Escambia Hires New Corrections Director
February 2, 2017
Escambia County has hired Tamyra Jarvis as the new director of corrections, responsible for the oversight of the Escambia County Jail, Community Corrections Division and the Road Prison.
Jarvis joins Escambia County from Coleman, FL, where she served as the CEO and complex warden at the Federal Correctional Complex within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Jarvis’ first day with Escambia County was Wednesday.
In her previous job, Jarvis supervised more than 1,500 employees and was responsible for the management of the largest federal correctional complex in the United States, which houses approximately 6,500 inmates in five separate institutions.
She graduated from West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in family resources and a master’s degree in business with a minor in labor and management relations. Prior to serving as the complex warden, Jarvis was the warden at the Federal Correctional Complex’s 1,500 bed high-security male facility from September 2011 to July 2012. In that position, Jarvis directed specialized inmate programs, initiated efforts to expand reentry programs and coordinated a regional reentry summit, among other accomplishments. She also served from March 2009 to September 2011 as the warden for the complex’s 2,000 bed low-security prison for men, where she coordinated program review preparation for the Correctional Services Department and received the first-ever Superior rating in the Bureau of Prisons’ history at a Federal Correctional Complex.
Jarvis has received several honors and awards during her 25-year career in corrections, including the national Excellence in Prison Management award from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, awarded for high professional standards and outstanding leadership skills. She is also a member of the Senior Executive Service, the Association of Women Executives in Corrections and the Bureau of Prison’s Health Service Division Governing Board, along with its Medical Staffing and Management Committee.
Jarvis said she’s excited about the opportunity to move to the Gulf Coast with her husband, Jeff, and work with Escambia County’s Corrections Department.
“I’m looking forward to a challenge,” Jarvis said. “I’ve been with the Bureau of Prisons for 25 years, and working in corrections at a county level is very appealing to me.”
Jarvis’ vision for corrections aligns with the Escambia County Corrections Department’s mission, which includes a focus on community corrections. Jarvis said she hopes to expand the utilization of community corrections, which provides criminal justice alternatives for nonviolent offenders while promoting a safe environment.
“I’m interested in community corrections because it lowers recidivism rates, gives the individual an opportunity to maintain their family ties, to stay at home with their families while they are transitioning from jail or prison,” Jarvis said. “They’re able to maintain employment at that time, and it gives them an opportunity to receive the treatment and the assistance they need to successfully transition back into their communities.”
Cat Country’s Brent And Candy Named ACM Award Finalists
February 2, 2017
Brent Lane and Candy Cullerton from the Cat Pak Morning Show at locally owned Cat Country 98.7 are finalists for the 2017 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Personality of the Year. This is their sixth nomination in 10 years.
The Cat Pak Morning Show won the ACM Radio Personality of the Year award in 2009.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the level of commitment and service Brent and Candy have in the community,” said Mary Hoxeng, owner of Cat Country 98.7 and sister station NewsRadio 92.3 FM/1620 AM.
Brent and Candy are “live and local” from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on Cat Country 98.7 and on CatCountry987.com.
The 52nd Annual ACM Award Show will air live from the T- Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on CBS Sunday, April 2, 2017. This year, Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley will host the show starting at 7 p.m. It will be a celebration of the country music industry and the artists that make the songs come to life.
Northview, Tate Players Ink On National Signing Day
February 2, 2017
Wednesday was National Signing Day, with local players signing at Tate and Northview high schools.
The Tate Aggies had seven players sign Wednesday, six for football and one soccer player:
Jake Henry, Appalachian State
Evan Legassey, Troy
Raymond Freeman, Mississippi State
Jared Bethea, Harding
Rod Smith, Webber
Bishop Clark, Webber
Brittney Rankins, Southern Miss (soccer)
Freeman was interested in the Air Force Academy but decommitted when Mississippi State offered the long snapper a scholarship. Free has a 30 score on the ACT and a current GPA of 4.8.
Northview High School’s Luke Ward signed with Mercer University in Macon, GA, during a ceremony Wednesday at Northview. Ward picked Mercer over South Dakota and Youngstown. Ward also received a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro out of the deal. His father Carl turned over the keys, saying that he had made a deal to give his son the car if he inked a scholarship with a Division 1 school. During Ward’s freshman year, Mercer is scheduled to play both Alabama and Auburn.
Pictured top: Northview’s Luke Ward signs with Mercer. Pictured below: The Tate High School Signing Class. NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Another Middle 70’s Kind Of Day
February 2, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. North wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 71.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 73.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71.
State Employee Pay Hikes On The Table
February 2, 2017
Florida would have more state employees, and at least some of them would make more money, under a budget proposal unveiled this week by Gov. Rick Scott.
But whether to provide employees with their first across-the-board pay raises since 2013 will be decided in the upcoming legislative session, with one powerful senator gearing up to push the issue in his chamber’s spending plan.
Scott’s proposal would add a total of 596 positions, while cutting 266. The vast majority of the new jobs, 327, would be at the Department of Corrections, which is in the middle of a turnaround effort after revelations of prisoner mistreatment. Among the other new openings would be 90 for the state’s mental-health system and 46 counterterrorism jobs at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
According to the governor’s office, 86 percent of the jobs that would be cut are already vacant, with “many more” likely to be empty by the time the budget year begins July 1. A handful of state services, like the print shop at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, would be outsourced to private companies.
A net increase in jobs would still be a rarity for Scott, who generally has pushed to shrink the number of state employees in earlier budgets.
And while Scott wouldn’t provide an across-the-board pay increase, he would make state employees eligible for one-time performance bonuses of up to $1,500 in increments of $500. For example, employees would get $500 if agencies reach certain benchmarks, another $500 if employees are rated at least “satisfactory,” and a third increment based on budget savings.
Scott has pushed for such an approach before, as he noted to reporters Tuesday after presenting his budget plan.
“I wish the Legislature would go through (with) that,” he said. “We have great state workers. You really have to thank people for what they do. The people that work in state government are on a mission. They really try to do their job really well. So I think we’ve got to make sure we pay them well.”
Some lawmakers are shooting for more as they prepare for the March 7 start of the annual legislative session.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, has signaled that he will push hard for salary increases. The last boost came in 2013, when lawmakers approved a $1,400-a-year raise for workers making up to $40,000. Those making above that mark got a $1,000-a-year increase.
At the time, it was the first pay hike for all state employees in six years, as the state’s budget was crimped by fallout of the financial downturn.
Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, told reporters at the Associated Press’ annual legislative planning session Tuesday that Latvala’s insistence means some sort of pay raise will likely be in his chamber’s budget proposal.
“Senator Latvala has made it clear to me and to other senators that this is his No. 1 policy initiative,” Negron said. “As we’re preparing the blueprint for our budget … I think my operating assumption is that based on Senator Latvala’s commitment to that issue, I would expect to see a pay raise for state employees in the Senate budget.”
But House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, sounded ambivalent about the possibility. Corcoran has called for cutting the budget to avoid projected shortfalls in future years. Still, the speaker didn’t rule out either Scott’s bonus program or raises.
“I think those are things that are on the table and are capable of happening,” he said Tuesday. “What we have said in the House is that you’re going to have to cut the budget.”
Scott’s plan would also make a series of tweaks to health insurance for state employees. An audit to re-examine dependents on the state health-care plan could help save $45 million a year, though it would cost $1.2 million to perform. A new way of managing drug prescriptions could save another $51.2 million.
And Scott has once again proposed having all state employees pay the same rates for their health insurance, something that would increase the premiums for a select number of higher-ranking state officials. It would save the state $21.8 million — but seems as unlikely to pass this year as in each of Scott’s previous budgets, which unsuccessfully included the same provision.
by Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida
Northview Wins First Weight Meet Of Season
February 2, 2017
The Northview Boy’s Weightlifting defeated Rocky Bayou Wednesday by a total score of 50-20 in the first meet of the season.
Individual winners for the Chiefs were:
119-lb. class – Greg Pressley with a total of 270 pounds (145-bench; 125-jerk)
129-lb. class – Dalton Hadley with a total of 270 pounds (160-bench; 110-jerk)
139-lb. class – MJ Jones with a total of 350 pounds (185-bench; 165-jerk)
154-lb. class – Ohijie Elliott with a total of 450 pounds (245-bench; 205-jerk)
169-lb. class – Chase Olsen with a total of 480 pounds (255-bench; 225-jerk)
183-lb. class – Tim Bush with a total of 375 pounds (195-bench; 180-jerk)
219-lb. class – Jacob Hawkins with a total of 325 pounds (170-bench; 155-jerk)
Heavyweight class – Justin Helton with a total of 420 pounds (225-bench; 195-jerk)
Also placing for the Chiefs were Caze Bradley (2nd place; 119-lb. class); Ossie Crusaw (3rd place; 139-lb. class); Colten Dockens (2nd place; 154-lb. class); Tyler Kite (2nd place; 219-lb. class).
The Northview weightlifting team returns to action on Wednesday, February 15 at West Florida.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Deputies Seek Bank Robbery Suspect
February 1, 2017
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a bank robbery suspect.
The suspect walked into the Gulf Winds at 1444 Creighton Road about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon at demanded money from the teller.
Anyone with information on the robbery or the identification of the suspect is asked to call Crime Stoppers (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Text To 9-1-1 Now Available In Santa Rosa County
February 1, 2017
Santa Rosa County’s emergency communications center now has the ability to accept 9-1-1 text messages.
The technology expands critical access for the deaf and hard of hearing and provides a safer option for individuals in dangerous situations such as domestic disputes, home invasions or kidnappings. Dispatchers can receive emergency texts from all five area service providers if the customer has a text or data plan. No additional fees are incurred by Santa Rosa County residents for this service.
While texting has overtaken calling as the most popular mobile function across many generations and especially with millennials, emergency management officials stress that calling 9-1-1 is almost always still the best option.
“Texting should be used only in situations where you absolutely cannot make a voice call. The delay in typing an emergency text and a dispatcher typing a response costs us precious seconds. Those seconds can save the life of you or a loved one,” said Scott Markel, communications chief. “There are also many additional clues dispatchers can discern based on the tone of the caller’s voice and background sounds. If you are in an emergency situation, it is imperative that you call if you are able.”
More information:
- Limit the initial message to the location of the emergency and the type of help needed. Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the dispatcher. Respond in full but simple words, and keep your messages brief and concise. Do not use emoticons or chat acronyms.
- A sample text would be: “Send police to 2000 Piney Wood Lane in Milton. Intruder in home.”
- Dispatchers will first ask for a phone number and location of the emergency. Secondly, they will ask if the caller needs police, fire or ambulance then will connect them to the appropriate agency.
- Texts are sent differently than cell phone calls and do not relay location information like voice calls do. Since dispatchers cannot determine a location from a text message, it is always better to call if at all possible.
- If texting to 9-1-1 is temporarily unavailable or you are out of the area, you will receive a message to contact 9-1-1 by other means (voice call or telecommunications relay).
- Photos and videos sent to 9-1-1 cannot go through at this time.
- Text-to-9-1-1 cannot include more than one person. Do not include any other contacts on your emergency text to 9-1-1.
- Text-to-9-1-1 has been tested extensively by county officials; there is no need for anyone to test the new service. False texts to 9-1-1 are a violation of F.S. 365.172 and considered a crime.
- Always, call if you can, text if you can’t.
Santa Rosa County public safety agencies have received extensive training in responding to 9-1-1 texts. Dispatchers can transfer emergency texts to other in-county dispatch centers such as Santa Rosa Sheriff; however there is currently no ability to transfer the caller to first responders in neighboring counties including Escambia, Okaloosa or Escambia County, Alabama. The text-to-9-1-1 service relies on the cellular carrier networks and availability or reliability cannot be guaranteed by Santa Rosa County.
Fantastic February Weather
February 1, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Light southwest wind increasing to 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night: Patchy fog after 3am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 50. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming north after midnight.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 64. North wind around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 70.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 72.
Traffic Delays Overnight On Highway 29, Muscogee Road
February 1, 2017
The north and southbound outside, right lane of State Road Highway 29 will be closed at the intersection of Muscogee Road from 8 p.m. Wednesday until 5 a.m. Thursday as crews perform underground utility work.
Drivers are reminded to use caution, especially at night, when traveling through the construction zone, and to pay attention for workers and equipment entering and exiting the work area. All activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.