Stamp Prices Increase
January 27, 2013
The price of mailing a letter or a postcard went up one penny Sunday.
A first class letter stamp increased to 46 cents, while postcard stamps increased to 33 cents.
The new 46-cent Forever stamps will allow customers to mail letters to any location in the United States. Forever stamps are always good for mailing a one-ounce letter anytime in the future regardless of price changes.
A new first class Mail Global Forever Stamp introduced Sunday will allow customers to mail letters anywhere in the world for one set price of $1.10.
New pricing also begins for Priority Mail flat services as follows:
- Small box — $5.80
- Medium box — $12.35
- Large box — $16.85
- Large APO/FPO box — $14.85
- Regular envelope — $5.60
- Legal envelope — $5.75
- Padded envelope — $5.95
Pictured: First class Forever stamps. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Farm Bill Extension Means Additional Opportunities For Agricultural Assistance
January 27, 2013
The 2008 Farm Bill was recently extended by Congress until September. This extension has allowed the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida to add an additional chance for producers to improve water and air quality, build healthier soil, improve forest lands, conserve energy, enhance organic operations, and achieve other environmental benefits.
“Adding an additional ranking date is going to give more producers time to submit their applications and help them get started with implementing the practices they need to benefit the natural resources on their operations,” said NRCS acting state conservationist Roney Gutierrez.
Interested producers should visit their local NRCS service center now to receive more information on the:
- Organic initiative–helps producers install conservation practices on USDA certified organic operations or those working toward organic certification.
- Seasonal high tunnel initiative–helps producers install high tunnels designed to extend the growing season, increase productivity, keep plants at a steady temperature and conserve water and energy.
- On-farm energy initiative–helps producers conserve energy on their operations.
- Longleaf pine initiative–helps private landowners improve the sustainability and profitability of Longleaf pine forest ecosystems.
They can then apply for conservation technical assistance and possible cost-share funding opportunities. Applications must be filed no later than March 15, 2013, to be eligible for this year’s funding.
Although applications are accepted on a continuous basis, the March 15th date has been set to make fiscal year 2013 funding decisions for these special initiatives. Producers may continue to apply for all funded programs throughout the year.
Additional information on NRCS, conservation assistance, and available programs can be found on this website: www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov or at your local USDA – NRCS office. To find the nearest office go to your telephone directory under “U. S. Government, Department of Agriculture”, or on the web at: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app.
New Football Districts Finalized – Big Changes For Tate, Catholic
January 27, 2013
The Florida High School Athletic Association released final football classifications and districts for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years. The assignments mean a big change for Tate, a big jump for Catholic and the same big dreams of a state championship for Northview.
Tate, Crestview and Niceville slide up to three-school 1-7A, leaving the area’s Big 6 — Escambia, Milton, Pace, Pensacola, Pine Forest and Washington — in Class 1-6A.
A growing Catholic High was facing some serious road trips with a move proposed last month 3A, a district that included only schools in the Jacksonville area. The Crusaders appealed up two classes to 1-5A for a seven school district — Catholic, West Florida, Panama City Arnold, Gulf Breeze, Panama City Bay, Panama City Rutherford and Mosley.
Meanwhile, District 1-1A remains the same for the next couple of years, with the state champion Northview Chiefs, Jay, Baker and Freeport.
District 1-7A
- Tate
- Crestview
- Niceville
District 1-6A
- Escambia
- Milton
- Pace
- Pensacola High
- Pine Forest
- Washington
District 1-5A
- West Florida
- Gulf Breeze
- Pensacola Catholic
- Panama City Arnold
- Panama City Bay
- Panama City Rutherford
District 1-1A
- Northview
- Jay
- Baker
- Freeport
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Students Of The Month Named
January 27, 2013
Students of the month for November have been named in Escambia County. The awards are presented monthly to a limited number of students from participating schools.
(North Escambia area schools are in bold.)
- Bellview Elementary — Aleksander Dennis, second; Kendall Davis, third;
- Beulah Elementary — Callie Crayton, third;Aidan Pittman, KG;
- Blue Angels Elementary — Julian Castro, third; Margo Mason, third;
- Bratt Elementary — Berklee Hall, first
- Brentwood Elementary — Zoe Alford, first Terry Lyons, first;
- Cook Elementary — Amanda Mills, fourth;
- Cordova Park Elementary — Alexi Malone, third; Wassim Khabou, third;
- Ensley Elementary — Delarius Henderson, fifth;
- Ferry Pass Elementary — Ge]Shun Brothers, third; Avery Vargason, third;
- Hellen Caro Elementary — Asia Casey, fifth;
- Holm Elementary — Bailey Robinson, first Zariah Small, first;
- Jim Allen Elementary — Jillian Whetzel, third; Gracey Spencer, third
- Lincoln Park Elementary — Nilajah Lopez, first;
- Lipscomb Elementary — Hanh]Nhan Tran, fifth; Kendall Blackmon, fourth;
- Longleaf Elementary — Cheyenne Boyett, second; Shykureia White, second;
- McArthur Elementary — Alexis Peterson, third; Oliver Alvarez, third;
- Molino Park Elementary — Gyanna Edmonson, third; Annastasia Mcpherson, third
- Montclair Elementary — Tierra Dailey, fourth; Thomas Jenkins, fourth;
- Myrtle Grove Elementary — Shane Jackson, second; Autumn Sawyer, second;
- Navy Point Elementary — Cody Casalina, fifth; Julie Tran, fourth;
- Pleasant Grove Elementary — Aidan Corzine, second; Jenna Conaway, second;
- Scenic Heights Elementary — Savannah Holzknecht, second; Jeremiah Fortune, second;
- Semmes Elementary — Brianna Olige, fourth; Gregory Bullard, fourth;
- Sherwood Elementary — Holli Estares, fourth; Janelle Willis, fourth;
- Suter Elementary — Brianna Luecht, third; Tanner Creech, third;
- Weis Elementary — Seydou Hanne, fourth; Sarah Feliccia, fourth; Seydou Hanne, fourth; Sarah Feliccia, fourth;
- West Pensacola Elementary — Skidazia Bonner, second; Adam Fleshner, second.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
- Bailey Middle — Phillip Washburn, sixth; Trinity Vorachack, seventh; Nathania Torres, eighth;
- Bellview Middle — Rya Dukes, eighth; Elayza Agabin, seventh;
- Brown Barge Middle — Justin Liu, sixth London Taliaferro, eighth;
- Ernest Ward Middle — Rebecca Diamond, sixth; Triston Long, seventh Dakota Tipton, eighth;
- Ferry Pass Middle — Minh Tran, eighth; Katelyn Smith, eighth;
- Ransom Middle — Rebekah Dwyer, sixth; Hunter Riggan, sixth;
- Warrington Middle — Ka’niyah Mcallister, sixth; Za’nya Stallworth, sixth;
- Woodham Middle — Alendrea Dantzler, eighth; Tony Smith, eighth; Ansley Denty, sixth; Charles Warren, sixth.
HIGH SCHOOLS
- Northview High — Moriah McGahan, 9th; Ureil Codrington, 9th;
- Pine Forest High — Reanna Micari, 11th;
- Tate High — Jardae Ward, 12th; Jacob Howard, 10th;
- West Florida High — Jaylen Smith, 12th; Jaleese Cope, 12th;
- Escambia Westgate — Aishan Byrd, second; Davis Dukes, third; Helena James, seventh; Miracle Taylor, sixth; Leah Ciampini, 12th; Jennifer Henderson, 10th.
SPECIAL CENTERS
- Beulah Academy — Taylor Winans, seventh; Katelyn Mines, eighth;
- George Stone Vocational — Kristen Walsh, third;
- PATS Center — Gage Montgomery, fourth; Jordan Hay, fifth; Julie Hawkins, seventh; Mitchell Roberts, eighth.
Florida Dems Elect New Chair, Sets Sights On Defeating Rick Scott
January 27, 2013
Taking aim at the 2014 gubernatorial race, party leaders Saturday chose Allison Tant, a major fund-raiser for President Obama, as chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party.
Tant will succeed Chairman Rod Smith, who did not seek another term after leading the party through a 2012 election cycle that included Obama’s win in Florida, the re-election of Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and gains in the legislative and congressional delegations.
“I have seen firsthand through my travels that Florida Democrats are energized by the gains of this last election cycle and poised to do what has eluded our party for over a decade: elect a Democratic governor,” Tant said Saturday in a prepared statement. “I look forward to working together with our tremendous grassroots volunteers to defeat (Republican Gov.) Rick Scott and elect Democrats up-and-down the ticket.”
