Man Pleads Guilty To Selling Feathers, Faces Federal Prison Time
February 16, 2012
An Atmore man pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to violating federal laws dealing with the possession and sale of protected bird feathers.
Alexander D. Alvarez pleaded guilty before a federal judge to violating the Lacey Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) for illegally selling and possessing the feathers of anhingas and other migratory birds protected under the MBTA.
Alvarez was charged in February with one felony Lacey Act violation, one felony MBTA violation and one misdemeanor MBTA violation. He faces up to five years in prison and over a half million dollars in fines when he is sentenced on May 22.
Under the MBTA, the Secretary of the Interior maintains a list of migratory birds which are protected from being killed, sold, bartered, transported or possessed, except as otherwise permitted by federal regulation. Enrolled members of federally-recognized American Indian tribes may possess eagle and other migratory bird feathers and parts for religious and ceremonial purposes, but federal law strictly prohibits the sale of migratory birds, feathers or their parts by any person.
Alvarez is not an enrolled member of a federally-recognized American Indian tribe, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Mr. Alvarez sought to profit from selling protected bird feathers he had no legal right to possess,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. “Federal law prohibits the sale of migratory birds, feathers or their parts for commercial gain. In enforcing these wildlife laws in partnership with tribal law enforcement, we share a duty to protect the nation’s scarce and precious wildlife resources. In protecting these resources for future generations, we also ensure the ability of federally recognized tribal members to possess eagle and migratory bird feathers for religious and ceremonial practices.”
“Protecting our natural resources, particularly wildlife, from being exploited against the law for personal gain continues to be a significant function of the Department of Justice,” said Kenyen R. Brown, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. “Successful prosecutions of this nature help ensure that the next generation of Americans enjoy the same level of wildlife that we do today.”
According to court documents, Alvarez communicated via email with an individual in Louisiana and eventually exchanged two anhinga tails that Alvarez possessed for a crested caracara tail, a Harris’s hawk tail and $400, which the individual possessed. Alvarez later sent 14 sets of anhinga tail feathers to this individual and asked the individual to photograph and offer the tails for sale via email. Alvarez received payment from the Louisiana individual for the anhinga tail feathers that were sold. A federal search warrant was executed at Alvarez’s home on March 11, 2009, and feathers from several migratory bird species were seized.
This case resulted from an investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Law Enforcement into the illegal commercialization of eagles and other migratory birds protected by federal law. The investigation was jointly conducted with the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama and the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Crimes Section.
‘Guys And Dolls’ Friday At Flomaton High
February 16, 2012
The Flomaton High School Drama Club will present Damon Runyon’s Guys and Dolls tonight at Friday night at 7:00 in the school auditorium. Tickets are $5.
Nathan Detroit (played by Tyler Dove), the organizer of the oldest permanent floating crap game, bets Sky Masterson (played by Phillip Lloyd) that he can’t make the next girl he sees fall in love with him– Miss Sarah Brown (Victoria Creamer) of the Save-a-Soul Mission. Meanwhile, Nathan’s girlfriend and the main attraction at the Hot Box nightclub — Miss Adelaide (K J Head), only wants to get married. In the end the gamblers and “spunky do-gooders” are thrown together.
“The students have worked really hard on this year’s musical. It’s going to be a great production,” said Flomaton drama teacher Jerry Aaron. “Come and bring all of your friends.”
For more photos from the production, click here.
Pictured top: The gamblers — Joey Macks, Hunter Chavers, Phillip Lloyd, Dan Condrey, Max Wilcox, Brett Gafford, Brett Newton and hanging from the scalfoldling, Jay Harris and Zach Hadley in the Flomaton High School production of Guys and Dolls. Pictured below: The Save-a-Soul Mission Band — Kristen Dixon, Molly Barnett, Jamie Dailey, Alexis Williams, and Victoria Creamer. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Receives National Award For Cantonment Facility
February 16, 2012
ECUA has received another national award for replacing the former Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant with the new Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment.
ECUA received a National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) National Environmental Achievement Award for its excellence in operations and environmental performance.
Elvin McCorvey, ECUA chairman, accepted the NEAA award this week at the 2012 NACWA Winter Conference at the Omni Hotel in Los Angeles.
ECUA was selected for this award for its completion of the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant Replacement Project. The project was the result of Hurricane Ivan’s impact on the Main Street Wastewater Treatment Plant, and ECUA’s subsequent action to plan, design and build the Central Water Reclamation Facility (CWRF). The CWRF is a state-of-the-art facility that significantly reduces the ECUA’s exposure to facility damages in the coastal floodplain, and eliminates the direct surface water discharge to Pensacola Bay from the former Main Street WWTP.
Authorities Raid Cantonment Property Again, Seize More Animals
February 16, 2012
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies and animal control officers raided a Cantonment property for the second time on Wednesday afternoon, seizing even more of about 90 animals found in what was described as poor living conditions.
On Tuesday, animal control officers seized nearly 20 dogs from the property in the 2800 block of Lawson Lane off Jack’s Branch Road. It all started with a dog bite complaint, but when they arrived, officers found 50 or more dogs, 20 hogs and about 17 goats, according to Kelly Cooke, spokesperson for Escambia County.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies stood by as county animal control officers seized about 20 of the dogs. “They were the ones that were in really, really bad health or bad shape,” Cooke said. Some of the animals were reportedly tethered without food, water or property shelter.
Seven of the dogs were euthanized due to their severe condition.
By Wednesday, property owner Roger Kervin spoke out in his own defense, saying that he had doing nothing wrong. Kervin said he keeps the dogs in good shape for wild hog hunting, often using the wild pork to feed people at charity events.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Escambia deputies served a search warrant on Kervin. More dogs were seized, and authorities returned on Thursday to seize the wild hogs and even a few peacocks on the property.
Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille said Wednesday afternoon that his office is reviewing the case to determine what, if any, criminal charges may be filed against Kervin.
This was not the first time Kervin has been investigated on animal mistreatment allegations. According to court records, he was sentenced to six years probation in 1992 for using animals to bait or fight other animals.
Pictured: The Lawson Lane property were authorities found over 90 animals in poor conditions. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Florida House Passes Bill That Could Breathe Life Into Area’s Old Oil Wells
February 16, 2012
The Florida House passed legislation Wednesday that could breathe life into old oil wells in the North Escambia area.
Sponsor Matt Hudson, R-Naples, said his seeks to “rejuvenate” oil fields that were discovered decades ago but have been abandoned. At least in some cases, he said active wells are operating near the abandoned sites.
“If producers decide to tap into those abandoned wells, without question it will create jobs,” Hudson said recently.
The bill puts as low as a 1 percent severance tax on oil from the abandoned wells, instead of the current 8 percent severance tax rate. It applies to old oil fields in the western Panhandle and in the Big Cypress Reserve in southwest Florida. The measure passed the House 80-36, with most Democrats opposing it.
One of the dissenters, Rep. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, said he had questions about where the abandoned wells are located and the potential environmental effects of tapping them.
Though drawing relatively little attention, Florida has long had oil production in the northwest Panhandle, and in parts of Southwest Florida. Most of the oil wells are in the Jay area, but many are in extreme northeastern Escambia County east of Century and north of Highway 4.
A House staff analysis said the Panhandle fields produced about 1 million barrels of oil in 2010, while the Southwest Florida fields produced about 775,000 barrels. The Jay Field, including some Escambia County wells, produced 993,841 barrels in 2010.
The House bill targets fields that were discovered before 1981 and that would begin producing oil after July 1, 2012.
It would not lead to offshore oil drilling, a highly controversial issue in Florida. Earlier this year, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann drew criticism when she raised the prospect of opening up the Everglades to oil drilling, though backers of the idea noted that it wasn’t that far from some of the drilling already going on in Southwest Florida.
The House analysis says 16 oil fields were discovered in Florida before 1981, with seven of them plugged and abandoned. Nine of those abandoned wells are in Northwest Florida, most in the North Escambia area.
Pictured top: This map shows the wells in the Jay Oil Field. Pictured inset: The oil and gas from the Jay Field is processed by Quantum Resources in Jay. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Corp Income Tax Break, Sales Tax Holiday Pass House
February 16, 2012
The Florida House on Wednesday approved a series of tax breaks, hoping to free thousands of businesses from corporate-income taxes and put extra money in the pockets of back-to-school shoppers.
The House voted unanimously to hold a “sales tax holiday” from Aug. 3 through Aug. 5 that would be geared to back-to-school shoppers.
The plan (HB 737) would allow shoppers to avoid paying sales taxes on items such as clothing, shoes and bags that cost $75 or less. Also, they would receive a sales-tax exemption for school supplies valued at $15 or less.
House members also went along with Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal to increase the corporate-income tax exemption from $25,000 to $50,000, passing it as part of a broader economic-development bill.
Scott, in a statement, said it was “a huge victory” for Floridians, and would help businesses create more jobs.
The issue sparked a partisan fight Tuesday, as Democrats tried to tack conditions onto the additional exemption — and Republicans fired back by limiting the tax break to businesses that do not employ union workers.
Some Democrats continued to criticize the income-tax proposal Wednesday, contending that it would primarily help large corporations and do little for small businesses.
“This bill does nothing to sweeten the pot for the middle class or the working families in this state,” said Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach.
