Florida Voter Purge Legal Battle Could Last For Months
August 13, 2012
A legal battle over Florida’s controversial attempt to purge ineligible voters might not be resolved until next year — after this fall’s elections, according to a document filed last week.
The federal government filed a lawsuit in June, arguing that Florida was violating election laws in the way it was conducting the purge. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle signed an order Wednesday that indicated a scheduling conference could be held in January to set a trial date.
Hinkle also ordered the state to meet an Aug. 17 deadline to turn over a variety of records to the federal government, including a 180,000-name list that has been at the center of the controversy.
In a document filed last week, the federal government said a settlement of the case is possible, though it would hinge on “prompt disclosure” by the state of the list, the name of voters removed from the election rolls and the reasons. The document also said that the federal government issued subpoenas July 30 to nine elections supervisors, seeking information about the lists and voters removed from the rolls. It does not name the nine supervisors.
The state countered in the document that there is no need for a lengthy “discovery” period in the case. It said the state is receiving access to a federal Department of Homeland Security database that will allow it to better verify voter eligibility.
“Since the state of Florida wants to verify that properly registered voters were not removed from the rolls, the secretary (of state) will promptly use the … database to check whether any of the voters removed from the rolls pursuant to the process challenged in this case were, in fact, citizens,” the state said in the document.
“In the event that any eligible voters were wrongfully removed, the secretary will ensure that they are immediately restored to the rolls and notified that any prior notice of ineligibility was in error.”
By The News Service of Florida
Big Bucks In Race For District 5 Commission Seat
August 13, 2012
Republican candidates for the District 5 seat on the Escambia County Commission received more than $200,000 into their campaigns….including one candidate that loaned his campaign more than the job pays in a year’s time.
Sam Archer, who outspent other candidates by a 2 to 1 margin, loaned his campaign $86,500, according to elections documents. The commission job pays about $73,500 per year. Archer has sent repaid about $6,400 to himself and his wife. Those loan repayments to Archer’s wife were the subject of a State Attorney Office review and a complaint filed with the Florida Elections Commission. The State Attorney’s Office found no criminal wrongdoing by Archer. Read more…
The second biggest campaign war chest in the District 5 commission race belonged to Steven Barry. He had $55,121.00 to spend, including $14,500 in money and in-kind services from his own pocket.
Sam Archer
- Monetary contributions: $100,595.00
- In-kind contributions: $167.52
- Expenditures: $91,503.17
Archer loaned his own campaign $86,500, repaying about $6,397. He recorded about 90 total contributions. His largest expenses were billboards for $58,393 and $17,409 for signs.
Glenn Austin
- Monetary contributions: $4,152.68
- In-kind contributions: $0
- Expenditures: $3,392.87
Austin loaned his campaign $868. His largest expenses were $1,729 for signs and $1,313 for flyers, handouts and postage.
Steven Barry
- Monetary contributions: $55,121.00
- In-kind contributions: $3,565.06
- Expenditures: $53,081.73
Barry contributed about $14,500 in money and in-kind items to his own campaign, making no loans to himself.
He had over 300 contributors. His largest expenses were $15,717 for signs and $15,712 for printing, postage and magnets.
Pat Burkett
- Monetary contributions: $5,902.29
- In-kind contributions: $1,770.58
- Expenditures: $530.00
Burkett loaned $5,152 to her campaign and contributed about $2,080 in money and in-kind items. She listed 25 total contributions. Her largest expenditure was for billboards for about $3,710.
Jim Taylor
- Monetary contributions: $24,360
- In-kind contributions: $1,490
- Expenditures: $23,246.45
Taylor loaned $4,100 to his own campaign and recorded about 125 individual contributions.
His largest expenditure was $18,496 to marketing company Open Market Research, Inc. for advertising services that included signs, phone calls, website, direct mail and more. He also spent $1,321 for gasoline for campaign related travel in the district.
Incumbent Kevin White raised about $9,625 for his re-election before later dropping out of the race. White refunded his campaign contributions.
New Airport Hyatt Taking Shape; Joint Project With Poarch Creeks
August 13, 2012
A “topping out” was held recently for a new Hyatt Place Hotel at the Pensacola International Airport, a partnership between the Poarch Creek Indians of Atmore and Innisfree Hotels.
