The Florida Department of Law Enforcement released its Uniform Crime Report for 2017.The state had a 6 percent decrease in its crime rate in 2017, the lowest number since the state started keeping statewide statistics 47 years ago. Across Escambia County had a 3.7 percent decrease in crime, Santa Rosa County a 3.1 percent decrease,…… MORE
Category Archives: Uncategorized
NO SPECIAL SESSION
It now appears that an attempt by Democrats to force the Florida Legislature into a special legislative session on education funding has failed. Sixty percent of the members of each Republican-dominated chamber must support the request for a special session to be held. In the House at least 70 of the current 117 members must…… MORE
NEW HURRICANE CATEGORY
Meteorologists and hurricane experts are giving some thought to adding a sixth category to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The scale was developed in 1969 with category 1 starting with winds at 74 miles per hour. The scale stops with Category 5, 157 miles per hour winds and higher. However, with the increase in so-called “Super…… MORE
PCB SKY WHEEL COMPLETION DATE DELAYED
Panama City Beach officials say the Sky Wheel that was supposed to have been completed this month at Pier Park, has run into construction delays. Matthew Stack, Sky Wheel president, said plans are now to have the observation wheel operating in late July or the beginning of August. The 200 ft. 1.8 million-dollar observation wheel…… MORE
GULF POWER TO BE SOLD
The Pensacola News Journal is reporting that the Southern Company plans to sell Gulf Power, to Juno Beach-based NextEra, which owns Florida Power & Light. Gulf Power will keep its name and continue to operate as a separate electric company. Federal regulators must approve the 6.4 billion dollar deal, which should be completed by the…… MORE
CHILD NEGLECT ARREST
Pensacola Police a 47-year-old Pensacola woman has been charged with child neglect for leaving two children in a hot car yesterday. A woman in a Walmart parking lot on Saturday saw a baby crying in a hot vehicle and a second young child asleep inside and called police. Police said the outside temperature was 88-degrees and…… MORE
CORRECTIONS OFFICER ARRESTED
The Florida Department of Corrections says a 26-year old corrections officer has been arrested for stealing drugs from an evidence locker at the Century Correctional Institution Work Camp. Joshua Harrell is accused of taking “K2″ synthetic marijuana. Harrell asked a sergeant open an evidence locker saying he needed to make sure he signed an evidence…… MORE
CIVICCON 5-22-18
The latest CivicCon, a joint project of the News Journal and the Studer Community Institute, will focus on the opioid crisis. Doctor Marvin Seppala, a nationally recognized expert on addiction and pharmacological treatment, will be the keynote speaker. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the rate of opioid overdose deaths quintupled between 1999 and…… MORE
TROPICAL WEATHER SYSTEM
The National Hurricane Center has issued a special tropical weather outlook for a system that has the potential to develop into a named storm later this week. A low-pressure area currently in the Caribbean Sea, is bringing rain across Cuba and the Florida peninsula. Some gradual development is possible later this week and forecasters give…… MORE
OKALOOSA PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR RESIGNS
The Northwest Florida Daily News is reporting that Okaloosa County Director of Public Safety Alvin Henderson has resigned from his job and his successor might oversee the county Department of Corrections. County spokesman Christopher Saul declined to say much about the situation. Department of Corrections Chief Stefan Vaughn said County Administrator John Hofstad and Saul…… MORE
