High Gas Prices On This Independence Day Weekend
July 6, 2014
AAA expects the majority of U.S. drivers likely will pay the highest gas prices for Independence Day since 2008. Today’s national average price of gas is about 20 cents per gallon more expensive than the average on July 4, 2013, which was $3.48 per gallon. In recent years gas prices have declined in the weeks leading up to Independence Day, but this has not occurred this summer due to higher crude oil costs as fighting intensifies in Iraq.
In Escambia County, the price for a gallon of regular unleaded averages $3.60, up from $3.38 on year. But back in 2008, that gallon of gas hit an all-time local record just after the Fourth weekend of $4.03.
“Most drivers are paying about 15-20 cents more per gallon than expected heading into the busy Independence Day weekend due to market fear about Iraq,” said Avery Ash, AAA spokesman. “It is frustrating that events overseas will make it more expensive to celebrate Fourth of July here at home.”
AAA projects 41 million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Independence Day holiday weekend, a 1.9 percent increase from the 40.3 million people who traveled last year and a nearly 14 percent increase compared to the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The majority of travelers will be celebrating their freedom with a road trip, with more than eight in 10 (34.8 million) choosing to travel by automobile, the highest level since 2007. The Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, July 2 to Sunday, July 6.
“With school out for summer, the Fourth of July holiday is typically the busiest summer travel holiday, with five million more Americans traveling compared to Memorial Day weekend,” said AAA Chief Operating Officer Marshall L. Doney. “In line with tradition, most travelers are celebrating their newfound summer freedom with an all-American road trip.”
An increase in consumer spending is primarily due to increasing credit, rather than rising incomes. Consumers have been hesitant to add to their credit card balances the past several years, but continued improvements in the employment picture and rising home values means they are starting to feel more comfortable taking on debt. In addition to consumer spending, a boost in consumer confidence and the employment outlook are driving more Americans to take a road trip.
“Steady improvement in the economy has spurred increased consumer confidence and spending,” continued Doney. “Optimistic Americans are more willing to take on debt this year, dusting off their credit cards to pay for a much-needed Independence Day getaway.”
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Bratt Basketball Camp Begins Monday With Former NBA Coach
July 6, 2014
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a basketball camp this week with a former NBA, college and high school coach.
The camp for children ages 8-14 will be held July 7-11 from 9 a.m. until noon at the church. Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball and Biblical awareness.
“We are fortunate to get someone of Coach Roger’s talents and achievements to head up this camp” said First Baptist Bratt Student Pastor Tim Hawsey. “He has a unique ability to deal with children, and his love for them is evident.” This is the third year the church has offered this camp.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. He career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The cost is $45 per student with a limited number of scholarships available. The funds are used exclusively to purchase shoes and basketballs for needy children in other countries where Detremble conducts camps.
For more information, contact Hawsey at (850) 327-6529, church secretary Sherrye Gilman at (850) 327-6529 or stop by the church on Highway 4 just west of Northview High School.
Pictured: Students that participated in a previous basketball camp at the First Baptist Church of Bratt. Inset: Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Florida Rolls Out Plan For High Stakes Pot Farming Industry
July 6, 2014
Winners of Florida’s five, highly sought-after medical marijuana licenses could be selected through lotteries, according to a draft rule released last week by the Department of Health.
The 16-page document comes in advance of an agency workshop Monday in Tallahassee that is drawing heavy attention.
The draft rule, generally considered a starting point, outlines how the state intends to implement a new law, signed by Gov. Scott, that made Florida one of nearly two dozen states that permit some sort of marijuana. Florida’s law restricts legal marijuana to strains that are low in euphoria-inducing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, and high in cannabadiol, or CBD. The low-THC, high-CBD strain is purported to eliminate or dramatically reduce life-threatening seizures in children with severe epilepsy. The law also allows patients who suffer from severe muscle spasms or cancer to be put on a “compassionate use registry” for the low-THC product as long as their doctors approve.
The Florida law also requires that cultivation, processing and distribution of the final product take place at the same locations and allows for one dispensary in each of five different regions of the state. Growers are limited to nurseries that have been doing business in Florida for at least 30 years and are producing at least 400,000 plants. Currently, 41 nurseries meet that criteria, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
If there is more than one applicant within a region, “a public lottery will be held to determine the order in which applications are considered,” according to the draft rule. The first complete application that meets all of the eligibility requirements would be the winner.
The chosen dispensary would have 30 days to pay $150,000 for a license and post a $5 million performance bond. If the applicant fails to meet the financial obligations, the department would start the selection process over again.
Applicants would have 10 days to apply once the rule goes into effect, a short window of time for those trying to break into the state’s newest regulated industry.
Under the rule, dispensaries would have to be open a minimum of 30 hours per week and operate between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. And the rule would also bar sales of any edible products like cookies or candy.
Applicants would also have to provide documentation that they have the ability to obtain the premises, resources and personnel necessary to operate as a dispensing organization, including maps showing the location of facilities; site plans drawn to scale of the cultivation, processing and dispensing areas; and photographs showing the parking lot and entryways into the building.
Also, applicants would be required to include a list of staff members, who must all be over the age of 21, and prove that they have passed background screenings. The application must also include proof that individuals who are owners have passed background screenings.
According to the proposed rule, the department could refuse to renew a license if a dispensary is within 500 feet of a school that existed before the organization submitted its initial application.
Applications could also be revoked if a dispensing organization does not begin cultivation within 60 days of approval or does not begin dispensing within 120 days. The products would have to be tested to verify the THC-CBD content and for the presence of chemical additives.
Any sample that has more than .8 percent THC or less than 10 percent CBD would have to be reported immediately to law enforcement officials, according to the rule. The entire batch would have to be destroyed.
The rule also includes protocols for inventory of the pot. Dispensaries would have to document each day’s beginning inventory, seeds and cuttings, harvest, processed products, sales, disbursements, disposal of unusable plants or products and ending inventory. Growers would also have to keep track of the cannabis harvests, including the harvest number; whether the harvest originated from seeds or cuttings; the origin and strain of seeds or cuttings; the number of seeds or cuttings; the date the seeds or cuttings were planted; lists of all chemical additives; the number of plants grown to maturity; the date of harvest; final harvest yield weight; disposal of plants or plant parts not used for production; and the reason and methods of disposal, including the name of the agent responsible for the disposal.
All of the cultivation, processing, storage and dispensing and “any other activity involving low-THC cannabis” must take place “in an enclosed and locked facility,” according to the draft rule.
by Dara Kim, The News Service of Florida
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Few Fireworks On The Week Of The Fourth
July 6, 2014
Independence Day and the accompanying fireworks shows weren’t technically supposed to get underway until Friday, but state government seemed to be on holiday for most of the week.
Democrats got the party out of the way early with their annual fundraising soiree Saturday, though they ditched the red (for obvious reasons) and white in their newly renamed Leadership Blue Gala. Gov. Rick Scott toured the state to thank veterans, an appropriate run-up to the holiday and a potential political boon to his re-election campaign.
The capital city itself was largely quiet, with the highest profile event being the swearing-in ceremony for new Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga, the first Cuban-American to hold that position.
PAINT THE TOWN BLUE
If there’s a reason Florida can go from voting for Barack Obama in 2008 to Scott in 2010 and then back to Obama in 2012 — aside from political schizophrenia — it’s turnout. In presidential election years, just about everyone who is politically involved votes. In midterm years, the electorate tends to be older, whiter and more conservative.
Democrats are hoping to somehow turn that formula around this year, or at least lessen the swing, as they work to get former Gov. Charlie Crist his old job back and protect the gains in Congress and the Legislature that they made two years ago. That was also a theme when former President Bill Clinton spoke at the party’s fundraising dinner Saturday night in Broward County.
“We have to be creative in how we reach people and how we get them to the polls,” Clinton told a crowd of more than 1,500 supporters who paid up to $250 to hear the former president speak. “If we’re going to preserve democracy, real democracy, we’ve got to show up.”
Displaying his encyclopedic knowledge of politics, Clinton illustrated his point by saying that Democrat Alex Sink should have won a special election earlier this year to replace the late U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young in a Pinellas County congressional district. Sink was defeated by Young’s onetime aide David Jolly.
“Alex Sink won the independent votes by almost twice the margin President Obama did. But the registered Democrats did not turn out,” Clinton said, noting that Democratic Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe won his election because black voter turnout matched that in the general election.
“If they can do it, you can do it,” Clinton said.
The Clinton event raised $1.1 million — topping previous earnings for the annual “Leadership Blue Gala” fundraiser, formerly called the “Jefferson-Jackson Dinner” — and nearly 1,600 supporters were expected to attend the event at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, another historic high, according to Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant.
As far as the larger goal — defeating Scott — Tant promised that 2014 would feature “the largest field plan that the Florida Democratic Party has ever seen.” And U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who also serves as the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said the DNC has created a “vast and sophisticated voter file” called “Project Ivy” that it is sharing with state parties to help in turning out voters.
Republicans didn’t seem scared, but perhaps that was because they were having too much fun trying to cause mischief. They hammered Crist for failing to release the tax returns of his wife, Carole. A plane towing a banner reading “www.CharliesTaxReturns.com #WhatsCristHiding,” paid for by the Republican Party of Florida, flew overhead prior to Crist’s arrival.
