6 AUGUST 2015
Kyzer Communications
WZEP AM 1460 First News
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Brought to you by
WALTON AREA
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Today is the 218th day of the year. There are 147 days left in the year.
On this day in 1945, at 8:16 a.m. Japanese time, an American B-29 bomber, the Enola Gay, drops the world’s first atom bomb, over the city of Hiroshima. Approximately 80,000 people are killed as a direct result of the blast, and another 35,000 are injured. At least another 60,000 would be dead by the end of the year from the effects of the fallout.
ON THIS DAY IN:
1787 First draft of Constitution debated
1890 First execution by electric chair
1911 Lucille Ball born
1965 Johnson signs Voting Rights Act
Need to know what events are going on? Try the WZEP AM 1460 Community calendar.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S6a6CXueaQr_TB5Nekoy0imjziz3bNneDO1JdEXSm5w/edit?usp=sharing
News Segment 1
WALTON COUNTY SHERIFF RESPONDS TO
FREEDOM FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION
Walton County Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. has responded to a complaint received by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
The group filed a complaint with the Sheriff over
the application of the official motto of the United
States and the State of Florida to patrol cars. The decals were
provided at no cost to taxpayers.
Here is Sheriff Adkinson’s response:
August 4, 2015
Annie Laurie Gaylor
P.O. Box 750
Madison, WI 53701
Ms.
Gaylor,
Thank you for your correspondence. I respect and appreciate the religious
convictions or lack thereof of all citizens. I will continue to dutifully
enforce the law and protect the rights of all parties, regardless of my
personal opinions, as I have for my last 23 years in law enforcement. I see
absolutely no conflict in this matter. You are obviously unaware that “in God we
trust “ is the state motto of the state of Florida, and has been since 1886. This was
reaffirmed in 2006. Additionally, it is the motto of the United States.
I would also point out that the motto is inside the badge that has been on the
side of our vehicles since the inception of marked patrol cars. As far as the
use of tax payer money, I am very proud to say that although it was my
intention to pay for them personally and that numerous sheriff’s office members
wanted to contribute; a local business has asked to provide them (Triangle
Chevrolet). I will not debate the merit of your understanding of constitutional
law in regard to this matter. Suffice it to say that I am very aware of the
parameters in which our office should operate. We diligently strive to provide
principled, fair and professional services (law enforcement as well as other community
based services). The disdain of a small minority should never, absent
legitimate grievance, take precedence over the majority. Therefor in this issue
I am unwilling to compromise.
If
the Freedom From Religion Foundation wishes us to take them off our vehicles I
suggest that they get a Judge’s order or a new Sheriff.
Sincerely,
Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.
Office of the Sheriff, Walton County
Busy week for Chipley PD
The Chipley Police Department wrapped up a busy
week Friday with the arrest of the sixth and final suspect wanted in a series
of four separate felony crimes detectives investigated and solved within a week.
The strong-armed robbery of an elderly Chipley
woman Wednesday, July 29, had many local residents on high alert.
Officers responded to a South First Street
residence around 4:48 p.m., where Joyce Kirkland, 86, reported she was robbed
in her front yard.
The victim stated she had just returned from
shopping and was getting out of her car when she was approached by a black
female, who asked Kirkland
if she had dropped something and handed her a receipt. According to reports,
the woman grabbed for the purse Kirkland
was holding in her hands. Kirkland
unsuccessfully tried to hold onto her purse and was pulled to the ground by the
assailant who then ran to her car and sped away.
Investigators say they were able to pinpoint the
moment Kirkland
became a target.
"With the help of a Walmart employee, we were
able to see where the subjects targeted and stalked Miss Kirkland beginning
with at the Chipley Walmart," said Chipley Police Chief Kevin Crews.
"At one point, the suspects actually made contact with Miss Kirkland in
the store and again in the parking lot. We were able to see where these people
followed Miss Kirkland from Walmart to two other stores in Chipley. While at
another store, one of the subjects again made contact with Miss Kirkland before
they followed her home and committed the robbery."
By late night Wednesday, July 29, investigators
were able to determine a partial Alabama
tag number and track the subjects to Lynn Haven, where they visited the Walmart
store there, Taco Bell, and O’reilly Auto Parts.
On Friday, July 31, investigators from the Chipley
Police Department, along with an investigator from the State Attorney’s Office,
went to Dothan to locate the suspects, identified as Carl William Anderson, 62;
Ceiundrua Fayeswunn Holland, 21; and Alicia Rose Parrish, 20, all of Dothan.
By that evening, investigators presented their
affidavits and warrants to County Judge Colby Peel, who signed off on the
warrants and set a $100,000 bond on each defendant. By 8:30 p.m., Dothan Police Department had
all three suspects in custody
All three subjects are charged with conspiracy to
commit robbery, robbery by sudden snatching, and first degree theft and are
being held by Alabama authorities as they
await extradition back to Florida.
Investigators also made
arrests in separate felony sex crime cases in that seven-day time frame,
including a rape and the molestation of a child under the age of 12.
The Chipley Police
Department responded to Northwest
Florida Community
Hospital's emergency room
on July 22 after receiving a report of a rape. Investigators interviewed the
victim, who advised she has family and friends in the Chipley area and had
rented a room the previous evening, where several friends and family visited.
The victim reported everyone left, but at some point late that night, a friend,
later identified as Alterek Martel Kennedy, returned to her room. The victim
told investigators Kennedy, 32, of a Gainer
Road address in Chipley, refused to leave and then
sexually assaulted her.
Kennedy was arrested on
Tuesday, July 22 and charged with sexual assault. He is held on $50,000 bond.
Investigators also
responded to the report of a sex crime at a Seventh Street address on Thursday, July
23.
The mother of a minor
child contacted law enforcement to report her child confided to her that she
had been sexually molested by her stepfather. The child also later disclosed
the abuse in an interview with the child protection team.
According to reports, the suspect, Jesse Earl Moore, 27, of Chipley, failed to appear for an interview scheduled for July 29 with investigators. Moore was taken into custody later that same day with the assistance of the Jackson County Sheriff's Office. Moore is charged with molesting a victim under the age of 12 and harassing phone calls and was released from Jackson County Jail on bonds totaling $80,000.
News Segment 2
Tallahassee Chamber Opts to Not Hold
2016 Conference in Walton County, Florida
The Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that it will not hold its Annual Community Conference in Walton County, Florida next August because of the county’s failure to remove a confederate flag from its courthouse. The Chamber, however, will honor its legal and contracted obligation to hold its 2015 Annual Community Conference next week for 550 attendees at the Sandestin Hilton.
Last week, The Chamber expressed strong disagreement and
disappointment in the Walton County Commission’s vote that resulted in one
confederate flag replacing another at the county courthouse – instead of
removing it altogether.
WALTON COUNTY JAIL
PASSES INSPECTION
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Jail Division, recently passed its annual Florida Model Jail Standards Inspection. These inspections are required every year based on 17 chapters of Florida Model Jail Standards.
The Florida Model Jail Standards are minimum standards, which jails across Florida must meet ensure the constitutional rights of those incarcerated are upheld. Prior to 1996, the Florida Department of Corrections was responsible for the standards and inspection process for local county jails. Legislation was passed in 1996 that gave the authority of inspections to the local level. This change required the Florida Sheriff’s Association and Florida Association of Counties to appoint individuals to serve on a Committee that would govern standards that local jails must comply with.
This year’s inspection was held on July 30th and had two inspectors assigned from the Okaloosa County Jail conduct a very thorough inspection. The inspection is based on 220 items spread across areas: General Provisions, Admissions, Classification, Release, Housing, Food Services, Clothing and Bedding, Inmate Programs, Inmate Privileges, Security, Control, Sanitation, Order, Discipline, dealing with contraband and dealing with Juveniles.
The inspectors gave an outstanding rating to the facility. They pointed out cleanliness and how professional, courteous, helpful and knowledgeable the staff was.
A separate FMJS inspection is done on Medical Departments and they passed with flying colors as well with the inspector being very complimentary of the staff and process.
News Segment 3
CHILD MOLESTER CONVICTED
William Eddins, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit, announced today Rafael Jacob Stoffel has been convicted of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a victim under 12 years of age. An Okaloosa County Jury convicted Stoffel on Tuesday after a 1 day trial. He was remanded to the Okaloosa County Jail at that time.
The charges arose from an incident which occurred
on June 22, 2014 when Stoffel grabbed a 9 year old child while at a movie
theater in Destin.
Sentencing has been scheduled for September 22,
2015 before Circuit Judge William F. Stone. Stoffel faces a minimum mandatory
sentence of 25 years up to Life in prison. He will qualify for designation as a
Sexual Predator.
Health Officials Urge Residents to Avoid Contact with Wild and Stray Animals
The Florida Department of Health in Walton County (DOH-Walton) urges residents to avoid contact with wild and stray animals to protect themselves from the risk of rabies exposure.
In Florida,
raccoons, bats and foxes, and unvaccinated cats are the animals most frequently
diagnosed with rabies. Other animals that are at high risk for rabies include
skunks, otters, coyotes, bobcats, and stray or unvaccinated dogs and ferrets.
Each year, DOH-Walton receives reports of rabid animals. In 2014, one rabid fox
was reported in Walton
County. Most recently, a
fox with exposure to a pet was reported in August.
“Rabies is a potentially fatal disease. It is
important not to handle wild animals, to be aware of unusual acting animals and
to keep pets vaccinated against rabies,” said Holly Holt, Administrator of the
Florida Department of Health in Walton
County.
Rabies is transmitted through exposure to the
saliva and nervous tissue from a rabid animal through a bite, scratch, or
contact with mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. DOH-Walton
works with Walton County Animal Services in responding to incidents of animal
bites, tests animals for rabies through the Department of Health state
laboratory and quarantines animals as necessary. DOH-Walton also provides
rabies vaccinations to victims of animal bites, the only known effective
treatment for rabies prevention in humans.
The following are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones against rabies:
- Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets.
- Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Walton County Animal Services at 850-892-8682 or the DOH-Walton Environmental Health Division at 850-892-8021.
- Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood.
- Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
- Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.
- Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
- Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
- Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.
Unusual acting animals should be reported to Walton County Animal Services at 850-892-8682 for handling. Anyone who is bitten or scratched by wild animals or strays should report the incident to their doctor immediately, as well as Walton County Animal Services and their local health department. To report an animal bite to DOH-Walton call 850-892-8021.
News Segment 4
South Walton Fire District Monthly Activity Report
With summer in full swing the South Walton Fire District (SWFD) continued to see an increase in incidents as they responded to a total of 556 including 11 reported fires during the month of July. In addition, the SWFD Communications Center fielded another 2,225 calls for service during the same time.
The SWFD Lifeguards
completed their fifth month of the season by receiving 1804 calls for service.
In addition they made contact with 106,462 beach visitors which was almost 36K
visitors more than last month. As a reminder, SWFD Lifeguards are on their
towers daily from10am-6pm until September 27th.
For a complete list of the lifeguard tower locations please visit http://www.swfd.org/beach.php and always check the beach flags and
surf conditions before heading to the beach. Those conditions are updated daily
by SWFD and can always be found on their face book page and our
website www.swfd.org
As always, stay alert
any time you are behind the wheel, allow yourself extra time to get to your
destination(s), expect delays during inclement weather and be mindful and aware
of pedestrians. Remember during rain, braking distances may be altered. Avoid
texting and driving…It’s Florida Law. SWFD responded to the following incidents
in July.
Fire- 11
Medical- 374
Hazardous Conditions- 16
Service Calls- 46
Good Intent- 49
False Alarms- 60
TOTAL= 556
South Walton Fire
District is responsible for Fire Protection, Emergency Medical Services,
Hazardous Material Mitigation, Public Fire/Life Safety Education, and
Prevention duties for an area of 84 square miles within Walton County, Florida.
This area runs from the Okaloosa/Walton County Line on the west, to the Walton/
Bay County Line on the east, and from the Choctawhatchee
Bay (Intracoastal Waterway) north, to
the Gulf of Mexico on the south. Included in
this area are 26 miles of beaches and 26 miles of inland waterways. The
population of South Walton ranges from 20,000 to over 100,000 during the
tourist season.
Obituaries - Listen in the morning, just
after noon and the 4pm hour
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