Marijuana Expansion Proposal Headed To Scott
March 8, 2016
Terminally ill patients would have access to marijuana under a measure that would legalize full-strength pot for the first time in Florida if signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott.
The proposal, approved Monday by the Senate, would add cannabis to a list of experimental drugs available to patients diagnosed with illnesses that could result in death within a year without life-saving interventions.
The measure also addresses the state’s existing low-THC law, intended to aid patients — including children with severe epilepsy — who suffer from chronic seizures or cancer. Implementation of the 2014 law is more than a year behind schedule because of legal challenges, and this year’s legislation is aimed at preventing further delays.
The Republican-dominated Legislature approved the medical cannabis for dying patients months before voters will have the opportunity to decide on a much broader marijuana initiative. A proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot would allow patients with a wide variety of illnesses to use the marijuana treatment if their doctors order it. A similar measure narrowly failed to pass in 2014.
During debate Monday on the Legislature’s measure (HB 307), critics of the plan said it does little to aid sick Floridians but instead benefits a handful of nurseries selected by health officials as the state’s five dispensing organizations.
“The system is designed for profit, not to help patients,” said Sen. Jeff Clemens, a Lake Worth Democrat who has for years tried to legalize medical marijuana for a swath of ailing Floridians. “A vote for this bill is a vote for the same old, same old. A vote for this bill isn’t a vote for fixing the problem. It’s a vote for continuing the problem.”
But Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who sponsored this year’s measure and who was instrumental in passage of the low-THC law, said his aim was to get the cannabis products to children whose parents urged lawmakers in 2014 to approve the substances, which they believe can dramatically reduce or end life-threatening seizures.
“Now two years later, not one child in the state of Florida has received help … not one. And that makes me angry. And it makes me embarrassed. And it’s time to end it,” Bradley said.
The Senate voted 28-11 to approve the proposal, which also was passed by the House last week. Under it, the five nurseries — and their affiliates — chosen to grow, process and distribute marijuana low in euphoria-inducing THC will also be responsible for growing the full-strength medical marijuana. The expectation is that the same dispensing organizations would also be allowed to provide the pot products to a vastly expanded patient base if the constitutional amendment passes.
The 2014 law authorized nurseries that have been in business for 30 years and grow at least 400,000 plants to apply for one of five highly sought-after licenses to grow, process and distribute cannabis products that are low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and high in cannabadiol, or CBD.
Doctors were supposed to be able to order the low-THC cannabis products for patients more than a year ago, but legal challenges delayed implementation of the law, spurring frustrated lawmakers to propose the changes in this year’s legislation.
Health officials selected the five “dispensing organizations” in November, prompting another round of challenges. Hearings in the cases are slated to run from March through the end of July. Meanwhile, the dispensing organizations are in the process of beginning to cultivate the non-euphoric marijuana.
The bill awaiting Scott’s action includes provisions that would allow each of the five applicants selected by health officials in November to keep their licenses and also would allow applicants whose challenges are successful to get licenses.
The measure would also allow for three new dispensing organizations, once doctors have ordered medical marijuana treatments for at least 250,000 patients. It also includes an accommodation for black farmers, who complained they were shut out from applying for the licenses because none of the state’s black farmers met the criteria for the licenses. The three new dispensing organizations would not have to meet the criteria required of nurseries in the low-THC law.
Of the 23 states where medical marijuana is legal, none of reached the 250,000 patient threshold, according to Clemens.
“So that provision of the bill simply is useless,” he said.
Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, said the measure does nothing to fix the state’s broken system but instead perpetuates a “state-sanctioned drug cartel.”
But Bradley said he is not focused on how the bill would benefit the state’s marijuana businesses.
“What I’m trying to focus on is making sure we get these substances in the hands of these suffering families as quickly as possible, and I’ll let the market work it out,” he said.
The bill — and the current law — restricts the proliferation of “pot shops” experienced by other states where marijuana is legal, argued Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach.
