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Niceville man charged with slitting Valp woman’s throat

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VALPARAISO — A 24-year-old Niceville man is being held without bond in the Okaloosa County Jail and is facing felony charges of attempted murder and resisting arrest without violence after allegedly slitting his girlfriend’s throat.

At 10:17 p.m. Sunday, Niceville police officers arrested Casey Paul Dekker at his residence at 107 Arrowhead Drive. This was after the Valparaiso Police Department obtained an arrest warrant following their investigation of an incident that took place at 9 Carie Way in Valparaiso.

According to an arrest report from the Valparaiso Police Department, at about 3:32 a.m. Friday, the victim’s mother, who resides at the same residence, was awakened by her daughter’s cries for help. She discovered the victim had an approximately 5-inch long by 2-inch deep cut across her throat.

The mother stayed with her daughter until emergency personnel arrived. She then entered her daughter’s room, where she discovered the victim’s 2-year-old son unharmed and asleep in his mother’s blood-soaked bed, according to the release.

Valparaiso Police Investigator Carl Bonham reported he was able to talk briefly with the victim at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center prior to her undergoing surgery. He said the victim told him she remembered falling asleep earlier, and then waking up feeling wet and sticky.

When asked if she had any idea who could have attacked her, she said “my boyfriend,” Bonham wrote in the arrest report. He reported the victim told him she had a verbal altercation with Dekker earlier that day.

Dekker was on probation at the time of the attack as the result of a previous charge of felony battery against the same victim in March.

Dekker was initially able to evade police when they attempted to arrest him walking to a taxi on College Boulevard later Friday morning. Dekker was able to flee into the wooded area and avoid detection.

Niceville Police Department arrested Dekker Sunday at his home after a warrant for his arrest had been issued.

After undergoing surgery, the victim was released from the hospital Friday afternoon. She is expected to make a full recovery.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kelly Humphrey at 850-315-4443 or khumphrey@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellyhnwfdn.


Mystery of abused kitty could remain a mystery

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Disco the cat may still be recovering, but finding out how the 8-week-old kitten became severely burned may continue to be a mystery.

Disco was found last week in Midway with severe burns.

The woman who found the kitten called a friend, Melanie Oberlander, in Navarre for help.

Oberlander called the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office to file a report.

Sheriff's Office Sgt. Rich Aloy said they took the report, but it's not protocol to investigate animal abuse. That's handled by county's animal services, he said.

But Oberlander denied help from animal services, opting to take Disco to Panhandle Animal Welfare Society, where she believed it would get better veterinary care and the chance of a new home.

Santa Rosa County Animal Services Director Dale Hamilton said the county shelter in Milton does not have a vet on staff, but that they often work with local veterinarians to get care for animals.

"We need to get some info and it can't really be hearsay," he said in regards to Disco. "But if you see somebody abusing an animal, call us and we will come to you."

Dee Thompson, executive director of PAWS, said they cannot determine if the kitten's condition was the result of a criminal act.

"She had been injured for sometime before (she was brought to Paws)," she said.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Jennie McKeon at 850-315-4432 or jmckeon@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @JennieMnwfdn.

Deputy investigated for same sex marriage post (DOCUMENTS)

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An Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy is under investigation for a Facebook post he wrote about same sex marriage.

The 163-word post stated he did not agree with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same sex marriage nationwide.

READ the deputy's Facebook post.

READ the Sheriff's Office social media policy.

“If it ever comes down to having to enforce any kind of laws regarding gay marriage ... Mark my words ... I will not do it!” he wrote. “I hope that nobody else will either. I will not adjust to mans (sic) standard over what the word of God says.”

He also wrote he does not judge same sex couples, but they were “wrong according to the word of God and also understand that he will judge you accordingly.”

The statement was removed from his Facebook page by Friday afternoon at Sheriff Larry Ashley’s request.

The deputy works on the night shift, and so the supervisor wouldn’t be able to speak with him until Monday evening about the post, according to Sheriff’s spokeswoman Michele Nicholson.

