Taking It To The Streets: Molino Church Offers Cardboard Testimonies
January 18, 2015
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But a few words on piece of plain brown cardboard can tell a life story and story of faith in a way a thousands words might not ever touch.
The concept is simple, starting with a piece of cardboard and permanent marker. Often on the first side of the cardboard for all to see is the story of a sin, a trial, a struggle or battle. On the flip side is where the person stands today though Christ.
“Now God has given me life and a purpose! (You),” stated on sign. “Religion Sets Rules. Jesus Sets U Free,” proclaimed another. And another said, ” I was drowning in debt and sorrow of not having enough…my God has blessed me with joy, happiness and more than enough”.
Members of CrossFaith Church in Molino presented their cardboard testimonies Saturday at Brent Lane and W Street. The church also prayed with passersby, gave away free coffee and offered free coats and blankets to those needing a helping hand.
For a photo gallery with more CrossFaith Church cardboard testimonies, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Sewer Averaging Period Continues
January 18, 2015
The ECUA’s sewer averaging period is continuing. The time period begins with each residential customer’s first meter reading on or after November 15 (including ECUA sewer customers whose water service is from another water provider such as Peoples Water Co.). The length of each customer’s sewer averaging period is 90 days.
Annual sewer charges are based on the average number of gallons of water used in a household during the sewer averaging period. Conserving water usage during this time helps residential wastewater customers impact their sewer rates for the coming year in a positive way. It is important to check all indoor and outdoor plumbing fixtures for leaks. Leaks will end up affecting your monthly water and sewer charges.
Most leaks are easy to identify, but there are many areas around the home where a plumbing leak can be found. Check common areas such as dishwasher (connections to the sink), sinks (examine pipes for wear and loose connections), bathtubs (check the caulking and seals), and toilets (if you hear a “toilet running” sound, but your toilet isn’t running). Following these simple measures can lower the monthly sewer charge for the next twelve months
For more information on ways to conserve, visit the ECUA website at www.ecua.fl.gov or call Customer Service (850) 476-0480.
Expect Delays This Week I-10 At Scenic Highway
January 18, 2015
Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures on I-10 east and westbound near the Scenic Highway overpass in Escambia County 7 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. from Monday, January 19 through Friday, January 23.
In addition, drivers will encounter alternating lane closures on Scenic Highway between the I-10 exit ramps, Tuesday, January 20 and Wednesday, January 21 from 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The closures will allow crews to work on the new Scenic Highway overpass. Flagmen will be on-site to safely direct traffic through the work zone, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
All planned construction activities are weather dependent and may be re-scheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Photos: A Barrineau Park Sunset
January 18, 2015
Pictured: Saturday’s sunset as seen from near Barrineau Park School Road. Reader submitted photos by Kayla Bedell fro NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Have an interesting photo to share? Email news@northescambia.com.
Sunny Skies Continue
January 18, 2015
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Sunday Night Clear, with a low around 33. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
- M.L.King Day Sunny, with a high near 66. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the morning.
- Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Calm wind.
- Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
- Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. North wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday A 20 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.
- Thursday Night A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38.
- Friday A 30 percent chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 53.
- Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.
- Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.
Florida Chamber: Hurricane Taxes Less Likely Due To Citizens Insurance
January 18, 2015
Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson recently praised the continued efforts of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to shed insurance policies and send them to the private market, thus decreasing the chance that Floridians would be saddled with hurricane taxes after a major hurricane.
In the last three years, the Chamber reports, the number of Citizens’ policies have fallen by roughly 50 percent, from 1.5 million to 727,122, and exposure has fallen from $500 billion to $229 billion. Wilson believes the unprecedented drought of hurricanes to hit Florida — more than nine years to date — is the right time to look into private market solutions to prevent future taxes.
“While Florida’s storm-free years have benefited Floridians by eliminating hurricane tax assessments, it would be irresponsible to believe Florida will forever be spared from future costly storms,” Wilson said. “Now is the right time to prevent hurricane taxes from creeping back onto to insurance policies by looking to private market solutions to absorb Florida’s future hurricane risk.”
In the last decade, Floridians statewide have been paying more in their monthly automobile, homeowner, business and other insurance bills to account for billions in hurricane taxes. Members of Stronger Safer Florida, a nonpartisan coalition comprised of business, consumer and environmental groups, believe Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, which provides much of the coverage for coastal properties statewide — many of which are vacation homes of out-of-state and foreign citizens – must return to its proper role as the state’s “the insurer of last resort.”
Members also support reform to right-size the Cat Fund to a level where it can reliably keep its promises, reduce economically and environmentally unsound cross subsidies and incentives and prevent future hurricane taxes. Stronger Safer Florida also believes both of these reforms treat Florida residents and businesses more equitably, encourage storm proofing of homes and reduce the risk of growing state bonded indebtedness.
Airman Travis Deese Graduates From Basic Military Training
January 18, 2015
Air Force Reserve Airman Travis L. Deese graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, TX.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Deese is the son of Sewonya York of Atmore and grandson of Dan York of Mobile.
He is a 2013 graduate of Escambia County High School, Atmore.
Molino Man Sentenced For Attacking His Mom, 87, With Telephone
January 17, 2015
A Molino man has been sentenced for attacking his 87-year old mother with a telephone handset.
Conrad Lee Micari was sentenced to 36 months probation, 50 hours of community service and ordered to pay $870 in court costs.
The elderly woman called 911 last October to report that her son, Micari, was drunk and tearing things up in her residence on Straughn Road in Molino. The 911 dispatcher reported that the phone went dead after she heard a scuffle.
When deputies arrived, the victim told them that Micari heard her on the phone with the 911 operator, snatched the phone out of her hand and used it to strike her several times on her leg. Escambia County EMS was called to the home to evaluate the 87-year old, who told deputies that she felt like she was going to have a heart attack.
Micari was “extremely intoxicated” and refused to discuss the incident with deputies, according to an arrest report.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
January 17, 2015
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending January 15 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officer Pettey received several complaints from landowners in McDavid that someone had been illegally running deer dogs on their property. The landowners gave a detailed description of the dog and observed it chasing a deer. Officer Pettey responded to the area and encountered a hunter attempting to catch the dog off of private property. When Officer Pettey interviewed the subject, he admitted turning the dog loose in an attempt to kill a deer. The subject turned the dog loose on property he had permission to hunt on but it ran through four other pieces of property chasing deer. Officer Pettey issued the subject notice to appear citations for allowing his dog to run deer on unregistered private property and for allowing it to pursue wildlife without landowner permission.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Jones was on patrol on the Eglin Wildlife Management Area near the community of Holley. He heard the sounds of a loud vehicle repeatedly being accelerated. He drove to the sounds and found an individual on a high performance ATV. The operator saw the officer approaching and fled. The officer followed through woodland trails with lights and siren activated. He found the ATV and its operator stopped near a neighborhood street. A barrier between him and the officer prevented the patrol vehicle from proceeding. The officer exited his vehicle and shouted for the operator to stop and the operator fled. The officer gave chase on foot. The fleeing operator attempted to make a turn onto another street and lost control of the ATV. The officer apprehended the suspect who then resisted arrest. The operator was charged with operating an ATV on the Eglin Wildlife Management Area, not having an Eglin Permit, fleeing from law enforcement on a motor vehicle, and resisting arrest. He was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week;however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Changing The Narrative
January 17, 2015
The week started out about as well as Gov. Rick Scott could have expected.
On Monday, Scott made good on his campaign pledge to increase public education spending to the highest per-student level in state history. There were still caveats — local taxpayers would actually kick in most of the funding, and the figure wasn’t adjusted for inflation — but the headlines were mostly what the governor wanted.
But the next day, the narrative took a turn. The Cabinet backed Scott’s new choice to run the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, but not before questions emerged about whether the former head of the agency left willingly, or was pushed. And by the end of the week, the governor’s office was responding to reports that the state’s longtime insurance commissioner could also be forced out.
Meanwhile, Florida State University worked to confront its own bad press, stoked by allegations against former star quarterback Jameis Winston, who is now headed to the NFL. Perhaps, if the university solves the damage-control puzzle, FSU could give Scott a few pointers.
BYE BYE BAILEY
There wasn’t much discussion this week about the Cabinet confirming Jonathan Steverson to head the Department of Environmental Protection. There might not have been in a normal week — his appointment by Scott had already been announced, and there was no controversy about Steverson or Herschel Vinyard, who left DEP in December.
But this wasn’t a normal week. Steverson was confirmed on the same day as new FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen, whose predecessor, Gerald Bailey, accused Scott of lying about whether he left the job willingly. Terry Rhodes was also confirmed as executive director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, but she’d been on the job for several months.
Immediately after the Cabinet meeting, Scott continued to tell reporters that Bailey had “resigned.”
“Commissioner Bailey did a great job. Commissioner Swearingen, he’s going to do a very good job,” Scott said before essentially repeating the same statement two more times.
The former FDLE commissioner saw things differently. Informed of Scott’s comments, Bailey told the Tampa Bay Times that “I did not voluntarily do anything.”
That pushed Scott’s office to respond. Jackie Schutz, a spokeswoman for the governor, issued a statement late Tuesday saying Scott “thinks it’s important to frequently get new people into government positions of leadership.”
If the governor was looking for change, he got his wish.
The next day, news broke that Gray Swoope, Scott’s hand-picked business recruiter, would leave his post at the end of February. That decision was described by the governor’s office as a “departure.”
Swoope, who is Florida’s secretary of commerce as well as president and chief executive officer of Enterprise Florida, advised Scott on Dec. 2 that he intended to resign on a “mutually agreeable date” before his current contract expires on June 30.
Swoope didn’t offer a reason in the Dec 2 letter to Scott other than “it is time for me to move on” professionally.
In a statement Wednesday, Swoope noted he plans to remain in Florida and that “no matter what my future endeavors are, I will always work hard for the state.”
Thursday brought rumblings that Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, who’s held his job since 2003, may be on the way out. The Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald reported that McCarty is under pressure to resign as head of the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
The governor’s office said it did not have an announcement regarding McCarty but sounded like one was in the works. Schutz said in an email to The News Service of Florida that “just like in business — it is good to get fresh ideas and new leadership, especially as we move into a second term. Executive office positions are not lifetime appointments and for the same reason there are term limits in elected office — it is important to search for the best and newest ideas whenever possible.”
McCarty’s removal would require the approval of Scott and Chief Financial Officer Atwater, or a decision by three members of the Cabinet. The next Cabinet meeting is Feb. 5. Spokesmen for Atwater, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam all said there have been no discussions regarding McCarty or a change at OIR.
$CHOOL $PENDING
Before the state agency heads’ revolving door dominated the headlines, Scott made good on one of his major campaign promises, announcing Monday that he will ask lawmakers to provide the highest per-student funding for education in state history.
Scott said his “Keep Florida Working” budget would include $7,176 per student, about $50 above the previous high in the 2007-08 budget year. That spending plan was approved before the financial crisis that caused the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
“These record investments will continue to equip our students for the jobs of tomorrow and help us on our path to be the number one destination for jobs,” Scott said in a prepared statement.
The proposal won Scott a rare compliment from the state’s largest teachers union.
“FEA applauds the governor for keeping his campaign promise and increasing the state’s budget allotment for public school students,” Florida Education Association President Andy Ford said.
Overall, funding for public schools would rise by $842.5 million, to almost $19.8 billion. The state’s share would increase to a shade over $11 billion, meaning about $400 million of the new funding would come from the state. Local taxpayers would pick up the rest.
Democrats have signaled that they’re not impressed by Scott’s pitch.
“We need to do a whole lot more than that, because coming to Florida to live is more than about lower taxes and warm weather,” Senate Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, said last week. “It’s about the quality of life that you will have and the type jobs that we will offer these people.”
There was other fallout from the 2014 campaign season as well. An appeals court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a challenge to the 2013 law allowing Florida elected officials to use blind trusts to shield their financial assets.
The 1st District Court of Appeal took up a case filed by Jim Apthorp, a former chief of staff to the late Democratic Gov. Reubin Askew, contending that blind trusts violate the “full and public” disclosure requirements of the open-government Sunshine Amendment.
“The Sunshine Amendment starts off with the words, ‘A public office is a public trust,’ ” said attorney Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte, a former Democratic lawmaker who helped pass the amendment and represents Apthorp. “So a public officer is going to be a public trustee, a trustee in the public interest.”
Apthorp originally filed the challenge in May in the Florida Supreme Court, asking the justices to ban Secretary of State Ken Detzner from accepting the qualifying papers of any candidate using a blind trust.
A blind trust gives someone else the ability to manage investments without a politician’s knowledge, which supporters of the law say prevents conflicts of interest between officials’ public duties and their financial interests. Blind trusts don’t require the same level of detail about officials’ holdings as are required by typical financial-disclosure forms.
“Our position is that (the law) is consistent with the overall purpose of the Sunshine Amendment, which was to enhance trust in government, enhance trust in public officials,” said state Solicitor General Allen Winsor, who represented Detzner.
Had the Supreme Court accepted the case in May, it could have had political implications for Republican governor Scott, the only Florida elected official using a blind trust during the 2014 election season.
But justices referred the case to Leon County circuit court, where a judge ruled in July that the 2013 law was constitutional. Apthorp appealed the ruling.
BLOW, BLOW (MORE FAVORABLE) SEMINOLE WIND?
There is no way to shield Florida State University’s athletics program from disclosure, so the school is instead planning a massive public-relations effort to counter negative press that has painted the school throughout the past year as favoring athletics over academics.
Meanwhile, members of the university’s Board of Trustees heard Monday that the school will “vigorously” fight a lawsuit filed last week by a former student who says FSU failed to properly investigate her allegation of being sexually assaulted by star football player Jameis Winston.
To counteract the negative attention heaped on the school, the trustees agreed during a conference call to establish a list of positive bullet points that a new “speakers bureau” can use in addressing the media, schools and civic organizations across the state.
The list of speakers will include members of the trustees, and Chairman Allan Bense said the focus of the speakers will not be on athletics.
“When I’m done with a speech I would say, until a couple of weeks ago — or actually it’s until tonight — that, by the way, we’re the defending national football champions,” Bense said several hours before Ohio State beat Oregon to win this year’s title. “We talk about everything else but athletics.”
Bense added that the impetus for “telling the world how great FSU is” was an unflattering editorial in the Los Angeles Times printed days before the school’s football team played in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
During the past year the school has been hammered by a number of national media outlets about whether law enforcement properly handled numerous incidents involving Seminole football players and whether the university is focused on athletics over academics.
Most of the attention has focused on off-the-field incidents involving Winston, the school’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who announced last week he will skip his two remaining years of eligibility to enter the 2015 National Football League Draft.
Winston’s draft announcement came as the school was hit with a lawsuit that claims FSU violated a former student’s federal Title IX rights by refusing to properly investigate her rape accusation against Winston. The quarterback has argued the December 2012 encounter was consensual.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Gov. Rick Scott spent much of the week trying to explain the departure of FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey, who insisted he did not voluntarily resign as head of the law enforcement agency.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “The only way anybody’s ever going to get the right to marry is for somebody to kick their ass. And we’re the people who like to do that.”—Bill Sheppard, an attorney, on the decision by him and his wife, Betsy White, to take a case challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. A federal judge struck down the ban last year, and it ended Jan. 5.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida