No Serious Injuries In Highway 29, Molino Road Wreck
January 21, 2016
There were no serious injuries reported in a two-vehicle collision Wednesday night at the intersection of Highway 29 and Molino Road in Molino. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Molino Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Tate Names Students Of The Month
January 21, 2016
Tate High School has named Students of the Month for December. They are Brandon Pheabus and Grace Mills, pictured with Principal Rick Shackle. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Senators Raise Questions On Florida Gambling Deal
January 21, 2016
An aide to Gov. Rick Scott got a bipartisan grilling about a proposed $3 billion gambling deal with the Seminole Tribe, but the head of a Senate committee said Wednesday that the agreement may not get a vote before the 2016 legislative session ends in March.
Wednesday’s Senate Regulated Industries Committee meeting was the first public vetting of the deal, called a “compact,” since Scott and tribal leader James Billie signed it on Dec. 7.
The compact would allow the Seminoles to add craps and roulette to their casino operations in exchange for $3 billion in guaranteed payments to the state over seven years.
The compact also would permit, but does not authorize, slot machines in Palm Beach County and at a new facility in Miami-Dade County, limited blackjack at pari-mutuels in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and possibly doing away with horse and dog racing altogether while allowing pari-mutuels to maintain cardroom or slot-machine operations, a concept known as “decoupling.”
House and Senate leaders have said that the compact would have to be tweaked to get needed approval from the Legislature, which was evidenced by pointed questions from several members of the Regulated Industries Committee on Wednesday.
Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, raised concerns about the expansion of slot machines in Palm Beach County, one of six counties where voters have approved slots at local pari-mutuels. Latvala wanted to know why the other five counties were ignored.
“So regardless of the fact that Lee, Gadsden, Washington, Hamilton and Brevard have voted to allow slot machines, basically this compact you’ve negotiated said no, we don’t care. You’ve taken care of Palm Beach, but you haven’t taken care of the other counties, is that correct?” Latvala asked Jeff Woodburn, Scott’s policy director.
Pari-mutuels in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, just south of Palm Beach, already have slots, something a current deal with the Seminoles allows. Federal law requires that tribes have “exclusivity” regarding some aspect of gambling in order to justify revenue-sharing agreements with states.
“The market already has the competition in that county area” and there is currently no exclusivity in South Florida, Woodburn said.
The Seminoles don’t want to allow slots outside of the two South Florida counties but agreed to add Palm Beach County at the state’s insistence, Seminole Gaming Chief Executive Officer Jim Allen told the committee.
“It’s not to say that one particular county is right or wrong,” Allen said. “When you address this question, we have to … understand the economics that go with a $3 billion guarantee.”
Adding too many exceptions to the tribe’s exclusive rights to operate slot machines could cause the U.S. Department of the Interior to reject the agreement, Allen said.
“When will they say we have crossed the line where we no longer have exclusivity and are paying a $3 billion revenue share?” he said.
Scott’s aides negotiated the new compact with the tribe after a portion of a 2010 deal giving the Seminoles exclusive rights to operate banked card games, such as blackjack, expired. The Seminoles have sued over the card games, accusing the state of acting in “bad faith” about negotiations on a new gambling deal. They’ve asked a judge to allow the tribe to keep offering the card games. The state also filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the games.
The tribe is also alleging that Florida violated the 2010 compact by allowing certain types of card games at the state’s pari-mutuels. The tribe would drop the lawsuit if the compact is passed, Allen said.
Two Miami-Dade County lawmakers were skeptical about elements permitted by the proposed compact.
Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, objected to allowing the county’s pari-mutuels to add blackjack if voters approve the card games through a referendum. She pointed out that voters rejected slots in the county twice before finally voting in favor of the games.
She also rejected Woodburn’s contention that the compact would limit gambling in the state “when you offer a new license and the tribe is going to increase (gambling) by huge amounts.”
Unlike the current compact, the new deal would cap the number of slot machines, table games and live games — like craps and roulette — at the Seminole’s seven casinos, Woodburn said.
“Maybe it’s a cap, but it’s not limiting,” Flores said.
Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami, said she was “disturbed” that the compact would allow another gambling operation in her county.
“This is a place that doesn’t need it,” she said. “You can’t move in traffic now and you can’t find a hotel room.”
Regulated Industries Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, joked that “we’ve got two ‘no’s” after Margolis and Flores were through.
“I would hate to dispute the chairman, but three,” Latvala retorted.
Scott’s deal with the Seminoles would deliver an additional $200 million to $413 million annually over eight years — up from the roughly $126 million a year the state receives under the 2010 agreement.
Wednesday’s hearing on the compact came a day after economists slashed next year’s overall projected state revenues by about $400 million. In response, Scott’s spokeswoman turned to the compact to help underwrite the governor’s priorities — $1 billion in tax cuts — although the extra money from the Seminoles wouldn’t be available until 2017.
Scott “remains confident” in his tax cut package despite the projected reduction in revenue because “recent estimates also show that if the Legislature chooses to adopt the Seminole compact the governor signed, it would bring in $2.3 billion over eight years,” his spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said in a statement Tuesday. The $2.3 billion number represents the increase over the amount raised through the expired compact.
