State Defends Voter Purge, Accuses Feds Of Breaking Law
June 7, 2012
The Scott administration disagrees with the federal Department of Justice’s interpretation of elections law, saying the state’s efforts to clear its voter rolls of non-citizens are not only legal but necessary to ensure eligible voters’ choices aren’t diluted.
In a letter Wednesday to the DOJ, Secretary of State Ken Detzner defended the state’s voter purge effort, echoing Gov. Rick Scott’s assertion that it wouldn’t disenfranchise any legal voters and that the only people removed would be those who are truly ineligible to vote.
Detzner also turned the allegations of illegality back on the Obama Administration, arguing it has improperly denied Florida access to a key federal database that would help the state root out ineligible voters.
Civil rights groups and Democrats have criticized the state’s purge effort as too broad-brushed and have raised the prospect that it could capture legal voters – who may not respond to a warning from local officials that they are about to be removed from the rolls unless they can prove they’re legal citizens.
That won’t happen, Detzner said.
“Pursuant to Florida law, no person has been or will be removed from the voter rolls without the fundamentals of due process: notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a determination by the county supervisor of elections that a preponderance of the evidence shows the voter is ineligible,” Detzner, a Scott appointee, wrote.
The letter, sent to DOJ elections lawyer T. Christian Herren, was in response to one sent by Herren last week to the state. The Herren letter raised the possibility that Florida could be violating federal voting laws with the purge, primarily by continuing to remove voters less than 90 days before an election. Herren’s letter also suggested that the state could be violating federal requirements for getting prior approval for major changes in election procedures in certain jurisdictions.
Detzner said the preclearance requirement isn’t an issue in the five Florida counties normally required to get such approvals, because a Florida statute spelling out the process for cleaning up the voter rolls, which supervisors are following, has already been cleared by the Justice Department.
The 90-day requirement for stopping certain voter roll clean-up efforts, which is part of the federal National Voter Registration Act, simply can’t apply in this case, Detzner argued. The purpose of that law was to ensure “accurate and current voter registration,” he noted. And if it did apply, it wouldn’t be constitutional, he argued.
“If the effect of the NVRA is to force a state to allow never-eligible non-citizens the opportunity to vote, then the statute might violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, which guarantees that the right to vote cannot be denied by a dilution of the weight of a citizen’s vote,” Detzner wrote.
Even if the 90-day requirement were valid the only reason Florida has started trying to remove voters now is that it was prevented from beginning the process earlier by the federal government, Detzner charged.
That’s because the Department of Homeland Security has “repeatedly ignored or rebuffed” the state’s efforts to get access to a federal DHS database, known as SAVE, that would help Florida in identifying non-citizens for removal from the rolls.
“By denying Florida access to the SAVE database, DHS appears to have violated federal law, which provides that states may use the SAVE database ‘for any legal purpose such as … voter registration,’” Detzner alleged. The federal law also requires DHS to turn over that database when asked, he said.
“In sum, the practice DOJ now appears to be endorsing is as follows,” he wrote. “The federal Department of Homeland Security may, for months, violate federal law and deny Florida and other states access to the SAVE database so that the federal Department of Justice may then assert that the resulting delays in a state’s election-integrity efforts violate the time periods established in another federal law. This hardly seems like an approach earnestly designed to protect the integrity of elections and to ensure that eligible voters have their votes counted.”
The Scott administration also turned around the Justice Department’s demand for information on the purge process with a demand for answers to questions that Detzer has. He asked the DOJ to respond by June 11 to four questions:
-Whether DOJ agrees Homeland Security should provide access to the SAVE database.
-Whether DOJ’s position is that federal law prohibits Florida from removing non-citizens from voter rolls between now and the November election.
-If not, what DOJ thinks Florida should do to remove non-citizens between now and then.
-And if so, whether Florida could even identify non-citizens for later removal from the rolls after the election.
Scott came under fire shortly after asking local elections supervisors – who are independently elected and don’t technically answer to Tallahassee – to use a list generated by the state that was pulled from a driver’s license database to identify potentially ineligible voters for removal.
