Century Correctional Helps Byrneville Elementary Celebrate Literacy
January 17, 2014
Byrneville Elementary School took part in “Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!” this week with a little help from Century Correctional Institution.
Several Century Correctional staff members volunteered their own time to read to the students this week because they realize that reading to young children is a great activity to stimulate language and cognitive skills while building motivation for reading, curiosity and memory.
The CCI staff members stressed the importance of learning to read and good education to the Byrneville students.
Pictured top: Assistant Warden Hutchins with Byrneville Elementary students. Pictured below: Warden Doug Sloan reads to students. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Interim County Administrator Touart Submits Retirement
January 17, 2014
Escambia County Interim Administrator George Touart has announced his retirement, effective February 3.
“I would like to thank the Board of County Commissioners for the opportunity to serve the citizens of Escambia County,” said Touart, who became interim administrator December 1, 2012.
In retirement letter, Tourt said he was proud of accomplishments that included the transition of the Escambia County Jail and the library system, the four-cent gas tax for mass transit and a 3 percent across the board employee pay raise.
The BOCC is currently in the process of hiring a new permanent administrator from a short list of five candidates that did not include Touart. Although he applied for the job, the board had voted to exclude him from the final selection process.
Touart has been on sick leave since December 26 as he battles cancer, with Assistant County Administrator Larry Newsom handling his duties.
Forestry Responds To Cantonment Grass Fire
January 16, 2014
The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Florida Division of Forestry responded to a grass fire early Thursday afternoon. The fire was reported to be small in size but quickly grew larger in an orchard and around farm equipment and structures in the 1000 block of Pine Top Lane.
There were no injuries reported.
Pictured: The Florida Division of Forestry arrives at an out of control grass fire on Pine Top Lane in Cantonment. Pictured below: Light smoke could be seen from Pine Top Lane. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Animal Cruelty Charges Filed Against Three People
January 16, 2014
Felony animal cruelty charges brought directly by the State Attorney’s Office have been filed against three people.
For an update to this story, click here.
Robert Earl Simmons, age 54 of McDavid, and 36-year old Feather Lynn McGlothren of Century are each facing two counts of confinement of animals (dogs) without sufficient food or water, and four counts of cruelty to animals. The same charges were filed against a third person, but that person has since died.
Simmons was arrested on the charges against him Tuesday afternoon. He is being held without bond due to a probation violation in a 2012 grand theft and trespassing case.
Arrest warrants have been issued for McGlothern and are still outstanding, according to the State Attorney’s Office. Anyone knowing her whereabouts is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
The State Attorney’s Office has not yet released any specific information about the alleged animal cruelty in the case, other than dogs were involved.
Sexual Battery Suspect Arrested
January 16, 2014
An Escambia County man wanted in connection with a sexual battery on a child has been arrested.
Russell Adam Cannon, a.k.a. “Adam” Cannon, 31, of Pensacola was arrested Tuesday night and charged with sexual battery on a victim under 12 years of age. The incident occurred in October. Police were contacted after the four-year-old girl told a relative Cannon had put his hand inside her panties.
Cannon also was arrested in 1999 for having sex with a 12 year old female. At this time, police have not identified any additional victims.
He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,o00 bond.
Miller Appoints New Military Advisor
January 16, 2014
Congressman Jeff Miller has announced that he will appoint James E. Zumwalt to serve as his Military Legislative Assistant (MLA) in his Congressional office. As MLA, Zumwalt will oversee National Security and Military policy in Miller’s Washington office.
“I am excited to welcome James as the newest member of my team, and I look forward to working with him as my military advisor,” said Miller. “James brings a wealth of knowledge and firsthand experience with him and I am pleased to have such a talented and experienced individual join my team.”
Zumwalt most recently worked as a Technical Forensics Analyst contractor for the U.S. Army. Prior to that, Zumwalt was a Platoon Commander while assigned to the Navy EOD Mobile Unit Two, having received his training at the Navy School Explosive Ordinance Disposal located on Eglin Air Force Base.
