District 5 Commissioner Holds Town Hall Meeting
December 8, 2015
Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry held a town hall meeting Monday evening in Cantonment. Barry addressed residents’ concerns and updated them on the latest issues in District 5. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Two Additional House Fires Light Red Bulbs On Fire Safety Wreath
December 8, 2015
Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to multiple two fires over the weekend, resulting in the second and third green lights being replaced for the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign.
The first fire was in the 900 block of Paulding Avenue, with the first 911 call received at 7:28 a.m. Saturday. Crews on scene noted smoke showing from a single-wide mobile home, and the fire was brought under control at 7:37 a.m. The trailer received moderate damage and had to have the power secured at the meter. The residents of the home have been displaced. The incident is under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office. (Pictured below)
Escambia County Fire Rescue also responded to a reported residential structure fire at the 7500 block of Sandy Creek Drive at 5:55 p.m. Saturday An engine from the Warrington Fire Station arrived on scene, with a single-story wood frame structure on fire. The fire was brought under control at 6:52 p.m. The cause of the fire was due to an unattended candle that resulted in major damage. The residents of the home have been displaced. (Pictured above)
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.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Woman Only Injury In Eight Vehicle I-10 Pileup
December 7, 2015
A Cantonment woman was the only one transported to the hospital after an eight-vehicle pileup Monday morning on a ramp from I-10 to I-110.
Karen Bird, age 50 of Cantonment, was transported to West Florida Hospital by ambulance with minor injuries following the 7:49 a.m. crash. according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
A ninth vehicle not involved in the crash caused the driver of a Chevrolet Traverse to take evasive action, leading to the pileup. None of the other drivers involved in the crash were injured. So far, the FHP says no charges have been filed.
Pictured: A FDOT traffic camera shows the scene on I-10 Monday morning on a ramp from I-10 to I-110.
Firefighters Responded To Reported Mobile Home Fire In Walnut Hill
December 7, 2015
Firefighters responded to a reported mobile home fire in Walnut Hill early Monday morning.
The residents of a double-wide mobile home on Mitchell Street, just off Arthur Brown Road, reported that their kitchen and living room were filling with smoke about 4:25 a.m. The first firefighters on scene located a small fire on the back deck of the mobile home that was quickly extinguished. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
The interior of the mobile home was not damaged by the blaze. There were no injuries.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Atmore Fire Department and the Nokomis (AL) Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the fire. All units were canceled before arriving on scene except for the volunteers from Walnut Hill.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
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Former Cafeteria Manager Charged With Stealing Student Lunch Money
December 7, 2015
A former elementary school cafeteria manager has been charged with stealing lunch money from student accounts at Molino Park and Jim Allen elementary schools.
Jennifer Leigh McKendrick, 42, was arrested for felony official misconduct and grand theft. She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Officials said she was improperly refunding money from student lunch accounts and pocketed the cash.
McKendrick was first hired by the Escambia County School District in late 1997. In August 2013, she was promoted to food service manager at Molino Park Elementary School and was given the additional duty of supervising food service operations at Jim Allen Elementary in August 2014. Part of her duties included issuing refunds from student meal accounts.
In May 2015, a Molino Park parent found that his children’s online lunch accounts has an incorrect zero balance. When he called the cafeteria to question the balance, he was told the money was refunded in March 2015. The victim told investigators that he never requested and never received a refund. He was contacted three different times by McKendrick who offered to meet him off campus and refund the money, according to authorities.
McKendrick admitted that she removed money from the food service cashier kiosk at both Molino Park and Jim Allen elementary schools without completing the appropriate paperwork, according to an arrest warrant. She contacted a school district investigator and volunteered to reimburse the school district for any funds determined to be missing.
She resigned from her position on June 2, 2015.
A total of $2,787.75 of was wrongly removed from the school district’s food service funds, according to an internal audit.
Century Reschedules Council Meeting
December 7, 2015
The Town of Century has rescheduled tonight’s regular town council meeting
The town council normally meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. However, in December, the council only holds one meeting. This year, that December meeting will be held on December 14, the second Monday of the month, at 7 p.m.
The Century council will return to their normal meeting schedule in January.
4-H Cold Weather Clothing Drive Underway
December 7, 2015
Escambia County 4-H is collecting cold weather clothing donations for needy families.
Items are needed for adults and children, including coats, jackets, socks, scarves, gloves and hats.
Donations can be made at the Langley Bell 4-H Center at 3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment by December 20.
Northview Beta, FCA Spread Christmas Cheer
December 7, 2015
Member of the Northview High School Beta Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes recently went caroling around the Century area, with stops that included Byrneville Elementary School, the Century Health And Rehabilitation Center and the Century Town Hall. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Tate At Armwood
December 7, 2015
The Tate High School Aggies fell short in the 6A state semi-final game Friday night at Armwood High School near Tampa.
For a bonus photo gallery with 235 photos, click here.
For a game action summary, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Scott’s Jobs Chief Leaving In January
December 7, 2015
Jesse Panuccio, Gov. Rick Scott’s jobs chief who was expected to face intense scrutiny during upcoming Senate confirmation hearings, announced Friday he is stepping down.
The governor’s office said Panuccio is seeking “new opportunities” and that his replacement will be named in the coming weeks.
Panuccio, who has been with Scott since shortly after the governor took office in 2011, said in a resignation letter that his last day as executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity will be Jan. 8.
Panuccio, who is paid $141,000 a year, didn’t say in the letter what he will do next.
“This is a bittersweet decision for me, as it has been a joy and honor to serve the people of Florida,” Panuccio wrote in the letter to Scott. “Nonetheless, it is time for me to begin a new chapter in my career and life.”
Scott released a statement calling Panuccio “a loyal and trusted advisor.”
“While at DEO, so much has been accomplished under his leadership,” Scott said in the release. “He has helped grow jobs by streamlining the economic development process and has protected taxpayer money by instituting new accountability measures. Jesse has made fighting fraud in the unemployment system a top priority, and the agency has stopped tens of thousands of fraudulent claims.”
Panuccio has been one of Scott’s biggest cheerleaders, sending out monthly employment numbers and other releases that praise Scott’s policies for growth in jobs across the state.
The praise was also in the resignation letter.
“It has been my great privilege to help implement your pro-growth policies, which have fostered Florida’s economic resurgence,” Panuccio wrote to Scott.
Panuccio was one of 16 agency heads who failed to be confirmed by the Senate during the 2015 legislative session, which was dominated by health-care fights in which Scott often sided with the House.
All 16 were quickly reappointed by Scott. But to retain their jobs for longer one year, the appointees must again go through the Senate confirmation process.
Senate President Andy Gardiner said Friday that all of Scott’s appointees up for confirmation in the 2016 session will receive a “fair hearing.” But Gardiner added that the Senate will not be “rubber stamping” the appointees.
“We have indicated to the governor’s office … there will be pointed questions to these secretaries,” Gardiner said in an interview with The News Service of Florida. “Everybody needs to be fully prepared for that and not surprised by that.”
Gardiner, who called Panuccio “a good guy,” added he hasn’t heard about any moves to block appointees.
“A lot of these you just kind of have to let them work through the process,” Gardiner said.
Panuccio was among a number of appointees who faced particularly rough hearings earlier this year.
He has also continued to field questions from lawmakers about problems with the state’s 2-year-old, $77 million unemployment benefits website known as Connect.
In October, Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, admonished Panuccio for displaying a “sense of entitlement” when Panuccio dismissed Florida AFL-CIO lobbyist Rich Templin’s assertion that Florida may be purposely last in the nation in paying unemployment claims.
“I frankly don’t like your attitude,” Latvala told Panuccio. “I think that there is an arrogance in the way you present this that’s a sense of entitlement. And I just think it’s wrong.”
Panuccio has also been criticized by some lawmakers for a lack of communication.
On Tuesday, when Scott made a rare appearance before the House Finance & Tax Committee to pitch a request for $1 billion in tax cuts, Rep. Frank Artiles, R-Miami, used the opportunity to say he’s received “zero input” from Panuccio in close to four months of trying to set up a meeting on economic development.
Scott replied that Panuccio would call.
Panuccio, a Harvard Law School graduate, joined Scott as a deputy general counsel in January 2011.
The next year, Panuccio became Scott’s general counsel before being named to replace Hunting Deutsch, who left the top job at the Department of Economic Opportunity amid scrutiny over acceptance of unemployment compensation when he was downsized out of a bank job.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida