Florida Senator Wants To Map, Track And Inspect Septic Systems
January 3, 2019
Amid concerns that leaky septic systems are polluting waterways, a Senate Republican on Wednesday filed a proposal that would require the Florida Department of Health to identify all septic systems in the state by January 1, 2021, and provide a map of the systems.
The bill filed by Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota also would require inspections of septic systems at least once every five years and require the Department of Health to develop minimum standards and requirements for pumping out or repairing failing systems.
Those requirements would take effect July 1, 2022. The bill is filed for the 2019 legislative session, which starts March 5.
by The News Service of Florida
Tate Cheerleaders To Host Lil Aggies Winter Cheer Clinic
January 3, 2019
The Tate High School Cheerleaders will host the first ever Lil Aggies Winter Cheer Clinic on Friday, January 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the school gym for grades K-8. Immediately following the clinic, the Lil Aggies will join theTate Varsity Cheerleaders as they cheer on the varsity boys basketball team at 7:30 pm.
The Lil Aggies will cheer the first half of the game, and there will be a special performance at halftime.
Each Lil Aggie cheerleader will receive a face tattoo, pizza before the game, and free entry into the basketball game. The cost of this event is $30. Registration forms and payment are due by Tuesday, January 8. Paperwork and payment can be dropped off at Tate High School or given to any Tate varsity cheerleader.
To RSVP and receive an electronic registration form, click here.
December Ends With Seven Residential Fires In Escambia County
January 3, 2019
December ended with seven residential structure fires in Escambia County, including one that resulted in a fatality.
The first fire of the month destroyed a mobile home December 8 on Ivey Street in Century [more...]. The occupant was able to escape without injury.
Ronnie Owens passed away a few days after Christmas night fire n Rentz Avenue in Warrington.
The 2018 “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign ended with seven red bulbs representing each fire, fewer than the past three years. County officials said the decrease was likely due to a combination of a mild December and residents being diligent about practicing fire safety. The 2017 campaign ended with 10 red bulbs, the 2016 campaign ended with 12 red bulbs and the 2015 campaign ended with nine red bulbs.
The “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign is an Escambia County collaborative initiative with the city of Pensacola to promote fire safety during the month of December. Large red wreaths are on display at 23 fire stations and other public locations.
Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential home.
Escambia County Fire Rescue reminds residents to stay safe all year long by following these tips:
- Have a working smoke detector in every room of your home. If your home doesn’t have a working smoke detector, please call Escambia County Fire Rescue at 850-595-HERO (4376) or 850-436-5200 for city of Pensacola residents.
- Close your bedroom door at night when you sleep. In case of fire, a closed door can isolate the fire’s flow, reduce room temperature and keep carbon monoxide levels down.
- Have an escape plan and know two ways out of every room in your home.
- Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must leave the room, turn the stove off first.
- Don’t overload extension cords or wall outlets. Check your electrical cords. If they are cracked or damaged, replace them. Don’t try to repair them.
Pictured: A mobile home fire December 8 was the first Escambia County residential structure fire of December. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Receives $600K Grant For Water Line Replacement
January 3, 2019
The Town of Jay has been awarded a $600,000 grant to replace water lines for 223 residents.
The Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grant will replace water lines along McCutchin Drive, Hendricks Circle, Blackmon Drive, a portion of Florida Avenue, Calfee Street, McCurdy Avenue, Clanton Street, Williams Avenue, Robin Street, Mildred Street, a portion of Spring Street, North State Street and Highway 4.
The grant program, administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), help communities fund economic activities, infrastructure improvements and housing rehabilitation.
Cissy Proctor, executive director of DEO, said, “Supporting the economic development of Florida’s small and rural communities is vital to the continued growth of our diverse economy. I am proud of the work we are doing to make these important economic investments that are paving the way for a bright future for many Florida families.”
Showers Today, Near 100% Chance Of Rain Tonight
January 3, 2019
After highs in the low 70’s on Wednesday, it will be just a little bit cooler today with highs reaching into the mid 60’s. Clouds and rain remain in our weather future, with the rain chance increasing to 100% by Thursday night.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 66. North wind 5 to 10 mph. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Steady temperature around 61. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 62. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 66. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. Calm wind.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 67.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 66.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 63.
Report Points To ‘Failures’ In Parkland School Massacre (With Full Report)
January 3, 2019
“Personal and system failures” culminated in the mass shooting that left 14 students and three faculty members dead and 17 people wounded at a Broward County high school, according to a report by a state panel that spent months investigating the Valentine’s Day massacre.
The report, unanimously approved Wednesday by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission, blamed the Broward County school system and sheriff’s office for being unprepared and for delays in responding to the volley of bullets from the AR-15 rifle used by confessed killer Nikolas Cruz.
According to the 446-page report, sheriff’s deputies spent several minutes donning bullet-proof vests, while others hid behind cars, as Cruz methodically went from room to room gunning down teachers and teenagers at his former school.
Cruz, who has pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of murder, had a lengthy history of mental-health problems and run-ins with authority figures, including law enforcement and school officials, leading up to the Feb. 14 assault on the Parkland school in an affluent neighborhood in western Broward County.
While “personal and system failures” resulted in the horrific school shooting, “it is important to be mindful that the one true ‘cause’ that resulted in 34 people being shot and/or killed, is Nikolas Cruz,” the preface to the report said.
State lawmakers responded to the mass shooting, which occurred during the 2018 legislative session, by quickly passing a sweeping law that raised from 18 to 21 the age to buy long guns, such as the rifle Cruz legally purchased; banned so-called “bump stocks;” and imposed school-safety requirements and mental-health screenings for students.
The new law also required all schools to have at least one school safety officer and allowed districts to hire armed “guardians” — school personnel whose primary job duties are outside the classroom — to supplement the officers, who are usually deputies.
In its report Wednesday, the state panel recommended that classroom teachers also be allowed to act as armed “guardians,” even though that controversial idea created an impasse before the school-safety measure passed last year.
Allowing specially trained teachers with concealed-weapons licenses to bring guns to classrooms was among the many recommendations offered by the commission, which was created as part of the law. The only commission member to vote against the armed-teacher proposal was Max Schachter, whose 14-year-old son Alex was among the slain students.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, chairman of the commission, defended the proposal.
“This isn’t about ideology. This is about reality, and this is about making sure that we can save kids’ lives,” Gualtieri said.
Cruz reloaded five times during the minutes-long assault at the high school, Gualtieri said.
“Anybody who thinks we’re going to get rid of guns is crazy. We’ve got to do something,” said the sheriff, who at one time opposed allowing teachers to carry weapons but has since reversed his stance.
Teachers should undergo “an absolutely rigorous selection process” and training prior to getting permission to bring guns to schools, Gualtieri said, adding that Floridians “have to be realistic” about the threats schools are facing.
The “best possibility” to reduce the harm to students and faculty is to have someone trained with a gun on campus, he said.
“And that’s school staff,” he said.
The report also encouraged schools and law enforcement agencies to implement “effective response systems and policies, including active assailant training.”
The commission reviewed hours of video and audio from the school and emergency responses to the shooting and heard tearful testimony from parents, students and others during its months-long probe.
“Safety and security accountability is lacking in schools,” the preface to the report said. “There must be a sense of urgency — and there is not, across the board — in enhancing school safety.”
The report found that “school safety in Florida needs to be improved,” a position Gualtieri elaborated on during Wednesday’s news conference.
“The reality of this is that it is going to happen again. The question is where. The question is when,” the sheriff said, urging leaders to consider “what changes have we made to mitigate the harm as quickly as possible.”
The recommendations ranged from broad-based advice about issues such as “harm mitigation” to specific suggestions about items such as locked classroom doors and bulletproof windows.
The report also urged school officials and others to identify potentially dangerous students as young as possible, indicating that early intervention could have prevented the Parkland tragedy. The panel also advised officials to ensure that “mental and behavioral issues are properly addressed.”
“At its core, basic, effective school safety begins with prevention. Prevention strategies not only focus on target hardening, but include early intervention when youth demonstrate indicators that should be immediately and appropriately assessed and addressed,” the report read.
Nelson LaRue Shively
January 3, 2019
Nelson LaRue Shively, age 90, passed away at home on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018.
He was born in 1928 in Milton to the late Chester and Irene Shively.
At age 18, he joined the Air Force and served proudly for 26 years. He was an alumnus of Florida State University (FSU) and the University of Southern California (USC) where he received his master’s degree in aerospace management.
He and his wife, the late Bernita Deloris (Covan) Shively, a retired Fisher Brown Insurance agent, settled in 1972 in Pensacola, Fla. following his Air Force service. He continued working as a federal employee at Corry and Saufley fields.
Active in church, he taught Adult Sunday School classes at Myrtle Grove UMC and First UMC. In 1991 he retired from government service and enjoyed traveling globally with his wife but especially spending time at his favorite destination, Canada, to engage in his favorite sport, fishing.
Nelson is preceded in death by his parents, Chester and Irene Shively, of Milton; brother Robert Shriner, of Milton; and his beautiful “Angel” of 64 years, Bernita Deloris.
Those left to cherish his legacy are his brother and sister-in-law, Wayne and Sue Shively of Milton; daughters, Dr. Storne Shively of Pensacola, Fla., and Dr. Sondra Singleton of Anniston, Ala.; nephews Steve Kenney of Mountain Home, Ark. and Terry Kenney of San Diego, Calif. Grandchildren include Sterling Singleton of Paris, France and Sonnet Singleton of Miramar Beach, Fla.
