New County Corrections Boss Now On The Job
September 5, 2018
Tuesday was the first day on the job for William R. Powell, Escambia County’s new director of Corrections. He responsibilities include oversight of the Escambia County Jail, Community Corrections Division and Road Prison
Powell joined Escambia County from Orlando where he served as correctional major at the Orange County Corrections Department.
In his previous job, Powell directed and managed the general operation of seven facilities with an average population of over 3,500 inmates. Powell was responsible for the security operations division, which provides direction and management of the general operation of all correctional facilities in Orange County, Florida. His responsibilities included staff management, development and implementation of policies and procedures, fiscal management, care, custody and control of inmate environments to ensure compliance with all federal, state, county and department regulations.
Prior to serving as a correctional major, Powell served as the chief of the prisoner administration and security sections of the Joint Forces European Army Confinement Facility from 1998 to 2004. He also served in the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1998 as a nuclear surety military policeman, desk sergeant patrol operator, confinement supervisor, maximum security shift supervisor and field recruiter.
Powell obtained a Master of Human Relations degree from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Criminal Justice and a Master of Management from Troy University. He is a Certified Jail Manager with the American Jail Association and a Certified Corrections Executive with the American Correctional Association.
Powell was selected from a pool of 86 applicants for the director of corrections position after a thorough selection process.
The selection committee of Escambia County Administrator Jack Brown, Escambia County Assistant Administrator Matt Coughlin, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Chip Simmons, First Judicial Circuit Trial Court Administrator Robin Wright, Orange County Corrections Department Chief Cornita A. Riley, and Florida Sheriff’s Association Jail Services Coordinator Isaiah Dennard narrowed the list down to five finalists, ranking Powell as the top candidate.
Gordon Makes Landfall
September 5, 2018
Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall just below hurricane strength Tuesday night just west of the Alabama-Mississippi border, claiming one life in Escambia County.
A child was killed when a tree fell on a mobile home [click here for more].
Tropical storm-force winds and heavy downpours battered Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, downing trees and power lines. Thousands of residents in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties lost power as a result [read more].
A confirmed tornado was reported by the National Weather Service near Pea Ridge in Santa Rosa County. There were no immediate reports of any tornado-related damage.
Here is your official forecast for Wednesday:
Today: Showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Steady temperature around 77. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 72. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. Southeast 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.
Thursday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Friday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 89. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.
Running Mate Picks Could Have Little Effect For DeSantis, Gillum In November
September 5, 2018
Gubernatorial candidates Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum must pick their running mates by a Thursday deadline.
Based on recent political history, you can expect the candidates to bring some demographic and geographic diversity to the general-election tickets with their selections for lieutenant governor.
But while rumors and speculation swirl about who might be tapped by DeSantis and Gillum, history has also shown the lieutenant-governor candidates are not likely to have much impact on the outcome of what will be one of the highest-profile elections in the nation this fall.
The primary duty of the Florida lieutenant governor, a post that was re-established in 1968, is to succeed the governor if he or she is incapacitated or dies.
That transition last happened in December 1998, when Gov. Lawton Chiles died and Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay became governor, filling the office for the last month of Chiles’ two-term administration.
Talking to reporters after his primary-election victory, DeSantis, the Republican nominee, said his “first criteria” in selecting a running mate would be to find someone who could step in as governor if necessary.
A secondary consideration would be someone who could help him “advance an agenda” and perhaps have expertise on “certain niche issues,” DeSantis said.
“I don’t really necessarily just want somebody hanging around. I want them to be actively involved,” DeSantis said. “So I’m going to be looking for someone who can be value-added, not just in the election but once you become governor and are working to implement an agenda.”
Gillum, the Democratic nominee, will look at similar criteria, and both campaigns are likely weighing running mates that will broaden or balance the appeal of their tickets.
For instance, in the last gubernatorial election in 2014, both candidates had running mates from Miami-Dade County, which with 1.4 million voters has the largest county electorate in the state.
Both 2014 gubernatorial nominees also had Hispanic running mates, with Gov. Rick Scott and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera running as Republicans against Democrat Charlie Crist and his running mate, Annette Taddeo, who is now a state senator.
Another consideration in the process is the long-held mantra from political consultants that the selection of a lieutenant governor should “first do no harm.” That means the potential running mates must be well-vetted to avoid controversies that could damage the general-election ticket.
Missteps by a lieutenant governor have not seriously damaged a gubernatorial candidate in recent elections. But governors and candidates have parted ways with their running mates.
The last time came when Scott forced Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, the first African-American elected to the office, to resign in 2013 after she became embroiled in the investigation of a group linked to internet cafes. She was never charged with any wrongdoing. Scott picked Lopez-Cantera to replace her.
But lieutenant governors can also help governors. MacKay played a key role in the Chiles administration. And Lt. Gov. Toni Jennings, a former Senate president, helped Gov. Jeb Bush navigate the legislative process during his second term.
Aside from the two major parties, Darcy Richardson, running for governor as a Reform Party candidate, has picked former state Sen. Nancy Argenziano as his running mate.
by Lloyd Dunkelberger, The News Service of Florida
Escambia (FL) Schools Back In Session On Wednesday
September 4, 2018
Tropical Storm Gordon is expected to move rapidly through our area this evening. Winds will decrease through the night making it safe for buses to operate on Wednesday morning.
BOCC Declines State Of Emergency, Cancels Meeting; Century Cancels Workshop
September 4, 2018
UPDATE: The Escambia County Board of County Commission First Public Hearing for Consideration of Tentative Budget for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 scheduled for today, Sept. 4 at 5:31 p.m. has been rescheduled due to Tropical Storm Gordon. The meeting will now be held Monday, Sept. 10 at 5:01 p.m. in the board chambers of the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, found on the first floor of 221 Palafox Place.
The Escambia County Commission declined to declare a state of emergency Thursday.
The BOCC held an emergency meeting to discuss preparation measures for Tropical Storm Gordon. During the meeting, commissioners decided to go forward with a regularly scheduled commission meeting at 5:30 p.m.
The Town of Century canceled a budget workshop planned for this afternoon and announced that town hall would close at noon.
Baby Uninjured In Car Seat, Mom Airlifted After Crash With 18-Wheeler
September 4, 2018
A car seat is being credited with saving a baby in a Monday night crash with an 18-wheeler that seriously injured the baby’s mother.
The accident involved a Subaru Forester and and an 18-wheeler shortly after 9 p.m. at Highway 113 and Highway 31 in Flomaton. The Forester collided with the side of the big rig.
The baby’s mother was the restrained front seat passenger. She was airlifted by Shandscair helicopter to a Pensacola hospital. The baby’s father, the driver of the vehicle, suffered only minor injuries from a seat belt.
First responders said the baby was restrained in a car seat and was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation.
The Flomaton Fire Department, Flomaton Police Department, Escambia County (FL) EMS, Medstar Ambulance and the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FWC Hunter Safety Courses Offered In Molino, Cantonment
September 4, 2018
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in Molino and Cantonment:
Online completion courses will be held as follows:
Classes will also be held
- September 5 (6 to 10 p.m.) & September 8 (7 to 10 a.m. )
- Molino Community Center
- 6450 Highway 95A N. in Molino
- October 10 (6 to 10 p.m.) & October 27 (7 to 10 a.m. )
- Molino Community Center
- 6450 Highway 95A N. in Molino
- October 16 (6 to 10 p.m.) & October 27 (7 to 10 a.m. )
- Langley Bell 4-H Center
- 3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment
Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.
Contact Paul Averill, Florida Fish and Wildlife hunter safety instructor at (850) 982-8070m or visit MyFWC.com/HunterSafety for more information.
Escambia County Offers Sand For Sandbag Storm Prep
September 4, 2018
Escambia County is offering sand for sandbags for residents living in flood-prone areas. The sand will be available after 9 a.m. and distributed on a first come, first served basis. Residents must bring their own sandbags and shovels to one of the following locations (map):
- Don Sutton Park – 2320 Crabtree Church Road, Molino
- Travis M. Nelson Park – 4541 County Road 4, Bratt
- Escambia County Road Department – 601 Highway 297-A, Cantonment
- John R. Jones Jr. Athletic Park – 555 E. Nine Mile Road
- Equestrian Center – 7750 Mobile Highway
- Ferry Pass Middle School – 8355 Yancey Lane, sand on NW corner of school property on Parazine Street
- Baars Field Athletic Park – 13001 Sorrento Road
- Brent Athletic Park – 4711 N. W St.
When use properly, sand bags can be an effective tool for flooding from a rain event, but not for storm surge. For more information on how to make and use sandbags, visit the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (www.flash.org). Sand bags can be purchased at most local hardware or home improvement stores, typically for a low cost.
Pictured: Sand made available at Travis Nelson Park in Bratt. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Wahoos Clinch Playoff Berth In 4-3 Win Over Smokies
September 4, 2018
Pensacola missed out on a chance to win the second-half title with a 3-0 loss to the Smokies on Labor Day at Smokies Stadium.
Offense was hard to come by for both teams on Monday. All three of Tennessee’s runs came in the third inning after the Wahoos ran into injury trouble. Wyatt Strahan (L, 7-12) started the game and left with one out in the bottom of the third due to a blister on his pitching hand. Rafael De Paula replaced Strahan and with his third pitch to P.J. Higgins, he struck in the hand by a line drive, which forced him to leave the game. Higgins’s single loaded the bases, and it forced Carlos Navas to enter the game. He allowed a bases-clearing double to Eddy Martinez to give the Smokies a 3-0 lead.
Keegan Thompson (W, 6-3) pitched five shutout innings and allowed one hit while striking out five. Only twice were the Wahoos able to move runners into scoring position; however, the Wahoos were unable to cash in on either of those opportunities.
Pensacola’s bullpen was nothing short of brilliant given the circumstances of Monday’s contest. After Navas allowed the double to Martinez, the bullpen pitched 5.2 hitless innings. Nick Howard pitch three innings after making an appearance in Sunday’s win and Alejandro Chacin closed out the eighth inning in order.
Pensacola and Biloxi will open the 2018 Southern League Playoffs on Wednesday at MGM Park. The Shuckers won both halves, which means that four of the five games will be played in Biloxi if needed. Neither team has disclosed who will start the playoff opener.
Pictured: The Pensacola Blue Wahoos celebrate in Kodak, TN, after clinching a playoff berth. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
FHP Seeks Help Identifying Credit Card Fraud Suspect
September 4, 2018
The Florida Highway Patrol is attempting to identify a man that allegedly made three fraudulent credit card transactions.
The FHP said Tuesday that the suspected entered the Home Depot on Nine Mile Road on April 27 and 28 and made three fraudulent purchases totaling $537.38. The transactions were by surveillance cameras.
The suspect is a white male, in his 20’s to 30’s, with facial hair.
Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call Trooper Joshua Tucker at (850) 316-2474 or email at joshuatucker@flhsmv.gov or call Crime Stoppers (850) 433-STOP.
