EWMS Eagles Beat Pollard-McCall
September 22, 2009
The Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles beat Pollard-McCall on the volleyball court in two matches Monday afternoon in Walnut Hill.
The EWMS White team won 25-17, 25-6. The EWMS Blue defeated Pollard-McCall 23-25, 25-14, 15-8.
- For a photo gallery from the EWMS Blue game, click here.
- For a photo gallery from the EWMS White game, click here.
EWMS White team members are: Raven Weaver, Madison Arrington, Brianna Parker, Lily Townson, Chloe Leonard, Kyndall Hall, Leah Fischer and Tiffani Pritchett.
EWMS Blue team members are: Mallory Wiggins, Mallory Ryan, Rebecca Grim, Shelby Nielson, Danielle Steadham, Saige Garrett, Lorri Harrell, Kaitlyn Abbott and Reagan Bell.
15-Year Old Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Tires For Getaway Car
September 22, 2009
A middle school student was arrested Monday in connection with an incident last week where tires were allegedly stolen for the getaway car used in the robbery of the Molino Tom Thumb.
The 15-year old Century boy was arrested on larceny and burglary charges when he appeared in court Monday on an unrelated trespassing charge. NorthEscambia.com’s policy is to not identify juveniles in criminal cases.
Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies found another man, Antonio Demetrius Ewing, 19, trying to fit tires onto a Pontiac Firebird with no tag in the parking lot of the Gospel Light Temple on Alger Road in Century about 9:20 September 14. The Firebird — the alleged getaway car from the robbery of the Tom Thumb in Molino earlier that morning — had a flat tire. Deputies said Ewing had taken the tires and tools from a nearby shed, and he was trying to fit tires onto the Firebird — including tires that had no rims.
Evidence tied the juvenile to the car and the tire incident, according to deputies, leading to the charges against the Ernest Ward Middle School student.
Deputies say both Ewing and the juvenile are suspects in the Tom Thumb robbery, and they expect more warrants to be issued by the State Attorney’s office.
Ewing, of West Highway 4, Century, was charged with burglary, escape and larceny. He remains in the Escambia County Jail.
Pictured top: Escambia County Sheriff’s Investigator Frank Way photographs a vehicle located in Century on September 14 that may have been used in a Molino robbery a few hours earlier. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Former Atmore Dentist’s Employee Admits To Bilking Thousands From Insurance Companies
September 22, 2009
The former office manager for an Atmore dentist has pleaded guilty to defrauding tens of thousands of dollars from insurance companies.
Toni McMurphy, 54, pleaded guilty to health care fraud and mail fraud in federal court. In her plea agreement, McMurphy admitted that while working for Buckley and Buckley Family Dentistry between January 1, 2006, and November, 2008, she bilked about $45,000 from insurance companies by filing false claims for services never performed or by upgrading lower cost procedures to higher cost procedures.
“The insurance carriers would then send reimbursement checks to Buckley Family Dentistry to pay for the fraudulent claims,” McMurphy’s stated in her plea agreement. “I would then misapply said fraudulent proceeds, thereby allowing me to apply proceeds to different patients and to withdraw cash from Buckley Family Dentistry.”
The mail fraud charge stemmed from an incident in June, 2008, when McMurphy admitted that she filed a false claim with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama asking for reimbursement on behalf of a patient claiming that the dentist had extracted two of her teeth. Blue Cross and Blue Shield then mailed a payment for the services never performed to an Atmore post office box.
U.S. District Judge Kristi Dubose scheduled McMurphy to be sentenced in federal court on December 18. She could face up to 20 years in prison, three years probation and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. However, the plea agreement states that federal prosecutors will seek a minimum allowable sentence of probation. She could also be ordered by the court to make restitution in the case.
Escambia School District’s Website Hacked
September 22, 2009
Hackers defaced the main website of the Escambia County School District, forcing officials to take the site down for several hours on Monday.
The person or persons that got into the district’s website left behind music and anti-Muslim phrases on the main page, prompting the district’s information technology department to take the site offline. By early Tuesday morning, the site had been returned to service.
Officials say that confidential information and student records were not compromised in the attack.
Individual school websites — such as those for Northview High, Ernest Ward Middle, Bratt Elementary and Molino Park Elementary schools — were not impacted.
Open House Tonight At Northview; Thursday at EWMS
September 22, 2009
Open house events will be held tonight at Northview High School and Thursday night at Ernest Ward Middle School.
Open House at Northview will be held Tuesday at 6 p.m. Activities will begin with refreshments in the cafeteria; parents and visitors will then have an opportunity to visit the school’s campus and classrooms. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend.
Open House at Ernest Ward will be held Thursday from 6 until 7 p.m. Parents will begin the evening in their student’s homeroom where they will receive a copy of their student’s schedule. If parents attend without the student, they should ask the student the name of the homeroom teacher. The homeroom with largest percent of parents who sign the homeroom sheet will win an ice cream party.
Parents will then follow their child’s schedule to each class where they will have the opportunity to ask general questions about school activities and curriculum. This is not a time for a conference with any faculty member about an individual student. The staff and facility look forward to meeting all parents, school officials said.
Northview FCA And Teens For Christ To Meet Tuesday Morning
September 21, 2009
The Northview High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Teens for Christ groups will meet Tuesday morning to organize and make final plans for the school’s See You At The Pole Rally for Wednesday morning.
The meeting will be held at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in Mrs. Jernigan’s room.
Contract Worker Injured At Northview High School
September 21, 2009
A contract employee working at Northview High School was injured Monday afternoon.
Officials say the adult male contract worker suffered a work-related injury in the school’s boiler room. He reportedly suffered a laceration to his arm about 2:20 p.m. while trying to cut a pipe or other material.
He was transported to an area hospital by Atmore Ambulance.
The Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue and Northview’s Escambia County Sheriff’s Office school resource officer also responded to the incident.
Watch Good Football Tonight: NHS JV At Home Against W.S. Neal
September 21, 2009
The Northview High School junior varsity football team will be in action tonight at home in Bratt.
The JV Chiefs will host W.S. Neal at 6:00 tonight, kicking off a two-game home stretch. The Chiefs will be at home on Thursday night, October 1 against Baker.
The community is encouraged to attend the game and support the Northview Chiefs.
Lawton “Bud” Chiles Begins Statewide Walk For Children In Century
September 21, 2009
Lawton “Bud” Chiles is retracing the steps of his father, former Florida Governor Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr., with a One Million Step tour across Florida to raise awareness of children’s health, education and safety issues in the state.
The journey of One Million Steps will officially started Monday morning in Century, honoring the historic 1970 walk of Gov. Chiles as he ran for the U.S. Senate. Bud Chiles, who often traveled with his father on his journey, will walk one million steps — 566 miles — across Florida in an effort to inspire one million Floridians to become involved in volunteering and making Florida a better place for children.
“I saw first hand the unique bond he forged as he listened to people,” Bud Chiles said of his father’s walk and his desire to help children and families. “In the past 10 years, sadly, we have suffered from a lack of that leadership from our state’s politicians.”
“I want to help tell your stories about what is working and what is broken,” Chiles said of his desire to listen to Floridians as he walks across the state. “Florida’s politicians are out of touch, and we can’t count on Washington to fix what is broken. With your help, we will make Florida a place for children again.”
Chiles started his walk at Alabama-Florida state line Sunday afternoon, and he will end in Miami next year, according to event organizers
He had three stops planned for Monday:
- Campfire USA Childcare Program
A nurse will be on hand to do vision and hearing screenings and conduct handwashing classes. Chiles will be on hand, reading to the children while they are waiting their turn with the screenings. 10 a.m. until noon, 6031 Industrial Boulevard - New Life Baptist Church
New Life participates in several community projects for children, including the Imagination Library that provides any child between birth and age five a free, age-appropriate book delivered to their home monthly. 1:00 to 1:30 p.m., 700 East Hecker Road - Century Pharmacy
Century Pharmacy is a sponsor of the Imagination Library and other children’s programs. Chiles will hand out Imagination Library applications and read books to children. 3:00 to 4:00, 7351 Mayo Street
The walk will continue Tuesday and Wednesday in Pensacola. Event organizers have not yet released an itinerary.
The Lawton Chiles Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-partisan organization, is “driven by this same philosophy and working to make Florida a state in which children thrive. The Worst To First statewide initiative was formed by the Foundation to identify key indicators used to measure Florida’s poor performance and to educate Floridians about our national standing as regards education, health care and community safety,” according to the group’s www.WorstToFirst.org website.
County Commission Honors McDavid Man On His Retirement
September 21, 2009
The Escambia County Commission honored Ronald Rigby of McDavid on his retirement after 25 years of service in the county’s Public Works Bureau.
Rigby retired from the Escambia County Road Department after 25 years –all but just a few months of those years operating a Gradall excavator, moving tons and tons of dirt across North Escambia.
The county commission approved a proclamation meeting honoring Rigby. Click here to read the proclamation (pdf).
NorthEscambia.com published a story about Rigby on August 28. Click here to read that story.
Pictured above: Ronald Rigby. NorthEscambia.com photo/graphic, click to enlarge.