Two Sentenced For Robbery; One Gets Life, One 30 Years
July 13, 2011
Two Escambia County men were sentenced Tuesday afternoon in Escambia County by Judge Linda L. Nobles.
Jazz Vonshay Dewindt and Tiderius Terrel Warren were found guilty by an Escambia County jury of robbery with a firearm, shooting at an occupied vehicle and two counts each of aggravated assault in April of this year. Jazz Dewindt qualified for Prison releasee reoffender status and received a mandatory life sentence for his involvement in the August 2010 incident. Tiderius Warren was sentenced to a total of 30 years state prison, with a minimum mandatory 20 years to be served.
On August 8, 2010 siblings Ashley and Travis Benjamin were at the corner of Tarragona and Hernandez when Warren flagged their vehicle down and told them to pull over, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins. Warren, Dewindt and a third unidentified male pulled out handguns and began demanding money. Dewindt grabbed Ashley’s purse. As Ashley and Travis quickly pulled away, all three individuals pointed guns at the vehicle and fired multiple times into it.
Florida Legislature Home To More Than 50 Millionaires
July 13, 2011
The Florida Legislature is home to more than 50 millionaires — including Northwest Florida’s Don Gaetz — according to an analysis of financial disclosure forms. Lawmakers are required to report their income and net worth once a year.
The Legislature tends to attract wealthy individuals due, in part, to its heavy time commitment and low salary. Legislators receive $29,697 a year, with presiding officers making $41,181 a year. The Legislature meets once a year for two months for its regular session, but lawmakers are often called in for committee weeks or special sessions – and they also have to spend a lot of time campaigning and fundraising.
“It’s a difficult position if you are working a nine-to-five job to say ‘Hey, I’m going to give up my clients for four months,’ and then come back to that world for six months,” said Rep. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, one of the wealthiest legislators. “Most people can’t do that.”
Millionaires make up almost half of the 40-member Florida Senate and nearly one-third of the 120-member Florida House. Fifty-one of the lawmakers that filed financial disclosure forms by the July 1 deadline were millionaires. Not all lawmakers filed a financial disclosure form by the deadline – more than 30 lawmakers failed to turn one in. They get a grace period before they’re penalized for being late.
The wealthiest legislator in the House is Brandes, with a net worth of $11.8 million at the end of 2010. His family sold its ownership of Cox Lumber Co. to Home Depot in 2006 for an undisclosed sum.
Brandes said he manages his family’s real estate investments in Florida and the Cayman Islands. The former military officer is also involved with his family’s new timber company venture called Tibbetts Lumber Co. Brandes had an income of $181,540 in 2010, money that mainly came from his investments.
“When you think about who could give up four or five months out of the year, (for) an employee it would be very difficult,” Brandes said. Many lawmakers have owned their own businesses or are retired.
“One of the blessings of my position is that I have opportunities to pursue my passions and things I am really interested in,” Brandes said. “I am fortunate to be able to do this more or less full time.”
In the Senate, Don Gaetz holds the distinction of being the richest senator. Gaetz, a Republican from Niceville, was the founder of VITAS, a hospice care company, and has a net worth of nearly $25.5 million.
His assets included nearly $11.9 million in securities, nearly $10 million in real estate and about $3.2 million in cash. The real estate includes three homes in the upscale community of Seaside.
Margate Democrat Jeremy Ring, the Senate’s second-wealthiest member, helped build his $17.9 million net worth as an executive with the Internet company Yahoo. Among his assets are a $1.6 million home in Parkland.
Not everyone in the Legislature is wealthy. There are six lawmakers in the House with a negative net worth.
Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-Lehigh Acres has the distinction of having the lowest net worth in the Legislature. Caldwell is a real estate appraiser who purchased his home at the height of the housing boom.
He watched as the value of his $144,000 investment shrank to about $25,000 as hard-hit Lehigh Acres became the epicenter of the national housing bust.
