Holiday Road Construction Break Continues In Florida
January 2, 2016
New Year’s Day may be over, but Florida drivers will continue to get a break from road construction just a little longer.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has suspended highway construction projects on major roadways across Northwest Florida. There will be no work on state roads requiring lane restrictions through Monday, January 4 . All major roads will be open to normal traffic.
Although no construction closures are scheduled over the holiday weekend, existing state highway work zones will remain in effect. Motorists are reminded to use caution while traveling through work zones around barricades and equipment.
FDOT is encouraging drivers to allow extra travel time and to use extra caution in existing work zones along state highways. Drivers are urged to make sure they buckle up, along with their passengers. FDOT and other safety agencies also ask drivers to obey speed limits, get adequate rest before traveling, avoid distractions and never drink and drive.
Drivers also are urged to be prepared for unscheduled highway closures due to accidents, disabled vehicles or other events. Motorists should be alert to changing weather conditions while traveling.
Travelers can access Florida’s 511 service from cell phones, landlines, and the Internet at www.FL511.com to receive updates on travel in the area.
2015 In Photos: July
January 2, 2016
Today, we continue our look back at the year 2015 in photos with a look at July.
Afternoon temperatures approached 100 degrees in late July.
A deployment ceremony was held in Juy in Pensacola for the Florida Army National Guard’s 1st Squadron, 153rd Cavalry Regiment. Almost 100 members of the squadron are deploying to the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Town of Century completed a $176,000 paving project on several streets.
A July North Escambia sunset.
Traffic on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill was transitioned to a temporary roadway and bridge, part of the replacement of a 75-year old bridge over Little Pine Barren Creek.
The Town of Century held budget workshops to prepare for their new fiscal year.
The Pensacola State College youth gymnastics team flipped, tumbled and entertained during a display at the Century Branch Library as part of their Summer Reading Series.
Fire destroyed this mobile home south of Century on North Canoe Road during July.
Darrin Smith of Byrneville caught this huge flathead catfish on the Escambia River near Bluff Springs using a rod and reel. The fish weighed in at 50.5 pounds — 4.5 pounds short of the state record.
The Blue Angels did not disappoint during their annual show on Pensacola Beach.
Fat Albert was also a hit during the annual airshow during July at Pensacola Beach.
Fireworks let up the sky during a show sponsored by Century and Flomaton at Hurricane Park.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Hit And Run Driver Kills Bicyclist In Escambia County
January 1, 2016
[Updated 2:30 p.m.] A bicyclist was killed by a hit and run driver early Friday morning, becoming Escambia County’s first traffic fatality of the new year.
About 12:05 a.m., an unknown vehicle eastbound on Mobile Highway at Green Street struck the bicyclist, later identified as 52-year old Eddie Ray Hunt, and did not stop, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The bicyclist was traveling against the flow of traffic when he was hit.
The vehicle is believed to be white with damage to the front or right side. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call the Florida Highway Patrol at (850) 484-5000.
Gulf Power Rates Decrease For The New Year
January 1, 2016
Gulf Power customers will see a decrease in their first monthly utility bill of the New Year.
The Florida Public Service Commission has approved Gulf Power’s request for the rate reduction. Beginning this month, Gulf Power customers will see a 2.7 percent decrease in their electricity bills.
The average residential bill for 1,000-kilowatt hours of electricity will drop $3.71 to $135.58. This decrease is due mostly to continued lower prices in natural gas and coal used to generate electricity.
“We’ve worked very hard to manage our fuel mix to provide affordable, reliable electric service for our customers,” said Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power manager of external communications. “In the end it means lower electricity bills and that’s great news for Gulf Power customers.”
Each January the FPSC adjusts Gulf Power’s prices to reflect cost changes in fuel, environmental compliance and energy conservation programs.
Cantonment Teens Injured In Interstate Crash
January 1, 2016
Two Cantonment teens were injured in a single vehicle interstate crash Wednesday in Escambia County.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 16-year old Brian Cantrell of Cantonment was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado on the I-110 entrance ramp to westbound I-10 about 1:40 p.m. when he lost control in a curve. The Silverado struck a guardrail as Cantrell swerved to the right, cross the travel lane and ran onto the shoulder. The vehicle then struck another guardrail and overturned, ejecting Cantrell, and the vehicle came to rest upside down.
Cantrell was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition. A passenger in his Silverado, 15-year old Braxton Harding of Cantonment, received minor injuries and was transported to Sacred Heart.
Any charges in the crash are pending, according to the FHP.
Escambia Man Sentenced For Battery, Abusing Disabled Person
January 1, 2016
Jason Royce Redmon was sentenced by Circuit Judge Ross Goodman to 10 years in state prison for felony battery and a consecutive 10 year prison sentence for abuse of a disabled person, totaling 20 years in state prison. Goodman also sentenced Redmon as a habitual felony offender.
The first conviction stemmed from an incident on March 1, 2015, where Redmon repeatedly beat the victim and then strangled her until she lost consciousness. The second conviction stemmed from an incident on December 18, 2014, while Redmon was staying with a separate victim, he repeatedly beat the victim causing injuries to her face and bruises to her arms and legs. Both offenses involve dating violence.
Jason Redmon has a criminal history which includes multiple felony convictions for burglary and theft which led to his sentence and classification as a habitual felony offender.
Senator Seeks To Toughen Florida Laws For Refusing DUI Tests
January 1, 2016
A Republican senator is seeking to toughen laws for motorists who refuse to take tests aimed at determining whether they have driven drunk. Senate Rules Chairman David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, filed a bill (SB 1244) on Monday that targets motorists who refuse breath, blood or urine tests. Current law, in part, can lead to motorists having their driver’s licenses suspended for such refusals. Under Simmons’ bill, motorists who refuse first-time requests from police to take the tests would face penalties including fines of at least $500 and six months of probation. The bill also would address motorists who refuse the tests after having their driving privileges suspended for prior incidents in which they declined the tests. Under the bill, those people could be charged with first-degree misdemeanors and have ignition-interlock devices installed on their vehicles for a year.
by The News Service of Florida
2016: Let The Political Games Begin – Again
January 1, 2016
After a strange and at times exhausting 2015, Florida’s government and political establishment is bracing for what could be another intriguing year. The legislative session that kicks off in January might not be as bizarre as last year’s gathering, but everyone will be watching body language to see if things will go smoothly in 2016. And another election is on tap in the biggest swing state in the nation.
Here’s a look at stories that will likely drive discussion in the Capitol, and perhaps a few other parts of the state, in the coming year:
FLORIDA, FLORIDA, FLORIDA. ONCE AGAIN: Whether or not the Republican presidential nomination is snagged by one of the state’s favorite sons — U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio or former Gov. Jeb Bush — Florida is likely to find itself in the center of the race for the White House. That’s a familiar place for the Sunshine State. It will be very difficult for the GOP to win the presidency without Florida, and nearly impossible if Democrats hold onto key states Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Expect the major party nominees to spend plenty of time on the Interstate 4 corridor, along with other key Florida media markets.
CLOSER TO HOME: Not that the state will lack its own eye-catching political races. The race for Rubio’s Senate seat could feature fiery primaries on both sides. Democrats will pick between hard-charging liberal Congressman Alan Grayson and the more-moderate Congressman Patrick Murphy. The GOP primary pits Congressman Ron DeSantis, Congressman David Jolly, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and businessman Todd Wilcox. Meanwhile, former Gov. Charlie Crist will take another shot at a political comeback, this time running as a Democrat in a Pinellas County congressional district.
REDISTRICTING FALLOUT CONTINUES: As the state nears the five-year anniversary of public hearings that kicked off the once-a-decade redistricting process, the end of the long slog might finally be in sight. A new version of a congressional map — adopted by state courts after the Legislature’s first efforts were found to violate a voter-approved ban on political gerrymandering — might be set. But that plan is now the subject of a federal lawsuit brought by Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown, who argues that the map hurts African-American voters. Meanwhile, a Leon County circuit judge has chosen a state Senate redistricting plan crafted by voting-rights groups, though legislative leaders still could appeal his decision. Even if the legal disputes end, though, politicians will be scrambling to learn new districts — and perhaps even change addresses — ahead of the November elections.
PUTTING THE LEGISLATURE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN: After four regular and special sessions filled with grinding conflict between House and Senate leaders in 2015, the Legislature will return early to try to get back on track. Lawmakers are scheduled to begin work in Tallahassee on Jan. 12, instead of the usual March date for the opening of the 60-day session. (The Legislature agreed to try out the earlier time frame long before anyone knew about the budget and redistricting fights that dominated 2015.) At the top of the agenda might be simply showing voters that Republicans can govern again, after three of the four gatherings in 2015 ended in failure. One thing that might help is the resolution of a years-long leadership fight between Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater. A deal between the two men will allow Negron to become Senate president in November in exchange for Latvala heading the chamber’s powerful budget-writing committee.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: The collapse of last year’s regular session, meanwhile, leaves lawmakers with some mop-up work to do. A water policy bill that was supposed to be one of the marquee measures of the 2015 session never made it over the finish line, meaning lawmakers will take another crack at the proposal. Legislators will also look to extend some education programs, such as teacher bonuses for good scores on college admissions tests, that were put in place on a one-year basis as part of a final budget agreement. And the Legislature is expected to continue with efforts by Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, to help Floridians with disabilities.
