In Depth: Century Council Candidates Disclose Financial Interests
August 5, 2010
Five candidates are qualified for three council seats in the Town of Century. Paperwork filed with the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections shows the financial interests of each candidate. An explanation of terms used in the report is at the bottom of this story.
Seat 3
Henry Hawkins
137 Hilltop Road
Income
- Pensacola Junior College, instructor
- U.S. Military, retirement pay
- Town of Century, council member
Secondary Income
- none
Real Property
- none
Intangible Property
- none
Liabilities/Major Debts
- none
Interests In A Business
- none
Jacke Johnston
711 Mayo Lane
Income
Escambia County School District, teacher
Secondary Income
- none
Real Property
- 711 Mayo Lane, Century
Intangible Property
- none
Liabilities/Major Debts
- Bank of America, Dallas
- Pensacola L & N Credit Union, Pensacola
Interests In A Business
- none
Robert Lasher
61 Bradley Street
Income
Edward Jones, financial advisor
Secondary Income
- none
Real Property
- none
Intangible Property
- none
Liabilities/Major Debts
- none
Interests In A Business
- none
Seat 4
Gary Riley
7100 Roberts Road
Income
Gulf Power, retired
Social Security
Secondary Income
- none
Real Property
- none
Intangible Property
- none
Liabilities/Major Debts
- none
Interests In A Business
- none
Seat 5
Sandra McMurray Jackson
124 Maple Street
Income
- Century Correctional Institution
Secondary Income
- Jackson-McMurray Funeral Services
Real Property
- 124 Maple Street, Century
- 120 West Hecker Road, Century
Intangible Property
- none
Liabilities/Major Debts
- Pen Air Federal Credit Union
Interests In A Business
- Jackson-McMurray Funeral Services
Annie Carter Savage
170 Henry Street
Income
- Social Security
- Unitrin, St. Louis
Secondary Income
- none
Real Property
- 170 Henry Street
- 8101 Alger Road
Intangible Property
- 1996 Hyundai
Liabilities/Major Debts
- American Services Co., Des Moines, IA
- Dick Moye Auto Sales, Pensacola
Interests In A Business
- none
Editor’s note: A typographical error in the listing for Annie Savage’s “Interest In A Business” information has been corrected to state “none”.
Definitions of terms:
Income: primary sources of income
Secondary Income: major customers, clients and other sources of income to businesses owned
Real Property: land and buildings owned
Intangible Personal Property: stocks, bonds, certificates of deposit, etc.
Interest in a Business: ownership or positions in certain types of businesses
Sample Ballots Are In The Mail
August 5, 2010
Sample ballots for the August 24, 2010 Primary Election are being mailed this week to Escambia County voters, Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford said Wednesday.
The sample ballot includes an image of the ballot, the voter’s polling location, instructions on marking their ballot, and information on early voting, absentee voting, and voting at the polls on Election Day. A sample ballot is also available at EscambiaVotes.com.
Escambia County voters have three different ways to cast their ballot:
- By Mail: Voters may vote by mail via an absentee ballot by contacting the Elections Office by mail, phone (850-595-3900), e-mail (absentee@escambiavotes.com), fax (850-595-3914), or using the online form at EscambiaVotes.com. Absentee requests must include the voter’s date of birth and address, and must be received no later than Wednesday, August 18th. Voted ballots must be received in the Elections Office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee voters may now track their ballot status by clicking the Track My Ballot link on EscambiaVotes.com.
- Early voting: Beginning Monday, August 9th voters may cast their ballot early at any one of four area locations:
- Elections Office, 213 Palafox Place, 2nd Floor; Elections Office
- Cantonment Annex, 292 Muscogee Road
- Genealogy Branch (formerly Tryon Branch) Library, 5740 North 9th Avenue
- Southwest Branch Library, 12248 Gulf Beach Highway
- Early voting dates and times are as follows: Monday, August 9 through Friday, August 13: 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Saturday, August 14: 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Sunday, August 15: 11:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday, August 16 through Saturday, August 21: 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
- At your precinct: The third option for voters is to cast their ballot at their precinct from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Century’s Showalter Wins Debut With The Orioles
August 4, 2010
Century’s Buck Showalter won his managerial debut with the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday night, 6-3 over the Los Angeles Angels.
The Orioles were fresh off a 1-6 road trip, with Showalter welcomed with hearty applause during the pregame introductions in front of 16,723 at Camden Yards. The Orioles made few mistakes and executed well for the win. With the win, Showalter is 3-1 in managerial debuts. He has two Manager of the Year titles.
