Hawkins First Candidate To Qualify For Century Elections
July 27, 2010
Monday, Henry Hawkins became the first candidate to qualify for the upcoming Century elections.
Hawkins filed his qualification papers late Monday afternoon for the Century Town Council Seat 3 position he has held since 2006.
Council seats three, four and five are on the ballot in Century this year — the positions are currently held by Hawkins, Gary Riley and Sharon Scott. This is the official qualifying week for Century’s elections with qualifying papers due by noon Friday.
The primary election for Century’s council is scheduled for October 5. The charter states that the primary election should be 30 days prior to the November election, but that date falls on Sunday, October 10. As a result, the date was moved to October 5. Per Florida statute, registration books will close on September 7 because September 6th is Labor Day.
The general election/runoff is scheduled for November 9, the second Tuesday in November. Registration books will close on October 11.
There will be one change for candidates this year for Century’s council. The Council has approved an ordinance that will require candidates to file their campaign finance disclosure statements electronically on the Internet as is done in other races in the county — as opposed to filling out a paper form.
Pictured: Incumbent Henry Hawkins at a recent Century Town Council meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Video Allegedly Shows Candidate Stealing Opponent’s Signs
July 27, 2010
Accusations are flying between two local candidates over a video that shows one stealing his opponent’s campaign signs, and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
Saturday night, Republic State Congressional District 1 candidate Greg Brown, Jr.and his wife Jennifer were videotaped as they removed campaign signs belonging to opponent Doug Broxson. The signs were removed from property near Milton belonging to Okaloosa County attorney Don Dewrell. (The complete video is at the bottom of this story.)
Brown does not deny removing his opponent’s signs, but he says he had permission from the property owner.
“The video in question was deliberately taken and distributed to appear as if I had participated in some type of juvenile campaign trick.” Brown said. “After witnessing me removing the signs, as I had permission to do, rather than call the property owner or myself, Doug Broxson’s campaign anonymously dropped off the video with press, email lists, and the Sheriff’s department to discredit me.”
The video was taken using a night-vision camera from behind a bush or tree about 8:45 Saturday night by Broxson’s son Jason Broxson. Brown and his wife are seen moving around several campaign signs, eventually removing several. Each time a car passes, the couple pauses.
The video has sound, with Brown and his wife caught speaking. The volume of the conversation is very low; however, text superimposed on the video suggest what is being said.
“Is that good?” the video alleges that Jennifer Brown said after removing signs.
“Wait…your fingerprints are still on the ones laying down,” the video claims Brown responded.
A statement released by Brown’s campaign Monday afternoon claims the signs were not stolen, and provides the following statement from Dewrell, the property owner: “Greg Brown called me several months ago for permission to place his sign on my property at State Road 87 and State Road 89 and I gave him exclusive permission to place his campaign signs there…Within that exclusive permission he had the authority to remove any of his opponents’ signs that appeared on my property. None of his opponents asked for permission.”
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is reviewing the claims and the video to determine if any laws were broken.
“The worse part of it all is Doug Broxson is wasting the law enforcement’s time and using the media for political cheap shots instead of campaigning on real issues. Just this past weekend I hand delivered a letter to Mr. Broxson demanding that he stop a “push” poll by his campaign or his supporters that falsely claimed I had been arrested for drunk driving,” Brown said. “Doug Broxson will use whatever trick he can to win an election.”
Florida House District 1 includes the northern two-thirds of Escambia County, most of Santa Rosa County and a portion of Okaloosa County. The seat is being vacated by Greg Evers who is running for Florida Senate District 2.
In addition to Broxson and Brown, Republicans Ricky Perritt and Ferd Salomon and independent Mathias Venditto are seeking the House seat. Perritt was arrested Monday night; click here for that story.
Escambia Sheriff’s Office Investigates 13th Murder Of The Year
July 27, 2010
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the 13th murder of the year in the county.
A man was found dead at the Mayfair Motel on Mobile Highway about 11 a.m. The man’s identity has not been released.
The Sheriff’s Office has released few details, other than to say the death has been ruled a homicide.
Florida’s Citizens Insurance Rate Increase Approved
July 27, 2010
Hoping to gain ground on what critics say are actuarially unsound rates, the board of governors of the state-created property insurance pool on Monday approved rate increase requests of up to 10.2 percent for homeowners while proposing to drop rates for thousands of others in less vulnerable parts of the state.
Meeting via phone, the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. board voted unanimously to seek new rates for most of their nearly 1.2 million policyholders who get their insurance from what is now the largest property insurer in the state.
Among other large groups, the board approved rate increase requests of 7.4 percent for mobile homeowners and 2.2 percent for condominium owners. Renters would get a break, with average rates dropping 2.2 percent.
All rates must still be approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation and would begin going into effect for policies renewed early next year.
“Right now this is only a request,” said Citizens spokeswoman Christine Ashburn.
Homeowners would see a maximum increase of 10.2 percent, thanks in large part to a 10-percent cap placed on rate hikes by lawmakers in 2008. If unregulated, Citizens estimates that rates would have to rise nearly 56 percent to make the rates commensurate with the risk.
Commercial property owners will see rates going up an average of 11.6 percent, which includes a 1.6 percent increase to help build up the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Lawmakers are trying to shore up the fund, which is used to offset losses after private companies pay out in the event of a storm.
Some policyholders in Lee County will see rates drop by 10 percent, while others in the county will see rates climb by 10.7 percent, the highest rate allowable.
Citizens now insures most coastal residents by providing wind and multi-peril insurance to homeowners, businesses and other commercial property owners. Lawmakers have spent the past several sessions trying to bolster the private insurance market by making Citizens rates more in line with what private companies would charge to cover coastal risk.
Bratt Man Celebrates 100th Birthday
July 27, 2010
John B. Gilman of Bratt celebrated his 100th birthday Saturday, surrounded by family and friends at the First Baptist Church of Bratt.
Gilman said his secret of a long life was “always getting along well with others”. He still lives at home, and family members said he is doing quite well, has a remarkable memory and enjoys spending time with his family.
Gilman has nine children, 19 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
Lightning Strike Sends Steeple Crashing Into Church Roof
July 26, 2010
Lightning struck a North Escambia church Sunday afternoon, sending a portion of the steeple crashing through the church roof.
The lightning hit the First Baptist Church of Cantonment about 2 p.m., splintering the top of the church steeple. The pointed end of the steeple pierced the roof as it fell. The lightning strike also damaged the church’s sound system, fire alarm, computers and phones.
“We thank the Lord this didn’t cause a fire,” said church members Jerry and Lynda Barnes in an email. “Just a couple hours before the lightning strike, the church was packed with people — as we were having our VBS musical — so we are thankful it didn’t happen during that.”
Pictured: Lightning splintered the steeple at the First Baptist Church of Cantonment Sunday afternoon. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Pair Pleads Guilty To Robbing Three Banks On Alabama-Florida Line
July 26, 2010
A couple described as a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde have pleaded guilty to three bank robberies.
Rhianna Marie Jones, 30, of California, and Jerry Hover Tinsley, 30, of North Carolina, have admitted in federal court that they robbed banks in Flomaton, East Brewton and Florala during a March crime spree.
They admitted to taking $4,963 from two tellers at United Bank in Flomaton on March 8, another $2,840 in cash from one teller at BankTrust in East Brewton and $1,700 from a Wachovia Bank in Florala, Ala.
If Jones offers “substantial assistance” to law enforcement, federal prosecutors have offered her a reduced sentence. Prosecutors only agreed to seek the minimum sentence under federal guidelines. Sentencing is scheduled for late October.
During the Flomaton robbery, Tinsley and Jones both presented tellers with demand notes which stated “this is a robbery, place all $100s, $50s, $20s on the counter no alarm no die packs no tracers”, according to federal court documents. A demand note with the same wording was presented during the East Brewton robbery. They did not display a weapon during any of the robberies.
Authorities said Tinsley and Jones picked banks along the state line because they believed Alabama authorities could not pursue them into Florida. Authorities believe in each robbery, the pair fled to Florida immediately after the holdups — including March 8 when they fled into North Escambia following the Flomaton robbery.
The pair was arrested by federal agents and local law enforcement after a short chase from a Motel 6 in Destin, Florida, March 18. The arrest was reportedly the result of a tip phoned into the Florala (Ala.) Police Department concerning a MySpace photo.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrants Unit was assisting the FBI from Mobile in the hunt for Tinsley and Jones. They determined that they were staying in the Motel 6 located at 405 Harbor Boulevard in Destin. In addition to being suspects in the bank robberies, authorities knew Jones was wanted on felony charges out of Pinellas County, Florida, and Tinsley was suspected of being in violation of his probation.
At 11:14 p.m. March 18, the pair was seen leaving the Motel 6 in a gold color 2004 Chevrolet Impala with a Florida tag. Deputies attempted a traffic stop in the parking lot, but Tinsley and Jones fled westbound on Harbor Boulevard, a four lane divided highway, at a high rate of speed, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.
“Tinsley, who was identified as the driver, was passing around and between cars to get away,” according to Okaloosa Deputy Todd Watkins. Speeds in the chase, according to Watkins, reach in excess of 90 mph. Tinsley, who is known by the street name “Prison Ink” turned onto two-lane roads, and the chase continued over 90 mph until he turned onto the dead end Sea Hills Drive. The total distance of the chase was about 1.8 miles.
While several units pursued the vehicle down the dead end street, Deputy Watkins went to an adjacent street where he observed the duo flee on foot. He was able to take Tinsley into custody, while Jones fled into a wooded area. She was located a short time later hiding in some brush in a fenced in yard.
Local charges were filed by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office: Tinsley was charged with fleeing and eluding at high speed, resisting arrest without violence, and possession of a controlled substance, and Jones was charged with resisting arrest without violence.
Tinsley reportedly had two grams cocaine and three Oxycontin pills in his possession at the time of his arrest.
Pictured top: Rhianna Marie Jones and Jerry Hover Tinsley pass holdup notes at the United Bank in Flomaton on March 8. Pictured top inset: Flomaton Police investigate the robbery of the United Bank on Sidney Manning Boulevard. Pictured below: Mug shots of Jones and Tinsley after their arrests in Okaloosa County. NorthEscambia.com and courtesy photos, click to enlarge.
Salters Named Farm Family Of Year During Farm Tour
July 26, 2010
Organizers say the 44th Annual Santa Rosa County Farm Tour was a success with over 200 local officials and citizens taking part.
On the day-long bus tour, participants learned first-hand of the importance of agriculture and forestry in the county and the issues facing local farmers. Stops on the tour included the Santa Rosa County Extension Demonstration Gardens, Lundy’s Berry Patch, Panhandle Growers, Chumuckla’s Farmers Opry and House Garden, the Jerry Jones Farm, and Holland Farms.
A highlight of the tour was recognition of the John Salter Family as “Outstanding Farm Family of the Year”. John and his wife Stacy accepted the award from County Commissioners Don Salter and Bob Cole during the lunch program at the Farmers’ Opry. Congressman Jeff Miller also presented the couple with a resolution he read before the U. S. House of Representatives honoring the Salter family for their accomplishments. John is a fourth generation farmer who started farming with his dad in 1980. Today the Salters farm 850 acres of cotton, peanuts, corn, and hay. The Salters are leaders in our county’s production of food and fiber and are active in various agricultural organizations.
The Farm Tour is organized each year by the Santa Rosa Farm Tour Committee, comprised of representatives from various agricultural support agencies in the county, and conducted in cooperation with the Board of County Commissioners. Of course, the tour would not be possible without the help of numerous local supporters and corporate sponsors.
The Farm Tour Committee thanked the following sponsors: Burkhead Gin Company, Crop Production Services, Escambia County Bank, Escambia River Electric Coop, Farm Credit of Northwest Florida, First National Bank of Florida, Golden Gin & Warehouse, Griswold Peanut Company, Gulf Power Company, Hall’s Hardware, Helena Chemical Company, Jay Peanut Farmers Coop, Kiwanis Club of Santa Rosa-Sunrise, McKenzie Motor Company, Pen Air Federal Credit Union, Publix, Regions Bank, Resource Management Services, Santa Rosa County Farm Bureau, Smith Tractor Company, Syngenta Crop Protection, Three Rivers RC&D Council, and United Bank.
BLOG: Big Change For NorthEscambia.com
July 26, 2010
NorthEscambia.com celebrated a major milestone of sorts over the weekend that we hope will benefit you.
Friday evening, we moved to a much faster dedicated web server. That’s it pictured at the top of the page. We had been hosted on what’s called a “shared server” — a server that contained multiple web sites. But, thanks to readers like you, we had experienced growing pains on that server.
During peak hours, it just was not possible for the server to deliver thousands of requests per minute. Over the past month, our underpowered little server delivered over 8 million pages to tens of thousands of people. That, quite frankly, is a huge number of views for a local website and was almost technically impossible for us to pull off with our old server setup. In fact, a small number of our readers would, on rare occasions, receive an error message or notice that a page took a little longer than usual to load.
Friday evening, we moved to our very own, brand-new dedicated server. We are the only company on what is, in simple terms, a mega-server. It’s loaded with all the bells and whistles. We did not change web hosts; our company has been with same web host for 13 years. The web server is connected to eight different major Internet backbone providers with multiple GigE (up to 10,000Mbps) connections.
What does this mean for our readers? First, the end of error messages and slow load times. Second, it means will be able to offer more services and present the news to you in an improved fashion. The new and exciting changes won’t happen right away; there’s lots of behind the scenes work involved.
It also means we will now be able to accept more advertisers. We had to hold back a little bit before due to the technical limitations of the old server. (If you own or manage a business, we’d love to have you as an advertiser. Send us an email, and we’ll talk.)
You are reading NorthEscambia.com from the bottom server in the picture at the top of the page. It is located in a secure facility in the Northeastern United States along with servers for Reader’s Digest, Barack Obama, Yamaha and more high profile companies.
This, by the way, marks the return of our blog column. We’ll work on publishing the column on a more regular basis. The blog will present a variety of topics, from opinion based editorials, to news stories that perhaps we would otherwise never cover, to inside information behind the scenes of our stories. The column will be available on our front page and under the “Blog” tab on the top of each page.
We are looking for a name for the column. If you have any suggestions, please pass them along. And don’t forget to send us your news tips and photos to news@northescambia.com.
And, as always, we thank each one of you for reading NorthEscambia.com and being part of the NorthEscambia.com family. We appreciate you.
– William, NorthEscambia.com
*** Here’s an insider secret: We have also started a Facebook page. You can be among the first to join now at www.facebook.com/northescambia
Pictured top: The NorthEscambia.com web server is seen on the bottom. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
FCAT Scores At Your Child’s School
July 26, 2010
FCAT scores for individual students are now available at schools in Escambia County.
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test score letters have arrived at individual schools and are available for pickup with a photo ID.
If you have questions, for summer hours, contact your child’s school.