The PNJ has its ideal cover story – A SWAT Team standoff. A pastor of a mysterious local ministry allegedly has a dispute with an auto repair shop and does a drive-by shooting. Now all IN readers know that in Escambia County we don’t shoot people over disputed bills, and we don’t go to small claims court. No, we have the ECSO arrest them for petit theft (Read: Are You Immune To Arrest?).
Once again, our area politicians have problems with filling out campaign reports and ethics. Santa Rosa Co. Commissioner Bob Coles isn’t a very good bookkeeper and just has trouble with those darn election reports. Good thing, commissioners aren’t assessed with the FCAT. Maybe we need a “No Commissioner Left Behind program”.
In Century, the ethics panel did find probable cause against Mayor Hammond. How was she to know that Little League concession-stand funds couldn’t be a revenue source for the city? It has long been rumored that most of the drugs coming into Pensacola go through Century…maybe they should make Hwy 29 a toll road in Century.
And, of course, the PNJ has another story on property taxes.
In Fort Walton Beach, the Daily News tackles the cooling real estate market and has well researched article on foreclosures in Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties. Also, Porsche dealer is coming to Destin…just another sign Escambia County is slipping further behind.
The Panama City News Herald reports that the State Legislature has put $500,000 to clean up and remove sediment from Martin Lake. Baskerville-Donovan is the engineer. Wouldn’t it be nice if Murzin and Ford could get similar appropriations? But I don’t think Escambia County or City of Pensacola asked for them.
Also the News Herald reports on jail problems of Girls Gone Wild owner Joe Francis.
Across the state, the major dailies use Saturday for bigger stories than SWAT team stand-off. The St. Pete Times looks at what happen if a Hurricane Katrina-type storm hit Tampa in Would we fail like New Orleans?
The Miami Herald laments how elusive the revitalization of their downtown has been in Slow Progress .
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports on charter school problems – Former charter school principal used school funds to buy SUV, investigators say.
The Orlando Sentinel leads with Lawmakers move toward huge tax cut. You might find it informative to see what other papers are writing about the property tax issue.