Century Council Member Receives $12,000 Loan Refinance From Town
July 25, 2018
The Century Town Council has approved a $12,000 loan refinance for a council member, but details surrounding the loan remain unclear.
At the Monday, July 16 town council meeting, the refinance was approved for council member Sandra McMurray-Jackson, but few details were provided on the loan program. And, over a week later, a public records requests for loan documentation has gone unanswered.
“I have an existing loan in the amount of $12,000, and I am asking the town for a refinance of the loan….at six percent,” Jackson said at the council meeting, requesting a three-year term. No details were provided on the status of the loan being refinanced.
Council member Ben Boutwell questioned the purpose of the loan, with Jackson responding that it was an economic development loan for her funeral home business.
“We had a few (business loans). My business was one like 20 years ago when I built my office. I got the revolving loan,” council President Ann Brooks said. “The funeral home was one, and then one was the flower shop. The only three that we have done through the revolving loan.” The “flower shop”, we are told, has since gone out of business. There was no mention if the loan was or was not repaid (*See update below.)
“That’s the first I’ve ever heard of it,” Boutwell said.
No other council member questioned any details about the loan before it was approved 4-0. Jackson did not cast a vote.
After the meeting, Brooks said she received a $50,000 loan in 1997 and made her final payment in 2011. Brooks was not in office at the time the loan originated. She ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in 2003 and mayor in 2006 before being elected to her current council seat in 2007.
She said she applied for the loan after being informed of its availability by then-mayor Benny Barnes.
On Tuesday, July 17, NorthEscambia.com made a verbal and written request to Town Clerk Kim Godwin for numerous documents that would provide the details on the three loans and the overall program. As of early Wednesday morning, July 25, no documents had not been provided in response to our public records request.
Update: After publication of this article, the town provided a spreadsheet Thursday morning showing a loan history on a $60,000 loan to “Purrfect Creations” that originated in August 1999 was paid off in June 2015. The record does not include payment dates for the first two years of the loan (it does not indicate that payments were late – the dates simply are not listed). It does indicate that payments were late or missing several times. No loan terms, loan agreement, ownership or other documentation was provided.
Two Century Liquor Store Employees Charged With Stealing Using Rewards Program
July 25, 2018
Two employees have been charged with stealing thousands of dollars in cash or product from a liquor store in Century in scheme involving shopper reward points.
Teresa Lachelle Burt, 41, and Latoya Trenise Washington, 31, were each charged with felony grand theft and felony fraud for the thefts from the Fusion liquor store next to the Food Giant on North Century Boulevard.
The store offers a shopper reward point program, awarding points for each dollar spent to a customer’s reward account. According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Burt and Washington would fraudulent assign shopper points to accounts and then reconcile daily transactions by taking possession of product or cash equal to the number of points. Customers were unable to notice anything wrong with their reward transactions.
Burt was able to take $2,178 in product or cash from the store using the scheme, while Washington took $923 in product or cash, according to their arrest reports. Investigators were not able to determine from store records if the women took product, cash, or both.
Burt and Washington were released from the Escambia County Jail $7,500 bond each.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
A Basic July Weather Day
July 25, 2018
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 73. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 94. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. Calm wind.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.
Monday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 91. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74.
Tuesday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 89. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Primary Election Ballots Headed To Escambia County Mailboxes
July 25, 2018
The Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office delivered more than 27,000 vote-by-mail ballots to the post office Tuesday for the August 28 primary election. This is in addition to the more than 5,600 ballots sent to military and overseas voters earlier this month.
Voters who have requested to vote-by-mail should begin receiving their green or ivory colored ballot packages by the end of the week. Voted ballots must be received in the Supervisor of Elections Office no later than 7 p.m. on election day, August 28 and require a first-class postage stamp if returned by mail. The U.S. Postal Service recommends voters mail ballots at least one week before the due date. Ballots may also be returned by hand to the Supervisor of Elections Office.
The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the primary election is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 22. To request a vote-by-mail ballot or track the status of your ballot, visit EscambiaVotes.com and click “Vote by Mail”, or contact the Supervisor of Elections Office at (850) 595-3900.
As a reminder, Florida holds closed primary elections. In partisan primary elections, you are only eligible to vote in primary contests for the party in which you are registered, unless it is a universal primary or nonpartisan contest. The deadline to register to vote or to change party affiliation is Monday, July 30.
Pictured: Over n 27,000 vote-by-mail ballot were mailed Tuesday in Escambia County. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Portion Of Cove Avenue To Be Closed About A Week
July 25, 2018
Cove Avenue South between Nine Mile Road and Fretz Street will be closed to through traffic beginning Thursday. Signs will be posted directing traffic to detour along Fowler Avenue and Bowman Avenue. The closure is part of a project upgrading the existing sewer system to improve the sanitary system.
The roadway closure is expected to remain in effect for approximately seven days and every effort will be made to expedite construction efforts to reopen the road before Friday, Aug.3.
If other lane or roadway closures are necessary beyond the anticipated time periods, another notice will be issued.
Woman Doesn’t Get Far After Escaping From Escambia (AL) Jail
July 25, 2018
A woman only made it less than 100 yards away in an escape Monday night from the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton .
Meagan Brooke Dantzler, age 26 of Atmore, escaped about 7 p.m. from the women’s minimum security barracks.
Escambia County Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said Dantzler ran past a corrections officer as the officer entered the facility. He said she was wearing thermal underwear with food stuffed her her bra.
“It appeared she had been planning this,” Lambert said.
Her escape came at the jail’s shift change time, meaning that a larger than normal number of corrections officer were at the jail at the time of the escape. The Brewton Police Department and Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s deputies formed a perimeter around the facility, and a K-9 team from the Fountain Correctional Facility in Atmore tracked Dantzler. She was found in a wooded area near the jail.
Dantzler was being held on burglary and theft charges. She will face an additional escape charge.
“She was captured due to the great cooperative effort of the Brewton Police Department and other law enforcement,” Lambert said.
Northview Cross Country Meeting Is Monday
July 25, 2018
There will be a Northview High School cross country meeting Monday, July 30 at 8 a.m. in the Northview library to discuss the upcoming season. Students interested in running cross country and parents are encouraged to attend. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Sparks Lifts Wahoos Past Lookouts, 10-8, In Extras
July 25, 2018
With two outs and a runner at second base in the 10th inning, Taylor Sparks blasted his 10th home run of the season to give the Blue Wahoos a 10-8 win over the Chattanooga Lookouts Tuesday night at AT&T Field.
The Lookouts ambushed Wahoos starter Vladimir Gutierrez with four first inning runs. Brent Rooker started the scoring for the second straight night with a home run, Tuesday’s was a two-run shot. The Lookouts would score two more while sending all nine batters to the plate in the inning.
Trailing 4-0 in the third inning, the Blue Wahoos rallied for six runs to take the lead. Aristides Aquino delivered the big hit with a three-run homer to put the Wahoos in front 6-4. The Blue Wahoos added two more in the fourth. Jose Siri tripled and scored on a TJ Friedl single. Friedl scored later in the inning on a two-out single from Shed Long.
Gutierrez settled down and didn’t allow a run over his final four innings. He was done after five innings with four runs allowed on nine hits with three walks and five strikeouts. It was the most runs he had allowed in a start since June 1.
The Lookouts rallied for four runs to tie the game in the seventh inning against Juan Martinez. With the Wahoos still leading 8-6, Rooker laced a two-run double to tie the game at 8-8. It stayed that way until Sparks belted his home run in the 10th to put the Blue Wahoos up 10-8. Alex Powers (S, 11) worked a scoreless bottom of the 10th to finish off the win. Rafael De Paula (W, 2-3) earned the win out of the bullpen with two scoreless innings in relief. Williams Ramirez (L, 2-6) allowed the two 10th inning runs to take the loss for the Lookouts.
Everybody in the Wahoos starting lineup got at least one hit with five players getting two hits. Sparks led the charge with a double and his home run. Chris Okey also had a pair of extra base hits, both doubles, as part of a 2-for-5 game. Aquino’s homer was his only hit, but it extended his hit streak to eight games.
The Blue Wahoos will continue the series Wednesday morning. RHP Tony Santillan (2-0, 1.50) will start for Pensacola against Lookouts RHP Sean Poppen (3-5, 4.32)
Daniel Sherman Fuller, Jr.
July 25, 2018
Daniel Sherman Fuller, Jr. went home to be with the Lord on July 24, 2018. He was born August 13, 1923, to Lily Kelly Fuller and Daniel Sherman Fuller in Bluff Springs, FL. He left home at 14 to serve in the Civilian Conservation Corps and from there joined the Navy in 1941 where he served in World War II as a gunner’s mate. He married Betty Jo Dunsford in 1954 and they reared 7 children. He spent most of his life working for CSX Railroad and retired in 1991. He was a member of Smyrna Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL.
He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his sister, Mae, and brothers, Grover, Ralph, John and Richard.
He is survived by his children Cindy Ford, Becky (Tony) Fore, Danny (Lisa) Fuller, Lisa (Mark) Trinkle, Allison (Richie) Carter, Paul (Donna) Fuller, Marc (Kelli) Fuller; 15 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
Visitation for friends will begin Thursday, July 26 at 6 p.m. at Faith Chapel North in Cantonment, Florida. Funeral service will be Friday, July 27, at 10 a.m. at Faith Chapel North. Graveside service will follow immediately at Crary Cemetary, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Bluff Springs, FL.
Double Fatal Hit And Run Suspect Markquise Wallace Captured In Philadelphia
July 24, 2018
Double hit and run suspect Markquise Deshawn Wallace of Pensacola has been arrested. He was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon without incident in Philadelphia, PA, by U.S. Marshals.
Wallace, 26, had been staying with a relative for about a month as of the time of his capture. Officials will begin extradition proceedings as soon as possible to have Wallace returned to Pensacola.
Three people were crossing Cervantes Street near M Street when they were hit by a Dodge Charger driven at a high rate of speed by Wallace, according to Pensacola Police. Neariaah Ikerria Williams, age 8 months, and a family friend, 28-year-old Nephateria Monique Williams, died. The child’s mother, 27-year-old Quineka Tyon Baldwin, was injured.
Pictured: Markquise Deshawn Wallace moments after his capture Tuesday afternoon in Philadelphia, PA. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.