Photo Gallery: Santa Claus Visits Molino Branch Library
December 13, 2018
Santa Claus visited the Molino Branch Library Tuesday night, and he will be visiting the Century Branch Library today at 5:30 p.m where he will read a story and hear Christmas wishes.
For more photos from Santa’s visit to the Molino Branch Library, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Hurricane Michael Could Put Dent In Florida Budget
December 13, 2018
Florida’s budget will face increased pressure from the impact of Hurricane Michael, a new report reviewed Wednesday by the Senate Appropriations Committee showed.
The state’s costs for emergency-relief and recovery efforts related to Michael, a major storm that struck the Panhandle in October, will exceed the costs for Hurricane Irma, a 2017 storm that damaged a larger portion of the state, the report said.
The hurricane impact and factors showing slower economic growth are enough for state analysts to now project that a potential $223 million budget surplus for 2019-2020 — outlined in a September report — “has likely disappeared.”
“The projected discretionary balance identified in September has gone to zero (in the best case scenario) or is negative by as much as $250 million (in the more realistic scenario), as a result of Hurricane Michael and the (revenue-estimating) conferences held to date,” according to the revised long-range financial outlook.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, said the new report means lawmakers will have to be “even more diligent in making sure that we are very, very conservative” in their approach to the new state budget and revenue projections. Lawmakers will work on a 2019-2020 budget during the annual session that starts in March.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” Bradley said after Wednesday’s meeting. “Hurricane Michael was devastating for the people of the Panhandle and the people of the state of Florida. But it also adds real enduring effects on our budget this year and in future years. And we need to be mindful of that as we build our budget.”
The financial impact of Michael has been amplified because it struck a largely rural portion of the state that was already “economically challenged” prior to the storm, with lower wages and higher poverty than many areas in Florida, the report said.
“Their capacity to recover from Michael is probably less than counties that were most affected by Irma,” Amy Baker, coordinator for the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, told the Senate committee.
She also said a larger portion of homes in the region did not have mortgages — 14.8 percent have mortgages, compared to a statewide average of 23 percent — meaning homeowners were more likely to lack property insurance to help them rebuild after the storm.
The absence of insurance is one of the reasons why state analysts are not projecting a short-term boost in sales tax revenue from Michael as residents rebuild and make major purchases, such as for appliances.
“We are not anticipating there will be a discrete positive adjustment to the sales tax,” Baker told the senators.
In contrast, after Irma, Baker said analysts projected a $354 million boost in the short-term sales tax collections.
Eventually, some of the state’s storm recovery costs will be reimbursed by the federal government. But Baker said that based on the experience with Irma, it will take time.
The report showed the state spent some $776 million in general revenue and trust fund money for Irma that may be reimbursed.
But through August, the Federal Emergency Management Agency had only provided $69.6 million to the state, with another $47.6 million in September to pay for students displaced by Irma and other storms.
“We’re waiting on a lot of money to come back, but it’s not yet in the state’s coffers. I point that out to say it’s a long time from when the state makes its initial investment to when it gets reimbursed,” Baker said.
Other factors that could impact state revenues in the next three years are a residential construction industry that has not reached its pre-recession peak and the impact of a stronger U.S. dollar on international tourism, the report said.
Baker said a stronger dollar could make Florida less attractive to foreign visitors, which could impact tourism expenditures that account for about 13 percent of Florida’s annual sales tax collections.
On the positive side, the state budget includes $3.5 billion in reserves that could help mitigate some immediate financial challenges, the report said.
The revenue forecast will be further impacted as state analysts finish projections for school enrollment and expenditures related to Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for poor and disabled people, Baker said.
Next Tuesday, state analysts will meet to make another projection of the state’s general revenue funds, which amount to more than $32 billion in the current state budget The overall budget is just under $90 billion.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Jay Woman Passes Away Following Molino Wreck
December 12, 2018
A Jay woman has passed away following a wreck Tuesday evening on Highway 29 at Highway 97 in Molino.
