Vehicular Homicide: Driver Charged With Century Traffic Death
February 14, 2013
A Brewton man that rear-ended a woman stopped for a school bus in Century last October was arrested Wednesday for vehicular homicide.
The Florida Highway Patrol said 50-year old Sara R. Daw of Flomaton was southbound on Highway 29 at Hudson Hill Road on October 10 when she stopped for a school bus that stopped in the northbound lanes to pick up children. James A. Richburg, 52,of Brewton was southbound in a 2008 GMC Sierra pickup on Highway 29 when he failed to stop and rear-ended Daw’s 2001 Chevrolet pickup.
Daw was transported by Escambia County EMS to Jay Hospital where she died later that morning. Richburg received only minor injuries.
Richburg turned himself into the Escambia County Jail Wednesday afternoon on a vehicular homicide warrant issued Tuesday. He was released from jail after posting a $25,000 bond.
Pictured top and left: The driver of this white pickup, 50-year old Sara R. Daw of Flomaton died as a result of injuries received in a traffic crash the morning of October 10, 2012, in Century. Pictured below: The driver of this pickup, 52-year old James Richburg of Brewton rear-ended Daw’s pickup. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Brent Lane, Cat Country 98.7 Nominated For ACM Awards
February 14, 2013
Cat Country 98.7 has been nominated for Academy of Country Music Association Radio Station of the Year, and Cat Pak Morning Show co-host Brent Lane has nominated for Radio On-Air Personality of the Year.
“We are all very pleased and honored to be listed as a nominee for this prestigious award. I could not be more proud for our staff and our listener family,” said Kevin King, Cat Country 98.7 operations manager. “To be nominated by our peers for ACM Station of the Year is very special.”
“It’s truly an honor to be able to represent Pensacola at the ACM’s in Las Vegas and to be recognized for doing what we love to do,” Lane said.
WYCT — Cat Country 98.7 — was awarded the national Radio Station of the Year from the Academy of Country Music in 2007, 2009 and 2011. Brent Lane with the Cat Pak Morning show won the national personality award from the ACM’s in 2009, and has been nominated four total times for the national award.
The 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be presented live on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, April 7 at 7 p.m., seen locally on WKRG TV 5.
Century Clinic To Address Area’s ‘Near Epidemic’ Prescription Drug Abuse
February 14, 2013
Lakeview Center in Century will open a new clinic next week to address the Century area’s “near epidemic prescription drug abuse” problem.
“Opioid dependency has reached near-epidemic levels in this part of Florida and Alabama,” said Marvin Chaffin, director of Lakeview’s Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program. “People are looking for ways to take control of their lives again.”
Successful treatment of drug dependency can help strengthen families and improve overall health and safety for the community, Chaffin said.
Century Medication Assisted Treatment Program begins operation Monday at the Century Clinic of Lakeview Center. The center will use scientifically proven protocols to help people who are addicted to prescription pain killers and other opium-based drugs, according to a Lakeview Center press release.
Methadone is the primary medication used by the program. It is dispensed in carefully monitored daily doses following protocols for either gradual detoxification or long-term maintenance.
The Century Clinic is located at 6021 Industrial Boulevard.
Five Arrested In Prostitution Sting
February 14, 2013
Five women have been busted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for prostitution following an undercover sting.
Frances Elizabeth Fowler, 40, Linday Fay Parham, 52, Tonya Renee Henderson, 34, Heather Christina Tiller, 34 , and Wanda Jo Winslett, 46 were all arrested for prostitution and related charges in the Brownsville area Tuesday night.
Fowler has four previous prostitution convictions on her rap sheet, while Winslett has been convicted twice and Parham once, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Teams Needed For Saturday Coed Softball Tourney
February 14, 2013
Teams are still needed for a coed softball tournament in Walnut Hill this Saturday. The tournament is sponsored by the Northview High School Diamond Club.
The coed tournament will be held Saturday at the Northwest Escambia ballpark. The entry fee has been reduced to $200 per team. Three females must play at all times.
To register, call Amy Holland at (850) 516-8400. Proceeds benefit the Northview High School baseball team.
Flomaton Man Busted On Multiple Meth Charges
February 14, 2013
An anonymous tip led to the arrest of a Flomaton man on multiple meth-related charges.
Troy Boutwell, age 44, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, and unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance. He was booked into the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $100,000.
The tipster alerted the agents with the 21st Judicial Drug Task Force that Boutwell was allegedly selling methamphetamine a short distance from a residence on Diane Lane off of Upper Creek Road north of Flomaton.
Agent located Boutwell on Diane Lane and reported finding him in possession of about two grams of crystal methamphetamine. When agent interview Boutwell, he admitted to manufacturing the controlled substance at his residence at 6800 Upper Creek Road, Flomaton. Agents received written permission to search the home.
During the search, agents reported finding about three grams of crystal methamphetamine along with chemicals commonly used in the manufacturing of meth.
Also arrested at the scene was Heather Powell who was transported to Conecuh County, Ala., on a failure to appear warrant from that county.
Subway High School All-Star Soccer Rosters Announced
February 14, 2013
The Pensacola Sports Association has announced the rosters for the Subway High School All-Star Soccer Game on Thursday, February 21 at Athe shton Brosnaham Complex. The girls game, which features seniors from Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa Counties, will begin at 5 p.m. with the boy’s game immediately following.
The coaching staff for the Boys West Team, which includes all Escambia County high schools, will be led by the head coach from East Hill Christian School, Marvin Denney. Breck Smith, the coach for Catholic High School, will coach the Girls West Team. Coaches from the other county high schools will assist Denney and Smith with their game plans. The East Girls coach, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa Counties, will be coached by Danielle Phillips from Crestview High School. The boys coach for the East team will be Rigo Hernandez from Milton High School. Both coaches will be assisted by the other head coaches from the two-county area high schools.
Tickets to the game are $7 and $5 with a canned good. The PSA is teaming with Manna Food Bank for a canned good drive and encouraging everyone to help families by bringing a canned good item. Academy Sports + Outdoors will be having a contest for two lucky fans to win up to $200 in Academy gift cards.
Final game rosters are subject to change.
(North Escambia area players are in bold.)
West Team Boys: Devin Denney, Tucker Ward, and CJ Kennamore from East Hill, Peyton Barrios, Nick Brockmon, and Daniel Garcia from Escambia, Bradley Lynn, and Brandon May from Pine Forest, Juan Pelaez, Jack Pouchert, Nathan Croney, Kegan Haag, and Derek Brown from Catholic, Ian Robinson and Allan Campbell from Washington, Kyle Brown, Jalen Benson and Sudip Bagui from Pensacola High, Caymen Barlow, Devin Blackwell and Luke Jackson from West Florida, and Austin Stacey from Tate.
West Team Girls: Kayla Cayson from East Hill, Madison Leonard, and Ashton Mayne from Tate, Jordan King, LaShelle Lett, and Rachel Moore from Washington, April Westmark, Tori Bergosh, Victoria Marsh, Ashley Krochi and Elizabeth Dennis from Pensacola High, Lauren Hughes, and Miriam Duckworth from West Florida, Alexis Johnson from Escambia, Jeania Suyat from Pine Forest, and Katie Richmond, Laura Inclan, Sarah Boles, Bethany Balette, Meghan Morand, Caitlin Sacco, and Emily Ioakim from Catholic.
East Team Boys: Jeffrey Ranson, and Austin Walker from Milton, Drew Kirkpatrick, and Dillon McArthur from Rocky Bayou, Jeremy Born, Austin Smith, Chris Rahn, and Tyler Tarpley from Crestview, Conner D’Amico from Niceville, Ryan Olson, Brendan White, and Jordan Supra from Navarre, Hayden Gilmore from Pace, Trapper Chechoek, Adam Cahill, Yunnis Harris, and Derek Castelia from Choctawhatchee, Sam Hoskins, Ben Hoskins, Thomas Fitzgerald, and Luke Niles from Gulf Breeze, and David Diaz from Fort Walton Beach.
East Team Girls: Morgan Littlewood, and Hayley Naker from Navarre, Eleana Colvin, Kristy Gash, and Alex Taylor from Pace, Allison Proctor, Korrie Abernathy, and Rachel Carter from Gulf Breeze, Sydney Morgan , and Allison Hoyland from Milton, Ashley Richbourg, Paige Goodrich, Ashily Sanchez, and Mia Olsavsky from Crestview, Melissa Early from Fort Walton Beach, Kaitlyn Brown, Savannah Boswell, Miranda O’Neil, and Elana Pete from Niceville, Ashley Quachenbush, and Courtney Peters from Choctawhatchee, and Kelly sambenedetto from Rocky Bayou.
Rain Washes Out Pine Forest Softball – Again
February 14, 2013
Mother Nature continued to wreak havoc in the Pine Forest varsity softball team’s schedule Wednesday as the rain forced the Lady Eagles to cancel their home game against Catholic.
Pine Forest also was scheduled to play Gulf Breeze on Tuesday but had to cancel because of the bad weather.
The Lady Eagles, who now will face Catholic at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27, return to action Friday at home against Washington in their District 1-6A opener. The JV game will start at 4:30 p.m., while first pitch for the varsity game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Tate’s Lorenzo Long Signs With Wofford University
February 14, 2013
Tate High School all-star running back Lorenzo Long signed a scholarship last week to play for Wofford University in South Carolina. Long holds the Tate Aggie career record with 3,227 rushing yards. During his senior season, Long had 183 carries for 1,175 yards and 11 touchdowns. Pictured are Lorenzo Long (center) and his parents, Lara and Alandus Long; and (standing, L-R) Athletic Director David Venettozzi and Head Football Coach Ronnie Douglas. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Lawmakers Take Aim At Alimony
February 14, 2013
After hearing sharply divided opinions from people who have been through divorces, a House panel Wednesday began moving forward with a controversial bill that would place new limits on alimony.
The proposal (HB 231) would take steps such as reining in the amount of time that alimony payments could be required, trying to short-circuit alimony in marriages of 10 years or less and shielding retirees from alimony requirements.
Sponsor Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, said the state’s current alimony laws are “archaic,” and he wants to provide guidelines to better resolve such issues in divorce cases.
“I want to make this so people can get divorced and move on with their life,” said Workman, who is divorced but indicated he has not paid or received alimony.
But Rep. Cynthia Stafford, D-Miami, described the proposal as one-sided and “anti-woman.”
“I think this bill will do more harm than good, ” she said.
The House Civil Justice Subcommittee voted 10-2 to approve the bill, with Stafford and Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, the only dissenters. Workman also proposed a similar measure last year, though he said it “died a slow, painful death in the Senate.”
HB 231 is slated to go next to the House Judiciary Committee. A similar bill (SB 718) was filed last week in the Senate. Alimony payments can be required of men or women involved in divorces.
Wednesday’s vote came after testimony from people who offered far-different views about whether the alimony system needs to be overhauled.
As an example, Deerfield Beach resident Guido Albarran told the subcommittee that 50 percent of his salary goes to his ex-wife. He said it is unfair to require alimony payments decades after divorces occur, at one point likening such situations to “financial enslavement.”
On the other side were people such as Longwood resident Ann Dwyer, who said she was married for more than 20 years and did not work outside the home as her then-husband built his career. She received permanent alimony and, while she was able to later find a job, said the payments from her ex-husband have allowed her to stay in her home and meet other expenses.
The bill would eliminate the concept of permanent alimony, though Workman said judges would have the discretion to extend what is called “durational” alimony for long periods of time if necessary.
The bill says such durational alimony would be limited to 50 percent of the length of the marriage, unless one of the divorcing spouses could show by “clear and convincing evidence that exceptional circumstances justify the need for a longer award of alimony.”
Another heavily discussed part of the bill could help people seek to end or reduce alimony payments as they reach retirement age. Also, the bill would allow what is known as “retroactivity,” which could lead to reopening already-existing alimony arrangements to reduce payments.
Opponents include the Family Law Section of The Florida Bar. David Manz, a past chairman of the Family Law Section, told the subcommittee that the retroactivity, for instance, adds harshness and unfairness to the bill and could lead to a “flood” of litigation.
Workman said he is willing to work with critics, but he said the alimony system needs changes.
“Alimony is broken, and maybe I don’t have the perfect fix,” Workman said. “But there is a fix out there.”
By The News Service of Florida