RPOF Chairwoman Leslie Dougher met briefly with reporters to blast Crist for the tax returns and for his absence earlier in the day.
“What are you scared of?” Dougher said. “The more you hide something, the more people want to see it.”
Crist, flocked by supporters upon his entrance to the hotel, dismissed the demands.
AWARDS AND VOTES
Meanwhile, Scott was touring the state to hand out the “Governor’s Veterans Service Award” to hundreds of former service members, including a stop in Escambia County. Scott, a Navy vet himself, created the award in March.
“The courage and sacrifice these veterans displayed while serving our country has contributed to the freedoms and opportunities Florida families benefit from everyday,” Scott said in a prepared statement following one of the ceremonies.
But the governor’s outreach also has a political component as he prepares for a bruising and close fight with Crist. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that an average of 1.6 million veterans lived in Florida from 2008 to 2012, the most recent figures available. That accounts for about 10.8 percent of state civilians age 18 or older in 2012.
“They tend to be older, and they also tend to be high-turnout voters and conservative,” said Susan MacManus, a political science professor at the University of South Florida.
In addition to this week’s ceremonies, Scott showed up for other events the week before wearing a “Navy” cap. And on Tuesday, Scott’s campaign released a web video with a veteran talking about the state’s “vet-friendly” environment and why he’s supporting the governor.
Lawmakers helped Scott with his pitch this spring by approving the “Florida GI Bill,” which expands university tuition waivers provided to veterans, pays for military and guard base improvements and aims to increase employment opportunities for veterans while trying to convince more of them to move to the state.
But Democrats still said Scott hasn’t done enough — highlighting the governor’s failure, for example, to get the Legislature to approve Medicaid expansion.
“Florida’s veterans deserve better,” said Joshua Karp, a spokesman for the Florida Democratic Party. “If Scott really cared about Florida’s veterans, he would have accepted federal funding to expand access to health care for over 40,000 veterans who currently lack it.”
CHIEF JUSTICE HAS IMPACT
Away from all the squabbling between Democrats and Republicans, the Florida Supreme Court held a more dignified ceremony to swear in Labarga as the court’s first Cuban-American chief justice. And in at least one case, Labarga’s impact was quickly apparent.
Labarga, 61, whose family immigrated to the United States after the Cuban revolution, became the state’s 56th chief justice and the fifth from Palm Beach County.
He replaced outgoing Chief Justice Ricky Polston, 58. Polston remains on the court, though he has applied to be the next president at Florida State University.
But Labarga’s impact was seen in something else that happened this week, something mentioned by Justice Barbara Pariente during the swearing-in ceremony.
Pariente noted that when the court ruled in March that undocumented immigrants cannot be admitted to The Florida Bar, Labarga “reluctantly” agreed with the majority but offered his own strongly worded opinion that called on the Legislature to change state law to allow so-called “Dreamers” to become attorneys.
“The Legislature heard your words and passed legislation that allowed this applicant to be admitted to the Florida Bar,” Pariente said, referring to an immigrant who was the subject of the court case.
The day after Labarga’s swearing-in, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners recommended the court admit Jose Manuel Godinez-Samperio, of Largo, to The Florida Bar.
A law-school graduate who became an undocumented immigrant as a child when his parents overstayed their visas in the United States, Godinez-Samperio moved a key step closer to becoming a Florida attorney with the recommendation.
“I’ve been waiting for over three years and the dream had seemed so far away,” Godinez-Samperio told The News Service of Florida on Tuesday. “Now that it’s happening, now that it’s becoming reality, it’s unspeakable.”
STORY OF THE WEEK: Jorge Labarga is sworn in as the state’s first Cuban-American chief justice.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I am a voice for the people in the district, not a vote for any particular person to become Senate president.”—Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Delray Beach, about her race against former Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale. Bogdanoff is a supporter of Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, who is fighting with Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, to lead the chamber after the 2016 elections.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Atmore Man Killed In Wreck
July 6, 2014
An Atmore man was killed in a single vehicle accident in Monroe County, Ala., early Saturday morning.
According to Alabama State Troopers, 33-year old William Eric Harrelson of Atmore lost control of his 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer on Butler Street about 12:15 a.m. Saturday. The vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree and burst into flames.
Harrelson was not wearing a seat belt, according to troopers.
Further information has not yet been released as Alabama State Troopers continue their investigation.
FHP Still On Patrol For Fourth Weekend Violators
July 6, 2014
The Florida Highway Patrol will be out in force in an effort to keep the state’s roadways safe for the holiday weekend.
