Sunny Skies Headed Toward The Weekend
June 8, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 85. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
Two Inmates Airlifted After Altercations At Century Prison
June 8, 2017
Two Century Correctional Institution inmates were airlifted in serious condition to Pensacola area hospitals Wednesday after two apparently different incidents of violence at the prison.
The first inmate, who was reportedly stabbed multiple times, was airlifted from prison grounds about 3 p.m. The injuries were the result of an apparent inmate on inmate alteration, according to Ashley Cook, press secretary for the Florida Department of Corrections.
“The incident is currently under investigation by the Department’s Office of the Inspector General. Due to the open and active investigation into this incident, this is all of the information currently available,” she said.
Escambia County EMS and Fire were called back to the Century Correctional Institution about two hours later for another inmate assault victim. That victim was also airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to a Pensacola area hospital.
Further details on the second incident were not immediately available.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Boat ‘Runs Aground’ Outside Lake Stone
June 8, 2017
A boat “ran aground” outside Lake Stone Wednesday afternoon near Century.
The boat was being towed on a trailer, when the trailer broke free from a vehicle and struck the rock “Lake Stone Campground” sign. The boat then left the trailer, striking a wooden fence in front of the lake caretaker’s residence.
There were no injuries reported in the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Senate Votes To Override Scott Higher Education Vetoes
June 8, 2017
In a rebuke to Gov. Rick Scott, the Florida Senate on Wednesday voted to override vetoes of some $75 million in higher-education projects, although House leaders appear reluctant to back the move.
Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said Scott’s $410 million in line-item vetoes in an $82 billion budget passed last month “disproportionately” impacted the higher-education system.
“The Senate has every intention of looking at ways to make sure its higher-education priorities get funded,” Negron said before the Senate took up the veto overrides early Wednesday evening.
The largest veto overrides, which require a two-thirds vote, sought to restore funding for two $15 million building projects at Florida International University and Florida Gulf Coast University.
The overrides also sought to restore $5 million for a gymnasium project at Miami Dade College and $13 million in building projects at Florida State University, including $5 million for STEM teaching lab.
Medical marijuana research projects at the Moffitt Cancer Center and the University of Florida were also supported in the override votes.
But the override votes, which were the first for the Republican-led Senate since Scott took office in 2011, will not be successful without the House’s support.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, and House Appropriations Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami, said they have little interest in overriding the vetoes, saying they agree with the governor’s call to use the vetoed funding to support the public-school budget.
“The governor has the prerogative to veto anything he sees that is not in the best interest of Floridians,” Trujillo said.
Trujillo said the 2017-18 budget passed last month by the Legislature put “hundreds of millions” of dollars into higher-education initiatives, including construction projects. He said the governor’s vetoes would allow lawmakers to shift some of that money to the K-12 system, which Scott said was inadequately funded in the budget.
“That’s a bona fide, legitimate policy position to have,” Trujillo said.
Scott called a special legislative session, which started Wednesday, to boost spending on public schools and economic development. The special session is scheduled to end Friday.
The Senate veto overrides were opposed by Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, and Sen. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville.
Lee, a former Senate president and budget chairman, questioned the strategy of carrying out a series of override votes that are not likely to be successful.
“A veto override is an extraordinary measure. I think we’re unnecessarily escalating conflict at the plaza level (Scott’s office) and with the House of Representatives, which isn’t inclined to take up any of these veto overrides,” Lee said.
“You’re just legislating for your exercise here. This isn’t going anywhere. Why insult people and make it harder to prosecute your business?” he added.
Scott vetoed nearly $60 million of university construction projects in the annual Public Education Capital Outlay, or PECO, program.
Sen. Anitere Flores, R-Miami, said she supported an override of Scott’s decision to reject $15 million in PECO funding for Florida International’s School of International and Public Affairs. She said the funding is linked to a private donation to carry out the project. “That’s why it’s really important,” she said.
Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, said the 15-member Democratic coalition would support broader override votes encompassing more than just higher-education projects.
“We had a budget that we voted for and now $410 million of it is gone,” Clemens said. “From our perspective, there is a reason why (the vetoed projects) were in the budget. They were good ideas then and they’re still good ideas.”
Scott vetoed most of the higher education projects saying there were not the top priorities of the university or state college systems.
He vetoed the medical-marijuana research projects at the Moffitt Center and the University of Florida because he said the schools could fund the projects out of sizable increases that they are receiving in the new budget.
Prior to the higher education veto overrides, the Senate in a series of votes earlier Wednesday overrode Scott’s veto of $11.4 billion in state funding for the $20 billion public school system. Scott’s veto of that money was part of the plan to increase school funding during the special session.
