No Injuries In Highway 97 Crash
November 16, 2013
The driver of BMW 535i was not injured when he ran off Highway 97 near Sunshine Hill Road and struck a wooded area this morning. Authorities said the man was apparently suffering from a medical condition at the time of the 7:25 a.m. crash. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Molino Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview Chiefs Move Step Closer To Repeat State Title
November 16, 2013
The defending state 1A champion Northview Chiefs advanced in the first round of the playoffs Friday night with a 22-19 win on the road over the Vernon Yellow Jackets.
“That was a tremendous football game between teams that both had their ups, both had their downs,” Northview coach Sid Wheatley said. “But it was back and forth and it was going to be whoever made the big plays in the end.”
And in the end, that turned out to be the Chiefs on the big plays to snap a seven-game winning streak for Vernon (7-4).
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Yellow Jackets (7-4) took an early 6-0 lead with about eight minutes to go in the first quarter. With 10:16 on the clock Keondrae Lett was in for a Chiefs touchdown. With a good 2-point attempt to Cameron Newsome, the Chiefs held an 8-6 leaded headed into the half.
Vernon scored a touchdown and missed the PAT with about nine minutes to go in the third, 12-8 Vernon. Then, with 4:34 to go in the third, Ladarius Thomas was over the top of the pile from the one for another Chiefs touchdown. Then with a pass to Neino Robinson for two, the Chiefs were up 16-12.
With about five minutes remaining in the game, Vernon scored again to take a 19-16 lead. Then, with about four minutes to go, Thomas was in again for a 22-19 Chiefs lead.
“My running back, Lardarius Thomas, came to me and said “coach, please give me the football’. And we gave it to him and he produced, “Wheatley said. Thomas recorded 103 yards and two touchdowns for the Chiefs. “He got it done.”
The Chiefs (4-6). will be back on the road next Friday night as they travel to Cottondale (7-4). Cottondale is riding a seven-game home winning streak on the season, and they are coming off a surprise 28-23 win over Baker (10-1).
“We are going to work all week on fundamentals. We are going to be ready for Cottondale,” Wheatley added.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs beat Vernon Friday night in Vernon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Aggies Turnaround Season Come To An End
November 16, 2013
The 7A Tate Aggies turnaround season came to an end Friday night, as Tallahassee Lincoln downed the Aggies 13-11 in the capital city.
It was a comeback, turnaround beginning of the Ronnie Douglas era that any Aggie would be proud of after coming off 1-8 and 0-11 seasons.
Lincoln took the lead with 3:40 to go in the first quarter with a field goad – Lincoln 3, Tate 0. With 48 seconds remaining in the first, the Aggies were in for a touchdown. And the Aggies held an 8-3 lead by the end of the first quarter, but they were destined to not cross the goal line the rest of the night.
The Trojans scored a touchdown with 3:30 in the second for a halftime score of 10-8, Lincoln. A crucial Aggies field goal was blocked by the Trojans with 3:35 in the third. The Trojans added their on field goal late in the third – Lincoln 13, Tate 8.
The Aggies closed the gap with 7:11 in the fourth with another field goal – Lincoln 13, Tate 11.
The Tate Aggies finished their season at 8-3 overall.
For a bonus photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top and inset: The Tate Aggies take on Lincoln Friday night in Tallahassee. Pictured below: Tate Coach Ronnie Douglas (standing to the right of the “25″ on the play clock), speaks to his players following the close loss. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kaleigh Blackmon, click to enlarge.
Friday Night Playoff Prep Scores
November 16, 2013
Here are playoff final scores from around the area Friday night:
Northview 22 Vernon 19 [Read more...]
Lincoln 13, Tate 11 [Read more....]
West Florida 41, Godby 40
Cottondale 28 Baker 23
Blountstown 40 Liberty County 6
Navarre 24, Milton 17
Choctawhatchee 47, Pace 10
Catholic 41, Rickards 38
Monroe Academy 27, Escambia Academy 3
New Veterinarian Starts Work At Escambia Animal Shelter
November 16, 2013
A new veterinarian started work Friday at the Escambia County Animal Shelter, which has recently come under fire for wrongfully euthanized animals.
The hiring of Dr. Alphonso W. Steward III was announced by interim Escambia County Administrator George Touart.
“I look forward to working with Dr. Steward as Escambia County moves to improve all aspects of its Animal Services Division processes,” Touart said. “Dr. Steward understands the goals that the shelter needs to meet to effectively serve the community, and I am confident in his abilities.”
Steward replaced Dr. Melissa Adkison, who resigned this week after staring the job back in September. Her resignation came after a new shelter policy was implemented requiring the veterinarian in charge to sign all euthanasia orders.
