Northview, Tate Players Ink On National Signing Day
February 2, 2017
Wednesday was National Signing Day, with local players signing at Tate and Northview high schools.
The Tate Aggies had seven players sign Wednesday, six for football and one soccer player:
Jake Henry, Appalachian State
Evan Legassey, Troy
Raymond Freeman, Mississippi State
Jared Bethea, Harding
Rod Smith, Webber
Bishop Clark, Webber
Brittney Rankins, Southern Miss (soccer)
Freeman was interested in the Air Force Academy but decommitted when Mississippi State offered the long snapper a scholarship. Free has a 30 score on the ACT and a current GPA of 4.8.
Northview High School’s Luke Ward signed with Mercer University in Macon, GA, during a ceremony Wednesday at Northview. Ward picked Mercer over South Dakota and Youngstown. Ward also received a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro out of the deal. His father Carl turned over the keys, saying that he had made a deal to give his son the car if he inked a scholarship with a Division 1 school. During Ward’s freshman year, Mercer is scheduled to play both Alabama and Auburn.
Pictured top: Northview’s Luke Ward signs with Mercer. Pictured below: The Tate High School Signing Class. NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
State Employee Pay Hikes On The Table
February 2, 2017
Florida would have more state employees, and at least some of them would make more money, under a budget proposal unveiled this week by Gov. Rick Scott.
But whether to provide employees with their first across-the-board pay raises since 2013 will be decided in the upcoming legislative session, with one powerful senator gearing up to push the issue in his chamber’s spending plan.
Scott’s proposal would add a total of 596 positions, while cutting 266. The vast majority of the new jobs, 327, would be at the Department of Corrections, which is in the middle of a turnaround effort after revelations of prisoner mistreatment. Among the other new openings would be 90 for the state’s mental-health system and 46 counterterrorism jobs at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
According to the governor’s office, 86 percent of the jobs that would be cut are already vacant, with “many more” likely to be empty by the time the budget year begins July 1. A handful of state services, like the print shop at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, would be outsourced to private companies.
A net increase in jobs would still be a rarity for Scott, who generally has pushed to shrink the number of state employees in earlier budgets.
And while Scott wouldn’t provide an across-the-board pay increase, he would make state employees eligible for one-time performance bonuses of up to $1,500 in increments of $500. For example, employees would get $500 if agencies reach certain benchmarks, another $500 if employees are rated at least “satisfactory,” and a third increment based on budget savings.
Scott has pushed for such an approach before, as he noted to reporters Tuesday after presenting his budget plan.
“I wish the Legislature would go through (with) that,” he said. “We have great state workers. You really have to thank people for what they do. The people that work in state government are on a mission. They really try to do their job really well. So I think we’ve got to make sure we pay them well.”
Some lawmakers are shooting for more as they prepare for the March 7 start of the annual legislative session.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, has signaled that he will push hard for salary increases. The last boost came in 2013, when lawmakers approved a $1,400-a-year raise for workers making up to $40,000. Those making above that mark got a $1,000-a-year increase.
At the time, it was the first pay hike for all state employees in six years, as the state’s budget was crimped by fallout of the financial downturn.
Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, told reporters at the Associated Press’ annual legislative planning session Tuesday that Latvala’s insistence means some sort of pay raise will likely be in his chamber’s budget proposal.
“Senator Latvala has made it clear to me and to other senators that this is his No. 1 policy initiative,” Negron said. “As we’re preparing the blueprint for our budget … I think my operating assumption is that based on Senator Latvala’s commitment to that issue, I would expect to see a pay raise for state employees in the Senate budget.”
But House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, sounded ambivalent about the possibility. Corcoran has called for cutting the budget to avoid projected shortfalls in future years. Still, the speaker didn’t rule out either Scott’s bonus program or raises.
“I think those are things that are on the table and are capable of happening,” he said Tuesday. “What we have said in the House is that you’re going to have to cut the budget.”
Scott’s plan would also make a series of tweaks to health insurance for state employees. An audit to re-examine dependents on the state health-care plan could help save $45 million a year, though it would cost $1.2 million to perform. A new way of managing drug prescriptions could save another $51.2 million.
And Scott has once again proposed having all state employees pay the same rates for their health insurance, something that would increase the premiums for a select number of higher-ranking state officials. It would save the state $21.8 million — but seems as unlikely to pass this year as in each of Scott’s previous budgets, which unsuccessfully included the same provision.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Northview Wins First Weight Meet Of Season
February 2, 2017
The Northview Boy’s Weightlifting defeated Rocky Bayou Wednesday by a total score of 50-20 in the first meet of the season.
Individual winners for the Chiefs were:
119-lb. class – Greg Pressley with a total of 270 pounds (145-bench; 125-jerk)
129-lb. class – Dalton Hadley with a total of 270 pounds (160-bench; 110-jerk)
139-lb. class – MJ Jones with a total of 350 pounds (185-bench; 165-jerk)
154-lb. class – Ohijie Elliott with a total of 450 pounds (245-bench; 205-jerk)
169-lb. class – Chase Olsen with a total of 480 pounds (255-bench; 225-jerk)
183-lb. class – Tim Bush with a total of 375 pounds (195-bench; 180-jerk)
219-lb. class – Jacob Hawkins with a total of 325 pounds (170-bench; 155-jerk)
Heavyweight class – Justin Helton with a total of 420 pounds (225-bench; 195-jerk)
Also placing for the Chiefs were Caze Bradley (2nd place; 119-lb. class); Ossie Crusaw (3rd place; 139-lb. class); Colten Dockens (2nd place; 154-lb. class); Tyler Kite (2nd place; 219-lb. class).
The Northview weightlifting team returns to action on Wednesday, February 15 at West Florida.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Deputies Seek Bank Robbery Suspect
February 1, 2017
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a bank robbery suspect.
The suspect walked into the Gulf Winds at 1444 Creighton Road about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon at demanded money from the teller.
Anyone with information on the robbery or the identification of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Text To 9-1-1 Now Available In Santa Rosa County
February 1, 2017
Santa Rosa County’s emergency communications center now has the ability to accept 9-1-1 text messages.
The technology expands critical access for the deaf and hard of hearing and provides a safer option for individuals in dangerous situations such as domestic disputes, home invasions or kidnappings. Dispatchers can receive emergency texts from all five area service providers if the customer has a text or data plan. No additional fees are incurred by Santa Rosa County residents for this service.
While texting has overtaken calling as the most popular mobile function across many generations and especially with millennials, emergency management officials stress that calling 9-1-1 is almost always still the best option.
“Texting should be used only in situations where you absolutely cannot make a voice call. The delay in typing an emergency text and a dispatcher typing a response costs us precious seconds. Those seconds can save the life of you or a loved one,” said Scott Markel, communications chief. “There are also many additional clues dispatchers can discern based on the tone of the caller’s voice and background sounds. If you are in an emergency situation, it is imperative that you call if you are able.”
More information:
- Limit the initial message to the location of the emergency and the type of help needed. Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the dispatcher. Respond in full but simple words, and keep your messages brief and concise. Do not use emoticons or chat acronyms.
- A sample text would be: “Send police to 2000 Piney Wood Lane in Milton. Intruder in home.”
- Dispatchers will first ask for a phone number and location of the emergency. Secondly, they will ask if the caller needs police, fire or ambulance then will connect them to the appropriate agency.
- Texts are sent differently than cell phone calls and do not relay location information like voice calls do. Since dispatchers cannot determine a location from a text message, it is always better to call if at all possible.
- If texting to 9-1-1 is temporarily unavailable or you are out of the area, you will receive a message to contact 9-1-1 by other means (voice call or telecommunications relay).
- Photos and videos sent to 9-1-1 cannot go through at this time.
- Text-to-9-1-1 cannot include more than one person. Do not include any other contacts on your emergency text to 9-1-1.
- Text-to-9-1-1 has been tested extensively by county officials; there is no need for anyone to test the new service. False texts to 9-1-1 are a violation of F.S. 365.172 and considered a crime.
- Always, call if you can, text if you can’t.
Santa Rosa County public safety agencies have received extensive training in responding to 9-1-1 texts. Dispatchers can transfer emergency texts to other in-county dispatch centers such as Santa Rosa Sheriff; however there is currently no ability to transfer the caller to first responders in neighboring counties including Escambia, Okaloosa or Escambia County, Alabama. The text-to-9-1-1 service relies on the cellular carrier networks and availability or reliability cannot be guaranteed by Santa Rosa County.
IP Explosion: Neighborhood Cleanup Almost Two-Thirds Complete
February 1, 2017
International Paper officials said Tuesday that their neighborhood cleanup efforts are about 64%, or nearly two-thirds, complete.
Here is the latest update on the International Paper explosion cleanup in Cantonment:
Cleanup work continues
- As a result of the Jan. 22 digester incident at the Cantonment mill, partially digested wood pulp material was released in the surrounding area.
- Cleanup is underway at approximately 64% of the affected properties.
- Crews in the field are wearing clean-up clothing as they complete their work assignments. It should be noted these are not hazmat suits.
- Unified Command representatives are collecting daily air, water and soil samples from various locations in the impacted area and presenting the data to the environmental unit, which is comprised of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Escambia County, the Florida Department of Health and International Paper.
- A long-term environmental monitoring plan is being produced and will be implemented after active cleanup efforts have been completed.
Outreach continues in affected areas
- EPA representatives were in neighborhoods today addressing concerns from residents.
- On the ground teams are canvassing the area to ensure we are maintaining open and direct communications with all property owners impacted.
- Residents who believe their property may have been affected by the material released as a result of the incident and would like further information should call the Joint Information Center available 24/7 at 1-850-968-4208.
- The U.S. Coast Guard is here on behalf of the EPA to ensure that operational plans are followed and to enhance the health and safety of those working in the field.
- Nearly 200 individuals are working the clean-up site. Approximately 100 homes and businesses have experienced varying degrees of impact. Residents who believe their property may have been affected by the material released as a result of the incident and would like further information should call the Joint Information Center available 24/7 at 1-850-968-4208.
- The Unified Command Team has been made aware businesses are contacting community members potentially impacted by the Cantonment Digester Incident and offering various services including water testing, pressure washing and carpet cleaning for a fee. Please be aware International Paper, through the Unified Command Team, is not currently coordinating with any businesses other than Cotton and CTEH, who are managing the community cleanup. All community questions and concerns should be coordinated directly through the UC’s Joint Information Center available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-850-968-4208.
This update was provided by the Unified Command Team, comprised of International Paper, Escambia County EMA/Public Safety, Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Scott $83.5 Billion Budget Seeks Tax Cuts, More Education Money
February 1, 2017
Throwing an elbow or two in the direction of House Republicans, Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday unveiled a nearly $83.5 billion budget that would slash taxes, boost education funding and cut spending on hospitals.
There were few surprises in Scott’s proposed spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1. But his remarks to reporters and editors gathered at the state Capitol for the Associated Press’ annual legislative planning session were still notable for taking a stern tone toward some fellow Republicans.
In particular, Scott zeroed in on House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a Land O’ Lakes Republican who has been a harsh critic of the governor’s plan to spend $85 million for business incentives and another $76 million to market the state’s tourism industry. While the governor did not mention Corcoran by name, he left little doubt about whom he was discussing.
“I believe that those who oppose investing in growing businesses simply don’t understand how business works,” Scott said. “We need to compete for jobs here in Florida so we can diversify our economy for generations to come.”
Speaking later to reporters who followed him after his speech, Scott emphasized the need for incentives to help compete with other states in the race for corporate offices.
“We’re not the only place that people can go,” Scott said. “We’ve got great weather, (but) we had great weather back in 2010 when we lost all those jobs. … When people are not worried about people’s jobs, that bothers me a lot.”
Scott had already dribbled out most of the more politically advantageous items on his wish list in recent weeks, as governors often do. Scott had already proposed $618 million in tax cuts, pay adjustments for corrections officers and state law enforcement, and an expansion of the Bright Futures scholarship program.
There were some additional details Tuesday in the proposal, which lawmakers will use as a starting point as they negotiate a budget during the annual session that starts March 7.
Scott would once again boost per-student funding for public education, to $7,420.99, an increase of 3 percent. But that would rely heavily on an infusion of $557.9 million in additional local property taxes resulting from an increase in property values.
The move is almost certain to cause friction with GOP lawmakers, who have insisted that taking advantage of the rising taxable values represents a tax increase even though the actual property-tax rate, known as millage, would remain flat.
“I’ve said it a thousand times: The House will not raise taxes,” Corcoran said Tuesday, drawing out the last six words for emphasis.
The speaker also suggested he was willing to push the legislative session into overtime because of the disagreement.
“We will not raise taxes,” Corcoran said. “And if that means a lengthy year, we’re prepared for that. But we will not raise property taxes — not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”
Lawmakers voted last year to hold local property tax bills steady by partially rolling back the millage in the 2016-2017 spending plan, and Scott included that in a tally of tax cuts passed during his administration. But on Tuesday, the governor bashed the logic of saying the reverse was true — that declining to offset rising property values was a tax increase.
Scott also pointed out that lawmakers like Corcoran had previously voted for education budgets that used an increase in tax dollars to boost school spending.
“Some of those people voted for that before, so they voted for tax increases before?” he said. “When your house goes up in value, most of us like that. Anybody that doesn’t understand that that’s not a tax increase, I’m surprised.”
The governor also rolled out a plan to spend $43 million on recruiting and retaining teachers. The proposal would replace the state’s Best and Brightest program, which rewards teachers based in part on their scores on college entrance exams.
The state would give the largest chunk of the money, $16 million, to local school districts for their own initiatives. Another $10 million would provide hiring bonuses for teachers who do well on tests related to the subjects they will teach, while $6.1 million would incentivize high-quality teachers to take jobs in low-performing schools.
The state would set up a pair of scholarship programs, at a value of $10.9 million, to encourage diversity and Bright Futures scholars to enter teaching.
Additionally, Scott would spend $15 million to eliminate five fees that teachers pay to receive or renew their certifications.
Meanwhile, the governor would cut deeply into payments for hospitals. The state would reduce payments to public hospitals by $298 million. It would also save $581 million by allowing the managed-care plans that handle Medicaid patients to tweak how they reimburse hospitals. Another $50 million in funding for inflation and automatic Medicaid increases would be eliminated.
It’s questionable whether the hospital plan viable in the Legislature. It drew condemnation Tuesday from House Minority Leader Janet Cruz, D-Tampa.
“All of this is an attempt to privatize (health care services),” she said. “So we as Democrats will stick up for our safety net hospitals — period.”
In addition to improving pay for law enforcement officers, Scott also pitched plans to add 327 positions at the Florida Department of Corrections, which has been undergoing an overhaul after revelations of inmate mistreatment, among a total of 596 jobs added across state government.
The state would also get rid of 266 positions, the vast majority of which are either unfilled or expected to be vacant by the time the fiscal year begins July 1.
But Corcoran suggested the size of Scott’s budget, which weighs in at nearly $1.2 billion more than the current year’s plan, could be a problem. Lawmakers are concerned about projected budget shortfalls in future years.
“I think if we’re going to get our hands around moving forward in a fiscally responsible manner for the taxpayers, the budget needs to be cut,” Corcoran said.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Local FFA Students Place At District Competition
February 1, 2017
Local FFA students recently took part in the District I FFA Competition.
Leadership Development Events (LDE) focuses on student success. The key to achievement lies in the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive world. Students can explore numerous career fields within agriculture by participating in LDEs. Students spend many hours training for competition and receive assistance from their advisor, industry partners, alumni, and community stakeholders.
Results were as follows:
Prepared Public Speaking
- Elizabeth Fleeber – Chipley
- Jaeci Cooley – Jay
Extemporaneous Speaking
- Mitchell Singleton – Northview
- Wyatt Patterson – Chipley
Creed Speaking
- Amanda Hachel – Jay
- Chloe Taylor – Vernon
Tractor Operation and Maintenance
- Donnie Dixon – Northview
- Joshua Bruner – Chipley
Parliamentary Procedure
- Tate — Cora Andrews,Madison Lucio,Victoria Kelson,Courtney Welch, Gabe Fergerson,Michael Harrelson
- Chipley
Middle School Results
Prepared Public Speaking
- Nathan O’Neal – Beulah Academy of Science
Extemporaneous Speaking
- Thuan Vo – Beulah Academy of Science
Opening and Closing Ceremony
- Beulah Academy of Science — Leia Grantham, Nathan O’Neal, Thuan Vo, Bella Avaritt, Olivia Gafford, Dylin Alford, Kamden Jones
The individuals and FFA Chapters that won first place above will represent Escambia County School District and District I FFA at the Florida FFA State Convention in June. District I FFA encompasses Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, and Washington Counties.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
IP Explosion: Portion Of Mill Is Restarting
February 1, 2017
A portion of the International Paper mill in Cantonment will be restarting soon, IP officials said Tuesday.
The mill has been idle for more than a week following a January 22 explosion, but that’s about to change.
Those in the area may notice steam and hear loud noises that are a normal part of the process, according to International Paper.
Library $5 Bag Book Sale Set For Saturday
February 1, 2017
Friends of West Florida Public Library will hold a $5 Blowout Bag Sale Saturday, Feb. 4, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Pensacola Library, located at 239 N. Spring St.
Here’s how it works: Attendees will receive a brown paper bag when they enter the library and can fill it with whatever books will fit inside. Each bag is only $5, and there is no limit on bags. There will be mysteries, novels, reference books, children’s books, biographies, military history and many more categories to browse.
“The $5 bag sale is always one of our most popular events,” said Linda Williams, immediate past president and book sale chair. “Besides giving the community the opportunity to get great books at a great price, the sale is another way for the Friends of the Library to raise funds to support library programs.”
Friends of West Florida Public Library President Mike Lane said, “Our volunteers are working hard to fill the tables with the best books we have. There will definitely be an opportunity for everybody to get some great buys.”
The Friends of West Florida Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing financial support to the West Florida Public Library system through membership fees, book sales and donations. The Friends organization was the major source of funds for the library’s 2016 Summer Reading Program, and it also provides funds for other literacy and educational activities.