Will The Grass Be Greener In 2016 For Medical Pot?
November 29, 2014
Legalization of medical marijuana in Florida went up in smoke earlier this month, but proponents of Amendment 2 haven’t given up.
“We are going to pass a medical marijuana law in Florida by the end of 2016,” pledged Ben Pollara, head of the committee that tried to get voters to approve the proposed constitutional amendment Nov. 4.
The medical marijuana initiative was heavily bankrolled by Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan, who spent more than $2 million of his own money to get the item onto the November ballot. But Morgan and the United for Care group backing the amendment were outspent in the run-up to the November election by a political committee funded in large part by Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.
Adelson spent $5.5 million to help fund a media blitz aimed at defeating the measure, also opposed by Florida sheriffs and police chiefs.
In an e-mail to supporters Tuesday evening, United for Care — tied to a political committee officially known as “People United for Medical Marijuana,” or “PUFFM” — Pollara wrote that he and his group aren’t backing down from the fight to make medical marijuana legal.
“Let’s be clear: the ONLY reason medical marijuana didn’t pass in November is because one of the richest men in the world funded over $5 million dollars worth of false and misleading advertising on TV, radio and the Internet, and we simply did not have enough resources to counter the lies with facts in enough time. Despite being outspent on advertising 3 to 1, we still wound up with one of the highest percentages of support for medical marijuana ever seen in the country,” Pollara wrote.
Pollara noted that Amendment 2 received 58 percent of the vote, just shy of the 60 percent approval required for constitutional amendments to pass in Florida.
“This total — half a million more than Gov. Rick Scott and almost 900k more than voted ‘no’ — is clear proof that the people of Florida want a medical marijuana law,” he wrote.
Pollara said his group will pursue a two-pronged approach to make medical pot legit, either by getting lawmakers to approve it or by putting another constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2016.
Even Pollara wrote that he is “skeptical” that the Legislature will expand on a measure approved earlier this year that legalized cannabis low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and high in cannabadiol, or CBD, for patients with severe muscle spasms or cancer. The pot purportedly doesn’t get users high but is believed to alleviate life-threatening seizures in children with rare forms of epilepsy.
The GOP-dominated Legislature approved the measure, signed into law by Scott, in part to thwart Amendment 2, which Scott and Republican legislative leaders opposed.
That leaves the constitutional route, a possibility that gives the GOP in Florida the willies because putting a pro-pot item on the presidential ballot in 2016 could draw out younger, more left-leaning voters.
That’s just the avenue that Pollara and his allies are planning, however.
The 2016 presidential election will increase voter turnout, “and arguably, a stronger and more engaged electorate than were interested in the governor’s race,” Pollara wrote.
“We believe this broader swath of the public will be way more likely to pass medical marijuana, despite what we expect will be a new round of well-funded lies coming out of the other side,” he wrote.
By Dara Kam and Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Snowball Derby Queens Named
November 29, 2014
Snowball 2014 queens have been named. They are: (L-R) Teen Miss Five Flags Speedway Raelyn Hurst of Tate High School, Miss Snowball Derby Arah Hans-Majors of Tate High School and Miss Five Flags Speedway Ashley Godwin of Pine Forest High School. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Dept. Of Corrections Expanding Career Online High School Program
November 29, 2014
An online program offered by an Escambia County company is expanding to offer high school programs at 15 correctional facilities in Florida.
The Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) has announced the expansion of the FDOC Online Campus program from eight correctional facilities to 15 in the next few months, providing inmates the opportunity to complete their high school education and earn a fully accredited diploma and career certificate. The FDOC Career Online High School is a partnership between Pensacola-based Smart Horizons Career Online Education. The partnership with FDOC is the first of its kind in the nation for correctional facilities.
The new contract for the expanded program took effect on September 20 and the next Florida Department of Corrections facility to start using Career Online High School will be Everglades Correctional Institution in Miami-Dade County.
Six other institutions, including the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution Annex, will be added to the program over the next few months. Century Correctional Institution does not currently use the program and is not part of the planned expansion.
The program was launched by the Florida Department of Corrections in 2012 in partnership with Smart Horizons Career Online Education. Inmates complete a career certificate as part of the program, so that they graduate with vocational skills that can be applied in a job post-release. The ultimate goal is to keep offenders from returning to prison, according to FDOC.
Georgia Church Reaches The Needy in Century With Free Thanksgiving Lunch
November 28, 2014
They came from all walks of life Thursday in Century to enjoy a free Thanksgiving lunch spearheaded by a Georgia church.
From the unemployed, to the disabled, to folks just down on their luck, they came. And then there was the man who struggled against his emotions to explain that he had just found a job, but was not yet able to feed his family of seven a good, hot Thanksgiving lunch.
For Rivertown Church of Columbus, GA, it was the latest in several trips to Century. It was their second year hosting a Century Thanksgiving lunch, and the church has reached out for a couple of years with volunteers painting and making improvements around the Carver Community Center in Century.
“We were looking around Pensacola for some outreach ministry opportunity where we could also maybe take our youth to the beach for a day,” Rivertown Senior Pastor David Rathel said Thursday. They spoke to ministry personnel at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.
“And they told us that there was this place we might not want to go called Century, FL,” Rathel said. According to the American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, Century is the 41st poorest place in America and the poorest place in the state of Florida. The median household income is just $17,188 — nearly half of all Century’s 1,698 residents live in poverty.
But Rathel and his Riverside flock soon learned that Century was rich in people, rich in spirit and rich in souls that needed comfort in the Lord.
“The Lord is doing good things here,” he said. “We love Century.”
