Permit Approved For New Molino Land Clearing Debris Disposal Facility
January 18, 2013
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission unanimously approved a new permit for a land clearing debris disposal facility near Molino.
Sand & Dirt, Inc., doing business as the Brickton Borrow Pit, is located on a 33.04 acre site at 8800 North Highway 29, in a wooded area just northeast of Morgan Cemetery Road. The sand and dirt borrow pit has existed at the location for numerous years. The new permit will allow the facility to use land clearing debris fill-in around the perimeter of the pit while excavation continues in the middle.
The disposal facility will be allowed to operate from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday-Friday and 7 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Cover material will be added on working faces at least bi-weekly to deprive the debris of oxygen, minimize the risk of fire and prevent the emission of objectionable odors.
Supreme Court Upholds State Employee 3-Percent Pension Law
January 18, 2013
In a victory for Gov. Rick Scott and Republican legislative leaders, a deeply divided Florida Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a 2011 law that requires government workers to chip in 3 percent of their salaries to the state pension system.
Justices, in a 4-3 decision, overturned a Leon County circuit judge who found that the law violated the constitutional rights of government workers hired before July 1, 2011. Legislative leaders had feared that a loss at the Supreme Court would blow a hole in the state budget.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said he thinks the state could have been required to repay more than $1 billion to workers if it had lost the case. He and other supporters of the 2011 law say government employees should help pay for their retirement packages, as private-sector workers do.
“I think the ruling reaffirms the wisdom of having all state employees, including legislators and judges, contribute something toward their retirement benefits,” Negron said. “People in the private sector do that. I think that our constituents want us to live by the same rules that exist in their workplace. We can now move forward with crafting our budget.”
But opponents described the required contributions as a tax on hundreds of thousands of public employees, ranging from prison guards to teachers. Ron Meyer, an attorney who argued the case for the Florida Education Association, said the law was passed to balance a cash-strapped state budget “on the backs” of government workers, and he dismissed arguments that it was needed to keep the retirement system financially sound.
“That argument is bogus,” Meyer told reporters at the teachers union headquarters. “It was bogus from the day it was first uttered.”
The case primarily centered on whether a 1974 retirement law created contractual rights that shielded public employees from having to contribute money into the pension system. The FEA said the law prevented the state from collecting money from workers hired before July 1, 2011, the date that the 3 percent requirement took effect. The union acknowledged that people hired after that date could be subject to the contributions.
But a majority of the court rejected the union’s interpretation of the 1974 law and also turned back an argument that such changes to the pension system needed to be subject to collective bargaining. In a concurring opinion, Justice Barbara Pariente said nothing in the 1974 law indicates that the Legislature intended to “bind itself for all time to preclude future legislatures from ever altering the future benefits” in the retirement system.
“Ultimately, I recognize the frustration of state employees who have in effect experienced a 3 percent reduction in their net pay as a result of the Legislature’s changes to the retirement plan,” Pariente wrote. “Indeed, those changes affect judges and all judicial branch employees as well. However, this case is not a referendum on the Legislature’s policy decision. It is not this court’s role to express any position on that issue. Instead, as the majority has ably done, it is this court’s task to carefully analyze and determine whether the Legislature has acted within its constitutional limits.”
But Justice R. Fred Lewis, in a dissenting opinion, wrote that the court could not ignore the contractual rights given to workers in 1974 and go along with the conflicting 2011 law.
“This conflict impacts a significantly important category of Florida workers, our first responders, those who provide safety and security for all citizens, those who provide education and safety for our children, and thousands of other Floridians who provide essential services for all Floridians each and every day,” Lewis wrote. “These governmental employees are not second-class citizens but are entitled to the full protection of the law just as all other Floridians enjoy.”
Justice Jorge Labarga wrote the majority opinion and was joined by Pariente, Justice Charles Canady and Chief Justice Ricky Polston. Along with Lewis, the dissenters were justices James E.C. Perry and Peggy Quince.
Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford struck down the law in March 2012, and the state’s appeal was fast-tracked to the Supreme Court. Though Fulford ruled against the state, it was able to continue collecting the pension contributions during the appeal.
