Escambia County 4-H Shines At 4-H University
August 15, 2017
Head, Heart, Hands and Health. These are the four “H’s” that comprise 4-H.
This summer there were many 4-H activities promoting and utilizing all of the four “H’s” together and individually. One of these activities was 4-H University, which is a week-long convention for senior 4-H members (ages 14-18) hosted on the campus of the University of Florida. Over 340 youth attended this event and had the opportunity to utilize the different facilities such as dorms, Gator Dining and the Reitz Union. This year Escambia County had seven youth attend: Dillon Conti, Rashidi Joseph, Von Littlejohn, Taylor Nelson, Danielle Tinker, Michelle Tinker, and Bobby Vose.
On July 31 Escambia County 4-H members kicked off 4-H University with state competitive events, along with a spirit rally and guest speaker. Tuesday was a day of scholarship interviews and workshops. That evening, 4-H members attended the annual Share-the- Fun talent show. Wednesday was a morning of workshops and an afternoon of community service. That evening, 4-H members, participants and guests attended the formal 4-H University Awards Banquet where scholarships were awarded to seniors, 4-H trips were distributed and the 2017-2018 Florida 4-H State Council Officers were inducted. Escambia County’s own Michelle Tinker was inducted as the 2017-2018 Florida 4-H State Council Parliamentarian and she also received a trip to attend National 4-H Conference in Washington D.C. in 2017. Danielle Tinker received a 4-H scholarship and the prestigious Leader of the Legacy award, Florida 4-H’s version of a Hall of Fame.
Thursday morning was the competitive events award ceremony and Escambia County 4-H members received awards for their state competitions. Results of the different state contests were:
- Dillon Conti, first place, photography contest, architecture division
- Taylor Nelson, first place, photography contest, hat tricks and magic division
- Von Littlejohn, red ribbon, safety demonstration category
- Taylor Nelson, blue ribbon third place, personal well-being demonstration category
- Danielle and Michelle Tinker, blue ribbon first place, plants and gardening team demonstration category
submitted by Escambia County 4-H
Scott Pitches Making It Harder To Raise Taxes
August 15, 2017
Gov. Rick Scott, expected to run for U.S. Senate next year, wants lawmakers to put on the 2018 ballot a proposed constitutional amendment that would make it harder for future legislators to raise taxes.
Scott appeared Monday in the Central Florida community of Lake Mary to announce the proposal, which would require “supermajority” approval from state lawmakers, rather than a simple majority of 50 percent plus one, for hikes to taxes and fees.
“While cutting taxes is important, we must prevent against unfair tax increases in the future so our progress is not undone,” Scott said in a prepared statement. “It is my goal to make it harder for politicians to raise taxes on Florida families and businesses — and that can be achieved with an amendment to our state’s Constitution.”
If lawmakers go along with the proposal, it would require approval from 60 percent of voters during the November 2018 election.
The governor’s office did not provide full details about the proposal. But the idea drew quick support from House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, and House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.
“I’m proud to offer my support to Governor Scott on this bold initiative and will do all I can to see that it is successful,” Corcoran, who is considering a gubernatorial run in 2018, said in a prepared statement.
Republican Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who is running for governor next year, was also among those voicing support.
Meanwhile, Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican who opened a gubernatorial campaign account on Friday, thanked Scott for the proposal, but then pointed to his own priorities for the 2018 legislative session, such as combatting the opioid epidemic and boosting jobs in parts of the state.
“Over 20 a day dying on opioids 36 counties lost jobs last ten years,” Latvala tweeted. “Those are my priorities right now.”
The governor’s office didn’t offer a definition of a supermajority, which typically is at least two-thirds of the lawmakers casting votes. Also, it didn’t outline whether all taxes and fees would fall under the proposed constitutional amendment or just certain types of taxes and fees.
A news release said more details will be available in “the coming weeks.”
If such a proposal is ultimately approved, Florida would join states such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oregon that require a two-thirds or three-fifths majority for all or some tax increases, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Scott also intends to make a similar request to the state Constitution Revision Commission, which is putting together proposed constitutional amendments to go before voters in 2018.
Already on the ballot for 2018 is a Corcoran priority that would let voters decide if homeowners should receive bigger property-tax breaks.
The proposal, approved this spring by the Legislature, would increase the non-school homestead exemption by $25,000.