Zumwalt has deep family roots in the U.S. Military and he is the fourth generation of his family to receive the Bronze Star His great-grandfather was awarded the Bronze Star during World War II for his actions as an Army doctor when Nazi labor camps were being liberated. His grandfather, the late Admiral Elmo Russell “Bud” Zumwalt, Jr. was the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations. The United States Navy’s DD(X) Guided Missile Destroyer program has been named the Zumwalt class in honor of the Admiral, and its lead ship will bear his name USS Zumwalt by Navy tradition. His uncle, Lt. Elmo R. Zumwalt III, was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions as a Navy swift-boat commander in Vietnam. His father is retired Marine Lt. Col. James G. Zumwalt, who served in Vietnam and during the first Gulf War.
James E. Zumwalt received the medal for “exceptionally meritorious service” in Iraq in 2010 with a Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team.
Zumwalt received his bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. He currently resides in Arlington, Virginia.
Northview Grad Dixon Completes Military Basic Training
January 16, 2014
Air Force Airman Quadry D. Dixon graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Dixon is the son of Bonnie Ewing of Flomaton and Jimmy Dixon of Brewton.
He is a 2012 graduate of Northview High School.
Arbor Day Celebration and Tree Giveaway Planned For Molino
January 16, 2014
Escambia County Extension will host an Arbor Day celebration and tree giveaway event on Friday, January 24, from 10 a.m until noon at the Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A North.
To obtain a free tree, residents must participate in a 10 minute tree-based educational session that will include site selection, proper planting, watering and general care and maintenance. Two tree species will be offered, mayhaw and willow oak, in one gallon containers. The giveaway is limited to one tree per client.
Pictured: Leaves of the willow oak tree. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Unemployment Website Problems May Spur Creation Of State IT Department
January 16, 2014
State lawmakers will again be asked to create a state information-technology department as focus builds on the troubles that plague Florida’s $63 million unemployment assistance website.
Legislation continues to be drafted as state Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director Jesse Panuccio appeared Wednesday before the Senate Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee to provide an update about the much-criticized “Connect” system.
The problems with the state’s unemployment website will next be scrutinized by a technology consultant and the U.S. Department of Labor.
Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, said Wednesday he has been discussing the IT department proposal with Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and hopes to have legislation ready in the next week or two.
“We’re a $70 billion business without a chief information officer, we have no IT abilities whatsoever in this state, we can’t be surprised that this is the case,” said Ring, a former Yahoo.com executive. “We need to have experts if we’re going to release projects of this size.”
A similar measure to create a Department of State Technology during the 2013 legislative session was unanimously supported by the Senate but died in the budget conference process.
The 2013 effort called for 24 full-time workers at a cost of $5 million in the first year of operation, according to a staff analysis.
Ring’s pending legislation comes as the Department of Economic Opportunity continues to impose fines of $15,000 per business day against Minnesota-based Deloitte Consulting and withhold a $3 million payment to the company for failing to deliver a “fully functioning” system.
The state also has started to hire what could be 330 workers to help process unemployment-assistance applications over the next couple of months, at an estimated $164,700 a week. The money will come from federal administrative funds and money expected to be recouped from Deloitte, Panuccio said.
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., announced that the U.S. Department of Labor, at his request, will send staff to Florida by the end of the week to monitor the problems with the Connect system. The federal agency has indicated there has been a 20 percent drop in claims since the system went live Oct. 15.
While Gov. Rick Scott’s office criticized Nelson over the request, Panuccio maintained on Wednesday that his department’s focus is getting the system operational.
“What we’re doing right now, the most important thing we’re focused on, is every possible way to get things fixed and getting claims paid,” Panuccio told the Senate panel. “Down the road we’ll continue to discuss ways we can continue to recoup costs.”
Panuccio’s comments were markedly different from his Nov. 4 appearance before the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee when he said that “glitches” with the new system should be smoothed over by the end of the year.
Instead, the per-business-day fines were imposed Dec. 20 on Deloitte as the problems continued.
On Wednesday, the department completed a contract with the Paris-based consulting firm Capgemini for $365,000 to examine the system, Panuccio said.
