Century Woman Charged With Byrneville Grand Theft
November 1, 2011
A 21-year old Century woman has been charged in a Byrneville theft.
Hannah Leighann Hamilton of North Century Blvd. was charged with felony grand theft and petit theft last week in connection with a late September incident. According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s office report, Hamilton was accused of taking an engagement ring and bracelet from a residence on Byrneville Road.
Hamilton was released from the Escambia County Jail on $3,000 bond.
Photo Gallery: Hundreds Attend Molino Fall Carnival
November 1, 2011
Hundreds of people attended a community-wide Fall Festival in Molino Monday night. Sponsored by four area churches, the interdenominational event provided a safe Christian alternative on Halloween night.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
The event was sponsored by Victory Assembly of God, Highland Baptist Church, CrossFaith Church and Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
The event featured a variety of games, bounce house, a hayride and lots of free food.
Pictured top: The “Potty Toss” was a popular game Monday night during an annual Fall Festival in Molino. Pictured inset and below: The annual Fall Festival sponsored by four Molino area churches Monday night in Molino. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Two Charged With Stealing, Selling ‘61 Ford, ‘64 Mustang As Scrap
November 1, 2011
Two Century men are charged with stealing a 1961 Ford truck and a 1964 Ford Mustang from a home in Bratt and selling them as scrap.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office charged 32-year old Jessie James Tedder and Brandon Lee Lambeth, both of Century, with felony grand theft of a motor vehicle. Both were released from jail on $2,500 bond.
The victim reported that he planned to restore the two classic vehicles that were in a state of disrepair when they were taken from a home in the 3600 block of West Highway 4. The victim told deputies that he found the remnants of the vehicles at Advanced Auto Recycling in Escambia County, Ala.
According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, both Tedder and Lambeth admitted in writing to deputies that they took the vehicles from the victim’s property and sold them for scrap.
Round-up Collects 927 Pounds Of Drugs
November 1, 2011
Last Saturday’s drug roundup at CVS stores across the county and the Sheriff’s Office precinct in Molino collected over 927 pounds of prescription and non-prescription drugs. Residents were invited to drop off their unused or unwanted pharmaceuticals during the event.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held the collection in coordination with the Pensacola Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other local agencies as part of a national take-back effort.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Century Care Center Halloween Carnival
November 1, 2011
Century Care Center held their annual Halloween Fall Carnival Monday afternoon with lots of fun and a haunted house for trick 0r treaters.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Approves Water, Sewer Rate Hike
November 1, 2011
ECUA has formally approved a 7 percent rate increase Monday for water and sewer customers that takes effect today.
The rate increase was part of a three-year rate hike plan approved last year. Each portion of the increase must be approved yearly following a public hearing.
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority Board approved the rate hike on a 3-1 vote, with Larry Walker, Elvin McCorvey and Elizabeth Campbell voting in favor and Dale Perkins against. Board member Lois Benson was absent from Monday’s meeting.
The rate hike does not impact customers of smaller water companies in the North Escambia area, nor does it impact residents of the Town of Century.
Santa Rosa Deputies Investigating Halloween Night Arson
November 1, 2011
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Halloween night arson.
A resident of the 4000 block of Kentwood Street told emergency dispatchers that someone had set fire to his father’s vehicle in the driveway of the residence. Witness told deputies that they observed two suspects running from the vehicle after it exploded. One of the suspects was engulfed in flames as he ran from the scene, setting fire to a nearby wooded area as he ran through them.
Burned clothing belonging to the suspect was found at the scene, according to deputies.
Other witnesses told investigators that hey observed the suspects walking up to the victim’s residence wearing Halloween masks and carrying large buckets.
The incident is currently being jointly investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office
Pictured: A Halloween night arson in Santa Rosa County. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
AG Appeals Prison Privatization Ruling
November 1, 2011
At the urging of lawmakers, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday appealed a judge’s ruling that a controversial plan to privatize 29 prison facilities was unconstitutional.
Bondi’s office announced about 4:30 p.m. that it had filed a notice of appeal in the 1st District Court of Appeal. The move came as a surprise: Earlier in the day, Gov. Rick Scott’s administration said it would not fight the judge’s ruling.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, issued a statement expressing confidence that the appeal will be successful and that privatization will help save tax dollars for the state.
“Not only is the privatization of our state’s prisons good policy, but it ensures that our state can dedicate more money to education, health care or economic development programs that would otherwise be spent on prisons,” Haridopolos said.
