Sparks Fly On Repeal Of Florida Fireworks Restrictions
February 14, 2018
A proposal to repeal Florida’s longstanding restrictions on the sale of fireworks remains alive in the House after lawmakers Tuesday addressed some safety concerns raised by industry giants fighting the change.
The House Commerce Committee voted 15-11 to support the measure (HB 6037), which would repeal a prohibition on the sale and use of fireworks.
Bill sponsor James Grant, R-Tampa, argued the change is needed to open the fireworks market. State law since 2007 has limited the number of permanent retail facilities and temporary tent locations.
“The way previous legislation was enacted ensured no new retail facilities unless they were currently engaged in sales in March of 2007 or if they had already begun construction, after receiving site approval, in 2007,” Grant said. “So this bill does a couple of things: It opens up and introduces the free market.”
The House bill also would end a much-exploited agriculture “loophole” that has allowed people to buy fireworks if they sign a form attesting they are buying the flying and exploding devices to scare birds.
Grant called the form “an insurance policy for retailers.”
The 3rd District Court of Appeal has held that it is not the responsibility of a seller to check the veracity of a buyer’s form.
Companies that sell fireworks in the state raised objections to the bill.
Michael Dobson, representing Phantom Fireworks, said in eliminating the form, the proposal wouldn’t address age limits on who can buy fireworks.
“Minors cannot contract, they cannot sign a waiver,” Dobson said.
Ken Pruitt, a former Senate president now lobbying for Sky King Fireworks, said the current regulations don’t make it difficult for people to find fireworks and that the 2007 changes were enacted to keep out “black market” roadside fireworks vendors that would set up before Independence Day and New Year’s Eve.
“Whenever you just open it up to anybody, if you think for a moment (the Department of Revenue) is going to find that person on the roadside, and many may not have collected sales tax, they’re going to be gone July 5,” Pruitt said.
Before the vote, Grant removed from his proposal a line that would have preempted local governments from being able to adopt “reasonable” rules and regulations on the public display of fireworks. Grant also removed language to end an annual requirement that the state fire marshal test sparklers.
Fireworks industry representatives expressed support for a Senate measure (SB 198) that includes such things as prohibiting the sale of fireworks to anyone under age 18 and authorizing the state fire marshal to adopt rules governing fireworks.
The Senate proposal has idled since receiving support from the Regulated Industries Committee in October.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Pictured: A Flomaton, Ala., fireworks stand, just north of the Florida/Alabama state line. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Tate Splits Softball Games Against Pace
February 14, 2018
The Tate High Aggies varsity softball team fell to Pace High Tuesday night, 5-4.
The game was tied at four when Pace singled in the top of the fifth. Hannah Brown pitched seven for the Aggies, allowing five runs, five hits while recording one error and striking out nine.
For Tate: Shelby Ullrich 2-4, 2B, R, RBI; Hannah Brown 2-4, RBI; Madisen Nelson 1-3, RBI; Shelby McLean 1-4, R; Kayliegh Cawthorn 1-4, Amber Decoux 0-2, R; Ryleigh Cawby 0-3, R.
The Tate Junior Varsity team defeated Pace 16-1 in just three innings.
The Lady Aggies will host Milton High School on Friday, JV at 4:30 p.m. and varsity at 6:30 p.m.
Atmore Breaks Ground On New Splash Pad To Open Before Summer
February 14, 2018
A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Atmore Tuesday afternoon for a new splash pad.
“The project started in July of last year when the Atmore Rotary Club partnered with the City of Atmore and the Atmore Lions Club to attempt to raise funds to build a splash pad here in Atmore,” Allen Walston of the Atmore Rotary Club said.
The splash pad at Heritage Park on South Main Street will be about 2,000 square feet and will have a covered seating area for parents.
Walston said the splash pad will not only be a great benefit for local residents, but it will also become a destination for people from areas like Walnut Hill and Bratt.
“Those people will discover what Atmore has to offer, and they’ll spend money while they are in town, adding to the local economy,” he said.
Construction on the splash pad is expected to begin this week.
“Hopefully this project will be completed by the end of April, first of May,” Walston said.
A video appears below.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Beams Hoisted Into Place On New Arthur Brown Road Bridge
February 14, 2018
Construction is continuing on a new concreate bridge on Arthur Brown Road in Walnut Hill, where beams that will support the bridge deck were put in place Tuesday.
Thew bridge over Boggy Creek near the Walnut Hill Baptist Church will have 11-foot travel lanes, six-foot shoulders and a solid concrete barrier railing. Work is expected to be completed in about a month.
Pictured: Tuesday, concrete beams were put in place on a new Arthur Brown Road bridge. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Taking Shooting Victim To Hospital
February 13, 2018
A man was charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting a woman several times before taking her to a local emergency room.
Gregory Dallas Taylor II transported a female suffering four gunshot wounds to the abdomen to West Florida Hospital Monday night. Taylor originally told the hospital that they had been robbed. But when separated from Taylor, the woman told hospital staff that he had shot her, according to deputies.
Taylor is being held without bond on charges of attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to jail records, he provided a home address in North Carolina.
Ransom Middle Sixth Grader Arrested With Loaded Gun At School
February 13, 2018
A Ransom Middle School student was arrested for bringing a loaded handgun to school Tuesday morning.
The firearm was located on the sixth grader as he exited his school bus, according to Maj. Andrew Hobbs. spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. He said the school resource office was following up on an “ongoing investigation” that led him to the student as he arrived at the school.
The student was charged with possession of a concealed weapon, brandishing a firearm or destructive device on school grounds, and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription.
After being arrested, the student was transported to a Department of Juvenile Justice facility in Pensacola. The situation was deemed under control, and Ransom was not placed under lockdown.
It is not know of the child had any intent of using the gun or not; there were no injuries.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Senate Won’t Move Panhandle To Eastern Time, Keeps Year Round Daylight Saving Time
February 13, 2018
Most of the Panhandle would remain an hour behind the rest of the state under a revamped Senate proposal that would seek congressional approval to put Florida on year-round daylight-saving time.
The Commerce and Tourism Committee voted unanimously Monday to support a bill (SB 858) to keep Floridians from having to reset their clocks twice a year.
Before the vote, bill sponsor Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, removed a provision that would have placed all of the state in the Eastern time zone, noting that people in Northwest Florida objected to switching from Central time.
“Northern Florida people in the Central Time zone overwhelmingly want to stay where they are,” said committee Chairman Bill Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat whose sprawling 11-county district includes areas in each time zone.
Montford is among three Northwest Florida senators who had earlier announced they were “adamantly opposed” to moving the entire state into the Eastern Time zone.
The change in the Senate bill makes it nearly identical to the House version (HB 1013), which swept through a pair of committees and is slated to go to the full House on Wednesday.
If approved by the Legislature, the proposal to shift to year-round daylight-saving time would depend on congressional approval.
Steube’s bill, called the “Sunshine Protection Act,” must still get through the Rules Committee before reaching the Senate floor.
If the measure is ultimately signed into law, Steube couldn’t give an estimate on how long it may take Congress to act, but he expects other states to follow Florida in seeking the change.
After Steube’s proposal drew unanimous support on Jan. 23 from the Community Affairs Committee, Montford was joined by Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, and Sen. George Gainer, R-Panama City, in expressing displeasure with the proposal to go to Eastern time in the Panhandle.
“We have heard our constituents loud and clear that they want to us to maintain our historical place in the Central time zone,” wrote Broxson.
Among the issues for the Panhandle counties would be time differences with people living in neighboring Alabama, which is on Central time. Also, the change could alter the amount of light before school, which would become a safety issue for schools, Montford said.
Hawaii and most of Arizona currently don’t participate in switching from standard time to daylight-saving time and back. They stay on standard time throughout the year. Daylight-saving time will start March 11 this year and end November 4.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Century Talks Audit Findings, Policies At Workshop Meeting
February 13, 2018
The Century Town Council held a lengthy workshop session Monday night to discuss recent audit findings and town policies.
“The council has made great effort to stay within budget and going forward that will continue,” Town Clerk Leslie Howington said as the council reviewed audit findings.
For the fiscal year ending September 2016, auditors found over $5,000 in a bank account that did not appear on the books.
“A bank account for utility payment receipts was not recorded or reconciled in the town’s accounting software and was not recorded in the general ledger. However, the account held a year-end balance of $5,078,” the audit stated.
Howington told the council Monday night that the account had been determined to be an account holding daily deposits, and it has now been entered in Quickbooks, the town’s accounting software. Going forward, she said, those transactions will be entered in Quickbooks as deposits are made.
Monday night, the town also reviewed verbiage in several town policies, including call out procedures for utility employees and building rental agreements.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Over 21K Gallons Of Sewage Spilled In Cantonment
February 13, 2018
About 21,300 gallons of sewage spilled Saturday in Cantonment, the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority reported on Monday.
The spill occurred at Pine Forest Road and Copper Ridge Road after a contractor working in the area bore through the 6-inch sewer main. A vacuum truck was used to recover 10,000 gallons and transported to an ECUA water reclamation facility for proper disposal and treatment. Bacteriological sampling has been initiated.
CUA crews repaired the sewer main and ensured that the overflow area was cleaned and disinfected with a biocide to eliminate any contamination concerns.
As is standard operating procedure, the ECUA notified the Escambia County Health Department, State Warning Point, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Pensacola Opera To Present ‘Three Little Pigs’ At Molino Library
February 13, 2018
The Pensacola Opera will present a 40-minute operatic version of “The Three Little Pigs” by John Davies Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Molino Branch Library.
The story follows three sibling pigs, Donna Giovanni, Cherubino and Despina. While her siblings are off building houses out of sticks and straw, Despina goes to the library to find books about “huff-proof, puff-proof” construction. After Wolfgang Bigbad blows down their houses, the pigs run to their sister’s sturdy brick house, ready to admit that going to the library was a smart choice.
Admission is free.
