Man Gets 80 Years For Robbery Outside Mexican Restaurant
November 27, 2015
An Escambia County man will spend the next several decades behind bars for the armed robbery of a half dozen people outside a Mexican restaurant.
Circuit Judge Ross Goodman sentenced Toland Bonner to 80 years in state prison with 60 years to be served as a mandatory minimum. He will be required to serve the entire 60 years with no parole or gain time. He must then serve at least 85 percent of the remaining 20 years of his 80 year sentence.
An Escambia County jury convicted Bonner of one count of robbery with a firearm, five counts of attempted robbery with a firearm, one count of aggravated battery while in possession of a firearm, six counts of aggravated assault, one count of fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, and one count of resisting an officer without violence.
On January 6, 2015, Bonner held up six victims standing outside the Los Rancheros Mexican Restaurant on Plantation Drive. Bonner fled the scene and was pursued by one of the victims until law enforcement joined the chase. Bonner eventually stopped his car on the side of the road and ran into a residential area in which he resided. Law enforcement later discovered that the vehicle was registered to Bonner and his passenger also identified Bonner. Furthermore, two of the victims identified Bonner in a photo lineup.
Bonner was previously convicted of six robberies in 2004.
Northview Cheerleaders March In Macy’s New York City Parade
November 27, 2015
Two Northview High School varsity cheerleaders marched in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Thursday. Pictured above and below are Dariane Guy (left) and Jadlyn Agerton in New York prior to the parade. Pictured bottom is Agerton with the Statue of Liberty. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
All Americans: Local Cheerleaders Take Part In Walt Disney Thanksgiving Parade
November 27, 2015
Eight North Escambia cheerleaders took part in the Walt Disney World Thanksgiving Parade.
Anna Adams , Ashlan Harigel, Lexi Broadhead, Jayda Crabtree and Cloe Smith from Ernest Ward Middle School and Bailey Span, Gabrielle Kline and Shelby Bashore from Northview High School marched through the Magic Kingdom in Orlando Thursday during the annual event.
Pictured top: With Mickey Mouse are (L-R) Anna Adams , Ashlan Harigel, Lexi Broadhead, Shelby Bashore, Jayda Crabtree, Cloe Smith, Gabrielle Kline. Not pictured is Bailey Span. Pictured below: The Walt Disney World Thanksgiving Parade Thursday in Orlando. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Santa Rosa Woman Charged With Sexual Battery On Juvenile
November 27, 2015
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a woman for sexual misconduct with a minor.
Kimberly Ann Seevers was arrested for sexual battery on a victim 16 or 17 years old and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was released from the Santa Rosa County Jail on a $15,000 bond shortly after her arrest.
The abuse allegedly occurred during period of January 8 to February 26, 2015. The arrest came after the school resource officer at Jay High School received information in regards to a possible sexual relationship between Seevers and juvenile males.
Further details have not been released by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Sunny And Warm For Friday
November 27, 2015
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Calm wind.
Sunday: Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 73. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.
Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 59.
BBB Black Friday Shopping Tips
November 27, 2015
Black Friday has traditionally been the biggest retail shopping day of the year, although numerous stores will open on Thanksgiving Thursday this year.
Whether in the store or online, the Better Business Bureau serving Northwest Florida offers advice to help you with your holiday shopping:
- Budget your shopping money and stick to it. Avoid impulse buys.
- Look for the details on every sale and understand the specifics.
- Advertising can be tricky; don’t get stuck paying more for an item than you expected.
- Credit card offers from a store will offer a discount on your purchase but may also carry high interest rates.
- Keep all receipts and warranty information for each item purchased.
- Fraudulent charges are easier to fix if you pay with a credit card than a debit card.
- Return policies differ with every store. Make sure you know the conditions for returns and exchanges, including whether restocking fees are charged.
- If you purchase a gift card, look for hidden terms that can decrease its value.
- Don’t leave your wallet, credit card or purse on a counter or in an unattended shopping cart.
- Ask for a store manager if any advertised offer does not match the price listed on an item.
- Yelling at store employees and other customers won’t make the lines shorter. Anticipate crowds and take a friend along to enjoy the day.
- Credit cards provide the most protection if someone steals the credit card number or if you don’t receive an ordered item.
- You, the customer, are responsible for knowing and understanding each online retailer’s return/exchange policy.
- Beware of deals that sound too good to be true, especially extremely low priced on hard-to-get items.
- Ensure you have the most recent updates for spam filters, anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewalls installed.
- Read the site’s privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used.
- Make a file to keep copies of all purchase confirmation web pages and e-mails for future reference and as a record of the purchase.
- Only shop on trustworthy sites; look for the BBB seal and other widely-recognized “trustmarks.”
- Never wire money to pay for a transaction and when on sites like Craigslist, only shop locally.
- Delete phishing emails such as those claiming a problem with an order or account in an attempt to lure the “buyer” into revealing financial information.
- Actively keep an eye on your credit card statements to detect suspicious or fraudulent activity on your accounts.
- You are your best protection! Make sure your online purchase is secure by looking for the “s” (https://) in the URL and the “lock” symbol in the lower-right corner before paying.
Man Faces Long List Of Charges After Fleeing Traffic Crash
November 26, 2015
An Escambia County man that fled from a traffic accident is now behind bars on multiple felony charges after a manhunt.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, 22-year old Tyrone Deonta Wilkins left the roadway in his 2004 Chevrolet Malibu near the intersection of Mobile Highway and Massachusetts Avenue, struck two guy wires and a power pole about 9 a.m. Wednesday. The vehicle rotated back into the highway, striking a 2010 Dodge Charger driven by an 18-year old female.
Wilkins jumped out of his vehicle, as witnessed by Escambia County paramedics, and fled on foot. The paramedics gave chase and witnessed him throw down a gun. An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit tracked Wilkins, who surrendered in the woods southwest of the intersection.
Wilkens was charged by the FHP with leaving the scene of a crash involving injuries, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, reckless driving causing property damage, no valid driver’s license, driving with suspended license second offense, possession new legend drug without prescription, possession of marijuana, failure to provide insurance in crash, open container of alcohol and not wearing seat belt. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office charged him with carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and altering or removing the serial number from a firearm. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $50,000.
The driver of the Dodge Charger was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital with minor injuries.
Dancing In The Rain: A Thanksgiving With Childhood Cancer
November 26, 2015
Khai’s story is one of heartbreak, and one of Thanksgiving for the little things in life like dancing in the rain.
Yet, in what seems to be the brutally unfair and tragic world of childhood cancer, the 6-year-old and his parents, Doug and Chloe Davidson, say they have discovered seeds of hope and renewed faith in the power of prayer and have found much to be thankful for this week.
Just a few weeks ago, Khai nearly died from a rare liver condition brought on by chemotherapy treatments for the acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which he has been battling since being diagnosed on April 2.
Khai is back at his home recovering from his month-long brush with death and facing two more years of cancer-fighting treatments. And his family, including 3-year-old brother Dawson, is looking forward to giving thanks on Thursday.
“I’m thankful that we’re all going to be home together for Thanksgiving,” said Chloe, a photographer. “A few weeks ago, we didn’t know if we’d be able to do that. Not just do it because he was in the hospital, but just period.”
Khai snuggled next to his dad, a Plant Crist control operator, on their living room couch listening to his mother’s words. It’s hard to know if he fully understands what “period” means. But it’s clear he knows a lot for his tender age about the medical terminology and the toxic mix of drugs being injected into his body to knock out the cancer forever. He often helps his parents when they search for the right medical terminology. “Phen-ben,” Khai chimes in when Chloe tries to recall the medicine concoction doctors recently tried on him to calm his anxiety and nausea.
Diagnosis cancer
Khai, who has become somewhat of a cancer-battling celebrity through his Facebook page “Keeping up with Khai,” — with over 13,800 likes and counting — seemed to be a typical healthy and spunky boy a year ago.
“In March, he was playing T-ball, and he began complaining about his legs hurting,” Doug said. “We’d bring him home and give him a warm bath and ice his legs. We just thought it was growing pains.”
Khai’s pain increased until one day he was crying in agony when he got off the school bus. Soon afterward, the vice principal at his school, S.S. Dixon Primary, called.
“He said Khai was refusing to run and didn’t want to do anything … and he didn’t seem like himself,” Doug said. “When he got home, he looked pale. We took him to a doctor for blood work. He had a really high white blood cell count and low red blood count.”
The doctor said it could be one of two things — anemia or leukemia. A bone marrow biopsy the next day confirmed the cancer. A day later, a port was installed in Khai’s chest to start a 28-day round of chemotherapy at Sacred Heart Nemours Clinic in Pensacola.
At the end of the cycle, Chloe and Doug were relieved to learn that Khai’s cancer was in remission. But he was not out of the woods. He started another round of treatments meant to kill any remaining leukemia cells that could not be seen.
On October 9, after a subsequent 49-day treatment involving 19 rounds of nine drugs, Khai developed a fever and was hospitalized at Nemours.
Tests revealed Khai had three different cold virus strains. That’s when the rare liver condition, called veno-occlusive disease, set in. Khai’s belly began swelling and he experienced agonizing pain and breathing difficulty as his liver dramatically enlarged and he retained fluids.
“I was in a lot of pain. I couldn’t even sleep,” Khai said in a weak voice.
October 14, Doug, who was sleeping in Khai’s room, woke up to a doctor alerting him that his son’s condition was life-threatening. He needed to immediately be flown to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville where he could receive a new drug treatment that was in the third stage of clinical trials.
At first, Doug and Chloe were told there was no room on the medical aircraft for them.
“With him being 6 years old, not feeling good and having never flown before, I said, ‘I don’t’ care what you have to do, you have to find a plane that one of us can fly with him’.”
As Doug and Khai were preparing for the flight, Chloe packed and hit Interstate 10 for the nearly six-hour drive to Jacksonville.
“I was really emotional driving there,” she said. “I was thinking, ‘we’re we all coming back together. ‘ I was scared, because the medicine he was going there for had not even been approved by the FDA, and everything I read about the veno disease was scary. Nearly half the people who get it don’t survive.”
At Wolfson, Khai’s condition worsened. If the morphine began wearing off, he’d scream out in pain. Another mix of drugs caused him to become overactive and babble in his sleep.
About a week into the 21-day drug treatment, Khai began showing small signs of recovering.
A few days later, the doctor confirmed the treatment was working and Khai began to slowly recover. He was weakened from not having eaten — only receiving nourishment intravenously — and from being bedridden for nearly a month.
On November 5, he was finally released from Wolfson and returned home the next day.
He’s still weak and tires easily.
“I start limping,” Khai said about what happens when he gets tired.
But when he puts on his signature mask and yellow cape emblazoned with “Unstoppable,” Khai springs into superhero action, jumping around attempting Judo kicks and Karate chops.
Celebrity
Khai’s Facebook page is filled with his ups and downs and community fund drives to raise money for childhood cancer research. His “Khai Strong” motto has become an inspiration for others facing cancer.
Several Florida news outlets featured a story about his favorite Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles visiting him before he was released from Wolfson earlier this month.
Pensacola boxer Roy Jones Jr. tweeted, “My buddy Khai playing catch with Jaguars QB Blake Bortles.”
All of this exposure made his Facebook page “likes” explode and made him recognizable in public.
“When we were in Jacksonville a waitress came up and said, ‘Are you Khai?’ “ Chloe said. “Since we’ve come back, literally everywhere we go, everyone says ‘Hi, Khai.’”
When asked how did he become a celebrity? Khai shrugged and said: “Just because I’m really cool and very special.”
Chloe admits it’s sad he’s gained notoriety from cancer, but says it has also helped him place hundreds of pins on his prayer map, a map of the world with people from nearly every country, including Russia and New Zealand, sending him healing prayers.
The family takes heart in the fact that sharing Khai’s story on Facebook has made a difference. Chloe pointed to a message she received from a woman who follows Khai on Facebook. “I want you to know you possibly saved my nephew’s life. We found out today he has cancer, and the only reason we took him to get blood work is because you shared Khai’s symptoms. I want to tell how grateful we are that you shared Khai’s story.”
Long road ahead
Khai is in remission but is now facing a long series of maintenance treatments to keep the cancer from returning through June 15, 2018.
The couple says they won’t be able to feel true relief until he’s the five-year mark in remission.
“Every time he has labs … every time they draw spinal fluid, we’re waiting to get that phone call hoping and praying they are not saying his cancer is coming back.” Doug said.
If he’s not faced with anymore complications, doctors say he has a 94 percent chance of surviving the leukemia.
“If it does come back, the next step is a bone marrow transplant,” Doug said.
“But we won’t go there,” Chloe counters. “It’s just scary … the what-ifs. The word relapse is scary.”
If all goes well, Khai will be able to return to school after Christmas break in January, which in his fragile state right now, is a foreboding thought for his parents, even though they long for him to return to some childhood normalcy.
While his parents talk about his condition, Khai becomes more solemn and buries his face in the couch. When his parents ask him what’s wrong, after a long pause and moan, he finally whines, “I’m bored.”
His parents laughed at the very, normal childlike response.
It could be worse
Even though their journey with cancer has been tough and heartbreaking the family does what they can to help other families facing similar and worse challenges.
“Compared to some of his friends who don’t have a chance, we’ve always danced in the rain and tried to make the best of a bad situation,” said Chloe, referring to a popular quote from inspirational author and artist Vivian Greene.
Khai even takes cupcakes and greeting cards to children he knows who are still hospitalized, some of whom will not leave the hospital alive.
“It makes me feel happy,” Khai said about the gesture.
When the family sits down to enjoy their Thanksgiving feast, those families whose will weigh heavy on their minds.
“For us, it’s going to be hard on Thursday because we’ve gotten to know a lot of families who will be sitting in the hospital for Thanksgiving,” Doug said. “But for us to have the ability to stay home and have a normal Thanksgiving … that’s what I’m thankful for.”
Photos: Camp Fire Kids Celebrate Thanksgiving With Feast
November 26, 2015
Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center held a Thanksgiving feast this week for children and their parents. The daycare’s children, dressed as Pilgrims or Native Americans, enjoyed a full Thanksgiving meal following a special Thanksgiving production on stage at the Century Community Center.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured: Children enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast at the Camp Fire USA Century Youth Learning Center. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Miracle League Holds Annual Turkey Fry
November 26, 2015
The Miracle League of Pensacola held their annual turkey fry fundraiser Wednesday. Volunteers with the Miracle League spent their day frying turkeys for a minimum $20 donation, with all of the proceeds going to benefit the Miracle League. NorthEscambia.com photos by Jennifer Repine, click to enlarge.
