12 Dead, 59 Injured In Colorado Theater Shooting, Suspect Named
July 20, 2012
Police in Colorado say 12 people were shot to death and at least 59 wounded in a shooting at a movie theater the Denver suburb of Aurora.
Authorities say the midnight premier of “The Dark Knight Rises,” the latest Batman movie, had just begun at the Century 16 theater in the city of Aurora, when a masked man dressed in black and wearing a bulletproof vest faced the packed crowd from the front of the theater. They say he set off canisters spewing an irritant and smoke and then started randomly shooting. Witnesses say he fatally shot an infant at point-blank range.
Police say they arrested the shooter a short time later in the parking lot outside the theater, and recovered an assault rifle, a shotgun, a handgun and a gas mask.
Booby-trapped apartment
Hours after the incident unfolded Friday in the darkened movie theater, police said they found the gunman’s apartment residence “booby-trapped” with explosives and chemical devices. They evacuated nearby residents.
Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as James Holmes, a 24-year-old American who was in the process of dropping out as a neuroscience graduate student at a nearby university. They said there was no indication the shooting was tied to any terrorist group.
Lone shooter
The movie theater attack was the worst mass shooting in the United States since 2009 when an Army psychiatrist killed 13 soldiers and civilians at a military base in Texas.
Aurora Chief of Police Daniel Oates told a news conference police are “confident” that only one man was involved, contrary to initial reports that there may have been an accomplice.
The police chief said the suspect told investigators he had multiple explosives at his residence in a North Aurora apartment building, and investigators later found the apartment booby-trapped with flammable and explosive materials. Residents at five nearby buildings were ordered out of their residences as authorities sought to disarm the dangerous site.
“The suspect who’s in custody, made statements about possible explosives in possession of his residence. At this time, there is a residence in North Aurora — its an apartment apartment building — that we have evacuated and we are dealing with as potentially there are explosives inside there,” Oates stated. “We’re also concerned about explosives in the parking lot, hence the parking lot is completely sealed off. We have all the area bomb squad teams.”
Eye witness account
Jaime Marshall, a theater patron, described a chaotic scene in the moments after the shooting, and said she saw a girl with a bullet wound in her leg.
“So we went up those stairs and we looked to the wall, to the side of the theatre where we heard the sounds from and there were bullet holes and so that’s when we started screaming for all our friends just to get out,” she recalled. “We went up the stairs and we were looking over the lobby and police were out there. There was one officer in a gas mask holding a huge rifle and they were just waving people, trying to get people through the lobby as fast as possible so we ran down the stairs, we ran out of the theatre. We walked out, I saw a girl with a bullet in her leg.”
Obama, Romney react
President Barack Obama, abandoning a planned re-election campaign rally in Florida, called on Americans to support the victims of the carnage. He said “such violence, such evil is senseless” and that the nation is “heartbroken.”
Obama said the mass shooting was inexplicable.
“We may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings like this,” the president said.
Obama’s Republican presidential challenger, Mitt Romney, said he and his wife Ann were “deeply saddened” by the shooting, which he called “senseless violence.”
[VOA]
Pictured: A witness Twitter photo from the shooting scene at the Century 16 Theater in Aurora, Colorado. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Expanding Weekly Garbage Pickup Services
July 20, 2012
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is adding services to weekly garbage service beginning August 1
Big items that won’t fit the garbage can — things like furniture and appliances — will be picked up as part of the regular weekly service August 1 with no need to call-in. Until now, bulky waste pickups have been limited to once a month with customers required to call in advance.
Bulk waste items need to be placed at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on a customer’s regular pickup day.
ECUA will also significantly increase the amount of yard waste that can be put out for each week’s collection. After August 1, ECUA will accept two piles six feet wide, six feet deep and six feet high. In addition to the two piles of yard waste, ECUA will also accept up to 20 plastic trash bags or cans of vegetative matter such as leaves, pine straw, grass clippings and small prunings.
Yard waste items should be place at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on a customer’s regular trash day.
For more information, see the insert in your July ECUA bill, visit www.ecua.fl.gov, or call ECUA customer service at (850) 476-0480.
Cantonment Man Sentenced For Forged Checks At Walmart
July 20, 2012
A Cantonment man charged in April with passing forged checks at two Pensacola stores has been sentenced.
Jourdan Alexander Truitt, 21, pleaded no contest this week to felony grand theft, three felony counts of uttering forged instrument and one misdemeanor count of petit theft.
Adjudication was withheld. He was sentenced to 36 months probation and 100 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $1,185.99 in restitution to Pen Air Federal Credit Union. He was also ordered to seek a job with more than 35 hours per week.
Truitt allegedly wrote four checks totaling to two Pensacola Walmart stores. According to an arrest report, he was seen on Walmart survelliance video using the checks for purchases.