A graduate of Alabama State University, Steward earned his professional degree from the Tuskegee School of Veterinary Medicine in 1991 and brings more than 20 years in licensed veterinarian experience at universities and clinics throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota and Texas. Steward is a past member of the American Medical Veterinary Association and is a practiced health officer in the United States Department of Agriculture.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Deja Vu For Nelson, Scott
November 16, 2013
In 2009, then-Gov. Charlie Crist was coy about whether he had any intentions of running for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Crist repeatedly brushed away rumors that he would make a run at Washington, but never really ruled it out.
In the end, of course, Crist ran for the seat, appearing to upend the plans of fellow Republican and former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio. But the plan backfired amid the rise of the tea party movement, and the moderate Crist was ultimately forced to leave the party and run an independent campaign for Senate. That also failed.
Now, three years later, Crist has become a Democrat and is the one who reportedly faces the possibility of getting big-footed, in a sort of reverse version of Crist’s move before the 2010 election. There were fresh indications this week that Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, who has been coy about rumors that he would run for governor, is at least keeping the option open.
Meanwhile, money gushed into campaigns on both sides of the governor’s race and into other campaigns up and down the ballot. And in a vote accompanied by far less doubt than any of those races, business leader and establishment fixture Marshall Criser picked up a tangible sign that he is almost certain to be the next chancellor of the State University System.
CRUEL INTENTIONS?
Of course, the 2010 race is not the only one that could echo into next year’s contest if Nelson does try to take down Crist in the governor’s race. A race two decades earlier would also be eerily reminiscent of the move.
In that case, Nelson was the victim when a more-powerful Democrat made a late charge into the race against unpopular Republican Gov. Bob Martinez.
When Martinez began to recover, leading Democrats grew concerned that the folksy Nelson was failing to connect with Florida voters. They convinced Lawton Chiles, the retired U.S. senator who had repeatedly declined to run, to enter the race.
Chiles won the nomination and the governor’s mansion.
That was the story that Democrats floated as reports began dribbling out that Nelson is still very much thinking about making a bid for the office he first ran for almost a quarter of a century ago. Nelson has repeatedly said he has “no intention of running for governor,” but intentions are malleable things in politics.
And whatever Nelson says his plans are, he appears to still be weighing whether to take on Crist and former Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich of Weston. Sources speaking on background told The News Service of Florida that Nelson’s chief of staff, Pete Mitchell, has called some prominent Democrats and told them the 71-year-old Nelson is considering a bid.
The scenario that most Democrats lay out goes something like this: Crist doesn’t catch fire or commits a mistake that threatens to undermine his chances to beat Scott. Nelson enters the race as a savior of sorts, defeating Crist in the primary and then trying to vanquish Scott and his projected $100 million campaign.
“I have said since last summer that Bill Nelson is saying ‘no,’ but he hasn’t said, ‘hell, no,’” said Screven Watson, former executive director of the Florida Democratic Party. “If Charlie Crist stubs his toe, if he shows any weakness, [Nelson supporters] are going to pounce, and that pounce would be to fly to Washington to talk Bill Nelson into running.”
But Steve Schale, a veteran of the Obama campaign who is now helping oversee Crist’s effort, brushed off talk that much would come of the speculation. Instead, he said, Crist will prove to Democrats that he’s the right candidate to take on Scott.
“Campaigns are like long novels,” he said. “We’re nine days into a 365-day campaign. There will be a lot of ups and downs, a lot of plot twists and turns before it’s over.”
OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY
Want to prove that the talk of a stumble and a Nelson entrance is less a subplot than a footnote? Raise a lot of money. And Crist’s political committee, “Charlie Crist for Florida,” quickly got to that task.
Since Crist formally entered the race this month, the committee has raised $872,000. The list of contributors includes several gold-letter names from the trial bar, with major donations coming in from the Coral Gables-based Grossman Roth law firm, which kicked in $250,000, and Sheldon Schlesinger and the Schlesinger Law Office in Fort Lauderdale, contributing a combined $50,000.
Venice retiree Rosalie Danbury, retired Coral Gables philanthropist Barbara Stiefel and Coral Gables attorney William Andrew Haggard also contributed six-figure amounts to the effort.
Scott’s “Let’s Get to Work” committee has countered in kind, raking in $3.9 million since the day Crist officially filed to run for governor. Health-care executive Mike Fernandez wrote a check for $1 million, by far the largest contribution, and business interests like the Florida Chamber of Commerce Alliance ($350,000) and Florida Power & Light ($250,000) also gave generously.
Next to those numbers, the totals announced by other state candidates — including Rich — for their October fundraising numbers seemed almost paltry.
For example, one of the top campaigns in terms of bringing in cash during October was the re-election effort of Sen. Tom Lee, R-Brandon, who raised “just” $90,850. Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, drew “only” $56,250.
One of the biggest fundraisers in the House was Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres, who collected $41,425, while Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, took home $35,640.
No Cabinet member even topped $50,000.
CRISER FOR CHANCELLOR
As a former chairman of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and president of AT&T Florida, Criser knows something about political money. Now, he’s close to getting a position in state government without the cost of television ads or a turnout effort.
On Tuesday, a Florida Board of Governors committee unanimously recommended Criser to the full board as the next chancellor for the State University System. Criser would oversee 12 institutions of higher education as the system has experienced political turbulence amid the drive to expand online education and Scott’s quest to hold down tuition.
And the job is likely Criser’s to lose. The board is expected to ratify the search committee’s proposal at its regularly scheduled meeting next week.
“I’ve been extremely impressed by the caliber of all our chancellor candidates and am confident that our search committee has made a thoughtful, well-reasoned recommendation,” Dean Colson, the chairman of the board, said in a prepared statement after the committee vote. “I appreciate all the hard work of the committee, and I know the rest of the Board of Governors looks forward to seeing Marshall next week.”
Criser, the son of a former president of the University of Florida, would bring a history of business and political ties to the position. He has headed up AT&T’s presence in Florida since 2005, and has had a role in government relations in Florida for AT&T or its state predecessor, BellSouth, off and on since 1989.
Criser also currently serves on the University of Florida board of trustees and as chairman of the Florida Council of 100, an influential business group.
During an interview with the committee ahead of its vote, Criser gave limited insights into his thinking on the major issues confronting higher education in Florida. On tuition, he highlighted concerns about affordability and underscored competition from private schools and new, online institutions while alluding to the idea of potentially charging different tuition rates for different programs.
“I believe that more funding for higher education in general, from whatever sources it can come from, is necessary in Florida,” he said.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Marshall Criser was on the cusp of becoming chancellor of the State University System after a vote by a Florida Board of Governors search committee.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Keep Biloxi in Biloxi.”–Randolph Smith, a former Lutheran pastor from Pensacola who called himself a compulsive gambler, at a Senate hearing concerning whether the state should consider an expansion of gambling.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
High Voltage Transmission Line Being Replaced
November 16, 2013
Work is underway to replace a high voltage transmission line through North Escambia. Powersouth, which generates and supplies power to Escambia River Electric Cooperative, is replacing the existing transmission line across northern Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Pictured: A new pole is installed for a high voltage transmission line alongside Highway 4A near Killam Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Project Underway To Pave Barrineau Park Road Into Alabama
November 15, 2013
Work is progressing toward paving Escambia County’s side of a popular route across the Perdido River to Alabama.
Over two years ago, Baldwin County paved 2.8 miles of Barrineau Park Road (also known as Duck Place Road) from the Perdido River to Highway 112. But the Florida side, from the river to the intersection of South Highway 99 and Highway 196 in the Barrineau Park community — remained dirt.
Escambia County owns the bridge across the Perdido River into Alabama. But the county-maintained the dirt road on the Florida side was, until recently, privately owned by the Barrineau Estate. It is only about four-tenths of a mile long, but the county had no right to pave it.
In late February, Escambia County met with a representative of the estate to discuss the needed right of way. And now Donna Jacobi Pruett, William Albert Jacobi, Larry Neil Jacobi, and James Lee Jacobi, as the heirs of William Merwin Barrineau, have donated the 2.73 acres of Escambia County for the roadway and related drainage infrastructure.
Escambia County has completed survey work for the paving project with design plans from Fabre Engineering due in December. The project will included the design and construction of 11-foot travel lanes with a paved shoulder with 66-feet of right of way.
The route is the only east-west route across the Perdido River between Muscogee Road in Cantonment and Highway 31 in Escambia County, Ala. The road is often used by farmers and ranchers as they transport goods to market from North Escambia to Robertsdale, Ala. It is also a shortcut route for many families to activities and shopping in Baldwin County and vice versa for Baldwin County residents traveling to Pensacola.
Construction is slated for February 2014.
Pictured above: Before and after images of Barrineau Park Road in Baldwin County, Ala. Pictured inset: Work on the Baldwin County side of the Perdido River in August 2010. Pictured below: Barrineau Park Road on the Florida side of the Perdido River. Submitted and NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Anti-Gambling Feelings Dominate Escambia County Hearing
November 15, 2013
Members of the Senate Gaming Committee gathered in Pensacola on Thursday and predominately heard opposition from Panhandle residents to the expansion of gambling — with the prevailing opinion that the state shouldn’t make gaming options more convenient or approve massive casinos, even if they’re just in South Florida.
“Keep Biloxi in Biloxi,” said Randolph Smith, a former Lutheran pastor from Pensacola who called himself a compulsive gambler.
The on-the-road hearing was the third for the committee as it gathers input on potential changes to the state’s gambling scene, with the possibilities ranging from non-tribal casino resorts to the addition of slot machines at pari-mutuels outside of Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Prior hearings were held in Coconut Creek and Lakeland. A fourth hearing will be held Friday in Jacksonville.
