Traffic Delays: Work Begins On Highway 97 To Highway 29 Turn Lane
May 1, 2012
A construction project is now underway to add new turn lane at the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 29 in Molino.
Anderson Columbia will construct a right turn lane from southbound Highway 97 to southbound Highway 29. For the next three months, drivers can expect delays, intermittent lane shifts and closures, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. However, no lane closures will be permitted between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m.
“Drivers are reminded to pay attention to the speed limit when traveling through the construction area, and to use caution, especially at night when driving in work zones,” according to Tanya Sanders Branton, public information specialist for FDOT.
Pictured top: A right turn lane will be constructed here from Highway 97 to southbound Highway 29 in Molino. Pictured below: A contractor unloads drainage pipe for the project Monday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Employee Fired For Mishandling Cash
May 1, 2012
A Town of Century employee was fired Monday after allegedly mishandling cash.
Angel Mitchell, who had worked for the town about six years as an office assistant, was terminated during a special meeting of the Century Town Council. Mitchell was not accused of stealing any funds whatsoever. Rather, she was accused of not properly crediting and depositing customer payments, instead keeping hundreds of dollars that could not immediately be accounted for in her cash drawer.
“Even though there is not any money missing or stolen,” council member Gary Riley said, “it was not where it was suppose to be over a period of time.”
Town officials discovered Mitchell had retained over $900 in cash and checks in her cash drawer that was not deposited over a period of several days or even weeks. The funds included water deposits and customer payments to the town’s gas and water departments. According to Mayor Freddie McCall, Mitchell should have deposited the funds on a daily basis.
On April 13, 2012, town officials discovered undeposited items that included a check dated November 25, 2011; a handwritten receipt for $41.77 dated October 27, 2011, but cash from the transaction was not deposited until December 7, 2011; a March 5, 2012, meter deposit of $50 cash; and several other items that, according to town procedures, should have deposited on a daily basis.
“We had lots of irritated people coming in here after us cutting them off when they had paid their bill,” McCall said. “This is a critical business. We are suppose to be good stewards of money.”
McCall said Mitchell had been advised of town procedures for handling money, including in a written July, 2011 memo following a similar incident.
A few town residents spoke out at Monday’s special council meeting against firing Mitchell, including resident Alfonzie Cottrell. “Why does this punishment have to be so hard?” he asked.
“Can we find 60 more days?”, resident Leola Robinson asked. “I believe we can work with her and bring her around..I personally will work with her.”
“Regardless of how we feel about a person personally, this is a business thing,” Riley said.
McCall said the town had recently offered Mitchell a $1 an hour raise to move to a vacant position in the back office which would require only limited customer contact. He said Mitchell did not accept the position, instead advising that she was looking to leave the town’s employ.
Despite the termination, McCall said he would provide a positive employment reference for Mitchell, if asked.
Mitchell did not attend Monday’s special council meeting on her termination.
Pictured top: Century Mayor Freddie McCall (left) explains why he recommended the termination of employee Angel Mitchell as council member Gary Riley and Ann Brooks listen. Pictured inset: A memorandum from Town Clerk Leslie Gonzalez to Mayor Freddie McCall spells out the allegations against Mitchell. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Portion Of Jakes Road Closed
May 1, 2012
A portion of Jakes Road in Nokomis was set to be closed Tuesday morning.
Jakes Road will be closed between Jones Road and Reynolds Road for the replacement of a crossover pipe. The road is expected to be reopened on Friday.
The section of Jakes Road to be closed is a low-traffic dirt road just south of, and parallel, to the Alabama/Florida state line. There are no residences on the section of roadway.
Pedestrian Dies After Being Hit By Semi, SUV
May 1, 2012
A 51-year old Escambia County man died after being hit by two vehicles early Monday morning on Fairfield Drive.
Bobby Joe Nobles died as a result of the injuries he received in the 5:40 a.m. accident at Fairfield Drive and “L” Street. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Nobles was running north across Fairfield Drive when he ran into the path of a 2013 Peterbuilt 18-wheeler driven by Michael R. Shamblin, 46, of Palm Court. The trailer of the semi struck Nobles and threw him into the path of a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado driven by James E. Pittan, 50, of Milton. Pittman’s vehicle then ran over Nobles.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. There’s no word yet on any charges in the crash.
No Injuries When SUV Slams Into Mobile Home
May 1, 2012
There were no injuries when a SUV plowed into a mobile home in Cantonment Monday evening.
The Florida highway Patrol is investigating exactly what caused the driver of a Chevrolet Blazer to strike the mobile home on Madrid Road near Well Line Road about 6 p.m.
Further details have not yet been released.
Pictured: A Chevrolet Blazer struck a mobile home on Madrid Road Monday. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Viewpoint: Standing Up For “Stand Your Ground” Law
May 1, 2012
“A person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.” Chapter 776.012, Florida Statutes
Submitted by Rep. Matt Gaetz and Sen. Don Gaetz
The shooting death of Trayvon Martin was a tragedy. Thankfully, our Constitution leaves it to a jury of twelve citizens, not a gaggle of cable news demagogues, to decide whether a crime was committed and, if so, who committed it. After all, our system of justice exists to resolve the tough cases – not just the easy ones.
While motions are filed and trial dates are negotiated in the prosecution of George Zimmerman, the media’s obsession has shifted to Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Riding the extreme rhetoric of Al Sharpton and encouraged by the “concerns” of Attorney General Eric Holder, anti-gun groups have already declared that law guilty of murder and sentenced it for repeal by the state legislature.
As two legislators who will vote on the issue, we want Northwest Floridians to know where we stand as we approach what is sure to be a well-orchestrated, well-financed attack on the Second Amendment.
Assuredly, there are very few laws on the books so pure they can’t be improved. In fact, much of our effort in Tallahassee has been to repeal bad, unnecessary, burdensome laws. But it wasn’t the fault of Chapter 776.012, Florida Statutes, that Trayvon Martin is dead. If Zimmerman claims a “Stand Your Ground” defense, that still doesn’t make the law wrong. Claims are made in court every day. The court, not the media talking heads, decides if those claims are valid.
Without question, the Legislature should stand its ground and defend good law in the face of self-serving, over-hyped rhetoric from the far left.
In 2005 when “Stand Your Ground” was enacted, Florida was one of only a few states that required a victim to run rather than stand his or her ground when attacked by a criminal while using deadly force. Before “Stand Your Ground,” Florida law favored the attacker.
Consider an elderly woman in a dimly lit parking lot or a college girl walking to her dorm at night. If either was attacked, her duty was to turn her back and try to flee, probably be overcome and raped or killed. Prior to “Stand Your Ground,” that victim didn’t have the choice to defend herself, to meet force with force.
Calls to repeal “Stand Your Ground” are anti-woman. Imposing a duty-to-flee places the safety of the rapist above a woman’s own life. In fact, until “Stand Your Ground” was passed, criminals were suing victims because victims, in protecting themselves, were allegedly using excessive force against the criminals.
“Stand Your Ground” simply says, if you have a right to be somewhere and if you’re not breaking the law, you may defend yourself to prevent imminent death or bodily harm. You don’t have an obligation to do so. You have the right.
Those who use every tragedy as an excuse to water down our right to keep and bear arms are already exploiting Trayvon Martin’s death for their own purposes. In the legislative debate that is sure to come, we will remind them that “Stand Your Ground” is not a right-wing over-reaction. It was passed by a bi-partisan majority of the Florida Legislature. We will remind them that Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith, while a state senator, was one of the sponsors.
Most important, we will remind the critics and the cynics why this law is necessary, who it protects, and, if it were repealed, whose side the Legislature would be taking in that dimly-lit parking lot or that darkened college dormitory.
Judge Allows Congressional Maps To Stand
May 1, 2012
A Leon County judge declined to set aside the state’s new congressional maps Monday, saying opponents of the plans had not proven that the Legislature violated new anti-gerrymandering standards in the once-a-decade redistricting process.
It was the latest in a string of significant victories for GOP leaders in the politically-charged battle over the future of the state. The Florida Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Legislature’s second attempt at drawing a map for the state Senate, after justices had tossed an earlier draft, and the U.S. Justice Department told the state Monday that all of its maps had gained preclearance under the Voting Rights Act.
The ruling by Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis did not fully settle the issues in the case. His ruling only dealt with a request by lawyers for a coalition of voting rights groups and a group of voters backed by the Florida Democratic Party to throw out the maps based on undisputed facts. But Lewis said many of the facts are still in dispute.
And he rejected a request by critics of the maps to issue an injunction that would prevent the state from using the new lines until he could rule on the merits of the case.
“Without a finding that the map as draw is unconstitutional, I do not have the authority to replace it with another map while the case is pending,” Lewis wrote.
He also noted that simply going back to the 2002 redistricting map, which both critics and supporters of the state’s new plan say was politically gerrymandered, would present problems of its own.
The case is the first ruling on congressional map under the Fair Districts constitutional amendments approved by the voters in November 2010. It is separate from the Supreme Court’s consideration of the legislative maps, though the justices could be asked to review Lewis’ ruling and any final decision on the redistricting plan if a trial goes forward.
In one of the most-watched districts of the congressional case — the sprawling Northeast Florida district represented by Democratic Congresswoman Corrine Brown — Lewis did concede that the lines do not gel with many of the standards set out in the Fair Districts standards.
‘It is visually not compact, bizarrely shaped, and does not follow traditional political boundaries as it winds from Jacksonville to Orlando,” Lewis wrote.
But he said opponents had not yet made the case that the district could have been redrawn to better respect those standards while still providing black voters in the area the opportunity to elect a candidate of their choice.
In all, Lewis brushed aside challenges that could have affected more than 20 districts across the state, often saying that he was convinced that the facts about whether those lines violated the law were still in dispute.
In a statement issued late Monday, Democratic Party Executive Director Scott Arceneaux said Democrats were considering their next steps.
“We remain concerned about elements of the map and we will continue to evaluate our legal options moving forward,” Arceneaux said.
By The News Service of Florida
FDLE: Overall Crime Up In Escambia, Santa Rosa
May 1, 2012
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement released their 2011 Annual Uniform Crime Report Monday, showing an increase in crime in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
In Escambia County, the overall crime index was up 3.7 percent. Murders, forcible rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults were all down. Burglaries, larceny and motor vehicle theft were up. The overall crime rate jumped 7.9 percent while the percent of crimes cleared dropped by 2.5 percent.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, which provides law enforcement in North Escambia, had a crime index increase of 1 percent, while the Pensacola Police Department reported an 13.2 percent increase in the crime rate. The overall crime rate increased 4.9 percent for the area served by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, while the crime rate jumped 18.5 percent in the Pensacola Police Department’s jurisdiction. The Escambia Sheriff’s Office cleared 20.6 percent of crimes, while the Pensacola PD cleared 38.3 percent of crimes.
In Santa Rosa County, the total crime index was up 16.5 percent. Murders, forcible rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults decreased. Burglaries, larceny and motor vehicle theft were up. The overall rate increased 9.9 percent, while the percent of crimes cleared fell by 1.9 percent.
Pictured top: Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies look for a suspect following the December 2011 robbery of a store manager in Century. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Smith Calls For Stand Your Ground Reform On Eve Of Scott Task Force
May 1, 2012
As a task force formed by Gov. Rick Scott to review the “stand your ground” law prepares for its first meeting on Tuesday, a rival panel convened by Democratic state Sen. Chris Smith found that the law needs significant revision.
“We took an adult look at ’stand your ground,’ and we had adult discussions – not political,” Smith said Monday. “And I think we’re giving good direction to the Legislature on what should be done.”
Some panelists called for an outright appeal of “stand your ground,” but Smith said there wasn’t enough support to make that recommendation.
The recommendations call for lawmakers to require a grand jury review of “stand your ground” cases and to let law enforcement officers detain those who claim the law as a defense while an investigation is conducted.
“That’s what we mean by ambiguity – and a little bit of the absurdity of this law,” Smith said. “If you’re standing there and someone’s dead, to have police have to wonder, ‘Can I detain this person?’ is a concern.”
Smith said he started his own task force on April 5 after tiring of waiting for Scott to act on the Feb. 26 shooting of unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin and the delay in arresting acknowledged shooter George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer.
Since then, special prosecutor Angela Corey has charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder, and Scott has named a panel chaired by Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, who voted for the 2005 “stand your ground” law while serving in the Legislature.
Meanwhile Smith, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat, convened an 18-member panel of lawyers, judges and law professors, and on Monday released their report.
He’s also pushing for a special session of the Legislature to review and amend the law.
“I think it’s still a public safety concern,” he said.
Smith said he will give the recommendations to Scott, Carroll, the members of the governor’s task force and Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island.
Critics of the Scott panel say it’s top-heavy with supporters of the National Rifle Association, which spearheaded the effort to make Florida the first state in the nation to adopt the “stand your ground” legislation.
Last week state Rep. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, asked Scott to change the composition of his task force by removing at least one of the legislators who backed the law. That could be House sponsor Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, or Sen. David Simmons, R-Maitland, who co-sponsored the law.
Smith, Bullard, Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa and other black lawmakers say they have tried to become members of the Scott panel, to no avail.
“We have tapped a diverse and qualified group to carefully review our laws and our policies,” Scott said on April 19, announcing his selections. None of his appointees are lawmakers who favor gun control.
Smith said he’d requested the opportunity to give the recommendations directly to the panel Tuesday, but was told no public comment would be part of the inaugural meeting.
His panel’s recommendations are broken down into unanimous, consensus and minority findings.
These findings of the Smith task force were unanimous:
-Cases should be presented to a grand jury to allow for a cross section of society to determine what a reasonable person would do in that case.-Educate the public and law enforcement.-Create a system to track self-defense claims in Florida.-Add language requiring an “imminent” danger provision throughout the statute.-Change the “Defense of Others” wording in the law’s title to “Defense of Property.”-Allow law enforcement to detain someone who uses the Stand Your Ground defense while they investigate.
Consensus findings included eliminating the presumption of reasonable fear and clarifying the role of provocation in the law’s application.
By The News Service of Florida
Elderly Man Struck By Utility Trailer In Bratt
May 1, 2012
An elderly man was injured when he was struck by a utility trailer Monday afternoon near Bratt.
The 76-year old man’s wife reportedly backed the trailer into him while the couple was working to remove limbs from an area deep into a wooded area. First responders said the accident occurred in the woods about a half mile behind their residence on Ribgy Road near Still Road.
The man’s injuries were not considered life threatening; he was transported by ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and Atmore Ambulance also responded to the call.
Pictured top: An ambulance leaves a wooded area were an elderly man was struck by a utility trailer Monday afternoon near Bratt. Pictured below: the utility trailer the reportedly struck the man. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
