Six Rescued After Canoe Accident
July 14, 2013
Six people were rescued unharmed Saturday afternoon after a canoe accident on the Perdido River.
Just before 1 p.m., one of the six people called 911 and reported that the group was lost in the woods somewhere near the Barrineau Park bridge over the Perdido River. Their canoe had collided with a railroad bridge over the river during a severe storm. They had made it ashore on the Alabama side of the river and had walked nearly an hour, becoming lost in the heavily wooded area.
The six were located in under an hour by members of the Molino Station of Escambia Fire Recue and other agencies. There were no serious injuries reported.
Fire Stations Respond To Century Apartment Complex
July 14, 2013
Area fire stations responded to the Camellia Gardens Apartments on Freedom Road in Century early Sunday morning. About 4:35 a.m., a resident reported light smoke in their apartment.
There was no major damage reported; the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Four people initially complained of smoke inhalation on the scene, but all refused transport to the hospital by Escambia County EMS.
County Administrator Selection Committee Set To Narrow List
July 14, 2013
The Escambia County Administrator Search Committee will meet again Monday to consider the nine remaining applicants for county administrator.
The meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Central Office Complex at 3363 West Park Place. The committee is expected to cut the list in half for presentation to the Escambia County Commission for a final decision.
The remaining candidates for Escambia County Commissioner are listed below in alphabetical order along with a brief listing of past experience. Click any of the names to read the candidate’s complete resume.
- Lyndon Bonner – Ocala, FL. City manager Bunnell, FL; assistant county administrator, Sumter County; county administrator Okeechobee County; city manager North Miami Beach.
- James Chansler – Jacksonville, FL. Utilities director city of Jacksonville and city of Boca Raton; wastewater management director Broward County.
- David Fanslau – Rock Hill, NY. County manager Sullivan County; township administrator Winslow, NJ and Logan, NJ.
- Kenneth Fields – Boca Raton, FL. Assistant city manager Hollywood, FL; village manager Islamorada, FL; executive administration officer Seminole Tribe of FL.
- Kenneth Griffin – Tampa, FL. CEO water/sewer authority and assistant county administrator Hillsborough County; executive officer Pearl River Valley Water Supply District
- Patrick Howard – Seneca, SC. County administrator Marion County, Ocala, FL.
- Albert Penksa – Gettysburg, PA.County manager Adams County, Gettysburg, PA; controller CFO Cambria County.
- Ronald Rabun – Griffin, GA. County administrator Oconee County, SC; county manager Seminole County, FL; county administrator Manatee County, FL; city manager various cities in GA, FL and WA.
- George Touart – Pensacola, FL. County administrator with Escambia County, FL; city councilman, Pascagoula, MS; co-owner of two businesses in MS.
Christmas In July Angel Tree Project To Benefit Equine Group
July 14, 2013
Angel Trees in several area businesses will benefit a Cantonment equine rescue group and their foster horses.
Panhandle Equine Rescue has set up Angel Trees in various stores that will remain there through the month of July. There are 20 stars on each tree with a photo that represents each of the group’s foster horses with their needs listed on the back of the star. The star also includes a contact number to call and donate the requested items.
The Angel Trees are located at:
- Southern Mill & Supply at 1280 Hwy. 97 in Molino
- John Kiley’s Cycle World at 8500 Pensacola Blvd. in Pensacola
- Companion Animal Clinic at 470 S. Hwy. 29 in Cantonment
- Tractor Supply at 3 W. Nine Mile Rd. in Pensacola
- Tractor Supply at 6531 Caroline St. in Milton
- Aubrey Hill Boarding Facility in Pace
- Farm and Nursery Mart at 7460 Pine Forest Road in Pensacola
- Pine Forest Vet Clinic at 6860 Pine Forest Road in Pensacola
- Pine Forest Saddlery at 7801 Pine Forest Road in Pensacola
Pictured: The Panhandle Equine Rescue Angel Tree at Southern Mill and Supply on Highway 97 in Molino. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Drawing Lines And Writing Books In Tally
July 14, 2013
When most residents of the country thought about Florida this week, the first thing that came to their minds was likely not a Supreme Court case. Or the net worths of state officials. Or the pending book by former Gov. Charlie Crist.
Instead, their eyes were on state prosecutors’ case against George Zimmerman, who is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager, during a confrontation between the two in Sanford. Zimmerman says he was acting in self-defense.
With fears that racial tension could boil over if Zimmerman is acquitted by the jury, which began deliberations Friday, state officials were sure to stress that they were prepared for unrest.
“We’ve got great sheriffs, police chiefs, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, I’ve been in contact with them, they’re ready for whatever happens,” Scott said during a Thursday morning appearance on WPEC TV in West Palm Beach. “But hopefully the right thing happens here, and we’ll have a verdict that everybody understands.”
But elsewhere in the state, there were less intense but still weighty issues.
HOW BINDING IS ‘BINDING?’
It didn’t have the drama of the Zimmerman case, but there was still plenty of finger-pointing and a helping of angry words at the Florida Supreme Court in a case over redistricting. But this was over an arcane if significant legal principle — whether state legislative districts can be challenged in lower courts once the Supreme Court has signed off on them.
According to a 5-2 majority — the kind of majority that court-watchers have grown used to — the answer is yes, as long as those claims are based on the kind of evidence that justices don’t consider when they do constitutionally mandated reviews of the maps as part of the once-a-decade redistricting process.
The Florida Constitution says decisions from those Supreme Court reviews “shall be binding upon all the citizens of the state.” But writing for the majority, Justice Barbara Pariente said Thursday that didn’t apply to more fact-intensive lawsuits than the automatic reviews, especially now that the constitution also includes the anti-gerrymandering “Fair Districts” amendments.
“Simply put, the framers and voters clearly desired more judicial scrutiny of the legislative apportionment plan, not less,” Pariente wrote.
But in a pointed dissent, Justice Charles Canady wrote that the opinion would deaden the intent of the “binding” provision, known as section 16(d).
“With this decision, we confront the prospect of unending litigation concerning legislative redistricting — a prospect that section 16(d), by its plain terms, undeniably was designed to preclude,” he wrote.
A coalition of voting-rights organizations that are challenging the Senate map cheered the decision. Republican lawmakers were less enthusiastic — or “understandably disappointed,” in the words of a spokeswoman for Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.
“The president stands by the maps as well as the Legislature’s redistricting process,” spokeswoman Katie Betta said in an email. “The 2012 redistricting process was the most open and transparent in Florida’s history and produced maps which are compliant with Florida’s constitution, facts which the president believes will ultimately be affirmed.”
THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE TV AD?
Republicans are also likely to be “understandably disappointed,” or perhaps downright livid, when they get a chance to read the pending memoir from former Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist and Dutton, a publisher, said the Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat would pen a book called “THE PARTY’S OVER: How the Extreme Right Hijacked the GOP and I Became a Democrat.”
The publicity for the book suggests it’s part revenge for Crist being pushed out of the Republican Party in 2010 and part manifesto as he gears up for a bid for his former job, this time as a Democrat.
“I’ll share my very strong feelings about what’s happened to the Republicans, how the party I grew up in has been hijacked by extremists, losing its compassion and common sense,” Crist said in a press release issued by Dutton. “I’ll describe exactly what I saw and what it made me realize.”
It will no doubt be required reading for observers of state politics, but Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry was already laughing off the idea of a bestseller from the man his party used to promote.
“We didn’t know that Charlie Crist was launching a new career as a fiction writer,” Curry said in a statement. “But we do want to thank him for the hundreds of pages of rhetorical ammunition he will be giving to us and his primary opponents.”
HOW MUCH DO YOU MAKE? HOW MUCH DID YOU RAISE?
With disclosures of state officials’ public wealth now being posted online, and the fund-raising statements of candidates also being published this week, there was plenty of gossip to be had about money. One takeaway: Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is doing rather well in both departments.
Putnam, whose wealth is tied to the family-owned Putnam Groves, led the three Cabinet officers with a net worth of $7.2 million, an increase from $6.49 million in 2011. His net worth had dipped from $6.8 million in 2010, when he was elected commissioner.
One thing he might not have to spend much of that money on is his re-election campaign. The Republican commissioner, often mentioned as a future candidate for governor, raked in $591,011 in contributions between April 1 and June 30, far more than other statewide candidates — and almost 60 percent of the $966,788 raised by the Florida Democratic Party over the same time frame.
“Big thanks to everyone who helped kick off my reelection (with) such momentum!” Putnam said in a message on Twitter. “Nearly 2000 donors have invested in our vision for Florida!”
Also doing well: Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican gearing up to run for his father’s Senate seat, reported raising $252,360 for that 2016 contest.
Speaking of the elder Gaetz: The co-founder of VITAS Healthcare Corp. and former Okaloosa County schools superintendent is worth $26.2 million — tops among more than a third of senators who have publicly declared themselves to be millionaires. And with some forms not yet ready for public release, the group of millionaires could grow.
REMAKING THE GRADE
Current county school superintendents — who might not be worth as much as Gaetz — were more concerned with what Education Commissioner Tony Bennett will recommend to the State Board of Education next week in an effort to counter what the superintendents say could be an alarming drop in school grades on the state report card.
In a letter to the state board, Bennett recommended continuing a year-old policy that prevents schools from dropping by more than one letter grade on those report cards, though he preemptively pushed back on any suggestion that such a policy watered down the state’s accountability system.
“To be clear, my recommendations, outlined below, are made not to soften the blow of higher standards or to reduce the number of failing schools, but rather to advance the best policy for Florida’s students and position our state for a successful transition to full implementation of the CCSS (Common Core State Standards) in the 2014-2015 school year and beyond,” he wrote.
Bennett also recommended tweaking how students at so-called “ESE centers,” which teach students with disabilities, are accounted for.
Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, said he saw the changes recommended by Bennett as a “good, reasonable response.” Montford, who also serves as the CEO of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, took part in discussions between Bennett and the superintendents about the grades.
“Clearly, I think this is a fair approach to it,” Montford said.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Florida Supreme Court ruled that a case challenging the Senate’s redistricting plan can go forward despite an earlier ruling by the court that there was nothing on the surface that indicated the map violated the anti-gerrymandering “Fair Districts” standards.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “It is reminiscent of divorce court, where the louder each one screams, the more interesting it becomes to the audience.”–Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida, on the war of words between Crist and the state GOP.
By The News Service of Florida
Molino’s Kelly Named To World Wood Bat Tournament Team
July 14, 2013
Jacob Kelly of Molino was recently named to the 2013 World Wood Bat Association 18U National Championship All-Tournament Team as a pitcher. The tournament, held in Atlanta, featured over 180 teams with over 3,000 players.
Kelly, 17, pitched 11 innings striking out 13 and allowing only one earned run. Kelly played with the Patriot Travel Team made up of area high school athletes. Another team member, Chandler Burgess, was also named to the All-Tournament team as a hitter. Burgess batted .438 during the tournament that featured teams from as far away as Hawaii and New Jersey.
Saturday Storms Bring Heavy Rain, Hail, High Winds
July 14, 2013
Strong storms pushed through portions of the North Escambia area Saturday afternoon, bringing heavy rain, hail and high winds.
NorthEscambia.com readers reported hail in a swath from near Molino, through Walnut Hill to Davisville. Most of the hail was reported to be pea-sized or smaller. The storms also caused a few power outages. On West Kingsfield Road, a tree and power lines were downed during the storm.
Some areas, including Walnut Hill, received over four inches of rain Saturday afternoon, much of it in a two-hour period.
Pictured below: A tree and power lines were downed on West Kingsfield Road. Reader photo by Brian Vincent. Pictured above: Pea-sized and larger hail fell in Davisville Saturday afternoon. Reader photo by Brooke Harris. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Set Team Record With 12-4 Win Over Montgomery
July 14, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos scored a franchise record 12 runs in a 12-4 win over the Montgomery Biscuits in the conclusion of Friday’s suspended game, but were shut out on just one hit by Victor Mateo and lost 6-0 in game two.
In game one, both teams traded single runs in the second and third innings before Pensacola finally took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the fifth. Ray Chang tied the game with a sacrifice fly to centerfield driving home Ryan LaMarre to even the score at 3-3. Donald Lutz followed a couple batters later, and grounded in a fielder’s choice at second base, but on an attempt to turn a double play the throw to first got away allowing two runs to score and Blue Wahoos went ahead 5-3.
Pensacola was holding onto a 7-4 lead when they blew the game open with a five-run eighth inning. After two runs had already scored in the inning, Tucker Barnhart doubled down the right field line with the bases loaded which plated two more runs. The final run scored on a groundout by Travis Mattair to cap the scoring.
It was the third straight game where five batters finished with multi-hit efforts. Corey Wimberly (3-for-5) led the attack with his third-straight multi-hit game. Lutz (2-for-4), Barnhart (2-for-5), LaMarre (2-for-4) and Brodie Greene (2-for-4) all chipped in with two-hit affairs. LaMarre and Greene both belted solo home runs in the contest. It was LaMarre’s third game in a row with a round-tripper.
Daniel Renken (W, 3-6) started the resumption and earned the win after allowing just two earned runs, four total, over 4.2 innings. The Wahoos plated four of their 12 runs against Marquis Fleming (L, 2-4) who took the loss for the Biscuits. Fleming was charged with three earned runs over 3.1 innings for Montgomery.
