Access Escambia School Bus Route Info With Online Tool
August 9, 2017
Escambia County parents can check their child’s school bus stop location and pickup times online.
The Escambia County School District Transportation Department’s Bus Stop Locator Tool is accessible by clicking here.
Putnam Pitches Land Deal To Protect Military Bases
August 9, 2017
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, a Republican candidate for governor, said Tuesday the state needs to increase spending for land preservation to help protect military bases from closure.
Putnam voiced displeasure that state lawmakers did not provide more money during the current budget year for conservation efforts. Lawmakers set aside $10 million for the state’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program and nothing for the Florida Forever land-acquisition program.
“Hopefully they’ll fix that problem next year,” Putnam said.
Putnam, speaking in Orlando at a Florida Chamber Foundation event focused on the state support for the military and veterans entering the workforce, said he views the use of conservation dollars as a means to protect land around military bases — an allowed use of the money. That could reduce chances the federal government will close bases through a process known as Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC.
“Natural resource policy can also be economic development policy,” Putnam said. “Natural resource policy can also be military and BRAC-proofing policy. It can also be encroachment policy. So while you’re protecting any number of species and watersheds and habitat and creating outdoor recreation opportunities, you’re also protecting Eglin (Air Force Base in Okaloosa County), Pinecastle (bombing range in the Ocala National Forest) and Avon Park (Air Force Range) training opportunities.”
After his appearance at the Military, Defense & Veterans Opportunities Summit in the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, Putnam said Florida Forever should get at a minimum $50 million a year “if you’re going to make an impact at today’s real-estate values.”
“I would anticipate that a significantly higher number than that is necessary to accomplish what we want to accomplish, to have connected corridors in Florida and protect the things, conserve the things that make Florida Florida,” Putnam said.
Florida Forever was once a $300-million-a-year fund. But the program lost favor as lawmakers reduced funding after the state entered the recession a decade ago, with some arguing the state had to prioritize money to manage land already in state hands. The argument continues to be expressed by legislators.
The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, a favorite of Putnam, is used to purchase conservation easements, which restrict future development while allowing existing landowners to continue using the property for such things as agriculture.
The drop in funding has come despite clear signs that Floridians support land conservation.
Voters in 2014 overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that was designed to set aside money for land and water conservation. A large chunk of money in the current budget was directed into a reservoir (SB 10) and other Everglades work totaling $155 million. Money would also go to beach projects and maintaining the state’s natural springs.
In recent years, Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet, which includes Putnam, have approved spending to help protect military bases.
This year, they approved the purchase of 8.4 acres from Bay County for $1.67 million to provide a larger buffer zone for the Naval Support Activity facility in Panama City and approved spending about $1.58 million to help conserve land in Highlands County that provides buffer for the Avon Park Air Force Range.
In 2015, Scott and the Cabinet agreed to spend $630,000 to obtain the development rights for several acres west of Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville to restrict the amount of future development within the neighboring Mayport Village.
Two years before that, Scott and the Cabinet voted on a $10.2 million deal to conserve nearly 21,000 acres in Northwest Florida and help provide a buffer to Eglin Air Force Base.
“Look at the layers of benefits that come from that program,” Putnam said of Florida Forever. “Not only do you have the obvious water recharge, wildlife habitat, connecting corridors, public recreation areas, but in circumstances where those conservations are near military training ranges or bases, you’re getting the additional benefit of BRAC-proofing Florida.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Wahoos And Smokies Split Doubleheader
August 9, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Jose Lopez pitched a complete, seven inning shutout Tuesday against the Tennessee Smokies.
Lopez gave up just one hit and struck out seven as Pensacola won the first game of a seven-inning doubleheader, 5-0, at Smokies Stadium. The victory snapped a four-game Blue Wahoos losing streak.
Pensacola dropped the second game to Tennessee, 2-1 when right fielder Yasiel Balaguert drove in left fielder Charcer Burks twice for 63 RBIs on the year, which is fourth in the Southern League.
The Smokies won the five-game series, 4-1.
In the first game Tuesday, the 23-year-old Lopez helped the Blue Wahoos tie the Chattanooga Lookouts with a Southern League-leading 13 shutouts this season.
Lopez pitched to just one batter over the minimum 21 batters when he gave up a line drive single to center field to catcher Ian Rice in the second inning. The right hander, who improved to 7-1 and lowered his ERA to 2.43, has allowed five runs in his last 47 innings for a 0.96 ERA.
Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson doubled to left field to drive in center fielder Jonathan Reynoso for a 1-0 Pensacola lead in the second inning. In the fifth inning, Pensacola third baseman Nick Senzel smacked his 12th double for the Blue Wahoos that drove in shortstop Blake Trahan.
First baseman Gavin LaValley then singled to put Pensacola ahead, 3-0. The final two runs scored in the seventh when Senzel singled in Trahan and second baseman Josh VanMeter grounded out to second base allowing right fielder Gabriel Guerrero to score the fifth and last run of in Tuesday’s first game.
Senzel was 3-for-4, with a run scored, double and two RBIs. Guerrero was 2-for-4 with a run scored, getting his 33rd multi-hit game of the year. Trahan was 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice. VanMeter was 1-for-3 and drove in his team-leading 45th RBI.
In the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Austin Ross pitched his first game since July 7. He threw 42 pitches, 30 for strikes over three innings of work. The righty gave up one run on five hits, no walks and struck out two.
Pensacola scored first in the third inning when Guerrero grounded out to first allowing second baseman Alberti Chavez, who doubled, to score for a 1-0 Blue Wahoos lead.
Balaguert tied the game in the bottom of the third inning when Balaguert grounded out to shortstop and Burks, who singled to center, scored to tie the game, 1-1. Balaguert then smacked a sharp line drive single to left field that drove in Burks, who reached on a double, to score the game-winning run, 2-1.
Pensacola has lost four one-run games on its 10-game road trip and is now 19-21 overall in such games. The Blue Wahoos, who won the first half South Division title, are now 21-24 and in fourth place in the second half.
Beulah Beltway Meeting Rescheduled After Too Many Residents Show Up
August 8, 2017
Tempers flared and the air conditioning faltered as an estimated 250 people tried to pack their way into a public meeting Monday night concerning the proposed Beulah Beltway project.
The meeting was held in a room at the Plainview Baptist Church on West Nine Mile Road that quickly became overcrowded, prompting county officials to announce that another meeting will be scheduled in the coming days at a larger venue.
Many in the crowd were also angered to learn that the meeting was not set to be much more than as series of static displays.
“We will schedule another meeting, and we will have it in a larger venue, and we will have a question and answer session,” District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said Monday night. “It will be a much more friendly and informative atmosphere.”
“This meeting was a cluster, there are no two ways about it,” Commissioner Jeff Bergosh wrote on his blog. “But, there is no sugar-coating the pill–tonight’s meeting was an epic failure and I apologize for this to all that attended. We will do better, I will do better at the next meeting.”
The next meeting will be announced in public notices from the county, and we’ll post the information here on NorthEscambia.com.
The Beulah Beltway will serve to connect Nine Mile Road in Beulah to Highway 29 somewhere in the area from south of West Quintette Road to Barrineau Park Road. There’s no funding available yet for the northern potion of the project. To view the potential project routes, click here (pdf).
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century’s Mayor Accused Of Using City Resources On Private Property
August 8, 2017
Century Mayor Henry Hawkins has been accused of using town equipment and employees to do work on private property.
At Monday night’s meeting of the Century Town Council, council President Ann Brooks said she received an anonymous letter alerting her of the situation.
Hawkins admitted that town resources had been used to dig up an old tank from the ground on property belonging to Wesley Chapel.
“That’s against our rules,” Brooks said.
The Jefferson Street church was heavily damaged, shifted off its foundation, by the February 2016 tornado that ripped through Century. The remains of the building were reduced to rubble after an arsonist set fire to it in October 2016. In early July, the church held a groundbreaking for a new facility.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
August 8, 2017
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending August 3 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
No report was received for Escambia County.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Hutchinson was pumping gas in his patrol vehicle when a truck pulled up next to him pulling a boat. He asked the driver if he had been fishing and he stated that they had caught some bass in Hurricane Lake. When Officer Hutchinson asked if he could see them, they were hesitant to show him the fish. The subject was in possession of 11 bass, which is over the daily bag limit. The subject was charged with taking over the daily bag limit of black bass.
Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling in the Blackwater State Forest when he saw four subjects around a campfire in a primitive campsite. The subjects were drinking from fountain drink cups and a jug of orange juice was sitting near a cooler. An older man was present, but two young women and one young man appeared to be under the age of 21. The younger man took a bottle of vodka from the cooler and was drinking from the bottle in front of the older man. When Lieutenant Hahr approached the subjects and identified himself, the young women immediately dumped out their drinks. The younger man was 18 years of age and the two young women were 17. Two cannabis cigarettes and an additional container of cannabis was found, which the younger man claimed. The older man was charged with giving alcohol to a person under 21 and the others were charged with possession of alcoholic beverages by a person under 21. The younger man was also charged with possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
FHP Makes Drug Arrest After Traffic Stop
August 8, 2017
An Escambia County man was arrested on multiple drug charges after a Florida Highway Patrol traffic stop.
A trooper was working speed enforcement on Michigan Avenue when a 2000 black Jeep Cherokee driven by Antonio Holt was stopped for a traffic violation. K-9 “Tango” from the Escambia County Sheriffs Office was called to the scene and gave a positive indication to the presence of narcotics. A probable cause search of the vehicle was conducted.
Narcotics located included 9.3 grams of a crystal substance that tested positive for meth, 12 Xanax bars, 51.5 hydrocodone tabs, a scale, 15 grams of marijuana, nine ecstasy tablets, one clear bag of a white powder substance that tested positive for cocaine, and two clear bags that contained a gray powder substance that will be tested by the FDLE lab and $484 in cash.
Holt was charged with trafficking prescription drugs, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of marijuana less than 20 grams and three counts of possession of new legend drug.
Century Residents To See Slight Property Tax Increase
August 8, 2017
The Town of Century voted Monday night to approve a slight property tax increase for the upcoming fiscal year
The council voted to raise the ad valorem millage rate to 0.9919 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. That’s equal to a 94 cent tax increase on $50,000 in taxable property value. The tax will generate $34,679.79 for the town, an increase of $2,500.91 over the current fiscal year.
Century will begin their budget setting process on Wednesday with a 4 p.m. workshop meeting a town hall.
Pictured: The Century Town Council meets Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Search Underway For Exxon Armed Robbery Suspect
August 8, 2017
The armed robbery of a Davis Highway gas station is under investigation as deputies seek a suspect.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said the Exxon gas station on North Davis at I-10 was robbed just before 6 p.m. Monday.
The suspect, described as a black man wearing a blue shirt, was carrying a handgun as he demanded cash from the clerk. He then ran away from the scene. There were no injuries reported.
Any with information on the holdup is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos by Jon Daniel, click to enlarge.
Wahoos At Tennessee Postponed By Smoky Mountain Rain
August 8, 2017
KODAK, Tenn., – The Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ scheduled game Monday evening at Smokies Stadium against the Tennessee Smokies has been postponed due to field conditions caused by rain.
The contest will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Tuesday, with the first game scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT. Game two of the doubleheader will get underway approximately 30 minutes after first game’s conclusion.