Final Totals: Little Found During Daily Drug Dog Searches In Escambia County Schools
August 12, 2011
Very few drug dog searches in Escambia County’s public school resulted in any sort of drug find during a pilot program last school year.
Each school day, at least one middle or high school in the county was randomly visited by a canine officer and his dog.
During 352 school searches, there were 28 alerts. Seven of the alerts resulting in findings of drugs; the remaining 21 alerts were for residue or odor. Prescription drugs were found twice during physical searches in conjunction with the drug K-9 searches.
“These results and these tremendous decreases in the number of drug related expulsions validate the need for this comprehensive approach we have taken to curb the incidences
of illegal drugs being brought on campuses,” Jeff Bergosh, Escambia County School Board member, said Thursday evening.
Every high school had at least one alert, while only two middle schools (Bailey and Warrington) had alerts during the school year. (See a complete table at the bottom of the article.)
Findings included two grams of marijuana in a restroom at Washington High, marijuana on a bookcase and pills in a tank at the Judy Andrew Center, marijuana residue in a car at Tate High, marijuana seeds and residue in a car and a baggie of over the counter medications at Washington High and residue in a purse and marijuana in a vehicle at West Florida High.
Among North Escambia area schools — Northview High had one drug dog alert for an odor with no drugs found, Tate High had one alert for odor and three findings of marijuana residue. There were no alerts at Ernest Ward or Ransom Middle schools.
The Escambia County School Board implemented the random drug dog searches lasts school year as part of an aggressive anti-drug and alcohol policy. Only one person at the district office, Manager of Protection Services Steven Sharp, knew which school would be visited in advance. The canine officer would report to the principal’s office upon his or her arrival and was accompanied during the search by an administrator or their designee.
Students were not being searched, and they were removed from any classroom that was searched. Searches also included hallways, lockers, parking lots and other common areas.
The district spent about $36,000 from its general fund for the program. About two dozen off-duty canine officers from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Pensacola Police Department were utilized for the searches.
“The Pensacola Police Department and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and their respective canine units, have been instrumental to the district’s success in our continuing work to
keep drugs out of school, and we look forward to continuing this successful partnership for many years to come,” Bergosh said.
Pictured above: Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy Wayne Gulsby performs a drug dog search at Northview High School during the last school year. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge. Below: Totals from all Escambia County middle and high schools.
Burned Out Headlight Lands Century Man In Jail On Drug Charges
August 12, 2011
A traffic stop for a burned out headlight landed a Century man behind bars on drug charges.
Maurice Lovell James, 45, was charged with felony cocaine possession, marijuana possession and giving false identification to law enforcement.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped James for a burned out headlight on West Highway 4 near North Century Boulevard late Wednesday night. Deputies, according to an arrest report, found crack cocaine in a pill bottle and marijuana in a plastic baggie inside James’ 1990 Mercury Cougar.
James, the report states, first provided deputies with false name and claimed to have a New Jersey driver’s license that was not on his person.
Late Thursday, James remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $2,000.
Charges Dropped Against Flomaton Woman Accused Of Leaving 5-Month Old Alone In Hot Car
August 12, 2011
Charges have been dropped by the State Attorney’s Office against a Flomaton woman arrested July 21 after her 5-month old baby was reportedly left unattended about 20 minutes in a hot car in Pensacola.
Jessica Burnham, age 20 of Vanhoosen Road, was released from jail Thursday after appearing before Judge Michale Allen to learn that should would not be prosecuted. She had been charged with child neglect without great harm — a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and/or up to a $5,000 fine.
According to a July 21 Pensacola Police Department report, Officer Jud Fillingim said Burnham went to LabCorp on North Ninth Avenue to have some blood work done. Initially, she took the baby inside, but returned to the car with the baby after being told it could not go into the blood drawing area.
Burnham told LabCorp employees she had someone in the car and would take the baby to them while her blood was drawn. A witness told police she saw Burnham place the baby in a car seat, enter the vehicle and drive it to a partially shaded area of the parking lot.
Fillingim said Burnham told officers she turned on the air conditioning while she went back inside LabCorp. The female witness said approximately 20 minutes passed, no one was with the baby in the vehicle, and she was worried about the baby’s safety so she notified a LabCorp employee.
The employee and witness went to the car, found the doors unlocked, the windows up and the car’s air conditioner blowing hot air.
Fillingim said the women took the baby, who was sweating profusely and hot to the touch, inside and called for an ambulance. The female baby was taken to a local hospital for observation.
Florida Sales Tax Holiday Underway This Weekend
August 12, 2011
Today marks the first day of Florida’s 2011 Sales Tax Holiday, offering shoppers the chance to stock up on school supplies and clothing without paying sales tax.
The school sales tax holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. Friday until midnight Sunday. Retailers believe consumers are excited about the holiday that provides a break at the cash register for families during a time of year when their expenses climb.
Retailers across Northwest Florida are gearing up for a big weekend, stocking up on merchandise and planning for a boost to their bottom line. In addition to locals, retailers are expecting to see a lot of Alabama tags in their parking lots as Alabama residents cross the state line to save a few extra dollars this weekend.
In general, the sales tax holiday means no state or local sales tax on clothing, footwear and some accessories selling for $75 or less or certain school supplies for $15 or less. Books are not exempt from tax this year.
“Clothing” means any article of wearing apparel, including all footwear (except skis, swim fins, roller blades, and skates) intended to be worn on or about the human body. However, “clothing” does not include watches, watchbands, jewelry, umbrellas, handkerchiefs, or sporting equipment.
“School supplies” means pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, notebook filler paper, legal pads, binders, lunch boxes, construction paper, markers, folders, poster board, composition books, poster paper, scissors, cellophane tape, glue, paste, rulers, computer disks, protractors, compasses, and calculators.
MSNBC’s ‘Lockup” Filming Show At Area Prison
August 12, 2011
For the first time in Florida Department of Corrections history, a television production crew will be filming inside a Florida prison for almost eight weeks with unprecedented access to inmates and staff who wish to participate.
44 Blue, the production company that produces the prison reality series “Lockup” for MSNBC, began filming at Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton this week. Santa Rosa CI houses all custody levels of inmates along with a number of inmates with mental health issues.
Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Buss worked with 44 Blue when he was the prison Commissioner in Indiana, and he felt the effort was worthwhile.
“I have no qualms about them coming into our prisons. I’m proud of our staff and how well our facilities are run, and I hope this will help Floridians understand the challenges we face with our inmate population, as well as the benefits prisons provide to their communities through our programs and re-entry efforts,” said Buss.
44 Blue’s film crew visited SRCI in July to scout the Santa Rosa CI location and interview inmates they may want to focus on. They will be filming during weeks in August and September. A staff member, Santa Rosa CI Lieutenant Andrew Williams, has been assigned to the crew full time and employees and inmates have been told they may opt out of being filmed. 44 Blue is paying a fee to cover the cost of the DC’s expenses.
“I am honored that Santa Rosa CI has been chosen for this opportunity,” said Warden Randy Tifft. “Our staff is looking forward to working with the film crew to showcase our inmate programs and what we do each day to protect the public.”
The series of shows is expected to air on MSNBC in early 2012.
County Pushes Feds For Beulah I-10 Exit, Would Benefit Proposed North Escambia Beltway
August 11, 2011
Escambia County is asking the federal government to expedite approval of a new I-10 exit in Beulah — an exit that is part of an overall plan that could greatly change the landscape of some parts of North Escambia.
The exit would serve a northern “beltway” connector proposed from North Escambia to Santa Rosa County and serve the area included in a plan that encourages growth and development on 15,000 acres in North Escambia.
The new I-10 Beulah exit, to be located at or in the vicinity of Beulah Road, would also facilitate the movement of traffic northward without clogging Highway 29, Highway 87 and I-10. It will also aid in economic development in Escambia County, according to a resolution approved by the Escambia County Commission, that asks the Federal Highway Administration to grant approval for the exit as soon as possible.
The interstate exit at Beulah, according to commissioners, would also aid in hurricane evacuation.
The proposed beltway connector would link Highway 90 to the new I-10 Beulah exit through North Escambia, across the Escambia River in the vicinity of Quintette Road to Pace in Santa Rosa County. The new Detailed Specific Area Plan encompasses approximately 15,000 acres of land north of Interstate 10, south of Barrineau Park Road and west of Highway 29. It is a long-term conceptual planning project in North Escambia that incorporates road networks, parks and schools along with commercial and residential projects.
Pictured top: A proposed beltway connector between Escambia and Santa Rosa counties is depicted in red on this map. NorthEscambia.com graphic.
Century Inmate Busted For Smuggled Cellphone
August 11, 2011
A Century Correctional Institution inmate is facing a felony charge for having a cellphone behind bars.
Travis Montes Mitchell, a former resident of the Century area, was charged with smuggling contraband into the facility. According to the State Attorney’s Office, Mitchell was observed by a guard placing the cellphone in his sock before he ran away and tossed the phone in the toilet. The phone was retrieved from the toilet by prison officials.
Mitchell was serving a 44 month sentence on drug and weapons charges.
Back To School Bash, Neighborhood Watch Party In Farm Hill
August 11, 2011
A Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party will be held this Saturday in Farm Hill.
There will be free hot dogs, chips and drinks. The Cantonment Volunteer Fire Department will provide fire safety education and display a truck, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Mounted Patrol will be on hand, plus there will be plenty of activities for the children.
Donations of school supplies will be accepted, and school supplies will be distributed to children in need.
The Back to School Bash and Neighborhood Watch Party will take place Saturday, August 13 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Santa Maria Plaza Park in Farm Hill. For more information, call (850) 554-7376.
The event is sponsored by the Cottage Hill, Farm Hill and Village neighborhood watch programs.
Two Escambia Residents Get Life In Federal Drug Case
August 11, 2011
Two Escambia County residents have been sentenced to life in prison in a federal drug case.
Terrence L Watson, 30, and Senica C Herbert, 34, received a life sentence from Senior U.S. District Judge Lacy Collier following their convictions for participating in a narcotics conspiracy involving five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The sentences were the latest of more than 20 convictions stemming from related Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) prosecutions by the United
States Attorneys Office in Pensacola over the last two years. The convictions have resulted in four life sentences and five sentences of 20 years or more on charges involving narcotics, firearms and related violence.
Those convicted have been from Florida, Alabama and Texas, including several defendants with direct ties to organized crime in Mexico, according to Pamela C. Marsh, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Escambia Proposes $4.3 Million Cantonment Fire Training Facility With Ascend
August 11, 2011
A partnership between Escambia Fire Rescue and Ascend Performance Materials could lead to a new fire training facility worth over $4 million.
Escambia County officials are proposing the facility on 20 acres currently owned by Ascend at their Cantonment manufacturing facility. If an agreement is reached to build the fire training area, the property’s ownership would be transferred to the county.
Escambia County currently has $817,492.10 in the budget for a fire training facility; early estimates are the county will need another $3.5 to $3.75 million for the facility.
The facility, as proposed, would include a fire tower, a burn building, confined space training area, an area for structural collapse training, a rail car prop, an area for vehicle extrication training, industrial fire training, a helipad and classroom space.
The proposed fire training facility and a funding source must first be approved by the Escambia County Commission at a later date.
Pictured above: A proposed Escambia Fire Rescue training facility in Cantonment, click to enlarge.