Cantonment Man Charged With Indecent Exposure After Traffic Crash
January 9, 2019
A Cantonment man has been charged with indecent exposure after an alleged incident in the back of an Escambia County EMS ambulance.
On August 2, 2018, Justin Ray Landers, 26, was involved in a rollover accident on Highway 29 near Kingsfield Road.
After the vehicle was located without a driver, Landers tried to report his mother’s vehicle as stolen, but the Florida Highway Patrol determined he was the driver, an arrest report states. When deputies responded to his address on Eden Lane, they called Escambia County EMS due to the severity of the crash. With one wrist in handcuffs, he was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital.
Before transport, the deputy noted that he was very aggressive toward EMS and repeatedly called a medic an offensive term. On the way to the hospital, Landers intentionally exposed himself to the medic and made a lewd comment, according to an arrest report.
Because he was admitted to the hospital, a warrant was issued for Landers’ arrest. He was taken into custody Saturday night, January 5. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $1,000 bond.
Landers was cited for careless driving by the FHP, and his license was suspended last month.
NorthEscambia.com file photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Ceremony To Mark Central Booking Facility Demolition, Honor Victims
January 9, 2019
The community is invited to attend a ceremony to mark the demolition of the former Escambia County Central Booking and Detention Facility Wednesday, January 16 at 11 a.m. outside the facility’s east gate/sally port entrance located near the intersection of North “H” and Baars streets.
The brief program will include the history of the building, plans for the site, a moment of silence and prayers for the approximately 600 inmates and staff who were in the building when an explosion in the basement laundry room occurred during the April 2014 flooding event. The explosion killed two and injured 184.
Parking for the ceremony is available at Escambia County Video Visitation, 1190 West Leonard Street. or in the parking lot just south of the central booking facility.
New Molino Food Truck Gets Rave Reviews
January 9, 2019
Social media has been abuzz with rave reviews for a new food truck that has set up in Molino.
Tacos Estilo Jalisco is at 29 Tire & Auto on Highway 29. The authentic menu includes a variety of tacos, fajitas, burritos, quesadillas and more.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Wanted Florida Felon Caught In Alabama, Assaults Two Officers
January 9, 2019
A wanted felon from Escambia County, FL, was taken into custody in Flomaton, but not before he allegedly assaulted two police officers.
The Flomaton Police Department caught up with 43-year old Brian Terrell Ward on Highway 113.
According to police, they had been alerted that Ward made threats to kill any law enforcement officer that he saw. Flomaton Police said they conducted a “high risk” traffic stop, and Ward resisted officers.
He was charged with two count of second degree assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest and obstructing a government operation. Ward is wanted by the Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, police said.
The officers involved in the Flomaton traffic stop were not seriously injured and did not need medical attention.
DeSantis Calls For Stronger, Cleaner, Safer Future (With Inauguration Day Photo Gallery)
January 9, 2019
Ronald Dion DeSantis became Florida’s 46th governor on Tuesday, promising to lead the state for the next four years with “a full heart, my best judgment and the courage of my convictions.”
The 40-year-old Republican from Ponte Vedra Beach did not break any new ground in his inauguration speech but used the 16-minute address to broadly outline his agenda. He pledged to keep Florida a low-tax state, to improve water quality and to end “judicial activism.”
For an Inauguration Day photo gallery, click here.
There was no mention of President Donald Trump, whose full-throated endorsement provided the political momentum that lifted the former congressman into the state’s highest executive post.
But DeSantis, a Harvard-educated lawyer and U.S. Navy veteran, praised outgoing Gov. Rick Scott, who won a U.S. Senate seat in November, for leaving “a strong foundation,” including a growing economy.
“It now falls to me to build upon the foundation that has been laid, navigate the challenges — economic, environmental, constitutional — that lie ahead, and steer Florida to a stronger, cleaner and safer future,” DeSantis told a crowd of more than 2,000 supporters, lawmakers and state officials who gathered on the east side of the Old Capitol building for the ceremony.
In some of his first acts as governor, DeSantis will appoint three justices to the Florida Supreme Court, beginning with an appointment on Wednesday morning in Miami. He said the court in recent years has expanded its power “beyond constitutional bounds” and has substituted “legislative will for dispassionate legal judgment.”
“To my fellow Floridians, I say to you: judicial activism ends, right here and right now,” DeSantis said in his speech. “I will only appoint judges who understand the proper role of the courts is to apply the law and Constitution as written, not to legislate from the bench. The Constitution, not the judiciary, is supreme.”
Following a campaign promise, DeSantis is also expected to quickly announce a plan to deal with water-quality problems that have included an outbreak of toxic algae in some rivers and red tide along state coastlines.
He said water quality is “foundational” to the state’s prosperity.
“It doesn’t just drive tourism. It affects property values, anchors many local economies and is central to our quality of life,” DeSantis said. “The water is part and parcel of Florida’s DNA. Protecting it is the smart thing to do. It’s also the right thing to do.”
DeSantis also promised to maintain the state’s “favorable tax climate.”
“Let’s promote a virtuous cycle whereby low taxes, a reasonable regulatory climate, a sensible legal system and a healthy environment attract jobs, business and investment — particularly in the areas of technology, manufacturing and finance,” he said.
On schools, DeSantis said he would support the creation of more education “opportunities,” a reference to the likely expansion of charter schools, publicly funded scholarships for private-school students and other “choice” programs.
“One size does not fit all. No family should be denied the opportunity for their child to succeed due to insufficient income or to living in the wrong ZIP code,” DeSantis said.
For an Inauguration Day photo gallery, click here.
He also reiterated a campaign pledge to improve civics education in Florida schools.
In a more partisan vein, DeSantis said he would not allow any “sanctuary cities,” which do not currently exist in Florida.
“And we will stop incentivizing illegal immigration, which is unfair to our legal immigrants, promotes lawlessness and reduces wages for our blue-collar workers,” he said.
DeSantis also promised to improve Florida’s reputation for conducting elections, saying the state should not be “further tarnished by the repeated failure of a small number of counties” to properly conduct elections.
“A generation of botched elections is enough,” he said.
DeSantis said he would remove officials if they are “neglectful of required duties.” That could include suspending Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, who has been criticized for the performance of his agency during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last year.
DeSantis and his lieutenant governor, former state Rep. Jeanette Nuñez, R-Miami, participated in the traditional swearing-in ceremony shortly before noon Tuesday. But both actually took office just after midnight Monday, having filed their official oaths of office in December with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Nuñez, who succeeds Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, became the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in state history with her new post.
On Tuesday, DeSantis and Nuñez also continued establishing a cordial relationship with the Republican-led Legislature, hosting a luncheon in the Capitol with the 40 state senators and 120 House members after the inauguration ceremony.
DeSantis repeated his philosophy about the importance of the Legislature in the government process.
“I’m somebody who thinks our government is better when the legislative branch is exercising the authority that it was granted under the Constitution. I think that is true in the federal government and I think that is true here,” DeSantis said, drawing applause from the lawmakers.
DeSantis was accompanied by his wife, Casey Black DeSantis, at the inaugural ceremony and at the legislative luncheon. The couple were also scheduled to host an inaugural ball Tuesday night.
State records show DeSantis is Florida’s youngest governor on Inauguration Day since Park Trammell took the oath of office on Jan. 7, 1913, as a 36-year-old former attorney general.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Updated: FDC Announces $1,000 Hiring Bonuses
January 9, 2019
UPDATE: The Florida Department of Corrections erroneously listed Century Correctional Institution as being eligible for the hiring bonuses in a press release. Century CI was removed from this story after a correction was received from FDC Wednesday afternoon.
The Florida Department of Corrections has announced $1,000 hiring bonuses at the Santa Rosa Correctional Institution in Milton.
Applicants who complete their correctional officer certification through either FDC or certain state colleges will be eligible for the bonus. Paid training is available.
For more information regarding a career with the Florida Department of Corrections, visit FLDOCjobs.com
Pictured: Inside the Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
DeSantis Sworn In As Florida Governor
January 8, 2019
Gov. Ron DeSantis was formally sworn into office Tuesday during an inauguration ceremony outside the Old Capitol. Here is his inaugural address, as prepared for delivery:
Mr. Chief Justice, Senator and Mrs. Scott, members of the Cabinet and fellow citizens:
I take the helm of the ship of state as a Florida native, a veteran of our nation’s military, conscious of my own deficiencies, mindful of the great trust that has been placed in me and thankful for so many of you who have prayed for me.
Being charged with leading a state with so much promise, all I can promise is the sweat off my brow, a full heart, my best judgment and the courage of my convictions.
I will not be a rudderless vessel in this endeavor; my compass will be the principles reflected in the constitutional oath I have just taken, and for which Americans have given their lives: that our rights are endowed by God, not government; that we the people loan power to government under the Constitution in order to protect our rights; that government’s role is not to run our lives for us but to provide what Lincoln called an “open field and fair chance for one’s industry, enterprise and intelligence.”
These principles endure not because they are partisan — they aren’t; they endure because they are right.
I will also be guided by the love and support of my wife Casey. She will be a terrific First Lady for Florida — she’s my best friend, an accomplished professional, a wonderful mother for our two young kids, Madison and Mason, a pretty darn good campaigner and she really cares about the people of this state.
Casey and I have decided to dispense with the parade that typically takes place after these inaugurations; instead, we will return to the Governor’s mansion to have our little boy Mason baptized with water we brought back from the Sea of Galilee in Israel.
I am also fortunate to be succeeding our new U.S. Senator, Rick Scott, who stood here eight years ago at a time of great economic turmoil and pledged to put people back to work. Today, a million and half more Floridians have jobs and our economy is one of the best in the nation.
Senator, your laser-like focus on improving Florida’s economy has meant so much in the lives of so many in our state. You are leaving a strong foundation from which we here today can build. I wish you and Ann fair winds and following seas in our nation’s capital; I know you will be a champion for Florida in the U.S. Senate.
It now falls to me to build upon the foundation that has been laid, navigate the challenges — economic, environmental, constitutional — that lie ahead, and steer Florida to a stronger, cleaner and safer future.
Florida competes with other states to attract investment, jobs and opportunities for our citizens.
Too many states have sought to match runaway public expenditures with ever-increasing levels of taxation. This creates a vicious cycle that leads productive citizens to flee, repels investment and leaves their people overburdened, with less opportunity to prosper, and badly damages the fiscal health of these states.
Indeed, we in Florida have benefitted from these follies and have wisely chosen sound fiscal policies and maintained a favorable tax climate.
Let’s promote a virtuous cycle whereby low taxes, a reasonable regulatory climate, a sensible legal system and a healthy environment attract jobs, business and investment — particularly in the areas of technology, manufacturing and finance.
An expanding economic base will yield more high-paying jobs for our citizens and is the best way to generate the revenue needed for public priorities like education, protecting our natural resources and infrastructure.
We know what works and what doesn’t — let’s not veer off course.
Our economic potential will be jeopardized if we do not solve the problems afflicting our environment and water resources.
People want to come to Florida because of its natural beauty. Tourism is not only a pillar of our state’s economy, it helps spread the tax burden to non-Floridians, limiting taxes on our citizens. But this could be in jeopardy if we do not solve our pressing environmental problems. As the great philosopher Yogi Berra remarked: if people don’t want to come nobody is going to stop them.
For Florida, the quality of our water and environmental surroundings are foundational to our prosperity as a state — it doesn’t just drive tourism; it affects property values, anchors many local economies and is central to our quality of life. The water is part and parcel of Florida’s DNA. Protecting it is the smart thing to do; it’s also the right thing to do.
I will lead the efforts to save our waterways. We will fight toxic blue-green algae, we will fight discharges from Lake Okeechobee, we will fight red tide, we will fight for our fishermen, we will fight for our beaches, we will fight to restore our Everglades and we will never ever quit, we won’t be cowed and we won’t let the foot draggers stand in our way.
We resolve to leave Florida to God better than we found it.
We also resolve to support education. Florida should place a greater emphasis on vocational and technical training, as there is honor in jobs that require vocational skills and those who work hard in these trades make great contributions to our society and should have our admiration.
Skills-based education should also include training in computer science and technology, as these skills will continue to be in demand for the foreseeable future.
In a large and diverse state, our education system needs to empower parents to choose the best possible school for their children. One size does not fit all. No family should be denied the opportunity for their child to succeed due to insufficient income or to living in the wrong zip code. And this opportunity must extend to every Floridian regardless of race, color or creed.
We must rediscover the value of civics education. Our founding principles are what enables a nation conceived in liberty to long endure; their preservation is why so many Americans have laid down their lives in battles near and far. How can we ensure that government of the people shall not perish from the earth if we fail to provide all of our students with the foundational knowledge needed for properly discharging the duties of citizenship?
One key element of our civic tradition is the distinction between the three branches of government. As a recovering U.S. Congressman, I understand and respect the powers afforded to the Legislative Branch. Our legislators are independently elected and do not work for me; but I hope they will work with me to meet the needs of the people of Florida.
In no area is legislative initiative more needed than in the field of health care. The escalating cost of medical care, prescription drugs and health insurance has wreaked havoc on family budgets, priced many out of the market entirely, and has put significant stress on our state budget. The current system is riddled with perverse incentives, intrudes on the doctor-patient relationship and is mired in bureaucracy and red tape. The people of Florida deserve relief.
I also understand that the role of the judiciary, while important, must be limited. It is a self-evident truth that in our constitutional system, courts lack the authority to legislate, but for far too long Florida has seen judges expand their power beyond proper constitutional bounds and substitute legislative will for dispassionate legal judgment, damaging the constitutional separation of powers, reducing the power of the people and eroding individual liberty.
To my fellow Floridians, I say to you: judicial activism ends, right here and right now. I will only appoint judges who understand the proper role of the courts is to apply the law and Constitution as written, not to legislate from the bench. The Constitution, not the judiciary, is supreme.
One month before the election, a ferocious storm tore through parts of Northwest Florida. Hurricane Michael brought widespread destruction, but it did not destroy the resilience and resolve of the people of Northwest Florida. To the communities impacted, we will stand with you to rebuild your communities stronger than before.
To our veterans and the men and women in our armed forces, Florida values not only your service in uniform, but also the contributions you make to our state.
To our men and women in law enforcement, I will stand with you to protect our communities. You put your life on the line in defense of others; you deserve support, not condemnation.
To our local and federal law enforcement partners, the state of Florida will work with you to keep our people safe, particularly the safety of our schools. We must never turn a blind eye to those who represent a danger to our schools and community; we cannot sacrifice the safety of our people at the altar of social experimentation.
We will stand for the rule of law. We won’t allow sanctuary cities. And we will stop incentivizing illegal immigration, which is unfair to our legal immigrants, promotes lawlessness and reduces wages for our blue-collar workers.
We also cannot allow Florida’s reputation to be further tarnished by the repeated failure of a small number of counties to conduct elections in a transparent, lawful manner. A generation of botched elections is enough.
Alexander Hamilton wrote, “Energy in the executive is the leading character in the definition of good government.” I agree.
So let there be no misunderstanding: as governor, I will lead with purpose and conviction on behalf of the people of Florida.
— If the Legislature engages in wasteful spending, I will veto it.
— If a local official is neglectful of required duties, I will remove the official.
— If our environment is threatened, I will move to protect it.
Leadership requires decisive action. After all, “If the trumpet sounds an uncertain note, who shall prepare for battle?”
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked to be the first to sign the new Constitution. It was a tumultuous convention; it seemed like a miracle that it had succeeded.
Franklin pointed to the chair at the front of the chamber from which General George Washington had presided over the convention. The chair featured a sun that sat low on the horizon.
Franklin remarked, “I have often … in the course of the session … looked at the sun behind the President without being able to tell whether it was rising or setting. But now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting sun.”
If we meet the challenges that lie before us; if we overcome the tribalism that has dominated our politics; if we set the interests of hard-working taxpayers as our true north, then I have no doubt that the state of Florida will cruise to bright new horizons.
We will see that rising sun.
So Sail on, O’ Ship of State, For the future of Florida is strong and great.
God bless you, and may God bless the great state of Florida. Thank you.
Developers Offer $18 Million For OLF-8 Property Not Being Purchased By Navy Federal
January 8, 2019
Developers are making an $18 million cash offer for over 500 acres of Navy Outlying Field 8 (OLF -8) not being purchased by Navy Federal.
Hemmer Consulting of Pensacola, 68 Ventures of Spanish Fort, AL, and their affiliated companies have offered $18 million for approximately 530 acres. Navy Federal has offered to purchase the other 100 acres of OLF-8 for $4.2 million once a land swap deal with the U.S. Navy is completed.
Hemmer Consulting’s letter of intent states the companies intend to develop a “mixed-use site that will be mutually agreed upon by both parties”.
The county would be legally obligated to declare the acreage surplus and sell to the highest bidder, according to an email from County Attorney Alison Rogers to county commissioners. She said she is hopeful that the county’s acquisition of OLF-8 will be completed by the end of January.
OLF-8 is on Nine Mile Road, directly west of the current Navy Federal campus.
Century Council Cancels Unadvertised Meeting; Fails To Pick Leader; Questions Job Posting
January 8, 2019
The Century Town Council called off a meeting Monday night that was not advertised, raised questions about how an open position was advertised, and deadlocked on choosing a council president for the current year.
Unadvertised Meeting
During their last meeting of December, the council agreed with a suggestion by council member Luis Gomez to meet a half-hour before regular 7 p.m. council meetings in order to discuss their bill list in more detail.
When 6:30 rolled around Monday night, three council members were at the council table as president Ann Brooks announced there would be no early meeting because it was not advertised. Gomez did not attend Monday night’s meetings, and the 7 p.m. regular meeting continued as usual.
Florida’s Sunshine Law requires proper notice of public meetings.
Council President
When it came time Monday night to pick a council president for 2019, Sandra McMurray Jackson nominated Ben Boutwell and Boutwell nominated current president Ann Brooks. Jackson and James Smith voted for Boutwell, while Boutwell and Brooks voted for Brooks, resulting in a tie. Council member Gomez was absent from the meeting.
“I think you’ve done a wonderful job,” Boutwell said as he renounced his nomination for council president and ceded the nomination to Brooks.
The four council members then voted on the remaining nomination for Brooks, but that vote ended in a 2-2 tie with Jackson and Smith voting no.
Brooks then announced that she would continue as council president until there were five council members at a future meeting to vote and break the tie.
Job Posting
Mayor Henry Hawkins announced that employment interviews would be held January 10 and 11 for an open billing clerk position, and he faced questions about the methods used, and not used, to advertise the open position.
The position with a job description was posted on the Employ Florida Marketplace website, and a small display ad was published in the Tri-City Ledger weekly newspaper.
The newspaper ad stated “Public Notice Town of Century Job Posting” with instruction to apply at Employ Florida or pick up an application at Century Town Hall. The newspaper ad did not include the position title, job description, closing date or any other information.
The ad was never provided to NorthEscambia.com for publication, despite a council vote several years ago to submit all public notices to NorthEscambia.com.
NorthEscambia.com publishes those notices as public service at no cost to the Town of Century.
Pictured top: Century council members (L-R) Ann Brooks, Sandra McMurray Jackson and Ben Boutwell as an unadvertised early meeting is canceled Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
ECSO Names ‘Century Six’ Wanted Fugitives
January 8, 2019
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Unit has named their first “Century Six” — a new fugitive listing focusing on those that live in the North Escambia area.
The ECSO hopes the increased exposure will result in the arrest of the fugitives thanks to citizen tips.
The Sheriff’s Office is modeling the listing after their “Dirty Dozen” countywide listing. Individuals are generally only removed from the list if the fugitive is arrested, dies, or if the charges are dropped. They are then replaced by a new fugitive chosen by the ECSO’s Warrants Unit.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts on any of the Century Six is asked to contact the ECSO at (850) 436-9620 or to remain anonymous call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.
Click image to enlarge.