Holland Awarded First Tommy Weaver Memorial Scholarship
May 2, 2013
Northview High School Senior Ariel Holland has been awarded the first Tommy Weaver Memorial Scholarship.
She will receive $500 upon enrollment in college. Applicants were required to fill out a brief application and write an essay explaining why the scholarship was important to them and how it would make it possible for them to continue their education.
Holland was awarded the scholarship Tuesday evening during the annual Northview DCT banquet.
The scholarship fund was established in memory of Tommy Weaver, DCT/Ag instructor and assistant coach who passed away in March 2012.
Escambia Office Complex Evacuated After Strange Smell
May 2, 2013
The Escambia County Central Office Complex off Fairfield Drive was evacuated and a hazmat team called Wednesday morning after a strange odor was reported in the building.
The complex, at 3363 West Park Place, was evacuated after a strong odor was reported that was causing scratchy throats and burning eyes. A hazardous materials team from Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to the scene to investigate.
Four people were transported by ambulance to area hospitals as a precaution. A portable decontamination unit was set up at the scene.
The odor was found to have emanated from a laboratory in the building that is used for water quality and chemical testing.
About 150 people work in the building, which will be open for business as usual on Thursday.
Pictured: The Escambia County Central Office Complex during an evacuation and hazmat situation Wednesday afternoon. Photos by Bill Pearson, Escambia County, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
It’s A Deal? Gaetz, Scott See Top Priorities Sewn Up
May 2, 2013
The three highest-profile figures involved in the 2013 legislative session saw their top priorities sewn up Wednesday night in a rapid-fire series of events that left a trail of unanswered legal questions and Democrats crying foul.
As the House waited through a second day of a computer program nicknamed “Mary” reading bills — part of a Democratic procedural protest — the Senate moved late Wednesday afternoon to amend a manufacturing sales tax exemption favored by Gov. Rick Scott onto a bill about economic development incentives (HB 7007).
The exemption would be good for three years, beginning in April 2014.
The bill was not subject to the quasi-filibuster in the House, which quickly approved the measure with a simple majority that raised questions about the legality of the vote.
The Senate vote was 33-4; the House backed the package on a 68-48 vote.
Moments later, Scott signed a campaign-finance bill (HB 569) that was one of the top priorities of House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and ethics legislation (SB 2) championed by Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville.
Scott, who had voiced strong reservations about the campaign finance bill’s provision to raise contribution limits to $3,000 for statewide candidates and $1,000 for other campaigns, did not explain his reasons for signing the bill Wednesday.
But he did issue a statement praising the approval of the sales-tax exemption.
“By removing the tax on manufacturing equipment, Florida businesses will now be able meet their full potential and finally be on a level playing field when competing against other states and countries,” Scott said.
Speaking as the House moved toward passing the tax cut, Rep. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, surmised that a “deal had gone down” by advancing the tax cut and another measure without questions or debate on the House floor.
But both Gaetz and Weatherford sidestepped questions about whether the moves were part of a quid pro quo among the three men.
“The governor never said it was a quid pro quo,” Weatherford said shortly before Scott signed the bills. “He told us it was important to him. I think the word he utilized was ‘goodwill.’ I think both chambers and the governor’s office in the plaza level are looking to build goodwill as we close out session.”
Speaking to reporters on the Senate floor early Wednesday evening, Gaetz also noted that a House-Senate budget negotiating committee had also worked out a final deal on $480 million for teacher pay raises that were Scott’s other top item.
“I hope he’s pleased,” he said. “And we’re certainly pleased that he was willing to work with us to come to an accommodation on two issues that were very important to him. And we look forward to a successful end of the session, and for Speaker Weatherford’s priorities and mine that have been approved by both houses to be signed into law.”
House Minority Leader Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, also hedged on whether a deal had been struck.
“We think that there may have been a meeting with the speaker and the governor, but we don’t know what transpired, so we won’t speculate,” he said.
Asked whether he had met with the governor, Weatherford simply said: “I talk to the governor all the time.”
Meanwhile, some members emerged from the House chambers expressing concerns about the legality of the 96-page omnibus measure that was rushed through the House with less than two-thirds majorities. The Florida Constitution requires a two-thirds vote to approve laws that would reduce local governments’ authority to raise revenue or reduces the percentage of a state tax shared with counties and municipalities. There were also questions about whether a supermajority vote was needed because the bill includes a public records exemption.
