County Plans To Withhold Library Funding From City To Benefit Rural Branches
October 9, 2012
Escambia County has a new plan to ensure that the West Florida Library branches in the county — including Century and Molino — are open the same number of hours as those in the city of Pensacola.
Escambia County provides about 70 percent of the funding for the library system, while the Pensacola acts as library administrator. With the passage of a fiscal year 2012-2013 budget, Escambia County cut their library contribution by 5-percent or $165,000 from the previous year.
The West Florida Library responded by cutting operational hours by one-third, reducing part-time employees by 30 percent, subscriptions by 15 percent and book purchases by 85 percent. The new Molino Branch, set to open this fall, will be staffed by personnel from the Century Library, while the Century Library will see hours cut by 40 percent. The library system now hopes to stock the shelves at the Molino Branch with duplicates from within the system and donated items.
Now, County Administrator Randy Oliver says the county will withhold a portion of their funding for the library system in order to hire the city’s library employees to fully staff libraries in the county.
At the next county commission meeting, the purchase order for library funding will be up for a vote. It will give Oliver the authority to reduce the appropriation by the amount necessary to provided staffing to all library branches in the unincorporated areas at the same level as the branch in the city with the greatest operating hours.
“My plan is if the city does not achieve equity in branch hours of operation, the county will hire their library staff part time to fill in the additional hours and deduct the cost from the appropriation,” Oliver said.
In a letter to Pensacola City Manager Bill Reynolds sent at the request of the county commission, Oliver took issue with the Century and Molino branch hours being cut to just three days per week each when they are 20 miles apart. At the same time, the Westside Branch and the Main Library are about a mile apart and both are open six days per week.
“We believe the City, serving as Library Administrator, should take actions that are in the best interest of the library system as a whole. This includes operating branches at times that provide the greatest opportunity to properly serve library patrons,” Oliver wrote in his letter to Reynolds.
Citizens Insurance Reduces Rates For Mobile Home Owners
October 9, 2012
State insurance regulators approved rate reductions of 1.2 percent for mobile homeowners insured by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Following hearing and a due diligence period, the Office of Insurance Regulation approved a slate of mobile home rates that include a 2.6. percent increase for mobile homes that are rented out.
Combined, the rates affect 171,028 policies and will go into effect on policies renewed after January 1. OIR is also expected to approve a slate of commercial rates later this week for property owners insured by Citizens.
Last week, the state-backed insurer approved rate hikes on homeowners policies of 10.8 percent.
By The News Service of Florida
In Hot Pursuit 5K Set For Saturday, October 20
October 9, 2012
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Fifth Annual ‘In Hot Pursuit’ 5K will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday October 20 on Pensacola Beach.
Proceeds from the race will go to support the Florida Sheriff’s Association Youth Ranches, an organization dedicated to the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the production of strong, lawful and productive citizens for our community. There will be a fun beach course (beginning at Casino Beach), great prizes, long sleeved t-shirts, red beans and rice at the finish and medals for the winners.
Registration is $20 for adults and $15 for children. Day of the race registration is $25. Register online at active.com or download a race form at escambiaso.com. Packet Pick-up (and registration) will take place at Running Wild at 3012 E. Cervantes Street on October 18 and 19 from 4-7 p.m.
EWMS Book Fair Open To Public Thursday
October 9, 2012
A Scholastic Book Fair is going on this week at Ernest Ward Middle School, and there will be chance for the public and community to shop Thursday evening.
The book fair will continue through October 12, with students attending during pre-assigned times. The book fair will be open for parents and community members Thursday from 5-8 p.m.
Pictured: Students show the Scholastic Book Fair Monday at Ernest Ward Middle School. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
No Serious Injures In Nine Mile, Pine Forest Crash
October 9, 2012
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle crash just after 10 p.m. Monday near the intersection of Nine Mile Road and Pine Forest Road. Multiple people in a car and Dodge Grand Caravan refused medical treatment following the wreck
The accident was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol. The Bellview Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Escambia County EMS also responded to the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
$2 Million Ensley Sidewalk, Drainage Project Completed
October 9, 2012
Escambia County is marking the completion of a $2 million sidewalk and drainage project on Airway Drive in Ensley.
The mile-long project included sidewalk along both sides of Airway Drive, providing the community with a safe walking route connecting Ensley Elementary School and the John R. Jones Athletic Park.
In addition to the sidewalks, the project also included new drainage structures to help alleviate chronic flooding along Airway Drive.
This project was a collaborative effort between the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Escambia/Santa Rosa Community Traffic Safety Team.
The project was funded with $1.3 million in Local Option Sales Tax funds and a $680,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program.
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the project will be held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in front of Ensley Elementary School, 501 E. Johnson Avenue, in conjunction with Walk Your Child to School Month.
Airway Drive runs south from Nine Mile Road at the John R. Jones Athletic Park to East Johnson Avenue.
Voter Purge Ruling Being Appealed
October 9, 2012
A legal battle about whether Florida can purge possibly ineligible voters from the registration rolls is headed to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta.
Plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit quickly gave notice that they will appeal a U.S. District judge’s ruling that would allow the state to continue its controversial effort to remove non-citizens from the rolls until the November election.
Judge William Zloch rejected arguments that federal law prevents such purges within 90 days of an election. Zloch wrote that Florida Secretary of State Kenneth Detzner “has a compelling interest in ensuring that the voting rights of citizens are not diluted by the casting of votes by non-citizens.”
The plaintiffs, including two individuals, a labor union and other groups, did not provide details in the notice of appeal filed but said they are appealing Zloch’s order.
By The News Service of Florida
NRA Urges Court To Overturn ‘Docs vs Glocks’ Ruling
October 9, 2012
The National Rifle Association is asking the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court ruling that blocked the state from enforcing a law aimed at restricting doctors from questioning patients about guns.
“The Firearm Owners’ Privacy Act is another reasonable regulation of medical practice,” the NRA said in a brief supporting the state’s appeal of the July ruling. “It exhorts doctors to stick to practicing medicine when examining patients, rather than pushing their own political agendas, and it protects patients from doctors who refuse to do so.”
The case has centered, at least in part, on the free-speech rights of doctors.
In a July ruling, U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke wrote that the law “aims to restrict a practitioner’s ability to provide truthful, non-misleading information to a patient.” The controversial measure, which the Legislature passed in 2011, has been dubbed the “docs vs. glocks” law.
A coalition of opponents, including the Florida Pediatric Society, filed the lawsuit in Miami and raised First Amendment issues. In the brief, the NRA disputed that the law targets “truthful, non-misleading” speech about firearms safety. “To the contrary, the act targets discrimination against and harassment of individuals who exercise their fundamental right to keep and bear arms, while leaving physicians free to exercise their good faith judgment in discussing firearms safety with patients.”
By The News Service of Florida
Taxi Robber Gets 15 Years
October 9, 2012
An Escambia County man has been sentenced to 15 years in state prison for robbing a taxi driver.
Tyree Desmond Lindsey was sentenced Monday by Judge Terry Terrell to 15 years in state prison for his August conviction of robbery of a taxi driver.
On January 14, 2012, Yellow Cab driver Robert Herbst drove the defendant to the area of Pinestead Road. Before exiting the taxi, Lindsey demanded money from Herbst. A second individual who had been waiting in the area pulled a gun on Herbst. According to prosecutors, Herbst handed a bag of money to Lindsey and then the two robbers fled on foot to a nearby home.
After deputies arrived on the scene, a K-9 tracked the suspects to a nearby home. While searching the home, deputies found Lindsey hiding in a bedroom along with the money and the gun from the robbery.
Lindsey was also sentenced to a 15-year concurrent sentence for three counts of sale of cocaine stemming from Operation Anything for a Buck”.
Escaped Inmate Caught Quickly
October 8, 2012
An Escambia County man’s freedom was short-lived after he escaped from the Escambia County Jail Sunday afternoon.
Patrick Deboard, 33, was an inmate worker inside the jail. Deputies said he was able to get out of the jail’s kitchen area after stealing a set of keys. He then fled the area on foot, shedding his orange jumpsuit and white rubber boots along the way.
After an intense search, deputies caught Deboard near Highway 29 and Brent Lane. He was returned to jail with an escape charge added to his previous charges of burglary, theft, criminal mischief and dealing in stolen property.