Search Underway For Missing Escambia County Woman
October 22, 2012
Investigators are asking for help locating a missing woman.
Nancy Jean Craycraft, 55 of Pensacola, was last seen October 19. Her vehicle was located October 21 in Baldwin County, and both Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and the
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office are investigating her disappearance.
Craycraft is described as a white female, 5-foot four inches, 110 pounds with blondish-brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on Craycraft’s whereabouts is asked to call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Escambia County Murder Under Investigation
October 22, 2012
A murder is under investigation after a man was found shot to death off Highway 29 in Escambia County Monday night.
Investigators said Labar Cardarlyo Brown, 25, was killed in what they believe to a drug related case. His body was discovered after Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shots fired call about 5:30 p.m. in the 6800 block of Tiki Lane, just south of Burgess Road.
Deputies responded to Tiki Lane again about 10:45 p.m. to a second report of shots fired. Deputies “found evidence of a firearms discharge”, the Sheriff’s Office. There were no injuries reported in the second shots fired incident.
There have been no arrests in either incident.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Pictured: Reader submitted cellphone photos show the scene on Tiki Lane after one person was shot and killed Monday evening. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Four Injured In Ambulance Crash (With Gallery)
October 22, 2012
Four people were injured in a crash involving an ambulance this morning in Century.
The accident happened about 8:15 a.m. when an Escambia County EMS unit received an emergency call to Century Care Center while in the parking lot of the Whataburger on North Century Boulevard, just south of East Highway 4.
Ambulance driver Brenda Matthews, age 32 of Cantonment, activated the emergency lights and sirens on the ambulance and stopped at the stop sign while exiting the parking lot onto Highway 29, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Traffic in the northbound lanes stopped to allow the ambulance to proceed. Matthews did not see a 2004 Chevrolet SUV and begin to cross over the northbound lanes to turn south, with the front of the ambulance colliding with the side of the SUV.
Matthews was at fault in the crash, according to the FHP, because the SUV driver had not been given the opportunity to observe the ambulance and safely stop or continue. She was not cited, according to a FHP release.
Matthews and the other ambulance crew member, 48-year old Gary Straughn of Pace, were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
The driver of the SUV, 80-year old Barney Cash of Century, was transported by ambulance to Jay Hospital with minor injuries. His passenger, 53-year old Clifton Underwood, Jr. of Century, was airlifted by LifeFlight to Sacred Heart Hospital in serious condition.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured: Four people were injured in this wreck involving an Escambia County EMS unit Monday morning in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bratt Man Gets 3 Years In Prison On Hunting, Weapons Charges
October 22, 2012
A Bratt man has been sentenced to state prison on hunting and weapons charges.
Stanley Haynie, age 52 of York Road, was sentenced to a three year minimum mandatory in prison for possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon and time served for three counts of taking or possessing deer with a gun during archery season and one count of over bag limit of deer.
In mid-November 2011, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission officers received information that Stanley Haynie and his brother, Marvin Haynie, had used a firearm to kill a deer outside of permitting hunting seasons.
Witnesses told officers that the Haynie brothers had gone hunting and several shots were heard. When questioned, the two brothers admitted to shooting three deer — a doe and two yearlings — with a firearm, according to the FWC.
FWC officers reported finding the remains of the deer behind a residence on York Road, off North Pine Barren Road just east of Northview High School. FWC officers also seized a 12-gauge shotgun and a .30-06 rifle from the home.
Stanley Haynie was a registered sex offender previously convicted of lewd and lascivious exhibition and conduct with a victim under 16, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Marvin Haynie was convicted in December 2011 of five counts of failure to comply with FWC rules and sentenced to 10 days in the county jail.
Pictured: FWC officers watch a home on York Road in Bratt in November 2011 before seizing deer meat and firearms. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
New Grocery Stores Seeks Local Produce, Products To Sell
October 22, 2012
A new grocery store opening soon on Airport Boulevard in Pensacola is looking for local produce and products to sell.
