Child Hit By Vehicle
January 18, 2016
A 9-year old boy was in serious condition after being hit by a vehicle Sunday afternoon in Escambia County.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the boy was playing with friends in the 3400 block of Tarragona Street when he attempted to cross the street. The driver of a 2002 Dodge Stratus, 17-year old Warren Grahamm of Pensacola, failed to observe the boy and hit him.
The boy was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with serious injuries.
Grahamm was cited for driving too fast for conditions by the FHP.
Farm Day 2016 Planned For February 4
January 18, 2016
UF/IFAS Extension and Alabama Cooperative Extension will present Farm Day 2016 on Thursday, February 4 at the Grace Fellowship Church at 1412 East Nashville Avenue in Atmore.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. Topics will include economic outlook, row crop disease control, corn price protection, insects that plague and more. Lunch will also be provided.
For more information, contact one of the following:
FLORIDA
Libbie Johnson: 850-475-5230 • libbiej@ufl.edu
Mike Donahoe: 850-623-3868 • mcd@ufl.edu
John Atkins: 850-675-3107 • srcextag@ufl.edu
ALABAMA
KimWilkins: 251-937-7176 • wilkikj@aces.edu
KenKelley: 251-867-7760 • kellewi@auburn.edu.
Pictured above and below: An operating irrigation system in Walnut Hill creates a rainbow in this NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge..
Order A Free Tree From The Florida Forest Service
January 18, 2016
In honor of Florida’s Arbor Day last week, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced that the Florida Forest Service is providing 10,000 free trees to Florida homeowners through a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation’s Energy-Saving Trees Program. Florida’s Arbor Day is held each year on the third Friday in January.
Strategically placed trees can add extra shade to the home and reduce household electrical use by up to 30 percent. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a single healthy, young tree can provide the same net cooling effect as ten room-sized air conditioners operating 20 hours per day. In addition to providing energy savings, trees provide other benefits such as cleaner air and improved storm water management.
Florida homeowners can reserve their free tree today at arborday.org/FloridaTrees. Within seconds of accessing the website, an online tool helps homeowners find the most strategic location for planting and estimates the annual savings and benefits that will result from the tree. Homeowners may reserve one tree per household. The program will continue until all the trees have been reserved.
The Energy-Saving Trees online tool was created by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Davey Institute, a division of the Davey Tree Expert Co., and uses peer-reviewed scientific research from the U.S. Forest Service’s i-Tree Software to calculate estimated benefits. This program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Forest Service.
The Florida Forest Service, a division of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, manages more than one million acres of public forest land while protecting 26 million acres of homes, forestland and natural resources from the devastating effects of wildfire.
‘Solar Choice’ Coalition Shifts Focus To 2018
January 18, 2016
A coalition trying to expand who can provide solar energy in Florida formally shifted its focus toward trying to pass a ballot initiative in 2018.
Members of the group “Floridians for Solar Choice,” which had fallen behind in qualifying for the November 2016 ballot and remains in the midst of a contract dispute with a petition-gathering firm, announced the change during a news conference at the Florida Press Center in Tallahassee.
“Our coalition, at the onset, was committed to building a broad set of solar polices that could grow the solar industry. And we remain committed to that,” said Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, a key supporter of the coalition. “Our coalition is not going away.”
The proposal has drawn opposition — and a rival solar-energy initiative — from a group backed by major Florida utilities.
When asked if it would also shift its focus to 2018, that utility-backed group, known as “Consumers for Smart Solar,” said in an email that it is “committed to promoting solar in a way that protects consumers.”
“Our opponent’s failure to make the ballot does not affect our commitment to do what’s right for the people of Florida,” Consumers for Smart Solar spokeswoman Sarah Bascom said.
With support from Gulf Power, Duke Energy, Florida Power & Light and Tampa Electric, Consumers for Smart Solar has raised far more money than Floridians for Solar Choice. As of Nov. 30, Consumers for Smart Solar had raised $5.9 million, while Floridians for Solar Choice had raised $1.49 million.
The move by Floridians for Solar Choice gives the coalition more time to collect the needed petition signatures to qualify for the ballot. However, it would also put the issue before voters in a non-presidential election, when Democratic turnout is generally lower.
The Floridians for Solar Choice initiative would allow businesses to generate and sell up to two megawatts of solar power to customers on the same or neighboring properties. The group’s supporters also announced plans to file a brief in the Florida Supreme Court opposing the Consumers for Smart Solar proposal, which still needs court approval of its ballot wording.
“This misleading ballot amendment is bad for consumers, bad for the environment and bad for Florida,” said Bradley Marshall, an attorney for the environmental law firm Earthjustice, a Floridians for Solar Choice coalition member.
Smith said the Consumers for Smart Solar proposal is aimed at confusing voters in an effort to keep the Floridians for Solar Choice proposal from getting approved.
