Escambia Man Gets Life In Prison For Abusing 6-Year Old
February 5, 2011
Lonnie Lee Rippy, 42, has been convicted by an Escambia County jury of two counts of sexual battery upon a child under 12 and two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation upon a child.
Ribby was convicted of molesting the six-year old victim multiple times over a four month period. The defendant was remanded into custody after the trial.
Judge Ron Swanson sentenced Rippy to life in state prison on all four counts. He was also designated as a sexual predator.
Florida Weekly Government Roundup
February 5, 2011
It was no tempest in a teapot this week when a Pensacola judge stirred the national debate about the federal health care law by ruling that it was not only unconstitutional to require people to buy insurance, but that the entire health care law violates the nation’s founding document.
U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson became the second federal judge to rule against the major portion of President Barack Obama’s health care plan, a mandate that everyone be insured. But he also took it a step further and said that problem made the whole thing invalid.
Charges of “judicial activism” that typically come from conservatives rang out from liberals across the U.S., but Vinson said that the mandate was essential to the health care law, and thus, the whole thing had to go.
“It should be emphasized that while the individual mandate was clearly “necessary and essential” to the Act as drafted, it is not “necessary and essential” to health care reform in general,” Vinson wrote. “It is undisputed that there are various other (Constitutional) ways to accomplish what Congress wanted to do.”
Reaction to the lawsuit in Florida, where it originated, was swift – and highly partisan.
Despite basing his whole campaign on the theme of getting to work, Gov. Rick Scott said this week he the state will be in no hurry to implement any aspect of the law with Vinson’s ruling.
“We are not going to spend a lot of time and money with regard to trying to get ready to implement that until we know exactly what is going to happen,” Scott said. “I hope and I believe that either it will be declared unconstitutional or it will be repealed.”
Meanwhile, Florida Democrats said Scott – and Vinson – were out of touch.
“For the governor, walking way from health insurance reform is just another ideological battle,” said Rep. Mia Jones, the ranking Democrat on the House Health & Human Services Committee. “But for many Floridians, health insurance coverage is a real life struggle.”
“For all of my colleagues on the conservative side who criticized activist judges for their lack of deference to the legislative and executive branches of government, I hope they’ll be equally as critical of this decision,” Center for American Progress Chief Operating Officer Needra Tanden, who worked on crafting the legislation, added.
Predictably, U.S. Department of Justice officials were more focused on appealing Vinson’s decision then how it was viewed politically, saying immediately this week they would appeal to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, which has jurisdiction over cases originating in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
But regardless of what happens there, the opening salvos in the legal battle over health care that were fired in Florida will ultimately likely be decided at the nation’s highest court.
SCOTT GETS TO WORK ON THE BUDGET
When he wasn’t cheering the health care ruling this week, Scott began revealing drips and drabs of his budget proposal, which is due next week. By week’s end, it was expected that Scott will be proposing a budget on a two-year cycle, though state law currently requires a budget to be drafted annually.
Scott revealed that he would reveal his budget with the people that powered his rise – tea party activists. They’re even bringing their boat, a model of the Boston Tea Party ship Dartmouth.
Scott said he would propose making the 655,000 government workers enrolled in the Florida Retirement System contribute 5 percent of their paychecks to the plan, which he said would pull an additional $1.3 billion into the state’s cash-strapped budget.
Democrats, especially those representing state worker filled districts in Tallahassee, said Scott’s plan amounted to a 5 percent “tax” on state workers – tax, of course, being a dirty word to Scott and his most ardent supporters.
But Republicans said he needs to make big proposals to cut the deficit and follow through on a tax cut promise. “He ran on cutting spending and increasing jobs,” said Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville. “Pay and benefits are a big area of state spending.”
SB 6, PART DEUX
With the man who vetoed last year’s teacher merit pay bill safely back in St. Petersburg, lawmakers got right back to trying to base teacher salaries partially on student performance this week.
Sen. Steve Wise, R-Jacksonville, the chairman of the Senate’s PreK-12 Education Committee, filed a proposal linking teacher pay to student test scores, while also offering more money to those who teach in high risk or high need areas and allowing school boards to put new hires on one-year contracts.
The measure is the Legislature’s first attempt in 2011 to make good on its promise to make teachers more accountable for the quality of schools. It is also may partially to revive a fight that mobilized state teachers and got former Gov. Charlie Crist to wield his veto pen like a red-pen waving grade school teacher. Still, the initial reaction was less angry this year, with the education establishment saying they’ve been asked to be more involved this time around, and they appreciate it.
Wise’s bill (SB 736) would grandfather in current teacher pay plans, but set up new, merit-based ones for teachers hired after July 1, 2014. The bill would require districts to set up evaluation systems that rate teachers as “highly effective,” “effective,” “needs improvement” or “unsatisfactory.” Half of those evaluations would be based on test scores.
Under the bill, teachers would only see raises if they are deemed highly effective or effective.
Seeking to make a better grade on the merit bill from Scott, Wise also announced this week he was inviting former D.C. public schools chancellor Michelle Rhee to testify before his committee next week. Rhee, who gained fame, admirers and plenty of enemies in her attempt to overhaul the D.C. public schools under former Mayor Adrian Fenty, has been informally tutoring Scott on education policy.
GOODBYE TO HUNDREDS OF CRIST APPOINTEEES, BUT HELLO AGAIN TO A FEW
Gov. Scott this week gave 168 Senate-confirmable Crist appointees a signal that there is a new boss in town by withdrawing their nominations to various boards and commission. Among that number was four sitting members of the Florida Public Service Commission.
But by week’s end, he had given some a reprieve, including the four PSC Commissioners he had yanked back.
Commissioners Ronald Brisé, Eduardo Balbis, Julie Brown and Chairman Art Graham, who were all appointed to the utility regulation panel last year, were among the Crist appointees withdrawn by Scott in a letter to Senate President Mike Haridopolos. But he reappointed them all Friday.
He also made several other re-appointments, including placing Katie Patronis, wife of state Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, back on the Gulf Coast Community College District Board of Trustees. Also nominated again were Jacksonville resident Leonard Curry to the Florida State Boxing Commission and Bradenton resident George Thomas to the Board of Medicine.
Scott also re-appointed Fort Lauderdale resident Torey Alston to the Board of Trustees of Florida A&M University, the state’s largest black college.
Elsewhere this week, Scott made Florida Lottery Research and Promotions Director Cynthia O’Connell secretary of the agency, and tapped former state representative and Tallahassee bureaucrat Carl Littlefield to serve as his Director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities.
STORY OF THE WEEK: U.S. District Roger Vinson followed his own tea leaves and declared the federal health care challenged in his court by Florida and 25 other states unconstitutional, with a nod to the politically-influential tea party movement to boot.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “It is difficult to imagine that a nation which began, at least in part, as the result of opposition to a British mandate giving the East India Company a monopoly and imposing a nominal tax on all tea sold in America would have set out to create a government with the power to force people to buy tea in the first place,”
Plants Some Seeds: Grow A Greater Variety Of Vegetables
February 5, 2011
Most gardeners know there is a greater selection of vegetables available in seed catalogs than can be found locally. To grow those wonderful plants, however, you must be able to grow your own transplants from seed.
Containers for sowing seeds
It’s important to choose the right containers for sowing seeds. In general, containers should be clean, sturdy and have drainage holes. If you are reusing containers, be sure to sterilize them by soaking them in a bleach solution followed by a thorough rinsing.
Seeds can be started in flats, pots, old cans, cut-off milk cartons, margarine tubs, egg cartons, or other throwaways.
Peat pots are frequently used, especially for large seeds. Peat pots can be planted directly in the garden, but do not allow the edges of the pot to stick out above the soil. The edges will act as a wick and moisture will evaporate from this exposed surface.
Growing media
The medium used for starting seeds should be well-drained and of fine texture. It is best to use a “soilless” mix since garden soil contains disease organisms that can be highly destructive to small plants.
There are some excellent commercially prepared mixes available for growing seeds. Some gardeners will mix their own soilless media. A 50 percent vermiculite or perlite and 50 percent fine sphagnum peat is excellent for starting seeds.
Planting seeds
Fill the container almost to the top with slightly-moistened medium, level it and gently tap the container on a hard surface to settle the soil. Do not compress the soil at any time.
Scatter or broadcast the seeds evenly over the surface. If planting in individual pots, plant two or three seeds per pot (all but one seedling will be pinched off if they all germinate). With larger containers, sow a number of seeds fairly thickly and transplant the seedlings into individual pots later.
Lightly cover the seeds to the depth recommended on the seed package. Label each pot promptly with the plant type, cultivar name and planting date.
Water the seeds in with a fine spray. Then water as needed to keep the medium evenly moist but not soggy. Never let it dry out!
Place the container in a warm location. Generally a temperature range from 65 to 75 degrees is best. Gentle bottom heat can speed germination and can be provided by special heating cables available at nurseries or by mail order.
If your home is dry, it may help to cover the containers with plastic wrap to maintain a uniform moisture level since seeds and seedlings are extremely sensitive to drying out.
Growing the seedlings
Light is especially critical once the seeds germinate. If the seedlings begin to stretch and look leggy, they are not getting enough light.
It is common to start seeds indoors this time of year when it’s chilly outside. Place the containers of seedlings in the sunniest window you have.
If you don’t have a sunny window, you can grow seedlings using a fluorescent utility light fixture suspended on chains from hooks. Position the fixture 3 inches above the seedlings and leave it on 14 hours to 16 hours a day. Raise the fixture as the seedlings grow.
Water regularly and fertilize seedlings once a week. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, they should be carefully separated and transplanted into individual pots – or if already growing in individual pots, thinned to one plant per pot.
Planting into the garden
When weather conditions are suitable, plant your seedlings in the garden
But remember, plants grown indoors or in greenhouses need to be acclimated to the environment outside before planting. First, place them in a protected shady location and allow them to wilt slightly before watering. Then, over the next 10 days, gradually expose them to more light.
Pictured top inset: Preparing the growing medium. Pictured bottom inset: Master Gardeners arranging trays in the greenhouse. Theresa Friday photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Tate School Road Crash
February 5, 2011
One person was injured in a two vehicle accident Friday afternoon in Cantonment.
The accident happened about 3 p.m. at Highway 29 and Tate School Road. Both vehicles came to rest off the roadway. One person was transported to a Pensacola hospital by Escambia County EMS following the crash. Further details have not been released.
The Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded to the accident.
Pictured above and below: One person was injured in this two vehicle crash at Highway 29 and Tate School Road Friday afternoon. NorthEcambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Century Woman Busted After Running Stop Sign In Stolen Car
February 4, 2011
Running a stop sign landed a 57-year old Century woman in jail when deputies discovered was driving a stolen car.
About 12:30 Thursday morning, a deputy watched as a white Mazda Protege failed to stop at a stop sign located at Sellers Road and West Highway 4. He conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and found that it had previously been reported stolen and that the driver, Iretha Mae Smith, had an outstanding grand theft auto warrant.
When the deputy asked Smith to step out of the vehicle, she reportedly got out with a white pill in her hand. The pill, according to the Sheriff’s Office, turned out to be a Lortab for which Smith did not have a prescription.
Smith was charged with grand theft auto, felony possession of a controlled substance and issued a citation for failure to stop at a stop sign. She was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $3,000.
Pictured: Iretha Mae Smith.
Sign Case Against Former Candidate Greg Brown Dismissed
February 4, 2011
Charges were dismissed Thursday against a former state representative candidate and his wife for allegedly stealing an opponent’s campaign signs.
The charges were dropped by Circuit Court Judge Gary Bergosh against Greg Brown, Jr. and his wife, Jennifer. They were originally offered a pretrial diversion program in which they would be required to complete 50 hours of public service and write a letter of apology to now Rep. Doug Broxson.
Bergosh found that the Broxson signs removed by the Browns were either unlawfully on the land of private property owner or unlawfully on the public right-of-way, giving the Browns the “lawful right to remove the campaign signs of Douglas Broxson”.
Brown issued the following written statement Thursday afternoon: “Today our faith in government was restored. Over the course of the campaign, we learn first-hand the cruel nature of some politicians who will do anything to not only win, but continue to maliciously attack ones character and cause irreversible damage. My wife and I never wavered from the fact that we did nothing wrong. It is clear from the order that either the signs were unlawfully placed on private property, or were illegally placed in the public right of way and considered litter by Santa Rosa County. We appreciate all those that supported us during the campaign and well beyond. We are anxious to move forward with our lives and to be productive members of our community who facing much bigger challenges.”
In July, the Browns were shown on video (watch video below) as they removed campaign signs belonging to opponent Broxson from an intersection near Milton. Greg Brown maintained that the signs were on private property where he had permission to remove them.
Broxson’s campaign used a night vision camera to video the Browns during the incident.
Pictured top: This still frame from a night vision video camera shows Florida House candidate Greg Brown and his wife Jennifer removing an opponent’s campaign signs from Highway 87 near Milton.
Tax Preparer Indicted On Tax, Mortgage Fraud Charges; $68 Million Scheme
February 4, 2011
A former Alabama tax preparer has been indicted by a federal grand jury on 80 counts charging her with conspiracy, preparing and filing false tax returns, mortgage fraud, and wire fraud.
Alice Mobley of Monroeville, Ala., was charged in connection with the filing of false tax returns through her business, Preyear Tax and Check Cashing, LLC, located in Monroeville with offices in Atmore and Thomasville, as well as two other businesses with which Mobley was involved, Kimble and Preyear Tax Service in Greenville, Mississippi and Henry’s Tax Service in Longview, Texas.
Federal agents raided Mobley’s Preyear’s Tax & Check Cashing, LLC on Ridgely Street in Atmore and other locations in March, 2010. Federal court documents show that FBI and IRS agents seized over $300,000, boxes of tax documents, computers, vehicles and even a stuffed teddy bear when they raided the businesses and Mobley’s Monroeville home.
Mobley’s scheme filed tax returns claiming some $68 million in tax refunds, largely for Earned Income Credit and other tax credits, according to the Department of Justice. Mobley would falsely claim various dependent credits, either charged her clients an extra fee for the using the false dependents or pocketing the extra funds herself.
Mobley also “split” dependents, using the identity of some children on one return to obtain Earned Income Credit, and on other returns to obtain Child Credit and Dependent Care Credit. Mobley’s firm also prepared returns which claimed business tax deductions for business which did not exist and farm tax deductions for clients who did not have farms, the DOJ said.
Mobley was also charged with mortgage fraud and wire fraud in connection with fraud in regard to applications she made for mortgages to CitiBank and Wells Fargo.
She faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and fines of $250,000.
Pictured above: A federal agent enters Preyear’s Tax & Check Cashing, LLC in Atmore March 4, 2010. Pictured inset: Agents search a vehicle at the business. Pictured below: A federal agent and Atmore Police officer talk to an employee of the business during the raid. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Jay’s Robin Blackman Signs With Troy State
February 4, 2011
Jay High School’s Robin Blackman signed a track/cross country scholarship with Troy University on Wednesday’s National Signing Day. She also received Troy’s Millennium Scholar’s Award, TSU’s top academic scholarship. The award covers tuition, room and board and is valued at approximately $69,000.
Blackman will become a Trojan in the fall of this year.
Pictured: (front, L-R) Coach and father Stan Blackman , Robin Blackman, Coach Sonya Odom, (back row) Assistant Principal Brad Marcilliat, mother Belinda Blackman, Principal Dale Westmoreland and Athletic Director Lance Youngblood. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man, 75, Picks Up Prostitute, Loses BMW, Cash, Phone
February 4, 2011
A 75-year old Escambia County man told deputies that his car, cash and cell phone were stolen after he fell asleep with a prostitute he had picked up.
Clifton Eugene Mathis told Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies Thursday that he picked up a prostitute he identified as “Tri” at L Street and Lakeview Avenue about 11 p.m. Tuesday.
According to Mathis, he spent some time with the woman and then fell asleep. When he woke, he discovered that $300 in cash, his cell phone and his 1996 BMW had been stolen, according to Deputy Chris Welborn, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.
The man’s vehicle and cell phone were recovered from a home in the 700 block of Citrus Avenue.
Latoria Shanise Frazier, 31, of Pensacola, who was positively identified by Mathis, was arrested for vehicle theft, grand theft and petit theft. Frazier (pictured) was held at the Escambia County Jail on a $10,500 bond.
Another person located at the residence on Citrus street was arrested on un-related charges. He was identified as Cecil Lindsey III, 25, of Pensacola. He was arrested for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
State To Seek Death Penalty In Two Murder Cases
February 4, 2011
State Attorney Bill Eddins announced Thursday that he plans to seek the death penalty in two different murder cases.
Eddins said the State intends to seek the death penalty against Joshua Wayne Douglas regarding the death of Jamie M. Broxson, and the State intends to seek the death penalty against Robert Lee Hobart for the deaths of Tracie Tolbert and Robert Hamm.
An Escambia County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Joshua Wayne Douglas on December 22, 2010, for the death of Broxson. Broxson’s body was found in the woods on Jernigan Road near Nine Mile Road by Gulf Power employees on November 29, 2010.
She was found with duct tape over her forehead and arm. The autopsy found evidence of sexual assault and the death was the result of asphyxia. Douglas was linked to the crime by DNA work performed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
A Santa Rosa County Grand Jury indicted Robert Lee Hobart on two counts of first degree murder with a firearm for the deaths of Tracie Tolbert and Robert Hamm on December 6, 2010.
On September 22,2010, Tracie Tolbert and Robert Hamm were found shot to death in the brush on the opposite sides of Jesse Allen Road near A.D. McCall Road in Allentown.
Pictured top: Joshua Wayne Douglas. Pictured bottom: Robert Lee Hobart.