He has worked for the agency for less than a year.

Officials learned about the post via their Facebook page, she added.

The Daily News opted to not share his name pending the results of the investigation.

According to the department’s social media policy, staff can “express themselves as private citizens on social media to the degree that their speech does not impair the working relationships of this agency... impede the performance of duties, impair discipline and harmony among co-workers, or negatively affect the public perception of the agency.”

Deputies must read all the Sheriff’s Office policies, including the social media one, before they are hired. Nicholson said she anticipated they would all be asked to review it in the near future.

“It never hurts to remind people to review the material,” she said.

Additional details about the investigation are expected sometime Tuesday.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.

Christie promises blunt campaign as he enters 2016 contest

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LIVINGSTON, N.J. — A tough-talking New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie launched his 2016 campaign for president Tuesday with a promise to tell voters the truth even if it makes them cringe.

The Republican governor, a one-time GOP favorite who faded and now tries to climb back, lashed out at "bickering leaders" from both political parties in a kickoff rally in the gymnasium of his old high school. And in his trademark blunt style, he told voters — and warned Republican rivals — that he's ready to be aggressive in the 2016 contest.

"You're going to get what I think whether you like it or not, or whether it makes you cringe every once in a while or not," Christie declared. He added: "I am now ready to fight for the people of the United States of America."

Christie enters a Republican presidential field that already has more than a dozen GOP candidates. Not all draw as much attention as Christie, who will compete for the same slice of the electorate as pragmatic-minded White House hopefuls such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

But it's an accomplished lineup of governors, senators and business people. Christie's effort is largely driven by his outsized personality, and his resume, while notable, contains scattered land mines that have given many Republicans pause.

Four years ago, some of Christie's backers tried to persuade him to challenge President Barack Obama. In the years since, he won re-election with ease, but also struggled to revive New Jersey's moribund economy and fought with the state's Democratic-controlled legislature over pensions and the state budget.

While Christie's turn as head of the Republican Governors Association was widely viewed as a success in the 2014 midterm elections, he's also faced the fallout from the actions of three former aides, charged with creating politically motivated traffic jams at a bridge to retaliate against a Democratic mayor who declined to endorse Christie's re-election.

Christie has not been tied directly to wrongdoing and denies he had anything to do with the bridge closing. No evidence has emerged to refute that.

Still, the episode deepened the sense that he may surround himself with people who will do anything to win. He declared early in the scandal that "I am not a bully" to counter the public perception that he is just that.

The governor faces a tough sell with many conservatives, but has seemingly found his stride at times in visits to early voting states with the lively town hall meetings he's known for at home. There will be plenty more of those now that he's an affirmed candidate.

Emboldened by his political successes in heavily Democratic New Jersey, he sees himself as a leader who can work across Washington's bitter partisan divide.

"We need this country to work together again, not against each other," he said with his wife, Mary Pat, and their four children standing behind him. He promised to lead a White House that would "welcome the American people no matter what party, no matter what race or creed or color."

Yet Christie also jabbed Obama's "weak and feckless foreign policy" and called Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton the president's "second mate."

"America is tired of hand-wringing and indecisiveness and weakness in the Oval Office," he said. "We need to have strength and decision-making and authority back in the Oval Office. And that is why today I am proud to announce my candidacy for the Republican nomination for president of the United States of America."

In 2012, Christie was seen as the charismatic, pragmatic governor who burst onto the scene in made-for-YouTube moments. He gained national attention with a landmark deal in which the state's public sector unions agreed to higher health care costs and retirement ages in exchange for promised payments into the state's chronically underfunded pension season.

But now, Christie has been eclipsed by others in a pack of more than dozen rivals. And his poll numbers at home have sunk to record lows. New Jersey's economy is lagging and there have been nine credit downgrades on Christie's watch.

