Survey Says: Floridians Are Just Fed Up
February 15, 2011
Close to half of Floridians surveyed say the state is worse off than it was five years ago, while one-in-five say they are seriously considering moving elsewhere, a new poll by Leadership Florida shows.
The survey of 1,220 Floridians was conducted last month by the Nielsen Company for Leadership Florida, an arm of the state Chamber of Commerce.
It found that 69 percent of Floridians believe business community leaders rarely do what’s right for the state. Another 65 percent said state government wastes taxpayers’ dollars. About three-fourths of those polled gave “fair” or “poor” marks to the performance of the state and federal government, while 65 percent gave similar grades to county government.
“The public is very wearisome of the slow economic recovery and the high frustration level of Floridians is impacting their opinion of government at every level,” said Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida political scientist. “At the same time, people have an expectation of what they want the governor and the Legislature to do: to create jobs and remove major barriers to doing business in the state of Florida,” she added.
Floridians gave Gov. Rick Scott a mixed message in the survey. While 52 percent of Floridians supported firing ineffective teachers, a signature issue for Scott, only 3 percent of Floridians believe tax relief should be the governor’s top priority. Scott has championed a $2 billion tax cut for property owners and businesses. While Scott also campaigned heavily on cracking-down on illegal immigration, only 1 percent of respondents said that should command the governor’s focus this year.
EREC Sends Area Juniors On Tallahassee Youth Tour
February 15, 2011
Fourteen high school juniors were guests of Escambia River Electric Cooperative last week in Tallahassee as they learned more about their state legislature and electric cooperatives.
Participants included Ashley Brazwell, Crystal Davis, Myranda Jernigan, and Taylor Mitchell from Central High School; Crystal Brown, Cody English, Caristyn Golden, Sawyer Hudson, Meredith Owens, and Sara Stokes from Jay High School; and Taylor Byrd, Holly Dickson, Nolan Taylor, and Elizabeth Wright from Northview High School.
While in Tallahassee, the students met with nearly 100 other high school juniors from electric cooperatives throughout the state of Florida. EREC delegates enjoyed visiting the Challenger Museum and viewing the IMAX movie, Hubble (3D). Youth Tour participants observed court in session in the Florida Supreme Court and participated in a mock session in the senate chambers where various members of the Legislature addressed the group.
The Youth Tour program provided students an opportunity to learn more about their state government and electric cooperatives and also gives them a chance to interact
with other students from co-ops throughout the state.
“It was a great educational experience and a lot of fun for the entire group,” according to Sabrina Owens, EREC’s marketing director.
Pictured top: 2011 EREC Youth Tour delegates with Florida State Representative Doug Broxson. Left to right: Ashley Brazwell, Taylor Mitchell, Sawyer Hudson, Elizabeth Wright, Cody English, Taylor Byrd, Holly Dickson, Rep. Broxson, Nolan Taylor, Crystal Davis, Sara Stokes, Myranda Jernigan, Crystal Brown, Caristyn Golden, and Meredith Owens. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
The 2011 Gulf Coast Agribusiness Conference Is Thursday
February 15, 2011
The 2011 Gulf Coast Agribusiness Conference is this Thursday at the Chumuckla Farmers’ Opry.
Speakers from the Southeast will provide farmers with ideas for new crops and business models. A trade show will be held at the conference, with space for vendor booths and equipment displays.
The target audience for this conference includes producers of all types of livestock and specialty crop production in the Western Panhandle of Florida and Baldwin and Escambia counties in Alabama. The conference is also an informational seminar for existing and prospective ranchers and specialty crop producers.
Conference topics will include “Keys to Successfully Choosing Enterprises That Suit Your Small Farm,” “Small Farm Livestock Production,” “Beef Cattle and Goat Production,” “Small Farms Poultry Management,” and “High Tunnel Production”.
For more information, contact Robin Vickers at rvickers@ufl.edu or (850) 983-5216, Ext. 113. For a schedule and registration form, click here.
Escambia County And Flomaton Win Area Championships
February 15, 2011
Good news Monday for two Escambia County, Alabama, teams as they won their area championships in high school basketball play off action.
The Flomaton Hurricanes got past Cottage Hill 60-58 for the 2A Area 1 championship.
And, in Atmore, the Escambia County High School Blue Devils defeated B.C. Rain 75-53 for the 4A Area 1 championship.
Century Care Center: Be My Valentine
February 15, 2011
Residents at Century Care Center celebrated Valentine’s Day with a lot of good fellowship Monday afternoon.
