Man Found Not Guilty In Toddler’s Death
April 21, 2018
An Escambia County man has been found not guilty for the beating death of Cornelius Savage, his girlfriends two-year old son.
The jury deliberated for about 18 hours total before acquitting 28-year-old Alonzo Thompkins.
Thompkins was on trial for abusing 2-year-old Cornelius Savage, who was found unresponsive by his mother in August 2016. The child was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Doctors said the boy was covered in fist-shaped bruises and had been bleeding from the brain.
Investigators said the toddler was severely beaten and called his death an act of “malicious punishment.”
At the time of his arrest, Thompkins listed an address on Batson Lane in Cantonment.
Rusty Nail Named New Escambia County Fire Chief
April 21, 2018
Russell “Rusty” Nail has been selected as the new Escambia County Fire Chief, responsible for supervising all Escambia County Fire Rescue staff. Nail’s target start date is Monday, May 7.
Nail joins Escambia County with over 26 years of experience as an accomplished chief fire officer including more than 12 years of supervisory and nine years of command-level experience, mostly in a fast-paced, large metropolitan fire department of 17 stations, with over 500 personnel and a budget of up to $100 million.
Nail will join Escambia County from Palm Bay, FL, where he currently serves as the City of Palm Bay Fire Rescue fire chief and emergency manager and previously served as a battalion chief. Nail graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in fire and emergency services management and from Brevard Community College with an Associate of Arts in general studies and Associate of Science in fire science technology.
Prior to his tenure at Palm Bay, Nail worked for the City of Orlando Fire Department for more than 20 years, serving as assistant fire chief, assistant chief of planning, district chief and retiring as the deputy chief. Nail’s experience also includes working as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician.
His certifications include being a State of Florida Certified Firefighter, Chief Fire Officer with the Centers for Public Safety Excellence and a University of Florida Executive Fire Officer, among others. Nail is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Florida Fire Chiefs Association, Space Coast Fire Chiefs Association, Palm Bay Hospital Advisory Board and Eastern Florida State College Technical Advisory Committee.
Nail was selected from a pool of 77 applicants for the Escambia County Fire Chief position after a thorough selection process. The selection committee narrowed the list down to seven candidates and then to three finalists, ranking Nail as the top candidate. The selection process included several interviews with the selection committee, along with a tour of Escambia County Public Safety and a meet and greet with staff.
As the Escambia County fire chief, Nail’s duties will include supervising fire rescue staff, providing oversight and directing implementation of internal operations, managing expenditures to the approved annual budget, developing goals and objectives and ensuring compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations.
Tate Tops Escambia; Northview Takes Chipley
April 21, 2018
Tate 7, Escambia 2
The Tate Aggies beat the Escambia Gators 7-2 Friday night.
Gabe Castro pitched the win for the Aggies in five innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out four. Cole Fryman opened thee game for the Aggies. He allowed one hit and one run over one inning, striking out one. Jace Dunsford earned the last three outs, throwing on inning in relief.
For Tate: Blake Anderson 1-4, R, RBI; Reid Halfacre 1-3, 2 RBI; Trent Jeffcoat 1-3, R; Kaden King 1-2; Raymond Lafleur 2-3, R, RBI; Mason Land 3-4, 2R, RBI; Hunter McLean 3-4, 2 R, RBI; Darrien McDowell R; Jesse Sherrill 1-4, R.
Northview 12, Chipley 2
The Northview Chiefs took home a 12-2 victory over Chipley in five innings Friday night.
Seth Killam earned the win for the Chiefs allowing two runs on five hits and striking out five.
For Northview: Billy Rolin 1-3, R, RBI; Tanner Levins 1-2, R, 3RBI; John Chivington 2-3, 3R; Trevor Singleton 1-3, 2R; Trevor Singleton 1-3, 2R; Jackson Moore 2-4, 2B, 2R, 3 RB; Adam Aliff R; Logan English 1-2, R; Seth Killam 2-4, R, 2RBI.
Blue Wahoos Blank Mississippi Braves
April 21, 2018
Wyatt Strahan did a little bit of everything on Friday to propel the Wahoos to their first series win of the season.
Strahan held the M-Braves to three hits over six shutout innings and Pensacola allowed one baserunner after the fourth inning as the club picked up their second shutout win of the year.
Even though the Wahoos didn’t score in the first inning like they had in their previous wins, it didn’t take much longer for the offense to find its groove. In the top of the second, Taylor Sparks drove in a pair of runs with his third double of the year. Then with two outs and Strahan at the plate, M-Braves starter Enderson Franco (L, 0-1) surrendered an RBI-single to the Wahoos starter to make it 3-0.
Aristides Aquino and Chadwick Tromp each had three hits and tacked on additional RBIs later in the game to make it 5-0. Shed Long extended his hitting streak eight games with a 2-for-5 night. He’s also reached base in 13 straight contests, which is the second-longest on-base streak in the Southern League this year.
The five runs proved to be plenty of run support for Strahan and the Blue Wahoos bullpen. After Strahan exited the ballgame, manager Jody Davis turned the ball over to his bullpen, and once again they posted zeroes. Carlos Navas pitched a perfect seventh inning and Victor Payano dealt a spotless eighth in his Blue Wahoos debut. In the ninth, Robinson Leyer delivered a scoreless ninth to seal the shutout.
Defensively, the Wahoos recorded their first errorless game since April 12, snapping a seven-game error streak where the team went 2-5.
With the series win, Pensacola has now won seven consecutive series against the M-Braves dating back to 2016. During that stretch, the Wahoos have won 22 of their last 34 matchups against Mississippi.
Pensacola returns home to Blue Wahoos Stadium to take on the Birmingham Barons tomorrow night for the first of five games. The Barons are the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox who have one of the deepest prospect systems in all of Major League baseball. Daniel Wright (2-1, 5.79) will open the series for the Wahoos and will have a tough test facing LHP Matt Tomshaw (0-1, 4.82). Tomshaw was a Southern League mid-season All-Star last season with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Remember The Busy Intersection Shootout? Second Suspect Arrested
April 20, 2018
The final suspect has been arrested in connection with a shootout and a busy intersection on January 22.
Dash cam video from a nearby vehicle shows a silver Lexus pull up to the intersection of W Street and Fairfield Drive about noon. A man, later identified as 27-year old Jonathan James Harris is seen leaning out the open driver’s window of a silver Lexus. He begins firing across a traffic lane at a gold Toyota driven by 31-year old Jeremy Olds.
The man identified as Olds jumps out of the Toyota and returns fire. He was arrested in January and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Deputies arrested Harris (pictured) after a traffic stop Thursday on a car that fled from them earlier in the day. Harris was driving that vehicle, according to deputies, and had with him three clear plastic baggies with a white powdery substance inside that tested positive for cocaine, another plastic baggie containing Hydrocodone pills, a stolen gun, marijuana and more than $4,000 in cash.
Harris was arrested and charged with trafficking of cocaine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, attempted first degree homicide, aggravated assault, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, fireing a weapon into a vehicle and criminal mischief with property damage. He is being held without bond in the Escambia County Jail.
Authorities have estimated that 10-12 rounds were fired, including rounds that struck a nearby vehicle with two children inside.
Scott Announces Low Tax Opportunity Zones In Escambia County, Including Century
April 20, 2018
Gov. Rick Scott is recommending that seven census tracts in Escambia County be designated as “Opportunity Zones”, including Century and the immediately surrounding area.
Low Tax Opportunity Zones, as established in the federal Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, encourage long-term investment and job creation in targeted communities by reducing taxes for many job creators. Low Tax Opportunity Zones enhance local communities’ ability to attract businesses, developers and financial institutions to invest in targeted areas by allowing investors to defer capital gains taxes through investments in federally established Opportunity Funds.
“The Pensacola area has created 19,400 jobs since December 2010 and these new Low Tax Opportunity Zones will spur even more private investment and job creation. I look forward to seeing the new businesses and jobs that are created in these target areas,” Scott said.
“These Zones will make a real and lasting difference in some of our highest-need areas by helping to bring new capital investment and more jobs to every county across the state. They will also bring additional investment to rural communities and urban areas, ensuring that every Floridian has the chance to live the American Dream in the Sunshine State,” the governor added.
“The new Opportunity Zone program will have a lasting impact for families in the Panhandle by offering tax incentives to attract businesses. This program will grow the local economy, create jobs and provide assistance to hardest-hit areas,” said Cissy Proctor, executive director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has 30 days to certify each state’s recommendations. After the Zones are approved, the federal government will begin the rulemaking process to designate how Opportunity Funds are created and how businesses, developers and financial institutions can invest in qualified Zones.
Final Plans Made For ‘Reimagine Century’ With Food Giveaway And More
April 20, 2018
Final plans were made Thursday night for a Reimagine Century outreach event scheduled for next month.
The faith-based event will feature a 15,000 pound food giveaway, free clothing, free paper products, free baby diapers, free haircuts, free HIV testing, free lunch and much more.
The event will be held Saturday, May 5 at 440 East Hecker Road in Century.
Reimagine Century is a project of Doers of the Word Ministry and is sponsored by numerous churches and other organizations, including NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Arrest Made In Year Old Escambia Murder Case
April 20, 2018
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in a year-old murder case.
Antjuan Javien Sanders, 18, is charged with homicide, burglary and sexual battery in connection with the February 13, 2017, death of of 58-year old Susan Midyett of Statler Avenue.
Deputies first believed her death to be accidental, but further investigation determined that Midyett was murdered and her house burglarized. Investigators said DNA evidence collected at the scene revealed Midyett had been sexually assaulted and led to the arrest of Sanders.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Sanders has been connected to at least one additional residential burglary and could be responsible for others. The ECSO said more charges may be filed.
Voters To Weight 13 Ballot Proposals In November
April 20, 2018
Florida voters will get a chance to decide in November whether 13 is a lucky or unlucky number.
The state Constitution Revision Commission, which meets every 20 years, finished its work Monday night after approving eight proposed constitutional amendments for the Nov. 6 general-election ballot.
Those eight proposals will join five other measures already on the ballot, including three approved by the Legislature and two approved in petition drives, to bring the total to 13.
The constitutional revisions proposed by the Legislature include an expansion of the homestead property-tax exemption and a requirement for two-thirds votes by future legislatures when raising taxes or fees. The petition-drive measures would allow voters to decide on future expansions of casino gambling and would restore voting rights to felons who have served their sentences.
The 13 measures on the November ballot will be the most voters have faced since 1998, the last time the Constitution Revision Commission met and put nine amendments on the ballot. Voters approved eight of the nine amendments as well as four constitutional changes sought by the Legislature.
In 1978, the commission advanced eight ballot proposals, which all were rejected by voters, along with a citizens’ initiative on casino gambling.
This year will be the first time that ballot measures from the commission will have to be approved by at least 60 percent of voters. Florida increased the margin for approval of constitutional amendments from a majority vote to 60 percent in 2006.
In the past two decades, over the course of 11 general elections, the average number of constitutional amendments on the ballot has been more than seven, ranging from a low of three measures in 2014 to the high of 13 proposals in 1998 and this year.
It is typical for some measures to fail, although in 2004 and 2006 voters approved all 14 amendments on the ballot in those two years. But in 2012, when voters faced 11 amendments, all passed by the Legislature, they rejected eight of the measures.
One of the more-controversial aspects of this year’s commission proposals is that six of the eight measures bundle together multiple subjects. As an example, what will appear on the ballot as Amendment 9 combines a proposed ban on offshore oil drilling with a proposed ban on vaping in the workplace.
Two of the proposed constitutional amendments are limited to single subjects, including one measure that would ban greyhound racing in the state. In total, the eight ballot measures group 20 proposals that were debated and advanced by the commission.
Brecht Heuchan, chairman of the panel’s Style and Drafting Committee, which put together the final proposals considered by the commission Monday, defended the use of grouping, noting it was done by the two prior commissions in 1998 and 1978.
Commission Chairman Carlos Beruff said he was pleased with the outcome of the work.
“From protecting our state and territorial waters from oil drilling to strengthening our ethics laws, I commend my fellow commissioners for their hard work and leadership representing the people of Florida,” Beruff said in a statement. “We are grateful to the thousands of Floridians who participated in this historic process and look forward to letting voters have the final say in November.”
Here are the commission measures headed to the November ballot, with the ballot numbers:
— VICTIMS’ RIGHTS AND JUDGES (Amendment 6): It would establish a series of rights for crime victims, including the right to be notified of major developments in criminal cases and the right to be heard in legal proceedings. It would increase the mandatory retirement age for judges from 70 to 75. It would provide that judges or hearing officers should not necessarily defer to the interpretation of laws and rules by governmental agencies in legal proceedings.
— FIRST RESPONDERS AND HIGHER EDUCATION: (Amendment 7): It would require the payment of death benefits when law enforcement officers, paramedics, correctional officers and other first responders are killed while performing official duties. It also would apply to Florida National Guard and active-duty military members stationed in Florida. It would establish a governance system for the 28 state and community colleges. It would require a supermajority vote by university boards of trustees and the Board of Governors when raising student fees.
— PUBLIC SCHOOLS (Amendment 8): It would impose an eight-year term limit on school board members. It would allow an alternative process for approving public schools, including charter schools, rather than by local school boards. It would establish a requirement for the teaching of civic literacy in public schools.
— OIL DRILLING AND VAPING (Amendment 9): It would prohibit drilling for gas and oil in state coastal waters and ban vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes in workplaces.
— GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE (Amendment 10): It would require all charter-county governments to have elected constitutional officers, including sheriffs. It would lead to the Legislature beginning its annual session in January in even-numbered years. It would create an Office of Domestic Security and Counterterrorism in the Department of Law Enforcement. It would revise the constitutional authority for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
— PROPERTY RIGHTS AND HIGH-SPEED RAIL (Amendment 11): It would remove language that prohibits “aliens ineligible for citizenship” from owning property. It would remove obsolete language that authorizes a high-speed rail system. It would revise language to make clear that the repeal of a criminal statute does not affect the prosecution of any crime committed before the repeal.
— ETHICS (Amendment 12): It would impose a six-year lobbying ban on former state elected officials, state agencies heads and local elected officials. It would also create a new ethics standard that would prohibit public officials from obtaining a “disproportionate benefit” from their actions while in office.
— GREYHOUND RACING (Amendment 13): It would ban greyhound racing at Florida tracks after Dec. 31, 2020.
by The News Service of Florida
Flag Football: Girls Take On Linemen, NJROTC
April 20, 2018
The Northview girls flag football team took on the boys football team linemen and the NJROTC Thursday in a flag football game. The linemen beat the girls 34-0, and the NJROTC topped the girls 14-6.
This was the first year for a Northview flag football team. Next year, the school plans to take part in the district series.
For more photos, click to enlarge.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
