Cantonment Teen Charged With Alabama Arson
March 2, 2016
A Cantonment teen is behind bars in Alabama after allegedly trying to torch a home early Sunday morning.
The Atmore police and fire departments responded to a reported fire at 3:58 a.m. on 5th Avenue. Firefighters were quickly able to contain the blaze and extinguish the fire before it spread beyond the outer wall of the home.
Officers investigating the scene were able to determine that debris picked up from around the outside of the home was used to start the fire. Their investigation also determined that a 17-year old juvenile from Cantonment was responsible for the arson and several other criminal incidents that occurred earlier during the night.
Authorities beliee the juvenile was responsible for a stolen vehicle, burglary of a vehicle and unauthorized use of a vehicle, along with the arson. Two vehicles were later recovered and the juvenile was arrested and transported to the Baldwin County Juvenile Detention Center without incident on charges of arson and theft of property first degree.\
Atmore Police said additional charges may be pending against the juvenile. The identity of the juvenile was not released.
Senator Pulls Plug On Fracking Bill
March 2, 2016
The Senate sponsor of a controversial bill about the regulation of “fracking” in Florida withdrew it from consideration Tuesday, saying he didn’t have the votes to get through a key committee.
Sen. Garrett Richter, R-Naples, told members of the Senate Appropriations Committee that the opposition of environmentalists played a key role in thwarting the measure (SB 318).
“Emotions tend to magnify the controversy,” he said.
The bill would have set up a state permitting process for fracking, a method of drilling that involves injecting water, sand and chemicals underground to create fractures in rock formations, allowing natural gas and oil to be released.
The measure was fiercely opposed by environmental groups, who say the chemicals used in fracking could contaminate Florida’s aquifer, and thus its water supply.
Richter’s proposal was backed by the Florida Petroleum Council, Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, which said the state needed a regulatory framework for fracking.
Without the bill, Richter warned, fracking in Florida is regulated only by market forces and the current $30-per-barrel oil price, which is certain to rise.
“(The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is flooding the market, and they’re doing so intentionally,” he said. “When OPEC stops flooding the market, supply will drop, demand will still be there, and prices will go up. … And that’s when we’ll see fracking again in this state.”
The House voted 73-45 last month to approve its version of the fracking legislation (HB 191), sponsored by Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, and Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park.
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 10-9 against Richter’s measure, but a procedural move gave Richter more time to build support — to no avail.
“The opposition got drummed up against it,” Richter told reporters. “Colleagues that voted for my bill last week received a magnitude of mean emails, I’m told, calling them names for voting for me and ‘ignoring the environment of the state.’”
Among other things, the bill would have required companies to inform the state Department of Environmental Protection of chemicals they inject into the ground, although with some restrictions that opponents said would have kept the public in the dark.
Also, the bill called for setting aside $1 million for a study on the impact of fracking, with a temporary moratorium until the completion of the study in June 2017. Critics say that would be a small amount of time and money with which to conduct such an important study.
In addition to environmentalists, the bill also was opposed by a number of local governments that have approved fracking bans. Under the bill, only the state could have imposed such a ban.
On Tuesday, Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, agreed with Richter that “the ability of local governments to address the issue of fracking is at best exceedingly weak, a patchwork at best and a total nullity at the worst.”
Although Richter is facing term limits, Simmons said, “We’re not going to give up on this. I’m not going to give up on this.”
Richter also called out by name the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, one of the environmental groups that opposed his bill. He called the group “disingenuous” for working on a compromise and then speaking against the bill last week.
But Jennifer Hecker of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida said she spoke against the bill because it would not have regulated matrix acidization, a technique to mine oil and gas by dissolving rock with chemicals rather than fracturing it.
“(The bill) would have only looked at the fracturing techniques, and as we know now, those are less likely to be used in our state,” Hecker said. “The more common technique would have not been studied, would have not been suspended, and that’s why, ultimately, this was a bill that was going to do more harm than good.”
Hecker also said her group “had made every effort to work in good faith and to get the right information — science, not emotion.” She said the group hired hydrologists and legal experts to inform its position on the bill. “It was clear that there wasn’t an interest, or the political will, by those that were pushing this legislation to make the changes that were needed,” she said.
The issue is certain to return, and the hard feelings are likely to linger.
“We had some extreme environmental groups that were ginning up controversy” in the House, Rodrigues said. “Many of these groups were people that we brought to the table — and put their suggestions into the bill — which begs the question of why work with these groups if they’re not going to be supportive of what they bring forward to you in the future.”
If and when the proposal returns, Rodriques said, he will not collaborate with those environmentalists “that dealt in bad faith” on this year’s measure.
by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida
Gambling Plans Melt Down In Senate
March 2, 2016
A proposal that would have ratified a $3 billion gambling deal between the state and the Seminole Tribe folded Tuesday in the Senate, indicating the bill is doomed for the legislative session that ends next week.
Publicly, Senate leaders held out the slim hope that a gambling agreement could still be reached before the March 11 finale of the session.
“Never say never. It’s not over,” Senate President Andy Gardiner, an Orlando Republican who has consistently opposed any expansion of gambling, told The News Service of Florida Tuesday afternoon.
But privately, leading lawmakers in both chambers acknowledged that the effort is dead.
“It’s certainly on life support. Procedurally, it will be difficult to make it to the floor,” said Senate Regulated Industries Chairman Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who has sponsored his chamber’s gambling measure.
The collapse of the proposal came a day after a key House committee approved a sweeping bill (HB 7109) intended to bring the two chambers’ gambling measures closer together.
The Senate Appropriations Committee was supposed to hear its version (SB 7202) Tuesday, but Bradley asked that it be postponed. Committee Chairman Tom Lee told reporters late Tuesday he hadn’t decided whether to hold another meeting, and, even if he does, it is unclear whether the gambling bill would be introduced.
Senate leaders blamed the demise of the legislation on the pari-mutuel industry. The House and Senate plans would have allowed slot machines in at least five new counties and included a number of other perks for dog and horse tracks and jai alai operators.
“The bill had a lot of ornaments added to it, and the tree eventually gets too many ornaments and it falls over,” Bradley said Tuesday.
Bradley, along with Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, had worked alongside Gov. Rick Scott’s general counsel for months in negotiations with the Seminoles to reach a deal.
Scott and tribal leader James Billie signed the agreement, called a “compact,” in December, but lawmakers insisted it would have to be amended in order to get the requisite support from the House and Senate. Under the proposed compact signed by Scott, the tribe pledged to pay $3 billion to the state over seven years in exchange for being allowed to add craps and roulette to its casino operations.
The compact also would have allowed for slots in Palm Beach County, where voters have approved them, and at a new facility in Miami-Dade County without affecting the revenue-sharing agreement.
The proposed addition of slots in five other counties where voters have also signed off on them — and at potentially more sites in the future — proved the death knell for the legislation.
“Some people view what I call the wealth redistribution bill, which is the ransom being demanded by the industry to pass a compact, as untenable because it results in a massive, historically large expansion of gambling in Florida. Then you have a group of people who believe we should let the litigation work itself out and then you have folks who are trying to broker a deal and get something done. There’s not enough people in any one of those groups to pass a piece of legislation right now,” Lee, R-Brandon, said.
Gambling lobbyists, meanwhile, pointed the finger at Senate leaders for killing the bill. Critics have accused Gardiner of wanting to protect Orlando theme parks, which oppose expansions of gambling.
“There are many folks in leadership in the Senate who never wanted a gaming bill and were probably surprised that the House had taken such meaningful action,” said Brian Ballard, a lobbyist who represents the Palm Beach Kennel Club.
Ballard said the Senate would have passed the measure had it reached the floor for a full vote.
“So the only way to stop it is to have it not available for the Senate floor,” he said.
But Gardiner said Bradley made the decision to delay consideration of the bill Tuesday.
“The bills that have been amended in many ways have very little to do with the compact. It is about the expansion of gambling. Five other counties plus give everybody a hall pass for a referendum to get on board to also have slots,” Gardiner, R-Orlando, said. “All these gambling bills, everybody gets greedy and they die under their own weight.”
Diaz, chairman of the House Regulatory Affairs Committee, said he was surprised by what happened in the Senate.
“It’s confusing. Was this always the plan? Was there some change of heart? Was there something in particular that killed it? What was the cause? Nobody’s determined the cause of death yet,” Diaz, R-Miami, said.
Lawmakers could revisit the gambling proposal during a special session, an unlikely scenario in an election year — especially one in which every senator who is seeking reelection will be on the ballot.
Or they could grapple with the issue during next year’s regular session, “but we would essentially have to start from scratch,” Diaz said.
They could also do nothing, while two lawsuits play out in court. One of those lawsuits involves the expiration of part of a 2010 deal between the Seminoles and the state, while the other involves whether a small horse track in Gadsden County should be allowed to offer slot machines.
Barry Richard, a lawyer for the tribe, said Scott and lawmakers wanted to negotiate a new deal after an agreement giving the Seminoles exclusive rights to operate banked card games, such as blackjack, expired last summer. Richard described the proposed compact signed in December as a “hard-fought” agreement reached by “very competent people.”
Richard said it was too early to write off the gambling proposals.
“Everybody recognizes the issue is the pari-mutuels. To me, it makes no sense. And that’s why I’m not assuming that it’s over,” he said.
Richard said he could not predict what a new round of talks with the tribe would bring.
“I don’t know any other thing that can be negotiated,” he said.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Atmore Man Killed In Single Vehicle Crash
March 2, 2016
An Atmore man was killed in a single vehicle accident Tuesday afternoon.
David Lee Hudson, 41, lost control of his 1987 Ford Mustang and struck a utility pole on Pouncey Road about 2 p.m. according to Alabama State troopers. Hudson was transported to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries
Further details have not been released by troopers as they continue their investigation.
State Objects To Life Sentence In Key Escambia Dealth Penalty Case
March 2, 2016
Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office is disputing arguments that a death row inmate from Escambia County should receive life in prison after successfully challenging Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Bondi’s office filed a document Monday in the Florida Supreme Court arguing that what is known a “harmless error analysis” should be conducted in the case of Timothy Lee Hurst. An attorney for Hurst filed a motion last month asking the state Supreme Court to send the case to a lower court for imposition of a life sentence.
A challenge by Hurst led the U.S. Supreme Court in January to issue an 8-1 ruling that found Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system unconstitutional. The ruling said juries — not judges— should be responsible for imposing the death penalty and that Florida’s system of giving power to judges violated Hurst’s Sixth Amendment right to a trial by jury. Lawmakers are moving forward with plans to change the sentencing system to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
In the document filed Monday, Bondi’s office said the U.S. Supreme Court required a “harmless error analysis” in the Hurst case. Broadly, such analyses determine whether errors are serious enough to require overturning earlier court decisions — in Hurst’s case, the decision to sentence him to death.
“If the United States Supreme Court felt it appropriate to commute appellant’s (Hurst’s) sentence to life imprisonment, it could have done so,” the document filed by Bondi’s office said. “Instead, the High Court specifically remanded this case to this (Florida Supreme) Court with directions to conduct a harmless error analysis.”
Hurst was sentenced to death for the 1998 killing of fast-food worker Cynthia Harrison. Harrison, an assistant manager at a Popeye’s Fried Chicken restaurant on Nine Mile Road where Hurst worked, was bound, gagged and stabbed more than 60 times. Her body was found in a freezer.
The motion filed last month by Hurst’s attorney did not take issue with his guilt. But it said Hurst should be sentenced to life in prison because he has “fundamentally been denied his Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial” in sentencing.
Roundup: Northview, Tate, Jay, West Florida
March 2, 2016
BASEBALL
West Florida 3, Tate 2
The West Florida Jaguars topped the Tate Aggies Tuesday night 3-2 at West Florida. The Jags were led by Kris Reber hitting a triple and driving in three runs.
Tate hitters: Cole Halfacre 1-3, 2B; Logan Blackmon 1-3, 2B; Logan McGuffy 1-3, 2B; Jake Davis 1-3; Reid Halfacre 1-4; Branden Fryman 1-3.
West Florida hitters: Adam Ostergaard 2-3, Kris Reber 2-3, 3B, 3 RBIs.
Tate will play at Pine Forest at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Northview 9, Pensacola Christian 2 (JV)
The Northview JV baseball team defeated Pensacola Christian Tuesday night by a score of 9-2.
Leading hitters for the Chiefs were Seth Killam (2-3, 2B, 2 runs), Trevor Singleton (2-2, run), John Chivington (1-1, 2 runs), Jackson Moore (1-2, 2B), and Andrew Sharpless (1-2, run). Also scoring runs for the Chiefs were Cade Allen, Heath Sheldt and Wesley Hardin.
Cade Allen earned the win on the mound, throwing four innings while striking out three batters. Trevor Singleton threw two innings, striking out four batters.
The Chiefs improved to 5-1 on the season. Both the JV and varsity play at home this Friday against Pensacola Christian.
SOFTBALL
Freeport 7, Northview 3
Freeport defeated the Northview Chiefs 7-3 Tuesday night in Freeport.
Tori Herrington pitched seven innings with nine strikeouts, nine hits, seven runs, two earned runs and two walks.
Aubree Love 2-4 with 2 RBI’s, Kendall Enfinger 2-4 with an RBI and a run, Hannah Ging 1-4, Tori Herrington 1-3 with a run, Daphne Young 1-3 with a run and Jamia Newton 1-3.
The Chiefs will travel to Brewton this Friday and Saturday for the TR Miller Invitational. Friday they will play Davidson at 5:15 and Blackshear at 7:45. Saturday they play Miller at 9:00. Single elimination bracket play will start at noon with the championship game scheduled at 4 p.m.
Tate 6, Pace 1
The varsity Tate Aggies defeated Pace 6-1 Tuesday night.
Jay 12, South Walton 6
The Jay Royals beat South Walton 12-6 on the road Tuesday night.
Destiny Herring picked up the win, striking out five in six innings. Jay hitters: Mikaela Stewart 3-5, 2 runs, double; Harley Taggert 3-4, 3 runs, double, RBI; Destiny Herring 3-5, 3 RBIs; Samantha Steadham 3-5, 3 RBIs; Alyssa Baxley 2-4, RBI.
Jay will host Freeport Thursday at 6 p.m.
Pictrured: Northview’s varsity beat Pensacola Christian Tuesday. NorthEscambia.com photos by Ramona Preston, click to enlarge.
New Open Container Alcohol Regulations On Pensacola Beach
March 2, 2016
There’s a new alcohol ordinance in effect at Pensacola Beach.
The ordinance restricts open containers in public areas of the commercial district of Pensacola Beach. It is illegal to consume or possess any alcoholic beverages in an open container in the public areas within the commercial district like sidewalks, boardwalks, roads and parking lots. It is permissible to have an open container on the sandy portions of the beach, except the “family area” of Casino Beach just west of the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier.
The commercial district of Pensacola Beach is generally considered the area from the Bob Sikes Bridge south to the Casino Beach Bandstand, and from the first residence on the west to Avendia 10 on the east. Signs have been placed in the commercial district and beach goers are encouraged to ask lifeguards and law enforcement questions about the new policy. A special permitting process is available through the SRIA for events seeking an exemption to the open container restrictions.
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners adopted the ordinance back in December with an effective date of March 1.
Reever Erwin Farley
March 2, 2016
Reever went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, February 26, 2016. She was born in Milan, GA and has lived in Pensacola for the last 41 years.
Reever was preceded in death by her mother and father; four sisters; and her late husband, Reverend Elmer Lee Farley.
She leaves behind four stepchildren who loved her very much. They are David F. Farley of Jay, Shirley F. Oglesby of Cantonment, W. Dale Farley (Paulette) of Huntsville, AL and Shelby F. Sahrie (Doug) of Pensacola; many nieces, nephews and friends.
Reever and Bro. Farley spent the latter part of their ministry by visiting the nursing homes in this area. Reever was a member of the Church of God for most of her life, but the last few years she has attended the Victory Assembly of God Church. Her love for people was what made her so loved by so many people.
A special thanks to Covenant Hospice for their tender loving care during her illness.
Funeral services were held Monday, February 29, 2016, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North with Brother McKeehan will be officiating.
Interment will follow at Bayview Memorial Park Cemetery.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Marth Ann Stabler
March 2, 2016
Mrs. Martha Ann Stabler, 66, passed away on Friday, February 26, 2016, in Century.
Mrs. Stabler was a native of Lakeland, FL and a resident of Atmore for the past 42 years. She was retired from Vanity Fair with 21 years of service and was the former owner of Classic Touch Car Detailing and Stabler’s Country Lounge. She is preceded in death by her husband, Andrew Stabler; parents, Bob and Adeline Fordham; one brother, Gary Shelton; and three sisters, Barbara Jean Thompson, Patricia Fordham and Peggy Jean Rynearson.
She is survived by her three sons, Christopher Wade Canova of Louisiana, Hank William Stabler of Molino and Bobby Lee Stabler of Atmore; two daughters, Samantha Ann (Arthur) Mothershed of Atmore and Teresa Marie (Charles) Waters of Bratt; two brothers, Donald Shelton of New Port Richie, FL and Robert (Betty) Fordham of Augusta, SC; five sisters, Diane Boully of Lakeland, Wanda Fordham of Augusta, SC, Becky (Bruce) Meigs of Augusta, SC, Shirley (Jeff) Gibbons of Lakeland and Dolly Sue Richards of Pavo, GA; 15 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, March 1, 2016, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Thurl Pearson officiating.
Burial was at the Oak Hill Cemetery.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes, LLC, is in charge of all arrangements.
Edgar Ray Garrett
March 2, 2016
E. R. Garrett, age 76, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 27, 2016. He was born on September 21, 1939, and was raised in Pensacola. He served in the U.S. Army and spent the rest of his career in the freight business, which included Railway Express and Carolina Freight where he was a member of the Teamsters. He always enjoyed fishing and after retiring he became an avid baker. He served as the Chaplin for the American Legion Post # 265 in Ochlocknee, GA for eight years.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Samuel W. and Anna E. Garrett; brother, David Garrett; and sisters, Florence White, Barbara Martin, and Doris Hughes.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Pat Garrett; children, Tina Jones and Vikki Garrett; two sisters, Lucille Kilcrease (Lamar) and Joyce Blackmon (Skip); one brother, Robert Garrett (Sherry); two grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
Pallbearers will be Skipper Blackmon, Rodney Hanna, Clay Hughes, Jerry McGaughey, Lonnie Mette, and Billy Parker.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 2, 2016, from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Charity Baptist Church, located at 1675 W. Roberts Road in Cantonment. Services will follow at 11a.m. with Dr. James McGaughey officiating.
Interment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery located at Pensacola Naval Air Station.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North has been entrusted with arrangements.