Bill Would Block Electronic Cigarettes For Minors
October 2, 2013
Florida Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, filed a bill this week that would ban the sales of electronic cigarettes to minors.
The electronic devices, which deliver nicotine and simulate cigarette smoking, would be added to part of state law that prohibits the sale of tobacco products to people under age 18. The bill (SB 224), which was filed Monday, also would make it illegal for minors to possess electronic cigarettes.
The proposal is filed for the 2014 legislative session.
“Gallery Night” Held In Century
October 2, 2013
A “Gallery Night” was held recently in Century.
The Century Care Center hosted the first-ever event for the town, featuring artistic creations by Century Care residents. Staff and family members were also encouraged to bring their own artistic creations for display.
Items on display included paintings, colorings, handcrafted items, pottery and more.
Pictured above and below: Gallery Night at the Century Care Center. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Federal Government Shuts Down As Congress Fails To Approve Spending Bill
October 1, 2013
The U.S. government has entered a partial shutdown after a politically-deadlocked Congress could not pass a bill to extend funding. Lawmakers worked late into the night but could not overcome a partisan split over President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, a major component of which is being implemented Tuesday.
Three times, the Republican-led House of Representatives voted to undermine the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, as a condition of funding federal operations. Three times, the Democratic-controlled Senate rejected the measures. With Congress unable to agree on an extension of federal spending authority, non-essential U.S. government operations halted early Tuesday.
Democratic Senator Richard Durbin was incredulous over the turn of events.
“Shutting down the government of the United States of America? When you hear about this happening in foreign countries, you think, ‘It is a shame they are not as stable and strong as our great democracy’. And yet here we are,” said Durbin.
The Senate passed its own spending bill free of partisan stipulations about Obamacare or any other matter, but Republican leaders in the House declined to bring that measure to the floor for a vote. Representative Michele Bachmann belongs to a core group of House Republicans that refuses to abandon the fight against Obamacare.
“I have gotten literally hundreds and hundreds of phone calls to my office today, and people have said, ‘Keep fighting. Stand strong’. They want us to stand and fight. They do not want us to give up,” said Bachman.
In the final hour before the shutdown began, House Republicans suggested a negotiation to resolve differences between the two chambers, but Senator Reid immediately rejected the idea. Similarly, House Speaker John Boehner ruled out a vote on the Senate funding-only bill.
And so, with no resolution passed, the U.S. government’s authority to spend money expired as the clock struck midnight in Washington. Hours earlier, at the White House, President Obama voiced frustration and disappointment over Congress’ inability to act.
“”You don’t get to extract a ransom for doing your job,” Obama said to the House GOP.
Some government services will continue — social security checks, postal service, operations related to national security or public safety. Monday night, Obama signed the Pay Our Military Act, which provides continuing appropriations for pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces during the government shutdown.
Later on Tuesday, the president will tout provisions of Obamacare that are being activated despite the shutdown. Many Americans of modest means who lack healthcare insurance will be able to sign up for subsidized policies on newly-created insurance exchanges.
[VOA]
Pictured top: resident Barack Obama delivers remarks on the budget negotiations from the White House Monday. Pictured bottom inset: Monday night, Obama signed the Pay Our Military Act, which provides continuing appropriations for pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces during the government shutdown. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DEP Holds Meeting On State Land Sales, Including Cottage Hill Forest
October 1, 2013
The Florida Florida Department of Environmental Protection held the first of four statewide meetings in Pensacola last night on the proposed sale of thousands of acres of state lands.
In Escambia County, the state may look to sell the Cottage Hill State Forest and 3.4 acres of the Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park. In Santa Rosa County, and 4.8 acres of the Blackwater Heritage State Trail and the 20 acre Gillis Road Track could be put on the market.
There are 4,235 acres still up for potential sale at 47 sites across the state. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection will hold additional workshops in Fort Myers (Oct. 3), Viera (Oct. 
and Orlando (Oct. 9) as the state looks to sell some parcels of publicly held land to raise up to $50 million for future land-conservation efforts. The money from any sale will be combined with $20 million that lawmakers included in the budget for the purchase of land to protect springs, water quality, water quantity or to serve as buffers for military bases.
In North Escambia, the Cottage Hill State Forest is located in the Cottage Hill Community north of Cantonment. The forest has no public road frontage, but is in the area bounded by McKenzie Road, Chavers Road, Williams Ditch Road and Highway 95A. About 24 acres of the site is uplands, while 4.7 acres is flood plain and wetlands.