Currently, homeowners receive a tax exemption on the first $25,000 in value of their properties. They pay taxes on the value between $25,000 and $50,000 and then receive an additional exemption on the portion from $50,000 to $75,000. Voters will be asked to apply an additional non-school exemption to the portion of values between $100,000 and $125,000.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Rainfall Is 24 Inches Above Normal
August 15, 2017
With another 1.66 inches of rain on Monday, the official rain gauge at the Pensacola airport hit 65.31 inches for the year to date. That is 23.98 inches of rain above average for this time of year.
The average rainfall for the entire year in Pensacola is 65.27 inches — so Pensacola’s rainfall so far this year is already above the average for the entire year, according to the National Weather Service in Mobile.
Pictured top: Dark clouds roll across Gobbler Road in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Powerball Jackpot Grows To $430 Million
August 15, 2017
The Powerball jackpot has rolled 18 times, since the June 14, drawing, resulting in an estimated $430 million for Wednesday night’s drawing; the largest in the nation.
“The excitement is growing statewide and across the nation,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Jim Poppell. “This POWERBALL jackpot is not only a life-changing opportunity for any person, but it has already generated more than $28 million to Florida students and schools.”
Jackpot prizes are paid in 30 annual installments or as a one-time, lump-sum payment. Winners have 180 days from the applicable drawing to claim their prize. To receive the cash option of an estimated $273.4 million, jackpot prizes must be claimed within 60 days of the drawing.
Players should also check their tickets carefully; even if they don’t win the jackpot they can still win cash prizes of up $2 million.
Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing will be held at 9:59 p.m. local time, tickets must be purchased by 9:00 to be eligible for the drawing.
Wahoos Win With Five Runs In The Seventh Over Mobile
August 15, 2017
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos jumped out to a 4-0 lead Monday and starting pitcher Jose Lopez cruised through six scoreless innings.
Then the seventh inning happened. The Mobile BayBears sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on seven hits and one walk to take a 7-4 lead. But in the bottom of the inning, Pensacola sent 10 batters up to bat and scored five runs on three hits, three walks and a hit batter to go back on top, 9-7.
Both sides used three pitchers as an avalanche of runs crossed the plate in the seventh inning.
The Blue Wahoos held on to defeat the first place BayBears, 9-7, at Blue Wahoos Stadium, although it looked like Mobile would come from behind again. Mobile rallied in all three of its wins in the five-game series, including two victories in the ninth.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly described the 12-run seventh inning as “pretty wild.”
“You had two very tired bullpens in a long series with a lot of hitting,” Kelly said.
For the series, Pensacola had 12 homers, which is a franchise record. It’s five home runs Sunday tied a franchise record. In all, Pensacola scored 37 runs or 7.4 runs per game. Mobile scored 30. Not too shabby for a Blue Wahoos team that has struggled to hit and score runs all season.
“We’re swinging the bats great. I’m very pleased,” Kelly said. “Your physics professors said the ball travels better in humid weather. I never would have believed it. I think we saw it this series.”
Pensacola second baseman Alberti Chavez came up with the clutch hit Monday smacking a two-out bases loaded single to left field to score right fielder Aristides Aquino and catcher Chad Tromp with the game-winning runs that made the score, 9-7.
Blue Wahoos DH Gavin LaValley singled to drive in the first run of the inning and scored on first baseman Brian O’Grady’s sacrifice fly to the wall in right field to tie up the game, 7-7. LaValley went 2-5 with three RBIs.
“We had to battle the whole series,” LaValley said. “A couple of things didn’t go our way (in the seventh inning) but we didn’t let it get us down.”
He praised Chavez coming through for the team that improved Pensacola’s record in the second half to 23-27 just three games behind front-runner Mobile at 26-24. The victory also meant the two rivals ended up, 10-10, head-to-head this year.
“He’s the man (Chavez). He’s awesome. I love that guy,” the 22-year-old LaValley said. “He doesn’t get to play a lot but he takes advantage when he does get in.”
Lopez, named the Southern League pitcher of the week for a seven-inning complete game shutout victory over the Tennessee Smokies in his last start, increased his scoreless inning streak to 21 innings Monday against Mobile.
Lopez pitched 6.1 innings, and allowed the first two runs in the seventh to Mobile. Lopez gave up four hits, walked three and struck out five. The 23-year-old righty retired 14 of 15 Mobile batters he faced between the first and sixth innings.
“It’s unfortunate we didn’t get him the win,” Kelly said of Lopez, who is 7-1 on the season with a 2.46 ERA. “He pitched super.”
Pensacola center fielder Jonathan Reynoso hit a bomb just inside the top of the left field foul pole for his first Double-A home run of his career for a 4-0 lead. It also extended the Blue Wahoos franchise record to 12 homers in a series.
