Lillie Bell Miller
November 8, 2017
Mrs. Lillie Bell Miller, 91, passed away Saturday, November 4, 2017.
Mrs. Miller was born in Freemanville, AL and was a life long resident of Davisville, Florida and Atmore, Alabama. She was a member of the Presley Street Baptist Church. She is preceded in death by her husband, Odis E. Miller; parents, Daniel and Isabell Condrey; son, Edward Wayne Miller, four sisters and three brothers.
She is survived by one son Thomas E. Miller (Linda) of Atmore, AL; one daughter Wynell M. Bell of Atmore, AL; five grandchildren; ten great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.
Funeral services will be Friday, November 10, 2017 at 2:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Dr. Debora Bishop officiating.
Burial will follow at the Pinebarren Cemetery.
Visitation will be Friday, November 10, 2017 from 1:00 PM until service time at 2:00 PM at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Jason Bell, Elliott Faircloth, Hunter Jernigan, Paul Luis, Blayne Miller, Christopher Miller and Wayne Miller.
Dirt Bike Slams Into Car In Cantonment
November 7, 2017
One person was injured Monday afternoon after slamming a dirt bike into a car in Cantonment. The accident happened about 3:20 p.m. on Muscogee Road at Booker Street. Further details have not been released as the Florida Highway Patrol continues their investigation.
North Escambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Man Killed In Highway 90 Crash
November 7, 2017
A Pace man was killed in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 90 Monday afternoon.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 54-year old Charles A. Oliver pulled his 1999 Lincoln onto Highway 90 from the Simpson River Recreational Site and into the path of a 2003 Cadillac drive by 50-year old Eric Kembro of Pace.
Oliver was pronounced deceased at the scene. Kembro and his passengers, 80-year old Shirley Kembro and 57-year old Margie Kembro were transported to West Florida Hospital.
The FHP investigation is continuing.
File photo.
Century Changes OT Policy; Tables Action On-Call Policy, Building Rentals
November 7, 2017
Monday night, the Century Town Council approved a new overtime policy for employees required to attend council meetings, while tabling action on additional policies and building rentals.
The council voted 3-2 to pay employees only for the actual amount of time spent in council meetings, immediately overriding a policy of paying four hours overtime that had been implemented by Mayor Henry Hawkins. Council members Sandra Jackson and Louis Gomez voted against the motion.
The council tabled action on an on-call policy for the street department and an “Adopt-A-Street” policy, setting a workshop meeting for Thursday at 5:15 p.m. for discussion.
Action on new updated forms was also tabled after council members questioned long-standing policies on the rental of the Century Business Center and the Century Community Center, particularly the requirement that an off-duty Escambia County deputy must be present for all events not held by a church or non-profit.
Action was also tabled on making the former Helicopter Technology Building in the Century Industrial Park available for rent for events. Council President Ann Brooks said she did not believe that council can rent the building for events. Brooks cited covenants recorded in 1991 and amended in 2006 that would not allow the building to be rented for event. The rental forms will be be discussed at Thursday’s workshop.
Pictured: Century Council members (L-R) Louis Gomez, Ann Brooks and Sandra Jackson Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Molino Utilities To Discuss New Office Building
November 7, 2017
The Molino Utilities Board of Directors and staff will hold a workshop on tonight at 6:00 at the company office on Molino to discuss the plans for the new office building. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Escambia Tax Preparer Gets Federal Prison For Tax Fraud
November 7, 2017
An Escambia County tax preparer has been sentenced to federal prison for tax fraud.
Christopher Jacob Rankins, 33, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to 12 counts of aiding or assisting others in the preparation of false tax returns. In addition, Rankins was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $356,172.
Documents introduced at the time of the guilty plea reflect that, between January 1, 2011, and May 8, 2012, while working as a tax preparer at American Tax Service in Pensacola Rankins aided, assisted, counseled, and advised others in the preparation and presentation of fraudulent and false tax returns. The tax returns prepared by Rankins falsely represented the taxpayers’ business expenses and falsely claimed educational credits which resulted in taxpayers receiving approximately $356,172 in refunds and credits that the taxpayers were not entitled to receive.
The case resulted from the investigation by the Internal Revenue Service — Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
Northview Plans For Wind Turbine, Solar Car Grant Project
November 7, 2017
Northview High School was recently awarded a $4,800 grant from the Escambia County Public Schools Foundation (ECPS), part of nearly $100,000 in 2017-2018 Grants for Excellence to teams from 21 Escambia County School District schools.
Northview’s project — “Bridges, The Wind, and The Sun: We Build, We Analyze, We Harness” — will consist of students building bridges, wind turbines, and solar powered cars out of kits. The students will also analyze the electrical output of the wind turbines and solar power cards, and there may also be a solar car race in the works.