The victim in the case was listed as Pen Air Federal Credit Union because they reimbursed their account holder for the money lost from her account.
Beulah Clean Sweep: 38 Tons Of Debris, Two Arrests
July 20, 2012
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office along with the Windy Hill Neighborhood watch, partner agencies and volunteers worked to clean up in Beulah Thursday.
The Operation Clean Sweep removed 38 tons of debris. Two outstanding arrest warrants were served, and 23 citations were issued at traffic checkpoints. In addition, the ECSO Sex Crimes Unit made seven address verifications.
NJROTC Cadets Complete Basic Leadership Training
July 20, 2012
Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets from across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties took part in a Basic Leadership Training camp last week that culminated with graduation exercise about Pensacola NAS.
Eight cadets from Northview High School took part in the Basic Leadership training camp — Lane Carnley, Sean Allister, Joshua Borelli, Elijah Harbinson, Jeniya Odom, Talia Syria, Andrea Miles and Deidre Steele.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The week-long camp included academics, drill, physical training and tours of Pensacola Naval Air Station facilities. Highlights of the week were running the Marine Corps obstacle course, observing Navy Fire Fighting training, aircrew survival swimming training and a tour of the Naval Air Technical Training Center.
Two two other Northview cadets, Jonathan Moretz (executive officer for the BLT company) and Zacarra Davis were graduate assistants during the week, helping the NJROTC instructors run the camp. Their responsibilities included assignment as platoon leaders, watchstanders, barracks staff and administrative duties. Their duties were essential to the success of the camp and ensured the cadets were properly trained during the camp and moved from one location to another throughout the week.
There were a total of 73 NJROTC cadets that participated and graduated from the camp from Northview, Pine Forest, Escambia, Washington, Milton, Pace and Navarre high schools. An additional 23 cadets were assigned as graduate assistants from the seven schools.
Pictured top: There were 73 NJROTC cadets from seven schools that graduated from a week of Basic Leadership Training at Pensacola NAS. Pictured inset: Northview’s Jonathan Moretz, standing by to receive the Cadet Achievement Award. Pictured below: Northview cadets (L-R) Talia Syria, Deidre Steele, Andrea Miles Elijah Harbinson, Lane Carnley, Jeniya Odom, Sean Allister, Zacarra Davis (graduate assistant) and Joshua Borelli. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Basketball Camp Next Week With Former NBA Coach
July 20, 2012
The First Baptist Church of Bratt will host a basketball camp next week
The camp for children ages 8-14 will be held July 23-27 from 9 a.m. until noon at the church. Coach Roger Dutremble of Global Sports Outreach will teach kids the fundamentals of basketball and Biblical awareness.
Dutremble is a a retired coach and member of the International Basketball Hall of Fame. He career includes coaching at every level from high school to the NBA, and into international arenas, with a lifetime coaching record of 687-117 and seven national championships. He was selected “Coach of the Year” six times, and served as national team head coach to Belgium, Scotland, and Jordan. He was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers, serving under Paul Westhead and Pat Riley, from 1979-83 and helping the team to three NBA championships with players like Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The cost $35 per student with scholarships available. For more information, contact Tim Hawsey at (850) 327-6529.
Escaped Alabama Prisoner Recaptured
July 20, 2012
A state prisoner with ties to South Alabama was recaptured Friday afternoon in north Alabama.
The Alabama Department of Corrections said inmate Rhonda Hopkins escaped from a job site near Midfield, Alabama, on Thursday afternoon.She was captured walking down a street in Midfield.
She was serving a five year sentence at the Birmingham Community Based Facility after being sentenced in Mobile County for theft and possession of controlled substance.
Sentence Handed Down In Escambia Murder, Body Burning
July 20, 2012
An Escambia County woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday for her part in the murder of a teen.
Heather Trinee Lee, 30, was one of three people charged with second degree murder for her role in brutally beating and burning 19-year old Audreanna Zimmerman in an Ensley field. Zimmerman lived for 16 days after the attack.
One of her co-defendants, Tina Lasonya Brown, 41, was convicted of first degree murder last month. The jury recommended the death penalty, but the judge could choose to sentence her to life in prison.
Brown’s 19-year old daughter, Britnee Miller, has also pleaded guilty to first degree murder. Her sentencing is set for September. Miller was a minor at the time of the murdercannot be sentenced to life in prison under a recent ruling from the Supreme Court.
Health Care Panel Hears Of Risings Costs In Florida
July 20, 2012
As Florida moves into the “Obamacare” era, a state insurance panel Thursday heard from stakeholders who offered some predictions but largely said it’s too early to tell how the sweeping law will affect residents and businesses across the state.
There was one notable exception: They said the price of health insurance is going to go up.
During more than two hours of testimony, the Florida Health Insurance Advisory Board heard from representatives of the managed-care industry, state health officials and a conservative analyst. They mapped out scenarios should the federal health overhaul continue or be repealed by Congress before fully taking effect in 2014.
Michael Garner, president and CEO of the Florida Association of Health Plans, said the federal law will require insurers to pay about $8 billion in fees after the program begins in 2014, a figure that is expected to increase to $14 billion by 2018. Those costs will likely be passed on to consumers in the form of higher rates for policies in place after 2014.
“These premium increases will be seen soon in rate filings,” Garner said.
One possible consequence, warned conservative analyst Ed Haislmaier, is that as the price of health care rises, more small employers may choose to go off the grid and not carry any coverage at all. Even without the federal law, health-insurance prices have steadily climbed in recent years.
“One way or another, if this stays or goes, there is a significant interest in employers of getting out of providing benefits,” said Haislmaier, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. “A lot of employers are going to find ways to get around this.”
If Congress repeals all or part of the program, Haislmaier said other less-sweeping attempts to expand health care will likely follow. He used as an example of health care revisions that took place after the Clinton-backed health care efforts imploded in the early 1990s.
“Does that mean reform is dead, dead for decade? I would say no,” Haislmaier told the panel.
The federal plan requires employers with more than 50 workers to offer insurance or pay fines. Individuals who choose not to obtain insurance will be taxed. Residents not receiving health care through their employers would be steered to exchanges set up to link people with insurers.
Florida is among a handful of states including South Carolina, Texas, Alaska and Maine that have already stated they would not create insurance exchanges and would rely on the federal government to run the program.
By The News Service of Florida
Pensacola Beats Mobile 8-6
July 20, 2012
Blue Wahoos right fielder Josh Fellhauer recorded three hits and drove in four runs, including three on a fifth inning homer to right, while second baseman Brodie Greene also totaled three base knocks to lead Pensacola to an 8-6 victory over the Mobile BayBears on Thursday night at Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
The win propelled the Fish to a 16-11 record in the second to maintain their tie for first in the Southern League’s South Division. The defeat dropped Mobile to a 12-15 mark since the league’s All-Star Break.ankHank
Pensacola got the scoring started in the opening frame to take an early 1-0 lead. CF Ryan LaMarre doubled to left, before he was sent home on 1B Beau Mills’ RBI double to deep center to put the Fish ahead. Mobile would then tie it at 1-1 an inning later thanks to CF Alfredo Marte’s leadoff solo homer to left.
The BayBears then took their first and only advantage of the contest in the fourth. Marte began the inning with a free pass, moved to second on a walk and third on a wild pitch, prior to being plate on a sacrifice fly to center by C Rossmel Perez.
A four-run fifth frame then pushed the Blue Wahoos ahead 5-2. After Greene singled, stole second and moved to third on an error, starting pitcher Kyle Lotzkar bounced a grounder up the middle to bring home Greene. Following LaMarre’s free pass, Fellhauer brought in Lotzkar and LaMarre with his three-run blast.
Mobile however, would even the game with a pair of tallies in each of the fifth and sixth innings. RF Marc Kruass reached on a base-on-balls, while 3B Matt Davidson was hit by a pitch before Marte plated Krauss with a single to center. Davidson subsequently scored on an RBI single by LF Bobby Borchering.
Following Greene’s RBI double in the top of the sixth, the BayBears drew the count even at 6-6 thanks to a two-run homer off the bat of Krauss. It was the 15th longball of the season for the left-handed slugger.
Single scores from the Blue Wahoos would then put away Mobile for good. Fellhauer drove in his fourth run of the contest in the seveht after SS Billy Hamilton reached on a base hit and got to second on a balk, while it was Hamilton’s run-scoring single in the following frame that gave Pensacola an additional insurance run.
Along with Fellhauer (3-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI) and Greene (3-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI), Hamilton (2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) also recorded a multi-hit effort in the victory for Pensacola, while Marte (3-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB) and C Rossmel Perez (2-4, 1 RBI) each tallied two or more base hits for Mobile. Mills reached base in the contest to extend his team-high on-base streak to 24 straight contests.
Pensacola reliever Josh Ravin (1.2 IP, 1 H, 3 SO) earned the win in his Blue Wahoos debut, striking out three in his 1.2 shutout frames, while Justin Freeman (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO) notched his ninth save of the year. Mobile RHP Yonata Ortega (1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO) suffered the loss to fall to 2-2 on the year after allowing two earned runs on two hits in his inning of relief.
The Blue Wahoos and BayBears will meet again Friday night in the second game of the series, with RHP Daniel Corcino slated to get the nod for Pensacola, while Mobile is expected to send RHP Chase Anderson to the hill. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. in Mobile.