Ransom Middle Chorus, Tate Jazz Band Plan Concerts
November 13, 2018
The Ransom Middle Chorus and Tate Jazz Band have concerts planned this month.
The Ransom Middle School Chorus will hold their Fall Concert Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church. Family and friends are invited to attend.
The Tate High School Jazz Band will perform on Thursday, November 29 in the school’s cafeteria.
Local students will also take part in the All County Band performance on Thursday, November 15 at the Saenger Theater on Palafox Street in downtown Pensacola.
Groups Seek To Block Scott Ballot Influence
November 13, 2018
The League of Women Voters of Florida and Common Cause Florida filed a federal lawsuit Monday seeking to prevent Gov. Rick Scott from using his official powers to influence ballot counting or the certification of results of his hotly contested race for U.S. Senate.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court in Tallahassee, came amid a recount in Scott’s race with Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson — and amid a torrent of litigation about ballot counting. Scott and his campaign have alleged irregularities in Democrat-rich Broward and Palm Beach counties, including Scott last week asking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate.
As governor, Scott’s administration includes the Department of State, which oversees elections. Also, Scott serves on the Florida Elections Canvassing Commission, which is scheduled Nov. 20 to certify the results of the general election.
The League of Women Voters and Common Cause are seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction that would prevent Scott from “engaging, in his capacity as governor or using his authority as governor, in any decisions, directives, control, or influence, either direct or indirect, over the processing and counting of ballots in the 2018 Florida election for U.S. Senate, including but not limited to enjoining defendant (Scott) from participating, in his role as a member of the Elections Canvassing Commission or otherwise, in the certification of the results of the 2018 Florida election for U.S. Senate,” according to a court filing.
by The News Service of Florida
Escambia BOCC Weekly Meeting Schedule
November 13, 2018
Here is a schedule of Escambia County public meetings this week:
Tuesday, Nov. 13
Board of Electrical Examiners – 9 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Co:Lab Policy Board – 11 a.m., 418 W. Garden St.
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.
Escambia County Extension Council – 5:30 p.m., 4-H Youth Center, 3730 Stefani Road
Wednesday, Nov. 14
Board of Adjustment – 8:30 a.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
International Association of Firefighters Union Negotiations – 10 a.m., Escambia County Public Safety, 6575 N. W St.
Pensacola-Escambia Promotion and Development Commission Board of Directors – 10 a.m., 418 W. Garden St.
Development Review Committee – 1 p.m., Escambia County Central Office Complex, 3363 West Park Place
Environmental Enforcement Special Magistrate – 1:30 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.
Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program Technical Committee – 1:30 p.m., Pensacola City Hall, Whibbs Conference Room, 222 W. Main St.
Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program Policy Board – 3:30 p.m., Pensacola City Hall, Whibbs Conference Room, 222 W. Main St.
District 3 Town Hall on Central Booking Demolition – 5:30 p.m., Boys & Girls Club/Englewood Community Center, 2751 N. H St.
Florida Gas Prices On Downward Slide
November 13, 2018
Fuel prices are on the way down. Crude oil dove to 8-month lows last week, which means the slump at the pump should continue., according to AAA.
Gas prices in Florida have declined 36 consecutive days, for a total of 25 cents. The price plunge accelerated during the past week, dropping 7 cents
Florida motorists are paying about what they did for gasoline this time last year. However, we are still about 13 cents higher than this year’s low of $2.44g, which was set on January 2.
The average price per gallon of regular unleaded in Escambia County was $2.66 on Monday, down from $2.81 a month ago but still higher than $2.46 one year ago.
“Florida motorists are beginning to find some of the lowest gas prices they’ve seen since March,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The price of producing gasoline has dramatically declined during the past month, thanks to concerns of lower global demand and strong fuel supply and production. Unless oil prices change course, motorists could easily see pump prices shed another 10-20 cents before 2019, and slip below year-ago levels by Thanksgiving.”
NorthEscambia.com photo.
