Night Work, Traffic Delays Continue On Nine Mile Road
March 7, 2013
Motorists traveling on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola can expect one lane of traffic from west of Pine Cone Drive to west of Unteiner Avenue from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday as crews continue paving operations and drainage work.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to pay attention to the speed limit when traveling through the construction area and to use caution, especially at night, when driving in work zones, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Florida Texting While Driving Bills Move Forward
March 7, 2013
The sponsor of a measure to ban texting while driving in many cases said she thinks the proposal has a good chance to pass this year in the House, where it has been held up in the past by leaders who didn’t like the idea.
The bill was approved unanimously Wednesday in the Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities Committee. But the real road block for many highway safety bills that some say infringe on personal liberties has always been in the House.
Senate sponsor Nancy Detert said House Speaker Will Weatherford assured her it would be heard.
“We have a really good chance this year,” said Detert, R-Venice. “The speaker last year (Dean Cannon) did not like the bill and would not let it be heard in one committee. This year’s speaker, I think, will at least allow his chamber to speak.”
In fact, the House version of Detert’s legislation by Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, is on the agenda for the House Transportation and Highway Safety Committee on Thursday.
The bills would make texting while driving a secondary offense, meaning drivers would have to be pulled over for something else before they could get a secondary ticket for texting.
The bill has exceptions, such as allowing the use of “talk-to-text” technology, and allowing texting while a vehicle is stopped, such as at a red light.
By The News Service of Florida
Report: Florida Families Still Struggle To Put Food On Table
March 7, 2013
The Florida economy may be showing some signs of improvement, but that recovery has yet to trickle down to those who need it the most. Florida ranks 12th on a list of states where people say they didn’t always have enough money to put food on the table in the last year. That’s more than 21 percent of the state’s population, according to a report from the Food Research and Action Center.
Debra Susie, executive director of Florida Impact, said the state was particularly hard hit because of the economy’s reliance on the construction, service and travel industries.
“We really got hit with a triple whammy on the way Florida had to weather the economic downturn,” she said. “It takes a long time to come out of that.”
Susie is in Washington with more than 700 other people for a National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference this week. They are discussing ways the federal nutrition program “SNAP,” formerly known as food stamps, can help address the problems of hunger in the country as the economy continues to recover.
As important as SNAP is, the FRAC report points out a weakness in that food program: it says the benefit levels aren’t high enough to enable people to purchase enough food to live on. FRAC President Jim Weill says that when people’s nutritional needs aren’t met, it’s difficult for them to move ahead in other aspects of their lives.
“We know from the research that that means parents and kids aren’t doing as well at work and at school as they would be doing if they were consistently eating a healthy diet,” he said.
Weill said improving SNAP benefits starts with passing a new Farm Bill in this legislative year that protects and strengthens the program. Some in Congress have suggested reducing benefits. The old Farm Bill was simply extended when it expired last year.
Florida and other Southeastern states join the Southwest as the two regions of the country most affected by food hardship, according to the report.
By Stephanie Carroll Carson, Public News Service – FL
Century Installs New Sign
March 7, 2013
The Town of Century has installed a new scrolling message sign alongside at the entrance to the Century City Hall and the branch library. The variable message board will be used to display local announcements. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Correctional Takes Part In Read Across America Day
March 7, 2013
Read Across America Day was recently celebrated at Jay Elementary School, with a little help from Century Correctional Institution.
Century Correctional’s Assistant Warden Robert Flores and Officer Tony deGraaf read to Mrs. deGraaf’s kindergarten class at Jay Elementary School as part of the program. They read the popular Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham and gave each student a special treat. They also expressed the importance of learning to read and of a good education.
Read Across America Day, the signature program of the National Education Association, focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships and reading resources. It’s held annual on or near Dr. Seuss’ birthday.
Pictured: Century Correctional Institution Officer Tony deGraaf (in hat) and Assistant Warden Robert Flores read to a kindergarten class at Jay Elementary School. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Bus Driver Ticketed In No Injury Crash
March 6, 2013
There were no injuries in a school bus crash this afternoon just north of Nine Mile Road.
The Florida Highway Patrol said bus driver Therese Drexler, age 50 of Cantonment, made a turn that was not wide enough at the intersection of Foxrun Road and Greebrier Boulevard. The driver’s side of her 2001 school bus collided with a 2004 BMW driven by 33-year old Olivia Fairley of Gonzalez.