The Florida Democratic Party quickly blasted the measure as unconstitutional.
“Today, with blatant disregard for the Florida Constitution, Governor Rick Scott and House Speaker Will Weatherford plotted to put the special interests ahead of the rules governing the Florida Legislature,” said Scott Arceneaux, executive director of the party. “This attempt to circumvent House procedure is a flagrant violation of their constitutional duty as lawmakers and elected officials.”
Weatherford defended the vote, saying counsel opinion backed the move to advance a bill that includes local option taxes and public records exemptions without having to reach a required two-thirds majority.
“We looked into that very closely,” Weatherford said. “We spoke with our attorneys and our staff. We do not believe it needs a two-thirds vote.”
But Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, said he expects the bill will be challenged.
“We don’t know exactly what was in it, we don’t think there was a severability clause, but if it wasn’t, that means the whole bill is in jeopardy,” Thurston said.
A promised legal opinion from the House wasn’t immediately delivered to reporters.
Instead, Weatherford’s office issued a new statement reiterating his belief that the vote would stand.
“Who would sue to stop a tax cut and prevent job creation in Florida?” he said in statement. “The Florida House stands ready to fight for tax cuts and jobs.”
The Senate also added a provision to the bill creating Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., a non-profit corporation that would award money anticipated from Florida’s $5.48 billion lawsuit against BP that was filed April 20
The non-profit, a priority of Gaetz, would spread lawsuit money out over a 30 year period to projects and programs in counties most impacted by the spill: Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Wakulla.
Rep. Halsey Beshears, R-Monticello, said he had enough time to review the bill, but questioned the creation of the non-profit.
“I think it’s a bad precedent we’re setting,” Beshears said. “We’re counting our chickens before they’re hatched when we’re thinking about doing something with our money before we have any.”
By The News Service of Florida
Scott Vetoes Florida Alimony Overhaul
May 2, 2013
Confronted with a highly charged issue that affects families across the state, Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday vetoed a bill that would have overhauled the state’s alimony laws.
In a veto letter, Scott pointed to the possibility that the bill could retroactively affect alimony arrangements.
“The retroactive adjustment of alimony could result in unfair, unanticipated results,” the letter said. “Current Florida law already provides for the adjustment of alimony under the proper circumstances. The law also ensures that spouses who have sacrificed their careers to raise a family do not suffer financial catastrophe upon divorce, and that the lower earning spouse and stay-at-home parent will not be financially punished. Floridians have relied on this system post-divorce and planned their lives accordingly.”
The bill (SB 718) would have eliminated the concept of permanent alimony and also carried numerous other potential implications for people whose marriages end in divorce.
Among other things, it would have created new alimony legal standards based on the lengths of marriages. For example, when marriages end in 11 years or less, there would have been what is known as a “rebuttable presumption” against awarding alimony. In contrast, a marriage that ends after 20 years would create a presumption that alimony would be awarded.
During committee meetings, the proposed changes drew often-emotional testimony from people on both sides of the issue. The bill’s supporters told of getting saddled with exorbitant alimony payments. Critics, meanwhile, said the changes would particularly hurt women who stayed at home to raise families and then saw their marriages end.
Scott’s office released the veto letter to the news media shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday. Earlier, House sponsor Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, sent a message on Twitter that said Scott had decided to veto the measure.
The Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, which lobbied against the bill, issued a statement calling Scott’s decision “courageous.”
“Senate Bill 718 would have left many women with diminished means, depriving them of their vested contractual rights that their ex-spouses agreed to,” Carin Porras, chairwoman of the Family Law Section, said in the statement. “The legislation would have also discouraged parents from staying at home to raise their children by creating a serious risk that if they stayed home and later got divorced, the chances of receiving support would be very slim.”
In the letter, Scott commended Workman and Senate sponsor Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, for their efforts. But he also pointed to the sensitive nature of the issue, saying “numerous Floridians have forcefully expressed their views on the topic.”
“Many Florida families have been impacted by the difficulty of marital issues, both concerning children and starting over,” the letter said. “As a husband, father and grandfather, I understand the vital importance of family. In weighing the issues associated with this bill, however, I have concluded that I cannot support this legislation because it applies retroactively and thus tampers with the settled economic expectations of many Floridians who have experienced divorce.”
