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FWC Law Enforcement Report

The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending March 30 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

No report received.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Jones encountered an oysterman returning to a boat ramp on the shore of East Bay near the community of Holley. There were oysters on the cull board of the boat and a routine inspection of the catch was conducted. He found that more than 10% of the oysters were less than the 3‑inch minimum size limit allowed by state law. A citation was issued to the oysterman with a mandatory court appearance.

While off duty, Officer Hutchinson received a call late at night from a Santa Rosa County deputy about a large group of people riding ATVs at Keyser’s Landing in the Escambia River WMA. He went on duty and headed to the landing and met the deputy who was speaking with a group of teenagers who were riding ATVs. Several of the teenagers told the officers that a man and his girlfriend were in a truck spinning out and tearing up the campsites at Keyser’s Landing. The officers then saw a truck coming towards them from the landing. The teens identified the truck as being the one that was destroying the campsites. Officer Hutchinson encountered the man driving the truck and recognized him as a person about whom several complaints have been reported. The subject was under the age of 21 and was in possession of alcoholic beverages. While conducting his investigation, fresh tire ruts in the middle of a campsite and dirt thrown from the ruts onto a nearby picnic table were observed. The subject admitted to spinning out in the campsite and was issued a notice to appear for destruction of state lands by a motor vehicle and possession of alcohol by a person under 21. The group riding the ATVs were warned for operating ATVs on a public roadway.

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.

Jim Allen Kindergarten Students Explore The Grocery Store

Kindergarten students from Jim Allen Elementary School, like all county kindergartners, learn about their community and community helpers.

This week they are traveling to the Publix grocery store located at  9 Mile Road and Pine Forest Road to meet some community helpers, to learn about the different features in a grocery store, get a “back stage” tour, and to meet Larry the Lobster.

The first group to make the trip were the classes of JoLyn Jackson and Michelle Helton with Teaching Assistant Kim Moorehead.

“We thought a field trip to Publix would be something fun and that it would be interesting for our students to come someplace they might visit every day and get to see the ins and outs of it,” explained JoLyn Jackson, a kindergarten teacher at Jim Allen Elementary.

“We are hoping that now, back in the classroom, we will be able to talk about the different community helpers that we have seen. We saw truck drivers, the people who work with fresh seafood, people who work with the fresh fruit, someone who bakes bread for the deli, all the way to the people who work at the checkout. They saw that there are a lot of people there helping us,” added Jackson.

Students saw a demonstration of how the bakers create roses for cake decorations, how to use a heavy duty tool to cut open pineapples, and they had a chance to taste some grapes. They traveled through the back hall to see the storage area for pallets of food items that will be placed on shelves later. They got to shiver a little in the freezer where the ice cream is kept. They learned that Publix is dedicated to recycling, whether it involves cardboard or the left over scraps of animal products that the butcher trims away before packaging the meat for the display cases.

Six year-old Abby Rose explained that they came to Publix to “look at food and to buy stuff.” Though she explained that they really pretended to buy stuff. “Miss Charlotte,” a member of the store’s customer service staff, made arrangements to allow each of the students got to take a turn scanning the “purchases,” then take a turn as the bagger, and a turn as the customer.

Justine Sherry was the guide for  Jackson’s class. She made a point of telling the students that Publix hires teenagers as young as 14. One young man was overheard planning to work there and stating that he plans to be cashier of the year someday.

Escambia County Expanded Concealed Weapon License Services Coming Soon

Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford has announced that residents renewing their concealed weapon license soon will be able to receive their renewed card the same day upon successful submission of their application. The first step in this process is the installation of new printers on Tuesday, April 11. Because of the installation of the new equipment, no concealed weapon license applications will be accepted from noon to 4:30 p.m. on that date.

“As an expansion of our partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, we are installing the equipment necessary to print cards for those citizens renewing their concealed weapon license,” Lunsford said. “We are excited to be able to offer this additional service to our customers in the coming weeks once the final system updates are complete.”

