FWC Shoots Down 2016 Black Bear Hunt
June 23, 2016
Florida’s growing bear population will be out of the hunting crosshairs for this year.
But a one-year pause may simply help the state build a better case for a hunt in 2017.
After hours of objections from animal-rights advocates and support from hunters, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted 4-3 late Wednesday against a staff recommendation to hold a hunt in October that could have been smaller — in terms of permits and hunting grounds — than the 2015 event in which 304 bears were killed over two days.
The commission agreed to accept a recommendation for there to be no hunt this year.
“I don’t think it means hunting goes away,” Commission Chairman Brian Yablonski said at the end of a daylong meeting in the rural Franklin County community of Eastpoint.
Yablonski added that the delay will allow non-lethal efforts to take hold. Those efforts include expanding the availability of bear-proof trash containers in communities with high incidents of bear-human interactions.
The state agency has about $825,000 this year — due in part to money raised from the 2015 hunt — to match with money from local governments for the non-lethal options.
Commissioner Ron Bergeron, who cast the lone vote against the 2015 hunt, said the one-year delay to gather more data on the bear population in Florida will help the “credibility” of the state agency.
“We went 20 years without a hunt, had one last year,” added Commissioner Bo Rivard, who acknowledged that the 2015 hunt wasn’t perfect. “I’m OK with hitting the pause button. Have our staff continue to work on the issue.”
More than 80 people addressed the commission Wednesday, with the pro-hunt crowd outnumbered nearly 3-to-1 by people asking to postpone or prohibit future hunts.
Commissioner Aliese P. “Liesa” Priddy warned the commission that it will only hear the same arguments against a hunt next year.
“A hunt going forward in 2016 doesn’t mean we’re not going to stop studying the bears,” Priddy said.
Opponents, including some who challenged the 2015 hunt in court and some wearing shirts that said “Bear lives matter,” told commissioners they intended to work against any killing of bears for sport, which they contend will hurt tourism in Florida.
“We’ve had two shootings recently that have given Florida a huge black eye,” said Katrina Shadix of Oviedo before the commission vote. “Do we want to add another controversial bear hunt to our image?”
Newton Cook, a member of The Future of Hunting in Florida, said those who question the state agency’s scientists “are wrong” and simply seeking an excuse to call for a delay or postponement of the hunt.
“Thirty states have bear hunting,” Cook said. “This is not rocket science.”
But critics of the hunt spent the day pushing for the commission to approve a delay so more scientific data can be collected or to possibly issue a general prohibition on all future hunts.
“They need to stop this whole thing, do a complete assessment and then go ahead and determine if it’s viable to have a hunt,” said Adam Sugalski, campaign director for Stop the Florida Bear Hunt. Sugalski admitted after the meeting to being surprised by the commission’s decision.
Before the event at a Franklin County school, about 15 protesters mostly from Sugalski’s group were herded into an area — taped off from the parking lot outside the school — as they called for the hunt to be canceled or postponed for at least a year.
Chuck O’Neal, an Apopka Democrat running for the state House, said his Seminole County group Speak Up Wekiva is working on a pair of citizen-led state ballot initiatives that would require Fish and Wildlife Conservation commissioners to be elected rather than appointed by the governor and for statewide referendums to be held when hunts are planned for species that were once listed as threatened or endangered.
“The public has spent a lot of money to bring black bears back,” said O’Neal, who appeared at the commission meeting.
Thomas Eason, director of the commission’s habitat and species conservation division, said the state’s bear population has made tremendous strides since the 1970s, when there were 300 to 500 black bears in Florida and the animals were placed on the state’s list of threatened species. Bears were removed from the list in 2012.
“A lot of people still seem to feel like we’re in the late ’70s, and we have these very isolated, very small bear populations,” Eason said. “We have moved well beyond that and we have expanding bear populations in both range and numbers. And that is a huge success story. And we don’t say that lightly.”
The call for the hunt came as the number of bears annually killed by vehicles has steadily increased the past quarter century. There were 243 bears killed by vehicles last year, up from 241 a year earlier. In 1990, the state recorded 33 bears killed by vehicles. In 2000, the number was 109.
Over the same time, the number of phone calls to the agency related to bears has grown from 99 in 2000 to 6,094 last year. The 2015 number marked a drop from the 6,688 calls in 2014.
Commission officials have said the decline could be due to ongoing efforts to reduce bear-human interactions, such getting more people to use bear-proof trash containers.
Critics of the hunt said the road-kill and incident numbers are due in large part to humans moving into traditional bear habitat.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Citizens Signs Off On Possible Rate Hikes
June 23, 2016
Pointing to a “crisis” in costly water-damage claims, the Citizens Property Insurance Board of Governors on Wednesday unanimously approved a proposed 6.8 percent statewide rate increase.
The proposal would have varying effects for customers of the state-backed insurer, with some homeowners seeing premiums go up more than 6.8 percent and some seeing smaller increases — or even decreases. State regulators will decide whether to approve the rate changes, which would take effect in early 2017.
Citizens officials primarily blame the higher rates on increases in water-damage claims and a related, politically charged issue known as “assignment of benefits.” The issue, which drew heavy attention during this year’s legislative session, involves homeowners signing over benefits to contractors, who ultimately pursue payments from insurance companies.
The insurance industry argues that the assignment of benefits process has been abused, particularly with water-damage claims related to issues such as broken pipes. The industry contends that the process has driven up the costs of claims and has spurred a barrage of expensive lawsuits.
“This is a crisis, and it’s a crisis not only for Citizens,” Barry Gilway, president and CEO of Citizens, said during the Board of Governors meeting Wednesday in Maitland. “It’s a crisis for the entire industry.”
Despite heavy lobbying by the industry, lawmakers this year did not revamp assignment of benefits. Plaintiffs’ attorneys and contractors argue, in part, the practice helps homeowners hire contractors quickly to repair damage and also can help force insurers to properly pay claims.
The proposed 6.8 percent statewide rate hike for personal-lines policies, such as homeowners’ coverage, would affect customers differently, based on factors including location and types of policies.
For example, rates would go up an average of 6.3 percent for inland homeowners who have multi-peril policies, which include coverage for water damage, according to Citizens. Multi-peril policies for coastal homeowners would see an average increase of 8.6 percent.
Wind-only policies for personal-lines customers also would go up an average of 8.3 percent, under the proposal.
Florida has not been hit by a hurricane in more than a decade, but Citizens Chief Risk Officer John Rollins said the potential increase in wind-only rates stems from the shift of a large number of coastal properties from Citizens to private insurance carriers. He said the remaining Citizens policies provide coverage for properties that historically have not had “adequate” rates to reflect their risks.
But while higher rates for wind-only coverage are an issue for many homeowners in coastal areas, the major debate in the property-insurance industry focuses on water-damage claims. Citizens and other insurers are signaling they will try again next year to get the Legislature to change laws dealing with assignment of benefits.
“We have been warning about premium increases resulting from AOB (assignment of benefits) abuse for four years and, now, because of lawmakers’ inaction, consumers are paying the price,” said Michael Carlson, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, which includes Allstate, Progressive and State Farm insurance companies.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Investigators Seek Man For Questioning In Homicide Case
June 23, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help is finding Bobby “B.J.” Hawkins. He’s wanted for questioning only in homicide case.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Free Food, Math And Reading Help At Cantonment’s Carver Park
June 23, 2016
The first hot dog in the park event was held Wednesday at Carver Park in Cantonment, with kids able to enjoy a free meal and some educational time.
There will be free hot dog meals will be offered every Wednesday, beginning today, at noon in Cantonment’s Carver Park at 2058 Webb Street. The hot dog, chips and beverage meals are sponsored by Saint Jude Catholic Church for school-age children and served by the Cantonment Improvement Committee.
The Carver Park Resource Center will be open from 10 a.m. until noon on Wednesdays for children who want to keep up with their reading and math skills using computer games.
Pictured: Students work on their math and reading skills using the computer lab at the Carver Park Resource Center Wednesday morning. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
State Brings Back ‘Arrive Alive’ License Plate
June 23, 2016
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) has unveiled the newest version of its “Arrive Alive” license plate that will be featured as the front license plate of Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) vehicles. As the state’s authority in traffic safety, DHSMV has brought the plates back as a reminder to motorists to drive safely and arrive alive.
“With an increase in motorists on Florida’s roadways and an uptick in crashes statewide, we are thrilled to bring back one of DHSMV’s most successful safety campaigns,” said DHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes. “The campaign messaging provides a clear and direct reminder to motorists that their driving behaviors have a lasting impact on their safety as well as the safety of those around them. These two words are nostalgic for many and should guide motorists as they drive each day: Arrive Alive.”
The “Arrive Alive” front license plates are part of the department’s “Arrive Alive” campaign, which dates back yo 1970. FHP is promoting the campaign to reduce traffic related deaths and injuries by affixing the “Arrive Alive” license plates to the front of their patrol vehicles. The “Arrive Alive” campaign addresses proper highway speed, road manners, the importance of the use of seatbelts and much more.
“The Florida Highway Patrol is committed to keeping Florida roadways safe for all motorists and the ‘Arrive Alive’ campaign is a valuable part of our history,” said Colonel Gene Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “Carrying on a proud legacy of promoting highway safety and security, the patrol makes every effort to ensure that Florida motorists make it to their destination safely.”