The crash caused about $700 worth of damage to the bus and about $7,000 worth of damage to the BMW.
There were no injuries in the crash and the five students aboard the bus were released to their parents.
The FHP cited Drexler, the bus driver, with making an improper left turn.
Line In The Sand Leads Deputies Directly To Burglary Suspect
March 6, 2013
For Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies, solving a burglary case near Century was as easy as following a line in the sand directly to their suspect.
A resident in the 3200 block of Highway 4A called deputies to report that his workshop had been burglarized. The victim discovered that the shop door was open, items were removed and the entire shop smelled strongly of cigar smoke. He found drag marks in the dirt leading away from the shop, leading to nearby wooded area where several items removed from the shop had been hidden.
Deputies continued to follow the drag marks in the dirt from the wooded area, across a private drive and to the front porch of a nearby residence where they found Maurice Lovell James, 47. James told deputies he had noticed the items in the woods and pulled a jack over to his property, pointing out the the jack next to his porch. As James related his story to deputies, he was smoking a cigar, according to an arrest report.
Deputies also discovered dolly tire marks leading from the shop, and a dolly with fresh dirt on the tires in a covered area on James’ property.
James was charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, felony grand theft and criminal mischief with property damage. He is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Morgan Grounds Helicopters
March 6, 2013
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan is grounding his department’s helicopters, saying that they are not a cost effective investment.
“Data developed indicated that the unit, currently operating on grant funds, was not providing a level of service relative to cost of operation that could be reasonably substantiated. Therefore all air operations will cease immediately,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The two helicopters owned by the department will be returned to state inventory for salvage or refurbishment for other agencies to use.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office helicopter circles over the State Line O’ Yes Lotto on Highway 97 at the Florida/Alabama state line November 6, 2012, following the shooting death of the store’s owner. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Jacket Jamboree To Feature Variety Of Vendors, Foods And Entertainment
March 6, 2013
Saturday’s Blue Jacket Jamboree at Northview High School will feature a variety of vendors, and plenty of great food and entertainment.
Vendors currently scheduled to attend the event include:
- Batter Queens baked goods
- Caum Country Candles
- Archie’s Handcrafted Woodworking
- Too Many Pies; Wreaths and Embroidery
- Eye Candy Photography
- Handmade Glass Jewelry By Michele
- 31 Gift Ministries
- Scentsy
- Angie’s Teaching Tools To Go
- Origami Owl Jewelry
- Funnel Cakes
- Boiled/Roasted Peanuts
- Ernest Ward FFA (Beef Jerky)
- Hope 4 Halee Merchandise
- West Florida High School FFA Wreaths and more
- Pampered Chef
- Advocare Weight Loss
- Velata Consultant
- Grace Adele Consultant
- Magda Fox Perfumes
- First Choice Home Builders
- Hometown Contractors
- Tupperware
- Bobby Langham, Children’s Clothes and Baskets
- Cindy Herrington, Jewelry
Available concession items will include BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, fries, nachos and more.
The event will also include a motorcycle ride, a Cruiser’s Unlimited Car Show, live entertainment, kids activities and games, and much more.
The Blue Jacket Jamboree, sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com, will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. this Saturday, March 9 on the campus of Northview High School, 4100 West Highway 4 in Bratt. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children 10 and under.
Gaetz Backs Merit Pay For Teacher Salary Increases, Not Scott’s $2,500
March 6, 2013
Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, said teachers deserve a pay raise, but prefers any increase to be based upon merit rather than Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed $2,500 across the board hike.
“We need to find a middle ground with the governor,” Gaetz said after the Senate session on Tuesday.
“I think that the governor understands that many of us who are acolytes of (former governor) Jeb Bush believe that there has to be some distinction drawn between she who does the best and he who does the worst. In our schools we don’t give all students Cs.”
House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, has previously expressed a similar preference instead of Scott’s proposal — one of Scott’s priorities for the session — that would cost $480 million.
In his State of the State address, Scott reiterated that teacher should be rewarded for the progress made in the state education system.
“Some say they are afraid that giving raises to all teachers may mean that a teacher doing a bad job gets rewarded,” Scott said. “But, thanks to our work, we are now in a better position than ever before to reward good teachers and move bad teachers out of the classroom.”
By The News Service of Florida