“Independence Day is a day to celebrate the birth of our great nation with family and friends, enjoying cookouts and fireworks,” said FHP Director, Col. David Brierton. “But people need to use good judgment over the long holiday weekend, so that the celebration doesn’t turn into a tragedy.”
Safety tips from FHP:
- Plan a safe way home before the fun begins.
- Buckle Up. A seatbelt is your vehicle’s most important safety feature.
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver.
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
- If you happen to see a impaired driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement or dial *347.
- If you know people who are about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
- And remember, possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a vehicle (in motion or stopped) by the driver and or the passenger(s) is a violation of Florida law.
Pictured above: A Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulls out onto Highway 29 at Fran’s Diner in Molino. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
4th Weekend Recipe: Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats
July 6, 2014
Looking to spend some time with the kids in the kitchen? Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats are a fun, easy and patriotic way to celebrate.
The recipe is not only easy, but it also lots of fun. It’s terrific for a “just-because” snack or as a sweet way to finish off a family picnic. And kids of all ages can help – from pouring and stirring to dipping and decorating, there’s something everyone can do.
Yankee Doodle Dandy Treats
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1 package (10 ounces, about 40) regular marshmallows OR 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- 6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal OR 6 cups Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies® cereal
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- Red-, white- and blue-colored sprinkles
Preparation
- In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Add cereal. Stir until well coated.
- Using buttered spatula or wax paper, evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Crosswise cut in half, forming two 9 x 6 1/2-inch rectangles.
- Meanwhile, in small saucepan melt white chocolate morsels over low heat, stirring frequently. Stir in oil. Add powdered sugar, stirring until combined. Add water. Stir until smooth.
- Spread chocolate mixture over one cereal rectangle. Top with second rectangle. Sprinkle with red, white and blue sprinkles, pressing lightly into cereal mixture. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Cut into 3 1/4 x 1-inch strips. Best if served the same day.
Serves
Servings 18
Preparation Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour
Comeback Falls Short As BayBears Best Wahoos 6-4 In Mobile
July 6, 2014
The Mobile BayBears were able to take advantage of three Blue Wahoos errors over the first three innings on their way to a 6-4 win over Pensacola on Saturday night in Mobile. Despite taking the loss, Wahoos starter Jon Moscot (L, 4-8) went the distance shutting out the BayBears over his final five innings and he retired the final eight batters he faced.
The BayBears did all of their damage over the first three innings. They scored four runs in the third which was capped off by a two-run home run from Mark Thomas.
Pensacola was held hitless through five innings before Brodie Greene delivered the Blue Wahoos first hit, a leadoff single in the sixth inning. Kyle Waldrop got the Wahoos on the scoreboard with a two-run home run in the seventh inning, his first home run since joining the Blue Wahoos at the all-star break. Seth Mejias-Brean doubled home two more in the eighth to cut the deficit to 6-4. His double knocked the BayBears starter, Bradin Hagens (W, 7-3), from the game and closed out the scoring.
The Blue Wahoos put the tying run on base in the ninth but couldn’t score against Mobile reliever Seth Simmons (S, 1). Hagens earned the win with 7.1 innings allowing 4 R/ER on seven hits with four strikeouts. Moscot finished the game after getting charged with 6 R/4 ER in 8.0 innings allowing just one walk with three strikeouts.
Waldrop paced the Wahoos offensively with a pair of hits, both extra-base hits. He hit a double in the ninth after his seventh inning home run. Ryan Wright also had a pair of hits, both singles.
Pensacola will try to get back on track Sunday with RHP Tim Adleman (2-3, 3.48) getting the start for the Blue Wahoos against the Diamondbacks top rated prospect RHP Archie Bradley (0-0, 1.23). First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m. at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile.
by Tommy Thrall
And The Rockets’ Red Glare (With Jay, Atmore Fireworks Galleries)
July 5, 2014
Thousands of North Escambia residents celebrated the Fourth of July at an area fireworks show, including shows in Jay and Atmore.
The Town of Jay and the Jay Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the Fourth of July Friday night with a fireworks show. Earlier in the day, arts and crafts vendors were on hand at the Bray-Hendricks City Park, along with plenty of food and entertainment. The day started with the Celebrate Freedom 5K Road Race and 1 Mile Fun Run.
Crowds from across the area celebrated the Fourth of July Friday with a fireworks show in Atmore.
For a reader submitted photo gallery from Jay, click here.
For a photo gallery by Ditto Gorme from Atmore, click here.
Pictured top and inset: Fireworks Friday night in Jay. NorthEscambia.com reader submitted photos, click to enlarge. Pictured below: Fireworks in Atmore. Photo by Ditto Gorme for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Great Weather Continues
July 5, 2014
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Saturday Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
- Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 66. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
- Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Tuesday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92.
- Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
- Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
- Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
- Friday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.