Landowners, Producers In The Sandy Hollow, Pine Barren Creek Watershed Wanted to Help Pensacola Bay
June 14, 2020
Escambia County is requesting assistance and participation from landowners in the Sandy Hollow – Pine Barren Creek watershed area to work with USDA-NRCS on the Pensacola Bay Watershed Nutrient Reduction Project.
Landowners and producers within the designated watershed area who are actively engaged in row crop, livestock and forest production may be eligible for conservation practice implementation cost share under the project. The project application deadline is Tuesday, June 30.
The project will restore resources injured by the Deep Water Horizon oil spill as outlined in the following Natural Resource Damage Assessment process. This following is included within the restoration plan:
- Restoration goal: Restore Water Quality
- Restoration type: Nutrient Reduction (Non-point source)
- Restoration approach: Reduce nutrient loads to coastal watershed
- Restoration techniques: Agricultural conservation practices
The primary goal for the nutrient reduction project is water quality improvement through nutrient and sediment reduction. This watershed-scale project restores water quality impacted by the DWH oil spill by reducing nutrients and the sediments carrying them into coastal waters. Given the success of USDA-NRCS Farm Bill programs such as EQIP and their strong acceptance by private landowners, there is a significant opportunity to implement conservation practices on private lands that would reduce the levels of nutrients and sediments entering the Gulf of Mexico from the Pensacola Bay watershed.
The USDA-NRCS would provide technical assistance to voluntary participants to develop conservation plans and would use all available conservation practices typically planned and funded by USDA-NRCS programs. The project goal is to make a discernible difference in water quality at the watershed level.
Contact the USDA-NRCS Molino field office at (850) 840-9089 for further information on program details.
Click map to enlarge.
Here Are This Week’s Road Construction Slow Spots
June 14, 2020
Drivers will encounter traffic disruptions on the following state roads and projects in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties as crews perform construction and maintenance activities.
Escambia County:
- · Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement- Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The week of Sunday, June 14:
o Intermittent east and westbound lane closures on U.S. 98 from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
o Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- · U.S. 29 Widening from Interstate 10 (I-10) to Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90)– Drivers traveling Nine Mile Road at the U.S. 29 overpass and U.S. 29 traffic between I-10 and 9 & Half Mile Road may experience alternating lane shifts or closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
- · Michigan Avenue (S.R. 296) at Mobile Highway and Memphis Avenue- Construction activities have begun on a safety improvement project at Mobile Highway and Memphis Avenue. No lane closures anticipated at this time.
- · 9th Avenue, Davis Highway (State Road (S.R.) 291), Alcaniz Street (S.R. 289) , Wright Street (U.S. 98) Underground Sewer Line Videography- Traffic may encounter intermittent lane restrictions from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday until Tuesday, June 30 as crews inspect sanitary sewer lines.
- · Bayou Boulevard (S.R. 296) Drainage Improvements at the intersection of Perry Avenue- The southbound lane will be closed at the intersection of Perry Avenue from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Friday, July 10.
- · Perdido Key Drive (S.R. 292) Pedestrian Crosswalk Construction at Flora-Bama- Signalization continues. Crews will also perform concrete work at the pedestrian crosswalk. No lane closures are expected. Drivers are reminded to watch for workers and equipment entering and exiting the roadway.
- · U.S. 29 Resurfacing from south of County Road (C.R.) 184 (Muscogee Road) to S.R. 97 (Atmore Highway)- Motorists can expect intermittent daytime lane restrictions as crews continue construction activities at various locations. There will also be intermittent and alternating lane restriction from 8 pm. to 6 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. 29 and Muscogee Road/Becks Lake Road.
- · Mobile Highway (U.S. 90) Intersection Improvements at New Warrington Road
(S.R. 295) – Construction activities are underway. Drivers can expect lane closures between 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Pine Forest Road (State Road (S.R.)) to U.S. 29 – Cove Avenue north of Nine Mile Road will be closed to traffic at 7 a.m. beginning Tuesday, June 16. Drivers may use 9 & Half Mile Road and Bowman Avenue as an alternate route. The temporary closure is anticipated to take seven to ten days.
- Nine Mile Road (U.S. 90) Widening from Beulah Road to Pine Forest Road (S.R. 297)- Nine Mile Road between Klondike Road and Surrey Drive will be shifted to the newly constructed eastbound roadway as crews build the new westbound lanes the week of Sunday, June 14. One lane in each direction will open between Pinecone Drive and Surry Drive. Just west of Pinecone Drive, westbound traffic will open to two travel lanes. In addition, a portion of the I-10 off-ramp that connects to Nine Mile Road (Exit 5) westbound remains closed. Drivers can continue to access Nine Mile Road east and westbound using the other section of the ramp. The partial ramp closure is needed to reconstruct the ramp.
Santa Rosa County:
- · Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement - Bridge construction may require the following lane closures from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The week of Sunday, June 14:
o Intermittent east and westbound lane closures from North 14th Avenue in Pensacola to east of the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze.
o Intermittent lane closures on North 17th Avenue in Pensacola between U.S. 98 and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti Bridge).
- · S.R. 4 Resurfacing and Drainage Improvements from the Escambia River Bridge to Market Road (C.R. 87A) in Jay –There will be a slow-moving vehicle used to perform striping operations. There will also be intermittent shoulder closures throughout the project.
- · U.S. 90 Pavement Marking Operations between Avalon Boulevard (S.R. 281) and the Okaloosa County Line-Motorists can expect minor delays Sunday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. until Thursday, Aug. 27 as slow-moving vehicles are used to perform pavement marking operations.
- · U.S. 98 Safety Improvement from Villa Woods Circle to Ortega Park Drive- Paving operations are underway throughout the project limits. Drivers can expect nighttime lane restrictions.
- · S.R. 87 Bridge Rehabilitation and Repair Over Yellow River- Motorists may encounter nighttime southbound lane closures as crews continue expansion joint work.
All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Here Are The Local Candidates That Qualified For The 2020 Ballot. And Those Automatically Elected.
June 13, 2020
Noon Friday was the deadline for local candidates to qualify to appear on the 2020 ballot.
Primaries are open — with voters from all parties voting — if there is not a candidate that qualified from both parties or a write-in candidate that declared. The Escambia County Commission District 5 primary, for instance, will be open to all voters because there are only Republican candidates.
In races where only one candidate qualified, that person was automatically elected. That means two Escambia County school board members, the property appraiser, supervisor of elections and one incumbent Century council member were elected Friday.
The primary election in August 18, and the general election is November 3.
Here are the candidates that will appear on the ballot:
Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
- Pamela Lynn Chiders – R – incumbent
- Chase Anderson “Andy” Romagnano – write-in
Sheriff
- David Alexander III – D
- Chip Simmons – R
Property Appraiser
- Chris Jones – D – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
Tax Collector
- Scott Lunsford – R – incumbent
- Wendy Rich – NPA
Supervisor of Elections
- David Stafford – R – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
County Commission District 1 (Open Primary)
- Jeff Bergosh – R – incumbent
- Jesse Casey – R
- Jonathan Owens – R
- Jimmie Trotter – R
County Commission District 3
- Jason Laird – write-in, won’t appear on ballot
- Lumon May – D – incumbent
- LuTimothy May Sr. – D
County Commission District 5 (Open Primary)
- Steven Barry – R – incumbent
- John Reading – R
- Meagan Walters – R
ECUA District 1
(Open Primary)
- Debra Brusso – R
- Vicki H. Campbell – R – incumbent
ECUA District 3
- John R. Johnson – NPA
- Ellison Bennett – D
- Clorissti Bernie-Shoemo – D
- Eric L. Jordan Sr. – D
- Ashley McDonald – D
- Larry Williams – D
- Pueschel Schneier – R
ECUA District 5
(Open Primary)
- Kevin Stephens – R
- Larry Walker – R – incumbent
The following offices are non-partisan.
Town of Century Mayor
- Benjamin D. Boutwell
- Henry Hawkins – incumbent
Town of Century Council Seat 1
- Ann C. Brooks – incumbent
- Calvin Cottrell Jr.
- Dynette Lewis
Town of Century Council Seat 2
- Luis Gomez Jr. – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
Town of Century Council Seat 3
- Shelisa Dorshae McCall
- Leonard B. White
Escambia County Soil and Water Conservation District, Group 1
- Matt Sharpsteen
- Betty Wilson – incumbent
Escambia County Soil and Water Conservation District, Group 3
- Catherine Monroe-Dismuke – elected with no opposition
Escambia County Soil and Water Conservation District, Group 5
- Louis A. Toth –elected with no opposition
Escambia County Judge, Group 2
- Charles Young – elected with no opposition
Escambia County School Board District 4
- Patty Hightower – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
Escambia County School Board District 5
- Bill Slayton – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
Santa Rosa Island Authority
- Thomas A. Campanella – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
Pensacola City Council District 1
- Jennifer Brahier
- P.C. Wu – incumbent
Pensacola City Council District 3
- Casey Jones – elected with no opposition
Pensacola City Council District 5
- Teniade Broughton
- Ron Helms
Pensacola City Council District 7
- Brenton Goodman
- James L. Gulley
- Delarian Wiggins
FEDERAL, STATE AND JUDICIAL CANDIDATES
These are the federal, state and judicial candidates in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
U.S. Representative House District 1
- Phil Ehr – D
- Matt Gaetz – R – incumbent
- Greg Merk – R
- John Mills – R
- Albert Oram – NPA
State Attorney
- Ginger Bowden Madden – R – elected with no opposition
Public Defender
- Bruce A. Miller – R – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
State Senator District 1
- Douglas V. Broxson – R – incumbent
- Karen M. Butler – D
State Representative House District 1
- Mike Hill – R – incumbent
- Michelle Salzman – R
- Franscine C. Mathis – D
- Barbara Scott-Shouse – D
State Representative House District 2
- Alex Andrade – R – incumbent
- Cris Dosev – R
- Dianne Krumel – D
State Representative House District 3
- Angela L. Hoover – D
- Jayer Williamson – R – incumbent
Microgrants Totaling $50,000 Available To Black Owned Small Businesses In Escambia County
June 13, 2020
The Spring Entrepreneur Hub is launching it’s Black-Owned Small Business Microgrant Program. It will provide grants totaling $50,000 to eligible black-owned small businesses in Escambia County.
Each microgrant will provide a minimum of $1,500 per business. While all black-owned companies are eligible to receive grant funds, this will be given to companies that did not receive any of the COVID-19 state or federal programs during 2020.
The application deadline is through 9 a.m. on Monday, June 22. Winners will be selected by Friday, June 27.
Requirements:
- Must be a black-owned business located within Escambia County.
- Business owner must be 18 years of age or older.
- Verification of company information (employees, revenue, income tax return) may be required.
- All funding must be used for payroll, rent/mortgage or utility payments only. This is also subject to verification.
- Funding may not be used as a founder stipend.
- Winners may be asked to update on impact from grant funding.
Applying by clicking or tapping here.
For more information or assistance, contact contact D.C. Reeves at The Spring at dcreeves@quintstuder.com.
The Studer Community Institute, FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance, Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Coast Minority Chamber of Commerce, Gulf Power, Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida Center for Entrepreneurship partnered earlier this year to form The Spring Entrepreneur Hub.
Convicted Escambia Sex Offender Arrested On New Federal Child Porn Charges
June 13, 2020
A registered sex offender from Escambia County was arrested Friday on new federal charges related to the distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography.
Steven J. McLendon, 36, is a registered sex offender in the state of Florida stemming from prior convictions for lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor and child pornography in 2007. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today after McLendon made his initial appearance in federal court in Pensacola.
The allegations against McLendon stem from a months long investigation by the FloridaDepartment of Law Enforcement in Pensacola. The charges allege that from February through June, McLendon was utilizing peer to peer software to distribute and receive child pornography in Pensacola. Upon the execution of a search warrant at his residence in Pensacola this week, law enforcement is alleged to have seized multiple pieces of digital evidence containing child pornography. This includes a device McLendon is alleged to have attempted to hide in his refrigerator.
McLendon, because of his prior convictions, faces the following enhanced penalties if convicted:
- Distribution of Child Pornography – A mandatory minimum of 15 years up to a maximum of 40 years in prison;
- Receipt of Child Pornography – A mandatory minimum of 15 years up to a maximum of 40 years in prison;
- Possession of Child Pornography – A mandatory minimum of 10 years up to a maximum of 20 years in prison; and
- Forfeiture of his all the electronics used to commit the offenses.
“Protecting the children of our community against those who would do them harm is a difficult and serious task. My office is grateful to the men and women of law enforcement who work tirelessly to rescue children from online sexual exploitation,” Keefe said.
“FDLE’s Cyber Squad began this investigation in March and found child pornography involving young children being victimized,” said FDLE Special Agent in Charge Jack Massey. “McLendon is already on Florida’s Sex Offender Registry and I appreciate the hard work and dedication of our cyber squad agents.”
The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
Florida Forest Service Accepting Applications For Longleaf Pine Private Incentive Program
June 13, 2020
The Florida Forest Service has announced the launch of the 2020 Longleaf Pine Private Landowner Incentive Program. Applications will be accepted through Wednesday, July 8, 2020.
The primary objective of the Longleaf Pine Private Landowner Incentive Program is to increase the acreage of healthy longleaf pine forests in Florida by assisting eligible, non-industrial private forest landowners with the long-term investment necessary to establish and maintain the valuable longleaf pine ecosystem.
Longleaf pine forests are native to the southeastern United States and are among the most diverse ecosystems in North America. Longleaf pines provide high-quality wood products and are valued for their resistance to damage by insects, disease, wildfire and storms. Due to urbanization and conversion to other land uses, longleaf pine forests have been dramatically reduced and now cover less than four percent of their historical range. Florida is home to more than 2 million acres of longleaf pine ecosystems, which represents more than half of all current longleaf pine forests.
The Longleaf Pine Private Landowner Incentive Program offers incentive payments for the completion of timber stand improvement, invasive species control, prescribed burning, planting longleaf pine, establishing native plant understory and mechanical underbrush treatments. Private lands located within the 58 counties north of Lake Okeechobee, the historical range of longleaf pine, are eligible for the program.
To learn more and access an application, visit FDACS.gov/LongleafIncentive or contact your local Florida Forest Service county forester. In Escambia County, call Cathy Hardin at (850) 587-5237 or email.
Escambia Sheriff’s Office Awarded $370,107 Federal COVID-19 Grant
June 13, 2020
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has received a U.S. Department of Justice grant to help them deal with the public safety challenges posed by the outbreak of COVID-19.
The $370,107 grant to the ESCO was announced Friday by Lawrence Keefe, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The grants is being provided under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program, authorized by recent stimulus legislation.
“Throughout the many weeks our district and the nation have been dealing with the threat of COVID-19, our public safety first responders have worked tirelessly to make sure members of the public are safe,” Keefe said. “The resources of local agencies have been stretched thin, and these grant funds will help ease the financial burden on public safety agencies so they can continue protecting and serving our citizens.”
Gomez Wins Another Century Council Term; Two Want To Be Mayor, Five Running For Two Other Council Seats
June 13, 2020
Two people want to be mayor of Century, one incumbent council member has earned another term, and five candidates will face off for two seats on the council. Friday was the last day of qualifying for public offices in Escambia County.
In Century, former council member Ben Boutwell is running against incumbent Henry Hawkins for mayor. The part-time job pays $10,131.98 per year.
No one filed to run again incumbent council member Luis Gomez, Jr. – so he was automatically reelected to Seat 2 on the council.
Incumbent council member Ann Brooks drew two opponents – Calvin Cottrell, Jr. and Dynette Lewis.
Seat 3 was added to the ballot after Boutwell resigned to run for mayor. Shelisa Dorshae McCall and Leonard B. White qualified to seek the position.
Council members are payed $3,714.92 per year.
Those elected to council and the mayor will be sworn in on January 4, 2021.
For a complete Escambia County qualification list, click here.
Town of Century Mayor
- Benjamin D. Boutwell
- Henry Hawkins – incumbent
Town of Century Council Seat 1
- Ann C. Brooks – incumbent
- Calvin Conttrell Jr.
- Dynette Lewis
Town of Century Council Seat 2
- Luis Gomez Jr. – incumbent, reelected with no opposition
Town of Century Council Seat 3
- Shelisa Dorshae McCall
- Leonard B. White
Pictured top: Century council member Luis Gomez, Jr. at a meeting earlier this year. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
The Bluffs Industrial Complex In Cantonment, Town Of Jay Projects Named TaxWatch ‘Budget Turkeys’
June 12, 2020
The Bluffs in Cantonment and two projects in the town of Jay were included in the 2020 Budget Turkey Watch Report released Thursday by Florida TaxWatch in the think tank’s annual independent review of the state’s budget. They are recommending that Gov. Ron DeSantis veto the funding for the turkeys.
Announced in late 2015, The Bluffs was envisioned as the home of up to 60 new industrial and manufacturing companies and more than 15,000 jobs. The 6,000 acre master-planned development area includes about 1,700 acres of land that can be developed in an area east of Highway 29 bordered by the Escambia River to the east, Becks Lake Road near International Paper to the north, and the University of West Florida to the south.
The $93.2 billion budget passed by the Florida Legislature for FY2020-21 contains 180 appropriations items qualifying as Budget Turkeys worth $136.3 million.
Items classified by the group as Budget Turkeys in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were (with item descriptions from the Florida Senate):
Escambia County
- The Bluffs Entrance and Transportation Upgrades – $750,000 Escambia County
- The Bluffs entrance at Ascend Performance Materials/Emerald Coast Utilities Authority/Chemstrand Road Intersection. Planning, engineering, design, and construction for the entrance to The Bluffs Industrial Corridor and transportation upgrades at the multileg intersection of New Chemstrand Road, Old Chemstrand Road, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s entrance drive, and Ascend Performance Materials entrance drive(s). Project supports the active economic development program for The Bluffs, including over 100 logistics and manufacturing jobs for current active opportunities. The current active projects are: Project Astro, Project Coral, Project Emerald, and Project Flow.
Santa Rosa County
- Town of Jay Roadway Improvements $300,000
- A pavement assessment was conducted in 2019 of all roadways in the Town of Jay. The report concluded that a majority of the roads have not been serviced in thirty years and will only require an overlay rather than a complete redesign making the proposed project “shovel ready”. The funds requested will cover the permitting, contract administration, and construction of the roadway overlays.
- Town of Jay Bray Hendricks Park Master Plan $300,000
- Bray-Hendricks Park is a 39-year old park that is in critical need of updated sports surfaces and support capabilities to place the park in compliance with ADA requirements. This essential Town of Jay project is a proposed master planned sports complex within the town limits of Jay, Florida. The master plan includes one competition softball field, four regulation baseball fields, three tee-ball fields, four tennis courts, a basketball court, a combination soccer/football field, a children’s splash pad, a playground, an accessory concession building, and ADA compliant bathrooms. Economically, the sports complex can bring opportunity to the area by hosting tournaments and events that draw visitors. Current youth recreation leagues bring hundreds of families to the park to share in their child’s sport. The BrayHendricks Park is an important building block in promoting economic development in this rural community.
- Pea Ridge Connector – $750,000
- Santa Rosa County is constructing a new roadway connecting U.S. Highway 90 to Hamilton Bridge Road in the Pea Ridge Area. The new connector road is a 4-lane roadway with bi-directional bike lanes and sidewalks. The construction includes new turn lanes and new signals at both the U.S. Highway 90 intersection and the Hamilton Bridge Road Intersection.
According to TaxWatch, Budget Turkeys are often local member projects, placed in the final appropriations bill without being scrutinized and subjected to the budget committee process, or that circumvented existing grant and other legislatively established selection processes. The Budget Turkey label does not signify judgment of a project’s worthiness. Instead, the review focuses solely on the integrity, accountability, and transparency of the legislatively established budget process. The goal of which is to ensure that all appropriations of hard-earned taxpayer money achieves its intended public benefit. Since 1986, both Republican and Democratic governors have vetoed more than $3 billion in projects identified by FTW as Budget Turkeys.
County Closing Recycling Site At John R. Jones Ballpark On Nine Mile Road
June 12, 2020
Escambia County is closing the recycling drop-off site at the John R. Jones Ballpark on Nine Mile Road.
The site will close Monday, June 15 and remain closed until further notice.
“This closure is due to illegal dumping and unacceptable levels of contamination commingled in the recyclable materials,” Escambia County said in a statement. “The contamination increases the cost of processing recycling materials. There have been multiple complaints from citizens, commuters on Nine Mile Road and neighbors using the park.”
Recyclables can taken to the Perdido Landfill Drop-Off Recycling Site located at 13009 Beulah Road. Residents can also contact their waste services company and request recycling service. ECUA customers can call (850) 476-0480.
NorthEscambia.com photo.