“It is unfortunate that Florida continues to treat solar energy differently and continues to maintain barriers to free market growth of this energy source,” said Tory Perfetti, chairman of Floridians for Solar Choice, which has received Supreme Court approval of its ballot proposal.
The Consumers for Smart Solar measure, which would generally maintain the status quo in allowing Floridians with solar equipment on their property to sell energy to power companies, is close to submitting the required number of valid signatures to appear on the ballot. It had submitted 582,155 signatures as of last report.
Initiatives face a Feb. 1 deadline to submit 683,149 petition signatures to the state. As of Monday morning, Floridians for Solar Choice had submitted 274,582 valid signatures.
In late December, Floridians for Solar Choice filed a lawsuit against petition-gathering firm PCI Consultants Inc., which is holding 212,000 signed petition signatures as it seeks payment for expenses that Floridians for Solar Choice contends are beyond what the group agreed to pay.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
MLK Day Holiday Closures
January 17, 2016
The following will be closed on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Normal operations will resume on Tuesday.
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
- West Florida Public Library System
- Escambia County Clerk of the Court & Comptroller
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Area Transit
- City of Pensacola offices
- Town of Century offices
Exceptions:
- The Perdido Landfill will be open on Monday.
ECUA
ECUA offices will be closed Monday, January 18, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. However, all residential and commercial sanitation collections for ECUA customers in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties will be unaffected, and will be carried out as scheduled. Customers may call ECUA Customer Service at (850) 476-0480 for additional information, or visit the ECUA website at www.ecua.fl.gov.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Join Federal Program To Reduce Drug Trafficking
January 17, 2016
Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have joined a federal program designed to reduce drug trafficking.
Both counties have been added as members of the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. The Gulf Coast HIDTA, which includes counties and parishes in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi, is one of 28 nationwide drug enforcement initiatives aimed at reducing violent crime and drug trafficking.
In 2014, law enforcement agencies in Northwest Florida began the application process to become a member of the Gulf Coast HIDTA due to drug trafficking routes running through Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties via Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 98. A threat assessment conducted as part of this request confirmed that not only do many ongoing investigations in Gulf Coast HIDTA counties have a connection to the Pensacola area, but numerous Escambia and Santa Rosa County investigations also have ties to other agencies that are part of the Gulf Coast HIDTA. Additionally, Escambia County has experienced drug-related shootings, and arrests in those violent incidents frequently are linked to the local illicit drug market.
The following coalition of federal, state, and local Northwest Florida law enforcement agencies petitioned the Office of National Drug Control Policy to designate Escambia and Santa County as part of the Gulf Coast HIDTA:
- United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
- Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office
- Pensacola Police Department
- Gulf Breeze Police Department
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- State Attorney’s Office, First Judicial Circuit
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Florida Office of the Attorney General
- Florida Highway Patrol
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Internal Revenue Service
“Due to collaboration and hard work of our law enforcement partners, Northwest Florida will receive additional resources and support in addressing drug-related crimes,” said Acting United States Attorney Christopher P. Canova. “The enhanced communication between the local agencies in our district with the other HIDTA initiatives across the nation will also better enable law enforcement personnel to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that serve as
the source and supply of dangerous drugs into the community.”
“The DEA Miami Field Division is happy to have Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties join the HIDTA program,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright. “Their inclusion will greatly contribute to the HIDTA mission of combatting drug trafficking in the Gulf Coast area.”
“Due to recent changes at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local DEA office, we will be joining the Gulf Coast HIDTA. We are encouraged that positive changes are on the horizon,” said Sheriff David Morgan of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
One Person Injured In Highway 95 A Wreck
January 17, 2016
One person was injured in a single vehicle crash Saturday night in Cantonment.
The driver of a SUV lost control, ran of Highway 95 near Chipper Road, and struck a tree about 9:50 p.m. The vehicle came to rest back in the middle of Highway 95A, where firefighters were forced to extricate the driver.
The driver was transported to an area hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening. There were no passengers in the vehicle.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, further details including the name of the driver have not yet been released. The Cantonment and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Century Reschedules Council Meeting
January 17, 2016
The Century Town Council has rescheduled their next meeting due to tomorrow’s holiday.
The council normally meets the first and third Monday nights of each month, but the third Monday this month falls on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. The meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m.
All meeting are held at the Century Town Hall and are open to the public.
Senators Could Be Ready For More Student Testing Changes
January 17, 2016
Several senators seemed ready last week to move forward with legislation that would allow school districts to administer tests like the SAT and ACT instead of using the controversial Florida Standards Assessments to measure student learning.
After hearing from officials from standardized testing companies, members of the Senate committee charged with writing the state’s education budget sounded largely positive about the idea of giving districts a choice among tests.
“I guess the question then is, well, why didn’t we do this already, or why are we even questioning whether or not we should do it now?” said Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat who doubles as CEO of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.
