Escambia County Launches New Easy Access Website
August 5, 2011
Escambia County launched a new website Thursday that is designed to offer easy access to the county’s online resources.
The new www.myescambiacares.com can also be accessed from the county website, www.myescambia.com.
The website is divided into two main sections:
- The Citizen Support Center, in which citizens can ask a question and make a request, find information about meetings, public records, calendar, and other information.
- Frequently Asked Questions, where citizens find frequently called numbers, a quick reference guide to county services, building inspections information, Social Security Administration and other resources.
Additional features will be added in the near future.
Northview Student Charged As Adult In Murder Of Sister Christina Sneary
August 4, 2011
A former Northview High student, 17-year old Elena Janelle Rendell has now been charged as an adult with the murder of her 14-year old sister Christina Sneary, an eighth grader at Ernest Ward Middle School last year.
Rendell (pictured left)) appeared in court Thursday afternoon and was charged as an adult with one count of manslaughter with a firearm. Her bond was set at $300,000. She is set to appear again in adult court on August 18. If convicted, she faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
The two girls had recently moved with their mother from Sunset View Lane in Molino to the 7600 block of Kipling Street in the Ferry Pass community. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to that home about 1:40 p.m. Wednesday, where they found the 14-year old girl had been shot in the neck. She was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in critical condition where she died just before midnight.
The shooting reportedly stemmed from an argument over a cell phone. Both girls were described by a relative as being special needs children.
Rendell was taken into custody at the scene of the shooting by Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies.
“It appears that the two juveniles were at home and involved in some sort of argument,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Deputy Chris Welborn. “At some point, Rendell retrieved a firearm and shot the victim.”
Sneary (pictured left) would have been a freshman this fall at Northview High School.
Pictured top: Elena Janelle Rendell, 17, is charged with the shooting death of her half-sister, 14-year old Christina Sneary. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Four Sentenced For Billings Murders
August 4, 2011
Four men convicted in the death of Byrd and Melanie Billings were sentenced Thursday morning.
- Gary Lamont Sumner Jr., who pleaded no contest to two counts of second degree murder, received 20 years with no probation.
- Leonard Gonzalez, Sr., who pleaded no contest to two charges of second degree murder and home invasion, received 17.5 years in prison without probation when released.
- Rakeem Chavez Florence, who entered a plea deal for his testimony to second degree murder and home invasion robbery, was sentenced to 24 years in prison and 21 years of probation.
- Fredrick Thornton, Jr, who pleaded to two counts second degree murder and one count of home invasion, was sentenced to 22 years in prison followed by 18 years of probation under a plea deal with prosecutors.
The sentences were handed down by Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Geeker.
Three other defendants were previous sentenced in the case:
- Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. — sentenced to death for shooting and killing the Beulah couple.
- Wayne Coldiron — sentenced to life in prison for first degree murder
- Donnie Stallworth — sentenced to life in prison for first degree murder
Pamela Long-Wiggins is due to be sentenced on September 2 as an accessory after the fact.
Bratt ‘Prowler’ Located Hours After Manhunt
August 4, 2011
The focus of an early Thursday morning manhunt in Bratt has been located by Escambia County deputies, about three hours after they called off a formal search.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to Rigby Road off West Highway 4 just before 5 a.m. for a reported prowler. One resident told deputies that she saw a man in her yard. A second resident told deputies he had made contact with the man who told him that he was out of gas.
Deputies located what was believed to be the man’s truck nearby, but it did not appear to be out of gas.
A perimeter was established and an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit responded. The search was called off about 7 a.m. without locating the suspect.
About 10 a.m., several residents in the area called the Sheriff’s Office to report seeing the man. Deputies located him a short time later at a home on Highway 4. The man told deputies that he ran out of gas and went to several houses seeking help. He said he fled when he saw deputies in the early morning hours because he thought he was drunk and he might be arrested for DUI.
No charges have been filed in the incident.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Final Local Defendants Sentenced In Federal Drug Case
August 4, 2011
The last of a dozen North Escambia area defendants have been sentenced on federal drug charges stemming from an undercover operation.
The 12 were indicted and arrested in February for conspiring to obtain pseudoephedrine in order to manufacture methamphetamine. They were arrested in a day-long law enforcement sweep on February 22 as part of a federal effort dubbed “Operation Blister Pack”.
The most recent sentences handed down as a result of the operation were:
- Rebecca Jernigan, of Still Road, Century — eight months home detention without electronic monitoring, five years probation
- Particia Love, of Eastman Lane, Cantonment — 36 months in federal prison, three years probation
- William Robbins, of Duxbury Avenue, Molino — five years probation with first six months at the Keeton Correctional Center followed by six months home detention
The longest sentences stemming from the operation were handed down to Matthew Ramsey of Duxbury Avenue in Molino, James N. Brown of Molino Road in Molino and Terry D. Wolfe of Robertsdale, Alabama. Ramsey will spend the next 20 years in federal prison, while Brown was sentenced to nearly 16 years and Wolfe received 10 years.
All of the dozen defendants entered into plea agreements with federal prosecutors over the past few months.
Those sentenced earlier were:
- James N. Brown, of Molino Road, Molino– 188 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Tonya L. Foster, of Vaughn Street, Cantonment– 72 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Aarron V. Hendrickson, of Hwy. 95A, Cantonment — 36 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Raymond E. Love, of Highway 29, Molino — 54 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- William T. Neal, of Williams Ditch Road, Cantonment – 40 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Terra C. Palmer, of Daylily Road, Cantonment — 60 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Matthew M. Ramsey, of Duxbury Avenue, Molino — 240 months federal prison, 10 years supervised release.
- Nicholas D. Scott, of Rumford Road, Molino – 87 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Terry D. Wolfe, of Robertsdale, Ala. — 120 months federal prison, five years supervised release.
The case resulted from a long-term investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA).
Free Disaster Training Offered
August 4, 2011
North Escambia residents have an upcoming opportunity to become more prepared for disasters thanks to BRACE — the Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies.
BRACE will offer Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training beginning August 25 and ending with a disaster drill on October 22.
CERT training is available to Escambia County (Fla.) residents 18 or older and includes basic disaster response skills like fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.
“CERT members can assist others in their community or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available for help,” according to Gloria Horning, spokesperson for BRACE.
The CERT training will be offered from 6-9 p.m. Thursdays at the Century Town Hall on August 25, September 1, September 15, September 22, October 6, October 13 and October 20.
For more information, contact Denise Wiggins at (850) 256-3208.
Man Charged For Laundry Room Meth Lab
August 4, 2011
An Atmore man has been arrested on drug charges after police discovered a meth lab in his laundry room.
Richard Jacob Akers, 30, was charged with first degree manufacture of a controlled Substance, manufacture, sale or transfer of precursor chemicals, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a controlled substance.
Agents with the 21st Judicial Drug Task Force received a tip that methamphetamine was being manufactured at Akers’ residence at 215 5th Avenue in Atmore. When agents arrived at the address, the owner gave them consent to search the residence. Inside, they found the laundry room meth lab. Agents also seized methamphetamine with a street value of about $1,200, according to the Atmore Police Department.
Akers was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton with bond set at $250,000.
Gulf Power Working To Keep Those Air Conditioners Humming
August 4, 2011
This week’s high temps and heat indexes are causing air conditioners to work overtime along the Gulf Coast, and Gulf Power Company says they are prepared for record electric demands.
“We work hard to anticipate additional demand from our customers in the summer,” Jeff Rogers, Gulf Power spokesperson, said. “Through careful planning, we forecast demand years in advance to provide ample, reliable electricity for our customers. That includes planning for future power plants and other facilities. And, as part of Southern Company, we work with Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Mississippi Power to help ensure we have sufficient capacity.”
The utility can generate 2,659 megawatts of electricity on its own and purchase more electricity if necessary from sister companies and neighboring utilities. The all time peak record occurred in August of 2007 when Gulf Power customers demanded 2,634 megawatts. This year’s peak summer demand of 2,432 megawatts was reached on July 2, however a new summer peak is expected this week.
“What this means is our customers are buying more electricity to stay comfortable in the summer heat,” said Rogers. “About half of the electricity a customer consumes during the summer is for air conditioning.”
No Property Tax Increase For Century Residents
August 4, 2011
The Town of Century will not increase property taxes for the next year.
Ad valorem taxes will remain at .9048 mils. Even with the same tax rate as last year, city officials said that property tax revenues will actually decrease. That’s because property values are down.
Headed To The Creek? Santa Rosa Deputies Enforcing New Rules
August 4, 2011
Fun seekers headed to Coldwater Creek need to be aware of new rules and regulations, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a Sheriff’s Office news release:
Timber company Resource Management Services has closed the area on the northeast side of Coldwater Creek on Munson Highway to all traffic. Due to liability concerns, RMS has decided to post it as “No Trespassing” and has asked the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office to enforce this. The area has now been posted for several weeks and strict enforcement is set to begin.
The land on each side of Steel Bridge Road, excluding a portion of privately-owned land next to the water on the northeast side, was recently acquired by the Florida Division of Forestry. This area is also frequented by swimmers and is used as a launching point for canoes and inner tubes. Recently, the land was posted as an “Alcohol-free” zone by the state, which means no alcohol is allowed on the shoreline of the creek. Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office plans to begin strict enforcement, and violators may face a $50 fine.
Pictured above: Coldwater Creek. Photo courtesy the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.