Florida Weekly Government Roundup: Budget And Polls Focus On Jobs
May 29, 2011
If the focus of the 2011 budget was supposed to be jobs, the week that included the signing of the spending plan did seem to include a lot of talk about whether certain people would or could keep their positions.
As Gov. Rick Scott signed a budget that will prompt payroll reductions across state government, but he promised would create private-sector employment opportunities, polls assessed the obstacles the governor faces in convincing Floridians to rehire him in a few years. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama seemed more likely to avoid getting a pink slip, at least from Florida’s voters.
At the same time, the Public Service Commission said goodbye to an involuntarily resigning executive director in the latest shake-up to hit the beleaguered agencies that regulates utilities.
SCOTT SIGNS BUDGET, SLASHES AWAY
Perhaps aware that the Legislature’s budget was even more unpopular than he was — it’s approval rating was only at 24 percent, which made Scott’s 29 percent figure look healthy by comparison — Scott signed the spending plan at the Villages but hacked deeply into the blueprint, slicing everything from suspect college construction projects to $12 million in funding for the National Veteran’s Homeless Support Group.
But first, Scott’s administration set off a kerfluffle about who was allowed to witness him wield the budget ax. Familiar with Scott’s rules about who can and can’t be somewhere, reporters on the scene say the governor’s bodyguards asked deputies to remove audience members with anti-Scott signs from the crowd. Howard Simon, executive director of the ACLU, promptly put out a statement blasting the move.
“While it may be legal to conduct public business at a private, partisan event, it is inconsistent with the spirit of open and transparent government that Floridians deserve,” Simon said.
Scott’s press secretary later denied to a political website that the governor’s men were involved in having the protestors removed, but a reporter from the St. Petersburg Times stood by his account in a blog post.
Once the crowd was organized to Scott’s — or the sheriff’s office’s — liking, the governor proceeded to compliment lawmakers on their hard work putting the budget together before blasting some of their decisions as examples of “short-sided, frivolous, wasteful spending programs” and using his veto pen to rip a record amount of it to shreds.
Scott called for the money to go to schools instead — a message he repeated Friday on his weekly radio address.
“I am confident that all of us can agree that school funding is far more important than spending those dollars on alligator marketing, or boat racing, or anything else that the Tallahassee insiders seem to think is so important,” Scott said.
Lawmakers, who had spent some of their time taking shots at Scott’s education program before trying to shovel some more money into schools, were shocked.
“The Governor communicated numerous priorities during session, and we did our best to accommodate him,” sniped House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park. “It would have been helpful if the Governor had shared this new found emphasis with us before the budget was finalized.”
Meanwhile, state agencies started to outline job cuts as a result of the budget. The Department of Juvenile Justice sliced 1,200 jobs from its payroll — 500 of which are vacant — and the Department of Children and Families said it will shed 500 workers in addition to closing out 280 empty positions.
PSC DIRECTOR OUT
The Public Service Commission will also shave 27 jobs from its workforce, but the most surprising personnel change came at the top, when Executive Director Tim Devlin resigned under pressure for reasons that are known to a few, including PSC Chairman Art Graham, who asked Devlin to step down.
“Out of respect for the executive director, I think that’s a private matter,” Graham said.
Graham did deny an article in The Miami Herald that said Graham had ousted Devlin after talking with Florida Power & Light attorney Ken Hoffman.
Further complicating the issue was Graham’s suggestion that the PSC name General Counsel Curt Kiser as interim executive director, an idea that other commissioners rejected.
They instead decided to divvy up some of the duties previously held by Devlin, a 35-year veteran of the agency who became executive director in January 2010 in the wake of a series of scandals that rocked the commission, between Kiser and Deputy Executive Director Charles Hill.
POLLS: OBAMA UP, SCOTT DOWN, NELSON SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN
The bad news for Rick Scott was that his disapproval rating kept climbing to 57 percent and his approval rating slipped down to 29 percent. The good news is that voters who think they disapprove of him for a given reason might be wrong.
A new poll from Quinnipiac University showed the wrong direction in Scott’s poll numbers, but also showed that only 42 percent of voters were aware that Scott had honored his pledge to not raise taxes in this year’s budget. Still, said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute: “There’s no way to spin these numbers that they’re good for the governor.”
President Barack Obama, whose re-election hopes could hinge on winning Florida, got better news: His approval rating is up seven points, at 51 percent. Fellow Democrat and U. S. Senate Bill Nelson holds a lead of at least 20 points over each of his three main Republican rivals in polling for 2012 — but two-third of voters say they don’t know who they’ll vote for.
The poll of 1,196 registered voters had a 2.8 percentage point margin of error.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Gov. Rick Scott signs a 2011-12 budget plan that now weighs in at around $69 billion at The Villages, slicing $615 million from the spending plan using his line-item veto authority.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Where I’m from, rainwater can be caught with a $2 bucket.” — Gov. Rick Scott on his decision to veto a $250,000 line item funding a plan to collect rainwater at state prisons
By Brandon Larrabee
The News Service of Florida
Birth: Noah Kyle Rabon
May 29, 2011
Justin and Courtney (McCall) Rabon of Longview, Texas, are proud to announce the birth of Noah Kyle Rabon on March 1, 2011, at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, Texas. He weighed seven pounds, 10 ounces and was 20 inches long.
His grandparents are Earnest and Deborah Rabon of Castleberry, Alabama, Sheri McCall of McKenzie, Alabama, and Freddie Jr and Darlene McCall of East Brewton, Alabama.
His great-grandparents are Mayor Freddie and Margie McCall of Century and Bo and Dot Brantley of Flomaton.
Gas Prices Falling, Memorial Day Travel Still Expensive
May 28, 2011
Traveling this Memorial Day weekend was harder on the wallet this year, with gas up about $1 a gallon.
According to the AAA Fuel Gage Report, the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.74, up from $2.71 a year ago. In North Escambia, that gallon of gas was at about $3.69, up from $2.69 last year.
Two years ago, the average price was $2.39 a gallon.
AAA projected 34.9 million Americans would travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, a slight increase of 0.2 percent – or 100,000 travelers – from the 34.8 million people who traveled one year ago. The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, May 26 to Monday, May 30.
Pictured: Regular unleaded gas was at $3.69 per gallon Friday as the Memorial Day weekend travel period moved into full swing. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Century’s Abundant Life Outreach Receives Fox 10 ‘Extra Mile’ Award
May 28, 2011
A Century church was recognized by a Mobile TV station Friday night for their efforts to feed the hungry in Escambia counties in Alabama and Florida. The Abundant Life Outreach, part of the Abundant Life Assembly of God, was presented with the Chris Myers Nissan Extra Mile Award by WALA Fox 10. The award was received on behalf of the ministry by (L-R) Betty Thomas, Scott Thomas and Robin Sutton. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Give The Gift Of Life: Blood Drives Today In Walnut Hill, Molino
May 28, 2011
The Northwest Florida Blood Center will hold three blood drives in the North Escambia area in the near future, including two on Saturday.
There will be a blood drive at the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. this Saturday, May 28.
There will also be a blood drive this Saturday, May 28, from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at Fran’s Country Grill in Molino.
The First Baptist Church of Bratt Student Ministry will sponsor a Community Blood Drive on Sunday, June 5 from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the church. Call the church office in advance at (850) 327-6529 from 8 a.m. until noon daily to schedule a time to donate or just stop by on June 5.
Portion Of Alger Road Remains Closed
May 28, 2011
A portion of Alger Road in Century scheduled to reopen Friday will now remain closed until next week.
Alger Road about 300 feet northwest of North Century Boulevard is closed for a culvert replacement. The road is now scheduled to reopen at 5 p.m next Tuesday afternoon.
Sunny Holiday Weekend
May 28, 2011
Here is your official holiday weekend forecast
- Tonight: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
- Sunday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Southeast wind between 5 and 15 mph.
- Sunday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 67. South wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
- Memorial Day: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. South wind between 5 and 10 mph becoming calm.
- Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 93. East wind between 5 and 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Calm wind becoming east between 5 and 10 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
- Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
- Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
- Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
- Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
Weekend Gardening: Outwit and Outlast Those Troublesome Armadillos
May 28, 2011
Have you ever discovered your once beautiful green lawn looking like the surface of the moon, full of craters? If so, then you may have been visited by an alien-looking creature known as the armadillo.
Armadillos originated in South America. They are mammals. They are neither rodents nor marsupials and are not related to the opossum. Their closest living relative is the anteater and sloth.
The most easily recognized feature of an armadillo is its shell. Their common name, armadillo, is derived from a Spanish term meaning “little armored one”. All armadillos have shells, made of true bone, that cover their backs. Most armadillos also have bony rings or plates that protect their tails.
Digging machines
Armadillos are built to dig. They rely on this ability to escape danger and survive. They prefer sandy or loam soils that are relatively easy to excavate. Therefore, they are well adapted to Northwest Florida soils.
Armadillos typically rest in deep burrows during the day and become more active during the late evening, night, or early morning. These burrows are usually located under brushpiles, stumps, dense brush, or concrete patios, and are about 7 to 8 inches in diameter and can be up to 15 feet long. They often have several burrows throughout their territory.
Food sources
Armadillos feed primarily on insects. They also eat earthworms, scorpions, spiders, snails, and small vertebrates and their eggs. They consume large amounts of armyworms, cockroaches, ants, wasps, flies, beetles, and grasshoppers. They have been known to dig up entire yellow-jacket nests.
Some consider the armadillo a beneficial creature because they eat potential pests. Many consider the armadillo a pest because of their destructive ways. Armadillo can burrow under driveways and patios causing structural damage. Burrows in pastures can pose a potential hazard to livestock. And because armadillos usually search for food by rooting or digging in the ground, they can damage large areas of the lawn or garden.
Control measures
If you find that you cannot live with these creatures, the University of Florida recommends four ways to deal with armadillos.
- reducing the amount of water and fertilizer you apply to your lawn
- creating barriers (e.g., fences),
- live-trapping
- shooting offending individuals (check local ordinances)
The best solution (and the most expensive) is a stout fence to keep the armadillos out. If you take this route, make sure the fence is buried at least 18 inches into the ground, or they might just burrow under it.
Reducing the water and fertilizer applications to your lawn may help reduce armadillo damage. A moist lush landscape is perfect for earthworms and insect larvae. Armadillos love earthworms. Sometimes watering adjacent areas may attract armadillos away from a site.
Trapping can be frustrating and may require some ingenious thinking. Some tried and true trapping techniques are discussed at length in an online University of Florida publication by Dr. Russ Mizell at http://ufinsect.ifas.ufl.edu/armadillo.htm.
Remember that poison baits are illegal and ineffective. No chemical repellents or fumigants are registered for use in Florida.
Armadillos are very happy in Northwest Florida and are here to stay. If they have become unwelcomed house guests, put your thinking cap on and be committed to outwitting and outlasting this prehistoric-looking creature.
For more information, contact Theresa Friday at 850-623-3868 or email tlfriday@ufl.edu. Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Singers In Barnes And Noble Program Today
May 28, 2011
Singers from Molino Park Elementary will be part of special Memorial Day program today at Barnes and Noble in Pensacola.
The Molino Park students, along with local singers/songwriters Sheila Allen and Ginny Cruz will perform “America the Beautiful” and “Stand Up America” during the program.
In conjunction with Pensacola’s celebration of 100 years of Naval Aviation, Barnes & Noble and Reading is Fundamental (RIF) are hosting the Memorial Day celebration to honor past, present and future armed service members.
Hill Goodspeed, a historian from the National Naval Aviation Museum, will speak and sign his books, “One Hundred Years of U.S. Navy Air Power” and “U.S. Naval Aviation.” Other featured speakers are Escambia County School District Superintendent Malcolm Thomas; retired Marine Gunnery Sgt. Gary Cooper; Phyllis Pia of the USO and Joan Platz, USNA Class 81 & the co-president of the US Naval Academy Parents Club. The main program will start at 1:00 p.m. The celebration will also feature a special story time with local Marines at 11:00 a.m.
Other planned events include a performance of Taps, a color guard display by the Young Marines of Pensacola, recognition of veterans during an in-store performance of the armed forces theme songs.
The Barnes and Noble Café will host a coffee drive for service members stationed overseas. A portion of the proceeds from RIF’s sales will be donated back to the group in support of local initiatives to turn children into lifelong readers. RIF is the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit children’s literacy organization.
Barnes and Noble is located at 1200 Airport Boulevard.
FHP Out In Force For Long Holiday Weekend
May 28, 2011
The Florida Highway Patrol will be out in full force during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, which began Friday afternoon and extends through midnight Monday.
“All too often innocent, law-abiding people suffer tragic consequences due to the careless disregard for human life by dangerous drivers,” said FHP Director, Colonel David Brierton. “We are intensifying enforcement during the holiday weekend. No one wants their weekend, much less their life, ruined by a crash.”
Florida’s safety belt law requires all front seat passengers to buckle up. Occupants under the age of 18 must fasten their safety belts regardless of where they sit in a vehicle. Troopers who stop motorists for noncompliance will not issue warnings.
All uniformed FHP personnel, including those normally assigned to administrative duties, will patrol interstates and other major state roads throughout the four-day holiday period. FHP Auxiliary and Reserve troopers will volunteer to augment the Patrol’s forces during the holiday enforcement period, too. The strategy aims to increase the Patrol’s presence throughout Florida in an effort to deter traffic violations and to enhance services to motorists who break down while traveling or who need other assistance.
Drivers can dial *FHP (*347) from their cell phone to contact FHP to report an aggressive driver or to request roadside assistance.
Pictured above: A Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulls out into Highway 29 at Fran’s Diner in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.