Money available to help safeguard area homes

Local
SECTION B / PAGE 1
Pensacola News Journal • PNJ.COM
NOTEBOOK
Thursday, December 29, 2011
3-
3-
Two charged with murder
Bill repeals
red-light
One killed, one injured during drug deal in parking lot
camera law
der in the shooting
murder.
death of KeonTykey Douglas,
17, of Pensacola
Two men have been charged d r i c k A b r a m s ,
was wounded in
in a Dec. 17 shooting that killed 17, of Pensacola.
the shooting.
one Pensacola teenager and Novel Austin Jr.,
20, who lives in
Douglas and
wounded another.
Abrams were
James Emanuel Dortch, 20, of the 200 block of
Austin
found
about
the 900 block of South Madison South J Street, was Dortch
7:15 p.m. in a
Drive was charged late Tuesday charged Wedneswith murder and attempted mur- day with murder and attempted Buick Riviera, both shot in the
Richard McVay
[email protected]
N
ew red-light repeal bill
filed. Another Republican
presidential debate is
set, this one on Jan. 26 at the
University of North Florida. A
wrecked Civil War-era tugboat in
Tampa Bay could become a new
archaeological preserve.
Red-light cameras
The battle over red-light
cameras for 2012 began in
earnest this week, when Rep.
Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, filed a
measure to repeal the law allowing
the cameras
to be used to
catch those
running
the traffic
signals.
A brief look at news
Plakon’s
from around the state.
legislation
is the latest
chapter in a
long-running and emotional debate
over the fate of the cameras.
A similar proposal by Rep.
Richard Corcoran, R-New Port
Richey, narrowly passed the House
last year but died in the Senate.
KATIE KING
See Shooting, Page 5B
Governor’s
goals more
realistic
PNJ PHOTOGRAPHERS • BEST OF 2011
1
head. Abrams was pronounced
dead at the scene. Douglas was
taken to Baptist Hospital, where
his condition was not available
on Wednesday.
According to Dortch’s arrest
report, witness Jack Woodul told
police he was riding his bicycle
KKING
@PNJ.COM
FLORIDA
Scott learns how to
work with senators
ROUNDUP
Brendan Farrington
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick
Scott is going into his second
legislative session with the
same priorities — creating
jobs and making the state more
business friendly — and a new
approach.
Scott is a conservative
Republican and
the Legislature
is overwhelmingly conservative
Republican, but
they clashed at
the beginning of
the year as Scott Scott
came in as a political outsider vowing to change
Tallahassee.
He surrounded himself with a
team also made up of outsiders,
announced his proposed budget
at a tea party rally in a central
Florida church and set an agenda that even had other Republicans politely questioning if it
was too much.
This year his goals are more
realistic. He
announced
his budget
in the Capitol without a
crowd waving “Don’t
Tr e a d O n
Me” flags and his team now
includes longtime Tallahassee
insiders.
The former CEO is recognizing that passing laws isn’t about
telling the Legislature what he
wants, but working with lawmakers to achieve what he can.
“I feel like the governor
came in with a steep learning curve and has continuously improved,” said House
Speaker Dean Cannon, who
added that Scott’s new team
will help. “Individually and in
the aggregate, they all appear
to be really good changes and
I think that they’re increasing
his effectiveness.”
Scott still wants corporate tax
cuts, stripped down business
regulations, fewer government
jobs and to have many state
employees contribute more for
their benefits. He’s no longer
talking about cutting corporate
taxes by about $1.4 billion in
his first two years in office.
GOP debate set
2
The GOP presidential primary
debate on Jan. 26 will be at the
University of North Florida.
The forum, sponsored by the
party and the Hispanic Leadership
Network — and airing on CNN
— will be five days before Florida
Republicans head to the polls to
vote for their choice for the party’s
nominee.
“This venue will highlight how
important Jacksonville and the
First Coast region are to Florida
and the nation by hosting a debate
that includes our next president,”
said Lenny Curry, chairman of the
Republican Party of Florida.
Vietnam War veteran Ray Galmiche 64, who retired from the U.S. Army in 1986, was given
a medical service dog Dazzle, in September as part of a post traumatic stress disorder study
conducted by Veterans Affairs.
A
s a dog lover and
animal advocate, I
was recently drawn
to the story about Vietnam
War veteran Ray Galmiche
of Navarre and his service
dog, Dazzle. I strongly
believe in the healing powers
of companion animals,
especially dogs.
Galmiche, who suffers
from post-traumatic stress
disorder, told me and the
New preserve site
3
The wreck of the Civil
War-era steam tugboat
USS Narcissus should be the
state’s newest underwater
archaeological preserve,
Secretary of State Kurt
Browning proposed Wednesday.
The site, in just 15 feet of
water near Egmont Key in the
mouth of Tampa Bay, would
be the 12th such preserve in
Florida waters if given final
approval by the Department of
State.
The state Bureau of
Archaeological Research has
determined that USS Narcissus
meets the criteria to be made
a preserve, and if designated,
the site would be made
more accessible and better
interpreted for divers, with
brochures, posters, underwater
maps and a website.
The tugboat was lost in a storm
Jan. 3, 1866, but before that
was an interesting historical
footnote.
The vessel, which belonged
to the U.S. Navy, was present
at the Battle of Mobile Bay
– the battle during which
Adm. David Farragut said
“Damn the torpedoes, full
speed ahead.” She sank while
on her way to New York to be
decommissioned, when her
boiler exploded killing all hands.
reporter of how in just
three months time Dazzle
has helped alleviate his
flashbacks and nightmares.
But more importantly, Dazzle
has enabled Galmiche to
participate in daily life again.
The U.S. Army veteran,
severely wounded twice
during the war, had gradually
withdrawn from society and
his family since retiring from
the military in 1986. Dazzle
— a young, lanky German
shepherd with a cold, wet
nose and calm demeanor —
turned out to be his medical
solution.
I began this assignment
because of an appreciation
for canines. I left with a
bigger gratitude for our
military veterans and a
better understanding of
PTSD.
— Katie King
SEE MORE PHOTOS • PAGE 2B AND AT PNJ.COM
ABOVE: The Navarre High football team comes together
after the memorial service for Ian Lockwood to perform a
team chant while holding Lockwood’s helmet. Lockwood, a
Navarre senior, died of brain cancer in January. He was 18.
RIGHT: Beckie Nelson leans on her husband, Scott, as she
begins to weep during the national anthem at the park and
monument dedication service for their son, Marine Lance
Cpl. Travis M. Nelson, in Bratt. Travis Nelson, 19, was killed
in action on Aug. 18, 2011, while serving in Afghanistan.
See Scott, Page 5B
Quick Read
Money available to help
safeguard area homes
Homeowners can strengthen their homes
against hurricanes and only pay 25 percent of the cost with Rebuild Northwest
Florida hurricane mitigation funds.
The hurricane mitigation program is
open to homeowners in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Homes must be for single families and
built before 2002. The grant money covers
up to 75 percent of improvements, including roof deck attachments, reinforced
roof-to-wall connections, bracing gable
ends, exterior doors, garage doors and
more. All homes must be inspected before
approval.
Details: Visit www.rebuildnew.org or call
497-7024.
LOTTERY
Man charged with killing girlfriend’s kitten
A Pensacola man was charged Tuesday with cruelty toward an animal
after law enforcement
said he broke the neck of
his girlfriend’s kitten.
David Michael Payne, 26,
of the 2500 block of Truman Avenue was charged
with causing cruel death
to an animal. He was
Payne
released on a $3,000 bond.
According to his arrest report, on
Dec. 7, Payne walked into the mobile
home he shared with his girlfriend and
Correction
Afternoon
3-2-0
The late Robert Champion was
a drum major in Florida A&M’s
marching band. His band title at
Play 4:
Cash 3:
Evening
4-6-5
her mother and told them he broke a
kitten’s neck. His girlfriend’s mother,
Katherine Bauer, found the kitten in
an outdoor garbage can bleeding. The
kitten’s head flopped from side to side
when Bauer picked it up. The following day, the kitten was still alive, but its
neck appeared broken.
Bauer called the police after having an argument with Payne while he
pulled at a broken tooth in the kitten’s
mouth, making the cat scream.
Payne was arrested Tuesday in the
lobby of the Sheriff’s Office.
Afternoon
Evening
1-7-6-1 7-8-8-5
FAMU was incorrectly reported
in a column in Wednesday’s Local
section.
Fantasy 5:
3-4-7-10-31
Health alert is issued
for Bayou Texar water
Effective immediately, in response to
bacteriological sampling, the Escambia County Health Department issued
a health alert for the swimming area of
Bayou Texar at Bayview Park.
The Health Department advises
against any water-related activities
there due to the potential for high bacteria levels.
Weekly water quality tests showed
bacteria levels that exceeded state
standards.
The Health Department monitors the
water quality in this area weekly and
will advise the public of its results.
For details, call the Health Department at 595-6786.
Lotto:
3-14-40-42-45-51 x2
Powerball:
16-21-27-41-45 PB: 14 x2