ARRIVE ALIVE plates have looked different over the years. The first plate in 1970 had a blue background and reflective white letters, others had a white background with reflective orange letters and later versions incorporated the slogan BUCKLE UP. The new version of the plate will have a white background with reflective orange letters. The “Arrive Alive” front license plates are currently being distributed to troops statewide and FHP will be installing them on all patrol cars over the course of the year.
Rubio Re-election Bid Remakes Senate Race
June 23, 2016
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that he will run for re-election this year, reversing a longstanding pledge to give up his seat and sending shock waves through Florida politics.
In the wake of Rubio’s announcement, two high-profile Republicans immediately dropped out of the Senate race, with Congressman Ron DeSantis saying he would run for re-election to his U.S. House seat.
Democrats, meanwhile, pounced on Rubio’s decision as what they called another politically craven move that would allow the first-term senator to remain relevant after losing his campaign to claim the Republican presidential nomination.
Rubio previously seemed to bristle at the difficulty of pushing legislation through the deliberative Senate, and he admitted Wednesday that he has sometimes been frustrated by the gridlock in the chamber. But in a statement spelling out why he’s running for re-election, Rubio highlighted the ability for the U.S. Senate to act as “a check and balance on the excesses of a president” — even if real-estate mogul Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, is elected over Democrat Hillary Clinton.
“The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me. … If he is elected, we will need senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him. I’ve proven a willingness to do both,” said Rubio, who told reporters last month he would be willing to speak at next month’s GOP convention, which will nominate Trump.
The decision came after Republican leaders had publicly pleaded with Rubio for weeks to reconsider his earlier commitment, made during his presidential campaign, to leave the U.S. Senate when his term ends in January. The GOP faces a tough battle to hold onto its Senate majority, and the Republicans who were running to succeed Rubio struggled to gain traction in the polls.
A poll released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University underscored the dangers. According to that survey, Rubio led Democratic Congressman Patrick Murphy by seven points and Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson by eight.
But both Murphy and Grayson held advantages against DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and Republican outsider candidates Carlos Beruff and Todd Wilcox, according to Quinnipiac.
Despite his clout as an incumbent and former presidential candidate, Rubio fell short of clearing the field with his announcement Wednesday. DeSantis dropped out quickly, saying Rubio’s decision “changes the contours of the U.S. Senate race in Florida.” While the congressman said Rubio had a good chance of holding onto the Senate seat, he did not explicitly endorse Rubio.
Republican Congressman David Jolly, who was also running for Senate, announced last week he would run for re-election to a Pinellas County House seat.
Lopez-Cantera, a personal friend of Rubio’s, praised the incumbent in a statement Wednesday as the lieutenant governor dropped out of the race and urged the senator’s two remaining primary opponents to also leave the campaign.
“With that in mind, I encourage Carlos Beruff and Todd Wilcox to do what is right and unite behind Marco’s re-election so we can ensure that we have the best candidate with the best ability to represent all of our families in the U.S. Senate,” said Lopez-Cantera.
The other candidates didn’t seem interested in taking that advice. Beruff, a developer from Bradenton who has promised to spend some of his personal fortune if necessary to win the seat, blasted Rubio in a statement Wednesday.
“This isn’t Marco Rubio’s seat; this is Florida’s seat,” Beruff said. “The power brokers in Washington think they can control this race. They think they can tell the voters of Florida who their candidates are. But the voters of Florida will not obey them.”
Wilcox was slightly less pointed in his criticism of Rubio.
“I have 27 years of real world experience in national security and the economy, experience that is desperately needed in Washington now more than ever,” he said. “None of that has changed based on yet another career politician entering this race.”
The fallout could cascade further down the GOP side of the ballot. For example, eight Republicans opened campaign accounts to run for DeSantis’ U.S. House seat; by Wednesday evening, Pat Mooney had already exited the race, and others were expected to follow.
Meanwhile, Democrats faced with having to run against an entrenched incumbent quickly turned their fire on Rubio, underscoring his changing positions on seeking re-election and the fact that Trump soundly defeated Rubio in the Florida presidential primary three months ago.
“Rubio lost 66 of 67 counties in March because he abandoned the people of Florida and showed himself to be nothing but an opportunistic career politician,” said Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant. “Today’s news only confirms that further.”
Opponents also pointed to Rubio’s dismal Senate voting record during his presidential bid and said he would likely make another White House bid in four years, before his second term was finished. In a conference call with reporters, Murphy labeled Rubio “a do-nothing senator who’s running for president in 2020.”
“Today, Marco Rubio broke his promise to Floridians,” Murphy said. “Simple question: How can Floridians trust him?”
Grayson, who is running to Murphy’s left in the Democratic primary, used the opportunity to bring up Murphy’s more-moderate stances and knock Rubio for suggesting the recent shooting massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando contributed to his decision to reconsider a run.
