Nightly Traffic Shifts on Nine Mile Road At Highway 29 Overpass
July 28, 2017
East and westbound traffic on Nine Mile Road at the Highway29 overpass in Escambia County will be reduced to one lane from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning Sunday, July 30. Eastbound traffic will be shifted to the inside westbound travel lane as the contractor prepares the area for construction of the support column for the new center bridge deck. Traffic control officers will be on site to help direct traffic.
Construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather. Drivers are reminded to use caution and to watch for construction workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
FHP Targets Aggressive Drivers
July 17, 2017
Passenger vehicles and tractor trailers share Florida’s highways every day, but too often aggressive driving habits result in deadly crashes between the two. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) will begin Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT), a safety campaign dddhttp://www.northescambia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/fhpstock99.jpgaimed at educating motorists about the dangers of aggressive driving around large trucks and reducing commercial motor vehicle related crashes.
Motorists should protect themselves and their passengers by learning how to share the road safely. FHP offers these tips for driving around large trucks:
- Stay out of the No Zone: Be aware that large trucks have large blind spots (also known as “No Zones”);
- Pass trucks with caution: Pass on the left side for maximum visibility and maintain a constant speed;
- Do not cut trucks off: Be sure to leave plenty of room when you pull in front of a truck. Large trucks
Simply cannot stop as quickly as cars;
- Practice patience around larger vehicles that are not traveling at the same speed as your vehicle;
- Do not drive distracted: Anything that takes your full attention off of the road, even for a second, could
be deadly. This includes texting, changing the radio station, talking to passengers, and much more; and
Dial *FHP (*347) if you witness aggressive or dangerous driving.
Low Income Students Could Get More Aid
April 9, 2017
Although state college leaders are unhappy with a Senate budget that would boost university funding but slash support for the colleges, they are pleased with a Senate effort to expand aid for students who come from lower-income families.
The budget plan (SB 2500), which the Senate will take up Wednesday, would increase the state’s largest need-based aid program, known as Florida student assistance grants, by 81 percent, or $121 million, in the academic year that begins July 1. Senators also want to double the state’s matching grants for “first generation” college and university students to a total of $10.6 million.
The increase in need-based aid, which would also help the university system, is important to the 28 state colleges because their students will not benefit much from the Senate’s plan to expand the Bright Futures merit-scholarship program. The Senate budget would cover full tuition and fees for the top Bright Futures students, known as “academic scholars,” as well as provide $300 for textbooks for two semesters and cover summer tuition.
But out of 46,000 Bright Futures academic scholars projected in the next academic year, only 5 percent of them will be enrolled at a state college.
In contrast, state college students represented 70 percent of the 105,000 students in a public college or university who received a need-based Florida student assistance grant in the 2015-16 academic year, according to the state Department of Education.
Systemwide, state college students received an average grant of $903, ranging from $1,651 at Chipola College to $499 at Broward College. Broward had the most students receiving grants, with 17,000, followed by Miami Dade College with 16,700.
The Senate budget would expand Florida student assistance grants for public universities and colleges from the current year $114.6 million to $208 million. The grants also go for private universities and other post-secondary programs.
“We’re all over the Senate right now because we’re concerned,” said David Armstrong, president of Broward College, referring to the Senate’s proposed budget cuts, including a $55 million reduction in remedial education funding for the colleges.
But it’s a different story with the Senate’s plan to expand need-based aid.
“We have been neglecting the need-based (programs),” said Armstrong, who oversees the second-largest state college in the system, with some 66,000 students. “Kudos to the Senate. I applaud them for addressing the need-based issues.”
The Senate and House are expected next week to approve their budget bills, setting the stage for negotiations on a final spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
The House budget plan (HB 5001) would lead to a 5 percent increase in the overall Florida student assistance grants program.
State colleges would also benefit from the expansion of another needs-based aid program in the Senate budget, which would double the state match for students who qualify as “first generation” college or university students. The Senate bill would double the state funding to $10.6 million, meaning for every dollar a college or university raises for the program, it wouldl be matched by $2 from the state.
State colleges should receive about $2.65 million in matching funds from the program, reflecting about quarter of the funds, a proportion that is consistent with what they received in the 2015-16 academic year.
The House budget does not expand the first-generation matching program, nor does it provide any expansion of the Bright Futures merit scholarships.
Ava Parker, president of Palm Beach State College, said less than 2 percent of the 46,000 students on her campus have Bright Futures scholarships and she appreciates the Senate’s effort to boost need-based aid programs.
“The Senate has a real appreciation for (the fact) that we have students who have economic challenges and they’re trying to find ways to assist with that,” Parker said. “I think the Senate is really focused on what things can we do to ensure that folks graduate faster and they understand that the college system is a piece of that puzzle.”
Having said that, though, Parker said she remains concerned about what the college leaders perceive as an imbalance in the Senate higher-education budget that would increase university funding while cutting state colleges. She said the cuts would make it harder for colleges to achieve the Legislature’s goal of graduating more students on time.
“It’s a greater understanding that if you don’t help us also participate in that (funding) equation (with the universities), it’s going to be more difficult for you to reach that goal,” Parker said.
Also, a gap remains for students who rely on need-based aid to attend state colleges or universities. Neither the Florida student assistance grant program nor the first-generation grants can be used during the summer semester.
It is further complicated by the fact that lower-income students tend to rely on a combination of scholarships and grants to pay for their educations. One of the key financial supports is the federal Pell grant program, which since 2011 also has not covered the summer semester.
Over the last year, there has been debate in Congress about making Pell grants available year-round, but that has not become a reality.
Another challenge for financial aid looms in the House, where leaders have raised objections to colleges and universities using public employees in their private foundations, which raise money for the schools.
Armstrong, Parker and other college presidents said limitations on the foundations could hurt their ability to raise money, which at the colleges is primarily used to fund scholarships.
One Percent Property Tax Discount Ends February 28
February 26, 2017
Scott Lunsford, Escambia County Tax Collector, has announced that the final discount of one percent on payment of real estate and tangible personal property tax ends Tuesday, February 28.
- To receive the one percent discount, payments must be:
- mailed with a February postmark;
- left by midnight CST, February 28, in a 24-hour drop box available at all locations;
- made online by midnight CST, February 28 at EscambiaTaxCollector.com; or
- made in person by Tuesday, February 28.
Offices are located at:
- Downtown – 213 Palafox Place
- Marcus Pointe – 6451 North W Street
- Molino – 6440 Highway 95-A North, Suite A
- Warrington – 4051 Barrancas Avenue, Suite A
To check the status of taxes or to pay online, visit our web site at EscambiaTaxCollector.com. Taxpayers are encouraged to contact the tax collector’s office by phone at (850) 438-6500, ext. 3252 or email ectc@EscambiaTaxCollector.com with any questions.
IP Explosion: Remediation Efforts, Cleanup Continue
January 26, 2017
Here is the latest information following Sunday night’s explosion at International Paper in Cantonment.
Remediation Efforts
- The Unified Command is working to deal with the impacts of the incident, including taking action to protect residents near the facility and assessing the extent of the damage and possible health and environmental effects.
- The mill remains closed while the structural damage is assessed by International Paper. Communications with employees has been maintained.
- The timetable for completion of remediation is yet to be determined.
- Remediation resources will be in place until this process is complete.
Community Outreach
- As of Wednesday afternoon, approximately 120 neighborhood households have been contacted by the outreach teams.
- IP teams continue to go door-to-door in the immediate area to provide information on resources available for community members regarding clean-up, temporary housing and potential medical concerns.
- The Unified Command Team is furnishing information regarding remediation timelines and providing numbers for residents to call with their questions.
Potential Health Impacts
- As was reported yesterday, the most noticeable effects of the incident were the odor and presence of byproducts of the pulping process.
- Prolonged skin contact with these materials could cause minor irritation. People are encouraged to avoid coming into contact with these materials. If they do, washing with soap and warm water should provide relief. The same applies to pets.
Environmental Impacts
- Environmental monitoring and sampling is underway until cleanup is complete.
- The material may cause impact to vegetation or aquatic life.
- An environmental assessment is being conducted to determine what areas may be impacted. Once the assessment is completed, full-scale remediation actions will be implemented.
Residents with any questions concerning the incident should call 850-968-4208.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
South Alabama Burglary Ring Busted; Nine Jailed
January 26, 2017
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office has busted a burglary ring targeting homes and hunting camps.
Multiple burglaries were reported in the Foshee and Wildfork Road areas. As a result of the search warrant served on Appleton Road, stolen items from the residences and camp houses were recovered and the following were arrested:
- Jonathan Daniel Jackson two counts of burglary II, two counts of theft of property I
- Aaron Chadwick burglary III, theft of property I, receiving stolen property III
- Amber Piland two counts of receiving stolen property, possession of marijuana I, possession of drug paraphernalia. Released on $20,000 bond
- Timothy Dillon Anthony two counts of receiving stolen property I, possession of marijuana I, possession of drug paraphernalia.
Deputies continued the investigation which led to a search warrant being served at 5753 Foshee Road and 4445 Wildfork Road on Tuesday. As a result of the search warrant, stolen property was recovered and the following were arrested:
- Joseph Christopher Davis III two counts of burglary III, possession of marijuana II, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, two counts of theft of property II
- Tiffany Nicole Carnes possession of marijuana II, possession of drug paraphernalia
- Enoch Simmons possession of marijuana II, possession of drug paraphernalia
The following were also taken into custody and charged:
- William Nelson Davis two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia;
- Jamie Leanne Janzen possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana II, possession of drug paraphernalia.
Pictured: Top Row (L-R): Jonathan Danile Jackson, Aaron Chadwick, Amber Piland. Second Row: Timothy Dillon Anthony, Joseph Christopher Davis III, Tiffany Nicole Carnes. Third row: Enoch Simmons, William Nelson Davis, Jamie Leanne Janzen. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Eleanor Faye Campbell
December 27, 2016
Mrs. Faye Campbell, 76, born October 9, 1940, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, December 26, 2016. Faye married her childhood sweetheart and the love of her life, C. R. (Billy) Campbell, Sr. where they had celebrated 57 wonderful years together. They were married April 23, 1959, at the courthouse in Brewton, AL.
We believed in seeking God’s guidance and perfect will in our decisions in life together and giving him all praise and glory.
She was preceded in death by her sons, John Mark Campbell and Cleveland (Cleve) R. Campbell, Jr.; her mother, Mrs. Lovey Hawthrone Messick and great-granddaughter, Nevaeh Harvell. She is survived y her loving husband, C.R. (Billy) Campbell; her daughter, Trudy Campbell; her son, Billy Ray (Kay) Campbell; three sisters, Carolyn (Mike) Garza, Joyce Johnson and Donna Nolan; two brothers, Charles (Diane) Brooks and Russell (Judy) Messick; seven grandchildren, Brad Wood, Nicole (Damian) Harvell, Crystal Ramos, Trey (Alesha) Campbell, Cara Campbell, Caleb Campbell and Ciarra Campbell; five great-grandchildren, Raina Wood, Elijah Ramos, Serenity Harvell, Prestyn Harvell and Estelle Wood; many other friends and relatives.
Pallbearers will be Caleb Campbell, Ben Campbell, Stephen Campbell, Scott Campbell , Bud Campbell and Hank Campbell.
Visitation will be Thursday, December 29, 2016, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral Service will be Friday, December 30, 2016, at the funeral home at 1:00 p.m with Reverend Phillip Dean as officiating. Her final resting place will be at McCurdy Cemetery, Century, FL.
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
December 4, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Sunday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 72. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog before midnight. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 59. South wind around 5 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before noon, then showers and thunderstorms after noon. High near 70. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday Night: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 3am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 3am. Low around 60. South wind around 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming northwest after midnight.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57.
Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 45.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 50.
Northview Honors Cross Country Team
November 21, 2016
The Northview High School Cross Country team recently celebrated their season at Sky Zone in Pensacola. Awards presented included (listed below each photo):
Coach’s Award winners: Brandon Korinchak, Lexxi Baggett.
Most Improved: Starla Weaver.
Fastest: Brandon Korinchak and Marissa Rothrock.
Jumni Ross Award: Sara McCreary.
Seniors: Brandon Korinchak, Sara McCreary, Adrian King. Not pictured: Lettering: Jace Weber, Josiah Stilwell, Marissa Rothrock, Cheyenne Johnson, Kirsten White.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Gov’t Weekly Roundup: Light At The End Of The Election Tunnel
November 6, 2016
Four months ago, nearly six out of 10 Americans were already feeling exhausted by election coverage, according to the Pew Research Center.
Voters were worn out long before Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump earned the nominations of their respective parties, and before stories of Russian email hacking and accusations of groping subsumed deeper topics, like the candidates’ actual stands on issues such as the economy.
But if Floridians were weary in June or July, they might be near comatose now, as the White House wannabes and their surrogates storm the state in the lead-up to Tuesday’s election.
With the presidential race in the crucial swing state too close to call, it’s no surprise that both sides are storming the peninsula in an attempt to ensure that there’s a clear winner when the results are tallied Tuesday night.
According to German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer, boredom and pain are the two enemies of human happiness. Even casual observers of this year’s political season may believe that Floridians, along with the rest of the country, have had ample servings of both.
SUN, SUN, SUN, HERE IT COMES
Even the Florida Supreme Court, which typically could provide a welcome distraction from election hijinks, got stuck in the fray this week.
Opponents of a controversial solar-energy ballot initiative asked the justices on Wednesday to again review and strike down the proposed constitutional amendment largely bankrolled by utility companies.
But in terse, single-line statements Friday, the court dismissed as “moot” requests by the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association and the group Floridians for Solar Choice to reconsider the court’s approval of ballot language for the initiative known as Amendment 1.
Expressing disappointment with the rulings, the initiative’s critics maintained their view that Amendment 1 is “deceptive,” while saying they will focus on keeping the proposal from reaching the 60 percent voter approval needed for passage.
“We wanted to give the court an opportunity to clean up the mess they have made by approving this amendment for the ballot,” Stephen Smith, a member of Floridians for Solar Choice and executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said in a statement. “Now it’s game on: We have a solar uprising happening in the Sunshine State. We ask everyone to vote no on 1 and we look forward to Tuesday when we will kill this once and for all.”
Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric Co. and Gulf Power have spent a combined $20.2 million in support of the amendment, which would enshrine in the Florida Constitution existing rules about the use of solar energy by private property owners. The proposal also includes a more-contentious provision, which states that people who haven’t installed solar on their property “are not required to subsidize the costs of backup power and electric grid access to those who do.”
Proponents say the second provision offers consumer protections for people who don’t install solar panels. But opponents argue it could result in “discriminatory charges” against rooftop solar users and limit the desire of people to go solar.
The Florida Solar Energy Industries Association and Floridians for Solar Choice, which have long contended that Amendment 1 is deceptive, based their requests to the Supreme Court this week on an audio tape that included comments by Sal Nuzzo, vice president of policy at the James Madison Institute. On the tape, first reported by the Miami Herald, Nuzzo described how to use a “little bit of political jiu-jitsu” in promoting solar to win support for desired changes in policy.
Sarah Bascom, a spokeswoman for Consumers for Smart Solar, the group spearheading the initiative, said there were no surprises in the court dismissing the “frivolous” requests Friday.
“This was nothing more than a political stunt to deter voters’ attention in the final days of the election,” Bascom said in a statement.
GAMBLING PROPOSAL A ROLL OF THE DICE?
The justices on Wednesday also heard arguments about a proposed constitutional amendment that could severely limit the expansion of gambling in Florida by giving voters, instead of state lawmakers or counties, control over casino-style games.
Proponents hope to get the “Voter Control of Gambling in Florida” proposal on the 2018 ballot, but the Supreme Court first has to decide whether the ballot summary is clear and whether the measure adheres to the “single subject” requirement of citizens’ initiatives.
Much of Wednesday’s arguments focused on whether voters would know that, by endorsing the proposal, they would be taking away control of casino-type gambling decisions from the Legislature and county officials.
Lawyer Adam Schachter, who represents Voters in Charge, the committee behind the proposed amendment, pointed out that the state high court is poised to decide whether Gretna Racing, a tiny pari-mutuel in rural Gadsden County, can have slot machines. That ruling is expected to have a wide-ranging impact: Voters in five other counties — Brevard, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach and Washington — have also approved slots at local tracks or jai alai frontons.
The Gretna case — centered on whether gambling operators can add slots if county voters give the go-ahead, even without the express permission of the Legislature — exemplifies the need for the proposed constitutional change, Schachter argued.
“There is a lack of clarity on this,” Schachter told the justices. “This amendment … would provide the needed clarity.”
But attorney Marc Dunbar, who represents a non-profit organization opposed to the initiative and who owns a small share of the Gretna facility, warned that the constitutional change, if approved, would lead to “a ridiculous amount of litigation” over its interpretation.
Dunbar said the proposal is misleading because voters might not know that the measure could have a chilling effect, using as an example arcade games such as “claw” machines, which were caught up in a law aimed at shutting down internet cafes.
“Will (arcades) be frozen forevermore for any new product because they operate under a slot machine exemption?” Dunbar asked. “Will they have to go to a statewide initiative because they want a new arcade game?”
STORY OF THE WEEK: The Florida Supreme Court refused to remove from the ballot a controversial solar-energy initiative backed by utility companies.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Let’s calm down here.” — Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente, speaking to attorney Marc Dunbar as he argued against a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at giving voters control over casino gambling.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida