Clara Gulsby Retires From Tax Collector’s Office
May 28, 2016
Clara Gulsby retired Friday after 26 years with the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Office.
Tax Collector Janet Holley said Gulsby has been an outstanding asset to Escambia County and will be hard to replace. She first joined the Tax Collector’s Office as a senior accounting clerk in April 1990 and retired as a senior manager. During her career, she managed the Tax Collector locations in Century, Cantonment and, most recently, Molino.
District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry presented Gulsby with a board proclamation in her honor.
“I am going to spend time traveling, and time with my grandkids,” Gulsby said. “I’m really looking forward to being there for my grandkids.”
Pictured top: Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley (left) presents Clara Gulsby with a retirement clock Friday afternoon. Pictured inset: Gulsby (left) poses for a photo with Ruby Amerson Wells, who placed Gulsby in her first job while she was attending Century High School. Pictured below: Commissioner Steven Barry presents Gulsby with a retirement proclamation from the Escambia County Commission. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Three Coaches And A Governor Walk Onto A Stage…
May 28, 2016
It’s not often that Jim McElwain, Jimbo Fisher and Mark Richt share the stage during one of the most significant policy events in Florida on a given week.
But on Thursday, that’s exactly what the football coaches of the University of Florida, Florida State University and the University of Miami did, showing up at Gov. Rick Scott’s “Degrees to Jobs Summit” in Orlando, speaking on leadership as the national championship trophy for the coming college football season stood between the governor and the trio.
Things got even more unusual this week when it came to the state’s delegation to Washington, D.C., with some Republicans openly imploring a sitting U.S. senator to sit awhile longer. Meanwhile, the state’s public education system was allowed to maintain the status quo, at least for now.
SCOTT: TWO LESS YEARS
Scott’s higher-education summit had a little bit of everything, from the panel with the football coaches to a discussion of middle-class wages going the way of the buffalo.
However, there was at least one somewhat concrete proposal to emerge from the gathering: Scott wants colleges and universities to encourage full-time students to graduate in four years.
Just 44 percent of undergraduates at state universities graduate within four years, according to the Florida Board of Governors, with a total of 71 percent earning a four-year degree within six years.
And since undergraduates spend roughly $17,000 per year on tuition, fees, books and living expenses, those finishing in four years will avoid the added cost, Scott said. They’ll also bring in salaries for those two years, rather than paying out money to attend classes.
Additionally, the governor called for the expansion of Bright Futures scholarships to cover the summer semester and urged the elimination of fees for online courses.
Using a little bit of creative math — combining the extra tuition over two years with the amount of salary the students would earn if they were in the workforce instead — Scott came up with a six-figure savings estimate for graduates who wrapped up college in what used to be the standard timeframe.
“Finish in four, save more,” Scott told business and education leaders at the event. “You could save $100,000 by getting out in four years rather than six years.”
Scott also used the conference to promote his higher education agenda the way he has in the past: by tying it to his focus on the state’s economy. He did, however, manage to stay away from taking digs at anthropology.
“If our students are the best-educated in the country — in the world — the companies are going to be here,” Scott said. “This is about building a workforce.”
‘A TOP PRIORITY’
While Scott was preparing in Orlando to discuss ways to overhaul higher education, a Leon County judge was passing on an opportunity to upend the way elementary and secondary schools are funded in the state. But the battle looks to be far from over.
Seven years after the case was filed, Circuit Judge George Reynolds on Tuesday rejected a wide-ranging challenge to the state’s public education system. While Reynolds raised concerns about the outcome for some students in Florida, he ruled that lawmakers had met their constitutional obligation to provide a free, high-quality public education.
“The weight of the evidence shows that the state has made education a top priority both in terms of implementation of research-based education policies and reforms, as well as education funding,” Reynolds wrote in the decision.
Backers of the lawsuit vowed to appeal, potentially setting up a landmark ruling by the Florida Supreme Court.
“We’re in this as long as children continue to be harmed by Florida’s school reform policies,” said Kathleen Oropeza, co-founder of the advocacy group Fund Education Now. “And we’ve always known, regardless of the outcome, there would be an appeal.”
The lawsuit is rooted in a 1998 constitutional amendment that says it is a “paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.” The amendment fleshed that out, in part, by saying adequate provision will be made for a “uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system” of public schools.
Republican lawmakers were quick to applaud Reynolds’ decision as an endorsement of their polices, including 15 years of education-reform efforts and initiatives that expanded school choice programs. While Reynolds had already curtailed challenges to the state’s system of charter schools and private-school scholarships funded by tax credits, he also found that those programs had not hurt public education.
“Florida’s education policies have resulted in all-time high graduation rates, an overall increase in student achievement, and our low-income and minority students closing the ‘achievement gap’ at a rate faster than the rest of the nation,” said House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island. “Today’s order ensures our children will continue to receive the high quality education they deserve.”
Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, specifically underscored the parts of Reynolds’ ruling that dealt with school choice programs and used the ruling to take a veiled shot at the Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union. The FEA has filed a separate challenge to the voucher-like scholarship program.
“I am hopeful that today’s ruling will cause other groups to re-evaluate their attempts to deprive tens of thousands of students with unique abilities and students from low-income families of the educational opportunities their parents have selected,” Gardiner said.
The FEA said it would do no such thing.
RUBIO AGAIN?
The 2016 election, as just about anyone who even casually follows politics can tell you, is one of the most unusual campaigns in decades. And rumors started to emerge of another twist this week that could upend the headline non-presidential race in Florida: an effort by some Republicans to get U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio to run for re-election.
During his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, Rubio repeatedly and emphatically ruled out running for a second term in the Senate if voters rejected his attempt at the White House. And he tried again this week to quell talk that he would get into the Senate race and elbow out the five major Republican candidates currently running for the seat.
One of those candidates, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, is a personal friend of Rubio, as the incumbent pointed out.
“I think he’s a great candidate,” Rubio said. “I think he’ll make a great senator.”
But Rubio didn’t completely and irrevocably shut the door on the possibility of running again, particularly if Lopez-Cantera, who like his fellow GOP candidates has struggled to gain much traction, was forced to drop out of the race.
Republican candidates started getting questions about whether they would or wouldn’t clear the field if Rubio got in, and Democratic candidate Patrick Murphy issued a statement saying “this race won’t be about” Rubio regardless of the decision. But Murphy, who faces a Senate primary against fellow Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson, indicated he was preparing for the possibility.
“For years Floridians have been disappointed by Marco Rubio’s complete disinterest in the job they elected him to do,” Murphy said. “Floridians know his record of missing votes, flip-flopping on immigration reform, and fighting against women’s health care.”
Adding fuel to the story, even one of Rubio’s harshest president primary nemeses — presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump — joined the “Draft Rubio” movement on Twitter.
“Poll data shows that @marcorubio does by far the best in holding onto his Senate seat in Florida. Important to keep the MAJORITY. Run Marco!” Trump tweeted.
STORY OF THE WEEK: Gov. Rick Scott held his “Degrees to Jobs Summit” in Orlando and unveiled a plan to encourage Florida university students to get their undergraduate degrees within four years.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “If he tramples self-defense rights as a legislator, it is frightening to imagine how he will trample constitutional rights as a judge. He has to be stopped!!”—Marion Hammer, a past president of the National Rifle Association and executive director of the Unified Sportsmen of Florida, in a letter opposing state Rep. Charles McBurney, R-Jacksonville, for a judicial position. McBurney, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, angered Second Amendment groups this year when his committee did not move forward with a bill related to the “stand your ground” self-defense law.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Northview’s Amerson Awarded National Merit University of Alabama Scholarship
May 28, 2016
Northview High School honors graduate Jessica Amerson has been awarded a National Merit Scholarship sponsored by The University of Alabama.
As a junior, Amerson entered the National Merit Scholarship Competition by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall, approximately 16,000 Semifinalists were named on a state-representational basis in numbers proportional to each state’s percentage of the national total of graduating high school seniors. Semifinalists were the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represented less than one percent of the nation’s seniors.
To compete for Merit Scholarship awards, Semifinalists first had to advance to the Finalist level of the competition by fulfilling additional requirements. Each Semifinalist was asked to submit a detailed scholarship application, which included writing an essay and providing information about extracurricular activities, awards, and leadership positions. Semifinalists also had to have an outstanding academic record, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, and earn SAT scores that confirmed the qualifying test performance.
Amerson is the daughter of Gary and Kayleen Amerson of Walnut Hill.
Blue Wahoos Beat The Barons
May 28, 2016
Pensacola Blue Wahoos’ do-it-all Tony Renda, not only can play nearly every position on the field, he’s also a mathematician.
Renda, who’s batted first in the lineup 15 times this season, singled to start Friday’s game and scored the first run of the game when Blue Wahoos first baseman Kyle Parker knocked him in on a line drive to center field.
“It helps cause 76 percent of the time the team that scores first wins,” Renda said. “You might want to check that. But if you believe it long enough, it comes true.”
Well, Pensacola did go on to win Friday by beating the Birmingham Barons, 9-1, in front of its third straight Friday night sellout of 5,038 fans at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
He made up for going 0-5 the previous game to end his five game hitting streak by going 4-5, all singles, scoring a run, and walking. Renda, who came over in the Cincinnati Reds trade with the New York Yankees for closer Aroldis Chapman, is batting .307 (16-52) when leading off an inning. He leads the Blue Wahoos with a .293 average this season.
He played both second and third base Friday. Renda has been regulated to second base most of his professional career. But he’s played every position except for catcher, pitcher, first base and center field, so far.
“Hey, it’s fun,” he said about playing multiple positions for the Blue Wahoos. “I show up to the park and it’s a guessing game where I’m going to play that day.”
Blue Wahoos team improved to 28-20 and regained sole possession of first place again from the Biloxi Shuckers who dropped to 27-21 with a 1-0 loss to the Mobile BayBears.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly said Renda always tells him that he’s played the position that he starts him in.
“He gets us going,” Kelly said. “He just sparks our offense and everyone else follows.”
Pensacola jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. After Renda scored when Parker extended his hitting streak to six games, Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin, who had walked, scored on a bases-loaded walk by third baseman Eric Jagielo, who was tossed from the game for arguing a third strike call in the fifth inning.
Chicago White Sox No. 1 prospect Carson Fulmer continued to struggle with his control. The eighth pick overall in the 2015 draft, walked seven Pensacola batters in four innings. The Barons pitcher walked eight against the Jackson Generals on May 11. Birmingham pitchers walked 11 total Pensacola batters.
Still the Blue Wahoos had trouble scoring, leaving the bases loaded three times in the first five innings. In all, Pensacola left a season high 14 runners on base.
However, Barrett Astin in his third spot start for the injured Rookie Davis, went five innings and gave up one run on three hits and struck out three. He had no walks. Astin, who started for Pensacola last year, improved to 4-1 on the season with a 3.00 ERA.
“Pitching was the key,” Kelly said. “(Astin) gave up only three hits. It was a nice start.”
Pensacola finally pulled away when it scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-1 lead.
The first run of the inning came when right fielder Sebastian Elizalde scored from third base on a ground out by Pensacola catcher Chad Wallach to make the score, 4-1. Blue Wahoos second baseman Zach Vincej then drove the ball through the left side of the infield to score DH Donald Lutz to go up, 5-1.
Pensacola went ahead, 6-1, when left fielder Jeff Gelalich beat out a bouncer to second base. Barons first baseman Jake Peter turned and fired to his catcher Jeremy Dowdy but Vincej slid around the tag on the bam-bam play.
The hit that gave the Blue Wahoos a big breather, though, came when Wallach capped the game off with a deep three-run shot over the left field fence in the seventh inning. It was his third blast of the year and the Blue Wahoos third homer in the past 11 games. The other two homers shot off the bat of Parker. Pensacola now has 25 home runs this season with 15 coming in May.
Three Injured In Highway 29 Crash
May 27, 2016
Three people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in Molino Friday morning.
Just after 10 a.m., a passenger car collided with a utility trailer being pulled by a pickup truck on Highway 29 at Morgan Cemetery Road, just north of Highway 97. The utility trailer was loaded with lawn equipment.
The three injured — including one trauma alert — were in the car. There were no injuries in the truck.
One of the injured was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Two people were transported to Sacred Heart by ambulance.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released.
The McDavid and Cantonment stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Office ‘Clean Sweeps’ Cottage Hill
May 27, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held a Clean Sweep operation Thursday morning in the Cottage Hill area.
The focus of “Operation Clean Sweep” was to work with the Cottage Hill Neighborhood Watch group, residents, churches and business owners to control and prevent the damaging effects of criminal activity, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Volunteers also worked throughout the day to clean trash and debris from alongside neighborhoods streets.
During Thursday’s event, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office issued eight traffic citations, two warnings, and a 13 sex offender addresses were verified. There were 20 code violations cited, and 14.67 tons of debris was removed. One arrest was report. A man was arrested for violation of probation. Escambia County Animal Control seized two unlicensed pit bulls from his property and issued two citations.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office plans their next Clean Sweep for June 23 in Warrington, following by a Clean Swep on July 21 in the 9½ Mile Road area.
Sunshine For Memorial Day Weekend
May 27, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Calm wind.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 70. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Memorial Day: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. West wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Northview High Names 2016 Honors Graduates
May 27, 2016
Northview High School named their honors graduates during Thursday night’s 2016 Senior Awards Night.
Valedictorian of the Class of 2016 is Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds, daughter of William and Jane Reynolds of Walnut Hill. She is graduating with a final weighted GPA of 5.06. Salutatorian is Moriah Renee’ McGahan, daughter of Greg and Candy McGahan of Molino.
A total of 28 students were named honors graduates with a final GPA of 3.5 or above.
The Northview High School Class of 2016 graduates at 4 p.m. Saturday in the school gym.
Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA and above) are, in class rank order:
1. Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds
2. Moriah Renee’ McGahan
3. Jessica Kathryn Amerson
4. David Franklin Thorpe
5. Madison Paige Weber
6. Bradley Andrew Van Pelt
7. Abbie Elizabeth Johnson
8. Haylee Alease Weaver
9. Harmoni Faith Till
10. Savanna Brianne Roux
11. Jada Mona Tucker
12. Trevor Dale Levins
13. Courtney Bryce Weekley
14. Tyler Ray Houston
15. Jordan Caroline Taylor
16. Jason Andrew Perritt
17. Christopher Gavin Grant
18. Benjamin Tate Preston
19. Jadlyn Skye Agerton
20. Leah Grace Fischer
21. Lawrence C W Douglas
Magna Cum Laude graduates (3.85 or higher) are:
22. Jacob Wade Dunsford
Cum Laude (3.5 and above) graduates are:
23. Jewel Regina Garner
24. Trevor James Lassiter
25. Jordan Noelle Helmken
26. Katelyn Michelle Born
27. Jensyn Lillian Warner
28. Carly Marie Ward
Pictured top: Northview High School Class of 2016 Salutatorian Moriah Renee’ McGahan (left) and Valedictorian Bethany Cheyenne Reynolds. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Tax Certificate Sale Set For June 1
May 27, 2016
Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley announces the tax certificate sale for 2015 delinquent real estate taxes in Escambia County will be held June 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT at BidEscambia.com. Bidding opened May 5, 2016.
Property taxes unpaid as of 4:30 p.m. on May 31 will be eligible for purchase. To prevent a certificate from being sold, property owners with delinquent taxes must make their payment by 4:30 p.m. May 31 either through the website, EscambiaTaxCollector.com, or in person at any of our four convenient tax collector offices. All late payments will be returned for additional fees.
Registration for the sale is open at BidEscambia.com and will continue until the sale ends June 1. The sale is a reverse auction, with interest rates on individual certificates starting at 18 percent. Bidders compete for the lowest rate, and certificates are awarded to those with the lowest bid. All unsold certificates will be issued to Escambia County at 18 percent annual interest.
The tax certificate sale is an annual online auction where bidders can purchase a delinquent taxpayer’s debt in exchange for an annual interest rate, ensuring the majority of unpaid taxes are collected and distributed to taxing authorities. Last year, more than 7,800 certificates were sold for a total of over $10.9 million, recovering 97 percent of delinquent taxes. Delinquent real estate accounts are published online at BidEscambia.com.
Pearl Harbor Survivor Featured In Memorial Day Civic Band Concert
May 27, 2016
Pearl Harbor Survivor and musician Frank Emond recently celebrated his 98th birthday.
“When you’re 98, you’re allowed more than one birthday party,” said nonogenarian Frank Emond. “I’ve celebrated with family and friends and I got a cake from Cordova Park Elementary School, when three other Pearl Harbor Survivors and I spoke last week.”
“I’m grateful to all our Pearl Harbor Honor Flight friends that worked so hard to take us back to Pearl for the 70th commemoration in 2011. They continue to arrange things for us to keep us going. That’s my secret to long life, keeping busy,” he continued.
Frank Emond, CWO4 USN (RET.), spent his naval career as a musician and band director. He was on the stern of the USS Pensylvania (BB-38) getting ready to play morning “Colors” when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941. “At five minutes to eight, I looked up and saw a line of planes coming in. The first one peeled off and dropped something. I thought the plane was coming apart. I watched it until the something hit the ground and exploded. We knew we were in trouble then …”
Frank will tell the rest of his story on Monday night, May 30th as a part of Pensacola’s Inaugural Memorial Day Concert presented by the Pensacola Civic Band. The concert begins at 5:00 PM in the Hunter Amphitheatre at Community Maritime Park and will include a program of music honoring our military fallen heroes. Additionally, the program will include narration by Rev. Gerald Mundy & Paula Dorrett and a special performance by soloist, Holly Shelton. There is no charge for the concert, food and drink will be available from outside vendors. Be sure to bring some chairs or a blanket.
For more information on the concert, contact the Pensacola Civic Band www.pensacolacivicband.org or call 850.484.1847