Woman Charged With Murder After Missing Man Found Buried In Backyard
June 29, 2017
A 23-year old woman is facing charges for murder after the body of a missing man was found buried in the backyard of a Warrington home.
Desiree Jean Tedder is behind bars in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, and is awaiting extradition back to Escambia County for the murder of 23-year old Drulmauert Depodrek Mims. She is being held on a second degree murder charge, but that charge is expected to be upgraded to first degree murder once she is back in Florida.
Mims was reported missing on March 29, 2017. His 2007 Cadillac CTS was found unlocked and unoccupied on April 1 on Lakewood Drive in Pensacola.
Authorities have not released a cause of death pending the results of an autopsy.
School Grades Are Out: How Did Your Child’s School Score?
June 29, 2017
The Florida Department of Education released the state’s 2017 school report card Wednesday.
Statewide, 57 percent of the more than 3,200 graded public schools earned A’s and B’s this year, up from 46 percent last year.
With an overall “C” grade, Escambia County ranked at 50th in the state among the 67 counties in Florida. Neighboring Santa Rosa County was eighth.
Eight Escambia County schools scored an A grade, while there were nine other schools in Escambia County that earned a D grade. Myrtle Grove and Warrington Elementary schools earned an “F”.
“We had 78.4% of our schools score an A, B or C, up from 72.5% last year and we saw a decrease in the number of schools assigned an F from five to two,” said Deputy Superintendent Norm Ross. “We are continuing to move in the right direction.”
Among the District 5 North Escambia area elementary schools, Bratt Elementary, Molino Park Elementary and Lipscomb Elementary increased their overall school grade from a “B” an “A”.
Pine Meadow Elementary held steady at a “B” grade from 2016 to 2017, while Byrneville Elementary schools increased their school grade from a “C” to a “B”. Jim Allen Elementary slipped from a “B” school in 2016 to a “C” school in 2017.
Ransom Middle School increased from a “C” to a “B” school, while Ernest Ward Middle School remained a “C” school for another year.
Among North Escambia high schools, Northview High School remained a “C” school, while Tate High School remained a “B” school.
School grades for all Escambia County Schools are in the table below:
Escambia Man Gets 25 Years On Drug Charges
June 29, 2017
Bud Chatman was convicted by an Escambia County jury of trafficking in heroin over 28 grams, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, and possession of paraphernalia.
Immediately following the verdict, Circuit Judge Jan Shackelford sentenced Chatman to 25 years in state prison.
In June 2016, Bud Chatman sold heroin to a confidential informant while out on work release. In August 2016, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Chatman’s residence. During the search of the residence, law enforcement discovered over 90 grams of heroin, several hydrocodone pills, marijuana, $16,000 in cash, and various items of drug paraphernalia.
Century $700K Housing Grant Application Deadline Is Today
June 29, 2017
Today is the deadline for Century residents to apply for a share of a $700,000 housing grant.
The $700,000 Community Development Block Grant is for housing rehabilitation and replacement. Funds can be used to repair or replace housing damaged in the February 2016 EF-3 tornado, but the funds are not limited to storm recovery.
The Department of Economic Opportunity administers the State Program in Florida through the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program. This is a competitive grant program that awards funds to units of local government in small urban and rural areas. The program provides an opportunity for communities to obtain funds for projects that they cannot otherwise afford, including rehabilitation of substandard housing.
Recently the town also received $600,483 in emergency funding from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity for tornado recovery. The application period for residents closed on May 3; recipients have not yet been announced.
Information to apply for a portion of the $700,000 in funding is below:
The Town of Century, Florida will begin taking applications for housing rehabilitation assistance for houses within the Town of Century. To qualify for assistance, the home MUST be located INSIDE the city limits of the Town of Century and must have a total household income at or below the following household size specific income criteria:
Applicants whose total “gross” household income exceeds the Income Limits for their size household will not be considered for rehabilitation grant assistance.
Persons interested in being considered for inclusion in this program must call Samella Myles at the Century Town Hall at (850) 256-3208 between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:30 pm and ask that their name be placed on the housing assistance waiting list. Only those who call in to Century Town Hall will be placed on the waiting list. The deadline to be placed on the interested applicant list is Thursday, June 29, 2017.
Atwater Exits CFO Job Worth Nearly $2.6 Million
June 29, 2017
Florida’s outgoing chief financial officer is leaving the Cabinet position more than $1 million richer than when he first campaigned for the statewide job.
Jeff Atwater, who exits Friday for a job at Florida Atlantic University with more than a year remaining in his term as CFO, posted a net worth of nearly $2.6 million as of Dec. 31, 2016, according to a financial disclosure report posted this week on the Florida Commission on Ethics’ website.
When he first ran for the statewide office in 2010, his estimated net worth stood at almost $1.6 million.
Among the biggest changes for the former banker from North Palm Beach since then was trading in the longtime family home for waterfront property in the same neighborhood in 2014.
In 2014, Atwater reported the value of the former family home as $345,065, up from its appraised value of $267,000 during the 2010 campaign. The new homestead — with a two-car garage, pool and its own dock — was valued at $750,000 when purchased in 2014. In the latest report, the home was appraised at $909,000.
Atwater, a Senate president before seeking the statewide office, said he earned roughly $128,161 last year from his state job and another $37,562 in deferred payments from Bank of America, the bank that took over his former employer, Barnett Bank.
Atwater also has more than $1.2 million tied to a Northern Trust IRA account, according to his latest report.
Next week, he will begin work as a vice president at Boca Raton-based FAU, managing finances and economic development.
Replacing Atwater will be former Public Service Commissioner Jimmy Patronis, who was appointed to the job on Monday by Gov. Rick Scott.
As a member of the commission since 2015, Patronis — a family restaurateur from Panama City who resigned as a utility regulator on Sunday — wasn’t required to list his personal net worth or the estimated values of his personal holdings in his disclosures.
But in his final year as a member of the Florida House, Patronis’ financial disclosure listed a net worth of nearly $5.8 million as of Dec. 31, 2013.
At that time, interests tied to the family partnership that owns the landmark Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant in Panama City were collectively worth about $4.5 million. Meanwhile, property he personally owns in Panama City, Lynn Haven, Washington County, Panama City Beach and Tallahassee were then collectively valued at just over $1.1 million.
Atwater is the second member of the current Cabinet to submit a financial disclosure for the current year. Attorney General Pam Bondi reported a net worth of $1.7 million as of Dec. 31, 2016.
Annual reports for Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, a candidate for governor in 2018, have yet to be submitted.
The reports are due July 3.
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely; Flash Flood Watch
June 29, 2017
There is a flash flood watch in effect through tonight. Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Today: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Steady temperature around 75. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Cloudy, with a high near 86. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. West wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Independence Day: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.
Instrument Petting Zoo At The Library Summer Reading Program
June 29, 2017
The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra presented their Instrument Petting Zoo Wednesday morning during the Summer Reading Program at the Century Branch Library. Participants had an opportunity to learn about different instruments and try their hand at playing several. The Orchestra will present their program again Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Molino Branch Library and 3 p.m. at the Tryon Branch Library.
Photos by August Whorff for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Byrneville Elementary Installs New Security Window
June 29, 2017
Byrneville Elementary School recently installed a new security window. The shatter-resistant glass provides a first line of defense between any problem that might arise in the school lobby and the main office. The cost of the window was about $930. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Sunday’s Child Announces Winners Of $128,500 In Grant Awards
June 29, 2017
After a rigorous review process, five Pensacola Bay Area non-profits have been awarded $128,500 in grant awards from Sunday’s Child, a Pensacola Bay Area nonprofit that promotes LGBT acceptance and inclusion.
The awards were announced after a live vote at the Pensacola philanthropic organization’s third annual membership meeting held Sunday at Pensacola’s Community Maritime Park.
The organizations that are recipients of $25,700 each are Manna Food Pantries, Independence for the Blind, Friends of Escambia County Animal Shelter, Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries, and the Children’s Home Society of Florida.
Launched in 2014, Sunday’s Child is made up of members that donate $1,000 annually, which goes toward grant awards determined by the votes of members. The group places an emphasis on grants to nonprofit organizations and initiatives that place value on diversity, inclusion, and equality in the Pensacola Bay Area of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
“Leading change and acceptance of others is our main mission,” said Dr. Chuck Presti, founder and outgoing president of Sunday’s Child. “With the award this year of $128,500 in grants to five deserving non-profits, we’ve shown just how much the citizens of the Pensacola Bay Area care about diversity in their communities.”
The five grants will go directly to the nonprofit recipients, funding a broad range of projects and activities. Manna’s winning proposal will fund the development and construction of a climate-controlled dry room within the organization’s new headquarters and distribution facility. The room will be large enough to allow space for repackaging bulk items as well as storage for more than 30 pallets of dry food that is distributed weekly to nearly 900 families in the Pensacola Bay Area.
Independence for the Blind, the only nonprofit entirely devoted to educating the blind and visually impaired in Northwest Florida, will utilize grant dollars to build their SOAR (Safe Outdoor Area for Recreation) project. The project will span a half-acre and will be developed into a safe, appropriate place for blind children, teens, and adults to engage in physical activity. Included within the project is the purchasing of custom sports equipment for blind youth, a new watering system, recreational facilities, and three new raised garden beds.
Friends of the Escambia County Animal Shelter will purchase a transport van to allow the support organization to transport animals from over-capacity local animal shelters to areas of the country less burdened with pet overpopulation. The transport will connect to the established Puppy Pipeline in Hoover, Alabama, where pets are professionally transported to no-kill shelters in other locations where there is a high demand for adoptable pets.
Pensacola United Methodist Community Ministries will benefit from the purchase of a new state-of-the-art walk-in refrigeration unit to assist in the charity’s mission to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of people suffering from hunger within Pensacola’s Brownsville community and the Pensacola Bay Area. The new unit will greatly reduce food spoilage and will expand the efficiencies of more than 20,000 hot meals annually at their Brownsville facility.
With their grant dollars, the Children’s Home Society of Florida will be able to expand their services to care for the thousands of children in the Pensacola Bay Area who are malnourished and alone. Their project will support securing host homes for runaway and homeless youth, including those who have behavior challenges, identify as LGBT, are pregnant, parenting, or human trafficking victims. The project will support a recruiter to participate in outreach and innovative marketing strategies to recruit, secure, and train host families willing to parent homeless youth. Sunday’s Child funding will also provide direct street outreach to area youth.
“Our goal with the award of these grants is to promote a community that embraces diversity, especially among LGBT citizens,” said Drew Buchanan, vice president of Sunday’s Child. “Each non-profit awarded grants today has proven they are being proactive in promoting diversity and embracing inclusiveness within their organizations and the communities they serve.”
Funding for the charitable grants comes from $1,000 contributions from individual and ensemble group memberships. Sunday’s Child has grown to more than 150 members since its founding and with this year’s awards, the organization will have awarded more than $230,000 to Pensacola Bay Area non-profits since 2015.
Barnett David “B.D.” Hendricks, Jr.
June 29, 2017
Mr. Barnett David “B.D.” Hendricks, Jr. age 83 of Jay, Florida passed away June 29, 2017, in Jay Hospital after an extended illness. He was born in Oneonta, AL, and a long time resident of Jay.
He was a member of the Jay United Methodist Church, and a 1954 graduate of Jay High School. Mr. Hendricks was a former employee of Flomaton Wholesale before he began part-time farming in the early 1960’s. He became a full-time farmer in the early seventies, as well as a partner in G&H Wholesale in Flomaton, AL. He leaves behind a legacy of love for his church, his family and agriculture.
B.D. is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Virginia Golden Hendricks, son, Ricky (Nina) Hendricks, daughter, Vicki (Tim) Laney, four grandsons, Brandt Hendricks, Rush Hendricks, Tanner Laney, Todd (Hannah) Laney, one granddaughter, Tessa Hendricks, one great grandson, Eli Laney, three beloved sisters, Betty (James) Salter, Faye (Waymon) Cook, and Jean Johnson, numerous nieces and nephews, other family members and friends.
Visitation will be held Sunday afternoon July 2, 2017, from 2-4 p.m. at Cornerstone Christian Church, 14047 Alabama St, Jay, FL , and the funeral services will follow at 4:00 p.. with Rev. Ebb Hagan, Rev. Laura Weant, and Rev. Sara Shaver officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Carmel Cemetery Jay, Florida with Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Hoe. The family extends a special thanks and heartfelt gratitude to Dr. C. David Smith and the Jay Medical Staff, Jay Hospital Staff, and Covenant Hospice for their compassionate care during his extended illness and hospitalization.