Middle, High School FCAT Scores Released
May 28, 2009
Middle and high school FCAT scores were released today by the Florida Department of Education. The following details how each North Escambia school performed.
Numeric scores are based upon the percentage of students to score at grade level or above.
At Ernest Ward Middle School, sixth grade students improved from 68 to 77 percent in reading and improved from 56 to 68 percent in math. Seventh grade students improved from 66 to 80 percent at reading grade level and improved from 73 to 75 in math. Eighth grade students improved from 51 to 61 in reading, fell slightly from 76 to 75 in math, held steady at 91 in writing and fell in science from 49 to 44 percent.
At Northview High School, ninth grade fell from 52 to 44 percent in reading and 70 to 66 percent in math. Tenth grade students held steady at 35 percent in reading, improved from 72 to 74 percent in math and decreased in writing from 86 to 83 percent. Eleventh grade science scores decreased from 40 to 37 percent.
$10 Million To Save Or Create 130 Escambia School Jobs
May 28, 2009
The Escambia County School District will save or create about 130 jobs using $10 million in federal stimulus funds.
The plan approved Wednesday by the school board will see $5.2 million used for reading coaches, teachers for in-school suspension programs, psychologists, bus aids and clerk. Of the $5.2 million, about $1.8 million will go toward the goal of funding a reading coach at every county school. The reading coaches work with existing staff to implement specific goals in a school’s reading program.
The school district currently has 14 reading coaches in a program called “Reading First”. In North Escambia, schools with reading coaches this year are Bratt Elementary and Carver/Century K-8 School. Escambia County’s program was recognized as one of the top 25 percent in the state. But Congress has cut funding for the program.
Another $2 million of the stimulus funds will be used for materials, training and equipment for Exceptional Student Education (ESE) programs, including $155,000 for a district audiology clinic to be located at Holm Elementary.
The district has allocated $438,000 for professional development and training, and $264,000 for advanced student programs in middle and high schools.
Another $1.5 million is earmarked for Warrington Middle School, a low performing school in a “turnaround” program.
Pictured above: Lee Cassady (left), Reading First coach at Carver/Century K-8 and Tammy Calloway (right), Reading First coach at Bratt Elementary. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Consolidation Advisory Committee Members Are Named
May 28, 2009
The advisory committees that will make recommendations to the full 25-member commission that will study the possibility of government consolidation in Escambia County have been named. The three committees will make recommendations in the areas of health care, public safety and economic development.
The full commission will meet for the first time next week. The group was formed after a bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Evers on behalf of the Pensacola special interest group Escambia All For One was approved by the Florida Legislature.
Charles Wood of the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce was named chairman of the Special Advisory Committee for Economic Development. Members of the committee, and the organization that appointed them, are:
- Pensacola Junior College: Dr. June Line
- Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce: Charles Wood
- Perdido Key Chamber of Commerce: Dana Story
- Pensacola Downtown Improvement Board: Bob Holmes
- The Gulf Coast African American Chamber of Commerce: (position open)
- Florida Black Chamber: (position open)
- Florida’s Great Northwest: Al Wenstraud
- Town of Century Chamber of Commerce: Benny E. Barnes
- Walnut Hill Ruritan Club: Gary Wiggins
- The Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce: Jim Cox
- Women for Responsible Legislation: (position open)
James Hosman of the Escambia County Fire Services Advisory Board was named chairman of the Special Advisory Committee for Public Safety. Members of the committee, and the organization that appointed them, are:
- Sheriff of Escambia County: William Chavers
- Chief of Police City of Pensacola: Chip Simmons
- Escambia County Community Corrections Bureau: Gordon Pike
- Escambia County Public Safety Bureau Chief: Trisha K. Polmann
- Fire Chief of the City of Pensacola: Frank Edwards
- Fire Chief of Escambia County: John Sims
- Escambia County Medical Director: Charles L. Neal, D.O.
