Fla. League Of Cities Names Evers Northwest Fla. Legislator Of The Year
May 14, 2010
The Florida League of Cities has named Rep. Greg Evers as the Northwest Florida Legislator of the Year.
“It is an honor to be recognized in this great capacity by the Florida League of Cities,” said Representative Evers. “Northwest Florida has always been my home, and it has instilled in me strong conservative principles and values. While serving as a voice in the Florida Legislature for my neighbors in Northwest Florida, I have always been committed to ensuring that these same core principles and values are reflective of our district.”
“There is no one more praiseworthy to receive this award than Representative Evers,” said Jay Mayor Kurvin Qualls, who serves as president of the board of directors for the Florida League of Cities. “Greg has shown that he is deeply committed to the communities of Northwest Florida through his service as a State Representative and as a dedicated member of the community. The Florida League of Cities is grateful to have legislators like Representative Evers, who strive to improve their communities and the areas that they serve through proactive legislation and who guide with strong, principled leadership.”
Evers represents portions of Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties in Florida House District 1.
McDavid Woman Charged With Smuggling Drugs Into Jail
May 14, 2010
A McDavid woman has been charged with smuggling drugs into the Escambia County Jail.
Valene Alaine Walker, 24, of Highway 164, was charged with a felony count of possessing a controlled substance without a prescription and one felony count smuggling contraband into a detention facility.
According to and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report, Walker was arrested by Deputy Mike Coburn on an outstanding grand theft warrant. An anonymous caller tipped off detention deputies at the jail that Walker was carrying narcotics in her bra. A strip search, according to the arrest report, located one Xanax pill, four Lortab pills and four Xanax bars in the suspect’s bra.
Walker was released from jail on $5,000 bond. She is due to appear in the court on May 27.
Entire Landscaping Business Stolen
May 14, 2010
The owners of a small landscaping business in Cantonment are asking for the public’s help in finding their stolen equipment.
Sometime overnight on April 30, the company’s entire businesses was stolen when thieves made off with a trailer containing all of their equipment. According an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report a homemade utility trailer with REW Services’ equipment was stolen from a residential address on West Kingsfield Road near Ransom Middle School.
The 1990 six-foot trailer made of solid steel was painted solid black and had Florida tag number A802TY. The left side of the trailer had pipe for tool holders, and in two of the pipes there were pieces of broken wooden handles.
Equipment missing includes a green and black 60-inch cut Lesco Z2 mower; a 36-inch Snapper walk-behind mower; a 21″ Honda mower; a Kawasaki string trimmer; a Shindaiwa edger and a variety of hand tools. The Lesco mower had many deck welds and repairs, according to the owners.
Anyone with information on the thefts is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Pictured above: A landscaping company’s stolen custom-built trailer. All of the company’s equipment was on the trailer when it was taken. Pictured below: A missing Snapper mower and a missing Lesco mower. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High AJROTC Places In State Drill Competition
May 14, 2010
The J.M. Tate High School AJROTC Drill Team recently participated in the Florida State Drill Competition in Lakeland, Florida. This year’s competition was one the largest and most competitive with more than 80 teams in attendance.
The Tate “Aggies” placed well in each of their events, and proudly displayed the culmination of their hard work. The Regulation Armed Squad had the top scores for the battalion, placing 9th out of 35 teams. The Male Individual Drill placed 12th, Regulation Armed Platoon and Exhibition Armed Squad both placed 14th, Regulation Unarmed Platoon placed 20th, and Dual Male Drill placed 21st.
The teams competed for trophies and a place in the National Drill Competition. The young men and women were commended for their positive attitudes and unrivaled display of teamwork. Meanwhile, the cadets returning to the AJROTC program are dedicated to improving their skills in hopes of obtaining even higher rankings next year.
For more Tate AJROTC photos from regional and state drill meets, click here.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FSU Receives $2.5 Million Grant To Develop Forecasts For Farmers
May 14, 2010
Florida State University has received a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Southeast Climate Consortium (SECC) to develop improved methods to forecast droughts and other extreme climate events in the southeastern states.
The forecasts will help agricultural, forest and natural resource managers to reduce risks of losses and environmental damage. In addition, the SECC will develop new partnerships and methods for incorporating climate forecasts into agricultural and water policy decisions. The Agricultural Extension Service managed by the University of Florida is a key partner.
“Agriculture is one of Florida’s largest industries, and for more than a decade the Southeastern Climate Consortium has helped strengthen the contributions the agriculture sector makes to our local and national economies,” U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd (D-North Florida) said. “I commend FSU for their leadership in the Consortium and for the invaluable research they have provided farmers throughout the Southeast region.”
Boyd joined James O’Brien, emeritus Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Meteorology and Oceanography and former director of the FSU Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS), and Raymond Bye, director of federal relations and economic development at FSU, at COAPS to make the announcement.
FSU is the lead institution in the SECC, which also involves researchers from the University of Florida, University of Miami, University of Georgia, Auburn University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, North Carolina State University and Clemson University. O’Brien is the grant’s principal investigator and leads the FSU team.
“This project provides a bridge between our climate researchers and our farmers, leading to larger crops and more productive farms,” said FSU President Eric J. Barron. “We are thankful for Congressman Boyd’s leadership in Washington and his work in securing funding for this very important effort.”
The grant continues work begun in 2003 to develop new methods to predict the consequences of climate variability – including rainfall, temperature and wild fires – for agricultural crops, forests and water resources. This research provides critical and cutting-edge information to farmers that helps them better adapt their crops to drought, hurricanes and other inclement weather systems.
Farmers throughout the region rely on the short-term climate forecasts by the SECC to make decisions on peanuts, cotton, corn and strawberries, among other crops. The SECC has a website, http://agroclimate.org, that provides climate and crop predictions for each county in Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
“The SECC strives to deliver climate forecasts to farmers early enough for decisions to be made,” O’Brien said. “Explanations after an event, like a drought, are knowledge but, in advance, farming practices can be altered and money can be made.”
87-Year Old Caught On Tape Selling Crack Cocaine To Deputies
May 13, 2010
An 87-year old woman was arrested Thursday afternoon after she was caught on video selling crack cocaine to undercover officers.
Ola Mae Agee, 87, of Pensacola, was charged by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office with one felony count of selling cocaine.
Over the past month, the Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover narcotics investigation in the area of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and East Desoto Street.
“During the investigation suspect Ola Mae Agee was captured on video selling crack cocaine to undercover deputies. This sale and other narcotic sales at the residence led to a search warrant being executed at Agee’s residence today,” according to a statement release by Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesperson for the Escambia Sheriff’s Office.
Agee was transported to the jail where she turned herself in on an outstanding warrant and was released on her own recognizance, according to Roy.
‘Cornbread’ Named Inspirational Hero
May 13, 2010
Cornbread is an inspirational hero — as most everyone around Northview High School knows.
Chris Moorer — also known as Cornbread — was named an inspirational hero by Cox Gulf Coast during their 16th annual Inspirational Student Hero Celebration Tuesday night. The event honors students that have faced significant challenges, including the loss of their parents, physical illness, handicaps and language barriers.
“Chris is the type of student every student and teacher knows at school. He brings smiles, compliments, and cheers to everyone’s day. He is a hard worker in class and takes pride with his job at school. Chris was awarded the Most School Spirit Award for this school year,” Northview reading teacher Natalie Nall said about Chris.
According to the event program, “Chris has brought smiles to the halls of Northview and into the lives of the school personnel and students. His proudest success is being able to complete his assignments. He is also very proud that he has learned not to be easily influenced and to take responsibility for his actions.”
Chris, a senior, was also awarded this year’s Most School Spirit Award at Northview.
Other North Escambia area students that received the Cox Inspirational Hero award were Tashima Talton of Cantonment, Escambia Charter School; Sarah Martin, Jim Allen Elementary; Jon Walker, Ransom Middle School; and Rebeccah Elizabeth Godwin, Tate High School.
Pictured above: Chris Moorer, also known as Cornbread, poses for pictures at the Cox Gulf Coast 16th annual Inspirational Student Hero Celebration. Pictured below: About 40 students were honored at the event. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Over $300,000 Cash, Boxes Of Documents And A Stuffed Bear Seized From Tax Business
May 13, 2010
Recently unsealed 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 three locations of a tax and check cashing business along with the home of the business owners.
The search warrants were executed the morning of March 4 against Alice Preyear Mobley, Lloyd Preyear and Preyear Tax and Check Cashing Services, LLC. Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service served a federal search warrant at the Preyear’s Tax & Check Cashing, LLC on Ridgely Street in Atmore, as well as locations of the business in Monroeville and Thomasville, Alabama, and the Monroeville home of Alice Preyear Mobley. According to the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, Mobley is the owner of the tax and check cashing business.
The exact reason the U.S. government sought the search warrants is still secret; a federal judge sealed the search warrant applications and reasons for obtaining them. But other unsealed documents in the case reveal that the government was seeking “business, bank and accounting records, documents and proceeds related to fraud against the government, tax fraud and money laundering, U.S. currency, property that constitutes evidence of the commission of a criminal offense and contraband, fruits of a crime or other things criminally possessed therein.”
Alice Preyear Mobley, Lloyd Preyear and Preyear Tax and Check Cashing Services, LLC have requested that the government return property from the home and business locations in Atmore and Monroeville. The defendants claim that the search warrants were missing a necessary attachment in order to be valid.
Items seized during the execution of the search warrants included $263,000 in $100 bills from the defendants’ house, many boxes of tax records and other documents and even a “stuffed white bear”.
At the time of the search, spokesperson for both the IRS and the FBI would only confirm that they executed the search warrants, with an IRS spokesperson saying “we were there on official business”. Otherwise, the government has not provided any public information about the search warrants.
Some of the items seized during the execution of the search warrants, according to federal court documents, were:
Residence at 2193 Monroe Station Road, Monroeville, AL
- $263,000 from a safe in the master bedroom at the main house
- $6,900 in the pool house
- multiple computers
- various documents and paperwork
- cellular telephones
- one stuffed white bear
- a Cadillac Escalade
- a 4×10 trailer
Business at 200 North Main Street, Atmore
- tax documents
- tax software
- cellular phones
- trash
- loan applications
- client tax files
- tax records
- CD’s from a Ford Expedition
Business at 1150 West Front Street, Thomasville
- checks
- client folders
- binders and documents
- boxes of documents
- papers from trash can
- information copied from hard drives
Business at 2181 South Highway 21 Bypass, Monroeville
- $39,141.45 in cash
- checks
- boxes of documents
- sticky notes from toilet
- deposit records
- hard drive
- videotapes
Pictured above: A federal agent enters Preyear’s Tax & Check Cashing, LLC in Atmore March 4. 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.
Memorial Held For Pedestrian Killed Last Week
May 13, 2010
Friends and family gathered at his favorite fishing spot on Pensacola Beach Wednesday night to remember Billy G. Beck III.
Beck, 23, was walking on New Chemstrand Road May 6 when he was struck by at least three vehicles. The driver of the first vehicle to strike Beck fled the scene and has not yet been located by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Family members said that by sharing the photos here on NorthEscambia.com, they hope that it will show that Beck was loved and the amount of pain his death has caused his family. They hope that someone will step forward with information that will lead to the arrest of the unknown driver.
For more photos from the service, click here.
Billy Beck III is survived by his parents, Billy Jr. & Cathy Beck; brothers, Victor (Desiree) and Austin Beck; grandparents, C.A. & Mildred Longo; aunts & uncles, James Beck, Darlene Thompson, Susan Fonté, Anthony Longo and Charles Longo; his girlfriend, Jesseca Madrid; and close friends, Jason Fetters, Clint Wooten & Cami Wooten and a host of other family and friends.
“Superman loved to draw and fish the Bob Sikes Bridge, Ft. Pickens and area ponds and creeks. One can imagine that he’s finally found that perfect fishing hole,” his obituary stated.
The Florida Highway Patrol says Beck was walking northbound on the paved portion of New Chemstrand Road just south of 10 Mile Road when he was struck by a northbound vehicle. That vehicle fled the scene.
Beck was then struck by the front undercarriage of vehicle driven by Devin J. Poe, 18, of Cantonment. Poe and passenger in his vehicle, Joshua F. Valentine, 18, of Pensacola, were not injured.
A third vehicle, driven by Julian J. Donato, 24, of Pace, then struck Beck.
Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation, according to the FHP.
The FHP said they have no information or description of the vehicle that fled the scene. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Cpl. Michael J. Tucker at the Florida Highway Patrol Station in Pensacola, (850) 484-5000 ext.331.
Pictured top: A memorial service Billy G. Beck III of Cantonment was held Wednesday night on Pensacola Beach. for Pictured inset: Parents Billy Jr. & Cathy Beck. Pictured below: Brothers Victor and Austin Beck. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Take A Survey: What Do You Think Of Your Child’s School?
May 13, 2010
The Escambia County School District is giving you the chance to take a survey and rank how well your child’s school and its staff performed.
The survey, offered on the district’s web page, allows participants to rank many school performance areas based upon how they feel about statements such as:
- I feel welcome at this school.
- Learning is interesting at this school.
- The principal at this school communicates effectively.
- Students are challenged to their ability at this school.
- Students receive recognition for good performance in academics.
There is also an open-ended question designed to recognize outstanding persons in the school district: “Can you identify one individual in the Escambia School District who has had an impact on you or your family during this school year?”
The survey is completely anonymous with no attempt to identify the participants, the district says, and the survey asks for “frank and honest” responses.
To take the survey, click here and then click on the red “Take the School Climate survey” link near the upper right corner of the page.