Escambia County Man Gets 20 Years In Meth Case
February 2, 2012
An Escambia County man was sentenced to 20 years on multiple drug charges Wednesday.
Daniel Ducharme was convicted by an Escambia County Jury of trafficking in methamphetamine (200g or more), possession of a firearm with altered serial number, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Following the trial, Judge Jan Shackelford sentenced Ducharme to 20 years state prison with a 15 year minimum mandatory.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on Ducharme’s residence and found an active meth lab in the bathroom of the apartment. Ducharme was found immediately outside of the bathroom with a co-defendant. A handgun with a sanded off serial number was located in the kitchen, while multiple pieces of drug paraphernalia were found throughout the entire apartment and outside trash. Ducharme admitted to making the meth in the apartment as well as the possession of the firearm, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Ducharme has additional charges pending for sale of methamphetamine and possession of listed chemical.
School Prayer Bill Passes Senate, Heads To House
February 2, 2012
The Senate on Wednesday passed a measure that will allow school districts to let students offer inspirational messages, including prayer, at school events as long as adults stay out of the way.
Passage of the bill (SB 98) on a 31-8 vote sends it to the House, where it is thought to be likely to pass. The bill was sponsored by a Democrat, Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando, though all those who opposed the bill were Democrats.
Its approval came over the objections of senators who said the measure will lead to prayers at school events that students can’t get out of, including possibly in classes, and that some young students will have to listen to prayers or risk being ostracized because they come from a different religious tradition than most of their classmates.
“I implore you to protect minority students … and not promote alienation,” said Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood. “We want our public school students to get along.”
But backers of the bill said the measure is needed to protect the religious freedom of students, some of whom now feel they aren’t allowed to offer prayers that the student body, or a large part of it can listen to – that they’re only allowed to pray to themselves or in small groups.
In that way the bill is about freedom of expression – the right of students to be heard when they’re expressing a religious message, said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart.
“This is about protecting the rights of students to talk,” he said, saying that he rejected the notion that “religious expression should somehow be eliminated from the public square.”
Negron said efforts to remove religion from public discourse have resulted in discrimination against the religious – preventing them from expressing their beliefs in public while at school events.
“I don’t park my religious beliefs, my political beliefs, my economic beliefs, my sports beliefs – you don’t park your rights at the school door,” Negron said. “The reasons Sen. Siplin has to do this bill is these rights are being trampled.”
Many of those who spoke against the bill on the Senate floor were Jewish, including Sobel and Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, who said she remembered that in the Miami Beach of her childhood there were establishments with signs that said “no dogs, no Jews, no blacks.”
“The same feelings of exclusion come welling up” with the bill the Senate debated and passed on Wednesday, she said. “Anyone who doesn’t go along with it is considered the other. This is especially true with children. Anything that makes you different can subject you to ridicule and abuse.”
Rich and several other opponents noted that the constitution protects the rights of children to pray now.
Siplin reminded colleagues that the bill is permissive – school boards don’t have to allow anything, if they don’t want. And the measure doesn’t represent government dictating any type of religious message, because it specifically says that teachers and other school personnel are prohibited from having anything to do with the message. The choice to offer an inspirational message at a school event would have to be up to the student, and no adults would be able to censor what it is the student wants to say.
One supporter of the proposal, Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, while speaking in favor of the bill, warned his colleagues that in order to support the measure they had to accept the notion that those messages may not always be a Christian prayer, or even a Jewish one. With adults not allowed to tell students what they can or can’t say – some messages could be unsettling.
“At a graduation ceremony a student might stand up and say I give my thanks to Allah, and let me explain why,” said Gaetz. “A student might stand up and say I’m a Wiccan and let me explain why. We have to be prepared for the full expression of religion and I am.”
All eight senators voting against the bill were Democrats: Sens. Audrey Gibson, Arthenia Joyner, Gwen Margolis, Nan Rich, Jeremy Ring, Maria Sachs, Chris Smith and Eleanor Sobel.
By The News Service of Florida
Romney Wins Florida Primary In Landslide
February 1, 2012
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney stormed to a convincing win in Florida’s Republican presidential primary Tuesday, bolstering the front-runner’s argument that he is the best candidate to compete with President Barack Obama in swing states in the general election.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Romney had 46 percent of the vote to former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 32 percent. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul were running far behind, with 13 and 7 percent of the vote, respectively.
The win allowed Romney to show off his ability to win a state that will be the largest competitive prize in the November showdown with Obama.
Related Story: Escambia, Santa Rosa Go For Gingrich
Standing in the city where Republicans will gather in seven months to hold their convention, Romney gave a speech that at times sounded like he was accepting the GOP nomination.
“I stand ready to lead this party and to lead our nation,” Romney said. ” … My leadership will end the Obama era and begin a new era of American prosperity.”
Romney swept the major metropolitan areas of the state, though the results were very close in Duval County, where Romney won by fewer than 1,400 votes out of more than 86,000 cast.
Gingrich carried many of the largely rural counties in North Florida and the south-central part of the state.
The victory was almost certain to ratchet up pressure on Gingrich, who has vowed to fight on, to drop his upstart bid. Gingrich came into Florida will a full head of steam after his South Carolina victory Jan. 21, but the momentum fizzled after two lackluster debate performances and an avalanche of negative ads from Romney’s campaign and “super PAC.”
Florida House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said Romney’s win in Florida had “defined” the race.
“I think that Mitt Romney has shown that he’s the candidate that is going to win the nomination,” Weatherford said. “The other candidates have to decide how long they want to stay in.”
Gingrich, for his part, showed no interest in stepping aside following the defeat.
“It is now clear this will be a two person race between the conservative leader Newt Gingrich and the Massachusetts moderate,” the former speaker said in his post-election speech.
That prospect delighted Democrats, who watched the Florida primary devolve into a bitter and personal feud between Gingrich and Romney. Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith said Romney’s bombardment of Gingrich had tarnished his future prospects in the state.
“He may have won this contest, but he lost the opportunity to win the hearts and minds of the people of Florida,” Smith said.
Romney and party leaders were quick to say that the intraparty battle would soon enough give way to a party united in an effort to defeat Obama.
“A competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us, and we will win,” Romney told hundreds of cheering supporters who waved American flags and “Florida Believes” signs.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry, who joined the Romney party but officially remains neutral, suggested that the back-and-forth amounted to a vetting of the candidates and could inoculate the party’s nominee against attacks from Obama in the fall.
“We have a winner here now,” Curry said. “I think the negative advertising is old news.”
By The News Service of Florida
Pictured: Rep. Mitt Romney campaigns Saturday at The Fish House in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Go For Gingrich
February 1, 2012
In Tuesday’s Republican Primary, Newt Gingrich beat rival Mitt Romney in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Romney’s statewide victory was double digits over Gingrich — 46.37 percent to 31.95 percent. That gives Romney all 50 of Florida’s delegates because it is a winner-takes-all state.
In Escambia County, Gingrich received 38.85 percent of the vote to Romney’s 34.73 percent. Rick Santorum finished a distant third in Escambia County with 15.58 percent of the vote, while Ron Paul had 9.37 percent.
In Santa Rosa County, Gingrich received 40.83 percent of the vote to Romeny’s 33.03 percent. Santorum was third in Santa Rosa County with 15.95 percent of the vote, while Ron Paul had 9.20 percent.
Support Builds For Anti-Septic Tank Inspection Bill
February 1, 2012
After a long-running debate that has included rural lawmakers, builders and environmentalists, the Florida Senate is moving forward with a bill that would repeal state-mandated inspections of septic tanks.
The Senate Health Regulation Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a bill which would give local governments the power to make many decisions about septic-tank inspections.
Lawmakers in 2010 approved the inspection program, at least in part because of concerns that septic-tank discharges are affecting water quality in the state’s springs.
SB 820, which is sponsored by Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, would direct cities or counties that have what are known as “first magnitude” springs to develop septic-tank evaluation programs — though those local governments also could vote not to carry out the requirement. A similar measure (HB 999) has cleared one House committee.
By The News Service of Florida
Escambia Voters Approve Tax Break Referendum
February 1, 2012
Escambia County voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum Tuesday that allows the county to continue a tax break for jobs program known as EDATE for the next 10 years.
EDATE — the Escambia County Ad Valorem Tax Exemption — is a property tax abatement program that’s designed to encourage businesses to relocate to Escambia County and encourage existing businesses to expand. The tax abatements are good for up to 10 years.
With 90 of 90 precincts reporting Tuesday night, the referendum passed with 36,413 votes in favor and 10,070 votes against, or 78.34% to 21.66%.
“Over 4,000 new jobs in Escambia County are credited to EDATE,” Escambia County Administrator Randy Oliver said prior to the vote. Navy Federal has created 3,000 new jobs under the EDATE program, while International Paper has added 496. In all, 4,346 jobs have been created under the EDATE program, according to county records.
“It is a tool for economic development,” Oliver said. “The county gives up tax dollars in exchange for jobs.”
In order for a company to qualify to pass on property taxes under EDATE, there must be an increased assessed value on their property. “So in theory it does not impact current tax revenue,” Oliver added.
The tax waivers do not impact any other taxing district — tax revenue is not cut for schools, the Northwest Florida Water Management District or the city of Pensacola.
Companies do not automatically qualify for a full 100% abatement — different levels of discounts are given under the program. A full tax waiver would require an investment over $5 million and over 100 new jobs that pay an above average wage. Anything else and the percentage of forgiven taxes decreases.
The EDATE program has been in place since the early 1990’s and must be approved every 10 years. If approved Tuesday, the EDATE program will continue through 2022 in Escambia County.
FFA Students Complete At Districts, Advance To State
February 1, 2012
Local FFA chapters recently participated in the Florida FFA Association District 1 competition in Pensacola.
Ernest Ward Middle School received first place in Middle School Parliamentary Procedure and will advance to the state competition in June in Orlando.
Tate High School also advanced to state in the High School Parliamentary Procedure division. West Florida High School took home first place in Safe Tractor Operations for a trip to the state competition.
Northview High School had two teams to take the Farm Business Management and Agriculture Mechanics tests. Scores will be determined at a later date.
Jay High School’s Harley Tagert won the Prepared Speaking Middle School Division with her speech on hydroponics. She will also advance to state.
Pictured top: Members of the Ernest Ward Middle School FFA. Pictured below. Members of the Northview High School FFA. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Prison Privatization Bill Slows
February 1, 2012
The Legislature’s push to shed more than two dozen South Florida prisons and turn them over to the private sector slowed on Tuesday in the Senate and cracks in Republican support that may endanger the idea began to show.
While GOP leadership in the Senate is driving the proposal – which they say will save the state at least $16 million a year – a few Senate Republicans, mostly those with large state-run prisons in their districts, made it clear on Tuesday that they oppose the idea. Others, while less clear, sent signals in their questions of backers that they’re skeptical.
After several questions on the floor, discussion of the proposal (SB 2038) was put on hold until at least Wednesday when it became clear that the Senate wouldn’t have time to work through questions on proposed amendments that have been filed.
But the bill, from a procedural standpoint, remains on “second reading,” unavailable for a final vote without the approval of two-thirds of the chamber’s membership. It’s not clear that backers of the proposal have enough votes to bring it up for a final vote on Wednesday even if they do get through the amendments, which would further slow the proposal down.
There remains plenty of time to get it through both chambers with the legislative session not yet at the halfway point, but the tone of the queries, and the number of Republicans who questioned their leadership’s assertions about the need for the bill raised questions about how solid the support is.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos said the measure is crucial because of the state’s economic situation. The potential for at least $16.5 million in savings claimed by supporters of the bill is too precious to pass up at a time when lawmakers are considering potentially hurtful budget cuts. Because of that, he promised an all-out effort to get the bill passed.
“I’m going to fight like hell to try to find some savings, it’s serious,” said a testy Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, after the floor session. Haridopolos met earlier in the day with foster kids, and noted that a state subsidy for kids aging out of foster care is on the chopping block in this tight budget year.
“Imagine what we could do with $18 million for those kids,” said Haridopolos.
Much of the questioning on the Senate floor Tuesday was about the projected cost savings from privatizing all the prisons in the Department of Corrections region that covers South Florida, 18 counties roughly from Orlando and Tampa Bay south.
Estimates on the cost savings have been broad, and have moved. But one of the bill’s main backers, Sen. JD Alexander, the chief budget writer in the Senate, said at a minimum, costs for operating the prisons will go down 7 percent – because the bill requires it.
“That’s about $16-and-a-half million in savings,” Alexander said. “If we don’t achieve that then we won’t go forward with privatization.”
He believes that it will far exceed that.
“It’s my understanding and belief that it would probably double the 7 percent, or about $32 million annually,” said Alexander, R-Lake Wales.
Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, asked Alexander if it was really worth saving $18 million considering how many corrections officers might lose their jobs.
“I don’t know, are 300 teachers maintained in our schools worthwhile,” asked Alexander. “I think so.”
There was also continued discussion Tuesday about the net savings – after accrued sick leave and other benefits are paid to those prison workers who leave the state’s employ, either to work for a private prison operator or because they’ve quit altogether.
Several members appeared agitated at the inability to pin an exact number down for how much that might be, in part because it’s not clear how many corrections officers would leave, and what the mix will be in terms of how many are veteran officers with lots of accrued benefits owed to them versus younger officers.
The Senate bill would require private contractors to pick up $8 million of the cost of paying out those benefits, a number supporters say will cover those payouts to the roughly 2,700 employees that would be expected to leave the state’s employment.
While Alexander and Haridopolos insisted that the effort to privatize prisons is being driven entirely by the chance to save money in the tight budget year, other backers of the bill also made it clear that the measure and a companion bill that more generally addresses privatization are also aimed in part at making it clear that lawmakers can privatize functions of government if they choose to.
The Legislature passed largely the same prison privatization proposal last year, but it was thrown out by Leon Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford, who said lawmakers violated the constitution in doing it in the fine print of the budget, rather than passing a bill.
Several backers of the bill said making it abundantly clear in law that the Legislature has the prerogative to take on such a proposal without approval from a judge was important as well.
“We wouldn’t even be here today if we hadn’t had a local Leon County Circuit court tell us what we did was incorrect,” said Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine. “I don’t think anybody in this room wants to let a court tell us how to do our budget.”
By The News Service of Florida
Deputies Release Identities Of Double Shooting Victims
January 31, 2012
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has released the names of two men that were shot Monday afternoon, as the man charged in the double shooting remains behind bars.
The victims were identified as 22-year old Chris Eric Chapman and 30-year old Chez Everett, both of Pensacola. They were shot outside of a residence in the 2500 block of Truman Avenue.
Derrow Peterson, 22, was charged with two counts of attempted murder and booked into the Escambia County Jail without bond for the shooting.
Both Chatman and Everett were shot multiple times by Peterson as they drove up to a residence where Peterson was located, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Both victims sustained serious injuries and are still hospitalized at a local hospital. Their official condition is unknown at this time.
Deputies said Chatman has an active warrant for a shooting that occurred on December 21, 2011, at America’s Best Value Inn on Plantation Road. In that incident, Chatman shot into an occupied vehicle which was reported stolen with the Pensacola Police Department. No one was injured in that incident.
Walnut Hill Man Charged With Stealing Two Vehicles
January 31, 2012
A Walnut Hill man with an outstanding grand theft auto charge was caught by deputies driving a second stolen car.
Ronald Wayne Boone, 34, was charged with two counts of grand theft auto and booked into the Escambia County jail with bond set at $10,000.
An Escambia County deputy spotted a black Ford Mustang with a paper tag while on routine patrol in the area of North Highway 99 and Lambert Bridge Road. The deputy recognized the vehicle has one that was reported stolen by the Atmore Police Department.
He followed the vehicle north on Highway 99 to Highway 4 and then north on Highway 97 while awaiting the arrival of backup. As backup arrived, a traffic stop was conducted in Davisville on Highway 97 at the Piggly Wiggly, just south of the Alabama state line.
The Atmore Police Department also responded to the traffic stop, and the vehicle was released to its rightful owner.
At the time of his arrest, Boone was wanted on an outstanding grand theft auto charge in connection with a 2000 GMC Sonoma reported stolen January 2 from the 4700 block of West Highway 4.