Over 9,500 Weekend Voters Cast Early Ballots In Escambia County
October 29, 2012
Over 9,500 early voters cast their ballots in Escambia County over the weekend.
Saturday was the busiest single early voting day ever in the county with 6,421 early voters. All total, 9,518 early votes were cast Saturday and Sunday. The busiest early voting site in the county was the Tryon Library with 3,539 early voters, followed by Cantonment with 1,952 early ballots during weekend.
Early voting will be available through Saturday, November 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the following locations:
- Supervisor of Elections Annex, 292 Muscogee Road, Cantonment
- Tryon Branch Library, 1200 Langley Avenue
- Supervisor of Elections Main Office, 213 Palafox Place, Second Floor
- West Florida Public Library, 200 West Gregory Street
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
Fill Your Neighbor’s Plate: Molino Park Student Take Part In Food Drive
October 29, 2012
Molino Park Elementary School is participating in the “Fill Your Neighbor’s Plate” food drive along with the Escambia County School District to benefit Manna Food Pantries. The program encourages each student and their family to donate one can of fruit, one canned vegetable and one canned meat — enough for two meals — to fill a neighbor’s plate.
Donations can be made at Molino Park Elementary School through November 16.
Pictured: Food items collected last week by Molino Park Elementary School on the very first day of the “Fill Your Neighbor’s Plate” food drive to benefit Manna Food Pantries. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drug Testing Law Heads To Appeal Court
October 29, 2012
A federal appeals court will hear arguments next week in a battle about a 2011 Florida law that would require people to pass drug tests before they can start receiving public-assistance benefits.
The state is asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a district judge’s ruling that blocked the law because of concerns it violated the federal constitution’s ban on unreasonable searches.
The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott approved the drug-testing requirement for applicants to the program known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, which replaced more-traditional welfare in the 1990s. Florida carried out the testing requirement for more than three months, before U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven issued a preliminary injunction in October 2011.
In a brief filed early this year, the state said requiring urine tests does not violate the constitution and that TANF is designed to improve family stability and help beneficiaries get jobs.
“Drugs are antithetical to both goals, and thus drug testing furthers the program’s purposes,” the brief said. “TANF applicants, who must disclose a broad range of private information in order to participate in the program, have a substantially diminished expectation of privacy. Moreover, drug testing is commonly required in today’s society — particularly in the very job market that TANF prepares participants to enter.”
But opponents, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and the non-profit Florida Justice Institute, said in a brief that the district judge properly found the state had not shown a “special need that would allow the government to impose blanket suspicionless drug testing on all TANF applicants.”
“Since 1996, the TANF program has operated in Florida without forcing applicants or recipients to submit to suspicionless drug testing,” another part of the brief said. “There is no evidence of a sudden epidemic of drug use or abuse by TANF recipients; no indication that recipients of TANF were using those funds to purchase illegal drugs at all, let alone more often than other recipients of federal funding, including students, veterans, the elderly and government contractors.”
The lawsuit, which was filed in September 2011, includes a named plaintiff, Luis Lebron, who at least at the time was a college student, a single father and a Navy veteran. Lebron applied for TANF in July 2011 and met the program requirements, but he challenged the constitutionality of the drug-testing requirement, according to court records.
The appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday in Atlanta. The case is being watched in other states, with Alabama, Kansas, Michigan and Oklahoma filing a joint brief in support of Florida’s stance.
Meanwhile, a separate case is pending in the appeals court about a Scott effort to require drug testing of state employees. A lower-court judge this year blocked that plan, prompting the governor to appeal.
In the TANF case, the state contends that the 2011 law does not force people to take drug tests, though they must pass a test to receive benefits.
“If a TANF applicant objects to the drug-testing condition, he is free to decline the offer to participate in the program and no drug test occurs,” the brief said. “If the applicant consents, he may participate in the program upon passing a drug test.”
But opponents disputed that argument, saying the district judge was correct that “requiring TANF applicants to undergo universal suspicionless drug screening as a condition for even determining their threshold eligibility for benefits is an unconstitutional condition. Applicants have no ‘right’ to receive benefits, but they do have a right to apply for them; that right cannot be conditioned on their waiver of constitutional protections.”
By Jim Saunders
The News Service of Florida
Century’s Showalter Named American League Manager Of The Year
October 29, 2012
Century’s Buck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles has been named the Sporting News’ 2012 American League Manager of the Year.
Baltimore, which lost 93 games in 2011, broke its streak of 14 consecutive losing seasons by winning 93 games and the AL Wild Card this past season.
“It’s quite an honor coming from my peers, but I view this as a team award. I really do,” Showalter said in a statement. “The players, coaches and everyone involved made this possible.
“We had some injuries along the way, we had some bumps in the road, but everyone does over 162 games. We never turned it into a woe-is-me situation. We played through it.”
