Florida Posts Record 2013 Tourism Numbers
February 17, 2014
Florida attracted an estimated 94.7 million tourists last year, about a 3.5 percent increase over 2012. The figure marks the third consecutive year the state has posted a record number of visitors.
Visit Florida, the state’s tourism arm, estimated there were 91.4 million visitors in 2012 and 85.9 million in 2011.The bulk of the visitors are from the other states and U.S. territories, with the total growing 2.5 percent in year-to-year comparisons. Visit Florida also estimates that there were 3.7 million Canadian visitors, a 4.1 percent increase, and 11.5 million visitors from overseas, a jump of 11.1 percent.
The tourism number doesn’t include the projected 20.1 million in-state trips taken by Floridians in 2013.
Gov. Rick Scott, who has requested a $35 million increase in state funding for Visit Florida next year, to $100 million, announced the annual tourism figures during an appearance at Universal Orlando Resorts. Universal said the company will add nearly 3,500 new jobs this year as it expands in Central Florida. The company is constructing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley, a new onsite hotel and expanding the CityWalk Entertainment complex.
Pictured: Pensacola Beach at sunset. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Washington’s Birthday Closures
February 17, 2014
Below is a listing of offices and departments closed on Monday for the President’s Day holiday in Escambia County. Normal operations resume on Tuesday, February 18.
- Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
- West Florida Public Library System
- Escambia County Property Appraiser
- Escambia County Tax Collector
- Escambia County Supervisor of Elections
Exceptions:
- 911 Dispatch, EMS and Fire Services will all be open
- Perdido Landfill, excluding the administrative offices, will be open
- Escambia County Clerk of the Court & Comptroller:
o Only Clerk’s Finance, Official Records and Clerk to the Board will be closed
o All other court clerk offices and operations will be open
- Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT):
- Administrative offices closed
- UWF Trolleys will run regular weekday service
- Buses will run modified holiday service – Saturday Schedule, service will run every two hours
- Route 59A and 64 Beach Jumper – No Service
- Route 58 – last bus departs downtown at 3:30 p.m.
- Routes 2, 42, 50 and 55 – last bus departs ECAT at 4 p.m.
- Route 59 Express- last bus departs NATTC at 5:15 p.m.
Local School Districts Could Get Final Say On Textbooks
February 17, 2014
Contending that school districts have a “constitutional duty to decide what materials best suit their classrooms,” a Senate Republican filed a bill that would revamp the way textbooks and other materials are approved in Florida.
Bill sponsor Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, said the bill would eliminate the statewide adoption of textbooks and other materials and give the responsibility to school districts.
Also, the proposal would set up a process for local committees to review and recommend materials to school boards and also would create an appeals process for the public.
“Local school districts, not the state or federal government, are the most qualified to determine what textbooks are appropriate for Florida’s classrooms,” Hays said in a prepared statement.
by The News Service of Florida
Library’s Bookmobile Out Of Service
February 17, 2014
The West Florida Library’s Bookmobile is currently out of service. The library says they are currently investigating short and long term resolutions for the lighting and heating of the Bookmobile. For more information, call (850) 436-5060. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Anna Fischer Named Miss NHS 2014 (With Photo Gallery)
February 17, 2014
Anna Fischer was crowned Miss NHS 2014 Saturday night at Northview High School.
First Runner-Up was Jessica Amerson, Second Runner-Up was Danielle Scott, Third Runner-Up Olivia Neal, and Fourth Runner-Up was Julie Hester.
Other awards presented were:
- Self Expression Award – Anna Fischer
- Talent Award – Danielle Scott; Morgan Digmon (tie)
- Physical Fitness Award – Danielle Scott
- Creative Costume Award – Jessica Amerson
- Scholastic Award – Jessica Amerson
- Judges Award – Olivia Neal
- Distinguished Young Woman Award – Morgan Ward
- Spirit of Miss NHS – Brianna Smith
For a pageant photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Third Runner-Up Olivia Neal, First Runner-Up Jessica Amerson, Miss NHS 2014 Anna Fischer, Second Runner-Up Danielle Scott and Fourth Runner-Up Julie Hester. Pictured inset: Anna Fischer is crowned Miss NHS 2014 by Miss NHS 2013 Ariel Holland. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Kimberly Lynn Shearer
February 17, 2014
Kimberly Lynn Shearer, age 40, of Pensacola passed away February 14, 2014. She loved her family and friends with all of her heart. Kim was a trained computer technician. For about five years she lived in Philadelphia, PA and learned to love the City of Brotherly Love very much. Going to the beach or lounging by the pool with her friends were among her favorite things to do.
She was preceded in death by her father, Tom Shearer, retired captain with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department and her grandparents, Papa and Nannie Shearer.
Survivors include her mother, Wanda Marie Shearer; grandmother, Bernice Morgan; uncles, Jody Morgan and Carl Shearer; and her best friend, Sherry Moody Livingston.
Visitation will be Wednesday, February 19, 2014, from 10 a.m. until funeral services at 11 a.m. at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Delays On Hwy 4 Escambia River Bridge
February 16, 2014
Crews will perform a routine bridge inspection on State Road 4 over the Escambia River in Escambia County on Tuesday. Eastbound traffic will encounter lane restrictions from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather. Motorists are reminded to travel with care through the work zone and to watch for construction equipment and workers entering and exiting the roadway.
Bus Burns At Ransom Middle School
February 16, 2014
A school bus was destroyed by fire at Ransom Middle School in Cantonment Saturday.
The bus was used in the school’s ag program. It had become stuck in field behind the school on Friday as ag students were working in the field, according to Escambia County School Superintendent Malcolm Thomas.
The bus fire was reported about 12:30 Saturday afternoon. A portion of the field also burned.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office. The Cantonment and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the blaze.
Pictured: A bus and a portion of a field burned behind Ransom Middle School in Cantonment early Saturday afternoon. Photos by WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Realtor Sentenced To Prison For Tax Evasion And False Statements
February 16, 2014
William “Geri” Eaton, 60, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for tax evasion and for making false statements in a matter involving a health care benefit program.
Between 2004 and 2008, Eaton, a realtor, earned more than $1.18 million in taxable income. He failed to file his federal income tax returns as they became due and instead, in the fall of 2009, Eaton filed late returns for all four prior tax years. His total tax due, not counting interest and penalties, was more than $472,000. In early 2010, Eaton entered an agreement to pay his back-taxes in monthly installments of $1,000. He made six payments, and then stopped paying altogether.
On April 29, 2011, Eaton opened an account under a false social security number at a Tallahassee credit union. One week later, he sold his beach house in St. Teresa, Florida, for more than $1.3 million. To conceal the money from the IRS, Eaton deposited the $727,437 in proceeds he received from the sale into his fraudulently-opened credit union account. He later transferred a portion of this money to a Pensacola credit union account, which he had also opened under a false social security number. Over the course of the next seven months, Eaton spent more than $125,000 of the sales proceeds. He made no payments on his taxes during this period.
In September 2011, Eaton was treated for a heart attack at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. He applied to the hospital for financial assistance in paying his bill. In his application for assistance, Eaton falsely claimed that he had a single checking account with a balance of only $1,588, when, in fact, the balances in his accounts totaled well over $600,000. In listing his assets on the application, Eaton also fraudulently omitted the fact that he had purchased two vehicles for $31,000 only a month before. In reliance on Eaton’s false statements, Sacred Heart Hospital wrote off $79,622 in charges for Eaton’s care.
In November 2011, the IRS levied Eaton’s fraudulently-opened credit union accounts and obtained approximately $610,000 as payments toward his tax liabilities.
In November 2013, Eaton pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion and making false statements in a matter involving a health care benefit program. In addition to his prison sentence, Eaton was ordered to pay $99,126 in restitution to the IRS and to Sacred Heart Health System.
All-County Honor Bands To Perform Tuesday Night
February 16, 2014
The All-County Honor Bands 2014 featuring students from the Escambia County School District will perform at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Saenger Theatre.
Students are selected to perform in each honor group through teacher recommendation and an audition process. A variety of instrumental works from the classics to contemporary will be performed.
The conductors this year will be Kim Whaley from Shoal River Middle School, Crestview, directing the Middle School Honors Band; and Steve Rivero from Flanagan High School, Pembroke Pines, leading the High School Honors Band. The concert is free and the public is cordially invited to attend this event.
This event was rescheduled from January 28.