Florida Jobless Rate Falls For First Time In Four Years; Escambia, Santa Rosa Improve
May 22, 2010
For the first time in four years, Florida’s unemployment rate has declined, falling in April to 12 percent. That’s down from 12.3 percent in March. Alabama’s unemployment rate held steady at 11 percent.
Escambia County saw a dramatic dip in unemployment — down from 11.5 percent in March to 10.6 percent in April. That represents 1,309 unemployed people headed back to work in a month.
Santa Rosa County also recorded a nearly full percentage point drop in unemployment — falling from 10.3 percent in March to 9.4 in April. Santa Rosa County gained 612 jobs during the period.
The unemployment rate in Escambia County, Ala., dropped slightly from 12.6 percent to 12.2 percent — a gain of 48 jobs.
Coinciding with the unemployment drop, consumer confidence in April improved from the previous month, according to a University of Florida report. Nationally, unemployment inched up in April to 9.9 percent, up from 9.7 in March and 1.0 percentage point higher than April 2009.
Governor Charlie Crist signed Senate Bill 1736 this week, extending eligibility dates for the Extended Benefits (EB) program. The EB program provides unemployment compensation to job seekers who have exhausted all other available benefits and meet all requirements. This program utilizes federal stimulus funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will bring an estimated $128 million in benefits to approximately 107,000 Floridians.
Free Open House Today At Turtle Point
May 22, 2010
There is an open house today at the Turtle Point Science Center in Flomaton.
From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Turtle Point will be open for a day filled with animals, crafts, and wonderful shopping.
The 3,000 square foot facility offers a touch tank for children and other hands-on exhibits. It boasts an extensive collection of wildlife specimens including many Alabama birds, nests, and eggs; a butterfly and living bee exhibit; live alligators, turtles, snakes, amphibians, and fish of the East Gulf Coastal Plain geophysical region. Also, plant lovers will find six teaching gardens and a glorious wetland nature trail.
Bird watchers are encouraged to hike the nature trail boardwalk and enjoy the red-tailed hawk, great blue heron, great egret, pileated woodpecker, red-headed woodpecker, yellow-shafted flicker, yellow bellied sap sucker, eastern bluebird, wren, killdeer, green heron, barred owl, screech owl, and many other native birds and wildlife.
Turtle Point’s goal is to provide hands-on environmental education to students and adults in the South Alabama and Northwest Florida. Turtle Point is located at 20959 Highway 31 in Flomaton, near Hurricane Park and Flomaton High School. For more information, call (251) 296-3401.
Pelicans Win Home Opener Over AirHogs
May 22, 2010
The Pensacola Pelicans bear the AirHogs 2-1 in the Pels’ home opener Friday night.
Jared Gothreaux (1-1) was the player of the game as he dodged in and out of trouble on numerous occasions to get his first win of the season. Gothreaux only gave up one run off 12 hits against the AirHogs.
The AirHogs scored the game’s first run though in the 5th inning of the game. Jaun Camacho hit a blooping RBI single over Adolfo Gonzalez’s head into shallow left field to bring home David Espinosa to give the AirHogs a 1-0 lead.
The Pelicans had their chances to score early, but had trouble finding that RBI hit through the first 5 innings.
However in the 6th inning, Javier Brito popped a ball up in the air to shallow right and Jose Duran dropped it putting Brito at second base. One out later, John Alonso hit a liner to left which sailed over the head of Chad Gabriel who mis-managed the ball which brought home Brito to tie the game up at 1-1. Alonso raced into third on the play just being the cut off throw from shortstop David Espinosa. Joey Side followed Alonso by getting hit in the stomach by a fastball thrown from AirHogs reliever Jeff Williams. The Pelicans had baserunners at first and third with one out and Lou Palmisano hit a very week grounder in the hole at short which Espinosa threw to second to get the force on Side, but that was it. The grounder was hit too softly to double up Palmisano allowing Alonso to score to give Pelicans a 2-1 lead.
In the 7th inning, Gothreaux flirted out of his last stressful inning of the game as Flint Wipke was at second with two outs and Greg Porter was at the plate. Gothreaux struck out Porter for his 8th and biggest strikeout of the game.
Tyler Wilson replaced Gothreaux in the 8th inning and struck out 3 batters in a scoreless inning. Tommy Baumgardner pitched a scoreless 9th for his 3rd save in as many chances this season.
Jarod Plummer (1-1) took the loss in a tough luck game for him as he gave up 2 runs-1 earned through 5 1/3 innings pitched.
The Pelicans and AirHogs will continue their 4 game series tomorrow night at 6:45pm. Aaron Jackson will take the mound against Matt Green with the pregame show at 6:30pm. Chetan Chaudhari will be on the call on pensacolapelicans.com.
Accused Ax Murderer: ‘Loved Every Swing’
May 21, 2010
“I enjoyed it, I loved every friggin swing” — that’s what the suspect in an apparent ax murder Wednesday near Nine Mile Road told Escambia County deputies.
Brian P. Puckett, 34, was found dead in a home Wednesday morning on Hollowbrook Circle, a cul-de-sac near Hillcrest Baptist Church. Deputies believe he died after being hit in the head with an ax.
Nathan Greg Smith, 28, is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond on an open count of murder. His mother, Constance K. Smith, 45, has been named a “person of interest” in the murder, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. She was, according to deputies, Puckett’s girlfriend. All three resided in the some house on Hollowbrook Circle.
Authorities responded to a cardiac arrest call at the home about 7:55 Wednesday morning.
When deputies arrived, Constance Smith told them that her boyfriend Puckett was dead in the garage. Deputies found Puckett’s body sitting in a chair in the garage. “They immediately noticed a large laceration to the left side of the victim’s head, and it was apparent he was deceased,” Deputy Robert Guy, Jr. wrote in his report. The report states deputies found an ax by the back door of the garage, about 10-15 feet from the victim.
Deputies found Nathan Smith asleep inside the residence. He told them that he had been out with his friend the previous night and had gotten home about midnight. He told deputies that Puckett and Constance Smith were arguing, but he went straight to his room and went to sleep.
The friend told deputies that he and Nathan Smith arrived at the residence about 2:30 a.m. At about 5 a.m., Nathan Smith went to the nearby friend’s house and stated that he had gotten into an altercation with Puckett and ” he thought he hurt him pretty bad”, the Sheriff’s Office report states.
The friend said he later received a phone call from a hysterical Constance Smith stating that Puckett was dead and that she thought her son, Nathan Smith, was in trouble. The friend told deputies that Constance Smith said that Puckett had been hit with an ax.
Prayer Bill Praised By Free Speech Advocates
May 21, 2010
A bill aimed at encouraging school prayer is drawing praise from an unlikely pairing of free speech advocates and social conservatives – even as some warn it could make it tougher for school administrators to discipline students.
The legislation (HB 31) grew out of a longstanding dispute in the Panhandle’s Santa Rosa County, where the ACLU got the school district to sign a consent decree restricting prayer and religious activities by students at school events. The measure also bars school officials from preaching or promoting prayers during school functions and organizing school-sponsored religious services.
But several Panhandle lawmakers, angered by the consent decree restrictions, fought back this spring – successfully getting the Legislature to approve the measure prohibiting school officials from infringing on the free speech rights of students or teachers, unless they agree to the limits in writing.
“This bill says that just because you’re a student or work for a school district, it doesn’t mean you check your rights at the door,” Rep. Brad Drake, R-Eucheeanna, sauid Thursday.
The Santa Rosa consent decree remains under attack in court. The Liberty Counsel, a conservative advocacy organization based in Orlando, filed suit this month saying the consent decree makes a “mockery of the First Amendment.”
First Amendment advocates say the legislation — expected to be sent soon to Gov. Charlie Crist — clearly enhances free speech. But they point out that it could also include consequences supporters failed to envision.
Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Association in Washington, D.C., said the legislation may unshackle student newspapers from the usual oversight of school administrators, effectively putting Florida among seven states – none in the Southeast – which have passed laws endorsing free expression for students.
Student papers running frank discussions of sex on campus, drug-use, and other provocative topics usually face few restrictions in the states that have approved such laws, LoMonte said.
“This bill certainly leaves an open question about what the standard in Florida is going to be for student newspapers,” said LoMonte, a former Tallahassee reporter with the Florida Times-Union.
Similarly, because the legislation also safeguards teachers and other school personnel, it may blunt sanctions by school administrators against personnel for speech and dress code, experts said.
“The focus of the bill may have been about freedom of religion,” said Barbara Petersen, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation, an advocacy organization funded by news organizations, including the News Service of Florida. “But it’s very broad and seems to open the door for free speech, whether it be a T-shirt that says `George Bush Sucks’, a Confederate flag, or students wearing head scarves to school.”
But Rep. Greg Evers, R-Baker, a sponsor of the legislation, disagreed, saying the measure would have “no impact on school discipline or long-standing rules.”
“What cannot happen under this law is a teacher cannot stop a student from bowing his or her head in quiet, silent prayer before the FCAT (test) begins, as long as it does not obstruct the health, safety and welfare of the other members of the class,” Evers said.
He added, “Similarly, no child can stand up and start saying the pledge loudly during the FCAT because, again, the health, safety and the welfare restrictions established by years of First Amendment case law still apply.”
by John Kennedy, The News Service Florida
Cantonment Man Accused Of Bringing Loaded Gun Into Atlanta Courthouse
May 21, 2010
A Cantonment man has been arrested for trying to bring a loaded handgun into the Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta.
Douglas Fitzgerald, 43, of Cantonment was caught with a .44-caliber Magnum and six hollow point bullets inside a leather bag when he placed them on a scanner at a security checkpoint, according to a statement from Fulton County (Ga.) Sheriff Ted Jackson in a statement released Wednesday.
Fitzgerald was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a deadly weapon and carrying a pistol without a license, the sheriff said. He was released from jail on $8,000 bond.
Officials say Fitzgerald originally denied bringing the weapon into the courthouse, but later said he forgot that it was inside his bag.
Photos courtesy Fulton County (Ga.) Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Today Is Last Chance To Register To Vote In Alabama Primary
May 21, 2010
Today is the final day for residents of Escambia County, Ala., to register to vote in the June 1 primary election.
Residents can register at the Board of Registrars office in the Escambia County Courthouse in Brewton or the Board of Registrars office in the Escambia County Courthouse Annex in Atmore. Voter applications are also available at the Department of Public Health, the Department of Human Resources and Alabama Driver’s License Examiners locations.
In order to vote, legal residents of Escambia County, Ala.:
- Must be 18 years of age by the day of the election and a U.S. citizen.
- Must live at the address provided on the application.
- Must not be barred from voting by reason of a felony conviction
- Must not have been adjudged “mentally incompetent” in a court of law.
For more information, or to make changes in your name or address of record, contact the Board of Registrars at (251) 867-0243.
Tate Multimedia Students Appear On TV , Collect $1,000
May 21, 2010
Three students from Tate High School’s Multimedia Academy appeared on WEAR TV’s “Dayside” show Friday morning. The students were recognized for producing the winning video for the annual WEAR Lewis Bear “Don’t Drink and Drive” video contest.
Senior Denise Rivers, sophomore Breanna Harrison and freshman Amy Sapp appeared on the program to accept a $1,000 check from Lewis Bear for the Multimedia Academy at Tate.
The “Live Responsibly” video produced by the three Tate students placed first in the competition. The winning video aired on Channel 3 during prom season.
Pictured above: Tate High Multimedia Academy students Breanna Harrison, Denise Rivers and Amy Sapp. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Isolated Shower Possible Today, Sunny And Hot For Weekend
May 21, 2010
There’s a slight chance of an isolated shower for your Friday, and we are in for a sunny and hot weekend.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Today: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming north northwest around 5 mph.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. West southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.
- Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 88.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a high near 89.
Spring Football Tonight: Northview Hosts West Florida; Tate Hosts Washington
May 21, 2010
Both Northview and Tate high schools will be in action with spring football tonight.
The Chiefs will play West Florida Tech at 7:00 in Bratt, and the Aggies will take on Washington High at 6:30 at Pete Gindl Stadium in Cantonment.
Last year, the Chiefs were 7-3 during their first season under first-year Head Coach Sid Wheatley. In 2008, Northview’s record stood at 2-8. The Chiefs have a young team this year, with 20 seniors from last year’s team graduating.
The Tate Aggies were 8-3 last year. The Aggies have also lost a lot of experience, with 28 seniors graduating.