27 JULY 2015
WZEP AM 1460
WZEP AM 1460 First News
Monday, July 27, 2015
Brought to you by
Member Owned CHELCO
Choctawhatchee Electric Cooperative
Today is the 208th day of the year. There are 157 days left in the year.
On this day in 1953, after three years of a bloody and frustrating war, the United States, the People’s Republic of China, North Korea, and South Korea agree to an armistice, bringing the Korean War to an end. The armistice ended America’s first experiment with the Cold War concept of “limited war.”
ON THIS DAY IN:
1974 House begins impeachment of Nixon
1991 Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable: With Love goes to #1
2003 Bob Hope dies at 100
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
WEST NILE VIRUS, NOW, LEPROSY
By T.H. Merritt
Florida is seeing an unusual number of leprosy cases recently. This year, nine cases have been reported by the Florida Department of Health so far. The most recent case was confirmed in Flagler County a few weeks ago.
Leprosy (also called Hansen’s Disease), is rare by modern standards. It causes severe skin and nerve damage and is potentially fatal. However, the bacterium is carried by many armadillo species in Florida. Officials say the bacteria in armadillos are naturally occurring and, because of habitat encroachment, it’s possible that there may an indirect transmission of the virus.
Leprosy can lie dormant in the body for many
years. However, if treated early, the
prognosis for a cure is good. The Health
Department recommends that people avoid contact with wild animals, such as
armadillos and to take precautions if they must handle them by using gloves and
washing their hands before and after exposure.
Meanwhile,
a Mosquito –borne illness advisory remains in effect for Walton County. The first case of West Nile Virus in Florida was confirmed
Friday after a Sandestin woman tested positive to exposure.
Officials
have increased mosquito control operations and are urging resident to stay
safe by draining any standing water near or in your home, making sure that
screens are intact, and keeping your skin covered with clothing and mosquito
repellent.
Laura Brazell, Walton County Health Department
Public Information Officer, says if another case confirmed, the next step will
be to issue an ALERT, which will urge physicians to start looking for signs of
the virus in patients presenting with symptoms.
CONFEDERATE
FLAG CONVOY
By T.H. Merritt
Confederate flag supporters rode in solidarity
Saturday as dozens of vehicles drove south to Miramar Beach
from the Paxton community proudly displaying their flags.
Justin Hammond, a 27-year old Walton County native
organized the even last week after seeing people show up for a similar event in
central Florida earlier this month.
Hammond
says he is concerned about recent nationwide efforts to paint all southerners
who respect the Confederate Flag as a historic symbol as racists. He urged
people to get involved and speak up or its only going to get worse.
Efforts to remove the Confederate Flag are
expected to reach a fever pitch on Tuesday as Walton County Commissioners
consider whether to remove the flag from the Confederate War Memorial in
Defuniak Springs.
Commissioners delayed a vote at their last meeting
to give other county residents a chance to be heard on the issue. Walton County Commissioners take up the hot
issue Tuesday, July 28th at 9 AM at their meeting at the Walton
County Courthouse. WZEP will have full
coverage.
News Segment 2
POLICE OFFICERS FACE
HEARING
By T.H. Merritt
Two Defuniak Springs police officers who were
fired last month for racial harassment may find out their fate today.
Defuniak Springs Police Sgt. Anthony Kaiser and
Patrolman Rick Boblitt pleaded their case Friday afternoon before City Manager
Sara Bowers in a closed hearing.
Kaiser and Boblitt were fired June 3rd after an internal affairs investigation concluded they had engaged in the racial harassment of a fellow officer of Asian descent.
A possible procedural error in the grievance
process, forced the city to rehire the officers until the hearing. However, both
officers were immediately placed on administrative leave by City Marshal Mark
Weeks.
Bowers told WZEP First News Now she would hear the
evidence and consider the matter over the weekend but did not expect to decide
the officer’s fate at the hearing.
WZEP will bring you her decision as soon as it is
released.
OCSO MAKES MULTIPLE ARRESTS
IN CONNECTION WITH MURDER OF CRESTVIEW TEEN
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has charged four
people with first degree murder and racketeering in connection with the
shooting death of a Crestview teenager.
The body of 18-year old Mark Anthony Williams Jr.
was discovered near the wood line on State Road 85 between Crestview and
Niceville on January 21st, 2015. He had been shot at least seven times with
three different weapons. Over the next six months, Investigators gathered
information and evidence indicating the shooters were 20-year old Nijajuan
Jacoby Russell of Ozark Alabama, 18- year old
Erich Lenquell Justice of Fort Walton
Beach, and 23-year old Bernard Jamill Nunnally of
Crestview. Investigators say Nijajuan, Justice, and Nunnally are members of a
gang and marijuana distribution operation known as “Money Mafia”, headed by
37-year old Marvin “O.G.” Wilkins of Crestview. Wilkins is charged with two
counts of racketeering as well as Murder.
Russell, Justice, and Nunnally are accused of
pulling off State Road 85 near the 21 mile marker and shooting Williams
multiple times while on the way to Wilkins’ hotel in Fort Walton Beach. Witnesses say Wilkins had
sent the trio to pick up Williams at his Crestview home. Wilkins believed
Williams was giving information to a rival gang.
Wilkins eluded capture over the weekend. However, deputies located him around 9:15 Sunday
morning near the Brooks Bridge on Okaloosa
Island. All four suspects
are now in custody.
News Segment 3
LOCAL MAN ARRESTED IN IOWA
A
local man has been arrested in Sioux City,
Iowa. 28-year old Jonathan Erik Pettis
of Ponce de Leon, was charged with aggravated assault and booked into the
Woodbury County, Iowa Jail late
last week. Pettis were involved in a stabbing in the community of Sloan. Polk
County, Iowa Sheriff’s
Lt. Tony Wingert says
more charges are possible. Pettis is
free on bail at this time.
MOTORCYCLIST
IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER CRASH
A motorcycle crash late Friday night in Bay County
leaves a Panama City
man in critical condition. The Florida
Highway Patrol says 25-year old Nicholas Isaac Miller of Panama
City was westbound on Back
Beach Road when a 2001 Toyota Camry, driven by 33-year
old Stephanie D. Stanford of Panama
City Beach,
made a U-turn. Miller’s motorcycle collided with the rear end of the Toyota and he was thrown
from the bike. Miller was transported to Bay Medical
Center in critical
condition.
ALABAMA DRIVERS CAN RENEW LICENSE ONLINE
If
you have an Alabama
driver’s license, you can now skip the line.
Starting now, drivers can renew their license online for $36.25, and a service
fee of $2.75. Florida residents have had the option to
renew online for several years.
Other services are available for Alabama drivers online now as well
including, ID card renewal, and appointments for examinations and to order
duplicates. New kiosks are also being installed at driver’s license
offices. To see all the services
available, visit www.alrenewal.com.
News Segment 4
AND THE WINNER IS…
By T.H. Merritt
AUSTIN
THRESHER! Competing against 12 finalists
in the regional 34th Annual Country Showdown, Niceville resident
Austin Thresher took top place this Saturday during an entertaining competition
hosted at 4C Barbeque in Defuniak Springs.
The 32nd Annual Country Showdown is America's largest Country music
talent show. It's designed to find the most promising country music talent in
the nation and to give these performers a chance to launch their professional
music careers.
Mary Burns, one of three local judges, said
competition was tough and it was hard to pick a winner because they were all so
talented.
Contestants arrived to a packed house as fans cheered on their favorite performers. When the first round of judging came in, it was a nail biter as judges had declared a tie between Thresher and local favorite Kelby “Shea” Cornman. A sing-off determined the winner as Thresher electrified the crowd with a song he personally wrote.
I asked Thresher where he would like to go with his career:
Thresher advances to the State Finals in Live Oak, Florida November 14th to compete for a $1,000 prize, the State Title and the opportunity to advance to one of five Regional Finals. It’s the last step before the prestigious, televised National Final. The audience cheers on the Regional Winners, as they compete for the Grand Prize of $100,000 and the title of "Best New Act in Country Music."
Obituaries - Listen in the morning, just after noon and the 4pm hour
Mrs. Mary Faye DeShazo Jenkins, age 73, passed away Friday, July 24, 2015. Visitation services will be held 9:00~10:00 AM, Monday, July 27, 2015 at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home Chapel; 230 Park Avenue, DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32435. Funeral services 10:00 AM, Monday, July 27th at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside will be held at 1:00 PM, Monday, July 27th at the Meadow Lawn Memorial Garden Cemetery; 6121 HWY 27 South, Enterprise, Alabama 36336. Clary-Glenn Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.
Mrs. Lucille Spears Riddle, age 93, passed away Friday, July 24, 2015. Graveside services will be held 10:00 AM, Tuesday, July 28th at Leonia Cemetery with Reverend Clary-Glenn Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.
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