Escambia Sheriff’s Office ‘Camp Friendship’ Underway At Molino Park Elementary
June 11, 2014
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office “Camp Friendship” is underway this week at Molino Park Elementary School. The free summer day camp for ages 6-14 features presentations by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit, jail tour, sports, arts and crafts and much more. Photo courtesy Escambia County Sheriff’s Office for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Scott, Crist Keep The Campaign Cash Flowing
June 11, 2014
The arms race continues between Rick Scott and Charlie Crist.
Crist, trying to win back the governor’s mansion as a Democrat after a mid-life political conversion, raised more than $2 million in cash in May for his campaign and a closely aligned political committee, newly filed records show.
Scott, trying to win a second term and keep Republicans in total control of state government, brought in about $1.16 million in cash for his campaign and the sister “Let’s Get to Work” committee. But the state Republican Party, which is expected to play a huge role in Scott’s campaign, said it collected $3.54 million during the month.
The money will help fuel what is expected to be an expensive — and nasty — race filled with negative ads. As a sign of what’s to come, the Let’s Get to Work committee reported spending about $3.1 million on advertising in May, after spending about $5.1 million on ads in April.
With updated finance reports due Tuesday, Scott’s campaign reported raising $1,116,038 in May, bringing the overall total to nearly $4.7 million. The campaign had also received about $1.5 million in in-kind contributions through May, with the state party covering expenses such as staff and consulting.
Let’s Get to Work reported raising an overall total of slightly less than $28.1 million through May, though it also has spent about $12.9 million. The committee has dramatically ratcheted back its fund-raising during the past two months, collecting $46,100 in May and $257,000 in April. But the significance of that drop-off remains to be seen, as, for example, harder-to-track money can flow through the state GOP.
Crist’s campaign reported raising $410,787 in cash in May, bringing its overall total to nearly $3.7 million. Also, the committee has collected a total of $836,310 in in-kind contributions. Meanwhile, the committee, known as “Charlie Crist for Florida,” collected $1,627,500 in cash during the month, bringing its total to $8,234,580, records show.
by Jim Saunders, The News Service of Florida
Robert Leslie Bartley
June 11, 2014
Mr. Robert Leslie Bartley, 82, passed away on Sunday, June 8, 2014 in Atmore.
Mr. Bartley was a native of Walnut Hill, former resident of Pensacola and had resided in Christian Home since 1973. Mr. Bartley was a Korean War Veteran and an employee of American Linen. He is preceded in death by two brothers and three sisters.
He is survived by his wife, Mary B. Bartley of Christian Home; three sons, Robert W. Bartley of Atmore, Troy Randall Bartley and Ricky Lynn Bartley, both of Christian Home; one daughter, Lorene (Belle) Whitmore of Christian Home; two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Graveside services were held Wednesday, June 11, 2014, at the Christian Home Cemetery with Rev. Kenny Johnson officiating.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Frank James Milstead
June 11, 2014
Frank James Milstead, 89, of Cantonment, passed away peacefully Tuesday, June 10, 2014.
Born of Creek Indian heritage in Uriah on November 8, 1924, to Jesse James and Almeda Woods Milstead, he spent most of his life in Cantonment. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and after discharge married Bessie Carolyn Silcox. They were married for 68 years. Frank was the last postmaster of the Muscogee post office and retired from Monsanto after 25 years.
He loved fishing, hunting, camping, enjoying nature, and spending time with family. He was a lifelong member of Disabled American Veterans and the National Rifle Association.
Surviving are his wife, Carolyn; children, Janis (Rob) Rose, Cathy Hébert, Frank (Deborah) Milstead, II, Chandra (Art) Dehnz and Steve (Karen) Milstead; 13 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, three great-great grandchildren; sisters, Jessie Mae Fitch and Ruth Crutchfield; and many nieces and nephews.
He is predeceased by his parents, five brothers, and two sisters.
A visitation will be held for family and friends at the family home at 4 p.m. Friday, June 13, with the funeral service at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at Faith Chapel North.
Interment will be at Eastern Gate Memorial Gardens.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to your favorite charity.
J.W. Philyaw, Sr.
June 11, 2014
J.W. Philyaw, Sr. 52 of Repton, passed away Monday June 9, 2014, in Brewton. He was a truck driver, born in Atmore on July 2, 1961, to the late John Lee and Dorothy Capers Philyaw.
Survivors are one son, J.W. Philyaw, Jr; two daughters, Dorthy K. Philyaw and Rosa Darlin Philyaw all of Repton; two brothers, William (Every) Philyaw and James Philyaw both of Century; and numerous nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Services will be Friday, June 13, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Janet Lee officiating.
Interment will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Family will receive friends, Friday June 13, 2014, at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home from 9:30 a.m. until service time.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Amendment 2 Opponents: ‘Don’t Let Florida Go To Pot’
June 11, 2014
“It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, president of the Florida Sheriffs Association. “It’s wrought with loopholes. It’s very cleverly written so that there can be use and abuse.”
Judd and other members of the group said they want to educate voters about the dangers of the amendment, which they consider to be so loosely written that Floridians of all ages will be able to obtain marijuana if it passes in November.
“We are literally looking at an unleashing of a Wild, Wild West of potent marijuana products,” said Calvina Faye, executive director of Drug Free America.
A ballot summary that voters will see when they go to the polls says, in part, the medical use of marijuana would be allowed for people with “debilitating diseases as determined by a licensed Florida physician.” The more-detailed text of the amendment lists diseases such as cancer, glaucoma and HIV and also refers to “other conditions for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.”
Judd said that given the example of states that have legalized medical marijuana, such as California, the “other conditions” in the amendment could include sleeplessness, stress, cramps and pain from a sore back or broken arm.
“If you just look at the history of what we’ve gone through with pill mills, you can imagine that it would be the same type of doctors making those recommendations,” Faye said.
But Ben Pollara, campaign manager for United for Care, the group driving the amendment, said the anti-pot coalition’s arguments were misleading.
“This is about getting relief to really sick and suffering people,” Pollara said. “Our opponents look at the polls and see that Floridians probably support medical marijuana and are either split or opposed to the adult use of marijuana. And the way that they think they can win this campaign is by tricking people into believing this is about something other than what it really is, which is the medical use of marijuana.”
The constitutional amendment requires approval from 60 percent of voters to pass, and polling has been inconsistent. A Quinnipiac University poll released in early May showed that 88 percent of Florida voters support allowing adults to legally use marijuana for medical purposes.
But Sarah Bascom, spokeswoman for another anti-Amendment 2 effort, the “Vote No on 2 Campaign,” pointed to a poll out Tuesday that was conducted for The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. It showed that roughly 54 percent of Miami-Dade County voters supported the medical marijuana measure — not enough for it to pass in November. And that was in a heavily Democratic county.
“It’s completely at odds with what every poll has found on the topic in the last year and a half,” Pollara said of the Miami-Dade poll. “I don’t really think much of it.”
The polls are inconsistent because they’re changing, University of South Florida political science professor Susan MacManus said.
“I suspect some of them were fairly accurate at the time they were taken,” she said. “But you’ve got to put them in the time frame of when they were asked and what’s going on. … It makes a difference as to what kind of stories have been carried on television in what markets on the whole issue of marijuana in Colorado and groups coming out against it. The publicity, in other words, can really change people’s minds on this issue.”
MacManus said she thought the ballot measure could go either way.
A political committee that is helping fund opposition to the amendment raised $2.6 million in May, with $2.5 million coming from Republican super-donor and Las Vegas casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson. That committee, the Drug Free Florida Committee, had received $100,000 before May.
A spokesman for United for Care, the group backing the amendment, said it raised $195,359 in May, but details had not been posted on the state Division of Elections website late Tuesday afternoon.
Archie Gerald Sellers
June 11, 2014
Mr. Archie Gerald Sellers, 82, passed away on Monday, June 9, 2014, in Atmore.
Mr. Sellers was a native of Frisco City and a resident of Atmore for most of his life. Mr. Sellers owned and operated Sellers Electric. He attended the Church of the Living God. His wife, Cleo Sellers; grandson, Cody Brown; parents, John and Ruby Sellers; brothers, Charles and Raford Sellers; and sisters, Ervie Bray and Atha Hale precede him in death.
He is survived by his three daughters, Wanda (Chipper) Staff, Vickie Carrier and Sandra (Mark) Brown all of Atmore, AL; five grandchildren, Angela Leachman, Michelle Smith, Scott Fayard, Casey Fayard and Joshua Brown; three step-grandchildren, Kit Leachman, Jake Leachman and Haley Leachman; eight great-grandchildren; and caregivers, Mildred Edwards and Dorothy Roberson.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, June 11, 2014, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Earl Harrison and Rev. Don Davis officiating.
Burial was in the Oak Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Kevin Dean, Kelly Gunn, Ron Weinmann, Billy Rollin, Mike Digmon and Robert Harrison.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Showers, Thunderstorms Likely
June 10, 2014
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- This Afternoon Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Wednesday Showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
- Wednesday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. South wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Friday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69.
- Sunday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89.
- Sunday Night A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70.
- Monday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91.
Century Man Gets Three Years On Drug Charges
June 10, 2014
A Century man will spend the next few years in state prison after being convicted on drug charges this week.
Lawrence Hoff, age 65 of the 6800 block of Jefferson Avenue, was convicted of cocaine trafficking 28 to 200 grams and possession of marijuana over 20 grams.
He was sentenced to three years in state prison by Judge Jan Shackelford. He was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine, a $2,500 surcharge, and $1,048 in costs and fees.
Escambia Man Faces Life For Armed Robberies
June 10, 2014
An Escambia County man faces up to life in prison after being convicted of two convenience store robberies.
Zethaniah Alexander Faulk, 39, was convicted by an Escambia County jury of two counts of armed robbery with a firearm, two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and two counts of a aggravated assault with a firearm.
The charges stemmed from two Circle K robberies which occurred approximately one hour apart on May 15, 2013. Faulk was masked and carried a firearm during both robberies. He utilized the firearm to batter the clerks from each store before stealing money and other items. He was identified with the help of a Crime Stoppers tip and the fact that a distinctive tattoo was matched to his person.
Circuit Judge Terry Terrell scheduled sentencing for July 14. Prosecutors will seek to sentence Zethaniah Faulk as a habitual felony offender and a prison releasee reoffender. Faulk faces a life sentence for these convictions.