Benny Ray Wolfe, age 76 of Jay, was northbound on Highway 29 in a Chrysler van about 5:50 p.m. when he made a left toward Highway 97. Wolfe did not see an approaching southbound Chevrolet pickup driven by 58-year old David Lamar Wade of Pensacola, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Wolfe pulled directly into the path of the pickup, causing the pickup to collide with the van. The pickup came to rest in a culvert.
Wolfe’s passenger, 71-year old Johnnie Riene Wolfe of Jay, was airlifted by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola where she was later pronounced deceased. Benny Wolfe was transported by Escambia County EMS with minor injuries, and Wade received minor injuries but was not transported to the hospital.
Benny Wolfe was cited for failure to yield right of way by the FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
What Can Be Done About Trains Blocking Roads In Cantonment?
December 12, 2018
What can be done about trains blocking Highway 29 and other roads in Cantonment?
That’s an issue the Escambia County Commission will tackle during a Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday.
The big issue lies with the fact stopped trains will block Highway 29 or neighborhoods for extended periods of time.
Express your ideas in the comment section below, or on our NorthEscambia.com Facebook page. We’ll pass your comments along to Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry.
Pictured: A CSX train on the Highway 29 crossing at International Paper. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Prep Basketball: Northview Beats Neal; Pine Forest Over Tate
December 12, 2018
High school basketball scores from Tuesday night:
BOYS
Northview 72, W.S. Neal 52
—Northview was led by Joseph Johnson with 23, Jason Fayard with 14 and Seth Killam with 11. Up next: The Chiefs take part in the Jay Christmas Tournament Thursday and Friday.
Pine Forest 69, Tate 50
GIRLS
W.S. Neal 36, Northview 30
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two More Tate Volleyball Seniors Sign With Colleges
December 12, 2018
Four of six Tate High School volleyball seniors have now signed to play at the collegiate level.
Lauren Seibert (pictured above) signed with Wallace State Community College on Tuesday.
Claire Roverson (pictured below) signed with Florida Gateway College on Friday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Flomaton QB Club Raising Money For Championship Rings
December 12, 2018
The Flomaton High School Quarterback Club is raising money to purchase championship rings for the Flomaton Hurricanes.
Last week, the Hurricanes won the 3A state football championship 23-12 over Piedmont in Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium.. It was the first ever state finals trip, and the first ever championship win, in the 94 year history of the Flomaton football program.
The QB Club has a special account set up at the Escambia County Bank in Flomaton for contributions. Checks should be payable to “FQC 2018 State Championship Rings”.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report: Hunting, Fishing Violations
December 12, 2018
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the period ending November 29 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers participated in a targeted enforcement action organized by Officer Allgood working illegal bait sites within Escambia Wildlife Management Area. Officers Allgood and Hutchison with K-9 Zara located two locations where bait was placed within the management area. Both baited areas were located on the ground near tree stands. After monitoring the baited sites, Officers Allgood and Pettey located a subject hunting over one of the baited sites. The subject admitted to placing bait in the management area to attract hogs. Later that day, Officer Allgood located two subjects hunting at the second bait site. One of the subjects admitted to placing bait on the management area. Resource citations were issued to both parties for placing bait on a management area to attract deer or hogs. Several warnings were issued to both subjects as well.
Lieutenant Lambert was working duck hunting from a concealed location at Salter’s Lake within the Escambia River. He saw a subject arrive at the boat ramp and launch a small boat at sunset. The subject shot at ducks until 25 minutes after sunset. Legal hunting hours for duck hunting ends at sunset. Appropriate citations were issued for the violation.
Officer Clark was on a social media website that was known for local fishing posts. He saw a post that had an individual holding up an undersized bull shark. Officer Clark spoke with the individual and the subject stated that he did catch the shark but gave it away. Officer Clark educated the suspect on the laws of undersized sharks and the definition of harvest. Charges were filed for harvesting a shark with a fork length of less than 54 inches.
