LOCAL NEWS
On Monday March 13, the Executive Committee of the Leon County Children’s Services Council (CSC) will consider a proposal to increase staffing. The increase in staffing will result in $819,858 in total expense during the FY 2023-24. In February, the total CSC budget was reported to be approximately $7.6 million.
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After the storm that came through last Friday, the National Weather Service conducted a storm survey Saturday morning and it was determined that 80 mile-per-hour winds were the cause of the damage is eastern Leon County, and not a tornado. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines straight line winds as “Straight line winds are thunderstorm winds that have no rotation.”
The City of Tallahassee’s HR Director was fired late last week and believes it was retaliatory. The former director’s firing came after TPD Chief Lawrence Revell reinstated an officer who tested positive for amphetamines while on duty. The officer claimed he took his wife’s Adderal meds by accident. The now-fired HR Director pushed back against the reinstatement, according to internal records. However, the former HR Director did not say specifically if she was fired for her pushback.
FLORIDA NEWS
A new poll shows Florida voters are now in favor of recreational marijuana legalization. The University of North Florida released the polls and it showed approximately 70 percent of voters would support legalization while approximately 29 percent opposed it. In 2016, over 71 percent of voters passed a constitutional amendment legalizing medicinal marijuana. Constitutional amendments require 60 percent of voters to vote in favor of the measure in order for it to pass.
Red Tide has made a comeback on the Sarasota coast, and local officials are expecting it to remain in the area for a couple of weeks. Dead fish have washed up on the beach and breathing problems are being reported. Red tide, a toxic algae bloom that occurs naturally in the Gulf of Mexico, is worsened by the presence of nutrients such as nitrogen in the water. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said on Friday they found red tide in 157 samples along Florida’s Gulf Coast, with the strongest concentrations along Pinellas and Sarasota counties.
SPORTS
FSU baseball fell to the Pitt Panthers yesterday, but they had already locked up the series win in Saturday’s game. Yesterday’s game, however, was delayed at 3:30 p.m. before eventually being called after two-and-a-half hours due to rain and lightning, ending in a 8-6 Pitt win. The Noles are now 11-4 and 2-1 to start ACC play.
TALLAHASSEE WEATHER
The Tallahassee Reports Daily Briefs: Monday, March 13 added by Staff on
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When I said, “But officer I thought the speed limit was 35,” he said my ignorance was no excuse and gave me the ticket.
When I said, “But officer I thought 18 was the legal drinking limit here,” she said you’re ignorance is no excuse and arrested me.
When he said, “I didn’t know it was adderall,” a real police chief would say your ignorance is no excuse you’re fired.
Mr Frank
“If law enforcement officers catch you with prescription meds on your person without a doctor’s prescription, you could face serious charges that include jail time and fines. Florida Statutes Chapter 893 makes it illegal to carry controlled substances without a prescription from a licensed medical professional.”
Are you advocating for a double standard? It appears you have a problem with Commissioner Matlow that is obfuscating your rationale.
Mr Hawk
It is illegal to take prescription medication that was not prescribed for you. Adderall is a prescription medication belonging to someone else in this situation. It is still illegal. A police officer is held to a higher standard and should know better.
Again, there seems to be a double standard.
@ Frank = This is another way to look at it:
7) Upon confirmation of a positive test result for an illegal controlled substance,
the employee shall immediately be removed from duty, placed on leave
without pay status, and terminated from City employment.
#7 needs to be removed NOW. Illegal is the Key word here. He said it was a Family Members Medication that he Accidently took. He didn’t buy it off the Street. I could be wrong but, I don’t think it is against the Law to Take a Pill that is prescribed to a FAMILY Member Accidently or other wise. Now, if he went to work and started feeling Loopy because of the Medication, he should have been sent home and maybe given a Rip for it at best.
Nicholas…With the Chief of Police having the authority, granted by the City of Tallahassee in a City Commission vote of approval, to use discretion in the matter that has garnered so much attention, other city officials, meaning the HR Director and little Jerry Matlow (who voted for the agreement) should not be running their mouths over something that has been decided…in accordance with The COT/PBA Collective Bargaining Agreement. Maybe they can go back to the bargaining table with The PBA and work out a revision. Yeah…right.
Mr Frank
It was troubling when the police chief appeared at the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce in lockstep with Jack Campbell intimidating innocent business owners that they rule the political agenda in this town. They were both censored and looked like fools and citizens have lost confidence. I think the police chief is a nice person, but the leadership that he is under is misogynistic and self-serving. He is in a catch 22.
It was wrong to fire the city HR director and the police chief does not look good in the situation and neither does the mayor or city manager. You can’t fire people for doing their job. If anyone should be fired it should be the city manager in the mayor. And I think you know that.
These are the 2 paragraphs which, read ‘side by side’ are causing the confusion (Page 48 of the COT/PBA Agreement::
7) Upon confirmation of a positive test result for an illegal controlled substance,
the employee shall immediately be removed from duty, placed on leave
without pay status, and terminated from City employment.
(8) Upon confirmation of a positive test result for the illegal use or abuse of a
controlled substance, the employee shall immediately be removed from
duty, placed on leave without pay status, and subject to disciplinary action
up to and including termination from City employment.
With the Officer being reinstated, that means he was terminated, thus compliance with Par. 7 was observed. Par. 8 indicates the Police Chief has discretionary authority regarding retaining the Officer, which he exercised.
The “constitutional carry” bill may be in jeopardy. The demand to include open carry vs. Sen. President Passidomo opposition may get the bill withdrawn. Republicans truly excel at snatching defeat from the jaws of sucess.
IMO: Decriminalization for personal quantities and use is the answer, not full-blown legalization. Those cities and states that have gone full-blown legalization rave about the millions they have raked in with new taxes, but the conveniently leave out the negative impacts. Like the negative impacts it has on family-oriented tourism. The dramatic increase in vehicle crashes/deaths due to stoned drivers (DUI isn’t just about alcohol). The dramatic increase in pot-related health problems and subsequent increases in employer-offered health insurance. The dramatic decrease in student IQ’s and educational comprehension and information retention. The inability for business to find and hire competent (not stoned) employees. And the inevitable path to a life of taxpayer funded entitlement living… to name a few
Of course it was retaliation. There is a culture of fear, favoritism and intimidation at the city. A three-person majority (Curtis, DWC, Dailey) supporting Goad is drunk on power and blew their new political capital on covering up hard drug abuse within TPD, whose Union is getting more politically aggressive. Ric Fernandez works for Ghazvini/Premier Fine Homes now. Are they warming up a new job for Reese, or will they fire every other honest person not on the take at city hall?
O/T Breaking news…
Ghazvinis caught clearing and filling on the north side. Welch questions, but city gave them permit. The DAILEY corruption continues…
Why can’t people enjoy fresh air???? I don’t want to smell the stinch of marijuana every time I take a breath outside! It makes me sick. Wake up People! You are turning Florida into California and Colorado. If you want to smoke weed freely, Move!! Leave Florida alone and keep our air marijuana free!!!
Jon, Tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol are not the same. Tobacco and marijuana smoke are lighter than air solids and do not flush from your system like liquids (alcohol) Their effects stick to your lungs.The health hazards and cost to the medical injury are exponentially higher with tobacco/weed. The right to ingest…yes but the consequences of the ingesting are much different.
Tobacco, Weed, Alcohol, its all the same. People have a right to ingest what they want. And to control it in public, or their own private spaces. Protect children, punish DUI and crime, dont worry about what other people smoke.
I truly hate the thought of pot stink permeating the air every where. It gives me a headache.
Regarding legalizing recreational marijuana and “People will need to know that they will still be subject to Job Drug Tests and Firings.” That wont be true for TPD officers IF Goad and Dailey like the officer?
I knew a a Tally firefighter who was talking his Lt in the TFD kitchen. He saw a folded up dollar big on the floor and picked it up. Upon unfolding right in front of tbe Lt, it had a small bit of what turned out to be cocaine. TFD made the finder get a drug test, no one else.
Of course her Firing was retaliatory, and Heads should roll.
RED TIDE happens Every Year, some Years worse than other but it happens Every Year. Just put Signs on the Beaches that say “RED TIDE SEASON SWIM AT OWN RISK” and be done with it.
I am still up in the air about recreational marijuana legalization. People will need to know that they will still be subject to Job Drug Tests and Firings.
The news on The Preston Scott Show this morning was verbatim the new on TR.
Who’s copying who?
The heavens are weeping over Tallahassee with the mayor and city manager’s sadistic and misogynist decision showing their vitriol and retaliation to a rank and file worker for her dedication. This is a sad time and people should rise up and say enough is enough. Leaders who cannot control their tempers and react with such a heinous act has far reaching effects to the citizens that they took an oath to serve. The Tallahassee HR Director should have her job back immediately and the mayor and city manager should step down and be required to have anger management training. Make things right.