“Buck Showalter’s proven track record makes him the right choice for manager of the Orioles and we are thrilled to add a two-time Manager of the Year to our organization,” president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said. “We believe Buck’s extensive experience and expertise will be a major benefit to us as we look towards a more successful future.”
Showalter’s contract with the O’s is through 2013. Overall, he is 882-833 during an 11 season career.
The Orioles fired Dave Trebley as their manager after he went 15-39 .
Showalter, who now lives in Dallas, previously had three different managerial stints in the majors with the New York Yankees, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Texas Rangers. Showalter first managed the Yankees from 1992-1995 for 581 games posting a 313-268 record finishing 45 games over .500 with a .539 win/loss percentage. He was voted 1994 AL Manager of the Year after the Yankees finished first in the AL East going 70-43. There was no post-season in 1994 due to the strike. He made it to his first post-season appearance in 1995, losing the divisional series 3-2 to the Seattle Mariners.
He moved on to the Arizona Diamondbacks where he managed 486 games from 1998-2000 with a 250-236 record. His best season with the Diamondbacks came in 1999 when they finished first in the NL West going 100-62 and eventually losing in the divisional series 3-1 to the NY Mets. Showalter took over as Texas Rangers skipper in 2003-2006 posting a 319-329 record in 648 games. He was selected 2004 AL Manager of the Year with the Texas Rangers going 89-73 with a .549 win/loss percentage.
Showalter’s father was a high school coach and principal, moving to Century in the late 1950’s. He played Little League ball in Century in a thriving program. Century’s modern day Showalter Park is named after his family.
Images courtesy MLB.com
Mom, 71, Charged With Assaulting, Threatening To Shoot Daughter, 53
August 4, 2010
A 71-year old Walnut Hill woman was arrested after allegedly throwing food, assaulting and then threatening to shoot her daughter.
Margaret Phillips McCullough, of Pine Forest Road, was charged with battery and felony assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill.
The victim said she and McCullough got into an argument, and McCullough began throwing food. The victim said her mother hit her in the back of the arm, kicked her in the lower back and slammed the refrigerator door on her arm. Then, according to the daughter, McCullough retrieved a black pistol, threatened to shoot her and tried to hit her with the butt of the gun.
The daughter called an adult male that had been outside cutting grass for help, according to the arrest report. The witness said he observed McCullough pointing the black and brown gun at her daughter.
McCullough told deputies that she did get into an argument with her daughter, and she asked her to leave. She said she did throw food out of the house, and told deputies that the daughter was taking items that did not belong to her. She denied pointing a gun, and said her only weapon was a purple and white .380 caliber pistol which she showed to deputies. Deputies were unable to locate the black and brown pistol allegedly pointed during the incident, according to the arrest report.
Deputies took McCullough into custody based upon the witness statements and the victim’s injuries.
She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a pre-trial release agreement.
School Bells Soon: Print School Calendars
August 4, 2010
It’s the first week of August, and that means the start of school is just around the corner for thousands of area students.
School begins next Monday, August 9, for students in Escambia County, Alabama. Students in Escambia County, Florida, and Santa Rosa County will head back to class on August 23.
Click the name of your child’s school district below for a printable calendar.
Election Watch: 6 Of 9 Amendments Face Challenges Before High Court
August 4, 2010
The fate of several proposed constitutional amendments lies with the Florida Supreme Court after six of nine proposals set for the November ballot wound up facing legal challenges.
Property taxes, health care, legislative redistricting and class size requirements have all become the subject of challenges in the past two months. And it seems likely that the Supreme Court will be tasked with resolving them all before the November election.
Two amendments, one to repeal the campaign finance law providing public funding to state candidates and another that provides an extra property tax exemption to active duty military members who served outside of the United States, have not faced opposition.
A third proposal, Amendment 4, has been the target of complaints filed with the Florida Elections Commission. But the growth management initiative remains on the ballot after surviving a series of legal challenges over the past several years.
The remaining proposals, however, now find themselves before the state’s highest court.
-Amendment 3 would allow buyers who have not owned a home for eight years the chance to gather an additional homestead exemption on property purchased in Florida after Jan. 1, 2010. The Florida AFL-CIO and a Jacksonville homeowner challenged the amendment, which Tallahassee Circuit Judge John Cooper ordered off the ballot. Cooper ruled the proposed amendment’s ballot title and summary do not mention the effective date, which could lead voters to incorrectly assume they were eligible for additional homestead exemption benefits, which are limited to buyers of homes purchased after Jan. 1, 2010. The court is slated to hear arguments on the issue Aug. 18.
-Amendments 5, 6 and 7 all deal with drawing of Florida’s legislative and congressional districts. Amendments 5 and 6 are the products of FairDistricts.org, a grassroots organization that was attempting to “remove politics” from the process by spelling out boundary drawing rules, including prohibitions against favoring incumbents or political parties when drawing districts. Amendment 7 is the Legislature’s counter proposal to the FairDistricts.org. The Legislative proposal would create certain requirements for how to draw the lines, even if those requirements conflict with the FairDistrict amendments. Leon County Circuit Judge James Shelfer tossed the amendment. Saying he couldn’t understand it, Shelfer ruled he could not expect voters to either. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Amendment 7 and has ordered a stay on Amendments 5 and 6, pending their review.
-Amendment 8 would revise the restrictions on class sizes in Florida schools put into the Florida Constitution in 2002. Currently, individual classrooms are capped at certain levels. School administrators say the requirement is too stringent and could cause problems if a student moves into a school mid-year and classrooms are at maximum capacity. The Florida Education Association has filed suit alleging the proposal is misleading by failing to inform voters that it relaxes restrictions placed on class sizes by voters in 2002. FEA lawyer Ron Meyer said lawyers have a status conference set for Thursday that will likely yield a hearing date.
-Amendment 9, proposed by the Florida Legislature, would try to exempt Floridians from the health care overhaul pushed for by President Barack Obama. Shelfer struck the proposal from the ballot July 29, calling it “manifestly misleading” to voters. The Florida Attorney General has filed an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court, but a date for oral arguments has not yet been set. Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, who sponsored the amendment in the Senate, released a statement Tuesday saying Floridians should have the right to vote on health care choices. “The Supreme Court should do everything in its power to ensure that the people of Florida have the opportunity to vote on Amendment 9, instead of robbing them of their right to vote like the lower courts did,” he said.
By Kathleen Haughney, The News Service Florida
Railroad Crossing Signal To Be Installed In Walnut Hill
August 4, 2010
A railroad crossing signal will be installed on Pine Forest Road in Walnut Hill.
The Florida Department of Transportation will fund the $195,000 estimated cost to improve the the Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway crossing. Escambia County and Alabama & Gulf Coast will split the $3,146 annual maintenance for the crossing controls.
The railway, Pelt Road and Rockaway Creek Road all intersect Pine Forest Road over about a 200 foot span, in what is almost a three-way intersection with the railroad tracks in the middle. The crossing is about two miles from Highway 97.
Pictured above: A railroad crossing signal is planned for Pine Forest Road near the intersections of Pelt Road and Rockaway Creek Road. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Latest Stats: Republicans Outnumber Democrats In Escambia, Santa Rosa
August 4, 2010
Escambia and Santa Rosa County Republicans hold a strength in numbers advantage heading into the primary elections later this month — especially in Santa Rosa.
There are 197,222 registered voters in Escambia County, with 85,376 (43.29%) Republicans. There are 77,671 (39.38%) Democrats in Escambia, along with 6,037 (3.06%) minor party members. Of Escambia’s registered voters, 14.27% (28,135) claim no party affiliation.
But in Santa Rosa County, Republicans hold a huge lead over Democrats. Of 111,528 registered voters in Santa Rosa County, 62,814 (56.3%) are Republicans. There are 28,389 (25.4%) Democrats registered to vote in Santa Rosa County. Another 16,545 (14.8%) consider themselves non-partisan, while 3,780 (3.4%) are members of minor parties.
The primary election is August 24.
One Injured In Highway 29 Rollover Crash
August 3, 2010
One person was injured in a single vehicle rollover accident on Highway 29 south of McDavid Tuesday afternoon.
The accident happened shortly after 4 p.m. south of Bogia Road. The drive of the SUV apparently lost control and flipped. She was transported by ambulance to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola.
The McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash.
The accident is still under investigation by the FHP.
Pictured above: One person was injured in this single vehicle accident on Highway 29 south of McDavid Tuesday afternoon. The vehicle had been flipped upright prior to this photo to remove it from the roadway. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Murder After Beating Victims Dies
August 3, 2010
Escambia County has recorded its 14th murder of the year after a man beaten last Thursday passed away Tuesday morning.
Donald Stanley Verne, 49, is facing in open count of murder for the death of his landlord, Peter Delmonico, 51. Delmonico died about 12:05 a.m. Tuesday, according to Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Verene (pictured) allegedly struck Delmonico in the head with a piece of lumber about 6:30 p.m. on July 29 at his Queens Court home, near Old Corry Field Road.
Authorities reported finding blood on Verne’s clothes and a blood-stained piece of lumber in Verne’s mobile home, which he rented from Delmonico.
Verne is due to appear in court on August 9. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with no bond.