ECSO Identifies Man On The Run Following Sunday Manhunt In Molino
November 12, 2018
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has identified a suspect on the run following manhunt in Molino on Sunday.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant got behind a white pickup truck pulling a utility trailer with no tag. Before the deputy initiated a traffic stop, the vehicle pulled into the yard of a residence on Molino Road just east of Nicholson Drive. A few minutes later, the resident called the Sheriff’s Office to report that a male had ran from the truck toward a wooded area.
Deputies responded and a female that was in the vehicle identified the male as 27-year old Colby Chase Myrick, who had a violation of probation warrant, according to Sgt. Melanie Peterson, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office. They also determined the the pickup truck was stolen.
Escambia County deputies and a K-9 team from the Century Correctional Institution searched the area south of Molino Road and east of Highway 95A for several hours. Their search continued well into the afternoon and progressed at least as far south as Meharg Road.
During the search, deputies located a gun in the woods that they believe Myrick left behind, Peterson said.
Additional warrants will be issued for Myrick including charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
Pictured: Colby Chase Myrick in a 2017 booking photo. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Vote Recount Begins In Escambia County, Across State
November 12, 2018
Election recounts are underway in Escambia County and each of Florida’s 66 other counties.
Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner on Saturday ordered recounts in high-stakes races for U.S. Senate, governor and agriculture commissioner.
The Escambia County Canvassing Board met at noon Sunday to conduct the recount. The canvassing board will meet daily Monday through Thursday at 9 a.m. until the recount is complete. All meetings are open to the public. The Escambia County Canvassing Board meets at the Supervisor of Elections office located on the second floor at 213 Palafox Place.
Across the state, the machine recounts will play out over five days, with county canvassing boards required to report results by 3 p.m. Thursday. At that point, races with margins of .25 percent or less will go to manual, or “hand,” recounts.
In a machine recount, all ballots are fed through voting machines. Ballots with “undervotes” or “overvotes” — in which voters may have skipped races or made extra marks in races, causing their ballots to be rejected by the machines — are set aside, or “outstacked.”
In races that go to manual recounts after the Thursday deadline, county canvassing boards will examine the “outstacked” ballots.
The results from the manual recounts must be provided to the state no later than noon on November 18. Two days later, the state Elections Canvassing Commission, comprised of Scott and two members of the Florida Cabinet, will meet in Tallahassee to certify the official election results.
Pictured top: Ballots running through a high speed scanner and tabulator Sunday afternoon at the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office. Pictured below: Escambia County Supervisor of Elections and the canvassing board. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Three People Shot At Atmore Party
November 12, 2018
FOR AN UPDATE ON AN ARREST, CLICK HERE.
Three people were shot early Sunday morning at an event center in Atmore.
The triple shooting happened during an event inside the assembly hall formerly known at the Chik-A-Dee Nightclub on Carver Avenue.
Two victims were airlifted to a Mobile hospital where ne was listed in critical condition and the other in serious condition. A third gunshot victim was transported by ambulance where he was treated and released. All three victims were adult males.
There were reportedly one hundred or more people at the business, which is about two blocks from the Atmore Police Department’s backdoor.
There have been no arrests, and the names of the victims have not been released.
Atmore Police are continuing their investigation.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Winning $88K Lottery Ticket Sold On Nine Mile Road
November 12, 2018
Someone is over $88,000 richer today after purchasing a winning Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket in Beulah.
The ticket sold at the Tom Thumb at the corner of Nine Mile Road and Beulah Road, was one of two winning tickets sold for Sunday night’s drawing and is worth $88,562.50 . The ticket was a Quick Pick. Another winning ticket was sold in Trenton.
The 345 tickets matching four numbers won $82.50 each. Another 8,955 tickets matching three numbers are worth $8.50 each, and 79,949 ticket holders won a Quick Pick ticket for picking two numbers.
Sunday’s Fantasy 5 winning numbers were 6-9-13-19-29.
