Racy Images Found On Bracelets Given To Jay Elementary Students
October 18, 2011
Several slap bracelets given to Jay Elementary School students as incentive prizes contained racy images, and now the school is working to got get the bracelets back.
So far, the school has found only four of 160 bracelets distributed to students containing the hidden images. The students received the cloth covered bracelets as an incentive for raising funds for new computers but some of the students ripped off the cloth and found what was hidden underneath.
The bracelets were made out of recycled tape measure materials, and four of them depicted women in various poses and stages of dress beneath their cloth coverings.
The bracelets were provided by a Nashville company that orders them from China. The Tennessee company has stopped any additional shipments of the bracelets.
Jay Elementary is working to collect all of the bracelets from their students. They will be returned to the incentive company and exchanged for another prize.
Pictured: The recycled measuring tape (top) inside slap bracelets (below) given to Jay Elementary School students. Photos by WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Go Little Chiefs: Northview Plans Mini Cheerleading Clinic
October 18, 2011
The annual Northview Mini-Cheerleading Clinic will be held Thursday evening, giving area girls the chance to cheer at an upcoming Northview Chiefs game.
The clinic will be from from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m Thursday in the school gym. The clinic is open to children three-years old through the eighth grade. Cost is $10 per person, and t-shirts will be available for purchase the at the clinic.
The girls will perform during the October 21st Northview Chiefs football game at home against Freeport High School. They girls will receive free admission to the game,ribbon and a megaphone filled with goodies.
For questions, call Anna at Northview at (850) 327-6681.
Pictured: Mini-cheerleaders perform last year at Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Work For Minimum Wage? You’re Getting A Raise
October 18, 2011
Florida’s minimum wage for non-tipped employees will increase January 1 to $7.67 an hour, a 4.9 percent increase from the $7.31 an hour minimum for 2011, according to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. Wages for tipped employees will rise to $4.65 an hour, up from $4.29.
The wage increase is based on the increase of the federal Consumer Price Index for urban wage workers in the southeastern United States. Following a 2004 constitutional amendment, Florida is among 10 states that automatically raise minimum wage rates.
The federal rate, now $7.25 an hour, must be raised by an act of Congress. The state was sued earlier this year for using an inflation calculation that reduced the annual increase for January 1 by factoring in a deflationary period in 2009.
Florida Debit Card Bill Would Prohibit Fees
October 18, 2011
Banks would be prohibited from charging customers monthly fees for debit card use under a measure filed in the state Legislature Monday. The proposal would also prevent consumers from being charged for not using their cards.
The bill (HB 375) would definitely affect nearly two-thirds of Florida banks, those regulated by the state. Whether it would affect the remainder, including some of the big national banks that customers are mad at, is in dispute. The banking industry says those federally regulated banks wouldn’t be covered, but the bill sponsor argues that a 2009 Supreme Court decision opens the door for the state to put limits on those banks as well.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, who said banks are trying to recoup losses accrued elsewhere.
“The banks sold us all on the idea of a cashless society, and now that we’ve bought into their promise of free, easy access to our own money, they want to charge us for it,” Clemens said. “Anyone with a sense of decency should be outraged.”
Last month, Bank of America announced it would begin charging customers $5 a month for debit card use, joining SunTrust and Regions banks, which already impose such fees.
Bankers argue that the state can’t regulate federally regulated institutions, and so BOA wouldn’t be covered by the prohibition anyway, said Anthony DiMarco, a lobbyist for the Florida Banking Association.
But Clemens disagrees, citing the 2009 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Cuomo v. Clearing House Association, a case out of New York, in which the court by a 5-4 ruling decided that a federal banking regulation did not preempt the ability of states to enforce their own fair-lending laws.
“To me it’s clear that the Cuomo case allows states to be able to not only regulate local banks but also federal banks,” Clemens said.
Banking industry officials oppose the measure either way, saying such fees are needed to recoup costs and make up for federal legislation passed in 2010 limiting their ability to charge retailers for swiping their debit cards.
“Generally, we are opposed to anything that restricts our ability to determine fees,” DiMarco said.
The federal law limits the amount of money banks can charge merchants when customers use a debit card. Banks say the federal law will cost them an estimated $6.6 billion per year in revenue. Rather than recoup their costs by boosting fees to retailers, banks are turning to consumers to pay the bill.
An industry survey conducted by Bankrate.com in August found ATM charges at their highest rates for the seventh straight year. The higher fees coincide with a decline in free checking accounts and higher penalties for non-sufficient funds.
