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11A Voting analysis
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State bars former NHS coaches from teaching in Florida Staff reports editor@navarrepress.com Former Navarre High School head football coach Joshua Chad Lashley and former coach Kevin Michael“Mickey”O’Quinn had their state education certificates revoked and are permanently barred from ever reapplying. The Education Practices Com-
mission of the permanent revState of Florida ocation or othmade the decier disciplinary sion to revoke action against Lashley’s certifithe certificate. cate on July 22 She also entered after Florida an investigative O'Quinn Commissioner Lashley file into evidence. of Education Pam Stewart filed O’Quinn’s certificate was an administrative complaint permanently revoked on Oct. seeking suspension, revocation, 25, 2013.
The complaints stem from allegations made in 2012 by female students that Lashley and O’Quinn were involved in obscene communication and used a computer to solicit, seduce or lure a child. At the time, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office Detective Melissa Spratt conducted an investigation and subsequently sought felony
charges against Lashley and O’Quinn. However, First Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Eddins’office did not pursue criminal charges, citing insufficient evidence. A teacher panel reviewed Lashley’s case June 20 in Jacksonville. Lashley was not present and did not have representation despite having been
properly served with the complaint. “The violations committed by respondent warrant disciplinary action by the Education Practices Commission,”stated the July 22 order, which became effective July 24 when filed with the clerk of the commission.
See COACHES 11A
County attacks ever-increasing meth problem
Crushing meth By Shana Roberson shana@navarrepress.com Fifty-six. That’s the number of methamphetamine labs the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office has shut down this year.That’s up from 46 last year. In fact, the number has steadily grown as the product has become easier to make and demand has increased. Methamphetamines are by far the largest drug problem in the county, according to Sgt. Blake Weekley of the narcotics unit at the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. “With meth, in one trip to Wal-Mart you can buy what you need. All the ingredients you need you
can buy over the counter at minimal cost,”Weekley said, adding that those same ingredients will fit in a backpack or purse. Meth producers dissolve cold medications like Sudafed, known generically as pseudoephedrine, into solvents such as lighter fluid in order to separate the pseudoephedrine. From there, the pseudoephedrine is mixed with common household products like drain cleaners, matches, table salt and lithium batteries and then cooked in a pot or bottle to create meth.
Methamphetamine Cases • Lab Seizures • Dumpsite Seizures • Chemical Seizures
“If we had the manpower to do it, we could probably find a meth lab in Santa Rosa County every day. “ –Sgt. Blake Weekley
See METH 6A
Map by Dickie Williams
Students open up about drug use at NHS By Shana Roberson shana@navarrepress.com
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From the outside looking in, Navarre High School seems like the last place you would expect to find a drug scene. “It’s quiet on the outside,” Stephanie Richards, Navarre High School Students Against Destructive Decisions treasurer said of the school.“We definitely have
a drug problem here.” Using and selling drugs, including prescription pills, marijuana and even acid, is common at the school according to Richards and SADD president Jewels Rivera. “Just last year I had a friend that brought drugs to school and he was bragging about it,”Rivera said. “The same day he got caught and tried to run from
Officer Reilly.” The students said the drug dog brought in by the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office has made an impact. “Everybody gets so scared when they bring the dogs in.You can see the fear in people’s faces because they know,‘Oh crap, I’m about to go down,’”Rivera said of the K9 Idgie who visits the campus each month. Student Resource Officer Deputy Sean Reilly agreed that the dog has made an impact on the school’s drug situation. While NHS has seen its share of incidents, staff members said it remains a
safe place for students. “We are like any other schools where things are happening,” SADD cosponsor Carmen Febus said. “But I believe that we are on top of it in the way that we are not going to let it go. We are going to do as much as we can because we want to make sure the kids are safe and protected here.” Rivera and Richards said it’s fairly common to hear drug talk in the hallways. “I hear it at least a few times a week. It’s not every day somebody gets caught, but every day you hear something about drugs,” Richards said. Both students believe a
lack of activities geared toward teens in Navarre, in addition to scarce opportunities for after-school jobs, contribute to the problem. “I think that if there was more for people to do other than parties, it might make some of a difference. But there’s nothing for our age,”Richards said.“There’s a lot of hanging out on the beach, but that’s still where all the drugs and drug deals are going on.” Though much of the drug use seems to be recreational, the students also agreed that emotional issues are fueling many of the campus’drug user.
See STUDENTS 7A
An officer’s take on NHS drug trends By Shana Roberson shana@navarrepress.com Student drug use on campus at Navarre High School is down, but not dead. “We definitely have a drug issue,”Deputy Sean Reilly, resource officer at Navarre High School (NHS) said.“I’d love to say we’re a drug-free school, but I can’t.” Reilly District wide, there were 132 incidents of drug distribution and 123 incidents of student drug use or students being under the influence last year according to David Gunter, director of middle schools. The incidents took place on campuses across the district.
See REILLY 7A
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