Florida AG Rips FDLE Over Elections Investigation
November 12, 2018
In an unusual move, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Sunday publicly criticized Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen for not pursuing an investigation into alleged irregularities in the handling of election ballots in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
Bondi’s office released a two-page letter rooted, at least in part, in Gov. Rick Scott’s controversial statement Thursday night that he was asking the FDLE to investigate irregularities. Scott is locked in a fierce election battle to try to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, while also teaming with Bondi and other members of the state Cabinet to oversee the FDLE.
An FDLE spokeswoman said Friday that the agency was working with the Florida Department of State “and will investigate any allegations of criminal activity or fraud. We do not have an active investigation at this point.”
Bondi wrote in her letter Sunday to Swearingen that she was “deeply troubled” and that his “duty is not limited to investigating allegations made by the secretary of state.” She also said FDLE had pointed to a lack of a written complaint in deciding not to pursue an investigation.
“I fail to see how the Florida Department of Law Enforcement can legitimately refuse to investigate where there is reasonable suspicion that may lead to the discovery of criminal actions in the conduct of the 2018 election — actions that gravely damage Floridians’ confidence in our electoral process and democracy,” Bondi’s letter said.
An FDLE spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an email Sunday seeking comment.
Scott drew criticism from Democrats after he said he was asking FDLE to investigate the actions of Broward and Palm Beach officials in an election that will determine his political future. Marc Elias, an attorney for Nelson, said Florida is “not a Third World dictatorship.”
Bondi’s letter Sunday came a day after Secretary of State Ken Detzner formally ordered statewide recounts in the races for U.S. senator, governor and agriculture commissioner. The margins in each of the races tightened by tens of thousands of votes as elections officials continued counting ballots after Tuesday night’s initial results.
Republicans, led by Scott’s campaign, have filed a series of lawsuits and argued that election fraud has occurred in Democrat-heavy Broward and Palm Beach counties. Democrats, meanwhile, have contended that Republicans are trying to prevent every vote from being counted and say allegations of fraud are baseless.
Bondi also sent a letter Sunday to Detzner requesting that he report any “suspicion of criminal activity” to FDLE, the statewide prosecutor and a state attorney. The statewide prosecutor works for Bondi.
Meanwhile, Scott’s campaign filed lawsuits in Broward and Palm Beach counties seeking orders for the county sheriff’s offices and the FDLE to impound voting machines, tallying devices and ballots when they are not being used.
Scott led Nelson by fewer than 14,000 votes in unofficial results Saturday, out of nearly 8.2 million votes cast. Counties face a 3 p.m. Thursday deadline for reporting the results of “machine” recounts to the state. At that point, races with margins of .25 percent or less will go to manual, or “hand,” recounts.
Sarah Revell, a Detzner spokeswoman, said Sunday that Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher has indicated her county might not be able to meet the Thursday machine-recount deadline because of the age of the county’s equipment.
“The deadlines for submitting the results of the recount are laid out in Florida law and the law does not give the secretary of state any authority to grant extensions,” Revell said in an email. “Florida law clearly states that if a county does not submit their results by the deadline then the results on file at that time take their place.”
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Second Round Prep Football Playoff Games Friday Night
November 12, 2018
The second round of the FHSAA state playoffs are Friday night, with Northview, Jay, Escambia, Pine Forest and Catholic in action.
All games are at 7:30 p.m. as follows:
Class 6A – Region 1
- Escambia at Navarre
- Crestview at Pine Forest
Class 3A – Region 1
- Pensacola Catholic at Florida High
- Taylor County at St. Joseph
Class 1A – Region 1
- Northview at Baker
- Jay at Vernon
First Round Scores (Nov. 9)
Class 6A – Region 1
- Navarre 38, Pace 6
- Escambia 33, St. Augustine 16
- Pine Forest 27, Gulf Breeze 14
- Crestview 28, Niceville 7
Class 5A – Region 1
- Bolles 30, West Florida 27
Class 3A – Region 1
- Pensacola Catholic 49, Fort White 34
- Taylor County 24, Baldwin 17
Class 1A – Region 1
- Jay 49, Bozeman 0
- Northview 40, Graceville 14
- Baker 49, Freeport 21
- Vernon 40, Chipley 0