Volunteers Sought For ECUA Citizens’ Advisory Committee
July 6, 2016
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) is seeking Escambia County residents who reside in the County’s electoral districts 2, 3, 4, or 5, and are interested in being considered for an at-large appointment to the ECUA Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC). CAC members generally attend one meeting per month, which is usually held on the third Wednesday of the month.
The CAC meets at 2:00 p.m. in the ECUA Boardroom located in the Ellyson Industrial Park at 9255 Sturdevant Street. No travel is generally required. The current term will expire in mid-November, 2016, but all CAC members are subject to re-appointment by the ECUA Board. A Statement of Financial Interests must be completed by the nominee.
Escambia County residents interested in being considered for a possible appointment to the ECUA’s CAC, to begin serving in August 2016, are asked to submit a resume by close of business on July 18 to. Linda Iversen, 9255 Sturdevant Street, Pensacola, Florida 32514, or emailed to linda.iversen@ecua.fl.gov.
Tom Thumb Robbery Under Investigation
July 6, 2016
The robbery of a Cantonment convenience store remains under investigation.
The black male suspect entered the Tom Thumb on Highway 29 at Woodbury Circle about 6 a.m. Monday. He opened the door using a white cloth on his hand, walked around behind the counter an demanded cash. He did not produce or indicate that he had a weapon, according to Rhonda Ray, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
He fled the store in an unknown direction and method of travel.
The suspect was described as being about 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighing 150 pounds. He was wearing a gray and black ball cap, mostly black clothing and black tennis shoes.
A Sheriff’s Office K-9 was used unsuccessfully to search for the suspect.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Scott’s Net Worth Drops
July 6, 2016
Gov. Rick Scott’s net worth dropped nearly 19 percent — mainly due to a reduction in the value of his investments in a blind trust — during the first year of his second term, according to reports filed this week.
Meanwhile, the three constitutional officers that make up the Florida Cabinet — Agriculture Commission Adam Putnam, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater — reported little change in their net worth at the end of the first year in their second terms, the reports showed.
Scott’s net worth plunged from $146.8 million at the end of 2014 to $119.55 million as of Dec. 15, 2015, according to annual financial disclosure reports filed Thursday with the state Commission on Ethics. The governor also listed no liabilities topping $1,000.
The four-page document provides a glimpse at Scott’s financial holdings. The appraised value of the governor’s Naples home inched up, from $15.39 million in 2014 to $15.44 million in 2015. A separate property in the Naples Boat Club development climbed in value from $112,375 to $123,375 during the same time period, according to the reports.
Meanwhile, the value of a 60-acre ranch Scott owns in Montana held steady at about $1.5 million, the report showed.
The governor also reported that the value of the “Governor Richard L. Scott 2014 Qualified Blind Trust” fell from $127.8 million to $100.4 million by the end of 2015.
Scott, who voluntarily receives an annual salary of 12 cents for his state executive pay, reported an income of $16.6 million from the blind trust last year.
In 2014, when the Florida Supreme Court declined to consider a challenge to a 2013 law that allows elected officials to use blind trusts to shield their financial assets, Scott’s blind trusts generated $9.8 million in investment income. In the run-up to his re-election in 2014, Scott disclosed the contents of his original blind trust, which he has since shut down. But in the most recent report, as in last year’s, Scott did not disclose the assets in the blind trust.
Scott did report that the value of a retirement account held by Pershing Advisor Solutions in New Jersey declined, from $610,023 in 2014 to $553,921 last year. His Well Fargo bank account in Tallahassee went from $92,213 to $32,554 over the one-year period ending in December.
Scott, a former health care executive who reportedly spent who spent more than $70 million of his own money to finance his first gubernatorial campaign and another $13 million on his re-election bid, has seen his net worth fluctuate over the years.
When he first ran for office, Scott reported a net worth of $218 million. In his 2012 financial disclosure, Scott put his net worth at $83.7 million. A year later it grew to $132.7 million.
Elected officials are required to file the annual financial disclosures by July 1 each year.
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, a potential 2018 gubernatorial candidate whose wealth is tied to the family-owned Putnam Groves, has remained the fiscal pace setter for the Cabinet members.
As of Dec. 15, Putnam’s net worth stood at $8.34 million, up from $8.28 million the previous year. The former Congressman, a Republican, reported his net worth at $6.8 million when first elected to the statewide post in 2010.
Putnam reported that the 2015 book value of his 20-percent share of Putnam Groves is $3.2 million, up from $3.15 million the prior year.
Putnam, who received $123,576 in salary as agriculture commission last year, also owns a home in Bartow valued at $174,000 and a Tallahassee residence appraised at $260,000, both unchanged from 2014, according to the reports.
Putnam’s investments brought him just over $50,000 and a 25-percent stake in a beach house earned $2,250 in income last year, the reports show. Putnam listed a $109,160 mortgage as his only liability.
Atwater, who posted his net worth at $1.55 million when first running for statewide office in 2009, listed his net worth at $2.53 million as of Dec. 31, 2015. Atwater’s most recent net worth is down slightly from the $2.6 million the North Palm Beach banker reported for 2014.
Like Scott, Atwater listed no liabilities. The biggest change in his financial status was the removal of the North Palm Beach home that was his primary residence before he bought waterfront property in the same neighborhood in 2014.
In 2014, Atwater reported the value of the former family home as $345,065. The new property jumped in value from $750,000 when purchased in 2014 to $866,000 in 2015, the latest reports show.
Atwater, who was paid $128,161 last year in his state job, also received investments and deferred payments worth $37,562 from Bank of America, which acquired his former employer, Barnett Bank.
Bondi earned $128,872 as the state’s attorney general last year and saw her net worth grow from just under $1.4 million at the end of 2014 to nearly $1.44 million on Dec. 15, 2015, according to the reports.
Bondi, who entered office in 2011 with a reported net worth of $472,699, listed her personal residence in Hillsborough County, valued at $825,000, as her biggest asset. Bondi identified her only other assets in 2015 as a one-third share in a condominium valued at $342,000 and a checking account that on Dec. 15 contained $5,016.13.
Bondi also reported that she owes $269,527 for a pair of Suncoast School Federal Credit Union loans.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Florida Special Session Failure Unlikely To End Gun Debate
July 6, 2016
After their call for a special legislative session failed, Florida Democrats say they will continue to seek “common-sense” regulations on the sales of weapons to people on federal watch lists.
With only a single Republican joining with Democrats, initial numbers released by the Florida Department of State indicated there wasn’t enough legislative support for a requested special session to deal with gun control as a reaction to the mass shooting last month at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
“We’ll stay focused on public safety, supporting common-sense controls on the purchase of weapons while protecting the rights of law-abiding Floridians,” state Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, said in a prepared statement late Friday. “We had a rational response to discuss and debate in the aftermath of the mass murder of 49 people and the shooting of scores more in our state by a terrorist. It will still be reasonable and favored by a wide majority of people when the Legislature does come into session.”
Moskowitz was among the Democrats who last week pushed for the extra session, rounding up 46 Democratic lawmakers to sign a petition that required Secretary of State Ken Detzner to survey all 160 members of the House and Senate on the request.
The focus on the session would have been to discuss a proposed prohibition on gun sales to people on federal terrorism watch lists.
Incoming House Minority Leader Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, said in a release that supporters consider it “reasonable” to fix the “loophole” now, rather than waiting for the 2017 regular session.
“The Republican governor, the Republican leadership of the Legislature and a group of Republican lawmakers said no, they’re sticking to their guns,” Cruz said.
Republican leaders had wasted little time announcing they would vote against the proposed special session, which House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, said was “motivated by partisan politics.”
Detzner had a Tuesday deadline to complete the survey. Holding a special session would require support from 60 percent of the members of the House and the Senate, both of which are dominated by Republicans.
As of Saturday, the votes cast by members of the Senate stood at 13 votes in support and 11 votes in opposition.
All the votes against the session came from Republicans. But Sen. Anitere Flores, a Miami Republican who faces an election challenge from Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Pinecrest, joined 12 Democrats in voting for the session.
In the House, 33 Democrats had voted “yes” and 54 members had cast “no” votes. Democratic House members Katie Edwards of Plantation and Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda of Tallahassee, joined 52 Republicans in voting against the session.
This is not the first time Edwards and Rehwinkel Vasilinda have sided with Republicans in opposing a potential special session.
In 2013, Democrats fell well short of the support needed when seeking a special session on the state’s “stand your ground” self-defense law.
The effort three years ago stemmed from a sit-in protest at the Capitol by a group called the Dream Defenders. The group protested against the “stand your ground” law after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford.
The final tally in 2013 was 47 votes for the extra session and 108 against, including seven House Democrats.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Escambia County Launches Revamped Website
July 6, 2016
Escambia County has announced the launch of a newly-designed website. The revamped site was created to provide a user-friendly experience that makes it easier than ever for citizens, businesses and visitors to access information about the county from their computer, tablet or mobile phone.
The website was developed using the latest technology and a responsive design, making it compatible with all browsers and mobile devices. Users will also have the option to share information across all major social networking sites.
The site is organized to provide quick and direct access to all of the programs and services the county offers. A newly developed site-wide search engine has also been created to aid citizens who are not sure where to look for specific information.
The new website also features a “Sunshine Center” that includes “What We Are Doing” (meeting agendas, county projects, etc.), “What We Are Spending” (budget documents, purchase orders, etc.), “How You Can Participate” (meeting accommodations, board and committees, etc.) and “Important Information” (records requests, county districts, etc.).
Escambia County’s web team has been developing the new design over the past year, working with staff across the county to better support its multifaceted mission.
“This new design was created with the citizens of Escambia County at the forefront of everyone’s mind,” County Administrator Jack Brown said. “Our team worked diligently to make information easier to find and create a website that highlights our programs and services.”
Some of the new, enhanced features include:
- Escambia County Building Guide: A step-by-step walkthrough for citizens who plan to begin construction projects, including swimming pools, docks and housing.
- County Projects: Information about ongoing projects is easier than ever to locate with the new site, which includes subscription options for individual projects, allowing residents to receive updates and keep track of projects that interest them.
- Parks and Community Centers Matrix: This interactive guide allows residents and visitors to locate parks based on location or amenities, including playgrounds, walking paths and more.
- Road Issues: View road issues information from Escambia County, the city of Pensacola and the Florida Department of Transportation. Want to report a road problem? We’ve got you covered with the Report Road Issues page.
- Artificial Reef Interactive Map: This interactive map includes important information regarding several individual artificial reefs in the waters off Escambia County.
Visitors to the new site are encouraged to provide feedback and submit ideas to improve its design. The site will be continually updated, with new features being added regularly.
“Our web team remains committed to an ongoing cycle of improvements and enhancements,” Brown added. “Citizen feedback has been and will remain an integral part of the process.”
Suspect Drowns After Running From Deputies
July 6, 2016
A suspect drowned after running from deputies during the Fourth of July weekend.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternoon that deputies were investigating the theft of a cell phone about 5 a.m. Saturday at a bar in the 5100 block of North W Street. That investigation led to another bar near the intersection of Zarragossa and Palafox Streets where they observed the suspect, later identified as Johnny Hall.
Upon making contact with Hall, Hall handed the stolen cell phone over to deputies before fleeing to the dead end of Baylen Stgreet where he dove head first into the Baylen Slip Marina.
Upon surfacing, officers repeatedly asked Hall to come back to shore, which he refused. Within a few minutes, Hall went under the water, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Pensacola Police Department officers and dputies removed their duty gear before diving in the water, but they were unable to locate him in the dark water. Divers with the ECSO Dive Team, Marine Ops Unit and units from the Pensacola Police Departments were called to the scene to assist with the search and rescue efforts. .
