Bill Seeks To Preserve Bear Habitat, Reduce Conflicts
December 30, 2015
Pointing to a lack of coordination between agencies, House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, filed a bill Tuesday designed to protect black-bear habitat while reducing conflicts between bears and humans.
The bill is filed for the 2016 legislative session and is identical to a measure filed earlier by Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando. The bills came after the state held a controversial bear-hunting season this fall and amid concerns about potentially dangerous interactions between bears and humans in residential areas.
The proposal points to the roles of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in managing wildlife and state lands.
“Both state forests and state parks constitute prime habitat for the Florida black bear,” the proposal says. “The Legislature also finds that there has been a lack of interagency coordination to preserve the habitat for the Florida black bear. This lack of coordination has resulted in an increase in human-bear conflicts.”
The proposal, in part, would take steps such as changing schedules for controlled burns in state forests and state parks that include bear habitats. The changes would be aimed at allowing the growth of oak trees, saw palmettos and other berry-producing plants that provide food for black bears.
Also, the proposal would create a state account with at least $50 million to help local governments buy bear-resistant garbage containers. Cities and counties in bear-prone areas would be able to borrow money from the account to buy and distribute the containers to all residents in the areas.
by The News Service of Florida
Prosecuting Juveniles As Adults Draws Legislative Debate
December 30, 2015
Bills are moving in the House and Senate that would limit the ability of Florida prosecutors to charge juvenile offenders as adults, a legal practice known as “direct file.”
Each measure has passed one committee, and they could be on a collision course — turning on the question of how much discretion prosecutors should have in such cases.
Opponents of direct file point to a 2014 report by Human Rights Watch that found Florida transfers more juveniles to adult courts than any other state. The report also found that between 2009 and 2014, more than 60 percent of the roughly 12,000 juveniles who were transferred to Florida’s adult courts had been charged with non-violent crimes.
A coalition of opponents is pushing a measure — SB 314 by Senate Judiciary Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami — that would require judges to sign off on juvenile-to-adult court transfers. The bills are filed for the 2016 legislative session, which starts Jan. 12.
“Due process is the hallmark of our justice system, and I think that there has to be checks and balances,” said Wansley Walters, a former secretary of the state Department of Juvenile Justice and a backer of the Senate bill. “And I absolutely believe that our society has to have that with children.”
But supporters of direct file say it works and that it is necessary for public safety. They point to the state’s crime rate, which is at a 44-year low. Juvenile arrests statewide dropped 4 percent for fiscal year 2014-2015 — for a total decline of 32 percent over the past five years.
“We don’t direct-file on anybody but dangerous people,” said Tallahassee-based State Attorney Willie Meggs, whose office prosecutes cases in six counties. “It gives us the ability to have jurisdiction over that person for a much, much longer period of time. … If we direct-file on them, and get them into the adult system, then they’re treated as adults, and you can have them on probation for the rest of their life — if it is necessary.”
About 9 percent of the state’s juvenile offenders are described as “serious, violent, chronic offenders,” according to the Department Juvenile Justice.
The Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association supports the House version of the bill — HB 129, filed by Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation, Rep. Kathleen Peters, R-Treasure Island, and Rep. Bobby Powell, D-Riviera Beach — which puts some limits on prosecutors but doesn’t include review by judges.
Edwards also proposed a bill for the 2015 session that would have restrained the use of direct file, but it faced opposition from prosecutors and died. The House bill filed for the 2016 session initially called for allowing judicial review. But the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee changed the bill this month, removing the judicial review —- despite the sponsors’ objections — and then passed it unanimously.
As it stands, the House bill would eliminate the current practice of what is known as “mandatory” direct file, which requires prosecutors to send juveniles to adult court under certain circumstances. For instance, a prosecutor faced with a 16- or 17-year-old who has been found guilty of committing a violent crime in the past and is charged with another violent offense must transfer the youth to adult court. Under the House bill, that would be discretionary.
The House bill also would modify current discretionary use of direct file, creating a two-tiered system, based on age and severity of offense, in which prosecutors could choose to transfer juveniles to adult court.
“Direct filing should be a serious matter, of a serious nature,” said House Judiciary Chairman Charles McBurney, R-Jacksonville. “You should not be able to direct-file on a misdemeanor.”
As a prosecutor in the 1980s, McBurney said, he used direct file to transfer juveniles to adult courts in Northeast Florida, but only for habitual violent offenders.
The House bill is a work in progress, McBurney said. He would not speculate on which chamber’s version would prevail.
But Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said the Senate bill — which contains both the tiered system and the right to judicial review — is more “balanced” than the House version.
“Under the Senate bill, you can still be treated as an adult under our criminal justice system,” Bradley said. “That doesn’t change. All the Senate bill does is ensure that there is an extra layer of review, and that review is in the hands of a judge. … We have judges to look at both sides, both the defense and the prosecution, and then make a reasoned judgment after hearing all the evidence.”
Both sides agree that the use of direct file has declined. “Now we direct-file sparingly,” said Buddy Jacobs, general counsel for the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association, who also said the practice had been used “very judiciously” by the prosecutors. From fiscal year 2008-09 to fiscal year 2013-2014, Jacobs said the number of direct files decreased by 53 percent.
by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida
National Weather Service Confirms Tornado Touchdown
December 30, 2015
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down Monday in Chumuckla in Santa Rosa County.
The tornado, rated as an EF-1 with winds of 86 to 110 mph, touched down about two miles south of Chumuckla and tracked a mile north-northeast before weakening to an EF-0 tornado and dissipating. The tornado tracked through a wooded area and across an open field with a patch up to 75 yards wide.
Damage was generally confined to uprooted pecan trees, and snapped cedar and pine trees.
Images courtesy Craig Adams YouTube video for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injuries In Highway 29 Molino Accident
December 29, 2015
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle crash this morning on Highway 29 at Camde Lane (in front of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Substation) in Molino. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos to Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Sentenced After Wreck With Escambia County Deputy
December 29, 2015
A Molino man has been sentenced on a drug charge after causing a traffic accident with an Escambia County Sheriff’s sergeant last summer in Cantonment.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 24-year old Douglas Joseph Hadley was traveling east on Muscogee Road in a 1996 Ford Windstar van when he made a wide right turn onto Highway 29 and into the path of a marked Escambia County Sheriff’s Office 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe on July 27.
Sgt. Marc Dewees received minor injuries in the crash. Hadley was not injured. Both were wearing their seat belts.
Hadley was sentenced to 180 days in the county jail, with credit for time served, and his driver’s license was suspended for one year for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Additional charges of DUI and possession of a synthetic cannabinoid were dropped. He was also ticketed for an improper turn by the FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
ECUA Cleans Up Sewer Overflow On Harlington Street
December 29, 2015
A Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) occurred on December 28 at a manhole located near 9905 and 9925 Harlington St. following a sewer main break. The overflow was estimated at 7,650 gallons.
ECUA crews repaired the main and the overflow area was then cleaned and disinfected with a biocide agent that abated any contamination concerns, per State protocol. The Escambia County Health Department, the State Warning Point, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection were notified.
Earn Your GED At The Molino Community Center
December 29, 2015
GED classes will begin January 11 at the Molino Community Center.
Classes will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays in Room 124. Tuition is $30; register by visiting www.georgestonecenter.com or get help at the Molino Community Center on January 11 from 5-8 p.m.
The program offers teachers and tutors, not just sitting behind a computer self-teaching.
For more information, call the George Stone Technical Center at (850) 941-6200.
2015 In Photos: February
December 29, 2015
Today, we continue our look back at the year 2015 in photos with a look at February.
Northview High School teacher Anna Barry was named the Escambia County Teacher of the Year.
The Town of Century adopted a new slogan — “A Century that lasts forever”.
These are the newest members of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Team — Deputy Doug Burgett and K-9 Zurki with the photobomb.
Students moved into the new Ernest Ward Middle School in February for the first day of classes in the new building.
The Tate High School Drama Department presented a three-night run of “The Addams Family: A Musical Comedy”.
A portable meth lab was found in a wooded area just off Dortch Road in Bratt.
Northview High School sophomores won a powder puff football tournament on a cold February evening. After defeating the freshmen team, the sophomores easily handled the senior team.
The Tate High School Lady Aggies shut out the West Florida Jaguars in a February game.
Traffic in Atmore was brought to a standstill due to work on railroad crossings.
The Northview Chiefs opened their 2015 season with wins over the Pensacola High School Tigers.
An organizational meeting was held to make plans for the second Reimagine Century event on May 16.
Work neared completion in February on a $2.6 million project to widen and resurface Jacks Branch Road from Muscogee Road to Barrineau Park.
FFA members at Northview High School celebrated with a variety of events, including a breakfast for teachers and staff.
The Chipley Tigers defeated the Northview Chiefs 70-55 in the District 3-1A championship game.
Barrineau Park Road was paved in Escambia County to the Baldwin County, AL, line.
TripAdvisor named Pensacola Beach as one of the top five beaches in the United States.