“Deloitte’s stabilization of the adjudication function and other systems did not occur as we had expected,” Panuccio said.
Deloitte has said that the company completed the work outlined in its contract and that the Connect system has surpassed the performance of the unsustainable systems it replaced.
Panuccio maintains a separate view.
“Deloitte does not dispute the list of defects we’ve given them, they don’t dispute that those things are broken, what they will dispute is how we characterize it under the contract,” Panuccio said after the meeting. “The point is those pieces of functionality still aren’t working.”
Prior to the meeting, Sen. Geraldine Thompson, D-Orlando, and Rep. Lori Berman, D-Lantana, called for Deloitte to refund money to taxpayers.
Thompson said people have spent more than nine weeks trying to get the needed assistance to qualify for the $275 a week reemployment checks. She also referenced more than $20 million in denied benefits due to the new system, an estimate by the non-profit National Employment Law Project.
“For someone who is unemployed, who has no means of income, this is the difference between hanging on to a lifeline and actually being pushed into the ranks of those who are impoverished,” Thompson said.
Berman said she asked Panuccio on Oct. 23 about when the problems with the system would be improved and got a reply dated Nov. 1 stating the system was operational and improving.
“Today is Jan. 15 and there continues to be problems and issues with the system,” Berman said. “The time for discussion has passed, action is needed right now.”
Thompson added that the state should have been aware of the problems before the new system was introduced in October.
She noted that Deloitte had been fined $4.5 million for delays to the state system in 2012 and has come under fire over unrelated problems involving the rollout of multimillion-dollar government websites in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and California.
Deloitte also agreed to pay $1.5 million in November as repairs continued and the Department of Economic Opportunity wasn’t ready to certify the system.
Connect had been in the works since 2009 to replace a 30-year-old system out-of-work Floridians used to claim their weekly benefits, monitor accounts and request information.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Black Caucus Cancels Meeting With Scott
January 16, 2014
The Florida Legislative Black Caucus on Wednesday abruptly canceled its annual meeting with Gov. Rick Scott, a move the group said was meant to underscore its frustration with the governor.
The incident highlighted Scott’s at-times complicated interactions with African-Americans less than 10 months before he faces voters in the November election, though the leader of the black caucus insisted the cancellation was not politically motivated.
“We’ve got the whole summer and fall to focus on politics,” Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, said in an interview. “The governor’s had the past three years to focus on priorities.”
Williams said the caucus respected Scott’s role as governor.
“It’s not meant to be disrespectful,” he said. “It’s meant to show our frustration.”
After the caucus agreed Tuesday to cancel, Williams sent a letter to Scott on Wednesday telling him the meeting was off. As late as Wednesday morning, Scott’s schedule still included the noon get-together, though it didn’t give a location for the meeting.
“Based on your lack of action on matters of importance to this caucus that we have brought to your attention at prior meetings, we believe another meeting at this time would be fruitless,” Williams wrote.
The letter specifically mentioned, among other complaints, Scott’s stance on the restoration of civil rights for former felons, a sweeping effort to remove suspected non-citizens from the voting rolls, Scott’s appointments and the governor’s budget vetoes.
Scott’s press secretary, Jackie Schutz, said in a written statement that Scott was “disappointed” to hear that the meeting had been canceled. He offered to meet one-on-one with black lawmakers during the hour he was scheduled to speak with the caucus, though it wasn’t clear if any legislators took him up on it.
“Governor Scott believes the best way to serve Floridians is for the Legislature and the governor’s office to work together to find solutions,” Schutz said.
The black caucus meets annually with the governor, though Scott’s tenure got off to a rocky start when, in his first meeting with the group, he suggested that he could sympathize with black lawmakers because he lived in public housing as a child. Some members of the group later said they were offended by the remark.
Scott also faced protests from Florida A&M University students after he pressured the board of the historically black school to temporarily suspend President James Ammons in the wake of a hazing death. Ammons eventually resigned after months of scrutiny that grew to include other management issues at FAMU.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida