Cantonment’s Gee Willies Closes
October 2, 2012
A popular Cantonment convenience store is now closed. Gee Willies at 710 North Highway 29 shut down Saturday night.
Employees said they were informed of the closure last Wednesday. The store’s owner, the Janmarene Corp. of Cantonment, has not offered a public explanation for the closure, but the sign outside the store was updated Tuesday to state the store is closed for a remodel.
In additional to fuel and a full service convenience store, Gee Willies also operated a restaurant with home cooked meals, pizza, burgers, chicken and more. The store had been open for about four and a half years.
Pictured: Gee Willies convenience store in Cantonment is now closed. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Week Five: Prep Football Standings
October 2, 2012
The first district games in 1A will be played this Friday night, while district games will continue in 5A and 6 A.
In 1A, the Northview Chiefs and the Jay Royals will meet in Bratt, while Freeport will be at at Baker. In a four-team district, wins are important for teams to move forward in the post season.
In 6A, Pace and Pensacola high schools have emerged as early district leaders. West Florida and Gulf Breeze, who will face off this Friday night, are the early leaders in Class 5A.
Here’s a look at last week’s results and this Friday night’s schedule:
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Amendment 3: Fight Over How Tightly To Cap Taxes
October 2, 2012
An amendment before Florida voters on the November ballot would tighten the state’s rarely-used revenue cap, potentially giving it more teeth – something supporters say will restrain reckless spending but opponents say would gut vital services.
Under Amendment 3, the amount of revenue the state would be allowed to collect and spend would no longer be tied to the growth in the economy — a cap that the state has never bumped into. Instead, it would follow a formula combining inflation and population growth.
For supporters, the proposal will help avoid the wild swings that Florida’s budget has taken over the last decade, smoothing out spending and providing a more robust savings account for when the state falls on more difficult economic times.
“Voting yes on Amendment 3 will send a message to our state leaders that the size of Florida’s government shouldn’t grow faster than the taxpayers’ capacity to pay for it,” said Edie Ousley, a spokeswoman for the Florida Chamber of Commerce, in an email.
But opponents say the amendment would force the Legislature to slavishly follow a rigid formula instead of adjusting spending as necessary. And they say it would handcuff lawmakers from addressing the state’s loophole-ridden tax code in a way that might bring in additional money for schools and infrastructure.
“We do not need to reduce our future to a mathematical formula,” said Charles Misted, associate state director for the AARP.
The force behind Amendment 3, approved by the Legislature in 2011, was Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island. At the time, Haridopolos was gearing up to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, though Haridopolos eventually abandoned his bid.
But as he leaves office because of term limits, Haridopolos said his proposal will help future legislative leaders avoid the headaches he and others had to deal with after years of spending inflated by an economic boom gave way to deep cuts triggered by an economic bust.
“What we’re trying to do with this amendment is just provide common-sense consistency,” he said.
Haridopolos also noted that some of the support for those opposing Amendment 3 comes from out-of-state groups.
Opponents, though, sense an effort to protect special interest tax breaks and constrict funding for public services under the guise of lowering taxes and responsible government.
“I know a wolf when I see one,” thundered Richard Dunn, senior pastor at Faith Community Baptist Church in Miami and a former Miami-Dade commissioner, during a rally Monday on the steps of the old Capitol. “This Amendment 3 is a wolf. And it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
Critics say government costs often grow faster than inflation, artificially keeping the new limits too low. They’ve taken to citing a study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities — a left-leaning think tank based in Washington, D.C. – saying the proposal would slash $11 billion from state spending by 2021, including more than $2 billion in the final year.
That contrasts sharply with estimates from legislative staff, which said in a 2011 analysis that the state would stay well below the cap until at least the 2019-20 fiscal year.
Rich Temple of the AFL-CIO, one of the groups fighting the proposal, mocked supporters’ argument that the amendment would provide certainty to businesses.
“It certainly guarantees that Florida will continue to remain at the bottom in all of the key indicators of a healthy society forever,” he said.
Exhibit A for opponents of the proposal is Colorado. Voters there approved a similar measure in 1992, but eventually suspended the measure because of an effect known as “ratcheting,” which limited lawmakers’ ability to use the revenues from an economic recovery to offset earlier reductions.
Jeanette Baust, a Denver sociologist, said Florida would follow the same path if it accepted the “snake oil” that was sold to Colorado voters.
“History will repeat itself if you do the same thing Colorado did and pass this amendment,” she said.
Haridopolos said that’s not true. He said Colorado ran into some of its problems because of spending requirements in Colorado in areas like education. And the Florida amendments provide safeguards, he said, that would allow a two-thirds majority in the Legislature to spend more money than the cap would allow if there’s an urgent need to do.
“We learned from the Colorado success,” he said, “and some of their difficulties.”
By Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
New Fees For Escambia County Animal Services
October 2, 2012
Monday, Escambia County animal service fees changed, including the cost of animal control service fees, redemption of impounded animals, adoption fees and animal license tags.
Escambia County said the changes will help support administrative costs, cover state mandated rabies investigations and sustain the county’s low cost spay and neuter program. Fees for adoption of older and less-adoptable animals will be decreased in an attempt to lower euthanasia rates.
To help increase the number of reunited pets to owners in our community, the Escambia County Animal Shelter is now microchipping. This service will be mandatory for adopted and redeemed animals and optional for low cost spay and neuter clients.
For more information, please contact the Escambia County Animal Shelter at (850) 595-3075.
A listing of the new fee schedule is below:
Adoption Fees (includes micro-chip, administrative fee, other veterinary care and altering, as necessary):
- Fees
- Cats, under three years of age – $40
- Cats, over three years of age – $20
- Dogs, under three years of age – $80
- Dog, over three years of age – $40
- Vaccine & Dewormers (must be done at time of adoption)
- Cat -Vaccine – $5
- Cat- De-wormer – $5
- Dog – Bordatella Vaccine – $5
- Dog – Parvo/Distemper (DA2PP) Vaccine – $5
- Dog – De-wormer – $5
- Adoption Services
- o Heartworm test – $10
- o Feline Leukemia test – $10
- o Cardboard Carrier – $5
Reduced prices or “specials” will be available on select animals at various times during the year. The itemization will be the same depending upon age and type of animal, except that the adoption fee will be reduced by 50%.
- Microchip implantation – $15
- Mandatory for all impoundments, quarantined and dangerous/vicious animals. (Included in adoption fee; optional for those qualifying for low cost spay/neuter services).
- Low Cost Spay/Neuter and Rabies Vaccination Fees (for qualifying individuals)
- Cat spay – $20
- Cat neuter – $10
- Dog spay (under 40lbs) – $25
- Dog spay (over 40lbs) – $30
- Dog neuter – $15
- Rabies vaccine – $15
Animal Tags:
- Altered Animal – $11.00 – Senior Citizen (≥60 years of age) – $7.00
- Unaltered Animal – $30.00 – Senior Citizen – $12.00
- Duplicate – $6.00
- Juvenile animal (<‹6 months of age) – $12.00
- Service animal – $0.00
- Dangerous/Vicious Dog Registration (annual renewal) – $200.00
Redemption of Impounded Animals
- Microchip implantation (mandatory for all redeemed animals) – $15
- Licensed Animals:
- 1st offense – $15
- 2nd offense – $25
- 3rd offense – $35 plus mandatory spay/neuter
- Unlicensed Animals
- 1st offense – $35
- 2nd offense – $60
- 3rd offense – $85 plus mandatory spay/neuter and court appearance
Service fees
- Pick-up of owner’s animal or carcass
- Per call (includes up to three animals per call) – $3
- Each additional animal per call – $10
- Animal brought to shelter for Euthanasia – $25
- Animal brought to shelter for disposal of carcass – $10
- Chemical immobilization (darting or similar by Animal Control) – $50
- Boarding fees – Routine
- Cat – $7
- Dog – $10
- Cat – $10
- Dog – $15
Civil Infraction Penalties
- In addition to each civil penalty, there is a $5 per penalty surcharge imposed, pursuant to Ordinance 91.9
- 1st offense, per infraction – $25
- Maximum per citation – $75
- 2nd offense, per infraction – $75
