IP Explosion: Gonzalez Utilities Says Water Is Safe
January 31, 2017
Gonzalez Utilities said its water system is uncontaminated following the January 22 explosion at International Paper in Cantonment. That includes customers in Cantonment Heights – Woodbury Circle, Woodbury Drive, Woodbury Place and Greenberry Drive.
The utility said water distribution lines, wells and tanks have been inspected and no contamination issues have been found. Any testing of the water quality should be done by Gonzalez Utilities to eliminate any scams, the utility said. A Gonzalez Utilities employee will carry property identification.
Customers will questions should contact the Gonzalez Utilities office at (850) 968-5434 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. until 4p.m. or Russell Bracken at (850) 554-6845.
Escambia Commission, Pensacola Council Hold Joint Meeting
January 31, 2017
The Pensacola City Council and the Escambia County Commission held a joint meeting Monday to discuss common issues. They discussed the creation of a commerce park in central Pensacola, the reduction of homelessness and panhandling, and the creation of “park rangers” or “ambassadors” to watch over security in public parks. None of the discussions or decisions made Monday are binding; any final decision must be approved at a council or commission meeting. The bodies will scheduled another joint meeting within the next couple of months. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
January 31, 2017
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending January 26 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers were working a night-hunting detail in the north end of Escambia County when FWC Pilot Tolbert and Lieutenant Golloher, acting as a spotter, saw a subject shining a light in a manner capable of disclosing deer. They directed Captain Rondeau to the subject’s location to investigate. Captain Rondeau attempted to stop the vehicle, but the subject fled.
Officers Clark and Long assisted in the pursuit along with the Aviation Unit. After a lengthy pursuit, the subject was finally apprehended by Captain Rondeau and Officers Long and Clark. The subject had an outstanding warrant in Alabama and charges were filed in Florida for felony fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, night hunting, felony driving on a suspended license and possession of a firearm/ammunition by a convicted felon.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
While on patrol in Blackwater Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Officer Land stopped to check two hunters who were standing near their vehicles. When asked to see their hunting licenses, one of the men replied that he was just driving around. The front seat of the man’s truck had a hunter orange vest and a rifle was in the back seat. Eventually, the man admitted to participating in man drives. He had no valid hunting license or required permits and came back as a convicted felon when his information was run through Dispatch. The firearm was seized and the individual was arrested for the violations.
While on patrol near Gulf Islands National Seashore, Officer Land and Park Ranger Robinson stopped to check a group of duck hunters near Ft. McCree. While Officer Land was inspecting one of their firearms, he found that it was capable of holding more than three shells. It is illegal to use a firearm capable of holding more than three shells while hunting migratory birds and the hunter was issued a notice to appear for the violation.
Officer Hoomes was notified of a trespassing complaint and while working this complaint, he encountered two subjects squirrel hunting on the complainant’s property. These two subjects were not related to the original complaint. The subjects were issued citations for trespassing and for not possessing Florida hunting licenses.
Officer Hoomes was notified of an illegal deer that was killed in the Hutton Unit of the Blackwater WMA. He made contact with the subject who took him to the deer. The antlered deer was smaller than the regulations allow for the area and was issued a citation for the violation. The deer was seized and donated to a local charity.
Officers Land and Manning responded to a call of a distressed vessel. A family of four was on board their vessel in Escambia Bay when their motor stopped and their boat began to take on water. A Good Samaritan in the area agreed to tow the vessel back to the boat ramp and Officer Land escorted the family back to shore.
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.
PIP Insurance Repeal Proposal Re-Emerge
January 31, 2017
Florida’s no-fault auto insurance system could be nearing the end of its road.
Legislation has again been filed to eliminate personal-injury protection coverage and require motorists to carry bodily injury liability coverage.
And lawmakers were told last week that personal-injury protection reforms — championed by Gov. Rick Scott and state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater in 2012 — haven’t held.
