Century Correctional Institution Inmates Graduate
July 20, 2011
Eleven inmates graduated Tuesday from a new substance abuse program at Century Correctional Institution.
The inmates completed intense substance abuse treatment and training at the facility’s Residential Therapeutic Community. The inmates began the program on September 17, 2010, and they were the first to complete the program at Century Correctional Institution.
Eleven inmates took part in the graduation ceremony Tuesday; five others completed the program but had already been released from prison.
The program’s mission is to give the inmates a better chance for success when they are released. During the program, the inmates do everything as a group, including meals, classroom studies, recreation and housing.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Deputies: 8 Mile Drunken Chase Driver Was 2.5 Times Over Legal Limit
July 20, 2011
A 61-year Cantonment woman that led deputies on a drunken chase late last Friday night had a breath alcohol level two and a half times the legal limit, according to a report released Tuesday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office first received emergency calls about Elizabeth Ann Dawson of Lakeview Avenue headed north in the southbound lane of Highway 29 near Quintette Road about 11 p.m.. Multiple calls were received as she continued north through Molino.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office sergeant gave chase as he observed Dawson continuing to drive in the wrong lane near Highway 29 and Highway 97. The deputy drove parallel to Dawson in the northbound lane as additional deputies caught up to the pursuit. Deputies from the Century area responded south on Highway 29 during the chase, attempting to stop southbound traffic to avoid a collision.
Dawson continued northbound in the southbound lane until the eight mile pursuit ended when she stopped just south of Bogia Road — over 13 miles away from Quintette Road where 911 callers first reported her in the wrong lane.
Once stopped and out of her vehicle, Dawson was unable to stand without bracing herself, and keep telling deputies with slurred speech that she was sorry, according to the arrest report.
Dawson failed a field sobriety test and had a breath alcohol level of .199 and .192, the report states. The level limit in Florida is .08.
Dawson was charged with driving under the influence and fleeing and eluding police. She also received a traffic ticket for driving on the wrong side of the road. She was released from jail on $3,000 bond. She is due to appear in court for an arraignment hearing on August 5.
Can You Hear Me Now? Century Purchases Cellular Repeater
July 20, 2011
It’s hard to run a town when you can’t talk on your cell phone, and yelling at people is not a good idea.
That’s the word from Century Mayor Freddie McCall, who asked the town to spend $940 for a cellular repeater to avoid dropped calls in the town hall.
“It is ridiculous,” McCall said of the Nextel cellular service inside the Century Town Hall. “I have to keep hollering at them; I have to go outside to talk on the phone.”
The cellular repeater designed to work with Nextel will be installed by Radio Shack in Century and will repeat voice and data signals in the town hall. While many low cost repeaters will work with other cellular companies, the town discovered that repeaters designed to work with Nextel are much more expensive.
“I just want to be able to conduct business on the phone,” McCall said.
Lawsuit Filed Over Prison Privatization In Florida
July 20, 2011
A group of corrections officers and their union have sued to block the state’s effort to privatize 18 Florida prisons, saying the law allowing the privatization was illegally added to the state budget during the waning days of the 2011 session.
A lawsuit filed last week in circuit court in Tallahassee, says lawmakers overstepped their bounds by including budget proviso language that requires the Department of Corrections to explore the private prison option, a controversial issue that has been simmering in Tallahassee for years.
Under the prison privatization measure, the Department of Corrections could bid out the contract for the private takeover of prisons across the southern third of the state as a group, or as a set of smaller contracts. The Legislative Budget commission would give final approval to the plan.
Plaintiffs who sued the Department of Corrections, including the Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents many corrections officers, say lawmakers essentially crafted legislation that required Gov. Rick Scott to approve the plan. That’s because it tied the transfer to other Department of Corrections appropriations that had to be approved by the governor.
“This effectively made the proviso language veto proof,” the complaint contends.
Further, the group alleges that lawmakers sidestepped the type of research needed to justify the privatization effort, and didn’t provide proof that that the outsourcing would save money while maintaining quality of service and public safety.
The proviso language at issue requires savings of 7 percent in order for a private prison operator to get a contract.
But in essence, the prison guards contend lawmakers used the budget to pass legislation that should have had to stand on its own.
“The subject proviso language attempts to enact or alter substantive law and legal standards that control or should control the privatization of any state correctional facility,” the complaint reads.
The PBA has more than 36,000 law-enforcement and corrections-officer members.
The budget provision allows state officials to transfer up to 1,200 beds to existing private prisons with available capacity.
By Michael Peltier
The News Service of Florida
Jay Cheerleaders Bring Home Awards From Summer Camp
July 20, 2011
The Jay High School cheerleaders recently returned from camp with several awards. Both the varsity and junior varsity teams took part in the UCA cheer camp at the University of Georgia in Athens.
The junior varsity squad competed in home pom, cheer and extreme dance, bringing home two first place awards. Jay’s Brittani Ashworth was also named All-American from her squad.
The varsity squad competed in the Elite Varsity division in three events, finishing first in cheer and receiving the most improved squad award.
Jay’s Tessa Hendricks and Tori Reid were named All-American, and Reid was also invited to tryout for a position with the UCA staff.
Both squads were evaluated daily and received superior scores. The girls were also treated to a Six Flags trip before returning home to begin practice in a few weeks to prepare for the upcoming Royal football season.
Pictured: Jay High School All-American cheerleaders Tessa Hendricks, Brittani Ashworth and Tori Reid. Pictured below: The Jay High School cheerleaders attended camp recently at the University of Georgia in Athens, bringing home several awards. Submitted photos by Junia Fischer for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Navy Cutting NJROTC Program At Escambia County High
July 20, 2011
The Navy has announced that it will disestablish 29 Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) units next summer, including the unit at Escambia County High School in Atmore.
Military.com reports the units, including the one at Escambia County High, are already on probationary status for not meeting statutory and regulatory minimum student enrollment standards.
“Our goal is to maintain a high-quality program that ensures the full range of NJROTC activities are available for participating students across the nation and overseas,” Rear Adm. David F. Steindl, commander, Naval Service Training Command (NSTC). “We are extremely proud of what the NJROTC program offers participating students, so it was important for us to work with each non-compliant high school and continue to support the NJROTC program as long as possible. However, due to projected future funding levels, it is no longer possible to maintain NJROTC units that fail to meet minimum enrollment requirements and are not in compliance with program directives.”
State Gives Warrington Middle One More Year – Or Else
July 20, 2011
The State Board of Education voted Tuesday to give Escambia County’s Warrington Middle School and seven others in Miami-Dade County more time to turn themselves around.
The schools were on “intervene” status for poor performance on state tests and federal accountability standards. Only one state board member – John Padget – voted against granting these schools more time, saying he wants to send a message that the schools should take their poor performance seriously.
The board is giving these schools one year to show increased improvement in learning gains in math, science, reading and writing. The board has yet to take up a similar request for more time from Duval County, which has four schools on “intervene” status. If the board had not approved these requests for more time, the schools would have to privatize, close or become charter schools.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Photos: Rising Rivers
July 20, 2011
After reaching near all-time lows, area river levels are up following a wet weekend that dumped several inches of rain in and upstream from North Escambia.
The Escambia River at Century had dropped to 2.90 feet about two weeks ago. By Sunday the river reached 7.96 feet and had fallen to 6.5 feet by Tuesday night.
The Perdido River at Barrineau Park fell to a low of 1.23 on July 11. By Sunday night, the river was up to 7.46 feet. Tuesday night, the Perdido River was at 5.73 feet.
Pictured top: The Escambia River at Molino two weeks ago with the dock and boat ramp completely dry. Pictured below: the Escambia River at Molino on late Tuesday afternoon. Note that the end piers on the dock are nearly submerged. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Women, 87, Crashes Into Dentist Office
July 19, 2011
An 87-year old Cantonment woman crashed her vehicle into a dentist office in Pensacola on Monday.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Charlotte Lucas was traveling through the parking lot of a Doctor Monte Treadway’s office on Village Oaks Drive in Pensacola when she failed to stop in handicap parking place in front of the business. Her 2002 Toyota Avalon continued into the front of the building, causing about $1,500 in damage to the building and $5,000 in damage to the car.
She was not injured.
Lucas was charged with careless driving.
Annie Savage Appointed To Century Council; Late Nadine McCaw Honored
July 19, 2011
The Century Town Council paused Monday night to remember late Councilwoman Nadine McCaw and to appoint a successor to fill her seat.
The council unanimously voted to appoint Annie Carter Savage to fill the vacant Seat 2 until the end of McCaw’s term which ends in early January of 2012. Last year, Savage ran an unsuccessful campaign for Seat 5, defeated by current council member Sandra McMurray Jackson.
According to town council President Ann Brooks, Savage was the only person that expressed an interest in filling the seat. Savage will be sworn in at the council’s next regular meeting on August 1.
The Seat 2 position will appear on Century’s October ballot. As of Monday, no one had prefiled to run for the seat.
The Century Town Council also adopted a resolution honoring McCaw, who passed away July 7, and accepted a letter of condolences from the Town of Jay.
Pictured top: Anne Carter Savage sits in the audience at Monday night’s Century Town Council meeting. She will be sworn in as a council member on August 1. Pictured below: A resolution adopted by the Century Town Council honoring the late Nadine McCaw. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
