Santa Rosa Tops In Outdoor Marijuana Eradication
April 6, 2010
A new report says Santa Rosa County was number one in Florida for outdoor marijuana eradication in 2009.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office had the highest statistics in both arrests and number of plants eradicated during outdoor grow eradication. In 2009, the department arrested 19 people and 1,998 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed by the agency.
“The efforts of the Sheriff’s Office, and all participating law enforcement agencies has, and will continue, to prove that we have a substantial impact on domestically cultivated marijuana in the State,” according to Sgt. Scott Haines, spokesperson for the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. “The eradication of marijuana plants at the source immediately has a large impact against drug dealing and abuse by reducing the availability of marijuana on the streets of Santa Rosa County, and the rest of the State of Florida.”
The 2009 annual report from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Domestic Cannabis Eradication Program/Suppression Program and the Florida Domestic Marijuana Eradication Program ranked Santa Rosa County at the top of their Florida list.
Editor’s note: The total number of plants eradicated has been updated to 1,998. The number was first reported as 1,198 by the sheriff’s office.
Pictured above: Santa Rosa County deputies cut marijuana plants found in a wooded area near Jay. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Watchdog Group: Florida One Major Hurricane Away From Financial Collapse
April 6, 2010
Florida’s property insurance market is a major storm away from disaster and financial collapse, Florida TaxWatch warned Monday in a report on the state’s self-insurance picture.
With inadequate rates and risk concentrated among too few, the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund are ill-equipped to pay claims in the event of a major storm without seeking a federal bailout or strapping Floridians with billions in debt payments for decades to come.
A 100-year storm, for example, would outstrip capacity by $35 billion.
“Florida’s current homeowner’s insurance system is broken,” the Tallahassee-based group concluded. “One major hurricane has the potential to bankrupt private insurers, and the State’s self-insurance programs, devastating Florida’s already weakened economy.
“Florida TaxWatch independent analysis unequivocally shows that our current property and causality insurance system leaves the state and the taxpayers vulnerable to an economic disaster,: said Representative David Murzin (R-Pensacola), chair of the Economic Development & Community Affairs Policy Council at the event announcing the release of the report at the Florida Capitol on Monday.
“Should a major storm hit, Florida will be forced to borrow tens-of-billion of dollars – more money than any state has ever borrowed – and the interest payments alone will suck billions of dollars out of the state for decades to come. With hurricane season approaching and the legislative session coming to a close, we [the Legislature] must reduce the state’s potential crippling financial exposure through Citizens Property Insurance Corporation and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund by reforming the state’s insurance system,” Murzin added.
In 2009, both Citizens and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund faced enormous potential shortfalls, despite the absence of 2006-08 landfalling storms, because of artificially low premiums. Despite reserves built from a lack of major storm activity recently, there would be significant shortfalls to pay claims in 2010 if a major storm strikes Florida, according to TaxWatch.
Click here to read the entire report.
Learn About Florida KidCare Thursday In Bratt
April 6, 2010
If your children are uninsured or are on the Medicaid share of cost program, there is an easy opportunity coming up on Thursday to get Florida KidCare insurance for your children.
Thursday, a Florida KidCare outreach advocate will be at Bratt Elementary School from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Anyone with children is welcome to attend and sign up, not just those with children at Bratt.
This is a direct computer application process, but the advocate will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance.
In order to apply for Florida KidCare for your children, you will need to bring:
- Picture Identification
- Social Security numbers for the children
- Pay stubs from past four weeks (or), 2009 W-2 form (or) Most recent tax return
- Proof of child support, Social Security and or unemployment benefits
- Information on cost to add child to parent’s health insurance through employer
For more information, contact Sara Knighten, RN at (850) 327-6137 ext. 249, click here for a printable information sheet, or visit floridakidcare.org for information and eligibility requirements.
Former Escambia (Ala.) Commissoner William C. America Passes Away
April 6, 2010
Area residents are mourning the loss of William C. America of Atmore, a man that made history as the first black member elected to the Escambia County (Ala.) Commission. He was 77.
America served on the commission, including four years as chairman. Retired from Monsanto in 1992, he was known for his community service — he served on the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission, was president and founder of the United Civic Club, president of the Alabama Democratic Conference Escambia County (Ala.) Branch, member of the NAACP, served on the hospital board, member of the chamber of commerce and he served on the United Bank Board of Directors.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 10 at 11 a.m. at the McCullough Christian Center in McCullough, Alabama. Visitation will be held Friday, April 9 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Christian Memorial Funeral Home Chapel in Atmore. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m.
Click here for the complete obituary.
It’s Relay Season
April 6, 2010
It’s Relay for Life season in the North Escambia area.
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are usually overnight events.
Teams are made up of businesses, churches, friends and families working together to raise money for, and awareness of, cancer research.
Relay offers great family fun for those not directly participating on a team — with tent campsites offering lots of food for sale, arts, crafts, fun and games.
Relay for Life events are scheduled as follows in the North Escambia area:
- UWF — April 9, University of West Florida, 6 p.m.
- Jay — April 16, Jay High School, Alabama Street, 6 p.m.
- Atmore — April 24, Tom Byrne Park, noon (following parade)
- Century — April 24, Kayo Stanton Stadium, old Century High School, noon.
- North Pensacola — April 30, Tate High School, Cantonment, 6 p.m.
- Pensacola — May 7, Pensacola Junior College, 6 p.m.
For more information on an individual Relay for Life event, click the name of the Relay above.
Pictured top: Relay for Life last year in Century. Pictured below: The North Pensacola Relay gets underway at Tate High School last year. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
House Committee Approves Education Reform Bill Linking Teacher Pay To Student Performance
April 6, 2010
After nearly eight hours of debate and testimony, a House committee on Monday approved a comprehensive education reform measure that would start paying teachers based on student performance rather than length of service, setting it up for a floor vote.
The House Education Policy Council approved the bill (HB 7189) on a party line vote of 12-5 sending to the floor a proposal that would take part of a school’s budget to create a “performance fund” to dole out teacher pay raises based on a performance appraisal system where 50 percent is based on student learning gains. Proponents say the system will reward teachers who are dedicated to improving Florida’s schools and weed out bad apples.
“I have to tell you teacher quality reform is a hard task and we cannot shy away from it because it’s a hard task, because it’s unpleasant,” said Rep. John Legg, R-Port Richey.
Lawmakers scheduled the marathon meeting after the previous House committee hearing for the bill left opponents angry after testimony was cut short and Democrats were not allowed to offer any changes to the bill. During the Monday meeting, 120 people signed up to speak, but lawmakers ran out of time and could not recognize all of the speakers again. Council Chairman Will Weatherford had to ask Capitol security to tell one observer to be quiet after he interrupted the meeting, protesting that he was not allowed to speak though he had stayed for the whole meeting.
The legislation would take five percent of a school’s total funding for the creation of performance pay, or salary increases, that are half based on performance factors such as class management, advanced degrees and mastery of the subject, and half based on learning gains by students on some sort of exam.
The Department of Education still has to figure out how it would define learning gains and the precise testing mechanism to measure the gains. However, schools are required to create end-of-course exams in all subjects.
The proposal has spurred a highly emotional and political debate among lawmakers and teachers. The concept of measuring educational improvement and quality through testing has been championed by former Gov. Jeb Bush and has been pushed during this legislative session by Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, who doubles as head of the Republican party. Several business organizations also back the legislation, saying the improvement of public schools is tied directly to the economy.
The Senate approved the bill by a 21-17 vote in March.
Teachers turned out in volume Monday to testify against the bill. This came on top of thousands of e-mails, letters and phone calls that have been sent to lawmakers on the issue.
Several teachers and administrators cautioned that with so many unknowns, the legislation could have unintended consequences. Superintendents and school board members said the five percent hold back of state funds could create major budget problems especially as state funds shrink. And teachers questioned the assessment process since DOE has yet to determine how learning gains would be determined.
Legg has said that DOE would ensure that teachers would not be penalized for circumstances outside of a teacher’s control, like a natural disaster or a student’s illness. But some lawmakers and many teachers said the list goes on and on about what would affect a student and whether a teacher is effective.
Kenneth Blankenship, a social studies teacher at Land O’Lakes High School in Pasco County, said the bill would “make education a political football” and that it would not evaluate teachers, but their students, who aren’t fully influenced by teachers.
“The most important factor in a student’s education is their parents, their home life and their socioeconomic status,” Blankenship said.
Several representatives of Hillsborough County Schools, which has received $100 million for education reform from the Gates Foundation, spoke during the meeting and asked the state to use Hillsborough County as a pilot project to see what merit pay could look like. The school district has been working for years on that type of reform.
Jean Clements, the president of the Hillsborough teacher’s union, noted that the union worked with the district on the Gates grant and reform issues, whereas the state teachers’ union is opposed to the measure in the Legislature. She asked that lawmakers “let Hillsborough be the learning laboratory for the state.
“We should not choose between collaboration and bold innovation. We should insist on both,” Clements said.
Prior to the debate on HB 7189, the committee approved HB 7053, which would implement end-of-course exams in algebra, geometry and biology, phasing out the ninth and 10th grade FCAT in mathematics and the high school science FCAT.
Pictured top: Teachers testify Monday against a bill in the Florida House that would start paying teachers based on student performance rather than length of service. News Service of Florida photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
By Kathleen Haughney, News Service of Florida
How Many Census Forms Have Been Returned In Your Community? We Have The Numbers
April 5, 2010
As of Friday, about 56 percent of Americans had taken part in the 2010 Census. But the mail participation level in most North Escambia area communities has been lower.
Below is breakdown of the percent of citizens taking part in the Census in the North Escambia area.
Area towns and cities:
- City of Atmore: 50%
- Town of Century: 48%
- Town of Flomaton: 55%
- Town of Jay: 55%
- City of Pensacola: 53%
Area communities (not including the towns and cities above):
- Atmore: 52%
- Barrineau Park: 56%
- Byrneville: 54%
- Cantonment: 52%
- Century: 54%
- Cottage Hill: 54%
- Flomaton : 55%
- Gonzalez: 61%
- Jay: 55%
- McDavid: 55%
- Molino: 55%
- Walnut Hill: 56%
The mail participation rate is the percentage of forms mailed back by households that received them. The Census Bureau developed this new measure in 2010, in part because of the current economy and higher rates of vacant housing. The rate excludes households whose forms were returned to us by the U.S. Postal Service as “undeliverable,” strongly suggesting the house was vacant. According to the Census Bureau, there will be a followup on all forms returned as undeliverable to ensure everyone is counted.Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Water Improvement Project Improving A Decade Of Water Woes
April 5, 2010
Work is progressing on a Century water improvement project that will mean an end to the water woes of residents on Backwoods Roads that have waited a decade for help.
“It’s going real fast,” Century Mayor Freddie McCall said of the $1.58 million project that upgrades the town’s water system in the Backwoods Road, State Line Road, Highway 4A area.
The entire project includes a new half million gallon elevated water storage tank to improve system reliability and fire protection, two natural gas operated back-up generators to improve system reliability for the existing water treatment plants, 16,000 feet of six-inch water main and a booster station to provide fire protection, improve pressure and system reliability in a portion of the existing water system franchise area.
The bulk of the six-inch water main is installed and will soon be tied-in to the existing water system, McCall said. Construction on the new elevated water storage tank at the intersection of Academy and Henry streets should be completed this week, and the tank will soon be painted.
The construction of the booster station is the last significant portion of the project remaining, the mayor said.
“There’s no time estimate yet on the booster station, but we are progressing,” he said.
With engineering fees, the project totals about $1.58 million. Of that, $1.39 million is from a federal stimulus grant awarded by the state; the balance is from a low interest loan.
Residents of Backwoods road have complained about poor water pressure and poor water quality for 10 years. They are currently served by just a two-inch water main.
Pictured top: A new 500,000 gallon elevated water storage tank under construction at the intersection of Academy and Henry streets in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward, Ransom Students Place In Pensacola Math Competition
April 5, 2010
Several Ernest Ward and Ransom Middle School students recently placed in the first Pensacola Invitational Math Competition.
There were 29 students that took part in the competition at Pensacola High School in pre-algebra and algebra divisions.
North Escambia students receiving awards were:
Pre-Algebra
- Kasie Braun – Ernest Ward Middle
- Chandler Cotton – Ransom Middle.
Pre-Algebra Individual Divison
- 5th Place – Kasie Braun
- 6th Place – Victoria Wright, Ernest Ward Middle
- 7th Place – Marissa Jackson, Ransom Middle
- 8th Place – Jenny Spears, Ernest Ward Middle
Pre-Algebra Team Divison
2nd Place- Ernest Ward Middle School Team 1 (Kasie Braun, Jenny Spears, Danielle Steadham, Victoria Wright)
3rd Place – Ransom Middle School Team 2 (Steven Chesser, Chandler Cotton, James Craft, Dacotah Ledbetter)
Business Is Booming: Humane Society Store Expands Hours
April 5, 2010
Business has been good at the Junior Humane Society’s Thrift Store in Cantonment — so good, in fact, that they are expanding their hours.
Initially open just four days a week, hours have been expanded to include everyday except Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Some days when we came to open the store, we had customers already lined up and waiting for us,” said Frankie Van Horn Harris, director of the Junior Humane Society. “Hopefully, being open on more days and for longer hours will help our customers and help JHS.”
The store opened for business October 2009 after weeks of planning and hard work by a group of pet-minded and dedicated volunteers. Through the store, JHS volunteers have found a way to help the animals they care about so much and the community at the same time.
Store proceeds benefit JHS activities, such as finding homes for homeless cats and dogs. The store features of clothing for all ages, shoes, office furniture, kitchen supplies, books, toys, pet supplies and other items with new merchandise arriving almost daily.
Opening the store, as well as the store’s success, are a dream come true for Harris. “It’s something I didn’t think I would ever see in my lifetime, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do as a fundraiser,” she said.
The Junior Humane Society’s Thrift Store in Cantonment is located at the corner of Highway 29 and Neal Road in Cantonment.
Pictured JHS volunteers Kristi Kirby; Amanda Gifford; Crystal Clanton; Mary Foster; Director Frankie Van Horn Harris; Christa Pettijohn; Elizabeth Irby; and Janet Lewis. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.