Billings Murder Suspect Pamela Long Wiggins Pleads To Bigamy Charges
May 17, 2010
Pamela Long Wiggins, who is facing accessory to murder charges in the deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings, has pleaded no contest to a bigamy charge for having two husbands.
She will face a maximum sentence of five years in state prison and a $5,000 fine when she is sentenced on June 30.
NorthEscambia.com first reported on July 16, 2009, that court records obtained by NorthEscambia.com indicated that Wiggins appeared to be married to two men. Wiggins was charged about two weeks later in Okaloosa County where her second marriage took place.
Wiggins, who is charged as an accessory after the fact in connection with the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings, was married in December 31, 2008, to Hugh Gregory Wiggins, 48, by a court clerk in Shalimar, Florida. That marriage license, as first reported by NorthEscambia.com on July 16, was witnessed by murder suspect Leonard Patrick Gonzalez, Jr. and his wife Tabitha C. Gonzalez. (License is pictured below, click to enlarge.)
But court records in Escambia County indicate that her divorce from her previous husband was not complete at the time.
Under the name Pamela Long Malden, she filed for divorce from James Colburn Malden, 68, on January 29, 2008, seeking to an a marriage from May 5, 2007. Escambia County court records indicated that case was still open.
The bigamy charge arrest warrant states that confidential sources told Okaloosa investigators that there were photographs of Pamela Long and Hugh Wiggins displayed near a stairwell in her Gulf Breeze home. She told the confidential sources that she had married Hugh Wiggins to shield him from about $11,000 in back taxes, and she admitted that her marriage to Walden was still valid.
“Both sources heard Pamela state that she was a bigamist,” the arrest warrant states.
When arrested on the bigamy charge, Wiggins was out on $10,000 bond after she was charge as an accessory after the fact in connection to the July 19, 2009, deaths of Byrd and Melanie Billings.
Pictured below: Pamela Long Wiggins’ marriage license in Okaloosa County dated December 31, 2008, click to enlarge.
Longtime Educator Pete Gindl Passes Away
May 17, 2010
Longtime educator and Escambia County School Board member Peter R. (Pete) Gindl, Sr. of Barrineau Park passed away Sunday.
Gindl was fresh out of college back in 1957 when friends first convinced the political newcomer to run for the school board. He was a product of the Escambia School District and a graduate of Auburn. But he really did not know much about the office that was about to propel him into a lifelong quest to help children succeed.
“I was just fresh out of college, a single fellow, when a group of friends convinced me to run for the school board. I had a college education, and the other guy did not,” Gindl said in a 2008 NorthEscambia.com interview. “I didn’t know anything about the school board, but I ran. And I won — by 36 votes.”
Election after election, he continued to win, remaining on the school board for twenty years before deciding to “retire” and teach. He then spent 18 years in the classroom before “retiring” from teaching in 1996. While he supported the family as a farmer (he held an agricultural education degree, after all) for nearly 50 years, the second retirement was not forever. Education was just in his blood somewhere.
In 2004, the Escambia County native returned to the school board in District 5, ousting Linda Finkelstein from her seat. Gindl had plans to return to the board for another term in 2008, but District 5 voters had another plan, as they elected Bill Slayton to Gindl’s seat.
In all, the man that fought tirelessly for the children of District 5 and all of Escambia County spent 24 years on the Escambia County School Board — 16 years as chairman. He also served a year and a half as president of the Florida School Board Association.
But he considered his 18 years in the classroom as the most rewarding period of his career.
“I’m going to miss it,” he said in November, 2008, just hours before his school board term officially came to an end. “I’ll miss working with the parents, the educational personnel, everyone that cares about the kids. It has always been about the children…I just love the children.”
For the complete obituary and arrangements, click here.
Pictured: Pete Gindl, Sr. at an August, 2008, Escambia County School Board meeting. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Century Mayor Seeks Help For Woman With Leaky Roof; Code Lien Preventing Repairs
May 17, 2010
An Century woman can’t get assistance to have her leaky roof fixed because she owes an old code enforcement lien that amounts to more than her monthly income, and Century’s mayor is asking the county to help.
The single, 58-year old female head of household takes care of her 34-year old developmentally disabled son on a Social Security disability income of $672 per month, according to a letter from Century Mayor Freddie McCall. She currently owes costs of $675 from a 2005 Escambia County Code Enforcement magistrate hearing.
To fix her leaky roof, the resident of Jefferson Avenue applied for emergency repair housing assistance through Escambia County’s State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program. When her application was processed, it was discovered that she owed the $675 code lien and back taxes of $617.47. The back taxes have since been paid by her brother.
In the letter to the county, McCall requested that the code lien be forgiven so that the woman “may be determined eligible to receive housing assistance to replace her roof and to eliminate existing health and safety conditions”.
McCall’s request first went before the Escambia County Commission on May 6, but commissioners took no action.
According to Code Enforcement records, the woman was first cited on April 14, 2005, for an inoperable vehicle, overgrowth in excess of 12 inches, trash and debris, including mattresses on her property. On December 5, 2005, the woman faced a Special Magistrate hearing, was ordered to bring the property into compliance by January 21, 2006, and was ordered to pay costs of $675.
The property, according to Code Enforcement records, was brought into compliance by January 9, 2006 — over a week prior to the magistrate imposed deadline.
Jay Playoff Schedule, Map, Driving Directions
May 17, 2010
The Jay Royals will face Shorecrest of St. Petersberg next Monday morning in the the Class 2a baseball semifinals.
The game will be played at 9 a.m. local time (10 a.m. EDT) Monday, May 24 at Digital Domain Park (pictured above, click to enlarge) in St. Lucie, Fla. Admission will be $8. The winner of the Jay versus Shorecrest game will play the winner of the 4 p.m. Westminster Christian of Miami versus Orlando Christian game for the state championship. The state championship game will be played at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EDT) on Tuesday, May 25.
Digital Domain park is the spring training home of the New York Mets. The facility seats 7,347 people.
For recommended hotel accommodations from the Florida High School Athletic Association web site, click here. The Hilton Garden Inn at PGA Village/Port St. Lucie offers a special rate of $79 per night through the link.
The park is 555 miles from Jay, an estimated nine hour road trip. Driving directions, according to Google Maps, are below. Click here to see a map with these directions.
- Head east on 1st Ave W/FL-4 E toward S Alabama St Continue to follow FL-4 E 31.8 mi
- Turn right to stay on FL-4 E 4.6 mi
- Turn left at FL-10 E/US-90 E 17.8 mi
- Turn right at FL-285 S 0.4 mi
- Turn left to merge onto I-10 E 226 mi
- Take exit 296A to merge onto I-75 S toward Tampa 108 mi
- Slight left at Florida’s Turnpike/Ronald Reagan Turnpike (signs for Orlando/Florida Turnpike S) Partial toll road 156 mi
- Take exit 152 to merge onto FL-70 E/Okeechobee Rd Partial toll road 1.2 mi
- Merge onto I-95 S via the ramp to W Palm Beach 7.4 mi
- Take exit 121 for St Lucie W Blvd 0.4 mi
- Keep left at the fork, follow signs for Port St Lucie 269 ft
- Turn left at St Lucie W Blvd 0.7 mi
- Turn left at NW Peacock Blvd Destination will be on the right
Sports Association Awards Scholarships To Area Seniors
May 17, 2010
Several North Escambia area seniors were honored at the recent 2010 PSA Senior Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet.
Rush Hendricks of Jay (pictured) was named an overall winner and will receive a cash scholarship to the school of his choice from the Pensacola Sports Association Foundation. Drew Kennedy from Jay was awarded a scholarship from the University of West Florida.
A total of 26 students from were offered scholarships totaling $110,000 by PSA and Pensacola Junior College.
PSA Scholar Athlete winners from the North Escambia area awarded PJC scholarships included:
- Jordan Bray, Jay, cheerleading
- Zach McMulley,, Tate, baseball
- Justin Galagher, Tate, tennis
- Travis Thrash, Tate, weightlifting
- Chelsea Hall, Tate, basketball
Cantonment Airman McCauley Graduates From Basic Training
May 17, 2010
Air Force Airman Travis G. McCauley graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
He is the son of Kevin and Lisa McCauley of Lake Suzanne Drive, Cantonment. McCauley is a 2002 graduate of Tate High School.
Lightning Sparks Morning Barn Fire, Possibly Hits School
May 16, 2010
A lightning strike was believed to have sparked a barn fire Sunday morning in Molino, and lightning may have struck a North Escambia middle school.
The fire in the 4400 block of Crabtree Church Road was reported about 5:45 a.m. A resident reported that they believed lightning hit the barn. The fire was quickly extinguished.
Just before 6:00 a.m. Sunday, fire units responded to Ransom Middle School in Cantonment after a possible lightning strike activated the facility’s fire alarm. No damage was reported.
County Set To Cut Back North Escambia’s Only ECAT Bus Route
May 16, 2010
The only Escambia County Area Transit route that serves North Escambia will be cut back if proposed changes in the county’s public transportation routes are made following a Thursday public hearing.
The Saturday transit bus that serves Century, Molino and Cantonment would be eliminated due to low ridership if the plan presented to the Escambia County by ECAT is approved. The route would also no longer service the “Park-n-Ride” lot at the old Winn Dixie in Cantonment.
The Escambia County Commission is set to hold a public hearing on the proposed changes at 5:32 Thursday afternoon and then vote on the proposal.
The “Route 60″ bus makes three weekday trips with stops between Century and the ECAT transfer center where it allows riders to connect to the rest of the ECAT network. It currently makes the run twice on Saturdays.
Most of the proposed changes across the county are simple route changes or service additions, with just a few routes seeking service cuts. For information on all route changes, click here.
According to an ECAT memo from General Manager Kenneth Gordon, the route changes in the county are designed to improve safety, improve on-time performance, improve connectivity between routes, provide service to under-served areas, reduce complaints and improve operating efficiencies.
ECAT is required to present proposed route changes to the Board of County Commissioners for discussion and public input. After the board discusses the plans on March 11, a 30 day period for public comment will be allowed and then then plan will go back to the commission.
The North Escambia to Pensacola Route 60 bus in the most expensive bus per hour in the entire public transportation system in the county.
The bus costs $11.15 per passenger to operate, according to ECAT numbers from the last fiscal year — a decrease from $16.27 the previous year. That’s the most expensive cost per passenger by far over any other bus in the system, with every other route falling below $8 per person (except for a free tourist route). The next most expensive route per person is a crosstown/airport route that costs ECAT $7.82 per person. The Century and Molino to Pensacola bus is also the most expensive per hour to operate in the ECAT system, at $60.67, down from $78.29 per hour the previous year.
A total of 9 ,430 riders took the Route 60 bus over a one year period, up from 7,819 the previous year. That compares to 162,403 on a Davis Highway area bus.
Pictured above: The current “Route 60″ Century and Molino to Pensacola ECAT route map. Pictured below: A current timetable for the bus. Click to enlarge.
Oil Spill: Newsletter From U.S. Rep Jeff Miller
May 16, 2010
Last week, Admiral Thad Allen, Commandant of the Coast Guard, came to our district and met with local officials to hear and address their concerns and discuss actions the Coast Guard is taking. I also joined Admiral Allen on an overflight of the oil spill and spoke with him about my concerns and those of my constituents. The response is a joint effort of several federal agencies, and the Coast Guard is carrying a significant share of the workload toward cleaning up our waters and helping to find a way to stop the oil leak.
I have continued to push BP to set up an escrow account for all the Gulf states to draw from as they incur not only capital costs from prevention and cleanup but also economic losses from the oil spill. While BP issued block grants of $25 million to each state, we cannot lose sight of the fact of the sheer amount of coastline that Florida has compared to some other states. Preparing our massive coastline for the oil spill will go through that $25 million much faster than some other states. That block grant still does not fully address economic losses already being incurred by small businesses, fishermen, and other individuals along the Gulf Coast. The escrow account I have proposed would not only offset that impact but would also reaffirm BP’s commitment to covering the total cost of this oil spill’s cleanup.
One improvement constituents of the 1st Congressional District saw this week was the opening of a claims office in both Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties that are open seven days a week. Claims offices are set to open in Okaloosa and Walton Counties as well. Previously, claims from our area had to be called in, but now residents have the option of visiting the office in person. Counties have their emergency operations centers running, and the state of Florida also has its emergency personnel working with them. Contact information, in addition to updated information and facts about the oil spill, can be found in the Deepwater Horizon Information Hub on my website at http://jeffmiller.house.gov/Deepwater/.
Hundreds of vessels have been deployed, over 1.5 million feet of boom have been deployed, and nearly four million gallons of oil-water mix have been recovered. While these prevention and recovery efforts are showing signs of success, it does not change the fact that the primary goal continues to be stopping the oil leak at its source. Remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs) continue to work at the sea floor, and a second containment dome is set to be moved this weekend to cap off the leak. The effort still faces the challenge of the depth of the leak at 5,000 feet.
In the meantime, the EPA must speed up its approval of applying chemical dispersant at the source of the leak. The agency’s slow testing of this process is frustrating the efforts of thousands of volunteers, as well as BP and the federal agencies involved, to mitigate the spill’s impacts. Applying the dispersant at the source has shown tremendous effectiveness, and the fact that it has not been done before should not hinder its usefulness.
I recently contacted Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to ask that the snapper season be opened as soon as federal waters in our area are deemed safe to fish. Having faced a prohibitively short season just last year, local fishermen stand to lose their livelihood if a restrictive fishing season is combined with the oil spill moving toward our coastlines. It is imperative that those in Washington making rules and regulations understand the challenges unique to our area.
Please visit my website at www.house.gov/jeffmiller for updates and contact information on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including how to volunteer or make a claim. Real-time updates and video of the cleanup, recovery, and containment efforts are also available to those following me on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
Photo Gallery: Combined Armed Forces, Memorial Day Parade
May 16, 2010
A combined Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day parade was held Saturday in Atmore. The parade honored those that have served, or are serving, in the armed forces.
The parade featured floats with area veterans; bands from Northview High, Escambia County High, Flomaton High and Ernest Ward Middle schools; ROTC units from Escambia County High and Northview High; motorcyle riders, the Ernest Ward Middle School Drama Team and more.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the parade, click here.
Pictured above: The Ernest Ward Middle School Drama Team reenact the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima. Pictured inset: Merrilene Garret, chaplain of VFW Post 7016 smiles as she rides a float. Pictured below: A group of veterans ride in Atmore’s combined Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day parade Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
