Fire Destroys Cottage Hill Building
February 6, 2017
Fire destroyed a vacant building in Cottage Hill Monday afternoon. The fire was reported about 12:20 p.m. in the 100 block of Highway 95A near Cottage Hill Road. The unoccupied building was heavily involved in fire when firefighters arrived on scene. There were no no injuries. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Stafford Announces College Scholarship Availability
February 6, 2017
Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford has announced the 2017 Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections (FSASE) college scholarship. Three $1,200 scholarships will be awarded this summer by FSASE for the 2017 school year.
The scholarship is available to juniors or seniors attending an accredited Florida university or college, with a major in: political science, public or business administration, or journalism/mass communications. Among the requirements, students must have maintained a “C” average or above the previous year, demonstrate financial need and be registered to vote.
Copies of the application and full eligibility requirements may be downloaded from the Supervisor of Elections website at EscambiaVotes.com, may be picked up at the Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor, or click here. Completed applications must reach the Supervisor’s office by close of business March 29, 2017.
Stafford will forward one application with a written recommendation to the FSASE Scholarship Committee, which will review the submissions from all 67 Florida counties. The scholarships will be awarded by the Association and the winner will be announced at the 2017 FSASE Summer Conference in May.
Students from Escambia County were scholarship winners in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2016.
IP Explosion: Officials Say No Impact On Drinking Water
February 6, 2017
The explosion two weeks ago at International Paper in Cantonment has had no impact on the drinking water supply in the area, according to officials with the Unified Command.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has inspected the local drinking water system and found zero impact related to the incident. Water quality samples are being taken from 13 locations in the impacted area.
In an abundance of caution, drinking water samples were taken from both ECUA and Gonzalez systems and test results confirmed the material is not in the drinking water.
There are no licensed private drinking water wells within in the community.
The Unified Command is 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.
Pictured top: Gonzalez Utilities, along with ECUA, Farm Hill and Cottate Hill utilities serve the Cantonment area. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
County To Re-do New Highway 97, 95 Intersection In Molino
February 6, 2017
Escambia County plans to try again on recent changes to a Molino intersection after public complaints about the design.
The county recently removed the “Y” intersection at Highway 95A and Highway 97 in Molino. A curve was added to Highway 95A to slow traffic and aid in the enforcement of a “No Truck” zone on Highway 95A from Highway 97 to Highway 29.
Late this week, weather permitting, the county plans to remove the asphalt and reduce the angles of the curves.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Updated Preliminary Flood Maps Available
February 6, 2017
Updated preliminary flood maps are now available for Escambia County on the Northwest Florida Water Management District’s flood information portal, which provides flood data to Northwest Florida residents for informational purposes only.
To check the proposed flood zone of a property, click on the Escambia County map and the flood information portal will open up to search for a property by address. The “effective flood zone” is the current information and “preliminary flood zone” is what is proposed. Citizens are encouraged to preview the maps online.
Flood Risk Open House meetings for the public will be coordinated by FEMA in the community during the month of April, providing residents an opportunity to view the maps and to speak one-on-one with specialists about topics such as flood zones, base flood elevations, flood insurance, the appeals process, mitigation grants and building requirements. Attending specialists will include representatives from various divisions of NWFWMD and FEMA.
Bratt Elementary School Names Students Of The Month
February 6, 2017
The following students (pictured above) were named Students of the Month for January at Bratt Elementary School.
Eric Anthony
Nevaeh Bush
Addison Carpenter
Kaedence Carter
Will Classen
Crimson Davis
Riley Dawson
Logan Diller
Kintley Flowers
Olivia Garrett (not pictured)
Tucker Hare
Graysen Hubbard
Mary Catherine Hughes
Landon Johnson
Kaitlin Lloyd
Maddi Lowery
Tyler McAnally
Keira McDuffie
Austin Minchew
Angel Schoonover
Jackson Simmons
Bryce Stabler
Kimmora Thomas
Raleigh Warr (not pictured)
The students pictured below, Kimmora Thomas and Logan Diller, were chosen to represent Bratt Elementary School as Escambia County Students of the Month for January.
<strong>Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.</strong>
4-H Horsepower Club Donates To Animal Shelter
February 6, 2017
The Escambia County 4-H HorsePower Club in Cantonment recently decided to help out the Escambia County Animal Shelter.
Following parliamentary procedures, the club approved a Levi Nelson motion to donate $125 worth of puppy and kitten food to the shelter. Taylor Nelson, president of the club, ensured that the purchase did not go over budget. The 4-Horsepower Club also collected baskets of used towels for the shelter.
The Escambia County 4-H HorsePower Club donates all funds collected to community service work.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tavianna Parker Named Miss EWMS (With Photo Gallery)
February 5, 2017
Tavianna Parker, 13, was named Miss Ernest Ward Middle School Saturday night in “A Disney Celebration” themed pageant at the school. She is the daughter of Joseph and Sheley Parker.
Third runner-up was Wylder Gibson, second-runner up was Jessica Stabler, and first runner-up in the annual pageant was Jordan Wilson.
Other awards presented were: Miss Hospitality Jessica Stabler, Miss Congeniality Tavianna Parker, People’s Choice Jessica Stabler, Miss Personality Jordan Wilson, Miss Physical Fitnesss Hailey Harigel, and Miss Poise and Appearance Jordan Wilson.
For a photo gallery from the pageant, click here.
Editor’s note: Photo reprints are available. Email news@northescambia.com for details.
Pictured top: Miss EWMS Tavianna Parker is crowned. Pictured inset: Jordan Wilson was first runner up and named Miss Poise and Appearance and Miss Personality. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Open to The Public: Cottage Hill Water Works Board Meeting
February 5, 2017
The Board of Directors of Cottage Hill Water Works will hold a special board meeting Tuesday, February. 7 at 6 p.m at 16 Williams Ditch Road in Cantonment for a presentation by the Escambia County Attorney’s Office on the Sunshine Law.
Juvenile Diversion Push Gets Start In Florida Senate
February 5, 2017
A Senate proposal aimed at keeping young offenders out of the criminal justice system got off to a rocky, but successful, start passing its first committee despite concerns from some Republicans and law-enforcement officials.
The Senate Criminal Justice Committee approved the measure (SB 196) on a 5-2 vote, with Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, and Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, opposed. But even some of the lawmakers who supported bill, offered by Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, said they were uncomfortable with some provisions.
Supporters say programs that issue civil citations to young offenders or otherwise send them to pretrial diversion programs can save money and help youths avoid being marked for the rest of their lives for youthful indiscretions. Children in diversion programs are required to do community service and receive counseling, substance-abuse help or other interventions.
The programs are either in place or are being put in place in 62 of Florida’s 67 counties.
Flores’ bill would require counties to have programs and would require law-enforcement officers to issue citations if juveniles commit one of a list of nonviolent misdemeanors for the first time. Officers could also issue citations for other misdemeanors or for second or third offenses.
According to supporters, about 10,000 children were eligible for civil citations during the state’s last fiscal year, which ended June 30, but didn’t receive them. Flores said that included 620 offenders who were 12 years old, and some who were even younger.
“There are three 7-year-olds somewhere in the state of Florida that committed one of these misdemeanors and were put into the criminal justice system — at 7 years old,” she said. “That is wrong. It is wrong. And we have an opportunity to get it right.”
The bill is in line with a push by Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, to offer for more diversion programs for younger offenders.
Even some boosters of civil citations, though, argued that Flores’ bill goes too far. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, whose department frequently uses diversion programs, said data about children who could receive civil citations under the bill hasn’t been closely examined.
“What’s included in that data are kids who are 17 years old, 6-foot-2, 230 lbs., who smack their mom in the face,” he said. “There are kids included in that with a heroin syringe. There are kids included in that with a crack pipe.”
Gualtieri also said officers might be less willing to lower crimes that would technically qualify for felonies down to misdemeanors — in order to give young offenders a break — if the officers would then have to issue civil citations.
For example, if a shoplifter was caught with just over the amount that makes retail theft a felony, the officer might decide under the new law to go ahead charge the juvenile with a felony. Currently, an officer might go with a misdemeanor.
“When you’re taking away discretion, you’re totally taking it away,” Gualtieri said.
Brandes was among those looking for another way. He proposed, then pulled, an amendment that would have limited the bill’s requirement for civil citations by making it apply only to offenders younger than 14. It also would have allowed only drug-paraphernalia offenses related to marijuana to be eligible for diversion programs and would have excluded domestic batteries from the list of misdemeanors.
Brandes’ amendment would have also made it easier for juveniles who enter pre-arrest or post-arrest diversion programs to have their records expunged.
“Ultimately, my belief is that law enforcement should never be left in a position where they can’t remove somebody and arrest them if that’s what they feel is the absolute best issue,” he said. “But also, we should not let children carry this around with them like a scarlet letter the rest of their lives, either. And so the ability to expunge those records to me is ultimately what will get us to the place where we feel comfortable with the policy.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida