Second Amendment Group Argues For Guns In University Dorms
July 15, 2015
The Second Amendment should supersede a Florida law that bans firearms from state university housing, a gun-rights group argued before seemingly skeptical appellate judges Tuesday.
The 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee heard arguments from Florida Carry Inc., which contends students and other people residing in on-campus housing at the University of Florida should be allowed to maintain possession of firearms as they would at their parents’ homes.
“All we are saying is that the right to possess a firearm in one’s home is fundamental,” said Florida Carry attorney Lesley McKinney after the hearing. “Regardless of where one’s home is, it’s still their home.”
The judges offered no timeline on when they might rule.
The University of Florida has disputed that the federal or state constitutions guarantee the right to have firearms in university housing.
University spokeswoman Janine Sikes maintained after the hearing that the school is in compliance with state law regarding on-campus firearm possession, which includes a December 2013 ruling from the same court that the University of North Florida cannot bar firearms stowed in cars.
Attorney Barry Richard, representing the university, argued to the judges that students have an option to reside off-campus if they are adamant about firearm possession.
“If you want to be in an environment, or you want your child to be in an environment, in which you have the security and peace-of-mind of knowing there are no guns permitted, then you place them in university housing,” Richard told the judges. “If you feel strongly that you want your child or an adult student feels they want a weapon, they can live in non-university housing. I know of no provision at the University of Florida, or any other school, any longer, that requires a student to live on campus.”
An Alachua County circuit judge sided with the Gainesville school last year.
Judge Scott Makar, one of the three judges on the appeals panel, told Florida Carry attorney Eric Friday the case would be helped with a named plaintiff who could describe the personal impacts of the ban.
Makar also told Friday that lawmakers, through state laws, have given the state university system’s Board of Governors the power to develop guidelines for university boards of trustees related to university-owned and university-controlled grounds, including restrictions on firearms.
“I recognize that neither side cited this statute in their briefs, but it seems to give pretty clear regulatory authority down to the universities,” Makar said.
Friday said that part of state statutes could be interpreted to regulate matters such as how weapons are transported across campus to a firearm course or how they are stored in a classroom.
“That chapter is about the educational environment, and the educational environment we submit is very distinct and separate from the home environment,” Friday argued.
Friday added that while Florida Carry represents “multiple” students, the organization retains members’ right to privacy.
The arguments came after gun-rights advocates unsuccessfully sought to pass legislation this year that would have allowed people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry firearms on university campuses. The National Rifle Association has vowed to bring back the measure in 2016.
In a brief filed in March, the university pointed to other places that it said lawmakers have designated as “firearms-free zones,” including courthouses, polling places and bars.
Friday said Florida Carry is moving forward with its legal argument because the issue isn’t carrying guns on campus, as state lawmakers have proposed, but possession within a person’s home as allowed by the U.S. Constitution.
“You can’t force somebody to waive a constitutional right in order to gain the benefit of attending a public university,” Friday said after the hearing. “If that’s true, then the universities could require students to waive their Fourth Amendment rights and have their rooms subject to search at any time.”
McKinney added that they are pursuing the change through the courts because “we’ve seen a lot lately that the courts aren’t necessarily trending towards waiting for the legislative or democratic process to enforce a fundamental right.”
Northview Quarterback Club Plans Coed Softball Tourney
July 15, 2015
The Northview High School Quarterback Club will hold a coed softball tournament on August 1 at Showalter Park in Century.
The entry is $150 per team. For more details on the tournament, contact Amy Holland at (850) 516-8400 or Melissa Ward at (251) 359-7383.
Walk-In Immunization Clinic Thursday In Molino
July 15, 2015
A special immunization clinic is set for Thursday in Molino.
The walk-in clinic will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Molino Service Center at 3470 Highway 29 North.
Special back to school hours will also be held by the Florida Department of Health Escambia County August 10-21 with same-day appointments only, Monday-Friday. For more information, call (850) 595-6554.
Escambia River Catfish Falls Just Short Of State Record
July 15, 2015
Darrin Smith of Byrneville recently caught this huge flathead catfish on the Escambia River near Bluff Springs using a rod and reel. He met a Florida Fish and Wildlife officer for a certified weight. The fish weighed in at 50.5 pounds — 4.5 pounds short of the state record. Photo for North Escambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Launches New App
July 15, 2015
Gulf Power has released a full-service app where customers can pay or view their bill, find helpful energy efficiency tips or report a power outage at their home. Energy Select customers can use the app to program their Energy Select thermostat.
“Our app gives our customers the power to connect with us wherever they are, right on their phone,” said Natalie Smith, Gulf Power spokesperson. “It offers convenient access to the information they may need, right at their fingertips.”
The app, made for iPhone and Android, is free and can be found by searching “Gulf Power” in iTunes and the Google Play store.
There are three key areas on the home page of the app:
- Bill payment – customers can log into their account and view or pay their bill;
- Energy efficiency – get energy saving tips, or check out our free Energy Checkup, and;
- Outage – gives customers the ability to access our real-time outage map, report an outage or check on the status.
Free Seminar: Biosecurity And Avian Influenza
July 15, 2015
The Panhandle Poultry Club and UF/IFAS Escambia County Extension will be hosting a free seminar on Biosecurity and Avian Influenza Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Langley Bell 4-H Center in Cantonment.
Presenters include:
- Jennifer Glover, Poultry Program Manager, Division of Animal Industries, FL Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
- Ryan Weaver, General Manager of Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. MS State Major in Poultry Science
- Dr. Tommy Frazier, State Veterinarian for AL Department of Agricultural Industries
- Peggy Vardaro, Poultry Supervisor for AL Department of Agricultural Industries
Please RSVP with Holly at (850)-293-0883
Any questions contact 4-H Livestock Agent Hank Bignell at (850) 475-5230 or hdbignell@ufl.edu
Cantonment Man Charged With Beating, Robbing, Holding Man Hostage
July 14, 2015
A Cantonment man has been accused of kidnapping, beating, robbing and holding another man for ransom.
Jeffrey Ervington Rivers, 33, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, kidnapping an adult for ransom, grand theft and robbery with a weapon.
The victim told Escambia County deputies that he was putting water in the radiator of his car int he parking lot of a credit union on Fairfield Drive when a man, later identified as Rivers, approached him from behind, struck him in the back with a hard object and forced him into a vehicle. He told deputies he was held hostage by Rivers inside a house on Lillian Highway, while Rivers threatened to beat and kill him. The following day, Rivers allegedly forced the victim to call his wife and demand that $500 cash be dropped off at a Lillian Highway bar. When Rivers learned that the victim’s wife had called authorities, he allegedly beat the victim with a bat and leather strap.
Rivers then said he was going to buy drugs and then return to kill the victim. The victim was able to escape when a female in the house brought him his keys and wallet and told him leave.
The victim was able to later identity Rivers from a photo lineup, according to an arrest report.
Rivers remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set a $125,840.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
July 14, 2015
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending July 9 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers Land and Cushing were on patrol on the FinCat in the Gulf of Mexico on the Fourth of July. Officer Land conducted 12 fisheries inspections. During one inspection, he asked the crew if they had any fish. They replied that they had one greater amberjack. Officer Land discovered a total of three greater amberjack, two of which were undersized. Federal citations will be issued for possession of greater amberjack during closed season and undersized greater amberjack. On another vessel, Officer Land discovered persons in possession of red snapper and gray triggerfish during closed season. Citations for the violations will be issued.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Clark and Lieutenant Lambert were on vessel patrol when they noticed a vessel having trouble navigating in an idle speed zone. During a vessel safety stop, Officer Clark noticed several signs of impairment from the operator. He performed poorly on field sobriety exercises and was arrested for BUI. After providing a breath sample of .130 g/210L, the operator was transported to the Escambia County Jail.
Officer Hutchinson received information that several subjects had been illegally night hunting and had taken two bucks in velvet. He and Lieutenant Hahr conducted an investigation and determined that four subjects had activated a deer depredation permit, but hunted three other fields that were not covered under the permit. The officers located two velvet horned bucks that had been removed from the fields just long enough to pose for photos and to remove the back straps from one of the deer. The deer had been dumped and left to rot. The officers determined the bucks had been taken on the fields not covered under the permit and were taken from the county roads adjacent to the fields. They located nine empty rifle casings and blood on the roadways where the deer were shot. Two subjects were charged with three counts of taking deer at night with a gun and light and taking wildlife from a public right of way.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
Tate Valedictorian Philips Wins National Merit Scholarship
July 14, 2015
Tate High School Class of 2015 valedictorian Hannah Philips was announced Monday as National Merit Scholarship winner.
Philips received a National Merit Liberty University Scholarship.
Graduating with a final GPA of 5.075, Philips was president of the National Honor Society, the Mu Alpha Theta secretary, and the Science Honor Society treasurer. She is an active member of the Marcus Pointe Baptist youth group and has participated in several missionary trips. Hannah has received a full ride scholarship to Liberty University. She plans to major in biomedical science and will pursue a career in dentistry.
Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA, is a private, evangelical university dedicated to academic excellence and training champions for Christ.
Citizens Insurance Approved For Another Round Of ‘Takeouts’
July 14, 2015
Another 81,050 policies have been approved to move to the private insurance industry from the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
The state Office of Insurance Regulation has announced another round of private-insurer “takeouts,” this time going to three companies — Heritage Property & Casualty, Southern Oak and United Property & Casualty.
Heritage, which has quickly grown to the state’s fourth-largest insurance company, is in line to receive up to 40,000 personal residential policies and 50 commercial residential policies. Southern Oak can pick up 15,000 personal residential policies. United Property has been approved for 25,000 personal residential policies and 1,000 commercial residential policies.
The “takeouts” are scheduled to occur September 15 for the 1,050 commercial residential policies and September 22 for the personal residential lines. Based upon prior takeouts, not all the targeted policies will change hands.
Private insurers typically select the least-risky policies. Also, policyholders are allowed to reject takeout offers. The takeout process is designed, at least in part, to help Citizens shed policies and risk.
Citizens reported that it had 590,984 policies as of May 31, a vast decline from a high of 1.5 million policies in 2012.