“Unfortunately, by the time Hall was recovered from the water he was deceased,” the ECSO said in a statement.
Register Now: Former NBA Coach To Lead Bratt Basketball Camp Next Week
July 6, 2016
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a basketball camp next week with a former NBA, college and high school coach.
The camp for children ages 8-14 will be held July 11-15 from 9 a.m. until noon at the church. Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball and Biblical awareness.
“We are fortunate to get someone of Coach Roger’s talents and achievements to head up this camp” said First Baptist Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey. “He has a unique ability to deal with children, and his love for them is evident.” This is the fifth year the church has offered this camp.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. He career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The cost is $45 per student with a limited number of scholarships available. The funds are used exclusively to purchase shoes and basketballs for needy children in other countries where Dutremble conducts camps.
“One of the many things that blesses me about the camp is coach does not receive any salary,” FBC Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey said. “The $45 registration fee will actually be used to purchase shoes and basketballs for children in other countries that do not even own a pair of shoes. Coach Roger will go to those countries and conduct basketball camps and leave the equipment with the children. Some of the children walk four or five miles just to attend his camps. So, we not only benefit from learning about basketball, but we are able to participate in missions, too. And, our church receives nothing from the $45, it all goes to Global Sports Outreach. We just have the joy of seeing children learning about basketball and Jesus at the same time.
All children participating in the camp will receive a certificate of completion and a t-shirt from Dutremble. For registration information, contact Hawsey or Sherrye Gilman at (850) 327-6529 or stop by the church on Highway 4 just west of Northview High School.
Scholarships are available if the $45 registration fee per child is not financially possible for a family.
Pictured: Students that participated in a previous basketball camp at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Inset: Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Drop Second Game To Mobile
July 6, 2016
The Mobile BayBears scored seven runs in the first two innings and handed the Pensacola Blue Wahoos its fourth straight loss, 10-0, Tuesday at Hank Aaron Stadium.
The BayBears jumped on starting pitcher Rookie Davis, one of the Blue Wahoos most consistent starters this season, with four runs in the first inning. Davis entered the game 6-2 with a 2.67 earned-run average and 1.08 WHIP.
Davis allowed all seven runs, four earned on nine hits and one walk in two innings. His record dropped to 6-3 and his ERA rose to 3.14.
Pensacola, which won the first half, fell into last place in the Southern League South Division in the second half at 4-8. The Blue Wahoos are now 18-23 on the road this season.
Meanwhile, Mobile starting pitcher Josh Taylor, 1-0, pitched a complete game shutout giving up just three hits to Pensacola. He struck out five and gave up no walks.
Mobile sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning. The first run scored when BayBears first baseman Kevin Cron singled to left field to score second baseman Jamie Westbrook. Pensacola’s Davis then walked right fielder Stewart Ijames with the bases loaded to score left fielder Kevin Medrano to put the BayBears ahead, 2-0. Mobile center fielder Tom Belza then doubled with two outs driving in Cron and third baseman Travis Denker to put the BayBears up, 4-0.
In the second inning, Davis got the first two batters of the inning out. However, Medrano singled, stole second and then Cron drove him in with a single to right field for a 5-0 lead. Denker doubled to put runners on second and third and they were both driven in by Ijames single up the middle to take a 7-0 lead.
Mobile just kept piling on the runs, going up, 8-0, in the sixth inning when Medrano reached on an infield single with two outs and scored on a wild pitch by Blue Wahoos reliever Evan Mitchell.
In the seventh, Ijames and Mobile catcher Oscar Hernandez hit back-to-back solo homers to start the seventh. It was Ijames’ 10th homer of the year and Hernandez’s fifth homer of the season.
North Escambia Fourth Travel Almost Trouble Free, Except For A Tree
July 5, 2016
Fourth of July travel in the North Escambia area was smooth and nearly trouble-free. There were no major accidents reported on Monday in North Escambia.
Holiday traffic on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill was temporarily blocked by a fallen tree. The tree fell across Highway 97 south of South Highway 99 about 4 p.m. Skies were clear and winds were light at the time. Volunteers from the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue removed the tree from the roadway by about 4:30 p.m.
AAA projected 43 million Americans would travel on the Independence Day weekend. This represents the highest fourth of July travel volume on record and five million more travelers compared to Memorial Day weekend.
Gas prices for those traveling on the roadways were at their lowest since 2005. AAA estimated 84 percent of holiday travelers, more than 35 million people, would drive to their Independence Day destinations.
Pictured: A fallen tree blocks Highway 97 in Walnut Hill on the Fourth of July. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
July 5, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending June 30 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling the Perdido River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when a girl came running up to tell him about a man assaulting a woman in the parking lot. After running back to the parking lot, Lieutenant Hahr was directed to a truck where the man was about to leave with his family. After a short investigation, he determined that the man had been drinking and was upset with his son and daughter for getting ahead of him and his wife on their float trip. He had thrown his 14‑year‑old daughter around by her hair and violently grabbed his 17‑year‑old son by his throat and hair. The man was arrested for two counts of domestic violence battery.
Officer Clark was on patrol in Opal Beach Federal Park and observed a vehicle exceeding the speed limit. He initiated a traffic stop, approached the driver and asked for his driver license. The driver stated he left it at the office. Officer Clark could smell an odor of cannabis emanating from the vehicle. He asked the driver if he had anything illegal in the vehicle. The driver stated he had a pipe in his backpack. Officer Clark informed the driver he was going to search the bag and the driver stated that there was also cannabis in the bag. On the passenger seat, a metal grinder was in plain view. All items were seized and the driver was identified through FWC Dispatch with no valid license and as a habitual traffic offender with five previous suspensions. Officer Clark placed the driver into custody and charged him with felony driving with license suspended, possession of cannabis under 20 grams and possession of paraphernalia.
Officers Hutchinson and Clark were patrolling at Whiting Park on Blackwater River. The officers were inside the office when an anonymous complainant informed them that an extremely intoxicated person just returned from operating a vessel. He advised that the individual almost fell down when exiting the vessel. While they were standing in the office, the complainant pointed at a white male in a blue truck and advised that he was the person he was talking about. Officers Hutchinson and Clark left the office and while getting in their patrol vehicle, the truck had already started to drive off. The officers followed for a short distance observing the vehicle swerving out of the lane several times. They stopped the vehicle and approached the driver. The driver spontaneously stated that he was going to let someone else drive. He said he had been drinking and that he was not safe to drive. While talking with the driver, Officer Clark could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. Officer Clark requested the driver to participate in some field alcohol tests and he agreed. The driver performed poorly on all tests and was arrested and transported to Santa Rosa County Jail for DUI. The driver provided a breath sample of .125.
Officer McHenry was on vessel patrol in Big Lagoon State Park and stopped a vessel that did not have a registration decal displayed. While speaking with the vessel’s operator, he noticed several signs of impairment. The operator agreed to perform several field alcohol tests, performed poorly and was arrested and transported to the Escambia County Jail for BUI. The breath sample provided resulted in a blood alcohol content of .224.
Officer McHenry was patrolling the area in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) in front of Big Lagoon State Park. He stopped a vessel displaying Alabama registration numbers but no registration decal. Because of the time and the amount of boat traffic in the area, Officer McHenry had the suspect operate the vessel at idle speed to the state park in calmer waters with less boat traffic. While conducting the boating safety inspection, he noticed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the suspect’s breath. The suspect also had red, glassy blood-shot eyes and slurred speech. The suspect voluntarily performed field alcohol tests, performed poorly and was charged with BUI and failure to register his vessel.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY — No information submitted.
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.