SRSO: 87-Year Old Jay Assisted Living Resident Charged With Battery On Woman
February 7, 2019
An 87-year old assisted living facility resident was charged after allegedly slapping an elderly resident with dementia in the face.
William Alford of Jay was charged with felony battery and later released from the Santa Rosa County Jail on a $2,500 bond.
The Terrace At Ivey Acres in Jay contacted the victim’s son and reported the incident, according to arrest report. The son told deputies this was not the first incident between Alford and his mother. Alford and the victim have adjoining rooms separated by a locked door, the report states, with the only access through a public hallway.
Gulf Power Requests Customer Surcharge To Pay For Hurricane Michael Recovery
February 7, 2019
Pointing to an “unprecedented event” that knocked out power to 136,000 customers and caused massive damage to its distribution system, Gulf Power on Wednesday asked state regulators to approve a plan to collect an estimated $342 million from customers to cover costs related to Hurricane Michael.
Gulf Power, the largest electric utility in Northwest Florida, filed a petition at the state Public Service Commission as it seeks authorization to start recovering the money in April. Customers would pay the storm costs over a five-year period, according to the filing.
“Hurricane Michael was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Northwest Florida, with Panama City and the surrounding areas of Bay County nearly destroyed, including critical infrastructure and the energy grid that serves our customers,” Gulf Power President Marlene Santos said in a prepared statement. “We know that many of our customers continue to face challenges due to the aftermath of Hurricane Michael and we have worked hard to propose a plan to the Florida Public Service Commission that takes this into account and supports our ability to continue to serve them with reliable service now and into the future.”
The Public Service Commission has signed off on such proposals from utilities after past storms. Also, Gulf Power operates under a 2017 rate settlement that anticipated the utility would be allowed to recover such costs if a major storm occurred.
The proposed increase would translate to about $8 a month for a residential customer who uses 1,000 kilowatt hours a month of electricity, a common benchmark in the utility industry, according to the filing and a company news release. Commercial and industrial customers, which are billed differently than residential customers, would see increases of 3 percent to 8 percent.
If the Public Service Commission authorizes the storm-related increases, Gulf Power said monthly customer bills would remain lower than they were in January 2018. During the past year, the company has trimmed bills, in part by passing along savings to customers from a federal tax overhaul that lowered corporate-income tax rates.
Hurricane Michael made landfall Oct. 10 in Mexico Beach as a Category 4 storm and caused widespread damage as it roared north into Georgia. The damage came in the eastern parts of the utility’s service territory, particularly in Bay County. Western parts of the territory, in areas such as Pensacola, Cantonment and Molino, were largely unscathed.
The filing at the Public Service Commission said Gulf Power had 136,000 customer outages and that 120,452 customers lacked power late in the afternoon of Oct. 10. In all, 96 percent of customers in the utility’s eastern area lost power, with more than 99,000 outages in Bay County.
The utility had $48 million in a storm reserve, but that was dwarfed by $350 million in restoration costs that the utility says it is eligible to recover from customers. Also as part of the filing, the company is seeking to collect about $41 million to replenish the storm reserve. The total sought comes to about $342 million after some accounting adjustments.
The Pensacola-based utility has more than 460,000 customers in eight counties. The filing said Gulf Power workers and outside crews replaced about 7,000 poles, 200 miles of line and 4,000 transformers after the storm.
“For areas that experienced the most significant impact of Michael’s eye wall, Gulf Power’s restoration efforts required a complete rebuild of the electric system,” the filing said.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Tate’s Palmer, Riggan Sign With South Alabama
February 7, 2019
Two Tate High School Aggies signed with the University of South Alabama Jaguars Wednesday.
Hunter Riggan and Patrick Palmer will play for the Jags under Head Coach Steve Campbell, who is also a Tate graduate.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Funeral Services Set For Northview’s Dariontae Richardson
February 7, 2019
Funeral arrangement have been announced for Northview High School student and football player Dariontae Richardson.
Visitation will be held Friday from 6-8 p.m. at Christian Memorial Funeral Home at 78 Harris Street in Atmore. Funeral services will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Grace Fellowship at 1412 East Nashville Avenue in Atmore.
At a School Advisory Council meeting Wednesday at Northview, Interim Principal Gerry Pippins expressed deep sympathy to his family and friends. He said Richardson was in a Birmingham for a medical procedure that was originally thought to be successful, and it was not immediately known what happened.
Richardson suffered a heart attack hours after the Chiefs’ Northview first round playoff win over Graceville November 9. The Chiefs’ #10 passed away on Monday.
He made several key plays for Northview in their win against Graceville but was not injured in the game.
The morning after the game, the 16-year old was found at home not breathing. His mother performed CPR until an ambulance arrived. He was transported to Atmore Community Hospital and airlifted to a Mobile hospital.
