Still Time To Enroll In After School Care At Molino Park
August 26, 2009
Molino Park Elementary School has a new after school child care provider, and it is not too late to sign up for the program.
Creative School Age Child Care is hosting after school care this year at Molino Park, offering thematic programs, homework club, activity centers, outside sports and games, academic play centers, special interest programs, nutritious snacks, low adult to child ratio, direct supervision at all times, and a program division by grade level groups.
All staff members are background-screened and trained in developmentally appropriate practices, first aid and CPR.
Registration is required. Scholarships and subsidized child care are available.
Parents can register their child by visiting the Creative School Age Child Care office at 9510 Chandler Street or by calling 479-7814. For more information, visit csacc.com
Flomaton Fire Names Poster Contest Winners
August 26, 2009
Flomaton Fire and Rescue recently held their second annual poster contest at Flomaton Elementary School, naming a brother and sisters as co-winners.
The halls at Flomaton Elementary were filled with posters reflecting all of the students’ hard work. Members of Flomaton Fire and Rescue were hand and had the hard job of judging and picking the winner. When they were done, there was a two-way tie for the winner. And the winners turned out to be siblings.
Madison Wright, a second grader in Mrs. Luttrell’s class and her brother Jake Wright, a fourth grader in Mitzi Smith’s class, had the winning posters. The two posters will be combined and turned into artwork for t-shirts.
When told about being double winner’s of the poster contest and that they actually had tied for first place, the two siblings, almost in unison, asked the question, “Well who gets to ride in the fire truck?”. Much to both of their delights, they were told they would both be allowed to ride on a Flomaton fire truck during this year’s Flomaton High School Homecoming Parade.
The poster contest was held in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Forestry. The Flomaton fire department was awarded a $4,500 grant to educate the community about preventing wildfires. Flomaton Fire and Rescue was the only volunteer fire department in Escambia County to receive the grant.
The grant will be used to purchase t-shirts to be passed out in Flomaton featuring the winning poster contest artwork from the Wright siblings. Each of the Wrights will also receive a certificate and plaque from the fire department, and a t-shirt for themselves and their entire family. Jake and Madison’s entire classes will also receive a t-shirt, and a t-shirt will be given to each student that entered the poster contest.
The t-shirts are being printed, and when completed, Fire Chief Steve Stanton will make the presentation to the winners and all the recipients of the t-shirts at the school. Madison and Jake will also receive their certificates and plaques at that time.
Pictured above: Flomaton Fire and Rescue poster contest winners Madison and Jake Wright with their winning posters. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Chance For Horse Owners To Take Part In Short Course
August 26, 2009
An upcoming short course will offer horse owners the chance to learn more about caring for their equines.
The University of Florida, IFAS Northwest Florida Livestock Extension agents will be offering a short course on horse management in four sessions. The sessions will be held on Mondays — September 14 and 28, October 12 and 26 from 6:00 pm. to 8:00 p.m. each night. This program is being offered at 14 sites in Florida and three in Alabama. The course will be offered as a live interactive video conference.
The registration fee for the course is $40 per farm (one set of reference books) and $10 each additional person. The registration deadline is Monday, September 7.
The course will cover: Signs of a Healthy Horse, Preventive Health Care, Forage That Works Well In Horse Pastures, Nutritional Requirements, Poisonous Weed Control, Weed I.D. in Pastures and Safety For Horses, Equine Emergencies, First Aid, Fencing and Layout of Barns.
Click here for more info, including other course locations and course descriptions.
Call the Santa Rosa County Extension Office at 850-675-6654 for more details and a registration form.
Pels Win 13-0 Over Cats
August 25, 2009
Francisco Leandro started the game off with a single and Kevin Reynolds tried to sacrifice him to second, but ended up with a bunt single. Marshall McDougall singled to score Leandro, and Antoin Gray hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Reynolds. Chase Burch walked, and Dallas Christison scored both McDougall and Burch with a two-out double to give the Pelicans a 4-0 lead.
The Pelicans added five more runs in the second when Jason Diaz started it off with a single. Leandro followed with a walk, and Kevin Reynolds had another bunt single: a beauty that hugged the third base line until it hit the base at the end of the stripe. With the bases loaded Antoin Gray hit a double and all three men scored. Rodriguez singled to bring Gray in, and then moved to second when Christison reached on an error by the shortstop. Lou Palmisano singled and Rodriguez scored to extend the Pelicans’ lead to nine.
Leandro led off the top of the third inning with his second single of the night, moving to third when Reynolds followed with a double. After McDougall walked to load the bases, Chase Burch hit a double, scoring Leandro and Reynolds, and pushing McDougall to third. McDougall came home when Rodriguez grounded out to second base, and Dallas Christison drove in Burch to score the Pelicans’ thirteenth and final run of the ballgame.
Aaron Jackson held the Cats scoreless in the interim, topping his eight inning performance on his last start with a complete game. Jackson struck out a season-high five batters and had his best outing since a complete game two-hit shutout last year with Winnipeg. Only five Cats would reach base during the game, as the Pelicans defense was perfect, and Jackson walked only one batter.
The Pelicans’ lead atop the South Division of the American Association remains at three games as the Captains won their game Monday night as well. The Pelicans will play the second game in this three-game series Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. The Pelicans will throw RHP Kieran Mattison against Fort Worth’s LHP Nat Harris. Fans can catch all the action on NewsRadio 1620 and online via SportsJuice.com.
Sports For Squirts
August 25, 2009
The Escambia County Neighborhoods & Community Services Bureau offers a new six-week Sports for Squirts Athletic Development Program beginning August 26 at 6 p.m. at Ashton Brosnaham Sportsplex, 10370 Ashton Brosnaham Road.
This program is designed to teach children ages three to five years old the basics of sports such as throwing, catching, kicking, and batting. It allows children to learn basic motor skills in a fun, non-competitive environment, to help them prepare for organized youth sports. Special soft equipment is used to prevent injuries and encourage participation.
The $35 per person price for the six classes includes all materials. Call to reserve your spot as the class has a maximum of 10 participants.
For registration and payment information, please contact the Escambia County Recreation Division at 850-475-5220, or recreation@co.escambia.fl.us, or visit www.myescambia.com.
Century Man Arrested For Assaulting Girlfriend After Dog Poops On Bed
August 25, 2009
A Century man was arrested on domestic violence and aggravated assault charges after he got into a fight with his girlfriend after their dog defecated on a bed.
William Mel Lowery, 51, was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and felony battery by strangulation in a domestic violence situation.
Escambia County Deputy James Gilman responded to a domestic violence call in the 9500 block of Ivey Street at 1:05 Sunday morning. The victim told Deputy Gilman that Lowery “entered the bedroom and observed that their dog had defecated on the bed sheets”. That is when, according to the sheriff’s office report, Lowery became angry and woke up the female victim. The two got into an argument over the dog using the bed sheets, according to the report.
Lowery grabbed a golf club next to the bed and verbally threatened the victim, according to the report. The victim tried to grab the golf club, and the two fell back onto the bed. Then Lowery held the victim down with the golf club and tried to choke her, the report says. She managed to get free and ran out the door.
The victim told Deputy Gilman that Lowery had ran to a nearby residence on Cottage Street. When located at the Cottage Street address, Lowery told deputies that he had argued with the victim about the dog defecating on the bed, but Lowery said the female had come after him with the golf club. Deputy Gilman arrested Lowery based upon scratches on the victim’s neck.
Lowery remained in the Escambia County Jail early Tuesday morning. He is being held on $20,000 bond.
Ransom Middle Evacuated Due To Burning Smell From Water Fountain
August 25, 2009
Students at Ransom Middle School were evacuated about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon due a burning smell.
School officials reported an electrical burning smell in the special education wing near the front of the school on West Kingsfield Road. Firefighters discovered the source of the smell — motor in a water fountain.
