Tate’s Aggie Classic Grows To 27 Teams
March 12, 2017
A field of 27 teams will take part in the 24th Annual Aggie Classic this week in the Pensacola area.
This year’s tournament has captivated the interest of teams from Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee and Florida. Last year’s Aggie Classic tournament Champions, the Tate High School Aggies, will return as the tournament host and to defend their title.
The Tate Baseball Boosters will serve as the host of this year’s four day tournament. The tournament will be hosted at Tate High, Escambia High, Gulf Breeze High, Milton High, West Florida Highl, Pace High and Washington High schools. Teams from five states will be spread across the seven sites.
The field features 20 teams that made the playoffs in 2016, including four that were regional finalists, two state runner-ups, and two state championship winning teams.
Within a 24 year history, the Aggie Classic has experienced 16 champions from Florida, five from Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The Aggie Classic’s rich history has even included a large handful of future Major League baseball players including the likes of Alex Rodriguez (Yankees), Brad Salmon (Reds), Dejuan Brazelton (Rays), and Luis Exposito (Red Sox). In 2012, future Heisman Trophy winner, Jameis Winston, played with Hueytown High School in the annual event.
ln addition, over 25 major league draftees who played their high school baseball careers at J.M. Tate High school all showcased their skills and talents on the fields of the Aggie Classic.
“The Aggie Classic continues to be one of the best high school tournaments in the country. This year we have drawn 27 teams from Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Florida, not including our seven host site teams”, said Greg Blackmon, head coach for Tate High School. “This year’s field is as large as it has ever been. The commitment by our community and our boosters to put on an event of this magnitude is huge. I am truly thankful for everyone’s assistance. The venues for the games have expanded and are the best diamonds in our area. We are looking forward to a great week of competition.”
Tournament passes are available for $25. Daily admission is $7.00, children 5 and under free. There will be no passes accepted or granted.
Pictured top: The Tate Aggies won the 2016 Aggie Classic. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
House Backs Abolishing Enterprise Florida
March 12, 2017
Locked in a battle with Gov. Rick Scott, House Speaker Richard Corcoran on Friday got what he believes are more than symbolic votes to kill the business-recruitment agency Enterprise Florida and revamp tourism-marketer Visit Florida.
But Scott quickly returned fire by saying bipartisan House votes on two bills would harm Florida’s economy and slow job creation. Questions also remain about the issues in the Senate, where companion bills have not been filed and some leaders have expressed support for business-recruitment programs and tourism spending.
Corcoran, however, downplayed those questions, as the 60-day annual legislative session finished its first week.
“We’re dealing with the Legislature,” Corcoran told reporters. “To say on week one that a House priority, where we believe firmly we’re right on the policy, we’re right on the principle, doesn’t have life in the Senate, is not remotely in the ballpark of truth.”
The House voted 87-28 on a proposal (HB 7005) that would abolish Enterprise Florida and a number of other economic development programs, such as the Office of Film & Entertainment and the Quick Action Closing Fund Program.
The House also voted 80-35 to approve a separate measure (HB 9) that would overhaul the structure and contract-reporting requirements of Visit Florida.
After the votes, Scott issued a release that agreed the agencies need to be more transparent, but he repeated his refrain that the House bills are “job killing legislation.”
“Many politicians who voted for these bills say they are for jobs and tourism,” Scott said in the statement. “But, I want to be very clear — a vote for these bills was a vote to kill tourism and jobs in Florida.”
Scott and Corcoran, R- Land O’ Lakes, have butted heads for months over the future of the agencies, which the governor credits for contributing to state job growth and record increases in tourism.
In his proposed 2017-2018 budget, Scott called for sending $85 million to Enterprise Florida for business incentives and $76 million to Visit Florida. Last year, lawmakers approved $78 million for Visit Florida but rejected Scott’s request for $250 million for Enterprise Florida.
Corcoran has hammered such business incentives as “corporate welfare” and “de facto socialism” and has attributed the state’s tourism numbers to improvements in the economy and disposable income.
Rep. Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican who sponsored both bills, said many of the jobs promised in exchange for past incentives have never materialized.
“We also have a budgetary obligation, and I think the statement has been made today, by a wide margin, by Republicans and Democrats, that this is not where we should be spending other people’s money,” Renner said after Friday’s floor session. ”There are better, higher uses for that money, whether it’s public safety, whether it’s quality education, or infrastructure.”
On the House floor, Renner said the Visit Florida bill is intended to “rein in” the agency, which has been criticized by lawmakers for deals such as a controversial $1 million contract with Miami hip-hop artist Armando Christian Perez, better known as Pitbull.
“This bill is about one thing and one thing only, it’s about accountability, and whether Visit Florida is willing to submit to some level of accountability,” Renner said. “We’re not here … to talk about other state agencies and this government, they haven’t been on the front page of the newspapers the way Visit Florida has.”
In arguing against economic incentives tied to Enterprise Florida, Rep. Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, said the deals go against free-market philosophy and favor large corporations that have learned to work the system.
But not every House Republican was convinced.
Rep. Jay Fant, a Jacksonville Republican who voted against both bills, said he understands the philosophy behind abolishing Enterprise Florida and supports making internal changes. But he said the positives of the economic programs outweigh the criticism.
“I fear killing this program will hurt people,” Fant said. “I will not be a part of this.”
The proposal to eliminate Enterprise Florida would transfer existing deals and some programs to to the state Department of Economic Opportunity.
For Visit Florida, the proposed changes would require the agency to post all contracts online; freeze agency employees’ benefits at current levels and prohibit bonuses; remove public-records exemptions from marketing and research projects; and require approval from the governor for all out-of-state and international travel.
The changes also would require the Senate to confirm the governor’s appointment of the agency’s president and allow the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, House speaker or Senate president to reject contracts worth more than $750,000.
The Visit Florida proposal would leave the question of the agency’s funding to budget negotiations between the House and Senate.
Ken Lawson, who was named president and CEO of Visit Florida in January, said the agency has already moved to become more transparent, but the House proposal “unnecessarily grows government regulation.”
“This bill jeopardizes the record-breaking success of Florida’s tourism industry and the 1.4 million jobs the industry supports,” Lawson said in a prepared statement.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Cottage Hill Water Works Office To Close Early Next Week
March 12, 2017
Due to necessary electrical repairs, the office at Cottage Hill Water Works will close at noon on March, 15, 16, and 17. The answering service will still accept calls for field service personnel for leaks and repairs. For more information, call (850) 968-5485.
A Much Colder Week Ahead
March 12, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. North wind around 5 mph becoming east after midnight.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 68. East wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 72.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 74.
Linemen Show Off Skills During Lineworker Expo
March 12, 2017
When 25-year-old twins George and James Tangeman heard about the Gulf Power Lineworker Expo being held recently in Pensacola they decided to make the drive to attend.
It was a 766-mile trip from Dayton, Ohio.
Most of the other 250 attendees were more locally-based as they watched Gulf Power linemen perform several tasks in the company’s training yard at the Pine Forest office.
The event was designed to attract potential future lineworkers for the company.
“I think this is a great opportunity,” said George Tangeman. “Just being able to watch them demonstrate some of these skills, I’m learning how to become a better employee for my contractor.”
Both graduated from line school last October. George started working in January for an electrical contractor in Dayton. James started working in December for an electrical contractor that does work on Transmission lines.
The twins (pictured) used to live in Northwest Florida and would like to return to the area.
“I love the area,” George said. “I was in bib overalls yesterday working in Ohio— it was really cold. But, we come down here and the sun is out and there’s a nice breeze going, it’s great weather.”
Four groups of linemen from all three districts in Gulf Power’s service territory competed in a transformer changeout event, a hurt-man rescue and a simulated live-line event.
Most of the climbing was performed by apprentice linemen to give them more experience.
Tay Ravenell, an apprentice lineman in the Destin office, started working for Gulf Power six months ago, moving here from South Carolina.
“I’ve wanted to be a lineman since I was about 17,” he said. “I used to cut grass at the power company and when the linemen would start working, everyone would stop and watch. It’s exciting to be a lineman.”
The expo serves as a way to increase exposure for lineworker positions. An expected 15,000 lineworkers will be needed nationwide by the end of 2017 as retirements are increasing.
Ben Scott, Training analyst, and the rest of the Training team helped set up the event, talked to those attending and handled the judging of the competition. He said they make several hires throughout the year of apprentice lineworkers to keep the employee stream going.
“We set up the expo as a recruitment event to have people come out and see what we do on a day-to-day basis,” Scott said. “The goal is a two-fold approach; it’s a way for the lineworkers to have a friendly competition, but also to have folks come out and see if they would be interested in working for us.”
Keenan Williams of Cantonment, Florida, plans to go back to school to earn his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
“I want to be an electrical engineer because I’m a tinkerer, I like to mess with things,” he said. “I like to find out how things work. “There’s no telling where I’ll end up, and if I can get a position at Gulf Power, even better. But, at the very least, I’m walking away with some new information that I didn’t have before.”
The Tangemans heard about the expo on Facebook and said their trip from Ohio to watch the expo was well worth it.
“Getting a job at Gulf Power would of course be the ideal situation, but even if I don’t, I’m still growing as an employee by watching this today,” George said.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to elarge.
Cantonment Ballpark Celebrates Opening Day
March 12, 2017
Saturday was opening day at the Cantonment Ballpark. Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry and Kazoo from the Pensacola Blue Wahoos were on hand for the big day. Photos courtesy Cantonment Ballpark for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Richard Adam White
March 12, 2017
Richard Adam White, 38 of Perdido, AL, passed away Tuesday, March 7, 2017, in Baldwin County, AL. He was employed in construction as a painter. He was born in Pensacola, FL on May 5, 1978, to Richard D. and Virginia Inez Neal White.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Virginia Inez Neal.
Survivors include his father, Richard D. White of Perdido, AL; two daughters, Kally White of Cantonment, FL and Daelyn Lee Fine of Perdido, AL; one brother, Daniel Wayne (April) White of Bratt, FL; nieces Savannah and Addison; nephew, Brayson and a host of family and friends.
Graveside services were held Friday, March 10, 2017, in Presley Cemetery in Nokomis, AL, with Bro. Don Davis officiating.
Interment was in Presley Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Steve White, Thomas White, Jonathon White, Ashley Dupree, Kagen Dupree,and Chad White.
Honorary pallbearers were Johnny Rolin, Michael McGhee, and Taylor McGhee.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements. Atmore, AL
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: On With The Show
March 12, 2017
Like a movie sequel of questionable entertainment value that everyone feels compelled to go see regardless, the 2017 legislative session rolled into Tallahassee this week, mixing the usual pomp and circumstance with interparty acrimony.
The Legislature is always a tinderbox of clashing personalities, ideological feuds and personal ambitions. But as the session got underway this week, there was no reason to believe that the predictions of a louder session than usual would turn out wrong.
Gov. Rick Scott’s State of the State address subtly — and at times not-so-subtly — blasted House Speaker Richard Corcoran, a fellow Republican who sat just a few feet away as the governor twisted the knife. Hours later, Corcoran got a touch of revenge, when a judge ruled for the House in a legal showdown with one of the agencies Scott oversees.
By comparison, the Senate worked quietly to pass one of President Joe Negron’s top priorities. But there, too, the House was already making waves and signaling that it might be willing to fight Negron’s drive to boost the budgets and prominence of the state’s universities.
Of course, the first week of session is hardly an indicator of how the entire two-month gathering will go — or even if it will wrap up in the required 60 days. But in his opening address to the House, Corcoran himself said a special session might not be so bad. At this rate, it might be as good as it gets.
NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS (INCENTIVES)
Whether because of his relentless focus on being known as the “jobs governor,” or because of his likely U.S. Senate run in 2018, Scott has decided to plant his flag this session on defeating a House drive to do away with business incentives.
That added a touch of drama to the governor’s State of the State, which has hardly been must-see TV during Scott’s tenure even for political insiders. In the speech, Scott lashed Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, and others who refer to business incentives and tourism marketing money as “corporate welfare.”
“For our state to simply say, ‘We are not going to compete with other states, we are not going to make it easier to incentivize job creators to grow in Florida’ — that’s just a big mistake for our state and for our families,” Scott said. “Incentivizing businesses to grow and create more and better jobs is not welfare.”
Scott and his office kept up the assault for the week, blasting away at the “job killing” legislation considered by the House that would abolish business-recruitment agency Enterprise Florida.
It didn’t do him much good.
By the end of the week, the House had pushed through bills that would eliminate Enterprise Florida and overhaul Visit Florida, which markets the state’s tourism industry.
In a pair of votes that scrambled the usual partisan alignments, the bill on Enterprise Florida (HB 7005) passed 87-28; the Visit Florida tweak (HB 9) was approved by an 80-35 margin.
“We also have a budgetary obligation, and I think the statement has been made today, by a wide margin, by Republicans and Democrats, that this is not where we should be spending other people’s money,” said Rep. Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican who sponsored both bills. ”There are better, higher uses for that money, whether it’s public safety, whether it’s quality education, or infrastructure.”
Scott clearly didn’t agree.
“Many politicians who voted for these bills say they are for jobs and tourism,” he said in the statement following the vote. “But, I want to be very clear — a vote for these bills was a vote to kill tourism and jobs in Florida.”
By then, the new head of Enterprise Florida had already bolted in one of the more bizarre twists in the months-long battle over incentives.
On Monday, Chris Hart abruptly resigned as president and CEO of the agency, claiming differences of opinion with Scott.
“This difference of opinion is of such a critical nature that I no longer believe I can be effective in my position,” Hart wrote to Enterprise Florida Vice Chairman Stan Connally.
BAD BEAT
The incentives votes were the second time this week that Corcoran got the better of Scott. A Leon County judge also backed the speaker’s contention that a contract agreed to by the Florida Lottery violated state law. Scott immediately vowed to appeal.
Circuit Judge Karen Gievers held a hearing on the case early in the week, and the speaker clearly felt good about it when he spoke to the House on Tuesday during the opening day of the session.
“That trial was (Monday), and I can assure you, we will win,” Corcoran said.
And they did. Gievers ruled that a long-term contract between the lottery and IGT Global Solutions Corp. was illegal because it would spend more money on ticket sales than the Legislature has previously approved for that purpose.
In a statement issued by his office following the decision, Scott said the ruling could endanger funding for education.
“The Florida Lottery continues to make record contributions to our public schools and today’s ruling jeopardizes billions of dollars for Florida students,” he said. “I strongly disagree with today’s decision and we will appeal.”
NOT QUITE UNANIMOUS FOR UNANIMITY
By the end of the week, one high-profile bill was already headed to Scott for his signature: a measure that would require a unanimous jury vote to impose the death penalty in capital cases.
For lawmakers who back capital punishment, there wasn’t much room to argue with the legislation after the Florida Supreme Court ruled last year that anything short of a unanimous vote was unconstitutional.
“Your positive vote today allows cases to move forward and for victims and their families to continue to have access to justice,” House Judiciary Chairman Chris Sprowls, a Palm Harbor Republican and former prosecutor, said Friday before the House voted 112-3 to approve the bill (SB 280).
The Senate had already passed the legislation unanimously, 37-0, a day earlier.
But the larger battle over crime and punishment in Florida might not be over. Critics were already citing other problems with the state’s death penalty.
Requiring unanimous jury recommendations is “only one step in a long journey,” said 10th Judicial Circuit Assistant Public Defender Pete Mills.
“Florida’s death penalty still has problems of constitutional magnitude, including but not limited to the failure to limit the scope of its application, racial disparities, geographic disparities, and execution of the mentally ill,” Mills, chairman of the Florida Public Defenders Association Death Penalty Steering Committee, told The News Service of Florida on Friday.
COLLEGE BILL GRADUATES FROM SENATE
If the House approved Corcoran’s top priority amid a loud fight with the governor, the Senate gave its presiding officer a fairly easy win.
Negron, R-Stuart, saw the Senate vote 36-1 to back a sweeping higher-education proposal (SB 2) that seeks to boost funding for Bright Futures scholarships, faculty recruitment and support for outstanding graduate programs.
The Senate president has said he wants to elevate Florida’s universities to “elite, national destination” institutions, while holding the schools to higher performance standards and offering more financial support for students.
But there were already signs from the House that giving more to universities — the focus of Negron’s efforts — might not be high on the agenda.
House Appropriations Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, said the day before the Senate vote that university funding and spending was outpacing most portions of the state budget, with the exception of the Medicaid program.
“I think the House’s position is going to be very clear, that the amount of money we’ve put into the system, the system has almost run wild,” Trujillo, a Miami Republican, said Wednesday.
Negron, a former House and Senate budget chairman, tried to play down the issue and said he supported the House effort to probe university funding.
He also said he found no inconsistencies between the House’s attempt to make sure public funding is being spent “wisely” and the Senate’s legislation to elevate the quality of the state universities.
“It’s day three,” Negron said about the 60-day session. “I certainly don’t expect the House to adopt all of the Senate’s priorities this early in the process.”
Early in the process, though, ain’t what it used to be.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The House voted overwhelmingly to eliminate business-recruitment agency Enterprise Florida, despite a high-pressure push by Gov. Rick Scott to try to save the agency.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Let’s be real. There is nobody in my district whose name is Northrop or Grumman. So, I still challenge (Scott) to talk about the real problems that are facing Floridians every day.”—Senate Minority Leader Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, on Scott’s State of the State address. Northrop Grumman is a major aerospace and defense contractor.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Gomez, Boutwell Sworn In As Century Council Members
March 11, 2017
Two members of the Century Town Council were sworn into office during a special meeting Friday night.
Luis Gomez, Jr. was sworn into Seat 2 after defeating Kevin Stead in a February 28 special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the term of Annie Savage, who passed away last year.
Ben Boutwell was sworn into Seat 3 after running unopposed in the February 28 special election. Boutwell held the seat until resigning to run unsuccessfully for mayor. He was later temporarily appointed to fill the position until the special election.
Pictured: Luis Gomez, Jr., (top photo, center) and Ben Boutwell (bottom photo, center) were sworn in as members of the Century Town Council Friday night. The oath of office was administered by Town Clerk Leslie Howington (left) and Mayor Henry Hawkins (right). NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Wins $1 Million The Day After His Birthday
March 11, 2017
An Escambia County man received a nice present the day after his birthday.
Leslie Holtzclaw, of Pensacola, claimed a $1 million prize in the $5,000,000 Flamingo Multiplier Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee, just one day after celebrating his 52nd birthday.
Holtzclaw chose to receive his winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $716,577.60. He purchased his winning ticket from Six Kids Store Super Deli, located at 1023 Greenbrier Boulevard in Pensacola.