Tant won the chairmanship by a vote of 587 to 448 over Tampa activist Alan Clendenin, who will serve as party vice-chairman, according to the Orlando Sentinel. The vote came during a meeting of the Democratic Party State Executive Committee in Lake Mary.
Clendenin focused his campaign on grass-roots support, saying he had ties to constituencies such as labor, Hispanic Democrats, black Democrats and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Floridians. He described himself last month as “the bridge guy.”
But Tant, the chairwoman of the Leon County Democratic Executive Committee, enjoyed the backing of influential party figures such as Nelson and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee.
Tant raised more than $330,000 for Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign and also raised money for congressional, legislative and local candidates, according to information on her website. That fund-raising experience could be particularly important as Democrats try to unseat Scott next year and win a gubernatorial election for the first time since 1994.
Republican candidates typically enjoy a huge financial edge over Democrats. As an indication, the state Republican Party raised about $28.2 million in 2012, while the Democratic Party collected about $11.2 million. Also, a Scott-linked political committee has already brought in more than $5 million to prepare for the 2014 race.
In a statement Saturday, Smith cited “historic gains” during the 2012 election and also pointed to the party’s focus on beating Scott next year.
“I know I’m leaving a stronger organization,” said Smith, a former state senator from Alachua County. “It’s time for Democrats to come together and focus on our number one priority: defeating Rick Scott.”
By The News Service of Florida
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Scott Back To School, Gives Back His Dog
January 27, 2013
(A recap and analysis of the week in state government)
A key piece of Gov. Rick Scott’s agenda fell into place this week, as lawmakers returned to the Capitol for a shortened week of committee work. With Monday marking the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Legislature didn’t start its final working week of January until Tuesday.
But they had plenty to talk about, from what will become one of the more attention-grabbing parts of Scott’s 2013 legislative agenda to what to do about landmark insurance legislation. And ethics reform and a new set of changes to pensions for state employees were also on deck. Meanwhile, there was also an ongoing series of questions from a newspaper about a dog that used to live at the Governor’s Mansion, but now doesn’t.
BIGGER CHECKS FOR TEACHERS?
Throwing a bone to some of his most vocal critics, and hoping to fetch some good headlines at the same time, Scott spent most of the week promoting a plan to give every full-time public school teacher a $2,500 raise. Scott didn’t mark exactly how the state would pay for the $480 million item.
“I believe in merit pay, I believe in measurement I believe in accountability,” Scott told reporters Wednesday. “We’re going to continue to work on that, but right now the right thing to do is across the board pay raises for all of our full time teachers.”
The Florida Education Association, the largest teachers union in the state, didn’t sniff at the proposal, but also didn’t exactly wag their tails. FEA said it was “encouraged” while snarling about recent moves to require teachers and state employees to contribute 3 percent to their own retirement.
“But this is a step in the right direction because investing in public schools and the people who work in them is the way to create the workforce of the future,” FEA President Andy Ford said in a statement issued following the announcement. “This begins to repair the damage that has been done to our students and those who work in our schools.”
Republican lawmakers sent signals that they might not simply roll over for the proposal, with some voicing concern about the cost and that an across-the-board increase could undermine the progress toward paying teachers based on student performance.
“Everybody believes we need to find a way to continue to fund our teachers and give them more resources,” said House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel. “I do believe that the Florida House has a pretty strong opinion with regard to how to fund it and certainly we believe merit pay is an area that we should be looking at very closely.”
Democrats said Scott was just looking to score political points.
“It’s almost an affront to their intelligence,” said Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach. “Waving dollars after a clear anti-public education agenda and expecting to them to jump on the Scott bandwagon. Public educators know where he stands.”
DOG BITES MAN
All this discussion of serious policy came against a backdrop of one of the stranger stories of recent months. The Tampa Bay Times a week ago had casually asked someone in the governor’s office what happened to a dog the governor adopted a while back. The dog, Reagan, is no longer living in the Governor’s Mansion, the newspaper was finally told after some initial dodging on the crucial matter. Critics of the governor howled that it was a fine thing to adopt the dog to get some good press and then get rid of it.
