Scott Signs Series Of Bills Getting Tough On Sexually Violent Predators
April 2, 2014
After a disturbing newspaper investigation and the murder of a Jacksonville girl, Florida legislative leaders vowed to get tough this year on sexually violent predators.
And Tuesday, Gov. Rick Scott moved quickly to sign a package of bills aimed at keeping sexually violent predators locked up so they can’t attack again.
“Florida’s going to be scorched earth for these monsters,” said Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who worked on the bills.
Scott signed the package (SB 522, SB 524, SB 526 and SB 528) during a ceremony in the Capitol’s Cabinet meeting room that included sheriffs, prosecutors, lawmakers, sexual-assault victims and victims’ family members. Scott and other speakers said the bills will make Florida’s children safer.
“The safety of Florida’s families, especially our children is of paramount importance and I am proud to sign this legislation that adds protections for vulnerable Floridians during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. As a father of two girls and a grandfather of three boys, I think about how the legislation I am signing today will affect Florida’s families. It will make Florida’s children safer and adds protections for our communities, especially for our children. These measures will make a positive difference for generations to come,” Scott said.
The bills signed by Scott included SB 528 by Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, who represents the North Escambia area. The bill requires registered offenders to report vehicle information, Internet identifiers, palm prints, passports, professional licenses, immigration status, volunteer work at higher education institutions and other information.
Supporters hope the bills will prevent a repeat of incidents such as the kidnapping, rape and murder last year of 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle in Jacksonville, a case that drew widespread attention. A registered sex offender, Donald Smith, has been arrested in the case.
More broadly, supporters hope the legislation will address problems raised in an investigative report by the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The newspaper reported that the commitment of sexually violent predators under the state’s Jimmy Ryce Act had slowed to a crawl. Also, it found that since 1999, nearly 600 sexual predators had been released only to be convicted of new sex offenses — including more than 460 child molestations, 121 rapes and 14 murders.
House Criminal Justice Chairman Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, said the bills will mean Florida will not be a “catch and release state” for sexual predators.
The bills make numerous changes to the state’s criminal and civil-commitment laws. As an example, SB 526, which was spearheaded by Bradley and Gaetz, would lead to mandatory minimum sentences of 50 years in prison for what are known as dangerous sexual felony offenders.
Taking part in the bill-signing ceremony was Lauren Book, a sexual-abuse survivor who has founded a group called Lauren’s Kids. Also taking part was Diena Thompson, whose 7-year-old daughter Somer disappeared in Clay County in 2009 while walking home from school. The child’s body was later found in a South Georgia landfill.
Bradley, who lives in Clay County, pointed to the Thompson and Perrywinkle cases and said the sexual-predator issue is “personal and raw” to people in Northeast Florida.
Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida, contributed to this report.
Pictured top: Gov. Rick Scott signs a series of bills Tuesday in Tallahassee. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
William Thomas “Bill” Oliver, Jr.
April 2, 2014
William Thomas “Bill” Oliver, Jr. of Pensacola, passed away on April 1, 2014.
Bill was a member of Grace Assembly of God and Pine Barren Hunting Club. He was preceded in death by his father, William Thomas Oliver, Sr.; mother Mary Olsen; step father, Pete Olsen; sister, Sharon E. Oliver; brother, Samuel Scott Oliver.
Mr. Oliver is survived by his wife Imelda Joyce Shirah Oliver; two sons, Robert N. (Christine) Oliver and Scott H. (Irina) Oliver; five grandchildren, Wyatt, Ally, Mary, Gracy, Nelly; sister, Sandra (Fred) Lizama; four nephews, Fred Lizama, Jr., Michael Lizama, Sam Oliver, Thomas Oliver.
Pallbearers will be Lonnie Wilson, Kyle Wilson, Jason Bonifay, Toby Lodge, Delton Boswell and Dale Olsen Pine Barren Hunting Club will be the honorary pallbearers.
Visitation will be on Thursday, April 3, 2014, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home. The funeral will be on Friday, April 4, 2014,at 2 p.m. at the funeral home with burial to follow at Eastern Gate Memorial Gardens.
Mary Lamargaret Whitehead
April 2, 2014
Mary Lamargaret Whitehead, 58, of Cantonment, passed away Monday, March 31, 2014. She was a loving wife of 35 years and a loving mother. Mary loved sewing, camping, and spending time with family and friends. She loved to cook, even for the neighborhood children. She touched so many lives and was loved by everyone.
Mary is survived by her husband, Donald Ray Whitehead, Sr.; daughters, Tammy Lassiter, Sophrona Whitehead, and Sheila Grim; sons, Edward Boyett and Donald Ray Whitehead, Jr; 11 grandchildren; sisters, Michelle Boyett and Sheila Rivenbark; brothers, Daniel Boyett and Anthony Boyett; mother-in-law, Carlie Whitehead; father-in-law, James Whitehead, and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held at Faith Chapel North on Thursday, April 3, 2014, from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a funeral service to follow immediately at 7 p.m.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Michelle Rena Odom
April 2, 2014
Heaven received another angel on Tuesday morning. Michelle Rena Odom passed away April 1, 2014, joining her soul mate James Caspar. She was a beloved mother, aunt and sister. She will be remembered for having a caring heart.
Michelle was preceded in death by her mother, Carol Parkton; and brothers, Randy, Kenny, and Michael Odom.
She is survived by her three children, Ashley Chance, Justin Odom, and Charlie Odom; grandson, Hunter Chance; sisters and brothers, Debbie Odom, Kathy Rogers, Betty Robbins, Tammy Warpup, Rickey Odom, and Jimmy Odom; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be at Faith Chapel North on Friday, April 4, 2014, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Funeral services will follow immediately at 7:30 p.m.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Minnie Vernell Simmons
April 2, 2014
Mrs. Minnie Vernell Simmons, 82, passed away on Wednesday, April 2, 2014, in Flomaton. Mrs. Simmons was a native of Flomaton, and a former resident of Cantonment, having returned to Flomaton in 1980. Mrs. Simmons was an avid seamstress and gardner. She was a member of the Lighthouse Baptist Church and attended the Sardis Baptist Church for a number of years. Her husband, Thomas “Bud” Simmons; one brother, J.B. Nicholas; and one sister, Marie Oglesby, precede her in death.
Survivors include her son, Donald Simmons of Flomaton; daughter, Jeanne Simmons of Flomaton; sister, Voncille Lowery of Pensacola; three grandchildren, Jordan Henry, Tyler Henry, and Shauna Henry; and many number of special nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be Friday, April 4, 2014, at 11 a.m. at the Sardis Baptist Church with the Rev.Earle Greene and Rev. Chuck Day officiating.
Burial will follow at the Sardis Cemetery.
Visitation will be Friday, April 4, 2014, from 9:30 a.m. until service time at the Sardis Baptist Church.
Pallbearers will be Danny Nicholas, Jordan Henry, Tyler Henry, James Oglesby, Jimmy Howell, and Eddie Howell.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Photo: 10 Mile Water Line Break
April 1, 2014
ECUA had a water line break to deal with Tuesday morning on West 10 Mile Road between Highway 29 and Stefani Road. Reader submitted photo by Robert Grafton for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Burglar Shot In The Act Arrested On The Run In Louisiana
April 1, 2014
A Century man on the run from the law since he failed to show up for a sentencing hearing in February has been arrested in Louisiana.
Ricky DeWayne Taylor, 34, was arrested by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office in on a misdemeanor charge of possession of stolen things. He is being held without bond in the Lafayette County (LA) Jail awaiting extradition back to the Escambia County Jail in Pensacola.
On January 21, Taylor pleaded no contest to the charges against him, including burglary and grand theft. Judge Michael Allen allowed Taylor to stay free on bond until his February 20 sentencing hearing.
On May 17, 2013, Taylor broke into the victim’s home on Rockaway Creek Road and began removing items. The victim unexpectedly returned and caught Taylor and co-defendant Teresa Sunday in the act. Sunday, who was acquainted with the victim, had called him earlier that day to lure him away from the home to meet her at a local pool hall.
The victim held them at gunpoint with a .38 caliber revolver and contacted the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. As the victim was speaking with dispatchers, Taylor lunged toward him. The homeowner fired a .38 caliber revolver, striking Taylor in the leg and grazing Sunday on the left cheek. Taylor was alert and conscious when he was transferred to LifeFlight to be airlifted to Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. He was charged with burglary, larceny, criminal mischief property damage and battery.
Sunday, age 35 of Century, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and grand theft of a dwelling. In January, she was sentenced by Judge Michael Allen to five years in state prison.
Taylor was also charged with burglary and grand theft on Klondike Road on May 10, 2013. Deputies say he parked his Lincoln Town Car with Alabama plates near a home in the 8000 block of Klondike. He then allegedly took a duffel bag, five extension cords and a five gallon gas can from a barn and placed them outside, according to an arrest report.
The resident walked outside and confronted Taylor near the duffle bag outside of his barn. Taylor ran and the victim gave chase but was unable to keep up. The victim noticed the out of place Lincoln Town Car in the neighborhood and photographed the tag. After the victim returned home, he drove around in an attempt to located the suspect and passed the Lincoln, being driven by the man he chased from his yard.
Deputies were able to trace the Lincoln to Taylor from the tag photo, and the victim positively identified Taylor from a photo lineup.
Pictured: The scene on May1 7, 2013, on Rockaway Creek Road in Walnut Hill after burglary suspect Ricky Taylor was shot. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Team Finishes Second In County Academic Championship
April 1, 2014
Recently, the Pensacola High School Academic Team defeated Tate High School to win its 12th consecutive County Academic Championship.
WSRE Studio on the Pensacola State College campus hosted the event, known as the “Academic Challenge.” All the matches between the competing county high schools were taped by WSRE. The air dates for these matches have yet to be determined; however, it is anticipated that it should begin sometime in early April.
Following are the overall results:
- Pensacola 3-0 970 pts
- Tate 2-1 695 pts
- Washington 1-2 375 pts
- Pine Forest 0-3 240 pts
ECSO: Woman Throws Brick Into Vehicle With Estranged Husband, His Girlfriend
April 1, 2014
A Century woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly chasing down her estranged husband and his new girlfriend and tossing a brick though his car windows.
Tasia Valenta McCall was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill, two deadly missiles weapons offenses and criminal mischief property damage.
The victim told deputies he and his girlfriend were driving along Highway 29 south of Century when McCall began to follow them and attempted to maintain contact. When they arrived at their destination on Hilltop Road, McCall followed them down a long driveway. Before they could exit the vehicle, McCall began cussing and yelling at them before tossing a brick though the rear window of the occupied vehicle, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report. There were no injuries.
McCall was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Volunteer Meeting Tonight For Those That Seek To ‘Reimagine Century’
April 1, 2014
“You can make a change in your community today” — that’s the slogan of Reimagine, a local organization that is is determined to meet then needs of of the communities in which it commits to serve.
Reimagine Century will be held on Saturday, September 13 at Showalter Park. A volunteer meeting will be held next Tuesday, April 1 at 7 p.m. at the Ag Building on West Highway 4 in Century.
Organizer Linda English said the group is on a mission to serve those less fortunate.
“We do so by uniting churches, businesses, and organizations within a particular community to meet an individual’s physical needs, which in turn, opens the door to establishing a relationship, allowing us to then talk and discuss meeting a spiritual need,” she said.
Reimagine has held similar events in Brownsville, Warrrington, Thomaston, GA, Santa Rosa County and Peru. Events have included clothing giveaways, free haircuts, free food, free health checks and displays from community organizations.
For more information, contact Linda at (850) 454-5280.
Pictured: Scenes from Reimagine Warrington. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
