Friday Night Finals
October 26, 2013
Here is a look at Friday night games from across the North Escambia area:
FLORIDA
- Walton 26, Northview 12 [Read more...]
- Tate 24, Fort Walton 13 [Read more...]
- Jay 39 Cottondale 28 [Read more...]
- West Florida 55, Arnold 3
- Pace 56, Escambia 42
- Milton 28, Pine Forest 20
- Baker 54 Franklin County 13
- Pensacola 45, Washington 0
- South Walton 35, Freeport 21
- Catholic 35, Gulf Breeze 7
ALABAMA
- Millry 40 ,Flomaton 38
- T R Miller 28 , W S Neal 0
- Andalusia 48, ECHS 32
- Escambia Academy 40, Southern 0
Outta’ The Woods: Hunting Season Is Here
October 26, 2013
Finally, the time of year we’ve been waiting for is here.
From Escambia and Santa Rosa east to about Leon County, you’re in Zone D, where archery and crossbow seasons began October 26 on private lands.
To hunt during archery season, you’ll need a Florida hunting license and an archery permit. During crossbow season, you’ll need a hunting license and crossbow permit. If you’re a Florida resident, an annual hunting license will cost $17. Nonresidents have the choice of paying $46.50 for a 10-day license or $151.50 for 12 months. Archery and crossbow permits cost just $5 each, and all deer hunters must have the $5 deer permit. Anyone planning on hunting one of Florida’s many WMAs must purchase a management area permit for $26.50.
And don’t forget to pick up the WMA brochure for the area you wish to hunt, because hunting season dates on many of the areas are often different from what the zonal dates are. You can pick up a copy of these WMA brochures at your local tax collector’s office or read them at
During archery season and that part of crossbow season that is concurrent with archery, you can take deer of either sex, regardless of antler size (except for spotted fawns). After archery ends, during the remaining portion of the crossbow season, only legal bucks (having at least one antler that is at least 5 inches long) may be taken. The daily bag limit on deer is two. Bag limits for deer on WMAs can differ, so check the specifics of the area before you hunt.
You can hunt wild hogs on private lands year-round with no bag or size limits. On most WMAs, there’s also no bag or size limits, and hogs are legal to take during most hunting seasons except spring turkey. On a few WMAs, bag and size limits do apply, so be sure to check the brochure for the specific area to be certain.
It’s also legal to shoot gobblers and bearded turkeys during archery and crossbow seasons, given you have a turkey permit ($10 for residents, $125 for nonresidents). You can take only one turkey per day, and there’s a two-bird fall-season limit. It’s against the law to hunt turkeys in Holmes County in the fall, and it’s illegal to shoot them while they’re on the roost, over bait, when you’re within 100 yards of a game-feeding station when bait is present or with the aid of recorded turkey calls.
On private property, if you’re hunting during the archery season, you may hunt only with a bow, and you must have the $5 archery permit. During crossbow season, you may use either a crossbow or bow, but you must have the $5 crossbow permit. On WMAs, only hunters with a disabled crossbow permit are allowed to use crossbows during archery season. All bows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds, and hand-held releases are permitted. For hunting deer, hogs and turkeys, broadheads must have at least two sharpened edges with a minimum width of 7/8 inch.
Tony Young is the media relations coordinator for the FWC’s Division of Hunting and Game Management. He can be reached with questions about hunting at Tony.Young@MyFWC.com.
Escambia Fire May Move Paid Fire Crew From Century To McDavid For Expanded Coverage
October 25, 2013
A paid Escambia Fire Rescue crew currently assigned to Century could be shifted to the McDavid Fire Station in an effort to improve the level of service across the North Escambia area.
“It is in the planning stages now,” Escambia Fire Rescue Fire Chief Patrick Grace said Thursday. “We are looking at the numbers right now, and they show a (paid) crew in McDavid could answer about 60 percent more calls.”
The paid firefighter crew currently staffs the Century Fire Station from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. The crew provides coverage during the daytime hours when many volunteers are unavailable due to employment outside the area. Volunteer firefighters answer calls at other times and on the weekends.