But this week the Times reported that Reagan was a great communicator of his displeasure at being adopted by the governor. He barked at people – and finally, the governor’s office acknowledged, he bit someone. Not a grrreat addition to the mansion. So the Scott’s returned the dog and it’s now living on a ranch somewhere. And it’s now called Pluto.
DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
There was another odd item this week. A guy said Satanists would be rallying for Gov. Scott at the Capitol because they like that he supported a bill allowing anyone – including Satanists – to lead prayers at schools. It turns out the man is trying to make a mocumentary – but he and a couple other people showed up at the Capitol Friday wearing funny clothes and had their pictures taken.
EXCHANGES AND ETHICS
While they continued to chew on Scott’s teacher-pay proposal, lawmakers were also busy dealing with weightier issues, from how to deal with the federal health-care law of 2010 — now certain to survive after President Barack Obama’s re-election — to how to keep legislators themselves on their best behavior.
Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, and Jonathan Gruber, an economics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who consulted with the Obama Administration on the federal law, squared off in front of a Senate committee studying whether Florida should set up a health-insurance exchange.
Under the federal health law, each state will have such an exchange to act as a sort of online market where people will be able to shop for insurance coverage. Depending on income levels, many people will be eligible for subsidies to buy insurance through the exchange.
Gruber said the best approach would be for Florida to let the federal government establish the exchange but enter a partnership in which the state could help determine the insurance choices available to residents. He said the state’s role doesn’t have to be “all or nothing.”
“Let the federal government do the heavy lifting, let them do the programming, let them do the incredibly hard work, but don’t abdicate your responsibility to your citizens to make sure they’re getting the best choices and to evaluate the choices that are made, to study that and learn over time,” Gruber said.
Cannon said he thinks the state should refuse to create an exchange. But he said even if lawmakers are interested in running an exchange, they should hold off on making a decision about the issue.
“There’s nothing in here for you but headache,” Cannon said. “But look, if you disagree, then I think the safest thing is to just take a wait-and-see approach. Maybe wait a year, maybe wait two years. Let the federal government operate the exchange.”
Elsewhere, the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee unanimously approved a measure that supporters called the most expansive overhaul in decades of the rules that elected officials have to follow.
The bill (SPB 7006) would limit the jobs elected officials could take with state agencies, give the Ethics Commission more power to collect fines and strengthen conflict-of-interest laws. It would also strengthen rules against the “revolving door” by barring elected officials from taking jobs with any firm that primarily lobbies or from representing anyone before executive agencies.
“You have a guy who’s a presiding officer one year, doing agency budgets and controlling life or death of agencies and what they do and their programs, and the next year he’s lobbying them? You know, one day after he leaves as speaker or president and he’s going to lobby them?” said Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, in a clear swipe at former House Speaker Dean Cannon — who has announced he will do so.
A ‘BLANK CHECK’ OR A MISSING PROBLEM?
The week also brought more fallout from the Florida Supreme Court’s decision upholding the state law requiring employees to pay into their own pensions. Standard & Poors and Moody’s both gave the state a metaphorical pat on the head for the change.
“The budget relief for local governments will be significant at a time when weakened property valuations continue to negatively affect fiscal operations,” a statement from Moody’s said. The majority of local governments report personnel expenses as their largest expense.”
In a move that might have happened even without the decision, the House began a push to place all future state employees into a 401(k)-style retirement plan.
The draft legislation would require all state employees hired after Jan. 1, 2014 to enter a defined-contribution plan instead of the defined-benefit plan that most state workers currently join. Supporters say the plan will make the retirement plan more predictable and takes the state off the hook.
“There will no longer be a blank check written by the taxpayers,” said House Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford.
Critics of the measure say it could cost state taxpayers additional money, beginning with $150 million next year and escalating to $450 million within three years. The state would continue to pay until 2018, they said.
“We are looking at potentially billions of dollars in taxpayer revenue simply to fix a system which we’re still not sure what the problem with that system is,” said Rich Templin of the AFL-CIO.
SUGAR LEASES NOT SO SWEET FOR ENVIRONMENTALISTS
Also this week, Scott and the Cabinet granted 30-year leases to a pair of sugar growers over the objections of environmental groups that urged the panel to approve much shorter terms for the tracts that drain into the Everglades.
By unanimous vote, the panel approved the renewal of leases for Florida Crystals and A. Duda and Sons on separate tracts totaling more than 13,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area. In exchange the companies have agreed to sell parcels that water management district officials say they need now.
