Hemp Workshops Planned
June 7, 2019
Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried is announcing that the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) will hold hemp rulemaking workshops this month throughout the state. As the Governor is expected to sign the state hemp legislation soon, the Department is hosting the workshops to create a space for the public to ask questions and provide valuable input into the hemp rulemaking process, as this exciting new industry starts up in Florida.
“Our new state hemp program marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter here in Florida and brings a chance to strengthen our agriculture industry, increase access to safe CBD products, and diversify and fuel our state economy,” said Commissioner Nikki Fried. “We’re working to build the new state hemp program from the ground up, and we want to hear from the people it’s intended to serve. I encourage everyone to join us at these workshops — we’re making history, and want Floridians alongside us every step of the way.”
The North Florida Hemp Workshop will be held Monday, June 24 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. EDT at the R.A. Gray Building Auditorium, 500 S Bronough St, Tallahassee.
Six Blue Wahoos Selected To Southern League All-Star Team
June 7, 2019
The Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced that six members of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos roster have been named to the Southern League’s South Division All-Star Team through voting by field managers, general managers, and radio broadcasters for all 10 Southern League clubs.
Three pitchers from Pensacola’s roster, Brusdar Graterol, Griffin Jax, and Ryan Mason, will join three position players, 2B Travis Blankenhorn, OF Jaylin Davis, and C Caleb Hamilton, on the roster for the All-Star Game on Tuesday, June 18 at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Escambia County Narcotics Search Warrant Yields One Arrest
June 6, 2019
Thursday, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and SWAT Team executed a search warrant at the 20-block of Majors Road, near Brown Barge Middle School, as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation.
Inside the home, investigators located 25 grams of cocaine, five grams of crack cocaine, 350 grams of marijuana, 215 grams of methamphetamine, two handguns and $29,000 in cash.
Maurice Malden was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a place of worship, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of a place of worship, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Malden was given a bond of $286,000. Malden also had an active warrant for fraud and theft that was served.
Two Injured In Highway 95A Crash
June 6, 2019
Two people were injured in a two vehicle crash about 1:10 Thursday afternoon on Highway 95A just south of Roberts Road.
Both were transported to area hospitals by Escambia County EMS. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
The Cantonment and Ensley stations of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Shooting Victim May Have ‘Blown A Kiss’ At Suspect’s Female Companion
June 6, 2019
Police say a shooting victim may have “blown a kiss” as the suspect’s female companion, leading to the incident Monday on Navy Boulevard in Pensacola.
Pensacola Police have arrested Jamal Boyer, 23, for the attempted murder of Terrel Crayton and Clarence Williams.
Crayton was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Williams traveling east on Navy Boulevard when Boyer, a passenger in another vehicle also traveling east, began shooting at the car, according to police. Crayton was struck once in the face. He remains hospitalized in serious condition; Williams was not injured.
The investigation revealed while in a nearby apartment complex, Crayton may have “blown a kiss” at a female companion of Boyer ’s when the vehicles passed each other, angering Boyer. Shortly thereafter, when they passed the vehicle, PPD said Boyer produced the firearm and began shooting at Crayton and Williams.
According to Det. Kylan Osley, several pieces of surveillance video in the area played a key part in bringing the case to a conclusion. No other arrests are expected at this time.
Boyer has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was being held without bond.
Members of the Escambia County Sheriffs Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the State Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation and arrest of Boyer.
Century’s Financial Audit Will Be Late For The Fifth Straight Year In Violation Of State Law
June 6, 2019
The Town of Century’s Annual Financial Report, often referred to simply as an audit, will be late in violation of state law for the fifth straight year.
The legal deadline for submitting the Annual Financial Report, often referred to simply as an audit, to the Florida Department of Financial Services is June 30. But after a series of missteps, the town did not even hire an auditor until this week to do the report that’s due in about three weeks.
At a meeting this week, Hawkins said he had still not hired the auditing firm because he disagreed with a price increase, but primarily because the council had not given him the necessary approval to sign the engagement letter, which is a type of contract with a CPA firm.
Council President Ann Brooks this week said the council had previously voted to accept the increase and authorize the mayor to sign the agreement.
“They voted to accept, but they did not authorize me to sign it,” Hawkins said.
Council member Ben Boutwell then made a motion to authorize the mayor to sign the agreement, and Brooks seconded it. Council member James Smith, first up on the roll call vote, voted “no”,
“You know this is by law that we have to have an audit,” Boutwell said.
“Yeah, but he just said that there’s something he (Hawkins) feels that there’s something that needs to be addressed,” Smith said. After Hawkins told council members to go ahead and vote in favor of him signing the agreement, Smith changed his vote.
“What we have to do is take this harsh lesson that we have to make sure it’s done properly ahead of time,” Smith said.
Mayor Never Received Authority To Hire Auditor
At their last meeting in May, council members learned that the auditor disagreed with claims by Mayor Henry Hawkins as to why the audit had not started for this year, and the council learned for the first time publicly that the town had yet to sign an agreement to hire the auditing firm.
A check of a NorthEscambia.com audio recording of the May 20 meeting confirmed Hawkin’s claim that the council did not give him approval to sign off on the auditor’s contract.
“Can we have a motion to authorize our auditor to proceed with the audit at a minimum fee of $30,000?”, Brooks asked during that meeting. The motion was made by council member Ben Boutwell to pay the $30,000 fee to the auditing firm, up from $21,000 last year.
“I would think you have to vote to authorize the mayor or the clerk to sign the engagement letter,” accountant Robert Hudson advised the the council.
“Any other questions before we vote?”, Brooks asked. The original motion was not amended before being passed unanimously after several minutes of discussion and did not give the signature authority to the mayor.
“Let the records show that we’ve decided to take $9,000 from CTA (funds received from the town’s Capital Trust Agency partnership) and put it with the $21,000 budgeted for the audit,” Brooks said after the May 20 vote.
Why Didn’t The Auditor Start Months Ago, And Why The $9,000 Fee Increase?
Century’s annual audit will cost thousands of dollars more due to several factors, including a scathing grand jury investigation, and the mayor tell did not inform the council for weeks, as NorthEscambia.com learned and first reported last month.
The town was informed in an April 8 email sent to Mayor Henry Hawkins, Town Clerk Kim Godwin, and town CPA Robert Hudson that the auditing firm Warren Averett was increasing their fee from $21,000 last year to a minimum of $30,000 this year.
Hawkins repeatedly told the town council over the last several weeks that the firm would begin the audit after tax season, but he never mentioned receiving any communication from the auditor or the $9,000 fee increase to the council. In the meantime, the audit did not begin due to a lack of an engagement letter (a type of contract with a CPA firm).
But an email obtained by NorthEscambia.com shows Hawkins forwarded the auditor’s email to Chief Deputy Clerk of Finance Kristina Wood on April 9. “FYI,” Hawkins wrote. “Now where do they think we’re getting the money from?”
CPA Kristen McAllister of Warren Averett said in a May 20 email to Town Council President Ann Brooks, “I do not think you have been informed correctly. I reach out to the Clerk, Mayor, and Robert (Hudson) a month ago to discuss a change in the audit contract before we can begin.” She added the delay “did not have anything to do with waiting until after tax season”.
McAllister said the higher audit fee was due to concerns over the utility billing cycle, concerns noted in the grand jury report, incorrect information provided that required multiple adjustments in the past two audits and a failure to follow the audit timeline.
For a previous story with details on the March grand jury report, click here.
Century’s Late Financial Report Submission History
Century’s last five audits were submitted to the state as follows:
- The 2016-2017 report due June 30, 2018, was completed August 10, 2018.
- The 2015-2016 report due June 30, 2017, was completed October 31, 2017.
- The 2014-2015 report due June 30, 2016, was completed February 15, 2017
- The 2013-2014 report due June 30, 2015, was completed November 17, 2015.
- The 2012-2013 audit was completed on time on June 30, 2014.
Pictured: This week’s meeting of the Century Town Council. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Fleeing From Window Tint Traffic Stop
June 6, 2019
A Cantonment allegedly fled from an traffic stop for a window tint violation.
A deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by WT Devon Riley, 33, in the area of North U Street and Fairfield Drive, but he refused to stop, according to an arrest report. The deputy spotted the vehicle a few minutes later at a stop sign in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and ordered Riley out of the vehicle.
Riley was charged with felony fleeing and eluding and driving with a suspended license. He was also cited for a window tint violation. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on an $11,000 bond.
Turning Up The Heat: Learn About Pepper Container Gardening At Molino Library
June 6, 2019
Escambia County Extension Agent Beth Bolles will present a program on “container gardening with some heat” Saturday at the Molino Branch Library.
Bolles will introduce peppers that grow well in the local area.
Materials are provided for the program beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Escambia Man Who threatened To ‘Blow The Baby’s Head Off’ Convicted, Facing Life Sentence
June 6, 2019
An Escambia County man that threatened to “blow the baby’s head off” during a home invasion robbery is facing up to life in prison after being convicted on multiple charges.
Darquavias Tyrell Brown was convicted by an Escambia County jury of home invasion robbery with firearm, one count of false verification of ownership or false identification to a pawnbroker where the jury found the value of the money received was $300 or greater, one count of false verification of ownership or false identification to a pawnbroker, and three counts of dealing in stolen property. The jury also found Brown to be in actual possession of a firearm which carries with it a 10 year minimum mandatory prison sentence.
On April 9, 2018, at around 5:00 a.m. Brown and two unknown individuals burst into an Escambia County home. Brown threatened the residents with a firearm, including pointing the gun at a one year old infant and threatening to “blow the baby’s head off” if they did not give him the money.
After ransacking the residence, Brown took several watches, rings including the wedding rings off of the hand of one of the victims. a Playstation system, Playstation controller, and several games. Two vehicles were stolen from the residence and abandoned shortly thereafter. Several hours after the home invasion robbery, Brown pawned four of the stolen rings and one of the stolen watches at Capital Pawn.
On April 13, 2018, Brown returned to the same pawn shop and sold the stolen Playstation system and games. After being identified as a suspect, Brown was identified by one of the victims in a photo lineup as the individual who threatened them and the infant child with a firearm.
He will be sentenced in July.
Brown has several prior convictions including convictions for carrying a concealed weapon, burglary, assault, resisting officer without violence, trespass and possession of controlled substance. brown also has another case currently pending where he is charged with robbery armed with a firearm.
DeSantis Appoints Local Attorney To Replace Escambia County Judge That Resigned
June 6, 2019
Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed a Pensacola attorney to replace an Escambia County judge that recently resigned.
DeSantis appointed Charles Young to the Escambia County Court.
Young, 58, of Pensacola, has been an attorney at Clark Partington & Hart since 2018. He formerly served as a civics teacher before attending law school. He received his bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University and his law degree from Florida State University. Young fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Joyce Williams.