“I tell people I’m nothing special, I’ve experienced the same types of challenges that many other people have gone through,” said Caldwell, whose net worth as of Dec. 31 was negative $125,000.
But Caldwell says he’s keeping it all in perspective. He turns 30 in August and he only loses money on his property if he sells, which he has no plans of doing anytime soon. “I consider myself fortunate,” Caldwell said. “I’ll have my house paid for by the time I’m 40 years old. That’s pretty good.”
Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, reported a net income of negative $69,177. Pafford is in a similar situation to Caldwell and many other Floridians. He purchased his West Palm Beach home in 2003 for $124,900. It is now worth $92,100, but Pafford still owes $216,000 on the mortgage and home equity loans.
“The Legislature is a citizen’s legislature and should be made up that way,” Pafford said. “As much as I’m struggling, that is OK because there are a lot of other people doing the same thing, just working and trying to pay down bills. That is reality.” Pafford acknowledged, however, that the legislative system is not built to elect “average Floridians.”
Damien Filer, a spokesman for the progressive advocacy group Progress Florida, said the confluence of wealth and legislation is troubling. Likewise, lawmakers of overly modest means can also find themselves in compromising circumstances.
“There is an inherent danger anytime money and policymaking mix,” Filer said. “We have a system that is far too much a pay-to-play situation.”
By Lilly Rockwell and Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Ronald McDonald House Names New Exec Director
July 13, 2011
A new executive director has been named for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Florida.
Judy Burns will begin work on Monday, July 25 and begin working on strategic planning, donor relations, board development and fundraising.
Burns had worked since 2003 with Autism Pensacola and was instrumental in the startup of ‘Kids for Camp’, a local summer camp for children with autism. She also has a business background, having held various positions with Southern California Edison over a 16-year career that included service as an analyst, supervisor, administrator and manager. In these positions, she directed staff, managed energy efficiency programs and was responsible for performance, contracting and budgeting.
“We look forward to Judy’s contributions as we continue to work towards our mission of being the best available home-away-from-home and source of respite and resources for children and families of children suffering a medical crisis,” said Paul Robinson, president of the Ronald McDonald House Board of Directors.
Two Injured In UWF Chemistry Lab Accident
July 12, 2011
Two students were injured in a chemistry lab accident Tuesday afternoon at the University of West Florida.
A male and female student were transported to West Florida Hospital with minor burns. One was burned on the arm, the other on the leg.
There were less than 100 students in the building at the time. They were all evacuated, and university officials closed Building 58. Classes in the science building were canceled for Tuesday night. UWF said the building was cleaned during the night and was ready for operation during normal hours on Wednesday.
Preliminary information indicated that nitric acid was involved in the incident. Officials said the spill did not pose any danger to those outside the building.
Morgan Meets Petition Requirement
July 12, 2011
David Morgan’s campaign says he has met the petition requirement for qualification to be on the 2012 ballot for Escambia County Sheriff.
There were 1,996 validated petitions needed to qualify. He was the first candidate for sheriff to qualify in this race.
Copper Thief Strikes Community Center
July 12, 2011
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a copper thief hit the Byrneville Community Center.
The theft at the county-owned facility was reported Monday. Someone destroyed one of three air conditioning units, stripping out the copper coils, in recent days. Early estimates are that theft could cost the county $3,000 in damage and replacement costs.
Officials said the thief cut the power to the air handling unit before stripping the copper.
The air handling units are located behind a privacy fence, just feet from the community center’s playground.
Anyone with information about the theft should contact the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Pictured above and below: Crime scene investigators with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office retrieve fingerprints from air conditioning units at the Byrneville Community Center Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Joining Battle Against Conecuh Woods Landfill
July 12, 2011
The Town of Century has joined several area governments in opposing the permitting and construction of the planned 5,100 acre Conecuh Woods landfill near Repton, Alabama.
Monday night, the Century Town Council voted to join Escambia County (Fla.) in a lawsuit aimed at blocking the landfill. The lawsuit was initiated by the Town of Repton, Ala., and Repton Mayor Terri Carter.