A visitation will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Oak Lawn Funeral Home. The service will begin at 11. Reception will immediately follow the service. Nelson will be laid to rest at 2 p.m. in the Bryneville UMC cemetery in Century, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking donations be made to Byrneville Methodist Church, 1351 Byrneville Road, Century, FL 32535.
Special thanks and gratitude are offered to Covenant Hospice, especially to Barbara L., Terri H., Lisa, Amanda, and Robin for their selfless devotion and tender care.
Mother And Her Adult Daughter Shot In Molino; Suspect Arrested
January 2, 2019
A mother and her adult daughter were shot in Molino Tuesday night, and a suspect out on bond for a previous assault was arrested for attempted murder in under two hours.
Deputies arrested 21-year old Justin Demarte Young shortly after the 7:50 p.m. incident in the 1200 block of Barth Road, just east of Highway 29. That’s where they found Aretha Vaughn and her daughter Mea Vaughn suffering from gunshot wounds.
Mea Vaughn was shot on the left side of her face, and Aretha Vaughn was shot in the back and abdomen. The victims were transported to area hospitals by Escambia County EMS.
For a photo gallery from the shooting scene, click here.
Young fled the scene and was taken into custody about 25 miles away in the 7700 block of Kipling Street off East Olive Road. He was charged with two counts of attempted first degree premeditated murder. His bond was set at a quarter of a million dollars. While being transported to the Escambia County Jail, Young denied being at location of the shooting on Tuesday.
Young had been temporarily staying with the Vaughns, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The women told deputies that he just walked in the door and started shooting at them without saying anything.
Another man that lives in the same residence told deputies that he was not at home at the time of the incident, but a day before the shooting Aretha Vaughn had argued with Young over loud rap music with vulgarities he was playing in the presence of underage children.
Young had allegedly moved in with the women after being kicked out of his residence after allegedly pulling a gun. According to an arrest report from that September 20 incident, he allegedly threatened to shoot woman, claiming she was the reason he lost his job. Her child younger son was reportedly in the room at the time.
Young was arrested October 23 and was out of jail on a $10,000 bond awaiting trial on two counts of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence related. He was set to enter a plea in the case on January 2.
For a photo gallery from the shooting scene, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
NextEra Completes Deal To Purchase Gulf Power
January 2, 2019
Gulf Power started 2019 with a new owner.
NextEra Energy Inc., the parent company of Florida Power & Light, announced early Tuesday that it has finished an earlier-announced deal to purchase Gulf Power from the Atlanta-based Southern Company. The deal expands NextEra’s already-large footprint in Florida and is a major change in the Panhandle, where Gulf serves about 450,000 customers in eight counties.
In a statement Tuesday announcing the completion of the sale, NextEra Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Robo praised Gulf Power’s work to restore electricity after Hurricane Michael caused massive damage in October in Northwest Florida.
“The last few months have been among the most challenging periods in Gulf Power’s rich history as the team worked tirelessly to restore power to those impacted by Hurricane Michael,” Robo said. “We couldn’t be more pleased by Gulf Power’s performance and commitment to getting the lights back on during what were extremely dangerous and difficult conditions. As we turn to the future, we look forward to extending to Gulf Power’s customers our best-in-class value proposition of low bills, clean energy, high reliability and outstanding customer service.”
NextEra and Southern Company in May announced a $6.475 billion deal that included NextEra purchasing Gulf Power, the Florida City Gas natural-gas company and ownership interests in two power plants. The parts of the deal involving Florida City Gas and the power plants had already been completed.
In a statement Tuesday, Thomas A. Fanning, chairman, president and CEO of Southern Company, said the deal would bolster his company.
“These sales deliver substantial value to Southern Company and our stockholders,” he said. “By strengthening our financial position and allowing us to fund our business without raising significant additional capital, the value proposition of this deal is clear.”
In the initial May announcement of the deal, NextEra said the $6.475 billion purchase price included assuming about $1.4 billion of Gulf Power debt. It also said the Gulf Power purchase was expected to close during the first half of 2019 — but NextEra and Southern Company issued news releases on New Year’s Day announcing the completion.
Gulf Power is the fourth-largest private electric utility in the state, behind Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida and Tampa Electric Co. Gulf serves customers in Bay, Escambia, Holmes, Jackson, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington counties.
Florida Power & Light, by comparison, has about 5 million customers, with its territory including much of the state’s East Coast, heavily populated South Florida and much of Southwest Florida.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
And The Rain Continues For A Couple More Days
January 2, 2019
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 57. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 55. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. South wind 10 to 15 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40. West wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 40. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 66.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 67.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.
Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67.
Pictured: Rainfall on a heritage camellia bush Tuesday. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.