Accused Indiana Child Molester Caught In Escambia County
June 12, 2015
An accused child molester from Indiana was captured in Escambia County Thursday.
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force captured Scott Edward Culver, 51, who was wanted on a two-year old warrant alleging he molested several young children under the ages of 12 and 14 while living and working in Indiana.
The U.S. Marshals in the Northern District of Indiana contacted the Florida task force two days ago with information that Culver may be living in Escambia County. Officials said it is unclear as to exactly how long Culver may have been hiding in the Pensacola area, but reportedly was employed in a local restaurant.
Early Thursday morning the Task Force and Pensacola Police Department officers went to a house on the 5000 Block of Springhill Drive and arrested Culver without out any resistance.
Culver is wanted on a March 2013 warrant out of Elkhart County charging him with four felony charges of child molestation, one felony charge of child solicitation and a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Lawsuit Challenges New Abortion 24-Hour Waiting Period
June 12, 2015
.A day after Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill requiring a 24-hour waiting period before Florida women can have abortions, abortion-rights advocates quickly challenged the constitutionality of the law.
A lawsuit, filed Thursday in Leon County circuit court by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights, seeks an emergency injunction to prevent the measure (HB 633) from going into effect on July 1.
The new law adds to an already-existing statute that requires physicians performing abortions to provide information to women to obtain consent. Under the new law, the information must be provided in person to women at least 24 hours before the procedures are performed — requiring women to make two trips to abortion clinics.
“By subjecting all women seeking abortion care to both a mandatory 24-hour delay and an additional-trip requirement — a burden placed on patients seeking no other medical procedure in Florida, much less a medical procedure protected by the state Constitution as a fundamental right — the act can only serve to deter women from seeking abortions, and to punish and discriminate against those who do,” a motion for the injunction said.
But legislative leaders stood firmly behind the measure. Senate President Andy Gardiner, R- Orlando, said the law does not deny access, but rather offers a period of reflection before woman make potentially life-changing decisions.
“There will always be legal challenges,” Gardiner said. “In a lot of things we do up here, there are legal challenges, but we feel very confident that we have a very good bill that really provides a reflection on a very, very, very serious decision.”
House sponsor Jennifer Sullivan, R-Mount Dora, said in a statement that “26 states have already instituted a 24-hour waiting period. Six of those states have the exact language that is going to become law in just a few days. Five of those six states faced legal challenges to this same language and courts rejected the challenges. Therefore, I am confident precedent will be respected, and I look forward to seeing this effort to protect life and … women’s health become the law of Florida.”
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Gainesville Woman Care LLC, which does business as the Bread and Roses Women’s Health Center, and Medical Students for Choice, contends that for women — especially low-income women who must arrange for child care, time off work and overnight travel — the law can push them past the time it is legal to have abortions.
Because abortion doctors typically work just one or two days at most clinics, the law “will inevitably force many women to delay their abortion procedures by a significantly longer period of time than 24 hours, ” lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote. “While abortion is an extremely safe procedure, the later an abortion takes place in pregnancy, the greater the medical risks for the woman, and the greater the cost as well. … The additional-trip requirement also poses a very real threat to a woman’s confidentiality and privacy by increasing the risk that partners, family members, employers, co-workers, or others will discover that she is having an abortion.”
ACLU of Florida legal director Nancy Abudu said the law — which passed the Republican-led House and Senate by large majorities — violates the right to privacy guaranteed in the state Constitution.
“The Florida Supreme Court has recognized that right to privacy extends to the area of a woman’s right to obtain an abortion,” she said. “So, we believe that Florida law provides even greater protections than federal law, which is why we are in state court.”
by Margie Meznel, The News Service of Florida
Biscuits Top The Blue Wahoos In Series Opener
June 12, 2015
The Montgomery Biscuits won the series opener Thursday at its Riverwalk Stadium over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos by scoring four runs in the fifth inning. The two teams return to the field Friday night at 7:05 p.m.
Pensacola did have a last chance to rally. The Blue Wahoos loaded the bases in their final at bat in the ninth inning with no outs when catcher Cam Maron walked, center fielder Beau Amaral singled and second baseman Ryan Wright singled. However, left fielder Jesse Winker popped out to third and first baseman Ray Chang grounded out into a double play.
The Biscuits chased the Blue Wahoos’ lefty Wandy Peralta by scoring four runs off eight hits and three walks.
Montgomery evened its record at 30-30 and fourth place in the Southern League North Division. Meanwhile, Pensacola dropped to 23-36 and last place in the South Division.
In the fifth inning, Montgomery scored its four runs. Right fielder Boog Powell singled on a bunt to first baseman Chang and was driven in by left fielder Joey Rickard on his double to centerfield to go up, 1-0. First baseman Cameron Seitzer singled to right field to score Rickard for a, 2-0, lead. Finally, Johnny Field smashed a two-run blast to center, his eighth homer of the year, to also scored Seitzer to go ahead, 4-0.
In the top of the sixth, Winker lead off the inning with a walk and ended up scoring on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Juan Perez to cut the lead to 4-1.
Montgomery added two more insurance runs in the eighth to go ahead, 6-1, when second baseman Hector Guevara hit a two-run shot, his first homer of the season, to bring in catcher Jake DePew.
Winker has now scored five times in the past 10 games and the Cincinnati Reds No. 2 prospect is hitting .326 (14-43) over that span.
In his last six games, Chang, who went 1-5 against Montgomery and had a walk-off double Wednesday, is hitting .444 (8-18). Amaral, who went 1-4, is batting .295 (13-44) with hits in 11 of the last 12 games.
The Blue Wahoos return home to play the Mobile BayBears June 17-21.
James William Windham
June 12, 2015
James William Windham, 61 of Walnut Hill, passed away Tuesday, June 9, 2015, in Atmore. He was a welder for Alabama Heat Exchangers. He was born in Eustis, FL on February 17, 1954, to James L. and Barbara Bryant Windham. He attended Enon Baptist Church.
He is preceded in death by his father, James L. Windham.
Survivors are his wife, Mildred Huffmaster Windham; two sons, James Zachary (Bridgett) Windham and Matthew J. (Christiana) Windham all of Bay Springs, FL; one daughter, Melissa Martin of Central, FL; mother, Barbara Foss of Tavares, FL; one brother, Cody Windham (Kelly) of Tavares, two sisters, Toni (Mike) Cates of Tavares and Becky (John) Dorinsh of Charleston, SC; eight grandchildren, Abigail, Camilla, Tara, Max, Matt, Wyatt, Arri, Johnny; and one great-grandchild, Carlee.
Services will be Saturday, June 13, 2015, at noon from the Enon Baptist Church in Enon with Bro. Alan Thompson officiating.
Interment will follow in Enon Baptist Church Cemetery.
Active Pallbearers will be Zach Windham, Matt Windham, Steve Andrews, Michael Spivey,C.J. Siminson and Ricky Singleton.
Family will receive friends, Saturday June 13, 2015, at the Enon Baptist Church from 10:30 a.m. until service time at noon.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Escambia Authorities Conduct Active School Shooter Training (With Photo Gallery)
June 11, 2015
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County Schools and Escambia County Fire and EMS conducted a joint training exercise at Woodham Middle School this morning.
The training scenario portrayed an active shooter on the school campus. This exercise allowed law enforcement, public safety and school administrators to understand how their procedures work, how each department interacts during this kind of situation and identify areas of the response that may need to be improved.
(Some readers may find the photos of realistic training to be disturbing.)
Pictured: An active shooter school training exercise at Woodham Middle School Thursday morning.. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Price, click to enlarge.
Man Charged With Grand Theft From Century Bridge Construction Site
June 11, 2015
A Flomaton man was arrested this week on charges he allegedly tried to steal fuel from two pieces of road construction equipment at a job site near Century.
Keenan Shawn Johnson, 28, was charged with felony grand theft and criminal mischief with property damage. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $500 bond.
Authorities allege Johnson obtained “master keys” from a road grader and a roller packer located at a bridge construction site on Fannie Road at Little Escambia Creek. He then allegedly tried unsuccessfully to open the fuel cap on at least one piece of equipment.
According to an arrest report, a fingerprint found a the crime scene was a positive match for Johnson, and an arrest warrant was issued.
The equipment belonged to a private contractor.
Lawmakers Plan To Increase Prisons Budget
June 11, 2015
While slicing and dicing other areas of the budget, lawmakers plan to boost the state’s spending on prisons by $43 million to address needs such as replacing vehicles and fixing leaky roofs and to wipe out a years-long deficit.
House and Senate negotiators have reached agreement during a special legislative session on much of the Department of Corrections’ $2.3 billion budget, which includes a $43 million increase over the current-year spending. That amount is shy of the $53 million Corrections Secretary Julie Jones sought during the regular session, which ended this spring without lawmakers reaching consensus on a state spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
The spending bump comes after the prisons agency has been rocked for the past year by reports of cover-ups of inmate deaths, corruption and retaliation against whistleblowers.
Setting aside $15.8 million to eliminate the agency’s deficit will bring the department into the black for the first time in three years.
Jones called the proposed spending — which includes 163 positions — “generous” and praised the results.
“The Legislature’s currently proposed funding is a fantastic first step that will allow the department to remain fiscally strong and continue to achieve our vision to change lives to ensure a safer Florida,” she said.
The allocations also add $11 million for food services, including $5 million for religious diets. In a long-running legal battle, a federal judge last month ordered the state to provide kosher meals to inmates, rejecting corrections officials’ argument that the religious diet is prohibitively expensive.
The proposed corrections budget also includes an additional $16.4 million to cover expenses and contracted services, including toiletries, clothing and utility costs. Jones told senators this spring that her agency has been redirecting salary dollars to pay for such items, as well as maintenance needs like repairing leaky roofs.
House and Senate criminal justice negotiators also agreed to spend $10 million — including $2.7 million to refurbish the Union Correctional Institution infirmary — on capital projects, about $5 million short of what Jones had suggested.
Jones’ predecessor, Mike Crews, left the embattled agency late last year in apparent frustration over being unable to fill staffing gaps and provide salary increases. Crews scrimped by having inmates make their own soap and sew their own bed linens in an effort to bring down costs after lawmakers repeatedly slashed spending on prisons.
The proposed prisons spending plan also includes $1.3 million for computer software upgrades. Jones testified earlier this year that more than 9,000 corrections officers do not have access to email. The current plan would ensure that all corrections employees have email accounts.
The proposal also addresses an aging vehicle fleet that has created problems for probation officers and guards transporting inmates from prisons to other locales. Lawmakers have agreed on $750,000 purchase up to 40 new vehicles for probation officers.
Another vehicle-related issue was left unresolved Wednesday, as the two chambers’ budget chiefs — Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, and his Senate counterpart, Tom Lee, R-Brandon — took over negotiations. The House wants to spend $1.7 million in recurring money, or funds that would be replenished every year, to replace decrepit prison buses, which have an average of 200,000 miles, according to corrections staff.
Also left up to the budget chairmen is a Senate proposal to spend $500,000 on a contract with an independent agency to conduct a security analysis of the prison system, something the agency is already doing as part of a separate contract currently underway.
The department paid $88,000 to the Association of State Correctional Administrators to conduct an audit that includes a review of prison security operations. The security audit will assess video surveillance, inmate movements, disciplinary and grievance procedures and staff and inmate supervision. The audit will also evaluate the “culture,” staffing levels and use of force at individual prisons as well as system-wide.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
ECUA Supports 4-H Members Preparing For Mock Legislative Event
June 11, 2015
Annually, 4-H high school students from the North Escambia area assemble with other 4-H members from across the state in Tallahassee to develop their debating, analyzing legislation, and public speaking skills though a mock legislature program at the state capitol.
The civic education event allows students to write bills, act as lobbyists, pass the bills through various committees and debate the potential laws on the House or Senate floor as acting representatives and senators. This exercise provides the 4-H’ers an opportunity to debate issues and experience the legislative process first-hand. Fourteen 4-H members will represent the Escambia County 4-H Program during the June 14-20 event in Tallahassee.
In preparation for their week of mock legislature, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) Vice Board Chairman Dr. Larry Walker, who representes District 5, hosted the students recently in the ECUA Board Room, allowing students to practice their legislative skills in a governmental chamber environment. The training prepared the students for the upcoming 4-H Legislature and gain an understanding of board proceedings similar to legislative committees that happen in organizations in all forms of government and private corporate enterprise.
The local students have participated in an intensive five-part training program, which was directed by 4-H agents and adult volunteers, who contributed their knowledge of parliamentary procedure, research, debating, the art of persuasion, and formal presentation in committee and chamber sessions.
Pictured top: Escambia County 4-H members and adult leaders joined ECUA Vice Board Chairman Larry Walker (far right) in the ECUA chambers to practice for an upcoming mock legislature program. Pictured below: The room allowed the students a realistic setting to practice for the event. Photos submitted for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
2015 STEM College Scholarships Awarded
June 11, 2015
The AFCEA Blue Angels Pensacola Chapter has announced recipients of the 2015 STEM scholarship for graduating high school seniors. . Ten graduating high school seniors will each receive $1,000 toward college expenses as they pursue degrees in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) of study.
Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) officials reported receiving more applicants for the scholarships than for any other offering in the chapter’s history, and were thrilled with the interest from area STEM students. “Our review team was so impressed with the high quality of talent we found in these students,” said Tony Ferguson, AFCEA Pensacola Vice President of Awards and Education. “Their accomplishments in technology and leadership were simply outstanding, and now they head off some of the finest colleges and universities in the country. As Pensacola continues its growth as a regional technology hub, the future for emerging leaders in our area is very bright.”
The AFCEA Blue Angels Pensacola Chapter made the funds available to local graduates as a result of the recently successful CyberThon event that gave high school students a chance to test their cyber-security skills against real-time cyber attacks. CyberThon garnered widespread support across the Pensacola region, and sponsor donations are now being put to work to continue the effort of supporting STEM students.
“This really is at the heart of the AFCEA mission,” said chapter president Randy Ramos. “One of the core values of the AFCEA international organization is to do everything possible to further the education of the local communities we serve, which is why we work so hard to raise support and make scholarships possible. The Pensacola tech community has really stepped up in recent months, and we are thrilled to be helping students in partnership with their generosity.”
One of the key contributors making the scholarships possible is the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, which donated $20,000 to the recent CyberThon event. “By supporting these students we are developing a cyber-skilled workforce prepared for high demand careers in law enforcement, the military and in the private sector,” said Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan.
Scholarship winners were:
- Devan Grant, West Florida High School of Advanced Technology, University of West Florida, Information Technology
- Kristen Ann Gilmore, Jay High School, Pensacola State College, Criminal Justice
- Joshua Agyei-Gyamfi, The Stony Brook School, Cornell University, Mechanical Engineering
- Jerrad Havemann, Gulf Breeze High School, University of West Florida, Mechanical Engineering
- Olivia Liseth, Pensacola High School, Vanderbilt University, Biomedical Engineering
- Zachary Mingus, Pace High School, University of West Florida, Computer Science
- Aidan O’Daniel, Gulf Breeze High School, Florida State University, Mechanical/Industrial Engineering
- Harrison Perkins, Booker T. Washington High School, University of Central Florida, Computer Science – Cybersecurity
- Taylor Perkins, Booker T. Washington High School, University of Alabama, Math/Biochemistry
- Jonathan Pool, Milton High School, Georgia Institute of Technology, Aerospace Engineering
Blooming Century Plant Turning Heads
June 11, 2015
Travelers and residents on Jordan Road northeast of Flomaton have been treated to a unique site — a blooming agave americana, more commonly known as a century plant.
The plants were once thought to bloom every 100 years, this the name, but scientists say the plants actually bloom about every 10 to 30 years. The bloom stalk may reach up to 30 feet high. The plants die after blooming, but shoots from the base may continue growning.
The century plant is located at the home of Shirley Petty in the 1100 block of Jordan Road, near Wolf Log Road.
Submitted photos by Andrea Boutwell for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