The award was voted upon by AL managers. Showalter received four votes, Oakland’s Bob Melvin had three and White Sox manager Robin Ventura received one.
Gulf Power Crews Head North To Help After ‘Storm Of The Century’
October 29, 2012
A convoy of Gulf Power Company crews headed north Sunday to help with storm restoration expected in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The team of 70 storm restoration experts is mobilizing to the Philadelphia area.
A total of 48 line crew personnel and 22 support personnel will assist the electric utility, PECO. Mississippi Power is also sending a storm team to the area.
“It’s a two-day drive to the Philadelphia area for our crews, so they will be in the area ready to respond once the storm hits,” s aid Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson. “They will be focused on getting customers’ power back on as quickly and safely as possible.”
Pictured: Gulf Power crews mobilize Sunday before heading to the Philadelphia area to help restore power after Hurricane Sandy makes landfall. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mitt Romney Rallies Pensacola (With Gallery)
October 28, 2012
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney rallied thousands of supporters in Pensacola Saturday morning.
“We’re going to win this, you know that,” Romney said at the Pensacola Bay (Civic) Center. “We’re going to win this thing.’’
With thunderous support from the overflow crowd, the former Massachusetts governor told the crowd “the president does not have a plan”. President Barack Obama “is shrinking from the magnitude of the times,” Romney said. “This is not a president who has been able to stand up to the challenge of the times.”
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
During his 24 minute speech, the Republican nominee detailed his five-point plan for America — focusing one energy, trade, education, relaxed business regulations and the repeal of “Obamacare”.
“The president says he can’t change Washington from the inside,” Romney said. “He can only change it from the outside—we’re going to give him that chance soon.”
Romney promised if elected to “build bridges” with congressional Democrats.
Mitchell Singleton of Molino may not be old enough to vote — he is just an eighth grader at Ernest Ward Middle School — but among the thousands of pro-Romney fans Saturday in Pensacola, he heard what he thought was a clear message for American’s future.
“As United State Senator Marco Rubio pointed out, Mitt Romney knows about the free enterprise system because he lived it,” Mitchell said. “Mitt Romney is the clear choice for this great country.”
“We are ten days away from the most important election we have ever seen and we are going to win,” Rubio, who spoke just before Romney, said.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney speaks to supporters in Pensacola Saturday morning. Pictured bottom inset: Naomi Fanjoy, 4, shows her support for Romney. Pictured below: Romney is welcomed to the stage by Sen. Marco Rubio and Senate candidate Connie Mack. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
One Injured In House Fire
October 28, 2012
One person was injured in a house fire late Saturday night in Escambia County.
The fire was reported about 11:30 p.m. on Bobwhite Drive. First responders arrived on scene and quickly extinguished the fire. One person suffering burn injuries was transported by Escambia County EMS to a local hospital in unknown condition.
The Bellview, Brent, Ensley, Ferry Pass and Osceola stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze.
Further details have not been released.
Pictured: One person was injured in a fire inside this house on Bobwhite Drive late Saturday night. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
The Power Of Pink: Thousands Take Part In Breast Cancer Walk
October 28, 2012
Over 14,o00 people took part in the 10th annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk Saturday morning in Pensacola.
For Team Sandra, it was a chance for friends and loved ones of Sandra Morris of McDavid to honor her and help raise money for the American Cancer Society. Morris was just diagnosed with cancer on October 4. She has already underwent surgery and will begin chemo soon.
There were hundreds of survivors like Sandra honored during the walk that raised an estimated $470,000 for breast cancer research.
Pictured top: Team Sandra, named for Sandra Morris of McDavid, took part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk Saturday morning in Pensacola. Pictured below: A portion of the 14,000 people that participated. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Hundreds Attend Williams Station Day
October 28, 2012
Despite cool winds and dreary skies, hundreds of people attended the annual Williams Station Day on Saturday in Atmore.
Williams Station Day takes its name from Atmore’s early history when in 1866 the community was a supply stop along the Mobile and Great Northern railroad.
Festival-goers were entertained by a wide variety of musical acts, and a wide variety of arts and crafts were also available.
Click here for a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery.
Pictured: Williams Station Day Saturday in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Northview Homecoming Night Activities, Pep Rally
October 28, 2012
The Northview Chiefs celebrated homecoming Friday night with a win over Vernon.
For a photo gallery with the NHS band, cheerleaders, dance team and NJROTC, click here.
For a homecoming court gallery, click here.
For a bonus NorthEscambia.com Facebook page photo gallery from the Homecoming Pep Rally, click here.
For game action photos, click here.
For parade photos, click here.
Pictured top: The Northview Tribal Beat band performs Friday night. Pictured inset: Gavin Coon was named Homecoming king. Pictured below: The Chiefs prepare to take the field with a balloon release. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
