County Hopeful For $500,000 Grant To Furnish Molino Library
October 7, 2011
Escambia County is ranked number two for a half million dollar state grant for books and furnishings for the new Molino Branch Library, but there’s a chance that might not be good news.
The county has applied for the grant for several years and has been ranked in the top three for the cash before, but the Florida Legislature has not appropriated any funding for the state library construction grants.
Escambia County will provide a $512,000 match from existing Local Option Sales Tax funds for furniture, fixtures, equipment, computers and books if the $500,000 grant materializes during the next fiscal year.
“It is subject to funding by the legislature. The resubmission was encouraged by State Division of Libraries who believes the legislature may provide some funding this year,” Escambia County Administrator Randy Oliver said Thursday. “This is a great opportunity to make a valuable resource better.”
In the event the state does not come through with the half million dollar grant, Oliver said the county has identified some existing furniture, fixtures and equipment for the Molino Branch Library.
Ten projects have been ranked for $4,997,000 in public library construction grant applications, if the legislature provides funding for fiscal year 2012-2013. A $500,000 request from Gilchrist County is ranked number one, followed by the $500,000 for the Molino Branch Library at number two.
A $2.95 million project was recently awarded to Birkshire Johnstone, LLC to renovate the old Molino School into a community center, museum and library, and to construct a new building to house offices for the tax collector and property appraiser.
Pictured top: A conceptual drawing of the Molino School after renovation. This end of the old Molino School will be converted into a library. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Over 1,000 Registered To Vote In Next Week’s Century Election
October 7, 2011
Century’s general election for mayor and two council seats is next Tuesday, with just over 1,000 people registered to vote.
According to Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford, there are 1,026 qualified voters in for Century’s town elections — down slightly from 1,082 registered voters for a 2010 primary for three council seats.
Demographics for Century’s registered voters are as follows:
- 425 white, 570 black, 5 Hispanic, 26 other
- 611 female, 415 male, 1 unspecified
- 285 are 18-35, 440 are 36-65, 301 are 66 or older
During the 2010 Century primary election, there was a 29.6 percent turnout with 318 votes cast.
Photos: Volleyball Digs Pink
October 7, 2011
The Northview Lady Chiefs and the Flomaton Hurricanes took part in a Dig Pink volleyball match Thursday evening to raise breast cancer awareness.
In varsity action, Northview fell to Flomaton 15-25, 27-25, 12-25, 20-25. JuniorMisty Doran had seven kills, one assist, two blocks and a dig for the Lady Chiefs as sophomore Lily Townson added one ace, three assists and a dig. Morgan Payne had two aces and a two kills, while Shelly Mothershed posted two aces, one kill and four assists. NHS is 4-14 overall, 3-3 in the district.
In junior varsity action, Northview defeated Flomaton 9-25, 25-12, 15-12. Rebecca Grim recorded one ace and two kills, and Hannah Fiellin contributed six aces and two assists. Tiffani Pritchett had six aces, one kill and four assists, and Kyndall Hall had four aces and three kills. The JV Lady Chiefs are 8-7 overall, 3-1 in the district.
Northview will travel to Baker on Tuesday, October 13. The JV takes to the court at 5 p.m. and the varsity plays at 6 p.m.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured: Dig Pink volleyball action Thursday night as Northview hosted Flomaton. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Office Seeks Clues In Cantonment Murder Cold Case
October 7, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help to solve a cold case murder at a Cantonment gas station 31 years ago.
On the afternoon on October 4, 1980, a a 24-year-old white male identified as Kenneth Wayne Wheeler was found dead at the Cantonment Elco Service Station on Highway 29. Wheeler was employed at the gas and convenience store as the station operator. He lived in the Cantonment community.
An investigation determined that Wheeler was the victim of murder.
This case has not yet been solved, and the person or persons involved in the death of Wheeler is not known. Anyone who has any information at all regarding what might have happened to Wheeler, anyone who was familiar with Wheeler during the time frame leading up to October 4, 1980, is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office’s Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Charges Pending After State Officer Collides With Motorcycle In Molino
October 7, 2011
(Updated 10:45 a.m.) Charges are pending after a state law enforcement officer collided with a motorcycle on Highway 29 at Highway 97 Thursday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol says officer Randolph Johnson, age 59 of Milton, was traveling north on Highway 29 about 4:35 p.m. when he attempted to make a U-turn to travel back south on Highway 29 when he failed to see a 2010 Harley driven by 43-year old Brian Cumpton of Molino. The right front bumper of the cruiser struck the left rear of the motorcycle, causing Crumpton to be ejected from the motorcycle.