Construction on the $24 million development started back in January. During the topping out ceremony — held when the hotel reached its highest point — the crew hoisted a beam signed by everyone that has worked on the project to the top of six story building.
The 127-room hotel is still on track to open in March 2013.
The hotel development is projected to generate over $420,000 annually in non-airline revenue for the airport through lease fees, and $100,000 in local option sales taxes for the City of Pensacola. It will also create over $4 million in payroll revenues through the addition of about 235 new jobs to the local economy.
The land for the development is being leased from the City of Pensacola and will be connected to the main airport terminal via a covered walkway.
Innisfree currently owns and operates six full service hotels and resorts in the Gulf Coast region of Florida and Alabama as well as four focused service properties in the southeast United States. In addition to the Windcreek Casino in Atmore, the Poarch Creek Indians operate several other properties, including the Pensacola Dog Track and Poker Room.
Pictured top: Progress on a new Hyatt Place Hotel at the Pensacola International Airport. Pictured below: An artist conception of the hotel (from a different angle than the photo). NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Topple Lookouts 7-3 To Take Series
August 13, 2012
Blue Wahoos shortstop Billy Hamilton collected three hits, drove home three runs and stole three bases, while Brodie Greene and Bryson Smith recorded multi-hit efforts and starting pitcher Wirfin Obispo fired six strong innings as Pensacola topped the Chattanooga Lookouts 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
The victory gave the Fish a 3-2 series win over the Lookouts, and improved their record to 26-24 in the second half to remain within two games of Jacksonville and Montgomery for the South Division lead, pending the final outcomes of their contests on Sunday evening. Chattanooga fell to 28-22 since the midpoint of the season with the defeat.
With his three thefts, Hamilton has now taken 139 bases this year and is now seven away from breaking Vince Coleman’s all-time single-season record of 145, which he set in 1983. Along with Hamilton (3-4, 2 R, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 BB), Smith (2-4, 1 RBI) and Greene (2-2, 2 R, 2 BB) also accumulated a multi-hit effort for Pensacola.
The Lookouts got on the board in the opening frame to snag an early 2-0 advantage. CF Anthony Jackson led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, before being sent in on 1B J.T. Wise’s run-scoring single to center. RF Brahiam Maldonado would then mash a solo blast to left later in the inning, his sixth of the year, to push the margin to two.
Pensacola however, would plate two tallies in the third, fourth and six frames to take a four-run lead. Hamilton walked, stole second and then third as part of a double steal with CF Ryan LaMarre, who also reached on a base-on-balls, before coming across on an RBI single off the bat of RF Bryson Smith. LaMarre later scored on 1B Beau Mills’ run-scoring base knock to left.
Hamilton would then bring home two runs in the fourth with a single to left, scoring Greene, who singled, and C Mark Fleury, who was hit by a pitch. The speedster would drive home Greene again in the sixth after Greene walked with a triple to center, before Hamilton was plated on LaMarre’s base hit to left, making it 6-2.
The two clubs would follow by swapping single scores in the seventh, with Pensacola keeping their four-run lead. Chattanooga SS Jake Lemmerman drew a leadoff free pass, got to second on a groundout and third on Luis Nunez’s single before coming home on Jackson’s RBI groundout. Mills was hit by a pitch while 3B David Vidal singled in the bottom of the frame, with both runners advancing a base on a groundout, before Mills scored on pinch hitter Tucker Barnhart’s run-scoring knock to left.
Obispo (6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO) earned his fourth consecutive victory after giving up just two earned runs on five hits while fanning five in six innings, while closer Justin Freeman (1.1 IP, 1 H) notched his 13th save for Pensacola. Lookouts starter Chris Reed (4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 0-4 after yielding four earned runs on six hits in four innings of work.
Freeman extended his scoreless innings streak to 24.0 frames, tying LHP Tony Cingrani’s team-record. Freeman has not allowed a run in his last 19 appearances dating back to June 22.
Following an offday Monday, the Blue Wahoos will head to Mobile for a five-game series with the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Mobile BayBears. The next Blue Wahoos homestand begins on Sunday, August 19, with Pensacola hosting the Montgomery Biscuits, the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.
By Andrew Green
Wirfin Obispo earned his fourth straight win in the Wahoos’ 7-3 victory Sunday.Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Injuries In Bratt Wreck
August 12, 2012
There were no injuries reported in a two vehicle crash Sunday morning in Bratt.
The accident happened about 8:50 a.m. at the intersection of West Highway 4 and Pine Barren Road at Northview High School. It appeared that a utility truck pulled from Pine Barren Road into the path of a Ford Mustang on West Highway 4.
There were no injuries reported.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Progress Continuing Toward Construction Of New Ernest Ward Middle Campus
August 12, 2012
Progress is being made toward the construction of a new state of the art, $16.5 million Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill.
The school district is currently soliciting bids for qualified architectural services to design the 600-student building.
“We are looking at opening the new school in August 2015,” Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “But it’s possible it will be earlier if everything about the process goes perfectly.”
The 115,202 square foot building will be built to the nationally recognized LEEDS “green” building standards, designed with energy efficiency in mind.
Once an architect is hired and the building is designed, the next major phase of the project will be the selection of a builder.
Students will be on site during the construction of the new school; it will be built behind the current facility. Once the new building is complete, the most of the current building will be torn down, and portables and modular buildings currently on the campus will be removed. The current administration building is slated to become a maintenance facility.
In addition to Ernest Ward, the district will rebuild A.K. Suter Elementary in Pensacola for $21.5 million and spend at least $75,000 at every other school in the district.
With the current economic climate and contracting firms looking for work, Thomas said he expects the construction costs for the new Ernest Ward campus, A.K. Suter campus and the other district schools to be favorable for the district.
Pictured top: Escambia School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas and Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Perry discuss options for the new school campus. Pictured below: Perry, Thomas, and EWMS staffer Betty Coon hold a “Thank You for our New School” banner signed by Ernest Ward students during the 2011-2012 school year. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County’s Justin Gatlin And Team Take Silver Olympic Medal
August 12, 2012
Escambia County’s Olympian and team matched a world record but took the silver Saturday in the men’s 4×100 meter relay.
Justin Gatlin of Pensacola, Trell Kimmons, Tyson Gay and Ryan Bailey finished in an American record time of 37.04 seconds Saturday evening at London’s Olympic Stadium.
The gold medal went to Jamaica, which shattered the world record with a time of 36.84 seconds, improving the world standard by 0.2 seconds. By comparison, the U.S. team’s effort matched the world record that was surpassed by Jamaica and is the second-fastest result of all time in the event. Trinidad and Tobago won the bronze medal with a time of 38.12 seconds after Canada finished third but was disqualified.
Gatlin finished third last weekend in the 100m dash for an individual bronze medal.
Gatlin had waited eight years to get back on the podium. The 2004 Olympic 100-meter champion, Gatlin served a doping ban.
“I went out there to challenge a mountain,” Gatlin said last weekend. “I went out there to challenge the odds.”
Allen Memorial UMC Volunteers, Donates Supplies At Jim Allen Elementary
August 12, 2012
Members of Allen Memorial Methodist Church volunteered at Jim Allen Elementary School on Saturday.
They put together first day of school information packets as well as separated and collated kindergarten mathematics workbooks. Allen Memorial Church also donated several backpacks and $322.00 to be used for school supplies.
“Jim Allen Elementary School is very thankful to their partner in education, Allen Memorial Methodist Church,” said Rachel Watts, Jim Allen principal.
Registration Event Scheduled For Danceworks Classes
August 12, 2012
Registration is underway for Heather Leonard’s Danceworks, and a registration event will be held Monday in Byrneville.
The registration will be from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday at the Byrneville Community Center. Or students can register by mail; click here for a form.
Ballet, tap and jazz classes will be taught by Heather Leonard beginning the week of August 20 for girls ages 3 and up, including a class for teens. Leonard has taught dance to hundreds of girls from North Escambia and surrounding areas. She is also the coach for the Northview High School Dance Team.
For a printable information sheet, schedule and registration form, click here. For further information, contact Heather Leonard at (850) 529-1358 or email hldanceworks@gmail.com.
Pictured: “A Dancing Circus”, the 2012 spring recital from the students of Heather Leonard’s Danceworks. NorthEscambia.comp file photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: Atmore Market In The Park
August 12, 2012
The third “Market in the Park” of 2012 was held Saturday in downtown Atmore. The community market, sponsored by the Atmore Chamber of Commerce, featured an assortment of fresh and prepared food items along with arts and crafts. It was the final market event of the year.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