Since opening in 1982, The Fresh Market has made the support of local manufacturers and farmers one of its main points of focus. For the past 30 years the specialty grocery retailer headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., has helped many start-up and artisan manufacturers grow their brands.
“Supporting local food manufacturers has always been a core part of The Fresh Market’s business,” said Marc Jones, the company’s senior vice president of marketing and merchandising. “As we continue to grow our company throughout the United States, we are also growing our local programs, increasing our focus on finding fantastic local products that our customers will love.”
To realize this goal and become better acquainted with vendors in the area, The Fresh Market is hosting a “Local Vendor Product Pitch Day” in Pensacola on Wednesday, November 7. The purpose of the event is two-fold: local food manufacturers can introduce their retail-ready products to The Fresh Market as well as learn about the company’s process for selecting, promoting and selling local products in its stores. With two new Gulf Coast area stores – one in Daphne and the other in Pensacola. – set to open later this year, the company is also looking to build its offering of local products in these and existing stores.
Space is limited and available by appointment only. Those interested in attending are asked to register in advance by sending an email with their contact, company and product information to buylocal@thefreshmarket.com.
Fresh Market currently operates 126 stores in 24 states.
Northview Tribal Beat Performs At Troy State Band Day
October 22, 2012
The Northview Tribal Beat Band joined 2,300 high school band members representing 32 schools from three states performing with Troy University’s Sound of the South marching band during halftime on Saturday as the University celebrated its annual Band Day.
The annual event, which began in 1998, provides high school band students the opportunity to experience performing at the collegiate level.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“Band Day provides high school band members a chance to come to TROY to be a part of a Division I football game and perform at halftime with the Sound of the South,” said Dr. Mark Walker, Troy’s associate director of bands. “It is a great recruiting tool for the band and the entire University.”
Northview’ s Tribal Beat and the other bands took part in a rehearsal Saturday morning with the Sound of the South. The bands then took part in the Trojan Victory Parade and the team’s Trojan Walk.
Pictured: The Northview High School Tribal Beat band took part in Troy University’s Band Day Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos by Chad Wiedel, click to enlarge.
Grant Purchases EpiPens For Middle And High School Clinics
October 22, 2012
The Escambia County Medical Society Foundation recently received a $2,000 grant from the Partnership for Public Health to purchase EpiPens for the Escambia County School District. The EpiPens will be distributed to middle and high school clinics.
In accordance with established guidelines, school nurses or paraprofessionals who have been trained by the school nurse may administer spare epinephrine auto injectors when provided to public schools by the medical community, according to the school district.
Gaetz Floats Ethics Changes
October 22, 2012
Incoming Senate President Don Gaetz signaled last week that he wants to tighten the state’s ethics and elections laws, including cracking down on officeholders who take other public-sector jobs and possibly changing key parts of the political fund-raising system.
Also, Gaetz said he wants to toughen conflict-of-interest rules for lawmakers and provide easy online access to public officials’ financial-disclosure forms, saying it is now “like a treasure hunt” for citizens to find the information.
Gaetz, a Niceville Republican, offered a broad outline of the ideas to reporters, but details would have to be worked out and approved during the 2013 legislative session.
In one potentially controversial idea, Gaetz said he wants to rein in elected officials who also start getting paychecks from other government agencies. Gaetz said he would like to prevent elected officials from accepting other public-sector jobs if they don’t have the background or “prior competency” to qualify for the jobs.
Gaetz said, for example, the restriction would not apply to a teacher who wants to run for the Legislature. But it would be targeted at people who get elected to office and, for instance, wind up getting management positions at public agencies that might not otherwise hire them.
“This is going to take a great deal of work,” Gaetz said. “We’re going to have to look at what other states have done.”
Another potentially controversial idea would restrict or eliminate what are known as “committees of continuing existence,” which can accept large political donations. Some lawmakers, including Gaetz, have formed the committees in addition to having campaign accounts that are limited to accepting $500 contributions.
Gaetz said he is concerned about potential abuses in how contributions to the committees are spent. Such abuses could involve money going toward expenses that don’t directly have a political purpose. He floated the possibility of raising the $500 contribution limit to candidates, while restricting or eliminating the committees.
“I don’t think it (money going to a committee) provides as much transparency as a direct contribution does,” Gaetz said.
Gaetz also called for changing a rule that allows senators to avoid declaring conflicts of interest before voting on measures that could benefit them or family members. He said senators should declare conflicts before votes and possibly not vote.
Meanwhile, Gaetz’s proposal for making financial-disclosure information more readily available to citizens is similar to an idea that the nonpartisan group Integrity Florida has been pushing. The group says on its website that 27 states post financial-disclosure information online, but Florida does not.
“The public should have access to an online, searchable database of state officials’ financial disclosure information, potential voting conflicts and gifts received,” Integrity Florida said.
By The News Service of Florida
Citizens Insurance Shedding 100K Policies, Responds To Critics
October 22, 2012
Citizens Property Insurance has defended its decision to shutter an internal watchdog unit, while another 100,000 Citizens policies will be taken over by private firms starting in December.
The state Office of Insurance Regulation announced the takeout late last week. Combined with earlier announcements, 318,000 Citizens policies are headed to private insurers.
American Integrity Insurance Co. of Florida, which had already been approved to take-out 50,000 policies in November, is approved for an additional 40,000 in December. Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co., licensed in August, has been approved to remove 60,000 policies.
Earlier, Citizens spokeswoman Christine Ashburn defended the insurer’s decision to close the Office of Corporate Integrity, which had been in charge of monitoring internal office matters, sexual harassment claims and misuse of funds. Four people lost their jobs as part of the move, which was disclosed this week.
The duties of the office, Ashburn said, have been reassigned to other divisions within Citizens, including the Office of Internal Audit, the Ethics Officer and the Employee Relations Office.
Citizens also plans to hire four forensic accountants trained to track potential corporate fraud and abuse. Those positions have yet to be filled.
“We believe these changes strengthen our ability to ensure Citizens employees operate with the highest level of integrity,” said Citizens President Barry Gilway, in a statement.
The state-backed insurer has come under fire recently for travel expenses and other expenditures that occurred before Gilway took over earlier this summer. The Citizens board of governors has since enacted more stringent travel and expense guidelines.
The insurer is also in the middle of a controversial proposal to provide $350 million in loans to private companies willing to take policies off its hands. The low-interest loan proposal is undergoing an outside review after concerns were raised by key lawmakers and others.
On Thursday, Gov. Rick Scott sent a letter to Gilway in which he said Citizens must maintain a high level of quality assurance so that customers and taxpayers can be assured the insurer is running a tight ship.
Scott said disbanding the Corporate Integrity office before having other watchdogs already on board was “troubling.” He urged Gilway to use “greater caution with future modifications affecting internal investigations, audits and compliance.”
“While I understand your desire to reduce redundancy and create efficiencies within Citizens, such efficiencies cannot be achieved at the expense of accountability, transparency, and compliance,” Scott wrote.
By The News Service of Florida
Molino Woman Killed In Pace Crash
October 21, 2012
A Pace woman was killed in a four vehicle crash Sunday morning near Pace.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 49-year old Angela Long of Molino was turning on a green traffic signal from Woodbine Road to Highway 90 in Pace when her 2008 Ford Explorer was struck by a 2012 Ford F250 driven by 46-year old Parham Booker of Pace. Long was pronounced deceased as a result of the 9:54 a.m. crash.
Booker ran the traffic signal at the intersection and charges against Booker are pending, the FHP said.
Booker’s pickup then struck two other vehicles, causing minor injuries to one person.