Florida Dept. Of Corrections Schedules Holiday Visitations
December 22, 2018
The Florida Department of Corrections will hold visitation for Christmas Day on December 25 and visitation for New Year’s Day on January 1.
Weekend visitation will take place on December 22-23 and December 29-30. Visitation will not be allowed on December 24 or December 31 regardless of state office closures.
Following the holiday season, visitation will resume regular schedule.
Scott: Escambia Area Creates New Jobs
December 22, 2018
Gov. Rick Scott said Friday that the Pensacola area added 3,600 new private-sector jobs in the past year, making the total number of new private-sector jobs created in Pensacola 25,100 since December 2010. The area’s unemployment rate was 2.9 percent in November, down 0.8 percentage point in the past year. Statewide, Florida businesses created 23,000 new jobs in November bringing the total number of new private-sector jobs created in Florida to 1,673,500 since December 2010.
The industries with the highest growth over the year in the Pensacola area were leisure and hospitality with 1,100 new jobs and government with 1,100 new jobs. In November, Pensacola had 6,219 job openings and of those, 1,810 were for high-skill, high-wage STEM jobs in November.
Florida’s unemployment rate of 3.3 percent represents a drop of 7.5 percentage points since December 2010; this drop is faster than the national decline of 5.6 percentage points.
Escambia Man Convicted Of Selling Drugs From Hotel Room Where His Kids Were Sleeping
December 22, 2018
An Escambia County man that was selling drugs from a Highway 29 motel hotel room has been convicted.
Tony Kwabena Lovelace was convicted of one count of trafficking in heroin, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, one count of possession of cocaine with intent to sell, two counts of child neglect and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
On May 7, 2018, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Investigators served a search warrant at a hotel room at the Luxury Suites on Pensacola Boulevard. An investigation began after information was received that Lovelace was selling heroin from the hotel room. Lovelace, an unknown female, and Lovelace’s two young children were located in the hotel room, along with more than 19 grams of heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and over $6,600 in cash.
Lovelace’s two children were asleep in the bed near the controlled substances. Lovelace is a convicted felon and has a criminal history that includes several prior convictions for possession of controlled substances with intent to sell.
Circuit Judge Stephen Pitre scheduled sentencing for December 31, 2018.
Lovelace faces a maximum of seventy years in State Prison. She faces at least a 15 year minimum mandatory (day for day) sentence on the count of trafficking in heroin.
Photo Gallery: Century Christmas Parade
December 21, 2018
The Century Christmas Parade was held Friday morning.
See the entire parade in our NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Fire Destroys Atmore Home
December 21, 2018
Fire destroyed a home in Atmore Friday morning.
The fire on Cloverdale Road, near Atmore Community Hospital, was reported to the Atmore Fire Department about 11:20 a.m. No one was home at the time of the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
For Second Time, State Disagrees With Century Mayor’s Claims About Security Cameras, Inmate Labor
December 21, 2018
For the second time, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is disagreeing with claims made by Century Mayor Henry Hawkins about the need for security cameras in order to use inmate labor from Century Correctional Institution.
In November Hawkins said, “We are about to lose our inmates if we don’t get security cameras. People have been dropping off stuff over at Showalter Park and even at the maintenance shop for the inmates to pick up. This has happened now for three straight months. And if we don’t put in security cameras, they are going to pull our inmates.”
“Everywhere that we put inmates, we got to have them. But our biggest traffic area for drugs right now is at Showalter and the maintenance shop. We actually need some at the roadside park (Nadine McCaw Park),” the mayor said in November. Hawkins said the prison is requiring that the cameras be professionally monitored.
NorthEscambia.com followed up with the FDC, and we were told they had not mandated the use of professional monitored cameras by FDC Press Secretary Patrick Manderfield.
This week, Hawkins told the Century Town Council that “whoever” made those statements was wrong.
“Whoever that was … they printed this stuff wouldn’t at this meeting between me, the major and the warden, and the assistant warden. Whoever that was, and I don’t know, they wouldn’t at this table,” he said.
“My question is do we have to have the security cameras to keep the inmates?” Council President Ann Brooks asked.
“Yes we do,” Hawkins replied. “Yes.”
“So whoever spoke for the Department of Corrections was incorrect?” Brooks asked.
“Right,” Hawkins answered.
And, again, the FDC backed up their original statement in an email on Thursday.
“If contraband is discovered in a work squad area, inmate work crews are unable to go out until the issue is investigated, causing a disruption in work. For this reason, the Department recommends the use of cameras with local officials in the best interest of the safety of staff and the community. The Department had discussions with the Town of Century about the potential use of cameras in work squad areas but has never mandated it as a requirement. Since November, the Department has continued to provide work squads for the Town of Century in accordance with our contract agreement,” Manderfield said. He underlined “but has never mandated it as a requirement” in his email.
Hawkins also told the council that the FDC wanted a key and access to search the town shop where inmates often work.
“They wanted to come in early before anybody come to work. They wanted a key to our facilities, and I said nope, that’s not going to happen. Somebody will be there when they do their inspections,” the mayor said.
“There were no specific discussions about searching, but the Department requires institutional staff to search work squad areas for any contraband,” Manderfield said Thursday.
He said the Florida Department of Corrections will continue to provide inmate labor to the Town of Century … even without the cameras.
“If we have to have cameras, I want that in a contract with them,” council member Ben Boutwell said.
In November, Hawkins presented the town council with two quotes for cameras — one from McCullough and Sons in Bratt and one from a company he did not name. The McCullough and Sons quote was for just over $21,000, and included five years of professional monitoring, he said. He recommended that the cameras first be installed at Showalter Park and the town maintenance shop on Alger Road for a cost of about $4,800.
There were no funds budgeted by the town for the purchase of security cameras this fiscal year. “I’m not going on an oral agreement or anything. It has to be written down in a contract that we have to have cameras.
He asked for the approval to purchase security cameras in June after he said vandals had struck several parks. “We need to move quickly on cameras, because we are going to go broke with nickel and dime repairs,” Hawkins said in June.
In May, he presented the town council with a security camera proposal from Security Center USA in Jacksonville for about $700 per month under a 36 month lease purchase with a $1 buyout. The proposal included eight HD cameras at town hall and the Nadine McCaw Park, seven HD cameras at maintenance shop and Showalter Park, and three HD cameras at the water treatment plant. Installation, video recorders, streaming, accessories and monitoring were included.
The council has not approved any of Hawkins’ requests for security cameras.
Pictured: Century Mayor Henry Hawkins discusses security cameras and prison inmates during a council meeting. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia County’s Five Star Schools Announced
December 21, 2018
The Florida Department of Education announced the winners of the Five Star School Award for the 2017-2018 school year. The award is bestowed upon schools that are committed to incorporating family and community members into the school environment to enhance student learning.
In Escambia County, Five Star Schools Award winners were:
- A.K. Suter Elementary School
- Bellview Elementary School
- Beulah Elementary School
- Blue Angels Elementary School
- Cordova Park Elementary School
- Ferry Pass Elementary School
- Hellen Caro Elementary School
- Jim Allen Elementary School
- McArthur Elementary School
- Molino Park Elementary School
- N.B. Cook Elementary School of the Arts
- Pleasant Grove Elementary School
- R.C. Lipscomb Elementary School
- Scenic Heights Elementary School
“It is an honor to recognize these schools with the Five Star School Award,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “As a former teacher and principal, I have seen firsthand the positive impact family and community involvement can have on the lives of students. When school leaders and educators engage the community, the result is higher academic achievement and more students prepared for future success.”
To earn Five Star School recognition, a school must show that it has achieved all of the benchmarks and criteria in five categories – Community/Business Partnerships, Family Involvement, Volunteerism, Student Community Service and School Advisory Council. Schools must also earn a grade of “C” or above or a school improvement rating of “Maintaining” or “Commendable” for the year being recognized.
Tate, Jay Cheerleaders Earn Bids To National Competition
December 21, 2018
The Tate High School varsity cheerleaders placed first this recently among small varsity coed teams at the Northwest Florida Universal Cheerleaders Association. They also received a bid to the national competition in Orlando. This was the fifth first place finish of the competitive season for the Aggie varsity cheerleaders.
The Jay High School competition cheer squad also placed second in their small varsity non-tumble division and earned a bid to the national competition in Orlando for the game day routine.
Pictured top: The Tate High School varsity cheerleaders. Pictured below: The Jay High School competition cheer squad. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Middle School Presents Annual Christmas Program
December 21, 2018
Ernest Ward Middle School presented their annual Christmas program Thursday morning.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Alabama Correctional Officer Arrested On Contraband Charges
December 21, 2018
Corrections agents from the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) arrested a correctional officer at the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore on Thursday for attempting to smuggle illegal contraband into the prison.
Tony Williams, 34, of Frisco City, was arrested Thursday for prohibited activities and use of office for personal gain.
During a search of the officer’s personal vehicle, a K9 unit alerted on Williams vehicle where authorities found multiple packages containing 10 cell phones. Williams admitted to purchasing the phones with the intention of receiving payment from inmates.
Williams was taken to Escambia County Jail and booked following his arrest. He resigned from his job after more than 10 years with the ADOC.