Not So Fast: Molino Road Bridge Replacement To Take Longer Than First Anticipated
July 16, 2016
Molino Road will be closed longer than originally anticipated for a bridge replacement later this year.
In February, the Florida Department of Transportation and Escambia County signed off on the project to replace the bridge over Penasula Creek, west of Highway 29 on Molino Road between 4 Star Farm Road and Sunshine Hill Road. Original plans called for the bridge to be closed 180 days, but now FDOT says the closure will be closer to 270 days.
Construction, and the road closure, are expected to begin in October. A detour of approximately seven miles will be available at Sunshine Hill Road, Crabtree Church Road, and Highway 29.
The bridge has reached a level of deterioration to warrant replacement and is next on the list of the FDOT’s Five-Year Work Plan. During construction, Molino Rod will be closed for about six to nine months to minimize costs and construction time. The project will be funded and the construction work will be performed under contract for the Florida Department of Transportation. After completion of the structure, Escambia County will be responsible for the maintenance of the bridge.
The wood piling supported Molino Road Bridge over Penasula Creek was constructed in 1958.
Pictured top: The Molino Road bridge over Penasula Creek. Pictured: The deteriorating wood pilings that support the bridge. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Starving Horses Seized From Property Near Molino
July 15, 2016
Escambia County Animal Control seized two emaciated horses Thursday from a property near Molino.
The horses were seized from a property on Parkers Lane off Highway 97, just north of Hendricks Lane in Molino. The seizure was the result of an ongoing investigation. Charges were not immediately filed, but the investigation remains open.
The horses, named Bo and Trigger, are now in the care of Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment.
“Trigger was extremely emaciated,” PER President Diane Lowery said late Thursday afternoon. “Bo is doing slightly better, but needs dental work.”
With the two seized horses, PER is now housing 11 horses on three acres. That has put the non-profit in extreme need of a pole barn, Lowery said, to have room for the overflow. And one of the horses seized Thursdays had an allergy to bug bites and needs a stall.
“We need donations,” Lowery said. “Bo and Trigger are counting on all of us to help them.”
To donate, tax deductible contributions can be mailed to PER, P.O. Box 777, Cantonment, FL 32533, or visit www.panhandleequinerescue.org.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Summertime Showers Through The Weekend; Otherwise Partly Sunny
July 15, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. North wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 95.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
Appeals Court Says Kosher Meals A Must In Florida Prisons
July 15, 2016
Two days after hearing arguments, an appeals court Thursday sided with the U.S. Department of Justice and refused to block a federal judge’s order requiring Florida corrections officials to provide kosher meals to inmates.
U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz last year ordered the Department of Corrections to offer kosher meals and barred it from removing inmates from the religious dietary plan if prisoners buy non-kosher food from canteens or don’t pick up the meals more than 10 percent of the time.
While Corrections Secretary Julie Jones has maintained she has no plans to stop offering kosher meals, the agency argued that a federal law — the “Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act” of 2000 — allows prison officials to stop offering the meal plan if it gets too expensive.
But a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that Jones and the agency failed to prove their case. The state has spent nearly $500,000 on legal fees and costs in the prolonged dispute.
The federal act provides that “no government shall impose a substantial burden on the religious exercise” of an institutionalized person “unless the government demonstrates that imposition of the burden on that person” is both “in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest” and “the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.”
Lawyers for the state argued that denying the meals is the least restrictive means of furthering the government’s interest in containing costs.
“But the secretary’s argument lacks any support in the record,” appeals-court Judge William Pryor wrote in the 15-page opinion.
Corrections officials had estimated that kosher meals could cost taxpayers more than $12 million a year, an amount disputed by the Justice Department, which sued the state over the kosher meals in 2012. Instead, federal officials estimated that the religious meals would cost less than $390,000 annually.
Thirty-five other states and the Federal Bureau of Prisons provide kosher diets to inmates.
Jones “fail(ed) to explain why the department cannot offer kosher meals when the Federal Bureau of Prisons and other states do so,” or why she can’t provide the kosher meals although the department offers other special diets “at similar marginal costs,” Pryor wrote.
Justice Department officials provided evidence that corrections officials are not screening out “insincere applicants” or enforcing rules of participation in the program, something Jones did not dispute, the judge noted.
“She instead responds that enforcing the rules would be too time-intensive. But she fails to cite any evidence or explain why it would be too time-intensive, so she has not created a genuine dispute of material fact,” he wrote.
Jones also argued that the agency has a budget deficit and that she might have to eliminate 246 positions to pay for kosher meals.
But she offered “no concrete evidence concerning how other prison operations would be affected by the costs of the kosher meals … and we do not have enough information about the deficit or the vacancies to conclude that they might make the asserted interest compelling,” wrote Pryor, who was joined in the opinion by judges Jill Pryor and Richard Story.
Jones also tried to “avoid her evidentiary burden by shifting the blame to limited appropriations from the Florida Legislature,” but the federal law does not distinguish between parts of the government, the three-judge panel found.
“If the secretary must provide kosher meals, then the Legislature must appropriate enough funds to honor the obligation,” the order upholding the permanent injunction said.
Corrections officials are reviewing the court’s decision and “will determine next steps,” agency spokeswoman Michelle Glady said in an email Thursday evening.
“We will continue to serve the more than 9,000 inmates enrolled in the religious dietary program meals that comply with the tenets of their faith,” she said.
The fight over kosher meals in Florida prisons has dragged on for more than a decade.
The department started offering kosher meals in 2004 to Jewish prisoners at 13 facilities and transferred inmates who were eligible for the meals to those institutions. The agency expanded the program to inmates of all faiths in 2006 but halted it the following year before reinstating it as a pilot project at a single prison in 2010, serving fewer than 20 prisoners.
A year after the Justice Department filed the lawsuit in 2012, the state again began serving kosher meals and promised to have the meals available to all inmates by last July.
Two years ago, prison officials switched to all-cold meals, consisting largely of peanut butter and sardines, served twice a day, prompting some inmates to complain that the unappetizing diet was aimed at discouraging prisoners from signing up for the kosher plan.
About 9,000 of the state’s 100,000 prisoners are receiving kosher meals, according to Glady. As of Monday, the state was spending $3.32 per inmate per day on kosher meals, compared to about $1.97 for the regular diet.
Lawyers who represented a Jewish inmate who sued the state after being denied a kosher diet hailed Thursday’s ruling.
“This is a huge win, and it perfectly shows how protecting religious liberty for any Americans ultimately protects it for all Americans,” said Daniel Blomberg, a lawyer with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said in a press release.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Escambia County Offers Safety Tips For Blue Angels Weekend
July 15, 2016
With the Blue Angels ready to take to the skies for the Pensacola Beach Air Show, Escambia County offers the following tips for a safe, fun weekend in the sun:
- Leave early. Traffic will be heavy, and parking is limited on Pensacola Beach.
- Don’t forget to get in the fast lane to the beach with SunPass, now accepted at the Bob Sikes Bridge Toll Plaza. With a SunPass transponder, the $1 toll will be deducted from your account each time you pass through the toll. No need to stop and pay $1 in cash – which means less time in the car and more time on the beach. For more information, click here.
- If parking is full in the core areas, take advantage of the free Pensacola Beach trolleys offered by the Santa Rosa Island Authority. East and west parking lots will be serviced by trolleys and will take beach goers to and from Casino Beach. For a map of trolley stops and a live trolley tracker, click here.
- Stay safe and hydrated. Bring plenty of water for everyone in your party, and remember that alcohol, sun and swimming do not mix.
- Swim in lifeguarded areas, and be sure to follow all lifeguard instructions. Swimmers will not be allowed in the Gulf during the airshow. For information about beach conditions, visit www.pensacolabeachlifeguards.com.
- Remember to “leave no trace” and keep Pensacola Beach sea turtle-friendly. Properly dispose of trash, fill in any holes in the sand and remove belongings from the beach at the end of the day. This includes not leaving any personal property unattended on the sandy gulf beach from sunset until sunrise like umbrellas, tents, beach toys and chairs. To view the Leave No Trace ordinance, click here.
- Follow all Pensacola Beach rules, including:
- Glass containers are not allowed on the beach.
- The west side of the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier is an alcohol free zone.
- Open containers are not allowed off the boardwalk or outside any establishment.
- No alcohol can be consumed in any parking lot on Santa Rosa Island.
- Dogs other than service animals are not permitted on the any of the beaches except in designated dog parks. To view complete rules and boundaries for Pensacola Beach dog parks, click here.
Escambia Shares More Gas Tax With Century, Less With Pensacola
July 15, 2016
The Escambia County Commission voted to decrease the amount of local option gas tax funds shared with the City of Pensacola, while increasing the percentage shared with Century.
After two and a half hours of deliberation, the county agreed to a distribution formula that would guarantee the city of Pensacola a 6.9 percent share of the local option gas tax passed in 2015 for a period of 10 years. That represented a decrease from the 18.22 percent currently in effect.
The commission also voted to submit an interlocal agreement to the city that would allocate an additional 8.63 percent, or approximately $730,000, of the local option gas tax specifically for resurfacing projects in city council Districts 5, 6 and 7. This will allow the city of Pensacola to meet its infrastructure goals while addressing concerns in economically-challenged areas of the city.
The commission also voted to increase the percentage paid to Century from 0.63 percent to 0.81 percent, or about $20,000 per year.
Under the formula approved by the Escambia County Commission on Thursday, Pensacola will receive about $590,000 plus about $1.3 million through the interlocal agreement. Century will receive about $68,000, while Escambia County will retain about $7.1 million.
The Pensacola City Council voted Thursday night to accept the plan….with one change. The city changed language that would let either side opt out of the agreement to say that both the city and the county would have to agree to terminate.
The funds are use by the municipalities and the county to maintain roads and sidewalks.
Escambia Picks Site For New Jail
July 15, 2016
The Escambia County Commission has voted to purchase property for an expanded jail complex.
The commission will purchase 14.65 acres located on the southeast corner of Fairfield Drive and Pace Boulevard, commonly known as the McDonald Shopping Center, to be developed as the site of the expanded county jail complex for the purchase price of $4.5 million. The motion also included:
- The county will retain a consultant to develop a master plan for economic development and neighborhood revitalization within a 12-block diameter of the intersection of Pace Boulevard and Fairfield Drive.
- The development of a youth center in the vicinity of the property that is similar in size, design and facilities as the Wedgewood Community Center.
- Reserving approximately 300 feet of road frontage for economic development, with an emphasis on small businesses and businesses owned by minorities and women.
- The design of the expanded jail complex will be “street-friendly” and not institutional.
Thursday’s decision helps move the construction of a new jail facility forward significantly, and the commission vowed to work with current tenants and leaseholders in their transition as the project progresses. Property owners will not be expected to vacate until six to 12 months from now.
The Central Booking and Detention was damaged beyond repair during a natural gas explosion following flooding on April 30, 2014, forcing the county to find temporary housing for about 600 inmates.
Tate Football’s Raymond Freeman Named Top Long Snapper
July 15, 2016
Tate High School long snapper Raymond Freeman was declared Camp Champion at the Rubio Long Snapping Camp in Kennesaw, GA this week. The class of 2017 snapper was picked as the best overall at the camp.
Freeman beat out approximately 70 participants from 11 states as Snappers gathered to learn from the best and get the most exposure possible to college coaches.
“Freeman caught fire early in the day and never stopped. Came close in the accuracy contest, did well through the agility section and was outstanding in the speed competition. He left no doubt in the end that he was one of the top Long Snappers in the country!” said Chris Rubio, instructor.
Off the field, Freeman also shines academically at Tate, ranked high in his class with a 4.63 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Reading And Reptiles At The Molino Branch Library (With Photo Gallery)
July 15, 2016
Dozens of children learned about reptiles and amphibians Thursday during the Summer Reading Club at the Molino Branch Library. They learned the difference between snakes and lizards, met a large African frog that really does not like to jump, learned about the difference between a turtle and tortoise and got hands-on with a boa constrictor.
The Summer Reading club continues next week with “Quite a Catch with Ron Anglin”. Participants can learn and be amazed as Ron Anglin mixes science and skill in an unforgettable juggling performance. Presentations will be held as follows:
Tuesday, Juy 19, 2016:
- 11 a.m. at Big Lagoon State Park, 12301 Gulf Beach Highway, located across from Southwest Branch Library. Show your library card for free all day park access.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016:
- 11 a.m. at Century Branch Library, 7991 N Century Blvd
- 4 p.m. at Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St.
Thursday, July 21, 2016:
- 11 a.m. at Molino Branch Library, 6450-A Highway 95A
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Housing Rehabilitation Program Assistance In Century Today
July 15, 2016
Staff from the town of Century and the Escambia County Neighborhood Enterprise Division will be at the Century Town Hall, located at 7995 N. Century Blvd., on Friday, July 15 from 1-3 pm. to take or complete applications for housing rehabilitation programs for citizens in the town of Century and unincorporated areas affected by the Century tornado on Feb. 15. Applicants must make an appointment by calling (850) 994-0081 for town of Century residents or (850) 595-3011 for unincorporated Escambia County residents. Walk-ins may not be able to be accommodated. Additional hours may be made available depending on demand.
Applicants must bring a social security card for all household members and a picture ID for all household members over 18. Additionally, applicants should bring the following current information with them as applicable:
• Three most recent pay stubs
• Social security award letter
• Retirement/pension statement
• Unemployment statement
• Child support/alimony verification
• Current bank statements
• Current mortgage statement
• Current insurance statement
• Utility bill
• Any other documentation related to income being received by any member of a household.
Programs available include the county’s SHIP rehabilitation programs. Income limits apply and the property must be owner occupied and current on property taxes to receive assistance. For more information, call the Neighborhood Enterprise Division at (850) 595-0022.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.