11 AUGUST 2015
Kyzer Communications
WZEP AM 1460
First News
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Brought to you by
THRIFT-WAY SUPERMARKET
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FL
Today is the 223rd day of the year. There are 142 days left in the year.
On this day in 1972, the last U.S. ground combat unit in South Vietnam, the Third Battalion, Twenty-First Infantry, departs for the United States. The unit had been guarding the U.S. air base at Da Nang. This left only 43,500 advisors, airmen, and support troops left in-country. This number did not include the sailors of the Seventh Fleet on station in the South China Sea or the air force personnel in Thailand and Guam.
ON THIS DAY IN
1965 Watts Riot begins
1984 Reagan jokes about bombing Russia
2014 Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams dies at 63
Need to know what events are happening? Try the WZEP AM 1460
Community Calendar
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S6a6CXueaQr_TB5Nekoy0imjziz3bNneDO1JdEXSm5w/edit?usp=sharing
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Join us on WZEP AM1460 for a special program this week,
“POINT BLANK with T.H. Merritt”
Monday through Friday
During the 8 A.M. and Noon News Hour.
An in-depth discussion of issues that impact our lives and community with people in the news.
My guest will be the new Walton County Emergency Management Director
Jeffrey Goldberg.
NEWS SEGMENT 1
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL BEGINS IN WALTON COUNTY
Walton County Schools resumed yesterday with a bit of frustration, excitement and anxiety for students while parents negotiated heavier traffic near schools and area roadways.
Walton High School Principal Russell Hughes, now in his ninth year in command, says yesterday was an overall success.
Walton High School is the largest high school in the county with an enrollment of 805 high school students.
Defuniak Springs Police and Walton County Sheriff’s deputies reported heavy traffic around area schools but no serious incidents or accidents. Walton County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Corey Dobridnia says deputies issued numerous citations for various traffic offenses throughout the county. Deputies continue OPERATION BLUE BIRD this week, an effort to reduce traffic hazards for students in or near schools and along bus routes.
Officials remind drivers to slow down, be alert and obey traffic laws.
JAILED TEEN CHARGED WITH 11 CRIMES-- 3 CAR THEFTS/8 BURGLARIES
A Crestview teenager already incarcerated on charges from two different Northwest Florida agencies was served with 11 additional warrants from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
On the night of June 29th into the early morning hours of June 30th a total of eight vehicles were burglarized and four vehicles stolen.
The incidents were linked together after investigators discovered:
A wallet from a stolen Honda Odyssey from Pelican Bay Drive in Santa Rosa Beach was found in a recovered 2011 Chevrolet pickup from Bayou Point Drive.
Mail from the 2011 Chevrolet pickup from Bayou Point Drive was found near a vehicle burglary that occurred at Knightsbridge Court.
Documents from a stolen 2011 Infinity from Whispering Lake Drive were found in a Toyota Prius out of Okaloosa County, which Moore admitted to being a part of to OCSO Investigators.
Mr. Moore distinctly identified the Infinity and a vehicle involving the theft of firearms (Lullaby Loop burglary) and the specific neighborhoods in which the crimes occurred.
During the course of the interview Moore was shown a map of numerous burglaries. Moore admitted to being a part of all of the listed auto thefts and auto burglaries one, which occurred the same night as the other crimes. This would be consistent with Moore and an unknown number of others committing crimes as they traveled east from Fort Walton Beach down U.S. Highway 98 into Walton county.
Moore was charged with three counts of grand theft auto and eight counts of burglary.
NEWS SEGMENT 2
GAME WARDEN SURVIVES SHOOTING
A Game Warden is lucky to be alive after being shot Friday night in Bay County.
Officer David Brady of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was on patrol in St. Andrew Bay when he received a cell phone call from a citizen advising him of a disturbance involving two men in a sailboat in the area of the St. Andrew Pass.
Officer Brady responded and made contact with the two white males aboard the sailboat. When he asked for their identification, one man entered the cabin of the vessel. When the man emerged from the cabin he was armed with a handgun and began firing at Officer Brady. Brady jumped from his boat into the water and began returning fire. The suspect continued to fire at Officer Brady and then both suspects boarded Officer Brady’s boat. The two attempted to run over the officer with the boat several times as he returned fire, striking one of the suspects in the hand.
The suspects fled the area in Officer Brady’s boat, grounding it in the area of Beach Drive and Cherry Street. They then fled on foot in the northbound direction on Allen Avenue in the area of Panama City known as the Cove.
The officer was able to flag down a Coast Guard vessel that called for
assistance and transported Brady to shore where he was transported to Bay Medical
Center.
Lawmen converged on the Cove area and set up a perimeter to contain the two suspects. At approximately 6:15 pm, a citizen observed the two suspects attempting to break into a residence in the 300 block of Massalina Avenue in the Cove. The citizen confronted the two with a handgun.
One of the suspects fled on foot and was later located and captured by police. He was identified as 20-year-old Lachlan Fain Akins. The other subject fled into the home. A perimeter was established around the home and entry was made by law enforcement. The suspect, identified as 18-year-old Samuel Wyndham Reager, fled up to the second floor and was captured. A Glock handgun was located in the home and is believed to be the handgun used in the shooting of Officer Brady. Reager had a gunshot wound to his hand sustained in the exchange of gunfire with Officer Brady.
Investigators discovered Reagar was wanted on a warrant out of Michigan on drug related charges.
Officer Brady suffered a gunshot wound to his side that was stopped by his
ballistic vest, and a gunshot wound to his upper shoulder. He was treated and
released from Bay
Medical Center.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.
MAN ARRESTED FOR 32nd TIME
On Sunday, Walton County deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of US Hwy 331 South after reports of a man brandishing a pistol.
Deputies discovered 33-year-old Willie Goldsmith, a previous offender, operating without a valid drivers license. During the investigation Sergeant Nick Bearden arrived and deployed Sheriff’s K9 “Duko”, which alerted on the vehicle. Deputy Bearden and Deputy Phillip Gaither searched the vehicle and found a “Red Bull” can under the center console, which appeared to be unopened.
Sergeant Bearden unscrewed the lid of the can and inside a compartment built inside the can were 4.6 grams of ICE and 5.3 grams of marijuana. The items were placed inside a 2x6 plastic bag with a red apple printed on it. Also, inside the can was a small stainless steel spoon with white crystal residue on it and several small bags used to distribute drugs.
The drugs were concealed by placing in a hidden compartment inside of a commonly used item in an attempt to deceive any onlooker.
Goldsmith was arrested for possession of methamphetamines with intent to sell or distribute, marijuana distribution, and possession of paraphernalia to transport drugs.
This will make Goldsmiths 32nd arrest in the state of Florida. Goldsmith has been arrested by the Pensacola Police Department, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Defuniak Springs Police Department, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and Walton County Sheriff’s Office.
NEWS SEGMENT 3
DFS City Council Votes to Increase Water Rates
The Defuniak Springs City Council met in regular session last night. Among city business discussed was the approval of emergency repairs to the city sewage facilities. The council allocated funds not to exceed $18K for repairs.
The council also considered setting aside money in future budgets for grant writing after a presentation by retired professor Robert McKnight. McKnight has written several previous grants and council members felt his initial proposal for reimbursements were too high and sent him back to the drawing board. Grant writing is an important tool for municipalities to receive matching or outright federal funding with important infrastructure projects.
The council also voted in a split decision to slightly increase water and sewage rates for residents within the city limits. City Manager Sarah Bowers says the increase will be minimal and spread out over three years. The average rate increase will be just over $7 for 4,000 gallons of water and sewage per month.
Bowers says the increase is necessary to insure the city can continue to meet growth and provide necessary repairs and improvements to provide quality service to residents.
NEWS SEGMENT 4
WALTON COUNTY GROWING
Three areas in CHELCO’s service territory are experiencing significant growth. Santa Rosa Beach, Mossy Head and Freeport are seeing new residential developments, as well as commercial and retail establishments.
A healthy real estate market brings more residents, year-round and seasonal, and encourages a stronger economic environment and a more vibrant community.
In the first six months of 2015, CHELCO’s engineering and operations departments have completed more projects than in all of 2014, and the trend continues. Both Santa Rosa Beach and Freeport’s Hammock Bay have plans for new development.
The opening of Mossy Head’s industrial park is creating hundreds of new jobs in the area. Currently the park includes Love’s Truck Stop, McDonalds, Sleep Inn and Empire Trucking with an I-10 Service Center, Southern Tire Mart, Walton County Sheriff’s substation and FedEx distribution centers expected to follow. The new FedEx ground distribution center will operate 24-hours a day, 365 days a year and is projected to open late next year.
CHELCO Vice President of Engineering Matthew Avery said they have upgraded their infrastructure in Mossy Head in anticipation of the increased load in that area.
While Mossy Head is leading the charge of new businesses, the announcement of Publix Super Market in Freeport is also causing excitement. The project is much anticipated in the community and has been a long time in the making.
WALTON BRAVES SEASON TICKETS ON SALE
The Walton Braves Sports Club has announced selling dates for season tickets for the 2015 Football Season. Tickets go on sale to previous reserved ticket holders for the first time tonight from 6 – 8 PM in the high school lobby.
All season ticket holders who held tickets last year should report at this time.
Season tickets are $45 per seat and are good for the Kickoff Classic as well as the five regular season varsity home games.
Other selling dates will be Thursday, August 13th and Tuesday, August 18th from 6 – 8 PM. In addition, Century Club passes will be available for $100. Sports Club memberships are also available for just $10. Season tickets that are not secured by August 13th will go on sale to those on the waiting list.
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT RESCHEDULED
Due to heavy thunderstorms that rolled in last Friday night, the family movie night scheduled for Friday, August 7, 2015 has been rescheduled for Friday, August 14, 2015. The movie will be Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightening Thief. Concessions will be available at the amphitheatre.
Obituaries - Listen in the morning, just after noon and the 4pm hour
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“The world is changed by your example, not by your opinion.” Paulo Coelho
Copyright by Kyzer Communications DBA WZEP AM 1460: Permission for use of WZEP News and Information granted by written request. If any of any of the content is the basis or input for a story you write or develop, contact WZEP News at 850.333.6877 to request written permission and indicate “as reported on WZEP AM 1460.”
Newsletter Subscribe or Unsubscribe
If you would like to be added to or removed from our newsletter mail list, please go to our website and use the Google Groups submission box. You do not have to have a Google Groups account to get the newsletter. You may also simply email from the account you wish to receive the newsletter at by letting us know at: wz...@wzep1460.com or by sending an email to:
wzep-su...@googlegroups.com wzep-uns...@googlegroups.com
Contact WZEP AM 1460
Visit our website for more at http://www.wzep1460.com
Located: 449, N. 12th Street, Defuniak Springs, FL 32433
Mail: PO Box 627, Defuniak Springs, FL 32435
Station: 850-892-3158 wz...@wzep1460.com Fax: 850-892-9675
Sales: 850-892-5130 sa...@wzep1460.com Sales Cell 850-333-1853
NEWS DIRECTOR: T.H. MERRITT, Ring:
850.333.6877