“If we just turn loose the free market, every strip center won’t have just one pot shop, every strip center will have three pot shops,” Bean said.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Tate Aggie Wrestlers Place At State
March 8, 2016
Three Tate High School Aggie wrestling team members placed recently at state. From the left, Alex Porter placed sixth; Gaven McAnally placed fifth, and Jacob Cochran placed sixth. Overall, the Aggies team placed 14th in the state. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Softball Beats Catholic; Central Baseball Tops NHS
March 8, 2016
BASEBALL
Central 6, Northview 1
The Northview Chiefs fell to Central 6-1 Monday night in Bratt.
The lone score for the Chiefs came on an error in the first inning.
Hitting for Northview: Quentin Sampson 1-2, 1R; Thomas Moore 1-3; Zach Payne 1-3; Jacob Dunford 1-3.
Northview’s varsity will back in action on Friday at 6:00 at South Walton, following a 4:00 JV game.
SOFTBALL
Northview 15, Catholic 5 (5 innings)
The Northview Chiefs beat Catholic in Bratt Monday evening by a run-rule score of 15-5 in five innings.
Hitting for the Chiefs: Kendall Enfinger: 3-4 with 2 singles, a triple, 2 runs and 2 RBI’s. Tori Herrington: 2-3 with a single, double, 2 runs, 3 RBI’s and a walk. Lydia Smith: 2-3 with 2 singles, 3 runs and 2 RBI’s. Hannah Ging: 2-4 with 2 singles and 2 runs. Laurie Purdy: 1-3 with a single and 3 RBI’s. Aubree Love: 1-4 with a single, a run and 2 RBI’s. Daphne Young: 1-3 with a double, 2 runs and 2 RBI’s. Brittany McLemore: 1-2 with a single, a run and a walk. Alana Brown: with a single and a run. Catie Clayton: 0-1 with a run.
Pitching: Kendall Enfinger: 3IP, 2K’s, 1BB, 4H, 3R, 2ER; Tori Herrington: 2IP, 3K’s, 1BB, 3H, 2R, 1ER
The Chiefs travel next to Baker for a division matchup Thursday with JV playing at 4:00 and varsity at 5:30.
Pictured: Central at Northview. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston click to enlarge.
Escambia County Sets Final Tornado Debris Pickup Schedule
March 8, 2016
Escambia County and Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) crews will begin making their final passes through neighborhoods collecting storm generated debris next week. Residents in the unincorporated areas of Escambia County that have storm related debris are asked to move all debris to the right of way no later than Sunday, March 13.
When moving your debris curbside, please remember:
- All storm generated debris must be separated and be placed in the right-of-way. Residents should avoid placing debris near power poles, fire hydrants, water meters, mail boxes or other utilities. Crews are not allowed on private property so all debris must be in the right-of-way area, typically the area from a power pole to the curb.
- No demolition debris will be picked up, please consult with your insurance company and/or contractor for demolition debris removal.
- Do not place household garbage with storm debris.
- Storm generated debris must be sorted and placed curbside in the following categories:
- Construction– furniture, carpet, tile, steel, glass, brick, concrete, asphalt roofing material, pipe, gypsum wallboard, lumber or anything used in the construction, renovation, and demolition of a structure.
- Vegetative debris – Tree limbs, leaves, logs, pallets, and tree branches
- White goods – washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, microwaves, water heaters, freezers and small AC units.
- Electronics – T.V.s, computers, monitors, fax machines, stereos, speakers, etc.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) – Cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemicals, oils, oil-based paints and stains and pesticides.
Commercial Customers please contact your contracted waste services provider for disposal services. Commercial waste should not be placed on the right-of-way.
To date crews have removed 8,100 cubic yards of vegetative debris and 320 tons of construction demolition debris in unincorporated Escambia County.
Residents of Century should continue to place their storm debris on the right of way for continued pickup. Vegetative debris should be separated from construction debris.
Fire Destroys Mobile Home Near Century
March 8, 2016
Fire destroyed a mobile home in the 1200 block of West Highway 4 Monday afternoon near Century.