But the K-12 overrides, like the higher-education overrides, will not take effect unless the House agrees. The last successful overrides occurred in the final months of former Gov. Charlie Crist’s administration in 2010.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Reptiles Please Young Readers At The Library (With Gallery)
June 8, 2017
The West Florida Public Library Summer Reading Program got underway Wednesday at the Century Branch Library with a visit from “Reno’s Reptiles”.
Reno’s Reptiles will make appearances Thursday at the Molino Branch Library at 11 a.m. and the Tryon Branch Library at 3 p.m.
For a photo gallery from Reno’s Reptiles in Century Wednesday, click here.
Also this week, Summer Reading programs will include:
Tampa Taiko — Learn about the exciting traditional Japanese performing art of Taiko drumming and see big Taiko drums.
- Thursday, June 8, 11 a.m. – Southwest Branch Library (Held at Big Lagoon State Park, 12301 Gulf Beach Highway)
- Thursday, June 8, 3 p.m. – Molino Branch Library
- Friday, June 9, 7 p.m. – Pensacola Library
- Saturday, June 10, 10:30 a.m. – Century Branch Library
- Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m. – Tryon Branch Library
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Lawmakers Move Forward With Medical Marijuana Bill
June 8, 2017
Lawmakers have been under intense pressure to resolve the issue during the special session after a potential medical-marijuana deal blew up at the end of the regular session.
The Senate on Wednesday morning announced plans to take up the issue during the special session, and a House committee signed off on the proposal later in the day.
One of the key sticking points between the House and Senate had involved how many retail outlets the state’s licensed medical-marijuana operators could run.
The Senate favored a limit of 15 storefronts for each vendor, while the House backed a proposal that would have permitted up to 100.
Under the compromise measure (HB 5A) approved by the House Health & Human Services Committee late Wednesday, marijuana operators each could run up to 25 retail outlets. The number of retail outlets the vendors would be able to operate in each of five regions of the state would be based on the populations of the regions.
The state currently has seven licensed marijuana vendors, and the agreement between House and Senate leaders would require health officials to approve 10 new operators by Oct. 3.
The new licensees would include a member of the Florida Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association, as well as applicants who lost out to competitors when the Department of Health granted the initial medical-marijuana operator licenses in 2015. The measure requires up to two licenses go to applicants currently or previously involved in “the canning, concentrating, or otherwise processing of citrus fruit or citrus molasses.”
Marijuana operators could also sell their dispensary slots to other vendors, something that was not considered in either chamber’s legislation that failed to pass earlier.
As before, under the new plan, the number of dispensaries each operator could run would increase as the number of patients registered in a statewide database grows. The dispensary cap would go away in 2020.
Florida’s cannabis industry is expected to explode after the passage of the constitutional amendment, under which at least 420,000 patients in Florida could be eligible for medical marijuana, according to the most recent health department estimates.
The measure would also add 57 workers to the Office of Compassionate Use within the state health department to handle the blossoming marijuana industry.
House Majority Leader Ray Rodrigues, who has shepherded the measure for his chamber, said that both the House and Senate made concessions to reach the compromise.
“Neither one of us got what we wanted, but both of us got something we could live with,” Rodrigues, R-Estero, told reporters after Wednesday’s committee meeting.
Some lawmakers heard complaints from constituents when they returned home after the regular session ended, prompting leaders to strike a deal, Rodrigues indicated.
Voters believed that lawmakers “didn’t do our job, and it upset them,” he said.
“I’m happy that it got added to the call for the special session,” Rodrigues said. “I’m convinced that both chambers can get this out, and if we do that, we’ve fulfilled our responsibilities to our voters back home who voted for this and we can go home with our heads held high.”
Senate leaders had argued that allowing a proliferation of retail outlets would give Florida’s seven state-sanctioned medical marijuana operators an unfair advantage over potential competitors seeking to enter what could be one of the nation’s most lucrative cannabis markets.
But scurrying between House and Senate Republican leaders resulted in the deal regarding the dispensary limits.
“We drove down to the two-yard line, and we weren’t able to punch it in for a touchdown. Now we’ve scored,” said Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who has been a key player on medical-marijuana issues.
The Legislature in 2014 passed a law that allowed non-euphoric cannabis for some patients and passed a 2016 law that made marijuana available to people with terminal illnesses.
Without legislative action, the Florida Department of Health would be in charge of medical-marijuana regulations.
“I think it’s important that the Legislature set the framework for the medical marijuana system in the state of Florida rather than leave it to bureaucrats. We represent the people, and 71 percent of the people voted for this so this is our job,” said Bradley, who sponsored the 2014 non-euphoric cannabis measure.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Heavy Rains Flood Oak Grove Bridge Construction Work Zone
June 8, 2017
Recent heavy rains flooded the approaches under construction for a new bridge on North Highway 99 in Oak Grove. Wednesday afternoon, much the construction zone remained underwater. The existing bridge (in the left of the photo) is being replaced with a new, modern structure consisting of 11-foot travel lanes, nine-foot shoulders and a solid concrete barrier railing. The project is expected to be completed in early 2018. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Drop Double Header To Mobile’s BayBears
June 8, 2017
Pensacola Blue Wahoos pitchers Domingo Tapia, Carlos Gonzalez and Brennan Bernardino gave up a combined two hits in extra innings against the Mobile BayBears in the second game of a doubleheader.
Problem was for the Blue Wahoos that the second hit of the game on Bernardino was a walk-off home run by first baseman Zach Houchins that helped Mobile sweep Wednesday’s doubleheader, 1-0, and, 8-2, at Hank Aaron Stadium.
The teams were playing two seven-inning games to make up for Tuesday’s rain out.
Houchins has worked over Pensacola pitching, which has the top ERA in the Southern League going 5-14 with three doubles, a triple and game-winning homer, his fourth of the season, and driven in nine RBIs.
Tapia earned his second spot start of the season in the second game of a doubleheader with the Mobile BayBears. All he did was throw five scoreless innings, allow one hit and strike out.
Pensacola reliever Gonzalez came off the Triple-A Louisville Bats disabled list to relieve Tapia and pitched two scoreless innings and struck out two in his first appearance with the Blue Wahoos.
The Blue Wahoos did have runners on second and third with one out in the top of the seventh inning but both DH Eric Jagielo and first baseman Angelo Gumbs struck out swinging. Pensacola’s lineup earned just three hits and struck out 13 times in the second game.
The Blue Wahoos and BayBears are tied, 2-2, in the five-game series. Pensacola fell to 33-26 but remains in first place in the Southern League South Division.
Pensacola dropped the first game of the doubleheader to Mobile, 8-2, Wednesday.
The Blue Wahoos had scored two runs in the fifth inning to pull within, 4-2. Pensacola center fielder Brian O’Grady scored on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Josh VanMeter. Blue Wahoos right fielder Aristides Aquino then singled to score left fielder Tyler Goeddel.
Mobile scored eight runs, including a solo homer by Wade Wass, a Catholic High product, in the second inning, his ninth of the year. In the third inning, Houchins hit his 14th double of the season on a fly ball to center fielder that drove in second baseman David Fletcher and right fielder Forrestt Allday for two of Mobile’s three runs in the inning. The BayBears scored four more in the sixth inning with the big hit coming when shortstop Alberto Triunfel tripled with the bases loaded to drive in three runs.
Aquino singled in both games of Wednesday’s doubleheader to extend his on-base streak to 23 straight games, dating back to May 14.
Headstone Found: Know Of A Mamie Beasley Who Died In 1939?
June 8, 2017
UPDATE: Thank you. The headstone has been returned to its proper location.
The pictured headstone of Mamie Beasley was found along Power Line Road outside Flomaton, AL, on Wednesday. If you know the family of this person, contact Flomaton Fire Chief Steve Stanton, or email us here at news@northescambia.com.
Sheriff: Naomi Jones Died Of Asphyxiation Days Before Her Body Discovered
June 7, 2017
Naomi Jones likely died within 24 to 36 hours after her May 31 disappearance, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said Wednesday afternoon.
Her body was discovered Monday in Eight Mile Creek, about five miles from where she was first reported missing on May 31, in the 1400 block of East Johnson Avenue. The body was found by men who were looking to go fishing.
Morgan said the death was probably due to asphyxiation, citing preliminary autopsy results.
Family members are not currently considered persons of interest in the case, he said, but there are persons of interest outside the family.
Morgan believes Jones was moved away from the East Johnson Avenue area after she disappeared. She was last seen leaving the family’s home just after noon on May 31 and did not return home. Her last known contact was with a friend on Facebook at 12:21 p.m. on that afternoon.
“If I was a parent and I had a child, I would be extremely careful,” Morgan said, adding that work with the FDLE and FBI has shown the involvement of social media in the case. “Was that the reason for her abduction and her untimely death? That is still be be determined. But I would tell you that it certainly is a contributing factor.”
“Know where your children are, know what your children are doing,” Morgan said. “Be a good parent. Know where your children are. Know what they are engaged in. Question what they are doing and who they are associating with.”