Clemens’ measure is one of a number of bills affecting banking fees and consumer credit as the market adjusts to federal legislation, a sluggish economy, and cash strapped businesses.
Earlier this month, Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, filed a measure (SB 438) that would raise the maximum allowed interest rates on some loans of less than $25,000. An identical measure (HB 275) was filed by Rep. Rachel Burgin, R-Riverview.
The consumer credit bill has come under fire from consumer groups that say now is not the time to raise the portion of loans that can be subjected to higher interest rates. “There is nothing in this bill that is good for consumers,” said Brad Ashwell, the legislative advocate for Florida Public Interest Research Group.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Northview, Tate Split Volleyball Games
October 18, 2011
The Tate Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs Monday in varsity high school volleyball action, while the junior varsity Lady Chiefs beat Tate.
Varsity
Tate defeated Northview in three straight, 25-9, 25-17, 25-14.
Josie Docuette had three aces, three kills, a block and a dig for the Lady Chiefs. Payton Hadley contributed one ace, four assists, one block and a dig, while Morgan Payne had two kills and six digs.
For Tate, Maia Nguyen had three aces, 14 assists, four digs; Madeline Sellers had a block and a kill. Bianca Brown contributed two aces, nine kills and five digs, as Perhawna Williams added tow blocks. Kyla Muhammad had one ace, seven kills, one block and four digs for the Aggies.
The varsity Lady Chiefs are 4-17 overall, 3-5 in district play.
Junior Varsity
Northview defeated Tate 25-23, 24-26, 16-14.
Danielle Steaham had four kills, two assists, two blocks and two digs for the JV Lady Chiefs, as Hannah Fiellin posted three aces, two kills, three assists and two digs. Tiffani Pritchett added three aces and six assists, and Rebecca Grim had one ace, two kills, one assist and two digs.
The JV Lady Chiefs are 10-8 overall, 4-2 in the district.
Northview will end their regular season on the road Tuesday at Escambia. The junior varsity takes to the court at 4:30 p.m., while the varsity plays at 5:30 p.m.
Two Cited After Bratt Wreck
October 17, 2011
Two people were cited after a two vehicle crash Monday afternoon on West Highway 4.
The Florida Highway Patrols says 80-year old Martez G. Dortch of Century was westbound on Highway 4 near Dortch Road when she attempted to turn into a driveway and traveled into the path of a 2002 Ford Mustang driven by Delorise A. Milam, 26, of Century.
Milam braked in an attempt to avoid hitting Dortch, but the front of the Mustang collided with the Dortch’s 2007 Ford Taurus.
Dortch and Milam received minor injuries but were not transported to the hospital. Milam’s passenger, 45-year old Kimberly G. Honeywell of Century, was transported to Jay Hospital with minor injuries.
Dortch was charged with turning left in front of approaching traffic, and Milam was cited with having no insurance.
Pictured above: One person from this Ford Mustang was injured in a two vehicle crash Monday afternoon in Bratt. Pictured below: The driver of this vehicle was not injured. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Exclusive: Baby Killer Set To Be Executed, Baby’s Mom Speaks Out
October 17, 2011
[Exclusive] A convicted Atmore baby killer is set to be executed Thursday, and the mother of the baby is speaking out for the first time about the murder of her 6-month old son and the death penalty to be carried out against her husband.
Christopher Thomas Johnson is scheduled to be put to death at 6 p.m. Thursday at Holman Prison in Atmore. He testified that he purposefully beat his son, Elias Ocean Johnson, to death on February 20, 2005, because he hated his wife Dana Johnson.
“Thursday I will be granted closure finally,” Dana Johnson told NorthEscambia.com in an exclusive interview. “Although I normally do not agree with capital punishment, I will not lose any sleep over this particular execution. Whether it is right or wrong I feel that a weight will be lifted from my soul on Thursday, and finally I will feel relief.”
“You go see Jesus,” were the last words Christopher Johnson said to his son, he testified at his trial, before beating him to death.
Those words have unimaginably haunted Dana Johnson for over six years. She’s rarely spoken about the murder, and is sharing photos of Elias for the first-time ever in this story.
“My son was the most delightful calm little boy I have ever known. Christopher Johnson took him from me. I have spent years trying to heal from this unimaginable pain,” Dana Johnson said. “I am scarred by this, and Christopher took away my son, my trust in other people, and even my desire to ever have another child. I still have a hard time being around children because of the sorrow it makes me feel. Everyday I see children that are Elias’ age, and I wonder what he would have been like.”
Dana Johnson won’t be able to attend Thursday’s execution. She now lives far from Atmore in the western United States where she is studying to become a nurse.
