Century Woman Charged With Stealing $3K In Money Orders
October 11, 2023
A Century woman is accused of printing and stealing money orders and taking scratch off lottery tickets from an Escambia County convenience store where she was employed.
Lekicia Ann Manuel, 36, was charged with grand theft. She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $3,000 bond.
Manuel printed and stole seven Western Union money orders totalling $3,002.98 and also took $630 worth of Florida Lottery scratch off tickets, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. She was working at a Cumberland Farms store on W Street, and her alleged crimes were caught on video during the early morning hours of August 16, according to an arrest report.
Management reported the incident after store reports showed the missing money orders.
Century Council Sets Off On Charter Review, Again. Last Time, They Reviewed The Wrong Version.
October 11, 2023
For the second time, the Century Town Council set off on a deep dive into a charter revision at a workshop meeting Tuesday night.
It was the second review from the beginning, because earlier this year the council accidentally reviewed the wrong version of the document, the town clerk said.
Council members Alicia Johnson and Dynette Lewis were the only members to attend in person. Shelisa Abraham joined the meeting remotely by phone as she was traveling. The town clerk said Henry Cunningham was absent due to a wedding in his immediate family, and she said Santa McMurray-Jackson had a “work emergency”. Interim mayor Luis Gomez, Jr., attended in-person.
The Century town charter is the document that establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The charter has not been updated in almost 40 years, and that often creates problems in the operation of the town.
Additional meetings will be scheduled, and any changes must be approved by voters on an upcoming ballot.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Rain Chance Continues Tonight; Only A Slight Chance Of A Friday Shower
October 11, 2023
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Showers, mainly before 1 am. Low around 60. Northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 83. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 52. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 69.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 44.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 70.
Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 44.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 74.
2-Year Old Passes Away Due To Oct. 4 Crash In Escambia County
October 11, 2023
A 2-year old boy has passed away from serious injuries he received in an October 4 traffic crash in Escambia County, the Florida Highway Patrol said Tuesday.
Troopers said the crash happened when the 75-year old driver of a black Buick failed to yield the right of way and turned in front of another vehicle on Highway 98 near Fairfield Drive.
The 2-year old boy and an infant were ejected from the Buick and were not properly restrained, according to FHP.
The FHP is continuing their investigation.
File photo.
Two Men Shot Near Poarch As They Attempted To Rob Two Others, Sheriff Says
October 11, 2023
Two people were shot as they tried to rob two other people north of Atmore, according to Escambia County (AL) Sheriff Heath Jackson.
About 7 p.m. Sunday, the ECSO, Poarch Tribal Police and Atmore Police responded to a shots fired disturbance in the 7400 block of Jack Spring Road near the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation. They arrived to find two males suffering from gunshot wounds after they attempted to rob two other men, Jackson said.
“One of the victims was armed and after being threatened with a weapon, discharged his weapon at both suspects,” the sheriff said.
Both suspects were airlifted to a trauma center. An update on their conditions was not available.
Photos: Farmers Work To Harvest Peanuts Before Rain
October 11, 2023
Local farmers worked Monday and Tuesday to harvest peanuts that were dug and on top of the ground before anticipated rainfall Wednesday.
An area of low pressure will move along a frontal boundary in the northern Gulf of Mexico, bringing perhaps several inches of much needed rainfall through Friday.
Pictured: Peanuts are harvested on Bratt Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate High Fields of Faith Worship Service Moved Indoors Tonight
October 11, 2023
Tonight’s Fields of Faith event at Tate High School will go on as planned; it has been moved indoors to the Fryman Gym due to the threat of rain.
Tate High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes will host Fields of Faith at 6:30 p.m in the gym.
Fields of Faith is an interdenominational national event where thousands gather on over 500 athletic fields across the country to share their faith. It is a national student-led initiative where students are meeting and organizing the event. Students invite their peers, teammates, families and the local community to meet on the school’s athletic field to worship, pray, be challenged to read the Bible, and follow Jesus Christ.
Guest speaker Austin Marshick, a University of West Florida soccer player, will also share a message.
Admission is free. Local churches, athletic teams, and the community are encouraged to attend.
Locally Heavy Rainfall Possible Beginning Wednesday
October 10, 2023
An area of low pressure will move along a frontal boundary in the northern Gulf of Mexico
We expect to receive some beneficial rainfall with this system, especially into Wednesday night with rain chances continuing through the end of the week. Rainfall amounts up to 1-3 inches with locally higher totals over 4 inches will be possible over much of the area. The heaviest rainfall amounts currently look to be favored across locations east of Interstate 65 and near the coast
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday: Showers, mainly after 1pm. High near 72. East wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Wednesday Night: Showers. Low around 57. Breezy, with a northeast wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. East wind around 10 mph.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 52. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 72.
Sunday Night: Clear, with a low around 47.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 70.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 45.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 70.
Century Approves 290% Property Tax Increase During Saturday Meeting
October 10, 2023
The Century Town Council revoted twice during a Saturday meeting to approve a nearly 300% property tax increase that had previously failed, a council member accused the media of misleading the public, and the council celebrated their success in working together to get the extraordinary tax hike passed.
The town council had previously given unanimous tentative approval to a a property tax increase with a millage rate of .9204, which is 290.66% greater than the rolled-back rate of .2356 mills. The rolled back rate is a computed millage rate that would generate the same amount of ad valorem tax dollars as the prior fiscal year, based on the proposed year’s tax roll, excluding new construction. A millage rate higher than the rolled-back rate is defined by the State of Florida as a tax increase and the law says it must be advertised as such. The .9204 millage rate has been constant for several years but is defined as a tax increase because the town will collect more tax due to increased property values.
Property values in Century have increased from approximately $49.5 million to $54.5 million over the last year, according to the Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office. Last year, property taxes generated $45,518 for Century; this year is expected to be $50,307.
Because the tax increase is so high, the state required unanimous approval on a final vote, but the millage rate failed on a 4-1 vote September 26 with council president Dynette Lewis dissenting. The council voted to adjourn the September 26 meeting, but the town later published a small notice of continuation in a weekly newspaper setting the Saturday morning meeting that was not attended by any member of the general public.
Town Clerk Leslie Howington told the council that the Florida Department of Revenue told her to continue the meeting, despite the fact that it was adjourned. We made a public records request and received email correspondence between Howington and the Florida Department of Revenue. An FDOR employee references the “the final hearing that was recessed on 9/26″ and instructed the notice of continuation based upon arecessed meeting. The fact that the meeting ending with an adjournment was never mentioned in the emails we received.
Howington told the council that the town attorney said Florida law did not prevent the council from revoting on the failed tax increase. She also distributed a document to the council she said was a resolution from 1984 that allows for revotes. She said the document was found “in the book”, but it was not signed, nor was there any concrete evidence that the resolution was ever approved. We received nothing in response to our public records request for the resolution.
Saturday morning, Lewis again voted against the tax increase, causing it to fail.
The town clerk and accountant then spent several minutes explaining how the town could lose about $40,000 in revenue without a change of heart from by Lewis.
“I understand what we stand to gain, and I understand what we stand to lose as well,” Lewis said. “I still do not agree with the increase where our citizens of the town of Century have to absorb the cost. I don’t agree with that year after year. I don’t agree with that, but at the same time I don’t want to hold our budget.”
“I promise you it’s like a tank of gas for me,” council member Shelisa Abraham said.
“With all due respect, that tank of gas for you is not that tank of gas for everybody,” Lewis replied.
During the discussion, council member Alicia Johnson began to blame NorthEscambia for reporting that the 290% increase was a tax increase. According to the State of Florida it is a tax increase; any increase over the rolled back rate is defined by a section of Florida laws in existence since the 1980’s called Truth in Millage, or TRIM. The town also published a required quarter page newspaper ad headed “Notice of Proposed Tax Increase” detailing the tax increase.
“It is fairly misleading to the public, and William has a lot to do with this because you perpetuate…you try to make the public think it is a 300% tax increase,” she told publisher William Reynolds. “You make it appear that the tax would be tripled.”
Reynolds pointed out that according to state law, it is a tax increase and was advertised by the town as a tax increase (pictured left).
On a second vote Saturday, the third total attempt, the council approved the tax rate on a 5-0 vote.
The council then went on to approve an $8 million budget, up more than $2 million (39%) over last year’s $5.8 million, mostly due to grant funds. The budget includes a 3% cost of living raise for all employees, raises need to bring employees up to the new Florida minimum wage, an increased cost of about $100 per basic employee for insurance and a 150% rate increase for general liability and property insurance. The town pays 99% of employee health insurance and 50% of family costs.
The budget also included an extra $15,000 for the mayor to use as “merit” raises as desired and $1,900 for Christmas hams and turkeys for employees.
All compliant capital outlay expenses will be funded from American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds.
At the time of Saturday’s meeting, NorthEscambia.com public records requests for a detailed copy of the budget were unanswered, and the tentative budget was not posted on the town’s website before the meeting as required by state law.
“I’m actually encouraged, and I’m very pleased with the spirited debate from this council to let us know we have five educated people that’s paying attention to what needs to be done in Century,” interim Mayor Lewis Gomez said near the conclusion of Saturday’s meeting. “I thank y’all for your spirited debate, and I also thank y’all for understanding that we are here as servants. And thank y’all for such a great job this morning.”
“This is a council of five, each one of us was representing our own vote, just as he said,” Lewis replied to the mayor. “We will not always agree. I appreciate the fact that even though we don’t agree sometimes, I appreciate the respect…I appreciate each person being respected in their vote.”
“I’m so grateful that we can agree to disagree and still walk out and represent the town,” council member Sandra McMurray Jackson said. “And not have animosity at all with our neighbor.”
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Circuit Court Officials Provide Update On Security Breach
October 10, 2023
The investigation is continuing into an “information technology security event” that impacted court in the First Judicial Circuit.
“We responded quickly, shut down our systems to mitigate risk to sensitive information, and began a thorough investigation of the attack, including coordinating with law enforcement agencies and external cybersecurity experts,” Trial Court Administrator Kasey Watson said Monday. “As a result of the incident, certain applications used by the courts have been affected.”
She said the extent of the breach remains under investigation.
In the meantime, court hearings are continuing as scheduled through the cooperation of the Clerks of Court, the Office of the State Attorney, the Office of the Public Defender, and the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, along with other partner agencies.
Office court records and data were not impacted because they are maintained by the clerks of the court in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties.
It is unknown at this time whether any personal information contained in court records has been exposed.
Chief Judge John L. Miller stated, “The security of personal data is our priority. We will continue to provide the citizens of our Circuit with the timely resolution of the matters brought before our courts.”