ACLU Battles Dept Of Corrections Over Santa Rosa Correctional Records
August 15, 2013
The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has gone to court to try to get records related to a Panhandle prison, after being rebuffed by a state agency that admits to working with “antiquated” technology.
The ACLU filed a lawsuit this month against the Florida Department of Corrections, claiming the agency rejected public records requests in November and May that involved computerized information about housing assignments and cell or bunk assignments for inmates at Santa Rosa Correctional Institution.
Sara Latshaw, ACLU Northwest Florida regional director, said in an email that it’s “ludicrous” for a government agency to skirt Florida’s public-records laws by pretending employees don’t know how databases work.
“Today, more and more public information is stored in databases instead of reams of paper,” Latshaw said. “Yet the Department of Corrections denies any duty to extract this information because it has not done so before. The truth is that it is 2013 and records like this should be easier to retrieve than ever.”
Latshaw declined to say why the records have been requested.
Misty Cash, the Department of Corrections deputy director of communications, said Tuesday that the state agency doesn’t comment about ongoing litigation. However, she noted the agency is limited by its own technology.
“We have a fabulous IT team and they do everything and anything possible to supply records and things that they can,” Cash said. “However, we have a very antiquated system and often times it’s not easy to use that system and find what is there.”
The ACLU requested two years worth of demographic and housing records from Santa Rosa Correctional on Nov. 29, 2012, only to be told on April 17 that the state agency “disagrees with your position that a query of the department’s database is the same as providing existing public records.”
“A query of the department’s database for specific information that you are seeking appears to be a request for the department to provide information or perform research,” the DOC wrote to the ACLU on April 17.
The ACLU’s housing information request was narrowed on May 23 to data from a single day — the Santa Rosa Correctional demographics from Nov. 30, 2012 — along with an instruction manual and the software name for the database.
The state refused the request on June 21, in part claiming the department doesn’t have to answer questions, perform research, give out public records or create new records “when a requestor seeks information not already contained in an existing record.”
The DOC also noted in a letter on June 21 that the database manual for the department’s Bed Space Management System is confidential and exempted from public disclosure.
According to the ACLU, inmate housing assignments along with cell or bunk assignments are public records, regardless of how they are stored.
“That the past housing assignments and cell or bunk assignments are stored in a database, as opposed to being printed on reams of paper, does not alter the department’s duty,” the lawsuit said.
Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, supported the ACLU, calling the state’s stance “kind of convoluted.”
“The DOC has a constitutional and statutory duty to provide access to its public records,” Petersen said. “The fact that they have stored these records in a manner that makes them irretrievable is their problem.”
by Jim Turner and Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Most Pensacola Food Worlds Sold; Belle Foods Stores To Be Auctioned Off
August 15, 2013
Bankrupt Belle Foods will sell seven stores — including several Pensacola Food Worlds — for over $1.3 million, while the company’s 44 other stories are set to be on the auction block next month.
Belle already has buyers for three of four Food World stores in Pensacola. Autry Greer & Sons, which operates Greer’s Market and Cash Saver stores in three states, has offered $100,000 for the Barrancas Avenue Food World in Pensacola. Malloy Grocery has offered $150,000 for North Davis Highway Food World in Pensacola, while there is a $150,000 offer for the Lillian Highway Food World from Fisher Douglas LLC. There has been no reported offer for the Food World on Pine Forest Road in Pensacola.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama has approved a new debtor-in-possession agreement between Belle Foods and its primary lendor, C&S Wholesale Grocers. Belle owes C&S $38.3 million, including $5 million to increase shelf stock and clean up 44 stores to be sold at a court- approved auction on September 24. C&S hopes to recover its money with auction proceeds.
The auction includes all remaining Belle Foods stores, including Atmore and Brewton.
Pictured: Belle Foods in Atmore. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Correctional And Partners Donate School Supplies, Bicycles
August 15, 2013
Century Correctional Institution partnered with Quantum Resources, S&S Construction and the Ensley Walmart to provide school supplies and bicycles for area children. CCI delivered $3,000 in school supplies and 64 bicycles for Bratt Elementary, Byrneville Elementary, Jay Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle, Northview High and the Camp Fire USA program in Century. The bicycles are typically used by the schools as education prizes or incentives.
Pictured: Century Correctional Institution and partners delivered bicycles and school supplies Wednesday to (top) Byrneville Elementary, (inset) Bratt Elementary, and (below) Camp Fire USA in Century and Jay Elementary. Pictured bottom: School supplies loaded up in a CCI van ready for delivery. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jay Royals All Sports Season Passes On Sale Now
August 15, 2013
All sports season passes are one sale now at Jay High School through August 23.
Passes are $175 for a family (anyone living in the same household), or $100 for an individual pass.
To purchase a pass, see Lynn Atkins in the Jay High School main office. These all sports passes are good for admission to all sporting events at Jay High School, except tournaments.
Victim Identified In ‘Suspicious Death’ At Car Dealership
August 14, 2013
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a “suspicious death” Wednesday morning at a Pensacola car dealership.
Adnan Mohamed Dali Glelati, age 53 of Pensacola, was found deceased about 10 a.m. from unknown injuries at 7 Stars Auto at 5401 North W Street, next door to the Fast Eddies Fun Center on Michigan Avenue. The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Escambia County EMS received an unconfirmed report of a shooting in the area at the time.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured: A man was found dead at 7 Starts Auto on W Street in Pensacola Wednesday morning. Photos by Amber Southard, WEAR 3, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
UPS Cargo Plane Crashes In Birmingham, Two Dead
August 14, 2013
A UPS cargo plane crashed near the Birmingham, AL, airport Wednesday morning, reportedly killing the pilot and co-pilot.
The plane crashed in grassy field outside the airport fence and about a half mile from the runway just before 5 a.m., missing homes located not far the site. There were no injuries on the ground. The plane, an A300, was enroute from Louisville, KY, to Birmingham.
“As we work through this difficult situation, we ask for your patience, and that you keep those involved in your thoughts and prayers,” UPS said in a prepared statement.
Photos courtesy the Tarrant (AL) Police Department.
Century Man Arrested On Drug Trafficking, Possession Charges
August 14, 2013
A Century man driving without a license was arrested on multiple felony charges — including trafficking — after a Pensacola traffic stop.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop for improper window tint on Old Spanish Trail at the Moorings Apartments. The driver, 33-year old Kevin Lamar Brown of Ramar Street in Century, admitted to deputies that he did not have a valid driver’s license.
Inside the vehicle, deputies reported finding a plastic bag containing an unmarked pill bottle containing a large quantity of acetaminophen-hydrocodone pills and a digital scale.
Brown told deputies that he and a female had found the bag while visiting Wayside Park at the foot of the 3 Mile Bridge. He said he was taking the pills to a friend to see if they could be sold for money, according to an arrest report. Deputies also reported finding a plastic bag with crack cocaine and marijuana.
Brown was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance (hydrocodone), possession of drug paraphernalia, cocaine possession and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. He also received citations for driving while license suspended, felony possession of a controlled substance while in physical control of a motor vehicle and a written warning for the window tint violation.
He remained in the Escambia County Jail Wednesday morning with bond set at $14,000.
Frequent Rains Have Little Impact On Local Crops
August 14, 2013
Most area crops overall are doing fine despite our frequent rains, said Escambia County Extension Agent Libbie Johnson.
She said some farmers are off their peanut spray schedule, opening up the crop for potential damage from pests. The rain also slowed some farmers from applying fertilizer at key times. Cotton that was planted earlier in the year looks better than cotton than was planted later due to the lack of full sun, Johnson said.
Johnson said cooler temperatures during the spring and summer, due to the rain and cloud cover, slowed down the area’s corn crop.
A few farmers were late in harvesting spring wheat and they were unable to get back into those fields to plant a second crop for the year due to soggy ground.
Pictured above and below: A pesticide is aerially applied to a corn field in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Current Immunizations Needed For School; Shots Required For 7th Grade
August 14, 2013
The Escambia County School District is reminding parents that students need to be up-to-date on their immunizations before the first day of school.
Before attending school in Florida, students enrolling in kindergarten through 12th grade are required to be current on all their immunizations. In addition, seventh grade students are required to have a Tdap booster vaccine before starting school on August 19.
Students who have medical insurance that will cover vaccinations should see their private provider, according to the school district.
Students who do not have health insurance coverage for immunizations may receive free vaccinations at the Escambia County Health Department at one of the locations listed below. Vaccinations are by appointment only.
- 1295 W. Fairfield Drive, (850) 595-6554
- 8390 North Palafox Street, (850) 484-5151
For additional information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Escambia County Health Department at one of the listed numbers.
Two Cantonment Residents Arrested On Drug Charges
August 14, 2013
Two Cantonment residents were arrested on drug charges after deputies responded to a home in reference to a disturbance.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a home in the 400 block of Nowak Road. While investigating a disturbance, deputies made contact with 31-year old Robin Ann Gatewood and 33-year old Christopher Scott Deaver in a bedroom of the residence.
Deputies reported finding a glass smoking pipe, prescription pills in a plastic bag , powdered cocaine and three cut straws.
Gatewood was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of a harmful new legend drug without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $3,500.
Deaver was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and a probation violation. Due to the probation violation, he was booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond.