State Of Emergency Declared
April 2, 2009
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has declared a state of emergency in 19 Florida counties, including Escambia and Santa Rosa, due to flooding.
The declaration allows for officials to coordinate protective actions, emergency services, resources and personnel needed to help protect lives and property during the state of emergency period.
Red Cross Offering Flooding Help; Volunteers Needed Now
April 1, 2009
The American Red Cross is offering assistance to those impacted by the flooding from the heavy rains during the past week.
People who have had damage from flooding but do not have flood insurance can contact Red Cross to discuss emergency disaster caused needs at (800) 773-7620.
Volunteers are needed now to assist the Red Cross in their flood related efforts. For more information visit www.floridaredcross.org and click on “Volunteer”.
Santa Rosa Cuts 121 Support Jobs; 260 Teachers May Be Next
April 1, 2009
The pink slips have been delivered to over 100 educational support personnel in Santa Rosa County, and over 250 teaching positions could be cut next.
A total of 121 non-teaching positions are beign cut in Santa Rosa County due to a multi-million dollar budget shortfall for the district. School officials say that as many as 260 teaching positions may also be eliminated.
The teaching cuts are expected to be mostly non-tenured positions.
Sheriff Trims $4 Million From Budget
April 1, 2009
Escambia Sheriff David Morgan is proposing $4 million in cuts to his budget — a five percent reduction.
Morgan has already grounded the department’s air unit for an $800,000 annual savings.
Now, he wants to eliminate the jail’s health services contract with an outside firm, providing jail health services in house for a $1.8 million savings.
To save more money, some of Morgan’s other plans include:
- renegotiate the jail’s food services contact to save $100,000
- eliminate $816,000 in salaries through retirements
- cut another $450,000 in contracted positions and streamline administration
- drop a mediation contract for $45,000
- drop county commissioner insurance paid by the ECSO for $25,000
Morgan’s budget stands at $78.7 million.
Bratt Park Plans Reviewed
April 1, 2009
Bratt area residents had a chance to look at plans and ask questions about the new Bratt Community Park at a meeting Tuesday evening. The favored design option for the new park on Highway 4 near the First Baptist Church of Bratt includes two softball fields, a full basketball court, a covered picnic pavilion and a kid’s playground.
The park design also includes a paved, 8-foot wide, eight-tenths of a mile walking/biking track around the perimeter of the park. There will also be exercise and rest stations positioned along the track.The park will be funded with $200,000 is LOST (local option sales tax) funds set aside to fund the park’s development.
Joy Jones, from Escambia County’s Parks and Recreation Department said it would take a couple of months to obtain the permits needed to build the park, and it would take several more months to complete construction.
Pictured above: Plans are discussed for the new Bratt Community Park at a meeting Tuesday night at Shiloh Baptist Church. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
FFA, 4-H Members Celebrate 100 Years Of 4-H With Spring Livestock Show
April 1, 2009
FFA students and 4-H members from Escambia County celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 4-H in conjunction with the GCA and NRA Spring Livestock Show.
Despite heavy rains and flooding conditions, the show went on this past Saturday. Local 4-H and FFA members from Northview and Tate high schools showed their very best swine, goats, lambs and steers in the annual event.
Winners are listed below by category:
SWINE
- Lightweight Swine: 1st Jessica Imholte – 4-H, 2nd Forrest Gibbs – 4-H, 3rd Abbie Courson – 4 H, 4th Devin Bell – FFA
- Middleweight Swine: 1st Meagan Gibbs – FFA, 2nd John Hardin – 4-H, 3rd Jennifer Taylor – FFA
- Light Heavyweight: 1st Kellie Gindl – 4-H, 2nd Thomas Aliff – 4-H, 3rd Donald Cunningham – 4-H
- Heavyweight Swine: 1st Austin Dodd – 4-H, 2nd Brandon Lattourelle – 4-H, 3rd Josh Malonzo – FFA
- Grand Champion Market Hog – Kellie Gindl – 4-H
- Reserve Champion Market Hog – Thomas Aliff – 4 H
- Swine Jr Showmanship: 1st Brendan Bell – 4-H, 2nd John Hardin – 4-H, 3rd Tristan Livingston – 4-H
- Swine Intermediate Showmanship: 1st Forrest Gibbs Jr. – 4-H, 2nd Austin Dodd – 4-H, 3rd Donald Cunningham – 4 H
- Swine Sr. Showmanship: 1st Devin Bell – FFA, 2nd Meagan Gibbs – FFA, 3rd Thomas Conway – 4-H
YOUTH GOAT
- Class I, Breeding: Allison Vidak – FFA
- Grand Champion Doe: Allison Vidak – FFA
- Senior Showmanship: 1st place – Allison Vidak – FFA
YOUTH LAMB
- Class I Breeding Lamb winner: Miranda Vidak – 4-H
- Class II Breeding Lamb: Kellie Gindl – 4-H
- Breeding Champion: Kellie Gindl – 4-H
- Reserve Breeding Champion – Miranda Vidak – 4-H
MARKET LAMB
- Market Lamb: 1st Brooke Schlobohm – 4-H, 2nd Amber Estes – 4-H
- Market Lamb Champion: Brooke Schlobohm – 4-H
- Market Lamb Reserve Champion: Amber Estes – 4-H
- Lamb, Intermediate Showmanship: Miranda Vidak, 1st place – 4-H
- Lamb, Senior Showmanship: Kellie Gindl, 1st place – 4-H Amber Estes, 2nd place – 4-H Brooke Schlobohm , 3rd place – 4-H
MARKET STEERS
- Lightweight Steers: 1st place Julie Hester – FFA, 2nd place Amber Estes – 4-H, 3rd place Cody Wiggins – 4-H
- Middleweight Steers: 1st place Tyler Hester – FFA, 2nd place Austin Cunningham – 4-H, 3rd place Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Heavyweight Steers: 1st place Donald Cunningham – 4-H, 2nd place Blake Worley – 4-H, 3rd place Ashley Cunningham – 4-H
- Grand Champion Market Steer: Donald Cunningham – 4-H
- Reserve Champion Market Steer: Tyler Hester – FFA
- Junior Showmanship: 1st place, Blake Worley– 4-H,
- Intermediate Showmanship: 1st place, Donald Cunningham– 4-H, 2nd place, Ashley Cunningham– 4-H, 3rd place, Austin Cunningham– 4-H
- Senior Showmanship: 1st place, Lynsey Meharg – FFA, 2nd place, Cody Wiggins– 4-H, 3rd place, Amber Estes– 4-H
YOUTH PREVIEW STEER
- Class I winner: Allison Vidak – FFA
- Class II winner: Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Grand Champion Preview Steer: Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Reserve Champion Preview Steer: Allison Vidak – FFA
- Senior Showmanhip: 1st place, Lynsey Meharg – FFA, 2nd Place, Allison Vidak – FFA
YOUTH BEEF BREEDING
- Class I, Commercial: 1st Ashley Cunningham– 4-H,
- Class II, Commercial: 1st Emily Higdon – FFA, 2nd Allison Vidak – FFA
- Class III, Commercial: 1st Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Grand Champion Commercial: Emily Higdon – FFA
- Reserve Champion Commercial: Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Class I, Registered: 1st Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Class II, Registered: 1st Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Grand Champion Registered: Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Reserve Champion Registered: Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Overall Supreme Champion: Lynsey Meharg – FFA
- Overall Reserve Champion: Emily Higdon – FFA
- Intermediate Showmanship: 1st place, Ashley Cunningham– 4-H,
- Senior Showmanship: 1st place, Lynsey Meharg – FFA
Pictured top: The participants in this past weekend’s GCA and NRA Spring Livestock Show. Pictured below: Thomas Aliff (left), 13, won second place Reserve Grand Champion and John Wesly Hardin, 8, won second in his class and second in showmanship. Pictured bottom: Julie Hester (left), Ernest Ward Middle School FFA member, won first place in the lightweight steer category. Tyler Hester, Northview High FFA member, won first place in the middle weight steer category and was the Reserve Grand Champion. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Road Closures Due To Flooding
March 31, 2009
Several roads in the area are flooded following heavy rains today.
Escambia County officials report the following road closures due to flooding:
- Poplar Dell Road
- Arena Road
- Eastman Lane
- Nine and a Half Mile Road at Sunday Road
- Cottage Hill Road near Williams Ditch
NorthEscambia.com readers report that ” Barrineau Park Road has water rushing across the road just South of Barrineau Park School Road and before the bridge at the bottom of the hill. This is on a bad curve and is a potential for an accident. Water is also rushing across Barrineau Park Road just South of Barrineau Lane, again on a curve. Water is up to the bottom of the door on small vehicles on Barrineau Park School Road toward the Barrineau Park Road end. Please use caution, especially once nightfall comes.”
Tornado Warning: Central Escambia
March 31, 2009
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a
* Tornado Warning for…
central Escambia County in northwest Florida…
* until 630 PM CDT
* at 533 PM CDT…a meteorologist near Beulah Florida reported a
funnel cloud near Beulah…near the landfill…and was moving east
at 40 mph.
rural eastern Escambia County at 550 PM CDT
sturdy building…preferably in an interior hallway or a room such as
a closet or bathroom. If possible…get under a workbench or other
piece of sturdy furniture. Use blankets or pillows to cover your body
and always stay away from windows. In addition to the tornado…this
storm is capable of producing large damaging hail or damaging
straight line winds.
If you are in Mobile home…evacuate it and get on the lowest floor
of a nearby sturdy building or in an underground storm shelter. If no
substantial shelter is available and a tornado is fast approaching…
head with your hands.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT
Tuesday evening for southwestern Alabama and northwest Florida and
southeast Mississippi.
Flash Flood Warning
March 31, 2009
(Updated 4:55 p.m.) The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning until 9:00 tonight.
Radar estimated that some areas between Walnut Hill, McDavid and Molino had received up to five inches of rainfall as of 5:00 this afternoon.
There is an 80 percent chance of more rain tonight, and a 40 percent chance of storms, some possibly severe, for Wednesday and Wednesday night. The chance of rain continues at 60 percent for Thursday.
The National Weather Service in Mobile has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for…
Escambia County in northwest Florida…
Okaloosa County in northwest Florida…
Santa Rosa County in northwest Florida…
southwestern Covington County in south central Alabama…
southern Escambia County in south central Alabama…
* until 900 PM CDT
Ernest Ward Cheerleading Tryouts Canceled
March 31, 2009
Cheerleading tryouts at Ernest Ward Middle School today have been canceled due to weather.
The tryouts will be recheduled sometime after Spring Break.