Scott Says Higher Education Efforts ‘About Building A Workforce’
May 27, 2016
Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday wrapped up a two-day higher education conference in Orlando with a list of goals that included making colleges and universities more affordable and more responsive to the needs of businesses.
The second day of the “Degrees to Jobs Summit” included sessions about trying to make Florida first in jobs for university and college graduates, along with discussions about keeping students in the state after they graduate.
“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.”
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam noted that many of his classmates at the University of Florida left the state after graduation.
“We can reverse that flow, and we must reduce that flow,” Putnam said.
Cammy Abernathy, dean of engineering at the University of Florida, said today’s graduates approach careers with the belief that they will change jobs multiple times. Some are afraid they’ll lose opportunities if they stay in Florida, she added.
“The way to get around that is to show them there are opportunities in the state of Florida — in the Southeast in general,” Abernathy said. “If we grow the jobs and the grads at the same time, we’ll keep more of the grads in Florida.”
Putnam also said Florida should have at least one other state institution besides his alma mater as a member of the prestigious, 62-member Association of American Universities.
“The AAU schools in this country produce 60 percent of doctoral degrees and over half of the science and engineering degrees,” he said. “The third-largest state needs another AAU school, and we need a plan and a pathway to get there.”
Scott held the conference to bring together business and education leaders, but the event drew criticism from the United Faculty of Florida, which said it was not invited.
“Without meaningful faculty participation, this summit does little to move Florida’s higher education system to the next level of excellence,” the group, which represents more than 22,000 faculty members, said in a statement this week.
Scott on Wednesday used the conference to challenge colleges and universities to help full-time students graduate in four years rather than as many as six years. That call, said University of West Florida President Judy Bense, was her top takeaway of the conference.
“Those two extra years cost time, money, in many different ways,” she said. “So I hope that’s going to be the cornerstone of (Scott’s) action plan.”
Bense also said bringing the business people and university people together had been a success.
“It happens all the time in our communities and our regions, but it hasn’t happened on this scale,” she said. “My new trustees and my older trustees — they like it. They made connections, because they’re businessmen and (business) women, too.”
The conference ended with Scott conducting a three-way interview with football coaches Jimbo Fisher of Florida State University, Jim McElwain of the University of Florida and Mark Richt of the University of Miami.
by The News Service of Florida
Two Atmore Men Facing Drug Charges
May 27, 2016
Two people have been arrested in Atmore in unrelated drug cases.
Jabarie Arnold, 37, was charged with possession of marijuana, three counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, altering a firearm’s identification and resisting arrest.
Arnold’s arrest came after officer with the Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Department served a search warrant at home on New Order Lane. Officers found numerous illegal items, including 278 grams of synthetic marijuana, hydrocodone, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a pistol with serial numbers filed off (pictured top).
Arnold attempted flee officers from the Atmore Police Department and the U.S. Marshals but was apprehended with drug paraphernalia in his possession, according to police.
Arnold was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton where he remains with bond set at $1 million.
In an unrelated case, 22-year old Justin Lacy of Atmore was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana first degree.
His arrest came after Atmore Police received a tip of illegal drug activity in vicinity of Avenue E in Atmore. An investigation was initiated and surveillance of the area found drug activity to be present, according to police.
A search warrant was executed by officers with Atmore Police Department, Poarch Police Department and the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office.
Officer reported finding 90 grams of marijuana and several hydrocodone pills with a street value of $700 (pictured below).
Lacy was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Company Expands, Adding New Jobs
May 27, 2016
An Escambia County manufacturing plant is adding to their facility and adding new jobs.
The Danish based Jupiter Group held a grand opening Thursday for a 25,000 square foot addition to their facility in the Ellyson Industrial Park. With the expansion, they plan to employ a total of 250 people in Escambia County.
The company builds turbines that produce clean power, mostly from wind. Their primary customer is the General Electric Wind Energy Plant in Pensacola.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Mullets Fall To Birmingham
May 27, 2016
After the game, Pensacola manager Pat Kelly wanted to know if its 6-4 loss to the Birmingham Barons counted against the Blue Wahoos.
On “What If” night Thursday, the Pensacola players sported Mullet jerseys, instead of its regular Blue Wahoos uniforms and they played in Mullet Stadium.
“The Mullets are 0-1,” Kelly said jokingly. “I don’t think it counts against our record.”
Unfortunately, the loss does go in the Blue Wahoos loss column. The team fell into a first place tie with the Biloxi Shuckers at 27-20.
The logo for the Mullet name sported the fish with a mullet leaning up against the letter “P” for Pensacola. In 2012, the fish was one of six finalists for the name of the Cincinnati Reds Double-A affiliate.
The loss spoiled a strong outing by big righty Sal Romano.
Romano got the first five outs of the game on strike outs. He finished with a season-high nine strikeouts and lasted 7 innings for the second time in three games. He walked just one batter. Romano still got a K on a 94 mph fastball in the seventh inning when he struck out Birmingham center fielder Adam Engel.
Kelly said the 21-year-old Romano, the Cincinnati Reds No. 9 prospect, is slowly turning into a pitcher, instead of a thrower.
“The seventh inning might have been his best inning,” Kelly said of Romano, who set the Barons down in order. “It’s small baby steps but he’s not rearing back and throwing as hard as he can. Harder is not always the best.”
Romano said when he takes the mound his goal is to reach the seventh inning. That’s much easier to do with his increasing confidence in his changeup that he has been developing the last few seasons.
“That’s a big thing for me,” he said. “I just said, ‘Let’s bear down here.’ I’m trying to make pitches, not just be a big kid throwing hard.”
Pensacola came back in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one-run game, 5-4, against the Barons, who tied the series, 1-1.
The Mullets loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Pensacola center fielder Phillip Ervin scored on DH Sebastian Elizalde’s ground out and then Mullets first baseman Kyle Parker scored on a wild pitch. Pensacola catcher Chad Wallach, who entered the game in an 0-12 slump, then singled in Mullet’s second baseman Brandon Dixon. Wallach was 2-3, walked and knocked in a run.
Birmingham scored an insurance run in the ninth, however. The Barons added another run in the ninth when Engel singled in Barons shortstop Eddy Alvarez with no outs. With runners on first and third for Birmingham, Pensacola center fielder Bryson Smith caught a fly ball by right fielder Eudy Pina and then threw a perfect strike to Wallach to get Engel out at the plate and prevent more runs from scoring.
“Bryson did a nice job staying back on the ball,” Kelly said.
Also playing well for the one-time Mullets Thursday, was Pensacola first baseman Kyle Parker, who made up for his error by slicing a solo shot over the left field wall just inside the foul pole in the fourth inning to pull the Mullets within, 2-1. Parker got on base three times and scored twice.
Birmingham first baseman Jake Peter also hit his fourth home run of the season on a solo blast in the fifth inning to put the Barons up, 3-1.
Woman Hit By Her Own Vehicle In Convenience Store Parking Lot
May 26, 2016
A woman was injured when she was hit by her own vehicle in a convenience store parking lot early Thursday morning.
About 2:30 a.m., the woman was reportedly working on her vehicle in the parking lot of the Tom Thumb on Highway 29 at West Roberts Road when it jumped into gear, dragging the woman across the parking lot. The vehicle then ran over the woman before crossing West Roberts Road and hitting a privacy fence.
The woman was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released.
The Ensley Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Sheriff’s Office Clean Sweep Today In Cottage Hill
May 26, 2016
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a Clean Sweep in the Cottage Hill area this morning.
The Clean Sweep will begin at the Cottage Hill Baptist Church on Williams Ditch Road and concentrate on the area east of Highway 95, McKenzie Road, Williams Ditch Road and Eden Lane.
The focus of “Operation Clean Sweep” is to work with Neighborhood Watch groups, residents, churches and business owners to control and prevent the damaging effects of criminal activity, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Some Fog Overnight
May 26, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east after midnight.
Friday: Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 87. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Patchy fog before 7am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 86. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 89. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph.
Memorial Day: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
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.
Cantonment Couple Charged In ‘Heart-Wrenching’ Child Abuse Case
May 26, 2016
A Cantonment couple has been charged in a child abuse case that Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan called “heart-wrenching” and one of the worst he has ever seen.
Jeffrey Scott Linton, 48, and Rachel Watkins Linton, 34, of Muscogee Road in Cantonment, are facing multiple child abuse charges based upon allegations that they inflicted severe physical abuse on three young children.
“It is one of those things that bring tears to your eyes to think that a child would be treated in this manner,” Morgan said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference. He said there were nine total children in the home – eight biologically belonging to Rachel Linton, one the biological child of Jeffrey Linton. The charges filed relate to the three youngest of the children.
All of the children have been removed from the home.
The investigation began after the Department of Children and Families received an anonymous tip. That led to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office opening an investigation and executing a search warrant at the couple’s Cantonment home.
“These investigations are always ongoing. If at any point and time additional facts come out that warrant additional charges being filed, we would review it at that time and file the appropriate charges,” Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille said. “We do take these types of cases very seriously.”
Jeffrey Linton remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $1.5 million; Rachel Linton’s also remains in jail with a bond set at $900,000.
The allegations against the Lintons span the period August 2015 to May 23, 2016, according to an arrest report obtained by NorthEscambia.com. On May 24, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of the allegations.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The remainder of this story details some of the severe physical child abuse allegations in this case. There are details that some readers will find disturbing.
The report indicates that about one month ago, one of the victims suffered a broken leg and then a broken arm caused by one of the siblings, and that Rachel Linton did not feed or bathe the children or take them to medical appointments. Two of the victims were born prematurely and are developmentally delayed.
DCF received a tip that Rachel Linton was planning to flee the area and has a history of fleeing when she is under investigation.
DCF received a report that two victims had injuries to their faces and heads, and Rachel Linton took the victims to West Florida Hospital where a trauma survey found that one victim had two broken arms and a broken leg and all three victims were malnourished.
The report says Rachel Linton frequently hits the victims’ heads on the walls and that Jeffrey Linton also abuses them. Rachel Linton threatened the children with further punishment if they provided any information to DCF about the ongoing abuse in the home. Both allegedly told the children to blame their injuries on the other children in the home.
One child allegedly suffered a broken arm as the result of Jeffrey Linton twisting an arm. DCF discovered the children had multiple bruises on their faces, back and arms, and that the children had knots on the back and tops of their heads. They suffered a variety of other injuries, including an abscess on the bottom of a foot, scarring and scabbing of lips, scarring of a nose, lacerations to their ears and bruising to their genital areas.
A witness alleged that Jeffrey Linton would hold the victims upside down by their feet and hit their heads on the floor as punishment and that he would hit them with a paddle “2-3 feet long” and throw them and slam their heads against a wall, and he would allegedly hit them with a fly swatter.
The witness said the paddle is now broken from use, and that she would hear the children cry and scream in pain.
Work Complete On Replacement Of 75 Year Old Highway 97 Bridge
May 26, 2016
Work is now mostly complete on the replacement of a 75-year old Highway 97 bridge over Little Pine Barren Creek in Walnut Hill.
Work at the site began back in March 2015, with traffic moved to a temporary bridge in July. The construction was part of a $2.5 million contract which consisted of replacing a structurally deficient bridge, including roadway reconstruction, milling and resurfacing, guardrail, drainage, new signs and pavement markings.
The bridge is located at the intersection of Wiggins Lake Road, about one mile north of Ernest Ward Middle School. The bridge that was replaced was constructed in 1940.
Pictured: Traffic flows across a completed bridge on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill late Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
State Supreme Court To Hear High Profile Gambling Case
May 26, 2016
The Florida Supreme Court is expected to hear a high profile gambling case next month.
Justices will take up a closely watched case about whether a pari-mutuel facility in rural Gadsden County should be able to offer slot machines — a case that could have implications for five other counties across the state.
The pari-mutuel Gretna Racing., operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Atmore, argues it should be allowed to offer the lucrative machines, at least in part because Gadsden County voters approved slots in a referendum. But a divided 1st District Court of Appeal last year sided with Gov. Rick Scott’s administration, which contends that the small North Florida horse track cannot have slot machines without the express permission of the Legislature.
The outcome of the case could affect five other counties — Brevard, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach and Washington — where voters have approved slots in similar referendums. The case (Gretna Racing, LLC v. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, etc.) is scheduled for arguments June 7.
by the News Service of Florida