Three People Killed In Lillian Bridge Crash
October 10, 2019
Three people were killed in a fiery crash Thursday morning on the Highway 98 Lillian Bridge in Escambia County.
Russell Joseph Drummund, age 19 of Elberta, was traveling east from Alabama on the bridge about 4:50 a.m. when his 2007 Chevrolet Impala crossed the centerline into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a Peterbilt box truck hauling lumber, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Drummund and his passenger, 19-year old Christian Coleton Beech of Lillian, were both ejected and pronounced deceased on the scene. The driver of the truck, 48-year old Sheldon Ray Liddell of Pensacola, was also pronounced deceased on scene.
The bridge was expected to remain closed into the afternoon for cleanup and the investigation.
Molino Man Pleads Guilty, Sentenced On Child Porn Charges
October 9, 2019
A Molino man was sentenced to state prison Tuesday on child pornography charges.
Steven Ryan Godwin pleaded guilty to nine counts of possession of child pornography and was sentenced by Judge Jan Shackelford to nine and a half years in state prison. He will also be designated as a sexual offender upon release.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement had charged Godwin with 20 counts counts of possession of child pornography for images found on his cellphone, along with one count of transmitting child pornography for a file he allegedly sent by Facebook Messenger. According to an arrest report, the Facebook message depicted an exposed 11-13 year old nude female sitting against a wall.
In August 2018, FDLE agents received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a suspect was uploading child porn to another user on Facebook. Authorities were able to trace the uploads to a residence in the 3500 block of Highway 97 in Molino.
FDLE agents obtained a search warrant that was served at Godwin’s residence in September 2018. When the occupants of the home were exiting, Godwin continued to reach towards his waistband before dropping a LG cell phone, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. The phone was seized and contained child pornography images featuring children under the age of 10, with multiple images including children younger than two years old, according to FDLE.
Analysis of the phone included the image allegedly sent via Facebook Messenger and 140 child pornography images, according to FDLE.
NAS Pensacola Names 10-Year Old Cancer Patient As Commanding Officer
October 9, 2019
NAS Pensacola made a young man commanding officer Tuesday afternoon as he continues his battle with cancer.
Kohlton James, 10, visited NAS Pensacola and was named commanding officer for the afternoon.
“Skipper” Kohlton was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 2 and battled it for seven years. Kohlton was cancer free for 10 months before it returned.
He is about to begin chemotherapy and is determined to beat it again.
His dream is to join the military and be a pilot. Capt. Tim Kinsella Jr., commanding officer, gave Kohlton a NAS Pensacola hat with his new call sign, “Iron Man,” and a set of aviation wings.
He was also given a signed photograph from the Blue Angels and was driven to the National Naval Aviation Museum in a police car. At the museum, he had a party with his friends and got to pose for a photograph in front of the F4U Corsair aircraft his great grandfather actually flew in World War II.
Base officials said they look forward to the day Kohlton returns to NAS Pensacola to become a Navy pilot.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Taking Purse From Vehicle At Gas Station
October 9, 2019
A Cantonment man is facing a felony charge for allegedly stealing a woman’s purse out of her vehicle at a gas station.
Danielle Lamar Nettles, 42, grabbed the purse out of the victim’s Nissan Rogue she was inside the Circle K at Kenmore Road and Highway 29 paying for gas, according to an arrest report. The woman ran outside and grabbed the purse out of Nettles’ hands before calling the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
A witness old deputies that Nettles grabbed the purse out of the vehicle, looked through it and then put it back in the vehicle before the victim ran outside.
Nettles was taken into custody at the nearby Key West Inn and booked into the Escambia County Jail on a felony charge of burglary and petit theft with bond set at $3,000.
One Dead, Two Critically Injured After Being Rear-ended By ECUA Truck
October 9, 2019
One person is dead after a collision with an Emerald Coast Utilities Authority vehicle on Perdido Key Tuesday.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 19-year old Victor Hernandez Rogel was driving a Ford F250 ECUA maintenance truck east on Perdido Key Drive when he rear-ended a Chevrolet Captiva that was slowing in front of him.
A passenger in the Chevrolet, 60-year old Melissa Farmer of Portland, Tennessee, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver, 20-year old Ashley Farmer, and a passenger, 22-year old Jacob Farmer, were both airlifted to South Baldwin Hospital in critical condition. Robel was transported to Baptist Hospital with minor injuries.
Any charges are pending the outcome a traffic homicide investigation, according to FHP.
Pam Barnes Named Molino Park Elementary Teacher Of The Year
October 9, 2019
Pam Barnes has been named teacher of the year at Molino Park Elementary School. She teaches third grade at Molino Park. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Department Of Corrections Announces $1,000 Hiring Bonuses
October 9, 2019
The Florida Department of Corrections has announced $1,000 hiring bonuses for new hires at several institutions statewide, including the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton.
Applicants who complete their correctional officer certification through either FDC or certain state colleges will be eligible for the bonus. Paid training is available through the program.
The bonus program does not include the Century Correctional Institution.
Certified new hires are eligible to receive bonuses at the following institutions:
- Apalachee Correctional Institution (Sneads)
- Calhoun Correctional Institution (Blountstown)
- Columbia Correctional Institution (Lake City)
- Cross City Correctional Institution (Cross City)
- Dade Correctional Institution (Florida City)
- Franklin Correctional Institution (Carrabelle)
- Florida State Prison (Raiford)
- Gulf Correctional Institution (Wewahitchka)
- Hamilton Correctional Institution (Jasper)
- Hardee Correctional Institution (Bowling Green)
- Jefferson Correctional Institution (Monticello)
- Liberty Correctional Institution (Bristol)
- Madison Correctional Institution (Madison)
- Martin Correctional Institution (Indiantown)
- Mayo Annex (Mayo)
- Northwest Florida Reception Center (Chipley)
- Okeechobee Correctional Institution (Okeechobee)
- Reception and Medical Center (Lake Butler)
- Santa Rosa Correctional Institution (Milton)
- South Florida Reception Center (Doral)
- Suwannee Correctional Institution (Live Oak)
- Taylor Correctional Institution (Perry)
- Tomoka Correctional Institution (Daytona Beach)
- Union Correctional Institution (Raiford)
- Wakulla Correctional Institution (Crawfordville)
- Walton Correctional Institution (De Funiak Springs)
For more information regarding a career with the Florida Department of Corrections, visit FLDOCjobs.com.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Northview Ranked No. 4 In FHSAA Projected Playoff Rankings
October 9, 2019
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) on Tuesday released their football rankings showing which schools are currently in playoff positions.
Northview is ranked No. 4 in Region 1-1A, which means if the playoffs were held today the Chiefs would be in. There are no districts in Class 1A. The top six teams in each district make the playoffs, with the top two receiving a bye in the first week.
Teams are ranked based upon a RPI formula. RPI stands for Ratings Percentage Index. In short, it is a way to measure a team’s strength relative to other teams, based largely on the strength of their schedules.
Class 1A – Region 1
1. Baker (6-0), RPI .708
2. Freeport (6-1), .642
3. Vernon (5-1), .636
4. Northview (4-2), .593
5. Graceville (4-2), .536
6. Holmes County (2-4), .486
The Math
The RPI is based upon a mathematical formula that takes into the number of games won (WP), the winning percentage of the opponent (OWP), and the winning percentage of the opponent’s opponents (OOWP). The math looks like this:
The score of a game does not matter beyond winner and loser. There is no factor for score differential in the RPI formula. A 1-0 win counts the same as 100-1.
Out of state opponents are counted the same as in state opponents.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Wanted Felon Arrested After Deputies Surround Cottage Hill Neighborhood
October 8, 2019
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office surrounded a Cottage Hill neighborhood Tuesday afternoon in an effort to take a convicted felon into custody.
Joseph Randall Bush, 36, was taken into custody on Williams Ditch Road about 4 p.m. on outstanding warrants for burglary, larceny, dealing in stolen property and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $205,000.
Maj. Andrew Hobbs said received information that Bush was at a location in the area, and he has a known tendency to flee from law enforcement. Deputies quickly surrounded the immediate area before Bush was taken into custody.
It was not immediately clear if Bush ran from deputies.
According to Escambia County Jail records, Bush was released September 1 after being arrested on drug possession, battery, kidnapping and criminal mischief charges.
Pictured: A wanted felon was arrested in Cottage Hill Tuesday afternoon. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
A Dark Day In Century: Town Official Admits Sunshine Law Violations, ‘Wrongful Act’
October 8, 2019
All governmental agencies in Florida must follow the state’s open meetings law known as the Sunshine law. Monday night, the Town of Century failed.
Four town council members were present as three of them discussed policies and methods to comply with the Sunshine Law prior to the start of a meeting that was not properly noticed. And the interim town manager admitted that a meeting was a “wrongful act” held without being properly advertised per the Sunshine Law.
The meeting in question was four town council members sitting as the town’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board. NorthEscambia.com learned of the meeting Saturday after opening an email sent by the town at 2:48 p.m. Friday that contained an agenda.
When NorthEscambia.com Publisher William Reynolds walked into the council chamber prior to the 6 p.m. start time, at least three board members were involved in active discussion about methods the council could use to provide proper public notice of meetings. A partial transcript of the discussion is at the bottom of this article.
Ann Brooks, Sandra McMurray-Jackson and Luis Gomez were engaged in active conversation about complying with the Sunshine Law and steps staff could take to that end. Ben Boutwell was present at the time, but was not heard speaking.
It is arguable that foreseeable action could be taken by the council regarding policies and procedures related to the Sunshine Law. In fact, the council has held policy and procedure workshops and had repeated discussions on a developing a council-approved policies and procedures manual. That council discussions have included discussion of setting Sunshine Law compliance procedures. In additional, a grand jury recommended that Century develop a set of policies and procedures and receive additional Sunshine training.
“In the absence of statutory exemption, any gathering of two or more members to discuss any matter on which foreseeable action may be taken must be open to the public, noticed to the public, and minutes kept,” the Florida 2019 Government In The Sunshine Manual states.
Following the Sunshine Law policies discussion, CRA board Chairman Ben Boutwell called the CRA board meeting to order at 6 p.m..
During their meeting, the CRA board discussed an executive director agreement with Escambia County, heard an update on a community garden project, learned a CRA report would be due next year, discussed applying for grants, working with other nonprofits, a first project for next year, and a town water project for the community garden. The discussion lasted about five minutes.
“I was advised, William, that the notice was placed sometime before April the first,” City Manager Buz Eddy said in response to questions about any public notice for the CRA meeting. “We sent out a list of three dates when the CRA would meet.”
That CRA meeting list from six months ago was posted in the Century Post Office on Monday night when we checked, but was not posted inside or on the door of Century Town Hall.
Just last week at Sunshine Law meeting with the town’s newly-formed Charter Review Committee, Town Attorney Matt Dannheisser advised that public notices should be on the front door of town hall. While that was his recommendation to ensure compliance, the Sunshine Law does not specifically state that notices be on the front door, just posted as the meeting location.
Two town council members, Gomez and Jackson, attended that Charter Review Committee discussion on the Sunshine Law and public records requirements, even though their presence was not publicly noticed.
Florida’s Sunshine Law specifies that reasonable notice must be given of all public meetings. It does not specifically define what is “reasonable” notice, but the Florida Attorney General’s Office offers several suggested guidelines listed in the Sunshine Manual.
“The notice should be prominently displayed in the area in the agency’s offices set aside for that purpose, e.g., for cities, in city hall…” Again, there was no notice of the CRA meeting posted anywhere at Century Town Hall.
A state attorney general’s opinion noted in the Sunshine Manual states that “Notice is required even though meetings of the board are “of general knowledge” and are not conducted in a closed door manner”. In addition that fact that no vote was taken by the CRA board would be irrelevant, per the Sunshine Manual, because “reasonable notice required even if the subject of meeting is ‘relatively unimportant’.”
Reynolds asked why there was no meeting notice posted at town hall.
“Good question. We talked about that just a second ago before the chairman called the meeting to order,” Eddy said. “We need to have a place out front to post notices.”
“William, sometimes you got to make stuff difficult for your benefit. He (Eddy) said it was noticed and published in April, before the week of April the first. And that’s not good enough for you. You’ve got to make a big deal out of it when it was already published at the post office. I seen that thing a month ago.”
“Don’t you think a month or two months is adequate time to post for a meeting?” Gomez asked. He the accused NorthEscambia.com of wanting to “sabotage and disrupt for their benefit”.
“If it was done several months ago, people need a reminder. You probably wouldn’t have remembered this meeting at 6 o’clock if you hadn’t had some kind of reminder,” Brooks said. “Anyone that is interested in the town, they need a reminder.”
“Anybody can go to the post office and see it,” Gomez said.
“I never go in the post office,” Brooks responded.
Gomez said he did not check the lobby bulletin board or front door at town hall to see if a public notice was posted because “I knew I had a meeting tonight.”
“I looked, and I didn’t see them there,” Eddy said.
Gomez then denied that he took part in the discussion prior to the convening of the CRA meeting.
“Did you hear me speak?” Gomez said. “Check the recording, but until then don’t go putting words in my mouth. If I didn’t say nothing and nobody else said nothing, nobody said anything.”
Gomez is clearly audible on a recording participating in the discussion prior to the start of the meeting, with his statements listed below.
During the regular council meeting, Eddy apologized for the public notice discussion during the CRA meeting.
“We did not advertise that meeting properly,” Eddy said. He said a “timeout should have been called and the meeting should not be held. And that’s what we should have done.” He said the town would advertise another CRA meeting and redo all discussion.
“This is going to hopefully mitigate the action, but it’s not going to eliminate the wrongful act,” Eddy remarked.
“I just hate that we put you in that position,” he later added.
Here is portion of the discussion held by Gomez, Brooks and Jackson prior to the convening of an improperly advertised meeting Monday night:
Ann Brooks suggested posting public notices at the post office.
“I know they at the post office,” Sandra McMurray-Jackson said.
“What about the sign out there?” Luis Gomez asked, referring to the electronic message board in front of town hall.
“That was exactly the reason we purchased that sign,” Brooks said.
“How hard would it be to type it in there?” Gomez asked.
“That would be a very good solution if it worked,” Brooks continued later in the conversation.
Pictured: Century Town Council members Luis Gomez, Ann Brooks, Sandra McMurray Jackson and Ben Boutwell sit as the Century CRA board Monday night. Pictured inset: Town officials said a notice for the October 7 meeting was placed on this bulletin board over six months ago. Pictured below: Bulletin boards in the Century Post Office as seen Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