Fire stations from Cantonment, Beulah and Ensley were among those dispatched to investigate. There were no injuries.
Principals: First Day Of School Was Near Perfect
August 25, 2009
The first day of school in North Escambia went well, according to students and administrators alike.
“You couldn’t have asked for a better day,” Ernest Ward Middle School Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry said. “It was the smoothest opening day we have ever had.”
Getting ready for the first day at Ernest Ward and Bratt Elementary was no easy task with nearly 200 new students from the closure and consolidation of Carver/Century K-8. Both schools received new modular buildings and an entire wing at Bratt received a million dollar makeover during the summer. And then there was the transportation — figuring out how to get 200 new students bussed to school on time.
“We did have just a minor transportation hiccup that delayed our assembly by only about 10 minutes,” Northview High School Principal Gayle Weaver said. “But we had no real snafus, and our kids were great.”
“There are normally bumps in the road,” Perry said. “But other than just the minor ordinary problems you expect on the first day, it was perfect. Everything went just as we planned. We are into a great, great year.”
At Molino Park Elementary, Principal Alice Woodward also said it was a great first day.
“It was a really good day with no problems,” Woodward said. She attributed a smooth first day to a large turnout for the school’s orientation sessions and the effort her teachers put into making one-on-one phone calls to every parent before the first day.
Bratt Elementary Principal Sheryl Pomeroy did not return our phone call seeking comment for this story.
Pictured top: Students in work in Kathy Smith’s third grade class at Bratt Elementary School on the first day of school. Pictured: Students at Bratt were met with renovated hallways. Photos by WEAR for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cameras Detail Billings Murders Second By Second
August 25, 2009
Security cameras in an around the home of Byrd and Melanie Billings provide a second by second record of what happened the night the couple was murdered in their Beulah home. The entire incident took less than five minutes from start to finish.
Information released Monday by the the State Attorney’s Office provides details of what is in the video captured by several of the 16 cameras mounted inside and outside of the Billings’ home.
According to the information from the State Attorney’s Office, here is what happened the night of July 9:
- 7:05:42 –Red van is visible entering driveway
- 7:05:58 — Offenders exit van
- 7:06:13 — Two offenders exit wooded area on north side of residence and approach house
- 7:06:16 — Byrd Billings looks toward front door and raises his hands
- 7:06:22 — Byrd Billings is shot in leg, escorted to bedroom; Melanie Billings remains in living room with child and offender
- 7:07:34 — Byrd Billings visible back in living room
- 7:07:42 — Both victims exit living room toward master bedroom area
- 7:07:55 — Offender carrying a bag visible going from back of van toward house
- 7:09:52 — Offenders return to van
- 7:10:16 — Van departs yard
- 7:10:27 — Last view leaving driveway
- 7:26:36 — First deputies arrive on scene
There were no cameras located in the Billings’ bedroom, according to investigators.
For a detailed account of what was recorded by each camera at the Billings home, click here (pdf).
A judge has ruled that there will be no copies distributed of the video and crime scene photographs from the Billings home. But the media will have the chance to review the videos and about 2,000 crime scene photographs on Thursday. The public will be able to view the photos and evidence beginning Friday.
Confusion Over Afternoon Buses At Ernest Ward Middle School
August 25, 2009
There was a little confusion Monday afternoon when some students headed to the buses at Ernest Ward Middle School.
There are 36 buses running the routes in North Escambia for middle and high school students, according to Ernest Ward Principal Nancy Gindl-Perry. All middle and high school students are transported together to Northview High School. That’s where many of the students transfer to one of 13 “shuttle” buses that run from Northview to Ernest Ward.
And that’s where the confusion came in Monday afternoon, Perry said. Many students that transfer to a morning shuttle bus did not know if they should ride the bus with the shuttle number or the bus the bus that picked them up early in the morning.
Perry said that, in the afternoons, EWMS students should board the bus number that picks them up in the mornings, not the shuttle bus number. Ernest Ward students do not ride a shuttle bus in the afternoon.