Christie grew up in Livingston, a town about 20 miles west of New York City, and served as class president at the high school. His high school friends were among the first to receive word that Christie would be launching his campaign at their old school.
 

Flag flap rolls on

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CRESTVIEW — Residents on both sides of the Confederate flag debate will have an opportunity to speak their minds on July 7.

Crestview City Council President Shannon Hayes has scheduled a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Warrior’s Hall on Commerce Drive to discuss the issue.

“I am hoping we can do the right thing for our citizens,” Hayes said. “We’ll give them an opportunity to express their views and after that we plan on taking action.”

The meeting is in direct response to the Okaloosa NAACP’s petition asking Mayor David Cadle and the City Council to remove the battle flag from the William “Uncle Bill” Lundy memorial.

The petition, launched Thursday at www.change.org, had received 273 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.

An opposing petition – started on the same website the next day – calls for keeping the flag where it is and had received 1,086 signatures.

Hayes said he’s heard from about 20 citizens on the issue.

“They’re stopping me when I go pumping gas and when I go to church and visit other places,” he said. “They’re voicing their opinions.”

Councilman Mickey Rytman said he’s hearing from folks on both sides of the debate.

“It’s about equal what people think,” he said. “I haven’t got an opinion yet. I’m listening, and I want to do what’s right for the public.”

Some observers have questioned whether the city actually holds the deed to the property at the intersection of East First Avenue and State Road 85 where flag flies.

“The city of Crestview has proprietary control of the memorial,” City Attorney Jerry Miller said.

Walton County flag debate

An online petition calling for county commissioners to remove the Confederate flag from the Walton County Courthouse lawn in DeFuniak Springs had received 1,102 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.

Michelle Uhlfelder, who started the petition, said she’s been encouraged that support has come from across the county.

“That’s been surprising,” she said. “The really neat things is people are signing and saying they’ve changed their minds. And that’s OK.”

Uhlfelder and her husband, Daniel, plan to speak out on the issue at the July 14 County Commission meeting.

She said she wants to tell county officials that “it’s time to do the right thing.

“My second point would be that this is bad for business,” Uhlfelder said. “Eventually, people are going to make the connection between 30A and Walton County.” 

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.

Ballot set for Sheriff's Office review board election

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The ballot has been set for the July 14 election to determine two members of a Personnel Standards and Review Board at the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. 

The 10 local residents who qualified Tuesday to be candidates are: Bill Byerley of Shalimar; Johnny M. Eubanks of Crestview; Christoffer Hyden of Laurel Hill; Becky Lynn Jones of Valparaiso; Steven Menchel of Destin; Howard Oaks of Niceville; Joseph A. Sharpe of Niceville; Martin White of Niceville; Joseph A. Winkeler of Destin and Noble C. Wyninegar of Fort Walton Beach.

The two elected members will serve alongside two appointees by Sheriff Larry Ashley and a fifth member chosen by the four. The panel’s job is to hear the appeals of three former deputies – Rick Hord, John Lee and Jon Bush – who were fired in 2010.

Ray Bolden of the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections Office said resumes or biographies of each candidate will be emailed Thursday to the 354 Sheriff’s Office employees who will be able to vote in the election.

Supervisor Of Elections Paul Lux will offer early voting from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 6 through July 10 in his offices in Crestview and Fort Walton Beach.

On the day of the election, OCSO employees will be able to cast their votes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the north and south offices.

Lux plans to use paper ballots and tabulate the results on July 15. He said employees’ votes will be anonymous.

“The only thing that ties back to (the voter) is if they did or didn’t vote,” he said. “In no way, shape or form is there any potential backlash from their employer.”

Lux said the review board could be convened for a few weeks or several months.

“It has the potential to go really fast or really slow,” he said. “ ... It really will come down to how aggressive the chairman want to be.”

Under the state regulation that authorized it, the review board has the power to hire part-time staff, issue subpoenas, hire legal counsel, conduct investigations and public hearings and issue annual reports.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.

