Deputies Searching For Cop Impersonator
March 1, 2012
Escambia Sheriff’s investigators are trying to identify a man who impersonated a law enforcement officer earlier this week.
Deputies received a report from a female who said that she was driving west on Ten Mile Road near Chemstrand Road about 11 p.m. Monday with a white Ford Crown Victoria behind her.
The victim said that the male turned on a rotating blue light that appeared to be on the dash. The victim believing that it was a law enforcement officer, pulled over and
stopped. At that time an unknown white male walked up to her driver’s door and attempted to open it. The victim then drove off and called law enforcement when she arrived home.
The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’11”, 200 pounds, brown hair and possibly in his mid-30’s. He was wearing blue jeans, black bomber style jacket and motorcycle gloves.
Anyone who has information regarding this case is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP (7867).
House Passes Repeal Of Mandatory Septic Tank Inspection Law
March 1, 2012
After a long-running debate that has included rural lawmakers, builders and environmentalists, the Florida House approved a measure on Wednesday to repeal state-mandated inspections of septic tanks.
“Removing this burden from our citizens is a priority and I am proud to have co-sponsored this bill for the second straight year,” Rep Doug Broxson. R-Gulf Breeze, said. “It is my goal to see that this over-bearing state mandate is finally repealed so that the residents of Northwest Florida will not be subject to costly inspections of their septic tanks that are not justifiable. Last year, the House overwhelmingly supported the repeal, but it failed to pass through the Senate.”
The bill has a provision that would let local governments vote to keep an inspection program in areas with first magnitude springs — none of which are in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties.
Opponents of the repeal said that the state’s springs – the program was meant to curb pollution into springs from old septic tanks – are too valuable a resource to risk ending the requirement.
Rep. Marti Coley, R-Marianna, a backer of the repeal, said the measure essentially leaves it up to local communities to protect their environment rather than taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach that would require expensive inspections in areas with no threatened springs.
The bill passed the House 105-11, but still needs Senate approval.
Cantonment Man Charged With DUI, Stealing Copper Wire
March 1, 2012
A Cantonment man charged with DUI was also arrested for his alleged role in stealing items including copper wiring from a home on 10 Mile Road.
Brandon Lee Cobb, age 22 of Cantonment, was charged with burglary of a structure, grand theft and dealing in stolen property from a home that had previously burned on Bison Road. Cobb allegedly participated in removing copper wiring from the home along with stealing a chainsaw, power drill, socket sets and other items.
Cobb’s arrest came after a traffic stop at the Whataburger in Cantonment. Cobb was stopped after a deputy observed him traveling in excess of 70 mph on the two-lane North Palafox parallel to Highway 29. According to an arrest report, Cobb ran off the road and nearly hit a pedestrian. Following the traffic stop, Cobb reportedly tried to flee from deputies during a DUI test but was quickly apprehended after a brief foot chase. He was charged with driving under the influence and resisting an officer without violence.
Cobb was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
State Changes School Grading Methods
March 1, 2012
The state Board of Education has approved a series of changes to Florida’s process for grading schools. The changes come after the federal government allowed the state to break free from the No Child Left Behind school accountability law.
The exemption means that Florida can use its own school accountability system, its A-through-F school grades, to rate the state’s public education system. But the waiver comes with strings attached, a requirement that children who are learning English and students with disabilities be included in the grading.
The Florida Association of District School Superintendents was one of several groups opposed to the new system that would include students not previously factored in, particularly the newest learners of English.
“While we agree with the need to include students with disabilities and more (English-language learners) in the performance components for reading and math, we are concerned that the proposed rule is contrary to research-based evidence that demonstrates one year is insufficient for a child to acquire native language proficiency,” the association wrote to Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson.
While approving the inclusion of new English speakers, they won’t be counted for their first year under the plan approved Tuesday. And, under an amendment to the rule by Board member Gary Chartrand, the state Department of Education will convene a task force to come up with recommendations on how to include students with disabilities into the accountability system.
The number of foreign children who may struggle in English will obviously affect some school districts more than others, raising the possibility of inequality in the measurement system.
Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho told the Board of Education that in his school district alone, there are more than 63,000 students whose first language isn’t English.
“You would need to put 30-40 Districts together in the state of Florida to come up with that number comparable to Miami-Dade,” Carvalho said. ‘We know we have students in their second year of language instruction who only achieve a 1-2 in FCAT Reading. But they’re learning. You know how we know that? Because in math, they are getting three’s, four’s and five’s.”
Carvalho, who also speaks several languages, said it would be hard for him to pass the state’s test.
“The issue is reading proficiency. If I were asked to sit for an exam given entirely in Spanish and expected to perform as well as a native Spanish speaker, I would fail the exam. I speak it beautifully, but I would fail the exam.”
The panel also backed down from another rule change that would have granted automatic “F” grades to schools with fewer than 25-percent of students reading on grade level. That proposal was softened to say that says schools with a grade of “D” or higher must have at least a quarter of their students’ scoring at or above a Level 3 on FCAT reading test. Schools that don’t meet the 25-percent threshold could see their grade drop down a letter. The change also affects the lowest 25-percent of student performers.
That too, won’t account against schools in the first year.
The Board of Education also voted to remove high school science from the list of things calculated in a school’s grade. Science is being removed because the state eliminated its 11th grade Science FCAT test-and its replacement-the Biology end-course exam, hasn’t been fully implemented yet.
By The News Service of Florida
Spelling Counts: Can You Spot What’s Wrong With This Sign?
March 1, 2012
The sign over the entrance at the county-owned Byrneville Community Center was recently repainted — with a spelling error. Can you spot what’s wrong with the sign in these photos?
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Deputies, U.S. Marshals Bust Robbery Suspect
March 1, 2012
A manhunt by deputies and U.S. Marshals ended with the capture of a taxi robbery suspect in Escambia County Wednesday.
Phillip Earl Crenshaw Jr., 20, was arrested in the 6800 block of Tiki Lane on multiple robbery charges and one count each of petit theft and grand theft.
Crenshaw was also the suspect in an early morning robbery Wendesday and was charged with that crime in addition to burglary unarmed of an occupied structure, false imprisonment, and resisting arrest without violence after he entered an occupied apartment trying to flee authorities, holding the occupants inside the apartment.
Crenshaw is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Drug Felon Assistance Restrictions Set For Final Votes
March 1, 2012
A measure preventing convicted drug felons from collecting Temporary Assistance to Needy Family help and food stamps unless they complete drug treatment was given preliminary approval late Wednesday.
Sponsored by Rep. Jimmie Smith, R-Inverness, the bill allows applicants to designate someone else to collect the assistance. The House then gave preliminary approval to another measure that would prevent the out-of-state use of debit cards for TANF and food stamps.
Shooting Under Investigation
February 29, 2012
A Wednesday night shooting in Escambia County is under investigation.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators are on scene of an afternoon shooting. Investigators responded to the 100 block of East Texar Drive here they found an adult male who had sustained a non-life threatening injury, according to a Sheriff’s spokesperson.
The victim was transported to a local hospital.
Investigators are asking for help in identifying a white Chevy Camaro with a black spoiler and aftermarket wheels and exhaust system. If you have any information about this vehicle or the shooting, call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP (7869) or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
One Injured In North Highway 99 Rollover Crash
February 29, 2012
A North Escambia man was injured in a single vehicle rollover accident early Wednesday morning near Bratt following a reported domestic disturbance.
Thomas Benjamin Davis, 32, was transported to Atmore Community Hospital by Escambia County EMS following the crash on North Highway 99 about a mile south of Breastworks Road. He was later transported by ambulance to a Pensacola hospital as a trauma alert.
The accident was discovered by a passerby about 2:40 a.m., but it was not immediately clear what time the accident happened.
Davis had reportedly been involved in a possible domestic disturbance less than a half mile away. He lost control of his Chevrolet Colorado, ran off the road and overturned. Davis was found outside the pickup; authorities believe he may have been ejected.
Following the crash, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and Atmore Ambulance responded to the possible domestic disturbance where a female refused treatment.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to both incidents.
Pictured: One person was injured following this wreck early Wednesday morning on North Highway 99. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flomaton, Century Chambers Name Citizens, Students and Businesses Of The Year
February 29, 2012
Citizen, business and students of the year were named Tuesday night at the Flomaton and Century Joint Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet.
For photos of the winners, scroll down the page.
The Century Chamber of Commerce named:
Student of the Year – Caleb Leonard, Northview High
Business of the Year – Fresenius Medical Care
Citizen of the Year — Eddie Bondurant
The Flomaton Chamber of Commerce named:
Student of the Year – Jessica Pendleton, Flomaton High
Business of the Year — Wedgeworth Roofing
Citizen of the Year — Ronnie & Kelli Hammond
The Citizens of the Year are both deeply involved in their respective communities — volunteering often in their communities.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Leslie Gonzalez and Heather Leonard contributed to this report and photos.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Leslie Gonzalez and Heather Leonard, click to enlarge.