Molino Man Charged With Lawn Equipment Theft
September 3, 2014
A Molino man has been arrested for his part in an Olive Road area burglary.
James Cary Brown, age 42 of Blueberry Lane, was charged with grand theft and unarmed burglary of an occupied dwelling. A 16-year old juvenile from Molino was also charged in the case.
The charges were filed in connection with the theft of a lawn mower, gas can and hedge clippers from underneath the carport of a home just off Olive Road. A neighbor witnessed the alleged theft and call deputies.
Brown remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $15,000.
DNA Evidence Clears Molino Man Charged With Molesting Young Girl
September 3, 2014
DNA evidence has cleared a Molino man that was charged last April will molesting a young girl.
A felony count of lewd lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12-years old was dropped against 71-year old Leldon Howard Bibby.
A young girl, described by the State Attorney’s Office as being “approximately” six-years old, had claimed that Bibby placed his hands inside her clothing and touched her inappropriately. She also claimed that Bibby gave her $5 not to tell anyone.
But according to court documents, the single charge against Bibby was dropped because “an FDLE report…excludes the defendant as a contributor to the DNA found in the victim’s clothing.”
Inside Century Correctional Institution
September 3, 2014
Century Correctional Institution recently offered community members an inside look at what goes on inside the facility, plus insight into how the prison gives back to the community.
A great deal of what happens daily inside Century CI is targeted toward preparing and reforming prisoners for life outside the facility. The ultimate goal is to reduce recidivism — former prisoners returning to prison. Florida’s recidivism rate has dropped from 30.5 percent in 2011 to 27.6 percent in 2013. Approximately 90.3 percent of offenders who complete community supervision do not return to custody or supervision within three years.
The main unit at Century CI has a total capacity of 1,508 inmates. Currently, about 300 of those are service life sentences. Over 600 other inmates are housed under the supervision of the Century Correctional Institution in the Century Work Camp, Berrydale Forestry Camp and the Pensacola Community Release Center. The average prisoner in Century is serving 5.21 years and is about 38 years old.
Locally, Century Correctional Institution currently employs 341 security staff; of which 210 reside in Escambia County, 74 in Santa Rosa, six in Okaloosa and 48 live in Alabama. The facilities annual budget is just under $17 million.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Work squads from Century CI and the Berrydale Forestry Camp provide inmate labor for numerous agencies, including Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, the Department of Transportation, Century, Jay and Gulf Breeze — resulting in a $3.1 million savings for taxpayers. Additional, Century CI inmates work on the campuses of local schools including Bratt Elementary, Ernest Ward Middle and Northview High. Prisoner work squads are only allowed on school campuses when no students are present.
Volunteers from the outside also assist inside the prison, with 3,294 volunteer hours recorded in the first half of 2014.
Through a partnership with the UF/IFAS program, prisoners have raised 647,968 pounds of produce such as tomatoes, collards, turnips, sweet corn, cabbage and watermelon valued at $925 thousand.
Statewide the Community Partnership Meetings such as the one held at Century Correctional aim to open avenues of communication and build strong relationships between the correctional institutions and local communities.
“I look forward to the upcoming session and being able to assist the Department in addressing many of the issues that I have heard and seen today,” Rep. Mike Hill said following the tour, while commending staff “on an outstanding job they do every day in keeping our communities safe.”
For a photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: Open bunks in a prison dorm at Century Correctional Institution. Pictured top inset: Inside a more secure housing unit. Pictured below: Community leaders tour a housing unit inside Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photos. click to enlarge.
Citizens Property Insurance Customers To Face Changes As Policies Renew
September 3, 2014
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is starting to adise many homeowners with expiring policies that they have to go through an electronic clearinghouse intended to shift more policies into the private market.
The state-backed insurer started to send letters this week to multi-peril policyholders with coverage that expires Nov. 1 that they will be the first renewals placed in the computerized system that could spin them toward one of six private carriers if equal or lower rates are available.
Citizens views the clearinghouse as a means to reduce both its overall number of policies and financial risks for the carrier and customers.
“Many customers will benefit from more-comprehensive coverage, lower pricing and vastly reduced assessment risk in the event of a major storm,” Citizens President Barry Gilway said in a prepared statement Tuesday.
Through the process, homeowners will be sent a letter about 75 days prior to the renewal date.
The homeowners would become ineligible for renewal with Citizens if potential rates from any of the six carriers — Florida Peninsula, Federated National, First Community Insurance, Heritage Insurance, Tower Hill Insurance and Southern Oak Insurance — are equal to or less than the rate that would be offered from Citizens.
If private coverage isn’t available, the policyholder would get a renewal package about 45 to 50 days prior to the end of the existing policy.
Citizens spokesman Michael Peltier said it is unknown how many of the approximately 686,500 current homeowner multi-peril policies will eventually be picked up by private carriers.
The clearinghouse process was introduced in January for people seeking new Citizens policies.
While Citizens has seen its monthly average of new policies drop from around 26,000 in 2013 to 16,000 this summer, Gilway said July 10 that the clearinghouse has been credited with placing 3,300 new policies with private firms.
More recent numbers were not immediately available Tuesday.
Citizens planned to begin putting existing customers into the clearinghouse in July, but delayed the start date at the request of contractor New York-based Bolt Solutions, Inc., which received a five-year contract last year to design the software for the clearinghouse.
Reducing the number of polices, and thus the potential exposure to the state, has been a focus of government officials in recent years. As of July 31, Citizens had 933,807 policies in force, down from 1.43 million in May 2012.
Title I Florida Standards Meeting Thursday
September 3, 2014
Students, parents, teachers and community leaders can learn more about the new Florida Standards during a Title I workshop Thursday in Pensacola.
The interactive workshop is designed to inspire attendees to get excited about, and involved with, the new Florida Standards. The workshop will teach families age-appropriate activities to support learning at home.
Parents and students of all ages, and their teachers, are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Leigh Ann South, Title 1, TSA – Parent and Community Involvement, at (850) 595-6915.
Century To Hold Final Budget Workshop Thursday Afternoon
September 3, 2014
The Century Town Council will hold one final budget workshop on Thursday afternoon at 3:00. The budget is set for a first reading at a regular council meeting at 7 p.m. on September 8 before the new budget fiscal year begins on October 1.
The Town of Century’s budget for the current fiscal year is $4.38 million.
Pictured: The Century Town Council and accountant Robert Hudson (purple shirt) discuss the town’s budget at budget session last month. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Northview To Host Mini-Majorette Clinic
September 3, 2014
The Northview High School Majorettes will host a Mini-Majorette Clinic this Saturday, September 6th from 8-11 a.m. and September 11th from 4-5 p.m.
The clinic will teach students baton tricks, skills, and a baton routine that they will perform at pregame during the Northview vs Chipley game on September 12th. The clinic is open to any student from 5 years of age to 8th grade. Students must bring their own baton due to limited extras. The cost will be $25 per child and includes the clinic, a t-shirt, admission to the home game and a performance before kick-off.
If interested, registration is on September 6th between 7:30-8 a.m.in the Northview band room, just before the Saturday practice. Registration fees are due on September 6 to ensure that t-shirts are available on time. Call (850) 380-2531 for more information.
Snacks and drinks will be provided on the Saturday practice, but students are encouraged to bring something of their own.
Pictured top: Northview High School majorettes Julie Hester, Brianna Smith and Hanna Mascaro. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Juvenile Warrant Sweep Leads To 64 Arrests
September 3, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 64 people on 71 outstanding warrants during a juvenile warrant sweep.
The 64 arrested included both juveniles and legal guardians who were taken into custody on warrants that included charges from violation of probation to grand theft to burglary. Prior to the warrant sweep, the individuals were contacted by mail and given an opportunity to turn themselves in.
The Department of Juvenile Justice closed at the end of April due to flooding and just re-opened in mid-August. That led to the Sheriff’s Office concentrating on the juvenile warrants, the department said.
Volleyball: Baldwin County Tops Northview
September 3, 2014
Baldwin County High School of Bay Minette, AL, defeated the Northview Lady Chiefs in JV and varsity action Tuesday in Bratt.
Junior Varsity
20-25, 12-25 – Baldwin County wins
Varsity
23-25, 20-25, 25-22, 20-25 – Baldwin County wins
On Thursday, the Northview Chiefs will be on the road at Freeport. The JV plays at 4:00, varsity at 5:00.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Flood Survivor Cantonment Interviews Begin
September 3, 2014
Volunteer interviewers will meet with flood survivors beginning today in Cantonment to help individuals connect with resources and gain a clear picture of what it will take to recover.
BRACE and the Escambia County Long-Term Recovery Group have requested the services of a national disaster recovery group to determine who in the community will not be able to rebuild and recover without assistance.
A team of World Renew volunteers will conduct one-on-one interviews with flood survivors at Allen Memorial United Methodist Church at 200 Pace Parkway in Cantonment from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m on Friday, September 5; Monday, September 8; Wednesday, September 10; and Friday, September 12. An appointment is not necessary.
The process will help to prioritize individual and family needs and connect survivors with organizations offering long-term support. Several voluntary organizations have committed to sending volunteer reconstruction teams to the community to assist survivors in their recovery once the needs can be defined and prioritized. Those volunteer organizations will be assisting survivors with unmet disaster caused needs with reconstruction.
Interview questions are straightforward and should not require residents to supply any paperwork, although if flood survivors do have a FEMA number, they are asked to bring that with them to the center.
For more information contact the Escambia County Long-Term Recovery Group, at (850) 292-8024 or email brace@bereadyalliance.org.