University of Florida/IFAS Extension Dean Nick Place made a three-part final recommendation in July for Escambia County 4-H. Following the sale of the Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal Credit Union, Place was tasked with deciding a future location or locations for the 4-H program. His proposal included the Cottage Hill State Forest for environmental and horticultural sciences, outdoor education, forestry and other 4-H activities. [Read more...] According to a task force report, the state was willing to deed the property to Escambia County at no cost, while the state would continue to maintain fire breaks on the property.
Pictured: The Cottage Hill State Forest as shown on a Florida DEP map.
Man Arrested In Connection With Bratt Burglary
October 1, 2013
A Century man is facing multiple charges as an alleged accessory in a Bratt burglary.
Gregory Lee Martin, age 53 of Highway 168, was charged with felony unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure, felony larceny and and obstructing an officer without violence. After being arrested Friday night, he was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,500 bond.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator made contact with Martin on September 3 in reference to a burglary that occurred a month earlier near his home. According to an arrest report, Martin said that a suspect in the burglary brought property to his home in a storage box and discussed with Martin the possibility of using Martin’s four-wheeler to get rid of property in his storage shed.
Martin told the investigator that he was aware the night the burglary had occurred, and he allowed the suspect to store the stolen property in his shed. Martin also admitted to allowing the suspect to get dressed in camouflage on his property prior to the shed burglary, the report states.
The name of the burglary suspect was not released by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office pending his arrest.
WKRG TV 5 Goes Dark For Dish Network Customers
October 1, 2013
WKRG channel 5 has gone dark for Dish Network customers after its parent company Media General and Dish failed to reach a retransmission agreement by midnight Monday.
“We’ve attempted to reach a fair agreement via many avenues, but Media General remains immovable in its demands,” said Sruta Vootukuru, Dish director of programming. “They declined a contract extension, an offer from Dish to pay our competitors’ rates, and have now refused our willingness to match rates paid to other area broadcasters. Media General is overreaching by trying to force Dish customers to pay more than their neighbors.”
“WKRG has been an integral part of the Mobile/Pensacola communities for over 58 years and that is our number one priority,” said General Manager Mark P. Bunting. “We understand that having a blank screen instead of their favorite programming is frustrating for DISH customers and it’s frustrating for us as well.”
Media General’s original contract with Dish expired in June, and in a statement Dish said Media General rejected its offer of a short-term contract extension until Media General is acquired by Young Broadcasting, a broadcaster with which Dish Network has a long-term agreement in place.
In a prepared statement, WKRG said Media General is doing everything it can to reach a fair resolution with DISH and have ourprogramming restored to the DISH satellite system.
In addition to WKRG and its CBS programming, the Media General blackout on Dish Network includes 17 other stations in 10 states.
“We’ve attempted to reach a fair agreement via many avenues, but Media General remains immovable in its demands,” said Sruta Vootukuru, Dish director of programming in a statement. “They declined a contract extension, an offer from Dish to pay our competitors’ rates, and have now refused our willingness to match rates paid to other area broadcasters. Media General is overreaching by trying to force Dish customers to pay more than their neighbors.”
On its website, WKRG says Dish customers can still watch the station for free over the air or by switching pay TV providers. According to the station, local news and other content is available on the station’s website.
New Laws: Texting Ban, EBT Limits, Funeral Protests, Late Night Massages
October 1, 2013
An attempt to curb motorists from texting while driving went into effect Tuesday, along with laws that put limits on funeral protests, late-night massages and the use of tax dollars at strip joints and liquor stores.
Texting While Driving
The new law getting the most attention is the long-sought texting-while-driving ban.
The law makes texting while driving a secondary offense, which means motorists could only be ticketed if they are pulled over for other infractions. Also, the measure provides exemptions for use of GPS devices, talk-to-text technology and for reporting criminal behavior. It also allows texting while stopped, such as at red lights.
While the measure has faced criticism for being too weak, lawmakers and the Florida Highway Patrol say the important thing is to simply have such a rule on the books.
“Over half of all teens self report they have used a cell phone while driving,” FHP spokesman Lt. Jeff Frost said. “Eleven percent of fatal crashes, where the driver was under 20, were the result of distracted driving.”
The FHP has been conducting educational outreach at high schools across the state about the new law. The aim is to reduce the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving, as one in five of those distracted teens involved in fatal crashes were using cell phones or texting, Frost said.
For lawmakers, the law, which was more than five years in the making, is just the first step to reduce texting while driving.
Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, is expected to announce Tuesday she will file a bill for the 2014 session that seeks to strengthen the texting-while-driving ban.
EBT Limits, Late Night Massages
A new law (HB 701) prohibits state-issued Electronic Benefits Transfer “EBT” Cards, formerly known as food stamps, from being used at strip clubs, liquor stores and gambling establishments.
During the 2013 session, several Democrats called the Republican-backed proposal political posturing, noting that the state Department of Children and Families already had the ability to shut off state “EBT” cards from being used at such facilities.
Another new law (HB 7005) is the latest effort to crack down on human trafficking by targeting shady massage businesses that are fronts for prostitution.
The law prevents the operations of massage establishments between midnight and 5 a.m. and in most cases prohibits people from living in the businesses. The law has exception for businesses such as health spas and hotels that offer massage services.
Funeral Protests
Also, the never-popular field of funeral protesting will now have some state backed guidelines.
A law (HB 15) makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to protest within 500 feet of a funeral. Besides being a first-degree misdemeanor to protest within 500 feet of a funeral, protests must halt during the period one hour before the services to one hour after the funeral or burial is completed.
The measure is a direct response to protests that have been held for several years at military funerals and other events to draw attention to the beliefs of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church.
Free speech
SB 50: Public speaking time at meetings. The law guarantees members of the public the right to speak at public meetings. While most government meetings in Florida must be open to the public, courts have found that, under current law, there is no guarantee that citizens get to speak at those meetings. The measure exempts emergency meetings from the requirement and allows for time and decorum limits.
Transportation
HB 487: Freemasonry license plates. The law creates a Freemasonry license plate, with most of the proceeds from the $25 annual fee going to the Masonic Home Endowment Fund, Inc. Presale of the plates starts Tuesday.
Brands for boxes
HB 1393: Branding boxes. Due to the increased costs of plastic, along with reports of increased thefts of plastic pallets and merchandise containers, the law allows those who own containers for storage and transportation of agricultural and commercial goods to adopt a mark or brand to signify ownership.
Criminal Justice
SB 112: False documents. Strengthens penalties against filing false documents that are intended to defraud or harass others.
SB 338: Utility theft. The law imposes tougher penalties for electricity thieves. Rather than a first-degree misdemeanor, the penalty would vary depending on the value and services stolen, along with the criminal history of the accused.
HB 407: Gang prevention. The law makes it a second-degree felony to recruit or encourage anyone under 13 years of age into a criminal gang. The law also increases from second-degree misdemeanor to first-degree misdemeanor trespassing charges for individuals previously convicted of gang related crimes in school safety zones. The law also allows judges, rather than juries, to factor gang membership into criminal sentencing.
HB 611: False information to law enforcement. Anyone who has previously been convicted of giving false information to a law enforcement officer will face a third-degree felony for repeating the offense verbally or in writing.
HB 691: Identification theft. The law makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to possess the personal identification information — such as Social Security numbers, driver licenses, passport information and credit card numbers — of four or fewer people, and a third-degree felony to possess five or more. There are exemptions for parents, guardians and certain government employees.
HB 1173: Florida Communications Fraud Act. The law increases penalties for communications fraud, while setting a 5-year statute of limitations for the pursuit of civil and criminal actions against those who commit communications fraud.
Schools
HB 113: Harmful material to minors. The law tightens rules and makes it a third-degree felony for adults to post certain types of obscene or otherwise harmful materials to minors on school property. The material could be a picture, photograph, drawing, sculpture, motion picture film, videocassette, or similar visual representation that depicts nudity or sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sexual battery, bestiality, or sadomasochistic abuse that could be considered harmful to minors.
Finances, real estate and insurance
SB 166: Annuities. Requires an insurance agent recommending the purchase or exchange of an annuity that involves an insurance transaction to reasonably believe the recommendation is suitable for the consumer.
HB 665: Mortgage broker licenses. The law ends a requirement that the Office of Financial Regulation automatically reject an application for a mortgage broker or mortgage lender license simply because the applicant had a similar license revoked in another state. Also, it requires securities and mortgage license applicants to submit electronic or live-scan fingerprints for required background checks by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI. Currently, the applicants are required to submit paper fingerprint cards for the checks.
Contractors
HB 973: Low-voltage electric work. The law allows an alarm contractor to start work on a low-voltage alarm system project without first having to notify the local government. Instead, the contractor must notify the local enforcement agency within 21 days of the item being installed.
Public record exemptions
SB 452: Creates a public-records exemption for the Joshua Abbott Organ and Tissue Registry, which involves lung transplants.
HB 731: Creates a public-records exemption for spouses and children of law enforcement personnel.
HB 7079: Keeps a public-record exemption alive for select information contained in records documenting acts of domestic violence or sexual violence.
HB 7143: Keeps a public-records exemption alive tied to identifying certain donors to the direct-support organization for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
HB 7145: Keeps a public-records exemption alive for all complaints in the custody of a state agency involving employment discrimination.
Local Church Gives New Pastor A Good Pounding
October 1, 2013
The members of one local church gave their new pastor and his family pounding Sunday night, and then they celebrated his arrival with a picnic.
It was the First Baptist Baptist Church of Bratt’s way of welcoming Pastor Delbert Redditt.
A pounding is an old fashioned tradition celebrated in many churches where a new pastor is welcomed to the church with gifts of food. Traditionally, a pounding would provide a pastor and his family with a pound of staples, such as a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter and a pound of other basic items.
The FBC Bratt’s pounding for Redditt was a bit more modern, as church members filled the back of a Nissan Pathfinder with lots of food, canned goods, paper items and even a basket of fresh apples.
Redditt comes to Bratt from Faith Baptist Church in Madison, FL. He has been married to his wife Traci for 24 years. They have two children – Terra Leigh, 19, who attends Valencia College, and Cheynne Dawn, 16, who now attends Northview High School.
Redditt hold a Masters of Ministry from Temple Baptist Seminary, a Masters of Agricultural Education from the University of Florida, and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of Central Florida.
Pictured top and inset: New First Baptist Church of Bratt pastor Delbert Redditt and his wife Traci. Pictured below: Church members held a picnic to welcome Redditt Sunday evening at the Travis M. Nelson Memorial Park in Bratt. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Takes Control Of Jail From Sheriff
October 1, 2013
The Escambia County Commission took direct control of the Escambia County Jail at midnight last night from Sheriff David Morgan.
The commission is now in charge of the facility, its employees and its $31 million budget. There will be some cosmetic changes at first…new uniforms, badges and logos are on the way. And all 400 detention employees now work for the county rather than the sheriff.
Escambia County already had a Corrections Department, which is in charge of the Escambia County Road Prison, only county-operated work camp in Florida that provides a manual labor force for the Public Works Department.
Escambia County will now be directly responsible for responding to a U.S. Department of Justice Investigation into the jail that found several problems, including inadequate staffing. The county and the DOJ are expected to create a draft settlement in the coming months.
Pictured top: As of midnight Monday, Escambia County Jail employees now work for the county commission rather than the Sheriff. File photos, click to enlarge.
New Fiscal Year: Pay Raises For County And School Employees, 50% Budget Increase In Century
October 1, 2013
Fiscal year 2013-2014 begins today as a new budget year for Escambia County and the Town of Century. That mean’s county employees received a pay raise effective today, and Century has upped their bottom line by about 50 percent.
Escambia County: Pay Raises
The Escambia County Commission has a new balanced $364.5 million budget for fiscal year 2013-14.
The new budget includes a three percent cost of living raise for all county employees, including constitutional offices and the Sheriff’s Office. The raises are the first for all county employees since 2007 and will cost about $2.6 million.
The $364,520,055 budget is 2.36 percent more than last fiscal year’s budget of $356,102,136.
The tax millage rates approved are 6.6165 for the County-wide millage rate, .3590 for the Library Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) and .6850 for the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU).
The total millage rate proposed for Fiscal Year 2013-14 is 0.12 percent below the “Rolled Back Rate” certified by the property appraiser. This represents the percentage decrease in property taxes tentatively adopted by the county commission.
Escambia Schools: No Tax Increase, Teacher Pay Raises
The Escambia County School district has a $612.7 million budget for the new fiscal year. There will be increase in ad valorem taxes to meet the budget; the final millage rate was set at 7.557, just under last year’s 7.758.
About $7 million of the budget will go toward teacher and support personnel pay raises. The Escambia Education Association and the district agreed to a possible 4.92 percent raise for teachers, depending on how the teacher scored on their performance evaluation during the 2012-2013 school year. All teachers will receive a minimum salary increase of two percent.
Salaries for educational support personnel will increase by 4.2 percent. In addition, the parties agreed to a new evaluation system that is evidence-based for educational support personnel.
Century: An Extra $1.6 Million
The Town of Century is in a new budget year that is up about 50 percent over last year.
Century’s 2013-2014 budget is$4,384,791, up about $1.6 million over the last fiscal year. The operating budget increase is due to grant income and associated expenditures of $1,595,000 — including a $650,000 housing grant and a $944,000 drainage project grant for North Century Boulevard.
There will be no net increase in ad valorem taxes to meet the budget for fiscal year 2013-2014. The recomputed millage rate of .9006 is equal to and does not exceed the rolled-back rate.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.