“I can tell you one thing, Thursday will be a day of closure for me, whether that is wrong or right. I curse the day that I met that man,” Dana Johnson said, adding that she feels sorry that Atmore is associated with this heinous crime.
“I am sorry that the people of Atmore, myself, and my son had to be subjected to this horrible crime. The people of Atmore were some of the kindest and most welcoming people I have ever met,” she said.
Christopher Johnson fired his public defenders and served as his own attorney during his 2006 Escambia County trial, telling the judge and jury that he wanted the death penalty for his actions. It took the jury less than a half hour to return a guilty verdict, and the death penalty was imposed. The death sentence has been upheld by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, and Christopher Johnson has, to date, declined additional appeals.
Pictured: Christopher Thomas Johnson is scheduled to be executed Thursday for the murder of this little boy, Elias Ocean Johnson, back in 2005 in Atmore. This is the first time these photos of Elias Johnson have ever been published. NorthEscambia.com exclusive, click to enlarge.
Century Elections Results Officially Certified
October 17, 2011
The results of last week’s Century election have been officially certified by the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office.
Final, official results are as follows:
Florida Prescription Database Goes Online
October 17, 2011
After years of debate about privacy issues and deadly drug use, Florida doctors and pharmacists started tapping into a state database Monday to check out patients’ prescription histories.
The database is aimed at curbing prescription-drug abuse and “doctor shopping” — addicts going from doctor to doctor to try to score prescriptions for powerful painkillers such as OxyContin.
Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican who was a key player in getting the database approved, said he views it as the most-important part of the state’s effort to fight prescription drug abuse. He said it will save lives.
“It’s a long time coming,” Fasano said Friday. “It’s a database that was needed many years ago.”
Doctors and pharmacists are not required to get information from the database, but Fasano said he will propose legislation next year to make it mandatory.
Two of the state’s most-influential physician groups, the Florida Medical Association and the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, have encouraged their members to take part.
In a recent message to his members, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association President Jeffrey Grove wrote that they would “be able to query the database for any indication a patient is engaging in the practice of doctor shopping for the expressed purpose of accumulating prescription drugs for illicit reasons. There is no requirement to query the database prior to writing a prescription, but the FOMA strongly encourages you to do so.”
Tad Fisher, executive vice president of the Florida Academy of Family Physicians, said the database could be valuable when doctors do not know patients, such as “walk-in” patients at physicians’ offices or urgent-care centers.
“The conversation has always been that a database could be very helpful for patients that you don’t have any history on at all,” Fisher said.
Lawmakers approved creating the database in 2009, but it has long faced controversy because of concerns about patient privacy.
Gov. Rick Scott and House Republican leaders this year raised the possibility of scrapping the database, but that idea ultimately died, at least in part, because of opposition from Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island.
Florida has received a reputation in recent years as a magnet for prescription-drug abusers and traffickers from as far away as Ohio and Kentucky. Unscrupulous storefront pain clinics in Broward, Palm Beach and other counties became notorious for prescribing — and in many cases dispensing — painkillers.
Lawmakers have passed a series of laws to try to crack down on the problems. For example, a law this year barred many doctors from dispensing dangerous controlled substances in their offices, forcing patients to take prescriptions to pharmacies.
Along with facing political opposition, the start of the database was hamstrung by a bid dispute among contractors.
But pharmacies and dispensing physicians in September began loading prescription records into the database. They are required to report information to the database within seven days of dispensing drugs such as OxyContin, Xanax and Valium.
Pharmacies and doctors have already put more than 15 million controlled-substance prescription records into the database, according to the Florida Department of Health.
Doctors and pharmacists who use the system will receive reports that show patient prescription histories, helping them detect possible abuse.
By Jim Saunders
The News Service of Florida
District Battles Heating Up
October 17, 2011
There are two big district battles brewing for Friday night as we head into week 8 of the Florida high school football season.
The top of District 1-6A will come down to Friday night’s matchup between Pensacola High (5-1, 3-0) and Pace (5-2, 3-1). Meanwhile, the only North Escambia area team in the district is out of the title hunt for sure, with Tate winless at 0-7, 0-4.
Northview (3-2, 1-0) and Freeport (5-1, 1-0) both had last Friday night off as they prepare to face off against each other this Friday night in Bratt for the top spot in District1-1A.
Meanwhile, West Florida High School remains at the top of District 1-5A with a (6-0,2-0) record. Short of a a major upset, the WFHS best-ever season will continue Friday night as the Jaguars travel Rutherford (1-4, 0-1), the worst team in the district standings.