While some senators raised issues they said would need to be worked out before approving legislation allowing the change (SB 1360), none of the committee’s members spoke against the bill. Senate Education PreK-12 Chairman John Legg, R-Trinity, said he had “a little bit of pause when I look at the timeline,” which calls for the new tests to be used as soon as the following school year.
But Legg quickly added that his questions weren’t meant to signal an unwillingness to consider the legislation.
“I think this is great stuff,” Legg said.
If lawmakers approve the proposal, it would mark the second time in as many years that the Legislature has overhauled the state’s testing system. Parent outrage and a technological meltdown plagued the Florida Standards Assessments last year and prompted lawmakers to pass a bill aimed at reining in state testing.
The state is in the second year of a six-year, $220 million deal with American Institutes for Research, a non-profit group that developed the Florida Standards Assessments. But the turmoil around the test prompted Montford’s group to say in September that its members had “lost confidence” in the state’s education-accountability system.
“When all the players on the field and all the coaches on the sidelines no longer believe that the game is being called according to fair rules, it’s very, very difficult to have a meaningful experience,” said Sen. Don Gaetz, the Niceville Republican who chairs the Senate Education Appropriations Subcommittee and is sponsoring the current legislation.
The main options for districts under the legislation would likely be the SAT and a preliminary version of the test, at least for high school students, and the ACT and ACT Aspire, developed to test students beginning in the third grade.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has expressed concern about the proposal because the measure would mean that students might be taking tests that were “no longer aligned to what’s being taught” in the state public schools. But the company officials who testified said that wasn’t a concern.
“In most cases, as I said, the alignment — particularly with Florida — is extremely high,” said Jack Buckley, senior vice president for research at the College Board, which administers the SAT. “It’s a very strong alignment.”
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Gaetz brushed off a question about whether the bill could add more confusion to the state’s testing system after years of change. He pointed out that many Florida students already take the SAT or the ACT.
“This isn’t a matter of saying, well, now we’re going to have something brand new,” he said. “This is a matter of saying, let’s assess once. Let’s not make a student take two or three tests on the same material.”
Gaetz’ legislation doesn’t have a counterpart in the House, but he said lawmakers there are expected to propose a committee bill that would closely track his legislation.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
January 17, 2016
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
U.S. 29, Escambia County – Intermittent southbound lane closures near Century Monday, Jan. 19 through Friday, Jan. 22 as workers continue construction activities. Also, northbound lane restrictions from Champion Drive north as crews continue construction of guardrail pads.
S.R. 289 (9th Avenue), Escambia County- Crews continue paving operations between Bayou Boulevard and Creighton Road. Lane closures will be in effect from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Between Bayou Boulevard and Cervantes Street, motorists will also encounter intermittent and alternating daytime lane closures as crews adjust manholes and valves.
I-10 over Eleven Mile Creek Bridge, Escambia County- Crews will resume work Friday, Jan. 22. East and westbound traffic will be reduced to one lane at the bridge near exit 5 (U.S. 90 ALT/ 9 Mile Road) as crews reconstruct the bridge approaches.
I-10 Widening, Escambia County- Alternating east and westbound lane closures near U.S. 90 (Scenic Highway/Exit 17) from 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the week of Monday, Jan. 18. as crews perform bridge deck work for the new Scenic Highway overpass. Motorists are reminded the speed limit on I-10, between Davis Highway and Scenic Highway, is reduced to 60 mph.
S.R. 87, Santa Rosa County- Temporary closure between Elva Street and Raymond Hobbs Street from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 18 for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. Detour will be in place and traffic rerouted.
S.R. 281 Widening, Santa Rosa County- Intermittent north and southbound lane shifts from north of I-10 to south of the Moors Golf Course from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 22 as crews perform construction activities.
I-10 Widening, Santa Rosa County – Alternating lane closures on I-10 between the Escambia Bay Bridge and State Road (S.R.) 281 (Avalon Boulevard/Exit 22) and on Avalon Boulevard near the overpass from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 17 through Thursday, Jan. 21 as crews perform bridge and other construction activities. In addition, traffic on I-10 east and westbound from the Escambia Bay Bridge to just east of Avalon Boulevard will be slowed by Florida Highway Patrol from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 19. The traffic pacing operations will allow crews to remove utility lines.
Santa Rosa County – Drivers will encounter daytime and nighttime traffic disruptions on the following state roads in Santa Rosa County through Jan. 22 as crews perform striping and pavement marking operations.
- U.S. 90 just east of S.R. 281 (Avalon Boulevard) to S.R. 87and west end of Blackwater Bridge to the east end of Blackwater Bridge.
- S.R. 87 (Stewart Street) from U.S. 90 to north end of Clear Creek Bridge.
- S.R. 89 (By-Pass) from U.S. 90 to S.R. 87.
- S.R. 89 from S.R. 87 to County Road 178.
- U.S. 98 from the zoo to the Okaloosa County line. (nighttime operation)
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling in a work zone and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.