Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
November 26, 2018
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings this week:
Monday, Nov. 26
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1395 Union Negotiations – 10:30 a.m., Escambia County Area Transit Administrative Offices & Rosa Parks Bus Terminal, 1515 W. Fairfield Drive
Escambia County Marine Advisory Commitee – 5:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Tuesday, Nov. 27
Escambia County Health Facilities Authority – 4 p.m., 1019 N. 12th Ave.
Wednesday, Nov. 28
Coffee with Commissioner Jeff Bergosh – 6:30 a.m., Hardee’s, 2500 Wilde Lake Blvd.
Contractor Competency Board Special Meeting – 9 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Light Freeze Tonight Inland
November 26, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 51. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
$2.7 Million Bratt Bridge Replacement To Begin After Yearlong Closure
November 25, 2018
Work is set to begin this week on a $2.7 million project to replace a bridge on Bratt Road that has been closed for almost a year.
The project includes new guardrail, drainage improvements, and new pavement markings. There will not be a temporary bridge installed as previously announced by Escambia County, according to Tanya Branton, public information specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation. The new bridge is expected by be completed by summer 2019.
Bratt Road will continue to be closed near Canoe Creek during construction. Drivers on Bratt Road, west of the bridge, will still be detoured to Pine Barren Road and County Road 4. Drivers east of the bridge are detoured east on Bratt Road.
The $2,727,550.12 contract was awarded to low bidder Murphree Bridge. The second lowest bid submitted by Roads, Inc. was about $69,000 more. Two other bids were $3.12 and $3.16 million.
The bridge averaged 425 vehicles per day prior to closure. It was constructed in 1956.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Triple Shooting Suspect Extradited To Alabama
November 25, 2018
The suspect in a triple shooting in Atmore has been extradited from the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola back to Alabama.
Anji Lynn Baker, age 34 of Bay Minette, waived extradition during a video appearance before Judge Joyce William in Escambia County (FL) court. Alabama authorities have transported him back to the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton to face three counts of attempted murder and a charge of shooting into an occupied building.
U.S. Marshals arrested Baker without incident in Pensacola November 13. He was held without bond in the Escambia County Jail as a fugitive from justice.
The triple shooting happened during an event inside an Atmore business during the early morning hours of November 11. Two victims were airlifted to a Mobile hospital where one was listed in critical condition and the other in serious condition. A third gunshot victim was transported by ambulance where he was treated and released. All three victims were adult males.
An Atmore police officer suffered minor injuries when he was struck with a barstool.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Check This Out: Hay Bale Decorating Contest Winners
November 25, 2018
The results are in from the 2018 Escambia County 4-H Hay Bale Decorating Contest. And you have a chance to check out the winners (and snap a few great Instagram photos too) this week.
First place went to the Escambia County Horse Club 4-H Club, second place to the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, and third place to the Escambia County Shooting Club 4-H Club.
The hay bales will be on display at the corner of Stefani Road and 9 1/2 Mile Road, the first intersection south of the Escambia County Extension Service, through December 3.
Pictured: First place went to the Escambia County Horse Club 4-H Club (top photo), second place to the Barrineau Park 4-H Club (below), and third place to the Escambia County Shooting Club 4-H Club (bottom). Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Get Free Resume Help At The Molino Branch Library
November 25, 2018
Need help with your resume? The Molino Branch Library will provided personalized help to polish up your resume and make it stand out from the crowd.
The library offers 45 minute appointments on Monday between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
To schedule, call the Molino Branch Library at (850) 435-1760.
Showers Move In Sunday
November 25, 2018
Pictured: Saturday’s sunset at Lake Stone near Century. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Today: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a slight chance of showers. Low around 47. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 54. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Gilman Named Bratt Elementary Teacher Of The Year
November 25, 2018
Heather Gilman has been named the Bratt Elementary School Teacher of the Year. She teaches second grade. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Turning The Page
November 25, 2018
Florida’s political world is built around two-year cycles.
And the latest acrimonious, head-scratching cycle finally ended Tuesday when the state Elections Canvassing Commission certified the results of the Nov. 6 elections.
The acrimony, of course, did not end with the usual campaign attack ads and nastiness. It lasted nearly two additional weeks as ballots continued to be counted and recounted and legal fights raged.
As for the head scratching, a simple question: How, 18 years after the presidential recount, can Florida keep being the butt of election jokes? Yes, this year’s elections and recounts went smoothly in most of the state. But the images beamed across the country were all about the messes in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Nevertheless, the end of the two-year cycle also signaled the start of something new. Shortly after the state canvassing commission certified the election results, the Florida House and Senate gathered to swear in new leaders and newly elected members.
And, at least for a day, new House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, and new Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, emphasized a need for civility.
ONE FOR THE BOOKS
Florida Democrats spent the past eight years criticizing Gov. Rick Scott and itching to win the governor’s mansion for the first time since the 1990s.
But when the recounts were finished and the vote totals submitted, Scott and his Republican allies got the last laugh. Just like Scott got the last laugh when he came out of political nowhere in 2010 to win the governor’s mansion and in 2014 when he defended it.
By 10,033 votes out of nearly 8.2 million cast, Scott unseated three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and will head to Washington in January. That became official when manual recounts ended Sunday, three days after a machine recount showed Republican Ron DeSantis locking up the governor’s race against Democrat Andrew Gillum.
