Santa Rosa Deputies Investigating Halloween Night Arson
November 1, 2011
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Halloween night arson.
A resident of the 4000 block of Kentwood Street told emergency dispatchers that someone had set fire to his father’s vehicle in the driveway of the residence. Witness told deputies that they observed two suspects running from the vehicle after it exploded. One of the suspects was engulfed in flames as he ran from the scene, setting fire to a nearby wooded area as he ran through them.
Burned clothing belonging to the suspect was found at the scene, according to deputies.
Other witnesses told investigators that hey observed the suspects walking up to the victim’s residence wearing Halloween masks and carrying large buckets.
The incident is currently being jointly investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office
Pictured: A Halloween night arson in Santa Rosa County. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
AG Appeals Prison Privatization Ruling
November 1, 2011
At the urging of lawmakers, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday appealed a judge’s ruling that a controversial plan to privatize 29 prison facilities was unconstitutional.
Bondi’s office announced about 4:30 p.m. that it had filed a notice of appeal in the 1st District Court of Appeal. The move came as a surprise: Earlier in the day, Gov. Rick Scott’s administration said it would not fight the judge’s ruling.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, issued a statement expressing confidence that the appeal will be successful and that privatization will help save tax dollars for the state.
“Not only is the privatization of our state’s prisons good policy, but it ensures that our state can dedicate more money to education, health care or economic development programs that would otherwise be spent on prisons,” Haridopolos said.
The state faced a Monday deadline for deciding whether to appeal. The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which filed the lawsuit, said it was disappointed that Bondi “waited until the last minute” to file an appeal but said it is willing to fight the privatization issue to the Supreme Court, if necessary.
“We’ve been ready to go from the start, and we’re taking it to the next level,” PBA Executive Director Matt Puckett said.
Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford on Sept. 30 agreed with the PBA’s arguments that lawmakers violated the state constitution in the way they approved the privatization plan. Legislative leaders included the plan in the fine print of the state budget — known as proviso language — instead of passing it in a regular bill.
“Based on the record before it, this court concludes that if it is the will of the Legislature to itself initiate privatization of Florida prisons … the Legislature must do so by general law, rather than ‘using the hidden recesses of the General Appropriations Act,’ ” Fulford wrote, partially quoting a decades-old Supreme Court ruling.
Prison privatization has long been a hot-button issue, with the politically influential PBA fighting proposals to turn over operations of correctional facilities to private companies. On the other side, prison firms lobby for the changes and promise budget savings to lawmakers.
The named defendant in the lawsuit is Department of Corrections Secretary Kenneth Tucker, whose agency is part of Scott’s executive branch. As a result, it appeared that an appeal was dead when Scott’s office said Monday it would not challenge Fulford’s ruling.
But Jenn Meale, a Bondi spokeswoman, said the attorney general’s office went forward with the appeal at the request of the Legislature. She said the office, which has represented the state in the case, has the authority to pursue such appeals when defending the constitutionality of laws.
A spokeswoman for Scott, Jackie Schutz, said the case was about a question of legislative power, making lawmakers – with the attorney general representing them – “best suited to litigate this case.”
Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, both said they think the Legislature acted appropriately in using the budget proviso language to make the prison changes.
Even if lawmakers are not successful in the appeal, they could approve the privatization plan in a regular bill. They could do that as soon as the 2012 legislative session, though revisiting the privatization idea likely would touch off a fierce political fight.
The PBA was already preparing for such a legislative fight Monday, after it appeared the state would not appeal the judge’s ruling. The session starts in January.
“Now we need to educate the public and the Legislature on the significant public-safety issues and lack of significant savings associated with the privatization issue,” Puckett said in a statement released after Scott declined to file the appeal.
The proviso language offered a roadmap to privatize prisons, work camps and other types of correctional facilities in 18 counties across the southern part of the state.
The language called for the Department of Corrections to solicit proposals from private companies and then submit a plan to the Legislative Budget Commission by December 1. If approved by the commission, the proviso said the department “may” award a contract to a private company.
Immediately after Fulford’s ruling, the department suspended the planned opening of bid proposals from companies interested in operating the prisons.
By The News Service of Florida
Jimmy O. Unruh
November 1, 2011
Jimmy O. Unruh, 86, of Pensacola passed away on Friday, October 28, 2011. Mrs. Unruh was born on December 16, 1924, in Pensacola and was a graduate of Tate High School. She worked for 30 years for Field Enterprises Educational (World Book Encyclopedias). She was a member of Northridge Church and loved the Lord above everything else. Jimmy loved jokes and stories, reciting poems, playing piano, reading books, puzzles, giving gifts and making dinners.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Elmer Roy Unruh, Sr.; son, Elmer Roy Unruh, Jr.; sisters, Eleanor Caro, Hazel Garrett and Julia Shofner.
Survivors include her sons, James Unruh (Marsha) and Rodney Unruh (Erin); her sisters, Violet Hogan, Doris Rose (Syd), Betty Ray (Sid) and Gwen Thompson (Weegie); grandchildren, Clint Capp, Ben Unruh, Kevin Unruh and Megan along with a great grandchild, Owen Unruh.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. from Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel with Pastor Charles Stanford and Darryl Eubanks officiating. Burial will follow at Gonzalez United Methodist Church Cemetery.
Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Julia Manor
November 1, 2011
Julia Manor of Pensacola, Florida, died October 28, 2011.
She was born April 04, 1927, at Molino, the daughter of Jesse and Ola Linton Nicholson. Julia was a 1945 graduate of Pensacola High School. She was united in marriage with Reese L. Manor on April 27, 1952. This union produced two children, Christine of Rockville MD, and David of Orlando. Other survivors are two brothers, Jesse Nicholson of Pace and Eugene Nicholson of Pace.
Julia was a member of Plainview Baptist Church and was retired from U. S. Civil Service. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Clyde; sisters, Margaret, Clara, Carrie, Ola Mae, Shirley and Dorothy and her husband Reese.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, November 1, 2011, at Bayview Fisher-Pou Chapel with Reverend William Flannigan officiating.
Interment will follow at Bayview Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until service time Tuesday.
Margie Louise Shiver
November 1, 2011
Margie Louise Shiver, age 80, of Milton, died Sunday, October 30, 2011, at a local hospital. Mrs. Shiver was a native of Flomaton.
She was preceded in death by her husband Willie T. Shiver; son, Ervin Shiver; mother and father James and Nancy White; brother, James V. White.
Louise is survived by; three grandsons, Casey Shiver, Steve Shiver and Mickey Shiver; eight great grandchildren; two sisters, Burnette Prim of Flomaton, and Laverne Minchew of Pensacola; several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. till 8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2011, at Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home and services will be on Wednesday, November 3, 2011 at 2p.m. at Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home with burial to follow at Eastern Gate Memorial Gardens. Bro. Mitch Herring will be the officiating minister.
Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.