Senate Would Add Texting To ‘Do Not Call’ List
April 12, 2014
he state’s “Do Not Call” list could also become a “Do Not Text” list.
Senators voted unanimously Friday to add unsolicited text messages to the “Do Not Call” program designed to prevent Floridians from receiving unwanted calls from salespeople. Under the current program, solicitors are barred from making telephone sales calls to people who have registered for the program.
The Senate approved a bill (SB 450), filed by Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth. The House version (HB 1191), filed by Rep. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, is ready to go to the full House.
Northview Ends Season With 10-0 Win Over Escambia Academy (With Gallery)
April 12, 2014
The Northview Lady Chiefs wrapped up their regular season Friday by beating the Cougars of Escambia Academy 10-0 in a game called in the sixth inning due to the 10-run rule. In junior varsity action, Escambia Academy defeated Northview 7-5.
The district softball tournament beings next week at Jay. Due Monday the forecast of rain for Monday afternoon, tournament play will now begin on Tuesday. Chipley won the coin toss, make them the number one seed. Northview will take on Holmes County Tuesday at 5:00, and Freeport will play Baker at 7:00.
Pictured: The Northview Chiefs beat the Escambia Academy Cougars Friday in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com photos by Bethany Reynolds, click to enlarge.
Alabama Woman Charged With Trying To Stab Boyfriend To Death
April 12, 2014
An Evergreen, AL, woman is behind bars, accused of trying to stab her boyfriend to death Thursday night in Flomaton.
About 10:16 p.m., a male called 911 from a residence on Wilkerson Street in Flomaton and told the Flomaton Police Department that he had been stabbed. When police arrived on scene moments later, they found 45-year old Ruby Faye Likely outside the residence covered in blood, according to the department. She was taken into custody without further incident.
A 41-year old Wilkerson Street resident, described by police as Likely’s former boyfriend, suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest area. He was transported by Escambia County (FL) EMS to the Molino Fire Station and transferred to an awaiting AirHeart medical helicopter and flown to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. His name and condition were not released.
Flomaton Police said Likely came to the victim’s residence and broke in through a window.
“We believe that this is when the altercation took place. During the altercation the victim was able to go to a neighbor’s residence for help,” Flomaton Police Chief Brian Davis said.
Likely was charged with attempted murder and burglary in the first degree. She was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton without bond.
Northview Baseball Takes District Win Over Chipley
April 12, 2014
The Northview Chiefs beat Chipley 5-4 Friday in their last regular season district game.
For the Chiefs: Aaron McDonald 1-3, 1R; Chason Freeman 2-3, 1R; Brannon Freeman 1-3; Thomas Moore 1-2, 2B, 3 RBI; Jody Bonner 1-2, , 2SB; Kevin Barrow 2-2, 2R, SB. The winning pitcher was Daulton Tullis pitching 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits, three runs, walking four and striking out three. Brannon Freeman got the save pitching 2 2/3, allowing one hit, one run, three walks and striking out four.
The Chiefs will travel to Flomaton Monday night at 6:00 and to Escambia Academy Tuesday night at 6:30.
Almost Perfect Spring Weekend
April 12, 2014
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Breezy, with a south wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
- Sunday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southeast wind around 10 mph.
- Monday Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
- Monday Night Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tuesday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 72. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
- Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
- Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 71.
- Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 45.
- Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 76.
- Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.
- Friday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Lights Out, Cutting Away At Tax Cuts
April 12, 2014
Lawmakers are turning out the lights in the Capitol next week while some celebrate Easter, others observe Passover and, with any luck, all get some R and R as the clock winds down on the 2014 legislative session.
Although House floor action dragged on past 4:30 p.m. Friday in advance of the week-long respite, an empty fourth floor rotunda was eerily quiet. Perhaps the lobbyists and hangers-on were getting an early jump on the weekend, or plotting their strategies for the brief two weeks that will remain in the session when House and Senate members return April 21.
Gambling lobbyists may have already rolled up their tents earlier in the week after House Speaker Will Weatherford declared the issue dead for the rest of the session.
The Republican-dominated Legislature closed out the week with the House passing red-meat legislation dealing with guns, abortion and school vouchers on Friday, sending the items to the typically more moderate Senate with plenty of time for horse-trading on the issues before the session ends May 2.
In other bartering business, the two chambers teed up the remainder of Gov. Rick Scott’s election-year pledge to cut $500 million in taxes and fees. Disparities in the House and Senate tax break proposals are eliciting little more than a yawn from some old-schoolers, including Weatherford, who called the variations typical of the “posturing” during the latter part of the session.
TAX CUTS
The House and Senate advanced divergent roadmaps that both would lead to $500 million in tax and fee breaks for Floridians and a boost for Scott, whose popularity remains low as he vies for a second term in the governor’s mansion.
The Senate’s plan would give Floridians a single sales-tax holiday during the next year — rather than four proposed by the House — and would include money for improvements at Daytona International Speedway, a bit of home cooking pushed by Senate Finance and Tax Chairwoman Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange.