There were no injuries reported in the afternoon blaze. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Pictured top: Fire breaks through the roof a mobile home on West Highway 4 near Century Monday afternoon. Pictured inset and below: Heavy smoke billows from the mobile home. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Senate Seeks To End Juvenile Justice Dispute
March 8, 2016
The Florida Senate on Monday unanimously approved a bill aimed at resolving a years-long dispute between Escambia, Santa Rosa and other counties and the state over paying to detain juvenile offenders.
The House is scheduled to take up the bill Tuesday.
Lawmakers have tried to settle the dispute before, but have not been able to pass legislation amid multiple court battles. The proposal (SB 1322) by Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, would divide the cost of detaining young offenders equally between the state Department of Juvenile Justice and county governments — a 50-50 split that would replace a formula that currently requires counties to pay 57 percent and the state to pay 43 percent. The measure also would simplify a billing process in which counties pay annual estimated costs in advance.
Counties say the current system has resulted in them being owed millions in overpayments — or getting hit with unexpected bills at the last minute.
Before moving forward with the new bill, Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, insisted the 22 counties that have been litigating the cost-sharing formula waive their claims to recoup overpayments. Broward County waived its claims last week. The last county to sign on — Volusia — did so in an emergency meeting Monday after refusing last week.
“(The counties) frankly left a lot of money on the table,” Latvala said. To start carrying out the proposal, the bill includes providing $10.8 million to the Department of Juvenile Justice. That money would be in addition to money the department receives for detention costs.
State leaders got additional incentive to close the deal on Feb. 18, when the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled in favor of the counties on the matter of back payments — a ruling that Cragin Mosteller of the Florida Association of Counties estimated was worth more than $100 million to the litigating counties.
by The News Service of Florida
Power Outage In Walnut Hill, Including Ernest Ward Midle
March 7, 2016
There was a brief power outage in Walnut Hill Monday afternoon, including Ernest Ward Middle School and an unknown number of residences. EREC is pictured here working on the problem outside Ernest Ward Middle School at dismissal time. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Three Weeks: Century Tornado Cleanup Continues
March 7, 2016
The recovery effort following the EF-3 tornado that struck the Century area three weeks ago is continuing.
Escambia County has issued 84 total permits in the Town of Century. Most of the those permits were for roofing, electrical and building purposes.There have been 17 demolition permits issued to date related to the Century tornado (both in the town and in the unincorporated area).
There are multiple 30 and 40-yard roll-off dumpsters placed in the tornado damaged areas of Century for construction debris. They have been unloaded 90 times by provider Republic Services.
The February 15 tornado, rated as an EF-3 with winds over 150 mph, destroyed 52 structures in unincorporated Escambia County and inside the town limits of Century. There were 60 structures left with major damage, and 49 with minor damage, for a total of 161 structures impacted by the storm.
The assessment number from Escambia County break down as follows:
- Destroyed
- Single Family Home: 28
- Mobile Homes: 21
- Commercial: 3
- Major
- Single Family Home: 48
- Mobile Homes: 10
- Commercial: 2
- Minor
- Single Family Home: 35
- Mobile Homes: 13
- Commercial: 1
The Century tornado was the first EF-3 tornado to hit Escambia County in 45 years. It came just eight days before a second EF-3 tornado struck Pensacola.
Pictured: Roll-off dumpsters like this have been filled with construction debris and emptied 90 times within the town limits of Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Firefighters Battle Sunday Brush Fires
March 7, 2016
Firefighters battled a couple of brush fires Sunday in the North Escambia area.
The first was reported about 11:45 a.m. on Pinoak Lane off Highway 29 south of Molino. The second was reported about 4:15 p.m. on Christian Home Drive, just off Pine Barren Road in the Christian Home community.
Both fires were extinguished by Escambia Fire Rescue with damage to other structures and no injuries.
Pictured: A midday brush fire on Pinoak Lane near Molino Sunday. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
House, Senate Close In On Budget Deal
March 7, 2016
House and Senate budget chiefs drew closer Sunday to a final agreement on the spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1, striking deals on a slew of local projects and throwing an elbow at the leader of the state’s prisons agency for an aggressive lobbying campaign.
Heading into Sunday evening, the only major outstanding issue between the two sides was the lion’s share of the education budget, which moved to high-level talks after earlier negotiations broke down. Lawmakers have to agree on the roughly $80 billion overall spending plan by Tuesday for the legislative session to end on Friday, as scheduled.
The largest agreement Sunday between House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, and Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, could be read as a direct challenge to Gov. Rick Scott. The two sides agreed to spend more than $713.5 million on education construction projects, with an unspecified share of the funding coming from bonds.
Scott has strongly opposed bonding in the past, but Corcoran defended the move because of the current rates the state could get on issuing debt to fund needed construction projects at public schools, colleges and universities.
“Any time you have rates that are this low, you’re getting money for much cheaper. … It’s a good opportunity, a good time to do it. And we’re doing it very prudently,” Corcoran said.
Lawmakers agreed to $150 million for public school maintenance, split evenly between traditional public schools and charter schools.
Other big-ticket items on the education list included $20 million to pay for the state share of a downtown Orlando campus for the University of Central Florida. That project — approved by the university system’s Board of Governors last week — is a top priority of Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando.
Overall, UCF would receive almost $42.3 million in construction funding under the House-Senate agreement, more than any other university in the 12-school system.
The projects approved on Sunday also showed the influence of House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island. Eastern Florida State College, in Crisafulli’s home county of Brevard, received $24.5 million in construction projects, more than all but one other state college.
And $60 million worth of water projects also agreed to Sunday funded several initiatives in Brevard County, including a $1.2 million drainage project at Merritt Island High School, the second-largest item on the list.
Earlier Sunday, Corcoran and Lee finished up negotiations on pay raises and other administrative areas of the budget. They agreed to salary increases for state firefighters, Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime-lab analysts and on-duty members of the National Guard.
Struck from the budget was a House proposal to spend $7 million to replace radio equipment for law enforcement, an item that has become ensnared in a dispute over procurement for the radios.
Corcoran and Lee also pushed back against the Florida Department of Corrections, which has aggressively lobbied to get 734 additional positions that the agency says are needed to make the state’s prisons more secure.
The new jobs are part of an effort by the department to have corrections officers work eight-hour shifts instead of 12-hour shifts. The department has been reeling from a series of reports about issues such as contraband smuggling and abuse of inmates.
On Saturday, the day after Corcoran and Lee had agreed to a criminal justice budget without the additional positions, Corrections Secretary Julie Jones issued a statement asking lawmakers to reconsider.
“We strongly believe that our request for 734 additional (positions) is an operational imperative that will increase both safety and security in our institutions,” she said. “Since the implementation of 12-hour shifts the department has observed significant increases in several areas that have contributed to increased risk within our facilities.”
On Sunday, Lee and Corcoran hit back, with Lee underscoring the troubles that have roiled the department since before Jones took over.
“What they haven’t told you is that they have 1,500 vacant positions and the reason they’re not able to hire is because of the cultural problems they have in the system, not because they don’t have enough positions authorized under statute. … We’re happy to help them over time try to get where they need to get, but they need to get their house in order,” he said.
The department says it has maintained those open positions to pay for overtime expenses that would drop if it had more officers.
Corcoran also said Jones needs to work with lawmakers to find some way to downsize the prison population — though lawmakers have in past years approved tough-on-crime bills that have extended sentences. The department also pushed for legislation (HB 1149), which lawmakers have sent to Scott, that would allow judges to come up with punishments besides jail time for some probation violations.
The agency issued a terse statement on Sunday in relation to Lee and Corcoran’s criticism.
“The department has clearly communicated the priorities in our legislative budget request,” it said. “We remain hopeful that our critical needs will be addressed by the Legislature this session.”
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida