Healthy Start: Signs Of Recovery In Century
April 27, 2016
Contractors have started work on tornado repairs to two buildings in Century used by the Healthy Start program.
The roof of the Healthy Start building at 511 Church Street was damaged during the EF-3 tornado that tore through Century on February 15. The county-owned building was cleaned, dried out and temporary tarps were put in place. The tarps were no match for Easter weekend winds and rain, with water once again pouring into the building.
Healthy Start moved next door to another county-owned building at 501 Church Street, a building that Healthy Start had already leased but had not yet been renovated. The building is former location of the Health and Hope Clinic.
Century site manager Laura Nelson said all Healthy Start services, including WIC and patient visits by Jay pediatrician Marian Stewart, have continued at the new location.
Tuesday, contractors were busy removing water damaged furniture from the Healthy Start building at 511 Church Street, while additional crews were hard at work putting new roof on the former Health and Hope building at 501 Church Street.
Pictured: Contractors were working hard Tuesday at two county-owned buildings used by the Healthy Start program in Century. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward’s Dive Team Places At County Championship
April 27, 2016
The Ernest Ward Middle School Dive Team earned a second and a 10th place finish during the Escambia County Diving Championships at Washington High School.
The Ernest Ward Dive Team consisted of just two team members — Jayda Crabtree and Louis Crabtree III. Jayda placed 2nd, with a total score of 154.95. Louis placed 10th with a score of 114.60. Their scores will be added to Ernest Ward’s County Girls and Boys Swim Teams final score.
There were a total of 29 divers in the competition.
Pictured: Ernest Ward Middle School Dive Team Coach Randy Sanderson, Jayda Crabtree, Coach Betty Coon, Louis Crabtree III. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
PBA Attempting Comeback As Prison Workers’ Union
April 27, 2016
The Florida Police Benevolent Association, “divorced” by the state’s prison workers as their union five years ago, is staging a comeback.
The organization, which served as the collective-bargaining representative for corrections and probation officers in Florida for three decades before being ousted by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in 2011, has started gathering petitions in an attempt to recapture the job, PBA Executive Director Matt Puckett confirmed this week.
The PBA needs about 5,000 signatures — or 30 percent of the 17,000 workers — to force an election, a process that could take several months, according to Puckett.
“Over the last two years, we’ve just been hearing from a lot of former members and corrections officers in general, are you guys ever going to try to make a comeback?” Puckett said in an interview. “I think the requests had gotten to the point where we couldn’t ignore it anymore.”
A recent survey of correctional officers “came back really positive,” Puckett said.
“They want to see us come back. They’d at least like to see a campaign. So we’re moving forward with that. We’re in the early stages, but we’re moving forward,” he said.
The PBA’s move comes as the Department of Corrections has struggled to cope with reports of inmate deaths and brutality by prison guards, allegations of cover-ups and corruption, and low morale and high turnover among workers. Since her appointment more than a year ago, Corrections Secretary Julie Jones — the fifth agency chief in six years — has continued the housecleaning crusade launched by her predecessor, Michael Crews.
“Secretary after secretary has come in. They’ve had good plans. Some things have happened that are maybe outside of their control. They need a partner in labor, too, to be standing up and doing the same thing, and I don’t feel like the Teamsters are doing that,” Puckett said. “The people that aren’t out there doing the kind of things that are in these headlines are being forgotten about. And the agency is being kind of dragged down by that. The labor organizations should be stepping up and doing what they can to help right the ship.”
One of corrections workers’ chief complaints, however, involves salaries. Corrections and probation workers have gone without across-the-board pay raises for more than six years, and lawmakers again declined to include pay hikes in next year’s budget.
“They have not received the type of support from their bargaining representative like they should have,” Puckett said.
The pay-raise issue played a major role in the November 2011 election, when the Teamsters captured 55 percent of nearly 8,000 votes cast in the November 2011 election and ousted the PBA after 30 years. At the time, the Teamsters — which represents about 1.4 million workers nationwide — said that corrections workers wanted a more vocal brand of union.
“I’m sure the PBA’s going to hit on (the pay raises) aspect. But that’s not why we came in here. We came in here, that is part of the reason, but we also came in here for representation for the guys in all sorts of cases,” Les Cantrell, statewide coordinator for the Teamsters Local 2011, said in a telephone interview.
For example, the Teamsters have taken all corrections officers’ dismissal cases to arbitration rather than to the Public Employees Relations Commission, a process preferred by the PBA, Cantrell said.
“In arbitration, the guys have a better chance,” he said, adding that the Teamsters have had an excess of 1,500 “touches” — cases where they’ve represented corrections or probation workers in Florida — over the past five years.
“So, we’re very responsive when it comes to the membership, when it comes to representing them at all levels in DOC,” Cantrell said.
Cantrell said the Teamsters have also included union members in negotiations with the state.
“We don’t just send our staff in to negotiate by email,” he said.
And, Cantrell said, the Teamsters have won other perks, including special compensation for workers.
Under a previous “use it or lose it” agreement with the state, corrections officers who worked holidays had to forfeit the time they earned for working those days if they did not take days off within a certain period of time. Under the new agreement, employees get paid for working holidays.
“We now have the only contract in the state that if an officer cannot use special comp, they get paid for it,” Cantrell said. “There’s still a lot more work to be done. But we’ve made some parts of the contract better, and we’re happy about that.”
The Teamsters are preparing to file an unfair labor practices complaint against the Department of Corrections, challenging the agency’s ability to fire corrections and probations workers without reason for up to a year after they have been promoted. The complaint could be filed as early as Monday, Cantrell said.
The Teamsters and the state are at an impasse in negotiations over a new contract, which expires on June 30. The state had included the promotions policy in its proposed contract.
“This discourages officers from applying for a promotion — thinking that if they are promoted, they are at risk of losing their entire careers for up to one year without any reason,” Teamsters International Vice President Ken Wood said in a press release.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
New Candidate Files For Broxson House Seat
April 27, 2016
A new candidate has opened a campaign account to try to succeed state Rep. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze who is running for Senate this year, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Navarre Republican Johnathan Walters opened an account Tuesday to run in Broxson’s House District 3, which includes parts of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties. He joined fellow Republican Jayer Williamson, a Santa Rosa County commissioner, in the race.
Broxson is seeking a Senate seat that will be vacated by Sen. Greg Evers, a Baker Republican who is running for Congress and the seat held by Rep. Jeff Miller.
by The News Service of Florida
The Way We Worked: From Can’t See to Can’t See
April 27, 2016
Up before dawn and home after dark describes Teniadé Broughton’s talk on African American work experiences in rural Escambia County. Along with the presentation, “The Change Gang” choir will perform historical work songs.
The event, hosted by the West Florida Public Libraries and the Molino Mid-County Historical Society will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Molino Branch Library in the Molino Community Center, 6450 Highway 95A.
In conjunction with this event, be sure to check out “The Way We Worked,” a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition, which celebrates the history of our nation’s diverse workers and industries. The exhibition is on display until April 30 at the Lillian F. King Museum located in the Molino Community Complex. Viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekly, closed Sundays, and open April 28 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. during Broughton’s talk.
Jackson Wins Finale 5-3 Over The Blue Wahoos
April 27, 2016
Coming off Tommy John surgery, Cincinnati Reds starter Homer Bailey consistently threw his fastball in the 93-95 mph range in his second rehab start in the minor leagues against the Jackson Generals.
Jackson, though, ended Pensacola’s three game winning streak by taking the final game of the series, 5-3, in front of 3,317 at Admiral Fetterman Field at Blue Wahoos Stadium. The Blue Wahoos won the third of four series to start this year. Pensacola won the series, 3-2, with its win Monday night.
Bailey’s first pitch was 94 mph. But he did give up a first inning run when Jackson center fielder Guillermo Heredia, who was hit in the back of his shoulder on a 93 mph fastball, scored on left-handed hitting Leon Landry’s single to left field where the shortstop normally plays but the Blue Wahoos had shifted right, expecting Landry to pull the ball.
It would be Jackson’s only earned run in the first three innings.
The normally error-proof Pensacola defense, the best in the Southern League, made five errors in the second and third innings to make four of Jackson’s five runs unearned. The defensive meltdown happened behind Bailey’s second rehab pitching assignment and led to three unearned runs in the third and one unearned run in the second inning, putting Jackson on top, 5-2.
Bailey didn’t blame the Blue Wahoos defense, though, whose previous high was two errors this season in a game against Jackson. They had nine errors total coming into the final game of the series.
“I would say this one was a bit uglier,” said Bailey. “I wouldn’t say it was a smooth four innings. We had some obstacles we had to overcome.”
Bailey gave up six hits, five runs, one earned, walked two and struck out three in his four innings of work. Bailey, who hasn’t pitched a Major League game in almost a year, threw 78 pitches total.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly shrugged off his young defense’s uncharacteristic showing.
“Those things happen,” Kelly said. “We really put (Bailey) in a bad spot having to throw so many additional pitches.”
Bailey, who has a career 58-51 record in nine major league seasons with two no-hitters, said he looks forward to returning to the Cincinnati starting rotation and picking up where he left off before two seasons of injuries. He got two starts last season and then was out in September 2014 after a torn flexor tendon.
“It’s been a long road that we could talk about for an hour,” Bailey said about his recovery. “I’m just trying to build up my endurance and trying to stay sharp. I’m looking forward to getting back to Great American Ballpark and being with guys I’ve played with the last five or six years. We’re holding our own and doing a lot better than people thought we would this season.”
Bailey was the second Reds pitcher to get a start in the series against Jackson. On Sunday, Anthony DeSclafini started his first rehab game, as he recovers from an oblique strain suffered in Spring Training. Bailey threw in Louisville April 21 and expects to throw one more game in the minors before returning to the Reds rotation.
Kelly said Bailey and DeSclafini may pay off for his strong pitching that leads the Southern League with a 2.24 ERA. But he would have liked to stick with his rotation.
“It probably pays off at the end of the season with all that time off,” he said. “I have five major league pitchers playing for me already, as far as I’m concerned. I’ll take my five and go to the big leagues tomorrow. You can’t beat what they’ve done.”
This series it was the Blue Wahoos hitting that carried the day. It hit .189 in its 5-game losing streak and averaged 1.4 runs per game, including losing back-to-back 1-0 games to the Biloxi Shuckers and Jackson Generals.
But the Blue Wahoos hit 32-102 or .314 during its three-game winning streak over Jackson, and scored 8.3 runs per game. For the series, it hit .287 against Jackson pitching.
Habitat Related Nonprofit May Provide Housing For Tornado Victims
April 26, 2016
Tornado victims in Century and Pensacola may get housing assistance from a group closely affiliated with Pensacola Habitat for Humanity.
The Northwest Florida Community Housing Development Corporation has asked Century and Escambia County to sign off on their plan to potentially provide housing for those left homeless following by the February EF3 tornadoes.
Specifically, Century and Escambia County will become a tax credit sponsor for the nonprofit under the Community Contribution Tax Credit Program (CCTCP) funding through the State of Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. To submit an application to become a tax credit sponsor, the corporation must have a resolution from the local government stating that the proposed project is consistent with local plans and regulations, including comprehensive plans.
The CCTCP provides a financial incentive (up to 50 percent tax credit or sales tax refund) to encourage Florida businesses to make donations toward community development and housing projects for low-income persons.
The corporation will partner with local businesses for contributions and volunteers to rebuild homes affected by the February tornadoes, and the tax credit or refund will be passed back to those businesses for their donations.
Century has already approved the plan. Escambia County will consider their resolution on May 5. The county was set to review the proposal on April 21, but that meeting was canceled due to the lack of a quorum.
The Northwest Florida Community Housing Development Corporation was founded in 2014 by Pensacola Habitat for Humanity, but has its own nonprofit status, its own board, and is legally separate from Pensacola Habitat for Humanity. The Northwest Florida CHDC board consist partly of current Pensacola Habitat board, partly of Pensacola Habitat staff, and partly of community members eligible for services.
Northwest Florida CHDC was created to allow the capacity that Pensacola Habitat for Humanity has created to be utilized in other areas that serve the community, but outside of Habitat’s specific mission. Specifically in the case of tornado victims, Northwest Florida CHDC may offer housing that does not require homeowner repayment, whereas Habitat homeowners must make payments and contribute volunteer hours.
FHP Seeks Witnesses To Nine Mile Road Accident
April 26, 2016
Two people were seriously injured in a Monday afternoon wreck on Nine Mile Road.
Justin Allan Archer, 26, was westbound on Nine Mile Road in a Volkswagon Jetta about 3:20 p.m. approaching the intersection with Sunnehanna Boulevard. The driver of a Honda CRV, 50-year old John Eugene Worth, was southbound on Sunnehanna Boulevard and attempted to make a left turn at the intersection when the vehicles collided.
Worth was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in serous condition. His passenger, 23-year old Christopher Worth, was transported to Sacred Heart in critical condition. Archer received minor injuries.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, it has not yet been determined who had the green traffic signal. Any witnesses to the crash are asked to contact Trooper Sebastian Yo at (850) 484-5000.
Sunny And Warm Today
April 26, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 64. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 85. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. South wind 5 to 15 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light after midnight.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 82.
Murder Suspect Arrested In State Line Shooting Death
April 26, 2016
A suspect has been arrested in the state line shooting death of a young Flomaton man last week.
Devonte DeShawn Rollins, age 20 of Atmore, was taken into custody Monday afternoon for the April 19 shooting death of 18-year old Kenneth Harris, Jr. of Flomaton.
Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis said Rollins shot Harris in the back of his head. Davis would not elaborate on any possible motive for the shooting.
Last Friday agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Flomaton Police Department executed the search warrant at a home on Lender Street, an area directly on the Alabama-Florida state line off Alley 5 in Century.
About 12:45 p.m. last Tuesday, the Flomaton Police Department received a 911 call that a person had been shot. Officers from the Flomaton Police Department and the Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office responded, with the the Flomaton Police Department taking the lead role in the investigation.
More details will be posted as they become available.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
