ECSO Update: Woman Will Not Face Charges Of Kidnapping Her Grandchildren
August 6, 2021
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office now says the 50-year old Escambia County woman originally accused of kidnapping her grandchildren will not face charges.
The ECSO said Thursday that Amy Patterson Cannon was arrested and her grandchildren were found safe, a day after stating she was wanted for two counts of kidnapping minors under the age of 13.
After further investigation, it was determined that Cannon will not face an charges, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said Friday morning.
Northview’s Student Athletes Rank No. 6 Academically In Florida Class 1A
August 6, 2021
All of Northview High School’s student athletes were collectively ranked No. 6 academically in the state in Class 1A for the 2020-2021 school year, according to rankings from the Florida High School Athletic Association.
Northview High School students not only work hard athletically, but also in the classroom,” said Obreonne Smith, Northview athletic director. “This is a great accomplishment for the students, staff and school.”
Pictured: Class of 2021 members of the Northview High School Lady Chiefs softball team. Pictured below: Last year’s Chiefs baseball team celebrates a district win over Jay. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Escambia Considers Zoning Change To Allow Larger Retail Space In Some Rural Areas
August 6, 2021
When Dollar General considered building a new store in Walnut Hill earlier this year, their development company ran into a problem with Escambia County zoning. But now the Escambia County Commission is considering a Land Development Code change that would make such development possible in rural areas.
Teramore Development had three properties under contract at the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 99A in Walnut Hill, next to Ernest Ward Middle School, for a 10,640 square foot Dollar General.
The property is currently zoned Rural Mixed Use (RMU) which allows commercial buildings up to 6,000 square feet. There is currently no provision whatsoever to grant any exceptions to construct a larger commercial building.
Now, the BOCC is considering an ordinance recommended Escambia County Planning Board that would allow up to 15,000 square feet in RMU districts with a conditional use approval for any business, not just a Dollar General. That conditional use provision, County Attorney Alison Rogers told NorthEscambia.com, would mean each request for RMU retail sales construction up to 15,000 square feet would required individual approval by the Board of Adjustment.
The county commission held the first of two public hearings on the ordinance Thursday night. The second public hearing and final vote will come on August 19.
Properties zoned as RMU in Escambia County are typically located near rural community centers and most are not currently used for agriculture.
To date, a Dollar General for Walnut Hill has not moved forward in the development or permitting process.
Pictured: A proposed Dollar General for Walnut Hill as presented in February 2021 by their development firm. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
BOCC Releases Legal Opinion That 401(a) Annuity Plan Is In Fact Legal
August 6, 2021
The Escambia County Commission voted Thursday night to release an outside legal opinion that states the county’s 401(a) annuity plan is in fact legal for elected officials and senior management.
The item was brought to the agenda by Commissioner Jeff Bergosh, who does not participate in the plan but still holds an Florida Retirement System pension plan from his time on the Escambia County School Board. It passed 4-0, with Commissioner Doug Underhill off the dais and not participating in the discussion.
In late July, Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers asserted that state has told her that the county’s 401(a) annuity plan is illegal. Thursday night, she sat silently on the dais as commissioners carried on their conversation.
The board obtained an outside legal opinion from Michael Mattimore of Allen Norton & Blue, which Bergosh described as a “very expensive, high end government firm out of Tallahassee”.
“It is my opinion that the Local 401(a) Annuity Program is legal,” Mattimore wrote of that plan. To read the complete opinion (pdf), click or tap here.
Commissioners Stephen Barry, Robert Bender and Lumon May all opted for the plan.
Barry said there was additional documentation in Internal Revenue Service code and from Westlaw, an online legal research service and proprietary database for lawyers and legal professionals, that references the legality plan type. The commissioner’s vote also allowed the release of that information.
“Once we share (the legal opinion), I want to share everything,” Barry said in response to releasing the legal opinion.
“It’s been alleged that it is illegal because it is not a local annuity. That’s not true,” Barry added.
“To think that I did something illegal be completing a piece of paperwork that HR gave me when I started this position,” Bender said. “I didn’t have vote in it. I didn’t do anything with it. They (HR) said here are your three options, and I chose one.”
“No one could fault you for that,” Bergosh replied.
“The plan goes back to 1997, 25 years give or take, and we’ve had 25 audits that have never pointed to any issues to the plan,” Barry remarked.
“We should certainly not only get an opinion, but we should get a court order,” May said. “It should be brought forth because it deserves to be decided whether by commission or omission is this legal, is it ethical, or is it right. I do believe that it is.”
