Brothers Sentenced To 20 Years For Shooting
November 2, 2013
Two Escambia County brothers will spend the next 20 years in prison for a shooting last year.
Circuit Judge Michael Allen sentenced Tevin Watson and Carderrial Watson to serve 20 years state prison, day for day, under Florida’s 10-20-Life Law. Both defendants were convicted on October 2 by an Escambia County jury of aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated assault with a firearm.
The charges stemmed from the shooting of Cordarrell Prim in the Sunrise Apartment Complex around noon on November 20, 2012. After an argument between Prim and Carderrial Watson, both Watson brothers pulled guns and fired at Prim. Prim was struck one time in the leg. Several eyewitnesses identified both Watson brothers as the shooters.
Jay Beats Freeport
November 2, 2013
Jay sent Freeport’s Bulldogs running back home with their tails tucked Friday night as the Royals poured it on for a 47-14 win at Merle North Stadium.
Jay improved to 5-4 overall and 1-2 in District 1-1A, while Freeport remained winless at 0-9 overall, 0-3 in the district. The Jay Royals will wrap up their season next Friday night as they host 3A Maclay High School (3-6) of Tallahassee.
Braden Cross had a couple of TD’s for the Royals in the first, and A.J. Nash Nash added another touchdown.
Photos by Michele Gibbs for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Dies In Wreck
November 1, 2013
An Escambia County man died in a single vehicle accident late Thursday night.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 69-year old William Clyde White of Pensacola lost control of his 2002 Toyota Tundra while negotiating a curve on New Warrington Road at Mobile Highway about 11:36 p.m.
His vehicle ran off the roadway and overturned multiple times. White, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected. He was pronounced deceased a short time later at Baptist Hospital.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol Homicide Unit.
Northview’s FFA Honored As One Of America’s Best Chapters
November 1, 2013
The Northview High School FFA chapter was awarded one of the highest national honors presented by the National FFA Thursday afternoon.
Northview’s FFA received the Three Star Chapter award on live national television during the National FFA Convention & Expo going on this week at Louisville, KY. About 53,000 FFA members and advisors are attending the convention through Saturday.
The program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters from throughout the county that successfully complete an annual set of required activities that encourage members to grow individually, work as a team and serve others in their community.
In addition to the national honors presented Thursday, the Northview High FFA chapter was recently honored for having the top Fresh From Florida Food Advocacy Program, formerly known as the Food for America Program, in the entire state.
The Fresh From Florida Advocacy Program is an educational program focusing on agricultural literacy in elementary schools and communities. It is a program developed to assist FFA members and all agricultural education students in leadership skill development as they reach out to youth, peers and their entire communities by sharing the world of agriculture.
Planning began in the fall of 2012 with FFA members setting goals and establishing working committees for the spring 2013 event. Through the efforts of 100 FFA members and community support, approximately 1,000 mostly elementary level students participated in agriculture awareness through hands-on exhibits and activities.
In addition, members of the Northview High School FFA officer team visited several area elementary schools to read agriculture-related books to students.
The Florida FFA Organization has honored Northview High School FFA Food for America program at the state level multiple years.
Pictured top: On behalf of the Northview FFA, President Courtney Solari (left) and Secretary Bethany Reynolds (middle) receive the Three Star Chapter award on live national television during the National FFA Convention in Louisville, KY, Thursday afternoon. Pictured below. Representing the Northview FFA during the National Convention in Louisville, KY, are chapter advisor Perry Byars, President Courtney Solari, Vice President Courtney Weekley, Secretary Bethany Reynolds, 2nd Vice President Haylee Weaver and NHS graduate Lydia Weaver. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Four Injured In Highway 29 Crash
November 1, 2013
Four people were injured in a two vehicle accident Thursday night on Highway 29 north of Cantonment.
The accident happened about 9:15 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Highway 29 near Hazzard Lane, just south of Quintette Road. The Florida Highway Patrol said a 1997 Ford Ranger pickup driven by 68-year old Easter Mae East of Cantonment had slowed to turn onto Hazzard Lane. The driver of a 2006 Ford Windstar, 61-year old James Otis Conway, hit the pickup when he failed to notice it slowing down.
Conway was not injured. East received minor injuries and was transported West Florida Hospital. Passengers in the Ford Ranger — 53-year old Ruth Hammon Hazzard, 48-year old Aldme Toler and 16-year old LeeMicheal East — were transported to West Florida Hospital by ambulance with minor injuries. Two other pickup passengers — 5-year old Jaquez Carter and 6-year old Robert Dukes III — were not injured.
Conway was cited for careless driving, and East was cited for a seat belt violation for unrestrained passengers under 18.
Pictured: Four people were injured in this accident Thursday night on Highway 29 in the Cantonment area. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Make-A-Wish Providing Paris Trip For Halee Boyd
November 1, 2013
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is making a dream come true for local cancer patient Halee Boyd — with a trip next week to Paris, France.
A year and a half ago Halee was a Tate High School junior on top of the world, looking forward to her senior year and graduation. In April 2012, Halee started having severe headaches, followed by blurry and double vision. Within 10 days her right eye was swollen, and the Boyds headed to a hospital emergency room. By the end of the month, they learned she had a tumor.
The diagnosis — Alevola Rhabdomyosarcoma , ARMS for short, a rare cancer of the muscles that are attached to the bones.
Her treatment for alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma ended in May of this year, but she has continued to suffer with more problems and side effects. A week ago she underwent surgery for another bone marrow biopsy to see if a medical condition is keeping her platelets from recovering since treatment ended.
Halee learned during a dinner at Ollie’s Neighborhood Grill on Nine Mile Road that she and her mother, Mardi Boyd, will fly out Monday for a week in Paris.
“This is the best time for Halee to be going and getting away from all the medical things she has been dealing with,” Mardi Boyd said.
Pictured top and inset: Halee Boyd reacts when she learns she will be leaving on a Make-A-Wish trip to Paris next week. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Deputies Seek Man For Questioning In Homicide Investigation
November 1, 2013
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is looking to talk to a man in connection to a homicide investigation.
Eugene Edwards Roberson is wanted for questioning only, the Sheriff’s Office said. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Investigations division at (850) 436-9643 or (850) 436-9620.
DEP Closes Deal On Eglin Conservation Buffer
November 1, 2013
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has closed on a deal that will conserve nearly 21,000 acres in Northwest Florida and help provide a buffer to Eglin Air Force Base.
The deal, which was approved by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet in August, has the DEP paying $10.2 million for land known as the Seven Runs Creek project in Walton County.
The purchase, which also involved The Trust for Public Land, is designed to provide environmental benefits such as protecting rare species. But it also will help prevent development from encroaching on Eglin.
The U.S. Department of Defense and Eglin will contribute a combined $2.3 million. Landowner M.C. Davis discounted the cost of the property by $7 million.
by The News Service of Florida
Two Arrested For Cashing Fake Checks
November 1, 2013
Two women from the Kissimmee area were arrested Thursday for cashing fake checks at a couple of Escambia County businesses.
The checks were cashed at Circle K locations on Nine Mile Road and Barrancas Avenue. Deputies stopped their vehicle and determined they were staying at a Highway 29 motel. Inside their room, deputies found computers, counterfeit checks and check stock paper.
New Campaign Finance Laws Take Effect Today In Florida
November 1, 2013
With little more than a year remaining before voters head to the polls in November 2014, candidates face something of a new world: Beginning Friday, they can rake in even more money from contributors to their campaigns.
Some of the biggest changes in a sweeping campaign-finance bill, approved last spring by the Legislature, take effect on Friday.
That includes a boost in contribution limits to candidates. Statewide candidates and retention campaigns for Supreme Court justices will be able to accept $3,000 from each contributor for each election, while legislative candidates and other campaigns can take up to $1,000. The previous limit for both was $500.
And candidates will be able to roll over up to $20,000 in unspent campaign funds to their re-election bids.
The ability to take larger contributions might have already affected the timeline of the 2014 campaign. Former Gov. Charlie Crist is set to announce his political intentions on Monday — just three days after the changes take effect — and is widely expected to launch a bid to regain his old office.
The moves were part of a bill that also banned shadowy fund-raising vehicles known as “committees of continuous existence,” though many of the functions of CCEs have simply been transferred to “political committees.” That ban on CCEs has already taken effect.
Supporters of the measure say it will give candidates an ability to more effectively control their messages in an era when U.S. Supreme Court decisions increasingly allow outside groups to raise and spend massive amounts of money in federal, state and even local elections.
Essentially, backers of the law say that money will always find its way into the political system. The new changes will, hopefully, send more of that money to candidates who have to stand behind their messages.
“What this law does is begin to allow candidates themselves to accept more of those existing funds through their own accounts to be more accountable for how that money is raised and spent,” said Dan Krassner, executive director of Integrity Florida, a nonpartisan group.
Krassner also highlighted the fact that the bill increases the number of financial reports that campaigns and committees are required to file with state elections officials.
Opponents are not convinced. Instead, they see an increasing crush of money from special interests that already have a disproportionate voice in the political system. Deirdre Macnab, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida, said research shows that states with higher contribution limits see fewer people giving to candidates and fewer people voting.
“It reduces the public’s confidence in the political system,” she said.
Opponents also say the rollover provision will scare away potential challengers in races where $20,000 can be a significant edge.
By Brandon Larrabee, The News Service of Florida