Theft Suspect Talking, Praying Her Way Into Homes Of The Elderly
August 3, 2012
Molino and Cantonment are on alert after reports of someone talking their way, even praying their way, into the homes of elderly residents.
A resident of Ridgecrest Lane told the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that she invited a lady into her home to pray with her because she was under the impression that the stranger was from a local church. The Sheriff’s Office said the woman’s purse was stolen, and her Navy Federal card used to make purchases at two Cantonment businesses. Few other details have been officially released as the Sheriff’s Office continues their investigation.
But family members tell NorthEscambia.com that the 92-year old woman was approached at her home by a woman that said she was from the Beulah Baptist Church and would like to go inside her home to pray with her.
The suspect stayed and prayed with the woman for about 15 minutes. As the suspect started to leave the home, she told the elderly victim that she had left her cell phone behind on the sofa. After going back to get her phone, the female suspect left.
The victim later discovered that her purse was missing — including her keys with a Navy Federal financial card attached.
Family said the victim’s card was then used for $10 at Gee Willie’s convenience store on Highway 29 in Cantonment, and then to make two separate purchases totaling over $300 at the nearby Cantonment Dollar General store.
The suspect was described as a skinny white female, about 5-foot , 4-inches tall, in her mid 20’s to early 30’s. According to the Sheriff’s Office, she may have been driving a silver Dodge pickup truck. Investigators are working with the stores involved to obtain surveillance video of the suspect.
NorthEscambia.com was alerted to another incident involving someone making their way into the home of an elderly resident. A police report was not filed in the second incident.
And an elderly resident on Bet Raines Road said a woman came to her backdoor and started a conversation. The elderly woman was led to believe that the female was from a local church and invited her inside for a cold drink. The female then asked to use the restroom. And some point, the resident became uncomfortable with the situation and tried to call relatives. The suspicious woman then left.
Nothing was reported missing in the Bet Raines Road incident.
Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Atmore, Escambia (AL) Candidates Square Off In Forum (With Gallery)
August 3, 2012
Candidates for political office in Atmore and Escambia County, Ala., took their message to the people Thursday night during a candidate forum.
Candidates speaking included the three men vying for the job of Atmore’s mayor.
Bernard Bishop said it’s time for Atmore to “get off the porch, roll up out sleeve and get to work.”
“Atmore is sitting on the threshold of a revolution,” Bishop said. “We need to prepare the ground of Atmore for a harvest.”
Lloyd Albritton said he was the candidate of change. “Atmore needs to pick up it’s own trash,” Albritton said. “We desperately need change in this town.”
The third mayoral candidate, Jim Staff, said “Let’s move Atmore forward”.
“We can only go forward for PCI and Atmore,” he mentioned.
The Leadership Atmore Alumni Association, a non-partisan group, sponsored the forum.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Candidates Set For Atmore City Elections
After a total of more than two decades in office, incumbent Atmore Mayor Howard Shell won’t seek re-election. He was first elected to the Atmore City Council 1984 before being appointed mayor after the death of then-Mayor Patricia McKenzie. After winning the mayor’s race twice, he remained in office until being beaten in 1996 by Rodney Owens, an Atmore chiropractor. He returned to office in 2000 and is serving his third term since returning to office.
The Leadership Atmore Alumni Association, a non-partisan group, sponsored the forum.
Qualified candidates for Atmore city offices are as follows:
- Mayor — Lloyd Albritton, Bernard Bishop, Jim Staff
- District 1 – Webb Nall (incumbent), Chad Thrower
- District 2 – Cornell Torrence (incumbent), Thomas S. “Teddy” McNeal
- District 3 – Chris Walker (incumbent)
- District 4 – Larry Houck, Phil Johnson, Susan Smith
- District 5 – Gregg Akins, Michael Arnold, Sandra Gray, Chris Harrison
Other Escambia County races of interest in the Atmore area include:
- Judge of Probate — Emilie Mims (R, incumbent), Robert Douglas Agerton (D).
- School Board District 2 – Danny Benjamin (D, incumbent)
- School Board District 3 – Jack Donald Crutchfield (D, incumbent) , Mike Edwards (R).
- School Board District 7 – Charles H. (Chuck) Brooks (D, incumbent), Coleman Wallace Sr. (R).
- Commission District 2 – John Raymond Wiggins (D, incumbent)
- Commission District 4 – Brandon Smith (R, incumbent), James H. Hall Jr. (D).
- Circuit Court — Bert Rice (D, incumbent )
- Circuit Clerk — John Robert Fountain (D), Becki Breckenridge (R)
Picture top: Atmore mayoral candidates Bernard Bishop, Jim Staff and Lloyd Albritton share a laugh during a political forum Thursday night in Atmore. Pictured inset: Probate judge candidate Emilie Mims (incumbent) and Douglas Agerton. Photos by Jodi Peacock for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Gets Prison Time For Torching Home, Pickup In Cantonment
August 3, 2012
A man has been sentenced for torching his pickup truck and Cantonment home in two different fires.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office said Lawrence William Patterson III, 24, set a fire inside his 2006 GMC Canyon pickup truck just before midnight on February 15, 2011. The fire was extinguished by the fire department, but not before it caused extensive damage to the garage in the 1800 block of Wareham Way in Cantonment. The rest of the house was not damaged.
The fire marshal left the scene at 5:03 a.m. on February 16. At 5:23 a.m., the fire department was called back to the house. This time, the other side of the house was on fire.
Patterson told investigators that the first fire was caused by some sort of malfunction in the truck. But when fire marshals investigated the two fires, they took debris samples from inside that truck that later test positive for gasoline.
Two fire marshal investigators and an independent fire investigator all determined that the fires were not accident and had been intentionally set.
Patterson attempted to file claims with two insurance companies — one for the truck and the other for the house. During the investigation, he gave conflicting statements to the insurance companies, claiming the fires were accidents.
Patterson was convicted of two counts of arson first degree, arson second degree, arson resulting in injury, two counts of insurance fraud and two counts of burning to defraud insurer. He was sentenced to Judge Linda Nobles to 10 years in state prison followed by 15 years in probation.
Florida Consumer Confidence On The Rise
August 3, 2012
Consumer confidence was up slightly in July over June, and dramatically higher than it was a year ago, a new report from the University of Florida finds.
Confidence of Florida consumers rose three points from June to July, to 76, nine points higher than the same period last year, according to the report by the university’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research. Perceptions of personal finances rose in July to their highest point since the end of the recession at the end of 2009.
Expectations of personal finances a year from now also rose, while expectations of U.S. economic conditions over the next year fell one point, the pollsters said.
Floridians’ gloomiest thoughts are on the prospects for U.S. economic conditions over the next five years, on which confidence fell three points to 77.
Perceptions as to whether it is a good time to buy big ticket items rose seven points to 84 in July.
“In July consumers are feeling much better about their personal finances compared to June and really to their circumstances since the recession ended two and a half years ago,” said Chris McCarty, the survey director. “Some of this can be attributed to a more positive housing picture in some areas of the state where prices are actually rising rather than falling.
By The News Service of Florida
Stewart Named Interim Florida Educational Commissioner
August 3, 2012
Public Schools Chancellor Pam Stewart will take over as interim education commissioner while the State Board of Education looks for a permanent leader for the department.
Board members agreed to tap Stewart for the position during a Thursday morning conference call.
On Tuesday, Commissioner Gerard Robinson announced his resignation, effective Aug. 31, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Robinson had also come under fire in recent months for his agency’s handling of the rollout of some FCAT scores and school grades.
Board Chairwoman Kathleen Shanahan said Stewart is only interested in being interim commissioner.
“Right now, she is not interested in the job on a permanent basis. That is her position today.” Shanahan said.
Blue Wahoos Top Tennesee 6-1
August 3, 2012
Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Wirfin Obispo struck out a career-high ten batters and gave up just two hits, while third baseman David Vidal homered and shortstop Billy Hamilton stole two more bases as Pensacola topped the Tennessee Smokies 6-1 on Thursday night at Smokies Park in Kodak, Tennessee.
The victory snapped Pensacola’s four-game losing streak and improved their second half record to 21-19, while Tennessee fell to 19-21 since the All-Star Break. The win also ended the Smokies’ hopes of sweeping the five-game series.
Obispo (6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 SO) retired each of the first ten batters he faced and gave up the lone earned run on just two hits, along with just one walk. It was the first time the right-hander had last six innings, as he improved to 3-0 on the year.
The bullpen duo of Wilkin De La Rosa and Justin Freeman shut down the Smokies the rest of the way by combining for the final three perfect frames. De La Rosa (1.1 IP, 2 SO) received his fourth hold of 2012, while Freeman (1.2 IP, 2 SO) notched his 12th save.
The Blue Wahoos got the scoring started in the opening frame, plating two tallies. Hamilton began the inning with a walk before swiping both second and third to increase his total to 119 this year, moving him to within 26 of Vince Coleman’s single-season record of 145 set in 1983. Hamilton came home on RF Josh Fellhauer’s RBI double to left, while Fellhauer later came home when 1B Beau Mills reached on an error.
Pensacola then added an additional score in the third to extend the margin to 3-0. CF Bryson Smith reached on a base knock, subsequently stole second and took third on LF Donald Lutz’s single, before Vidal brought home Smith with a single to left.
The two clubs would then trade solo shots, with the Smokies getting on the board with a longball from 2B Logan Watkins, his fifth of the year. Vidal would then push Pensacola’s advantage back to three with a solo blast to left, his sixth roundtripper of the year.
Two insurance runs would then come plateward in the final frame for the Fish. 2B Miguel Rojas led off with a single, before Hamilton’s free pass and Fellhauer’s bunt single loaded the bases for Smith. The center fielder would drive in both Rojas and Hamilton with his two-run single into center, making it 6-1.
Vidal (2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) and Fellhauer (2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI) each recorded multi-hit efforts in the victory for the Blue Wahoos, while Watkins collected the only two hits for Tennessee in the defeat. In total, Pensacola stole a total of four bases, one shy of their single-game season-high.
Tennessee starter Jake Brigham (3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss in his Smokies debut after giving up three runs, two of which were earned on five hits in his three innings of work. RHP Zach Rosscup (5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO) fired five frames in relief, yielding a lone earned run on just two hits.
The Fish will now head to Huntsville to finish their 10-game road trip with a five-game series against the Huntsville Stars, the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. RHP Chad Rogers, who was promoted from High-A Bakersfield earlier on Thursday is scheduled to make his Double-A debut for Pensacola, while RHP Johnnie Lowe is expected to get the nod for the Stars. First pitch is scheduled for 6:43 p.m. in Huntsville.
By Andrew Green
Pictured: Wirfin Obispo struck out a career-high 10 in his six innings on Thursday night for the Wahoos. Photo by Chris Nelson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former Northview Student Convicted Of Killing Younger Adoptive Sister; Will Serve One Year In Jail
August 2, 2012
A former Northview High School student has been convicted of the shooting death of her adoptive sister last August.
Elena Janelle Rendell — who was 17 at the time of the August 3, 2011, shooting — was convicted as a youthful offender for shooting 14-year old Christina Marie Sneary, a former Molino resident.
Rendell was sentenced to one year in the county jail, with no credit for nearly one year she spent behind bars awaiting trial, according to Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille. After release from jail, she will be on probation for five years.
She was also ordered to continue with mental health counseling and treatment. After her time in jail, Rendell will be required to seek and maintain employment or continue her education.
The two girls had recently moved with their mother from Sunset View Lane in Molino to the 7600 block of Kipling Street in the Ferry Pass community.
Rendell told deputies that she began to argue with Sneary over a cell phone. During the argument, Rendell ran into her parent’s bedroom and retrieved her father’s 9 mm handgun from the top of a television shelf that stood about 12-feet high. Rendell then pointed the handgun at her 14-year old sister and fired a single gunshot into the right side of Sneary’s neck. Sneary died a short time later at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Apartment Fire Caused By Child Playing With Lighter
August 2, 2012
Investigators say a fire that heavily damaged two Century apartments Monday night was caused by a young child.
The three-year old was reportedly playing with a lighter on a bed, sparking the blaze, as his grandmother was sleeping nearby.
The fire about 10 p.m. Monday in Building G of the Oakwood Village Apartments on Shady Lane was contained to one apartment, with one adjacent apartment suffering some smoke and water damage.
Century Fire Station Chief Regi Burkett credited the quick work of responding fire departments and a properly constructed firewall between apartments for preventing damage to the entire apartment building.
The Century, McDavid, Molino and Walnut Hill Stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Flomaton Fire Department also responded to the fire.
Pictured: Firefighters were able to quickly contain a fire Monday night at the Oakwood Village Apartments in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Church Youth Fly High, Cruise Bratt (With Gallery)
August 2, 2012
Youth at the First Baptist Church of Bratt hit the road, and the skies, Wednesday evening.
The youth road motorcycles with church leaders, and flew model airplanes from the Travis M. Nelson park near the church. Afterwards, the group volunteered to paint a portion of the church parsonage.
Pictured top: A candid photo of a youth group at the First Baptist Church of Bratt after flying a model plane at a Bratt Park. Pictured inset: Church member Greg Wilson explains his model plane. Pictured below: Ashley Mooney and Interim Pastor Jerry Kaylor prepare for a spin Wednesday evening. Photos by Marcella Green Wilson for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill Man Charged With Grand Theft For Not Delivering Yetis
August 2, 2012
A Walnut Hill man is facing multiple theft charges for collecting cold cash for cool Yeti coolers but not delivering the merchandise.
Timothy James Barry, 51, was arrested this week on four counts of grand theft and three counts of petit theft after an investigation by the State Attorney’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. He was released from jail on a $5,500 bond.
Barry, owner of Baywatch Arms & Accessories, allegedly accepted $2,944.18 during the summer of 2011 from seven people to order Yeti brand coolers, a high-end ice chest, on their behalf. After the coolers were not received from Barry, the victims filed a complaint.
Certified letters were sent by the victims and the State Attorney’s Office in an attempt to collect the money. According to an arrest report, Barry admitted to receiving the money from the victims and told deputies on June 4, 2012, that he was unable to repay them.
Barry provided the victims and the State Attorney’s Office with” numerous excuses to avoid coming in to clear that matter up”, the arrest report states. One victim told the State Attorney’s Office that he contact the Yeti Cooler company and was told the order was complete and awaiting payment from Barry.