A resolution approved by the Town of Century expressed specific concerns over water quality for the Escambia River. Century is currently working toward new certifications for their wastewater treatment plant, which discharges into the Escambia River. The town’s resolution said the town is concerned that any water quality problems as a result of the Conecuh Woods landfill could impede that certification.
The Pensacola City Council also recently voted to join the lawsuit, citing water quality concerns with the landfill upstream from Escambia and Pensacola bays, both of which are currently listed as “impaired” because they already do not meet Florida’s minimum water quality standards.
The Escambia County (Fla.) Commission voted earlier this month to join a lawsuit because the county opposes the landfill because it poses a threat to Escambia River, Escambia Bay and Pensacola Bay, as well as the drinking water supply in the county.
In late April, attorneys filed the original suit in Conecuh County Circuit Court on behalf of Repton (pop. 280) and Carter seeking an injunction to block the 5,100 acre Conecuh Woods landfill. The landfill was approved 3-2 by the Conecuh County Commission just a week before the lawsuit was filed contending that the application violated applicable law and the public did not have ample opportunity to comment on the proposal.
Escambia County (Ala.), Atmore, Flomaton, Brewton and Orange Beach have also joined, or plan to join, the lawsuit. The Escambia County (Fla.) Soil and Water Conservation District also passed a resolution against permitting the landfill.
Conecuh Woods’ landfill, will include a 1,600 acre “disposal cell” from Range to Repton to near the Big Escambia Creek. Big Escambia Creek flows southward into Escambia County, Alabama, Flomaton and drains through a North Escambia swamp into the Escambia River and then into Escambia and Pensacola bays.
Pictured: Repton (Ala.) Mayor Terry Carter explains her position against the landfill to the Century Town Council. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Packy Mitchell Becomes Fifth To Prefile For District 5 Commission Race
July 12, 2011
A fifth candidate announced Monday that he is running for the Escambia County Commission District 5 seat currently held by Kevin White of Molino.
Packy Mitchell of Neal Road, Cantonment prefiled to run as a Republican. Mitchell ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2008, finishing second among Republican candidates.
White has announced that he is running again as Republican. Republicans Sam Archer and Jim Taylor of Cantonment and Dennis Wiggins of Century, who is running with no party affiliation, have also prefiled.
The election is in 2012.
Florida Officials: Don’t Let BP Off The Hook
July 12, 2011
A memo written last week by BP to federal officials prompted harsh words Monday in Pensacola from Florida officials and business leaders who are crying foul over the company’s stance of not paying most future Gulf coast claims resulting from last year’s oil spill.
Days after BP sent a memo to the Gulf Coast Claims Facility saying the region has rebounded and many future payments should be suspended, U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson both said the company that says it is responsible for the Deepwater Horizon disaster needs to honor its promise to make the region whole following the worst oil spill in U.S. history.
After paying more than $4.6 billion to private citizens and businesses since the April 20, 2010 spill, BP officials have told federal overseers that the Gulf coast economy is mostly back on its feet. And that’s what the claims were for – to help the region recover, the company says.
Speaking to reporters in Pensacola following a public hearing nearly a year after the leaking well was capped, Rubio said he’s concerned about the memo sent July 7 to the GCCF, especially because some effects of the spill may not be fully realized for several years.
“BP, from a corporate perspective, is trying to get out of here as quickly as they can,” Rubio said. “They are trying to disengage from this process as soon as they can and I think it is incumbent on us policymakers to make sure that doesn’t happen, and that BP fulfills its obligations to this region.”
In a letter sent last week to the GCCF, which has been set up to reimburse people and businesses for spill-related costs, BP says claims for continuing damage should be limited to a small minority of applicants such as oyster harvesters whose businesses have yet to rebound.
The company said that the big economic impact – the hit to the region’s tourism industry – has passed, with visitors having returned.
