PPD Lt. Scott McDonald Retires
October 18, 2016
A law enforcement career that began as a cadet and ended as a lieutenant concluded Monday when Scott McDonald retired from the Pensacola Police Department.
McDonald was hired by the department as a cadet on January 10, 1983. Among his assignments during the next 33 years would be community relations, property management, uniform patrol, TAC, and vice and narcotics.
He was promoted to police officer on March 5, 1984; to sergeant on June 19, 1995; and to lieutenant on December 23, 1999.
On April 10, 2006, he transferred to the Administrative, Technology & Services Division and remained there until his retirement today. Among his duties as a lieutenant in ATSD were fleet management and updating mobile radios in police vehicles and officers’ portable radios.
He also supervised a two-year $7 million overhaul of the department’s communications center. The upgrade brought state-of-the-art equipment into the department and also offered a work environment designed to offer various degrees of comfort for telecommunicators.
McDonald recently was presented the Chief’s Award from Chief David Alexander III in recognition of his diligence and dedication to improving the communications center.
Lt. McDonald and his wife Jennifer have lived in Molino for 22 years, and will continue calling the area “home” in his retirement.
Bennie J. Conner Butler
October 18, 2016
Bennie Butler left this world on October 15, 2016, and was welcomed into the presence of her Heavenly Father. Bennie Jo Conner Butler, 89, was a long-time resident of Pensacola. She was born on September 26, 1927, and on September 14, 1943, she married the love of her life, James E. “Jim” Butler, Sr. They were married for 69 years at the time of his death in 2012.
Affectionately known as “Thuther”, she demonstrated God’s love in a life of service. Her home and table knew no stranger and was always open to any and all. She was passionately devoted to her husband and extremely proud of her children and grandchildren, supporting and encouraging them in all their endeavors. As a devoted “Baseball Wife” and “Baseball Mom”, she served others as if they were her own. As a passionate Christ follower, she taught Sunday School at East Brent Baptist Church for decades. Her life was a labor of love.
“Thuther” is survived by her children, Darlyn Butler, Penny Butler Pittman (Josh), James E. “Skip” Butler, Jr. (Karen), Randy Butler (Stephanie), and Jodie Butler (Kristen), and her grandchildren, Tiffini Butler, Michelle Godwin, Jenny Fromsdorf, Michael Paquette, Charity Butler, James E. “Jet” Butler III, J. R. Butler, and Anwyn Butler, as well as 9 great grandchildren, 2 great great grandchildren, her sisters-in-laws, Mary Joyce Lambert, Hazel Scurry and Sara Criswell. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jim, her parents, Henry and Grace Conner, brother Riles Conner, and sister Margaret Wilhite.
Funeral services will be on Wednesday, October 19, at 11:00 am at Faith Chapel North Funeral Home with visitation prior to service beginning at 10:00. Interment will be at Barrancas National Cemetery following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Olive Baptist Church Relaunch (New Middle School Building) Program or the East Brent Baptist Church Building Program
Extended Voter Registration Deadline Is Today
October 18, 2016
Florida’s extended voter registration deadline ends today at 5 p.m.
The office of Escambia County Supervisor of Elections David Stafford will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. to receive applications and assist eligible voters.
The registration deadline was last week, but a federal judge ordered an extension of the registration deadline across Florida because of Hurricane Matthew.
Raymond Michael Green
October 18, 2016
Raymond Michael Green, age 66, passed away Sunday, October 16, 2016, in Pensacola. He was born March 13, 1950, in Century to R. A. and Lillian Huie Green.
A time of visitation will be held Thursday, October 20, 2016, in the chapel of Jay Funeral Home, 3853 Highway 4 from 6 until 8 p.m. Funeral services will be Friday, October 21, 2016, in the chapel beginning at 10:00 a.m. with the Reverend William Chancery officiating. Committal services will follow at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Cemetery, 140 West Bogia Road McDavid.
Sunny, Upper 80’s Today
October 17, 2016
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the morning.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 64. Calm wind.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind.
Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. West wind around 5 mph.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 78.
Highway 29, Three Other Escambia Roads, Among The Deadliest In America
October 17, 2016
A new study says that four of the deadliest highways in the country run through Escambia County.
The study looked at the total length of each highway nationwide and the number of fatalities that occurred per 100 miles between 2011 and 2015. The group found that I-10 ranked as the fourth deadliest in the country with nearly 55 deaths per 100 miles from Florida to California.
Highway 90 ranked 29th with about 21 deaths per 100 miles, and Highway 98 was in the 31st spot with 20 deaths per 100 miles.
Highway 29, the only ranked highway to run through the immediate North Escambia area, ranked as the 35th deadliest highway in America with 14.5 deaths per 100 miles.
The study was conduced by the personal finance research group ValuePenguin, which ranked the 50 deadliest roads in the country.
Pictured: the scene of a 2015 fatal crash on Highway 29 in McDavid which claimed the life of north Alabama man. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
October 17, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending October 13 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Lieutenant Hahr was patrolling in the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) at Cotton Lake campground when he observed a couple sharing a pipe as they smoked cannabis. Both were charged with possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.
While on board the Offshore Patrol Vessel Fincat, Officers Cushing, Pettey and Tolbert patrolled federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. They boarded numerous vessels and found violations for failure to allow inspection, possession of red snapper during closed season, possession of gray triggerfish during closed season, and no federal reef fish charter permit. The appropriate citations and warnings were issued.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officers Jernigan and Lewis, alongside FWC biologists, worked a public outreach event at the Munson Heritage Festival. More than 2,000 people visited FWC’s booth. The officers discussed FWC-related topics with hundreds of visitors.
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.
Markus Baxley, Aggie Nation Present $1,000 To Miracle League
October 17, 2016
When Tate High arranged for a Markus Baxley, who has cerebral palsy, to score a touchdown in the Aggies game against Pace, the Aggie Nation also collected funds for Markus’ favorite charity.
Markus recently presented a $1,000 check from the Aggie Nation to the Miracle League of Pensacola.
To read more about Markus and his big touchdown, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Impact 100 Awards $108,000 Each To 10 Charities
October 17, 2016
IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area, a local women’s philanthropy group, awarded 10 grants Sunday worth $108,200 each to community groups.
The group has awarded over $8.3 million to nonprofits in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties since 2004.
Each of the following organizations was awarded $108,200 Sunday after a thorough grant review, committee process and membership vote:
ARTS & CULTURE
The Santa Rosa County Creek Indian Tribe, Inc.
Project: Native American Cultural Center
St. John’s Cemetery Historical and Educational Foundation, Inc.
Project: The OUTDOOR MUSEUM at St. John’s Historic Cemetery
EDUCATION
The Arc Gateway, Inc.
Project: Jeff’s Corner Garden at The Arc Gateway
Milk and Honey Outreach Ministries, Inc.
Project: Building Precious GEMS
ENVIRONMENT, RECREATION & PRESERVATION
Greater Pensacola Junior Golf Association, Inc. (The First Tee of Northwest Florida)
Project: Golf and Life Skills Training Facility
Northwest Florida Marine Education and Discovery of Gulf Ecosystems, Inc. (Navarre Beach Marine Science Station)
Project: Coastal Conservation Corp
FAMILY
Manna Food Bank, Inc. (Manna Food Pantries/MANNA)
Project: Fighting Hunger – Better, Faster, Stronger!
Studer Community Institute, Inc.
Project: IMPACT Brain Bags
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Escambia Search and Rescue Dive Team, Inc.
Project: Sea, Air and Land Capabilities Improvement Initiative
PACE Center for Girls (Escambia/Santa Rosa), Inc.
Project: Go Reach
Inmate Re-Entry Facilities Fight Funding Changes
October 17, 2016
Advocates for inmate re-entry facilities said a Florida Department of Corrections plan to change the way work-release and substance-abuse programs are funded violates state law and may increase rates of recidivism.
Re-entry contractors led by Bridges of America — which provides services in some major cities and has an Orlando contract set to expire Dec. 31 — told reporters the Department of Corrections is running afoul of a requirement that substantial changes in corrections funding are subject to legislative and executive-branch review. The contractors said the changes would reallocate funds from facilities like theirs to programs inside prisons.
Lori Costantino-Brown, president of Bridges of America, said the Department of Corrections notified her organization in July that its state contract would be rebid through a process known as a request for proposals. The department then gave Bridges of America a three-month extension on an existing contract while preparing for the procurement process.
Constantino-Brown said the procurement proposal was “different from anything they had put out in the past,” including geographical caveats and facility requirements she called “suspicious.” Bridges of America has filed a formal protest to the request for proposals.
But Department of Corrections officials, including Secretary Julie Jones, have disputed the allegations.
“They’re welcome to bid on the proposal,” department spokeswoman Michelle Glady said. “If they did, it may change things for them. That would be the decision they have to make. They’re a business. They’re currently protesting it — that has to be resolved before we move forward with this process.”
The department and Bridges of America reached an agreement in May that allowed Bridges to continue operating facilities in Broward and Manatee counties, albeit under altered conditions and subject to termination by the department after two years. Both contracts include three one-year renewal options.
“Today, more than 60 percent of the department’s substance use disorder budget is dedicated to treating only a small number of individuals,” Jones said in a September memo. “We know we can do better. We want to provide more services to treat an even greater number of individuals with the same resources.”
Department officials say their plan would provide services to more prisoners with the same funding levels, while re-entry facility representatives claim the state’s plan focuses simply on “filling prison slots,” increasing the volume of prisoners served but with diminished effectiveness.
Some groups, such as Florida TaxWatch, have backed the re-entry facilities, arguing the department plan would increase inmate recidivism.
by Ryan Ray, The News Service of Florida