With just two position players on the Pensacola bench, Reynoso got hit by a pitch in his left wrist and fell to the ground in pain in the seventh inning. However, he finished the game on defense.
Pensacola scored first when LaValley ripped a double into the right field corner driving in both left fielder Gabriel Guerrero and third baseman Nick Senzel to put the Blue Wahoos ahead, 2-0. Catcher Chad Tromp poked a bloop single into left field that brought LaValley in for a 3-0 Pensacola lead.
Missing, Endangered Adult Found
August 14, 2017
UPDATE: THIS MISSING ADULT HAS BEEN FOUND.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for missing, endangered adult.
Richard Cart, 71, was last seen in the Montclair neighborhood early Monday morning wearing a gray shirt with the “Army” on the front and blue pants. He possibly had a cane with him. He made need medical attention.
Anyone that sees Cart should call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or their local law enforcement agency.
New Historic Marker To Be Erected In Century
August 14, 2017
For the first time in decades, a new historic marker is set to be erected in North Escambia.
The marker will be installed on public right of way near the corner of Jefferson and Front streets in Century. It will commemorate the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company Residential Historic District.
According to the planned text for the marker, the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company was constructed in 1901 and was one of the largest and most advanced pine sawmills east of the Mississippi. Along with the sawmill came the company mill town of Century and housing districts “for black and white families”. The housing ranged from small shotgun houses to large, two-story executive homes. Today’s current Front, Church, Fourth and Mayo streets, and Jefferson and Pinewood avenues are part of the historic district, consisting of 45 historic structures and a formal garden site. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
The historic marker will be erected by the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society and maintained by the Town of Century. The marker will serve not only to commemorate the historic district, but also to offer a small boost to tourism in Century, according to Russell Brown of the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society.
“Historic tourism is on the fastest growing segments of tourism in Florida,” Brown said. He said the last historic marker erected in North Escambia was in the 1960’s.
The full text that will appear on the historic marker is below, click to enlarge. Pictured top: Russell Brown of the Alger-Sullivan Historical Society explains the size and design of a new historic marker to be erected in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Release Eclipse Viewing Guidelines For Students
August 14, 2017
Where will you child be during next week’s solar eclipse?
If they are a student in the Escambia County School District, they will be indoors unless a specific set of guidelines released by the district are met.
On Monday, August 21, a partial solar eclipse will be visible in Escambia County between 11:30 a.m.. and 3:15 p.m. (This will not effect dismissal times; elementary schools and others that normally dismiss earlier than 3:15 will dismiss as usual). During this time, the school district has said that all activities, including P.E. classes and recess, will be conducted indoors.
Teachers can take students out to see the eclipse, provided a district approved parental permission slip is signed and students are provided with certified viewing glasses. Teachers must provide safe instruction for students that will watch the eclipse. Students will be limited to 10 minutes of viewing time, unless a longer time is approved by the principal.
Students unable to go outside under the guidelines will be able to watch the eclipse online.
Edit 8:30 a.m.: Added information about elementary school dismissal times.
Florida GOP Gathering Gives Preview Of Governor’s Race
August 14, 2017
Florida’s next governor won’t be elected for more than a year, but Republican leaders from across the state got a taste of what’s in store — literally — during a gathering in Orlando this weekend.
Over ice cream and petit fours Friday night, party faithful heard from state Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican who filed paperwork to run for governor hours before appearing at the popular desserts event and is expected to formally announce his entree into the race Wednesday.
On Saturday morning, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam — who has been running for months to replace Gov. Rick Scott — delivered a classic campaign speech over eggs, bacon and orange juice, winding up the “Up & Adam” breakfast by giving away a bag full of swag.
Later Saturday, Congressman Ron DeSantis addressed a local caucus, sharing his frustration about the GOP’s inability to follow through on President Donald Trump’s pledge to “drain the swamp,” something DeSantis blamed on Republicans in the U.S. Senate. The Palm Coast Republican is mulling a bid for governor but said he won’t make a decision until sometime this fall at the earliest.
Just one of the Republicans thus far considering joining the race — House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes — did not attend the Republican Party of Florida’s quarterly meeting at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, which drew local party leaders who will play a critical role in what will almost certainly be a contentious GOP primary.
All four GOP candidates in the race to replace Putnam as agriculture commissioner — state Sen. Denise Grimsley, state Rep. Matt Caldwell, former state Rep. Baxter Troutman and Orlando businessman Paul Paulson — also made the rounds at the weekend event, which included about 250 state committeemen and committeewomen and county party chairs.
Putnam — who mentioned “the American dream” at last a half-dozen times — delivered a 30-minute speech that was a mix of folksy charm and retail politics, with a splash of disdain for liberals like the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA.
Putnam complained about receiving “hate mail from those freakin’ dudes at PETA,” prompted by his and his daughter’s participation in the Wausau Possum Festival, an annual Panhandle event where candidates hold a live possum by the tail. He then handed out red “Possums for Putnam” T-shirts, along with elephant-themed ties and scarves, as well as baseball caps and cell phone chargers emblazoned with his campaign logo.
“I know our state. I’ve been down every dirt road. … I know all the best barbecue restaurants,” Putnam, who won races for agriculture commissioner in 2010 and 2014, told about 200 breakfast goers Saturday.
Putnam, a former congressman who’s also made a pivot to the right over the past few months, urged Republicans to join forces and issued a warning that “the left is coming for us” in Florida, pointing to “sanctuary cities” as “the kind of foolishness” Democrats support regarding immigration policy.
And Putnam, 43, bragged about the expansion of the state’s concealed-weapons licenses under his watch, saying Florida’s crime rate is at its lowest point in decades.
“I think there’s a connection,” said Putnam, whose agency oversees the licenses.
Putnam’s fiery speech was a contrast to Latvala’s brief remarks at the dessert event Friday night.
The Clearwater lawmaker highlighted his longtime participation in Florida GOP politics, dating back to 1975 when Republicans were vastly outnumbered in the Legislature by Democrats.
Latvala, a moderate, also painted himself as a mature businessman who has the life experience other candidates may not share.
“When I look at some of the other people who are thinking about running, or who are running, I see people who have been in government their entire life, that have never made a payroll, that have never written a workers’ comp premium check, that have never had the challenges that those of us that have businesses have,” Latvala, 65, said. “I just think that’s an important dimension for the party that nominated Donald Trump, as a businessman, to be different in government. It’s important for us to continue with that kind of approach, someone who has both some business experience and some government experience.”
The quarterly meeting came at a critical juncture for Republicans throughout the country, with many of the party’s most loyal members fuming after the U.S. Senate failed to adopt a measure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, one of Trump’s top priorities.
Many of the party leaders gathered in Orlando expressed concern that the lack of movement by Republicans in Washington could have a negative impact on the GOP’s chances in Florida next year.
“If they don’t get the health-care law changed and put through tax reform PDQ, I think we’re in serious trouble in the next elections,” Walton County Committeeman Bill Fletcher told The News Service of Florida on Saturday.
Speaking to a caucus meeting Saturday morning, DeSantis was asked if the Republican Party is at a “tipping point,” given voters’ dissatisfaction with Washington.
Voters need to be convinced “that things are changing for the better,” DeSantis said in an interview later.
“And that requires you to actually accomplish some things. So I think the danger for us is, if we’re not successful on doing some of these items we promise, that the average voter is like, it doesn’t matter who you elect, nothing’s going to change,” he said. “I think the party right now, we’re teetering on, is this really going to be a big disappointment or are you going to be able to rack up a couple of victories.”
In the meantime, Florida GOP leaders are struggling to capture voters who overwhelmingly backed Trump but may have been registered as independents or Democrats.
“We need to meld the Trump supporters with being Republican,” national Committeeman Peter Feaman told a meeting of state committeemen and committeewomen Friday.
Feaman offered some talking points to convince voters to join the GOP, saying if they believe in “peace through strength,” “putting American workers first,” for example, “then you’re a Trump supporter but you are also a Republican.”
Florida Republicans “haven’t recovered from the presidential election, as a party,” said Scott Hopes, a Manatee County School Board member.
Hopes pointed out that Scott hasn’t attended an RPOF meeting “in years,” and that, aside from Putnam, none of the state’s Republican Cabinet members had bothered to show up, either.
Next year’s elections “are going to be a challenge,” Hopes said. “The Democrats are on the same page, at least. Unfortunately, I think we’re not”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Century Man Facing Felonies For Alleged Theft From Vehicle
August 14, 2017
A Century man is facing felony charges after allegedly stealing a woman’s purse from her car.
Brandon Forrest Fischer, 20, allegedly stole a female acquaintance’s purse from a vehicle after a third party gave him a ride home in the vehicle. She reported a key fob, a metal flask and a bottle of Adderall were missing.
When deputies went to Perdue’s home, they reported finding the purse in plain sight in bushes adjacent to his front porch.
Fischer was charged with felony burglary of an unoccupied conveyance and felony grand theft. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $10,000.