The state faced a Monday deadline for deciding whether to appeal. The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which filed the lawsuit, said it was disappointed that Bondi “waited until the last minute” to file an appeal but said it is willing to fight the privatization issue to the Supreme Court, if necessary.
“We’ve been ready to go from the start, and we’re taking it to the next level,” PBA Executive Director Matt Puckett said.
Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford on Sept. 30 agreed with the PBA’s arguments that lawmakers violated the state constitution in the way they approved the privatization plan. Legislative leaders included the plan in the fine print of the state budget — known as proviso language — instead of passing it in a regular bill.
“Based on the record before it, this court concludes that if it is the will of the Legislature to itself initiate privatization of Florida prisons … the Legislature must do so by general law, rather than ‘using the hidden recesses of the General Appropriations Act,’ ” Fulford wrote, partially quoting a decades-old Supreme Court ruling.
Prison privatization has long been a hot-button issue, with the politically influential PBA fighting proposals to turn over operations of correctional facilities to private companies. On the other side, prison firms lobby for the changes and promise budget savings to lawmakers.
The named defendant in the lawsuit is Department of Corrections Secretary Kenneth Tucker, whose agency is part of Scott’s executive branch. As a result, it appeared that an appeal was dead when Scott’s office said Monday it would not challenge Fulford’s ruling.
But Jenn Meale, a Bondi spokeswoman, said the attorney general’s office went forward with the appeal at the request of the Legislature. She said the office, which has represented the state in the case, has the authority to pursue such appeals when defending the constitutionality of laws.
A spokeswoman for Scott, Jackie Schutz, said the case was about a question of legislative power, making lawmakers – with the attorney general representing them – “best suited to litigate this case.”
Haridopolos and House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, both said they think the Legislature acted appropriately in using the budget proviso language to make the prison changes.
Even if lawmakers are not successful in the appeal, they could approve the privatization plan in a regular bill. They could do that as soon as the 2012 legislative session, though revisiting the privatization idea likely would touch off a fierce political fight.
The PBA was already preparing for such a legislative fight Monday, after it appeared the state would not appeal the judge’s ruling. The session starts in January.
“Now we need to educate the public and the Legislature on the significant public-safety issues and lack of significant savings associated with the privatization issue,” Puckett said in a statement released after Scott declined to file the appeal.
The proviso language offered a roadmap to privatize prisons, work camps and other types of correctional facilities in 18 counties across the southern part of the state.
The language called for the Department of Corrections to solicit proposals from private companies and then submit a plan to the Legislative Budget Commission by December 1. If approved by the commission, the proviso said the department “may” award a contract to a private company.
Immediately after Fulford’s ruling, the department suspended the planned opening of bid proposals from companies interested in operating the prisons.
By The News Service of Florida
Trick-Or-Treat Safety: Most Sex Offenders Can Give Out Candy
October 31, 2011
There are lots of ways to make trick-or-treating safer for children, including a quick check for sex offenders in the neighborhood.
Most Florida sex offenders and predators are legally allowed to hand out candy to children in their neighborhoods as long as they are no longer on supervised probation, according to law enforcement officials.
Authorities say that parents can turn to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s sexual offender database to find the address of registered sex offenders that may be in an area where their children will trick-or-treat. In addition to addresses, the FDLE database also offers photos and descriptions of offenders along with information about their crimes.
According to the FDLE database, there are 23 sex offenders and predators in the Century area, six in the Walnut Hill/McDavid area, 17 near Molino and 49 in the Cantonment area. Of those 95 offenders and predators, only 19 remain on probation. That leaves 76 that might legally be allowed to answer their doors and hand candy out to children.
To search the FDLE sex offender database, click here. To check the Alabama sex offender database, click here.
In addition to checking the FDLE database, officials said parents should make sure trick-or-treaters are accompanied by an adult, have a flashlight and cellphone.
There are also several community fall festivals and events planned across the area tonight, offering a “safe” alternative to the traditional door to door trick-or-treating. For a list of many of those events, click here.
Report Cards Delayed For Escambia Students
October 31, 2011
Monday was scheduled to be report card day for Escambia County public school students, but a problem with a new software system delayed them.
Report cards were due to be sent home Tuesday, as problems with the Focus Gradebook software are resolved.
Parents can see most student grades online by using the “Focus Gradebook Parent Portal”. For information on how to register and view grades, online, click here for a previous story.