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Northwest Florida In the News - July 2005
ESCAMBIA/SANTA ROSA COUNTIES -- The Florida Department of Transportation has signed a $242-million construction contract with Tidewater Skanska of Virginia Beach, Va., to replace the hurricane-damaged Interstate 10 bridge spanning Escambia Bay. Work will begin this summer on the 2.5-year project, providing three-lane spans both eastbound and westbound.
JEFFERSON COUNTY -- The county's first public transportation system, a 10-seat, handicap-equipped shuttle, is providing mobility around Monticello 11 hours daily, six days a week. Trips are free through July, then will cost 50 cents. The Florida Department of Transportation and North Florida Workforce Development Board contributed funding.
MILTON -- Connecticut-based Pioneer Aerospace Corp., part of Groupe Zodiac of France, has acquired Airlift Technologies, a U.S. government-approved aerial delivery systems engineering and manufacturing company. Pioneer, a parachute-specializing company, produces a range of aerodynamic deceleration systems. Zodiac, a $3.6-billion company, is known primarily for inflatable boats.
NORTHWEST FLORIDA -- Opportunity Florida Inc. has received a $100,000 Regional Rural Development grant from Gov. Jeb Bush to promote economic development within a roughly eight-county region redesignated in December a "Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern.'' The area covers Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Liberty, Jackson and Washington counties and the city of Freeport in Walton County.
Legislators this session voted to continue exempting the Panhandle from the state's Environmental Resource Permitting program, wetlands and stormwater rules governing the rest of Florida. Gov. Jeb Bush put $1.9 million in his 2006 budget to help fund ERP for the Northwest Florida Water Management District, but regional legislators pushed for the extension, saying local oversight is sufficient.
OKALOOSA COUNTY -- Heritage Plantation, expected to start construction this summer in north Okaloosa County, will give the county its first Community Development District and provide a public-use sports complex. The 900-acre project will include 775 homes, swimming pools, golf course and equestrian facilities. A CDD is a special taxing district to pay for community infrastructure needs.
PANAMA CITY BEACH -- Worker availability is a growing issue for the fast-growing hospitality sector and second-home condominium developments. Tourism officials say they need at least 1,000 maintenance, housekeeping, restaurant, retail and attractions workers now. A mid-May Sunday classified section in the Panama City News Herald listed 600 area help-wanted ads over nine pages, more than twice the Sunday classified space of a year earlier.
PENSACOLA -- Capt. John Pruitt, retiring this summer from 27 years in the Navy and as commanding officer of Pensacola Naval Air Station, has a new billet ready for him in early July: Military issues manager for Gulf Power Co., the Pensacola-based regional electric utility. Pruitt, 50, is also a CPA and holds a business degree. He'll work with defense support organizations and economic development agencies to help shore up the economy's military sector.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida gave a $100,000 endowment to the University of West Florida for nursing student scholarships, presented as UWF graduated its first four-year nursing baccalaureates. Hospitals in northwest Florida have reported more than 11% of nurse staffing needs are unmet. Workforce estimates project Florida will need 61,000 more nurses by 2020.
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State University has graduated its first College of Medicine class, 27 students who attended two years of classes in Tallahassee, followed by two years at campuses in Orlando or Pensacola, working with hospitals, doctors and other medical personnel. FSU's medical school this year became the country's first medical school to be fully accredited since 1982.
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