Man Facing Additional Charges For Stealing From Employer
April 21, 2015
An Escambia County man previous charged with stealing from his employer and fraudulently using an EBT cards has been arrested in two additional theft and fraud cases.
Barry Paul Fehr, 53, was employed at Highway Specialties, Inc. on Pine Barren Barren Road in McDavid since 2001.
Fehr allegedly billed a contractor using Highway Specialties letterhead after representing himself as owner of the company and using letterhead to prepare quotes and establish contracts to that he would be paid personally for the installation of guardrail components on federal, state and local roadways.
He billed the contractor $6,300 for guardrail installed on I-10 and $500 for a guardrail repair on I-110 at Brent Lane, according to an arrest report. Investigators said he took inventory from Highway Specialties stock and transported it to the job site and performed the installation himself.
In a separate incident, Fehr allegedly negotiated a contract with Biles Construction for guardrail that was installed in Semmes, AL, and billed the company on Highway Specialties letterhead with his name at the top of the invoice. The guardrail used had been purchased by Highway Specialties for a project in Okaloosa County, but was reportedly taken from their inventory by Fehr.
The owner of Biles Construction told investigators that he was asked to pay for the guardrail in cash. When the company refused, Fehr reportedly asked that the $8,550 check be made out to him personally instead of Highway Specialties because he was going through a “nasty divorce”, the arrest report states.
Fehr was charged with multiple felony counts of grand theft and fraud in he two cases.
In January, Fehr was charged with unrelated counts of grand theft and fraud after an investigation found that he sold 30,145 pounds of steel highway guardrail components in 19 transactions to Wise Recycling without the permission of Highway Specialties for a total of $3,428.
The investigation also found Fehr in possession of additional guardrail components owned by Highway Specialties and valued at $2,135, the report states.
Several times, Fehr represented himself in a capacity to complete jobs and accept payment without proper invoicing and receipts, investigators said. Within the past two years, deputies said Fehr and his crew installed 150 feet of guardrail on I-10 and was paid $5,200 outside the scope of Highway Specialties.
Fehr was also accused of paying cash at one-half the face value for an individual’s State of Florida EBT card each month for the past 60 months. He then used the card as his own, fraudulently obtaining about $10,500 worth of benefits, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Fehr was charged with one felony count of a grand theft and one felony count of fraud – unauthorized user of public assistance when arrested in January. Fehr was charged with additional counts of fraud – unauthorized user of public assistance in February.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from his January and February arrests. He has not yet been arraigned on his latest arrests and remains free on bond.
Fair Provides $30K In Educational Grants To Local Students
April 21, 2015
The Pensacola Interstate Fair, Inc. has given out a total of $30,000 for the 2014-2015 John E. Frenkel, Sr. Educational Grants.
This grant provides $1,000 each to 30 recipients, made payable to any accredited college. Since the inception of the grant program in 1983, Pensacola Interstate Fair, Inc. has given over $1 million to local students.
These grants are restricted to graduating High School Seniors of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties who, during their high school years, have participated in or volunteered at the Pensacola Interstate Fair.
The grant recipients for this year are:
- Brandon H. Ingram, Central High School
- Mark A. Reid, Escambia High School
- Amanda S. Tanner, Escambia Virtual Academy
- Sydney J. Ezelle, Gulf Breeze High School
- Makenzie C. Bray, Jay High School
- Kolby L. Copeland, Jay High School
- Clayton T. Fischer, Jay High School
- Tucker C. Harrington, Jay High School
- Jeffery T. Kelley, Jay High School
- Micah J. Kemp, Jay High School
- Colby A. Odom, Jay High School
- Tyler W. Odom, Jay High School
- Alisa B. Roberts, Jay High School
- Emily S. Russell, Jay High School
- Kourtney P. Smith, Jay High School
- Derrill S. Starling, Jay High School
- Donald P. Cunningham, Pace High School
- Elizabeth A. Parra, Pensacola High School (IB)
- Erin B. Fairall, Pine Forest High School
- Carissa J. Carroll, Tate High School
- Tristan W. Fromm, Tate High School
- Samantha Early, Washington High School
- Amy K. Fellgren, Washington High School
- Briahna D. McDavid, Washington High School
- Christopher P. Searcy, Washington High School
- Michaela A Tullius, Washington High School
- Joshua L. McLamb, West Florida High School
- Raleigh E. Nesbitt, West Florida High School
- Hannah E. Power, West Florida High School
- Josephine N. Venable, West Florida High School
Scott, State Workers End Fight Over Drug Tests
April 21, 2015
Ending a four-year legal battle that cost taxpayers at least $675,000, Gov. Rick Scott and lawyers representing a state workers’ union have agreed on the types of Florida government employees who can be forced to undergo suspicionless drug tests.
Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which represents the workers, and Scott haggled for more than a year over which employees can be subjected to random drug testing after an appellate court found that Scott’s blanket drug-screening policy violated constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.
Under a settlement agreement filed Monday in federal court, the state agreed to pay the ACLU $375,000 in legal costs for the drawn-out litigation and to limit the drug tests to about 7,000 workers in 157 different job classes, a fraction of the 34,000 employees Scott’s blanket policy was intended to cover. The agreement applies to the union’s collective bargaining units, which include employees who are not dues-paying members, and job applicants.
Scott, whose drug-testing push also included an attempt to require applicants for welfare benefits to submit to urinalyses, issued an executive order requiring all state workers to undergo random drug screens shortly after he took office in 2011.
A federal judge put the policy on hold after the ACLU filed suit that summer, and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Scott could not constitutionally justify drug testing for all types of state employees without a reason, though it said testing could occur for some workers such as those in “safety-sensitive” positions. The appeals court ordered Scott and lawyers for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, to come up with a list of jobs that could be subject to testing.
Scott appealed that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to consider the case.
Monday’s agreement, which still requires court approval, identified more than 100 job classes that Scott can test for drug or alcohol use. Workers in most of the positions deal with vulnerable children or adults, handle heavy equipment or are already required to undergo medical tests for other reasons.
“We are pleased that the settlement will allow Florida to protect families by ensuring state employees working in the most critical areas of safety and security remain drug-free,” Scott spokesman John Tupps said.
In addition to the $375,000 Scott agreed to give the ACLU, the state has paid private lawyer Thomas Bishop at least $180,000 for legal fees associated with the case. The state has also spent nearly $120,000 on a special master to oversee the negotiations with the ACLU.
“It doesn’t seem to have panned out. That’s an understatement. It seems like an enormous waste of money spent on something that was obviously not constitutional to begin with. I’m not sure why (Scott) made that choice and why he decided to pursue it for so long, but we are happy that the courts have recognized the unconstitutionality of this policy and that we can finally bring this very expensive — to the taxpayers and the parties — litigation to a close,” said ACLU lawyer Shalini Goel Agarwal.
The minimum $675,000 tab for the state worker drug-testing lawsuit does not include at least $300,000 Scott also spent on a losing battle to force applicants for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to undergo drug screens. Scott dropped his appeal of the case earlier this year after the same federal appeals court ruled that the state law, pushed by Scott in his first bid for governor, also violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. The taxpayers’ bill for the welfare drug-testing lawsuit does not include potentially hefty legal fees for the ACLU, which also represented the plaintiff — a veteran who is a single parent — in that case.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Tate Lady Aggies Win District 1-7A Softball Championship
April 21, 2015
The Tate High School Lady Aggies won the District 1-7A softball championship Monday night 6-4 over Niceville.
In the fifth inning, Tate’s Casey McCrackin hit a three-run homer, followed by a home run from Savannah Rowell. Tate hitters were Casey McCrackin 1-3, 2R, 3 RBI; Savannah Rowell 1-3, R, RBI; Tori Perkins 1-4, 2 RBI; Lauren Brennan R; Hadley Starratt R; Savannah Ulrich R.
The Tate Lady Aggies will play host to Tallahassee Lincoln at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the regional quarterfinals.
Northview Assistant Coach Headed To Tennessee
April 21, 2015
Northview High School assistant football coach Derek Marshman has announced that he’s headed to a new job in Tennessee.
Marshman has been named an assistant coach at Signal Mountain High School just outside Chattanooga. There, he will join the school’s new head coach, Ty Wise. Marshman and Wise were part of the coaching staff that led the Northview Chiefs to a state football championship in 2012. Wise departed in 2013 to take the head coaching job at Graceville.
Marshman will remain at Northview through the end of the school year before moving to Tennessee with his family, including his wife Brittany, a teacher at Byrneville Elementary School.
“It was a great opportunity for my entire family,” Marshman said Monday night. “We visited this past weekend for the first time, and it was just beautiful up there. The entire town just blew us away.”
Marshman said he will miss the Northview Chiefs, which he predicted will do great things this fall.
“There’s a really good group of juniors moving up as leaders. Northview will have a very strong team this fall.”
Pictured top: Northview assistant coach Derek Marksman (center) is resigning and taking a job in Tennessee. Pictured inset: Marshman reacts to the Chiefs falling behind during a home game. Pictured below: Marshman calls a play. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Blue Bell Ice Cream Recalls All Products Over Listeria Concerns
April 21, 2015
Blue Bell Ice Cream has voluntarily recalled all of its products currently on the market made at all of its facilities, including ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbert and frozen snacks, because they have the potential to be contaminated with listeria.
“We’re committed to doing the 100 percent right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe,” said Paul Kruse, Blue Bell CEO and president. “We are heartbroken about this situation and apologize to all of our loyal Blue Bell fans and customers. Our entire history has been about making the very best and highest quality ice cream and we intend to fix this problem. We want enjoying our ice cream to be a source of joy and pleasure, never a cause for concern, so we are committed to getting this right.”
The products being recalled are distributed to retail outlets, including food service accounts, convenience stores and supermarkets in several states, including Florida and Alabama.
Blue Bell has now had several positive tests for Listeria in different places and plants and as previously reported five patients were treated in Kansas and three in Texas after testing positive for listeria.
“At every step, we have made decisions in the best interest of our customers based on the evidence we had available at the time,” Kruse said. “At this point, we cannot say with certainty how Listeria was introduced to our facilities and so we have taken this unprecedented step. We continue to work with our team of experts to eliminate this problem.”
Blue Bell is implementing a procedure called “test and hold” for all products made at all of its manufacturing facilities. This means that all products will be tested first and held for release to the market only after the tests show they are safe.
Blue Bell expects to resume distribution soon on a limited basis once it is confident in the safety of its product.
Consumers who have purchased these items are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headaches, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, a listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.
Brunhilde Karolina “Oma” Maucher
April 21, 2015
Brunhilde Karolina “Oma” Maucher joined her Heavenly Father in the early hours of April 15, 2015. She was born in Fussen, Germany on September 20, 1920. Oma was the fifth child of 12 born to Ignatz and Viktoria Hiltensperger.
She married the love to her life, Walter H. “Opa” Maucher, who passed away on April 5, 1948. Together with their daughter they immigrated from Germany to the United States in May 1952. They made their home in Barrineau Park/Molino area for 60 years. Oma was a loving wife, caring mother and devoted grandmother. She was strong in her faith and on any sunny day could be found working in her gardens.
She leaves behind her children, Ursula (Hubert) Steeley, Dieter (Sarah) Maucher and Werner (Terri) Maucher; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and her remaining siblings, Charlotte (Pius) Forg, Walter Hiltensperger and Elvira Hiltensperger.
A funeral mass was held Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Barrineau Park.
Burial was in St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Cemetery.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is entrusted with arrangements.
Raymond Terry Woodward, Sr.
April 21, 2015
Raymond Terry Woodward, Sr, age 56, died at home on Saturday, April 18, 2015. Terry was born May 4, 1958, in Pensacola to Thomas and Voncile Woodward. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He owned Terry’s Well Service for over 30 years serving the greater Pensacola area. Terry was an avid motorcycle rider, fisherman and woodworker.
He is survived by his wife, Connie Woodward; daughter, Angela (Christopher) Clark; son, Raymond (Shanna) Terry Woodward Jr.; seven grandchildren, Keith Wade, Seth Wade, Kristian Woodward, Jamil Lee Clark, Tory Woodward, Angel Woodward and Kylie Woodward.
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years” Abraham Lincoln.
Funeral services will be held at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, at 2 p.m.
Interment will follow at Clear Springs Cemetery in Robertsdale, AL.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
ESCO: Pot, $42K Seized In Traffic Stop
April 21, 2015
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office seized several pounds of pot and thousands in cash following a weekend traffic stop.
Sunday morning deputies were proactively conducting surveillance in an area of Medford Avenue known to have high drug activity. At one residence there was considerable foot traffic, and deputies noticed large bags being transferred to vehicles in front of the residence, the department said.
A traffic stop was conducted which led to a felony narcotics arrest. During a search of the vehicle over 10 pounds of marijuana, just over $42,000 in currency and the vehicle were seized. Hoang Thanh Huynh, 29, was a charged with possession with intent to sell.
Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
DCF Faulted For Oversight Of Privatized Agencies
April 21, 2015
Two reports presented to lawmakers last week criticized the Florida Department of Children and Families for poor oversight of the privatized agencies that deliver child-welfare, substance-abuse and mental-health services statewide.
The reports arrived as the Legislature is considering further changes to all those services.
The Florida Office of the Auditor General published its findings last month and reviewed them Thursday with members of the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee.
One report faulted the state’s oversight of what are known as managing entities, which oversee the delivery of substance-abuse and mental-health services. With lawmakers focused on improving those services this year, the managing entities could be revamped under a bill (SB 7068) ready for a vote by the full Senate possibly as soon as Wednesday. The House version (HB 7119) is ready to go to the full House.
The other report criticized the state’s oversight of community-based care organizations, known as CBCs, which provide foster care, adoption and family-support services. The agencies have been under legislative scrutiny in recent years for a series of child deaths from abuse and neglect. Now, lawmakers are revisiting a child-welfare reform law passed last year — and the possibility of more funding for the CBCs to provide mental-health and substance-abuse treatment, among other services.
Together, the reports point to shortcomings in the Department of Children and Families’ monitoring of the privatized agencies, which receive hundreds of millions of dollars a year to coordinate and deliver services in their regions.
“The department did not always adequately conduct, document, review, and report the results of (community based care agencies) monitoring,” noted the report on the foster-care services.
“The department could not provide documentation supporting the conclusions reached on cost analyses performed for (managing entity) contracts awarded on a noncompetitive basis,” said the report on mental-health and substance-abuse services. “The department had not always documented that employees involved in the contractor evaluation and selection process attested in writing that they were independent of, and had no conflict of interest in, the MEs (managing entities) evaluated and selected.”
What’s more, department monitoring of the managing entities “did not ensure that all key assessment factors and performance measures were included in the scope of its monitoring activities. Additionally, the department did not always appropriately document that proper follow-up on ME actions was taken to correct deficiencies identified through monitoring.”
Department of Children and Families Secretary Mike Carroll, in a response to both reports, wrote, “The department generally concurs with the findings.”
The criticism comes as the House and Senate prepare to vote on whether to alter the way the seven statewide managing entities bid on Department of Children and Families contracts. The House and Senate bills would require those contracts to be performance-based and to include consequences for failing to comply. What’s more, the House proposal would require that at least two managing entities bid on each contract — or the bidding process could be opened to for-profit companies and Medicaid managed-care organizations.
Members of the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee questioned Lisa Norman, an audit manager with the Auditor General’s Office, on the reports, and some of the individual agencies objected to specific findings.
For instance, the report faulted Our Kids, the community-based care agency serving Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, for expenditures related to a $28,000 graduation event for young adults in the Independent Living program. The costs included $6,684 for food for 250 guests, which the Auditor General’s report found an inappropriate expenditure under state law.
“We recommend that Our Kids, in consultation with the department, make appropriate funding source adjustments for the unallowable costs related to the graduation event,” said the report.
But in her written response to the report, Our Kids president and CEO Jackie Gonzalez said that the event helps young people in foster care build their self-esteem.
“Our Kids has received approval from DCF for this event since we began acknowledging the success of our students in a ceremony in 2009 and did not think it necessary to receive approval each year,” the response said. “We believe that (the Auditor General) is taking an overly narrow view.”
Committee Chairwoman Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, asked Norman how Our Kids could have done the event differently.
“Use private funds,” Norman replied.
Christina Spudeas, executive director of the advocacy group Florida’s Children First, reminded lawmakers that under former DCF Secretary David Wilkins, the department had slashed most of its quality-assurance positions — which had performed some of the monitoring.
“They went down 70 positions,” Spudeas said. “Two years ago, you gave funding, but only reinstituted one-half of those. We need the rest of those positions to do full quality assurance, quality improvement, for the programs around the state. It’s very important for the children in care.”
As to the managing entities, the chief executive officer of one of them, Linda McKenna of the Central Florida Behavioral Health Network, said that the four selected for the Auditor General’s scrutiny “were the newest managing entities in the state and had all recently come up and were developing their procedures.”
Mark Fontaine, executive director of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, agreed, but said it was clear that lawmakers were “redefining their expectations” for the managing entities and their coordination of the services they provide.
“The expectations on the MEs are going to be greater,” Fontaine said. “It’s more like shifting to health-care management: ‘Let’s look at the people we’re serving and figure out how to do better services for those people.’ ”
by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida