Meth Arrest At Escambia Motel
April 10, 2014
One person was arrested after a methamphetamine operation was uncovered Wednesday at an Escambia County motel.
About 10:30 a.m., Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the American Best Motel at 7200 Plantation Road in response to an anonymous tip about possible narcotics activities.
Once inside the motel room deputies noticed material that is used in the manufacture of methamphetamines and called for the ECSO Narcotics Unit to take over the investigation.
Brett Randall Wilt, 38, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a listed chemical and production of methamphetamine. He remained in the Escambia County Jail Thursday morning with bond set at $46,000.
Stars Take Series Opener From Wahoos 5-4
April 10, 2014
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos jumped out to an early 3-0 lead Wednesday night in Huntsville, but it wasn’t enough as the Stars rallied to take the series opener 5-4 at Joe Davis Stadium. Wahoos pitching added to their league-leading strikeout totals with 11 K’s between four pitchers.
The Stars broke a 4-4 tie with a solo home run by Nick Ramirez (1) in the seventh inning. Huntsville plated its other four runs on a pair of two-out hits. The first from starting pitcher Brooks Hall in the second inning, a shallow pop up that dropped in short left field. Brewers No. 3 prospect Mitch Haniger provided the second with a two-run double in the fifth.
Donald Lutz led the way offensively for the Wahoos with a 3-for-5 game including an RBI and a run scored. Bryan Anderson chipped in with his first home run of the season, a solo shot leading off the second inning.
Blue Wahoos starter Carlos Contreras was charged with 2R/ER over 4.0 innings despite allowing just two hits with six strikeouts. Fabian Williamson (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up the go-ahead home run in the seventh. Kevin Shackelford (1-0) earned the win for Huntsville after working 1.0 scoreless inning out of the bullpen. David Goforth picked up his third save of the season with 2.0 shut-out innings to close it out. The Blue Wahoos had the tying and go-ahead runs on in the ninth but couldn’t score.
The series continues on Thursday when the Blue Wahoos send RHP Daniel Corcino (0-1, 1.50) to the mound against RHP Drew Gagnon (0-0, 3.60). First pitch is slated for 6:30 from Joe Davis Stadium.
by Tommy Thrall
Plan Would Move West Florida High, Rezone Ransom, Build Three New Schools
April 9, 2014
The Escambia County School District has an ambitious $80 million plan in the works that would move West Florida High School, build a new middle school and construct two elementary schools — all in the next three years.
The plan is contingent upon voters reaffirming the half-cent sales tax.
Under the plan, students from Woodham Middle School would be moved to a newly constructed campus somewhere on the northwest side of Pensacola. With zoning changes,the new school would also be used to relieve overcrowding at Ransom Middle School. The current Woodham Middle facility would be renovated and house West Florida High School, providing the school with improved athletic facilities including a stadium and field house. Brown Barge Middle School students would be relocated to the current West Florida High campus.
Overcrowding at Helen Caro and Blue Angels elementary schools would be alleviated by constructing a new elementary school in southwestern Escambia County, and new elementary school would be constructed to eliminate overcrowding at Pine Meadow and Beulah elementary schools.
The proposals are still in the planning stages and must receive final approval from the Escambia County School Board.
Pictured: A slide from a school district PowerPoint presentation, click to enlarge.
Stolen Town Of Century Truck Recovered In Key West
April 9, 2014
A pickup truck belonging to the Town of Century that was stolen a couple of weeks ago has been located — over 800 miles away in Key West.
The 2008 Ford F150 extended cab pickup was discovered stolen from the Century town shop on Alger Road on March 23. Authorities said the truck was undamaged. There’s no word yet on how the town will get the truck back to Century or how much the transport will cost.
A chainsaw, pressure washer, blowers and other items were also stolen during the burglary.
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call Crimestoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Chiefs Celebrate Senior Night Win Over Baker; Moore Hits Grand Slam
April 9, 2014
The Northview Chiefs celebrated Senior Night Tuesday with an 8-5 win over the Baker Gators. The Chiefs were led by Thomas Moore with grand slam.
Seniors honored were: Jody Bonner, Kevin Barrow, Brannon Freeman, RJ Pritchett and Daulton Tullis.
The junior varsity Chiefs also beat Baker, 8-3.
Pictured top and inset: The Northview Chiefs celebrate a Thomas Moore grand slam Tuesday night. Pictured below: Northview Chief seniors. Photos by Ramona Preston for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Above: Senior Jody Bonner.
Above: Senior Kevin Barrow.
Above: Senior Brannon Freeman.
Above: Senior RJ Pritchett.
Above: Senior Daulton Tullis.
Molino Park Elementary Students Read To Success
April 9, 2014
Molino Park Elementary School students recently took part in the “Read to Success” program where they could earn a Six Flags Over Georgia ticket for reading six hours and keeping a reading log.
Students in participating grades reaching the goal were:
Kindergarten
- Kailyn Wiggins
- Kamryn Gibbs
- Dominic Picheo
- Tyler Wilson
- Jessica Santos
- Garrett Crabtree
- Ayden Silcox
- Desi Fryman
- Destiny Spencer
- Layton Woodward
- Shiloh Prince
- Wyatt Pawless
- Mary Oliver
- Chet Knable
- Riana Hillard
- John Hatch
- Shay Crosby
- Ayden Crabtree
- Ryann Burson
- Destiny Abrams
2nd Grade
- Jarrett Bodiford
- Moses Delarosa
- Matthew Dix
- Makayla Golson
- Nicholas Lutterman
- Flora Mumaw
- Addison Pawless
- Brodie Rhodes
- DeQuan Shabazz
- Domanique Turner
- Lilly Hatch
- Riley Crites
- Kendall Alvare
3rd Grade
- Karson Brown
- Shelby Lashley
- Adian Vaughn
- Aaron Adams
- Raven Brigman
- Ethan Collier
- Brycee Woodward
5th Grade
- Damion Payne
- Shadonavon Young
- Cody Pigeon
- Keaton Edmonson
- Hannah Brousseau
- Ashley Ragsdale
- Tristian Griffin
- Zachary Stanton
- Brook Thomas
- Kellie Parsons
- Connor McQuaid
- Branden Massie
Pictured top: Some of the kindergarten students at Molino Park Elementary School that reached thei “Read to Success” program goal. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click toe enlarge.
Lawmakers Back Allowing Concealed Guns During Evacuations
April 9, 2014
Senators continued moving forward Tuesday with a National Rifle Association-backed measure that would allow people to carry concealed weapons without licenses during evacuations ordered by the governor.
But before voting 8-1 to support the bill (SB 296), the Senate Community Affairs Committee removed language that would have allowed people to pocket guns during evacuations ordered by local officials.
Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, who cast the lone vote against the overall measure, said he was “terrified” that a local official could create an untrained militia.
Currently, people can bring guns with them when following evacuation orders, but the firearms must be securely encased and not in their physical possession.
The bill by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, would create an exemption to state law by allowing people who have not qualified for concealed-weapons licenses to keep their guns with them when ordered to relocate after a state of emergency is declared.
Brandes said he intends to work with his colleagues to get language regarding local officials back into the bill before the measure goes before the Rules Committee.
Similar language remains in the House version (HB 209), which could be heard by the House as early as Wednesday.
Both proposals are opposed by the Florida Sheriffs Association, which has requested set times on where and for how long individuals could carry their guns without licenses once an evacuation order is issued.
NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer argued against imposing a set time period.
“Once you get too specific you work against the average citizen who has no way of knowing exactly what the law says; law enforcement on the other hand, they do,” Hammer said. “We’re trying to protect people here, not do something that is more convenient for law enforcement.”
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Dogs Still In The Running In Gambling Bill
April 9, 2014
With “Johnny Depp,” “Twiggy” and “Whisper” by her side, the Senate’s first lady, Vicky Gaetz, could not hold back the tears when asked why she was participating in a press conference about the perils of greyhound racing.
