Have the PNJ--and Others that Possess Stolen County Files Unlawfully--- Committed a Felony?

 Today's hatchet piece in the PNJ was not entirely surprising to me.  They were named, along with two others, in the county's lawsuit over stolen county records.  They knew that the files they received were stolen.  They have been told the files have been manipulated.  They have published anyway.

The Judge in the case has called a hearing and it will come soon.  The Gannett lawyers assigned took great umbrage to this, according to what I have been told today from staff.

I'm told lawyers for Gannett have even actually called the county attorney's office in advance of the soon to occur court proceeding with BS garbage about why they are entitled to hang onto these un-redacted, stolen county files that contain personal identification information on five individuals or more. They are the "media"--that's why!

The problem for them is---nobody has been able to find a single exception to the Florida Statutes that speak to personal identification information being  possessed, unauthorized, by the "media".  

There isn't one.  

Gannett's lawyers probably know that, thus the first of what will be many hatchet jobs as they seek to maximize the damage they attempt to cause with the stolen, manipulated county property they possess unlawfully.

Here's what the relevant statute,  § 817.5685 , says.  No "exception" for media outlets so far as I can tell.

Meanwhile, the PNJ has been served with an order to show cause as the county's lawsuit for replevin and conversion regarding stolen county files is moving rapidly through Escambia's court system.  It is coming up quickly, scheduled for February 5th.

Discovery and depositions are coming--get ready!

Thus, it is not surprising to see their (PNJ's) hamfisted hatchet piece online today--where they once again place me in a false light with actual malice by snipping and cutting purported text messages from the stolen county file they have in their possession (that they know has been manipulated)--putting exchanges out of chronological order purposely and glossing over the fact I was telling anyone and everyone my plan to bring Perdido Key back to D1 once the board decided to rush through the redistricting in a shortened timeframe.  I said it directly to my peers on the board at the first workshop in September of 2021 in no uncertain terms---so  to attempt to convince readers I have acted unlawfully and violated the state's sunshine law by discussing something I had already stated at an open advertised meeting as well as on the radio prior to discussions with a citizen is preposterous and ridiculous.  

That assertion is wrong, and PNJ knows it. It's garbage rubbish and they know it.

These files are manipulated, they know this, too and again the chronological order of the conversations in their hit piece is changed by the PNJ.  On top of this fact--in order to make the reader believe unlawful, shady, unethical requests are being made---the reality of the situation is that in the timeline PNJ shared with the readers it is quickly apparent that before this particular text exchange happened I had already told all board members my intention----in public meeting(s)-----to go back to the year 2000 district lines again where Perdido Key was in District 1!!!!  I'd also discussed it on the radio and publicly at an advertised meeting.

I also did a blog post on this topic three weeks before the redistricting meeting on October 5th.

It wasn't a mystery--certainly not to the other board members.

They (PNJ) leave that out purposely and conveniently, put conjecture in, change the timeline, and add in opinions from ill-infomed individuals on the sunshine law to add "credibility" to their attack, and insinuate I have done something illegal.  It is all garbage though-- a false light attack with actual malice.

This is par for the course with them: they (PNJ) are throwing spaghetti at the wall--because they know that there is likely to be a temporary restraining order issued to curtail their selected release of stolen, manipulated, unverified, and unredacted county files that they and others possess unlawfully.

So they'll likely be priniting a raft of similar stories, based upon these stolen files, over the next several weeks ahead of a potential temporaty restraining order that will prevent them from continuing to publish stories based upon these stolen files--but will rather force them to acquire public records the proper way----by requesting them like everyone else has to do.

That all said, though----------- the most important development to come from PNJ's B.S. garbage pile hit-piece today is the news that yes, they, (PNJ) do indeed have a complete copy of my downloaded iPhone.  They admitted it by posting this picture:

Prior to this article and this picture being published by the PNJ today--there was some question as to whether or not a complete copy of my iphone had been stolen unredacted from the county's servers.

 Jonathan Owens clammed up when approached by investigators--although he has mentioned multiple times in the media that he has a "jump drive".  Others have lawyered up.  So nobody knew one way or the other for sure-------------------until today---------------that all of the phone backup files had been stolen and disseminated unlawfully.  Thanks, PNJ, for confirmation!  

There was suspicion, but not confirmation, until today.    

So that will be more good information to develop questions for the coming depositions in the civil trial where folks won't be able to "not answer."  Can't wait for that.

Meanwhile-- with today's publication of this picture  above (which I verified was on my original, unadulterated, unmanipulated download from the county this evening when I got home from work)---we now know that whomever it was that has possessed this file not only possessed it unlawfully but also at a Felony level due to the fact that the pictures on this file contain personal identification information on at least five individuals, as stipulated in Florida Statutes.

In addition to all of this, I am also aware now that others that possess this file have lied about it to authorities and there is compelling, new  information on this now being looked into by investigators.

The thing to remember is not to lie.  Tell the truth, or the truth will find you.

Lie to the FBI and all bets are off.  period.  That's a felony and they don't like being lied to.  And it doesn't matter what title you hold or what office you occupy.

Lie to the FBI ad it is a felony. Could be a career ender.

So don't do it.

No Perdido City Local Bill will be Filed this Year in Tallahassee

According to Representative Alex Andrade, from his Facebook account this morning, the local bill that  had been prepared for filing in Tallahassee for the effort to incorporate Perdido will not be filed, after all.  Even though at a recent legislative delegation meeting the issue was unanimously voted for approval.  from Adrade's Facebook post:

“I will not be filing a local bill to place the question of Perdido’s incorporation on the ballot this Session. After reviewing We Are Perdido’s feasibility study in depth, and consulting with the Florida Department of Revenue and Florida House staff members, we determined that significant changes would be required to the proposal. Because, at this stage, these changes would need to be made by a single legislator instead of the residents of the affected area, I have made the decision to not file and sponsor the bill.

I have informed We Are Perdido of the decision, and encouraged them to spend this next year engaging in additional due diligence and public outreach if they decide to pursue this initiative in the future.”

I was neutral on the effort from the beginning, even though I saw serious issues with the feasibility study and a growing chorus of my constituents were reaching out with significant concerns.

Glad this effort will be given a bit more time for all of the details to be fleshed out, rather than being rushed through and forced like a square peg into a round hole---which is what it felt like prior to this announcement by Rep. Andrade.

More to come on this I am sure.

Stolen County Files Part I: The Story Doesn't Add Up and the Dates Don't Jibe Either, "Darth" Newman

The "force" is not strong with attorney  "Darth" Newman's  version of the timeline of his receipt of stolen Escambia County files and records....

The problem with lies is that they will always be found out.  A liar who lies and tells lies will invariably lose track of the lies he tells and then the lies he or she told will be discovered.  Then, that person will be discredited, ostracized, ridiculed and even made a pariah. 

Or it could be worse.

Sometimes you lose a relationship when you get caught in a lie---- be it  a business, personal, or other type relationship.

Worse than this--if a lie is told to a federal agent--that's a crime.

And if a lie is told under oath, that's perjury.

If a lie is told to a judge by an "officer of the court "-- well, there are professional ramifications that can be significant and career threatening or career ending: there could be sanctions up to and including a formal bar complaint, a reprimand, a sanction, or disbarment.

So liars ought to be careful about telling lies--lest they get wrapped up in their own webs of dishonesty and have to pay a price for it.

Currently---there are lots of lies flying around Escambia County as it pertains to stolen Escambia County files that contain lots of county records, medical records, personal identification information, attorney-client protected conversations, and a host of other records that are not public records and would never be released under any circumstances--let alone unredacted--- under any valid public records request ever.  Yes, there may be a number of bonafide public records within the larger file of stolen records as well, any one or all of which would have been provided upon request because these files were saved from deletion via action taken by the county---but the majority of the file would not have been a public record.  

Nobody ever asked, though, and no public records requests were made of the information in these files.  until the whole thing was stolen.

And, again, the vast majority of what was stolen and disseminated inappropriately and unredacted by Jonathan Owens is NOT public record.

Webbed into all of these lies, potential crimes,  and other problems are the issues of the separate, frivolous Federal Quitam and harrassment case brought by lawyers for former Medical Director Rayme Edler. 

That case is baseless, meritless, and frivolous and will be defeated in court--that's my opinion.   

And that separate federal lawsuit against the county, along with the previously settled cases of 5 former EMS employees (ALL but 1 of whom were NOT prosecuted) has apparently provided Gannett and the Pensacola News Journal with just enough cover for them to use (conflate) the stolen, unverified county text message files they now possess unlawfully---somehow----- with the 2019 EMS challenges and the former Medical Director's currently stalled case.  

That's their pretext.

The thing is this, though.  The files at issue, from my phone, were stolen from the county, and after being stolen--these files have been manipulated.  

And this issue, this case, and this Escambia County lawsuit to recover these files are separate and distinct and have NOTHING to do with previously settled EMS cases or with Dr. Edler's current, frivolous and meritless lawsuit(s) against the county which will be defeated in court.  

I have it on very good authority, from a source that knows, that manipulation to these stolen files has already happened, and there will be much more to come on this in the next 6-12 months as discovery, depositions, the currently confidential but soon-to-be released FBI investigation report, potential prosecutions, ethics violation investigations, and other evidence and information is brought forward, gathered and presented to the court to bolster the county's replevin lawsuit.  

By contrast to the files the PNJ have---which have been manipulated---my original jump drive  (provided to me and in my posession since imaged and copied by the county IT staff in February of 2022 and provided to investigators recently and upon their request) is an exact duplicate of what was on the county's harddrive after my phone was imaged.  That has now been confirmed, again, by a source intimately familiar.  

The file that Dr. Edler's attorney's have, by contrast, is NOT an exact copy, it has been manipulated, the hash signitures do not match.  This, again, is the same file the PNJ has.  

So as we do discovery for our replevin case, and we take depositions, we will find out how this happened as we ask a lot of questions about this.  Lots.  And we'll be asking questions of lots of people including the PNJ reporters and editors that have this manipulated copy of stolen files and ran with it in multiple stories they have manufactured and  published as gospel truth anyway--never bothering to do what legitimate, honorable and reputable journalists do----- verify the authenticity of the data from the source-----the county or me----before publishing inaccuracies.

As bad as all of that is, (And it is REALLY BAD) worse is the fact that the timeline(s) of the "when" Dr. Edler's attorneys first received this manipulated, unredacted copy of my files to attempt to use in their separate, frivolous lawsuit(s) against the county does not add up with what Jonathan Owens----their lynchpin star witness himself-------- is saying. 

The Story Doesn't Add Up and the Dates Don't Jibe, Either, "DARTH"

Lawyer Darth Newman from Pennsylvania has submitted an affidavit in Federal Court to Magistrate Hope Cannon in Rayme Edler's case that he (Newman) is working.  In it, he states that he had no idea the stolen county text message data file was coming to him, did not request it (of Owens), and that it was emailed to him unsolicited, unannounced on March 15, 2023.  "Darth"  goes on to state he is the only one of Edler's co-counsels that have "substantially" (whatever that means) viewed it and that he notified the defense counsel "shortly after coming into possession of the file."  Read his sworn statement, here.  (Notably--the notification from Darth Newman to the County Attorney did not come until nearly two weeks later, on March 27th, and this notification was nonchalantly offered up multiple paragraphs into (buried) and within the body of a voluminous email full of legal mumbo-jumbo and minutae on a variety of ongoing, monotonous discovery gripes--AND obviously and conspicuoulsy NOT highlighted.  Nevertheless--the notification should have been immediate, via a call to the county or a stand alone email as this was an important development.  And county staff moved WAY too slow catching on and I was not told until nearly 3 Months later which was massively disappointing.  But that is a separate issue which I have discussed at length with the county attorney privately.)

Meanwhile--Jonathan Owens has proudly, in cocky fashion like a weird sort of proud rooster, stated on the radio and in the press on August 7th of this year that he kept the file after he left county employment, read the files,  was asked by Edler's lawyers if he had anything else that could help their case for Edler and against the county----------- AFTER he was interviewed by them and AFTER he provided an affidavit for their case against the county.  Problem is--their interview and Owens' affidavit is dated April 3rd, 2023.  Three weeks after Darth Newman said Owens sent him the file unsolicited on March 15th 2023.  Read Owens' sworn affidavit, here

None of these tools have a time machine, so this is obviously a lie.

Someone is lying, obviously, and these timelines don't mesh.  Owens even states in the transcript of his radio interview from August 7th of this year---on page 11 of the county's lawsuit filed against him and two others, here----that he provided Edler's attorneys a copy of the stolen files "Last year."  

Wait-----That would have been 2022--way before "Darth" says he received the unsolicited email on March 15th of 2023.  Did "Darth" get the file in 2022 as Jonathan stated, or is Jonathan lying?  Or is "Darth" Newman Lying?  Or did co-counsels actually have it and read it in 2022 as Jonathan clearly stated and did/does Rayme Edler actually possess this stolen file, too?  If co-counsels to "Darth" had it "Last Year" like Owens proudly stated--this makes the entire affidavit submitted by "Darth" Newman inaccurate at best--a series of lies at worst.  So, who is lying? 

These stories do not jibe, people are lying, and timelines are changing, evolving, and revolving.

Lying liars are lying all over the place on this timeline, in affidavits, on the radio, and in the press using manipulated, stolen data to bolster their lies.  

Did they even lie to the Federal Magistrate, Hope Cannon, with this "timeline?"

Wow---too many questions.  

But make no mistake: between the FBI investigation report (which will be made public once the federal prosecutors and/or state prosecutors are done with it and have made decisions on prosecution(s)) and what the county will find and learn as we move forward with our replevin case and enter discovery and begin multiple depositions of multiple persons, we will get to the bottom of it all.  All of it.

And folks will be under oath and they will answer the questions or invoke their 5th Amendment protection from self-incrimination, because that's how depositions work, folks have to answer the questions, objections can be noted but the questions will be answered lest the Judge in the case have to get involved---and that's not good when that happens.  So understandably--- we'll be meticulous in our questions of multiple individuals we will depose as we seek to get back the property, every copy of it, that was stolen from the county and now possessed still to this day, unlawfully and unredacted, by multiple individuals and entities.

I have it on good authority and have been told by multiple persons with firsthand knowledge that clerk of the court Pam Childers unlawfully possesses a copy of this stolen, maniplutlated file.  She will not answer direct requests of her made by the county attorney as to whether or not she has a copy-- so we

On 1370 WCOA's Real News with Rick Outzen Tomorrow Morning at 7:00 AM

I'll be speaking live tomorrow at 7:00 AM on the kickoff-morning show on the fastest-growing audience cultivating station--of all formats AM or FM--in the Pensacola-area  market.  1370 WCOA.

I've once again been asked to start the week as the lead off guest on the area's fastest-growing, best, most-relevant, highest-rated, most entertaining, and most widely-trusted morning drive news talk radio program, "Real News with Rick Outzen" on the area's best talk station AM 1370 WCOA.

I'll be on at 7:00 AM Monday morning.

There were a flurry of important, newsworthy issues bubbling up late last week as we all head into a notoriously slow news climate ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday........ This could make for some good, entertaining and illuminating discussion tomorrow morning; I will be fully prepared to discuss any of it or all of it--- if Rick wishes to do so.  

One interesting aspect of coming on Rick's program, as compared to others I have been asked to be on in the past--is that Rick rarely previews what issues he wants to discuss.  There are no pre-prepared topics sent out in advance, so the discussion can be real, raw, honest and spontaneous.  So, some serious issues might very well be on tap for tomorrow morning's show.

Or---- we might just talk Turkey.  

Who knows?  After all, the news cycle takes a 7 day hiatus starting tomorrow....

Listen live at 7:00 AM and find out.  

I will post the podcast here once it is published.

New LOI for County's OLF 8 Property: $20 Million for $375 Acres + Option(s) of $12 Million Additionally for the Balance of Land

This rendering, indicating a proposed rough draft of the site plan envisioned for OLF 8 by the buyer Beulah Town Center, LLC., was included with the buyer's  Letter of Intent

Friday afternoon the BCC received another Letter of Intent (LOI) from a development group for the purchase of the county's OLF 8 property in Beulah.  I am linking the four page LOI (below), as well as the initially proposed rendering of a site plan (above).  

Although this property is in my district--OLF 8 is a county asset acquired to provide a benefit to the entire county.  Additionally, I am only one vote on this board--- and I am certain my counterparts are looking over this offer as I am doing and I'm equally certain they will each have their own thoughts, comments, questions, and concerns. I have looked over the offer and I believe there are some pros and cons to it, in my opinion.  I would assume that the board will take up this offer at our next regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, December 7th.  Meanwhile, these are my initial thoughts, below:

The pros:  

-follows spirit of Master Plan

-enhanced stormwater mitigation/more stormwater ponds

-NO single-family housing

-Town Center concept embraced

-Allows for the county to pursue a Triumph Gulf Coast Grant for job creation on the norhtern part of the property

-brings a true, mixed use development to the Beulah area complete with restaurants, retail and other amenities for nearby residents

The cons:

-Price per acre for the most valuable, southern portions and the road frontage of the field should be higher

-request to rezone the parcel to agricultural until development cammences may be unfeasible

-earnest deposit amount specified is insufficient, and a portion of it must go hard after an initial inspection period

-12 month due dilligence period is too long.

Here are the LOI documents received by the Board:

Space Station Austronaut Answers Pensacola Students' Questions Live via Satellite Link

Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli answers Pensacola students' questions live from the Space Station via a real-time satellite link-up, 11-15-2023

I get invited to a lot of really cool events as a County Commissioner.  And I am always thankful for the invitation to attend great events in our area's schools.  Yesterday was a perfect example of this.  

Pensacola's Creative Learning Academy hosted a huge crowd from the community, to include elected officials, military officers, business leaders, parents and students--to watch a real-time conversation between students and an Astronaut aboard the international space station. 

These sorts of events don't come around often, either.  

In fact, this Pensacola school was the only school in the entire state of Florida approved for a real-time, satellite link up with the space station.

Another interesting point to note about this event: two of the four Astronauts aboard the station, including Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli--the host of the interview and the Astronaut that would be answering the students' questions--began their flight training as Naval Aviators studying right here in Pensacola.  

So, at 8:30AM sharp, Head of School Kim Stafford welcomed the crowd of hundreds that had assembled in the packed school gymnasium, prior to the link up.  