While renewal licenses will be printed in the office, new applications still will be submitted to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for final approval. The statutory turnaround time for this process is within 90 days.

Currently, only our Warrington office, 4051 Barrancas Avenue, Suite A, provides concealed weapon licensing services. A

Good Job: The Best Of Career Academies Honored

The 2017 Escambia and Santa Rosa Career Academy Awards were presented Wednesday.

“The Escambia County Workforce Education Department appreciates the commitment and hard work of all career academy teachers and we are excited to take a moment to celebrate the successes of our career academies together with Santa Rosa County, our partners and our contacts in economic development,” said Dr. Michelle Taylor, ECSD’s Director of Workforce Education.

Construction Industry Partner of the Year

Southern Pine Inspection Bureau, Steve Barroga

Culinary Industry Partner of the Year

All About Food, Steve House

Education Industry Partner of the Year

Creative School Age Child Care, Pam McFee

Healthcare Industry Partner of the Year

Baptist Health Care, Tyler Buczynsk and Courtney Dreadin

I. T. Industry Partner of the Year

University of West Florida , Dr. Lakshmi Prayaga

Middle School Career Academy Student of the Year

ECSD – Ginnel Morales, Bellview Middle School, Information Technology Academy

SRSD – Roxy Toner, Microsoft I.T. Academy, King Middle School

Middle School Career Academy Teacher of the Year

ECSD – Leonard (Ray) Sellers, Fabrication & Engineering Academy, Ernest Ward Middle School

SRSD – Kim Kayser, Microsoft I.T. Academy, Woodlawn Beach Middle School

Middle School Career Academy of the Year

ECSD – Culinary Arts Academy, Ernest Ward Middle School

SRSD – ICT Essentials Academy, Woodlawn Beach Middle School

High School Career Academy Student of the Year

ECSD – Noah Barham, Engineering Academy, Escambia High School

SRSD – Terry Johnson, Culinary Arts Academy, Milton High School

High School Career Academy Teacher of the Year

ECSD – Carla Ross, Marketing & Entrepreneurship Academy, Washington High School

SRSD – Diane Folse, Academy of Multimedia Design & Technology, Gulf Breeze High School

High School Career Academy of the Year

ECSD – Culinary Arts Academy, Pine Forest High School

SRSD – Commercial Graphic Arts Academy, Jay High School

Career Academy Student Intern of the Year

ECSD – Trennon Dunn, Web Design Services Academy, Washington High School

SRSD – Crystal “Hope” Miller, Pharmacy Tech Academy, Locklin Tech

High School Career Academy Scholar of the Year

ECSD  – Ethan Sutley, Game, Simulation & Animation Academy, Tate High School

SRSD – Christia Victoriano, Digital Design academy, Pace High School

Pictured top: From Ernest Ward Middle School….Middle School Academy Teacher of the Year Ray  Sellers and Jessica Hendrix-Hall from the Culinary Art Program of the Year. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

International Paper To Hold $100K Grant Application Info Meeting

International Paper (IP) Pensacola Mill will award $100,000 in foundation grants in 2017 and is hosting a one-hour meeting Friday, April 21 at 10:30 a.m., to review the application process with interested non-profit organizations, schools and state and local government entities. The meeting will take place at the mill’s Employee Development Center, located at 375 Muscogee Rd. in Cantonment and will focus on eligibility, criteria and restrictions. Grant committee members will be available for questions.

The deadline for all 2017 grant applications is Saturday, July 1, 2017. Grants are awarded by the International Paper Foundation, which makes sustainable investments to address critical needs in the communities where International Paper employees live and work.

Signature Causes are:

• Education – Priority given to literacy programs from birth through 3rd grade.

• Hunger – Community programs that provide access to food for those in need or provide solutions to alleviate hunger.

• Health & Wellness – Programs that promote basic health and human needs.

