Free School Supplies Available Saturday In Century
July 22, 2017
Free school supplies will be available to those in need this Saturday in Century.
The supplies will be distributed in memory of Dedria Robinson, who was killed in 2005 in an automobile accident at age 11. Organizers of the “Dedria’s Gift” program said the school supplies are available to children from Escambia County in both Florida and Alabama.
The giveaway begins at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Nadine McCaw Park (Roadside Park) on North Century Boulevard and continues until the school supplies are gone.
Pictured: A previous Dedria’s Gift school supply giveaway. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Helen Louise Rollo
July 22, 2017
Helen Louise Rollo, 85, was born January 2, 1932 in Pensacola, FL. She went home to be with the Lord on July 19, 2017.
In 1947, she married the love of her life Miles Franklin “Gus” Rollo. They traveled the United States for many years with their two sons before coming back to Pensacola to settle down and raise their children. Helen was a family woman, whose love and devotion to her family showed through the lives of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was very proud of her family and enjoyed holiday get-togethers and any chance to spend time with her loved ones. She will be missed by every one that knew her.
Helen was the beloved wife of Miles Franklin Rollo, Sr who preceded her in her death in 2002. She was the devoted mother to Miles Franklin Rollo, Jr and Thomas Dixon Rollo. Her two boys were the apple of her eye and blessed her with six grandchildren: Trey, Brendan, Chandler, Keltsey Brenizer (Rollo), Brooke Watson (Rollo) and Erienne Rollo. She was great grandmother to Kyndal, Jaxon, and Sophie Rollo, Journey Rollo, Ayden Watson and Harper Brenizer.
Helen bought Oscar’s Restaurant in the 1980’s where she, along side her husband, before his death, successfully operated it for over 30 years until retiring in September 2015.
Family and friends are welcomed to gather in honor of her life on Monday, July 24, 2017 at First Pentecostal Church located at 6500 N W St. Viewing will begin at 11:30 am with funeral service to follow at 1:00 pm. Interment will follow immediately after at Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
Wahoos Fall To Biscuits
July 22, 2017
The game was all tied up, 2-2, and then the bottom of the sixth inning happened.
That’s when the Montgomery Biscuits sent 11 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on four hits, including a grand slam to left field by right fielder Justin Williams to beat the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, 14-3, Friday at Riverwalk Stadium. Montgomery, which got 13 hits, leads the series, 2-1.
The inning started with the Biscuits loading the bases with no outs when left fielder Nathan Lukes doubled in catcher Mac James and third baseman Michael Russell to put Montgomery ahead, 4-2. Second baseman Grant Kay then reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Andrew Velazquez to score from third for a, 5-2, lead. Montgomery first baseman Joe McCarthy then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Lukes to make the score, 6-2.
The Biscuits loaded the bases again when Williams, the Tampa Bay Rays No. 10 prospect, smacked his grand slam with one out for a 10-2 lead. Williams was 2-4 and now has six homers with 40 RBIs and .294 batting average.
Seven of the runs, six earned were charged to Pensacola reliever Alex Powers, but it was Jake Ehret who gave up the grand slam.
Pensacola starter Deck McGuire struggled in his 19th start, giving up two runs on four hits and five walks and striking out seven in his five innings of work.
Pensacola scored first in the first inning to go up, 1-0, when left fielder Josh VanMeter hit a two-out double to score shortstop Blake Trahan.
Montgomery went ahead, 2-1, in the third inning when DH Dalton Kelly hit a two-run homer off McGuire. It was his seventh homer of the season with four of them coming against Pensacola.
Blue Wahoos second baseman Shed Long hit a solo shot, his third homer for Pensacola, to tie the score at 2. Pensacola third baseman Nick Senzel singled in the seventh inning to score Trahan for the Blue Wahoos third and final run of the game.
Pensacola is 14-14 in the second half and fell into a first-place tie with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Pensacola is 54-44 overall.
Grant Builds Three Pole Barns For Panhandle Equine Rescue
July 21, 2017
Three pole barns were recently constructed at Panhandle Equine Rescue in Cantonment thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Melba Bayers Meyer Charitable Trust through Wells Fargo.
“They will provide much needed additional shelter for the rescue horses. We were able to extend an existing barn and add two new ones. The third barn will serve as a shelter for veterinarians and farriers and will include a stock, scale and wash rack,” said PER President Diane Lowery.
Lowery said donations received from a GoFundMe account were also included to fund the three shelters.
“We are so grateful to our generous donors and to Melba Bayers Meyer Charitable Trust for making it possible to achieve these goals. The horses are enjoying the shade and protection from the rain,” she said.
The only horse rescue in Escambia County, PER was founded by a small group of concerned citizens with a mission to rescue, rehabilitate and provide adoption services for abused, neglected and abandoned equines. PER is authorized by the court system to investigate equine cruelty in Escambia County.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century To Begin Budget Setting Process
July 21, 2017
Century will begin their budget setting process with workshop meetings August 10 and August 24.
In previous years, the town council has held budget workshop meetings much earlier. During the past couple of years, the town has held two budget workshops in June, followed by one or two meetings to complete the process in July.
Both the August 10 and August 24 meetings will be held in the council chambers at the Century Town Hall at 7995 North Century Boulevard. The meetings are open to the public.
The fiscal year 2016-2017 budget in Century was $4.26 million.
NorthEscambia.com photos,click to enlarge.
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