HIGH STAKES SESSION FOR GAMBLING: Could this be the year that an extension of the Seminole gaming compact finally gets done? Maybe. Gov. Rick Scott announced in December that his administration had struck a deal with the tribe that would lead to the Seminoles paying the state $3.1 billion over seven years in exchange for adding craps and roulette to its current casino operations. But gambling bills are always difficult to get through the Legislature, and the agreement will almost certainly need to be modified to get the necessary approval from the House and the Senate. And every Texas Hold ‘Em player knows that no hand is over until you see the river card.
JOBS, JOBS, JOBS AND TAX CUTS, TAX CUTS, TAX CUTS: Scott has made bringing new jobs to Florida central to his political identity, and might be pinning his hopes of higher office on continuing to bring down the state’s unemployment rate. A plan for $1 billion in tax cuts and a $250 million revamp of the state’s efforts to recruit economic development projects are at the heart of his 2016 legislative agenda. But lawmakers are already skittish about some of Scott’s ideas, particularly when it comes to pouring so much revenue into tax cuts when there are still questions about how much the state will have to spend in later years. With an election looming in November and the GOP firmly in control of state government, Scott will be able to sign a tax-cut bill at the end of the session, but the size is still to be determined.
HIGH NOON FOR GUN BILLS: After a new round of mass shootings across the nation in 2015, lawmakers are set to take up bills that supporters say would help Floridians protect themselves and opponents say will only make the problem worse. The battles are likely to focus on two key gun-rights bills: one that would allow the 1.45 million people in Florida with concealed-weapons licenses to openly carry firearms, and another that would allow them to hold onto their handguns while on state university and college campuses. The campus-carry bill could face the stiffest opposition, because higher education leaders strongly oppose it. Critics include former Republican Sen. John Thrasher, who is now president of Florida State University. At least one law-enforcement group, meanwhile, has already signaled it could support the open-carry bill under certain conditions.
THIRD YEAR’S A CHARM? The Department of Health is still working on implementing a bill lawmakers passed in 2014 to allow limited forms of medical marijuana for patients who suffer from severe spasms or cancer. The process of making rules for the new market and picking who can distribute the non-euphoric types of pot has been drowned in a sea of administrative challenges and bureaucratic wrangling. Meanwhile, some lawmakers are working on legislation that could broaden the types of marijuana that are available to at least some patients. Also, supporters of much-broader legalization of medical marijuana are gearing up to try to pass a ballot initiative in November, after barely falling short in 2014.
by The News Service of Florida
Florida Worker’s Comp Rates Reduced
January 1, 2016
Florida employers will see overall workers-compensation insurance rates drop 4.7 percent as of January. 1, according to an order issued by the state Office of Insurance Regulation.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance, while files proposed rates each year for insurers, initially called for a 1.9 percent decrease. The Office of Insurance Regulation rejected that proposal and said overall rates should go down 5.1 percent. But at the request of the organization known as NCCI, regulators looked again at some factors used in setting rates. That led to the order for the 4.7 percent decrease in 2016.
Pari-Mutuels Go To Bat For Slot Machines
January 1, 2016
Pari-mutuel facilities in Palm Beach, Lee and Brevard counties filed a brief Thursday urging the Florida Supreme Court to uphold a referendum that would allow slot machines at a race track in Gadsden County. The Gadsden track, Gretna Racing owned by the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore, is challenging a 1st District Court of Appeal ruling in October that said legislative approval is needed before slot machines could be offered at the facility.
Gadsden County voters in 2012 approved a referendum aimed at allowing slots. The outcome of the Supreme Court case likely will have broader implications because voters in Palm Beach, Lee, Brevard, Hamilton and Washington counties also have approved slots referendums. T
he Palm Beach Kennel Club in November 2014 was denied a slots license by the state Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering and has challenged that denial in a case pending at the 4th District Court of Appeal. Operators of the Palm Beach track, Melbourne Greyhound Park and Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Racing and Poker in Bonita Springs filed the friend-of-the-court brief Thursday.
The Supreme Court case focuses heavily on disputed interpretations of a 2009 gambling law, with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Gov. Rick Scott’s administration arguing that legislative approval is need for the slot machines. The brief filed Thursday, however, asks the court to find that Gadsden County’s referendum was valid “and, in turn, Gretna Racing, LLC properly submitted its application for a license to conduct slot machine operations at its facility.”
by The News Service of Florida