But in recent days, Scott and his supporters have pushed back hard. The Republican Party has taken up the issue, sending out regular messages about the logic of clearing the voter rolls of non-citizens.
And in what was clearly a coordinated effort, Scott this week began getting encouragement emails, after weeks of not getting any email on the subject.
Hundreds of similar emails from supporters began showing up in the last two days in Scott’s inbox, which is open to the public and media to view.
“I encourage, implore, and demand that you do not give into the pressure and demands of the federal government,” an emailer named Troy French wrote to Scott. An emailer from Arizona sent a similar note urging Scott to clean up the Florida voter rolls and another emailer told Scott it is easy for poll officials to “create additional votes” from non-citizens.
Detzner’s letter in defense of Florida’s practice also closely tracked an opinion piece written in the National Review Online by Republican lawyer Hans von Spakovsky. A fellow at the Heritage Foundation, von Spakovsky was counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department in the Bush administration, where he was in charge of enforcement of the voting rights laws DOJ cited in its questions to Florida. The state’s response to DOJ was essentially von Spakovsky’s argument.
Local supervisors of elections had been advised by their association’s legal counsel to hold off on actually removing voters from the rolls pending the state’s response to DOJ on its questions. A lawyer for the supervisors’ association told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel late Wednesday that that recommendation wouldn’t immediately change.
Liberal opponents of the purge effort redoubled their criticism on Wednesday after Detzner’s response.
“The fact that Gov. Scott is using the nearly nonexistent threat of voter fraud as an excuse to continue his dragnet voter purge reveals his true intention to rig the 2012 election,” said Mark Ferrulo, executive director of the liberal advocacy group Progress Florida.
Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich of Weston, who is so far the only Democrat who has announced a challenge to Scott in the 2014 election, also criticized the governor.
“Gov. Scott needs to pay more attention to the affairs of our struggling economy rather than trying to stack the outcome of an election,” she said.
By The News Service of Florida
Man Hit Over Head With Glass Vase After Talking About Suspect’s Mother
June 7, 2012
A 64-year old Cantonment man was arrested for busting a glass vase over man’s head after he said not so nice things about his mother.
Fredie Eugene Milner of Robinson Street was charged with felony aggravated battery after the incident Tuesday night.
Deputies found the 58-year old victim walking up and down Robinson Street, bleed from his head. He told Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies that had gone to girlfriend’s house to retrieve a cell phone charger. He said her brother answered the door and hit him over the head with glass bottle. He was transported to West Florida Hospital for treatment.
Milner admitted to deputies that he used a glass vase to strike the victim over the head when the victim said bad things about his mother, according to an arrest report.
Early Thursday, Milner remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $10,000.
Man Busted For Using Device To Steal Gas
June 7, 2012
A Hileah man was arrested in Santa Rosa County after allegedly using a device connected to a service station gas pump to keep the cashier from knowing how much fuel was being pumped.
Elian Laguna, age 38 of Katy, TX, was charged with use of an anti-shopping control device countermeasure and criminal mischief.
He was caught when an Exxon Fuel Express employee noticed the fuel pump stayed at $0.45 and was not registering any other amount as Laguna pumped diesel into his Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup. The owner noticed a device connected to the pump and called the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies arrived while the fuel was still flowing into Laguna’s truck. He denied stealing diesel fuel and told deputies the device was already there when he started pumped.
“Deputies verified that the device connected to the fuel pump allowed the pump to flow at a normal rate while not showing any reading on the digital pump display,” according to Sgt. Scott Haines, spokesman for the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office.
A search of his truck also revealed another device and pump with nozzle that could be used to siphon fuel from a tank.
“These pumps are commonly used by thieves to steal fuel from large trucks at rest areas or truck stops,” Haines said.
Laguna remained in the Santa Rosa County Jail with bond set at $8,000.
Ernest Ward – Sixth Grade Awards
June 7, 2012
The following sixth grade students received awards recently at Ernest Ward Middle School.
Overall Most Outstanding Student
- Triston Long
Overall Most Improved Student
- Myisha Syria
A Honor Roll
- Korbin Bryan
- Kayla Galvan
- Bailee Hinote
- Triston Long
- Hannah Nelson
- Celeste North
- Sarah Perritt
- Olivia Reber
- Sabra Stewart
- Tara Windham
A/B Honor Roll
- Anna Belle Barberree
- Alayna Brown
- Dawson Brown
- Logan Calloway
- Rhayeshawanna Davidson
- James Davis
- Aaron Dees
- Eli Deese
- Breanna Deloach
- Logan Doremus
- Jason Fischer
- Austin Ging
- Kayla Godwin
- Logan Hall
- Abby Hammond
- Raegan Harrell
- Cole Hassebrock
- Madelyn Lathan
- Cheyanne Lee
- Lari McCann
- Kamryn Mothershed
- Robin Nahkala
- Patience Newsome
- Andrew Sharpless
- Trevor Singleton
- Fisher Spence
- Hunter Spence
- Jayda Warner
- Destiny Watson
- Jake White
- Brandy Wooten
Golden Eagle Top Gun Award — Students who receive this award are recognized for maintaining grades of C or higher on report cards, having 10 or less absences, and receiving no referrals during the course of the school year.
Golden Eagle Top Gun Award
- Josh Bailey
- Anna Belle Barberree
- Alayna Brown
- Dawson Brown
- Korbin Bryan
- Logan Calloway
- Jerni Crabtree
- Aaron Dees
- Eli Deese
- Logan Doremus
- Jason Fischer
- Kayla Galvan
- Austin Ging
- Hannah Godwin
- Clint Gunter
- Logan Hall
- Abby Hammond
- Wesley Hardin
- Raegan Harrell
- Cole Hassebrock
- Bailee Hinote
- Cody Kite
- Madelyn Lathan
- Mallory Lathan
- Cheyanne Lee
- Triston Long
- Elizabeth Mbeng
- Lari McCann
- Jacob McCullough
- Kamryn Mothershed
- Anna Nelson
- Hannah Nelson
- Patience Newsome
- Savana Nielsen
- Celeste North
- Sarah Perritt
- Angel Philyaw
- Olivia Reber
- Mary Sanders
- Heath Sheldt
- Trevor Singleton
- Tori Smith
- Fisher Spence
- Hunter Spence
- Sabra Stewart
- Evan Till
- Jayda Warner
- Kirsten White
- Tara Windham
- Brandy Wooten
Glenda Bell’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Trevor Singleton-Advanced Reading
- Jenna Black-Reading
- Most Improved Improved Students
- Jaquarius Thomas-Advanced Reading
- Shavon Hall-Reading
Laura Chaver’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Triston Long-Geography
- Logan Hall-Geography
- Bailee Hinote-Geography
- Hannah Nelson-Geography
- Tara Windham-Geography
- Most Improved Improved Students
- Myisha Syria-Geography
Kathleen Ellis’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Jake White-Health Career Wheel
- Robin Nahkala- Health Career Wheel
- Triston Long- Health Career Wheel
- Korbin Bryan- Health Career Wheel
Vickie Grant’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Jake White-Advanced Science
- Kamryn Mothershed-Science
- Rhayeshawanna Davidson-Science
- Bailee Hinote-Advanced Science
- Patience Newsome-Science
- Most Improved Students
- Logan Calloway-Advanced Science
- Jarrod Davison-Science
- Chase Gifford-Science
- James Davis-Advanced Science
- Tori Smith-Science
Jeremy Greenwell’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Austin Ging-P.E.
- Hunter Carter-P.E.
- Heath Sheldt-P.E.
Dee Hendrix and Mary Johnson’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Hannah Godwin-Reading
- Most Improved Improved Students
- Levi Wagner-Reading
Julie Lowery’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Jacob McCullough-Reading
- Triston Long-Advanced Reading
- Sarah Perritt-Advanced Reading
- Kayla Galvan-Advanced Reading
- Hannah Nelson-Advanced Reading
- Anna Belle Barberree-Advanced Reading
- Kayla Godwin-Advanced Reading
- Anna Belle Barberree-Research
- Mallory Lathan-Research
- Tori Smith-Reading
- Lari McCann-Reading
- Most Improved Improved Students
- Myisha Syria-Reading
- Aaron White-Reading
Regene Martin’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Shay Kidd-Science
- Heath Sheldt-Science
- Anna Belle Barberree-Geography
- Trevor Singleton-Geography
- Clayton Findley-Geography
- Kamryn Mothershed-Geography
- Austin Ging-Geography
- Jake White-Geography
- Kayla Godwin-Language Arts
- Kamryn Mothershed-Language Arts
- Rhayeshawanna Davidson-Geography
- Hannah Godwin-Geography
Robin McCall ’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Kamryn Mothershed-Math
- Mallory Lathan-Math
- Clayton Findley-Math
- Patience Newsome-Math
- Jayda Warner-Advanced Math
- Trevor Singleton-Advanced Math
- Hannah Godwin-Math
- Jake White-Advanced Math
- Tara Windham-Advanced Math
- Cheyanne Lee-Math
- Jarrod Davison-Math
- Most Improved Improved Students
- Jack Nielsen-Math
Brenda Rutherford’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Kayla Galvan-Orientation to Technical Occupations
- Triston Long- Orientation to Technical Occupations
- Hannah Nelson-Exploratory Wheel-Keyboarding
- Jake White- Exploratory Wheel-Keyboarding
- Sarah Perritt- Exploratory Wheel-Keyboarding
- Anna Belle Barberree- Exploratory Wheel-Keyboarding
Ashley Salter’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Hannah Nelson-P.E./Cheer
- Triston Long-Science
- Sabra Stewart-Science
- Trevor Singleton-P.E.
- Destiny Watson-P.E.
- Jordan Parham-P.E.
- Michael Harrelson-P.E.
Charles Tucker’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Triston Long-Beginner Band
- Sabra Stewart-Beginner Band
- Kayla Galvan-Chorus
- Anna Belle Barberree-Chorus
- Celeste North-Chorus
Ron Wark’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Shay Kidd- Math
- Most Improved Improved Students
- Jenna Black-Math
Katie Ward’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Tori Smith-Language Arts
- Patience Newsome-Language Arts
- Cheyanne Lee-Language Arts
- Tara Windham-Advanced Language Arts
- Kayla Galvan-Advanced Language Arts
- Anna Belle Barberree-Language Arts
- Rhayeshawanna Davidson-Language Arts
- Triston Long-Advanced Language
- Brandy Wooten-Advanced Language Arts
- Most Improved Improved Students
- Hunter Carter-Language Arts
- Lari McCann-Language Arts
- Mallory Lathan-Language Arts
Cindy Wilson’s Awards
- Most Outstanding Students
- Bailee Hinote-Ag
- Cody Kite-Ag
Students of the Month
- Celeste North, September
- Bailee Hinote, October
- Cody Kite, November
- Hannah Godwin, December
- Josh English, January
- Jake White, February
- Rhayeshawanna Davidson, March
- Hannah Nelson, April
- Fisher Spence, May
The Principal’s Award, presented by Nancy Gindl-Perry, is awarded to students who show overwhelming improvement in their behavior, attitude, or academic status over the course of the school year.
Principal’s Award
- Sabra Stewart
Voter Registration Drive To Resume
June 7, 2012
The League of Women Voters of Florida said Wednesday it will resume voter registration efforts following a federal judge’s ruling last week overturning portions of a 2011 state election law critics say is too restrictive.
“Failure was never an option in this battle against voter suppression,” said President Deirdre Macnab. “Now it’s time for our volunteers to work overtime to make up for lost ground. Our goal? To make sure every eligible Floridian has the opportunity to have their voice heard and their vote counted.”
The League and Rock the Vote challenged the law passed last year that placed more restrictions on signature gathering groups.
Last week, Federal Judge Robert Hinkle temporarily halted enforcement of some provisions, including a 48-hour deadline for signatures to be turned in and reporting requirements for some registration volunteers that Hinkle determined were overly burdensome and likely violated federal voting rights protections.
By The News Service of Florida
Watchdog Group: Florida Most ‘Corrupt’ State
June 7, 2012
Florida may be the nation’s fourth most populous state but it leads the nation in the number of federal corruption convictions, a dubious honor that could be easily remedied, a government watchdog group said Wednesday.
Based on U.S. Department of Justice data, Florida led the nation in the number of convictions between 2000 and 2010, according to data compiled by Integrity Florida, a non-profit research group founded earlier this year by former Florida Chamber spokesman Dan Krasner and former Common Cause Florida executive director Ben Wilcox.
“We’re number one for our beaches,” Krasner said. “We’re number one for our sunshine, but it’s time we dust off our government in the sunshine laws and once again become number one in the world for government in the sunshine and open government.”
The data, which includes only federally initiated cases, shows that Florida had 781 convictions for various corruption charges for the 10-year period ending in 2010. Florida was followed by California (753), Texas (741) and New York (670.)
Most of the federal corruption cases involve local officials, who by their sheer numbers represent the largest segment of public officials.
The group outlined a series of changes that could be done within existing law while also calling on state lawmakers to make some changes in state statutes to put more teeth in anti-corruption laws.
Florida law does not allow the Commission on Ethics to initiate its own investigations, a restriction groups like Common Cause and others have tried, unsuccessfully, to change for years.
Last year, the commission acted on 169 complaints that were deemed to be valid. The group said even high profile cases are out of reach unless someone files a formal complaint.
“It’s like having speeding limits but no officers on the beat to catch speeders when they break the law,” Krasner said.
The Ethics Commission plans to meet next week to map out its 2013 Legislative agenda.
Among a list of recommendations, Integrity Florida said state lawmakers should give the commission more police powers while also raising the cap on allowable fines from $10,000 to $25,000.
The commission itself has asked for such powers in the past, suggesting it be allowed to initiate cases. Two years ago the commission also asked for a higher fine limit of $100,000.
Also in 2010, a statewide grand jury slammed Florida laws for being too lax on corruption, and made a number of suggestions, most of which were never implemented. Then-Gov. Charlie Crist called for that grand jury investigation in 2009 following a string of high profile arrests of public officials and political figures. He noted at the time that he had been forced to remove 33 public officials from office in less than three years as governor because of varying instances of wrongdoing.
Integrity Florida is also calling on lawmakers to expand the scope of state ethics laws to include private vendors who benefit from their relationships with public officials. Current law, Krasner said, only addresses one side of the transaction.
Other recommendations include garnishing wages from public employees who are fined and putting financial disclosures, Commission findings and investigations on line.
By The News Service of Florida
Perdido Gators Win ‘Slide Into Summer’ 14U Tourney
June 7, 2012
The Perdido Gators travel softball team won the USFA “Slide Into Summer” Fast Pitch Girls 14U tournament last weekend, going undefeated Saturday and Sunday.
The Perdido Gators softball team is made up of players from Bratt, Molino, Milton, Pensacola, Perdido, and Gulf Breeze that attend Northview, West Florida, Tate, Escambia, Milton and Gulf Breeze high schools.
Pictured: Members of the 14U Perdido Gators are Ashley Young, Angel Lathan, Olivia Printiss, Sara Spears, Ali Cutaio, Mallory Ryan, Kota Berry, Sydney Ezelle, Kristin Gunter, Lauren Brennan, and Morgan Peppers (not pictured). Coaches are Jeff Cutaio, Greg Spears, Eddie Ryan and Tracy Ezelle. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Study: Florida Leads The Nation In Length Of Jail Sentences
June 6, 2012
The time Florida prisoners spend behind bars has grown dramatically – more than in any other state, according to a study released Wednesday by the Pew Center on the States.
The report, “Time Served: The High Cost, Low Return of Longer Prison Terms,” examined data from 35 states amounting to 89 percent of the prison releases in 2009, and found that Florida saw a 166 percent increase in the average prison sentence over the previous 20 years, costing taxpayers $1.4 billion in 2009.
Drug-related sentences rose 194 percent during the 20-year period, from an average of 0.8 years to 2.3 years. Sentences for violent crimes increased from 2.1 years to 5 years, or 137 percent – again, the highest in the study.