Until a few weeks ago, a paid crew was stationed at the Molino Fire Station during the same hours. But Molino’s paid crew was among those transferred to the Cantonment Station in order to provide 24/7 paid coverage after Cantonment experienced an overall lack of volunteer response. Since the switch, volunteers have worked to answer calls in Molino around the clock.
From the more centrally located McDavid Fire Station on Highway 29, a paid firefighter crew would be dispatched and able to answer calls a few miles — and just a few minutes — away in Century, Molino and Walnut Hill during the daytime hours when the availability of volunteers is the lowest. Volunteer firefighters in those areas would still be dispatched and respond to call in their districts.
Grace said the daytime paid fire crew in Century has answered 108 calls during the past year, many of which were in Flomaton. If the crew had been stationed in McDavid, they would have been dispatched on over 160 calls across parts of North Escambia.
“It’s an effort to look at getting the biggest bang for the taxpayer’s buck,” Grace said. “It’s nothing at all against Century.”
Grace noted that an Escambia County EMS ambulance would remain stationed in Century, responding the same current speed to any medical calls. And while stationed in McDavid, the paid firefighter crew would often be in Century, working on fire pre-plans for business, testing hydrants and taking part in other activities.
Century Mayor Freddie McCall, who previously served several years as Century’s fire chief, does not see the proposed change as a service improvement for his town.
“They are taking it away from Century; that’s not going to improve things,” he said. McCall said he plans to meet with Escambia County leaders to protest the potential move.
The proposed fire crew change from Century to McDavid is still in the planning stages with no date set for a potential change, Grace stressed. “We are just looking at how we can provide better service more often for the citizens of Escambia County.”
Pictured top and top inset: Escambia Fire Rescue trucks, most of which are assigned to North Escambia. Pictured bottom inset: Operated by a paid crew, Century’s Engine 511 responds to a brush fire Thursday morning. Pictured below: Ladder 5, assigned to Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Dental Service Change At Main Health Dept., Molino Unchanged
October 25, 2013
The Florida Department of Health in Escambia Count transitioning dental services at its main facility location on West Fairfield Drive Escambia Community Clinics. The change will take place on November 1.
The health department will continue to provide dental services at their Northside and Molino clinics using their current provider. Previous clients of the main Fairfield facility may seek dental care at the Northside or Molino clinic sites, or they may choose to become a client of ECC dental clinic starting November 1. Escambia Community Clinics will assume care of previous DOH-Escambia clients through Head Start and Lutheran Services.
ECC dental clinic will provide dental services Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. central time. Please call Escambia Community Clinics at 850-912-8880 to arrange an appointment.
Photos: West Florida Junior Varsity At Northview
October 25, 2013
The junior varsity West Florida Jaguars defeated the JV Northview Chiefs 40-14 Thursday night in Bratt.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Northview’s Desmone Knight (white jersey) blocks a two point attempt by West Florida. Pictured inset: West Florida gains yardage against the Chiefs as Jared Aliff (#3) closes in for the tackle. Pictured below: Peighton Dortch (left) and Hadley Woodfin cheer for the Chiefs. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Amazon Will Add Tax To Florida Purchases
October 25, 2013
The confirmation by Amazon.com that it will build a pair of massive “fulfillment” centers along the Interstate 4 corridor means that sometime in the next two years Floridians will have to start paying sales taxes on purchases from the online retail giant.
But even with Amazon eventually joining other businesses located in Florida in collecting the state’s sales tax, some groups will continue pushing to eliminate an exemption that has allowed out-of-state online retailers including eBay and Overstock to avoid the tax.
The Florida Retail Federation, which has long called for ending the exemption, estimates that between $80 million to $90 million a year in sales taxes will be paid once Amazon starts collecting. Amazon announced this week that it would build distribution centers — or what it calls “fulfillment” centers — in Lakeland and Ruskin.
The Department of Revenue requires online companies to begin collecting sales taxes once “a company has a physical presence in the state,” said Renee Watters, a department spokeswoman. That has allowed many out-of-state online retailers, including Amazon, to avoid adding the taxes to online purchases. Floridians are supposed to pay the taxes themselves when they buy from online retailers, but few do.
It remains unclear when the tax will be included on the Amazon website.
That could be when dirt is first turned on either of the distribution centers that Amazon announced this week, or when the first package is ready to roll out the doors of either location.
“It is a very fact-based situation and it depends on the facts of each individual circumstance,” Watters said.
Asked about when construction of the new centers could begin or when the first packages will be shipped, Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Cheeseman instead replied in an email that the Seattle-based company was “excited” to bring full-time jobs to Florida and that when hiring begins jobs will be posted online.
The distribution facilities in Lakeland and Ruskin are part of a growing competition among businesses to shorten delivery time, which could be an indication that Amazon will want to quickly get the centers up and operational.
The company already has the support of each local community, which should help speed the permit approval process. Hillsborough and Polk counties approved incentives packages to help attract Amazon.
Amazon’s entry into Florida’s brick-and-mortar retail landscape won’t end efforts by some business groups to get Florida to impose what they call “e-Fairness” tax laws and Congress to approve the Marketplace Fairness Act. The federal act would give states the authority to require online and catalog retailers — regardless of where they are — to collect sales taxes at the time of transaction.
“Amazon really hasn’t changed the legislative situation at all,” said John Fleming, a spokesman for the Florida Retail Federation. “There is still a loophole in Florida law, there is still a loophole in federal law as far as we’re concerned. We’re still going to need legislation to close this loophole.”
The Florida Chamber of Commerce agrees.
“The day that Amazon comes on line they will begin paying sales tax and that will greatly contribute to a fairness between main street and online retailers, but that does not do away with the argument because unfairness will remain until lawmakers take a look at how to address that,” said chamber spokeswoman Edie Ousley.
Lawmakers for years have looked at online sales as a possible source of tax revenue. Eight bills on the issue died during the 2013 state legislative session, including one (SB 316) that would have offset the additional revenue collected by lowering other taxes.
The proposal was strongly supported by Florida retailers that rely on non-Internet sales and have claimed for years they’re at a disadvantage because buyers can purchase items online without paying sales taxes.
The hurdle has been the reluctance of state lawmakers to impose new taxes, a barrier that could be greater next year when many will be up for re-election.
And the disparity between online and brick-and-mortar retailers, even with Amazon joining the side of companies collecting sales taxes in Florida, is only expected to widen, Fleming said.
Online sales are growing. They are estimated by the retail federation to account for about 5 percent of all sales in Florida, of which Amazon is about 10 percent.
“It’s a huge market and those are conservative numbers,” Fleming said.
When the governor’s office announced in June that Amazon intended to expand into Florida, the news release said Amazon would begin collecting Florida sales taxes “at such time as it is required under current Florida law.”
The June announcement came a month after the deal was considered scuttled as the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on when Amazon would have to start collecting the taxes. Reports at the time noted that Amazon was seeking a two-year exemption from collecting state sales taxes.
The Lakeland facility will concentrate on packing and shipping large items, such as kayaks and televisions, while the center along I-75 in Ruskin will handle smaller items, ranging from books to electronics and consumer goods.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
AG Bondi Asks Court To Block Florida Medical Marijuana Vote
October 25, 2013
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday asked the Florida Supreme Court to block a vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow medical marijuana, becoming the highest-profile official to take on the ballot initiative.
In a filing required because the group pushing the initiative has triggered an automatic review by the high court, Bondi wrote that the ballot language could deceive voters about the extent of marijuana use that would be allowed.
Bondi said the ballot summary written by United for Care: People United for Medical Marijuana wrongly suggests that only people with “debilitating diseases” could get the leafy green substance.
“But if the amendment passed, Florida law would allow marijuana in limitless situations,” she wrote. “Any physician could approve marijuana for seemingly any reason to seemingly any person (of any age) — including those without any ‘debilitating disease.’ So long as a physician held the opinion that the drug use ‘would likely outweigh’ the risks, Florida would be powerless to stop it.”
The ballot language also suggests the amendment is not in conflict with federal law, which still prohibits the use of marijuana, Bondi said.
Official state estimates have not painted the likely marijuana use under the law in the sweeping terms that Bondi’s filing suggests would be possible.
Health officials have estimated that 1.6 million Floridians would be eligible for medical marijuana, according to information provided to state economists. But somewhere between 175,000 and 450,000 would probably take advantage of the measure.
The push for allowing pot to be used for medicinal purposes in Florida has received a boost from John Morgan, a prominent Orlando trial lawyer and Democratic contributor. Morgan has already recorded a radio ad urging Floridians to approve the amendment “for the really sick people.” Elections officials say the measure has received 111,940 valid signatures — more than enough to trigger Supreme Court review.
Supporters of the initiative would need to gather 683,149 valid signatures by Feb. 1 to put the amendment before voters in the November elections.
Ben Pollara, the campaign manager for United for Care, blasted Bondi’s filing in statement issued Thursday.
“It is not surprising that out of touch Tallahassee politicians like Pam Bondi continue to oppose compassionate health care policy in Florida,” Pollara said. “Just as politicians in the Florida Legislature refused to even give medical marijuana a hearing in the 2013 session, AG Bondi wants to deny Floridians the opportunity to even vote on this issue — despite numerous polls showing that an overwhelming majority of the state is supportive of the issue.”
Pollara also sent out a fundraising email based on the filing.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Escambia Schools Foundation Holding Student Artwork Contest
October 25, 2013
The Escambia County Public Schools Foundation is seeking artwork submissions from Escambia County K-12 students for its 27th Annual We Believe in Children 5K Run & Health Fair, which will be held on January 25, 2014. The winner of the contest will have their design on event t-shirts as well as posters, registration forms, and many other marketing materials used to promote this year’s event.
Students or their teachers should submit artwork, along with the attached required form by October 31, 2013. The top 3 finalists will be chosen by the 2014 We Believe in Children 5K Run Committee; students, parents, teachers, and the rest of the community will then vote on the final design winner on Facebook. The winning student will receive a free t-shirt featuring his or her design, as well as a party.
Entry Guidelines:
- Create artwork on a white sheet of paper – 8 ½ X 11 or 11 X 14.
- Use bold colors—paint, marker, or graphic art is acceptable.
- Dimensional art is acceptable as long as it can be photocopied.
- Artwork should reflect the We Believe in Children 5K Run & Health Fair (running, walking, active lifestyles, healthy communities, etc.)
- Name and date of the event should be included in the design: We Believe in Children 5K Run & Health Fair, January 25, 2014.
- All original artwork submitted becomes the property of Escambia County Public Schools Foundation. The artwork may be reproduced, distributed, displayed or derivative works may be created without compensation to the entrant.
- Artwork MUST be entirely original work, by the submitting student, and cannot include any copyrighted image or likeness.
- Tips: Use as much space as possible on the paper so the design is easy to see. Make sure all lines are clear and concise.
For additional information, please contact Cindy Nall at (850) 469-5354 or cnall@escambia.k12.fl.us.
To learn about sponsorship opportunities for the 2014 We Believe in Children 5K Run & Health Fair, please contact Jennifer Passeretti at (850) 430-7457 or jpasseretti@escambia.k12.fl.us.
New Crime Stoppers App Helps Citizens Catch Criminals
October 25, 2013
There’s a new way to submit tips to help local law enforcement catch criminals — TipSubmit Mobile, a free applications for iPhone, iPad, iPad Touch and Android devices.
The app allows users to send crime crime information to law enforcement while remaining anonymous. With the app, unlimited length two-way anonymous messages are possible, and video and photos can be directly submitted.
To download the app, click here for Android or click here for Apple products.
Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information that helps solve crimes, or leads to the location of wanted fugitives, illegal drugs, or recovery of stolen property. Crime Stoppers is a non-profit, community organization. It is not a government program or law enforcement agency, and no taxpayer dollars are used in its reward fund.
Forest Service Battles Small Wildfire
October 24, 2013
Firefighters responded to a fire deep in a wooded area off Highway 168 near Wawbeek Road outside Century Thursday morning. The wildfire, estimated at a few acres, was reported to be in area at least half mile north of the highway and inaccessible to firefighters from the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue. The Florida Forest Service responded with a bulldozer to reach the fire. There were no structures threatened by the fire. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.