Once the video call started, Astronaut Moghbeli floated in an open area of the space station, surrounded by all kinds of wires, boxes, tubes, equipment, and other paraphernalia--and fielded more than a dozen recorded questions from students.  To make the conversation more interesting, she let the microphone free float in front of her and/or spun it in the weightlessness of space a couple of times--to the delight of the students.  She even floated upside down to answer at least one question.  This move--along with her answer to the question--drew laughter from the students. 

The questions posed to Moghbeli came from first graders all the way through eighth graders--so the questions ranged from simple to amusing to interesting to thoughtful to complex.  Most of the answers were enlightening to the majority of participants in the room.  Each question was answered succinctly-- with informative video clips and personal, firsthand testimony from Moghbeli added in.  

How do you get power with no cords or generators?  What is your job on the station?  How do you wash your laundry in space?  What do stars look like from space?  How long does it take to put on your space suit? How do you exercise in Space?  When you float upside down does the blood all rush to your head like it does on Earth? --were some of the questions posed by CLA students. 

Who knew that Astronauts wear their pants for thirty days then simply dispose of them?  Who knew about the specialized machines created for exercise (2 1/2 hours per day per astronaut) that add resistance in zero gravity--and what they actually look like?  Who knew it takes nearly 6 hours to completely, safely put on a space suit prior to a spacewalk? Who knew how Astronauts actually bathe?

There were a lot of enlightening answers to all of the questions; a lot of us had a-ha moments, not just the elementary school students in attendance!  😀

Mayor DC Reeves Delivers a State of the City Address to Citizens

We work closely with the city on several issues, and three of my counterparts have large swaths of their districts that are also within the city limits.  So, there will always be some synergies and some crossover that requires city/county cooperation.  The homelessness issue and the related problems are a big topic that will require us working together. In addition to this, my employer ESA South is very interested in the happenings in the city so they asked if I would attend this event. So, I made it a point to attend last evening's "State of the City" Civicon event at the Sanders Beach Community Center.

Here are some highlights of his hour and ten-minute presentation.

First, the mayor focused on describing his progress in addressing his initial promised improvements in safety, housing, and jobs.  To illustrate his progress, he utilized data from a UWF Haas study the city commissioned of only city residents, and he also utilized data from the recently completed PYP Quality of Life Survey of area residents (including Escambia County Residents).

Highlights:

--94% of residents rated Pensacola Fire Department Excellent or Very Good

--87% of residents rated Pensacola Police Department Excellent or Very Good

--89% believe the city is heading in the “right direction.”

--new North City Police Substation will be opened at the PSC campus within the next 60 days

--City Fire Service enjoys the Highest ISO Rating, a 1

--$840,000 grant received for the installation of high tech “Shot Spotter” technology that will enable law enforcement to react to gunfire in real time and at the precise location where the gunfire occurred

--He discussed the ongoing efforts and legislative requests this upcoming session for $18 Million for demolition and re-purposing of the 50-acre legacy campus of Baptist Hospital for housing and other city needs.

--He discussed the current effort and #1 legislative ask from the state legislative delegation for a 5-gate expansion at the Pensacola International Airport-from 12 to 17 gates and additional concession options.  The funding necessary for completing this project will be split between the city, the state, and the federal government, according to Reeves.  Initial design is underway.

--Pensacola’s Airport throughput is at a record high already this year, and the projection is that by year’s end we will have had more than 2.65 million enplanements, which represents an 89% increase over enplanements in 2013

He next described what the survey data revealed to be the most desirable features of the city.  Access to

Beulah Master Plan Charettes are Coming Up!

 And every resident in the Beulah area is encouraged to participate!

I'll be on 1370 WCOA's Real News with Rick Outzen Tomorrow Morning at 7:00

I'll be on Pensacola's highest quality, highest rated, most accurate and trusted morning drive news program--"Real News with Rick Outzen" tomorrow morning at 7:00AM.

Rick Outzen, host of the area's best, highest-rated, most trusted and accurate source for morning-drive news programming--"Real News with Rick Outzen"--has invited me to be the week's lead-off guest tomorrow morning at 7:00AM.

The county won't be having any meetings anytime soon--however there is never any shortage of topics for discussion, so I'll be prepared to field any questions Rick wants to throw at me.

Perhaps we will discuss the garbage guest-editorial in today's PNJ--lionizing the clerk and slamming the BCC?

Perhaps we will discuss the ongoing homeless issue the city is enduring? 

NFCU's new park facility opening?

Who knows, maybe he'll ask me about my free speech rhetorical question I posted on my blog that is getting hammered by hits?  Or the whole bruhaha in Tallahassee?

Or maybe the issue of the "who" it will be running the new Beulah fire station once it is completed in the next few months and the old one is decommissioned.

Or the latest on OLF 8 and/or the Beulah Master Plan, or Perdido Incorporation?

There's never a shortage on what we can discuss.

So tune in live on 1370 WCOA at 7:00 or catch the podcast here, I'll post it once Rick publishes it.

Fickle Free Speech Warriors Found their Limits, Apparently

We either have free speech in America or we don't.  

Speech that is disgusting, stomach-turning, and vile is precisely the type of speech that requires the protection of a Constitutional Right to vocalize it.  In America we have that protection, it's called the First Amendment to the constitution--a vital part of the Bill of Rights.

But do we really have free speech though, in 2023's America?  Everyone knows there are guideposts and some speech is NOT protected (e.g. yelling "FIRE" in a crowded theater)--but what about political speech?

Sometimes it seems as if free speech is only permitted if certain groups, political parties, individuals, beliefs, cultures, constituencies, and ideologies are specifically NOT targeted.

We know about cancel culture.  

We know some comedians get away with saying anything they want, about anyone they want, with no real risk of financially-costly blowback.  Sometimes, folks in this camp financially benefit from their outrageously offensive speech.   Others, however,  have artificially constructed and universally mandated but unvocalized "boundaries" that, if crossed, bring immediate cancellation, stigma, and financial ruin.  Many have met this fate and never recovered.

Christians are routinely targeted for hateful speech, disgusting "artistic" depictions, and shameful cartoons.  Ho hum, nobody cares, and few stand up to decry attacks on Christianity, which is telling.....

Other religions, however, enjoy universally embraced, accepted, and projected "boundaries."  As an example:  the National Endowment for the Arts paid an artist to display a Crucifix in an aquarium full of urine.  They gushed that this was "ART" and a protected form of self expression.

By contrast, when the disgusting spectacle of the buring of the Holy Quran was advertised, promoted, and threatened by a "reverand in Florida"---free-speech warriors were AWOL. 

See how that works?

To be clear:  I do not support disgusting attacks based upon the immutable or specific characteristics of any particular religion, race, culture, or person.  NOBODY should engage in this.  I certainly don't.

But if we truly have free speech to protect disgusting, vile, appalling and gut-turning speech aimed at such persons, institutions, and cultures----------it is only a real thing if it is not selective and not punitive.  

In America--the left, the media, and some special interest groups with smiling faces and determined sincerity say cute things to demonstrate their alleged "support" of the First Amendment.  They say "We have the First Amendment----you can say anything you want but you have to understand there may be real consequences for what you say."  (translation: say something they don't 'like' ----and they will seek your absolute destruction for hate speech----- if they deem it to be 'offensive'....)

No, while they blatantly distort  their support of free speech--they've already tacitly adopted and normalized the European model on "free"speech--which surpresses much of it based upon artificially manufactured and politically correct driven "norms".  

Recently--these very same fickle free-speech warriors have apparently found their limits within a wedge issue among their comrades.  Yes, the left and many media outlets are currently embroiled in what appears to be an uncharacteristic, unusual display of internal squabbling which is driving a wedge through their caucus. (normally, they swim like a school of fish with uber liberals, moderates, and conservative Democrats ALWAYS closing ranks and moving together as a unit--which has been incredibly EFFECTIVE for them.  Republicans, by contrast, never seem to get this--particularly lately--which leads to splinter groups, infighting, and a [figuratively speaking, of course] circular firing squad effect that allows Republicans to LOSE when it counts the MOST).  And I say all this as a LIFELONG Republican!!)  

Now, it seems, the left are divided on the Israel/Hamas war.  And America's handling of it.  And President Biden's response.

Many Democrats want an immediate cease fire and decry the loss of Palestinian lives.  Others, perhaps fewer, openly purport to support "Israel's right to defend herself" while privately (and sometimes publicly) equivocating the violence of the October 7th Hamas terror attack with their perception/understanding of Israel's treatment of Palestinians, historically).  It is ripping the Democrats to pieces and President Biden's re-election polling numbers are showing the outcome.  And it get's even worse for Biden if Joe Manchin runs in the No Labels party next year, to boot.

But setting those political implications aside--here comes something interesting and curious.

As I saw very talented editorial cartoonist Michael Ramirez' cartoon going viral (depicting HAMAS doing what HAMAS actually does--hiding behind innocent civilians as human shields)--these same selective free-speech warriors demanded and succeeded in having that cartoon pulled.  And the complicit Washington Post--a  compromised left-leaning newspaper --compliantly pulled the cartoon down and issued a gushing apology to appease the hard left.

This cartoon was attacked by the left and some in the media and subsequently pulled from publications in 2023

New Beulah Fire Station will Remain a Volunteer Station

Folks were concerned and I was approached.  Apparently there were rumors flying around that I supported changing the way the Beulah Fire station was going to be operated after the old facility was decommissioned and the new one opened.  

One individual with whom I spoke even told me the volunteers who run that station currently with the assistance of a full time day shift crew were given notice that the station would become all professionally staffed once the new facility is opened.   And that I supported that?!?

That was news to me--and nothing could be further from the truth.  

So I have subsequently spoken to multiple others affiliated with that station who have told me, unequivocally, that the current arrangement is working well; this is a combination station that is functioning properly with a day shift of career firefighters running calls during the day Monday thru Friday and the ample volunteer component running the evening and weekend calls.

"We haven't missed one call, not one" said a volunteer at the station with whom I spoke at an event this week in Beulah. "So why are they doing this to us--we don't miss calls?"  he asked me.

My response was straightforward:  "They're not going to do this."

Apparently there was going to be a move to make the station fully professional and manned 24/7 with carreer staff after the construction--but after speaking with several senior administrative staff members and voicing my extreme disapproval of such a plan---I have been told subsequently it will remain volunteer run after the changeover.  

That is a relief to hear--as in many respects this new station will be a great recruiting tool for volunteers, and Beulah has a rich history as a station that has typically had a robust volunteer roster.  I, along with many others, would like to see that continue forward after we cut the ribbon on the new station, which will be named in honor of two Volunteer Firefighters who served at the station.

So as of this writing, once the new Station 2, the Bradshaw McNair Fire Station, opens in Beulah in January----the staffing model will remain as it has been:  a combination station run by the volunteers with a day time staff of career firefighters.  I mean, why change something that is working so well?

I suggest we utilize the career staff that were slated to move into Station 2 in other areas of the county where perhaps there is greater need for coverage and where calls are missed.

A Great Day and a Great WIN for Beulah Yesterday!

I was honored to be asked to participate in a fantastic ribbon cutting ceremony this morning at Navy Federal Credit Union's Pensacola Campus. The facility opening is a beautiful athletic complex with pickleball courts, beach volleyball courts, basketball courts, a large softball/baseball field, a huge open-air pavillion and miles of walking trails. The assembled gathering of more than 200 citizens heard greetings from NFCU CEO Mary Mcduffie, who traveled down to Pensacola for this event. According to the folks from NFCU, this park will be accessible and usable by the citizens of our community--not just NFCU employees--which is a HUGE win for Beulah, District 1, and Escambia County! Can't wait to walk those trails!  Check out the coverage of this great event from WEAR channel 3, here.  NorthEscambia covered it here. Troy Moon of the PNJ also did a piece and it has a very nice photo gallery of 35 shots from the event, check it out here

Welcome to "CAMP" Beggs Lane

An email along with multiple pictures was sent to me yesterday by an individual who tries to assist with the homelessness issues in the Pensacola.

Apparently, these particular homeless folks are entrenched in their own individual areas of this land off of Beggs lane.  Camp fires, tents, busted-down RV's, Opened fire hydrant for water, and trash cans coming.

And this issue is NOT unique to Beggs lane and Jones swamp.  There are homeless camps in wooded lots throughout Pensacola and Escambia County--everyone now knows this.

So, this individual who sent this information is requesting onsite case management and other support services for the women and children and expectant mothers who also reside here along with homeless males.

Looks like a tent city to me.  Interesting that a tent city was my proposal for helping to manage this homelessness issue that is becoming legion in Escambia County--except I favored having this sort of a camp set up under controlled circumstances, with security, drug treatment, medical services, job training, feeding stations, and other wrap around services far away from town, out in the woods.  This way, services could be brought to them and they would not, in the meantime,  be infringing on the peace, quiet, tranquility, and security of existing neighborhoods.  Interesting this sort of a set up was also the solution brought to us by the students at Creative Learning Academy (Minute 13:00 of this video) when they requested to bring solutions to difficult county issues.....

Between this and the Jones Swamp campgrounds--this is starting to look like what I had envisioned albeit way too close in this instance to civilization....

From the email:

"Good afternoon I just want to give an update on the area of Beggs Lane to everyone in the county including John Johnson , the COC. We have successfully moved out permanently 10 people 

 Today we served our normal weekly meal serving more than 75 people During our serving, we noticed many many pregnant women, Families with young children, And many other disabled individuals, all eager to get off the streets. But are keep getting told no room at the shelters or programs. 

 I’m wondering, is there a way like we did underneath the I110 Bridge of getting service providers together and start visiting some of our local camps like the Beggs Lane and others that we are seeing in the news? As you witnessed many of them benefited from having on-site case management. We would be happy to be a part of this or to coordinate anything to get this off the ground so we can get these individuals into something more suitable. We have started much of the casework. 

 Many individuals here at this area are unable to use our public transportation due to their disabilities as well so having on site case, management and medical would be a beneficial for all. 

I was advised that the trash cans will be delivered this week as that is becoming also another health concern. The area has been built by the homeless individuals Into their own community. When coming on the land, you will see how each individual section has been laid out from those suffering addiction to those that are veterans down to women, children, families, and disabled. With the lack of beds in our area, I am asking for anyone’s help to place these individuals into something more suitable. 

I am going to attach some of the photos of the area. In one of the photos, you will also see the fire hydrant busted open where they are using the water. Is there anyway that we can actually get suitable water that does not have to look like it is in the picture?"

 

Beulah Road Improvements on the Way

 

A public meeting will be held this evening at 5:30 in Beulah at the Senior Center on Woodside Road.  There will also be an online component to this hybrid meeting on the same topic.

This is an FDOT roadway and project--but it is an important artery road in D1.

FDOT encourages public participation and involvement in the planning of this project which will include some new sidewalks, drainage, and resurfacing.  Here is the press release from FDOT, below:

State Road (S.R.) 99 (Beulah Road) Resurfacing Project

 Hybrid Public Meeting

 Chipley, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will hold a hybrid public meeting concerning the resurfacing project on S.R. 99 (Beulah Road) from

U.S. 90 (Mobile Highway) to Isaacs Lane in Escambia County on Tuesday,

Nov. 7, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (CST).

 Citizens are encouraged to attend the virtual meeting at www.nwflroads.com/virtualmeetings. Those who are unable to participate virtually may attend the meeting in-person at the Beulah Senior Citizen Center, 7425 Woodside Road, Pensacola. Pre-registration is required for the virtual format and encouraged for in-person attendees. The same materials will be presented for each format.

 The intent of this project is to resurface existing travel and turn lanes.

Additional improvements include:

• Adding a sidewalk from Beulah Academy of Science to Nine Mile Road.
• Replacing a cross drain at Beulah Church Road intersection for improved drainage.

No additional right-of-way is required. Bids for construction are scheduled to occur fall 2024.

 Maps, drawings, and other information will be on display. FDOT representatives will be available to discuss proposed improvements, answer questions, and receive comments. 

 This meeting is being held without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status.

 For more information visit the Florida Department of Transportation District Three on the web at www.nwflroads.com, follow us on Twitter @myfdot_nwfl and Instagram @myfdot_nwfl,  like us on Facebook at MyFDOTNWFL, or subscribe to us on YouTube @MyFDOTNWFL.

 

News Journal Spin-Job over Jail Settlement Ignores Important Aspects of the Settlement

A Settlement was reached to ensure timely resolution to the multiple latent defects that have plagued the Escambia County Jail since it's opening two years ago.

The salacious headline in this morning's Pensacola News Journal is misleading at best.  And that is me being polite.

It's actually just another garden-variety hatchet-piece that is designed to discredit the county.  There was a settlement, they know this apparently through a records request they made. 

But how about telling both sides?  To read this tripe is to believe we, the county, are 100% at fault and LOST in court -----which is NOT TRUE.

Here's the truth.

There was legitimate disagreement between the contractor and the county on completion days, project days, and project delays due to the Pandemic and the disrupted supply chain and what monies from these factors were owed the contractor, and this was a part of what was settled, this is true.

But the main reason this settlement was negotiated was to memorialize the BCC's intent to finally get all the multiple latent defects at the jail addressed, once and for all.  We have had a series of problems with the jail ever since we occupied it, and an inspection conducted and documented at the county's behest was reduced to a phone book thick binder of such problems that need to be fixed and the settlement comes with a stipulation and mechanism to do this expeditiously with terms that are not to be disclosed.  The PNJ gives one bullet-point to this critically important FACT out of their entire  "National Enquirer" style headline and gotcha piece.

Par for the course with them--they'll never resist taking a shot at this BCC--whom they hate.

Also, not reported in the piece is that the lion's share of the money that was paid September 8th was money from the construction contract that we were holding all along--money that was always  to be paid to the contractor upon successful completion of the project.  The retainage.  PNJ ought to figure out what that is and what it means.  Instead they mislead the reader with the idea this is all new money, over the top, which it is not.

They also intimate the county is responsible for payment of the prime contractor's subcontracts on the project---which is flat-out untrue.  That responsibility is, was, and always has been the sole responsibility of the prime contractor.  

The balance of the money paid in this deal will come from other non-taxpayer funds, as the county continues to pursue restitution and a jury trial to accomplish this against other parties is scheduled to commence December 4-8 of 2023.  

So the headline and story indicates we LOST a lawsuit and we stiffed local subs----which is all untrue.  

This is and was a mediatied settlement that BCC has worked on crafting for two years between us and our prime contractor and the jail project.  

The objective is and was to get the jail completed and operating functionally.  

And with this agreement we are on the way to doing this.  

Finally.

Tell the WHOLE truth, PNJ.