Florida’s perch at the top of the study was largely attributed to two factors: the 1995 “Truth in Sentencing” law requiring inmates to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences, and the “10-20-Life” law establishing minimum mandatory sentences for crimes involving firearms.
A companion analysis found that some nonviolent prisoners could have been released up to two years earlier; it examined nonviolent offenders released from Florida, Maryland and Michigan in 2004, concluding that many could have served sentences between three months and two years shorter with no threat to public safety: 14 percent of all offenders released in Florida, 18 percent in Maryland, and 24 percent in Michigan.
By The News Service of Florida
10 Million Loaves Of Bread: North Escambia’s Wheat Crop
June 6, 2012
North Escambia might not be the bread basket of the country, but the local wheat crop still pumps hundreds of thousands of dollars into local economy, particularly around Walnut Hill and Bratt.
In 2008, about 500 t0 600 thousand bushels of wheat were grown per year in North Escambia . That translated to about $3.5 to $5 million into the local economy.
But 2012 wheat production was down significantly in the area.
According to James Formby, manager of Esambia Grain in Walnut Hill, there were 2,753 acres of wheat planted this year. The yield ranged from 25 to 60 bushels per acre, with an average of 45 bushels per acre . With a closing price of $5.60, the value of the 2012 crop would be about $700,000.
The 2012 harvest of about 123,885 bushels would be enough for nearly10 million loaves of bread.
Much of the wheat harvested in the area ends up at Escambia Grain in Walnut Hill, one of just a handful of grain elevators in Florida. First opened in 1965, Escambia Grain has six storage silos, each about 100 feet tall.
Editor’s note: Story updated 8:45 a.m. to reflect a mathematical correction.
Pictured top: Wheat is harvested recently in Bratt. Pictured below: Escambia Grain in Walnut Hill. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Family Photographs Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee
June 6, 2012
England’s Queen Elizabeth led a carriage procession through the streets of London Tuesday, the last day of Diamond Jubilee celebrations to mark her 60-year reign, and the public poured out to view the spectacle.
A Molino family living in England was there with photos for NorthEscambia.com. To view the photo gallery, click here.
In a rare speech Tuesday broadcast in Britain and the Commonwealth, the queen said the events she attended to mark her 60 years on the throne have been a “humbling experience.” She said she was touched “deeply” to see thousands of families, neighbors and friends celebrating in such a “happy atmosphere.”
She also said her husband of 64 years, Prince Philip, is very grateful to the organizers.
On Tuesday, cheering crowds lined the avenue toward Buckingham Palace for the grand finale to the celebrations.
The 86-year-old monarch and her family waved to thousands of flag-waving Londoners from the palace balcony, as Royal Air Force aircraft conducted a fly-past overhead. Prince Philip was absent after being hospitalized Monday with a bladder infection.
Earlier in the day, Queen Elizabeth attended a solemn service of thanksgiving in St. Paul’s Cathedral, joining her son and heir-to-the-throne, Prince Charles, her grandsons William and Harry, and other members of the royal family. She then led a horse-drawn carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, while military bands played and a 60-gun salute was fired.
In his thanksgiving sermon, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said Queen Elizabeth had shown “a quality of joy in the happiness of others” during her 60 years on the throne.
In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama issued a personal tribute to the queen, saying he hopes she will continue to “reign supreme for many years to come.” In a video posted on the White House website , Mr. Obama called her a “living witness” to the enduring “special relationship” between Britain and the United States, a bond that he said remains indispensable to their two countries and the world.
Elizabeth succeeded her father, King George, after his death in 1952 and was coronated the following year.
She was crowned queen of seven Commonwealth countries — the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan and Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka.
Along with Britain, the monarch is the head of state of 16 other nations, known as realms. Her role is purely ceremonial. She is also head of the Commonwealth, an organization that rose from the British empire. Most of its 53 member countries are former colonies.
Pictured top: (L-R) Camilla, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Kate, and Prince Harry on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Pictured top inset: Queen Elizabeth rides an open-air carriage through the streets of London Tuesday. Pictured bottom inset: Looking toward Buckingham Palace. Pictured below: Prince William and Kate, and Prince Harry in an open-air carriage near Buckingham Palace. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
