5-Month Old Baby Murdered
July 28, 2011
The first homicide in Santa Rosa County this year is that of a 5-month old baby.
Lilliana Jean Sutherland was not breathing when her parents found her in a her crib about 8:00 last Friday morning at their residence north of Milton. When emergency workers arrived, they found the infant was deceased, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
“Preliminary findings by the medical examiner determined that there were injuries present on the baby consistent with the cause of death being a homicide,” said Sgt. Scott Haines, spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.
The baby’s mother and father were the only two caregivers present in the home from the time the baby was placed in the crib until the baby was found deceased, according to deputies. Another minor child in the home has since been placed in state custody pending the outcome of the investigation.
Haines said the investigation is continuing into the baby’s death. There have been no arrests so far in the case.
Farm Service Agency Nominations End Monday
July 28, 2011
The nomination period for local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees ends Monday.
“I urge all farmers and ranchers to participate in this year’s county committee elections by nominating candidates by the August 1 deadline,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “County committees are a vital link between the farm community and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provide a voice to landowners, farmers and ranchers so that they have an opportunity for their opinions and ideas to be heard. With better participation in recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of nominations of women and minority candidates. I hope that trend continues.”
To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.
Farmers and rancher may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women also may nominate candidates. To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form, FSA-669A. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections. Nomination forms for the 2011 election must be postmarked or received in the local USDA Service Center by close of business on August 1. Elections will take place this fall.
While FSA county committees do not approve or deny loans, they make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide, there are about 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.
FSA will mail ballots to eligible voters beginning November 4. The voted ballots are due back to the local county office either via mail or in person by December 5. Newly elected committee members and alternates take office on January 2, 2012.
Higher Sinkhole Insurance Rate Hikes Approved
July 28, 2011
Calling the proposed rate increases painful but necessary, Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s Board of Governors on Wednesday unanimously approved sinkhole premium increases for 2012 that will cause rates for coastal homeowners to skyrocket, some by thousands of dollars a year.
Meeting via conference call to adjust the sinkhole rates, board members and Citizens’ staff said they are bound by the passage of a new state law (SB 408) to set rates for sinkholes that are actuarially sound.
“We recognize that the need for sinkhole coverage is enormous,” said Citizens CFO Sharon Binnon. “This fact is not lost on us but this is about Citizens’ past experience…. These rates are the direct result in the explosion of claims.”
Non-sinkhole related Citizens coverage, which is capped by law at 10 percent a year, will increase by a statewide average of 8.8 percent in 2012.
The proposed sinkhole rates have come under fire on a number of fronts, including from Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, whose region will see some of the highest premium increases for sinkhole coverage. Fasano made numerous, unsuccessful attempts to amend the legislation to reduce the hit on policyholders in sinkhole prone regions of the state.
“There are people who live in sinkhole prone areas that could potentially be forced out of their homes due to these rate increases,” Fasano said in a statement prior to the vote. “Homeowners who have lenders that require sinkhole coverage will have to come up with huge amounts of money that will be hard to find, especially during these rough economic times.”
Under the new law, Pasco County coastal residents, according to Citizens estimates, will see average sinkhole premiums jump from $441 to $4,017, an increase of 810 percent for the optional coverage required by some – thought not most – mortgage lenders.
During the half-hour teleconference, Citizens staff said although many of the proposed premium increases indicate incredible percentage increases, the actual increased costs are far less dramatic. In Jackson County, Citizens rates for sinkhole coverage increased by 6,461 percent. The actual rate increases from 68 cents to $44 a year.
Regardless, the rate hike drew harsh criticism from former Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw, who now works for a law firm that represents sinkhole claimants.
“The Board of Governors vote today was unanimously brash, devastating, and irresponsible,” Shaw said following the vote. “The only thing standing in the way of the big bang of sinkhole costs is the Office of Insurance Regulation – they must protect consumers.”
Despite facing no big hurricanes since 2005, the industry continues to lose money from covering people in Florida, with sinkhole claims a big part of that, insurers contend. In addition to having to pay old, re-opened hurricane claims, the companies have been hit hard with a huge spike in sinkhole claims in recent years, particularly in the area north of Tampa Bay.
Last year, Citizens collected about $32 million in sinkhole premiums but paid out more than $245 million in claims, Binnon said, a trend that has also hit private property insurers who contend the spike can’t be related to a geological change, but is more likely due to savvy attorneys, public claims adjusters and inadequate protections in Florida law.
The bill gave the industry ways to reduce payouts in sinkhole claims, including a two-year limit on claims, more stringent definitions of what a sinkhole is, and more clout during the claims appeal process.
For Citizens, which now handles 1.4 million policies, most of which are in the most hurricane and sinkhole prone regions of the state, the law clearly stated that going forward, Citizens rates must mirror the sinkhole risk, which unlike hurricane coverage is not based on future probability but on solely on past experience, Binnon said.
Board member Carlos LaCasa raised concerns over the inability of buyers to obtain mortgages without optional sinkhole coverage. Citizens staff said most lenders do not require it but the number of lenders who do is increasing. In addition, federally backed lender Freddie Mac requires the coverage, though Fannie Mae does not.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Northview Seeks Advertisers For Football Program, Field Signs
July 28, 2011
The Northview High School Chiefs are wrapping up ad sales this week for their football program and signs on the football field, and they are looking for both business and personal Chiefs supporters.
- For information on ads in the Northview Football Program or football field ads, click here.
- For information on Northview Quarterback Club membership and personal ads, click here.
For more information, email vicki@baggettsolutions.com or call (850) 327-6776.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Escambia Set To Increase Fire Services Fee
July 28, 2011
Escambia County is set to increase the special assessment property owners pay for fire services and has scheduled a public hearing.
The Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU) has been at $75 for each residential dwelling since 2003. As part of the budget process, the Escambia County Commission will consider an increase in the fire fee by $5 in 2011 and an additional $5 in 2012 for homeowners. If passed, commercial properties and acreage will also be increased.
The fee is assessed in the entire county, with the exception of Pensacola and Santa Rosa Island. The assessment also applies in the Town of Century, once approved by the town council.
Notices were recently mailed to all Escambia County property owners outlining the proposed MSBU increase.
A public hearing on the MSBU changes will be held September 13 at 5:02 p.m. in the Escambia County Board Chambers, 221 Palafox Place, first floor.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Photos: Mission Molino
July 28, 2011
There’s a group of youth in Molino that are on a mission this week.
The youth from Highland Baptist Church have been joined by youth from Friendship Baptist Church from Cleburne, Texas, for “Mission Molino”.
Monday, about 60 youth along with adult volunteers worked to paint and do yard work for eight widows in Molino. Tuesday, they headed to Pensacola Beach to pass out water bottles and Salvation bracelets. During the remainder of the week, they will volunteer at the Florida Baptist Children’s Home and create activity packs for children at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured above: Youth involved in Mission Molino did yard work for eight widows on Monday. Pictured below: The students took part in a Mission Molino project on Pensacola Beach. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tropical Storm Don Forms In Gulf
July 27, 2011
![[Image of 5-day forecast and coastal areas under a warning or a watch]](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/storm_graphics/AT04/refresh/AL0411W5_NL+gif/205313W5_NL_sm.gif)
Tropical Storm Don formed in the Gulf of Mexico near the Yucatan Peninsula Wednesday afternoon. The current forecast takes it to the Texas coast by late Friday or early Saturday. Don is not expected to reach hurricane strength.
The latest information on Tropical Storm Don is in the graphic above, click to enlarge.
County Crew Knocks Down Pole; Hundreds Without Power
July 27, 2011
Hundreds of Escambia River Electric Cooperative customers in and near Century, Bratt and Byrneville were without power for several hours this morning.
An EREC spokesperson said the Escambia County Road Department knocked down a three-phase pole that serves EREC’s Bratt Substation.
The county worker mowing with a tractor and Bush Hog was unable to see a guy wire on the pole on West Highway 4 near Raines Road. The collision snapped the pole in half. The worker was not injured.
Power was restored just after noon.
Arson: Early Morning Fire Destroys Century Mobile Home
July 27, 2011
Fire destroyed a mobile home in Century early this morning, and firefighters believe it was the work of arsonist. It was the second attempt at burning the trailer in the last couple of months.
Escambia Fire Rescue was dispatched to the abandoned double-wide mobile home on Hilltop Road, just west of North Century Boulevard, about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. The trailer was already burned to the ground when firefighters arrived. There were no injuries reported.
Preliminary information indicated the fire was arson. Back on June 10, firefighters responded to another fire at the mobile home and found a small fire in a bedroom. That fire was quickly extinguished using just a fire extinguisher; damage to the home was minimal.
Authorities said the June fire was intentionally set near a broken bedroom window. They also discovered that items and copper wiring had been removed from the home, but it was not clear when the items were removed.
The power had been disconnected from the mobile home since the June fire, and there was no natural gas service.
Both blazes are under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the stolen items are being investigated by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Pictured top two photos: The apparent work of an arsonist destroyed a Century mobile home early Wednesday morning. Pictured bottom inset and below: A fire, ruled to be arson, damaged the mobile home on June 10. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Arrest Made In Weekend Homicide
July 27, 2011
Escambia County deputies have arrested a 25-year old man in connection with a weekend homicide on Mitchell Lane in the Bellview community.
Christopher Eugene Stallworth was arrested on suspicion of homicide in connection with the beating death of a 65-yearold man.
Stallworth was arrested Tuesday night after he was interviewed by investigators.
On Sunday at around 9:48 p.m. deputies were called to a home in the 5000 block of Mitchell Lane after a brother-in-law found the victim lying on the living room floor.
When officers arrived, they found the badly beaten body of Jerry Wayne Ledden.
“The autopsy revealed that Mr. Ledden suffered blunt force trauma,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Deputy Chris Welborn. “He was badly beaten during what appears to be a home invasion robbery.”
According to investigators, Stallworth is also a suspect in a burglary to Ledden’s residence two months ago where several guns were stolen. In the most recent burglary Stallworth stole Ledden’s Cadillac and is believed to have taken another gun and Ledden’s cell phone.
The Pensacola Police Department has arrested Donna Faye Anderson for fraud after she tried to use Ledden’s bank card at Wal-Mart on July 23. Deputies say Anderson, 37, traveled to Wal-Mart with Stallworth in Ledden’s vehicle.
“This case is still under investigation,” said Welborn. “Both Stallworth and Anderson are expected to face additional charges.”