With about 40 speakers during the hearing at the WSRE-TV Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio in Pensacola, the committee has now heard from nearly 180 people at the three stops.
Representatives of Ebro Greyhound Park in Washington County and the Atmore Poarch Creek Indian operated Gretna Racing in Gadsden County spoke about the need for lawmakers to change a state law — backed by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi — that only recognizes referendums on slot machines in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Also, the lawmakers heard a few voices saying Florida should create a statewide regulatory body and receive the gambling revenue that state residents are currently taking elsewhere.
“You cannot dictate, you cannot control people,” said Sylvia Pearson, a retired widow from Pensacola. “Why not take advantage of the job opportunities, and possible income of casino jobs, and not have the 99 percent of us taking our money to Biloxi.”
Senate President Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who attended the hearing, said the gaming review is needed because a major component of a legal compact with the Seminole Indians is expiring and the Legislature needs direction before the 2014 session to either continue the deal or move in another direction.
The 2010 compact guarantees the tribe will make minimum annual payments, totaling $1 billion over five years, to the state. But the annual payments will be cut nearly in half when the deal with the Seminoles regarding banked table games sunsets in less than two years unless reauthorized by lawmakers and the governor.
Committee members Thursday offered little insight into where they were heading on the issue, mostly saying they were “listening and learning.”
A couple of speakers during the hearing said an expansion of gambling would result in an increase in fatherless children, foreclosed homes and declining educational standards.
“Why are we here?” said Russell Edgar, an attorney from Pensacola. “The public did not ask this to happen, the gaming industry staged this.”
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan, speaking on behalf of the Florida Sheriffs Association, predicted that the while there may be a short-term economic boon through real estate and construction after casinos are approved, the revenue “flat lines” around the five-year mark while divorce, domestic violence and even police corruption could be expected to grow.
“Gambling is a perversion of capitalism, in order for me to win someone has to lose and we in the public safety sector are left to clean up,” Morgan said. “Mississippi is still one of the poorest states in our country, (and) has among the lowest rates of graduation. This panacea of an economic boost will not be found in the gambling industry.”
Emulating the positions of Disney World and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, a bigger concern for a number of Panhandle officials and business leaders is the perceived negative image that would be cast on the state from more gaming, regardless of where casinos would be allowed.
Shane Moody, president and CEO of the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce, said an expansion of gambling in Florida would harm the family brand his tourism-dependent coastal community has fostered.
“What this means to Destin and the state is that we lose the family brand we’ve created, we lose our small business economy as the large casinos do all they can to keep visitors and gamblers in their facilities,” Moody said. “Let us continue working together across the state to build our economy with high-tech, research, medical and other jobs.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
W.D. Childers Loses Round In Bribery Appeal
November 15, 2013
More than a decade after former Escambia commissioner and state Senate President W.D. Childers was convicted of bribery, a federal appeals court Thursday ruled against him on a lingering question about whether he received a fair trial.
Childers, who represented the Pensacola area in the Senate for three decades, was convicted in 2003 for actions while serving on the Escambia County Commission after leaving the Legislature.
Thursday’s decision stemmed from arguments that Childers was not able to fully cross-examine a key witness in the case — Willie Junior, another county commissioner — and whether Florida courts properly dealt with claims that Childers’ constitutional rights had been violated.
But the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 7-2 ruling, found that a state appeals court had adequately resolved Childers’ arguments about his Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses.
“It is clear to us that Childers’ Confrontation Clause claim was not ‘inadvertently overlooked’ by the (state 1st) District Court of Appeal,” the ruling said. “The claim was squarely before the court.”
Childers 79, has already served a prison term. The U.S. Supreme Court in February sent the case back to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for more consideration of the constitutional issue.
Childers was convicted of bribery and accepting unlawful compensation for official acts in connection with a Highway 29 soccer complex scandal in 2002 while he served as an Escambia County Commissioner.
The soccer complex scandal eventually resulted in charges against four Escambia Commissioners — Childers, Willie Junior, Terry Smith and Mike Bass. Junior was later found dead under a house, committing suicide the day before he was to be sentenced.
Childers, once known as “The Banty Rooster” for bringing home the bacon for Northwest Florida, was released from state prison on June 17, 2009, having served almost three years of a 42-month sentence on the charges related to the $3.9 million soccer complex purchase. Junior testified that he received a collard green pot full of cash in exchange for his vote to purchase the soccer complex.
Childers was also the first man in Florida jailed for violating the open-meeting portion of the Sunshine Law for a phone call he and Smith made to then Supervisor of Elections Bonnie Jones. Childers served about a month in jail before being released.
Most notably for North Escambia, Childers was the man responsible for securing the funding to four-lane Highway 29 to the Alabama state line.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.