3 Arrested After Victim Beaten Beyond Recognition
July 9, 2013
Three people have been arrested in connection with the severe beating over the weekend in Cantonment. The victim, 19, was reportedly beaten beyond recognition.
Zachary Nathan Clark, 19, Jordan Scott Garrett, 17, and Kaleb Orion Willcutt, 15, were charged with felony aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability in connection with the beating.
The incident happened just before 1 a.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Jacks Branch Road. The victim had allegedly been drinking shots of alcohol during a gathering at the property. Garrett allegedly became angry at the victim over a song that was playing. Witnesses told deputies a fight involving the victim followed, with all three suspects hitting, kicking and punching the victim while was he was on the ground, according to an arrest report.
Deputies said they found the 19-year old victim barely conscious, not able to speak and having difficulty breathing with his face “swollen beyond recognition”. The victim was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital as a “trauma alert”. Deputies were originally unable to speak to the victim because he remained unconscious at a Sacred Heart Hospital.
Clark is being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $20,000.
Man Arrested In Connection With April 2 Shooting In Brent
July 9, 2013
A man wanted in connection with an April 2 shooting in Brent is now behind bars.
Chandler O’Brien Bass, 29, was booked into the Escambia County Jail Monday afternoon. He is charged in connection with a shooting in the area of Cary Memorial Drive and Lenox Parkway in Brent. The victim, 23-year old Steve Luron Benjamin, Jr., was shot multiple times and was expected to recover. Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from drug related activity.
Bass is being held without bond.
County Administrator List Cut To 10; Touart Still In The Running
July 9, 2013
The Escambia County Administrator Search Committee cut 32 names off their list Monday, narrowing the list of contenders down to 10.
Interim County Administrator George Touart made the list on a 4-1 vote. The dissenting vote was cast by Joseph Marshall, the search committee member appointed by Commissioner Luman May.
The county will next confirm that each applicant is still interested. The committee, which will meet against on July 15, while then cut the list of applicants to about five to be presented to the Escambia County Commission.
The remaining candidates for Escambia County Commissioner are listed below in alphabetical order along with a brief listing of past experience. Click any of the names to read the candidate’s complete resume.
- Lyndon Bonner – Ocala, FL. City manager Bunnell, FL; assistant county administrator, Sumter County; county administrator Okeechobee County; city manager North Miami Beach.
- James Chansler – Jacksonville, FL. Utilities director city of Jacksonville and city of Boca Raton; wastewater management director Broward County.
- David Fanslau – Rock Hill, NY. County manager Sullivan County; township administrator Winslow, NJ and Logan, NJ.
- Kenneth Fields – Boca Raton, FL. Assistant city manager Hollywood, FL; village manager Islamorada, FL; executive administration officer Seminole Tribe of FL.
- Kenneth Griffin – Tampa, FL. CEO water/sewer authority and assistant county administrator Hillsborough County; executive officer Pearl River Valley Water Supply District
- Patrick Howard – Seneca, SC. County administrator Marion County, Ocala, FL.
- Albert Penksa – Gettysburg, PA.County manager Adams County, Gettysburg, PA; controller CFO Cambria County.
- Ronald Rabun – Griffin, GA. County administrator Oconee County, SC; county manager Seminole County, FL; county administrator Manatee County, FL; city manager various cities in GA, FL and WA.
- Kevin Seawright Jr. – Baltimore, MD. Executive director Baltimore Community College; deputy operating officer city of Baltimore.
- George Touart – Pensacola, FL. County administrator with Escambia County, FL; city councilman, Pascagoula, MS; co-owner of two businesses in MS.
Escambia Officials Attending North Florida Rural School Safety Summit
July 9, 2013
Escambia County officials are joining more than 100 law enforcement professionals, school officials, emergency management and first responder from across north Florida at the second annual Rural County Summit at the Florida Public Safety Institute in Havana, FL.
The summit, today and tomorrow, is organized by the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with United States Attorney Pamela Marsh, the North Florida Domestic Security Task Force and the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Sessions include Sandy Hook Elementary School Response, Preparing for Mass Causality Incidents, Establishing Student Situation Resolution Teams, Anatomy of a School Hostage Incident, Active Shooter Best Practice, and Resources Available to Secure Schools.
Speakers include Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance, Newtown Police Department Lt. Christopher Vanghelle, Dale County, Ala. Sheriff Wally Olson, Dale County Associate Superintendent Lamar Brooks, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Steven Richardson, State of Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Bryan Koon, and Leon County School Safety and Security Director John Hunkiar.
Welder Gets Electric Shock
July 9, 2013
A welder was injured Monday morning when he received a major electric shock from his welding rig.
The man was working at GC Express in the Ellyson Industrial Park, welding under a truck when an electrical cord fell into standing water.
The man was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life threatening. His name and condition were not available.
NHS QB Club Hosting Softball Tournament
July 9, 2013
The Northview High School Quarterback Club will host a coed softball tournament on August 2 and 3
The entry fee is $150 per team. To register a team and support the Class 1A state football champions in their upcoming season, call Bodie Tullis at (850) 390-3945.
Town Of Century Honors Edith Page, Longtime School Secretary
July 9, 2013
The Town of Century has issued a proclamation honoring the life of Edith Joyce Page, a longtime school secretary that passed away on June 30.
Page, a resident of Molino, served as school secretary for Carver High School and Carver Middle School in Century for 43 years. She also served as church secretary for the New Hope Primitive Baptist Church in the Cedartown community near Molino for over 45 years.
The proclamation issued by Century Mayor Freddie McCall honored Page as a “leader and icon” in the community, with a “heart and love for Century and its children”. The proclamation also recognized Page because she was “known to live her role of Christianity….putting the well-being and happiness of others before her own”.
Funeral services for Page, 73, were held Saturday at the New Hope Primitive Baptist Church.
Wahoos Drop Fourth Straight
July 9, 2013
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos offense was quieted for a majority of the evening and couldn’t convert on a late-inning threat, falling 3-2 to the Jackson Generals in the series finale on Monday night. Jackson ended up taking the final four games of the five-game set.
Just like every other game in the series, the Generals jumped out to an early lead, this time against Wahoos starter Josh Smith. The right-hander plunked Ramon Morla with one out in the second inning and Jack Marder made him pay by blasting a two-run homer to left to give Jackson a 2-0 lead. It was Marder’s second home run of the season.
An inning later, Steven Proscia singled home Chris Taylor who had singled and advanced to second on an error by the center fielder Ryan LaMarre. It ended up being an unearned run charged to Smith, who fell to 7-7 with a tough-luck loss. Smith posted his third straight quality start by allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits in six innings with six strikeouts.
Pensacola jumped back into the contest against Jackson starter Chance Ruffin in the fourth inning. The Wahoos loaded the bases on two singles and a walk against Ruffin before Stephen Kohlscheen replaced him. Ryan LaMarre and Theo Bowe brought home runs with sacrifice flies to cut the lead to one.
Kohlscheen then dominated the Wahoos, allowing no hits in 3.1 innings of relief to pick up his third win of the season against three losses.
In the eighth, though, Pensacola had runners on second and third with one out but Stephen Shackleford extinguished the rally with a strike out of Travis Mattair and a fielder’s choice from Ray Chang after an intentional walk to Ray Chang.
Shackleford walked two in the ninth inning, but got out unscathed with a caught stealing, strikeout, and a flyout to the warning track from Devin Lohman to end the game.
Pensacola returns to action on Wednesday with the first game of five against the Montgomery Biscuits at Riverwalk Stadium. Newly named All-Star Shaun Ellis (3-1, 3.21) will toe the rubber for the Wahoos against the Biscuits’ Enny Romero (8-4, 3.02). First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
story by Kevin Burke
Pensacola Mayor Terminates City Administrator Reynolds
July 8, 2013
Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward has terminated City Administrator William “Bill” Reynolds. The move came just a few days after the State Attorney’s Office found that Reynolds and Press Secretary Derek Cosson violated Florida’s public records laws.
The violations were non-criminal in nature. [Read more...]
Hayward issued the following statement Monday afternoon:
“Last week, I received the disappointing news from the State Attorney’s Office that Bill Reynolds chose to leak a confidential employee complaint. The wellbeing of the City’s hardworking employees is one of my top priorities. Mr. Reynolds’s actions violated this sacred responsibility. This is unacceptable to me.
“In January, I began the process of separating from my former Chief of Staff, John Asmar. After I started that process, we received an employee complaint. The employee’s concerns were addressed, and the employee chose to withdraw the complaint requesting that the complaint and resolution be kept confidential. While Mr. Asmar was not asked to leave service over these allegations, my plans to end Mr. Asmar’s role with my administration were affirmed and accelerated.
“In addition to Mr. Reynolds’s breach of trust, the State Attorney’s Office also found that Mr. Reynolds and Derek Cosson withheld logos in their possession that had been requested through the public records request process. While these actions were unintentional, transparency is critical to the success of our city. To that end, I have revised the City of Pensacola’s Public Records Request Policy, purchased software that will help us to track and fill requests, and I have reached out to Barbara Peterson with the First Amendment Foundation to help with extensive training for our employees. It is my goal to reinforce excellence as a part of our culture when it comes to fulfilling public records requests, and I remain steadfast in my insistence on transparency in my administration.”
Editor’s note: Pensacola City Administrator William Reynolds is no relation to the NorthEscambia.com publisher of the same name.
Rain Chances Continue
July 8, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
- Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
- Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Light and variable wind becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
- Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
- Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
- Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 92. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
- Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.
- Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
- Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90.
- Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
- Sunday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91.