- Maximum, per citation – $225
- 3rd offense, per infraction – $150
- Maximum, per citation – $400
Failure to Alter Adopted Animal
- 1st offense – $50
- 2nd offense – $100
- 3rd offense – $200
Interference with Animal Control Officer
- 1st offense – $50
- 2nd offense – $100
- 3rd offense – $200
Poisoning of Animal
- 1st offense – $150
- 2nd offense – $300
- 3rd offense – $500
Concealment of Animals, Scientific Experimentation and Related Acts
- 1st offense – $150
- 2nd offense – $300
- 3rd offense – $500
Cruelty/Neglect (per household)
- 1st offense – $150
- 2nd offense – $300
- 3rd offense – Mandatory court appearance for criminal charges and animal impounded by Animal Control
Designated Dangerous/Vicious Animal
- 1st offense – $250
- 2nd offense – Animal impounded by Animal Control
Frequently Incarcerated Century Man Arrested Again
October 2, 2012
A Century man with a lengthy arrest history was taken into custody again on new charges.
Ronald Berlan Newton, 51, was charged with trespassing and released from the Escambia County Jail on a $2,000 bond.
A female victim told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that Newton had been following her, showing up at her work and at her house. When Newton arrived at her residence at the Camellia Garden Apartments on Freedom Road in Century, the victim called deputies.
Newton had previously been warned by law enforcement not to trespass on the property, according to an arrest report.
Newton was arrested on September 9 and charged with aggravated assault before being released from jail on a $25,000 bond.
He allegedly threatened his 41-year old brother with a steak knife after the brother asked him to turn down his stereo inside their mother’s home on North Century Boulevard. As the brother was speaking with an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy, an irate Newton advanced toward the brother with the knife. The Sheriff’s deputy was forced to stand between the two before taking Newton into custody, according to an arrest report.
Newton was released from state prison in April 2012 after completing a 22 month sentence for stalking after being arrested more than a dozen times in a year. Newton was first found incompetent and remanded into the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families for evaluation, but was later found competent to stand trial.
His arrests since 2007, according to court records, included a long list of charges that were dropped or dismissed included aggravated assault, criminal mischief, battery, lewd and lascivious behavior victim under 18, indecent exposure, disorderly conduct and contempt of court.
Two More Human West Nile Cases Confirmed In Escambia County
October 2, 2012
Two more human cases of the West Nile virus have been confirmed in Escambia County, bringing the total number this year to 12 and one death. The Escambia County Health Department said the risk remains high for additional human infections from mosquito bites.
A mosquito-borne illness alert continues in effect for Escambia County.
“Nationally, the number of new West Nile virus diagnoses is decreasing. With the approach of cooler fall weather, we expect less mosquito activity in our area and anticipate diagnosing fewer new cases of West Nile Virus in Escambia County, ” said Dr. John Lanza, director of the Escambia County Health Department. “However, residents should continue to take precautions against mosquito bites until the alert is lifted for the county.”
Mosquitoes infected with WNV can bite and infect humans; about one in 150 people infected with WNV will develop serious illness. Symptoms of infection can range from mild to severe including development of diseases such as meningitis or encephalitis. People with weakened immune systems and individuals over 50 may be at higher risk of the most severe form of the infection.
Three human cases have now been reported in Santa Rosa, and one person has died from the virus in Okaloosa County.
JV Football: Escambia Academy Cougars Over Northview Chiefs
October 2, 2012
In junior varsity football, the Escambia Academy Cougars defeated the Northview Chiefs Monday night 24-12 in Canoe, Ala.
Northview sophomore Keondre Lette scored a couple of touchdowns for the JV Chiefs. Both two point conversions by Northview’s JV fell short.
The JV Northview Chiefs will host the West Florida Jaguars on Thursday, Octoboer 11 at 6 p.m. in Bratt.
Submitted photo by Wayne Holland for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
‘Toughest In The Nation’ Child Abuse Reporting Law In Effect In Florida
October 2, 2012
A Florida law that some call the toughest in the nation for reporting child abuse went into effect Monday, a result of the horrific scandal that rocked Penn State University and college football last year.
The Protection of Vulnerable Persons law ups the ante on the state’s previous reporting obligation, requiring anyone who suspects that a child has been abused to report those suspicions to the Florida Abuse Hotline; the reporting requirement formerly applied only when the alleged abuser was the parent or caregiver.
The law also increases the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony for failing to report, with financial penalties increasing as well.
“This law will help ensure all allegations of a child being harmed are immediately investigated by the appropriate agency,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins. “Reporting child abuse is our moral and legal obligation.”
The measure, passed by lawmakers earlier this year, followed the abuse scandal at Penn State involving football coach Jerry Sandusky, convicted earlier this year on multiple charges of child molesting.
Under the new Florida law, DCF will investigate any charges that a child was abused or neglected by a caregiver, while allegations of child abuse by someone other than a caregiver will be accepted at the Hotline and electronically transferred to the appropriate local law enforcement agency.
The law also imposes $1 million fines on colleges and universities whose staffers witness child abuse on campus and fail to notify the authorities, another provision inspired by the Pennsylvania scandal.
The new law also includes better training for teachers on recognizing the signs of abuse, better tracking of abuse reports at public institutions of higher learning, and financial relocation assistance for victims.
Last year DCF’s child protective investigators scrutinized more than 184,000 cases of alleged abuse and neglect involving about 300,000 children.
By The News Service of Florida
Arrest Made After Stabbing At Century Bar
October 1, 2012
A Flomaton man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing Sunday night inside a Century bar.
The stabbing happened about 9:18 p.m. at Odom’s Bar on North Century Boulevard at the Alabama state line. The black male victim was reportedly stabbed in the back at least two times. He was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital in serious condition. His name has not been released.
The suspect, identified as 44-year old Johnnie Brittingham, fled the area in a vehicle driven by another white male. As deputies were continuing their investigation, Brittingham returned to the bar to retrieve his vehicle. Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Brittingham continued to a residence in Alabama about 300 yards from the bar.
The Flomaton Police Department and the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office responded to assist. Brittingham was taken into custody by Alabama authorities on an outstanding failure to appear warrant from an Escambia County, Ala., trespassing case.
Brittingham is being held without bond in the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton. He will be extradited to Florida to face charges related to the stabbing.
Witnesses said Brittingham and the victim were in an altercation earlier in the evening.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies were on the scene of the stabbing seconds after it was reported; deputies were nearby on the perimeter of a manhunt following the armed robbery of a convenience store about a block away. There was no indication that the two crimes were related. Read more about the robbery by clicking here.
Pictured: One person was stabbed inside this Century bar Sunday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Convenience Store Robbed At Gunpoint
October 1, 2012
A North Century Boulevard convenience store was robbed at gunpoint Sunday night.
The armed bandit entered the Southern Pit Stop just south of the Alabama state line in Century at 8:39 p.m. The store clerk told deputies that the robber displayed a handgun during the holdup. He fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one inside the store was injured.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived at the robbery scene within two minutes of the robbery report and established a perimeter around the store.
A K-9 team from Century Correctional Institution located a track on the suspect that ended nearby on North Century Boulevard. Authorities were not sure if the suspect got into a vehicle or if heavy rain showers at the time destroyed the track.
The suspect was described as a black male about six feet to six and one-half feet tall with a muscular build. The clerk told deputies that the suspect was wearing dark clothing and a pair of jean shorts with some sort of neon green embroidery on the pockets. He was wearing a mask or some other covering over his face.
The same store was robbed at gunpoint in similar fashion back on April 2, 2012. There have been no arrests in that robbery.
Anyone with information on the holdup is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: An armed robbery Sunday night at this Century convenience station is under investigation. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