“Multiple lines of evidence show that, to the extent certain portions of the Gulf economy were impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Gulf economy experienced a robust recovery in the fall of 2010, and that economic performance remains strong in 2011,” the company wrote.
Under the direction of Ken Feinberg, the GCCF has distributed more than $4.6 billion.
Overall, the facility has received more than 502,000 claims. It has also come under intense fire from many along the Gulf Coast, who say the process is slow and wrought with inconsistency.
“BP doesn’t need to be protected from the citizenry,” U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., wrote Monday in a letter to Feinberg. “It’s the other way around.”
On Monday, Rubio held a public hearing on behalf of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which is expected to craft federal legislation to divvy up fines expected to be paid by BP under the federal Clean Water Act.
Any proposed legislation is still several weeks, possibly months, away, though, Rubio said.
“I would tell people to take a deep breath because everything in Washington moves very slow and I don’t have any reason to believe that this won’t be the case here as well,” Rubio said.
During Monday’s hearing, Rubio heard from local officials and business leaders, many of whom are still waiting for payment from BP for damage following the spill, which was finally capped on July 15, 2010.
John Dixon, a dive shop owner from Port St. Joe, is still awaiting payment for his lost business. He has since closed up shop. Dixon said he initially believed that BP would stand firm in its pledge to “get it right” in the Gulf, but his confidence was shaken with the July 7 memo.
“Last Thursday that progress was lost, Dixon said. “It looks like they are back to profits over the people, safety and the environment.”
Rep. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze, whose district was among the most heavily affected by the spill, said months of frustration with BP and the GCCF have prompted him to ask federal officials to find another way to distribute the money remaining in the $20 billion BP recovery fund. With long delays and seemingly arbitrary and disparate outcomes, the GCCF has lost credibility and needs to be replaced, he said.
“There has got to be a better way,” Broxson said.
Since the spill, the Panhandle tourism market has rebounded, thanks to good weather and marketing campaigns – paid for, in part, by the company – that have lured tourists back to the region. In its letter to GCCF, BP included several studies and newspaper accounts showing that tourists have returned.
Such a rebound, the company claims, is evidence that the spill is no longer affecting the economy in many sectors. If true, it’s time to shut down the payments, it says.
“The current economic data do not suggest that individual and business claimants face a material risk of future loss caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill,” the company concludes.
Florida Agriculture Commission Adam Putnam, who attended Monday’s hearing held on the campus of Pensacola State College, said the company is getting ahead of itself.
“My feeling is that they still have a lot of claims in line before they start closing the purse,” Putnam said.
Broxson said he was not surprised by BP’s memo which he characterized as a well-timed step in BPs exit strategy.
“I’m trying not to be cynical, but when you spend several millions hiring consultants, you probably have this planned out,” Broxson said.
BP officials couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Commission, School Board Work To Redraw Voting Districts
July 12, 2011
The Escambia County Commission and School Board left a Monday meeting with proposed redistricting maps.
Following the recent release of 2010 Census numbers that show a population shift into the Cantonment area of the county, both the Escambia County Commission and the School District were forced to redraw district boundaries.
Escambia County is divided into five different voting districts, each represented by a county commissioner and school board member.
According to County Administrator Randy Oliver, the districts must be redrawn in such a manner that the population difference between the smallest district and the largest district is no more than five-percent.
All of the districts will be predominantly white, with the exception of District 3, which will remain predominantly black.
The ideal district, with one-fifth of the population, would have 59,524 residents. Districts 4 and 5 will be slightly larger than “ideal” by about 1,000 people.
Both the school board and commission will hold public hearings on the proposed changes later this month.
Data released earlier this year by the U.S. Census Bureau showed a population shift into the area between Barrineau Park and 9 Mile roads. That area, called the Cantonment Census County Division, saw a population increase of 15.8% (6,901 people) while the other three divisions in the county saw a population decrease of 1.4 to 3 percent. Overall, the county experienced a very slight 1 percent increase during the decade as the population increased from 294,410 in 2000 to 297,619 in 2010.
