A North Escambia resident that was recently the most wanted man in Florida has entered a not guilty plea to 20 child pornography charges.
Martin Lyle Christianson, 57, is facing 20 felony counts of possession of child pornography, including images of child molestation. His bond was originally set at $1 million, but it was reduced to $100,000 by Judge John Parnham. Christianson has not yet made bond; he remains behind bars in the Escambia County Jail.
In May, Christianson was named the Florida Attorney General’s most wanted fugitive in the state after he fled his residence at 452 Crowndale Court in the Cottage Hill community in a used ice cream truck that was later found abandoned in Mobile. He was arrested without incident on May 22 in Terrytown, Louisiana, by U.S. Marshals and local authorities.
He is due to be back in court August 24 for a docket hearing, and his jury trial is set to being September 13.
Christianson is also wanted in California on a four-year old warrant for commercial sex charges. Authorities there believe he put his wife to work in a brothel.
Florida’s Bureau of Unclaimed Property is stepping up efforts to put unclaimed cash or property back into the hands of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Florida CFO Alex Sink announced Tuesday that her Bureau of Unclaimed Property will begin focusing additional efforts to return unclaimed cash or property to Floridians living in areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon disaster — including hundreds of residents in the North Escambia area.
“During this disaster and tough economic climate, every penny counts,” said CFO Alex Sink. “I encourage Gulf residents and businesses to visit www.FLTreasureHunt.org today to see if the state is holding any unclaimed property that may help them weather the economic effects of this disaster.”
Individuals with more than $100 in unclaimed property in Wakulla, Franklin, Gulf, Bay, Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Escambia counties will be receiving notices in the mail informing them how to claim their property. Those counties currently hold more than 335,000 unclaimed property accounts worth more than $30.5 million.
So far this fiscal year, CFO Sink’s Bureau of Unclaimed Property has returned $187 million, already $13 million more than last year’s record-setting year.
Since the program’s inception 49 years ago, the Florida Bureau of Unclaimed Property has successfully reunited owners or relatives of deceased owners with more than $1.4 billion in unclaimed property. During CFO Sink’s tenure as CFO, the Bureau has successfully reunited owners, heirs and businesses with more than $678 million, 48 percent of all the money returned since the beginning of the program – due largely to aggressive efforts to contact owners.
The Bureau of Unclaimed Property, on behalf of Florida citizens, receives unclaimed funds from dormant accounts in financial institutions, unclaimed utility deposits, insurance benefits, premium refunds, uncashed checks and trust accounts, as well as watches, jewelry, coins, stamps and historical items from abandoned safe deposit boxes. Unclaimed property can be claimed for free at any time by the rightful owners or heirs by logging on to www.FLTreasureHunt.org or by calling the Bureau at 1-88-VALUABLE.
Florida emergency responders are looking into the Caribbean as they prepare for what could be the first storm of the 2010 hurricane season, an arrival that would not only curtail recovery operations but could require them to open up the partially capped oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.
Meeting with a group of local and state officials, Florida Director of Emergency Management David Halstead said Tuesday there is a possibility that a tropical wave developing in the Atlantic will intensify into a tropical cyclone within 48 hours, though by late Tuesday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center said the probability was only about 20 percent.
Though the preliminary forecast calls for the system to move further west into Mexico, the storm’s path could veer northward and might then require cleanup crews to cease operations until weather conditions improve.
And that’s a problem.
Officials are in the process of replacing the current, rigid well containment and oil collection system with another that is more flexible. Though that will allow them to collect more oil, it does not help in the event of bad weather. In the event of a storm, the recovery vessels and their crews will have to detach themselves from the collection system, leaving the oil free to spew into the gulf again.
“The spigot at Deepwater Horizon is going to be pouring whatever the total quantity is, whether it’s 50,000 or 60,000 barrels a day, for the number of days that they disconnect to get to safe harbor until the tropical event passes by, and they can go back and reconnect,” Halstead said. “You could certainly be talking a couple of weeks.
“During that time, nobody will be doing skimming operations, there will be no burns,” Halstead added. “None of the work that is currently being done will be done.”
State emergency responders will have a much better bead on the issue in the next 48 to 72 hours as they continue to track the tropical wave now located south of Cuba. Conditions remain favorable for tropical cyclone formation over the next week or so.
On Tuesday, state emergency response team leader Mike DeLorenzo reminded state emergency responders that they needed to better focus on hurricane preparation while not taking their eyes off spill recovery efforts. Such a dual role is not unusual for the agency that at one time handled back to back hurricanes over a two-year period.
State officials are gearing up for big meeting Wednesday as BP executive Darryl Willis joins in a daylong series of presentations on the BP claims process. State oil spill task force members will also get reports from officials on how the spill is affecting employment and food stamp enrollment.
To date, BP has paid nearly 18,000 claims worth nearly $16 million in Florida. But local governments say they have yet to see a dime from the oil company for preparation and clean-up efforts. That process has been frustrating for many Panhandle counties that lack the financial resources to pay for the equipment, additional salaries and other expenses associated with the spill. So far, Escambia County is the only government to file a formal claim with BP. The company has requested additional information.
Escambia County deputies were called to a late night bash at the Century Community Center this past weekend, four months after the Town Council said it would review its rental policy for the building.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disorderly conduct complaint at the building at the corner of West Highway 4 and Industrial Boulevard at 12:45 a.m. Saturday. Personnel at the Escambia County EMS building two-tenths of a mile away had complained about the part, according to Sheriff’s Office records.
When deputies arrived two minutes after the complaint, they observed a large party and told the participants to be quieter. There were no arrests made.
According to a rental agreement executed June 11, the building was rented Friday night, June 18 to Lisa Johnson of Atmore. The blank labeled “purpose” on the agreement was left blank as was the “time of rental”.
Back in February, the Town Council decided to review the rental agreement for the building after a late night party the mayor said could be heard across the town. The rental agreement for that party listed the purpose for using the building as a “baby shower”.
The Century Town Council has not yet reviewed its community center rental agreement in a public meeting.
Pictured: A rental agreement for June 19 for the Century Community Center, click to enlarge.
Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill will be home to two Little League tournaments in the coming weeks.
Officials with Northwest Little League have announced that they will host the Florida District 1 All Star Tournament for 11-12 year old girls softball beginning this Saturday, June 26 and the District 1 All Star Tournament for 13-14 year old boys baseball beginning Saturday, July 10.
The public is invited to attend the games, and concessions will be available. We will publish the brackets and game times when they become available here on NorthEscambia.com.
Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News, Sports
A staff member from the office of U.S. Representative Joe Bonner (R-AL) will visit Atmore Wednesday morning to meet with any constituents who who may be experiencing difficulties with the federal government and who are seeking the Congressman’s assistance in resolving these problems.
The Bonner staffer will be available at Atmore City Hall between 10:45 and 11:45 a.m.
For more information on these visits, please contact Bryan Parker, Bonner’s District Representative, at (251) 943-2073 or (800) 288-8721.
A security guard is being credited for the arrest of a murder suspect after a man was gunned down at an Escambia County apartment complex.
Alberto Leslie, 28, is facing a homicide charge for the Monday night shooting death of Brandon A. Stovall at the Twin Oaks Apartments in the Warrington community.
Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a shots fired disturbance at the Twin Oaks Drive apartment complex. When they arrived, they found the victim lying in the street and a Vice Security Officer holding the suspect at gunpoint. Stovall was pronounced dead on the scene by Escambia County EMS.
“According to Vice Security Officer Russell Hines, he heard gunshots and stepped outside the office which is located at the Twin Oaks Apartments. Hines stated he observed the suspect shooting the victim at which time he had the suspect get on the ground and held him at gunpoint until the arrival of deputies,” Sgt. Ted Roy, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, said in a prepared release.
Roy said investigators are still working to establish a motive, but they were advised by the suspect that the victim had been harassing him. Leslie was a resident of the apartment complex, according to jail records.
Leslie is being held in the Escambia County Jail on no bond.
Here is the latest BP oil spill information for Wednesday, June 23 specific to Escambia County, with the newest information highlighted:
Report tar or oiled debris on the beach 1-877-389-8932 or #DEP from a cell phone.
DO NOT TOUCH oiled or injured wildlife. Report your finding to 1-866-557-1401.
The Florida Association of Counties will be hosting a meeting with United States Coast Guard Captain Steve Poulin, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Mike Sole and commissioners, administrators and emergency directors from Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin and Wakulla counties. The meeting will be held at 3 p.m. at the Emerald Coast Conference Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Parkway Southeast, Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548. The roundtable discussion will focus on the efforts being made to respond to the Deepwater horizon incident along with questions counties have regarding issues such as communications, claims and the response model. A live video webstream of the meeting will be available at www.fl-counties.com.
Gulf Islands National Seashore hosts volunteer training for citizens assisting seashore visitors on Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Naval Live Oaks Visitor Center, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Gulf Breeze. For more information call 850-916-3013.
A tropical wave moving west-northwest ward is producing a large area of disorganized storm activity. There is a low (20%) chance of this becoming a tropical cyclone within the next 48 hours.
Reports from Perdido Key are that although inclement weather has kept clean-up crews from accessing the beach in some areas, no new material seems to be washing in and the tarballs are degrading in the sand.
Reports from Pensacola Beach are that although a dark brown film was seen on the west side of the beach, the relationship to incoming oil has not been determined. The inclement weather hampered the clean-up crews actions.
Unified Command has released a fact sheet on “If Oil is Spotted on the Shore” that provides details on what happens after the oil reaches the shore. Details
BP
BP claims in Florida total 17,923 with approximately $15,988,477.02 paid.
Do not sign any documents in return from money from BP or anyone else until you know the extent of your loss. BP officials carry proper identification badges or business cards.
There are reports of a scam involving individuals falsely representing themselves as BP employees and offering applicants training and job placement for a fee. BP does not charge to train applicants. If you or someone you know has been charged for training, please contact law enforcement.
BP’s claims office is located at 3960 W. Navy Boulevard, Suite 16 & 17. The office is currently open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice. BP claims categories. Call 1-800-440-0858 to help expedite the process. If you are not satisfied with BP’s resolution, call 1-800-280-7118.
The BP community outreach office is located at 435 East Government Street for questions on volunteering, vessels of opportunity program, or any other questions. Phone: 850-912-8640.
To register as a consultant, contractor, vendor or submit information on alternative response technology, services products or suggestions, call BP at 281-366-5511.
BP Vessels of Opportunity – see the master vessel charter agreement and vessel requirements checklist online www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com. To pick up or deliver completed Vessels of Opportunity packets, visit 435 East Government Street. For information, call 281-366-5511.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is working with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, contracted by BP to provide assistance to oiled wildlife. Specific safety and other requirements must be met before anyone will be allowed on-site for any participation. If you have wildlife training, call 1-866-557-1401.
Boaters are requested to report sightings of broken, disconnected or adrift boom and are asked to keep their distance from boom especially at night or in conditions of restricted visibility. Please report damaged, vandalized, adrift or stolen boom to: 1-866-448-5816. See details.
Federal
Latest information from NOAA Fisheries Service, including federal fisheries closure, regulation changes and quota increases: http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov.
State of Florida
Governor Charlie Crist sent a letter to Doug Suttles, Chief Operating Officer of Exploration and Production for BP America, Inc. requesting the data needed to evaluate the claims process and measure the economic impact of the losses to all level of governments throughout Florida. Letter
Five skimmers were contracted by the state of Florida for this area with one skimmer designated for Escambia County.
See Florida Department of Health information and alerts about the health effects from oil.
The Small Business Administration issued an economic injury Disaster Loan Declaration for the state of Florida. Pensacola office: 401 E. Chase St., Ste. 100. For more information on Economic Injury Disaster Loans visit the SBA website.
Additional guidance to help small businesses survive a disaster can be found at www.MyFloridaCFO.com or by calling 850-413-3089 or toll-free 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236).
Video and audio public service announcements are available for download to educate the public on response, safety, coast watch and beach cleanup. See details.
Report boom vandalism to the 1-800-320-0519 or #DEP from your cell phone.
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners and Staff
Citizen/Public Meetings this week:
NOTE LOCATION CHANGE: Commissioner Grover Robinson will hold a District 4 town hall beach meeting on Tuesday, June 22 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Pensacola Beach Community Church, 920 Via De Luna Drive.
Escambia County Extension Office and University of Florida IFAS will host “SOS: The Science of the Spill” Public Forum meeting on Wednesday, June 23 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sanders Beach Community Center, 913 South “I” Street
Commissioner Gene Valentino will host a ribbon cutting for the new kayak launch at Civitan Park on Thursday, June 24 at 5 p.m. at Civitan Park, 404 2nd Street
Cleaning stations have been placed on both Perdido Key and Pensacola Beach at the crossovers (between the crossovers and the roadways) to aid in the removal of tar and oil.Clean-up crews continue to work both beaches at night when temperatures are cooler.
“Hot shot” teams will respond to specific requests during the day as needed.
We are continuing to monitor clean-up efforts and skimming operations.
The Escambia County Health Department has rescinded the current health advisory related to swimming in the Perdido Key area. More details.
A Recreational Vessel Decontamination Facility for local boaters is being established.
Reports vary widely throughout the day as heat from the sun brings subsurface oil to the top, and cooler temperatures at night tend to cause it to sink below the surface.
Anyone caught destroying, disturbing or stealing boom will be prosecuted. If you spot any illegal activity related to the booms, please call 1-800-320-0519.
Skimmer vessels continue to respond as reports are received. Skimmers are working nightly.
Perdido Pass, Pensacola Pass and Bayou Texar are navigationally restricted during flood (incoming) tide and reopen during ebb (outgoing) tide as water flows out to the gulf. They are manned to allow access to necessary vessel traffic. (See NOAA tide predictions.)
Boaters are asked to be mindful of the boom and skimming operations, to use slow speeds so as not to produce a wake that may disrupt the boom, and to be aware of restricted areas.
A flashing light has been attached to all boom to increase visibility to boaters.
The Intracoastal Waterway remains open.
The beaches at Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key remain open.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in coordination with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Department of Health, issued an executive order to temporarily close a portion of coastal state waters offshore of Escambia County to the harvest of saltwater fish, crabs and shrimp. Details.
The closure includes state waters from the beaches out nine nautical miles into the Gulf from the Alabama line east to the Pensacola Beach water tower. Interior bays and estuaries remain open to fishing. This area covers approximately 23 miles of Florida’s coastline in Escambia County. Map.
Recreational catch-and-release fishing is still allowed.
The Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier and the Pensacola Bay Fishing Bridge are open for sightseers and fishing, however fishing off the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier is catch and release only.
Reconnaissance flights and ATV beach patrols are being conducted daily, weather permitting, to monitor Florida’s shoreline for impact.
Unified command continues to check, verify the condition and make repairs as needed to currently placed booms.
If citizens see anything unusual on the beaches, Escambia County has opened field offices on Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key to assist in answering questions from the public and to also act as staging areas for the county monitoring teams.
The Pensacola Beach field office is located at 5 Via Deluna, Suite 8; phone: 934-6500.
The Perdido Key field office is located at 13578 Perdido Key Drive; phone: 791-6905
Escambia County, in conjunction with the University of West Florida, is collecting gulf water samples from Santa Rosa Island and Perdido Key routinely to indicate any changes in water quality. The latest testing came back negative for aliphatic hydrocarbons, meaning no dissolved or dispersed hydrocarbons were found. Tar balls represent a different and less toxic form of the oil.
On inland waters (bays, bayous, estuaries, rivers), private property owners may install oil absorbent material, booms or fences on private property above the mean high waterline (MHWL) only. No material may be installed or sprayed below the MHWL.
On gulf-front property, the use of silt fences, obstructions, hay bales, peat, surfactants or other material is not approved. DEP is the permitting agency for beaches and coastal systems. No obstructions to sea turtle nesting behavior is allowed.
City of Pensacola
Boom has been added by city at the Escambia Bay entrance to Gaborone Swamp off Scenic Highway.
As requested by the city, additional boom has been placed at the mouth of Bayou Texar by the county to provide additional protection.
Boom has been added by city to protect aquatic vegetation just south of 17th Avenue boat ramp at Bayou Texar on west side.
DEP has boomed Project Greenshores Phase II from Muscogee Wharf to Hawkshaw Lagoon.
Boom has been added by the city across entrance to Pitt Slip Marina in the very near future, as warranted.
Boom has been added by the city to entrance of new Maritime Park bulkhead mitigation site immediately west of Crab Trap restaurant.
City is currently requesting/seeking approximately 1100′ of boom to secure and protect the rip-rap surrounding the Bruce Beach wetland mitigation site maintained by the Port of Pensacola.
Boom has been added by city to protect shoreline of Sanders Beach-Corrine Jones community center and waterfront park facility immediately east of Bayou Chico.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has determined volunteers cannot be used in any situation where they may come in contact with oiled shorelines or oiled wildlife.
If you see a tar ball on the beach, DO NOT PICK IT UP. Report it to 1-877-389-8932.
The Escambia County Health Department offers advice to residents experiencing symptoms from odors associated with the oil spill. (See details at www.escambiahealth.com.)
Do not attempt to rescue oiled or injured birds or wildlife as this may cause additional injuries.
If oiled, injured or dead wildlife are found, call 1-866-557-1401. Provide location where the wildlife was sighted.
Boats
Boats should keep a safe distance from the booms. Do not drive boats over booms.
Do not drive boats through slicks or sheens.
Beaches and Waterways
Citizens should take precautions around waterways to avoid contact with oil substances.
Officials are closely monitoring potential public health and environmental concerns.
Personal Safety
Gulf coast residents may detect an odor because of the oil spill. Some are more sensitive to these odors and may experience nasal irritation and feelings of nausea. In combination with seasonal allergies or pre-existing respiratory conditions, some may experience more severe symptoms. For Air Quality Reports, see http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/air.html.
Individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthma or other respiratory illness should contact their health care provider if feeling symptomatic.
If you see or smell oil, leave immediately. Avoid skin contact with oil or oil-contaminated water. Do not swim or ski in areas affected by oil, and if you travel through the area by boat, take care when hoisting the anchor. Restrict pets from entering oil-contaminated areas. If you get oil on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. Young children, pregnant women, people with compromised immune systems, and individuals with underlying respiratory conditions should avoid the area.
Do not fish in the oil spill-affected waters. Do not harvest and eat dead fish, fish with oily residue or fish that have a petroleum odor.
Business Information
More information about what types of damages are eligible for compensation under the Oil Pollution Act as well as guidance to seek compensation can be found at www.uscg.mil/npfc.
Florida emergency management and economic development staff are gathering information from businesses impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Please complete their survey and help shape Florida’s response to this event. The survey will be updated periodically.
Take detailed records of cancelled reservations. When cancellations occur, ask the party if the cancellation is related the oil spill. Keep the person’s name and contact information, and the revenues lost as a result of the cancellation.
Businesses negatively impacted due to the oil spill, are asked to keep detailed profit and loss records should a claim need to be presented. Calculate estimated losses for a six-week period and have records, receipts and documentation to support your claim. Compare business to a five-year average of revenues between May and June, which can offer insight as to the damages incurred.
Make a detailed list of assets, including non-structural, and include supportive records. If your hotel or restaurant is within walking distance to the beach, the business’s assets could be damaged even though there is no physical damage to the structure. Please record this depreciation.
Important Phone Numbers For Citizens
Report oil on the beach or shoreline: 1-877-389-8932 or #DEP from a cell phone
To report oiled wildlife: 1-866-557-1401
BP Claims: 1-800-440-0858
To report damaged, vandalized, adrift or stolen boom: 1-866-448-5816 or 1-800-320-0519
Escambia County Citizen’s Information Line: 471-6600
Florida Oil Spill Information Line: 1-888-337-3569
Voluntary pre-kindergarten registration is still underway for the 2010-2011 school year the the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center. For more information about VPK, contact Pam Townson at (850) 256-0953. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Martin Lyle Christianson, 57, is facing 20 felony counts of possession of child pornography, including images of child molestation. His bond was originally set at $1 million, but it was reduced to $100,000 by Judge John Parnham. Christianson has not yet made bond; he remains behind bars in the Escambia County Jail.
“During this disaster and tough economic climate, every penny counts,” said CFO Alex Sink. “I encourage Gulf residents and businesses to visit www.FLTreasureHunt.org today to see if the state is holding any unclaimed property that may help them weather the economic effects of this disaster.”
According to a rental agreement executed June 11, the building was rented Friday night, June 18 to Lisa Johnson of Atmore. The blank labeled “purpose” on the agreement was left blank as was the “time of rental”.
Alberto Leslie, 28, is facing a homicide charge for the Monday night shooting death of Brandon A. Stovall at the Twin Oaks Apartments in the Warrington community.
