Alabama Volunteer Firefighter Arrested On Child Pornography Charges
October 19, 2017
An Alabama volunteer firefighter has been arrested on a child pornography charges involving a local victim.
David “Noah” Perdue, age 19 of Brewton was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography and attempt to possession obscene material. He surrendered himself to the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday and was booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton.
The victim was under age 18, according to investigators.
The investigation into Perdue began in August when the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Offcie received a complaint from parents that believed there had been inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with their minor child. An investigation by followed by the Sheriff’s Office, Alabama Department of Human Resources and the Child Advocacy Center.
Officials said Perdue was a volunteer firefighter with the Barnett Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department. Information on his current status with the department was not available.
Century Affirms Support For Home Rule
October 19, 2017
The Town of Century has approved a resolution in support of protecting and strengthening “home rule” in Florida.
Under the concept of “home rule”, each of Florida’s 412 cities has the flexibility to craft its laws specifically to its own unique needs. Any city can adopt its laws so long as the law doesn’t conflict with state or federal law. Florida voters amended the state constitution to confer home rule powers to municipal governments.
“The Town Council believes protecting and strengthening “Home Rule” authority would be in the best interests of the residents and businesses of the Town of Century and State of Florida,” the resolution passed unanimously by the Century Town Council states.
The resolution supports the Florida League of Cities’ legislative efforts to protect home rule. The League has opposed any legislative effort that impedes home rule. The League will oppose any effort that interferes with a city’s ability to provide the financial stability and essential services required by its residents and local businesses.
Fields Of Faith: Community Worship Service Held (With Gallery)
October 19, 2017
The Northview High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) sponsored a student-led worship event “Fields of Faith” Wednesday night in the Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium.
The service included music, a guest speaker and prayer.
“The Lord is in full control. He can help you in any battle, in any trial, in any situation that comes your way,” said speaker Lauren McCall, coach of the Northview High School varsity cheerleaders. She encouraged those in attendance to be saved and dedicate their lives to Christ.
Over 200 faithful joined hands in prayer on the football field to end the annual service.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Sunny Skies, Nice Afternoons
October 19, 2017
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 57. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 83. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. East wind around 5 mph.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. East wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Southeast wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 71.
Broxson Files Resolution Supporting Gulf Drilling Moratorium
October 19, 2017
A decades-long moratorium against oil drilling in an area of the eastern Gulf of Mexico used by the military for air and sea training should remain in place, according to resolution filed Wednesday by state Sen. Doug Broxson, R-Gulf Breeze.
The resolution (SR 550), introduced amid debates in Washington about expanding offshore drilling, asks Congress to maintain the moratorium, which is in place from east of the Military Mission Line, which runs south of Hurlburt Field in Okaloosa County to Key West. The moratorium is set to expire in 2022.
The north-south military mission line off the Florida Panhandle was established in 1983, but Broxson’s resolution said the Gulf of Mexico Range Complex, or “GOMEX,” has been used since the end of World War II to test surface-to-air rockets and future weapons systems.
“The military missions require day and night access to the airspace, from the surface up to 60,000 feet, for high-speed flying and maneuvering, as well as day and night access to the seaspace, from the sea surface to the subsurface areas, for use by ships and submarines,” said Broxson’s resolution, filed for the 2018 legislative session.
Rep. Mel Ponder, R-Destin, filed an identical House version (HR 319) last week.
Escambia County Corrections Recognizes GED Graduates
October 19, 2017
The Escambia County Corrections Department and Jail Division proudly recognized two Jail GED Program graduates with a ceremony Wednesday, Oct. 18 at the Escambia County Jail, celebrating their dedication to achieving educational goals. This marked the first formal graduation ceremony hosted by Escambia County to recognize individuals housed at the jail who receive their GED diplomas.
Laxavier Lowery, 18, and April Wheelus, 30, earned their GED diplomas through the program while incarcerated, and both said they plan to continue on to higher education when they are released later this year.
At the ceremony, Escambia County Corrections Director Tammy Jarvis commended the graduates for their accomplishment and encouraged them to continue to work toward their goals.
“Use this opportunity as a launching pad,” Jarvis said. “Getting your GED – I don’t know that you know how many doors this has opened for you…this has opened so many more opportunities for you than what you had before you achieved this. Just the fact that you were willing to step out tells me that you’re looking for some sort of change. You’re looking to better yourself. You know that there are other things out there.”
Other ceremony attendees included Jail Commander Selina Barnes, Jail Maj. Greg Nash, Officer in Charge of Security Lt. Jason Walker, Program Coordinators Sean Parker and Donna Wilson, Instructors Rayshell Fairley and Charles Hall, along with graduates’ family members.
The Escambia County Corrections Department has offered a GED program for many years, becoming a certified testing center through the Florida Department of Education in 2014. In the 2016-17 fiscal year, two juveniles received high school diplomas and eight adults earned GED diplomas, with 324 students enrolled in the GED program and 179 tests administered.
After receiving his diploma Wednesday, Lowery expressed his plans to go to Pensacola State College for an associate degree before moving on to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University to study communications. Lowery completed the GED program for his grandma, who he said was “rejoicing” when she heard the news.
“I never want to fail, so I continue to strive to do better,” Lowery said.
Lt. Jason Walker, who supervises the jail’s programs division including the GED program, said one of the objectives of the Escambia County Corrections Jail Division is to provide programs to incarcerated individuals to teach life skills in an effort to reduce recidivism.
“We want them to succeed so that society as a whole succeeds, and then hopefully next time we see them is in a better light,” Walker said. ”It’s a wonderful thing if we can help someone reach their goals.”
Wheelus said graduating from the GED program was especially significant for her since her mother encouraged her to complete it. Wheelus’ mother passed away Saturday, but learned of her daughter’s accomplishment before she died. Wheelus said she plans to attend Pensacola State College to study business and continue to better herself for her 9-year-old and 2-year-old sons.
“It means a lot,” Wheelus said of earning her diploma. “This is the best possible thing that could happen. It means a lot for me, my children, my family.”
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida’s Hurricanes Could Push Up Insurance Rates
October 19, 2017
Florida’s insurance commissioner said homeowners’ policies could face some “upward pressure,” as he was asked Tuesday about the impact on rates from this year’s series of natural disasters.
Commissioner David Altmaier said the state Office of Insurance Regulation hasn’t seen any indications that insurers are unable to meet claims from Hurricane Irma, which hit the state Sept. 10 and Sept. 11. But he said with Irma, Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and devastating wildfires in California, there may be a trickle-down effect from companies that provide backup insurance to insurers.
“We would expect some upward pressure on reinsurance rates that might impact the direct rates that Floridians pay, but at this point in time the precise number is a little early to predict,” Altmaier told Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet. Altmaier’s comments came after his office decided against extending a temporary freeze on insurance policy cancellations and non-renewals. The freeze ended Sunday.
Altmaier said Tuesday — after his Cabinet appearance — that there was little sign that an extension was warranted.
“We haven’t seen anything that would indicate that people haven’t had the chance to get back to their homes as this point and make a claim,” Altmaier said. In the order issued last month, insurers were barred from canceling or non-renewing policies unless policyholders made written requests. A separate part of the order, which remains in place, imposed for 90 days a similar freeze but only for property that had been damaged by Irma.
As of Friday, 747,534 claims have been filed from Irma, worth an estimated $4.94 billion in losses, according to the Office of Insurance Regulation.
by The News Service of Florida
Fall Carnivals Friday At Molino Park, Byrneville Elementary Schools
October 19, 2017
Fall carnivals and festivals will be held Friday afternoon at Byrneville and Molino Park elementary schools.
Molino Park PTA Fall Carnival
The Molino Park PTA Fall Carnival will be held Friday from 4:30 until 7:30 p.m. at the school on Highway 97.
The annual event will feature a variety of carnival games, carnival food including popcorn and bake-off goodies, food vendors and a live auction.
Byrneville Elementary Fall Festival
Byrneville Elementary School is hosting a Family Fall Festival on Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Byrneville Elementary School. Parking for the event will be at the Byrneville Community Center will trolley transportation to the school.
There will be food, games, a silent auction, a sweet shop, a cake decorating contest, a scare crow making/decorating contest, a corn hole tournament, cupcake walk, lots of candy and prizes, and horse drawn buggy ride, and two spooky/haunted houses. The menu includes BBQ sandwiches and combos (chips and drinks), hotdogs and combos (chips and drinks), nachos with cheese, pickles, cotton candy, popcorn, sweet shop treats (cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc.).
There will also be a silent auction.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
FWC Law Enforcement Report
October 19, 2017
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending October 12 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
No report was submitted from Escambia County this week.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Hutchinson was patrolling the Blackwater State Forest when he observed a couple of vehicles pulled over on the side of a forest road. He stopped to check on the subjects inside of the vehicles. While speaking with them, he could smell the strong odor of cannabis coming from the vehicles. After questioning the two drivers, he discovered cannabis inside both vehicles. Both men were issued notices to appear for possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis.
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.
NorthEscambia.com photo.
Tate, Ransom Place In FFA Forestry Contest
October 19, 2017
Several local schools recently competed in the 2017 FFA Forestry Contest.
Teams competed in six areas — general knowledge; timber cruising to measure timber and determine merchantability; equipment identification to name tools and heavy equipment used in the forestry industry; tree identification naming different species of common trees in Florida; and forest disorders to identify diseases and bugs that infect trees in Florida.
High School Overall Winners:
1st – Tate High Team A
2nd – Milton High Team B
3rd – Tate High Team B
Middle School Overall Winners
1st – Poplar Springs Middle (Graceville)
2nd – Ramsom Middle
3rd – Poplar Springs Middle (Graceville)
Photos by Jared Sigler for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
