Escambia (AL) Man Gets Federal Prison Time For Failing To Register As A Convicted Sex Offender
June 5, 2020
An Escambia County (AL) man was sentenced Thursday on a federal charge of failure to register as a convicted sex offender.
Timonthy Felder, 47, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison and a 10-year supervised release when he is released. He will also be required to underdo sexual offender treatment, register as a sex offender, and pay a $1,000 special assessment.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Felder had previously been convicted of incest in Fulton County, Georgia. As a result of that conviction, hewas required to register as a sex offender for life and he was initially compliant.
On April 4, 2019, Felder requested permission to work for an amusement company that was temporarily set up in Atmore. That request was denied by an Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s detective. Felder was scheduled to report for address verification in June 2019 but did not report. Escambia County Sheriff’s detectives went to Felder’s address. Residents there told detectives that Felder had not lived there for approximately two months, and that he had told them he was leaving to work for the traveling amusement company.
Felder was eventually located and arrested by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Service in Miltonon September 25, 2019. An employee of the amusement company reported that Felder hadd been working with them since March 2019 and had traveled to locations in Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Felder did not register in any of those jurisdictions. Felder was interviewed and admitted to traveling out of state, failing to register in those states, failing to get permission to travel, and failing to attend registration appointments.
Escambia County COVID-19 Deaths Up To 36, Cases Up By Five
June 4, 2020
The death toll from COVID-19 increased by one to 36 in Escambia County on Friday, according to the Florida Department of Health.
The fatality was a 90-year old long-term care facility resident.
The number of cases in Escambia County is up by five to 871, and Santa Rosa County is up one to 266.
Of the 36 deaths in Escambia County, 28 have been long-term care facility residents or staff. There have been eight deaths in Santa Rosa County, seven of those at the Blackwater River Correctional Facility and none in long-term care facilities.
Statewide, there were 61,488 cases including 59,993 Florida residents. There have been 10,794 hospitalizations* and 2,660 deaths. The Florida Department of Health does not have a clear standard or definition of “recovered” and does not report a number of recovered individuals.
Escambia County cases:
- Total cases — 871 (+5 since Thursday)
- Pensacola — 619
- Cantonment — 53
- Bellview — 6
- Perdido Key — 1
- McDavid/Walnut Hill — 1
- Molino – 11
- Century — 2
- Hospitalizations: 65*
- Deaths — 36
- Male — 293
- Female — 404
- Youngest — 0
- Oldest — 105
Santa Rosa County cases:
- Total cases — 256 (+1 since Thursday)
- Milton — 158
- Navarre — 40
- Gulf Breeze — 30
- Pace — 17
- Jay — 4
- Residents: 129
- Nonresidents — 1
- Hospitalizations — 23*
- Deaths — 9
- Male — 180
- Female — 72
- Youngest — 2 months
- Oldest — 94
Florida cases:
- Total cases — 61,488
- Florida residents — 59,993
- Deaths — 2,660
- Hospitalizations — 10,794*
*“Hospitalizations” is a count of all laboratory confirmed cases in which an inpatient hospitalization occurred at any time during the course of illness. These people may no longer be hospitalized. This number does not represent the number of COVID-19 positive persons currently hospitalized. The FDOH does not provide a count of patients currently hospitalized.
Atmore Man Charged With Murder. Victim Was Both Shot And Stabbed.
June 4, 2020
An Atmore man has been charged with an April murder at a local apartment complex.
Antonio Albert Crenshaw, 38, was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center on a charge of murder. He also facing charges of receiving stolen property second degree and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Desmond Deshun Dirden, 43, was found shot and stabbed about outside an apartment complex on Patterson Street about 1:24 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. Police were responding to a reported assault when they found his body.
Dirden was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Police Chief Brooks said the arrest came after an extensive investigation by the Atmore Police Department.
File photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Today’s The Last Day Of The Disaster Prep Sales Tax Holiday. Here’s What You Can Buy Tax Free.
June 4, 2020
THIS STORY IS OUTDATED. THE TAX HOLIDAY ENDED JUNE 4.
Floridians can purchase qualifying disaster preparedness supplies exempt from tax during the 2020 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. Passed by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the sales tax holiday begins ends Thursday, June 4.
The following items are tax free until midnight:
For the complete, detailed information from the Florida Department of Revenue, click or tap here.
Mayor Wanted To Hire New Century Utilities Boss At $50K A Year. Council Says Not Without Seeing A Resume.
June 4, 2020
Century Mayor Henry Hawkins wanted to hire a new gas and water superintendent this week for nearly $50,000 a year, but town council members put the brakes on his request because they were not provided with enough information.
Hawkins told the council that the man is from the local area, was qualified for the job and has worked for another utility system for the past six months. The mayor verbally asked for approval to hire the man at $24 an hour, but did not provide the council with a resume or any other written information.
His salary would have mostly been covered by budgeted funds that became available the departure of longtime Century employee Joe Brown.
Council members deferred a vote to hire the new employee until they received a resume and additional information. They also questioned when the position was actually advertised.
Wednesday afternoon, Interim City Manager Vernon Prather said the man has withdrawn his application.
A similar position was advertised once on March 12 in the weekly Tri-City Ledger newspaper at a cost of $214.50, according to documents provided by the town. The application closing date was April 9. There was only the one applicant, Hawkins told the council.
The employment ad was not submitted to NorthEscambia.com for publication. NorthEscambia.com publishes public notices and employment ads at no cost to the Town of Century, and the council voted several years ago to submit all ads and public notices NorthEscambia.com in addition to any other publications.
Editor’s note: It should be noted that Hawkins named the individual during the meeting, as his application is public record. Since the individual has withdrawn his application and is employed elsewhere, NorthEscambia.com has chosen not to name him because we don’t know if he told his current employer he was seeking another position. We do not wish endanger the man’s current job. We did receive a copy of the resume.
Highland Baptist Set Aside Three Hours To Give Away Free Produce. It Was Gone In 45 Minutes.
June 4, 2020
Highland Baptist Church in Molino had set aside three hours to distribute free boxes of produce Wednesday afternoon. It only took about 45 minutes due to the overwhelming demand.
At a rate of over two boxes per minute, the church distributed 100 produce boxes in conjunction with the USDA and Gulf Coast Produce.
The boxes contained a variety of fresh produce, including apples, potatoes, lemons, oranges, onions and carrots.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Nine Mile Road Set To Be Completely Closed At Highway 29 Thursday Night
June 4, 2020
Nine Mile Road is set to be complete closed at the Highway 29 overpass Thursday night.
The closure is planned for 8 p.m. to midnight as crews paint the newly constructed southbound bridge deck. Construction activities are weather dependent and may be delayed or rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
All Nine Mile Road traffic will be directed to the on and off-ramps at the Highway 29 overpass. Traffic control officers will be on site to help direct motorists.
Eastbound Nine Mile Road will be reduced to one lane, directed to Highway 29 southbound, U-turn at West Hood Drive, and return to Nine Mile Road. Westbound traffic will perform the same operation at West 9 1/2 Mile Road.
Throughout the week, drivers traveling Nine Mile Road at the Highway 29 overpass and traffic between I-10 and 9 1/2 Mile Road may experience alternating lane shifts or closures as crews continue drainage and paving operations.
Click graphic to enlarge.
Tate High Lady Aggies Won’t Have A 2020 Summer Ball Season
June 4, 2020
The Tate High School Lady Aggies softball program announced Wednesday that they will not have a summer ball season this year.
The Lady Aggies do plan to hold open field this summer, but those dates have not yet been announced.
Here’s The Latest On Expected Local Impacts From Cristobal And Our Detailed Forecast
June 4, 2020
Cristobal has weakened to a tropical depression over land, but it is expected to regain tropical storm status. Cristobal continues to slowly move over the Yucatan today before drifting north into the Central Gulf this weekend.
At this point for Northwest Florida, there will a high risk of rip currents long the coast. Heavy rainfall is likely late Saturday night into early Monday morning. There is a possibility of some wind impact along the coast.
The latest on Cristobal is in the graphics on this page, click any image to enlarge.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Calm wind.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 83. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 82. East wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 85. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Monday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Click any graphic to enlarge for additional information.
Flomaton Native Promoted At NASA. His Job? To Land People On The Moon By 2024.
June 4, 2020
Greg Chavers has been appointed to the Senior Executive Service position of deputy manager of the Human Landing System Program Office at Marshall Space Flight Center.
The Senior Executive Service is the personnel system covering most of the top managerial positions in federal agencies.
Chavers will assist Lisa Watson-Morgan, manager of the Human Landing System Program, in leading the rapid development of an integrated human lunar landing system – including a descent element, ascent element and transfer vehicle for the Artemis program, which will deliver the first woman and next man to the lunar surface by 2024. Chavers will work directly with U.S. industry partners, administer and monitor expenditures of the fiscal year 2020 budget, lead a team of approximately 425 employees at multiple NASA centers and act as the chair of the agency’s Human Landing System Control Board.
Chavers has 29 years of experience in project management and development of lunar landing systems. He joined Marshall in 1991 as an aerospace engineer in the Systems Analysis and Integration Laboratory. Other past roles include acting chief of the Planning, Operations and Analysis Branch; lead systems engineer for the Spacecraft and Lander System; project engineer for the Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project; manager of the Resource Prospector Lunar Lander Project; and manager of the Advanced Exploration Systems’ Lander Technologies Project. Since February 2018, he has been formulation manager of the Human Exploration & Operations Mission Directorate’s Advanced Cislunar and Surface Capability. Chavers has been the acting deputy manager of the Human Landing System Program Office since September 2019.
Chavers earned a bachelor’s in aerospace engineering from Auburn University in 1990. He earned a master’s and doctorate in physics – both from the University of Alabama in Huntsville – in 1998 and 2003, respectively.
A native of Flomaton, he and his wife, Denise, reside in Priceville with their son, Dustin, and daughters Marissa and Maleiha.