Sweethearts were Evelyn Bates, Alene Burch, Hattie Floyd, Ada Inman, Ruby Leach, Essie Johnson, Dora Rolin, Betty Roney, Dorothy Roper, Ruth Steele, Thomas Barrow, David Comalander, Larry Gregory, George Lockett and W.E. Welch.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Excavator (With Explosion Photo)
February 14, 2011
Fire destroyed a John Deere excavator about 10:40 Monday morning on South Highway 99 at Tungoil Road.
The Walnut Hill and Molino stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze. There were no injuries. The excavator, which was being used to clear a lot of brush, was a total loss.
In the photo above, fuel or fluid from the excavator explodes into a fireball before the first fire units arrived on scene. Pictured below: The excavator burns less than second before the top photo. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Five Homeless After Fire Destroys Century Home (With Photo Gallery)
February 14, 2011
Five people were left homeless when an early morning fire destroyed their Century home.
Flames were shooting from the roof of the single story wood frame home at 121 Front Street when the first firefighters arrived just after 4 a.m. Monday. The occupants of the home escaped without injury. Four adults and one child were homeless following the fire.
CSX Transportation was forced to halt train traffic through Century after firefighters pulled a hose from hydrant at the old Alger-Sulliver Lumber Company property to supply water.
The exact cause of the fire is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Century, McDavid, Molino and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, the Flomaton Fire Department and Escambia County EMS responded to the blaze.
For more photos from the scene, click here for a NorthEscambia.com gallery.
Pictured: Fire destroyed a wood frame home at 121 Front Street in Century early Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Portion Of Ernest Ward Campus Leased To Northwest Escambia For Ball Field Expansion
February 14, 2011
A portion of the Ernest Ward Middle School property in Walnut Hill is being leased to Northwest Escambia Little League to expand with new practice fields.
The Escambia County School District has leased about 4.5 additional acres to NWE for four new ball practice fields for $1 per year on a 20 year lease. According to NWE officials, the ball fields will be constructed and maintained by volunteers or at NWE’s expense.
The school district owns 90 acres around Ernest Ward, including the current school campus, the NWE’s current Bradberry Park, about 20 acres of farmland and several acres of wooded land (see map above). A portion of the property was already leased to NWE for Bradberry Park, a portion to a communications company for a cellular tower and 19.25 acres to Bama Bottom Farms, LLC.
Brett Ward of Bama Bottom Farms property agreed to forgo 2.75 acres of his parcel, which he leases at $65 per acre, for the ball fields. An additional 1.73 acres for the ball fields is located to the west of the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club community center, behind the district’s bus garage. The 1.73 acres currently includes the old “hog barn” that was used by Ernest Ward High School. (The areas being leased to NWE are shown in yellow in the map.)
NWE’s lease on the Ernest Ward property will be for 20 years, with the option to extend for two additional 10 year terms.
Pictured below and inset: This area around the old Ernest Ward High School “hog barn” and part of the field below are on the current Ernest Ward Middle School property and have been leased to Northwest Escambia Little League for four ball practice fields. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Don’t Forget To Put Your ECUA Trash Out Early
February 14, 2011
Tuesday is trash pickup day for most North Escambia ECUA customers. And Tuesday is the first you’ll need to have your trash out earlier to make sure you don’t miss your pickup.
ECUA’s Sanitation Department will implement new collection routes for garbage, recycling and yard trash service on Tuesday, February 15. The changes will only affect the time of collection, while all collection days will remain as scheduled. To avoid a missed pickup, ECUA customers are asked to place their garbage and recycling containers, as well as any yard trash, at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on their normal collection day.
“The popularity of the ECUA Curbside Recycling program is reflected in the steadily increasing amount of recyclables and decreasing amount of garbage and yard trash being collected weekly,” said Nathalie Bowers, public information officer for ECUA. “A periodic review and adjustment in collection routes and schedules allow us to better serve our customers and operate in a more efficient and cost-effective way.”
For more information, or to learn about ECUA’s recycling program visit ecua.org or call (850) 476-0480.
Tell Us: Should Driver’s Ed Deal With Texting While Driving?
February 14, 2011
Driver education courses would have to include information about the risks associated with texting while driving under a bill filed last week by a House Democrat.
The measure (HB 689) filed by Rep. Lori Berman, D-Delray Beach, would require the information for teens taking courses before becoming a first time driver and also drivers who are going to traffic school after committing a traffic infraction. The same language is also filed in a Senate bill (SB 758) by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood.
The Senate bill has been referred to the Transportation; Education Pre-K – 12; Communications, Energy, and Public Utilities; and full Budget committees and is yet to be scheduled for a hearing.
What do you think? Tell us in the comments section below.