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday backed an amendment to replace what has been billed as the House’s “patchwork of awesomeness” tax package (HB 5601) with the Senate’s “broad-based” measures, as lawmakers work to reach the half-billion dollar, election-year benchmark set by Scott.
The committee didn’t vote on the bill. Instead the proposed changes to the House-approved measure — put on a unique Senate committee journey this week — will be returned to the lower chamber, where members are not expected to fully welcome the changes.
The Senate’s plan centers on a $64 million cut to the communications services tax imposed on cable and phone services. It also includes a tax discount on pre-paid phone plans, expected to save phone users $1.4 million; and a measure that would reduce by 20 percent the insurance premium tax on Florida-based bail bond premiums, a $700,000 reduction in state revenue.
The chambers agree on the popular back-to-school tax holiday. But the House also wants discount periods on hurricane preparation, which Scott supported; energy-saving appliances; and gym memberships.
And the House package includes a permanent sales-tax exemption for car seats and bicycle helmets for kids; an expansion of the New Markets Tax Credit program for investments in low-income communities; a temporary lifting of sales taxes on the purchase of cement mixers; a $20 million loan program for television production companies; and a plan to reduce the sales taxes businesses pay for electricity.
Late Friday afternoon, Weatherford shrugged off differences between the two chambers’ approaches.
“That’s normal…We are at the stage of session where sometimes maybe on a big tax bill like that there are some differences of opinion, maybe even some posturing, going on,” he told reporters.
Weatherford balked at giving the Daytona race track, in the midst of a major renovation project, $2 million a year for 30 years in state sales tax dollars, however. The House package does not include those funds.
“That would probably be one we would probably not be supportive of,” he said. “We have lots of time to iron out the differences, just like everything with the budget.”
by The News Service of Florida
Wahoos Fall Short To The Huntsville Stars 5-4
April 12, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos bats unloaded for three home runs in a 5-4 loss to the Huntsville Stars Friday night at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville. The Stars broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run from Mitch Haniger, which proved to be the winner. The Wahoos have now dropped three straight at the hands of the Stars.
In an encore to his 11 strikeouts in his 2014 debut, Wahoo starter Robert Stephenson battled his control and was knocked out after just two innings. He was tagged for 3R/ER on 5 hits with 2 walks and 0 strikeouts. After the Stars loaded the bases to start the second inning against Stephenson, singles from Stars pitcher Taylor Jungman and D’Vontre Richardson and a sacrifice fly from Josh Prince gave Huntsville a 3-0 lead.
Pensacola rallied back with a two-run homer from Juan Duran in the fourth. Rey Navarro blasted his second home run in as many nights with a solo shot leading off the fifth to tie the game at three. Bryan Anderson launched his second home run of the season to start the sixth to give the Blue Wahoos their first lead of the game, but it was short lived. An error in the seventh led to the tying run before Haniger’s homer in the eighth put the Stars back in front for good.
Despite his struggles, Stephenson didn’t factor into the decision. Jamie Walczak (0-1) took the loss with Stars reliever Casey Medlen (1-0) earning the win with a scoreless inning in relief. Arcenio Leon notched his first save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
The Blue Wahoos look to RHP Jon Moscot (0-0, 2.08) to snap the skid against Stars LHP Brent Suter (1-0, 1.80). First pitch is slated for 6:30 from Joe Davis Stadium.
by Tommy Thrall
Man Dies After Officer Involved Shooting
April 12, 2014
A man has died following an overnight shooting involving an Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy.
About 3:15 a.m. Friday, deputies responded to the 3000 block of Bent Oak Road in reference to suicidal threats. Thomas Eugene Fillingim, had been reported earlier as missing, armed and suicidal late Thursday night had returned to the home. A Sheriff’s Office news release said Fillingim has been the subject of numerous law enforcement encounters involving violence and weapons in the past.
When deputies arrived on scene Fillingim was in possession of a knife and had cut his own throat from ear to ear, as reported by ECSO dispatch. Fillingim, armed with a knife, lunged at the deputy who discharged his service weapon in self defense, the Sheriff’s Office news release stated.
Fillingim was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Per standard procedure, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will take over the investigation, and the deputy was placed on administrative leave.
Driver Injured, Traffic Disrupted When Chip Truck Overturns
April 11, 2014
An 18-wheeler hauling wood chips overturned Friday morning on Highway 113 at the Highway 31 intersection in Flomaton, creating traffic problems and leaving the driver with minor injuries. The accident was reported about 8:40 a.m. Both north and south bound Highway 113 were closed for the cleanup. Reader submitted photos by Joni Lee, Jeff Johnson and and Benjamin Reid for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Love, Give, Live 5K Walk For Organ Donation Is Saturday
April 11, 2014
A Love, Give, Live, Donate Life 5K Walk in Memory of Laurie Cooey will be held Saturday morning in Pace.
Cooey was a four-time kidney transplant recipient. The goal of Saturday’s walk is to increase the number of organ donors so other families can hold on to the hope of life, according to organizers. Organ donor cards will be available at the event.
Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the walk at 9 a.m. at S.S. Dixon Intermediate School at 5540 Education Drive in Pace.
For more information, contact Janis Merritt at (850) 981-9730 or (850) 516-3714.