Video: Northview vs. Catholic
September 6, 2008
The Northview Chiefs opened their season at Pensacola Catholic High School Friday night. This video has game play highlights, plus a look at the cheerleaders and the band. Click the video to play.
Flomaton Beats Red Level 38-14
September 6, 2008
The Flomaton Hurricanes traveled to Red Level Friday night in their first regional game.
Red Level was out for revenge from last year’s game but Flomaton was ready and held their ground.
The Canes scored early in the first quarter . By halftime the Cane’s had 24 points on the board to the Tigers 8.
The Canes came out in the second half and scored another 14 points for a final score of 38-14 . The Cane’s are now 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the region.
Southern Choctaw travels to Flomaton next week as the Canes try to improve their record to 3-0.
For more photos from the game, click here.
For the complete photo gallery go to www.mikenewtonphotography.zenfolio.com.
Pictured above: Scenes from Friday night’s Flomaton 38-14 victory over Red Level. Submitted photos by Mike Newton for NorthEscambia.com.
NHS Tribal Beat: Playing With Fire
September 5, 2008
The Northview High School Band has a hot halftime show planned for tonight’s football season opener at Catholic High School in Pensacola.
Part of the Tribal Beat’s halftime show will include majorettes Kolbi Cobb, Haley Simpson and Caitlyn Brown twirling flaming batons.
The three young ladies are back for another year as Northview’s majorettes.
Pictured above: (L-R) Kolbi Cobb, Haley Simpson and Caitlyn Brown practice their flame twirling earlier this week at Northview High School. Pictured bottom (top to bottom, scroll down to see all three photos) Northview majorettes Kolbi Cobb, Haley Simpson and Caitlyn Brown. NorthEscambia.com photos.
Top County Leaders Explain Local Impact Of Volunteer Fire Dept. Consolidation
September 5, 2008
The unification of Escambia County’s volunteer fire departments is on schedule to be completed by October 1, and county officials offered assurances Thursday night that departments in North Escambia would continue their long standing traditions of service.
“The entire fire unification process is not about someone coming in and taking charge,” Mike Hardin, the county’s public safety bureau chief, told the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Thursday night. “Escambia County is going to have volunteer fire departments for a very long time.”
The volunteer fire system and services in the county are very healthy,” County Fire Chief Ken Perkins told the Ruritan Club.
“It is absolutely impossible to replace the volunteer system in this county,” Perkins said, adding that the county could never afford it.
Each of the county’s volunteer fire departments will maintain its board of directors and will operate under its own district chief chosen by that board.
“As much as we can, we want to keep the volunteer system healthy and running like it is now,” Perkins said.
“Career firefighters are not coming to Walnut Hill,” he said, as long as the volunteer department continues its excellent record of responding to calls. “Walnut Hill will continue to operate like it has before.” The same applies to the other departments in North Escambia, Perkins said.
“In no way, shape or form is Escambia County trying to come in and take over the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department,” he told the Ruritan Club. The Ruritan Club has a long-standing relationship with the fire department, with the club providing the funds to start Walnut Hill’s fire department many years ago.
The fire department unification plan comes with a better organizational structure, a more standardized administration procedure, centralized vehicle maintenance, a centralized equipment warehouse and other combined services that should save the county a lot of money, Perkins said.
The unification also comes with tougher standards for volunteer firefighters, including dozens of hours of training and the ability to pass a doctor’s physical exam at the county’s expense. The requirements also specify that a firefighter will hold a high school diploma or a GED certificate. Many Walnut Hill firefighters belong to the Mennonite Church, and their school only goes through the tenth grade. The high school diploma requirement would have disqualified many Walnut Hill firefighters since their Mennonite members never obtain that high school diploma.
“Anyone that is here as a volunteer on September 30 of this year will be grandfathered in,” Perkins said. “They will be exempt from the requirements and new qualifications for three years.”
“We realized the high school diplomas were an issue, and that is why they are exempt for three years,” he said. “They can promote as high as they can get in those three years without meeting the new requirements.”
The volunteer not meeting the requirements will be allowed to advance in rank during the three year period. But they would no longer be able to advance in rank after the three year exemption period unless they met all requirements of the advanced position.
However, after October 1, no one will be consider a firefighter in Escambia County unless they have received certification as at least a Firefighter I from the Florida State Fire Marshal. After October 1, exemption letters that are commonly issued will no longer be accepted in Escambia County.
Under the new unified fire department plan, the current department chief would be titled a “district chief” in charge of a current station such as McDavid or Molino.
“There has been some talk, some discussion, about combining two or more stations up here (in North Escambia) under on chief, but that is more than is in this current plan,” Perkins said.
The unification plans calls for a specific organization structure based upon rank, regardless of whether the person hold that rank is a volunteer or paid firefighter.
“Fire knows no difference between a paid firefighter and a volunteer firefighter,” Perkins said.
Assistant County Fire Chief Robbie Whitfield and County Administrator Bob McLaughlin also attended the Thursday night meeting at the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club.
Pictured top: McDavid Volunteer Fire Department Engine 912 at the scene of a recent accident on Highway 29. Pictured middle: Escambia County Fire Chief Ken Perkins addresses the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Thursday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
County Applies For Grant For Molino Library
September 5, 2008
Thursday night, the Escambia County Commission took a step toward bringing a library to Molino.
The commission voted to apply for a half million dollar grant to remodel a portion of the old Molino Elementary School into a branch library. In July, the county made an offer of $2 million to acquire the old Molino Elementary and the former Wedgewood Middle School in Penasacola. That offer was rejected by Escambia School Superintendet Jim Paul, who made a counter request of $3.3 million for both properties.
Negotiations to acquire the two pieces of property are ongoing, County Adminstrator Bob McLaughlin told NorthEscambia.com Thursday night. The county has made standing offer to allow the school board to use the county owned civic center rent free for graduation ceremonies for a number of years in exchange for the two school properties, but McLaughlin said the school board “wants cash in the hand”.
There were some issues with the property line at the old Molino school with an adjacent property owner, McLaughlin said, but a quit claim deed has been signed to alleviate that hurdle. No it’s just a matter of the two government entities agreeing on a purchase price.
The commission first applied for the half million grant from the State of Florida in March 2007. The application was ranked number two out of 23 applications in the state, but the legislature failed to provide funding for the state library program. Thursday night’s vote by the commission was to simply reapply for grant money this year.
“The library in Molino would be a very good thing for people in that area,” McLaughlin told NorthEscambia.com.
The half million grant, if awarded, would be matched by another half million from the county. The county’s portion would be from the Local Option Sales Tax. The county has already approved their portion of the funds to renovate part of the old Molino Elementary into a library. The grant, if awarded, would require the county to use the facility as a library in Molino for a minumum of 20 years.
Property Taxes Headed Down
September 5, 2008
Escambia County residents can expect to see a little lower property tax bill this year after action taken Thursday night by the county commission.
The Escambia County commission voted to cut property taxes from 8.017 mils to 6.9755 mils for the 2008-2009 fiscal year that beings October 1. On a $150,000 house, that would reduce the property tax bill from $801 to $697.
The county was required to reduce the tax under Admendment 1 passed by voters in January, but the reduction is more than the law required. Overall, the county cut the budget by $27.7 million. That includes $23 million from the property tax adjustment.
The commission’s unanimous vote Thursday night won’t become official until a second public hearing on the decrease is held on September 18.
The county approved next year’s $402 million budget on a 3-2 vote. District 5 Commissioner Kevin White and outgoing Commissioner Mike Whitehead said they felt the budget could be cut even more and voted against it.
Meet The Chiefs: Ready For The Season
September 5, 2008
The Northview Chiefs held their annual Meet the Chiefs event Thursday afternoon at the school, and they are ready for tonight’s season opener against Catholic.
“We are ready for Catholic,” NHS Head Coach Cody Keene said. “Hopefully Catholic is looking past us, and we can have a good night.
“We have a good chemistry this year,” he said. “If you play hard with your teammates, you will win. And that is what we are going to do.”
The Chiefs are chasing a school record this year…their fourth straight season to make the state playoffs.
They will spend most of their season on the road, often three plus hours on the road one way, with just four home games this year. The Chief’s first district game will be September 26 against Holmes County in Bonifay.
Click here for more photos from Meet the Chiefs Thursday at Northview High School.
Pictured above. Northview Head Coach Cody Keene introduce the 2008-2009 Northview Chiefs. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Ernest Ward Eagles Take On Pollard
September 5, 2008
The Ernest Ward Middle School Lady Eagles took two from the Pollard (AL) Wolves Thursday afternoon in volleyball action at Northview High School.
The Eagles won both games 25-21 and 25-20. To view a complete photo gallery, click here.
Football Season Opens: Tate Slides Past Escambia
September 5, 2008
The Tate Aggies picked up the first win of the season on home turf Thursday night as Northwest Florida’s high school football season got underway.
The Escambia Gator’s Trent Richardson picked up 191 yards on 25 carries and four TD’s, but that was not enough to stop the Aggies at Pete Gindl stadium. The Aggies finished up by one, beating Escambia 28-27.
The Gators put the first points of the season on the board early in the game on a four yard plunge from Richardson. A good kick, and the Gators were up 7-0.
Tate’s number 10, Q Ford, answered with a touchdown and a good Aggie kick to tie the game 7-7.
A 46 yard touchdown run by Richardson late in the first half put the Gators up 14-7. A 30 yard throw to Jamarian Bonner evened things up for the Aggies in the third, 14-14.
Tate took the lead on their home field on a 25 yarder from Edwin Richburg to Tevon Padgett. Tate was up for the first time in the game 21-14.
Richardson hit paydirt again, tying the game. Ford added another to give the Aggies a 28-21 lead. Richardson scored another TD with just five minutes on the clock, making the game a close 28-27. The kick was blocked, sealing an Aggie victory.
Volleyball: Lady Chiefs Fall To PCA On The Road
September 5, 2008
The Northview Chief varsity volleyball team had a disappointing night in Pensacola Thursday, dropping three to Pensacola Christian Academy.
The night ended 25-17, 25-7 and 25-22 for the Lady Chiefs.
Amber McMillan rackup up 10 digs on the night. Shawna Montgomery had five digs, five blocks, one kill and two aces. Senior Brittney Thompson had four digs, one block, eight kills and a couple of aces. Ashley Digmon had 13 digs against PCA. Caitlin Hall chipped in for one block and eight assists.
The varsity Lady Chiefs will be at home against Northview on Monday at 6:00.