The board also voted 4-0 Thursday night to instruct Rogers “procure some outside help” on the matter, “without defining exactly it is”.
401(a) Annuity Program
It’s called a 401(a) annuity program, and under state statute was offered only to senior management service employees and commissioners that opt out of the Florida Retirement System (FRS). It’s available statewide, not just in Escambia County.
The plan does not cost Escambia County taxpayers anything extra when contributions are made in a timely fashion; the employee contributions are exactly the same whether or not the money goes into FRS or the annuity program. FRS has significant administrative overhead and fund liability that is funded from employee contributions. The 401(a) annuity plan participant costs are lower, so participants can earn significantly more retirement dollars.
Escambia County has offered a 401(a) annuity program to senior management employees and elected officials since 1997.
15-Year Old Charged With Armed Robbery Of Pine Forest Road Dollar General
August 6, 2021
A 15-year old has been charged with the armed robbery of a Pine Forest Road Dollar General on Monday.
Logan Alexander Hardy was charged Thursday with armed robbery and two counts of aggravated assault using a firearm during the commission of a felony.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Hardy was armed with a gun when walked into the Dollar General on Pine Forest just north of Highway 297A about 9:23 Monday morning and asked the clerk for $5. He fled in a yellow car with “small amount” of cash.
Burdick And Conine Homer Again In Wahoos 10-2 Loss To The Shuckers
August 6, 2021
The Shuckers used a five-run sixth inning and hit a combined four homers in their 10-2 win over the Wahoos on Thursday at MGM Park.
Pensacola got off to the perfect start when Griffin Conine hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first off Justin Bullock (W, 2-0) to put the Wahoos up 1-0. For Conine it was his third homer in two days and his 29th of the season, which is the most in MiLB.
Unfortunately, Zach McCambley (L, 0-4) he was hit hard early and failed to make it past the fifth inning for the third time in five starts. David Hamilton and David Fry each homered off McCambley in the bottom of the first. In the second, Ryan Aguilar hit a two-run home run to put the Shuckers up 4-1.
After Peyton Burdick hit a solo home run in the top of the third, the Shuckers responded with a Mitch Longo home run to extend Biloxi’s lead up to 5-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Biloxi sent 10 men to the plate and scored five times. After Tyler Stevens was lifted for Jefry Yan, Pensacola had a chance to escape the inning with no damage dealt. With the bases loaded and two outs, Yan induced a ground ball from Mitch Longo, however, the ball was misplayed by Demetrius Sims. Four more runs came home to score after the error, and when the dust settled, Biloxi led by eight.
Tevin Mitchell and Zack Kone each made their Double-A debuts, and both players tallied their first career Double-A hits. The loss snaps Pensacola’s three game-winning streak and is only the fourth loss in 15 tries against the Shuckers this year.
LHP Jake Eder (3-4, 1.95) gets the start for Pensacola in Friday’s contest against Biloxi. He will be opposed by RHP Noah Zavolas (3-6, 5.40).
Central Water Works Extends Office Closure After Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19
August 6, 2021
Central Water Works has extended their office closure through August 16.
The utility’s office was closed August 2 after staff exposure to COVID-19, and a Central Water Works employee tested positive for COVID-19 on August 5.
Following quarantine guidelines, the office will remain closed until Monday, August 16. Customers may leave payments in the dropbox on the front of the building, mail their payments, pay online at centralwaterworks.com, or call (850) 256-3849 to pay by phone.
Customers who need to connect or disconnect service, or have emergency issues should call the office at (850) 256-3849 for assistance.
Four Juveniles Charged With Vehicle Burglaries In Molino And Cantonment; Four Guns Seized
August 5, 2021
Four juveniles were arrested in connection with vehicle burglaries in Cantonment and Molino.
Deputies responded to a vehicle burglary in progress on the 2000-block of Winners Circle. Once on scene, deputies obtained video surveillance showing one of the suspects entering the victim’s vehicle.
Deputies began circling the area and found a vehicle with a scarf covering the tag. Four armed individuals were located inside the vehicle, and one of them was identified as the suspect from the surveillance video, according to ECSO.
Amadeus Rivers, 17; Kenai Daughtry, 16; Javis Dortch, 17; and Jaylen Betts, 16 were each charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a license, armed vehicle burglary on the 2000-block of Winners Circle and vehicle burglary on the 6200-block of Crest Way. River and Dortch were also charged with two counts each of grand theft of a firearm..
Inside the vehicle, deputies located a stolen wallet from a separate vehicle burglary that took place on the 6200-block of Crest Way in Molino and four firearms. Two of the firearms had been stolen from outside Escambia County.
Century Struggles With A ‘Breach Of Contract’ For A Wedding, And A Nonprofit Group’s Lease
August 5, 2021
The Century Town Council voted this week to allow a wedding to be held in a town community center for free due to a bad contract, and considered how to best solve a lease problem with a nonprofit group.
Community Center Wedding
Nancy Riley of Ewing Drive in Atmore rented the Century Community Center, also known as the Ag Building, for November 13, 2021, for $380, including security provided by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office as required by the town. Ewing and town employee Emily Easterling signed the agreement on June 22. Riley stated the building would be used for a wedding and reception.
The problem, according to Council President Luis Gomez, is that the agreement was “null and void” because it was made using an updated contract that has not yet been approved by the council. It was an draft of an updated form containing language referencing CDC guidelines and illnesses. The council is still in the midst of updating rental policies with no formal action to date on that version.
“I think you should get it for free for breach of contract,” Gomez told Riley at a recent council meeting.
Stating “this is religious ceremony” Gomez asked for a motion to allow Riley to use the building for free. The motion passed 4-0, with no opportunity provided for public comment. Council member Leonard White was not present.
Community Group Lease
Northwest Florida Community Outreach (NWFCO) is a nonprofit that has held several food giveaways and other public benefit events over the last year at the Century Business Center on Pond Street, a former school site. The most recent food giveaway was held there on July 31.
Representing NWFCO, former mayor Henry Hawkins approached the council asking for the renewal of the group’s lease for one classroom in the building and requested to lease a second room so the group can expand their food giveaways and other benefit events. The original lease would have been signed during Hawkins’ term as mayor, which ended January 4.
Interim city manager Vernon Prather said he does not think the town has a copy of that lease, if it was every formally executed.
Hawkins said there was a lease that expired earlier in the summer, and the charity wanted assurance with a new lease that they could continue to operate from the town-owned building. Hawkins said he had tried in good faith with current Mayor Ben Boutwell to obtain a lease extension.
Gomez offered a temporary solution — allow Hawkins to bring his copy of the lease to town hall, add the other classroom, and sign.
“You come down here tomorrow and present your contract. Let them run a copy off and y’all make a new agreement on the spot,” Gomez told Hawkins, saying that would cover the group legally until a formal contract is completed.
“What should be happening is they just continue up under the terms of the old contract until they come up with a new one,” council member Dynette Lewis concurred.
“Whatever the number building that he wants added, please put it on the old contract, give him that contract to sign, and then send it to us (the council) so we know that he has it. Then you are covered, and then you (Hawkins) don’t have to come back,” council member James Lewis stated.
The council voted 4-0 for “what Mr. Smith just said,” with no chance for public comment.
NorthEscambia.com made a formal public records request Tuesday morning for any lease between the town and Northwest Florida Community Outreach. Our request extended to any executed lease, any draft, or any copy provided by Hawkins or another person. As of Thursday night, related to NWFCO, we had only received an unsigned draft lease agreement from January 2021.
Pictured: A previous Northwest Florida Community Outreach food distribution at the Century Business Center on March 27, 2021. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Mystery Solved: The One Where The USPS Returned Mail To Sender Six Years Later
August 5, 2021
We now know what likely happened with a letter that was returned to a local utility this week nearly six years after it was mailed.
Central Water Works mailed the pictured water bill to a local address on September 16, 2015. Monday, almost six years later, the bill arrived back at the water company on Byrneville Road with a yellow U.S. Postal Service “Return to Sender” sticker dated July 31, 2021.
After NorthEscambia.com posted the story, we heard from two other companies that also received multiple pieces of years-old mail returned from the same address on Monday.
It appears the mail was properly delivered back in 2015 and the next year or so to the address in Century. It sat in a mailbox perhaps at an abandoned address and was just recently placed back into the mail system.
“In the case of the mailpieces returned to sender recently, it appears the items in question were delivered; however, the recipients may have moved and did not retrieve the letters,” Carol Hunt, U.S. Postal Service strategic communications specialist in Dallas told NorthEscambia.com. “Such occurrences are rare and we regret the items were not properly returned sooner. Local management is aware and is ensuring all mail is handled correctly.”
“The Postal Service handles over 154 billion pieces of mail each year. We strive to provide exceptional service to our customers and any report of mail delivery issues is of great concern to us,” Hunt added.