Still, Senate Banking and Insurance Chairwoman Anitere Flores said before legislation advances through her committee that could eliminate personal-injury protection coverage — also known as no-fault — she wants to know if anything else can be done to bring down rates instead of scrapping the nearly four-decade-old system.
The Miami Republican added, at the same time, that her biggest concern going forward is that the 2012 reform effort hasn’t met expectations.
“We were promised a certain percentage of savings, and that didn’t happen,” Flores said after her committee met last week.
In the first two years after Scott signed the reform law, personal-injury protection rates from the state’s top 25 insurers dropped an average of 14.4 percent — 10 percentage points lower than desired.
Since 2015, rates have gone up 25.7 percent, according to the state Office of Insurance Regulation. Meanwhile, all liability coverage has gone up 23.4 percent the past two years.
“Unfortunately, since Jan. 1, 2015 we’ve seen increasing trends across all coverages, including PIP,” said Sandra Starnes, director of property and casualty product review for the state Office of Insurance Regulation.
Starnes said the increases are due to rises in medical care, costs of vehicle body work, people driving more and even an increase in distracted drivers.
Flores’ committee is scheduled to be the first of four stops for a measure (SB 156) by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, to replace no-fault with bodily injury liability coverage.
Rep. Bill Hager, R-Delray Beach, has filed the House version (HB 461) for the 2017 legislative session, which starts March 7.
Similar efforts have failed to advance the past couple of years as proponents have argued a need to let the reform effort take hold. But since the end of 2015, Atwater has been among those saying repeal of no-fault may be needed if consumers aren’t getting the intended relief.
Under the no-fault system, motorists are required to carry personal-injury protection coverage that includes $10,000 in medical benefits, a total set in 1979.
Dale Swope, a representative of the Florida Justice Association who is opposed to keeping no-fault, said that the benefits haven’t kept up with inflation.
The 2012 reform law, which set benchmarks for insurers to lower rates, was considered a last-ditch effort to maintain the system after rates increased due to a growth in fraudulent claims. The law also required people involved in crashes to seek treatment within 14 days and allowed up to $10,000 in benefits for emergency medical conditions, while putting a $2,500 cap on non-emergency conditions.
Ditching no-fault for bodily injury, which provides coverage if motorists cause accidents that hurt someone else, would put more questions of medical coverage into the courts, as injured parties would seek to recoup expenses from at-fault drivers, according to the state Office of Insurance Regulation.
However, not everyone is ready to eliminate no-fault.
Jeff Scott, general counsel of the Florida Medical Association, said the reform effort has weeded out fraud and ensures emergency room physicians get paid when treating automobile crash victims.
He also said lawmakers should delay any effort to eliminate no-fault until the federal government determines the future of the Affordable Care Act under the new Trump administration.
“President Trump and Congress have made it clear they intend to dismantle the ACA, but they haven’t made it clear as to what they intend to replace it with,” Scott said. “We simply do not know whether Trumpcare will increase the number of uninsured Floridians or result in a higher number of high-deductible insurance policies being sold, deductibles that poor Floridians, when faced with a large emergency room bill, are simply unable to afford.”
Michael Carlson, president Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, cautioned the repeal could result in higher premiums for all drivers depending on the mandatory premium pricing for bodily-injury coverage.
“We do believe that any consideration of the repeal of the ‘no-fault’ law should be grounded in the reality that new mandatory insurance coverages will have a price effect on Floridians,” said Carlson, whose association includes Allstate, Progressive and State Farm insurance companies.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
My Heart Sank: Mill Manager Speaks Out About Explosion, Future Of IP
January 30, 2017
“My heart just sank.”
That’s how Brett DeJong, mill manager at International Paper in Cantonment, described the phone call he received at home about 7:40 p.m. on Sunday, January 22.
There had been an explosion, a big explosion, at the mill.
“My first thought was the safety and well being of everyone,” he said. “It was very hard to believe.”
He immediately began the 45-minute drive from his home to Cantonment. It wasn’t until just before he arrived that he received word that all mill employees were accounted for, and there were no fatalities. And even better, there were not even any employee injuries.
DeJong wasn’t really prepared for what he saw — or for that matter, what he didn’t see as he arrived at the mill. Cantonment’s giant was dark. Very dark. Paper mills just don’t go dark and silent, but DeJong’s mill was essentially lifeless before him, except for the emergency lights from fire trucks and ambulances.
The work began immediately to determine what had gone wrong to cause the explosion, determine the impacts of a black liquor and wood pulp mixture blown across the area, and to determine the impact on the future of the mill.
For now, there’s no official word on the cause of the explosion and the health and environmental impacts of the black liquor product have been reported as minimal.
The next major concern for Dejong and Escambia County is the future of the mill.
In late 2014, IP announced plans to reinvest more than $90 million over the next five years in their mill in Cantonment in order to increase energy efficiencies, support and enhance the work environment and strengthen its competitive position.
The mill employs more than 400 people and has been a foundation in the Escambia County area since 1941. It produces lightweight containerboard and specialty fluff pulp. From Pensacola, the mill’s containerboard products are sent to container facilities to create corrugated brown boxes. The fluff pulp is distributed to customers for diapers and other hygiene products.
The products from both lines are “sold out”, according to Dejong, so production is critical.
International Paper is vital to the local economy,with the company’s local annual average wages representing more than 200 percent of the Escambia County average wage of $37,360. According to an analysis by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the manufacturing industry sector directly contributed more than 14,500 jobs in the Northwest Florida region, with an additional gain of more than 9,700 jobs for local businesses.
IP employees were back at work less than a week after the explosion…most assigned to different tasks involving the remediation and cleanup following the explosion that caused significant structural damage to the largest pulp digester as well as the power house at the mill.
Production remains shut down.
Dejong said he’s hopeful that one of the mill’s lines can be restarted on some limited basis without and before the restoration of the digester. But that, he said, is an uncertainty.
“We are committed to reestablishing operations at this mill,” he said.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Scott Pitches Pay Raises For Corrections, Probation Workers
January 30, 2017
Florida Gov. Rick Scott is proposing to spend $45 million to boost salaries of corrections and probation workers, with the aim of cutting down on overtime expenses and increasing safety in the state’s troubled prison system.
The bulk of Scott’s proposal — $38 million — would increase base salaries for correctional workers. The governor’s plan does not include across-the-board pay hikes but would offer an 8.5 percent increase for entry-level prison guards by raising starting pay from $30,926 to $33,500 a year, according to Scott spokesman McKinley Lewis.
Scott’s plan also would hike the base pay for correctional sergeants, lieutenants and captains by 10 percent, Lewis said, and would result in salary increases for a majority of the state’s 24,000 corrections and probations workers.
The governor’s proposal, which will be part of a full budget plan released this week, also includes $5 million to allow prisons with sustained vacancy rates of more than 10 percent to offer one-time, $1,000 hiring bonuses to corrections officers, Lewis said.
Also, Scott’s plan includes $2.5 million to hike pay for correctional officers with special certifications who work in mental-health units.
“The governor believes in making investments in the Department of Corrections that allow that agency to better recruit officers and ensure that they have an experienced workforce,” Lewis said. “These investments will allow them to address vacancies and hiring challenges they have had and also work to improve officer safety at the institutions and decrease the cost of overtime.”
Since taking over as head of the Department of Corrections two years ago, Secretary Julie Jones has pushed lawmakers to boost funding for additional staff. Jones has blamed a rash of prison riots and spikes of violence in large part on staff turnover and manpower shortages.
The “unacceptably high vacancy rates … are negatively impacting the Department’s ability to fulfill its mission,” the agency wrote in a legislative budget request submitted in October.
The corrections agency’s turnover rate increased by 100 percent last year while overtime costs skyrocketed by more than 200 percent, according to the request.
