Jay Mayor Confident In One Vote Win After Election Results Change
August 26, 2010
Every vote counts. Jay Mayor Kurvin Qualls is a firm believer in that adage after winning re-election by just a single vote.
Numbers from the Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections Office Tuesday night first showed that political newcomer Ben Hudson had won the election with 71 votes to Qualls’ 70 votes. But shortly before midnight, elections officials tabulated votes from Jay’s touchscreen voting machine. The touchscreen votes were delayed in arriving at the elections office in Milton.
Two votes were cast on the touchscreen machine — both for Qualls, giving him a 72-71 victory over Hudson.
“I am very confident in the results from the Supervisor of Elections,” Qualls said Wednesday. “Everything was on the up and up.”
Under Florida Law, if the margin between the two candidates had been 0.05 percent, an automatic recount would have been triggered. But the one vote difference between Qualls and Hudson amounted to a 0.7 percent margin. According to the Supervisor of Elections Office, there will be no recount unless Hudson files suit in Circuit Court.
Confident in his victory, Qualls said he is making plans to continue to improve Jay.
“There are great things going on in Jay, and we are going to keep it going,” he said. “There are exciting things about to happen in the near future, and there are great opportunities in front of us.”
Attempts to contact Hudson for comment on this story were unsuccessful.
Woman Dies Two Weeks After Crash; Daughter Thankful Gift Of Extra Time
August 26, 2010
An elderly woman has passed away following a Flomaton traffic crash, and her daughter is thanking emergency workers and good Samaritans for giving her two weeks with her mother.
Sallie Howington, 89, died as a result of injuries she received in a traffic crash August 7 on Highway 31 at Holt Street.
“To all those that assisted with the accident, thank you for saving my momma’s life,” Howington’s daughter Cathy Green said. “I got to spend extra weeks with momma.”
“To Cassie Newton, thank you for calling 911 immediately. It was comforting to know that paramedics arrived so quickly,” Green said. Newton witnessed the accident and summoned help
Flomaton Fire Department member Jason Bondurant was the first emergency worker on scene. He found Howington not breathing and without a pulse. Nearby, Jeremy Morris, an EMT and paramedic with Defuniak Springs’ Air Heart helicopter was at a home in the Holt Subdivision and heard the crash. He rushed to the scene and cleared Howington’s airway. Morris, who is a volunteer with the Pineview (Ala.) Volunteer Fire Department,maintained the airway for about seven minutes until an ambulance arrived. Howington was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital by LifeFlight.
“So many people worked so hard, and I thank them so much,” Green said. “I appreciate the time they gave us by saving her life.”
Howington was the driver of a pickup truck that witnesses said turned in front of an SUV on Highway 31 at Holt Street just after 4 p.m. on August 7. The adult driver of the SUV, Terri Marie Parker, 49, of Jay and two children, ages four and 10, were transported by ambulance to an area hospital.
The Flomaton Fire Department, the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, Atmore Ambulance and Escambia County EMS also responded to the call.
Pictured above: Four people were injured in this crash August 7 in Flomaton. Sallie Howington, the driver of the pickup, passed away about two weeks later. Pictured below: Sallie Howington was airlifted to a Pensacola hospital in critical condition. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Driver Now Facing DUI Manslaughter Charges For Pedestrian’s Death
August 26, 2010
Charges have been upgraded to DUI manslaughter against a Pensacola man for the June death of a pedestrian.
Tyler Neal Wass, 25, was booked into the Escambia County Jail Wednesday night where he is being held on $100,000 bond.
The Florida Highway Patrol says William E. Carlson, 30, of Pensacola was walking west on Wilde Lake Boulevard shortly after 3 a.m. on June 20 when he was struck and killed by a 2002 Saturn driven by Wass (pictured), of Rebel Road, Pensacola.
According to the FHP., Wass saw Carlson at the last second and attempted to avoid him, but struck him with the right front of his Saturn. Wass and a passenger, 25-year old Carissa L. Snipes, 25, of Pensacola, were not injured.
Wass was taken into custody after the accident and charged with a misdemeanor count DUI. Prosecutors upgraded the charge against Wass to vehicular manslaughter on Wednesday.
Evers Wins Senate Nod; Broxson Wins 4-Way Race For House Nomination
August 25, 2010
Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, defeated fellow Republican Mike Hill in Tuesday’s Republican primary for Senate District 2. There is no Democratic candidate, but Evers faces write-in and Tea Party opposition in November.
“I am humbled and honored that the voters in Northwest Florida have selected me to be their Republican candidate for Senate District 2,” said Evers. “I ran for Senate District 2 because I am a proud, conservative, fifth-generation Northwest Floridian, farmer and small-business man; and I ran because I believe together we can make Northwest Florida great, we can work to bring back sanity to our national government, to reclaim a debt-free future for our children and grandchildren, and together we can bring back all that makes America great again. I thank all of my neighbors, friends and supporters in the Panhandle for helping me achieve victory tonight, and I look forward to continuing our fight.
“My campaign during the general election will remain focused on conservative values and making certain that Northwest Florida does not take a backseat to the interests of South and Central Florida in the Legislature,” added Evers. “I believe that the true and tested conservative candidate in this race prevailed tonight, and I am certain that our campaign will prevail again in November.”
Doug Broxson won a four-way Republican primary in the race to replace Rep. Greg Evers in the Panhandle’s House District 1. Broxson defeated Greg Brown, Ricky Perritt and Ferd Saloman. Now, Broxson will face Mathias Venditto, an independent, in the November 2 general election.
Next door in District 2, Clay Ingram won the GOP nomination, and with it likely the seat. Broxson will face NPA candidate Mathias Benditto in November. In District 2, which is being vacated by Pensacola Republican Rep. Dave Murzin, who was term-limited, Ingram defeated David Karasek and will face only write-in opposition in November.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Vote Totals
August 25, 2010
Here are the complete, but unofficial, vote totals from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties:
Escambia County
(90 of 90 precincts reporting)
| UNITED STATES SENATOR (REP) | ||
| William Escoffery III | 2,158 | 7.62% |
| William Billy Kogut | 2,548 | 8.99% |
| Marco Rubio | 23,629 | 83.39% |
| GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (REP) | ||
| Mike McCalister | 3,191 | 10.97% |
| Bill McCollum | 13,092 | 45.01% |
| Rick Scott | 12,806 | 44.02% |
| ATTORNEY GENERAL (REP) | ||
| Holly Benson | 17,740 | 61.47% |
| Pam Bondi | 5,125 | 17.76% |
| Jeff Kottkamp | 5,994 | 20.77% |
| STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 2 (REP) | ||
| Greg Evers | 12,338 | 72.02% |
| Mike Hill | 4,793 | 27.98% |
| STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 1 (REP) | ||
| Greg Brown | 1,062 | 28.28% |
| Doug Broxson | 1,996 | 53.16% |
| Ricky G. Perritt | 132 | 3.52% |
| Ferd Salomon | 565 | 15.05% |
| STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 2 (REP) | ||
| Clay Ingram | 8,895 | 61.30% |
| David Karasek | 5,615 | 38.70% |
| COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2 (REP) | ||
| Dave Murzin | 1,192 | 22.77% |
| Karen Sindel | 1,650 | 31.52% |
| George Touart | 589 | 11.25% |
| Gene M. Valentino | 1,804 | 34.46% |
| COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 4 (REP) | ||
| Dennis Green | 2,067 | 24.63% |
| Grover C. Robinson | 6,324 | 75.37% |
| ECUA DISTRICT 2 (REP) | ||
| Lois Benson | 3,298 | 65.97% |
| Stephen Burand | 544 | 10.88% |
| James Kirkland | 1,157 | 23.14% |
| ECUA DISTRICT 4 (REP) | ||
| Stuart H. Brown | 693 | 9.14% |
| Ryan M. Fendt | 479 | 6.32% |
| Dale Perkins | 5,584 | 73.69% |
| Ronald Ward | 822 | 10.85% |
| UNITED STATES SENATOR (DEM) | ||
| Glenn A. Burkett | 1,113 | 6.64% |
| Maurice A. Ferre | 450 | 2.68% |
| Jeff Greene | 6,823 | 40.70% |
| Kendrick B. Meek | 8,378 | 49.98% |
| GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (DEM) | ||
| Brian P. Moore | 4,649 | 31.03% |
| Alex Sink | 10,333 | 68.97% |
| ATTORNEY GENERAL (DEM) | ||
| Dave Aronberg | 6,737 | 46.22% |
| Dan Gelber | 7,840 | 53.78% |
| CIRCUIT JUDGE, 1ST CIRCUIT | ||
| Kenneth L. Brooks Jr. | 4,915 | 11.32% |
| Clint Davis | 6,516 | 15.00% |
| Michael A. Flowers | 12,002 | 27.63% |
| Mike Lawson | 5,281 | 12.16% |
| Alishia W. McDonald | 10,653 | 24.53% |
| Robert E. McGill III | 4,066 | 9.36% |
| SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 1 | ||
| Jeff Bergosh | 6,143 | 66.30% |
| Luke Keller | 2,199 | 23.73% |
| D. Hosea Pittman | 608 | 10.55% |
| SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 2 | ||
| Gerald W. Boone | 4,081 | 54.92% |
| Virginia R. White | 3,350 | 45.08% |
| SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 3 | ||
| Linda F. Moultrie | 3,427 | 52.91% |
| Charlie Nichols | 3,050 | 47.09% |
| MAYOR PENSACOLA | ||
| Charles Bare | 1,755 | 13.65% |
| Ashton Hayward | 4,306 | 33.48% |
| Diane Mack | 2,041 | 15.87% |
| Mike Wiggins | 4,759 | 37.00% |
Santa Rosa County
(41 of 41 precincts reporting; totals include early votes and initial absentee votes.)
| UNITED STATES SENATOR (REP) | ||
| William Escoffery III | 1,535 | 8.42% |
| William Billy Kogut | 1,975 | 10.83% |
| Marco Rubio | 14,730 | 80.76% |
| GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (REP) | ||
| Mike McCalister | 2,326 | 12.37% |
| Bill McCollum | 7,137 | 37.95% |
| Rick Scott | 9,341 | 49.68% |
| ATTORNEY GENERAL (REP) | ||
| Holly Benson | 10,535 | 57.53% |
| Pam Bondi | 3,541 | 19.41% |
| Jeff Kottkamp | 4,237 | 23.14% |
| STATE SENATOR DISTRICT 2 (REP) | ||
| Greg Evers | 8,230 | 73.73% |
| Mike Hill | 2,933 | 26.27% |
| STATE REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 1 (REP) | ||
| Greg Brown | 4,005 | 28.80% |
| Doug Broxson | 5,712 | 41.08% |
| Ricky G. Perritt | 595 | 4.28% |
| Ferd Salomon | 3,594 | 25.84% |
| COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 2 | ||
| Bob Cole | 6,760 | 38.69% |
| Claude Duvall | 5,073 | 29.03% |
| Ron Scott | 3,855 | 22.06% |
| Clifton Wheeler | 1,785 | 10.22% |
| COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 4 | ||
| Ruth Dupont Esser | 4,274 | 18.28% |
| Mark A. Goode | 2,747 | 11.75% |
| Gordon Goodin | 7,473 | 31.96% |
| Jim Melvin | 8,891 | 38.02% |
| UNITED STATES SENATOR (DEM) | ||
| Glenn A. Burkett | 529 | 10.84% |
| Maurice A. Ferre | 189 | 3.87% |
| Jeff Greene | 2,657 | 55.45% |
| Kendrick B. Meek | 1,505 | 30.84% |
| GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR (DEM) | ||
| Brian P. Moore | 1,663 | 36.09% |
| Alex Sink | 2,945 | 63.91% |
| ATTORNEY GENERAL (DEM) | ||
| Dave Aronberg | 1,951 | 44.86% |
| Dan Gelber | 2,398 | 55.14% |
| CIRCUIT JUDGE CIRCUIT 1 GROUP 3 | ||
| Kenneth L. Brooks Jr. | 4,885 | 21.55% |
| Clint Davis | 4,290 | 18.92% |
| Michael A. Flowers | 5,230 | 23.07% |
| Mike Lawson | 3,073 | 13.55% |
| Alishia W. McDonald | 3,094 | 13.65% |
| Robert E. McGill III | 2,099 | 9.26% |
| SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 1 | ||
| Dale Anderson | 9,194 | 39.66% |
| Shepherd Iverson | 2,149 | 9.27% |
| Diane Scott | 11,837 | 51.07% |
| SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 3 | ||
| Carol Boston | 10,362 | 45.65% |
| Diane Coleman | 12,337 | 54.35% |
| SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 5 | ||
| Tom Naile | 10,573 | 47.11% |
| Scott Thomas Peden | 11.872 | 52.89% |
| MILTON CITY COUNCIL WARD 3 | ||
| Grady Hester | 608 | 50.50% |
| Alan Lowery | 596 | 49.50% |
| TOWN OF JAY MAYOR | ||
| Ben Jerry Hudson | 71 | 50.35% |
| Kurvin K. Qualls | 72 | 49.55% |
| JAY TOWN COUNCIL | ||
| Jackie Stewart-Ard | 67 | 29.26% |
| Charles “Chubby” Haveard | 77 | 33.62% |
| Shon O. Owens | 85 | 37.12% |
Pictured above: The precinct located at Century City Hall. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
‘Granny, Give Me All Your Money’ — More Details Released On Cantonment Home Invasion
August 25, 2010
More details have been released about a home invasion robbery reported early Sunday morning in Cantonment, and authorities are continuing to look for a suspect.
The incident happened about 5:15 a.m. in the 900 block of River Annex Road, but was not reported for nearly half an hour.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, no one had been arrested for the crime, according to Sena Maddison, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The 59-year old victim told deputies that she awoke from a sound sleep about 5:15 a.m. to a man holding her at gunpoint. She described the suspect as a while male, about 6-feet tall, heavy built, wearing a red hoodie that was pulled over his face. She said the suspect appeared to be disguising his voice and was pointing a .22 caliber revolver at her.
“Granny, give me all your money,” is what the victim told deputies the man said. The victim told the man that she did not have any money, and she argued back and forth with him, according to the Sheriff’s Office report on the incident. The suspect left the bedroom and fled through a side door. The victim told investigators that she watched the man, still with the hoodie over face, walk calmly and not in any hurry toward River Annex Road.
The victim told deputies that she believed that the suspect knew her because the suspect tried to disguise his voice and because she is called “granny” by some of her grandson’s friends.
After the incident, the victim said she woke up her husband, who is hard of hearing and sleeps in a different room. They then drove around the neighborhood in an attempt to locate the suspect, according to the Sheriff’s Office report. When they could not locate the bandit, they returned home and called deputies — nearly a half hour after the incident.
The victim told authorities that she believed the handgun belonged to her and her husband, and that it was taken from a truck outside. She reported that the gun was missing from the truck, which did not appear to be ransacked.
The victim said both the home and truck are normally unlocked, and deputies reported that it appeared the suspect had entered through the front door of the home. In addition to the gun, the victim reported that a purple Sony Ericsson cell phone was missing from her bedside.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit followed a possible suspect track to another home on River Annex Road, but deputies were unable to make contact with anyone at the house. According to the Sheriff’s Office report, one resident at the home matches the physical description given by the victim and is familiar with her residence.
If you have any information on this home invasion, contact Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Century Considers $130K Water Meter Purchase To Improve Billing, Revenue
August 25, 2010
The Town of Century is considering the $130,799 purchase of 941 new automated water meters to eliminate billing problems and lost revenue.
“We were doing the best we could do,” Mayor Freddie McCall said of the town’s current automated water meters, “but what we ended up doing was throwing Band-Aids on a situation that required more.”
The current automated meters have been plagued by misreads, billing mishaps and continual customers complaints.
“We have been fighting this for years now,” McCall said Tuesday night. He said that the current system will correctly run only about one of every 10-15 billing profiles. A billing profile is essentially a long-term account history. “It’s a headache.”
“The problems with that product start snowballing and it becomes very inaccurate,” Dan Devane, regional sales manager for meter equipment Datamatic, Ltd., said at a special council workshop Tuesday night. Datamatic manufactured the current, problematic meters, which were installed about five years ago. They also manufacture the new “Mosaic Firefly” equipment the town may purchase.
In trading in the old system for the new, Datamatic will provide the town about $140,000 in discounts.
With the new Mosaic Firefly system, the town’s meter reader will never leave his vehicle. He will simply drive block to block as the meters automatically report their readings. For an estimated $30,000 in upgrades at a later date, the new system wold be capable of automatically reporting water meter readings from across the town without human intervention.
With the completely automated “mesh” system, each meter would communicate with neighboring meters, eventually relaying a report from each meter back to city hall. That method, Devane said, is much more cost effective that sending out a human meter reader. In addition, daily reports could pinpoint customers with leaks, backflows, usage on inactive accounts and fraud.
Datamatic also manufactured the current gas meter reading system for the Town of Century. McCall said there is no plan to replace that equipment at this point, but it would eventually be phased out for a newer system like that proposed for the water meters.
The new water meters would have a 10 year guarantee, including an internal battery. Each meter would store hourly information for 320 days. The new meters will also be lead-free, a standard required of new meters in Florida by 2012.
The $130,799 purchase, if approved by the council, would pay for itself in less than two years, according to estimates by Devane. He estimated the town would realize an additional $83,125 in additional billings due to increased meter efficiency and about $2,200 per year in labor savings.
Pictured top: Datamatic Regional Sales Manager Dan Devane describes a new water meter system Tuesday night as Century Mayor Freddie McCall and Council President Ann Brooks look on. Pictured below: This PowerPoint slide details the no cost items the Datamatic company promises to provide to the Town of Century with a water meter system upgrade. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Boy Bitten By Dog While Walking To Bus Stop
August 25, 2010
A 12-year old boy on his way to a school bus stop was attacked by a dog Tuesday morning in Cantonment.
The incident happened about a mile from Tate High School on Pinedale Lane, just off West Roberts Road. The victim and another boy were reportedly walking to a school bus stop when an Alaskan Malamute and another dog escaped from a yard. The boys ran from the dogs, and the Alaskan Malamute attacked the 12-year old student.
A construction worker and the dog’s owner pulled the dog off the boy, according to deputies.
The boy was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital, reportedly with puncture wounds and muscle injuries to his arms. The construction worker was also bitten by the dog; he was transported to West Florida Hospital.
Both dogs were taken to the Escambia County animal shelter where they were quarantined. The owner has signed both dogs over to the animal shelter, and officials say the Alaskan Malmute will likely be put down.
Brothers Charged In Church Copper Theft
August 25, 2010
Two Alabama brothers have been charged in connection with the theft of copper from a church near Flomaton.
Charles Brown, 25, and James E. Brown, 27, both of Riverview, Ala., have been charged with criminal mischief, criminal trespassing, theft of property and burglary in connection with the theft at the Friendship Freewill Baptist Church.
Three air conditioning units at Friendship Freewill Baptist Church on Friendship Road were dismantled, with the bandits cleaning out the copper coils. Church members said the theft occurred sometime between 5 p.m. Tuesday, August 10 and 9:45 the following Wednesday morning. Two of the units were used to cool the church’s main sanctuary, while one was used to cool their fellowship hall.
The stolen copper was located at a scrapyard, leading to the arrests.
The Brown brothers are also accused of stealing food from inside the church; authorities said they previously did work at the church and knew the location of a spare key.
Authorities said the brothers have also been implicated in a similar incident in Conecuh County, Ala.
Pictured: An estimated $15,000 in damage was done in a copper theft from the air conditioners at the Friendship Freewill Baptist Church. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Former Sheriff’s Employee Gets 15 Years In Prison For $1.4 Million Theft
August 25, 2010
A former Escambia County Sheriff’s Office employee was sentenced Tuesday afternoon to 15 years in prison for stealing $1.43 million from the department.
Cathy Lister, 58, was also ordered to pay the money back, and she will remain on probation for 10 years once she is released from prison. Sentencing guidelines called for Lister to spend a minimum of 30 years behind bars, but Judge Paul Rasmussen ordered the lighter sentence because Lister cooperated with authorities and admitted the theft.
Lister, a former accountant who allegedly stole the funds over a long career with the Sheriff’s Office, was found guilty in July on one count of aggravated white collar crime and 11 counts of money laundering.
Lister was first charged in February with stealing $130,000 from the sheriff’s office, but further investigation determined that well over $1 million more was missing. The money was taken over a 10 year period from monies seized as part of investigations that was placed in the department’s Evidence Trust Fund. She testified in court that she paid bills and sometimes supported other family members with the money.
Lister was a 32-year employee of the department who retired from the finance division just six days before her arrest.