Schutz’s comments weren’t lost on Bradley, the chairman of the Regulated Industries Committee, dubbed “Thunderdome” in homage to the on-screen arena for post-apocalyptic steel-cage brawls.
Bradley told reporters after the meeting that he hasn’t decided yet whether to put the compact into bill form yet.
Its future may rest in Scott’s hands, Bradley indicated.
Scott’s “involvement in this process is necessary if this is in fact going to become a reality,” he said.
The economic forecast Tuesday showing lower-than-expected state tax revenues may broaden the compact’s appeal for lawmakers as they craft the state’s budget, Bradley said.
“…Anything that can be impactful on the revenue side of the ledger, such as adding money from revenue sharing with the tribe, is a very important part of the discussion,” he said. “This all should be viewed through the lens of making the budget balance. I think that, as the revenue projections go down, it certainly does ratchet up pressure to take a serious look about whether we need these dollars in order to provide basic services.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Florida Sheriffs Association Pitches Alternative To Open Carry
January 21, 2016
Florida sheriffs Wednesday proposed an alternative to a controversial bill that would let people with concealed-weapons licenses openly display firearms in public, but the proposal quickly drew opposition from Second Amendment advocates.
The Florida Sheriffs Association, which has opposed the open-carry measure, outlined proposed steps that would provide immunity to people who inadvertently or accidentally display firearms. However, a release from the association noted the proposal “stops short of Florida becoming a complete open-carry state.”
The Senate version of the bill (SB 300) has not been heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee. But committee Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, said Tuesday he’s likely to schedule the bill for a vote, saying, “I heard there may be some good amendments.”
On Wednesday, Diaz de la Portilla said he was still reviewing the sheriffs’ proposal, which the association said would protect permit holders from arrest for unintentionally displaying weapons in violation of state law.
The proposal would require that people intentionally and deliberately violate the law before they could be arrested. Also, it would take steps such as establish a presumption that concealed-weapons license holders are lawfully carrying guns; prohibit people from being convicted if they aren’t given a chance to explain possible violations of the law; and allow the expungement of arrest records under the law if people are found not guilty or charges are dismissed.
“Our proposal protects those who responsibly carry concealed and creates certainty in the law to prevent any unnecessary arrest and prosecution of gun owners who are otherwise following the law,” Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell, the association’s president, said in a prepared statement.
Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the association’s legislative chairman, added that the proposal “is a solid alternative to opening the door to full-blown open carry, which creates significant public safety challenges for law enforcement.”
But National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer quickly expressed disapproval with the proposed changes.
“My reaction to the sheriffs’ proposal is not only no, but hell no,” Hammer said. “They’ve had five years to do this, to correct problems they knew exist.”
A similar proposal was offered in 2011, and Hammer said her legal counsel advised her not to accept it because it wouldn’t stop abuse of people with concealed-carry licenses from being arrested for accidentally exposing guns.
“My attorney said don’t take that amendment because it won’t work,” Hammer said. “People have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms. The Constitution doesn’t say that the sheriffs get to say how.”
The release from the sheriffs association said the proposal seeks to address concerns expressed in committee meetings by Hammer and others about people with concealed-carry licenses being arrested for accidentally and unintentionally allowing guns to become visible.
“In announcing the proposal, the FSA (Florida Sheriffs Association) is asking the Legislature to consider an alternative proposal that closes the loopholes but balances public safety concerns,” the sheriffs’ release said.
Sean Caranna, executive director of the gun-rights organization Florida Carry Inc., described the sheriffs’ proposal as “woefully insufficient.”
“The FSA’s predictions of ’significant public safety challenges for law enforcement’ echo the cries of law enforcement in Texas and Oklahoma before licensed open carry went into effect in those states and in Mississippi when it became the 30th unlicensed open carry state,” Caranna said in an email. “After open carry became legal in those states, law enforcement officials have universally admitted that their fears about open carry passing was all much ado about nothing.”
The House’s open-carry proposal (HB 163) has already cleared the committee process and awaits a floor vote.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Jay’s Stewart Inks Softball Scholarship With University Of Mobile
January 21, 2016
Jay High School’s Michaela Stewart has signed a softball scholarship with the University of Mobile. Pictured with Stewart are the Rams’ coach and her father, Casey Stewart. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Trump Takes Commanding Lead In Florida Poll
January 21, 2016
Donald Trump is “crushing” his Republican opponents in the Sunshine State, according to a new poll of likely Florida voters released Wednesday.
The poll, released by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative, showed Trump drawing the support of more than 47 percent of GOP voters, giving him a 32-point lead over the next-closest candidate, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. The survey also gave Trump a 12 percentage-point boost from an FAU poll in September.
The new poll also showed Democrat Hillary Clinton leading U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders by 36 percentage points and gaining in match-ups against the Republican candidates. The poll was conducted between Friday and Monday, immediately following the last two debates.
On the GOP side, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida came in third with 11 percent, followed by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush with 9.5 percent. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson’s third-place position in a November poll dropped to fifth, down from 14.5 percent to 3.3 percent in the latest poll.