Officer Allgood was patrolling Ft. Pickens conducting resource inspections when he saw two subjects carrying a cooler off the beach towards their vehicle. He contacted the subjects and saw a large red drum located in the cooler with the head and tail cut off. The fish appeared to be grossly oversized and was not landed in whole condition. Officer Allgood issued the subject a resource citation for failure to land a red drum in whole condition.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Hahr and Lieutenant Clark were patrolling in the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area when they heard two shots. Officer Hahr coursed the shots to a location in the management area. He went to that location and saw a subject exiting private property with a rifle. The subject stated that he shot two does. When they checked the deer, they discovered that he had killed three deer, two over the daily bag limit. The subject was cited for taking over the bag limit of antlerless deer. The meat from two deer was seized and donated to a charitable organization.
Officer Hahr was patrolling private property during crossbow season when he heard two rifle shots. He located the area from where the shots came and saw a subject in the process of cleaning a deer. Both deer had bullet wounds and no sign of a broadhead wound. The subject admitted to taking the deer with a rifle. Both illegally harvested deer were seized and donated to a charitable organization. The subject was cited for taking deer with a firearm during crossbow season.
Officer Ramos located an illegal bait site on Eglin Wildlife Management Area. A person planted a non-native seed as an attractant for deer and cut small oak trees down to create a shooting lane from a ladder stand. Later, the suspect also laid corn on the ground near the illegal food plot. Officer Ramos found the man actively hunting on the site and after a brief interview, the suspect admitting to cutting the trees, planting the food plot and spreading the corn. The subject was issued criminal citations for the violations. Additionally, the suspect’s access to the Eglin WMA was revoked for one year by Eglin Range Patrol security forces.
Officer Ramos saw a vehicle leaving Eglin Wildlife Management Area and conducted a traffic stop to check for licenses and permits. During the inspection, the officer learned that the suspect didn’t have a valid driver’s license. Additionally, the subject had dug up and removed several bags of expended ammunition from Eglin property. Range patrol was called, and the subject was issued a Notice of Violation for digging/disturbing ground on the WMA, a violation that all users who access the reservation are made aware of when an entry permit is granted. The subject’s access to Eglin was revoked for one year due to the violation. Officer Ramos also issued the appropriate citation to the suspect for driving with a suspended license.
Officer Cushing was driving across a bridge and saw a canoe drifting in Pensacola Bay. The canoe displayed a dive flag but there wasn’t anybody in or near the vessel which was nearly a half mile from the closest bridge. Officer Cushing proceeded to a local marina to respond by patrol vessel. Officers Ramos and Land responded to assist. Officer Ramos contacted FWC biologists who already had a boat in the water. With the help of the FWC biologist team, Officer Ramos began searching the bridge spans for a possible missing diver while Officer Land used binoculars to direct Officer Cushing to the canoe. Officer Cushing retrieved the canoe out of the water and placed it in his patrol vessel. A brief time later, Officer Ramos and the FWC biologists found three men swimming along the bridge spans heading towards a boat ramp which was about a quarter of a mile away. When the men got out of the water, two of them were borderline hypothermic from cold-water exposure. All three subjects had been spearfishing and had fish on their stringers. Officer Cushing returned the canoe to the subjects at the boat ramp. While the subjects were recovering from the cold water, a resource inspection of their speared fish was conducted. One subject was found to have speared a red drum, which is an illegal method of take. The red drum was also over the legal-size limit. The subject was issued citations for spearing a red drum and fishing without a saltwater license. All three men were issued warnings for other violations but remained grateful for the officers’ response and assistance.
Officer Ramos was on patrol in Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and discovered fresh ATV tire sign. ATV use is prohibited on the WMA. A vehicle and empty ATV trailer were located on Eglin property and Officer Ramos recorded the vehicle information. Later, he saw the ATV on a Range Road and attempted to catch up to it. The person driving the ATV eluded the officer by cutting through a closed area and doubling back on extremely narrow roads. Officer Ramos contacted Lieutenant Berryman and asked him to stand by with the suspect’s vehicle and trailer. When Lieutenant Berryman arrived at that location, the ATV had already been loaded on the trailer and the suspect was gone. Officer Ramos located the suspect’s vehicle heading south on a highway. The truck was pulling the same trailer with the ATV that fled from Officer Ramos earlier. A traffic stop was conducted, and two subjects were interviewed. The subjects were not truthful at first and denied they had been on Eglin WMA. After further questioning, the subjects admitted they had been riding in the WMA on two separate occasions. The operator of the ATV admitted he knew he was supposed to have an Eglin range permit but did not. Both persons were cited for operating an ATV on a management area along with warnings for other violations.