Game two was a much different story. Victor Mateo (W, 4-8) faced just one over the minimum for the Biscuits in a complete game shutout of the Blue Wahoos. Mattair had the Wahoos only hit with his second inning single. That was the only baserunner the Blue Wahoos would get in their fourth time facing the Biscuits starter.
The Biscuits scored, what proved to be all they needed, in the third inning when Robby Price singled home Mayo Acosta. Montgomery opened up their 1-0 lead with four runs in the fifth. With two runs already home, Kyeong Kang belted a two-run home run to right field which signaled the end of the game for Blue Wahoos starter Josh Smith (L, 7-8). Smith was charged with five runs, all earned, on nine hits over 4.2 innings in the loss. The win for Mateo was his second straight.
With the game one win, the Blue Wahoos have already assured themselves a series victory. Now, Pensacola looks to make it four out of five with a win in the series finale on Sunday. Pensacola will look to LHP Ryan Dennick and RHP Shaun Ellis to carry to load against Biscuits RHP Jake Floethe. First pitch is set for 6:05 from Riverwalk Stadium.
story by Kevin Burke
Gulf Power Seeks Rate Increase For Largest-Ever Construction Program
July 13, 2013
Gulf Power Company is asking the Florida Public Service Commission to approve a two-step price increase to help pay for the largest power grid construction program in the history of the company.
Over the next three years, the company is building and replacing power lines and infrastructure — some more than 70 years old — to keep electricity flowing to its 430,000 customers. In addition, new lines and equipment are needed to comply with new mandatory federal environmental regulations.
The first increase would not take effect until April 2014, and it would increase the total bill for a residential customer buying 1,000-kilowatt hours by $8.94 per month or 7.5 percent — from the current price of $118.88 to $127.82.
The second step of the increase — related to the new environmental requirements — would not occur until 2015 and would raise the monthly bill an additional $1.99.
“This is a challenging time for utilities as we continue to provide reliable service to our customers and keep costs down,” said Stan Connally, Gulf Power President & CEO. “There are no easy answers, but we’ve worked hard to control costs and our residential rates are currently lower than they were in 2009.”
Connally cited aged, obsolete equipment and facilities that are at or beyond life cycle that must be upgraded and replaced.
“For example, one section of our transmission lines — 70 miles of it — is more than 70 years old,” Connally said. “We have transformers and other equipment operating well beyond their operational expectancy. We must rebuild parts of our system so we can continue to provide reliable service.”
Part of the new transmission line construction is to help the company comply with new federal environmental regulations that will change the way the company operates its plants and will require plants to be shut down at regular intervals. The new lines and equipment will be used to ensure voltage stability and reliable power flow while the plants are offline.
“Our obligation is to have the electricity available when and where our customers demand it,” Connally said. “This investment is necessary to meet our customers’ expectations, as well as the new federal environmental regulations.”
Gulf Power infrastructure improvements include:
Examples of Gulf Power Infrastructure Investment:
- Substations are being added and improved to continue to provide reliable service to our customers. In Pensacola, a substation on Devilliers Street has been rebuilt. On Allison Avenue in Panama City, a new substation has been built.
- Seventy miles of a 70-year-old transmission line is being rebuilt from Panama City to Holmes County.
- An existing transmission line between Highland City and Holmes Creek substations in the Panama City area is being upgraded to maintain reliability for our customers.
- A new 38-mile transmission line is being added that begins in the Pensacola area and goes through North Escambia o the Florida-Alabama state line. This project is necessary for mandatory federal environmental compliance. The new transmission line is being built alongside an additional line and will require no additional right of way.
Pictured top: Gulf Power crews making upgrades to a substation on Devilliers Street in Pensacola. Pictured inset: Gulf Power crews making upgrades to a distribution line. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Prison Inmate From Escambia County Killed In Corrections Van Crash
July 13, 2013
A state prison inmate from Escambia County was killed when the Department of Corrections van he was riding in flipped into a ditch in Okaloosa County on the way to a scheduled work detail.
Lawrence Houze, 50, of Escambia County was killed in the crash. Houze was a minimum security inmate at the Okaloosa Work Camp in Crestview. He was scheduled for release in August 2014.
The driver of the van was a Department of Corrections officer and six inmates were on board. The officer and five remaining inmates were transported to North Okaloosa Medical Center were they were treated and released. All were wearing their seat belts.
The crash occurred when the van was turning from P.J. Adams Road from Highway 85 and another unknown vehicle pulled in front of the van, causing the van to lose control and flip over into a ditch. The extent of the vehicle damage is unknown.