Scott, who said Nelson “graciously conceded” in a phone call, thanked Nelson “for his years of public service.”
While the recount process drew harsh accusations of fraud and political chicanery, numerous lawsuits and counter-lawsuits, Scott’s victory statement called for unity.
“My focus will not be on looking backward, but on doing exactly what I ran on: making Washington work,” Scott said. “I know change is never popular in Washington and that I’m just one person — but we have to start somewhere.”
Nelson’s defeat marked the end of the 76-year-old Democrat’s lengthy political career, which includes 18 years in the U.S. Senate, a dozen years in the U.S. House, six years on the state Cabinet and six years in the Florida Legislature.
“Well, things worked out a little differently than Grace and I had hoped. But let me say, I by no measure feel defeated,” Nelson said, referring to his wife, Grace, in a statement Sunday afternoon. “And that’s because I have had the privilege of serving the people of Florida and our country for most of my life.”
Three statewide races — for U.S. senator, governor and agriculture commissioner — went to manual or machine recounts.
Democrats got a victory Sunday when Nikki Fried emerged from a manual recount with a 6,753-vote win over Republican Matt Caldwell in the race for agriculture commissioner. In winning the Cabinet seat, Fried became the first woman to be elected agriculture commissioner and will be the only statewide elected Democrat during the next two years.
Fried, a 40-year-old lawyer from Fort Lauderdale, said she intends to represent all Floridians.
“You chose a new vision, one that reflects the priorities of the people,” Fried said in a statement Sunday. “To everyone who didn’t vote for me, I will be your voice in Tallahassee too.”
Caldwell, a former state House member from North Fort Myers, formally conceded Monday, though he appeared to still be smarting from the recount process.
“All I have ever expected since Election Day is a full and fair accounting of all legal votes cast, and then respecting the will of the voters,” Caldwell said. “Unfortunately, as a result of the abject failures in Broward and Palm Beach, it has become clear that we may never gain an understanding of what transpired in the hours and days after polls closed, despite the exhaustive efforts of my legal team to get to the truth. To continue this legal challenge would likely require millions of dollars and months to complete without providing any more clarity.”
A NEW CHAPTER
Democrats made some gains in the Legislature during the Nov. 6 elections, though the House and Senate will continue to be controlled by Republicans.
And in the House, where the GOP now holds a 73-47 advantage, new Speaker Oliva made clear that he wants to pursue a conservative, small-government agenda.
In a speech during Tuesday’s organization session, Oliva briefly outlined goals for the House that include continuing to pursue school choice for families, protecting natural resources such as water and wildlife and reducing state and local regulations, which he said will help raise wages and lower housing costs.
“If affordable housing is important in your part of the state, speak out against costly planning and zoning decisions and the arbitrary use of impact fees for revenue,” Oliva said. “If we are truly committed to raising wages, we must challenge the endless taking of hard-earned wages through taxes, fees, surcharges, assessments and the like. If you want people to have more, begin by taking less.”
It was also clear new House Minority Leader Kionne McGhee, D-Miami, didn’t exactly share those priorities. McGhee said, in part, lawmakers should push to expand Medicaid for about 800,000 people in Florida; teacher salaries should be “at least be $50,000 per year;” and the state needs a workforce act that protects members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
At the other end of the Capitol’s fourth floor, Galvano gave an organization-session speech that largely stayed away from detailed policy issues, though he said the Senate over the next two years will “build on our past decisions to keep taxes low, regulations reasonable and to set aside ample reserves, while making smart investments in essential government services.”
Both leaders also signaled they want to restore some calm after the elections.
Galvano told the Senate, where Republicans hold a 23-17 edge, there is little he can do “to stem the tide of modern-day incivility that has become so pervasive in an era of social media and the 24-hour news cycle.”
“But I can tell you that while I am serving as Senate president, the Florida Senate will have civility, transparency, candor and opportunity, including an opportunity for the people of Florida to be heard,” Galvano said.
STORY OF THE WEEK: The results of the 2018 elections were finalized, with Republican Gov. Rick Scott unseating longtime Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I stand before you as a Hispanic speaker of the Florida House. I know what our party represents, and during my entire time in the Florida House I have not abided by the type of partisanship that sets one person against the other because of what jersey they are wearing. I decide if I’m with someone based on their ideas and ideology.” — new House Speaker Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Sarah Doris Riley Ard
November 25, 2018
Sarah Doris Riley Ard, resident of Pensacola, Florida, passed away on Friday, November 23, 2018, at the age of 89. She was born in Columbia, Mississippi on August 12, 1929, to the late William Nathan Riley and Lucille Spears Riley. Sarah was a member of Pensacola Baptist Temple for almost seventy years. She loved her family, her friends, cooking for all, and caring for the love of her life, Buck Ard.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Buck Ard; parents; daughter, Carol Ard Brown; and her 11 siblings.
Sarah is survived by her four children, Glenn (Carol) Ard, Nancy Ard, Douglas (Elaine), and Jimmy Wayne (Anita) Ard; six grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren; and two siblings, Nathan (Bert) Riley and Grace Rolfs.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at Pensacola Baptist Temple with Pastors Glen Anderson and Steve Bruce officiating.
Burial will follow in Pensacola Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Faith Chapel Funeral Home South.
Pallbearers will be Benji Clary, Will Clary, Zack Clary, Jody Elrod, William Bailey, and Bray Krause.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home South is entrusted with arrangements.