“While Rep. Grayson is busy passing good, progressive legislation, he welcomes the chance to beat basically two do nothing Republicans in Patrick Murphy and No Show Marco this fall,” Grayson campaign manager Mike Ceraso said. “But it’s shameful that Marco is trying to use the Orlando tragedy to further his 2020 presidential ambitions from a Senate seat that he’s barely sat in.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Century Pleads With FDOT To Fix Problem Curve After Another Truck Overturns
June 22, 2016
Century Mayor Freddie McCall stood in the closed northbound lanes of North Century Boulevard late Tuesday morning, snapping photos of an overturned 18-wheeler.
“It got another one,” McCall said, referring to a curve in North Century Boulevard at Jackson Street. Less than 24 hours before Tuesday’s accident, the town council sat down with Virgie Bowen of the Florida Department of Transportation, asking for FDOT’s to fix the curve before the next accident.
McCall said the slope and design of the roadway in the curve is such that trucks in the outer lane have a difficult time navigating the curve at the posted speed limit.
“I don’t know how many trucks I’ve seen (in the curve) where the wheels come off the ground, but most of them make it,” he said.
Tuesday morning’s overturned truck was hauling bales of cotton. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 30-year old Aref Alday of Miami traveled off the roadway, causing his 2000 Freightliner semi-truck to overturn. He was cited for careless driving. Aref Alday was not injured; his passenger, 53-year old Amnerys Alday was transported to Jay Hospital with minor injuries.
Eight days ago, the truck that overturned in the curve was hauling logs, a previous accident involved a truckload of peanuts.
“One day we are not going to be so lucky and it’s going to be hazardous materials,” McCall told FDOT’s Bowen Monday night, a sentiment he echoed Tuesday morning. “One day it’s going to be a chemical truck or gasoline tanker, and a lot of people are going to get hurt, or somebody’s going to get killed.”
“It does not take long standing there to see that the vehicles, especially big trucks, are leaning in the curve” Bowen said after visiting the curve. She said Monday night that she would take the issued back to FDOT engineers for review.
By Tuesday, after the additional crash, McCall said he had been contacted by FDOT and had been told that an engineer would visit the site on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s accident also damaged the controls for a city sewage lift station located on the corner of North Century Boulevard. Repairs were expected to be made before and sewage overflowed. After a 2010 overturned truck accident, an insurance company settled with the town for $190,250 to relocated most of the lift station’s components underground.
Pictured top: An overturned truck on North Century Boulevard at Jackson Street late Tuesday morning. Pictured inset: A damaged sewage lift station. Pictured below: Three previous overturned truck accidents at the same location. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Election Watch: Two Candidates Officially Qualify On Tuesday
June 22, 2016
This is qualifying week for candidates seeking local office.
Those qualified Tuesday for local offices are listed below. For additional candidates that qualified on Monday, click here.
Friday at noon is the deadline to qualify for local offices.
Sheriff:
- Douglas DeWayne Baldwin, Sr., Republican
County Commissioner, District 1:
- Audra Carter, Democrat
Lake Stone Caretaker Reappointed
June 22, 2016
The Escambia County Commission has extended their caretaker agreement for the Lake Stone Campground near Century.
Dennis Keith Cole will continue to manage thee facility for another year, until May 31, 2017. He will be paid $11,400 in 12 equal monthly installments of $950 with housing an utilities provided. Cole was first named Lake Stone caretaker in June 2013.
Lake Stone Campground is a 100-acre campground and boat ramp facility located at 801 West Highway 4 in Century. The campground has 77 campsites for everything from big RV rigs to tents. Lake Stone is the Escambia County’s only facility located on a fresh water lake. The facilities include a boat ramp , indoor public use pavilion, a playground, showers, restrooms, a fishing pier, security lights, electrical and water hookups, a sewage dump station, picnic areas and the lake.
The Lake Stone pavilion or campsites can be reserved by calling the Lake Stone campground manager at (850) 256-5555 or Escambia County Parks and Recreation at (850) 475-5220.
Since the inception of the Lake Stone Campground, the County has entered into an agreement for on-site caretaker/management services at the facility.
Pictured inset: The Century Area Chamber of Commerce June 2013 Community Pride Award was presented to caretaker Dennis Cole for the Lake Stone Campground. Pictured top and bottom: Lake Stone and the pavilion. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Three Children Injured In North Century Boulevard Wreck
June 22, 2016
Three children received minor injuries in an accident about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon on North Century Boulevard at West State Line Road, near the Food Giant. The children were transported to Jay Hospital by Escambia County EMS. Two adults involved in the crash were not injured and refused medical treatment.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Pictured: One of the two vehicles involved in a crash that injured three juveniles Tuesday afternoon in Centuy. The vehicles were moved to the Food Giant parking lot following the crash. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.