Melissa Meeker, executive director of the South Florida Water Management District, told Cabinet members the lease deals were critical to ongoing negotiations between the district and the companies for tracts needed for “shovel ready” projects on parcels adjacent to land the state already owns that impact the Everglades and the Caloosahatchee River.
“You are considering what I consider the critical pieces of two distinct public interest projects,” Meeker said.
But environmentalists say the length of the leases is of particular concern.
“You are the landlord and it is your right and your duty to insist that the tenant maximize their efforts to reduce the impact of the land,” said Audubon of Florida Executive Director Eric Draper. “The lease extensions preclude your ability to insist upon that accountability.”
STORY OF THE WEEK: Gov. Rick Scott proposes a $2,500 pay raise for full-time public school teachers, drawing qualified praise from teachers unions and complaints from some Democrats that the move was targeted at Scott’s 2014 re-election campaign.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I’m sure there are those who would consider this to be a political move. I can’t judge the governor on that but what I can say is that it is good for public education to recognize teachers in this manner.”–Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat and former teacher, principal and school superintendent, on Scott’s proposal.
By The News Service of Florida
One Injured In Crash On Highway 95A
January 26, 2013
One person was injured in single vehicle wreck early this morning near Cantonment.
The accident happened just before 5:30 a.m. on Highway 95A just south of Quintette Road. The driver of a pickup truck ran off the roadway and overturned. One person was transported by ambulance to a Pensacola hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.Further details have not been released.
Pictured: One person was injured in this single vehicle accident on Highway 95A just south of Quintette Road early Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Century Set To Appove Water Rate Hike, Support For Library Tax
January 26, 2013
The Century Town Council is poised to hike water rates and agree to implement a proposed Escambia County property tax as a dedicated funding source for the county’s library system.
The town will hold a public hearing a take a final vote Monday night to approve an overall 10 percent rate hike to be implemented with an immediate 5 percent increase and additional 5 percent increase six months later.
If the ordinance passes, the rate for the first 1,500 gallons of water will increase to $9.45 on February 1 and increase again to $9.90 on August 1. Each additional 1,000 gallons will be $2.27 on February 1 and $2.49 on August 1. Sewer rates will remain the same at $13 for the first 6,000 gallons of water used.
The rate increase would be the first in the Century since 1995. In the past, the town has had difficulty applying for, or receiving the full amount of, federal grants for the water system because Century’s rates were markedly lower than surrounding areas.
The council will also hold a public hearing and take a final vote to approve an ordinance to collect a MSTU within the town to support the county’s libraries. Countywide, the tax will generate an estimated $3.7 million for library operations. The tax is estimated to cost the average Century resident from $1 to $7 on their property tax bill beginning next year.
The water rate increase and library tax public hearings will be held during the Century Town Council’s meeting beginning at 7 p.m. Monday at the town hall.
Pictured top: Century Town Council members Gary Riley, Ann Brooks, Sandra McMurry Jackson and Jacke Johnston. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Teen Motorcylist Dies Hours After Highway 29 Crash
January 26, 2013
A 19-year old motorcyclist passed away a few hours after a traffic crash on Highway 29 Friday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 31-year old Kathleen Eccles of Pensacola was southbound on Highway 29 at Van Pelt Lane in a Kia when she made a left turn into the path of a Honda motorcycle driven by Taylor Austin Weir.
Weir was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital where he passed away at 6:46 p.m. Eccles was not injured.
Charges are pending the outcome of an investigation, the FHP said.
Tate’s Heather Thomason Signs With Alabama Southern
January 26, 2013
Tate High School senior Heather Thomason has signed a softball scholarship with Alabama Southern Community College in Monroeville.
Thomason is a two-year member of the varsity softball team as a pitcher and infielder. She played for the Molino Lady Astros for the past two years. In 2006, she played on the Xtreme Energy team that won the 10U World Series in Panama City, and in 2007 was with the Emerald Coast Comets who finished third in the 12U World Series.
Thomason was a member of the varsity volleyball team for three years and also lettered in cross country.
Pictured: (L-R, seated) bother Tyler Thomason, mother Kim Thomason, Heather Thomason, father Pat Thomason, (standing) Tate Coach Melinda Wyatt and Alabama Southern Community College Coach Elaine Covin. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.