- Escambia County Fire Services Advisory Board: James Hosman
- Police Benevolent Association of the City of Pensacola: (position open)
- Police Benevolent Association of Escambia County: Bain Custer
- Chapter of the International Association of Firefighters City of Pensacola: John D. Chapman
- Escambia County Professional Firefighters: Dan Brask
Jules Kariher of Sacred Heart Health System was named chairman of the Special Advisory Committee for Health Care. Members of the committee, and the organization that appointed them, are:
- Baptist Health Care: (position open)
- Sacred Heart Health System: Jules Kariher
- West Florida Hospital: Dennis Taylor, CEO
- Escambia County Health Department: Susan Turner, M.D.
- The Escambia Medical Society: Michael Rieshera, M.D.
The full consolidation committee is tasked with creating a consolidation plan to be submitted to the Escambia County Commission, the City of Pensacola and the Town of Century for action before submission to the Escambia County legislative delegation by January 15, 2010. Once approved by the legislature, the plan would be presented to Escambia County voters.
Sheriff’s K-9 Units To Return
May 28, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department K-9 units are headed back to the streets.
Sheriff David Morgan will hold a news conference Friday morning to discuss the return of the K-9’s and to share information from the Department of Justice about the unit.
In late April, Morgan pulled his department’s K-9 units off the streets following findings released in a Department of Justice investigation.
“The problem was not so much with the K-9 officers,” Morgan told NorthEscambia.com. “It was as much or more with the administration at the time not following up on bites and other paperwork.”
Sometimes, Morgan said the DOJ investigation found, the previous administration would treat it “like it was just a dog bite, a part of the apprehension. The documentation was not done as it should be.”
The K-9 stand down included the use of dogs for both suspect apprehension and drug searches. But that did not mean Escambia County has been totally without the assistance of K-9 officers.
The City of Pensacola offered the assistance of their K-9 officers when needed. In North Escambia, deputies could still request the assistance of the K-9 unit from Century Correctional Institute.
The DOJ investigation into the sheriff’s department, which the DOJ announced three days after Morgan was sworn into office, stemmed from allegations of excessive force during the administration of former Sheriff Ron McNesby.
At Least Part Of Courthouse To Remain Open In Century
May 28, 2009
NorthEscambia.com has learned that court will continue to be held in the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century.
An email sent Wednesday to all Escambia County Sheriff’s deputies indicated that the courthouse will not close as previous announced this month.
“Per the Clerk’s Office, the Century Courthouse WILL NOT be closing June the 1st. It has been approved for the courthouse to remain opened,” the email sent to the deputies read.
NorthEscambia.com has attempted to contact Escambia County Clerk of the Courts Ernie Lee Magaha for comment since the first of the month, but he has yet to return our repeated phone calls.
It was not immediately clear if the services offered by Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley would remain in Century. While the email sent to deputies indicated that the courthouse would remain open, deputies generally do not directly interact with the tax collector’s office. They do, of course, frequently refer people into the court system through arrests and traffic tickets.
On Wednesday, the Tri-Cities Rotary club approved a resolution asking both Magaha and Holley to keep their offices in Century. Century Mayor Freddie McCall, a member of the Tri-Cities Rotary Club, said that it was his understanding that Magaha had indeed decided to keep his office open in Century. McCall said Holley had not offered such a commitment.
We were unable to reach Holley late Wednesday afternoon for comment.
Both constitutional officers announced earlier this month they were pulling out of Century primarily to save money, citing a low usage level for their services as a secondary reason for leaving Century.
Pictured above: The Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Looking For Something To Do This Afternoon? Enjoy Century’s Ole Mill Pond
May 28, 2009
Century Care Center will kick off a planned concert series “An Evening at Century’s Ole Mill Pond” this Friday afternoon, and everyone is invited.
The concert series is fashioned after Pensacola’s Evening in Old Seville Square, CCC Director Don Ripley said. The Century event will feature free live entertainment with the sounds of soul, rhythm and blues from The Sensational Tones of Joy.
