of an energy storage system designed to help industrial and commercial customers store and use energy on demand, while improving resiliency and potentially helping customers save on energy costs in the future.
Located in Pensacola, at Gulf Power’s Douglas L. McCrary Training and Storm Center on Pine Forest Road, the new research project will test and evaluate a 250 kilowatt/1 megawatt-hour Tesla Powerpack lithium-ion industrial energy storage system. Insights gained from the Gulf Power demonstration are expected to accelerate the development of battery storage technology across the Southern Company system. The lithium-ion technology under evaluation is the same battery chemistry used in electric vehicles and consumer electronics such as laptops.
Company executives and experts hosted a commissioning and ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the project’s opening.
“Gulf Power is proud to be involved in this battery energy storage demonstration at the McCrary Training and Storm Center and to be in the forefront of evaluating innovative energy technologies,” said Stan Connally, Gulf Power Chairman, President, and CEO. “Throughout our history, we have been host to the development of energy solutions that have resulted in greater energy efficiency, cleaner energy production, and value for our customers – and this commissioning event signals our on-going commitment to build a better energy future.”
“At Southern Company, we are constantly broadening our industry-leading expertise to harness new technologies that can deliver clean, safe, reliable, affordable energy to customers,” said Southern Company Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kimberly S. Greene. “This collaborative research project with Gulf Power will deepen our understanding of battery energy storage systems and the value they can provide.”
The McCrary Battery Energy Storage Demonstration was developed by Southern Company research and development in partnership with Gulf Power and with support from the Electric Power Research Institute and Tesla.
Specifically, the project aims to further the understanding of the siting, installation and operational requirements of commercial- and industrial-scale energy storage systems. It will provide information on the advantages battery storage can offer customers and energy providers through peak shaving, demand management, ancillary services, energy arbitrage and backup power.
Prior to the McCrary Center battery energy storage project, the energy company launched a Powerwall home battery system in partnership with SolarEdge and Tesla for several applications including rooftop solar energy storing, maximizing the impact of time-of-use rates by charging directly from the grid, and for studying the technology to see the benefits of power grid reliability and efficiency.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Even Without Announcement, Scott Runs For U.S. Senate
July 13, 2017
Calling Gov. Rick Scott’s likely bid for the U.S. Senate an “open secret” would be a misnomer — there’s no secret there, open or otherwise.
Scott continues to sprint across the state for official events that easily double as campaign swings — this week alone, he’s done a pair of ceremonial bill signings and two events to highlight law-enforcement pay raises he signed into law last month.
The only mystery is when the governor will make his 2018 plans official. Observers say there’s no hurry.
“Because he’s potentially the biggest name in that race on the Republican side, he can take his time, really,” said Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida.
Scott has repeatedly brushed off questions about when he might run, saying the public is “tired of long campaigns.”
He also has personal experience to draw on: Scott announced his first run for governor as a virtual unknown in April 2010 before beating Attorney General Bill McCollum in an August GOP primary and Democrat Alex Sink in the general election that November.
This time, Scott would probably need to start a little bit sooner.
“He can probably push it into late in the fall. Obviously, he is running already,” said Rick Wilson, a Republican strategist.
The governor began laying the groundwork for a possible campaign months ago. He has kept intact his first fundraising committee, “Let’s Get to Work,” which has raised more than $11.5 million since Scott won re-election in 2014.
At the federal level, Scott has announced he would chair the “New Republican” super PAC, saying the goal of the committee “is to make the Republican Party Great Again” — part of an overall Scott theme of tying himself closely to President Donald Trump.
In addition to trips across the state, Scott has traveled to Washington, D.C., and continues to raise his profile on national issues.
On Monday, Scott held a “Venezuelan Freedom Rally” in Miami to slam the authoritarian regime of President Nicolas Maduro.
“Today, as hundreds of people rallied together, a clear message was sent to Maduro and his gang of thugs: the movement will not be silenced — freedom and democracy will thrive in Venezuela,” Scott said in a statement released by his office Monday.
“Basically, his actions and his words have made it pretty clear that he intends to run, and his bank account makes it clear that he intends to run,” Jewett said.
Democrats have also shown they have no doubt that Scott is running. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has hammered the governor repeatedly over the past few months. On Wednesday, they slammed “Self-Serving Scott’s self-promotional press tour” on law-enforcement pay raises, saying Florida officers still make less than many counterparts in other states.
“Rick Scott’s self-serving agenda has taken Florida to the bottom of the nation in household income and wages — and under Scott even Florida’s brave law enforcement officers make less than almost anywhere else in the country,” said David Bergstein, a spokesman for the committee.
U.S. Bill Nelson, the Democratic incumbent who Scott would face next year, has also taken a few subtle and not-so-subtle jabs at the governor.
Still, no formal announcement seems to be in the works.
After being governor since January 2011, Scott also lacks one of the key reasons for an early announcement — making sure voters, and particularly campaign contributors, know a candidate’s name.
“He’s already run statewide twice,” Wilson said. “He’s already got a lot of name ID.”
Scott has held off longer than his predecessor, former Gov. Charlie Crist, who announced in May 2009 that he would seek a U.S. Senate seat the following year.
But Crist also faced something Scott does not, so far: a credible primary challenger. In the 2010 U.S. Senate race, former state House Speaker Marco Rubio drummed Crist out of the Republican Party and then went on to win a three-way general election campaign.
For now, no other high-profile Republican has made serious noise about challenging Scott for the Senate nomination if he wants it.
“I don’t know that him announcing earlier is going to scare anyone off who’s not already scared off,” Jewett said.
Still, Wilson said, even Scott can’t wait forever.
“You have to put your toe in the water at some point,” he said, “or you attract other people into the game.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida