Man Charged In Santa Rosa Homicide; Trio Was Playing With Shotgun
August 26, 2014
One person has been arrested in connection with a homicide Monday night in Santa Rosa County.
James “Hunter” Gates, 20, was charged with homicide-negligent manslaughter, using a firearm under the influence of alcohol and possession of alcohol by a person under 21.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting incident about 10:15 p.m. Monday. Gates, a female and the victim were at Gate’s home on Keyser Lane in Pace. Gates and the victim were intoxicated when they began to play with a 12 gauge pump-action shotgun. Gates observed the victim load a shotgun shell into the chamber and then eject the shell.
“In a playing manner,” according to an arrest report, the victim held the muzzle end of the shotgun to his chin and waved the butt of the gun toward Gates and the female. The victim then said “something to the effect of ‘bet you won’t pull it’, which referred to pulling the trigger,” the report states. Gates took hold of the shotgun and pulled the trigger. The gun fired a shell, hitting the victim under the chin. He was pronounced deceased on the scene by a responding paramedic.
According to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, Gates had previously loaded a shotgun shell into the gun’s chamber. When the victim loaded the gun, Gates forgot about the previous shell. When he saw the victim eject a shell, Gates thought the gun was empty, the report states.
The name of the victim has not yet been released pending notification of next of kin.
Nine Mile Road Emergency Repairs Rescheduled
August 26, 2014
Emergency repairs on Nine Mile Road (Hwy 90)between the Escambia River Bridge and Scenic Highway in Escambia County have been rescheduled to a later date. All lanes will open to traffic as Florida Department of Transportation personnel reevaluate the construction project in order to reduce traffic impacts and minimize delays.
Construction began Monday to repair the westbound outside, right lane and shoulder that was damaged by heavy rains and flooding in the area in April 2014. Temporary safety measures have been put in place until permanent repairs can be completed. Construction crews will still be on site conducting secondary repairs off of the roadway that will not impact the traveling public.
Teen Struck By Vehicle On Nine Mile Road
August 26, 2014
A teen is in serious condition after being struck a vehicle on Nine Mile Road Monday night.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 15-year old Montress Johnson was running across Nine Mile Road near Bowman Avenue about 7:45 p.m. when he ran into the path of a 2012 Honda Odyssey driven by 39-year old Suzanne Weeks of Pensacola. Weeks attempted to brake and steer but was unsuccessful in avoiding a collision.
The FHP is continuing the investigation into the incident.
Updated 12:05 p.m. — FHP corrected the teen’s name to “Montress Johnson” rather than “Mongress” as they previously released.
GED Classes Offered In Molino
August 26, 2014
GED classes will resume Thursday, September 4 from 6-8 p.m. at the Molino Community Center. Classes will be on Monday and Thursday evenings in Room 124.
New students can take the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) on Tuesday, for free September 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Molino Community Center for students age 18 and over. A photo identification is required for the test. Students under 18 need to get a special waiver obtainable only at the George Stone Technical Center (call 941-6200).
Students may also register online by clicking here.
For more information, call George Stone at (850) 941-6200.
Gas Franchise Dispute: Century Working To Analyze Pensacola Energy Data
August 26, 2014
The natural gas franchise dispute between Century and Pensacola is continuing.
Pensacola Energy currently provides natural gas service to three schools and one commercial customer in Bratt and Walnut Hill, plus 43 residential customers — all within the Town of Century’s exclusive gas franchise area. Pensacola and Century are disputing Pensacola Energy’s continued right to serve those customers, as Century seeks a franchise extension from the Escambia County Commission for a geographic area that spans from the Escambia River westward to almost the Perdido River and from the Alabama state line southward to near Bogia.
Mayor Freddie McCall said Pensacola Energy has now provided 375 pages of public records to Matt Dannheisser, the town’s attorney. Century will hire a private company for $2,500 to sort through the 375 pages and convert the information to usable data such as spreadsheets in order to set rates, especially for the three schools and the commercial customer. Century’s gas system currently only has one customer on commercial rates — a negotiated contract with the Department of Corrections for the Century Correctional Institution.
“Once we get the records on spreadsheets and other forms, we’ll be able to set rates and use that as a tool to get the county to agree to work with use to get this taken care of,” McCall said.
In order to analyze the data and set appropriate gas rates, Century will hire two city of Gulf Breeze employees as private contractors for a total of $3,000.
The $5,500 total for data analysis and rate creation will be paid out of $11,000 the town has in a special revenue account restricted gas fund.
In April, the Escambia County Commission delayed action on the franchise agreement for Pensacola and Century to come to terms. So far, the franchise agreement has not yet come back before the commission.
Alabama Death Row Inmate Commits Suicide
August 26, 2014
Alabama death row inmate Justin Hosch, 26, died of an apparent suicide Monday at Holman Prison in Atmore, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections. He was pronounced deceased in his cell.
The official cause of death is pending autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences.
Convicted of capital murder, Hosch was sentenced to death out of Autauga County on October 14, 2010. Hosch shot a 49-year-old Joey Willmore to death after Hosch escaped from the Frank Lee Youth center where he was being held for receiving stolen property and possession of marijuana.
Juvenile Justice Cancels Contract With Controversial Provider In Santa Rosa County
August 26, 2014
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has canceled a contract with a controversial operator of a 40-bed residential facility in Santa Rosa County, with potentially far-reaching implications for the way the state rehabilitates juvenile offenders.
Department officials said the Santa Rosa Substance Abuse Treatment Center hadn’t corrected problems involving safety and security for the 14- to 18-year-old boys in its program. They also pointed to the program’s failure to provide “effective behavioral interventions and appropriate reporting of incidents,” according to a news release.
In a letter to the provider, Youth Services International, the department said the facility saw four YSI staff members terminated in a two-month period for excessive or unnecessary use of force or the failure to report safety and security issues.
“I think we were very thorough in our process in identifying where the deficits were with the program,” said the department’s interim secretary, Christy Daly. “The actual decision to default on the contract was not a difficult one, because at all times we are focused on the safety of these children and holding our providers accountable.”
The canceled contract means Youth Services International can’t bid on new contracts with the state for at least 12 months.
The company continues to operate nine private, for-profit juvenile facilities in Florida, but cannot respond to a current invitation to negotiate the contract for one of them, the St. Johns Juvenile Correctional Facility.
Youth Services International did not return calls requesting comment.
“YSI is an organization that’s long been troubled,” said Roy Miller, president of the Children’s Campaign, an advocacy group. “This sends a real wake-up call — not only to them but to other providers.”
In November, the Huffington Post reported that “Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice has continued to award tens of millions of dollars’ worth of prison contracts to YSI, despite a civil rights investigation by the Justice Department and probes into negligence and violent conditions by authorities in at least five states. In the past year alone, the company has already received four new contracts in Florida totaling nearly $37 million.”
The investigative series resulted in a successful effort during the last legislative session by Sen. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, and Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Fleming Island, to insert language in the state budget requiring the Department of Juvenile Justice to consider a contractor’s history in other states among the criteria by which the department awards its contracts.
Soto said Monday he was pleased to see the department “taking the safety and welfare of our youth more seriously,” but that he planned to return in the 2015 legislative session with a proposal that would increase the department’s number of full-time employees to allow for greater oversight of juvenile detention facilities. Soto said the measure failed in the last session due to budgetary constraints.
He added that he would be scrutinizing the department’s new contracts as well.
“No one should be doing any victory laps as long as there are facilities where youth are being abused in our system,” Soto said.
The reaction from children’s advocates was mixed as well.
“We are gratified to see DJJ take action to respond to the abuse of children in one of its privately-run facilities,” said Tania Galloni of the Southern Poverty Law Center. “Incarcerated children are at risk of mistreatment, and that is why juvenile prisons should be used sparingly, if at all. While closing one facility is a good first step, there are still far too many children exposed to abuse in for-profit juvenile prisons around Florida.”
Gordon Weekes, who as Broward County’s chief assistant public defender has investigated Youth Services International facilities, said nothing had really changed.
“In the past when they’ve shut down YSI facilities, they’ve just popped back up under a different name, with the same staff, and DJJ has absolutely no problem with that,” he said.
For instance, Weekes said, after the department did not renew its contract with Youth Service International’s Thompson Academy following charges of physical and sexual abuse, “that program reconstituted itself under a different name, right down the street.” Weekes said he saw some of the same guards transporting youths to court, and they told him they still worked for Youth Services International.
He said that the youths in Department of Juvenile Justice facilities need intervention, hands-on mentoring and attention from qualified staff. But by definition, he said, a for-profit juvenile facility has an incentive to skimp on staff salaries or operating costs — even food — at the expense of the youths in its care.
“And when you cut back on both of those areas, you get low quality,” he said.
Miller of the Children’s Campaign said virtually all juvenile providers are having “huge workforce issues” due to low qualifications and low pay.
Daly, however, said the department was dealing with its providers on an individual basis — including Youth Services International and its Santa Rosa facility. The department sent technical teams to the program, shared the deficiencies they found with Youth Services International and gave the provider the chance to make good. It did not.
“The leadership at individual programs is the critical component of program success,” Daly said. “And we do see strength at most of our programs.”
by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida
Lineworker Appreciation Day Was Tuesday
August 26, 2014
When Robert Duke was growing up in the Pensacola area, he spent a lot of time at a restaurant where Gulf Power linemen would come eat for lunch.
“I would talk to them a lot,” he said. “Then after Hurricane Frederick (in 1979), they came and worked in our yard. I got pumped up and said, ‘Man, I’m going to be a lineman one day.’”
Duke has been a lineman for Gulf Power for almost 27 years. As the state honors lineworkers across the state on Tuesday, August 26 with Lineworker Appreciation Day, Duke is proud that line crews are being recognized for the work they do to keep customer’s lights on.
“You’re in the field every day and not in the same place,” he said. “We work in the heat and sometimes it’s hard on your body. But it’s a good feeling knowing you are getting people’s lights on when they’re in a bind. That’s a big reward.”
Gulf Power is proud to salute its lineworkers, who work tirelessly to keep Northwest Florida’s electricity flowing.
“Gulf Power crews do a great job of keeping the lights on — but they’re often called away from their families to work nights and holidays to restore power following storms or traffic accidents for example,” said Wendell Smith, Gulf Power vice president of Power Delivery. “These men and women are truly heroes and this day is to honor them.”
Gulf Power has approximately 175 employees who work on the company’s transmission and distribution lines, which total more than 9,300 miles.
They have been especially busy this year in addition to their regular duties. Many were called away from their families in February during the ice storm in Pensacola and again in April when the floodwaters hit. In both events, they were able to restore power in less than 48 hours while working in hazardous conditions.
In 2012, the state Legislature made August 26 Lineworker Appreciation Day in Florida. It was created through the efforts of lawmakers and Tracy Moore, the widow of a Lakeland lineman, who was killed while working.
Part of Gulf Power’s mission is to lend assistance to other companies when natural disasters knock power out to hundreds of thousands of customers. Earlier this year, Gulf Power sent lineworkers to assist its sister company Georgia Power for a week following an ice storm. In 2013, Gulf Power sent crews out of state to assist other utilities on two different occasions. One of those was a trip to Alabama in March following a series of tornadoes. In December, crews worked to restore power in the Dallas area following an ice storm.
“Our award-winning lineworkers are committed to keeping the lights on, whether here in Northwest Florida or across the country,” Smith said. “That’s what they do and we’re proud they are being recognized for their efforts.”
NorthEscambia.com and submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Florida Workers Comp Rates Could Be Trimmed
August 26, 2014
Florida employers could see the first overall reduction in workers-compensation insurance rates in four years.
An overall 2.5 percent decrease has been proposed by the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the state announced. The decrease is expected to be discussed during a public hearing in October.
Manufacturers could see the biggest drop, 3.2 percent, under the proposal. The contracting industry is lined up for a 2.9 percent decrease, and office and clerical services would get a 1.3 percent drop, according to a statement from NCCI.
The proposal, if approved by the state Office of Insurance Regulation, would take effect in January. Last year, the overall rate grew 0.7 percent, which was slightly lower than a proposed 1 percent increase. The approval followed annual increases of 6.1 percent, 8.9 percent and 7.8 percent in the three previous years.
by The News Service of Florida
Florida, Alabama Officers Pledge To Crack Down On Drunk, Unsafe Driving
August 26, 2014
Law enforcement agencies from Florida and Alabama met Monday at the I-10 Florida Welcome Center to mark the kickoff of the “Hands Across the Border” campaign toe promote safe Labor Day driving.
Drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest crimes – in 2013, there were nearly 1,000 alcohol related fatalities across Florida, according to Florida’s Department of Transportation.
Officers both states pledged Monday to work together this holiday weekend to ensure drivers are maintaining safe speeds, not drinking and driving and always using their safety belts.
“Every year, and every holiday weekend, we continue to see far too many people suffer debilitating injuries and loss of life as a result of impaired driving,” said Tim Roberts, Florida Law Enforcement Liaison representative for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. “This careless disregard for human lives must stop, which is why Florida and Alabama’s law enforcement agencies will be arresting impaired drivers wherever and whenever they find them during the Labor Day holiday.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