But Finance and Tax Chairman Steve Precourt, R-Orlando, said lawmakers need to put aside procedural disputes and “partisan rhetoric.” He said the higher exemption would allow nearly 4,000 businesses to avoid paying corporate-income taxes altogether.
“This is not about the big guys, the big corporations, the fat cats,” said Majority Leader Carlos Lopez-Cantera, R-Miami. “This is about jobs.”
The House voted 92-22 to approve the economic-development package, which also includes new or expanded tax breaks related to agricultural packing houses, aircraft repairs and industrial machinery and equipment.
A House analysis said the package eventually would eliminate about $121 million a year in tax revenues for state and local governments.
“By allowing more than 3,500 businesses to stop paying income taxes and instead put that money into jobs, and maximizing incentives to make Florida more attractive to quality manufacturing jobs, the Florida House has demonstrated it knows what it takes to help grow private-sector jobs,” Scott said in a statemet after the vote.
By The News Service Florida
EREC Washington Youth Tour Winners Named
February 16, 2012
Two Central High School students have won the Escambia River Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington contest.
Lauren Griswold and Logan Rowell will represent EREC on the Washington Youth Tour in June. While in Washington, Griswold and Rowell will see the sights, learn about the nation’s capital and rural electrification while making new friends from across the country.
Students from across the EREC service area interviewed with an independent panel of judges. Contestants were judged on their knowledge of EREC and the history of rural electrification. Personal attributes of each candidate such as character, academic ability, personality and leadership abilities were also considered.
Pictured: Central High students Lauren Griswold and Logan Rowell, winners of the EREC Youth Tour to Washington contest. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Drug Bills Face Different Fates
February 16, 2012
Fresh off a successful but contested effort last year to require welfare applicants to pass drug tests to collect benefits, Rep. Jimmie Smith brought a pair of related bills to the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday and came away 1 for 2.
Following concerns from members including fellow Republicans, the committee rejected a measure (SB 1205) that would have allowed state agencies to randomly drug test employees. On a close vote, the panel rejected the proposal that critics from both parties say was facially unconstitutional.
Smith, R-Inverness, had better luck with another measure (HB 813) that would require felony drug offenders to show proof that they have undergone substance abuse treatment before collecting temporary federal aid. On a party-line vote, the panel approved the measure over the concerns of critics who say it also is unconstitutional.
Smith, who last year sponsored a measure requiring applications for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to pay for and pass a drug screen that was thrown out by the courts, dismissed concerns, and said the new bill sends a strong message that taxpayer funds won’t be used for drug use.
“This is the perfect way for the state of Florida to show that we help those people who help themselves,” Smith said.
The bill would prohibit the receipt of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program money to convicted felons unless they provide proof that they have completed or are undergoing drug or alcohol treatment. Details on how felons would prove their participation are still being worked out, Smith told members of the budget committee.
Democrats argued that there was no evidence to show that felony drug offenders have higher rates of drug abuse and the courts can already require such treatment programs as a condition of release. They also said the bill singles out low-income residents while ignoring possible drug use among others who receive state and federal assistance.
“If we’re going to check people, let’s take away some pensions if we think it’s going to be used for drugs,” said Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg.
Smith’s bill from last year requiring TANF applicants to undergo drug tests to obtain benefits is now tied up in federal court following a lawsuit arguing it is unconstitutional.
While the measure seeking to require former felons to go to rehab to get benefits squeaked through the committee, the bill allowing state agencies to randomly drug test employees did not.
After the panel voted to reject that measure, it was brought up again on a motion for reconsideration, but immediately tabled, and paced in legislative limbo. Committee chairwoman Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, said the issue is dead for the session.
By The News Service of Florida
Funeral Services Set For Joe Huff, Beulah VFD Assistant Chief
February 16, 2012
Joe Huff, the assistant chief of the Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, passed away Wednesday.
During his long tenure at the Beulah VFD, Huff also served as the department’s chief and spent countless hours working on the department’s Beulah Sausage Festival, later renamed Beulahfest. He was a retired security officer with International Paper and worked the pit entrance gate for many years at Five Flags Speedway.
Huff is survived by his wife, Charlotte, and four daughters.
He was diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks ago, according to close family friends.
Visitation for Joe Huff will be held from 5-8 p.m. Saturday at the Faith Chapel Funeral Home North in Cantonment. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Marcus Point Baptist Church. Graveside service to follow at Eastern Gate Cemetery on Nine Mile Road.
Century Care Center Names Valentine’s King, Queen
February 16, 2012
Century Care Center celebrated Valentine’s Day in grand style with sparkling juice, good food, good music and lots of great fellowship. During the event, Louise Jackson and Paul Louviere were named Century Care Center’s Valentine’s king and queen. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.