Officer Ramos was on patrol in Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and saw a man exit a wooded area with a compound bow and arrows during a period when all hunting was prohibited within Eglin WMA. Officer Ramos interviewed the subject and he admitted that he had been hunting deer from a ladder stand. He was issued a notice to appear for attempting to take game during the closed season.
Officer Hutchinson received a complaint from a landowner about a subject trespassing on their private property. Officer Hutchinson drove to the property and located a vehicle parked on state forest property near the private property. He deployed K9 Zara who tracked from the subject’s vehicle to the private property. While tracking, K9 Zara led Officer Hutchinson to a bag, a bucket and a shovel that were laying in the bushes. The bag and the bucket contained old bottles and other artifacts along with other tools used for digging. K9 Zara continued tracking until Officer Hutchinson heard a vehicle stop on a nearby roadway. He heard two doors shut which were the subjects attempting to get away. He contacted a sheriff’s deputy who was nearby and requested his help in locating the vehicle. A brief time later, the deputy stopped the vehicle and identified the male and female passengers as being the two whose truck was parked near the private property. After being interviewed, both subjects admitted to trespassing on the private property and digging for old bottles. They also admitted to fleeing the property when they heard the K9 team tracking towards them. Officer Hutchinson issued the subjects warnings for trespassing at the landowner’s request. The artifacts taken were given back to the landowner.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
641 Acre Solar Farm Planned For McDavid, Large Enough To Power 14,000 Homes
December 11, 2018
A solar farm large enough to power over 14,000 homes is in the planning stages for West Bogia Road in McDavid.
Florida Renewable Partners (FRP), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NextEra Energy, is seeking permits to construct a 74.5 megawatt facility known currently as the “Escambia County Solar Energy Center” on 541 acres along and just north of West Bogia Road, according to documents obtained by NorthEscambia.com.
By comparison, Gulf Power’s largest solar field at Saufley Field is 50 megawatts, enough to power almost 7,400 homes. Gulf Power is not involved in the proposed McDavid project; however NextEra is currently in the process of purchasing Gulf Power as part of a $6.475 billion deal.
“The facility will generate clean, renewable energy by converting sunlight via photovoltaic solar panels into direct current (DC) electricity. The direct current flows from the panels through inverters and is converted into alternating current (AC) used by local electric utilities. Finally, the electricity travels through transformers, and the voltage is boosted for delivery onto the transmission lines so the local electric utility can distribute the zero-emissions electricity to homes and businesses,” according to a document filed with the Escambia County Development Review Committee by FRP.
The development is planned for an area behind and north of existing homes on West Bogia Road between South Pine Barren Road and Highway 29. A small portion of the project area includes land north and south of West Bogia Road, surrounding Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church (map below). There are currently no homes on the project property.
The area, owned by RMS Timberlands, is zoned as agriculture and is currently used for timber growth.
No water or sewer infrastructure will be necessary to serve the development, and no habitable space will be constructed. The facility will be monitored remotely and will not require onsite personnel for day-to-day operation, but personnel will occasionally visit the site to conduct required maintenance activities, according to FRP documents.
The Escambia County Solar Energy Center is entering the pre-application process with Escambia County and faces numerous steps before being permitted.
The project area does not included land purchased by Gulf Power in 2009 for a possible nuclear power plant that was never constructed.
Photo and image for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Thousands Attend Atmore Twilight Christmas Parade
December 11, 2018
Thousands of people attended the annual Atmore Twilight Christmas Parade Monday night.
The parade featured lighted floats, twirlers, antique cars, bands, marchers, Santa Claus and more.
The parade was rescheduled from Saturday night due to rain.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
