Cantonment Couple Charged In ‘Heart-Wrenching’ Child Abuse Case
May 26, 2016
A Cantonment couple has been charged in a child abuse case that Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan called “heart-wrenching” and one of the worst he has ever seen.
Jeffrey Scott Linton, 48, and Rachel Watkins Linton, 34, of Muscogee Road in Cantonment, are facing multiple child abuse charges based upon allegations that they inflicted severe physical abuse on three young children.
“It is one of those things that bring tears to your eyes to think that a child would be treated in this manner,” Morgan said during a Wednesday afternoon press conference. He said there were nine total children in the home – eight biologically belonging to Rachel Linton, one the biological child of Jeffrey Linton. The charges filed relate to the three youngest of the children.
All of the children have been removed from the home.
The investigation began after the Department of Children and Families received an anonymous tip. That led to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office opening an investigation and executing a search warrant at the couple’s Cantonment home.
“These investigations are always ongoing. If at any point and time additional facts come out that warrant additional charges being filed, we would review it at that time and file the appropriate charges,” Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille said. “We do take these types of cases very seriously.”
Jeffrey Linton remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $1.5 million; Rachel Linton’s also remains in jail with a bond set at $900,000.
The allegations against the Lintons span the period August 2015 to May 23, 2016, according to an arrest report obtained by NorthEscambia.com. On May 24, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of the allegations.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The remainder of this story details some of the severe physical child abuse allegations in this case. There are details that some readers will find disturbing.
The report indicates that about one month ago, one of the victims suffered a broken leg and then a broken arm caused by one of the siblings, and that Rachel Linton did not feed or bathe the children or take them to medical appointments. Two of the victims were born prematurely and are developmentally delayed.
DCF received a tip that Rachel Linton was planning to flee the area and has a history of fleeing when she is under investigation.
DCF received a report that two victims had injuries to their faces and heads, and Rachel Linton took the victims to West Florida Hospital where a trauma survey found that one victim had two broken arms and a broken leg and all three victims were malnourished.
The report says Rachel Linton frequently hits the victims’ heads on the walls and that Jeffrey Linton also abuses them. Rachel Linton threatened the children with further punishment if they provided any information to DCF about the ongoing abuse in the home. Both allegedly told the children to blame their injuries on the other children in the home.
One child allegedly suffered a broken arm as the result of Jeffrey Linton twisting an arm. DCF discovered the children had multiple bruises on their faces, back and arms, and that the children had knots on the back and tops of their heads. They suffered a variety of other injuries, including an abscess on the bottom of a foot, scarring and scabbing of lips, scarring of a nose, lacerations to their ears and bruising to their genital areas.
A witness alleged that Jeffrey Linton would hold the victims upside down by their feet and hit their heads on the floor as punishment and that he would hit them with a paddle “2-3 feet long” and throw them and slam their heads against a wall, and he would allegedly hit them with a fly swatter.
The witness said the paddle is now broken from use, and that she would hear the children cry and scream in pain.
Work Complete On Replacement Of 75 Year Old Highway 97 Bridge
May 26, 2016
Work is now mostly complete on the replacement of a 75-year old Highway 97 bridge over Little Pine Barren Creek in Walnut Hill.
Work at the site began back in March 2015, with traffic moved to a temporary bridge in July. The construction was part of a $2.5 million contract which consisted of replacing a structurally deficient bridge, including roadway reconstruction, milling and resurfacing, guardrail, drainage, new signs and pavement markings.
The bridge is located at the intersection of Wiggins Lake Road, about one mile north of Ernest Ward Middle School. The bridge that was replaced was constructed in 1940.
Pictured: Traffic flows across a completed bridge on Highway 97 in Walnut Hill late Wednesday afternoon. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
State Supreme Court To Hear High Profile Gambling Case
May 26, 2016
The Florida Supreme Court is expected to hear a high profile gambling case next month.
Justices will take up a closely watched case about whether a pari-mutuel facility in rural Gadsden County should be able to offer slot machines — a case that could have implications for five other counties across the state.
The pari-mutuel Gretna Racing., operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians of Atmore, argues it should be allowed to offer the lucrative machines, at least in part because Gadsden County voters approved slots in a referendum. But a divided 1st District Court of Appeal last year sided with Gov. Rick Scott’s administration, which contends that the small North Florida horse track cannot have slot machines without the express permission of the Legislature.
The outcome of the case could affect five other counties — Brevard, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach and Washington — where voters have approved slots in similar referendums. The case (Gretna Racing, LLC v. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, etc.) is scheduled for arguments June 7.
by the News Service of Florida
Learn How To Purchase AED At Escambia County’s Cost
May 26, 2016
Escambia County will hold a meeting next week to provide more information on how to purchase an automated external defibrillator (AED) at the county’s cost.
District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry and Escambia County Public Safety will host a meeting Tuesday, May 31 at 6 p.m. for groups or individuals interested in purchasing an AED for their church or business at the county’s cost.
The meeting will take place at the Walnut Hill Fire Station at 7760 Highway 97. Escambia County Public Safety Director Mike Weaver will be available to answer questions about purchasing an AED at the same cost the county received during its last bid solicitation and provide information about AED kit options and available warranty programs.
An AED will be available to view at the meeting.
The cost will be $1,317.31 for the AED and associated equipment, according to Mike Weaver. Escambia County Public Safety Director . The vendor is also offering a wall mount cabinet for an additional $99..
“By no means are we trying to ’sell’ this particular AED. It is the same AED that we have chosen for our responders, County Buildings and parks. There are other devices and distributors that may be able to offer a lower price that will be shared,” Weaver said.
An automated external defibrillator is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can stop an irregular heart rhythm and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is an abrupt loss of heart function. If it’s not treated within minutes, it quickly leads to death.
According to Escambia County, AEDs are important because they make it possible for more people to respond to a medical emergency where defibrillation is required. Because AEDs are portable, they can be used by anyone who has been trained how to use them – not only by medical professionals. They can be made part of emergency response programs that also include rapid use of 9-1-1 and prompt delivery of CPR. All three of these activities are vital to improving survival from cardiac arrest.
For more information, contact Escambia County Public Safety at (850) 471-6400.
Blue Wahoos Down Barons In Series Opener
May 26, 2016
Jackson Stephens’ family rarely miss his starts, making the five-hour drive from their home in Oxford, Ala., near the Georgia border to Pensacola.
They left the game in good spirits on Wednesday. Their son didn’t walk anybody, plus he improved his record to 4-3 and his ERA dropped to 3.22.
“My dad hates walks,” Stephens said. “I didn’t have any so he was pumped. My mom, she just wants to see her baby do good and she’s happy.”
Stephens, coming off of a combined no-hitter against the Jacksonville Suns on May 20, threw another gem. He threw seven scoreless innings allowing five hits and striking out a season-high nine batters for the second time this season. He has now thrown 12 scoreless innings.
Pensacola earned the victory, 5-1, over the Birmingham Barons in the opening game of the five-game series in front of 3,993 fans Wednesday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.
Stephens pumped his fist after getting first baseman Nick Basto to fly out to Donald Lutz in left field to end the seventh inning.
All four of his pitches – a two- and four-seam fastball, curveball and slider – were working for him Wednesday. He said his seven scoreless innings Thursday were similar to his last outing when he pitched five innings without allowing a hit but giving up two walks.
“I’d say they were similar,” said the 21-year-old Stephens. “You’re not going to go out there and throw no hitters all the time. My stuff was there. I was able to get ahead in the pitch count with a lot of early strikes.”
Stephens, who entered the game with opponents hitting .221 off him, limited Birmingham to .192 (5-26) Thursday.
Pensacola manager Pat Kelly also liked what he saw from Stephens, who got ahead of hitters Thursday. Kelly pointed out Stephens threw about 85 pitches in both his five inning outing and Thursday’s seven inning game.
“He’s been throwing bullets but wasting them early in the ball game,” Kelly said. “That’s what he’s got to do.”
Pensacola retook sole possession of first place from the Biloxi Shuckers, who vaulted into the Southern Division lead when they beat the Blue Wahoos April 19. Pensacola is 27-19, while Biloxi is 26-19, after losing to Mobile BayBears, 9-1, Wednesday.
Pensacola’s third baseman Tony Renda doubled to lead off the first inning, went to third on a groundout by center fielder Phillip Ervin and scored on a wild pitch to give the Blue Wahoos a 1-0 lead.
Renda was also involved in the second run scored by the Blue Wahoos, too, in the third inning when he singled to drive in Pensacola catcher Chad Wallach. Renda tried to stretch his single into a double but was thrown out at second base by left fielder Courtney Hawkins.
Kelly was happy with Renda’s aggressiveness against Birmingham starter Tyler Danish, the White Sox No. 11 prospect, who threw a complete game shutout the last time he faced the Blue Wahoos on April 29.
“To scratch out a few runs early was nice,” Kelly admitted. “(Renda) had that big RBI for the second run.”
DH Eric Jagielo hit a two-out blooper to left field in the sixth inning that drove in Kyle Parker, who had singled, to put Pensacola ahead, 3-0.
Dixon got the third straight hit to start the eighth inning to drive in two runs and put Pensacola up, 5-0.
New York Yankee transplants who came over in the Cincinnati Reds trade for closer Ardolis Chapman, Renda and Eric Jagielo led the team at the plate Thursday. Renda hit in his fifth straight game, going 2-4 with a double and one run scored. Meanwhile, Jagielo went 2-4 and drove in the third run off of Birmingham’s Danish.
Jagielo, an All-Star in his previous minor league seasons, is hitting .180 but Kelly expressed confidence in him.
“To me it’s just a relaxation thing,” Kelly said. “When you’re coming to a new organization you want to show everybody what you can do. He looked good tonight.”
Century Man Facing Additional Charges For Stealing Copper Wire From Former School
May 25, 2016
A Century man arrested in late April for stealing heavy duty copper wiring from the former Century High School has been arrested again on similar additional crimes.
Nicholas Depue, 33, was arrested for burglary and grand theft, in addition to previous charges of burglary of an unoccupied structure and two counts of grand theft. He remains in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $50,000.
The site foreman responsible for the demolition of the old Century High School told investigators that 100 pounds of salvage copper wire was missing from inside one of the campus buildings.
Upon contacting Advance Environmental Recycling in Flomaton, Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s investigators found that Depue had alleged sold the stolen wire for scrap.
Depue was previously arrested after he allegedly removed a wood covering over a window and broke the window to enter the Old Century High School. Inside the building he took about 28 pieces of heavy duty copper wiring about 6-8 feet in length valued at about $600. The wiring was then hid in bushes about 1,000 feet from the school.
When investigators contacted Depue at his Front Street home, he admitted to the theft and showed deputies where the wire was located, an arrest report states. The wire was returned to the demolition company that is removing the school.
Depue is also accused of stealing a $4,000 Evinrude boat motor from a home on North Century Boulevard. The motor was attached to a 16-foot aluminum boat and was parked in the rear area of a yard. Depue then allegedly sold the boat motor to a Flomaton man for $800. The stolen boat motor was recovered.
Escambia School Media Centers Honored For Makerspaces In Innovation Centers
May 25, 2016
As part of the Escambia County School Superintendent’s Vision 2020 plan, school district library media specialists were challenged last summer to transition their school’s libraries into Innovation Centers and to rethink floor plans and material usage to create Makerspaces.
“It was exciting to see so many schools’ Innovation Center Specialists look for ways to reinvent their space and shift their mind sets,” said Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. “Spaces that were previously used for storage or teacher workrooms were cleared out and cleaned to become student Makerspaces. Students had a place to be creative and keep their projects to finish on another day.”
A rubric was created to track each Innovation Center’s progress with implementing Makerspaces. Library media specialists and principals completed the rubrics and provided documentation of their efforts. The rubrics and documentation were reviewed by a committee and eleven schools are being honored as being “exemplary” in their design and implementation of the Makerspace opportunities in their Innovation Centers. The Innovation Specialists at these schools are being awarded $250 from the Superintendent’s Circle fund to support the Makerspaces in their schools and further develop ideas and creativity.
Exemplary schools honored for their Makerspaces and Innovation Centers were:
· Ensley Elementary (Library Media Specialist, Myra Palmer)
· Ferry Pass Elementary (Library Media Specialist, Valerie Kaye)
· Northview High (Library Media Specialist, Alison Robinson)
· Oakcrest Elementary (Library Media Specialist, Michelle Lingo)
· Pine Meadow Elementary (Library Media Specialist, Debby Dorough)
· Ransom Middle (Library Media Specialist, Crystal Roberts)
· Tate High (Library Media Specialist, Mitzi Allen)
· Washington High (Library Media Specialist, Alisha Wilson)
· Weis Elementary (Library Media Specialist, Jennifer Kemp)
· West Florida High (Library Media Specialist, Linda Quinn)
· Woodham Middle (Library Media Specialist, Hazel McCormack)
Innovation Center Specialists have also worked hard this year to find ways to fund specific ideas. Many received grants from the Escambia Public Schools Foundation. Twelve schools each received part of a $28,000 grant from the Panhandle Public Access Network that allowed them to purchase some big ticket items.
“Some used grant money to buy items like Minecraft, small robots, circuits, and even 3D printers,” added Sheila Brandt, ECSD’s Media Services Coordinator. “We also saw amazing examples of recycling. Even the packing material that came in the boxes with the new Chromebooks were repurposed in creative ways, such as a model of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater created with the material at Washington High School.”
“As librarians, none of us ever want to see kids stop checking out books. This transformation has not meant that, in fact some schools saw an increase in their checkout rate,” Brandt added. “Instead, we are excited to see increased levels of energy and excitement when students come in to be creative, and they find a book for inspiration, or vice versa.”
“One rubric contained a comment from a high school Innovation Center Specialist that said that at first this seemed overwhelming,” added Thomas. “But now, she said she knows this was the most positive thing she could have done in her library for their students. It is my pleasure to present funds to these schools to help keep the innovations coming.”
Spring Football: Northview Downs Jay (With Gallery)
May 25, 2016
The Northview Chiefs defeated the Jay Royals Tuesday night in spring football action.
In a junior varsity quarter, Northview topped Jay 7-0. In a full varsity scrimmage, Northview defeated Jay 34-0.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia Man Sentenced On Drug, Money Laundering Charges
May 25, 2016
An Escambia County man was sentenced Tuesday in federal court on drug related offenses.
Kenneth Grandison, 42, was sentenced today to nine years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to utilize a telephone facility to further a drug trafficking offense. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
In court, Grandison admitted that, between January 2012 and January 2016, he received illegal drugs from California, including marijuana and codeine, for further distribution in Florida. An investigation identified dozens of Bank of America and Wells Fargo accounts that Grandison used to launder the drug trafficking proceeds. In total, the Bank of America accounts received more than 200 cash deposits, and the Wells Fargo accounts received more than 600 cash deposits. This investigation involved the laundering of between $1.5 and $3.5 million.
The case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Pensacola Police Department, and the Gulf Breeze Police Department.
Tate High School Orchestra Makes History At The State Level
May 25, 2016
The Tate High School Orchestra recently made history at the state level.
Tate High School’s orchestra performed The Odyssey by Soon Hee Newbold, Legends by Lorris Chobanian, and Odessa by David Bobrowitz.
“Our music selections really inspired our hard work. The story of Odysseus is musically portrayed in The Odyssey. I was thrilled to discover that a lot of our orchestra members are mythology buffs, who shared with us the details of Odysseus’s long and arduous journey,” said Catherine McConnell, Tate High’s orchestra instructor.
“This background knowledge made the technical details a lot more fun to master: the 16th note chromatic runs that portrayed stormy winds, the col legno bowing (striking the string with the stick of the bow) that built up ominous suspense, and muted sections that made his heartbreaking journey feel very personal.”
Tate musicians also performed three movements of Legends: “Mystic Breeze,” “Leprechauns,” and “The Wishing Well,” a unique piece with moments of intense sadness, contrasted sharply by the fast, amazing pizzicato movement in “Leprechauns,” that makes the fictitious creatures come alive.
Their final piece Odessa, portrayed the bustling port city in Ukraine on the Black Sea.
“Dr. Leonid Yanovskiy, the concert master of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra coached the first violins. He shared with all of us his first-hand knowledge that Odessa is a fast-paced, metropolitan city much like New York City,” added McConnell. “That helped us understand and communicate the lively, energetic music of this exciting piece.”
The months of hard work and the coaching paid off for the orchestra’s members. Fifty-one high school orchestras from across the state competed, and Tate High was one of only nine orchestras who received straight Superior ratings from the judges.
“We could not have done it alone! A lot of work goes into solidifying the musical details of these pieces. The Tate Orchestra has benefited from our partnership with the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, which is an educational outreach program that the PSO established with my orchestra programs this year, both at Ransom Middle and Tate High,” McConnell said.
The musicians from the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra worked closely with McCaonnell to coach the students in each section of the orchestra, helped them fine tune their musicianship, and gave the students a greater appreciation for the professional musicians in our community.
“Our success at State truly reflects the culmination of time, talent, and financial support from our dedicated Tate High Orchestra students and families, our school district, and our community,” McConnell said.