We felt that since Century has lost so much recently in the closing of our last school, Century Elementary, and our Escambia County court annex, that we needed to do something to bring the community together,” Ripley said. “What better way than to have a free concert, an open house, with food and art vendors to bring the community together with our most cherished assets, our mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers that have given us so much to be thankful for, all from the Century, Jay, Flomaton and Atmore areas.”
The event will take place behind Century Care Center at the Ole Mill Pond, a new pond fully stocked with fish for the enjoyment of the nursing home residents. The pond was built to allow Century care residents to get outside, build their immune systems and stimulate their minds and bodies. The pond was built with a grant from the Agency For Health Care Administration.
The event is open to anyone, regardless if they have family members in Century Care Center or not. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket. The Tri-City Rotary Club will be selling barbecue sandwiches, chips and soft drinks. Other vendors will be on hand as well.
The event will begin at 3:00 Friday afternoon and is expected to continue until about dark. Century Care Center is located at the intersection of West Highway 4 and Industrial Boulevard in Century.
For more information, or to reserve a vendor booth, call Mae at 256-1540.
Pictured inset and below: The Ole Mill Pond, a new pond recently constructed behind Century Care Center. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century Residents Sign Petitions To Keep Courthouse Open
May 27, 2009
About 200 petition from Century area residents have been delivered to Escambia County’s tax collector and clerk of courts in an effort to keep the courthouse in Century open. Unless the two county officers change their minds, this is the last week of business for the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century.
Jack and Julie Moran, Century business owners (left), hand-delivered the petitions to Pensacola Tuesday asking officials to keep the Century courthouse open. Unless Escambia County Clerk of the Courts Ernie Lee Magaha reconsiders, Tuesday was the last day of court in Century. Friday will be the last day that Escambia County Tax Collector Janet Holley’s office will be open, unless she changes her mind.
The Escambia County Commission passed a resolution last week asking the two constitutional officers to reconsider the Century closures, but they are under no obligation to take instruction from the commission.
The nearest tax collector office to Century will be in Cantonment, 28 miles to the south of the Billy G. Ward Courthouse. The nearest physical location to access court services, including paying a traffic ticket in person, will be 45 miles away in downtown Pensacola. Both agencies do offer many services online.
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has told NorthEscambia.com several times that his Century precinct in the courthouse building will remain open.
Photos courtesy WEAR.
Funeral Services Set For Man Shot Sunday By Atmore Officers; Police Won’t Release More Info
May 27, 2009
As funeral services are set for the man shot by police early Sunday morning, the Atmore Police Department will not release any more information about the incident.
Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Thursday at Monroe Chapel in Frisco City, Alabama, for Danny Ray Williams, 33. Williams was shot by Atmore police officers following a high speed chase that started in Atmore and ended in Walnut Hill just south of Kansas Road about 1:45 Sunday morning.
Atmore Public Safety Directory Glen Carlee said the chase began after a reported shots fired incident near Ashley Street and Jones Street, a location about three miles driving distance from the Florida line. Officers say they spotted the Nissan Altima driven by Williams leaving the area of the shots fired call. That’s when the chase begain that eventually ended with police shooting Williams in Walnut Hill after he tried to run over officers, according to Carlee.
Carlee would not confirm to NorthEscambia.com what his department found at Ashley and Jones streets in Atmore. “I can’t say,” he said when asked if officers discovered if there had or had not actually been shots fired in the area early Sunday morning. He said he would not release any information beyond what was in a press release the department issued on Monday.
To read that press release, click here.
To read the original NorthEscambia.com story about the incident from Sunday morning, click here.
To read about Williams’ court record and outstanding warrant, click here.
For an exclusive NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the scene, click here.
Carver/Century Holds Last Ever Graduation Exercise
May 27, 2009
The moment was bittersweet as the final eighth grade class at Carver/Century K-8 School held graduation exercises Tuesday night.