Children from Highland Baptist Church recently visited with residents of the Health Care Center of Pensacola. The children delivered handmade Valentine’s cards with a special message.
Students at Escambia Westgate School received new picnic tables to enjoy, thanks to inmate labor at the Century Correctional Institution.
A very special Mardi Gras parade was held for the special needs students of Escambia Westgate School.
A wildfire near Flomaton, AL, consumed over 500 acres.
The Northview Lady Chiefs dropped their first softball game of the season to the Pace Patriots.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Eighth Green Bulb Replaced On Safety Fire Wreath
December 29, 2015
Escambia County Fire Rescue recently responded to a fire incident on the 1600 block of Governors Drive, resulting in the eighth green light being replaced for the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign.
The the first 911 call was received Sunday at 4:10 p.m., with on-site crews reporting light smoke showing from the entry way. The fire was brought under control at 4:26 p.m., and the residents of the home were displaced due to water damage from the sprinkler system. Escambia County Fire Rescue reminds citizens to never leave cooking food unattended and to keep cooking areas clean and free of grease and other combustibles (such as potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging), which can catch fire easily.
The “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign is a collaborative initiative with City of Pensacola and Santa Rosa County to promote fire safety during the month of December. During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths will be on display at 23 different county fire stations. Every time firefighters respond to a residential fire, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by holiday decorations.
New Law Puts Spotlight On Human Trafficking
December 29, 2015
Signs intended to raise awareness about human trafficking are expected to be prominently displayed at rest areas, airports, emergency rooms and strip clubs starting Friday, as a law passed during the 2015 legislative session goes into effect with the new year.
Another new law revises requirements for athletic trainers, while a portion of a tax-cut package also is put in place.
The new laws taking effect this week are almost the last of 232 bills that came out of the 2015 session. The bulk went into effect July 1.
The last of the 2015 bills (HB 1215) — repealing the Alachua County Boundary Adjustment Act, which is a law regarding annexations — takes effect Feb. 29.
The law (HB 369) aimed at raising awareness about human trafficking requires signs to be posted in a wide range of places, including rest areas, turnpike service plazas, weigh stations, welcome centers, airports and strip clubs.
The requirement was part of a series of proposals approved this year and signed by Gov. Rick Scott as the state tries to crack down on human trafficking for sex or forced labor. Attorney General Pam Bondi has made the issue one of her priorities.
“Raising awareness is a key component to stopping human trafficking and helping victims get the help and services they desperately need,” Whitney Ray, a spokesman for Bondi, said in an email.
The law, in part, requires the Florida Department of Transportation to display English- and Spanish-language signs that are at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches at every rest area, turnpike service plaza, weigh station, primary airport, passenger rail station and welcome center open to the public.
Evelyn Hernandez, a Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said in an email that the agency is working with airports and rail stations to determine the number of public-awareness signs needed at each facility.
“Some of these facilities have chosen to make and install their own public-awareness signs and some facilities have chosen to use the FDOT’s public-awareness signs,” Hernandez said.
The signs, which include phone and text-message numbers to report trafficking, are also required to go up in hospital emergency rooms and to be “in a conspicuous location that is clearly visible” at strip clubs, adult entertainment establishments and massage parlors.
The law doesn’t impose penalties for failure to comply with the law. However, the measure gives county commissions the ability to set noncriminal fines of up to $500 for strip clubs, adult entertainment establishments and massage parlors.
A trio of other trafficking-related measures from the 2015 session went into effect Oct. 1. They increased criminal penalties for people who solicit others to commit prostitution (HB 465) and created public-records exemptions to protect the identities of human-trafficking victims and to shield the location of safe houses for victims of sexual exploitation (HB 467 and HB 469).
Also taking effect Friday is a law dealing with regulation and licensing of athletic trainers. In part, it would remove a requirement that applicants to be licensed as trainers must be at least 21 years old.
The measure also includes other changes, such as requiring that people who apply to become athletic trainers as of July 1, 2016, undergo criminal background checks and be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators.
Also taking effect Friday is a piece of a $428.9 million tax-cut package approved in a June special session.
The bill keeps active, starting Friday, a tax credit for groups such as Habitat for Humanity and Building Homes for Heroes for certain projects within areas of former enterprise zones. Lawmakers in the 2015 session agreed not to reauthorize the enterprise zones program, but through the tax-cut package the credits will remain available through Dec. 31, 2018.
The majority of the tax cut package (HB 33-A) — highlighted by a reduction in the communications-services tax on cell-phone and cable-TV bills became active July 1.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida