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Arrested Firefighter No Longer Responding To Calls

A Century volunteer firefighter arrested Tuesday is not  responding to the department’s calls for help.

Dustin Ryan Burkett, 28, of Century, is facing one felony count of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 15 years of age, one felony count of grand theft, and misdemeanor charges of abandonment of animals and obstruction of justice.

“He is not answering calls at this time,” according to Century Assistant District Chief David Adams said Wednesday. Disciplinary action taken by the department on September 1 forbid Burkett from responding to emergency calls, Adams said.

For more on Burkett’s arrest, click here.

Florida Education Association Heads To Court Over Class Size Amendment

A proposal to relax limits on school class sizes should be thrown off the November ballot because voters may not realize the proposed change could change how much money schools will get, a lawyer for the state’s teachers union told a judge on Wednesday.

The union, the Florida Education Association, is asking the circuit court to throw the proposed Amendment 8, a centerpiece of the Republican Legislature’s agenda, off the ballot. The proposal, if it goes before voters and is approved by at least 60 percent of them, would relax the way schools count students in meeting class size caps. Currently, the caps are set at 18 students in kindergarten through third grade, 22 in fourth through eighth grade, and 25 in high school. Under the amendment, schools would only have to meet an average of that number in each grade.

FEA attorney Ron Meyer told Leon County Circuit Court Judge Charles Francis that voters won’t realize that by tweaking the 2002 constitutional provision that instituted the caps, voters may also alter how much money schools receive from the state. That information is not a part of the ballot summary or title, which is the only information printed on the ballot. Meyer said that puts the proposal in violation of a state requirement that the ballot summary and title be clear and unambiguous.

“They’re making a change in the funding formula,” he said. “And again, people can do that. But the Legislature can’t conceal that.”

Jonathan Glogau, an assistant attorney general, charged that the FEA could not produce any numbers that indicate how the funding will change in the next few years.

“There is no requirement that the Legislature appropriate any particular amount of money,” Glogau said.

The class size issue has been a thorn in the Legislature’s side since voters approved the caps in 2002 because of the associated costs, particularly as tax collections have shrunk.

School administrators say they have had to become creative in order to comply with the law and have voiced concerns about situations where they are at capacity and new students enroll in the district.

Lawmakers debated those concerns over flexibility and passed a proposed constitutional amendment during the spring legislative session over the objections of the teachers’ union and many Democrats. The FEA and Miami teacher Lynette Estrada filed suit in July to knock it off the ballot.

“And as a teacher, and I teach special ed, I see the difference when the class is smaller,” Estrada said after the oral arguments. “As a parent, I see a difference when the classes are smaller. My daughter, who is 12, sees a difference when the classes are smaller.”

Francis said he would try to rule by the end of the week, possibly on Thursday. Regardless of his ruling, it is likely that the Supreme Court will ultimately be the final decider as to whether the issue should be a part of the November ballot.

By Kathleen Haughney
The News Service Florida

Almost Quarter Million Dollar Lottery Ticket Remains Unclaimed

Five months later, the person that purchased a lottery ticket worth a quarter million dollars  in Walnut Hill has not stepped forward to claim their prize.

As of  Wednesday afternoon, officials with the Florida Lottery said no one had claimed the $244.468.47 winning Fantasy 5 ticket that was purchased April 9, 2010, at the State Line O’Yes Lotto at 11331 Highway 97.

The Florida Lottery allows winners 180 days to claim their prize; the April 9 winning ticket will expire October 6 at which time the $244.468.47 will be split with 80 percent going to the Education Trust Fund and the remaining 20 percent returned to the prize pool.

Lottery officials said the ticket was a “Quick Pick” with numbers randomly chosen by the lottery machine. Only one ticket matched the winning numbers:  13-21-25-28-36.

There were 287 tickets on April 9 with four matching numbers worth $137 each. There were 9,650 tickets matching three numbers that were worth $11 each, and 100,219  had two numbers for a free Quick Pick ticket.



This Place Matters: Flomaton Historical Group In The Running For $25K

The Flomaton Area Railroad Museum is the running for a $25,000 “This Place Matters” grant — and they want your help.

The This Place Matters Challenge from the National Trust for Historic Preservation will award the $25,000 to one entrant to protect places in their community. The goal of the This Place Matters Community Challenge is to rally as many people around the grassroots issues of preservation in communities as possible, according to the group’s website.

“I am terribly happy that we were chosen to be on there,” Betty Jones of the Flomaton Area Railroad Museum said.

To see Flomaton’s entry and vote, click here. Voes are due by September 15.

Pictured: Levi Wagner, son of Tip Wagner and April Eicher, in photo used by the Flomaton Area Railroad Museum in their “This Place Matters” entry. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Tropical Storm Igor Forms

Tropical Storm Igor formed Wednesday morning off the coast of Africa near the Cape Verde Islands. The storm is on a westward path across the Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting Igor to become a hurricane by the weekend.

The last information on Igor can be found in the graphic above, click to enlarge.

Firefighter Charged With Felony Sexual Abuse Of Underage Girl, Grand Theft, Abandoning Dogs

A Century volunteer fireman — the son of the department chief — was arrested Tuesday night, charged with sexually abusing an underage girl and with abandoning dogs rescued by the department.

Dustin Ryan Burkett, 28, of Century, was booked into the Escambia County Jail just before 11 p.m. Tuesday on one felony count of lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 15 years of age, one felony count of grand theft, and misdemeanor charges of abandonment of animals and obstruction of justice, according to Melissa Aiken Rawson, spokesperson for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.  Burkett was released from jail Wednesday afternoon on $15,000 bond, according to jail records.

An arrest warrant was signed Tuesday on the sexual abuse charge stemming from a 2009 incident in which a 15 year old girl told deputies she had intercourse with Burkett at Lake Stone Campground in Century. The encounter, according to the victim, took place on or about March 28, 2009. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office received information on April 13, 2009, that the relationship had taken place, and the victim was interviewed at her school on April 28, 2009.

Burkett retained an attorney and refused to meet with the Sheriff’s Office investigators, according to the warrant affidavit.

In an unrelated incident, a second arrest warrant was signed against Burkett on Tuesday for allegedly abandoning three dogs that were reported to be “rescued” by the Century Station of Escambia Fire Rescue last month.

The Century Station of Escambia-Rescue responded to a reported motor vehicle accident on Sunday, August 22 on North Century Boulevard just south of Tedder Road. They discovered that there was no accident; rather, a motorist had stopped after seeing the three dogs nearly in the road. Both the fire department and the Sheriff’s Office requested that Escambia County Animal Control respond, but the agency refused stating that it did not meet their call-out criteria.

Rather than leave the dogs beside the road, they were taken back to the Century firehouse as firefighters worked to determine what to do with the canines. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office incident report, the Burkett told his follow firefighters to, “Put them in my truck. I have a pen at my house”.

A Century Volunteer Fire Department officer emailed NorthEscambia.com that night, providing photographs of the dogs and asking for help in find the dogs’ owner. NorthEscambia.com published that story Monday, August 23.

After the article was published on NorthEscambia.com, the dogs’ owner contacted the fire department. According to the ECSO, the owner confronted Burkett at the Century fire station the next evening and asked the whereabouts of his dogs. Burkett according to the incident report, “refused to respond and acted like he didn’t know what (the victim) was talking about”.

On Wednesday, the dogs’ owner went to the Burkett’s residence on Highway 4A and spoke with the suspect’s father. The father was helpful but said that he did not see the dogs or know where his son had put them, the victim told deputies.

Burkett told a fire department officer that he had found a good home for the dogs in Walnut Hill, and the officer contact NorthEscambia.com with the information.  Based on that information from the fire department, a followup story was published by NorthEscambia.com on Thursday, August 26, reporting that  a home had been found for the dogs.

On Thursday, deputies met with both Burkett and his father. Burkett told deputies, according to their report, that he had given the dogs to a man he met. He told a deputy that he did not know how to contact the man and that the deputy should call his friend. The friend told the deputy by phone that “he did not want to be involved and that he was not going to tell a lie to keep (the suspect) out of trouble”. He said that Burkett contacted him Sunday night and “asked him to cover for him if asked the whereabouts of the missing dogs”. The friend told the deputy that Burkett told him that he took the dogs and dropped them off at the intersection of North Pine Barren Road and Highway 168.

When contacted by phone, the deputy said Burkett admitted to putting the dogs out of his vehicle on Pine Barren Road on Wednesday. About 30 minutes later, Burkett called the suspect again to advise him that he was going to face charges over the dogs. “He advised me that he didn’t kill them or sell them and that he put them out on Sunday,” Deputy David Bashore wrote in his report.

The dogs were found a few days later on Highway 4, not far from Northview High School. They were  determined to be in good condition by a veterinarian and returned the owner.

Burkett is the son of the Century District Fire Chief Reggie Burkett, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Disciplinary action was taken against Burkett by the department, according to Century Assistant District Chief David Adams. He declined to elaborate.

Pictured top: Century firefighter Dustin Ryan Burkett was arrested Tuesday night. Pictured inset: These cellphone photos show three dogs found the evening of August 22 on North Century Boulevard just south of Tedder Road. The firefighter partially in the photograph is not suspected of any wrongdoing. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Former Teacher Sentenced To Prison On Drug, Obscene Materials Charges

A former Escambia County, Ala., teacher will spend three years in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to  possession of obscene material and  distribution of a controlled substance.

Larry Tindell had faced up to 30 years in prison before he entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors.  He will remain on probation for 10 years after his release.

Tindell, a former special education teacher at W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton, was arrested in February, 2009, on charge that he gave Lortab to a former student at the school. He was also charged with possession of obscene material after authorities reportedly found inappropriate images of children while searching his home.

Ernest Ward Beats Excel 34-8 (With Photo Gallery)

The Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles improved to 2-0 with a big 34-8 defeat of the Excel Panthers Tuesday evening.

For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the game, click here.

Fueled by a 34-yard run by Hunter Sherouse, the Eagles were set to be the first on the scoreboard. Eighth grader Jaran Miles picked up the first touchdown for EWMS with 2:54 to go in the first quarter. Miles’ attempt at a two point conversion was stopped just inches short of the goal line by a host of Panthers’ defenders. 6-0, EWMS on top.

Less  than two minutes later, with 1:04 to go in the first, Miles repeated with another touchdown, this one from about 20 yards out. A two point conversion pass was caught by Jaylen Parker to expand the Ernest Ward lead to 14-0.

Late in the second quarter, Austin Whitehead plowed up the middle from a few yards out for another Ernest Ward touchdown.  Another two point pass caught by Parker, and the Eagles were up 22-0 with 3:59 to go in the first half.

In the third quarter, Miles struck again, with about a 60-yard touchdown run. A missed two-pointer, and the Eagles marched on 28-0 with 5:04 in the third quarter of play.

Excel picked up their only score of the night with a long run past midfield with 3:27 on the clock in the third. A good point after attempt, and the score was 28-8.

In the fourth quarter, the Eagles struck again, widening their lead to 34-8. The Panthers came close to one more touchdown from the one-yard line with 1.1 seconds on the clock, but the Eagles’ defense held strong for the win.

For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the game, click here.

The Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles — the only middle school team in Escambia County, Fla. — will be off next week. They will be on the road September 21 against Uriah.

Pictured top: Jaran Miles heads for an Ernest Ward touchdown Tuesday in Walnut Hill. Picture inset: An Excel Panther brought to stop by the EWMS defense. Pictured below: The Ernest Ward Middle School cheerleaders lead the crowd. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Deputies Investigate Drive-by Shooting In Nokomis

Deputies are investigating an apparent drive-by shooting in the Nokomis community in which at least a half dozen shots were fired into a vehicle belonging to a 63-year old woman.

The incident happened sometime Tuesday morning in the 6000 block of Pineville Road, about a mile south of the Alabama state line.  The victim told deputies that she she heard what she thought was someone knocking at her door about 2:30 a.m., but there was no one at the door when she opened it. Just before 7 a.m., she noticed the back window was broken in 1992 Pontiac Bonneville. Upon a closer look, she discovered several bullet holes in the car.

Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Deputy David Bashore located six bullet holes in the car. Two bullets, believed to be from an unknown caliber handgun, were recovered from the vehicle. One was lodged between the back window glass and roof of the vehicle and the second, which has apparently traveled through the Pontiac’s trunk, was recovered from under the driver’s side rear seat.

The victim “stated that she has had no altercations with anyone nor have any of her family members.  She stated she thought this may be a case of mistaken identity,” according to Bashore’s report on the incident.

The scene was processed by an Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician. No bullet casings could be found, and no damage to the residence or other vehicles in the yard could be found.

For more photos of the vehicle and the investigation, click here.

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation into the incident. Anyone with information about the shooting should contact the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.

Pictured top: Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene technician Shelley Dill photographs a car reportedly hit by multiple bullets during a drive-by shooting in Nokomis.  Pictured inset: This photograph shows a bullet lodged between the back glass and roof of the vehicle. Pictured below: Dill photographs a bullet hole in the trunk of the Pontiac Bonneville. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

NHS Varsity, JV Beat PCA In Volleyball

The Northview Lady Chiefs beat Pensacola Christian Academy on the volleyball court Tuesday evening.

At the varsity level, the Lady Chiefs (2-1, 2-0) defeated PCA in four games — 26-24, 25-19, 25-16.

“Varsity did a great job of implementing a faster offense in tonight’s game against PCA. It is something that we are continuously working on putting into our program and I felt that we are going to get establish,” said Northview Head Coach Betty Heaton.

Northview varsity stats:

Shawn Montgomery – Kills-12, Aces-2, Blocks-15, Assists-4
Raylin Spence — Aces-3, Assists-6, Blocks-4
Sarah Killam — Assists-5, Aces -1, Assists-5 Blocks-3
Katie Wieborg – Block-1, Aces-5

In JV action, the Lady Chiefs beat PCA in a two-game match — 25-18, 25-19.

“I am very proud of the JV team for the way they worked hard on every play to get three touches. Every play you could see them focusing on getting a pass, set, and hit. They did a great job working together. We still need to work on communication on the court, but I believe that will come,” Heaton said.

Northview JV stats:

Alison Bardin — Digs-2, Aces-2
Paeton Hadley – Assists-1. Aces-1, Digs-1
Madison Arrington — Assists – 4, Aces – 2
Tiffani Pritchett – Kills-1, Digs-1

Pictured: File photos of Northview vs. Jay, submitted by Brenda McCall for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

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