It’s Going To Be A Sweet Year – Teachers Return To School
August 12, 2013
Monday was back to school for thousands of Escambia County School District teachers and staff as they prepare for the return of students on August 19. At Molino Park Elementary School, second grade teachers Jennifer Solchenberger (pictured left) and Gena Daniels (right) prepared a bulletin board Monday morning to let students know “It’s Going To Be A Sweet Year” at the school. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Improvements Designed To Eliminate Highway 29 Flooding, Closures
August 12, 2013
The Florida Department of Transportation has made drainage improvements on Highway 29 in Gonzalez designed to eliminate flooding like shut down the roadway in June.
North and south bound Highway 29 just north of East Kingsfield Road were closed June 10 for over eight hours after just a few inches of rain. The incident left state highway officials, engineers and lawmakers scrambling for answers as to how a relatively normal heavy rainfall could paralyze the major north-south hurricane evacuation route from Pensacola.
“If this were a hurricane and four inches of rain had closed the highway, it would be a major cause for concern,” Ian Satter, spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation said. He said Highway 29 and its associated drainage system are designed to handle heavy rainfall and remain open. State officials responded to the flooding across Highway 29 near Pensacola Salvage before the water receded to study the problem.
“It is essential that Highway 29 remain clear and open. This is especially important during hurricane season because of the fact that Highway 29 is part of the evacuation route from the coast,” State Rep. Clay Ingram said.
Drainage improvements were made between the west side of Highway 29 and parallel railroad tracks in order to alleviate future problems.
Pictured top and inset: Flooding closed this section of Highway 29 for eight hours back in June. Pictured below: Drainage system improvements designed to eliminate the future flooding. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Library Branches To Present ‘Astronomy For Everyone’ Programs
August 12, 2013
How does our little blue marble called Earth fit into the grand scheme of things? Dr. Kevin Manning, award-winning astrophysicist and former NASA consultant, will visit West Florida Library branches to present “Astronomy for Everyone”.
This exciting 90-minute program is designed to teach audiences of all ages about the size and scale of the universe, the stars, and other celestial wonders through hands-on activities and assorted visuals.
Manning’s schedule is as follows:
- Tuesday, August 13 – 1:30 pm – Tryon Branch
- Tuesday , August 13 – 4:30 pm – Westside Branch
- Wednesday, August 14 – 3:30 pm – Century Branch
- Thursday, August 15 – 10:30 am – Southwest Branch
- Thursday, August 15 – 6:00pm – Main Library
The Main Library presentation on August 15 is geared toward adults, while the other programs are for all ages.
Do Not Call, Telemarketers Top List of Florida Consumer Complaints
August 12, 2013
The top three complaints received last month at the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services were regarding the statewide Do Not Call List, telemarketing and real estate brokers/salespersons, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam.
The agency received 5,385 written complaints in July. In addition, there were 26,435 calls and 625 emails requesting consumer assistance and information. The top three calls to the agency’s 1-800-HELP-FLA hotline were related to the Do Not Call list, solicitation of contributions from charities and landlord/tenant issues.
In the past month, the department has responded to many consumer concerns and taken action against several individuals or businesses operating outside of Florida law. During the month of July, the agency:
- Registered 5,176 businesses.
- Initiated 141 investigations.
- Arrested 20 individuals.
- Recovered $281,196 on behalf of Florida consumers.
- Added 15,512 telephone numbers to Florida’s Do Not Call List. Currently, there are more than 512,000 numbers on the list.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints, protection and information. The call center is staffed with trained analysts who can respond to questions about programs and regulations under the department’s purview, provide information on a wide variety of topics or direct callers to the appropriate government agency.
Consumers who believe fraud has taken place can contact the department’s consumer protection and information hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or online at www.FreshFromFlorida.com.
Florida Project Tax Revenues Still On Modest Upswing
August 12, 2013
Economic forecasters Friday gave state lawmakers $435.4 million more to work with in the budget year that begins in July 2014, predicting that a slow but steady economic recovery will continue to increase tax revenues.
The increased projections included an additional $177.8 million for the current fiscal year, which runs until June 30. Because the current year’s budget is already set, that money would carry over until next year. The economists also added $257.6 million of extra revenue to next year’s forecast.
In all, lawmakers would have $29.3 billion in general revenue to spend if they were to start working on crafting a spending plan immediately, about $2 billion more than in the current year.
While general revenue makes up less than half of the state’s budget, lawmakers generally have a much freer hand with how they distribute it than other funding.
But lawmakers aren’t scheduled to take up the budget again until next spring’s legislative session, and other revenue forecasts are expected in the interim, meaning it will likely take awhile before the full budget picture is known. And in any case, a projected surplus or shortfall taking into account high-priority spending on items like education and health care isn’t expected to be released until next month.
The economic conference held Friday was the latest in a string of similar meetings that have predicted improvement in tax collections as the state continues to emerge from the economic recession. But that recovery has also not measured up to the explosive periods of state growth that often preceded the downturn, making the changes in the predictions less dramatic regardless of which way the numbers are going.
“Finally, we’ve entered a period where everything is still gradual compared to past recoveries, but it is clearly on a steady upward path,” said Amy Baker, coordinator for the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research. “And so we’re able to see that and predict that much better. The big financial shocks that we’ve been having aren’t there in this most recent data.”
Outside factors are likely to push Friday’s numbers in one direction or another. Automatic cuts to federal spending are expected to continue to add a slight drag to the economy unless President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans reach a deal to replace those cuts.
At the same time, the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare,” could add to the estimate by increasing income from the state’s insurance premium tax — as more people get health insurance, and premiums for some other Floridians potentially rise — and from other medical fees.
In statements issued after the final numbers were agreed to, the budget chiefs for the state House and Senate emphasized how cautious they were in their optimism.
“An increase in the general revenue projection gives us reason to be hopeful we can avoid drastic cuts in the coming budget year; however, as our economy grows, we must avoid adding costs that will quickly consume any modest increase in revenues,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart.
Meanwhile, House Appropriations Chairman Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, was already signaling where he would like to see at least some of the money go.
“With the news of these positive estimates, we are hopeful that we will have the opportunity to provide a significant tax break for Florida businesses to continue to improve the job-creation climate in our state and benefit Florida families,” he said.
By Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Angels At The End Of The Rainbow
August 12, 2013
In Pensacola, it’s not gold at the end of the rainbow; it’s blue and gold jets. This photo, taken Saturday at NAS Pensacola, shows the Blue Angels jets the end of rainbow. Courtesy photo by Blue Angel Maintenance Chief Bruce Kunke for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Suns Outshine Wahoos
August 12, 2013
Danny Pertusati drove in all four runs, including a two-run homer to give the Jacksonville Suns a 4-1 win over the Pensacola Blue on Sunday evening. Pensacola still won the series three games to two, but fell four games behind the Suns in the second half South Division standings.
An early pitcher’s duel between Carlos Contreras for Pensacola and Andrew Heaney for Jacksonville turned sour quickly in the fourth inning as Contreras yielded a lead-off single to Mark Canha and a two-run homer to Pertusati two batters later to make it 2-0. Those were the only two runs Contreras gave up in 5.1 innings, but he took the loss to fall to 1-2. Contreras scattered five hits while striking out seven and walking five (two intentional) in his outing.
Pertusati drove in his third run of the day with a bases-loaded RBI groundout in the seventh inning to make it 3-0 and added a fourth RBI with a safety squeeze against Shaun Ellis in the top of the ninth inning.
Heaney, meanwhile, made just one mistake on the day, a leadoff homer to Donald Lutz in the last of the seventh. It was Lutz’s seventh homer of the season. The southpaw prospect improved to 2-1 by allowing only a run on six hits with four strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
Pensacola will now look to regroup after an off day Monday when they welcome the Mississippi Braves to town for a five-game series starting on Tuesday night. Jon Moscot (1-0, 6.30) gets the call for Pensacola against Mississippi’s Aaron Northcraft (6-8, 3.60). First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on an Out of School Tuesday with fireworks following the game.
McDavid SWAT Standoff Ends Peacefully; Suspect Taken Into Custody
August 11, 2013
A standoff between a McDavid man and an Escambia County SWAT team ended peacefully early Sunday morning with the arrest of 54-year old Gary Daniel Griffis.
The incident began around 9 p.m. Saturday at Griffis’ mobile home at 681 Gunner Road, off Mystic Springs Road east of Highway 29. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to an known type disturbance at the home, according to Deputy Courtney Clanton, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
A shot was reportedly fired from within the mobile home where Griffis had barricaded himself inside. Griffis refused to exit the home, and the SWAT team and negotiator were called to a staging area at the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department on Highway 29. The SWAT team departed the staging area for the mobile home on Gunner Road just after 10 p.m.
At about 12:40 a.m., Clanton reported that the standoff had come to an end after teargas was fired and Griffis was taken into custody without further incident. Griffis was booked into the Escambia County Jail on an outstanding felony warrant for aggravated battery. He was being held on a $5,000 bond.
There were no injuries, Clanton said, and no shots were fired by deputies.
Pictured top: An Escambia County SWAT vehicle at a staging area set up Saturday night at the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department. Pictured below: The Sheriff’s Office command center on scene with an Escambia County EMS ambulance nearby. Pictured bottom: The SWAT staging area at the McDavid VFD. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Front Street Residents Petition Town For Speed Bumps
August 11, 2013
Residents of Front Street in Century have petitioned the town’s leadership for speed bumps to slow drivers down.
A petition signed by 27 Front Street residents was presented to Mayor Freddie McCall and the Century Town Council asking for the speed bumps. The mayor will explore the issue and arrange for installation of the speed control bumps.
Pictuerd: A resurfacing project was completed on Front Street in Century back in March. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Jail Transfer Workshops Planned
August 11, 2013
Escambia County and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office will continue negotiations for the transfer of the Jail and Central Booking operations to the county. The meetings will be held both Monday and Tuesday.
Topics to be discussed included a weekly updated, cost centers, office space, equipment and human resources.
The workshops will begin at 10 a.m. both Monday and Tuesday at 221 Palafox Street in the fourth floor training room in the Escambia County Administration office. The workshop meetings are open to the public, but space is limited.