FWC Law Enforcement Report
September 14, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending September 8 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Despite unfavorable conditions offshore, Officers Allgood, Cushing and Trueblood were able to patrol federal waters over the weekend. Crew members issued five federal citations to persons on board two different vessels. Violations included possession of greater amberjack and red snapper during the closed season.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Petty, Roberson, Ramos and Cushing responded to Coldwater Creek to the report of an overdue tuber that missed the take out. Santa Rosa Fire Rescue found the missing tuber and returned her to safety.
Officer Jones was conducting fisheries inspections at the Navarre Fishing Pier and issued citations to two different fishermen for being in possession of multiple undersized Spanish mackerel.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
Third Zika Case Reported In Escambia County
September 14, 2016
A third travel-related case of the Zika virus has been reported in Escambia County by the Florida Department of Health
The Escambia County case was one of 13 new travel related cases announced Tuesday and the only new case reported in the Florida panhandle. There have been a total of 634 travel related cases reported in Florida, and 70 cases that were not travel-releated.
The health department urges Floridians to drain standing water weekly, no matter how seemingly small. A couple of drops of water in a bottle cap can be a breeding location for mosquitoes. Residents and visitors also need to use repellents when enjoying the Florida outdoors.
Rain Chances Increase As The Week Progresses
September 14, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89.
Irrigation And Crop Management Field Day Held In Oak Grove
September 14, 2016
UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County hosted an Irrigation and Crop Management Field Day Tuesday in Oak Grove.
Farmers interested in irrigation systems, crop consultants, and representatives from educational and government agencies participated in the program at Sam and Scott Walker’s Farm on North Highway 99 near Melvin Road.
Participants learned about soil moisture sensors, in ground devices that detect how much water is in the soil and alert the user to real-time watering need. The soil moisture sensors, coupled with UF/IFAS developed mobile apps, help farmers irrigate crops more precisely and efficiently.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Scott Calls For Congressional Action On Zika Funding
September 14, 2016
With 70 confirmed cases resulting from Florida mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus, Gov. Rick Scott traveled to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to implore Congress to break a deadlock on federal funding to combat the disease, which can cause severe birth defects.
“The Zika virus is now mosquito-borne in our state. Time is up for politics and political debates about a major federal effort to stop this disease,” Scott said after a meeting with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Scott also had meetings scheduled with U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., and U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., on Tuesday. He is scheduled to meet with more congressional members on Wednesday.
Scott, who has authorized $26 million in emergency state funding for Zika, is spending two days in the nation’s capital as Congress appears to be heading closer to including Zika funding in a stopgap federal spending bill.
Scott said the federal government “has managed to get its hands into too many things,” while increasing the federal debt, “and yet they can’t agree on spending money to stomp out a serious disease.”
“It’s unacceptable. It’s exactly why the entire country is fed up with Washington and the federal government,” Scott said in a statement. “This is not a partisan issue. Mosquitoes don’t care about party affiliation.”
Scott’s trip came as the Florida Department of Health on Tuesday reported a total of 799 Zika cases in Florida, including six new locally-acquired cases and 13 new travel-related cases. Some 86 cases involve pregnant women, who could face the possibility of their children being born with birth defects like microcephaly.
Congress has remained stalled on President Barack Obama’s request for $1.9 billion in Zika funding since the spring, even as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported it was running out of money for efforts to thwart the disease, including the development of a vaccine.
In a Senate floor speech on Tuesday, Rubio said he was encouraged by comments from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., that legislative leaders were working on a bill to extend federal spending through December that would include $1.1 billion in Zika funding. The measure was also expected to eliminate controversial policy provisions from the House that sought to cut off funding for some Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico.
Rubio said the Zika crisis was so critical, he was willing to drop his normal opposition to the temporary spending bills, known as continuing resolutions.
“At this point, I just really believe that we need to get Zika funding approved and moving. We need to make sure that the fight against Zika doesn’t run out of money before the end of this month,” said Rubio, who had supported Obama’s original $1.9 billion request. “That’s, for me, the most urgent priority.”
A bipartisan group of Florida congressional members also held a press conference on Tuesday to call for the passage of a “clean” $1.1 billion Zika program, without the Planned Parenthood provisions.
“It is time to act. The politics of Zika have gone on far too long and people are scared,” said U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla. “Only a clean bill will get the votes necessary to get this done and it is time Congress accept this reality and get a Zika package to the president’s desk.”
Jolly was joined by two other Republicans House members, Curt Clawson and Carlos Curbelo, and six Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and House members Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Alan Grayson, Patrick Murphy, Frederica Wilson and Gwen Graham.
“I’m proud to see so many members of Florida’s congressional delegation put politics aside to unite behind what’s best for our state,” Graham said. “Now it’s time for the entire Congress to follow our lead.”
Yet Tuesday was not free from partisan politics, as Scott went out of his way to criticize Nelson, whom the Republican governor may challenge in 2018, for voting against a $1.1 billion Zika bill last week.
“He turned his back on $1.1 billion to fight Zika because of politics,” Scott said.
Nelson said he opposed the measure because it included the “highly partisan” provisions from the House. He noted he had joined an earlier bipartisan vote in the Senate in favor of $1.1 billion in Zika funding without the additional provisions.
“The virus is not a political opportunity,” Nelson said in a floor speech earlier this week. “It’s a public health emergency. To stop the spread of the virus, we are going to have to do what we did months ago: come together in a bipartisan fashion.”
Earlier Tuesday, Republican and Democratic Senate leaders talked to reporters about the progress on the temporary spending bill and Zika funding.
McConnell, the Republican leader, was noncommittal, saying discussions were continuing on the legislation.
Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic leader, said it was the Planned Parenthood provisions that stalled the bill last week and he has yet to see any specifics on the latest proposal.
“We don’t have anything to look at right now,” he said.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Ukrainian Delegation Tours Escambia’s New Recycling Facility
September 14, 2016
ECUA District 5 Board member Larry Walker hosted an international delegation from the Ukraine at the Interim Materials Recycling Facility (IMRF) in Beulah on Tuesday.
The Gulf Coast Citizen Diplomacy Group is hosting a group of six Ukrainian delegates in a U.S. Congressional exchange called Open World. The exchange brings up-and- coming leaders from the former Soviet Union countries to the U.S. for short-term trips that focus on specific professional topics as well as intercultural exchange opportunities.
The IMRF, a collaborative effort between ECUA and Escambia County, is a state-of-the-art facility that will have the capacity to recycle up to 40,000 tons of materials per year.
The $10.6 million project was initiated to offer a long-term, regional recycling solution for the community, while at the same time, to assist Escambia County in reaching its state-mandated 75 percent recycling goal. On February 12, ECUA broke ground for the IMRF, which encompasses a 53,460 square-foot fabric building and recycling equipment that is expected to process up to 165 tons of materials per day.
Pictured: ECUA District 5 Board member Larry Walker (in hat) leads a Ukrainian delegation through the IMRF Tuesday morning. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Molino Man Charged With Two Felony Animal Abuse Counts
September 13, 2016
A Molino man has been arrested on two felony animal abuse charges in connection with two malnourished horses.
Charles Van Deese, 53, was charged with two felony counts of animal abuse causing cruel death or pain and suffering. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
According to court documents, Escambia County Animal Control received a complaint on July 13 from Panhandle Equine Rescue about two horses in poor condition on Parker Lane off the 3000 block of Highway 97. PER told a county investigator that Deese had been in and out of the hospital during the last several months and was unable to care for his horses. In his absence, they were being cared for by two of his friends.
Animal control reported that a veterinarian that examined the horses stated that they needed to be fed more often, and that the pasture was not sufficient to provide enough food for the horses. The pasture was reported to contain only weeds and very short grass.
The first horse was emaciated and the second was “very thin”, according to court documents. The ribs of both horses were reported to be easily visible from a distance. Due to the critical condition of the horses, they were removed from the property July 14 and transported to Panhandle Equine Rescue where they were placed on 24 hour care.
On July 15, Van Deese contacted Escambia County Animal Control and said he wanted to sign the animals over to the custody of the county because he was “not able to take care of them and wanted to do what was best”, according to an animal control report.
Van Deese told an investigator that he suffers from a medical condition that is getting worse.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wet Weather Pattern
September 13, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Friday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.
Monday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89.
Century Approves Property Tax Increase Due To Tornado Destruction
September 13, 2016
Monday night, the Century Town Council approved a property tax increase to offset revenue lost when hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property was destroyed during an EF-3 tornado.
The council voted to hike the ad valorem millage rate from 0.9005 to 0.9732 for the next fiscal year. That’s equal to a $3.63 tax increase on a $50,000 property. The town lost $404,593 in taxable property to the February tornado, according to the Escambia County Property Appraiser’s Office.
The increase will enable the town to meet their proposed $3.75 million budget for fiscal year beginning October 1. The upcoming year’s budget is down from the current year’s $5.1 million budget, which included about $2.2 million in grant income and expenditures.
Council member Ann Brooks voted along with the rest of the council to increase the millage rate, but she was the lone vote against the overall budget.
Before becoming final, the 2016-2017 Century budget faces another public hearing on Monday, September 19 at 6:50 p.m.
Pictured top: Century’s accountant, Robert Hudson explains the town’s budget to council members Monday night. Pictured below: The tentative budget summary, click to enlarge. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Missing Children’s Day: Search Continues In North Escambia Case
September 13, 2016
A Tate High School student last seen 15 years ago in North Escambia was among those remembered Monday on the 2016 Florida Missing Children’s Day in Tallahassee.
“Our prayers are with the parents of missing children. These children and their legacy is the driving force behind our efforts to ensure Florida is the safest state in the country for our families and citizens,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Monday.
In 2015, more than 34,000 incidents of missing children were reported to Florida law enforcement agencies and six AMBER Alerts were issued statewide. Since its inception, 203 AMBER Alerts have been issued, including seven so far this year. AMBER Alerts have directly aided in the rescue of 64 children.
“We all play an important role in keeping our children safe. When a child goes missing, it is vital that law enforcement, the public and media work together to help in a safe recovery. Please take time today to sign-up for AMBER and Missing Child Alert notifications or follow FDLE on Facebook and Twitter to receive the alerts,” FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said.
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “Today, and every day, we pray for the safe return of all children who were taken from their homes, and remain united in support with our great law enforcement in their tireless efforts to reunite missing children with their families.”
Danielle Arion Bell was last seen at age 14 at a party in September 2001 in the 500 block of Cedar Tree Lane, between Highway 29 and Highway 95A in Cantonment.
Witnesses told authorities that Bell left a party with a man that was in his mid-twenties at the time. Escambia County deputies later questioned that man and searched his home, but he was never charged in connection with the case.
During the summer of 2007, Alfredo Gomez Sanchez, Jr. was charged with providing law enforcement with false information about his whereabouts at the time Bell disappeared. He was not implicated in her disappearance.
In October 2010, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit served a search warrant at the home.
As part of that search warrant, a septic tank behind the residence was pumped out, and dogs from Escambia County Search and Rescue were also used to search the area. Investigators said nothing was found, and they would not say what new information might have led to the search.
According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Danielle has a scar on her right forearm and blue eyes. She had brown hair at the time of her disappearance. Danielle, whose nickname was “Dani”, was a member of the Tate Aggies cheerleading squad. The popular teen enjoyed dancing and drawing.
Anyone with information about Bell is asked to call the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (850) 436-9580 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
FDLE invites the public to sign up to receive Missing Child Alerts and AMBER Alerts via email or text message by visiting www.missingchildrenalert.com. To view photos of missing children, visit www.fdle.state.fl.us.
Pictured top: Investigators pumped and searched a septic tank at this home on Cedar Tree Lane in Cantonment in October 2010 in the case of missing teen Danielle Arion Bell. Pictured below: A search and rescue K-9 team was also on site. Pictured bottom: A septic tank company employee prepares to pump a septic tank at the home. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
