Accused Donkey Killer Enters Not Guilty Plea
May 15, 2009
The 17-year old accused of shooting a donkey earlier this month has entered a not guilty plea in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Kyle Mason Driver of River Annex Road, Cantonment, entered the plea through his attorney Gene Mitchell. Driver’s next court appearance was an arraignment hearing on May 22.
Driver, 17, was originally charged as a juvenile, but he now faces charges as an adult in Escambia County Circuit Court on three charges related to the May 2 shooting death of the donkey on River Annex Road near Jacks Branch Road. The shooting happened within minutes of the birth of J.B., a white donkey that became a local media celebrity of sorts.
Driver is now facing adult charges of felony animal cruelty, using a weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a minor.
Driver turned himself in to the Escambia County Jail May 6 about two hours after NorthEscambia.com published his photo and a plea for the public’s help in locating him from the Sheriff’s Department. He was released from jail on $6,000 bond.
Deputies say Driver confessed to the crime, and a witness provided deputies with the .22 caliber weapon used in the shooting.
JB the donkey continues to do well in the care of a Panhandle Equine Rescue volunteer.
Economic Plan Would Combine Century, Escambia And Pensacola Efforts
May 15, 2009
Details have emerged about an economic development plan to be presented next week by Escambia Commissioner Gene Valentino at a joint meeting of the commission and the Pensacola City Council. The plan would see Century, Escambia County and Pensacola working together on economic development.
Under the plan, an independent economic development authority — the Pensacola Escambia Development Authority (PEDA) — to be led by a 15 member board with a $300,000 to $600,000 budget.
Each of the five county commissioners would appoint one member, Pensacola City Council two representatives and the Century Town Council would appoint one. The board members would select three persons with experience in military, education and minority business interests. The board would accept nominations from the community from “a variety of current future business assets” to serve in the four remaining board seats for a total of 15 members.
The majority of the funding for PEDA would come from a telecommunications service tax and franchise taxes on electric and gas service. It is expected that the increased taxes will cost the average Escambia household about $1.50 per month average in utility bill increases. A one percent utility franchise fee increase would net the commission about $6 million per year to use as economic incentives to lure industry.
PEDA would operate under Florida’s Sunshine laws, allowing public access to meetings and documents. There are exceptions to Florida’s public records laws that allow for the protection of proprietary information and trade secrets.
The group would hire a director to be the “single point person”. The director and the board will provide “a single point of contact for issues related to economic development”.
“PEDA is about tearing down walls and barriers and perceptions and opening up the process to everyone,” states the proposal to be presented at the joint city-county meeting next week. “Today, we have an opportunity to shake off the economic development strategy of the past and create a new way of competing in an age where talent is king, entrepreneurship is crucial, and innovation must be in our community DNA.”
Currently, Escambia County relies on the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce for economic development. The chamber presented an economic development plan to the commission in late March, but commissioners criticized the plan, including Valentino who called it a “pay to play” plan where a few private individuals put up money for development, expecting personal gain in return.
Click here to watch the presentation video.
Read the proposal by clicking here (2.1Mb pdf).
Pictured top: A screen from the presentation of a new economic development proposal that will be presented Tuesday at a joint Escambia County Commission – Pensacola City Council meeting.
Day Honors Officers Killed On Duty; One Sheriff Died In North Escambia
May 15, 2009
Over 25 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in Escambia County, including a sheriff shot to death in North Escambia.
Today is National Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor law officers killed in the line of duty. Members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department and the Fraternal Order of Police gathered outside the department’s headquarters in Pensacola yesterday to honor the fallen officers.
Since 1923, 11 Escambia County deputies have died in the line of duty. Another 13 Pensacola Police Department Officers have been killed since 1889 and one constable was killed on duty in 1955.
An Escambia County, Alabama, sheriff was shot and killed in North Escambia near Bluff Springs on July 3, 1895.
Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff E.S. McMillan was shot and killed as he and a posse searched for the notorious train robber nicknamed “Railroad Bill.” In 1893, Railroad Bill had shot and wounded a deputy sheriff who confronted him at a Bluff Springs home about not paying taxes on his weapon. He then fled and spent the next two years illegally riding Alabama freighters, robbing trains, and engaging in gun fights with lawmen.
In July of 1895, Sheriff McMillan received a tip that Railroad Bill was hiding out in Bluff Springs, Florida, and went with a posse to arrest him. As Sheriff McMillan walked along the railroad tracks, the suspect, who was hiding behind a tree, opened fire with a Winchester rifle. Sheriff McMillan was struck and succumbed to his wounds a short time later. Railroad Bill was later gunned down by a host of law enforcement officers.
McMillan is the only officer from Escambia County, Alabama, to ever die in the line of duty.
NHS Holds Spring Performing Arts Concert
May 15, 2009
From The Who to George Strait to Miley Cyrus, the Northview Performing Arts Spring Concert featured music from a variety of artists Thursday night. Performers included members of the chorus, guitar ensemble and jazz combo from Northview High School.
For a photo gallery from the concert, click here.
Pictured above and below: The Northview Performing Arts Spring Concert Thursday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Help The Library: Take a Survey
May 15, 2009
The West Florida Library is taking part in a nationwide study to determine how people use the library’s Internet and computer services and how to improve upon those services.
The West Florida Library, including the Century Library, is one of about 600 libraries in the country that are participating in the survey funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. The data is being collected by the University of Washington.
To take the survey, click here to visit the library web site and click the “Take Our Survey” button. The survey take about 15 minutes to complete and is anonymous.
EWMS Drama Club Presents First Major Production
May 15, 2009
The Ernest Ward Middle School Drama Club presents the play “The Picture That Was Turned to the Wall” Thursday evening.
North Escambia firefighters were invited to attend the play for free after responding to a lightning strike at the school earlier in the day.
For a photo gallery from Wednesday’s dress rehearsal for the play, click here.
Cast members in the Ernest Ward Middle School Drama Club’s presentation of “The Picture That Was Turned to the Wall” included:
- Father Tubbs – Dezarae Turner
- Mother Tubbs – Shalmali Bhadkamkar
- Isadora Snapdragon – Hannah Ziglar
- Preacher Cribbs – Kent Smith
- Jubilee – Danielle Scott
- Smiling Billy Tapshoes – Lily Townson
- Mattie Busby – Lauryn Walker
- Rudolph Von Doberman – Anna Donald
- Diamond-Tooth Polly – Rachel Presley
- Dizzy Esther – Chelsea Ward
- Rags – Kristen Byrd
- Fred – Chelsea Turner
- Mrs. Pantheon – Audrey Byrd
- Zenobia - Anna Fischer
- Soldier Boy – Lily Townson
Pictured: A scene from the play “The Picture That Was Turned to the Wall” at Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Lightning Strike Reported At Ernest Ward Middle School; No Injuries, No Fire
May 14, 2009
(Updated 3:15 p.m.) There was no damage and no injuries from a reported lightning strike at Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill this afternoon.
Fire departments from across the area were dispatched to Ernest Ward Middle School at 2:15 this afternoon after several teachers and staff members reported seeing a flash and hearing the strike. The strike caused the school’s fire alarm system to activate.
There were no injuries and no fire reported. Firemen searched the entire main building, including the attic, and surrounding areas. They were unable to find any damage or the exact point of the lightning strike.
Several computers in the main building were reported to be damaged by the lightning strike.
The school was not evacuated due to heavy rain and more dangerous lightning still in the area at the time. School dismissed at the end of the school day as normal.
The Walnut Hill, McDavid, Molino and Century stations of Escambia Fire-Rescue responded to the call.
Pictured top: Heavy rain falls as the first fire truck arrives on scene in at a reported lightning strike at Ernest Ward Middle School this afternoon. Pictured middle: Firemen enter the building. Picture below: Firemen make access to the school attic to search for any problems. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Gindl-Perry Named Escambia County’s Principal Of The Year
May 14, 2009
Ernest Ward Middle School principal, Nancy Gindl-Perry, has been named as Escambia County’s Principal of the Year.
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas made the announcement Wednesday, along with announcing that Regina Lipnick, assistant principal at Bailey Middle, is the Assistant Principal of the Year.
“Our school district is blessed with a number of excellent school administrators,” Thomas said. “These are two outstanding individuals who will represent well the administrative talent we have in our schools.”
“I could not have done it without a fine faculty and staff,” Perry said. “Behind every principal are the people that make a school great.”
Known for calling Ernest Ward students as “my babies”, Perry will compete against principals from 66 other districts in Florida for state honors.
The Florida Department of Education annually honors principals and assistant principals from each of the state’s 67 school districts for their exemplary contribution to students, schools, and communities. Award criteria also include innovative leadership, dedication to academic excellence, and increased student performance.
Earlier this year, Perry received what was, without a doubt, the most unique award of her entire educational career. She was presented with the “Golden Cow Dung Award” by members of the Ernest Ward FFA. The award featured a large piece of cow dung, painted a golden color. Perry received the award from the school’s FFA members as a “thank you” for supporting FFA.
Pictured: Escambia County’s Principal of the Year, Nancy Gindl-Perry from Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured below: Perry received the “Golden Cow Dung Award” earlier this year. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia School Board, Superintendent Salaries Cut
May 14, 2009
Escambia County School Board members are taking a pay cut after the Florida Legislature mandated that they can’t be paid more than a rookie teacher.
The Legislature approved a measure that requires school board members to be paid no more than the starting salary paid to a teacher in their school district.
Each school board member’s salary will be cut from $35,938 to about $32,000 — the teacher starting salary in Escambia County. The nearly $4,000 will be cut from the salaries of the five board members effective July 1.
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas won’t be immune from the salary cuts. His salary will be cut 5 percent — about $6,000 from its current $130,436 level.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Sheriff: Century Precinct To Remain Open, Walnut Hill Open Soon
May 14, 2009
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan says that he has no plans to close his Century precinct, and he still plans to reopen a precinct in Walnut Hill in the near future.
The Escambia County Tax Collector and Escambia County Clerk of the Court are pulling out of the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century by the end of May. NorthEscambia.com was the first to report last week that the Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley and Clerk of the Court Ernie Lee Magaha would close their offices at the end of the month.
But the sheriff’s department is in Century to stay, Morgan said.
“We have never even discussed closing the Century office,” the sheriff said. “We’ve never even brought it up. We plan to stay in Century.”
In addition, Morgan said he still plans to add two to three deputies to the Century precinct, and he plans to reopen the Walnut Hill office for two or three days per week.
The building that housed the Walnut Hill precinct was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan back in 2004. Since it was rebuilt, it has only been rarely used by deputies.
Morgan said the Walnut Hill precinct would be opened on a “test basis” to determine if there would be sufficient walk-in traffic to justify keeping it open.
Molino will also see an increased presence from the Sheriff’s Department in the near future, with two or three new deputies being assigned to that precinct in the coming months, according to the sheriff.
To read last week’s story about the closure of the other offices in the Century courthouse, click here.