As the Chiefs advanced to route two of the playoffs against Baker, they dedicated the game to Richardson.
Grief counseling was available Tuesday at the school for students and staff.
Pictured: Dariontae Richardson (#10) during the Northview Chiefs first round playoff win over Graceville November 9, 2018. He suffered a heart attack a few hours later. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Pensacola Opera Presents Hansel And Gretel At Molino Branch Library
February 7, 2019
<The Pensacola Opera presented Hansel and Gretel Wednesday morning at the Molino Branch Library. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Ag Boss Says Hemp Could Me Major Industry, Appoints Cannabis Czar
February 7, 2019
Saying hemp is poised to be a “multibillion-dollar industry in the state,” Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried on Wednesday appointed the state’s first cannabis czar.
Fried, a Democrat elected in November who made increasing access to medical marijuana one of the cornerstones of her campaign, tapped Holly Bell, a former banker, to serve as director of cannabis. Fried created the position after taking over the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services last month.
Bell, who has a degree in agricultural economics from Purdue University, has worked as a cannabis consultant in other states and helped “build the infrastructure to create Tennessee’s industrial hemp program,” according to a news release issued by Fried’s office Wednesday.
Fried said Bell will work with farmers and scientists to help develop Florida’s nascent hemp industry following the passage of a federal farm bill that broadly legalized hemp, a cannabis plant that does not contain euphoria-inducing THC. Also, Bell will monitor other state agencies’ activities regarding medical marijuana.
“The stakes are really high here in our state to get this right. Studies show that Florida can be the number one state in America for medical marijuana and to help involve and bring up this industry,” Fried told reporters at a news conference announcing Bell’s appointment.
Bell said she helped Tennessee farmers embrace hemp as an alternative to tobacco, soybeans, cattle and cotton — crops similar to those grown in Florida.
“Hemp is a multibillion-dollar opportunity and potential for the state of Florida and the agriculture community as an alternative crop. After 80 years of stalled progress, we can finally begin to put cannabis to work for farmers, consumers and patients here in Florida,” Bell said at a news conference.
Fried, a lawyer and onetime medical marijuana lobbyist, called cannabis her department’s “top priority.”
She also ticked off a list of problems with the state’s implementation of a constitutional amendment, approved by voters in 2016, that legalized medical marijuana for a broad swath of patients.
Insurance companies do not cover the cannabis treatment, cities have prohibited marijuana operators from opening retail stores, and “we don’t have enough licenses” for operators to meet patient demand, Fried said.
“When we have a supply problem, we can’t reduce the cost,” she said.
The state also needs to revisit the “vertical integration” system that requires operators to grow, process and distribute cannabis and related products, Fried said. Moving away from vertical integration could involve opening the industry to companies that wouldn’t be responsible for all aspects of the cannabis business. For example, some companies could operate solely as dispensaries or as growers.
While many of the items Fried identified would require action by the Legislature or the state Department of Health, the agriculture commissioner said she intends to crack down on unregulated hemp-based products being sold at gas stations, grocery stores and smoke shops throughout Florida.
Many of the products contain or are advertised as containing low levels of non-euphoric cannabidiol, or CBD. The products, sold in oil, edible or even whole-flower form, are untested in Florida and have become a source of confusion for law enforcement officials and prosecutors.
Following the passage of the federal farm bill, which took hemp off the list of controlled substances, the state needs to oversee industrial hemp — which is used for rope, textiles and plastics, among other things — as well as all aspects of hemp-related products that are ingested or used in other ways by humans or animals, Fried said.
“Part of all of this is getting CBD to be regulated here in our state, grown here in our state, manufactured here, processed here, delivered here and to be part of ‘Fresh From Florida.’ This is a consumer issue. It is our job to make sure that the citizens of our state who are buying CBD know what is in it. You don’t have that right now,” she said.
When asked what her first task will be as the agriculture department’s cannabis chief, Bell paused.
“That’s a good question,” she said. “I’ve got to do a lot of research and get to know the team and work with the commissioner and put an outline together for her vision. Then, we’ll be implementing that.”
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Fire Damages Taco Bell On Nine Mile Road
February 6, 2019
Fire damaged the Taco Bell on Nine Mile Road at Chemstrand Road Wednesday afternoon.
The fire was reported just after 3:30 p.m. The first firefighters arriving on scene reported a heavy ceiling fire, according to Joy Tsubooka, spokesperson for Escambia County. No one was reported to be trapped or injured. The fire was reported under control at 4:06 p.m. and declared out at 4:43 p.m.
There’s no word yet on the cause of the fire.
At least six fire engines and two ladder trucks from Escambia Fire Rescue responded, along with Navy Fire, Escambia County EMS, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Fire crews were able to save about 75 percent of the building, Tsubooka said. The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating.
We reached out to Taco Bell’s corporate office in California and did not receive a response.
Pictured: The first firefighters arrive on scene at a fire at the Taco Bell on Nine Mile Road in Pensacola Wednesday afternoon. Pictured below: More photos as firefighters battle the fire. Photos by Dylan Shipman for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECSO: Ransom Middle Incident Included Weapons, Possible Suicide Pact Or School Attack Plan
February 6, 2019
Students that skipped school from Ransom Middle on Tuesday may face criminal charges and may have been involved in a suicide pact or school attack plan, according to information released Wednesday from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies were called to Ransom Middle School in reference to six students who left campus and began texting other students about “an alleged/potential suicide pact or school attack/shooting”, the ECSO said in a statement.
The Sheriff’s Office searched a wooded area on the north side of the school for the students because video surveillance showed numerous students running from the school. The students were located with the assistance of the Escambia County Road Camp K-9’s. Two of the students were found to have weapons in book bags belonging to them. Warrants for their arrest are being sought, according to the ECSO. Deputies have not said what type of weapons the students allegedly possessed.
The Sheriff’s Office said the follow-up investigation revealed that social media posts from the night before (February 4) contained the following statements and emojis: “You’ll see you won’t see it coming. You won’t see me at school anymore. They won’t see it coming and would see it on the news of what would happen.” Emojis included a running man, a house, a knife and a pill.
NorthEscambia.com also obtained photographs of additional Snapchat stories that stated: “They won’t see it coming” with a running man, a house and a shushing face emoji. Several users were tagged in the message. A second Snapchat story included emojis of a running man, a house, knife and a shushing face.
On Tuesday, Escambia County School District officials did not release any details of the incident, other than to say six students were skipping school.
Pictured: Photographs of Snapchat stories obtained by NorthEscambia.com. The images have been edited to remove glare and user information. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Report: One Third Of Escambia Residents Struggle Financially
February 6, 2019
A third of all households in Escambia County struggle to pay for basic needs such as housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology, according to a report released Tuesday by the United Way of Escambia County.
“There is enormous value in this data,” said United Way of Escambia County President & CEO Laura P. Gilliam. “It really paints an accurate picture of the working families struggling to get by in our community.” This struggle materializes at a rate of $26.48 per hour — what it takes a household of four in Escambia County to survive the associated costs of living.”
The households are earning above the poverty line but not enough to cover the most basic of needs like food and housing. Even in affordable communities, across the board increases in everything from child care to health care plague a family’s ability to save or buy a home despite holding down a 40-hour-a-week job.
“The people reflected in this study are working and providing direct services in our community every day, Gilliam stated. “The fact that this population has grown, despite the perceived growth of our community, shows that there’s still a lot of work to be done.”
The cost of basic household needs increased steadily, outpacing the rate of inflation and wage growth. The cost for a family of four in Escambia County to meet basic needs rose 6 percent annually and 8 percent monthly, these costs rose 14 percent annually and 14 percent monthly for a single adult. Compared to Florida where the cost rose 20 percent per family and 12 percent for a single adult.
“We started a movement five years ago to raise awareness about these families who work and want to provide for their families,” said United Way of Florida President Ted Ganger. “Through the efforts of our local United Ways and their partners we can develop simple, fiscally conservative solutions that would have an immediate, positive impact on families.”
The report states the biggest drivers of cost increases for families since the end of the recession are health care (14.5 percent) and taxes (23 percent).
Dozens Receive Driver’s License Services In Century, Mobile Unit To Return Quarterly
February 6, 2019
Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford was pleased with the turnout for the Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) mobile office in Century on Tuesday.
There were 45 people that took advantage of the available of the mobile motorist services, an event that was a partnership between Lunsford and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse on North Century Boulevard.
There were 27 driver’s license transactions and eight motor vehicle registration renewals. Additionally 10 other people received information on how to get on their way to obtaining a valid license or identification card.
“It was a good turnout, and good to be able to provide these services in Century,” he said.
Lunsford said the mobile unit is slated to return to Century on a quarterly basis, with the next stop tentatively set for May.
FLOW is a stand-alone mobile office with technology to provide most motorists’ needs. The mobile unit provides a convenient method to renew a driver’s license, obtain a replacement driver’s license, conversion or reciprocation of out-of-state license, change a name or address on a current driver’s license or identification card, and get a first-time identification card. In addition to licensing services, the mobile unit also provides an opportunity to renew or replace a vehicle registration and apply, renew or replace disabled parking placards. Written and driving tests are not available from the FLOW unit.
Pictured: Florida Licensing On Wheels (FLOW) provided motorist services such as driver’s license renewals in Century Tuesday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