By The News Service of Florida
Sheriff Requests $95 Million Budget, Up $18.8 Million
May 1, 2013
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has submitted his 2013-2014 budget to the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners — a $95 million budget that is about $18.8 million more than last year.
The $95,057,838 budget is split into three areas:
Law Enforcement: $50,773,658
Detention: $40,251,178
Court Security: $4,033,002
The $18,864,552 increase over last year, without any staffing level changes, includes:
Decrease in salaries — $37,872
Decrease in FICA taxes — $10,547
Increase in retirement contributions — $1,234,854 (due to state rate increases)
Increase in health and life insurance — $703,558
Increase in workman’s comp – $15,283
Additionally, the increase includes:
Hiring 83 detention deputies and 12 detention assistants – $6,324,157
Increase starting detention deputy pay (2%) to Road Prison deputy pay – $658,409
Morgan cites a Jail Staffing Study that calls for the increase in detention deputies and assistants. Morgan’s request states that in Monday conversation with a Department of Justice attorney, a DOJ investigation into the jail is focusing on Jail Staffing Study in preparing their final report.
And, finally, Morgan’s budget increase includes:
Paying ESCO employees holidays like BOCC employees - $3,952,930
Paying ESCO employees overtime like BOCC employees - $4,340,002
Morgan’s request to the BOCC notes that there is no request for 44 additional deputies to meet the state average number of officers per 1,000 deputies. That would cost, the sheriff wrote, another $4,285,190.
The next fiscal year will mark seven years since ECSO employees have received a three-percent pay increase, Morgan noted.
More Rain Tonight
May 1, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms before 7pm, then periods of showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 7pm. Low around 63. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
- Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 73. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 63. East wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Friday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 52. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55.
- Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
- Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.
- Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.
Two-Year Old Inside Home As Meth Lab Is Busted
May 1, 2013
The 21st Judicial Drug Task Force and the Flomaton Police Department have arrested four people after busting an alleged meth lab near Flomaton.
Task force agents Brandon Burkett and Adam Johnson along with Flomaton Police responded to a tip about a meth lab at 3487 Old Atmore Road, just northwest of Tulip Street and the Alabama/Florida line.
After arriving at the residence, agents made contact with 23-year old resident Cassandra Smith and smelled what they believed to be a strong chemical odor coming from inside the residence. Agents determined that there was a two-year old child inside the home with an active meth lab.
Agents immediately removed the child from the residence for safety reasons and secured the scene while a search warrant was obtained. After obtaining the search warrant Agent Scott Walden, who is certified in dismantling and handling meth labs, was called to the scene to properly secure the hazardous materials that were discovered in side the residence.
Task Force agents said the items discovered inside the residence were consistent with those routinely used in the illegal manufacturing of crystal methamphetamines.
Smith, 22-year old Joseph “JoJo” Bell of Atmore Road, 26-year old Mark Faulk of Fowler Lane, and 26-year old Steven Bell of Old Atmore Road were each charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance synthetic (spice), unlawful possession controlled substance (meth), unlawful manufacturing controlled substance I, unlawful possession drug paraphernalia, and chemically endangering the welfare of a child.
All were booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton with bond set at $100,000. As of Tuesday afternoon, only Smith had been released on bond.
The Department of Human Resources responded to the scene and took custody of the child.
