Lawmaker Proposes Ban On Vehicle Tracking
September 23, 2013
Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, wants to make it illegal to put tracking devices on vehicles without the owners’ consent. Brandes filed a bill last last week that would expand the definition of stalking in Florida law to include the prohibition against installing devices that can record, store and transmit the locations of vehicles.
Violating the prohibition would result in a second degree misdemeanor.
The proposal would also require law enforcement to get search warrants to place tracking devices on people’s vehicles.
Johnny Lewellen Gilmore
September 23, 2013
Mr. Johnny Lewellen Gilmore, 78, passed away on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, in Pensacola.
Mr. Gilmore was a native of McDavid, a former resident of Flomaton, and had resided in Brewton for the past seven years. He was in the Brewton Golf Club.
He is survived by his three sons, Johnny Gilmore of Brewton, Royce Gilmore of San Diego, and Jeremy Gilmore of Brewton; one daughter, Lisa Cistillo of Tucson, AR; one sister, Martez Dortch of Bratt; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Monday, September 23, 2013, at 2 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Mike Grindle officiating.
Burial will follow at the Godwin Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Monday, September 23, 2013, from oon until funeral time at 2 p.m. at the Petty- Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Four Injured In Van, Semi Trailer Crash
September 22, 2013
Four people were reported to be injured in a Saturday afternoon traffic crash on County Road 97 at Kingsfield Road.
All four were in a Chevrolet van involved in a collision with a semi trailer; some of the injured were juveniles. Their injuries were not believed to be life threatening. Further details, including the names of those involved, have not yet been released by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Cantonment, Beulah, Bellview and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the accident about 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Only Slightly Cooler For The First Day Of Fall
September 22, 2013
A passing cold front that brought rain on Saturday is forecast to clear the area on Sunday, bringing justly slightly cooler temperatures on this first day of fall.
Here is your official North Escambia are forecast:
- Tonight: Isolated showers before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Monday: Isolated showers, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
- Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 85. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tuesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 70. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
- Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.
- Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
- Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
FDLE Pitches ‘Dream Defender’ Rule To Control After-Hours Capitol Access
September 22, 2013
State police plan to limit after-hours access to the Capitol in an effort to avoid a repeat of the month-long occupation of Gov. Rick Scott’s office over the summer by protesters pushing for changes to Florida’s self-defense laws.
Under the proposal by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, members of the public would be expected to leave the Capitol building by 5 p.m. each weekday or within 30 minutes of the end of public meetings. Capitol police could arrest anyone for trespassing who didn’t leave when they were told.
No one could stay overnight or prepare food in publicly accessible parts of the Capitol. There would also be additional restrictions on those who have cards allowing them to access the building and how many people could accompany them.
“The suggested changes are directed at enabling Capitol Police to better secure the Capitol building complex property, safeguard those who work and visit within the Capitol and ensure security services are provided in the most efficient manner,” according to a document outlining the changes.
FDLE released a summary of the proposal to the Tallahassee Democrat after the paper sent in an open-records request. The News Service of Florida requested the document after the Democrat reported on it.
The agency says the full plan is shielded under the state’s open-records law, but it released the outline “in the spirit of honoring the request.” The proposal would still have to be approved by Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. The state fire marshal is also supposed to be consulted.
“At this juncture we have just begun submitting areas of recommended changes to these parties which will be subject to discussions and modifications prior to final decisions being reached in the near future,” the FDLE outline says.
Neither Weatherford nor Gaetz has seen the plan yet, according to their offices. A spokeswoman for Scott referred questions to FDLE.
The plan comes after a group known as the Dream Defenders staged a 31-day sit-in at the Capitol following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The Dream Defenders demanded changes to state laws on self defense, school discipline and racial profiling.
Rep. Alan Williams, a Tallahassee Democrat who worked with the group, said he understood the need to secure the Capitol but didn’t think a “Dream Defender rule” was necessary. Williams said it was also important to make sure Floridians could be heard by state officials.
“I would hope that we ensure that our citizens of the state of Florida continue to have that opportunity before this rule is implemented,” he said.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Century Set To Approve Budget With 50 Percent Increase
September 22, 2013
The Town of Century is set to hold a public hearing Monday afternoon before adopting a budget up about 50 percent over last year and setting the tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year.
The proposed 2013-2014 budget is$4,384,791, up about $1.6 million over the last fiscal year. The operating budget increase is due to grant income and associated expenditures of $1,595,000 — including a $650,000 housing grant and a $944,000 drainage project grant for North Century Boulevard.
There will be no net increase in ad valorem taxes this year to meet the budget for fiscal year 2013-2014, which begins October 1. The recomputed millage rate of .9006 is equal to and does not exceed the rolled-back rate.
The budget hearing will be held at 5:01 p.m. in the council chambers. The council will also hold a workshop beginning at 3 p.m. Monday to hear presentations from competing insurance companies for liability and worker’s compensation cover coverage.
To view a summary of the budget in pdf format, click here or the image below.
Manna Food Pantries Celebrates 30th Birthday In A Big Way
September 22, 2013
Manna Food Pantries held their 30th Birthday Bash on Saturday.
The event raised over $33,000 for Manna, enough money to feed 6,400 more members of the local community from just a one-day event. The Birthday Bash included a barbecue, gourmet cake contest and two auctions.
Winners in the Gourmet Birthday Cake Contest were: first place Angel Cakes, second place Betty Weber, third place Cupcake Emporium, and the People’s Choice winner was Angel Cakes.
Pictured: Manna Food Pantries 30th Birthday Bash was held on Saturday. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Investigators Seek Persons Of Interest In Vehicle Burglaries
September 22, 2013
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is seeking to identify two persons of interest in multiple vehicle burglaries throughout the county. Anyone with information about the persons pictured is asked to contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Cantonment MinuteClinic Now Affiliated With Baptist
September 22, 2013
The Cantonment MinuteClinic, located inside the CVS at Highway 29 and East Kingsfield Road, is among four in the area that have entered into a clinical affiliation with Baptist Health Care.
Under the agreement, Baptist Health Care physicians will serve as medical directors for four MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics that are open seven days a week inside CVS stores in Cantonment, Crestview, Gulf Breeze and Niceville and any future locations in the region. In addition, MinuteClinic and Baptist will collaborate on patient education and disease management initiatives and will inform patients of the services each offer.
MinuteClinic medical clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners who provide treatment for acute illnesses and administer wellness and prevention services, including health condition monitoring.
Looking Ahead: Next Friday’s Football Schedule
September 22, 2013
Here’s a look at the Friday night football schedule for this Friday night, September 27:
FLORIDA
- Choctawhatchee at Northview, 7 p.m.
- Pine Forest at Tate, 7:30 p.m.
- Jay at Flomaton, 7 p.m.
- West Florida at Alma Bryant (Ala.), 7 p.m.
- Pace at Madison County, 6:30 p.m.
- *Bay at Gulf Breeze, 7 p.m.
- PHS at New Orleans Jesuit, 7 p.m.
- *Rutherford at Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
- Navarre at Milton, 7:30 p.m.
- OPEN: Escambia, Washington
ALABAMA
- Jay at Flomaton
- Clarke County at T.R. Miller
- W.S. Neal at Hillcreast
- Escambia County (Atmore) at Faith Academy
- Morgan at Escambia Academy