Rivertown was not alone in their “Compel Century” outreach Thursday, with the Abundant Life Assembly of God in Century and the First Baptist Church of Flomaton also participating in the free Thanksgiving lunch with turkey and all the fixings.
“We had about 55 people here for lunch when we prayed,” Rathel said. “And they’ve just keep coming in.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate High Showband Marches In Philadelphia Parade (With Photo Gallery, Video)
November 28, 2014
The Tate High School Showband of the South marched in the 2014 Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia Thursday morning. The parade was aired in the Philadelphia region on live television.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: The Tate High School Showband of the South marches in the 2014 Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia Thursday morning. Pictured below: Photos by Cassandra Langley and courtesy ABC6 Philadelphia for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Holiday Giving: Shop Wisely For A Reputable Charity
November 28, 2014
Millions of Americans have ventured out to big and small retailers in search of the best deal for their holiday gift giving, and experts advise them to have the same diligence when it comes to picking their charity.
According to AARP, older Americans are more likely to receive charitable solicitations than any other group, and not all requests are legitimate, warns Doug Shadel, author of AARP’s “Outsmarting the Scam Artists.”
“There’s a lot of charitable solicitations going on out there that really tug at the heartstrings, whether it’s disabled veterans or anything having to do with disasters, and so you really just got to be careful about that,” he cautions.
Shadel advises seniors and others to be cautious of charities whose names are similar to better-known organizations.
You can also request written information, avoid cash gifts and ask for a receipt.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, nearly 25 million Americans are victims of consumer fraud every year.
You can check to see if a charity is registered in Florida by checking with the state’s Division of Consumer Services.
Shadel also says to ask the person requesting the donation more about how the donations are used and how much goes to operating costs versus the actual cause it claims to serve.
“A lot of times, charitable solicitors will try and get you into kind of a heightened emotional state around their charity,” he explains. “The best way to avoid that is at the beginning of every year, come up with your own charitable giving plan.”
Northview Cheerleaders March In Macy’s New York City Parade
November 28, 2014
Two Northview High School varsity cheerleaders, Hanna Gibson and Morgan Ward, marched in Thursday’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Pictured top: Gibson and Ward in their All-American Cheerleader uniforms after the parade. Pictured inset: Enjoying Times Square. Pictured below: The Sesame Street float travels down the Avenue of the America’s during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City Thursday morning. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward, Northview Cheerleaders March In Disney Thanksgiving Parade
November 28, 2014
Seven UCA All-American Cheerleaders from Ernest Ward Middle School and Northview High School marched Thursday in the Thanksgiving Day Parade at Disney World. Pictured above: (L-R) from Northview: Jerni Crabtree, Kayla Galvin and Hannah Nelson; from Ernest Ward: Jayda Crabtree, Gabrielle Kline, Nikoal Creamer and Madison Sherouse. Pictured inset: Kline was chosen to march on the front row. Pictured below: The girls pose with Mickey and Minne Mouse. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida’s Adoption Reunion Registry Helps Adoptees, Birth Parents Reunite
November 28, 2014
Recognizing that adoption is a lifelong journey, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) offers Florida’s Adoption Reunion Registry to provide birth relatives and adopted children the opportunity to reunite.
The Registry is the only program in Florida that reunites adult adopted individuals with members of their birth families without either party needing to take court action. The Registry is a voluntary and confidential cross-referenced file of the people who were the principal parties in an adoption. It is available to adult adopted individuals over the age of 18, adoptive parents, birth parents, maternal and paternal grandparents, birth siblings and siblings of the birth parents.
“We are proud to be able to offer this service to individuals who are adopted through the Florida foster care system because we know that many adopted children are naturally and rightfully curious about their birth families,” Interim Secretary Mike Carroll said. “Sometime the process of finding your birth family can be difficult and heartbreaking but it is more often filled with love, surprises and relief that can help bring about a more full and complete family of both adoptive and birth relatives.”
The Registry does not initiate searches for birth families. If two or more people impacted by an adoption in Florida list themselves on the Registry, then the Registry gets them in touch with each other. There is a onetime $35 fee. The fee may be waived if there is a proven financial hardship. There are currently 10,190 individuals listed in the Florida Adoption Reunion Registry –55 percent are adult adopted individuals, 38 percent are birth parents, 7 percent are grandparents, siblings or other relatives. The Registry averages three to four successful matches each month.
To register for Adoption Reunion Registry services, an applicant must complete the Adoption Reunion Registry Form which may be obtained by calling the Florida Adoption Information Center at 1-800-96-ADOPT or visiting www.AdoptFlorida.org/ReunionRegistry.shtml.
Sheriff’s Investigator Returns Priceless Braille Books To Minister; One Charged With Theft
November 27, 2014
Thanks to the work of an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Investigator, a couple of priceless notebooks have been returned to a blind minister.
About a year ago, a car belonging to the wife of an evangelist in Century was burglarized. The car window was smashed and a number of items were stolen including some electrical items and clothes. The greatest loss of property in the theft, however, were two large notebooks.
ECSO Investigator David Preston learned the notebooks continued braille writings, notes and sermons…a collection amassed over a period of several years. The value of the books to the evangelist was simply beyond estimation.
Preston went to work on the case and located forensic evidence that led positively to 19-year old Taylor Blade Scott, who was already in the Escambia County Jail charged with other burglaries in the Century area. In an effort to located the books, Preston interviewed Scott who told him that he did not remember committing the robbery. He said was staying high on spice and bath salts during that time and cannot remember events during that period. But Scott said he would have put any stolen items in an old house next to where he was living.
The braille binders were located there and are being returned. Scott will be charged with burglary of an automobile and grand theft in this case.
Scott was arrested back in September for several commercial and residential burglaries in the Century area. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