Eight rescued after tubing trip takes a bad turn

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NORTH OKALOOSA - Eight people were rescued Tuesday morning after getting lost on a tubing trip down the Blackwater River.

The group was on the river for 25 hours before rescuers got them out of the river.

Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office was contacted around midnight about six to eight people who had not come back from a tubing trip on the Blackwater River, according to Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

The group had not planned or provided information to friends or family before going out. They did not tell anyone where they were putting in on the river or where and when they planned to leave the river, the Sheriff's Office said.

A few members of the group turned around and went home, while the remaining eight continued down the river.

Early Tuesday morning, Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, EMS, Okaloosa County Beach Safety and the Forestry Service continued the search for the missing group.

The U.S. Coast Guard was called and they sent a helicopter and crew from their base in New Orleans to search the northern end of Okaloosa County, the Sheriff's Office said.

The crew located two groups of people two to three miles apart.

A group of two people was rescued by the Sheriff's Office and EMS.

A Coast Guard rescue swimmer was lowered down near the group of six people and stayed with them while the helicopter refueled. He was able to lead the group to a nearby fire break road where members of FWC met them, the Sheriff's Office said.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Trista Pruett at 850-315-4445 or tpruett@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @TristaPnwfdn.

DOT unveils proposed pedestrian bridge over U.S. 98

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NAVARRE — Residents got an early look Tuesday evening at plans to build a $1.5 million pedestrian overpass across U.S. Highway 98.

The Florida Department of Transportation showed off large renderings on easels at the Best Western hotel that show the bridge crossing U.S. 98 from near Presidio Street to Navarre Park.

Bob Benaquis, owner of TC’s Front Porch about two blocks from the proposed bridge, said he thinks project could be good for some businesses.

“I think it’s in a good place … It could be good for a future town center, which I’m still working on,” he said.

But longtime Navarre resident Daniel Scruggs said he wasn’t sure the benefits would outweigh the cost.

“In my opinion, that’s almost $2 million in concrete to be used 13 nights a year (for the Concerts in the Park),” he said. “People don’t walk on Highway 98 … It would just become a dust collector.”

Renderings show the ramp for the bridge would be in the parking lot of Century 21 Island View Realty. Ira Mae Bruce, who owns the business and property, said she’s looking forward to seeing the entire plan.

Designer Bassel Kassem with the DOT was on hand to answer visitors’ questions.

“Any feedback we get is very important because we want to build something the public will use and be happy with,” Kassem said. “We want it to be something the community will be proud of.”

That feedback could also help decide whether DOT will get funding for the project, he added. No money for land acquisition or construction has been budgeted yet.

Bill Howell, project manager with Atkins consulting firm, said the plans should be finished in the fall.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Jennie McKeon at 850-315-4432 or jmckeon@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @JennieMnwfdn.


NWF gets $900,000 in defense grants

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Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday Northwest Florida is receiving more than $900,000 in defense grants.

“We want Florida to be the most military-friendly state in the country, and these important investments helps us accomplish that goal,” Scott said. “These grants will continue to ensure Northwest Florida has all the necessary tools to support our military and create more jobs for Florida.”

Local grants were:

Okaloosa County

- $300,000 through Florida’s Defense Reinvestment and Infrastructure Grant Programs to support Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field and the defense industry’s $7.5 billion impact on the county.

Santa Rosa

- $360,000 through Florida’s Defense Reinvestment and Infrastructure Grant Programs and $41,310 from the Florida Defense Support Task Force. The funding will support Naval Air Station Whiting Field and sustain the defense industry’s $1.1 billion impact on Santa Rosa County.

Walton County

- $38,000 through Florida’s Defense Reinvestment Grant Program to support Eglin Air Force Base.

Deputy counseled over Facebook post

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An Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy who made a Facebook post about his personal views on same sex marriage will not face any formal disciplinary action. 

The 20-year-old deputy received verbal counseling from his supervisor Monday over the 163-word post, according to Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Michele Nicholson.

“All of our deputies/employees are required to be fair and impartial in the performance of our duties and I have confidence that we will continue to do so,” Sheriff Larry Ashley wrote in an email to the Daily News. “(His) supervisors feel certain that he can perform his duties in a fair and impartial manner and I trust their judgment in this matter.”

The deputy’s post came under scrutiny after it was shared on the department’s official Facebook page. A supervisor told him to take it down and he did.

In the post, the deputy wrote he didn’t agree with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to legalize same sex marriage.

He also noted in his position as a law enforcement officer, he wouldn’t enforce the law because it went against his religious beliefs.

Under the agency’s social media policy, employees are expected to not express themselves in any way that might impact the job.

Nicholson said the deputy was “informed additional similar violations may result in disciplinary action.”

The verbal counseling will remain noted on the deputy’s file for at least two years, she added.

Ashley said they found no indication the deputy’s “personal opinion has resulted in any act of discrimination against any individual or groups.”

Anyone with concerns they’ve been discriminated against by a law enforcement officer can file a complaint or grievance through the Sheriff’s Office website, he added.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.

UPDATE: Man charged with robberies

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Update

FORT WALTON BEACH — A 43-year-old man has been charged with three robberies after an Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy recognized him from a surveillance photo.

Javonne Terrell Murphy of Fort Walton Beach is charged with grabbing a $100 bill from an employee at Waffle House at 460 Racetrack Road just before midnight Monday after he asked for a cup of water, according to his arrest reports.

He then went to Tom Thumb at 1096 North Beal Parkway about 2 a.m. Tuesday and allegedly showed a clerk a text on a cell phone that said it was “relevant to give me all your money and you will be okay,” according to reports.

He got a little less than $200.

About 4:45 a.m., he went in to Thumbs Up Food Store at 443 Green Acres Road and again used his cell phone to try to get money. The text message said, “Your (sic) being robbed, don’t do anything and you won't get hurt,” according to reports.

He was unable to get into the cash register and gave up.

A deputy spotted him near Beverly Street and Union Street on Tuesday afternoon recognized him from the surveillance photo.

Murphy told deputies he was addicted to crack cocaine and had taken the money for drugs, according to reports.

Original report

FORT WALTON BEACH - A man reportedly used text on his phone to demand cash during a robbery early Tuesday morning.

The man walked in to Tom Thumb, 1096 North Beal Parkway, around 1:45 a.m. Tuesday.

He had written a text message asking for money on his phone, and showed it to the clerk, according to a media release from Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

She gave him a small amount of cash and he left on foot, heading down Green Acres Road, the Sheriff's Office said.

A K-9 was able to track him for a short time, but he has not been identified.

The clerk described the man as a tall, slender black man in his mid to late 40s. He was a wearing a black "doo rag," a white tank top, dark blue jogging pants with a white stripe and white tennis shoes. He had a glassy, cloudy blue eye, the Sheriff's Office said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at 850-651-7400 or Emerald Coast Crime Stoppers at 850-863-TIPS, emeraldcoastcrimestoppers.com or by texting "TIP214 plus your message" to CRIMES (274637).

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Trista Pruett at 850-315-4445 or tpruett@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @TristaPnwfdn.

Severe storms blow through area (VIDEO)

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A line of severe thunderstorms wreaked havoc in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties Tuesday afternoon.

The powerful line of storms tracked across south Alabama and the Northwest Florida area packing high winds, said Don Shepherd, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mobile.

“It was unusually strong,” he said. “All of these winds were way out away from the thunderstorms near the outflow boundaries. ... We even had a report over toward Panama City of 68 mph.”

VIDEO: Joe Townsend was working at Emerald Grande as a waterspout passed over Crab Island. He shot this astonishing video.

In Destin, the storm created a waterspout that traveled across Crab Island in the East Pass around 3 p.m.

“It came right up through the middle of Choctawhatchee Bay,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan Davis, who saw the waterspout from the Coast Guard Station Destin. “... As far as we know, it didn’t flip any boat. And no injuries.”

Davis said the station recorded sustained winds of 45 mph. After the waterspout passed by, there were reports of a woman hanging onto a piling on a navigational beacon and a disabled pontoon boat in the water.

The woman was picked up by a nearby boat before the Coast Guard reached her. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also responded.

Davis said no one was injured in those incidents.

On Okaloosa Island, lifeguards got visitors out of the water but reported no injuries.

Small pockets of power outages – caused primarily by tree limbs falling on lines – were reported across Okaloosa and Walton, but most were restored by the early evening.

On Navarre Beach, the severe weather hindered the rescue of four people who had fallen into the Gulf of Mexico when their catamaran overturned west of the Navarre Beach Pier around 2:33 p.m.

By 3:17 p.m. the Navarre Beach Fire Department was able to launch a personal watercraft from the beach to reach the four boaters, who had not suffered serious injuries. Two were pulled in using the jet ski and two were pulled aboard a Coast Guard boat.

According to the Weather Service, the upcoming holiday weekend will be a typical mix of sun and rain.

“We’ll have afternoon showers and thunderstorms the rest of the week,” Shepherd said. “The way it’s looking, I don’t think it’ll be as strong as today.”

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.

Two-month investigation leads to 12 arrests

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An undercover investigation has led to the arrests of 12 people, including one man charged with 25 counts of possession of child pornography.

The investigation, dubbed Operation “Still Watching,” began when authorities received numerous tips about the street-side drug sales in neighborhoods in Fort Walton Beach and Crestview, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

The operation also targeted other drug violators and violent offenders.

The U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations assisted in the investigation.

Conrad Franklin, 42, of Baker, was charged with 25 counts of possession of child pornography as a result of the operation.

Michael P. Owen, 31, of Mary Esther, was charged with aggravated battery and violation of a domestic violence injunction.

Tyrone Davis, 46, of Crestview, is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a place of worship.

Markell V. Bush, 21, of Fort Walton Beach, is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to sell and sale of cocaine.

Jeffrey Rodgers, 24, of Fort Walton Beach, is charged with the sale of cocaine.

Timothy M. Anderson Sr., 56, of Fort Walton Beach is charged with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Marion A. Moore, 49, of Niceville, is charged with possession of listed chemicals to manufacture a controlled substance; manufacturing methamphetamine; trafficking in methamphetamine over 14 grams; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Those arrested for possession of controlled substances and other charges are Michael T. Goodwin, 45, of Pensacola; Elizabeth L. Warner, 57, of Fort Walton Beach; Darian K. Caldwell, 22, of Fort Walton Beach; Kevin M. Forrest, 34, of Crestview; and Robert J. Nelson, 28, of Crestview.

Man accused of trafficking opiates

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DESTIN - A 29-year-old Miami man is charged with using a cell phone to facilitate drug deals while trafficking in opiates.

Okaloosa County Sheriff's investigators set up an undercover operation in Destin on June 26, according to the arrest report. A confidential source was to meet with Kim Denord Gibson and purchase hydromorphone tablets.

The two used telephone communication to arrange the purchase and the transaction occurred around 1 p.m., the report said. The confidential source allegedly purchased 20 grams of hydromorphone for $3,000.

After the purchase, Gibson was taken into custody.

During a search, investigators found five grams of Hydromorphone in Gibson's possession, as well as the documented drug money and the cell phone that had been used in arranging the transaction, according to the report.

Gibson is charged with trafficking in opium or a derivative of more than four grams but less than 30 kilograms and using a two way communication device to facilitate a felony.

His next scheduled court date is Aug. 4.

Woman accused of striking juvenile with cord

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CRESTVIEW - A 40-year-old Crestview woman is accused of using a cord or cable to strike a juvenile.

The victim reported the abuse on June 16, according to the arrest report. Okaloosa County Sheriff's deputies met the victim, who said that on multiple occasions, the woman had used a cord to strike the victim.

The woman is not being named to protect the victim's identity.

Injuries to the victim's arms and legs supported the accusation, the report said. Deputies spoke to the woman, who "spontaneously" said she disciplined the victim with a cord on the arms and legs.

When asked if she'd done it in the last two weeks, she said "No, it's been before then," according to the report.

She is charged with child abuse without great bodily harm.

Her next scheduled court date is July 21.


Man charged with trafficking Oxycotin

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FORT WALTON BEACH - A 31-year-old Fort Walton Beach man is accused of trafficking in opiates.

Okaloosa County Sheriff's investigators served a search warrant on June 15 at noon, according to the arrest report. William Hakim Bentley, the resident of the home, answered the door.

A search of Bentley's person revealed 54 pills identified as Oxycotin, weighing around 15 grams, the report said. After his arrest, Bentley allegedly told investigators that the pills were fake and he planned to resell them.

He was currently on bond for a previous drug arrest on May 13, 2015.

He is charged with trafficking in opium or a derivative of more than four grams but less than 30 kilograms.

His next scheduled court date is July 21.

Holiday weekend to be ‘full speed ahead’

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This weekend is the “big one” for tourism.

“From here, it’s full force, full speed ahead,” said Toni Richardson, director of sales, marketing and public relations at Best Western Fort Walton Beachfront.

During Fourth of July weekend, expect the usual traffic delays and crowded beaches.

“Expect a lot of people and a lot of people,” said Ed Schroeder, director of Okaloosa County Tourist Development Department. “This weekend is something the whole destination area gears up to.”

At the Best Western Fort Walton Beachfront, rooms have been booked for this weekend since April, Richardson said.

“Summer on the island is usually good for everybody,” she said. “We’re always grateful for our guests and the locals who understand and have to park across the street to come over.”

For 18 years, Joe Guidry, general manager of Destin West RV Resort, Destin West Vacations and Ramada Plaza Beach Resort has seen the steady rise of visitors choosing the Emerald Coast as their Fourth of July weekend spot.

“Everybody is sold out. ... Ramada is sold out, the RV park is sold out. ... It’s going to be a gangbusters weekend,” he said.

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Jennie McKeon at 850-315-4432 or jmckeon@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @JennieMnwfdn.
 

Santa Rosa, Okaloosa top test performances (DOCUMENTS)

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New standardized tests or not, area students continue to hold their own in the latest round of results released. 

Santa Rosa County students performed the second best overall in the English Language Arts Standards (ELA) exam and the Okaloosa County students claimed the number four spot on the Algebra I end of course exam.

Walton County ranked in the top third of the state’s 67 districts on the ELA and 9th overall on the Algebra exam.

SEE English Language Arts pass rates.

SEE Algebra pass rates.

“We are proud we’re above the state average,” said Kay Dailey, who oversees curriculum for Walton County. “It’s a combination of our instructors, our students and our administrators.”

The two exams were altered this year to meet the demands of the state’s new standardized assessments. In general, sophomores took the ELA and eighth and ninth graders took the Algebra I exam.

District results were released last Friday and school results on Monday.

Putting the results in a historical perspective is a challenge this year since the exams were changed, but districts continue to consider the results, said Santa Rosa County Superintendent Tim Wyrosdick.

“You always want to mark progress from where you were to where you are,” he said.

As with the last round of exam results, some schools performed well and others struggled.

Northwest Florida State College’s Collegiate High School came out on top locally on the ELA. The charter school saw a 96 percent pass rate, which was about 10 percent higher than the next closest local school’s pass rate.

On the Algebra EOC, local middle school students shined the brightest. Every Walton County eighth grader who took the exam passed it, Sims Middle School in Santa Rosa County saw a 99 percent pass rate and Bruner Middle School in Okaloosa County saw a 97 percent pass rate.

The best performing high school on the math exam was Niceville, which saw an 89 percent pass rate. It was followed closely by Laurel Hill, Fort Walton Beach and Baker.

“I attribute the success of our scores due to all the hard work of our teachers and students, said Stephanie Thetford, who is the math coach for the Okaloosa County School District. “We really put an emphasis on getting students engaged and motivated.”

Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.

Federal judge: Alabama counties must allow gay marriage

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — With a handful of Alabama counties still refusing to grant gay marriages even as they issued licenses for straight weddings, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that all must abide by court decisions allowing same-sex unions.

Meanwhile, gay marriage advocates said they would ask courts to impose penalties on the holdouts that refuse to relent.

U.S. District Judge Callie Granade of Mobile issued a brief order saying state probate judges can't discriminate against gay couples since the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled gay marriage is legal everywhere.

Granade's order doesn't affect counties that have stopped issuing all marriage licenses in response to the Supreme Court decision, but a gay rights attorney said other counties must treat people equally or face penalties.

"We will ask Judge Granade to hold them in contempt if they'd don't," said Shannon Minter of the San Francisco-based National Center for Lesbian Rights in Washington.

Possible penalties include monetary fines, cost assessments and even jail time, but Minter said no decision has been made about which penalties to seek.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," said Minter.

Minter said her group knew of seven of Alabama's 67 counties that were issuing licenses to straight couples but not gay couples early in the day, but the number dropped by one when Tuscaloosa County said it would issue licenses to anyone.

The Alabama Supreme Court has muddied the issue by granting time for gay marriage opponents to voice their opinion about the impacts of same-sex weddings.

Granade's order came at the request of groups representing gay couples across Alabama. The judge, who previously overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage, put earlier decisions on hold to allow time for the justices to rule.

Since Alabama law says counties "may" issue marriage licenses, some probate judges have stopped handling marriage licenses altogether rather than let gay couples wed.

A dwindling number of local officials in other states continue refusing same-sex marriages. In Louisiana, Red River Parish may be the last refusing the unions.

In an emailed statement, Red River Court Clerk Stuart Shaw said his Christian beliefs may keep him from issuing same-sex licenses, and he was awaiting final word on a federal appeals court ruling.

Shaw said his office will eventually comply, with workers who don't object to gay marriage handling the licenses.

After the Supreme Court declared that marriage is a constitutional right equally held by all Americans, clerks in Arkansas and Mississippi resigned rather than be forced to sign the licenses of gays and lesbians.
 

Independence Day closures

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Many local government offices will be closed in observance of Independence Day. Here are some of the area closures:

DEFUNIAK SPRINGS
- The City of DeFuniak Springs will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2015.
- Trash and yard debris pickup for Friday will be picked up on Thursday.

FORT WALTON BEACH
- All administrative offices at the City of Fort Walton Beach will be closed beginning at noon on Thursday, July 2, and will remain closed through Friday, July 3.

- Public safety operations will remain available 24/7 through the holiday. For water or sewer emergencies outside of regular business hours, residents should contact the police dispatch office at (850) 833-9546 and your call will be routed accordingly.

- The Fort Walton Beach Recreation Center on Jet Drive will be open during regular hours on Thursday, July 2, but will be closed on Friday. Regular office hours will resume at the city at 7 a.m. on Monday, July 6.

- The Okaloosa County Clerk’s Office will be closed on Friday, July 3.

NICEVILLE
- All administrative offices at the City of Niceville will be closed Friday, July 3.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY
- The following offices and departments are closed Friday, July 3. Regular hours of operation resume Monday, July 6.
- The Santa Rosa Library System and Animal Shelter are also closed Saturday, July 4
- The Central Landfill is open Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SEASIDE
- Saturday, July 4, CR 30A will be closed in both directions from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. The roadway will be blocked off from Campbell Street (Seagrove Plaza) to just west of Quincy Circle in Seaside. This road closure will also include southbound traffic on CR 395 at Grove Avenue.

VALPARAISO
- All administrative offices at the City of Valparaiso will be closed Friday, July 3.

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