Missing Children’s Day: Search Continues In North Escambia Case
September 10, 2013
A Tate High School student last seen 12 years ago in North Escambia was among those remembered Monday on the 15th annual Florida Missing Children’s Day.
“Today we join Floridians in remembering all of the missing children of our state. We come together with their families to grieve, pray and offer our comfort and support. It’s important that we never forget our state’s most innocent victims and work to ensure that every child reported missing has a safe return,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Monday.
“Those of us who are parents understand that the loved ones of missing children will never stop loving them, and law enforcement will not stop searching for them,” Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey added.
Danielle Arion Bell, 14, was last seen at a party in September 2001 in the 500 block of Cedar Tree Lane, between Highway 29 and Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Witnesses told authorities that Bell left a party with a man that was in his mid-twenties at the time. Escambia County deputies later questioned that man and searched his home, but he was never charged in connection with the case.
During the summer of 2007, Alfredo Gomez Sanchez, Jr. was charged with providing law enforcement with false information about his whereabouts at the time Bell disappeared. He was not implicated in her disappearance.
In October 2010, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit served a search warrant at the home.
As part of that search warrant, a septic tank behind the residence was pumped out, and dogs from Escambia County Search and Rescue were also used to search the area. Investigators said nothing was found, and they would not say what new information might have led to the search.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Danielle has a scar on her right forearm and blue eyes. She had brown hair at the time of her disappearance. She would now be 24 years old. Danielle, whose nickname was “Dani”, was a member of the Tate Aggies cheerleading squad. The popular teen enjoyed dancing and drawing.
Anyone with information about Bell is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
FDLE invites the public to sign up to receive Missing Child Alerts and AMBER Alerts via email or text message by visiting www.missingchildrenalert.com. To view photos of missing children, visit www.fdle.state.fl.us.
Pictured top: Investigators pumped and searched a septic tank at this home on Cedar Tree Lane in Cantonment in October 2010 in the case of missing teen Danielle Arion Bell. Pictured below: A search and rescue K-9 team was also on site. Pictured bottom: A septic tank company employee prepares to pump a septic tank at the home. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Judy Faye Blackmon
September 10, 2013
Mrs. Judy Faye Blackmon, 73, passed away on Monday, September 9, 2013, in Davisville.
Mrs. Blackmon was a native of Christian Home and a resident of Davisville for the past 30 years. Mrs. Blackmon was retired from Vanity Fair after 45 years of service. Her parents, Stanley and Mae Holland; two sons, Stephon Eugene McDowell and Eric Edward Amerson; two brothers, Nolan Holland and Wayne Holland precede her in death.
Survivors include her two sons, Allen (Shelia) Holland and Mark Holland, all of Byrneville; one daughter, Wendy (Dudley) Wilson of Wawbeek; one brother, Jerry (Mary) Holland of Cantonment; four sisters, Ruth (Charles) Hopkins of McDavid, Doris Amerson of Bratt, Jannie (Pete) Singleton of Walnut Hill and Betty (Kenneth) Blanton of Bratt; six grandchildren, Amiee (Jeremy) Clements, Dustin Holland, Jimmy (Tiffany) Odom, Katrina Odom, Chase (Katie) Amerson and Joshua Holland and thirteen great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Thursday, September 12, 2013, at 10 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home Pastor Howard Holland with officiating.
Burial will follow at the Christian Home Cemetery.
Visitation will be Wednesday, September 11, 2013, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be Dustin Holland, Jimmy Odom, Chase Amerson, Joshua Holland, Wayne Gunn and Jeremy Clements.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Wilson Earl Barrow
September 10, 2013
Mr. Wilson Earl Barrow, Sr., 77, passed away on Monday, September 9, 2013, in Atmore.
Mr. Barrow was a native of Wawbeek and had resided in Flomaton for the past 30 years. Mr. Barrow was retired from the U.S. Air Force, co-founder of Wawbeek Volunteer Fire Department, past chief and board of directors and present president of the Fire Department. He was the owner and operator of the Wawbeek Antique Store and he attended the Sardis Baptist Church. His parents, Earl & Obie Barrow, precede him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Loetta Barrow of Flomaton; son, Wilson E. (Michele) Barrow, Jr., of Daphne; two brothers, Willie Frank Barrow of Century and Donald Ray Barrow of Atmore; one sister, Margaret Langley of Mobile; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be Friday, September 13, 2013, at 10 a.m. at the Sardis Baptist Church with the Rev. Earle Green officiating.
Burial will follow at the Sardis Cemetery.
Visitation will be Thursday, September 12, 2013, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Pallbearers will be fellow firemen.
Honorary pallbearers will be firemen.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
AG Bondi Says Execution Date Should Not Have Been Changed For Her
September 9, 2013
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Monday she should not have requested an execution be rescheduled from the night of her “campaign kickoff” fundraiser.
Bondi’s statement came after Gov. Rick Scott said he was unaware that the waterfront Tampa fundraiser, scheduled for Tuesday, was the reason she had requested the delay in the execution of convicted murderer Marshall Lee Gore.
“As a prosecutor, there was nothing more important than seeing justice done, especially when it came to the unconscionable act of murder,” Bondi said in a release. “I personally put two people on death row and, as attorney general, have already participated in eight executions since I took office, a role I take very seriously.”
“The planned execution of Marshall Lee Gore had already been stayed twice by the courts, and we should not have requested that the date of the execution be moved,” Bondi added.
On Aug. 13, Scott had scheduled Gore’s execution for 6 p.m. Sept. 10. But less than a week later, Scott advised Florida State Prison Warden John Palmer that he was moving the execution to 6 p.m. Oct. 1 “at the request of the Attorney General.”
Speaking to reporters Monday outside the Capitol, Scott said he was simply complying with a request from a state Cabinet member when he rescheduled the execution.
“Her office contacted my office and asked for a postponement, and that’s what we did,” Scott said. “No, I did not know (the reason).”
When the execution date was rescheduled, a spokeswoman for the attorney general said the event conflicted with another previously scheduled event. On Friday, a different spokeswoman for Bondi confirmed that the Tampa fundraiser is the event that had been scheduled before Gore’s execution was set for the same night.
“We set the date, the attorney general’s office asked for a postponement, so we went along with that,” Scott responded when asked Monday if he thought the reason for the delay was proper. “We try to comply with when other cabinet members ask for something. We try to work with them.”
An invitation to the event lists members of the host committee, including House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, and Sens. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, Bill Galvano, R- Bradenton, Tom Lee, R-Brandon, Wilton Simpson, R- Trilby, and Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.
Bondi has yet to receive a challenger to her 2014 re-election.
Gore, whose sanity has been the focus of efforts to block the execution, was convicted of killing two women in 1988 in Miami-Dade and Columbia counties.
Gore’s death warrant is for the murder of Robyn Novick, whose nude body was found in March 1988 in a rural area of Miami-Dade.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Mosquito Spraying Tonight West Of Highway 29 From Muscogee Road To Highway 97
September 9, 2013
The Escambia County Mosquito Control Division intends to proceed with a “fogging mission” today in an area west of Highway 29 from Muscogee Road north to Crabtree Church Road, plus a small area bounded by Crabtree Church Road, Highway 97 and Sunshine Hill Road.
Mission hours vary but typically occur in the early evening hours from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information, call (850) 937-2188.
Spray areas are depicted on the maps below in green; click to enlarge.
Tropical Storm Humberto Forms
September 9, 2013
Tropical Storm Humberto formed in the Atlantic today, and it is expected to strengthen ad become a hurricane by about Wednesday.
The latest information and forecast for Humberto is in the graphic above, click to enlarge. The latest models are below.
Man Injured, Toddler OK After McDavid ATV Crash
September 9, 2013
A man was injured in an ATV accident Sunday afternoon near McDavid.
The 51-year old man suffered multiple broken bones when he crashed his ATV in a fence. A 3-year old boy was also on the ATV at the time of the crash and suffered on minor injuries.
The man was transported by Escambia County EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola.
The accident occurred about 2:20 p.m. in an area past the end of Brown Road, just off Highway 29. The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details, including the man’s name, have not yet been released.
The McDavid station of Escambia Fire Rescue also responded the accident.
Northview To Name Football Stadium, Possibly For Tommy Weaver
September 9, 2013
Northview High School is considering naming their football stadium, possibly in memory of late teacher and coach Tommy Weaver.
The school has received an official request to name the stadium for Weaver, setting the naming process in motion. For a 30 day period, the school will accept suggestions from the community for potential stadium names. Any name change would then be considered by the Escambia County School Board.
Suggestions must be submitted by October 7 by email to bjohnson3@escambia.k12.fl.us.
Weaver was a longtime DCT and Ag instructor and assistant coach who passed away suddenly at the age of 61 in March 2012. The Chiefs’ entire 2012 state championship football season was dedicated to Weaver.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECUA Receives National Award For Cantonment Facility
September 9, 2013
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority has been selected to receive a Silver Peak Performance Award, presented by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA).
The award recognizes public wastewater treatment facilities for their outstanding compliance records in the previous calendar year.
The ECUA received the Silver Peak Performance Award to honor the Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment and its achievement of near-perfect compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for the 2012 calendar year.
The CWRF, which provides reclaimed water daily to industrial partners Gulf Power and International Paper, is an advanced wastewater treatment facility that the ECUA has operated since its construction in late 2010. The CWRF was built to replace the Main Street Waste Water Treatment Plant, which was damaged in 2004 by Hurricane Ivan.
Pictured top: The Central Water Reclamation Facility in Cantonment. Pictured inset: Ray Yarborough, CWRF plant manager; Don Palmer, director of water reclamation; Kijafa Lee, CWRF plant manager. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
View: Truancy Is No Laughing Matter
September 9, 2013
It’s a classic American coming of age story, so the critics say, but everyone remembers “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” as the quintessential tribute to playing hooky and classic hot-red Ferraris.
Going off to Wrigley Field and fancy French restaurants for a day of laughs and fun with no consequences is only made for the movies, though.
A real-life Ferris Bueller, with nine absences as in the movie, would be a cause for intervention.
Under Florida law, unexcused student absences ranging from 5 in a 30-day period or 10-to-15, in a 90-day calendar period, require the involvement of a range of people and institutions, from school officials to judges.
Truancy is one of the most perplexing public policy issues around. Everyone recognizes it when they see it, but there is no universal definition for truancy.
So it is treated mainly as a local problem, but it has broad, national consequences.
The standard statistical subtype for a Ferris Bueller is not a carefree suburban high-school student anticipating an adulthood full of possibilities, but a low-income, ill-educated, and troubled kid, on the verge of a hard life.
In its landmark 2012 report on the truancy problem, the American Bar Association’s Commission on Youth At-Risk, noted the long-term consequences of truancy: the high unemployment rate for high-school drop-outs (which truancy predicts well) is 20 percent higher than high-school graduates; employed high-school drop-outs earn only 75 percent of what employed high-school graduates earn; and each high-school drop-out costs society between $188,086 to $297,188 annually.
In another report, the stated costs to society in total: $240 billion in lifetime earnings and tax benefits to the national economy.
What is more, truancy predicts 97 percent of first-drug users, with the amount of days a teenager is often truant indicating greater illicit use of drugs.
In many cases, self-reported truants were seven times more likely to have been arrested than the general teenage population.
So the national implications are clear, but how it affects Florida’s future is all-the-more important to highlight.
In many ways, Florida is primed to be a model for addressing truancy: it has been a national leader in considering and adopting educational reforms in the past.
Of its habitually truant students, Florida averages 289,753 out of a total statewide population of 3 million students, according to the state’s School Indicators Report.
Interestingly, Florida’s truancy dilemma has a rural edge: rural counties such as Gadsden and Taylor, as a percentage of their student populations, have truancy rates higher than the state average of 9.6 percent, at 11.2 and 14.3 percent, respectively.
Oddly enough, this serves as a segue way into the nature and face of truancy today.
While any number of cultural indicators or structural problems of society could explain why certain groups and classes are primarily truant cases, it is nonetheless, the case that one-half of all black, Hispanic, and Native American youngsters engage in truancy.
For several years, the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services has dealt with youth at-risk of possible delinquency. At any rate, it is the reason why, as an umbrella organization for 28 crisis shelters, we became involved in the community-based agency business, especially in rural counties and urban places with high minority populations.
Last year, the Florida Network was responsible for over 12,000 at-risk youth referred for truancy-related problems.
Almost daily, our agency staff have to deal with a host of issues that influence and surround truant youth, whether that is working with the local school system, helping those at-risk youth avoid interaction with the court system, or further immersion into the juvenile justice or child welfare system—all of this is geared toward finding a result that helps those at-risk youth get on the right track.
In the end, Ed Rooney, the assistant principal in the movie, had Ferris Bueller’s truancy pegged right: “The example he sets is a first-class ticket to nowhere.”
Stacy Gromatski is president/CEO of the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services. Published via contextflorida.com