Governor Appoints Pate, Everett To NW Florida Water Management District
July 21, 2017
Monday, Governor Rick Scott announced the reappointments of Jerry Pate and Ted Everett to the Governing Board of the Northwest Florida Water Management District.
Pate, 63, of Pensacola, is the owner and chief executive officer of Jerry Pate Turf & Irrigation, Inc. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama. Pate is reappointed for a term beginning July 17, 2017, and ending March 1, 2021.
Everett, 57, of Chipley, is the executive director for the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. He received his bachelor’s degree from Augusta State University. Everett is reappointed for a term beginning July 17, 2017 and ending March 1, 2021.
The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
The Northwest Florida Water Management District is charged with managing the water resources of the Florida panhandle. The District works to protect and manage the water resources in a sustainable manner that benefits both the people and natural resources across its 16-county region, including Escambia County and the North Escambia area. That includes the Escambia River Water Management Area.
Scott Committee Continues Raking In Money
July 21, 2017
After starting the month with nearly $2.9 million on hand, Gov. Rick Scott’s “Let’s Get to Work” political committee raised $85,000 during the first six days of July, according to finance information on the committee’s website. The money came in four chunks: $25,000 from Amscot Financial Inc.; $25,000 from JM Family Enterprises; $25,000 from Charter Communications; and $10,000 from the legal and lobbying firm Greenberg Traurig. Political committees face an Aug. 10 deadline for filing reports with the state showing finance activity from throughout July.
Teachers Learn How To Teach Writing
July 21, 2017
Jim Allen Elementary School hosted a one day seminar in writing instruction Wednesday to teach teachers how to teach writing.
Teachers from seven area schools — Jim Allen, Molino, Lipscomb, Longleaf, Pine Meadow, McArthur, and Myrtle Grove — attended the event. Dr. Melissa Forney, a nationally known author, speaker, and educational writing consultant, trained teachers in how to teach writing. Dr. Forney has written curriculum and educational books on teaching writing.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Power Company Offers Summertime Storm Safety Tips
July 21, 2017
With temperatures rising during the summer months, so does the chance for severe weather. During the spring, thunderstorms become more frequent across the country before peaking in the summer months, especially in the southern states. With those loud claps of thunder come the vivid, but dangerous, displays of lightning. Gulf Power wants its customers to be aware of the dangers associated with these sometimes dangerous and potentially deadly storms.
According to the National Weather Service ,there are approximately 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in the United States each year. Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ranks Florida the first-highest state in terms of density of lightning strikes per square mile, causing 463 deaths from 1959-2011, the most of any state.
The best defense during storms is to stay indoors. If you hear thunder, immediately move indoors. However, if you are caught outdoors, the most important thing to do is to seek shelter in a sturdy place, such as a building or a car. You will be safe if you are inside the car and not in contact with the metal outside.
Do not seek shelter under a tree or near tall objects. Lightning will search for the tallest point in an area to strike, and if you are in that area you will be in danger. With that in mind, you don’t want to be the tallest point in an area, so do not go to an open field or park. Finally, do not go near any bodies of water, such as a pond, lake, swimming pool or open body of water such as the beach.
Once a storm passes that causes damages, Gulf Power offers the following safety tips:
- Never touch any downed wire or low hanging wires.
- Never pull tree limbs off power, telephone or cable lines or attempt to repair electrical equipment damaged in a storm.
- Stay clear from downed power lines and not to drive over them. Always assume a downed power line is “live” and life-threatening. If you see a downed line, notify Gulf Power at (800) 487-6937 ocall 911 and warn others to stay away.
- Never go near chain link fences – downed power lines or lightning strikes may energize the entire length of the fence.
- Avoid walking through flooded areas or puddles as they may be energized by downed power lines.
- Never walk into areas where crews are at work. If driving near work crews, obey road signs and proceed cautiously. Florida’s “Move Over” law requires motorists to move or yield right-of-way to emergency, utility, tow trucks and sanitation vehicles. If you can’t move over, motorists should slow down to 20 miles less than the posted speed limit.
Following severe weather, Gulf Power crews enter the field as soon as it’s safe to work. If an outage does occur, Gulf Power’s Outage & Storm Center is the place for the latest information to be prepared and safe.
In addition to personal safety, customers should consider adding protection for their home. Lightning strikes lead to costly insurance claims and are a common cause of power surges, sending a damaging spike of electrical voltage through the meter.
Judge Gives State More Time To Defend Abortion Law
July 21, 2017
A Tallahassee judge gave Florida officials more time to present their defense of a two-year old law requiring women to wait 24 hours before receiving an abortion, but seemed skeptical that the state would convince him to keep the law on the books.
Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis gave Deputy Solicitor General Denise Harle 60 days to make her case on behalf of the state, after chastising her for failing to gather the evidence she says she needs in the two years since the legal challenges began — and more than five months after the Florida Supreme Court put the law on hold for a second time in February.
“If I were in your shoes, I think I would have been ready a long time ago,” Lewis said during an hour-long hearing Wednesday. “On the other hand, I think it’s very important that, whatever happens here, there is a complete record.”
Lawyers for Gainesville Woman Care — an abortion clinic that filed the lawsuit along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, the Center for Reproductive Rights and others — have asked Lewis to permanently strike down the law, which has been on hold for more than a year.
They argue that the law is an unconstitutional violation of the right to privacy.
A Leon County circuit judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the law from being implemented, but the 1st District Court of Appeal overturned that decision in early 2016.
The appeals court pointed to a lack of evidence to support the temporary injunction, but the Supreme Court issued a stay temporarily blocking the law while it considered the matter. The high court then approved a temporary injunction in February, ruling that enactment of the law “would lead to irreparable harm.”
But Harle told Lewis on Wednesday that the state needs more time to gather data about women in other states who have changed their minds after having to wait 24 hours before getting the procedure.
The evidence could show that what Harle called “a very short period of time,” meaning 24 hours, would be the minimum required for women to give what is called “informed consent” prior to undergoing the procedure.
“The fact that a 24-hour waiting period would cause some people to change their mind … undermines the idea that informed consent … can be instantaneous,” Harle said.
But Julia Kaye, a lawyer with the national ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project, told Lewis that the Florida Supreme Court has made it clear that the law is so flawed there is nothing the state could present that would prove that the statute is constitutional.
Whether women have changed their minds about the procedure is irrelevant, Kaye argued.
The state’s focus on women changing their minds is rooted in the desire to protect an unborn child, Kaye said. But courts have already ruled that the “point of viability” doesn’t occur until at least after the second trimester begins, while the disputed abortion law deals with first-trimester procedures.
Even without the law, “a woman can already take all of the time she needs to consider” whether to have an abortion, Kaye argued.
“The only thing this law does is impose a one-size-fits-all mandate that a woman must delay … even if she’s ready,” she said. “She is forced to delay. And that is deeply problematic here.”
The plaintiffs have argued that lawmakers haven’t imposed a similar 24-hour waiting period on other medical procedures, including procedures that are much more dangerous and intrusive than abortion.
Lewis seemed to side with the plaintiffs, saying the state’s focus on the psychological impact of the procedure alone would not demonstrate whether the law meets constitutional muster.
He pointed out that nothing in the law requires a waiting period for heart surgery, which can also have a serious psychological impact on patients.
“The only thing I’ve heard so far is you want to put on evidence that shows people have changed their mind,” Lewis told Harle. “(But) the Supreme Court has ruled that informed consent has nothing to do with the moral, psychological, social aspects of the risk, per se.”
At the close of the hearing, Lewis ordered the state to come back in 60 days to present its evidence, indicating that he wanted to make sure the record was complete in the event the case would be appealed.
“I think it’s going to come down to the plaintiffs are not going to dispute your facts, they’re just going to say they’re irrelevant,” Lewis told Harle.
The judge said “it would be a lot cleaner” to allow the state to present its evidence “because I don’t think we can just rely on the appellate opinions” offered by the plaintiffs.
“It seemed like he wanted to bullet-proof what he’s doing and make sure that it’s beyond challenge,” Richard Johnson, a Tallahassee lawyer who represents some of the plaintiffs, told reporters after Wednesday’s hearing.
Kaye said she was hopeful the law would be overturned “once and for all.”
There is no evidence that women are changing their minds about abortions, Kaye told reporters.
“Women in Florida are capable decision-makers who do not need politicians managing their schedules or imposing a mandatory time-out before they’re allowed to make decisions about themselves,” she said.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Several Escambia Schools Honored For Life Safety Improvements
July 21, 2017
Certificates of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement in the Annual Fire Life Safety Inspections were presented during the July Escambia County School Board meeting.
“The Department of Protection Services has worked very closely with school administrators to improve safety in the learning environment and in making continuous improvements in fire life safety. Administrators and staff at all of our schools have dedicated considerable time and effort to reduce the risk of potential injuries and property damage. Many schools have made significant improvements. As a result district-wide life safety deficiencies have dramatically decreased,” said Superintendent Malcolm Thomas.
Schools recognized for reducing their deficiencies by 50 percent or more were: Beulah Elementary School, Scenic Heights Elementary School, A.K. Suter Elementary School, Sherwood Elementary School, West Pensacola Elementary School, Pine Meadow Elementary School, Booker T. Washington High School, and Tate High School.
The schools recognized for having 15 or fewer deficiencies were: Bratt Elementary School, Montclair Elementary School, Molino Park Elementary School and Ernest Ward Middle School.
Jim Bailey Middle School was recognized as the Most Improved School of the Year. Bailey went from 148 deficiencies in the 2013-2014 school year to only 33 in the 2016-2017 year – a 77 percent decrease.
Usual July Weather Continues
July 21, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Wahoos Drop Game To Montgomery
July 20, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos lead the Southern League with 11 shutout victories. However, the team also leads the league with 12 shutout losses.
Five Montgomery Biscuit pitchers combined to blank the Blue Wahoos lineup Thursday, 5-0, at Riverwalk Stadium. They scattered seven hits and two walks and struck out 11 Pensacola batters to even the series, 1-1.
Despite the loss, the first half champions in the Southern League South Division are 14-13 in the second half and the Blue Wahoos remained in first place with a one-game lead over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Pensacola is 54-43 overall.
Montgomery starting pitcher Edwin Fierro led the way throwing five scoreless innings, allowing four hits, giving up no walks and striking out seven to improve to 5-2 with a 2.81 ERA. Biscuits closer Kyle Winkler, who leads the team with 11 saves, made his 25th appearance and struck out two in one inning of work.
Pensacola missed opportunities to score in the third, seventh and eighth innings. In the third, the Blue Wahoos had runners reach first and third with two outs but stranded them. In the seventh, Pensacola loaded the bases with two outs but Montgomery reliever Mike Broadway entered the game and struck out left fielder Tyler Goeddel. In the eighth, runners stood at first and third with one out but Biscuits reliever Jordan Harrison came in and got Blue Wahoos DH Josh VanMeter to ground out into an inning ending double play.
Montgomery first baseman Dalton Kelly continued his assault on Pensacola pitching. In his first series in Double-A, the 22-year-old belted three homers, knocked in seven RBIs and hit .481 (13-27).
In Thursday’s victory, Kelly led the Biscuits offense going 3-3 with a walk, two runs and an RBI. He’s hitting .354 in 21 games with Montgomery.
Meanwhile, Pensacola first baseman Gavin LaValley was 2-4 with a double — the Blue Wahoos only extra base hit in the game — and catcher Chad Tromp was 2-3 with a walk.
Pensacola starter Jesus Reyes, who was making his second Double-A start, worked six innings, allowed three runs on eight hits and one walk and struck out three. He picked up the loss and is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA.
Missing 78-Year Old Found
July 20, 2017
UPDATE 12:15 p.m. — This missing senior has been found.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has issued a Silver Alert for 78-year old James Harvey Fall.
Fall was last seen in the Nine Mile Road area is a 2003 silver Buick Lesabre with Minnesota tag #393EUC.
If you have any information on Fall’s whereabouts or the location of his vehicle, call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or local law enforcement.
Cantonment Man Sentenced To 15 Years For Store Robbery
July 20, 2017
A Cantonment man has been sentenced to prison for the armed robbery of a Cantonment convenience store.
Jonathan Mark Vito was sentenced by Circuit Judge John Miller to 15 years in state prison as a habitual felony offender. He pleaded no contest to robbery.
On September 10, 2016 Vito entered the Tom Thumb on Highway 29 and Woodbury Court and displayed to the clerk what appeared to be a firearm and demanded money. He then fled the scene with the money, beer and cigarettes. He was later identified in the surveillance video by a previous co-worker and a relative.
Vito has prior convictions for trafficking in stolen property, pawnbroker transaction fraud, theft, fleeing and eluding, and several other misdemeanor charges.
Pictured above and below: The Tom Thumb at Highway 29 and Woodbury Circle was robbed during the early morning hours on September 10. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
