Evers Guns On College Campuses Bill Set For Debate
September 10, 2015
Debate is about to begin on bills in the Florida House and Senate that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on college and university campuses.
The Senate Criminal Justice Committee is scheduled to take up the proposal (SB 68), filed by Chairman Greg Evers, R-Baker, at 9 a.m. next Wednesday. That will be followed at 10:30 a.m. by the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee considering the House version (HB 4001), filed by Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota.
Lawmakers will return to Tallahassee next week for the first round of committee meetings before the 2016 legislative session, the majority of Senate committees will remain idle. The Senate is scheduled to hold seven committee meetings, while 14 other panels will not meet, according to a calendar published Wednesday. Also, the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, which includes senators and House members, will meet.
The 2016 session will start in January.
by The News Service of Florida
Tate High School Remembers 9/11 With ‘110 Stories’
September 10, 2015
The Tate High School Drama Department will present the drama “110 Stories” Thursday through Sunday.
110 Stories captures the grief and resilience of New York City in the wake of the September 11 attacks through the words of those who experienced it directly–not only firefighters and police, but iron workers, chaplains, K-+9 handlers, nurses, photojournalists, and the homeless who witnessed the horrific events and also saved lives that day.
Together these first-person testimonials reveal the hope, humor, and compassion that emerged in the midst of this tragedy. Memorializing September 11 by sharing the stories no one saw on the news, the play is a powerful and humanizing
account of New York City’s darkest day.
Performances are 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Tate High School Cafetorium. Tickets are $7 at the door, $5 in advance. Admission is free for law enforcement, firefighters and EMTs with identification or in uniform.
Photos courtesy Kim Stefansson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bondi: Thousands Of Rape Kits Untested
September 10, 2015
Attorney General Pam Bondi put added pressure Wednesday on lawmakers to increase funding for crime labs as she detailed a massive backlog of untested rape kits across the state.
“Those need to be tested because, hidden in those estimated thousands of untested rape kits, we have the potential to solve cold cases and lock up sexual predators and make Florida the safest place to live and raise a family,” Bondi said during a news conference at The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
Bondi’s news conference came as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is expected to request an additional $35 million in funding during the 2016 legislative session, including $7.76 million to raise the base salaries of people working in crime labs.
Rep. Janet Adkins, a Fernandina Beach Republican who attended Bondi’s news conference, said she is working on legislation that would establish standards related to when local agencies submit the test kits to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
“When a victim of sexual assault has the very intrusive process of having DNA collected, they have a reasonable expectation that that DNA be tested,” Adkins said.
Bondi, a former Hillsborough County prosecutor, said there is a priority in testing, with homicide cases first and sexual-assault cases second.
Leon County Sheriff’s Capt. Steven Harrelson said DNA evidence is important, as many criminals don’t remain in a single location.
“Having their DNA in the system allows us to go ahead and take these crimes that we don’t have any evidence but DNA … once the DNA gets put into the system, we’re able to solve it at that point,” Harrelson said.
In August, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s DNA/Biology labs completed testing requests in an average of 107 days. But as more local agencies submit untested kits, the turnaround time is expected to grow, agency spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said in an email.
The proposed pay increases — a $10,000 increase to the annual starting pay of crime-lab analysts and a $12,000 boost to the base pay for senior crime-lab analysts — are intended to make the agency more competitive with local law enforcement throughout Florida and the Southeast United States to help keep turnover rates down, agency Commissioner Rick Swearingen told Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet on Aug. 5.
Over the past six years, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has seen 127 crime-lab analysts leave.
The agency currently is funded for 193 crime-lab analysts and 69 senior analyst positions. The base pay for an analyst is $40,948 a year. A senior analyst starts at $43,507.
The increased demand at the crime labs is also in part boosted by an increase in requests from local agencies to investigate cases in which local police officers fire their weapons.
In the recently completed 2014-2015 budget year, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement opened 63 officer-involved shooting cases at other agencies, up from 48 a year earlier. The department started 29 such investigations in the 2010-2011 budget year, 52 in 2011-2012 and 67 the following year.
The Legislature this year didn’t back the agency’s request for $1.87 million to fill 14 full-time positions to assist in investigations stemming from police being involved in shootings. Lawmakers, however, set aside $300,000 for an ongoing study to determine the needs of the crime labs, including the impact of the untested rape kits.
In addition to asking for money for the state crime labs, Bondi said the state may also look at using private labs to test the kits.
“We want to get the sufficient funding to have everything produced, because we feel we can increase arrests and convictions probably in the thousands, not only in Florida, but throughout the country.” Bondi said. “We can’t create standards without having the ability to carry those out.”
by Jim Turner with contribution from Tom Urban, The News Service of Florida
Man Tries To Run Over Two Officers; Shots Fired
September 10, 2015
Two Pensacola Police officers are on paid administrative leave after they fired their department issued guns at a man who tried to run them over with a vehicle Tuesday night.
The incident initially began around 7:50 p.m. Tuesday when officers were dispatched to a disturbance call in the 2100 block of West Belmont Street. A 30-year-old woman – Teresa Bailey – told police her former boyfriend – Deantawane Mitchell, 25, of Pensacola – was banging on her back door.
When officers arrived at the house, they learned Mitchell had left the area. Officer Mark Norman, who is familiar with Mitchell and knew he had an active warrant with the department for a criminal mischief incident that occurred in July, went to the Travel Inn, and found him sitting in the passenger seat of a car on the left side of the business.
As Norman walked toward the car, he heard Mitchell begin yelling at the driver to leave.
When the driver refused, Mitchell shoved him out of the car and took control of the vehicle. Mitchell threw the vehicle into reverse and struck Norman’s marked police vehicle. He then did a three-point turn in the parking lot and accelerated at a high rate of speed toward Norman and Officer Sarah Barbosa.
Both officers yelled at Mitchell to stop or said they would shoot. Mitchell continued accelerating toward the officers, who each fired their weapon several times at the vehicle.
When Barbosa tried to get out of the path of the on-coming car, she fell backward and struck the back of her head on the concrete. As Mitchell was trying to leave the parking lot, he also struck a concrete wall.
Officer Charles Restifo later saw Mitchell and the car near the intersection of A and Lee streets. Mitchell then began trying to escape from Restifo by jumping a fence and running behind a house in the 500 block of West Lee Street where he was taken into custody.
Warrants have been signed charging Mitchell with two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer, and one count each of carjacking, resisting arrest without violence, leaving the scene of a traffic accident, fleeing/eluding police, and not having a driver’s license.
Mitchell was shot one time in the hand and received two additional superficial injuries consistent with a bullet wound. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Barbosa also was taken to a local hospital where she was treated and released.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting a review of the incident in conjunction with the Pensacola Police Department.
United Way To Hold Campaign Kickoff Circus Event
September 10, 2015
United Way of Escambia County invites the community to join them for the annual campaign kickoff.
The free luncheon will feature many of United Way’s 30 funded nonprofit agency partners that benefit from the workplace fundraising campaigns. It will give attendees a more personalized opportunity to learn how their donated dollars impact local lives, according to a press release. The circus-themed event will take place on Thursday, September 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pensacola Bay Center.
The three rings of United Way’s kickoff circus celebration reflect core focus areas that are the building blocks for successful communities—health, education and financial stability. Under the big top, an agency fair will give attendees the opportunity to learn more about how their donations improve lives in Escambia County.
Some partner agencies attending include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, Early Learning Coalition, Manna Food Pantries and Legal Services of North Florida. United Way will announce our community’s workplace campaign goal for the year and will recognize the Pacesetter campaign totals. United Way said these campaigns represent those that have “set the pace” and built momentum for the campaign year.
If you are interested in how you can combine your giving and community impact with 8,000 other generous donors from 250 workplaces, join United Way for a free lunch. Last year, United Way campaign partners raised over $2.15 million for our community.
“Each year, United Way of Escambia County puts together a kickoff event that both informs the community about the annual workplace campaign and engages everyone in a fun-filled environment,” said United Way Campaign Chair Oliver Sumlin. “This year will be no different. You don’t want to miss out when we bring our own circus to town on September 17.”
For more information or to RSVP for a table of eight people, email info@unitedwayescambia.org or call (850) 434-3157.
Walnut Hill Man Charged With Violent Attack On Ex-Girlfriend
September 10, 2015
A Walnut Hill man is behind bars, charged with breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment on Truman Avenue and violently attacking her.
The victim told deputies that she and 29-year old Spencer Jamil Syria had been separated about three weeks, but he returned to her apartment and broke in. He then allegedly struck her multiple times in the face, kicked her, and placed his hand around her throat to prevent her from calling for help. He then, according to an arrest report, sexually assaulted the victim before fleeing her her SUV.
Syria was charged with burglary with battery, battery, battery by strangulation, sexual assault and obstructing justice. He remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $250,000.
Update: FSU Changes Gun Information In ‘Game Day’ Guide
September 9, 2015
A day after getting hit with a lawsuit by a gun-rights group, Florida State University on Wednesday updated information in a football “game day” guide about fans keeping firearms in their vehicles.
But the changes to the school’s “Game Day Plan 2015″ guide for fans won’t holster the legal challenge by Florida Carry Inc. Sean Caranna, Florida Carry executive director, said the group will continue seeking an injunction against university President John Thrasher and university Police Chief David Perry.
Meanwhile, another high-profile issue about guns on campus will heat up again next week when House and Senate panels consider controversial proposals (HB 4001 and SB 68) that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry firearms at colleges and universities. The idea stalled during this spring’s legislative session, but gun-rights supporters are bringing it back for the 2016 session.
The Florida Carry lawsuit stems, in part, from a 2013 ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal that said the University of North Florida could not prevent firearms from being stowed in cars on campus.
The original version of FSU’s “game day” guide said weapons are prohibited on campus and that a “fan may not store firearms or other weapons in their vehicles parked on campus while attending the game.”
In updating the guide Wednesday, the university removed references to weapons from a section regarding parking. In another area of the guide, the school noted that while weapons and firearms are permitted in vehicles on campus, the items must be “securely encased in the vehicle.”
Caranna, who hopes to get a judge to rule before Saturday’s FSU home game against the University of South Florida, said only handguns must “meet the definition of being securely encased.”
“The new policy and the statements in their press release are insufficient and factually wrong,” Caranna said. “They could have saved us all a lot of trouble by giving us a call asking us and our attorneys to help them update the policy and come in compliance.”
Florida Carry and FSU graduate student Bekah Hargrove, a member of Florida Students for Concealed Carry, argue in the lawsuit that the “game day” guide fails to follow the 2013 ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal.
The guide provides general information on parking, traffic patterns, tailgating, concessions, and other items such as banners, drones and smoking.
On Wednesday, the university acknowledged in a release that the guide hadn’t been updated to reflect the 2013 ruling. The school also pointed out in the release that while the out-of-date web site language existed, nobody had been cited for having firearms or weapons legally secured in vehicles.
Thrasher, a former powerful lawmaker, has been a key opponent of the legislative proposals that would allow people with concealed-weapons licenses to carry guns on college campuses. The renewed proposals are scheduled to be heard next Wednesday in the Senate Criminal Justice Committee and the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
In a prepared statement Wednesday related to the Florida Carry lawsuit, Thrasher indicated he hasn’t changed his mind about those legislative proposals.
“While we fully intend to continue complying with Florida law, I nevertheless reiterate my strenuous opposition to the recent initiatives to permit the carrying of guns on university campuses,” Thrasher said. “I do not believe that arming students increases campus safety.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Woman Crashes Into Wooded Area
September 9, 2015
A woman escaped serious injury in a single vehicle crash near Walnut Hill Wednesday afternoon.
The 67-year old female lost control, ran off Meadows Road and traveled through a wooded area parallel the roadway about 2:45 p.m. The vehicle came to rest in a wooded area just off the road. The driver was transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Atmore Fire Department also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Motorcyclist Airlifted After North Century Boulevard Crash
September 9, 2015
A motorcyclist was seriously injured in a crash with a pickup truck Wednesday morning in Century.
The accident happened just after 6 a.m. on North Century Boulevard in front of the Panhandle Restaurant. The male motorcyclist was airlifted by LifeFlight to a Pensacola hospital as a trauma alert following the crash. The driver of the pickp truck was not injured.
Further details, including the names of those involved, has not yet been released as the Florida Highway Patrol continues their investigation.
Escambia County EMS, the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office also responded to the accident.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Charged With Ongoing Abuse Of Teen
September 9, 2015
A Cantonment man has been charged after the alleged ongoing abuse of a developmentally delayed teen.
According to a Department of Children and Families investigation, Timothy Joe Dease, 40, was using Facebook to make sexual advanced to the victim, an underage female described as being developmentally delayed with several medical problems, and he had previously touched the victim in an inappropriate manner last Christmas.
Further investigation revealed that Dease began abusing the teen when she was 13, with a pattern of sexual abuse continuing for years, through age 16.
Dease was charged with multiple counts of lewd and lascivious behavior on a victim age 12 to 16. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $100,000.