Molino Park Elementary Releases Third Nine Weeks Honor Roll
May 1, 2013
The following students were named to the third nine weeks honor roll at Molino Park Elementary School:
All A’s
5th Grade
Braden Boutwell
Micah Calhoun
Benjamin Cantrell
Lacie Carter
Dean Hatcher
Jacob Hawkins
Alexia Schlobohm
Brianna White
4th Grade
Nathan Danforth
Jaden Fryman
Trey Franklin
Leia Grantham
Ariel Ward
Caden Woodward
3rd Grade
Lakynn Bodiford
Reagan Daniels
Jaden Lewis
2nd Grade
Aaron Adams
Ethan Collier
Noah Edmonson
Alyssa Jackson
Cameron Partrick
Ethan Rea
Brycelyn Woodward
1st Grade
Riley Crites
Kylie Grantham
Lilly Hatch
Bobbie Sue Jarrell
Austin Manning
Leila Mason
Anna McKee
Chloe Ragsdale
Joseph Settle
All S’s
Kindergarten
Trae Ardeneaux
Austin Batz
Camden Beaty
Andrew Chavers
Nehemiah Delarosa
Alyssa Enfinger
Kambie Faircloth
Jericha Finlay
Nolan Goetter
Aiden Harris
Liam Hatcher
Aubre Jordan
Kristopher Kelley
Andrew Manning
Nehemiah Marfil
Savannah McCullough
Emma NIgam
Noel Pugh
Douglas Ragsdale
Caleb Rea
Naoki Rogers
Rylee Rogers
Richard Shaw
James Sheffield
Logan Shoffner
Brooklyn Summerlin
Darcus Turner
Keeley Wiggins
Brooke Wilson
Jacob Wood
Abbigail Woods
All A’s and B’s
5th Grade
Emily Boutwell
Jayda Crabtree
Courtney Devore
Caleb Eddins
Jordan Godwin
Cody Gresh
Jamiesha Gross
John Gulledge
McKinzi Kent
Troya Massey
Kayla McKillion
Darion McShan
Byron Mcvay
Ronnie Plenkers
John Perkins
Bailey Seibert
Kamren Simpkins
Logan Wise
4th Grade
Larry Allie
Teagan Andress
Tayler Bridges
Harley Crumley
Parker Hassebrock
Bryce Korinchak
Justin Miller
Jeremiah Morris
Savannah Nall
Lainey Pace
Kellie Parsons
Scott Skidmore
Clayton Smith
Natalie St. Cyr
Benjamin Ward
Madelyn Zylstra
3rd Grade
Divine Abrams
Aden Fennell
Kaleb Kelly
Clay Kittrell
Isabella Lane
Kileigh Lundy
Melody Patterson
McKayla Ramsey
Brystal Rhodes
Sarah Sconiers
McKenzie Sims
Bryant Walters
2nd Grade
Landry Bellard
Micaela Bolton
Karson Brown
Fred Carnley
Levi Carnley
Riley Crosby
Bailey Danielson
Kameron Enfinger
Ashlin Flowers
Austin Floyd
Nicklas Fowler
Jace Fryman
Caleb Hassebrock
Zachary Jones
David Kersh
O’Nykah Kidd
Kacy Knable
Waylon Langford
Shelby Lashley
Cooper Martinez
Miah Massey
Summer McCullers
Austin McCullers
Chase Pugh
Briana Ragan
Wyat Ramsey
Alex Roloph
Asa Schlobohm
Ty Smith
Elijah Suratos
Adian Vaughn
Gage Wilson
1st Grade
Darius Abrams
Jade Allen
Kendall Alvare
Robert Bodiford
Jarrett Bodiford
Kyler Boutwell
Kelsey Boykin
Nathan Caston
Niko Champagne
Mathew Dix
Susan English
Amber Irby
Sylvia Jarrell
Evin Pedicord
Colton Taylor
Lavon Taylor
Trinity Scroggins
Brier Thompson
Domanique Turner
Dylan Wood
Brooklyn Zylstra
Solari Named Winner In FFA Essay Contest
May 1, 2013
The Florida FFA Association has announced the top 10 winners of the “What FFA Means To Me” Alumni Essay Contest.
The second place in the state went to Courtney Solari of the Northview High School FFA.
Solari and the other winners from across the state will be recognized during the 85th Florida FFA State Convention in Orlando on Friday, June 14.
Softball Tourney To Benefit Wreck Victim Mark Shipps, Jr.
May 1, 2013
The Junior Classic Softball Tournament will be held beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 10 and continuing Saturday, May 11 at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill, with proceeds benefiting wreck victim Mark Allen Shipps, Jr. and his family.
It will be based on USSSA slow pitch softball rules, with three females on the field per team at all ties. There will be a two loss elimination in effect. Registration is $150 per team.
The event will also include food, music and more. Volunteers are needed in any form — from playing on a team, to umpiring and more. Boston butts are also available for $25. For more information or to register, contact Bradley Lowery at (850) 232-3205 or BJL0005@auburn.edu.
Food and drink donations area also needed (burgers, hot dogs, sodas, water, sports drinks, etc).
A benefit account has been established at United Bank in Atmore for Mark Shipps, Jr. The account information is: Mark Shipps Jr. Benefit Account, account #151892711, P.O. Box 8, Atmore, AL 36504. Checks should be made out to “Mark Shipps Jr. Benefit Account”.
For an earlier story with more information about Shipps’ accident, click here.