The 17-member Northview team that will oversee the project, including math and science teachers, met Monday morning as implementation plans are made.
Pictured are: (front, L-R) Teresa Johnson, Joyce Gunn, Alison Robinson, Rachel Pleasant, Candice Greenwell, (back, L-R) Jim Shugart, Charlie Code, Clint Davis, Jason Stabler, Brad Lowery and Danny Steele. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Another Warm Day Before Rain Becomes Likely
November 7, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 56. North wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Showers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 66. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. North wind around 5 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. East wind around 5 mph.
Veterans Day: Sunny, with a high near 72.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 73.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
Scott Proposes $180 Million In Tax, Fee Cuts
November 7, 2017
Driver’s license fees would be cut and a series of sales-tax “holidays” would be offered as part of nearly $180 million package proposed Monday by Gov. Rick Scott as part of his final budget recommendations.
The proposed fee and tax cuts come as the Legislature faces a tight budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
At a series of campaign-style events across the state Monday, Scott proposed reversing portions of fee increases imposed on motorists in 2009 after the recession hit. He also proposed a 10-day back-to-school sales tax “holiday” on clothes and school supplies and three week-long disaster preparedness tax “holidays” in May, June and July.
“Over the past seven years, we have worked relentlessly to turn around Florida’s economy, and the results are clear,” Scott, who is barred from seeking a third term next year, said in a prepared statement.
With the annual legislative session starting in January, lawmakers face a tight budget. The state was expected to have a modest budget surplus, but costs related to Hurricane Irma have altered those projections.
Sen. Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican who will take over as Senate president after the 2018 elections, has recently acknowledged that the state could face $1 billion-plus shortfalls in the coming years.
Under the package released Monday, Scott’s proposed sales tax “holidays” would account for $88 million of the tax savings.
The governor’s office estimates the motorists’ savings at $91 million during the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Under Scott’s proposal, renewal fees for regular driver’s licenses would go from $48 to $20, while fees for first-time licenses would fall from $48 to $27.
Also, Scott is proposing to reduce a fee on commercial driver’s licenses from $75 to $67, while providing an 18 percent reduction on traffic-citation fees for motorists who attend a basic driver- improvement school.
Lawmakers approved increased fees for motorists as part of a much-wider effort in 2009 to balance the state’s budget after the recession slashed revenues.
This is not the first time Scott has targeted the 2009 increases, which were passed under then-Gov. Charlie Crist. In 2014, vehicle-registration fees were rolled back on average $25 a year.
Scott, who plans to release a proposed state budget in the coming weeks, also reiterated Monday his backing of a potential constitutional amendment that would be make it harder to raise taxes by requiring a “super-majority” two-thirds vote by the House and Senate for future tax or fee increases.
Sen. Jack Latvala, who was removed Monday as Senate budget chief amid an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, questioned the potential constitutional amendment last week.
Latvala said House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Scott have enough appointees on the Constitution Revision Commission, which is considering a similar proposal, to put the issue before voters in the 2018 general election without the proposal going through the Legislature.
“Why is it necessary to have a legislative fight over an amendment to limit tax increases in the future, unless it’s to get some press or get some recognition for the legislators involved?” Latvala asked.
Scott is expected to run for the U.S. Senate in 2018, while Corcoran is expected to join the embattled Latvala in a run for governor.
Throughout his years in office, Scott has made a top priority of cutting taxes.
In January, ahead of the 2017 session, Scott called for $618 million in tax cuts, asking for reductions in a tax on commercial leases, sales-tax “holidays” for consumers and a modest reduction in the state’s corporate-income tax.
Five months later, he proclaimed victory in signing a two-year package worth nearly $180 million — $91.6 million in the current year — mostly through the elimination of the so-called “tampon tax” and through tax holidays for back-to-school shoppers and Floridians preparing for hurricane season.
In 2015, lawmakers approved a tax cut package that totaled $428.9 million, topped by a reduction in the communications-services tax on cell-phone and cable-TV bills.
A year later, lawmakers handed Scott a tax-cut package of $129 million for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. The focus on the package that year was the elimination of a sales tax on manufacturing equipment.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Man Injured After Driving Into The Path Of A Train
November 7, 2017
A man was injured Monday when his vehicle was hit by a train in Cantonment.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 79-year old Herbert Turner was driving a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder on El Camino Driver when he crossed at a railroad crossing directly in the path of a southbound CSX train. The train’s front collided with the rear of the vehicle, spinning it counter clockwise and onto Old Novak Road.
Turner was transported by Escambia County EMS to West Florida Hospital with minor injuries. Any charges against Turner are pending the outcome of FHP’s investigation.