There was excitement over the new beginning that the graduation presents for the students as they head off to high school in the fall, and there was sadness over the class being the last ever to graduate from the Blackcat legacy of Century High School, Carver/Century, Century Elementary and Carver Middle.
Friday is final day of school for the Carver/Century after the school board voted earlier this year to close Century’s last school.
“This really a very poignant moment for all us,” Carver/Century Curriculum Coordinator Paula Jernigan said. Tuesday marked her 25th graduation excercise at a Century school.
“I can remember when it was not easy for someone to event make it to the eighth grade,” Rev. Willie Carter told the graduating eighth graders, holding his Century diploma from May 22, 1936, in his hand. “Tonight, we have to think of it as a beginning.”
Principal Jeff Garthwaite presented a certificate and pin depicting a blackcat and the word “pride”. It was all about the Blackcat pride legacy, he said. “We’ve tried to share that with students that they are continuing that Blackcat pride.”
“Nobody’s going to ask you if came out of a little town like Century, but if you can do the job,” Rev. Carter said.
The top-ranked student in the class, Devon Cottrell, said, “This is only a small step for to walk and leave Carver/Century School; however, out lives experince big change, a chance that will be managed with patience as wisdom.”
The second-ranked student in the class was Skyler Macks, just 1/100th of a point behind Cottrell.
“I am proud that I had the opportunity to attend this school,” Macks said. “I will miss the good times we’ve had at Carver/Century.”
“Today is a day of joy and celebration. We are moving on and growing,” Macks said. “This was a great school.”
The following students were in the final graduation class at Carver/Century K-8 School: Jay Ates; Keairra Brown; LaPorsha Brown; Devon Cottrell; Jaquan Dale; Tyaisha Davison; Ashtin Dixon; Aradius Elliott; Arkelle Elliott; Tierra Floyd; Alisha Grice; Kahlil Grice; Blaze Harkness; Kateria Hoffman; Trevor Hubbard; Cordell Jackson; Shaquanna Jones; Te’Andreia Knight; La’Mikal Kyles; Skyler Macks; Chris Madison; Trevelle McWilliams; Demontra Mitchel; Jontashia Myles; Stetson Nash; Jamell Rivers; Deidre Steel; Talia Syria Dyshun White; Roderick Woods.
Pictured top: Graduation exercises at Carver/Century K-8 School Tuesday night. Pictured inset: Rev. Willie Carter addresses the students, his 1936 Century diploma in hand. Pictured below: Devon Cottrell receives his eighth grade certificate. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Customers Will See Decrease In Bills
May 27, 2009
If you are a Gulf Power customer, look for a small decrease on your power bill. A surcharge used for hurricane repairs will be dropped from Gulf Power bills starting in July.
The electric utility will stop collecting the $2.57 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours fee that was approved by the Florida Public Service Commission after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, and extended after hurricanes Dennis and Katrina. Combined, those hurricanes did almost $200 million in damages to Northwest Florida’s electric system.
“These hurricanes did a tremendous amount of damage to our system and we worked with the state to soften the impact on customer bills by spreading the repair costs out over the last 5 years,” Sandy Sims, Gulf Power spokeswoman, said. “The surcharge also helped us to rebuild our storm reserve fund which is critical to keep future storms from causing large increases.”
Gulf Power’s charge for 1,000 kilowatt-hours will decrease to $121.53 — down from $124.10.
“We prepare for storm season every year, but when you have back to back hurricanes it carries a tremendous price tag,” Sims said. “We know our customers expect us to work as hard and as fast as possible after a hurricane and to bring in thousands of extra workers and materials. That costs money, but it’s a small price to pay to help get the power on much quicker.”
Sims said lowering the price of electricity is always positive and noted that Gulf Power offers energy and money saving tips on the company’s Web site at www.gulfpower.com. Storm preparation tips and safety information is also available on the web site.