In the GOP primary, Cruz gained six percentage points since November, while Rubio dropped seven points. Bush essentially remained even, with a gain of less than one percentage point.
Although the presidential preference survey had a relatively high margin of error of 4.9 percentage points, Trump’s lead was well outside of that.
With 70 percent of GOP voters viewing the part-time Palm Beach County resident favorably, Trump is “crushing” the opposition in Florida, said FAU political science professor Kevin Wagner.
“The mood of the electorate is very anti-establishment. That’s clear. In a lot of ways, Donald Trump is probably one of the most reassuring candidates to people who are frustrated with the state of American politics,” Wagner, a research fellow at the initiative that conducted the survey, said in a telephone interview.
Trump speaks about “simple solutions” and “gives a commanding sense” that he can accomplish them, Wagner said.
“There aren’t a lot of details in it but, for Americans that are worried about the state of the country and the state of the world, his campaign is sort of the direct answer to that. I’ll fix everything and I’ll make everything the way you want it to be. That kind of message has a strong appeal,” he said.
While Clinton has closed the gap with Republican frontrunners in potential match-ups, Trump and Bush would still defeat the former secretary of state if the election were held today, the poll found.
Clinton has a 5 percentage-point lead over Cruz, up from a three-point deficit in November, and is even with Rubio after trailing the former Florida House speaker by seven points two months ago. She also gained six percentage points on Trump but still trails him, with 47 percent of those surveyed saying they’d vote for Trump, compared to 44 percent for Clinton. With a 3.5 percentage-point advantage, Bush holds the largest lead over Clinton.
Florida’s presidential primaries will be held March 15. Later this year, the state also will have high-stakes races for a U.S. Senate seat that Rubio plans to vacate.
The poll found that nearly half of Florida voters remain undecided in the U.S. Senate race. That survey had a margin of error of 5 percentage points for Democrats and 5.2 percentage points for Republicans.
In the Democratic primary, Congressman Alan Grayson holds a seven-point lead — 27 to 20 percent — over U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy. On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. David Jolly has a 20-point lead over Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis.
But 45 percent of Democrats and 50 percent of Republicans remain undecided about the race, the survey found.
Rubio’s decision to leave the Senate opens the door for Democrats to possibly retake the seat. But Florida voters appear focused instead on the presidential race, Wagner said.
“The space for a Senate campaign in a presidential year is going to be very small” in Florida, Wagner said. “It’s possible that the presidential race will dominate the Senate race to the extent that the winner of the presidential race will carry the senator with him into office.”
Pictured: Donald Trump campaigns last week in Pensacola.
One Person Seriously Injured In Highway 29 Wreck
January 20, 2016
At least one person was seriously injured in a single vehicle crash on Highway 29 north of Molino Wednesday afternoon.
The driver of a Jeep Cherokee slammed into a guardrail, with the vehicle then overturning onto the roadway. One person was airlifted by LifeFlight to a Pensacola hospital with serious injuries following the 12:10 p.m. wreck..
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Molino, McDavid and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s also responded to the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sindel To Run For Commission; Taylor To Seek ECUA Seat
January 20, 2016
Two new candidates pre-filed Tuesday to seek local seats in the 2016 election cycle.
Karen Sindel pre-filed for Escambia County Commissioner, District 1, as a Republican. She is seeking the seat currently held by Wilson Robertson, who has said he will not seek re-election. Sindel ran unsuccessful for county commission in 2010, finishing about 150 votes behind Gene Valentino. School Board member Jeff Bergosh and Jesse Casey have also pre-filed to seek the position.
Jim Taylor pre-filed for Escambia County Utility Authority, District 5, as a Republican. He previously pre-filed to run for school superintendent in 2016. Taylor ran unsuccessfully for the Escambia County Commission District 5 seat in 2012, receiving about 10.5 percent of the vote.
Century Council Can’t Do Business Due To Missing Members
January 20, 2016
The Century Town Council was unable to conduct business Tuesday night due to a lack of a quorum.
Only two of five town council members attended — one short of the number needed to conduct regular business on agenda items. Council members Gary Riley and Ann Brooks were in attendance, while members Ben Boutwell, Annie Savage and Sandra McMurray Jackson were unable to attend due to illnesses or a conflicting meeting.
A special meeting will be called in the next few days to conducted pressing council business; the date and time will be published on NorthEscambia.com.
In addition to ordinary business Tuesday night, the council was set to consider five resolutions in order to advance a Community Development Block Grant and one resolution to allow the Capital Trust Agency to approve financing of a multi-million dollar construction project.
Pictured below: (L-R) Mayor Freddie McCall, Town Clerk, Leslie Gonzalz, council members Gary Riley and Anne Brooks, and three empty seats belonging to three absent council members. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Nine Mile Road Lane Closure
January 20, 2016
The eastbound, right turn lane on Nine Mile Road to Holsberry Lane in Escambia County will be closed from 8 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday as crews mill and resurface access at Zaxby’s. Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through a work zone.
Construction activities are weather dependent and may be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.