“I’m so passionate about it that I can hardly speak about it,” Gaetz, the wife of Senate President Don Gaetz, said Tuesday. “It’s just an issue I’m very passionate about, anything involving animals or children who are neglected or abused.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz, the president’s son, knelt beside his mother, who is in a wheelchair, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
“It’s OK, mother,” the normally brash Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, said.
During the press conference, Matt Gaetz said he learned from his mother that “you can tell a lot about any person by how they’ll treat an innocent and defenseless animal.”
Matt Gaetz joined Sen. Maria Sachs in what has become for Sachs a perennial fight to eliminate greyhound racing.
“This is an activity that very few people watch, even fewer people bet on and it’s an activity that erodes our collective humanity. I look forward to Sen. Sachs passing her very good amendment today that will end the government mandate to engage in a barbaric activity,” he said.
But despite pressure from the Senate’s “first family,” the Senate Gaming Committee stopped short Tuesday of trying to do away with greyhound racing and instead approved a measure that would force tracks to report injuries and deaths to the state.
The Gaetz clan — Vicky, Matt and the Senate president — were all on hand at the meeting where, after some heated sidebar huddles between GOP lawmakers, Sachs backed down from her attempt to allow dog tracks to stop racing greyhounds.
But Sachs said she isn’t backing down from her push to “decouple” greyhound racing from other types of gambling. The movement is supported by animal rights groups including Grey2K, which, like Sachs and Matt Gaetz, contend that greyhound racing is a thing of the past, costs the state money and has led to cruel treatment of the racing dogs by some operators who only use the dogs as a means to operate more lucrative poker rooms. The pari-mutuel permits allow the race track operators to operate card rooms and, in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, slot machines.
Instead of doing away with dog racing, the committee signed off on a proposal (SB 742) by Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, that would require tracks to report injuries and deaths of greyhounds, something only two states — Alabama and Florida — do not currently mandate. According to one report, 74 greyhounds died in a six-month period in 2013 — an average of three dogs per day.
Jack Cory, a lobbyist who represents the Florida Greyhound Association, told reporters that most dogs die because of injuries on poorly maintained track surfaces, electrocution from the “bunny” that runs around the track or a lack of breakaway fences.
Cory, whose group represents greyhound breeders, owners and kennel operators, said racing should continue to be required for other gambling operations, like cardrooms, because that is what voters authorized.
“You said you were going to be a live pari-mutuel. Either be a live pari-mutuel or turn your license in,” Cory said.
At least three members of the panel — Sens. Tom Lee, Jack Latvala and Gwen Margolis — objected to a series of amendments proposed by Sachs that would have gone far beyond allowing the state’s 16 greyhound tracks to decide whether they wanted to race dogs or not.
One of the proposals would have essentially allowed each of the tracks — including holders of permits that are currently dormant or in use at other tracks — to move elsewhere in their counties and set up poker rooms and offer simulcast wagering.
Sachs’ amendments prompted confusion and intense questioning by Margolis and Latvala.
“We have demonstrated that’s an expansion of gambling …under the guise of decoupling, there’s an expansion in there,” Latvala, R-Clearwater said.
Margolis objected that the complicated amendment, filed on Friday, lacked a staff analysis or any information about how much it would cost the state.
“The whole thing is a big mish-mash of stuff and I don’t know what the fiscal impact is,” Margolis, D-Miami, said.
Staff later said that state analysts estimated that Sachs’s “decoupling” amendment would cost the state about $300,000 in the first year but would eventually end up making money.
But Sachs said that a study by Spectrum Group, for which the Legislature paid $400,000, found that the state is underwriting greyhound racing, which it termed a “loss leader.”
Meanwhile, the Senate president huddled in what appeared to be a heated debate with a half-dozen senators, including Latvala and ardent gambling opponent Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando.
Lee said animal-rights supporters in the audience are “volunteering to be used” by track owners.
“These folks don’t care about your animals. They care about their profits,” Lee, R-Brandon, said. “As this thing goes forward, the question for this committee is if we believe so much in the humane treatment of animals, why don’t we just recognize that this industry is dead. Its day has come and gone. It’s time to revoke the permits for the dog licenses that exist in this state and reissue permits on a competitive bid basis for some new form of gaming that doesn’t involve the inhumane treatment of animals.”
Shortly after Gaetz left the room, Sachs withdrew her amendments. The panel approved the measure by a 13-1 vote, with Lee casting the sole negative vote.
“Dog racing is losing money. The animals are not treated well. Until we fix that, we’re not going to have humane treatment of our animals,” Sachs, D-Delray Beach, said after the meeting.
But Sachs said she hasn’t given up on ending greyhound racing.
“I withdrew the amendments because it needed more work. … I think we’re going to see my amendments again. I think they are going to be in a way that will make sure that there’s not an expansion of gambling,” she said.
by Dara Kim, The News Service of Florida
Two Arrested For Burglary After Kicking In Door At Century Home
April 8, 2014
Two people were arrested shortly after kicking a door at a Century home Monday afternoon.
At about 2:30 p.m., the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a burglary in progress in the 7000 block of Hadley Lane. According to the victim, two black males kicked in a back door and then fled through the woods when they were startled by a resident inside.
After getting a description of the two suspects, deputies spotted on suspect and then quickly found another behind a residence on Pond Street. Both were positively identified by the victim.
Lamikal Devonte Kyles, 20, and Devante Aaron Knight, 22, were both charged with attempted burglary and criminal mischief. Bond was set at $6,000 each.
Poarch Creeks Next Casino Could Be In Rural North Escambia
April 8, 2014
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ next gaming facility could be in rural North Escambia. The tribe has asked Gov. Rick Scott for a Tribal-State gaming compact that would allow the tribe to operate casino-like gambling in Escambia County — specifically on a small parcel of land in Nokomis, FL.
Such an agreement would allow the tribe “to conduct any Class III gaming activity which is played or may be played in the State of Florida, including, but not limited to, banked card games,” Tribal Chairman Buford Rolin wrote in a letter to Scott. Class III gaming in Florida includes table games and slot machines.
Scott’s office received Rolin’s request “and a meeting will be scheduled,” spokesman John Tupps said in an e-mail.
In his letter, Rolin said the United States holds land in trust for the Poarch Creek Indians in Escambia County, which meets the definition of “Indian lands”. “This land, acquired in trust in 1984, is the location where the PCBI intends to conduct Class III gaming activities under a compact with the State of Florida,” he wrote.
The one-acre parcel is located on Nokomis Road, just west of Tullis Road, about about five miles west of Highway 97. The lot is currently wooded, with houses on each side.
Jay Dorris, CEO of the Poarch Creek Gaming Authority, told NorthEscambia.com that the tribe intends to place a Class III gaming facility — with table games — on the Nokomis property once an agreement with Scott is reached.
“It would be very complimentary to our facility in Atmore,” he said. At the Wind Creek Casino in Atmore, the tribe is only able to offer electronic bingo gaming.
Once the Nokomis site is established, Dorris said there would be a “number of possibilities” for the tribe to potentially expand Class III gaming in Florida. In Florida, the Poarch Creeks already operate Creek Entertainment Gretna near Tallahassee and the Pensacola Greyhound Park and Poker Room.
There is no timetable for the Nokomis facility, but Dorris said work could begin at the site “very soon” after any agreement with the state is reached. And the tribe hopes that will be in the near future.
“We would like to meet with your designated negotiations team as a soon as possible….It is our hope that a compact be negotiated quickly,” Rolin’s letter to the governor states.
To read the letter to Scott, click here.
Pictured top: The one-acre parcel for which the Poarch Band of Creek Indians wishes to negotiate a gaming compact for with Gov. Rick Scott. Pictured inset: The small parcel is between two homes. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.