Crumpton was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital with minor injuries; Johnson was not injured.
Charges are pending in the accident, according to a FHP report.
Pictured: The state law enforcement officer driver of this cruiser (above) collided with a motorcycle (below) in Molino Thursday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Court: State Can Approve Gambling
October 7, 2011
In a ruling likely to raise the stakes in the discussion over expansion of gambling in Florida, the 1st District Court of Appeal on Thursday said state lawmakers hold the cards when it comes to decisions about new venues.
In a closely watched opinion, a three judge panel of the court unanimously ruled that a 2004 constitutional amendment allowing Miami-Dade and Broward county voters to approve slot machines didn’t preclude lawmakers from later further expanding the scope of gambling around the state.
The opinion was a victory for Miami-Dade County’s historic Hialeah Park, which wasn’t allowed to add slots after passage of the amendment, because it wasn’t offering live racing at the time. Hialeah later began holding quarter horse races and lawmakers passed a law last year to add Hialeah to the list of venues allowed to offer slot gambling under the 2004 constitutional amendment.
But two competitors in the county, Miami Jai-Alai and Calder Casino and Race Course , challenged the law, seeking to prevent the amendment from applying to the Hialeah facility. The court on Thursday upheld that 2010 law.
Though likely to be appealed, the ruling may also open the door for a list of companies that want to expand gambling options in several other places in a cash-strapped state where new gaming tax revenue might be welcome – though backers of gaming say they’re still focused on the two South Florida counties.
The seven-page ruling made it clear that state lawmakers are within their authority to expand gambling where they see fit, beyond the seven venues originally approved by Broward and Miami-Dade voters following the 2004 change to the constitution.
“This ruling puts the authority to regulate gaming squarely in the lap of the Legislature,” said Marc Dunbar, a Tallahassee attorney who represents a number of gambling interests and teaches gaming law at Florida State University.
“(The constitution) provides no indication that Florida voters intended to forever prohibit the Legislature from exercising its authority to expand slot machine gaming beyond those facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties meeting the specified criteria,” Judge Marguerite Davis wrote. “Nor is there any indication that Florida voters intended to grant the seven entities who met the criteria a constitutionally-protected monopoly over slot machine gaming in the state.”
While voters may not have thought so, it clearly was a selling point for lawmakers back when the initiative was put on the ballot. Some conservative lawmakers in other parts of the state went along with it because they believed that the language of the amendment would isolate new gaming in the two southern counties.
Thursday’s ruling was applauded by supporters of several proposals to allow new gaming in the state.
“It helps,” said Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, the House sponsor of a yet-to-be-filed bill in the Legislature that he says will allow “destination resorts” that include gambling. “It is one less obstacle for us to hop over. It sends a very declarative judicial message.”
Fresen’s proposal, which will also be sponsored by Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, is a second attempt at permitting destination resorts that include casinos after a similar effort failed last year.
While the bill hasn’t been filed, details began to emerge Thursday, such as a plan to allow three permits for casinos in just Broward and Miami-Dade counties and the inclusion of a strict regulatory gaming commission. Last year’s bill had additional venues located in other parts of the state. Backers say this year that’s not the intent.
The bill will also include a new gaming commission, modeled after similar groups in Nevada and New Jersey, intended to bring stricter regulation of gaming in Florida, Fresen said. The bill will also likely become a vehicle to eliminate the Internet cafes that offer sweepstakes gaming throughout Florida, he said.
With a session next year that will be dominated by redistricting and another budget shortfall, observers say it’s unlikely there will be more than one gaming bill passed. Fresen agrees and said the destination resorts bill may become the vehicle for anything gaming-related.
“We are going to look at all the gaming that is occurring in Florida and see what is working, what isn’t working and what should or should not be here,” Fresen said.
The destination resorts bill will likely be one of the hardest fought issues of the upcoming legislative session, with several powerful groups either staunchly opposed to gambling expansions, or interested in carving out their own piece of the pie from the bill.
Fresen said he’ll push to keep the destination portion limited to South Florida.
“This bill is going to have every single belt and suspender on it to make sure it is limited only to Miami-Dade and Broward,” Fresen said. “We have every attorney imaginable looking at it to make sure it is not some Trojan horse for any county to be able to do it.”
But already there’s an indication of interest outside the two counties. The Naples Daily News reported on Thursday that brochures and petitions are circulating in Lee County in southwest Florida where a developer is testing the waters for a possible move to allow gambling there.
In addition to dog and horse tracks, the Seminole Tribe – which has a 20-year agreement with Florida to pay the state in exchange for the exclusive rights to offer certain casino games – and groups that criticize gambling expansions on moral grounds also have a stake in the bill.
“You’re going to see an up or down vote on the Senate floor on this,” said Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey. “We are a gambling state.”
By Michael Peltier and Lilly Rockwell
The News Service of Florida
Reward Offered In Murder Of Domino’s Pizza Driver
October 7, 2011
A $3,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the person responsible for the murder of a 19-year old pizza delivery driver outside an Escambia County Domino’s Pizza.
Tyler John Hinkle, a 2010 West Florida High School graduate, was attacked outside the Domino’s Pizza at 27 North Navy Blvd. at around 10:40 p.m. on September 24. Hinkle (pictured) was able to walk into the restaurant to seek help from co-workers before he collapsed. He died a short time later at Baptist Hospital.
Investigators said there were no witnesses at the time of the attack and they have not yet identified a suspect. They believe robbery was a motive in the death of Hinkle. Friends said that Hinkle had just returned to the pizza restaurant after making a delivery.
The Domino’s Corporation is offering a $2,000 reward and the local Domino’s is offering a separate reward of $1,000.
Anyone who may have information related to this case is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Munson Festival Will Celebrate Community Heritage
October 7, 2011
This weekend’s Munson Community Heritage Festival will take a look back at the way things used to be throughout northern Santa Rosa, Escambia and Okaloosa counties.
Vendors and exhibitors will bring back a life and time gone by with crafts and displays ranging from true Florida Cracker lifestyles, basket making, shoe cobbling and more.
The idea of the Festival is to bring alive the history of the area, demonstrate the old time ways of the Deep South as well as to promote culture. There will be live country, bluegrass and gospel music both days as well as wood-fired stove cooking and other food for sale. There also will be more modern merchants on hand representing the local business community. A working sawmill and live lumberjack competition will touch on tour area’s origins as a logging and timber community.
New for 2011 will be the Heritage Treasure Hunt. Children, adults and families can track clues and answer questions located throughout the Festival grounds to try to win various prizes while learning something about the rich heritage all around them. It’s one part game and one part history lesson.
There is a $5 parking fee per car for the event on Saturday and Sunday at Krul Lake Recreation Area in Munson. For more information, visit www.munsonheritagefestival.com.
Post Oil Spill: Task Force Releases Gulf Coast Restoration Plan
October 6, 2011
A year after its creation, a federal task force on Wednesday released a draft report outlining a strategy to restore the ecosystem along the Gulf Coast, which has been ravaged by years of development and neglect.
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, chaired by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, is requesting public comment before turning in its final report to the President Barak Obama.
Major areas of concern involve reducing nutrient flows into the Gulf, restoring wetlands and providing economic development options to coastal communities from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.
The task force was formed in response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The public comment period ends October 26.
Health And Hope: New Clinic Offers Free Medical Care
October 6, 2011
A new clinic is providing health and hope for North Escambia residents unable to afford medical care.
The Health and Hope Clinic has opened in the old health department building at 501 Church Street in Century. It is the second location for the clinic, which was first established in Pensacola back in 2003 by the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association to meet the needs of uninsured and medically underserved in Escambia County. The clinic is entirely volunteer and donor supported.
“It’s a real blessing,” Tammy Lewis of Bratt said on a recent visit to the new Century Health and Hope Clinic. “I found out about it from the church. It’s great to see doctors and people that will see you anyway without insurance.”
Since 2003, the Pensacola Health and Hope Clinic has provided over $8.5 million in healthcare services and 12,000 patient-provider visits as it carries out its mission of “providing health and hope to the hurting”.
Through the primary Pensacola location, the new Health and Hope Clinic offers primary medical care, preventative care, specialty care – including rheumatology, neurology, women’s health, chiropractic services and minor office surgery, full laboratory services, prescription assistance and pharmacy services and referrals to community social services.
The new Health and Hope Clinic in Century is open on Tuesdays from 5-8 p.m. For appointments, call (850) 256-6200 or (850) 479-4456. For more information on the Health and Hope Clinic and services, visit www.healthandhopeclinic.org.
Pictured top: The new Health and Hope Clinic is located in the former Escambia County Health Department building in Century. Pictured top inset: Nurse Michelle Benauer checks the blood pressure of Tammy Lewis of Bratt on a recent visit to the new Health and Hope Clinic in Century. Pictured bottom inset: An exam room at the clinic. Pictured below: Executive Director Rick Hollis discusses clinic details with volunteer Billy R. Ward of Bogia. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
