Santa Rosa Man Sentenced To Life For Killing His Mother
February 2, 2012
A Milton man will spend the rest of his life in prison for a 2011 murder.
State Attorney William “Bill” Eddins said David J. Lewis of Milton was sentenced by Judge David Rimmer to life in prison without possibility of parole for the September 30, 2008, murder of his 86-year old mother, Bonnie Lewis.
The 56-year old Lewis pleaded no contest to second degree murder with a weapon on July 18, 2011, as well as to the fleeing and resisting arrest charges. He received concurrent 15 and 5 year prison sentences for the fleeing and resisting charges respectively.
Family members found Bonnie Lewis slumped in a living room chair in her home at 3290 Lewis Road in Milton on September 30, 2008. Mrs. Lewis’s throat had been slashed at her front door and evidence at the scene showed she had managed to make her way to the living room chair before succumbing to her injury. David Lewis was arrested on October 1, 2008, for an outstanding arrest warrant for resisting arrest with violence and fleeing and attempt to elude arising from an unrelated high speed chase on September 10, 2008, which ended with Lewis being tased into submission as he resisted arrest by Santa Rosa County deputies. On October 2 ,2008, Lewis confessed to Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s detectives that he had murdered his mother with a knife when he “snapped” because she “treated me like a twelve year old”.
Sims, Nero, Craft Ink On National Signing Day
February 2, 2012
Three North Escambia area players inked letters of intent Wednesday on National Signing Day.
Dak Sims, McDavid
Dak Sims of McDavid was among three Pensacola High School players to sign with NAIA Cumberland University of Tennessee. Sims at center, linebacker Brian Rudolph and defensive end Kendrell Jenkins will head to Lebanon, Tenn., about 30 miles east of Nashville, in the fall. The Cumberland Bulldogs were ranked as high as 14th in the NAIA Top 25 last season. With a 7-3 season, the Bulldogs ended at No. 25.
Tyler Nero, Atmore
Tyler Nero of Escambia County High School in Atmore signed with the Auburn Tigers. The defensive tackle had fielded offers from several SEC schools before settling on AU.
Dalvin Craft, Atmore
The Escambia County High School Blue Devil’s Dalvin Craft signed his letter of intent to play for Southern Miss.
Pictured top: Tyler Nero reacts after signing his letter of intent to play at Auburn. Pictured below: Dalvin Craft of Atmore signs with Sothern Miss. Photos courtesy WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
House Plans 8 Percent Tuition Hike, Senate Likely To Follow
February 2, 2012
Pitting the chamber against the wishes of Gov. Rick Scott, the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a spending plan that calls for an 8 percent tuition increase, continuing an effort to shift more of the cost in higher education to students instead of taxpayers.
A day after Scott said he wanted lawmakers to hold the line on tuition, the panel approved a budget that relies on an 8 percent base increase for university students to balance the higher education budget, which already will see cuts as lawmakers try to fill a budget gap shortfall of deeper than $1.5 billion.
The state’s 11 public universities would be allowed to raise tuition by an additional 7 percent on top of that base increase, a system known as differential tuition, under the proposal. Last year, universities raised tuition 8 percent at the direction of the Legislature, and the schools tacked on the full 7 percent differential hike for a 15 percent increase. Tuition has gone up every year for the past six years in Florida.
For universities, the proposed tuition increase would amount to $54 million in new incoming money; state college students would pay additional $73 million under the 8 percent tuition hike.
On Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott said he opposes any increase in student tuition.
Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring, and chairwoman of the House’s budget committee, said the governor may have to acquiesce on the tuition issue. The proposed increase will likely be nestled into budget’s proviso language, which the courts have largely determined are off limits to the governor’s line item veto power.
The Senate is not expected to release its spending plan for at least a few weeks. Allocations for the Senate budget – how much of the money will go to which parts of the spending pie – have yet to be distributed to budget chairmen, but may be made public later this week.
Speaking to reporters later Wednesday, Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, said the chamber would likely follow the House and include tuition hikes as part of its proposed budget.
“We have the fifth lowest tuition in the country, sometimes people lose sight of that,” said Haridopolos, who teaches classes at the University of Florida. “The vast majority of students in my class are on Bright Futures so it’s still a great deal for Florida students. … I would not be surprised if it’s roughly the number the House is talking about.”
The legislative decisions put the chambers on a collision course with Scott, who told reporters Tuesday that he does not want lawmakers to raise rates again.
“We have to tighten our belts and save money, Scott said. “What we have to focus on is how do we reduce our costs rather than how do we raise the tuition.”
Scott said he doesn’t agree that tuition hikes are acceptable because Florida students already pay some of the lowest tuition in the country.
“Why wouldn’t you want that,” Scott said of low tuition. “I want the cost of living to be lower in this state than other states, not higher.”
By The News Service of Florida
Escambia County Man Gets 20 Years In Meth Case
February 2, 2012
An Escambia County man was sentenced to 20 years on multiple drug charges Wednesday.
Daniel Ducharme was convicted by an Escambia County Jury of trafficking in methamphetamine (200g or more), possession of a firearm with altered serial number, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Following the trial, Judge Jan Shackelford sentenced Ducharme to 20 years state prison with a 15 year minimum mandatory.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on Ducharme’s residence and found an active meth lab in the bathroom of the apartment. Ducharme was found immediately outside of the bathroom with a co-defendant. A handgun with a sanded off serial number was located in the kitchen, while multiple pieces of drug paraphernalia were found throughout the entire apartment and outside trash. Ducharme admitted to making the meth in the apartment as well as the possession of the firearm, according to State Attorney Bill Eddins.
Ducharme has additional charges pending for sale of methamphetamine and possession of listed chemical.
School Prayer Bill Passes Senate, Heads To House
February 2, 2012
The Senate on Wednesday passed a measure that will allow school districts to let students offer inspirational messages, including prayer, at school events as long as adults stay out of the way.
Passage of the bill (SB 98) on a 31-8 vote sends it to the House, where it is thought to be likely to pass. The bill was sponsored by a Democrat, Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando, though all those who opposed the bill were Democrats.
Its approval came over the objections of senators who said the measure will lead to prayers at school events that students can’t get out of, including possibly in classes, and that some young students will have to listen to prayers or risk being ostracized because they come from a different religious tradition than most of their classmates.
“I implore you to protect minority students … and not promote alienation,” said Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood. “We want our public school students to get along.”
But backers of the bill said the measure is needed to protect the religious freedom of students, some of whom now feel they aren’t allowed to offer prayers that the student body, or a large part of it can listen to – that they’re only allowed to pray to themselves or in small groups.
In that way the bill is about freedom of expression – the right of students to be heard when they’re expressing a religious message, said Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart.
“This is about protecting the rights of students to talk,” he said, saying that he rejected the notion that “religious expression should somehow be eliminated from the public square.”
Negron said efforts to remove religion from public discourse have resulted in discrimination against the religious – preventing them from expressing their beliefs in public while at school events.
“I don’t park my religious beliefs, my political beliefs, my economic beliefs, my sports beliefs – you don’t park your rights at the school door,” Negron said. “The reasons Sen. Siplin has to do this bill is these rights are being trampled.”
Many of those who spoke against the bill on the Senate floor were Jewish, including Sobel and Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, who said she remembered that in the Miami Beach of her childhood there were establishments with signs that said “no dogs, no Jews, no blacks.”
“The same feelings of exclusion come welling up” with the bill the Senate debated and passed on Wednesday, she said. “Anyone who doesn’t go along with it is considered the other. This is especially true with children. Anything that makes you different can subject you to ridicule and abuse.”
Rich and several other opponents noted that the constitution protects the rights of children to pray now.
Siplin reminded colleagues that the bill is permissive – school boards don’t have to allow anything, if they don’t want. And the measure doesn’t represent government dictating any type of religious message, because it specifically says that teachers and other school personnel are prohibited from having anything to do with the message. The choice to offer an inspirational message at a school event would have to be up to the student, and no adults would be able to censor what it is the student wants to say.
One supporter of the proposal, Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, while speaking in favor of the bill, warned his colleagues that in order to support the measure they had to accept the notion that those messages may not always be a Christian prayer, or even a Jewish one. With adults not allowed to tell students what they can or can’t say – some messages could be unsettling.
“At a graduation ceremony a student might stand up and say I give my thanks to Allah, and let me explain why,” said Gaetz. “A student might stand up and say I’m a Wiccan and let me explain why. We have to be prepared for the full expression of religion and I am.”
All eight senators voting against the bill were Democrats: Sens. Audrey Gibson, Arthenia Joyner, Gwen Margolis, Nan Rich, Jeremy Ring, Maria Sachs, Chris Smith and Eleanor Sobel.
By The News Service of Florida
Romney Wins Florida Primary In Landslide
February 1, 2012
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney stormed to a convincing win in Florida’s Republican presidential primary Tuesday, bolstering the front-runner’s argument that he is the best candidate to compete with President Barack Obama in swing states in the general election.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Romney had 46 percent of the vote to former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 32 percent. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Texas Congressman Ron Paul were running far behind, with 13 and 7 percent of the vote, respectively.
The win allowed Romney to show off his ability to win a state that will be the largest competitive prize in the November showdown with Obama.
Related Story: Escambia, Santa Rosa Go For Gingrich
Standing in the city where Republicans will gather in seven months to hold their convention, Romney gave a speech that at times sounded like he was accepting the GOP nomination.
“I stand ready to lead this party and to lead our nation,” Romney said. ” … My leadership will end the Obama era and begin a new era of American prosperity.”
Romney swept the major metropolitan areas of the state, though the results were very close in Duval County, where Romney won by fewer than 1,400 votes out of more than 86,000 cast.
Gingrich carried many of the largely rural counties in North Florida and the south-central part of the state.
The victory was almost certain to ratchet up pressure on Gingrich, who has vowed to fight on, to drop his upstart bid. Gingrich came into Florida will a full head of steam after his South Carolina victory Jan. 21, but the momentum fizzled after two lackluster debate performances and an avalanche of negative ads from Romney’s campaign and “super PAC.”
Florida House Speaker-designate Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said Romney’s win in Florida had “defined” the race.
“I think that Mitt Romney has shown that he’s the candidate that is going to win the nomination,” Weatherford said. “The other candidates have to decide how long they want to stay in.”
Gingrich, for his part, showed no interest in stepping aside following the defeat.
“It is now clear this will be a two person race between the conservative leader Newt Gingrich and the Massachusetts moderate,” the former speaker said in his post-election speech.
That prospect delighted Democrats, who watched the Florida primary devolve into a bitter and personal feud between Gingrich and Romney. Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith said Romney’s bombardment of Gingrich had tarnished his future prospects in the state.
“He may have won this contest, but he lost the opportunity to win the hearts and minds of the people of Florida,” Smith said.
Romney and party leaders were quick to say that the intraparty battle would soon enough give way to a party united in an effort to defeat Obama.
“A competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us, and we will win,” Romney told hundreds of cheering supporters who waved American flags and “Florida Believes” signs.
Republican Party of Florida Chairman Lenny Curry, who joined the Romney party but officially remains neutral, suggested that the back-and-forth amounted to a vetting of the candidates and could inoculate the party’s nominee against attacks from Obama in the fall.
“We have a winner here now,” Curry said. “I think the negative advertising is old news.”
By The News Service of Florida
Pictured: Rep. Mitt Romney campaigns Saturday at The Fish House in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia, Santa Rosa Go For Gingrich
February 1, 2012
In Tuesday’s Republican Primary, Newt Gingrich beat rival Mitt Romney in both Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
Romney’s statewide victory was double digits over Gingrich — 46.37 percent to 31.95 percent. That gives Romney all 50 of Florida’s delegates because it is a winner-takes-all state.
In Escambia County, Gingrich received 38.85 percent of the vote to Romney’s 34.73 percent. Rick Santorum finished a distant third in Escambia County with 15.58 percent of the vote, while Ron Paul had 9.37 percent.
In Santa Rosa County, Gingrich received 40.83 percent of the vote to Romeny’s 33.03 percent. Santorum was third in Santa Rosa County with 15.95 percent of the vote, while Ron Paul had 9.20 percent.
Support Builds For Anti-Septic Tank Inspection Bill
February 1, 2012
After a long-running debate that has included rural lawmakers, builders and environmentalists, the Florida Senate is moving forward with a bill that would repeal state-mandated inspections of septic tanks.
The Senate Health Regulation Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a bill which would give local governments the power to make many decisions about septic-tank inspections.
Lawmakers in 2010 approved the inspection program, at least in part because of concerns that septic-tank discharges are affecting water quality in the state’s springs.
SB 820, which is sponsored by Sen. Charlie Dean, R-Inverness, would direct cities or counties that have what are known as “first magnitude” springs to develop septic-tank evaluation programs — though those local governments also could vote not to carry out the requirement. A similar measure (HB 999) has cleared one House committee.
By The News Service of Florida
Public Meeting Today To Address Planned Closure Of Molino USDA Office
February 1, 2012
A public meeting will be held this morning to discuss the federal government’s plan to close the USDA’s Escambia County Farm Services Agency office in Molino.
The public meeting will offer an opportunity for Escambia County farmers and ranchers to speak on the proposed closure. The USDA Florida Farm Service Agency management team will be on hand for the meeting, including State Executive Director Tim Manning, Administrative Office Mark Cottrell and Executive Officer Debby Folsom.
The meeting will take place at 10 a.m. at Highland Baptist Church at 6240 North Highway 95A in Molino.
On January 9, the USDA announced the proposed closure of their Molino office, the only Farm Service Agency Office in the North Escambia area to be shut down. The Santa Rosa County office in Milton and the Escambia County (Ala.) Office in Brewton will remain open.
The USDA has proposed to streamline operations and decrease costs under a plan that includes the consolidation of 131 county FSA offices in 32 states, including six in Florida.
The Molino FSA Office administers farm commodities, crop insurance, credit, environmental conservation and emergency assistance for farmers and ranchers in Escambia County.
Escambia Voters Approve Tax Break Referendum
February 1, 2012
Escambia County voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum Tuesday that allows the county to continue a tax break for jobs program known as EDATE for the next 10 years.
EDATE — the Escambia County Ad Valorem Tax Exemption — is a property tax abatement program that’s designed to encourage businesses to relocate to Escambia County and encourage existing businesses to expand. The tax abatements are good for up to 10 years.
With 90 of 90 precincts reporting Tuesday night, the referendum passed with 36,413 votes in favor and 10,070 votes against, or 78.34% to 21.66%.
“Over 4,000 new jobs in Escambia County are credited to EDATE,” Escambia County Administrator Randy Oliver said prior to the vote. Navy Federal has created 3,000 new jobs under the EDATE program, while International Paper has added 496. In all, 4,346 jobs have been created under the EDATE program, according to county records.
“It is a tool for economic development,” Oliver said. “The county gives up tax dollars in exchange for jobs.”
In order for a company to qualify to pass on property taxes under EDATE, there must be an increased assessed value on their property. “So in theory it does not impact current tax revenue,” Oliver added.
The tax waivers do not impact any other taxing district — tax revenue is not cut for schools, the Northwest Florida Water Management District or the city of Pensacola.
Companies do not automatically qualify for a full 100% abatement — different levels of discounts are given under the program. A full tax waiver would require an investment over $5 million and over 100 new jobs that pay an above average wage. Anything else and the percentage of forgiven taxes decreases.
The EDATE program has been in place since the early 1990’s and must be approved every 10 years. If approved Tuesday, the EDATE program will continue through 2022 in Escambia County.