“This high turnover rate has a dramatic effect on the department’s ability to manage an already difficult population,” agency officials wrote, blaming the low salary levels for the turnover and recruitment problems.
Matt Puckett, executive director of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, called Scott’s proposal a good starting point as lawmakers prepare to craft a state budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
“I think that’s a really good starting offer. Of course we want to see across-the-board (raises). It’s been a while, and everybody there needs a raise. But it’s really encouraging that the governor is putting forth a plan like this. He’s getting in the direction of fixing the salaries,” Puckett told The News Service of Florida.
Scott is expected to release his full budget proposal for the 2017-2018 fiscal year Tuesday at an Associated Press annual pre-legislative session gathering of reporters and editors.
Puckett said his union will soon make known its budget wish-list, which will include across-the-board raises and will address “longevity issues.”
Corrections workers have had one raise in the past nine years, and Scott’s proposal would double the last pay hike for many prison staff.
“There’s a lot of catching up to do. But when you’re going to negotiate and everybody’s talking about pay raises and money, that’s a good sign,” Puckett said.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FDOT: Weekly Traffic Alerts
January 30, 2017
Drivers will encounter traffic variations on the following state roads in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties this week as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
· U.S. 98 Utility Work between Palafox Street and Jefferson Street- East and westbound lane closures between Palafox Street and Jefferson Street from 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 30 as crews remove holiday lighting.
· Pace Boulevard (State Road (S.R.) 292) and Garden Street (U.S. 98) Intersection Utility Work- North and southbound lane closures on Pace Boulevard near the intersection of Garden Street and Eastbound and westbound lane closures on Garden Street near the intersection of Pace Boulevard from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 30 through Thursday, Feb. 2 as crews perform utility work.
· 9th Avenue Utility Work at Carpenter’s Creek Bridge- East and westbound lane shift at Carpenter’s Creek Bridge from 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24 through 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31 as crews perform underground utility work.
· Nine Mile Road (from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road) Widening – Traffic will be reduced to one lane at the intersection of Nine Mile Road and Eight Mile Creek from 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31 as crews relocate utilities. Traffic flaggers will be on site to safely direct drivers through the work zone.
· Interstate 10 (I-10) Widening from Davis Highway to the Escambia Bay Bridge- Law enforcement vehicles will slow eastbound traffic at U.S. 29 (Exit 10) and westbound traffic, east of Avalon Boulevard (Exit 22), from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31 and Thursday, Feb. 2. Pacing traffic in this manner will allow workers to safely replace a power line that crosses the interstate at the Ninth Avenue overpass.
· I-10/U.S. 29 Interchange Improvements Phase I- Westbound inside lane will be closed near U.S. 29 (Exits 10A and 10B) from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31 through Friday, Feb. 3
as crews remove barrier walls.
· Perdido Key Drive (S.R. 292) Resurfacing from the Alabama State line to the ICWW (Theo Baars) Bridge- Lane closures will be in effect 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition there will be lane restrictions on the ICWW (Theo Baars) Bridge at the west end of the project as crews perform concrete work. Drivers can expect delays.
· U.S. 29 (S.R. 95) Widening from I-10 to 9 Mile Road- Alternating southbound lane closures near the Interstate 10 (I-10) interchange from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 as crews perform drainage work. Alternating north and southbound U.S. 29 and east and westbound 9 Mile Road lane closures from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. near the U.S. 29/9 Mile Road overpass continue to accommodate for the bridge construction operations.
· 9 Mile Road (S.R. 10/U.S. 90A) Widening from Pine Forest to U.S. 29- During the week of January 30, both travel lanes of 9 Mile Road will be shifted between Stefani and Waring roads southward onto temporary asphalt. This shift will allow drainage crews to extend the box culvert under 9 Mile Road. Alternating lane closures continue on Untreiner Avenue as crews drive temporary sheet pile.
Santa Rosa County:
· I-10 Resurfacing from east of S.R. 87 to the Okaloosa County Line- Intermittent and alternating inside lane closures between the S.R. 87 interchange and the Okaloosa County line from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 through Thursday, Feb. 2 as crews perform paving operations. Motorists are reminded the speed limit is reduced to 60 MPH within the lane closure.
· State Road (S.R.) 87 Widening – Boater Notification – The Yellow River, beneath the S.R. 87 bridge in Santa Rosa County, will be temporarily closed Monday, Jan. 30 from 7 a.m. to noon. Crews will be mobilizing equipment for construction of the new northbound bridge across the Yellow River. Boaters are advised to avoid this area of the Yellow River during closure.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the construction zone, and to pay attention for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work area. All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Two Adults Perish In Escambia House Fire
January 30, 2017
Two adults were found deceased Sunday after a house fire.
The fire was reported about 12:25 p.m. in the 9000 block of Huckleberry Lane off Fowler Avenue just north of Nine Mile Road.
The first fire crews arrived to find light smoke smoking from the home’s entry door. The fire was brought under control by 12:49 p.m.
It is believed that the fire began and was unreported sometime during the night, burning out due to lack of oxygen, according to Escambia County spokesperson Joy Tsubooka. . Both victims were found inside the home. Their names have not been released.
Foul play is not suspected in the deaths, according to Major Andrew Hobbs of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The Florida State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
A smoke detector was installed in the home, but it is unknown if it was in working condition. Free smoke detectors are available to Escambia County residents by calling Escambia County Fire Rescue at (850) 595-HERO (4376).
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Gets 17 Plus Years On Firearms Charges
January 30, 2017
Deangelo A. Rome, 26, of Pensacola, has been sentenced to 17.5 years in prison, after pleading guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon on multiple dates.
In February 2015, a law enforcement officer discovered a running vehicle with Rome unresponsive in the driver’s seat and located a loaded handgun in view under Rome’s seat. Later, in December 2015, law enforcement officers responded to a “shots fired” disturbance call.
A shooting victim was located, and the residence had bullet holes through a sliding glass door . Multiple shell casings and a loaded magazine were found on the scene. A fingerprint on the loaded magazine matched that of Rome. During the sentencing hearing, the court heard evidence regarding Rome as one of the shooters of the victim.
A few days after the shooting, law enforcement officers responded to a call of armed individuals, who, after fleeing, were tracked to a residence with a vehicle in the driveway. A deputy saw an assault rifle in the vehicle, and ammunition was also found on the premises. During a search of the premises, Rome was located hiding under a bed. The rifle inside the vehicle had both a palm print and DNA evidence belonging to Rome, and Rome’s fingerprint was also located on a separate box of ammunition.
The case resulted from investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pensacola Police Department; and the ATF Gun Crime Response Team. Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg prosecuted the case.
Two Charged With Burglaries After Manhunt In Flomaton
January 30, 2017
Three people were taken into custody after a manhunt Sunday night in Flomaton.
At 5:44 p.m. Sunday, the Flomaton Police Department responded to the report of several vehicles that had been burglarized on Houston Street. At 6:34 p.m., officers were called to a business burglar alarm on Highway 31. They arrived to find a shattered window in the rear of the business.
Flomaton Police and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office set up a perimeter, and a K-9 team from the Alabama Department of Corrections was called to search.
Juvenile males ages 15 and 17 were taken into custody and turned over to their guardians. An 18-year old female was taken into custody but later released without charges.
‘The male juveniles will face charges including burglar of a vehicle, theft of property, attempted theft of property, first degree criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools.
According to Flomaton Police, the juveniles are responsible for 10 different vehicle burglaries and the burglary of one business.
“Our officers did an outstanding job tonight. This is teamwork at its best. Working together with others to get the job done. It is so sad that juveniles are involved in these types of crimes and not spending time being normal teenagers. If they want to bring their crime to Flomaton then we will bring our whole department to them,” Flomaton Police Chief Bryan Davis said.