• Disaster Relief – Programs that reduce suffering or saves lives as a result of a natural disaster.

For more information about the Foundation, visit ipgiving.com. To reserve your seat at the workshop, contact Janice Cooper Holmes, communications manager, by email at janice.holmes@ipaper.com or call 850-968-4203. Reservations to attend the meeting are required as space is limited. However, attendance is not mandatory to apply.

Century Correctional Institution Inmate Assaults Officer

Last Saturday, an inmate assaulted a correctional officer at Century Correctional Institution, according to information recently released by the Florida Department of Corrections.

Inmate Antoine Tibbs  assaulted the officer at approximately 5:15 a.m. Tibbs charged at the officer and struck the officer in the face, according to the FDOC. Staff responded appropriately, and the inmate was subdued.

Medical staff examined the officer and noted minor injuries. Tibbs will receive a disciplinary report for the assault.

Tibbs was sentenced October 22, 2015 to two years and six month on an Escambia County possession of a controlled substance charge.

Escambia County 4-H Livestock Show Results

10 Big Issues At Mid-Point Of Legislative Session

Halfway through Florida’s 60-day legislative session, almost all major issues remain unresolved.

That’s not unusual: Lawmakers always leave tough stuff to the end. But the House and Senate will have to resolve key differences if they hope to end the session as scheduled May 5.

Here is an update on 10 big issues:

BUDGET: The House and Senate next week will pass budget proposals that top $80 billion, setting the stage for negotiations on a final spending plan. But with the two chambers at least $2 billion apart on their proposals — and disagreeing about crucial details — even Republican leaders are publicly raising the possibility that a special session will be necessary to pass a budget. The House and Senate need to come to agreement before the new fiscal year starts July 1.

DEATH PENALTY: With Florida’s death penalty on hold since January 2016 because of a thicket of court rulings, the House and Senate quickly passed a bill last month to resolve one of the most-important issues. The bill, signed by Gov. Rick Scott, requires unanimous jury recommendations before defendants can be sentenced to death. The Florida Supreme Court in October struck down a law that required only 10 of 12 jurors to agree on recommending death sentences.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Scott and House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, have been locked in a battle about the economic-development agency Enterprise Florida and tourism-marketer Visit Florida. The Corcoran-led House has voted to abolish Enterprise Florida and to cut funding for Visit Florida. Scott has barnstormed the state to try to build support for the agencies, which he says are important to job creation. Senate leaders have largely sided with Scott, and the dispute could play out in the budget negotiations.

EDUCATION: With Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, making the issue one of his top priorities, the Senate has passed a bill that would lead to wide-ranging changes in the higher-education system, including revamping parts of the Bright Futures scholarship program, tightening performance standards for state colleges and universities and encouraging more students to graduate on time. Meanwhile, Corcoran has targeted low-performing public schools that he calls “failure factories” and is pushing for expanded school choice.

GAMBLING: The House and Senate have taken vastly different positions as they head toward negotiations on a gambling bill. The Senate passed a measure that focuses on changes in the pari-mutuel industry, including allow slot machines in eight counties where voters have approved them and allowing nearly all tracks and jai alai frontons to do away with live racing or jai alai games, a process known as “decoupling.” The House plan, meanwhile, focuses on reaching a new gambling agreement with the Seminole Tribe of Florida and seeks to prevent an expansion of gambling.

GUNS: Lawmakers appear likely to reach agreement on a bill that would shift a key burden of proof in “stand your ground” self-defense cases, a priority of the National Rifle Association. But some other high-profile bills are stuck in the Senate. Those bills include proposals that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on college and university campuses or to openly carrying firearms in public.

HEALTH CARE: House leaders have renewed efforts to reduce regulations in the health-care industry. The House, for example, has passed a bill that would allow patients to stay longer at ambulatory-surgical centers and allow the creation of what are known as “recovery care centers” for additional post-surgical care. The Senate has scuttled such proposals in the past, and it remains unclear whether it will go along this year. Health care also will be key in budget negotiations, with both chambers proposing cuts in hospital funding.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA: After voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in November, lawmakers are grappling with how to move forward with a broad expansion of the state’s medical-marijuana laws. A heavily lobbied issue focuses on the number of businesses that will receive potentially lucrative licenses to grow, process and sell cannabis. Under current law, seven businesses have such licenses, and the House and Senate disagree about issues related to adding more licenses.

WATER: Negron has made a priority of a plan to create a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee to alleviate discharges of polluted lake water into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries. But the plan has faced heavy opposition from farmers, including the politically powerful sugar industry, and local officials south of the lake. Negron this week took steps to try to make the plan more palatable to opponents and House leaders, and the issue likely will play a part in budget negotiations.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE: After a 14.5 percent rate increase began taking effect in December, business and insurance groups came into the legislative session lobbying for changes to reduce workers’ compensation insurance costs. But those groups, at least at this point, are not happy with House and Senate bills. The most-controversial issue in the debate stems from a Florida Supreme Court ruling last year that rejected strict limits on attorney fees in workers’ compensation cases. Lawmakers are considering allowing fees up to $250 an hour for workers’ attorneys — an idea opposed by business and insurance groups.

by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida

Softball: Northview Falls To South Walton

The Lady Chiefs take a tough loss on the road at South Walton Tuesday night.

Tori Herrington took the loss allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, 11 strikeouts and 2 walks.

Jamia Newton scored the lone run for the Chiefs on an RBI by Kendall Enfinger early in the first inning. The Seahawks answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI single by Alyssa Selvy. Neither team would score again till the Seahawks scored the game winning run on a triple in the bottom of the 8th followed by an RBI single.

Kendall Enfinger had the lone hit for the Chiefs going 1-3 with an RBI.

South Walton’s Alyssa Selvy recorded 13 strikeouts against the Chiefs allowing one hit and no walks.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Gulf Power Rate Settlement Approved

A settlement that will lead to rate increases for customers of Gulf Power  was approved by state utility regulators on Tuesday.

The Public Service Commission unanimously supported the settlement agreement, which was initially announced March 20 but continued to be negotiated and was put forward Tuesday without opposition from customer groups.

The proposed settlement would lead to a base-rate increase of $62 million — with a $54.3 million net impact to customers — through the end of 2019.

Due to the settlement, about $7 is expected to be added to the monthly bills of typical residential customers who use 1,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a month.

Starting July 1, the monthly bills for such customers are expected to go from $144 to $151.

The initial request from the utility sought to boost the typical monthly bill to $158 as Gulf Power —a subsidiary of Atlanta-based The Southern Company — first sought to raise overall base rates by $106.8 million.

Jeff Stone, Gulf Power general counsel, called the settlement “a reasonable compromise of the positions held by all parties.”

The utility previously said it would use the increased money to help pay for infrastructure improvements, including work on transmission lines and substations.

The settlement was not signed by the Sierra Club, the Florida League of Women Voters, the Federal Executive Agencies and Walmart. But representatives for each said they do not necessarily oppose the agreement.

Robert Scheffel Wright, an attorney representing the Florida Retail Federation and Walmart, said the Arkansas-based retailer thinks that a potential “return on equity” remains too high. But he added that “on balance we believe it’s a reasonable settlement.”

In the agreement, Gulf Power will have a targeted “return on equity,” a measure of profitability, of 10.25 percent, down from the original proposal of 11 percent. Gulf Power also agreed to take a one-time $32.5 million write down on costs related to a Georgia power plant, known as Plant Scherer.

Gulf Power in the past has sold electricity from the plant on the wholesale market but now uses power from the plant for its retail customers.

The Pensacola-based Gulf Power is one of four major investor-owned utilities in Florida. It serves about 450,000 customers in eight Northwest Florida counties.

by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida

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