The 2011 law, which also involved revamping a cost-of-living adjustment in the retirement system, touched off a political battle in the Legislature. Critics argued that government workers should not see their paychecks shrink by 3 percent when many also have not received raises in recent years.
But after Thursday’s ruling, Scott issued a statement saying it “supports our efforts to lower the cost of living for Florida families. This means even more businesses will locate and grow in our state, which creates even more opportunities for Floridians to live their version of the American dream.”
Scott’s statement drew a sharp response from FEA President Andy Ford, who said the multimillionaire governor does not understand what it is like to live on a salary of $50,000 or less — as Ford said most of his members do. Ford also vowed to try to unseat Scott and other supporters of the pension law during next year’s elections.
“The 2014 campaign begins today,” Ford said. “We’re going to have to have a focus on changing the politicians in Tallahassee who don’t care about working Floridians and making sure the people who come back here in January of (2015) actually care about the working men and women of this state.”
By The News Service of Florida
Woman Dies In Escambia, Ala., Fire; Third Fatality In Past Month
January 18, 2013
An Escambia County, Ala., woman died in a house fire Thursday morning, the third fire fatality in the county in the past month.
Family members identified the victim as Sonya Nacole Johnson of Brewton. She died in a mobile home fire on Highway 41 north of Brewton in the Wallace Community. There were no other injuries reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s Office. The Wallace, Appleton and McCall volunteer fire departments and the Brewton Fire Department responded to the blaze.
An early morning fire back on December 22 claimed the lives of Perry Buckhault and Leanna Redmond on Sycamore Road in Canoe, Ala. Buckhault was loading or lighting a wood-burning heater when he somehow set himself on fire. Buckhault’s wife was able to escape the fire with minor injuries.
Pictured: Two people died in this fire on December 22 in the Canoe community of Escambia County, Ala. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Longtime Central Water Works Board Member Glenn Grant Steps Down
January 18, 2013
A longtime member of the Central Water Works board of directors was honored recently during the water provider’s annual meeting at Byrneville Elementary School.
Glenn Grant stepped down from the seven member volunteer board after more than 21 years of service. He was presented a plaque on behalf of the remainder of the board and the membership of Central Water Works in appreciation of his faithful years of dedicated service to the water system and the community.
Pictured top: Central Water Works Board President Gary Welch (left) presents a plaque to retiring board member Glenn Grant. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Winter Storm Brings Snow To Deep South; Cold To North Escambia
January 18, 2013
A winter storm brought several inches of snow to parts of the deep South on Thursday, while the North Escambia area experienced a blustery winds, a cold rain and just a very few snowflakes.
Parts of Mississippi and Alabama received 2 to 4 inches of snow in the storm, which is being blamed for the death of a West Point, Mississippi, man who died when his car hit a downed tree.
A few very brief snow flurries were reported Thursday morning by residents of Atmore, Canoe, Flomaton, Bratt and Walnut Hill. At the NorthEscambia.com office in Walnut Hill, a very small number of snowflakes were observed for just a few moments. There were no accumulations anywhere in the North Escambia area.
Gusty winds were reported as a cold front made its way across the area. Gusts of 30 mph were recorded in Bratt, 29 mph in Molino, 28 mph in Cantonment, 33 mph in Atmore and 36 mph in Pensacola.
Locally, Friday night will be clear and cold with a low around 31, while Saturday will be sunny and warmer with a high of 64.
Pictured: Snow covered the campus Thursday at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS. Photos by Molino native Allie Vidak for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Gives Customers A New Way To Pay Bills
January 18, 2013
Gulf Power customers now have a new way to pay their bill — special payment kiosks that accept cash have been installed at 12 Circle K stores in Escambia County.
The kiosks accept cash only and require a $2 convenience fee. The machines offer easy instructions for paying with cash. The kiosks do not give change, so any change will be credited to the customer’s next bill statement. Customers will receive a time-stamped receipt when the payment is made.
Payment kiosks are located at the following Circle K locations:
- 4233 E. Creighton Road
- 1900 E. Nine Mile Road
- 2205 W. Nine Mile Road
- 330 Kenmore Road
- 3109 Pace Blvd.
- 2350 Michigan Ave.
- 4450 Bayou Blvd.
- 3013 E. Cervantes St.
- 601 N. New Warrington Road
- 2700 Gulf Beach Highway
- 2020 W. Cervantes Road
- 4501 North W Street
Gulf Power customers can also pay electricity bills by mail, at GulfPower.com, through their smartphones or in person at company customer service offices.
Ella Mae Branson
January 18, 2013
Mrs. Ella Mae Branson, 71, passed away on Thursday, January 17, 2013, in Pensacola.
Mrs. Branson was a native of Jay, a former resident of Perdido and resided in Century for the past 15 years. She attended the Fretwell Tabernacle Holiness Church. She was president of Garment Workers Union, worked at Bay Slacks, Masland Carpet Mill, receptionist at Century City Hall and owner of Granny’s Restaurant in Century. Her son, Thomas Franklin Byrd; daughter, Wanda Lou Byrd; parents, Walter and Thelma Branson; and sister, Mary Ann Carnely precede her in death.
Survivors include two sons, Ronald Glenn “Pee Wee” (Trish) Byrd of Jay and Frankie Eugene Peebles of Century; one daughter, Glenda Raye Branson of Jay; four brothers, Walter Branson, Jr. of Jay, John L. Branson, Sr. of Jay, Paul T. Branson of Jay and Basom E. Branson of Palatka, FL; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren and a special friend, Dixie Emmons.
Funeral services will be Sunday, January 21, 2013, at 2 p.m. at Petty Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Sis. Helen Stewart officiating.
Burial will follow at the Cora Baptist Cemetery.
Visitation will be held Saturday, January 20, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Petty Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Fill A Bowl For Manna
January 18, 2013
Fill a Bowl for Manna will be held Saturday to benefit the local food bank that serves clients across the area.
Attendees will fill their keepsake ceramic bowl with sumptuous soups from several restaurants while helping Manna fill the empty bowls of more than 44,000 people in Northwest Florida.
Fill a Bowl for Manna will take place this Saturday, January 19 at the Jean & Paul Amos Performance Studio of WSRE-TV at 12th and College from 1-3 p.m.. Admission of $30 entitles guests to a ceramic bowl keepsake filled with soups by local eateries. Reservations are requested, but walk ins are welcome.
Reserve your spot online at www.mannafoodpantries.org.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ezra L. McCraney
January 18, 2013
Mr. Ezra L. McCraney, 82, passed away on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, in Bluff Springs.
Mr. McCraney was a native of Rock Creek, AL and a resident of Bluff Springs since 1970. Mr. McCraney worked in the turpentine industry and farmed most of his life. His wife, Helen M. McCraney, precedes him in death.
Survivors include his son, Wayne Allen of Bluff Springs; three daughters, Patricia Bergen of Century, Olivia Christine Weaver of Bluff Springs; and Lonna Kendrick of Owassa, AL; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Saturday, January 19, 2013, at 11 a.m. at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Sam Weaver officiating.
Burial will follow at Rock Creek Assembly Cemetery.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 19, 2013, from 9:30 a.m. until funeral time at Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Chad Johnson, Ricky Johnson, Willie Johnson, Jeremiah Wilson, Travis Brown and A.J. Foley.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes,is in charge of all arrangements.
Atmore Native Named A Pensacola ‘Rising Star’
January 18, 2013
A second North Escambia area native was among those named as a “Rising Star 2013″ in Thursday’s issue of the Pensacola Independent News.
Cassie Boatwright, 29, is director of publishing and auxiliary services for Pensacola State College. The Atmore native grew up in Nokomis and now lives near Stockton, Ala. She graduated from the Alabama School of Math and Science and will finish her doctorate this fall.
Thursday, we introduced readers to 27-year old Ashley (Wallace) Spikes, a 2004 Northview graduate that was named to the Rising Star list (read more…).
The Independent News Rising Stars program has honored Escambia and Santa Rosa leaders in the under-35 crowd since 2008. To read more, and see the 2013 Rising Stars, click here.