Three Members Sworn In For New Terms On Century Town Council
January 8, 2019
Three members were sworn in to new terms on the Century Town Council Monday night.
Ben Boutwell returned to Council Seat 3 after defeating Amanuel Onell Dubose by a 3-2 margin during the general election.
Political newcomer James Smith won the seat currently held by longtime council member Gary Riley, who did not see reelection. In November, Smith defeated Mary Hudson Bourgeois for Council Seat 4.
Incumbent Sandra McMurray Jackson returned to Council Seat 5 without opposition.
Century council member serve four year terms.
Pictured: Century Town Clerk Kim Godwin swears in council members James Smith (top), Ben Boutwell (first below) and Sandra McMurray Jackson (bottom) Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Facing Federal Child Pornography Charges
January 8, 2019
An Escambia County man is facing federal child pornography charges.
Michael Lee Depine, 62 is charged with production of child pornography, receipt and possession of child pornography and enticement of a minor for sexual activity for alleged offenses occurring in Escambia County.
Additional details have not yet been released by federal authorities.
He was taken into custody Friday and is being held in the Santa Rosa County Jail without bond.
Lawmakers Eye ‘Long, Long Recovery’ From Hurricane Michael
January 8, 2019
Hurricane Michael, which pummeled 10 Panhandle counties and spurred evacuation orders for 375,000 Floridians in October, left nearly seven times the debris of Hurricane Irma, which barreled across 45 counties in 2017.
And in the three months since Michael came ashore at Mexico Beach, debris continues to be picked up, more than 102,000 people have registered for assistance and 16 counties have qualified for federal aid.
“This is a massive, massive storm that we must deal with,” Senate Banking and Insurance Chairman Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, said Monday as lawmakers assessed the storm to determine what the state can do and how much of a request will be made to the federal government.
“We must encourage the administration to come up with a package that we can submit to Congress that adequately deals with the problems that the poorest part of the state, the most underserved part of the state is going to be dealing with,” Broxson said, referring to the heavily rural and low-income areas hit by Michael. “And they’re going to be dealing with it for generations and generations.”
Cotton farmers essentially lost most of the season’s crop, which was ready for harvesting when it was swept away by the 155 mph winds from the high Category 4 storm. Aquaculture along the Gulf Coast, including oyster farming, suffered 80 percent to 100 percent losses from Michael.
With 2.8 million acres of forest land damaged, timber farmers sustained more than $1.3 billion of the overall $1.49 billion in estimated agricultural damages that have been reported from the Oct. 10 storm.
Rex Lumber owner Caroline Dauzat told a Senate panel on Monday the company, which employs about 350 people, remains committed to the region. But the loss of timber, which in some cases could take decades to regrow, is adding costs to the Bristol-based company as wood must come from farther away to be made into two-by-fours and two-by-sixes.
“Our employees are worried about the future of the mills, particularly in Bristol,” Dauzat told members of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “They recognize that without timber we can’t make lumber.”
She also advised lawmakers of the need to fund wildfire prevention because of the “staggering” amount of timber on the ground.
“This is going to be a long, long recovery,” said Sen. Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat who represents large parts of the region hit by Michael.
Sen. George Gainer, a Panama City Republican who owns car dealerships across Northwest Florida, described a trip through the parts of the region currently as “like riding through a landfill.” Five of Gainer’s dealerships were severely damaged by the storm.
Last month, a report reviewed by the Senate Appropriations Committee showed Florida’s budget will face increased pressure from the impact of the hurricane, with the tab expected to exceed the costs from Irma.
State Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier told members of the Banking and Insurance Committee the industry appears to have withstood the regionally “concentrated” storm’s impact, as his agency closely watches data from individual insurers.
Michael has resulted in 136,873 claims, mostly from personal residential property, with projected insured losses at nearly $4.9 billion, with the latest numbers posted Monday.
The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, a reinsurance program commonly known as the “Cat Fund,” has reimbursed 12 carriers $220 million, with that number expected to grow to $650 million, said Cat Fund Chief Operating Officer Anne Bert.
By comparison, Irma, which has drawn more than 1 million claims with estimated losses topping $11 billion, has required $1.57 billion in reimbursements to 85 companies from the Cat Fund.
Senate Agriculture Chairman Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said the job of the committees is to determine what the long-range impacts could be to the state.
“Before we come to any conclusions, before we come to any certainties about what we should or shouldn’t be doing, let’s make sure we know what we should know about each of these sectors,” said Albritton, who, as a House member, was part of an effort in 2018 to respond to Hurricane Irma.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
NorthEscambia.com photos.
Florida’s New First Lady Wants To Listen, ‘Move The Ball Forward’
January 8, 2019
Saying she “wants to take a page out of Oprah’s playbook,” Florida’s next first lady, Casey DeSantis, charmed an audience of mostly Republican women Monday, the day before her husband, Ron, will be sworn in as governor of the third-largest state in the nation.
“I really look forward to listening,” Casey DeSantis, 38, told reporters after addressing an early-morning crowd in the kickoff of festivities surrounding Tuesday’s inauguration.
The mother of two young children regaled the crowd with tales of her travels throughout the state last year while campaigning for her husband.
Riding around on an electric moped in Daytona Beach during Bike Week — and winding up surrounded by Harleys — was just one of the ways she helped her husband get elected.
“I get it. I know how hard it takes. I know there’s a lot that goes into making it happen,” Casey DeSantis, a former morning-television host, said.
Speaking to reporters after the event, titled “Women Transforming Florida: A Tribute Breakfast,” at Goodwood Museum, DeSantis said she hasn’t limited her agenda as first lady to a single issue.
“I’d like to pick more than one,” she said. “I want to take a page out of Oprah’s playbook. She said what makes the best interview are people who listen. So, what I want to do is approach this with humility and say that I might not know all the answers out of the gate. I want to listen to what the people say … and then I want to be able to help in any way that I can to really move the ball forward for the people of this state.”
Much of the morning’s program was devoted to praising women, including Republican voters who helped boost Ron DeSantis and Lt. Gov.-elect Jeanette Nuñez to victory in the 2018 elections.
“I’m inspired to pave the way and encourage young girls and women of all ages in all walks of life to follow their dreams. It’s taken a lot of work. It’s taken a lot of sacrifice,” Nuñez, 46, said. “But most importantly, it’s taken a lot of faith.”
Nuñez, a former legislator from Miami, will become the state’s highest-ranking Hispanic woman in history after taking office Tuesday.
“She is a rock star,” Casey DeSantis said.
The new governor, his wife and their two young children — 2-year-old Madison and 10-month-old Mason — intend to move into the governor’s mansion, marking the first time in a half-century since a young family has resided at 700 North Adams St.
Casey DeSantis called it an “honor and a privilege” to live in the mansion.
“The first thing I said was, we need to take all of Florida’s irreplaceable historic artifacts and move them up four feet, right? I was thinking about this beautiful early 20th-century wallpaper. Orange crayon wouldn’t look so good on that. So one of the first steps is to make sure that we baby-proof the mansion to preserve all of Florida’s history,” she told reporters. “Ron and I understand that this is the people’s house. It’s not our house. And so we want to make sure that people have the opportunity to see two young children growing up in the mansion. This is the first time that this has happened in 50 years. So it’s an honor and we look forward to really sharing the kids with everybody and sharing what I’m sure will be some hilarious stories.”
Some view Florida’s political lineup, with Casey DeSantis expected to play an important role in her husband’s administration, Nuñez, incoming Attorney General Ashley Moody and Agriculture Commissioner-elect Nikki Fried, as a reflection of the 2018 elections, viewed nationally as the “year of the woman.”
DeSantis and Nuñez top the “amazing, strong, accomplished females taking leadership roles,” Melissa Stone, a Republican political consultant who was one of outgoing Gov. Rick Scott’s chief advisers, told The News Service of Florida during a break in the Monday breakfast event.
Their presence in the administration will be an inspiration for other women, Stone predicted.
“The more you have a great number of women working together, that is what is going to make a real impression on women everywhere, encourage them and inspire them to take leadership roles,” she said
Expect the female leaders to play an important part in the 2020 elections; politicians of both parties — including President Donald Trump, whose early endorsement helped boost DeSantis to a Republican primary victory — consider Florida a must-win state.
When asked how she would boost turnout among women, Casey DeSantis pointed to a focus on issues that “everyone” believes in.
Cleaning up the state’s waterways — “the lifeblood for our economy” — is at the top of her list, she said.
“It’s not only for the economy. It’s also about the flora and fauna that call some of the most beautiful areas in Florida home. It’s for the businesses. We have to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can to support their interests. And then it’s also, as a mother, when you talk to people on the campaign trail and they say, ‘I would never let my kid swim in that water,’ or they say, ‘I let my child swim in that water and I wound up in the emergency room the next day,’ that’s not OK,” she said. “We’re gonna fix it. It just needs to be done because it’s the right thing.”
When asked for specifics on her plans, DeSantis smiled.
“Stay tuned. We’re gonna be busy,” she said.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
One Injured In Pine Forest Road Crash
January 7, 2019
One person was injured in a two vehicle wreck late Monday afternoon on Pine Forest Road near 9 1/2 Mile Road. An adult female was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS. Another adult and two properly restrained minors were not injured. The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Molino Woman Killed In Fiery Head-on I-10 Crash In Mobile
January 7, 2019
A Molino woman was one of two people killed in a head-on crash on I-10 in Mobile early Monday morning.
The Mobile Police Department said 24-year-old Kaytrielle Jones died in the fiery crash about 1:30 a.m. on the I-10 Bayway. The name of the second driver has not yet been released.
Police said one vehicle was traveling the wrong way on the interstate, but they have not said which driver was traveling in the wrong direction. Both vehicles burst into flames after the crash.
The crash remains under investigation by Mobile Police.
Century Gas Department Loses $50,000 In Two Months
January 7, 2019
The Town of Century’s troubled gas department lost over $50,000 during the first two months of the current fiscal year.
Financial statements indicate the gas department lost $54,074.95 during October and November. With a $5,000 transfer into the gas fund from the town’s garbage fund, there was a net loss of $49,074.95.
The town projected a loss of just over $89,000 for the entire current fiscal year on $450,000 in income.
Last year, the council was told that the gas department could not account for 58 percent of the natural gas it purchases for sale. Over $100,000 was budgeted to purchase new gas meters and for a new “gate station” meter to measure the quantity of gas purchased to verify the amount billed by their supplier.
Town officials have assured the public that the “missing” gas is not leaking; it’s either a problem with customer meters, meter reading or a discrepancy between the amount billed by the town’s supplier and the quantity actually delivered.
The installation of the new gas meters will be completed this calendar year.
The Century Gas Department lost $165,181 during last fiscal year ending September 30, 2018.
NorthEcambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Florida Gas Prices Sink To 26 Month Lows
January 7, 2019
Prices at the pump are off to their lowest start to the month of January since 2016. Gas prices in Florida dropped another 4 cents last week. The state average has now declined nearly 70 cents since October.
Florida drivers are now paying an average of $2.13 per gallon – the lowest daily average price since November 2016. Compared to last Memorial Day, when the state average peaked at around $2.92 per gallon, drivers are now saving an average of nearly $12 for a 15-gallon tank of gas.
The average price per gallon in Escambia County was $2.09, but many stations were below the $2 mark.
s should expect low gas prices to linger through January, as gasoline demand is typically the lowest of the year,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Although pump prices could become somewhat volatile this month, drivers will notice a significant increase in the spring, with the upward trend beginning as early as February. Putting global supply and demand fluctuations aside, gas prices often rise 30-70 cents in the spring, as gasoline demand increases, refiners conduct seasonal maintenance, and begin to switch to a more expensive-to-produce summer blend gasoline. AAA expects pump prices to peak around $2.75 this year, but there is higher potential if a hurricane threatens gulf coast refineries, or there are sizable swings in fuel supplies or the economy.”
Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
January 7, 2019
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings this week:
Monday, Jan. 7
Sick Leave Pool Committee -11 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Human Resources Training Room
Tuesday, Jan. 8
Planning Board-Rezoning – 8:30 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)
Planning Board-Regular – 8:35 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)
Santa Rosa Island Authority Selection Review Committee – 9 a.m., 1 Via De Luna Drive, Pensacola Beach
Environmental Enforcement Special Magistrate – 1:30 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place, Room 104
Local Mitigation Strategy Group Board – 2 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place, Room 104
Escambia County Housing Finance Authority – 5 p.m., 700 S. Palafox St., Suite 310
Merit System Protection Board – 5 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, 4th Floor Training Room
Affordable Housing Advisory Committee – 5:30 p.m., 420 W. Chase St.
Wednesday, Jan. 9
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place (Agenda)
FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance Board of Directors – 1:30 p.m., 418 W. Garden St.
Santa Rosa Island Authority Board – 5 p.m., 1 Via De Luna Drive, Pensacola Beach
Thursday, Jan. 10
Executive Session-Police Benevolent Association – 8 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
Executive Session-International Association of Firefighters – 8:15 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
Executive Session-Amalgamated Transit Union – 8:30 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
Board of County Commissioners Agenda Review – 9 a.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
BCC Public Forum – 4:30 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers
BCC Regular Meeting – 5:30 p.m., Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 Palafox Place, Board Chambers (Agenda)
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Jay Woman Claims $58K Lottery Prize
January 7, 2019
A Jay woman has claimed her prize for a winning Fantasy 5 ticket sold month.
The Florida Lottery says the December 9 ticket worth $58,379.40 was sold to Deborah J. Hawthorne who purchased the ticket at the Tom Thumb on Chumuckla Highway. Other winning tickets were sold in Spring Hill and The Villages.
The winning numbers were 6-8-11-16-25