Cantonment Man Charged With Luring And Trying To Meet Underage Girl For Sex. He Was Met By Deputies Instead.
April 3, 2020
A Cantonment man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly luring and trying to meet an underage girl for sex on Thursday. Instead, he was met by deputies from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Christopher James McElveen, Sr., 40, was charged with luring or enticing a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct, traveling to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct and the unlawful use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony.
Using the profile name “Chris McElveen” on a commonly used social media platform, McElveen initiated contact on March 23 with an undercover investigator posing as girl under the age of 13, according to an arrest report. The social media site was not named by authorities.
The investigator informed McElveen several times that his online persona was an underage girl. McElveen stated “I would prefer younger but its all good” and he initiated sexual conversation. His chats included statements that included “Im okay with you”, “age and all” and comments that he has previously engaged in sexual contact with a seven-year old girl, the report states.
“McElveen sent several messages of his sexual intent, he began inquiring about if my parents we at home or at work and expressed wanting to meet. McElveen advised that he wished to get a hotel room for a few hours with the underage female, and once again named the sexual acts he wished to perform with the underage female,” the investigator wrote.
A meeting location was established on Thursday, April 2, and McElveen drove his gold GMC van to the location and sent a message to the undercover social media profile which stated “Im parked on the side”. He was taken into custody without incident, and a search warrant was executed at his residence at 801 Cedar Tree Lane. His cellular phone was seized as evidence pending an additional search warrant.
McElveen’s statements to investigators were redacted from the arrest report. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
DeSantis Suspends Mortgage Foreclosures And Evictions For 45 Days
April 3, 2020
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Thursday that suspends foreclosures and evictions for 45 days. The order does not relieve an individual’s obligation to make mortgage payments and rent payments.
DeSantis’ order suspends all statutes “providing for a mortgage foreclosure cause of action.” For evictions, the order only specifies tenants may not be removed for nonpayment, which seemed to indicate evictions for other reasons would be allowable.
“I,m not sure you’re going to rent out a lot of new places anyways, but you never know how people are going to act.” DeSantis said during a press conference.
ECAT To Receive $10.3 Million In Federal Funding; Temporarily Suspends Fares
April 3, 2020
Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) is expected to receive $10.3 million in COVID-19 stimulus funding, and they are temporarily suspending all fares.
The CARES Act funds are for capital and operational expenses during COVID-19 for local transit services. It’s 100% funding with no local match required.
Beginning Monday, April 6, ECAT will temporarily suspend fare collection for passengers of ECAT bus services due to COVID-19 In addition, bus passengers will be instructed to enter and exit through the rear doors only and sit behind the accessibility-reserved seating area. Front-door access will be permitted only for passengers needing the boarding ramp or operator assistance to access the bus. ADA accessible seating space near the front of the bus is reserved for individuals in mobility devices, individuals in need of special assistance and families with children in strollers.
The changes will provide some separation between the operator and the passengers—and between passengers. The changes are being implemented in addition to precautions already implemented by ECAT, including increased sanitizing efforts of every bus on a daily basis.
Escambia County Mass Transit Director Tonya Ellis stated, “In continuing service during this state of emergency, our priority remains the safety and health of our employees and passengers. By eliminating close interactions at bus fareboxes, we can better implement social distancing by avoiding interaction in this high contact area.”
UWF Making 3D-Printed Face Shields For Medical Workers
April 3, 2020
As a shortage of full face shields for healthcare workers grips the nation in the battle against COVID-19, the University of West Florida responded by asking one of the University’s direct support organizations to manufacture, manage and distribute 3D-printed full face shield supplies at its Sea3D Additive Manufacturing Laboratory in downtown Pensacola. The full face shields will be free of charge and distribution is set to begin on Tuesday, April 7.
“By now most of us are aware of the shortage of face shields for healthcare workers,” said UWF President Martha D. Saunders. “At UWF, we are simply doing what we do best, deploying our resources for the good of our community. Fighting COVID-19 is a critical mission and we’re all in this together.”
The production team will print components for the shields on-demand for distribution after a short application process. Distribution will occur at the Sea3D lab, located inside the UWF Historic Trust’s Museum of Commerce in downtown Pensacola. The goal is to make 60 per day, six days a week, for four weeks, resulting in approximately 1,440 shields per month. While the University is donating these face guard kits, each unit costs $6.50 in materials and roughly $4 in labor. UWF Business Enterprises, Inc., a direct support organization of the University, is sponsoring the initiative and managing the manufacturing and distribution.
Healthcare providers may request the shield kits by completing an online form and satisfying the conditions of acceptance. Priority may be given to local nonprofit healthcare providers serving at risk populations including the elderly, low income and the homeless. After completing a web request and signing a waiver, representatives from healthcare agencies may pick the face guard kits up at 4 p.m. each weekday at the Museum of Commerce.
“This is an opportunity for UWF students and faculty to collaborate with manufacturers and utilize their skills in this time of need,” said Nicole Gislason, interim assistant vice president of the UWF Haas Center. “We teach our students that real-world problems can be transformed into creative solutions through research, invention and discovery. There is no better time than the present for them to put that teaching to practical use.”
The production team consists of innovators from multiple departments at UWF, including nursing, engineering, art and business. UWF students and faculty will work alongside professionals from regional hospitals, the Escambia County Division of Emergency Management, Jupiter Bach, GE Renewable Energy and Alto Products Corp.
“There are thousands of inventors and makers around the globe generously sharing their ideas to address the pandemic,” said Thomas Asmuth, associate professor of the UWF Department of Art and a designer for the production team. “We are very grateful for the quick start from other designers around the world. You can be very agile in response to a problem when you are using rapid prototyping technologies. As a designer and maker, there is nothing comparable.”
Kids Pick Up Chromebooks, Other Virtual Instruction Supplies
April 3, 2020
Kids across Escambia County picked up Chromebooks and other essential items this week from their local school as the district transitions into all remote instruction.
Students in grades K-2 were assigned Chromebooks from a district stockpile. Every Escambia County School district student in grades 3-12 already had a Chromebook. Students without access to adequate internet service will receive lessons on flash drives or in paper packets.
If parents did not receive a call from their child’s teacher this week, they should call the school and leave a message. As of Friday, all teachers and staff are working from home.
Pictured top: A “kid” in the pick up line at Jim Allen Elementary School. First below: Supply distribution at Jim Allen Elementary. Pictured bottom photos: Chromebooks ready for Kingsfield Elementary School students. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Friday Was Day One Of Florida’s Stay-At-Home Order
April 3, 2020
Florida’s stay-at-home order went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday.
Under the order, which Gov. Ron DeSantis calls a “Safer at Home” order, Floridians should limit movements to only essential services.
The order includes the following directives and information:
Safer At Home
- Senior citizens and individuals with a significant underlying medical condition (such as chronic lung disease, moderate-to-severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromised status, cancer, diabetes, severe obesity, renal failure and liver disease) shall stay at home and take all measures to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
- All persons in Florida shall limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.
Essential Services
- For purposes of this Order and the conduct it limits, “essential services” means and encompasses the list detailed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in its Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce, v. 2 (March 28, 2020) and any subsequent lists published.
- Essential services include, but are not limited to:
- Healthcare/public health
- Law enforcement, public safety and other first responders
- Food and agriculture
- Employees supporting the energy sector, including electricity, petroleum and natural gas industries
- Water and wastewater
- Transportation and logistics
- Public works and infrastructure support services
- Communications and information technology
- Other community or government-based operations and essential functions
- Critical manufacturing
- Residential/shelter facilities and services
- Hygiene products and services
- View the full list of essential services and guidance here.
- Essential services also include those businesses and activities designated by the governor’s Executive Order 20-89 which includes a list propounded by Miami-Dade County in multiple orders.
- Other essential services may be added.
- Nothing in this order prohibits individuals from working from home; the Order encourages individuals to work from home.
- All businesses or organizations are encouraged to provide delivery, carry-out or curbside service outside of the business or organization, of orders placed online or via telephone, to the greatest extent practicable.
Essential Activities
- For purposes of this order and the conduct it limits, “essential activities” means and encompasses the following:
- Attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship
- Participating in recreational activities such as walking, biking, hiking, fishing, hunting, running, or swimming
- Taking care of pets
- Caring for or otherwise assisting a loved one or friend
- Escambia County strongly encourages all essential activities follow social distancing guidelines.
- Other essential activities may be added to this list.
- A social gathering in a public space is not an essential activity. Groups of people greater than ten are not permitted to congregate in any public space
Escambia County Hires Two New Assistant County Administrators, Including A Tate High Graduate
April 3, 2020
The Escambia County Commission voted to hire two assistant county administrators during their meeting Thursday night at the recommendation of County Administrator Janice Gilley.
Debbie Bowers is a 1979 graduate of Tate High School. She’s currently employed as the managing director of DL Bowers Advisors, a Pensacola consulting partnership. She spent 10 years as chief commercial officer for the City of Los Angeles, five years with Broward County in roles that included interim deputy airport director for administration and an assistant to the county administrator.
Wesley Hall has served the past year as the interim county administrator for Gadsden County, Florida, spent six years at the revenue officer for the City of Tallahassee, operated several McDonald’s restaurants from 2005 to 2001 and was director of sales for the Florida Lottery from 2000 to 2005.
Bowers and Hall will each receive an annual salary of $136,000, a $400 monthly vehicle allowance, and up to $5,000 for relocation expenses. Both were budgeted positions.
Two Escambia County (AL) COVID-19 Cases Confirmed; Third Person Tests Positive At Atmore Community Hospital
April 3, 2020
As a second case of coronavirus was reported in Escambia County, Alabama, we’ve learned that another individual tested positive at Atmore Community Hospital.
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported two positive cases in the county as of Thursday night. The Escambia County Healthcare Authority, which oversees Atmore Community Hospital and D.W. McMillan Hospital in Brewton — said neither of those patients were tested at their hospitals.
A separate patient that took a COVID-19 test at Atmore Community Hospital has tested positive, according to the healthcare authority. That person’s results won’t be reported as another local positive because they were not a resident of Escambia County, Alabama. The authority said the positive result will be reported by the Alabama Department of Health in the patient’s home county.
The Escambia County Healthcare Authority issued a statement that assured the public that “it is safe to seek care” at both Atmore Community and D.W. McMillan hospitals.
“We have the facilities and expertise to care for those patients while protecting the safety of all our patients, visitors and employees,” the statement said.
Pictured: Atmore Community Hospital. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Warm Temperatures And Sunshine Into The Weekend
April 3, 2020
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Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Monday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87
Forecasters Call For Above Active Hurricane Season
April 3, 2020
Colorado State University on Thursday issued their hurricane season forecast for 2020.
It calls for an above-average season with 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major Category 3 or greater hurricanes. The above-average forecast is based upon the anticipated lack of an El Niño this summer and fall and a warmer than normal tropical Atlantic.
El Niño generally increases vertical wind shear in the Atlantic and serves to tear apart hurricanes.
During an average season, there are 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
Colorado State researchers are considered among the best seasonal forecasters. They will issue an updated forecast on June 4.
Pictured: Category 5 Hurricane Michael made landfall in Mexico Beach, Florida, in 2018. NorthEscambia.com photo.
